Category Archives: Nintendo

Games I’ve Played Recently

Alright guys, it’s time for another installment of games I’ve Played Recently. We’ve got 3 good ones to go over!

First off is Tears of the Kingdom!

Tears of the Kingdom

You guys may remember me mentioning this in my post for my recent Pickups. Well, of course I’ve been playing it as well. I don’t play the story much because I’m more into collecting and exploring. I did complete enough story missions to get the glider as it is essential to further your exploration needs. However, I have been fascinated with the new sky and underground sections. I did cool off playing it when I decided to focus on my Gamepass games over the last month.

The vast open skies of Zelda!

Up next is Disney Dreamlight Valley

Disney Dreamlight Valley

This game consumes my life off and on. It’s one that my baby girl and wife love to watch me play. We’re currently in the middle of a new event with some new Pixar content. They’ve also added in a new character. It’s one of those village simulators with farming and civilian upkeep. You fish, mine, and play with some of your favorite Disney characters. It’s not a game I play every day. It’s more so a I game I get in phases with.

Donald and Wall-E hanging out in the kingdom

Now, for the game that has preoccupied my free time the most

Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order

This is a new perfect game for me. It was described to me as a Souls-like game. I don’t really play souls like so. Unfortunately, I avoided this one. It caught my eye when scrolling through Gamepass. I downloaded it and gave it a shot. Boy, did I love this game. This is a modern-day metriodvania collectathon. It is broken down into 6 planets instead of one giant level. Though you do get powers that encourage backtracking for new experiences and collectibles. The boss fights can be exhausting, but they’re far from the hardest fights I’ve had in video games. The chest system is kind of lame. It’s a similar problem that Tears of the Kingdom has. All the power ups are hidden in certain sections or through the skill trees. This means the chests are relegated to cosmetic changes such as lightsabers, costume colors, and Droid colors. Cal gets upgrades in the form of wall running, double jumps and force push and pull. This makes backtracking a fun experience. As now you want to see where all you can explore. All in all, I really enjoyed this one. I have beat it. Now it’s time to 100% it.

This post was written a few months back. For some reason I never made the closing paragraph. So I hope you guys enjoyed this one. I’ll be working on a more updated list that includes some new games like Pokémon Scarlett as well as a throwback to a PS2 Hidden Gem in Rogue Galaxy.

Thank you guys for reading! Have a great day!

My Recent Video Game Pick Ups!

As some of you may remember, I made a post saying I would be showing off my video game picks up. Well, today is that day! We got games I’ve wanted to play for a while now. We also picked up some heavy hitters. Check these out!

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Oh, boy! The next installment in the Zelda series. It’s a darn good one. I’m enjoying it more than BOTW, but both are amazing games.

Pokemon Rumble Blast

Pokemon Rumble Blast is a game I’ve wanted for what feels like forever. I found this game at my LGS about 2 years ago. Only they had lost the key to the showcase it was in. Well, recently, they found that key, haha. It’s a game I’m glad to have in my collection, finally!

Marvel Ultimate Alliance

This was a game I loved as a kid. My brother and I no-lifed this game. It taught me a lot about the Marvel universe. I now work at a comic book store, and this game helped guide me down this route. Now, my wife and I love the MCU and talking comics. I’ve been wanting to play this awesome beat em up with her for almost a decade.

Castlevania N64, Castlevania Legacy of Darkness and Ogre Battle 64!

Now on to the heavy hitters! Castlevania among the other 2 does seem kinda dudish, but I was able to pick up both Castlevania games at an absolute deal! I did pay retail for Ogre Battle 64, but it was super clean. Admittedly, I’m a lot more interested in trying Castlevania over Ogre Battle. That’s mostly because I’m into action adventure games more so than RPGs. However, the N64 is starved for RPGs, so I’m glad to have one of the few! These two join the likes of Beast Wars, Bomberman 2nd Attack and Conker as some of my biggest hitters on the console!

So that’s my haul, guys! What do yall think of these? What systems or games do you collect? Let me know in the comments down below!

All the games featured in this post!

Thank you guys for reading and have a great day!

5 GameCube Hidden Gems According to chatGPT!

Hey guys! ChatGPT is all the rage while we wait for AI to overthrow us. I decided to take advantage of it to create a list of 5 hidden gems found on the GameCube. I asked it to create this list in a script format similar to a Youtube video. Here’s the list it came up with:

Would you rather watch this as a Youtube video instead of reading it? Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7opP61IpTw

GameCube Hidden Gems!




ChatGPT
[INTRO MUSIC PLAYS]

Host: “Hey, gamers! Welcome back to our channel, where we uncover hidden gaming treasures. Today, we’re diving deep into the Nintendo GameCube library to bring you five hidden gems that you may have missed. So grab your controllers, because it’s time to explore some fantastic games that deserve more attention. Let’s get started!”

[TRANSITION EFFECT]

Host: “Our first hidden gem for today is ‘Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem.‘ This psychological horror game takes you on a twisted journey through the ages, where you’ll battle ancient evils and unravel a captivating narrative. What sets this game apart is its unique sanity system that messes with your mind. Be prepared for hallucinations, camera tricks, and even fake game crashes! It’s a chilling and immersive experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat.”




Host: “Next up, we have ‘Skies of Arcadia: Legends.’ This fantastic role-playing game originally released on the Dreamcast, but the enhanced GameCube version brought its captivating world to a wider audience. In this epic adventure, you’ll become a young sky pirate, exploring vast skies, discovering hidden treasures, and engaging in thrilling turn-based battles. With its charming characters, memorable story, and beautiful visuals, ‘Skies of Arcadia Legends’ is a true gem for RPG enthusiasts.”




Host: “Moving on, we have a unique blend of action, strategy, and puzzle-solving in ‘Pikmin 2.‘ This sequel to the beloved ‘Pikmin’ series brings back Captain Olimar and introduces a new character, Louie, as they venture through lush environments, commanding armies of adorable plant-like creatures called Pikmin. With its charming art style, clever level design, and addictive gameplay, ‘Pikmin 2’ offers a refreshing and enjoyable experience that shouldn’t be overlooked.”




Host: “Our fourth hidden gem is ‘Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean.’ This visually stunning and unique role-playing game takes place in a world where islands float in the sky. You’ll embark on an unforgettable journey as a young guardian spirit, joining forces with other heroes to uncover the secrets of the mystical Magnus cards. The game’s card-based battle system adds a strategic layer to the gameplay, making it a captivating and refreshing RPG experience.”




Host: “Last but not least, we have a racing game that combines speed, style, and a whole lot of fun—’F-Zero GX.’ Developed by Sega, this futuristic racer delivers high-octane action as you pilot ultra-fast vehicles through gravity-defying tracks. With its intense gameplay, jaw-dropping visuals, and a killer soundtrack, ‘F-Zero GX’ provides an adrenaline rush like no other. So buckle up and prepare for an unforgettable racing experience!”



Host: “And that wraps up our list of five GameCube hidden gems that you should definitely check out. Whether you’re a fan of horror, RPGs, strategy, or racing, the GameCube has something for everyone. So dust off your old console or fire up that emulator and dive into these fantastic games that deserve more recognition. Thanks for watching, and don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more hidden gaming gems. Until next time, happy gaming!”

[OUTRO MUSIC PLAYS]

So that’s the list chatGPT came up with. Overall, I think it’s an okay list, but nothing groundbreaking in 2023. Pikmin 2 is far from a hidden gem. F-Zero, Eternal Darkness and Skies of Arcadia strike me as cult classics, more so than hidden gems. Baten Kaitos is still probably considered a hidden gem for now. But even it is getting a port to the Switch. With that in mind, I’m not sure how much longer it’ll stay that way.

How would you guys rate this collection of games? What did yall think of chatGPTs collection of games? I’ll probably do more of these with other consoles such as the N64, PS2 or even the Switch.

Remember you can start your investment journey on Robinhood and we can both get free stocks! https://join.robinhood.com/wesleyh-69f6fa

Thank you guys for reading! Be sure to check out the YouTube video that covers this same topic!

Ranking Every Star in Jolly Roger Bay

Oh boy. I’ve been putting this one off for a while because this level is just not fun. Atmospherically speaking, it’s one my favorites. But as far as actually playing the level, big meh.

So, for those of you unaware, I’ve been doing a series of ranking every star in Mario 64 stage by stage. Make sure you read the previous installments after this one. Okay, now let’s get on with the list.

#7 Can the Eel Come Out and Play- When I make my overall ranking, I’ll be interested to see where this one ranks. This star is awful. It’s entirely underwater. You have to lure out an eel and grab the star off its tell. Conceptually, I don’t hate it. It feels somewhat unique compared to the other 120 stars. In practice, I hate it. Yes, there’s a camera angle trick that makes this star easy to grab. But this has got to be one of the 5 stars I die the most on. If you miss initially grabbing the tail, chasing him down can be a pain. If you get hit by his tail, you are almost guaranteed to be a goner. And not to mention, once you grab the star off his tail, it’s not over yet. The star floats away off screen. You better make sure you still have enough air to make it to it.

#6 Blast to the Stone Pillar – This star isn’t much better. There’s just not much to it. The cannon is at the start of the map. Once in, you launch straight to the pillar. Then, you jump from pillar over to the platform. It’s pretty straightforward. However, if you miss with the cannon, you must swim all the way back to the cannon.

#5 Through the Jet Stream– This is another straightforward star. It’s almost too simple. Once you’ve unlocked the metal cap, this one is a gimme. You grab the metal cap and proceed to sink to the bottom of the lake. That’s it.

#4 Jolly Roger Bay 100 Coin Power Star- This is one of the worst 100 coin stars in the game. There’s only 104 coins in this stage. This means that if you fail to grab a single blue coin, it is impossible to get this star. Or you could be stuck trying to find the star rings on the water. Or if you fail to grab the coins from defeated enemies, out of luck. It’s not a super difficult star, but you do have to play nearly perfect.

#3 Plunder in the Sunken Ship- Truthfully, the first part of this level is not my favorite. Traversing the more open part of the lake can be chore. Then there’s the matter of swimming to the bottom of the lake. The worst part, by far, is getting that Eel out of the sunken ship. It is not fun. Once he’s out of the way, the rest of the star is okay. You enter the ship. From here, I lower the water and swim as far up the interior as I can. Now, do some platforming, and you’re at the star. The Eel hurts this one from going any higher. Yet, the slight exploration and platforming help it.

#2 8 Red Coins – Ultimately, I’m okay with this star. I wish the floating ship was a more fleshed out part of the stage. As the ship only hosts about half the red coins. The rest are found littered throughout the course. This one has a nice mix of exploration, platforming, and collecting. On another course, it probably won’t score this high. However, I don’t think super highly of the rest of the stars on this course.

#1 Treasure of the Open Cave – The only star I really like doing on this course. This star is exactly what I’m looking for in a stage. It highly encourages exploration, combat, and collecting. It highlights the unique feature of the stage, the giant lake. It’s not the best star in the game or anything, but I enjoy the cave. It’s the N64, and I’m not expecting a lot. So, for the time period, the cave is sweet. It’s got blue coins, some combat, and a puzzle ending with you snagging a star.

So this is by far one of my 5 least favorite levels in the game. And honestly, has probably my least favorite collection of stars in the game. The atmosphere is a slight redeeming quality, but it doesn’t hold up the subpar selection of stars.

Remember you can start your investment journey on Robinhood and we can both get free stocks! https://join.robinhood.com/wesleyh-69f6fa

So thank you guys so much for reading. Have a great rest if your night!

Pikmin 4 is Almost Here!

Nintendo just stealth dropped the latest trailer for Pikmin 4, one of Nintendo’s wackier but beloved franchises..

Haven’t seen the trailer yet? Catch it here: https://youtu.be/6ixnXjtQ7f8

Pikmin 4 was teased almost a year ago and will be out later next month, July 21, 2023. This reminds me of how Nintendo was releasing Switch games very quickly following their original announcements, Paper Mario on Switch comes to mind.

The new updated art style and character creation really stole the show this time around. This is probably the best-looking Pikmin game in the series, which I suppose is expected, but it’s still good to see. It is also the first game in the franchise to experiment with character customization. This is coming off the backs of Pikmin 3. Pikmin 3 went all GTA 5 and allowed the player to switch between 3 different, pre-built captains.

Admittedly, I’m not the biggest Pikmin fan. The game is just too stressful for me, haha. I don’t like the time limit or watching my little Pikmin die in vicious and painful ways. However, my wife loves the series. With that in mind, I assume we will be pre-ordering the game next month.

So what are yalls thoughts on the latest entry so far? Did you enjoy the polished look? Are you excited for the new character creation feature? Will you be pre-ordering this one? Let me know in the comments down below!

Thanks for reading! Have a great day!

Join Robinhood with my link and we’ll both pick our own free stock 🤝 https://join.robinhood.com/wesleyh-69f6fa

Ranking Whomp’s Fortress Stars!

Today we will be ranking the 7 stars of Whomp’s Fortress. Remember, we base this off of fun factor with a mix of iconicness. I tend to value things like exploring the level and fun tricks more so than degree of ease or difficulty. With that in mind, let’s rank em.

This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn commission through these links at no additional cost to you.

#7 Blast Away the Wall- This was an easy one. Some people may rate this higher for its pivotal role in speed runs, but I don’t care for this star. I should take a minute to add that this is one of the most notorious stars in Mario 64 history. It may seem pretty simple at first. Hop into the cannon and, well, blast away that wall. But Speed runners found a way to clip through the wall, obtaining the star cannonless. This became an early barrier to entry into speed running Super Mario 64. Your run often henged on hitting cannonless first try. As a kid, this star was iconic in my mind for being one I had to google. How was a 6 year old suppose to find this star? As a kid, I thought this was such a cool star. As an adult, it is just kind of boring.

#6 Fall Into the Cage– The first star we’ve come across that I actively don’t like. The owl mechanic seemed so cool on paper. But this star would absolutely drain me sometimes. Especially if I haven’t played in awhile. This star has accounted for so many deaths it is not funny. As it doesn’t take missing by much to fall to your death. Once you get the hang of the owl, this is a pretty neat star. And it can be done fairly quickly for what that’s worth.

#5 100 Coin Star- I typically go to bat for the 100 coin stars. And I do think this one is pretty good. However, this is the first level to introduce insta death. Which means as you are ascending the level and inching closer to that 100th coin, death is always a misclick away. I like it, but for that, I got to drop it a bit.

#4 Shoot into the Wild Blue- This star confused me as a kid. As I thought you literally had to shoot off the map. I also was not good with the cannons. After countless misfires, my brother and I tried so many different ways to get this star including trying to drop from above to it. I don’t remember when we discovered wall jumping, but that is exclusively how I get this star now. As I still don’t trust those cannons.

#3 Chip Off of Whomp’s Block- Just as I go to bat for the 100 coin stars, I tend to not like many of the boss fights in Mario 64. They’re fine for the time, but they are easily one of the least favorite parts about the game. Whomp is no different. He’s just a variation of King Bomb Omb. The phasing glitch makes him one of the easiest bosses, too. So why is this #3. It’s because, which is a common theme with boss fights in this game, it encourages you to explore the whole map. The next two stars have even more to explore and aren’t derailed by a boss fight. So Whomp sits here at 3.

#2 Red Coins on the Floating Isle- There’s two things that bug me about this star. First, the floating isles are not unlocked immediately. This means if you are someone who likes to get 100 coins first, thus getting the 8 red coins, you really can’t. But you can still get like 5 before you learn about the isles and have to do it all over again later. Secondly, I think only 3 of the coins are found on the isles. What kind of false advertising is this? Outside of that, this a fun level to explore and the isles were always a neat section to me. Wish they had just embraced the name and made the section bigger with all 8 coins.

#1 To the Top of the Fortress- If you know me, you probably knew this was number 1. I still cannot explain where the tower came from, but this is one of my favorite stars in the game. Koopa the Quick in Stage 1 took a bit of a hit for ultimately feeling like a rehash of the previous star. TtTotF adds on to its former star by adding a small new obstacle, the tower. It too, is not dragged down by the boss fight, meaning this star is more platforming bliss. I could see either this or the 8 red coins being my favorite. But the Tower always stood out to me. As an adult I wish they would have expanded both the Tower and Isles. Either way, The Tower takes my #1 Star.

Whomp’s Fortress was never my favorite, but the level was fun in the way it moved upward. It never felt like it had the same sandbox energy as Bomb-Omb Batflefield, but it does have some neat sections and fun stars. So how would you have ranked all the stars?

Looking for a copy yourself? Find it on Amazon here!

Remember you can start your investment journey on Robinhood and we can both get free stocks! https://join.robinhood.com/wesleyh-69f6fa

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

My Five Favorite Super Mario Power Ups!

A month ago or so The Completionist put out a video ranking every Super Mario Power Up. If you haven’t seen his video, make sure to watch it here! Now I am not that ambitious, nor have I played every Super Mario game. Thus, I am not qualified to speak on every power up. With that in mind, I will be writing about my five favorite power ups. This isn’t the five most iconic or powerful power ups. It’s MY favorite. As a result, you might disagree with my picks. That’s fine. Leave your five favorite in the comments below.

This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn commission through these links at no additional cost to you.

#5 Super Leaf (Super Mario 3D Land)

Tanooki Mario kicks off the list. Admittedly, I am not the biggest fan of the 2D side scroller Mario games. 3D Land marked a change for me. This was the first game I got for my 3DS. Naturally, I played this game out and got pretty addicted to it. The takooni suit definitely played a role. It checks a lot of boxes for me. It granted an additional point of health, which, to be fair, most Mario power ups do as well. It gave Mario an additional attack with his tail. It helped exploration, but not to the same extent the other power ups on the list do. It gave Mario the ability to sort of flutter. This eased his fall allowing more precise landing. Not quite as game breaking as other power ups, but certainly welcomed!

Don’t have Super Mario 3D Land? purchase it here!

#4 Ice Flower (Super Mario Galaxy)

Mario Wall Jumping with the Ice Flower Power Up

The Ice Flower in the 3D games was a welcomed addition. It truly added a layer of complexity to your standard world traversing and platforming. This is in thanks to how it granted Mario the ability to interact with water. he was now able to run across water surfaces as well as wall jump off waterfalls. Yes, these seem pretty simple and straightforward compared to the dynamic of something like Cappy. Nonetheless, it gave Super Mario Galaxy some welcomed layers, making the exploration of it’s galaxy all the more fun.

Don’t have Super Mario Galaxy? Purchase it here!

#3 Super Star (Super Mario Bros.)

A Picture of Star

The original Super Mario Bros did give us plenty of iconic power ups from the Mushroom to the Flower Fire. Most of these power ups were insanely powerful in the original game. However, most, if not all, of those OG power ups have been power crept. The classic super star is no exception. Plenty of the newer games give insane invincibility effects such as the Leaf and Bell. Still, I am giving the Super Star the nod for being so darn iconic. After all, the Super Star would go to become the games measuring stick for progress in most of the 3D adventures. As in Super Mario 64, the more stars you had, the more doors you could unlock. With all these factors in play, I believe it is worthy of the number 3 spot.

#2 Cloud Flower (Super Mario Galaxy 2)

Mario With His Head in the Clouds

Truthfully, this is arguably one of my favorite power ups in any game. This power up is so perfect for a 3D Platformer. If you are unfamiliar with the Cloud Flower, here’s how it works. When Mario gains the power of the clouds, he is able to create 3 cloud based platforms. If you thought I gushed about the Ice Flower, that was nothing compared to the Cloud Flower. I absolutely loved the way Mario was able to create a revolutionary power up while keeping it within the Mario charm. This powerful ability feels balanced by only allowing Mario to create 3 platforms, yet this still grants a lot dynamics to exploring the levels. Now you will want to start seeing where you can now go. I just think this power up is extremely interesting. Whenever Mario returns to more traditional power ups, this is one I definitely hope makes a return.

Don’t have Super Mario Galaxy 2? Purchase it here!

#1 Super Bell (Super Mario 3D World)

Cat Mario and Cat Peach Amiibo coming with Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's  Fury - Gamepur

Cat Mario was a true game changer. In my opinion it did everything you want a power up to do. It makes you better. It grants an extra hit to Mario’s health. Which, in a Mario game is huge. It also makes you more powerful by granting Mario a new attack. With this ability he can lunge his newly gained claws towards enemies. And finally, it mixes up exploration. Now, Mario has the ability to climb walls. This grants Mario access to new locations, higher areas and short cuts. It was a tight race between Cloud Flower and Super Bell for me. However, I feel like Cat Mario just providers a wider dynamic change for the game. Where Cloud Flower really only aids in exploration, Super Bell does that as well as makes Mario actually stronger. It’s for that reason I give the slight nod to Super Bell.

Don’t have Super Mario 3D World? Purchase it here!

So, there you have it. Those are my favorite power ups. Which ones are yours? Let me know down below!

Remember, you can us my Robinhood referral link to sign up and get a free stock!
Robinhood referral link: https://join.robinhood.com/wesleyh-69f6fa

Continued Reading:

Ranking The Bob-Omb Battlefield Stars!

Video Game Grail? (A Response to the MetalJesusRocks Facebook Page)

Games I’ve Played Recently Part #3

Ranking The Bob-Omb Battlefield Stars!

Welcome to a new series here. I will be ranking each star from each course of Super Mario 64! I will be arriving at my rankings based off how fun, challenging and engaging each star is. Lets start with Bob-Omb Battlefield!

This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn commission through these links at no additional cost to you.

#7 Shoot to the Island in the Sky- This star is just simply boring. There’s not a lot to it. You get Mario to blast up to the floating island and then you snag the star. It can be fun, but its just underwhelming.

#6 Behind Chain Chomp’s Gate- This star is iconic in my opinion as it will probably be one of, if not the first star most people will get when playing Super Mario 64. However, outside of being iconic, there’s just not a lot going on here. You get the star very early and quickly. It doesn’t really showcase the level or encourage exploration. The neatest thing about it is it being the 6th star in the level, but you can get it first.

#5 The 100 Coin Star- Now, honestly, this is the worst star on this course, but it at least has you moving and playing the game. That is why it scores a bit higher then the previously listed stars. It ranks below Mario Wings to the Sky because you will need to get more coins then just the five special coins.

#4 Mario Wings in the Sky- I really don’t care for this star, however it did earn some bonus points for some cool things it did. For starters, its the first flying star (outside of the wing cap stage). I also believe it’s the first level to have secret, special coins. But the flying is not great and that hurts the fun factor. However, it definitely has the exploration side covered.

#3 Footrace with Koopa the Quick– This star introduces us to one of the few NPCs that isn’t a villain, per se, Koopa the Quick. Of course, there’s big exploration to this star, but it is literally a rehash of the previous star, Big Bom-Omb on the Summit. That stops it from being able to crack the top 2 spots.

#2 Big Bob-Omb on the Summit- This star is awesome! It is epic. Mario must make his trek up the summit to fight King Bob-Omb. Exploration is clearly a focal point of this star. You must do some platforming, kill some enemies, collect some coins and at the very end, a boss fight!

#1 Find the 8 Red Coins- I’m a sucker for these 8 red coin missions. Mainly because they are collect-a-thon in nature. They also heavily encourage you to check every inch of the level looking for the coins. The mission itself may or may not be more fun then the other stars, but I feel like they are always a fun representation of what it means to play Mario 64! For that, I will rank it as number 1!

So, that’s my opinion. I’m curious what you guys would rank the stars. Do leave your rankings below!

Looking for a copy yourself? Find it on Amazon here!

Thank you for reading! Have a great day!

The 5 Worst Nintendo Franchises!

Nintendo normally knocks it out of the park with their first party titles. Kid Icarus revolutionized the gaming industry spawning numerous sequels and giving us arguably the greatest video game character of all time, Pit. Ice Climbers was a juggernaut upon release. The game was considered so perfect, Nintendo decided a sequel could never live up to the hype of the original, so they have essentially retired the series. When Ice Climbers made it into Smash Bros Melee, gamers around the world rejoiced. Sadly, or totally predictable, the Ice Climbing duo were too powerful. As a result, they were subsequently removed from the series when Smash Brothers Brawl released on Wii.

So, sure, Nintendo established itself as a major player in the video market off the backs of series like Duck Hunt and Wrecking Crew, but not all series were a hit. Metroid was a disaster and almost bankrupted the company. But Nintendo didn’t want to give up on one of the female pioneers of gaming. Still, they couldn’t justify her on home consoles. Thus, her sequel was given life on the lowly handheld, the Gameboy. Metroid was given a second shot on the Super Nintendo. Another flop, often sited as the worst release by Nintendo. Samus would be relegated to handheld consoles two more times. Not to mention, after the absolute butchering of Metroid as a FPS, Metroid Prime 4 was delayed and ultimately canceled for the best. Not a single soul complained. It just goes to show you, no matter how many times Nintendo releases an installment of a horrible franchise, true gamers don’t forget the past mistakes.

Now, let’s take a look at Nintendos 5 Worst Franchises.

#5 Animal Crossing- When I was preparing this blog, I really thought this be number 1. How could it not be? This game is one of the most overrated franchises in all of gaming, let alone Nintendo. What do you do in this game? Seriously. You play as a kid whose sole purpose in life is to befriend animals. Doesn’t that sound horrible? Like, oh no, Sally the spider lost one of her 8 shoes and needs you to find it. Other task consist of paying off your debt. I mean, at least kids get exposed to how evil money is and how people will use it to manipulate them. So good job Nintendo capturing some realism there.

#4 Super Smash Brothers- Nintendo has long been loathed for repacking and releasing the same games over and over with new paint and funny names. Is there a series that is a better example of that than Super Smash Brothers? I feel like I’ve been playing the same game over and over. The series definitely peaked on the Nintendo 64. Every game since has just felt like an ad campaign. We get it, Fire Emblem (which is probably #6 on this list) could not sell world wide, so they snuck in countless numbers of characters to try and brain wash us into wanting Fire Emblem. Well, it still hasn’t worked and probably never will. The next release of Smash Bros, slated for release on the Switch 2 next year, was announced to have a roster comprised entirely of Fire Emblem characters. Have you lost all hope in the world yet?

#3 Pokemon- Give me a break with this one. Do 30 year old men still think it’s cute to film themselves opening Pokemon TCG boxes, or playing Pokemon Go? No cares if you found Mew under the truck. No one cares if you completed the Pokedex. And trust me, no one cares if you had all the original holos from the card game, especially how many Charizards you owned. Grow up.

#2 The Legend of Zelda. What a waste of potential here. I’m serious. Sure, Zelda 1 was a total bust. The franchise redeemed itself with phenomenal poise with the sequel, Zelda 2. Zelda 2 saved Nintendo. It helped restore faith with the general public. Despite this, Nintendo reverted back to the original formula. This contradicted all the good grace Zelda 2 built up. Then, there was the unspeakable sin. The point of no return, Ocarina of Time. The jump to 3D just wasn’t kind to the Zelda series. The Z Lock On tried to fix things, but arguably made it worse. The time traveling mechanic really bogged down the story and made certain parts feel bloated. It was a total train wreck that the series still has not recovered from.

#1 Super Mario- I guess it was always going to be Super Mario. I mean talk about a cash cow. At least other series like Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed and Madden attempt to change their games up with each release. How many times do I need to run, jump and collect stars? Isn’t this getting old to anyone? And not to mention, they are just slapping Mario on anything and hoping it sells. Why do I need Mario playing Golf, Tennis, Carts and any of the other countless side series? I can do all that in real life, thank you. So, without a doubt, Mario is easily the worst video game mascot and franchise of all time.

So, that’s my list. I could keep going with other Nintendo failures like Donkey Kong, Kirby and Splatoon, but let’s not destroy them too hard. Let me know you’re worst 5 Nintendo Franchises in the comments!

Shin Megami Tensei V is on Sale (Via Walmart, Gamestop and Amazon

Hey guys, if you’ve been on the fence about picking up one of the hottest and latest Nintendo Switch exclusives, now might be the best time. I looked and looked for it to be on sale during Black Friday. Honestly, I didn’t see any good deals. Now that Shin Megami Tensei V is marked down $20 off at most major retailers, this creates a perfect buying opportunity for Nintendo Switch collectors and RPG enthusiasts alike.

(At the time of writing this article, I have no affiliate links with any of the mentioned websites. I do not receive any kickbacks if you buy a product listed below.)

Link to Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Shin-Megami-Tensei-V-Nintendo-Switch/485023374

Link to Gamestop: https://www.gamestop.com/video-games/nintendo-switch/products/shin-megami-tensei-v—nintendo-switch/318502.html

Link to Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shin-Megami-Tensei-Standard-Nintendo-Switch/dp/B09HYJ8YLW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1XNQT8LV42ZVM&keywords=shin+megami+tensei+v&qid=1639325133&sprefix=shin+me%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-1

I’m sure the game is worth the full asking price considering it is the next in a long running JRPG series, The Shin Megami Tensei franchise. A critically acclaimed series developed by the prestigious Atlus studios. Still, every bit of savings helps this close to the holidays.

Let me know if you guys end up picking up the game.