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[beelzebozo]

it's hard to say castlevania has gotten "better" or "worse," since it's essentially switched genres. whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is largely dependent on your genre of choice; personally, i'm a huge fan of adventure games, especially of the metroid variety, so that turn for me was pretty fortuitous.

but i feel for hard action castlevania fans out there who feel left behind by it.

 

[maxmars]

Maybe a controversial choice, but I wouldn't mind if Rainbow Six (or a new spinoff) returned to the pre-planning style of the first game. I like what the series has evolved into, but I still wish there was a game that had the whole pre-planning from the first 2 games.

Now that's interesting because I was discussing this with a friend not too long ago. The first RS games were like this -- tons of time spent on, and the most critical aspect taken care of, during the pre-mission steps.

The best missions were short and extremely well planned, to the point that even the lousy AI could not botch its execution. It was mere moments where everything falled into place, like the final piece of a puzzle. Such fantastic games!

 

[tambourine]

YES to Martoo's Castlevania argument!

 

[Magicpaint]

I don't understand how anyone can think Metroid Prime games are ANYTHING like Halo.

 

[beelzebozo]

I don't understand how anyone can think Metroid Prime games are ANYTHING like Halo.

by being an idiot, i'd imagine.

 

[Ganondorfo]

it's hard to say castlevania has gotten "better" or "worse," since it's essentially switched genres. whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is largely dependent on your genre of choice; personally, i'm a huge fan of adventure games, especially of the metroid variety, so that turn for me was pretty fortuitous.

but i feel for hard action castlevania fans out there who feel left behind by it.

They have their rondo of blood, the greatest not metroidvania castlevania game.

 

[Ganondorfo]

I don't understand how anyone can think Metroid Prime games are ANYTHING like Halo.

I agree with this, because metroid prime has bosses and halo doesn't.

 

[8bit]

Snow Bros

The addition of what were supposedly dubbed "new elves" in the sequel ruined what could have been a very promising Bubble Bobble clone.

Honestly.

What the hell is that? Where did the demon babies come from?

This is probably what inspired the Insane Clown Posse.

Snow Bros is something I go back to when I'm feeling nostalgic, but I had no idea this existed.

 

[Aisenherz]

Colony Wars
G-Police
Extermination
Legend of Dragoon
Arc the Lad

 

[DenogginizerOS]

X-Wing versus Tie-Fighter.

I want a fully realized next-gen version.

 

[Chemo]

Castlevania


No more Metroidvanias.

THIS is the right answer.

I wish Castlevania would stop being Metroid, and I wish Metroid would START being Metroid again.

 

[Brobzoid]

Devil May Cry. DMC 2/3 doesn't have shit on Devil May Cry. All the attention shifted to only focus on Dante in DMC3. How many moves does Dante have?How many weapons do Dante have? How many styles does Dante have? etc... **** that shit, there needs to be more focus on scenery, enemy design, pacing, enemy diversity while still having elaborate enemies(no two different slashes for each of these seven enemies). DMC needs it's Resident Evil roots. need!

It also needs Kamiya, but that's reaching.

 

[brandonh83]

Metroidvania works GREAT, but I would like to see more classic level-oriented Castlevanias.

I also wish Star Fox would go back to its roots of being awesome.

 

[Dahbomb]

Sonic just needs to stop sucking ass.

Devil May Cry. DMC 2/3 doesn't have shit on Devil May Cry. All the attention shifted to only focus on Dante in DMC3. How many moves does Dante have?How many weapons do Dante have? How many styles does Dante have? etc... **** that shit, there needs to be more focus on scenery, enemy design, pacing, enemy diversity while still having elaborate enemies(no two different slashes for each of these seven enemies). DMC needs it's Resident Evil roots. need!

It also needs Kamiya, but that's reaching.

DMC should stay the hell away from RE roots. I agree about the DMC1 upgrades but DMC3 was a return to roots in terms of game play, replay value and just in general depth. The rest of the stuff will come back with DMC4. The art and environment quality seems to be back for DMC4, bad ass Dante is back and the only thing that remains are the enemies. I am hearing rumors of returning Shadows.

DMC3 game play trounces DMC1's so hard its almost funny. So many people complain about going back to DMC1 after playing DMC3SE because its just leagues better. Stop saying DMC3 doesn't have shit on DMC and lumping it into the same category as DMC2.

 

[Fallout-NL]

X-Wing versus Tie-Fighter.

I want a fully realized next-gen version.

Myeah, stuff like that just doesnt seem to be happening anymore.

 

[MrSardonic]

MARIOKART
- Super Mario Kart was perfection. The controls were perfect, the course design was fantastic, the weapons available and the weapon balance was perfection. Every game in the series since has ****ed with the perfect formula. The biggest ****-up in the series has been to make the controls loose and to introduce "waggle" cornering.

Runners up:
Burnout
StarFox

FZero: It needs the original control method reinstated. Keep what AV did to the series, with the great graphics and sound. But put in the controls of the original game as well

so wrong it's not funny. FZero was a classic but the simple controls are suited to the type of 2D game that it was. The FZero series was never MarioKart and it has developed full 3D controls, subtle attacks, and the deepest, most responsive, and most varied controls of any racing series. FZero GX took the series to new heights on the control and techniques front. Going back to the original FZero controls would make the series more simplistic than any other futuristic racer and fail to explore the control possibilities of 3D tracks.

 

[Tarazet]

Phantasy Star
Shining Force

Hell yes.

 

[Zapages]

Need of Speed, enough of the Underground stuff... I'm not buying Carbon.
Prince of Persia, nuff of the over the top action... Make realistic PoP Game like Assassin's Creed...

 

[Y2Kev]

MARIOKART
- Super Mario Kart was perfection. The controls were perfect, the course design was fantastic, the weapons available and the weapon balance was perfection. Every game in the series since has ****ed with the perfect formula. The biggest ****-up in the series has been to make the controls loose and to introduce "waggle" cornering.

Runners up:
Burnout
StarFox
.

*blows whistle*

Penalty! Improper use of the term "waggle"!

No, I agree with you.

I'd also say Sonic, Castlevania (I like the new ones but would like an original), and I would like the next Rayman to be a platformer again.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

There was a time I would have said Wipeout or Twisted Metal, but they *did* go back, and it was excellent.

I'm not a huge Sonic fan, but Sonic still seems like the right answer.

Gauntlet, I suppose. Dark Legacy was a good 3D riff on the original, but after that, what happened?

I'm not coming up with a lot, though. I have far more complaints about games that haven't evolved enough rather that ones that diverted too much.

 

[djtiesto]

Phantasy Star - none of this online stuff, I want a challenging, single player RPG with a great storyline, cool characters, fast turn-based battle system, and sprawling dungeons, like the good ol' days.

Mana - Give me a decent storyline, solid level design (no repetitive random dungeon crap), and free it from the extraneous, abstract systems (weapon customization) that plagued more recent titles. Oh and bring back Kikuta.

Sonic - Duh.

Shining Force - SEGA, please for the love of god make up with Camelot and make a S-RPG.

Castlevania - I really like the Metroidvanias but would kill for a classic, stage-based game in the style of Rondo of Blood (one of the best CV games ever)

 

[Prince]

Mortal Kombat.

Next to the finishing moves what made it stand out to me was that it looked pretty real for it's time. Can't they make the fighters look more real like for example the fighters in Fight Night instead of that crappy cartoony art style.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

Mario

While I really like Mario 64 and Mario Sunshine, I think these games have become too conventionnal, Super Mario Bros was kinda crazy, flying turles, carnivorous plants, secret area in pipe, mushroom that turn you into a giant, that was some insane stuff when you think about it.

But now, with the thousands and so Mario games, it's all too conventionnal, they've tried to make something new in sunshine, and in fact Delphio Island was very fresh and all, but Piantas are very charismatic. Galaxy seems to be goign in the right direction though, but I would like something really ****ed up, more like Psychonauts or Katamari Damacy, but that may be too much to ask to Nintendo, people also get pretty anal when it comes to Mario and Zelda...

Wow, very insightful. And, probably why I adored Yoshi's Island and didn't really like Mario 64. Yoshi's Island was full of The Strangeness.

 

[Razoric]

Mortal Kombat
Sonic

 

[Aizu_Itsuko]

Sonic

What can I say? I wish Kyle Reese had been sent back in time to stop Sega from raping my childhood dreams instead of all that Skynet nonsense.

What was once one of my favorite franchises ever (annoying cutscene-gameplay moments started in Sonic 2 aside), is now totally and utterly unrecognizable to me.

Maybe Sonic's gameplay just doesn't translate well into 3D, maybe Sonic Team just haven't figured it out, maybe a little of both. But that's not what annoys me. It's everything else. It's the cringe worthy cutscenes, the angst, the lack of focus on Sonic, the complete lack of polish and now the horrible load times. Somehow, game after game they manage to **** it up a little more. Mario is still Mario, Zelda is still Zelda... why can't Sonic be Sonic?


Castlevania

They just don't know how to make it in 3D. They should send a team of runners into Capcom HQ and extract some of their designers. The 2D versions need to drop that anime look as well.


Alundra

WTF happened here?


Dinocrisis

The first two games were great and then Fonzie jumped the dinosaur with a jetpack attached to his cool as hell leather jacket.


Resident Evil (hold on!)

"Bitch! Zombies coming up the hell right now! Shoot'em in the head! Shoot'em! Grab the shotgun! You need to load it? We did that shit for you! What are you pressing' (Select) for? You have no time to make a profile! Bitch zombies in the room! HIS AXE'S ON FIRE! He killed your parents! Shoot'em in the head! SHOOT'EM IN THE HEAD! Bitch this ain't a cutscene! Press 'A'! PRESS 'A'!"

Ok.

While I totally love the new Resident Evil gameplay, I still kind of miss the old RE from the old days, with their prerendered backgrounds, their slow ass zombies, the wind ringing in your ears as you hear out of camera groans, the feeling of isolation. I wish we could get both types of RE as separate lines from the same saga. And you know the atmosphere would be killer in a next gen console.


Halo (don't hit me just yet, please)

Not saying Halo 2 is a bad game, because it's not, but I just enjoyed the first one so much more. I don't want to get into a Halo 1 vs. Halo 2 debate, so I'll leave it at that.


Wipe'Out"

(This one is going to be long. I apologize in advance)

The first one.

I know, most people here give its sequel way more (deserved) praise, but the original formula just clicks with me. In Wipe'Out" the gameplay is all about physics, perfect synchronization and anticipation. You don't just turn left or right like in many other racers. You need to have absolute control of the position of your ship, that can be slowed down by the wind or the track, or be thrown to the sides as a result of the strong inertia.

You don't just turn left; you turn left at the right moment that will allow you to hit the next two acceleration pods, while moving the nose of your ship compensating for the inclination of the track, while using a boost that will help you to take advantage of that ramp to bounce over that other guy that was just hit by those mines, while you dodge a missile at 420mph. In Wipe'Out", driving is everything. Weapons are just the much needed variable to make it all even more awesome.

Of course, the game had its share of problems. For the most part, the game was just an incredibly addictive time attack marathon, as the CPU controlled ships only represented a problem in the first lap of the race. Also, ships had this tendency of coming to a full stop the moment you touched the sides of the track, not to mention getting in contact with other ships usually ended with you accelerating out of control.

WipeOut 2097 fixed all of the above, but introduced a few changes that made it a fantastic but different game. The main reason was the change of focus from driving to weapons. Weapons in WipeOut 2097 were just far more powerful and numerous. In Wipe'Out", you had to wait for the right moment to use a rocket, get out of your driving line to aim, shoot it and then recover the control of your ship. In 2097, you had a triple rocket instead. You hardly had to aim. Missiles were scarce and the most powerful weapon in the original. In 2097 they were far more common and they could be fired backwards too. Not to mention the quake disruptor, the thunder bomb and the plasma bolt. They even incorporated an autopilot as a weapon, which goes against the original premise in the series.

All in all, an incredible game, as was Wip3'Out".

(WipeOut 64 and WipeOut Fusion were too focused on weapons for my taste, and Fusion didn't play like WipeOut at all.)

 

[Jack Random]

I really loved PSO, i really like PSU

but i want some old school Phantasy Star, and i want it soon

 

[Magicpaint]

MARIOKART
- Super Mario Kart was perfection. The controls were perfect, the course design was fantastic, the weapons available and the weapon balance was perfection. Every game in the series since has ****ed with the perfect formula. The biggest ****-up in the series has been to make the controls loose and to introduce "waggle" cornering.

Can't agree here, the best thing to happen to the series for me. I simply can't go back to enjoying the original SMK anymore.

 

[GitarooMan]

I agree with the Castlevania sentiment.

 

[MrSardonic]

Can't agree here, the best thing to happen to the series for me. I simply can't go back to enjoying the original SMK anymore.

Probably because you never really explored the depth and precision those SMK controls afforded.

Every MarioKart since SMK has also been too slow.

 

[Fantasmo]

Wipe'Out"

(This one is going to be long. I apologize in advance)

The first one.

I know, most people here give its sequel way more (deserved) praise, but the original formula just clicks with me. In Wipe'Out" the gameplay is all about physics, perfect synchronization and anticipation. You don't just turn left or right like in many other racers. You need to have absolute control of the position of your ship, that can be slowed down by the wind or the track, or be thrown to the sides as a result of the strong inertia.

You don't just turn left; you turn left at the right moment that will allow you to hit the next two acceleration pods, while moving the nose of your ship compensating for the inclination of the track, while using a boost that will help you to take advantage of that ramp to bounce over that other guy that was just hit by those mines, while you dodge a missile at 420mph. In Wipe'Out", driving is everything. Weapons are just the much needed variable to make it all even more awesome.

Of course, the game had its share of problems. For the most part, the game was just an incredibly addictive time attack marathon, as the CPU controlled ships only represented a problem in the first lap of the race. Also, ships had this tendency of coming to a full stop the moment you touched the sides of the track, not to mention getting in contact with other ships usually ended with you accelerating out of control.

WipeOut 2097 fixed all of the above, but introduced a few changes that made it a fantastic but different game. The main reason was the change of focus from driving to weapons. Weapons in WipeOut 2097 were just far more powerful and numerous. In Wipe'Out", you had to wait for the right moment to use a rocket, get out of your driving line to aim, shoot it and then recover the control of your ship. In 2097, you had a triple rocket instead. You hardly had to aim. Missiles were scarce and the most powerful weapon in the original. In 2097 they were far more common and they could be fired backwards too. Not to mention the quake disruptor, the thunder bomb and the plasma bolt. They even incorporated an autopilot as a weapon, which goes against the original premise in the series.

All in all, an incredible game, as was Wip3'Out".

(WipeOut 64 and WipeOut Fusion were too focused on weapons for my taste, and Fusion didn't play like WipeOut at all.)

Holy crap, I think you and I are the only two people that share this opinion. The original Wipeout was primarily a racing game, and a difficult one at that. You needed to know the tracks and speed markers well in order to proceed, weapons had little to do with it. There was a sense of weight to the ships and there was an actual point to flying perfect laps!

Much as a I enjoyed parts 2 and 3, they were more about weapons, turbos, getting your health back, and slamming into walls doesn't really have an adverse effect on your ability to get first if your ship is fast enough.

 

[Angelcurio]

Sonic.

Metroid (whoever had the stupid idea of making it a FPS game should be fired)

Final Fantasy (anything released after FF VI is crap)

Megaman.

Shadowrun :lol

Castlevania (Rondo of Blood FTW)

Alundra (what the hell was Alundra 2?)

Dino Crisis (ignore the xbox version, continue where DC2 left)

Resident Evil (back to its survival horror roots)

King of Figthers (nothing touches Kof 98)

 

[Baron Aloha]

Castlevania & Mega Man

 

[radrelic]

Sonic and Perfect Dark

PDZ was a complete departure in art style and gameplay

 

[Powerslave]

Final Fantasy - after FF9 it went DOWHILL with 88 MPH

Abe's Oddysee - it should be sidescrolling, not full 3D. There are still countless of possibilities for them to make up. Oddworld has a big gameplay library.

Breath of Fire.

 

[Like the hat?]

Breath of Fire.

AGREED. Also, Suikoden.

 

[Jcgamer60]

Final Fantasy (anything released after FF IX is crap)

Fixed

 

[Musashi Wins!]

World Series / 2k Baseball

Mario. I think the earlier critique about wonder vs. series conventions nails it.

Sonic is obvious but I never thought those games were that great anyway.

So...no one likes the new Castlevania in comparison? Eh, I do. Wait...maybe you're all complaining about the putrid 3d games and not the wonderful handheld editions.

And Resident Evil should never go back. It was a mediocre series that achieved greatness.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

Have you guys played Wipeouture? It's the closest one to the original. I agree, by the way, with you sentiments. I even *liked* the fact that hitting a wall could stop you cold. That made the racing that much more tense, particularly in the later tracks.

Pure is still more forgiving of position, but it plays more of a part again, as some of the tracks are rather twisty.

All in all, I agree that there's something the the original had that they gave up in an attempt to be more accessible.

 

[Like the hat?]

Two words:

Shining Force

edit:

Also, Ninja Gaiden and Shinobi.

 

[Thespis721]

Sonic - The last DS one was great. MORE OF THAT!

Rainbow Six - One of the first GREAT 3D stealth games gone Arcade.

Star Fox - Ground missions bite. No one plays STAR Fox for the ground missions.

MGS - Make me feel more emotion for the villians not think, "What the ****? He covers himself in bees?"

007 - Is it so hard to remake what they had in GoldenEye?

 

[Thespis721]

Gah! Totally forgot!

Mortal Kombat & Street Fighter Vs. Games: Bring back the 2D fighter!

And anyone with the Marvel franchise, back to formulas and...


BRING BACK THE 2D FIGHTER!!!

 

[Patrick Bateman]

Tony Hawk´s

 

[TreIII]

Sonic
What can I say? I wish Kyle Reese had been sent back in time to stop Sega from raping my childhood dreams instead of all that Skynet nonsense.

ROFL. But still, very much true. If only there was a way to use Sonic CD's time travel to reverse all of this "Bad Future" stuff that the Sonic games have up to now.

Speaking of which, as far as I'm concerned, Sonic CD was the last truly awesome Sonic game. And guess what? It only focused on SONIC and EGGMAN as far as the action goes. The storyline made not have been pulitzer material, but it was STILL more enjoyable than what we get on the regular now. It also wasn't made by Yuji Naka and Sonic Team, but rather, moreso due to the dudes who mostly make up Artoon now.

...Hint hint, Sega. A good way of perhaps being able to grant Sonic a nice "second wind" would be to bring back the OTHER dudes who had a hand in his creation, because the current dudes certainly don't know what to do with him any more. That, or perhaps they should just get their "liscense to make Sonic games" revoked for a few generations...

Castlevania
They just don't know how to make it in 3D. They should send a team of runners into Capcom HQ and extract some of their designers.

Eh, I wouldn't worry so much about Capcom, whereas I would perhaps be more interested in the (former) Clover Studios personnel. Between Hideki Kamiya, Atsushi Inaba, Shinji Mikami and all of their underlings, you would HAVE to hit the "win button" at some point or another when it comes to making a solid 3D engine.

While I'm glad that, from many reports, PoR seems to be a welcome "meshing" of classic styles and metroid style, I still wish that they would at least consider the notion of making one more classic style CV game. One more Simon game? Remaking the Christopher GB Classic titles? Give CV3 a facelift? Use the 1999 title as a way of saying "the end of an era" in more ways than one? I dunno, but it's too long since CV games actually made me sweat a little. And while that new stuff for POR's hard mode sounds nice, it STILL isn't quite the same.


For a last title to name, I could only think of one more answer:

Good grief...first that bad Sega Saturn abortion that tried to be a fighting game, and then we got Streetwise some time later. For a series that was supposed to be "Street Fighter's sibling series", it still boggles my mind how Capcom let it fall so heavily, when you think something as fundamentally fun as being able to punch somebody in the face would be EASY to do right!

Barring Capcom ever getting around to doing one for themselves, I wish they would have gotten some one capable like Y'sk (the Kenka Banchos, Fire Pro Wrestling Returns, Capcom's upcoming Shinjuku no Ookami) to do the honors. Mike Haggar is just too cool of a character in my eyes to be left with such a "legacy" of those last two games. Give him his own title!

 

[discohiro]

Snow Bros

The addition of what were supposedly dubbed "new elves" in the sequel ruined what could have been a very promising Bubble Bobble clone.

Honestly.

Hah! Reminds me of this:

Anyways, back to the topic on hand, as far as Sonic goes, I thought Sonic Rush on the DS was a step in the right direction as far as bringing Sonic back to what it was on the 16-bit days (with a big emphasis on "step").

 

[1337]

GTA, it rocked with in birdeye view. In 3D it doesn't even come close to that experience.

Almost the same story for Metroid, they should have just kept it 2D. Way better experience.

 

[revolverjgw]

Castlevania: Remove the Metroid and go back to Castlevania. Super Castlevania 4 is still the best game of the series.

Agreed. Best soundtrack too, by far the most inventive and atmospheric.

 

[Captain N]

warcraft

 

[Cheeto]

Anyone say Worms yet?

Megaman of course...after not playing the series for awhile and jumping into ZX. I was severly let down that there wasn't a list of Robot Masters to choose from...I don't want to run around aimlessly from area to area.

 

[Talamatross]

Xenosaga.

 

[Cheeto]

Xenosaga.

Does Xenosaga = Xenogears sequel?