The Best of the Best

When I made a post about my favorite Youtube series I thought it would maybe be a good post idea to pick some of my favorite episodes. So that’s what this post is, but that turned out to be much harder than I thought. It was so hard to pick because I loved each episode so much, in the end, I suppose I mostly picked the episodes that stood out most in my memory.

I couldn’t possibly put them in any certain order, so here are my top 5 favorite episodes of Two Best Friends Play

 

Two Best Friends Play: Deadly Premonition

 

Two Best Friends Play: Xbox Live Indie Games

 

Two Best Friends Play: Man Vs. Wild

Two Best Friends Play: Dead Rising 2 Off the Record

 

Two Best Friends Play: Prison Break

 

Honestly it would probably have been easier to make a list of the Two Best Friends episodes that aren’t the best. But I had much more fun reminiscing in the amazing times instead of instead of really good times. So in case you haven’t noticed by now I’m a pretty hard core fan of Matt and Pat.

So what do you think of my favorite episodes, Two Best Friends, or Youtube Game commentators in general? Let me know in a comment!

Nintendo Looses $500 Millions Dollars This Year!!

DigitalTrends.com

For the first time in Nintendo‘s history it released it’s profit statistics and the results were negative. One of the greatest gaming companies in the world lost over $500 million dollars during the last fiscal year. You may be wondering how this could be possible considering that the previous year they managed to pull in just under $1 billion dollars in profits and were doing a good job of dominating the video game market. Well, they did not release any new systems this year or any new franchises to encourage consumers to spend more money on their products. In fact, the company was forced to reduce the price of the Nintendo 3Ds, one of their top selling products, to around $170, which is less then it costs to produce, generating a net loss.

Although things currently look grim for Nintendo, they could stills trike back in the coming year. With the release of the Nintendo Wii U there will be a huge increase in sales as well as new franchises to support this new product. Nintendo seems to be counting on countering this negative year with an extremely successful upcoming year.

I personally feel as if Nintendo is slowly being fazed out of the gaming world as more and more gamers switch to major consoles such as the Xbox and the PlayStation. Although I respect Nintendo for everything it has contributed to the gaming world, despite a select few games, I am not incredibly drawn to Nintendo’s products. I don’t foresee any major comebacks for Nintendo in the upcoming year. Although they will most definitely do better financially with the release of new products, I feel that the only way for Nintendo to live up to the company it once was, is to create something completely new that can dominate the market without competing with better companies with bigger audiences and better games.

This is just my opinion. What do you guys think about Nintendo and are you surprised by these statistics? Let me know in a comment!

Well We Haven’t Done a List in a While…

Even before I discovered Dimentio was Italian he was one of my favorite characters from the game.

Image from comickpro.deviantart.com/art/Request-Prize-Dimentio-135583231

Here are 5 reasons why.

5. He is always talking in theater metaphors

4. He has an awesome name

3. He has a very theatrical personality

2. He can teleport

1. He is a double agent (he secretly works against the main antagonist)

So what do you think of Dimentio, Paper Mario, or games in general? Let me know in a comment!

New Discoveries of Old Games

For some reason I don’t recall how to complete the Super Paper Mario puzzles as much as I did the Gamecube version. But one thing I did notice This time around is that one of my favorite characters, Dimentio, is Italian! This shouldn’t really be a surprise in a Mario game, but it wasn’t exactly obvious to me as a kid. When saying farewell to people Dementio always says “Cioa”. But given my limited knowledge of foreign languages at the time, I thought he was saying something along the lines of “Saow”, instead of the casual Italian phrase for hey and bye.

Image from http://www.youtube.com/user/XDimentioOfficialX

And yes it is Italian, because that is the way “Cioa” is spelled in Italian. And his mask is definitely an Italian style theater mask. So I guess it’s true what they say, you can always discover something new about something old. I don’t know if  people actually say that but it sounds like something people would say.

So what do you think of Dimentio, Italians, or games in general? Let me know in a comment!

Nintendo’s New Console the Wii U!

Nintengen.com

Nintendo’s new console the Wii U was announced at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) earlier this year and thus far it has had a very mixed reception. A while back I posted my review of the original Wii, which you can read here, and overall I gave it a relatively positive review. That being said, it is hard to say if this console will be anywhere near as successful as the first Wii.

In my opinion, the most important upgrade from the original Wii is graphical. The new Wii will be able to support full 1080p hi-def graphics, which may not seem like a big deal but if you recall how poor the graphics are on the original Wii it is easy to see the importance of this update. Along with a graphical update, the controller has also been modified. The Wii U will feature one “home” controller, which has complete control over all of the parameters in the game and will also have a screen attached to it for increased control and varied styles of gameplay. When a player is playing single player they can view information on the controller’s screen such as tutorial information or H.U.D. data, leaving the TV screen fully available for gameplay. In multiplayer games the player in control of the match setup will have the “home” controller which has more parameter options, while the rest of the players will have standard Wii controllers.

A wide variety of games of been announced for the Wii U, including a new Zelda game which I am personally very excited about. Other than new games and improved graphics, this new console does not seem extremely appealing to me. It is hard for me to say weather or not I will buy it when it comes out next year. I am not completely blown away by Nintendo’s upgrades and it seems that they are failing to keep up with the competitive nature of other gaming consoles such as the Xbox and PlayStation. I know that the Wii is meant to be more of a family console and is less focused on the serious aspect of gaming and more focused on the community aspect, but I just can’t see myself really wanting to buy this console.

That is just my opinion on the Wii U. What do you guys think about Nintendo’s new console? Will you buy it when it eventually comes out or are the new features just not worth it? Let me know in a comment!

Living In a Gamers Paradise

Everyday I wake up in what most would consider to be an over the top gamers room, but to me, it’s just my room. My room includes all 4 major mediums of gaming, two flat screen TVs, and an HD PVR. So without further ado, here they are.

First of all, my personal plasma flat screen TV, gaming consoles are practically useless without them.

Here you see my HD PVR, my Xbox 360, and my Wii. The main gaming console I use is the Xbox. Most Wii exclusive games suck, but there are a few gems that I like enough to continue owning a Wii for.

On the other side of my TV you see my Playstation 3. When it comes to the war between Xbox and Playstation I am fully on Xbox’s side. I like Xbox exclusive games much better, and the Xbox network kicks PSN’s ass. But I definitely acknowledge that there are many quality Playstation exclusives, therefor I own a PS3.

Hanging across the room is my 2nd TV, which I primarily use to watch TV shows on. My friends always complain about its awkward height when they have to play Xbox on it.

Here is my spare Xbox, the reason I have two is this one got red ring some time ago, I bought a new one but never got rid of this one, after a few years this one was working again.

And here is the newest addition to my gamer’s paradise, my Alienware x17. It is awesome. nuff said.

What do you think about the consol wars, gaming in general, or my gaming setup? let me know with a comment!

I’m Anxious About the New Paper Mario

Paper Mario games have been some of my favorite games of all time, Its games have great stories, gameplay, strategy, and puzzles that require a fair amount of thinking. But this new paper mario is looking a little childish, now I’m not sure if this actually going to be the cover art, but this looks extremely childish.

Image From it.mario.wikia.com/

Despite Its childish outlook Paper Mario games have been extremely serious and respected games. They have had intriguing plots and plot twists that I never saw coming. One thing that I dislike, is that if this game does turn out to be good I am going to need to get a 3ds to play it, a system I have no other interest in other than playing Paper Mario on it. This game is released in summer of 2012, I will try to remain optimistic about it, and in the mean time play some of the old Paper Mario games, which I will definitely do a lets play of. Maybe after reminiscing in how amazing those games are, it will reassure me that Paper Mario 3ds will be a good game.

Have you ever played any of the paper mario games? What did you think? And what do you think of the new one.

Top 5 Most Badass Video Game Characters

Following my new post framework, Thursday starts with a “T” so it’s a free post day

Number 5: Marcus Fenix

Image from gearsofwar.wikia.com

In the Gears of War games Marcus is a soldier that fights against the locust. Badass features include: being ripped beyond believe, guns with chainsaws on them, destroying entire populations of locust multiple times, and as Sam once said “These guys are way too buff! They have six packs on their asses!”

Number 4: Scorpion

Image from mortalkombat.wikia.com

Scorpion is from the Mortal Kombat series, and is probably one of the most recognizable characters. In the rivalry between Scorpion and Sub Zero, I side with Scorpion completely. Badass features include: the ability to conjure fire, his chain spear, his dual blades, and the fact that when he removes his mask a skull is revealed.

Number 3: Isaac Clarke

Image from deadspace.wikia.com

Isaac has the pleasure of getting caught in the midst of deep space adventures, government conspiracies, and of course space zombies. Well not generic zombies in any sense, they are referred to as necromorphs and are the product of human DNA being rearranged by a mysterious alien artifact known as the marker. Anyway, badass features include: an awesome advanced space suit, crashing through walls into and out of space multiple times, being able to save the human race while suffering from mental affects from the marker, and the ability to use a foam finger as a weapon.

Number 2: Ezio Auditore

Image from photobucket.com

To see the reasons why Ezio Is a badass see what Sam has said about him: https://potassiumpizzaparty.wordpress.com/2012/02/10/10-reasons-why-ezio-auditore-of-assassins-creed-is-a-badass/

Number 1: John 117 “Master Chief”

Image from halo.wikia.com

Master Chief is by far the most badass video game character ever created. He is the main character of the Halo series; he protects the human race from an alliance of aliens known as the Covenant. Frankly, if it wasn’t for Master Chief, humanity would be royally screwed. Badass features include: being the last living spartan super soldier, single handedly destroying ancient forerunner Halos, the Covenant refer to him as “The Demon”, and he repeatedly punched the prophet of regret in the neck until he died.

So thats my top 5 most badass video game character list! Also, let me know who you think I should or shouldn’t have included.

Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Review!

Zelda.wikia.com

I have been waiting to do this review for quite some time now. The Legend of Zelda is one of my favorite series, and Skyward sword proved itself to be a worthy addition to the growing collection. Compared to other Zelda games, Skyward sword has a very unique feel. This is specifically due to the fact that it runs on the Wii and uses the Wii’s Motion Plus. This allows for a much more intuitive gaming experience, and has dramatically changed the way any Zelda game is played.

In the game you can control your “Skyward Sword” by swinging your Wii remote. The control you have over your weapon is incredible. The Wii does a fantastic job of accurately registering your swings and translating that into the move performed in the game. Enemies in the game have certain weak areas, so you are required to perform precise swings with your Wii remote to inflict damage to that area. Along with this, many other moves are carried out through the Motion Plus such as a barrel role and rope swinging. The use of the Wii’s functionality allows the gamer to have much greater control of their character, and to complete battles uniquely as apposed to repeating the same move over and over again.

As we all know, the Wii is lacking in the graphics department. Skyward Sword took this into carful consideration when designing their game and created a new graphic style for the game. It is less focused on realism, and more on creating an environment that can be played on the Wii while still being easy on the eyes. The graphics are somewhat cartoon-like, but do not look blocky. They are still fluid and smooth and this helps to mask the Wii’s short comings.

ew.com

The plot follows the standard Zelda story. The princess is captured and you must rescue her. You live in the peaceful city in the clouds known as Skyloft and until the kidnapping of the princess you have no real knowledge of the “surface”. After she is kidnapped you find the sacred “Skyward Sword” which comes with a spirit who helps you on your quest to save the princess. After you acquire your sword, the first portal to the surface is unlocked. As you complete the game new portals are unlocked, each taking you to a vastly different environment.

The style of the game mimics every other Zelda game. As you procede through a certain area you unlock a dungeon and you must use critical thinking to solve an array of different puzzles in each dungeon. At the end of each dungeon you must fight a “boss”, and once you complete this you get a reward. Although this pattern is very universal for all Zelda games, this game is unique in the sense that it forces you to fully explore every area. Even after you make it through all of the portals and think you are ready to save the world, you have to go back and find things you missed along the way in each area. This keeps the game interesting and is especially good for players, such as myself, who dread the end to an epic game.

Overall my opinion is very biased. I am a hardcore Zelda fan, so I knew that I had to like this game. It is incredibly fun and intuitive. It has a wide range of different environments, weapons and enemies. It has smooth graphics, at least for the Wii, and it is challenging and lengthy. For any Zelda fan, it is something you must have, and even if you have never played a Zelda game before I am confident you will find the game well worth your money.

Spyro, Spyro, Spyro!

Spyro.wikia.com

My brother’s birthday is on the 19th, and for an early birthday present we took him to BestBuy and let him get any game of his choice for the Wii. After a bit of searching he found it, Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure. This instantly brought back a wave of memories. Spyro is definitely on my top list of games. I used to have the old GameBoy Spyro games and they would consume hours of my life. Spyro is one of those games that just never gets old, and I couldn’t wait to see how this new game lived up to its older counterparts.

Although I did not get a good chance to really sit down and play the game yet, I did watch my brother play it for a while and the first thing I noticed was the glowing portal like object that plugged into the Wii. The game came with different plastic toy characters which, when placed on this portal, changed the character you controlled in the game. This immediately grabbed my attention and brought up many questions. This seems like a cool feature from the outside, but it is hard to tell if it is just a selling point and has no real benefit to the game.

I still must sit down and really try out the game for myself and than I will be putting up a review of it along with my review of Zelda, Skyward Sword.