I am on a Nintendo 64 kick right now so here is another old commercial. This one is just plain goofy. If anyone reading this blog lived through the late 90s, this commercial fits right in. Plus some of the games they mention are some of my all time favorites. Enjoy!
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Saturday, June 30, 2012
Video: Classic holiday N64 commercial
I am on a Nintendo 64 kick right now so here is another old commercial. This one is just plain goofy. If anyone reading this blog lived through the late 90s, this commercial fits right in. Plus some of the games they mention are some of my all time favorites. Enjoy!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Review: Diablo 3 (2012)
By Michael A
It isn’t often players wait around twelve years for a sequel to a game. Even rarer is for those games to endure, still touted as high quality and played almost religiously. Diablo 2 was one of those games that players would find themselves replaying: A frenzied binge leading to a new hell mode paladin or a gimmicky druid. After over a decade, though, Blizzard delivers upon another of its old franchises, giving us Diablo 3, and I for one am not disappointed.
Graphics
While hardly the most visually intensive game ever, Diablo 3 hardly disappointed. Upon very close inspection, a handful of minor details suffer, yet the models for characters, enemies and even equipment and weapons are interesting and well designed. Landscapes are different for each chapter, offering a strong nostalgia to the second game, from the first chapters dark woods to the familiar dungeon interiors of the other chapters. Spoiler free, the fourth act has some beautiful designs, though every act has at least one awesome sight, if not more. An easy game to enjoy looking at, really, with some fancy graphical effects here and there, but nothing that really jumps out as cutting edge. I will say, the sheer number of effects and models on screen at one time is impressive, considering the lack of slowdown.
Story
In my opinion, the Diablo series has always been a bit silly in terms of plot, but by this point it has been painted as its own unique setting. Fans of fantasy that is over the top will like the setting a lot, as well as diehards to blizzard. The plot hooks and script leave a little to be desired, with at least 3 separate occasions of a ‘twist’ coming that was so easy to see I couldn’t help but wonder how it came to be. Combine this with the fact that every main antagonist basically says “HAH! That wasn’t my REAL secret weapon! You are doomed!” with every completed mission, and you can see why I would call Diablo 3’s plot a pretty shoddy construction, especially in the fourth act. I am borderline offended at how stupid the ‘allies’ actions are in the fourth act, and the ending left me a little disapointed. A shame as, in my opinion, there are a lot of excellent ideas that were just written too poorly to really impress. But, lets face it: we came for the next category...
Gameplay
Diablo 3 delivers exactly what you would think: Hack and slash excellence. Varied monsters,ravening hordes, super bosses and cool loot drops: What more do you want from a hack and slash? The enemy system and loot system is virtually unchanged from Diablo 2 or its many progeny (Such as Titan Quest, Torchlight, or Dungeon Siege), maintaining the standard ‘blue for magic, yellow for rare, green for super rare’ patterns to both, more or less. Where Diablo 3 tries to be innovative is by breaking away from the traditional skill trees.
The skill system in Diablo 3 is a robust unlocking system. Every barbarian that hits level 30 unlocks the same skills. Same for every monk and every wizard and so on. By level 60, all characters have all skills unlocked. “But, Michael,” you ask, “Where is the customization? Doesn’t that mean we are all identical?” Technically, yes, but where other games, including Diablo 2, had the illusion of a huge number of skills in the tree format, ultimately it seemed only a handful of skills were viable past the first playthrough or the beginning sections, depending on the game. Heck, in D2, planning skill points was a freaking science, because any wasted points meant a massive disadvantage. In Diablo 3, you pick up to 6 ‘active’ skills, mapped to keys 1-4 and the right and left mouse buttons.
Then, every skill, by level 60, has 5 ‘runes’ to unlock, which significantly change the skill. My favorite example, the barbarians cleave. Basic skill is a wide, aoe swing of the weapon. With rupture rune, kills now explode, causing damage. With another rune, crit hits have a chance of knocking enemies back! A separate run causes a slow effect to targets, and, well... You get the idea. My barbarian build, for example, is about stunning and mobility, where my friends build, while similar in base skills, relies more on critical strikes. This system is incredibly robust, and only seems to get more interesting as the game gets harder. Not only that, but the lack of investing skill points ultimately means you can try out skills as you earn them and continue to tailor a unique combat style.
Sound
Smiting evil has rarely sounded so cool. The sounds that monsters, attacks and effects make are pretty cool over all, often giving the sensation that you are indeed fighting through hordes of enemies, or being bombed by fiery death. The music is pretty ambient, but overall not terribly memorable. The voice acting is painfully irregular. Some of the voice actors, including most of the player characters, are solid, but many NPC’s and villains have awful voice acting. I’m certain part of it is the simple fact that jerkbag demons have to trash talk you like a high school bully, but most of the voice acting was, indeed, painful. Some of it was literally unintelligible, mostly on the part of demons, both great and small.
Overall
Having never been a big fan of this kind of game, I have to say I thought Diablo 3 was fun. The character classes have unique play styles, the enemies interesting, and the grind as a whole enjoyable. The risk Blizzard took making the skill system an automatic unlock method as opposed to a points based unlock is something I greatly appreciate, considering how well it was done. Overall, I am very pleased with the fact Blizzard tried to find a few new ways to breathe life into a fairly mindless genre, instead of just make ‘Diablo 2+more.” It is a very fun game, but if you don’t like hack-n-slash, you aren’t missing out on a must-play.
Diablo 3 gets a 7.5/10
It isn’t often players wait around twelve years for a sequel to a game. Even rarer is for those games to endure, still touted as high quality and played almost religiously. Diablo 2 was one of those games that players would find themselves replaying: A frenzied binge leading to a new hell mode paladin or a gimmicky druid. After over a decade, though, Blizzard delivers upon another of its old franchises, giving us Diablo 3, and I for one am not disappointed.
Graphics
While hardly the most visually intensive game ever, Diablo 3 hardly disappointed. Upon very close inspection, a handful of minor details suffer, yet the models for characters, enemies and even equipment and weapons are interesting and well designed. Landscapes are different for each chapter, offering a strong nostalgia to the second game, from the first chapters dark woods to the familiar dungeon interiors of the other chapters. Spoiler free, the fourth act has some beautiful designs, though every act has at least one awesome sight, if not more. An easy game to enjoy looking at, really, with some fancy graphical effects here and there, but nothing that really jumps out as cutting edge. I will say, the sheer number of effects and models on screen at one time is impressive, considering the lack of slowdown.
Story
In my opinion, the Diablo series has always been a bit silly in terms of plot, but by this point it has been painted as its own unique setting. Fans of fantasy that is over the top will like the setting a lot, as well as diehards to blizzard. The plot hooks and script leave a little to be desired, with at least 3 separate occasions of a ‘twist’ coming that was so easy to see I couldn’t help but wonder how it came to be. Combine this with the fact that every main antagonist basically says “HAH! That wasn’t my REAL secret weapon! You are doomed!” with every completed mission, and you can see why I would call Diablo 3’s plot a pretty shoddy construction, especially in the fourth act. I am borderline offended at how stupid the ‘allies’ actions are in the fourth act, and the ending left me a little disapointed. A shame as, in my opinion, there are a lot of excellent ideas that were just written too poorly to really impress. But, lets face it: we came for the next category...
Gameplay
Diablo 3 delivers exactly what you would think: Hack and slash excellence. Varied monsters,ravening hordes, super bosses and cool loot drops: What more do you want from a hack and slash? The enemy system and loot system is virtually unchanged from Diablo 2 or its many progeny (Such as Titan Quest, Torchlight, or Dungeon Siege), maintaining the standard ‘blue for magic, yellow for rare, green for super rare’ patterns to both, more or less. Where Diablo 3 tries to be innovative is by breaking away from the traditional skill trees.
The skill system in Diablo 3 is a robust unlocking system. Every barbarian that hits level 30 unlocks the same skills. Same for every monk and every wizard and so on. By level 60, all characters have all skills unlocked. “But, Michael,” you ask, “Where is the customization? Doesn’t that mean we are all identical?” Technically, yes, but where other games, including Diablo 2, had the illusion of a huge number of skills in the tree format, ultimately it seemed only a handful of skills were viable past the first playthrough or the beginning sections, depending on the game. Heck, in D2, planning skill points was a freaking science, because any wasted points meant a massive disadvantage. In Diablo 3, you pick up to 6 ‘active’ skills, mapped to keys 1-4 and the right and left mouse buttons.
Then, every skill, by level 60, has 5 ‘runes’ to unlock, which significantly change the skill. My favorite example, the barbarians cleave. Basic skill is a wide, aoe swing of the weapon. With rupture rune, kills now explode, causing damage. With another rune, crit hits have a chance of knocking enemies back! A separate run causes a slow effect to targets, and, well... You get the idea. My barbarian build, for example, is about stunning and mobility, where my friends build, while similar in base skills, relies more on critical strikes. This system is incredibly robust, and only seems to get more interesting as the game gets harder. Not only that, but the lack of investing skill points ultimately means you can try out skills as you earn them and continue to tailor a unique combat style.
Sound
Smiting evil has rarely sounded so cool. The sounds that monsters, attacks and effects make are pretty cool over all, often giving the sensation that you are indeed fighting through hordes of enemies, or being bombed by fiery death. The music is pretty ambient, but overall not terribly memorable. The voice acting is painfully irregular. Some of the voice actors, including most of the player characters, are solid, but many NPC’s and villains have awful voice acting. I’m certain part of it is the simple fact that jerkbag demons have to trash talk you like a high school bully, but most of the voice acting was, indeed, painful. Some of it was literally unintelligible, mostly on the part of demons, both great and small.
Overall
Having never been a big fan of this kind of game, I have to say I thought Diablo 3 was fun. The character classes have unique play styles, the enemies interesting, and the grind as a whole enjoyable. The risk Blizzard took making the skill system an automatic unlock method as opposed to a points based unlock is something I greatly appreciate, considering how well it was done. Overall, I am very pleased with the fact Blizzard tried to find a few new ways to breathe life into a fairly mindless genre, instead of just make ‘Diablo 2+more.” It is a very fun game, but if you don’t like hack-n-slash, you aren’t missing out on a must-play.
Diablo 3 gets a 7.5/10
Monday, June 25, 2012
Video: Why so Serious Mark Hamill?
Here is the video I mentioned in my review for Batman: Arkham City. I know it's not fully video game but it is still awesome nonetheless. Enjoy!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Super Mario Marathon
Every year a group of gamers get together to play the major mario games. The catch...they can only proceed to the next level when a certain amount of money is donated. The money donated goes to Child's Play charity. This is their fifth mario marathon. It is fun to watch them play and they seem to be having fun with it.
So check them out at http://www.mariomarathon.com/ and donate. It is a good cause.
So check them out at http://www.mariomarathon.com/ and donate. It is a good cause.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Review: Batman: Arkham City (2011)
By Aaron N
Batman: Arkham City is the highly touted sequel to what many called the game-of-the-year, Batman: Arkham Asylum. "Arkham Asylum" came off the heels of "The Dark Knight" which amazed movie-goers in the summer of 2008. It allowed you to become the caped crusader like never before. It's gameplay of sneaking around was both simplistic yet complex in nature. "Arkham City" boasted new characters and a grand landscape that players hoped would surpass its predecessor.
Graphics
Batman: Arkham City's graphics were phenomenal. One pet-peeve I have always had when it came to video games, and even movies for that matter, was the animation of lip movements. They always seemed off to me. But "Arkham City" perfected this. Plus, I loved every character's updated look for the game. Joker's decreasing health was displayed magnificently, and I still love how much detail is put into the game. My favorite part was how Batman's cape and uniform became more tattered and worn out as time progressed. I know this was in the first game, but that much detail needs to be mentioned again.
Story
"Arkham City" begins with the politician Bruce Wayne, yes he's running for office, being kidnapped by Hugo Strange and put into Arkham City. Arkham City is a huge city that has been transformed into a prison in the heart of Gotham City. Now why they thought this was a good idea is beyond me, but it happened and there's nothing we can do about it besides have Alfred ship us a Batsuit and suit up. There are so many sidequests that I am only going to talk about the main story which is unfortunately, surprisingly quick. As Batman you defeat Two-Face in a courtroom and have run-ins with Mr. Freeze, Clayface, and Ra's al Ghul among others, but there are two main storylines. One is with Hugo Strange and his bid to control everything. The other is a little bit more important and that is with the Joker. Batman's nemesis is dying and he infects Bruce with his poisoned blood. These two storylines co-mingle at times to give you a complex and at times confusing story. It concludes with a shocking ending that gamers are still questioning its legitimacy. Many die-hard Batfans and gamers alike will enjoy the story and will clamer for a sequel.
Gameplay
The gameplay was kept almost the same as "Arkham Asylum". You must sneak around the landscape and take out bad guys. Now each battle is different but that basically is it as fighting goes. You can upgrade your armor and weaponry so hand-to-hand combat is more possible, but sneaking is the best way to go. The gadgets are roughly the same, sans a few new ones. They keep the puzzles entertaining but you can get the rhythm down pretty easily. It is a formula that wasn't broken but I wish that it saw a few substantial upgrades.
Sound
This game begins and ends with Mark Hamill...that's it. He is the greatest Joker on the planet. He surpasses Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and even Cesar Romero, the man is a legend. Look him up on youtube if you can. It is a treat to watch him perform his Joker. In a video, he was asked at a panel how his Joker would say "why so serious?", and his version was so spot-on and spur of the moment that you can't help but be in awe. The man is a genius, period. The other voice acting was steller as well. It seemed that many actors were brought back from the animated series which was brilliant. They gelled very nicely and it felt natural. The background music emphasized the eery, dark atmosphere. The sound in this game is a complete package and top-notch. It was flawless.
Overall
Batman: Arkham City is a great gaming experience. The storyline is amazing and the effort put into this game is remarkable. But the short main story and lack of substantial changes make it fall short of its predecessor. But with a game as good as "Arkham Asylum" was, that is not much of a insult. I enjoyed it and I am hopeful for a sequel.
Batman: Arkham City gets a 9/10
Batman: Arkham City is the highly touted sequel to what many called the game-of-the-year, Batman: Arkham Asylum. "Arkham Asylum" came off the heels of "The Dark Knight" which amazed movie-goers in the summer of 2008. It allowed you to become the caped crusader like never before. It's gameplay of sneaking around was both simplistic yet complex in nature. "Arkham City" boasted new characters and a grand landscape that players hoped would surpass its predecessor.
Graphics
Batman: Arkham City's graphics were phenomenal. One pet-peeve I have always had when it came to video games, and even movies for that matter, was the animation of lip movements. They always seemed off to me. But "Arkham City" perfected this. Plus, I loved every character's updated look for the game. Joker's decreasing health was displayed magnificently, and I still love how much detail is put into the game. My favorite part was how Batman's cape and uniform became more tattered and worn out as time progressed. I know this was in the first game, but that much detail needs to be mentioned again.
Story
"Arkham City" begins with the politician Bruce Wayne, yes he's running for office, being kidnapped by Hugo Strange and put into Arkham City. Arkham City is a huge city that has been transformed into a prison in the heart of Gotham City. Now why they thought this was a good idea is beyond me, but it happened and there's nothing we can do about it besides have Alfred ship us a Batsuit and suit up. There are so many sidequests that I am only going to talk about the main story which is unfortunately, surprisingly quick. As Batman you defeat Two-Face in a courtroom and have run-ins with Mr. Freeze, Clayface, and Ra's al Ghul among others, but there are two main storylines. One is with Hugo Strange and his bid to control everything. The other is a little bit more important and that is with the Joker. Batman's nemesis is dying and he infects Bruce with his poisoned blood. These two storylines co-mingle at times to give you a complex and at times confusing story. It concludes with a shocking ending that gamers are still questioning its legitimacy. Many die-hard Batfans and gamers alike will enjoy the story and will clamer for a sequel.
Gameplay
The gameplay was kept almost the same as "Arkham Asylum". You must sneak around the landscape and take out bad guys. Now each battle is different but that basically is it as fighting goes. You can upgrade your armor and weaponry so hand-to-hand combat is more possible, but sneaking is the best way to go. The gadgets are roughly the same, sans a few new ones. They keep the puzzles entertaining but you can get the rhythm down pretty easily. It is a formula that wasn't broken but I wish that it saw a few substantial upgrades.
Sound
This game begins and ends with Mark Hamill...that's it. He is the greatest Joker on the planet. He surpasses Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and even Cesar Romero, the man is a legend. Look him up on youtube if you can. It is a treat to watch him perform his Joker. In a video, he was asked at a panel how his Joker would say "why so serious?", and his version was so spot-on and spur of the moment that you can't help but be in awe. The man is a genius, period. The other voice acting was steller as well. It seemed that many actors were brought back from the animated series which was brilliant. They gelled very nicely and it felt natural. The background music emphasized the eery, dark atmosphere. The sound in this game is a complete package and top-notch. It was flawless.
Overall
Batman: Arkham City is a great gaming experience. The storyline is amazing and the effort put into this game is remarkable. But the short main story and lack of substantial changes make it fall short of its predecessor. But with a game as good as "Arkham Asylum" was, that is not much of a insult. I enjoyed it and I am hopeful for a sequel.
Batman: Arkham City gets a 9/10
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Video: First Super Smash Bros TV commercial
Here is a blast from the past commercial. I remember first seeing this commercial and it was highly entertaining. Right when Mario kicked Yoshi's shins, my favorite part, you knew something different was coming. And now after two sequels and countless copies, with Sony now in the mix, it is interesting to see where it all started. Sing it with me "I can't see me lovin' nobody but you...", that song was connected to this commercial in my mind for a long time.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Column: Nintendo at E3 2012
By Aaron N
The aspect of E3 that I look forward to watching the most every year is Nintendo. Some of the greatest moments in E3 history came from Nintendo. This year there was much hype surrounding Nintendo mainly because of the inevitable focus on the upcoming Wii-U system. But, like many others, I felt let down by Nintendo this year. There were plenty of positives that came out of E3 for them but somehow I actually am less excited about the new system than I was before it.
There are many reasons for this let down. Firstly I feel like Nintendo set themselves up for failure when they announced that they would be having three different press conferences. One would be before E3, the second would be the major press conference that they hold every year, and the third would come in the form of a press conference solely about the Nintendo 3DS. They did this because they were promising that they had too much information to be told in just one press conference. This became a problem because there did not seem to be enough information to warrant the three different conferences. One of the main things to be revealed, which was the Wii-U pro controller, was revealed in the pre-E3 conference online. Then with the third press conference being exclusively about the 3DS, it meant that the main televised press conference would not reveal much about that system. This is a problem because much of Nintendo's fanbase stems from the 3DS and they will be let down when they watch the major press conference and they only touch quickly on a few games. This also leads to another problem because they opened the big press conference to have major reveals for the new system. This brought expectations very high and could only lead to disappointments when they do not have many big reveals.
This leads me to the major televised press conference itself. It started out great with the announcement of Pikmin 3, which gamers have been begging for since the Gamecube. This started things out on a high note, but unfortunately as a viewer at home, things did not stay high. With the announcements of a new WiiFit game and "Sing", they continued to focus on the broader audience as opposed to the hardcore fanbase that they promised to focus more on with the Wii-U. They also showed some third party games that will be on the Wii-U. Games like "Batman: Akrham City" and "Mass Effect 3" would finally be on a Nintendo system. But instead of quickly going over games that have been out for almost a year, they spent about ten minutes showing how different their version of Batman was then what is out now. This was a horrible decision when they should be focusing on new ideas. They then proceeded to show two "New Super Mario Bros" titles. One for the Wii-U that did not show how the Wii-U would change gaming, and did not show much improvement in the graphics category. The other one came in the short 3DS segment and also seemed to downplay the Wii-U and it didn't bring anything new to the table besides even more gold coins. This would bring them to the big reveal that usually ends the press conference. I was most excited for the end because I expected this would be where they would bring out something big, maybe a new Star Fox, a Metroid, or something big to bring some excitement to an otherwise dull conference. But instead they showed a new game called "Nintendoland." Which is a theme park style game that will help you gauge the new system. It reminds me of what Wii sports was. This is a fine game but only if it comes with the system like the aforementioned sports game. This should have been shown in the middle of the conference as it underwhelmed me and much of the audience.
There were some positives to E3 from Nintendo. I am glad to see that the new Luigi's Mansion 3DS game got a launch date. ZombiU continues to stun people, and it's use of the Wii-U gamepad is unique. But my favorite thing was "Project P100". This game is a superhero game mixed with Pikmin. You control a group of heroes and they save the world. I am really looking forward to this game. But this brings about another problem as the most exciting thing to come from Nintendo debuted on television on SpikeTV during an interview. This should have shown at the press conference and it would have had people talking in a good way. I hope that Nintendo can learn from its mistakes this year because the Wii-U can definitely change gaming much like the Wii did, but they need to find a good way to promote it or else it will become more like the Gamecube.
The aspect of E3 that I look forward to watching the most every year is Nintendo. Some of the greatest moments in E3 history came from Nintendo. This year there was much hype surrounding Nintendo mainly because of the inevitable focus on the upcoming Wii-U system. But, like many others, I felt let down by Nintendo this year. There were plenty of positives that came out of E3 for them but somehow I actually am less excited about the new system than I was before it.
There are many reasons for this let down. Firstly I feel like Nintendo set themselves up for failure when they announced that they would be having three different press conferences. One would be before E3, the second would be the major press conference that they hold every year, and the third would come in the form of a press conference solely about the Nintendo 3DS. They did this because they were promising that they had too much information to be told in just one press conference. This became a problem because there did not seem to be enough information to warrant the three different conferences. One of the main things to be revealed, which was the Wii-U pro controller, was revealed in the pre-E3 conference online. Then with the third press conference being exclusively about the 3DS, it meant that the main televised press conference would not reveal much about that system. This is a problem because much of Nintendo's fanbase stems from the 3DS and they will be let down when they watch the major press conference and they only touch quickly on a few games. This also leads to another problem because they opened the big press conference to have major reveals for the new system. This brought expectations very high and could only lead to disappointments when they do not have many big reveals.
This leads me to the major televised press conference itself. It started out great with the announcement of Pikmin 3, which gamers have been begging for since the Gamecube. This started things out on a high note, but unfortunately as a viewer at home, things did not stay high. With the announcements of a new WiiFit game and "Sing", they continued to focus on the broader audience as opposed to the hardcore fanbase that they promised to focus more on with the Wii-U. They also showed some third party games that will be on the Wii-U. Games like "Batman: Akrham City" and "Mass Effect 3" would finally be on a Nintendo system. But instead of quickly going over games that have been out for almost a year, they spent about ten minutes showing how different their version of Batman was then what is out now. This was a horrible decision when they should be focusing on new ideas. They then proceeded to show two "New Super Mario Bros" titles. One for the Wii-U that did not show how the Wii-U would change gaming, and did not show much improvement in the graphics category. The other one came in the short 3DS segment and also seemed to downplay the Wii-U and it didn't bring anything new to the table besides even more gold coins. This would bring them to the big reveal that usually ends the press conference. I was most excited for the end because I expected this would be where they would bring out something big, maybe a new Star Fox, a Metroid, or something big to bring some excitement to an otherwise dull conference. But instead they showed a new game called "Nintendoland." Which is a theme park style game that will help you gauge the new system. It reminds me of what Wii sports was. This is a fine game but only if it comes with the system like the aforementioned sports game. This should have been shown in the middle of the conference as it underwhelmed me and much of the audience.
There were some positives to E3 from Nintendo. I am glad to see that the new Luigi's Mansion 3DS game got a launch date. ZombiU continues to stun people, and it's use of the Wii-U gamepad is unique. But my favorite thing was "Project P100". This game is a superhero game mixed with Pikmin. You control a group of heroes and they save the world. I am really looking forward to this game. But this brings about another problem as the most exciting thing to come from Nintendo debuted on television on SpikeTV during an interview. This should have shown at the press conference and it would have had people talking in a good way. I hope that Nintendo can learn from its mistakes this year because the Wii-U can definitely change gaming much like the Wii did, but they need to find a good way to promote it or else it will become more like the Gamecube.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Video: Project P100
The most
interesting thing to come out of E3 this year for me was an untitled
game codenamed "Project P100". This game was announced in a sit-down
interview on SpikeTV. It looks to be a unique game that blends many
different aspects of existing games.
Here is the video of the interview. Video courtesy of www.gametrailers.com and SpikeTV
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Review: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011)
By Aaron N
One of the most anticipated games of 2011 was The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. "Skyward Sword" promised to change the Zelda series forever as it was set chronologically as the first story in the series. It would give us the origins to the main three characters, Link, Zelda, and Gannon, as well as give hints to the origins of other characters in the heralded series. It seems like making a Zelda game is a double-edged sword. On one hand you have a huge fanbase that will love the game. But on the other hand since you have made games like "Ocarina of Time" and the other Zelda games, it becomes a huge task to create something new and match the already high standards set by the previous games.
Graphics:
"Skyward Sword" ditched the realistic graphics of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess in favor of more colorful and bright cartoony graphics. With that said this game was beautiful. They took the best aspects of cell-shading from past games like The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and added a more mature look to it. The characters are stylized but not too stylized that it takes away from the visuals. "Skyward Sword" features weird and different characters so the graphics have to show that. This is where this game succeeds. Even when you enter the spirit realms where it consists of mainly black and white shades, the graphics stand out and it remains a beautiful game.
Story:
As I mentioned earlier, "Skyward Sword" takes place before every other Zelda game. In this game Link and Zelda are childhood friends, they are portrayed as just friends but also a possibility of a budding relationship that many of the other games are known to portray. You begin on a land in the sky called Skyloft. Here they worship a goddess who helped defeat the evil entity known as Demise. After passing the final trials you gain the use of your giant bird that you fly around the sky with. A hole in the clouds opens and Zelda is sucked through it and you must jump through the hole to the gound where no one has gone before. Here you go through three different areas, a forest, a volcano, and a desert. While you proceed you are confronted by Ghirahim who is also chasing after Zelda. You are given the Goddess Sword which is inhabited by a spirit known as Fi who guides you through the game. Eventually you follow Ghirahim to the Temple of Time, which is not entirely built yet. Zelda is pulled through the portal of time by Impa who has been guiding her through her quest. Before she goes through the gate, Zelda throws her goddess harp to Link. The whole story is guided by a prophesy that foretells a hero defeating the great evil and everybody has a part in the story that will unfold. After the temple's portal is destroyed and a battle with Ghirahim, you have to find three flames that turn the Goddess sword into the Master sword and you use the new christened sword to open up a second portal to the past. Upon passing through it you find Zelda who now reveals that she is the goddess reborn. In the present you fight a being known as "The Imprisoned" who is actually Demise breaking his seal. So in the past Zelda has to keep the seal active by going into a slumber. Link returns to the present where you must find the Triforce in Skyloft and use it to make a wish to seal Demise forever. After doing this you venture to the past again where Ghirahim kidnaps the awakened Zelda and plans to use her to revive Demise in the past. After a victorious battle with Ghirahim it turns out that you were late and enough of Zelda's life force was given to Demise and he reawakens ready for a final battle with the goddess' hero Link. You travel through a portal to another realm where you must defeat Demise and fulfill the prophesy. After an epic battle you deliver the final blow. But before Demise meets his demise he puts a curse on Link and Zelda's bloodline where Demise's evil and anger will be reborn. Thus creating Ganon and Gannondorf. Link and Zelda decide to stay on the ground instead of returning to Skyloft and they begin what becomes Hyrule. There are many more side quests and aspects to the story including an old woman who turns out to be Impa and Groose who goes from a bumbling jerk to a hero by the end of the game. The story is vaste and the biggest in the Zelda franchise. But it is told magnificently and it does not become confusing. It is a fitting way to tell the origins of everything in the franchise.
Gameplay:
Nintendo was proud to unveil the new gameplay for "Skyward Sword". The wiimote is used as a 1:1 aspect ratio to Zelda's sword. Your movements match up almost perfectly with what is on the screen. While mistakes do happen I was very pleased with how the controlls worked. The giant bird you have control over in the game, known as a Loftwing, takes the place of Epona. Flying is not a tedious task and it is a huge improvement over the sailing from "Wind Waker". When you venture to the place that will become Hyrule, you do not travel between the three areas. Instead you enter each through a hole in the clouds. The areas are not too big so going from one end to the other is not a long task. My only complaint with the gameplay and with the whole game actually is the harp. When you use the harp you do not play the song manually like you did with the ocarina. Instead it plays the song it is supposed to play. I feel like the harp did not add anything to the game and it muddles up the flow of the game. They could have used something else in place of the harp or if they were set on including a musical instrument, they should have made it more useful and engaging.
Music:
What can you say about Legend of Zelda music that hasn't been said before? There is a touring orchestra going around the country just playing Zelda music. It really has a following all its own. But I feel like they somehow raised the level for "Skyward Sword". As a whole I feel like the score of this game is one of the best ever made. The score is comprised entirely of orchestral music. The game's main theme was the Ballad of the Goddess, which turned out to be Zelda's Lullaby in reverse. The sheer fact that they took a great song, reversed it, and made an even better song out of it shows how great the music was for this game. There are plenty of memorable songs that I will be listening to for a while.
Overall:
While the hype surrounding The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was immense, the game did not fall under the pressure. It brought about a much needed beginning to the saga, and it added its own elements to the series. While the game is not perfect, it is quite a masterpiece. "Skyward Sword" will be talked about by gamers for years to come and it deserves its place in history.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword gets a 9.5/10
One of the most anticipated games of 2011 was The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. "Skyward Sword" promised to change the Zelda series forever as it was set chronologically as the first story in the series. It would give us the origins to the main three characters, Link, Zelda, and Gannon, as well as give hints to the origins of other characters in the heralded series. It seems like making a Zelda game is a double-edged sword. On one hand you have a huge fanbase that will love the game. But on the other hand since you have made games like "Ocarina of Time" and the other Zelda games, it becomes a huge task to create something new and match the already high standards set by the previous games.
Graphics:
"Skyward Sword" ditched the realistic graphics of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess in favor of more colorful and bright cartoony graphics. With that said this game was beautiful. They took the best aspects of cell-shading from past games like The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and added a more mature look to it. The characters are stylized but not too stylized that it takes away from the visuals. "Skyward Sword" features weird and different characters so the graphics have to show that. This is where this game succeeds. Even when you enter the spirit realms where it consists of mainly black and white shades, the graphics stand out and it remains a beautiful game.
Story:
As I mentioned earlier, "Skyward Sword" takes place before every other Zelda game. In this game Link and Zelda are childhood friends, they are portrayed as just friends but also a possibility of a budding relationship that many of the other games are known to portray. You begin on a land in the sky called Skyloft. Here they worship a goddess who helped defeat the evil entity known as Demise. After passing the final trials you gain the use of your giant bird that you fly around the sky with. A hole in the clouds opens and Zelda is sucked through it and you must jump through the hole to the gound where no one has gone before. Here you go through three different areas, a forest, a volcano, and a desert. While you proceed you are confronted by Ghirahim who is also chasing after Zelda. You are given the Goddess Sword which is inhabited by a spirit known as Fi who guides you through the game. Eventually you follow Ghirahim to the Temple of Time, which is not entirely built yet. Zelda is pulled through the portal of time by Impa who has been guiding her through her quest. Before she goes through the gate, Zelda throws her goddess harp to Link. The whole story is guided by a prophesy that foretells a hero defeating the great evil and everybody has a part in the story that will unfold. After the temple's portal is destroyed and a battle with Ghirahim, you have to find three flames that turn the Goddess sword into the Master sword and you use the new christened sword to open up a second portal to the past. Upon passing through it you find Zelda who now reveals that she is the goddess reborn. In the present you fight a being known as "The Imprisoned" who is actually Demise breaking his seal. So in the past Zelda has to keep the seal active by going into a slumber. Link returns to the present where you must find the Triforce in Skyloft and use it to make a wish to seal Demise forever. After doing this you venture to the past again where Ghirahim kidnaps the awakened Zelda and plans to use her to revive Demise in the past. After a victorious battle with Ghirahim it turns out that you were late and enough of Zelda's life force was given to Demise and he reawakens ready for a final battle with the goddess' hero Link. You travel through a portal to another realm where you must defeat Demise and fulfill the prophesy. After an epic battle you deliver the final blow. But before Demise meets his demise he puts a curse on Link and Zelda's bloodline where Demise's evil and anger will be reborn. Thus creating Ganon and Gannondorf. Link and Zelda decide to stay on the ground instead of returning to Skyloft and they begin what becomes Hyrule. There are many more side quests and aspects to the story including an old woman who turns out to be Impa and Groose who goes from a bumbling jerk to a hero by the end of the game. The story is vaste and the biggest in the Zelda franchise. But it is told magnificently and it does not become confusing. It is a fitting way to tell the origins of everything in the franchise.
Gameplay:
Nintendo was proud to unveil the new gameplay for "Skyward Sword". The wiimote is used as a 1:1 aspect ratio to Zelda's sword. Your movements match up almost perfectly with what is on the screen. While mistakes do happen I was very pleased with how the controlls worked. The giant bird you have control over in the game, known as a Loftwing, takes the place of Epona. Flying is not a tedious task and it is a huge improvement over the sailing from "Wind Waker". When you venture to the place that will become Hyrule, you do not travel between the three areas. Instead you enter each through a hole in the clouds. The areas are not too big so going from one end to the other is not a long task. My only complaint with the gameplay and with the whole game actually is the harp. When you use the harp you do not play the song manually like you did with the ocarina. Instead it plays the song it is supposed to play. I feel like the harp did not add anything to the game and it muddles up the flow of the game. They could have used something else in place of the harp or if they were set on including a musical instrument, they should have made it more useful and engaging.
Music:
What can you say about Legend of Zelda music that hasn't been said before? There is a touring orchestra going around the country just playing Zelda music. It really has a following all its own. But I feel like they somehow raised the level for "Skyward Sword". As a whole I feel like the score of this game is one of the best ever made. The score is comprised entirely of orchestral music. The game's main theme was the Ballad of the Goddess, which turned out to be Zelda's Lullaby in reverse. The sheer fact that they took a great song, reversed it, and made an even better song out of it shows how great the music was for this game. There are plenty of memorable songs that I will be listening to for a while.
Overall:
While the hype surrounding The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was immense, the game did not fall under the pressure. It brought about a much needed beginning to the saga, and it added its own elements to the series. While the game is not perfect, it is quite a masterpiece. "Skyward Sword" will be talked about by gamers for years to come and it deserves its place in history.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword gets a 9.5/10
Monday, June 11, 2012
Review: Kid Icarus: Uprising (2012)
By Aaron N
Kid Icarus: Uprising was one of the first games announced at E3 when Nintendo first unveiled the Nintendo 3DS. "Uprising" brought the main character Pit back to a title game for the first time since 1991. The young angel's popularity has skyrocketed since his appearance in the latest installment in the Super Smash Brothers series so it wasn't too surprising that a new Kid Icarus game would be made.
Graphics:
Kid Icarus: Uprising's graphics have a lot of layers to them. First you must talk about the obvious 3D aspect. I feel like the 3D in this game was left in the background. It was there to add depth and not to make things stand out. This type of approach was very successful for this game. But with this nature of 3D there came times while playing that the screen became blurred. Some times this would happen at bad times and it would affect the gameplay. The other layer of graphics is the styleization of the game. It stayed with the traditional cartoonish graphics that Nintendo has used frequently as of late but it also added in some realistic graphics. The space battles were very crisp while the on-foot battles always had a unique look to each level.
Story:
The story for "Uprising" was a convoluted one. But I still enjoyed it. The convoluted nature of the story overall did not take anything away from the gameplay. It starts with Pit, who is guided by his goddess Palutena, taking on a revived Medusa and her troops. You have to battle through her three main generals, along the way acquiring weapons and gear needed for the battle with Medusa. But this is where the game takes a crazy turn. In a neat surprise it is revealed after you defeat Medusa that Hades was the man behind her revival, he actually interrupts the end credits which was cool. But that is just where the craziness begins. You have to fight against the goddess of the Earth, Viridi, who has decided that she must destroy humanity. But then in the middle of stopping her, a mysterious alien armada threatens Earth and you must join forces with the forces of nature to stop them. But you can only defeat them after defeating the sun god who has fused with the alien forces. After defeating them the game jumps a few years into the future where an evil being was released from prison and took over Palutena's body. So you must use Viridi's help you save Pit's goddess. Trust me when you are playing the game it makes a little more sense than I can make it sound. After all these events occur you can finally take on Hades and save the world...right? Well not really. You do take on the evil bohemeth but after going inside his body and destroying his heart you must meet with an old sage who has the key to finally getting rid of Hades. After acquiring a giant mech you must pilot it against Hades and defeat him. And after you defeat him the end credits roll for real this time. I hope I did an adequate job of conveying the story but it would really take a whole article to explain it in depth and unfortunately I must move on to the gameplay.
Gameplay:
Each level had two parts, a flight battle and an on-foot battle. The controls for the game was a unique experience. You use the stylist to aim the weapons, the control stick to move, and the L-buttom to shoot your weapon. This configuration hurts your hand after a while but I can definitely see after playing the flight battles that they could use this for a unique way to play a Star Fox game in the future. A big part of the gameplay that I wanted to touch on briefly was the dialogue. While making it still kid friendly, the dialogue still would entertain the older audience. Pit comes off as a happy go lucky protagonist but he's not annoying in that sense. You want to root for him to win. Every character has a different way of talking and a different personality. They play off of each other very well. The only problem I came across with this was that they talk during the battles and sometimes I could not understand what they were saying because I had to pay attention to the battle.
Music:
Kid Icarus: Uprising had an amazing soundtrack. Every level had its own music that fit the atmosphere that was being projected. It made me get engrossed in the game and left me asking for more.
Overall:
I thoroughly enjoyed playing through Kid Icarus: Uprising. I enjoyed almost every aspect of the game and I was disappointed that I finished it. The atmosphere was reminiscent of some of the past Legend of Zelda games. They created a gigantic universe to play in with many fantastic characters that they can build so much off of. While I am told that they do not plan on making any sequels, I hope that they change their minds because it would be a shame to waste so much potential for a successful franchise.
Kid Icarus: Uprising gets a 9/10
Kid Icarus: Uprising was one of the first games announced at E3 when Nintendo first unveiled the Nintendo 3DS. "Uprising" brought the main character Pit back to a title game for the first time since 1991. The young angel's popularity has skyrocketed since his appearance in the latest installment in the Super Smash Brothers series so it wasn't too surprising that a new Kid Icarus game would be made.
Graphics:
Kid Icarus: Uprising's graphics have a lot of layers to them. First you must talk about the obvious 3D aspect. I feel like the 3D in this game was left in the background. It was there to add depth and not to make things stand out. This type of approach was very successful for this game. But with this nature of 3D there came times while playing that the screen became blurred. Some times this would happen at bad times and it would affect the gameplay. The other layer of graphics is the styleization of the game. It stayed with the traditional cartoonish graphics that Nintendo has used frequently as of late but it also added in some realistic graphics. The space battles were very crisp while the on-foot battles always had a unique look to each level.
Story:
The story for "Uprising" was a convoluted one. But I still enjoyed it. The convoluted nature of the story overall did not take anything away from the gameplay. It starts with Pit, who is guided by his goddess Palutena, taking on a revived Medusa and her troops. You have to battle through her three main generals, along the way acquiring weapons and gear needed for the battle with Medusa. But this is where the game takes a crazy turn. In a neat surprise it is revealed after you defeat Medusa that Hades was the man behind her revival, he actually interrupts the end credits which was cool. But that is just where the craziness begins. You have to fight against the goddess of the Earth, Viridi, who has decided that she must destroy humanity. But then in the middle of stopping her, a mysterious alien armada threatens Earth and you must join forces with the forces of nature to stop them. But you can only defeat them after defeating the sun god who has fused with the alien forces. After defeating them the game jumps a few years into the future where an evil being was released from prison and took over Palutena's body. So you must use Viridi's help you save Pit's goddess. Trust me when you are playing the game it makes a little more sense than I can make it sound. After all these events occur you can finally take on Hades and save the world...right? Well not really. You do take on the evil bohemeth but after going inside his body and destroying his heart you must meet with an old sage who has the key to finally getting rid of Hades. After acquiring a giant mech you must pilot it against Hades and defeat him. And after you defeat him the end credits roll for real this time. I hope I did an adequate job of conveying the story but it would really take a whole article to explain it in depth and unfortunately I must move on to the gameplay.
Gameplay:
Each level had two parts, a flight battle and an on-foot battle. The controls for the game was a unique experience. You use the stylist to aim the weapons, the control stick to move, and the L-buttom to shoot your weapon. This configuration hurts your hand after a while but I can definitely see after playing the flight battles that they could use this for a unique way to play a Star Fox game in the future. A big part of the gameplay that I wanted to touch on briefly was the dialogue. While making it still kid friendly, the dialogue still would entertain the older audience. Pit comes off as a happy go lucky protagonist but he's not annoying in that sense. You want to root for him to win. Every character has a different way of talking and a different personality. They play off of each other very well. The only problem I came across with this was that they talk during the battles and sometimes I could not understand what they were saying because I had to pay attention to the battle.
Music:
Kid Icarus: Uprising had an amazing soundtrack. Every level had its own music that fit the atmosphere that was being projected. It made me get engrossed in the game and left me asking for more.
Overall:
I thoroughly enjoyed playing through Kid Icarus: Uprising. I enjoyed almost every aspect of the game and I was disappointed that I finished it. The atmosphere was reminiscent of some of the past Legend of Zelda games. They created a gigantic universe to play in with many fantastic characters that they can build so much off of. While I am told that they do not plan on making any sequels, I hope that they change their minds because it would be a shame to waste so much potential for a successful franchise.
Kid Icarus: Uprising gets a 9/10
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Column: Nintendo Top Games Part 2
By Aaron N
In 1996 the Nintendo released it's third major home gaming console, the Nintendo 64. The Nintendo 64 had a plethora of popular games, many of which are considered some of the best of all time. It is hard to pick just a top five but I gave it a shot. Starting the top five is Mario Kart 64. Mario Kart 64 was a sequel to the very popular game for the Super Nintendo. It was a very fun racing game and seeing three dimensional racing was amazing. It was a game that you could just pop in with friends and play for hours. Each character had their own style, advantages and disadvantages. This is the best Mario Kart game in the series and it will be very hard to top it in the future. The next game on the list, coming in at number four is the best party game of all time, Goldeneye 64. I can't tell you how many hours we logged into this game at my sleepovers. It is the best first person shooter ever made and its popularity came out of nowhere. The multiplayer part of this game really made this game awesome. The story mode went along with the movie of the same name and it was good in its own right. This game will always be at the top of party games. The number three game to ever come out for the Nintendo 64 is Star Fox 64. This game took everything that worked with the original and improved upon it tenfold. It also had audible dialogue instead of just grunts when your teammates would talk to you. The music is catchy, and the atmosphere is one where you feel yourself in the game. Couple this with the invention of the rumble pack, and you have a complete gaming experience. The second best game to come out for the N64 is the flagship title Mario 64. Mario 64 will always be known as one of the groundbreaking games in gaming history. It introduced us to the world of 360 degree motion. The first time you saw Mario jump into a painting is something that will never be forgotten. The story was the usual Mario story, but that didn't matter. So what does it take to top a revolutionary title like Mario 64? It takes a classic hero and a classic villain reimagined. It takes a gripping story filled with colorful characters and mini-quests that will keep you playing for months. It takes a green tunic, a shield, and a sword. Yes, I am talking about what some consider to be the absolute best game ever to be made, and it's hard to disagree. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a masterpiece in game form. Everything about this game was at the top of its class. This is the quintessential Zelda game. The graphics were unbelievable for its time. The gameplay, from riding Epona to taking on dungeon bosses, is the best ever. The puzzle missions inside the dungeons are fantastic. The story spanning across seven years is better than a movie. The game makes you want to come back time after time to replay it. Ocarina of Time is arguably the best game ever made and it is easily the best game for the Nintendo 64. From a masterpiece of a game to what I think is the most underrated game to come out for the Nintendo 64 which is Diddy Kong Racing. This game at first may look like a Mario Kart clone but it is much more than that. There is a story involving an evil giant pig named Wizpig who rules over the island and it is your duty to defeat him by winning races and eventually facing off against the flying pig in a race for the world. There are secrets and tons of fun courses to play and it is a great feeling to finally beat Wizpig. It is a rare combination of a racer and an adventure game that also includes some multiplayer action in there.
In 2001 Nintendo released the Gamecube. While there is no arguement that this is the weakest of the five Nintendo consoles, it still has a good group of games for it. My number five for this system is Super Mario Sunshine. As with almost every franchise to release a game for the Gamecube, this is sometimes considered to be a weak game. I agree that it did not match its predessesors in the Mario series but it was still a fun game to play. The addition of FLUDD was a cool new part of the game and it gave some inventive ways of playing. There are weak moments in this game but I still feel that it was a fun game to play. Next, ranking in at number four is Super Smash Brothers Melee. Melee is one of the most popular party games of all time and it is easily the most popular game in the Smash Brothers series. It has just the right amount of characters available to play as and there aren't annoying distractions to deal with when playing. I still prefer to play this game with friends over the newer one. They took what was made in the original game and improved on every aspect. The characters had more attacks and there were more levels. It was just a fun game to play. Number three for the Gamecube is Metroid Prime. This was my first Metroid game that I played and it did not disappoint. The way they utilized the different types of guns in the different environments was fantastic. The story was fun and the battles in first person were fantastic. The mood set in the game was consistent and it set Metroid apart from other games. The runner-up for the Gamecube is F-zero GX. This was a fast paced thrill racing game set in the future. It even had a storyline to go with the racing if you chose to play it which wasn't bad. It was obviously well thought out and not just made in order to give it something different. This is a game you can go back and play over and over. It was my favorite racing game for the Gamecube. Now the best game for the Gamecube was a launch title. There were quite a few games to be released with the system, with the most well-known being either Pikmin or Luigi's Mansion. But my favorite game for the Gamecube was neither of these. It is in fact the game that I got with the system, which was Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2. As a huge Star Wars fan I had to pick this game up. It was the game I would play when I went to Toys R Us to demo the Gamecube before it came out. The graphics were unbelievable when I first played it. I had so much fun flying through the Death Star trench and everything all the way to the attack on the final Death Star, "we gotta buy more time!" The game is a must get for Star Wars fans and for fans of flight simulators in general. The most underrated game for Gamecube is Star Fox Adventures. I feel like this game got a lot of hate because it was a different type of Star Fox game and that it was obviously trying to be a Zelda type game. While both of these is true I still had fun playing it and I found myself into the story. I still find it cool with the ultimate twist where it is Andross' final try at ruling the world. It isn't the greatest game at all, but I feel like it deserves more credit than it gets.
Now to the current Nintendo system, which was released in 2006 and is called the Wii. This system seems to be having an impact on the undustry that is similar to the N64. It has caused a motion control revolution that you now see for every major system. The fifth best game so far for the Wii is Super Mario Galaxy 2. Mario Galaxy 2 was not as good as its predecessor but it was still a fun game to play. It takes the usual Mario engine and adds very few to it. It is basically just an addition to the first game and doesn't add much more to it but you still feel thriled to play it. Number four for this generation is Donkey Kong Country Returns. DKC Returns was an extremely fun game to play and it brought me back to the Super Nintendo. It had a unique story and it had a different style of gameplay than other past sidescrollers. I feel that it could possibly usher in a new type of game that is a mixture between 2D and 3D graphics. This was Donkey Kong's return game and it didn't disappoint. The third best game for the Wii introduced us all to the world of motion controls. Wii Sports was the game that came with every Wii system. It had five sports you could play: Tennis, Golf, Bowling, Baseball, and Boxing. It was a great way to get all of us used to the motion controls and I still find myself putting this one in to play some tennis. The second best game for the Wii is Mario's return to form. Super Mario Galaxy introduced us to a new way to play a Mario game. It made us all dizzy but at the same time we were having a blast going through each world. It was set up similar to Mario 64 where you had a world to start with and you had to find each planet to go to and there were places to explore outside the levels. It was widely popular and it felt like a Mario game. It brought about new power ups for Mario. The last level and battle with Bowser has an epic feel to it and you actually do feel like you are playing for the fate of the galaxy. This game is a must play for all gamers. The best game for this generation is The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Skyward sword was the most recent Zelda installment. This game is the first game chronologically in the franchise and it had a very epic feel to it. There were many side quests to keep you occupied if the 35-hour story wasn't enough for you. Skyward sword took the wii motion controlls and used them to their fullest for a complete video game experience like nothing ever before on the Wii. The most underrated game for the Wii is Super Mario Sluggers. This is a baseball game that is actually dissimilar to Wii Sports. I have played this game more than other Wii game and it is always fun to put it on and just play a nine inning game and taunt the other players. It is a fun game to shut your mind off and play. Nintendo has released some of the most iconic game ever made. They were the ones that started the whole home gaming revolution and they continue to be the flag bearer for the industry. They have had their good days and their bad days, but you can always count on Nintendo to capitalize on their most popular franchises. It seems like their only hiccup so far was the Gamecube but they were able to bounce back in a huge way and recapture the industry with the Wii. We will see where the Wii ends up and what Nintendo does when the next generation of consoles with the wii-u.
In 1996 the Nintendo released it's third major home gaming console, the Nintendo 64. The Nintendo 64 had a plethora of popular games, many of which are considered some of the best of all time. It is hard to pick just a top five but I gave it a shot. Starting the top five is Mario Kart 64. Mario Kart 64 was a sequel to the very popular game for the Super Nintendo. It was a very fun racing game and seeing three dimensional racing was amazing. It was a game that you could just pop in with friends and play for hours. Each character had their own style, advantages and disadvantages. This is the best Mario Kart game in the series and it will be very hard to top it in the future. The next game on the list, coming in at number four is the best party game of all time, Goldeneye 64. I can't tell you how many hours we logged into this game at my sleepovers. It is the best first person shooter ever made and its popularity came out of nowhere. The multiplayer part of this game really made this game awesome. The story mode went along with the movie of the same name and it was good in its own right. This game will always be at the top of party games. The number three game to ever come out for the Nintendo 64 is Star Fox 64. This game took everything that worked with the original and improved upon it tenfold. It also had audible dialogue instead of just grunts when your teammates would talk to you. The music is catchy, and the atmosphere is one where you feel yourself in the game. Couple this with the invention of the rumble pack, and you have a complete gaming experience. The second best game to come out for the N64 is the flagship title Mario 64. Mario 64 will always be known as one of the groundbreaking games in gaming history. It introduced us to the world of 360 degree motion. The first time you saw Mario jump into a painting is something that will never be forgotten. The story was the usual Mario story, but that didn't matter. So what does it take to top a revolutionary title like Mario 64? It takes a classic hero and a classic villain reimagined. It takes a gripping story filled with colorful characters and mini-quests that will keep you playing for months. It takes a green tunic, a shield, and a sword. Yes, I am talking about what some consider to be the absolute best game ever to be made, and it's hard to disagree. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a masterpiece in game form. Everything about this game was at the top of its class. This is the quintessential Zelda game. The graphics were unbelievable for its time. The gameplay, from riding Epona to taking on dungeon bosses, is the best ever. The puzzle missions inside the dungeons are fantastic. The story spanning across seven years is better than a movie. The game makes you want to come back time after time to replay it. Ocarina of Time is arguably the best game ever made and it is easily the best game for the Nintendo 64. From a masterpiece of a game to what I think is the most underrated game to come out for the Nintendo 64 which is Diddy Kong Racing. This game at first may look like a Mario Kart clone but it is much more than that. There is a story involving an evil giant pig named Wizpig who rules over the island and it is your duty to defeat him by winning races and eventually facing off against the flying pig in a race for the world. There are secrets and tons of fun courses to play and it is a great feeling to finally beat Wizpig. It is a rare combination of a racer and an adventure game that also includes some multiplayer action in there.
In 2001 Nintendo released the Gamecube. While there is no arguement that this is the weakest of the five Nintendo consoles, it still has a good group of games for it. My number five for this system is Super Mario Sunshine. As with almost every franchise to release a game for the Gamecube, this is sometimes considered to be a weak game. I agree that it did not match its predessesors in the Mario series but it was still a fun game to play. The addition of FLUDD was a cool new part of the game and it gave some inventive ways of playing. There are weak moments in this game but I still feel that it was a fun game to play. Next, ranking in at number four is Super Smash Brothers Melee. Melee is one of the most popular party games of all time and it is easily the most popular game in the Smash Brothers series. It has just the right amount of characters available to play as and there aren't annoying distractions to deal with when playing. I still prefer to play this game with friends over the newer one. They took what was made in the original game and improved on every aspect. The characters had more attacks and there were more levels. It was just a fun game to play. Number three for the Gamecube is Metroid Prime. This was my first Metroid game that I played and it did not disappoint. The way they utilized the different types of guns in the different environments was fantastic. The story was fun and the battles in first person were fantastic. The mood set in the game was consistent and it set Metroid apart from other games. The runner-up for the Gamecube is F-zero GX. This was a fast paced thrill racing game set in the future. It even had a storyline to go with the racing if you chose to play it which wasn't bad. It was obviously well thought out and not just made in order to give it something different. This is a game you can go back and play over and over. It was my favorite racing game for the Gamecube. Now the best game for the Gamecube was a launch title. There were quite a few games to be released with the system, with the most well-known being either Pikmin or Luigi's Mansion. But my favorite game for the Gamecube was neither of these. It is in fact the game that I got with the system, which was Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2. As a huge Star Wars fan I had to pick this game up. It was the game I would play when I went to Toys R Us to demo the Gamecube before it came out. The graphics were unbelievable when I first played it. I had so much fun flying through the Death Star trench and everything all the way to the attack on the final Death Star, "we gotta buy more time!" The game is a must get for Star Wars fans and for fans of flight simulators in general. The most underrated game for Gamecube is Star Fox Adventures. I feel like this game got a lot of hate because it was a different type of Star Fox game and that it was obviously trying to be a Zelda type game. While both of these is true I still had fun playing it and I found myself into the story. I still find it cool with the ultimate twist where it is Andross' final try at ruling the world. It isn't the greatest game at all, but I feel like it deserves more credit than it gets.
Now to the current Nintendo system, which was released in 2006 and is called the Wii. This system seems to be having an impact on the undustry that is similar to the N64. It has caused a motion control revolution that you now see for every major system. The fifth best game so far for the Wii is Super Mario Galaxy 2. Mario Galaxy 2 was not as good as its predecessor but it was still a fun game to play. It takes the usual Mario engine and adds very few to it. It is basically just an addition to the first game and doesn't add much more to it but you still feel thriled to play it. Number four for this generation is Donkey Kong Country Returns. DKC Returns was an extremely fun game to play and it brought me back to the Super Nintendo. It had a unique story and it had a different style of gameplay than other past sidescrollers. I feel that it could possibly usher in a new type of game that is a mixture between 2D and 3D graphics. This was Donkey Kong's return game and it didn't disappoint. The third best game for the Wii introduced us all to the world of motion controls. Wii Sports was the game that came with every Wii system. It had five sports you could play: Tennis, Golf, Bowling, Baseball, and Boxing. It was a great way to get all of us used to the motion controls and I still find myself putting this one in to play some tennis. The second best game for the Wii is Mario's return to form. Super Mario Galaxy introduced us to a new way to play a Mario game. It made us all dizzy but at the same time we were having a blast going through each world. It was set up similar to Mario 64 where you had a world to start with and you had to find each planet to go to and there were places to explore outside the levels. It was widely popular and it felt like a Mario game. It brought about new power ups for Mario. The last level and battle with Bowser has an epic feel to it and you actually do feel like you are playing for the fate of the galaxy. This game is a must play for all gamers. The best game for this generation is The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Skyward sword was the most recent Zelda installment. This game is the first game chronologically in the franchise and it had a very epic feel to it. There were many side quests to keep you occupied if the 35-hour story wasn't enough for you. Skyward sword took the wii motion controlls and used them to their fullest for a complete video game experience like nothing ever before on the Wii. The most underrated game for the Wii is Super Mario Sluggers. This is a baseball game that is actually dissimilar to Wii Sports. I have played this game more than other Wii game and it is always fun to put it on and just play a nine inning game and taunt the other players. It is a fun game to shut your mind off and play. Nintendo has released some of the most iconic game ever made. They were the ones that started the whole home gaming revolution and they continue to be the flag bearer for the industry. They have had their good days and their bad days, but you can always count on Nintendo to capitalize on their most popular franchises. It seems like their only hiccup so far was the Gamecube but they were able to bounce back in a huge way and recapture the industry with the Wii. We will see where the Wii ends up and what Nintendo does when the next generation of consoles with the wii-u.
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