Lost in Blue

These crate puzzles are driving me nuts! None have been difficult so far, but they're so far away from your main cave that you take almost a day just to get to them, then you use stamina on them just moving crates, then you have to give up after three or so to come home because Skye has been an idiot and has clearly forgotten to eat, or sleep or something and she'll die if you don't get there in time. And then you spend three more days game time restocking food and firewood and stuff to make the trek again. And the maze is different every time you play! The jets of fire that block routes are random, it seems, so a route you take one day might not work another day. Grr.

I'd better be near the end now.

Lost in Blue

I'd made it back to the new cave for a sleep, and in the morning decided to go back to the main cave to make sure Skye didn't die or anything. She wasn't dead, although the fire had gone out.

Caught a few fish, and rested to get my strength back, and then spent a day fishing, stocking up on firewood and food again, and making Skye a jerky shelf (to dry fish) and a table and some chairs. I'd had a Good Log Day, it seems.

Lost in Blue

Gasp! I seem to have done loads more on Lost in Blue this afternoon. Not least:

Finished my raft. The hardest bit was actually finding enough logs, as they don't spawn all that often and they're pretty rare. Needed about 12 in total, and you only get them at a rate of one or two a day, if you're lucky.

The raft took me across the lake, to a place where there was another cave, some hot springs (where you can relax your tiredness away), a huge cave with a maze in it, and a stone wall with two switches in it. Yes, two. So I needed to bring Skye the ten million miles from our cave to the switches. Which took AGES as you have to help her up and down every step, over every jump, and you can't run with her or her stamina drops like a rock. Luckily, once you've stepped on the switches, you magically teleported back to the cave.

Went to scallop-and-bamboo cove, and found out why I hadn't actually found it before - you can only get in at low tide. And out too, as I found and then had to wait there all night for the tide to go out again. Tch.

Stocked up on food, firewood and water for Skye, as I suspected I'd be away for a while in the maze cave. Also built the final shelving unit which allowed me to store more for her. Then, set off to the maze again.

It was a pretty simple (although quite large) maze, and the other side was a huge temple type place. And here is where the entire game, which I have been enjoying so far, suddenly became crap. People who read this diary regularly will have noticed my rant a few months ago when playing the Xbox Broken Sword game. Well, it applies here too. My least favourite gameplay mechanic EVER, and they wedged it into Lost in Blue. They didn't even try to disguise it. It's there, over and over again (so not even spaced out throughout the game) in this temple. Gah!

What gameplay mechanic is that? Damn crate puzzles, that's what! I'm not playing Sokoban, so I don't want them here! They INSTANTLY make a game rubbish.

Have done four "screens" or so of them. I hope there aren't many more. It isn't that they're difficult - as they're not (well, not so far, and not in Broken Sword either), they're just a tedious way of eking out the play time.

Anyway, I suspect I'm reaching the endgame now. No more crates, please.

Lost in Blue

Getting on quite well with my raft. I've built the first two-of-six "parts" for it, and have everything I need for the next one or two parts. There seems to be a bit of a shortage of logs, though.

My fishing rod is great. I can catch one fish now which practically gives me an entire day's required eating. I went hunting for deer, but missed it with my arrows, and then it ran away. Found what looked like a goat too, but missed that as well.

Found a new area as well, where there are lots of scallops and stacks of bamboo. And it is right near the start too, so god knows how I missed it.

In the plains, near the old building that I can't get into, there was a "slate", which appears to have improved Skye's cooking ability. Which is nice.

Lost in Blue

Well. I've done loads on this today! I think, in game time, I've spent some 12 days on it. I've explored a load of the island, found some animals, a jungle, some vines, loads of different fruit, built a better bed to sleep in (which helps to built stamina overnight), built a shelf, made a fishing rod and a bow and arrow, made a few shortcuts, and generally had a much better time of staying alive.

The next "big task", it seems, is to build a raft. Not to escape the island though - oh no, that would be far too simple. It's to get to the other side of a lake at the top of the mountain in the middle of the island.

Sonic Advance 2

Blimey. It has been months since I last played this. Put it into my shiny new Game Boy Micro and had a play this morning.

Seems I'm still stuck on Sky Canyon. Pah.

Managed to get to the boss, but died. Had no lives left, so when I continued I had to do the whole of Sky Canyon again. After going through this cycle a few times (there are too many leaps-of-faith on Sky Canyon, which means UNAVOIDABLE DEADNESS) I bored of it and switched it off. Pff.

Lost in Blue

I HAEV TEH STICK!

Suddenly, the game seems a hell of a lot easier. I don't have to spend every day almost dying! I can now catch a few fish with my Spear Of Ultimate Powar, and then dig up a few clams, bung it in with some seaweed and Skye can whip up something disgusting-but-edible that prevents us from having The Longest Sleep. Excellent.

I also found a new area that I couldn't get to previously, as there was a log to push and I didn't have the energy to push it. With the Magic of Fish, I was then capable. And I found raspberries!

I wish my backpack could hold a bit more though, since I seem to fill it up every time I wander off somewhere, and I don't seem to be able to leave stuff with Skye.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

I'm starting with the man in the mirror,
(Man in the mirror-Oh yeah!)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Better change!)
No message could have been any clearer
(If you wanna make the world a better place)

Or something. Yes, I'm trying to kill Paranoia again. And he's the man in the mirror. DYSWIDT?

And no, I can't kill him. The lasers keep getting me. Pah.

Lost in Blue

Caved in and started playing this, even though I still have other games on-the-go.

It is basically a DS "re-imagining" of the GBC game Stranded Kids. And it is pretty good, if not more than a little frustrating.

On my first go, I died before getting anywhere. I have now managed to make it through to day 9 on the island, finding the girl Skye, building a fire every day, making assorted "recipes" which offer little or no nutritional value, exploring until I'm tired each day (which, currently, is about 10 seconds after waking up), and generally only just managing to survive until bedtime. I need a stick to make a spear, but can't find one. I did find some bamboo, which Skye made into a basket animal trap thing, so I set it outside our cave. After two days of nothing caught, the basket vanished, and I can't find any more bamboo to make another. Bah.

I've also been experimenting with mushrooms. White = Good, Brown = Bad. Purple, red, blue or yellow = Really Bad, but I'm not sure which one exactly as I cooked them all together.

Also: how did I manage to make coconut and crab omelette, with no crab and no eggs?

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

I had been warned that the Cursed Clock Tower was going to be hard in Julius Mode, but I actually found it a fair bit easier, not least because of Alucard's bat transformation which allowed me to avoid the spinning spikes more easily.

I'm now up to Paranoia - the baddie in the mirror. And although I can avoid his attacks easily, I'm not so hot with the laser beams that bounce around the room. Also, it is a fair trek from the most recent save point to him as well, through a lot a baddie-infested rooms. Although not hard to get to, arriving entirely unscathed is difficult.

Needless to say, I haven't beaten him. Yet.

Taito Legends

Mostly played Volfied and The New Zealand Story next. Got pretty far on TNZS, but quit as I had to answer the door.

I'm really impressed by this collection. It's probably the most enjoyable "retro" pack since Activision Anthology on the GBA. Or perhaps Sonic Collection.

The Ninja Kids: COMPLETED!

Yes. On my first go.

What a terrible, terrible, repetitive, glitchy, unoriginal (even at the time) and generally awful sideways scrolling beat-em-up. Yet, I played it to completion anyway. And why? Because of the absolutely fantastic Engrish in the game.

"You will all be servants of the satan!"

BEST.

Taito Legends

Been playing this a bit this morning. Colony 7 was much like Missile Command, only sans missiles, and Elevator Action was fun despite the controls being somewhat unresponsive. Gladiator was more than poor, and Great Swordsman was good, if a little hard. However, I did also spend a while playing The Ninja Kids...

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Another boss killed! This time, it was the Puppet Master, who was a bit more difficult than when I fought him as Soma since the voodoo dolls he has took more hits to destroy, for some reason. Anyway, he's dead now.

Went back up the Tower of despair to get the Tower Key, and my next task is to enter the Cursed Clock Tower.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Cloud-of-Bats Boss KILLINAT0RED! After only a couple of attempts too. Excellent.

Then I worked my way up the Tower of Despair, where Gergoth waited at the top. I suspected it was going to be pretty difficult to kill, because although I didn't have much of a problem when I played through as Soma, I knew it only because of his "special talents", which the three characters I have now all lack. Anyway, twenty or so attempts later, and finally killed him. Me == BEST.

Pokémon Sapphire

I have reached an impass. Although I now have a pretty strong team of pokeymen (all in the Level 25 region), and can kill pretty much everything in a hit or two, I don't actually know where I'm supposed to be going next. From the volcano, I went through a cave and bumped into Team Aqua again. Team Magma then showed up and chased after them. Apparently they've stolen a meteorite or something.

I suspect I might have to find someone who does stuff with meteorites, but I took a wrong turn and went down a "one-way" path which took me back to Rustboro City. Now I have to wander round most of the map again to figure out where I'm supposed to go next.

Pokémon Sapphire

Played for ages today, but didn't actually progress very far. Spent most of my time leveling up my Aron, Zigzagoon (which is now a Linoone), and a Whismur I caught (and is now something else, but I can't remember what).

Had a few attempts at defeating the Electricity Gym Leader, and finally beat him, gaining the badge he had. That meant I could use Rock Smash, finally, which let me into two areas - one I'd already been (I'd just opened a shortcut), and some new place with lots of volcanic ash.

Along the way, I defeated a family of Pokémon owners, and collected a load of ash so some guy could make me a blue flute. Caught some more pokeymen too, including an Oddish. Erm, ACE! Probably.

Nintendogs

More Nintendogging this morning. Took Chris for another walk, and played in the park with the new yellow frisbee he found. Entered him in the frisbee competition (Championship rank), but he came second, even though he had 48 points. Bah.

I have managed to unlock another dog breed though, by gaining enough "trainer points", whatever the hell they are.

Nintendogs

Haven't seen Chris in a while, and the sodding thing hasn't died. Or run away. Or exploded in some freak lightning accident.

He had, however, forgotten "Jump!".

Entered him in a few competitions, took him for a couple of walks, and fed and watered him. And washed him, since he had fleas the size of goats.

Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan: OUENDONE - YET AGAIN

In my last Ouendan-related post, I suggested that completing "Normal" mode was the limit of my 1337 gaming skillz. It seems that is not the case, as I managed to complete Hard Mode this evening.

That's right - I cleared all of the songs. Even Ready Steady Go! (the last one), that I took over a hundred attempts to beat on Normal. I've been listening to the soundtrack a lot recently, so I know the songs off by heart, and it REALLY does help - many of the songs on Hard I cleared on my first go. OK, so I didn't get great scores, but the circles to tap seemed more naturally placed - they really matched the songs. I suspect I was also "in the zone", as it were.

Not that I didn't have problems. Giant Mouse vs Businessman was a real pain, and RSG! did take me 15 or so attempts. In fact, on RSG, the first time I passed the second "section", was the time I actually finished it. Excellent, excellent game.

And now I've unlocked Insane Mode with the proper girly cheerleaders. Hurrah!

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Well, I wasn't going to play it, but I found myself drawn into Julius Mode for a few hours. I've now got all three characters in my party, and have explored a substantial area of the map. I've also defeated a fair few bosses too, including Dmitrii and Dario. I made it to the giant fish boss, but I'd almost gone through the "wrong" entrance to it, so there wasn't a save point nearby. Decided not to risk it (I was low on health) and backtracked a bit.

I'm up to the cloud-of-bats boss now, which is harder than it really should be. None of any of the character's special attacks are of much use on it, really, and it is a bit difficult to jump over without it changing direction underneath you - causing you to land on it.

Zoo Tycoon

Basically just expanding my zoo more today. In fact, I'm almost out of space. Animals added include sea lions and my zoo now has a reptile house and aviary too.

I had a look at my budgets, but things there don't look good. Although I have more money than I started with, most of that came from one-off awards which have started to dry up. My outgoings are higher than my incomings and although everyone thinks my zoo is ACEBEST, no bugger is visiting!

Zoo Tycoon

Added some more animals to my zoo today - an elephant, two polar bears (that soon became three with the birth of a baby) and some Emperor penguins. I put a few more buildings in too, including an Animal Theatre (which is neither for animal performances, nor for surgery) and a huge gift shop.

I'm getting used to the really bizarre control system, but it is still so unintuitive I keep making mistakes.

Zoo Tycoon

This arrived today, along with Potatio Leg Ends. Had a quick play through the tutorial, and it seems OK but suffers from a rather stupid problem - the screens on the DS seem to be the wrong way round. Basically, you use the touch screen for things that don't need to be touch activated, and the d-pad to control the top screen, which really needs to be touch activated. And you click on a simple bottom-screen map representation of the top screen to place paths and fences, but you have to use your judgement to figure out where on the top screen it corresponds to.

Bizarre.

Taito Legends

I didn't even mention that I'd played Midway Arcade Treasures 3 over the weekend. Mainly because it was rubbish. Of all the games on it, only Super Off Road was any good. Tch.

So I was somewhat chuffed when Potatio Leg Ends (which arrived today) turned out to be SUPARBEST. It is worth buying just for Bubble Bobble, Rainbow Islands and The New Zealand Story, but then they go and stick another 26 games in there! And they're not all rubbish either! Zoo Keeper and Qix are particularly good, but Battle Shark, Plump Pop and Rastan are great too.

Played around half of the games, with most time spent on those mentioned.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow: DAWN BROKEN!

Hurrah!

The Abyss wasn't as hard as it seemed at first, as you could just sail through it ignoring many of the baddies. Found a save point right before another boss, who threw bats or something at me. He was reasonably easy to kill, although he did take millions of hits. It seems using the laser beam thing on him was the best way to finish him off.

Plowed further on into The Abyss, and found a warp point (so went back to the village and stocked up on potions and stuff), and then saved before what was to be the final, final boss. Dmitrii was overcome by loads of demon souls, and a four-screen-high monster called "Menace" was born. And he was nasty! He was in two forms, and although his first form was time consuming, it was really simply to defeat. His second form, however, was much harder. There were two "damage" points - his knee, and his face. Progress was hindered by assorted stomping and punching attacks, but more importantly by strange flying mouth things that really kill you quick and knock you off platforms and into Menace itself.

After several goes, I realised that a good tactic to use was activate the soul gained from Death, which throws sickles at baddies. That kills off most of the mouths, so you don't have them to worry about, and also damages the knee and face a little. It was a little heavy on the magic points though, so I used almost all my Mind Up potions. Thankfully, after a few more attempts with this tactic, I'd killed him, and the game was completed!

Now there's Julius Mode and Boss Rush Mode to play. Had a go at each for a while, and although Julius Mode seems great, I'm not sure I want to play the entire game through again just yet, even if it does play differently...

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

I can't believe I say that yesterday and then make the SAME mistake AGAIN. Rubbish! There's a Magic Door I can now get through, but didn't as I had to go back and tool up. And stuff. So forgot about it. Again.

And in there, was a very simple to kill boss, who, yes, I was right, jumped in and out of a mirror, whilst using other mirrors to shoot lasers at me. And with him dead, I had to kill him again. Only he was bigger (and therefore easier to hit). Gained his soul ("Paranoia") and now I too can pop in and out of mirrors. Used this ability to go a few places I couldn't previously, and got myself some new armour and stuff.

Then it was back off up to Dario again, who I killed again. Stupidly, you're not supposed to, it seems, as I just got the same bad ending as previously. I tried again, and this time ignored him and just leapt into the quantum lea^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hmirror and found a giant fire demon. Thankfully, he was really easy to kill too, and on his death (and his Soul reaped), I went back through the mirror to watch Dario keel over and die. Hurrah!

But! It isn't over yet! I gained another Magic Seal (which is even more horribly complicated than the last) and was told to meet Celia in the middle bit of the map where I haven't yet been able to get through. I went off there, and she was holding Soma's girlfriend Mina captive, and then killed her. Soma went nuts, and was possessed by the Dark Lord soul (or something) and became the Dark Lord, killing Celia, and ending the game. Erm, whoops.

Luckily, the "epilogue" explained what I should have done, so tried again and did that instead. This time, I didn't become the Dark Lord, but instead Dmitrii entered the body of Mina (who was actually a fake Mina, it seems) and ran off with Celia. I followed, and it was into the basement of a tower, where I previously couldn't reach. The baddies in there were pretty hard compared to previously, and there was another boss (Death) who was actually quite difficult to kill. After him, it was into The Abyss, where I died.

I really should go back and get more potions anyway, I think, since I used loads on Death, and I suspect there'll be no route back from The Abyss.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

You know, I really should pay attention to what I've already done, you know. I keep getting stuck as I reach somewhere, and then either die or thing "I need more potions and then I'll come back", and then forget where I'd been and assume it's a dead-end on the map.

I did the same thing today, again, and as a result ended up exploring and doing other stuff, and ran out of places to go. Even though I knew there was somewhere else I had already been but not finished. Stupid.

Anyway, I also defeated Dario again today, and got the end credits. However, he clearly isn't the end of game boss, and the game can be continued after him. I suspect I need the Soul that lets me enter mirrors, but I don't actually know where that is.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Duh. It seems I'd forgotten my previous foray into the Clock Tower (where I'd died last time), so went back in there.

And lo, a new Magic Seal (which looks horribly complicated), loads more map, some new weapons, and a new Magic Door to go through. Let me guess - a boss?

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Gah. Stuck.

I spent a merry hour or so wandering around and trying to "solve" the moving rooms slide puzzle (and it turns out if you do, you don't get anything), and trying to reach new areas. And failed. Most parts of the map I can't get to are blocked off either by jumps too high to make, or what look like corkscrew wall things that I can't move.

However, there is one room that is most odd. In the bottom right of the map as it stands, I go through one of those short corridor bits, and enter a room. As soon as I enter, a cannon fires a cannonball, which hits a clock, a column collapses slightly, and everything (except me) freezes and goes kind of inverted black-and-white. It is VERY odd indeed, and I'm stumped.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Castlevania seems to have turned into a sort of Metroid clone since Castlevania IV. Not that I'm complaining, since I really enjoyed Metroid Fusion and Zero Mission, and this kind of fills the hole that their completion has left. In may ways it is better too. You get more freedom over where you're supposed to go, and there is less hand-holding. There is still all the exploration and upgrades, but there are so many upgrades to find, choose, use, and combine that you can play the same section over and over tackling the baddies in a different way each time.

So I spent a while getting more money from the $200 knuckles + zombie soul = $3000 cestus method, and went exploring again. I found a boss at the top of a tower, and at first glance, he looked a little like a giant Mouser from the original Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles cartoon. Only he was made of rotting flesh.

A couple of attempts were required to kill him (his death involved us both crashing through all the floors of the tower too), and I gained his soul - a giant laser beam thing.

Some more exploration, and I met up with Julius Belmont a couple of times more (he told me I really should go home) and the evil baddie woman whose name I have forgotten, who told me Dario has been made more powerful. It seems Dmitrii might not actually be dead, either.

I then went and had a crack at the zombie eel worm water snake thing, and found it much easier than last time. Killed that, and gained the ability to move underwater, which opened up a huge new area of the map. I then went and explored the new bit for awhile, until my battery ran low, so saved and quit.

Addendum: 51.5% complete.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

More exploring, and also making new weapons from cheap weapons with easy-to-obtain souls to sell for huge profits. Hurrah!

Worked my way through the top-right of the map, finding some harder baddies to kill (most of the others die in one or two hits now so were becoming a bit easy), but then made the mistake of walking through a Magic Sealed door and into a boss - a giant eel, underwater, who fires ice things.

I died. Pah.

Trauma Centre: Under the Knife

I'm stuck.

After working my way through some more tumours and polyps and stuff, I can't get past the multiple aneurysm level. They just keep appearing and bursting and bleeding and I can't keep up with them. Worse, is that they appear off-screen too, so you can't even see them. So I keep killing the patient.

Technically, you never actually "kill" anyone, as another doctor takes over at the last second, but still.

Trauma Centre: Under the Knife

This DS game (yes, another one - there are MILLIONS of MAXIMUM NEEDAGE games out for it at the moment, it seems) came today. It's a little bit gruesome, what with you having to perform surgery on patients and stuff, but good, anyway. Cut out some tumours, lasered some stuff, removed large chunks of glass from someone's heart, and sewed up assorted cuts, slices and other holes.

I have learned the "healing touch" now too, which allows me to slow down time while operating. Just like in real life, eh?

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Mostly just exploring the castle and leveling up today. Found a few more souls and had a play with what they did too, although none seemed to be particularly useful.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Well, the vampire thing was killed first go this time. Why didn't any tell me I had potions to heal myself, eh? Tch.

He gave up a soul that allowed me to double-jump, meaning I can now reach areas I couldn't before. Went off exploring then, mainly through the village and into the Demon Guest House area, finding new areas to open up. There's a large ballroom bit, and after that I found Dario - the other Dark Lord Candidate. He had three main attacks: a trio of fire columns, a fireball, and a Terry Bogard-alike Burn Wave. He was stupidly simple to beat though, if a little time consuming.

After him, it was on to more of the ballroom and some toyrooms and stuff, killing lots of evil wooden dolls and almost naked vampire women things (called "Lilith", just like in Darkstalkers, bizarrely), as well as Evil Clowns and other stuff, and found a new Magic Seal and a save point.

Then it was into another boss fight, with a strange Voodoo Spider Mannequin Man who spat out Princess Peach clones whilst trying to trap voodoo dolls of me in iron maidens (killing me, if it managed to do so). It was easy though, but killing it wasn't helped by my inability to remember the Seal required to "lock it away", so I had to fight it some more.

Once it was dead and Sealed, I wandered around a bit collecting more souls and leveled up a bit.

Pokémon Sapphire

Loads of stuff done today. Worked my way up to the next city, defeating trainers left right and centre. When I got there, I got myself a bike, and rode back to the previous city on the "cycling road", defeating more trainers. Then went back up to the "new" city again, and wandered around defeating more trainers and Pokémon, and caught a Plusle. Beat May and Wally again too.

Went into the Gym there too, and defeated all the trainers (and their Electricity-type Pokémon) in there with my newly evolved Mightyena (which used to be a Poochyena). It reduces the enemy Pokémon's attack before the fight even starts, which helps somewhat. Didn't beat the Gym Leader though, so left the city and went west into Vendurf Town.

There was a Contest thingie there, so had a go at the "Toughness Contest". I wasn't really sure what was going on, and ended up coming last. It was too confusing.

Entered a tunnel nearby too, which appears to be the other end of the tunnel I went in earlier in the game. Can't progress, as I need to use Rock Smash to get through, and although someone gave me the required HM to do it, I need another badge to make use of it. Apparently.

Left two of my pokeymen (Electrike and Zigzagoon) at the Day Care to try and level them up a bit. They're at Level 12 or 13 at the moment, and I need them to be over 20 really, like Combusken, Beautifly and Mightyena all are at the moment. I'm leveling up Lombre too, but it is difficult to level up several pokeymen at once.

Tried to defeat the Gym Trainer then, but failed miserably as he wiped out all my Pokémon. Grr.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

Just a brief play before bed. I've wandered past the Garden now, and into another part of the castle. There I found Dmitri, or whatever his name is, fighting some thing that threw balls at him. He killed it, and there was some conversation regarding Dmitri's ability to copy magic attacks. Then I had to fight him. He started by throwing balls at me, but after I'd hit him once with my thrown-through-an-arc axe move, he then did that to me instead. Which actually made him very, very easy, since the axes arced harmlessly over me as I stood next to him and killed him.

Went and saved, then went into the next chamber after Dmitri, to find a black vampirey-type bloke to kill. He fired dark orbs and bats at me, and after a short fight I died. Tch.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow

This DS game arrived this morning. I know lots of people have been saying how ACEBEST it is, but I haven't actually played a Castlevania game since Super Castlevania IV, and that was more than 10 years ago. Five minutes on the crap 3D N64 Castlevania doesn't count (although that was more than 5 years ago anyway). Anyway, I wasn't really sure what to expect.

What I got, was a slick, smooth, fantastically animated platformer with a deep weapon upgrade system, RPG elements, and puzzles.

I've racked up about an hour an a half on it so far, and am supposedly 16.5% complete. I've defeated two bosses (the second of which, a screen-sized troll thing who fired a huge energy beam and squashed me with his fist) was pretty difficult. I've made it through the "Wizardry Lab", and am now well into the "Garden of Madness". I've upgraded a few weapons, and am mainly sticking with my katana for now (although the mace comes out against foes requiring a lot of hits). I have the Doppleganger soul too, so I can swap between two sets of equipment configurations with one button. Now really sure what use it is in practice though.

Pokémon Sapphire

Clearly I wasn't paying attention to what was actually going on, as the museum was now open for me to get in, and Capn. Stern was in there all along. A quick fight with two consecutive Team Aqua Grunts, and I'd given Stern the Devon Goods.

I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do now though. I wandered north a bit, and caught an Electrike, as well as fight a few more trainers. My Torchic has become a Combusken now, and is SUPARBEST. Found an empty house, where I was "being watched", but couldn't figure out what to do in there.

I think I need a bike now though. From somewhere. Can't right now though as my Micro's battery has died.

Pokémon Sapphire

Hmm. I defeated a load of trainers at the beach, and then moved onto the city itself. Loads of Team Aqua goons are hanging around a museum, and Captain Stern (who I'm supposed to give the Devon Goods to) has buggered off. Went on a bit of a hunt for him, beat some more trainers, levelled up my Zigzagoon and Poochyena a bit, and then realised I don't have a clue where to go next. Hurrah for me!

Pokémon Sapphire

Brawly defeat0riZ0red! Turns out my Beautifly had learned "Gust", which just blew him away. Hahaha! DYSWIDT?

It seems Gust is the ubar-move for killing all rock Pokémon, so after getting Flash and the Muscle Badge from Brawly, I headed into the nearby cave to find Steven and give him his letter. Killed a load of pokeymen there, and caught a few too. My Lotad evolved too, into a Lombre - some bizarre Mexican lilypad monkey thing.

Off to Slateport in Mr. Briney's boat then!

Pokémon Sapphire

Went to see Mr Briney, who owned a boat, and he took me across the sea to some place called Dewford Town. There's a gym there with fighting-type Pokeymen, and I didn't really have any Pokeymen to use, so wandered round levelling up my Shroomish and Zigzagoon, and also caught a Magicarp.

Once Shroomish was up to about Level 14, I set upon the Gym Trainers, defeating them all, but the Gym Leader "Brawly" has a load of Level 17 Machops that kill me in one hit. Bah.

Sonic Gems

It seems I unlocked Vectorman without trying, and without playing anything, to start with. Didn't choose that first though, instead playing Sonic the Fighters, which isn't great. I never played it in the arcade, but I think it is based on the Virtua Fighter game engine, or something. Played through as Sonic, relishing punching Tails in his stupid bloody face, but was defeated by Nack, who has a gun and so I can't get within a mile of him.

Sonic R next, which looks nicer than I recall the Saturn version looking. Played the first track a few times, and got the emerald on it too, but didn't win so lost it again. At least, I think that is why.

The Sonic Game Gear games are crap. The Master System versions were always better, as you could see more than three pixels in front and below you, so I don't know why Sega put the Game Gear versions in. Tails Adventures is especially rubbish.

Had a quick go of Vectorman then, and it seems the same as it ever was. Not really my sort of game, but still looks good and plays well even now.

And then... Sonic CD. And... it is great. Just like it always ever was. Except for just one thing - it has the US version music, not the PAL/Japanese version music. The "Past!" and "Future!" samples are missing too. It might not sound like a lot, but it has basically ruined one of the best games ever for me. Sega need to be shot. I'm going to go and have a little cry now. And possibly buy the Japanese version of Sonic Gems...

Pokémon Sapphire

Wandered up towards the Rusturf Tunnel, defeating trainers left right and centre with my ubar-powerful Beautifly, and get my Zigzagoon up to level 10 on the way. Team Aqua had stolen some stuff from the Devon Corporation, so it fell down to me to get it back. You know, it's one of them things kids are for.

Anyway, went into the tunnel, found the "Team Aqua Grunt", defeated him, and returned the moychendoyse to the Devon Corporation, who have now sent me on a mission to deliver a letter and take something to Slateport. Biggest company in the world and they can't afford DHL? Tch. Rubbish. CHILD LABOUR.

Pokémon Sapphire

Gym Leader Roxanne - SMOTE! My Lotad, being a water Pokémon, easily defeated all of the rock-type Pokémon in the gym, and although it almost died actually fighting Roxanne herself, I swapped it for the newly evolved-from-a-Silcoon Beauifly who had a grass move (absorb) which was even more damaging.

So, Stone Badge GET!

Pokémon Sapphire

Some more levelling up, and then off into some woods. Faught a few trainers (most of whom had Bug Pokeymen, and caught myself a Silcoon and a Shroomish, both of which are pretty pants at the moment. Made it through the woods and into a city, fighting more trainers and my first Tag Team on the way.

I've been trying to avoid using my Torchic, since it is now on Level 13, where as my others are on 4, 6, 6, 8 and 9 and from past experience, if you keep them at low levels for long, it becomes harder to boost them up later. I think.

Collected a load of seeds too. And found that I need to plant some to replenish them later, so did that. AND I HAVE A WAILMER PAIL, whatever that is.

Pokémon Sapphire

Hurrah for games for children! Except Pokémon is a game for MEN. Obviously. Or something.

Just like all the other Pokeymang games, Sapphire starts with you meeting a tree-named Professor (Birch, in this case), the Professor's kid, and your rival (May, in this game), and your own My First Pokémon (I picked a Torchic). And off I went, into the Magical World of Pokémon(TM).

Walked through some grass, and got to the first Gym, to find my dad. Couldn't fight there yet, but did show a kid Wally how to catch Pokeymen. Got hold of a Pokéball or ten, and set about catching some for myself. Which was harder than I expected, since my Torchic was up to level 12 already, and so killed almost all the Pokeymen in one hit, preventing me from catching them. Luckily, I managed to damage some slightly less, and caught a Zigzagoon and a Lotad, and soon after got a Poochyena. Levelled them up a little too, before saving for now.

Assorted 32X Games

Set my new Megadrive 32X up for the first time today, so I could finally get round to playing the 32X games I've had on my shelf for more than 5 years.

First up was Virtua Racing. It's, er, not as good as I expected. Part of the problem was with the screen shaking due to something wonky in the 32X itself, but is isn't as good as the standard Megadrive version.

Then it was onto Doom. More screen shaking, which got progressively worse, but I managed to get to level 4 before my eyes bled. Seems good, nice and fast, same level layouts as I remember (from the N-Gage version laste week if nothing older!).

NBA Jam didn't work, but I think it just needs the contacts cleaning.

I then played Krusty's Super Fun House for a while, which I know isn't a 32X game but since the Megadrive was out, and I got the game this week, and it's ACEBEST, then it was pretty much Pimm's O'Clock. Or something.

Zelda no Densetsu: The Hyrule Fantasy

I spoke too soon, it seems, since Dungeon 8 is hard. Very hard. No Wizzrobes (yet), but loads of recycled previous dungeon bosses (although it hasn't gone all SuckySuck(TM) quite yet), and blue Dark Nuts. And not just Blue Dark Nuts either - but gargoyles that shoot fireballs at me at the same time, so I can't even use the same Dark Nut killing tactics I had previously as that requires standing still (and therefore, getting shot).

And! To make it even worse, there's a door I need to get through which won't open until I've killed them. And when I do kill them, they all come back when I need to go through that room again! RUBBISH.

I do have the Magic Book (or whatever it is called) now though. It lets my Rod shoot magic bolts which burn stuff. Shame it doesn't work on the Dark Nuts. Nor on the (almost as irritating) mouse/rabbit things.

Hello Kitty Roller Rescue: RESCUED!

Hurrah for cuteness! I infiltrated the space base of the evil block king bloke, and was turned into a block myself a few times by lasers and stuff. Made my way to another really simple boss, who effectively killed himself.

After that, it was onto the final level, where the villagers were generating power to fire a photon cannon at a giant robot, and I had to slow him down by throwing bombs at him and then launching pineapples at him, while they generated enough power. I did it (of course), but the shot of the villagers on exercise bikes and in hamster wheels and stuff generating power was so cute by eyes burst.

Robot shot, game winnared. BEST.