Having a look at Skyward Sword's European website

The new Zelda's official website went up and I just had a look around. I'm not browsing on the best computer right now so it's nice that it loaded reasonably quick and navigation wasn't too stuttery.

There's access to videos with developers and a map of areas where you're given information on some of the features in the game and some of the moments that you come across when you play.

Gamestop sells new games in broken cases

I bought a brand new DS game recently but when I opened the box, the cartridge fell out. There are these tiny holders that keep it in place but one of them is broken. The DS game case now just seems like junk now that this tiny piece is broken off.

Gamestop is at fault. Why? Because they don't sell new games sealed. Someone there must've broken it when they were taking it out.

Cool Video Game Halloween levels!

I read a recent article from some website about horror games for Halloween. It was a bit... well.... let's just say it wasn't written for me. So I'm gonna suggest some good Halloweeny games/levels that I really like:


Dark Castle(but only the Macintosh one!)
Gregory Horror Show
The Pumpkin Zone from Super Mario Land 2
Gruntilda's Lair & Mad Monster Mansion from Banjo-Kazooie
Big Boo's Haunt from Super Mario 64
Cave of Medusa from Mystic Quest/Final Fantasy Adventure (fucking scary)
Forest Temple and Bottom of the Well from Ocarina of Time. Shadow Temple too but it isn't as scary.
Any game from the Castlevania series is nice and Halloweeny
The Red Punster's area in Hamtaro: Rainbow Rescue. It has that kind of theme and is just so farcical and fun!

I'm very confident that my list is better!

Kirby Mass Attack out today in Ireland!

Finally it's out here! I'm looking forward to buying this when I get the chance.

It's kind of like Kirby mania this year isn't it? First Epic yarn back in spring, then the free broadcast of the TV series and now a new DS game! On top of that we've the Wii game to look forward to!

Kirby Right Back At Ya! — Episode 41

Another 2 parter! The episode card also has the same design as the previous 2 parter a few episodes ago.

King Dedede has nightmares about a firey red Kirby. We see one in the opening and it gets a little bit scary as it goes on! Anyway, he's so freaked out about Kirby attacking him that he goes off to see Mable the fortune teller to get his dream interpreted.

As you'd expect it's not about Kirby at all but rather it's symbolic of something else. What does the firey red Kirby symbolise? We'll find out more in the next episode!

Man, this is much more interesting than the two parter about the race! We also learn more about Mable the fortune teller and Samo the bartender who has an Irish accent.

The NME monster this time is a big ice elephant thing called "Fridgy". Kirby gets the fire ability this time.

Tip for beating the Bouldergeist in Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2

When the rocks are floating in the air, shoot star bits at them! Ordinary rocks will break; black and yellow ones will release Bomb Boos and coins more quickly. This is really useful when you're doing the daredevil run in Galaxy 1 and the speedrun in Galaxy 2!

I only just realised I was able to do it. Shooting star bits is something I never think of doing unless it's to feed a Luma or something. It's really useful against the Bouldergeist because it's definitely one of the most aggravating mini bosses in the Mario Galaxy games.

Clips from the Zelda 25th Anniversary orchestra tour are making me envious

I'm listening to some of the clips that are being put up on YouTube from the performance and you can hear familiar songs being played while cheers erupt from the audience every time a song begins.

I'm not hugely bothered about going to see something like that live but it would be a nice treat if it was playing at my nearest opera house in Cork.

Kirby Right Back At Ya! — Episode 40

Knuckle Joe returns and he's working for NME!

He gives King Dedede a free demonstration which consists of flooding his kingdom with the generic type of enemies you'd see during a level in a normal Kirby game, although none of the actual enemies seem to be here (to my knowledge anyway).

Anyway it's a big shock to everybody to see Knuckle Joe return like this but the surprises don't end there!

Knuckle Joe's complexion now matches the way he appears in the games. Kirby gets the fighter ability this time.

Reggie's "What's wrong with you?" line

Nintendo of America has a new promotional show available to watch on the 3DS called "Nintendo Direct". In the first installment Reggie Fils Aime delivers a POW! effect with those four words. Sounds like something that'll prick your ears and possibly even rile you up right? Yeah! But when you listen to the whole sentence:

“For this first installment, we’ve got some important news if you’re an owner of Nintendo 3DS, or just thinking of becoming one. And really, if you’re neither one yet, what’s wrong with you?"

it makes it sound kind of diplomatic and therefore less exciting. It even makes sense, like as if to say "why are you even bothering to watch this video?" if you didn't come under the "owner or interested" criteria.

My shopping list for the rest of the year

Here's my list of games I'm hoping to get between now and over the holiday season:

Definites:
Kirby Mass Attack
Kirby's Adventure Wii
Super Mario 3D Land
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Maybes:
3D Classics: Kirby's Adventure
Cave Story 3D

I've plenty of time to be deciding and see if there's anything else I've forgotten.

Kirby's Adventure for the NES is being remade as part of the 3D Classics range!

Hearing this bit of news today made me go ooo!

If it's being remade in that style then are they going to improve upon the original version? Like, make it run super duper smooth? Who knows, but the original version had lovely graphics and warm colours. I don't know if you can match the atmosphere of playing it on the NES but I am very interested in seeing it run in 3D.

It's only been announced for Europe so far. I feel kind of spoiled! (Not that I'm complaining mind you!) It's scheduled to be released on the eShop here on Thursday the 17th of November.

Kirby Right Back At Ya! — Episode 39

As expected an episode was skipped since 38 isn't available in English, even though it was dubbed in English before. I know that thanks to the splendid fanbase Kirby has!

Now for this episode!

King Dedede orders a monster that probably causes the most devastating damage. It's a tiny bug like creature; so small he didn't even notice it but when it enters someone's body, that person will be forgotten by everyone who knows them. It enters Escargoon's cheek and so the episode becomes centred around him and how everyone forgets him. It's quite upsetting for him and it makes for a very interesting episode!

Everyone treats him either with animosity or in the same polite manner as they would greet a stranger. Even the sheep — the ones that usually get the worst treatment in the series — treat him badly! Kirby befriends him, but whether he remembers Escargoon or not we don't really know. The funniest part is the name the police chief gives him!

When it's eventually figured out what the problem is and the monster leaves Escargoon's body everybody seems to be more panicked about it than any other monster that has appeared in the show to date.

I love this episode and the way it makes me think about what it would be like if I was in a scenario like that?

Episode 38 of "Kirby: Right Back At Ya!" unavailable?

On giving the timetable on the Wii's Kirby Channel a quick browse I see a blank gap where Episode 38 is supposed to be with the caption "Episode unavailable". What's that all about??

Well, after some quick googling and moogling I came across what the episode is all about. It features a famous author and a plot parodying one of the Harry Potter stories. That seems like a clever episode people might enjoy! I wonder why it's unavailable?

Just completed Mario Galaxy 1 100%!

Yay! I've only played through as Mario before but now I've completed it fully with all the power stars with both characters and you get a nice little extra when you complete it.

I've grown to like the Toad Brigade a lot and I even like talking to the other NPCs sometimes. I never really did that before. Sometimes they're VERY helpful like say if you're collecting things and they tell you that there's none to be found in the ocean — that's really helpful and saves a lot of grief!

There's a few nice differences when you play as Luigi as well, particularly during the rescue missions.

I also once called this the best game ever... Do I still feel that way? hmm.... well I know at least that it isn't perfect but there is so much joy in playing the game and that makes it a very good contender for "best game ever".

Kirby Right Back At Ya! — Episode 37

King Dedede and his underlings follow Kirby around with video cameras and do whatever they can to make him look like a criminal when they broadcast their special report on him throughout Dream Land.

There's one really funny moment when some of the Cappy folk are interviewed and their faces are pixellated, especially since they all have the same basic facial features!

You know what? It may or may not be intentional but I'm gonna say this is an episode that has an educational message about not believing everything you come across in the news.

The finale to this episode is very satisfying like all happy endings where the baddies have their plans foiled. The NME salesman appears very briefly but it's well worth seeing!

No monsters or Kirby abilities this time.

The episode card for this on the Kirby Channel is of a different design to every one of the others that came before it.

Kirby and Zelda spoilers everywhere! Yikes!

It's kind of hard to look at game news blogs and websites these days. There's a lot of spoilers around! Though some of them are posing as spoilers but aren't really, such as the shoe powerup in Kirby's new Wii game. We've known about that one for ages.

So hey just be careful if you don't want spoilers!

Kirby Mass Attack's European website is gorgeous

Feast your eyes here:

http://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/games/nds/kirby_mass_attack_44318.html

It is so lovely and unlike other promotional websites that just feel like a pain, this never does. You can also see the boxart which is the same as the Japanese one. No spider eye kicking for us! The site just begs to be explored and each page looks colourful and fun. Lots of tiny trailers for game modes and such too. Even if you know the game inside out — which you might if you've played overseas versions already — just have a nice little poke around the website. It is just so nice to look at.

Xenoblade Chronicles is now more readily available in Cork

When Xenoblade Chronicles released in August I couldn't see it in any of the local shops. Now lately when I visited them I was able to see a few display cases in HMV, GAME and Gamestop. If you want a copy keep your eyes peeled because it's usually just the one or two display cases in the corner of the Wii sections of these shops but they are there!

If you have a look online you'll see that there did seem to be stock shortages but after a while they came back in stock and became more readily available. Perhaps that's what happened with local shops too but it's not really the best way to judge it to be honest.

Kirby Right Back At Ya! — Episode 36

Part 2 of the big racing saga and yes we do hear a narrator giving a recap.

The wacky racing antics continue for several laps and we see King Dedede carry out Dick Dastardly style tricks in an effort to trip up the rest of the racers. It's best to see for yourself what becomes of it all in the end.

Again, no NME monsters but there is a nice cameo with Kine the fish. Kirby really does get his wheel ability this time.

So I've noticed on the Kirby Channel the episode cards for these two racing episodes look different to all the other cards of the episodes I've watched up until now. Is that because these ones are special one offs or are the cards going to continue being like this from now on?

Retro Gamer Issue 94

I'm a bit late again but technically this is still the latest issue as issue 95 will be officially on sale tomorrow haha!

The last one of these posts I made got a nice little bit of attention! I'm grateful for it. If you ever want to have a quick preview of an issue of this magazine, the editor always does a little YouTube vlog where he flicks through the latest issue when it comes out. The address for his channel is here:

http://www.youtube.com/retrogamerdaz

Now then, the staff were asked what their favourite point-and-click adventure game was. As for me, I must admit the only SCUMMVM game I've ever played in great detail was Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which is said to not be as good as the likes of Fate of Atlantis. It's hard for me to pick a favourite but I love the World Builder games that were on the Macintosh Plus, my favourite ones being 3rd Floor and Space Adventure.

One of the columns talks about when game shops used to be called "emporiums". I don't really remember anything like that but I did come across that term when I flicked through an old games magazine the other day.

The big special feature is about the making of Maniac Mansion. It's those games I've got to play someday because I love adventure games!

The future classic is the first Mario & Luigi RPG(great trilogy). There's a big GBA feature as well about the top games that weren't remakes which is a very nice read. I'm glad they included Drill Dozer and Mother 3.

Trashman is a very interesting Spectrum game to read about and a funny one to play once I got the hang of it. Nice article about the Pippin too. I'd say there would be a lot of people interested in learning about that console now since Apple was one of the companies who were behind it.

Konami's GI Joe is featured in the unconverted article. I must try that out someday since I know someone who really loved that game as a kid. Plus of course the fact that I'm a bit of a Konami freak myself!

Discworld might be an interesting game to try out someday. Slightly Magic might be too, though I haven't really played the Dizzy series.

I love the Minority Report article. This month's one talks about the SuperGrafX.

Haven't tried any of the homebrew games but they're loving the Space Harrier port for the Atari 8-Bit.

Pre-order made for Skyward Sword!

I'm glad I don't live too far away from a GAME store. They and Amazon.co.uk are the only ones who have the limited edition of Skyward Sword available for pre-order. I've the order made anyway so hopefully I'll be able to get the game without a hitch when it releases.

Kirby Right Back At Ya! — Episode 35

Part 1 of a 2 parter about a big race! We've seen the likes of this in other cartoons like Wacky Races and Dr. Slump.

You know that when it's something like this, how the race came about doesn't really matter — it's who's in the race. This episode just establishes who the drivers are. King Dedede, Tuff, the mayor, Kirby and Meta Knight all have their own cars and are competing against one another. Fololo and Falala are the commentators. Kirby uses his old spaceship modded into a car.

No NME monsters or abilities but the picture on the episode shows Kirby in a red backwards baseball cap so I guess that means we can expect to see his wheel ability in part 2?

By the way it was pretty weird hearing a narrator's voice at the end of this episode. I wonder if we'll hear it again at the start of the next one giving a recap?

God I would hate if this were to be made into a driving game!

Angry Video Game Nerd Episode 105 — Dark Castle

http://cinemassacre.com/2011/10/06/avgn-episode-105-dark-castle/

Brand new AVGN video! I nearly missed this because James Rolfe is coming out with his excellent Monster Madness videos every day as well.

The moment I saw the title I just knew he was going to be talking about the Mega Drive version of the game. True enough it is pretty awful. I wonder if he knows about the Macintosh Plus version of the game? I grew up with that version and I really loved it back then.

Since I knew so much about the game myself I enjoyed the episode even more!

NGamer Issue 67

Nice cover although when you look at Zelda's face for a while it starts to look like it's disconnected from the rest of the official artwork.

The free gifts this month were Skyward Sword skins for 2 Wii Remotes and the console, a double sided Skyward Sword poster and one of those tips books full of miscellaneous Zelda trivia and tips.

The special features this month include an incredibly boring one about games from other formats coming to Wii U and one about the 3DS that talks about its price cut, unknown DSiWare games you can get for it and a list of bargain retail games that have come down in price.

Interesting reviews include Kirby Mass Attack which got an 81(though they're saying again and again that they're not looking forward to his new Wii game at all) and Go! Go! Kokopolo which got 3/5.

#10 of 10: Zelda II The Adventure of Link (3DS NES Ambassador)

The amount I've played of Zelda II on 3DS so far is fine with the circle pad and it looks fine on the screen too. The thing is, I haven't played very far to properly judge it (though I have completed the game before) but since I managed to complete the first dungeon without any control issues I'd say it's looking good so far.

Should I go into how it's underrated or how it's the black sheep of the series? Actually I think the game, though hard as hell, is pretty damn good and it's a great one for fans to try out. I recommend using a walkthrough though.

At last I've covered all the NES ones! Took about a month too... Now to take on the GBA ones when they show up!

Kirby Right Back At Ya! — Episode 34

Another Kawasaki episode! (love that guy) His real master arrives in Cappytown this time and really lets Kawasaki have it when he sees that his food isn't up to par. King Dedede also invites the master into his castle and cook for him and appears on tv. Lots of teacher/student drama ensues.

The NME monster this time is a giant corn on the cob that has an amusing attack involving popcorn. It's also the return of Kirby's cook ability.

I wonder if there's people who played Kirby's Fun Pak for the first time, having only watched the cartoon first? They wouldn't know Kawasaki's an adversary in that game.

#9 of 10: Wrecking Crew (3DS NES Ambassador)

This is another one of those early NES arcadey titles that not many people heard of and aren't often played. It does have a gently addictive quality though. Like Ice Climber you can select any level you like from the title screen. Be careful not to press Select unintentionally because that'll bring you back to the title screen straight away!

I've seen youtube videos of its sequel, Wrecking Crew '98, which seems to have different kinds of gameplay elements that make it look similar to something like Wario's Woods.

Not the case with the NES original though, which has more in common with single screen arcade platformers like Rodland.

"Kirby's Adventure Wii" is the name of our version of Kirby's second Wii game

Kirby games as we know often get different names for different regions. This is the name of our version of the game while the American one will be called "Kirby's Return to Dream Land". The Japanese version is simply titled "Hoshi no Kabi Wii" (according to Wikipedia).

The original Japanese title for Kirby's Dream Land on the Game Boy was "Hoshi no Kabi". I guess the naming of the Wii game for the different versions is ok enough but it would still be confusing.

When I talk to Americans they often don't realise that a lot of Kirby games have different names over here but I still like to use our names when I chat with them. I don't mind explaining but confusion over titles can be troublesome as we all know.

Kirby Right Back At Ya! — Episode 33

A flying saucer starts coming to Cappytown every night to dump rubbish all over the place. This puts the whole town in a dilemma and they discuss various ways of what they're gonna do with it but all of their ideas happen to be environmentally unsafe. King Dedede even sends out a fire monster in the hopes of burning it up.

I guess you could say it's another episode with a message about the environment but it's extremely subtle and it doesn't really have any bearance on the plot about the flying saucer. It's only when the whole town tries to discuss various solutions and Tiff telling them that they're wrong that you could say that it's about the environment.

The NME monster this time is a CGI fire lion thing. Since it's made completely out of fire it looks fine in CG. I wonder if it's supposed to be like the firey lion thing from Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland? Anyway Kirby gets the Fire ability from it.

Rocket Slime 3DS' Box Art!

Here it is! From Amazon.jp's page of the game:

 I've never seen Rocket smile like that before. Still, it's a lovely boxart and one I'd be proud to have on my shelf. There's a pattern lately where European boxarts of games are the same as the Japanese ones so that would be great if this game was announced for Ireland and the rest of Europe! Please bring it out here Square Enix and Nintendo! This was why I wanted a 3DS at all!

Should I be worried about Skyward Sword spoilers?

In various places online where I get news from I see links to footage and highly detailed feature lists about Skyward Sword. Now I know this is normal and it's all good for getting everyone excited about a game coming out, I'm just wondering how much I should watch.

Remember the very first trailer where we saw footage of bomb bowling? There's finally more footage of it here in the first half of the following video. (after that is footage of another new feature, just in case you don't want to see it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8Tlko76lQM

That's my main curiosity sated anyway. Should I watch any more footage on the run up to the game's release I wonder? Hmmm.