Sunday Roundup: 10/20/13

New Games (10-20-13)Man, these GameStop deals really need to stop. I’ve been dropping $30-$40 a week on these Buy 2 Get 1 Free, 3 for $15, and 2 for $10 sales. Granted, they’re all really good deals in my opinion, and I’ve been able to track down some games I’ve been searching awhile for, but still! Maybe what I really need is just another store to have a sale so I can ransack their racks and let the half dozen GameStop’s around me replenish. Whatever the future may hold, here are this week’s games. Quite an assortment, too!

 


Cooking Mama World Kitchen CoverCooking Mama: World Kitchen
Wii
Release Date: November 18th, 2008
Purchased at: GameStop (San Jose, CA – $5)

I should really start to keep track of how many times this happens: For the longest time I didn’t have any games in the Cooking Mama series, and then a few weeks ago I snagged the first Wii version (Cook Off) and now I’ve bot the second in less than a months time! It’s a cooking surge! Coincidentally, on a trip to a different GameStop I noticed a restaurant nearby called Cooking Papa. Hmm…

Crush 3D CoverCrush 3D
3DS
Release Date: March 6th, 2012
Purchased at: GameStop (Santa Clara, CA – $7)

Kind of like Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, Crush 3D on the 3DS is similar to the earlier PSP release Crush, but different in several ways as well. The 3DS’ stereoscopic 3D not being the only difference: there are also new levels and modes. I’m still on the search for a complete PSP version as well. One thing the two versions do have in common is silly looking boxart.

Cubic Ninja CoverCubic Ninja
3DS
Release Date: June 14th, 2011
Purchased at: GameStop (Santa Clara, CA – FREE)

For this reason or that, Cubic Ninja always looked really interesting to me. I’m not sure if I was just getting it confused with Ninja Town on the DS or something, but the price was right this time around so I bought it! I’m all for puzzle games, and this one seems to have you physically tilting the 3DS to move across the screen. Here’s hoping it’s worth it!

Dance Dance Revolution Universe 3 CoverDance Dance Revolution Universe 3
Xbox 360
Release Date: October 21st, 2008
Purchased at: GameStop (San Jose, CA – $1)

Haha, remember when the DDR games (not necessarily this version) were like, $30 a pop used? Well, not anymore! DDR Universe 3 rounds out my collection of the Universe trilogy on the Xbox 360. I think I was able to acquire all three games for under $5 total. Even without the dance pads I’d say for a few bucks these three games are worth it. If nothing else you can get some easy achievements!

Drawn to Life CoverDrawn to Life
DS
Release Date: September 10th, 2007
Purchased at: GameStop (San Jose, CA – $5)

I’ve already said how finding complete DS games at GameStop is becoming harder and harder, so I’m super thankful this particular GameStop had a very sizable selection of complete DS titles to choose from. And beyond that, they had this game here, both complete and part of a great sale! I have a feeling Drawn to Life is going to become a cherished DS title in the future: It probably won’t be rare or expensive, but I bet it’ll be a collector’s hit a few years out.

Ghost Recon Shadow Wars CoverGhost Recon: Shadow Wars
3DS
Release Date: March 27th, 2011
Purchased at: GameStop (Santa Clara, CA – $5)

Here’s an example of a game that I normally wouldn’t otherwise purchase unless someone recommend it to me. I’ve heard from several gaming outlets that Shadow Wars is a wonderful tactics game on the 3DS, and while I don’t usually partake in the military shooter sub-genre, I decided I should see what all the fuss was about. Also, the price tag was low and the condition was high. Win win!

Hunted the Demons Forge CoverHunted: The Demon’s Forge
Xbox 360
Release Date: May 31st, 2011
Purchased at: GameStop (Santa Clara, CA – $9)

When this game first came out nearly 2 years ago I was thinking it would be something like Baldur’s Gate or Diablo II but on a modern console and with a heavy co-op influence. While that assumption isn’t too far off the mark the game didn’t perform as well as I would have hoped, so it only made sense the game would eventually fall to this low a price. Still, I’m looking to pop this one in soon and play with Laura: cooperative RPGs are times well spent!

Metal Gear Solid 4 CoverMetal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
PS3
Release Date: June 12th, 2008
Purchased at: GameStop (Santa Clara, CA – $5)

Continuing the tradition of buying Metal Gear Solid games but never playing any of them, MGS4 is finally in the collection. I thought the game would be easy to find, so when I saw it was part of a 2 for $10 deal I was under the assumption that I could walk into any old GameStop and pick up a good looking copy. Three GameStops and plenty of loose discs later, I finally found a complete copy of the game in decent condition. Solid Snake, still stealthy while in retail form.

Soul Calibur Legends CoverSoul Calibur Legends
Wii
Release Date: November 20th, 2007
Purchased at: GameStop (San Jose, CA – $5)

Following in the footsteps of games like Mortal Kombat: Special Forces and Death by Degrees, Soul Calibur Legends takes the awesome 3D fighting series characters and throws them into a story driven adventure. Of course it didn’t work out. Still though, it’s these kinds of games that I love the most: when characters are completely out of their elements. The only series it seems to always work out for is Mario. That dude can do anything and the game’s are well received and fun. Sorry Voldo 🙁

Spore Hero CoverSpore Hero
Wii
Release Date: October 6th, 2009
Purchased at: GameStop (San Jose, CA – $5)

With this addition I want to say I’ve accounted for every title in the Spore library without actually owning the original Spore. Strangely that’s probably the game that I’d want to play most out of all of these. I remember a friend in college playing and loving the original Spore so much so that he would skip class and come in the next week and regret nothing. I’m sure this game will be nothing like that, but you never know…

Spray CoverSpray
Wii
Release Date: December 2nd, 2008
Purchased at: GameStop (San Jose, CA – $4)

An impulse buy, through and through, Spray (stylized at SPRay) caught my eye with it’s colorful box art and intriguing premise. You play as a prince who must spray different surfaces with … different liquids… to progress forward and solve puzzles. One of the liquids you can spray is vomit. Now, why they chose vomit I have no idea, but it’s literally sprawled all over the right corner of the box art, as well as in a few places on the back. This might be the only game sans Conker’s Bad Fur Day that I can recall using vomit as an actual gameplay device.

Laters,
Jsick

DownStab has been a personal endeavor of mine for many years. Please enjoy the content and let me know if you have questions, comments, or just want to connect. And as always, game on.

– Jason J

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