[The video game thread]

[HeavyArms]

I'm finished with Amazing Spider-Man, still not a very good game though. The next game is Just Cause 2, which I hope will be more fun at least.

Otherwise, I finally got my physical rewards for backing the Mighty No. 9 Kickstarter a few years back: the NES styled USB, manual and cardboard case. The USB is probably the best bit but the manual is a nice thickness and reminds me of some of older manuals that gave you in-story information along with tips and artwork.
 

[HeavyArms]

A few missions into Just Cause 2 and it kind of looks like a PS2 game.
 

[ganon578]

Took a plunge on Sonic Mania for the Switch. Not bad for a $20 16-bit era-esque romp that I can play on the go. It's got a nice blend of older (though updated and expanded) zones like Green Hill and Chemical Plant, as well as multiple new ones that have the same vibe. Characters, themes, gimmicks, etc. from across Sonics 1-3, Knuckles, & CD make some appearances too. Forgot how tedious some levels and bosses can be though.

Also bought the Breath of the Wild Season Pass. At $20, that's not too shabby for what's included. Several new items and modes, not counting the stuff that's coming in the holiday season. Pretty good deal, overall.

On another note, it seems that the fervor for the SNES Classic is real. Keep seeing posts of people lining up for midnight releases, online selling out immediately, re-sellers charging double+ the MSRP, etc. I'm too old for that crap. Should I find one out in the wild on a random trip, I will be happy. Otherwise, I'm not in the mood to hunt relentlessly. Anyone around here got one or getting one?

Alternatively, I think I might get a Retron 5, as it accommodates cartridges from NES, SNES, Genesis, GB/GBC, and GBA. I have a majority of my old NES and SNES carts, and Genesis games are pretty dirt cheap at two retro stores within 5 minutes of my house. I also still have my old controllers - which the Retron has ports for - and it outputs in HDMI and saves games on the system. For a semi-comparable price (OK, it's nearly double but does more stuff) and ease of availability (on the shelf at the local shops, Walmart & Amazon have it online), I may just go that route instead and save myself all the hassle. Plus, there's something neat and nostalgic about plugging in a cart to play a game.
 

[Auntie Slag]

I just bought Mario Run for the mobile phone (works on tablet too, I think). Its half price at the moment (£4.99) as they've released a load of new content for it, including the ability to replace the in-game music with the music you've got on your phone from iTunes or whatever. Also features lots of new playable characters, and when playing your own music your character of choice dons a pair of cute headphones whilst in-game!

There's lots more playability and features in this game than in anything I ever bought for the computer at that price back when I was a kid, and its very polished with instant pick up and play. Well worth it!
 

[HotShot81]

I got a . . . SNES Classic today!!!!
 

[Hound]

So did I!!!!!!
 

[Sades]

I just spanked him at Mario Kart. S P A N K E D.

All those hours spent racing ghosts on the Rainbow Road in my youth were not wasted.
 

[HeavyArms]

I'm about 30% through Just Cause 2 and dying quite often, even on normal difficulty. I've got two story missions left, a bunch of faction missions to do and a lot of races, collectibles and town to plunder/blow up.
 

[ganon578]

Originally Posted by HotShot81

I got a . . . SNES Classic today!!!!

Originally Posted by Hound

So did I!!!!!!

Congrats to you all, I didn't find one around me, though I didn't try too hard. I think I'll just keep poking here and there over time, as they're supposed to be in better supply than the NES.

Originally Posted by Sades

I just spanked him at Mario Kart. S P A N K E D.

All those hours spent racing ghosts on the Rainbow Road in my youth were not wasted.

Rainbow Road is such a good track! Actually, that game as a whole is really good. My sister and I also logged a ton of hours back in the day. I can still remember her physically tilting the controller as she turned, like it was going to help.

And while I didn't get a SNES Classic, I was able to get something very close (at least for me) on that Friday: the Retron 5! Honestly, this system really only works if you already have a bunch of old carts and controllers or you're willing to start hemorrhaging money to build a collection. Luckily, I fall into the former category!

The display on the system is really crisp - it outputs in 720 via HDMI - and the music is crisp as well. It's super easy to setup, and super easy to use. I still own a bunch of carts, and also controllers for NES, SNES, and Genesis, so this was a great pickup for me. So although I didn't get a SNES Classic, I was still able to pop in the stuff I still have on SNES: DKC, Mario World, Mario Kart, A Link to the Past, Mario All-Stars, Super Empire Strikes Back, Lagoon, Mortal Kombat II, and NBA Live '96. They all play just like I remember, with the exception of Mario World, which seems to have a slight lag. This, as I understand it, is a matter of the system and HD TV's not jiving - not a deal breaker, but noticeable. The included controller, however, IS a deal breaker - luckily I don't have to worry about that. It's a really cheap, uncomfortable, loud/clicky hunk of plastic.

On top of the SNES games, I popped in several NES favorites like Battletoads and TMNT for some NES enjoyment. Holy cow, I forgot how BRUTAL Battletoads is! I wasted so much time as a kid playing this game, only to reach levels 4 or 5 a handful of times. Great game play and soundtrack though! The only NES cart in my collection I found that didn't quite work was the Tengen version of Ms. Pac-Man (unlicensed by Nintendo) that had some display issues. Otherwise, this system is great! You can even take some time and a SD card via the internet and load a bunch of Game Genie codes to it, just to play around.

I still had some budget left from the trades and system purchase, so I also snagged Sonic 1 & 2, Tecmo Super Bowl, NBA Jam, NHL '97, and Ms. Pac-Man all for the Genesis - all in great condition and on the cheap. I also have a copy of Streets of Rage 2 coming via eBay in a few days. I think overall I spent about $40 out of pocket over the last week or so on all of that. This really only worked for me because I own so much old stuff already, and traded a bunch of more recent stuff to not spend a penny on this machine. Had I spent the $140-180 straight out of my wallet, I don't think the Retron 5 would have made me as happy.
 

[Heinrad]

Drive Girls, a game where cute anime girls beat up bug robots and turn into cars for the PS Vita.

PS Vita, because I've been wanting to get one for a while. I have to admit, it's a neat system.
 

[ganon578]

Well, SoR2 came in the mail. IT'S STILL AWESOME. Only played the first stage, as I really haven't had time to dig. Looks and sounds great on the system though!

Also stopped at my local shop to pick up a couple cheapies... came home with Bart vs. The Juggernauts (GameBoy), and FIFA International Soccer (Genesis). Got the former to try out the GB/GBA port. It works. The game is pretty bad though (had it as a kid, didn't remember it being so bad). Got the latter because I originally owned the SNES version. Not the same. Not that it's not good, just doesn't have the nostalgic vibe I was looking for.

So anyways, I took them back and swapped them for a copy of Mortal Kombat (Genesis). I still remember the blood code. Good fun all around, though I remember (rose-colored glasses) MK looking so awesome as a kid... like photo-realistic. Hah! Still love it though.
 

[Sades]

Things were getting a little heated when we were playing Kirby's Dream Course like two weeks ago or somesuch, then Hound started gesticulating and accidentally hit me in the face. I was already annoyed at him, so I milked that for an entire day (well, almost). Now we just make inappropriate wife-beating jokes at each other and then cackle like mad things.
 

[ganon578]

Originally Posted by Sades

Things were getting a little heated when we were playing Kirby's Dream Course like two weeks ago or somesuch, then Hound started gesticulating and accidentally hit me in the face. I was already annoyed at him, so I milked that for an entire day (well, almost). Now we just make inappropriate wife-beating jokes at each other and then cackle like mad things.

If Kirby's Dream Course made you both like that, it'll be interesting when you get to Street Fighter II!

It's always a bonus (minus the wife beating) to create a running joke from playing games. A buddy of mine and I were playing NBA Live '96 (coincidentally on my original SNES) circa 2009. Those games were so tense, that when I beat him in overtime on a last second shot, I took a picture of the score on the TV screen. In the days before worthwhile cell phone cameras. I developed it weeks later and sent it to him in the mail as a reminder.
 

[Sades]

I think we'd be okay. We've managed to play other things without beating each other senseless, this just happened to be one occasion when we didn't play together so well.

Been playing a couple of random Steam games: Niche is notable, it's a genetic survival game/strategy game. Also recently bought Crusader Kings II on sale. It's interesting, though I haven't quite got the hang of going to war.
 

[HeavyArms]

Yakuza: Kiwami Steelbook Edition.

Middle-Earth: Shadow Of War Silver Edition.

On Just Cause 2, I've got two main missions left and a few towns to 100% before I'm really done with the game.
 

[Heinrad]

The Walking Dead Season 2: A Telltale Games Series - for the PS Vita. Fun so far.

EDIT: Still fun, but this is the first time I've ever had to make any character stitch themselves up. I guess I'm going to have to get season one......
 

[ganon578]

My wife got me a wonderful Zelda themed USB controller for the Switch, made by Power A. I've had one of their controllers before, and while not as solid as a Nintendo-made product, they do pretty well for a 3rd party. It's a shame it's wired, but honestly it's 1/4 of the cost of a real deal Nintendo Pro Controller. The Zelda (BotW) black matte finish is nicely done, and the sticks feel pretty good. The ABXY buttons are black with gold lettering, and the directional pad is 'chromed' gold. Overall I'm really happy with it. Now I just need time to actually use it!

Also picked up the Majora's Mask Link amiibo at Best Buy. Went in there on a lark to see if they had SNES Minis (they didn't), but surprisingly they had about 8-10 of these amiibo. Now I just need to use it enough to get the Fierce Deity Armor set (again, find time)!
 

[HeavyArms]

WWE 2K17 (PS4) - Basically bought at half price or so.
 

[Warcry]

I'm perpetually behind-the-curve as far as video game systems go, but I've finally gotten to the point where I've played through most of the backlog of Wii and 360 games that I'm interested in! So I'm finally starting to ponder getting a current-gen console. But I don't know which one!

The Switch is too new -- there's not many games I'm interested in there yet. I'll probably get one eventually, but I'm not going to spend $400 or whatever on a console just so I can play Zelda.

So that leaves the Xbox One and the PS4. And between the two...honestly, I have no idea which one I'd prefer. I bought the 360 over the PS3 mainly because it was the cheaper of the two at the time I got it. But it doesn't seem like there's any price gap between the XB1 and the PS4 right now, so that's no help.

Does anyone here own both and have some recommendations? I don't have strong leanings myself either way. In past generations I've found the Xbox controllers a bit more comfortable, but on the other hand I find their library of exclusive titles pretty lacking. But 95% of what I'd want to play is probably going to be available on both machines, though the fact that the PS4 has actually decent baseball games is definitely a lure.
 

[ganon578]

Originally Posted by Warcry

Does anyone here own both and have some recommendations? I don't have strong leanings myself either way. In past generations I've found the Xbox controllers a bit more comfortable, but on the other hand I find their library of exclusive titles pretty lacking. But 95% of what I'd want to play is probably going to be available on both machines, though the fact that the PS4 has actually decent baseball games is definitely a lure.

I only have a PS4. I can say, much like you, I preferred Xbox controllers, but the PS4 redesign was so good that it swayed me in that direction (used to own a PS3 & 360). If you can get to some kiosks, try them both out. That's what made up my mind... that, and I know far more people on PSN than Xbox, so if I ever play online, PSN was the way to go. Maybe there will be an upcoming sale that might help you? Otherwise, I think either one is a good choice... I suppose you're right with PS exclusives though, Sony seems to have the better selection of them.