Tales of the Abyss: First Impressions

Released February 14th, Tales of the Abyss for Nintendo 3DS is actually a port of a PlayStation 2 game. It's an RPG in which the player takes the role of Luke, a young man of 17 whose spoiled, bratty demeanor might just mask a gentle heart. And that, my friends, is probably the best part about this game. I mean that in a good way! Luke is far from perfect, making him one of the most endearing characters I've ever been acquainted with. It only helps that the voice work for him is some of the best in the game, standing out amongst a few really poor jobs.

Luke is joined in an epic quest by a slew of other characters: Tear, straightforward and reasonable (and rather boring); Jade, a powerful fighter; Ion, whose well-being holds the fate of the world in the balance; Mieu, a banished, but-sorry-for-his-actions monster called a cheagle; Anise, powerful despite her young age; and Guy, best friend of Luke, knowledgeable and powerful even though he has a phobia of girls. The interaction amongst these characters and the various enemies who roam about is the best thing about this game.

As is probably common in RPGs such as this, gameplay takes a hit in Tales of the Abyss. Combat is painfully repetitive, yet the player must engage in battles quite often to level up sufficiently. Sound familiar? It should if you're an RPG fan. I just wish...!

Boy or Girl?

Maternal Instinct?

I have to admit I have questions about Yoshi. Is it a boy or a girl? Yoshi lays eggs but has a counterpart, Birdo. Personally I think he's a boy! The more that I think about it the more confused I get. It really doesn't make sense. My theory is that when Yoshi first appeared in the game Super Mario World in 1990, it was a girl. This is why it (I feel so cruel calling Yoshi an it) could lay eggs. Though when everyone decided romance was better than friendship, Birdo entered the picture and suddenly Yoshi was one of the guys!

Then again Yoshi still kept, and still does, laying those eggs. Another example of Yoshi being a girl is the game Yoshi's Island. No man could suddenly take up a baby that was stranded and decide to help it get back home. This is a maternal extinct. Yoshi is a very complex and confusing character of the Super Mario series. I think we all know Yoshi is a boy, but then again there's still some speculation! What do you think? Boy or girl?

Nintendo news round-up and my thoughts

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!

Why Rhythm Heaven Fever is everything a rhythm game should be: A Review

Piano lessons since age 5, band and choir during high school, dance lessons, guitar lessons, jazz band...yeah, you could say music has been a big part of my life. My first encounter with the rhythm video game genre came in the form of Guitar Hero II on PlayStation 2. I was probably 14-ish.

The first Rhythm Heaven game for Nintendo DS, paired with the game Samba de Amigo for Wii opened up my mind to the fact that Guitar Hero and Rock Band aren't the only rhythm video games out there. And they certainly aren't the best.

Rhythm Heaven Fever is the best rhythm game I've ever played. And, hey, I've played my fair share of Guitar Hero. In Rhythm Heaven Fever, everything just comes together in one solid package.

So what is the Rhythm Heaven formula? The player takes part in a variety of rhythm-based activities, each with its own original tune. In Fever, only two buttons are used for this: A and B. This places wonderful emphasis on the music and gameplay. The game isn't bogged down with gimmicky peripherals or imprecise motion control, yet it has a richness to it. This may be due to the copious amounts of sheer charm. While one game will have you high-fiving monkeys from the second hand of a clock, the next might have you playing badminton at an altitude of 8,000 feet, all to the beat of an infectious song. I can assure you that each and every activity in Fever will tickle your giddy nerves in some way.

Fever is set up in a way that promotes maximum satisfaction. What do I mean by this? Well, I'll start with the basics. You'll unlock a single mini-game at a time by getting a rating of at least "OK" on the previous game. The games come in columns of five, the final one being a remix of the first four. Remixes are the greatest challenges of the game, but they form the backbone of what turns out to be an excellent, balanced difficulty curve.

Fever also has a great rewards system. Normally, there are only three simple ratings to achieve on a particular song: Try Again, OK, or Superb. An OK rating will get you past a song, but Superb will earn you a medal. Medals "buy" in-game extras like "Endless Games" and "Rhythm Toys". You can also earn a perfect score on a game, but only when the game grants you the opportunity. Earning perfect scores is not the easiest task, especially considering you only get a limited amount of tries when the opportunity arises. If you miss an opportunity, it will open up again eventually, but perfect scores unlock music and humorous reading material. Unlockables are not offered on a neat little platter to the gamer's face, which fuels a drive to play new games and even replay old favorites. It's a deeply satisfying format.

Rhythm Heaven Fever does offer a two-player mode. However, only a fraction of the main collection of mini-games make their way to this portion of the game. In addition, online function is non-existent in this game. To me, however, these are two minor issues that are more than compensated for in the rest of the game. And with a nifty entry price of $29.99, it's not likely I'll find a bigger bang for my buck in a long time.

Conclusion
Rhythm Heaven Fever gets a Superb rating from me. It offers a simple, uncluttered control scheme and interface to place more focus on what matters: the music, the beat, the rhythm, whatever you want to call it! It does it all with style and a satisfying rewards system. The two-player modes lacks, but at least it's there! Though it lacks any kind of online features, Rhythm Heaven Fever is a can't-miss experience on the Wii console.

Of polls, blog rolls, and other such things

I just want to point out a few little changes I've recently made with the blog. First of all, we have a couple of new pages. I thought it prudent to have pages specifically for Nintendo's current generation of consoles, so check out the "Wii" and "3DS" pages when you have time. Next, we have two crucial additions to the sidebar, the first being a weekly poll. This week's question is "which Nintendo hero/heroine is your favorite?" So what are you waiting for? Cast your vote now!

The new sidebar blog roll is what I really want to highlight. Each of these blogs have authors who've been a great support to my insignificant little blog with great comments and even links to my posts on their sites. In addition, they're all phenomenal blogs, support or no support. To all you authors of other blogs: thanks!

What does the Pokemon series need?

So you're curious about what the Pokemon series needs, are ya? I would only assume as much: you are reading this post, after all. Nothing is wrong with the sales of Pokemon games. As always, they tend to be instant best-sellers.

Since the series doesn't necessarily need help, what does it need? I'll end the suspense for you: the Pokemon series needs another adventure similar to Pokemon Colosseum. Gasp!

As I discussed in my review of Pokemon Colosseum, this Gamecube gem does a lot to break free of the typical Pokemon formula. The storyline sees the player controlling a former gang member who turns over a new leaf, instead focusing his efforts on fighting said gang. Having stolen the Pokemon "snagging" machine from his old hideout, he has the ability to capture other trainers' Pokemon. Whoa, right? You can already tell that the storyline is entirely engrossing. It really is. Pokemon Colosseum may be a little rough around the edges, but I think it added something invaluable to the series: a little bit of darkness. Not too much, of course: it's still a children's series, after all.

I would love to see another home console outing in the Pokemon series that follows the trend Colosseum began. Gale of Darkness (Colosseum's sequel) disappointed me because it substantially down-played the mature appeal of Colosseum. Battle Revolution (for Wii) didn't even excel at what it's sole focus was: battling.

What does the Pokemon series need? An epic home console entry that mixes things up, adds a darker tone, but maintains core Pokemon principles: collecting Pokemon, battling to level them up, and so forth. What direction would you like to see the Pokemon series take?

Nintendo Music: Peach's Castle

Ladies and gentlemen, I present my new favorite arrangement of the classic Super Mario Bros. theme! Nothing beats the charm of the original, of course, but this arrangement has a charm of its own. It played on the Peach's Castle stage in the original Super Smash Bros. Yes, I played this game, I loved this game...all before I could really appreciate the music, however. I've never heard anything so deliberately bouncy as this song! Hope you enjoy it!

GameBoy Advance Ambassador games: First Impressions (part 2)

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
I hope that Minish Cap will assist me to find the passion for top-down, 2-D Zeldas that I know is somewhere in me! From what I've played, I know the simple fact that the 2-D Zelda experience has really improved since the original Legend of Zelda on NES, and that alone is quite comforting.

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
I have really enjoyed this game...mostly for its story. But that story is enough to keep me interested! Sacred Stones is what you call a tactical role-playing game: in other words, the player commands a party on a grid-based map to complete an objective. My limited experience with tactical role-playing has generally been a negative one, and Sacred Stones is no exception. So yeah...kinda on the fence with this one.

Kirby and the Amazing Mirror
This game is classic Kirby at its best! Not that I've had a lot of experience playing Kirby games, though. Still, I have loved every cute little moment of this game so far!

Warioland 4
If ever there was a game that actually made me think, "Wow, I'm kinda tired of all these stinkin' platformers," it's probably this one. A person can only handle so many different takes on the formula!

Well, that's it! Are there any games in the Ambassador collection you particularly like?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine’s Day is the day of love! You can share love with anyone - even your cat - or anything. Although some choose to share it with their cats; I choose to share it with other humans, and what better way to share your love with nothing other than video games? Instead of taking your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, or even your best friend whom you are in love with out to dinner why not sit down and play a couple of rounds of Super Smash Bros? Calm down for once, just enjoy the simplicity of video games! Maybe even let them win a few rounds!

GameBoy Advance Ambassador games: First Impressions (part 1)

F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
Yikes! Ya know, many of the racing games of yesteryear just didn't age well. I believe this is one of them. I think that can be attributed partially to the D-pad based control scheme...and the 2-D graphics. Yeah, racers are probably better off in 3-D. All I know is I wouldn't pay for this game.

Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
How did I miss out on the original Yoshi's Island in my youth?! It's a flippin' sweet game! Stay tuned on this one for sure!

Mario Kart: Super Circuit
I actually have this game in GBA cartridge format! To be brief, I've never liked it...at all...in the slightest. If the original Mario Kart on Super Nintendo is anything like this one, I'll stay far away.

Mario Vs. Donkey Kong
I haven't played this one much, but what I've seen, I've liked...a lot. It's kind of a combination of platforming and puzzle-solving. I can't wait to have time to play more of this little gem!

Metroid Fusion
Another title I have an actual cartridge of! I love playing this game on my GBA SP. But the D-pad and face buttons on the Nintendo 3DS system are, to be quite frank, a pain to use. They're too stiff or something. That aside, Metroid Fusion is an excellent game.

Warioware, Inc. Mega Microgame$
Apparently this title introduced the brilliant concept of microgames. It works, and works well. Obviously there isn't going to be a lot of meat to this kind of game, but it's a much-appreciated diversion.

Six down, four to go! Look forward to part 2 in this series in a couple of days! 

Metroid II: Return of Samus and the way to bring a franchise to the handheld realm

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!

Be a pro Zelda player in no time with these tips and tricks

Frankly I have very little experience playing 2D Zelda games, so keep in mind that this guide applies a lot more heavily to 3D Zeldas. With that pitiful introduction, let's proceed with some tips and tricks:

Master the Control Scheme
The foundation of any Zelda game lies within its control scheme. Fortunately, most Zeldas start out with some kind of simple quest or series of tasks that do an excellent job of easing the player into the controls and the overall feel of the game. The key is to use that introduction to your advantage. Take this time to just move around the game world and use all of the basic functions until you feel like you have a good grasp on the basics. Learn the interface backwards and frontwards. Make sure you know where all of the buttons you'll need to use are and what they do. Simple as that.

Explore
If you're in a hurry to win the next boss, to get to the next plot twist, or to just beat the game, then you're missing out on around 52% of the Zelda experience. That 52% is exploration. Trust me when I say that Nintendo has created some amazing worlds for you to explore in Zelda games. Not only will you familiarize yourself with these fantastic realms when you explore, you're also bound to come across hidden treasure, obscure secrets, and fulfilling side quests. Heart pieces will certainly aid you in the main quest, and collectibles can often be exchanged for a myriad of helpful items and upgrades.

Solving Puzzles
The dungeons in any Zelda game are simply packed with puzzles and brain-teasers galore. Getting stuck on a particularly tough obstacle is quite common for even the most seasoned Zelda player. The first trick is to never give up! There is always a solution. Think logically: what needs to happen in order to get past this obstacle? Is there fire in your path? Is there a high ledge that you need to reach? More often than not, your next goal will be clear...you just need to find a way to reach it. If you have the dungeon map, check it for hints, but don't rely too much on it. Once you've thought the problem through, try a variety of things, starting with what seems most logical. Use all of your items if you must, focusing on the item you acquired last. Never give up!

Fighting Enemies
Many enemies are simple enough to take out with a few sword swings. But some enemies take a little more patience or analysis. The first hint I can give you concerning enemies is this: there is an obvious distinction that will let you know whether your advances are doing any damage at all. Rely on both sights and sounds to know if your strategy is working. The second hint is to exploit the enemy's weak point if your basic sword moves don't seem to be working. Use your items, especially against dungeon bosses. Analyze the enemy's movement and attack style: does it move slow or fast? Is it obvious when it's about to strike? If so, be sure to dodge it, or use your shield if it's not too powerful an attack. Don't be discouraged if you die once in a while. It does take practice. Before long, you'll be practically invincible.

Three Steps For Your Dungeon Crawling Efforts

1. Once you have entered a new room, familiarize yourself with it. Don't do anything rash until you have a good grasp on the contents, shape, etc. of the room. You don't want to jump off a seemingly harmless ledge only to realize you can't get back up again.
2. Take out any enemies. It's a lot nicer to explore a room without having to worry about some sneak attack. Some enemies respawn after a time, but that generally means they won't bother you too much anyway.
3. Search for key features. Oftentimes, the switches, torches, etc. that you'll be dealing with in a particular room stand out a little bit or might even look somewhat out of place. Seek out these features and find out why they're there or how they work.

And with that, I take my leave. I hope you learned something, whether you're a Zelda newcomer or a series veteran. Good luck on your great adventure!

Why Pushmo is the eShop title everyone needs: A Review

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.

The Creative Core of Video Games

I am proud to present you with my first writing submission in the creative writing class I'm taking!

The joy of video games is to have control over larger-than-life abilities. So maybe it’s cool to watch such things in movies or read about them in books, but video games boast something that movies and books just don’t have: user control. And this, my friend, is why video games are crazier, zanier, and even stranger than what you’ll encounter in any movie or book.

Take Super Mario, for instance. I mean, the guy’s a plumber! And a fat one! Yet his jump is inhumanly high. Do we tend to take that for granted? Of course we do! Who thinks about that anyway? It’s too much fun to control him to worry about anything else.

Believe it or not, that’s only the beginning. Where do most of Mario’s adventures take place? Why, the Mushroom Kingdom! I’m a Nintendo gamer. Mushroom Kingdom sounds perfectly logical to me. Then I get thinking about it…so this slightly chubby plumber traverses a world of fungus in order to save the princess. Yeah, maybe it seems a little strange to me now. Don’t even get me started on the whole plumber/princess romance. It gets even odder when Mario’s brother is thrown into the mix.

Goombas. Koopas. Cheep-cheeps. Toad. Piranha Plants. You thought I had run out of weird things to list, didn’t you? Meet the denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom! A goomba is a little mushroom creature with a perpetual scowl—it will harm our intrepid plumber if given the chance. A koopa is a turtle-like being whose sturdy shell can be used by Mario after he jumps on its head. Cheep-cheeps are colorful fish that can both swim and fly. Toad is the little guy you meet at the end of the castle: he’s got stubby little feet and a large round head. Piranha plants are enemies with large mouths and many sharp teeth that reside within…warp pipes?

I suppose the concept of warp pipes makes sense, as Mario is a plumber, after all. Mario games milk that concept for all it’s worth. They lead to secret areas. They house hidden dangers. Sometimes they move. Mario makes plumbing seem cool and even clean.

How did all of these oddments develop into the most well-known video game series in history? It’s because all of these oddments lend themselves to clever ways to control the action on the screen. “Well, we need our character to jump higher than any human possibly could, so why not make him a plumber?” “It would make sense if he could defeat enemies by jumping on them.” “If he jumps on this turtle’s head, it would retreat into its shell, after which he can use the shell as a weapon.” Video games are about interaction, so to choose an imaginative setting allows great gameplay ideas to develop.

Nintendo just decided that video games can and even should be as over-the-top as the imagination permits. That is the creative core of video games.

How Mutant Mudds joins the ranks of great eShop titles: A Review

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?