The Great Gaymathon Review #75: The Starship Damrey (3DS)

Game: The Starship Damrey

Genre: Adventure

Developer: Level-5

Publisher: Level-5

System: 3DS (eShop)

Release date: 2013

If you've heard anything about The Starship Damrey, it's probably that it doesn't last long. And it doesn't--my playthrough ended just short of the four-hour mark, while I've heard others have reached the game's credit roll just two-and-a-half hours after they started it.

Some people will tell you The Starship Damrey isn't worth buying because of its brevity. I'm not one of them. In fact, I think that in a world of 100-hour behemoths like Dragon Quest VII, this game's curtness should be looked at as a major selling point.

It helps, of course, that I purchased The Starship Damrey for a measly $2.99. (It's usually $7.99.) Still, considering this Level-5 release is at least as long as, and easily as compelling as, your average popcorn flick, I'd say it's well worth eight bucks, if that's what you have to pay to get it.

As for what makes The Starship Damrey so compelling, well, its setting--a derelict spaceship that calls to mind those depicted in the Alien and Aliens films--has a lot to do with it. Even better, the game begins with you waking up trapped inside a "Cold Sleep" capsule within the above-mentioned ship. And on top of that, it offers no explanation as to why you're there or what you're supposed to do to escape it.

From that point on, it's up to you to solve those mysteries by making use of the handful of "Assist Robots" situated throughout the craft and having them prowl its nearly silent interiors in your stead.

Thankfully, exploring Damrey's halls--from a first-person perspective, if the screens here don't make it clear--is both easy and intuitive. Your 3DS' directional pad controls movement (press up to go forward, right to turn in that direction, etc.), while its circle pad controls the camera. A press of the system's face buttons lets you interact with or investigate items in your path or field of view, like doors, bodies or other objects of interest.

It has to be noted, by the way, that you do all of the above while basically fumbling around in the dark. You also do it in almost complete silence. Some ambient noise, as opposed to an actual soundtrack, accompanies your journey through the Starship Damrey's claustrophobic innards, but only a smidgen.

Both aspects are sure to cause a certain percentage of players to wrinkle their noses in disgust--or at least annoyance. Although I'd understand such a reaction (to a point), I personally thought those design decisions helped solidify the sense of desolation and even dread that permeated my Starship Damrey playthrough.

In the end, I'd highly recommend this title, made by text-based-adventure pioneers Kazuya Asano and Takemaru Abiko, to anyone who doesn't consider first-person games set it dark, quiet and semi-claustrophobic environments to be deal-breaking turnoffs.

Just do your best to overcome any stumbling blocks without turning to a guide or an FAQ for assistance. After all, if you're only going to spend a couple of hours with a game, you may as well beat it on your own, right?

See also: previous 'Great Gaymathon' reviews

Proof that miracles do happen: I finished the Dragon Quest VII 3DS remake yesterday

Anyone who has played through either the PlayStation or the 3DS version of Dragon Quest VII knows it's a long game. A really long game. In fact, it isn't unusual for people playing either iteration of this JRPG to put more than 100 hours into it before they encounter its credit roll.

My particular playthrough ended at the 95-hour mark. Based on what I've read about Dragon Quest VII's 3DS remake, it sounds like I could put another five to 10 hours into it if I had the desire. I don't, so this is likely is where the game and I part ways. (If I change my mind, I'll mention it here or on Twitter.)

Still, I'm glad I bought and played it. And I'm glad I kept at it until Orgodemir (that's the name of Dragon Quest VII's main baddie) was dead and buried.

I had a surprisingly good time with the last few hours of my Dragon Quest VII journey, by the way (a stark contrast to the early part of my playthrough), and I found the aforementioned last battle to be the perfectly challenging cherry on top of this polygonal sundae of a game.



I can't say I was entirely pleased when it dawned on me that Dragon Quest VII's ending wasn't going to be a straightforward affair. All I wanted was a few congratulatory scenes and a credit roll. Instead, I had to take my party members on a "victory tour" that lasted at least 30 minutes.

To be fair, I would've been a lot more OK with that if I'd been home at the time. Instead, I was in the car (don't worry, I was a passenger) with a 3DS that desperately needed to be charged.

Thankfully, my 3DS didn't die on me, so I was able to enjoy the second half of Dragon Quest VII's finale after I returned home.

I even beat Orgodemir a second time this morning--with a slightly different party (my first attempt consisted of the hero, Aishe, Maribel and Ruff, while I swapped out Maribel for Melvin during the second)--just so I could take the photo that appears above.



With Orgodemir finally out of the way, I'm going to move on. Specifically, I'm going to move on to the 3DS games showcased in the snapshot above--Kirby: Planet Robobot and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World.

I'm also planning to devote some quality time to Pop Cutie! for the DS--it is #FashionGameFeb, after all--as well as the Vita release of Dragon Quest Builders.

I'll share my thoughts on each of these titles in an upcoming post (probably in a "Shall We Do It?" write-up) or two, so keep your eye out for them. Also keep your eye out for my inevitable review of Dragon Quest VII.

In the meantime, feel free to share your own thoughts on the Dragon Quest VII 3DS remake in the comments section below. Or let me know which games you're playing (and hopefully enjoying) at the moment.

See also: these previous posts about my Dragon Quest VII playthrough

Who else is excited about Miitopia after this weekend's Japanese Nintendo Direct?

What kind of "gamer" am I these days? The kind who wakes up early with butterflies in his stomach because he knows he's finally going to see some footage of an upcoming game he's been clamoring for since it was announced a couple of months back.

At least that's the kind of gamer I was over the weekend thanks to the Japanese Miitopia-focused Nintendo Direct that hit the Internet on Saturday morning.

What did I think of what I saw during that 16-minute broadcast? I thought it looked pretty great--although don't take that to mean I understood what was going on during this Direct's many gameplay segments.

I mean, I get that Miitopia is going to be one part Tomodachi Collection (Tomodachi Life in my neck of the woods) and one part Final Fantasy-esque JRPG, but even after watching Saturday's "Miitopia Direct" a few times I'm still not sure how much of the latter aspect I'll be able to control while playing through it.

Specifically, I'm wondering if I'll be able to freely move my party of adorably outfitted Miis around the game's towns and overworld areas (if what was shown in the above-mentioned broadcast can be described as such) or if it'll be done for me?

A similar question is bouncing around in my head in regard to the hilarious battles highlighted in last weekend's footage: will I direct them in Miitopia as I would in your typical Dragon Quest game, or will the title's artificial intelligence handle it?

I'd be lying if I said I'd be perfectly happy if most or all of these activities happen on their own without my input. That said, I thought I would dislike the similarly hands-off Tomodachi Life before I played it; in the end, I put nearly 130 hours into that curiosity and loved every second of it.

In other words, who's to say Miitopia won't out-and-out charm me even if it's not as involved than I'd like it to be?

Of course, that's less likely to happen if most of this game's text goes over my head due to my still-developing Japanese skills. Or maybe I should look at Miitopia as an opportunity to further expand those skills--while also having a bit of fun?

While I work through my own feelings about Miitopia, please share yours with me (and others) in the comments section below.

I'd especially love to hear from those of you who are planning to purchase the game on or around its Japanese release date of Dec. 8, although I'd also like to hear from anyone who thinks they'll buy the title if it's translated into a language they can understand at some point down the road.

So, is Ambition of the Slimes (3DS) worth its $5 price tag?

Now that I've put a few hours into the just-released 3DS version of Circle Entertainment's strategy RPG, Ambition of the Slimes, I thought I'd share some thoughts on the experience.

Before I get to those musings, though, I have to mention that I've never played any other iteration of this game. (Developer altairworks first made it available to iOS and PlayStation Mobile users early last year.) So, I can't say how the 3DS port compares to those releases.

With that out of the way, here are some impressions of Ambition of the Slimes for 3DS:

* First, I like that this Final Fantasy Tactics-esque SRPG gets things rolling in the right direction with a tutorial. Even better, it's a short tutorial--just three quick battles.

* Why do I like that it includes a tutorial? Because as is the case with many of Circle Entertainment's games--no offense intended by this next statement, mind you--Ambition of the Slimes' text is only somewhat understandable. Also, it just doesn't feature much text, period. Combine those truths and you have a situation that screams for some sort of tutorial.

* Surprisingly, the third stage of this 3DS title's tutorial had me stumped for a bit. Specifically, the enemy kicked my butt two or three times before I finally figured out what I had to do to beat it. That's not a knock on the game, by the way; I'm pretty sure I was just being dense. Still, it was nice to learn so quickly that Ambition of the Slimes probably wouldn't be a pushover.

* Did those pleasant reactions continue to pop up after I began the game's main campaign? I'd say so. Early on, at least, the story is minimal, the battle stages are fairly small, the challenge increases at an acceptable rate and the soundtrack is surprisingly pleasant. (Regarding that last point, though, I can't be alone in thinking the music here sounds awfully similar to that of the Witch & Hero games, right?)

* Speaking of Ambition of the Slimes' story, at the moment I'd almost describe it as non-existent.  Now, I'd consider that a negative in many cases (especially when talking about RPGs), but in this one it doesn't bother me at all. I didn't buy this from the 3DS eShop because I wanted a deep adventure; I bought it because I wanted a "lite" SRPG to play during my daily commute and during whatever free time I can muster up at home. That's exactly what it's given me so far.

* Control-wise, Ambition of the Slimes is perfectly serviceable. Or maybe I should say it controls as expected. In other words, the 3DS' shoulder buttons rotate the playfields, à la Final Fantasy Tactics and most other modern SRPGs, while its circle and directional pads move characters and its A and B buttons confirm battle orders. Oh, and each of these actions work smoothly and feel good.

* Finally, my favorite aspect of Ambition of the Slimes: its graphics. I'm not just talking about its main battle aesthetics--you know, the ones that can be seen while moving about on the game's three-dimensional, isometric fields. Those are great--thanks in large part to the pixelated characters that populate them. Even better, as far as I'm concerned, are the graphics that come into play after you've decided to confront a specific enemy. (Check out the red-tinged screenshot above for an example of what I'm talking about here.) The sprite-based art used in these moments almost looks like it was created by Pokémon designer Ken Sugimori (even though I know he had nothing to do with it).

Sounds good, right? If you agree, go ahead and give it a try. It'll only set you back five bucks. Just keep in mind that Ambition of the Slimes is a lot like a couple of other Circle Entertainment 3DS titles, namely Witch & Hero and Witch & Hero II.

Much like those games are bite-sized tower-defense titles, Ambition of the Slimes is a bite-sized strategy RPG. In other words, expect something that rivals the great Final Fantasy Tactics and you're going to be sorely disappointed.

See also: Ambition of the Slimes' latest trailer

The Great Gaymathon Review #74: Pocket Card Jockey (3DS)

Game: Pocket Card Jockey

Genre: Puzzle

Developer: Game Freak

Publisher: Nintendo

System: 3DS (eShop)

Release date: 2016

You know a game is full-on bonkers when even telling someone it combines solitaire and horse racing doesn't convey how bonkers it is.

I'm sure some of you are wondering, can a title produced by the folks (at Game Freak) who gave the world the decidedly tame Pokémon series really be all that bonkers?

Consider that a proper Pocket Card Jockey playthrough means encountering and experiencing all of the following:

* getting trampled to death by an adorable peg-legged horse
* hyping up your solitaire skills while begging an angel to send you back to earth
* coming up with silly names for steeds of all shapes (one has a fiery mane, one looks like a dragon, one is dressed like a ninja, one seems to be a robot) and colors
* breeding those equines to produce offspring that are faster, more resilient and, hopefully, have a better temperament than their parents
* racing all of the above for a colorful cast of managers (including a spoiled rich kid with a pompadour, an effervescent pop idol and an evil scientist)

Oh, and last bullet point involves quickly clearing a series of golf solitaire tableaus--which also is pretty bonkers, if you ask me.

Of course, none of the wackiness described above means much if the rest of what’s on offer is a bore. Thankfully, it’s not. In fact, Pocket Card Jockey is as addictively and delightfully fun as it is brilliantly weird.

It’s like Tetris in that it’s the kind of game that prompts you tell yourself, “just one more race. OK, maybe two more.” And the next thing you know, you have no idea where the last couple of hours went.

That’s due, in large part, to how adroitly Game Freak's designers were able to turn Pocket Card Jockey's many disparate elements into a bite-sized title that's far more than the sum of its parts.

Actually, it goes beyond that. They also were able to combine this game's many components in such a way that you rarely think of them as separate entities. Rather than thinking of this as a solitaire game or a horse-racing or -breeding game, Pocket Card Jockey is very much its own thing--kind of like how the Famicom Disk System title, Otocky, is its own thing despite blending the shmup and rhythm genres.

All that said, more than a few of this title's elements deserve to be singled out for praise. One is its overall art style, which is about as adorable and appealing as can be. Another is its control scheme, which relies almost entirely on the 3DS' touch screen--and to great effect. Its localized text, which is both darker and wittier than most will expect from a Game Freak-made release, is similarly on-point. Finally, there's its soundtrack, which may be the best to appear in a 3DS game yet.

As for Pocket Card Jockey's negative aspects, I honestly can't think of any at the moment. Some may point to the abundance of text that's offered up here, or the fact that it becomes a tad repetitive over time, but I personally don't consider them to be worthy of complaint.

If you absolutely need me to rip on some portion of Pocket Card Jockey, this will have to do: should you be anything like me, you'll put a lot of time into this digital title. Don't believe me? Consider that I spent about 70 hours with the Japanese version of the game and I've spent nearly as many hours with its North American counterpart.

In other words, you probably won't regret spending just under $7 on it--unless, I guess, you have an extreme distaste for anything that can be described as "bonkers."

See also: my Pocket Card Jockey guide and my previous 'Great Gaymathon' reviews

Maybe this is the kick in the pants I needed to finally play Falcom's Gurumin

I wish I could tell you why I've yet to play--or even buy a copy of--Falcom's Gurumin.

I can't even claim ignorance, as I've known of this adorable action-adventure game's existence for years now.

On top of that, I've heard nothing but good things about Gurumin's gameplay, which appears to be one part The Legend of Zelda and one part Mega Man Legends.

Although I could bite the bullet and buy the PSP port of the game--both Japanese and North American copies are pretty cheap these days, especially used ones--I have a feeling I'll pass on that option and instead plop down $14.99 on the just-announced Gurumin 3D.



What on earth is Gurumin 3D, you ask? Why, it's a 3DS port of the game that'll hit the North American eShop sometime next month. (It'll hit the European 3DS eShop later this summer.)

Yes, that means Gurumin 3D is a digital-only title. No, I'm not thrilled about that. Yes, I'd prefer to purchase and own a physical version of the game.

Despite the above, I'm pretty sure Gurumin 3D will soon take up space on one of my North American 3DS systems, as it's far more likely I'll actually play it than the above-mentioned PSP release.

Here's a trailer for the game, for those of you who are curious. Once you've watched it, let me know what you think. Also let me know--in the comments section below, naturally--if you intend to buy this title or if you've already played some other iteration of it.

I didn't love every single thing about Yo-Kai Watch, but I'm still excited the sequel will be released in North America this September

I've got to be honest here: I didn't love every minute I played of Level-5's "Pokémon killer," Yo-Kai Watch.

In particular, I found a good part of the last five to 10 hours of my 40-hour playthrough to be a slog. And I grew tired of the game's frustratingly ineffective ghost-catching mechanic long before reaching that point.

Still, I put 40 hours into this 2015 title--clearly I liked it at least a bit. Actually, I liked it a lot, even taking into consideration the above-mentioned complaints.

As such, I was pleasantly surprised when I heard yesterday that Nintendo is preparing to bring the second Yo-Kai Watch game to North America in late September. (On Sept. 30, specifically.)



The trailer above--which shows off the Japanese versions of Yo-Kai Watch 2, by the way--makes this sequel look like "more of the same" than some kind of extreme makeover, but that's OK with me.

Strike that: it's OK with me so long as Yo-Kai Watch 2's ghost-catching mechanism has been improved to make it less annoying.

Really, though, who am I kidding? I'll buy either Bony Spirits or Fleshy Souls (the subtitles tied to the two iterations of this follow-up) and I'll like it--even if it still takes 20 or 30 attempts to woo a particular spirit to my party.

How about all of you? Do any of you think you'll buy at least one copy of Yo-Kai Watch 2 when it hits the streets (or the 3DS eShop) in a few months?

How to succeed in Pocket Card Jockey without really trying (or, here's what you should do if you suck at this quirky 3DS eShop title)

I've put over 60 hours into Pocket Card Jockey so far, and I previously put more than 60 hours into its Japanese counterpart, so I guess you could say I know this strange 3DS offering pretty well.

That’s not to suggest I'm some sort of Solitiba (that's the game's Japanese title) expert, mind you. Still, I’ve won more races than I’ve lost in during my 120-plus-hour playthrough, and I’ve also nabbed trophies at the majority of the title’s premier-level G1 events. As such, I’m OK with saying I’ve developed a better-than-adequate understanding of Pocket Card Jockey since I first booted up the Japanese version of the game three years ago.

If you've only just begun this digital oddity, or if you're a veteran of it in terms of playtime but not in terms of results, I think you’ll find this post full of Pocket Card Jockey tips and tricks helpful.

Practice really does make perfect--None of the advice that follows will make a lick of difference if you're rarely able to complete Pocket Card Jockey's solitaire rounds. So, if you suck at golf solitaire, do one or both of these things: restart your game and go through its opening tutorial as many times as is needed for you to feel comfortable with its oft-confusing components. Or, take advantage of the training mode that’s accessible via the main menu screen. I actually put a few minutes into the latter every time I boot up this Game Freak-made title—both to warm me up a bit and to give myself the best possible chance of winning a bunch of races once I transition to the real deal.

Focus from the word go--At the beginning of a race (during the "Start Solitaire" phase), keep a close eye on the cards that fall from the top of the screen. Specifically, do your best to not lose sight of the card that contains five blue spheres. Then, aim for it to get the best possible start—which in the case of Pocket Card Jockey means kicking things off with as much "Unity Power" as you can. That said, don't dally. It’s better to choose a less desirable card (one with fewer than five spheres on it) and earn a less impressive start than it is to not choose one at all and face a miserable start from which you and your foal probably won’t be able to recover.

Know when to stick to your comfort zone and when to stray from it--When I first published this post a couple of weeks ago, I suggested ignoring the advice shared in the game's tutorial, which posits that players should do their best to stick to Comfort Zone Lv. 3 while on the racetrack. I said that because although aiming for Comfort Zone Lv. 3 can pay off dearly (you enter the invincible-esque “Super Unity” mode by successfully clearing the solitaire tableau), it also can cause you and your trusty steed to quickly crash and burn. Why? The solitaire rounds within Comfort Zone Lv. 3 are the toughest to complete (those in Comfort Zone Lv. 1 are the easiest), and if you leave too many cards on the table, so to speak, you risk finding yourself atop a runaway horse. As a result, I initially thought it was best to stay within Comfort Zone Lv. 2 as much as possible due to the fact that the solitaire hands there are more difficult than those in Comfort Zone Lv. 1 but are more lenient than those in Comfort Zone Lv. 3. Later, I amended that recommendation to "somewhere between 50 and 75 percent of the time."

My current opinion on the matter is that you should aim for Comfort Zone Lv. 3 as often as you're able--as long as your solitaire skills are up to snuff. Doing so lets you rapidly build up your "Energy" meter and also allows you to suck up as many special item cards as possible--both of which play an important role in winning races. If you have a hard time clearing the solitaire tableaus in Comfort Zone Lv. 3, though, avoid this strategy. Instead, try this: move into Comfort Zone Lv. 3 while on the straightaways, and transition into Comfort Zone Lv. 2 whenever you start to round a corner.

Don't put the card before the horse--During a race, grab as many of the horseshoe and lightbulb cards as you can--they're the only way to level-up your horse and increase its speed, strength and skills, after all--but don't go crazy. Sometimes they're enticingly placed in positions (within the jagged red-orange-yellow portions of the track) that will leave you vulnerable—aka, hit you with a "turning loss"—while rounding a bend. Speaking of that fiery curtain that descends onto the field every few rounds, feel free to venture onto it after you clear a hand of solitaire while in Comfort Zone Lv. 2 or 3, as this is the only time you can do so without being penalized.

Boost or bust--One of the keys to winning Pocket Card Jockey's tougher races is to pick up at least one of the boost cards (the ones with a blue flame in the center) as you gallop around the track. They provide you with some additional oomph during the home stretch and can be the difference between coming in first and missing out on it by a nose. A related piece of advice here: use your boost cards as soon as possible on the straightaway. Just make sure the no other horses are in your way before you hit the associated button, as although these cards are supposed to let you push them out of the way, they don't do it 100 percent of the time in my experience.

Boxes are for video games, not jockeys and ponies--Just before the homestretch, make sure your horse is in a position that makes it unlikely it’ll get boxed in by its competitors. Usually this means moving it to a higher spot on the track (as opposed to hugging the inside edge). Being surrounded by other steeds isn’t such a big deal if you manage to snag one or two of the above-mentioned boost cards that pop up each race, as they help you break through such bottlenecks. Fail to grab one, though, and you can kiss the current race goodbye if you find yourself tied up.

I can't believe I'm suggesting this, but save your spending cash for the $10,000 puzzle pieces--Early on, it makes sense to spend some of your winnings on the items--carrots, gloves, riding crops--sold at Chirp's Happy Horses shop. They can give you the edge you need to place in those initial races. Later on, though, Chirp's prices go through the roof. Should you still buy one of the above-mentioned products when they cost $10,000 or even $30,000? Not in my opinion. Instead, I suggest saving up your dough until you have enough to buy one or more puzzle pieces. Without spoiling anything, they'll end up providing you with bigger boosts than the above-mentioned accessories ever will. At least, that is, until you complete all of Pocket Card Jockey's puzzles. Once you do that, stop buying pieces and blow your hard-earned cash on carrots, gloves and the like, especially before you're tossed into one of the title's G1 races.

Just breed--Although it's possible to take one of the game's generic steeds and turn it into one that runs away with the King's Gate trophy, that's far more likely to happen if you spend some time breeding your best stallions and mares. Don't just randomly pair up two of them, though; choose two that have similar characteristics and peak times, have won a ton of races or have the best stats and skills. They will produce the most powerful foals. Also, keep your eye out for offspring who have one, two or three stars in their bios. These fillies and colts are the strongest, so include them in the equation whenever possible.

This ain't no place for ageist jockeys--I've read quite a few comments on line that recommend passing on Pocket Card Jockey's mature mode and instead focusing on its growth mode. I disagree. A lot of good can be gained from the former, even if it doesn't help you level-up your current undulate. First, it allows you to win more money that can be blown on the pricey puzzle pieces mentioned above. Second, it lets you win more races. In particular, it lets you bolster your collection of GI trophies--and that's what you need to do if you want your horses to retire champions. Which you do want, of course, as the easiest way to produce the best Pocket Card Jockey companions is to breed champions after they've been sent to the farm.

Are any of you also enjoying--or at least playing--Pocket Card Jockey? If so, please let me know in the comments section below if you agree or disagree any of the pointers I've shared above. Also feel free to share your own tips and tricks related to this 3DS game.

See also: previous Solitiba and Pocket Card Jockey posts

I've never been keen on The Legend of Dark Witch, but I'm beyond interested in Brave Dungeon

For whatever reason, The Legend of Dark Witch and its sequel, both made by Inside System and published outside of Japan by Circle Entertainment, have never really pinged my radar, if you know what I mean.

The developers' latest effort, though--a role-playing spin-off of The Legend of Dark Witch called Brave Dungeon--currently has my full attention.

Why? Its stellar pixel art, on full display in the following trailer, is a particularly noteworthy reason.



The genre switch is another reason, as I haven't been the biggest fan of run-and-gun platformers--à la Mega Man and the first two The Legend of Dark Witch 3DS titles--since I was a teen.

Unfortunately, the folks at Inside System currently are being kind of coy as to when Brave Dungeon will hit the Japanese 3DS eShop (or the eShop of other regions). All they're saying at the moment is it'll see the light of day sometime between now and the end of this year.

Oh, well, it's not like I'm desperately searching for a new game to play right now. As such, I'll sit tight and hopefully savor its retro-tinged adventure whenever it's finally released.

(Via japanesenintendo.com)

You bought Pocket Card Jockey from the 3DS eShop yesterday, right?

Those of who without a 3DS probably are thinking, what, you want all of us to buy it, too?

Actually, I do. Granted, I'd suggest picking up a 3DS system beforehand--you know, so you can actually play it--but once you've taken care of that little detail, yes, I think you should purchase this wonderfully charming and surprisingly deep game.

For the rest of you, if you haven't yet nabbed the Game Freak-made Pocket Card Jockey from the 3DS eShop--publisher Nintendo put it up for sale, carrying a $6.99 price tag, yesterday--what's holding you back?

If it's that you aren't sure you'll enjoy it, well, I can understand that--to a point. After all, it isn't every day that you're presented with a game that dares to combine (golf) solitaire with a horse-racing sim.



That said, a Pocket Card Jockey demo has been available for more than a week now. (I wrote about it here, in case anyone is interested.) It's free and offers 15 plays, which is more than enough to figure out of its strangely addictive gameplay is your cup of tea or not.

And if that's not enough for you? Read this old post of mine. Don't fret that it says it's about a game called Solitiba; that's just Pocket Card Jockey's original Japanese title.

Anyway, in that write-up I blather on a bit about the five things I like best about digital time-waster. (I mean that in the best possible way, naturally.) I barf up some similar statements at the end of this post, by the way--in case you're looking for more encouragement.

If you're not, because Pocket Card Jockey's already taking up space on your 3DS' memory card, please share your impressions of it in the comments section below.

So, what do you think: is this just-announced Azure Striker Gunvolt physical release worth getting or a waste of money?

A couple of days ago, Japanese game-maker Inti Creates announced it would release--in its homeland only, at least for the time being--a physical compilation of its two Azure Striker Gunvolt 3DS titles on Aug. 25.

I've yet to play the first Azure Striker Gunvolt--barely even thought about doing so, to be perfectly honest--but of course I'm seriously considering pre-ordering this sucker via amiami.com because of my sick and desperate need to own as many boxed Japanese 3DS games as possible.



The thing is, because I haven't shown much interest in Azure Striker Gunvolt until now, I have no idea if it's any good, or if this upcoming Azure Striker Gunvolt Pack is worth picking up.

Have any of you played this Mega Man-esque title? If so, what do you think about it? Is it worth owning, or is it a waste of time and money? Also, would you even consider buying a physical compilation of it and its soon-to-be-released sequel for about $40?

Three things I really like about Yo-Kai Watch (and three things I don't entirely like about it)

After putting more than 25 hours into it, I appear to be nearing the end of my Yo-Kai Watch playthrough.

I'll do my best to publish a more formal review of this 3DS game in the next week or two, but for now I just want to rattle off a few comments about my most and least favorite aspects of it.

Here are three things I'm really liking about Yo-Kai Watch at the moment:

The setting--It's refreshing to play an RPG that takes place in a modern, real-world setting. OK, so Yo-Kai Watch's real-world setting is decidedly comical and cartoonish, but what else would you expect from a game that's aimed at the Pokémon-playing set? At any rate, it's nice to run around housing complexes and schools and parks rather than the generic fantasy settings that fill most of this genre's offerings.

The yo-kai--Nowhere is Yo-Kai Watch more obviously the anti-Pokémon than in its character designs. Whereas the catchable monsters in Game Freak's series tend to be cute and cuddly, the ones showcased in this Level-5 title tend to be, well, kind of ugly. Naturally there's some overlap between the two, and most people would be hard-pressed to describe Yo-Kai regulars like Jibanyan and Whisper as anything less than adorable, but there's no denying that many of their counterparts aren't as immediately attractive as Ken Sugimori and company's creations. For some strange reason, I consider that to be a "very good thing," as the incomparable Martha Stewart would say.

The battles--When I first played the Yo-Kai Watch demo Nintendo dropped onto the 3DS eShop late last year, I found the game’s battle scenes a tad overwhelming. I loved how engaging they were, but I also found it difficult to keep track of all their moving parts. (While taking on foes in this title, six of your ghost pals are plopped onto a wheel. Only three can fight at any given time, but you can switch between them by spinning the aforementioned disc left or right using the 3DS’ touch screen or shoulder buttons.) Thankfully, the experience is a lot easier to manage given a bit of time. Plus, it eventually becomes frantically fun in a way that further differentiates it from its Pokémon forebearers.

And here are three things I'm not entirely liking about Level-5's Pokémon-esque RPG:

The story--Don’t get me wrong, I adore that Yo-Kai Watch’s story isn’t your typical “save the world” tripe that’s at the center of about 99 percent of RPGs offered to the masses today. I just wish it were more cohesive. As it stands, the game feels like a collection of vignettes. That’s not a bad thing, of course, but it does keep Yo-Kai Watch from feeling as epic as I expected it to be back when I first heard about it. It also can make the game feel like a slog as you near its home stretch. Normally some sort of rousing finale keeps you coming back to the journey even if you've slowly bored of it. Here, you get semi-stuck and can't help but wonder, "eh, why bother?"

The yo-kai befriending mechanism--Anyone who’s played Pokémon knows how frustrating it is when you fail to catch a creature even after tossing a handful of Poké Balls at it. Well, multiply that feeling times 10--if not more--and you have, in a nutshell, a good part of the Yo-Kai Watch experience. Let’s just say that while I usually have to "catch 'em all" when I play a Pokémon title, here I've pretty much stuck to just the yo-kai I most need or want. And even that tactic hasn't proven to be very fruitful thanks to Yo-Kai Watch's confounding befriending mechanism, which often sees you wasting many minutes, as well as many of the game’s consumable treats, trying to woo a character to your side, only to be rebuffed in the end.

The fetch quests--I usually like a gaming fetch quest as much as the next guy or gal, but that's only true if the fetch quests in question are fun--or at least captivating. In Yo-Kai Watch, the majority of them are mundane to the point of being easily overlooked or ignored. Thankfully, you can pass by most without it biting you in the butt down the road.

Have any of you played Yo-Kai Watch yet? If so, please share your opinions of it in the comments section below.

Drop whatever you're doing and download the Pocket Card Jockey 3DS demo now

When a little game called Solitiba hit the Japanese 3DS eShop back in July of 2013, I snapped it up as soon as I could.

I did that for a few reasons. One, I knew the title had been made by the folks at Game Freak—best known, of course, for the world-conquering Pokémon series. Two, it had previously made headlines for attempting to combine two disparate genres: horse racing and puzzlers (solitaire, specifically).

Add to that Solitiba’s undeniably adorable art style and, well, you’ve basically got a game that’s “right up my alley,” as that stale old saying goes.

How far up my alley is it? Well, I’ve since put more than 60 hours into it so far, if that tells you anything.

On a related note, I've already put about three hours into the demo of Solitiba's North American localization--which is known as Pocket Card Jockey in this neck of the woods. (Actually, I believe that's the name it goes by in every region outside of Japan.)

Which means, of course, that I'm enjoying the English version of the game quite a bit. OK, I'm enjoying it a lot.

It's not perfect, mind you. A case in point: the text seems a bit stilted at times, as if the people who worked on that aspect of the game hewed more closely to the original script than maybe they should have done.

Granted, the powers that be at Nintendo probably didn't want to devote tons of time, money or energy to this project, and its localization team was tasked with translating a ton of text, so I won't be too tough on anyone for that slight miscue.

At any rate, I highly recommend downloading the Pocket Card Jockey 3DS demo as soon as you're able. And after you've played it for a while, come back here and tell me what you think of it. (Also, if you need advice, just ask. I'm more than happy to help.)

See also: 'Five reasons it's a shame Game Freak hasn't yet released its quirky 3DS eShop title, Solitiba, outside of Japan'

A somewhat gay review of Witch & Hero II (3DS)

Game: Witch & Hero II

Genre: Tower defense

Developer: Flyhigh Works

Publisher: Circle Entertainment

System: 3DS

Release date: 2016

Witch & Hero II doesn't offer up the most positive of first impressions.

Early on, it’s nearly indistinguishable from its predecessor in the looks department. It sounds a lot like that lovely eShop title from 2013 (read my review of it here), too.

In fact, the only aspect of Witch & Hero II that alerts you to the fact you’ve booted up the sequel instead of the FK Digital-made original is its main gameplay hook, which lets players control both of the titular characters rather than just one of them.

Unfortunately, that change isn’t as thrilling as it may seem--at least initially. At first, it’s actually kind of annoying, as keeping track of the hero and the witch (one is moved using the 3DS’ circle pad, while the other is moved using the system’s A, B, X and Y buttons) is quite a hassle, especially when the screen is swarming with enemies.

(If you’re still a Witch & Hero virgin, both games are twitchy takes on the tower-defense genre and task players--after plopping them into the shoes of an adorably Dragon Quest-esque knight--with protecting a magic-wielding witch from hordes of similarly retro-inspired baddies. Oh, and you off those pixelated foes by bumping into them, preferably from the rear, à la classic Ys.)

Thankfully, controlling two characters at the same time quickly shifts from being a nuisance to being a blast. It changes up the formula just enough to make Witch & Hero II's multi-screen trek a lot more interesting and thrilling than it would have been if developer Flyhigh Works had whipped out a sequel that simply tossed a few new enemies and music tracks on top of the first title's gameplay and called it a day.

As for aspects that could be considered less positive than the one discussed above, an obvious candidate is the massive slowdown that pops up in its latter stages. 

Another is that the game can become a cakewalk around the halfway point if you aren't careful about doling out armor, weapon and magic upgrades. This is easier said than done, unfortunately, as Witch & Hero II's early levels mean business, and your immediate reaction to them is likely to be to buff up your pint-sized adventurers as quickly as possible to ensure their survival. 

My advice: only increase the speed, strength and defense of the witch and hero enough so they won't be slaughtered. Do that, and you won't waltz through this game's second half as I did.

One last comment before I stick a fork in this review: if you haven't played the first Witch & Hero already, I'd highly recommend doing that before jumping into the follow-up. It serves as a great introduction to the second title's gameplay, plus it helps you fully appreciate the "throwing off the shackles" sense of freedom that's at the heart of the sequel.  

See also: previous 'Great Gaymathon' and 'somewhat gay' reviews

What a difference a vacation makes (or, impressions of the Bravely Second demo, Final Fantasy Explorers, Return to PopoloCrois, Witch & Hero II, Yo-Kai Watch and more)

I don't know how many of you noticed, but I haven't played too many games over the last few months.

That wasn't because of anything negative or dramatic, mind you. Mainly, it was because I just "wasn't in the mood."

You know how it is sometimes, I'm sure. Thanks to trying to fit a whole bunch of things into a single day or week--my day job, freelance gigs, maintaining this blog, making dinner, exercise and more--I had a hard time mustering the energy and even the interest required to properly dive into any of the many games that are hidden throughout my house at the moment.

All of the above came to a halt when my husband and I went to California for vacation a couple of weeks ago. While there, I spent a surprising amount of time playing the handful of games (and demos) name-checked above and detailed below.

I've played each of the following for more than three hours so far, by the way--well, with the exception of the Project X Zone 2 demo, which I blew through it about 45 minutes.

Bravely Second (demo)--To be completely honest, I dreaded starting this demo. Online impressions of the Japanese and European versions of the full game left me assuming it would pale in comparison to its mostly awesome (in my humble opinion, of course) precursor. Although that may prove to be the case after I tackle the retail release, this demo currently has me in good spirits. It's gorgeous as all get-out, naturally, but that's just the icing on the case as far as I'm concerned. Far more important to me is that the characters are likable and the battles are just as engaging as they were in Bravely Default.

Final Fantasy Explorers--Here's another game I didn't expect to enjoy. I put an hour or two into its Japanese demo ages ago and walked away from it thinking it was little better than ho-hum. Still, I bought a physical copy of the North American release basically to prove to the powers that be at Square Enix there are plenty of people who'd like them to localize their 3DS titles for Western markets. So, imagine my surprise when I found myself having a blast with this Monster Hunter wannabe (although Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles wannabe might be a more accurate description). I can see how its gameplay could become stale over time, but for now I like its focus on fetch quests, its varied environments and its nostalgia-satisfying selection of enemies.

Project X Zone 2: Brave New World (demo)--Of all the games and demos I've spent time with in the last few weeks, Project X Zone 2 was the most disappointing. By far. That's not to say I hated every one of the 45 or so minutes I put into it, mind you. Actually, I found its fight scenes to be pretty thrilling--if far from "deep." They weren't enough to make me want to track down a boxed (or even digital) copy, though. Project X Zone 2's ridiculous wordiness has something to do with that, I'm sure, as does the confusing nature of its battles. (Yes, the latter are exhilarating, but only to a point--mainly because they feel very random and button-mashy.)

Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale--This is the first of all the titles mentioned here that I stuck into my trusty 3DS while traveling to California. Curiously, I liked it so much early on that I thought I'd play little else during my trip. In reality, I gave three hours to it, found it "nice enough" (far from great, in other words) and then moved on to something else. (Final Fantasy Explorers was next up, I believe.) Don't worry, I'll circle back to it soon, and I plan to finish it at some point. Still, I'd be lying if I said it's blown me away up to now. I'm not entirely sure why that is, though I have a feeling its rather dull battles are largely to blame. Here's hoping things pick up in that regard after I return to it.

Witch & Hero 2--Although I put about two hours into the Japanese version of this game in the days following its release, I felt a little out of sorts during that time. I guess the new gameplay "hook"--you can move the witch as well as the hero in the sequel--really threw me for a loop at first. Thankfully, I've felt a lot more comfortable while making my way through the first 26 or so stages of the North American iteration. Being able to control both characters is a nice addition, by the way, as are the new tunes, locales and baddies. What isn't so nice is that, after the Witch & Hero II's tough opening salvo, the journey veers toward cakewalk territory.

Yo-Kai Watch--I've looked forward to playing Level-5's Pokémon competitor in a language I fully understand since the first game hit the streets of Japan back in 2013. Because of that, I fully expected the final, localized product to let me down. Guess what? It hasn't. Yo-Kai Watch is as charming as can be--from its setting, to its soundtrack, to its characters (including the titular ghoulies), to its battles. The latter really have me by the short and curlies right now, I've got to say--even though the associated micro-games probably make me look silly during my morning and afternoon commutes. The side-eyes are worth it, though, because the just-mentioned mini-games add some much-needed zip to an RPG component that's more often than not bored me in recent years.

See also: all of my 'Shall We Do It?' posts

Pixelated service announcement: Witch & Hero II is now available in both Japan and North America

If you own a Japanese or a North American 3DS system and you've got $4 to spare, you could do far worse than go to your region's eShop and buy a copy of Circle Entertainment's Witch & Hero II. (Side note for folks who have Australian or European 3DS systems: the game is set to hit your eShop in April.)

You may remember that I was (and still am) a big fan of the first Witch & Hero. In fact, it was one of my favorite games of 2013.

As a result, I've eagerly anticipated this follow-up, which is both more of the same as well as a breath of fresh air.

I'll explain why that is in a post that'll be published in a couple of days. For the time being, just know that I've already plopped nearly three hours into the North American version Witch & Hero II (after putting about two hours in the Japanese release) and I expect I'll devote at least three or four more to it before all is said and done.



After all, I played the original Witch & Hero for just over seven hours, and this sequel seems to have quite a bit more content.

Speaking of the original, if you've never played it, I'd highly recommend picking up that--it's also $3.99, although it's often on sale for less than that--before you tackle Witch & Hero II. The first game serves as a nice introduction to the series (imagine that!), plus I think some folks might be a bit overwhelmed by jumping straight into the second entry.

Are any of you similarly ardent fans of the Witch & Hero series? If so, feel free to share the love in the comments section that follows.

Also, if any of you know the name of the person who created the brilliant piece of art showcased above, please let me know. Developer Flyhigh Works shared it via Twitter a couple of days ago, but I couldn't suss out who's responsible for it.

The decision has been made: I'm getting a New 3DS (instead of a pink OG 3DS)

Actually, I already bought it. On Saturday. It won't be in my hands until late this week or early next, though, so I've got plenty of time to decide which of my six (yes, you read that correctly) cover plates I'll attach to this shiny new handheld first.

Don't take this to mean I'll never acquire the "pearl pink" OG 3DS I've pined for since that color was first announced, by the way. A part of me thinks I'll still buy one at some point--and possibly sooner rather than later.

Who knows, though? Maybe I'll fall head over heels in love with my New 3DS once it's in my hands and that will kill my interest in the OG variety once and for all.

Some of you may be wondering why I'm unsure if I'll love the New 3DS that's on its way to me.



After all, I bought a Japanese version of the system late last year. (Read about it in my post, "As I've always said, you can't have too many Animal Crossing-themed things or 3DS systems.")

The thing is, I've yet to actually use that system. Which, I realize, is completely ridiculous. Perhaps even insane. Rest assured I didn't purchase it to let it sit in a box. Truth be told, I'm terrified I'll screw up the process of transferring all of the games and saves from my gold Pokémon Center 3DS LL to my Japanese New 3DS, and that is what has kept me from playing the latter.

Thankfully, moving everything from my "flame red" OG 3DS to my North American New 3DS should go a long way toward helping me put those fears to rest. Assuming it does, I'll finally be able to put some of the Japanese 3DS games I've picked up over the last few months through their paces, as the saying goes.

In the meantime, do any of you own a New 3DS system? What do you think of it, if so?

Help me decide if I should buy (another) OG 3DS or New 3DS

Here's the thing: I've been itching to replace my "flame red" OG 3DS for ages now.

The main reason, of course, is that I never really wanted a red 3DS. I wanted a pink one. I won't bore you with the long-winded story about how and why I ended up with a red rather than a pink 3DS, but the gist is that I've never quite been able to quash my longing for the latter.

Another reason I want to replace my not-pink 3DS: its bottom screen features so many scratches and scuff marks--thanks to games like Maestro! Jump in Music--it's starting to drive me batty.

And then there's the fact that Nintendo just tossed the ROM for its cult-favorite SNES RPG, EarthBound onto the North American eShop--and made it only playable on New 3DS systems.

That last comment might prompt some of you to wonder why I'm asking for your advice as to whether I should buy another (this time pink) OG 3DS or one of the smaller New 3DS units. After all, if I choose the first option, I won't be able to enjoy on-the-go EarthBound in a fully legal manner.

This is true, of course, but I can't say it's done much to sway me one way or the other. I guess that's due to the "power of pink"? OK, so it's also probably due to the fact that I've grown pretty fond of the OG 3DS' design in the last few years. (I used to despise it, especially in comparison to the wonderfully sleek cases that house Nintendo's DS Lite and DSi handhelds.)

Whatever the case my be, I'm all sorts of confused about which model of 3DS I should buy in the next few days, so I'm asking for some input.

Which device would you pick up if you were in my shoes: a "pearl pink" OG 3DS or a non-XL New 3DS?

Giddyup! Game Freak's Solitiba will gallop its way onto the North American 3DS eShop this May as Pocket Card Jockey

For a lot of folks, the highlight of yesterday's North American Nintendo Direct was the surprise announcement that a new Kirby 3DS game--its subtitle is Planet Robobot--is going to hit digital and retail store shelves in this part of the world on June 10.

Others swooned over the fact that Monster Hunter X and Genei Ibunroku #FE are heading our way this summer, too. (The former's localized name is Monster Hunter: Generations, while the latter's is Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE.)

And of course a bunch of people turned their eyes to the heavens--or something of that sort--when they heard Nintendo of America's Bill Trinen say the company's Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus will be released (as Rhythm Heaven Megamix) here "later this year."

Although I found myself grinning--broadly--following each of those reveals, the one that prompted the most joyous reaction from me was this one:



Yes, the game showcased in the video above is a localized version of one of my most-loved Japanese 3DS titles, Solitiba.

In fact, I loved it so much I put nearly 60 hours into it in 2014 alone. (See why that is in my "Five reasons it's a shame Game Freak hasn't yet released Solitiba outside of Japan" post.)

That Game Freak-made head-scratcher--it deftly combines elements of both horse racing and golf solitaire--galloped its way onto that region's 3DS eShop all the way back in 2013, by the way. Which means I've been waiting quite a long time to play it in a language I fully understand.

Are any of you in the same boat? Even if you aren't, are you at all curious to give this kooky game a try?

See also: previous posts about Solitiba

My gaming goals for this Presidents' Day

Since 1968, the United States has recognized the third Monday of February as a holiday.

Officially, what's being celebrated is George Washington's birthday. Despite that, the day often is referred to as Presidents' Day.

Why am I using this post's opening lines to offer up a lesson in American history? Because this holiday--regardless of what it's called--has provided me with an extra day off of work, that's why.

I want to do all sorts of things during this "lazy Monday," of course, and a good number of them are related to gaming. Specifically, I hope to:

* stick one of the 16GB memory cards I received as Christmas gifts into my pink-and-white Vita and then download all of the digital games I've had to ignore since that system arrived on my doorstep about a year ago

* finally transfer the contents of my gold Pokémon Center 3DS LL to the Japanese New 3DS I bought in late September

* buy Minna de Mamotte Knight: Hime no Tokemeki Rhapsody (aka Protect Me Knight 2) and Majo to Yuusha (the first Witch & Hero) from the Japanese eShop

If you're wondering why I'm buying another copy of Witch & Hero (I've owned the North American version for ages now), that would be because the sequel is due out in Japan on Feb. 17, and I--rather stupidly, I admit--want both games to reside on the same 3DS system.

Aside from that, I've got to admit I'm more than a bit terrified I'll screw up the 3DS LL-to-New 3DS transfer and wind up with a pair of borked handhelds. Here's hoping the YouTube videos I've dug up on the subject and Nintendo of America's own support info will save me from that tragedy.

Anyway, that's how I'm planning to do during my Presidents' Day. If you also have today off of work, for whatever reason, how are you going to spend it?