Annnnnnd it's BACK! It has been over a year since I first started doing the Super Smash Brothers 4 blog series, and in that time there have been a few characters I felt required pages of their own. I've got some fun treats I plan on showing off in the next few weeks, including a roster page. By the way, please remember that the characters I add may not be likely to enter into such a brawl or melee, but are characters that I feel have either had an important role in video game history or would fit particularly well in such a game. While I used to do this tri-weekly, responsibilities will probably limit this to a once-a-week deal from here on out. That said, it won't just be new characters; I plan on going much more in depth with how the next game in the series should work. For past entries, click here Part 48: Professor Layton
Professor Layton Synopsis: The world's greatest detect... er... professor... isn't much known for his fighting prowess, but is quite well known for his remarkable intellect. With the help of his young companion Luke, Layton is a master of solving puzzles, and seems to attract similar puzzle-lovers to himself. Notable Appearances: Professor Layton and the Curious Village, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box Why: I can't see a better fit for a Smash Bros game than Layton. He's a Nintendo property, and has the look and feel of a character for the series. Coming up with special attacks would be difficult, but no more so than for Captain Falcon. And imagine the possibilities for his final smash... SSB4 Likelyhood: 9/10 in some form, 5/10 as a fighter
This is where it all began for me Today I bought my 300th game of my collection. Depending on how you see it, I technically bought my 300th game a few days ago, but number 300 (Tatsunoko vs. Capcom) came in the mail only a few minutes after I had bought Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles. Instead of displaying the rather lengthy list (which can be found HERE) I have decided to commemorate this event with some statistics.
299 games since I was given my first game system, a Game Boy Color, and my first game, Pokemon Red. 16 games since I bought the Nintendo DSi XL and a copy of Pokemon Soul Silver. Over 3 percent are currently on loan to other people I've only finished 106 (35%), and only played about 150 Nintendo, thanks to their excellent DS and Gamecube consoles, are responsible for roughly half of my collection (including nearly all of the multi console games last generation). 13 Mario (9 of which are actual Mario platformers, one of which is Super Mario RPG) 11 Final Fantasy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12) 8 Zelda (including the collectors disc, which technically is four games) 7 each of Pokemon/Metroid/Resident Evil At least six that weren't originally released in the states (Ouendan/Ouendan 2, Sin and Punishment, Jump Ultimate Stars, Tales of Versus, Fate/Stay Night) Most owned genre: Platformers/RPGs Least owned genre: First Person Shooters 44 games still on my wishlist. 13 of those are currently available
And this is where we are now
Console Breakdowns:
Note: The percentages won't be exact because there seems to have been some games that were counted twice (mostly in the "digital collection") so the numbers are rough but close. DS: 62 games, just over 20% Gamecube: 49 games, Just over 16% Gameboy: 32 games, just over 10% Playstation 2: 31 games, just over 10% Nintendo Wii: 30 games, 10% Xbox 360: 28 games, nearly 10% Xbox: 14 games, nearly 5% PC: 12 games, 4% PSP: 12 games, 4% Playstation 1: over 2% (My collection of digital games, across the Wiiware, Virtual Console, Xbox Live Arcade, DSiware, and Steam, is about 39 games)
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Thats right, AgentJ has finally secured another videogame appearance, this time in the new DS game "Again". As far as I know this is the last time someone has used my likeness since the number one all time hit "Elite Beat Agents", which set the world on fire both in sales and popularity. Sure, I had a little cameo as a trophy in Super Smash Brothers Brawl, but they didn't put me in to fight so that might as well not have happened. Times have been tough though, so I've had to accept some not so glamorous positions lately. "Again" is one of them. Not exactly a fantastic game by any means from what I hear so far. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to wait until my appearance in "Agent" to satisfy my dancing lust. Until then, it's back to porn films for me.
It's fascinating how things change over the course of a year isn't it? At the beginning of 2009, I never would have been able to tell someone that Scribblenauts was going to make a big splash in the gaming world, but that an even smaller game (Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes) would be the GOTY. I would not have forseen that a downloadable game, Shadow Complex, would end up being the best exclusive on the XBOX (which, I may add, is not an insult). And while there may have been some hints, I certainly did not expect Batman: Arkham Asylum to not only be a good Batman game, but also be good enough to be the best of 2009. In this vein, I have created a list of games that I expect will be my favorites by the end of 2010. I encourage others to make their own lists and see how things have changed when January 1st rolls around again. This of course does not take into account games that have not been announced yet.
As a remake of my first ever "favorite" game, I have high hopes for this remake. Over-under on the time I'll spend playing it when it comes out? 40 hours. straight.
I am more than willing to go buy a better computer just to play this game. From everything I have seen, All Points Bulletin will make a run for my GOTY
Finally a new Golden Sun. I worry that it won't live up to my hopes for the game (only three party members?) but I expect Camelot to prove that my fears are unfounded.
Disclaimer: I don't really enjoy the Splinter Cell series. the gameplay has never really sucked me in. After watching the E3 demo however, I am very excited for the things that have been brought to the game. The fast pace and the detail at which Ubisoft has gone with the stealth and action mechanics make me very excited to see how this game turns out.
The first Platinum Games creation on this list, Infinite Space is a space opera RPG that I've had my eye on for what seems like years now. the amount of control a player has in this game is mind blowing.
Now I don't have a PS3, and I likely won't have one this year, but I have complete faith that this game will live up to the expectations I have for it.
Mass Effect 2 is certainly going to turn some heads when it comes out early next year, and I can't wait to see how my choices in the original affect things in this game. I am very worried about the reloading (rather than cooldown) mechanic however.
The second game on this list from Platinum Games, Bayonetta has been getting a lot of attention lately, and it's not because she goes through the game without clothing. Consistantly high review scores from all sorts of publications have brought it to the attention of many people. It just proves that Platinum Games is a master of their craft, being able to make masterpieces in so many different genres.
Note that I actually saw this movie a week ago, but elected to hold onto the review until the movie actually came out
Finally, Disney takes another shot at "the good stuff" Finally, the real Disney is back, if only for a short while. For perhaps the last time, we can enjoy the golden age of traditional animation thanks to "The Princess and the Frog", Disney's first animation project since "Home on the Range" of 2004. We can finally harken back to the 90s, where nary a year went by without a new hit animated musical courtesy of the best studio in the business. In this humble reviewer's opinion, it's about damn time. Disney's flirtation with 3D animation, which produced such titles as "Meet the Robinsons" and "Chicken Little", has proven once again that no one can do it as well as Pixar. Rising costs of producing the traditional cel animation caused Disney to pursue the 3D realm, but they sacrificed the undeniable quality their movies had from Sleeping Beauty all the way up to Brother Bear. And it is in the tradition of those greats that The Princess and the Frog follows. Headlined by the team that revolutionized the industry with The Little Mermaid, Disney creates a touching and beautiful example of cinema. As with most all of Disney's animation forays, the movie is based on a classic children's tale, this one loosely based on "The Frog Princess". The plot revolves around Tiana, a young African American woman living in post civil war New Orleans, trying her very hardest to open her own restaurant. Keith David as Dr. Facilier turns in a great performance... It seems however, that fate has a different plan in mind for our heroine. She later meets a frog that reveals itself to be a foreign prince that has fallen victim to the curse of a witch doctor. In a moment of desperation, Tiana kisses the frog, and unlike the fairy tale she was read as a child, the action instead turns her into a frog herself. The rest of the movie, in classic Disney fashion, chronicles the lead duo and their adventures in their search for a way to turn human again. Tiana and Prince Naveen have good chemistry, being characters from opposite backgrounds with personalities that are the definition of stark contrast. The supporting characters in general are all very strong, with a few standout performances. The villain of the movie, Dr. Facilier, lives up to a strong pedigree of evil Disney characters. He has a unique style and personality of his own, yet brings the uneasiness that Ursula of "The Little Mermaid" and Frollo of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" presented in their scenes. The character is especially interesting because while the physical presence of the Doctor rarely lets on any scheming, his shadow betrays all of his evil thoughts. It's a clever and intriguing idea by the animation department that (almost disappointingly) becomes a major plot point later on. But Charlotte is the true princess of this movie And yet, it is Talia's only friend, Charlotte Lebouff, that absolutely steals the movie. Herself a self-referential parody of Cinderella (Ironic, as Tiana is the most Cinderella-like of all the characters in the movie), the character is the rare example of a spoiled brat with a good heart in all of cinema. Watching the character throw a temper tantrum, then immediately shift gears to a proper southern Belle is an absolute joy to watch, and her voice is delivered to perfection by the relatively unknown Jennifer Cody. With all the well known talent in the movie, including Terrance Howard and Oprah Winfrey as Tiana's parents and John Goodman as Charlotte's father, it's remarkable that her performance is the best of all. With all the talent on the acting side of things, you'd think that would be the strongest suit of the movie, but it is really only one part of this movie. The animation may be hands down the best that Disney has ever turned out, especially in the frame rate. Every scene is utterly gorgeous, with the witch doctor's voodoo and a number featuring Tiana's firefly friends almost breathtaking. I may rag on Disney's 3D films, but weaving it in with their 2D art creates a jaw-dropping experience that has opened me to the benefits of blu-ray. I cannot wait to see this on a hi-def TV, and will have to go buy a player to make it happen. If "The Princess and the Frog" does have a weak point, it must be in the sound department. The score itself is done well and is very fitting, but the musical numbers are for the most part forgetful. You won't find any "Under the Sea"(The Little Mermaid) or "I'll Make a Man out of You"(Mulan). They aren't bad, just exceedingly average. It's unfortunate, because musical numbers make up the majority of the first half of the movie, doing a little damage to the pacing of the film. The superior second half more than makes up for that fallacy, however. In all, this movie belongs at the top with the very best Disney has ever made. If it is the last time that Disney comes back to traditional animation (which is largely dependent on how much money this movie brings in) it is a great frame to go out on. 25 Comments
My ideal portable would be an oldschool gamer's dream. It'd play primarily mini discs like the GCN (If this was truly ultimate, it would be able to play PS2, PS1 and XBOX games as well) be backwards compatible with the entire DS/Gameboy line, and have a virtual console including as many old platforms as possible. I still want my hard copy media though.
With this, I'd finally be able to play Super Metroid on the go.
For the first time in 11 years, an expansion MLS team is making the playoffs. I couldn't be happier. After securing a berth with a 3-2 win on the road against Kansas City, the team gets to come home and bask in the home confines of Qwest Field as they play against Dallas FC. It wasn't an easy game, as the Sounders had to overcome a 2-1 deficit early in the second half. But plugs by Roger Levesque and (ugh) Nate Jaqua sent them to their second tournament in a matter of months (after winning the US Open Cup in September). Its about time the city had something to celebrate, after 2008 culinated in utter disaster for the Seattle reigon. The Seahawks had their first losing season in over a decade while missing the playoffs for the first time in five years, the Mariners became the first team to lose 100 games with a payroll of over 100 million, and the Huskies went winless. Worst of all, the NBA packed up and left on the way to Oklahoma city, removing the only major pro sports title since the defunct Seattle Metropolitans Hockey team won the original Stanley Cup. Thankfully, 2009 seems to be a year of rebirth for the city. The Mariners rebounded to compete for a playoff spot, the Seahawks are in the race once again despite another bunch of injured players, the Huskies were ranked earlier this year after knocking off USC, and now it has all culminated in a playoff spot for the expansion Sounders. The team has overcome injuries, flopping, and a rash of red cards earlier in the season to be tied for second in points in the league, all while setting records for attendence in MLS. The 30,000+ they've drawn per game would rank high even in the EPL. Now the hope is that the team can make it to the MLS cup. They'll have to survive a few weeks of playoffs, but the final game will be held in Seattle regardless of their participation. With their performance in the Open Cup earlier in the year, it's not out of the realm of likelyhood that they could be playing in front of 67,000 on November 22.
As some of you may know, I work in the journalism industry. Yes, I am a member of a dying breed, the paper and print writer, following in the footsteps of such communication luminaries as Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Perhaps that is why I (a sports writer) was asked to cover the opening ceremonies of the new LGBTQ resource center, featuring a performance by "Coco Peru". The guest of honor did a bit of a comedy routine before the ribbon-cutting, which even as a straight male I (and the rest of the audience) found quite funny. Afterwards however, I was to go backstage to interview the "woman" herself. She was very nice, but it sure was an odd experience to ask her questions about her career while watching her take off her wig (revealing a shaved bald head) and remove her silicon pads. Just odd.
Over the last few weeks I've finally had an oppourtunity to play some of the games I have in my massive unplayed catalog, and decided to essentially eliminate the rest of my XBOX 360 collection (save for NFL Head Coach and Dead Rising). Coincidently, all three games have a sequel coming in the near future (or are already out).
First: Marvel: Ultimate Alliance I wanted to love this game. I have recently found a new connection with the Marvel universe, and so I picked the game up expecting it to really do justice to both my favorite characters and to the RPG genre. It only sort of got it in both respects. Leveling up didn't do a whole lot to your characters abilities and didn't happen all that often. Powers were the biggest disappointment, as some didn't work very well and others didn't even seem very character specific. Even after finishing the game I never quite got used to the controls, especially the superpowers and squad commands. The presentation was great in some spots, but horrible in others. All in all, the game was about as average as a game about superheroes can be. I may still play Fusion despite my qualms, since it goes over the Civil War storyline (the source of my returned Marvel love) but I think I already know what to expect.
Second: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare You can chalk up another first person shooter that i'll make an exception for. My dislike for the FPS is well documented, but a few like Bioshock and Fallout 3 defy the odds and become among my favorite games overall. Modern Warfare doesn't reach that upper echelon, but the experience was enjoyable overall, specifically the later half. The flashback sniper mission in the USSR was a great level, as was the final bit where they stormed the nuclear facility. It of course looks good, and uses sound well. The levels are well designed, and I almost never had any problem figuring out where I was supposed to be going. The only faults I could find were in the inconsistent difficulty and occasionally impossible enemy fire. I most likely won't touch the sequel, but I have little doubt it will be just as good.
Third: Assassins Creed Assassins Creed is an odd little game. On the one hand, there are so many things about the game that frustrate and annoy me, between the inconsistent enemy detection ability, repetitive gameplay and occasionally unresponsive controls. I do want back the hours of my life that were wasted redoing missions after Altair jumped left-forward rather than forward. At the same time though, the story was interesting, the kills were VERY satisfying, and the game may be the best looking of the generation thus far. Seriously, it is a good looking game. I really enjoyed the endgame as well. Some people when talking about the combat deride it as just waiting to counter, and I'm sure that worked fine, but I think people that use the full arsenal get much more out of the game than those who don't. I'm really looking forward to the sequel. By the way, if anyone has a better name for this blog (I plan on making a series) let me know.
IGN just did a bit on the games coming out in the next few months. Not all of them look great, but others may be day one purchases. Which ones look worthwhile?
Day one purchases: Phantasy Star 0. A revolutionary handheld online multiplayer game The Saboteur. Played at PAX. lots of fun, and lots of freedom regarding how to play. This one is good folks Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. Looks like the best pure horror game since RE2 Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces: Unique control scheme plus based on great movie and has gotten great reviews
Do want: A boy and his Blob: 2D platforming goodness Brutal Legend: the demo at PAX was a good bit of fun, and the humor was top notch Demon's Souls: Looks fun Resident Evil 5 PC: Technically I already own it, because I won it at a Capcom launch party in Seattle, then gave it to a friend
Could be good: Assassins Creed 2: The first one was fun but got stale. I want to continue the story, but the game needs to be good. Dirt 2: Haven't tried many rally games Dragon Age Origins: Haven't seen much about it, but the hype makes it sound exciting Gran Turismo: Not a huge racing fan, but this does look nice. Half minute hero: The idea intrigues me, but I need to see some more info Halo 3 Odst: It 's halo, but i'm still willing to give it a chance Persona: How much has it aged? Rabbids Go Home. I need to see more gameplay. Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles. I really liked Umbrella Chronicles, and this should be more of the same. Tatsunoko vs Capcom. I am looking forward to seeing who the extra characters are. Uncharted 2: I played it at PAX, and while the shooting elements seemed great, the acting was Crimson-Skies level corny and the climbing segments were more boring than similar bits in Assassins Creed
Don't want: Borderlands: Despite the new art style, this game does not interest me. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2: The first one was a lot of fun, but shooters just aren't my thing Dead Space Extraction. Played at PAX. it's lacking intensity, and the shooting wasn't particularly fun. Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter. I'm not yet sold on the depth. Jak and Daxter: Don't hate me, but i've never cared for the series Littlebigplanet: Were I working on this game, I would have removed some things in order to keep multiplayer Naruto Clash of Ninja Revolution 3: I've really enjoyed this series of fighting games despite lacking a lot of knowledge on the series, but the continuous roster adjustments (every year?) really force me to wait until they've shown every character. New Super Mario Bros Wii. Looks like a great party game, but i can't see the solo adventure being much fun. Spyborgs: I just got done playing Marvel Ultimate Alliance 1. didn't like it much. This doesn't even have marvel going for it. Zelda: Spirit Tracks: I've already got a DS Zelda. I don't need another..
Giant duds: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Smash Up. Played at PAX. it's lacking interesting attacks.
No Idea: Ju-On: The grudge. I don't know much about the game other than the box art and source material
I may have skipped a few, but in general the ones that aren't here I don't care about.
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