Monthly Archives: July 2011

Revitalizing Nintendo’s Virtual Console

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At this point all video game platforms have a download service that offers older games at low prices, but when Nintendo announced the Virtual Console in 2006 it was a first for the industry. Even though Microsoft and Sony followed with their own collections of older games, Nintendo’s Virtual Console has always been the platform with the most potential.

Even if Nintendo had never gained access to Sega and other non-Nintendo platforms, the library of games for Nintendo platforms alone outmatches what Microsoft and Sony can offer. Unfortunately, Nintendo has done a terrible job of leveraging their advantage and the Virtual Console is largely stagnant.

After Nintendo launched WiiWare, they seemed to quit supporting the Virtual Console, but with the recent launch of the new Nintendo 3DS eShop it looks like classics games are getting another chance in the spotlight. Unfortunately, there are still a few major problems that need to be addressed before Nintendo’s virtual console has truly shine. Continue reading →

Is this the end of Megaman?

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The creator has left Capcom. Two games have been cancelled. Zero games are known to be in development. It’s hard to believe Megaman was once Capcom’s flagship character. He’s even been snubbed in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 despite being the most requested character by fans by a large margin.

Megaman has been struggling to find his place for years, but new games with new ideas were always being developed and most of the games turned out alright even if there were way too many games being released. After years of being so active, it’s strange that there are no new Megaman games on the horizon. To make matters worse, two highly anticipated Megaman games have been cancelled this year including Megaman Legends 3, a game devoted fans have waited years to get their hands on.

So, where does Megaman go from here? Does he have a future at all?  Continue reading →

5 Final Fantasy Characters for Smash Bros.

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One of the most anticipated features of Super Smash Bros. Brawl was the inclusion of third-party characters in a series that was previously made up entirely of Nintendo’s first-party characters. Unfortunately, many people (myself included) were disappointed when they learned that Sonic and Snake would be the only playable third party characters after originally hearing that the developers planned to include more than two.

Once again, with new Smash Bros. games on the horizon, I am hoping that additional third party characters are added, and there is one long running series with a huge collection of characters to choose from: Final Fantasy. Continue reading →

Review: Torchlight

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I have a very complicated view on PC gaming. There are tons of games I would love to play, but there is one thing (other than not owning a powerful gaming computer) that turns me away: keyboard and mouse controls. Specifically, I’m not a fan of games that are best played by continuously clicking the mouse.

Most recently, I tried to play League of Legends. I love the game’s concept and had some fun playing with friends, but the controls (right-clicking repeatedly to move) are a major downside for me. I had a similar experience years ago with the beloved dungeon-crawler Diablo 2.

The Diablo series is exactly the type of game I would normally enjoy, but I would rather play a game with a analog stick and buttons. Luckily for me, I stumbled on to Torchlight. Continue reading →

El Shaddai Demo Impressions

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El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is an action-adventure game scheduled for release on July 26, 2011. In June, a free demo was released on the XBOX Live Marketplace and the Playstation Store.

In El Shaddai, you play a warrior named Enoch who has been sent by Heaven to capture fallen angels who are messing with the humans. The game features both 3D and 2D platforming segments and an interesting battle system that has you stealing your enemies weapons.

After spending some time with the demo, I’ve been left with a very mixed reaction to the game, but the game is definitely original. Continue reading →