PS2 – My Life, or Something Like It

This Day In Gaming History: July 12

This Day in Gaming History is an editorial released 2-3 days per week, that takes you on a ride in its custom-built gaming history blue box. We take a look at titles all released on the same day throughout gaming history, while also giving extra facts and anecdotes as available or appropriate. Got a favorite game that you want to learn more about, or perhaps want to see featured on TDIGH? Send angel1573 a message on the forums, or leave a comment below!

While today’s post will be brief (a topic which will be discussed further in coming weeks), its a heavy hitter comes from a franchise which seems to be on everyone’s lips these days. If you haven’t been living under a rock, I’m sure you’ll catch my meaning. Whether or not you’re ready to master what we have in store for you today, it’s time to dive in and go!

CASTLEVANIA II: BELMONT’S REVENGE [JAPAN] (GAME BOY)

Also translated as “The Legend of Dracula“, and not to be confused with the NES game Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, this title was released for the Game Boy on this day in 1991. The second title to be released for the Game Boy handheld, and sequel to Castlevania: The Adventure, it is set fifteen years after the events of its predecessor. Released in color in later versions, Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge was applauded for its inclusion of classic Castlevania items, and weapons, while also making better use of the Game Boy’s hardware than its predecessor. The title follows the story of Christopher Belmont and his quest to save his son and Transylvania from Dracula in newly regenerated human form.

PAC-MAN COLLECTION (GAME BOY ADVANCE)

A compilation of four Pac-Man titles–Pac-Man, Pac-Mania, Pac-Man Arrangement, and Pac-Attack—PAC-MAN Collection was released on this day in 2001. While the first three titles are all classic Pac-Man, and follow general Pac-Man gameplay, Pac-Attack is a falling-block puzzle game much like Tetris, and was originally released for the Genesis and SNES consoles. Due to the small screen of the GBA, players are given the option to view their chosen title in two different methods. In scroll-mode, the field of view automatically scrolls to follow Pac-Man, whereas full-screen shows the entire field of view in miniature form. With the exception of Pac-Attack, the player can tweak various settings such as lives, difficulty level, or bonus life counters, similar to the DIP switch enabled settings in the original arcade machines. The title was criticized for cutting out pieces of music and sound effects, a lack of save functionality, and inconsistencies with the field of view methods. Overall, however, the title was well received.

POKEMON BOX: RUBY & SAPPHIRE (GAMECUBE)

Last but not least, with all the Pokémon Go news since launch, it seems very appropriate that we should look at another Pokémon title. Originally available in North America, and only at the Pokémon Centre in New York City, Pokémon Box: Ruby & Sapphire was released on this day in 2004. More Poke-utility than game, for the days long gone where storage was a massive problem, Pokémon Box allowed players to store up to 1,500 Pokémon from Ruby or Sapphire. It allowed for ease of collection, organization, and searching of said Pokémon, and also allowed players to play Ruby or Sapphire on their TVs. In Europe, the box could be purchased in a GameCube bundle, which included Pokémon Colosseum, a memory card, and a GBA-GB game link cable. The title also facilitated transfer of Pokémon between Emerald, FireRed and LeafGreen.

The game also connects with GBA directly, allowing Trainers to deposit their Pokémon without having to trade. Once stored, players can view a spreadsheet-like stat list, featuring categories such as: original Trainer, moves, Pokémon Contest stats, friendliness, and level. Pokémon Box also features a “showcase” mode, which allows players to create a stage from a combination of ten backgrounds, ten stage patterns, and five types of display pieces, alongside one of eight music tracks to show off their selected Pokémon. The title has certain limitations before it can be used with any of they aformentioned Pokémon titles, all of which include having caught at least 100 Pokémon in their in-game Pokédex, plus additional title-specific requirements. After a certain number of Pokémon are deposited within the game cartridge, the player is gifted a Pokémon Egg, which will hatch into a Pokémon with a special move it would not learn normally. This move can be passed down through breeding.

Images © Konami, Namco, & Nintendo

Some other titles released on this day:

Warpman (Japan) – NES – 1985
FlatOut – Xbox/PS2 – 2005
Resident Evil 4: PLATINUM – iOS – 2009

This Day in Gaming History: June 14th

Things are falling into place today as we take a look at one of the most well known video games of all time, we delve into a Playstation 2 experiment title ahead of its time, and revisit one of the Playstation 3’s best story-driven titles; all on This Day in Gaming History!

TETRIS (GAMEBOY) [JAPAN]

Originally released on June 6th in 1984, Tetris found its way onto the Game Boy on this day in 1989 in Japan. Tetris was the first entertainment software to be exported from the then-USSR to the US, initially finding itself on the Commodore 64 and IBM PC. The title is a popular use of “tetrominoes”, the four-element special case of “polyominoes.” The use of “polyominoes” have been used in popular puzzles since at least the early 1900’s; however, they date back as far as antiquity. The game has been released for nearly every video game console and computer operating system since its initial release, and has frequently been listed as one of the greatest video games of all time. In January of 2010, it was announced that the franchise had sold more than 170 million copies, approximately 70 million physical copies and over 100 million copies for mobile devices.

According to academic research, Tetris might actually increase your brain function and activity. As a user becomes more proficient, their brains show more efficient brain activity while playing. Even moderate playing can result in increased general cognitive function–critical thinking, reasoning, language, and processing. Tetris has been a focus of many other academic studies over the years. The title also inspired a number of film adaptations, including both a short animated film and the live action movie, both entitled Pixels.

PSI-OPS: THE MINDGATE CONSPIRACY (PS2)

Released in North America on this day in 2004, this traditionally-styled shooter incorporated a variety of psychic powers to differentiate itself in the market. Players take control of Nick Scryer, a ‘PSI-Operative’ whose mind has been wiped in order to infiltrate a terrorist organization. He is ultimately captured and must fight his way out, regaining his PSI powers along the way. The diverse set of psychic abilities, and limited tactical choices of weaponry, made PSI-OPS an entertaining excursion from the norm of shooters. It received generally favorable reviews from critics and players alike, but has yet to produce a sequel. The game was listed in 2010 as a game that should receive a sequel, as well as one to play before you die. In February of 2007, producer Midway Games faced a copyright infringement suit from William L. Crawford III who claimed similarities with his screenplay “Psi-Ops”. In December of 2008, Midway won the case, leaving the future of Psi-Ops open for potential revival.

THE LAST OF US (PS3)

Released only in 2013 on this day, The Last of Us is a third-person action-adventure survival-horror title (try saying that three times fast). The title was remastered for the PS4 in 2014. Players use firearms and improvised weapons alongside stealth to defend against enemy humans and cannibalistic creatures. Development of the title began in 2009, shortly after the release of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. The central focus of the game lies on its two main characters, Joel and Ellie; all gameplay elements were developed around it. The actors chosen to play these key roles, were also used for motion capture of the characters.

Following its announcement in 2011, the title was widely anticipated, and received wide praise by many reviewers. Its acclaim centered around characterization, subtext, exploration of the human condition, its soundscape, its visuals, and its depiction of female characters. The game’s depictions of violence also became a source of discussion among critics. The title became one of the best selling PS3 games, and is widely considered to be one of the best video games of all time. Following its initial release, developer Naughty Dog released several DLCs as both prequel and sequel chapters. A sequel has been discussed, and is likely to be in development, following the recent release of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, in early May of this year.

Images © Capcom, List, Midway Games, & Sony Computer Entertainment

Some other titles released on this day:

Arc the Lad: End of Darkness – PS2 – 2005
Eternal Sonata [Japan] – Xbox 360 – 2007
Alice: Madness Returns – PC/PS3/Xbox 360 – 2011
Fallout Shelter – iOS – 2015

This Day in Gaming History: June 5

Thisdayingaming

We continue to drag our heels through the last few weeks of spring, looking towards a summer filled with sunshine…outside our windows as we sit inside and play video games. That’s how summers are spent, right? Regardless, we continue to have gaming history coming your way, even as historical releases are dwindling. Look for some summer special posts coming soon to help tide you over til mayhem hits in Q3. The blue box has some stories to tell today, so let’s take a look at one of the most well known-cult SNES titles, revisit some ancient ruins, and piece together a little bit more of the plotweb of Kingdom Hearts–all on This Day in Gaming History.

EARTHBOUND (SNES)

Also known as Mother 2 in Japan, this RPG title was modestly received on its release, only to carry a weighty global legacy. EarthBound has frequently been listed on top games every gamer should play at least once in their lives; often ranked rather highly as well. Critics, as well as players, find the title to be a “classic” of the RPG genre, as well as for its socio-political commentary. Praised for its humor, intelligence, and ability to captivate, EarthBound has continued to charm players of all kinds since its initial release. The title has also quite a cult following, developing slowly ever since its release. The community has struggled to gain access to North American releases of the greater Mother series, developed countless fan art and tributes, and has generally been quite vocal about the series more broadly–a fandom holding strong since EarthBound’s 1994 release.

The sequel to EarthBound/Mother 2 was originally to be released on the Nintendo 64 console, as EarthBound 64, but was later canceled. The title was later revived as a Japanese-only sequel in 2006 for the Gameboy Advance. EarthBound was re-released in 2013 for the Wii U Virtual Console. Beyond the game itself, the lead character Ness, has also become a fan-favorite icon since the game’s release. So much so, that fans advocated for his inclusion in Super Smash Bros. and its sequels). Ness thus has become perhaps more recognizable for his roles in Super Smash Bros than from his own game. Ness has even received his own amiibo figure.

TOMB RAIDER: ANNIVERSARY (PC/PS2)

Released in 2007, Tomb Raider: Anniversary is a remake of the original 1996 Tomb Raider. Utilizing an improved version of the “Legend” game engine, it includes all of the original environments from its prototype. While it was the least commercially successful game in the Tomb Raider series, the title was well received by critics. Nine official trailers and four developer diaries were released in anticipation of the remastered title; highlighting various zones and their updated graphics. Despite being an updated copy of the original, Anniversary featured new abilities, like pole swinging, which had been absent from initial gameplay. A game trailer showing footage of the game was released in June of 2006, however, the then-PSP title developed by Core Design was canceled; the had been leaked and was not meant to be released. In the week following the trailer’s leak, Eidos Interactive announced the Tomb Raider: 10th Anniversary Edition for PS2, PSP, and Windows, to be developed by Crystal Dynamics. Core Design is no longer legally allowed to produce Tomb Raider titles; the leaked trailer now considered to be copyright infringement.

KINGDOM HEARTS: DREAM DROP DISTANCE (3DS)

Taking place after the events of Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, the game focuses on Sora and Riku as they prepare for the return of Master Xehanort. Besides these two well known characters, players can recruit Dream Eaters to assist them in fights. Square Enix decided to develop Dream Drop Distance, having been impressed by the quality of the Nintendo 3DS. Taking advantage of the handheld’s functionality, Square was able to include action elements from the series seen in Birth by Sleep, as well as to give plot hints for Kingdom Hearts III. The game has sold well, and an HD remastered version for the Playstation 4 was announced in September of 2015, as part of the upcoming compilation Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue.

Some other titles released on this day:

Athena [Japan] – NES – 1987
Digimon World 3 – PlayStation – 2002
Hospital Tycoon – PC – 2007
The Incredible Hulk – PS2/PS3/Wii/Xbox360 – 2008
Final Fantasy Tactics – Android OS – 2015

Tag: PS2

This Day In Gaming History: July 12

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