CROSSTOPIX #1: Part 3 of 3 - CrossACTION

CrossACTION

Alright everyone, all answers have been made. It’s time for the part of the week where we pick one person and discuss one of their topics that we agree or disagree on. Remember; be courteous when expressing your opinions! If you have missed Parts 1 or 2, we highly recommend you reading those before reading CrossACTION.
Part 1: http://crosstopix.blogspot.com/2010/03/crosstopix-1-part-1-of-3.html
Part 2: http://crosstopix.blogspot.com/2010/03/crosstopix-1-part-2-of-3.html

STVO: Charlie Cat, you’re my friend, but I mostly disagree with your view on achievements. Yes I do agree that some games have lame achievements (example: in the TMNT arcade game from Xbox arcade, you get an achievement for falling into the sewer in the second level, or like MattBWild said, people killing themselves in matches online do ruin the experience.) I’m sure there is an achievement like this already, but one that I would find kind of cool in a multiplayer/online achievement would be something like “the Benedict Arnold” where your team has to be winning in a round of say, Halo, and then later on a teammate betrays the whole team and causes them to lose. It would lead to some PO’ed gamers, but that would be cool (until everyone else tries it, perhaps everyone on that team should earn the achievement if it happens.)

Going back to my point, it’s unique challenges like this or going back to the TMNT arcade game, where you have to go through one level without getting hit by spikes (trust me it’s a challenge!) that makes games fun and worth replay value! Nintendo doesn’t have achievements but really should consider adding them because they do this kind of thing all the time. An example is in the Wii Punch-Out where you can go into challenge mode and refight Glass Joe, only to win the round, you have to beat him without using uppercuts or star punches, why not make this an achievement if accomplished? Trust me, I want game companies to continue making hidden characters, getting an alternate world after beating a game, or like Charlie said, being repayable just because it is fun (I unlocked all of the achievements in Pac-Man Championship Edition and Fight Night Round 3, but I still go back to play those two from time-to-time), but adding the achievements/trophy systems in my opinion add so much more to just the hidden extras.

CharlieCat: MattBWild brought up an interesting gaming console: Good Ole' Sega Game Gear. Not the most loved handheld gaming system, from what I remember. Everybody had a Nintendo Gameboy and scoffed at me for having the bulky black rectangle, but I stood alone! I said this is my system! Thank you MattBWild, although, that quite outdoes me in saying favorite of all time! It did have a sweet baseball game and the Sonic games were great, especially Sonic Chaos. Yes, it was a battery glutton, but the wall charger was a nice addition and luckily there was always an outlet nearby that I could plug in and just play.

MattBWild: CharlieCat, I couldn’t disagree more about the Trophy/Achievement Argument. These “goals” not only increase the games’ value, but they give the player the opportunity to thrive for more after the game is completed. Are there people out there who are achievement/trophy “whores”? Absolutely, but for those that want to get more out of their gaming experience these goals give the game a higher replay value. Leader boards and unlockables are great parts of a game, but why not add more? How does it hurt the experience for the player to receive a virtual “pat on the back”?
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That's it for the premiere of CrossTopix!!! Thank you once again MattBWild for coming onto the site this week! Remember everyone, you can catch MattBWild's entertaining and well-written columns as well as many other great columns right on www.explicitgamer.com!! Tune in this weekend for the first-ever Cross-Examine, an insider interview segment with Rhodrick Magsino and Robin Poppert of LittleBrassBird.com! Also be sure to turn in next Monday where those two will join STVO and CharlieCat for more exciting CrossTopix discussions! Have a great weekend, be sure to comment, and please visit the Facebook Fanpage!