Nintendo Music: Wind Scene

I love music because, like many other forms of art, it has the ability to produce feelings in the human being. Oftentimes, these feelings cannot be described in words, so music is its own beautiful kind of language.

Today's music selection comes from the SNES game Chrono Trigger. It is a great example of a piece of music that creates a feeling that is hard to nail down. Not to mention it augments the feeling that the actual game is portraying at the time it's played.

By the way, in addition to having awesome music, this game is just an overall amazing experience. Enjoy the tune!

Why Wii Play: Motion might be worth your money: A Review

Wii MotionPlus is an under-utilized accessory, without a doubt. Frankly, I can see why. The thing needs to be calibrated to start with, and that initial balance is quite fragile besides.

But when the player gets past those two minor gripes, a rich gameplay experience awaits. Wii Play: Motion packs a variety of cool motion-based activities into an admittedly small package. Some are better than others, but all have something to offer. Many can even be played with multiple people, so bring on the party with this game!

If you could make use of another MotionPlus Wii remote, the $50 for this game and the pack-in is definitely worth it. And...I guess that's all I have to say!

Does anyone remember that one Wii remote function...?

It's the Wii remote speaker!

There were a lot of things to be excited about when the world was learning what the revolutionary Wii remote could do. Motion and point sensing capabilities were chief among those. The remote would also be wireless and have the rumble function. But there was one other thing...ah, yes! A built-in speaker!

The sound quality of this built-in speaker was so poor, we muted the volume after the first month or two of having a Wii, never to turn it up again. The sound was particularly obnoxious in my favorite Wii game to date: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

We're all excited about The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. I have been for literally years. But it only just occurred to me that the game's remote sound effects might actually sound good. Only time will tell!

Are there any Wii games you have played that effectively use the built-in remote speaker?

Books into video games?!

The first book in the Keys to the Kingdom Series!

They have made movies into video games and video games into movies. Who skipped the step of making books into video games? Had it never occurred something was missing? It should go books to movies then to a video game! I mean imagine how awesome that'd be! Since it's a video game they could follow it to the book exactly! With movies they only have, what, two hours to fit a whole book into? Well unless your Breaking Dawn or Harry Potter that is. Why would you have two parts to a movie anyways? I mean it's just a scheme to make more money! Wait, this isn't what this is supposed to be about that. Anyways I think an awesome book to be turned into a video game would be . . . uh . . . to tell you the truth I don't have one.

Now that I think about it I don't read very exciting books, so I really have no clue as to what book would be a good video game! If you have any ideas, please tell me! Wouldn't it be so cool though? I mean man, oh, man!! They could get it like completely right! Anyways, this subject is really sorta narrow to talk about! Not much here just the fact that they could make it exactly like the book! So exciting!! Wait I have one! It's Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix! That'd be so awesome! It's a pretty legit book! Anyways if you have any ideas for books that'd be good video games tell me! I wanna know these things!

Here's what my trip taught me about video games

What a great trip I had this last weekend! I didn't go into much detail in my thank you post, so I'll let you know now: I went on a three-day trip to the historic Hole-in-the-Rock trail. I don't think you want me to go into too much detail, so I'll just say that it included a lot of rough off-roading.

So what did the trip teach me about video games, you ask? If you haven't already, take a look at the video above. I've never had a knack for creativity: I'm jealous of people who can come up with great ideas for video games, even if they never see the light of day. But can't you see something like this making a pretty good video game? Some of the most intense racing experiences are really slow ones. A realistic off-road racing game would force the player to move quickly, but not so quickly that the vehicle tips, because that would mean a lot of lost time. I found that a lot of skill and concentration goes into maneuvering a vehicle on this kind of terrain, and I think a video game would benefit from using that concept.

If that made any sense, congratulations. It's a powerful skill to interpret other peoples' gibberish. For your entertainment, here are some other images from the trip:

One of our many vehicles climbs a rock. Going down won't be so easy.

See what I mean?

Some of the scenery around our camp in the morning.

An ATV tackles one of many tough spots.

We also brought along some special types of ATVs we call Razors.

Tough spots are really no problem for the Ram, but it was slow going.

The Cherokee probably had the most trouble, but it made the trip just fine.

Some more ATV action.

In the distance you can see the actual hole in the rock.

A look at Gray Mesa from inside the Cherokee. Pretty flat.

A big thanks to all of our readers

I shall be gone on Friday when this post will (hopefully) be published, so today (Wednesday) I'm scrambling to get something prepared...nothing profound is coming to me, so I just want to take some time to thank all of my readers. A special thanks to my parents, who read every single post even though they don't like video games in the slightest. A huge thanks to my brother Dave, who has been surprisingly supportive of the blog, commenting, sharing to Facebook, and +1-ing posts. A thanks goes to all of you who read the blog because you actually like Nintendo. I also appreciate all of you who liked the blog's Facebook page, even though you only did it to support me and Mary. And thank you Mary! Life in high school is crazy, but you still manage to contribute your personality to the blog once a week. It's not an easy task!

Finally, I'd like to thank the Academy.

Nintendo Music: Spirit Tracks Opening Theme

Give this song a good listen, it's only a minute long...don't you just want to go on an adventure after hearing this! Oh, wait! You can go on an adventure after hearing this! It's easy: just go pick up The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for Nintendo DS!

About the song, though...how can you go wrong by starting a song with that iconic Zelda theme music, anyway? It's almost as if it's saying, "Hey. This game is gonna be great...you're in for a real treat." But not every Zelda game can depend on the original theme song for its music, and the Spirit Tracks opening theme sets itself apart quickly and in amazing fashion. Oh, and wait until you get the actual game: chugga-chugga sounds from Link's in-game steam engine add a lot to the tune. I suppose you could check that out right here on this YouTube video if you don't plan on getting the game (shame on you, if that's the case!).

Sorry Guys



Hey guys sorry about this. I have just been working on a paper this whole week and haven't really had time to write anything good for the blog. My mind is stuck in proper grammar, serious mode. Everything I write doesn't sound like, well, me. So I'll leave it at this awesome trailer for Final Fantasy XIII!! One of my favorite FF games.

What makes a video game great?: Plot

Hey, don't mock the picture! A plot has to include characters, doesn't it?

Last time on "What makes a video game great?" I discussed an aspect that is exclusive to video games: gameplay. Gameplay doesn't apply to books, movies, TV, or music. In this post, however, I want to cover something that is prevalent in almost every medium out there: plot.

There is a delicate balance of gameplay and plot in video games. You don't want a game to sacrifice gameplay for the sake of the story. Likewise, it's hard to get into a video game with no story, even if the gameplay is fun. The first example I want to demonstrate is the game Wii Sports Resort, which I recently experienced for the first time. It effectively shows off the enhanced capabilities of the Wii MotionPlus accessory, so it relies heavily on gameplay as opposed to plot. Does is suffer from lack of plot? My answer is yes. Yes, it does. There's no final goal in that game: nothing to look forward to. Sure, the player can get pro status in every sport, but what good is that? I think the game would benefit from story-related tasks. For example, Showdown mode in the swordplay sport sees the player battling hordes of enemies in 10+ levels. What happens when all the levels are completed? You get a stamp (I think). A stamp? Yay. I feel like I should have rescued the princess after going through all that. Do you see what I mean?

But that doesn't mean video games can't get overpowered by the sheer amount of cut-scenes. I can't say I've played any that suffer in such a way, but I know they're out there!

Nintendo's hard-hitters (Zelda and Mario, basically) tend to hit a good balance of gameplay to plot. Even the original Super Mario Bros., as simple as it seemed, had a cohesive plot. The Legend of Zelda series has always been story-driven, but not at the expense of great gameplay.

So, once again, there you have it. Feel free to argue with me about anything you read in this post! I welcome the comments.

My current fantasy...

I'll be starting this post with a little background on myself (I hope you like me enough to enjoy it!): I've been graduated from high school now for over a year. I've spent the time since living with my parents (and younger siblings) and taking general education classes from the college 20 miles away. This May, I'll be leaving here to attend Utah State University at Logan, UT.

We got the family Wii for Christmas 2006, the year the system debuted. Because the Wii is a family system, I can't very well take it with me to school. This is where my current fantasy comes in: I want my own Wii. And at $150, I think I found my dream bundle. It's a black system with the standard Wii Remote Plus. The included game is New Super Mario Bros.Wii, which easily fits into my top 5 favorite Wii games of all time. Call me crazy, but here's how I know this is the bundle for me when there are so many other choices out there: it also comes with a Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack CD. It's the delicious cherry on top of the cake. That's it, I've made up my mind! You're the bundle for me, Wii!

(Important note: this particular version of the Wii system has no GameCube compatibility. Don't worry about me, though, I care not!)

The Kingdom Hearts series and how Wii U could improve it

As I said on Monday, getting a PlayStation 2 in order to play a childhood favorite, Kingdom Hearts, was worth it. Don't assume for a second that Kingdom Hearts is even close to the same league as Zelda and Mario, but it's a pretty decent RPG. The player takes control of Sora, who is joined by Disney's Donald Duck and Goofy in a quest to find his lost friends. The trio explores a myriad of worlds, most of which are based upon famous Disney franchises.

There's your basic premise. The original Kingdom Hearts game debuted on PlayStation 2 and was followed by many more entries, many of them on Nintendo platforms. Kingdom Hearts II also graced the PlayStation 2 system, and the next big entry will be Kingdom Hearts III on an undecided platform. All we know is that it will happen.

So you can't very well blame me for hoping that the Wii U will be that platform of destiny. I think the system's touchscreen controller could add a ton of ease to the Kingdom Hearts battle system. There are three available options to the player as he battles: attack, magic, and item. Do you realize how hard it is to stop mid-battle in order to cast a magic spell or use an item in Kingdom Hearts? It's not fun, so it becomes quite easy to ignore magic and items throughout the game. But just imagine that Wii U touchscreen controller in your hand...magic spells and items can be assigned to slots on the touchscreen, so it's as easy as tapping the right icon on the screen. Oh joyous day! Please bring Kingdom Hearts III to Wii U, Square Enix!

Super Mario Sunshine: A Review

One of the greater Mario games, I have to admit. Filled with adventure, plot twists, and plain old hardships I give this game 5/5 stars. First you start off with Peach, Mario and Toad all on a plain heading towards Isle Delfino. Things happen when you get there and you get blamed for them. Turns out someone has been wearing your face and doing bad things . . . hmmm I wonder who that could be? Anyways what happens is you either go to jail or clean up the town and get back the Shine Sprites. Oh whoops forgot to tell you what those are! The Shine Sprites have been scattered all over Isle Delfino because they got scared off. What you have to do is simple, get them all back.

Well not all of them. The minimum you can get is 49 although all together there are 120 sprites. You have six boards to go; in each board there are eight sprites. It's really quite a fun game! One surprise is that Peach doesn't get taken until the middle of the game! I know it's a hard pill to swallow. Shall I tell you who steals her? Bowser Jr. (Baby Bowser? I don't know! I'm pretty sure it's Bowser Jr. though) big surprise there. Well I guess there sort of is, huh? I mean it wasn't Bowser so there's a little originality.

He steals her because Bowser told him that Peach was his mom (O.o how did Bowser pull that one off? Might as well be saying, "Hey if you say banana really slow it sounds like gullible"). Throughout the game you only see Bowser once, and that's at the end. He is the last ending guy you beat, and I have to admit the last battle lacks something. It's a little too simple for my liking. I guess the level to get there is a pain in the tush so that makes up for it. Anyways this game is full of awesomeness! They even fit Yoshi in it, although I hate all the levels that you have to use him in. So I stay with my 5/5 stars for this game! Go and pick it up to play it!

Is it true?

First of all, I'd like to extend a big thanks to everyone who voted on my latest poll, which is now closed. The question was "Holly got a PlayStation 2. Believe it? Or not?" There was a total of 14 votes that were split 50/50.

Why would I ask this question? Because anyone who knows me at all knows that I'm a huge Nintendo loyalist. I hope that attitude comes through on the Nintendo Lifeline. I'm not suited for the first-person shooter-heavy Xbox library. And I'm not tech-y enough to plunk down $500 for a PlayStation 3 (the price is down to $250 at this point, though). Nintendo is where my comfort zone is. It's where Mario and Link are, and that is often all I need.

So the question is, did I get a PlayStation 2 or not? Sharp-eyed Nintendo Lifeline readers may (or may not) have noticed that a few days before the poll closed, I added PlayStation 2 to the list of video game consoles I own on the "About the Authors" page of this site. Yes, I got a PlayStation 2. But it's not because I wanted to expand my horizons: it was almost entirely for the sake of nostalgia. One of my older sisters had a PS2 when I was young, and I remember one game that seemed so cool to me at the time. That game was Kingdom Hearts, and a huge series sprouted from it that continues to this day. Since the original got pretty good reviews, I thought the $100 for a PlayStation 2 system might be worth it. Let me just say, it was worth it. But that's for a different post on a different day. Perhaps this Wednesday. Perhaps not. Anyway, have a great day!

I ain't got nobody...to play games with!

"Race against a friend in the new local wireless mode!" Do you realize how many times I've read this or something like it on the backs of game cases?! Too many times for my liking! Why is that, you ask? Why, I don't have friends to play with over local wireless connection, that's why!

This option generally occurs in DS games. Mario Kart DS, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, New Super Mario Bros., Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days...these are some examples I have personally encountered. In many instances, local wireless play can be enjoyed with a single game card, but the experience is a lot more comprehensive when each participant has a copy of the game. My younger sister owns a DS, so we find mild enjoyment in playing Mario Kart DS in the limited single game card mode.

But gaming as a hobby occupies only a small niche here in my little community. I have lots of friends: but few, if any, have interest in video games. Even the handful who do share my interest don't tend to own the same systems and games as me.

That's what multiplayer Wii games are for, I suppose. Even my non-gamer friends have found appeal in Wii Sports and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. So have a great weekend and play lots of social games! I, on the other hand, will be busy playing intense single player games like Kingdom Hearts and The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker.

The thrill of the new

One of my very first posts on the Nintendo Lifeline was called Metroid and the Thrill of the New. I thought it would make for a great experiment to play the Metroid series for the first time and then to chronicle my impressions on the Nintendo Lifeline (the last Metroid game I covered was Metroid: Other M over a month ago). The concept I really wanted to stress in that post is the idea of experiencing something for the first time. As it happens, that point didn't come through as strongly as I wanted it to. So this is my second chance.

I don't recall what it felt like to discover that Shiek is actually Princess Zelda in disguise (sorry if that spoiled it for you, but I should think everyone knows that by now!) I was what, 5 years old at the time? But I do recall the feeling of experiencing similar plot twists in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess when I played that for the first time. It's an unrivaled, albeit rare, sensation. So enjoy it while you can! When you begin a new adventure, whether through books, movies, or video games, take time to stop and appreciate the new feelings, experiences, and even difficulties that come your way. You only get one chance to experience that video game for the first time!

Mario Kart Double Dash - Rainbow Road

If you're playing the hardest level on Mario Kart there has to be good music. This is the level that you will practice the most. The one level that you have to win to get a gold trophy! So the music has to be un-annoying and has to have the power to make you keep playing. This totally does it! You want to play this board just because of the music! Now now don't lie to yourself. We all know the only reason anyone plays video games is for the music!

What makes a video game great?: Gameplay

I've decided to begin a series called "What makes a video game great?" All video games have aspects, such as sound and plot, that are evaluated in reviews. Players expect certain standards of quality in these areas. Each post in this series will focus on one of those categories, beginning with today's topic: gameplay.

What is gameplay? It encompasses the game's controls and how elements like puzzles, obstacles, strategy and other challenges are implemented. Perhaps no other genre benefits from solid gameplay more than the ever-popular platformer. Thus, I will call upon my recent experience with Super Mario Galaxy 2, as it is a near-perfect example of superior gameplay.

The controls in Super Mario Galaxy 2 are simple to learn and fun to execute, the first sign of great gameplay. No one wants to spend an hour just learning which button does what, and when buttons can or cannot be used. Three simple mechanics can get you through the bulk of Super Mario Galaxy 2: moving Mario with the analogue stick, jumping with the "A" button, and shaking the Wii remote for a spin attack. Moves like back flips, wall jumps, and long jumps open up the entirety of the game, and are a joy to master.

But I've spent too much space discussing controls. The way these controls are used to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles is gameplay in action and is much more important than the controls themselves. This is where incredible feats of creativity take place. Super Mario Galaxy 2 excels in this arena. Even after 25 years of Super Mario, the creators are still able to find new and unique ways for players to execute old and familiar moves. The concept of varying gravity fields alone yielded numerous gameplay wonders in both Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2.

So there you have it. What other games do you think deserve honorable mentions for gameplay genius?