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Weekly Poll: Here Comes Vita

Most of you are not interested a realistic reboot of Naughty Dog's Jak and Daxter franchise, so it's for the best that the project is no longer happening.  There is a bit of interest in possibly supporting such a thing if it were handled properly, but I think we need to let the animated character remain animated.  So many fun, colorful games have crossed the line to try and be dark, gritty, and serious, but it never quite works out in the end.  I wouldn't want to see Jak and Daxter in a realistic style any more than I'd encourage the next Uncharted to become a sparkly anime adventure.  Experiments in visual style can bring something fresh to a well-worn franchise (see what Kirby's Epic Yarn accomplished, for instance), but the resulting apple shouldn't fall too far from the established tree.

Speaking of new and uncertain things, Sony is sending its PlayStation Vita out into North America and the European/Australian regions in the days ahead.  Will you buy a Vita at launch?  Have you had a preorder in place for months?  Are you just going to walk up to a store counter and ask for one on a whim? Are you waiting to see how the system performs in the weeks and months ahead before making a commitment?  Or are you totally disinterested in it altogether?  Let's hear your thoughts.

Weeky Poll: The Real Ottsel

The majority of you are happy with Capcom's decision to include the bad box art version of Mega Man in the upcoming Street Fighter X Tekken.  After some thought, I've come to the conclusion that I'm alright with it as well.  The traditional classic Mega Man does not fit the Street Fighter style, and while he appeared alongside Ryu, Chun-Li, and other World Warriors in the Marvel vs Capcom titles, appearing in a solid Street Fighter brand title just wouldn't fit.  If we have to have Mega Man in a Street Fighter game, then this is probably the best way for him to join the crowd.  Sony's guest star Cole MacGrath from inFamous is a perfect match and needs no additional redesigns or tweaks.  As for Namco's inclusion of Pac-Man as a playable character... well, that's a topic for another day.

Moving on, word came from Naughty Dog this week that the company was considering a realistic reboot of its Jak and Daxter property before settling on The Last of Us.  Would you have any interest in versions of Jak and Daxter that lived in a realistic world and played things relatively straight?  Or is it a good thing that the company left well enough alone and allowed the characters to go on with their animated adventures?  Let's hear your thoughts.

Weekly Poll: Blue Bombed

Nintendo's New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the overwhelming favorite when it comes to four-player cooperative platform titles in recent memory.  I certainly enjoyed it as a single-player excursion, and it's great fun when I played it with my girlfriend.  We also tackled Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One which had its moments, but went on a bit too long and became frustrating near the end of the game as interesting level designs and challenges were replaced with wave after wave of identical enemies all attacking at once.  I wound up finishing that one by myself just to get the gold PlayStation trophy for finishing the story (and since I killed the final boss at the same time that it killed me, I was awarded the trophy, but not the actual ending sequence, nor did the game itself give me credit for completing it).  LittleBigPlanet's physics are too floaty for it to be all that much fun in groups.  I'm still trying to get a copy of Rayman: Origins from GameFly, but the service did send out Kirby's Return To Dreamland which we have yet to start.  I love the idea of the co-op platformer, but the subgenre is still a bit rough around the edges.  Like other genres though, I'm sure it'll grow and evolve over time.

Moving on, last week Capcom set the Mega Man fan community on fire once again by announcing that the bizarre off-model version of Mega Man as seen on the box of the original Nintendo Entertainment System title would appear in the upcoming Street Fighter X Tekken fighting game as a playable character.  How do you feel about this version of the blue bomber taking the spotlight over the more familiar face that usually represents the properly?  Do you question if Mega Man should even be in the game in the first place?  Let's hear your thoughts.

Weekly Poll: Four's A Crowd

Most of you have no intention of ever buying a Season Pass for video game downloadable content.  As for me, I have purchased a few of them.  I'm open to buying more down the line if I trust the publisher behind them, think the asking price is fair, and plan to play the game in question a lot.  I sprang for the extra cases for L.A. Noire (that I still haven't finished, for shame) and the upcoming extra missions for Saints Row: The Third.  I felt that the L.A. Noire content was fairly priced when purchased in bulk ($10) considering all of the extra material that was provided.  I took a chance on the $20 Saints Row pass since none of its expansions were available when I bought it.  That'll get me three mission packs and one costume pack, incidentally (and while I like to think I'm above such things, the Nyte Blaye costume pack did include an awesome car).  Maybe when it's all over I'll feel that I've overpaid, but I bought it with a gift card, so it didn't actually cost me any cash out of pocket and so far I am enjoing the extra content that is available.  It was a gamble, but I'm feeling lucky. 

Moving on, my girlfriend and I have been enjoying platformer titles that offer cooperative multiplayer fun.  We hit New Super Mario Bros. Wii a while ago and just recently finished Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One.  Kirby's Return To Dreamland is coming next, and then after that is Rayman: Origins.  I think we tried LittleBigPlanet in there too at some point.  Which multiplayer cooperative platformer title in recent memory is your favorite?  Let's hear your thoughts.

Weekly Poll: Triforce In Concert

Of the games listed in the poll (and it wasn't easy to only pick a handful of options), Mass Effect 3 and BioShock Infinite are the most eagerly awaited games amongst you all out there.  We covered this topic on Episode 73 of the Power Button podcast where I listed out some of my titles of interest for 2012: Assassin's Creed III, BioShock Infinite, Kid Icarus: Uprising, The Last of Us, Paper Mario, and Luigi's Mansion 2 are among the games that I want to know more about and see in action.  You'll have to listen to the show to hear why and see how my choices mesh with the picks of my co-hosts, Joey Davidson and Brad Hilderbrand.  No matter which games you're anticipating, I think we can all agree that it's going to be another great year for video games (and last year will be difficult to top, what with all the Batman and GLaDOS and 3D Mario going on) as developers move into what's becoming the final act for the current generation of consoles as announcements about new hardware are rumored to be on the way this year.  Let's see everything go out on a high note!

Moving on, Nintendo has announced a slate of dates and locations for its traveling symphony featuring famous and beloved music from The Legend of Zelda franchise, Symphony of the Goddesses.  Will you be going to the concert?  Is your body ready to experience concentrated blasts of cultural musical goodness from a beloved and iconic video game series?  Would you go if the show planned a stop near your city (at the moment, some major metropolitan areas are not on the list of venues)?  Or are you totally disinterested?  Let's hear your thoughts.  Be sure to speak up if you decided to spring for the costly $150 (after Ticketmaster fees) tickets and will get to meet Link, Ganon, and Princess Zelda backstage after the show for autographs, photo opportunities, and an ocarina jam session.  Quit looking at me like that.  After all, why else would those tickets possibly cost that much?

Weekly Poll: Here Comes 2012

Most of you out there received some of the video games that you wanted as holiday gifts.  I did well as I said last week with three new Nintendo 3DS titles and a gift card for the PlayStation Network.  I haven't decided what to spend that on yet.  I may just bank that for a bit and wait for something special to come along.  It seems irresponsible to waste it on overpriced, undervalued downloadable content.  I'm patient.  Something special will come along before too long.  I also spent some other gift credit on Saints Row: The Third, so I'm sure to be busy for a while.

Looking ahead to the new year that's spreading out before us, 2012 promises another banner year of top-tier video game releases.  Which big release are you anticipating the most?  Are you amped for the next Assassin's Creed sequel?  Is BioShock Infinite dancing in your dreams?  Is your body ready for Kid Icarus: Uprising?  Have you been waiting patiently for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance?  What of Mass Effect 3?  Perhaps something else entirely consumes your gaming daydreams right now.  Let's hear your thoughts as you start planning your purchases and acquisitions for the year.

Weekly Poll: Holiday Loot '11

There's an overwhelming cloud of pessimism surrounding Shigeru Miyamoto's inevitable departure from Nintendo.  It's easy to understand why.  The man has his hands in just about every product that Nintendo releases.  Without his presence, Nintendo's creative output will be markedly different.  That's not to say that it'll be worse or that it'll be better.  Just different.  As for me, I'm in no hurry for Miyamoto to depart.  The company needs him and, by extension, so do we all.

Moving on, it's time for that annual PTB holiday tradition in which I ask you all if you received all of the games that you wanted for your respective gift-giving end-of-year event.  Did you get all that you wanted?  Some?  None?  Let's hear your results.  As for me, I received the most important of what I wanted and did very well in the 3DS department with Sonic Generations, Mario Kart 7, and Super Mario 3D Land.  It's a great season for handheld gaming.

Weekly Poll: End Of An Era

There's an overwhelming lack of importance associated with the Spike Video Game Awards.  I've been saying all week that they don't mean anything to me, and yet while actually watching the awards, I found myself disputing the winners and wishing that the show were generally better.  So, in the end, I suppose the idea of the VGAs means something to me after all.  I loved the fun animated clips with, say, Portal 2's Wheatley accepting the nomination for the year's best character while begging to someone to help him get back to Earth and the Joker's moment at the podium as he accepted the aforementioned award.  Shigeru Miyamoto's moment on stage was wonderful to see.  There were fun bits in the VGAs.  Then Felicia Day grabbed cupcakes with her mouth for some reason.  For more on how the VGAs can be better, be sure to listen to Episode 71 of the Power Button podcast.

Speaking of Shigeru Miyamoto, last week's retirement scare has people talking about how Nintendo will move forward once he does inevitably leave the company.  I certainly don't want him going anywhere any time soon, but the fact remains that the day will come when his unique talents and creativity are no longer available to the development teams working on the next installments of Mario, Link, and Samus Aran.  Do you believe that Nintendo will be the same once Miyamoto departs?  Let's hear your thoughts.

Weekly Poll: Varying Definitions Of Important

The Russian Revolution is the preferred setting of the next Assassin's Creed title with secondary honors going to Ancient Rome and Victorian England.  I had to go with the Russian Revolution as well, as there are many fantastic opportunities to integrate the franchise's ongoing tales of Templar corruption and manipulation with real-life historical events.  As much as I think that the American Revolution is an intriguing backdrop as well, what turns me off of it is the lack of amazing architecture worth climbing around compared to Renaissance Italy or any of its related settings.  Ezio Auditore had some spectacular structures to leap to and from.  What would a 1776-era Assassin have to climb?  A log cabin?  Short of setting the game in a major city such as Philadelphia or fledgling New York City, I can't imagine much in the way of sprawling settlements to explore.  I can also see value in scaling the forts of St. Augustine, Florida in a Spanish/American conflict.  China is a possibility considering the new character introduced in the Ezio epilogue Assassin's Creed: Embers, although supposed protagonist Desmond Miles's connection to such a place would remain to be seen.  We talked about this idea on Episode 70 of Power Button if you'd like to hear more speculation and wish-listing.

Moving on to something more immediate, Spike is airing the 2011 Video Game Awards this coming weekend here in the United States.  While it might seem that the VGAs want to be a companion piece to the Academy Awards or Emmy Awards for honoring excellence in film or television respectively, the VGAs are typically overdone affairs with embarrassing attempts at humor that play to a stereotypical lowbrow audience.  Votes for top VGA honors are often cast for games that are not even available in stores yet.  Do the VGAs mean anything to you?  Are you waiting on pins and needles to see which games win big this year?  Will you watch at all?  Or could you not care less about the whole thing?  Let's hear your thoughts.  If you'd like to have your say outside of a text box, feel free to call the Power Button hotline at (720) 722-2781 and leave a voicemail message detailing your opinion.  We'll talk about the VGAs and discuss this question on the next episode of the podcast, and in the process we'll play back some of the messages and comment on them in our usual style.

Weekly Poll: The Best Of All Drakes

The modern incarnation of Sonic the Hedgehog just barely squeeks ahead of his classic variation when it comes to Sega's Sonic Generations.  For as much as I enjoyed Classic Sonic's levels in this game, I have to admit that I favored Modern Sonic.  That was a shocking realization for me.  Part of that comes from the better level designs created for the latter Sonic to run through this time around.  Something about it all clicked with me in ways I didn't expect, and I found it easier to maintain momentum with Modern Sonic.  I still had fun with Classic Sonic and I hope that we see him again, but for what it's worth, I spend more time replaying levels with Modern Sonic than with Classic.  Trust me, I'm just as shocked as you are.

Speaking of controversies, on the most recent episode of the Power Button podcast, Joey Davidson, Brad Hilderbrand, and I went around and around on Naughty Dog's Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception.  In the end, we were disappointed with it compared to the heights that the previous game, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, set.  You'll have to listen to Episode 69 to hear all of the justification, but we came away with the agreement that the franchise's first sequel is better than its second.  What do you think?  Which is your favorite Uncharted title?  Let's hear your thoughts.