Which retro game would be even more enjoyable if you replaced the male protagonist with a female one? Think Super Princess Peach. (Although that hardly counts as retro.)

Also bonus question: Isn't Pocky (from Pocky & Rocky) the greatest heroine ever?

Rocky was cooler than pocky.

I said the other week that I ordered a copy of Mega Man Legends. I liked it enough that I bought Legends 2 and the Tron Bonne game, which has a female anti-heroine? She's always robbing banks and stuff, would that be the technical term? Anyway, due to my ebay shanagens I ended up with a second copy of both games. Would anyone be interested in taken these spare copies off my hand? I must note though, that the copy of Legends 2 that I'm giving away has a big scratch on it. The game is still completely playable, but the audio for some cut-scenes toward the end of the game is completely screwed up, but they're on youtube however so you can watch them there.

Speaking of Tron Bonne (or Kerrigan, thanks RAB), what's your favorite female villain in a video game?

Also, when the people say that the size of Lara Croft's boobs in the original Tomb Raider was an programing "accident", do you believe them?

@Codysseus
Toadette

I don't know much you follow (if at all) Podtoid but there was a discussion about a game called "Bonerquest" and I've stepped up the plate to make it. I'm making it as an old school basic 8-bit role playing game.

What would you expect or want from Bonerquest?

Also for Topher:

A certain destructoid writer wrote a review for Mirrors Edge. The whole time I'm reading it, I'm hearing that impersonation.

A more on show topic question:

Does Jill Valentine and Claire Redfield from the first few Resident Evils count as being retro heroines now? At the very least that Survival Horror genre is "retro limbo" now. Stuff like Dino Crisis with the female protagonist would fit there as well, right? No One Lives Forever has to be a retro limbo female protagonist. Certainly the first one is anyway.Alice from American Mcgee's Alice? Retro limbo or not so much? Parasite Eve? Lara Croft Tomb Raider? A lot of games after the 16-bit era had female characters step up. [b]Do you think that this is the evolution of games, targeting a female audiance, or just video games targeting the male audiance that likes females?

Do the girls from Clocktower count as "heroines." Certainly the first game is retro.

Don't forget Dixie Kong from Donkey Country 2 & 3.

Don't forget the female character in beat em ups. Quick and agile, for the win.

How about the infamous FMV games like Phantasmagoria or Night Trap? They had female "heroines." *giggles*

I'll stop before I give you a longer post.

Don't know if I poted these before, but here is some of my cute puppy. I'm sure you remember her?







One last question for Chad, did you ever play Suikoden yet?

When I was younger, I never put much thought into having to choose between male and female characters in the games I was playing. I always had much respect for the female heros and characters that had their chance to shine and show that their isn't a reason for anyone to doubt that they're equals to male heros.

Not exactly heroine/retro related but..... with fighting games, I always enjoyed using the female fighters for their (most of the time) higher agility and lightning-fast combos compared to the (most of the time) slower male combatants.

Lastly, I noticed very little mention in the comments of the females in the Final Fantasy games. While the later games in the series were rather amazing, there are some honorable mentions with the earlier ones.

It's been ten years... does she count as a retro hottie... Heroine?

I find characters like Lenneth (Valkyrie Profile), Jessica (Lunar: Silver Star Story), Natalie (Front Mission), and Shanoa (Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia) to be the most interesting characters out there in the genre. To me all these characters don't fall in the stereotypical female roles in games such as being dependent on male characters, overly emotional, and scantly clothed (hence why I despised Final Fantasy X-2). What draws me to these characters is their rich personality which is typically very independently thinking, strong will attitude, and their diversity of emotions while not being to overtly obvious.

What characteristics do you think make the most interesting female characters? Furthermore, which female characters have developers done wrong?

I'd hit still hit it... in the air.

also, my puppy

Terra from FF6, probably the really best FinalFantasy game Square ever did.

If isn't that, I go for Samus Aran easily.

Also, PUPPY CAM!!!!!

Many retro games gave you a character to play. There was no choice in what you looked like or what sex your character was. The later generation now allows you to choose who you are, what you do, what you look like and ultimately if you are going to stare at boobs for hours or huge biceps.

How do you all feel about newer games allowing the player to choose who you are as opposed forced to play a character in most cases?

I just remembered that I have a good non-female character related question, but it does touch on retro.

Why was it okay for retro game sequels to be so different from the originals (Dig Dug 2, Donkey Kong 3, Super Mario Bros. 2 [yes I know it was a different game in Japan]), while today, people get all up in arms if a sequel even strays a bit from the original (Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts)?

Gradius Rebirth wii ware.

I was wondering how you guys felt about limited reprints of old games? Take for example the news today that Atlus reprinted Persona 2 for the Playstation and it sold out within two hours. Do you think that the majority of the sales were people buying multiple copies to later sell on Ebay and Amazon, and if so should companies try to limit it too one copy per costumer? Or is it swarms of new fans introduced to the franchise by later entries and wishing to check out its beginnings?

I'm personally annoyed that I couldn't get a copy, due to the fact the news went up while I was in the middle of sport's practice and missed out. Last time I decide to stay after practice and work out.

P.S. I love the podcast, despite not being old enough to have memories of playing the majority of the games talked about when they were new.

Is it just me, or did a LOT of the retro heroines dress using the "my skin is indestructible" philosophy? Seriously, I think developers thought, and to a large extent, think that a game heroine must wear as little clothing as the ESRB will allow. Is this "sex appeal" tactic really necessary? I'd never consider Peach or Zelda heroines per se, they tend to be victims in MOST games (not all), or have assisting roles (see Light Arrows), and not act in particularly heroic roles. Samus is the only heroine who isn't constantly dressed like she's hitting the beach, and even she shows up that way if you play the games fast enough or completely enough.

Are there any heroines who AREN'T like this? It seems like a terrible stereotype to me. At least slinky, skinny VG heroines aren't branded as bad role models...

Ah, lots of Samus/Terra/Celes discussion:

I'd like to think that Rydia and Rosa were precursors of this. For 1991, Rosa and especially Rydia were fairly developed heroines for their time.

I would also like you guys to talk about Heroines from the Phantasy Star series. Alis has her own game, which for 1987 was crazy! Nei is probably the most beloved character in Phantasy Star II for her sacrifice and it was nice to see her spiritual successor Rika in Phantasy Star IV. Why don't these ladies get more love?

(tor not loo-kin) Many have said it before, but one of the best video game heroines is Alis Landale. While Samus came out before in 1986, Metroid lacked any characterization for its heroine and leaves the user only with a surprise "you are a girl!" Phantasy Star pows you with a strong description of Alis' motivation and strength of character in the first cutscene. My first video game crush, I <3 Alis. (Lutz was also concidered a woman in the first game, his/her gender changed in PSII-post not edited for spelling or grammar.)

doh double post! sorry

the 3 minutes of street fighter in jackie chan city hunter is better than the entire street fighter movie.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4Psls1ngwM



his best work other than his green tea

My favorite might be Paula from Earthbound. This is probably in large part due to the fact that I renamed her in the game after a real life girl I had a crush on at the time. The fact that I rescued her from an evil cult in the game actually gave me the courage to ask for her phone number in real life.

SPOILER:
That she later went on to save the entire party against Giygas at the end, makes her one of the strongest Nintendo characters ever created. How can you not lover her after that?

Can I say something misogynistic? No? :(


How about Nina? Breath of Fire? Anyone? Did anyone else play those games? (pin drops) She had a cool backstory in 2.
Let's see, who else...

Lara Croft is retro limbo, but she's a favorite of mine. Samus has already been mentioned, as have the ladies of FF.

Some species of West African Toad have been known to spontaneously change sex from male to female in a single-sex environment.

Stella did the banner? Excellent!! <3