Return to Dream Land vs. Epic Yarn OR Derail this thread with your own tough VS

dothog

dothog

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The super hot, dirty sexy ROM dump thread got me to thinking that this face-off might create some interesting views on either title, which were developed independently and released within ~1 year of the other.

If you had to pick one, which would you choose and why?

EDIT: Thread title revised to accommodate the introduction of other great title VS comparisons. I brought this on myself.
 
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Sigh, I still haven't cracked out RtDL (which looks like a Star Wars movie title acronym).

I adore the shit out of Epic Yarn. I don't care that it's an easy game in standard def - it's charming beyond belief.

This is how I had put it in the thread, which I still abide:
[quote name='Strell']There's something endlessly adorable about a game where you decorate an apartment, and then you go out to pwn bitches, and then doods send you messages about "Kirby I came over!" so you go chill with them, and they float around liking all your stuff, and then you go to THEIR place, and they just want to play hide and seek.

Jesus. Real life isn't this much fun.[/QUOTE]

This thread is under your usual level of villainy, dothog. I would have expected a more insane comparison, such as F-Zero versus Epic Yarn, or maybe candy versus Epic Yarn, or 18th century fashion trends versus Epic Yarn, or other equally outlandish outlandishments.
 
They are both amazing games under their own right, but if I had to choose, I'd definitely choose Return to dream land
 
[quote name='Strell']This thread is under your usual level of villainy, dothog. I would have expected a more insane comparison, such as F-Zero versus Epic Yarn, or maybe candy versus Epic Yarn, or 18th century fashion trends versus Epic Yarn, or other equally outlandish outlandishments.[/QUOTE]
I'm a villain now? I suppose my views on the 3DS/WIIU mindgames are responsible for that. Plus, I think I enjoyed the Wii Music E3 presentation a little too much for the CAG Nintendo board's tastes. As the Kirbies go, it's kind of a natural face-off, and it's interesting, because one goes for a full-on Kirby experience where the other is in Kirbyland thematically, but the focus is as much on the visuals as it is anything else.

It's similar to -- but much more compelling than -- SMW vs. SMW:YI. Yes, you have to pick SWM, which is what makes the comparison less compelling, but YI is also doing some really cool things visually within the Mushroom Kingdom that you can't discount. And YI introduces gameplay elements that were a little ahead of their time. Still, SMW is the obvious winner, so it's not much fun.

The Kirby question is more interesting to me, because I think an ardent fan of one or the other could put up a pretty solid argument. I could see myself being torn between two viewpoints. That's a fun place to be.
 
I like Epic Yarn better but I haven't finished Return to Dreamland yet. It's just not grabbing me like Epic Yarn did though.

Also, Yoshi's Island is better than Super Mario World. There I said it.
 
[quote name='Javery']Also, Yoshi's Island is better than Super Mario World. There I said it.[/QUOTE]
Damn you for baiting me.

I know that a lot of people would argue that SMW isn't as special as it's made out to be, that's it's effectively 16-bit SMB3, but to me it did so much in every aspect of 2D platforming that it can't be reduced in that way. Which is to say, yes, it's derivative, but it's so much better than every platformer that came before it.

YI introduced some very cool, very fun, very innovative elements, but in the end it's clearly derivative. Plus, there's a mark against it for having a limited soundtrack, which is good but missing a few more stage tunes. YI is probably my favorite SNES title (and probably favorite game full stop), and as "sequels" go I think it's classy as hell, yet I'll concede that SMW is superior. BTW, this is a brief summary of an ongoing internal argument that's nearly 16 (?) years old.

Now KIRBY dammit.
 
Super Mario World is better than every 2D platformer that preceded it. Way better, in fact. Yoshi's Island is just better than Super Mario World even though it is arguably derivative (just like I'd argue that Banjo-Kazooie was way better than Super Mario 64). Also, SMB3 was great but in hindsight the levels were way too short AND you could just fly to the end of most of them but that's another off-topic discussion from this off-topic discussion.
 
I neglected to finish my sentence on YI being "clearly derivative," which is to say that it's clearly derivative and unlike SMW, YI doesn't trump every platformer that came before it in every way the way that SMW did.

I mean, the baby timer is an example of something new that adds a lot of fun to the game, but it's tough to say if this is unequivocally better than the classic "X Number of Lives." That doesn't take anything away from YI, it's just to say that there are these small questions about YI, whereas with SMW there's no question at all.

Don't you try to lawyer me on this, bub. I know how you lawyers love to show up with your devil advocatin'. KIRBY dammit.
 
Kirby's Epic Yarn makes me feel special on the inside.... of my pants. Return To Dreamland... not so much... although I do like the special powers and the fact that it is a more traditional Kirby game.
 
This is like how Earthbound is my favorite game of all time but Final Fantasy 6 is much more grand in its scope and Chrono Trigger is technically more perfect.

EARTHBOUND dammit.
 
Maybe I should retitle the thread "Damn tough comparisons"? Because that would be fun to churn out.

No way would I put CT or FF6 in front of EB. That's real talk. Originality in the narrative goes a long way for an RPG, less so for a platformer (as in the YI vs. SMW thing). EB is entirely uninterested in JRPG conventions unless it's satire, and bless 'em for it.

Now KIRBY you bastards.
 
Though I did find Epic Yarn to be wonderful and charming as shit, I like RtDL more because it goes back to one of my favorite things about Super Star: Having a crazy amount of moves to use with your different powers.

Something about inhaling a ninja only to find that he's got damned near 15 different moves has always been a blast for me. Giving up a power to see what a boss you just trounced will give you is a fun trope as well.

End of the day, it takes me back to childhood a bit more than Epic Yarn did, and those are memories I love reliving.
 
Damn I completely skipped Return to Dreamland, maybe I should pick that up. Or will it be in that Kirby Collection coming out?

Edit-nope doesn't look like it.
 
I've been meaning to pick up Kirby's Return to Dreamland so I have something to play with my girlfriend, but it's still $50 everywhere. Epic Yarn was pretty good, I 100%'d it then sold it. The best part about that game was definitely the soundtrack: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1ZFZw_j3k8

Canvas Curse is still my favorite Kirby game.
 
I haven't played Return to Dreamland yet, as I haven't seen it on sale for the right price. Kirby Epic Yarn is already part of my collection, and I have taken a look at it. It is like having pure childlike glee pumped into your veins. It is quite possibly one of the most charming titles I have ever beheld. Highly recommend, even if just for the unique aesthetic.
 
[quote name='Javery']I like Epic Yarn better but I haven't finished Return to Dreamland yet. It's just not grabbing me like Epic Yarn did though.

Also, Yoshi's Island is better than Super Mario World. There I said it.[/QUOTE]

Have not broke the seal on either.

Regarding Mario, I would have argued a while a go the other way, but you know what. I have thought about it. Mario World is fun, it's awesome, but it's way too easy. Mario World 2 Yoshi's Island, 100% each level is a task. I have difficulty doing it. I often times have to replay many levels over multiples of times. For that reason, I will have to agree with you now.
 
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