Haha, I definitely had a few those football moments, Kyle. :p
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The lives didn't do anything for me one way or another. It doesn't alleviate the problem, and it's a pretty archaic system that I don't think any game needs these days.
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I actually played through the original trilogy a month or so before Returns came out, and pretty much breezed through them. They're pretty well balanced with a nice difficulty curve that's challenging but rewarding. Same with New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The last world had some tough levels, but I never got frustrated aside from a few hard to reach bonus coins on my second time through.
In Returns, I was frustrated by world 2. I understand you're supposed to be patient going through some of these set-pieces, but it's hard to do that when they've been draining my patience over and over. Maybe one day I'll be able to return to the game and enjoy it after I know all the levels back and forth (it's still fun to play when I'm not constantly dying on those set-pieces), but I honestly don't remember any game frustrating me so easily. That's why I say it feels so out of place: I can remember the day I got the original DKC and loving every second of it. Playing Returns for the first time was a very different experience.
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From what I've heard, the plot in this one is a little better and more original than the past decade's. I can never resist a new generation of the game, though, despite my issues with the series.
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That sounds really cool, Dennis.
Rob: I don't agree that changing the "showcase" suddenly made the song a "work of musical art." It was music specifically designed to create a mood and feel complementing the theme of the game, and it did an excellent job. It was already a work of musical art, but if it has to be moved to a more traditional format to be recognized, I think that means there's something wrong with the way the Grammys award musical achievements.
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I'm not suggesting it, I'm saying it. Do you really think anyone who can nominate ever once considered video-game music? Unless there's a category specifically for it, the only time I can imagine we'll see game music is in cases like this or if some big name in the industry crosses over like some games have recently done, but even then, the association will be "Oh, it's worthy now because it's on a legitimate album or composed by an established composer."
I don't see why the "showcase" as you put it should matter when it comes to celebrating music. It's not honoring and awarding great advances in music if you allow people to ignore new facets of the industry.
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Music is music. An organization claiming to award great achievments in the music industry should seek out and recognize these achievements, even when they're not part of the traditional way we choose to consume music.
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And pretty much every other year the since the award was created. I doubt games would ever get the recognition they deserve as the "other" portion of a category shared with movies and TV.
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I've encountered the rooms you're talking about, and they're the small speed bumps I referred to.
I'm still playing the multiplayer and have found where it lists XP but I shouldn't have to back out of a group to check my stats and update my loadouts. I find the game also takes way too long to level. I'm in the 20's right now and I place first in almost every match I play, but it's still taking forever. I'm even taking the time to accomplish all the challenges and proficiencies to make it faster. It just seems like they didn't spend much time making sure the multiplayer was on par with the experiences it took its cues from.
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Well, they had some throwbacks to the original game (the layout of the dam and the end of the train level), but again, I just wanted levels that weren't tubes with point-and-click objectives along the way. I guess I wanted it to channel the spirit of the original rather than toss a few of its bones.
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Daniel: There are a lot of things going on beneath the surface, but when they're all used to determine if you're a drunk, a perve, a sociopath, or a loser, it doesn't really matter how subtle it is.
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Raymond: Really? I guess I never slowed down enough to prevent the screen from locking me out of the pipe while getting the 1-Up.
Chase: The more I play it, the more I realize Super Mario Bros. is one of the most thoughtfully designed games I've ever played. The entire game is like one big (but subtle) tutorial for itself that makes it better every time you play.
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