AndrewTS

Strange. My EBs (previously, anyway) charged me 24.99 for a CT cart, and I picked it up when they were having a buy 2/get 1 sale. My EB's charging $49.99 for it, and so have the Gamestops I've seen. *shrug* Although it holds true to the trend. However, I've seen EB charge $39.99 for the OOT/Master Quest disc while Gamestop charges $29.99. I wish somebody would clue these places in, though, that if they're missing the instructions and manuals, they should charge us less than for a complete copy. *They* do the same crap if you try to trade in things, after all. Yeah, I saw a clip of her doing it on Cheat. They want us to think she actually plays Halo if you check her profile. LOL. Suuure, guys. I've seen rumors G4 is going to be doing a pageant for video game babes. You know, Croft, Rayne, etc. I expect it to be as retarded as any of the SpikeTV video game awards, if not moreso. My EB's guys say all they've heard is "business as usual." I think both will stay open, but they'll jack up the prices on the games, and one store will gouge you for PS2, while the other will for GC, used older games. You know, just like competing gas stations across the street from one other, where one has the lowest price for unleaded, but its prices for higher octanes are absolutely insane. The other will have a high price for unleaded, but the higher octanes are relatively cheap. Next year--OH BOY!! Gamestop will have a used Halo 3 for 57.99, compared to EB's 58.99. With Gamecrazy, Gamerush, etc having such relatively small market share, it makes perfect sense from a business standpoint.

I don't know if this is all since the merger started, or coincidence... But I noticed Gamestop jacked up the prices on all their used N64 stuff. Anything that was $4.99 is now $7.99. If it was $14.99 it is now $17.99. $24.99 stuff now costs $27.99--well, that is, Harvest Moon and about it. EB's N64 seems cheaper (mine had Harvest Moon 64 recently for $19.99). On the other hand, stay the hell away from EB if you're buying Gamecube games. Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes EB: 24.99 used, unknown new Gamestop: 19.99 new, 17.99 used Tales of Symphonia EB: 44.99 used (!!!) Gamestop: 19.99 new, 17.99 used I've seen a handful of Gamecube stuff that's used at EB for 17.99 that's used at Gamestop for 14.99, and used at Gamestop for 12.99 and 9.99 that's 14.99 used at EB. Metroid Prime is 9.99 at Gamestop and 12.99 at EB used. In a rare exception, Metroid Prime 2 is 36.99 used at EB and 39.99 used at Gamestop. Overall, it seemed to me that EB's got the better prices on used PS1 and PS2 stuff, at least prior to the merger. Fatal Frame 2 for 19.99 vs. Gamestop's $24.99, for instance (both used). Although there are exceptions, and this may change of course (and I guarantee you it will). My EB just got in a used, original release (not greatest hits) Xenogears, and they want $29.99 for it. Yeah, that'll fly. Browsing their sites are good indicators, but *many* times their website prices are more than their in-store prices, especially in Gamestop's case.

CHAKAN, THE FOREVER MAN!! *sad we'll never see that DC sequel*

Um... I said at most do up a paragraph. A simple little dity will suffice as well. I'm probably going to overkill it. Oh, and considering that for me, making the list is going to be the hardest part, and I haven't done that (got most of the games, but nixing/adding a lot, THEN I've got to order it), don't bet on being last. Told ya I may need to ask for an extension. Not that you'll see too many surprises. I wear a lot of my biases on my sleeve.

*doesn't personally see much good in Japcclaim acquiring Namco*

Yeah. 2nd list isn't perfect, but it's fine enough and more objective, fair, and accurate than what we're likely to come up with. I'm participating grudgingly. I wonder if I should include any wrestling games at all, but if I do, it won't be any of the mediocrity Yukes has churned out Stateside.

The irony speaks for itself.

Disagree. I feel Final Fantasy VII did absolutely nothing revolutionary except bringing high production values to an RPG. Better camera is a definite Sunshine plus, but I find the control to be nearly as good, Mario has LESS moves in Sunshine than he does in Mario 64, if you take away the jet pack (some of the SM64 were replaced by the water pack functions). He can't crouch, crawl, punch or kick, grab, long jump. Many of the moves that do return in Sunshine you almost never use. Myself and virtually everyone else I know that played the game *hated* those. Oh, they were in Mario 64. They were the Bowser stages. They were a pain in Sunshine, because you not only had to re-enter the stage itself, but you had to then make your way over to the secret entrance. You fall and die? Re-enter the stage, re-enter the secret entrance. Not a problem early on, but a complete pain later on. Having never played Conker, I can't follow you exactly. But I'm reminded of DK64, where the worlds were huge...and boring. While in SM64 you actually need to play with every nook and cranny of the smaller worlds you're giving (and by that, I don't mean collecting crap). Plenty of the dungeons were large and cavernous, compared to the claustrophobic 2D Zelda dungeons, and overall the dungeons were longer (and there were more of them) than in Wind Waker. How about that vast ocean in Wind Waker where nothing was happening? Not a whole heck of a lot more went on on that ocean versus OOT's field, and tedious fetch-questing doesn't mean a lot was going on. WW seemed like a really, really tiny planet, compared to OOT's Hyrule and it's surrounding areas. At least OOT's fetch-questing was basically completely optional. No, you didn't need the giant's wallet, the Big Goron's Sword, or any of that other junk, but you could go for if you wanted. Yeah, you could buy the adult tunics ahead of time if you wanted, subverting the usual linear progression, but that's if you spent a lot of time fetching before then. In Wind Waker, YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST look for all of the Triforce pieces to to finish the game.

"Monkeys" aren't strictly a species, though. If one primate species died out as it became man, it wouldn't be missed with all of the other species, genuses, and families of primates out there. Although the question of why there aren't any species that even come close to humans as far as intelligence is certainly curious. Just because one species becomes dominant, doesn't mean similar, "inferior" species become extinct. Plus, I've been fascinated by convergent evolution, which notes how vastly different types of animals, under similar conditions, become extremely similar. Sharks and dolphins, for instance. The Macro-theory is that whales and dolphins were originally mammals who gradually adopted more amphibian traits, lost their fur and long limbs-- and now, dolphin species and and some shark species look virtually identical on the exterior. Yet, you still see amphibious mammals, such as seals and sea lions. EDIT: Metal Maniac already described divergent evolution, in which a new species seems to branch off from another, while the original species either changes in another way, or remains virtually the same.

Those stud muffins were pining over the JV head cheerleader. Pfft---you forgot about their classic 40-minute Steel Crib Match at Madison Square Daycare. Scotty H. Keith gave it 5 crayon scribbles.

Anya's top 10: 1. Final Fantasy VII 2. Tekken 5 3. Final Fantasy VIII 4. Xenosaga Ep 1 5. Xenosaga Ep 2 6. Final Fantasy VI 7. Mortal Kombat 3 8. Final Fantasy X 9. Final Fantasy V 10. Final Fantasy IV Kidding of course--you'd put some other games in 4 and 5.

Safe bet: everybody is going to hate everyone else's list. The burning question: will people hate CronoT's or Anya's list the most?

Yup, I'm gonna hate your list.

^^ UNACCEPTABLE!!! Everybody's list will include at LEAST 1 Zelda game, in the top 10! THIS I COMMAND!! *has Jer dragged off to the firing squads*

House of Wax apparently hasn't gotten any advance screenings yet. Warning #36 that it's probably going to suck.

IOW, a "soft save" that'll rescue your BUTT if you die, but gone when you turn the power off?

Give me about 80-100 bucks to buy it, try it, and we'll talk.

The "next #1 contender" would face Batista...when? Bad Blood is the June Raw PPV, right? Would it be then or as a "filler" program during the month of May?

Okay, thanks. I'd actually started the game twice, but due to the inability to save at anytime, I had to quit the game to go somewhere and never got beyond the first town. I'm aware that you'll have to get back your Ocarina, and learn a song that will allow you to save, but also puts you back at the first day. So, personal gripes already--the save system, and the fact that I can't skip the intro, so I'll have to set aside a free evening and start over *again* from the beginning till I can get my Ocarina back. The concept does still intrigue me, though.

Wow, talk about vastly different works. While we're at it, the real reason anyone liked Plastic Little: Bare breasts and softcore lesbian anime porn galore.

They aged Bart and Lisa for an episode a few weeks ago, and it was awful. Especially since if the show moves forward more than a year, technology immediately moves ahead to near Futurama levels of wackiness. Like when Lisa was president and Bart was...uh...a lazier, more useless version of Fry? Or completely different?

Ah, my bad. I think it was selective memory. I wanted to be surprised playing through it again so my memory conveniently let that piece of info slip. That's the ticket. It's the only explanation of why I can recall esoteric information at a moment's notice and forget big things I should remember.

He didn't say it was fully translated, but I suppose it could have been a fan-translated one. Any 411 on a Growlanser/Langrisser connection, Flik? I remember lots of people showing love for the Vandal Hearts games, but nowadays I hear nothing. Plenty of OMG BETTER THAN FFT!!! at the time. I recently discovered a sequel exists, but haven't played it. Had borrowed VH1 briefly--solid engine but lower production values than FFT, unsurprisingly.

I've been scouring used game, rental store, and bargain bins for games for about 8 years, and I've seen only *one* copy of Warsong ever. I've seen maybe a dozen Phantasy Star IVs. So, search Ebay frequently, set it to search titles and descriptions, and try to snipe it if you find it. Der Langrisser was an updated Langrisser 2, so it was a souped-up Megadrive-to-SFC port. It also appeared on the PC-FX--with added loading times. Yay! Oh, speaking of Der Langrisser-- http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...ssPageName=WDVW I'm not too big on strat games, so feel free to bid on it if you want.

Finding IV is easy online. Check half.com right now; they've got them in the 20-30 range right now. Oh, and I had completely forgotten that the Genesis Phantasy Star apparently only came out in Japan. To play PS1 in English either you need to go the compilation route or try the Master System version.