Attention: Blog Failure!

Because of the lack of readers on the blog, this blog will no longer be updated regularly. When I can, I will still post reviews for games but these will no longer be scheduled or announced ahead of time. If you'd like your fill of Nintendo news, check out my other (much more popular site) Nintendo 3DS wiki by clicking here.

I had fun while it lasted but I don't think I really have any regular readers. If I get a certain amount of comments then I might consider coming back to writing for the blog, but until then have fun in the wonderful world of Nintendo!

Top 7 Mario Kart Feature Part 1 (Characters, Karts, Items, Games)

Note: This is part 1 of a two part article. Part 2 (Battle stages, tracks, specialty tracks, and tracks that didn't make it) will be online on January 8th 2011.

The Mario Kart franchise has been so good over the last seven installments that I couldn’t resist doing a Top 7 (get it, seven) feature naming the top 7 things in certain categories. On this web page, you’ll find my personal opinion on the top 7 Mario Kart characters, karts, items, tracks, specialty tracks, “tracks that almost made it but didn’t”, and the seven games themselves. Each of these categories will be explained in further detail below. I hope you enjoy this feature as I will hopefully begin to do more of these type of features in the near future. See you online!

Category 1: Top 7 Mario Kart Characters

Our first category was one of the easiest categories for me to judge. The following is the top 7 characters of all the Mario Kart games. If the character was only seen in one game then that specific game is listed in parentheses otherwise the character is seen in multiple Mario Kart titles. Let’s start with our honorable mention!

Honorable Mention: Yoshi

Not only is Yoshi one of the cutest Mario characters around, but he also happens to be my favorite color: green! Although Yoshi doesn’t do anything all that great for the Mario Kart franchise, he’s one of my favorite Mario series characters nonetheless and he may not make the top 7, but he’s still an energetic little chap worth mentioning.

Number 7: Luigi

Another of the two green characters, Luigi finally gets the opportunity to beat his brother Mario at something other than ghost-hunting. Luigi also has a talent at designing race courses although they usually aren’t all that difficult, or exciting for that matter, or even all that cool, but I guess it just comes with his character. Luigi may like driving on the safe roads, but that’s just one more thing to love about him.

Number 6: Lakitu (MK7)

One of the Mario Kart series’ newest arrivals is one of the most deserving of a spot on this list. Lakitu has volunteered his important time to help referee kart races now for decades and it’s about time he actually gets to participate in one. Lakitu also happens to be one of the cutest characters on this list which is just another reason why he’s on it in the first place.

Number 5: Shy Guy (MK7)

Although Shy Guy was technically playable in Mario Kart DS, he didn’t really come into his own until just recently in Mario Kart 7. Shy Guy is one of my favorite characters for two primary reasons: the noises and sounds he makes, and the fact that his true identity remains hidden behind a mask. His character still intrigues me to this day and makes Shy Guy one of my favorite Mario Kart racers of all time.

Number 4: Funky Kong (MKWii)

I’ve never really loved Funky Kong as some do, but I do notice that he is one pretty cool dude. Funky Kong’s design is pretty awesome and rumor has it that he has some awesome sort of speed boost. His sound effects are pretty cool too, makes me want to hang out with this guy.

Number 3: Metal Mario (MK7)

What’s the one thing cooler than Mario? Well metal makes everything better so…Metal Mario! His inclusion in Mario Kart 7 wasn’t all that awesome considering he’s just Mario’s metallic twin, but I love the sounds he makes and how the game gives me nostalgia towards Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. Then again, the game isn’t called Metal Mario Kart, although that’d be pretty awesome.

Number 2: Bowser

At first I wasn’t going to include Bowser in this list, but then it hit me, Bowser’s castles are some of the best courses in the franchise. Bowser loves to build his not-so luxurious race courses all over the place and us racers couldn’t be happier. “Sorry Mario, but our princess is in another castle” now has a whole new meaning.

Number 1: Mario

Why would Mario not win this contest? Considering he’s probably the most-played, most-known, and most-popular of the Mario Kart playable roster, this should come to little surprise. Plus, some of the most memorable tracks are named and constructed with Mario in mind. If these reasons haven’t convinced you Mario should be number one, look over this entire article and tell me how many times the word “Mario” is written, and if you’re still not convinced then I’ll be sending you a spiny shell next time you’re on an interstate.

Category 2: Top 7 Karts

This is the run-down of the top 7 karts from the Mario Kart franchise, and as always including an honorable mention. Pictures of each kart are located next to the kart description as well. I chose my top 7 based on kart appearance and not by kart stats such as speed, handling, etc.

Honorable Mention: Sprinter (MKWii)

The Sprinter’s design is a bit more stereotypical than most of Mario’s karts (see what I did there), but it’s still a pretty solid looking design. It wasn’t quite good enough to make the top 7 but it’s still one of my all time favorites.

Number 7: Wild Wing (MKWii)

The Wild Wing looks pretty much like a really hot car with wings. The paint job is beautiful if you drive it as Mario and the car itself looks great. Wario’s car from Mario Kart Double Dash almost got this spot over the Wild Wing but in the end I chose this one.

Number 6: Standard Kart (MKWii)

The standard karts always look pretty neat, but the Mario Kart Wii version is my absolute favorite. The sleek front of the kart looks really awesome, and the kart in general actually looks like a go-kart, but better.

Number 5: Koopa King (MKDD)

The Koopa King is surely one of the largest karts in the franchise, and also one of the fastest. The kart has maximum speed in Mario Kart Double Dash and is a joy to drive, although it takes a while to accelerate. The kart design is pretty awesome with six wheels in total and an awesome paint job and face located on the front of the kart.

Number 4: Heart Coach (MKDD)

The Heart Coach may not be a favorite among many, but to me it’s one of the best looking karts in the series. The overall design is gorgeous and the front half of the kart looks great with its blend of antique and modern and a little bit of royalty blended in (it does belong to a Princess after all).

Number 3: B-Dasher (MKDS/MK7)

By far one of the sleekest karts (and most known) is the B-Dasher found in Mario Kart DS and again in Mario Kart 7. The design is everything you could possibly want: a stereotypical racecar with a massive engine, sweet tires, a basic but cool paint job, and a bit of a modern touch. The B-Dasher is also one of the best karts for racing in because of its good balance of speed and acceleration.

Number 2: Red Fire (MKDD)

The Red Fire is pretty much the standard kart for Double Dash, and like always with Double Dash, the kart designs are genius earning the Red Fire number two on this list. In all honesty, the Red Fire is much more visually appealing than any other standard karts from the franchise history, and the kart is a joy to drive as well.

Number 1: Mach Bike (MKWii)

Isn’t it ironic that a list of the best karts in the series would include a bike in the first place position? That just shows how awesome the mach bike is, at first I wasn’t going to have it take the glorious first place award, but after looking at the stunning picture of Peach riding it, I couldn’t help myself. This image of the Mach Bike actually makes me not want to dislike Peach anymore, in all honesty… it makes Peach look pretty dang sexy. Of course, the Mach Bike makes everyone look pretty good. Gee I’d like to get one for myself.

Category 3: Top 7 Items

Moving onto our third category of the day and I’m not showing any signs of stopping. Here I present my top 7 items of the series (and of course with an honorable mention, it was hard narrowing it down to seven!) Some of these items have been known to cause sheer pain, if you have been previously offended by one of the following items (cough spiny cough shell cough…) then stop reading this article now and cool down by staying in a comfortable 2^nd place next time you play Mario Kart, if not then enjoy!

Honorable Mention: Bullet Bill

The Bullet Bill may feel a bit like cheating, in fact, a lot like cheating, but it’s still a hell of a lot of fun to ram through other karts at top speeds and reach the front of the pack. It does it all for you too, no thought involved, who says you can’t get nothing good for free? Of course it does come with a price, the embarrassment of needing to use it in the first place…

Number 7: Giant Banana (MKDD)

The giant banana from Mario Kart Double Dash is one of the character-specific items (which could have filled the list themselves) and is the only thing better than a banana. Using this thing on tight bridges can be a blast as it’s nearly impossible for your opponents to navigate through undamaged, and when they fail to avoid the walloping fruit of doom, three smaller bananas take their turn at crashing even more karts.

Number 6: Thunderbolt

Another “cheap” item that’s a bit embarrassing for hardcore players to use is the thunderbolt. But then again, it’s the one and only item in the series that is physically impossible for opponents to avoid (unless of course they are invincible), and it makes them small and completely vulnerable for your tire’s squishing pleasure.

Number 5: Fire Flower (MK7)

The Fire Flower is by far the best item in Mario Kart 7, and one of the best overall in the series. Shooting fireballs forwards and backwards is a great way to catch up during a race, and it’s very satisfying when you finally land a hit on another player.

Number 4: Spiny Shell

Ahhhhh!!! You probably saw this coming, or maybe you didn’t, sometimes they catch you by surprise and blow your kart to smithereens. So why did the world’s most hated item make it this high on the list? Several reasons. There are several ways to avoid or share the impact of a spiny shell and they’re all very satisfying to perform. One is to drive into some sort of barrel shooter like on the DK levels, another is to use a last minute mushroom, and you can also drive near the second place player and share the explosion with them, which is always fun. My personal favorite however only works if you are aware a spiny shell is en route (only possible in Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart 7 via the map screen), you can deliberately fall back into second place and moments later watch the poor pathetic pack leader be blown to pieces. Of course if all else fails, I guess you’ll be blown apart and taken from first place on the final stretch of the course, which is always a huge pain in the butt. Thinking back, why did I allow Spiny Shell into the Top 5???

Number 3: Fake Item Box

As to why the fake item box didn’t make the cut into Mario Kart 7 I cannot answer, as it is truly one of the best items in the franchise. For one, you can’t use it as a tail behind your kart to avoid incoming red shells as they will go right through it, and it’s great for fooling other racers into driving right into it because of its similarity to the real item boxes. Their strategic placements can make them a great strategic element as well, and yet another reason why they are number 3 on this list.

Number 2: Bob-omb

You probably didn’t see this coming, but the Bob-omb is honestly one of the greatest things about Mario Kart. First of all, they starred in the fantastic battle mode option “Bob-omb Blast” from Mario Kart Double Dash in which they were so much fun to play with. But the primary reason for its number two spot, is the fact that it is a very strategic item that requires tons of thinking by the throwers part. You could throw it up ahead and sneak attack somebody from above, or you could surprise someone behind you with it by dropping it behind you. Plus, it’s one of the few items you have to really be careful you don’t hit yourself with, as it’s extremely common for exactly that to happen.

Number 1: Red Koopa Shell

Here it is, the greatest Mario Kart item to date. The green shell was not meant to make this list, but I surely couldn’t leave its amazing brethren from the contest. The red shell made first for one simple reason, there’s nothing more satisfying in the entire universe than being in second for the final stretch of a race, just to throw a red shell at your first place opponent, stopping him just short of the finish line. That makes one of the most memorable moments you can have with the awesome franchise.

Category 4: Top 7 Games

Rounding out the first half of this countdown is the top 7 Mario Kart games themselves. If you have already read my reviews for the Mario Kart series then these rankings should come to little surprise as they pretty much match up with my scores from their respective reviews.

Number 7: Mario Kart Super Circuit

Not only does the first handheld Mario Kart title have bad visuals, but the controls are simply-put: awful. The only saving grace for Super Circuit is its amount of tracks, with 20 new and many re-used from Super Mario Kart. If only modern Mario Karts would revert back to having 20 new tracks, yes please!

Number 6: Super Mario Kart

It may be obvious, but I’m not much of a big advocate for the older Mario Kart games as I find they have lackluster graphics, outdated designs, and terrible controls. The same can be said for Super Mario Kart, although the game is overall better than its GBA sequel, Super Circuit, I still find its lack of refined controls disturbing.

Number 5: Mario Kart DS

Mario Kart DS was in an interesting position as far as my rankings went. In some ways, Mario Kart DS is the best of the Mario Kart titles thanks to its awesome mission mode, difficult grand prix modes, and good battle mode. The title was also the first to incorporate online races for better or for worse thanks to “snaking” and lagging connections. The game also included 16 recreated tracks from older titles along with the usual 16 new tracks which was a huge plus. The visuals however, while good for the DS, don’t compare to the visuals of most other Mario Kart games, and the game’s multiplayer experience isn’t nearly as compelling as in most Mario Kart titles. Of course, the placement of this game at 5^th place simply shows how wonderful the other Mario Kart titles really are.

Number 4: Mario Kart 64

You’ve got to love Mario Kart 64 for a lot of reasons: its outstanding battle mode, its clever track designs, its intense multiplayer, the great soundtrack (and for the time: the visuals), and the fact that the game was just a cartridge full of fun. I can’t say the controls were masterful yet, as drifting was terribly difficult to master, but for the most part Mario Kart 64 was an awesome game. The difficulty bar was set much higher than usual which was both good and bad, and I still wish you could continue a Grand Prix even if you got 5^th place or worse.

Number 3: Mario Kart Double Dash

For a while, Mario Kart Double Dash was my favorite of all the Mario Kart games, and it was almost number one on this list and had it not been for the stiff competition, it would have. Double Dash was just so darn good. The visuals were gorgeous, the track designs are some of the best in the series, the music, controls, and modes were all great too, although more tracks would have been nice. The two-racers per kart hook was great, and allowed less experienced players to tag along with Kart-masters, and speaking of karts, the kart designs in MKDD were superb, every kart was designed purely with a corresponding racer in mind, and the character roster was one of the best in the series too. Finally, perhaps the greatest aspect of MKDD was the items, the fact that they were character specific was outstanding. You want a Bob-omb? No problem as long as you play with Wario or Waluigi, choosing characters was now more strategic and important than it had ever, or ever will be. Live long and prosper Double Dash!

Number 2: Mario Kart Wii

I’d pretty much call this one and the first place winner a tie, because they are both so good that it was so difficult to pick a winner. Mario Kart Wii brings a lot of things to the table include bikes, a massive character roster, returning tracks, the ability to perform tricks on ramps, 12 racers at a time, and of course: an unbelievably awesome online mode. Mario Kart Wii is near perfection so it’s hard to complain, though some of the new items are silly (like the Thundercloud, Mega Mushroom, and Blooper) and the Spiny Shell is more ruthless than ever. The motion controls works relatively well too, and while the battle mode isn’t nearly as good as in MK64 and MKDD it makes up for it by bringing back older tracks like Skyscraper (N64). Mario Kart Wii is the best home console Mario Kart and the absolute BEST multiplayer Mario Kart.

Number 1: Mario Kart 7

Maybe it’s just that the impact of the game hasn’t yet worn off, but Mario Kart 7 seems like it’s the best Mario Kart game ever. With the added effect of 3D, coins scattered across courses, a customization mode, fantastic track designs, underwater and gliding sections of track, and a fantastic online mode there isn’t any Mario Kart game better. Of course, handheld Mario Kart’s never have as good of a multiplayer mode as home consoles, and likewise, the game itself isn’t quite as enjoyable on such a small screen, and I hate how the game doesn’t record your time in online and grand prix, but only in time trials. Nonetheless, Mario Kart 7 is my pick for the best Mario Kart game of all time. Maybe it’s the freshness of the game that is distorting my view of it, and if so I’ll be sure to do a re-post of this article later on picking my favorite Mario Kart game, but for now give it up for Mario Kart 7!

Check back on January 8th 2011 for Part 2 which includes the top 7 tracks, specialty tracks, battle stages, and tracks that almost made it but didn't.

Spring 2012 Schedule

    Here we are in the glorious year of 2012. Not far away is the highly anticipated release of the Wii U, as well as upcoming titles like Paper Mario 3DS, Luigi's Mansion 2, and Kid Icarus Uprising. Here in the springtime however I'm going to be reviewing some really enormous games, some of which are considered to be the greatest games of all time. Between now and the end of March I'm going to be focusing on two major game franchises: Mario Kart and Metroid. As you may have noticed, I've just recently published mini-reviews of every last Mario Kart game to date, and on January 3rd I will be putting my largest feature yet on the site: an article listing the top 7 Mario Kart tracks, characters, items, karts, games, and more, so be sure to check for that on Tuesday January 3rd.

   What's more interesting however, is I will be doing full reviews for (almost) every Metroid game in the franchise. I will NOT be reviewing Metroid 2 Return of Samus (GB) or Metroid Prime Hunters (DS). All other games in the franchise will get their full reviews however. Following my review of all these games I will be counting down the Top Metroid games, songs, suits, etc. in another massive feature. These Metroid review dates are TBA and more info will appear as the time comes closer.

   And finally, a peak into the future would show what my Summer schedule will be like, and let me say that I have a lot planned. Following this Metroid marathon I will be having a Mario marathon over the summer, meaning I will be playing every last Mario platformer created (including Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario 64). That will make for some HUGE reviews. More info on these reviews coming soon.

    In closing I hope everyone had an awesome new year and a very merry Christmas. It'll be tough for this year's games to match or surpass the quality of 2011's, but I'm going to try my best to make my site as good as I can in the year ahead. Below you'll find a Spring 2012 schedule for reviews, most dates are timeframes and may not end up being around that time. Please check over the next few weeks for updates. Thanks for supporting the site!

January 3rd 2012-Top 7 Mario Kart Feature
Mid-January 2012-Metroid Review
January/February 2012-Metroid Prime Review
February 2012-Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Review
February 2012-Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Review
March 2012-Super Metroid Review
March 2012-Metroid Other M Review
March/April 2012-Metroid Fusion Review
April 2012-Top Metroid Feature

"Mario Kart Series" Review (50th Post!!!)

For Nintendo Systems

            This is a series of reviews covering all seven currently released Mario Kart games. Although I have already reviewed Mario Kart Super Circuit and Mario Kart 7 they will be re-mentioned in this series of mini-reviews. The order of reviews are by release date. Enjoy!

Super Mario Kart: 7.5

I know Super Mario Kart was the first Mario Kart ever and apparently a huge deal at the time of release, but I’ve never liked this game as I find it to be relatively poorly made. I guess the reason I feel this way is because the graphics are dated and things like item boxes are flat on the pavement which I guess was the best Nintendo could do at the time, but irks me when I play it. Not only that but the controls are awful and I have never been able to control my car and win a race. Pretty much everything about the game bothers me though I do love the tracks in their re-made format in later Mario Kart games, especially Rainbow Road. The only reason my score is relatively descent is because although to me the game is a failure, it’s legacy among other gamers makes me not be too harsh on it, plus if it weren’t for this game there would be no Mario Kart today. The innovation of a Nintendo kart racer with bananas, koopa shells, and Bowser castles is one that could only be done with Super Mario Kart.

Mario Kart 64: 9.0

Being that it was the first Mario Kart to give us an outstanding multiplayer, beautiful 3-Dimensional visuals, and wonderful track designs, it’s hard to complain when it comes to Mario Kart 64. Mario Kart 64 by far has the best music in the series, and while may be the simplest of most Mario Karts it instead offers the most fun and excitement of all the games in the franchise. Whereas many Mario Kart games put too much emphasis on items, Mario Kart 64 puts more emphasis on the way you drive which means it’s much more difficult to maintain a good position in the race. There is plenty of criticisms I have of the game though including the mandatory need to replay a race in Grand Prix if you do not place 4^th or higher, and the lack of a single player battle mode. But then again, Mario Kart 64 is quite possibly the greatest game in the franchise, and certainly the most memorable. Although I’m not very good at Mario Kart 64 compared to my skill on other Mario Karts, I can still spot a good racer when I see one.

Mario Kart Super Circuit: 7.5

Being that it is the first handheld Mario Kart I had trouble complaining too much about Super Circuit, but the fact is that it’s one of the worst Mario Kart games ever. The visuals have aged terribly, the controls are off, and the tracks aren’t designed nearly as well as in later Mario Kart titles. The only saving grace for Super Circuit is the amount of tracks: 20 new tracks compared to the usual 16, plus a handful of returning tracks from Super Mario Kart. When it comes to quantity Super Circuit delivers, when it comes to quality it most certainly does not.

Mario Kart Double Dash: 9.2

Mario Kart Double Dash has always been one of my favorite Mario Kart titles despite its widespread criticism that I’ve found to be invalid. Not only does it have the most revolutionary design (the graphics were a massive jump from N64, the two people per kart idea was genius, the huge character roster was amazing, the kart designs were fantastic, and the courses were ingeniously designed) but the game is the absolute best of all Mario Karts for multiplayer from it’s fantastic battle mode (best in the series) to its unique “double” design. Plus, the game is much more difficult in 150cc than in recent Mario Kart titles, making it one of the most challenging games in the series, and the idea of having character specific items is wonderful and should have never been abandoned. I see practically no faults with Double Dash with just a few exceptions: only sixteen tracks makes for a lack of content but there are six battle courses to enjoy, and whereas the controls still aren’t to perfection they work pretty well. I also wish (as I wish with all the old Mario Karts) that you could play battle mode with one player, which is absent in most Mario Kart titles but only recently trending to allow single player battles. Mario Kart Double Dash may just be the best of the best when it comes to Mario Kart. It may not have the stellar refinements of Mario Kart 7, but it’s an amazing game and one of the best racing games I’ve ever played.

Mario Kart DS: 8.8

Mario Kart DS offers some of the best aspects of the Mario Kart series, while also offering the worst. As usual, the tracks are fantastically designed and a blast to race on, but the fun is held back thanks to a bit smaller character roster, other players “snaking”, and a somewhat disappointing online mode. Of course, the mission mode included with Mario Kart DS is fantastic and makes this Mario Kart the best when it comes to Gameplay Amount. With the lack of an analog stick, the controls aren’t as good as usual, and the graphics while relatively good for the DS do not compare to many other Mario Kart titles. The map screen is well utilized and makes racing quite a bit easier as it can be glanced at with ease. Battle mode in Mario Kart DS works well enough although the tracks are a bit lackluster. Finally, possibly my biggest problem with Mario Kart DS (and all handheld Mario Karts) is that the multiplayer simply isn’t as fun. You can’t all sit on the same couch and play off the same screen, and unless your friend has a DS, then you can’t play with them at all. Mario Kart DS takes advantage from its map screen, mission mode, and well designed tracks, but includes faults such as the somewhat poor controls and visuals, as well as the multiplayer and online. Don’t get me wrong, in some ways, Mario Kart DS is the best Mario Kart but I’ll never enjoy a handheld racer as much as a home console one.

Mario Kart Wii: 9.3

Being that Mario Kart Wii is one of the most refined Mario Kart titles, it makes sense that my score is one of the highest. Mario Kart Wii introduced some new elements to the Mario Kart mix while not as many as others, Mario Kart Wii continued the new tradition of offering online play and returning tracks that was set into place with Mario Kart DS, and also introduced new elements such as bikes and tricks. Most of Mario Kart Wii works to expectations or even better, but I wish the battle mode was better, and the tracks didn’t seam to be quite as well designed as in most other Mario Karts. Most of the new items were terrible ideas and were taken from the series before Mario Kart 7 was released (including the POW block and thundercloud). The online play makes Mario Kart Wii a keeper as it is still in my opinion the best in the series. The multiplayer is fun as always and the challenges presented through the Mario Kart channel help add endless replay value to the racer and mirror the mission mode from Mario Kart DS. Mario Kart Wii is without a doubt one of the finest Mario Kart racers to date, and some of its weaker aspects have been removed in Mario Kart 7.

Mario Kart 7: 9.3

The most recent Mario Kart put things into high gear and delivered a fantastic racer and certainly the best handheld Mario Kart to date. The game really stuck out when it came to graphics and innovation. The 3D visuals were beautiful and the game maintained 60 FPS consistently, and the music that accompanied the tracks sounded beautiful and modern. The traditional gameplay was enhanced thanks to hangliding and underwater sections, coin collection, a customization system, 1^st person mode, and more. The track designs in Mario Kart 7 are unbelievable and are undoubtedly the best designs in the series’ ever-growing history. The game controls extremely smooth and overall the controls (with the exception of motion) worked perfectly. Of course, I did have a few minor quibbles here and there including the smaller than usual character roster, and I think it’s about time the series starts including more total tracks, but for the most part Mario Kart 7 was a blast to play, and let’s not forget the amazing online mode. For my full Mario Kart 7 review check it out on this site.

            The Mario Kart series has had seven installments now, most of which have proven to be outstanding multiplayer adventures. Check back later this week for my list of my Top 7 Mario Kart tracks, items, games, and more. I also averaged every Mario Kart game review and this is the total average for the Mario Kart series below.

Mario Kart Series Average: 8.7

GBA Ambassador Games Reviews

For Nintendo 3DS eShop

These are my scores for the 10 free GBA Ambassador Games on 3DS. They are listed from highest to lowest scores and there is a chart listing all of the scores at the bottom. The average review score is also listed at the bottom of the article. Enjoy!

Metroid Fusion: 9.0

Just like with Minish Cap, I wasn’t able to play much of this game before the review so I will post a full review of the game when I have a chance to fully play it, but what I saw from what I did play was quite memorable. The game’s visuals are fantastic, easily the best on the system in my own opinion. I also loved the music and the story felt pretty strong to me told through typical GBA cut-scenes. The gameplay is leagues better than that of most 2D Metroid games, and although I’ve heard the main quest isn’t long, I don’t think that’s exactly necessary thanks to the game’s other outstanding aspects.

TLOZ: The Minish Cap: 9.0

I’m not usually a big advocate of 2-D Zelda adventures, only ever enjoying Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks for Nintendo DS, so it surprised me how much I actually enjoyed Minish Cap. Because of the surplus of games this Holiday season, I wasn’t able to play much of the game in time for this review, but from what I have played I’ve most certainly enjoyed. The game appears to have a good story, characterization (based on the opening), and the music and visuals are fantastic as always with Zelda. The gameplay seems fairly traditional for Zelda with the exception of course of shrinking your size down and some new items. I’m sure the main quest is quite lengthy and intriguing as well. Of course, all of this is mainly speculation so after I’ve finished the game, I’ll likely do a full review on the game and a possible change in score.

Super Mario Advance 3 Yoshi’s Island: 8.5

Although it is not among my favorite Mario games, Yoshi’s Island still impressed me in a lot of ways. Sure, the game doesn’t feel much like a Mario game thanks to the absence of goombas, mushrooms, question blocks instead replaced by egg throwing Yoshi fun. Some of the changes took me a while to get used to especially the fact that you can’t die unless you leave Baby Mario behind for too long, which was especially unique. The level designs aren’t exactly amazing as they are in most Mario platformers, but some other factors make up for it. The visuals look really nice, the music is pure Yoshi, and of course the game itself is still a lot of fun. And although some of the differences from the traditional Mario game are not necessarily good they at least add some variety to the Mario franchise.

Wario Ware Inc. Mega Microgames: 8.0

Although I could do with a bit less mandatory cut-scenes, the core of this game is a heck of a lot of fun. The addictive main gameplay is pure fun though some may not enjoy it because of its quick pace, and each microgame is uniquely designed with fun in mind. There’s a good amount of content included thanks to two-player modes and other bonus games. With crazy levels of oddity and tons of creativity, Wario Ware Mega Microgames is a definite keeper.

Wario Land 4: 8.0

Wario Land 4 keeps with the Wario theme by maintaining its very unusual settings, characters, and gameplay. The game’s visuals and music are adequate and although the gameplay and setting is fairly repetitive it’s all still fairly fun. I love the variety of moves Wario can perform but I found myself forgetting how to accomplish some of them after a while (I forgot the controls) and I also was confused when Wario would catch on fire but not get hurt (I guess it’s a power-up?). Overall Wario Land 4 was a fun enough game that could use some lessons from Mario, but is a fun alternative nonetheless.

Mario Kart Super Circuit: 7.5

Being that this Mario Kart game has aged the worst since its release, it’s no surprise that I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as other Mario Kart titles. The visuals are terribly outdated, the soundtrack is relatively antique, the controls are cumbersome and sent me crashing a handful of times, and the multiplayer is practically nonexistent. I do appreciate that there are many more tracks than in most Mario Kart games as that is a problem I have had with modern Mario Kart games, and the tracks are fairly well designed for a game ten years old.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: 7.0

Puzzle games have never pulled me in like other games and this stays the same with Mario vs. Donkey Kong, it’s a good game just not a great one. The puzzles are plentiful and new abilities and obstacles throw in nice variety, but the graphics, music, and story all appear a bit ordinary, and the controls don’t work that well. Plus, I don’t find the game to be all that interesting enough for me to want to play it, and I’d rather assume play Pushmo.

F-Zero Maximum Valocity: 7.0

Honestly I have nothing against F-Zero, but I’ve never found anything to love about the franchise either. As always, the visuals look great and the music is nice and modern, but the thing that has always bothered me about F-Zero is the difficult racing. I drive off the track so often that it’s simply ridiculous. I like the game, but I just wish I was a little bit better at it.

Kirby and the Amazing Mirror: 6.0

Kirby games have never really captured my heart and the same can be said about Kirby’s GBA offering. The visuals are nice and I’m sure there are tons of fans who love the game, but I found my unfamiliarity with Kirby games to be getting in the way of my enjoyment of the game. I constantly became lost and the whole mirror concept confused me and made me feel like I was playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl Subspace Emissary again. Plus the controls just felt off.

Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn: 5.0

I’ve never been a fan of a Japanese style turn-based strategy game, but I honestly didn’t find much to enjoy with Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn. Perhaps the gameplay was ok, but I never really had a chance to find out because of the game’s lackluster visuals, music, overly-complex story, and an incredibly massive amount of text. If the gameplay was good then I’m sorry I never got to experience it.

Scores from worst to best:

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn	5.0
Kirby and the Amazing Mirror	6.0
F-Zero Maximum Velocity	7.0
Mario vs. Donkey Kong	7.0
Mario Kart Super Circuit	7.5
Wario Land 4	8.0
Wario Ware Inc. Mega Microgames	8.0
Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi’s Island	8.5
TLOZ: The Minish Cap	9.0
Metroid Fusion	9.0

Total Average of all 10 GBA Ambassador Games: 7.2

Note: Although the average NES Ambassador Games review score is a 7.5 and is higher than the GBA Ambassador average, do not think the NES ones are better. Overall they are better but the GBA lineup has some awesome games such as Metroid Fusion, Minish Cap, and Yoshi’s Island and honestly all ten games are good with the exception of Fire Emblem. I may have been a little harsh with these reviews but after playing games like Skyward Sword and Super Mario 3D Land, it seems like every game is below average.

New Reviews Now Online!

   Merry Christmas everyone!!! Just posted are three new reviews for three games I've recently played. "3D Classics: Xevious" received a fairly descent 7.0 score praised only for its great 3D effects while criticizing its difficulty. "Fluidity" for Wii got an 8.5 score and is a game with great creativity and design but flawed thanks to its controls and music. The final review is for "Pushmo", a just released game for the Nintendo eShop and it received a 9.0 score for its amazing puzzle designs and charming visuals. Make sure to check out these reviews on the site!

   Also on New Years Eve I'll be reviewing all of the ambassador games and announcing my plans for the new year (including the Mario Kart Marathon which keeps getting pushed back thanks to all of these great new games) so check back then! Until then have a Merry Christmas and a great rest of the holidays!

"Pushmo" Review

For Nintendo eShop

Pros:	Cons:
Brilliant art style and 3D effects	Re-used backgrounds and music
Tons of puzzles and you can create your own	Weird platforming gameplay
Basic gameplay and controls works well

            Pushmo marks the first time that I purchased a game based on its review score. Before now I have always predetermined buying a game because it was a part of my favorite game franchises or I have received it as a gift. I’ve seen on many gaming sites reviews for Pushmo and they all seemed to point me the same direction: so I dropped everything and downloaded the game the other day, and I sure was pleased.

            Similar to other Nintendo games, Pushmo’s visuals look childish, cartoony, juvenile, and colorful. To some the game may appear like a kid’s game, then I guess it’s a good day to be a kid. Pushmo’s graphics are for all ages and I was pleased by the game’s art style. Mallow, the main character, looks fantastic and I love the animation of him walking across the playfield. The blocks themselves are colorful and varied in shape and size, and the touch screen relays a map of the puzzle (which sometimes the icons on the map are so small you can hardy make out what they are). The 3D effect is great: at first it appears as a nice visual touch until you try turning the 3D off in which the game looks terrible. The point is that you absolutely cannot play this game with the 3D off, it’s impossible as you often cannot tell what layer a block is pulled into. My only real complaint about the visuals is the fact that the background on each stage is the same. Why not include various themed stages like one in a cave, one with the sunset, one at night, one in a jungle, etc. The same background eventually becomes old and more variety would’ve been nice.

            The game doesn’t exactly stand out when It comes to audio, nor should it. The sound effects are basic and actually sound nice and cheery and set the mood well. There isn’t much variety when it comes to the music in the game as there are only a handful of themes and they all sound pretty much the same. More music tracks and a better variety of them would have been appreciated although the game sounds good enough without them. Perhaps a spooky sounding theme to compliment a cave background for a puzzle?

            The game’s concept and execution are solid and the main gameplay is a perfect fit for 3D. Nearly all the puzzles are well designed including the cool murals which helps to add some variety. The game jumps back and forth in difficulty sometimes throwing easy puzzles at you just to throw an extremely difficult puzzle at you next. The ability to skip a puzzle is nice but if you keep your mind to the task you’ll eventually solve the puzzle and it always feels satisfactory to finally get to the goal. A hint system for the more challenging puzzles would have been appreciated and would’ve kept many headaches of mine away. The game’s rewind button is a fantastic addition and is fun to use I only wish it rewinded faster as sometimes it takes a while to rewind. While I like the use of platforming in this game there were some instances in which I felt like I was cheating by using a certain kind of jump, and there were others where I kept trying to reach a spot that apparently was impossible to reach by jumping. Some of the platforming areas seemed like they distracted me from the puzzle itself. Creating puzzles works well enough and the touch screen is a perfect home for such a task. You can easily test your puzzle and assign it a difficult rating as you see fit. Sharing your puzzle via a QR code is simple and like always the 3DS has no difficult reading the code. The puzzle-platforming hybrid of gameplay is fun albeit with some faults here and there as with the rest of the game.

            The game includes tons of puzzles to play and solve, plus you can create your own with the custom puzzle builder. As far as sharing abilities go, QR codes is a nice ability, but I would have liked to download new puzzle via SpotPass and StreetPass support would’ve been nice as well. The game will last an adequate amount of time nonetheless but some additional sharing options would have been nice.

            The controls are as you would imagine pretty much flawless. The circle pad moves Mallow as it should, but I sometimes felt that he moves kind of on the slow side. The actions such as rewinding, pulling, pushing, and jumping all work well too. Not really too much to say about the controls in a game like this.

Pushmo is a fun puzzle game that will pull you in with its cute graphics, its innovative gameplay, and its plentiful challenges. Although I can’t say it’s perfect: there are some problems after all, I can say that it is one of the best puzzle games I’ve ever played. I’m not a huge puzzle-genre fan so maybe I didn’t enjoy this as much as others, but I don’t think it’s an amazing game just a good one. I didn’t find Pushmo to be as good as my expectations based on online reviews, but I was nonetheless happy I purchased this game anyways. For puzzle game fans I recommend this game fully, otherwise choose carefully.

Graphics: Impressive 3D effects, great character models, more backgrounds needed            9.5

Audio: Minimal sound effects and music variety but not exactly needed either                        8.5

Gameplay: Great puzzle designs work well with 3D, platforming segments are unusual        9.0

Gameplay Amount: Tons of puzzles plus make your own and share via QR, no SpotPass    9.0

Controls: Circle pad controls Mallo well, rewind, jump, and pull buttons work well                9.5

Overall: Good concept and execution make for a recommendable puzzle game                     9.0