61 Frames Per Second

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• Where Did You Begin?

  61 Frames Per Second has been chugging along for a few months now, collecting readers and writers alike. Whatever differences those who come here may have, we all share an interest in video games and thus, I've become curious. When did you first play a video game? Read More... Posted Sep 12 2008, 10:00 AM by Amber Ahlborn with | with 10 comment(s) Filed under: amber ahlborn, atari 2600, arcade, retro game

• Yahtzee Says, Support Your Local Independent Developer (He's Right).

  If you're 1) a gamer and 2) not insane, then one of your favourite all-time games is Cave Story. Cave Story was planned, designed and developed by one demigod, the radiant Pixel. One of the greatest games of all time came from two arms, two eyes and one brain. Cave Story works so well because the graphics, sound, story and gameplay all compliment each other beautifully. But what if Pixel had proposed the title to, say, EA and had a hive mind work on the game? For starters, it would look and sound radically different because players today are all about the big noises and shiny things according to the Big Men In Charge (which is why Mega Man 9 has everyone leaping like dogs at a lambchop). The aesthetic shift alone would have sent Cave Story's delicate feng shui swirling down the toilet. Yahtzee talks about the importance of indie games this week, specifically Braid on XBLA. His argument for indie titles against corporate titles is that too many cooks spoil the broth—or rather, too many faceless men in suits destroy the original intent. Sometimes we all need to step back and clear our heads with games that don't stray far from the man or woman who originally thought up the idea. Read More... Posted Aug 27 2008, 06:42 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: yahtzee, zero punctuation, cave story, pixel, rant, atari 2600, braid, indie games, corporations

• Raised On the Stuff: A Parental Thank You Letter in the Heart of August

  My father turned sixty years-old today and, while he’s never been too into it, the man has been playing games from the beginning. It ain’t father’s day and it ain’t mother’s day but today seemed like an appropriate time to say thank you to every parent that has encouraged their child to pick up a controller. Happy birthday, pop. Since their inception, videogames have been terrifying red-blooded American moms and dads. As What They Play found just recently, parents are more concerned about their kids playing videogames than they are about them drinking alcohol or watching porn. My parents? Not so much. Read More... Posted Aug 14 2008, 07:00 PM by John Constantine with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: john constantine, bad dudes, mega man, defender, sonic, final fantast vii, atari 2600, raised on the stuff, empire strikes back

• Wow, Superman 64 Really Was Terrible

  The Angry Videogame Nerd isn't beloved by everyone, but I find comfort in his disjointed rantings. It's definitely a hit-or-miss affair, but when he latches onto a game that's actually worthy of his unbridled rage, fun for everyone ensues. Somewhere in the back of the Bible, God warns us against mixing the Angry Videogame Nerd with Superman 64 for fear of igniting an early Apocalypse. We did not heed His warning and instead encouraged the union. Thankfully, we all survived the result and we all had a good laugh about our near-deaths. I found the Nerd's rant particularly educational. We've gotten used to seeing Superman 64 near the top of every "Worst Games Evar" list, often second only to the Atari 2600's E.T.--the title that touched the game industry's with a glowing finger that killed rather than healed. But I never realised how ghastly Titus' disaster actually is. Superman 64's very existence offends me. It does not have the right to be matter. Why should it exist when worms and bugs die every day? Sorry for the dramatic streak, I'm just having a bit of fun. I often review games and manga in exchange for bags of weevil-ridden flour and vials of heroin--er, I mean, vials of not-heroin. Maybe I'm soft-hearted, but I rarely dole out failing grades. There are many, many mediocre pieces of work out there, but (in my opinion) few failures. In my book, you get a grade for having the determination and stones to put pen to paper and keep on going until you have a finished product. There is not one speck of effort in Superman 64. It completely earns its failure. It revels in it like a little boy who picks his nose to gross out his elders. Read More... Posted Jul 11 2008, 07:33 PM by Nadia Oxford with | with no comments Filed under: angry video game nerd, n64, atari 2600, superman 64, bad game, titus, et, worst game ever