What happens when...

...I try to create a Mii using a photo of a Mii? Shall I explain? Alright, here goes: the Mii Maker in the Nintendo 3DS system has a few features that go above and beyond the Mii Channel that the Wii introduced us to. Chief among them is the ability to create a Mii from a photo, which can be taken by the inward- or outward-facing cameras built into the system. Well, I thought it would be interesting to see what happened when that photo was of an already-conceived Mii. Here are the results:

The image on the left is me (or Mii). The image on the right is what my Nintendo 3DS spit out when given a photo of Mii. Interesting...

Bite size bits from the Nintendo eShop

Game: Pokedex 3D
Price: Free
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Short Review: A must-have for Pokemon fans, especially considering it's free. Contains a surprising amount of info on each Pokemon, such as descriptions, moves, and evolutions. Not all Pokemon are available from the beginning, so it's fun to collect.

Game: Mario Calculator
Price: $1.99
Platform: Nintendo DSiware
Short Review: Most handheld gadgets come with a built-in calculator, but the Nintendo 3DS does not. If calculators are your thing, this may be a worthwhile transaction for you at a slim $1.99. Also, the unit conversion function is an unexpected treat.

Game: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
Price: $5.99
Platform: Virtual Console-GameBoy Color
Short Review: Surprisingly fun for a handheld adventure game. A good buy for any Zelda fan. Not a Zelda fan? You'd be wise to stay away.

Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Country Returns

In this situation it's the old against the new. Which one is more popular? Which is more fun? Which one is greater? I have been wondering this since the very beginning! To tell you the truth when DKCR first came out I was prejudiced against it. I thought that there was no way it could ever match up to the old and original DKC! After all it's one of the greatest nintendo games of all time! Though after some time I finally got to play DKCR. I have to say I was pretty impressed.

It is fun to play and simple enough. I was actually really excited to play it! I mean hello it was DK and Diddy! Who wouldn't be excited? They were finally back and ready to go! Of course they got their bananas stolen (goish talk about losing your bananas instead of your marbles...hmm I wonder which is worse?) and that is what starts them off onto their adventure. There are some downsides to the new DKCR though. One that really irks me on is the bad guys.

I do understand that in this day and age that they can make some seriously wicked bad guys but I miss the old ones. What ever happened to the annoying little beavers and the stripedy snakes? The bees and the scary jumping alligator thingys?! It's depressing, it truly is! I liked killing those guys they'd always make funny noises. I'm not creepy I swear! It's just that they were so obnoxious, when you finally killed them you'd get some satisfaction...The upside to having different guys is the little scene at the beginning it's super funny and way cute! 

One thing that I really like about DKCR is that they really do return. It's not just a remake of the old one. It has new boards and a new supreme evil guy that for some reason wants bananas just as much as monkeys want them. Though that does confuse me! Why do they need bananas? Sure they came out of a volcano and probably want some food, but still!! Are they going to roast them on a stick? Actually, that does sound quite apatizing...I'll be right back. (Gets a banana and a stick and tries to roast them over a fire) OKAY NO!! So now I don't understand why he wants the bananas.

Anyways my conclusion is that I really do like both of these games. DKC is of course the original and will forever be number one in my heart. DKCR is a close second. One thing I do have to say though is that I think that it is definitely better than DCK 3. I've never played 2 so I don't really know. Well now that you have read this go and play these two fabulous games and decide which is better! Stop reading this and go do it. Like right now. So why are you still reading this? 

Donkey Kong Country: 8 million copies sold worldwide
Donkey Kong Country Returns: 4.2 million copies sold worldwide

More Ocarina of Time junk to precede a review

Our original Ocarina of Time cartridge. It's taken a beating.

I want my official review of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D to be something special, so I'm holding off and sliding by with teasers here on the Nintendo Lifeline. I could've cruised through the main quest in Ocarina of Time 3D in order to try out the Master Quest, but I'm just so absorbed in the side quests and discovering every little secret. Don't worry, though, the big post will come, and you won't want to miss it!

One characteristic of a "legend" is that its origins are long-forgotten. I think that officially qualifies The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to be a true legend in my life. I know I must have "learned" how to beat this game at some point, but I sure don't remember that. I've simply beaten it too many times to count over the years. My earliest memory of this game, however, definitely happened before I knew how to beat it. Wondering what all the fuss was about, I turned the game on and found myself unable to get past the courtyard of the Temple of Time. Some game. But how old was I? Must've been 7 or 8.

Growing up, I was a girl in a neighborhood full of boys. Ironically, it was I who would play Ocarina of Time while the rest of the neighborhood crew watched. To this day, I can't help but read the dialogue of any Zelda game out loud when someone comes in to watch me play.

Have your own memories of Ocarina of Time? We want to hear about it! Just leave a quick comment!

Why 3D Classics: Excitebike makes me giddy: A Review

You'll never guess how I found out how to play this game! Go on! Guess!

Okay, okay, I'll just tell you. I found a tattered old manual for the original Excitebike in my basement. I thought it was funny.

Anyway, on with this review! First, let me explain just what "3D Classics" means. 3D Classics: Excitebike is the first in a hopefully lengthy library of old video games given the 3D treatment. The original gameplay and graphics remain intact, but now 3D depth has been added. And for a 27-year-old game, Excitebike holds up pretty well. The original was released for the NES in 1984. It was a side-scrolling racer that put players' reflexes to the test with jumps to land and obstacles to avoid. In order to excel at this game, several techniques should be mastered: landing jumps squarely, doing wheelies over certain obstacles, and using turbo effectively, to name a few.

This complex gameplay lends itself to Excitebike's longevity. Trying to pull everything together in order to get the fastest times is a stimulating challenge. Oh, and the 3D visuals aren't too shabby either. I'm dying to see which classic video game gets the 3D treatment next.