1 minute Time Travel game + 3 new games

I know I haven't blogged for awhile but that's because I've had a lot of stuff going on in my life that has made blogging (and sometimes gaming) very hard to do.  For starters my birthday was this month (the 15th).  I've gotten to a point in my life that another birthday is just another day in my life.  But on the other hand I've been feeling a little blue lately that having someone actually acknowledge it's my birthday and want to celebrate with me would be nice. 

On top of all of that my supervisor went out on maternity leave this month and I've had to tag along to a bunch of her meetings before she left so I can step in to her shoes and fill in for her while she's out for the next 3 months. 

On top of that I've had problems with my AC unit.  Right when the temperature starting hovering around 108-110.  I called the guy out the first time and he couldn't pin point what was wrong with the unit, but admitted that it wasn't functioning correctly.  He suggested either the thermostat, the compressor or the blower motor.  The cheapest fix was the thermostat, starting at $200.  My dad suggested I go to Home Depot and buy one myself.  I got one for $25 and he helped install it.  Unfortunately that didn't solve the problem.  After getting another guy to come out and have a look he found out it was the starter relay for the compressor and the compressor wasn't running efficiently.  The bad news is I ended up spending $1,116 to fix the relay and compressor.  The good news is I finally have cold air in my house again. 

So with all those things (and a general disgust with how things have been happening while playing) I haven't blogged or felt like playing for awhile.  I did buy 3 new games though.  It was my birthday present to myself.  And I needed some cheering up.  I got The Darkness 2, Final Fantasy XIII: Lightning Returns and Splinter Cell: Blacklist.  Got 'em used and cheap at Gamestop (although I found out later I could have gotten SC:B even cheaper on Amazon . . . and new too).  I should probably stop buying new games and just focusing on the games I already have. 

If I hadn't had to spend so much money to fix my AC unit I would have gotten a PS3 bundle.  There's a The Last of Us PS3 500GB bundle on sale for $269.  Unfortunately I'd rather have cool air than a new system right now.  I'm hoping it will still be available next month or August after I've financially recovered from this.

But until then I have a new "1 Minute" game.  This time (ha ha) it's with time travel.  You have one minute to list every game you can think of that has time travel as an element of game play.   Your character either travels through time to another point in the time continuum or your player plays in two different time periods.  I'm going to rule out the Fable games.  Starting as a kid for the "tutorial" parts and then playing as an adult for the main game doesn't count.  That's just a gimmick to help you learn the mechanics of the game before getting in to the real story.  So Fable games are ruled out.  For me and for you.

So now lets get to your list.

On your mark.

Get set.

Go.

Time travel.

Don't be cute and try to reset the timer.  That doesn't count as 'time travel'.

If you can get one in a certain franchise you should be able to get all 6.

And no, I'm going to give you a hint.

You better hurry.  You're running out of time.

(hee hee)

And STOP!

Okay how many did you come up with?

Here's my list:
Chrono Cross
Chrono Trigger
Time Splitters: Future Perfect
Assassin's Creed 1-3, Brotherhood, Revelations & Black Flag
Gears of War Judgement
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Final Fantasy X and X-2
Blink: The Time Sweeper
Civilization Revolution

That's a total of 14 games.  I'm very disappointed in myself.  I thought I could think up more than that.  There's got to me more, right?

I wasn't going to included Gears of War Judgement because I was thinking it was all flashback story telling but then I remembered that you actually play in the present when the Locus storm the courtroom place.  It's not stereotypical "time travel" but you are playing in two different time periods and I said that would count.

I haven't played Blink for so long but I remember it has something to do with time.  I could be totally wrong about that game.  I think I might have to go look up the story for that game and see if I'm way off.

I will admit that Civilization Revolution was also a stretch.  But since you play in multiple time eras and things change as you play I'm counting it.  Hey, it's my game so I will allow it.

As for the Final Fantasy games I'm saying they count even though I don't understand exactly how or why.  I'm not even sure I can explain to you my reasoning in a way that you'll be understand, even if you have played the games.  I understand all the Summoners and Sin stuff (to a point with Sin anyway) but where (or maybe when) Tidus comes from and how and what Yuna does in the second game to find him is still pretty hazy to me.  I'm working on another play through of the first game and I'm slowing plodding my way through the second game (when I can get my system to load it).  Maybe when I finish the second game I'll have a better understanding.

So tell me how many you got in the comments.  Was there an obvious game I missed?  Did I have some that you think you should have gotten?  Did you cheat and read my list first?  Shame on you. 

1 minute Dragon game

So I’ve got another “1 minute” game for you.  This time, here there be dragons.  Yep.  Those big winged flapping lizard-like creatures.  You have 1 minute to list as many video games that have dragons in them.  Be they bosses, pets, or just in cut scenes.  It should be easy, right?  So . . .

On your mark . . . .

Get set . . . .

Go . . .

You got started off really fast.

You’ve named a couple but are you sure they really have dragons in them?

Oops, is that a duplicate?

Come on keep going.

You’ve run out of ideas already?

Okay . . . and time’s up.

How many did you get?  Here’s my list.  I have a few maybes on it and I’ll have to explain those.

 

My list:

Legend of Dragoon

Final Fantasy X

Final Fantasy VII

Dragon Age: Origins

Dragon Age 2

Skyrim

Spyro the Dragon

Spyro the Dragon: Ripto’s Rage

Sypro the Dragon: Enter the Dragonfly

Blue Dragon

My maybes:

Dark Stone

Balder’s Gate

Champions of Norath

Summoner

Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade

Gauntlet

So I got 10 that I know of for sure that have dragons.  I could have probably listed all of the Final Fantasy games but I wasn’t sure if they all had a dragon in them.  I’m not even totally sure with FF7 but I’m hedging my bet that it does.  And I'm know there are more Spyro games that what I have listed but I can't remember any more than what I put down.

As to the maybes I have various excuses or doubts about including them.  I might have to do some research to see if I’m just imagining things with these games or I got it right.  Unless someone wants to do it for me and put it in the comment’s section. 

It’s been a very long time since I played Dark Stone and then I didn’t even get very far in the game.  I’ve been meaning to go back and what I remember of the game it’s perfect to have a dragon.

It’s also been a very long time since I’ve played both Balder’s Gate and Champions of Norath.  They are also a couple of games that have got to have a dragon or two.  I’m pretty sure that my brother dain and I have finished both of those games but nothing comes to mind specifically about dragons.  Even if not a boss but just something terrifying to look at in a cut scene.

Summoner is the game dain and I are supposed to be finishing for the PS2.  When I think of “summoners” I think of magic and summoning dragons.  So there’s got to be a dragon in that game right?

Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade is a game I’ve been playing on the PSP.  It’s another game that I’m not very far in but seems perfect to having a dragon in the game.  If not a boss, then some eye candy instead.  There’s another game in the Untold Legends series that I have but I can’t remember the name so I didn’t count it.  Warrior’s Code.  Or maybe, Warrior’s Guild.  Or something like that.  Since I can’t remember what it’s called, I’m not counting it.  Even as a maybe.

Gauntlet is a game my brother dain and I have finished a couple of times.  On the N64.  On the PS.  And on the GameCube.  And maybe more systems and versions of the game.  I can’t remember if there are any dragons in the game.  If there are they’re probably fought while on the ground.  At least I don’t remember any aerial combat battles in any of those games.  And since I can’t remember any subtitles for any of those versions I’m only counting them as one game.  And that’s only a maybe too.

Personally I’m disappointed with myself.  I thought I would have done better than that.  Especially since one of my favorite genres of video games is RPGs and those are usually fantasy games.  And aren’t dragons, in one form or another, a requirement in fantasy games?  Maybe if I played more of those games . . . or at least played more IN all of those games that I have I could have done better.  How well did you do?  Leave your results in the comments.  And if you’ve got some ideas for more “1 minute” game ideas leave those in the comments as well.  I’ve got a few more ideas I want to explore but it won’t hurt to have more.