8-Bit Chronicles: Donkey Kong

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Hello, and welcome to my new Hey Poor Player column: 8-Bit Chronicles, wherein I analyze classic arcade-munchers of the 80's! Giving I already host another column (Sleeping With The Enemy), I'm certain this is rather left-field, so let's break down how this came to be and what it'll entail.

As readers may recall, I announced last fall I'd be covering Arcade/8-Bit video games after 2019's New Year. The reasoning was simple: given their brevity, they'd serve as excellent outlets for maintaining a consistent writing output. As opposed to the 1500-2000 word caps I typically uphold for Leave Luck to Heaven, these would gravitate towards 1000 words -- a reflection of their pick-up-and-play breadth, if you will.

I'm at E3!!!

It's...it's actually real. I even got to step inside just before the show tomorrow. It was only to pick up my badge, and it was only the calm before the storm, but it was still breathtaking.

Has everything I've done lead to this moment? I've always been a believer in fate, so it must be true. Tomorrow, I'll be in the same event I've been following for nineteen years, doing the same job as the journalists I've followed for just as long, live the experience I've been dreaming for so long, and be in the very same building as my lifelong heroes. It's too much to be true.

As I mentioned before, I'll be doing previews over the next week for Hey Poor Player, so I'm thinking I'll provide a "hub" post to document them all. You can look forward to seeing it updated throughout the week, so keep an eye out that.

For Smash Bros. and whatever else may come my way tomorrow...here I come!!!

I'm Going to E3!!!

Today, a childhood dream comes true. For nearly 20 years, I've followed an annual gaming trade event from the pages of Nintendo Power, the webpages of Nintendojo and IGN, and real-time streams on YouTube and Nintendo's official site. Like every other gamer, I awaited it like a three-day Christmas, absorbing and obsessing over every announcement, every trailer, every interview, every screenshot, any scrap of information to satisfy my craving. Some years came up short, others wildly surpassed my expectations, but regardless of the highs and lows, it remains an uninterrupted ritual.

Next month, the process will be hands-on: I'm beyond thrilled to announce I'll be heading to E3 as a representative of Hey Poor Player! In June, I'll be heading down to LA with my editor Francis and a couple other folks to cover the show, and you better believe I'll be providing write-ups like mad! Currently, I'm planning an emphasis on Nintendo games (naturally!), but I'll be expanding playtime/analyses on PlayStation 4 games as well (Kingdom Hearts III being a top priority, and it seems like Wattam is on-track to arrive as well).

This has been processing behind the scenes for the past couple weeks -- certain circumstances brought up this opportunity, and I had to keep quiet until I got a confirmation (readers may also recall I almost went two years ago, which made this confidentiality even more vital) -- but needless to say, I'm on Cloud Nine. Just knowing I'll be in the same building with the likes of Shigeru Miyamoto and Masahiro Sakurai is...well, obviously, I'm not expecting to run into them or anything (much less stalk them, heh), but just that very privilege is a step closer to my dream.

And this is to say nothing of the blog! My amazement in what started out as an experimental platform leading me into gaming journalism has been well-documented, but it's particularly amazing when considering this particular subject: for five consecutive years, I produced in-depth thoughts, critiques and essays on my feelings regarding each show, and now I'll be providing impressions right from the show floor! Truly, I've come full-circle, but naturally you can expect links to my Hey Poor Player write-ups from here. Given the insane workload involved, I don't think you can expect anything unique for the blog, but said previews and whatnot should surely make up for the lack of E3 content around these parts, eh?

Although, it may be fun to showcase pictures/videos I'll be taking around the showfloor? Hmm...I'll think about it!

I may provide more details as E3 Week nears, but in the meantime, it shouldn't take too much effort to guess what my most anticipated game to play is...


Hehehe, how jealous are you:?!? Actually, this won't be the first time I played a Smash game pre-launch -- I did the same for Super Smash Bros. 3DS and Wii U during the Best Buy demo sessions -- but given I'll have exponentially more time, I highly suspect it'll suck up most of my first day. (Unless, of course, Nintendo finally gets off their lazy butts and reveals Pikmin 4; seriously, if that becomes a Pikmin 3-esque wait again, I'm calling shenanigans.)

Anyway, I'll see y'all real soon. So excited!!!

Biweekly Music Wednesday! No. 53 ~Now or Never!~ (Splatoon)

Origin: Splatoon
Plays In: Last minute of a Turf War match
Status: Original Composition
Composed By: Toru Minegishi

A new Nintendo Direct is upon us!! In less than three hours, we'll be basking in the afterglow of newly-announced Nintendo games, all contained in a 45-minute package. We'll certainly see that "multiplayer action" 3DS Kirby game, and Super Mario Odyssey is confirmed for an appearance, but that's hardly a fraction of what's to come. Will we see more of the Kirby and Yoshi Switch games? Is Retro Studios' next game finally around the corner? Is this possible mistake a hint towards Super Smash Bros. for Switch, something I should've put behind me some time ago? Oh, the suspense is too much!

Much in the same way E3 is Christmas for video game fans, we Nintendo fans feel the same about these mouth-watering Nintendo Directs. Announced out of the blue and typically with only two days to spare, our minds race at the possibilities of what's to come. Sure, there's been a disappointing Direct here and there, but how packed this holiday season and even early 2018 are, there's little reason this Direct will leave us with frowns.

Biweekly Music Wednesday! No. 51 ~Main Theme~ (Star Fox)

Origin: Star Fox
Plays In: Credits
Status: Original Composition
Composed By: Hajime Hirasawa

The SNES Classic Edition -- it's been two weeks since its announcement, and it's all I've been able to think about. It's the first time Star Fox and Yoshi's Island will be officially available via emulated form. I've been checking the listings on Amazon and Best Buy every day in scant hopes I'll be able to pre-order. Thoughts and prayers are sent out to the universe every day that we'll see these games unfiltered, just like the glorious NES Classic Mini before it. (My kingdom to have a bright, unglitched Kirby Super Star!) An equal amount of thoughts and prayers sent out in hopes I'll secure one.

Most of all, I think about how we will witness the very first release, to my memory of a cancelled game in Nintendo history: Star Fox 2.

The Switch and Zelda Will Be Mine!

Finally, after years of waiting...The Legend of Zelda: Breath of Wild launches alongside Nintendo's latest console: the Switch! Given how perfect the game apparently is, it's a taaaad likely things may be slow here for this month, as I'll naturally be pouring time into everything our new Nintendo baby has to offer.

As for the 3D Zelda reviews...well, I made it to three out of the five games before the new title's launch. That's pretty impressive for my standards, eh? While Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword are still coming, we'll be "switching" the focus on two other relevant titles for this month to celebrate Switch's launch, one of which happens to be Zelda-related! Please look forward to them.

I'm also planning a number of Switch-related articles for Hey Poor Player,  as well as contributing to an upcoming HUGE feature on Nintendojo, so please look out for those as well!

Nintendo Switch, here I come!

My NYC 2016 Goodies!

Hey, hey! Sorry for the lull, folks: like every other American with a beating heart, the election ripped out both my soul and everything I was ever taught about ethics and racial relations while pummeling them relentlessly, so I wasn't really in the mood for blogging. Believe it or not, a certain column may dive into this...

But let us put that aside for now, as I think we can use a fun article. See, I just so happened to turn 25 last Saturday, and once again I spent my birthday weekend in none other than the Big Apple. That's right, New York City: home of the Nintendo World Store, Kinokuniya, the now-reviled Trump Tower and those delicious pretzel stands I can never stay away from.

Naturally, I made a beeline to the Nintendo World Store first, whereupon I instantly made a shocking discovery. See, it was Friday, November 11th that day, which was the release date for the much-anticipated NES Classic Mini. As I missed the boat on the preorders, it's not like I could just waltz into the NWS late afternoon and pick one up, right?

WRONG! A line was set up for the retro rerelease, of which they practically were handing out by the dozens. (Actually, considering how they were still selling them the next day, it may very well have been hundreds) Naturally, I took a spot in line  as a delightful Kirby tune eased the wait.. Can you guess which game it's from?

It really is tiny! I'll be sharing my thoughts on Hey Poor Player very soon, so look forward to that!

But yes, the Nintendo World Store. Like every other time I've visited, I'm always bowled over by all the goodies and music and panoramas and statues and and and, but this year took the cake. Was it my unexpected reward of a NES Classic Mini? The presence of the Star Fox and Miyamoto puppets from last year's E3? The mountains of merchandise I didn't even know existed? Just look at some of this stuff!

If only I was allowed to purchase this sweet Arwing...

Speaking of expensive merchandise, check out what I spotted down at the Midtown Comics:

Meta Knight and Cat Mario statues!! Like the Arwing statue, I had to pass these up, but like the Sword Kirby I saw at Otakon this year, they'll be mine someday. Someday.

...so what exactly DID I pick up? Quite a bit!

I wonder how many Kirby plushies this makes now. I must have nearly two dozen, if not more, at this point.

Just like in Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Isabelle's collar has a bell that rings whenever you move her!

My first piece of Splatoon merchandise naturally had to be Judd. I actually didn't pick up too many plushies this time; running out of space, you see. On the flipside, I picked up a bunch of action figures despite that.

Like this Cat Mario, alongside his two Pikmin cohorts. Now I have the original three colors...but where's the Purple Fattie? I know it exists. It must be mine.

Are these Star Fox figures twenty years too late? Sure, but I needed them anyway. I never thought I'd see Smart Bomb or Container accessories.

Or a furniture leaf from Animal Crossing, for that matter.

The Wind Waker playsets!! That I'll need one more playset and two more figure sets for a complete collection hurts my wallet, but the existence of Makar merchandise warms my heart.

Six new amiibo: Isabelle, Kapp'n, Lottie, Waluigi, Boo and Nabiru from Monster Hunter. Don't mind the imposter in the back left.

Animal Crossing amiibo cards, because I could. I can never get enough of New Leaf and Happy Home Designer.

A Smash Bros. amiibo diorama!! This has yet to be announced for America, so I took the liberty of snagging it at a downtown game store. Now if I only I could get my hands on the Kirby one...

I'm a year late, but I finally got Zelda: Tri Force Heroes. I hope the online's still active!

Now here's something interesting: an import copy of Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure for GBA. I already own the US version, but I was none too pleased when I heard years later they removed musical renditions from the original series (Makafushigi Adventure and Romantic Ageru Yo, the latter possibly being the series masterpiece). It's possibly one of the best Dragon Ball games, so I was more than happy to pick up a second copy.

That wraps up my harvest for gaming stuff, but here's a bonus: my manga from Kinokuniya. Here's some localized releases.

...and my Japanese imports! Needless to say, I think I'll be needing another bookshelf for all these! And believe me, my manga bookshelf is already huge...that, and I'll probably eventually need another one for chapter books and children's books I want to study, gah!

Anyway, I've been making progress on being able to read these! The furigana--hiragana characters placed alongside kanji--are a huge help, although I was surprised Dr. Slump didn't have them since its aimed at a younger audience. I hear that uses a lot of outdated slang, so I suspect tough times are ahead...

(For those curious, the Japanese imports from top to bottom are One Piece, Gin Tama, Dr. Slump, Detective Conan, and Straighten Up!)

AND NOW FOR A SPECIAL FEATURE PRESENTATION




I can only hope that made your night. See you soon, everybody!

Final Smash 4 Presentation!!

It's been over six hours since the Final Smash Presentation by Mr. Sakurai, and we're only just now coming down from the high! What a show. Not everyone's dreams came true, but that's Smash Bros. for you!

So, what went down in this special video? Just newcomer reveals and Mii Costumes. Many expected to see at least one veteran (Wolf, in particular), a returning stage or two, or even a new mode. Considering that we already had three veterans return, a variety of old stages and the downsizing of Sakurai's team, there's a variety of reasons as to why those didn't come to be (not the least of which is poor Snake!).

Of course, any slight disappointments regarding the absence of those factors immediately melted in the face of the first newcomer, who's already stirred quite the controversy!

Why, it's Corrin, the avatar protagonist of Fire Emblem: Fates! The moment I saw the opposing kingdoms of Hoshido and Nohr, I knew trouble would be brewing. After all, not only has Sakurai made it no secret of his love for Fire Emblem, but we already have five different Fire Emblem characters in Smash 4's cast! Isn't six characters pushing it...?

Well, perhaps, but just look at how the character plays! He's just as versatile and inventive as his fellow Fire Emblem newcomer Robin, what with the Manakete-boosted abilities (or, for those unfamiliar with Fire Emblem terminology, him temporarily turning into a dragon). Just look at his reach! I forsee his Dragon Lunge attack, which turns his arm into a massive lance and nails it into the ground, leading to many hilarious scenarios aside from those seen in the video.

Truth be told, this is a character that's crossed my mind before, but I figured the presence of two Awakening characters would render his chances as DLC nil (moreover, there's also Sakurai's recent comment from the Fire Emblem 25th Anniversary book to consider: "it’s not as if we have a stipulation that says “we have to include the protagonist of the next Fire Emblem game.”). As with the last character, it only goes to show you can't make up any rules for roster inclusions. Think of it this way: if Corrin won't be a possibility by the time the next Smash rolls around, why not add him now?

In fact, I think the character looks so fun that I could care less he's yet another Fire Emblem entry. Now more than ever, I'm quite excited to play Fates this coming February. Maybe I'll finally get around to finishing my fifth Awakening playthrough by then.

Next up, Cloud. We already saw him in action last month, but Mr. Sakurai went over his moveset in far greater detail this time, alongside the workings of the Midgar stage.

Cloud was made available soon after the video ended; naturally, I picked him up for both versions. While I've only had the chance to play him on Wii U, it was a beauty to witness to another famous foreign character who brings another dimension unfamiliar to Smash. I'm in an interesting predicament with Cloud in how I'm not completely unfamiliar with him (thanks to his boss cameos in Kingdom Hearts), yet I've played very little of the game he originated from: Final Fantasy VII. I'll be soon rectifying that by jumping into the series next year, but I can only imagine the glee others now feel at seeing Final Fantasy's most popular character join the fray.

By the way, Midgar is incredibly fun! I know many (lame) people tend to complain about stage hazards, but fighting for the super-cool Materia summons is just as joyful as doing the same for a Smash Ball. Your loss if you can't handle the fair, telegraphed d summon attacks, I suppose. If anything, that there's only two music rips from Final Fantasy VII available is the only real disappointment (alongside the lack of non-Cloud trophies), but I'm not too surprised given how strict Square-Enix can be regarding the foreign use of their visuals/audio (anyone who's seen the Final Fantasy VII suite in Video Games Live should know what I'm talking about). A shame, since I was looking forward to the possibility of Nobuo Uematsu returning to Smash for an arrangement. Maybe next time!

 Oh, but speaking of Square-Enix, look who's back! Yes, that's Geno, the sentient puppet from Super Mario RPG! He may be just a Mii costume, but to see Super Mario RPG finally be referenced in Smash after all this time (barring perhaps Peach's frying pan) just...just brings a tear to your eye. Even if he was impossible, the fact remains that Geno was a very popular character suggestion for Brawl, and to see that come full-circle in the next best possible way is an amazing nod. I know I'll be using it.

AND THE LAST CHARACTER IIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSS

 BAYONETTA?!? AIIIIEEE!!!!

My goodness, a character most had written off due to her being practically synonymous with guns and flaunting her sexuality 24/7 is actually in Smash?!? Incredible! That she hails from two action-game masterpieces ain't half-bad, either! She was the winner of the Smash Ballot, too. I guess that really did come down to popularity.

Just like Ryu, I'm at amazed at how the Smash team got Bayonetta down within the confines of the game's controls. Just like in Bayonetta, you can suddenly shift into bullet-riddled Gun Arts just by holding the attack button, no matter what move you're using. The awe-inspiring Wicked Weaves retain their devastative impact through Smash Attacks. The time-slowing Witch Time is activated as a counter, which I typically stink at pulling off. If you look closely on the Wii U, you might realize Madam Butterfly is closer than you think. Both her Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 outfits are included. And, best of all, stunning dance moves for taunts.

It's all too much to take in; I know I had to watch her presentation three times over to fully digest that all. Not to mention, her accompanying stage is one of the greatest opening sequences in video game history: the falling Umbra Clock Tower. And it comes with a plethora of amazing tracks too, not the least of which are two arrangements of both games' battle themes. A shame You May Call Me Father and The Greatest Jubilee didn't make the cut, but at least they nailed One of a Kind.

And you know what else is too much to take in? This glorious poster.

Just admire this beautiful piece of work for a moment, won't you? Be sure to find the hidden Smash logo.

But the eye candy doesn't end there, for I'm certain all us Kirby fans are dying to know: what does Bayonetta Kirby look like?

JUST LOOK AT HIM USING HIS BIG POOFY FEET FOR HEEL GUN ARTS AWWWWWWW

At any rate, just look at all the magic DLC's brought us. We've had beloved veterans return, stunning third-party newcomers, classic stages for new and old characters to brawl upon...Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS is truly a gift, and all the post-launch content is courtesy of one man's vision: a love letter not just for Nintendo's history, but for video games as a whole.

Yet while the hype train may be stopping for Wii U and 3DS, many are still speculating over the possibility of an NX port. After all, it's not like we can expect Sakurai and the gang at Namco to get cracking at yet another Smash game for the nearing console. But should such an amazing title be left to languish on a dying console and a handheld within its twilight period...?

This Thursday on Nintendojo, I shall be reviewing such a case. Please join me then!

Nintendo Direct (11/12)

Huh?

What's that?

Final Fantasy's Cloud in Smash Bros.?

HUUUUUUUUUUUUH?????????

I gotta say, I haven't been this floored by a third-party Smash character since Snake! As incredible as the rest of the third-party cast is, they're far more hands-on with Nintendo than Cloud. Like Snake, the broody swordsman kickstarted his popularity off of Sony PlayStation, but even then that's where the similarities end: while Snake's starred in a couple of games on Nintendo consoles, Cloud's only made periphery appearances in a scant few Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts spin-offs.

It's an inclusion straight out of the GameFAQs wishlist netherworld, and yet...it's the most natural, beautiful thing in the world. Only in Smash Bros. can we see famous icons like Mario, Pac-Man, Sonic, Link, Mega Man, Ryu, Pikachu, and Cloud join together, and it remains as special and euphoric as ever. Oh, if only Snake was here!

I forgot if I mentioned this before, but when I announced Worldly Weekend, I stated I'd use the column as a means to introduce myself to new games outside of Nintendo's sphere. I may or may not have cited Final Fantasy as an example, but just in case I didn't, I was already planning on that from the column's conception. In fact, I actually purchased the NES cartridge for the first game when I was at Otakon this year! That's right: alongside Dragon Quest, I aim to play through both series chronologically.

...although that means it'll be a while before I reach VII, which stars Cloud. I was going to start next January, but perhaps I'll start just a bit earlier...? Regardless, congratulations, Mr. Strife! The nostalgic explosion of celebration that is Smash welcomes you with open arms!

Anyway, what else happened this Direct? Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, for one. We don't know too much about it, and the game might not look too different, but take look at this comparison video. The HUD's far less cluttered, for one, and the absence of blurry jaggies give way to some great detail (take a look at the Zant close-up to see what I mean). It's definitely far less of a graphical endeavor than the other three Zelda remasters, but that shouldn't be the focus. Twilight Princess had far too much padding and bloat for its own good, and how this version will handle all that should be the focus.

Splatoon updates? Good, now I'll continue to worship that game at a snail's pace. Star Fox Zero launches in April? Enough time for me to play through and review the first two games. Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow are launching on 3DS Virtual Console? Wait, what? Really?

So they are! And what's more, Japan's getting some retail boxed copies. I'd say not fair, but hey, they're finally coming out EVERYWHERE digitally! Many had long suspected the games'...uh, "complicated" coding would prevent such a thing, and here we are. I wonder if my old, treasured copy of Red still works properly...

By the way, I didn't know about what I'm about to show you below until just a few hours ago. How cool is this?!?

Apparently, this not only happened on Yellow when played on GBC, but for Red/Blue on the Super Game Boy! Sadly, Game Boy games on the VC don't display in their GBC/SGB versions, so the same effect probably won't be replicated...but I imagine it'll still be quite the nostalgia for many!

Anyway, that's all the time I have. Off to party in New York for a couple days, and then I'll get right back to work on my next review! See ya.

Biweekly Music Wednesday! No. 17 ~ Menu~ (Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS)

Origin: Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U
Plays In: The Menu and Smash Run.
Status: Arrangement (the main theme for the games)
Arranger: Junichi Nakatsuru

A new Super Smash Bros. game is being held in my hands.

It's unbelievable. I remember once fully believing--at a time where I was undoubtedly too naive--that Brawl was the finale for our beloved Nintendo crossover, and here we are with two versions coming out in the same season. Isn't that crazy? The 3DS version has been released for nearly a week (and, provided you had access to the Japanese release, almost a month), and the Wii U sibling will release first on our shores this November. My dreams of Animal Crossing's Villager, Punch-Out's Little Mac, and Mega Man joining the battle have all come true alongside Sakurai-esque surprises in the form of the freaking dog from Duck Hunt and the entire Koopaling family all stuck into one swiss army-equipped Junior Clown Car. Amazing.

And that theme. Why must every Smash theme be so godly? Truth be told, I wasn't so convinced by it at its E3 2013 debut; granted, that particular version isn't present in the final version (or in the 3DS version, at least), but the instrumentation was so weak and just so...off that it was hard to get excited by it. The closet sense of excitement I could derive from it was listening to this fan-made piano arrangement--which elicited a classic Melee-esque vibe--and I found that more than a little...well, sad. After the stunning glory that was the Brawl orchestra, could this dingy little tune really have what it took to set the pregame atmosphere for the upcoming Smash?

I guess I knew it was only just for the initial trailer, so I held out hope. And it delivered: not only did the arrangements found in this April's Nintendo Direct manage to hype me, but the final version blasting from the E3 footage successfully won me over. Unlike Melee's classicism and Brawl's orchestras, Smash for 3DS and Wii U goes for pregame Monday Night Football, right down to the revving guitar. Every time I hear it, I'm just so pumped to try out everyone in this glorious cast of all-stars.

And just like Brawl, the theme's peppered throughout the game via numerous arrangements. Many fans aren't so happy with this direction, but I don't really mind since this new theme is so goddamn good. Yes, it does mean we miss out on unique themes like Melee's Menu 2 and Trophy theme, yet at the same time every arrangement is such a fresh--even occasionally downright beautiful--take on the song that they lend the game even more character. Katsuro Tajima's Trophy Rush is a wonderful cacophony of fast-paced action, Yoshinori Hirai's Gallery/Hoard is a prestigious little blend of march and techno, Torine's piano rendition of the Classic: Final Results screen is both gorgeous and reflective, and let's not forget Taku Inoue's chiptune StreetSmash!

I'm just so happy, you know? Six years ago, when the toxicity pervaded the fanbase following Brawl's release, I never dreamed another Smash would arrive to placate my sadness...and yet here we are, ready to relish in another era of Smash Bros. The fun's only just begun with the 3DS version, and I know that when the Wii U version launches, this song will be there with me when I'm ready to jump into the floating temples and mountain crags of Battlefield and beyond.

Let's settle it in Smash!

Final Thoughts: WHY ARE YOU STILL READING THIS GO PLAY SMASH