My Tomodachi Life: Introduction “Meet the Islanders”

Hello again guys!

Today I was playing my 3DS and came up with a new idea for a series I can do on my blog: My Tomodachi Life! Ever since June 6th, 2014 I have been actively playing Tomodachi Life on my Nintendo 3DS (with a few months when I went on hiatus). Basically, the purpose of the game is to allow the player to build up a community on a small island. You begin with just one Mii, the Mii that you made to represent yourself when you first purchased your Nintendo system. You can watch them as they grow, make friends, fall in love, and get into fights with friends. It’s a lot like the Sims except not quite as complex.

It would be ideal to have started a blog featuring a brand new island that I started simultaneously with this new series of blog posts but… I can’t bring myself to start a new island. It would mean deleting my current save data along with all my Miis. So I think I’ll just have a blog featuring my current Miis as they are right now.

This post will be mainly introducing some of the more popular Miis on the island (the ones I spend the most time with and are my favorites). Throughout the posts you will see many of my Miis, not just the 16 I choose to introduce in here. Currently I have a grand total of 70 Miis on the island of Sunnyside.

Without much further ado, lets meet the Miis!

Maria

Meet Maria. She is a tiny little lady but very much adored by her husband Paul. Maria was one of the first Miis I introduced to the game and represents one of the most successful marriages ever to exist on Sunnyside Island. Although she looks young, she is the proud mother of Kevin, Aaliyah, Jasmine, and Scarlett.

Paul

Paul! The loving husband to Maria and island heartthrob, Paul is one of the best looking guys on Sunnyside. Of course, this isn’t according to me. According to the Sunnyside Rankings, he is definitely the man every girl wants… Honestly, I don’t see it but I’m not a Mii.

Jess

The first Jessica to live on the island. As of right now, the island has 4 Jessicas… She is the lucky first. Jessica (aka Jess to her fellow Miis) is happily married to Brandon and is the proud mother to Hannah and Jaxon.

Angus

Angus. He looks a little goofy. It’s because he is. And I personally enjoy making him look like a complete idiot by dressing him up in funny outfits. The fact that he’s a short little Mii makes it even funnier. The ladybug outfit just wouldn’t look as good on Paul as it does on Angus! Why is he the unfortunate object of my amusement? I don’t really know. Currently dating a woman much younger than him (not to mention taller than him). He was once married (To Jessica R. but is now divorced.

Elli

Meet Ellis! Or Elli for short. She’s the first child to move to the island and boy, is she cute! I created Ellis to be a sort of saint-like child. She’s innocent and intelligent. Never would dream of breaking the rules. She has been the object of Ronald’s affections for many years.

Hatsuke

Hatsuke. No, no it’s not “Hat-sook”. It’s pronounced like a Japanese pronunciation (Hot-soo-kay). Hatsuke is the type that thinks a lot of himself. He’s smart and he knows it. Once divorced, Hatsuke is now dating a woman much younger than him. Unfortunately, there are a handful of guys who are doing that on the island.

Mihora

I originally created Mihora (also pronounced in a Japanese way) to be either Hatsuke’s sister or his girlfriend. But I wasn’t sure which one would work better so I left it open. Unfortunately for Hatsuke, Mihora did not ever fall into those categories. Mihora is now known as the freaky girl with the creepy room. She has a weird sense of fashion and is described by many to be a little…witch-like?

Ronald

Ronald! The youngest kid on the island (or, at least he was). He loves to cause mischief and is full of energy. He has a lot of friends (his best being Thomas) but the love of his life is definitely Elli. Unfortunately, she’s never really returned his affections. Maybe one day when they’re both older she’ll finally realize how great he is? Not even I know right now.

Jessica

Jessica! One of the four Jessicas. To her fellow Miis she is just known as Jessica. Once married to Hatsuke (but no longer), Jessica has stayed away from the dating scene but has found happiness in being with her friends who love her all the same.

Rick

Rick. His face permanently frozen in this unhappy, dissatisfied glare. He’s actually not really that grumpy of a guy but he chooses to always look like he is. Sadly, it’s just in his genes. This is evident when you see his kids… He is happily married to Britney and is the proud father of two beautiful girls: Ashley, and Lily and one son (he was just born today…and… I can’t remember his name).

Jessica R.

Meet Jessica R. The third of the Jessicas. Although small, she is a force to be reckoned with as she is the only Mii on the island that is twice divorced with one child. Her child, Madison, is scarily an exact clone of her except with the skin tone of her father. Jessica R. is still waiting for her Mr. Right.

Brandon

Brandon. Jess’ husband. When I first created Brandon I meant for him to be a huge jerk who everybody kind of despised. Fortunately for him he met Jess. I was actually pretty annoyed at this but decided that I’d make it so that Brandon changed into a decent guy because of Jess. So, he isn’t so despised anymore. He is the proud father of Jaxon and Hannah.

Britney

The island’s first fashionista. Meet Britney. She loves the color pink and is the kind of Mii to go out and shop…a lot. Her days of shopping and inches of makeup applied to her face are long gone as she has settled down with Rick and has three beautiful children.

Antuan

Meet Antuan! He was the most mature guy to move to the island (in terms of age) back when the island wasn’t as populated. He is still currently single but I personally hope he will realize his love for Ronda. Antuan can often be seen wearing over-the-top outfits: costumes ranging from police man outfits to hot dogs…even if it’s not Halloween.

Rüla

Meet Rüla! I don’t really know how I came up with her name. But I created her to be the child genious. She has big dreams of becoming an adult resulting from her thinking that her success is often held back by her tender age. I ended up giving her a child-to-adult potion. She’s now dating Angus. Does that make him a pedophile?

Lloyd

Last up is Lloyd. He has an intense love of music and for his wife Katlyn and sons Christian and Brody (both were lucky enough to inherit those lovely eyebrows). Lloyd can sometimes be seen at the fountain practicing his guitar.

Whew, that was a lot. That’s really just the tip of the iceberg since I have 70 Miis in all. I will not even bother introducing them all. Hopefully, if you follow with this series of posts you will get to know all the Miis. Some of them will definitely appear more often than others. It really just depends on if anything especially extravagant happens. With this game there really are endless possibilities. I really hope you liked my introductions to some of the Miis that have since become very dear to my heart. I have enjoyed watching them grow and develop lives on the island of Sunnyside. Although this game is often described as weird…maybe even worthy of “bizarre”, it has become a game I have grown to love because of my relationships with the residents of Sunnyside.

(Please refer to the “Category Descriptions” page under “Other” on the main menu if you are curious about how these posts will be structured in the future. Give me some time but, I should have that up soon. Also, I have a brand gallery in the sidebar! Check it out from time to time as I will be adding new pics pretty often!)

Now here are a few bonus screenshots featuring the Miis!

The winners of the male hotness competition…. Paul is evidently proud.

Dancers during a techno concert (from left to right: Paul, Elli, Lloyd, Jessica R., Angus, Nicki, and Hatsuke)

A Photo taken by a fellow Mii. Depicts two couples! (Nicki and Thomas in the back and Paul and Maria closer)

A circle of Miis enjoy tossing Maria around!

Some of the kids that were on the island! They’ve all grown up since then. (From left to right: Christian, Hannah, Jasmine, Richie, Ronald, Lily, Elli, Brody, and some kid… Sorry kiddo. I forgot your name.)

Jessica confessing her love for Max! I didn’t think the michelin man was all that manly but… hey, whatever floats your boat.

Thanks so much for reading!

Sincerely,

7

P.S. I have recently decided to add a page called 7’s Recommendations. It will feature games that I think deserve a little bit more spotlight. Please check it out (link in the main menu)!

Source: Tomodachi Life Feature Photo 

Nintendo Force Magazine, “A Wonderful Surprise”

Hello guys,

today I decided I’d write something a little different. I decided I should write about some of my favorite Nintennerd gear. This time I chose my favorite magazine of all: Nintendo Force Magazine!

About a year ago, I felt an itch urging me to look for a magazine I frequently read when I was a child. It went by the name of Nintendo Power and I’m sure some of you have heard of it and maybe were even subscribers! Of course, those of you may also be aware that Nintendo Power was shut down in 2012… I was only 2 years late. I was disappointed to say the least and was pretty sad that a part of my childhood was now gone and I haven’t even known.

January/February 2013

A few days later, I decided I’d Google why the company shut down knowing that it was probably because of money. And sure enough, that was the reason. Lucky for me, the page I was looking at was a yahoo answers page with somebody asking the same question as I did. I decided I’d read multiple of the answers that were posted and one of them caught my eye. There was a guy who answered and included a link to a magazine by the name of NF magazine (Nintendo Force Magazine) and said it was like a sort of successor to Nintendo Power. I decided I’d check it out. After browsing their online store I decided I’d give them a chance. I subscribed.

March/April 2014

After about a week, I got my first issue in the mail. It had Mario Kart 8 on the cover (to the left) and a free poster (depicted in the feature photo of this post)! Woo-hoo! As I opened up the pages for the first time I was impressed by how amazing the magazine looked. It’s a young magazine. 2015 marks the beginning of its third year. I was very happy with what I saw and knew this was the beginning of a long term relationship with this company. I wish them the best with continued success for many years to come.

Several months later, I began to take notice of another part of the magazine. It isn’t actually a part of the magazine itself but was set up by the guys who write for the mag. A weekly podcast hosted by two guys that I’ve since-then become very used to seeing: Evan Campbell and Noah Ward. They host something on YouTube called the NF Show and it acts as a sort of supplement to the magazine since the magazine only comes once every 2 months. Before I knew it, their show became part of my regular routine.

January/February 2015 issue

Now it’s been almost a year since I first discovered NF Magazine. They are recently going through their second Kickstarter ever. With only a little over two weeks left, they’ve already met their goal and are trying their best to get as many subscribers as possible to complete their many stretch goals (posters in every issue). It looks like it’s going to be another very Nintendo-filled year.

I am so excited to have joined the Force. I am forever grateful that they decided to step up and fill the hole that Nintendo Power left behind when it closed down. I hope NF Magazine will be around for a very long time. Best of luck to the Kickstarter! Lets reach those stretch goals!

Sincerely,

7

Useful Links: NF Magazine Website || NF Magazine Kickstarter

Images Used: NF Magazine Mario Kart 8 Poster Image || Cover Images NF Magazine

Video Game Music Appreciation: “Nintendo Tunes” Part 1

Hello guys,

Happy Saturday! I am here today to write about my first video game OST appreciation blog entry. These kinds of blog entries will feature personal picks of mine from specific OSTs or even whole soundtracks themselves. Each entry will have a specific theme.Today’s video game songs theme will be from Nintendo! Surprise!

At this very moment I am listening to “The Greatest Video Game Music” album preformed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It is probably one of my favorite albums I ever bought. And yes, I am one of the people who still go out and actually buy CDs. Just like I am one of those people who actually still read books.

So, without much further ado I will begin with one of the most popular games from Nintendo. For many people, The Legend of Zelda is probably their favorite video game series of all time. Not only is the story great and the characters unique but, the music is a force to be reckoned with all on its own. From peaceful music playing in the background in Kakariko Village to boss battle music from Twilight Princess (the kind of makes you feel like you’re going to die), The Legend of Zelda offers a superb soundtrack with so many songs written to convey different emotions and are meant to bring a sense of nostalgia for long-time fans. When I first heard the tune that plays when the children in (Twilight Princess) Kakariko village were safely returned I couldn’t help but stop everything I was doing. I wanted to dedicate that moment just to remembering thinking about how happy those parents would be to know their children were safe. For people who have played through that game, it’s a strange and unfamiliar world filled with darkness and ambiguity. Probably not as much as Majora’s Mask but I’d say it’s next in line.

I would say one of my favorite recurring songs in the Legend of Zelda series would be the Shop theme. It’s light hearted. It’s catchy. I could listen to it all day! Of course, there are several variations of the Shop Theme but my favorite is the one from Ocarina of Time. Really, they’re all very similar. Why can’t they play this song in Gamestops or something? Or Walmart! Well, yeah it’d probably get old after a while but I’d be really happy!

Below I have posted several videos. They’re all variations of the Shop theme featured in different games across the series. It’s nice to be able to listen to them side by side and compare how each one is different.

Honestly the most annoying one (to me) is probably the Malo Mart one from Twilight Princess… It’s also the most unique baring almost no resemblance to how the Shop Theme usually is. And for anybody who knows, Beedle be awesome. OHHHHHHHHH! THAAAANKKKKK YOUUUUUU! (For those of you who have no clue what I’m talking about, just ignore it…)

I’ve really only just touched the iceberg with Legend of Zelda but I want to move on to some of Nintendo’s other great franchises. When you think of Nintendo who do you think of usually? He’s in red. He has a large nose. He’s a great jumper. And he’s Italian! It’s AH-ME MARIO!

I think one of my favorite songs from Mario games would be “Gusty Garden Galaxy” from the Super Mario Galaxy games. When I hear the main chorus line of Gusty Garden, I just think of Nintendo as a company. It is a reflection of their success and of their personality. When you hear Gusty Garden Galaxy, you just think, “This just screams Nintendo.” It’s playful, colorful, and at the same time just as musical and enjoyable as songs from Legend of Zelda or Final Fantasy. Isn’t that just perfect for a Mario game? Especially one like Super Mario Galaxy. Nintendo is a company that is so good at bringing family oriented fun to households without what people of this generation often think is necessary in a game. Nintendo proves you don’t need all the blood and violence to enjoy a great game. When I hear Gusty Garden Galaxy, I just take it as a great celebration of Nintendo altogether. Of course, I also picture Mario flying from planet to planet or collecting those adorable little star bits. It is equally playful and colorful as the world it was created for and has certainly reached my list of favorites from Nintendo.

Finally, I’d like to pick a less obvious choice. I mean, we all know that Final Fantasy has some of the video game industry’s biggest musical hits but, what about their newest hit game that goes by a different name? Bravely Default. Yes, that’s right. Bravely Default has probably some of the best game music I’ve heard in a long long time (from Nintendo specifically). I mean, don’t misunderstand. Zelda and Mario always have great music. But Bravely Default is this brand new game that came out recently and boy, I fell in love with its music in seconds. There were days when I just put the 3DS down just to listen to the music. I’m sure Agnes can wait just a little longer. I want to enjoy this moment.

I think what really impresses me about this particular soundtrack is the amount of variety it has. A lot of the musical tracks within Bravely Default sound mystical which matches the game. But then there are the songs like “Sailing the Sea” that almost bring tears to your eyes and songs like “The Land of Sand and its Great Clock” that fit the environment so much it just enhances the experience and brings it to a whole new level. These songs are such opposites. One is smooth just like you’re moving through the gentle waters of the ocean (assuming it actually is gentle) while the “Land of Sand and its Great Clock” is harsh, reflective of the unforgiving weather of the desert.

Personally, I fell in love with the gentleness of each note in every song. I mean, not every song can be accurately described as gentle (like boss battles or something). But, there are a lot of songs in the soundtrack that achieve that quality and it really says something about the people who composed the music. A light touch here. A gentle whisper there. It’s really quite beautiful. It is evident that much care was taken when writing this music.

That’s all I’m going to feature for now. Obviously, there are about 100 more songs I’d love to talk about here. Seeing as this is my first post in this particular category maybe it was a little rough around the edges. I’m still trying to get organized and figure out the best way to do a post featuring favorite songs. Nonetheless, I will work to make sure future posts are as organized and as enjoyable for fellow music appreciators as can be. Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

7

Images used: Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass Image || Bravely Default Feature Image || Bravely Default Characters || Super Mario Galaxy Image

Review: Harvest Moon: A New Beginning “It’s Beautiful After All”

I’ve had a lot of mixed feelings about Harvest Moon: A New Beginning.

Overall, I appreciate that the game developers tried to let the player have a little bit more freedom when it comes to customization. A New Beginning was the first game in the Harvest Moon series that not only allowed the player to customize their character but design their own town as well. I thought it was nice to be able to customize your character except, I will be brutally honest… I thought the player’s character looked really really stupid. Especially when he/she runs. But, hey that’s just me. And personally, I would’ve preferred if they didn’t allow the customization. I know I’m probably considered nuts for saying that since I think that’s a big reason why the game got pretty strong reviews compared to past entries in the Harvest Moon series but… I just really did not enjoy it that much. I guess I’m the type who prefers to have everything already set up and predetermined for me instead of me choosing where to put all these buildings. If you were to ask me why I didn’t like it… I think it’s because I thought it was extra work that resulted in something that didn’t really make me feel like it was worth it. Does that make sense? If they had made the editing process a little more convenient that would have been very nice. Having to run over to the area where you’d like to customize, chop down all the trees, move all the things that might be in the way, run all the way back to your house, try and put the building down, and then hope that it fits and looks good… It just takes too long. And what if you forgot to cut down one tree that you thought wouldn’t be in the way but really is? That means running from the farmhouse to the area with the tree and then back to try again. It’s no deal breaker but gosh, I wish they made it easier.

(Look, he’s holding up his whole house! Mailbox, weeds and all)

I guess it’s also because I lack patience to make sure every single pathway lines up. Yet, I’m a perfectionist so when every single pathway does not line up I get really bothered. In order to fix it, I have to move any buildings that might be nearby…but you can’t put those buildings in your pocket like you can in other games. Nope. You can put brushes, milkers, 99 bags of fertilizer, all the eggs you can dream of, gallons and gallons of milk, seeds of all kinds, hoes, sickles, axes, bugs, fish, flowers, rocks, gems, turnips of all different qualities…you name it… You can put all of that in your little ol’ pocket. But you can’t put a building in your pocket… I mean, not even temporarily until you can adjust the pathways. You have to put them back on the field somewhere.  I want my town to look nice and was perfectly fine with how the game developers made the towns look in past entries. I wouldn’t have minded if they hadn’t given us the power to design our own town. I mean, I guess it isn’t all bad. I could move my boyfriend’s house right in front of my farm’s entrance if I wanted to.

But anyway, enough bashing the customization…

Although I did not find the customization to be enjoyable or beneficial to me at all, everything else about the game was really nice! One of the best things about Harvest Moon (at least in my opinion) is how much variety there is. The recent Harvest Moons have delivered a vast array of assorted fruits and vegetables. I especially liked the paddy crops like wasabi and rice. Also, those animals… Them Yaks. Them Alpaccers and Llamas… When they dance it’s just too cute. Not to mention their wool sells for a pretty penny.

I found that A New Beginning made everything especially accessible. It was easier to move forward in the game and at the same time still required that Harvest Moon dedication that is characteristic of the games. When I was younger and played the older Harvest Moons, I always found it difficult to really get far because things were too hard to do. Maybe it was that special rare ore that you could only obtain from mine level 90 or perhaps it was the same old thing over and over to just to make a villager like you enough to give you something you need… I remembered not really wanting to put up with any of that. Yeah, I wasn’t dedicated enough back then. I was also a kid. Nowadays, I find myself wanting to get as far as I can in the game and that meant going to the 90th floor if I needed to or befriending that villager with an assortment of hearts or things I picked off the forest floor. Yet, with A New Beginning, it’s not really such a strenuous process anymore. I greatly appreciated that.

Like all Harvest Moon games, A New Beginning starts the player off slow. At first maybe you just have one plot of farmland, one cow, one chicken, and maybe one shed for your materials. As you progress through the game you quickly earn cash and begin expanding. As of right now I’m about 100 hours into the game and have fully utilized the hilly area in the east part of the farm. I find myself growing many different kinds of crops, from herbs to re-harvestables, and somehow am able to take care of them all with just my 5 hearts (although I admit I need to at least eat one dish of food to finish it all).

Harvest Moon is a game with many rewards. Work hard and you will reap the benefits. It has been a game series very dear to my heart. Although I was not as stoked about some of the new features that were placed in this game as I know a lot of other people were, I really enjoyed this game altogether and will give it an 85/100. Harvest Moon: A New Beginning is a wonderful addition to the Harvest Moon family.

Cons:

• Below standard visuals for a Harvest Moon game (Houses were fine but the ground textures were lacking greatly)
• Inconvenient and time consuming customization
• Time consuming cut scenes (Pet help! Gahh!)

Pros: 

• Great Variety (plants/animals)
• Fresh new ideas (paddies/hills in east farm/Vacations etc.)
• Easier to move forward
• Holds true to the Harvest Moon series

Also…

Basic Info on Story of Seasons:

As many of you may know, something whacky has been going on with Harvest Moon. To put it simply, the people with the name rights and the people who actually make the games you know and love have split up. You may have noticed Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley on store shelves. Maybe you even picked it up and noticed it was nothing like what you were expecting. Well, it may be called Harvest Moon but it’s actually made by a different group of people as the ones who made say, A New Beginning, for example. (Although I hear it has a some of the same elements as the original Harvest Moon.) Personally, I will be waiting to pick up Story of Seasons. That’s the game that is being made by the people behind all the past Harvest Moons.

As of right now, the release date for Story of Seasons is March 31st, 2015. If you preorder the game at a retailer you’ll even receive a weird legless bunny plushie as a preorder bonus!

Is that really the whole thing? Is it just a head? Because that’s a little creepy… But… it is cute? And what is that thing between its ears? Anyway, it just looks like one of those japanese cell phone cleaners…

Strange…the more I talk about how weird it is the more I want it…

Are you guys just as excited about Story of Seasons as I am? If so, feel free to share your thoughts! Have you tried The Lost Valley? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts about that!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

7

Links to Images Used: Customization Image || Flowers Image || Rice Paddies Image || East Farm Image || Story of Seasons Image || Preorder Bonus Bunny Image || Entrancing Chickens Image || Feature A New Beginning Image

Review: Code Name Steam Demo

I wandered into the Nintendo 3DS eShop a couple days ago only to find a brand new demo had been released. To my pleasant surprise, it was exactly what I needed: a demo to help me understand what Code Name Steam was all about.

All of the stages in the demo were in the same kind of steampunk-y style. It looked nice and detailed. It definitely fit the plot of the story: an alien invasion! The first character introduced was a blonde guy by the name of Henry Fleming. Weapon of choice? An eagle rifle. Before officially getting to the first actual stage, the game teaches the player how to move and shoot and other good stuff. When I was playing it, I couldn’t help but think that the controls felt a lot like Kid Icarus: Uprising. One hand is used to move around (with the circle pad) and the other is holding the stylus to adjust the camera view (behind the main character). Personally, I have no issue with this and I think it’s actually pretty comfortable. However, I know this was a big no-no for many people when playing Kid Icarus: Uprising. I definitely believe the creators of the game (Intelligent Systems) were thinking of the new Nintendo 3DS when making the controls for this game. The camera controls would probably be easier to adjust with the c-stick for some people who don’t like using the stylus. The c-stick is exclusive to the new Nintendo 3DS so, I guess I’ll be sticking with the stylus.

There was also a lot of variety within the game. If you play the demo all the way through you will be able to play as four different characters. Henry Fleming, John whose last name I can’t remember, Tiger Lily and Lion. Each character has their own abilities and characteristics which adds tons of possibility and room to develop a good strategy. It’s hard for me to choose which character I think is the most useful because they all are except in different ways. Henry has the “over-watch” ability which is a special ability that is only available to characters who yield long-range weapons. Here is how over-watch attack works. Lets say you’re using Henry and it takes three steam bars (or whatever you call those) to launch an attack. Each move you make across the map will use up one steam bar. Lets say you have four steam bars left and you decide you want Henry to stay where he is. Because you have enough steam bars left to launch an attack, any alien that comes into range during their turn will be automatically attacked by Henry. That is what an over-watch attack is. It’s useful as a way of defense in case any aliens are close by when you end your turn. To my knowledge, both Tiger Lily and Lion have this ability but neither of their weapons deal as much damage as Henry’s if you were to attack the alien straight on. John’s main weapon of choice is a grenade launcher which is very useful if you’re standing on a high ledge overseeing a large area with enemies. It does a nice amount of damage as well. While equipped with the grenade launcher John is unable to use over-watch attack. However, he does have a rifle that enables him to do so if equipped and with enough steam bars at the end of the turn. Tiger Lily has a weaker offensive weapon but a powerful healing weapon. In the demo she is the only healer available that can heal all units in a certain area. Henry can also heal but he is a one-target healer only. Finally, there is Lion who uses some kind of crossbow. He is also capable of over-watch attack but his specialty is being able to jump high onto ledges that none of your other units can get to or jump right onto the heads of your enemies dealing damage to any alien in the area. In my opinion, for a demo this is already a lot of different options which makes me eager to see what the full version will have.

(From Left to Right: Lion, Henry Fleming, Tiger Lily)

The game play was pretty good except for one flaw that I have trouble forgetting. Since the game is turn based and in real time, the player must patiently wait while the enemy’s turn proceeds. In other games I’ve played, I felt okay about this because there was usually a fast forward button or at least some kind of overview of the map. In this game, there is neither a fast forward button nor an overview of the map. So, I was left staring at a bunch of boxes and run-down buildings (basically what my unit was seeing) until the aliens finished their turn. As there are more enemy units on the field, the more noticeable this flaw becomes because that means more enemies have to move before their turn is over. I can really only think of one reasonable explanation for why they chose to do something like this. Maybe they wanted to be as realistic as possible (even though the game itself is about aliens taking over London) and place the player in a position as if he/she were actually doing this in real life. If this game were real and I was in Henry Fleming’s position, there’d be no way to know what my enemies were doing. It’s just me and what I can see with my eyes. It personally makes me feel like having a good strategy is even more important. I’m not sure if this is really what they were going for but, that’s the sense I can make out of it. And while it is rather boring at times it is in no way a deal breaker.

Other than that, there really was nothing else that I disliked about the demo. The story was good and had a nice charm to it. It’s refreshing to see something new as I’ve definitely never played a game that made you feel like you were living and reading a story in a comic-book before. What I liked a lot about the demo was how I found myself planning and really considering what I should do next before every move.

Cons:

• Slow process during enemy’s turn (no fast forward or overview map)
• Potentially hand-cramping controls (for people who didn’t like Kid Icarus:Uprising controls)

Pros:

• Tons of variety (at least so far)
• Charming story line and atmosphere
• Detailed stages and visuals
• encourages strategy planning

Before I picked up this demo, I really had no idea what to expect. After playing the demo I can honestly say I really look forward to playing the full version.

By the way, did I mention that the Fire Emblem characters currently in Super Smash Bros. 4 can be added to the game as playable characters? (You have to have the amiibo though. Just saying. Aaaaand seeing as this is a 3DS game you will also need a new Nintendo 3DS to scan the amiibo.)

Don’t they look nice? I wouldn’t want to run into Ike in a dark alley…

That’s all for the review of the Code Name Steam Demo. Hope you found this helpful. Thanks for reading! If you’ve also played the Code Name Steam Demo and would like to share your thoughts and opinions, feel free to do so in the comments section!

Sincerely,

7

Images Used: Game Play Image || Code Name Steam Characters Image || Fire Emblem Characters Image

Reactions: Jan. 2015 Nintendo Direct: “The Big Hitters” Part 2

Hello everybody. It is now time to cover the rest of “The Big Hitters” that were lucky enough to appear in Nintendo’s January 2015 Direct.

First off, we have the announcement of the release date for Nintendo’s new Nintendo 3DS XL. From the first mentioning of its name a few months ago I have been nothing but bitter about it. Mainly it’s due to the fact that my lovely Nintendo 3DS XL was less than a year old at the time and it was nowhere near ready to retire. Having just purchased a Wii U in June after Nintendo’s kick-me-in-the-face awesome showcase at E3, I was just beginning to really enjoy knowing I could play any game Nintendo threw out there. I had finally reached a point of tranquility that was, to my dismay, short lived, as Nintendo smashed my happy-place into a bajillion pieces by announcing this new  addition to the 3DS family. Just kidding, I’m not that bitter about it… And I am happy to say I have since warmed up to the idea. I probably won’t be jumping on board the new Nintendo 3DS XL happy train until much later, or maybe never. It really depends on its exclusives.

But anyway, during the January direct, Nintendo showed off two breathtakingly beautiful themed new 3DS systems as well as two regular colored systems. Here is a picture if you’d like to see.

To go with the name of the system, Nintendo has cleverly (it’s not that clever) given the red system the name “new Red” and the black system “new black”. The bottom left is the glorious Majora’s Mask themed new 3DS that sold out within minutes. The bottom right is the equally beautiful Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate themed new 3DS.

Apparently, the new Nintendo 3DS will not be coming with an AC adapter which I think is a stupid idea. What were they thinking? Beats me. Luckily, the AC adapters can be purchased for less than 10 bucks.

As of right now, the only exclusive game for the new system is Xenoblade Chronicles 3D. The new Nintendo 3DS makes its way into stores on February 13th, 2015.

The next big hitter is Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate for 3DS. This new game comes packed with tons of new dinosaur/monster/giant things for you to slay. And if I remember correctly, there are also Mario and Luigi cats too… I remember that part of the video when Nintendo first announced it. It was definitely something else. I have not personally had a lot of experience with the Monster Hunter games. I do own 3 but I found it a little frustrating. Or maybe I just suck. Either way, I will always remember when I was teamed up on by a giant Toucan monster (that’s its name right?) and a Great Jaggi. That wasn’t fun. P.S. It was actually the Qurupeco.

Next lets take a moment and discuss Nintendo’s new IP by Intelligent systems, Code Name S.T.E.A.M. According to siliconera, the “S.T.E.A.M.” in Code Name S.T.E.A.M. stands for, “Strike Team Eliminating the Alien Menace”. That is definitely appropriate as that is exactly what Code Name Steam is all about. When Nintendo first announced this new game, I didn’t really know what to think. What could a game that has Abraham Lincoln, aliens, Tiger Lily (Yes, from Peter Pan), a lion named Lion, all in a steam-punk themed world be like? Up until just recently, I had no clue. Now I know, it’s actually pretty awesome. (More on this in an upcoming review of the Code Name Steam demo that is now available in the North American Nintendo eShop.)

Code Name Steam is set for a March 13th, 2015 release.

Finally, Xenoblade Chronicles X! Evidently, the world of X is absolutely gargantuan and it’s a good thing too. What’s better than having a huge open world to explore? Is it the crisp HD graphics or perhaps the ability to see miles and miles away. The Jan. 2015 direct showcased more of the gameplay. Most of the trailer was three people running across the wild planet their ship crashed on. In addition to the running, there was a great deal of jumping too. One of the most impressive moments was when the player jumped right off a cliff miles and miles above the ground. Seems like it was a really long fall. Wonder how that worked out. I’m pretty impressed by it because by doing so, they’re telling the viewers that this world is filled with endless possibilities. Xenoblade Chronicles X does not have an official release date yet.

That concludes “The Bigger Hitters” coverage of the January 2015 direct. I hope you enjoyed it. For my next blog post, I will be writing my first review for this blog. My game of choice? Code Name Steam demo! Thanks for reading!

Happy gaming,

7

Disclaimer: New Nintendo 3DS Faceplates Image || New Nintendo 3DS XL Systems Image || Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Image || Code Name Steam Image || Xenoblade Chronicles X Image

Game Forecast: February 2015 Edition

Hello friends, welcome to the first Game Forecast blog post from me. In this particular type of blog post, I will be organizing a neat little calendar list that shows off most, if not all, the upcoming games Nintendo has scheduled for release in a particular month. Of course, if I missed one, feel free to leave a comment…or say nothing. That’s fine too. Happy February 1st!

Note: All release dates are for North America.

February 5th:

• Hyrule Warriors: Majora’s Mask DLC Pack (Wii U)

February 13th:

• Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3DS
• Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (Nintendo 3DS)
• New Nintendo 3DS System

February 20th:

• Kirby and the Rainbow Curse (Wii U)

Some Ambiguous Date in February:

• Pokemon Shuffle (Nintendo 3DS)
• Blek (Indie Game)

That is all! Everything is definitely happening on February 13th.

Again, feel free to leave a comment if you wish to add something to the list. Please, only Nintendo games. I also include Indies on the list as well and those are the most likely to miss.

Happy Gaming!

7

Disclaimer: Majora’s Mask 3DS Image

Reactions: Jan. 2015 Nintendo Direct “The Big Hitters” Part 1

Almost a month ago, Nintendo held a brand new Nintendo Direct to welcome in the New Year. Within the direct, Nintendo showed off more than 20 games both new and ones we already knew were coming. I know, because… Well, I counted… And made a list.

For now I will only be covering the major games such as Majora’s Mask 3DS and the new Fire Emblem game! In future posts, I will share my thoughts and reactions about some of the smaller announcements as well.

The first game I’d like to talk about would be the first thing we saw… In my opinion, it is probably the best thing. The new addition in the Fire Emblem series! Imagine my excitement as I watched this epic battle unfold right before my eyes (in my computer screen). For what seemed like an eternity, I had no idea what the hell was going on. Who are these people? What is that giant rock thing? I know I’ve seen that somewhere!!!

 Picture of giant rock thing

Or maybe I’m just imagining things and I really didn’t see it anywhere…

Either way, that is one fancy looking fight scene. It looked a lot like a movie! My immediate reactions after this trailer were surprise, excitement, and intense happiness. I was definitely not expecting this! Fire Emblem: Awakening for 3DS was definitely one of my favorite 3DS games of all time. To hear there is another entry in the series coming out (hopefully this year) is absolutely amazing!

 If you would like to watch the trailer for the new Fire Emblem game, please click the following link. http://youtu.be/Pz2LJ-4DDWU

The next wonderful piece of news I’d love to bring up would be that new line of Super Mario bros amiibo. I mean, just look at that Toad! And don’t forget Yoshi. He’s posing like he has overalls on. I don’t know about you guys but, I love amiibo and have contracted what I like to call, “amiibo fever”.  And lets not forget that wave 4 amiibo for the Super Smash Bros. line! Robin and Lucina will be the two I will be preordering. Hopefully, things don’t turn into a bloodbath…

The Super Mario bros amiibo line is set for a March 20th, 2015 release.

Now isn’t that just mesmerizing? I don’t know about you but, when I first saw those huge purple and yellow-green eyes, I couldn’t help but be drawn to their exotic hypnotism. I mean, just look.

Well, actually now that I see it again… He also looks a little brain dead.

Ever since the announcement of Splatoon at E3, I have been greatly anticipating the arrival of this colorful new shooter game from Nintendo. This new IP is definitely one of the most creative and every single time they show it off, I fall more and more in love with it. The game, not the octopus.

In the Jan. 2015 Direct, Nintendo shows its viewers for the first time the main plaza area where there will be an assortment of stores with interesting shopkeepers and the door that you’ll go through to engage in many online multiplayer battles. This game screams out a summer release and that’s exactly what they gave us. Splatoon is planning to make its way into retail stores and in the Nintendo eShop in May 2015.

As my last pick for this particular blog entry, I have chosen to talk about Majora’s Mask for 3DS. This is a game I grew up watching my brother play on the Nintendo 64. He got his hands on the beautiful golden cartridge on its original release date back in 2000. Fifteen years later, the game is making a come back on the 3DS allowing a brand new generation of gamers (as well as older ones) to experience the creepy and dark world of Majora’s Mask. When this remake was first announced some time ago, I remember not being able to hold my breath in. It was something I had been wishing for for a very long time and to hear that it’s finally coming true… as a gamer, there is nothing better than that. At the January 2015 direct, I was surprised by how quickly the game would be coming out.  It is set to be released once again on February 13th, 2015. That is only about 2 weeks away!

That is all for part 1 of my reactions for Jan 2015 Nintendo Direct “The Big Hitters”. I’ll see you again in the next blog post where I will be covering Part 2 focusing on the new Nintendo 3DS handheld system, Code Name Steam, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, and Xenoblade Chronicles X. Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

7

Disclaimer: Images that I have used in this post are not mine. Here are some links to the images I used.

Fire Emblem Girl image || Super Mario Line amiibo || Splatoon Octopus || Majora’s Mask || Splatoon Three Octopus