Category Archives: 2024
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!
What was the first video game to scare you? (Ask Reddit)
Reddit asked “What was the first video game to scare me?”
Here’s my answer!:
My dad played the OG Resident Evil games when I was a kid. I can’t say they messed me up or anything. Years later, I rented RE4 to play on my own. Didn’t take too long to get jumped by a villager and have Leon decapitated, and I was thinking, “Yeah, maybe this isn’t for me”.
Let me know what was the first game to scare you?
There a video fork of this topic on my YouTube shorts and Instagram reels. So feel free to follow me over on those sites and watch the videos. Thank you guys so much!
Video Game Compilations!
Video Game Compilations
Compilations are super neat and some of my favorite items in my collection. There is a convenience to compilations. Having so many games in a single package has always fascinated me. I think my earliest experience with compilations was the Legend of Zelda Collector’s Edition on Gamecube. Boy, is this thing awesome! It combines 4 Zelda titles into one tiny disc. It’s got the two from the original NES as well as Majora’s Mask on N64. But far and away the prize jewel here is the demo of Wind Waker. I don’t think this collection could get any better. Oh, my gosh this thing even has Ocarina of Time on it!
This compilation is truly insane with the game choices.
I mentioned Zelda being one of my first experiences with gaming compilations. However, these video game collections predate even that. While I couldn’t find any concrete resource for what the oldest compilation is, I’m sure we all think of the same game when we think about compilations, Super Mario All-Stars.
All Star Collection came out in 1993. I came out in 1994. So I wasn’t around when it came out. But I can only imagine the hype of having the first 3 Mario games plus the Lost Levels thrown in for good measure on one cart. Mario was a gaming force that swept the entire world. It revitalized the gaming industry and put Nintendo on the map. Nintendo found a way to repackage the same games and create an unbeatable value proposition for its consumers. They didn’t want the end of the NES to be the end of classic Mario. So they ported over all the original Mario games in one collection. However, Nintendo went the extra mile and gave the fans a real treat. The Lost Levels.
For those of you who don’t know, this was the original sequel for Mario 1. However, it was deemed too difficult for Western audiences. Thus, our Mario 2 looks a lot different. This Super Nintendo compilation was the first time we here in the states got to play this previously Japanese exclusive.
I love when compilations have bonuses like unreleased games, unlockables, or any new ways to play old games. Look at the SNES Mini. It gave us Star Fox 2. Star Fox was revolutionary with its mode 7 graphics. Nintendo was quick to get Star Fox 2 in development. Well, around this time, the 5th generation of gaming had launched. Real 3D graphics were officially here. Plans for Star Fox 2 were scrapped and never seen again. Fast forward over 20 years, and the SNES Classic releases with all your favorite Super Nintendo titles: A Link to the Past, Earthbound, Super Mario World, Super Metroid. The gang was almost all here. Wait a second. What is that? Star Fox 2 gets an official release on the SNES classic!? Those are the kinda announcements that make compilations something special!
That gets us back to the Super Mario 3D All Stars. What a controversial collection. Let’s break it down some.
There is no need to hop from the N64 to Gamecube to Wii. Another awesome aspect is that the console these compilations are being released on are more than likely going to be the latest and most up to date consoles. This means you get all the benefits of modern consoles. Online leaderboards, HD graphics, achievements and trophies, and in the case of the Switch, portability. This means you can start your day playing Super Mario 64 in bed and stroll down to the local park and play Super Mario Sunshine without ever changing consoles. A lot of people dunked on the Super Mario 3D collection for Nintendo putting in the bare minimum effort, and well, yeah, they’re technically right. There’s not a lot in the way of extras. I would have liked for Mario 64 to have had the mini games from the DS version as unlockables. Or maybe an HD version you could switch between for new fans and purest. And I guess asking for Mario Galaxy 2 was asking for too much. Still, the ability to freely switch between 2 of the best games ever made and Sunshine with added mobility is still a strong case for why this is one of my favorite compilations of all time.
Okay, how about we look at another compilation on Switch. The Spyro Reignited Trilogy. This is what I wanted Mario 64 to look like. Spyro looks and feels amazing here on the Switch. The Spyro Trilogy was a special treat for classic and new 3D platformer fans alike. With the awesome iconic levels of the past with a fresh coat of paint, this was a match made in Heaven. They even went back and added skill points to Spyro 1. These serve as achievements and add some fun side quests to do while revisiting a favorite you know super well. The only bad thing to complain about here is that they only put the original Spyro on the cart. Spyro 2 and 3 are digitally downloaded.
We’ve talked about how these collections are perfect for replaying old favorites. But what about the opposite side of things – franchises you missed completely. For me, that’s the Klonoa collection. Klonoa on PS1 and PS2 are expensive! For the pair , you’re looking at about $400. Not to mention, they’re some of the harder titles to find on their respective consoles. The Switch rerelease helped allow thousands of players to discover the wondrous world of Klonoa for the first time. It’s a blast. This version added a new difficulty mode, the Easy mode. This is a welcomed addition for people who aren’t crazy about difficulty in video games and just wants to enjoy the game. Plus, some of the platforming alone is difficult enough without even mentioning the damage aspect of the game.
We’ve been talking a lot about Nintendo compilations , but Sony has had some bangers, too. The one that comes to my mind is the Ratch and Clank Trilogy collection. This is, without a doubt, maybe my favorite compilation of all time.
It’s just so good. You get one of the best trilogies in all of gaming. The Ratchet and Clank series on PS2 now moved to the PS3. Trophies are here. Graphics are updated. And all 3 masterpieces in one collection. To me, this perfectly embodies what makes these collections must own for fans.
The last compilation to talk about today is the Kirby’s Dream Collection. I wanted this compilation so bad as a kid and never got it.
So it was one of the first games I grabbed as an adult. Having 6 Kirby games on one disc was enough. But this game killed it with the extras. I’m going to quote the most trusted source in all the internet land for this, Wikipedia. So shout out Wikipedia! Kirby’s Dream Collection also features 13 new challenge stages based on those found in 2011’s Kirby’s Return to Dream Land.[3] An additional museum section features box art and video spotlights for every game in the Kirby series released through 2012, along with three viewable episodes from the anime television series Kirby: Right Back at Ya! (“Kirby Comes to Cappy Town”, “Crusade for the Blade”, and “Waddle While You Work”).[2] In addition to the game disc, the package includes a booklet that highlights Kirby’s history and provides behind-the-scenes trivia about the series, as well as a soundtrack CD containing 42 music tracks from past Kirby games and three new arrangements by the HAL Laboratory sound team. – per Wikipedia.
What’s not to love about that? And compilations in general, really. Every time the Switch gets a new collection, I get excited. I think about how the Baten Kaitos and Etrian Odyssey just got collections released semi recently. I’d love to add them to the collection eventually. Let me know if you guys have the same fondness about these collections as I do. And tell me, what’s your favorite video game compilation. Let me know down below!
The Most Controversial Zelda Titles of All Time!
Zelda has been around for over 35 years. Original debuting on the Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan in 1986. It launched as a bold and large take on the adventure genre. Perfectly encapsulating what it meant to go on such a large scale quest. You tackled dungeons. You get heart containers to grow stronger. And you found many of the iconic weapons still found in the series today. Shout out to our last video over the underutilized items of the series. Go check that out after this video. All this to say, Legend of Zelda 1 laid the blueprint for how to do perfect Zelda games. All the team had to do was update the graphics and game design with each new installment. Boom, you got a legendary franchise on your hands. What could wrong over those 35+ years? Well, as you will see today, plenty. We’re looking at the times Zelda releases didn’t quite hit the mark. Here’s the most controversial Zelda titles!
#5 Breath of the Wild
Honestly, I feel like this game is retroactively controversial. Sure, there was a lot of excitement and suspense building up to its release alongside the newest Nintendo console, the Switch. Development took ages. It’s development took 5 years following the release of Skyward Sword on the Wii. It was originally designed for the Wii U, and was it’s last major release. However, as we discussed, it came on as launch title for the Switch. So a Swan Song for one console and a triumph birth for another. Still, Breath of the Wild was touted as breaking away from the traditional Zelda formula. It was open world and nonlinear, harkening back to Zelda on NES. The Switch was also reported to be returning to cartridges over the much preferred blu ray disc. Gamers were happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time. Breath of the Wild was a breath of fresh air for many Wii U and Switch owners. It spawned its own sub genre of games trying to rip it off or take heavy influence from it. Tears of the Kingdom would drop as a sequel almost a decade later. With the Zelda team saying this was essentially the new Zelda formula. It left many players reminiscing about the old Zelda. Players got fatigued with the new style. Even though Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are critically acclaimed, I think old school players are scared the days of Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time are dead.
#4 Majora’s Mask.
This one is going to be a mixed bag. You’re trying to follow up one of, if not the greatest games of all time. That’s a tough one. I actually respect the heck out of what the team tried to accomplish and what they created. But Majora’s Mask just isn’t for me. I don’t like the gloomy overtones, the three day cycle, and the design philosophy of the game. Now, that makes it stand out. You either really love the game or just don’t care for it. And it’s wedged between Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time on one side and Wind Waker and Twilight Princess on the other side. It definitely stands out with the environment and the masks.
Now the hilarious part to me is that Majora’s Mask got a remake on the 3DS. I really enjoy it. In my opinion, it fixes a lot of what I don’t like about the N64 version. A lot of that has to do with the handbook aiding in the side quest. As well as the ability to save being way easier. Not to mention, on the 3DS, you can just close the system. Yet, a lot of the N64 truthers don’t like the remake. Meaning, one way or the other, you probably really enjoy one or the other and have disdain for the other, which is interesting.
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#3 Skyward Sword
I’ve never met another person who says Skyward Sword is their favorite Zelda game. In my opinion, being stuck on the Wii just didn’t help it. It was locked behind motion controls. I remember popping it in back in the day, only to be denied by the Wii itself because I didn’t have the motion plus feature. I eventually played it on the Switch and did enjoy it. I’ve never played the Wii version, but it does feel like more people complained than praised it. The Switch version is pretty good if you find a copy. It’s worth noting that this is the last of the traditional formula Zelda games. As a result, I think in time this game might get a cult following.
#2 Zelda 2: Links Adventures
Zelda 2 struggles from being a Zelda game. Almost anybody’s argument who defends this game starts with “If this wasn’t a Zelda game, people would love it”. Maybe. But that’s part of what lands it on this list, and this high as well. On one hand, Zelda wasn’t exactly an established property at this point. Zelda had only been out for about a year by the time we got the sequel, Link’s Adventure. But it did bring back exploration, dungeons, and sword based combat. However, the gameplay was side scrolling. It was an RPG now, and the overworld is just weird. There’s no way you played Zelda 1 and was excited when you got this. Talk about breaking away from the Zelda formula. Honestly, if Zelda had been more of an established IP at this point, maybe I’d put this at 1. As it stands, there’s one Zelda game that’s release was more perplexing, disappointing, and controversial than all the rest. And that game was…
Before we reveal number 1, be on the lookout for polls on the Youtube. You can help sway videos/polls by voting in those polls!
#1 Wind Waker
Majora’s Mask may have had a hard time following up Ocarina of Time, but Wind Waker is the red headed step child of Zelda games. The tone on the N64 was dark, gritty and mature. What the heck is this?
Wind Waker changed the tone up completely. Dropping dark color palettes for bright, vibrant beach aesthetics, large sprawling fields conquered by horseback were replaced by never-ending, overbearing sea traversal. Not to mention, it has got to be one of the weirder looks for Ganon. Now, Wind Waker came out in a time in my life where I didn’t mind the art style. However, in hindsight, I can see people feeling bamboozled. Especially after the now infamous Gamecube trailer. Nintendo was finally embracing disc based formats. People were beyond thrilled to see what the Zelda team would cook up for the new hardware. The tech demo gave every fan hope they were getting the next epic in the Zelda franchise. This is to say nothing of peoples theories of cut content and empty spaces. This entry has everything to do with the tonal shift and misdirection of the tech demo. That alone has Wind Waker firmly in the lead for the most controversial entry in the series!
Guys, you ever make a top 5, write your script, plan out the whole video, and then remember you completely forgot a game existed!? That’s right, boys, we’re adding a new number 1. And boy howdy. It’s a doozy. Mostly because it’s a threefer!
#1 Zelda on CD-i
I’ve convinced myself that Philips CD-i is a fever dream. I mean, just look at these graphics.
That’s probably why I tried to suppress these games. Yeah, somebody cooked these games up, and God Bless Em. Zelda got a grand spanking three shots at the CD-I. Featuring questionable cutscenes, a return to 2D side scrolling graphics, and lacking any Nintendo quality, these jokers have got to be the most notorious Nintendo games ever. I won’t bother recapping Nintendo’s fallout with Sony and the disastrous relationship with Philips. Yes, it is truly one of the most industry changing of all time. And all we have to show for it is this.
Okay, so that’s officially the list. What’s your 5 most infamous Zelda games in your opinion? Let me know down below!
Da_Hubbz 