Gaming in A Nutshell

7 Highlights of An Underrated Game - Alice: Madness Returns

2012-09-20T02:16:00.002-07:00

Don't mind the blood stained knife ... It's probably fake for all we know ...

Out there, there are tons of games which are absolutely brilliant … but practically no one knows about them. Okay, maybe some people. And I’ve stumbled (randomly) upon a very, uh, lovely game by the name of Alice: Madness Returns. It is perhaps one of the greatest and most gripping reimagining of C.S Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Why? Well, it’s a game for starters … But anyway … So, because I’ve been so incredibly charmed by this game … I need to write about it. And praise it. A lot. So here we go!~

1. Innovative reimagining

Like I said before, Alice: Madness Returns is possibly one of the greatest reimagining of Alice in Wonderland, and it genuinely reflects the original, though portrayed in a really dark light. Oh wait … that was contradictory, but yeah, whatever. Anyway, the dainty Wonderland along with its inhabitants become new as Madness Returns warps their personality and appearance. Dark themes jump all around, like murder, insanity, horror, some realistic themes, and just all ‘round creepiness – characters like the Cheshire Cat turn from whimsical bright-eyed weirdos into creepy, nearly malicious, and devilish monsters. And it is awesome. Because it’s handled so brilliantly.

2. Thorough exploration/platforming

Madness Returns is a platformer than anything else. Well, there’s lots of action too … but the platforming. Like a cross between Zelda and Mario, added with lots of insanity!~ Anyway, you have the normal stuff; jumping, stuff to land on. And then you have gliding, and … twirling (yes, interesting name) and ironically, “shrinking.” Gliding is self-explanatory, but twirling … well, another name for double jumping. Just cooler. Butterflies!~ Ok, so back to business; the platforming is just fantastic – the jumping and gliding and twirling fits so seamlessly into the game and they just have this really great feel to them. Oh, and you can shrink too. After drowning yourself in purple stuff. And it’s really awesome. Shrinking allows you (obviously) to crawl into small spaces, and it even let’s you see … things. Like, weird drawings all over the place, which are actually hints, even invisible platforms for some extremely well-designed jumping. Anyway, the platforming and the exploration are definitely top-notch.

3. Slick combat

You know, I thought the combat quite resembled Zelda, especially with weapon changing and Z-Targeting. But anyway, fighting is just a blast. Actually ... it’s more like a blood bath than anything else. A very satisfying one. Anyway, I should start talking about it, right? So basically, it’s a bit like a button masher, with six different weapons. It’s a mix and match kind of thing, so you can get really creative with your combos. Ranged attacks also come with precise aiming, for when auto-aim keeps targeting pesky grunts. And with this, comes dodging, manoeuvring, that kind of stuff. And plus, it all mashes together perfectly. Hacking and shooting, with these awesome little pauses in time before an enemy hits you for a quick dodge - nothing is too overpowered, or useless; it’s perfectly balanced and flows with the rest of the incredibly well designed world. It is awesome.

4. Interesting story/continuation

Madness Returns features a storyline continuing from the previous Alice game; Alice is now no longer insane (er, well, that's debatable really...) and works at an asylum for kids. And it is creepy. But still, the tale folds out exceptionally well, and Alice's tale is actually interesting to hear. And it ends with that "ah-that-was-a-good-movie" kind of feeling. And you really wish it wasn't over.

5. Collectibles galore

There is so much to collect in this game. Seriously. Teeth, bottles, "radula rooms", awesomely designed dresses, pig snouts (yes ... pig snouts), and memories. And it really makes the journey more fulfilling, especially with memories; they play interesting little clips about the world of Alice, and it fits with how Alice is trying to regain sanity and all that stuff.

6. Beautiful art direction

The world of Wonderland is ... well, wonderful! ... Wonderfully creepy at least. But there is so much colour! At least, when you're not in Hysteria Mode ... but anyway, Wonderland has some great environments, and they're pulled off with style. Seriously, I have not seen a more beautifully insane world in a while... The art style alone is enough to catch your attention ... aside from the blood stains everywhere.

7. Immersive universe

This one's a bit general, but once you fall into the world of Madness Returns ... you get stuck there. There are all of these characters and worlds to discover and weapons, dresses, everything! It's such a detailed world, and it's just brilliant to immerse yourself in such a fantastically realised reimagining of Alice in Wonderland!

Ok! I think that's enough waffling for now!~ But I have to admit, at first, I was a bit put off by the horror. But I still had some interest ... but now, I am very much in love with the world of Alice: Madness Returns. One of the many diamonds in the rough of the gaming world!~

Sums up Alice: Madness Returns.

Sorry!

2012-09-10T00:45:00.000-07:00

Sorry! If you’re reading through my blog, (as unlikely as that sounds) I have bad news. I will be going away for a bit. Um, well, okay, about two-ish weeks. Well, maybe one and a bit weeks. Something like that. So obviously, I won’t be able to post anything during this time … sad face moment. Anyway, check through the archives if you want to find more. Or check the Navigational Links, and click into a label. So try it out! Find something new! And be happy!

LGBT in Gaming

2012-09-04T01:24:00.000-07:00

Now, this post is entirely my opinion, and I’m not trying to force it into people. But it’s just me expressing … well, me. This is also about educating others about LGBT rights and how they’re being raised through the gaming world.

Today, I’m writing in more of a serious tone. This’ probably the first time I’ve written in a serious tone too … so yeah. But anyway… Homosexuality in gaming. Well, I shouldn’t just limit it to homosexuals, but rather, the entirety of the LGBT group (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual).

Anyway, as we all know, it’s been a tough road for those on the other bus. People have been murdered, tortured, and discriminated against just for having a different preference. It’s like saying you like playing Zelda more than Mario, and being scolded for that. It’s a grim reality we have, even though we might think of it as lovely and dainty. Back then, (and I mean like a couple of decades ago) you were “weird” if you didn’t only like the opposite gender. It was all of this social pressure, cultural influences, and the very fact that it was simply wrong to have other preferences. They used a word – “queer.” And people lived under this namesake, and they were … “not normal.”

And even today, as of the 21^st Century, we’re still struggling to let go of those old prejudices. In places like schools or the workplace, there’s a certain stigma attached to you as a person if you’re gay or a lesbian. It happens. We all know it. I’m pretty sure you’ve at least pointed at a gay person and talked about them like they’re some sort of animal at a zoo.

But, it is slowly changing. Even though we might not have let go of that negative association with the LGBT group, it is now seen as normal. People can openly say that they’re a lesbian, or that they’re gay. There are pride parades and campaigns for their rights.

And it doesn’t stop there. The gaming community is supporting the LGBT community as well. I heard that EA had a worker who changed their gender, and guess what? EA shouted it out to the world, saying that they would support that worker.

And I think that’s just brilliant. It’s a moment where you can truly see how far LGBT rights have come. Years ago, it would’ve been all hushed up, and now, it’s been openly declared. And that’s the way it should be. When it doesn’t matter what preference you have, and that the people around you will support you. Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Skyrim are also supportive of this – gay romances are possible, and that’s another good sign for the rights of the LGBT community. Street Fighter has Eagle and possibly Zangief hinted as being gay, Fable II with Reaver openly admitting his sexuality, and I think it’s really a great thing to have the gaming world acknowledge other preferences. Each day just gets a little brighter. Well, aside from the other worldwide worries … but one problem at a time.

The gaming world is opening up a little wider and taking a broader perspective. It’s not wrong if you have other preferences. And that is really how it should be. Gaming is taking notice of this, and those who don’t, should start now. The message should spread through the gaming world – that other preferences are ok. We should support the LGBT community instead of bitching behind their backs. We can all show our support and our acknowledgement. So let’s all be happy! Play games to our heart’s content with everyone, anyone! No matter what kind of stereotype, sexuality, race, or any of that stuff! Just play games! Be happy!

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon vs Pokemon Ranger!

2012-09-01T21:37:00.006-07:00

Battle of the spin-offs! It’s the popular Pokemon Mystery Dungeon against the interestingly thought-out Pokemon Ranger! So, today we’ll see which is superior in terms of graphics, sound, presentation, gameplay, and uniqueness!

So, just to refresh memories, or to introduce these two games, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon is … well, a dungeon crawler. You are a Pokemon for starters, after you take a personality test that is … interestingly written. There are some strange questions in there… Anyway, you play it out in a central hub where you buy stuff/sell stuff/store stuff/train/link moves/similar thingy. Then you go do missions in dungeons. That’s kind of it. I'll be using Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky as a reference.

Pokemon Ranger, however, is a completely new take on this world. Well, to be blunt, the gameplay consists of drawing a circle. Yes, you heard me. A circle. Well, lots of ‘em. You loop and loop them like a lasso, and then it equates to throwing a Pokeball. That, and some adventuring and some generic action-adventure stuff. And I'll be using Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs as a reference. So, let's begin!

Graphics

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

Can I just note that the graphics are ... well, exactly the same as the first Mystery Dungeon game? Seriously, I'll give you a comparison! Look below! Anyway, Mystery Dungeon has some rather sub-par graphics, still stuck in the Gameboy Advance world. Quite a pity. Well, that's usually in the dungeons, but in the overworld, it's rather cutesy and lovely, but ... could be better.

Pokemon Ranger

Unlike a certain other game, (*looks up at Mystery Dungeon*) Pokemon Ranger has actually gone in leaps and bounds with it's graphics, especially with Guardian Signs. Seriously, these are some beautiful backdrops, with all these pretty effects, and in general, it's just a joy to see everything in the latest in Pokemon Ranger. Well, apart from the pixelated characters/Pokemon. But you hardly ever notice because you're too busy looking at everything else.

Sound

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

As with any Pokemon spin-off game, there are some great tracks in here! The sounds are groovy and very nice to just listen to, and they always fit the occasion, whether it's an epic battle, a carefree environment, or the dangerous depths of a dungeon. Sound effects are alright, and mostly comprise of battle noises, and they fit the situation mostly. So yeah, overall, pretty damn good sound!

Pokemon Ranger

Meh... It's ok, it fits the mood ... but sometimes there's just not enough variety. There are some cool tunes in there, but they're mostly forgettable. Mehhh....

Presentation

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

Overall, the feel and look of Mystery Dungeon is quite nice - the menu screens are quite cute and the presentation of things is usually cutesy and anime-like, so it's actually quite appealing to the eye. In general, it's a nice game. Very nice.

Pokemon Ranger

In comparison to Mystery Dungeon, I reckon that they're both at the same level. Pokemon Ranger has a fairly sleek feel about it, with some pretty good presentation in storytelling and pacing and all that. Not bad. A tie with Mystery Dungeon!

Gameplay

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

The above is pretty much the gameplay. That's it. And it's incredibly addicting. Once you start playing ... you can't stop. It's just amazing to see how they managed to make dungeon crawling so fun!

Pokemon Ranger

Well, the basic gameplay is ... well, drawing a circle. Drawing lots of 'em. Around a Pokemon. And that's a capture. Then you repeat that for the rest of the game. Oh, and did I mention there's adventure-type stuff too? To be exact, Pokemon Ranger is actually quite diverse in gameplay, as of Guardian Signs - jumping around, swimming, diving, running around, flying, all sorts of adventure-ish stuff. It's fun. Very fun. Just ... not as fun or addicting as Mystery Dungeon.

Uniqueness

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

Dungeon crawlers? Yep, that's normal. Dungeon crawlers + Pokemon? That's ... a different look at it. Mystery Dungeon does do a few new things, like actually BEING a Pokemon, in a Pokemon world where they talk, and trade, and do missions. The general backstory is also quite nice - it's got a great feel to it.

Pokemon Ranger

Loopy looping? That's new... Anyway, Pokemon Ranger is a literally, COMPLETELY different look at Pokemon. Mystery Dungeon may have taken it one step, but Pokemon Ranger takes it to the top of the stairs. Another layer of dimension to the Pokemon world, you are a guardian of nature, protecting and preserving. It's a totally different view, and even the gameplay is quite unique ... albeit simple. Overall, it's a very unique look on Pokemon.

Results:

- Pokemon Mystery Dungeon - 2 points
- Pokemon Ranger - 2 points

IT'S A DRAW! Personally, these two are actually really even. They both specialise in totally different areas ... and they perform just as well as each other. So, it really depends on preference. Both are nice games though!

10 Reasons Why MapleStory Is Great!

2012-08-28T07:31:00.002-07:00

Right, I’m annoyed. Someone I know said that MapleStory was a mediocre game. And now I’m here to prove them wrong. Yes, because I always blog about my daily gaming life with people I know. Anyway, I should let you know, I have always had a soft spot for MapleStory – true, I’ve had a bit of an on-off relationship, but I still like it. Seriously.

1. Clever use of graphics

I seriously don't get how these graphics are bad...

The first thing they said was this: “I don’t like how it’s a 2D scroller with weird graphics” … or something like that. Well, when you compare the graphics to a 3D MMORPG, you’ll find that MapleStory’s graphics are a whole lot more polished and tidied, whereas most 3D MMORPGs have quite a few graphical limitations. It’s like saying that for a gig at a restaurant, you’ll play a piece that’s simple, but you’ve practised a lot, or a complex piece, that hasn’t been practised quite as much. The graphics in general are very very cutesy and charming, so it all balances out. And it's not so pixelated now too (they changed the resolution.).

2. Superb sound and music

Now, I know a lot of MMORPGs have great music … but still, you have to admit, MapleStory has some beautiful tracks in there. Really, there are some fantastic scores … but I guess that’s a given, seeing as it is a fairly popular MMORPGs. Oh, and since it’s a 2D scroller, there’ll always be different maps, most of which have differing themes to them, which means a ton of variety, which is really great. And plus, when you’re fighting monsters, the cutesy sounds they make … it adds quite a bit of flair to playing, so everything’s been tuned very very nicely with sound.

3. Heaps of classes

Now, in terms of balancing the game and all that stuff, the amount of classes is just ridiculous. But from a gameplay point of view, it's fantastic. There are 15+ classes to pick, and even though they all fit into a category, like a mage-type, or warrior-type, or thief-type, they all have a different style of playing. And it's seriously fun just to keep making more and more characters just to play around with the classes.

Yes... because tons of classes are necessary to keep a MMORPG alive...

4. Easy rhythm

There’s just this wonderful pace you get from doing storyline quests and even grind quests – you fall into this nicely repetitive pattern; it’s hard to explain really. You just got to play it to feel it.

5. Polished up

Now, this is quite the general term, but it’s true. The graphics, sound, UI, quests, mapping, and etc, are all very polished up, after years and years of experience. They’ve made it pretty sleek and useful, and in general, it has a very pleasing effect to both the eye and the instinct.

6. Ridiculous amounts of randomness

Um… Not sure if it's good or bad … Well, it's not that ridiculous... Ok, there is some random stuff, like the monster designs and some weapons found in the Cash Shop, but these contribute to that whimsical and carefree attitude that MapleStory gives off. It's this kind of randomness that makes MapleStory ... well, MapleStory.

Randomness x 9999 = MapleStory!

7. Idiot-proofed

I’ve seen a lot of MMORPGs … and some of them just plonk you straight into their world without another word – sure, you can always read about how to do stuff … but I can’t ever be bothered. But MapleStory has been idiot-proofed once, twice, thrice, a billion times. You can’t go wrong – they teach you EVERYTHING. Well, aside from some more complicated stuff. Anyway, MapleStory will carefully guide you through, which is really a joy if you’re a newcomer.

8. Customisation galore!

There are so many ways to make your character yours. Ok, most of them are options through paying real-life money, but even without paying cash, you can still dress up your character in all sorts of outfits, equip awesome weapons, and all that stuff. It's a very free environment, where all characters will not look alike.

9. Simple but effective

MapleStory doesn't have any complicated stuff. Well, there are some other complicated thingies introduced that are a bit gimmicky, but overall, it's a simple game. Go through a couple of story based quests, and then grind and do grind quests, and job quests and yeah. It goes on. And it's fun. That's what makes up the "effective" part.

10. Easy and fun gameplay

Press Ctrl to do normal attack. Press Alt to jump. Assign skills (press K) to keyboard. Press I to get items. Also assign to keyboard. And when you level up, press S to develop your character. Press Q for quests. Alright! You now know have to play MapleStory! Just like that! Anyway, everything happens in real-time, so no more of that yucky turn-based stuff. Mash that hotkey until all monsters die! It's a whole bunch better than sitting and waiting. There's even some platforming thrown in the mix too - jump quests (where you jump up platforms) are extremely satisfying when completed. Except when you can't finish them. Then you will hate them.

... Whew. That was a long rant on how MapleStory is awesome ... but it is. It's developed over the years, and it's become quite fun for the newcomer. To the veterans, it's not so great, for nostalgic reasons. Other than that, MapleStory is still an incredibly great game that every gamer should not miss. So go download and play!

Star Wars 1313 - A Mature Star Wars

2012-08-22T01:04:00.001-07:00

Star Wars. We’ve all heard of it; pretty much half the planet has. And us gamers all know about it’s … sometimes mediocre but sometimes fantastical games! (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic forever!) Anyway, I’m getting off topic. I’m here today to give my thoughts on the new Star Wars 1313 – a different take on this world of guys who whack each other with beam swords and the Force.

Everything about this screams "epic reimagining!"

So, Star Wars 1313? Heard of it? Well, even if you have, I’ll explain anyway. It’s basically the Uncharted of the Star Wars franchise. Ok, I’m getting the feeling that every game has this need to copy off Uncharted which copied off Tomb Raider. Never forget Tomb Raider, got it? Uh, anyway …

So as I was saying, Star Wars 1313 is not another “become-Jedi-kill-people-with-Force/lightsabre” type thing. Nope. As I said earlier, think of it this way. Imagine Uncharted … and now think of a Star Wars version of it. Pretty … interesting, isn’t it. Anyway, it’s a 3^rd Person shooter, set in the slums and underworld of Coruscant, and it is very very nice. It’s all about the dark world in the city, with bounty hunters, murderers, bad people, and so it gives off quite a mature, gritty feeling, which is quite a new thing for Star Wars. It aims to be the newcomer that'll change it all, and well, I think it's going pretty good.

Yes. Yes indeed.

Now, here are my own thoughts. It’s a very exciting new take for Star Wars, concept wise, and the presentation of it is just brilliant. It’s got that Hollywood-blockbuster feel to it, but at the same time, it feels dark and gritty – it’s just great to see all of this. By the way, it is EPIC. The cinematic fights, and gameplay is just ... stunning. Really. The graphics are just gorgeous. Seriously, they are. And the sound is pretty good, with exciting battle music and what not, but the gameplay is … well, an exact copy of Uncharted. Don’t get me wrong, I love Uncharted, but … it feels too similar, but that could be because I barely know it. But combat-wise, it looks fairly alike. But who knows? There might be some gangster like gameplay in there too! Overall, it’s a nice package, but there are some conceptual problems I have with it (too much like Uncharted!) but it’s a fresh new take on Star Wars – best game since KOTOR. Yup.

Yes, because all games require you to be scrambling for your life on a burning piece of debris.

I'll be sure to follow this game. You should too! I'll probably talk about it again when I'm in the mood.

Nintenviews - All About Nintendo

2012-08-18T21:10:00.000-07:00

Do you love Nintendo? Well, that’s a dumb question to ask, everyone does! If you’re a big time fan of Nintendo’s games, consoles, or anything to do with it, then Nintenviews is for you! It’s a blog dedicated to the wonders that Nintendo pushes out!

Now, the blog covers a variety of stuff from ... well, Nintendo, like consoles, even ones like the Nintendo 64, games, going into the nitty-gritty of the history, and most importantly, reviews on Nintendo stuff. The blog is really well organised - a page there tells you absolutely everything you need to know!

Here's the link!

http://nintenviews.blogspot.com.au/

Yep, it's a thumbs up to Nintenviews!

You know, I quite like using this picture. Thumbs up!

7 Kinds of People Who Play Dating Sims

2012-08-14T22:32:00.001-07:00

Ok, so we all know there are hundreds of types of games (well, kind of anyway.). Now, one of the most … interesting kinds are dating sims. Most people generally don’t go there, and when you hear someone you know is playing one … it’s just … facepalm moment.

You KNOW it's a dating sim when incredibly attractive people talk to you in perfect poses, with text at the bottom, and choices to pick...

Now what kind of people play it? Well, that’s obvious, but it might just be interesting to know … for all I know, the person next to you, or even some random stalker you have may be playing dating sims…

(Note: To people who play dating sims, I respect you, and I am not trying to demean you in any way. If you are hurt during the reading of this post, I am deeply sorry. If you don’t like it, please don’t read it. That was a very long note indeed.)

1. People who are … unattractive to the opposite (or same) gender

To be fair, I included gay/lesbian gamers, because they exist too, but anyway… Generally, this is one of the most common types of people who play dating sims – they fulfil their love lives with non-existent people …who are attracted to them because their programming told them to.

2. People who can’t get boyfriends/girlfriends

Uh… This is fairly similar to the first one, but still… You could be very attractive but might not be successful in love. Anyway, as I said, people who fit under this category drown their sorrows in programmed love.

3. People who actually LIKE dating sims (generally very lovey-dovey)

Now, this is a bit rare, but you could just simply enjoy dating sims for what they are – a window into life’s best. Dating sims aren’t necessarily bad, and so there still is a fanbase … kind of.

4. People who are extreme gamers, and are looking to play every type of game

Ok, I’m kidding. This section probably doesn’t exist.

5. People who are “preparing” for love

Normally, I'd say something more sentimental, but the boy in this picture probably had practice with dating sims ... ok, maybe not. Love level x 9999!

Another really random one. But it could be possible, you know! Boys/girls who are a bit younger might be trying to get some “practice” before the real deal… which sounds a bit inappropriate for them, but hey, practice makes perfect, right?

6. People who were introduced to dating sims by friends (who have been converted)

Wow… This post has a whole bunch of random ones. But yes, you could’ve been converted by one of your lovey-dovey friends into playing dating sims, as strange it sounds.

7. Girls between ages 12 – 17

This isn’t exactly a type of person, but I’ll include it anyway. Well, I think anyway. Generally, girls in that age group are all in a constant love mood. (I’m being very stereotypical here…) Of course, males play dating sims too ... except they generally don't admit it.

This was totally random, by the way. But now you know what kinds of people play dating sims! If you fall under one of these categories … good luck getting that dream/virtual person!

Tails vs Yoshi!

2012-08-12T04:14:00.002-07:00

Sidekicks always have to be there. Whenever there’s a popular character out there, he/she/it always (or at least, most of the time) has a sidekick. This time, we’ll be covering a battle between Tails and Yoshi – Sega’s kid fox and Mario’s dinosaur friend!

Cuteness:

Tails:

Cuteness level x 99999999!

So adorable, it makes you sick! Nah, jokes. Tails just has this really cute look that'll make any cute-fan scream. I mean, you can't go wrong with a two tailed fox, with the cutest eyes and colour scheme.

Yoshi:

Yes! Cute indeed! Just not sickeningly cute like Tails. Sorry Yoshi.

Voice Acting

Tails:

Oh god. What is wrong with you, Tails?! Every game or so, Tails gets a new voice actor, most of which are whiny, annoying, and don't have feeling. Sure, it sounds kinda cute at first, but trust me, you'll start puking sooner or later. Your ears will bleed, and you'll pretend you don't know who Tails is. There, a long rant about Tails' lack of good voice acting.

Yoshi:

Yoshi!~

YES! Awesomest sound effects/voice! Gotta love the cute noises he makes! YOSHIII! ... Anyway, it sounds natural and adorable, so it's all good. There might not be voice acting, but I think Nintendo knows that voice acting usually ruins most games' sound in general.

Personality:

Tails:

A two tailed fox with a heart of gold! Anyway, Tails is a sweet character and aspires to be like Sonic. Tails has that trait where you always try hard, blah blah blah, and all that nicety stuff. Personally, I think he's got a very nice overall personality!

Yoshi:

Well... There's not quite enough chances to show Yoshi's personality ... so... Um, it's a bit hard.

Uniqueness:

Tails:

Design-wise, Tails has a pretty unique look to him. I mean, how many two-tailed foxes are there anyway? Unfortunately, personality-wise, ol' Tails is just another character based on a frequently-used archetype.

Yoshi:

It's a fricking dinosaur/dragon/Nintendo idea! Seriously, the idea for Yoshi was indeed clever. As always, Nintendo comes up with the best of ideas; Yoshi just has a truly unique thing about him, and it's proven by how many people know who Yoshi is.

Usefulness:

Tails:

Uhh... Well, as much as I like Tails, he does get a bit on your nerves sometimes, even if he's not meant to serve any sort of purpose in one of the games. Overall, when you think of using Tails, it's not exactly exciting.

Yoshi:

I cannot describe it. Yoshi is usefulness in a character; whenever you get to use him, it's as fun as can be. Just look it up on Wikipedia or something. Seriously, Yoshi can do soo much...

Yoshi!~~~~

And now, the results!

Tails = 2 points!
Yoshi = 3 points!

YAY! Yoshi won! Insert winning quote from Mario Kart for Yoshi! Now let me say this, I like Tails a lot, but Yoshi in general has just been designed and polished a quite a bit better; after all, it is Nintendo. Not being gamist (it's a word I made up; being biased against gaming companies) at all, of course.

Dead or Alive: Is it Dead or Alive?

2012-08-09T05:58:00.000-07:00

We all know how games franchises and their companies can fall from grace easily, (think Sega) but is the overly sexualised fighter Dead or Alive one of those who have snuffed it? No, not really.

Made by the creators of Ninja Gaiden, Team Ninja of Tecmo Koei, Dead or Alive is one of those games that don’t shine above the rest, but then again, aren’t technical disasters. Yep, just in the middle. So why is it still fighting fit? Well first of all, it’s actually a pretty good game in general, though it’s no Tekken or Virtua Fighter. It also has a fairly good fanbase out there, and just like the Fable series, has a creator with a big mouth (I’m looking at you Molyneux). In this case, you get Tomonobu Itagaki. He pretty much defines the word “blunt” – he hates Tekken, and has overtly said so … many times over.

Anyway, Dead or Alive’s taken a few heavy hits: a 6 year hiatus + loss of original creator + new director made a mess of Ninja Gaiden 3.

So as you can see, not a great spot to be in. BUT! It seems that Yousuke Hayashi (new director) is starting to be smart now. And now, Dead or Alive 5 is coming to town!

You noticed the cool explosion and character pose, before the boobs, didn't you!

Anyway, Dead or Alive 5 is now considered to have a good fanbase now, and trust me, I’ve seen a school newsletter say that “it’s one of the big games coming up.” Just saying, E3’s made Dead or Alive 5 much bigger. An entire tournament was made for Dead or Alive, which probably boosted the audience. Not only that, but the exhibition turned out pretty well too.

Adding onto that, Dead or Alive 5 has stuck in a few new things, such as Power Blows, which are like super moves but less super, Critical Bursts, new Danger Zones, meaning the stage design is skyrocketing, Cliffhangers, which are exactly what they sound like, and graphics. Oh, the graphics. Dead or Alive 5 is taking a much more mature and realistic turn here. It’s like everything has improved. And people have noticed this new fighter coming along.

Yes... DOA5 is much more mature ... And obviously, they include "sensual swimsuits" in the special edition...

With a strengthened fanbase from E3, and much more improved design, Dead or Alive 5 is being released on September 25 (in my region). So, dead or alive? Definitely alive.

4 Common Mistakes in Gaming

2012-08-06T06:12:00.005-07:00

Yes, we all play games. And most of us make some of the dumbest mistakes while playing them, which ruins the experience of the game ... unless you’re playing a terrible game, which I recommend you don’t do.

1) Spoilers

You might think that avoiding spoilers is incredibly easy, but trust me, it’s actually not. One day I might be looking for the solution of a really frustrating puzzle, (I’d probably be playing Legend of Zelda) and then I stumble on the solution in a walkthrough ... and one line down, is a huge storyline giveaway. That’s happened too many times to me now... Unless you’re the type who likes knowing everything, spoilers are an absolute don’t in gaming.

2) Rushing

I see this everywhere. People can’t wait a second for good parts in a game, and just trade it off ... with more battling. It’s really sad to see such interesting bits wasted, and usually it’s dialogue which is passed over. Some games, like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its equally dialogue-intensive sequel, feature some fantastic dialogue, and I’ve seen people just plough through it. And then they don’t know what to do next.

Although, skipping over side quests, and just generally avoiding the subtler parts of a game can be considered rushing; not something I’d do.

3) Cheats (depends on game/gamer)

This little mistake is stuck on every big gaming site, and although it’s pretty dependent on games and the gamer, it pretty much defeats the purpose of a game. You’re meant to get stronger, and feel like you are growing with your character ... not start out with 9999 HP and 9999 MP.

4) Getting angry

Awwww.... Having a little temper tantrum, are we? How cute.

Well, maybe you won’t look as freaky as this kid here, but you’ll probably be angry enough to throw a brick at me. So if a puzzle/battle/annoying glitch/etc bogs you down, don’t worry. Be happy. I’d tell the kid to be happy too. When you’re angry, you tend to miss out on important messages, and you panic a lot more easily. Generally, you just don’t play as well as you normally do.

So you hopefully have an image of what NOT to do when you're playing games, yeah?

Peach vs Zelda!

2012-08-03T23:56:00.000-07:00

It’s the battle of the princesses! Today, we have Princess Peach, of the Mario series, battling against Princess Zelda, of The Legend of Zelda! I’ll be comparing the princesses against each other, and we’ll see who is more princess-ish in the gaming world! And as a special honour to our lovely ladies, they get their own special layout! And of course, as a tribute to Peach, I’ve made it all pink. And for Zelda … well, she should be glad I put it in a table format. But let’s get to it now!

Criteria	Peach	Zelda
Name	Is she … a fruit? Nah, kidding. It's fitting, but ... I wish it sounded better.	Sounds awesome! Zelda really is an original and magical sounding name, and it just has this nice ring to it, no?
Screentime	Well, half the time, Bowser’s got her locked up or something like that … But there’s still Super Princess Peach...	Pretty much Peach’s story, except in Spirit Tracks. Zelda actually becomes your companion, like Midna and Navi.
Strength	… A frypan? Really? At least she slaps hard in Super Smash Bros. Seriously, being kidnapped in every game isn't a good show of strength.	Apparently, she’s good at archery, and in Super Smash Bros, she’s got the power to put Ganondorf back in his place.
Coolness	A bit on the cartoony side… Peach is more of a ditzy kind of character so ... yeah. She does have moments, but not quite the same grandeur as Zelda.	In most games, there's always this sense of grandness and coolness when you hear "Princess Zelda." Excepting Skyward Sword.
Personality	While she looks a bit ... nyeh, Peach actually has a beautiful personality; kindly, noble, and sweet. And unlike Zelda, Peach has had many many moments where she's shown great personality.	Well, most of the time, Zelda is locked up or simply not there, but some games show her as this kind, honourable spirit, who does everything good. Unfortunately, there's not enough of that.

Here are the results!

Peach – 2 point

Zelda – 3 points

Zelda wins! Personally, I like Zelda a bit better, but Peach isn't bad either. They're both good examples of benevolent rulers of their kingdoms, and they're just great characters in general. It was a pretty good idea for a post, right?

Fortnightly Trivia!

2012-07-25T00:47:00.000-07:00

This is basically a list of some interesting stuff you might wanna know. There’s going to be a list like this every fortnight, so there’ll always be something interesting!

· Nintendo, before it became a huge gaming company, used to sell cards!

Yes, you read right. Playing cards.

· Two of the new MapleStory classes are based off pop culture:

o Evan is a copy of Eragon.

o Aran is based off Avatar: The Last Airbender

· Theresa (from Fable) and Kreia (from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II) are extremely similar in concept – both are old women with seer-like powers. And they’re both blind.

· World of Warcraft isn’t actually the most played online game – Lineage II is the most played in actual fact.

And of course, a Korean MMORPG wins the most played online game!

· Every Pokemon game gives you a choice out of a Fire, Water, or Grass type Pokemon. Bulbasaur is the only one that is a dual type at the start (it’s a Grass – Poison type.)

· In the Dead or Alive series, upping your age in the Options will apparently make the female fighters’ boobs bounce even more! It does get ridiculous though...

Soooo true...

· Skyward Sword is the first Zelda game to feature orchestrated music.

· Panda in Tekken used to actually be one of Kuma’s old costumes, before she became an actual character.

Hope you now know a whole bunch of stuff you may/not know!

Good Game!

2012-07-24T22:01:00.001-07:00

Want something to entertain you for the night? Preferably something about that game you conquered just yesterday, or that game you’re dying to get, but the fact that you’re broke is in your way? Well, take a try of Good Game; it’s a show about … well, games.

Basically, it’s a two-man reviewing show, and they go through some of the nitty-gritty of games, and give it a score out of ten. Because there’s two hosts, the scores will differ, and it does provide some good contrast, compared to reading/watching a review on Gamespot.

Of course, it’s not just about reviewing; gaming stuff in general is also another common thing to expect, so if you’re in that gaming mood, watching this will be very satisfying!

So, if you want games plus TV, Good Game is the way to go!

Note: It's an Australian show, just to say to those who are in other countries, so yeah...

Super Smash Bros - Fighter Origins: Part 3

2012-07-24T21:44:00.003-07:00

So, onto the third part of this article! This part will show the origins of the secret characters in Super Smash Bros, and so here we go!

· Ness

First Appearance: Mother (or Earthbound)

Shing! Awesome pose!

Back then, in the days of Mother (not the drink), Ness was just a 2D figure. Today, he’s another obscure Nintendo character. Oh, and interesting thing: his name is actually SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System – it’s an old console) rearranged – SNES = NESS.

· Marth

First Appearance: Fire Emblem

Marth looks ... really gay.

Like Ike, they’re the pair from Fire Emblem – Marth also appeared in Melee, but with Roy, from Fire Emblem. Most of you may or may not have ever heard of Fire Emblem though…Anyway, Marth is the lighter/quicker/weaker one out of the pair; his sword also hurts more at the tip than near the base. And he wears a gay looking head band.

· Ganondorf

First Appearance: Legend of Zelda

Evil glare power!

I’m pretty sure he used to be called Ganon/Gannon in the first Zelda game… Oh, and he didn’t look quite as imposing like in Twilight Princess. And you know, I think Ganondorf should have just asked to be the president of Hyrule. It'd solve a lot of "taking over the world" issues. That, and Hyrule's monarchy is pretty crap too. At least Ganondorf is there to take over when he forcibly makes everyone bow down to him.

· Toon Link

First Appearance: Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker

Awkward moment...

Technically, Toon Link first starred in Wind Waker, because all the other Zelda games don’t have Link looking like a weirdly proportioned kid with freaky cat eyes. Excepting Spirit Tracks. But I kinda like Toon Link; he's like Baby Mario or a Pichu. I like those types of characters, mostly because I relate with them best.

· Captain Falcon

First Appearance: F-Zero

Stupid Captain Falcon...

Another obscure character, Captain Falcon is a racer character. And to me, he’s extremely annoying; my cousin loves to use this brute. Falcon .... PUNCH!!!!

· Jigglypuff

First Appearance: Pokemon Red/Blue

Cuteness x 999999!!

You know, Jigglypuff’s been in the Super Smash Bros series ever since the first one. And it’s always been this useless, by the way. It's like a bad version of Kirby, just Pokemonised and just plain useless. Oh well. I sorta like Jigglypuff anyway. Just because it's been here for a while.

· Sonic

First Appearance: Sonic the Hedgehog

One of the first non-Nintendo characters to appear (Sonic’s from Sega), he’s shown in the modern Sonic form. Some fighting style are obviously different between the two companies, but in Super Smash Bros, it all works out nicely actually. The bad thing is, Sonic is so fast, I keep running off the stage; yes, I know, dumb but true.

· Snake

First Appearance: Solid Snake

The second of the non-Nintendo fighters (Snake’s from Konami), Snake somehow fits into Super Smash Bros well. All of his techniques are actually a bit cheap and overpowered – probably why my brother plays as him. Like rocket-launchers, flying thingies, bombs, more rocket launchers, and guns. Yes, guns. Sigh....

· Mr Game and Watch

First Appearance:

The Mr. Game and Watches are endless!

This guy is … obscure. Mr Game and Watch is actually pretty old now, and that’s probably why half of the people reading this will go “who the hell is Mr Game and Watch?”

· ROB

First Appearance: Uh... it's not a game character.

Note: This is a controller accessory thingy. Not a game character.

Apparently, ROB stands for Robotic Operating Buddy. Or something like that. And sadly, he doesn’t have his own stage, because when you battle him in All-Star Mode, he gets pushed onto a Mario stage. So yeah. Poor ROB. It's actually a accessory for the Nintendo Entertainment System (it's an old console) and there was this whole thing about video games and their falls. It's a long story. Interesting though; look it up.

Ok! So, we all clear on where all of these random guys came from, yeah? Interesting histories these brawlers have, right? Each and every one of these characters represent a long background of video gaming, and they distinctly show it and fight for it in the Super Smash Bros series. Ahhh, that was well written... *eye sparkle*

Anyway, hurry up and come, Super Smash Bros 4! I'll write some more Fighter Origins!

Super Smash Bros - Fighter Origins: Part 2

2012-07-21T22:21:00.002-07:00

This is the second part of a three part article! So check out the previous one in case you missed it!

Time to introduce the backgrounds of the new fighters! The “new fighters” is basically a character who hasn’t brawled before in the Super Smash Bros. series.

· Pit

First Appearance: Kid Icarus

OMG! It's Link with brown hair and in angel form! ... Oh, it's only Pit.

Ah, Pit. How long have you been asleep in the cold, cold corners of Nintendo’s archives? Well, actually, you’ve been asleep for 20 years or so, and apparently, you’re still quite alive in Kid Icarus: Uprising. Ah well.

· Wario

First Appearance: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

Like a boss.

Wario’s come quite a bit from his debut; he’s got his own mini-series, and has a place in the Super Smash Bros world. Also, his outfit’s different in his first appearance; he had Mario’s outfit, but yellow and purple.

· Zero Suit Samus

First Appearance: Metroid

You won't believe the number of porn images for Zero Suit Samus.

… Does anyone else think that Samus should wear something less skin-tight when she’s not in armor? Anyway, Zero Suit Samus and Samus are the same person obviously, but Zero Suit Samus isn’t quite so good at fighting. I mean, the lack of a cool spacesuit thingy, energy canons, bombs, and etc is a big loss in firepower.

· Ike

First Appearance: Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

+ 100 Coolness Points

Not too many people I hear of play Fire Emblem … actually, most people I know haven’t ever heard of Fire Emblem. But it’s not much of a surprise that he’s here – Marth’s going to get lonely without Roy (reference to Melee). Anyway, Ike is pretty cool.

· Pokemon Trainer

First Appearance: Pokemon Red/Blue

Go! Pokemon Trainer! Use Throw Pokeball!

The Pokemon Trainer! Well, it’s more of a combination between Charizard, Ivysaur, and Squirtle, but the actual Trainer appears as well. He hasn’t appeared since Pokemon Colosseum, I believe, but he seems to have gone completely unchanged. Well, aside from the slight graphical updates, but yeah … just the same.

· Diddy Kong

First Appearance: Donkey Kong Country

Ok, who let Diddy Kong eat chocolate?

Donkey Kong’s little version of himself, Diddy Kong appeared in Donkey Kong Country, as a companion. Funny, pretty much all the small fighters in Super Smash Bros. tend to be sidekicks…There was quite a history about Diddy Kong; Rare (a game company) got the rights to make a new Donkey Kong way back, and the concept of Diddy Kong came about; Nintendo didn’t exactly love it though. But good ol’ Miyamoto actually liked it and gave them some pointers; that’s how Diddy Kong came to be.

· Meta Knight

First Appearance: Kirby’s Adventure

Just saying, Meta Knight looks just like Kirby underneath all this.

Has anyone else noted that behind all of Meta Knight’s armour and accessories, he looks just like Kirby, only blue? Anyway, he appeared in Kirby’s Adventure, quite a few years ago as a rival for Kirby. To be more exact, Kirby/Meta Knight’s relationship is a bit … odd. Sometimes, they’re bitter rivals, best of comrades, or just plain normal. It … varies a lot.

· King Dedede

First Appearance: Kirby’s Dreamland

A self-proclaimed king of Dreamland… Sounds like a great job. Well, at least, it sounded good to King Dedede, so he took up the position in Kirby’s Dreamland. And when I say that, I mean that he doesn’t actually do any king-like jobs, like knighting people, making taxes, or making kingdom-changing decisions. And even then the people don’t actually follow his orders anyway. So yeah … he’s just called himself a king. Kinda redundant.

· Pikmin / Olimar

First Appearance: Pikmin

I was actually pretty surprised Olimar / Pikmin made it into Super Smash Bros – they’re not exactly fighter material in their own games. Pikmin had you doing strange and creative things … or both at the same time, while Super Smash Bros descends in a clutter of moves, and people flying away.

Next in the series, I’ll cover secret characters’ backgrounds!

Fi vs Siri!

2012-07-18T07:02:00.002-07:00

Out of all of my posts, this has got to be the most random; it’s Fi (as in, the sword spirit who plays the “robotic servant” act in Zelda: Skyward Sword) pitted against a very … interesting application known as Siri! Only on iPhone 4S and iPad 3^rd Generation, unfortunately.

Anyway, seeing how they are both robotic servants, (well, one’s a magical spirit residing in a sword, and the other is a series of knowledge navigation and language interface, blah blah blah) I thought, why not see who’s better? Now, I know, it’s not your normal post; this is quite a special article here, as an apology for not posting in a while!

So, it’s a random battle between the graceful and useful Fi, against the lovely and fun-to-talk-to Siri!

Usefulness

Fi:

Remember Midna from Twilight Princess? Well, as interesting and deep as she was, she wasn’t exactly the most helpful companion really. Fi fixes that bit. No, seriously, there are about a billion options you can select with Fi, it’s like working with a robot or something. Which Fi kinda is … but yeah, whatever. Her advice is always helpful, except when you’re in boss battles and she just repeats what she says. Which does get annoying. But her advice is always useful. Yup. And it’s designed to be perfectly balanced too; it doesn’t give everything away, but it helps too. Fi is really useful in general!

Siri:

The technology in Siri is really quite amazing … but then again, this isn’t a tech blog, so I won’t go off on a tangent here. But you can do quite a lot of interesting stuff with Siri, like setting reminders, calling people, playing music, etc (all this kinda stuff you’ve heard before), and even killing boredom. (only works once or twice before it gets old though.) Useful, but we kinda never use it anyway. Unfortunately, it is just a robot thingy, so it won’t be able to process everything and anything…

Personality

Fi:

Uh… There’s about zero moments where Fi shows a personality. I think Nintendo wasted all of their personality juices when they were designing Midna. And yes, I reference a lot to past games. But yeah … Fi is a robot. In the literal sense. Well, besides the fact she’s a magical sword spirit, but let’s not worry about details, yeah?

Siri:

Gotta love it when you ask dumb questions with Siri; she’s such a charmer. Just saying, she won’t ever accept marriage proposals; she’s like that. She’s just got this undeniable charisma about her, especially if you talk to her a lot. She’s cool, and never seems to be flustered. But then again, she’s a phone. It’s a bit hard to explain through words, but if you talk to her … you’ll see. It’s quite a subtle thing.

Funnyness

Fi:

Er… this is like saying Fi’s got a great personality. As she (read: it) would say, “According to my calculations, there is 90% chance that you will not be interested in what I say.” That’s how it goes. There’s about one funny moment where another robot falls in love with Fi. I don’t see what’s good in Fi … but yeah, whatever. Not saying that Fi’s bad though. Just … without a personality.

Siri:

Read the picture. It’s more than enough.

Coolness

Fi:

Well, Fi does do random dances … on walls, when you receive magical songs ... that’s cool, right? Nah, jokes. Anyway, her overall concept is pretty cool in general, and she looks damn good without arms. Oh, and the endgame. Fi has some fantastic moments. Really, she does.

Siri:

Well, you ARE talking to your iPhone. That’s pretty neat, yeah? Anyway, Siri is cool. Everything about her is cold and calculated. Even her great sense of humour. Only problem is, I want to know what she looks like… but Siri’s not answering. Boo! Hiss!

Interestingness

Fi:

There is some amount of interest you’ll get by obtaining a sword spirit. Fi does have a backstory in all of this, but you get over it. She’s not extremely deep, but there is a bit on how “she’s learning emotions” instead of being Miss Calculator of Obviousness. But still, not much.

Siri:

Well… kinda like Fi. Siri isn’t a human/robotical sword spirit so she isn’t meant to be really deep; she has some interesting statements to make … but neither one wins this section.

So … here we are!

Fi = 2 points

Siri = 2 points

It’s a draw! First time too! The two characters are pretty similar, so not surprising. Personally, I kinda like Siri more … but yeah, whatever.

Super Smash Bros - Fighter Origins: Part 1

2012-07-11T05:19:00.002-07:00

We all know about the brawling fest of Nintendo’s that is Super Smash Bros. What the majority of us don’t know is the origins of the more obscure characters, or even the pasts of the more popular characters. And trust me, they had some pretty darn weird pasts...

This is the first part of 3 articles, and this article covers the origins of fighters who starred in at least two games of the series; basically, the veteran fighters.

Well then, here’s a list of Super Smash Bros. characters and their origins!

· Mario

First Appearance: Donkey Kong

Yes, the famous mascot of Nintendo somehow appeared in an entirely different game to the games we see today. Apparently, Donkey Kong in Donkey Kong plays the same role as Bowser; the bad guy basically. And Mario was called Jumpman. A humble beginning, for a gaming celebrity.

... Oh god, Peach looks really ... Well, it could be taken badly, just saying...

· Link

First Appearance: Legend of Zelda

It’s kinda weird that a game is named after the damsel in distress, and not named after the little oddball in a green outfit who’s busy saving her. Zelda’s probably thankful for that. The very first game is your basic Zelda game. You have to save Zelda, who despite being a mage herself, can’t seem to defend herself, and kill Ganon in a really cool way. Typical Zelda formula.

· Samus

First Appearance: Metroid

Back in the day of Metroid, we didn’t know Samus was a girl. Well, those of us who don't actually pay attention anyway. And now, we just realised that Samus looks like she’s wearing a fish bowl over her head in the first Metroid. Obviously, her suit’s undergone quite a few changes.

· Pikachu

First Appearance: Pokemon Red/Blue

Even as a bundle of random pixels, Pikachu was still undeniably cute and attractive in Pokemon Red and Blue. For a funny looking electric mouse, Pikachu’s gotten quite a bit of attention. And of course, Pikachu has it's own game to it, in the picture above. Where you obviously get Pikachu as a starter.

· Kirby

First Appearance: Kirby’s Dream Land

Most of the elements in the current Kirby games are present in the very first Kirby game; Kirby’s Dream Land. Weirdly, Kirby looks more like a spherical ghost than a pink ball of cuteness.

Seriously ... Kirby looks so weird in his first debut... Thank god Nintendo was good and turned him pink and cute!

· Bowser

First Appearance: Super Mario Bros

Ironically, Bowser isn’t actually Mario’s first arch enemy; rather, he took up the position in 1985. In Super Mario Bros, Bowser took his usual role; capture Peach and wait for Mario to defeat him... or something like that.

Oh, and the image to the right was the initial design for Bowser, drawn by Miyamoto himself.

... Yes, I know it looks kinda weird. They must've done A LOT of editing.

· Peach

First Appearance: Super Mario Bros.

Like her constant captor Bowser, she didn’t appear in the first Mario game, and the first damsel in distress in the Mario series was actually called Pauline. A pretty big step from “Princess Peach.” Just saying, she did get her own game once, called Super Princess Peach.

· Fox

First Appearance: Star Fox

Fox is probably one of the more obscurer characters in Super Smash Bros, though hardcore fans may know him for Star Fox, the first 3D rendered game from Nintendo.

Star Fox was actually quite technologically advanced, and for Nintendo, it tried some new things the company had never done previously.

· Zelda

First Appearance: Legend of Zelda

How wonderful it is to have a legendary series named after the constant damsel in distress. It’d be like having “Super Peach Bros,” or something like that. Zelda’s look has altered over the years, going from blonde to brunette and back to blonde. Her roles have consistently differed as well, especially in Ocarina of Time, where she also acted as Sheik. And just to let you know, I really like Zelda's look in Twilight Princess; just beautiful! But I think I like her character more in Skyward Sword, but I'm being nitpicky, aren't I?

· Donkey Kong

First Appearance: Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong’s origin was actually as a villain in his own game; a bit strange actually. He basically played out to be the equivalent of Bowser, except he actually looked more like an ape than Bowser looks like a turtle. And as for the kidnapping Peach part ... well, she's got a predecessor who was kidnapped by Donkey Kong as the motivation for Jumpman (read: Mario) to rescue her.

· Yoshi

First Appearance: Super Mario World

Like Mario, Yoshi didn’t star in his own game; rather he ended up being Mario’s sidekick, though with vastly different concepts. Although, Yoshi would later get his own games, he still plays as a companion to Mario. And the above is concept art ... again. Yoshi .. doesn't look like Yoshi in that.

· Ice Climbers

First Appearance: Ice Climber

The Ice Climbers consist of Popo and Nana, two nearly identical looking kids in blue and pink Inuit anoraks, and their first appearance seemed to be their last as well. Ice Climbers isn’t well known, and is one of the more obscurer games in Nintendo’s history.

Yay! You've reached the end of the post! Congrats! Next in this series, we’ll cover the backgrounds of Super Smash Bros Brawl’s newcomers!

Z-Target vs Free Camera

2012-07-05T04:04:00.002-07:00

Remember Ocarina of Time, where it introduced the awesomely useful Z-Target? And I’m pretty sure everyone’s played a game where the camera is adjustable. Now, a couple of days ago, I had a little argument with my brother on how the Z-Target is better.

And he didn’t quite agree.

Apparently, the Z-Target was just plain annoying, and kept snapping back to bad places, and you had to go through a whole lot of trouble to use it.

So, I thought, IT'S ON!

Me:

Z-Target was possibly one of the most revolutionary concepts in all of gaming – introduced by Zelda: Ocarina of Time, it was part of the reason why the combat in Ocarina of Time worked out so well. And then, after Ocarina of Time, people actually got a better idea of how combat in games like Zelda should work – they’re all variations of the Z-Target!

Onto explaining how it works – basically, you hold Z … and that’s it. It targets the enemy just like that. You can strafe around the enemy with ease, simply by pushing the Control Stick in a direction and pressing A. Just repeat that, and you’ll be sitting pretty in all Zelda battles, making stuff a lot less complicated, compared to games where you run and the camera snaps to bad positions. Also, the camera is always focused on the enemy, so the before mentioned dodging is easy to do. Basically, every aspect of combat is streamlined so everything comes out naturally and intuitively – that’s what Z-Target is all about.

Brother:

How the hell is Z-Target useful? It might have been great ten years ago, but face it, it’s problematic. Even if you are Z-Targeting, the targeting will drop out when you need to be further away from the enemy. And what happened to the skill and prowess you had to master Free Camera battle systems? Z-Target can be a starter for casual gamers, but the true skill lies in Free Camera, where everything isn’t done for you.

Free Camera is also pretty explanatory – you can adjust the camera as you like it to be, and that’s it. It’s complete freedom in how you use it – not like the Z-Target, where it’s strictly set out for you to use it in one particular way. Also, with Z-Target, when you want to sprint away, (in Skyward Sword) the camera moves awkwardly between sprinting and Z-Targeting. Z-Target is for beginners – Free Camera systems are for the truly skilled, and it’s just better.

So who do you think is right?

BannedStory!

2012-07-01T02:55:00.000-07:00

If you like playing MapleStory, then you should try using BannedStory at least once!

Basically, it’s a MapleStory simulator, and you can create a character from the ground up, and customise it, using literally every item in MapleStory. Better still, you can add maps, save animations, and you can make your own little story, by using the animations and stuff!

Awesome, huh?

Uh... Random stuff happens too...

Just as a bit of trivia, BannedStory was actually banned once, by Nexon Korea. They sent a “cease and desist” letter to the makers of BannedStory … but Nexon America fixed it up, and now it’s accessible again!

So if you’re bored, and wanna kill some time, or you like playing MapleStory, try out BannedStory!

Theresa vs Kreia

2012-06-26T07:17:00.000-07:00

It’s the battle of creepy creepy (blind) mentors! In case you don’t know, I’ll fill you in on the case.

Know Fable? Well, if you don’t, it’s a game franchise with a character named Theresa as your mentor. But only in Fable II and III. Look it up. Anyway, she’s a Hero, and can use magic to see the future. You could call her the right hand woman of fate itself. Oh, and she had her eyes gouged out by bandits. So she’s a “blind seer” which fits her role as a mentor. Plus, she has her own tower to lock herself into to “look into the future.”She’s a bit mystical and cryptic, and she knows everything, but at the same time, she’s pretty damn cool.

And then we come to Kreia, hailing from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. Man, that title was long. Anyway, you might’ve heard of Star Wars: The Old Republic, which is sorta the sequel to KOTOR II (this’ to shorten up the name). But still, KOTOR II is better. Anyway, Kreia is complex. Seriously, there is so much stuff surrounding her, I could make a post dedicated to the complexity of Kreia. Actually, good thought there… She is a very deep character. And she’s creepy. Her eyeballs are just … ewww. Anyway, she is very darkside. Well, at least that’s what we assume anyway. She’s also called Darth Traya too, and she gets creepier. Basically, she acts as your mentor, and has very controversial agendas to uphold, and she manipulates people from the shadows. Very … creepy. She’s powerful in the Force too, and has some seriously mind-blowing knowledge; she also has the power to predict the future when she’s at a special (read: evil) place called the Traya Academy.

Anyway, let’s pit these two creepy old women against each other!

Who’s Creepier?

Theresa:

Hmm… As much as her lack of eyeballs freaks me out … Well, she’s definitely creepy, and she has a habit of teleporting to you at random and inconvenient times. Plus, half the time, you have no idea why she’s doing something, or why she manipulated people to do things, and used them like puppets. But then again, if Theresa is creepy, then Kreia must make you scarred for life!

Kreia:

Creeped out yet?

Seriously, there’s creepy, then there’s Kreia. The entire game, you have no idea why she does things, and you can’t even tell if she’s evil or not; she’s just … mysterious. Really mysterious. Her motives are, even after her explanation at the endgame, unclear, and she’s just presented as a manipulative, cold witch. Even the characters pick up on this. They’re just as freaked out as the player.

Who’s Stronger?

Theresa:

Prophetic abilities, check. Can kill people using magic, check. Typical. Theresa is magically gifted, but she rarely ever uses magic to harm or beat up baddies. I’d love to know her full extent of magical warfare, but unfortunately, not possible.

She does has some cool magic though. Like teleporting at moments she shouldn’t.

Kreia:

Apparently, Kreia once held the universe by the throat...

Umm… You actually get to level her up in the game so … You could just leave her at Level 1 forever, but you’d be dumb. Seriously, as the last boss, she is strong. Every single dark side power. She also has incredible insight, and her use of the Force makes Yoda look like a real noob. She also has prophetic ability, and is just … powerful. She’s just made to look invincible. Except when you kill her. Even then, she has great endurance; she lived through the entire game without her left hand. No blood or anything, she just bears with it. Plus, she can really take a beating. As shown in multiple cutscenes.

Who’s Awesomer?

Theresa:

Style.

Well, when I say awesomer, it’s a bit vague. I’m talking in a very general tone, so basically, Theresa is pretty awesome. She’s presented as this all-knowing, and manipulative figure, who thinks only of the greater good. Neither good nor evil. Plus, the way she stands is cool. And I love her name. She also acts as a pretty good mentor in general, and it’s like she’s a real teacher. Oh, and she’s immortal. Pretty damn cool.

Kreia:

What can I say? Wields the Force, wears Jedi robes (sort of), and uses a lightsaber! I like it! Kreia’s just a really impactful character in general, mostly because of her murky motives, and just the presentation of her actions and dialogue. Oh, the dialogue. It’d be a shame if Kreia was mute, and note blind … but then again, she’s telepathic. Derp face. Anyway, she’s got a lot of interesting stuff to say, and it really relates to the player. And she’s a frickin’ Jedi/Sith.

Who’s Deeper?

Theresa:

We haven’t explored all of her character in the games, but Theresa’s pretty much the most complex character in Fable. Her motives in general, are pretty questionable, and she’s got a rich history and connections in Fable.

Deep indeed...

Kreia:

If you thought Theresa was deep, look at Kreia. I cannot describe it. I just can’t. She wins the “Character with Most Depth” award. There is so much history, tales, philosophical ideals, and motives with Kreia. It is unbelievable.

Who’s Got The Better Outfit?

Theresa:

For some reason, I reaaalllyy like her outfit. It’s like a gypsy witch, or something; I’ve got a picture. It gives you a slight chill. It’s like a dress, sort of thing, with a hood, with bangles, and rings, and beads. Like a soothsayer.

Kreia:

As much as the brown robes fit her, they’re not quite as epic as Theresa’s. They look mysterious, but not awesome. They look … alright.

Results

Kreia: 4 Points

Theresa: 1 Point

So Kreia is the winner!

Excellent...

Bad luck Theresa…. But then again, you’re pretty much just a copy of Kreia anyway. I’m pretty sure Fable II came out after KOTOR II anyway.

Excalibur Brothers - Link

2012-06-22T06:15:00.003-07:00

We all like reading a great review posted up on IGN or Gamespot, or whatever site you use. Watching a review is good too, right?

How about watching a review that is absolutely awesome, picks up on the stuff that’s actually interesting to know, and most of all, has great (British) voiceovers? Enter Excalibur Brothers and their Excalibur Reviews. They’ve also done work in the abridged field, and they’ve covered Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and they’re currently doing Mass Effect. They’ve even done some reviews on movies, and a bit of music work too. All of this work is posted up on Youtube, and also their site – here’s a link:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ExcaliburBrothers

Well ... their name IS Excalibur Brothers ... Anyway, this' just the site name...

If there’s a reviewer out there who deserves attention, it’s Excalibur Brothers. You must click on it. No, really, they have brilliant videos, and there’s only about 300, 000 views or so. Which really sucks, because they put a lot of effort into these videos, and they deserve it.

So what’re you waiting for, click on the link! You’re missing out!

It's E3! - Part 4

2012-06-18T07:44:00.001-07:00

My favourite part of E3! The games! And this year’s lineup was pretty darn good, I have to admit. I am dying to get my hands on some of the soon-to-be-masterpieces. Seriously, I can’t wait.

So let’s get into it, shall we? Here’s my list of games to look out for:

· The Last of Us

· Beyond: Two Souls

· Nintendo Land

· Dead or Alive 5

· Tomb Raider

There’s probably more, but at the moment I can’t think of any others, but some of the above games are just fantastic. Wanna know more? Look below:

Overview

The batch of games we got was just great. Well, we always say that, and next year, we end up saying they were good too, but yeah, whatever. Now, you know how there’s tons of “action/adventure” games out there now? Well, E3 2012 seems to be full of the stuff; Tomb Raider + The Last of Us + Beyond (not sure) + Assassin’s Creed III, and probably others, but they were the most noteworthy. Just one thing, every action/adventure is copying off Uncharted. Seriously, I’ve said this so many times over. Another gripe is the lack of innovative and revolutionary games. Technically, I am being a bit harsh, but aside from Beyond, and ZombiU, I was about disappointed in the originality of the games. Sure they sound great. Sure they look fun. But it’s not like they’re blowing everything out of the water. It’s the old, with a new coat of paint, and some new decorations here or there, and some patching up. But I digress, there are some nice additions. Really there are.

Specifics:

· The Last of Us

A post-apocalyptic survival 3^rd Person shooter (whew, that was long!) it’s your typical “the world’s ended” survival game. But it just looks so good! The graphics are just superb, and they really capture the “oh no, it’s the end of the world” thing. The concept is pretty interesting too; basically, there’s two survivors from a disease that affected the entire world, causing fungus to grow in their head and something like that. Pretty cool, huh? You play as Joel, and you’re accompanied by a girl who must be Navi (an annoying whiny fairy from Zelda) except grown up and less annoying, and more helpful. Anyway, there is violence! And it’s just great to watch! The fighting is really gritty and visceral; melee, shooting, and even Molotov cocktail (like a bomb from alcohol)! The interface seems to be real time; if you’ve played Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, you’ll get what I mean. If you don’t, well I’ll explain. Basically, you know how you have to access your inventory, or switch weapons, and stuff like that? Well, when you’re busy getting that health potion out, enemies can still move around, and the action doesn’t pause; you have to do it in actual time.

Overall, it’s a bit clichéd, but very nice looking game we’ve got. I would’ve liked multiple solutions to things, and I really want to be able to make more bombs and stuff like that, because it just sounds great. This game DID come from the makers of Uncharted, so we know it’s gonna be good. Because it’s so much like Uncharted, I think it’s going to be just as good.

· Beyond: Two Souls

I can’t express my joy for this. I really can’t. It’s quite a departure from the norm of its genre. Oh, and the facial modelling. IGN, Gamespot, Kotaku, etc, have all noted this. And it is just out of this world. Anyway, Beyond has a very mature, gritty, and noir tone about it; not for little kiddies. Gritty and mature are what describe it. You play two characters; a girl who has an unknown-as-of-now past, with her pet ghost. Well, maybe not her pet, but companion at least. He protects her using his ghostly powers. Oh yeah, it’s a him. It’s all about what happens beyond death (see what I did there?) and the ghost links back to this. The gameplay is similar to most action/adventure. Except for when you’re in control of the ghostie guy. He can do your standard ghost stuff; frighten people, go through walls, make shield bubbles, and all that supernatural stuff. But the way they presented and showed me at E3 just blew me away. My description sucks. The overall concept is a mature one, and I’m really interested. It sounds good, right?

No, this is not a soon-to-be blockbuster movie that will become an all time classic that will forever more be engraved in history. No. It's an amazing game. But still, I reckon someone should make a movie on this.

Overall, this is a revolutionary game. I can’t pick up many faults; it’s tense and dramatic, while mysterious and gripping. It’s like a murder mystery, and once you start reading/playing, you can’t put it/the controller down. There are some really great concepts there, and there’s no doubt in originality.

· Nintendo Land

It’s the new Wii U version of Wii Sports! … I think anyway. Well, that’s what Nintendo said anyway. I haven’t looked it up too much, but I quite like it; it’s like Super Smash Bros, but Wii Sports style. A whole bunch of minigames, all based on other Nintendo games (Mario, Zelda, Pokemon for example), thrown into a theme park. Guess what it’s called? Nintendo Land. I’m loving it. You can use your Miis too, so it adds to the fun. And to make matters even more wild, the gameplay evolves and shifts if you use different controllers. Wanna use your old Wiimote? You can! Wanna bring out that Wii Balance Board? You can! Wanna bust out that Wii U Gamepad, with it’s multiple and complicated (and expensive) design? You frickin’ can! It sounds so … Nintendo-like. Oh wait, it’s from Nintendo. It sounds very original, and the gameplay will surely draw in hardcore Nintendo fans, and it’s an interesting idea. I’m keeping tabs on this.

· Tomb Raider

Uh… Lara, old girl? You’re supposed to be raiding tombs, not trying to survive on an island. … Oh, I see, this is a reboot… Wait … WHAT?!

Anyway, yes, it’s a reboot of this series. Lara’s fresh outta college … and happens to be stranded on an island with hostiles. So, Bear Grylls time it is! Anyway, another standard action/adventure type gameplay, though some of it seems pretty darn clever, even Zelda-like in smartness of delivery.

Let’s say Lara is being confronted with enemies. She’s at the top of a hill, and the baddies are getting up. What’s she to do? Well, personally, I’d hack and slash through their ranks, leaving a bloody mess behind me, like in Ninja Gaiden, but nope, Lara shoots a bunch of stacked barrels, and lets gravity do the work for her. She then climbs onto a metal roof thingy, and doesn’t have to step over bodies! Sounds almost like Zelda, huh? There’s parachuting (and hitting trees), swimming (well, more like being swept away by a strong current and trying to stay alive in it), ducking while randoms are shooting away at her, jumping HUGE distances (and while she’s at it, waving her arms like an idiot) and more action-ish stuff. It’s pretty awesome. It’s what every action/adventure game aspires to be. Except … the linear passages. There’s no choice on where to go, so the exploration goes down, while the action goes up. Not sure if I like that. And what’s more, too many quick time events. Seriously, God of War was good with that, but I think we’ve had enough of those for a lifetime. But aside that, I am so excited. Goodbye Uncharted, hello Tomb Raider!

· Dead or Alive 5

She’s alive! After a 7-ish year hiatus, our favourite boob-bouncy fighter is back! With more maturity clearly. The boobs aren’t gone (I’m sure some people are pleased) but the game’s taking a darker and more mature turn. And the graphics are beautiful. The characters now look more like human beings instead of dolls, and the environments look wonderful as ever. There’s also Power Blows, which is your equivalent of a special, and Cliffhangers, which is a bit complicated to explain, but I’ll say more later. Overall, Dead or Alive 5 is looking great. I think it’s really time for it to compete in the fighting game competition – everything’s been upgraded, and while I am a bit concerned for the online, the actual fighting will be well worth the wait.

Ok! I have more opinions on the games, but I might post some more in a couple days, so watch out! Next up is a concluding statement for E3 2012!

It's E3! - Part 3

2012-06-15T22:06:00.001-07:00

So this time, I’ll go over how some of the big companies went through E3! This year has been … unusual, but still very interesting.

Well, I guess I’ll stop dragging this on, and start!

Overall, Nintendo’s showcasing of their Wii U was interesting and definitely had some good concepts, maybe not awesomely mind-blowing like with the Wii. But I’m not saying you should be disinterested in the Wii U. Oh no you don’t. Don’t you dare be un-excited. In fact, be very excited. It’s a great console, with great graphics, great games, great in-built avatar system, so what’s not to like?

I think Microsoft did fine. Maybe it wasn’t the centre of attention, but it did well in capturing my interest with the SmartGlass. Fine additions, that have adapted to the modern age, but it feels like they should’ve done this a while ago. Not bad, but I think I’ll wait ‘till when Xbox 720 is coming my way to finally start looking back at Microsoft.

Uh, apparently, the phone controls the tablet, and the tablet controls the controller, and the controller is also hooked up to the screen, and so is the phone. Oh, and you can do this while you're in the shower. I think.
Sony’s show at E3 was … not that good. Besides one great game, and a struggling attempt at using J.K Rowling’s fanbase and trying to squeeze on last drop of value out of the thing that copied the Wii, it didn’t really interest me. Just go back to looking at Nintendo. It’s more interesting anyway.

Just saying, this was the only interesting thing about Sony's presentation overall. Seriously, this game is awesome.

Ok! Next up in this series, are specific games! And trust me, gaming’s taking a darker, more mature view on games….

It's E3! - Part 2

2012-06-09T23:19:00.004-07:00

Ok! E3 is over now! And personally, I reckon it was a pretty interesting year – there’re some really promising looking games and new consoles and old consoles with new and absolutely great additions that have been really mind-blowing.

So, I’ll give my own opinion. Because I just feel like it. Yup.

Now, I think I’ll just give a general overview of what I thought of E3:

General Overview – My Opinion

This year could’ve been better. Well, we always say that, and then next year, we end up saying “oh, last year’s E3 was so much better.”

Just to say, there is an outrageous amount of new games I simply MUST get my hands on. I mean it. Seriously, there are so many fantastic looking games there. The only problem isn’t the fantastic, but more like the lack of innovative and new. True, there are a few scattered new ideas, but a lot of what was shown at E3 was really just the old with a fresh coat of paint and a few new tricks up its sleeve.

And for some reason, gaming is taking a darker turn. Well, you might not know what I mean by that, but take a good look around.

A huge list of games all seem to want to have that “grittier, darker, more mature” feel to it. I can make a huge list of these; it’s usually on Nintendo that fixes this, and churns out some original, and yet family friendly content that suits everyone.

That, and copy and paste. Who doesn’t love it? Even big gaming companies seem to like it too. The entire action/adventure genre is turning towards Uncharted, (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing … hehe…) Sony and Nintendo are copying Microsoft (sort of), and fighting games seem to be copying each other.

So, E3 2012! It’s … a bit messy, and maybe not what we all hyped it up to be.

Just so say, I'll provide more of my opinion on E3 - this post is just an overview! More to come, on my opinion of E3! Next up are my thoughts on those big companies!