Bakumatsu Roman Dai ni Maku - (DC)
Super Mario Galaxy - (Wii)
Had one of the worst play-throughs of Sonic CD in years playing the HD release. I just could not catch a break, and I don't know if I should fault the controls, or a higher frame rate in sections, or just a deterioration in my skills. Despite making it into more than enough of the special stages, I was only able to get the first time stone. For a long time I absolutely hated the special stages in Sonic CD, but one day they just clicked and I didn't have an issue with them. Playing this re-release brought back the pain and misery of playing those special stages for me, though. I also got stuck, literally, with nowhere to go in Stardust Speedway when I switched from past to present; enclosed entirely by platforms with two red springs and a loop at the top. I had to wait for the timer to run out and kill me. I've never had anything like that happen to me before in Sonic CD, but that could definitely lend credence to the argument that Sonic CD has some less than stellar level design.
I'll be putting some more time into the game later for the achievements and extras I'm sure. Hopefully the game is a little more kind to me then.
When I first got Bakumatsu Roman I fiddled around with it a little, and thought it felt like a fantastic fighter. I decided to try to get a bit more into it, but only really made it through an arcade run with Hibiki. I'm sure I just need practice, but when I got to that pink yukata wearing bastard I nearly had a friggin' conniption fit. Must have lost at least 30 times to him. It seemed like every single move of his had priority over mine. I couldn't even keep him from running into me to grab me, then I'd be thrown into the corner, and 1/3 the time he'd get in a down hit before I could roll out. Then I'd get Senzai Ougi-ed just for good measure. (I hate that pink bastard so much!)
I also went through the Hanafuda mode, which was very fun for me. I love koi-koi, and the computer wasn't so stupidly lucky that the fun was taken out of it.
Don't have a lot to say about Mario Galaxy. The controls are often infuriating to me when upside-down, partly because the camera angle for those sections is horribly disorienting. Also REALLY hate the swimming sections. You have to have options to reverse directional controls like that. Those options just have to be there.
Otherwise the game is just so blase to me. It's fine, but not even my love of astrophysics and astronomy was able to assist in my enjoyment of it. (Actually probably hindered my enjoyment more than anything.)
Not sure whether to sink more of my time into completing it or just stop with Mario altogether. I hear a lot of people like Galaxy 2 better, but other than Sunshine, I think 3D Mario just really isn't my thing.
