I take my Zelda online in hopes of kicking some butt. To the surprise of no one, that didn’t happen much in this video.
Wii U
Amiibo Story: Fox
Thinking about Fox McCloud of the Star Fox series takes me back to Toys R Us in 1993. At the time, my local Toys R Us had Star Fox in its Super Nintendo demo machine, and I made a point to play it every chance I got. I never got farther than the first level, but by the end of its run as the default demo game, I could practically ace that first level with my eyes closed. In retrospect, that Star Fox demo ended up meaning a lot more than a few runs of that first level. When I really think about it, that game was one of the major tipping points in me becoming the gamer that I am today.
Amiibo Story: Pit
Some of my earliest memories of gaming involve Kid Icarus. Not so much the actual playing of the game, but the hype surrounding it. In talks with other kids who were into Nintendo, Kid Icarus was thrown out there as being one of those marquee titles along with the likes of Mario and The Legend of Zelda. Heck, even Pit was a key sidekick in Captain N: The Game Master.
However, at the time, I didn’t understand the hype. I didn’t like that game as a kid and I still don’t like it now. Years later though, Pit would win me over with one of my all-time favourite Nintendo 3DS games.
An Amiibo Story: Princess Zelda
Skylanders and Disney Infinity toys are alright, but they certainly don’t pull at my heart strings quite like Nintendo’s Amiibo line of figurines. Based on their legendary roster of characters – and a few friends from outside of the family – these figurines are symbolic of my love of not only Nintendo, but video games as a whole. Most of these characters ushered me into the medium as a young child and have continued to provide me with joy ever since.
Having just bought my first Amiibo, I thought it’d be cool to write about the process of collecting these figures and what each one means to me. Let’s start this off with the first Amiibo in my collection, who just so happens to be the first lady of Hyrule.
My 2014 Holiday Wishlist
I’ve been told on many occasions that I’m horrible to shop for. Ever since I joined the workforce, I would go out of my way to purchase everything I ever wanted as soon as humanly possible. It’s part of the reason why I’ve been able to generate so much content for this site over the years.
This year’s a bit different. While I am not broke or unemployed, my financial situation is such that I can no longer maintain that lifestyle. As such, my wish list is a country mile long. I won’t share the whole thing in this post, but here are a few choice items from my wish list this year!
Fire Emblem is Out Now on the Wii U Virtual Console
Fire Emblem first appeared on the Gameboy Advance. It was the first in the series released outside of Japan. Back when this came out in 2003, I was already a fan Nintendo’s turn-based strategy games thanks to Advance Wars. However, I was not ready for how unique Fire Emblem was compared to its sister strategy game, nor was I ready for how freaking awesome it would be.
What separates the two besides the obvious thematic differences is that Fire Emblem is much more of a role-playing game. Instead of managing an army of disposable units, each of the characters in your party has a name and story arc. You equip them with weapons and other gear. Best (or worst) of all, if they die in the game, they die forever. The strategic joy from Advance Wars is certainly here, though it’s only amplified by how high the stakes are when you’re managing a team of characters you care about that could die if you screw up.
Intelligent Systems and Nintendo have improved on the formula over time, though this first international release is still a masterpiece that is as fun to play now as it was in 2003. For die-hard fans of the series like me, owning this new version on the Wii U Virtual Console gives me a way to play the game again on a modern platform. If you haven’t played any in the series yet, this is a relatively affordable entry-point, since the game is under $10 on the eShop. If you’re ever going to give the series an honest try, this is a great place to start!
Jett Plays Mario Kart 8 DLC
6 Reasons to Buy a Wii U Today
It’s easy to dismiss the Wii U. Compared to the Xbox One or the PlayStation 4, the Wii U lacks horsepower to pump out the best graphics. It also featuring an unusual tablet controller. On top of that, Nintendo has a myriad of perception problems to fight in terms of hardcore gamers who still write off Nintendo as a company that produces products for kids, to the casual crowd who doesn’t know what a Wii U is, to the scorned Nintendo fan who thought that the Wii was a disappointment.
I don’t blame anyone for having grievances with Nintendo or concerns with the Wii U. However, while the world continues to buzz about its competition, I think the Wii U currently delivers the best bang for your buck. It’s placing on the totem pole will likely change with time, though the benefits that come with owning one are already well worth it and should pay dividends in the future. Here’s 6 reasons why you should buy a Wii U today!
Next Gen Busts
Last summer, my excitement for the start of next gen with the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One was at a fever pitch. It had been a long time since we’d made a technological leap and was anxiously looking forward to what the future would hold for gaming with these new machines. A year later, and both of them are basically just collecting dust on my shelf.
Mario Kart 8 Review
Maintaining pole position in the kart racing genre isn’t as easy as it used to be for Mario and friends. Mario Kart 7 was a lackadaisical cruise around the block, while Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing: Transformed ate its lunch through the use of dynamically-changing tracks that required your vehicle to transform between a go-kart, jet plane and hovercraft. Sure, it’s framerate could have used some work and it doesn’t fully execute on all of the ideas it brings to the table, but it was built with a level of passion and innovation that Nintendo’s 3DS kart racer sorely lacked. Mario Kart 8 may not pack enough fresh ideas to completely close the gap, but it makes up for it with great track design, quality online play and a level of polish that makes this game sparkle.
In Third Person 
