The Blog's Future

Hey.

Seeing as how over three weeks have gone by without a single post, I feel that the time has come for me to discuss not just this situation, but the future of Leave Luck to Heaven.

I do want readers to know I haven't been sitting here twiddling my thumbs. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Not long after my last post, a series of events had enlightened me over many factors regarding my life, and had effectively compounded on the insecurities I had previously mentioned. In other words, it's given me a wake-up call on my current feelings towards the blog. In order to properly convey this, I want to reiterate several of the mains points in the very first post I had penned here.

When the concept of Leave Luck to Heaven first emerged in my head, the idea was sort of a godsend for me. My goal of being a writer was something I had long since established, but I could never find a platform where I could consistently hone my craft due to lack of motivation. The idea of a blog format, however, had immense appeal to me. The prospects of receiving feedback and publishing my works for free on the internet would serve as a constant source of motivation and vigor, and I felt it would serve as the perfect outlet for a budding career.

Not only that, but I believed writing about my favorite subject would reinvigorate more life into my biggest passion. I felt that by writing articles and posts about the games I love so much would not only confirm their relevance to me, but I would finally get to the heart of something I had been planning for years. I've always wanted to discuss just what makes these wondrous devices of entertainment so special to me, something I've never been able to discuss eloquently in real life (I'm not exactly a verbal person), and having the opportunity to share these thoughts and feelings with other people would also serve as a way of putting myself out there.

Whether or not I felt I had succeeded is something I'll get to in a bit, but I can say that during most of it's first year, writing on the blog was a tremendous satisfaction. It wasn't just writing, it was that the purpose of the blog enabled me to connect with games I hadn't played in years or had thought much of previously. My posts regarding Super Mario Bros., for example, established a connection I never had with it before. I came to realize it wasn't just the game that had started it all; it was a game that remains timeless even today and I'm still aiming to finally defeat the excruciating World 8. My tribute to my brother aided me in overcoming the trials of his death and the piece was lauded by just about every member of my family. I've even received comments from my relatives saying that they've seen me in a different light thanks to the blog, and I'd like to think I've grown closer to several of them because of that (which I believe is by far my biggest accomplishment).

However, as 2010 went on and transitioned into 2011, there were a burgeoning pile of issues I had with the blog, and they all seemed to center on the "Game" structure where I take a classic game and describe in multiple posts why it's so amazing. I had intended for these to be the main meat of the blog, but they hadn't gone as well as I liked. While I felt I had done a great job with the Super Mario Bros. posts, there were a number of flaws regarding the games that had followed afterward and I felt this had hindered their appeal. I was ecstatic to go over Kirby's Adventure, for example, and detail just how much the game meant to my childhood and how it sparked my love for Kirby. Instead, I just described the game in what was more of a visual guide and I failed to get my point across. While I felt Mario Kart DS had gone along more smoothly, it still had some of the same problems and I got a little too melodramatic with the "retrospective" pieces at the end of every Lap.

What bothered me the most, however, was the impact these posts were affecting on several factors; namely, my life. As time went on, I became focused more and more on the blog and the effects started to show. To crank out the latest Dream for Kirby's Adventure wasn't just a past time anymore; it was now a job. Updating the blog was suddenly my top priority, and excluding college work it got to the point where I shoved my hobbies and interests out of the way and reserved the rest of the day writing posts. I'd scold and chastise myself for not getting these posts done sooner and then force myself in a mad rush to complete them in a matter of weeks, and it was obvious (more in the case of Kirby's Adventure) that by the end I just stopped caring and stopped putting much effort into them.

Things eventually settled down in regards to the blog as the second semester of college swamped me with work, but I was adamant on getting the Pikmin Seeds out by the end of spring. By this time, I had fully realized the flaws in my Kirby/Mario Kart posts and was ready to build upon them. With Pikmin, I was set to finally get across what I had intended to from the very beginning. And what better game to choose from from Pikmin? It was still one of the most beautiful games I had ever played, and one that would get to the point I was trying to nab!

The usual pattern had begun to seep in. I'd let the first post sit around for while, then I'd crank out a couple more the next month, then finish the rest in a rushed binge and then move on to something else.

Only, the last one didn't happen. The latest Seed, the one that was set on elaborating my ultimate goal regarding the blog, the one that I was worrying about constantly, the one that was giving me trouble...has yet to pop up, and it's been a month since my last Pikmin seed.

Over a week after my last post, I've put over a lot of thought regarding my current system of the blog, and I've come to the conclusion that I don't want to do this anymore. By that, I don't mean that I'm quitting the blog, I just mean I'm tired of this system. There's a billion reasons as to why it's not working out for me, and I feel that it's necessary to explain why.

I've already described about how my intense obsession with the blog had a negative effect on my real life, and much of it had to do with, again, lack of motivation. The comfort zone I've built up over the years has become my greatest enemy, and I wanted to use the blog as a way to get around that. Unfortunately, old habits die hard and it's still something I'm struggling with.

The reason why I was looking forward to this summer was the chance to just reinvent myself. I want to break out of my comfort zone and not just reconnect with my hobbies but just going out and doing new things! Take more walks! Learn new vocab! Visit my new campus! Learn new things! Replay my old games and new ones I had missed! Learn how to write better! Just do stuff!

And yet, the blog still remains a pain in the ass. Here I am trying to step away, and I'm stuck here trying to fulfill an obligation that doesn't mean anything in the long run. Here's the question I've been asking myself: Am I really going to continue doing this? Throwing out a couple of posts then grinding out seven more in the span of two weeks, all of which are incredibly long and have unsanitary amounts of time put into them?

My dreams of being a writer mean a lot to me, but I don't want it to take over my life. I want to improve and hone my skills, but I don't want to worry about it every single day. I'm not going to just sit here and keep telling myself, "Oh, okay, five more minutes...no, ten, no, a half hour, no, fifteen," and then suddenly it's 10:00 at night and I haven't written anything and I'm too tired to go on. This pattern would repeat for hours, then days, then weeks, and in the case of Mario Kart DS, three months.

I guess the main point of this reason is that there's just a lot of stuff going on now, most notably moving into college a month from now, and all of them are infinity times more important than writing on here. Do I really want to end up being a freshmen worrying about how to fit in while simultaneously attempting to pen the sixth post regarding Donkey Kong Country? Of course not! I want to able to tackle this kind of thing when I have my shit together, after I've learned how to manage my time at college, able to manage my time getting to know my new friends, and being able to manage my time regarding my personal interests. Right now, a blog can't really support that, and it's pivotal that it takes a backseat. It's just exhausting right now, and I want to be able to do it when I can write consistently in an established time frame.

And it's not just the workload, either. This system has pushed away EVERYTHING else I've wanted to discuss here and I've only recently realize the gravity of this predicament. Take a look at the list I had provided in the blog's introduction.

• What's been going on in my life in terms of video games, such as getting the NES to work or what I've been playing recently.
• Various pieces of my life with Nintendo. This may or may not be combined with other pieces.
• Posting awesome official game art/fanart I find. This will probably be once a week.
• I'll also be posting game music in the form of Youtube videos. I'll be sharing my passion for game music and why I love it so much.
• My opinions on game announcements and what's been going on in the industry.
• Occasionally, maybe rants on why Nintendo fans today suck so much.

How many times have I gone over these? Some of these never ended up happening, and even the ones that did played second fiddle to my current format and are rarely expanded upon. The problem here is not just that I've spent way too much time on these pieces, and it's not just that it's interfering with my life. There are so many more interesting subjects I could go over than just gushing about one game over and over and over.

For example, remember how I had promised a new feature earlier this year? I was so excited for it to come into fruition since I thought of the idea, and was all ready to put it on in March. Not long after, I had to set it aside for my Pikmin seeds, which I still feel guilty about since I missed two golden opportunities for this feature to really shine. Games I've Been Playing? There's only been three entries since it's inception nearly a year ago, and it's because I had to put it aside for these posts! Reviews? The one for Pokemon White never came because I was so busy trying to get the Pikmin seeds off the ground!

It wasn't until the 3DS remake for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time came out that I realized the situation I was in. I was still intent on finally getting Seed 5 out of the way and over with, and yet every time I played Ocarina of Time 3D, I always kept thinking, "Wow, I'd love to discuss this into my review!" or "Hmm, they could have done this a little better. I gotta remember it for my review." And then it kept getting delayed and delayed and delayed because I was so focused on getting this one post done, and now? I don't have the slightest interest in writing a review for it.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg! There are so many other things I want to discuss, like how happy I was when Kirby Wii was announced (OH MY GOD PLEASE LET "Kirby Returns to Dream Land" BE THE REAL TITLE!!!), or my adventures with the 3DS, or my thoughts regarding the Project Rainfall movement, and I never got around to any of that! And even when I did, it'd be shoved to the end of my post. And it was all because I kept focusing on this!

There are so many other things that I feel are way more relevant then what I'm attempting to do now, and I don't waste my time doing all of this! I want to write reviews! I want to gush about the latest happenings in the game industry! I want to discuss what I'm playing right now! A lot of those concepts I had introduced in the bullet points above still sound appealing to me, and I still want to pull them off! And I can't do that unless I throw this defunct system away!

My final point has to do with the insecurities I had mentioned before, and it's the reason why Seed 5 was so hard for me to write. Lately, I've accepting that I've been unconsciously harboring feelings of inferiority, anger, and worthlessness throughout my life, and it was only recently had I sat down and realized just how much they were hindering me. One of these insecurities had to deal with my ability as a writer, and I had felt I really hadn't gone anywhere with it for so long. I began comparing myself to other journalists throughout the net and every time the same question came to mind: How can I write like them?

It's funny. I created this blog with the intention of improving my writing skills, and while I can say I've gotten better, I've just been stagnant for so long because I've been focused on this same structure! I haven't gone anywhere at all this year because of it! And that's why I'm feeling inadequate and being so hard on myself.

I mentioned earlier how I feel regarding the Kirby's Adventure and Mario Kart DS series of posts, and how they ended up being more of a visual guide than a summary of my experiences with them. To elaborate on this point, I'd like for you to take a look at these two posts for a moment and see what I'm getting at. These were the sole pieces in my works(well, at least in regards to their subjects) where I had achieved everything I had wanted to talk about! Thing is, I don't want to just describe these games. I want to describe what these games mean to me! I want to go over how much they've shaped my gaming career, and how much of an impact they've made on me, and what connections I had shared in that point of time during their initial relevance! Those two posts are the perfect examples of what I want to write on here, and I remember feeling absolutely content writing those posts and being completely happy with how they turned out (as opposed to most of the others, where I felt "Am I doing this right?").

To tell you the truth, though, I didn't fully realize this until the other day. I was looking back at this post and I thought it was amazing how even though it was just a random article I had created out of the blue, it spoke to me on so many different levels than most things I've written on here. Maybe it's just me, and I don't mean to brag, but I always crack a smile at the Super Mario Galaxy 2 bit until the end. The whole thing's not perfect, but who cares? It's a heartwarming piece that reveals a lot about the author and stands on its own.

I'm not trying to imply that everything I'm writing on here is going to be perfect. Far from it. What I'm trying to get at here is that I want to write things here that are relevant to me. Not every post is going to be "WOW AMAZING PROFOUND MASTERPIECE!!!!!", but I just want to have the luxury of not just knowing that I'm on the right track, but that I can look back on my past works with pride and even read them for pleasure! That's not working for me right now, and I just need to take it easy and figure out what are the best options for me here.

In summary, I still can't really manage my time well here, I feel that my current structure of posts are getting in the way of posts and concepts that are a hundred times more interesting and relevant, and I don't feel comfortable with what I'm writing at the moment. Maybe I'll come back to this model eventually, but only at a time when I feel that I'm ready, I feel more confident about my writing (I'm not even sure if I used the semicolons properly!) and able to write at a higher level.

And that's that.

So, what can you expect from here on out?

-First off, I want to make it clear that Leave Luck to Heaven is not going on a hiatus. In fact, I've already got something in the works! I'm heading down to Otakon in two days and this time I'm FINALLY going to dedicate an entire article detailing my experiences! Look forward to it.

-However, since I'm going to be adjusting to college, my decision at taking it easy is going to affect the blog's updates. I can't guarantee the amount of posts you're gonna see every month, since every time I've given an estimate it never really comes true, but you can probably expect at least a minimum of two posts.

-The Pikmin Seeds are being put on hold. I really don't want to do this, especially since I was looking so forward to going over the game. To tell you the truth, that was when I was finally getting the groove I was looking for (I'm particularly proud of the first and fourth Seeds), but it's too much time and effort for me at the moment. I definitely want to revisit it at some point in time, though, so look forward to that in the future.

-I'd like to see more consistent updates regarding Games I've Been Playing. Since the current format of posts will be going on hold, that will probably take over. It'll be much fresher change of pace, however, since I won't be focusing on just one game!

-Expect more posts regarding happenings in the industry, such as game announcements or controversial decisions.

-The new feature will arrive this fall! What you can expect is not one, not two, BUT THREE posts regarding it by the end of this year! I'm actually quite looking forward to tackling these, and in a way I feel they're a suitable replacement for my old system.

And that's about it. I'm hoping this will work out.

See you.

Hi.

Hey.

At this point, I think it's necessary to discuss why Leave Luck to Heaven has been gathering dust for the past few weeks.

I have not had a great 2011. Granted, the same thing could be said for the last several years, but the difference here is that, aside from my internships and college, I've lacked any form of cohesive schedule/motivation. I suppose this isn't something especially new, but the added responsibility of the blog has reinforced these subjects in to my everyday life (as opposed to just dealing with required objectives such as homework and chores).

Thing is, though, as much as I've put the blame on college work for the lack of updates in the spring, I really could have sprinkled posts in-between my work if I had tried. However, I kept putting it off, telling myself that "I'll get around to it in a half hour," and I continued to repeat this line until I found myself too tired to work on whatever I had planned to post, not having typed in a single letter. As a result, I kept forcing myself into crunch times, which not only ruined whatever self-improvement schedule I had planned for myself but added a lot of stress that, in the long run, wasn't really necessary.

Is that I don't really want to do this anymore? Not really. There's a lot I'd like to discuss here, but there's so many factors working against my failing system on here, and it's not so much the blog itself as it is myself. I've fallen into a sort of dangerous comfort zone over the last six years or so, and it's a sort of trap where I accomplish absolutely nothing and even though I daydream daily about some sort of grand scheme to escape it and transform my life into something better, I'm too accustomed to my lazy everyday lifestyle to change it. In other words, this comfort zone rejects my efforts at hard work and has been my number one enemy regarding the blog.

That, and I've come to terms with the fact that I'm insecure about myself. I often beat myself up mentally on a regular basis, whether it's regarding guilt, or the fact I'm lying around doing accomplishing nothing, or feeling that I'm living under a rock, or whatever. The source of this is a variety of issues I won't get into, but my recent insecurity has dealt with my writing, and many times I just wonder if it's all worth it. I compare myself to other writers and journalists who spin the same cloth I do, and deep down I feel as if my writing capabilities don't match up at all. While I can admit I'm still an amateur in the grand scheme of things, negativity and self-doubt have been at my side for much of my teen life.

What doesn't help this (and is probably the source) is I'm doing something...shall I say, ambitious with my next Pikmin Seed and it may surprise you to hear that I'm quite scared how it's going to turn out. It's something I've wanted to talk about ever since I started the blog, and yet I've wasted my time worrying and worrying that my current writing level won't be adequate to describe I'm trying to get across.However, the real issue is that I'm angry at myself for not just putting this whole thing off for so long, but the entire series as well. If I had really done my best, I could have wrapped this whole thing up in June or even early May. Instead, I still have about four posts left and it's just a big stress factor about something that shouldn't be that big of a deal.

Obviously, I've been pondering a great deal about this troublesome situation over the past month, most of it regarding the future of the blog. Recently, I've come to the conclusion that while I still want to write on it, I really need to make it less of a priority. Here's the deal: While I do plan on getting the Pikmin seeds done and over with THIS MONTH, the thought of kicking back and just taking it easy as I'll be preparing the transition to college next month is becoming more and more of an ideal thought for me. As much as I like writing on here, I'm really tired of structuring my time around the blog. I was literally becoming its slave, and that's not a healthy situation for anyone!

By "taking it easy," yes, I do mean I will be be popping up less frequently. Not only will I have a much easier time conforming to my new dorm life, but I'll have all the time in the world to say, hunt down screenshots as opposed to nabbing all of them at the last minute. That, and...it'll just be a fresh change of pace. In all honesty, I'd like to experiment with the other sections of the blog rather than focus on my current Game structure.

I am taking steps in my life to deal with most of the issues listed above, and I do want readers to know that I'll be starting work on the blog tomorrow. There are also two other posts I'd like to go over soon (one of which is a review!), so please look forward to those as well.

See you.

Edit: Made a HUGE mistake with the date of this post. As of this edit, it's July 6th, and I think I posted this three or two days ago...not in late June!!! I'm sorry for any confusion.

E3 2011: My Thoughts

Another year, another crazy E3! Sorry I'm late...having a bit of a blue weekend.

Anyway, it's obvious as to what we'll be discussing for today's post, so no external preamble is necessary. That said, I'll be splitting my opinions into several sections just like last year: What I Loved, What I'm Not Sure About, and What I Didn't Like.

Let's get it on!

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What I Loved

Five home consoles have defined the realm of Nintendo. The Nintendo Entertainment System established not just the company's entrance into video games, but many of their current key franchises. The Super Nintendo refined these experiences into what many label as the finest moments of Super Mario, Zelda, Metroid, and Kirby. The Nintendo 64 revolutionized gaming and was also designated as the ultimate party machine. The Gamecube chose to focus on innovation, and those that stuck with it were introduced to magical worlds not found in its competitors. The Wii not only continued this trend with motion controls, but bridged the gap towards the expanded market and ended up being one of the most affluent of Nintendo's family.

And now, we have a new family member that is made just for your needs.

Let's give a warm welcome to the Wii U.

Yes, that iPad shaped tablet really is the controller! Let's take a quick peek at the following trailer in order to make sense of this wondrous device.



The big focus is, obviously, on the controller. The rumors of a touch screen on it turned out to be genuine, as the screen can mirror what is happening on-screen. This has a number of uses, as seen when a game of New Super Mario Bros. Wii is shown to be seamlessly transferred to the controller. For example, if your mother wants to watch the television you're playing games on, you can switch your game over to the controller while Mom gets to enjoy an episode of Desperate Housewives. While there's no information of how long the wireless range can last, it's a guarantee that you can play it anywhere in the house!

Of course, the big question is how this feature will aid in gameplay. A great example includes the tech demo Battle Mii, which features characters in Metroid's Varia Suits trying to shoot down a spaceship. Helming the ship via the tablet controller, the player must strike back amidst the firing of his Wii Remote-armed friends, who use the television to hunt down their prey. Notice how the person wielding the controller has his own screen to navigate, while the hunters only play on the television screen. A similar game on an earlier platform would have been cluttered with splitscreens, but the Wii U succeeds by not just simplifying the TV screen, but adding an unlimited amount of potential for strategy! As the hunters scramble around trying to locate their target, the ship has the added element of stealth thanks to having his own private screen. Plus, with the reported confirmation of FIVE PLAYERS, one can only imagine where multiplayer games will be taken with this system.


The Zelda HD demo excels at not just presenting another use for the tablet, but hinting at the Wii U's graphical prowess. Details on just how exactly the console will be remain elusive, but various comments from developers hint of a superiority to the Playstation 3. Of course, we'll be able to get a much better look at next year's E3, which will no doubt have a healthy selection of games to be admired right before the system's launch.

Are there any blemishes to this announcement? Admittedly, the initial reveal caused momentary confusion, as they focused so much on the controller that they didn't even bother showing the system itself, leading many to wonder if the actual controller was the console. However, the only real concern regarding the Wii U itself is that only one of these tablets can be controlled at a time with the Wii U. While the system provides support of the Wii Remote (unfortunately, no Gamecube controllers :<), I can see fights breaking out over who will be able to play with the special controller. The controller itself, understandably, rose many eyebrows and raised questions on how not only games would be played, but on the topic of comfortableness.

While reports from the show indicate the controller fits adequately into the player's hands, the lack of any real games at the show fail to quell these concerns. That said, I don't necessarily think Nintendo's showed their full hand with this system, and again, I'm sure all will be made clear next year. If there's one thing the company succeeds at, it's always designed to make sure the player is not just comfortable, but suited for their needs (which, obviously, is the whole point of the system). I'm looking very forward to what Nintendo and the entourage of third-party developers have planned for the Wii U.

Since the Wii U featured only a small selection of tech demos, the 3DS and Wii stole the spotlight when it came to their lineup. Let's first take a look at the new handheld on the block.



Super Mario 3DS is here!!! Perhaps best described as the two-dimensional version of Super Mario Galaxy, the undeniable influence from Nintendo EAD Tokyo's greatest hits are unmistakable (which makes sense, since they're both being made by the same company). While the game features the three-dimensional movement of its home console cousins, it features a more streamlined level design not unlike it's Wii cousins. It's no doubt an effort to appeal to the expanded market crowd that can't seem to understand the 3D Marios, and I'm curious to see how the title works.

..Tanooki Mario, though? Not that I have a problem, but I thought the tail in the logo hinted at the return of Raccoon Mario.



Kid Icarus Uprising once again arrives on the scene with an explosive trailer. Who saw the multiplayer segment coming? No one did, and I'm excited to try it out. The single-player again impresses, and the addition of the buff Magnus (along with the cutscenes) really shows Sakurai's dedication to evolving the world of Kid Icarus. If you own a 3DS and haven't downloaded any of the E3 trailers yet, at least nab this one! The 3D effect is amazing!

Unfortunately, I've been reading that the control problems from earlier presentations are still present. I've heard it's similar to the controls of Star Fox Command, which I didn't have any problems with but wasn't easy for everyone. Here's to hoping there's alternate control schemes.



The big announcement for 3DS came in the form of Luigi's Mansion 2! It's been ten years since the original title debuted as a launch title for the Gamecube, and the time has now come for Luigi to once again rid his fear of ghosts. To be honest, I was never really sure if Nintendo was interested in the idea of a sequel, considering the mixed reception the original had received. But, hey, I'm ready for another go. The concept looks as goofy as ever, but part of me thinks we'll have some new gimmicks to spice up the experience. Either way, I'm eager to explore the multiple mansions this sequel provides (they gotta include the original!).

Also, I can't get enough of the ghost at 1:07. Nyutnyea!

...man, ten years since Luigi's Mansion. I feel old.



Mario Kart 3DS goes back to the drawing board with more gimmicks: Hand gliders and Kart Customization! While Double Dash!!'s two-person kart motif was an interesting experiment, these have potential as being permanently new features of the series. While the hand gliders will no doubt sharpen the ramp jumping thrills of Mario Kart, the kart customization will no doubt have a big impact. Here's to hoping we have a system that emulates the deep variety of Mario Kart DS (speaking of which, nice to see the Luigi's Mansion and Airship Fortress tracks return from that title!).

Even more interesting that Retro Studios of Metroid Prime and Donkey Kong Country Returns fame is collaborating on the title! I knew those Tikis weren't just for show.



I WANT TO PLAY THIS SO MUCH.

You have no idea. Now, I loved Epic Yarn, but I am SO HUNGRY for a traditional home console Kirby game. AND IT'S THE FREAKING RETURN OF THE LOST GAMECUBE TITLE!!! AND...AND..KIRBY HAS NEW POWERS. AND AND AND ITS STILL FOUR PLAYER AND DUDE YOU CAN PLAY AS KING DEDEDE AND METAKNIGHT!!!!!

AND...and...even the little Waddle Dee with the bandana from Kirby Super Star's Revenge of MetaKnight subgame!!! And he's carrying a spear! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW AMAZING THIS IS?!?! And it has the enemies from Kirby 64! I'm getting Kirby 64 vibes! That's a good thing, right? Getting vibes from the first Kirby game you ever played! No, scratch that! You're getting vibes of Kirby 64 AND from Kirby Super Star!!!

I'M PLAYING IN FREAKING DREAM LAND AND THERE'S ALSO A KIRBY GAME COMING OUT FOR THE DS WHERE YOU GET TO PLAY AS A MOB OF SQUISHY BOUNCY KIRBIES SHABUBUBUBUBUUBUBUBUBUBU.JAHAHEGEHEGHHE AHAHAHHhEMEMEMEM BAUAUAUAUBUUBUBUBU AMAMEMEMEMEM mmmmmm

Ahem.

Fanboy raving aside, I'm glad to say that I've finally had my mind turned around with a certain title. Last year, I was incredibly unimpressed with the latest chapter of perhaps Nintendo's most prestigious franchise, and those feelings remained intact well into the trailer presented at this year's Game Developer Conference. Nintendo's continued focus on the Motion Plus controls instead of evolving this franchise was not what I was looking for, and the bland, unimpressive art style did not resonate with what I had previously associated with the series. In all honesty, I really came to expect to hate the title.

How wrong I was.


The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword has finally risen from mediocrity!

As details have flooded in, it becomes clear that the latest iteration of Zelda is ready to refresh to the series with a clean slate. Skyward Sword accomplishes this by going forward with the earlier promise of detailing the land of Hyrule's origins, right down to even the characters. In this title, Link and Zelda live amongst a clan living in the aerial island of Skyloft. The citizens bear no mind to the enigmatic Surface beneath them, choosing to live out their days by jumping off the island and soaring the sky by riding on awesome birds.

The relationship between land and sky serves not just as an introduction to the early days of Hyrule, but an enthralling gameplay dynamic that's sure to evolve the series. Link's origins in the sky allow him to explore his new domain, as his unnamed bird companion guides him to the various islands suspending in the sky (much like the islands in the seafaring The Wind Waker). Of course, Link must eventually descend to the surface, ruled by the new villain Lord Ghirahim (who, as various animated GIFs have displayed, is an expert at nightmare fuel). As opposed to the various dungeon structure in the series' past, The Surface is actually one big dungeon that Link must repeatedly explore. Series creator Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata have expressed a desire to return to Zelda's old roots of exploration, such as when the player could accidentally stumble across a brand new weapon by bombing a cave wall.

Personally, I'm very excited for this reboot of Zelda. I can't help but notice how strange it is for Skyward Sword to reinvent the Zelda wheel, yet it's also going to reintroduce the characters, myths, artifacts and other concepts we're all so familiar with. Link? Zelda? The Master Sword? Hyrule? The Triforce? As The Legend of Zelda is undergoing the process of transformation, at the same time we'll be discovering the backstory of just how all of these elements came to place. Already the ninja squad of Zelda detectives are on the prowl, having penned down the parallels between the village chief in the trailer and the King of Hyrule. To this day, I have never once underestimated their deducing prowess.

The only iffy part about all of this? Well, to celebrate the arrival of orchestrated music into the series, Nintendo chose to hire an actual orchestra to play various Zelda music (including the Skyward Sword trailer music). It was actually an pretty awesome idea, but unfortunately the impact was dulled due to the various failures of the livestreams presented. Nintendo's own livestream on their website didn't even bother to produce sound, and the rest didn't zoom in when the Skyward Sword trailer had begun playing. Plus, they messed up their audio cues during Miyamoto's on-stage shenanigans. Whoops.

Overall, though, the title has more than made up for its previous presentation sins, and I'm now hyped for the title. The rest of Nintendo's lineup has proven that this is going to be quite an eventful year for the company, and I'm ready to dig in starting with the Ocarina of Time remake (next week!).
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What I'm Not Sure About

Well, I only really have one thing I'm not sure about. Believe it or not, it involves two titles that we haven't witnessed a single screenshot or trailer for; in fact, they're not even in development yet!

I suppose I should get the obvious out of my system: THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE TWO SUPER SMASH BROTHERS.

I AM NOT KIDDING YOU.

TWO.

FOR WII U AND 3DS.

TWO OF THEM.

EEEEYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGGAHAHHHR!!!!!1111

And yet, I remain apprehensive! But why?

I want to make absolutely one thing clear: I love Super Smash Brothers. I absolutely adore the concept of a Nintendo crossover consisting of their most famous and obscure stars beating the crud out of each other. I love the eye candy Nintendo fanservice that strokes my normally-hardened heart and turns it into a nostalgic pile of mush every time I glance upon its visage. I love the stark contrast between beating up Pikachu with Princess Peach in one moment and looking at freaking trophies of characters I grew up with the next. I love how it introduced me to Earthbound. I fell in love with the series the moment Tips & Tricks magazine previewed the first title. I waited eight long, arduous months for Melee that took the guise of an eternity. I waited two years for Brawl and stuck by the game even when its long time fans suddenly went batshit insane and raged against the title because it didn't live up to their bullshit standards (HURR DURR IT DOESN'T HAVE HITSTUN).

In other words, I LOVE SMASH BROS.

Am I not excited for the new titles? No way! How can I say no to Super Smash Bros.? Two of them, at that! But, it's just...so soon! While it would be silly to feel that the franchise had ended, I was so satisfied with where Brawl had left us off that I would've been fine with waiting at least another ten years while the series had time to recharge its batteries. But, man, it's coming! THEY'RE COMING! We're going to have two new Smash Bros.! I'm a freaking broken record about it! Yahoo!

But, even still, I have some strong concerns regarding these new titles. Thing is, though, these concerns weren't born out of this particular announcement. My worrywart status towards another Smash Bros. were born not long after Brawl graced our American shores, and it's for this reason that I had felt the series, as much as I love it, needed to take a long break before Masahiro Sakurai would attempt to create another brawling juggernaut. And it's for these three reasons.

-In the interviews following the announcement, series director Masahiro Sakurai made it clear that changes would be coming to the Smash Bros. franchise. He noted that both the Wii U and the 3DS versions would be made hand-in-hand and feature a very close kinship to one another, mainly in the form of a wireless connection. While I'm sure Sakurai has cooked up something amazing for the franchise, I feel that the biggest issue to to be addressed in terms of what we have already is to reinvent the character movesets.

Thing is, I fear that if we continue to retain every single move for every single character, the series is going to grow stale very quickly. While it may be a stretch to completely reinvent every moveset, I think there should be considerable changes made in them. For example, do we really need Donkey Kong's Headbutt move, or Luigi's cyclone maneuver? Why not give Donkey Kong his Coconut Gun, or Luigi his Poltergust 3000? Why not grant Sheik another selection of deadly tools instead of her tired tricks? Maybe some of Kirby's other powers could get in on the action instead of the typical Cutter/Stone/Hammer combo, and the same could be said for Samus (I know they're famous in competitive play, but god those missiles are boring).

Still, even though I'm sure Sakurai realizes the need to refresh the series, it's a tough idea to sell. Players everywhere have spent so much time with their favorite characters that such an outright change might disenchant their relationship with them. However, I remain adamant in that this step must be taken. Somehow, I feel it'll all boil down to whatever Sakurai has planned.

-Contrary to popular belief, I felt that Brawl's character roster was absolutely perfect, especially when it came to the newcomers. For starters, you had characters who've had a dedicated fanbase over the course of decades (Wario, Diddy Kong, Meta Knight and King Dedede); those who were contemporary additions to established franchises or had appeared in new series (Fire Emblem's Ike, Mother 3's Lucas, Pokemon's Lucario, and Pikmin's Olimar); innovative spins on character choices no one could have predicted (the three-in-one combo of Pokemon Trainer and the whimsical R.O.B); and, of course, third-party characters (Solid Snake and Sonic the Hedgehog). All in all, it was the paramount assembly of Nintendo's finest.

Three years later, another Smash Bros. is in the works. But...who can be in?

The more I think about this problem, the more it scares me. There really isn't a lot of suitable characters left to choose from in the series, despite what the nonsensical character lists on GameFAQS would have you believe (my friend Vaztor crafted a list of characters that probably won't be in). The wait for Brawl produced a lot of horrid character request lists, and history is repeating itself for the new iterations. Thing is, while there is the occasional odd character choice such as Wolf O'Donnell from Star Fox, every character picked thus far symbolizes something in Nintendo's history. You have the mascot characters that lead their own franchises (Mario and Link), and you have the characters who represent the lesser franchises of Nintendo's history (Ness and Marth), and you have the characters who are just really popular in certain circles (Meta Knight, Pit, and Jigglypuff). Character requests such as Princess Daisy, Waluigi, Krystal, Ridley, Link Riding Epona, Vaati, and Dark Samus all have various problems, ranging from having absolutely no moves to choose from (how on earth could Daisy and Dark Samus not be clones?), irrelevancy, being too big, or just being too stupid.

This is actually a big reason as to why I felt it was coming too early. Not only would a longer period of time would've given birth to a larger number of characters, but Sakurai wouldn't be forced to drudge through lists such as the one above and be forced to pick them. Thing is, I'd be able to live with a playable Toad or Paper Mario, but I do not want Krystal or Daisy anywhere near my sunshine happiness that is Smash Bros. And, truth be told, the thought of a resized Ridley to Smash Bros. proportions gives me the heebie jeebies.

Could there viable character options? Well, I wouldn't mind Little Mac or King K. Rool, and I don't necessarily think that Golden Sun or Sin and Punishment characters are out of the question. Aside from the new characters in Skyward Sword and Kid Icarus: Uprising, not much. Third-party choices are tough, as the whole "this type of character wouldn't fit" idea was thrown out the window with the arrival of Solid Snake. Personally, I'd prefer the likes of Mega Man, Ryu, and Super Mario RPG's Geno. Not much else.

Time will tell.

-The inevitable reaction.

The other thing that I want to go over when it comes to Smash Bros. was that I loved it for what it was intended to be: A big, goofy Nintendo crossover party funfest that's full to the brim of nostalgic fanservice. I can't tell you how much of an impact the series made on my gaming life, and so much of it didn't have to do with beating Donkey Kong's brains out with a hammer. Whenever I played Super Smash Bros. Melee, I always jumped into the Sound Test so I could listen to the orchestrated Kirby music. I made up adventures with the characters and played with them as if they were virtual action figures (of which the stars were always Kirby and Ness). I relaxed in the All-Star rest area and gazed out into the park. I marveled at my collection of trophies, depicting the history and glory of Nintendo's characters. I lived Nintendo whenever I played it. And you know what? Everyone else felt the same way.

Every concept I had just described was broken into a million pieces at the time of Brawl's release.

The competitive Smash scene, which I had largely ignored over the course of Melee's lifetime, had by then hijacked the series and completely defined it as something else. Suddenly, it didn't matter what character was in or what new modes were introduced; all that mattered was that whether or not the game ran at a fast speed and that it contained hitstun in order to perform combos. When it was revealed Brawl's new gameplay engine had completely eradicated any trace of the cutthroat mechanics found in Melee, the fanbase went into a venomous, bloodthirsty rage. The game was treated as an abominable outcast, bashed and spat upon as if it had shot their mother. Sakurai was transformed into the community's verbal punching bag and Brawl (as well as its fans) was labeled with every slur imaginable.

Seeing as how Sakurai is again directing the new titles and that he announced they will use the Brawl engine as a foundation, I'm imagining that they're going to receive a similar reception. And my heart is probably going to break. Again.

What really made this hurt was just the fact that everyone loved this series. Everyone knew just how magical and fun this series was, and we could all fall back on it even when flame wars raged throughout the internet on whether or not the Gamecube was kiddy. And now, there's a split. You have those who are just satisfied with the gameplay and fanservice, and those who believe they should be ones pandered to (despite the fact that Sakurai has no obligation to do so) because they were the ones who kept the series "alive." People didn't even care about Pit or Wario or King Dedede or even Solid Snake or Sonic the Freaking Hedgehog being in because they were so concerned about factors they themselves had created. It just hurt, man.

You know, I'm still going to enjoy this. I know I'm going to love it. It's Super Smash Bros., after all. But the one thing I fear above all else is that the split will remain. People are going to whine and moan again. People are going to claim the heart of Smash Bros. is a heart-racing, short-hopping, physics-abusing mess. People are going to complain that Ridley and Baby Mario still aren't in. People are going to continue to swearing their allegiance to nostalgia and keep playing Melee.

But, you know what? They can do what they want. This time, I won't be taken by surprise. I'm going to stick with these new titles regardless of what everyone else thinks. Too slow? No hitstun? Who cares? These things don't even come close to defining the Smash Bros. experience. Not everyone will fall in love with Smash Bros. all at once, and it probably won't be like that ever again, but time just changes things. It's just something I've come to accept over the years. Not everything is meant to last exactly the way it is forever, and I guess that applies to everyone's unanimous love of Smash Bros. I'm ready to spend my last few years with Brawl in preparation, I'm ready to be bowled over with hype and anticipation, and I'm ready to move on.

We'll wait and see. We'll wait and see within the span of another three years.
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What I Didn't Like

No Pikmin 3.

Again.

You know something? I was so ready to have it released this year. I mean, I was not only replaying the original game but I am freaking blogging about it! And I bought the sequel earlier this year after it was stolen! And I'm going to play that one later this summer! I mean, dude! I'm going to COSPLAY as CAPTAIN OLIMAR at THIS YEAR'S OTAKON!! It was written in the stars! The writing was on the wall! They had to release it this year!

And it's not!
AND I AM PISSED.
Nintendo, it's been three years. It's been three years since Miyamoto let it slip at the E3 08 roundtable. "Oh, yeah, we're making it." And what I did get next year? "Oh, it's not ready yet." And the year after that? "Oh, it'd get lost in the clutter." And what did I see at this year's roundtable, my eyes fervently scanning the livefeed as I awaited for news on my absent sequel? "Pikmin questions are forbidden."

I was just ready to explode until Miyamoto revealed that development for Pikmin 3 had been shifted to the Wii U.

Am I still upset? You bet. I had to slave through three years for an absent title that bears no screenshot, trailer or teaser. Can you believe it? And that's not even counting the four years beforehand! I've waited seven years in all! That's just as long as Golden Sun fans had to wait for that Dark Dawn game! No, wait, it's worse! Now we're going to be waiting for EIGHT YEARS!

Am I happy they're still making it? Well, sure. I'll be honest in saying that I wasn't surprised Pikmin 3 had moved over to the new console. I mean, sure, it fit from my perspective, but Nintendo probably felt that Skyward Sword, which is now supplemented by sure-fire 3DS hits, would've been sufficient enough to carry the Wii this holiday. If there's a bright side to all of this, it means the game will have more time to be tinkered with and it'll be presented in glorious HD. If Pikmin was already gorgeous enough on Wii...*drool*

But, geez, I'm still upset! Three years with no information! You just don't do that! Something tells me that Miyamoto regrets his announcement considering he keeps getting badgered about it, and I have to say I too wonder if it was for the best. I mean, it's true was the only thing even remotely interesting that came out of the abomination known as E3 2008. But would I have been able to live without it? I may have been tortured with no information regarding a new Pikmin...but is that any worse knowing it's coming and NOTHING has been said about it! If this becomes the Nintendo version of Duke Nukem Forever, I am going to scream.

That said...I'm wondering who it'll work with the new controller. The Pikmin concept was such a perfect fit for the Wii Remote/Nunchuck control scheme that it's such a shame it was only taken advantage of with a port of the original game. Miyamoto had expressed the tablet works very well with Pikmin, so I guess I should be willing to take his word. Ah, well, I'm sure it'll still have the Wii Remote as an alternate option.

But..yeah, Nintendo. We're still cool, but just don't do this again. It's really not like you.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY.......


I SWEAR TO GOD IF THIS GUY ISN'T IN I WILL FEED UPON THE SOULS OF YOUR CHILDREN.

FATTIES!!!!!! TO THIS DAY I STILL LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!! I STILL LONG FOR THE CUDDLY TOUCH OF YOUR TUMMY!!!!! I STILL FEEL THE BURN OF YOUR ALL-KNOWING GAZE!!! I STILL AM OVERWHELMED BY YOUR SUMO RITUAL!!!!!! I STILL MOURN FOR YOUR LOSS IN A GAME OF BRAWL!!!!!!! I STILL HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THE HALBERD CANNON INCIDENT!!!!!!!!


IN THE NAME OF SNOOKY!!!!!!!!!!!

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And that about covers it!

I'll be a bit busy at the beginning of next week, but expect another new post soon.

Pikmin ~Seed 4~ Connection with Olimar and the Pikmin

It's unavoidable. At one point or another, the characters we interact with in video games begin to grow on us. This connection is, obviously, strongest when we're children and are able to readily idolize whoever we're controlling onscreen. Whether it's Mario's affable warmth or Sonic the Hedgehog's hotshot attitude or Ryu's expertise at being a badass, we become starry-eyed fanatics as we grow up with them. Even as gamers embark on the transition to teenager and adulthood, many still bear nostalgic feelings for these characters and still regard them with much respect.

Of course, as much as I idolize Mario today, I can't exactly get away with calling him a complicated character. Is that a bad thing? Certainly not. Many of gaming's most popular characters are akin to the cast of Looney Tunes and Mickey Mouse: They will not impress in terms of symbolism, character depth, or backstory, but their endless appeal and lively personalities entertain audiences to no end. However, just as graphics, gameplay, and even music have been radically transformed throughout the various gaming generations, so have the casts of characters that have been introduced to us within the past decade and a half.

While the Super Nintendo's RPGs paved the way for character development in video games, it truly became mainstream with the advent of the Playstation. While Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon picked up on Mario's parading enthusiasm, critics and older gamers found themselves enamored with the casts of Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy VII. These characters weren't stereotypes of typical archetypes; instead, they were characters with detailed personalities, tragic backstories, and even romantic relationships. As they progressed through these titles, players began to not only care for them but wanted to find out what would happen to them, which gave them all the more motivation to finish the game. The immense success of these titles was quickly noted by the rest of the industry, and the aspects of detailed characters and elaborate world-building soon became the norm in the game industry.

Did Nintendo follow this route? Not really, and with the continued success of Mario, Donkey Kong, and Pokemon, who could blame them? While their questionable business practices had sealed their ranking at third place, the non-evolution of their characters was not the cause of their financial decline. What really is beautiful about Nintendo's cast of characters is that since they don't have multi-layered personalities or established backgrounds, the players can have fun filling in the blanks. How exactly did Bowser obtain eight children? Who is Meta Knight, and what is his true purpose? How did Mario and Luigi take up their roles as defenders of the Mushroom Kingdom? Thousands of theories have been made on a variety of subjects regarding these characters, as their vagueness only wants us to know more.

Of course, some of Nintendo's characters have a bit more personality and history imbued into them. The Fire Emblem series and the enigmatic Mother 3 are recent cases, both of which produced dramatic storyline and developed characters. However, American audiences were first introduced to a developed character in none other than Pikmin's diminutive hero.
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If there's one thing that Nintendo's protagonists succeed at doing, it's leaving a great first impression. The cartoony, bouncy air around Mario and his friends immediately hook in any child within range of a television. The badassery of Donkey Kong and Samus Aran are second to none. Pikachu's cuteness captivated the female population, and players were able to become a hero through the blank slate of Link.
It should be obvious, then, that Pikmin's Captain Olimar does not leave a strong first impression.

Upon first viewing, he is a rather bizarre figure. Unusually short and stumpy, Olimar does not emanate any form of heroism or fortitude. His squinty eyes and plump nose are not exactly attractive features. He lacks Mario's party-going atmosphere. He does not possess Donkey Kong's prowess. He doesn't even come close to matching the sheer coolness of Link and Samus. How can he possibly be an appealing character?

Simple: He speaks.

While Samus Aran and Fox McCloud had previously conversed in their titles, Olimar is notable for possessing a well-established personality. While, again, he is not provided by a voiceover, his text boxes allow us to peek into his thoughts and feelings about what goes around him. His signature verbosity is well-suited, as he constantly tries to make sense of the distant world he's trapped on.

Olimar's first words serve as introducing the plot of the game. He's not only stranded on an unknown planet thanks to a ship crash, but his life-support system can only stand the poisonous atmosphere for thirty days. To escape this strange planet, he must recover his missing ship pieces. The sheer size of the daunting task ahead of him is obvious from the beginning, and he soon realizes he can't do it alone.

As Olimar chatters away in a text box, his observations and inquiries serve as a clever method for the player to get situated in the oddball mechanics of Pikmin. Through his constant documentation of the strange world, the player learns not just the goal of the game, but how to effectively employ the Pikmin and their many uses. We learn how to use their Onion pods, and how to throw Bomb Rocks, and discover that Blue Pikmin can use their gills to tread through watery areas. His analysis is key to understanding the game.

However, his analysis is not a robotic one. While described as being an expert freighter, his apparent love for research and zoology allows him to express a sense of wonder. His distinct speech aids in his surprise, as he can't help but to be in awe of the various going-ons around him. As noted when he meets his first Red Pikmin, "Here I am, stranded on a toxic planet, fighting to survive, and yet I'm intrigued... I must research this fascinating creature!" In a way, his reactions to the wondrous flora and fauna of the planet mirror those of the player. The world of Pikmin was unlike anything else in gaming at the time, and Olimar's constant feedback shares these feelings with the player, and a connection is immediately established.
As the adventure continues, it becomes clear that Olimar excels as a leader. Through his monologues that are peppered throughout the game, his quick thinking and analytical strategies guide the player on progressing through the game. His diminutive stature is all but forgotten as his astute assistance defines his character. Just as the Pikmin eased Olimar's loneliness and he came to depend on them for companionship, I came to depend on Olimar as my sole ally. The world of Pikmin, while captivating in beauty, felt more real and deadly than any other game world I had previously explored, and I felt scared at certain times. Even so, I could depend on Olimar's chattiness as my sole ally into this scary world.

What really drives this point home is his personal Voyage Log. As Olimar retreats into sky with his battered Dolphin during the nocturnal hours of the planet, he jots down a daily entry into a journal. The subjects of these entries vary, often reflecting upon events the player had engaged during that day's expedition or indulging in nostalgic memories. If, for example, a Bomb Rock had engulfed a number of Pikmin, he details the heart-wrenching expression of the deceased Pikmin. If a ferocious creature is encountered, he reports of their dangerous abilities. At other times, he remembers his family back home.

And that's the sharpest reminder of Olimar's predicament.

In the Forest of Hope, one ship piece requires the Pikmin to build two bridges over a small pond not far from the landing site. It's a process that takes a while, but it's far from the hardest job in the game (other than the danger of water). After both bridges are finished, you cross over the both of them and locate a small, green object known as the Sagittarius.

When Olimar locates a ship piece, he excitedly details the piece and its purpose for guiding the ship straight into the heavens. That's not the case this time, however, as Olimar reveals its origins:

"I've found my Sagittarius!

My son gave this to me as a present. It brings to mind vision of my son back home on Planet Hocotate. Oh, to be back there right now!"

This was my favorite ship piece documentation back when I first played the game, and it remains this way even today. The player is reminded here that Olimar's escape from the alien planet does just not mean bragging rights. We now know why Olimar is so adamant on his survival and trying to persevere: Because he has a family at home waiting for him. We eventually learn of his wife and daughter, and his nightly logs eventually consist of him yearning for their comfort, knowing that they must be worried for him.

A weight is suddenly thrown on my shoulders, and it was a big deal when I was younger. I was in control of Olimar's destiny. I was in charge in making sure he braved through the dangers of this mysterious land and had to crush every creature in my path. If I succeeded, Olimar would be able to escape the planet and be reunited with his family. If I failed, he would succumb to the planet's atmosphere and never see his family again.

Subtle, yet powerful. That is the way of Nintendo's characters. And that is why Olimar is one of my favorite game characters.

"I just recalled the day I took my son for a ride in this spaceship. He was so happy... I shall tell him of this journey when I return. And I shall return! I must! I can already see the look of wonder on his precious face as I describe my adventures with the Pikmin..."

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Olimar's monologues are our key to understanding Pikmin, but the titular characters are his own for survival. While Olimar eventually proves himself to be a likable character, it is the Pikmin themselves that draw players to the game. They instantly appeal, whether in terms of curiosity or admiration, and it's strange how they accomplish this besides having simple designs. Each type of Pikmin has a distinct physical feature that, along with their colors, distinct them from one another, but they all have the same blank stare. Even while looking at the picture above, it's as if they could come to life at any moment, ready for me to issue an order.

As the player gradually amasses an army of Pikmin, they'll quickly find out that the Pikmin are a lively bunch. When called out of their Onion homes, they slide down its legs with a bubbly banter. When new Pikmin are plucked from the planet's soil, they greet Olimar with a squeaky greeting (if one listens closely, a trace of English can be heard). They favor the sweet taste of the blops of sap found in tall grass, and immediately chase after the sparkling hide of a Iridescent Flint Beetle. They are quick to aid Olimar in forging a wooden bridge, and cheer for joy when one of the Dolphin's ship pieces are recovered.

And yet, when used in the right hands, they are deadly. When prompted to attack a monster ten times larger than they are, they waste no time in attacking. Their bubbly attitudes instantly become fierce as they assault and nip on the back of a napping Bulborb or on the tiny head of a Burrowing Snagret. Even as members of their own ranks are instantly crushed or devoured, none pay heed as they continue to thrash at their opponents. As the monster falls the ground, the Pikmin immediately revert to their energetic state and carry the body off as nothing happened, installing it into the Onion for more Pikmin seeds.

Olimar is not the only to be both amused and mystified by their actions (as noted in several of his voyage logs), as it's not long before the player grows attached to them as well. It's no secret that people grow more quickly attached to pets than they do to other people, and the same goes for the personal army of Pikmin. Their squeals and groans are not unlike a puppy's whines or a kitten's mews, and they gently soothe the player into exploring deeper and deeper into a dangerous world. Why, just listen to them trying to pick up a heavy object (Awp! Awp! Awwwuuuuuooo!)!

But, like all pets, they eventually die.

The life of a Pikmin ends without warning. A handful will be crunched and swallowed by the monstrous fangs of a monster. They will crushed by a gargantuan leg or wayward boulder. They will be burned alive by a fire-breathing beast. Others will be suffocated, or body slammed, or swept away by a monstrous tongue. Whatever the case, a Pikmin will force out a mournful squeal and dissolve into a lonely ghost, as depicted above.

And it will all be your fault.

The death of a Pikmin symbolizes not just a fatal mistake as a leader, but the force of attachment you've established with the little critters. When they die, you feel it. You commanded them to engage in a ill-fated attack on a deadly monster, and half of your platoon fell prey to a hungry monster. The scars of battle are evident. Suddenly, your gang of a hundred Pikmin has fallen to fifty. The petals of a flower Pikmin have been reduced to buds or leaves, and as such your fighting power has been halved. Your platoon is smaller. The harsh reality of the Pikmin world is at full force here.

The Pikmin have the spirit of children, the courage of a warrior, but are as fragile as a flower. As the terrain becomes rougher and the deaths pile up, the player learns that the protection of the Pikmin is top priority. By realizing this, the player learns they must eliminate the opposing creatures as quickly as possible through various strategies. As shown above, running frantically with a sloppily organized mob of Pikmin will do you no good. You must attack from behind, or when the monsters are resting from their assault. You must strike quickly, and not lag or mistime in your throws.

But even so, mistakes are made. Perhaps the most horrific sight is watching a drowning Pikmin. The Red and Yellow Pikmin cannot traverse in deep bodies of water, and immediately begin flailing for life as they desperately attempt to reach for shore. While they can be saved with a certain method later on, there will be times where it won't be avaliable. You can only watch helplessly as the Pikmin begins to sink under the deaths. Its struggles eventually begin to cease as it floats face down in the water, evaporating into a ghost.

The concept of characters dying had previously scared me during the Nintendo 64, but the Gamecube only frightened me in the case of Pikmin. Watching these characters I had being fostering so tenderly die in the jaws of a beast or in the depths of a lake chilled me to the bone. I always worked hard in making sure none of them would die, but I'd slip up every now and then, and I couldn't go through with it. I'd turn off the Power button, turn the system on again, and try again.

Many years later, it's different. When Pikmin die, I have to move on. As a young adult, I am able to steel myself forward even with a fatal mistake. A Bulborb has eaten ten of my Pikmin? Alright, then, I'll just have to slay it and replace my fallen Pikmin with its corpse. A Fiery Blowhog has torched my Pikmin? Same deal. While I felt sad, I had no time to mourn their deaths. Olimar's clock was ticking, and I had to move on without their sacrifices badgering my mind.

The other day, one of my Pikmin somehow fell off a bridge. I didn't have the necessary tools in order the save it, so I could only watch it drown. It was a particularly poignant moment for me, and I was suddenly standing between time. If this had happened nine years ago, I would've instantly turned the Gamecube off. Now? I could only watch, and then realize I had to keep moving. While I felt a little guilty for abandoning the Pikmin, I knew that if I moved on, I would eventually complete the adventure and fight on in it's memory. In a way, it showed just how far I had come.

And just like real life, even when Pikmin die in the game, life goes on. The Pikmin will continue to multiply and carry and fight. They will continue to laugh and serve Olimar's every command. They chirp and squeal and greet and cheer. Some die, some get crushed, some drown, but it's fine. The Pikmin may represent the game's darkest hours, but they also represent its brightest, and they continue to find joy in everything.

It just goes on.

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Loved writing that one! Sorry if it got a little gloomy at the end.

In any case, with E3 looming so close...I'll probably be taking a bit of a break from writing about Pikmin. While I already have the rest of the Seeds planned out, I don't want my excitement over NINTENDO'S NEW CONSOLE to distract me, so I'll bang that out real quick the day after E3's over and get right back to this.

See you Friday!

Pikmin ~Seed 3~ The Forest of Hope and Yellow Pikmin

When dawn breaks and you're ready to explore for the sake of your survival, Olimar's rocket hovers over the land of this mysterious world, and you guide it to its destination through the view of this world map.

And this is the music that plays in the background.



This scenery captivated me every time when I was a child, and so much of it had to do with the music. The rising, space-like euphoria of the beginning slowly evolves into strides of discovery, before settling into a familiar Nintendo-trademarked ditty that somehow finds its affinity within nature, perhaps representing a young child naively exploring his surroundings. Even if I find myself not in the mood to play Pikmin, I can always count on this screen to lift my spirits.

There are so many reasons why I love this song, and so much of them have to with the message expressed in it. As children, we all grow quite sensitive to the the concept of danger, and distance ourselves from anything dubbed as such. Danger is everywhere in video games, and Nintendo is not exempt from this rule. When underwater, Mario is in constant danger of being eaten by Cheep Cheeps, Fox McCloud can be shot down in his Arwing at anytime, Captain Falcon can crash his Blue Falcon within a nanosecond's notice, and Yoshi can be crushed by a spike-ridden ball near the end of Yoshi's Story. I suppose the thought of beloved characters dying right in front me at a tender age spooked me.

As I grew, though, most of my fear was subconsciously tossed away (with the exception of Super Mario 64's Unagi the Eel and the Sonic drowning music) and was replaced with a vigor for adventure. Did I still fear scary levels and deaths? Yes, but I no longer mourned a character's loss of life. I instead grew to percept them as having just as much fun as I did with playing their games, except that they were living it. I was in control of their actions and decisions, but they were laughing and smiling and living the adventure I was guiding them through. The princess was kidnapped, the food supply was stolen, the land of Hyrule was plunged into an evil tyranny, and the world was in danger from a collision with a space colony, but the characters and I had fun together and smiled through it all.

Olimar's predicament mirrors this message. While a silent character on-screen, his inner monologues detail a mixture of fear and excitement. His situation is as dangerous as they come, as he has only thirty days before he suffocates from the planet's poisonous atmosphere, and he must brave through the planet's deadly flora and fauna in order to repair his spaceship. He fears he many never see his family again. And yet, he finds solace and companionship within his new Pikmin friends. While a freighter, he is a natural born researcher and is delighted to research not just their behavior, but even the monsters of the world as well. He eventually notes in a later monologue that while he was initially apprehensive of this frightening planet, the Pikmin have opened his eyes to the beautiful scenery around him.

And that's why I love this music. The world of Pikmin is fraught with abhorrent creatures and a perilous landscape, and there were many times in my youth where there was a point where I couldn't deal with it all and put the game down. But this song encourages you to forget all about your troubles for just a moment's rest, to just look around and appreciate what's around you so that you can give it your best effort next time. Nintendo's games are full of moments like this to relax the player, such as the save hut in Kirby Super Star, the chattery banter of the Star Fox team amidst the chaos of lasers and spaceships, and even the Chozo Lore of Metroid Prime. Nintendo games always contain a healthy juxtaposition of joy and danger, and that's why this song symbolizes all of that.

It tells you to make the best of your situation.

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While The Impact Site was the first area Olimar had explored, its true purpose was to ease the player into the mechanics of the game. You have three other much larger areas to explore, the first of which is the Forest of Hope.

The Forest of Hope provides the only real serene experience in Pikmin. However, you probably won't be ogling at nature the first time around, as our first obstacle in this area revolves around the art of teamwork and combat! Yikes!

As you land in an enclosed area of the Forest, Olimar notes that the Onion had followed him as well. The Pikmin are still residing into it, so you have take them out. Observe the following screenshot.

As the game eventually informs you, you can only command up to one hundred Pikmin onto the field. This leads to some serious strategy planning later on, as the player is forced to choose between leading large groups of Pikmin (large and powerful, but a bit unwieldy), or controlling a small group (quick and easy to move around, but a bit week). New players won't have too much of a choice at the moment, as all of the harvesting done at The Impact Site produced maybe 25 Pikmin at most. Either way, it's time to call them out!

The Pikmin burst out of the Onion and slide down the legs at a frightening pace, all the while giggling and squealing like children. Think of it like a popcorn machine, except it is popping things that are actually alive.

Anyway, we're trapped by two walls. The Rock Wall behind Olimar's ship can only be opened by a special means we'll describe later, but we can demolish the white wall depicted above! Take the Pikmin over and toss them at it to get them working!

Bip-bip. Bip-bip. Bip-bip. Bip-bip. Bip-bip. Bip-bip. Bip-bip. Bip-bip. Bip-bip.

...it doesn't take long for you to notice that it takes a while.

As you've only just sprouted them, the Pikmin you're commanding right now don't have a lot of oomph in their prowess. You've probably noticed the leaves protruding from their heads, which indicates that they're the runts of the group. Take a look at this picture.

The leaf, bud, and flower all represent the three stages of a Pikmin's growth (not the colors!). The Leaf Pikmin are by far the weakest, and you'll often notice them lagging behind the rest. It's best to keep them working on minor tasks (such as carrying pellets and dead creatures) while the rest take care of more important manners. Then you have the Buds, which are much quicker and can stand on their own as a genuine fighting force. The Flowers, of course, are the head honchos and excel at everything (quick at everything, including building and taking down enemies).

Why these flowery appendages bring down structures and harm organisms remain a mystery. If you ask me, I always thought the bud would hurt more. Bap bap bap bap bap bap!
How do Pikmin mature? If you take a quick look around the landing site in the Forest of Hope, you'll notice some long grass that the Pikmin instantly take a shining too. Upon shifting through the grass, blobs of yellowish sap spill across the ground, which the Pikmin absolutely adore and digest with reckless abandon. After entering an idle state, the leaves instantly transform into flowers. A shortcut through puberty!

In any case, at least the long wait provides you with a nice view of the area.

Once the wall goes down, you'll come across a group of toothy Bulborbs and a collection of Pellet Posies (the numbered flowers) to your left. In case you can't see the critters, here's an up-close piece of art of him.

While they looks cuddly and chubby, the Dwarf Bulborbs are not to be trifled with. While they're among the easiest of creatures to deal with, one careless move can lead to your Pikmin getting munched. Granted, you still have to fight with them! You can toss your Pikmin over for a quick fight, but by far the easiest way to deal with them is to land them square on their backs; they keel over in an instant. Or just do what I do: tilt the controller's C-stick around to swarm them with Pikmin. Fun fact: If a Dwarf Bulborb is munching on your Pikmin, you can still save them so long as they haven't been swallowed yet. Just be quick about it!

After they're dead, you can send your Pikmin over to transport their dead bodies to the Onion, where they will be converted into Pikmin seeds. You don't have to pluck the sprouts immediately. While the sprouts initially begin as leaves, they eventually transform into buds before blooming into flowers. A useful tactic.

To Olimar's right, you'll find a ship part in plain sight: The Eternal Fuel Dynamo. It takes a certain number of Pikmin to carry each part, so much sure you have enough left to defend yourself and your transport crew!

However, danger lurks around the corner. Not far from the Eternal Fuel Dynamo, a lumbering nocturnal beast snoozes near the entrance to a further path into the forest. It is the Spotty Bulborb, a much larger version of the critters we fought earlier.

While always napping in the day, they wake up quickly upon approaching from a close proximity or upon contact. There are times when you can avoid them, but they have a habit of blocking your paths. Luckily, we still have the element of surprise, but Olimar must use it effectively.

Throwing Pikmin at its face is out of the question. The Bulborb readily awakes from its drowsiness and will immediately chomp away at any Pikmin it can spot. Swarming is also not a viable option, as shown above. The cluster of Pikmin immediately get shuffled into the chaos, and as the Bulborb shakes off its foes, your warriors stumble and trip, thereby becoming easy pickings.

The back, however, is a much different story. As you quickly gain the first strike, the Bulborb will awaken and focus on shaking off your Pikmin. Since you don't have to immediately worry about your Pikmin being eaten, you steadily replace the ones shaken off by throwing new attackers. By the time it turns around to face you, it's all over. This was a difficult strategy to employ when I was younger, but it's like second nature to me now.

A bountiful harvest!

Furthering into the forest (and entering a skirmish with more Bulborbs), a familiar dull mound is spotted on the side. Could it be...?

It is! Another Onion has made its home here. As it gains color and pops out of the ground, a single seed spurts from the organism. Olimar quickly wastes no time in plucking the sprout.

It's a new type of Pikmin!

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The Yellow Pikmin differs in many ways from its red counterpart. The yellow aesthetic is a no-brainer, but it also continues the pattern of one established body part per Pikmin. The Red Pikmin have unusually long noses, and the Yellow Pikmin posses unusually large ears. I bet they can wiggle. In any case, this Pikmin is a favorite amongst the female fanbase.

Gameplay wise, there's a number of uses for the Yellow Pikmin. Upon discovery, Olimar notes that the Yellow Pikmin are much lighter than their cousins. Their lack of weight actually comes in handy, as they can be thrown much higher than the Reddies. In the screenshot above, the Red Pikmin can probably only be thrown to approximately half the size of the stump, but the Yellows can reach all the way up. It's incredibly useful to nab elevated objects (such as the huge pellet above) and in fact is required for certain ship pieces (why, there's one as such in the Forest of Hope!).

Unfortunately, this proves to be a weakness in fending off monsters. The Yellow Pikmin are thrown in much higher arcs, and don't land quite as fast as the Red Pikmin. As such, throwing the Yellows displays a noticeable delay in attacking. It's also evident that Yellow Pikmin are not as strong as the Reds. Speed and power are the key in battling with Pikmin, so it's best for Yellow Pikmin to handle cargo work while your Red Pikmin do all the fighting.

That is, if you can't utilize their secret weapon! Yellow Pikmin remain the only ones of their kind who can wield the dangerous Bomb Rocks, which are scattered at random points of the world. These explosive stones have a variety uses, none the least of which is blasting open rock walls. Bomb Rocks are proven to be a deadly force in battle, as they can be used to initiate the first strike (make sure it's always from the back, though!). If the event in that you're actually a heartless prick, you can also have Bomb Rock-carrying Yellow Pikmin be devoured by a creature, which then induces an explosion within their mouths. The result is effective.

I just wanna stretch their ears.

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Annnd that's about it! For the next two posts, we'll take a break from discussing the game itself and focus on two central themes! It'll be a thumping, thought-provoking read for sure!

To tell the truth, I was planning to stick one of 'em to this Seed, but didn't want this post to run any longer, so...yeah. Not trying to rush or anything (having a lot of fun with this one..WHEN I'M NOT SEARCHING FOR SCREENSHOTS).

E3 NEXT WEEK