My Game Collection

After thinking it over for a bit, I decided to take my games out of the boxes they were in and store them on my shelf. Looking at a big mess of games sure is a lot more attractive than a pile of boxes.

The crazy thing? This isn't even all of my games. It's the bulk of my collection but I left out my Dreamcast games, Genesis games and Sega Saturn games. I don't have near as many titles on those consoles as I do my PS2, NES, and SNES, but I'm still proud of my games for those platforms just the same. The only reason they weren't pictured is because there wasn't anymore room. I'm also missing a few games from some friends that I've yet to get back since I moved. Guess it's time to write those death threats and mail 'em out.

I'd like to thank my dad for taking these pics. Not only do I not own a digital camera, I don't even know how to use one.

The Yellow Devil: DEFEATED!!!

Art by NeterG

Some people call him the Yellow Devil. Some call him the Rock Monster. You could also call him a Cyclops. He goes by many names. But to many, he is one nightmare of a boss, particularly in the original Mega Man game.

It has long been my shame that I've never been able to best the Yellow Devil on the NES Mega Man. When Mega Man Anniversary Collection hit, I could only defeat him by playing on Easy. Even when I tried my hand at facing him again on Normal years later, I still couldn't take him down. When I played Mega Man on an emulator, I had to use save states to defeat him. It seemed like no matter how many times I went up against the Yellow Devil, I could never defeat him on the default difficulty. For all my skill at other games, this one boss just continued to crush me.

I'm playing NES games on a  newly acquired console (you'll find out about it soon, promise) and I decide to do a usual run of the first Mega Man. Now if I'm playing a game of the original Mega Man that isn't on an emulator or Anniversary Collection, I usually just play a certain way. Said way goes like this; beat the six robot masters, make it to the Yellow Devil, get owned, despair and then quit. I actually died twice in the first Wily stage. After those two deaths, I thought "Why keep going? When I reach the Yellow Devil, I'll just end up dying like always." And yet, I kept moving. When I made it the boss chamber, I equipped the Thunder Beam, walked inside and moved out of the way so I could better dodge the income pieces of the Yellow Devil. I already felt like he'd won the fight before it even started but I still kept going. Usually I know when I'm beat at a game (I haven't TOUCHED Battletoads in nearly 10 years), but something wouldn't let me quit this time. When the Yellow Devil came together, I hit him and dodged the next round of pieces and hit him again. And then it dawned on me. I was doing much better at dodging him and hitting him than I ever have in my whole life. Suddenly evading the fast-moving pieces didn't seem all that difficult. Sure, I took a few hits, but this was by far the best fight I'd ever given him. I made sure every single hit count. This particular version of the Yellow Devil has a smaller hit window than his successors. On top of that, you literally only have one second to shoot or else he goes to pieces again. And each time that eye was open, I pumped it full of Thunder Beam. It didn't take long before I had more energy than he did. I could already taste the win. When the final shot rung out, it was the Yellow Devil who disappeared.

I WON!! I DID IT!! After years of humiliating defeats, I'd finally beat the Yellow Devil! And I didn't use save states or a pause glitch! I beat him fair and square. The biggest thing that stood in the way of me conquering the original Mega Man had been removed. After that, finishing the rest of the game was pretty simple. For the first time in my life, I finished the original NES Mega Man cartridge.

I now know that I can take out the Yellow Devil whenever I play the first Mega Man title. He's no longer the unstoppable juggernaut I used to think he was. It may have taken years but I finally accomplished what I thought I'd never be able to do. If you think the Yellow Devil can't be defeated by skill, keep trying. I'm living proof that it can be done.

Latest Game Purchases 2: Video Game Heaven

Today Charles took my to a place called Video Game Heaven, located in Chesapeake. After spending some time in there looking around and making a few purchases, I can honestly say that Video Game Heaven is one of the coolest places on the planet. Also, my brother-in-law is super awesome.

If I were to sum up the store in three words, those words would be "video game museum." Simply put, this store is an olds-school gamer's fantasy. I saw Atari 2600 models that looked brand new, tons of NES, Genesis and SNES games, and the selection of games on current generation platforms went for much less than what you'd pay at GameStop and most mainstream video game retailers that sell used games. For an old-school fanatic like myself, just walking around in there was awesome.

I was finally able to fulfill a dream (pun somewhat intended) by picking up NiGHTS into Dreams. It wasn't complete but it had a case and game cover so I'm pretty content with that. I've always wanted to play this game after all the good things I heard about it after spending a little time with it, I can see why it gets all the praise it does.

Fighting Vipers is one of those games I thought I'd never be able to purchase, let alone play. It's nice to be wrong sometimes. Video Game Heaven had a complete copy for ultra cheap. From what I can tell, it looks they Sega took Virtua Fighter and just went nuts with it.

Fight Vipers was $7.99, NiGHTs was 3.99, Double Dragon II was $5.99 and Stinger was free.

I once had a copy of Double Dragon II: The Revenge on the NES and I foolish traded it in. Thankfully I was able to rectify that mistake by getting another cheap copy. I still find the intro to this game a bit amusing. I mean, at first I thought we had to rescue the girl (AGAIN) but she gets mowed down at the very beginning. Huh. Well that's one way to subvert the whole damsel in distress trope. Oh, spoiler alert, BTW.

Fighting Vipers was actually the last game I picked up but because I bought it, I was able to get Stinger, which was set at $3.99 for free! Sweet!

I did buy one other item that was totally sweet but that's a lengthy post for another day. I'll definitely be coming back to Video Game Heaven when I get another chance.

Latest Game Purchases 1

It's been a dog's age since I bought myself some games with my own money. Well OK, it hasn't been that long but it has been a considerable amount of time since I really bought anything for myself due to still not having a job after the move. I filed my taxes a while ago and got a nice amount back for for only working my previous job for 10 months. Most of the green is set aside for bills but I figured I'd treat myself with at least some of the dough.

Looking through the bargain bin at K-Mart, I saw Elite Beat Agents. My good friend Lucas never passes up a chance to gush all over this game and for the cheap price, it seemed like a no-brainer. That and Lucas would never let me hear the end of it if he knew I passed EBA up. Been a good while since I played a rhythm/music game but I hope to have some impressions on this one posted soon.

fye has a nice selection of movies and anime but I usually avoid that store like the plague because the prices are just insane (they wanted $49.99 for Batman Beyond Season Two). Still, every now and then they give you a reason to do business with them and today as one of those days. I found Klonoa on sale for $13.99 new. I'd been wanting to play this game since finding out it was a visually enhanced port of the original PlayStation game, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile.

I'd seen Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure at two different GameStop's since I've been in Virginia Beach. I figured it was a sign that I needed to buy the game whenever I could. I went back to one of the GameStop stores, hoping it would still be there. Not only was it still there, it was even cheaper than before! The game came complete with some sort of puzzle or something.

Castle Shikigami 2 for the PS2 was an enjoyable SHMUP even with it's laughably bad voice acting. Recently, I found out that Castle of Shikigami III was on the Wii and and for chump change. Like Zack & Wiki, GameStop, thankfully still had a copy.

Game Art #2: Mario Showcase

One of the best Mario Games by Orioto

As the title of this piece clearly states, Yoshi's Island is one of the best Mario games, even if Baby Mario is in serious need of a pacifier.

Locked Out by Glenn Brogan 

Fun fact: those creepy Phanto masks actually got their freight-inducing appearance when Doki Doki Panic came to America as our Super Mario Bros. 2. In Japan, the masks weren't scary-looking at all. The look on Mario's face pretty much sums up how all of us felt as children when there was a floating head chasing us upon picking up a key. To this day, I still hate those things!

Mario's Closet by Albino Raven

Ah, decisions, decisions. If I had a wardrobe half as cool as Mario's I'd have a hard time picking out what to wear, too. Though I would easily rule out the Spring Mushroom. Goomba's Shoe easily trumps it.

Mario World by Orioto

My word, the colors on this are breath-taking.

Mario and Luigi by ShandyRp

I like the simplicity of this piece. That and Luigi holding a plumber helps remind me of the duo's occupation. Seriously, outside of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, when was the last time these two ever did any actual plumbing?

Super Duper Mario-World by SeriojaInc

It's nice to see Daisy in this picture. Considering she's only been kidnapped once (Super Mario Land), Luigi has the best girlfriend by default.

Mario vs Sonic by TPollockJR

Mario and Sonic may pretend to be friendly rivals in Brawl and the Olympic games, but deep down, they hate each other.

The Super Mario Brothers by TheBourgyman

Luigi's got his priorities in order here. Yeah, being able to fly is nice but flight + Starman = WIN. Meanwhile Mario seems to be content with chump change. Of Course since Peach doesn't pay him money for saving her, I guess he's gotta find money on the side.

Mario World Boss Overdrive by EffelArt

The Koopalings. Here's to hoping they show up in more 2D and eventually, 3D Mario games. 

A Day With Mario by haung

Any image that mixes Mario with the SNES is good in my book.

Cape Mario by Kevichan

I like how the top part of the cape almost forms a hood. Pretty nice visual, if you ask me. The rest of this piece is also really nice.

Am I too Old-School?

So I've noticed that most of my blog posts here have been about games from days long gone by. Yeah, I'll mention games from the current generation but for the most part, old-school related posts seem to reign supreme here. This got my thinking: am I too old-school for my own good? Depending on whom you ask, some say you can never have too much of a good thing and then some say that too much of a good thing isn't healthy.

The only current generation platform that I own is a Wii, which is the reason I review games for that system along with Virtual Console titles. I'm no stranger to the PS3 and 360, but since I can't afford to go out and buy a new console right now, I've been content with what I have. Even last generation systems like my PS2 have given me hours of gaming fun.

I know a lot of fellow old-school gamers that play tons of current generation games, far more than myself, and they have no problem picking up older games as if they never left. But I feel like I'm more stuck in the past than most and for that, I feel just a little weird. Makes me wonder if people are sick of my old-school gaming posts.

As much as I enjoy playing games of the past, it does irk me whenever I see comments on YouTube saying that games of today suck and that the older stuff was the best. Those kind of remarks really are painting old-school gamers in bad light and is quite frankly, embarrassing.

I wouldn't mind hearing some feedback on this. Give me your honest opinions. Should I look for topics on newer games to write about on this blog or just leave things as they are?

Review: New Super Mario Bros. Wii

System: Wii
Genre: Platform
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Original Release: 2009

SCORE: 8.5/10

Back in 2006, Nintendo took gamers by surprise with the release of New Super Maro Bros. on the DS. This was the first 2D sidescrolling Mario game since Yoshi's Isand on the SNES in 1995. The game was a throwback to the plumber's 2D romping adventures with familiar power ups and a few new ones. New Super Mario Bros. Wii, a sequel to the DS classic is yet another fantastic entry to the series of Mario platformers and proves once again that Mario's sidescrolling days are far from over.

It's Princess Peach's birthday and just as everyone is about to dig into the humongus cake, the Koopa Kids (yes, the ones from Super Mario Bros. 3) and Bowser Jr. pop out of the sweets, grab Peach and book it with Mario, Luigi, and two unamed Toads in hot pursuit. Huh. I guess the cake really is a lie.

If one player is struggling, another player can pick them up and carry them.

Fans that cut their teeth on the previous 2D Mario games will feel right at home with NSMBW. Run to the right, collecting coins, bashing blocks for power-ups, using your trademark jumping skills to stomp enemies and reach that flagpole at the end of the level. Playing this game is like riding a bike. It have have been a while since you've done it but because you've experienced it before, it's easy to jump back on. Despite being a newer entry to the Mario games, NSMBW has a heavy retro feel to it.

Just as NSMB did before it, NSMBW brings back recognizable power-ups. The Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, Starman are here as well as the Ice Flower from Super Mario Galaxy. Yoshi even shows up to lend a hand in just about one level per world. NSMBW only includes two new power ups, but both are extremely useful. Nabing a Propeller Mushroom nets you the ability to take to the air breifly and then slowly glide back down to earth. The Penguin Suit lets you move as if you had normal traction on icey land, makes swimming a breeze, let's you throw balls of ice just like the Ice Flower, and allows you to slide on flat surfaces. Think of the Penguin Suit as an improved version of the Frog Suit from Super Mario Bros. 3: It's useful on land AND water.

The fact that you play with the Wii Remote titled sideways like an NES controller only adds to the game's nostalgic value, though there is some use of motion controls. You wave the controller up to fly with the Propller Hat as well as pick things up. It isn't too cumbersome, but really, the older method of holding the B button to run, or in this case, the 1 button, would have been preferred.

It's actually a lot easier than you think to lose a few lives in the first Castle.

The biggest new addition to NSBMW is having four players on the same screen at once. Playing the game with three other players can be pretty fun, but it can also be insanely chaotic. The help you get from your pals may end up doing you more harm than good. If you're planing on playing seriously, make sure you're not playing with friends that pick you up and toss you into a lava pit. It's also pretty easy to bounce around off each other and into an enemy or hazard. Despite all the madness that occurs during multi-player you should still try the game out with friends if you have some extra Wii Remotes, but if you're friends aren't available, the game is still a blast to play by yourself.

The unnamed blue and yellow Toads are the best Toads in the history of Mario games. They have to be if they're actually out partaking in the quest.  Where were these two the last 20 times Peach was kidnapped?!

Being a Mario game, NSMBW is pretty challenging, some might even say the challenge in this game ramps up considerably early as opposed to past Mario platformers. Most of the bosses don't pose a serious threat, but making it through many of the game's stages will test your platforming abilities to the limit. As helpful as the power-ups in the game are, more often than not, pure skill wins the day and if you are not bringing your A game, many tears will be shed along with broken controllers. Don't despair, though. If you fail to complete a level after eight attempts, the Super Guide becomes available. The Super Guide is a computer controlled Luigi, that if selected, will show the player how to complete the level. What the Super Guide will not show you is all the level's secrets or alternate routes. You can use the Super Guide to complete troublesome levels but the game doesn't acknowledge it as a true victory. Some are sure to criticize the existence of the Super Guide, but it's not a bad feature and using it is entirely optional.

The Penguin Suit is one of the best power-ups in any Mario game. It also makes you look ridiculously huggable. 

Star Coins return, but unlike NSMB they aren't used for unlocking Toad Houses. These coins are used to unlock special hints like finding alternate routes, hidden exits and Warp Zones. Many of the coins are easy to obtain, but some of them are hidden pretty well and can't be accessed without certain power-ups if you're going it alone. With friends, it's manageable. If you're willing to collect all 231 coins, you'll be able to play each stage in World 9. Remember how hard the Special World from Super Mario World was? World 9 has a pretty similar difficulty and should only be approached by those that are curious or seek 100% completion, which includes getting all of the Star Coins in this world as well.

Two players can get around with just one Propeller Mushroom.  

NSMBW looks like a more cleaned up version of it's predecessor, sporting much smoother graphics. The game has the catchy, humable tunes you've come to expect out of a Mario game, using some slightly arranged versions of some the tunes from the first NSMB and a few remixes of classic Mario tracks such as the Underground theme.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is one of the best titles for the Wii and a fine platform game. The new power-ups are very welcome, the Super Guide allows novice players to experience more of the game, and the platforming and level designs are some of the best the genre has to offer. This is a must-play game.