26 October 2008

Mr. Saturn lives

(...but you wouldn't want me to tell you where or when and ruin it now, would you?)

Today a comment on music in gaming.  While classic anthems like Mario's eternally reinterpreted theme (like this, 

Greg Patillo on the beatboxing flute) and Zelda's many themes are cornerstones to the gaming world, I find that rpgs continually supply notable original music.

For example, I've played so many hours of Oblivion, that when I finally started listening to the soundtrack (courtesy of Alpha) it made me feel like I was home.  It was a great feeling.  Maybe it has to do with emotional intensity.  *shrug*

So, when I say that the music in Mother plays a big role, it's partially this and partially an interesting facet of Mother itself.  Obviously the music from Earthbound--often reproduced in both Mother and Mother 3--is quirky and gives character to the series.  However, I've discovered that this third in the trilogy pulls a stunt that echoes the Mario RPG series:  there are timed attacks.

But they're not JUST timed attacks.  They're in time with the underlying rhythm of the battle (which you can hear if you put the baddie to sleep).  What's more, I'm told you can achieve up to a dozen or more attacks in the row if you take the rhythm into account.  I've still only managed three, but the damage stacks like this: if your original attack was 80, with an extra hit (two total) you could deal out 95 or 100 damage.  Just IMAGINE if you could rack up 10 hits.  You would own the enemies.  No questions asked.

But...I'm not sure how feasible it is.  I'm a musician and I'm having a hard time doing more than two.  I've done three, like, once or twice.

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