Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II Review

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II

Publisher: Sega Developer: Sonic Team / Dimps Platform: Kindle Fire Players: 1-2 Release: 2012 Genre: 2D Platformer / Action Rating: 7.6 \ 10.0: Satisfactory

Above is a scene from the first stage
 

After years without a 2D platformer, Sonic returned to his roots near the end of 2010 with Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I. Metal Sonic survived his defeat in Sonic CD, but was severely damaged and abandoned on Little Planet. Following the events of part one, Dr. Eggman locates and repairs Metal Sonic. Upon hearing that Eggman is back, Sonic and Tails reunite to stop him. There are 18 stages to complete divided into five zones. The game plays similarly to the original Sonic trilogy on Genesis, as this is a retro revival. But the gameplay has a new twist: By tapping a button, you can activate a special Sonic-Tails combo move. When you're on the ground, this move is an super-fast Spin Dash that can destroy certain enemies and walls; when you're airborne, Sonic grabs Tail's feet and you can repeatedly tap the jump button to fly high into the air, although it's temporary. Both moves are mandatory to use at certain points in the game. At the end of each world, as expected, you face a boss. Sometimes, it's Dr. Eggman piloting a massive robot, and sometimes it's Metal Sonic. There is also a set of achievements to keep you busy once you've completed the game, and leaderboards to encourage you to get a higher total score than any buddies that may own the game as well as other people. This aspect of the game is available whether you decide to play it on a mobile device or console. However, there are issues, most involving difficulty level. Some particularly tough stretches of the game can eat through your lives and cause annoying game overs, but that's partly because of the fact that every time you get a game over, you restart with a mere three lives. Also, whenever you restart a boss battle, you must re-watch the lengthy and pointless cut-scene. These flaws limit the experience, but any seeking a solid Sonic retro revival will not be disappointed.

Ups
Solid retro action
Cool Sonic-Tails combos
Achievements and leaderboards

Downs
Tough at times
Not enough lives
Must re-view cut-scenes

ESRB:  E Content: Comic Mischief Price: $4.99 (Download)

2nd Anniversary Post

It's Told You So Review's 2nd Birthday!

I'm publishing this post in celebration of my blog's second anniversary! Since the day I created this blog, I've published 67 posts, received 7,216 pageviews, received 105 comments (my replies among them), and been followed by 11 people (my two Google accounts included)! Be sure to keep commenting and checking out my blog, and maybe become a follower! Thanks!

Random Heroes Review

Random Heroes

Publisher: Noodlecake Studios Developer: Ravenous Games / Woblyware Players: 1 Platform: Amazon Kindle Fire Genre: Action / 2D Platformer Rating: 7.8 \ 10.0: Satisfactory

Above is a scene from the first world, The City

Random Heroes is as good as it sounds-- how can you not be drawn to a game with a name like that? The story is amusing-- two "punk kids" are out doing their nightly routine of gravestone-tipping when they tip over the wrong stone, opening a portal to another dimension and starting an alien invasion. These various aliens include cyborg zombies, zombie heads that launch a volley of fireballs, and speedy anthropomorphic maggots. It's up to a bandit, a trucker, Abraham Lincoln, and other very random heroes to stop the invasion. There are a variety of weapons to purchase, ranging from real life weapons to things like the homing bazooka, the pulse rifle, and the rail gun. The game features 44 stages divided between 4 worlds. At the end of each world, you must face a boss, each more creative than the last. Also, the game sports charming retro style graphics. Despite all these positive features, the game is very difficult until you purchase a better weapon and character, and there are is also an annoying bug that causes the game to suddenly close. Even so, Random Heroes is an exceptional game, especially for being an app (that's FREE!!!), and anyone seeking a solid action-packed platforming adventure will enjoy it.

Ups
Quirky sense of humor
Variety of weapons
Various enemies
Retro graphics

Downs
Very difficult
Sometimes closes

ESRB: ??? Content: ??? Price: $0.00 (Download)

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)