Eight games I finished in 2017

I played a lot of games last year--even more than the 20 I highlighted in my "how I spent my time in 2017" post--but I didn't finish or "beat" too many of them.

Specifically, I completed a grand total of eight, and one was a demo. (A meaty demo, to be sure, but a demo nonetheless.) Here they are:

Dragon Quest VII (3DS)--I spent more than a decade longing to play Dragon Quest VII before I picked up its 3DS port in late 2016. In fact, I distinctly remember spotting a discounted PSone console and a copy of the game while shopping at Target in the early 2000s and struggling with whether or not I should buy both in one fell swoop. I passed in the end, but I think that made me even more eager than I would've been otherwise to play this portable remake. Sadly, all of that anticipation meant bubkes when I finally booted it up. Although I enjoyed a lot of what it offered, that enjoyment was constantly tested by bouts of boredom and fits of annoyance. Basically, Dragon Quest VII too often felt like a drag. As such, I'm glad I stuck with this game until the end, but I can pretty much guarantee I'll never pick it up again.



Golf Story (Switch)--If you would've told me before I started playing it that Golf Story had enough content to last more than 17 hours, I'd have responded with an eye roll of epic proportions. Although this game has its fair share of issues--it doesn't do a great job of explaining how things work, for instance, and it's surprisingly buggy (or it was before it was patched)--its captivating story and charming visuals do a lot to mitigate them and make those hours fly by (or at least they did in my case).

Kirby: Planet Robobot (3DS)--After devoting nearly 100 hours of my life to the Dragon Quest VII 3DS remake between late 2016 and early 2017, switching over to Kirby: Planet Robobot was the gaming equivalent of a breath of fresh air. Not only did it take me just nine hours to reach Planet Robobot's end credits, but the overall experience was so breezy and light that I wouldn't be surprised if I grinned the whole way through. On a related note, it was such a nice change of pace to play a game that didn't feel the need to artificially prolong its experience.



Mother (Famicom)--I've been itching to play the original Mother ever since I finished--for the very first time, I might add--the series' second release all the way back in early 2014. I actually started Mother a few years ago, but walked away (for reasons I can't remember) after just a couple of hours. Halfway through 2017, I decided to take another stab at it. This time, I got so sucked into it that I played little else during the two-week, 20-plus-hour period I spent with the game. In fact, the experience left such an impression on me that I now think I prefer Mother to its (admittedly far slicker) sequel.

Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World (3DS)--I don't know how I did it, but somehow I finished two 3DS platformers back to back in early 2017. I'm not suggesting this is some kind of amazing feat, mind you; it's more that I usually don't like to play, let alone "beat," two games of the same genre in succession. I guess it says a lot about both Planet Robobot and this portable Woolly World port that tackled them around the same time. I'm going to "blame" Dragon Quest VII for enabling this accomplishment, as after putting almost 100 hours into that slog of a game I desperately needed a peppy palate cleanser--or two, apparently. As for which proved more satisfying, I'm going to have to go with Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World here, if only because it offered up more of a challenge. (I've never been the biggest fan of cake-walk side-scrollers.)



Project Octopath Traveler demo (Switch)--I waited a long time to tackle the Project Octopath Traveler demo--especially when you consider it was what prompted me to buy a Switch in 2017 instead of in 2018. Why I dilly-dallyed is beyond me, although I have a feeling I did so because I knew playing it would make the wait for full game borderline unbearable. And guess what? I was right. This bite-sized preview of Project Octopath Traveler blew me away even more than I thought it would thanks to its eye-popping visuals, thrilling battles, and top-shelf soundtrack. Given that, I sincerely hope the finished product hits store shelves in my neck of the woods as early as possible this year.

The Starship Damrey (3DS)--Admittedly, it's pretty easy to finish a game that only lasts for a few hours. Still, a lot of people probably passed on The Starship Damrey due to its far-from-stellar word of mouth, so I'm going to pat myself on the back for making it through its creepy, corridor-stalking adventure anyway. I'd personally say it's well worth experiencing even now if you're open to buying and playing 3DS games in 2018--especially if you wait for publisher Level-5 to discount it. It's currently $7.99 (on the North American eShop), which I think is a bit rich for a four-hour game, but that regularly drops by about half, so keep an eye out for a sale if you're at all intrigued. Not yet convinced? Read my Starship Damrey review.



Super Mario Odyssey (Switch)--Before I booted up my copy of Super Mario Odyssey for the first time, I worried it might not live up to the brilliance of the Super Mario Galaxy titles. After watching its end credits and starting through its post-game content, I couldn't help but wonder why I was so skeptical. For me, Odyssey bests the Galaxy efforts in almost every area. Just as importantly, in my opinion, is that Mario's latest adventure is one that never lets up. Right when you think a kingdom is about to overstay its welcome, another opens up and begs to be explored. If your playthrough is anything like mine, the whole thing will be over before you know it.

Did you finish any games in 2017? If so, which ones? Share their names as well as a few thoughts on them in the comments section of this post.

Don't mind me, I'm just completely obsessed with Nintendo's Mother at the moment

My apologies for failing to publish anything new here over the last week. Between Hurricane Harvey (which dumped a ton of rain on Austin but otherwise spared the city the kind of devastation seen in Houston) and a bit of "back to work blues" (now that we're settled in our new home, my husband and I have decided to end our sabbatical year a few months short and start looking for jobs), I haven't been in the mood to write.

I have been in the mood to play games, though. Or at least I've been in the mood to play Mother--aka, the RPG known to a lot of Western Wii U owners as EarthBound Beginnings.

Unfortunately for the other titles I was enjoying before I started Mother--Dragon Quest for Famicom, Great Greed for GameBoy, the Monster Hunter Stories 3DS demo and Opoona for Wii among them--that's all I've been in the mood to play for the last 10 days or so.

In that time, I've spent nearly 20 hours with Shigesato Itoi's first foray into the world of video games.



I actually put a few hours into Mother (or rather the leaked EarthBound Zero ROM) a few years back, but left it behind for some reason I can't remember and never returned to it.

There's no way something similar happens this time around, I can assure you. Although I enjoyed my initial attempt at the game, I'd hardly say the experience blew me away. That's exactly how I'd describe Mother's current effect on me, though.

Yes, it is antiquated in many of the same ways most Famicom and NES RPGs are--with the first Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy titles being prime examples. Yes, it basically requires you to grind. Yes, it's often frustratingly and even hilariously brutal.

But it also can be surprisingly touching. And weird. And beautiful.

That last comment is sure to raise a few eyebrows, but I refuse to take it back. Which isn't to suggest I considered Mother to be a work of art from the word go. My first impression of it was that it looked like a rough--very rough--draft of its 16-bit sequel. Over time, though, my opinion of its aesthetic softened quite a bit.

The first visual component of Mother that got me to think of the game as something other than messy was its enemy sprites. Almost without exception, they display a decidedly American cartoonishness that is perfectly fitting for a title that's set in, and tends to poke fun at, the United States of the 1980s.



There are other touches that add to Mother's visual appeal, though, if you keep your eyes open for them. The Peanuts-esque character sprites are a noteworthy example, as are the rather scraggy environments. (To be fair, the latter can seem samey, but each one features at least a handful of grin-inducing details that make it easier to stomach the monotony encountered elsewhere.)

That said, I wouldn't recommend playing Mother (or EarthBound Beginnings) for its graphical flourishes. No, the game's refreshingly nontraditional setting and bizarro sci-fi story are the main bullet points that should prompt you to boot it up in whatever fashion makes you the most comfortable.

All of the above-mentioned reasons--as well as the magnificent soundtrack composed by Keiichi Suzuki and Hirokazu Tanaka--are without a doubt responsible for fueling my obsession with this decades-old (it first hit Japanese store shelves all the back in 1989) role-playing game. Here's hoping they continue to fuel it right on through Mother's credit roll.

See also: 'a few thoughts on Opoona (Wii) now that I've finally played it for a couple of hours'

Seven 'old' games I'm planning to play at some point in 2017

Late last year, I published a trio of posts about the many Japanese and North American 3DS and Vita games I'm planning to play sometime in 2017.

(This post covers the 3DS games I'm itching to experience, while this post and this post cover the Vita games on my "play as soon as possible in the next 12 months" list.)

Despite my current living situation, I'm also hoping to play a number of "old" games next year. Here are the ones I'd like to tackle first:

Clock Tower (WonderSwan)--Why would I play the WonderSwan port of Human Entertainment's first Clock Tower game when I could play the Super Famicom or PlayStation versions instead? Because I want to show my new-ish WonderSwan Color system some love, for starters. Also, I can't help but think that playing this game in black and white could be kind of cool--not to mention surprisingly atmospheric. If only experiencing Clock Tower on a fairly small screen would make Scissorman's appearances a bit less terrifying.

Last Window (DS)--After ignoring it for ages, I finally played through--and thoroughly enjoyed--Cing's Hotel Dusk in 2015. (You can read some of my thoughts on it in this "A Decade of DS" post.) I have a hard time believing this sequel from 2010 will be anywhere near as captivating as the original, but I'd love for my skepticism to be proven unwarranted. Regardless, it'll be really nice to hold my DS Lite--or, you know, my go-to 3DS--sideways like a book again.

London Seirei Tantei-Dan (PlayStation)--A Japanese RPG set in Victorian England that's full of lovely sprite art and turn-based battles? Where do I sign up? Also, why did it take me until late 2016 to track down a copy of such a game? I've yet to even stick my London Seirei Tantei-Dan disc into my trusty PSone system, of course, but I'm determined to rectify that in the coming months. I'm also determined to publish a post about this game's magnificent packaging, by the way, so be on the lookout for it if that sort of thing is your cup of tea.

Metroid II (GameBoy)--I'm one of those weird folks who loved both Metroid and Super Metroid as a teen but then never played another Metroid game. I'm not kidding here--no Metroid: Fusion, no Metroid: Zero Mission, no Metroid Prime and, yes, no Metroid II. That last game is the most appealing to me, and everyone knows how much I adore the GameBoy, so I'm going to do my best to jump back on the Metroid bandwagon (if such a thing still exists after Nintendo's attempts to kill the series) with it in 2017.

Mother (Famicom)--I actually put a few hours into this game a couple of years ago. For whatever reason, though, I walked away from it after that--despite the fact I was really enjoying its rather antiquated (especially in comparison to follow-up EarthBound) adventure. I'd prefer to give it a second chance by buying and playing EarthBound Beginnings on my 3DS (ahem, Nintendo), but since that's unlikely to be an option, I guess I'll either put the Mother cart I bought ages ago to use or, you know, plug the old EarthBound Zero ROM into my emulator of choice.

Seiken Densetsu 3 (Super Famicom)--You'd think someone who absolutely loves the second Seiken Densetsu game, released in North America as Secret of Mana, would've played the third by now. Well, you'd be wrong. I find Seiken Densetsu 3's graphics mesmerizing, though, so look for me to finally put it through its paces by the end of this year. (I'd like to do the same to the similarly gorgeous Legend of Mana, to be perfectly honest, but that may be a stretch given everything else on my plate.)

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (3DS)--When Atlus announced this 3DS  port of it Japanese Sega Saturn game from 1997, I told anyone who would listen that I'd buy it as soon as it hit store shelves in my neck of the woods. Nearly four years later, I've still yet to follow through on that affirmation. Copies of Soul Hackers are pretty cheap these days, though, so I'll do what I can to add one to my pile of 3DS cartridges before this time in 2018.

Are you planning to play any particular "old" games this year? If so, which ones?

In honor of Satoru Iwata, here's my most recent contribution to #CIBSunday

I don't often contribute to the social-media phenomenon that is #CIBSunday, but I decided to make an exception today because I recently acquired a copy of Mother 2 for the Super Famicom and showcasing a few photos of its beautifully minimalist packaging here seemed like an appropriate thing to do given the recent passing of Satoru Iwata, who helped whip this classic RPG into shape back when he worked for HAL Laboratory.



As for what took me so long to add this brilliant game to my collection, well, a big part of the story is that my initial plan was to buy a complete-in-box copy of the North American release, which of course is known as EarthBound. In the end, though, setting aside $300 or more for such a purchase was a bit too much for me to swallow, so I put my dreams of owning some form of this classic RPG on the back burner and turned my attention to other titles that would be far easier to obtain.

I returned to this quest a month or so ago after I came across (while perusing eBay, naturally) the copy of Mother 2 that can be seen in the snapshots shared throughout this post. That was mainly due to the fact this particular copy was cheaper than most of the ones that make their way onto the auction site these days, but it also was due to me figuring I've learned enough Japanese by now to stumble my way through Shigesato Itoi's eclectic adventure in its native language.

Anyway, enough about that. The stars of this post are the lovely box, cartridge and instruction manual that make up the entire Mother 2 package. Personally, I'm not sure which element I love the most--the outer box, with its iconic logo, or the inside of the aforementioned manual, which includes some of the most wonderful clay models you're likely to come across in the gaming world.  

Mother 2's cart label (below) is pretty awesome, too, of course.

Sadly, it'll probably be a while before I stick this cartridge into an actual SNES or Super Famicom and give it a go. After all, I don't own either of those consoles at the moment--or at least I don't have one with me here in Seattle. An old SNES is sitting in a closet in my parents' house back in Madison, Wisconsin, but I won't be able to get my mitts on it until at least Christmas.



Sure, I could use this as an opportunity to, at long last, pitch in and pick up a Super Famicom Jr.--a system I've wanted for ages--before then, but the reality is I'll probably just wait until the holidays so I can spend that money on some other game-related treasure that catches my eye in the coming months.

What all of that said, what do you think of this game's packaging, or what do you think of the game itself? Share all of the lurid details in the comments section below, if you're the sort who's open to such things.

MUSE: Together Is the New Alone (PS4 and Vita) looks a lot like EarthBound and Yumi Nikki, which of course means I'm already in love with it

Full disclosure: I've yet to actually play Yume Nikki, mainly because it's currently only playable on Windows-based PCs, and I no longer own such a computing device. (Not that I'd be all that likely to play it on my MacBook either, but if it were possible I'd probably at least consider experiencing it that way at some point down the road.)

Still, I've long wanted to play it due to its unsettling, EarthBound-esque visuals.



I don't know if I'd say the graphics that have been shown off for the in-the-works PS4 and Vita game known as MUSE: Together Is the New Alone are quite as unsettling, but they've definitely got an edge to them that exists somewhere between what's found in Yume Nikki and most of EarthBound.

This upcoming release, announced during the recent BitSummit event, is being made by Baiyon, who you may know as the art director and musician behind PixelJunk Eden. (Apparently, Pygmy, the development studio that ported La Mulana to Vita, is lending a helping hand.)



Unfortunately, as with at least one of the other Vita games I've mentioned in the last couple of days, a specific release date has not been revealed for MUSE: Together Is the New Alone.

What is known is that this is the gist of MUSE's story: “A young girl lays in a never-ending slumber. One day, a boy finds notes and paintings belonging to the sleeping girl. Guided by these tokens, he sets off on an adventure in the hopes of awakening her once again.”



Does that sound appealing to any of you? Or do you not care about this game's story because the rest of it looks so darn good? Let me know one way or the other in the comments section below.

Oh, and if you're interested in MUSE for any reason whatsoever, you may want to keep an eye on its official website, muse-alone.com.

A few more words on Satoru Iwata's passing

I know. I should've returned this blog to its "regularly scheduled programing" by now. Actually, that was the plan--until I came across a couple of things today that prompted me to push that back yet again so I could ruminate once more on the passing of Nintendo's Satoru Iwata.

Actually, I think most people would be hard-pressed to describe the post I published yesterday about Iwata's untimely death (due in some way to the "bile duct growth" he first told the world about last year) as some sort of meditation.

In my defense, I was in shock. It wasn't the kind of horrific, gut-wrenching shock that hits you when someone truly close to you dies (or even nearly dies, as the case may be), but it was shock all the same.

So, I cobbled together a few sentences that let the world--or at least the minuscule segment of it that frequents this blog--that this seemingly kind and gentle business leader (I say "seemingly" because I obviously didn't know the man personally, so all I can go on is the persona he presented to the public) had died and also passed along a couple of his most noteworthy professional accomplishments.

What those sentences failed to convey were many of my own feelings on the matter. Of course, what are you supposed to say when someone you didn't really know passes away?

Yes, I respected him greatly, I thoroughly enjoyed watching him "host" many of the "Nintendo Direct" videos the company he led for the last decade-plus occasionally offered the Internet-enabled masses and poring over the many "Iwata Asks" interviews that allowed him to geek out with fellow game creators has become one of my most-cherished pastimes in recent years, but even then it feels strange to admit that I'm genuinely sad that he's no longer alive.

This morning, though, I came across the following farewell message that was penned by Shigesato Itoi, who worked side by side with Iwata to wrap up development of Mother 2 (EarthBound) in 1994, and its tenderness moved to such an extent that I couldn't help but share it here:

No matter the farewell, I think the most appropriate thing to say is “we”ll meet again.” We are friends so we”ll see each other again. There is nothing strange about saying it. Yeah. We’ll meet again. 

Even if you didn’t have the chance to put into words how sudden it was going to be, how far you’d be traveling, or how you went much earlier than expected, I know you went wearing your best. 

You always put yourself second to others no matter what, helping anyone who needed it whenever they needed it. You were that kind of friend. Although you may have been a little selfish for the first time ever by taking this journey. 

The truth is though that I still don’t believe any of it. I feel like I am going to receive a message from you inviting me out to eat at any moment. I wouldn’t mind if you were to ask me like always if I had some free time. Even still, I’d ask you as well. 

Still, “we’ll meet again.” It would be great to hear from you whenever and wherever; I’ll being calling to you too. I’ll call if I have something to discuss or I want to tell you a great new idea I’ve had. 

We’ll meet again.

Then again, you’re here with me now.

(Note: the text above was translated by kamedani.tumblr.com, while Itoi's original words can be read at 1101.com.)

Out of this world: Nintendo's first Mother game finally earns an English release (via the Wii U eShop) as EarthBound Beginnings

I'm sure all, or at least most, of you have heard this news elsewhere already, but just in case you're among the handful who haven't: last night, Nintendo decided to shock everyone and drop an official English localization of the original Mother game on the Wii U's European and North American eShops.

This is the 8-bit precursor to the SNES game, EarthBound (known as Mother 2 in Japan), that has garnered quite the cult following in the two decades since it first hit North American store shelves in 1995, for those of you who are lacking a bit of knowledge about this series of wonderfully and endearingly odd RPGs.



Another morsel of info some of you may or may not know about Mother (aka EarthBound Beginnings): Nintendo translated the game into English shortly after it hit the streets of Japan (in 1989, for the Famicom), but its North American release was scrapped at the last minute in favor of its 16-bit sequel.

If you'd like to learn a bit more about this heretofore-unreleased NES title before handing over nearly seven of your hard-earned dollars for a digital copy of it, you may want to check out the trailer above or the message from series creator, Shigesato Itoi, that can be seen below (and here).



You also may want to check out a couple of previous posts I've published about this game--one of which features a few photos of Mother's fabulous box and cartridge, and one of which offers a glimpse at its similarly stellar instruction manual.

The only other thing I've got to say about this whole she-bang is that I sincerely hope the powers that be at Nintendo eventually decide to put EarthBound Beginnings on 3DS eShops around the world, too, as it would be a real shame if only Wii U owners got to experience it.

Which old or new games should I start playing to help me learn Japanese?

Well, there you have it: I'm trying to learn Japanese. Again.

You may remember that I said this very same thing (well, not the "again" part) a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, after memorizing the language's katakana and hiragana syllabaries and then beginning the process of learning actual words and grammar, my studies fell off a cliff. I don't remember what prompted that plumet, but I'm pretty sure it had to do with a deluge of freelance writing assignments.

Dragon Quest (Famicom)

Given the amount of time that has passed since that original, aborted attempt, I basically was forced to go back to the beginning for this second one. I'm already back to where I left off, though, thanks in large part to a couple of handful of apps I added to my phone a couple of weeks ago.

I'm going to keep using those apps, as well as a few new ones and even the GENKI series of textbooks, to continue my studies, but I also want to toss some slightly more entertaining, real-world "lessons" into the mix this time around. Specifically, I want to use Japanese games to bolster what I learn about the language via the above-mentioned applications.

Some of the games I'm currently considering for this endeavor:

Bitamina Oukoku Monogatari (aka Great Greed, GameBoy)
Chocobo no Fushigina Dungeon (WonderSwan)
Dragon Quest (Famicom)
Lunar: Samposuru Gakuen (Game Gear)
Madou Monogatari (Game Gear)
Mother (Famicom)
Pro Tennis: World Court (PC Engine)
SaGa (GameBoy)

I'm not far enough along in my studies to understand all of the Japanese text these games are sure to throw at me, but I should be able to understand the bulk of the katakana that pops up, plus I plan to regularly look up words that make use of hiragana.

Mother (Famicom)

I pretty much pulled the selections above out of thin air, by the way, so if any of you know of other games--I'm especially interested in hearing about any Japanese 3DS, DS, PSP or Vita games that could help me expand my vocabulary--that you think would be useful for this purpose, please share their names in the comments section below.

If you're going to own an EarthBound-inspired keychain (or two), it may as well be one of these

Although I need a bunch of keychains like I need a hole in the head, I'm seriously considering pre-ordering the "Mother 2 Kizetsu Plate" set shown below.

After all, these aren't your typical EarthBound/Mother 2 keychains; rather, they feature the game's four main characters--Ness, Paula, Poo and Jeff--in their "unconscious" states, halo-topped noggins and all.



For me, though, the standout of this set is the "teleport failure" keychain. That's the one I'd be sporting if I were to pick up these Takara Tomy Arts-made gashapon figures.

Thankfully, I've got a bit of time before I have to make up my mind one way or another, as it appears they won't be made available until February of next year.

Should any of you already know you want them, though, you can pre-order a complete set (for $22.90) via shopncsx.com.

You had me at 'EarthBound box set,' Fangamer

A couple of days ago, the folks at Fangamer launched a Kickstarter campaign for "a box set of media celebrating EarthBound and the fans who have kept it alive."

Backers who pledge $64 or more will receive the following from the Tucson, Arizona-based site should the campaign reach its $100,000 goal between now and when it concludes on Nov. 21:

* an EarthBound handbook of at least 250 pages in length,

* a documentary about EarthBound fandom in the west,

* an album of music pulled from the entire Mother series and performed by some group calling itself The Bad Dudes (listen to a sampler of it here), and

* an 80-page 'zine filled with fan-made art and stories. (The piece on the right, inspired by the series' "Eight Melodies," is one of the many submissions that have been made so far. See more at pkzine.tumblr.com.)

For more information on this particular Kickstarter campaign, check out its official project page at your earliest convenience.

The only 'animated EarthBound tribute' video you ever need to view

I was going to publish a post about an entirely different subject today, but it's going to have to wait until tomorrow because the awesome "animated EarthBound tribute" video that can be viewed below (or here) deserves your undivided attention for the entirety of the next 24 hours.



Do you think that if Shigesato Itoi took a couple of minutes out of his surely busy day to watch this sucker he might be convinced to give the world another entry in the wondrous Mother/EarthBound series? Yeah, I doubt it, too. (Insert sad-face emoticon here.)

I'm surprised Nintendo has yet to release these games for the 3DS

There's no question that Nintendo has pumped out an impressive number of top-shelf games for the 3DS since its release back in early 2011.

Still, so far the company's failed to produce sequels for a number of previously successful titles, with the following seven being especially surprising omissions, in my opinion:

Mother Collection--I know Nintendo of America's disinterest in this series practically is legendary at this point, but even so I'm a bit shocked that its Japanese counterpart has yet to conjure up either a 3DS compilation that includes all three previously published Mother games or a 3D remake of the second or third title. After all, each of these endearing RPGs were able to rack up more-than-acceptable sales in their home country, and while North American sales of the second (EarthBound) were far from stellar, it's since gone on to develop an impressively cultish following. Surely some sort of well-packaged re-release or remake would garner enough interest (and consumer dollars) to warrant its development?

Ouendan 3--Here's another series that surely sold enough copies in Japan to deserve a 3DS follow-up, yet here we are, seven years after the release of Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2, waiting for its third entry. Sadly, I have a feeling that of all the games discussed in this post, this one is the least likely ever to see the light of the day--and even if it does see the light of day in Japan, it probably won't earn a Western release.

Rhythm Tengoku sequel--Unlike the pair of titles mentioned above, I have little doubt that folks who own Japanese 3DS systems will be able to play a Rhythm Tengoku made specifically for their dual-screened handhelds before this "gen" has ended. Why? Because the previous two entries in this short-lived series sold like gangbusters in their country of origin. Again, though, I won't be surprised if said title fails to find its way across the pond--although it might serve as an easy-to-localize, late-generation release for Nintendo's American and European arms.

Super Princess Peach 2--OK, so I'm not actually "surprised" Nintendo has yet to make or release a sequel for this pastel-slathered platformer, as it hardly received universal praise following its release in 2006. There's so much about Super Princess Peach that could be improved upon in a "part two," though, that I personally think it would be a crying shame if the company that made Mario into a mascot that rivals the great Mickey Mouse didn't take a stab at some or all of them.

Tetris 3DS--Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Tetris DS a really popular pick-up for DS owners around the world? If so, why can't those same folks go out and purchase Tetris 3DS from their friendly neighborhood big-box store as we speak? Yes, I'm sure getting the go-ahead from the Tetris Company is a pain in the butt, as well as a pain in the pocketbook, but if the resulting game recoups its investment (and then some), who really cares, right?

Wario Land 7--This supposed next installment in the vaunted (by me, at least) Wario Land series would be its seventh, assuming you consider Wario: Master of Disguise to be its fifth and Wario Land: Shake It! to be its sixth. So, why am I surprised Wario Land 7 has yet to be published for the 3DS--especially when neither of its predecessors met with a whole lot of success? Because every Nintendo handheld before the current one has received at least a single Wario Land title, that's why.

WarioWare 3D --Although I'd love to be able to play Wario Land 7 on my trusty pink-and-white 3DS XL sometime soon, I'd love it even more if I could play a new WarioWare title on that two-toned system. Here's hoping we hear about one later this year or early next. I'd be pretty shocked if we didn't hear about one before the 3DS calls it a day, to be honest, as both the GameBoy Advance and the DS received multiple WarioWare games.

Now that I've had my say, what do all of you think? Are there any sequels you'd like to see Nintendo publish for the 3DS between now and when the company bids it a fond farewell?

A handful of my favorite Famicom games (in honor of the system's 31st anniversary)

In honor of the Famicom's release 31 years ago (as of yesterday), I thought I'd publish a post that focuses on a few of my favorite games that were made for Nintendo's first proper console.

Note: I don't necessarily consider the titles discussed below to be the "best" that appeared on Famicom carts or disks. Rather, I consider them to be among the ones I most enjoy playing.

With that out of the way, let's get to the list.

Bubble Bobble--When I first encountered this disk-based port of Taito's classic arcade game, I wasn't all that interested in it due to the fact that it's far from a perfect conversion. Once I got over the fact that the backdrops as well as the enemy and item sprites in this iteration differed from the original, though, I began to appreciate what it brought to the table--which is some wonderfully frantic platforming that's supported by one of the best backing tunes ever to appear in a video game.

My red Twin Famicom system
playing a copy of Donkey Kong

Door Door--This cart-based puzzler-platformer is far from perfect. That's an entirely forgivable offense, though, as it was Enix's first foray into the world of Famicom development. Also, despite its choppiness and rather languid pace, this adorably rendered title is a whole lot of fun--although don't be surprised if it prompts you to pull out a few clumps of hair, too.

Meikyūjima--Known as Kickle Cubicle in other territories, this Irem joint has long been a favorite of mine due to its brightly colored visuals and its surprisingly unique gameplay (although the latter almost assuredly was inspired by HAL Laboratory's Eggerland series or Sega's Pengo). Given that, why did it never receive a sequel? I guess we'll never know.

Moai-kun--Here's another fairly recent addition to my "favorite Famicom games" list. Of course, I didn't even know about this Konami-made cart until a year or so ago. Anyway, I'd say it's well worth seeking out if you like challenging puzzler-platformers--just don't go into it expecting to encounter the best graphics the Famicom has to offer.

Mother--Is this Americana-themed RPG a bit rough compared to its sequel, which is better known to westerners as EarthBound? No question. The original's still an intriguing title, though, as for me it's been just different enough from Mother 2 to be worth my time and attention. Of course, it hasn't yet proven to be interesting enough for me to finish, but I'm hoping to rectify that sooner rather than later.

Otocky--This is the game you show those naysayers who try to tell you that games from this era were little more than simplistic button-mashers. Actually, this one--developed by SEDIC (don't worry, I've also never heard of them) and published by ASCII--is a button-masher, of sorts, but it's far from simplistic. How so? Well, for starters, it's basically a mash-up of a shmup and a music or rhythm game. On top of that, it's one of those rare games that's a joy to experience due to the manner in which the two aforementioned genres are so seamlessly incorporated.

These early Famicom games
are pretty great, too

Pajama Hero Nemo--I'm probably not alone in admitting this, but I have a love-hate relationship with this Capcom platformer, which was given the title Little Nemo: The Dream Master when it was brought to the States. On the one hand, its cartoonish aesthetics are absolutely astounding, especially for the era in which it was produced, while on the other, it's one of the toughest Famicom games I've played. Still, for me its positives far outweigh--OK, mostly outweigh--its negatives.

Super Mario USA--I know a lot of people would name Super Mario Bros. 3 rather than its "fake" predecessor, but the fact is I've always preferred the latter to the former. In part, that's because of Super Mario USA's expansive roster of playable characters (compared to most other entries in this famed series, at least), although I also really enjoy what I consider to be its "softer" visual stylings.

Wanpaku Kokkun no Gourmet World--Truth be told, I prefer the North American localization of this EIM-developed, Taito-published platformer--mostly because the western version, Panic Restaurant, stars a far more adorable protagonist--but the Japanese sports some pretty impressive box art and, as such, shouldn't be ignored completely. Regardless of which one you decide to go with, get ready for a surprisingly tough, and surprisingly well realized (in terms of its sprite work), title. (Oh, and get ready to empty your bank account as well. Sigh.)

Warpman--This Famicom follow-up to Namco's Warp & Warp (or Wapu to Wapu) likely isn't all that well known outside of Japan, and that's a real shame, as it's a thoroughly enjoyable arcade-style romp that I like to think of as one part Robotron (although not entirely) and one part Bomberman, if that makes any sense.

Honestly, I could go on about my favorite Famicom games for another day and a half, at least, so I'll stop here. How about all of you, though; which 8-bit Nintendo titles do you consider to be the most enjoyable or fun?

Let's chat about (and check out a few photos of) two great Miyamoto-made GameBoy titles: Mogurānya and Donkey Kong

I know I've filled a lot of posts with words about (and photos of) some of the more obscure additions to the Japanese GameBoy catalog as of late, but I'm also interested in this iconic handheld's more common titles, too.

Two cases in point can be found in this very post.

The first is the once-little-known game known as Mogurānya in Japan and Mole Mania elsewhere.

In case you're among those who've still yet to hear about it, it's a cute little action game that was made by Nintendo EAD--led by the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto--and Pax Softnica, a for-hire development house that also helped produce Balloon Kid, Mother and Mother 2 (aka EarthBound), among other classic titles.

Anyway, I've been meaning to pick up a copy of the Japanese version of this game, which was first released in that region in 1996 and elsewhere the following year, for some time now, but I only got around to it a month ago.

I actually prefer this game's North American box art to the Japanese box art seen in the photo above, but I went with the latter option anyway because, as I'm sure you've guessed, I'm on a bit of a Japanese GameBoy kick at the moment.

The back of Mogurānya's box is even less interesting than its front, if you ask me, although I do like this odd little illustration that's found in its upper-right corner.

The game's cart label, on the other hand, is a completely different story. Just look at that adorable piece of art--how can you not love it?

As for the second "case in point" that I alluded to earlier, Donkey Kong, well, what else can be said about it? After all, most folks consider it a classic, must-have GameBoy title--and, personally, I consider it one of my all-time favorite portable games.

I also consider its box art, above, to be among the cream of the crop when it comes to Nintendo's first handheld system. 

Speaking of which, I've always wondered if this release's official name is GameBoy Donkey Kong. I mean, isn't that kind of what the cover art implies? Or did the designers at Nintendo of Japan just decide to slap a big GameBoy logo above the Donkey Kong logo for some added oomph--even though a smaller version of the same logo appears in the box's upper-right corner?

I didn't snap and share any photos of this game's cartridge, by the way, because the label art's just a cropped version of the cover art.

So, I nabbed a shot of one of the manual's pages instead, as some of them feature a nice mixture of illustrations and sprites, like the example above.

I've always had a soft spot for that ladybug "enemy," by the way. How about you? Do you have any favorite enemies--or other aspects--when it comes to the GameBoy version of Donkey Kong, or even when it comes to the aforementioned Mole Mania?

See also: 'Lucky Monkey? More like lucky me ...'

Thanks to my recently completed EarthBound playthrough, I can't get this tune out of my head

I know I've shared this video before, but it's so darn good that I can't help but share it again--especially since it's been bouncing around in my brain ever since I finished EarthBound a couple of weeks ago.



Do any of you have favorite EarthBound tunes? If so, what are they?

What do you think of the fan-made Mother 4?

I ask because I'm not sure what I think of this creation myself. I mean, I really can't fathom an Itoi-less Mother game having even a modicum of the charm and wit that can be found in the series' first three entries, but I also have to admit I really like how this release is shaping up in terms of its aesthetics--which are shockingly (in a good way) reminiscent of Mother 3's visuals, in my opinion.



The question is, will the final product--which is expected to be released late next year for Windows, OS X and Linux--feature a script that's anywhere near as charming and emotional and intelligent as its predecessors? As I've already said, I'm not at all sure it will, but my fingers are crossed in the hopes that I'm wrong.



To see more screenshots of Mother 4, or to keep track of its progress, check out the game's official website, mother4game.com. Also, let me (and everyone else who frequents this blog) know in the comments section below what you think of this fan-made sequel.



See also: 'A fascinating look at EarthBound's localization'

Calling all Mother fans who aren't short on spending cash

Feel free to file the following under "Things Bryan Desperately Wants, But Definitely Doesn't Need."

What's "the following," you ask? Why, only the drop-dead gorgeous EarthBound Zero reproduction carts (and cases) currently being made and sold by the folks at Rose Colored Gaming.



Actually, although "currently being made" may be accurate, "currently being sold" is less so--due to the fact that they're marked as "temporarily sold out" at the moment.



Thankfully, Rose Colored Gaming's proprietor assures that he and his crew "plan to produce as many of these as possible for as long as possible."

Will any of you order a copy or two for yourself when they're available once again?

In case you're wondering, the text in this Japanese TV ad translates to: 'Bryan, get off your lazy ass and play Contact for Nintendo DS'

While writing up this blog post earlier in the week, I came across the following commercial for the Japanese release of Grasshopper Manufacture's dual-screened RPG, Contact.

For all sorts of reasons--the first glimpse of "the Professor," the Mother-esque graphics, the music--it got my heart pumping.



It also prompted me to slap myself--solidly and repeatedly--for failing to even pop the cart into my trusty DS Lite (true story: I don't like to play DS games on my 3DS) despite the fact that I've owned a copy of the Euro release since January.

I'm going to do my best to change that soon (possibly as part of my "Baby Got Back(log)" series), though, as I have a feeling it's going to blow me away just like another long-overlooked DS title, Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime, did a few months ago.

Which GameBoy Advance is your favorite?

In news that is sure to shock absolutely no one, I currently have GameBoy Advance on the brain. That's especially true since I suggested as much on Twitter last week. (You can follow me here if you'd like, by the way.)

Because I firmly believe in the phrase "misery loves company," I thought I'd rope all of you into obsessing about Nintendo's 32-bit handheld (don't you miss the days when we could refer to systems based on the number of bits associated with them?), too, by asking which of the company's three GameBoy Advance designs you liked best.

Me, I've always preferred the GameBoy Advance SP--in particular, the almost disgustingly cute Pikachu-branded systems (one of which can be seen below) that earned a release in 2005 and 2006.

Photo by diversionmary

As much as I like the Pikachu SP, though, I like the run-of-the-mill SPs nearly as much--thanks in large part to their pre-DS clamshell construction.

Photo by Arturo Martin

Don't take the commentary above to mean that I dislike the GameBoy Micro's design. On the contrary, I love it--especially when it's made to look like a mini Famicom or given a Mother-esque paint job.

Photo by Francois Houste

As for the first GameBoy Advance the folks at Nintendo bestowed upon the masses: I can't say I've ever been a fan of it. I'm not even sure why that is, to tell you the truth.

My first thought it to blame it on the system's toy-like appearance, but the same could be said of the original GameBoy and of the original DS, in particular, yet I consider both of those to be top of the line in terms of design (the former, especially).

What are all of your opinions on this most pointless of matters? Do you have a favorite when it comes to Nintendo's trio of GameBoy Advance designs, or would you just as well forget any of them ever existed?

Additional evidence that Shigesato Itoi is an awesome guy

The main pieces of evidence that Shigesato Itoi is an awesome guy, of course, can be found in the trio of quirky-yet-poignant RPGs he made for Nintendo systems between 1989 and 2006 known as Mother, Mother 2 (aka EarthBound) and Mother 3.

Another such morsel of proof just popped into my conscience, though, thanks to the stellar Yomuka! blog--with that morsel being that Itoi and his colleagues at Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun (Almost Daily Itoi News) have a tradition of "celebrating the release of every Animal Crossing game by turning office-wide gameplay into an actual work project."



Not only that, but pretty much every employee at "Hobo Nichi," as Itoi's company is called, maintains a blog about their experiences. Check them out by visiting 1101.com and then clicking on the heads of each staffer (scroll down to the bottom of the page). If you only want to see Itoi's Animal Crossing: New Leaf blog, go here.

(Via yomuka.wordpress.com)