Sunday Roundup: 12/9/12

Probably the best deal of the week, A Boy and his Blob is a remake of sorts of the same-titled NES game. The Wii version is markedly better, with better gameplay and graphics to name a few. While both games have their redeeming factors, this reimagining is a true hidden gem to seek out for any collectors looking for something unique. I was able to grab it for a measly $5 thanks to a Toys R Us Buy One Get One Half Off sale. The other side of this transaction will be up shortly.

Unfortunately missing the original case and instructions, Clockwork Knight is one of the Saturn games I remember seeing on store shelves when the Saturn was a new system. I think the cover, featuring the hero was what caught my eye: simple yet intriguing. Also, the game is about a toy knight. This is around the time of Toy Story as well, so the game probably rode that train for me as well.

The outcome of another Buy 5 Get 1 Free sale at Disc Replay, DDR: Supernova 2 has one reason and one reason alone for being in my collection: I own every other PS2 and PS1 DDR game released in North America before it. Naturally I had to pick this one up. Aside from those stupid Disney influenced versions, I believe the only game in the series I’m missing on the PS2 is DDR X. I see it all the time, so perhaps one day I’ll fork over the $4 for that one too…

You might be thinking, “Wait a minute. Don’t you already own this game?” To you I would say two things. First, “Wow, very impressive memory, and thanks for the patronage!” Secondly, I’d say “Perhaps you’ve read my review of this excellent title.” But for everyone else, this purchase marks a very special occasion in my collecting career. This is the very first title I’ve bought solely to keep in the packaging and never open. The game was a good buy at $15, necessary in order to take advantage of TRU’s Buy 1 Get 1 Half deal (which I got A Boy and his Blob listed above), and Ghost Trick is a game I can see becoming collectible in the future. Though it’s nothing I’m looking at doing frequently, I thought the investment was a good deal. Who knows, maybe in a few decades it’ll be worth hundreds 🙂

Though critically mediocre, I still have a lot of interest in Other M. The different angle on the Metroid formula is intriguing, and Team Ninja usually puts out some high quality games. Even if they turned Samus into a whiny girl, the game still looks fun to me. Hmm… I still haven’t beaten Metroid Prime 2 or 3 yet either. I should probably get on those…

I recall really enjoying the first Trauma Center for the DS. I actually remember it being one of the very first games I got with the DS system, which I received as a gift from my parents on Christmas. I can still remember the surgery in that game, removing viruses, stitching patients back up, and the voice of our assistant saying “Doctor!” each time you mess up. Good times. Anyway, Second Opinion was a launch title for the Wii, and it’s actually an enhanced port of the DS original. Pretty sweet!

Also, this:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dB8wBr76Jg&w=420&h=315]

You wouldn’t believe my joy when I saw this beauty sitting behind the glass case at Disc Replay. There it was, the launch title for the Saturn, the fighting game that showcased everything Sega had to offer, all for just $2! Not only that, but the game is complete, with the game, case, and instructions all in excellent condition. Better yet, there’s a nice “Not for Resale” slapped right on the disc itself. It might be the inferior version of the game, but it’s a true classic.

Wait a minute, Virtua Fighter Remix? What’s this, you ask? Well, apparently Saturn owners were so upset at the poor port and translation of the original Virtua Fighter released a few months back that Sega released Remix free of charge for Saturn owners for a short time. Since the vanilla Virtua Fighter wasn’t as polished as it could/should have been, Remix is usually taken as the better version of the game, with more characters, better graphics, and an overall finer quality experience. Either way, I’m totally all over this, for just $2 (Free after buying five other games!), complete with a perfect case, and another classic, I was more than happy to check this one off the list.