Token Female Gamer

The original Super Mario Bros was a seminal game. Not only did it spawn a legion of sequels, but it also catapulted the Mario franchise into the stratosphere in terms of popularity. It also happened to be the inception of my (and many others) life long Mario habit and still holds a very special place in my heart.

And though I’ve played many of the sequels, most of them diverged wildly from the original, expanding the world of Mario in many new and interesting directions.

All good things, but it does make me appreciate Super Mario 3D Land, as few games have evoked as much nostalgia for the original. 3D Land managed to capture the simplicity of the original Mario, with straightforward and short, yet interesting and challenging levels, simple graphics and minimalist backgrounds. But like all great sequels/remakes, Super Mario 3D Land doesn’t forget about progress and includes many of the features found in modern Mario games.

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Only one? Nawwwwww. Sorry for poor screenshot quality. I have no screen capture stuff and I just broke my camera, so iPhone shots will have to suffice. =/

Skyrim

Super Mario 3D Land (Playing Luigi in the secret levels) and Professor Layton and the Last Specter.

Mass Effect 3 Mulitplayer. Super fun when I can find the time to play it. =D

This is a huge topic and an important one since mobile devices have really allowed for a huge indi game explosion, and many believe that this is the future of the games industry, gaming on the go.

As an owner or multiple Nintendo DSs, a 3DS, an iPhone, and even a PSP, I have loads of opportunity for hand held gaming. That being said, I hardly ever use the PSP (don’t really know why, it just never grew on me). Even my iPhone is relatively game free. The DS really holds my hand held device love.

I think this mostly comes from the fact that the DS has a meatier selection of games. The indi movement is great, but the vast majority of them are simply too casual for me. I really like games with a bit more depth. Also I really really really dislike playing things on the touch screen. The margin of error is far higher then a button will ever be, which can be a quite frustrating experience.

Never the less, I do have a favorite iPhone game and though it’s not my favorite of all time, it deserves a mention. Words with Friends is the clear winner. A really fun, challenging, and quick game that is easy to play in five-minute increments.

But my heart belongs to the DS. And though the selection was difficult, I’m going to settle on Professor Layton as my final choice. Pretty much any Professor Layton game will do, as I have enjoyed them all. This type of turn based puzzle game really appeals to me.

That being said, I do have some runners up. The outstanding Pokemon games are a very close second place and have only landed in there due to lack of innovation. Phoenix Wright – Ace Attorney is another fabulous game that plays similarly to the Professor Layton series, only revolves around a lawyer solving a mystery.

Lastly I do very much love the Zelda and Mario DS games, but I didn’t feel that they should be chosen since they are not solely on the DS.

As a long time Pokemon devotee, I was naturally looking forward to the Black and White release. Especially since the pair was touted as being the next evolution in the series, with better graphics, all new Pokemon, year long seasonal cycle, and advanced battle system.

Nintendo worked really hard to convince everyone that this game would be different. Sadly it’s not quite as evolved as I had been hoping.

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For anyone who played the fabulous Phantom Hourglass, this game will look and feel familiar. Sprit Tracks, the fifteenth Zelda game, maintains a similar art style and core game mechanics.

While Phantom Hourglass was a direct continuation of its predecessor (Wind Waker), Spirit Tracks departs from this with a whole new story and theme.

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Professor Layton and his sidekick Luke are back and ready to solve their third adventure filled with murder, mystery and mayhem.

In true sequel fashion, this third installment is identical too its predecessors. Oh the story is certainly different and the mini games changed, but the look, game play, and interactions are essentially the same.

In my case, this is not a bad thing. I had already dealt with my bout of disappointment when I played through the second installment, and accepted that the Layton series is not about to evolve. So more of the same is just I was expecting when I started in on #3.

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This actually happened a week ago, but I was AFK for a wedding so yaay late posting. Lots of driving which means lots of DS time. So much driving that I ran out of batteries on mine and had to switch to using the husband’s. =)

Back now and my shaman made 52 last night. Yes, the title is a lie, but you only get the nifty big achievement spam for the “important” levels. She was 50 at one point. =P

Leveling is fast. Comparatively anyway. I might actually make 85 with this character.

There is nothing quite as rejuvenating as a fabulously large comic book (and more) convention only thirty minutes from my house. WonderCon is so close I don’t have to fly anywhere, stay in expensive hotels, and curb spending because my carrying capacity on the plane is limited. All the fun without any of the drawbacks. Certainly one of the huge perks of city living, one that I would be remiss in not enjoying to the fullest.

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Kirby has been cursed by an evil witch and turned into a pink ball. It’s our job to help him along in his quest to break the curse and free the land.

The story itself is not intrinsic to the game. In fact I had to look it up for this review. What this boils down too is that the game play does just fine in the fun department without the story there to lean on.

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Elite Beat Agents is a perfect example of the greatness that can come out of Japan, especially when they let their kooky side shine.

A rather eccentric little rhythm game, that showcases around twenty easily recognizable and entertaining songs. These are cleverly paired with strangely appropriate stories, which revolve around people in need. Once these folks are identified and their need quantified, the Elite Beat Agents are sent in to dance their way to a fabulous solution.

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