Mimi's Adventures in Miminton (or, yes, I'm obsessed with Animal Crossing once again)

So, I'm playing Animal Crossing again. No, not the Japanese version of New Leaf (I wish!). And, no, not City Folk or Wild World, either. Instead, I'm playing the original one--or, rather, the first one to make its way to North America--for the first time in many, many years.

I'm having such a blast with it that, well, I thought I'd snap some photos of my playthrough and share them here. Consider yourself warned, though, that the images shared in this and subsequent posts were made from photos taken of my TV. You heard that right--no fancy-shmancy screen-capturing technology at work here, no sirree. As such, some (all) of them are sure to look a little funky. Sorry in advance.

With that said, why don't I introduce you to my main Animal Crossing character? (Yes, that means I have more than one.) Her name's Mimi and here's a glimpse of her in her Harvest Festival-themed home on her birthday--which took place just after Thanksgiving, by the way:

Note the three NESes sitting around. Mimi actually obtained one of them (Donkey Kong) from a neighbor on her birthday, while the others (Balloon Fight and Pinball) were acquired via the village's black market. (Shhhhh!)

This next shot shows Mimi interacting with one of her Miminton (named in honor of the fabulous Japan-only Wii title, Captain Rainbow) neighbors--almost all of whom are bitchy, it has to be said.

At least the follicley freaky Freckles, above, has a nice thing to say once in a while. The same can't be said of Vladimir, below, who surely has never met someone with whom he couldn't find fault. Still, Mimi can't help but like the ol' sourpuss.

OK, so I caught Tangy in an off moment in the photo below. Thankfully, she's pretty darn peppy most of the time--or maybe I should say "she used to be pretty darn peppy," as she and her orange noggin are now sweetly harassing the fine folk of some other Animal Crossing burgh.

Sega's doing its darndest to lead me @field

Specifically, the folks at The House That Sonic Built are doing their darndest to get me to buy a PlayStation Vita.

How so? Well, they're preparing to release--in Japan only, of course--a game called @field, which combines golf and pinball (in terms of gameplay) and is covered with a smear of the company's out-of-this-world--in more ways than one--Space Channel 5 (in terms of graphics).

Sadly, I can't seem to find any videos of this oddly titled game, which is supposed to be released sometime this winter, so the screenshots above and below will have to suffice.

Actually, I'm kind of glad I can't find any videos of @field, as I really don't need to add any games or systems to my "to buy in 2012" list, which already includes a slew of 3DS, PSP and Wii titles, as well as possibly a PS3 and/or a Wii U.

Should @field be positively received by the few brave souls who pick it up and play it, though, I definitely could see myself buying a copy of it alongside a Vita system--sometime after the Vita lands in the bargain bins in the States, of course.

See also: 'Are you planning to pick up a PlayStation Vita?'

The Great Gaymathon Review #35: Pinball (Famicom)

Game: Pinball

Genre: Pinball

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo

System: Famicom

Release date: 1984

Back in the early days of the NES, just one of Nintendo's launch-window (aka "Black Label") releases was a "repeat renter" in our household: Pinball. Admittedly, the gameplay, graphics and even sound in this title are as simplistic and straightforward as its name, but that doesn't mean the overall product is boring. At least, not entirely. Now, boring is exactly what it would be if all it offered was a two-screened pinball table and a single bonus stage, but as is nearly always the case with Nintendo-developed games this one includes just enough bells and whistles (although I hesitate to call them that) to make things interesting. For instance, there's the little ditty that plays during the title screen and before each round. Sadly, that's all the music you'll hear while playing Pinball, but at least what you do hear is enjoyable. Also, there are the charming characters--including seals, penguins and just-hatched chicks--that populate and enliven the title's otherwise sparse play area. (Two similarly charming characters, Mario and Pauline, star in the title's Breakout-esque bonus stage.) None of the above would matter much if Pinball played like crap, but thankfully that's not the case. Sure, it doesn't feature realistic physics like most modern pinball games, but it feels good all the same--and that's all my brother and I looked for back when we scanned the aisles of the local grocery store for our next weekend rental. It's also what I look for today when I scan my collection for my next five- or 10-minute gaming fix.

See also: Previous 'Great Gaymathon' posts

The Great Gaymathon Review #22: Alien Crush (PC Engine)

Game: Alien Crush

Genre: Pinball

Developer: Compile

Publisher: Naxat Soft

System: PC Engine (HuCard)

Release date: 1988

Considering the PC Engine is one of my all-time favorite consoles and Aliens is one of my all-time favorite films, is it safe to say that Alien Crush is one of my all-time favorite games? I wouldn't go that far, but I'd definitely say that this H. R. Giger-esque title, which was developed by Compile and Naxat Soft, is one of the better--or at least one of the more enjoyable--pinball games I've ever played. (Controversial aside: I prefer this title to its generally-better-received sequel, Devil Crash.) Chiefly responsible for my love of this game are, of course, the aforementioned Aliens-inspired graphics. (I'm especially fond of the multi-eyed "queen" that takes up a large portion of the lower playfield.) Granted, you'll become well acquainted with those graphics, as the play area in Alien Crush is just two screens high, but at least they're gorgeous. (Thankfully, a bonus round helps break things up a bit.) Also adding to this game's allure: Its throbbing, rock-ish soundtrack. Sadly, said soundtrack consists of just two tunes--a few more if you count the tracks played during the bonus rounds and on the game-over screen. So, what's not to love about Alien Crush? Well, aside from its somewhat-repetitive graphics and music, I'd say the game's biggest negative is one shared by most pinball games of the time: The physics are far from perfect. Oh, and the screen doesn't scroll smoothly from one section of the playfield to the next; rather, it uses what some folks call a "flick-screen mechanism." If you're not anal about such things, though, you should find a lot to like in this release.

See also: Previous 'Great Gaymathon' posts