Now Playing: Week of March 31-April 6

Weekly "Now Playing" posts will begin appearing on the Nintendo Lifeline every Saturday, letting you know what Mary and I are planning to play (and possibly review *winks*) in the coming week. So, without further introduction, let's jump right in:

Holly
Me? I could sure tell you what I want to play, but that list would take up a massive amount of post. What I need to play is Okami. My chemistry lab is over for the semester, which will surely free up time in my schedule. On the handheld front, I'm ecstatic to let you all know that I recently picked up the Gameboy Advance game Golden Sun, to which I'm officially hooked. And I'll most likely finish up Kid Icarus: Uprising this week as well. Excitebots: Trick Racing is my current Gamefly rental, so, in the words of Fi, I calculate a 99.99% chance that I will finish it during the week. In addition to all of that, I hope to play some of my Virtual Console games: Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario 64, Final Fantasy III, Actraiser, and Donkey Kong Country to name a few.

Mary
Mary being even busier than me, she has made a single video game goal for the week: to reach a different ending in Chrono Trigger. You all know how high school is! Sports, friends, family, homework, musical instruments, etc. It's sheer chaos!

And you?
The final question, though, is what are you playing this week?

Welcome back to the Kid Icarus: Uprising Tabletop Tumble! Commence Round 2!

If you'll recall from Round 1 of the Kid Icarus: Uprising Tabletop Tumble, Pit has fallen to Three-Headed Hewdraw, but not before he managed to take out Mik! Today we learn who the winner of Round 1's cliff-hanger match, Magnus vs. Three-Headed Hewdraw, will be! First, however, let's have a little discussion. Three-Headed Hewdraw surprised me with a victory against Pit, angel of light. But is our three-headed villain a match for Magnus, the strongest of humans? Parko of Play Nintendo seems to think so. Even so, I think I'm going to put my money on Magnus.

Let's find out! Commence Round 2!

And the winner is...Magnus! He really is one powerful human if he can defeat the enemy that defeated Pit!

Match 4: Magnus vs. First Blade

Maybe all Pit needs to win this thing is a weapon! Enter First Blade card! Magnus, on the other hand, has proved a formidable enemy. I think First Blade is the underdog in this match-up. Therefore, I feel I have no choice but to favor Magnus once again. Will my faith in Magnus prove to be my strength or downfall?

 

And the winner is...Magnus! And he triumphs once more! Will this guy ever go down?

Match 5: Magnus vs. God of Death, Thanatos

Time to give Magnus a real opponent! That is to say, I would think that God of Death, Thanatos would be more of a match than, say, Three-Headed Hewdraw. I'm gonna have to pass on betting on this match. Let's get straight to the results:

And the winner is...Magnus! Will Magnus never meet his superior in battle? Do we even want to see him go down?

Match 6: Magnus vs. Medusa (Battle)

It's time for this round's cliff-hanger match. I think Medusa (Battle) is definitely more intimidating than any of Magnus' opponents so far. But hasn't this determined human already proved his mettle? Who will you root for? Show it by leaving a comment! Until next time!

Nintendo Lifeline presents the Kid Icarus: Uprising Tabletop Tumble! Let Round 1 Begin!

I gotta say, I've been having a blast with the AR Idol cards that work with Kid Icarus: Uprising. From what I've heard, there will be hundreds of these things! And no, they won't be that easy to get, either. Here's a little tip for you, though: the April edition of Nintendo Power magazine contains a pack of three! So, out of hundreds, I have a whopping 9 cards. How 'bout that!

Anyway, I spent a ridiculous amount of time yesterday playing around with my AR Idol cards. It gave me the inspiration for today's post. Ladies and gentlemen, let Round 1 of the Kid Icarus: Uprising Tabletop Tumble begin!

Match 1: Pit vs. Mik

I'm going to have to put my money on Pit in our first battle of the day. He is, after all, an angel. And for those of you who've played the game, you know that the enemy Mik is quite a weakling. Shall we find out?

And the winner is...Pit! Was there ever any doubt? But will Pit be strong enough to face his next opponent:

Match 2: Pit vs. Three-Headed Hewdraw

I'm a sucker for a classic good vs. evil plot. And we all know that good wins! Therefore, I'm goin' with Pit once more for our second match-up of Pit against Three-Headed Hewdraw. Also, I beat Three-Headed Hewdraw myself in the game with Pit, so what else would I do? Let's see for ourselves:

And the winner is...Three-Headed Hewdraw! And Pit goes down! Who'da thunk it?

Match 3: Magnus vs. Three-Headed Hewdraw

 After Three-Headed Hewdraw's surprising victory against the servant of light, I'm starting to think anything can happen in this tournament. Will Magnus pull off the victory that evaded Pit? Or will Three-Headed Hewdraw prove his strength once more? I'm going to leave the commentary open to you guys. Leave your thoughts in the comments! We'll find out once and for all in Round 2 of the Kid Icarus: Uprising Tabletop Tumble! See you then!

First Impressions: Kid Icarus Uprising

Let me just start out by saying that Kid Icarus Uprising, for the fairly short time I've played it, has blown my mind. Never, in my wildest dreams in a million years, would I have expected to like this game as much as I do so far. I already can't wait to get back to playing it.

But let's slow down and rewind. Back to the moment when I first powered up the game. The first thing I did was watch the opening video in 3-D. This was the first indication that I was in for a treat. The graphics were stunning, and the 3-D was impressive. After this video, I touched through into the menu. One thing that struck me once I had a profile up and running was the large amount of buttons to press. I've only played in single player mode so far, but it's exciting to know that there's much more to discover in the game.

About the actual game, though. I have to say that I started out disliking the controls. They're simple enough: the circle pad moves Pit, the touch screen aims his weapon, and the R button shoots it. In practice, it takes a bit of coordination to use them. But that's all you need to master them: practice. Once I had the controls down, the game turned into a ton of fun. And, as the opening sequence suggested, the stereoscopic 3-D graphics are absolutely phenomenal.

I have to say, I'm not a fan of touch control in general. But the use of touch in the game Kid Icarus Uprising is spot-on. I haven't experienced any discomfort from these controls. From my limited play time so far, I heartily recommend this game. Am I alone? Let me know what you think of the game so far in the comments!

Name the game that comes out today. Yes, it's Kid Icarus Uprising!

I have to say I'm rather excited to play Kid Icarus Uprising. In the months leading up to this release, I spent a lot of time trying to decide whether to be interested or not. Finally I gave in and pre-ordered it. Whether it turns out to be one of my favorites or not, I'm eager to play it anyway. How about you guys?

Too many games to play, too little time

This post comes to you just as I attempt to get back into the flow of things after a week-long Spring Break. Appropriate, eh? I'm sure I'm not the only one who has a long list of games to play and not enough time to play them. Perhaps this post will help you out with that a little.

Me? One of my top priorities right now is the game Okami for Wii. The trouble here is that it's one of those deep games that cannot be played in short little bursts. It takes me ten minutes alone just to readjust to it. Which brings me to my first piece of advice. If you're busy, try to stick with more bite sized games. I've also been playing a lot of Tetris lately. Whenever I have a little bit of free time, I simply flip open my Nintendo 3DS and get playing. Don't worry yourself over those deeper experiences, not until you do have the time to play them: weekends are often a great time, and some sort of break or vacation will be here before you know it!

I know I just told you not to worry about the games you just don't have time to play, but for the sake of this post, let's worry a bit. Along with Okami, I'm working on the game Kingdom Hearts II. I need to be caught up in the series before Dream Drop Distance arrives, so I'll go from KH II to Re: coded and 365/2 Days. I want to beat all of the Super Mario games out there, so after beating the original, I'm trying to find time to play Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and Super Mario 64. Speaking of oldies like those, I recently got a slew of other Virtual Console games to experience someday, including Final Fantasy III, Kirby 64, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Chrono Trigger, Act Raiser, and more. On the Nintendo 3DS front, I've got several downloaded games to find time to play. Pushmo, Dillon's Rolling Western, Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword, and Zen Pinball 3D are just a few. Let's not even mention all of the ambassador games that need to be played.

I have found that it takes prioritization to get through all of your worthwhile video games. Some games need to be played. I should think Okami is one of them, so that's why I'm focusing on it. Other games should go a little lower on the priority list, like Zen Pinball 3D for instance. What does your list of to-play games look like?

Joe and Mac - a review

One of the greatest two player games of all time on the Super Nintendo is Joe and Mac. If you haven't heard of this game you are crazy. This game takes place in the dinosaur era where you are a caveman. Strangely enough even though you are a caveman you talk as if you are from the coast. Everything is "Bogus Dude; we gotta save the babes!" I know, it doesn't make any sense at all! Besides that it's a really fun game. As the opening explains why you're going on you're quest to fight big bad Dino's, you get a cute little scene. Neanderthal Nerds (as the game puts them) come into your village and scare off the "totally hot babes". It is your job to go around you're world and save all of the girls whom have gotten into a lot of trouble. Pretty awesome story line!

This is a great game by yourself, but if you want the full experience, I would suggest to grab a buddy that you can have a little friendly competition with without it getting to out of hand! At the end of each level you must face some sort of prehistoric animal, and whoever ends up hitting that animal the most times gets the rewarding kiss on the cheek from the pretty girl who was being held captive. This game is full of fun and adventure. It takes only a little bit of skill and strategizing; a very good game for beginners. Make sure that if you play it with a friend, sibling, or anybody that you don't hate them. This game can get very competitive when it comes to getting good power ups, meat, and the final kiss at the end. This game is a definite five out of five stars! I still play this game; and even though I am writing a review on it I still haven't killed the very last ending guy! Joe and Mac is so easy yet so challenging! If you haven't already give it a try; it's totally worth it!

Nintendo Music: Sea of Serendipity

I was playing Rayman Origins with Mary and my younger sister when we got to this level. As you can imagine, it's water-based. When the three of us stopped to listen to the music we had to suppress more than a few little giggles. This song has got to be the most memorable in this game, standing out amongst tracks that together form a soundtrack that's already fantastic to begin with. If you haven't given Rayman Origins a thought, I suggest you do so right now. And may that thought lead you to buy the game as well! 

Nintendo Lifeline Top Ten Wii Games

Thanks to everyone who participated in our one-year anniversary celebration! This post is meant to be a gateway to all of the Wii games that made our top ten list, so let's dive right in:

10. Excite Truck
One of the first examples of how motion control could be used in racing games, which seemed a logical fit. Excite Truck still holds up today, even though it was released back in 2006. Little else can offer the satisfaction that Excite Truck has in store for gamers: catching big air, slamming into other trucks, driving through a forest to rack up the "tree run" stars, etc. The control in Excite Truck may seem a little wonky, but it can turn into one of the highlights of the whole thing, if only the player lets it.

9. Rune Factory Frontier
Remains one of the most addictive games in my collection. Rune Factory Frontier sees the player in control of Raguna, who has the typical memory issues, and so is essentially forced to live in the quaint little village of Trampoli to begin a lovely new life. Raguna can spend his days any way he wants: fighting monsters in the dungeons, seeking friendship with the locals, maintaining a farm for profits, or any combination of those things. Though the load times may be quite severe in this game, the graphics will not disappoint.

8. Rhythm Heaven Fever
It didn't take long for me to know that Rhythm Heaven Fever would end up being one of my all-time favorite games. Indeed, it is, at the very least, my absolute favorite rhythm game of all time. With simple, precise control, intelligent rhythms, and an imaginative style, Rhythm Heaven Fever will never grow old for this gamer.

7. Super Mario Galaxy
Mario goes into outer space with totally epic results. Super Mario Galaxy did what no other Super Mario could do: make the weird, quirky world of Mario feel grand and mighty, thanks to the out-of-this-world setting and an orchestral soundtrack.

6. New Super Mario Bros. Wii
I love a good side-scrolling platformer, and it doesn't get much better than New Super Mario Bros. Wii. In addition to exhibiting pure platforming genius, New Super Mario Bros. Wii flawlessly added multiplayer to the mix, which would inspire games to come to do the same. None have nailed it quite like New Super Mario Bros. Wii, though.

5. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Zelda series finds its dark side. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is one of the best adventures I have ever experienced. The minimalistic approach to motion control adds a lot, the graphics and presentation are stunning. Also, the Twilight Realm in this game has got to be one of the coolest locations in the history of video games.

4. Wii Sports
Anyone who has owned a Wii console from the early days undoubtedly has fond memories towards the game Wii Sports. The game was magical back then, and it's still fun to play today. Nintendo orchestrated the release of their motion-controlled gaming console with perfect finesse by including this game as a pack-in.

3. Super Mario Galaxy 2
What's even better than the excellent Super Mario Galaxy? Why, Super Mario Galaxy 2, of course! That's not what my expectation was, however. I thought that Galaxy 2 couldn't possibly add anything that Galaxy 1 didn't already have. WRONG! Galaxy 2 is one of the best games I've ever played.

2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
The developers of Super Smash Bros. Brawl must've been insistent that the game be nothing less than perfect. After suffering from two set-backs in release date, the game finally fell into eager gamers' hands. Not only is Brawl a superb gameplay experience, it's also got an impossible amount of sheer content. You could get lost in it!


1. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Skyward Sword came along just as I was hoping for a Zelda game that stayed true to the spirit of the series while adding something completely different. Wouldn't you know it, Skyward Sword did just that! A fresh graphical style, controls that fans had only dreamed of, and a revamped format to the game world are just a few examples of how Skyward Sword soared.

Happy Birthday to the blog!

Don't worry: I'm not planning on this big of a celebration every year. But the first birthday is a very special thing! Happy birthday to you, blog! I'm proud to have made it this far and hope to see many more years, with many more improvements made! Speaking of improvements, I did say that I had something special planned for today, didn't I? Well, along with pulling back the curtain on my favorite Wii game, I have begun what I hope will be a regular thing on the blog: videos! These videos won't necessarily have a consistency to them: I'll publish them on whatever I can that's Nintendo-related, whenever I can. The first is of me playing a song that I hope you'll recognize on the piano. You can view it right here:

It's kinda rough, but, hey, the whole video thing is a work in progress for me, so I hope to make some better ones in the future. Have a great rest of the day, and thanks for your support!

Favorite Wii games countdown #1: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

I kid you not, I have now been sitting at my desk for fifteen minutes or more, wondering what I can possibly say about my number 1 favorite Wii game, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Should I talk about the controls? Should I address the complaints that other reviewers may have towards this game? Should I recount the experience it was waiting for this game to be released? There are simply too many possibilities! Perhaps I'll discuss all of the above. Perhaps not. We'll see where the flow takes me.

The Wait
The very first teaser fans were blessed with was this little beauty right here:

Tantalizing, eh?

The web must've exploded! I got little tidbits here and there on the internet, but this occurred so long ago, I wasn't the web nut I am now. I remember searching for the image so I could place it as my desktop background, all the better to admire it.

News about the new Zelda game came very slowly, or so it seemed to me. During this time, it was a lot easier to not think about the game than it was during the months leading up to its release. When the trailers began flowing, I found it increasingly hard to keep my mind off of this game. Some months before the blessed released date, I pre-ordered the limited edition bundle from Amazon. More waiting. Agony! That, however, wasn't nearly as bad as the wait for my copy to come after the game's release. It released on a Sunday: I didn't get my package until the second Monday after.

The Game
I wasted little time in getting started with the game. I had all of my younger siblings around me. We watched the introduction sequences, enraptured. I found myself completely absorbed into the game world from the moment I took control of Link.

That immersion didn't let up through any portion of Skyward Sword. The pacing was great. There was always something to be in awe of. The motion control, in particular, added much welcome change and depth to the whole experience. In short, the game blew my mind.

Honorable Mention: Rayman Origins
I heard a lot of great things about Rayman Origins from a variety of sources, so I knew I would get it eventually. When I saw I could own the game for $30, I jumped at the chance. And I'm glad I did. Rayman Origins has got a lot of things going for it: pretty graphics, tight controls, a sense of humor, and a charming soundtrack to name a few. I recently played this one with a non-gamer friend of mine, and she loved it! If you ask me, that is one of the best forms of praise a game can receive. That said, don't worry all of you challenge-seekers out there! Origins has plenty of that along with accessibility. Just...don't miss out on this one if you have a Wii, okay? That's all I have to say.

A Game I Should Have Played: Metroid Prime Trilogy
Why?! Three well-reviewed games for a mere $50? Why did I think I could miss out on it?! For those of you who don't know, Metroid Prime Trilogy is a Wii game that actually contains three games: Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2, and Metroid Prime 3. All three Metroid Prime games were met with phenomenal praise. All I can do is keep asking myself "WHY?!" If I bought this game now, it would burn a $150 hole in my wallet. That's three times as much as it was when it first came out. I have never played any of the Metroid Prime games. Someday I'll get around to that, but I'm not so confident that it will be in "Trilogy" form. Why, Holly, why?

Beating a game

This is exactly what I feel! I drew this!

Sadly I have something pathetic to admit to. I have only beaten six Nintendo games in my life. Three of those games consist of Mario. Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario World, and Yoshi's Island. The other two are of course Chrono Trigger and Donkey Kong Country. The most current was Ocarina of Time; I'm so "awesome", yeah right. Anyways I guess my point is I feel pathetic. Out of those five games only one is an RPG; probably the hardest genre to beat out of all of those.

I always end up giving up on games. I know that's a bad thing but they just get so frustrating and hard!! I usually do get back to them after a couple of weeks (sometimes months) but hey, the point is I did get back to them!! After I picked them back up, I do sometimes get past the hard part that made me quit in the first place. I think what makes me want to come back and beat the game is the sense of accomplishment you get! For all of you who've beaten a game before you know what I'm talking about. The most satisfying games to beat are definitely those that have like four discs (in the PlayStation cases at least)! It's insane when you finally beat it.

How do you feel after beating a game? Personally after it's done and beaten I don't even want to look at the case; I'm so sick of it! Then again you feel like something is missing in your life . . . I don't know why! When you get home after a long day and want to play a game you now have to start a new one! I do love the feeling of pure accomplishment when you are watching that final scene. Perhaps one day I'll stop being such a baby and will just jump up and down after killing that final ending guy! How do you react? Pure joy, complete sadness, or are you like me and just put the controller down and walk out of the room very calmly?

Favorite Wii games countdown #2: Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Link, Mario, Kirby, Star Fox, Samus...every one knows it thanks to the Super Smash Bros. series: Nintendo has a great range of franchises and characters to go along with them, and putting them together to duke it out has yielded monumental results. This isn't more evident anywhere but in the game Super Smash Bros. Brawl for Wii. Players can choose from various control set-ups: Wii-mote + nunchuck, classic controller, GameCube controller, and even the Wii-mote by itself. Players can choose from amongst a staggering amount of modes, both in single and multiplayer categories. Players can choose fighters from a list that includes the likes of Pikachu, Toon Link, Ganondorf, Captain Falcon, Ness, Sonic, King Dedede, etc.

At even deeper levels, players can customize their control scheme to perfection and assign it to their name. Then it's time to customize the battle itself. Features like stock, time limit, handicap, stage choice, and item types and frequencies are all at the player's command. Finally, the battle actually begins. A huge potential for strategy is inherently built into the gameplay of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, yet newcomers can easily join in on the action. All in all, Brawl has to be the most content-rich, meaty experience on the Wii console.

Honorable Mention: Kirby's Epic Yarn
Yes, I did put Kirby's Epic Yarn as an honorable mention rather high on this list, didn't I? Well, I'm just that impressed by the game's graphics. Realism? What's realism, anyway? Give me graphics into which thought was put. Give me graphics that are so unique, original, and/or creative that they'll outlive even the most realistic graphics as a work of art. Give me Kirby's Epic Yarn, for Pete's sake! Gameplay? Kirby's Epic Yarn has got that too. Love it!

A Game I Should Have Finished: Donkey Kong Country Returns
I can't say that I regret not finishing Donkey Kong Country Returns. However, the game has received praise enough for me to put it at the number 2 game I should have played/finished. Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Country 2 are a couple of my all-time favorite video games. Donkey Kong Country Returns lacked the charm that make those two games so special to me. Not to mention the music. When I have the time (which I never will), I'll finish Donkey Kong Country Returns.

Favorite Wii games countdown #3: Super Mario Galaxy 2

Whew! This list is winding down! And at the coveted number three position, we have the excellent Super Mario Galaxy 2! I'm afraid to say I was one of those people who thought that since we'd already had a Super Mario Galaxy, what could Galaxy 2 possibly add? Oh dear, oh dear...poor thinking indeed. But lesson learned: trust Nintendo to come up with the kind of stuff that is beyond even our dreams.

And all you need to do is ask my brother to know that the added player two functionality in Galaxy 2 is almost as compelling as the player one position. Well, if you ask my brother, he'll say that player two is even better than player one. He was certainly reluctant to take up the player two gauntlet when I first sat down to play the game. We initially thought it would be the same as it is in Super Mario Galaxy, in which player two can freeze enemies, collect star bits by pointing, and then shoot them at enemies...yay. Dave soon discovered, however, that player two had a little more power in Galaxy 2. Yes, he could collect star bits by pointing. Yes, he could shoot enemies with them. Yes, he could freeze enemies (not to mention certain contraptions with ill intent). He could also collect distant coins and bring them to me. Then he could hold those coins until I needed them, or just give them to me right away. Working together in this way turned out to be a highlight of Super Mario Galaxy 2.

Honorable Mention: Mario Kart Wii
There are many things wrong with Mario Kart Wii. It feels unfair at times. I mean, even more unfair than in other Mario Kart games. Or maybe the problem is that the game is too fair to those who are in last place or close to. But here's the thing: the motion controlled steering in Mario Kart Wii is actually pretty great. The addition of motorcycles makes it even better, and the whole thing is rounded off by the ability to pull off spiffy tricks with a little thrust of Wii remote at the right moment on jumps. Also, like all Mario Kart games, MK Wii is a great multiplayer experience.

A Game I Should Have Finished: Okami
I put Okami here because I've been working on it...for weeks and weeks now. It's a beautiful game, literally. It does have fairly good Zelda-inspired gameplay. I've only managed to commit about ten hours to the experience so far, though, in all that time. I'll work on it, I promise!

Favorite Wii games countdown #4: Wii Sports

For those of you who don't know, the game Wii Sports was the original pack-in game for Nintendo's brand-new Wii console. I don't know about anyone else, but this game had me pumped. It was the way Nintendo would show the world how motion control could be integrated into video games.

And I'll never forget the first time I played it.

It was a feeling unlike any I had ever felt. Here was a piece of content in my favorite medium that actually responded to my movement. It did so with polish, for that matter! Wii was a success! And the funny thing is, Wii Sports remains to this day one of the best examples of motion controlled gaming out there. I still play it once in a while, and I'm always surprised at how well it holds up. Long live Wii Sports!

Honorable Mention: Kirby's Return to Dreamland

To at least rent this game was a no-brainer for me. And that's just what I did. I had Mary over on the day that it came. I thought to myself, "What better time to break it out than while I'm playing video games with Mary anyway?" So I played Kirby's Return to Dreamland with Mary and my little sister, Ivy. It wasn't long before I knew I had to use Gamefly's "Keep" feature on this one. Kirby's Return to Dreamland is a great little platformer that is fun for anyone, but will especially charm the young 'uns.

A Game I Should Have Played: Super Paper Mario
The unfortunate thing is that I've never so much as laid eyes on a Paper Mario game before. I have, however, taken the first step towards playing these mysteries Mario RPG things: I have downloaded the game Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars onto my Wii console. I'm on my way!

Favorite Wii games countdown #5: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

The list of reasons why I like Twilight Princess so much could go on and on and on and on...but I'll just leave you with these thoughts:

1. Gameplay: Twilight Princess adds just a little bit of motion control to tried-and-true 3-D Zelda gameplay, yet it goes a long way towards immersing the player into the game world like no Zelda before it could. Who can ever forget the feeling of pulling Link's wooden sword out for the first time with actual movement? I know I can't. Thanks to Twilight Princess, we also know that pointing the Wii remote to use Link's items is far and away the best and most accurate way to use projectiles. Gameplay also succeeds in Twilight Princess on the dungeons, enemies, puzzles, and bosses front. Clever puzzles that are not too obscure adorn the dungeons in Twilight Princess. Though some may be a little on the easy side, many, if not all, dungeon bosses are unforgettable combat experiences. All in all, Twilight Princess has got fantastic gameplay going on for it.
2. Presentation: I am still in awe of the graphics in Twilight Princess. Considering it was developed for GameCube, I will always be in awe of the graphics in Twilight Princess. And that story! Those cut-scenes! The attention to detail! Hyrule and the stories it holds are brought to life like never before in Twilight Princess. Cherish it!

I would love to go on, but perhaps I'll save the rest of my comments for a full-fledged review on The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. There's only one other Zelda game that can best this one in my list of favorite Wii games, and I think you know what it is, so stay tuned!

Honorable Mention: Wii Fit Plus

I think everything in this game except for the yoga is a polished success. Some highlights include the obstacle course, golf, skateboarding, bicycling, table tilt, hoola hoop...well, there's a lot more, so I'll just leave it at that.

A Game I Should Have Played: Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
I know very little about this game, but apparently I should know a lot more. Stylish and clever are two words that seem to come to my mind when I recall the few things I've read. Has anyone out there played this one? I'd love to hear what you have to say, so leave a comment!

Favorite Wii games countdown #6: New Super Mario Bros. Wii

If you've been keeping track of my list of favorite Wii games, perhaps you've realized that today's game, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, has officially trumped another great Super Mario game from yesterday, Super Mario Galaxy. I have to say that I do love NSMBW just a smidgeon more than SMG. You see, the classic, side-scrolling Mario style holds a special place in my heart. Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo is one of my childhood (and all-time) favorites. NSMBW is everything great about that classic formula all rolled into one.

And dare I forget to mention the multiplayer! Up to four people can gather for local multiplayer in NSMBW. You wouldn't think it could work, but it does in this game! Players can interact with each other any way they want. You can help your friends by picking them up or giving them jump boosts. Or you can hinder your friends by throwing them at enemies or into lava pits. New Super Mario Bros. Wii has served as a great little social tool for me and my friends on countless occasions. Simply put, it is a must-have for any Wii owner.

Honorable Mention: Wii Sports Resort
This game turned out to be a superb showcase of what Wii MotionPlus could do. Personally, I grew to love sword play and archery as great examples. After playing this game, I feel it's a shame that Wii MotionPlus has gone largely unused since.

A Game I Should Have Played: Wario Ware: Smooth Moves
I gotta tell you the story of my first go at a Wario Ware game. I had this friend in Junior High who had Wario Ware on her GameCube. Well, we played it one day. She let me go through a series of what are called "micro games", and I was phenomenal! I wasn't making any mistakes at all. I kept glancing back at her in between games, hoping to see that she was awestruck at my incredible gaming skills. Before long, however, I began to get suspicious. Something wasn't right about this. Finally I found out that this friend of mine had swapped the controllers while I wasn't looking: she had been controlling the game the whole time.

That and about fifteen minutes of Wario Ware on GBA have been my sole experience with the Wario Ware series. I would love to try out Smooth Moves for Wii some time.

Favorite Wii games countdown #7: Super Mario Galaxy

There's nothing like the Super Mario series on the planet. People thought Harry Potter was a big deal? 15 years of magic, my my! And then it all just...ended. Yeah, it was a big deal, but even bigger and more grand is the Super Mario series! 25 years, with no signs of slowing down, my my! Super Mario Galaxy is a reminder of the power that our favorite red-clad plumber can wield over us, even after so many years.

Who would have thought that Mario and space could fit together so well? Nintendo thought it, that's for sure. And they delivered. Galaxy feels like the Super Mario we're all familiar with, yet it also feels like an entirely new experience. Will the creators of Mario never run out of brilliant game design ideas? The world may never know.

Honorable Mention: MotoHeroz
I can't say I particularly like the single player mode in MotoHeroz very much. But I'll be hard-pressed to find such a good multiplayer experience any time soon. I played it with some friends just last night, as a matter of fact. It's been a long time since I've laughed so hard! The gritty, down-to-earth physics in this game make the interaction amongst vehicles one of the highlights of the whole experience.

A Game I Should Have Played: NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams
I know very little about this game. In fact, I don't even know what genre it's in. I have, however, heard that it's a pretty good game. I'll find out for myself...someday.

Favorite Wii games countdown #8: Rhythm Heaven Fever

I know music. I know rhythm. And I know that Rhythm Heaven Fever is a superb rhythm game. It's simple: A and B are the only buttons used. The rhythm is precise, varied, and intelligent. And the pure charm that Fever exudes rounds out an excellent experience.

I didn't mention this in my review of Rhythm Heaven Fever, but when I started the game up, I initially disliked it. The practice before the first mini-game seemed a little unfair to me. Once I got the flow, however, the game was just non-stop charm. I adore this game!

Honorable Mention: NBA Jam
What happened between us, NBA Jam? You were fun to me for, what, a day? Ya know, I suppose it was my siblings who tore us apart: I couldn't stand that they loved you so much more than other excellent multiplayer games like Super Smash Bros. Brawl and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Ah, well...you're still a great little multiplayer game.

A Game I Should Have Played: Wii Music
I'm adding this game to my list not because it got great reviews, but because I wish I could have played it by now. As I've already stated, I love music. Someday I'll give Wii Music a shot.

Favorite Wii games countdown #9: Rune Factory Frontier

Some moments in life, whether we recognize it or not, end up as major turning points. In my gaming life, one such moment was when I asked my buddy if I could borrow the GameCube game Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life from her. She often mentioned it in our conversations about video games, so I figured I should try it out. Sure, it was a little rough around the edges, but it was infinitely addictive.

Rune Factory Frontier is pretty much the exact same way. A little rough around the edges: load times are rather atrocious, and you find yourself encountering them much too often because the segments between load times are painfully small. But infinitely addictive: the game has all of those key RPG elements that submerge the player into the experience like nothing else can. And, like we all know from the time Harvest Moon first began, taking care of a farm and livestock can be surprisingly addictive. Rune Factory Frontier is definitely worth your time whether you're a Harvest Moon/Rune Factory pro or a newbie to the series.

Honorable Mention: Klonoa

As platformers go, Klonoa is a pretty decent game. The voice acting is ultimately corny, but the gameplay's got it where it counts.

A Game I Should Have Finished: Metroid: Other M
Nope, I never did finish this one. Other M belongs to a category that I like to call "Deep, Engrossing Games". In other words, the player needs to devote more than just a few minutes at a time to it. And one can only play so many "Deep, Engrossing Games" at the same time. Right now, those are Okami and Kingdom Hearts II for me, and I barely have time to play those. Someday I will finish Metroid: Other M and give it a proper review.

Favorite Wii games countdown #10: Excite Truck

Christmas morning 2006: there are 3 presents of varying sizes; one for me, one for my brother just below me in age, and one for the brother below him. Mine's the biggest. I have an inkling that it's what I've been clamoring for for months now: a Wii system. I hold it in my lap while I wait for my turn to open. Joe opens something (can't remember what), then Dave opens something. It's finally my turn. I open cautiously, trying not to get my hopes up. My heart does a gleeful somersault: it's a Wii! Best Christmas unwrapping ever! In the next round of opening, Joe and Dave receive the two things that I totally saw coming: a second Wii remote and a game. The game is Excite Truck.

So you see, my earliest Wii memories revolve not only around Wii Sports, but also Excite Truck. It's likely other gamers had the same problem as me with Excite Truck: everything gaming-related up to that point in my life pretty much screamed in my face to use the D-pad to steer. Even after I grasped the motion-controlled nature of the game, it was a while before I grasped the overall feel of the game. Steering in Excite Truck is, shall we say, a little quirky? I hope I'm not turning anyone off to this game, however, because once I got the gameplay down, I loved Excite Truck! Still do, 'smatter of fact. There's little else that offers the thrills and satisfactions that Excite Truck has: catching 5-star air, then landing perfectly on all four wheels for a speed boost; smashing into other racers with bone-crushing force; the list goes on. Try this one out if you get the chance!

Honorable Mention: Link's Crossbow Training

Link's Crossbow Training came packed in with the Wii Zapper accessory. For how cheaply it comes, it's a pretty darn good experience. I still play this one once in a while.

A Game I Should Have Played: Excitebots: Trick Racing
I heard this game was a lot like its predecessor, only better. I've got it on my Gamefly Game Q, but then I've got about 20 other games on there as well. Someday soon...

Something big is happening!

A special day is nearly upon us. What is it? Why, it's the one year anniversary of this blog! Yeah, it's kind of a big deal. And I plan to celebrate with a spectacular countdown of my list of top ten Wii games! The date? Oh yes, of course! March 15th is the very day! (The Ides of March, is that creepy or what?) Look forward to reading about a game a day for the next ten days, ending on my number one favorite Wii game. These posts will additionally include two other games: one honorable mention, and one game that I either should have played or should have finished. Also on March 15th, expect something awesome to happen. It's gonna be big! See you tomorrow with number 10 in the countdown!

Enjoy this Pushmo puzzle, will you!

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!

So ya wanna know about video game genres? Let's start with the platfomer!

When I first subscribed to Nintendo Power magazine many years ago, I was an ardent gamer, yes, but there were a few terms that frequently came up in the magazine that I didn't have a clue about. Most of them related to video game genres in one way or other. FPS, RPG, platfomer...what?!

Nintendo's most famous franchise being Super Mario and all, I thought it prudent to begin with the category that Super Mario belongs to: the platform genre. Even though we all know what a platform is, the idea of a platform video game is a little vague. Why can't Mario games just be "save the princess" games or something like that? Well, video games are different from other mediums because they can be controlled, right? So video game genres revolve around how the games are controlled. Platform games involve platforms. The player controls the character and uses jumps or other forces to land on platforms and avoid pitfalls. It's really important that platformers have some way for the player to jump at will, otherwise you'd be hard pressed to correctly identify a game as a platformer.

And, really, it's as simple as that. Super Mario games are of the platform genre. Some other examples include Rayman Origins, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Kirby's Return to Dreamland, and Mutant Mudds. Play a platformer for yourself today!