Pause Game

A rad "Samus" comic about a chick who is kind of like Samus, but totally digs takin' photos and posting them to Instagram.

I gave the game a shot today only to delete it only after a few minutes. Square-Enix should be embarrassed to have released such a poop port of a wonderful game.

Why the game's framerate stutters on one of the fastest phones on the market is beyond me. Not to mention the game menus are horrible looking.

Honestly that's probably the biggest offense. The shitty menus and HUD. So many of these types of ports get shitty menus compared to the original menus in the games. They have no style, no taste and normally don't match the game very well.

You've got to check out Attract Mode's Portable Weekend mixes. They're excellent and seriously about all I listen to these days.

I think Nintendo's presentation was the most honest. Microsoft's wasn't very interesting, and I thought Sony's was definitely better than the Xbox presentation - but Nintendo proves yet again that I truly do appreciate their game design most of all.

Wow. I know it's been so many folk's dream that Nintendo would make an open world Zelda game - so it's finally happening. I think it looks wonderful, and I look forward to getting back into a 3D Zelda game as I gave up on Skyward Sword.

The design of Link is especially cool - if that is even Link! Eiji Aonuma didn't really delve into any details of the game, but instead explained how they reached this point in the game's design and how an open-world Zelda was inevitable.

Nintendo's E3 presentation was confident and on point - especially with all the bullshit out there about Nintendo's demise.

Mario Kart 8

Things that are Rad:

Nintendo continues to be the master of genre that they invented.

The orchestrated music in the game is delightful.

The game is gorgeous, sharp, and colorful.

The polish and love that Nintendo puts into their games is something so few other companies are able to do. Mario Kart 8 shows this.

The highlight reel feature is great. Much more fun than a replay and the slo-mo is fantastic.

Things that are Bad:

No more wheelies on motorcycles. I guess Nintendo took this out to balance the game a bit more, but I really do miss flicking my Wii remote up to do a wheelie (and get a speed boost).

No mini-map on TV. The Wii U gamepad can display a mini-map, but the TV cannot.

The Blue Turtle shell can hit anyone as it skates and flies up to the first place position. This is kind of a bummer as it seems really unfair to someone who may be struggling.

The color of the ranking arrows at the end of races and cups seem reversed.

Conclusion

If you own a Wii U and you don't own this game - you absolutely must get it soon. It's a wonderful addition to your library, and truly one of the best games of this year.

If you don't own a Wii U, heres one more reason to - that's for sure.

I really cannot ask for a better version of Mario Kart to play in 2014.

Truly fun.

Matt Thorson’s Towerfall drops tomorrow for Mac. Grab your MacBook and plug some Xbox or Playstation controllers into it.

I’m real stoked to finally play this. Only reason I ever wanted an Ouya.

I've missed games blogging.

As a child my parents used to take me from Dayton, OH down into deep southern Kentucky a few times a year to visit my grandma and other family members.

My grandma lived in a trailer that was down in a valley between extremely large hills that felt like baby mountains and didn't qualify to be considered part of the Appalachian Mountains.

My dad who is a master of tall tales used to tell me stories of his childhood, and the lore around this remote area of Kentucky. A sister who ran with wolves, stories of bravery, fires, boot legging, a camp for troubled boys, and poverty. Just some of the stories my dad would tell.

I remember vividly not sleeping well at night when we stayed at my grandma's. I remember just looking out the window into the night and wondering what lived up in the mountains and behind the trees. I didn't get the opportunity to explore much, because ironically I just wanted to stay inside and play video games - but I did get to go up some the hills and across some of the creeks to abdanoned grave yards and houses who never had electrical wiring.

Kentucky Route Zero is delightful for two reaons. It's a gorgeous and well done video game, and it is a magical yet normal adventure in a Kentucky that reminds me of how the state felt to me as a child.

Sometimes the story doesn't make sense, but other time's it's very clear. Kind of like life. Especially one as so uniquely lived by these characters.

The game is a point and click adventure at it's heart, but doesn't really involve item collecting or puzzle solving. It's linear and driven by clicking in the right place and on the right character. The game's user interface is simple, and understandable. The game doesn't overload you with anything it doesn't feel relevant to the feel of the world.

Bioshock Infinite is one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had with video games in a while. Aesthetically it is one of the most lovingly crafted game worlds, with professionalism in design throughout and attention to the tiniest of interactions.

Elizabeth is a female protagonist to be proud of, and one that doesn’t require you to escort her or keep her alive. She’ll toss you ammo and health when you need it, and she’ll stare out of a window in an abandoned house while you pillage it for precious supplies. She’ll take a seat when a bench is nearby and lean against the bannister before you ascend the stairs. She is not a love interest, and there are no jokes, analgoies or plot points about her being a woman at all. She’s portrayed as a human being, and perhaps one with more power than meets the eye - but never does her actions remove her from her humanity.

The gameplay is solid enough, it’s a vehicle to keep the ride moving. It’s engaging, fun, and violent. You have magic that the world calls Vigors, and mana called Salts, and nothing feels quite as good in the game as blasting a foe with a flock of crows and then gunning them down with a shotgun. The gameplay could’ve been more fleshed out, but that focus might have meant less emphasis on the superb graphic and aural design throughout the world of Columbia.

Bioshock Infinite is a grand story of science fiction weaved in with evil, good, and everything in between. It champions the heretic, yet points out the similarities between him and a man of God. It’ll define time travel, and alterante universes in a way that might make your head spin, but it won’t betray you or trick your expectations with outrageous plot twists. Oh - and don’t worry - it’ll twist.

I tried playing Monster Hunter a few years ago when Becca gave me a PSP as a gift. I just didn’t get it. I knew it was popular and I knew a lot of people loved it, but I just couldn’t respect (due to lack of understanding) the game, and I thought it was too hard.

I’ve finally got into Monster Hunter, and it’s one of the most rewarding games I’ve played. I get it. I understand why folks find the games so awesome.

Monster Hunter is a very popular game in Japan, mostly because it has some cool multiplayer that was local-only and given the public transit and just overall population density in Japan it did really well. Monster Hunter definitely has a cult following in the United States, but we’re much more spread out.

Luckily you can play Monster Hunter online these days, but unfortunately I don’t know anyone who plays online! The cool thing is that Becca and I can play together on the same game if we get a Nintendo 3DS, but we’re not purchsing one for a while. Instead I’ve been playing a Monster Hunter game on the PSP, and Becca has been playing Monster Hunter on the Nintendo Wii U.

They’re different versions of the game, but luckily they’re part of the same generation so we can both share stories about the same enemies, similiar areas, and items.

The game is essentially about hunting monsters and gathering items. My game is in Japanese so I have no narrative, and Becca’s is translated which honestly still gives her a weak narrative. The game isn’t played for story though, it’s played for the unique gameplay surrounding completing quests, gathering items, mixing them together to create better items, and of course obtaining, leveling up, and creating new armor sets and weapons. The combat is very realistic, and can be frustrating if you’re used to much easier and forgiving games.

Battles with monsters require you to block, run away, heal, and attack different ways with different ways. It’s all about learning your surroundings, and learning the monster’s behaviors.

The other unique thing about the game is that you aren’t really killing monsters because they’re evil, or controlled by some villain. You’re slaying them because the town and you need to survive. Some monsters are pests and need to be destroyed, but other monsters simply need to be killed to harvest their pelt and meat. You feel bad when you slay a herbivore monster that would never consider attacking you. They flail around and cry out when they die, and then you must carve into them to extract their items.

The game is also incredibly wacky and totally Japanese. You have to cook your meat and the game plays a jingle while cooking to help you not overcook it. The other really rad thing about the games is that you can hire intelligent and brave bipedal cats called Felynes to help you out while questing. They’re like house cats except they can stand up, wear armor, and attack monsters much bigger than themselves. They have unique personalties and you can train and equip them yourself.

I still have so much to learn about Monster Hunter, but it’s been really fun to play and talk about with Becca.

If you have a PSP, a Wii, a 3DS, or a Wii U. I encourage you to try out Monster Hunter.