| Takabashi |
(singing) Metroid, Funtroid. Funtrooiiiiid~. |
| Chef |
What happened Mr. Takabashi? You’re acting weird again. |
| Takabashi |
You might not know this, but “Metroid, Funtroid” was the tagline for Metroid II. |
| Chef |
Seems like Nintendo might like wordplay. Metroid II was on the Game Boy, right? Good job remembering that, you must have really liked it. |
| Takabashi |
I do remember it, that time when I was absorbed in Metroid II. Before that, the first Metroid was on the NES Disk System. It’s already been 15 years since then. I remember it being really difficult and fun.
|
| Chef |
I think that games today are difficult, but that doesn’t mean that they were easy back then. |
| Takabashi |
I used to play while getting frequent game overs. |
| Chef |
At that time it was par for the course to get a game over. There were even games where you could get a game over within 2 seconds of starting if you don’t do anything. |
| Takabashi |
I was a child, so that kind of thing didn’t get to me. Or maybe I didn’t care because it was fun. |
| Chef |
So, what do you think of Metroid now? |
| Takabashi |
I was instantly excited. At first, it was really cool seeing the “Metroid Prime” title screen on the GameCube. Then I selected it (the original Metroid) in the menu. Then all of a sudden you’re on a rather nostalgic screen.
|
| Chef |
The very first Metroid world. Just like that? |
| Takabashi |
That’s right. Even the music was different from Prime, exactly as it used to be. |
| Chef |
Those three notes right? |
| Takabashi |
The NES game did have those three notes didn’t it? But I think that the disk system version had even more beautiful sound than the original NES. |
| Chef |
In “The Legend of Zelda” for example, the music for getting an item is the same today as it was back then. It was just good music. |
| Takabashi |
You might be right. Games on the Disk System specifically left quite the impression on me. The Legend of Zelda was like that, of course Metroid was too, even The Mysterious Murasame Castle (Nazo no Murasamejyo). I can still hum the tunes from them today. |
| Chef |
Nowadays even cell phone ringtones have 40 chords or so. I think it’s incredible that even having less capability than that the music can still leave such an impression. Do you remember the first Metroid game well? |
| Takabashi |
I thought I knew what I was doing, but then when I started the game I started panicking because there were enemies right off the bat. What should I do? Where should I go? I had no idea. The music was rhythmical and fun though.
|
| Chef |
Anyway, you just kept progressing and killing the enemies right? |
| Takabashi |
Yes, but in more recent games there are often hints for where to go. If you’re used to games like that you’ll be looking for those hints while playing old Metroid games but there aren’t any! How did we manage to make progress back then? |
| Chef |
Now that you mention it, you’re right! |
| Takabashi |
You’d get lost and run out of energy and you’re suddenly hit with a game over. |
| Chef |
So for the modern Takabashi-kun the original Metroid is more difficult. But isn’t that fine, it’s just a bonus free game after all.
|
| Takabashi |
I wonder what kids nowadays would think of it? Would they find it easy? But I just kept getting pulled deeper and deeper into the game. No matter how many times I got a game over I was thrilled and miserable… |
| Chef |
Is it quite a trying game? |
| Takabashi |
Oh, no, it’s just that the music and the game over screen reminded me of how much I loved it 15 years ago and the friends I used to hang out with but haven’t kept in touch with lately. |
| Chef |
Ah yeah that would be quite emotional. |
| Takabashi |
Eventually I remembered what to do. I’m still getting through it but I think I’ll be able to finish it. |
| Chef |
But still, for a 15 year old game to still be fun is quite surprising.
|
| Takabashi |
I’m not Doraemon, but if I used a time machine and showed Metroid Prime to me as a child, it would’ve been my dream game and totally turned my world upside down. And now that I’m playing the original it’s funny to me, my beloved Metroid is still a masterpiece! |
| Chef |
I know I sound like an old man when I say this, but the GBA and GC are great and all, but games from the NES era are also great. |
| Takabashi |
Ice Climbers, Balloon Fight, they were both games for 2 players right? I want to play something like them again. |
| Chef |
If I remember rightly, didn’t the GC Animal Crossing contain a bunch of older games? |
| Takabashi |
Wow! I didn’t know that! I’ll have to check it out. |
| Chef |
It’s getting harder and harder to play two player games these days now that we’ve grown up hasn’t it? |
| Takabashi |
In the old days we’d play games with our friends, we’d challenge each other and each take turns until we got a game over. |
| Chef |
Then take a game with you on your honeymoon (laughs). |
| Takabashi |
We’re already playing together! It’s fun to invite people over, cook dinner and have a good time! |
