First off I think Kirby needs to make a triumphant return to the scene of gaming. All my gameboy memories are with Kirby's Dream Land, Mario Land, and Mario Land 2. He is one of the few characters besides Mario that has had a major impact on my gaming tastes, Kirby 64 just did not do him justice. Then, there is Samus Aran, sure there will be Metroid Prime, but what I want is a classic Metroid game, I guess the one on GBA will do for now. Donkey Kong hasn't been good in my mind since Donkey Kong Country, and that was an excellent game, I mean WOW! From the gameplay and the original scores (music) it was more than a game, it was an experience, Donkey Kong 64 sucked, for lack of a better word. On a sidenote, I don't think the new Legend of Zelda game will rival Ocarina. Perhaps one of the most popular characters who has kept a long record of absenteeism is Pit from Kid Icarus. He is a classic character who hasn't graced our TV screens in anything other than 8-bit. Next, the beloved Ness, he starred in arguably the greatest RPG ever on a Nintendo system, Earthbound (Mother 2). For a while it looked as if he would come back for another adventure on the N64 in Earthbound 64 (Mother 3). Enough with Pokèmon we want Star Fox (Dinosaur Planet looks goooood) to engage in those classically nostalgic battles with Andross and Wolf O'Donnell.One suggestion I have would be to bring Japan only series on the SNES to the US as ports on GBA. I think I would rather enjoy Fire Emblem, Card Hero, and many other games. While perusing the trophies in Super Smash Bros. Meleè, the Japan Only characters intrigue me with their appearance and information about them. Maybe I speak for the majority when I say screw the water gun, Mario. Perhaps the greatest thing about Mario Sunshine is that Yoshi returns to Mario's side after being gone since Super Mario World (I don't think Yoshi's Island counts). The Mean Green Machine Luigi hasn't exactly been absent, but I believe he needs an adventure to rival the excellence Mario's past exploits. Waluigi can't have a comeback until he makes a debut. I can hardly wait to see if he will become to Wario what Luigi is to Mario, or if like Wario he will star in adventures completely different to that of his Nintendo brethren. Let's face it, the reason the Wario Land series is popular and fresh is because it isn't Mario and chose a different path from his good alter ego's series. When I first discovered the thrill of hording all the gems and coins in sight, it brought tears to this classic gamer's eyes. The premise though simple was something not seen for an era. While Mario got caught up with graphics and innovation, Wario remained enjoyable to me because of the sheer fun factor and simplistic gameplay. Let's hope three-dimensional rendering and the funny mushrooms Miyamoto has been eating from his Pikmin-inspiring garden don't ruin yet another series. This brings me to another point. I agree that Miyamoto has been genius in the past, but there seems to be a fine line between genius and insanity. The Gamecube is forever changing things, there's no doubt about that, whether it is for better or worse has yet to be seen. He had once said something along the lines of "you couldn't put Mario in a Zelda game, they are two distinct gaming worlds," or something like that. Yes, they are distinct gaming worlds, so why change that by giving Mario advanced watering technology, cel-shading Zelda, and making Metroid a first person shooter. This decision can lead one of two ways; 1) The series will continue unsuccessfully, or 2) These games will become forgotten chapters in the logs of their respective series (like Yoshi's Safari, although I liked that game). Please, don't sacrifice your dignity for evolution, innovation, and technological advances. And so concludes the rantings of an old-school gamer. This has been TanookiMario for a better gaming America. What's your opinion?
While Mario aligns with the Rainbow Coalition in Super Mario Sunshine, and Luigi joins the Ghostbusters in Luigi''s Mansion, we must look for salvation in the unlikely faces of Wario and Waluigi. Can they be the messiac saviors we''ve been searching for all these years? Only time will tell.
