Are boys better gamers than girls?

I'll just tell you what I think right off the bat: boys are generally better at video games than girls. I've seen it time and time again.

I am a girl, and I have been playing video games for as long as I can remember. Super Mario World was my sustenance growing up. I beat The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the first time at a young age, and I have since beaten it countless other times. I played all three Super Smash Bros. games in an abundance during their respective times. And I'm not gonna lie: I work my butt off to be as good at games as I can be.

Why then does my younger brother often trump my own Super Smash Bros. Brawl skills when he doesn't take video games nearly as serious as me? Why also can he beat me at Metroid Prime 2 multiplayer when I've got several hours on him from playing single player?

I have decided that boys are more aggressive than girls, and that's why they tend to have more natural skill in gaming. Many games are reflex- and instinct-driven, and boys just surpass girls in that area, plain and simple. However, there are certain kinds of games that I think us girls have an advantage in. I'm talkin' puzzle games! Girls tend to have more patience than guys, and that suits them to games with a slower pace. And I can't forget to mention dance games. Girls are definitely better dancers than guys...or at least more willing to dance!

Obviously, these are just generalizations. Even though I'm a girl, I love to play all types of games. And if you are a boy who's unafraid to break out the mad skills with Just Dance, great! What I'm saying is that boys are typically more naturally gifted at video games. What are your thoughts?

Giant AR Card: A Club Nintendo review

I don't expect many of my readers to be big enough Nintendo fans that they frequently use Club Nintendo, but I regard my precious Club Nintendo coins as very valuable. You don't just spend them on anything!

Today's Club Nintendo item is the recent Giant AR Card. I simply jumped at the chance to get this one for 200 coins. You've seen my regular AR photos: little Mii's on my desk, little Nintendo characters at school. But if you're a regular Nintendo Lifeline reader, you've also seen glimpses of what the Giant AR Card can create: a giant dragon coming to life on the back lawn, a giant Mii rushing down the stairs. (For all that and more, visit this previous post.)

Now that you have an idea of what this thing is, let's get down to business. First of all, this card is even bigger than I originally expected. Sometimes it's a little too big. To get it to register with my Nintendo 3DS camera, I've used a rickety ladder and the top of a high deck, among other things. Don't get me wrong, though: the size is great. Best part about it. There is something valid to dislike about the Giant AR Card, though: it is painstaking to get it to register because 1) it's too floppy and 2) it catches glares all too easily. As if it wasn't tedious enough to set up the regular-sized AR card, this one is even more difficult to work with. But if you can get past that, it's quite fun to mess around with.

So is the Giant AR Card worth 200 of your precious Club Nintendo coins? Well, if messing around with augmented reality appeals to you, definitely. If not, the added frustration might not be worth it. Have a great week, and spend those coins wisely!

Augmented Reality: a photographic history

The following photographic history represents my progression in learning how Augmented Reality can be used effectively. Therefore, the photos are in chronological order by date. All were taken by the use of the Nintendo 3DS system's Augmented Reality function.

The first photo I took using AR! This image demonstrates an effective, albeit unintended use of background objects such as the mouse and notebook.

Mii characters can also come to life on real-world surfaces. Additionally, they can assume a slew of poses at the press of a button.

I haven't used the Graffiti tool since this was taken, but my first swing at it wasn't half bad!

A miraculous image that squishes all of my family members together with a certain degree of clarity.

I endorse this particular issue of Nintendo Power magazine.

One photo in a series that captures the idea of the game Save Mii!

It's not just the built-in AR Games application that projects video game images into the real world. This example comes from Nintendogs+cats.

Probably my first attempt to create an image with a humorous premise in mind. Does it look like the Mii on the left has just kicked the Mii on the right to the ground?

The image that originally adorned my "About the Author" summary. It has recently been changed to accommodate my new haircut.

This photo signifies my very first StreetPass encounter, which was arranged beforehand. I've had three more chance encounters since.

Nintendo Lifeline author Mary represents the retro gaming scene with posts that revolve mostly around the 16-bit era.

Say hello to this beast of an AR card! My youngest sister kindly consented to appear in the image to show the size of the card.

This shot captures a life-size Mii as it hurries downstairs to get some much-needed peanut butter from the pantry.

We recently payed a fortune to have this stone dragon adorn the lawn in the back yard.

My youngest brother and his friend casually look on as the stone dragon comes to life right before their eyes.

A scene that captures some of the beauty that awaits those who take the AR fishing challenge.

ANNOUNCEMENT! Thanks for making it through my photographic history! Beginning this Monday, posts on the Nintendo Lifeline will be published at 3:00 p.m. MST on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, as opposed to 1:00 p.m. MST. A minor, insubstantial change, I know. Have a splendid weekend, and don't forget to like us on Facebook by finding and clicking the appropriate button on the sidebar to the right!

A real StreetPass encounter...finally!

So I get home from work one day and flip open my Nintendo 3DS case in order to put the system in the charging cradle, as I so often do. To my utter surprise, the notification light is lit. And...it's green. That's important, because it's not blue. Now I'm thinking wildly, 'Could this really be a StreetPass? Can a green light indicate something else? Nothing comes to mind. It must be a StreetPass! I certainly haven't arranged one. This is the real deal!' I flip the system open and, sure enough, I've had a genuine StreetPass encounter!

As usual, I get to use my newly acquired Mii character in the game Save Mii. But the real treat is that this encounter unlocked a whole new puzzle. There are seven in all, and each 3DS owner starts out with just one of them. The only way to get new puzzles is to StreetPass with other 3DS owners who have the missing ones.

So I had my 10 minutes of fun with my new friend. This got me to thinking about StreetPass as an application. I own Super Street Fighter IV, which is StreetPass able. Does the cartridge have to be in the system in order to have a successful StreetPass transfer? I hope that's not the case, because it is unlikely that I'll pass someone else who owns the game, let alone that they'll have it in their system. I own a second StreetPass-capable game: Ridge Racer 3D. I guess this particular 3DS owner doesn't have either game. I look forward to a day when the 3DS system is more common, and StreetPass encounters will abound.

What happens when...

...I try to create a Mii using a photo of a Mii? Shall I explain? Alright, here goes: the Mii Maker in the Nintendo 3DS system has a few features that go above and beyond the Mii Channel that the Wii introduced us to. Chief among them is the ability to create a Mii from a photo, which can be taken by the inward- or outward-facing cameras built into the system. Well, I thought it would be interesting to see what happened when that photo was of an already-conceived Mii. Here are the results:

The image on the left is me (or Mii). The image on the right is what my Nintendo 3DS spit out when given a photo of Mii. Interesting...

StreetPass: A First

My new friend and myself.

I have finally achieved what I thought would be impossible: I've had a StreetPass encounter.

It was completely arranged, of course. I suspect that is the reason why I feel a little let down. As I've said before, Mii characters acquired through StreetPass participate in your Mii Plaza games. Unfortunately, my recent StreetPass encounter didn't yield new puzzle pieces, and use of my new warrior in "Find Mii" was incredibly anti-climatic.

Nintendo 3DS Perplexities: Mii Maker, Mii Plaza, and StreetPass

I'm still waiting for someone to "Find Mii."

Many aspects of the Nintendo 3DS are shrouded in mystery to those who haven't experienced it for themselves. So I've begun a campaign to encourage understanding...starting with the Mii Maker, Mii Plaza, and StreetPass features.

One of the first tasks a Nintendo 3DS owner should accomplish is to create a Mii. The idea of Miis began with Wii. Mii characters can be created and customized to resemble just about anyone. The Nintendo 3DS offers a short-cut to creating Miis by allowing the creator to begin with a photograph of the subject, leaving most of the work up to the system. After a first Mii is created, the Mii Plaza and the opportunity for StreetPass encounters open up.

The Mii Maker is where Miis are made. The Mii Plaza is a built-in game that revolves around StreetPass use. So what is StreetPass, you ask? StreetPass is a feature of the Nintendo 3DS by which it is possible for information to be exchanged between 3DS users as they come close to one another. The system can be powered-on or in sleep mode for this to occur. Lets say I go to a busy place: a mall. I carry my 3DS around in sleep mode. I walk by someone who has done the same. I don't even know the person, but I've now had a StreetPass encounter. The information that has been shared between us is totally harmless and includes our Mii creations, our first names, and our answers to questions such as "Cats or dogs?" and "What is your greatest hobby?" This person is a guy named Bob. His favorite piece of 3DS software is Face Raiders. He prefers cats. His dream is to have power. His favorite hobby is playing video games. (This is all made up, of course, so any resemblance to a real person is purely coincidental.)

Bob's Mii can now be found and utilized in my Mii Plaza. The Mii Plaza is composed of two basic games. In "Save Mii", my own Mii is trapped in a cage and in need of rescuing. After my fateful StreetPass encounter, I welcomed Bob as a warrior who could help to find me by defeating enemies in a series of stages. The second game in Mii Plaza involves collecting puzzle pieces to complete several different scenes from iconic Nintendo games. Bob shared the Zelda puzzle with me, which I wouldn't have been able to get without a StreetPass encounter. Pieces of this puzzle can be acquired by spending play coins: the currency of the Nintendo 3DS. They are earned by walking with the system (it has a built-in pedometer).

StreetPass plays a role in a few of the full-fledged, $40 3DS games. If I pass someone who has Nintendogs+cats, for example, we can share pictures of our pets and more. Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition also has StreetPass functionality. It is clear that this unique Nintendo 3DS feature will be utilized in creative ways in future games.

Three reasons to pick up this month's issue of Nintendo Power magazine

1. Cover Story
Take one look at that cover and you already know why this is a must-have issue of NP. In case you missed the memo, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a legend in the video game world. A masterpiece. The pinnacle of game-making as we know it. Next month, Nintendo 3DS owners all over the globe will have the privilege of experiencing this work of genius all over again, in full 3D. Don't miss the in-depth coverage Nintendo Power has to offer!

2. A Guide to Kick-Start Any 3DS Owner's Experience
This issue of NP includes a short buyer's guide to Nintendo 3DS cases, five essential tasks to get started, tips on effectively using StreetPass, info on four must-own launch titles, tricks to get the most fun out of AR Games, and more. My favorite feature? The opportunity to collect the Mii iterations of select NP staff members by the use of QR codes printed right into the magazine. Plus, no Nintendo fan should miss out on the chance to receive a very special Mii...but why ruin the surprise! Find out who it is for yourself! 

3. A Celebration of the Zelda Series' Silver Anniversary
Can you believe the Zelda series is 25 years old? I'm not even that old yet! It's hard for me to believe that video games have been around for so long. This issue of Nintendo Power continues to reflect on the things that made Zelda into what it is today.

Happy reading!

Now That I've Had the 3DS For a While...

The 3-D Visuals
The visual effect of the 3DS is astounding...when you can find your 3-D sweet spot. It's not something that I can show to many people at once. But it gives the feeling you're looking into a window to another world. This is especially true of the Mii Maker channel, where the little characters I've created look up at me, and I look down at them. It is a little bothersome that adjusting the system in my hands turns the screen blurry, but it's easy to overlook.

Built-in Software
It's not just the cool 3-D visuals that are cutting edge with this piece of hardware...it's the awesome little diversions that come in every unit. Augmented Reality (AR) games are played by placing little cards on any surface. The two outward-facing cameras on the 3DS pick up on which cards are on the surface and turn it into a gaming zone with a lot of mind-boggling features. Face Raiders is another game that comes built into the 3DS. Not only does this game allow the player to shoot friends' and family members' faces with tennis balls, but it takes place in whatever environment the player is in, thanks to the two cameras.

Games
So far I've got Steel Diver and Pilotwings Resort to play on my handheld 3-D screen. The controls in Steel Diver are hard to master, but the 3-D in this game is really pretty. It's mild (so I can turn the 3-D depth slider all the way up) but still impactful.  Pilotwings is a different story. The effect is very powerful, so I find it hard to look at with the 3-D all the way up. But the 3-D really enhances the game at about half-way down or less. Steel Diver and Pilotwings Resort are two solid titles.

What's Missing?
The only short-coming I can identify with the 3DS is that many of the important online features are missing at this early stage. There is an internet browser at the top of the main menu, but "it won't be available until a future update"? That's only half of it...I would have liked to see the eShop available at launch, but it won't be available for a month or so. The 3DS does have dismal battery life, but that doesn't bother me too much. Other than that, the 3DS is a cool little system. $250 seems like a lot to spend, but I'll get my money's worth out of it before the end.