New blog: http://bestatgames.tumblr.com/
Go now. I explained the reason for the move there (in the first post), so go ahead and enjoy that.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
The 3DS gets a second analog slider?
So, at Nintendo's event just before Tyoko Game Show (TGS), they announced a lot of things for the 3DS. The most standout announcement is almost the most disappointing (to me, anyways). The announcement that the 3DS is going to be getting an add-on that adds another slide pad. Nintendo pretty much just admitted that the 3DS was a failure, just by adding this. They obviously feel intimidated by Sony's Playstation Vita (And really wanted Monster Hunter for their Japan audience).
The add-on will require a AAA battery and will not work off the system's power (or increase battery life (Missed opportunity, Nintendo)).
The real problem is that this separates the market into two different groups. I can only assume that they will have different control schemes for the different versions, but that still isn't exactly fair. And you know that when they do come out with a revision, the new one will just have the second slider put on there, making the original 3DS look like crap.
Oh well. I just had to say something. Anyway, maybe I'll post more about TGS in a later post, but for now, feel disappointed by Nintendo.
Source: IGN
The add-on will require a AAA battery and will not work off the system's power (or increase battery life (Missed opportunity, Nintendo)).
The real problem is that this separates the market into two different groups. I can only assume that they will have different control schemes for the different versions, but that still isn't exactly fair. And you know that when they do come out with a revision, the new one will just have the second slider put on there, making the original 3DS look like crap.
Oh well. I just had to say something. Anyway, maybe I'll post more about TGS in a later post, but for now, feel disappointed by Nintendo.
Source: IGN
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Rant: Kids should play real games.
Alright. So... Today I am eating out with a bunch of my friends. You know, at a restaurant. Now, the food was great and everything was good, except for one single thing. This kid, who looked to be around 10, was playing with an iPod touch. This annoyed me (although it probably shouldn't have, but whatever).
The part that bugs me about this is that the 10 year old should be playing a real game. You know, on a PSP or a DS (ANY version is fine, honestly). When I was around that boy's age, I was playing my Game Boy Color, a real gaming system. I have nothing against iOS games, but they should be mini things you play while waiting for a bus or something, not your portable gaming choice.
For kids to grow up into real gamers, we need to see them playing real games. 99 cent games are good for quick things, but not for serious gaming. If this kid grows up thinking that the small games are the way of the future, then we're gonna have some real crap games later in life.
Basically, don't give your kid some crap game. Give him something good to play, it'll probably keep his attention a lot longer.
The part that bugs me about this is that the 10 year old should be playing a real game. You know, on a PSP or a DS (ANY version is fine, honestly). When I was around that boy's age, I was playing my Game Boy Color, a real gaming system. I have nothing against iOS games, but they should be mini things you play while waiting for a bus or something, not your portable gaming choice.
For kids to grow up into real gamers, we need to see them playing real games. 99 cent games are good for quick things, but not for serious gaming. If this kid grows up thinking that the small games are the way of the future, then we're gonna have some real crap games later in life.
Basically, don't give your kid some crap game. Give him something good to play, it'll probably keep his attention a lot longer.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Impressions: Ocarina of Time 3D
Sunday, June 18th was the release date of one of the most hyped and exciting releases to the new Nintendo 3DS, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. I got the game Sunday and I have been playing it whenever I have had the chance. Right now, I'm gonna take a break from the game to tell you a little bit more about the game.
[Full Disclosure: I have not beat the game, either in the N64 days or now. Currently, I have only obtained two of the spiritual stones and have not gotten the Master Sword yet. So take from this what you will. I have played the 64 version and have gotten at least 3 of the 6 Medallions back then, but I probably got stuck and said whatever and went on to a new game, so I do have experience with both.]
As soon as you start up OoT 3D, you will notice the graphics before anything else. They are sharper, cleaner, and way more polished than they were back in the Nintendo 64 days. I look at the graphics and I see what I saw as a kid, as my imagination filled in the graphics when I was younger. However, if you compare the screens side by side, you know they did a lot.
The first boss fight.
The second boss fight.
Link in a house.
Besides graphics, however, they didn't do very much else new. They fixed a few glitches, changed the menu system a bit and put it on the bottom screen, and gave it 3D visuals. They added a Boss Fight type of mode, to go against all the bosses in a game or replay any individual boss. They didn't touch the music in the game, which is a very good thing; there was no need to touch something so amazing.
Overall, they did a remake right. However, if you want new content, I'll let you know now that there won't be any of that.
[Full Disclosure: I have not beat the game, either in the N64 days or now. Currently, I have only obtained two of the spiritual stones and have not gotten the Master Sword yet. So take from this what you will. I have played the 64 version and have gotten at least 3 of the 6 Medallions back then, but I probably got stuck and said whatever and went on to a new game, so I do have experience with both.]
As soon as you start up OoT 3D, you will notice the graphics before anything else. They are sharper, cleaner, and way more polished than they were back in the Nintendo 64 days. I look at the graphics and I see what I saw as a kid, as my imagination filled in the graphics when I was younger. However, if you compare the screens side by side, you know they did a lot.
The first boss fight.The second boss fight.Link in a house.Besides graphics, however, they didn't do very much else new. They fixed a few glitches, changed the menu system a bit and put it on the bottom screen, and gave it 3D visuals. They added a Boss Fight type of mode, to go against all the bosses in a game or replay any individual boss. They didn't touch the music in the game, which is a very good thing; there was no need to touch something so amazing.
Overall, they did a remake right. However, if you want new content, I'll let you know now that there won't be any of that.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Impressions: Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo's new hand-held came out March 27th here in the states, and I was there day one. I've been excited for the 3DS since it was announced and it is a really nice system, now that I have had it in my hands for almost 3 weeks now. However, it's not perfect and I will tell you now that Nintendo will come out with a 3DS "lite" type of thing in the future that will fix most of the issues I will discuss. However, I think that the most of these issues can be overlooked, with only two exceptions (but I will get to those later). For now, let's get into what makes the system great.
The 3D Effect:
The 3D effect of the 3DS is very real. As you all should know, Nintendo has made a big deal about the 3D being glasses free and I can tell you that it is true. However, after taking it to college, I learned that a lot of people seem to have it in their minds that the 3D was supposed to pop out at you. This isn't how the 3D works.
The 3D works in depth. The 3D goes into the screen, showing you the depth of the layers. It makes it clear what is closer and what is farther away from you. Naturally, if you play a lot of games, you probably wouldn't need 3D in a game to tell you that. However, it is still a cool effect and the slider to control the intensity of the 3D effect works great.
I'll just mention one thing about the 3D slider on the system: It's a piece of crap. When you go to close your system, sometimes the slider will move on it's own slightly. This is annoying when you intend to keep the 3D effect off by keeping the slider fully down, but the second you open up your system again, the 3D effect is slightly in effect, because the slider moved up ever so slightly. It's a small little issue, but it annoys me.
The Circle Pad:
The circle pad (or slide pad, whichever is a correct term) is an amazing little addition to the DS line. During my first week of using the circle pad, my thumb was hurting slightly, since I was not used to using an analog control that caved in, as opposed to them coming out (like on a PS2/PS3/Nunchuck/GCN controller). However, once my thumb became used to how it worked, it was great. It is a much better way to control your movement in-game, since a d-pad is slightly annoying with diagonals. The circle pad is responsive, quiet, and comfortable. It doesn't feel cheap or stiff, which is all I really need.
The Other Buttons:
Compared to the DSi, the d-pad and the A, B, X, Y buttons feel about the same, maybe even a little better. L and R feel great compared to the super cheap DSi buttons, which is a welcome addition. The power button is a little stiff, but you should need to use some force to turn off the game, so that is acceptable. The touch pad (where the Start, Home, and Select buttons are) feels cheap and is hard to press, needing you to use a little more effort then what you should have to do to hit the start button.
Graphics/Screens:
I'll start by saying this: Graphics mean almost nothing to me. However, all I'll say is that the 3DS is more powerful then the DSi, so the 3DS games should and will look better than regular DS games. The only real noticeable thing to me is the fact that the 3DS top screen is a lot wider, which is slightly disorienting when going from the top to the bottom screens.
Sound:
Again, I'll start by saying that sound means little to me. I don't usually notice the quality of sound, unless it's drastic. I notice it way more than graphics, so that's all I can say about that. And the difference between the 3DS speakers and the DSi speakers is very great, with the 3DS speakers being much more powerful and able to project the sound more than it's older counterparts. You won't be blasting music through these speakers, but it's nice when you have a quiet environment.
The way you control sound is by a slider on the side, where the plus and minus buttons were on the DSi. Personally, I prefer the buttons, so the slider control bothers me, especially since it doesn't seem to make much difference overall. It's either loud, soft, or off. The slider is a little more noticeable when you have headphones on.
Battery Life:
The battery life on the 3DS is horrible. There is no hiding it. It is trash. There is no reason why the max should be like 6 hours on the lowest brightness setting. my DSi does double that on the second to lowest brightness setting. Sorry, Nintendo. I'm not okay with that. And nor should anyone else be.
Camera:
The 3DS's cameras are decent. I'm not a photography nerd, nor do I know about lenses or anything super fancy. All I can tell you is that the photos you take with your 3DS are good enough to get put up on the internet. But they won't wow anyone.
3D photos, however, are pretty cool. They can only be viewed on a 3DS, which is a slight downfall. But that won't stop you from uploading your photos to Facebook or anything, since the camera takes a 2D and a 3D image at the same time, keeping them as two separate files.
StreetPass/SpotPass:
StreetPass is a feature of the 3DS that has been used in earlier DS games, like Nintendogs and The World Ends With You, which requires you to keep your DS in sleep mode with that game in and hope to walk past someone who also has that game in and has their game in sleep mode. In the old games, this was very limited and kinda crappy, since it was had for that to ever happen. However, the 3DS takes this idea and runs with it, using it to cover all sorts of things, including any 3DS game that supports it, providing you have activated it in game. The major draw of this is that unlike the old DS games, you don't have to have the specific game in your 3DS. The only requirement is that you need to keep your 3DS in sleep mode, which is as simple as closing the system. Overall, it's a nice feature, but it hasn't been the hugest hit with me so far. I imagine it's way better in the overcrowded streets of Japan.
SpotPass is a message/download service for the 3DS. If you keep your 3DS in sleep mode, it will pick up on notifications and special offers from Nintendo and sometimes from game companies of the games you are playing (Like I have gotten 3 or so messages from Capcom relating to Super Street Fighter 4, all with codes for figures). It's nice and simple.
Internet:
Currently, the 3DS is lacking in this area. Not because playing SSFIV online is bad (because it's actually really good, almost no lag ever), but because there is no browser, no e-Shop, or anything that special about it. Those will be included in an update in May (or around that, from what I understand). That's a pretty big bummer, since I am more than willing to get some 3DSWare or whatever the hell they are going to call it.
The one thing I can say is good is that there is only one friend code now. You only need to exchange one code and then you can interact with others over WiFi with any 3DS game that supports it. The only thing about this that would make me happier is if it was a username, not 12 numbers that I have no control over. Sorry, Nintendo. Just because you have these silly numbers, it won't protect the little kids any more than them having a username that connects to an internet account.
Overall:
Alright. Now we come to the major question. Is the 3DS worth the $249.99 price tag?
The real answer is that it's your choice. If you are a casual gamer and don't see anything that interests you, then go ahead and skip it for now. Personally, I like being in with handheld gaming. I do a lot of gaming on my PSP and DS/DSi/3DS, so I personally wanted this. I'm not regretting my purchase, either. The 3DS is an amazing piece of hardware, with a lot of obvious setbacks that you know Nintendo will use later to put out a sleeker system in two years, but I like going with the originals.
If you have any interest in any of the games now, then go get one. If not, wait until you see a game you really wanna play and then get it. I will say that you should buy a 3DS, but only when you are ready, casual or hardcore, it doesn't matter. It's probably the most interesting system that I have seen in a long time.
The 3D Effect:
The 3D effect of the 3DS is very real. As you all should know, Nintendo has made a big deal about the 3D being glasses free and I can tell you that it is true. However, after taking it to college, I learned that a lot of people seem to have it in their minds that the 3D was supposed to pop out at you. This isn't how the 3D works.
The 3D works in depth. The 3D goes into the screen, showing you the depth of the layers. It makes it clear what is closer and what is farther away from you. Naturally, if you play a lot of games, you probably wouldn't need 3D in a game to tell you that. However, it is still a cool effect and the slider to control the intensity of the 3D effect works great.
I'll just mention one thing about the 3D slider on the system: It's a piece of crap. When you go to close your system, sometimes the slider will move on it's own slightly. This is annoying when you intend to keep the 3D effect off by keeping the slider fully down, but the second you open up your system again, the 3D effect is slightly in effect, because the slider moved up ever so slightly. It's a small little issue, but it annoys me.
The Circle Pad:
The circle pad (or slide pad, whichever is a correct term) is an amazing little addition to the DS line. During my first week of using the circle pad, my thumb was hurting slightly, since I was not used to using an analog control that caved in, as opposed to them coming out (like on a PS2/PS3/Nunchuck/GCN controller). However, once my thumb became used to how it worked, it was great. It is a much better way to control your movement in-game, since a d-pad is slightly annoying with diagonals. The circle pad is responsive, quiet, and comfortable. It doesn't feel cheap or stiff, which is all I really need.
The Other Buttons:
Compared to the DSi, the d-pad and the A, B, X, Y buttons feel about the same, maybe even a little better. L and R feel great compared to the super cheap DSi buttons, which is a welcome addition. The power button is a little stiff, but you should need to use some force to turn off the game, so that is acceptable. The touch pad (where the Start, Home, and Select buttons are) feels cheap and is hard to press, needing you to use a little more effort then what you should have to do to hit the start button.
Graphics/Screens:
I'll start by saying this: Graphics mean almost nothing to me. However, all I'll say is that the 3DS is more powerful then the DSi, so the 3DS games should and will look better than regular DS games. The only real noticeable thing to me is the fact that the 3DS top screen is a lot wider, which is slightly disorienting when going from the top to the bottom screens.
Sound:
Again, I'll start by saying that sound means little to me. I don't usually notice the quality of sound, unless it's drastic. I notice it way more than graphics, so that's all I can say about that. And the difference between the 3DS speakers and the DSi speakers is very great, with the 3DS speakers being much more powerful and able to project the sound more than it's older counterparts. You won't be blasting music through these speakers, but it's nice when you have a quiet environment.
The way you control sound is by a slider on the side, where the plus and minus buttons were on the DSi. Personally, I prefer the buttons, so the slider control bothers me, especially since it doesn't seem to make much difference overall. It's either loud, soft, or off. The slider is a little more noticeable when you have headphones on.
Battery Life:
The battery life on the 3DS is horrible. There is no hiding it. It is trash. There is no reason why the max should be like 6 hours on the lowest brightness setting. my DSi does double that on the second to lowest brightness setting. Sorry, Nintendo. I'm not okay with that. And nor should anyone else be.
Camera:
The 3DS's cameras are decent. I'm not a photography nerd, nor do I know about lenses or anything super fancy. All I can tell you is that the photos you take with your 3DS are good enough to get put up on the internet. But they won't wow anyone.
3D photos, however, are pretty cool. They can only be viewed on a 3DS, which is a slight downfall. But that won't stop you from uploading your photos to Facebook or anything, since the camera takes a 2D and a 3D image at the same time, keeping them as two separate files.
StreetPass/SpotPass:
StreetPass is a feature of the 3DS that has been used in earlier DS games, like Nintendogs and The World Ends With You, which requires you to keep your DS in sleep mode with that game in and hope to walk past someone who also has that game in and has their game in sleep mode. In the old games, this was very limited and kinda crappy, since it was had for that to ever happen. However, the 3DS takes this idea and runs with it, using it to cover all sorts of things, including any 3DS game that supports it, providing you have activated it in game. The major draw of this is that unlike the old DS games, you don't have to have the specific game in your 3DS. The only requirement is that you need to keep your 3DS in sleep mode, which is as simple as closing the system. Overall, it's a nice feature, but it hasn't been the hugest hit with me so far. I imagine it's way better in the overcrowded streets of Japan.
SpotPass is a message/download service for the 3DS. If you keep your 3DS in sleep mode, it will pick up on notifications and special offers from Nintendo and sometimes from game companies of the games you are playing (Like I have gotten 3 or so messages from Capcom relating to Super Street Fighter 4, all with codes for figures). It's nice and simple.
Internet:
Currently, the 3DS is lacking in this area. Not because playing SSFIV online is bad (because it's actually really good, almost no lag ever), but because there is no browser, no e-Shop, or anything that special about it. Those will be included in an update in May (or around that, from what I understand). That's a pretty big bummer, since I am more than willing to get some 3DSWare or whatever the hell they are going to call it.
The one thing I can say is good is that there is only one friend code now. You only need to exchange one code and then you can interact with others over WiFi with any 3DS game that supports it. The only thing about this that would make me happier is if it was a username, not 12 numbers that I have no control over. Sorry, Nintendo. Just because you have these silly numbers, it won't protect the little kids any more than them having a username that connects to an internet account.
Overall:
Alright. Now we come to the major question. Is the 3DS worth the $249.99 price tag?
The real answer is that it's your choice. If you are a casual gamer and don't see anything that interests you, then go ahead and skip it for now. Personally, I like being in with handheld gaming. I do a lot of gaming on my PSP and DS/DSi/3DS, so I personally wanted this. I'm not regretting my purchase, either. The 3DS is an amazing piece of hardware, with a lot of obvious setbacks that you know Nintendo will use later to put out a sleeker system in two years, but I like going with the originals.
If you have any interest in any of the games now, then go get one. If not, wait until you see a game you really wanna play and then get it. I will say that you should buy a 3DS, but only when you are ready, casual or hardcore, it doesn't matter. It's probably the most interesting system that I have seen in a long time.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Picks of the Month: March 2011
This month is a big month for myself, personally, since I will be getting a few of my own picks for this month. Now, I just have to clarify a few things; (1) This is my personal opinion on which games I think are good. I give the release dates of everything I can find because you should be able to find your own game for the month. In fact, if you read this go ahead and post a comment with what your personal picks would be. You don't have to list all the games for your comment, just the ones you would pick for the best games of the month. (2) I don't own all of the systems, and I haven't played all the games listed here. Why haven't I? Because if I had, I would be posting on a major site like IGN or something, not on a small blog that I made. (3) If you don't like my opinion, say something. Post. If you like my opinion, say something. I'll discuss anything in the comments.
This is going up late this month because I have just been playing games and doing school work. I looked up these dayes at the beginning of the month, so if they are wrong, go ahead and say something. I don't mind.
Now, off to the list of games. Remember, downloadable games are marked with a *.
~ Wii ~
Man vs. Wild (3/1/11)
Chuck E. Cheese's Sports Games (3/1/11)
Rango: The Video Game (3/1/11)
Combat Wings: The Great Battles of WWII (3/8/11)
Zany Golf (3/8/11)
The $1,000,000 Pyramid (3/8/11)
Major League Bareball 2K11 (3/8/11)
Liight* (3/14/11)
Top Spin 4 (3/15/11)
Top Shot Arcade (3/15/11)
Trackmania: Build to Race (3/22/11)
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (3/22/11)
Raving Rabbids Party Collection (3/22/11)
Get Fit With Mel B (3/22/11)
Titanic Mystery (3/22/11)
WWE All Stars (3/29/11)
Centipede (2011) (3/29/11)
NASCAR The Game 2011 (3/29/11)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters (3/29/11)
Country Dance (3/29/11)
Lucha Libre AAA: Heroes del Ring (3/30/11)
Fit in Six (3/30/11)
Soccer Up* (3/30/11)
Mr. Bean (3/31/11)
Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles 2 (3/31/11)
Challenge Me: Word Puzzles (3/31/11)
UFC Trainer (3/31/11)
Ultimate Battle of the Sexes (3/31/11)
Honda Fever (3/31/11)
Pick of the Month: N/A. I have no interest any any of these games.
~ PS3 ~
Man vs. Wild (3/1/11)
Rango: The Video Game (3/1/11)
PixelJunk Shooter 2* (3/1/11)
YooStar 2 (3/8/11)
Dragon Age II (3/8/11)
Combat Wings: The Great Battles of WWII (3/8/11)
Major League Baseball 2K11 (3/8/11)
MLB 11: The Show (3/8/11)
Top Spin 4 (3/15/11)
Yakuza 4 (3/15/11)
Homefront (3/15/11)
Warriors: Legends of Troy (3/15/11)
Dance On Broadway (3/17/11)
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (3/22/11)
Playstation Move Heroes (3/22/11)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Classic Trilogy HD (3/22/11)
Prince of Persia Classic Trilogy HD (3/22/11)
Dynasty Warriors 7 (3/22/11)
Sniper: Ghost Warrior (3/22/11)
Tomb Raider Trilogy (3/22/11)
Crysis 2 (3/24/11)
WWE All Stars (3/29/11)
Shift 2 Unleashed (3/29/11)
NASCAR The Game 2011 (3/29/11)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters (3/29/11)
Mayhem 3D* (3/29/11)
Fit in Six (3/30/11)
Tower (3/30/11)
Red Faction: Battlegrounds* (3/30/11)
UFC Trainer (3/31/11)
Swarm (3/31/11)
Star Raiders (3/31/11)
MotoGP 10/11 (3/31/11)
Arcania: Gothic IV (3/31/11)
Pick of the Month: Playstation Move Heroes. I like the characters. And I typically avoid shooters. Personal preference.
~ 360 ~
Rango: The Video Game (3/1/11)
Fable III: Traitor's Keep* (3/1/11)
YooStar 2 (3/8/11)
Dragon Age II (3/8/11)
Combat Wings: The Great Battles of WWII (3/8/11)
Major League Baseball 2K11 (3/8/11)
Top Spin 4 (3/15/11)
Homefront (3/15/11)
Warriors: Legends of Troy (3/15/11)
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (3/22/11)
Crysis 2 (3/22/11)
Dynasty Warriors 7 (3/22/11)
Winter Sports 3: The Great Tournament (3/29/11)
WWE All Stars (3/29/11)
Shift 2 Unleashed (3/29/11)
NASCAR The Game 2011 (3/29/11)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters (3/29/11)
Pick of the Month: Dragon Age II. It's an RPG. Better than shooters, imo.
~ PC ~
Dragon Age II (3/8/11)
Major League Baseball 2K11 (3/8/11)
Shogun II: Total War (3/15/11)
Homefront (3/15/11)
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (3/17/11)
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (3/22/11)
The Sims Medieval (3/22/11)
Crysis 2 (3/22/11)
Shift 2 Unleashed (3/29/11)
Might & Magic Heroes VI (3/29/11)
Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game (3/29/11)
Pick of the Month: Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Sure, why not? I don't like honoring the same game twice (Dragon Age II).
~ DS ~
Pokemon Black/White (3/6/11)
Atari's Greatest Hits Volume 2 (3/8/11)
Major League Baseball 2K11 (3/8/11)
Petz: Bunnyz Bunch (3/8/11)
Okamiden (3/15/11)
Monster Tale (3/22/11)
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (3/22/11)
Titanic Mystery (3/22/11)
Nanda's Island (3/22/11)
Chainz Galaxy (3/22/11)
Centipede (2011) (3/29/11)
Hop (3/29/11)
ZhuZhu Puppies (2/29/11)
Pinkalicious (3/29/11)
Pick of the Month: Pokemon Black/White. I'm a pokenerd. The coming on the 5th generation is enough for me to call this my pick of this month. Okamiden would be my second choice, since those are the only good games listed here.
~ PSP ~
Gods Eater Burst (3/8/11)
Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle (3/8/11)
Major League Baseball 2K11 (3/8/11)
MLB 11: The Show (3/8/11)
Jikandia: The Timeless Land (3/15/11)
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (3/22/11)
Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy (3/22/11)
WWE All Stars (3/29/11)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky (3/29/11)
The 3rd Birthday (3/29/11)
Pick of the Month: Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy. When I heard Dissidia was getting a sequal, I was so happy. The only other game of note is The 3rd Birthday, which you would understand if you played some other games. If you understand the title, then you'll probably play the game anyways.
~~~~
Overall Pick of the Month: Pokemon Black/White.
Reason? Pokemon with a story. A meaningful story. That is all.
This is going up late this month because I have just been playing games and doing school work. I looked up these dayes at the beginning of the month, so if they are wrong, go ahead and say something. I don't mind.
Now, off to the list of games. Remember, downloadable games are marked with a *.
~ Wii ~
Man vs. Wild (3/1/11)
Chuck E. Cheese's Sports Games (3/1/11)
Rango: The Video Game (3/1/11)
Combat Wings: The Great Battles of WWII (3/8/11)
Zany Golf (3/8/11)
The $1,000,000 Pyramid (3/8/11)
Major League Bareball 2K11 (3/8/11)
Liight* (3/14/11)
Top Spin 4 (3/15/11)
Top Shot Arcade (3/15/11)
Trackmania: Build to Race (3/22/11)
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (3/22/11)
Raving Rabbids Party Collection (3/22/11)
Get Fit With Mel B (3/22/11)
Titanic Mystery (3/22/11)
WWE All Stars (3/29/11)
Centipede (2011) (3/29/11)
NASCAR The Game 2011 (3/29/11)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters (3/29/11)
Country Dance (3/29/11)
Lucha Libre AAA: Heroes del Ring (3/30/11)
Fit in Six (3/30/11)
Soccer Up* (3/30/11)
Mr. Bean (3/31/11)
Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles 2 (3/31/11)
Challenge Me: Word Puzzles (3/31/11)
UFC Trainer (3/31/11)
Ultimate Battle of the Sexes (3/31/11)
Honda Fever (3/31/11)
Pick of the Month: N/A. I have no interest any any of these games.
~ PS3 ~
Man vs. Wild (3/1/11)
Rango: The Video Game (3/1/11)
PixelJunk Shooter 2* (3/1/11)
YooStar 2 (3/8/11)
Dragon Age II (3/8/11)
Combat Wings: The Great Battles of WWII (3/8/11)
Major League Baseball 2K11 (3/8/11)
MLB 11: The Show (3/8/11)
Top Spin 4 (3/15/11)
Yakuza 4 (3/15/11)
Homefront (3/15/11)
Warriors: Legends of Troy (3/15/11)
Dance On Broadway (3/17/11)
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (3/22/11)
Playstation Move Heroes (3/22/11)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Classic Trilogy HD (3/22/11)
Prince of Persia Classic Trilogy HD (3/22/11)
Dynasty Warriors 7 (3/22/11)
Sniper: Ghost Warrior (3/22/11)
Tomb Raider Trilogy (3/22/11)
Crysis 2 (3/24/11)
WWE All Stars (3/29/11)
Shift 2 Unleashed (3/29/11)
NASCAR The Game 2011 (3/29/11)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters (3/29/11)
Mayhem 3D* (3/29/11)
Fit in Six (3/30/11)
Tower (3/30/11)
Red Faction: Battlegrounds* (3/30/11)
UFC Trainer (3/31/11)
Swarm (3/31/11)
Star Raiders (3/31/11)
MotoGP 10/11 (3/31/11)
Arcania: Gothic IV (3/31/11)
Pick of the Month: Playstation Move Heroes. I like the characters. And I typically avoid shooters. Personal preference.
~ 360 ~
Rango: The Video Game (3/1/11)
Fable III: Traitor's Keep* (3/1/11)
YooStar 2 (3/8/11)
Dragon Age II (3/8/11)
Combat Wings: The Great Battles of WWII (3/8/11)
Major League Baseball 2K11 (3/8/11)
Top Spin 4 (3/15/11)
Homefront (3/15/11)
Warriors: Legends of Troy (3/15/11)
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (3/22/11)
Crysis 2 (3/22/11)
Dynasty Warriors 7 (3/22/11)
Winter Sports 3: The Great Tournament (3/29/11)
WWE All Stars (3/29/11)
Shift 2 Unleashed (3/29/11)
NASCAR The Game 2011 (3/29/11)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters (3/29/11)
Pick of the Month: Dragon Age II. It's an RPG. Better than shooters, imo.
~ PC ~
Dragon Age II (3/8/11)
Major League Baseball 2K11 (3/8/11)
Shogun II: Total War (3/15/11)
Homefront (3/15/11)
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (3/17/11)
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (3/22/11)
The Sims Medieval (3/22/11)
Crysis 2 (3/22/11)
Shift 2 Unleashed (3/29/11)
Might & Magic Heroes VI (3/29/11)
Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game (3/29/11)
Pick of the Month: Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Sure, why not? I don't like honoring the same game twice (Dragon Age II).
~ DS ~
Pokemon Black/White (3/6/11)
Atari's Greatest Hits Volume 2 (3/8/11)
Major League Baseball 2K11 (3/8/11)
Petz: Bunnyz Bunch (3/8/11)
Okamiden (3/15/11)
Monster Tale (3/22/11)
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (3/22/11)
Titanic Mystery (3/22/11)
Nanda's Island (3/22/11)
Chainz Galaxy (3/22/11)
Centipede (2011) (3/29/11)
Hop (3/29/11)
ZhuZhu Puppies (2/29/11)
Pinkalicious (3/29/11)
Pick of the Month: Pokemon Black/White. I'm a pokenerd. The coming on the 5th generation is enough for me to call this my pick of this month. Okamiden would be my second choice, since those are the only good games listed here.
~ PSP ~
Gods Eater Burst (3/8/11)
Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle (3/8/11)
Major League Baseball 2K11 (3/8/11)
MLB 11: The Show (3/8/11)
Jikandia: The Timeless Land (3/15/11)
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (3/22/11)
Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy (3/22/11)
WWE All Stars (3/29/11)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky (3/29/11)
The 3rd Birthday (3/29/11)
Pick of the Month: Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy. When I heard Dissidia was getting a sequal, I was so happy. The only other game of note is The 3rd Birthday, which you would understand if you played some other games. If you understand the title, then you'll probably play the game anyways.
~~~~
Overall Pick of the Month: Pokemon Black/White.
Reason? Pokemon with a story. A meaningful story. That is all.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Impressions: Pokemon Rumble
As Pokemon Black and White are on the horizon (March 6th here in the States), I decided I was interested in picking up a Pokemon game, as well as pick up all the special promotional pokemon, like Celebi, the three legendary dogs, and all the other ones. And just recently, I was able to get WiFi on my Wii, so I decided to pick up Pokemon Rumble. A bunch of friends tired of playing SSBB and 15 dollars later, I bought the game.
Pokemon Rumble is quite fun, just being a simple beat 'em up based off of the pokemon series. The only problem is that... This game isn't really complete. It only has the 1st and 4th generation pokemon, so I can't even play with my favorite pokemon; Blaziken. In fact, you can't even play with Mew, because it isn't there. Depressing, to say the least.
However, getting past that problem, the game itself is good. You are a pokemon who wants to become the champion, which requires you to enter battle royales, to advance farther into the ranks. However, the pokemon you get don't level up. You recruit more pokemon and switch to stronger ones as you progress.
The gameplay is a little boring after a while, since it doesn't change up much. The whole point is beat on the pokemon and befriend all of them. The same theme in all pokemon games, getting all the pokemon.
Do I think you should get this game? If you like pokemon and enjoy many of the spin-off games, I would say pick this up. If you aren't into the spin-off games, then you probably shouldn't get this. Think of your own level of pokemania and decide from that.
That's all for now.
Pokemon Rumble is quite fun, just being a simple beat 'em up based off of the pokemon series. The only problem is that... This game isn't really complete. It only has the 1st and 4th generation pokemon, so I can't even play with my favorite pokemon; Blaziken. In fact, you can't even play with Mew, because it isn't there. Depressing, to say the least.
However, getting past that problem, the game itself is good. You are a pokemon who wants to become the champion, which requires you to enter battle royales, to advance farther into the ranks. However, the pokemon you get don't level up. You recruit more pokemon and switch to stronger ones as you progress.
The gameplay is a little boring after a while, since it doesn't change up much. The whole point is beat on the pokemon and befriend all of them. The same theme in all pokemon games, getting all the pokemon.
Do I think you should get this game? If you like pokemon and enjoy many of the spin-off games, I would say pick this up. If you aren't into the spin-off games, then you probably shouldn't get this. Think of your own level of pokemania and decide from that.
That's all for now.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Picks of the Month: Febuary 2011
And here we are again, posting up my picks and release info for this month.
Again, like last month. This is broken up by consoles, with the release dates next to each game. A star (*) will be at the end of a game title that is a downloadable title.
~ Wii ~
- Ultimate Battle of the Sexes (2/1/11)
- Rock Band Track Pack: Country 2 (2/1/11)
- Mario Sports Mix (2/7/11)
- You Don't Know Jack (2/8/11)
- Wicked Monster Blast (2/15/11)
- de Blob 2 (2/22/11)
- Dino Strike (2/28/11)
- Pirate Blast (2/28/11)
Pick of the Month: Mario Sports Mix. It's a freaking Mario game done by Square Enix. That's just all you need to know, plus all the other stuff here is garbage, pretty much.
~ PS3 ~
- Rock Band Track Pack: Country 2 (2/1/11)
- Tales from Space: About a Blob* (2/1/11)
- Test Drive Unlimited 2 (2/8/11)
- Superstars V8 Next Challenge (2/8/11)
- You Don't Know Jack (2/8/11)
- Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll (2/8/11)
- Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2/15/11)
- Hyperdimension Neptunia (2/15/11)
- Sniper: Ghost Warrior (2/15/11)
- Knights Contract (2/22/11)
- de Blob 2 (2/22/11)
- Killzone 3 (2/22/11)
- Bulletstorm (2/22/11)
- Top Spin 4 (2/28/11)
- Plants vs. Zombies* (2/28/11)
Pick of the Month: As I am not a shooter fanatic, I am going to with another genre that I am not a huge fan of... fighting. If that doesn't tell you what games wins this, I'll spell it out for you: Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds.
~ 360 ~
- Rock Band Track Pack: Country 2 (2/1/11)
- Test Drive Unlimited 2 (2/8/11)
- Superstars V8 Next Challenge (2/8/11)
- Body and Brain Connection (2/8/11)
- You Don't Know Jack (2/8/11)
- Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2/15/11)
- Gears of War Triple Pack (2/15/11)
- Knights Contract (2/22/11)
- de Blob 2 (2/22/11)
- Dreamcast Collection (2/22/11)
- Dance Paradise (2/22/11)
- Bulletstorm (2/22/11)
- Brunswick Pro Bowling (2/28/11)
- Top Spin 4 (2/28/11)
Pick of the Month: To not repeat the choice for the PS3, I am going to say the Gears of War triple Pack. Updated graphics on two (hopefully) good games is worth getting. [Disclosure: Never played Gears of War games. But I have played things done by Epic games. They can make shooters. Like Unreal Tournament.]
~ PC ~
- Earthrise (2/4/11)
- Test Drive Unlimited 2 (2/8/11)
- Superstars V8 Next Challenge (2/8/11)
- The Kings' Crusade: Arabian Nights (2/8/11)
- Two Worlds II (2/8/11)
- EverQuest II: Destiny of Velious (2/11/11)
- Magicka (2/15/11)
- Challenge Me: Word Puzzles (2/22/11)
- Dreamcast Collection (2/22/11)
- Bulletstorm (2/22/11)
- Gemini Rue (2/24/11)
- Back to the Future: The Game -- Episode 2: Get Tannen! (2/28/11)
Pick of the Month: And for the PC, I will say a game that I really would like to play, being Bulletstorm. I know it's for the other two, but of course, I don't like picking the same game for multiple consoles. Again, another game done by Epic (or at least published by), which will make it good, regardless.
~ DS ~
- Naruto Shippuden: Shinobi Rumble (2/8/11)
- You Don't Know Jack (2/8/11)
- Zhu Zhu Princess: Carriages and Castles (2/8/11)
- Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation (2/14/11)
- Chronicles of Mystery: The Tree of Life (2/15/11)
- Virtual Families (2/15/11)
- PhotoWorld (2/15/11) [DSi Exclusive. Not DSiWare, actual retail DSi game]
- ThinkSmart: Scotland Yard (2/17/11)
- Challenge Me: Word Puzzles (2/22/11)
- de Blob 2 (2/22/11)
- Radiant Historia (2/22/11)
- Rec Room Games (2/22/11)
- Nanda's Island (2/22/11)
- TINcan! Escape (2/22/11)
- Giana Sisters (2/22/11)
- Photo Phantasy (2/28/11)
- Zombiez Seeker (2/28/11)
Pick of the Month: Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation. It may be a remake, but RPG remakes on the DS are great for people who missed out the first time... Plus mostly everything else here is garbage.
~ PSP ~
- Ys I & II Chronicles (2/15/11)
- Left to Die in Zombhai (2/28/11)
Pick of the Month: ...Um. Nothing? Unless you are interested in Ys games, then obviously Ys I & II Chronicles is worth getting, although if I remember correctly... that already came out on the DS a long time ago. Go research it if you care, but I am going to have to say that I don't pick anything for this month.
Overall Pick of the Month:
Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation. I'm into RPGs. And personally, if I get a new game for this month, this will be my choice.
Again, like last month. This is broken up by consoles, with the release dates next to each game. A star (*) will be at the end of a game title that is a downloadable title.
~ Wii ~
- Ultimate Battle of the Sexes (2/1/11)
- Rock Band Track Pack: Country 2 (2/1/11)
- Mario Sports Mix (2/7/11)
- You Don't Know Jack (2/8/11)
- Wicked Monster Blast (2/15/11)
- de Blob 2 (2/22/11)
- Dino Strike (2/28/11)
- Pirate Blast (2/28/11)
Pick of the Month: Mario Sports Mix. It's a freaking Mario game done by Square Enix. That's just all you need to know, plus all the other stuff here is garbage, pretty much.
~ PS3 ~
- Rock Band Track Pack: Country 2 (2/1/11)
- Tales from Space: About a Blob* (2/1/11)
- Test Drive Unlimited 2 (2/8/11)
- Superstars V8 Next Challenge (2/8/11)
- You Don't Know Jack (2/8/11)
- Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll (2/8/11)
- Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2/15/11)
- Hyperdimension Neptunia (2/15/11)
- Sniper: Ghost Warrior (2/15/11)
- Knights Contract (2/22/11)
- de Blob 2 (2/22/11)
- Killzone 3 (2/22/11)
- Bulletstorm (2/22/11)
- Top Spin 4 (2/28/11)
- Plants vs. Zombies* (2/28/11)
Pick of the Month: As I am not a shooter fanatic, I am going to with another genre that I am not a huge fan of... fighting. If that doesn't tell you what games wins this, I'll spell it out for you: Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds.
~ 360 ~
- Rock Band Track Pack: Country 2 (2/1/11)
- Test Drive Unlimited 2 (2/8/11)
- Superstars V8 Next Challenge (2/8/11)
- Body and Brain Connection (2/8/11)
- You Don't Know Jack (2/8/11)
- Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (2/15/11)
- Gears of War Triple Pack (2/15/11)
- Knights Contract (2/22/11)
- de Blob 2 (2/22/11)
- Dreamcast Collection (2/22/11)
- Dance Paradise (2/22/11)
- Bulletstorm (2/22/11)
- Brunswick Pro Bowling (2/28/11)
- Top Spin 4 (2/28/11)
Pick of the Month: To not repeat the choice for the PS3, I am going to say the Gears of War triple Pack. Updated graphics on two (hopefully) good games is worth getting. [Disclosure: Never played Gears of War games. But I have played things done by Epic games. They can make shooters. Like Unreal Tournament.]
~ PC ~
- Earthrise (2/4/11)
- Test Drive Unlimited 2 (2/8/11)
- Superstars V8 Next Challenge (2/8/11)
- The Kings' Crusade: Arabian Nights (2/8/11)
- Two Worlds II (2/8/11)
- EverQuest II: Destiny of Velious (2/11/11)
- Magicka (2/15/11)
- Challenge Me: Word Puzzles (2/22/11)
- Dreamcast Collection (2/22/11)
- Bulletstorm (2/22/11)
- Gemini Rue (2/24/11)
- Back to the Future: The Game -- Episode 2: Get Tannen! (2/28/11)
Pick of the Month: And for the PC, I will say a game that I really would like to play, being Bulletstorm. I know it's for the other two, but of course, I don't like picking the same game for multiple consoles. Again, another game done by Epic (or at least published by), which will make it good, regardless.
~ DS ~
- Naruto Shippuden: Shinobi Rumble (2/8/11)
- You Don't Know Jack (2/8/11)
- Zhu Zhu Princess: Carriages and Castles (2/8/11)
- Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation (2/14/11)
- Chronicles of Mystery: The Tree of Life (2/15/11)
- Virtual Families (2/15/11)
- PhotoWorld (2/15/11) [DSi Exclusive. Not DSiWare, actual retail DSi game]
- ThinkSmart: Scotland Yard (2/17/11)
- Challenge Me: Word Puzzles (2/22/11)
- de Blob 2 (2/22/11)
- Radiant Historia (2/22/11)
- Rec Room Games (2/22/11)
- Nanda's Island (2/22/11)
- TINcan! Escape (2/22/11)
- Giana Sisters (2/22/11)
- Photo Phantasy (2/28/11)
- Zombiez Seeker (2/28/11)
Pick of the Month: Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation. It may be a remake, but RPG remakes on the DS are great for people who missed out the first time... Plus mostly everything else here is garbage.
~ PSP ~
- Ys I & II Chronicles (2/15/11)
- Left to Die in Zombhai (2/28/11)
Pick of the Month: ...Um. Nothing? Unless you are interested in Ys games, then obviously Ys I & II Chronicles is worth getting, although if I remember correctly... that already came out on the DS a long time ago. Go research it if you care, but I am going to have to say that I don't pick anything for this month.
Overall Pick of the Month:
Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation. I'm into RPGs. And personally, if I get a new game for this month, this will be my choice.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Picks of the Month: January 2011
I'm going to start a new feature for myself to update this blog more often. I'm going to use my powers of research and awesome to list out major releases for each month, which systems they are out for, and what my personal picks are for the month. I haven't fully decided which time I will post these (Start or end of the month, for example), but this will most likely just be put up whenever I feel like.
The following is broken up into sections by console, which then have the game's title and it's release date in ()'s. Also, things marked with a star at the end of the title are downloadable games, not retail. I won't do seperate lists for PSN, WiiWare, DSiWare, etc.
Note: Since I am doing this in the middle of the month and apparently, sites that list release dates have no care about letting people research backwards, so I only have major things from before this date. This will be fixed in later months.
~ Wii ~
- A Shadow's Tale (1/4/11)
- Jam City Rollergirls* (1/24/11)
- Titanic Mystery (1/31/11)
- UFC Trainer (1/31/11)
Pick of the Month: ...Um. According to the major releases on stuff, the only one here that came up was "A Shadow's Tale", so based off that fact, get that. Or, just don't buy anything this month, Wii owners. Go get a game you might have missed, like DKC Returns or Kirby's Epic Yarn.
~ PS3 ~
- DC Universe Online (1/11/11)
- LittleBigPlanet2 (1/18/11)
- Mass Efect 2 (1/18/11)
- MindJack (1/18/11)
- Dead Space 2 (1/25/11)
- Two Worlds II (1/25/11)
- UFC Trainer (1/31/11)
- Star Raiders (1/31/11)
- Dungeon Defenders* (1/31/11)
- Conspiracy* (1/31/11)
Pick of the Month: LittleBigPlanet 2. This is the one I care about more than the others. Don't like it? Don't read. Plus, all the other good games are multiplatform, so they will get their time in the light, so quiet.
~ 360 ~
- MindJack (1/18/11)
- Dead Space 2 (1/25/11)
- Two Worlds II (1/25/11)
- UFC Trainer (1/31/11)
- Star Raiders (1/31/11)
- Dungeon Defenders* (1/31/11)
Pick of the Month: Dead Space 2.
~ PC ~
- DC Universe Online (1/11/11)
- Dead Space 2 (1/25/11)
- Two Worlds II (1/25/11)
- Titanic Mystery (1/31/11)
- Dungeon Defenders (1/31/11)
- Trapped Dead (1/31/11)
Pick of the Month: It's tough between DC Universe and Dead Space 2. I don't plan on playing either, but from what I have seen, I would say go with Dead Space 2.
~ DS ~
- Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded (1/11/11)
- Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (1/11/11)
- Rocks N' Rockets (1/24/11)
- Paws & Claws Marine Rescue (1/25/11)
- Rec Room Games (1/25/11)
- Chronicles of Mystery: The Tree of Life (1/27/11)
- Gabrielle's Ghostly Groove (1/30/11)
- ATV Wild Ride (1/30/11)
- Titanic Mystery (1/31/11)
- The Mysterious Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1/31/11)
Pick of the Month: While not a huge fan of the series... Kingdom Hearts has my vote. I won't play it personally, but I understand that people enjoy the series. Everything else here is fail, with the sole exception of Ghost Trick, which I have heard very good things about.
~ PSP ~
- Lord of Arcana (1/25/11)
- Samurai Shodown* (1/31/11)
- Enigmo* (1/31/11)
Pick of the Month: Get Samurai Shodown. Old game, but it was fun back in the day. If it means anything, I have no clue what the other two games are. So, I obviously pick the one I know about.
Overall Pick of the Month:
Dead Space 2. I know it's a super high profile game, but besides a few other gems, this game is something that should be played and bought. sadly, however, I say this with the fact that I don't have any system it's out for and I won't be playing it. But I'd like to think that I know a thing or two about games. So suck it if you don't like it. =D
The following is broken up into sections by console, which then have the game's title and it's release date in ()'s. Also, things marked with a star at the end of the title are downloadable games, not retail. I won't do seperate lists for PSN, WiiWare, DSiWare, etc.
Note: Since I am doing this in the middle of the month and apparently, sites that list release dates have no care about letting people research backwards, so I only have major things from before this date. This will be fixed in later months.
~ Wii ~
- A Shadow's Tale (1/4/11)
- Jam City Rollergirls* (1/24/11)
- Titanic Mystery (1/31/11)
- UFC Trainer (1/31/11)
Pick of the Month: ...Um. According to the major releases on stuff, the only one here that came up was "A Shadow's Tale", so based off that fact, get that. Or, just don't buy anything this month, Wii owners. Go get a game you might have missed, like DKC Returns or Kirby's Epic Yarn.
~ PS3 ~
- DC Universe Online (1/11/11)
- LittleBigPlanet2 (1/18/11)
- Mass Efect 2 (1/18/11)
- MindJack (1/18/11)
- Dead Space 2 (1/25/11)
- Two Worlds II (1/25/11)
- UFC Trainer (1/31/11)
- Star Raiders (1/31/11)
- Dungeon Defenders* (1/31/11)
- Conspiracy* (1/31/11)
Pick of the Month: LittleBigPlanet 2. This is the one I care about more than the others. Don't like it? Don't read. Plus, all the other good games are multiplatform, so they will get their time in the light, so quiet.
~ 360 ~
- MindJack (1/18/11)
- Dead Space 2 (1/25/11)
- Two Worlds II (1/25/11)
- UFC Trainer (1/31/11)
- Star Raiders (1/31/11)
- Dungeon Defenders* (1/31/11)
Pick of the Month: Dead Space 2.
~ PC ~
- DC Universe Online (1/11/11)
- Dead Space 2 (1/25/11)
- Two Worlds II (1/25/11)
- Titanic Mystery (1/31/11)
- Dungeon Defenders (1/31/11)
- Trapped Dead (1/31/11)
Pick of the Month: It's tough between DC Universe and Dead Space 2. I don't plan on playing either, but from what I have seen, I would say go with Dead Space 2.
~ DS ~
- Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded (1/11/11)
- Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (1/11/11)
- Rocks N' Rockets (1/24/11)
- Paws & Claws Marine Rescue (1/25/11)
- Rec Room Games (1/25/11)
- Chronicles of Mystery: The Tree of Life (1/27/11)
- Gabrielle's Ghostly Groove (1/30/11)
- ATV Wild Ride (1/30/11)
- Titanic Mystery (1/31/11)
- The Mysterious Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1/31/11)
Pick of the Month: While not a huge fan of the series... Kingdom Hearts has my vote. I won't play it personally, but I understand that people enjoy the series. Everything else here is fail, with the sole exception of Ghost Trick, which I have heard very good things about.
~ PSP ~
- Lord of Arcana (1/25/11)
- Samurai Shodown* (1/31/11)
- Enigmo* (1/31/11)
Pick of the Month: Get Samurai Shodown. Old game, but it was fun back in the day. If it means anything, I have no clue what the other two games are. So, I obviously pick the one I know about.
Overall Pick of the Month:
Dead Space 2. I know it's a super high profile game, but besides a few other gems, this game is something that should be played and bought. sadly, however, I say this with the fact that I don't have any system it's out for and I won't be playing it. But I'd like to think that I know a thing or two about games. So suck it if you don't like it. =D
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
A closer look at On-The-Go Rock Band
Rock Band, created by the very talented people at Harmonix, have a Rock Band game on every platform that is important. Today, I'm going to discuss the portable ones. I'm going to talk about the most reason games for the DS (Rock Band 3), PSP (Rock Band Unplugged), and iPhone (Rock Band Reloaded). I've played all of them and I want to let you know which ones have strengths and weaknesses. I'll just put this into sections for you to see.
1. Gameplay.
All three of these games have somewhat similar gameplay, in the fact that you don't have the add-ons like the guitar or things like that, since using those in a portable sense would be really hard and dumb.
Rock Band Reloaded is the second iPhone/iTouch game to hit the app store, with the first one simply being called "Rock Band". The game makes you hold your iDevice horizontally and you play notes off four lines going down. You tap the icons when the notes come down (The drums have pads that you tap, as opposed to tapping the notes themselves, like Tap Tap games). You can play the Guitar, Bass, Drums, and Vocals (Both by touch and by actually singing, using the iPhone mic or a headset for iTouch users), but you only play one at a time. I mention this because the other two portable games don't just make you play one instrument.
Rock Band 3 and Unplugged play more similar to each other than the iPhone version, but still have their differences. You play four tracks of music, each track is a different part (Drums, Gutiar, etc) and you cycle through them as you play phrases of notes and play parts of each instrument. You do this for the whole song, but you stop cycling as you hit a solo, where you just play the main instrument in the solo.
They key difference between these two is that Unplugged has been out for a while, while Rock Band 3 has the keyboard parts, which switches with the guitar track.
Overall, if you want a traditional Rock Band type of deal, the iPhone version lets you just focus on one part of the song. But the PSP and DS titles give you some challenge, keeping you on your toes.
2. Songs and DLC.
From here, I am just going to start listing each game and write about them. Yeah, I change styles in the middle of writing. Deal with it. Also, if you want to know everything on the music in each game, Wiki the game or something. I'm not listing out everything here. Do your own work, you lazy bastards. >_>
Rock Band 3 (DS) - This is probably the biggest letdown of this portable game. The songs on the game are good, but they generally don't fit as things I like listening to. Some of them have grown on me, but others are just kinda... there.
The second part of this letdown is that there is NO DLC. No WiFi. Nothing of the sort. When I bought the game new, it had a booklet for WiFi, but no features or anything that use it.
Rock Band Unplugged (PSP) - This game has my favrote songs of the three games, with things like Killswitch Engage (DLC), Black Tide, Nine Inch Nails, etc. I enjoy the songs a lot and have spent plenty of time with this game.
Unlike the DS version, this game has DLC. The amount of songs is decent, I suppose. It's more than the iPhone game, but this game has a year on the iPhone game in terms of how long it's been around. However, if you check it now, I don't believe there is anything new coming out for Unplugged, so whatever is there will be all that you get.
Rock Band Reloaded (iPhone) - This portable version has a decent setlist, one that keeps growing through DLC that is added on... a somewhat regular basis. Some free songs and things keep it good and keep your music list expanding.
Overall - If you want DLC, avoid the DS game. If you want to play the Piano, get the DS version. If you like DLC, then choose which playstyle you want to play more. Or get both and support Harmonix. >_>
3. Multiplayer.
Rock Band 3 (DS) - This game has multiplayer. Personally, I haven't tried it, but it features head-to-head or coop play. In coop, you play one instrument and that's all. In head-to-head, I believe you are going for more points. I'm basing this off what I remember from the instruction booklet, so don't kill me if I am wrong. Most likely, this will be the game that you want if you want multiplayer Rock band on the go, because...
Rock Band Unplugged (PSP) - This game has NO MULTIPLAYER. What the fuck, Harmonix? Rock Band is for people to enjoy with other people. How in the hell do you not have multiplayer? Argh. If you ever make a sequel, there had better be some damn multiplayer. Unplugged is awesome, and multiplayer is probably the only thing missing. Fix that.
Rock Band Reloaded (iPhone) - The Multiplayer is coop based in this one. I only played the first iPhone game multiplayer, and it was a lot of fun and I can only imagine it's more of the same. The upside to this version is that it's the only version to have wifi multiplayer, but no one ever uses it. I've never played an online game of Reloaded. >_>
4. Customization
Rock Band 3 (DS) - You get to name your band and pick a logo, choose from different outfits and different instruments for your band members to play. It's basic, but it's nice to give you a feel for controlling your band and their rise to fame.
To unlock stuff, you meet career goals. Once you meet a goal, you unlock something else. That's all. Basic, simple, works.
Rock Band Unplugged (PSP) - You have basically the same format from the DS version, since this game did it first. However, when you play you earn money that you spend to buy items and clothes you want. In my experience, you get more choices from this game as opposed to the DS game. probably from space limitations or something.
Rock Band Reloaded (iPhone) - And this game is the disappointment here. Why? Because you don't do anything to your band. You have no control over their look, they names, the band name, nothing. You are just there to play songs. I never even look at the background photos of the band "playing".
Final Thoughts:
Each portable version has a downfall. Two of the three play very similar, while the third is more traditiona Rock Band. Which one you want to play is up to you. I've played all three and I don't regret any of them, because they are all good games. They just aren't perfect.
Now if Harmonix came out with a portable version that fixed these problems, it would be a gold mine. I don't care which handheld it's on, I just want a Rock Band portable game that has:
1) DLC. It's not Rock Band without some DLC tracks.
2) Local and WiFi Multiplayer. Give us options, Harmonix.
3) Both styles of gameplay. If you like the Unplugged version or just a single instrument track, you should be able to choice one or the other. More options means more work, but it also means more people appreciate and enjoy the fruits of that labor.
4) More customization. It's already fine on the DS and PSP, just expand it more. Give us more options.
That's all I have to say on this matter. Get all 3 if you like Rock Band. You won't be disappointed at the overall, just maybe on the lack of features.
1. Gameplay.
All three of these games have somewhat similar gameplay, in the fact that you don't have the add-ons like the guitar or things like that, since using those in a portable sense would be really hard and dumb.
Rock Band Reloaded is the second iPhone/iTouch game to hit the app store, with the first one simply being called "Rock Band". The game makes you hold your iDevice horizontally and you play notes off four lines going down. You tap the icons when the notes come down (The drums have pads that you tap, as opposed to tapping the notes themselves, like Tap Tap games). You can play the Guitar, Bass, Drums, and Vocals (Both by touch and by actually singing, using the iPhone mic or a headset for iTouch users), but you only play one at a time. I mention this because the other two portable games don't just make you play one instrument.
Rock Band 3 and Unplugged play more similar to each other than the iPhone version, but still have their differences. You play four tracks of music, each track is a different part (Drums, Gutiar, etc) and you cycle through them as you play phrases of notes and play parts of each instrument. You do this for the whole song, but you stop cycling as you hit a solo, where you just play the main instrument in the solo.
They key difference between these two is that Unplugged has been out for a while, while Rock Band 3 has the keyboard parts, which switches with the guitar track.
Overall, if you want a traditional Rock Band type of deal, the iPhone version lets you just focus on one part of the song. But the PSP and DS titles give you some challenge, keeping you on your toes.
2. Songs and DLC.
From here, I am just going to start listing each game and write about them. Yeah, I change styles in the middle of writing. Deal with it. Also, if you want to know everything on the music in each game, Wiki the game or something. I'm not listing out everything here. Do your own work, you lazy bastards. >_>
Rock Band 3 (DS) - This is probably the biggest letdown of this portable game. The songs on the game are good, but they generally don't fit as things I like listening to. Some of them have grown on me, but others are just kinda... there.
The second part of this letdown is that there is NO DLC. No WiFi. Nothing of the sort. When I bought the game new, it had a booklet for WiFi, but no features or anything that use it.
Rock Band Unplugged (PSP) - This game has my favrote songs of the three games, with things like Killswitch Engage (DLC), Black Tide, Nine Inch Nails, etc. I enjoy the songs a lot and have spent plenty of time with this game.
Unlike the DS version, this game has DLC. The amount of songs is decent, I suppose. It's more than the iPhone game, but this game has a year on the iPhone game in terms of how long it's been around. However, if you check it now, I don't believe there is anything new coming out for Unplugged, so whatever is there will be all that you get.
Rock Band Reloaded (iPhone) - This portable version has a decent setlist, one that keeps growing through DLC that is added on... a somewhat regular basis. Some free songs and things keep it good and keep your music list expanding.
Overall - If you want DLC, avoid the DS game. If you want to play the Piano, get the DS version. If you like DLC, then choose which playstyle you want to play more. Or get both and support Harmonix. >_>
3. Multiplayer.
Rock Band 3 (DS) - This game has multiplayer. Personally, I haven't tried it, but it features head-to-head or coop play. In coop, you play one instrument and that's all. In head-to-head, I believe you are going for more points. I'm basing this off what I remember from the instruction booklet, so don't kill me if I am wrong. Most likely, this will be the game that you want if you want multiplayer Rock band on the go, because...
Rock Band Unplugged (PSP) - This game has NO MULTIPLAYER. What the fuck, Harmonix? Rock Band is for people to enjoy with other people. How in the hell do you not have multiplayer? Argh. If you ever make a sequel, there had better be some damn multiplayer. Unplugged is awesome, and multiplayer is probably the only thing missing. Fix that.
Rock Band Reloaded (iPhone) - The Multiplayer is coop based in this one. I only played the first iPhone game multiplayer, and it was a lot of fun and I can only imagine it's more of the same. The upside to this version is that it's the only version to have wifi multiplayer, but no one ever uses it. I've never played an online game of Reloaded. >_>
4. Customization
Rock Band 3 (DS) - You get to name your band and pick a logo, choose from different outfits and different instruments for your band members to play. It's basic, but it's nice to give you a feel for controlling your band and their rise to fame.
To unlock stuff, you meet career goals. Once you meet a goal, you unlock something else. That's all. Basic, simple, works.
Rock Band Unplugged (PSP) - You have basically the same format from the DS version, since this game did it first. However, when you play you earn money that you spend to buy items and clothes you want. In my experience, you get more choices from this game as opposed to the DS game. probably from space limitations or something.
Rock Band Reloaded (iPhone) - And this game is the disappointment here. Why? Because you don't do anything to your band. You have no control over their look, they names, the band name, nothing. You are just there to play songs. I never even look at the background photos of the band "playing".
Final Thoughts:
Each portable version has a downfall. Two of the three play very similar, while the third is more traditiona Rock Band. Which one you want to play is up to you. I've played all three and I don't regret any of them, because they are all good games. They just aren't perfect.
Now if Harmonix came out with a portable version that fixed these problems, it would be a gold mine. I don't care which handheld it's on, I just want a Rock Band portable game that has:
1) DLC. It's not Rock Band without some DLC tracks.
2) Local and WiFi Multiplayer. Give us options, Harmonix.
3) Both styles of gameplay. If you like the Unplugged version or just a single instrument track, you should be able to choice one or the other. More options means more work, but it also means more people appreciate and enjoy the fruits of that labor.
4) More customization. It's already fine on the DS and PSP, just expand it more. Give us more options.
That's all I have to say on this matter. Get all 3 if you like Rock Band. You won't be disappointed at the overall, just maybe on the lack of features.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Top 10 Games of 2010 (That I played) [Explicit]
It's like a law or something, but if you do gaming stuff, everyone wants a fucking list. This will be the post where you get mine.
Before starting, a few things to note. First, not all of these games will be released in 2010. This is a last of what I played this year, and which games were the best. I'm behind with the times, but I don't give a damn. Secondly, this is my opinion. Don't like it? Go somewhere else. Simple. And finally... Well... Enjoy?
Number 10:
Megaman Zero Collection
Platform: DS
Release: 6/8/10
This game was a nice buy for me. 30 dollars and I got four games (that could easily be emulated, of course). Getting Megaman Zero 1 to 4 was a nice little time for me, since I did enjoy the first game (the little that I did play of it) but I never picked up or played the other three. This game also allowed you to have an easier time getting through the story, since it allowed you to play through all four games in a row, on an "easy" mode, which pretty much gave you everything you would need, taking away some of the challenge. But it's not a required mode, which makes it nice. I had a lot of fun with this game, so it should have a spot on my list.
Number 9:
Angry Birds
Platform: iPod/iPhone
Release: 12/11/09
I got this game sometime in the middle of this year, finally giving into hype. And I must say that this game is very fun, even for just simple controls. Some of the puzzles are challenging and I had fun with this, losing hours of time to shooting very angry birds at green pigs.
Number 8:
Left 4 Dead
Platform: PC
Release: 11/18/08
Let's start this explanation off right: I love this game. And it would go higher on this list if I was able to play it more. I got this game only a month ago, on my nice new laptop. However, with life problems, I don't get much chance to sit down and play this game, since that new laptop is usually in storage. I haven't even beaten a single campaign in this game yet. So the fact that I even put this on the list is amazing. So no bitching.
Number 7:
DragonQuest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
Platform: DS
Release: 7/11/10
Again. This game game falls under the same problem with L4D. But I only got it two weeks ago. And I am purely addicted. This game is an amazing RPG (And I love RPGs). This game is too amazing to not include on my list, in fact that only regret is that I didn't get this game sooner.
Number 6:
Secret Agent Clank
Platform: PSP
Release: 6/17/08
As a lover of the Ratchet and Clank series, I found this game charming and amazing as Size Matters, which says a lot, since that is the only game I have sat down and wrote a guide for. Secret Agent Clank is something special, which Clank, Ratchet and Quark all getting their own gameplay time, making the story fun to go through.
Number 5:
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Platform: Gamecube
Release: 10/11/04
Possibly the oldest game that I played this year, I enjoyed the fuck out of this game. Nintendo knows how to make fun RPGs, making them funny and charming as hell. If you have played this game, then you know exactly what I am talking about. The best part: Listening to Luigi's stories.
Number 4:
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Platform: Wii
Release: 9/8/09
Discovering this gem off of a Let's Player Tatsudoshi, mid-way through his LP, I bought this game. By far, the art style and look of this game made me so into the game, that some of the repetitive fighting didn't bother me so much. The boss fights made that game purely gold.
Number 3:
Super Mario Galaxy
Platform: Wii
Release: 11/12/07
Just getting to this game this year, I loved it. Far better than the last 3D Mario platformer (The fucking retarded Super Mario Sunshine, I hate that game), this game makes Mario look good again. I haven't played the sequel yet, but I'm not too worried about it. I wanna get everything in this game first. This game hit a little sour with me, as I bought it used and the game kept freezing after beating Bowser the last time. So, I haven't played Luigi yet, which makes this a little less of a game than I wanted.
Number 2:
No More Heroes
Platform: Wii
Release: 1/22/08
This game is the best single player experience I played this year. It was pure fun. There was very little care for sanity in this game I enjoyed the hell out of how it just played off itself, having a good enough story to lead to an awesome payoff at the end. The end off NMH is pure gold. I personally need to play the second one to see what else Suda51 came up with.
Number 1:
Super Smash Bros Brawl
Platform: Wii
Release: 3/9/08
If you know me, then you know that I am a huge SSB fan. Over this last year, I have dumped hundreds of hours into this amazing game. I don't need to say anything else.
That concludes my top 10 list for 2010. And only two of those games came out in 2010. Awesome.
Other games I played worth a mention: ModNation Racers PSP, Rock Band Reloaded (iPod), Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, and Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3.
That's all for now, guys
Before starting, a few things to note. First, not all of these games will be released in 2010. This is a last of what I played this year, and which games were the best. I'm behind with the times, but I don't give a damn. Secondly, this is my opinion. Don't like it? Go somewhere else. Simple. And finally... Well... Enjoy?
Number 10:
Megaman Zero Collection
Platform: DS
Release: 6/8/10
This game was a nice buy for me. 30 dollars and I got four games (that could easily be emulated, of course). Getting Megaman Zero 1 to 4 was a nice little time for me, since I did enjoy the first game (the little that I did play of it) but I never picked up or played the other three. This game also allowed you to have an easier time getting through the story, since it allowed you to play through all four games in a row, on an "easy" mode, which pretty much gave you everything you would need, taking away some of the challenge. But it's not a required mode, which makes it nice. I had a lot of fun with this game, so it should have a spot on my list.
Number 9:
Angry Birds
Platform: iPod/iPhone
Release: 12/11/09
I got this game sometime in the middle of this year, finally giving into hype. And I must say that this game is very fun, even for just simple controls. Some of the puzzles are challenging and I had fun with this, losing hours of time to shooting very angry birds at green pigs.
Number 8:
Left 4 Dead
Platform: PC
Release: 11/18/08
Let's start this explanation off right: I love this game. And it would go higher on this list if I was able to play it more. I got this game only a month ago, on my nice new laptop. However, with life problems, I don't get much chance to sit down and play this game, since that new laptop is usually in storage. I haven't even beaten a single campaign in this game yet. So the fact that I even put this on the list is amazing. So no bitching.
Number 7:
DragonQuest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
Platform: DS
Release: 7/11/10
Again. This game game falls under the same problem with L4D. But I only got it two weeks ago. And I am purely addicted. This game is an amazing RPG (And I love RPGs). This game is too amazing to not include on my list, in fact that only regret is that I didn't get this game sooner.
Number 6:
Secret Agent Clank
Platform: PSP
Release: 6/17/08
As a lover of the Ratchet and Clank series, I found this game charming and amazing as Size Matters, which says a lot, since that is the only game I have sat down and wrote a guide for. Secret Agent Clank is something special, which Clank, Ratchet and Quark all getting their own gameplay time, making the story fun to go through.
Number 5:
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Platform: Gamecube
Release: 10/11/04
Possibly the oldest game that I played this year, I enjoyed the fuck out of this game. Nintendo knows how to make fun RPGs, making them funny and charming as hell. If you have played this game, then you know exactly what I am talking about. The best part: Listening to Luigi's stories.
Number 4:
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Platform: Wii
Release: 9/8/09
Discovering this gem off of a Let's Player Tatsudoshi, mid-way through his LP, I bought this game. By far, the art style and look of this game made me so into the game, that some of the repetitive fighting didn't bother me so much. The boss fights made that game purely gold.
Number 3:
Super Mario Galaxy
Platform: Wii
Release: 11/12/07
Just getting to this game this year, I loved it. Far better than the last 3D Mario platformer (The fucking retarded Super Mario Sunshine, I hate that game), this game makes Mario look good again. I haven't played the sequel yet, but I'm not too worried about it. I wanna get everything in this game first. This game hit a little sour with me, as I bought it used and the game kept freezing after beating Bowser the last time. So, I haven't played Luigi yet, which makes this a little less of a game than I wanted.
Number 2:
No More Heroes
Platform: Wii
Release: 1/22/08
This game is the best single player experience I played this year. It was pure fun. There was very little care for sanity in this game I enjoyed the hell out of how it just played off itself, having a good enough story to lead to an awesome payoff at the end. The end off NMH is pure gold. I personally need to play the second one to see what else Suda51 came up with.
Number 1:
Super Smash Bros Brawl
Platform: Wii
Release: 3/9/08
If you know me, then you know that I am a huge SSB fan. Over this last year, I have dumped hundreds of hours into this amazing game. I don't need to say anything else.
That concludes my top 10 list for 2010. And only two of those games came out in 2010. Awesome.
Other games I played worth a mention: ModNation Racers PSP, Rock Band Reloaded (iPod), Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, and Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3.
That's all for now, guys
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