Video game-inspired dreams

Believe it or not, a dream I had last night prompted this post. Who would have guessed!

Much of my thought lately has been engaged with Pushmo, because the excitement surrounding Crashmo's imminent release is too much to bear without the comfort of playing its predecessor. Dreams are mysterious things, but I find that anything on my mind, big or small, may find its way into mine. Last night, I dreamed that I was playing the level-1 challenges in Pushmo, and somehow I got to the end without having saved all the children! I got this horrible feeling. How could I miss any of the children in the easiest set of puzzles? When I woke and saw my Nintendo 3DS on the desk, I still had the aching feeling that my Pushmo skills really weren't up to par. Not true, of course, and reality soon caught up to me.

A second Nintendo related dream I had involved The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Before the game came out, I gave it plenty of dream-worthy thought. I read in an issue of Nintendo Power that the game began on Skyloft, with Link training to become a knight. That got me all kinds of excited for some reason. I dreamed of Skyward Sword before it ever released, and it was a sweet dream. The game would literally be a dream come true for me when it finally hit store shelves in November last year.

Ever had any video game-inspired dreams of your own? I would love to hear about 'em!

For rhythm-lovers it is, indeed, heaven - A Review of Rhythm Heaven

Before diving into my review of Rhythm Heaven for the Nintendo DS, I would just like to remind you that I reviewed the Wii sequel, Rhythm Heaven Fever, first. Being out of order and all, I will try to separate the two games in my mind to give the DS original its just rewards.

Rhythm Heaven is an E-rated rhythm game for the Nintendo DS system. It's controlled almost entirely on the touch screen, with the player holding the DS in the sideways "book" position. Righties and lefties are both welcome! The player completes a series of rhythm-based mini games by tapping, sliding, and flicking the stylus on the touch screen.

Visually, Rhythm Heaven is a real treat. The graphics are decidedly cartoony, but each mini game differs from the others in some small way. The hardware of the Nintendo DS is beginning to show its age at this point, but Rhythm Heaven's graphical appeal is hard to deny even now.

The music in Rhythm Heaven is admittedly a mixed bag. The songs are, more often than not, quite forgettable. And the handful of vocal performances within the bunch are shoddy at best. However, there are a couple of standouts in the soundtrack. The "Built to Scale" and "Rhythm Rally" tunes are two such examples.

Though the music itself isn't perfect by any means, it does serve to create some really great rhythmic gameplay. Like I mentioned before, tapping, sliding, and flicking the stylus on the touch screen comprise the majority of control in Rhythm Heaven. It may seem like a simple control scheme, but it lends itself to a rhythmic precision that I find very appealing. If there is anything to complain about control-wise, it's that the force needed to complete successful flicking in this game can be quite taxing on a touch screen.

Rhythm Heaven is a challenging, but rewarding, game. Medals earned by acquiring Superb scores go toward unlockables like rhythm toys and endless games, which are fairly satisfying diversions. Perfect scores earn reading materials and music tracks, both of which can be accessed through the Cafe, where players are meant to go to relax and take a breather from the main game. Overall, Rhythm Heaven is a surprisingly deep game, especially considering you can nab a copy for very cheap nowadays.

I don't typically mention sound effects in my reviews, but it would be hard to slide by without noting those in Rhythm Heaven. Often, the game's strange and quirky sound effects are there to help the player get into the rhythm's flow, but they turn out to be integral elements to the game's overall charm. The dancing amphibians in "Frog Hop" and the voice in "Lockstep" are two particularly memorable examples.

Conclusion
You would have to be really picky to not find something good in Rhythm Heaven. For fans of the music genre, it's got intelligent, precise rhythms to master. For those just looking to add another great game to their DS collection for cheap, Rhythm Heaven is a steal. Its charm and gameplay alone merit a purchase.

Games that "Take State"

What game gets the golden trophy?

As some of you may know (although I highly doubt it) my volleyball team that I am on just took state! Since then that's all that I can think about! So here is my post on games that "Take State:"

6.Kirby's Return to Dreamland

5.  Halo Series

4.Legend of Dragoon

3. Chrono Trigger

2. Final Fantasy Series

STATE CHAMPION: You are going to have to decide that one for me! It's way too hard!!!!!

 

The reason why I have these games is because they score high in all different areas! Areas that include music, storyline, character develpoment, graphics, and just pure amazingness. What do you guys think? Also, because Halloween is right around the corner, what is the spookiest game you've ever played? I think the weirdest game I've played has got to be "Shadow King." Never got to finish it though...

Strange and unusual gaming habits

For as long as I can remember, I have played every side scrolling Mario game with the tip of my thumb constantly pressing down the "Y" button (or the "1" button). Those of you who consider yourself to be good at Mario know why this is. Because constantly dashing is the only way to be good at Mario!

So when I play a side scrolling platform game that isn't Mario, you can understand why I still press that "Y" or "1" button, even when it has no effect on that particular title's gameplay. I've done this in basically every Kirby game I've ever played. And, most recently, I've done it while playing Rayman Origins for Wii. These games actually have their own method of dashing. In Kirby games, a double tap of the d-pad in the desired direction typically triggers the dash. The "B" button on the back of the Wii remote is the dashing method for Rayman Origins on Wii.

Another strange and unusual gaming habit I have is scrolling past Kaepora Gaebora's dialogue in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Or wait....is that something everyone does? By the way, Kaepora Gaebora is the owl. That obnoxious, long winded owl!

Putting my Wii remote wrist strap on might also be a strange and unusual habit. I don't even have to think about it, but I've noticed that very few other people think to put it on.

What strange and unusual gaming habits do you have? Is it strange and unusual to scroll past Kaebora Gaebora's dialogue, or is that something everyone does?

Are you gnome enough? A review of 2 Fast 4 Gnomz (Nintendo eShop)

Watch the trailer here!

The kingdom of Gnomia needs a hero! A hero who can find a princess and collect as many socks as possible on the way!

Such is the very basic storyline of upcoming Nintendo 3DS download 2 Fast 4 Gnomz, an action platformer from developer QubicGames. Or perhaps a more apt description of the game would be running platformer. For those of you who've played WiiWare title Bit.Trip Runner, 2 Fast 4 Gnomz is very much in the same high-speed vein.

In 2 Fast 4 Gnomz, you'll traverse more than four worlds with several platforming levels apiece. Because our intrepid gnome is in constant motion throughout each level, it's up to you to use a slew of abilities to avoid obstacles. These abilities include jumping, gliding, crushing stuff, and more. An impressive array of environmental elements will put your all of your skills to the test, and when the challenge gets steep, finding the right flow can feel very rewarding.

Speaking of challenge, the game's difficulty curve hits a pretty good balance. Each world introduces you to a new ability, giving you ample opportunity to get a feel for it in the first level or two. By the time you've reached the final level, however, you've been challenged with not only the newest skill, but all of the previous skills as well. Thankfully, frequent checkpoints keep the game from being overly frustrating.

The graphical style of 2 Fast 4 Gnomz is appropriately cartoony, if a bit generic. I was glad of the visual variety amongst the four main worlds, which are based upon the four seasons. It's just unfortunate that they don't add anything gameplay-wise, like ice in the winter levels or piles of leaves in the autumn levels.Though I'm not a huge fan of stereoscopic 3-D in general, the game pulls it off well. Like I mentioned above, the story is minimalistic, but fairly entertaining. The game certainly has a strange charm to it, which I like.

If there's anything I would add to 2 Fast 4 Gnomz, it would be, well, more game! I enjoyed what the game had to offer, but I found myself wanting more. For example, there are no boss battles to speak of. And I had the entire thing beat in less than a few short hours. For $4.99, I would expect a little more bang for my buck. But if you're itching for a reflex-driven, running platformer, 2 Fast 4 Gnomz might be just the game you've been craving. It arrives for North American gamers on November 1st.