First Impressions: Kingdom Hearts Re:coded

In preparation for the release of Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance, I have been frantically trying to catch up in the Kingdom Hearts series. A few weeks ago, I was about 10 hours into Kingdom Hearts II, but playing through it was a very slow process: I thought the combat uninspired and the storyline stale.

So I'm afraid to say I quit. I hoped that the two Kingdom Hearts entries on Nintendo DS would impress me.

Enter Kingdom Hearts Re:coded for the Nintendo DS. I'm glad to report that Re:coded is a really excellent RPG.This may seem strange if you know the game's basic story: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Jiminy Cricket are trying to repair Jiminy's journal from the first Kingdom Hearts adventure. To do so, they enlist the help of a digital Sora. The player will traverse all the same worlds that are in the first Kingdom Hearts game.

In theory, it may seem kinda lame, but rest assured Re:coded and the original Kingdom Hearts are far from the same game. Button-mashy combat that is a staple of the series is present in Re:coded, but a variety of other play styles are thrown into the mix with pleasing results. A well-designed platforming stage at the end of Traverse Town is one such example. My favorite gameplay deviation has to be the turn-based battle system in Olympus Coliseum.

Re:coded has really impressed me up to this point, so I can't help but be optimistic about Dream Drop Distance.

You're playing that?!



For some it's this way, for others it's opposite

All of us have those game genres that we absolutely cannot stand! The question is why? Why do most girls hate sport and killing games? Why do most guys love those? It's all a matter of opinion!

Personally I can't stand games that involve guns and shooting/killing or games that you play a sport in! Every time I see one of my little brothers playing those types of games I say something along the lines of, "You're playing that?" Every time they answer back, "This game is awesome!" I have never ever understood it.

I'm not saying those games are lacking in any way (especially considering the fact that shooting games improve your reaction speeds in real life), I just really hate those types of games! I'm more of a strategizing kinda gal myself!

I believe girls are more peace-loving and calm, and that's why the majority of us love games genres like RPG and Platformers. Men, on the other hand, love the action and adrenaline that come with fast paced shooting games.

What about you? What kind of games do you enjoy most to play? Why do you think that certain people enjoy certain games? Leave your response in the comment section below! We love to hear from you guys!

Nintendo Direct 6.21.2012: Kingdom Hearts 3D (Dream Drop Distance)

To watch the latest Nintendo Direct, click here.

In continuation of our discussion about the latest Nintendo Direct, today I'll be talking about Kingdom Hearts 3D (Dream Drop Distance). The game will be out for N3DS on July 31 of this year.

KH3D is set to have a few special features that I'm looking forward to. First of all, the game will have some sort of StreetPass functionality. I'm guessing "Dream Eaters" will have something to do with that, though I don't exactly know what those are. "Dream Eaters" also play a part in an AR feature that the game will have. Whatever they are, "Dream Eaters" must be useful to the gameplay somehow.

Speaking of AR, a special collector's set called the "Mark of Mastery Edition" will come with a few cards. It'll also include12 cards detailing the history of the series and a Kingdom Hearts protective 3DS case.

On top of all that, Kingdom Hearts 3D will also support the Circle Pad Pro, if that's your cup of tea.

In addition, a demo of KH3D is currently available in the eShop. After playing it, I can tell you the game shows a lot of promise. I particularly enjoyed the combat, which includes a couple of things the series hasn't seen before that give the whole system a lot of depth. But I won't spoil it for you. Download the demo and see for yourself what's in store!

What are your thoughts on Kingdom Hearts 3D? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

Other Nintendo Direct 6.21.2012 Posts

• Nintendo 3DS XL Introduced 
• Super Smash Bros. Wii U/3DS

Language of the gamer: acronyms and other useful information

I was fairly young when I subscribed to Nintendo Power magazine. They should have supplied a pamphlet or something with all of the terms and abbreviations that I would be introduced to by reading it. RPG? FPS? Platformer? Well, I've decided to post this guide to help you understand better the language of the gamer:

Common Acronyms

• RPG = role-playing game
• FPS = first-person shooter
• RTS = real-time strategy
• MMORPG = massively multiplayer online role-playing game
• NES = Nintendo Entertainment System
• SNES = Super Nintendo Entertainment System
• N64 = Nintendo 64
• GCN = Gamecube
• GBA = Gameboy Advance
• N3DS = Nintendo 3DS

Video Game Genres

• Role-Playing Games. In short, RPG's have the player control a party of fighters in turn-based or real-time battles. Characters can level up in one or many skills, some kind of currency exists in the game world, and items with various qualities can be collected and used. 
• First-Person Shooters. FPS's put the player in direct control of a character with at least one projectile weapon at his/her disposal. The player sees as if from the character's eyes.
• Platformers. Super Mario games are generally platform games. The player moves the character to avoid enemies and obstacles by jumping and dodging.
• Real-Time Strategies. Think Warcraft, Starcraft, Age of Empires, or Battle For Middle Earth. In RTS's the player builds a civilization by directing people to construct buildings, training troops to lead in battle, and advancing offensive and defensive technologies. 
• Massively Multiplayer Online Games. Ever heard of Runescape? MMO's can combine with other genres. As you might expect, they just add thousands of other players into the mix. Usually, the ability to communicate and interact with other players is a key feature of MMO's.

Obviously there are many other video game genres, but these were the most confusing to me initially. Still have questions? Or do you want to add to the knowledge? Use the comment form below to share your thoughts.

First Impressions: Golden Sun

Being an RPG fan, I thought I might like a little GBA game called Golden Sun. Well, I've played it for a fair amount of time, and here's what I think so far:

Golden Sun has a really typical, predictable kind of storyline. And the uninspired dialogue doesn't help its cause. As the player, you control Isaac (or whatever you want to call him), and go on a quest to save your friends and ultimately the world. I can't say it's very engaging, but at least it's there.

Fortunately, Golden Sun redeems itself with a compelling battle system involving the four elements (earth, wind, fire, and water), pretty graphics that are reminiscent of SNES beauties like Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana, and other well-implemented gameplay elements like puzzles that break up the monotony.

All in all, I'm really enjoying Golden Sun so far.

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...!