Five reasons I (mostly) hate myself for waiting 26 years to play Super Mario Land 2 for the first time

You may have heard me grouse here or there about the fact that I've never played Super Mario Land 2 for the GameBoy.

It's my own fault, of course. No one kept me from playing it.

The thing is, I can't really say what did keep me from playing it all this time. Which is strange, as I recall enjoying the original Super Mario Land quite a bit back in the day.

Granted, that title launched alongside Nintendo's first handheld in 1989. And it was a lot easier to please GameBoy owners then than it was when Super Mario Land 2 followed it onto store shelves in 1992.

Did I become a more discerning game fan during the three-and-a-half-year span between those two releases? Maybe, but I doubt it.

Far more likely, in my opinion, is that I couldn't shake the (admittedly uninformed) feeling Super Mario Land 2 was little more than a poor man's version of Super Mario World.

Do I still feel that way about the game now that I've played and even beaten it? (I accomplished the latter last week.) Not really, and here are five reasons why:

It's far less of a Super Mario World ripoff than I assumed it to be--Some of you probably are wondering why I ever thought Super Mario Land 2 was a ripoff of Super Mario World. To be honest, I can't remember. Maybe it had to do with the fact that the Mario sprites in both games look pretty darn similar? Regardless, I no longer have such an erroneous opinion of the iconic character's second portable outing. Instead, I now respect its uniqueness and even silliness.

The zone maps are everything--Seriously, how could Nintendo give us something so fabulous and then never return to it? Each and every one of the zone maps included in Super Mario Land 2 brought a smile to my face during my breezy playthrough, though the Mario, Pumpkin, and Space ones especially thrilled me. Admittedly, they're just maps--and single-screen maps, at that. Still, they add a sense of childish whimsy to the experience that most side-scrolling Mario games lack.

Many of its enemies remind me of the first Super Mario Land--And by that I mean they're completely bonkers, of course. They're also a breath of fresh air compared to their counterparts that appear in nearly every other Mario game in existence. I mean, who needs Goombas and Koopas when you have pigs who shoot cannonballs out of their huge snouts (they're called Bomubomu) and fish-cow combos (Mōgyo) that try to gore you with their pointed horns?

I like its mostly unique (for the Mario series) soundtrack--I'm used to Mario games featuring tons of reused tunes. That's not the case here. In fact, I'm not sure any of Super Mario Land 2's music was pulled from previous entries in the long-running series. Regardless, pretty much every song this cartridge offers up is almost profanely exuberant. That makes playing through this platformer even more grin-inducing than it would be if it sported the typical Mario soundtrack.

A late-in-the-game stage pays homage to the "Balloon Trip" mode of Balloon Fight--Some of you may not know this, but I absolutely adore the "Balloon Trip" mode of Balloon Fight. It's the ultimate "just one more try" type of game experience for me. Does this mean I've been playing the Super Mario Land 2 stage alluded to above over and over again since I first encountered it? Not on your life. I sure enjoyed my first time through it, though, and I'll always look forward to it in future attempts.

As for that "mostly" I hid in this post's headline, well, I did that because I don't love each and every aspect of Super Mario Land 2. For example, jumps in this game feel stiffer than they do in other Mario side-scrollers. Also, it's far from the meatiest platformer I've ever played. (I finished it in a few minutes over three hours.)

Despite those minor missteps, I had a blast getting to know Super Mario Land 2 via my trusty 3DS recently. It was the polar opposite of the samey New Super Mario Bros. titles Nintendo's frustratingly focused on for the last decade-plus.

Here's hoping whoever there heads up the next Mario sequel turns to this 1992 release for a bit of inspiration.

A few thoughts on Super Mario Odyssey now that I've put about 10 hours into it

There's no question the Nintendo Switch has taken over my gaming life since I finally nabbed one in late September. (Read my early impressions of this hybrid console here.)

Not only has it prompted me to dump nearly 20 hours into Golf Story (for some thoughts on this intriguing indie, see this post) in the ensuing days and weeks, but it's also prompted me to dump about 10 hours into Super Mario Odyssey.

I'd say that's more than enough time to form some solid opinions of the latter game, wouldn't you?

Speaking of which, here are a few impressions of Super Mario Odyssey given what I've experienced of it so far.



The Cappy-tossing mechanic is the best thing that's happened to the Mario series in some time--As the headline of The Guardian's Super Mario Odyssey review states, "controlling a sentient hat has never been so fun." Not only is it an absolute blast to simply throw Cappy here and there (in a way that's thrillingly reminiscent of tossing water bubbles in Mizubaku Daibouken), but it's even more satisfying to chuck him at an object or being to see if Mario can "possess" and control them.

That said, I kind of wish some of Super Mario Odyssey's many costumes also acted as power-ups--There's no question Cappy is a cool addition to the long-running Mario series. Still, his presence isn't enough to keep me from missing the power-ups that populate previous games like Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario 3D World. The same is true of Odyssey's plethora of collectible costumes. Changing Mario's look is nice and all, but it would be even nicer if at least some of them provided the mustachioed icon with a unique ability or two. Maybe that's what Nintendo will give us with Super Mario Odyssey 2?



The different art styles offer a welcome change of scenery--If you ask me, too many modern Mario games look alike. That's especially true of the two-dimensional New Super Mario Bros. titles, of course, but I'd argue it's also true of the more recent three-dimensional efforts like Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario 3D Land. Odyssey throws a wrench into the works by providing a handful of worlds (kingdoms, actually) that veer off in different directions, aesthetically speaking. Personally, I would've preferred it if every kingdom sported a completely unique art style, but I also can understand why Nintendo's designers and developers thought that might be a bit too shocking for your average Mario fan.

I don't understand why this game includes question mark blocks--In almost every Mario game I've played before this one, smashing a question mark block often causes a power-up to pop out. In Odyssey, the same action usually nets you a coin. If you're "lucky," you get a life-enhancing heart instead. Whoopdidoo, right? Granted, I still break (nearly) every question block I encounter, but I'm not sure I'll continue to do so as I edge closer to the game's end credits.



The lack of in-game information regarding handheld-specific moves is frustrating--Even more frustrating: the lack of handheld-specific moves, period. Although you can play Super Mario Odyssey with your Switch configured as a full-on handheld (as opposed to a TV-connected or tabletop console), doing so means you won't be able to pull off a number of Mario's many moves. That's beyond disappointing, in my opinion. To be sure, it hasn't kept me from completing at of the game's worlds, but I have a feeling it'll eventually keep me from grabbing some of its moons.

Sure, many of the game's moons are basically handed to you, but that doesn't bother me--I've heard some folks say Super Mario Odyssey contains too many moons. (This title's version of Super Mario 64's and Super Mario Galaxy's stars.) I've also heard people complain that too many moons are easily acquired. I can't disagree with the latter, but I also can't say it bugs me all that much. Actually, I like that you can nab a good number of moons with very little effort. Not only does it make grabbing the tougher-to-reach moons all the more electrifying, but it allows beginners (or people who have a hard time with three-dimensional games) to feel like they're accomplishing something, too.



I can't believe I'm saying this, but I kind of miss the 3DS' 3D capabilities here--I'm one of those weirdos who rarely uses the 3DS' 3D capabilities. In fact, the only time I can remember turning it on for more than a few minutes was when I traipsed through Super Mario 3D Land. Why'd I make an exception for that game? Because it made certain platforming sections a lot less frustrating. I'm pretty sure 3D functionality would prove similarly helpful while playing Super Mario Odyssey. Oh, well, you can't have everything. And, honestly, I don't wish the Switch had a 3D screen--even if it made leaps in Odyssey a little easier.

Super Mario Odyssey's inconsistent use of music is curious--And I don't necessarily mean curious in a bad way. Sometimes ambient noise is preferable to an annoyingly catchy jingle while playing an atmospheric game such as this. That said, I'm kind of surprised so many kingdoms are music-free experiences. I would've expected those without backing tunes to be few and far between, but at the moment it seems like every other locale lacks a soundtrack. Still, I'd say the silence is better than the incessant "wah wah" effects that fill the levels of many other recent Mario titles.

Have you spent any time with Super Mario Odyssey? If so, what do you think of the opinions I've spouted off here? Share your own in the comments section below.

Happy 20th anniversary, Super Mario 64

I almost can't believe Super Mario 64 made its way onto Japanese store shelves 20 years ago today.

I say almost because, well, it some ways it totally feels like it's been two decades since I first played this classic platformer.

It helps, I'm sure, that the above-mentioned experience took place during my freshman year in college. No matter how young I may (think I) look or feel, that was some time ago, and I know it.

That said, my memories of my initial Super Mario 64 playthrough are as clear as yesterday. My parents gave me a Nintendo 64 system and a copy of this game as a birthday gift. I hooked up the former as soon as I returned to my dorm room, after which my best friend and I put Super Mario 64 through its paces while it snowed like the dickens outside.

To say we were in awe of what we saw and heard and felt that night would be a massive understatement. Sure, Mario's first three-dimensional adventure was far from gorgeous--even then--thanks to the bevy of blurry textures on display, but its polygonal characters and environments still caused my pal and I to slobber like rabid dogs.



Far more thrilling to either of us than this game's graphics, though, were its controls. Using an analog stick to make Mario tiptoe, walk, run, jump and slide around each stage wasn't just a revelation, it was a blast. It was so much fun, in fact, that we didn't pull ourselves away from it until early the next morning.

In the ensuing days, weeks and even months, I spent more time than I probably should admit simply running and jumping and prompting Mario to yell "yahoo!" I also heard so much of its glorious soundtrack that to this day I regularly hum its boppy "main theme."

Admittedly, I haven't played much of Super Mario 64 in the last decade or so, despite my fond memories of it. As such, I can't really say if it's aged at all well. I suspect it hasn't, but even if that's the case, it aptly served its purpose back when it was the best thing since sliced bread, and that's more than enough for me.

How about you? Do nostalgic thoughts of this Nintendo 64 launch title cause you to feel all warm and fuzzy inside? Also, have you checked in with it in the last few years to see if the game is as great as you remember it to be?

Regardless, please share your own anniversary-fueled Super Mario 64 memories in the comments section that follows.

'Dead Wario' mug + 'Dead Mario' badges by the illustrious OSKUNK!

Those of you who've been coming here for a bit should be well aware of my love for the artist who calls himself OSKUNK!

(Don't worry, the exclamation point at the end there is his doing, not mine. Not that I hate exclamation points, mind you.)



After all, I've published just a few posts about his creations over the years--a good number of which have focused (and deservedly so) on his custom-painted Dreamcast consoles and controllers.

Today's post, though, focuses on some of his Nintendo-centric concoctions, with the first being the completely awesome "Dead Wario" mug showcased in the photo above.

Seriously, if I had one of these mugs, I'd never drink out of anything else. Even when I switched from coffee or tea to water or soda or booze.



The "Dead Mario" badges shown in the following photo are pretty great, too, but it's kind of hard for them to compete against the "Dead Wario" mugs, isn't it?

If you'd like even more OSKUNK! goodness, by the way, be sure to check out the custom-painted Super Smash Bros. GameCube controller that can be spied here.

You say 'ecpica,' I say 'adorable'

I need a little adorableness in my life today, so rather than present all of you with yet another rambling post about an unheralded GameBoy or PC Engine game I've decided to present you with the following:



Each of these photos were taken by Singapore-based Flickr user ecpica, by the way, with the one above being titled "Siesta Time."



This one, on the other hand, is called "Lazy Afternoon."



And then there's "The Strange Bees in My Garden," above.

For even more adorableness, check out ecpica's Flickr photostream at your earliest convenience.

A fairly gay Q&A with Aedan Roberts (aka the artist behind the 'Nüdtendo' portrait series)

Although scores of people have produced illustrations, paintings and other pieces of art that depict Nintendo's characters in various states of undress, few have done so with the kind of whimsical verve that's on display in each and every one of Aedan Roberts' "Nüdtendo" portraits.

You see, all 18 of the portraits Roberts has completed so far render the Japanese giant's extensive stable of colorful protagonists and cohorts as both naked and, to varying degrees, surprised and embarrassed.

Roberts recently agreed to answer a handful questions about what prompted him to start the series, why he decided to focus on Nintendo characters, how many more he plans to produce and much more.

The Gay Gamer: When did you start creating these "Nüdtendo" portraits, and what prompted you to do so?

Aedan Roberts: I began creating this series back in the summer of 2012. Up until that point, all my gallery work was intentionally devoid of work that contained other people's intellectual property. I was still trying to figure out a way to do it without falling directly into the "fan art" category while also doing something fun and original.

At the time, I was doodling some of my favorite characters and was up to Mario. I tend to draw my characters naked when I'm working out their proportions and then add the clothes in a later version. But before I could progress, my boyfriend stopped me and told me I had something with this stout, squat, embarrassed creature I had just doodled. So I finished him up, painted him, and then did another two vignettes (Link and Samus). The results were so popular that I decided to go whole hog and make it into a series.

The Gay Gamer: Why did you decide to focus on Nintendo characters?

Aedan Roberts: The decision to concentrate on Nintendo characters was both because I love the long, storied history of Nintendo intellectual property and because it gave unity to the project.

I grew up as a fan of Nintendo. Our very first console was an SNES and from there I have owned every single generation (barring the Wii U at the moment). I have such an emotional attachment to these characters, and if I was going to create a satire where I reproduce a famous series of characters, I wanted it to be these.

The Gay Gamer: Was your plan all along to create a series, by the way, or did that just come to you after you'd made a few?

Aedan Roberts: I decided to turn it into a full-on series after the original three proved to be so popular. I then gave myself a goal--52--that I don't know if I'll reach, but I'll definitely try.

The Gay Gamer: Can you tell me a bit about how they're created? Based on the descriptions you've included on your etsy shop, I'm guessing they're paintings? Regardless, what kind of process do you go through to produce them?

Aedan Roberts: Each character is drawn out so I can translate it into my style. After that, I try to make sure the proportions are in line with the previous characters and then I re-draw the sketch onto hot press watercolor paper. I then glue the paper to a small wooden board, paint the character and then place the board into a custom-painted shadowbox. The color of each shadowbox is made to coincide with the character within. That way, when the shadowboxes are placed together, it forms a pixel-like color grid.

I'd totally rescind my no-scarf policy if I owned one that looked like a Piranha Plant

Please note: I'm not anti-scarf because I think they're too girly or hipster or twee or anything like that. I'm just an overly warm-blooded guy, so wearing scarves tends to be out of the question unless I'm really, really cold.

Anyway, like I suggested in the header above, I'd gladly throw those sentiments out the proverbial window if I owned a scarf that looked like one of the Piranha Plants from the Super Mario Bros. series.

The scarf, which is five-and-a-half feet in length, was made by Flickr user Mindy Y (aka anenemyairship), by the way.

See more of her creations--including an equally adorable Noby Noby Boy scarf and a crocheted baby Metroid--by checking out flickr.com/photos/enemyairship/.

King Boo's balls and Birdo's bits

What would King Boo, Birdo and all sorts of other Nintendo characters--yes, including Mario, Luigi, Link, Peach and Zelda--look like in the buff?

Brooklyn-based artist Aedan Roberts answers that question in a most amusing way via his recent "Nüdtendo" portrait series--two pieces of which can be seen below.

Here, for instance, is King Boo--and, er, his "bits":

Unsurprisingly--given the above, at least--Birdo's bits also are on display in Roberts' humorous portrait of the much-loved Super Mario Bros. 2 baddie.

To see the rest of Roberts' Nüdtendo series--my current favorites are Wario, Tingle, Peach and Link--check out his site, aedanroberts.com.

If you're interested in either of the pieces shown above, by the way, the King Boo one can be bought here (for $275), while the Birdo one can be bought here for the same price. (A few others also are for sale via Roberts' etsy shop.)

(Via boyculture.com)

These Japanese Super Mario 3D World commercials make me feel all tingly

I know there are a lot of gamers in the world who no longer care about Mario or his pixelated or polygonal exploits--if they ever cared about them in the first place.

I am not one of those people.

Now, I'm also not one of those people who snap up each and every game that features Nintendo's iconic protagonist.



For the most part, I stick to the company's Paper Mario series (although that'll no longer be the case if its next entry is as disappointing as the last two), some of its two-dimensional Mario Bros. releases and its three-dimensional Mario games.

That last group is the one that interests me most these days--mainly because, with the possible exception of Super Mario Sunshine (which I like in theory, but not in practice), Nintendo has yet to produce a 3D Mario game that fails to at least compete with (if not top) the ones that came before it.

When it was first announced, I actually thought Super Mario 3D World might join its GameCube counterpart at the bottom of Nintendo's Mario-branded barrel. I mean, that first trailer the company showed to the world during this year's E3 event was the definition of "ho hum," wasn't it?

Thankfully, subsequent trailers have washed that taste from my mouth. Not only that, but they've transformed the game from something I consider only mildly intriguing (if that) to something I now view as a must-purchase release.



Although the commercials included above aren't exactly trailers, they still provide a smile-inducing glimpse at why this game has caught the attention of a lot of folks in the few weeks and months.

Before you watch either of them, though, I have to warn you that they likely include spoilers.

Anyway, are any of you finding yourselves similarly attracted to Super Mario 3D World? If so, what aspects appeal to you most right now?

Is that a Super Mushroom in your shorts, Mario, or are you just happy to see John Barrowman?

I'm currently feeling under the weather due to the cold my husband gave me, so please excuse the lazy-ish posts you're sure to see for the next couple of days.

I have a feeling quite a few of you won't mind my laziness after your eyes take in the focus of this post, which is the following photo of a scantily clad Mario cosplayer being groped by actor/singer/writer John Barrowman (of Arrow, Doctor Who and Torchwood fame).

The photo was shot by blogger Matthew Rettenmund during the recent New York Comic Con, by the way.

To see additional pics of New York Comic Con's sexiest attendees, check out this post and this post on Rettenmund's blog.

Super Dead Mario

I love pretty much every aspect of the following piece of art, produced by the always creative Oskunk, but my favorite part, it has to be said, is the mushroom with the X-ed out eyes in the lower-left corner.



To see some more of Oskunk's wicked (I mean that both literally and figuratively) creations, check out his Flickr photostream and/or his blog, Custom Art.

Ready Player Two

The following game-inspired illustration was produced by artist Glen Brogan of the Albino Raven blog for his just-closed Gallery1988 show.

The focus of this stylish piece isn't a tanooki-suited Mario, by the way; it's a fox-suited Luigi--or whatever the hell it is Mario's main bro turns into when he grabs a Super Leaf power-ip in Super Mario 3D Land.

Why did Brogan devote an entire canvas to the most famous "player two" in all of gaming? Here's what he had to say in a recent blog post:

"As a kid I often found myself playing video games as player two, usually either because the other kid was older or because I was (and am) pretty shy and non-assertive. Because of that I still to this day have a fondness for Luigi, the ultimate second player character."

For those who may be interested: Brogan's selling 8-by-10-inch digital prints of this piece via Gallery1988's website for $35 each. (Mounted versions of the print can be picked up here for $55.)

Zac Gorman x Dragon Quest

You want to know why I've long been fascinated by Square Enix's vaunted Dragon Quest series?

Take in the illustration below, which was made by artist Zac Gorman for an iam8bit gallery exhibition that opens this Friday in Los Angeles.

Seriously, how could you not fall head over heels in love with such a charming cast of characters?

For those of you who are up for a bit more of Gorman's brilliance, check out this Donkey Kong-inspired t-shirt design.

No joke: if I hadn't just bought two game-related tees, I'd pick up one of the above faster than you can say, "It's-a me, Jumpman!"

Sexy Spa + Red Loincloth Mario

OK, so the "Sexy Spa Mario" seen in the photo below (and here) isn't quite as studly as the one showcased in this pair of previous posts.

That doesn't mean he isn't worth checking out, does it?

At the very least, he's worth a quick glance--maybe even a double take--just for the effort Flickr user Danny Yama, aka danny_8bit, put into creating him (out of Perler Beads).



Also worth a bit of visual attention, in my humble opinion: Yama's "Red Loincloth Mario," which can be seen below and here.



The question I have for the folks at Nintendo of Japan: when are we going to see these Mario personas in an official Super Mario Bros. game?

To see more of Yama's concoctions, saunter on over to flickr.com/photos/danny_8bit/ at your earliest convenience.

My Month with Super Mario Sunshine, Part 4

Considering my initially negative reaction to Super Mario Sunshine, I think it's pretty amazing that I lived up to my promise and played it throughout the month of April.

Even more amazing: I'm still playing it, and I'm not planning on stopping anytime soon. I doubt I'll write about it after today, though--outside of an eventual "Great Gaymathon" review, I mean--so I thought I'd wrap things up with a post about the five aspects of this GameCube title that I've come to love the most. Here they are:

1. The secret stages--Everyone seems to say these FLUDD-less levels are by far the best in the game. I don't entirely agree with that (because I think a number of the "regular" ones are stellar, too), but I definitely agree they're pretty great. Sure, they make my palms sweat as much as any other game I've ever played, but that just adds to the ecstasy I feel when I finally conquer one.

2. "The Sand Bird is Born"--Speaking of sweaty palms, when I first encountered this Gelato Beach stage, I was pretty sure I'd never beat it. That was OK with me, though, as the idea of playing it over and over and over again brought me more joy than you can imagine. What can I say? There's something magical about a level that takes place on the back (and side) of a soaring bird made of blocks of sand. 

3. "The Wilted Sunflowers"--I wasn't sure if I should include this stage or the "Wiggler Ahoy" one from Gelato Beach when I started writing this post a few days ago. Because I already covered Gelato Beach in the bullet point above, I decided to go with this one, which is part of Pinna Park. Plus, it involves toppling egg-shelled turtles in order to revive wilted sunflowers. That said, I consider both of them to be surprisingly (and pleasantly) unique takes on the "boss battle" formula. 

4. Noki Bay--As much as I love Gelato Beach and Pinna Park, I'm pretty sure Noki Bay is the first world in Super Mario Sunshine that quite literally caused my jaw to drop. To say it's gorgeous is like saying Peach's voice (particularly in this game) is grating. By the way, if the designers and programmers at Nintendo could pull this kind of thing off all the way back in the early 2000s, I'm pretty sure they'll be able pull off some similarly amazing things with the Wii U in the coming years.

5. Yoshi--Yes, Yoshi's inclusion in Super Mario Sunshine is, for the most part, pointless. (Or so I've been told--I'm not sure I'm far enough into the game to say that myself with any assurance.) Still, I'm glad someone pushed for him to be included, as I find riding the little fella around Delfino Plaza to be a joy unto itself.

I know some of you are big fans of Super Mario Sunshine. If that aptly describes you, what are some of your favorite aspects of this summery three-dimensional platformer?

See also: previous 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' posts

My Month with Super Mario Sunshine, Part 3

If you follow me on Twitter, you likely already know that I've had at least a slight change of heart when it comes to Super Mario Sunshine.

Oh, the wonky camera still makes me want to throw my WaveBird controller against the nearest wall with alarming regularity, as do the game's annoyingly vague directives, but I've also come to accept (if not embrace) those quirks in an effort to experience as much of this GameCube title as possible before the month is up.

Anyway, getting back to my newly softened view of Super Mario Sunshine and what prompted it, may I present Exhibit A:



Honestly, as soon as I was plopped onto the roller-coaster car that first appears around the 2:30 mark in the video above I was pretty sure I was going to love this level. Well, not only did I love it, but it almost single- handedly revitalized my interest in the entire adventure. I mean, if I can encounter such a wonderful stage at this early-ish point in the game, what other surprises await further down the road?

Also helping, of course, is that I'm doing my best to be patient and to take my time as I work my way through Super Mario Sunshine's many challenges.

Does that mean I'm going to finish this sucker before April turns into May? I kind of doubt it, but at the moment I'm planning to continue playing it past that point regardless--which I consider to be quite an accomplishment considering my initial impressions (read them here and here).

And April's 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' selection is ...

... Super Mario Sunshine for the GameCube.

Yep, I'm going to jump back into this "Bye-Bye, Backlog" project that was rather unceremoniously placed on the back burner in March.

I should warn you, though, that it may get pushed to the background again in the future, as I've definitely learned over the last few months that this isn't really the way I like to game.

What I mean is that I prefer to play games without any pressure. I choose games that interest me and then I play them until I'm not longer interested in them--even if that means quitting before I've seen the end credits.

A project like this pushes me to play a specific game as much as possible each week--which, in a way, is a good thing, but which also is a bad thing, as some weeks I just don't feel like playing the game I'd committed to earlier.

All that said, I'm going to give this project my best shot from here on out.

Getting back to this month's selection, Super Mario Sunshine: I have to admit that I'm a bit baffled by the fact that I've yet to play this GameCube platformer.

After all, I have tremendously fond memories of playing through Super Mario 64 as a teen (and again as a college student). Also, I had a similarly heartwarming experience with the Super Mario Galaxy titles that were released for the Wii in 2007 and 2010, respectively.

Of course, I was pretty late to the GameCube party--I only picked up the lunchbox-like system after it had plummeted in price to $99--so maybe my lack of interest in this three-dimensional Mario adventure shouldn't be so surprising after all?

Regardless, I'm looking forward to acquainting myself with this title's uniquely tropical setting (or so I've heard) as well as Mario's oddly named FLUDD device soon.

Have any of you played Super Mario Sunshine at one time or other? If so, what's your opinion of it?

Here's a pink-and-red equal sign I can get behind

I don't know about you, but my Facebook wall has been awash in pink-and-red equal signs like the one below since early yesterday.

For those of you who haven't experienced the same, here's the gist: in an effort to show that they support marriage equality (aka same-sex marriage), swarms of people have been changing their Facebook profile photos to that of a pink-and-red equal sign that apes the Human Rights Campaign's omnipresent--in my 'hood, at least--blue-and-yellow logo.

Although I haven't joined that crowd for a number of reasons (I'm not a fan of HRC, for starters), I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to do so after coming across this altered version:

By the way, as far as I can tell, a chap named Derek Eclavea is responsible for this awesome creation (while one of my Facebook friends, Eric Starker, is responsible for turning me onto it).

Should you want to read a bit more about these pink-and-red equal signs, may I suggest checking out the following blog posts: 'Don't Let That Red Equal Sign Become a Hollow Gesture' and 'HRC’s Branding Attempts'

Donkey Kong: Pauline Edition

Looking for a feel-good story to wrap up the weekend? You can't get much better than this one: someone calling himself "Mike Mika" (sorry, I'm not sure if that's his real name or not) recently shared on YouTube a video titled "Donkey Kong: Pauline Edition," which features a hacked copy of Donkey Kong: Original Edition--the one that reinstated the previously MIA cement factory level into the NES version of Nintendo's classic quarter-muncher--that has Pauline save Mario rather than vice versa.

What prompted Mike to make "Donkey Kong: Pauline Edition"? Here's the explanation he shared in the video's YouTube description: "My three-year-old daughter and I play a lot of old games together. Her favorite is Donkey Kong. Two days ago, she asked me if she could play as the girl and save Mario. She's played as Peach in Super Mario Bros. 2 and assumed she could do the same in Donkey Kong. I told her we couldn't in that particular Mario game [and] she seemed really bummed out by that."



Flash forward to Mike being "up at midnight, hacking the ROM [and] replacing Mario with Pauline" in order to produce the title seen above.

Although Mike and his daughter are the only gamers playing "Donkey Kong: Pauline Edition" at the moment, last night he promised that he'd "figure out the best way to share a patch for anyone interested in playing the hack."

See also: 'So, you mean I can stop cursing Nintendo of America now?' and 'Donkey Kong: Original Edition ain't all that' and 'How badly do you want to play Donkey Kong: Original Edition?'

A few thoughts on this morning's Nintendo Direct

As any long-suffering Nintendo fan knows, the company's "Nintendo Direct" broadcasts tend to be hit-or-miss affairs. Although some of them have produced bonafide megatons (like when Bayonetta 2 was announced), just as many others have been utter snoozefests.

Given that, I wasn't at all sure what to expect from this morning's trio of Wii U-focused Nintendo Directs (one for Europe, one for Japan and one for North America). I had a feeling at least a few bombs would be dropped thanks to the rather ho-hum launch of company's latest console, but would they be "we're working on a sequel to Wii Party" bombs or would they be "Bayonetta 2 will hit store shelves in May" bombs?

Interestingly enough, Nintendo is working on a sequel (of sorts) to Wii Party. That was about the least interesting of all of the announcements that were part of this Nintendo Direct, though, so I think it's safe to say that this particular broadcast was far more "hit" than "miss."

Specifically, here are what I considered to be the high points of this morning's address:

* The look inside Platinum Games' office, where the company's staffers seem to be hard at work on Bayonetta 2, was all sorts of awesome. Sure, we didn't get to see any actual gameplay footage, but we were given enough glimpses of in-the-works enemies and environments to know the final product probably is going to rock our respective worlds.

* OK, so it wasn't all that surprising to hear that new 3D Mario and Mario Kart games are being prepped for Wii U. To hear that both games will be shown in playable form at E3 2013, though, was pretty shocking--as was Satoru Iwata's utterance that we'll finally get to see some screens of the next Smash Bros. title at the same event.

* Considering it's been rumored for a while now, I doubt many people fainted or felt heart palpitations after Iwata revealed that the Wii U will receive a Yoshi-focused platformer in the near future. My own heart certainly starting racing, though, when I heard that it's being developed by the geniuses at Good-Feel and saw that it's going to look more than a bit like that group's Kirby's Epic Yarn.

* So, let me make sure I'm understanding this correctly: Atlus is working with Nintendo to produce a Wii U game that brings together the characters and settings of the Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem series? If so, uh, I'm not sure what to think, to tell you the truth. I mean, it certainly sounds interesting, and I'm sure the resulting game will be stellar, but I can't quite picture it yet, you know?

* What I can picture: making my way through Monolith Soft's next game--which looks a lot like their last one (that being Xenoblade Chronicles), actually, but about a million times better--with a humungous grin on my face. You know, because of the gorgeous visuals. And the huge environments. Oh, and the transforming mechas.