My Retrofest for August 2018

On 08/04/2018 at 09:33 PM by KnightDriver

August is here and I'm off on another retro media binge, this time the years 2000-2004. I have, strangely, a lot of memories from these years. I was still in my band, delivering pizza and turning from a PC gamer into a console gamer, thanks to Halo. Here’s what I’m trying to tackle alongside new games, school and career stuff (phew!).

Games:

GBA in week 1 (just passed): Some goodies were Metroid Zero Mission, Klonoa: Empire of Dreams and Mech Platoon.

Gamecube in week 2: I’m looking forward to Eternal Darkness, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles and Tales of Symphonia.

Dreamcast in week 3: I’m going through the games I will probably trade first likeChuChu Rocket and Fur Fighters. I might end up keeping Jet Grind Radio though.

PS2 in week 4: A couple ones I’m hopeful to keep after playing are: Dai Senryaku VII(turn-based strategy on a grid), Grandia III(RPG) and Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (RPG).

Xbox in week 5: Top Spin (tennis) is my most anticipated. Curiosities like Voodoo Vince (character platformer recently, and bizarrely remastered) and Demon Stone (called Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone on PC, a hack ‘n slash action RPG) should be at least interesting. Commandos Strike Force (a FPS I miraculously missed on Xbox, ‘cause I must’ve played them all) could be interesting too.

Books:

I got another geology book called Earth: An Intimate History by Richard Fortey. So far, it’s all about the volcanism around Naples, Italy - Vesuvius and such. I want a video game to render a volcanic eruption. We’ve got water down now. Let’s do earthquakes, tsunami and volcanoes. Come on!

Film:

Mostly I want to see Miyazaki’s “Spirted Away” and French animated film “Triples of Bellville”. On the American animation front, I still haven’t seen “Finding Nemo” and “Atlantis: Lost Empire”, both of which my friend Mark just bought in a double pack, so I’ll get to those.

TV:

Mark and I are watching “Firefly” right now in between games. We’re on episode 3 already. I also really want to watch “Samurai Jack” which I never got to but always wanted to see. I kind of want to give “Star Wars Clone Wars” another shot. Also “Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex”. I missed that on Adult Swim those years.

Music:

Right now, I’m most excited for Queens of the Stone Age and Mastodon. I’m also relistening to The Decemberists to see if I like them.

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/04/2018 at 10:41 PM

Man, those were some formative years for me ... Almost feels weird thinking about some of this stuff.

KnightDriver

08/05/2018 at 11:50 PM

It definitely gets weird. I got my first serious PC around 2000. Got into digital photography with it too. Big screen tvs to play Halo split-screen. Dual monitors for my PC. Trying to understand networking so Mark and I could play Diablo II co-op. That didn't quite work. No social network, no smart phones. What age were we living in anyway? Seems like before the dawn of time. Ha!

08/06/2018 at 12:18 AM

To me, it feels like The Great Turning Point. Even though Y2K didn't happen, I definitely feel like technology really started to take off in the 2000s. You might say the opposite of Y2K happened, come to think of it ...

08/10/2018 at 12:44 AM

I think when I get to 2005-2009 next month I'll be thinking those years were the turning point. I didn't get an iPhone but that came out in 2007. Facebook was out in '04 but probably took off '05 and beyond. I was fully online after 2005 with console gaming. Early 2000s I was just toying with it on PC and not doing very much. Napster was probably my biggest involvement online those years 2000-2004. It's so weird to think of a time before universal smart phone use. It's really altered the landscape.

Homelessrook

08/05/2018 at 09:49 AM

You are going to catch hell on week 4, lol.

08/05/2018 at 11:46 PM

Why is that? Too much game there? I'm sure those rpgs are darn long.

08/06/2018 at 06:06 AM

My thoughts exactly.

08/10/2018 at 12:26 AM

Well, I play them permadeth style. Once out, game over. I get like a couple hours in that way. Like movie length. Ha ha.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

08/05/2018 at 07:05 PM

Samurai Jack is really good. I've never watched the whole series but I've liked every bit I've seen.

08/05/2018 at 11:32 PM

I just rented the first Samurai Jack movie that came out before the series. I'll probably watch that this coming week.

Nicoleb1989

08/06/2018 at 05:58 PM

No FF9? it was a 2000 release! J/K but seriously you have quite a bit of games for the next several weeks.

I loved Fur Fighters, it was a cute shooter with animals and I just couldnt get enough of that game. I wish it would come back actually. Tales of Symphonia is a must play. I enjoyed it big time on gamecube. I also enjoyed Crystal Chronicles but I liked TOS more.

08/10/2018 at 12:11 AM

I want to play FF9. I think it might be available on PS4's store, now I think of it. Ah, so many games to get to.

daftman

08/08/2018 at 10:51 AM

That is an ambitious month! I always hear good things about the GBA Klonoa games. I'd like to play them eventually. I can't believe there is anyone left that hasn't seen Finding Nemo lol. That movie came out on DVD right as my oldest niece was learning to talk. She couldn't say Philip, so I was Uncle Nemo for several years

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is one of my all-time favorite shows. Both seasons are excellent, as is the follow up movie Solid State Society. I hope you enjoy it!

08/09/2018 at 11:54 PM

I somehow missed Finding Nemo all these years, but just yesterday, I finally saw it. So great. I wish I'd seen it on the big screen. Those tropical colors are so eye grabbing.

Thanks for reminding me. I just now rented Stand Alone Complex from the library. I was unsure how good it was supposed to be, so I'm glad you love it. I can't wait to see it now.

PixlBit