I was one of the designers on the PS2 Ratchet series. Still am, on the upcoming PSP version. I was happy to hear your comments on the games. You guys have provided me with some entertainment in my day – I’m glad we could provide the same.

As for the puzzles, I never really had a problem at all with the puzzles. Almost every single puzzle is solved through using a VFX power. That’s the rule. As for the jumping, I never had a problem with the jumping. In fact, I jump too much and I’ve had problems where I would double jump when I didn’t need to and end up staying the air too long. I just love jumping in that game.

I must read your blog more to decipher your playstyle.

As for Wind Waker, I’m completely in tune with that game for some reason. The only thing I have to relearn anytime I pick it up is the proper timing for the counter attacks. I usually end up solving puzzles on my first try, even jump puzzles (there has been only one jump puzzle I’ve ever had a problem with in a dungeon, just one, and it had to do with a time limit, a moving platform, and flying enemies). Considering all of this, we seem like complete gaming opposites. Which doesn’t really do you much since you don’t know me.

As for getting lost, I ended up getting the game with the strategy guide for free (something to do with Nintendo Power when I still had a subscription), and so I ended up playing through the entire game with the strategy guide and the Tingle Tuner GBA thing both being looked over by my brother. Fun experience with no problems whatsoever. Perhaps I have too many good memories associated with that game now.

I agree with the frustation of Viewtiful Joe though, although I didn’t have to consult a walkthrough more than a few times for it. Only played the first one for a few levels, but I got to the end boss on the second and just gave up. Basic lesson for me is that if a game relies on reflexes don’t even try it unless there’s an easy mode.

It’s a shame the last two games seem to have neglected the single player aspect, and Deadlocked removed pretty much all the fun gadgets, exploration, and Clank missions that make the series great.

Anyway, Zelda is not hard, I just can’t keep track of what I am supposed to be doing.

Zelda: Wind Waker
Yeah, I worked up a dislike for the grappling hook by the end too. However, I would suggest pressing through, as the final sequence is, I would say, the best of any Zelda game.

Walkthroughs: I’ve never understood why one would use a walkthrough on a game like Zelda, which is really not that hard when it comes down to it. Well, I take that back, I’ve seen people struggle with it, it’s just a type of struggling I don’t seem to need to do. Maybe it dates back to my experiences on the NES, most of which I worked through without aid.

Castlevanias (in this case, “Metroidvanias”): I’ve played a good deal of Castlevania in both the old (level-based) and new (freeform) styles. I actually prefer the old type by a small margin, but I do like the new style, backtracking required or not. Those giant-map games work best when you allow yourself to forget their construction. If your enjoyment of the gam derives from exploring a large space, figuring out the locations of secret passages by sheer cunning, discovering the layout as you go, then it’s quite a bit more enjoyable. In that case, using a walkthrough is probably harmful to the enjoyment of the game, since the action segments of those games are typically not the equal of the level-based designs.

Viewtiful Joe: I actually enjoyed this quite a bit, probably partly for the reasons you disliked it. On the jet bus section, actually the solution is to get on the bus when it’s on the ground, then when it’s on the ramp to go into slow mode. (The clue is that the fire builds up during that time and the camera zooms in on it.) Then release it and (I think) go into fast mode to get extra distance out of the bus. It’s not extremely intuitive, but I did manage to figure it out by myself.

I didn’t have nearly as much trouble with that one as I did in the room before Hulk Davidson in level two. I must have spend a couple of hours in that damnable chamber, with “Hulk DAAAAVIDSON is in the house!” blaring all during, trying to get the bomb high enough up the shaft to blow open that door. Eventually, it actually turned out the thing I was doing wrong was not having the game in slow-mo when the bomb was high enough; when not in slow, the size of the explosion wasn’t enough to open the door.