Let's start, though, with some general thoughts on PAX Prime 2014, the Seattle-based gaming convention that began last Friday and ends today.
For the first time since I moved here nearly eight years ago, I acquired a one-day badge to this hot-ticket event--and then used it to attend on Saturday.
The long and short of my maiden PAX Prime experience: it's not really my thing. Specifically, being surrounded by hundreds of strangers isn't really my thing. That's not the only reason I walked away from PAX feeling pretty sure I'd never return, though; another is that the games that were on hand just weren't my cup of tea.
Case in point: Nintendo of America's booth consisted of two games, Hyrule Warriors and Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U. Both games looked great--I watched others play the former and actually spent a few minutes with the latter--but I can't say they're games I've been dying to play. I would've much rather spent time with Fantasy Life or Yoshi's Woolly World or titles of that ilk.
One game that was on hand that I wanted to play--but didn't, because I'm lame--was Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. Although I watched others play it, and considered getting in line to do so myself, I chickened out in the end because I was nervous about having to fight the game's beasts alongside three other players (as opposed to doing so on my lonesome). Like I said, I'm lame.
At the moment, I can't remember anything else I played or watching others play--aside from a few rounds of BurgerTime and Ms. Pac-Man in the event's "retro arcade" room, I mean. Which, I know, says quite a few things about my PAX Prime 2014 experience--or lack thereof--but what can you do?
Other than all of the above, I perused a bunch of the awesome merchandise booths, like the Fangamer one and a few other t-shirt-centric ones. Also, I checked out the booth manned by the youthful staff of Seattle's main retro- and import-game store, Pink Gorilla. In fact, that's where I picked up the complete-in-box copy of Daigasso! Band Brothers Request Selection mentioned in the header above.
This title, released in late 2005 as an add-on to the base version of Daigasso! Band Brothers--Request Selection's cart goes into a DS' GBA slot while the Daigasso! Band Brothers DS card is in place, too--had been on my "to buy" list for ages, but I failed to buy it until this weekend because I never wanted or needed it so badly that I was willing to hand over the 25 or so dollars eBay sellers tended to ask for it.
It wasn't until I came across the rather pristine copy--and its attention-grabbing $10 price tag--seen above at Pink Gorilla's booth, that I was spurred to action.
I haven't tried it out yet, but I will soon, especially since it adds 31 new songs to the ones showcased in the main release. When I do, I'll be sure to share my impressions here, as I am wont to do.
In the meantime, did any of you also attend PAX Prime 2014? If so, what are your thoughts of the event?