April is set to be packed with GameBoy Advance releases...for the Wii U virtual console. We've known about GBA games heading to Wii U for a while, but now we have some solid games, release dates, and prices. They are as follows:
April 3
Advance Wars ($7.99)
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga ($7.99)
Metroid Fusion ($7.99)
April 10
Kirby & The Amazing Mirror ($6.99)
Warioware, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! ($6.99)
April 17
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity ($6.99)
Golden Sun ($7.99)
April 24
Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island ($7.99)
If you still have an Ambassador 3DS system, you likely already own many of these games (Metroid Fusion, Kirby, Warioware, F-Zero, and Yoshi's Island, to be exact), but there are a couple to keep your eyes on: Advance Wars is a great turn-based strategy game (supposedly: I never played it, but I would love to), Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is one of the best RPGs to grace the GBA, and Golden Sun (which I have played) is a beautiful throwback to SNES RPGs.
Considering used GBA games go anywhere from $10 to $20, the pricing on these games is not half bad. What are your thoughts?
I haven't always played puzzle games, but when I finally delved into the genre (I thank Pushmo and Tetris) I loved it.
I have always played Pokemon games, so it stands to reason that I would enjoy the recently released eShop title Pokemon Battle Trozei for Nintendo 3DS. In the touch-based game, the player must line up 3 or more of the same Pokemon head on the bottom screen to clear them. Matching 4, then 3, of the same head unleashes a "Trozei Chance," during which matching just 2 or more Pokemon heads will suffice, so as the heads above fall down to the playing field, the player can rapidly make matches to pull off major combos that may just lead to clearing the whole Trozei box. The type of Pokemon the player matches first will be the type of attack unleashed on wild Pokemon, and the objective is to catch, or Trozei, the Pokemon in each stage by depleting their health to zero. The wild Pokemon can attack back, however, so the player must also keep an eye on his/her health bar, displayed on the sides of the bottom screen.
As you can see, there is a lot to Pokemon Battle Trozei. And as I've mentioned before, it was very difficult for me to get the hang of it. With time and practice, however, I have come to really enjoy the game. It wasn't an easy road to walk, though:
Initially, I was very discouraged. A C-rank on the first level?!
If I did any better on attempt 2, there would be "NEW!" signs next to my scores.
I finally got a B-rank on level 1! I was still not enjoying the game much, however...
As you can see, the health bar on both sides of the screen is hugely depleted.
I commented on the same Miiverse post. My first A-rank!
The next level...
The tips really did help me a lot!
I finally learned how to apply support Pokemon to a level, but I still had a hard time surpassing my old level 1 record...
As generally occurs with a curious gamer like myself, I did a little research into this obscure series, especially after watching this new trailer for S&S II:
As I mentioned above, the two games are of the real-time strategy genre, played in 2D sidescrolling fashion. The only context I have for understanding real-time strategy games comes from sinking hours upon hours into Warcraft II when I was younger and Age of Mythology when I was older. The concept in those games is that the player is in control of entire civilizations, typically on a mission to build up expansive bases of operations, followed by well-rounded armies, which then must be directed to battle and defeat enemies for whatever reason. This all takes place from an overhead perspective.
I get 2D sidescrolling, and I get real-time strategy (at least partly), but getting the two ideas to coexist in my mind is fairly difficult, especially given my unidirectional history with real-time strategy games. But get this: Swords & Soldiers was ported to the Nintendo 3DS eShop, among others, making it really easy to get a hold of in more than one way.
Swords & Soldiers II doesn't have a solid release date yet, not even a timeframe really (2014 probably), but I intend to give the mix of real-time strategy and 2D sidescrolling a shot with its forbear. Full review to come!
On February 13, 2014, Nintendo surprised us with the announcement of a sequel to 2006's DS title Pokemon Trozei. The new game would release for the Nintendo 3DS with the title Pokemon Battle Trozei.
Well, the game has arrived, and you can now download the E-rated title from the Nintendo 3DS eShop for $7.99. I've put a little bit of time into the game, and my thoughts are mixed. I never played the original, so I had a lot to learn about the fast-paced puzzle gameplay when I began. As I mentioned on Miiverse, I'm having a difficult time grasping the gameplay. I played the first stage 3 times over, only achieving a mediocre B-rank (for the first stage, that's probably pretty sorry) by the end.
I'm not an expert on the puzzle genre, by any means, but I do expect games in the genre to be simple to learn (but with depth) and really addictive. Pokemon Battle Trozei has a simple enough concept: use the touch screen to match 3 or more Pokemon heads to attack and capture (or "Trozei") wild Pokemon. However, performing advanced techniques and setting up combos has me at a complete loss. When you clear a line of Pokemon, the rest start falling down to fill in the spaces, and more lines may match up. This is how combos work, but I can't predict them, and they happen so quick, my brain can't keep up with the madness.
So the addictive quality I look for in puzzle games is not apparent in Battle Trozei. However, I do plan on giving the game a few more chances...just in small chunks, maybe once a day, as it's rather maddening to play a video game I can't fully understand.
When I started this blog in 2011, I hadn't experienced the number of gaming franchises I've got under my belt now, 3 years later. In those 3 years, I played games in the Kirby, Star Fox, Metroid, Ace Attorney, and Professor Layton series I hardly knew existed prior to 2011.
Even so, there are still many franchises I have little to no experience with. One of those is the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series. The first game in the series was Mario vs. Donkey Kong on the GameBoy Advance. The game was a sort of spiritual successor to Donkey Kong, Shigeru Miyamoto's classic arcade game that introduced both Mario (known as Jumpman at the time) and Donkey Kong to the world. Mario vs. Donkey Kong revived the rivalry between the two iconic characters, this time in a puzzle-platforming game.
I have a solid understanding up to that point, but as far as the game's sequels go, my knowledge falters mightily. I'm sure there were at least two sequels to the game, but I'm not sure what systems they were released on or what they're called. I played the original, thanks to the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador program, but my time with it was very limited: I basically skimmed through it, just as I skimmed through most of the Ambassador games, and now I don't even own my Ambassador system.
As a gamer, properties that I have or have not played crop up all the time for various reasons, prompting me to wonder about past and future games alike. A Mario vs. Donkey Kong Wii U demo was recently playable on the show floor at this year's Game Developers Conference. The sole purpose of the demo was to show off Nintendo Web Framework, a Wii U development tool for eShop developers. The demo does not harken an official announcement of a full game in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, but it suggests the possibility of such.
Check out some of the gameplay footage right here.
Given my history, I can't get overly excited about a possible Wii U entry in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong franchise. But what does it mean to you?
Giana Sisters is a platforming game starring Cute Giana and Punk Giana. I'm still trying to decide if these are two different versions of the same Giana, or if there are two sisters both named Giana...
Regardless, the point of cute and punk Giana is that each has her own special ability: Cute Giana has a spin jump that gives her a moderate boost and allows her to glide down slowly. Punk Giana can perform a dash attack that gives her a larger boost and is deadly to most foes (Cute Giana can take out foes, but only by jumping on top of them). Here's the thing about the two different Gianas: the player can switch between the two in an instant. This makes what would probably be a pretty generic platformer an engaging, not to mention very fun, platformer.
Additionally, each Giana inhabits a different style of the same world. Cute Giana's world is moody and dark, but with a softer style of music; while Punk Giana's world is bright and colorful, but accompanied by a metal style of music. Does that even make sense? Well, despite the confusion I initially had while switching between the two Gianas, the world and music in the game are very nice.
I've played this game for well over two hours (which is a fair amount for an indie title), and it would seem there is a lot more to experience, including multiple difficulty modes and a time attack mode. I haven't encountered any glitches, but I have seen a few complaints on Miiverse from other players, so keep that in mind.
A really fantastic sale has now ended is currently taking place in the Wii U eShop. Dubbed the "Super Indie Connection Sale," it allows you to buy or own one of five indie titles to qualify for 60% off all the rest. The games involved are:
Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party
Mighty Switch Force! Hyperdrive Edition
Toki Tori 2+
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams
Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien
The sale lasts until February 13th, so get a move on!
I was fortunate enough to already own Mighty Switch Force! Hyperdrive Edition when the sale began a few days ago. I immediately used some of my spare eShop funds to purchase Toki Tori 2+, after which I added 5 dollars from the Deluxe Digital Promotion and used it to download Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams. Over the next few days, I'll make a few impressions posts to help you decide whether this promotion is for you. It should be, I can tell you that right now.
The kingdom of Gnomia needs a hero! A hero who can find a princess and collect as many socks as possible on the way!
Such is the very basic storyline of upcoming Nintendo 3DS download 2 Fast 4 Gnomz, an action platformer from developer QubicGames. Or perhaps a more apt description of the game would be running platformer. For those of you who've played WiiWare title Bit.Trip Runner, 2 Fast 4 Gnomz is very much in the same high-speed vein.
In 2 Fast 4 Gnomz, you'll traverse more than four worlds with several platforming levels apiece. Because our intrepid gnome is in constant motion throughout each level, it's up to you to use a slew of abilities to avoid obstacles. These abilities include jumping, gliding, crushing stuff, and more. An impressive array of environmental elements will put your all of your skills to the test, and when the challenge gets steep, finding the right flow can feel very rewarding.
Speaking of challenge, the game's difficulty curve hits a pretty good balance. Each world introduces you to a new ability, giving you ample opportunity to get a feel for it in the first level or two. By the time you've reached the final level, however, you've been challenged with not only the newest skill, but all of the previous skills as well. Thankfully, frequent checkpoints keep the game from being overly frustrating.
The graphical style of 2 Fast 4 Gnomz is appropriately cartoony, if a bit generic. I was glad of the visual variety amongst the four main worlds, which are based upon the four seasons. It's just unfortunate that they don't add anything gameplay-wise, like ice in the winter levels or piles of leaves in the autumn levels.Though I'm not a huge fan of stereoscopic 3-D in general, the game pulls it off well. Like I mentioned above, the story is minimalistic, but fairly entertaining. The game certainly has a strange charm to it, which I like.
If there's anything I would add to 2 Fast 4 Gnomz, it would be, well, more game! I enjoyed what the game had to offer, but I found myself wanting more. For example, there are no boss battles to speak of. And I had the entire thing beat in less than a few short hours. For $4.99, I would expect a little more bang for my buck. But if you're itching for a reflex-driven, running platformer, 2 Fast 4 Gnomz might be just the game you've been craving. It arrives for North American gamers on November 1st.
If you like free games, you may just be interested in a sweepstakes hosted by developer QubicGames. Enter for a chance to win an advance copy of the company's running platform game 2 Fast 4 Gnomz, which hits North American eShops on November 1st. Also up for grabs is a special T-shirt for 3 of the 10 winners. The winners will be contacted this Monday, October 29 at 12:00 GMT +1, which is about 7:00 AM Pacific time.
For more details on the contest, including how to enter, click here to go to the official QubicGames website and scroll down to the first post on the home page. Good luck!
Nintendo has been planning for a while now to offer the game New Super Mario Bros. 2 as both a retail purchase and an eShop download. Club Nintendo has recently announced that players who go with the download over the physical package will get double the coins when they take the registration survey: 100 coins compared with 50.
What does this news mean to you? Are the 50 extra coins enough incentive to download the game as opposed to going with the cartridge? Let us know in a comment!
I already shared this puzzle in an Infendo post, but in case any of my readers who don't also read Infendo are interested, here's a Mutant Mudds Pushmo puzzle for you to enjoy!
If you haven't already gotten the game Pushmo for your Nintendo 3DS system, then know that I can't give this game enough praise. Try it out for yourself today!
Club Nintendo offers game downloads for coins
I know, I know...old news. But, hey, I never even mentioned it on my blog. Yes, Club Nintendo has been offering game downloads as rewards. These downloads are actual DSiware, WiiWare, and Virtual Console titles. They change every month and are surprisingly cheap at 100 or 150 rewards points (or coins). Some samples include Super Mario Kart, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, and Dr. Mario Online RX, none of which are available anymore. Until February 29, you can snag Mario Party 2 for Wii or Art Academy: First Semester for DSi, each at 150 coins. As for my thoughts? I think this tidbit of news speaks for itself. I don't need to tell you how AWESOME it is. Game demos grace the Nintendo eShop
I guess it was kind of a big deal that gamers could download and play demos for Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games and Resident Evil: Revelations. Since this trend began, demos for Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D and Nintendogs+cats have also become available. I only tried one: Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. I suppose I'm getting kind of old for colorful, simple minigame collection-type games, because it bored me nearly to tears. And that's about all I can say about these game demo things. Hulu Plus available on the Wii system
I really like this news! Even though I'm not a Hulu Plus member, I think it's great that the Wii has gained this crucial ability. The only problem? Well, the Wii is nearing the end of its life. Isn't it, I dunno, a little late for something like this? Better late than never, I suppose. Nintendo Direct 2-22-12 video explodes with news...watch out
As you can see from the full Nintendo Direct 2-22-12 video above, the first bit of great news regards the Nintendo eShop title Dillon's Rolling Western. It's now available! I haven't downloaded it yet, but I hope to do so eventually thanks to this great review on Infendo! We've known for a while that Kid Icarus: Uprising is going to come with a little pack-in: a Nintendo 3DS stand, which is featured in the video. This being the first time I have mentioned it, these are my thoughts: it's an odd accessory, but if someone out there finds comfort from using it, great! Next, we have a release date for the long-anticipated Mario Tennis Open for Nintendo 3DS: May 20. The only tennis game I've ever played was Wii Sports tennis, so I can't say I'm particularly excited about Mario Tennis Open. We'll see what happens! April 6 is the official North American release date for Xenoblade Chronicles. Oh, and I pre-ordered the game, so that's the happy ending to that story!
And finally, the Wii game The Last Story is headed to North America. Um...I can't imagine why this is such a big deal, because even in all my internet travels, I haven't come across much information about this game. It's an RPG from the creator of Final Fantasy. Yep. I hope everyone who has been clamoring for The Last Story enjoys it!
It was many months ago when it occurred to me that the missing link in my Metroid journey could possibly come to the Nintendo 3DS in the form of a virtual console release. The game, of course, is Metroid II: Return of Samus. I would have discussed this one a lot earlier if I had been given the chance. It's not like I could wait for it, so I went from Metroid to Super Metroid.
So here we have Metroid II: Return of Samus, released for GameBoy in 1991 and for Nintendo 3DS virtual console in 2011. Not all game franchises have such a smooth transition to a handheld as this one. And I think Metroid II serves as a great example of how that transition should be made. Simplifying the original so the gameplay remains the highlight, making the objective easy to remember, and maybe adding something the original didn't have to make it worth playing. Metroid II only had one problem: save points were far and few between, and that can be the undoing of a handheld experience. However, the virtual console remedies this problem in one fell swoop.
I look forward to playing some more Metroid in the near future!
I'm not a puzzle game aficionado on any scale, but the clever concept that the puzzler Pushmo delivers seems really unique to me. Unique, but simple and surprisingly addictive. It goes like this: the player pushes and pulls sequences of blocks in order to create a pathway to the goal, be that a staircase of some kind or a level platform that extends far enough to reach it. Mix in a pinch of platforming, and Pushmo already has great potential.
Fortunately, that potential is met. Hundreds of puzzles at varying difficulty levels will keep even the most sharp-witted player busy for hours. The ability to actually create and share Pushmo puzzles through the use of QR codes maxes out the game's replay value.
And get this: Pushmo ends up offering up a lot of challenge, so I'm invested in the experience; however, the frustration is somehow left out in the process. In fact, I find the gameplay to be both soothing and stimulating. Can you hear the Hallelujah chorus?!
Like I said, I'm no puzzle game expert, so it's a testament to Pushmo's simplicity, accessibility, and addicting nature that I'm giving it a full recommendation. It belongs to any decent Nintendo 3DS collection.
I'm going to start with a bold statement indeed: Mutant Mudds could not have been accomplished properly on any non-3D platform. There, I said it. It really is wondrous to behold in sweet 3D. You may have already guessed by now that I'm starting this review by going over Mutant Mudds' presentation. As you can hopefully see from the image on this post, Mutant Mudds presents an old-school, pixely graphical style. It just happens to work like a charm, especially with the 3D turned on. The added depth of 3D actually adds to and places even more emphasis on the 2D glory of the thing. In short, these graphics are colorful, appropriate, and not overdone. Lovely!
The gameplay in Mutant Mudds is equally impressive. As I mentioned in my first impressions post, you the player will take control of a young boy with a small set of skills: these are thankfully limited to jumping, hovering for a limited time, and firing what I imagine to be a pretty intense squirt gun in 40 levels of platforming action. This simplicity is reminiscent of video games past, when controllers themselves were limited. It is a refreshing approach in a gaming world in which 10+ button functions need to be memorized in order to play anything.
Level design in Mutant Mudds is pretty stinkin' good, but I think it could have been better. I mentioned above that the 3D effect in this game really lends itself to the 2D graphics, but now I would like to rave over the use of 3D in the levels themselves. Our intrepid hero can utilize special jump pads that actually propel him into different layers of 3D depth. This is undoubtedly the coolest use of 3D I've yet encountered. That's the "pretty stinkin' good" part of Mutant Mudds' level design. What I meant by "could have been better" is that there isn't a lot of variation within the levels. Also, I really lament the lack of checkpoints in the levels as well. Checkpoints would have lessened the pain of dying many, many times over in one level (which began to feel like the blow of a blunt blade after a while) while still keeping the challenge intact.
So it might not be the best game for the easily-frustrated (like me, I regret to say), but Mutant Mudds has earned a place amongst the best the Nintendo eShop has to offer. Are you planning on picking this one up?
A little game called Mutant Mudds is the eShop game of the week. I spent a good portion of the morning playing it, so let's dig into my first impressions!
Mutant Mudds is a seemingly simple platformer that actually offers more depth than meets the eye. I mean that quite literally in at least one way: the levels feature 3 layers of 3-D depth that the player will find himself changing amongst throughout the game. This turns into a brilliant way to show off the Nintendo 3DS system's stereoscopic 3-D. It's a great-looking game.
The gameplay is pretty slick as well. Our character can jump and hover for a few short moments, as well as wield a simple gun to take out the game's primary enemies: mud blobs. The game starts out relatively easy, but soon the difficulty ramps up, providing a very satisfying challenge.
If there's one problem I can already identify in this game, it's a very minor one: sometimes the screen doesn't show enough to prevent the player from getting a cheap hit to the face or taking a few blind jumps once in a while. As far as I can tell, however, this doesn't take much fun away from the game at all. It's just a blast to play.
Starting with the availability of DSiware classics such as Shantae: Risky's Revenge and Cave Story, the Nintendo eShop has grown into a great source of downloadable entertainment. Last week, Netflix hit the eShop. This week, the much-anticipated Nintendo Video application arrived. Both are free to download. New titles have also surfaced: chief among them is a second addition to the 3D Classics library, Xevious, an arcade shooter. The Nintendo eShop is updated every Thursday, so don't forget to check back in often!
Game: Pokedex 3D
Price: Free
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Short Review: A must-have for Pokemon fans, especially considering it's free. Contains a surprising amount of info on each Pokemon, such as descriptions, moves, and evolutions. Not all Pokemon are available from the beginning, so it's fun to collect.
Game: Mario Calculator
Price: $1.99
Platform: Nintendo DSiware
Short Review: Most handheld gadgets come with a built-in calculator, but the Nintendo 3DS does not. If calculators are your thing, this may be a worthwhile transaction for you at a slim $1.99. Also, the unit conversion function is an unexpected treat.
Game: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
Price: $5.99
Platform: Virtual Console-GameBoy Color
Short Review: Surprisingly fun for a handheld adventure game. A good buy for any Zelda fan. Not a Zelda fan? You'd be wise to stay away.
You'll never guess how I found out how to play this game! Go on! Guess!
Okay, okay, I'll just tell you. I found a tattered old manual for the original Excitebike in my basement. I thought it was funny.
Anyway, on with this review! First, let me explain just what "3D Classics" means. 3D Classics: Excitebike is the first in a hopefully lengthy library of old video games given the 3D treatment. The original gameplay and graphics remain intact, but now 3D depth has been added. And for a 27-year-old game, Excitebike holds up pretty well. The original was released for the NES in 1984. It was a side-scrolling racer that put players' reflexes to the test with jumps to land and obstacles to avoid. In order to excel at this game, several techniques should be mastered: landing jumps squarely, doing wheelies over certain obstacles, and using turbo effectively, to name a few.
This complex gameplay lends itself to Excitebike's longevity. Trying to pull everything together in order to get the fastest times is a stimulating challenge. Oh, and the 3D visuals aren't too shabby either. I'm dying to see which classic video game gets the 3D treatment next.
Last night I spent some time at a friend's house, watching a movie. Afterward, we decided to relax and watch YouTube videos on the TV screen. I noticed that it was a pain to navigate the on-screen keyboard in order to search for videos. I got my Nintendo 3DS out to fill in the gaps, and that's when it hit me: a strong desire to control what was happening on the TV screen with my 3DS. The typing would be a lot more efficient if I could just use this little touch screen in my hands. Using my 3DS to watch videos in the eShop brought another interesting thought to my attention: "I wish I could show this game trailer to everyone in the room by, I don't know, flicking it onto the TV screen maybe?"
So what if the Wii U controller isn't as revolutionary as the Wii Remote! It's still got enormous potential pertaining to the way we control our entertainment. I feel like the Nintendo 3DS doesn't live up to Nintendo's claim that it would extend beyond video games in terms of entertainment. But with enough online capabilities, Wii U could rise above and become the easiest way to get all your entertainment in one package. Something to think about! Have a great two days!
