I can't even begin to describe to you guys the level of sheer excitement and anticipation I have for the upcoming Pikmin 3 game for the Wii U. There are equal parts of the fact this is biggest Wii U game to be released since its launch, and the fact that I absolutely adore this series, that all make up the cause for my excitement. So because I am extremely hyped up about this game, I wanted to pretty much work myself into an anticipation frenzy by playing the original Pikmin game that first came out for the GameCube, then was re-released for the Wii as part of Nintendo's "New Play Control" series that they released a few different games for. If there is one thing that Nintendo does exceptionally well, it is releasing fan-favorites of their amazing franchises over and over again. It has been a very long time since I played a true Pikmin game. For the NintendoLand game that came bundled with the Wii U system, there is a mini-game in there called Pikmin Adventure, which gives a fairly accurate example of the Pikmin franchise for those unfamiliar with the previous games, but isn't quite the same as the full games. It has most of the basic principles though, trudging through unfamiliar alien landscapes, controlling a space explorer while you direct herds of Pikmin to do your bidding, such as collecting crucial supplies and defeating much larger alien lifeforms. Like I said, it's a good experience for those interested in the franchise, but not completely accurate as to how the actual games play. For that, you just have to go back and play one of the first two original Pikmin games, like I did. It was actually quite fun to go back and dive into the original Pikmin game. Sure, the graphics are a little rough (it is a port from a GameCube game, after all), but the adorable visual style and lovable characters truly give this game its charm. While it seems and feels calming and peaceful overall, the looming 30-day timer is a constant reminder that the game isn't just a tourist experience. Your goal of the game is to recover all 30 missing spaceship parts in the span of 30 in-game days, which seems simple enough, but turns the game into a true challenge. You have a limited amount of time during each day, because as the sun begins to set, you have to scramble to get your squad of Pikmin back to the ship safely before the terrors of the night come through and wipe out your entire army. Essentially, despite the fact that all you want to do is walk around at your own leisurely pace and go sightseeing, their just isn't the time to do so. And that's what I like about the game most. It pushes you into playing how it was designed, even if it relaxes its grip just enough to make you think you're exploring as you wish. If it wasn't for the constant push of trying to complete the mission, it would be a game I could spend countless hours in, walking around and literally accomplishing nothing. Some people may like Pikmin 2 better, but for me, I like seeing how the franchise all began. This is the perfect example of how a crazy idea from a game developer turns into a video game, even with its rough, not completely flushed out ideas. While playing this game made me stupidly more excited for Pikmin 3, it was nice to take a trip back to where it all began.
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In the last blog post, I talked about a game that I never thought I would enjoy, and ended up really loving it - Bulletstorm. Well, let's head to the opposite end of the spectrum and discuss a game that I really, really wanted to love, but just couldn't get into it. When Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate first came out for the Wii U, I desperately wanted to pick up the game and jump in to the franchise for the first time. Maybe it was just the lack of Wii U games forcing me into almost making horrible decisions, but this game was calling my name. Coupled with the fact that a 3DS version of the game was released at the same time, and you could do cross-saving and essentially enjoy the same experience on both consoles, I almost fell hook, line and sinker for it. But for a refreshing change of my bad habits, I decided not to buy Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, on either platform. While I loved the idea of the game, I was worried that it wouldn't be the game I was hoping for. I don't remember exactly what it was back then that made me a little cautious about being too excited for the game, but I remember really hoping it was going to be an amazing experience. I just couldn't justify spending the money for it, banking on just a hope. That is where Gamefly comes in handy. Want to experience a game or kick the tires on it, without buying the game outright? Rent it from Gamefly, keep it as long as you want and go from there. Wow, I totally wasn't trying to turn this into an add for Gamefly, but sometimes, the truth just sounds like it. Anyway, so I recently got this game from Gamefly and gave it whirl, really hoping my worries would be crushed so I could run out and go buy it for myself. Unfortunately (but maybe thankfully?), all I did was confirm my suspicions. This game - rather, this series - is not for me. The whole idea of going around slaying giant, amazing looking monsters and using their carcasses for armor and weapon crafting sounds like an absolute blast, but the boring grinding element and lackluster environments bog down the game play that I so wished to experience. The actual battles with the monsters are fabulous, but the downtime in between epic battles that is filled with grinding and sometimes just a whole lot of nothing, keep me from really liking this game. If somehow I could have a stripped-down version of this, that was just a battle-arena type of game, I would be in heaven. Like, just give me battle after battle, letting me upgrade and change weapons and armor in between each, and I would be happy as clam. That's actually what I wanted and hoped Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate would be. I guess I should have known better, considering this is a franchise that people become addicted to, dumping hundreds and hundreds of hours into. Yeah, give me the "...For Dummies" version, please, and we'll call it good. So there we have it. A game I just didn't like no matter how hard I tried to. Thankfully, the push to the end of Bulletstorm will make up for the disappointment on this one. Sometimes I feel like a masochist. Not in the normal definition or sense of the word, as you all probably immediately went in your own minds. Come on now, this a family friendly blog after all. No, when I say I’m a masochist, I’m talking in the “purposely putting myself through trying and painful situations,” in this case, using video games as the vehicle. This isn’t always the case, as there are plenty of circumstances where I will shy away from games or challenges that I feel will pretty much drive me to the brink of insanity. But on the other hand, there are certain games that cause me so much grief and agony yet still I continue to play them, if only because I love the pain they cause. Super Mario Bros. 2 is one of those games. Real talk here: I have never beaten Mario 2 without the aid of a Game Genie. Ever. I just can’t do it. I can’t even get to the end of the game, much less beat it. I don’t quite know what exactly what it is about the game that has made it impossible for me to beat it, but I can’t. It is the Achilles heel to my gaming universe. There literally is no logical reason for me to not be good at this game, as I dominate the dojo when it comes to Mario games, but this one? Yeah, it’s ridiculous. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it’s not a true Mario game. Because of the fact that I can’t beat it will forever cement my stance that it’s not a true Mario game, and not deserving to be placed in the series. It’s the black sheep of the Mushroom Kingdom, and I hate it for that. So I gave it another shot. Because seriously, I’m a masochist, and I enjoy the punishment and disappoint every time I play it, which ultimately makes me hate the game that much more. Let’s just get this out of the way right now. I still suck at the game. Yes, I died at pretty much the same place as I always do, because I’m a creature of habit. I’m really considering making a play through video of me playing this game, if only for comedy sakes for anyone willing to watch me suck. One day I hope to beat this game by myself. One day. Until l do, I will stop trying. The day I beat the game, I vow I will never touch that stupid game again. Until I feel like I need a little pain and punishment in my life again, that is. When you think of Nintendo as a gaming company, you don't typically associate them with the shooter-genre type of video games. Platformers, casual gaming, amazing IPs? Sure, those are fit the bill when you're talking about the company responsible for Mario. Zelda and the cute little GameCube. But shooters? Nope, not even close to the top of the list as far as word association goes. Let us not forget, though, dear readers, that Nintendo is single-handily responsible for beginning the shooter revolution. Might I remind you of a little game called Duck Hunt, the game where shooting was all you did? Where every kid had a light gun they could pretend was a real one, where sitting as close to the TV was optimal in order to get the best shot off, and while it wasn't technically defined as one, the FPS was established in the main stream video game universe. We can't stop there, though. Remember the Super Scope, the peripheral for the SNES that essentially was used for more specific and non-common weapons in games, like the sniper rifle or bazooka? Man, that thing was awesome. Anyway, the shooter genre has been ingrained into Nintendo's long, rich history since the beginning, subtly creating one of the most successful genres of games in the industry today, which some could argue is driving the industry as a whole. Just think about that next time you play the word association game and you pull "Nintendo" out of the hat of possible words. With that, I played Sniper Elite V2 for the Wii U. While this game came out well over a year before the Wii U version, on all the other consoles, I wanted to try it out on the Wii U to pay homage to what the Nintendo company has done as far as Shooters are concerned. This game is a fun sniper game, but nothing breathtaking. The close-quarter combat is forgettable at best, but the game excels at the sniper aspect. I suppose it better considering the name of the game, right? I have to admit, that I am an absolute sucker for snipers in games. If there is a sniper class to pick from, I will usually go that direction (remember Monday Night Combat? Sniper all the way, baby). I think its the intensity coupled with the ability to take my time and methodically pick off enemies as I see fit, from safe distances. And every shot a sniper takes has to be perfect, because missing is not an option. you have to be perfect, and that drive is all the motivation I need sometimes. This game gives me that feeling tenfold. It's a fun, serviceable game, like I said, but nothing that will take me away from other games. Apparently there was a lot of grief because the Wii U version is a stripped down version of the game, lacking online multiplayer and DLC, but honestly, unless you played the game on other consoles already, why would you miss something you knew nothing about? Best thing about this shooter is no dumb (yet totally awesome) peripheral is required to be the ultimate sniper. Also, no dogs to laugh at your mistakes. Sounds like a win-win to me. What is the opposite of a pallet cleanser? Usually you use a pallet cleanser to rid yourself of the guilt or shamefulness of enjoying something horrible or socially unacceptable. But in this case, I needed something horrific and brutal to make up for playing Monsters University: Catch Archie yesterday. So with that, I played one of my top 10 favorite games on the Wii system, MadWorld, which for the most part, wen grossly under appreciated an unnoticed from the general population of gamers. But for me, this game was awesome, beautiful and over the top in ways I didn't think were possible coming from the "system for casual gamers," the Nintendo Wii. Playing this game again made me fully appreciate it once again, as I had started to forget just how fun this game is. It is completely designed in black and white, with each color being used perfectly to accent each other and honestly create a fantastic looking game. There is a little more than black and white, however, coming in the color red, which of course, is used to show the pints and pints of blood spilled during the playing of this game. Your character looks like he is straight out of Gears of War, as he feels completely overpowered compared to the enemies he is fighting - which is awesome. In a game like this, you should feel like a completely dominant freak of nature. The game isn't built around stealth or strategy, but straight up violence, carnage and brutality. Oh, the violence. This is not a game to play with, around or in the same city as kids. It is bloodier than you could possible imagine. The ways to kill people is extreme and creative, as you get more points for chaining violence together into crazy, ridiculous and fearsome kills. And it's awesome. I realize I have said the word "awesome" a lot in this write-up, but man, if there is any game deserving of that sort of repetition, it's MadWorld. When people point to Nintendo or the Wii in general as being a "kiddie" system, I always - always - point back to this game as an argument as to what Nintendo is capable of pushing out and allowing, when they see fit. Now can we get a sequel, please? Yoshi, the classic NES game, became available once again on the Nintendo eShop, this time for the Wii U. Once again, Nintendo introduced one of its all time classics and fan-favorites to the fan base at the staggering low, low price of $0.30! That's right, for less than a quarter and a dime, you too can add this classic game to your e-library! But is it really a classic, or a fan favorite? I seem to remember really enjoying this game as a kid. Like, REALLY enjoying it. I remember playing it for hours, always trying to best my previous high score. Mario's enemies dropping from the sky, you switching platforms around to catch them in strategic placement. Seemed like a blast at the time. Well, then I played this game again, and realized some things are better left in the past. The game is boring, slow, methodical, uninteresting and uninspired. No matter how strategic you try to be, it's based on sheer luck for the most part, leaving you helpless and left for dead more often than not. It was hard to play this game for any amount of time, to be honest, so it was nice I could play it on my GamePad while still watching a movie. That's the only way to enjoy it - to not pay attention to it. Thankfully, this game was only thirty cents. Still, a part of me thinks it wasn't worth it to ruin a perfectly good childhood memory. Today was kind of a big deal in the video game industry. A little thing happened you might have heard of, that seemed fairly popular on the internet, from what I could tell. Day one of the E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo happened today, headlined by major press conferences by Microsoft, Sony, Ubisoft and EA, just to name a few. While the headlines were dominated by the new consoles (Xbox One and PS4), there was one company that remained quiet all day. But that's pretty par for the course when it comes to Nintendo. Nintendo marches to the beat of their own drummer, as they say. They don't ever do anything out of pressure from the industry, but always because it is what they want to do. Every year, they always do their press conference on Tuesday of E3, but this year, they are going a different route. Instead of the normal big production press conference, they are simply releasing a Nintendo Direct video first thing in the morning, which is something they have gotten very good at over the last year or so. They haven't really said why they are trying this new form of E3 announcements, but if I were a betting man, I would guess that they just realized that it wasn't going to be as efficient in driving whatever point they have to make home - and that a scripted, edited Nintendo Direct video would be more successful. Why am I bringing all this up, you ask? And what does this have to do with the game I played today, which as you can see, is Mario Paint for the Super Nintendo? Well, it's simple, really. If I could have one wish as to what Nintendo will announce in their Nintendo Direct video, it would be a new addition to the Mario Paint franchise. Ideally, I would love to see it on the Wii U, but a 3DS version would work fantastically as well. A Wii U Mario Paint game seems almost more obvious than it should be, but then again, we are talking about Nintendo. They don't ever do the obvious things when it comes to business models. Playing Mario Paint tonight made me realize how far ahead of the curve Nintendo was with this game - and usually is with most games and ideas they have. Thanks to smartphones and tablets and everything else out on the market now, the concept of Mario Paint seems simplistic, basic and uninspiring in today's marketplace. But seriously, a eShop version of Mario Paint on the Wii U would sell gangbusters, plus it would be the type of game to finally show off properly how great the GamePad is, and what kind of potential it has. The painting in the game is pretty straight forward, but throw in the stamps and textures and patterns, the video recorder and the fly swatting mini-game, and you actually have a well designed Paint game. Also, it's amazing that Nintendo can shameless push out plastic peripheral after peripheral without any qualms from the consumers. Good news with a Wii U version of this game is that everything you would need to make the game work, you would already have. So at least you won't have more plastic Nintendo licensed products sitting around collecting dust ... since that's what your Wii U is doing anyway. So we will see, Nintendo fans! Usually, video games follow a fairly established set of rules and guidelines that actually qualify them as games. The basic of these guidelines is that there is a way to beat the game, a way to lose the game and always a specific goal laid out in front of you to accomplish. Not all games follow these rules to perfectly, and some just don't incorporate one or another of them. But for the most part, these are the fundamental blueprints for developing a game. Then, every once in a while, a developer comes along and throws all tradition out the window and does their own thing. 99% of the time these will be smaller, indie developers who have less riding on whether or not they follow established guidelines or not, and they have a lot more freedom to experiment with unique and different types of games. Tomorrow Corporation is the prime example of a developer doing whatever they want to do, just because they think it will be a fun experience, not because the industry dictates what should and shouldn't be in a game. Little Inferno is their game, and it is awesome. If you like burning things for no real rhyme or reason in a fireplace. Yes, you heard me right. Truth is, I bought this game when I first got my Wii U, as it was hailed as one of the best games on the eShop at the time. While the description of the game and the limited game play footage didn't exactly make a compelling argument for the game, but nonetheless, I took a chance on a game I knew almost nothing about - mainly because I wanted to support the eShop right out of the gate for the new system. I played it and loved it on the Wii U. But tonight, I played it on my PC, as it was one of many games in the most recent Humble Indie Bundle. And because I knew the game backwards and forwards pretty efficiently at this point, playing through tonight was a breeze. In fact, I sunk three hours into it, but did absolutely everything there was to do in it. And every single bit of it was enjoyable as if it was the first time I played. Literally, this game is as simple as I made it seem. You play as a kid, who is hunkering down in his house because of a massive snow storm engulfing the city To stay warm, he gets a Little Inferno Home Entertainment Fireplace. You get a selection of catalogs to browse a "buy" products with your gold coins. After buying, they are delivered to you, in which you toss them in your fireplace, light them on fire and watch the magic happen. And by "magic," I mean see what happens to each weird item when it is engulfed in fire. Yup, that is it. You can unlock certain combos by burning specific things together at the same time, but ultimately, there is no real reason to do so other than to complete your list. All you really have to do is just buy and burn everything, before the "end game" eventually happens. That's it. Buy and burn, rinse and repeat. The fun is literally just watching things burn and smolder. It might not be for everyone, but for those pyromaniacs out there, there is finally a game for you. But of course, "game" is a very lose term. Which is why this "game" is so great. So ... who honestly saw this series coming down the pipeline of possible franchises for the "My Week Of..." monthly feature? I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say that probably no one had this on their radar, and that's a shame, really. Sure, I did just do a Nintendo franchise last month, and while Donkey Kong is a well-known, highly established character in the video game universe, his franchise isn't exactly at the forefront of people's collective memory. It should be, though. The cultural significance of this series is remarkable, and one that goes overlooked far too often, despite the spotlight shown on it every now and again. In geek and nerd culture, Donkey Kong reigns supreme when mentioned or remembered, but his legacy reaches far beyond the confines of the gaming universe. Take the phrase, "It's on like D***** ****," for example. Whoops! Actually, let's not use that specific phrase at all, since Nintendo actually went ahead and filed for a trademark on that very popular and sometimes overused phrase. So for the sake of me NOT getting sued over something so ridiculous, I'll just allow you the reader to say it out loud to yourself. Just don't say it three times, like Beetlejuice. The results could be ugly (or expensive, if you want to look at it that way). ANYWAY... Donkey Kong introduced the world to a little guy that was really good at jumping and saving the damsel in distress. Back then, we knew him as "Jump Man," but now, he goes by a far more common name. You might know him as Mario. And the lady he was trying to save back then, whom was named Pauline, would eventually become the lovely and always captured Princess Peach. You could say that without Donkey Kong, there might not be a Mario. That's a scary thought, and quite frankly, that doesn't sound like a world that I want to live in. Could you imagine where we would be as gamers without Mario in our lives? I shudder to think. Aside from spawning arguably the most popular and recognizable video game characters in history, Donkey Kong has also been the feature game of an incredible documentary film called "The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters." If you have never seen this film, stop reading now and go Netflix it. Seriously. I have no qualms with you ditching this measly blog project for an awesome movie like that. If you have seen it, however, then you know what I am talking about it. It documents the roller coaster ride that is competitive arcade gaming, where a prodigy of classic games (Billy Mitchell) and his Donkey Kong high score is challenged directly by an up and comer rookie in Steve Weibe. The film is simply fascinating as it depicts the seedy underbelly of gaming, yet somehow manages to paint Donkey Kong in beautiful watercolors for the world to see. Honestly, after watching the film for the first time, the very first thing I wanted to do, and ended up doing, was playing Donkey Kong, just to see where I was at skill wise compared to the best. Let's just say that I was no where near being considered "good" at it. And tonight, that point rang true once again. Basically, I suck. Well, I guess I wouldn't say I completely suck, as I can manage to get through the first few levels without much problem, but after that, I have to forfeit to the gaming gods and concede defeat. Man, it's fun to try though. Over and over again. One day I hope to get to that magical Kill Screen that I've heard so much about, but I doubt it will ever happen. Consider it on my gaming bucket list, with an asterisk by it to indicate that I don't foresee it happening no matter how hard I try. Ever. The game, as it gets harder, just requires absolute precise jumps and timing, which for some reason, I have a hard time with in this game. I doubt I am the only one though. Oh, and one more cool thing Donkey Kong has been known for happened just recently, about two months ago I want to say. A father actually re-coded the game for his three year old daughter because she wanted to play as Pauline instead of Mario. He also turned the platforms pink instead of red and basically customized it to make it appealing to a little girl. How awesome is that? So yeah, that's what I got to start out My Week Of Donkey Kong. I look forward to a week of Kong, as he transitions from the antagonist to the protagonist. Oh, and I will be finishing up my week with the new Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D for the Nintendo 3DS, which is receiving perfect scores from game reviewers on the internet. I simply cannot wait for that. And I hope you can't either. Today was a strange, yet enjoyable day for me. For the first time since my life was turned upside down, my four year old daughter spent the weekend with me at my new humble abode. I've spent lots of time with my two boys over the last couple of months because of baseball season, but I haven't been able to spend that quality time I've needed with my little girl. Well, this weekend finally happened. And it's been pretty awesome, for the most part. Earlier today, while trying to keep her as entertained as possible, between watching Spongebob Squarepants and 3D movies, I talked her into playing some games with me. Specifically, Scribblenauts Unlimited. Seeing as how she is four, she isn't exactly a true gamer ... yet, at least. She has played a lot of NintendoLand on the Wii U with me, and really enjoys the chase games, especially when I let her win. Because I have already played that game for my blog though, I talked her into playing a different game with me to satisfy my requirements for this silly project. So we played Scribblenauts Unlimited for the Wii U together. When I say "we," I mean mostly "I" obviously. But my little princess did help out, participate and "play" along with me, so that has to count for something, right? For those unfamiliar with the game or the series, the concept is simple. You interact with different characters and objects in the game that act as puzzles, because they all need something to fulfill their tasks or goals. What they need is wide open to interpretation, allowing your imagination to run wild. How so, you ask? Well, you get to come up with any noun and adjective to produce the key to solving each "puzzle," simply by typing the word. You type it and *poof*, it appears before you, allowing you to interact with it, and if you're lucky, solving the mystery of each character. So my daughter and I played together, as I was asking her to come up with words to type in and try to solve each puzzle. I tried to put each puzzle into terms a four year old could understand, hoping to get some good words out of her. For a four year old, she has a pretty strong vocabulary, but being asked to think of specific words on the spot is not an easy feat. Some of the puzzles are challenging enough for me, much less her. However, I was able to get some puzzles accomplished with her help. Mostly, however, it turned into her saying funny words over and over just to see my type them and have them pop-up on screen. Once she realized how cool it was to have her imagination brought to life on screen, the flood gates opened. I had to remind her several times that actual characters she knew from cartoons wouldn't appear, but that didn't stop her from being creative. That is until she came across the word "bigfoot." I probably typed that word in a couple dozen times it seems, with every time being as funny as the last. Oh, and once I showed her how using descriptive words could change the appearance of the objects she was coming up with, everything became pink for some odd reason. And yes, that meant that eventually every bigfoot I created was pink. And she thought it was the best. It was a lot of fun playing with her today. I've spent so much time playing games with her older brothers over the years that I tend to forget what it's like to them when they are very young and amazingly easy to entertain with the simplest of games. Makes me think back to when I was her age, playing Super Mario Bros. over and over and over again. Back when gaming was simple, non-stressful and flat-out fun. Maybe one day she will look back at these times with me and remember how fun they were. Or maybe she will just grow up thinking pink bigfoot's actually exist. Either way, it's all thanks to Scribblenauts Unlimited and our time spent together in our first weekend of just father and daughter. |
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February 2014
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