Metroid

I'd like think of my life with Nintendo as an odyssey.

When I first started playing video games, my repertoire of Nintendo adventures were bare. My first few months consisted of Mario's adventures on the Nintendo 64 pre-1998, Yoshi's Story, Star Fox 64, and the few Mario and Donkey Kong games we owned on Super Nintendo. I had just started on my journey. Super Mario 64, Super Mario World, Mario Kart 64 and Donkey Kong Country were big names, but not nearly enough to encompass the world I was about to dive into.

Over time, the expanses of that world made themselves known me. Nintendo Power magazine gradually introduced me to characters and series I was unfamiliar with, most notably The Legend of Zelda and Kirby. Pokemon arrived in the states later that fall and took me captive in its collect-a-thon for life. Super Smash Bros. hit the scene the year after and brought Nintendo's biggest heroes together. The internet hype for the Gamecube sequel scattered the name of Kid Icarus and other unknowns. The days of the Nintendo of old vibrated with reverence throughout online message boards, echoing of legendary titles such as Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Donkey Kong Country 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, and Yoshi's Island.

Those first three years served as an introduction, and slowly segued into me finally dipping into their oceans. My first experience with Kirby was on his sole Nintendo 64 title, but it was the truly the advent of Kirby's Adventure and Kirby Super Star that enveloped me into his world. It was around the same time that I was finished with my curiosity of Earthbound and finally sought the title out, ensuring in its eternal status of a childhood staple. The Wind Waker's release in 2003 proved just how much I was missing out on Zelda, and I quickly consumed the rest of the series. Following the community's mixed opinions of Star Fox: Assault, its influence allured me to revisit the 64 classic and I fell in love with it all over again. And of course, when the new releases of Pikmin, Animal Crossing, and WarioWare were introduced, I followed.

As the above anecdote describes, I didn't quite play everything Nintendo had to offer during the beginning. Rather, I slowly accumluated these adventures over the years and developed into a form of family tree. The branches kept growing every year as I continued to discover new corners of my favorite game company.

Even now, I'm still on that odyssey. My experience last year with the original Super Mario Bros. was particularly poignant in this regard, as it was a title I had dismissed as simply kick-starting Mario's career. When I was revisiting it last year to give my new blog a proper introduction, it was only then I realized the flexibility and limitless replayability of a title that's still relevant today. This blog has given me the opportunity to have a legitimate excuse to reconnect with Nintendo's entire gaming history, but even still, I've always felt as if I've been well-acquainted with all its major family members.

Except for one.

As much of a professed Nintendo fanatic I claim to be, there's one major Nintendo franchise I've never dived into. I've played through most of the series' first revival on the Gamecube, but always felt short of completion. I beat the trilogy's conclusion on Wii, but it was accomplished during a time of disenchantment with the company of my childhood. I've dabbled into other fabled entries of the series, but never felt compelled to play them all the way through. To ignore this fan-favorite series was something I just took for granted.

Until now. I finally dived right into the original NES title. I burrowed further and further into it, out of some crazy nonobligatory obsession. Divine providence? I dunno. But I beat it.

That game is Metroid.

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Metroid was introduced to the Japanese gaming world in 1986, and made its away across the rest of the world, along with its cousin Kid Icarus, throughout the next two years. The brainchild fusion of famed game producer Gunpei Yokoi and writer Makato Kano, Metroid presented what was the most in-depth recreation of a sci-fi setting in a video game of that time. Introducing the lone bounty hunter Samus Aran, you are tasked with the role of eliminating the Space Pirates and their goal of breeding the deadly Metroid specimens.

There were two major factors as to why Metroid had an enormous impact on the 8-bit gaming world. The setting of Planet Zebes acquainted the player with a haunting alien world, all the while crafting an abnormal marriage between the non-linearity of Zelda and the gameplay of a shooter. There were no set directions for the player, as one had to endure through endless mazes and corridors, constantly scrutinizing (read: blow up) the walls and floors of every lethal passage. You received no aid or companionship from any other character. You were alone. The player became one with the planet's depths.

Then came the destruction of the male video game protagonist stereotype. With the exception of Ms. Pac-Man, the video game scene was exclusive to men entitling the role of playable characters. Samus, as depicted above, seemingly fits the criteria: A galactic warrior (and a bounty hunter, at that!) outfitted in futuristic armor attached with a multi-purposed arm cannon, and who's sole intent is to blast the shit out of every alien within the vicinity. The character was the product of every boy's daydream.

Until they cleared the game.

You can imagine the shock.

These groundbreaking elements paved the way for Metroid's immense success, and went down in history as one of the most famous NES titles. Sequels followed years later beginning with Metroid II: Return of Samus for the Game Boy, and initially culminated with the Super Nintendo release of Super Metroid in 1994. The latter is revered by many Nintendo fans as being quite possibly the best game on the system, owing to its enriched gameplay and wonderful production values (the game's intro never ceases to give me chills). Despite the critical successes and cult followings of these titles, however, Metroid continued to play second fiddle to Super Mario and Zelda, and was cast into the depths of suspended animation for eight years. Nintendo was unable to procure a guaranteed concept for the Nintendo 64, and it wasn't until the advent of 2002's critically acclaimed Metroid Prime, developed by Retro Studios in Texas, did the series finally become a Nintendo staple.

Since then, I guess we've had plenty of Metroid titles. I haven't really been around for most of them, though.

I'm not really sure what is it that didn't initially attract me to Metroid. I mean, the buzz was there. I can't tell you how many times I've witnessed posters on message boards gushing endlessly regarding Super Metroid, or critics emulate this behavior with Metroid Prime in its birth year, and I need not describe the colossal fanbase for Samus. I knew it existed, yet I didn't fall for it. The same thing happened with Zelda, yet it took much longer with this particular series.

Was it the dark tone? It's no secret that Metroid is rather morbid compared to its Nintendo brethren. You have Mario and Kirby, of which largely sidestep the issue of death (enemies blow up or get squashed into oblivion, sure, but it's never directly addressed); Star Fox, which hits the middle ground of acknowledging this concept but is balanced with the B-movie esque dialogue; and Zelda and Fire Emblem, in which death is a common occurrence. Metroid is in a far different league, echoing its identity as far back as Super Metroid. The dead bodies of scientists are portrayed clear as day on its title screen, grotesque descriptions are abundant within the scan dialogues within Metroid Prime, and the melancholic past of Samus Aran hints at a stoic, yet emotionally scarred character.

Now that I think back, that may have been the issue. I received Metroid Prime not long after it released, and there were a lot of elements that rendered me rather squeamish. I was easily frightened as a kid and the inhabitants of Tallon IV, namely the Chozo Ghosts, Stone Toads and whatever the hell those things were in the waters of Phendrana Drifts, only served to heighten that fear. It also didn't help my memory card hated the game for whatever reason and would erase the data from the file select menu, yet the data remained inside the card. Hmph.

Whatever the case, Metroid just didn't seem as important to me as the other games. I bounced out around the house in anticipation for a new Zelda or Mario, yet shrugged whenever a new Metroid game was released. I skipped through its music representation on the Super Smash Bros. Brawl soundtrack I had created for my iPod, yet everything else received equal attention. Other than the Metroid Prime series and brief forays into Super Metroid, I never felt the need to experience Samus Aran's other adventures. There was never a push, no spark to push me off the edge into a new fandom.

Enter the 3DS Ambassador Program, which was avaliable for those who had bought a 3DS console before the system's August price drop would be compensated with twenty free NES and Game Boy Advance games. The NES titles included the likes of Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Balloon Fight, Wrecking Crew, and Yoshi, all a mixture of games I was either very familiar with or had never played.

One of them was Metroid.

I don't know what it was. The game's image hovered mindlessly in the 3DS menu, bearing the title screen. I just stared.

I nodded my head. A decision was made: It was time to end this. The reason why, I'm not sure. Was I shedding my childhood fears, discarding some sort of obligation to continue ignoring this series. I don't know. But it was time. I cast away any obligations I had for the day and dived in.

What I found was one of the most fulfilling game experiences I've had in a long time.
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This is where the game starts.

Despite being a famed bounty hunter, Samus starts off pathetically weak. The health you start off with is abysmal, leaving you at the mercy of even the weakest of Zebes' monsters. You have no arsenal of weaponry, equipped only with the arm cannon attached to Samus' suit. As there are no given directions from the game, the player is left to deduce where to go. To the right leads further into Brinstar (the main hub of Zebes), but the left yields the game's first power-up: The Morph Ball, which grants Samus the unique ability to transform her whole being into a traveling ball.

When exploring Brinstar, the game's structure becomes more clear. Rooms are usually presented in two ways: Vertically and horizontally. The vertical rooms are tall and expansive, chaining together a variety of rooms that can only be accessed through a long series of jumping (or falling). Metroid's identity of non-linearity comes into play here, as this provides an abundance of pathways for the player to explore. Horizontal rooms, however, are likely to impede their progress. It is within these rooms that Metroid's greatest dangers dwell in, as they filled to the brim with lava pits and swarming aliens.

And that's really the entire concept of Metroid. The game teeters on a fragile balance between exploration and survival, deliberately clashing with the player's inclination towards the former. To explore deeper and deeper into Zebes' depths is how the player must succeed, but a sudden ambush or mistake dashes that goal to pieces. The enemies are purposely placed to home in on player's blindspots, dive bombing from ceilings or unearthing from the underground, all the while knocking you into deadly acid that saps away at your health. To suddenly switch from exploring to being on the brink of death within seconds is not uncommon, Because of this, the beginning of the game is particularly ruthless, leaving many gamers to abort the game out of frustration.

Those who persevere, though, discover a game with a living, breathing world.

It's funny I say that, because that's a statement usually referred to not just huge, sprawling RPGs, but to many contemporary video games of which feature deep character development and involved storylines. Being made over twenty years ago, NES games don't exactly exhibit this, and Metroid follows this example. The story is bare bones, and Samus' viewpoint is only shared via the player (ala Zelda's Link). No, the world is the key. Regardless of whatever your aim is, you will traverse through these rooms many, many times. Whether it's trying to locate the entrance to Brinstar Depths or preying upon your next upgrade, the rooms begin to vaguely link together. You've explored their domains so thoroughly, rending apart floors for hidden passageways, missile expansions, and new weapons, all without pause. They start to become you.

This fusion with the world of Metroid further submerges the player into its depths, and there are several persisting factors that transits them into this state, most notably the game's enticement of upgrades. The process begins with the opening of two "hatch doors" one must proceed through to access rooms: Blue Doors, which require only one shot, and Red Doors, which Samus must blast five missiles to open. Missiles are not avaliable at the beginning; rather, their expansion packs are littered all over the underground.

But a problem arises: The creatures of Zebes aren't pushovers. As the player will learn to conserve missiles so they can save them for the red doors, they'll discover as they delve into the realms of Brinstar Depths and Norfair that the regular, feeble shots of the arm cannon are no match for their inhabitants. Amassing a collection of missile expansions will aid in your endeavor, but it's not enough. Your jumps are too low, your armor is easily penetrated, and you lack proper firepower. Hope is not lost, however. Also scattered throughout Zebes' caverns are upgrades to Samus' arsenal, gifts from the Chozo race that had raised her as a little girl, which include the Ice Beam, the Varia Suit, and the Screw Attack.

And so, the hunt begins. While attempting to find the lairs of the Space Pirate bosses, the player is simultaneously analyzing (and exploding) every possible nook and cranny. What really hammers this down are Samus' weapons, which are incredibly versatile and pave the way for numerous possibilities. When you've obtained the Morph Ball Bombs, for example, the player can utilize the explosions to drop through the ground, or the walls, or even tubes, and roll her way into an opposite room. Then there's the Ice Beam, which is useful for not only freezing enemies upon contact, but allows the player to cleverly take advantage of their immobile bodies as stepping stones for either climbing out of a dark pit or to ascend higher in a room. And that's just the weapons! The game even uses visual tricks to fool the player...let's just say all the sand pits aren't exactly what they appear to be!

And it's all in an attempt to get stronger. The more upgrades you obtain, the stronger you become. As a result, the player familiarizes themselves with the world. You push forward, then backtrack to rooms you had visited just two minutes prior. You accidentally stumble upon a hidden tunnel. You then discover a new weapon, and immediately desire to test it out. The process repeats itself in an endless cycle. It becomes an obsession.

But how exactly did I percept all this?

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A common stereotype regarding NES games is that they're tough as nails, and that was a warning especially associated with Metroid. The internet of old, once populated with nostalgic musings, revealed grave memories of their tortuous childhood memories regarding this game. Citations included the likes of the infamous "lava traps" spread out through Norfair, the life-sucking Metroids that were supposedly to shake off, and the infamous spamming barrage of Mother Brain. Looking back, that may have lead to my initial apprehension for the original title. Being pampered on 3D titles, the precise controls and difficulty on their older 2D cousins were much harder for me to handle, and often chased me off even before I made it halfway.

When you become older though, things change. As a young adult, difficulty becomes more of a frustration than an actual obstacle (with the exception of Donkey Kong Country Returns). Instead of throwing your controller through the door, you calmly persevere knowing you'll eventually get past a tough boss or goal with enough practice. It was the same deal playing through Metroid. Yes, Brinstar Depths and (especially) Tourian kicked my ass god knows how many times, and yes, starting with only 30 health every time you die was annoying, but it didn't really matter. Having adjusted to the game's mechanics, finding gathering the purple life orbs and missiles

But the difficulty wasn't what I focused on. It was the atmosphere! That previous description of the game's absorption of the player pretty much summed up my entire experience, and injected an obsession within me. I had just started college when my playthrough had begun, and suddenly, everything else didn't matter.

How can I prove my dedication? Simple, I beat the game within three days. And here's something even more incredible: I beat the game without resorting to a map. I'll confess: I cheated to find the Ice Beam and one of the energy tanks, but only through the use of a written guide and not an actual visual map. Everything else? All on my own. I conquered what many would consider an antiquated, incredibly confusing map by today's standards with only the help of the mental map I had forged in my mind. No one is going to give a crap over something so nerdy, but man, do I feel accomplished.

The fact I completed the game so quickly is particularly interesting to me, as it's only solidified my so-called Law of Length regarding NES games. Very few of them actually consist of adequate length in comparison to games of today, and depending on the game, most can be beaten within minutes or several hours. Back in the 1980's, it was the intense difficulty and the perception of young eyes that gave the immense illusion of their length; in other, they appeared much longer than they really were. Today, one can obviously distinguish between the length of, say, the original The Legend of Zelda and 2006's The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Metroid is no exception to this rule, although I suppose it's no surprise considering how popular the game is for speedruns (In fact, it's encouraged, seeing as how completing the game quickly is how Samus is revealed to be a woman). Yet, it's strange! As short as three days may sound, my obsession turned reality into eternity. As if on instinct, I was probing the walls of Norfair and discovering secret passageways in various rooms, all without proper guidance and knowing what the hell I was doing. Before I knew it, an old habit had been awakened. I wasn't a college freshman living a life away from home, I was a kid again. The game's short, but who cares? The world is so open you're guaranteed not to obtain everything in your first playthrough.

And the music! I was familiar enough with the original version of the trademark Brinstar theme, but Hirokazu Tanaka's goal of wanting players to feel as if they were to encounter a "living organism" had paid off. This was clear the moment I had entered Kraid's lair of Brinstar Depths, and was treated with the song above. The song had been featured in Super Smash Bros. Melee along with its orchestra tribute, but this was by far its most raw presentation. Maybe it stemmed from discovering the source of a childhood element, yet I couldn't deny the disconcerting sense this song had instilled into me. The fact that a musical piece from an NES game could draw out a feeling other than nostalgia or happiness only proved the grip Metroid had over me.

In fact, that grip still remained strong even after I had beaten the game. Sure, everything except for your weapon arsenal is reset, but I found I could just ignore my main objective and just do whatever the hell I want. Go down to Norfair! Blow up some walls! Find new stuff! People praise The Legend of Zelda for its open-ended style of play, but that's just as evident here! All I have to do is just turn off my brain and mindlessly explore deeper into the unknown labrinyth of an alien world. Maybe I've memorized some of the locations, but the fun is far from over for me. Can you believe that in my first playthrough I actually hadn't found the Wave Beam? Sure, I could look it up online, but what's the fun in that? It could be anywhere, and that alone is worth another trip to Zebes.

Speaking of weapons, there's something I gotta gush about here: Despite being over two decades old, Metroid still succeeds in making you feel like a badass. You legitimately feel stronger after every upgrade, to the point where even directional jumping (thanks to the Screw Attack) shreds through your enemies. Look at that screenshot and tell me that doesn't look awesome! Maybe that's Metroid was so appealing back in the day; it was about a quest to make you a badass. And to think the Wave Beam will only make that deal sweeter!


And, hey! I got to experience all the classic moments! All the moments message board posters and Melee trophies had described with ecstasy were finally mine to embrace. I can't tell you how many times the Metroids refused to budge while they were siphoning my lifeforce, reducing all my hard work in gathering energy orbs and missiles to waste...and I freaking loved every moment of it! And Mother Brain...well, less said about her, the better, but I enjoyed the frantic escape scene.

....although, I have to say, Ridley was a total pushover. Seriously, what was up with that? All I had to do was freeze his projectiles and use missiles to fry his ass while he was frenziedly hopping up and down. What a disappointment! If you ask me, his SSB4 chances aren't looking so hot.

In case you're wondering, I didn't see Samus unmasked in the ending. However, she did have the courtesy to give an obligatory fist pump. In all honesty, I think that's my preferred ending.

And, yes, before you ask, I marched to the ending theme. My roommate watched the whole thing.
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So, what's the next step for me?

Obviously, the other Metroid titles are beckoning me to finally embrace them. And embrace them I shall...next year. Unfortunately, the likes of Kirby's Return to Dreamland, Super Mario 3D Land, Skyrim, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, and Mario Kart 7 have more than saturated my fall schedule. But fear not! The advent of spring provides ample space to begin my new adventures with Samus.

It's...weird, though. In regards to Metroid, it's like I'm willing to give everything a second chance. I've mentioned numerous times how I was unsatisfied with Metroid Prime 3, but listening to the soundtrack is convincing me to let bygones be bygones. I've come to finally make peace with Yuzo Koshiro's Brawl remix of the Norfair theme, a song I had previously dismissed as clinking, jangling nonsense, and now understand why he took it in the direction he did. And then there's Super Metroid...I deemed the game as being too hard for me, but now that my eyes have been opened, no obstacles are in the way! I'll FINALLY be able to see what everyone was talking about!

...then there's the Pandora's Box that is Metroid: Other M. Not only have my online buddies warned me about the horrors I'll be witnessing, but what I played at a friend's house wasn't exactly pretty. Precisely why I'll be saving it for last.

That aside, what really gets to me the most though is that...it's all new. I've mainly dived into every major game of every major Nintendo series, but that's not the case here. All of this is old news to everybody else, but it's brand new to me. The fact that there's still a world for me to explore, thirteen years after I began my odyssey, and as an adult, is fascinating for me. I've learned recently how everything that's meant for you comes to you at the right time, and maybe it took forever for Metroid to finally approach me, but it only means that a new sense of vigor will be added to my gaming life.

And I've just gotten started.

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How did that make up for a two month absence?

Expect a "checking in" post within the next few days to read up on where the blog will be going from here.

My Brother Michael: One Year Later

hi anth-

i dont have much time on here so im going to be brief. i know youre still upset and still processing the situation, and thats completely fine with me. i know the gravity of what i did to you and that this isnt a situation thats going to be solved over night. i believe that the most important part of all of this is that there will be a positive outcome. i dont want to be the person i used to be and i am trying hard to make those changes in myself so that i can be the brother that you need and deserve. i know that i hurt you very deeply and i am willing to do whatever is neccessary to work towards rebuilding our relationship. i love you and care about you very much and i hope that in the long run this will be something that brings us closer. like i said, this isnt going to happen over night but through time i hope that this will make us stronger. i'm going to be home next thursday when you get home from school and we can talk more then. feel free to email me back with how you're feeling and what youve been thinking. i may not be able to check my account until next week but i promise i will write you back.

i love you,

michael

Written to me by my brother seven months before he died of a drug overdose at his apartment.

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It's been a year since my mother came home to tell me that Michael was dead.

A week after his death, I published a humongous tribute that took a tremendous amount of effort and perseverance to pen. The piece's worthiness was proven the moment my parents and Aunt Kathy approved of it before it was published, and it was celebrated by just about everyone in my family tree and even close relations. More than anything, though, it helped me. The thought of just taking Michael's death and just sitting there, something I had done for so long, didn't feel right, and creating some form of tribute would not only aid me in realizing and coping with my emotions, but allow me to share my feelings to the world and show that I wasn't just coping silently. Somehow I had unintentionally created the image of being a lonely recluse only interested in his hobbies over the years, and this one entry would aid me in coming out of my shell.

Seeing as how I've received comments that I'm beyond my years and that relatives had begun to see me in a different light because of that one entry, I suppose it was a success. It's not like that one post solved all of my problems; but it was a step forward, and for that I'm grateful.

And now, it's one year later.

They say that the first year is the hardest, and after last year's aftermath I still wonder if I've really processed it. I'd be lying if I told you that his death didn't have an effect on me, or that I wasn't trying to steel my mind for the week preparing for today, but the fact that he's gone is hard to comprehend. I think the best explanation for this is the mind tries to trick you into thinking that he's still alive despite knowing the fact that he's dead, as evidenced when my Mom and I were having a talk about him half a year later and she was just coming to terms that he was dead.

What really hammers this notion down is that he kept moving in and out of the house after his first brush with drugs. There was a pattern of him alternating between lodging with friends and then staying at our place after he screwed up with something. To me, I had become so used to this system that it just felt like he was never home, and his death hadn't changed that. In a way it was as if he had moved to another apartment, I would just never see him again. It softened the impact, but it still hurt.

This may seem irrelevant, but I want to bring up something I had discussed recently on here that I believe relates to this issue. I've been coming to terms with the fact that I suffer from an abundance of insecurities, all of which have hampered many aspects in my life and have defined certain unwanted qualities of myself that I've only recently begun to erase. Surprisingly, it's not as if I've only just become aware of them; several of these insecurities have been around for as long as I can remember and ingrained themselves as unconscious directives in my brain. It was during this summer that I finally sat down and not only acknowledged these insecurities, but why they were there and just how they hindered my life.

Case in point: My comfort zone. The one subject I didn't go into detail in my tribute was my brother's initial experience with drugs back six years ago. The reason why this happened was because 2005 is kind of a big blur to me (at least regarding anything past April) and most of what I remember wasn't really related to his addiction. As a result, I can't really give anyone any definite response as to how I felt about my brother's addiction back then. A good chunk of what I do remember, however, was basically all of the horrific bullshit hidden under the rug that one begins to notice after becoming a teenager. I won't bother going into the details, but I took it as a collapse of everything I had ever known and, being imbued with the trademark rebelliousness of young teenagers, concluded it as the world going to ruin and me being too good for nearly anyone. Other insecurities regarding peers and social skills (the "mentally retarded" issue I mentioned in my tribute works well here) solidified my beliefs, and my brother's addiction only served to be a footnote in my eyes.

Things weren't the same anymore. As 2006 rolled by, I had transformed into a completely different person, and it wasn't a result of maturity. Two years earlier, Spongebob Squarepants was still my favorite television show and I was hyped in anticipation for the Nintendo DS. Now, I was a meek, lonely individual who was fighting an internal battle in bringing back his past. I had become convinced that the events of the previous year had killed my interests and I convinced myself that it was a requirement to bring back everything I had ever loved. With the exception of my burgeoning interest in manga (Japanese comic books), everything else that was new became a kind of sideshow and it remained this way for years. Everyday conveniences and knowledge, from my cousins to manners to friends to worldwide issues and everything else became a distant memory.

My task, however, never succeeded. The habits that had begun in 2005, of which were lounging in my room and staring at my laptop all day and reading twenty year old Japanese books, had by then taken over my life. I had unknowingly developed a comfort zone that was my ultimate trap, and I was too scared to step out of it. I was too scared to spark my interest in old Mario games again, or try and communicate with my peers, or in reaching out to old friends, or anything. I was so scared of failure that I didn't bother to step out. I was torn between finding a new identity and being shackled to my past.

My ultimate fear, however, was the notion that as a result I had become an emotionless being who didn't harbor an interest in anything anymore. I took my disinterest in most games coming out or whatever was going on outside my life as a sign that I didn't care anymore, and I kept fighting against it. It hurt especially when in contrast to other people, who expressed the same glee I once had when in anticipation, and it only served to drive my point even harder.

And that's where this involves my brother. I also mentioned in my tribute how every other form of media described that losing someone in your family is the worst thing that can happen to you. It hurt to lose Michael, but it felt as if it was never as bad as other media had portrayed it. Sometimes, I was angry at myself for not caring more about the fact that he was gone even though it was obvious that I did feel it. Maybe it was just me used to the anguish I was embedded in years prior and I needed more of it so I could function in the environment I had lived in for what felt like an eternity. As this frustration eventually ebbed away, my previous explanation of him not being around made its mark on me, and I look upon it as my sole source of rationality in this ordeal.

This year has not been easy for me. As time goes on, I keep remembering certain stuff about him that will either never come to pass or now makes sense. We were watching the first volume of Kill Bill and he said we'd be sure to watch the second one. We won't be able to watch it together. After the truth had come out in regards to him stealing my video games and selling them off to score more drugs (the reason why he had sent that email in the beginning of this post), he bought a Lego Star Wars ship for us to build together. We'll never be able to finish it together.

Then there was the time Mom had mentioned to me when Michael had expressed he felt like he never had a great relationship with me. The more I think about it, the more I don't think that's necessarily true. He'd have a point if he was talking strictly about his drug years, where he was never really home and had more of a stern attitude, but we were tight before then. There were some notable differences, and my exuberance wasn't always a match for his more laid-back, serious tone, but we were genuine brothers. He gave me advice, we pulled pranks on each other, we both shared inside jokes regarding our parents, and we still played games with each other now and then. I'm not going to pretend Michael was some sort of saint, but he was just there.

And then there was one of my habits. Something I've done long since before his death.

I've always liked to daydream, but by far my favorite one is my future life. I'm living somewhere way, way out in the country, and my house is located in a beautiful greenery setting surrounded by trees and mountains. The interior of my house is much like the one I had initially grown up in, and is loaded with what everyone would expect me to have. Books and video games and systems are lined up across the walls, having evolved into a library of print and electronics. The flying pig figure I adored in my youth and the Mario figure in his Super Mario Galaxy pose are attached to my ceiling and are flying in circles in perfect sync. Posters and rare merchandise like the Super Mario World clock I bought last month are hung delicately on the walls. There is a room solely dedicated to my writing.

I am a famous writer. I have written numerous children's books and memoirs of my life. They're all best-sellers and I'm featured on the news. One day, I'm invited to make a speech and I arrive at the building that night. Whatever I'm saying lasts well over an hour, and I receive a standing ovation. My parents are there and engulf me in a bear hug. My cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends congratulate me on my success.

Michael is not there.

I've never imagined Michael being in my future. He's never come into my future house. He's never commented on my future writing. He's never read my future writing. He's not at my future family reunions. He's not at my wedding. It was just something I never thought about, something I took for granted, and what I never stopped to wonder why.

Now I know.










But right now, I'm happy.

We went to go visit his grave today. Today, there were no tears. Instead, there were the bird calls my Dad was still imitating from the Barney soundbook I owned god knows how many years ago. They placed flowers on his grave, which I'm sure violated his code of "nothing gay, Mom." My parents left me to be alone with him for a while, and then I placed my hands on the grave and just felt him for a while. Then I sat down and talked. I still loved him, everything was forgiven.

I parted with him for the day and then made the trek over to the giant cross right at the edge of the cemetery. It's an uphill climb, and it's not easy. But I made it. I clambered onto the oversized plaque and stared out at the rows and rows of hills and sidewalks and gravestones. I stared into the sky and then down at the sight before me and longed for the ability to leap way across into the greenery. The blessings from those who rest there would keep me afloat, and if by chance I did fall, he would catch me, and toss me back to where I started, and then I'd do it again.

I am a happy man now. I now know who I am in life and what I enjoy and what I love. The insecurities I've had were overblown factors from a terrible teenage life and now I'm ready to step out of them. Life isn't perfect. I'm still scared of certain things, and there's lag and delay in what I want to accomplish, but I feel. I'm genuinely enjoying and looking forward to what's happening in my current hobbies. I'm looking to reaching out to a whole new world in college and getting to know an entirely new social circle. I'm ready for my future.

And I know he'll watching me every step of the way.

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!

------

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.
----

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.