Sleeping With The Enemy: Admitting Fault (Hey Poor Player)

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Truth be told, I've been bearing some unflattering insecurities regarding my writing, and Sleeping With The Enemy took the full brunt. With its objective in bearing my soul, I feared my topics bore irrelevant fruit, that I lacked the appropriate prose necessary to convey an effective thesis, or, worst of all, that such hesitation proved my inability to maintain an audience as a game journalist. This caused a significant delay, and it's weighed upon me heavily.

Regardless, here's the next iteration involving Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. True to the subject matter, I hope any criticism paves the road to a better future.

On a lighter note, there's been exciting developments behind-the-scenes for Hey Poor Player! I can't share them now, but you can expect them within next month. I suspect this'll finally be the breakthrough our little site's been waiting for, so I'll be giving it my all!

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Review (Hey Poor Player)

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Three days and 2600+ words -- all for the sake of the game that's taken over my life for the past ten days.

Have I mentioned how much I love Smash Bros.? I love it so much that I just share my favorite screenshots I've been taking. Here's one that's gained some traction on Twitter.

Being of radioactive energy patiently awaits dinner. #darksamus #chefkawasaki #SmashBros #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/Uvh9LTbpZs

— Alagunder (@MrSaturn99) December 15, 2018

The Best 25 Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS Remixes (Hey Poor Player)

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In case you wanted a taste of how busy I've been over the past week, well, here ya go! My co-worker Kenny and I have been playing thgis since we met at E3, and I couldn't think of a better send-off to Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS than this! Please enjoy our hard work by endlessly complaining about all your favorite songs that missed the cut.  

In the meantime: there's less than an hour to go until my digital copy of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate unlocks, and uh...I'm strangely chill about it. Expect not to hear from me for the next couple days as I embark into Nintendo Nirvana.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Notice: Unfortunately, there wasn't time to access my SD-card saved screenshots for this review, so aside from my Miiverse archives, you may witness press screenshots of varying sizes. An error in formatting also excised most of the music links. Please excuse the inconsistency for now.

Again, the same disclaimer found within my Super Smash Bros. for 3DS review applies here: namely, any and all analysis on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U's worth as a competitive fighter shan't be present here. This is not a matter of passive-aggression, but merely one of disinterest, as I simply don't approach fighting games in that manner. Truth be told, however, the "casual" moniker is one I've soured on, as it doesn't accurately convey my relationship with Smash Bros. in the slightest; indeed, as both these reviews prove, my Smash intimacy demands I grant them in-depth evaluations as functioning video games, be it how much I delight in smashing things or the quality of alternative play provided.

And given director Masahiro Sakurai's God-given design philosophies -- "always consider the beginner player" and "make every game as it were your last" -- there is certainly no shortage of that to go around. Like every Smash Bros. before it, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is my kingdom -- one divided alongside its 3DS cousin, with which it shares the same gameplay engine and massive character roster. Common sense would entail I enjoy this version just as much -- if not more so -- but with an expanded empire such as this, its imperfections become far more prominent. As a self-proclaimed Nintendo fanboy, I am not blind to these faults -- much as I desire for Wii U to be a masterpiece, it only just misses the cut, and that wounds me just as much as I deeply adore it.

Super Smash Bros. for 3DS

Being that I have elaborated on my love for Super Smash Bros. countless times on this blog without having penned a single review, it's imperative I open this essay with an admonition: namely, I do not possess any interest in a fighting's game competitive depth. This is not a passive-aggressive jab against others' personal tastes -- I've long since stopped begrudging those for their preferences, as I was one of those who conflated vitriolic attacks on post-Melee iterations/series director Masahiro Sakurai with the competitive fanbase at large -- but the point is, whether or not the latest iteration of Smash Bros., Street Fighter, a Dragon Ball game or even a debut in last year's ARMS presents offensive or defensive playstyles or sufficient movement options are matters beneath my notice. This is not a matter of willful ignorance; they're simply not things I have an eye for.

Nay, my occupation with fighting games lies in three factors: a) whether it's fun hitting things, b) whether they maintain -- at least on a base level -- a functioning combat system, and c) if they possess enough content otherwise to keep me interested. Admittedly, this isn't always upheld across the board -- the Smash Bros. apologist in me can admit even now that tripping in Super Smash Bros. Brawl was a fundamentally bad concept, even if I don't personally care about it -- but the point is, not much of that is very different from what the general gaming media typically elaborates upon in fighting games; in other words, if you're looking for a systematic breakdown of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS as fighting games, I suggest you look elsewhere.

Regarding Leave Luck to Heaven's Late 2018/New Year's Schedule

Hey, all! Time for that talk I mentioned on Wednesday.

As you know, I've been drowned by manga reviews for Hey Poor Player over the past couple months, and that's thrown a monkey wrench into my output here. Given the thrill of reviewing another medium over the past year, this isn't as regretful as you'd think, but given a) this priority has led to numerous delays, and  b) Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's December 7th release set to suck up my attention, I've found myself no choice but to make accommodations for this inevitability.

This isn't even getting into other factors -- sadly, it seems chemotherapy's no longer effective for my grandmother's cancer treatment, and we're expecting the inevitable within two months' time -- so please understand the following decisions weren't solely based around work/leisure.

First and foremost, Hey Poor Player's manga reviews will remain my No. 1 priority. This blog's only a side project, after all, and work is work. To clarify, this deluge was mostly due to VIZ's own delays in shipping thanks to their summer convention priorities -- to illustrate this workload, enough volumes poured in that I eventually reserved those reviews a month after release (typically, their launch months were a set goal). While I'll certainly be better prepared in handling that period from now on, there still remains a hefty amount of manga to review for the year's remainder. In case these reviews are of no interest to you, please make do for now.

However, this doesn't mean there won't be any blog reviews for November and December. For 2018's last two months, I've decided the following two series will take precedence:

It was always my intention to review Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS by the time of Ultimate's launch, and that remains the case. As it happens, the 3DS version's review is very nearly complete and was thiiiis close to making it by October's end, but things didn't work out. You can expect it sometime next week, and the Wii U game by early December. My undying love for Smash Bros. naturally entails a meaty length for both, so get ready to dig in!

 
Furhtermore, we'll be having a Kingdom Hearts Worldly Weekend Blowout. My original plan of wrapping up my Kingdom Hearts retrospective by Kingdom Hearts III's January release will continue as originally outlined. Four remaining games  -- Dream Drop Distance, HD 1.5 Remix, HD 2.5 Remix, and HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue -- will be reviewed by the year's end. Dream Drop Distance was also originally scheduled for October's end and should release very soon.

Other games may pop up here and there, but as everything above will take priority, you shouldn't expect more than two. 

So what does this mean for next year? Some delays on my end, naturally, but to ensure a steady review flow for both Nintendo and Worldly Weekend games, I'll be taking advantage of my NES Classic, Nintendo Switch Online, HAMSTER's Arcade Archives restorations, and the Namco Museum available on PlayStation 3, and engage in retro arcade/8-bit reviews! When given the innate brevity/replayability of classics like Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Balloon Fight, these reviews shouldn't take very to pen, thereby lending themselves to a convenient turnover rate!

However, an exact schedule hasn't been decided. It could be anywhere from a biweekly basis to a month, but regardless, I'd like for these reviews to maintain a frequent basis. Given the aforementioned brevity, they may also be shorter than average, but that's not exactly set in stone, either.

So, in summary: Smash Bros. and Kingdom Hearts for the rest of 2018, and Arcade/8-Bit classics beginning next year. When factoring in manga reviews and Sleeping with the Enemy, that's not a bad deal at all, eh? I'm looking forward to it!

Anyway, I'll see you all next week.

How The Grinch Stole Smash Bros. (Hey Poor Player)

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This came entirely on a whim last night; somehow, I finished up a 1000+ word rough draft last night, and it spiraled from there. Needless to say, a) I never expected ever writing this title, let alone featuring the above banner crafted by my boss, and b) I've never had as much fun following a potential leak/hoax as much as this one. Fingers crossed it'll come true, but as elaborated within the article, I'll certainly not blame anyone if it crashes and burns.

Anyway, speaking of Smash Bros...well, expecting something else by the month's end.

What's Next For Smash Bros. DLC? (Nintendojo)

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And now for a topic I've discussed a bajillion times before! As opposed to my previous column, I don't discuss what I personally desire for Smash DLC but instead take a more objective analysis of what we'll probably get from hereon.

...man, that King K. Rool Mii Fighter costume is the most hilarious thing. And the Bear Gunner. And Chrom. I now only want to play as Mii Fighters.

Biweekly Music Wednesday! No. 18 ~ Trophy~ (Super Smash Bros. Melee)

Origin: Super Smash Bros. Melee
Plays In: Trophy Lottery/Mini-game/Trophy Event Matches
Status: Original Composition
Composers: Hirokazu Ando, Shogo Sakai, Tadashi Ikagami

Hey, what can I say? I've been in Smash euphoria all month.

So why this song? Turns out, it's one of the selectable menu themes in the My Music feature for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U! Much of my Smash Bros. Brawl playtime was actually spent tinkering with the music ratio in My Music, and from the two examples we've witnessed in the recent Direct (Battlefield and the Menu...there's also Skyloft, but my anti-Skyward Sword bias refuses to acknowledge it), I'm already planning the high-low ratios for both selections.

I'm not quite sure where to place this song, though. Describing my meticulous arrangement with My Music could take quite some time, so here's a general idea: a stage's "main" theme will typically rank the highest while the most dynamic or dissonant tracks are set quite low, and the rest of the songs are balanced from there. As an example, take Distant Planet from Pikmin: the ripped Main Theme from that game is set alongside the Forest of Hope and World Map among the highest, while the quirky Environmental Noises only has a silver of a chance at playing. While I've picked the first three as the representative songs for Distant Planet, this sets the shock for the rare occasion Environmental Noises--a calming menagerie of the sounds of nature--decides to present itself.

For the Wii U game's menu, it's less clear-cut. The main menu theme will be the highest, no doubt, but what about the rest? We have the stellar Menu 2 from Melee, as well as the menu themes from that game and Brawl. As the menu theme pervades the entire title, I believe the game will be at its freshest with that song at the forefront, but I think turning those three songs on could serve as fun nostalgic throwbacks. Menu 2 will likely be set to halfway, while the Melee/Brawl themes will serve as occasional cameos.

And then there's this song. By far one of my favorite tracks from Melee, it's a stellar representation of Nintendo memory lane. I can see it now: me combing through the game's trophy descriptions for hours on end, browsing the fan sites of old (Nintendo Land and Nintendo Database ring any bells?), learning about the fabled legacy of my favorite company...it's a long-gone era, but the Trophy theme brings just a twinge of tumbling through the internet's recesses again.

Having not played Super Smash Bros. Melee in quite some time, it's rather heartwarming knowing I'll be getting acquainted with this song again! It's an oddball choice for the menu that I'm sure will raise eyebrows from my college hallmates, but I dearly look forward to it's return.

...even if I haven't figured out it's play frequency. I'll work it out, I promise!

Final Thoughts: Oh, by the way, I'm quite fond of the orchestral arrangement found in the Original Medley's midpoint from the Smashing...Live! concert. Have a listen!

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