5 Reasons Sakurai's Plans for Smash 4 Could Be Awesome

Hey all,

Take a deep breath, Smash fans. It feels like we've been through all this before. Sakurai throws us a curveball, something we didn't expect or want to hear, and we all go into a panic about how he will ruin the franchise. Haven't we learned anything from Brawl? Well some of us still haven't apparently.

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, take a look at Quote of the Week 10. Sakurai says that the next Smash Bros. game will use integration between the Wii U and 3DS as its central focus. Initially this decision appears to be a bad move, and I believe that's why most people are concerned. Creating a game that requires two systems and two different versions would likely alienate a large portion of the fanbase that does not want or cannot get all the components. People don't realize that central could mean a lot of things though. Being a hopeful optimist, I have to believe that he means central to new features or central to the thought behind development based on the context of his statement.

In any case, here's my top 5 list of ways that this whole idea of Wii U/3DS integration being central to something being a good thing:

5) Spectating
Having the 3DS version of the game could open up some new doors for spectator mode. The idea of being able to sit back on your couch and watch Smash games is cool enough as it is. Watching them in 3D? Yes please. Remote viewing without the need for an Internet streaming site would be ridiculous too.

4) New Control Scheme
This idea seems more likely than the former. With the Gamecube controller not likely to make a return to the Wii U, players will be looking for a new controller to use. While the classic controller and remote (with and without nunchuk) are almost certainly going to be options, having the option to play with a familiar medium like a 3DS may be welcome to the new system.

3) Adventure Mode
My first thought is having two different adventure modes. One system perhaps could have a sequel to Subspace Emissary while the other has a Melee-style adventure mode. As improbable as that sounds, I could see something like the ability to unlock or play special stages with the two systems integrated together.

2) Bigger Brawls (or Melees)
I'm talking about 4 people on the Wii U on top of another X number of 3DS users. I doubt this will happen, but who knows? There has to be a good use for all those big stages that are useless in tournament play, right? I wonder how having three doubles teams would work.

1) Expanded Roster
Everyone has dreamed of having a huge roster since before Brawl was released. With everyone speculating character counts in the 40's and 50's way back when, having a ton a characters in this game would make this game amazing. Splitting the roster between two games, the possibility of a huge roster is that much better. Integrating the two games and two systems would then provide the combined rosters. And let's not forget the chances of a create-a-character mode.

One other possibility would be SpotPass. I'm sure that could integrate with the Wii U somehow. Maybe something similar to Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition or Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3. Who knows what else Sakurai is capable of thinking up though. Hopefully he didn't use up all the good ideas on Kid Icarus.

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

UM GSO Performance 4/29

Hey all,

Today was the Gamer Symphony Orchestra's Spring 2012 concert. Normally they hold it at the concert hall on the University of Maryland campus where they hail from; however they played at the Smithsonian American Art Museum this time. They were contacted last year about holding their biannual concert as part of the fanfare surrounding the new Art of Video Games exhibit.

For those of you who don't know who the GSO is, they are a student run and organized group that strictly plays video game music. The group was started six years ago with about a dozen student musicians. Since then the group has grown to about 120 members ranging from percussionists to choir members to a rather expansive string section. They arrange most of the music themselves, some of it by sound alone based on what the conductor said in their previous performance. The students also collaborate with artists in the industry, having done pieces with composers from Civilization V and flOw in their most recent shows. The GSO has also done some collaboration with Video Games Live.

Their selections for the Smithsonian concert were very appropriate. They chose some very artistic music such as "The World of flOw", "Liberi Fatali", and "Hikari". Although, they did pick three songs from the Final Fantasy series (four if you count the theme from Kingdom Hearts.) The GSO repeated a few of their former songs as they do in almost every show, so most of it seemed new. "Hikari" and "Shadow of the Colossus" are never let downs though, and they brought back their Sonic mix which they haven't played since one of their very first performances. "Dancing Mad" was their finale, a very strong theme to play for the final song. I honestly have little bad to say about their program on this day.

The show started strong. The piano solo was done nicely, and "Hikari" was met with a lot of applause. They continued on with medleys from the Sonic and Dragon Quest series before concluding the first half of the show with "Shadow of the Colossus". It seemed like their nerves got to them a little to begin with the first couple songs, but the entire first half was excellent. The melodies were crisp, and it seemed like very few notes were missed. You could tell they brought their A game for this special show.

The second half started slow though. "Setting Sail, Coming Home" from Bastion was slightly muddled to me. I'm not sure if the song is supposed to be played that way though as I have never heard it myself. "Liberi Fatali" wasn't all that clear either. To be fair, it is not an easy song to play. The National Philharmonic also struggled with this theme when they played it for Video Games Live, and Tommy Tallarico claimed its difficulty as well. "The World of flOw" was an odd song though. It didn't seem to have a lot of substance. Perhaps it doesn't transition well from synthesizer to orchestra? Maybe it just surprised me? Despite the odd restart, they finished well with the Celtic themed "Hyrulian Highlands" from Wind Waker with a superb mandolin solo, and of course "Dancing Mad" was spectacular. Their encore was "Baba Yetu" which was also met with thunderous applause for the solo singer.

If you didn't get a chance to attend this show (and it was pretty packed as I alluded to on Twitter) then you can hear their recordings when they finish refining them for their website. They will likely be on YouTube before that though. I have included the link at the bottom of this post. Having listened to the MP3s for their previous shows and going to one performance in person, I wouldn't be surprised if anyone other than myself would call this their best concert to date.

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

You can find the UM GSO's website here. All of the songs from former shows are downloadable for free too.

Quote of the Week 10

"[T]here is a certain dead end we come to if we just expand the volume of the game. I intend to change direction a little as we go. The key to that's going to be its dual support for 3DS/Wii U. I'm really just getting started on this so it's going to take time, but I'll come up with something that uses that link as the game's central axis, so I hope you're looking forward to it." ~ Masahiro Sakurai, about the next Super Smash Bros. title

Thank you, Gamefly!

Hey all,

If you were one of the many people that read my Letter to Gamefly, then you know about my laughable call out to Gamefly for not sending me Super Mario 3D Land for so long. Well I finally got the game in the mail this week. And you'll never believe it... But I'm disappointed. It's not that great a game so far. The first few worlds have been ridiculously easy and the 3D doesn't feel like it enhances the gameplay all that much. Why didn't anyone leave a comment and warn me? Why!?

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

[KI:U] Claw Builds

Hey all,

After a lot of experimentation and some reading, I feel confident in writing up my first guide for the now month-old Kid Icarus: Uprising. In case you couldn't tell by the title and the above picture, this entry will be about claw weapons. They are the first weapon type I was successfully able to create into decent multiplayer weapons so I have had the most experience with them. My stats in battle tell the tale (most of the time anyway.) Here's some of the basics I have picked up about claws:

• Most claws should be built with melee only. The ranged attack on a lot of the claws is short-ranged with negligible damage, and the extra value from having points in ranged will be more harmful when you die.
• The most popular claws appear to be the Pandora Claws. Their backward dash charged attack is a good follow-up for a melee combo. They do require some investment in ranged attack, so this weapon is one of the exceptions to the previous rule. Wolf Claws, Cancer Claws, and Raptor Claws appear to be common as well.
• Try to get Melee Combo or Melee Dash Attack on your claws. Freezing, while useful in general, is also good for pulling off multiple combos on unwitting enemies. Backward Dash Charge Shot is useful for Pandora Claws.
• Counter is by far the most useful power for claw users in my opinion. It prevents you from getting caught off-guard by other melee attackers or any ranged players dumb enough to engage you in melee combat in an effort to escape.

Listed here are the two claw builds I use in online battle:

Quick Claw

Value: 203 Ranged: 0 Melee: 6 Weakening +4

Meteor Shower Lv 1 Heavenly Light Lv 2 Freeze Attack Lv 3 Bumblebee Lv 1 Counter Lv 1

This first claw build is based on speed. Many claws, like the Raptor Claws, improve your speed regardless of the modifiers. Run circles around your opponent in your approach and hit them hard. You get a lot of bang for your buck when you can get 160 melee dash attack and 198 melee combo damage out of a weapon with only 203 value. With Freezing enabled you are likely to either inflict Weaknening for a one combo kill or Freezing to easily get two. Bumblebee is used as a defensive measure or to confuse your opponent to help get in closer.

Juggernaut

Value: 273 Ranged:2.5 Melee: 6 Melee Combo + 4 Side-dash Ch. Shot + 2 In-peril Autododge +1

Black Hole Lv3 Confuse Attack Lv 3 Super Armor Lv 3 Counter Lv3 Effect Recovery Lv 1 Throwing Boost Lv 1

Bear Claws don't have the speed that other claws do, but they have some of the highest attack power in their class. Six-star melee Bear Claws with Melee Combo +4 does nearly 320 damage in one combo, enough to defeat anyone without decent defense or health modifiers. The side dash attack even does 70-90 damage depending on distance to the target. Since speed is an issue, however, you must use other tactics to approach. Super Armor and Effect Recovery will help prevent you from being knocked back, stopped, or comboed. Black Hole traps enemies until you can get into melee range. Throwing Boost increases the effectiveness of items (but for me it's really there for filler.)

My best games have been with claws, including a 14 kill, 3350 point Free-for-all match with the Bear Claws. Once you can get past the lack of ranged attack ability, claws can be deadly weapons.

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

Violent Video Games and the Norway Mass Murders

Hey all,

Video games are under attack once again. This time the case surrounding mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik of Norway has caused an uproar. He revealed that the bombing and shooting spree that led to 77 deaths was fueled by Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and World of Warcraft. Breivik stated that he conditioned himself by playing the military battle game and hid his preparations from friends and family by telling them he was sinking all his time into the popular MMORPG. Several articles have been written about this over the past week or so, and several of them incorrectly say that Warcraft was also used for training. Most gamers will know that training for a mass murder with WoW is rather hard to believe given the fantasy setting of the game.

However, the use of Call of Duty for training and simulation is questionable to many and a point of disagreement for all. Those of us that play Modern Warfare know intimately that this game does not mimic real life very well. For example, a shot in the head is an instant kill based on the weapon used, but a shot to the heart is not (unless one uses the highest power sniper rifle or a shotgun at point blank range.) Enemies are armored against attacks, and some of the scenarios are above and beyond what any civilian combat and sometimes any warfare at all would be like. You get no physical penalty yourself for getting hit in the game, so it is difficult to prepare for resistance in reality. However, Breivik says that it is good for simulating police response or escape strategies. I can also see how constant nearly 24-hour exposure could desensitize someone to the violence.

The media has found video games to be an easy target once again due to this news. Some reports directly attack video games, often drawing similarities to the Columbine shooters who played Doom. Others detail how different media in general can spur these deadly attacks. Still others inquire whether or not video games are much too violent. Most people don't seem to understand that these cases are one in a billion oddities. The chances of someone who plays video games doing something so heinous is just as good as anyone else doing so. Sure you can get ideas from video games, but you can also get ideas from movies, books, or TV shows. Besides, it takes someone exceptionally unstable and neglected to actually do something so sinister. You don't see people massacring others with swords because they play Skyrim, do you? The millions of people who will probably watch Battleship aren't all going to try to bomb people. You don't hear about anyone brainwashing people after reading George Orwell's 1984. Although I guess some people want to think that 2 + 2 = 5 when it comes to violence and video games.

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

Original news story here.

Nintendo Direct Webcast 4/21

Hey all,

I just watched the UStream for Nintendo Direct on their Japanese website. Unfortunately, I don't understand very much Japanese outside of "Konnichiwa" and "Watashi wa no..." but I got the gist of what they were talking about from the pictures and gameplay. Most of the games they announced in this episode were for the 3DS and some seem like they might not make it outside of Japan, but we will have to wait and see. Here's what I picked up from their live show this evening:

• The biggest announcement by far would have to be New Super Mario Bros. 2. After the recent announcement that Nintendo had registered the name Super Mario Bros. 4, my initial thought was related to the continuation of the classic series. The sequel to the original DS title is still exciting.
• A new Final Fantasy game was shown as well. This one has a twist as a rhythm game though. Dubbed Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, the game seems to feature classic music and characters from the series.
• A new Fire Emblem game is in the works too. They showed a lot of characters from the series as well as the first map and music from the very first Fire Emblem game. It looks like Marth will make another appearance on Nintendo's handhelds.
• Project X Zone was a pleasant surprise for some viewers. It basically boils down to a crossover game between Capcom, Sega, and Namco; however, I couldn't really tell by looking at it if it was an action RPG or a fighter. Watch the trailer and judge for yourself.
• Some Kid Icarus: Uprising gameplay was shown. I don't know what it means for the game, but I did catch a neat power combo of Autoreticle + Slip Shots for hitting multiplayer foes through walls. I will have to try that once I manage to get a decent staff.
• Many other games were shown including Pokemon Black and White 2, a new Just Dance, and Rune Factory 4.
• The Kirby anniversary was announced, alluded to by the picture of Iwata with the giant plush Kirby prior to today's webcast. I have to imagine there is a game in the works for this.

It sounds like a lot of people were expecting to hear something about the new Super Smash Bros. considering the fact that Sakurai had something to say, but this was not the case. If we will hear anything about that any time soon, it will likely be during E3 in June.

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

Quote of the Week?

Hey all,

Does this count as a Quote of the Week?

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

Quote of the Week 9

"I just finished building my first gaming rig in five years, and there’s something about putting all the pieces together that must feel a little bit like owning a gun." ~ Erik Kain, Forbes, Why Building A Gaming PC Is Like Owning A Gun

[MW3] Sniper Classes

Hey all,

Sniper rifles certainly aren't my worst weapon in Call of Duty. Of course they aren't exactly my best either. They are a hit-and-miss weapon with me quite literally. Sniping in this game tends to be easier than in Black Ops, but it still requires good aim to get kills. When I focus on aiming, I can be an unstoppable killing force. (Maybe not to the point of one of my friends who is in the top 10,000 players in terms of accuracy.) Some games, on the other hand, I tend to complain about my lack of ability to line up the crosshairs. Here are two of my unorthodox sniper classes:

Dual Rifle

This class is designed for two purposes. The first one is obviously for sniping. The Barrett .50cal is my preferred weapon in this case. Its power is matched only by the AS50, killing most targets in a single shot to the head or torso, but its scope zooms to a greater distance and its magazines hold my ammo. On the downside the Barrett .50cal has higher recoil, so I utilize the Kick proficiency to offset it. The Variable Zoom Scope improves this weapon's zoom capability, although lower level players may want to opt for a Suppressor. Most other attachments don't seem to add much utility to this rifle. Marksman Pro is helpful for taking out multiple targets, the UAV and Revenge deathstreak make it easier to find enemies, and the Bouncing Betty, Portable Radar, and Sentry Gun protect you sneaky enemies. The second design of this class is for all the ranges that are unwieldy for the sniper rifle. The dreaded Type 95 and the Attack Copter handle that role well. Sleight of Hand Pro allows me to swap to it quickly in a bind. I have had success using an SMG for my Overkill weapon as well.

Quick Shot

My Quick Shot class is an experimental class, used to test the ACOG scope and practice different techniques for sniper rifles. The RSASS is a good double tap weapon especially when paired with the Suppressor and/or the Kick proficiency. Extended Mags might also be useful with this weapon. Quickdraw is added for quick scoping, a short range fast attack with a sniper rifle. Mostly everything else I have listed is all part of the experiment. Some notable combinations include Blind Eye and the Counter UAV to hide from air support and radar and SitRep with the EMP Grenade for finding and eliminating enemy equipment.

Sniper rifles can be annoying when you face them, but they are nearly essential to success in this game. If you aren't able to pick them up, maps like Bakaara, Lockdown, and Liberation become that much more difficult. If a standard sniper class isn't working very well for you, trying thinking outside the box. You might be surprised at what you can come up with.

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

Quote of the Week 8

"It was a busy week down in Bethesda, with the Skyrim developers trademarking the game’s signature 'Fus Ro Dah' shout. Crap, now I owe them $17." ~ The Baltimore Sun, "Friday Buffet: Kinect support for 'Skyrim,' a $1300 game and 'The Atlantic' piece gamers will hate"

Kid Icarus Uprising Experimental Builds

Hey all,

It seems like lately I want to do nothing but gush about Kid Icarus: Uprising. In particular I have become rather addicted to the multiplayer. The player vs player environment in this game offers some unique challenges. It is hard for me to put a definitive label on this game as it mixes the gameplay of third-person shooters and brawlers (based on your preferred play style with RPG elements used to strengthen your character for battle. In my mind there really is few other games like it.

Today I want to discuss multiplayer strategy or at least what I have come to realize after playing randoms and reading Internet forums. Specifically, I would like to write about weapon and power builds for multiplayer. The focus here will be on important things to note when gearing up your fighter and using the abilities you have available to you for maximum effect. Not all of us are hardcore Kid Icarus players, but hopefully I can give you some tips that will keep you from being defeated too easily in battle.

First thing's first, here are some key elements I have noticed about the nature of the game so far:

• Offense is key in this game due to the limited amount of ways to defend yourself. Players that score high tend to have more stars in the melee and ranged stats of their weapons than anything else.
• Weapons like staffs, cannons, and orbitars rely more heavily on ranged attacks while clubs, claws, and arms are better with higher melee rating. Blades, bows, and palms can be mixed based on the specific weapon and play style.
• Some stats can also increase your damage capabilities. Look out for charge shot, combo, and dash attack modifiers.
• Faster weapons like claws could need more speed and stamina to close the distance to opponents, particularly those with high power staffs and clubs.
• Don't discount defense! Overall, melee, and shot defense and health can be equally as important in battle. If you have a 300+ rating weapon, you will likely want to stay alive as long as possible.
• Negative modifiers can potentially be helpful to you. They lower the rating of your weapon, granting fewer points to opponents who defeat you. Stats like heart bonus or status resistance, which don't affect battle much, are especially useful in this manner.
• These rules apply in all cases. For example, some clubs might be better with ranged attack rating or higher shot homing and faster charging. Negative defense modifiers could be helpful going with the Libra Sponge power.

Those seem to be some general guidelines for the time being. I'm currently working on getting new weapons ready for multiplayer, but I have done quite well so far with my current builds.

Beware, Golbez!		Quick Charge Mega Laser Super Armor Counter Effect Recovery	At the start of the match, I generally use Quick Charge and Mega Laser to attack enemies from afar. I utilize my Counter in melee situations to prevent myself from getting jumped. Super Armor is not only good for approaching but also for low health situations. I added in Effect Recovery to prevent freeze, eggplant, and any other effects that would prevent me from attacking.
Imma firin' my lasers!		Homing Boost Invisible Shots Playing Dead	This build makes it easy to snipe. My Laser Staff has decent ranged power, but the real power comes from Standing Charge Shot +4. Use Homing Boost and Invisible Shots to steal kills without anyone ever knowing. To get away or get hidden kills activate Playing Dead or Transparency.

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

What Irks Me About Donkey Kong Country

"You wouldn't know a good game if you were in it!" ~ Cranky Kong, Donkey Kong Country

Hey all,

There's a few things that annoy me about Donkey Kong Country.

What do the Kremlings want with Donkey Kong's bananas? All these reptiles are carnivores. They don't eat bananas. Everyone else who stole his bananas had good reasons to do it. Bowser stole them in Super Smash Bros. Brawl to draw him and Diddy Kong out so he can blast them with a Dark Cannon. The tikis in Donkey Kong Country Returns are powered up by bananas. As inane as the idea of banana-powered musical tikis sounds, they still make more sense than the Kremlings. That tells you something. I don't understand why King K. Rool wants those bananas so badly. Does he simply want to rule DK Island? Then he should have just gone and kicked DK's ass. The bananas just gave Donkey and Diddy a bunch of extra lives by the time they reached the Gangplank Galleon.

Besides that, how come some of the animals are aligned with the Kremlings? The bees and vultures aren't with K. Rool, are they? They're just a bunch of pissed off animals. If K. Rool does have control over them, then why did he choose the beavers and those stupid weak snakes instead of the rhinos and the swordfish? It's an easy choice if you ask me.

Who the heck came up with the idea of using series of floating explosive barrels to cross gaps? Some of those barrel chains were murderous and took me forever to pass when I was a kid. Hasn't anyone on that island ever heard of a freaking bridge? The Kremlings built elaborate factories and mechanical moving platforms on DK Island, but they couldn't construct any bridges? Seriously. I have one other problem with these barrels. Why did the Kremlings put Diddy in a barrel right outside his treehouse? DK just has to walk outside his home and break it open effortlessly. They put Donkey Kong in a cage in Donkey Kong Country 2. Why couldn't they have thought of that the first time?

Now that I think about it, the real problem appears to be with King K. Rool and his leadership. He's a complete moron. Look at the final battle for instance. He starts attacking you by running at you. Have you ever seen that morbidly obese crocodile? Speed is not his strong suit. Obviously he doesn't have to go very fast to cause a lot of damage, but DK and Diddy are more than fast enough to avoid him easily. Then he uses his weapon of choice: his crown. Sure it's pointy enough to hurt when he's jumped on, but if that's the case then use it for defense. You don't roll a small avoidable projectile along the ground and then stand there in shock when they dodge it. King K. Rool doesn't get the sense knocked into him until he gets knocked out the first time and yet he still says to himself, "The giant cannonballs don't work, so I'll try rolling my crown on the ground again." I mean it worked so well before!

Let's be honest: As Cranky Kong once said, "You're only reading this because you're bored!"

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

Final Words on Kid Icarus Uprising

Hey all,

Two weeks ago, I posted my initial thoughts on the newest game from Team Sora and Nintendo, Kid Icarus: Uprising. You can see that article here. Now that I have had a good two weeks to play through the game and become familiar with all of its options, I feel confident talking more about this game. I will try to make this as spoiler-free as I can for all of you.

Some of my feelings about this game remain from my first day playing. The graphics are really stunning and the 3-D clearly enhances the look and feel of the game. All the tricks were employed in this offering, so you will want the slider all the way up when playing this game for the full experience. Of course I know some of you cannot use this feature of the handheld system, but it looks just fine in 2-D too. The control scheme is clunky at first and has a steep learning curve, so it does take some getting used to; however, it gives the player a high level of control that one arguably cannot get with a joystick.

The story, on the negative side, is loose and incoherent at best. The dialogue is cheesy and a lot of things about this game are out of place in an ancient Greek setting. Some of it is humorous to be sure, but a lot of it is groan-inducing. The poor story exacerbates the problem. The plot takes many twists and turns, some of them coming at the most random times. For example, a long period of time passes by at one point in the story. This plot device is triggered by an action that occurred several levels ago though you do not find out about it until later. Yet, it seems like the consequences should have been more immediate. Confused? I don't understand this incongruity myself. Nevertheless, the characters are decent and develop over the course of the game so it makes the flawed story tolerable and perhaps even enjoyable.

The part of this game that impressed me the most was the multiplayer. Sakurai and his team did pretty well making an enriched player vs player environment in this game. There are two game modes: A free-for-all battle and a team battle called Light vs Dark in which players fight to defeat the other team's players to make their Pit appear, which then must be "finished" in turn to win the match. Everyone goes into battle with their own customizable set of weapons and power ups. There are so many combinations and stat builds that no two sets will likely ever be the same. Both multiplayer and single player can provide weapons for your builds, so there's plenty of opportunity to improve. On top of all this the online play is smooth for a Nintendo title, although the connection is sketchy and tends to disconnect a lot (despite the fact that this might be caused by other players.)

Overall I'm more impressed with this game than when I started. This game certainly won't disappoint should you stick with it long enough to get used to the controls. Just don't get discouraged by the terrible plot. My final rating for this game is 8/10.

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

Video Games Live

Roses are #FF0000

Violets are #000FF

All your base are belong to us!

Hey all,

Where could you find a miniature Thor defeating a bunch of video game characters, Ms Pac-Man being chased through the city, and a symphony hall full of nerds who understand the above joke? Only at Video Games Live! The show is entirely devoted to video game music, doing orchestral medleys from different series and titles accompanied by guitar. Contests are held prior to the start of the show. A Guitar Hero champion determined by the highest scorer gets to go on stage and play the game for one of their songs. A costume contest is also held. You can see the lineup of characters below.

From left to right: The hero from Cave Story, Eevee, Link, the Mario Bros., Roxas? from Kingdom Hearts 2, Professor Layton, Steve from Minecraft, Barbie, Medic, Space Core, Adventure Core, Thor, and Tingle.

The concert was mostly familiar to fans of the tour. The usual fare like Super Mario Bros., Mega Man, Castlevania, Tetris, Halo, God of War, and classic game medleys were all played at this year's offering in Bethesda, Maryland. For Warcraft they did a rendition of "Invincible", a theme for the Lich King that was incorrectly introduced as a premiere song from Cataclysm. Their Final Fantasy themes this time around were "Aerith's Theme", collaborated with the University of Maryland Gamer Symphony Orchestra, and "Liberi Fatali". They did a nice Zelda medley too with help from Flute Link. Video Games Live also did music from Shadow of the Colossus and Pokemon. Their Pokemon selections did notably include a Jigglypuff intro and the theme to the Team Rocket motto. You know the whole "To protect the world from devastation" thing. They did not play any Sonic or Civilization music though.

There were some comical moments during the show. Tommy Tallarico knew how to keep the crowd laughing, for example intentionally incorrectly calling flute players "fluters" and joking in between some of the songs. Watching two kids compete in Frogger was good for a few laughs. The one kid had never played before, but they graciously didn't let him go first. The music videos they showed were fun as well. You can see the Ms. Pac-Man music video here. They also showed a parody of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World". Perhaps the funniest moment came during the Portal "Still Alive" sing-along at the very end of the performance. Right after the line "Now we're out of beta. We're releasing on time", they briefly flashed the box art for Duke Nukem Forever. I think this got the most laughs out of anything, and I imagine most of you reading this would know why.

Ralph Baer (the father of video games), Chris Mellisinos (the curator of the Art of Video Games exhibit), and the leaders of the UM GSO all made live appearances at the show. Koji Kondo (the composer for Super Mario Bros.) and Alexey Pajitnov (the creator of Tetris) were also seen in videos introducing the music for their respective games. Solid Snake, Master Chief, and Sonic were part of the whole experience too.

As an aside this event was also a treasure trove of StreetPasses for my 3DS. I got about 15 weapon gems for Kid Icarus Uprising alone, and I haven't even checked my Mii Plaza. There were a bunch of iPhones hanging around too. Strangely enough, I did not see a single PS Vita. I guess that's a good indicator of the mobile market. That is, at least around the Washington, DC area.

The whole experience was pretty cool all around. I got to briefly meet the main cast involved in the show. They were probably the most famous people I had ever met face-to-face to be honest. I wonder if that's just sad or par for the course. I wasn't able to record anything from the show (no cell phones during the performance and I honored the request), but I do have some footage of the pre-show events for my video blog. That will come later though. I have more plans for my next entry than just this event. I highly suggest going to see Video Games Live when it comes to your town locally. You can find out more information about their tour on their web site.

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

Quote of the Week 6 and 7

(I'm behind on my quotes of the week, so I'm packaging two in one post this week. Enjoy!)

"Floor ice cream gives me health!" ~ Pit, Kid Icarus Uprising

"I have failed as a father. I'm supposed to protect him from things like snakes, or bad games. If I came in here and saw him eating garbage, I would have to stop him right?" ~ Gabe, about his son playing Star Wars Kinect, Penny Arcade

Disney Goes the Extra Nautical Mile

Hey all,

I've been putting my new iPad to good use. I'm still exploring the various game options, of course, but I have been able to keep up with the news a lot more. I regularly skim through the CNN app (which is apparently the best news app on a lot of top iPad app lists) and somehow stay up-to-date on various stories. The one that caught my eye today was about Disney of all companies.

The Imagineers have thought up something new for the Fantasy, one of the massive ships in the monolith's cruise lines. Seeking an experience that people could not have at home, the minds at Disney have created the "Magic Play Floor." The way they described it in the article, I would liken it to a Wii Balance Board or Xbox Kinect on steroids. The 14-million pixel, 32 high-definition panel display is on the floor and surrounded by the 16-32 players on its edges. Everyone interacts with the game using 48 special light sensors that detect motion from hands and feet.

As with the rest of the games on board their ship, they are all based on or include characters from different Disney movies. The article tells briefly of a pizza-making game in which Stitch, one of the titular characters in the movie Lilo and Stitch, talks to the kids in real time. I'm not exactly sure what that means or how that works, but it was noteworthy enough to report. In addition to this Magic Play Floor are multiple Magic Play Tables with different games and a Goofy Sports Deck, which encompasses various sports games and an 80 course golf simulator designed for golfers who know what they're doing.

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

Original news story here.

Art of Video Games Recognition

Hey all,

I found this article on CNN about the Art of Video Games exhibit at the Smithsonian and wanted to share it with everyone. You can find the article here.

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

5 Games That Need To Come Stateside

Hey all,

Have you ever seen an awesome trailer for a game and went straight to Google to find out when it's coming out? How many times have you found out that the game you're looking forward to has no planned release in your realm of the world? I was reminded of that today. It really is a huge disappointment. Maybe not as discouraging as games getting canceled, but at least you can hope for a fan translation or an import from Japan. How much does Rosetta Stone cost anyway? Before I make another product reference, I think I should just get to the list:

5) Fire Emblem (various games)
Maybe you can tell by my banner, but I have been a fan of the Fire Emblem series since I played Marth in Super Smash Bros. Melee. It's a fun game if you're into turn-based strategy games and stages that take forever to finish. Several of the games in this series never crossed the Pacific, especially the highly regarded games on the SNES.

4) Jump Ultimate Stars
I have heard it described as Super Smash Bros. with anime characters. I'm not really into anime and I've never picked up a manga, but I wouldn't mind playing this game. I'd probably play Yusuke Urameshi, since I did like Yu Yu Hakusho or maybe Goku or Vegeta for some "Over 9000" laughs. I only wish some Fullmetal Alchemist characters could be in this or its sequel.

3) Mother 3
Earthbound is a quirky game, and I have known some people who were pretty good fans of this title. People can only hope for a sequel to come to the US. At least some Earthbound fanatics have translated this game into an English version. I could seriously make another Smash Bros. reference here.

2) Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney
This would have to be the ultimate puzzle game. Professor Layton *and* Phoenix Wright in the same game? With fully animated cutscenes? This game looks to good to be true. Unfortunately, it is. There still are no plans for this game to come stateside. At least Phoenix was given a voice in Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3. 

1) Mega Man Online
Are you kidding me? A Mega Man MMO? Sign me up! I have loved Mega Man games since I was six-years-old. Unfortunately, this game was only planned for Korea (if it ever comes out at all.) C'mon now, Capcom! Stop teasing us with these games! Whatever happened to Mega Man Universe and Mega Man Legends 3?

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage

Google Maps for the NES

Hey all,

Hope your April Fools' Day was awesome. I found this gag that Google had put up recently and thought it best fits the theme. They were really specific with this video from the Japanese developers to the use of the old Famicom to the act of blowing into the cartridge to get it working. To say the least, it tickled my funny bone. Did anyone notice all the Dragon Warrior references? Not only was the title screen based on the logo but also the map tiles, themes, and character sprite practically came straight from the game itself.

Later,
ArgentStew, the Gaming Sage