E3 Bingo 2015!

It's that time again, folks! E3 is here, which means I this wonderful excuse opportunity to make a ridiculous cool game so you I can win prizes from me you!

Happy 125th Birthday, Nintendo!!

On this day in 1889, Nintendo was founded as a humble playing-card company. It has grown and changed throughout the years to become everyone's favorite company in the whole wide world.

Mario Kart 8 DLC Features F-Zero, Animal Crossing, and Zelda Themes

Mario Kart 8 is an excellent game, but it’s about to become excellenter. This November, Nintendo is releasing the first of two downloadable content packs that include tracks, vehicles, and characters from The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, F-Zero, and Excitebike.

Three New Fighters Announced for Super Smash Bros!

The Smash Bros. roster is getting insane! This morning, Three new characters were announced, including the best fighter in the entire series, and veteran since the beginning, CAPTAIN FALCON!!!

E3 Bingo 2014

This week is E3, the biggest week in gaming! As is tradition, I have created a Bingo card to use during the various presentations. So what's on the board this year?

Nintendo Working on Nintendo-Themed Skylanders-Style Game

You know Skylanders, right? The game with the toys that you scan to get more characters? Yeah. Nintendo is making one.

And it all starts with Mario.

New Line of Nintendo Toys on the Way

Nintendo has recently revealed that they will be releasing a new line of toys based on the World of Nintendo. And it’s not just Mario this time.

Smash Bros. Character Predictions

If you watched the Smash Bros Nintendo Direct on Tuesday (and if you didn't, I hate you), you know that the roster for the new Smash is growing quite large. But there are still some questions as to who else will make it, and perhaps more importantly, who won't. There are still a few months before the games are released, so let's speculate pointlessly about characters!

Fulfilling Your Japaneeds

Nintendo is a Japanese company. I’m guessing that’s because it was founded in Japan. And, for whatever reason, many of the games created in Japan never make it to US shores. It’s a shame, really, since many of these games are excellent. Let’s have a look at a few Japanese games that never made it to the US of A.

Secret Hidden E3 Press Conference?

Today?... a secret hidden E3 press conference with some hidden and unrecognizable Nintendo reps produced some news that we were expecting, but hadn't heard up to this point? The news is as follows?:

• A new Kirby game will be released soon*?
• Mario Party 9 is on its way?
• The DSi will get its own Virtual Console of sorts?
• Strong Bad Season 2 (or equivalent) is under production?
• A new Mario Golf game for the Wii?
• A new Elite Beat Agents(-esque) game?
• Super Monkey Ball will roll again?
• A new F-Zero will (finally) return?!
• More New Play Control games in the pipeline?
• Paper Mario will return eventually?
• New Starfox?

So there you have it? Plenty of new news to keep us video gamers entertained? I wonder what this does to my bingo card...?

Well, would you look at that? It's all full? How exciting?! I guess you all owe me 12,000 points? What a good day for me? Don't you just love secret hidden E3 press conference 2009's? Me too?!

Well, I guess I'll go relax and wait for my points to roll in? Thanks for reading everyone? Have a nice day?

-benjamines?

Currently Playing: Mighty Flip Champs? Excitebots: Trick Racing? Wii Fit?

















*Soon means sometime in the next 50 years.

Awesome Games A-Z, pt. 2

Hello again, friends! I think this is some kind of recent record. I've posted consistently for like 3 days. Hoo-hah! So let's see what awesome games there are today!

F! This one is an easy one. Everyone knows (or should know) that F-Zero is one of the best franchises on any console, so naturally F-Zero X is my choice for F. Even though I give it an A+. For those who don't know, F-Zero is a futuristic racing game. Not only can you race, you can destroy other cars (somewhat like Excite Truck). Speeds of some levels can reach insanely high levels, which can make even staying on the track difficult. But it's loads of fun. And F-Zero X (N64) has tons to offer. One of the best parts is the X Cup. It's a Grand Prix, but every track is random each time. Sometimes they're easy, sometimes they're hard, sometimes they're freaking impossible. Either way, it's amazing fun. Now we just need an F-Zero for Wii and for DS. Come on, already!

Runner-Up: F-Zero GX

G! Today must be an easy day, because G is a super-easy choice. You've probably all guessed that naturally, Goldeneye 007 (N64) is the best G game ever. It's not the first FPS ever, but it was one of the most groundbreaking. Not only that, it was just plain fun. Because the N64 had 4 controller ports, it was easy to do local split-screen multiplayer. And it was amazing. I must say, the people I played with normally had no problem kicking the crap out of me in this game. But it's one of those games where you can consitently lose and it's still a load of fun. In fact, my longest video game spree to date was playing this game. I played it with a friend and my brother from 4pm one afternoon until 10 am the next morning. Without stopping. 18 hours. Beat that. In short, it's one of the best games ever made. Unfortunately, it will likely never be released on the Virtual Console because of licensing issues. So, naturally the best thing would be to run out and buy a used N64 and a copy of the game. It's worth it. Trust me.

Runner-Up: Galactic Pinball (VB)

H! This choice is also easy, not just because it's a great game, but because I only own 3 games that start with H. Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is a point-and-click style adventure game for the DS. It's made by the same people who made the awesome Trace Memory way back when. You play as Kyle Hyde, a washed-up detective who's searching for his traitor partner. You wind up in a dumpy hotel called Hotel Dusk, which has a history of strange happenings and such. The game design is ingenious, really. You use the stylus to pick up objects, rub dirt off of something, flip switches, etc, etc. Plus it a has a pretty good story to go with it. Plus, the game is only $20, so you all should really go buy it right now. There's no reason not to.

Runner-Up: Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure

I! Today is obviously not Monday, because these game are super easy to pick. The best I game ever is clearly Ice Climbers. Ok, so most of you have probably only heard of or played them in Smash Bros. But long before that, they were clubbing sheep and smashing through mountains on the NES. It's a brilliant concept, really. One or two players can simultaneously play. You use your hammers to jump through the floor above you. Some floors are moving clouds, which means you have to time your jumps correctly. Plus, even when you break through a floor, the sheep will sometimes come and cover the hole up again. So speed is essential at times. Once you clear the bottom half of mountain, you get to scale a series of non-breakable platforms. If you can get to the top and hitch a ride on the pterodactyl, you win! Sounds extremely weird, but remember this game was invented in Japan in the 1980s. So yeah. Makes perfect sense.

Runner-Up: International Superstar Soccer (N64)

J! Oi vey! Again with the easy choices! But this game is pretty good. It's Jazz Jackrabbit! For the GBA! It's loosely based on the Jazz Jackrabbit for DOS from oh-so-long ago. You run, jump, and blow the crap outta stuff. What else do you need for a great game? Nothing, I tell you! While it doesn't have all the charm of the original, it is still an amusing game. Plus, it's not too easy, not too hard. And the story is quite amusing, to boot. So yeah. That's about all I have to say on the matter.

Runner-Up: Jordan vs. Bird One on One

Well, there you are. We're about 40% done with the best games A-Z. We'll continue this journey later! (maybe)

-benjamines

Currently Playing: ArtStyle - PictoBits, Animal Crossing City Folk, Okami

Top Ten Games That Would Be Really Fun If They Weren’t Ridiculously Difficult, pt. 1

Lately, I’ve been playing a lot of games. And of lot of those games are really, really hard games. Which is kinda too bad, because they’d be a lot more fun if they were a little easier. Or a lot easier. So, in lieu of Terrible Turdsday, here’s the first half of a list of games that aren’t turds, but do stink a little thanks to their ridiculous difficulty.

Note that these games are all games I own. There are probably other games which are harder than these. But I don’t own them, which more than likely means they’re not worth having in the first place. (ooh, zinger!)

10. F-Zero GX (GCN) – F-Zero games have always been hard. And that’s not really a problem. F-Zero X (N64) was highly challenging, but equally rewarding. I’m not sure why, but Nintendo decided to take it to the next level for the Gamecube version. Actually, it’s more like 20 levels higher. Honestly, I’ve never lost so many times at a racing game.

Now don’t get me wrong; I love this game. F-Zero is one of my top 3 favorite franchises of all time. The story mode on this one was just too hard. Plain and simple. And if this was a list about just hard games, it’d be a lot closer to the top. It is a very, very fun game. And thankfully, the computers don’t really cheat, as is common in many racing games (I’m lookin’ at you, Mariokart). The tracks are crazy hard, but crazy fun. The GP Mode is just about right, actually. It’s the story mode that’s insane. So there ya go.

9. Sonic Battle (GBA) – Sonic games are always appealing to me. Many times they get poor reviews, but I still enjoy them. And because they get poor reviews, they are often cheaper, which is nice because then I have more money for other games. Anyways, this game is kinda like Smash Bros. Distantly similar, but it has a few Smash Bros. flavors. Basically, you play as Sonic or Tails or whoever and you beat the crap out of people. If that’s not a great premise for a video game, then I don’t know what is.

In any case, the story mode is a sad excuse for a ‘story’, if nothing else, because of its extreme difficulty. Let’s say you play as Sonic. Ok, so some robot pops in and you have to beat him up to show him how tough you are. Ok, cool. Then, so the robot knows for sure that you’re tough, you have to fight him again. And it goes like that for the entire game. You fight someone, and then you fight them again. And the problem is that it’s not nearly as fun as Smash Bros., or even other fighting games for that matter. I used cheat codes and it was still difficult. Yikes.

In short, it’s fun for a few minutes. Or against friends. Otherwise, be prepared rip your hair out and throw your Game Boy across the room a few hundred times.

8. Mario Hoops 3-on-3 (NDS) – This is one of those cases that made me sad because it could have been so good if they would have done it right. And don’t get me wrong. It can be fun. But, as usual, the story mode is insanely difficult.

Despite the Mario name, this game was made by Square-Enix, the RPG company, not Nintendo. That may be part of the problem. In any case, the game relies on strictly stylus-controlled play, which is the first problem. I have nothing against stylus controls (Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass does it beautifully), but in a game like this, you really need button controls.

And don’t even get me started on the AI. Talk about ridiculous. In the later difficulties, be prepared to be blocked, pushed, and mopped all over the court. By Final Fantasy characters. Yeah. That’s dumb. Also, I beat the hardest team on the hardest difficulty, but the game says I never did. Therefore, it is a liar. In short, the game can be fun, but only against friends or on lower difficulties.

7. XIII (GCN) – XIII (as in Thirteen) is a comic book-styled first person shooter game. I’m not usually one for FPSs, but I really liked the style and I found it for cheap, so I gave it a go. I think it’s a cool game. As you can see to the right, I'm shooting Emeril in the face. But of course, the accursed story mode is ridiculously hard. Even on easy, some of the levels are insane. Maybe this is attributed to my lack of experience in FPS games. But I was pretty good at Perfect Dark and Goldeneye. So there.

One level in particular stands out. You have to creep around an enemy base and deactivate alarms, kill soldiers silently, and somehow make your way inside. It’s pretty crazy. Oh, and it takes about 15 minutes if you do it right, and if you’re fast. So be ready to start over about a bazillion times. I guess I just don’t have the patience for espionage. Good think I’m not a real sniper.

As always, the multiplayer can be fun, but the single player can get insanely hard.

6. Bionic Commando (NES) – Bionic Commando is a very, very fun game. Just don’t plan on beating it soon after you start. Like many NES games, it takes much practice and patience to figure out where to go.

For those who don’t know, you play as a soldier with a bionic arm which lets you grab ceilings, lights, etc. to move yourself around. As was also common in the NES era, you cannot jump. I’m guessing that giant metal arm has something to do with that.

The first part of the game is quite fun. The bosses aren’t too hard, and you can make your way around without too many continues. The problem comes later on. In the later levels, you have to make it through a certain number of areas without continuing. So if you get to that point with only 1 life, then you get 1 life to make it through. Ouch. Essentially, it takes a lot of time to get good enough to beat the game. If you’re not in grade school, you probably don’t have that kind of time.

So there you are, friends. Some hard games. Come back some other time and see the other half. I’ll try to get it up here a little sooner than a week. But then again, I have a lot of games to play, so… don’t hold your breath. Or do. I don’t care.

-benjamines

Currently Playing: Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass, Animal Crossing: City Folk, Trauma Center: New Blood

Ye Olde Holidaye!

It's my birthday today! And it almost snowed yesterday morning! Plus it snowed last weekend! How awesome is that?! But, despite my fervent prayers, it has all melted. I know it'll be back someday, though. I just knows it...

Either way, the falling of new snow marks the approachment of my favorite holiday: Christmas! I know it's been severely commercialized, but I think that's half the fun. Half the good games come out during the holiday season! But, seeing all these new games makes me wonder why they picked the ones they did instead of something better. So, let's take a look at some games that need to be made, hm?

Chibi-Robo (Wii) - I love Chibi-Robo! It's an fantastic gameplay design that anyone can play. While he is unfortunately undersold, hopefully Chibi-Robo will continue to be released every couple of years. They are making a Wii-controlled Gamecube version soon, so the liklihood of this isn't too high, but I think we'll see it before the Wii moves along. Either way, it would make a great addition to the already great lineup of Wii titles. I can just hear the robot sounds coming out of the little speaker on the Wiimote. Awesome!

Paper Mario (DS) - I think it's only a matter of time before this one comes out. Paper Mario takes the good parts of RPGs and adds them to the good parts of adventure games, which creates an extremely rewarding and supremely entertaining combination. I hope they go back to regular-style Paper Mario instead of mostly platforming. While Super Paper Mario was very fun, it lacked a certain something-something. Just think of it. You could be battling, and you could use the touch screen to do action commands and pick items to use. It makes perfect sense! Again, I think this one will come out eventually, but I wish it was coming out sooner.

F-Zero (DS and Wii) - F-Zero is easily one of my favorite franchises. It's not your regular racing game. Not only is it much faster, but there's a lot of strategy involved. After the first lap, you can use your ship's energy to give yourself a boost, but if you use too much, you may hit an opponent and explode. Plus, you get rewarded for knocking other people off of the track. Great fun! But the last one came out nearly 5 years ago. This is simply unacceptable. Much crappier games have seen much qiucker releases. Even epic games like Mario and Zelda see more releases than F-Zero. But it makes so much sense to make new ones! The unique controls of the DS and Wii could open up some seriously incredible possibilities. Come on, Nintendo! Make it happen!

Just seeing that picture on the right makes me want to wet myself. So warm...

Mario DDR 2 (Wii) - One of my favorite gamecube games needs a sequel, dangit! Even if they just had the game and no dance pad, I'd still get it! (Because I already have a dance pad). Oh, and this time, I hope they make more than like 1,000 of the total, so you know, everyone that wants one can get one. That'd be nice. Or, maybe they could change it up a little and do a Nintendo DDR, with songs from Zelda, Pokemon, and Donkey Kong. That'd be great. Something tells me we won't see this anytime soon, but it's ok to wish. Dangit.

Kirby (Wii) - It's been years now, but Nintendo released a video showing a Kirby game for the gamecube, which appeared to be the sequel (or successor) to Kirby 64. I love Kirby 64! But then it just kind of vanished. Then later on, there was a rumor that they were going to release the game on Wii instead. Awesome! But again, it has faded away. Nintendo, I just have one question: Where the crap is my Kirby Wii?!?! Kirby 64 is, in my humble yet indisputable opinion, the greatest video game ever made. Why then, would you not make a sequel? Honestly! But I'm not bitter or anything...

Click here to see the Kirby trailer released 3 freakin' years ago.

So, there you have it. Some games that make perfect sense, but ones you may never see. Have any other idea about what Nintendo (or others) should make? Let us know!

-benjamines

Currently Playing: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Megaman Battle Chip Challenge, TMNT Mutant Melee