Mario Kart: Super Circuit is Portable Fun

So, while everyone's throwing a big hubbub over the new Mario Kart 7 for the Nintendo 3DS, I, being the cheapskate that I am (not necessarily by choice, mind you) decided to go old school and finally pick up for Mario Kart: Super Circuit for the good ol' GBA.

 As a fan of the Mario Kart series, I was anxious to finally pick up and play Super Circuit years after it's release.  I've had a ton of fun on Mario Kart Wii and its always interesting for me to go back in the past a little bit to see how the games have progressed.

First off, Super Circuit is fun.  It's a perfect portable game. The tracks are not so long as to take up too much time, yet they are long enough to not feel too cheap and tacked on for the sake of putting a Mario Kart game out.  There is a nice selection of tracks to start the game off that each require it's own type of skill to master.  Sure, as always, there is a track or two that sometimes feels unnecessarily frustrating, but the fun you have on the other tracks more than make up for it.  Once you get the hang of sliding around corners, using the jump button to control those turns and coming out of them with a nice little boost to shoot you ahead of your opponents, you'll be having all kinds of great fun.

There are a few different modes to choose from.  You can of course go for the classic Grand Prix mode with 50, 100, or 150ccs and test your mettle against your computer foes (I hate Peach). There is the Time Trial mode in which you can learn to master the tracks with no fear of being rear ended with a dreaded red turtle shell at the finish line, and then there is the Quick Run, in which you can simply load up any track you want and race against the CPU without worrying about doing an entire Cup.  Unfortunately, you need another person with a Gameboy Advance and a connector cable to play Multiplayer and since I don't have that option, I can't comment on it.  All I know is that I've heard that it is better if the other person were to have their own Super Circuit cart as well.  You can play with only one game and a connector cable if you wish, but it will limit your character selection.

Super Circuit also harkens the return of the coins from Super Mario Kart, which means that the outcome of the race will rely on skill as much as it does luck.  Whereas the newest incarnations of the Mario Kart franchise usually require an big chunk of luck (you tend to get punished for being good), you will have to collect as many coins as you can to help your speed and to keep you from spinning out each time you get hit, which will happen when you run out of coins.  Collecting coins also brings up another cool thing about the game; if you collect 100 coins in each cup after getting gold in it, it will unlock that cup from the original Super Mario Kart.  So, when all is said and done, you have the potential for unlocking another five cups for a grand total of 40 tracks to race.  Not too shabby for a portable racing game.

Honestly, I found this game to be more fun than I expected.  It's absolutely perfect for what it's intended for.  When you are out and about and have your Gameboy Advance with you, it's great for playing bite sized chunks at a time.  It takes very little time to compete in a cup and be done with it if that is what you wish.  On the other hand, there are enough tracks and it is enough fun that you could sit in your living room or on a road trip and play it for hours.  I recommend this game heartily for those that are fans of the Kart.

Got Me A Game Boy Advance SP

Just as the itch faded from playing the demo for the 3DS, I found myself in another Target for different reasons about a week later.  Then I found myself in the same predicament.  Another 3DS, another round of Star Fox.  This time I fared a little better, but I still couldn't get the directional controls embedded in my brain.  I was still thinking down went up and up went down.  I hit the ground a lot.

The point being, that I was jonesing for a 3DS now, but there was absolutely no room in the budget for one.  So I did what I figured I would end up doing anyway.  I fired up the internet, pulled up Craigslist and found a Game Boy Advance SP with a game for 20 buckaroos.  I jumped all over it and now, for the first time since I was a wee little lad, I have my very own portable gaming device.  (No, I don't count my phone.  As much as I love me some Angry Birds).  I'm seeing why this thing was considered so cool.  I have the purple one with the back light and it is just what I needed.  Keeping up with my tradition of getting the cool things years after they were initially cool.

Mine: Not So Shiny

Unfortunately, I don't have a charger.  I have one on order, but this one was charged up and I don't spend hours at a time on it, so I'm still good to go til it comes in the mail. For now though, I got some Metroid Fusion happening, and it is just perfect for those bite sized pieces of gaming I need when the kids are watching Mickey Mouse or whatever they do to take over my usual entertainment outlets. I've never played one of these things before, even though I have played some games (like the aforementioned Fusion) on the GameCube Game Boy player.  Portable is different somehow, it offers you a freedom being hooked to the TV doesn't.

And even more exciting, I got another game in the mail today that I found on the cheap that I have played before as well, but not getting very far.  Mario Golf: Advance Tour.  It's an addicting game that, once again, offers a nice little "here and there" type of play that I love so very, very much.  Like the Wii, it'll be slow going, but I look forward to building a small library of fun games that I've missed out on in the past for not owning one of these things.  Having had the GameCube player, I never really took much advantage of it, so now is my chance.  I'm jazzed about future rounds of Mario Kart Super Circuit and Minish Cap as well as some old SNES classics that are available.

Something I realized after I got it that I didn't think about beforehand is that I really will enjoy teaching my kids to play old school video games this way.  My three year old little girl already likes to make Samus run and jump (that's about all she can do with it, but she thinks it's awesome), so it'll be exciting to get her going on a Mario game sometime in the near future.

The 3DS will have to wait for now, until then I have a really nice substitute in my brand new used Game Boy Advance.

Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Skyview Temple Footage

With the Wii coming to the end of it's lifespan, there's no secret that with the lack of games being developed for the system, the biggest title on everyone's list is The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.  Even if the Wii had piles upon piles of new releases coming out over the next few months, this would still be the case.  No one can resist the green tighted one on his never ending quest to save Princess Zelda and Hyrule in the process.  As much as I'm digging Twilight Princess, I really liked the style of Wind Waker and I dig the way Skyward Sword seems to be combining them.  The realistic looking Link stylized to the colorful art direction that serves the Wii best.

Personally, I would also like to see them get away a bit from the formula of the 3D Zelda games and go for a Link to the Past type of groove.  The fact that it's got the same director as the Gameboy Advance's Minish Cap is a good sign, as I thought that game caught a pretty decent LTTP vibe.

I gotta say, though, this footage below kind of feels like yet another Zelda temple, so I don't know how far they're gonna get from the norm.  I'm sure it'll still be funner than any other game coming out, so I won't complain too much.  Once again, though, I do like the style of it.

Nintendo 3DS Demo

Must look... away...

I've tried not to think too much about the 3DS.  Due to the state of my finances, I get a little bit more broke even thinking about adding a new piece of gaming hardware to my collection (which basically consists of a Wii).  I never got on the DS wagon, though I always thought one would be kind of cool.  I'm not in that position where I have to wonder if it is worth it to update my DS to a 3DS, in other words.  If a 3DS plays DS games, which I'm sure they do, that would be the way I would go, no doubt.  So I was strolling about the local Target store over the weekend and there it sat, a shiny demo of the 3DS that no one had grabbed a hold of.  So I did.  This would be the first time I'd played anything with the letters DS in the title.  The game was Starfox 64, and boy did I suck.  I vaguely remember playing this game for the 64 what feels like a few decades ago, so the demo level was kinda familiar.  My biggest problem was that I wanted to push up to go down and down to go up, like a lot of old school flying games, so I kept going off target or even off screen.

It was like this, only prettier

But the game was fun, I could of sat there and played it and got familiar enough with it to blow through the couple of demo levels they had playing.  The 3D, well, it was neat.  I don't think it's the kind of thing that would sell me on a system, the games will do a better job than that, but I felt it gave a cool little extra effect to the game that added a little something to the experience.  It was enough to make me wish I could get myself a 3DS and blow through Ocarina of Time or Mario 3D Land 3D World or whatever the confusing wording of that title might be.  Even Starfox would be a nice little addition to the handheld.  Sigh.  Sometimes living on a budget truly sucks.  Unfortunately, Daycare costs money and not a little of it.

It occurred to me that I've only had one handheld my entire life, and that was the original Gameboy.  I remember hours of fun playing Metroid 2 or Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and it hit me that you don't have to plop down hundreds of dollars for a little portable fun.  There's a vast library of Gameboy Advance games I've never played, and some I've played while at someone else's house and never got to finish, that I could dig into until I get funds for a 3DS.  Gameboy Advances run pretty cheap on the internet or craigslist and after I save up a few bucks, I think I'll get one of those and start playing some stuff like Metroid Fusion or Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap.

That should tide me over.  At least until I run into a demo version of the 3DS in some store playing a copy of Mario Kart 7.  Then the pangs will begin again...I really want one now.

Metroid: Other M

I suppose since I gave my thoughts on one of the most well loved of the Metroid series, I should say a little something about the most controversial: Metroid: Other M.

Before I even got the game, the word was out: this game sucks. At best it was a disappointment. That's what everyone seemed to be saying, anyway. Sure, there was a voice poking through every now and again saying it was actually pretty good, but they would get shot down by the more vocal "It Sucks!" group. I got the game anyways, figuring "It's Metroid. It can't be that bad."

And you know what, it really wasn't. Was it the great return to Super Metroid gameplay style Wii fun I was hoping for? The kind of thing that complemented Super Metroid the way New Super Mario Bros Wii complemented those early Mario platformers? No. In fact, there's a lot annoying with Other M. I would read all the gripes about it and think, "That's a good point," and nod my head at what everyone was saying.

Yet I kept coming back to it, wanting to play it. I actually liked the story. The story was interesting and kept me staying with it to see what would happen. The EXECUTION of the story was the flaw. The melodramatics, yeah, that was a problem. The way the story handcuffed the open exploration that Metroid was known for, that hurt the game. The long cut scenes when I just wanted to blast away at weird alien lifeforms annoyed. I would argue that of all those flaws, the worst one was the fact that, as I alluded to, the story is told in such a way that it drives the game play to where it needs to go to keep the story flowing. That door you could go down and explore off the beaten path in previous Metroid games? Locked. Previous pathways are taken away from you as the story keeps pushing you in the direction it needs you to go to keep its beats going. This is where the Prime games were brilliant, you discovered the story as you went along, whereas Other M forces it down your throat.

The gameplay itself, I don't have much of a problem with. You run, jump and shoot and it feels natural enough. It depends on if you like the auto aim mechanic and I didn't mind it too much. If it took away my ability to shoot the thing that posed the most danger, it would be a problem, but I didn't find that to happen very much, if at all. It was a bit awkward to go from first person to third person to shoot missiles. The "concentrate" to restore your missiles and health was lame.

The boss fights were challenging, but after the majesty of the Prime boss fights, they felt a little lacking. The game does hold your hand quite a bit, letting you know where all hidden objects are.

Look, I thought the game was fun. I don't regret picking it up and it kept my interest throughout the run time of the major story mode. It's just not up to Metroid standards. I do appreciate that something different was tried and I think they came close to recapturing the magic. Metroid Prime was a giant departure from the side scrolling Metroids of yore, but it still had that same magic.

In the end, the thing that keeps the game down is the fact that it got away from the fundamentals of Metroid gameplay: the isolated open world exploration. Yes, in the end when you're done with the story, the world opens up for exploration, but it's too little, too late.

It's a fun game that people are probably too hard on, but that's because they expect the best from the franchise, and this game did not deliver "the best". Instead of recapturing the glory of Super Metroid, it plays more like a watered down Metroid Fusion (and I liked Fusion) with a character backstory a lot of people didn't want.

Metroid Prime

One of my gaming regrets is not purchasing the Metroid Prime Trilogy for the Wii. Until it comes down to a price that doesn't require me to sell off my kids, I'll have to settle for the Gamecube version of Metroid Prime and the Metroid Prime Corruption only Wii disc. Sadly, I've never played Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, but I would like to. I keep putting off picking up a cheap gamecube copy, holding on to the hope of one day owning that Trilogy Disc.

Add the sound of angelic singing here.

All that aside, here are my feelings on the original Gamecube Metroid: Prime.

This game has been out a few years now and most everyone knows whether they like it or not. Playing through it again, however, it surprised me how well this game holds up. Should that be a surprise? Probably not. Most all Metroid games hold up. I still have as much fun with Super Metroid as I did when I was 12. The difference, to me, is that the old 8 and 16 bit games have their charm. The graphics are what they are and gameplay was what drew you to 'em. The same is true here. Though, it must be said that the graphics hold up very well. This is still a beautiful game. The environments are breathtaking and realistic. It definitely looks better than some of the Wii games out there.

The beauty of this game, as is true with the rest of the series, is the sense of immersion and exploration. The isolation. The sheer atmosphere of it as you discover new parts of a dying world. There is a sense of history surrounding you and you must make your way through various puzzles and enemies to find the items that let you continue to explore the world and try to take out the vile Space Pirates using it for their own Phazon-induced schemes. And you feel like you are there every step of the way.

The bosses are fun, huge and varied. I enjoyed facing the bosses in this game. The challenge of figuring out their weaknesses, learning their patterns and taking them down was quite satisfying. Also, they were neat to look at.

The scan system works, it's very effective in filling in backstory and the history of the planet, as well as figuring out how to deal with enemies. I don't mind the scan system for those reasons, but I can see how it can be frustrating for some players who feel like all they're doing is scanning objects. Especially if you are a completist (I'm an "near completist", I don't have to have every single thing, but I will put in effort to get enough to get as close as I can and also not get the lamest ending).

Though I have to throw in that this game does include 2 things I absolutely hate:

1)Water Levels: These are never fun for me. They are more a chore and I have a deep irrational fear of deep water (even in video games). It must be noted that this isn't quite as bad once you get the gravity suit.

2)Chozo Ghosts: No particular reason, I just hate Chozo Ghosts. They pop up way to often and make backtracking more difficult than it should be (I guess that is a reason after all).

Yes, this game has put a few years behind its release date and there have been a handful of Metroid titles sinc, but I have a feeling I'll be playing this game more than once or twice in the future (especially if I get my paws on that ever elusive Trilogy Wii disc!). Just a fun, immersive experience.

Super Mario Galaxy 2: Just as Fun as the First Blast Into Space

Well folks, Mario's back to his planet hopping ways that we first saw in the original Super Mario Galaxy. Once again the Princess gets whisked away by a Galactus sized King Bowser (this gal gets captured more than Nancy Drew) and Mario is off to save her. Storyline wise, I'm kind of confused as if this is supposed to have anyting to do with the first one at all. But this is Mario, let's not let something as trivial as "storytelling" get in the way of a good time.

This game is just as much a hoot as the first. The level design is nothing short of amazing. The boss battles are probably even more fun and imaginative than the first one as well. And I found those original battles full of both. I would say that I am very fond of the drill that shows up early in the game, I thought that was neat. The old powerups are all back, including a couple of new ones, including the neat-o cloud Mario and the insanely awesome rock Mario. I could still probably go through an entire game without being Bee Mario and and not lose a lot of sleep over it. And I don't know if its the fact that I'm not Super Gamer Man, but I still have a bit of trouble with the direction of the fireballs when I'm wearing Mario's patented White and Red Fireball Suit.

And let us not neglect our little buddy Yoshi, back after being absent in the first Galaxy Game. Yoshi, as always, is a helpful little dinosaur and I don't think I'll ever not get a kick out of watching him eat a red pepper. Go, Yoshi, Go!

If there's one nitpick I have, and yes, I realize its only a nitpick, it is the new World Map. I kind of miss the whole Hub World idea from the previous 3D Mario titles. Now we've gone back to Side-Scrollin' Mario's World Map where we go along a line til we get to the planet we must conquer next. Of course there are splits in the road, so you do get choices, but it just kind of loses that little feeling of freedom a hub world gives you. Like I said, just a nitpick really and has nothing whatsoever to do with the fun factor of actually playing these deeply imaginative and super-designed levels.

If Mario ever decides to take another trip out into the galaxy, I won't hesitate to follow him, even if he waits for the Wii U (which is more likely).