Speaking About Games: It’s Getting Easier!

July 28, 2014 by Mike

For a couple of weeks now, I’ve been recording gameplay footage and providing running commentary for each of them. Although I really fumbled my way through the first couple videos — which took countless takes to finally get right — they’re becoming a lot less painful to do, which is a good sign.

My first one, which is already kind of difficult to watch, can be found HERE. Just listening to it, I can tell I was very distracted by the sound of my own voice in the room, and I was also likely trying to be quiet since family was on the other side of my closed door. Focusing through distractions I surely wasn’t.

For my second attempt, I tried something a little different, opting to do a preview of the game I’m currently playing, NES Remix 2 for the Wii U:

I wanted it to be slightly more formal, but still feel casual, and I think it turned out OK. There are, of course, a lot of things I would change, but instead of iterate endlessly on the same thing and risk it losing any sort of spontaneity (and me getting burnt out in the process), I decided to stop with what I had and publish it.

One of the most important bits of advice I ever heard was from one of my favorite YouTubers, boogie2988, who said to just keep creating content and get it all out there, no matter how you’re feeling, and eventually you’ll build up a base of fans, subscribers, and new friends. Check him out if you haven’t; he has a lot of great things to say. He also partially inspired me to start this whole GHG journey.

Anyway, I like the overall flow of that video, and I’m glad I was able to squeeze in the parts about Super Luigi Bros. and Championship Mode, which I still haven’t really spent any time with as I continue through the main game. One thing I do regret is not getting the information about Championship Mode right. A little pre-recording research would have made me sound less like an ignoramus! Oh well, c’est la vie.

My third video was a singular set of NES Remix 2 replays for Zelda II: The Adventure of Link:

What I wanted to do with this one was showcase a single, focused theme, going through all of the game’s challenges in order. I was also admittedly pretty proud of some of my times, so it’s a mildly selfish opportunity to show off a little bit, which is tough, since I don’t like bragging about much.

My voice still sounds a bit hesitant, with odd pauses, mixed-up tenses, phrases that don’t go together, and the dreaded “speaking from the throat”, which is a clear sign of nervousness.

This took me quite a few restarts to get going, and after about the tenth fail, I almost gave up. Good thing I didn’t, because about 95% of the audio here is from the final take that followed.

Today, I did my fourth video, which walks through all twenty of the first Remix I stages from the same game:

I feel like I’m starting to catch my stride here. Not only did I get this in just two takes, but I think I’m sounding more comfortable and relaxed.

Much like my blog posts, I need to work on better word variety, stamping out fillers like “you know”, “uhh”, “yeah”, etc., and like the First Impressions video earlier in this post, doing more research and preparation prior to hitting the record button would really help. It’s a small detail, but it’d be nice to be able to call out the actual enemy names and such instead of falling back on generics like “that guy”, “those baddies”, and “the boss”.

This is also my longest video at just about 12 minutes. That’s a lot of talking from someone known for being a pretty quiet guy.

Anyway, I’m having a blast doing this, and apologies again for everything being so NES Remix-focused recently. It’s such a fun series that I hope we see more of in the future. Just between the Game Boy Color, Super Nintendo, and Game Boy Advance, the possibilities are endless!

Drawing again because of… the Wii U?

July 22, 2014 by Mike

Who would’ve thought that Nintendo’s latest console would be responsible for getting me back into art again? While many people — included myself — scoffed at and cast doubt upon the GamePad, in my opinion, it’s more than proven its worth.

Games like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD really benefit from it with its nice quick-access inventory/menu functionality, and off-TV play is fantastic for the games that support it. However, I think it’s the Miiverse — Nintendo’s social network for the Wii U and 3DS — where the GamePad truly shines.

It’s nice to type up messages like you would on Facebook and Twitter, but it’s the handwritten notes, hints, and pictures that you can leave for the community which I find the most fun. There are so many amazing artists out there, and many of them have inspired me to dust off my stylus and take a crack at drawing again.

I haven’t created much for the better part of 17 years. I loved doing anime-style work traditionally with Tria/Prismacolor markers on Letramax paper, and I took it pretty seriously at the time, dumping lots of money into supplies. Honestly, I don’t know why I stopped for so long. Doing it again now, I realize how much I missed it.

All of the sketches I did initially were for NES Remix. I drew little pictures here and there earlier this year, but I decided to jump in with both feet and sketch something bigger every time I got full rainbows on any of the games:

This drawing for Mario Bros. was first up. It’s become one of my more popular ones on the Miiverse. I don’t like the way his hat looks, but for a first attempt, I think it turned out OK. At this point, I was just getting used to the tool set, which is very light, but I think they work great.

Balloon Fight turned out to be a fun game, similar to the old arcade game Joust. For this one, I tried to make it look like his hand was stretching out towards the viewer, but I’m not sure it was all that effective.

I hated — and I mean really hated — Ice Climber when I first started playing it. It was one of the few games I honestly thought was broken! Over time, though, I learned how to play it well enough to get all the rainbows in it.

What do I think of it now? It’s OK, but I don’t know if I’ll be rushing out to play it again. For this sketch, I created an original character based loosely on the female second player from the game. The hammer inadvertently turned out looking like the mallet from Donkey Kong.

Here’s a Wind Waker-style Link to celebrate getting all the rainbows in the original Legend of Zelda. I loaded up a picture via Google for reference, and this is what I ended up with. Most of the shading is true to the original image, but I added more to give it a three-dimensional look.

My Simpsons-inspired Luigi that I drew shortly after starting NES Remix 2. I forgot to add highlights on his hair, and I totally got his mustache wrong. However, after several drawings in a row, I was starting to feel really comfortable with the sketching tools, trying new techniques with shading, and spending more time touching up my handwriting to give it some additional style.

As I’ve been progressing through NES Remix 2, I’ve been taking time to share some of my times as simpler, less time-consuming posts. Since this game doesn’t have leaderboards, this is the only way to share them in-game, which is unfortunate.

Anyway, I started off with this one using a Tanooki Mario stamp and more experimentation with hand-drawn motion effects and fonts. These only take a few minutes, but they’re still fun to make.

A “remix” of my own using Punch-Out!! and Super Mario Bros. 2 stamps, along with some hand-drawn elements to show motion and depth.

This one’s just silly, but I wanted to mess around with changing the look of the stamps themselves. Little Mac’s about to go Super Saiyan!

Running out of ideas, I tried something a little different with the bounce/impact effects, but besides that, there’s not much going on here…

…and so, I decided to detail out and stylize some numbers, which I loved doing back in high school.

When I got to Kirby’s Adventure, I went back to drawing the characters again. I’ve never tried to draw him before, and it’s harder than it looks! I took some liberties with his face design, but I like the way he turned out overall.

Another one of Kirby. Keen observers will notice that he’s actually blowing out instead of sucking in, but I guess in the context of displaying a score, it still works.

Anyway, as much fun as Miiverse posts are, I wanted to try my hand at getting back into color work too. I downloaded Art Academy: SketchPad on the Wii U, which is cheap at only $4, but it’s pretty limited in terms of functionality and drawing options.

I’ll write up a full review at a later date, but here’s my first piece: Finn the Human from the great cartoon Adventure Time:

All in all, I’m having a great time getting back into drawing, and again, I owe it all to the Wii U. It’s not only been a surprisingly good console for games, but it’s proven its worth on the creative side as well.

Please add me as a friend if you’d like to see more and follow my doodles. I’m ghibli99 on the Nintendo Network, so I’ll see you online!

Happy Fourth of July!

July 3, 2014 by Mike

GHG will be back on Monday, but I just wanted to wish everyone a fun and safe holiday weekend. We’ll be checking out the fireworks show here during the Fort Dalles Fourth, the first in over 25 years!

I plan on getting caught up on a few games over the weekend as well, including Pokemon X (3DS), Nier (PS3), and Shovel Knight (PC).

I’m about 15 hours into Game Freak’s Pokemon X — this being one of the first games in the series I’ve ever put any time into — and I’m enjoying it.

There’s something irresistible about these cute and unique monsters, figuring out what skills to keep or replace, seeing what each monster evolves into, and understanding the various characteristics of all the Pokemon in this world. As a relative newbie, I’m still rather overwhelmed by the complexity and variety on display here. Just keeping tabs on what Pokemon I’ve caught and organizing them feels like a game in and of itself. The satisfaction of whittling down a Pokemon’s health and capturing it in a Poke Ball is also pretty great.

I’m particularly impressed with Pokemon X‘s soundtrack. I was expecting a standard and light set of tunes, but there have been many times where I’ve just sat there and listened to the catchy music found all over Kalos, like the “Gate Theme”, which is just so good.

Some things about the game annoy me, like how it can be a bit difficult to position your character to speak to NPCs, or the slow pace of battles even with the animations turned off. On the flipside, the game is very pretty, and small touches — like how you physically bend down to talk to children — show great attention to detail that give the game its unique charm.

Even though I’ve put a decent amount of time into Pokemon X, I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. This is the kind of game I could easily see myself sinking many, many hours into, like I did with one of my favorite Nintendo DS RPGs several years ago, Dragon Quest IX.

I just started Cavia’s Nier a few days ago, and only have a couple hours logged. It’s a game I’ve had in my backlog since 2012, and after being urged by a friend to play it for at least the past year, I decided to finally give it a shot.

From the beginning, I didn’t think I’d make it past the intro. The game suffers from sub-par visuals and a combat system that — at least initially — feels simplistic and repetitive. The first battle in Nier seems to take forever, and for a moment, I thought I was doing something wrong.

I wasn’t feeling much better a little later, as the game’s inhabitants were perfectly happy to send me on countless, mindless fetch quests. However, after I played through and finished the first dungeon — including the first boss — I started feeling differently.

There’s a lot going on in Nier, with many ideas borrowed from genres you wouldn’t think have any place in an action RPG like this, but nevertheless, they’re in here and they work quite well. The story is interesting, which is elevated by some pretty good voice acting. It was certainly better than I was expecting, with the title character Nier and your early sidekick Grimoire Weiss having solid performances.

So far, Nier is proving to be better than I was expecting, and even though it has numerous flaws that can’t be ignored, I find myself compelled to play it, and that’s what’s most important: that a game be fun.

Finally, there’s Yacht Club Games’ Shovel Knight, which I just wrote about yesterday. Having put around 4 hours into it so far, I’m about halfway through. It’s just a fantastic platforming adventure with so much to do.

Challenge and difficulty feel just right, although if you are not used to playing side-scrolling games like this that have limited continue points and other consequences for dying, it might initially feel punishing. It’s not Mega Man or Ninja Gaiden levels of punishing, but players just wanting to quickly fly through the game to see its ending will be met with a quick demise. In fact, many rooms are designed in such a way that you’ll take a hit and usually fall to your death — or at least get knocked back to the previous screen — if you just run in blind.

I can’t say enough about how good the game looks and sounds. Art and animation are of the highest quality, backgrounds have a ton of detail, and the music gets in your head and stays there. Jake Kaufman, with some contributions by original Mega Man composer Manami Matsumae, outdoes himself here. “La Danse Macabre”, a song that will bring to mind a very popular vampire-slaying series on the NES, is one of many standout musical pieces in what is already an amazing soundtrack.

Shovel Knight would have to seriously pull the rug out from under me at this point to fail. What a game!

Backlog Blitz: The games of June 2014

July 1, 2014 by Mike

June hurt. A lot. Although I didn’t spend a lot of money ($63.75), I only finished 2 games worth $20.00. With the year already halfway over, heading into July with only a +2 advantage isn’t the most positive of omens. Let’s hope the rest of the year turns things around! Anyway, the format, as with previous updates, is Game Title (Platform, Purchase Price, Play Time).

Games purchased (-9, $63.75 spent):

Lego City Undercover (Wii U, $5.00)
The Lego games — and the work of Traveller’s Tales in general — have been hit or miss with me in the past, but I’ve heard great things about this one. Having played through and thoroughly enjoyed Grand Theft Auto V earlier this year, I’m eager to try this, a more family-friendly open-world action game.
Picross e4 (3DS, $6.00)
This was mainly a purchase for my wife, who loves all things Picross. I didn’t even know that these eShop versions existed until I just happened upon them while browsing through the store a few weeks ago. So far, a thumbs-up from her, so things are looking good!
Aban Hawkins & the 1001 Spikes (Wii U, $6.50)
Nicalis is one of my favorite indie developer/publishers — responsible for the excellent 3DS versions of Cave Story and VVVVVV — and it didn’t take much beyond its weird trailer to convince me that I’d be buying this on day one. Just started it, and it’s fantastic.
NES Remix 2 (Wii U, $10.00)
After giving the first NES Remix a second chance, I ended up really liking it, so picking up the second one was a no-brainer. Game selection looks better, and there are a number of changes and improvements to it that should make it an even more enjoyable trip down memory lane.
Far Cry 3 (PC, $7.50)
And then came the Steam Summer Sale, which unfortunately accounts for this and most of the remaining games below. I’ve never played any of the Far Cry games, but I’ve heard really good things about this particular installment. The trailer shown at E3 for Far Cry 4 looked intriguing, so I might as well get educated on what this series is all about.
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (PC, $3.75)
A total impulse buy, I have no idea what this is about, except that everyone who has played it says it’s one of the coolest things from 2013. Looks like it’s chock-full of ’80s and 16-bit nostalgia, so that sounds like it’s right up my alley.
New Super Luigi U (Wii U, $17.50)
I’ve been waiting for a good price on the retail version of this New Super Mario Bros. U DLC, and I finally found one. The original game was one of my favorites on the Wii U, and is up there with New Super Mario Bros. Wii as my favorite of the “New” series.
Spelunky (PC, $3.75)
Took me a while to finally buy this, and the Steam Sale made it possible for a great price. I played a good chunk of the non-HD version years ago, so I’m looking forward to losing myself in this enhanced version.
BattleBlock Theater (PC, $3.75)
Another impulse purchase based on a friend’s recommendation. It’s a platformer by The Behemoth (Alien Hominid and Castle Crashers), which sounds like a winning combination to me!

Games finished (+2, $20.00 value):

NES Remix (Wii U, $15.00, 15 hrs.)
Although I still can’t get over how bad the controls are in games like Ice Climber, Urban Champion, and the original Mario Bros. (non-Super), this is still a great compilation that will make you look at the NES era in entirely new ways. I’m glad I gave it another chance, because I ended up really enjoying it. Overall: B+ (Review Link)
DuckTales (NES, $5.00, 4 hrs.)
This is a short game, but it’ll definitely take you several playthroughs to extract everything there is out of it. But even after that, you’ll likely come back for more. This is a unique, fun platformer that proudly does its license justice. Good graphics, great music, fun gameplay, and nonlinear level design. Overall: B+ (Review Link)

And with that, we head into the second half of 2014! If E3 is any indicator, it’s going to take some serious willpower to make it through the rest of the year in positive territory.

Backlog Blitz: The games of May 2014

June 27, 2014 by Mike

I stopped the bleeding (somewhat) in May. I bought 7 games and finished 6, so I was pretty happy about that. June is not looking pretty by any stretch of the imagination though — 9 bought and 2 finished with only 3 days left this month! — but I’ll hopefully be able to squeeze in one or two more before the year’s half over. Do or do not, there is no try, right? Anyway, the format, like before, is Game Title (Platform, Purchase Price, Play Time).

Games purchased (-7, $108.25 spent):

Child of Light (PC, $12.00)
Developed with the UbiArt Framework engine, I’ve been looking forward to this RPG ever since I first saw it. Getting around to actually playing it is proving to be a bit challenging, but it’s one of those games I know will be a wonderful experience, and wanted to make sure I bought it at launch.
Tales of Symphonia Chronicles (PS3, $10.00)
Sony had a good 50% off sale on PSN this month, and since I read that the original Tales of Symphonia was one of the better ones in the series, I picked this up. I haven’t played or finished a Tales game since Tales of Destiny on the original PlayStation, so I’m sure I’m in for a surprise!
Sonic Hits Collection (PC, $7.50)
Normally $30, I couldn’t pass up this nice discount on the Humble Store. It includes more Sonic games than you can shake a stick at: Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, Sonic 3 and Knuckles, Sonic 3D Blast, Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, Sonic Adventure DX, Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed: Metal Sonic & Outrun DLC, Sonic CD, Sonic Generations, Sonic Generations – Casino Nights DLC, Sonic Spinball, Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 – Episode 1, and Sonic the Hedgehog 4 – Episode 2. Whew!
Saints Row IV (PC, $10.00)
Another 75% off title during May’s Humble Store sale. I never did get around to picking this up when it first came out — perhaps I was still feeling bitter about THQ’s demise — but I still have friends at Volition, so this one’s for them. If I remember right, IV was originally supposed to be DLC for Saints Row: The Third, so I’m curious to see how it holds up as a standalone product.
Rogue Legacy (PC, $3.75)
75% off seems to be the sweet spot for me and most digital PC games. I remember my friends talking about this one last year, and I finally got around to buying it. It looks like just the kind of game I’m going to love and sink many, many hours into. Crazy-good animation and good, tight controls.
The Humble Bundle: PC & Android 10 (PC/Android, $5.00)
Another solid bundle to help build up my Steam and mobile gaming library. Good games, good cause. This one includes: Breach & Clear, Draw a Stickman: EPIC, Fieldrunners, Fieldrunners 2, Frozen Synapse, Galcon Fusion, Galcon Legends, Ittle Dew, METAL SLUG 3, Skulls of the Shogun, and Symphony.
Mario Kart 8 (Wii U, $60.00)
I don’t buy too many games full-price at retail, but in this case, I couldn’t help it. I started playing it immediately, and it’s easily the best Mario Kart game since the original SNES version, particularly after my disappointment with Mario Kart 7 on the 3DS. I still have a lot to do and unlock in the game, but it’s been so much fun, and getting the free game (I selected Pikmin 3) was a very generous 2-for-1 gesture by Nintendo.

Games finished (+6, $83.00 value):

Persona 4 Golden (Vita, $40.00, 60 hrs.)
This was the main reason — perhaps the only reason — why I originally wanted a Vita. I loved Persona 3 Portable on the PSP, and wanted to play its sequel in handheld form. I had some problems with it, even starting over on the easiest difficulty, and it still took a very long time to finish. I think these games are just a bit too long for their own good, but they’re still a lot of fun with great style, music, and gameplay. Overall: B+ (Review Link)
Tearaway (Vita, $40.00, 10 hrs.)
I’m about to throw in the towel for the second time on LittleBigPlanet because of its awful controls, but Media Molecule got that part right with Tearaway. The camera isn’t very good when it needs to be, but the total experience is just beautiful and very original. It’s my favorite game on the Vita. Overall: A (Review Link)
Monument Valley (Android, Free, 2 hrs.)
Criminally short, but a totally essential game on mobile. Wonderful use of color, an atmosphere that will remind you of Journey on the PS3, and mind-bending design all combine to deliver one of the best games I’ve played this year on Android. Overall: A- (Review Link)
The Room Two (Android, $3.00, 5 hrs.)
The Room was a fantastic game, and its sequel is at least its equal, doing some things better and some things worse. I liked that it’s bigger, scarier, and of the same high quality that made the first game so memorable. However, making the game bigger means you have to move around more and get out of that zen-like dive into these puzzles that was so darn cool in the original. This makes puzzles more elaborate, but in a way, less intimate. Overall: A- (Review Link)
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse 1990 (PS3, Free, 3 hrs.)
Just as good as I remember from the Sega Genesis days. Inspired animation, a classic soundtrack, and lots of gameplay variety. The game is short, and the controls feel a little too rigid, but at least they’re accurate. Overall: B+ (Review Link)
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse 2013 (PS3, Free, 3 hrs.)
They had the right idea with this one, and I think in the hands of a better developer, it could have been something truly special, proudly standing next to the original. It has nice art, music, and level design, but the atrocious controls, lousy hit detection, and mediocre performance make it an average experience at best. Overall: C (Review Link)

A -1 finish overall for the month, and I ended up $25.25 in the hole, which isn’t too bad. If I just had to pick one or two games to recommend to my readers, it’d be Tearaway and Monument Valley, two very unique gaming experiences that you won’t soon forget.

Re-Review: NES Remix (Wii U eShop)

June 19, 2014 by Mike

I gave NES Remix a B- earlier this year, after losing interest in it rather quickly. When I bought it, I was expecting it to be similar to the WarioWare series, with quick, bite-sized challenges of increasing difficulty. In a way, that’s exactly what I got. However, instead of just a well-timed button press here or a tilt of the GBA there, these challenges required more effort and patience. In other words, you have to be good at these games. Did I really want to be devoting valuable time to games like Balloon Fight and Wrecking Crew, after not really caring about them in the ’80s? Those opposing forces really conflicted me, and before I knew it, I was getting frustrated trying to relearn these old 8-bit games.

But as I’ve learned time and time again, stepping away from games can often bring me back with a more open mind. After spending more time with it, digging deeper into its many challenges, my appreciation for it has definitely grown. While I still think that the game selection itself runs the entire quality gamut from poor to excellent, what the developer Indieszero has put together here is really quite impressive.

It’d be easy to say that they just wrapped a NES emulator inside another game engine, but when you stop and think about what it took to make all of this function the way it does, it’s pretty amazing.

As a sidenote, I think one of the best features of the Wii U is the Miiverse, with its individual game communities, excellent player interaction, and what was introduced first in Super Mario 3D World: stamps. NES Remix‘s implementation is cool in that you not only earn stamps and can use them in Miiverse posts, but they are displayed to other users, including best times and star ratings. Some of the scores I’ve seen from other players have been very impressive, as is the artwork I’ve seen. There are some incredibly talented artists out there, and I love discovering them.

My meager attempt — like the one pictured here — is just a tiny example of how you can blend hand-drawn pictures with stamps. It’s a lot of fun, the community seems to do a good job of policing itself, and the Wii U GamePad works surprisingly well for drawing.

I still have a considerable ways to go before I get 3 stars on everything, but even at this relatively late point in the game, I keep running into little fun surprises. For example, you can buy the old games featured in NES Remix on the eShop. That’s not the cool part, though. What’s cool is they created this fun Legend of Zelda-themed screen before taking you to the store. It’s a great touch that they didn’t really need to put in there, but they did anyway.

NES Remix also does a really good job of rolling out new content and challenges to the player constantly. Every time I think I’ve unlocked the last game, a new one pops up, or more Remix stages appear, and there are surprises beyond that. I loved the way Turn 10 did this in Forza Motorsport 4, and it’s just as effective and rewarding here.

I also like that there are embedded curve balls thrown into the Remix stages, so just when you think you know what you’re going to have to do, you’re asked to do things that you’ve probably never done in these games. Those moments are the most memorable, like the one above where Luigi not only has to get through one of Donkey Kong‘s stages that has been flipped horizontally, but then make it all the way back to the beginning. Some of the other stages seem borderline unfair at times, but you can tell that the designers had a blast coming up with all sorts of ways to really mess with our decades-old muscle memory.

In closing, this has been my go-to game for the past week. Whenever I have a few minutes, I’ll immediately turn this on and collect several more stars. It’s great being able to do everything from the GamePad too; this is precisely the type of title that’s perfectly suited for it. Although I still can’t get over how bad the controls are in games like Ice Climber, Urban Champion, and the original Mario Bros. (non-Super), this is still a great compilation that will make you look at the NES era in entirely new ways.

Graphics & Presentation: B+
Classic sprites with subtle touches in the Remix stages, like drop shadows that add depth. Nice interface, good Miiverse integration, and a terrific loading screen give it a polished feel.
Music & Sound Effects: B
Clean, crisp audio, plus some new music and interface sound effects. You’ll likely get very tired of hearing the Miss and Game Over sounds, though.
Gameplay & Controls: B+
The games are preserved here and play just like you remember. They also control just like they did in the ’80s, which is to say that some are good and some are bad. Lots of content rewards throughout keep things fresh.
Value: A+
$15 seems steep, but there are over 200 challenges to complete, and they will keep you busy for a long time, especially if you go for the perfect rainbows. Good Miiverse integration keeps you chasing those high scores.

Overall: B+

E3 2014: My Games of the Show

June 13, 2014 by Mike

After a week full of announcements, surprises, disappointments, and more new games than you can shake a stick at, E3 has come to a close. Although I enjoy watching E3 from the comfort of home, there is a part of me that definitely misses not being able to physically be there and play the games in person. Despite the traffic, sore feet, headaches, and halitosis, you just can’t replace that in-person experience.

Anyway, now that the show is over and I’ve had a few days to think about the games that were on display, I wanted to share my personal list of titles I’m most excited about. Basically, if I had the power to, I’d play all of these right now.

Here we go, in relative order of my excitement level from lowest to highest. Special thanks to NeoGAF for providing a handy list of the games at E3 that I used for reference, several of which I completely missed earlier in the week.

One thing’s for sure: October of this year and what looks like all of 2015 are going to be crowded with lots of high-quality games. I hope your wallets are ready!

Hohokum (PS4/PS3/Vita, August 2014)
Supporting Cross-Play, this is a very unique-looking title that underscores the robust lineup that the PlayStation brand is known for. It has a look that is not unlike that of LocoRoco, and represents the style of new thinking common to many games of this decade. It looks like a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to see those colors pop on the Vita.

Pushmo World (Wii U, June 2014)
Even though they can frustrate me, I love the puzzle games Pushmo and Crashmo on the 3DS. I gave Crashmo an A- back in January, and I was hoping the series wouldn’t end there. I’m really happy that it’s making its way to the Wii U next week! I honestly don’t know if Intelligent Systems is capable of making a bad game, although the jury’s still out on their recently announced Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. Just about everything they do is fun, polished, and imaginative.

Gunman Clive 2 (3DS, Q3 2014)
Nintendo released a ton of eShop trailers for their systems this year, but Gunman Clive 2 was the one that stood out for me. The original was a fun little action/platformer, but it was really short. It has a great style, good controls, and was the kind of game that definitely needed a sequel. And here it is, looking terrific. It should be a lot of fun.

Assassin’s Creed: Unity (PS4/Xbox One/PC, October 2014)
This is a series that I haven’t given much attention to over the years, but I was really impressed by what I saw at E3 this year. The cinematic trailer is nice, but the in-game footage is what’s truly gorgeous, and really said “next-generation” to me. All throughout the week, I was continually surprised by just how good most games look this generation in terms of raw detail, performance, and individual style.

Grand Theft Auto V (PS4/Xbox One/PC, Fall 2014)
I gave the original Grand Theft Auto V an A+ in March, and cited it as one of my favorite games on the PS3. I’ll likely have to double-dip on the PC, where it will finally be able to shine as bright as it was meant to. Not sure if I’ll have it in me to replay it from the start, but it sounds like you’ll be able to transfer your save data somehow. Hopefully that’s true for PC as well!

Evolve (PS4/Xbox One/PC, October 2014)
Online multiplayer games aren’t my thing, and that probably isn’t going to change anytime soon, but I have to mention this since so many of my former friends and coworkers are busting their rumps to get this game done. This was one of the last projects at THQ before the company went belly-up, so a lot of us have a lasting connection with it. It’s been receiving extremely high praise from press and players alike, so I have no doubt it will be a huge hit for Turtle Rock Studios and 2K Games.

Mirror’s Edge 2 (PS4/Xbox One/PC, 2016)
It’s tough to get too excited over a game slated for 2016, but I can’t deny that I’m really drawn to the game’s style. It’s one of the most unique out there. I’m so glad that DICE is able to work on games like this again after a very successful — but ultimately uninteresting to me — run with the Battlefield series.

Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse (Wii U/3DS, Q3 2014)
I played Shantae: Risky’s Revenge back in September of 2012, and I absolutely loved it. Pirate’s Curse, co-developed by WayForward and Inti Creates, looks insanely beautiful, and will definitely be a must-buy for me when it comes out later this year. Now to decide whether to get the Wii U or 3DS version. Those graphics might demand that I play it in HD.

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (3DS, Q3 2014)
I’ve never played any of the Etrian Odyssey games, but I used to be a big fan of first-person dungeon crawlers on the old Apple //e. Mixing that style with cute, super-deformed Persona 3 and Persona 4 characters? Yeah, I won’t be able to resist that. Not one bit.

Bayonetta 2 + Bayonetta 1 (Wii U, October 2014)
Originally announced as a Wii U exclusive back in 2012, fans of Platinum Games are eagerly awaiting this one. I have admittedly not played the original, but this looks so crazy over-the-top that I’m now pretty excited about its arrival! It also has some Nintendo franchise tie-ins, including The Legend of Zelda and Metroid, which looks silly and awesome at the same time.

Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright (3DS, August 2014)
When I first heard that they were going to cross these two series together, I wasn’t sure how it was going to work. Although they share some similarities, their styles are vastly different. I also wasn’t really sure if we’d ever get this game, but now that we are, and I’ve seen the trailer, I’m super-excited about it! Both of these games have made me pretty mad in the past with their occasionally obscure puzzle designs, but this is looking really good. The animated cutscenes have a particularly premium feel to them that I can appreciate.

Forza Horizon 2 (Xbox One/360, September 2014)
Although I have yet to play the first one, I really liked what I saw of this at Microsoft’s press conference. I don’t have an Xbox One yet, so I might get the 360 version. However, knowing there’s a superior version out there might be a hard pill to swallow. With the cheaper $400 Xbox One sans Kinect now out there, Microsoft’s making that decision a little easier for those of us still on the fence.

Sunset Overdrive (Xbox One, October 2014)
After a string of pretty serious games over the past year, like The Last of Us and Tomb Raider, games like Sunset Overdrive really stand out. I haven’t been much of an Insomniac follower over the years — the last game of theirs I ever completed was the original Spyro the Dragon! — but this looks like it could bring me back. I love the animation, and there’s a distinct Jet Grind Radio vibe going on as well, which is never a bad thing.

Driveclub (PS4, October 2014)
I really didn’t pay much attention to this leading up to E3, and prematurely wrote it off as just another racing game. However, after seeing some coverage, what I really like about it is that it is less Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport, and more Project Gotham Racing. This is potentially very exciting news since fans of the PGR series have been left hanging since 2007. It looks and sounds great — including some phenomenal weather effects — so I’m really looking forward to seeing what the final product is like!

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (PS4/Xbox One/PC, February 2015)
This is yet another series (in a long line of them, can’t you tell?) that I have never played, but after getting a taste of it with this trailer and some of the other coverage this week, it now has my full attention. This just looks ridiculously good, and there’s no doubt I’m going to have to fire up my copy of The Witcher 2 on Steam sometime soon to see what it’s all about!

Costume Quest 2 (Everything under the sun, October 2014)
A fond memory of mine was working on the first Costume Quest at THQ. The team had the best time working with Double Fine, and it remains one of the smoothest and delightful projects we saw in QA. The first game was fun and charming, but rather simple and short. The sequel looks to really raise the bar and deliver a game that improves upon it in every way. Like Grim Fandango, it’s great to see Double Fine flourish and create games that their fans really want.

Volume (PS4/Vita/PC, 2014)
Mike Bithell’s Thomas Was Alone is one of my favorite Vita games. His next game looks like it has some interesting ideas, and I’m sure by the time it releases later this year, it will be of the same high quality as TWA. The very strange — but refreshingly cool — live-action trailer adds to its mystery and a seemingly dark, comedic nature.

Night in the Woods (PS4/PC, 2015)
Successfully funded on Kickstarter back in November 2013, this just looks lovely. It has a clean style, and looks to touch on some very serious life and existence issues. Music sounds great and you can tell the team is dedicated to making this an unforgettable and unique adventure. This one totally flew under the radar for me, but I think it’s one of the more interesting games I’ve seen this week.

Abzu (PS4, No Release Date)
From the same Art Director and Composer as 2012’s Journey — one of the most sublime PS3 games I played last generation — this looks to be another winner. Gorgeous visuals with a wonderfully mysterious atmosphere. Unless something goes terribly wrong during its development, I’ll be there on day one for this!

No Man’s Sky (PS4, No Release Date)
Dinosaurs, technology, Robotech-like space battles, and procedurally generated worlds to explore. It all sounds — and especially looks — brilliant, but I worry a little bit about the actual gameplay. Games like these have historically left me feeling empty because they lack focus, but I’m going to keep the faith with this one. I hope it ends up being a game from this generation that we’ll be talking about years from now.

Fantasy Life (3DS, October 2014)
Out of nowhere came the news of Level 5’s RPG being localized for the US. It wasn’t the Dragon Quest VII remake announcement I was hoping for, but this looks like a lot of fun! The musical score in particular — composed by Final Fantasy legend Nobuo Uematsu — sounds beautiful, with sweeping, grand melodies and nice instrumentation. I can’t wait for this one!

Grim Fandango (PS4/Vita, No Release Date)
If you are a fan of the classic PC adventure game, this was probably at or near the top of your list of favorite announcements this week. Just hearing them say “Grim Fandango” and seeing the logo up on screen was enough to give me chills. Hopefully it doesn’t take too long to remaster, but seeing as it’s been 16 years since the original, I suppose we can wait a little longer. No PC version as of yet, but it has to be coming out at some point, right? If so, I’ll have to get that version out of respect for the original.

Valiant Hearts (Everything except Wii U, June 2014)
Utilizing the UbiArt Framework engine, this adventure game looks so unique, and it’s nice to see a shifting focus from WWII overload to other conflicts. There are so many other stories to tell — such as these — so I’m really looking forward to this game’s release later this month.

Cuphead (Xbox One/PC, Q4 2014)
I had totally forgotten about this game until one of my friends mentioned it on Google+. I don’t like the name — it needs a subtitle or something — but the game itself looks absolutely amazing. With a convincing 1930’s animation style and slick design, it really stands out in an ever-growing sea of side-scrolling games. This is “retro” taken to a whole different level. More games like this, please!

Rise of the Tomb Raider (Xbox One, Late 2015)
2013’s Tomb Raider totally exceeded my expectations when I played it earlier this year. After beating it, I immediately wanted to play a sequel. Although only shown in cutscene form, it looked intense, and I have full confidence that Crystal Dynamics will deliver a game that outdoes the original in every way possible. It’s one of my most anticipated games this generation, so here’s to the long wait.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (PS4, 2015)
Although the trailer was short and didn’t show any gameplay, Uncharted 4 is obviously at or near the top of many Most Wanted lists, including mine. The PS3 trilogy is among my all-time favorites, and although Uncharted 3 was the weakest one, I trust that Naughty Dog will bring it back to its former glory on PS4. The footage shown, running realtime in-game at 1080p and 60fps, made jaws hit the floor. Subtle, almost imperceptible details shine through with each subsequent viewing. If the final game does indeed look as good as this, prepare for PS4 shortages once again.

Batman: Arkham Knight (PS4/Xbox One/PC, 2015)
Easily one of my most anticipated games right now. Not much more needs to be said about this one, and I’ll probably avoid most media on it from here on out. I know it’ll be good, and I’ll definitely be there on release day, no matter what!

Ori and the Blind Forest (Xbox One/360/PC, Q4 2014)
This was probably my favorite game of the show that was shown with actual gameplay. It’s stunningly beautiful with an aesthetic similar to the UbiArt Framework games, appears to have very smooth gameplay, all wrapped up in a mysteriously magical atmosphere. Seeing a game like this makes me so happy that 2D design and artwork has not just persevered, but thrived. I have very, very high hopes for this one. Maybe too high.

The Legend of Zelda (Wii U, 2015)
And finally, the Nintendo bomb felt around the world on Tuesday morning. I’ve already expressed my “slight” excitement over this one, but it’s worth it. This was easily the game at E3 that blew my mind the most. Sure, it looks like it was mainly just an in-engine cutscene, but that wide shot of Hyrule has already captured my imagination, looking so vibrant and full of life. As I heard someone say, “I want to live there!” Couldn’t agree more. Minus the monsters, perhaps. The art style is just perfect. It will be a long, excruciatingly painful wait for this one, but I’m sure it will be 100% worth it.

And with that, it’s now time to recover from the show and get back to actually playing games again. Have a great weekend everyone!

E3 2014: Press Conference Round-Up

June 11, 2014 by Mike

E3 is now going full-steam in its second day, and as usual, the hardware manufacturers and big publishers prefaced the show on Monday and early Tuesday with their own presentations. Showcasing their latest titles, release dates, and new announcements, they’re what gamers most look forward to… and dread.

As I brought up earlier this week, this is a particularly important E3 for both Microsoft and Nintendo. With Sony leading this generation, its competitors need to pull out all the stops and show that they offer games and value that are unique to their platforms. Let’s see how they did:

For Microsoft — and this had to be true for Sony and Nintendo as well — 2014 is all about the games. However, what I saw were a good number of multi-platform titles that have some exclusive platform content. For some context, I include PC in the platform definition, so when I see something that’s on a console and PC, it’s no longer an exclusive.

I’ve never been a fan of the same title being on different systems with each having different content. It immediately makes me feel ripped-off, like I’m not getting the complete package. That being said, however, at least the Xbox One has those multi-platform games, unlike the Wii U.

Forza Motorsport 5 made an appearance, as one of Microsoft’s big announcements was the fact that you could download the Nurburgring DLC for free. As someone who doesn’t yet own an Xbox One, I found this odd in that I was more surprised that the track wasn’t already in the game! It’s in Forza Motorsport 4 and the Gran Turismo titles, so why not, right?

Forza 5 had a bit of a rocky start with gamers due to content and potential paywall issues, but it’s one of the few games I’m interested in on the console since the series is one of my favorites (I gave Forza 4 an A back in January). It didn’t seem like the audience knew how to react to this news. Free is great, but it does raise immediate questions about what $60 should be getting you in the first place.

Forza Horizon 2 looked fantastic, though. I have the original Xbox 360 version, and it’s high in my queue, so I’m looking forward to finally playing it soon. The driving game genre is one that has gotten a bit stale for me, but knowing that Horizon was among my friends’ favorite driving games this generation does bode well.

Moon Studios’ Ori and the Blind Forest is another Xbox One exclusive, and it’s just amazing! This is precisely the kind of game I want to see more of on their console, so Microsoft, I beg you: more games like this, please.

Insomniac’s Sunset Overdrive was impressive as well, and I like the whole tongue-in-cheek, self-aware approach. I don’t care for the enemy designs, but maybe they’ll grow on me over time.

Playdead’s Inside, from the makers of the most excellent game Limbo, left me scratching my head, but I trust that they’ll deliver in the end.

Platinum Games had a video for the Xbox One exclusive Scalebound, but it was hard to tell what it was about, or to gauge its gameplay. The overall design didn’t have a distinctly unique look like most other Platinum titles, either. They did solid work on the Xbox 360, though, so I’m hopeful about its future.

I was initially really bummed out by Microsoft’s presentation, but as things progressed on and I thought back on it, I realized an important fact: there’s a lot there that will please traditional Xbox fans: Halo, Crackdown, Dead Rising, Fable, Destiny, etc. To be fair, that’s pretty much been Nintendo’s approach for generations: please the franchise fans.

I missed EA’s press conference, but I checked out highlights afterwards. It looks like there were some big announcements: a new Mass Effect, another Dragon Age, a conceptual demo for fan-favorite Mirror’s Edge 2, the new Battlefield, the usual sports iterations, and a cool teaser for Star Wars: Battlefront.

The only game out of that list that interests me is Mirror’s Edge 2. For some reason, most EA franchises simply aren’t my cup of tea, even though I’m well aware that many of them are highly regarded.

I thought Ubisoft‘s conference was pretty good. Aisha Tyler did a great job emceeing as usual; it’s strikingly effective when you have someone doing their thing who is comfortable in front of large crowds. Apart from some of the casual titles that didn’t interest me in the slightest — like Just Dance and Shape Up — they had some cool games on display.

One that really stood out for me was the UbiArt Framework game Valiant Hearts: The Great War. I’d forgotten about this one, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that it comes out in two weeks on June 25th! I do hope it’s good. There’s something about the art style that felt a bit low-grade Adobe Flash to me at times, especially compared to the other gorgeous UbiArt games like Rayman Legends and Child of Light.

Assassin’s Creed: Unity looked terrific, although the combat was really slow and weird. The lighting and world detail, however, are just stunning. It was a beautiful game to look at, and like other entries in the series, will surely be a huge hit for Ubisoft.

The racing game The Crew also looked interesting, with its seamless coast-to-coast theme. The trailer for it was also nice, with its time-lapse compression of a 2-hour journey across the US, set to a nice, mellow soundtrack. I’ll take that any day over the stuttery dubstep tripe found in most E3 trailers.

Far Cry 4‘s intro looked totally deranged! With voiceover work from Troy Baker — well-known for his roles as the Joker in Batman: Arkham Origins and Delsin in Infamous: Second Son — it made quite an impression, and got me interested in the series in general, which I have never played.

Tom Clancy’s The Division also had some neat ideas going on, but the multiplayer demo they showed seemed overly scripted and not very realistic. The trailer shown at Sony’s press conference later that day helped flesh things out, and got me more excited about the game than I was here.

I missed and was eating dinner throughout most of Sony‘s presentation, but got online just in time to catch Batman: Arkham Knight. That game, man. It’s the kind of event that people call out sick for on release day. It just looks amazing. PS4 owners will get exclusive Scarecrow missions, which I know will be super-cool, but again, it just rubs me the wrong way that exclusive content is even a thing. But, I digress.

Anyway, one of the better things from their presentation was the twin-stick title Entwined, which is available now for PS4. It hearkens back to the creative freedom of Thatgamecompany’s early PS3 game Flower, and I like that this generation has showcased smaller indie titles just as much as the blockbusters. I think every system needs a healthy serving of both, and for every Edge of Tomorrow, there needs to be a Short Term 12.

Similarly, No Man’s Sky is looking phenomenal, and I can’t wait to play it.

The thing I was looking forward to the most was a bit of a disappointment for me: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Last year, we saw a map. This year, we saw Nate standing up and walking into a forest. It was stunning and detailed, of course, but I didn’t think it was enough.

I was really hoping for at least a glimpse of some gameplay and new features, but no such luck. It had a more serious tone — like that of Uncharted 3 — so I hope the energy and humor of the first two games are not lost here. I really don’t want this to be “The Last of Uncharted.”

LittleBigPlanet 3 looked like… LittleBigPlanet. It’s very pretty and vibrant, and there were some nice new features and characters with different abilities, but those controls. One of the players on stage was having the hardest time doing simple wall-jumps, so tight control seems to remain as elusive as it’s ever been.

A little side-rant here, but was it just me, or was there practically nothing shown for the Vita? No love, I swear. Nothing on The Last Guardian either. Originally announced for a 2011 PS3 release, its delays have earned it the dubious distinction of becoming the Duke Nukem Forever of this generation, right up there with Half-Life 3.

There’s a lot for Sony fans to be happy about, though, including Infamous: First Light, Metal Gear Solid V, The Order: 1886, Driveclub, Ratchet & Clank, Grim Fandango, and Bloodborne. Overall, I think Sony had the strongest lineup. They’re not necessarily all the kinds of games I myself enjoy playing, but it’s hard to deny that this is certainly the most robust and plentiful lineup of any of the current consoles.

This really was Nintendo’s E3 to lose. It’s not like the industry had high hopes to begin with, but you can’t let Nintendo fans down, especially those who have been raked over the coals for the past year and a half with the Wii U. My expectations were high, so how do I think they did?

Well, it was about what I expected, which is both good and bad. Good in that it was much better than last year’s flop of a press conference, but bad in that it just wasn’t enough.

There was a lot of talk about Super Smash Bros. 4, but it was The Legend of Zelda for the Wii U that surprised everyone. Even if you were expecting it, the way it looked was astonishing. When Eiji Aonuma snapped his fingers and revealed the new Hyrule overworld, my jaw hit the floor.

It was also nice to hear him talk about ideas introduced in A Link Between Worlds on the 3DS carrying over to the console version. It shows that they acknowledge and understand that Zelda has run its course in terms of structure, and that it needs to change in ways that will keep it interesting and relevant.

Reggie showed off Nintendo’s “Amiibo” 3DS/Wii U NFC figures, similar to those seen in the Skylanders and Disney Infinity franchises. They look nice, and I’m sure they’ll make tons of money, but this seems like a bad place for Nintendo to be putting their efforts, especially with all the trouble the Wii U’s experienced. I’m not the target market, though, so what do I know?

Yoshi’s Wooly World looks great. I haven’t cared for any of the Yoshi games since the Super Nintendo classic Yoshi’s Island, so I hope it’s a worthy follow-up. From what they showed, it has some inventive and creative ideas.

It wasn’t Super Mario Galaxy 3 like I had hoped, and it wasn’t even New Super Mario Bros. U 2. Instead, one of their Mario games was Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. It looks fun, and I liked those levels in Super Mario 3D World, but it can’t help but feel like a stopgap until a real Mario title appears.

The other one — Mario Maker — lets you create your own Super Mario Bros. stages in the classic or New style. I’m not really into “creator” games like I was back in the day, but I think it will be lots of fun playing the creations that come out of the Miiverse.

One title that has generated some decent buzz is Splatoon, a 4 vs. 4 multiplayer arena game. It has some terrific design that feels unique in a world still dominated by Call of Duty and other violent shooters. In that sense, Splatoon‘s a breath of fresh air. The only thing I don’t like about it is the character designs. They’re painfully generic by Nintendo standards, so I hope they work those out a little more prior to release. Anyone else sensing an Amiibo tie-in opportunity?

On the 3DS, Fantasy Life, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright, Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call, Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, and others have been making the rounds. As I mentioned earlier this week, things seem surprisingly light on the 3DS front after a couple very prolific years, so that platform’s future worries me a bit.

Overall, nothing besides The Legend of Zelda blew me away, and even as the great Shigeru Miyamoto teased Star Fox at the end of the presentation, I was left wanting more. Their lineup is solid, but with very little coming out in 2014, the patience of Wii U owners — including myself — will be tested once again.

But hey, props to them for even mentioning the amazing Mother 3.

E3 2014: The Legend of Zelda (Wii U)

June 10, 2014 by Mike

I have a lot to say about E3, but for now, here are some official 1920×1080 screenshots of the new Legend of Zelda for Wii U, just revealed about an hour and a half ago. It blew me and most of the gaming world away, and along with Batman: Arkham Knight, is now my most anticipated game of 2015.

Here’s the HD trailer as well, courtesy of GamesHQMedia on YouTube:

E3 2014: Let the games begin

June 9, 2014 by Mike

The greatest (videogame) show on earth starts tomorrow, and as usual, the internet rumor mill has been doing some major overtime. I’ve seen some interesting ones, but I take ’em all with a big grain of salt until the press conferences conclude and the show floor opens. We can’t help it, though. It’s like waiting for a package from your favorite online retailer: sometimes the anticipation of it outweighs its actual arrival.

This is oftentimes true with E3 as well. Much like last year’s Nintendo press conference, I went in hoping for greatness, and instead felt like they kicked me square in the nuts. Microsoft left me equally tepid. Sony’s was by the numbers, but they delivered the goods. Sure, they too have had some missteps along the way, but honestly, who hasn’t?

2014 is the kind of year I love, though, because these are all about the games. Companies don’t have to spend time hyping up their new systems, and instead can focus on what really matters: content. Mario Kart 8 is proving that the Wii U might still have some fight left.

Microsoft‘s recent decision to drop the Kinect from the Xbox One was a bold move. It’s a move that early adopters are probably angry about, but for people like me, who were never sold on its technology on the 360 to begin with — and balked at its steep $500 price tag — I think this is great.

I hope this change for the Xbox One lets developers focus on traditional game experiences instead of gimmicks. As cool as games like Child of Eden and the Dance Central series were on the 360 with Kinect, making it an integral part of a console just never made that much sense to me, especially in the multiplatform-heavy world of today. However, with that being said, it will be interesting to see how Microsoft addresses this new future while not turning their backs on early supporters.

The 360 is currently my least-used system, while my PS3, Wii U, PC, Vita, and 3DS get about equal attention. I have yet to see a reason to get an Xbox One, but I hope E3 helps sway me. Exclusives are where Microsoft has traditionally hurt in the past, so hopefully there will be signs that things will be changing in the year ahead.

Insomniac’s Sunset Overdrive looks like it could be one of those signs; something that’s pretty unique in a sea of serious shooters.

Update: Ori and the Blind Forest also looks like it could be great!

I expect Sony‘s offerings to be solid. Like the Xbox One, there just aren’t enough games on it to warrant a purchase from me yet, but that won’t be true for long. I’m sure they’ll spend a lot of time talking up their numbers and whatnot, but I also expect a strong showing on the software side.

I’m most interested in seeing the next chapter of the Uncharted series for the PS4. I wasn’t overly thrilled with Uncharted 3, but its predecessors are among my favorite PS3 games.

Oddly enough, I’m pretty much over The Last Guardian. I adore both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, but I’ve simply stopped caring about the perpetually delayed follow-up from Sony. I’ll care again someday, but not today.

I also hope that there is some decent Vita content. For all the attention the Wii U gets as a dying platform, Sony’s handheld isn’t exactly setting the world on fire either.

Not much more for me to say regarding Sony. They’ve been an old reliable on the console front since the inception of E3.

Nintendo, however, like Microsoft, has to knock one out of the park this week. 3DS content for 2014 is light, and despite Mario Kart 8‘s terrific performance, they have to back it up with more high-quality games. They’ve really been pushing Super Smash Bros. 4, but to be honest, I’ve never been much of an Smash Bros. fan, so I’m not all that excited about that one.

I’m definitely looking forward to their Wii U offerings. I’m hopeful that we’ll see a new Zelda, Metroid, and possibly another Mario. The greedy side of me hopes it’s Super Mario Galaxy 3.

Dragon Quest VII is probably the one 3DS game I’m most excited about. No, it’s not going to spark skyrocketing sales or anything, but it’s the one game in the series I believe deserves a second chance. I loved it when I played it for the first time a few years ago, but it’s really rough around the edges. The 3DS remake, which has been out in Japan since February of 2013, is long overdue for a release here.

I don’t expect much in the third-party realm for the Wii U, but I’m hoping for a good turnout on the 3DS.

This update is intentionally light. I don’t want to speculate too much about the show and then have to eat crow afterwards. My show wrap-up will follow either at the end of this week or early next.

Enjoy E3 2014 everyone!

Gray-Haired Gamer

Gaming in my forties

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