The Last Guardian’s Last Chance

Be warned: this article may become very heavy-handed and whiny. I apologize for any use of foul language or backhanded comments.

This is a sore subject for me and one that has taken quite some time to come to terms with. However, I think “The Last Guardian” only has one more shot at giving me hope for a release and that’s the 2014 Tokyo Game Show. I know it sounds harsh to give up on a game, but it would be better for my outlook on games and mental health if I just learn to let go. After all, I have somewhat patiently waited for the titles release since 2009 when the game “began development.” Since then, I have attended a community college, moved on to a university, made the decision to pursue a career in journalism, closely followed all E3s and TGSs and constantly gotten my hopes up for any scrap of information Team Ico could muster up. The best I got was a teaser trailer only making me salivate in anticipation even more. Oh yeah, and the former director of Team Ico’s, Fumito Ueda, separation from Sony(although he is said to still be part of the game’s development). Rumor after rumor surfaced about the game and it’s progression, and keeping up with the title’s trip to completion has been a roller coaster ride of spotty information and endless delays. But I’m keeping my faith for the “The Last Guardian” for one last video game expo. If I don’t get some good news from Tokyo, I won’t expect it ever. But if I’m going to be honest with myself and you all, what are the chances some good news could be over the horizon Sep. 18-21? Will this year be the one we get some definitive, credible news about a release?

Sit. Stay. Finally get released... Good boy!

I think as a gamer whom fell in love with Team Ico and its two instant classics, “Shadow of the Colossus” and “Ico”, I want to say yes; but as journalist who tries his best to stay impartial no matter what the topic is, I want to firmly say maybe.

Yeah, I know, not the answer most of you wanted to hear, but what more can I really say? It isn’t a for sure and absolute no because Sony defended the title’s legitimacy when people questioned where “The Last Guardian” was at E3 2014. They said if the game had been cancelled and there was no chance for a release, the public would surely be informed. However, it wouldn’t be the first time a promise wasn’t kept in the gaming world. Release dates being moved back is a harsh norm in the industry and projects are tossed out regularly. Just look at Battlefront 3! Half-Life 3! Another Duke Nukem game! Okay, that one did have a release, but we don’t talk about that… The fact of the matter is that it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibilities to see “The Last Guardian” cancelled. Heck, people have speculated that for years now. I just get the feeling that Sony knows how foolish it would be to put the kibosh on such an anticipated piece of software.

Awww, he's taking baby steps! Just like development...

Like I said, both of the games Team Ico created were a huge success. So much so they were given a rerelease on the PS3(it was rumored at one point that a Last Guardian demo would be on the Team Ico collection). If “The Last Guardian” did make an appearance on the PS3 or PS4 or both, Sony would turn a huge profit. Especially at a time where there isn’t a huge PS4 library to boast about. I see no reason that the game should just be dropped. Why put so much time and effort into something you know will sell if you’re just going to give up on it years later? Granted, I’m not the most knowledgeable on video game development. But I think it’s a valid point. So, in the end, I guess this article turned out to be aimed more at Sony than anyone else.

Sony, if you’re reading this, hear me now and heed my advice. Have Team Ico release a trailer with more in-depth information about the game (gameplay and consoles the title will be released on), set a definite release date, DON’T CHANGE THAT DATE and, above all else, keep trucking along on this game and hold yourselves accountable. I hope that’s not too much to remember. You did say that we should expect the game to still be released unless you say otherwise, and as of yet you haven’t.

Now, getting back to addressing my usual readers, I truly expect to see something about “The Last Guardian” at Tokyo Game Show whether it be a new trailer or an announcement that will leave Team Ico fans rolling their eyes. There will be something- I just hope it’s the former and not the latter. In the case there is nothing, well… I think that’ll be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for me. It’ll be my chance to forget about a possible release entirely, and maybe that’s the kind of chance I need. After all, one can only take having their dreams crushed so much. Just ask the 30 people crying in the corner every E3 at the lack of a new F-Zero title. That’s why this year’s TGS will be the last chance for “The Last Guardian.” Hey, if Kingdom Hearts 3 can happen… why not this?

What games are you crossing your fingers for at this year’s TGS? Let me know in the comments below, and share this article so we can hear what other people have to say! :]3

No Man's Sky or Every Man's Hype?

For all of you out there who have seen gameplay, read articles or watched the 2014 E3 trailer for “No Man’s Sky,” you’re probably thinking the exact same thing everybody else is… “Oh my God! When does this game release? Ugh, how long do I have to wait for this? I want to discover planets and unknown life forms and shoot down space pirates RIGHT NOW! Shut up and take my money so I can zip around the universe at light speed!” For those of us who have seen any form of Star Trek (except Deep Space Nine *cringe*), we might be at an excitement level above that even. Needless to say, with all the craze over this space exploration title it seems “No Man’s Sky” is turning into every man’s hype at an alarming speed. But what do we really know about the game? Well, let’s break that down.

Jurassic Park status confirmed

First, we know that the game will allow us to travel through an ever-expanding galaxy thanks to a planet-generating algorithm created by developer Hello Games. Now I know what you’re thinking. “That’s good enough for me. Sign me up, I’m sold, end of article!” But just bear with me. We also know that when a player discovers something not seen by others (an animal, substance, plant, etc.) that player will have the opportunity to claim their finding as their own. Sidenote: I feel like there are going to be a lot of inappropriate/stupid sounding things in this galaxy. I know if I was the first to find a planet, I would be tempted to name it Planet Buttlicker IV or something ridiculous like that. On top of that, there is space combat, asteroids can be blown up with lasers (always a plus) and if you’re not careful a wild space rhino can kill you. We know there are multiple climates and players can swim underwater to expand their travels. So, okay, we know a decent amount… but what does it all add up to?

To me, it doesn’t really mean a whole heck of a lot.  With all of this information, there are so many more questions begging to be answered. Can new spaceships be built? Is there a job system and will people be able to specialize in certain professions? What will the currency system be like? What does discovering something really do besides make me feel like Christopher Columbus? With a game this encompassing, there is so much that sounds great on paper, but can be a challenge to implement successfully into actual gameplay, and I really don’t think “No Man’s Sky” is an exception to that. After all, this is the same crew who created “Joe Danger,” a game that was well received, but nowhere near as ambitious as a procedurally generated, open universe, space exploration title that is getting the hopes up of everyone who has ever been a child. I mean, the staff working on this game is less than 20! I feel like if I was going to create a universe I might want at least, oh, I don’t know, maybe 1,000 people helping me. But hey, I guess too many cooks can ruin the dish… or the procedurally generated galaxy in this case.

It's like angel dust for your eye holes!

Now, by no means am I saying I think this game will fail. I might cry if it does, but titles this open and imaginative promise a lot to their audience. I just hope that when the game nears release, many of those promises can be kept. At the very least, when the game comes out I want to be able to fly something that resembles a Millenium Falcon and be someone who seems like a smuggler with a buddy of mine who can be a race of alien that is tall and covered in shaggy hair. Oh, and he has to speak in this amazing dialect that consists mainly of obnoxious howling sounds. That’s not too much to ask for, is it?

Until then, I’ll just assume that NMS is going to be a perfect specimen and fulfill my every gaming wants and desires, getting me more and more hyped with each tidbit of information that surfaces in the months leading up to its debut. At least… that seems to be the popular way to look at games nowadays. 

The balance between work and play

It’s a funny give and take to be a so-called gaming journalist. On one hand, you need to play games to get a true understanding of the way certain titles control and how they mesh with the player. It allows writers to really experience the feel of a game and give a more in-depth insight to readers. On the other hand, if you get stuck playing too much, you fall behind on the actual writing aspect of the job. What good does it do to play games if you can’t reach out to people and give them the information they want? It kind of defeats the whole journalist side to it, you know? As someone who greatly appreciates both sides(as I’m sure most gaming journalists do) and is new to the whole experience, it’s been quite a challenge to balance work and play.

I will admit it’s at least ten times easier to get caught up in the hands-on side of things. What’s not to love about sitting down and getting lost in the experience of a good game? Although, I must say it’s pretty easy to get lost in a good article too! But the point still stands that, for a large majority of video game journalists, they must have started playing the games and then picked up writing along the way. If you love both enough, eventually it becomes a no-brainer what to do with the rest of your life. But, as someone who has just started the transition to serious gaming journalism and video production, non-stop binge gaming is a hard habit to leave behind.

RIIIIIIGHT!?!?!

For instance, I only have about five hours of free time each day. By the time I get home from work at around 10:45 P.M., I’m so beat that playing is always the first option that comes to mind. It’s the easier route that offers instant stress relief. Now that I’m trying to make something of myself though, I almost always choose the route of writing and editing. It leaves me with a sense of pride at the end of the night that a game can’t provide. Now don’t get me wrong, there is a certain sense of satisfaction from beating a hardcore level on “Towerfall: Ascension” or finally making that awesome set in “Monster Hunter” that I spent hours farming for, but it’s a different feeling of accomplishment. It’s almost as if posting that new video makes me feel like I’m one step closer to getting a job at an awesome website, magazine or newspaper(yes, those still exist). It’s something that makes me sleep easy and keeps me excited to do it all over again the next day. But overall, I like to write and edit because of my love of the content: video games. After all, they’re a huge part of what got me here. If it wasn’t writing, it would have been drawing concept art, developing or testing games. Heck, I would even find a job in PR if it meant I could promote games. So, that leaves me with the big question: What is the right amount of playing?

Well, I’m now figuring out that there isn’t really a definite answer for me right now. Lately, I’ve been getting in about five to seven hours weekly. That’s not enough, in my eyes, because it doesn’t lend itself well to keeping up with the way games feel, a facet that changes quite a lot. Playing only this much allows me to put out four to six articles a week and possibly one video, but I don’t feel like I’m experiencing anything. It feels more like I’m on the outside looking in. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as I believe there needs to be some sort of divide between work and play, but it seems like the same concept as a sportscaster who never played the sport they report on. I understand that this isn’t a foreign concept in the case of many sportscasters, but I’m more inclined to listen to someone who understands what they’re talking about from multiple points of view.

So I have no boss at home... but this one was too good to pass up!

So, in the end, too much playing equals not enough writing, which means nobody wins, and too much writing gets content out and keeps people interested, but it creates a disconnect between myself and the spark that ignited my passion. I’m between a rock and a hard place, but eventually I think I’ll be able to get it right. It’s just funny that the aspect that makes games so appealing(The physical act of playing) is my biggest obstacle to overcome right now. If worse comes to worse I could always quit my day job, I suppose. Right!? Who needs an income?! But what fun would that be? All great journeys have their difficult parts, and if it wasn’t for games that truth wouldn’t be so apparent! Link doesn’t just save Zelda. Portals don’t just automatically solve puzzles. Foxes don’t just naturally do barrel rolls. There has to be a struggle, and in my case it’ll be the one where I make sure to always- Oops! Time’s up. Sorry, got to go check on my town in Animal Crossing. K.K. Slider’s going to be here soon!

Take care, guys. If you have any tips or suggestions on how you balance your time, I would love to hear them. See you all next time! 

Gettin' to the Good Stuff: SSB4's Top Pics of the day!

I'm just going to continue with the Super Smash Bros. posts and talk about the most relevant and exciting Miiverse posts about Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS. As you may or may not know, the "pic of the day" is a daily post (as the name suggests), where Super Smash Bros. director, Masahiro Sakurai, shares a picture on Miiverse that reveals something about the new Smash Bros. The posts are not always very noteworthy as there are so many to go through, but I'm taking it upon myself to trim the fat and give you guys the juicy cuts we all want to see. Here goes!

Robin & Lucina information

Recently revealed newcomers Robin and Lucina were shown some love over the past week-and-a-half as Sakurai went over some of the fighters traits and moves. Robin, the first Fire Emblem representative to be considered a spell caster, is given a unique move in the form of "Nosferatu" (you should watch the movie). Sakurai said the move is the first in the series to damage an enemy while healing the player using the move. Obviously, Sakurai never played as Ivysaur in Project Melee! As a Smash player, though, this could have some terrific applications depending on a few different variables such as how much lag the move has, the range of the move and the overall damage. Sakurai also said the move does more damage if it is perform when an opponent is facing away.

Robin will also be able to use different special attacks depending on the tome he holds in his hand. The tome will change with each special attack, which means the tomes will either change in a set order(the more likely) or they will change randomly(doubtful, because Sakurai seems to want to stray away from random chance events in the game.) The tactician will also have access to his trusty thunderbolt lookin' thingy, apparently called the Levin sword, which will do considerable damage, but only be available for a limited time. When the Levin sword is not usable, it will be replaced by the weaker bronze sword. 

There isn't quite as much to say about Lucina because less was released on her, but it has been confirmed that she will play quite similarly to Marth(shocker.) This fact has many fans buzzing about how Sakurai stated there would be a point to take clones out of the title. However, without more information it's tough to be able to tell if Lucina really will control too similarly to the blue-haired bladesman. The most notable aspect of Lucina is the fact that her sword will be balanced throughout and will be just as strong throughout. This is a departure from the "tipper" or "sweet spot" that Marth is characterized by. Sakurai said the trait might "make her easier to control." regardless of how she controls, she'll always have the nickname "Martha", in my book. Too cheesy? Whatever, I think it's clever...

Stages

Not much to report here. People following the game's development already know that the 3DS version and Wii U version will have different stages, but Sakurai let fans know that some stages will be playable in both iterations of the game, such as the "Punch-Out!" boxing ring and Mega Man's Wily Castle. Tuesday the 22nd's pic of the day showed the Great Fox from "Star Fox: Assault" and Sakurai nodded to the fact that fighters might be fighting on top of the ship "without the pilot's consent." While it might not be him coming right out and telling us it's a stage... he's pretty much coming right out and telling us a stage. I just had to be sure to say it wasn't a guaranteed fact. It looks pretty though, doesn't it? Fun fact: Great Fox and the Pokemon stage from the first game were my favorite stages in the original Smash Bros. 

Costumes

It's been known for a while that characters such as the Villager and Wii Fit Trainer have alternate costumes with substantial changes. While the most recent additions might not count as substantial changes, they sure as heck beat 95% of the selection from Brawl. Mario will branch out from his fire flower colors and move to a more... American look with an outfit he wore in "NES Open Tournament Golf." The VERY Italian plumber is tsrting to look like Captain America over here with those stars and stripes! Samus will take a page out of another space adventure as she dons a white and black suit that is more than just reminiscent of your average storm trooper. Both of these costumes look great and leave me hopeful for a wider variety of costumes in SSB4. Here's to hoping Yoshi gets a nyan cat outfit! Oh, and Little Mac gets the pink training suit that was shown in his character reveal trailer way back when. So now you can beat up your friends in a nice pair of pink sweatpants. And here I was thinking nothing could be more demeaning than losing to a Jigglypuff wearing a bonnet...

Ranged Attacks

Palutena and Mii gunner's up smash and side smash, respectively, will be the longest in the game and be super annoying to play against certain friends. You know who you are... Sakurai said the Mii gunner's side smash will be the longest in the series, which is apparently to be "expected from a firearms expert." 

Sakurai said both Palutena's up smash and an unspecified special will have enormous range, with the special having a bit more range. However, the special, heavenly light, will not make the opponents flinch on impact, giving the ability no knockout potential. Her up smash will offer both range and power. It also looks pretty sweet, so it's got that going for it too. 

Heavenly Light

Up Smash

Totally Awesome, Useless Information

Cats are apparently a thing now... 

Little Mac's head is waaaay smaller than Mario's.

There's a guy... Bowl of candy... trophy... This thing exists.

Sakurai is a dirty, stinkin' troll.

Welp, that's all for today. Hopefully I can bring you more of these in the future. I'm thinking maybe once every two weeks? I hope you enjoyed these. Here's a link to the miiverse website if you want to see more: https://miiverse.nintendo.net/titles/  .Tell me what you think might be revealed next! See you all later and take care!

Greninja Video Update!

 I hear tongue scarves are in this year!

Hey, guys! Just letting you know that the 3rd installment in my "Advanced SSB4 character analysis" is coming out and the newcomer I'm going to talk about this time is none other than the infamous ninja from itself... Greninja! I know this is a small post, so to make up for it, expect to see a few posts on here tomorrow. One will be about the Super Smash Bros. pics of the day and the other will be a secret. Oooooooooo. Look forward to seeing you guys tomorrow. Take care!

Batman: Arkham Knight & How I missed the last generation

By now, I'm sure all of you know and are already going crazy over "Batman: Arkham Knight." It was showcased at this year's E3, and garnished much media attention. This really doesn't come as much of surprise considering how well both of  "Arkham Knight's" predecessors did("Arkham Asylum" sold almost 2 million copies in its first three weeks of release, and Arkham City sold 2 million copies in its first week of  release, making it one of the fastest selling games ever.)

Dat Batmobile thooooo.....

I was watching this trailer on YouTube and thought about how cool it was that developers, Rocksteady Studios, added in the Batmobile, one of Batman's gadgets he didn't have access to in previous installments. I toyed with the idea of picking up the title and began to become excited for the game's 2015 release, but the funny thing was, besides a few play sessions on a friend's "Arkham City," I had never played OR owned "Asylum" or "City." The most I had ever really done with the popular franchise was watch my friend play it for hours on end. Leveling up, unlocking new gadgets and tediously searching for riddler trophies, my buddy seemed to really enjoy the game; and for the little I played and the large portions I watched, it seemed to be a game I would thoroughly enjoy too. I knew many people found the games to be engaging and fun. I knew I would like the combat. The voice acting was top notch (Mark Hamill, Mark Hamill, Mark Hamill), and the art style was dark and stylized like any good Batman game should be. I just never took the time to pick it up and let myself have fun with it. That got me thinking...

"With such a popular game as "Arkham Asylum" and Arkham City," how could I have missed it?"
"What other great games did I miss from the last generation?"

I always thought gaming's last generation(PS3, X360, Wii) was a tad bit lacking on software selection. But was it really? From there, I tried to make a mental list of all the games I'd wanted to pick up, whether it be out of pure hype or actually researching a game and liking what I'd seen(hopefully the 2nd). Here's the list that I came up with.

• "Arkham Asylum" and "Arkham City" 
• "Red Dead Redemption" 
• Gears of War series
• The Uncharted series
• The Bioshock series
• "Mad World" 
• "No More Heroes"
• Mass Effect series
• "Skyrim"
• Just Dance series... joking... I totally play that one...

But seriously, look at all of those games! Like, really? All of those titles looked great to me. And not in the way where you see a trailer and pray the rest of the game will be as good. I looked up gameplay, asked friends, read reviews and played some demos. Everything pointed toward a purchase. I just didn't get around to actually grabbing the goods.Naturally, school and work get in the way again with it's stupid homework and self-betterment bologna! Such wasted potential. The good news is that I can get most, if not all, of this stuff for a steal now!

It just sucks that I waited this long, because a considerable amount of enjoyment that comes from buying a game is experiencing it with the rest of the people who picked it up around the game's release. I just have to remember that for the remainder of this generation.

In the end, my point is that if you love games and want to play something, you should stop at nothing to do so. Borrow from a friend. Trade in games you don't want anymore *cringe* Gamestop *cringe*. Actually fork over the dough to obtain a decent title . I don't care how you do it, just do it. Because now that I'm really enjoying this generation, it makes me wonder just how much I missed from last generation.

Now that I've come to terms with my foolish, neglectful behavior all that's left to do is wait to get my grubby hands on the new stuff and play the old stuff while I wait for it. I won't let Batman slip away this time! This should be good news for any of you that watch my stream. For those of you who don't and would like to- my stream is twitch.tv/justanotherhero4711. I think I might start with Arkham City or Red Dead. Hmmmmm... Dark Knight or deadly desperado. Decisons, decisions.

Take care and play on, everyone!

Evolve: Which hunter looks the coolest?

Well, I think the best answer is all of them. Who wouldn’t want to play as the assault class and shoot a million-and-a-half holes in the big, bad monster?  At the same time, why do that when you could be the medic and singlehandedly be the team’s go-to guy? That’s a huge aspect of Evolve that I love, though - the diversity. Not only are there four different classes to fight for your play time, there are three unique characters per class! Each of these characters have their own personality, voice and storyline, giving players a chance to bond with their favorite hunter and become even more entranced with the gameplay. So, although all of these options look more than appealing, there are a few that have gotten me pretty pumped to snag a copy of “Evolve.”

                Personally, when I start to get interested in a game, I get most worked up over the characters I’ll be spending my time with. My selection tends to vary from game to game, but a safe bet for me is usually the standard hero-esque character. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a good hero or heroine. However, Evolve isn’t really the type of game where there is a standout good guy. Everybody exudes this sort of bounty hunter, gun-for-hire feeling. This isn’t a bad thing by any means. It just made me seek out a character for a reason other than wanting to save the world or having a really sweet looking sword. Obviously, my next choice would be someone that has a really sweet looking space dog. Sweet looking swords and pet space hounds are pretty equivalent in my book, by the way. The hunter I speak of is the mysterious trapper, Maggie.

Click on this picture to see the E3 2014 Evolve trailer

                Okay, to be honest, I don’t know much about her besides the fact that her name is Maggie, she uses a machine pistol and she likes to trap monsters, but did I mention she has a space hound!? Regardless of this lack of knowledge, I believe my fondness isn’t without merit. Maggie’s pet Trapjaw[insert “it’s a trap” joke here],Daisy, acts similarly to a hunting dog and sniffs out the monster’s location. This allows the party to follow a fleeting monster and waste less time searching for a hiding foe. Plus, it’s just a cute, but deadly interstellar puppy. There’s not much to dislike. Being a trapper, Maggie also has access to the mobile arena, which contains the monster in a circular force field. This appeals to me because the thought of having to chase the monster for a large portion of a match sounds extremely annoying. Nobody wants that.

                Maggie takes her hindering abilities a step further with her “Moby Dick” style weapon, the harpoon. Not only does the harpoon deal damage, but it’s main purpose is to bring the monster’s movement to a halt - another ability that will make the other hunter’s jobs much easier and effective. Last, but not least, Daisy can revive downed hunters. So, not only does this creature keep the team close to the monster, it also makes sure they stay alive? I was totally on board as soon as I found that out. No questions asked. Shut up and take my money… I’M BUYING ME A SPACE DOGGY! The only downside to Maggie and her four-legged friend is the inevitable depression I will spiral toward after Daisy gets brutally devoured by the monster for the first time. I have to hold back a few tears just thinking about it.

                A close second to Maggie is the lovable, yellow robot, Bucket. He’s a support class hunter and specializes in surveillance and laser-guided missiles. Bucket also uses flying sentry guns, which, to me, means he has robot buddies who can help him out of tight situations, or at least that’s the way I’m choosing to look at it. So, let’s see here… cool robot nickname… check. Missile launcher with flying robot pals… check. The only confirmed playable robot so far… check. Well, that settles that. If he’s in anywhere near the same league as fellow robots R2-D2, Wall-E, Johnny 5 or Mega Man, I’ll be spending hours tearing up those monsters with this mechanical mofo.

              Turtle Rock Studios made a great decision by creating multiple hunters for each class, and I, for one, was pleasantly surprised by the E3 2014 reveal. It got me excited for the game’s release and impatient for the reveal of the last 4 hunters in Evolve. My only request for the title is downloadable character costumes. I’ll be crossing my fingers for an alternate C-3PO skin for Bucket! Take care, guys. :]3

Brand new YouTube video up now!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQv2jEdkOec

Smash Update! 7/14/14: Lucina/C.Falcon/Robin reveal trailer

Lucina./C. Falcon./Robin reveal video

Well, I pretty much said it all in the video, but it's pretty bonkers that the number of Fire Emblem characters doubled. Not many YouTubers, that I saw, predicted more than three, but I'm kind of glad it happened this way. While I did want Chrom in the game, there was a much greater need for a magic user represented in the FE series and, even more importantly, a female is represented! Sakurai said there are only a few more character reveal trailers left, but that doesn't necessarily mean there won't be anymore newcomers after the final reveal trailer is shown. I've estimated about 43 characters in the past, but now I think it's much more likely that the number of characters will reach right around the 50 mark. The more the merrier! WEll, I hope you all enjoyed the reveal and keep your eyes peeled for more stuff from me. I'll see you all later! Hero out. 

Mario Kart races back into players’ hearts with 8th installment

                Ah, Mario Kart- a franchise any gamer who grew up with a Nintendo console (which is most of us) holds near to their heart. We remember all of the times blue shells brought us from first to worst and the times a star propelled us to victory with a symphony of cool tunes and a streak of sparkles. Its music conforms to the fast-paced catastrophe that is the Mario Kart race, and the aesthetics make us feel like we’re in a rainbow dream. It seems impossible being able to emulate the feeling we get from this game for so many generations, but somehow the big N always finds a way, and with Mario Kart 8 Nintendo has once again brought us into the crazy world of carting in spectacular fashion.

                For starters, is Mario Kart 8’s music the top-notch symphony we’re always captivated by? See for yourself. Not that the melodies haven’t changed. It seems this time Mario Kart has become a bit more refined. Songs seem to be more soulful, yet still frantic- a touch complimented quite nicely by the fully orchestrated soundtrack the game boasts. As usual, each course has its own personality created by its look, but the music for each track only adds layers to that personality and really rounds out racers’ full sensory pleasure. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise considering Nintendo always does a great job with its games’ soundtracks, but it’s nice to see their standard haven’t changed after all these years.

While the soundtrack did a great job maintaining the quality previous games were known for, the graphics of Mario Kart 8 far exceeded any expectations fans of the series could have hoped for. Although Nintendo may not be known for its attention to detail as far as HD graphics go, they sure set the bar high this time around. Donkey Kong’s fur ruffles in the wind, wheels become coated with gritty sand when they streak through deserts and a shell’s individual ridges are discernable through the detailed use of shading. This is such a big step because from Mario Kart: Double Dash on the Gamecube to Mario Kart Wii, the difference in graphics seemed minimal at best and racers have come to expect that from the series. But even though sub-par graphics might not be a deal breaker  for most Nintendo fans, there’s really nobody who can complain now.

Another aspect greatly improved upon was the online capabilities of MK8. Although Mario Kart Wii had an online feature better than most of the other Wii games, that didn’t really say much considering the mediocre online sported by most Wii titles. *cough* Brawl *cough* And this was a point of contention among gamers in a time where online capabilities were fairly new and exciting to people who had become used to playing alone for years. Mario Kart 8 completely knocks it out of the park and offers players quick entry into 12-man races, customizable tournaments, the ability to race against some of the best track records in the world and even turning racers into spectators as they can choose to watch and not play. The only complaint is that sometimes items can be slightly laggy, but most games will run into those small-scale problems.

The controls are just as easy as they’ve always been and allow racers to steer in a myriad of ways ranging from tilt controls on the game pad to the good old control stick maneuverability most of us have become familiar with. The only difference in the gameplay/control category that is worth a mention is the anti-gravity racing Mario Kart 8 has become stylized by. While it doesn’t make a huge difference in the speed of the race, it throws a fresh new feel to older courses and allows players more than one route to traverse tracks with. Also, the coin collecting feature of Mario Kart on the SNES is back and gives players a miniature boost when coins are grabbed. Racers are also given an overall speed bonus depending on how many coins (from 0 to 10) are saved up. This can make the difference of a race, but isn’t so much of an advantage where it feels like diligent coin grabbing is the only way to become victorious. The only part of the coins that truly becomes tiresome is when you’re in first and you constantly receive coins from the item boxes as they offer no protection from enemies’ weapons.

Speaking of items; the boomerang, fireball, piranha plant, mega horn and 8-weapon items make their first console appearance in the series. All of these items have offensive and defensive purposes, but none more crucial than the mega horn because it allows first place racers to destroy blue shells before their able to ruin lives. *show Blue shells killing people clips in older games* We’ve all come to hate blue shells and their ability to crush dreams, so now there is a reliable answer to this terror. While it doesn’t always present itself, it does give a satisfying feeling when you manage to blow up such a hated enemy.

My last points and complaints come from the roster of racers and battle mode. First off, where the heck is Diddy Kong? I mean, the cheerful chimp used to have his own racing game. The least you could do is keep him in for all the people who loved him in Diddy Kong Racing. Remember that game? As if that wasn’t bad enough, Nintendo decided to add in Bowser’s doofy siblings. They’re not bad characters per se, but it seems wasteful to take up seven racing slots when the characters in question seem extremely similar, especially when the rest of the cast is so diverse. This problem is taken a step further in the form of metal Mario and pink gold Peach. These characters are essentially Mario and Peach given a metallic shine and warped voice. They’re boring to say the least.

The biggest setback to the game is its lack luster battle mode. Instead of having courses designed specifically for the battle mode, tracks in the grand prix portion of the game are reused with nothing changed. This leaves racers spending most of their time searching for players to engage and takes away the sense of urgency mixed with caution the game mode was once known for. It’s an upsetting change, but one that can be looked past as the rest of the game delivers on multiple levels.

As with its predecessors, Mario Kart 8 brings a few new aspects to the established franchise and builds upon the strengths the beloved title has become famous for. As far as the racing goes, this might just be the most enjoyable yet. And even though the battle mode might be flawed, it is a facet of the game that can be tinkered to the players’ liking. The music is fresh and keeps racers bobbing their heads to a jazzy chorus. The gameplay is solid as usual, the controls continue to keep races simple and quick, the online is addictive and the graphics far exceed previous titles and challenge players to keep their eyes on the road. The few, minor downfalls this game does have are far outweighed by the resounding positives. So grab a few friends, gear up and get ready for speed, friendly rivalry and the occasional shell that came out of nowhere. Mario Kart is back, and it’s just like you remembered, but even better! Have fun blowing up those pesky blue shells!

This game gets 9 out of 10 red shells.