Gaming deals, good and bad

Let's face it: gaming is an expensive habit.

When it comes to the prices of things, I use a comparison method. For example: I got a decent bike for around $160. A Nintendo 3DS XL system will go for a suggested retail price of $199.99 when it hits this Sunday. Which is the better deal? To me, the answer is clear: the bike!

As you may have already guessed, today's topic is gaming gear and the money we spend on it. Maybe you spent $20 on a $50 Wii game. Or perhaps you spent the full $50 for a game, but it entirely worth that and then some. Allow me to share some of my own gaming deals, good and bad:

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword + Gold Wii Remote + Orchestra CD
For a huge Zelda fan like me, the $70 for this package was more than worth it. Normally, Wii remotes go for about $40, so I essentially payed half of that for a special edition Wii remote and a CD of some of the best music I've ever heard. Ka-ching!

Metroid Prime Trilogy
I got this game Used-Like New for $60. Back when it was first released, one could get it brand new for $50. Even with the added $10, this Wii collection turned out to be a great deal.

Rune Factory Frontier
I include this on the list because of the sheer amount of time I've invested in it. I've played Rune Factory Frontier for well over 100 hours, and it was a paltry $20 to buy.

Steel Diver
Now we get to the bad deals. Steel Diver is a first party Nintendo 3DS title for $40. I wouldn't call the game horrendous or anything, but I would say the price should be in the neighborhood of $5 or so. Just sayin'!

Now I would love to hear from you guys! What do you consider to be the best and worst in gaming deals?   

2012 Nintendo Lifeline Awards: Nominees

Well, it's that time again. The time when we look back at all of the best moments of the year. The purpose of the Nintendo Lifeline Awards is to celebrate the best moments in the world of Nintendo. First, however, I feel it necessary to offer this disclaimer: I will never have the time or money to try every worthwhile game in any one year, so my experience is quite limited. The Lifeline Awards are for entertainment and reflection only.

That said, here are the categories and corresponding nominees:

Best Overall Game

• Super Mario 3D Land (N3DS)
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (N3DS)
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
• Mario Kart 7 (N3DS)
• Wii Play Motion (Wii)
• Star Fox 64 3D (N3DS)
• Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition (N3DS)
• Lost in Shadow (Wii)

Best Overall Graphics

• Super Mario 3D Land (N3DS)
• Star Fox 64 3D (N3DS)
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (N3DS)
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
• Steel Diver (N3DS)
• Lost in Shadow (Wii)

Best Get-up

• Tanooki Mario (Super Mario 3D Land)
• Ghirahim (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword)
• Metal Mario (Mario Kart 7)
• Kirby Hat (Nintendogs+cats)

Best Method of Travel

• Loftwing (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword)
• Tanooki Tail (Super Mario 3D Land)
• Cannon (Super Mario 3D Land)
• Propeller Block (Super Mario 3D Land)
• By Shadow (Lost in Shadow)
• Submarine (Steel Diver)
• Arwing (Star Fox 64 3D)
• Horse (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D)
• Hang Glider (Pilotwings Resort)
• Customizable Kart (Mario Kart 7)

Best Use of Stereoscopic 3D

• Super Mario 3D Land
• Steel Diver
• Nintendogs+cats
• Pilotwings Resort

As you can very well tell, there isn't a whole lot of variety in either my categories or the nominees therein. You'll also notice that the "Best Method of Travel" category easily packs in the most nominees of all, so my advice is that you take all of this with a grain of salt. Please feel free to give your favorites shout-outs in the comments, because I will certainly take them into consideration as I decide the winners. Check back in early January for the results!

Why Steel Diver deserves only a brief review: A Brief Review

I'll be brief, because, let's face it, Steel Diver is a brief game. In it, the player takes control of a submarine to complete a variety of side scrolling missions. There are three submarines, each in a different size class, that have strengths and weaknesses in acceleration, maneuverability, and fire power. I'll get right down to it: the controls are clunky and un-fun. The story is non-existent. The content is weak. I might pay ten bucks for this game, but forty? Don't even bother.

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. 

First Nintendo 3DS TV Spot for North America

I just finished viewing the first official TV Spot for the Nintendo 3DS. I myself am waiting for the release of Nintendo's new handheld with great excitement.

The spot begins with a bit of Steel Diver content, which gives way to a demonstration of the augmented reality feature of the system. For those of you who don't know, augmented reality will allow the owner of a Nintendo 3DS system to play games right on their own table, counter, desk, or other flat surface (in my case, I can't wait to see a game come to life on the circulation counter of the library where I work). Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition is the final game to be showcased in the ad.

This TV commercial is impactful in at least two ways. First and foremost, it emphasizes the single most exciting feature of the 3DS: its ability to immerse gamers through full, stereoscopic 3-D graphics. The Steel Diver segment shows the player's reflection within the game, as if he is truly at the controls of a submarine. The same goes for Street Fighter, during which the player is seen in the background, controlling the game while watching the fight unfold. The augmented reality portion hints at the second reason why the spot strikes me: the constant feeling of motion. This corresponds with the motion-sensing capabilities of the Nintendo 3DS system. It's also what makes the TV spot really exciting. The transitions among and within the three main attractions are smooth and pleasing to the eyes.

Overall it's a great advertisement. It hits on the very best features of the 3DS system in 30 short seconds, creating a lasting impression.