Cheerful Ghost: An Awesome Community For Gamers

80s Reruns: Super Mario Bros.

I have three functional NES consoles, and two of them are currently hooked up and ready to play. You could say I'm a fan. But nobody talks about these old games much anymore, even though the gameplay in many games holds up even in the present day. Let's do something about that. There's no better place to start than the game everyone played, Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros. isn't the first appearance of Mario, or even the first Mario Bros. game, but it's the first introduction most of us had to the characters, and it's what most consider the first game in the core Mario series. It set the rules that platformers would follow even to the present day. There's no... Read All I have three functional NES consoles, and two of them are currently hooked up and ready to play. You could say I'm a fan. But nobody talks about these old games much anymore, even though the gameplay in many games holds up even in the present day. Let's do something about that. There's no better place to start than the game everyone played, Super Mario Bros.

Super Mario Bros. isn't the first appearance of Mario, or even the first Mario Bros. game, but it's the first introduction most of us had to the characters, and it's what most consider the first game in the core Mario series. It set the rules that platformers would follow even to the present day. There's no question about the influence this one game has had on the whole industry.

I used to love poring over instruction manuals for NES games, but one thing that sticks out for me with SMB is that it doesn't need one. In the first few seconds of the game, you learn the basics, and by the end of 1-1 you know pretty much all you need to know to get you through. If you run straight forward, you get killed by the goomba. Oh, you must need to hit one of these buttons. Whoa, A jumps, and jumping kills enemies, and makes things come out of these question mark blocks. And suddenly, you realize you've got the hang of it. But then the fun starts.

It isn't an incredibly easy game, but the difficulty curve ramps up nicely, and beyond being accessible, the mechanics are good. Even today, the physics in the game feel natural, and the challenges are well thought-out.

For the time, the graphics were decent, but they were impressive in how they convincingly made this world with such simple pixel art. And the music, especially that iconic theme, lives on in the Mario games even today.

Out of every game I've obsessed over since I first got my NES back in the 80s, this one still probably takes the record for most hours of my life taken up. Even the 550 hours I've put into Terraria or the few 200+ hour games I've put into Skyrim don't hold a candle to the hours I put into beating Super Mario Bros. over and over again. I was obsessed, and I still play it a few times a year.

I realized at some point in college that I almost always played it the same way, warp from 1-2 to world 4, and then warp from 4-2 to world 8, and decided to check out some speed runs. "I can do that," I thought. So for months, I rediscovered the game in a new way, trying to power through as fast as possible to get as close to the record as I could. I think the record at the time was around 5:30 (currently on SDA the world record is 4:58), and I was able to get down to around 6:30 before burning out. I never got good enough to be competitive with it, but it was a blast.

For this blast from the past, I decided to play through the game without warping, and I was surprised at just how much I had forgotten. 1-1, 1-2, 4-1, 4-2, and all of world 8 were still quite fresh in my mind, but especially world 6 and 7 were almost foreign to me. I could almost get through the 8-4 maze blindfolded, because I've done it so many times, but some of the later castle mazes are tricky until you learn the pattern. Overall, it struck me how great the level design was coming into it with fresh eyes. Like I said, I had forgotten so much so it all felt new again, and it was all well done.

This game is a classic for obvious reason. Even if it wasn't the bundled game for most of the NES's lifespan, it would have been huge. The technology available back in the mid-80s was limited, but Nintendo pulled off something truly special with what they had, and its impact can still be felt today.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 01/12/2015 at 09:23pm

Yeah, Super Mario Bros. was great and it's pretty cool how the series has progressed since it's release. I remember being a kid in the 80's and being introduced to the NES, SMB, and Duck Hunt. I didn't own a NES when I was a kid, but I did get the Gameboy. My cousin had a NES and I loved it when I visited and we'd play it. Those are some of my fondest memories as a kid. He still has it and his games and I often wish I had his game library. I do now own a NES, but I haven't hooked it up in many years. I only own a few games for it, The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Monster Party. Still, it's cool that Nintendo has released some of the games on their Virtual Console.

I wonder which classic NES game you'll write about next. Perhaps The Legend of Zelda. =)

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 01/12/2015 at 09:53pm

That one is on my list, but I doubt it'll be next.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 01/12/2015 at 10:00pm

I'm not sure I ever beat the original SMB. I'm not sure how far I made it through the game, but if I have beaten it, it was probably once and I doubt even that. I'm absolutely sure the amount of hours I've spent on the game barely even scratches how many you've put into it.

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Cheerful Ghost Speaks - Valve's Entrance To The Living Room

http://rack.0.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDEzLzA5LzI1L2Y3L1N0ZWFtTWFjaGluLjUwMThkLmpwZwpwCXRodW1iCTk1MHg1MzQjCmUJanBn/a3ff28b0/a3c/Steam-Machines.jpg

I can not tell a lie. I want Steam in the living room. After seeing what the Wii U, XBox One and Playstation 4 have to offer I am more interested in a Steam console than anything. Lately some news from Valve has surfaced that they are going to forgo Valve Developer days and instead have a large footprint at GDC as reported by Gamasutra.

"Steam Dev Days was a great way to brief a large number of Steam developers. This year our focus will be a bit different, so we are planning a larger than usual presence at GDC. So, there will not be a Steam Dev Days this year, but we will certainly consider doing it again in the future."

... Read All

Starship Rubicon - All Over The Universe Pt. II

Here is part 2 of the Starship Rubicon Let's Play & Twitch roundup.

The video linked above is a very recent video by Sundarworld where he takes the Lamjet all the way to the Dodongo boss. This is his part 4 in his Starship Rubicon series. I'll keep you posted on how far he goes with this playthrough.

Streamfriends had an awesome Twitch stream video that is massively entertaining. After a few tries Mog beats the game so if you want to see someone beat Rubicon, this video will show you how. Along the way they bump into a few bugs but fear not, like everything, they will be fixed in an upcoming patch.

http://www.twitch.tv/streamfriends/v/3617686

In ShieldGuys video he... Read All

Starship Rubicon - All Over The Universe Pt. I

Starship Rubicon was released last month and it's good to see people enjoy it. We are going to wrap up all the interesting Rubicon Let's Plays and Streams into two posts so strap yourself in for part one!

The video above is Maris of the Twitch GamerQuest fame. She held a two hour game stream/developer Q&A with Wick. I want to feature this video because it not only shows off the game but because Maris has a really interesting discussion with Wick about developing the game. The 2 hour session is broken up in a YouTube playlist, so hopefully that translates well to the embed above.

http://www.twitch.tv/gamerquest

Celerius TheDerp takes a stab at a few Starship Rubicon... Read All

Jack and Rich Review Crypt of the Necrodancer

Jack and Rich are back for a new episode of Previously Recorded covering the new game Crypt of the Necrodancer. In an endless sea of sequels, gritty reboots and shooters it's nice to get something a little different.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 01/09/2015 at 04:54pm

WARNING: WHITE GUYS

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/09/2015 at 05:05pm

Travis Admin wrote on 01/09/2015 at 11:10pm

I imagine this is hell to play with a 360 controller. That d-pad... off. But I want to try this. Keyboard would be fine, but maybe a ps3 controller to get the directions better laid out than the arrow keys.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/10/2015 at 07:18pm

Maybe the 360 buttons would work? I use those for the Binding of Isaac Rebirth and they work well.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 01/19/2015 at 06:30pm

http://youtu.be/d3yAc6yiJA8

Here's a Twitch stream of them playing the game. They started the night blacking Call of Duty (which was incredibly boring and referenced in this youtube video), then decided to try out a game called The Swapper but eventually get to the Crypt of the Necrodancer around min 27. If you want to see actual gameplay (with commentary and chat whilst playing)

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Continuing The Roguelike Craze With Risk of Rain

http://riskofraingame.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/screenshot234.png

If you only have a handful of time to play video games, Roguelikes offer a pretty good way to go. Don't have time to play some epic sword and magic RPG odyssey? Why not spend 30 minutes on a Binding of Isaac run? Don't have 60 hours for that latest triple A epic? Why not plunk a few minutes on Risk of Rain?

Recently that time has added up as I just unlocked the Engineer and Enforcer in Risk of Rain. I don't mind the Commando(the character you start with) but the game really opens up when you can use a different play style to win. Playing as the Engineer is such a different experience compared to the Commando that I worry some might miss how differently the game feels... Read All

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 01/07/2015 at 07:03am

I haven't progressed very far in the game. I haven't played it very much nor do I think I've unlocked any other characters.

I do like the point you made in the beginning with your third paragraph about "Rougelikes." That is a good point. I see it fitting with Risk of Rain, Starship Rubicon, and FTL.

Timogorgon Member wrote on 01/11/2015 at 08:10pm

I have yet to unlock anything. One of the reasons I really like this game is I can sit down and play for 10-15 minutes. If something comes up and I have to bail mid-game I don't feel like I've lost anything.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/12/2015 at 12:48pm

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 01/17/2015 at 02:41am

Tim, are you playing Risk of Rain with a controller or keyboard?

Timogorgon Member wrote on 01/17/2015 at 05:21am

Controller. :)

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 01/17/2015 at 05:35am

What controller are you using? Maybe we had this discussion in previous post about this game. I bought a cool USB XBox 360 controller that's see-through and has blue lights. The game functioned much better with it and my PC recognized the controller easily enough. I remember when I tried to get a PS3 controller working on my old PC, that was a pain. I had to download a program (and device drivers) to get it emulated as an XBox 360 controller and even then it didn't work very well. Although I pretty much just tried it with Morrowind.

Timogorgon Member wrote on 01/18/2015 at 06:38am

I use a USB Xbox 360 controller. It works perfect for playing games (like this one) that benefit from a controller.

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RetroLiberty Reminisces about Super Mario World

Super Mario World is one of the most beloved and iconic Mario titles. RetroLiberty, Game Sack, Leo Camacho & Crossroads Reviews talk about the history and personal recollections of one of the best console launch titles of all time.

Extra Credits - Making Video Game Design Approachable

I stumbled onto Extra Credits today, as it's an offshoot of some other YouTube channels I watch, and I have been very interested. The range of video subjects is impressive, from the need of the Blue Shell (in above video), to Myers Briggs Personalities in character design, to the Animation of Punch-Out! (on the Wii). So many other topics as well. If you're into thinking about games, I recommend you check out the channel.

https://www.youtube.com/user/ExtraCreditz/

What Are You Playing Right Now?

2015 is newly minted and as such a time to reflect. I am curious what games you all played last year and what you are playing now? Also wondering what everyone picked up in the recent flurry of holiday sales?

Timogorgon Member wrote on 01/05/2015 at 07:58pm

Over the holiday season I had more time to play games than I have in a long time, so I actually got to play a few things!
From friends on Steam I got Shadowrun Returns, The Banner Saga, Transistor, Fallout: New Vegas and Child of Light. I mostly refrained from buying things for myself this year, only picking up Castle Crashers and the Skyrim DLC Hearthstone. :)

As for what I've actually been playing: I've been craving some tactics style gaming, so I dabbled with both Banner Saga and Shadowrun. Both are cool, but so far I think I like Shadowrun a little more and I've played that the most of the two. I played a bit of GTA:Online here and there as well. I'm also trying to finish up my play through of Costume Quest, which I think I'm close to beating and probably would have already if not for all the new games that I was distracted by.

I also tried picking up Pokemon Y again, but it's been so long since I played I had no idea what I was doing or where I was suppose to go, so I just started over.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 01/05/2015 at 08:45pm

I've been playing a ton of Mario Kart 8. A couple mobile games on my phone that aren't good enough to recommend, but help waste time.

One web game that I played last year and kept forgetting to recommend is Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now: http://nothingsgonnastopmenow.com/ (It's a very quick game. Click the link. If you're in your late 20's or older at least.

vdogmr25 wrote on 01/05/2015 at 09:35pm

Hearthstone and getting my butt handed to me. It's hard to get packs when you need gold to get cards, but only get gold by winning.

Just finished the Tomb Raider reboot, and that was solid.

StarCraft 2 because StarCraft 2.

League of Legends with some friends. MOBAs are a blast with a party.

Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask which is awesome. I like that I can just pick up my 3DS on the bus or something, solve a lateral thing puzzle or two and set it down.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. Kill large monster. Harvest it's body parts. Craft gear. Kill larger monsters.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 01/06/2015 at 01:15am

Hyrule Warriors mostly. It takes many hours to complete Adventure Mode. I've already completed one map, now I'm doing the Master Quest map. I then have the Twilight Map to do. The Rewards Map is very small and not all of it is currently available, perhaps more of the area will unlock as I progress in Adventure Mode.

I was playing Terraria on my Kindle Fire, but it still has not yet updated to 1.2. I've decided to continue reading instead of continuing to play it. Maybe when I'm done reading, I'll continue and it'll be upgraded to 1.2 by then. I'm currently reading The Complete Works of H.P. Lovecraft as recommended by a friend. I'm also waiting for 1.3 to be released for the PC. I'm also waiting on the stable build of Starbound to update as well.

I'm also playing Don't Starve a little bit. I haven't played Starship Rubicon in a while, I'll probably get back into it eventually. Also, I have hardly played Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U, since I'm trying to finish Hyrule Warriors.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/06/2015 at 01:33am

Binding of Isaac Rebirth. This game is very fun and I am consistently getting to level 3 and getting creamed at the boss. That said, I think I figured out a few strategies to beat it.

Risk of Rain. I _FINALLY_ unlocked the Engineer and Enforcer. So far, I love the Engineer and have played a few games focusing on him solely. The Engineers attacks are all summons based so you can build a turret, light off rockets and drop mines. Really love how that changes the game. If you want to unlock the Engineer you just need to buy 40 drones and to unlock the Commando I think you need to simply see all the bosses.

Don't Starve. Finally figured out how to create and farm crops. I sort of learn something new and apply it to a new game. So far I am up to day 13 on one game and have plenty of food but I need to figure out how to create seeds. Something about putting a bird in a cage?

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/06/2015 at 01:34am

And when I say "plenty of food" what I mean is that I can now harvest crops and am not starving to death.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 01/06/2015 at 01:45am

Awesome, Jon! A friend of mine posted on Facebook recently that she was playing it, so I asked her about it and if she had an extra key, because I saw where you buy the game and get an extra key to give to a friend. She said she got her's from a friend, so no she didn't have one. I noticed the Holiday Sale was going on and decided to buy the Mega Pack. So, I got the game, the DLC, Don't Starve Together, and an extra key for the latter. I probably haven't made it passed the third day. I'm still learning and looking forward to being able to build a shelter. This morning, I created my first Science Station. I also found a wiki for the game, so I looked at some game play tips and such.

I'm looking forward to playing it and other games more, but Hyrule Warriors has had my focus for a while now. I do really like the game. Some battles are challenging and some a really fun. Like I said, Adventure Mode has a LOT more hours of game play than Legend Mode.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/06/2015 at 02:00am

Haven't built a shelter yet. What are the benefits to having one?

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 01/06/2015 at 02:03am

Ok you can build a tent

http://dont-starve-game.wikia.com/wiki/Tent

Or craft bedrolls. I found one, which was a nice find but I haven't built a tent or crafted a bedroll yet.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 01/06/2015 at 02:47am

I don't know, honestly, it's just an assumption that a shelter would make the night more survivable. I was thinking it could keep the night terror away. I did build a chest and I did see that I could have crafted a hay wall. http://dont-starve-game.wikia.com/wiki/Hay_Wall#Hay_Wall

Travis Admin wrote on 01/06/2015 at 05:03pm

I'm replaying GTAV here and there, and today I played an hour or so of Quake II. I love that game.

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New OoT Speedrun record, and it's not Cosmo.

Someone other than Cosmo currently holds the OoT record. Shocking, I know. Same run path as Cosmo, but 3 seconds faster. Pretty crazy.