Category Archives: Top Five
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.
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#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!
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#4 Ice Flower (Super Mario Galaxy)
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.
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#3 Super Star (Super Mario Bros.)
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)
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.
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#1 Super Bell (Super Mario 3D World)
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.
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So, there you have it. Those are my favorite power ups. Which ones are yours? Let me know down below!
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Continued Reading:
Ranking The Bob-Omb Battlefield Stars!
Video Game Grail? (A Response to the MetalJesusRocks Facebook Page)
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!
Characters I Would Have Liked in Smash Bros!
All the roster spots are taken, but many were left out. Here’s some characters I wish had made the list.
Protagonist (Shin Megami Tensei V). Admittedly, I do think going 3rd party was the right choice. With Shin Megami Tensei V set to be one of the major holiday releases for the Switch, this felt like a perfect fit. One sign it wasn’t going to be Protagonist was that we already have Joker, a big Atlus character. Secondly, SMTV was already announced. Having Sora as the last character let Nintendo sneak in another major holiday release, Kingdom Hearts to the Switch.
Howard (Astral Chain)– If Nintendo was going to go with a character they published, my vote would have been the Astral Chain characters. Honestly, I have not played Astral Chain. It is on my list but Switch games rarely go on sale and I have so many Zelda games to play through as well. Either way, I would have loved for one of the Astral Chain characters to sneak in that way Nintendo could diversify their Nintendo published line up. A huge percentage of the roster stem from Mario, Zelda and Fire Emblem. The biggest con I think for pulling from Astral Chain is it would have been underwhelming to the gaming landscape.
Master Chief (Halo)– Master Chief isn’t my favorite third party character nor my first choice, however I think he would have broke the internet. Nintendo and Microsoft have a working relationship so I think this was doable. I thought for sure Banjo Kazooie making it in was a hint that Master Chief might be lurking in the future. Master Chief is arguably Microsoft’s greatest character and would have been a heck of an addition to the overall roster. I cannot really think of any cons. He is not just another sword character, he is a major member of the video game community, and Halo has a new game coming out next year. I think Nintendo and Microsoft really missed an opportunity here. Oh well.
Leon Kennedy (Resident Evil)– Leon Kennedy might just be my favorite video game character of all time, he’s definitely top 5. He probably would have played like Master Chief if either made the final roster. They probably would have relied on fire arms with close range melee weapons if needed along with grenades. Recovery would probably be the hardest thing to pull off. Of course the con would be that Leon hasn’t really be involved with the Resident Evil franchise lately as 7 and 8 have gone away from the traditional cast. Most of the Resident Evil games have already been ported over to the Switch. Still he is an awesome character and it is a shame he did not make the list.
Hat Kid (Hat Kid)– Anyone following my Youtube channel knows I love A Hat in Time. Of course this is a bias pick. She is my favorite Indie character and would easily be my choice. Imagine announcing Hat Kid as the final character and then showing off A Hat in Time 2 or a Mario Odyssey kingdom inspired off of A Hat in Time. I think it would have been awesome to have her. Of course she was never going to make the roster if bigger indie characters like Shovel Knight did not even make the official roster.
So, there’s my list. There’s plenty of other great character’s like Crash, Kratos and Rayman that missed the roster as well. So let me know how you rank the final cast. Who would you rather have?
Thank you guys so much for reading. Have a great day!
Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday) Part 4 Finale The Top Five Levels of Super Mario 64!
Today, we finally wrap up our series of ranking every Super Mario 64 level.
Check out the previous parts here:
Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday) Part 1
Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday[Saturday]) Part 2
Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday) Part 3
Separately the top 5 was pretty difficult. Some of my favorite levels such as Snowman Land and Whomp’s Fortress have already appeared on the list. Meanwhile, a few levels that are not exactly my favorite, still remain at large.
#5 Big Boo’s Haunt- This personally might be my favorite level. I’m not sure where the general consensus is for this stage but I tried to be relatively unbiased here. I like that the mansion has three floors but I wish there some more variety in the rooms. It would have been cool to see a kitchen or master bedroom area. Still this level is fun to explore, has the boos and the coins and stars are pretty easy to run around and claim.
#4 Tall, Tall Mountain- This is a level I didn’t really care for before making this list. The mountain can be a hassle to climb, the falls can be demoralizing and the Monkey is a pain in the butt. However, this level is truly epic. While it lacks some of the complexity of other levels. The ascent up the mountain, while not perfect, is one of the highlights of the game. Theres some variety in the missions and of course, this level has a slide! So bonus points.
#3 Shifting Sand Land- Again, another level I had absolute disdain for growing up. The sand has insta kill sections, climbing the pyramid can be more of a chore than the mountain of Tall Tall Mountain, and the bird can steal your hat. While those can be big detractors, this level was certainly out of their comfort zone. It is one of the first levels to truly challenge you. On top of that, exploration is another huge plus here. The pyramid feels like it’s own level. It is filled with plenty of puzzle-esque sections, challenging platforming parts and some secrets thrown in to keep you on your toes. This certainly wouldn’t be in my top 5 favorites, but I appreciate all the things it did.
#2 Bomb-Omb Battlefield- Another level that is absolutely up in my top favorites. It is just a massive sandbox for platforming. And platforming and exploration are the two biggest strengths of the game. Sure, the level lacks complexity found in later levels which hinders some of the exploration. However, this level is absolutely iconic. It has a surprisingly amount of diversity for the first level. The Wing Cap combined with the cannon is a crazy combo. The floating island in the sky immediately encourages wonder and curiosity. Who will ever forget being greeted by the bombs, having to slip past the Chain Chomp and finally scaling King Bomb-Omb’s mountain? There’s a handful of secrets, enemies, and interesting areas to keep this level feeling fresh and exciting.
#1 Tick Tock Clock- I absolutely hated this level as a kid. The 100 coins in this course was one of the last stars I ever got, putting it off until my adulthood… However, climbing Tick Tock Clock feels like a real achievement. There’s several branching paths, difficult enemies, secret coins and stars and plenty more. It harbors some of the most annoying stars that you can feel proud of yourself for conquering. It’s a level you can complete several times over and have a different experience each time you run through it. That’s because depending on which quarter of the clock you jump in at (12, 3, 6 and 9) will determine the speed of the moving parts. You can double the speed, slow it down, randomize it or even bring it to a dead stop. This provides plenty of different strategies and playthroughs. In this example, you try to get the 8 red coins with the platforms stopped (Generally considered the easiest way to beat it.) Or you could have the platforms speed randomized. I will say Rainbow Ride is equally, if not harder, than Tick Tock Clock. However, Tick Tock Clock seems like a more professional and cohesively designed level whereas Rainbow Ride feels more thrown together. This level combines many of the aspects that make Mario 64 so great, There’s a massive tower to explore, plenty of sections allow and encourage precise platforming, and the difficulty is balanced so that the trek is not easy but not overly ridiculous either. For the fact that this level fuses what makes all other levels great in their own way into one level makes it stand out to me.
So, what did you think of this list? Feel free to leave your own opinions in the comments down below. There will be plenty more list and reviews in the future so make sure you are following the blog!
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Top Five Best Designed Pokemons from Gen 3 (Top 5 Friday)
When analyzing Generation 3’s Pokemons, one thing became clear. This Gen is top loaded and well balanced. This is kind of problematic for this list. Let’s break it down. First, the top loaded. This list, like all my others of this type, exclude legendaries and starters. As a result, Hoenn loses what it did so well. Blaziken, Sceptile, Swampert, Deoxy, Rayquaza I could go on and on about how well designed this subset of Pokemons are. They are some of the best in the entire series of starters and legendaries, and none of them will be on this list. I like to spotlight some of the lesser known Pokemons. However that gets us to the second issue.
It’s well balanced. In most other Pokemon games, if you remove legendaries and starters, the top 5 are obvious. However, very little separates these Pokemons. I think the top 3 are obvious, I think theres about 10 Pokemons that could be battling for the 4th and 5th spot. I wouldn’t blame anyone for moving Pokemons on this list or having ones I didnt even mention. In fact, my list might change next week if you ask me. Anyway, let’s get on with the list.
#5 Aggron- When you see what misses the list, you’ll see what I mean. I actually never got to use Aggron. Aron is so bad, I haven’t been able to evolve it. I’m trying to fix that with my current playthrough of Emerald, but he is still my weakest mon. All that aside, Aggro is ferocious, well designed, on the champions team and represents a new type. All things that give him a lot of street cred.
#4 Altaria- I was going to give Altaria the 3 spot, but on second thought, I feel like my new #3 is more iconic. Something Altaria has in common with the top 2 Pokemons on this list is that they got a Mega form when ORAS came out. Altaria loses a little bit of its charm when you realize this Generation gave us, I think 4 Dragon types. Generation 1 just had Dragonite’s line. I dont believe Johto gave us a single Dragon. Hoenn gave us at least 4 dragon lines. She is awesome, a gym leader used her and she got a Mega. Again, it was tough separating these early entry Pokemons but I think Altaria did enough to crack the list.
#3 Breloom- I actually think solely from a design perspective struggles to make into the top 5. However, I think it was the first grass fighting Pokemon to exist and in the competitive scene it was a beast. It was able to set up substitute and barrage its enemies with focus punch. I can completely see someone wanting a different Pokemon in this spot but I feel he was an iconic strong gen 3 Pokemon with a unique typing that is awesome and hasn’t happened a lot, and it had a clear defined role in the meta. I think all these characteristics are enough to find a spot on this list.
#2 Salamence- I could see some people wanting this at #1, but I’ll explain. When Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire came out, he was undoubtedly one of the coolest Pokemons ever, including legendaries and starters. However, as time gas moved on, I think he has lost a lot of his luster. I think design wise he is one of the coolest dragons in the game, but he wasn’t the original (that honor goes to Dragonite) and he has to compete with all the other dragons in just this generation, namely Rayquaza. Still there is no denying how epic he was in his debut. He was featured on Drake’s Elite Four team, is a dragon type, was a clear OU in the metagame, and his design is just so hard to beat.
#1 Metagross- Metagross is a very interesting Pokemon. He takes the top spot in my list for several reasons. Steel was still (hehe) a new type. Prior to this generation, only the magnemite line, Skarmory and Steexlix had the distinction of the type. Gen 3 did add a handful of new steels including Registeel, Mawile and the aforementioned Aggron, but unlike Salamance, Metagross is the coolest steel type this generation. He also was a nondragon pseudo legendary. Something only himself and Tyrantiar can say. As the series would go exclusively Dragons for the pseudos as the series progressed into newer regions. He was the iconic Pokemon on Champion Steven’s team. He was powerful and had a clear role in the competitive scene. He checks off every box needed to be #1. I could see people rooting for the giant flying dragon, but I’m giving the nod to Metagross today.
So there’s my list. I think generation 3 was summed up by Metagross and Salamence (excluding starters and legends) and my list reflects that. However there were so many great Pokemons that just did not separate from the pack like Gardevoir and Miltoic. I think Gen 3 might have the best roster top to bottom because it does not have many dud Pokemons. Theres still the arbitrary early bugs, but every gen has that. Some Pokemons like Linoone and Kecleon can get lost in the shuffle but they’re never really bad. So this was a tough top 5.
Let me know what 5 Pokemon would have made your list. Thank you guys for reading and have a great day!
Top Five Pokemon Designs From Generation 2 (Johto)
Generation 2 is one of my favorite in the long running franchise. This isn’t a facts based list, it is more opinionated in nature so you’re list my vary. Now, to keep it from being obvious I will exclude starters and legendaries. Here we go!
#5 Gligar- Okay, this is my shameless pick (admittedly, some of these are.). The Pokemon anime has influenced my love for certain Pokemons. This is no doubt one of those times. Gligarman was an awesome part of the anime mimicking Batman. In Gen 4, Gligar would get an evolution which makes him even more awesome. In all honesty, there are plenty of worthy Pokemon for this spot such as Steelix, Donphan, Slowking, but I got to go with my homeboy here. (Even if he wasn’t great in this generation, he got better as the game series evolved.
#4 Crobat- My second favorite Pokemon in the series is admittedly not the coolest Pokemon from this generation. I went through a phase (If you ask my mom anyway) of liking poison Pokemons. During this time Pokemons like Arbok and Weezing soared up my favorites list, but the Pokemon who moved the highest was Crobat. He has a very sleek design, he single handily saved one of the worst evolution lines in Pokemon. He becomes really sweet in Gen 4 when his movepool catches up to his design. He is one of the fastest Pokemons in the game too which is nice bonus!
#3 Heracross/Scizor- Yes, I could have these guys as separate entries and avoided the who Gligar entry, but I tend to wrap up these early Bug Pokemons at times like these. I never used Scizor but his design was incredible. I found him to have the better design over Heracross but there’s a few reasons I like Heracross better. For starters, Ash had a Heracross in the anime. Again this is always a plus (except it made me dislike Charizard haha). Secondly, Heracross was easier and earlier to obtain. Heracross could be found near the start of the game by headbutting trees. For Scizor, you needed a Scyther and then trade that Scyther to a friend while it held a metal coat. (and who has friends, amirite?). Though I prefer Heracross, I’ll give the edge here to Scizor.
![Pokemon - The Johto Journeys - Crimson Warrior (Vol. 46) [VHS]: Unshô Ishizuka, Rica Matsumoto, Ikue Ôtani, Megumi Hayashibara, Mayumi Iizuka, Inuko Inuyama, Shin'ichirô Miki, Yûji Ueda, Satomi Kôrogi, Kôichi Sakaguchi, Rikako Aikawa ... - Amazon.com](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51VX6HB0MAL._AC_.jpg)
#2 Tyranitar- When you remove starters and legendaries, I thought for sure this would be #1. He is the pseudo legendary for the generation one of the few pseudos, if not the only one, that isn’t Dragon type. He was used to show off the power of the newly introduced Dark type. It follows the traditional Pseudo evolution line design. Adorable baby form, begrudgingly horribly designed middle stage, and finally a kick butt ultimate form. Removing personal bias, Tyranitar my be the best designed Pokemon in the generation, but he’s my number #2
![Post [185565903094] - jasonstarr-x44.tumblr.com - Tumbex](https://64.media.tumblr.com/5a61110cbd308c828e832ffa4cec1f16/tumblr_pbpj0nna0a1sgge6vo1_640.gifv)
Let’s breakdown the honorable mentions! I already name dropped Slowking, Skarmory and Steelix. Ampharos is another great Pokemon. Then there’s Donphan, Ursaring, Sneasal, Espeon, Umbreon and Hitmontop. This generation only introduced about 100 new Pokemons but they made it count. There were a few duds like Dunsparce, Jumpluff and Qwilfish along the way. But the cream of the crop sure did rise to the occasion!
#1 Houndoom- Odds are, you did not guess this. But Dark types were rolling in this generation (as I also like Murkrow.). Houndoom combined two awesome types in dark and fire. Dogs are by far my favorite animal so I do tend to like the dog based Pokemons (I love Snubbull too). I actually like his design more than Arcanine who is another epic dog Pokemon. Of course he would go on to get better moves in later games and even a mega which was awesome. I am fully aware this is a bias pick but I think, under these restrictions, Houndoom could make a lot of people’s top 5 coolest designed Pokemon of this generation.
So there you have it. Certainly some favoritism thrown in there as I’m sure Steelix would probably make a lot of people’s list. Gen 2 has really cool looking Pokemons. Be sure to let me know your favorites down in the comments below!
Ranking A Hat in Time Worlds! (A Top Five Friday)
A Hat in Time is broken into 7 Worlds and an over world. Here’s my ranking!
#8 Time’s End.
Honestly, there’s nothing really to this. It’s a final stage and it is great at that. Lots of enemies, fire, and using most if not all of the hats. All the characters make a reappearance and the boss fight is epic. It’ s checks a lot of boxes that a final stage need. However, I enjoy more laid back levels, beach levels, wood levels. I’m just not a big fan of what this level is doing, but I do appreciate it.
#7 Alpine Skyline.
This ranking kills me. It truly does. It is not as ambitious or unique as the other levels. The atmosphere isn’t quite as beautiful as Mafia Town or Artic Cruise. However, the platforming time pieces are some of, if not, the best time pieces in the game (looking at you Windmill.) I think there is a lot to love in this level. It just does not feel as unique as the other stages.
#6 The Spaceship (Over World).
As far as over worlds go, this is one of the weaker ones, admittedly. Compare this to the over world of Super Mario 64 or Sunshine. It is not as interesting to traverse or explore as many of its competitions. However, there are plenty of 3D platformers without an over world (Spyro, Ape Escape, Super Mario Odyssey), so I will never take an overworld for granted. Still, there is plenty to do such as playing the text based adventure computer, the bird band, unlocking space rifts and much more. This alone prevents this from being just a bland generic over world.
#5 Artic Cruise
This level might have the best atmosphere in the whole game. It introduces some fan favorite characters such as the seals, Walrus the Captain, and of course, the fish dude. The time pieces are surprisingly diverse for a level that takes place on a boat. Artic Cruise was the first DLC for A Hat in Time and it ushered in a few new mechanics such as the shattered time pieces and the errand running missions. However, there is no denying that if you played the 2nd mission Ship Shape, you rage quitted. I did not beat this mission before they applied the first update which I believed slowed down how fast the captain got mad. I’ve talked to a few of my viewers who actually didnt find the levels hard and enjoyed it. I’m convinced they did not play it prior to the update. Either way, there’s a lot to love here, but pre-update, this level was beyond frustrating.
#4 Battle Of The Birds
Personally, #3-#4 could be interchanged here. I elected to put Battle of the Birds here at #4 because I find it to be less of a platforming world. However, there is no denying their creative juices were flowing the most aggressively on this world. No levels are the same. As the first mission has you playing a stealth based level where you sneak around Dead Bird Studios. The second level has you trying to solve a murder on a train. The third level seems like a throw away level that has Hat Kid running around gaining diva points. The fourth mission is one of the best in the games, Train Rush. While the following mission, The Big Parade is one of the worst missions in the game. Battle of the Birds also brings to the small screen 2 of the most iconic characters in the whole game: DJ. Grooves and the Conductor.
![A Hat in Time - Ch. 2 Battle of the Birds - Act 1: Dead Bird Studio [PC] - YouTube](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NaIG80W_eGc/hqdefault.jpg)
#3 Subcon Forest
Neither Battle of the Birds or Subcon Forest really blew me away when I first played the game. As time has gone on I’ve learned to appreciate these stages. Subcon Well felt like a Wind Waker level. Queen Vanessa’s Manor is a fan favorite stage. What other game is going to have you fight an evil possessed toilet!? And of of course, Snatcher. Nuff Said.
![A Hat in Time - Ch. 3 Subcon Forest - Act 1: Contractual Obligations [PC] - YouTube](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1Htmc0RP4DA/maxresdefault.jpg)
#2 Mafia Town
This is the perfect introduction stage to a 3D platformer. The first level is a tad scripted but speed runner found out early you dont have to follow the main path. Its very reminiscent of Bomb-OMB Battlefields on Super Mario 64. A nice open world to explore, a variety to Enemies to defeat, and more collectibles than you can shake an umbrella at. The acts are nice and diverse while never straying too far from what makes 3D platformers so good. The stage is bright for the most part which I think is always a plus. Al in all, I think this is the best stage in the base game.
#1 Nyakuza Metro
The latest, and last planned DLC for now. This stage is awesome. I do Let’s Plays for A Hat in Time and this stage just felt special while playing through it. Past the first stage, this level because free flow. Meaning you dont select an act. Instead, you are just dropped into the hub space of the Metro where you are left to your own devices. The metro itself is broken down into several colored sections. Each section has a few time pieces and most of the sections are a blast to explore. The cats are quite as cute as the seals, but I wont that against them. The biggest knock I would have against the level is it feels a little more tight than Mafia Town. That doesn’t really detract from the platforming to get to the time pieces, but it hinders just messing around the stage in your free time. The metro is darker but that felts the atmosphere nicely so I cannot complain. Still these hardly point lowering grumbles. I’m just saying Mafia Town or Nyakuza Metro could easily flip flop as the #1
So there you have it. I’ve been trying to do these more consistently even as I work more. As a result that hurts proof reading and adding pictures. I pretty much write Stream of Consciousness so bare with me guys!
Have a great day and thanks for reading!
Games That Could Have Saved The Wii U!
*This post was written towards the end of May! Enjoy!*
During the Wii U’s lifespan several games came out that didn’t make it onto the console. If the Wii U had landed some of these titles it definitely would have helped. You guys will see a lot of parallels between the N64 and the Wii U. Let’s go ahead and jump into this one.
JRPGS and RPGs in general were bare on the system, just like the n64. Of course you still got Paper Mario, Xenoblade, and of course Mass Effect 3. So with all that said my first pick is Persona 5. Personally, I haven’t been able to gravitate towards JRPGs, though I do certainly try. With all that said, there is no denying Persona 5s profound impact on the western market. To my knowledge, Persona, as far as a console release, has been exclusive to the PlayStation. Though, the 3ds did see some Persona releases on handheld. I’m not sure the Wii U ever had a chance of landing Persona 5, considering the Switch hasn’t even got a version. This would have been a huge get for the Wii U’s library.
Let’s keep the RPG train rolling. Fallout. Personally, I think New Vegas would be my choice here. If the Wii U had secured a definitive edition of Fallout New Vegas with all the DLC, I would’ve been all over that. If Fallout 4 had released on the Wii U, of course that would have helped the Wii U break the stereotype of being a “children’s unit”, but who knows if Fallout 4 could have even ran on the Wii U in the first place.
And to round out the RPG experience, Mass Effect Trilogy. I’m not sure about Bioware or EA’s relationship with Nintendo during this time, but the Wii U got Mass Effect 3 which just seems weird. I really wish the Wii U either got a separate release for each installment or the trilogy released later on. It’s so weird needing to buy Mass Effect 1 and 2 on Xbox just to jump on the Wii U to round out the trilogy. While this was weird to me, it’s far from the only example (as this also happened with the Batman games).
A Hat in Time- A Hat in Time was originally in the works for the Wii U. Overtime, that plan evaporated along with the hopes of a Nintendo Switch version. As time elapsed, A Hat in Time would finally make its way to the Switch. Sadly, for Wii U Collectors and players alike, this title was missed from the Wii U library.
Undertale- During the time of Undertale’s release I was playing my Wii U exclusively with a little Xbox One thrown in. As a result, I missed out on Undertale. If this game has found a way to end up on the Wii U I might have got around to playing this. As of now, I have yet to experience Undertale.
Rare Replay- When Rare Replay came out, Nintendo and Microsoft hadn’t quite struck up their friendship. Now a days, Banjo Kazooie has arrived on Switch via Smash Brothers. Also, Cuphead is available on Switch. We’ve yet to get any Rare games on the Switch to my knowledge. However, if people were able to play Banjo Kazooie, Conker, Battletoads or any of those Rare classic titles, I think people would have eaten up the nostalgia factor.
Lastly, for today’s post anyway, Super Mario Odyssey. Breath of the Wild may have ended up on the Switch also, but it was designed, in part, with the Wii U in mind. As a result, The Wii U got an absolute epic game in Breath of the Wild. Now, I have also said the Wii U desperately needed a 3D Mario game. Yes, 3D World was a great game yet if it was complimented with Odyssey, that would have solidified the Wii U’s library as top notch. Sadly, Nintendo saw the writing on the wall and bailed on Odyssey ever coming to Wii U. I think ultimately this was a smart decision due to how much Odyssey can be dependent on motion controllers. All that said, I wish the Wii U had received a title maybe more like a traditional Mario 64 title.
So that’s it for today. I’ve been merciless collecting for my Wii U, I only have about 30ish (at the time of writing this. Now I’m not down to 6!) titles left until I have a whole set. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on the library. There’s plenty more games to discuss so expect more videos as time goes on. Thanks for reading guys and I’ll see you in the next one.
![Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday[Saturday]) Part 2](https://dahubbz.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/super_mario_64_box_cover.jpg?w=90&h=70&crop=1 "Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday[Saturday]) Part 2")
Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday[Saturday]) Part 2
Hey guys, since this is part 2 of this series, I decided Ill skip the opening. If you missed part one, check it out here: Ranking Super Mario 64 Levels (Top Five Friday) Part 1
Alright. Let’s jump into it.
#10 Tiny Huge Island
Tiny Huge Island will get all its points for sheer creativity. The double entrance changes Mario size. If Mario runs towards the towering picture, he will be tiny entering the level (is the island huge?). Conversely, if he enters the picture where he is large, the island is tiny. Mario (or the island’s) size changes some dynamics. Some stars can only be obtained depending on if Mario is huge or tiny. However, I just do not enjoy this level. This is kind of surprising considering I love beach levels. Still, this is fun-ish level to run around and is far from terrible.
#9 Lethal Lava Land
Since making a Youtube channel, I have replayed SM64 about 5 or more times. Lethal Lava Land is one of the levels that has benefitted the most in all those replays. I can speed run this level pretty quickly. However, this level shows some of the strengths and weaknesses of the game. For starters, two of the stars are just rehasings. You fight the bullies twice for 2 separate stars. The 8 red coins, while cool, is very simple. The 100 coins are not too hard but they can be unforgiven. Overall, I like it but it falls short of greatness.
#8 Cool, Cool Mountain
Cool, Cool Mountain was probably the first level that blow me away. Perhaps as a six year old every level blew my mind. However, the structure of this level was ginormous. This level helped birth my fascination for slide levels in video games. As a kid, escorting the baby penguin was such a tall task. Now, I love grabbing the baby penguin and saying “Hold on, bucko. Here we go!” and jump off the side of the mountain. The 8 red coins felt like a legitimate scavenger hunt. It hurts to rank this level so low, but seriously, the levels above it are soo good.
#7 Hazy Maze Cave
Or as I call it Hazy Mazy Cavey. Ugh, I do not enjoy this level, honestly. But the scope of this level is great. It is not over enjoyable but it is diverse. You have the switch pad sections, which are not fun but they are a cool concept. You have the actual maze, which also is not fun but is a cool concept. You have the underground lake part which actually is not very fun either but is a cool concept. You have the metal cap switch level which I guess isn’t that much fun either but it is a cool concept. Oh, yeah than there’s the rolling rock part which, now that I think about it, isn’t that much fun either but it is a cool concept. What can I say? I’m mostly joking, but I am serious at the same time. This level is made up of very cool and different sections that are not great on their own, but make for a very interesting level. I mean, Cool, Cool Mountain is certainly more fun than Hazy Maze Cave but there’s two snow levels, like 10 water levels, at least 2 fire levels. I say all that to say Hazy Maze Cave stands out as a unique level with unique ideas. That is why it scores higher despite probably being the least fun level up this high on the list.
#6 Whomp’s Fortress
Seriously, from this point on every level is “Man, it kills me to rank this level so low.” Whomp’s Fortress is an absolute joy to explore but it is really simple compared to the rest of the levels left on the list. The first level involves an epic ascent up Whomp’s Fortress to battle with Whomp himself. What is really cool about this level is everything past the first star. Whomp’s battle ring has been replaced by an even taller tower which changes the dynamic of how to climb the fortress. It even gives access to a new section made of floating platforms that allow you to complete the red coin mission. You also can now more reliably get inside the cage for it’s star. All in all, it is a small level, which hurts it sadly, but is still a bright and fun explorable level.
Okay, that is levels 10-6 and makes up the second part of my list. What will emerge as the top level? I’d love to say find out in the next installment. However, we will be ranking the side levels next. So be sure to follow for more Mario 64 content!
Thanks for reading. Have a great day!
Most Anticipated Nintendo Switch Games (Top 5)
In many people’s eyes, Nintendo has had a quiet year. Not too me. Xenoblade Chronicles, Spongebob Squarepants (A third party game, but still.), Animal Crossing, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, and now Paper Mario plus a few more games and DLC for Pokemon and Smash Bros. Though between leaks, rumors, and minor announcements, fans have ran with wild ideas of what Nintendo’s 2020 could have been.
So, let’s take a look at what my most anticipated Nintendo Switch games are. A few disclaimers. I want the games to be based in some reality. What do I mean by that? For example, a lot of people are clamoring for Pikmin Trilogy HD collection. As far as I know, I have not heard any official statements of a Pikmin Trilogy (correct me if I am wrong). However, I feel as if I have heard Miyamoto claim to be working on Pikmin 4. So, games like Mario Kart 9, the next Pokemon Let’s Go, and even Mario Odyssey 2 wont make this list. Those the rules.
#5 No More Heroes- There were two games fighting for this spot. Bayonette 3 and No More Heroes 3 clock in as probably the 2 biggest 3rd Party Games left to come out on the Switch. At the end of the day I’ve barely played any of their 2 previous installments. Since the N64, Nintendo has struggled to sustain major 3rd party support. As a consumer who wants to see Nintendo snag more of these 3rd Party titles, there is a little bit of an incentive to purchase these titles and help them be profitable. If you just buy 1st party titles, 3rd Party Developers will see no point in putting their games on the Switch. The main reason I am picking No More Heroes 3, for now anyway, is I think I like the Hack and Slash genre a bit more than the bullet hell/Shootemup genre of Bayonette. This could change as the games get closer to their releases.
#4 Pokemon Snap- I would say the ceiling of this game is number 3. I just don’t see this game rising above the top 2 spots. Nevertheless, this is a Pokemon title, and I tend to enjoy them no matter what form they take. The game looks beautiful, the environments are breathtaking and finally, the Pokedex has evolved a lot since the OG 151 so it will be nice to see a brand new roster updated with plenty of new Pokemons. However, I feel like the concept of an on rail shooter is a little outdated. I feel like it could be a secondary mode to compliment a small, open-world Pokemon Snap sequel. We aren’t there yet. However, if this Pokemon Snap gets a sequel on maybe a Switch Pro, I think it’s time to bring the Pokemon Snap series into an open-world adventure snapping Pokemons in the wild.
#3 Ary and the Secret of Seasons- A Hat in Time was an indie game I absolutely fell in love with. I hyped that game up out of the gates and it lived up to the hype. I want to be careful saying Ary and the Secret of Seasons will rival Zelda in the same way A Hat in Time almost tops the Mario Franchise. Still, Ary looks gorgeous, the mechanics are fresh, and it just looks fun. I’ve already preordered my copy. I cannot wait. I played an hour or so of the demo on steam when the demo was available. Check it out here
#2 Mario HD Remake- Let’s be real. This could just as easily be number #1. It was for the longest time, but two things. A. I’ve been on a Zelda kick recently (Which youll see in an upcoming post/video). B. There’s still so many question marks. Are these standard ports? Are any features added like Co-Op? Will they there be physical release or digital only? Will some games be packaged together (64 and Sunshine, Galaxy 1 and 2?). I think the hype could lead to disappointment so I want to keep my expectations grounded in reality. But also, that mystery is what makes the anticipations and expectations such a fun part of the spec season. Let’s see how it all plays out.
Here’s a few honorable mentions:
Balan Wonderworld: Considering this game has had more shown off for it then most games on this list, it is easy to see how this game could justifiably be a top 3 on this list. However, this was one of the few games Microsoft announced that I am actually looking forward too, I kinda wanted some diversity on this list. Plus, I am an achievement junkie, so if this comes to Gamepass, I’ll probably play it that way.
Bayonette 3- As discussed, I want to support the 3rd Party developers. This isnt my favorite style of game by any stretch but I have enjoyed the first few levels of Bayonette 1 that I played.
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From here, it would be speculation such as Mario Odyssey 2, a Mario Party Ultimate, or even the Metroid Prime HD Trilogy. So, I’ll go ahead and get to #1
#1 Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2- Oh boy. Nintendo already announced this game what seems like forever ago. Still I don’t think this game will get a 2020 release date. But come on, they announced BOTW in what feels like the Gamecube era, so we can wait a little longer. A lot of people see BOTW as a masterpiece. You have to remember, the Switch is arguably the greatest kids console of all time. So many kids are getting to experience Nintendo franchises for the first time with the Switch. I argue that BOTW has touched and influenced people of all ages in the same way Ocarina of Time and A Link to the Past did. However, I personally think BOTW was only scratching the surface. BOTW began it’s life span being developed for the Wii U. BOTW 2 was built entirely for the Switch. Not to mention, Nintendo now has had a few years under their belt programming for the console. I think BOTW2 is going to destroy the epic, instaclassic BOTW, and that should sound groundbreaking.
So yes, Nintendo’s 2020 could have been colossal, but you got to realize Covid probably didn’t help matters. If you are a Switch owner, get excited. Mario Odyssey 2 and the HD remakes, BOTW 2, Metroid Prime 4, and a few other big titles still in the work can go toe to toe with anything Xbox or Playstation are offering.
Want to read my thoughts on the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X Showcases? Check them out below:
Da_Hubbz 