Author Archives: dahubbz
Imaginary Friend (2024) Movie Review!
Recently, we decided to watch John Krasinski’s Imaginary Friend, or If for short. I don’t watch trailers, so I didn’t really know what to expect—all I could think about was Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends. This movie ended up being something truly special to me.
Spoilers: I try my best not to spoil the film. Though, some parts are hard not to discuss. So, while I hint at spoilers, I try not to blatantly spoil the ending.
If is all about childhood innocence, remaining positive in our darkest hours, and never abandoning who you are. These are messages I think most adults would do well to remember. The movie stars Bea, a young girl who has lost her mother and is now watching her dad’s health deteriorate throughout the course of the film. It’s Bea and her father’s relationship (John Krasinski) that helps tie all the movie’s themes together.
Her dad spends most of the movie in the hospital needing surgery. He tries to stay in high spirits throughout the film with his magic tricks, silly dances, and downplaying his condition. Bea, who is trying to act like an adult to offset her dad’s childish behavior, is constantly telling him to grow up or that life doesn’t have to be fun and wacky all the time. However, despite his condition worsening and Bea’s constant pressure for him to drop the happy dad act, he refuses.
Throughout the film, Bea resists his childish nature. I think she was trying to act strong and brave, having gone through this with her mom already. The fact that she’s twelve means she’s at that age where she desperately wants to be viewed as an adult. Then, when she meets Cal (Ryan Reynolds), Blue (Steve Carell), and Blossom (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), she starts to let her guard down.
She learns that imaginary friends have been forgotten, and they all live in a mysterious place called Memory Lane. Memory Lane was my favorite scene in the movie. We’re exposed to several IFs, most voiced by incredible actors like Brad Cooper as an ice cube and George Clooney as a spaceman, among many others. Memory Lane is constantly changing to fit the needs of the IFs and Bea’s imagination. It’s a truly wonderful place. I would have liked to revisit it, but it didn’t overstay its welcome and maintained an air of mysticism.
The core plot follows Bea and Cal teaming up to try and get the other IFs adopted—which they fail at. This leads to their epiphany: why not try to find the IFs’ original kids? This leads to some of the most beautiful moments in the movie. Blossom sharing a dance with her child, who is now an adult. Blue reconnecting with his child, also grown up, just in time to calm him down for his big meeting. And of course, Bea finally getting to embrace her own IF.
I view the adults making contact with their IFs as a metaphor for reconnecting with their inner child. Each character has been beaten down or just worn out from the everyday motions of life. When Blossom shares a dance with her child, we had discovered that her child had given up on their dreams of being a dancer because she was “too tall.” When she shares that dance with Blossom, she gets to—for the first time in who knows how long—just dance like she did when she was a kid.
When Blue finds his adult seconds before he has to present in front of his bosses, his adult is stressed and no longer able to calm himself down. However, when Blue touches his shoulder, we see a calming aura wash over Blue’s adult. It’s implied he does well in his presentation.
Finally, Bea finds her IF. This is a sweet and powerful moment at the film’s finale. All movie long, Bea was trying to be an adult, never worrying about herself. She was either trying to be strong for her dad, be there for the other kid in the hospital, or solve all the IFs’ problems—never really thinking about herself. Seeing her IF lets her be a kid again. It lets her embrace that side of herself that was vulnerable, that was naive, that was free.
I’m not sure if the timeline was explicitly explained in the movie, but it’s implied that she needed her IF in the past when life got hard or scary. I’m not certain if it was ever explicitly stated that this was when her mom was in the hospital, but now that her dad is in the hospital, she’s able to see all the IFs again.
If is a powerful and beautiful movie. It encourages us to never lose our sense of wonder or sense of self—that growing up doesn’t have to be scary or change who you are at your core. Bea learned this firsthand. She tried to be an adult and take things seriously when things looked bad, but the IFs and her dad constantly encouraged her to be herself and just live life. It’s a message I think would do us all good to hear.
I give If an 8 out of 10. Thank you so much for reading. Have a great day.
This Week’s Preview!
Hey guys. I wanted to take this time to mention some posts I’m working on.
Manga Monday: As of right now, I’m still reading Hunter x Hunter Vol #1. I’ve read the first 4 or 5 chapters. Not sure if the review will be ready or not tomorrow. We will see. Either way, I want to do something Manga Monday related.
A movie review for If (2024). This blog is written and will probably come out Tuesday. *It will contain minor spoilers*
Random Thursday: I actually just realized I changed this from Random Wednesdays to Random Thursdays because of new comics. Either way, I will watch a random anime on Crunchyroll and review the first episode.
Top Five Fridays will be returning Friday. Whoo! That’s exciting.
I’ve got more ideas in the tank, but anytime I come back wanting to do a daily blog, the quality of ideas and writing drops off. So, for now, if I get 4 blogs out this week, I will be thrilled.
As always, thanks for reading. Have a great day!
Firing it Back Up (Life Update!)
Where do we start? I started this blog about 10 years ago or so and have had varying degrees of motivation. I’ve always said running my YouTube channel was my main side hobby and the blog has often taken backseats when I’m in a YouTube mood or when I was really having to work a lot for my old company.
Well, a couple of things have happened. A. I left my old job. Me, my wife and kids moved 1 state over to be closer to my dad. B. My wife was the one who landed a job when we moved, so I have the honor of being a stay at home dad for now.
Next, and this is sadly unfortunate. My PC didn’t survive the move. I’m thinking the graphic card died (though maybe it just got roughed up from the move). Either way I haven’t been able to resolve the issue yet. That is unfortunate because I wanted to take this time to get better at video editing as well as continue to further my YouTube channel. I also prefer writing on PC, but at least I can still publish my blog via my phone so not all is lost.
Well, I’ve also taken to trying to write bigger projects. I am currently writing what I hope will turn into a comic book. My wife and I will try to run independently as well as writing an all ages fantasy story for my daughter. Those are both ambitious for me, but something I’d like to do.
Some topics I hope to return to the blog are: Manga Monday, Random Anime Review Wednesdays, and Top Five Fridays. I may add TCGs back into the mix. However, leaving my old job has limited my interaction with them lately.
When the blog started, it was all about video games, mangas, and anime. I’ll try to do a post talking more about what I’ve read, watched, and played during my hiatus. I have several blog topics saved from where I wrote YouTube scripts that are easy to turn into blog posts.
I’ve also had a second kid. Something I feel like I haven’t really posted about.
Lastly, if there’s anything you want the blog to focus more on, let me know. Right now I’m into retro games (Xbox, PS2, N64, Gamecube), watching One Piece to try to get current (episode 812), and watching my Switch 2 pre order everyday to make sure it doesnt get canceled.
Lately, I haven’t really been in a writing for the blog mood. As described, I’ve already mentioned the things that currently interest me in writing. However, while I wait to see what I’m doing about my PC, the blog may become my outlet to talk about mangas and video games.
Expect blogs to return starting Monday with some sort of Manga Monday update. Some post may or may not trickle out over the next week.
I’m also trying the keto diet this summer, coupled with walking 10,000 steps a day and planning our family’s 2nd Disney World vacation. So, if you’d like to see me make posts about that, just let me know.
I think that’s everything to cover today. If you happen to read this, give me some ideas. Otherwise, expect Manga Mondays and topics about video games to start pouring out later next week.
Thank you for reading. Have a great day. Subscribe to the DaHubbz YouTube channel to see the content I was making the last few years.
Games That Are TRAPPED on the Wii U!
With the last major Nintendo Switch Direct behind us, it’s getting safer to say these games will not be coming to the Switch. And yes, I’m using the phrase “stuck on Wii U” or something to that effect. But sure, the Switch’s successor could always port these games, but that’s no fun. So we’re suspending that for this video. A lot of these games were already unlikely to come over due to the game pad, even though we’ve seen companies rework their games before. So let’s look at some games that are stuck on the Wii U.
Let’s get the elephant of the room immediately, Zelda Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. I’ve been saying all along not to believe these rumors. And now 4 years later I feel vindicated. I don’t really like being negative. But let’s call a spade a spade. These games were rumored originally during the early days of Covid. The theology kinda makes sense. It was Covid. Nintendo was really relying on ports and remakes during the shutdown. Around a similar time, Zelda was celebrating its 35th anniversary. Mario had it’s 3D All Star Collection and some other goodies. Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess and Wind Wakers name started getting tossed around like a modern take on the Gamecube’s Zelda Collection. But there was never any real traction from Nintendo. Just fans shouting prayers into the dark hyrule sky. With every Direct, the rumors and mumbling for this collection would ebb and flow. Sometimes, you’d forget these rumors exist. Other times, you couldn’t escape it. I’ve long believed every Zelda game should be playable on the Switch. But I doubt we’re getting a gamecube feature added to NSO or these games getting physical releases on the Switch at this point. So I think it’s safe to say the HD versions of these games are stuck on the Wii U forever.
That brings us to Xenoblade Chronicles X. Personally, I did really want this ported over to the Switch. If I’m going to play a lengthy JRPG, I’d just prefer to play them on the Switch. I’m not giving up hope that this could be announced as a final shot in the arm for Switch on the way out the door, but I also don’t think it’d hurt sales to just be a Switch Successor title. Still I like the idea of all the Xenoblade Chronicle games being on the same console.
Next is Kirby. This is one of the few Kirby games that just didn’t click with me immediately. I was excited for the amiibo capabilities and I did like the first few levels. I’m just more of a Kirby on the ground kinda guy. I’m always down for a Kirby port don’t get me wrong. I was really hoping for one of the DS/3DS games personally. Still this was always a long shot. It doesn’t have the same mainstream appeal of Forgotten Lands. The playstyle with the stylus and Gamepad would have to had a major overhaul. I guess none of that was in the cards for our pink puff.
Staying on the “jaded entry of a beloved franchise” brings us to Star Fox Zero. The Gamepad gave this game a unique cockpit view that many people wondered how it would translate over. Overall, Star Fox Zero was not held with any esteem. So it was always more likely that we would get a new Star Fox more than a remake. And with how low the sun has gotten on the Switch, it’s looking like a lock that Star Fox will just be passed over for the Switch’s life span. At least Star Fox 64 is playable on the NSO N64 expansion.
Nintendoland is another misunderstood Wii U title that was always doomed to stay on the Wii U. And honestly, this belongs on the Wii U. As one of the best examples of why the gamepad is the most underrated controller of all time. The mini games are awesome. Is this truly a 60 title? No. But imagine if they remade it and added Splatoon, Pokemon, and Bayonetta to the list of attractions. It would have been awesome. Which is why I would have loved to see a sequel on the Switch.
With the announcement of Mario and Luigi Brothership, the ship has officially set sail on Paper Mario Color Splash. This post has probably outed me as a Wii U apologist. If it hasn’t, then the segment probably will. Color Splash is another misunderstood Wii U title. I know, I know. I sound like a broken record. Hard-core Paper Mario fans hated this game, but it really isn’t that bad. But again, I never expected to see this ported over. Until this year, I don’t think any Paper Mario games had been remade. I never thought they would remake TTYD, let alone Color Splash. And it’s also true. The original three Paper Mario games are just peak Paper Mario. So I think if they were ever going to remake a Paper Mario game, Color Splash was always going to be low on their list. One thing I’m happy about with Paper Mario is that we got a new title in Origami King and a Remake in Thousand Year Door. Color Splash is just an unfortunate victim of being the 4th or 5th best game in such a beloved franchise.
Here’s one you probably weren’t expecting, Devil’s Third. This game is technically published by Nintendo so I figured we would count it today. If you don’t follow Wii U collecting, this is the most infamous Wii U ever. Arguably the rarest, most expensive and dumbest game on the console. I say in half jest. It is one of two Wii U Games I don’t own. Did part of me hope it would get a Switch release and maybe that would lower the price? Maybe. Since it has escaped me to this day, I don’t have a lot to say about it. But again, it was published by Nintendo. They seem content to leave it stranded on the Wii U.
Lastly, today was the game I thought had the best shot. Probably the best Wii U exclusive left. Yoshi’s Woolly World. I’m super nostalgic for this game. It was an instant classic the day it came out. It’s one of the better modern day side scrollers and couch co-op games. This is the game I wanted brought over more than any other title mentioned today. If you own a Wii U and don’t own this one, I recommend grabbing now because I think it’s safe to say this title is trapped on the Wii U.
So there you go guys. These are the major games published by Nintendo left to rot on the Wii U. Of course, unless you’re a Wii U collector, fan and enthusiast like myself. Then you can play these games any time you wish. Almost makes me feel bad for all the filthy Switch owners. Again, I’m partly kidding. I own both consoles and love both. But keep this guide in mind while you’re out game hunting, because unless you grab a Wii U you’re missing out on some real bangers like Wind Waker HD, Twilight Princess HD, Nintendoland and Yoshi’s Woolly World. So did I miss any other Wii U exclusives? What’s your favorite game mentioned today? Let us know down below. Don’t forget to subscribe. We will see you in the next one.
Side Characters Who Got Their Own Games!
Side Characters Who Got Their Own Games!
The main character can make or break a video game. Sonic is one of the most simple, yet perfectly designed characters. His ability, attitude, everything about him helps set the tone for the level design. It helped him stand out against Mario. Compare that to Tails. Tails is good and all, but he doesn’t bring the same punch Sonic does. He’s clearly designed to be a side character. But what happens when those characters designed to be side characters get the spotlight? Today, let’s look at 4 times understudies got called up to the big stage.
We will start with Luigi. Perhaps the most iconic side character of all time. He started off as the player 2 option back in the day. He was just an off color Mario really. However, over time he got his own identity. He was taller and slender than Mario. That became symbolic with his movement, where he was better at jumping than Mario, but with less precision. He also was characterized as a little bit of a scaredy cat. This is what makes Luigi’s Mansion a perfect setting for Luigi to shine. Nintendo leaned into Luigi’s chicken demeanor. Luigi’s Mansion stars Luigi winning a Mansion filled with ghosts. He must overcome his fear in order to save his brother, Mario. It’s awesome to see Luigi develop as more than just a player 2 option. He’s really blossomed over the last few decades.
Daxter
Daxter was a wise guy, smart mouth punk through the Jak and Daxter franchise. It’s funny to me that the first game is titled Jak and Daxter. But the rest of the franchise drops the Daxter part. I feel like this is because of the complete tonal shift from Jak and Daxter to Jak 2. Daxter was the cute animal sidekick. Which was appropriate for a 3D platformer. When it shifted to a more dark, gritty adventure game, the emphasis moves from a lovable duo, to the titular hero. Well, Daxter would go on to get his own game. What’s interesting about this is they put him on the PSP. I assume this is because he’s a side character. It just fits more on Sony’s handheld. Now, Daxter is a really awesome 3D action platformer that I think does blend the two styles of games pretty well. Though, it does feel like a slightly darker version of Jak and Daxter. So I think it’s cool when Daxters name gets back on a game, it gives those classic PS2 vibes.
Shadow the Hedgehog
Shadow is an interesting one. I never played Sonic growing up. I was more of a Mario guy. However, I’ve always loved Sonic’s supporting cast. Knuckles and Shadow were so cool looking. I remember begging mom to rent Shadow the Hedgehog. And she let me. Boy, was I surprised. I was 11 when it came out. You’d think I’d be at the right age where a gritty, explosive, high octane adventure would be screaming my name. But this game did not click with me well at all. I really could not have played more than a level or two. Maybe this is because it’s still more or less a Sonic game? I still like Shadow as a character, but I just couldn’t get into the game. I don’t know if it was because of GTA3 or what, but it felt like every franchise around this era wanted this gritty mature vibe to them. It makes sense not wanting Sonic to be the lead in this title. It kinda goes against the lovable brand Sonic had spent the last decade building up, meaning Shadow was a perfect fit here.
Diddy Kong
Last today is Diddy Kong. He started off as Donkey Kong’s sidekick in Donkey Kong Country, a 2D side scrolling action platformer. He’s fun with an awesome design. Diddy Kong would get a chance to shine early in his gaming career. He became the main character in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong’s Quest. A sequel held in very high regards. Im sure it helped that Donkey Kong’s name was plastered on the box. A few years later, he would land his own title on Nintendo’s new console, the n64. Diddy Kong Racing stood out against Mario 64. It had an open world, boss fights, new characters. It was a fresh spin on Kart racers in the face of the titan that was Mario Kart 64. Impressively enough, a lot of people say they actually prefer Diddy Kong Racing over Mario Kart 64. Making it, in my opinion, a very successful spin-off. Diddy Kong has remained active in the gaming world. He’s a playable character in the Smash Brothers series. He’s still at DKs side in the Donkey Kong Country series. He was even a playable character in DK64. His Flagship racer even got ported over to DS. While he’s remained relevant in gaming, it is still hard to see a new Diddy Kong Racing game getting greenlit if even F-Zero can not get one. Not to mention, Rare, Diddy Kong’s creator, has gone on to live at the farm up north.
A fun part about doing this topic is seeing all the ways or reasons they try out the side characters. Luigi and Diddy Kong got completely different genres than their main protagonist counterparts. Daxter was used on Sony’s handheld, PSP. While Shadow was used to test out a more teenage centric edgy attitude. It’s neat to see some of these ideas played out. So guys that does it for part one. What’s your favorite game or character listed today? And which characters should be in part 2? Don’t forget to subscribe. We will see you in the next one.
My June 2024 Nintendo Direct Predictions!
June is rapidly approaching, which means we’re getting closer to the next Nintendo Direct. The general expectation is that 2024 is going to be filled out with ports and remakes. I actually agree with this for the most part. I’m not sure we’re going to get any super major releases between now and Christmas. We know Pokemon Legends will be a headliner going into 2025. But what does Nintendo have in store for 2024? So today we’re going to talk about the games I think Nintendo could roll out in the order of likeliness I think they’ll happen.
Remember, you can watch this in video form over on my channel Dahubbz: https://youtu.be/cILzndCDf-E
Let’s start with an Honorable mention. Fire Emblem. Keep in mind, I’m not the biggest Fire Emblem fan, so I’m not the best source of information for the series. However, it’s been over a year since the last release. Fire Emblem also seems to be on a tear through the Switch’s lifespan. If Nintendo is in need of one last home run for the holiday season, a Fire Emblem game could be that hit. Not to mention, Fire Emblem Genealogy of War has supposedly been rumored for a while. But again, it’s not a franchise I follow very closely.
Okay. Now time for #5. Super Mario Odyssey 2. This is wishful thinking at this point. I loved Odyssey. It’s one of my favorite games of all time. I really wanted it to get a sequel. The only mainline 3D Mario game to get a sequel is Super Mario Galaxy 2. Which was also released on the Wii like Galaxy 1 was. So my theory for almost a decade has been, if we’re getting Odyssey 2, it’s gonna be on the Switch. if we get to another console, it’ll be a completely new idea (like Sunshine to Galaxy or Galaxy to Odyssey). It’ll sting a little more considering we never got DLC either. I just really wanted a new adventure in the Odyssey game engine.
However, with the Mario 3D collection out, I think finally getting Galaxy 2 on the Switch is a very real possibility.
#4 Kirby Planet Robobot- I am a huge Kirby fan. However, this game has always escaped me for one reason or another. I’d love to see it get brought over to the Switch. I’m not sure if there’s any mechanics that would be exclusive to the 3DS that couldn’t be brought over. That’s one reason I’m not buying into Star Fox Zero or Kirby and the Rainbow Curse being brought to the Switch. Kirby is another franchise that has had a great showing on the Switch. Be it new releases, remakes or eShop exclusives, Kirby is a very active franchise and I think it could do well this holiday season.
#3 Xenoblade Chronicles X. I think it is likely that we will get a Wii U port. There’s plenty of games getting tossed out at this point, but I think Xenoblade Chronicles X makes a lot of sense. For starters, the name. Xenoblade Chronicles means something to a lot of Nintendo’s die hard RPG fans. I also think the rest of the Xenoblade Chronicles series is playable on Switch, so it’d make sense to have it on the console as well. I really don’t think this is a bad option to have for a Christmas- like release. Maybe this would compliment a bigger Pokémon/Zelda/Metroid like release. Either way, I think this is a solid option.
#2 Twilight Princess/Wind Waker HD. Feels like I’ve been skeptical of this rumor for 5 years now. And I still kind of am. Before I disregarded it saying Skyward Sword needed to be brought over to the Switch first. We’ll, that has now happened. I’d still prefer Ocarina of Time coming to the Switch first, but that’s a personal preference. Honestly, I’m reaaaalllly rooting for Oracle of Ages and Season to get released in a single cart. I feel like that game needs the port more than both Ocarina of Time and TPWW combo. But here’s an idea no one is talking about, A Link to the Past. I get it, it’s a 2D classic. How do you go about porting this sucker over. Keep it 2D? Then can you really get away with charging $60? Give it the Link’s Awakening treatment? Then risk the potential backlash from purists who hate the art style? Yeah, I think the Twilight Princess, Wind Waker HD will probably be the safest option as it won’t be polarizing or feel like a betrayal of the classics. With Nintendo saying no DLC for Tears of the Kingdom, I’m really interested to see what Nintendo does with Zelda moving forward.
#1 Metroid 2 and 3 combo pack- This is my sure fire bet for the Switch this year. I saw someone say it would be weird for Metroid 1 to get a standalone release and then combo 2 and 3. I’m going to reference Pikmin for why I actually think it makes sense. Nintendo released Pikmin 3 as a hold over until Pikmin 4 was ready. Then as we approached Pikmin 4, we got 1+2 as a combo. It’s this line of work that makes me think a combo pack is absolutely possible. Not to mention if you want Metroid Prime 4 as your Switch launch title or big holiday release next year, we’ve got to get these Prime remakes on the road. I just think it makes all the sense in the world. However, is a Metroid Prime 2&3 combo pack enough to carry them through the holidays? I’m not sure.
I think it’s very likely we also see another Gamecube game get ported over- Luigi’s Mansion 1. Luigi’s Mansion 2 and 3 are available to play on Switch, so we really need to get the first one on the console before we move on to the Switch’s successor.
There you have it. You think Nintendo could announce anything spicy? Any new games, remakes we won’t see coming, or DLC? Mario Wonder and Pikmin 4 could be strong candidates to get DLC as well. Let me know what you think Nintendo will do! Thanks for watching. Have a great day.
My cat, Elizabeth, has passed away.
Hey guys. Yall know that sometimes I use this blog as a timestamp, snapshot in time of my life. My cat passed away last night at the vet. Her lungs collapsed, causing her breathing complications. She had to be put on a ventilator. She was already too critical at that point to run tests on her. She seems to have died from heart complications.
I got her shortly after starting the blog. It was around the fall of 2015. So she was roughly 9 years old. She was deeply loved and will be missed. My daughter is 2 and is able to bound with them. She had trouble saying Elizabeth, all she could say is “Biscuit”. So the name did stick. Of course, since we’ve left the vet my daughter has asked me 15 times “Where’s Biscuit”. Elizabeth’s sister cat has tumors and will be meeting with a specialist Tuesday to discuss options, as this would be her second surgery in 8 months.
It’s wild to think they were healthy and carefree in October. Now they’re both getting worn down. Time flies too fast sometimes.
My wife and I were just reminiscing about the day we got them, Eevee and Elizabeth. My wife wanted a calico cat. Well, it just so happens a massive litter of short black hair cats were dropped off the same day we went to the shelter. My wife picked her out her calico cat. The person running the shelter said if we took one of the black cats, we could get both for free. So we went back to grab a second cat. She asked me which one to get. I told her to get the cat that seemed the most eager to come with us. She reached her hand into the cage and pulled out Elizabeth. Our life was forever changed that day as Elizabeth became my cat. She was moody and filled with angst, but she was mine.
I miss you, Elizabeth.
Franchises That Deserve a Shot on the Switch
Seems like everybody is reporting on how Nintendo will be releasing the Switch successor by some time in 2025. This means we’re in the homestretch of the Switch’s prime. So many of my favorite entries of Nintendo’s most beloved series are on the Switch. Mario Kart and Smash Bros have arguably never been better. Mario Odyssey and Kirby and Forgotten Lands are borderline masterpieces. Zelda has had a barrage of fantastic titles. The entirety of Pikmin is now playable on the Switch. But Nintendo has a massive backlog. Many of those franchises don’t have remakes, remasters, collections, or sequels on the Switch. I think being on the Switch has a force multiplier aspect about itself. If Nintendo put Ice Climbers on the Switch I think it would sell well. So let’s look at some franchises that deserve a shot on the Switch.
We’re going to start with Donkey Kong. Maybe this is technically cheating, because Tropical Freeze did get ported over to the Switch early in it’s lifespan. However, if I’m not mistaken, Donkey Kong has gotten a new game on every Nintendo console. If things hold as they are, that streak will come to an end. I’d love to see a true sequel to Donkey Kong 64, or at least an open world DK game. But if Donkey Kong Country got a new entry, no one would complain. Especially since players have long viewed Nintendo platformers in three tiers: Easy, medium, hard. The easy platformer being Kirby. The medium platformer being Mario. The hardest being DK. That’s why it’s very weird Donkey has not got a new title in the extensive life of the Nintendo Switch.
Next up is F-Zero. My only explanation here is Nintendo believes in the cannibal theory. This is to say that F-Zero would eat Into Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s sales or player base. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the highest selling Switch game to date. But again, if Nintendo would just use the same tier system it does for the platformers, I don’t think it would be a problem. In this instance, Mario Kart could be a more wacky arcade racer. While F-Zero could appeal more to speed Junkies. Personally I feel as if both games could occupy a spot in Nintenon’s online repertoire. Nintendo did test the waters with F-Zero 99. Hopefully that was enough of an experiment to motivate Nintendo into launching a new game in the series!
The next title I’d like to talk about is Kid Icarus. Honestly, I don’t have a lot to pull from for this one. Sure, Kid Icarus is one of Nintendo’s oldest titles, dating back to the NES. And sure, it wasn’t totally forgotten about thanks to its 3DS release. But that’s about it. Pitt and Palutena have been represented In Smash Bros, making that the last time we’ve seen Kid Icarus characters. I will say Kid Icarus Uprising on 3DS is often cited in people’s top 10 3DS games, so that game does seem to have been a roaring success. My fear though, is that the game came out 12 years ago and has had no traction since then. I also think the Wii U would have been a perfect console to do an Uprising sequel. At this point I’m not sure where they would go with the franchise. However, the Switch seems like a perfect time to reinvent the series.
Now we move on to Chibi Robo. Chibi Robo started off life as a hidden gem all the way back on the Gamecube. It did go on to get some sequels on the DS family of handheld. But I want to see Chibi on the Switch. The internet and home appliances have been revolutionized over the last couple of decades which I think could make game design interesting. You could have a roomba that moves in and tries to steal Chibi’s job or constantly trying to suck him up on his vacuuming adventures. All the appliances could be sentient (like a talking fridge or what have you.) I don’t know, I feel like in this day and age a new Chibi adventure could have some really fresh ideas with that Nintendo storytelling and world building charm. It’s something I want to see sooner than later.
Last game today is Star Fox. Star Fox has always been my favorite designed Nintendo character. The dude screams cool. I have played Star Fox 0 and I’m not a hater of it. I get it if the unique control scheme turned people off or if it didn’t capture that nostalgic feel of Star Fox 64, but I definitely didn’t hate it. What I want out of the next Star Fox game is a perfectly blend of linear, on rail shooting levels, mixed with sections on feet and in the other vehicles. Star Fox could probably pull off a big open world adventure thanks to all the machines he has access to or could be created for the purpose of this game. But it doesn’t have to be a big sprawling adventure. It doesn’t have to be Star Field to be an awesome mix of both genres. I loved Star Fox 64 and Adventures. If you could take the best of both and create a hybrid escapade, that sounds awesome. Though, they may take him more back to his roots and be a strict on rail shooter. Let me know how you think they should handle whatever comes next for Star Fox.
So that’s the franchises I think deserve life on the Switch before we move on to whatever next. I know we left off some great series like Ice Climbers and Punch Out, so let me know below what are some other series that deserve some love right now! Thanks for watching.
Pokemon Go’s latest Master Ball Event is Live!
The Master Ball has always been one of the most iconic items in gaming history! It’s stature remains in tact with Pokemon Go. The Master Ball, for those of you who do not know, can catch any Pokemon without fail. Again, this ability is how it works in the mobile Pokemon experience as well. So it’s great for catching legendaries and those that roam or flee often!
This event is broken into 4 parts. The first part looks like this:
– Catch 250 Pokemon
– Use 150 Berries to help catch Pokemon
– Make 100 Nice Curveball Throws
So that’s the first part. Are you guys excited for the event? And better question, what are you using your Master Ball on?
Every Time Luigi is Playable in a Main Line 3D Mario Game!
Mario has gone on many adventures through the decades. More times than not, his brother, Luigi, is there to give a helping hand. Today, we’re looking at every time Luigi is playable in a Main Line 3D Mario Game.
Mario’s first foray into 3D space was back on the Nintendo 64 with Mario 64. Now, despite all the playground rumors about how L was real, Luigi does not appear in the game. However, almost decade later, Mario and crew would return to Peach’s Castle in Super Mario 64 DS. This time around, Luigi would be playable. I guess L was real after all!
Super Mario Sunshine would skip Luigi altogether. Don’t feel bad for him though, as he got his own game in Luigi’s Mansion! That’s moving up in the world. So now we hop over to the Wii, here he is playable in two more titles, Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. He starts out as an NPC Mario must first rescue. Then, as an unlockable, he becomes a fully playable character.
Meanwhile on the Wii U, Luigi would be a playable character on Super Mario 3D World alongside Mario, Peach, and Toad. That’s good company!
Lastly, in Super Mario Odyssey Luigi leads the fun mini game “Luigi’s Balloon World”. Though, he is not playable.
So there you have. A brief look at everytime Luigi is a playable character in a 3D Main Line Mario Game! Thanks for reading everybody. Have a great rest of your day!
Da_Hubbz 