Super Mario 3D World Review

Super Mario 3D World

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Platform: Wii U Players: 1-4 Release: 2013 Genre: 3D Platformer / Adventure Rating: 9.5 \ 10.0: Masterful

Above is 4 people playing the stage "Sprawling Savannah" using Cat Suits

Finally! After two years, the sequel to 3DS masterpiece Super Mario 3D Land has arrived! I knew throwing a penny into a fountain would actually cause this game to be announced... it just took a year-and-a-half (still waiting on Super Mario Galaxy 3, Miyamoto!). You might be wondering, why is this game on Wii U and not 3DS? I mean, it has "3D" in the title! Well, that's likely because the Wii U just needs more quality first party experiences. The story has a twist which, after almost 30 years of the same thing, is greatly unexpected. Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad are taking a walk on a beautiful night when they discover an odd clear Warp Pipe. A green-garbed fairy emerges from the pipe in a panic, and is followed by Bowser, who captures the creature in a jar. With Peach right in front of him. Boom! Bet you didn't see that coming! Peach catches here first real break from being kidnapped. 25 years ago, she managed not to get kidnapped in Super Mario Bros. 2-- but that was Mario's dream. The four friends enter the transparent pipe, many of which will be found as they explore the new world of the Sprixtie kingdom on a quest to save the land's fairies form Bowser's evil clutches.

Super Mario 3D World presents many new features, the most notable being the new power-up, the Super Bell. This golden bell grants you an adorable cat suit that allows you to claw at enemies and climb up walls. There is also another new power-up: the Double Cherry. This pair of fruits creates a clone of you that copies your actions. Each Double Cherry you collect creates another clone. You can assemble an entire army of duplicates of you, but they will evaporate if they take damage. There is also the Cannon Box, a block that can be worn on your head to endlessly blast explosive spheres, and charge up more powerful cannonballs by holding the attack button; and the Light Box, which projects a beam of light that lights the darkness and evaporates ghosts. There are also returning Super Mario 3D Land favorites, such as the Boomerang Flower, the Propeller Box, and the Super Leaf-- its Super Mario 3D Land incarnation. You can play with up to four people, and, as a reference to Super Mario Bros. 2, the playable characters have retained there skills from that game, despite the fact that the game took place inside Mario's head. You now get a lot more freedom when you traverse the world maps-- you move in any direction, and they are goodies such as coins and 1-Up mushrooms hidden throughout them. The game takes excellent advantage on the Wii U's capabilities. The GamePad's touchscreen can be tapped to reveal invisible objects, and blowing into the microphone can blow small enemies away.

The visuals are beautiful, most of all the incredible lighting effects. The graphics are plagued by mild but almost unnoticeable pop-up. This is made up for by the vibrant, colorful, and detailed environments that make Super Mario 3D World a visual marvel overall. The game's musical score is also one of my favorites in the franchise. While nothing can top the work of the Super Mario Galaxy Orchestra, but the musicians behind this game's soundtrack come very close. The score mixes upbeat jazz tunes will keep you snapping to the beat (that is, if you know how to snap ... which I do not) with some Galaxy-style orchestral tracks.

In another reference to Super Mario Bros. 2, there are slot machine stages that plays a remix of the classic's character selection screen music. In addition to all the new features, many throwbacks involving enemies are features. Among the classic foes are Chargin' Chucks (Super Mario World), Bullies (Super Mario 64), Flurries (SMB2), and when you stomp on a Koopa, it's knocked out of its shell (not an enemy, but it's a feature unseen since SMW), and in some stages, Goombas can be found riding in large ice skates reminiscent of Kuribo shoes from SMB3.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Mario's overshadowed younger brother Luigi (aside from an entire game), you can unlock Luigi Bros., a remake of Luigi's debut game Mario Bros. starring the overshadowed brother. If you have New Super Luigi U save data on your Wii U, Luigi Bros. will automatically be available to play. There are also several stages in which you can spot the shadow of Luigi's sprite from Super Mario Bros. As a single-player affair, Super Mario 3D World is still outstanding, but it's best enjoyed with pals. The multiplayer is chaotic and fun, and the game encourages teamwork far more than it did in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. For example, you now have to consider the consequences of tossing your buddy into a pit, because all of the players share the same pool of lives (an annoyance when your friends are newbies). Additionally, there are some fun stages where you ride a dinosaur named Plessie (a remix of the Secret Slide theme from SM64 plays in the background), all of the players must work together to control the creature. There are even a few hidden Green Stars that are accessed via platforms that require a certain number of people on them to move. However, everyone will still compete for the highest score, for at the end of the each stage, the player with the most points receives a crown. This piece of jewelry serves no purpose but to paint an imaginary target on the player wearing it and awards them with an additional 10,000 points if they finish a stage while wearing it, nearly ensuring that whoever has it at the end of a level will have it in the next.

The game takes advantage of Miiverse by allowing you to use collectible stamps hidden in stages to create pictures for others to view. With Miiverse, you can also find Miis on the world map and comment on or give a Yeah! to their posts, as well as race ghost Miis in stages. However, the game is not at any point a cakewalk, much unlike the game's predecessor, and there can be frustration at times, in fact. Additionally, when you play Luigi Bros., when you're done playing you must return to the Wii U homepage rather then SM3DW, which can be annoyingly time-consuming. And it just doesn't feel right to put a game that could be almost exactly the same on 3DS on Wii U, thought the multiplayer does make up for this. The mere fact it's on the system is to further popularize the console and boost sales. Even so, Super Mario 3D World is another amazing and imaginative Mario title chock-full of surprise and joy that never ceases to amaze, and it's pretty much the best reason to own a Wii U.

Ups
Awesome new power-ups
Beautiful visuals (with mild pop-up)
Creative use of the GamePad
Chaotic co-op
Fun stamps
Miiverse connectivity

Downs
Sometimes frustrating difficulty level
Game must be reopened after playing Luigi Bros.
Could have been almost the same on 3DS

ESRB: E Content: Mild Cartoon Violence Price: $59.99 (Retail)

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Review

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: HAL Laboratory Platform: Nintendo 64 Players: 1 (Story Mode), 1-4 (Minigames) Release: 2000 Genre: 2D Platformer Rating: 8.2 \ 10.0: Great

Above is Kirby using the Flame-Cutter Copy Ability combo

At the climax of the legacy of the Nintendo 64 came the game everyone had been waiting for-- a 64-bit Kirby title! The story has the evil Dark Matter invade the planet Ripple Star. One of the planet's inhabitants, Ribbon the fairy, escapes the sacred Great Crystal. Dark Matter pursues Ribbon through outer space and shatters the crystal, knocking Ribbon to Kirby's home planet of Pop Star, left with only the shards of the sacred treasure. Ribbon goes to Kirby's help, for Dark Matter is still is search of her. It's up to Kirby to collect all the crystal shards, which are hidden throughout the game's worlds. One of the game's most noticeable features are the incredible lush and smooth 64-bit visuals, arguably the best on the N64. You would think Kirby 64 would be a 3D platformer, given its platform, but it's played from a unique 2.5D perspective that series has never seen since. The action is similar to previous entries in the series with a twist that I dearly wish will be seen again soon: you can combine two different Copy Abilities for an all new attack. Cutter and Flame, for example, grants you a flzaming sword. You can also use the same Copy Ability twice for a mega-powerful attack. For instance, Bomb and Bomb lets you hold down the attack button to launch a mouthful of missiles! In another neat twist, if you inhale an enemy, you can hoist it above your head and use it as a weapon-- it's also kind of cruel. Aside from the main game, there's set of minigames that can be enjoyed with 4 players. These games are 100-Yard Hop, in which you must press two buttons to the right timing to hop over puddles; Crop Catch, in which you must catch falling fruit in a basket, and in the process switching places with other; and finally, my personal favorite, Checker Board Chase, in which you chase your opponents across a checkerboard and press a button to make a whole column of blocks fall. Despite all these fun new features, the game feel's rather slow-paced compared to the near-nonstop Iight action I'm used to from Kirby titles-- Kirby literally moves at a  slow pace, which kind of dumbs things down. That alone is a let-down. Additionally, the game can sometimes be frustrating, as some levels will tear through your life counter. Despite the slow pace, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards is a great game that no fan of the series should miss.

Ups
Impressive visuals
Creative Copy Ability combo system
Unique game-exclusive features
Fun minigames

Downs
Annoyingly slow pace
Sometimes frustrating

ESRB: E Content: ??? Price: $10.00 (Download)

Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins Review

Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Platform: Game Boy Players: 1 Release: 1992 Genre: 2D Platformer Rating: 8.0 \ 10.0: Great

Above shows Mario using the Magic Carrot
 

Super Mario Land was a rather odd Mario platformer-- anthropomorphic sphinxes? Exploding Koopas? Stages in which you pilot submarines and biplanes.? Fake princesses that turn into octopi? What the heck?!  Well, any fans who thought that was super weird were probably a more comfortable with the game's sequel. Super Mario Land was bizarre, but you couldn't call it "untraditional" back in 1989, because it was the third Mario game released in North America, and the second one was a renamed non-Mario game! (See my review of Super Mario Bros. 2 for more details) The plot of Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins has Wario, Mario's doppleganger who appeared for the first time in this game, take over Mario's castle-- not Peach's castle-- Mario's castle! To unlock the doors to the castle, Mario must retrieve the six golden coins that are scattered throughout the land. There's one coin hidden in each of the game's zones-- the Tree Zone, the Turtle Zone, the Mario Zone, the Pumpkin Zone, the Macro Zone and the Space Zone. These zones can be played in any order. The game plays like any other Mario game, except with a few creative twists that set it apart. In the Macro Zone, for example, you encounter an abundance of mega-size household objects, implying that you have shrunk. That Zone's boss is a mouse!-- And not Mouser from Super Mario Bros. 2. There is also a good deal of new enemies, some of which were variations of existing foes, and many of which were weird creatures that have never been seen since. The three prime power-ups of the Mario series-- the Super Mushroom, the Fire Flower, and the Super Star, are all present, and are joined with a new power-up: the Magic Carrot. This veggie grants you cute rabbit ears that allow to flutter slowly through the air by holding the A button, and swim indefinitely the same way-- no button-mashing! Anyone who has played the beloved Super Mario World will recognize some similarities. For example, Mario is able to spin jump in both games (it is pulled off differently here because the Game Boy has two main buttons rather than four). Additionally, both games remix and reuse their catchy main themes in many levels. The bonus games from the original SML have returned, but they're different this time. You can save up coins to play one of these games whenever you please. If you've read my review of Super Mario Land, you may have noticed how I scored these two games equally. Well, not that this is really anything to complain about, this game draws visual influence from Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World making it one of the best-looking titles of the 8-bit era (the first SML lies on the other end of the spectrum as one of the worst-looking games of the late '80s). However, it just didn't feel right to have such a great-looking game appear so colorless. Additionally, some of the music is full of ear-numbing squeaks that make you want to turn the volume down, even the typically catchy Super Star theme. Despite these flaws, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins is a classic that shouldn't be overlooked because it's bizarre.

Ups
Creative twists
New power-up
More traditional
Great 8-bit graphics

Downs
Black-and-white ruins graphical appeal
Music with irritating squeaks
 

ESRB: E Content: ??? Price: $3.99 (Download) 

Sonic and the Secret Rings Review

Sonic and the Secret Rings

Publisher: Sega Developer: Sonic Team / Now Production Platform: Wii Players: 1 (Adventure), 1-4 (Minigames) Release: 2007 Genre: 3D Platformer / Action Rating: 7.3 \ 10.0: Good

Above is a scene from of the missions in Dinosaur Jungle

When the Wii was released, Sega was probably thinking, "Let's make a game that fully takes advantage of the Wii!". That sounds like a good idea, but they took it too far. It all begins when Sonic reads the Arabian Nights and falls asleep, and is awaken by the genie Shara. Shara tells him that the Arabian Nights face destruction by the evil genie, Erazor Djinn. Sonic is transported to the world of the Arabian Nights by Shara, where they confront Erazor. He wants to recover the legendary World Rings, which Shara claims don't exist. Erazor shoots a flaming curse at Shara, which Sonic jumps in front of to take for her. Erazor will only remove the curse, which will eventually kill Sonic, if he recovers the World Rings for him. Good enough story-- except for the fact that Sonic clearly doesn't have to hurry to remove the curse if he has enough time to complete a full journey, and there are even times when Erazor is for somereason trying to stop you from gathering the rings. As for the gameplay... to move, you have to tilt the Wii Remote, you dash forward by shaking the controller, and you can perform  the homing attack by shaking the Wiimote. Homing in on a chain of enemies and plowing through them all admittedly feels thrilling, I will say. The control scheme is primarily centered around motion, with the only exception being that you press 2 to jump. However, the controls can be loose and unresponsive at times, leading to lots of frustration-- the excessive implementation of motion was not a very good idea. That's not to say The Secret Rings is bad overall. The game is divided by worlds, each representing a different story in the Nights. Each world has a variety of missions to engage in such as completing a stage without dying, collecting a certain amount of rings, and more. The game takes an amusing twist when you encounter characters from the Arabian Nights resembling Sonic characters such as Sonic's best friend Tails, Knuckles the echidna, and Sonic's longtime nemesis Doctor Eggman. You can earn different skills which you can arrange in sets you can use when you play, adding a small bit of depth. One thing about this game that will stick in your head permanently is the4 soundtrack-- but not for the right reasons. While the music is good, the game's main theme is overplayed, and the lyrics can be extremely repetitive (geez, I wonder how much time it took to write the line "Who's gonna rock the place? Place? Place?") Aside from the main game, there's a Mario Party-style Party mode in which you can play motion control-based minigames with up to four players. Sonic and the Secret Rings is a good game, but the idea of a completely motion-based game just isn't a really bright one. It's not bad, just flawed.

Ups
Creative setting
Amusing characters
Four player party mode, I guess?
Catchy music

Downs
Heavy focus on motion controls that just doesn't work
Soundtrack has repetitive lyrics

ESRB: E Content: Cartoon Violence Price: $19.99 (Retail)

Told You So Review's Guide to Gamer Language

Told You So Review's Guide to Gamer Language

Some of my viewers may not entirely understand some of the gaming terms I use, and if you are among that crowd, this dictionary of the language of gamers will be very helpful. It includes terms even I haven't used in my reviews, because gamers gotta know how to speak gamer. Example sentences are included, and examples for genres are the names of a game from the genre that I have reviewed.

A

Anti power move | The opposite of a power move (see "Power move")
Ex.: "You failed the level again! What an anti power move!"



B



Backseat gamer | Somebody that tries to tell their friend how to play a game while they are spectating. This is typically unnecessary and annoying

Ex.: "I know how to play the game, stop being a backseat gamer!"

Brawler | A typically 2.5D game that involves advancing from room to room while pummeling foes, thus earning the genre the nickname of "beat 'em up"
Ex.: Castle Crashers

C

Collectathon | A term that typically refers to nonlinear 3D platformers in which there are numerous collectable items that are necessary for progression
Ex.: Super Mario Oydssey 

COM / CPU | Abbreviations for "computer", as in a computer-controlled character
Ex.: The player was about to face a COM opponent.

Cut-scene | A cinematic sequence in which the story progresses and you usually have no control
Ex.: The final cut-scene was very lengthy.

D

DLC | Short for "downloadable content", which is, as the name implies, extra content you can purchase and download
Ex.: A new DLC map pack was released for the game.

E

Easter egg | A special hidden secret
Ex.: The Easter egg was very well-hidden.

eSports | Short for "electronic sports". That doesn't mean sports video games, it means professional gaming!
Ex.: The gamer made thousands of dollars through eSports.

Expansion pack | DLC that adds a significant amount of content to an online game, typically an MMORPG  (See MMO and RPG)
Ex.: The expansion pack increased the player level cap and added a new raid.



F

F2P / FTP | Short for "free2play" / "free-to-play", a game which is, well, free to play
Ex.: Random Heroes

FPS | Short for "first-person shooter", a shooting game in which you view the game from the eyes of the player character
Ex.: The Halo series

Freenium | An F2P game featuring DLC / IAP that can be purchased with real money (see "F2P / FTP", "DLC", and "IAP")
Ex.: Clash of Clans

G

God mode | When a player is massively overpowered and capable of creating lots of chaos
Ex.: "I've got a massive win-streak! I'm in God mode right now!

Grinding | Frequent repetition of a task in order to gain loot and / or experience points, typically in an RPG
Ex.: Destiny (this game contains a good deal of grinding)

I

IAP | Short for in-app-purchase. Essentially DLC for apps, but usually in the form of in-game currency instead of content (see "DLC")
Ex.: The game sold a virtual currency as an IAP.

J

JRPG | Short for "Japanese role-playing game" (see RPG)
Ex.: The Mario & Luigi series 

K

Killer app | Short for "killer application", a system's / company's most popular game

Ex.: The Super Mario series is Nintendo's killer app

L

Linear | Used to describe an objective in a game in which there is a strict path that the player follows

M

Minigame | A small and short game within a game
Ex.: The Mario Party series (these games aren't minigames, but minigame-based games)


MLG | Short for Major League Gaming. Major League Gamers compete in es|Sports tournaments for money (see "eSports")
Ex.: The gamer had won several MLG tournaments.

MMO | Short for "massively multiplayer online game", which is a game in which you interact with other users around the world. MMO is the root of subgenres such as MMORPGs (see "RPG")
Examples: No example

MOBA | Short for "multiplayer online battle arena", which are games that typically feature numerous distinct characters and are played from a top-down perspective in a PvP arena (see "PvP")
Ex.: No example

N

Noob | Sometimes written as "n00b". A noob is a newbie to a game and has a weak knowledge of it and little experience
Ex.: The player was inexperienced and considered a noob by others

NPC | Short for "non-player-character". An NPC can also be an NPC residence
Ex.: The player found a group of NPCs.

O

OP | Short for "overpowered"
Ex.: "That weapon is OP!"

P

Platformer | A game that usually involves jumping from place to place. 2D platformers are played from a side-view perspective, and 3D platformers are open-world and allow  more exploration. Platformers usually contain collectibles such as coins and power-ups
Ex.: The Super Mario series

Power move | An impressive feat
Ex.: "You just beat the final boss! What a power move!"

PvP | Short for "player versus player"
Ex.: The PvP arena was elaborate.

Pwn | To brutally defeat an opponent
Ex.: "I'm gonna pwn this guy!"



R

Rage quit | To quit out of rage and frustration
Ex.: The player had failed so many times that he rage quit.

RTS | Short for "real-time strategy", a game in you must execute a strategy with no break to plan it out-- it all moves in real time
Ex.: Warmongers

RPG | Short for "role playing game", a that is usually set in fantasy world and usually contain turn-based or real-time battles feature and a cast of numerous characters
Ex.: The Paper Mario series

S

Sandbox | A game allow you to explore an open world able to do whatever you please
Ex.: Minecraft

T

TBS | Short for "turn-based-strategy,", a game in which you engage in strategic turn-based battles
Ex.: No example

TPS | Short for "third-person shooter", a shooting game in which you view the player character from a third-person perspective. This is typically an over-the-shoulder view
Ex.: Kid Icarus: Uprising

I hope this guide was helpful! Now you'll know what to say when you go god mode pwn those n00bs in a PvP match in your favorite MOBA!

Wii Play Review

Wii Play

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Platform: Wii Players: 1-2 Release: 2007 Genre: Action / Party Rating: 8.1 \ 10.0: Great

Above is a scene from Shooting Range
 

Wii Play was 1 of the earliest Wii titles, and of all the games in the systems launch window, this was, in my opinion, the best. It offers 9 activities to engage in, and although this game had a mediocre critical reception, I think the activities offer plenty of fun. first, there's Shooting Range. In this shooter reminiscent of the Nintendo Entertainment System classic Duck Hunt, you move the Wii Remote to aim a reticle and shoot your way through various shooting galleries. You'll blast balloons, targets, throwing discs, cans, and ducks UFOs trying to abduct innocent Miis identical to the Mii you're playing with. Next, there's Find Mii, a game in which you must find a pair of identical Miis among a large crowd. Then, there's Table Tennis, which is, well table tennis. it's 1 of the more boring of the activities, but if you like motion-controlled table tennis, well, I guess it's worth a try. There's Pose Mii, in which you must drag your Mii and tilt it into proportion with outlines in floating bubbles. There's Laser Hockey, an air-hockey style game set in an rink of neon lights. There's Fishing, a relaxing game of fishing set in a visually charming hand-drawn pond in which you must reel in various fish to rack up as many points as you can. There's Billiards, a motion-controlled game of virtual pool. There's Charge! a game in which you must ride a cow through a meadow, crashing through scarecrows to score points. And finally, there's Tank, arguably the most fun game of all. This is a top-down multi-stage game in which you navigate a tank through a maze, defeating enemy tanks as you go. All this fun can be enjoyers with a second player. However, some of the games can wear thin over time, and not all of them are very fun. Even so, Wii Play is a fun party game, and although there are those who don't agree, I think it's very entertaining.

Ups
Entertaining games
Fun multiplayer
Amusing elements

Downs
Some frustrating games

ESRB: E Content: Mild Cartoon Violence Price: $19.99 (Retail)



Super Mario Bros. Review

Super Mario Bros.

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System Players: 1-2 Release: 1985 Genre: 2D Platformer Rating: 7.6 \ 10.0: Satisfactory

Above is a scene from the iconic World 1-1

How can you not love (or at least like) the original Super Mario Bros.? It may not have been the first Mario game (the first game he ever appeared in was the 1981 arcade classic Donkey Kong, in which he was known as Jumpman, while his first name title was 1983's Mario Bros., the debut of Mario's overshadowed little brother Luigi), but it is easily the most important. It set the standard for 2D platformers, saved the collapsing video game industry, and it's the foundation of modern gaming. The 8-bit visuals still charm me, and there's no denying that the "Super Mario Bros. Ground Theme", the infectiously catchy tune which plays in nearly all above-ground stages in the game, is one of the greatest pieces of video game music of all time. I will admit that as great as the game's tunes are, they are extremely limited. The series' constant plot has worn a little thin over the years, but back in the day, it was imaginative, and incredibly fresh-- a pair of Italian brothers that live in Brooklyn find a magic drain pipe that warps them to the Mushroom Kingdom, where the villainous King Koopa (now known as Bowser) has captured the ruler, Princess Toadstool (AKA Princess Peach), and the bros engage on a quest to save her-- pure genius! But throwing in a twist here and there doesn't change anything-- it's still the same  darn plot! SMB's gameplay is fun and fluid as usual, and a friend can join in and compete for the highest score as Luigi. But the game lacks to creativity of other Mario titles that dulls the game a bit, and it's rather short at 32 stages long-- short stages. Even so, Super Mario Bros. is a timeless classic, and no one can call themselves a true fan of the series until they've played one of the most revolutionary and influential video games of all time.

Ups
Saved the video game industry
Very influential (you wouldn't believe how many rip-offs there are)
(At the time) fresh plot
Fun, fluid gameplay
Competitive two-player

Downs
Limited soundtrack

Very brief
Not as creative as usual

ESRB: E Content: ??? Price: $5.00 (Wii) (Download) / $4.99 (3DS) (Download)

Mega Man 2 Review

Mega Man 2

Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System Players: 1 Release: 1989 Genre: Action / 2D Platformer Rating: 7.7 \ 10.0: Satisfactory

Above is a scene from Crash Man's stage



It took me awhile to get into Mega Man, but now I am, and I don't regret it. I decided to play Mega Man 2 first, as it is considered by many to be  one of the greatest video games of all time. The game is set in the year of 200X (Capcom was very bold to assume that there would be humanoid robots, laser guns by the year 2009, but it's past 2015 by the time you're reading this, and we still don't have out hover-boards from Back to the Future Part II) As with the previous game in the series, the dastardly Dr. Wily has created no eight (rather than six) Robot Masters-- Metal Man, Quick Man, Flash Man, Crash Man, Wood Man, Heat Man, and Bubble Man (why they all have must have man in their name is a mystery to me), all of which Mega Man must destroy. Each Robot Master has a stage modeled after them, as has become a staple of the franchise. (Heat Man's stage is full of fire-based obstacles, for example) When you defeat a Robot Master, you obtain their weapon. Each robot has a weakness-- you'll have to use logic to figure out what weapon most affects each robot. After you defeat all eight Robot Masters, you'll have to clear the four stages of Castle Wily. The graphics and sound are all fantastic for a late-'80s game, especially the soundtrack. The game's composer Takashi Tateishi rivals the likes of Koji Kondo at producing memorable tunes. As soon ad you give the OST a listen, you'll understand why it is regarded as one of the greatest ever. With the exception of the themes for Heat Man's stage and Castle Wily stages three and four, there isn't a song in the game you'll soon forget. My personal favorites are the title theme, Metal Man's theme, Air Man's theme, and the theme of Castle Wily's first two stages. Mega Man 2 is fun, but it can be very difficult at times, with the third level of Castle Wily being borderline unfair. At the time of this game's release being subscribed to Nintendo Power was probably the only way you could have possible figured that to beat that stage's boss, you had to grind until you filled up the ammo for the Crash Bomber (the boss's only weakness), let yourself be killed (not enough ammo), grind for ammo again, and finish the stupid thing off! Additionally, there is occasional but brief slowdown and sprite flickering when the action gets too intense. Even so, Mega Man 2 is a classic not to be missed by any fan of the series.

Ups
Solid action
Neat concept
Great late '80s graphics and sound
Amazing 8-bit soundtrack

Downs
Very challenging
Borderline unfair near-endgame boss
Minor slowdown issues

ESRB: E Content: Mild Cartoon Violence Price: $5.00 (Wii) (Download) / $4.99 (3DS) (Download)

Adventure Time: Hey, Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!! Review

Adventure Time: Hey, Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!!

Publisher: D3Publisher Developer: WayForward Platform: 3DS Players: 1 Release: 2012 Genre: Action / Adventure Rating: 8.2 \ 10.0: Great

Above are Finn and Jake battling the King Worm

Based on the Adventure Time cartoon series, Adventure Time: Hey, Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage is more than your typical licensed game-- its title, possibly the most humorous video game moniker ever conceived, makes that apparent. It's a full-blown action-adventure game inspired by some of the classics of its genre, such as Metroid and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. For those of you who have never heard of Adventure Time, it chronicles an adventurous teenage boy named Finn and his magic (anthropomorphic) dog, Jake, who can stretch himself into any shape, as they have odd ventures across the land of Ooo. The plot, as the title implies, has the Ice King, Finn and Jakes' mischievous nemesis, steal their garbage. Jake doesn't care, and he thinks it was nice of the Ice King to take out their garbage, but Finn explains that it's against the principle, and that they should rescue their trash  from the Ice King's evil clutches. You traverse a top-down map of Ooo, entering dungeons (which, as well as most of the game, are 2D and side-scrolling) to get from place to place. You have array-like inventory that can hold up to 40 items. You can collect food, power-ups, and condiments. As in most games, food restores health. And it can restore even more health if you combine it a condiment. Even the most revolting of combinations (sea-salted pancakes or ketchup-covered cupcakes, anyone?) can result in your near-empty health becoming fully restored! But beware-- some combinations reduce your health! (So far, I only know that you do not want to put ketchup on an apple or syrup on a cupcake!) Food and condiments are usually dropped from foes, while power-ups are found in chests. Many of them are seen in the show such as the Tiger Claw, Vorpal Hand, and Beatious Wings from the episode The Wizard, the Stars of Frozen Rain from The Chamber of Frozen Blades, and the Spicy Serum from Too Young. Occasionally, you'll discover a chest that allows you to enhance one of your stats. In an amusing reference to Super Mario Bros., the Ice King has left a fake garbage princess before each boss battle. There are several faults, however. For example, Jake, while very useful in the show, is nearly useless in battle-- for awhile. Finn's attacks are overpowered in comparison, and even more so once you recover Finn's gold sword, Scarlett. Additionally, not all of the game's many quests can be completed immediately. For example, the Duke of Nuts has lost his second-born son, and asks you to bring his birth certificate to Peppermint Butler for some reason... and when I tried to do so, Peppermint Butler completely ignored the document, focused on the theft of pantyhose belonging to Princess Bubblegum, ruler of the aptly titled Candy Kingdom. This can lead to being stuck in some stretches of the game for a while. Despite its few flaws, Adventure Time: Hey Ice King, Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!! is a fantastic game, and it's about as good as licensed titles get.

Ups
Quirky humor
Retro references
Faithful to show

Downs
Jake is useless in combat
Frustrating segments

ESRB: E 10+ Content: Animated Blood, Cartoon Violence, and Comic Mischief Price: $19.99 (Retail / Download)

Super Mario Land Review

Super Mario Land

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Platform: Game Boy Players: 1 Release: 1989 Genre: 2D Platformer Rating: 8.0 \ 10.0: Great

Above is a scene from World 3-1

Super Mario Land was a launch title for the Game Boy handheld. Even at the time of its release, tons of people swarmed stores on release day to get there hands on the newest Mario game, so fans of the series were in for a treat. In 1989, the series was probably thought to be incredibly varied, as there had only been a few barely similar games in the series released in North America, one of which wasn't a even real Mario game. However, these day's, the game is critized by fans for being a rather untraditional Mario platformer, but that doesn't stop it from being an absolute blast. This time around, Mario must rescue Princess Daisy, ruler of Sarasaland (seen for the first time), Luigi's love interest (gosh, he's so lazy!) from the evil clutches of Tatanga an alien overlord. The game is rather short-- there are four worlds, each with four stages-- that's only 16 stages! The game plays out similarly to other Mario games, so what made it so unusual? One reason is the odd cast of enemies. Among the adversaries are winged, jumping totem poles and cylindrical robots with floating heads. Nearly every enemy in the game hasn't appeared in any game since. Although, a couple longtime foes got a reboot-- maybe. Goombas (or whatever those lumps on black pixels are) remain mainly unchanged, although Koopas (or some sort of turtle) transform into armed bombs when you stomp on them. Had that feature been carried over to future games, the Mario series would be a lot odder. Each stage has a hard-to-reach special exit, that, if entered, allows you to play a brief bonus game in which you have a chance to earn power-ups or additional lives. After you defeat the boss in a world, you will confront a fake Daisy... who then transforms into a floating octopus-like creature. There are stages in which you navigate a submarine through a forward-scrolling underwater maze and pilot a biplane. But the arguably most awesome feature that isn't in any other Mario title is the Super Flower. Similar to the iconic Fire Flower, the Super Flower allows you to hurl deadly balls that ricochet off walls and collect coins. Also, this game sports one of the series' best soundtracks that can only be beat by the tunes in Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel. Like almost every video game, SML has its share of shortcomings. Although brief, the game can be frustratingly difficult and suffers from occasional slowdown. Also, the black-and-white 8-bit graphics are primitive even for the game's time. I am well aware that this game is nearly a quarter-decade old, but better-looking 8-bit games, games that looked great in comparison, such as Mega Man 2, were released that year, and Sega also began the 16-bit era. But these shortcomings don't prevent Super Mario Land from being a great platforming adventure, and I will always love and admire as a classic.  Now that this oft-overlooked gem is available on the 3DS eShop for a mere $3.99, all Mario fans should do themselves a favor and download Super Mario Land.

Ups
Fun new power-up
Great soundtrack
Odd in a good way

Downs
Primitive visuals
Sometimes frustrating
Occasional slowdown

ESRB: E Content: ??? Price: $3.99 (Retail)

Mario Kart Wii Review

Mario Kart Wii

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Platform: Wii Platform: 1-4 Release: 2008 Genre: Racing / Action Rating: 8.5 \ 10.0: Fantastic

Above is a scene from the Mario Circuit track

Mario Kart certainly isn't my favorite Mario spin-off (that would be Mario & Luigi), but it's still pretty darn fun. And I'm not the only person who had fun-- Mario Kart Wii is currently the best-selling racing game of all time, having shifted an astounding 34 million copies! MKW introduces some new racetracks, such as Coconut Mall (one of my favorites) and DK Summit, and also reintroduces some of the best from throughout the series. There are also several new playable characters, such as Rosalina from Super Mario Galaxy, and you can even play as your Mii! In addition to karts, there are now motorbikes (it feels great to pop a wheelie)! One of the biggest new additions to this game is motion control. If you don't fancy a Wiimote-Nunchuck combo or GameCube controller, you can hold the remote sideways and tilt to steer. If you have a Wii Wheel peripheral buried in your closet from the golden age of the Wii, you probably never used it for any game but this. Personally, I find the motion control to be loose and frustrating, and they serves no purpose but to add immersion. This is only a small quibble, and I understand if you prefer this control style. There are two modes-- Battle and Grand Prix. Let's start with Grand Prix-- in it, you must play through in a standard free-for-all, or Teams, in which the racers (both COM-controlled and human, as up to 4 people can play), are split into teams of six, and the team that racks up the most points, based on their finishing positions in races, wins. You can play Grand Prix solo in, ahem, Solo mode, or with friends in VS. By earning trophies, you can unlock more cups, and eventually Mirror mode, in which you can play mirrored versions of raceways. If you're not up for racing, you can engage in Battle mode. You can do a Balloon Battle, in which your team competes to pop as many of the other team's racers' balloons, which serve as health points; or Coin Battle, in which you must collect as many coins as you can to lead your team to victory. As with nearly all games of this style, you'll have much more fun with friends. As always, the multiplayer is chaotic but an absolute blast. There's a good reason that Mario kart is a go-to party game. I must also mention Mario Kart Wii's incredibly catchy soundtrack which floods my mind with nostalgia every time I hear it whether explosions, kart engines, and item warnings are drowning it out or not. But sadly, some courses can be bland and frustrating, and the COM-controlled characters can be overly aggressive, and there's no way top tone them down. Despite these small flaws, Mario Kart Wii is a fantastic game, and you'll enjoy it whether youre both Mario and racing should play it.

Ups
New motorbikes
Abundance of modes
Incredibly catchy soundtrack

Online connectivity

Downs
Motion controls are slippery and frustrating (for me, that is)
Some bland and frustrating courses
Aggressive COM that can't be toned down

ESRB: E Content: Comic Mischief Price: $39.99 (Retail)

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition Review

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Grezzo Platform: Nintendo DSi Players: 1-4 Release: 2011 Genre: Adventure / Puzzle Rating: 7.6 / 10.0:Satisfactory 

Above is 4-player co-op gameplay

A rerelease of the 2002 Game Boy Advance title The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords and the first Zelda game I ever played, this game was released on DSiWare to celebrate the 25th (Japanese) anniversary of the Legend of Zelda series. The plot has Link remove the Four Sword from its pedestal, releasing the monster within named Vati and creating three multicolored copies of Link. Vati captures Zelda, planning to make her his bride, and it's up to Link and his clones to save her. The game plays identically to its GBA counterpart-- it's a top-down action quest, just like the classic Legend of Zelda titles. The main difference here is that rather than traversing one massive overworld, there are several areas to select from a world map. Any of the stage scan be replayed, and you'll soon realized that the layout changes every time you enter. There are various weapons and gear to find and use, and the stages are filled with clever puzzles. And there's a bonus-- you can play with nearby people via Download Play, which is far more convenient than using a mess of link cables to engage in co-op mode. And although it's fun most of the time, the game has its share of flaws. The stages are sometimes incredibly lengthy, and the puzzles can be frustrating, leading to being dead stuck. And for those of the gamers (including me) who purchased the game  within the first several months of its release got it free of charge, although it's now $4.99, still a bargain. Despite its flaws, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition is an exceptional, fun-filled game, and no Zelda fan should miss out on celebrating the series anniversary a little late.

Ups
Fun action and bosses
Download Play multiplayer
Was temporarily free

Downs
Frustrating stretches

ESRB: E 10+ Content: Fantasy Violence Price: $4.99 (Download)

Need for Speed: Most Wanted Limited Edition Review

Need for Speed: Most Wanted Limited Edition

Publisher: EA Developer: Criterion Platform: Xbox 360 Players: 1-MMO Release: 2012 Genre: Racing / Sandbox Rating: 8.4 \ 10.0: Great

Above is a scene of a street race

This great game is a remake of 2005's Need for Speed: Most Wanted. As in the other games in the long-running Need for Speed series, you play as a rebellious driver and explore a massive world, competing in street races and hijacking cars. Many of the cars are of the some of the most luxurious sports-car brands around, including Lamborghini and Bugatti.  The plot has you assume the roll of a nameless driver who aims to beat the top 10 most wanted cars in town and claim the title for themself. It's up to you to beat every one of them in a race and become the most wanted. To become worthy to compete in a race with the Most Wanted, you must obtain Speed Points (SP). Speed Points are earned by dispatching police units, smashing through the billboards and restricted area gates scattered throughout the land. I always get into police pursuits. To do so, you simply need to crash into a cop-- you have to hit them because they're ridiculously ignorant of pile-ups, knocked-over objects, and any other traces of reckless driving. The more damage you do to police cars, the more wanted you become. The maximum wanted level is six. By tapping the right bumper on the controller, you can browse through a massive selection of music from a wide array of artists, most of which perfectly fit the game. Additionally, the visuals are shockingly realistic and are easily some of the seventh console generation. Everything from the reflective metal to the sunsets look fantastic. But the one of the game's few flaws comes in during pursuits. The police AI can be laughably dumb, although that makes me, well, laugh. They don't bother to hit the brakes at the edge of a cliff, and they make fatal jumps constantly. But it may be deliberate, as you receive SP when a cop slams into a car-- traffic poses a larger threat than the police, and it leads to cheap crashes galore. Even so, pursuits prove fun. Another small complaint is that the environments can feel lifeless at times, due to the fact that there are no civilians-- only cars. I get that you're not supposed to be able to harm civilians, but why not have them jump out of the way of vehicles like in Midnight Club: Los Angeles? And finally, even when travelling slowly, it's easy to lightly bump into a wall-- and crash. Despite these flaws, Need for Speed: Most Wanted Limited Edition is a fantastic game full of high-speed thrills, and no racing game aficionado should miss out on it.

Ups
Solid racing action
Wide variety of music
Hilarious dumb police AI
Incredible visuals

Downs
Hilariously dumb police AI (it's a con from a technical standpoint)

Overly dangerous environment

ESRB: E 10+ Content: Alcohol Reference, Comic Mischief, and Violence Price: $39.99 (Retail / Download)

Angry Birds Review

Angry Birds

Publisher: Chillingo Developer: Rovio  Platform: iOS Players: 1 Release: 2009 Genre: Action / Physics Based-Puzzle Rating: 8.7 \ 10.0: Fantastic

Above is a scene from the game's first stage
 

Angry Birds has an amusing premise-- it's a physics-based puzzler in which you use your finger to fling-- ahem-- angry (and not to mention unusually shaped, hand-drawn, and anthropomorphic) birds at makeshift structures housing green pigs that have stolen their eggs using a catapult. There are tons of levels to play through and a variety of birds to fling, the types in each stage depending on the environment. There are standard red birds; tiny blue birds that, when you tap the screen, will split into 3 other tiny birds, which are weak but are effective against structures made of ice blocks; yellow birds that will zoom forward with the tap of the screen, crushing wood and ice; bomb-shaped birds that explode when the screen is tapped; duck-like birds that act as a boomerang when the screen is tapped; incredibly plump red birds that slightly boost when the screen is tapped, and orange birds that puff up like airbags, demolishing structures. The goal of each level is to defeat all the pigs within the structure without running out of birds. You get a 10,000 point bonus for each bird left over you have, and you'll get a higher star rating on the level. There are tons of levels to play through, but many of them can prove to be very challenging-- that's the downside of this fantastic game. That's really my only complaint, but getting stuck on one stage for a long time can really suck the fun out of the experience. Even so, Angry Birds is arguably the best game available on the App Store, and for a mere $2.99, it's a real bargain!

Ups
Amusing premise
Variety and creativity

Downs
Hard at times

ESRB: E Content: Comic Mischief Price: $2.99 (Download)

Bike Baron Review

Bike Baron

Publisher: Mountain Sheep Games Developer: Qwiboo Platform: iOS Players: 1 Release: 2011 Genre: 2D Platformer / Racing Rating: 7.7 \ 10.0: Satisfactory

Above is Bike Baron making a jump.
 

Bike Baron seems like your typical motorcross platformer at first, but it's far from it. There's really no backstory-- you just ride your way through tons of insane obstacle courses. But the game has a comic sense of humor-- a plump, monster-like tavern owner, a cat that rides on the back of your motorcycle, nitro-boost power ups, a title theme um... growled by monsters, and more-- it's all there. The impressive polygonal visuals add to the charm. There are four default playable characters to choose from: Young Ace, a young all-American rider sporting shades, a leather jacket, a goatee, and most notably, a cat on the back of his motorcycle; Domovoi, the aforementioned tavern owner, Bike Baron himself; and Mr. Cool the daredevil. But if you collect all of the hidden gold cat statues dubbed the Golden Gabetto, you will be able to customize your character. And best of all, you can even create and share your own levels! Every day, a user-generated level is dubbed the level of the day. Some players have been lucky enough to have their creations featured as actual stages! But Bike Baron still has its share of issues, mainly the fact that some of the levels can be insanely challenging, especially if you try to replay every course without checkpoints, and many crashes feel cheap and undeserved. In turn, some of the stages are so easy that they can be completed simply by holding the "Go" button. Also, the flawed ragdoll physics have effects such as, your head getting stuck in a wall or floor, or having your body horribly distorted. However, it's also hilarious. Other than that, flaws are few. Bike Baron is a fun game, and it's well worth a try.

Ups
Quirky sense of humor
Impressive polygonal visuals
Level creator
Hysterical glitch physics

Downs
Insanely challenging at times

ESRB: ??? Content: ??? Price: $0.99 (Download)

Kirby's Adventure Review

Kirby's Adventure

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: HAL Laboratory Platform: NES Players:  1 Release: 1993 Genre: 2D Platformer / Adventure Rating: 8.3 \ 10.0: Great

Above is a scene from early in the game

Kirby's Adventure is the first Kirby game I ever played. It's certainly well worth the Wii Shop Channel's low $5 price, and it's what turned me into a Kirby fan. The second game in the Kirby series, Kirby's Adventure is the full-color appearance of the pink puffball, and players no longer assumed that he was some sort of friendly spirit, as one might have guessed from viewing the box art of Kirby's Game Boy debut, Kirby's Dream Land, in which he was displayed white. The plot has Kirby awaken to find he isn't dreaming. He heads over to the Dream Fountain to discover that his gluttonous archrival, King Dedede, has stolen the Star Rod, the Dream Fountain's source of power. He broken it into several pieces, giving a piece to each of his friends, who serve as the bosses of each world. Kirby's Adventure marks the debut of Copy Abilities, the powers Kirby obtains by inhaling and swallowing their corresponding foes, as well as the mysterious Meta Knight, the masked warrior who has served as both a hero and a villain throughout the series. After clashing with swords at the end of the sixth world, Orange Ocean, Meta Knight removes his mask for the first and only time in the franchise. The abundance of secret rooms add a sense of adventure throughout the game, and many of the gameplay elements were recycled in the 2011 Wii hit, Kirby's Return to Dream Land, which I reviewed and gave an outstanding score of 9.3 (and take my word for it, it's amazing). There are also a couple of fun minigames accessible from the world map. In one, you are in a boxing arena, and King Dedede tosses eggs that you must inhale, while you must avoid bombs, and you receive points for your efforts. In the other, you must press A (or 2, if you're playing the downloading Wii Virtual Console rerelease) to lower a claw into a machine full of toy Kirbys. You have two tries, and for every toy you pull out, assuming you get any, you receive an extra life. And there is a standoff game that takes place in a desert in which you must be the first to draw you're gun against a an enemy is Western getup. But there are several flaws. Some stretches of the game can be difficult, some secrets can be very challenging to discover, and intense action can result in slowdown. Even so, Kirby's Adventure is a fantastic classic not to be missed by any Kirby fan, and it's one of my favorite classic Nintendo games.

Ups
Color graphics
Introduction of Copy Abilities
New emphasis on adventure
Fun minigames

Downs
Difficult
Notoriously-hidden secrets
Minor slowdown issues

ESRB: E Content: Mild Fantasy Violence Price: $5.00 (Download)

Epic Mickey Review

Epic Mickey

Publisher: Disney Developer: Junction Point Platform: Wii Players: 1 Release: 2010 Genre: Adventure / 3D Platformer Rating: 8.4 \ 10.0: Great

Above is Mickey preparing to enter a film reel

Epic Mickey is a adventure-platformer starring Disney's beloved Mickey Mouse. It's set in Wasteland, and world where long-forgotten Disney characters reside. You embark on a quest to stop the evil Mad Doctor from destroying Wasteland. As you travel through forgotten Disney worlds playing as Mickey, you wield a magical paintbrush. Pointing the Wii Remote to aim, you press the B button to spray paint, which can restore objects and befriend foes, and press Z to spray thinner, which destroys objects and defeats enemies. To travel from area to area, amusingly, you must leap into a film reel and play through a 2D side-scrolling level based on a classic Disney cartoon, such as Steamboat Willie, the latter of which was even in black-and-white! You will face Disney-themed bosses throughout the game, including the It's a Small World ride from the Disneyland theme park! This is because all of the locales and withered and rotting and flooded with thinner, and everything is possessed-- the game has a rather gothic motif. And it's up to you to repair it all. There are classic Disney characters everywhere with side quests for you to complete, adding a sense of exploration to the game. The constant classic Disney references and the exploration elements work well, but the game features a somewhat klutzy camera and some stretches of the game can be very difficult. But still, Epic Mickey is a great game, and it shouldn't be skipped by any Disney fan.

Ups
Neat paint and thinner system
Classic Disney references

Downs
Klutzy camera
Difficult stretches

ESRB: E Content: Cartoon Violence Price: $39.99 (Retail)

Sonic Generations Review

Sonic Generations

Publisher: Sega Developer: Sonic Team Platform: Xbox 360 Players: 1 Release: 2011 Genre: 3D Platformer / Action Rating: 8.5 \ 10.0: Fantastic

Above shows Sonic and Tails alongside their original versions
 

Sonic Generations celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. In what I believe to be a nod to the classic titles, the game immediately begins with you playing through a redesign of Act 1 of Green Hill Zone from the original Sonic the Hedgehog. A splendid remix of the iconic stage theme plays, and you will notice that you're controlling the classic short and pot-bellied incarnation of Sonic. The current Sonic then finds that his friends throwing him a surprise party, which becomes humorous when Sonic receives a chili dog from his friend Tails as a gift. But suddenly, a deranged figure composed of a dark substance appears, and captures all of Sonic's friends and freezes the world in stone. In the next cut-scene, the classic version of Sonic travels into the present. You must then complete a 3D rendition of Green Hill Zone as Sonic. All of the stages must be completed with both versions of Sonic. The levels are 2D and side-scrolling when you play as Classic Sonic, and 3D / 2D when you play as modern Sonic. There are nine stages divided into three eras: Classic, Dreamcast, and Modern. Representing the good ol' days are Green Hill Zone, Chemical Plant, and Sky Sanctuary When you complete both Acts in a stage, one of Sonic's friends will be restored, as will the stage. From the Dreamcast era, there's Speed Highway, City Escape, and Seaside Hill. Finally, Crisis City (Sonic '06 is canon now? Oh boy ...), Rooftop Run, and Planet Wisp symbolize the recent history of the franchise. One of my favorite features are the slight changes to the stages. For example, the G.U.N. truck in Act 2 of City Escape now chases you across the walls of buildings and is equipped with an arsenal of massive blades. After completing all the Acts in an era, you'll have to complete a handful of stage-themed challenges to earn boss keys. These tests of your skill range from doppelganger races to calling upon Knuckles to dig up medals. Many of these challenges can be very frustrating, which is why I'm glad most are optional. For each challenge you complete, you're granted a chance to ring a bell and track down a musical note with a 20 second countdown, earning you either artwork or a song. If you for some ridiculous reason don't enjoy the default music in the stages or just don't enjoy the Classic and Modern remixes, you can change which song plays. Wanna listen to "Live and Learn" while playing Green Hill Zone, or "His World" while in Rooftop Run? Weird, but go ahead. All the artwork can be viewed when travel to a shack located to the far left of the map. The skill shop is also located in this white, barren area, and it's here that you can purchase elemental shields, abilities, extra lives, and even an in-game copy of the original Sonic the Hedgehog (and infinite continues for the game) using the points you've accumulated. Each era also contains a rival battle and a boss battle. In the Classic Era, you'll face Metal Sonic and Death Egg; in the Dreamcast era, you square off with Shadow and Perfect Chaos; and in the Modern Era, you'll fight Silver and the Egg Dragoon. A Chaos Emerald is earned each time you win a battle. I'm not done explaining the plot-- how did Classic Sonic enter the present anyway? To make matters worse, Dr. Eggman has teamed up with his "classic" version who is under his original name of Dr. Robotnik,. But either way, the twist is a great way to celebrate Sonic's anniversary. This game is incredibly fun, but there are a few setbacks that prevent it from being any better. There is a steep difficulty curve, and I found myself tearing through my lives. Also, it becomes quite repetitive to play the stages twice, mainly because Modern Sonic has as much 2D gameplay as he does 3D, and Classic Sonic's sections are full-on side scrolling. Also, longtime fans will be miffed by the reminder of Sonic '06's existence), and that's really all. Sonic Generations is still a superb platforming adventure, but it could have been better. Still, Sonic Generations will provide loads of fun to any Sonic fan, and newbies will get something out of the redesigned stages.

Ups
Nostalgic twists
Classic references
Music can be chosen
Skill shop

Downs
Hard at times
Can feel repetitive to play each stage twice

ESRB: E Content: Cartoon Violence Price: $49.99 (Retail)

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Review

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: AlphaDream Platform: 3DS Players: 1 Release: 2013 Genre: RPG / Action Rating: 8.8 \ 10.0: Fantastic

Above is gameplay of the Luiginary Ball attack

Finally, after four years, the a new Mario & Luigi game has arrived! It all starts when the Mario Bros. receive an invitation to Pil'lo Island. you board a blimp, accompanied by Princess Peach and Toadsworth, who were also invited. On the blimp, you are greeted by returning characters Broque Monsieur (the blockhead doesn't even remember the bros! And he is quite literally a blockhead-- in fact, he's made of blocks!) and Starlow. But on the way there, you are confronted by an anonymous floating figure, who you will later find is called Antasma. After arriving on the island, Luigi falls from the blimp, becoming unconscious. After taking a short stroll, you will end up battling a pair of Goomba-like creatures called Grombas, and you will receive  battle tutorials. That's perfectly normal at the start of the game, but one of my main complaints about this game is the excessive amount of pointless tutorials. There's a new battle feature, in which when you jump, if you press the attack button right before impact with your opponent, you'll jump again and dish out extra damage. Next, you will make your way to Pil'lo Castle, where Peach and Toadsworth will step on a jet-propelled platform, not realizing it would propel them into a secret room. You must follow them, guided by Starlow, and after exploring a hidden dungeon, you will find them, and have a rematch with Antasma. Eventually, you'll come across a stone pillow. Luigi falls asleep on it, and it opens a portal to the Dream World. Mario and Peach are sucked in the portal, and Peach is carried away by Antasma and into Dreams Deep, the deepest reach of the Dream world. You then begin your journey in the Dream Word. The Dream World is limited to a 2D side-scrolling perspective, rather than a top-down open-world perspective, similar to Bowser's insides in Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story. You will encounter many foes that are not in the real world, although there are "dreamy" versions of outer-world foes as well. As I mentioned in my Bowser's Inside Story review, the combat is turn-based. first, you attack, and then you must counterattack and do damage or take damage from your enemy. In the Dream World, you're assisted by Dreamy Luigi, who enhances you're abilities in combat. When you jump on your foe, Luigis will rain upon it (or them, as many dreamy enemies attack in large groups), and when you attack with the iconic hammer, a wave of Luigis will strike as well, creating a massive shockwave. There's also a new twist in battle-- in the real world, when you collect all 10 Attack Pieces in the real world, you will unlock a powerful Bros. Attack, such as taking turns kicking a Koopa shell, by using your BP (Battle Points?), and in the Dream World, you'll unlock a Luiginary Attack, which usually involves lots of Luigis. Luiginary Ball, for example, has Mario roll upon a ball made of Luigis, moving from left to right by tilting the 3DS system, and you can enlarge it by rolling through the large line of Luigis that runs throughout the battleground, and finally, you tap A to kick the ball at your opponents. The bigger the ball, the more damage you do. The returning badge system adds even more depth to the combat. You can mix and match badges for different effects, such as restoring HP or Bp to each bro. To use badges in combat, you must fill a meter by attacking. You can purchase badges at item markets. But in every area of the Dream World, there are a certain number of Nightmare Chunks. Break 'em all, and you'll release a Pil'lo Folk from ancient times. The first of these is Prince Dreambert, who was the prince many years ago back when the island was dubbed the Pil'lo Kingdom. Dreambert will assist you throughout your adventure. But one of the best new features in the Dream World are the objects that Dreamy Luigi can morph into. Luigi's face is displayed on the touchscreen, and by touching specific areas of his face, you can trigger the objects. For example, you can pull Luigi's moustache to use it as a catapult, tap his nose to make him sneeze, unleashing a gust of wind in the Dream World, and more. In the real world, things really take a turn for the worst when Bowser teams up with Antasma to wreak havoc. But as great as this game is, and it is really great, there are still flaws. The game can sometimes have a rather steep difficulty curve, which can mess things up, and the soundtrack, although still great, isn't as catchy as before. Mario & Luigi: Dream Team is still an incredible games, and one of the best RPGs available on the 3DS, and as fun (and not to mention funny) as before, its predecessor is slightly better.

Ups
New villain
Epic Luiginary attacks
Great badge system
Takes advantage of 3DS

Downs
Tough at times
Not as catchy soundtrack

ESRB: E 10+ Content: Mild Cartoon Violence Price: $39.99 (Retail / Download)

The Incredible Hulk Review

The Incredible Hulk

Publisher: Sega Developer: Age of Reality / Amaze Works Platform: Wii Players: 1 Release: 2008 Genre: Action / Sandbox Rating: 8.4 \ 10.0: Fantastic

Above us the Hulk beating down an enemy mech-suit pilot

Based on the movie released the same year (based on the popular Marvel comic book series) The Incredible Hulk chronicles the quest of the identically named superhero, who is secretly a scientist named Bruce Banner. After being exposed to gamma radiation, he gained the ability to mutate into a hulking beast whenever he becomes angry. And then, the army, an organization known as the Enclave, and Hulk's enemies pursue him. The first level has you escape the US military headquarters, and afterwards you are dropped into the massive sandbox of New York City. Here, you can run around and climb and smash buildings, pick up streetlamps and use them clubs or javelins, hurl cars across the street, and more! You will find many missions to engage in that that are divided through multiple storylines. Above the mini-map in the corner of the screen, there is a number that divides a bar. It starts out at zero. As you do damage, you earn points and it starts filling up. Once you reach level one, the military will come in with foot soldiers and Humvees with machine-guns mounted on them; at level two soldiers in flying mech-suits will arrive; and at level three, they'll send in tanks that infinitely deploy soldiers. The max level is four. If you take a few hits, you can run away and slowly regain you health. All throughout the city there are mission points. The game branches multiple storylines through the missions, some involving the military, some involving the Enclave, and more. There are also a total of 15 jump challenges scattered throughout the city, completed by jumping through a floating yellow hoop, and completing them grants you a higher jump, charged by holding A. There are a large variety of moves to learn, such as grabbing a vehicle and tearing it in half to use as boxing gloves. You can also unlock different characters to play as from Hulk's comic book adventures as well as other extras, such as comic book covers. However, exploring New York City can become boring after awhile, and the visuals aren't particularly impressive. The Incredible Hulk is a great game, and fan or not, you should give it a try.

Ups
FREEDOM!
Tons of missions
Wanted-level system
Wealth of extras

Downs
Exploring gets boring
Not-very-impressive visuals

ESRB: T Content: Mild Blood, Mild Language, and Violence (PARENTAL WARNING: This game contains moderate violence, and some bad language) Price: $39.99 (Retail)

Super Smash Bros. Review

Super Smash Bros.

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: HAL Laboratory Platform: Nintendo 64 Players: 1 (1 Player), 1-4 (Multiplayer) Release: 1999 Genre: 2D Fighter / 2D Platformer Rating: 8.0 \ 10.0: Great


Above is a battle between two Links and two Kirbys

When it comes to super heroes, the biggest argument is whether batman or Superman would win in a fight. Back in the day, it was the question of whether Mario or Link would win in a fight that sparked squabbles among gamers. In 1999, Nintendo fans put these quarrels to rest. This smash hit (get it? Smash? I made a similar title-related pun in my Super Smash Bros. Brawl review) is the first game in the series of 2D fighters in which you duke it out with your favorite Nintendo characters in various locales from their games. This game was created by HAL Laboratory, the long-time developers of the Kirby games, so quality is expected. Kirby creator Masihiro Sakurai directed this title as well. Although not as good as the more recent game in the series, Super Smash Bros. Brawl (which I gave a perfect 10.0 \ 10.0 score), the original Super Smash Bros. is a fairly entertaining pummel-fest. You can choose from two modes-- 1P Mode or Multiplayer. In multiplayer, you can play Free-for-All, a standard match in which you and up to three other friends can compete for the most KO's under an adjustable time limit or have a set number of lives; or you can switch it to Team Battle, a two-on-two match (or even a one-on-three) match. The game is a blast with pals, but if you're alone, you can choose how many COM-controlled opponents to face, who they are, and how skilled they will be. The object of the battles is different than in most other fighters-- rather than defeating your opponents by reducing their health, each hit increases their damage percentage. The higher the percentage, the farther they will be sent flying by a blow. To kill them, you must knock them off the screen, resulting in a bright burst of color. Adding to the mayhem are items from various Nintendo franchises, including Mario's Koopa shells, Pokémon's Pokéballs, and the sought-after Donkey Kong Hammer. There are also some original items as well. Nothing can top the fun of playing Smash with buddies, and it's nice to see how the 15-plus years of entertaining chaos began. When solo, you can also play other modes. Here, you can play bonus games or have training bouts against characters where you can spawn in any items, and even stack them up with a glitch so you can make instant-kill shells and bombs. Better yet, you can put your skills to the test in 1P Mode. In this you must complete a series of 12 challenges, from smashing targets under a time limit, defeating a set number of identical opponents, facing off one-on-one against another fighter, and more, and you must do this all without losing all your lives. Your number of lives which can be set from one of to five. If you run out of lives, you can replenish them by sacrificing points from your overall score. The difficulty is also adjustable. In the final stage, you face off against Master Hand, the iconic villain of the SSB. He may be a giant floating glove, but he's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve. If you defeat Master hand, the credits will roll, but you can skip them by holding Start if you get bored. But my one complaint as that the selection of characters and battlegrounds is small, leading to a lack a variety. Nintendo had been making games for two decades at this point, and some great characters were left out. Did you know that Pit, the star of the Kid Icarus series, would have been in this game in place of the Pokémon Jigglypuff, but was left out due to the massive popularity of the monster-training RPG during the late '90's (the angelic has since appeared in the last two Smash Bros. games, as well an original title)? Although it may not have as much content or be as much fun as its successors, Super Smash Bros. is still a fun fighter, and it should satisfy any gamer, both Nintendo aficionado and fighting game fanatic.

Ups
Blast to play with friends
Plenty of Nintendo references
Solid fighting action
1P Mode is fun

Downs
Lack of variety
So much more Nintendo could have included

ESRB: E Content: Cartoon Violence Price: $10.00 (Download)

Gunman Clive Review

TGunman Clive

Publisher: Horberg Productions Developer: Horberg Productions Platform: 3DS Players: 1 Release: 2013 Genre: 2D Platformer / Action Rating: 7.5 \ 10.0: Satisfactory

Above is Clive onboard a train

Gunman Clive may sound like some sort of shooter, but it's not. It's a unique blend of platforming and shooting action that combines the level designs and gameplay elements of Super Mario Bros. and Mega Man. The game chronicles a cowboy named Clive, who is on a mission to save Mayor Johnson's daughter from a posse of bandits. When you create a new file, you may select to play as either Clive or Mrs. Johnson, and pick a difficulty level: Easy, Normal, or Hard. From there, a simple cut-scene showing the Mayor's daughter / Clive being carried away in a wagon, and the game begins. The game, made entirely by the two Horberg brothers, is charmingly primitive. The serene  music suits the simple-drawn environments well, and the game has little sound effects. There are four worlds, each with five levels. On the fifth level of each world, you face a boss. As good as this all sounds, I found the game challenging, even with the short levels and on the Easy difficulty level. The first few levels, I didn't even know how many hits I could take before I died, because it took me a while to notice the thin line the represents your health on the side of the screen. The challenge is what took away most of the fun, but an average gamer like me can beat most levels in just a couple minutes and beat the entire game in an hour or so, but the game's brevity explains the low price tag of $1.99. Well, that's all the trash talk out of the way, so now I would like to explain more: Your default weapon, used by pressing the Y button, is a revolver, but there are a variety of weapons to use. Some are randomly dropped by enemies, some appear normally. There is a spread gun that fires three bullets at a time; an odd firearm that allows for faster fire, but shoots homing bullets; a slow-firing gun that shoots small missiles that instantly obliterate most foes. In the fourth and final world, which takes place aboard an alien ship whom the mayor's daughter / Clive has been taken, which is especially Mega Man-like, you can find an laser blaster and a rapid-firing laser machine-pistol. In a neat twist, when you complete the game, you unlock Duck Mode, in which you play through the entire game as a duck, unable to collect power-ups but able to fly temporarily.  Although brief and challenging, Gunman Clive is still an exceptional game, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a better platformer for just a couple bucks.

Ups
Super Mario Bros. / Mega Man elements
Charmingly primitive
Great Western and electronic music
Duck Mode

Downs
Very short
Very hard

ESRB: E 10+ Content: Fantasy Violence Price: $1.99 (Download)

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon Review

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo / Next Level Games Platform: 3DS Players: 1 (Dark Moon Quest), 1-4 (ScareScraper) Release: 2013 Genre:  Adventure / Survival-Horror Rating: 8.2 \ 10.0: Great

Above is Luigi getting assaulted by ghosts

After 12 long years, the sequel to the beloved GameCube launch title, Luigi's Mansion has arrived! It all starts when King Boo (I don't know who else a creepy-looking giant ghost with a crown and a scepter could be called, but if this is so, King Boo got a serious makeover!) shatters the Dark Moon, scattering the shards throughout the haunted estate below it. No longer under the spell of the Dark Moon, the ghosts become hostile, and Professor E. Gadd, the mad scientist from the original Luigi's Mansion, hides away in a bunker and calls upon Luigi to help him. He equips the overshadowed bro with the Poltergust 5000, an improved model of the ghost-sucking vacuum / backpack from the original game. This new model has attachments which you'll collect along your journey, such as the Dark Light Device, which reveals invisible objects with ultraviolet light. This time around, you have multiple haunted manors to explore and a wider variety of ghosts to suck up. Each mansion has several missions... several normal ones, and one in which you confront the monster causing the trouble in the mansion. There's a lot of exploring to do-- each mansion has tons of secret rooms for you to explore, and most of them are required to be entered eventually, while there are occasional secret rooms. There are a lot of challenging puzzles to complete, and the environments are almost fully interactive. Nearly any object, from vases to curtains, can either be sucked up or rattled. There are also many gems to find. Although this game is aimed at a young audience, the game can prove creepy at times-- the lights in the room will all of the sudden go off and ghosts will appear in certain missions, and objects all around the room will rattle and fall. Every once in a while, you will be called by Professor Gadd... on a Nintendo DS (I couldn't help but smirk when I encountered the reference). This is likely a replacement for the original Luigi Mansion's Game Boy Horror. He'll give you some advice, but it's usually just where to go next. And there's another new feature. A golden bone may be hidden somewhere in the level. If you find it, It'll be a big help if you lose all your life points. If this happens, then Polterpup, a ghostly dog, will come to you, retrieve the bone, and lick your face, reviving you. As fun as this game is, I have but one main complaint. I found the puzzles confusing and challenging, and it takes me an average of around 40 minutes to beat a level, and it was incredibly boring to hopelessly stroll around the mansion and then finally discover the solution to a puzzle by surprise. But all the frustration is slightly alleviated by the environments, which are littered with intricate details and clever secrets, and, as I said before. nearly every object is interactive, which adds up to being one of the most detailed and best-looking games on the 3DS. Speaking of visuals, I should also mention that the game runs at an impressive 60 frames per second (FPS). Every animation looks natural and smooth-- it's difficult not to notice the improvement. After advancing somewhat through the game, you'll unlock the online ScareScraper mode, in which you and up to three other game owners playing as different-colored Luigis, must work together to clear the floors of the aptly titled ScareScrapers in Hunter mode, in which you must vacuum up every ghost from each floor; Rush mode, in which you must hurry to find the exit to the floor; and Polterpup mode, in which you must track down the pesky pup of the same name. And for communication means, you can use the buttons on the Control Pad to say "Hey", "Help", "Thank you", and "Good job", and you can tap the touchscreen utter "Over here". There's no lag between systems, but there are occasional audio blips, though it's hard to mind. Difficulty aside, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is a great game.

Ups
Tons of detail and fully interactive environment
Funny DS reference
Online play

Downs
Very challenging

ESRB: E Content: Crude Humor and Mild Cartoon Violence Price: $39.99 (Retail / Dark Moon)