Who's JonPonikvar? Dunno. But he's smart.

Saw this on GameTrailers. It's a response to the (rave) review GT gave regarding Kirby's Epic Yarn. So here's what a one "JonPonikvar" had to say...

JonPonikvar said: Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.The Wii is like the artistic third brother in a family of jocks. The two bigger, stronger brothers (PS3 & 360) are both star athletes, regularly outperforming each other with more impressive games. Meanwhile the Wii stays in the art room inside the school, showcasing an incredible level of artistic ability to balance what little physical strength he has. While his brothers are out riling up the crowds with each game they bring to the field, he remains diligent, creating masterpieces of more simplistic beauty that garner the attention of a crowd all his own.

I've had similar thoughts like this for a while now. Perhaps you have too? And sure, it is a generalization with several notable exceptions. But, regardless, I think it's a darn good analogy.

Announcements

1. I've finally perfected the graphics along the left side of the site. Enjoy their awesomeness.

2. There is a new desktop background in the Extras section for "Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Ring of Fates." (I'm on a FFCC kick!)

Also, I redid the SMG2 background... it's exponentially better.

3. I think I've fixed the problem with spammers joining the forums. Time will tell.

4. I may be able to incorporate a site chat directly into the forums that would also work on the Wii. That would be cool because A) it would be convenient for forum users and B) that convenience would likely increase chat usage.

5. The first edition of the web comic strip "Highly Deaf" should be up next week. Watch for it!

6. Good night.

Site Chat Tonight! and Caffeinated Hunting

"CoffeeWithGames" runs a blog of the same name. I've always found his blog interesting, insightful and informative. Well, Maxi and I connected with Coffee a few months ago and found a mutual desire to hunt monstrous things.

Coffee was cool enough to post some videos of these adventures and give a nice shout-out to our site in the process. So let me shout right back:

Check out CoffeeWithGames: [link]
Check out the CWG/NinTemple joint hunt: [link]

~~~

And don't forget, site Chat tonight! 8PM EST! If you wanna just talk that's cool, and if you want to suggest a game for people to play that's cool too!

We'll see you there!

Is online multiplayer good for new titles?

As most of you know I have been playing Monster Hunter Tri since June and well I can't get enough of it. I noticed something in me that I would like to talk about.
I don't think I have purchased a game since I got it so this is where I started thinking about if having online multiplayer in older games is good for newer titles that doesn't have any form of online play.

I think it can be a problem for newer titles because it can prevent you from trying out new games because you are heavily vested into the old game. In the end it is probably bad from a business perspective for other publishers.

Am I alone as far as not getting any new games after being so into a game that I haven't played anything else?
Does anybody else feel wrapped up into a game that you can't stop playing?

Please share your thoughts.

How Did I Not Know About This!?!?

Did you guys know about THIS ???

Somehow it flew entirely under my radar all this time!  I don't know if it will be a day one purchase (even at the nice price of $29.99) but it will be a purchase for sure!  Just this past summer, during our pilgrimage to Funspot Arcade, I played Dragon's Lair and Space Ace for the first time.  I ... stunk.  But the games visual appeal is truly timeless in my opinion and I can't wait to take a stab at these games without having to fork over another quarter each time I inevitably make a poor choice!

Worth Noting ...

1. I've been trying to tell people that the Wii was for gamers.  Glad this guy from Yahoo! thinks so too.

 [link]

2. After watching this video with Warren Spector I gotta say, he is now up there with Jason Vandenberghe as the two best (non-Nintendo) developers I've heard speak.  Their heads and hearts just seem to be in absolutely the right places.  They aren't concerned with adhering to some "hardcore" image, they aren't trying to sell the consumer junk and tell them it's gold - they just want to give quality gaming experiences - and we reap the benefits!

 [link]

ps - It's a little sad when Warren Spector has to appologize for being a Nintendo fan.

3. I think the author of this list hit some of his picks right out of the park.

[link]

Here's how I feel about the thought of these franchises making a come back:
14. Battletoads - YESSS!!!
13. Strider - YESS!!
12. Shinobi - if it's a continuation of the PS2 series? YESS!!
11. Legacy of Kain - ... no, thank you.
10. X-Wing/TIE Fighter - ... sure, why not.
9. Smuggler's Run - ... who?
8. Colony Wars - YESS!!
7. Panzer Dragoon - YES!
6. Killer Instinct - ... meh.
5. R.C. Pro Am - yea!
4. Wizards & Warriors - ... no, thank you.
3. Jumping Flash! - YEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS!!!!!! I flippin' loved that franchise!!
2. Mutant League - ... no, thank you.
1. Lost Vikings - ... no, thank you.

ok, deep breathes....

3DS is set to launch in February in Japan and March in NA/EU.

Also, there will be a handheld virtual console! That's right! Download Gameboy and GBA games to your 3DS!

plus... *breathes into paper bag* ...screw it... MEGA MAN LEGENDS 3!!!!!!!!!!

3DS info

MML3

Here we go!!

Those immortal words of Mario have never been more true.

Right now it's late, I'm tired, and I have a cold. So I'm going to bed.

But I wanted to show everyone the new site!! What's the point of the new site? Well, we already talk about and play DS games, and we sure as heck are gonna talk 3DS when that comes out. So, I figured we should expand our focus to include the powerful portables.

Also, the site chat and forum have both been upgraded. The blog and the forum have been INTEGRATED onto our server (just like a real website! =P )

So, take a look around, a lot has remained the same, but a lot has changed.

Enjoy!

oh, btw, I changed my screenname too......

Happy 25th Birthday Super Mario Bros!

Today back in 1985 the first Super Mario Bros game was released on the Famicom;short for Family Computer. Since the release of the Super Mario Bros it has become a beloved character and a source of enjoyment for many people.

Here are some of my memories of Mario.

I remember playing Super Mario Bros and it was quite enjoyable.I had never seen this type of world before. It seemed like the flow of imagination from Shiguru Miyamoto was working on overdrive.

Back in the 80s to early 90's you could not go anywhere with out seeing something about the Mario Bros it was a thing to behold.I remember seeing The Wizard and to see the final game was Super Mario Bros 3 well it was to much for me.I was overjoyed.

Another memory I have is playing with my nephew in Super Mario Kart. It was enjoyable seeing him play. We would take turns playing the time trial and trying to beat each others scores. I also recall playing Mario Kart:Double Dash and having fun with the 2 racer system. I usually drove and I was okay with that.

We also played New Super mario Bros Wii when it came out.Very fun to play that.

In commemoration of the 25th Birthday of the Mario Bros is releasing a Super Mario Bros collection for the Wii.
It has the first 3 Super Mario Bros games and as well as the lost levels game.In addition to that there is going to be a Music CD encompasing music from all of the Mario games from SMB to Galaxy 2.Also there is going to be a book I think of all kinds of things about the Super Mario Bros. At this time the collection is only for Japan and is a limited release.
I'm going to guess that Nintendo will have this for the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros in the USA.
So any memories of Mario or maybe something you might want to tell us that not many people might know about Mario.

Let me know.:)

Surprises!

I've been gaming since the days of the Atari 2600 - a long time. Over the years, gaming has obviously changed, evolved and progressed. This progression does not necessarily imply improvement. Great games from the last 30 years can still be enjoyed today and 30 years from now - it's merely a matter of taste. This confirms the theory that technological advancements do not automatically yield increases in value or entertainment.

Building off of that, we can all agree that we've witnessed incredible advancements in gaming technology over the last five to 10 years. The visuals have reached heights that rival big budget movies. And the fact that I can wirelessly control a virtual sword by swinging the controller is is a concept that would have reduced my childhood-self to a pile of euphoric mush.

However, with technological advances, they are usually evident from the moment the game begins and we all become jaded to the novelty too quickly. That's when a game's substance either launches it to the status of "classic" or sucks it into the abyss of "forgettable" titles.

Over the years, it's become less and less frequent that a game truly blows my mind. Of course, I deeply enjoy many games. And I'd have to say the library of Wii games is really what revitalized my faith and passion in gaming. But let's just say I was floored when I first played Centipede. Again when I first played Super Mario Bros. The hits kept on coming: Tetris on GB, 1941, Ninja Gaiden II, Mega Man 2, Street Fighter 2, Final Fantasy VII, Kingdom Hearts, RE4 on the Wii. I'm sure I'm forgetting dozens of titles, but the point is, in recent years the percentage of good and great games has definitely gone up but the amount of truly mind-blowing experiences has declined.

However, lately I've found myself amidst a spoil of riches. As many of you know, Monster Hunter Tri grabbed hold of my existence and is only recently starting to loosen its grip. This is partly due to Dragon Quest IX's ability to make me feel like "right now" is always a good time to play.

So what is it about these games that has me feeling that sense of magic again? I've done some thinking and I believe it's simple: the developers of these (lengthy) games found a way to surprise me in hour 250 like it was hour 5.

I've logged nearly 500 hours on MH3 and I STILL see things I've never seen before. Like the time Deviljho cleared the entrance to the hidden area of the Tundra. Or the time a teammate was hurled from Jhen Mohran's back yet caught the boat's edge with his fingertips to avoid a sandy bath.

In DQ9? It's pure exploration and depth. The world map isn't just a series of tedious stops to be checked off in a linear fashion. No, it's a fully-fleshed out environment with meaningful interactions at every turn. I'm over 100 hours into the adventure and I can't tell you how many times I've spotted a path, followed it, and thought: "I've never been here before! Hey! Free stuff! New quests! New characters!!"

My wife and I each bought a copy of the game so we could play together. We started within a few days of each other and our experiences have been so different that we often have to be weary of not spoiling anything for the other!

To sum it up, MH3 and DQ9 have impressed me in a manner that hasn't happened in a while. Games like these make me feel lucky to be a gamer in 2010 and have me looking forward to the future.

-----

Speaking of surprises, I've got a rather monumental surprise in store for this website... a big change in the near future. Let's just say "stay tuned" and leave it at that.