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 #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!

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?