HOLIDAY HINTS
These Three Classics Are Light on Your Wallet
By Syd Bolton - December 5th, 2008
This time of year can be bittersweet for gamers. On one hand, there is always a bunch of great titles to choose from. On the other, it’s virtually impossible to get every game you may want. If the troubled economy is troubling you, there’s nothing wrong with stepping back into the gaming closet and pulling out some oldies but goodies. Some of these are titles that you might have missed the first time around. But these deserve a place in the collection of any gamer!
First, on the GameCube (also playable on the Wii) is StarFox Adventures. This game got unfairly panned a bit because it wasn’t the StarFox game everyone was wanting (there are some shooting sequences but they are few and far between). This title was originally going to be called “Dinosaur Planet” or something related to that when Rare first started working on it. But they then decided to go with the StarFox branding. No matter what it’s called, this game is fun, intriguing, and a decent length. You can be nestled up near the fireplace with the chestnuts roasting for a good part of your winter holidays and find yourself lost in this title. Get over the fact that it’s not a shooter and the main protagonist has more fur than Shaun’s Aunt Elma. This game has action, adventure, puzzle-solving, interesting environments, and wonderful music. Can you imagine the scene pictured here with Link? Hold off, I’m not saying it’s as good as a Zelda title but it will remind you of one and still give you that warm and fuzzy feeling.
On the Xbox (and the other platforms of last-gen for that matter) Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy was mostly overlooked. There’s no reason why, though. This game really does feel like a Zelda title for the other platforms, with lots of action and exploration. If you have any interest in Egyptian mythology like I do then there are even more reasons to enjoy this one. Sure, the mummy has more bandages than that guy you knocked over at the E.B. bargain bin last week (and how rude of you!) but the humour throughout is quite good, rounding out the experience. The save points can prove to be a source of frustration, but I promise if you work your way through this title you will feel rewarded in the end. It’s just too bad we’re never going to see a sequel. This one seems to be a little harder to find used these days so you might have to go digging for it. But it’s definitely worth the effort.
Finally, you’ve probably heard it before, and maybe you’re sick about hearing about this one. But trust me, it’s worth the hype. Beyond Good and Evil on the PS2 is just too good to forget about. The protagonist’s Uncle is a pig (literally) while Jade is sexy and smart. The game controls beautifully. The photography elements add an interesting diversion that has been copied in many titles since. Although I’m recommending this as my PS2 pick, apparently game designer Michael Ancel prefers the GameCube version overall so that’s the one I played. Because I’m like that.
So there you have it. No cash this holiday season doesn’t mean you and your friends can’t have a memorable holiday gaming experience. If you do have that extra cash we’ll have to have you buy some games for us!
Enjoy the season!
