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The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The players
After last week's foray into the colorful world of Phantasy Star Online, I knew I had to step it up for a great follow-through. That's why I got in touch with three excellent MMO bloggers who have long histories with PSO and were more than eager to share their perspective on this unique game world! The Game Archaeologist: Who the heck are you and how did you first get into Phantasy Star Online? What class and race did you play? David: I'm David Lambert, but many people know me better as Branick, host and producer of the LOTRO Academy podcast. I first got into Phantasy Star Online with the original Dreamcast release, which I picked up only about two weeks after it came out. I actually had eight different characters (I bought six VMUs in addition to the two I already had specifically for this purpose), but I definitely favored the HUcast. I wasn't big on using techniques, and the HUcast had the highest attack power in the game.
The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The highlights
The Dreamcast was a brief but shining aberration in the gaming world. Coming along years after Sega had fallen out of its position as a top-runner in the console market, it represented the company's big attempt to reclaim its former glory. While it failed to succeed in that respect and ultimately closed up shop in 2001 (ending Sega's interest in the console market), the Dreamcast became a gaming cult favorite responsible for some of the most innovative titles ever made. Games like Jet Grind Radio, Space Channel 5, and Shenmue have remained fan favorites long after the Dreamcast's demise, which shows the legacy that these dev teams left behind. But perhaps the Dreamcast's greatest gift to the gaming world wasn't crazy taxis or space dancing but a surprisingly forward-looking approach to online gaming. In 2000, the Dreamcast took the first steps to bringing an online console RPG to market, and while it wasn't a true MMO, it certainly paved the way for titles like EverQuest Online Adventures and Final Fantasy XI. It was bold, it was addictive, and it was gosh-darned gorgeous. Ladies and gentlemen: Phantasy Star Online.
The Envision: A portable Gamecube sans disc drive
One of the main problems faced by hackers and modders creating portable versions of home consoles is, well, portability. Making something you can hold in your hands isn't exactly an easy task, but creating something that also fits in your messenger bag is a tall order, especially when hacking together a handheld version of something with a disc drive. ModRetro member Jonathan Shine's solution to this problem is as ingenious as it is simple: If the disc drive is too thick, don't use it. The Envision, Shine's homemade portable Gamecube, kicks spinning media to the curb in favor of an SD card loaded with what we're sure are completely legal and legitimate backups of games he already owns. The device measures approximately 1.375 by 6.5 by 4.125 inches and will run for 2 to 3 hours on a single charge. Check out this thread at ModRetro for complete build specs and more pictures of the finished product. [Thanks, Mason!]
Nintendo GameCube turns ten years dead, still in denial about the whole color purple thing
For many hardcore gamers, it wasn't so hard to say goodbye to the Big N's purple box of yesteryear. But for those of us who stuck by Nintendo's side in 2001 and embraced the quirky StarCube GameCube, today's 10th anniversary is all too bittersweet. Sure, the house that Mario built may have misfired when it slapped the wrong coat of paint on an otherwise competent chunk of hardware, yet let us not overlook the legacy of top-tier, first-party titles that led us bleary-eyed into the wee hours of the morning. Who could forget that first mischievous sacrifice, when you willfully slung a gaggle of Pikmin into the eager mouth of a Bulbor? Or the time you thought your TV was possessed when those insanity effects from Eternal Darkness kicked in? Surely, we have this sixth generation console to thank for Samus Aran's second act. So, the next time you gaze upon your dust-collecting Wii, think admirably of the machine that came before it. Think appreciatively of the machine that lives still inside it.
The 10 best GameCube exclusives (other than the obvious)
Three days ago marked the Xbox's tenth anniversary -- which means today is the GameCube's tenth. Those two systems are emblematic of the rift between "core" and "casual" gaming that formed seemingly around them -- nobody really thought there was a difference in previous generations, but the contrast between the Mountain Dew-green, imposing Xbox and the family-friendly, lunchbox-shaped, honestly adorable GameCube underscored the growing divide. Just as we did with the Xbox, we're celebrating the GameCube today with a look at ten of its exclusive titles. More of these led to sequels and ports elsewhere, but in almost every case, there was some aspect of the game that never "clicked" away from the GameCube. Oh, and we're not listing the obvious ones. Yes, we all liked Smash Bros. and Zelda. Where's the fun in bringing those up again? After the break, find an utterly arbitrary list of GameCube games we liked. But first, we have to begin properly: like this.
Mario Kart Wii bundle loses GameCube support, just in time for the holidays
"Racing fans start your engines, because Nintendo is releasing the ultimate Mario Kart Wii bundle this year," Nintendo's press release reads. Of course this bundle – featuring a black Wii, black Wii Wheel, and a copy of Mario Kart Wii – looks an awful lot like the existing Mario Kart Wii bundle. So what makes this bundle "the ultimate" one? Simple. It's got the "newly-configured" Wii console, of course! "This new Wii bundle not only offers great value to fans, but introduces a Wii console with a slightly altered configuration, which now stands horizontally, rather than vertically." For those of you just joining us, this new configuration doesn't just limit your console feng shui options; the new console is no longer compatible with GameCube games or accessories. This announcement is UK only for now, but just like the New Super Mario Bros. Wii bundle that introduced the new configuration last month, it looks like Nintendo is systematically gutting GameCube support from its Wii lineup.
Gamecube-free Wii refresh heads to North America, competes with more versatile predecessor
Usually when a hardware refresh axes a major feature, it gets a comparable price drop. Not for Nintendo's waggle star, however -- the gamecube-free Wii refresh we've seen advertised for Europe is heading to North America for the same price as its backwards-compatible kin. $150 will get you a black console designed to lay on its side and streamlined to play only Wii software, a Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack and a copy of New Super Mario Bros. Wii. All well and good, except that Nintendo's press release (which you'll find after the break) also promises that the existing Wii bundle will stick around, packing Mario Kart Wii, a Wii Wheel, backwards compatibility for Gamecube games and the very same $150 price tag as the downgraded redesign. Mark your Christmas wishlists carefully folks, this one's a doozy.
European blue Wii bundle takes Mario & Sonic to the Olympics, sends US gamers home without a medal
You didn't expect the Olympics to land in London without a video game tie-in snapping at its heels, did you? Of course not, but did you expect it to be bundled with a powder-blue console? Here's the skinny: Nintendo's Mario & Sonic at the 2012 Olympic Games Limited Edition Pack pairs the outfit's upcoming Gamecube-free Wii refresh with the ghetto fabulous chromatic pop of the 1970s' tackiest grooviest tuxedo craze. Like the "Family Edition" bundle that clued us in on the hardware refresh, this package has only been announced for Europe, and there's still no word on how much either set will cost. Nintendo of Europe says they will be announcing additional bundles later this year, but if you just have to have a matching console for your blue Wiimote, you can pick one up November 18th.
Fusion Micro mod weds PSP and GameCube hardware, but battery won't last the honeymoon
It may not be the first console we've seen modded and squeezed into portable clothing, but we've got to admire the sheer pluck of cramming all the GameCube's goodnesss into PSP hardware. Modder Ashen, also responsible for the stockier GameCube Fusion, has managed just that, with some heavy-duty adjustments and modifications. The Fusion Micro is a fair bit chunkier than the original PSP, mainly due to the fan and heat sink behind all that busy hardware. Other modifications include an extra analog stick on the right to mimic the GameCube controller and two card slots for games and emulation. Despite this impressive engineering, however, it won't stand up to extensive plays; this unholy union of Nintendo and Sony can only squeeze out about two hours of gaming from its 5000mAh battery. Click on after the break to see Zelda in action, alongside a full break-down of the controls and modifications. [Thanks Ashen.]
New European Wii model loses GameCube compatibility
It's officially a trend. One day after Sony introduced a cheaper, less functional PSP for Europe, Nintendo has announced a new "value Wii" for the region, though no price was given. The new Wii, according to Nintendo UK, is designed to sit horizontally instead of vertically (although the original Wii can technically do both, so we aren't sure what the distinction is). The other major alteration is the loss of GameCube backward compatibility -- both games and accessories. This new model (we've dubbed it the "Wii Jr.") will be released sometime before Christmas, in a bundle with a Wii Remote Plus, Nunchuk, Wii Party and Wii Sports. Other bundles will also be forthcoming. Eurogamer posted the above picture, and also got word from Nintendo that the company will "focus on the new Wii Bundle/s going forward," suggesting it won't coexist with the current model. Bye, GameCube!
Nintendo to release streamlined Wii in the UK, at reduced, holiday season price
It may be a while before we see the Wii U hit the market, but it looks like a refreshed version of its predecessor will be hitting the UK market just in time for the holiday shopping rush. According to the UK's Official Nintendo Magazine, the refreshed console will sport a streamlined look and adjusted configuration, designed for horizontal orientation, rather than vertical. It will also be included in a "Family Edition" bundle scheduled for a holiday release, alongside a Wii Remote Plus, Nunchuk controller, and editions of Wii Party and Wii Sports. The downside, however, is that the slimmed-down Wii won't be compatible with GameCube games or controllers, though it will reportedly be sold at a reduced, unspecified price. No word yet on whether Nintendo has a similar update in store for markets outside of the UK, but we'll let you know as soon as we find out.
Nintendo marketing exec says GameCube games coming to WiiWare
Nintendo Director of Entertainment and Trend Marketing Amber McCollom either outed a major feature of Nintendo's next home console unexpectedly, or she misspoke during an E3 interview. Speaking with Nintendo Gal on the subject of GameCube games not being playable on the upcoming Wii U, McCollom said, "GameCube discs will not be compatible with Wii U, but a number of the games that were playable on GameCube can be downloaded from WiiWare." Oh, really? During E3, Nintendo admitted that the Wii U would not be able to run GameCube discs like the Wii could, but never said a peep regarding downloadable versions of GameCube games coming to Wii U. It looks like Wii U owners will get a chance to thoroughly employ that variety of storage options at their disposal. Though McCollom's statement sounds pretty definitive, we remain skeptical, especially given Nintendo's track record with occasionally reneging on hardware/feature claims (how's that Wii DVD playback and USB storage coming along?). We've reached out to Nintendo for confirmation and details, and will update this post if we hear back. Update: When asked directly to clarify whether the Wii U would offer downloadable GameCube content, Nintendo got back to us with this statement: "To clarify the capabilities of the Wii U system: As correctly stated, Wii U will not play Nintendo GameCube discs, however Nintendo has not made any announcements regarding downloadable content."
GameCube Fusion portable brings Wii aesthetics, GBA design to Nintendo's boxiest console (video)
It seems like there was a time, not that long ago, where we saw another new hand-crafted portable console every week, each one smaller and more impressive than those before. Those days are, sadly, gone and, whether you want to blame the short attention span of today's youth or simply conclude that everyone's too busy playing Angry Birds, it's a sad fact. Modder Ashen is bucking the trend, creating what he calls the GameCube Fusion. It's a hand-built portable GameCube that plays (hopefully legally acquired) titles from SD card via both WiiKey and Gecko, offering full controls on-board plus an external controller port, all kept cool by a laptop-sourced fan that sounds powerful enough to make the thing hover, F-Zero-style. It's far smaller than 2009's NCube, but the omission of a battery pack means it won't be traveling far. For those who want to know more, every detail will be revealed in the 12 minute video embedded just below -- if you can keep focused that long.
The CCube puts a GameCube in your (very large) pocket
We've seen portable GameCube mods before, but the CCube (Compact Cube) built by one Jonathan Shine may be the smallest. Created using a GameCube, an old answering machine case, plastic cement and many coats of paint, the project took fifteen months to complete -- much longer than the original two weeks John had estimated. You'll find a video of the CCube after the break (skip to 2:20 for gameplay). With the disc drive actually located outside the case, it's worth noting that it's a tad on the noisy side, but impressive nonetheless. Then head over to the Mod Retro Forums for a detailed look at the CCube's construction.
Eternal Darkness concept art shows endings that could have been
You have to like Eternal Darkness to work at Joystiq. It's on the application exam (right next to the section on Metal Gear Awesome). As such, it is our duty to share the discovery of some Eternal Darkness concept art on the Behance Network page of John Dobbie, former assistant lead artist for Silicon Knights. The various pieces depict several endings that never made it into the final game (which ended up with four possible endings). The images depict a zombie apocalypse, giant structures built with human bones and humanity marching directly into the mouth of the lobster-like god, Chattur'gha. Head over to Dobbie's Behance page to check them out.
Gaming's first-person history lesson: 1958 to 2008 edition (video)
There's just so much to love about this video, described by co-creator Florian Smolka as a university video-project from Munich. In a little over four minutes, we're given a first-person tour of console gaming from 1958's Tennis for Two (played on an oscilloscope) through late 2008's Rock Band for Xbox 360 (using a Guitar Hero drum set, but hey, nobody's perfect). Not every console gets a mention -- apologies to Atari Jaguar and 3DO apologists -- and it unfortunately stops before new hotness Move and Kinect get a nod, but that should in no way deter you from setting aside a handful of minutes to watch. Be sure to note the passage of TVs, too, and remember fondly the CRTs of your youth. Unless you grew up with LCD flatscreens, you lawn-lounging whippersnapper, you. Video after the break.
Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP once had an autostereoscopic screen
It may seem like 3D sprung from the ashes of discontentment -- not to mention red / blue glasses -- but Nintendo never stopped believing. It's been secretly refining stereoscopic tech for years in the likes of the Game Boy Advance and GameCube. And while president Satoru Iwata already mentioned early last year that the GameCube had hidden 3D circuits, he recently revealed that the 3DS's autostereoscopic panel actually dates back to the clamshell Game Boy Advance SP. Which, as you might recall, also once sported a touchscreen. At the time, his story goes, LCD resolution was too low to generate a sharp image, but the optometrist-friendly glasses-free tech was already in place. Of course, if you truly want to consult the history books, you can consider Nintendo's entry into the market to be the Famicom 3D System shutter glasses pictured above... which hit stores in Japan way back in 1986. Yeah, we know.
Sarcastic announcer Easter egg uncovered in Wave Race: Blue Storm
A NeoGAF forumite going by the moniker "Raoul Duke" recently uncovered a timeworn Easter egg hidden within the folds of the aquatic GameCube racer, Wave Race: Blue Storm -- and appropriately enough, this egg is awfully rotten. By entering in a super-obscure code on the game's audio settings screen, players can change the typically pleasant (and omnipresent) pit crew commenter to a sardonic so-and-so who talks smack about your every action. You can check out a video of this old-new Easter egg posted just after the jump, or, if you feel like taking a hit to your self-esteem for some reason, you can learn the arcane measures you have to follow to find the secret voice track over on NeoGAF.
Modder, brother-of-the-year candidate crafts one-handed GameCube controller (video)
It's not that we haven't seen a one-handed controller before -- we most certainly have -- but the only significant one on record was done by one Benjamin Heckendorn, the greatest modder of the modern era. In other words, whipping something like this up takes more than a strong will and a boatload of vacation days, making Hasse's hack all the more impressive. As the story goes, his brother is incapable of playing video games due to needing two hands to work the controls; rather than chalking it up to tough luck, this guy completely re-engineered a GameCube controller for single-handed operation. After cracking it open and relocating a few bits and pieces, he then shoved an ATtiny44A, an accelerometer and a digital-to-analog converter within. Crazier still, he even included a toggle switch to select the analog stick or D-pad, depending on preference. Head on past the break to see this thing in action, and tap that source link to leave a handful of kudos.
Portable GameCube hack brings Sunshine everywhere it goes
The disc drive out back may be a bit precariously placed, but 'Hailrazer"'s portable "NCube" reeks of everything we'd want in a handheld version of the last-gen Nintendo console (except for wireless multiplayer, of course). Engadget spotted the 90-hour-in-the-making portable GameCube over on – surprise, surprise! – the Ben Heck forums. A breakdown of the construction process can be found just after the break in video form, though you may want to set up the drool tray now before proceeding. All set? Alright, now go ahead. [Via Engadget] %Gallery-30588%
