Is Newer Really Better? [Part 1]

NEW FEATURES: Fip walks into the New Features room, and walks by the different bits in it. A new avatar, new books, new pet color, new game- Oh! A new game... well, change is good, isn't it? The old game wasn't as good anyway, and new is always better... oh, better graphics, too! Wow, new really is good... or is it?

In the meantime, across the other side of Neopia…

GAME GRAVEYARD: FG walks by a creepy looking tombstone. The words 'Scorchio's Quest I' are engraved in the stone. Yep, that’s right. One of the very first games that found his way into the horrid Game Graveyard. A sudden howl of a werelupe sounds in the distance.

FG: "I don't like this one bit …"

But alas. We have a job to do. Why am I here, you ask? Well, aside from hanging out in abandoned graveyards being my favorite past-time, me and fippeh decided its time to do a little coverage of all games that ever existed in Neopia, and their sequels to find out: Is newer really better, or is all just an eye grip?

Neoquest I : The first role playing game to be aired in Neopets. The monsters and graphics aren't as good as the later game, and you can only fight one opponent at the time! But on the plus side (although some might think it the other way around) it's shorter then the newer version and isn't divided into chapters. Not to mention, it has a a few nice music effects to go along every time you encounter an enemy or win.

Neoquest II : This (somewhat) new game is much more improved than the last one, with better graphics, for a start. The game is divided to 5 chapters, each in a different land - what makes it somewhat neater and easier to understand and define your place. Also, there are nicer prizes at the end (example Scuzzy's Comb, Wand of Reality, Ramtor's Spellbook). One thing that may be a disadvantage for some people is that there isn't any music! Awww...

Final Score :

Fip: 8 for new (the prizes on normal mode are pretty lame…)

FG: 7 for old (give me those double monster mashes!)

Codebreakers : Well, for starters, the host of this game seemed to have developed a rather large… head. Is that a good thing, or a bad thing? No one really knows (or is too afraid to say, anyway). In order to get points for this game you need to find out the correct 4 codestone sequence in the less time possible, and within 10 or less rounds. Black line: the correct color in the correct place. White line: the correct color in the wrong place. Not too fancy on the graphics side, but quite enjoyable if you're into those sorts of puzzles (not to mention it has quite a few rounds and could very possibly be endless…) Also, in this version the time goes forward and you get more points when you complete the level quicker.

Time Tunnel : A much newer, "in" game. Better technology, since it seems to feature more of our fairly recently discovered moon, Kreludor. Once again, there is an improvement in the graphics - and the music! A bit more complicated though, and instead of codestones, in this game, what stars are... well, stones. Interesting. Anyhow, the host of this game is a bit more normal - you. Err, Gorix and Cylara, actually. There is also a timer that counts back from some number (never bothered checking =D) unlike Codebreakers (where the timer goes up from 0), and when the timer gets to 0 - you lose. Also, you sort of have to tilt your head to understand the door that tells you how close your guess was. Well, it's an improvement of the old Codebreakers, but it's a much harder game for us simple-minded and it's better for those guys (and girls) with a bigger head. Like the old game's host.

Final Score :

Fip: 7 for new (Well, it's an improvement of the other one...)

FG: 7 for old (The host creeps me out *coughs*)

Chia Bomber : Oye! *ducks the mud shot coming her way* if you don't like getting dirty, this game isn't (or rather, wasn't) for you. Aside from that, it’s a bit harder to score a decent amount of points in this version, and the hit percentage might influence your score badly *sniff*. After you hit a Chia that isn't green, it shows how many hits you have left to kill it, which, in times, can be a bit annoying. Yay for the change they made in the later version! An annoying point in both versions is, however, the fact that you can't shoot another water balloon until the one you shot earlier hits the wall. It can be quite critical at times! But then there is a pretty nifty trick to this version: you can put 5 mines at the top when you almost finish the level, and when you do the mines will still be there and blow almost all the new Chias up, Hoorah! (thanks for the tip, fip ;))

Chia Bomber 2 : At first glance, this game doesn't look like much of an improvement; it's pretty much the same. However, there are many small and big improvements in this game that make it more fun than the old Chia Bomber... first of all, the better graphics, like in all new games, make it much more fun playing. Also, the percentage of how many times you hit was taken off - phew, that thing got me really nervous. ^-~; Also, every time you hit a Chia regularly, at the end that score is multiplied by 3! (-pokes FG the CB genius- Correct?) Also, the Chias must have fattened a bit, or their bazookas at least, because - in my opinion - they hit you much slower, and you have more time to dodge away! And if you aren't good at hitting those nasty Chia Bombers with your water-balloon gun, you can still use the mines and it isn't much of a loss (a difference of 1x2 instead of 1x3 with regular hits), so you can choose without much of a loss. =) Also, your time isn't counted anymore! Yay! A pretty major disadvantage, though, is that the mine-trick that there used to be in Chia Bomber doesn't work anymore. But hey, with a new, cool graphic, less-pressuring (about your time and hits) and cute game, what's the loss?

Final Score :

Fip: 9 for new (Geoffrey is much cuter in CB2 than in CB1 anyway. ^-~;)

FG: 5 for old (*wipes mud off her face*)

Final Final score (for this article) :

New: 24

Old: 19

Newer beats older by the punch! But fear not, Game Graveyard, because there are still a few more games we have to cover before things are done. Will anything change? We'll see… Until next time, this is the double F's, logging out!

Oh, and to quote the old, dead games: "We... will... be... back!"