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[Jon]

It's been a while since I made my last gaming update so I figured now would be as good a time as any.

So, I beat Chrono Trigger DS last month.  I was quite pleased with myself.  I thought the ending played like the pilot to an anime series, but I know there's scads more.  I haven't tried to get any of the other endings yet--I think I may need to take a break from that one for a while.  In the DS version, beating the game one time unlocks a whole bunch of other stuff.  In a way, I'm sort of paralyzed by options because I want to explore as much of the content as I can and I don't want to block off any options.  It's sort of a moot point right now anyway becvause of the aforementioned break, but I'm figuring that the multiple save spots will come in handy here.

One thing that I DIDN'T do during the time I played CT was consult GameFaqs a lot.  A few times, yes, but when I got stuck on something, usually I wound up calling Jer (thanks for the assist, man!).  This was a conscious decision on my part; for me the idea of calling a friend for help seemed more fun than just looking up the answers.  I can definitely see what people liked about it the first time around, though I've heard tell that Nintendo retranslated a bunch of things when the re-did the script.  Kind of wish I had access to the original.

In the interim, I've been playing Mega Man 7 Bass for GBA.  This thing is HARD!  I caught a lucky break at one point and managed to take care of most of the bosses in Bass's game at once, but otherwise, yeesh.  The "path" option is an interesting departure from the regular stage select, but I think it takes a little mystery out of the game.  I liked the Crystal Transporter room before the main boss level as oppposed to just fighting all the end bosses again--that was a good change.  All in all, a pleasant little cartridge.

I'm really glad Nintendo made the choice to make the DS backwards-compatible with GBA games.  I've found myself drifting more towards the GBA titles lately because of the many NES ports they made but I still wouldn't have wanted to get a GBA just for that.

I think it's a fascinating time to be a gamer, especially if you had the benefit of watching the systems develop.  I have several games in my GBA/DS library that are ports of the original NES games... I think the idea that I can now have my entire old NES library in a backpack and not have to use its own generator is amazing.  It does make me wonder why it's only NES gamse that were ported, but I suppose the SNES stuff was better left for the Wii Virtual Console.  I keep seeing the "classic NES" series GBA games in various GameStops and I laugh to myself because I never played some of the originals but I'd love to have the ports.  Castlevania?  First one I played was Simon's Quest and the only one I ever made progress on was CIII.  Zelda II?  Never got past the first dungeon in the console; I'm on the Great Palace in the GBA.  Et cetera and so forth. 

I keep drifting back and forth with the idea of finding as many NES-to-GBA ports as I can and essentially recreating my old NES library for the DS.  Some titles never made it over, but I kind of like the idea. 


So, that's my state-of-the-gaming-union address.  Hope everyone enjoyed it.  Take care folks.

-Jon

[Jer]

No problem!  Always glad to help someone play through Chrono Trigger.

[questionsleep]

-Screw GameFaqs.  Help is lame.  Occasional "geez I've scoured this place for hours and nothing..." is fine.  Even more awesome when you know someone who's played.

I'm really glad Nintendo made the choice to make the DS backwards-compatible with GBA games.

DSi
=[

I have several games in my GBA/DS library that are ports of the original NES games...

Do you have Metroid?  I've never looked into whether or not it's like the FDS or NES one.  That is:  Does it have save files?

It does make me wonder why it's only NES gamse that were ported, but I suppose the SNES stuff was better left for the Wii Virtual Console.

SNES is a pain to put on GBA.  From what I gather, processing power / sound/ layers.  I don't think they can convert the sound properly (see Mother 1+2) so they have to re-do the sound.
The SNES has so many graphical LAYERS to deal with.  Like, a screen is made up of several transparent sheets, each with it's own graphics contribution, like: background, text, text box, character sprite.
SO... I think they had to re-do everything, to put an SNES game on the GBA.
I'm still wondering how the hell they got Yoshi's Story (N64) to run on the GBA demo forever ago.

I keep drifting back and forth with the idea of finding as many NES-to-GBA ports as I can and essentially recreating my old NES library for the DS.  Some titles never made it over, but I kind of like the idea.

With a slot-1 device for your DS, you can play (almost) any NES game you want.  All on one cart - no messing with troublesome GBA cart switching.  Also, ANY game - you're not limited to the GBA's library.  Foreign titles not released in the US are not to be forgotten!
There is limited SNES support, but it's still possible.
You can play Genesis and Master System stuff, Game Boy stuff, Neo Geo, Game Gear.  And probably other stuff I don't remember/use.

I told you about these slot-1 flashcarts, when I recommended some DS midi controllers.
I do think a slot-1 flashcart would serve you well.

[Jon]

What's with the frown about the DSi?  Did they get rid of the GBA slot?

I do not have Metroid... I had the Game Boy Metroid back in the day, but didn't do very well with it. 

I'll check out those flashcard devices.  It would be kinda cool to play R-Type...

[Alex A.]

The DSi loses the GBA slot but gains a SD slot among other things, and it will have a virtual console so you can download old GB, GBC and GBA games.

[questionsleep]

I doubt GBA, partly because of the sizes of the ROMs.
But the VC for DSi isn't confirmed yet, is it?  It's a high hopes thing, right now.
I sure do hope they have DSi Virtual Console, though.  Along with wireless multiplayer functionality for those games.

As for the no GBA slot on DSi issue,
I don't like playing GBA games on my DS?!  I like playing them on GBA?  I guess I'm one of a few.  I want to take a picture of my GBA micro strapped to my DSi and be like "No GBA slot, huh?"
You can't do GBA multiplayer on a DS.  Which bugged me from day one of "Hey, our new DS will play GBA games, but you lose half the functionality of the GBA games!"

GBA is dead for Nintendo, so naturally they wouldn't spend money on something they don't sell games for anymore.  GBA was still kickin' when the first DS came out.

[Jon]

You make a good point about the multiplayer... I never did a lot of co-op play, so it didn't occur to me.  Kind of surprises me that they didn't have some sort of workaround for that though.