Another week full of work and no play. Alas, I wasn’t able to play much at all this week thanks to a lot of work (which is still nice, I guess). Thankfully,Mario Party 9 has fallen into my possession, and it’s been keeping me fairly entertained.
I’ve been busy traveling around and enjoying my time at the Mall of America with some of my friends from college, so I’ve been away from the computer and thus away from this blog for some time. Fortunately, a big new city means a handful of new game stores to hit up. I was able to find a few good titles that I’ve added to my collection. Here they are for your viewing pleasure.
The 3DS is nearing its one year anniversary in March and what better way to celebrate the system’s launch than with a well regarded PS2 RPG port? Okay sure, there’s plenty of better way to celebrate I’m sure, but nonetheless Tales of the Abyss has been released for the 3DS. A cherished game on the PS2 from the Tales series, Tales of the Abyss offers up solid battle mechanics, a gripping story, and loveable characters. If you missed the first go around with this game and you own a 3DS, then here’s your chance to experience one of the better RPGs of the last decade.
Mega Man.
No other series has a spot closer to my heart than this one. I have the fondest of memories playing these games as a child (in fact I’d say Mega Man III was one of my first games I ever played), and these games still rank up there as some of the best I’ve ever played. Everyone has, or rather should, play any of the games in the classic Mega Man series. Yes, they’re that good.
Something I could never keep up with though was the incredible amount of Robot Masters the series has. With ten games in the numbered series, a handful of spin-offs, a portable series, and some games never released in America, there are over 120 Robot Masters for Mega Man to defeat. And those are just the ones in the classic series (so not including those in the X, Zero, ZX, Legends, Battle Network, or Star Force series).
Below I’ve done my best to compile an all-encompassing list of every Robot Master seen in what would be considered the classic series of games. I’ve separated out the games I’ve never heard of and the ones not released in America to lessen confusion. I’ve also listed each Robot Master’s name as well as any game they’ve appeared in. Clicking on the RM’s name links to their Wiki page for more information. If there’s one I’m missing or something I’ve left out let me know in the comments. Without further ado… (more…)
Why do people just stand still, looking solemnly into your eyes with a cold gaze of death?
Or how about explaining why sleeping outside on the ground can miraculously heal any and all wounds, no matter the severity?
And what about no one seeming to care that there are people carrying around weapons and ammunition to initiate a small war at any given second?
These are the questions that are never asked when playing a Role-Playing Game, yet they are always there in the back of your head, eating away at your thoughts long after the console has been turned off. Most of these issues are just components of the RPG itself, but some of them simply don’t make any damn sense. Here are ten unexplained, bizarre, and truly peculiar themes in RPGs.
The King of Iron Fist Tournament has returned to a Nintendo console after a decade long absence in the form of Tekken 3D Prime Edition for the 3DS. The entire ensemble of characters from Tekken 6 is playable and the game is a visual feast of gorgeous graphics that can fit in your pocket. Local and online multiplayer, as well as the inclusion of the feature film Tekken: Blood Vengeance, round out the package. Few gameplay options and rough controls, however, make what could have been a flawless portable fighter another title that loses much of its quality in the console-to-handheld transition.
Back to form after a month of only two games (one of which was just a download). This week has a good variety of titles, and for a few different systems as well, just the way I like it! And what’s more, I’ve already played a handful of them and they’re fun. Go figure!
You know what, I really don’t have to tell you why this game is good and deserves to be part of your 3DS library. Mario has hammered down the platforming genre all the way back to his original outings on the NES two and a half decades ago. And this game continues the tradition of innovative level design and genre elements.
Or does it?
Super Mario 3D Land is more of a throwback to older games than an entirely new title. Instead of giving you a review on why the game is great, I am going to point out everything I can remember about why this game is like many other Mario games in the past.
I did it for one of my favorite genres (the fighter) and I’ve got to do it for another genre close to my heart, the puzzle game. Whether you’re connecting colored gems, filling in gaps, solving brain teaser, or shooting shiny balls at other shiny balls, the puzzle game is a staple to the video game community that isn’t going anywhere. And with so many excellent games to sink your teeth into it can be hard to determine which games offer the best challenge, the most addictive gameplay, and the most satisfaction upon completion. Vol 3 of Worth Playing is here, so let’s get this underway.