Pre Ordered

I pre ordered a Wii U.

This wasn't a surprise.  I meant to.  When I saw the tablet controller and HD graphics I wanted it sometime after launch. When they promised I could keep my Downloaded games from Wii Ware and Virtual Console, I was ready to line up.  When they said I could play New Super Mario Bros. U on the tablet by itself while other people do unimportant things on the television, I started saving my money.

Thanks Nintendo

Then Nintendo Direct happened.  I was already on Nintendo's side, what more could they offer to the guy who just wanted to give them my money already?

Well, I'll tell you... and what they gave me wasn't all directly from Nintendo...

I reach the counter, tell the owner that I want to pre order the Wii U.  He then hands me two lists: one, a list of hardware that can be pre ordered and then a list of games that can be pre ordered.  He looked down at them and he stops me: "Wait, I need to print the updated copies."

It was in this moment that I saw the entire, announced, launch game list.  There were some twenty five to thirty games here.  New Super Mario Bros. U, Scribblenauts, ZombieU, Aliens: Colonial Marines, The Wonderful 101 and on.  There were some third party cash grabs in there, but when isn't there?  There were some ports of Xbox and PlayStation games, but who cares?  I think back to the Wii's launch and I'm suddenly jealous in the past of my future self while I waited in line waiting for the Wii to get the console and my copy of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess; only Twilight Princess...  This time, when I wait in line for a Nintendo Console, I won't have to be getting one game... I can get several.

The third party support of Wii U is outstanding so far.  Granted, I haven't gotten my hands on any of these things, but it's there.  People are showing up with games for a system that a lot of people have written off.  Oh, and I get a Mario game at launch...

Besides launch titles, the online integration at Nintendo Direct, stunned me.  I expected Hulu and Netflix, but Amazon and TiVo?  IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes?  Interactive quizzes during shows?  Friend's shared playlists to look over for ideas on what to watch?  Sports score updates?  What is happening?  Suddenly the dream to have Nintendo's little white box as the center of living room entertainment isn't so crazy, but it's the Wii U... not the Wii.

Then, as if it was thrown in, Nintendo mentions briefly that pretty much all memory solutions are supported by the Wii U.  Not as a stylistic choice, but because memory is getting cheaper and they want to offer us an option.  Then they tease Bayonetta 2, exclusively.  Then they seal the deal: $300 for white, $350 for black and a hard drive.

I get an email within minutes of the conference ending: "Gamestop is now accepting pre orders for the Wii U"... yeah they are...

Let's Take Another Look: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is often lauded as one of the greatest games of all time.  In fact, arguments can be made for it being THE greatest game of all time as long as you're in the right group of people.    Personally, I have bought 3 copies of the game all on different systems and had the pleasure of playing the newest release of the game on Nintendo's 3DS.  Say what you will about remakes, cashing in on established titles and Nintendo being stuck in the past, but the most recent remake of Ocarina of Time is by far the best version of the game.

I'll address the minor issues first: the 3D effect is excellent, but doesn't add anything to the experience.  Also, having to play through the main quest(a 5th time for me) to unlock the Master Quest(which would have been only a 2nd time) is unnecessary in my opinion, but I can understand the thought for first time players.  Those are, literally, my only issues with the game.  To be fair, I had very few issues with the original release of the game.(curse you Water Temple)

I don't feel like taking the time to write a hyper detailed review on a game I first played in 1998.  Instead, I want to look at the improvements to the award winning formula.  First the graphics: with several updated textures and new character models, the game is quite a bit easier on the eyes.  Pair that with the 3D effect and it becomes a whole new visual experience.

Now game play: while the game play didn't see the same overhaul that the graphics received, the few key components made the experience far better.  The display was overhauled and moved to the lower screen on the 3DS.  This move in addition to an extra slot to which items can be assigned and a designated ocarina button make for a beautiful decluttering of the main screen and a more flexible item inventory.  You wouldn't think that having a single additional item to assign would make that much of a difference, but any veteran to the game will be elated to know that bouncing between iron boots, bow, bombs, ocarina, and the hookshot in the Water Temple no longer causes any pause menu frustration.  The whole experience benefits from this new scheme.

Gyroscopic aiming and looking is perfectly functional and can be used in conjunction with circle pad aiming to make for very dexterous accuracy.  I wouldn't call the gyroscope a great addition, but it works and doesn't detract.  You can always turn it off if you want.

I can say without question that this is the definitive version of this classic experience.  The improved visuals, tweaking, but not overhauling, the controls, decluttering the main screen, inclusion of the Master Quest and a  boss battle mode just make the package sweeter and extend the game play.  I actually found myself quite surprised that a boss battle mode hadn't been included in a previous release, it's quite satisfying to go back and fight some of the bosses.

I'm a Litte Bit Casual and I'm a Little Bit Hardcore

The battle lines of the internet are amazing. I used to get really angry when I would read posts or comments about how the Wii is only for kids and casual gamers and how hardcore gamers have to play certain types of games. Even though the two aren't mutually exclusive, there is a line between graphics that push the boundaries between life and game and graphics that push the given hardware to it's limits while maintaining the stylized aesthetic of the game world. Even though the two aren't opposed to each other, people like to pit games with bright flashy colors against games with more neutral palettes. Games like Super Mario Galaxy 2 facing off against Resistance 3... sounds pretty silly when I put it like that, but it is silly.

I own an Xbox 360 and Wii. In less than a year I intend on owning a Wii U. I play every genre of game imaginable; From Need for Speed to Marvel vs Capcom, Terraria to NBA Jam, Super Mario Galaxy 2 to Halo, Final Fantasy to Boom Blox, I play them all. Not all regularly, but they all make their way into my lineup of games. I've mentioned my lineup before. I like to have a little something for everyone. It makes me a better gamer and makes my house more hospitable to non gamers. It allows me to trick people into doing what I want to do, whether it be watch everyone play Dance Central(though I'm pretty good myself), work as a team in a 4 player co-op like Castle Crashers or New Super Mario Bros Wii, or pwn everyone in a pick up and play competitive game like Driift Mania(yeah, with 2 i's), Geometry Wars, or Tetris Party.

By any definition I can not be denied entrance to the "hardcore" camp of gamers, but at the same time I embrace the lighter, "casual" fare that existed just fine before Wii, but now has a place to call home. Sometimes I don't want to put that perfectly thrown grenade in the throat of another player; sometimes I don't want to grind to level 50 so that I can finally unlock that awesome piece of armor; sometimes I don't want to play a nerve racking round of Pac-Man Championship Edition DX; sometimes I just want to kick back and let my friends into my World of Goo or wrap myself up in Kirby's Epic Yarn. I'm not any less of a gamer because of my varied. I'm just a little be Casual and a little bit Hardcore.

Console Wars: The Next Generation

There's been a lot of talk about the next-next generation of consoles. The PS4, the XBox 720, Wii 2, all of these concepts and ideas have been floating out there for the better part of 2 years. The irony being, of course, that the Wii and PS3 are only a little over three years old and the XBox 360 is closer to six.

When I look around, however, I don't know that I need a next generation of console. I have a Wii, and while it isn't the most powerful system out there by any stretch, There haven't been any games that have pushed it to its limits. Super Mario Galaxy came close as for visuals and unique gameplay experiencs. Super Smash Bros. Brawl is the best local and online multiplayer experience on Wii. World of Goo is one of the pinnacles of story telling in modern gaming and one of the best puzzle games ever. Even the controls on the Wii are continuing to be perfected. I know that the Wii can do more.

XBox 360, even having been out for nearly six years hasn't been eclipsed in its abilities. Every year it seems that there are new games coming out that push the graphical boundaries on the 360. With Natal coming out in the next two years, a whole new collection of ideas and gameplay options will be attempted. If you don't know what Natal is, do some quick research. It's an interesting idea that could really do some neat things in the world of gaming, particularly in the advent of 3-D gaming.

It's hard for me to even talk about the PS3. I almost want to chalk up the first year and a half of the PS3's lifespan as a mistake and maybe that it didn't happen at all. It hasn't been until this second half of this past year and now into this year that there are games that even play on the same field as the abilities as the PS3. The PS3 was designed to last about ten years on the market because of the way the hard drive and processing cores were built. To this day, no one has even pushed the PS3 even a little bit. Not that there haven't been great, even excellent, games for the PS3, only that there haven't been any games worth the initial $600 price tag. The hardware was worth that much, however it is software that sells hardware.

With all that said, I'm pretty sure that Nintendo will be the first to upgrade. It will be a similar style to the Wii, but it will have quite a bit more processing power. They would be foolish to change the controls, I think that the Wii-mote with the Wii Motion + and the accompanied nunchuck is perfect for most gaming, if not all. They will adopt a new button layout, but only to make buttons more accessible. Next will be the XBox 720, but only after Microsoft can't keep up with the abilities of the PS3. All I'm saying is that it may be a while.

The Metroid Prime Trilogy: A First Person Shooter... Kind of...

So I'm playing through the Metroid Prime Trilogy. The first two of the set were released on GameCube a few years ago and the final was released on Wii about a year and a half maybe 2 years ago. They then updated the graphics from the first two games, implemented Wii controls and released the whole trilogy, all three games, for $50... I then found it on sale at Target for $30 and had to have it... seriously? Three games from one of my favorite titles(Metroid) for $30? All I'm saying is that it's an awesome deal.

So I don't know how much you know about Metroid Prime. Metroid started as a Side Scrolling puzzle platformer on NES. The defining game in the series was a similar style game on SNES: "Super Metroid". Then after the N64 on the GameCube, Metroid was changed from a 2-D platformer into a 3-D First person shooter: "Metroid Prime".

There's the brief history for you. I've played the first and the third games and I'm really looking forward to playing the second one. But I'm troubled by a few things: while it is a FPS, it isn't like any other FPS I've ever played. The game is all about solidarity, being alone. The soundtrack, the level designs, the details, everything identifies you as this person who is very, very alone. Other FPS(i.e. Halo, Call of Duty, Medal of Honor) are all about the giant battles, the combat, being a one man army. Not this game; it finds success in forcing the player to be alone and to solve these puzzles not knowing when a flood of enemies will jump out at you(and they do jump out at you... very creepy)

The funny thing to me is that even though FPS, First Person Shooter, is really only a description of the camera angle and what kind of weapons you have, still that label: FPS, means a lot more than that. I hear about a game being a First Person Shooter and instantly I imagine a war game. I imagine the big explosions and fighting along side other people. When I hear FPS, I don't think about anything that describes Metroid Prime except for the fact that I see through the character's eyes and use a gun.

Anyway, I'm loving the games, it's actually got a pretty cool local multiplayer if we ever get a chance.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Is It Really That New?

Rachel and I just played through New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Awesome game. No doubt in my mind that it is the best 2-D Mario game to come out... maybe ever. Ultimately it is the same game that I've been playing since I was 4 years old, but... bigger, more forgiving, multiplayer, and implements some really cool platforming puzzles.

So coolest thing about this game is that up to four people can play at the same time, it gets a little hectic, but it so much fun. The best thing about four people being able to play is that just about everyone who's ever played a video game knows how to play this game, it's just like the old game. Objective: save princess. How do we save her? Find Bowser and beat him. Where is Bowser? I don't know, just keep running to the right and we'll find him eventually. Simple, difficult, but so much fun.

I really have few complaints about the game. Some people were upset that it didn't really reinvent 2-D platforming. They said it was too much like the old games. To me, that is this game's greatest strength. I love that Dean and Debra(in laws) played this with me. I love that even Gwendolyn(sister-in-law) played; even Isaiah(4 year old) was able to pick it up and play along. It was kind of funny, they all started by asking: "How do I play? What do I do?" until they realized that this was no different than the game they had played before.

Now, this isn't all to say that all these people can play the game so it is too easy. Don't get me wrong, there are some platforming challenges in this game that make me nervous. I died a bunch, I had to practice and try new things. Then after the main levels just trying to survive, there are three giant star coins per level that you have to find to unlock the final 9th world and that's after there are around 6-8 levels in the first 8 worlds. All that to say, it's a long, moderately difficult game.

So to answer the first question: Is it really that new? No, but that's it's best quality to me.