The Fourth Annual Coint and Plick Video Games Poll - Part Two: #80 - 105

I can help if that would be useful!

just do the top 10. otherwise we will be playing 'half life 2: episode three' before you are done. /nerdlol

oh man i just realized that the usual Duke Nukem stand in for that joke is lost forever now that it actually has a release date

cryingeagle.jpg

don't worry, we'll always have Chinese Democracy oh wait fuuuuuuuuu-

know ye the signs of the coming end times

like are there any entries in the mayan calendar about dudes in muscle shirts shooting aliens in strip clubs because if so its been a lot of fun knowing yall

I guess the Loveless remaster is the last of a dying breed.

Sorry I fell off guys, will work to do better.
Two way tie for #102

#102: Qrank – iPhone/Facebook – 7 pts – 1 vote
Official Game Site

http://www.geardiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/iTunes4.png

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm_mkDz2seE

jamescobo: I makes mah money doing social media marketing (i.e. Facebooking it up for corporate clients), so admittedly part of my infatuation with Qrank (pronounced "Crank", not "Cue-Rank" as I stupidly called it for like five straight months) stems from constantly talking about it as a bandwagon clients need to be hopping on board with both feet. Still, as an object of game design, it's pretty much the perfect example of how an iOS trivia game (or really even a mobile trivia game all-in) should work: the questions are always both new and pertinent (I still give props to the question-writers for throwing one in about Kevin Costner's Gulf-cleaning doohickey literally the day after the news broke), the power-ups are helpful without being game-breaking and the location-based applications are a stroke of genius. I actually made sure my flights home for Christmas break went into as many airports as possible just so I could pick up badges for playing in those states. It’s always fun to brag about adopting early enough to actually unlock the badge for being top-10 in the world one day... now that there's an actual userbase, I doubt that’s ever gonna happen again though.

http://a4.phobos.apple.com/us/r1000/059/Purple/0f/9b/49/mzl.wkjgveno.320x480-75.jpg

Pocket Gamer Review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0itcSD5Xq8

http://techcocktail.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Qrank3.jpg

Strategies

http://iphonegamerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/qrank-1.jpg

Portable Gamer Podcast

http://platform.ak.fbcdn.net/www/app_full_proxy.php?app=4949752878&v=1&size=o&cksum=da3fae9452eb63f4cfed8eaba1682dc1&src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.qrankthegame.com%2FFacebook%2Fimages%2FFBLandingPage_Abe_v3.png

#102: Half Minute Hero (UK Release) – PSP – 7 pts – 1 vote
Official Game Site

http://pspmedia.ign.com/psp/image/article/954/954124/hero-30-20090213083340955_640w.jpg

if: While there was decent humour in Half Minute Hero’s retro-parody style, the surprise was that it actually succeeded in being an excellent 8-bit RPG (or rather 50 8-bit RPGs) with all of the boring bits taken out.

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/9/2009/10/500x_500hero.jpg

Metacritic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n2zF_VCmpg

Eurogamer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaV16Zue6uQ

Hall of Half Minute Heroes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6gIB0hksdU

Translated Famitsu Interview

http://i.neoseeker.com/p/Games/PSP/Role-Playing/Fantasy/half_minute_hero_profilelarge.png

goole: Thought this was TMI for a sec...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-CJXwQJZaM

You should take it easy, forks, especially if work is busy and you're stressed. If it took all year that would still be cool! It would give is something to look forward to.

#101: Castlevania: Rondo of Blood – Wii – 8 pts – 1 vote
Official Game Site

http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/4231/972906-r13_super.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sME5_tyRbkg

abanana: A classic that got its first stand-alone US/UK release this year on a platform people actually own.

Igarashi Interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg_HGn-wLo4

Complete OST for Download!

http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/161763-rondo.jpg

Maps

http://www.destructoid.com/elephant/ul/77197-rondocometh1.jpg

Obsessive Review

http://www.wingdamage.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/castlevania-x-rhondo-of-blo.jpg

Tons of game info and artwork

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qoSXxWHV7Q

http://turbo2k.net/images/screens/AkumajouDraculaX-ChinoRondo0017.png

Kingfish: This game is funky; it borrows art from SQ and Castlevania IV plus plenty of familiar baddies show up, usually with the exact same animation of later games.

forks bringing heat! Thanks man.

i'm starting my second job on March 15 so i'd like to be done by then.

god, I really have to play rondo of blood already. esp since I've played nearly every other side-scrolling castlevania.

rondo of blood is pretty good - definitely a cool missing link between the classic CVs and Symphony

qrank looks kinda interesting, but that might be residual YDKJ interest

Well now I am on qrank thx to you bastards, username is ilx username

ditto. sadface at heavy american question bias though.

me too - name is Mordy

me third. tried adding all of you

Qrank owns bones, my username is trdn89

You guys sold me. Under the secret name bnw.

And I'm Jimdoo. This had better turn out to be less shit than slingo.

I really wish Half-Minute Hero were out for any of the 41684834354643437 gaming platforms I can actually play on but nooooooooo, it's gotta be a PSP exclusive

Qrank reminds me how much i miss 1 vs 100. Mostly because I could play that more than once a day.

#100: Metro 2033 – PS3/360/PC – 9 pts – 1 vote
Official Game Site

http://media.psu.com/media/metro_feature_04.jpg

Gametrailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc2hhef-Nzo

Eurogamer Tech Interview

http://media.psu.com/media/metro_feature_02.jpg

Craig G: I bought this when I had finished with all the Fallout 3 I could handle but still had a post-apocalyptic yearning, hoping that this would fill a void while I waited for the next Fallout. Despite it's shortcomings (and there are a lot; serious texture problems, weirdly Irish/American Russian accents, infuriating 'tap a button to do something', all the NPCs shouting in unison with the jibber jabber when you walk through a crowd, too many Quick Time Events), I still really enjoyed this game. The story is well told in bite size chunks around short 'missions', and kept me on the hook. A nice post-apocalyptic nine hour distraction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO6uBPQcLdQ

The Brainy Gamer

http://www.projectstashman.net/web_images/metro2033pic1.jpg

Rock Paper Shotgun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B4jwmatO98

http://cache.g4tv.com/ImageDb3/184344_m/Metro-2033.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcwHjP_ZAww

Exit/Warp

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/11/metro2033.jpg

ok thats been on my to buy list for a while so def going to spend some time digging into all those links (for which again thanks a billion times over, forks)

I really want to try Metro but I don't think I'll like it enough or play it enough to justify the pricetag. Does anyone have it and want to trade for Alpha Protocol (another game worth trying but probably not worth owning)?

gamefly is selling for 19 bucks

16 way (sigh) tie for #84, aka all the one vote 10 pointers.

#84: Alice in Wonderland – DS – 10 pts – 1 vote
Official Game Site

http://media.washtimes.com/media/community/uploads/ds_alice_in_wonderland02.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be_0YC3lkfQ

Diehard Gamefan Review

http://static.gamesradar.com/images/mb/GamesRadar/us/Games/A/Alice%20in%20Wonderland/Bulk%20Viewers/DS/2010-03-19/WII47.rev_alice.3--screenshot_viewer_medium.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QckcK-Kntg

Telegraph Review

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Lzi5pIL7euM/0.jpg

Salsa Shark: This game isn’t particularly challenging or long, but the art direction is thoughtful with a limited but striking colour palette and characters who move gracefully. Alice in Wonderland is rarely ever irritating, save for some of its longer battles, which are marred by having to use the stylus to swipe in odd ways/directions. It’s still a visual treat and a pleasurable 10-12 hours of gameplay.

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9QknjGKfFUo/hqdefault.jpg

Zappi: Really like the art style and reviews seem to be favorable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLSqYAh-5xk

http://www.nintendo.com.au/web_images/Games/Mad_Hatter.jpg

#84: MLB ’10: The Show – PS3 – 10 pts – 1 vote
Official Game Site

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2010/0301/MLB10_Giants_4_576.jpg

Jordan S: Damn, I love the shit out of this game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYyKDUKsR8Y

Metacritic
http://wireninja.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/mlb01.jpg

Mayor Jingleberries: I'm kinda getting the hang of this. I tweaked my sliders a bit but even so it seems like the key is to take until you have one or two strikes and then wait for something in the zone to swing at. Also is a good idea to look at the bottom of the zone in certain situations because it gets rid of a part of the plate you have to look after during a pitch. It’s really a friggin commitment to get your stats up. I'm on my fourth season and I barely have more than 70 contact against righties and lefties, 70 power against righties and 50 against lefties and the rest of my stats are kinda horrible, esp stealing which Id like to do but its pretty much impossible to improve significantly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17KGrxoEPIQ

How to Handle Your Stick

Jimmy The Mod: This is v hard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKnrdon_1UA

http://www.7milesdown.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/mlb10_firstlook8_800x450.jpg

Gametrailer

http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/game-hunters/2010/02/10/joemauer10x-large.jpg

Jeff LeVine: My main problem with The Show right now is that the games simply take too long to play... the idea that a game takes an hour fifteen to two hours to play through is something I just can't face . It gets quite boring (just like real baseball).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB2jBdMI9Ww

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2010/0301/MLB10_Giants_6_576.jpg

Senior Producer Interview

http://a.onionstatic.com/images/media/game/640/mlb_10-the_show_jpg_627x325_crop_upscale_q85.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXFKGfm63YA

#84: NBA 2K11 – PS3/360/Wii/PC/PSP – 10 pts – 1 vote
Official Game Site

http://nba-2k11.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/nba-2k11-tim-duncan-demo.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ozIrjw_bWE

MJ Speaks

http://media1.gameinformer.com/imagefeed/featured/2kgames/2ksports/nba2k11/NBA2K11Teaser610.jpg

Gametrailer

http://www.bomeiquan.cn/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/James-Worthy-face-patch-for-NBA-2K11-1.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRE8QgGBRLQ

http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_nba_experts__62/ept_sports_nba_experts-83980883-1285164811.jpg?ymLM6zDDLfGC_vXz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZljyn_Zqco

Simulation Silliness

http://images.thekoalition.com/2010/09/NBA2K11-570x320.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMMAtXFf5kA

http://adventoutpost.com/wp-content/uploads/Snoop2k11.jpg

Elite Killer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBYtAVaRvyM

http://wethegamerz.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/news_michael_jordan_moments_in_nba_2k11-9968.jpg

guys naughty bear is on clearance at my local target - do i do this to myself?

(sorry im just excited about this thread rolling out but i dont do sports games so i wanted to say something)

I sold back nba2k11. One of the best looking games, but I grew to hate the controls and contextual animations that made me feel like I was playing Dragon's Lair instead of a good sports game like PES or World Cup. Though it is a huge improvement over last year's version.

you guys are gonna be shocked when naughty bear places in the top 10

guys naughty bear is on clearance at my local target - do i do this to myself?

I would say that it is worth... hmm... three dollars? Five tops.

oh well, i think it was 12.48 so maybe it just isnt meant to be.

btw qrank is pretty great, although today i got pwned by 3 of the 4 thousand point questions so it wasnt a banner day for sure

http://www.bomeiquan.cn/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/James-Worthy-face-patch-for-NBA-2K11-1.jpg

berore?

before F was invented.

surely you mean "berore F was invented"

#84: NHL 11 – PS3/360 – 10 pts – 1 vote
Official Game Site
http://www.digitalbattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/nhl11.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UEqkKf67Hg

Dev Diary

http://static.gamesradar.com/images/mb/GamesRadar/us/Games/N/NHL%2011/Bulk%20Viewer/PS3%20360/2010-08-10/puckhandling_-_det_vs_col_-_duchene6--article_image.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnRN9_3rE4w

http://files.g4tv.com/ImageDb3/238992_S/NHL-11.jpg

Gametrailer

http://www.puckgamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/nhl-11-uniform-creator.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI-LKjGAwes

Producer Interview

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_A9_3DLQSLcI/TIglY6OP5qI/AAAAAAAAABU/CPWb72kz-gs/s1600/178808-nhl-11-dev-diary-1_header.jpg

is it just me or is realism in video games right at the tipping point where it's difficult to tell if you're looking at a photograph or a simulation?

"in sports video games"

I like how nobody ever writes anything defending their votes for sports games; the closest we get is a bunch of supremely British pullquotes from the FIFA/PES threads.

forks, I don't think it's just you... at least, when the games are in full-arena view, I think it can be hard to tell at times, like if you just glance at the screen (because obv in normal games people don't have little arrows hovering over their heads). I remember my cousin visited just after FIFA 10 came out, so it was a regular fixture in my house at the time. I think the only giveaway for her that it wasn't real was that she could see my bf holding the controller (pretty sure she actually asked "is this a real game or a video game?" at one point)

#84: Puzzle Quest II – DS/360/iPhone/PC – 10 pts – 1 vote
Official Game Site
http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/2939/puzzlequest2ss2.jpg

DS Metacritic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B-I3gCPNiU

Craig G: Somehow the 'quest' wrapper on this game turns it from just a simple Bejewelled vs. mode to a game that I can't put down. I don't understand why; I never know what the actual purpose of the overall quest is, as I never read any of the game text. I wander from place to place wherever the arrow tells me to, fightin' stuff, levelling up and getting more spells. I know I'm basically just playing battle after battle, but I can't stop myself from playing this game… just like its predecessors. My main gripe with this one, unlike Puzzle Quest and Puzzle Quest Galactrix, is the curve just seems too gentle; it never gets difficult.

http://ipadgames.org/wp-content/uploads/Puzzle-Quest-2.jpg

Extensive Dev Interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCUd6TS0u-A

http://www.geardiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Puzzle_Quest_2-700x393.jpg

Gametrailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ6ebYHXrSY

Jenny: It's great on the iPad and decent enough on the iPhone.

http://www.platformnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/PQ2-gameplay-525x295.jpg

#83: Settlers 7 – PC – 10 pts – 1 vote
Official Game Site

http://mimg.ugo.com/200909/11322/cuts/settlers-7-village_480x360.jpg

GameTrailer Dev Diary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5AO9prmXOs

http://www.g4g.it/g4g/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/settler_6_patch_01.jpg

Producer Interview

http://www.settlers7tips.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/settlers7-screenshot.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7oirnOzAcc

Co-Designed by Civ/AoE vet Bruce Shelley

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDQDFeSZmV0

http://static.gamesradar.com/images/mb/GamesRadar/us/Games/S/Settlers%207%20Paths%20to%20a%20Kingdom/Bulk%20Viewer/PC/2010-03-23/PCG213.rev_settlers7.gen7--article_image.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5e3jXb2EAo

Nice Game if you can Play It

http://pcmedia.ign.com/pc/image/article/106/1066584/the-settlers-7-paths-to-a-kingdom-20100204003954592_640w.jpg

i can see why you kept putting this off now

Just going to rep for Lego Harry Potter for a minute (I gave it its other vote and, like Euler's, it was really a vote on behalf of our junior household gamer).

The original lego star wars was pretty solid in 2005, and this is what, the fifth or sixth iteration now? So it's a) great that TT are even bothering to continue making improvements to the core game (they could very easily just be re-skinning the same idea over and over), and b) even more great that they're making really intelligent improvements, which are aware of and focussed on their core audience of under-10s.

Basically it seems Travellers' Tales are the only people making kids' games that don't insult kids at this point.

(The improvements, btw, come down to more puzzles, less fighting, smoother co-op experience. All good stuff).

^^^ yes; I've been watching my son play this a bunch & I agree with this take on the improvements, though I oughta try playing co-op with him.

I've read that Toy Story 3 is a pretty good kids game but I haven't picked it up yet, gonna let my boy drain the Harry Potter game first.

I periodically check the Ys Forum for Ys Origin (Ys Six for the pc) fan-made translation patch. Ys fans have been waiting years for that patch. If you don't feel bad about torrenting Japanese games then I say go ahead and get Ys The Oath in Felghana (Ys Five for the pc) and the translation patch for that one (some low end PCs can play it just fine).

Ys = fast smooth hack'n'slah action that isn't as simpleminded as many hack'n'slash games since there is more emphasis on dodging, memorizing boss patterns and not all enemies can be powered through with a flurry of sword strikes -- many have unique patterns and attributes that will change up the way you approach combat with them. Ys hack'and'slash is rewarding because it's fast, like I already mentioned, and there is a variety of attacks/combos. Plus the graphics are always good looking. There isn't really many puzzles or as many kinds of items as A Link to the Past but I still think that's a good game to compare Ys to.

I can't believe someone else voted for ys 7! all of the town/plot/dialogue stuff is incredibly dull but the hackin' and slashin' is the heart of it and it just feels so right.

Whoa, another PSP game to play? Awesome! It is pretty much all I have been playing all year, I figured after Tactics Ogre I'd have to pu it down.

yeah, the first hour or so is insanely dull. I wouldn't fault anyone for putting the game down because dull and overlong introductions to a story i don't care about/endless training tutorials RIGHT AT THE START OF A GAME are my number one pet peeves with game design. it amazes me that games still do this to people. my time is limited and I want to actually PLAY SOMETHING, people!!

but if you can soldier through, you'll be rewarded with a very fun hack n slash rpg.

playing the PSP remake of ys 1 & 2 right now. highly recommended if you've never played these games before in one of their thousands of other reincarnations.

the Settlers 7 post is the most highly-trafficked post in the history of the blog by like a factor of ten

Which what where? Linky?

http://cointandplick.wordpress.com

the Settlers 7 post in question: http://cointandplick.wordpress.com/2011/02/25/coint-plick-2010-84e-settlers-7/

wow, i honestly didn't know you had caught up. fuck, now i feel extra guilty. will post more tonight.

also james: i can provide you with the raw html if that would make doing the blog easier?

no problem! with Wordpress it's basically just a matter of cutting everything straight from the posts & pasting it straight in; the biggest hassle is grabbing the YouTube links and that ain't no thang. at this point the tagging probably takes longer than pulling the info from the post.

james, any idea why it's so trafficked? is it getting hit on GIS?

just GIS'ed it: answer is YES. I run a SNES blog and the pages that get the most hits are accidentally SEO'd into getting mad hitz.

What's with you guys running these awesome game blogs and not sharing the links? Post em here! :)

i think i have pimped it on this site before but it's everygame.wordpress.com and it's not v good anymore

givf part threeeeeee

okay, i'll take a stab at this today/tomorrow.

Yay! And sorry for mithering.

le sigh

Was a best of the decade (2000s) poll ever done on ILG?

I think the only non-yearly one we did was the attempt at the PS2 poll but I don't think that even made it to the polling stage

We did the poll for the PS2 one, I have the results, I was just kind of bummed by the turnout so I never published it -- I may do so when Forks is done, though! I am still sitting on the list!

aw i wondered what happened to that, trying to choose 10 made me go back & play some of the ps2 games i missed the first time round - think my 10 would be a lot different today

c'mon forks!!!!

It may make more sense at this point for me to completely re-run the polling & maybe even the nominations for PS2, and anyone who doesn't send in another list I'll just use their old one to beef up the numbers. That's somehow unethical though I bet. Ha.

i would be down with that, will m

oh man, was wondering what happened to the ps2 poll. think I voted for that one. will be pretty into this if it happens.

The Fourth Annual Coint and Plick Video Games Poll - Part Three: #53 - 79
will try to add new stuff tonight