Biweekly Music Wednesday! No. 15 ~Valley of Repose~ (Pikmin 2)

Origin: Pikmin 2
Plays In: Valley of Repose
Status: Original Composition

Composers: Hajime Wakai/Kazumi Totaka

You know how some songs possess the rare ability to just instantly transport you into a previous time? It's a particularly strong form of nostalgia: obviously you can't just repeatedly abuse the song--lest it lose its magical powers--but that power is so mystical, so emotionally-absorbent that you can't help but leave it on during one cloudy day and remember.

Pikmin 2's Valley of Repose is one of those songs for me. My life was something of a whirlwind at the time of the game's release (Late summer 2004): I'd just discovered the late-night Adult Swim cartoon block, was on the cusp of becoming a teenager, and, best of all, was reveling in what was quite possibly the best time to be a young, passionate Nintendo flower child. It was just months after the awe-inspiring E3 2004 conference, which unleashed a barrage of long-awaited sequels (the aforementioned Pikmin 2 and Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door), the handheld DS that quickly won the hearts of many a fan, and of course, a realistic Zelda.

Being the impressionable, passionate fanboy I was, to my current shame I discovered the perfect outlet to express my excitement: the official Nintendo Nsider Forums.  

Legendary for attracting sheer amounts of stupidity and taking up pitchforks for the sake of bashing every single aspect of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, I'm still at a loss as to how exactly describe Nsider. I'd like to say it was the embodiment of internet underage chaos ("why does link have eyes?"), yet the imbalanced debates between raging l33t-speak preteens and young adults blessed with large vocabularies prove otherwise. I could be going crazy, though, for such proof no longer exists, but I'll get into that later. 

Anyway, I stumbled onto Nsider purely out of the appeal in the live chatrooms featuring folks who actually worked at Nintendo's American branch, but the post-E3 frenzy finally inspired me to get posting. This was actually a pivotal step for me: as much as I indulged in the likes of Smashboards and Starmen.net, there was always an obvious age-gap between me and most of of the other forumgoers, and at most times I felt too intimidated in sharing my inferior childish opinions with the cool, older kids. But here was a Nintendo-granted haven with kids on (roughly) the same maturity level as I was, and so there was no barrier in letting my voice be heard.

I really let myself go. I frequently argued with people over quoting each other repeatedly (causing radical disproportion in pages and so they took forever to read) and having crushes on fictional characters. In response to the flood of terrible fanfiction (of which often involved shambling attempts at humor in bashing the Tingle character), I created my own like-minded parody involving Mexican Pikmin and Kool-Aid that lasted for a year. I rambled about the greatness of the chubby tummies of Purple Pikmin. In the midst of all, bacon strips somehow became a false god to me and I advocated its wonderfulness constantly in the Pokemon Center chatroom, endorsed by Dratini himself.

And yet, I was almost never shunned for this madness; in fact, I found camaraderie. I quickly become known as the "Bacon Boy" by chatgoer and ficwriter alike. People flocked to my fic, and the thread actually ended up being under moderated watch due to my fans endlessly spamming the pages. I joined others in pre-teen Japanophile rage over the 4Kids butchering of the F-Zero anime adaption and the new Pokemon Gonbe being granted the localized name of Munchlax (the latter being by far and away my most embarassing "weaboo" moment). I posted a topic one day about how I was suddenly drowning in Super Mario nostalgia, and people chimed in on how much the games meant to them.

I made special friends over fanfiction, over heated Zelda-related debates that lasted for pages on end, and over what were simply just shared interests. We were all in awe of Pikmin 2, Paper Mario: TTYD, and the DS. I continually engaged in Zelda RPs. I roomed in Cabin 4 during the three-day online camping trip in Camp Hyrule and watched the awards ceremony with the rest of the forum. I learned life lessons, I was one of the gang, and living, breathing people working at NOA were just a click away. Life was good.

And then, something tragic happened: it stopped being funny.

Nay, it stopped being fun.

I don't know exactly when it happened. Maybe it was the day when I first came across erotic fan fiction and my innocence shattered, or the day I when I dug up an old VHS tape of Sleeping Beauty and I said to myself, "I've matured." Right at that moment, I was whisked away to an old dream I had when I was seven, watching as the opening camera from Mario 64 shifted not to Mario's warp pipe, but up, up the castle where Yoshi slept in a nest at the very top.

I don't know what that symbolized.

My Nsider friends either up and vanished or just left a final, cryptic message, never to be seen again. The flood of posts, members and memes continued, but nothing elicited laughter out of me. I suddenly wasn't interested in writing the fic anymore. The next season of Camp Hyrule didn't interest me, as did the allure of conversing with NOAs. It was all slipping further and further away, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

The spark was gone, and the depression following soon after with my social withdraw and my brother's entrance into the world of drugs left Nsider all but a distant, bittersweet memory.

In September 2007, two years after I'd--for the most part--stopped posting, Nintendo closed the forums for good without notice. Underneath the typical PR bullshit, we still don't really know why.

Valley of Repose doesn't just bring these memories back; it continues them. I'm a working member of society, walking out in the city streets one snowy day. It's a cloudy afternoon, just past the holidays. It's an ordinary winter day, maybe not that cold, and then I suddenly bump into someone. We both gasp. It's the guy I used to do Zelda RPs with, or the girl I made bad Kirby fic parodies with, or that one guy who apparently didn't know he was a forum-appointed Sage until he walked into the Pokemon Center chatroom. We jubilate in fervor and dine outside a coffee shop, catching up on old times and our new families and lives.

My friend suddenly stops laughing, and looks at me straight in the eye with unwavering force. "Do you miss those days?"

I blink and scratch the back of my head. Suddenly, it all rushes back: Shaun's pickles. Stumpy the horse. Me performing avatar sacrifices in the chatroom. The nostalgic, insanely popular NOA_Rufus Earthbound thread. The "wind waker outtakes" fanfic that was literally five lines of dialogue. That one time Nintendo published three new screenshots of Zelda: Twilight Princess and everyone and their dog posted threads about it. The cults of Family Guy, Case Closed and Aqua Teen Hunger Force. The never-ending drama of "Why Hyrule Must Live"  and how The Wind Waker "declared war" on all other Zelda games for killing off Hyrule. The big blue of Colette's eyes in that one Tales of Symphonia avatar and the rainbow of colors assigned to each character-themed posting rank. Bacon.

...and then I remember how the very last post of Nsider Forums was "SHADOW'S RACING MAMA LUIGI" and then stuff like this and I have my answer: "Y'know, lemme tell you about a really cool place called NeoGAF."

Final Thoughts: My Nsider username was named after the Mr. Saturns of Earthbound, yet I never actually obtained a Mr. Saturn rank on there. Bummer.

No Biweekly Music Wednesday This Week

Hello, readers. Unfortunately, due to settling into college/Gaming Grunts, I won't have time to do Biweekly Music Wednesday! this week.

...but fret not! It'll be back next week, but I'd like to think we might something bigger arrive before then! My next Gaming Grunts review should also coming shortly, and it'll be focused on an older Nintendo title, so stay tuned!

Man, who else is excited for Smash?!?

Biweekly Music Wednesday! No. 14 ~Rickety Rails~ (Donkey Kong Country Returns)

Origin: Donkey Kong Country/Donkey Kong Country Returns
Plays In: World 5 levels, most notably Rickety Rails
Status: Arrangement (Mine Cart Madness by David Wise)
Arranger: Kenji Yamamoto

For whatever weaknesses Donkey Kong Country Returns had in its original tracks (barring the RocketBarrel Theme and the Tiki Theme), it more than made up for it by its superb takes on David Wise's score for the original Donkey Kong Country. Headed by Kenji Yamamoto (of Super Metroid/Metroid Prime fame), his arrangements can go from either simple renditions of certain classics (such as the DK Island Swing opener) to radically different directions (the tropical take on Aquatic Ambiance). I'd dare say some of these arrangements surpass the already incredible original soundtrack--most notably the catchy Treetop Bop and the rockin' Life in the Mines, both of which came across as a little too subdued in their initial appearance.

While I'm not sure if it's my exact favorite of the bunch, the Rickety Rails arrangement of Mine Cart Madness stands out to me. For one thing, I firmly the believe that Returns' Cave world is by far and away the funnest, most spectacular display of concept inspiration and art direction in the entire game. Predominantly featuring mine cart levels, Returns takes what was a staple trope from the original Country, revises it with outrageous twists and repeatedly lobs them at the player. My jaw wouldn't stop dropping at the danger constantly imposed on Donkey Kong, as the mine cart tracks were endlessly bombed, shattered by crystal formations and even served as a mode of transporation by themselves. The latter has to be seen to be believed.

And more often than not, this arrangement is playing. It's as every bit as dangerous and frantic as Mine Cart Madness, and is obviously a perfect fit for its accompanying levels. These levels are, of course, every bit as tough as their SNES predecessors, and it adds the right amount of tension and fear as the player narrowly dodges one obstacle after another. Me, I'm personally no fan of having to duck under the spikes in the crystal level, as I'm always in constant fear of mistiming my popping out of the cart. Rickety Rails is the embodiment of that fear, that by-the-second precision and excitement that my poor heart endures with every one of these damn mine cart levels.

What I really do adore about Returns'  arrangements is that some of the more faithful renditions briefly take their own spin midway through the song, adding some sort of...I'd like to say mysterious air around the song. It's right there in the Fear Factory arrangement and there's a touch of it here as well when the song loops at 1:42, although I'm more a fan of the post-ride segment at 3:52. In what I swear is something swapped straight out of The Lion King, there's this kick-ass choir that's more in line with the atmospheric tone of the original DKC, of which emphasizes the isolated, dangerous nature of the cavern. Very cool.

I've often noticed complaints of Returns lacking in that aforementioned atmosphere, and I'd like to think it strikes a fine balance between that and cartoony visuals. The way moments like the post-ride segment and the design of the underground mole town mesh together is really a thing of beauty, and I'm always brought back to details like the abandoned tree houses in Donkey Kong Country. Haunting beauty alongside harebrained monkey antics...who'd thought?

Final Thoughts:...and that's not even getting into the musical masterpiece that's Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze! Agh!

Alright, back to work on Kirby!

Pikmin 3 Review (Gaming Grunts)

http://gamingrunts.com/pikmin-3-review/

It's downright surreal that it's been a little over a year since Pikmin 3 finally came out. I waited nine years for this, y'know? Year after year, being baited at every E3 following Miyamoto's "we're making Pikmin" comment, only to be let down each and every time...and it's here. The lack of promotion has performed favors to no one but the aforementioned surreality: I'm still shocked that we never got an Iwata Asks for the game (given their love of discussion for "upending the tea table," I'm sure many interesting tales were begging to be revealed), and I'm saddened that the CGI theater shorts for Japan never came to fruitition. In a way, the game's launch was something akin to the coming and going of an intense fever dream.

Pikmin 2 on the Gamecube remains one of my most cherished Nintendo experiences. The way the series contrasts its starring of bright, inquisitive creatures (the titular Pikmin) with the bleakness of survival and death in an alien environment is nothing sort of extraordinary, and I still think it's at its strongest here. Never mind the sporadic indications that the mysterious planet is likely a post-apocalyptic Earth--for how much flak they got, the central treasure-spelunking cave sequences were by far my favorite aspect. They alone invoked so much imagination and wonder in how their individual floors--each with environments that would be impossible to gel together in reality--layered upon each other via playrooms, mountainous canyons, shower rooms, and grassy gardens. At the very least, when comes to Nintendo's array of artistic inspiration and splendor, the Pikmin series reigns supreme. The whole experience even compelled me to pen and plan an ambitious fanfiction celebrating this aesthetic direction, and much like my "Mario 64 is a parallel universe" theory, it's something that still prods at the back of my mind to this very day.

After nine years of waiting, there was no way Pikmin 3 was going to live up to my own hardened sense of canon and imagination. But why should it, when does such a stellar job of bridging together a perfect middle ground between the first two titles? Maybe it is a little too easy, but the sheer flexibility of how you can tackle the game is just stunning to me. I can forge my own rules each and every time, and it never gets old.

Even if it just barely misses my personal heights of Pikmin 2, it's a game that still wholly captures my whimsy. I love stumbling upon the wall etchings. I love that the "wraith" concept from Pikmin 2 is built upon. I love the creature designs, not the least of which the Dandelion-sprouting Medusal Slurker. I adore the haunting cave music, chimes and all. I will never forget my first foray into the Garden of Hope. The camera feature is nothing less of a godsend, and I dearly hope that if a sequel should ever be made, its addition is a top priority.

The lack of online for the Bingo Battle mode remains the game's only flaw. Even if we were to believe Nintendo's connection concerns regarding the game's AI, that they see it as no consequence is troubling. To this day, I remain amazed at how Nintendo games anyone would automatically assume to have online play--including the likes of Nintendo Land, Star Fox 64 3D, and Hyrule Warriors--don't have it, and yet titles one would never expect to feature it somehow do (Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Bayonetta 2, and to an extent Kid Icarus: Uprising). I am, of course, ever grateful for those latter examples, but for Bingo Battle to forever languish within the confines of couch multiplayer is a sad thing indeed.

But I still play Mission Mode every weekend, so that should make up for it, right? Regardless, my full Leave Luck to Heaven-exclusive review of Pikmin 3 is on the way, and I have much to say, so stay tuned.

Kicking into High Gear

MY GOSH I am so for my absence over the past month!! I had to go attend a summer math course that eventually sucked up all my free time once I became painfully aware of how much work it'd take to pass the course. Let it be known that I am absolutely terrible at math and abhor having anything to do it with it (as charming as it was, I had to stop playing Professor Layton and the Curious Village for a reason). Worst part about it? I've likely flunked the class as of the recent final. Ouch!

To make up for my broken promises (gee, like that hasn't happened before!), I'll be kicking things off with my latest Gaming Grunts review tomorrow and heading back to work on the next Kirby Reverie and Biweekly Music Wednesday! I forget if I've mentioned this already, but the next Kirby article will be covering a certain brand of game we have yet to go over, and I'm very excited to publish it here. Look forward to it!

Biweekly Music Wednesday! No. 13 ~Celestial Tower~ (Pokemon Black and White)

Origin: Pokémon Black and White
Plays In: Celestial Tower, Dragonspiral Tower, Giant Chasm
Status: Composition
Composer/s: Shota Kageyama

More Pokémon music? More Pokémon music.

Believe it or not, I actually still play Pokémon White! I'm the sort of the gamer who likes to set up my gaming schedule, see, and every Wednesday I switch between it and Pokemon X while I'm munching on popcorn and watching subbed Dragon Ball Z straight from my precious, precious Dragon Boxes (and believe me, with the Goku vs. Freeza fight being as long as it is, you better believe I'm taking advantage of it). I've been taking my sweet time collecting every last one of those Pokémon to fill up my Pokedex, and I'm still blown away by just how incredible the land of Unova is to explore. I'd like to think Unova doesn't hold a candle to Hoenn's sheer sense of adventure, but boy does it come close.

Of course, said exploring wouldn't be nearly as fun without some great tunes. I could dive into stuff like Pinwheel Forest and Route 10, but tonight I'd like to discuss what I feel is the top song for the game: Celestial Tower. As most Pokémon songs are named after the locations they play in, it may come as a surprise to know it was originally titled Tower of Heaven in the Japanese release. While censored for the American release to avoid religious reference, it's a surprisingly poignant name given the area's purpose: a resting ground for deceased Pokémon.

Whenever I listen to this song, I'm reminded of how heartwarming the storytelling in Pokémon White was. I knew I was in for something special when I took my first step with Bianca and Cheren into Route 1. We meet the brainwashed, yet innocent child leader of an organization set on "freeing" Pokémon from their trainers, learn of the deeper meaning behind Bianca's father's desire to prevent her from travelling, and hear the tragic loss of the Champion's beloved partner Pokémon. For whatever clumsy moments it had, it's an adventure I look back upon with great fondness.

The other week, I was actually climbing up the Celestial Tower to comb for hidden items and came across the champion, Alder, mourning at the top. Paying respects for the soul of his deceased Pokémon. He reveals that he once held the narrow-minded beliefs of Cheren, searching only for power until his partner passed away. His travels enlightened him to meeting many fellow trainers, and he encouraged my player avatar to do the same.

As he bid farewell, I went over to the tower's bell and gave it a rang.

In my younger days, this song would have sent me further into my despair. I'd keep running and running, chasing the regret and loss it baits. As the stairs would continue to circle, I'd claw desperately at the ghosts of the broken, childhood dreams shattered by growing up. The reveries I cherished in my youth. The secret dreams I clutched so hard to myself were shattered, never to return, never to resonate with anyone else.

I'd chase the loved ones I lost. Friends who left me over the years. My cat Dexter. My former best friend. All the results of societal pressure, illnesses born from negligence, and toxic ignorance. Their ghostly forms evade my reach, and our respective gaps on the stairs grow ever wider. I keep running, and I see him.

I chase him, screaming all the while, "Why did you do it?" He doesn't answer, just like how he'll never say anything about my college graduation and his cousin's son and my future career. He closes his eyes and vanishes. I keep running.

But my future is not about running. I continue to mold myself for the bright future waiting for me, and it's enlightening beyond belief.

Final Thoughts: Some game music fans have pointed out similarities between this and Chrono Trigger's Secret of the Forest. I can kinda hear it, but Celestial Tower's faster pace throws me off.

Mario Kart 8 Review (Gaming Grunts)

http://gamingrunts.com/mario-kart-8-review/

Not too shabby for my first review as a game journalist/critic, eh?

With Gaming Grunts placing such an emphasis on honesty, I figured it'd be a perfect outlet to quickly get my criticisms out on Mario Kart 8. As I say in the review, it's still a fantastic, very fun game that I continue to play, but it's not without its share of problems. Regardless, it's sure rewarding to have my name and article plastered on there.

Of course, this won't mean Mario Kart 8--or any other game I review on Gaming Grunts or wherever else--won't get its own review here. You can generally expect me to get my thoughts out on new games at Gaming Grunts first before I pen my extended thoughts here. Please be patient for a few more months!

Biweekly Music Wednesday! No. 12 ~Athletic~ (Yoshi's Island)

Origin: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Plays In: Numerous stages, typically ones that have you jumping around for dear life.
Status: Composition
Composer: Koji Kondo

Try to resist not dancing to this. I dare you. It's impossible.

Since Super Mario Bros. 3,, a number of Mario games possess not just main themes but Athletic themes that often accompany the wilder levels; in particular, they're often associated with scrolling stages. Super Mario Bros. 3 had a piano-inspired piece, Super Mario World had its banjo, and last year's Super Mario 3D World has some real amazing jazz.

Regardless of whether or not we can explicitly classify Yoshi's Island as a Mario game, the fact remains it comes with the greatest Athletic of them all: a slaphappy ragtime piece that's immediately infectious and will not leave your head. Or will not leave without inspiring your body to break out into mad dancing rhythm.

In the context of the game, it plays up to the greatest of the Athletic series' strength in that its happy-go-lucky nature is taunting the player during some nerve-wracking platforming. Take its first appearance in Hop! Hop! Donut Lifts, where Yoshi has to outmaneuver a scrolling screen via hopping on a series of collapsing donut-shaped lifts. As you're carefully aiming your jumps, Athletic cheerfully drills its way into your skull and driving you further into madness every time you make a misstep and fall to your doom.

While I struggled with that level in my youth, I could never unleash my anger out on the song itself, though. If anything, I'm glad it took such a morbid approach into making my acquaintance. My repeated deaths meant I could hear it again and again, in all of its glory, before I would finally triumph over the donut lift pitfalls and move on to the next level. Mind you, Yoshi's Island had such a wonderfully sincere, bouncy soundtrack that I was in aural heaven regardless of where I was, but this song was in a league of its own. It captivated me even at the cost of precious, precious lives. I had to keep listening to it

It's more than what could be said about the present state of Yoshi music these days, with Yoshi's Island DS taking a lethargic piss on our eardrums and Yoshi's New Island...well, I'm sure this explains enough by itself. Thankfully, what I heard from Yoshi's Woolly World at E3 sounded mighty fine, though its Kirby's Epic Yarn inspired direction makes one wonder if there'll be anything to match its level of lively playfulness. Of course, it shouldn't have to--Epic Yarn's soundtrack being absolutely wonderful and all--but I reckon a new Yoshi song surpassing the likes of Athletic would immediately capture the attention of the Nintendo music fandom.

In any case, with Athletic being a Nintendo fan-favorite, the song has appeared here and there since its inception. Soon after Yoshi's Island's release, the song was featured in Japan's formally annual Orchestral Gaming Concert with an equally bouncy arrangement. Hard to believe I first found this recording a decade ago. Hey, come to think of it, I think I'm lying down in the very same spot right now.

Athletic was also selected to be a part of Super Smash Bros. Brawl's elite soundtrack, and it received a fantastic arrangement from Shota Kageyama (Pokémon Black and White). It's notable for not just including the final boss music from the source material, but for also being accompanied by an alternate version that plays when the seasons change to fall and winter on the Yoshi's Island stage. In their never-ending crusade against the game, the leagues of Brawl bashers and the Youtube comment hivemind will tell you this is a terrible remix, most likely for the reason that it's association with Brawl means that it's terrible by default. Do not listen to the people.

Final Thoughts: I don't mean to end two articles in a row with comments railing against people with different opinions of Smash Bros. Really! It just turned out that way. Cross my heart.

E3 2014: My Thoughts

My FIFTH E3 article! Can you believe it? Time sure flies.

We'll be undergoing a major structural shift this time. See, there won't be a need to split games into "mixed" or "hated" categories, as Nintendo completely it out of the park this year. Yes, after the Nintendo Direct disaster from last year, I am just as shocked as you are. No more we were shackled to a faulty half-hour stream, as the Nintendo Treehouse live event proved to be continually engaging throughout the event and was full of exciting surprises. This was how things should've been last year, and the Nintendo fanboy in me is very pleased. Oh yes.

So since there wasn't a single game I was displeased with, I'll just be listing nearly every major game showed off independently without their own section. Keep in mind I will be cutting out several games for convenience of length (Hyrule Warriors, Mario Maker, EFFING STAR FOX), but rest assured: I am just as excited as you are for those titles. Let's get started!

New Zelda



Open-world Zelda? Open-world Zelda.

With fans begging for the evolution of the tired "Zelda formula," Nintendo's set to finally fulfill their wish after experimenting with Skyword Sword and A Link Between Worlds. Seeing as how Aonuma revealed his dedication to cut the hand-holding garbage from Skyward Sword and stick closer to the free-choice nature of ALBW, that promise looks to soon be fully realized. However, this time we'll be enjoying that experience on a much grander, HD scale.

While not much was shown, we know enough to get excited. For starters, you see all that game footage in the above trailer? That's not pre-rendered; it's all real-time, in-game footage. Granted, I dunno if all that crazy camera movement and slow-mo shots will be possible in the final product, but just...holy shit, does it look good. The crazy razor-bladed laser arrow gizmo alone looks more exciting and dynamic than anything within Link's weaponry in at least a decade, and that's just one weapon. I can't wait to see and utilize the rest!

Also, did anyone else catch the obvious Skyrim influences? Aonuma's made no secret of his admiration for the game, and with him echoing Bethesda's promotion from years before ("You can reach those mountains in the distance"), I can't wait to see how they'll spin Zelda into a similar format. This is the breath of fresh air the series needs.

Captain Toad Treasure Tracker

Did I ever mention how much I loved the Toad Brigade music from Super Mario Galaxy? Never did I imagine it would be the main theme for a Toad spin-off!

Based off of the periphery Captain Toad bonus levels in Super Mario 3D World, the titular adventurous fungus is back for more treasure plundering; to be specific, he's hunting down coins and stars We're not quite sure why he frequents floating isometric landscapes for riches, but you can't deny the adorability, so there!

Despite whatever issues I had with Super Mario 3D World (blasphemy, I know, but I'll get to that in a later review), the brief Captain Toad adventures showed enough promise and charm to form a full-fledged game on their own, and so here we are. Gameplay footage from the Treehouse Stream proved that even Captain Toad's more basic locales contain enough visual trickery and traps to impress (completionists in particular should have a blast, as evident by the hidden collectible jewelry. Anyone who's played the point-and-click adventure Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure for the Wii should also instantly feel at home with the dragon boss battle, and I'm excited to see what the game has to offer in that area. Quest on, Captain Toad! 



Kirby and the Rainbow Curse

2005's Kirby Canvas Curse for the DS was an innovative Kirby experience that was begging to be expanded upon, and that shall soon be realized ten years later as a home console sequel. The star attraction of Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is undeniably the gorgeous claymation aesthetic, which are so lovingly, immaculately detailed that one could swear that they were handmade. Coming off from 2010's heart-melting Kirby's Epic Yarn, it's thrilling to see Kirby continue to immerse itself into experimental graphical styles with the purpose of soothing the player's psyche. I know I'll be melting into my chair.

Gameplay seems to have largely unchanged from Canvas Curse. While Copy Abilities are yet to be seen, just about everything else from the paint meter to collectible stars and even the green poles that halt Kirby's movement. In the place of Copy Abilities, however, are cues taken from Epic Yarn: temporary, situational transformations that mold Kirby into missile-spewing submarines and rapid-fire tanks. As wonderful as they seem, I hope this means we won't see the last of the Copy Ability time trials from the previous game. But when considering how much the game seems to be embracing the beloved Green Greens theme, I suppose that's not a big deal.

More Kirby is always a good thing, but this is the sort of game I want to see on the Wii U: a title that takes full advantage of the Wii U GamePad as opposed to treating it a side product. Come to think of it, will Zelda U utilize it in ways beyond the inventory screen? I suppose time will tell.

Splatoon

Here's something new. Nintendo's take on shooters instantly won the hearts of many when this developer comment was presented during the game's reveal:

"One day, Sakaguchi and I were having lunch and he said 'hey, what if you're to switch between a squid and a person?'"

And thus Splatoon was born. As opposed to just gunning down opponents, Splatoon is designed around splattering the battlefield with color-coded ink so as to expand team territory. In doing so, the players can traverse through their team-colored goo via squid form to quickly move about as needed. Don't think of the ink or paintball guns as just simply conforming to Nintendo's family-friendly nature--being so visually distinct, the ink can also serve as defense (players move sluggishly in opponent's splattered colors) and their rapid-fire nature can serve as a warning that an enemy may be lurking around.

Admittedly, the concept and aesthetic some time to grow on me, but I've since warmed up to its creative nature. Splatoon is precisely what not just the Wii U but what Nintendo themselves need: a GamePad utilizing software (the controller utilizes the gyroscope to aim along with a map detailin how much it's covered in goo) that expands Nintendo's repertoire of new IPs and builds upon their philosophy of easy to learn, hard to master (the strategies described in both the director video and Treehouse Stream--such as walljumping as squids--are incredibly deep). Personally speaking? The game appeals just fine to my OCD complex.

Best of all, though, is that the game has blessed us with this lovely GIF from Nintendo's development of the game. If there's any evidence of Nintendo appealing to the kid inside of us, it's this.



Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire

While very little of these Pokémon remakes have been shown to the point where detailed discussion and impression can be shared, I'd like to take the opportunity to grant kudos for the trailer above.

Pokemon Ruby still remains my favorite Pokemon experience of all time just because of how much it awakened my inner sense of adventure as a child. Say whatever you wish about whatever downgrades it had from Silver, but there's no denying just how expansive and varied the world of Hoenn was. Never before did Pokemon explore the interiors of jungles, dive into ancient underwater caverns, or climb volcanoes. Secret bases were carved into trees and caves, and Pokedex descriptions elaborated wit detail straight out of a National Geographic issue.

From before the subject matter of this trailer was made known, I knew what it was previewing. The impossible heat of the summer-coated rainforest immediately rushed back to me as I watched the young explorer park his bike right in the wilderness. Having watched how Nintendo perfectly encapsulated my childhood experience, this is a remake I am awaiting with open arms.

Yoshi's Woolly World

When Yoshi's Woolly World was initially unveiled as Yarn Yoshi last year, I found myself skeptical. There was no denying the game looked appealing, but as much as I loved Kirby's Epic Yarn (both games are made by the same developer, Good Feel), I felt this new title came across as a little redundant. While still visually charming, that Good Feel was going with yet another yarn-inspired title centered around collecting beads rendered its introduction as something of little more than a palette swap. Granted, Kirby and Yoshi are two entirely different types of action-platformers, but their happy-go-lucky aesthetic can render them rather samey.

Of course, much like how Canvas Curse had already laid the groundwork for a sequel, I suppose the handcrafted yarn aesthetic was also raring for a second go. To its credit, the game has improved since its first showing to the point where one can safely say it can successfully avoid the mediocrity that's plagued Yoshi for the past decade. While the Yoshi gameplay is intact, the Epic Yarn inspiration is still strong from sound effects to gameplay mechanics, albeit perhaps improved in certain areas. In particular, the two-player mode seems more robust and involved than its predecessor, with Yoshi being able to toss his red counterpart at foes and obstacles.

Yoshi's Woolly World is soft, cuddly, fun, charming, everything it should be, and I will enjoy it. Yet I am of the opinion that certain Wii U sequels (Super Mario 3D World and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze) grew a tad rote with a strange "been there, done that" impression. It's all still good fun, but I sure hope it can stand tall as a separate entity from Epic Yarn.

Bayonetta 2

Hard to believe my interest in Bayonetta started when the worldwide bitching began over the revived sequel being snapped up for the Wii U.

To tell the truth, aside from trailers I largely avoided coverage of Bayonetta 2 for two reasons: one, stream footage for this game always ends being really grainy and pixellated for me, and two, I've found the incredible adrenaline-fueled action of Platinum Games are better left as surprises. This isn't to say I'm not hyped up, though: the original Bayonetta was one of my favorite non-Nintendo experiences last generation--nonsense story and gaudy sexiness and all--and from what I've seen this is set to surpass the original in every way.

And speaking of the original Bayonetta, it's being packaged with this one! Complete with Nintendo character costumes for our leading lady. I'd actually just finished replaying it earlier this spring, and yet I'm already excited to burn through it again. Anyone else shocked that Nintendo told Platinum to reveal even more skin with the costumes?

Oh, and I can't believe Bayonetta 2 is going to include online co-op. Take notes, Nintendo; I'm getting a little sick of your multiplayer offerings not including this.

Xenoblade Chronicles: X

 

Isn't it refreshing to see Nintendo of America embrace this title so readily? Quite the turnaround from how they initially spurned the original Xenoblade.

The lack of motion controls aside, Xenoblade Chronicles was easily the most original title on the Wii thanks to its scope and ambition through character and setting, and its successor seems set to build upon that...albeit with piloting mechs and custom-created protagonists this time around.

Aside from this trailer and some of the Treehouse Footage, I also didn't explore too much of its coverage at E3. Xenoblade Chronicles was also an immensely enjoyable surprise thanks to the aforementioned original setting (colonies that live on the bodies of two deceased gods? holy shit), and much like Bayonetta 2, this spiritual successor seems set to surpass it.

My only gripe? Some of the faces on these characters are the stuff of nightmares. Blech.

Super Smash Bros. For Wii U and 3DS

Smash Bros. is here.

With three new characters entering the fold (Mii Fighters, Kid Icarus's Palutena, and Namco guest Pac-Man), collectible near-field communication figures set to interact with the game, and highly-publicized competitive tournament hosted by Nintendo of America itself, the hype for the latest Smash games has already surged through the roof.

What I'm personally most excited for is the potential of endless replay value. Of course, such is the norm with Sakurai games, yet these two games come across as rather ambitious even for him, what with the inclusion of character customization, interchangeable Mii Fighters, and Amiibo support. I know I'll be tooling around with the customized moves for quite some time, and just like Sakurai, I plan to purchase every last one of the Amiibos.

And guess what? I just so happened to play both versions at Best Buy's Smash Fest! While pictures and video weren't allowed at the event, I still stuck around for about five good hours.For my playtime with both versions, I decided to dabble into both my favorite veterans (Olimar, Kirby, Toon Link) while playing with my most anticipated newcomers (Villager, Mega Man, Little Mac, and Greninja).

My experiences with Olimar, Villager, and Mega Man were by far the most interesting. As an Olimar main, getting used to commanding only three Pikmin was challenging enough, but perhaps even worse was that *gasp* they nerfed the length of his up-smash! That move was wonderful in Brawl for hitting through platforms (especially with Yellow Pikmin, mmm), and I'm sad to see its effectiveness diminished. I'll just have to have trust Sakurai's words on balancing him with new strengths and weaknesses! It is a new game, after all.

And yet for someone who got the hang of him--a difficult character to learn--rather easily, I fumbled quite a bit with Villager and Mega Man. Villager in particular threw me for a loop: his down-smash, where he digs two Pitfalls, doesn't deal any damage (from my memory, anyway) and his forward smash is just him dropping a bowling ball. While he was tricky, my confusion did not stop me from having a blast! I can't wait to get a hold of him and Mega Man in the final products.

Can you believe we're getting two separate Smash Bros. in the same year? Melee die-hards and tourney skeptics can doubt them all they want, but I know I'll be enjoying these two games for years to come. Bring it on, Sakurai.

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Annnd that's a wrap. Personally, I found my mixed impressions from my earlier models as more interesting to write, but I guess I can't complain if everything looks so good.

See you later with Biweekly Music Wednesday!

I'm Going to Become a Game Journalist!!!

Yes, you read that title right!

After searching within the past few months for a writing internship, I'm super excited to announce that I will be joining the intern staff for the gaming journalism site Gaming Grunts! Located here at gamingrunts.com, the site prides itself on honest opinions regarding the video game industry and its products, and I couldn't be happier to be aboard the team!

I'm still shaking from the news. I've steadily built up Leave Luck to Heaven for the past four years as not a resume feature for prospective employers, but as a personal project to hone my writing craft. In its early days, I never dreamed it would actually lend me a spot within the gaming industry. I perceived Leave Luck to Heaven as a prelude into my own public brand of reviews via an exclusive page--perhaps as a way to establish my own independence---and that's something I'm still working to make a reality, but for it to pave the way for a professional career into the world of journalism and E3 and the like is something like a dream come true.

This does not mean Leave Luck to Heaven is coming to end; in fact, I sense another beginning. I will not only aim to periodically provide links to my articles, but to finally go forth with the pattern I set out to establish back in April. After this week's E3 Impressions and Biweekly Music Wednesday, I'll do my best to provide four different game reviews.

See you soon!