Currently Playing #4

Super Punch-Out!!

I was thinking of opening up Punch-Out!! for the Wii, but I decided I'd go ahead and play my freshly downloaded Super Punch-Out!! on the Virtual Console.

It's been years since I've played this game but a lot of things are still fresh in my mind. I took out Gabby Jay pretty quickly. It wasn't a 27 second KO, but I did have him kissing the mat in under 48 seconds. Not too shabby for a guy that hasn't played in years. Piston Hurricane gave me some trouble. I did pretty lousy dodging those hurricane punches, but I was still able to defeat him.

I played through the Minor Circuit and called it a day. My nieces watched me play through it. They thought I was really good. I told them a lot of it was memorization, because as good as I did, I could have done a lot better. It's crystal clear that I'm rusty at Super Punch-Out!! but it feels great to to get back into it.

Kirby Air Ride

I can remember the first time I ever heard of this game. It was in the GamePro 1996 E3 issue. Back then I had N64 fever and gobbled up any coverage on N64 games I could find, especially Nintendo's first party titles. Kirby Air Ride had a struggling development cycle and was silently canceled only to resurface in 2003 on the GameCube.

I had planned to purchase Kirby Air Ride upon release but this was a time in my life where I was easily swayed by reviews and the game received mixed reactions due to it's simple controls. But recently I'd kept hearing so many fans mention how great Air Ride is. According to the Kirby 20th Anniversary Celebration Book that came with Kirby's Dream Collection, a lot of fans are still playing Air Ride to this day. I picked up Kirby Air Ride off Amazon, complete for a reasonable price of under $22. It came in the mail pretty quickly and I've spent the last few weeks playing it and really enjoying it.

With controls being restricted to the analog stick and the A button, I do feel somewhat limited when playing Kirby Air Ride. I mean, you don't even have to press A to accelerate because that's done automatically. You do have to steer around turns and using A to drift takes getting used to. I still don't quite have it down. You also have to position your air ride machine just right for landings. Do it properly and you'll get a boost for landings. Flub it and you'll land roughly and lose a bit of speed.

I like how the Copy Abilities was implemented in this game. Get close to an enemy, press A and Kirby can inhale them to gain a power. You can use these abilities to screw with the other three racers but you still have to race a good game to come in first so this game isn't totally about power-ups. At least when you're playing Air Ride and Top Ride mode. City Trial has you powering up your machine and then completing a various, random challenges. It's quite fun and this was the mode that was walked about the most among Kirby fans that played the game. Though to be honest, I find myself coming back to Air Ride mode more. Top Ride is the most simplistic mode in the game. The race tracks can be viewed on a single screen, similar to the race tracks in the Super Off-Road games.

Kirby's Epic Yarn

I finished this game last year with 77% and I felt compelled to start up a new file and play through it again. Despite not playing like a traditional Kirby game, Epic Yarn is still one of my favorite games in the Kirby series. This game received much praise for it's visual style and gameplay but some people slam it because it's too easy and it doesn't play like the usual Kirby game. First off, Kirby games are designed with younger players in mind, so they aren't made to be brutally difficult. Secondly, some of the best Kirby games are the ones that don't play like traditional Kirby games. One of the main reasons I love Kirby is because he's so diverse. Heck, even Mario hasn't branched out nearly as much as Kirby has. Anyway, I've gone so far off topic.

I'm trying to unlock every level in the game and get a gold medal on each stage. Thus far, I've gotten gold medals on all levels the first two worlds. I'm also gonna get every piece of furniture and wallpaper so I may have a lot of bead collecting ahead of me depending on the cost of all the items.

Maybe it's due to the decreased challenge. Even by Kirby standards, Epic Yarn is easier than other Kirby games. Perhaps it's the atmosphere. But Kirby's Epic Yarn is a very calming game to play. There's this overwhelming feeling of bliss that comes over me whenever I'm playing it. There's stuff to collect and levels to unlock but it still feels very much like a "chill" game, something I think every gamer needs from time to time.

Still Playing: Kirby's Dream Collection, New Super Mario Bros. 2, Mario Kart 7

Downloads #15

Super Punch Out!! [SNES]

While checking to see if there were any new rewards for Club Nintendo members, I came across a very interesting one. Through November 14, they are offering Super Punch-Out!! on the Wii's Virtual Console for  a mere 150 coins. Compared to 800 Wii points, I'd say that's a good deal. This is another SNES Virtual Console game I intended to buy some time and Club Nintendo's current offer was the perfect incentive. Rewards like these are why I'm glad I joined the club.

It's been over 10 years since I played Super Punch-Out!! I think the farthest I ever got on this game was the third circuit and just getting there was no easy task. Mr. Sand Man made my right thumb and right arm sore, but then, Mr. Sandman gives me trouble in any version of Punch-Out!! that I play. I shudder to think how difficult he may be in the Wii version. Maybe I should finally open that game up and play it.

Latest Purchases #39

My latest haul comes from fye and amazon. This would have been up a few days ago, but one of the items I ordered took a bit longer to arrive in the mail.

Rayman: Raving Rabbids is one of the first Wii games I saw in action. A friend's friend purchased it when he picked up the Wii and we all sat down on the sofa, taking turns with the different mini games for hours. The way Raving Rabbids functioned with the Wii's motion controls helped further sell me on the concept of Nintendo's at the time new console. Plus, the Rabbids were absolutely a riot to watch. Whether they were screaming like idiots or having over-sized anvils dropped on their noggins, each scene these guys appeared in was hilarious. Some bitter fans like to blame the Rabbids for "killing" Rayman, but I bear no ill will towards them. For just $6.99 Rayman and the Rabbids were all mine.

Yeah, I already have the Mega Man Powered Up  + Mega Man Maverick Hunter X Dual Pack but I told myself that if I ever saw the individual games, I'd pick those up. Being a huge Mega Man fan and for $6.99, I'd have to be some kind of moron to pass up that deal.

In the past, I've had a few chances to pick up Kirby Air Ride. It's one of those GameCube games that runs for $20 or more just about everywhere. But what kept me from picking it up was that every time I'd seen the game, there was no manual. Yeah, for a game that only requires one button (A) and the analog stick, not picking up a game because the manual is missing seems pretty odd, but I try to get my games that come in cases complete. Thankfully, I found a complete copy on amazon. I've played it and it works great. Expect a Currently Playing on Kirby Air Ride very soon.

Global Holdings Meta Knight and Waddle Dee make my Kirby plush collection grow a bit wider. I figured if there was a plush for the pink puff, then there had to be others. A search on amazon turned up these two and there are just as awesome as my Kirby plush. Waddle Dee could give Kirby a run for his money in the cute department. Apparently these things were released in 2011 because there exists one for King Dedede, but he can't be found anywhere. I kinda wish Waddle Dee was wearing that blue bandanna, but even without it, he's still one of my favorite plush toys.

Favorite Tunes #34: Horror Edition

I'm not one to celebrate Halloween but I know a lot of other people love this spooky holiday. So I thought I'd devote this edition of Favorite Tunes to horror-inspired themes. As you might expect, there's some Castlevania tracks, but they don't dominate the list.

Beast from the East Mix 2 - Biohazard 2 ReMIX ~met@morPhoses~

Biohazard is the name that Resident Evil goes by in Japan. I've never really been a huge Resident Evil fan. The only game I ever played was the remake of the original Resident Evil on the GameCube. I couldn't get used to the blocky controls and quit after I got killed by that dog that jumped through the window. That said, I do think it has some nice character designs and some creepy music. Beast from the East Mix 2 is from an arranged Resident Evil 2 album. The first time I heard this track was on the now defunct GamingFM on the modern radio station. It's been one of my favorite Resident Evil songs ever since.

The Trick Manor - Super Castlevania IV (SNES)

A remake of the original Castlevania with some new material added for good measure. Thankfully, Simon can now jump off stairs. He can also whip in more than one direction. One of the earliest SNES games, Super Castlevania IV is impressive on many levels. It still looks and sounds fantastic and some oft he graphical effects pulled off, particularly in the fourth stage, are quite a marvel. The opening section of the level is standard fare but about once you get indoors, either the room or the entire castle begins to rotate. To keep from falling into spike pits you have to use Simon's whip to grab onto the hooks. I can still remember being caught off guard by this area years ago. This game's audio made great use of the organ but it really shines through with this track.

Dark World - Final Fantasy VI (SNES, PS, GBA)

Never played Final Fantasy VI? Spoiler alert: The bad guy wins. Not forever, but at the midway point in the game, he scores a huge victory over the heroes that has disastrous consequences for the entire planet. Most RPG villains spend the bulk of the game trying to take over the world. Unlike most of those big bads, Kefka actually succeeds. Under Kefka's rule, the once lush green World of Balance is literally reshaped into the World of Ruin, a world where much of humanity has given up on life having either joined Kefca's cult or committed suicide. The world map theme that played in the the World of Balance, Terra, a track that inspired hope and encouragement, is replaced by Dark World, a tune that reflects the hopelessness and despair that has fallen over the planet. Dark World will eventually get replaced by Search for Friends once you get your new airship, but if you go back to Narshe, you can hear Dark World again. At this point in the game, Narshe is now abandoned of all townsfolk and overrun with creepy critters.

Haunted Graveyard - Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts (SNES)

Mario and Arthur have much in common. Both are heroes that have trouble keeping their lady friends from being abducted. But while Mario's quest gets difficult as he progresses, Arthur's is mind numbingly brutal from the get-go. Not only is the road to saving Prciness Prin Prin a nightmarish one, it's one that has to be traveled twice. In each Ghost 'n Goblins game, the player has to beat the game twice in order to save Arthur's lady love. At least in Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts you have a double jump, though that new move hardly makes things any easier. This is by far my favorite version of the Ghouls 'n Ghosts main theme.

Shade Man Stage - Mega Man 7 (SNES)

The first 16-bit Mega Man game set in the classic series, Mega Man 7 gets quite a bit of flack for not being nearly as tight as the 8-bit games. The sprites are larger to be sure, but Mega Man 7 is hardly an awful game. Shade Man has got to be one of the coolest looking robot masters in the classic series, complete with clever stage design and a haunting musical theme. If you hold B while selecting Shade Man's level, you'll hear an alternate version of the Stage Select them. In addition to this, Shade Man's level theme will be changed to the Ghosts 'n Goblins main theme played with Mega Man 7's instruments. Since Shade Man's level was one big shout out to Capcom's Ghosts ' Goblins series, throwing in the music from that series seemed like a natural Easter egg to hide here.

Screamer - House of the Dead: Overkill (Wii, PS3)

My personal favorite entry in the series, House of the Dead: Overkill has a very Grind House feel to it. Bad voice acting has always been a staple of the series, but Overkill actually has good voice work. That's a bit ironic since Overkill never takes itself seriously. There's lot of funny back and forth banter between protagonists Issac Washington and Agent G and so many F-bombs that it makes a drunken sailor's mouth seem clean by comparison. Overkill has a marvelous soundtrack to go long with the solid on rails shooting. Much of it is funk based, the game isn't afraid mix things up. Screamer is definitely on the horror side in the audio.

Factory Tour - Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (N64)

"What? Scary music in a Kirby game? You're crazy." If that's what you're thinking you've probably never played a single Kirby adventure. Despite the game's cute characters and brightly colored levels, the Kirby games have enough nightmare fuel to last a lifetime. Shiver Star is the obligatory ice world in Kirby 64 and it's heavily implied to be planet Earth. What makes one wonder that? You can see what each planet looks like before you visit it. Shiver Star contains continents that look exactly like the ones seen on Earth. It even has a single orbiting moon. Shiver Star looks to be a post-apocalyptic Earth, frozen over by what was more than likely some man-made creations. The boss of Shiver Star is HR-H, a huge transforming mech that fires deadly lasers and missiles. During the fight with this boss you can seen plenty of tall buildings in the background. One of the areas that Kirby goes through is a mall. So there are plenty of areas that resemble human environments, but there's not a single human to be found. Then you've got this factory next to the mall full of conveyor belts, instant death crushers and strange creatures behind glass. Shiver Star is one of the creepiest places in a Kirby game. I love how you can hear gears moving during this track. This track was including in the compilation soundtrack CD in Kirby's Dream Collection.

Bogmire - Luigi's Mansion (GCN)

Luigi, searching through a mansion full of ghosts to rescue Mario. You gotta give Luigi props for going through that whole ordeal, especially since he was terrified. I'm not ashamed to admit that I was spooked a few times during my play through of Luigi's Mansion. A random ghost messing with me here and there, knocking out some of my coins. But the biggest scare came from my encounter with Bogmire. If I recall, I nearly fell out of my chair in the cut scene that introduced him. Took me a few minutes to take him down, too.

Picture of a Ghost Ship - Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (PCE)

There are three different versions of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. One is on the PC Engine and is hailed as one of the greatest Castlevania games. Another is on the SNES and is a stripped down version of the PCE game, which gets it a lot of criticism. The other is on the PSP along with an unlockable version of Symphony of the Night under the compilation title Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles where it was remade. The PCE version is on the Wii's Virtual Console and it was one of the first games for I downloaded for that system. It has branching paths and that old-school Castlevania difficulty. It took me numerous tries to pass the game's first three stages. Currently, I'm still stuck on the Ghost Ship level.

New Messiah - Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge (GB)

I've only played one Castlevania game on the original Game Boy, Castlevania: The Adventure, even by the series standards, it was painfully slow and clunky. I'm fairly certain I traded that title in shortly after I purchased it. Castlevania: The Adventure was remade as a Wii Ware title where it was actually a good game. It used arranged versions of numerous Castlevania tracks, including New Messiah from Adventure's sequel, Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge. Even on the Game Boy, this tune was quite fast paced and the composition is highly impressive.

No Wii U at Launch for Me

When Nintendo divulged more info on the Wii U, the successor to the Wii, I, like many was thrilled. I planned to pick up a Deluxe Wii U set on launch day. The likes of Nintendo Land and New Super Mario Bros. U were two games I was very much looking forward. That's right, was. Sadly I won't be able to bask in the glory that will be Wii U launch day mania because I won't be picking the system up on day one.

So what gives? Why the change of heart? It isn't like I suddenly decided I didn't want one, though with everything I already have to play the thought of passing on the Wii U at launch crossed my mind several times. The simple face of the matter is, I didn't pre-order a Wii U when everyone started tacking pre-orders so now there's no way I'll be able to secure a console. I refuse to go from store to store, searching in vain for Nintendo's new console. And there's no way I'm gonna fork over some insane amount of cash to get one off eBay from someone that was fortunate enough to get one.

Am I disappointed that I won't be getting a Wii U? Certainly. There's nothing quite like taking part of a console's launch, being one of the gamers that owns the system on the first day. The last Nintendo console I bought at launch was the GameCube.I didn't have the GameCube pre-ordered, so I stood outside Toys before the store opened with a group of people and I still able to get a system. I picked it up with a memory card, Luigi's Mansion, Super Monkey Ball, and Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II. It was very much a fun-filled Sunday afternoon, and I look back on that day with great fondness.

Much as I'd like to get a Wii U on November 18th, I just can't do it because I wasn't smart enough to pre-order one right away. The first few months of the Wii U could be the Wii all over again. Nintendo could never keep those things on the shelf. No matter what video game or electronic store I went to, the Wii was always sold out and this was when I wasn't even looking for one. Nintendo has always had name brand recognition on their side and in the six years that have followed, the Wii became a very popular house hold name. Who's to say the Wii U won't have the same smashing success?

So even though I won't be able to take part in the Wii U's launch, I still look forward to hearing stories and impressions on the games from my fellow gamers, even if reading about them may make me a bit bummed. I do hope the launch isn't crazy and people keep their cool, but desperation tends to bring out the worst in greedy folks so that may be wishful thinking. Everyone, be happy and safe on launch day. I may not be playing the Wii U but I'll still have something to keep me busy.

Currently Paying #3

Maybe it's because this year is Kirby's 20th anniversary, but I've been a major Kirby kick lately. The little pink puff is getting a lot of play time.

Kirby's Return to Dream Land

Seeing videos on YouTube (been watching TheRunawayGuys) got me thinking I should go back and complete the Extra game on Kirby's Return to Dream Land. If you've never played the Extra mode, it's significantly tough than the normal game. Your life bar is cut in half, bosses look different and have additional attacks. And the Another Dimension gray areas? That wall is constantly on you to the point where you may need to shoot something at it to get if off your back.

I play with my nieces from time to time and with my oldest, we actually cleared The Arena. The Arena is a lot of fun, but it's much easier when compared to the one in Kirby Super Star. There were only 13 battles to fight in this version when compared to Super Star's 19. Still, it's a really nice boss rush and since we cleared it, player one can now go through The Arena as either, Meta Knight, King Dedede, or Waddle Dee. That's a pretty nice reward for clearing it. Though I do think I owe a good chunk of the victory to Spark because after a second rough through by myself, I was able to finish without too much trouble. Maybe I'll try to beat The Arena with different powers.

Kirby Super Star Ultra

Yeah, I'm also playing my second favorite Kirby game on my DSi. Ultra adds a lot of new features and brand new games to the point where many consider it superior to the original. I'm 86% finished overall with the games. I went back and got all the Copy Deluxe powers on Milky Way Wishes and I found 39/60 treasures on Great Cave Offensive. Games I haven't finished are Helper to Hero and The Arena, which is just as difficult in this game as it is in the SNES original. I believe you unlock The True Arena for finishing The Arena, which has even more bosses like Galacta Knight and Marx Soul. I was soooo close last night. I got all the way to Marx and almost had him beat but lost my helper and my Copy power.

Still Playing: Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition, Kirby Mass Attack, Mario Kart 7, New Super Mario Bros. 2

Favorite Tunes #33: Boss Themes

Sometimes in the world of gaming, you get a boss that looks tough, but turns out to be a huge letdown. But it's not always so bad, especially when you have an excellent theme to go with the battle. It's even better when the boss keeps you on your toes. Enjoy some of my favorite boss themes.

Vs. Marx - Kirby Super Star (SNES, DS)

By Blopa1987

The first time we lay eyes on Marx, a cute little jester-like being resembling a Goomba, he fills us in on the story of the final unlockable game in Kirby Super Star, Milky Way Wishes. The sun and the moon of Pop Star are fighting. In order to make them stop, Kirby must collect power from the Dream Springs of nearby planets in order to summon Nova, who can grant any wish. The wish was to make the sun and moon stop fighting but just as Kirby is about to make the wish, Marx pushes him out of the way and instead wishes for complete control of Pop Star. Marx was playing Kirby from the very start. He got the sun and moon to fight and he got Kirby to do his dirty work for him. Once Marx gets his wish, he transforms into a hideous bat-like creature with a creepy laugh. Marx is famous among Kirby fans for being the manipulator that he is and for his battle them. Years later, Magolor would pull Kirby's strings in the same manner that Marx did in Kirby's Return to Dream Land.

The Evil Lord Exdeath - Final Fantasy V (SNES, PS, GBA)

Exdeath isn't as developed a villain as other in the series, but I still like him anyway. I mean, how many mages in the Final Fantasy series are wearing armor and fight as if they were knights? Whenever he shows up, he slaps the party members around just fort he fun of it. This isn't Exdeath's battle theme, but his standard theme that plays whenever he appears on the scene. When you hear the first few notes of this theme, you know something bad is going down.

Ultimate Koopa - Super Mario 64 (N64, DS)

Bowser was quite the pushover the first two times you fought him. But for round three, the kid gloves come off. It isn't as easy to to grab Bowser by the tail as it was before, and when you do manage to throw him into the bombs twice, the battle arena reshapes itself into the form of a star, which makes landing that third and final hit much more difficult. I personally feel this is one of the best final battles in the Super Mario series, if not the best. I wasn't expecting a organ to be blaring during the fight, but it made for a great grand finale fight piece.

Theme of Seven Force - Gunstar Heroes (GEN)

Under any list of awesome video game bosses, Seven Force is generally always somewhere on that list. Piloted by Green, former member of the Gunstars, the mech known as Seven Force can transform into seven different forms such as a phoenix or a pistol. If you're playing on the Expert difficulty, you'll face all seven of Seven Forces deadly transformations. So great is Seven Force's popularity, that he's been used and referenced in other Treasure games like Alien Soldier and Astro Boy: Omega Factor. His boss theme ain't too shabby, either.

Doomsday Zone - Sonic 3 & Knuckles (GEN)

Get all the Chaos Emeralds (just the Chaos Emeralds. Super Emeralds aren't required) and you'll get to play the final zone of Sonic 3 & Knuckles, the Doomsday Zone. In what is one of the most memorable boss battles of the entire Sonic series, Super Sonic flies through space in pursuit of Dr. Robotnik who has the Master Emerald, the source that keeps Knuckle's home, Angle Island afloat. You have to maneuver Super Sonic so the missiles Robotnik shoots at him hits the cockpit of Robotnik's flying mecha. You also need to collect enough rings to keep Sonic's Super form active so he doesn't die. As cool as this final battle was, it was responsible for setting a standard that would continue in later Sonic games where Super Sonic could only be playable during true final boss battles, much to fan's annoyance. Though with Sonic 4 and Sonic Colors, this trend seems to have come to an end.

Yell Dead Cell - Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2, XB)

Casting aside Solid Snake in favor of newbie Raiden was a bold move, one that fans still whine about to this day. I personally had no qualms with Hideo Kojima's decision to place Snake in the mentor role and Metal Gear Solid 2 is actually my favorite Metal Gear game. It's the only one I've beaten on every difficulty setting and gotten every dog tag. The members of Dead Cell were even more screwed up the the Fox Hound crew from the first Metal Gear Solid, but they had a much better battle theme, which was reused as one of the tracks to be played on the Shadow Moses battle arena in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Boss B - Star Fox 64 (N64)

Fox McCloud and his crew spoke in incomprehensible gibberish in the original Star Fox on the SNES. When Star Fox 64 rolled around, you could clearly hear every word that was said without having to look at the text to understand them. The gameplay was also a lot smoother and the auto targeting system worked liked a charm. Of all the boss themes in Star Fox 64, Boss B sounds the most intense. The way the drums are pounding like crazy, it makes you feel like you're in for the fight of your life. Star Fox 64 received a visually updated port on the 3DS with arranged music, and it's not too shabby but I still prefer the original score.


The lord God - Capcom vs. SNK 2 (ARC, PS2, XB)

Capcom may not be the company that it used to be, but I can look back on their past efforts and smile. Capcom vs. SNK 2 is one of my favorite games in Capcom's crossover series, bringing together even more characters from both company's sizable roster. This intimidating piece of music plays on the final boss, Ultimate Rugal. Rugal has always been a force to be reckoned with, but in this game, it was taken up to eleven.

My Name is Songi - Legend of Legaia (PS)

While waiting for the release of Final Fantasy VIII, I picked up Legend of Legaia in early 1999. I greatly enjoyed the combat system of fighting with martial arts as opposed to the usual swords and such that a great deal of RPGs use. One of the three playable characters, Gal, had a rival in Songi, who has one of the most incredible boss themes I've ever heard. There's quite a build up before it gets to the main chorus, but that build is almost as awesome as the main chorus. The soundtrack version of this theme is sadly, not looped so this is one of those rare instances, where I'll link an extended version.

Wily Battle - Mega Man IV (GB)

What would you say if I told you that the best Mega Man Classic battle theme lies not in the console versions but one of Game Boy games? Don't believe me? You probably haven't heard this theme then. Despite using bosses from the console games and some shrunk down versions of those robot master stage themes, there was some original music and it gave the console versions a run for their money, Wily Battle being one of those themes. Fans certainly have taking a liking to this song as it's been used in a number of Mega Man ROM hacks. I'm hoping the rest of the Mega Man Game Boy titles make it to the 3DS eShop.