Spanish blog post about the Power Antenna

Post things about the Telefang series, and aren't about a particular Telefang game here.
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KenjutheDenjuu(imported)
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Re: Spanish blog post about the Power Antenna

Post by KenjutheDenjuu(imported) »

I found a Spanish blog that was covering gameboy peripherals and the Power Antennas from both Telefang games are among those in the list. Nice to see that it's been mentioned.

Here's the main list (you'll have to scroll down to find the Telefang articles): http://junglehunt.blogspot.com/2008/03/m-que-juegos-nintendo-game-boy-advance.html

Here's a different post on the same blog that focuses specifically on the Power Antennas from 1 and 2: http://junglehunt.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html
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shay-shay
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Re: Spanish blog post about the Power Antenna

Post by shay-shay »

Good Looks!!

Very interesting, I actually want to buy the game including these antennas that you posted in those links,
but I can only play it IF there ever was a English version of the game...
Blaziken257
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Re: Spanish blog post about the Power Antenna

Post by Blaziken257 »

I might as well translate this, since I don't know if everyone will understand it, and while I haven't tried Google Translate, it rarely spits out accurate translations.
First link:

Power Antenna (game: Telefang Power / Speed).
This antenna which plugs into the accessory connector. The only thing that it does is light up when in the game, we make use of the mobile teleportation (which in the game, counts on these antennas).
[Note: The original text seems to be worded awkwardly, it looks like a bunch of run-on sentences...]

Only the first edition of the game brought this extra, and although it is not used for much, it gives it a nice touch (it's a game in the style of Pokémon).
Power Antenna (game: Keitai Denjuu Telefang 2 - Power / Speed).
Just like the Game Boy Color version, the second part of the saga, now on GBA, included an antenna similar to the ones from the mobile phones of teleportation from the game.

The truth is that I don't know very well what it is for, I believe that it only illuminates when in the game you are teleported. I have attempted various times to buy the game, but it isn't easy to find...

The game is extremely difficult to find, much less with the antenna. And yes, only in Japanese.

Second link:

Today I wanted to give a few photos of one of the most absurd Game Boy accessories: The "Power Antenna". [What? It's absurd? Not really...]

The gadget is no more than a little light that plugs into the accessory connector of the Game Boy and it came with the first series [Note: This is plural!] of the game Keitai Denjuu Telefang (携帯電獣テレファング), from SmileSoft. [sic]

The game is basically a clone (in fact it managed to sell mistranslated as a pirate of the Pokémon brand) with the pecularity of utilizing a mobile phone to call and teleport monsters, so this accessory gave the aspect of a telephone to our console, lighting the little bulb from the end when we used the terminal [I think this is what it means, they're probably referring to the antenna trees...] in the game. Just like the Pokémon series, two variants, Speed and Power, with very few variations between both.

Although the game was for Game Boy Color, it also worked (obviously without showing colors) on the original Game Boy and the Game Boy Pocket, with the exception that the "Power Antenna" needed the former (the first Game Boy had a larger connector than the Game Boy Pocket or the Game Boy Color). On the Game Boy Advance, it also works, although it was difficult to insert or remove the game and it does not have an especially good impression...

The accessory must have attracted certain attention
[I know this sounds a bit weird here, but this is the best that I can understand this part] in the market, because SmileSoft [sic] reused the idea in Network Adventure Bugsite [That's funny, they used the English translation here.] (ネットワーク冒険記 バグサイト), for Game Boy Color.

As the game reaped enough success, a second part came out for the Game Boy Advance, again with the "Power Antenna" as an included accessory in the initial units. Although it maintained the same use, it lighted up once in a while, on the Game Boy Advance, it did not give much of an appearance of a mobile phone, oh well.

Although I'm sure that the electronic part is identical in both antennas (Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance), the GBA one can't be used on the GBC (the connector varies slightly and it does not fit well because of a tab).

One sample of the success of the series was the appearance of certain merchandising, like comics or toys, and even coloring books.

So, there you go. Whoever wrote it doesn't seem to be fond of the antenna that much, seeing that he said it was absurd at one point, but it's interesting to see that the writer labeled the games as a success. Well, I guess it was up to a certain extent, with the merchandise, the cards that came with later games... it was their most successful series. But, it was sadly overshadowed by Pokémon... which means that nobody knows about it, and there hasn't been a new game in almost a decade! Oh well. Kinda nice to see what other people think of it, though.

Also, I tried to translate it directly, so it might be a bit too literal (after all, the grammar is slightly different). Oh well, I'll fix it later, but it's still really close.

[EDIT: Whoops, I didn't realize the first link had a section for Telefang 2. Now I added it!]
KenjutheDenjuu(imported)
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Re: Spanish blog post about the Power Antenna

Post by KenjutheDenjuu(imported) »

Thanks for translating! ^^

I'm not sure how someone could think the Power Antenna is an 'absurd' peripheral. I always thought it was quite clever really, with the phone related mechanics ^^; Though, the author did call the games 'Pokemon clones' at one point in his review (from what I remember when I translated using Google translate) so it seems he doesn't have a positive opinion of the games in general even if he said they were a success. I wish people would stop labelling Telefang as a Pokemon clone though, when the only relation is that it has monsters in it.
Kimbles(imported)
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Re: Spanish blog post about the Power Antenna

Post by Kimbles(imported) »

I dunno what you guys are talking about, the Power Antenna is awesome because it's ridiculous. XD

Also what the heck, Telefang is totally a Pokemon clone, that's just the facts. XD It wouldn't have been made if it wasn't for Pokemon, but that doesn't mean it's not worth playing or that it's devoid of originality. *shrug* I don't think they necessarily meant it as an insult. XD
KenjutheDenjuu(imported)
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Re: Spanish blog post about the Power Antenna

Post by KenjutheDenjuu(imported) »

The popularity of Pokemon might have inspired it's creation, but calling it a 'Pokemon Clone' makes it sound like they copied directly or stole from Pokemon. That's why it's unfair to call it that. But, no matter, it was only the author's opinion ^^;
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andwhyisit
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Re: Spanish blog post about the Power Antenna

Post by andwhyisit »

Under that logic Castlevania SOTN is a Metroid clone, Xenogears is a Final Fantasy clone, and R-Type is a Space Invaders clone. Since these examples are not referred to as such then we can assume that this is due to the strength of these genres in the minds of the public that they trancend their roots. You ask most gamers and they can name more than one shoot-'em-up, RPG or Metroidvania (stupid example, but whatever) title. Finding someone who can list a monster-raising rpg apart from Pokemon is a rare occurrance. So people use the term "Pokemon clone", since they feel that is the easiest way to relate the subgenre in discussion. Unfortunately saying "Pokemon clone" instead of "similar to Pokemon" or "like Pokemon" is very much derogatory, KenjutheDenjuu is right in this regard. The entire public acts like every game in the subgenre is a cheap knock-off of Pokemon, and that disregard will never change until another monster-raising rpg gains mainstream status.

Pet hate btw.
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