Geekscape 556: Retro Game Historian Brett Weiss Talks NES Classics!

by JonathanJuly 23, 2020

Gaming historian Brett Weiss is the author of the NES Omnibus: the ultimate source for reviews and information on all of the class 8-bit NES games! On this Geekscape, Brett joins me to talk about the all new NES Omnibus, what some of his favorite NES games are and maybe some lesser known surprises that you’ve never heard about! Also on this episode… I introduce you to my new co-host Katie Elsaesser! Katie has been on Geekscape before and is the funniest person that I know so it’s about time I bring her on to do the heavy lifting of making the show worth watching again!

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I Don’t Know How To Play Video Games, But Here’s What I Thought Of ‘Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp’

by Mikaela MaxwellNovember 26, 2017

Read my previous thoughts on Super Mario Odyssey here!

Animal Crossing: New Leaf was actually one of the first video games that Derek introduced me to. My siblings had Nintendo Game Boys and such as kids, but it was never something I really got into (though I’m not quite sure why). A few years back, when Derek suggested that I try playing Animal Crossing on his 3DS. I’m sure that I rolled my eyes at the ridiculousness of the idea, thinking “I am an adult,” “I’m awful at video games,” “It’s not really my thing,” etc., etc. In any case, my rubber arm was twisted and I was set up to play.

The first time that I played Derek sat next to me answering my questions about how to do things and why things mattered and what not. After about an hour he needed to go into the next room to record the Geekscape Games Podcast, and I continued on my own. I continued and continued (and continued). I played all through the podcast recording, and I even needed to interrupt him at one point to ask what this flashing red light on the 3DS meant? Turns out it meant I had played for so long that I had killed the battery. I played for at least 4 hours that night, and for many days thereafter. I can’t remember exactly how long I stayed on that particular game, but suffice to say that I really enjoyed it, and it was definitely a great way for me to start getting into video games. It also freaked me right out as suddenly I was devoting all of these hours to playing a game! How could I possibly be that guy?!

So yesterday when I was informed that there was an Animal Crossing game that I could play on my phone, that shit was downloaded immediately. And again, was played until there was no battery left to play. Obviously, it’s only been out for a minute so I haven’t gotten a chance to put too too many hours into the game, but I have definitely put in a few.

Right off the bat I loved the art style. The opening screen is the Nintendo logo with these two-toned trees and simple campers, and I fell in love immediately! I ain’t even mad when it takes foreeeever to load, cause I get to just sit there looking at this beautiful little screen thinking about how I could turn it into wall art on a hypothetical child’s bedroom wall someday…

The game is definitely true to form with the same classic characters and design of furniture and decorations and such. But there is also an element of modern simple art that seems just a bit hipper than what I remember from the original (3DS version).

One of the things that had me buy into the original game was that I got to modify and design things for myself. There were clothing options and home building options and you could plant trees where you wanted trees to be; you even got to design your character on a basic level, which is my favourite part of pretty much any game. (I once spent over an hour designing my Elder Scrolls Online character, only to be interrupted by a phone call and have it time out and reset… oh angry days.)

Although this game is somewhat different in the goals and basic tasks that you do, you still get to design and dress your character, and deck out your campsite with new furniture on a regular basis! Yay! One element that I really liked was getting to take my camper in and having it painted to my liking. I’m realizing now that I’m pretty sure my camper has the same colour scheme going on as the tiny trees on the loading screen, I’m such a level 7 (#SixSeasonsAndAMovie).

When I played the original for the first time I got a peach near the beginning, and either ate or sold it; for those of you out there who have played Animal Crossing before, you know what a silly mistake that was. You later discover that how you generate income is by planting trees and selling the fruit, and the way you grow a tree is by planting a fruit, thus when you are given fruit in the beginning although it seems sweet to make a buck off of it, the wise thing to do is plant it, because soon you will have 3 more of that fruit to either sell or plant! Needless to say as soon as a I learned how to shake fruit from the trees in Pocket Camp, I started hoarding it immediately. I’ve also been hoarding pretty much everything else until I figure out what my priorities need to be. Though I haven’t seen a way to plant trees thus far, sooo if you’ve got that figured out, let me know! (though I’m thinking maybe it’s not a thing in this mobile version).

I’ve also been enjoying fishing. It reminds me of my near and dear Stardew Valley, except much, much easier. Actually, most things in this game are pretty easy, even easier than I remember the original being, which is great as it means that I can be more focused on my goals than on trying to figure out how to master a specific task. I imagine that could get a little boring, but I’m not super far into the game yet so hopefully some things will become more challenging as you move forward. So far the most challenging part has been waiting to for things to regenerate, while not wanting to waste resources, or spend real money to speed them up.

This game is free to download with in game purchases. It seems like lots of people are into that, which I can definitely appreciate for games like Crossy Road (on which I spent way too much money buying characters… ?!). This feels more like a real game, however, not just a ‘phone game’, and I personally would way rather pay a set amount and just be able to play by earning things in the game. That being said I haven’t yet bought anything. I’m sure I will at some point, likely once I have a better idea of what the point of everything is, but so far I have been resistant to spending any real money on it (though those launch specials are looking pretty pretty pretty appealing).

Ok, so fast-forward a few days, I am still enjoying the game, but definitely have now found a few things bothersome. My biggest gripe is that everything takes so long! Not to say that the game is slowed down, but each task you do is for some reason accompanied by so many different animations and different screens that for a single task you are having to click through 4 or 5 pages. For example, this game requires you to craft a lot of furniture, because for some reason each character will only visit your campsite if you have specific furniture (Rude!). Well, every time you craft a piece of furniture you have to watch an animation of you fake opening a box and click through 4 other screens just so you can get back to the original screen you were on and order the next damned piece of furniture! Literally every single task takes time where you just sit and stare at your phone and wish that you weren’t stuck waiting to get through some pointless animation or dialogue so you can just keep moving forward with the friggin game!

Oh man, I guess I didn’t realize it, but that has been really bugging me. I even noticed today at work on my breaks I actually just ended up not bothering to play the game because I felt like the bored-waiting-to-get-to-the-next-screen to actually-enjoying-this-adventure-and-feeling-accomplished-by-completing-a-goal ratios were waaaay off. I’ve also noticed some bugginess, which I’m sure we all have, but every time I see that server error screen I have flashbacks to Pokémon Go, and I don’t wanna go there again!

Overall this game seems like a good game to pick up when you’ve got a little bit of time and don’t want to get too invested in something. I’ll probably still play it when I am waiting for the bus, or half watching TV in my living room, but it definitely doesn’t have me hooked the same way that New Leaf did, at least not yet.

I Don’t Know How To Play Video Games, But Here’s What I Thought Of ‘Super Mario Odyssey’

by Mikaela MaxwellNovember 7, 2017

Geekscape has been a part of my life for about three years now (as has my Fiancé Derek). Turns out that Derek comes with Geekscape, and Geekscape comes with Derek, and the two are pretty much inseparable.

It’s been pretty neat watching Derek be a part of this community that shares so many interests – interests in topics that were for the most part so (sooooo) foreign to me. Through Derek I have learned a lot (and then learned again and again and again when I forget and ask for the millionth time) about a lot of these things.

Derek and this site have opened a door to a whole range of ideas that are so intricate and involved; I really do feel like I am learning about a whole new culture when trying to understand the ins and outs of this ‘Geek culture’. I still feel like I am just scratching the surface of understanding things like role playing games, graphic novels, comic books, superheroes, anime, and of course video games (just to name a few). That being said, I’ve also discovered that I quite enjoy most of this stuff!

And so here we are – I’m writing, and you’re reading, about my experience playing a video game. Who would have ever thought this would be a thing!?

In my head, it seems like everybody’s first video game memory should be of something Mario related… in truth mine is not. Now I could be totally mixing things up, but if Mortal Kombat on Sega Genesis is a thing that existed, it’s definitely my first video game memory. I definitely remember sitting in my Dad’s living room button mashing the shit outta the controller and, according to these rose coloured memories, annihilating the competition using one of those wicked lady fighters as my weapon of choice. I also favoured Duck Hunt in my youth… and continue to long for its return all these years later (but unfortunately don’t have a TV that it would work on). Later in my teen years, my Mom’s house became equipped with a new-to-us N64 and a few games, including Diddy Kong racing, which quickly became a family favourite. That pretty much sums up my video game experience during the Pre-Derek Era.

https://youtu.be/GcoTSYSuoO0

The other day I started playing Super Mario Odyssey on the Nintendo Switch, and I was pretty much instantly hooked! As a person who didn’t really embrace video games until much later in life it can sometimes be super difficult and overwhelming to get into a new game. This has not been the case with Super Mario Odyssey… except that it was literally difficult because I couldn’t exactly remember how to go about getting into a game on the Switch, or how to get into the game under my own profile (Derek, unwittingly, narrowly escaped me ruining his gamer cred by assuming his Mario identity). Luckily for him, through patience, perseverance, and a fair bit of swearing, I finally entered into the realm of Super Mario Odyssey.

One of the things that I really liked about this game is it doesn’t overwhelm you with controls. You start in a place (a level I guess… maybe a world!?) that does a good job of holding your hand through learning approximately five basic controls. Some of it is intuitive, and mostly it becomes intuitive pretty quickly, but at no point is it overwhelming to remember how to function on a basic level. It seems also that as you move through the game, and through the levels or worlds, you are kind of taught what you need to know as you need to know it. This was re-emphasized to me when I got to a more challenging area of the game and died like 10 times before deciding I should just move on to a different area, where I then learned the skills and acquire the equipment I needed to be able to complete the previously murderous task without difficulty.

That being said, I have become very grateful for the ‘Action Guide’ menu option (when I remember it’s there). As much as I appreciate the simplicity of the basic movements and my ability to function with that as my baseline, I still have a lot of difficulty remembering what the more advanced functions are. I’m sure that if I were to play multiple hours a day, many days in a row, it would be a lot easier to remember how to, for example, roll, which would make getting around so much faster.

In any case, that is not my life story, and as with most games, when I go back to playing I rely heavily on this type of menu to remind me of all the other magical things I am capable of in this world! I’m hoping that as I play this game more I will actually be able to remember some of these moves, and until then I will definitely remember how to get to that Action Guide (which is actually really straight forward, yay!).

I’m not sure what the proper term is, but I tend to struggle with games where I have to use two separate sticks to look and to move at the same time. In other games this has led to a lot of getting stuck in corners and shooting the ground while enemies kill me quickly. This is another point in the win column for this game –not only is the pace totally dictated by me, but when I’m trying to figure out how to move straight enough to get from point A to point B Mario spreads his arms out and looks like a dizzy little kid trying to fly and it’s basically the cutest. It’s also super helpful that randomly swinging the Joy Cons around makes you throw your hat, because when I am being attacked by anything swatting my hands while trying to run away is a pretty automatic (and somewhat effective) reaction!

As a not-quite-gamer I appreciate the non-pressure of knowing that I can set the pace without any negative repercussions in this game. That being said, as a not-quite-gamer when I am struggling to remember/figure out how to function/not die, everything takes For. Fucking. Ever. I cannot wait util the day where I can easily and quickly get through at least the simple tasks of this/any video game without my character failing 40 times first! (except for Stardew Valley, I got that on lock already)!

I often will also struggle with nausea due to motion sickness in games where I am having to use both sticks to move and look, mostly because my character is wandering around like a drunken sailor and so I end up feeling like one. As I have put more hours into this game I am starting to notice the sea sickness, but this is another area where I am hoping practice will make perfect and hopefully I will be able to rectify the nausea while also becoming more efficient at not falling of ledges or running into things.

Moving around as Mario is one thing, but you also get to throw your hat onto different characters or objects and become them for a period of time. This is a great mechanic, which I am really enjoying when I remember to clue into using it. So far, my favourite was stomping around as a big ol’ T-Rex, though that flying Bullet Bill guy was pretty fun too. I can’t wait to figure out how to become the bird that flies just out of reach in the desert world; it’s loud, and sparkly, and seems to go anywhere, basically it seems like the ultimate do everything character to takeover (I’m casually going to pretend I didn’t spend a solid 5 minutes bouncing hopelessly on a flower waiting for, then failing to catch the bird, and not even realizing until way later that the flower throws you way higher if you actually open it before bouncing…)

I also became a cactus at one point, but could not for the life of me figure out what I was supposed to do while cactusing.

One thing I have come to love about video games is the incredible variation of beautiful art in so many different art styles, and Super Mario Odyssey did not disappoint in this category! The worlds that you are immersed in are breathtaking, and all of them are different, with different types of creatures and layouts to explore. The place where I am right now is a desert that’s been frozen, so there are all these neat Frozen crystals throughout the landscape (super pretty). Inversely, the previous world was full of lush grass and a giant water fall with dinosaurs and vicious ball-and-chains (of the not spousal variety). I am super looking forward to seeing what the next worlds have in store!

It’s always interesting for me to play a game, and then to watch Derek play the same game. It’s crazy how we can be playing the same title but end up playing totally different games. On a basic level, he has way more experience using the various video game moving around mechanics, and so that part he just doesn’t have to think about. So, in a place where it takes me a full minute to creep around an edge and collect coins without falling off, he has scooped those coins in all of 10 seconds! But also, once he got through the first real open playing area and had reached the goal (collecting enough moons to power a ship) that allowed you to move on, where I had launched on to the next world, he took the opportunity to go back and keep exploring. This is when we discovered Super Mario Odyssey has soooo many hidden treasures to be found and goals to be accomplished! After completing the main task of that world/level we discovered new paths and entrances to secret tunnels, as well as new characters to interact with, and just so many more things to do. In a world where I was stoked to have collected 5 moons when only 4 were required, Derek discovered there was actually potential for 25 moons to be obtained! What this tells me is that Nintendo was really thinking ahead, and delivering a quality product to all of its customers; not only is this game totally accessible to young or new gamers, but it is also super rewarding for people who like more of a challenge to their games!

To sum it all up, I am totally digging this game. Like so many other interests, I feel like I have just scratched the surface of it, and I am super looking forward to digging deeper. I want all of the moons. All of them. I am also super looking forward to dying less.

A helpful tip for anyone getting into this great game: Purple water is not water. Do not try to swim in it. You will die. Every time. Immediately.

Keep an eye out for more from me, If I ever manage to stop playing this game, maybe I’ll write a bit about my next new (or new to me) game experience!

https://youtu.be/g4xW9aCg2zY

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 131 – Plumbers Don’t Wear Dresses

by Courtney DossettOctober 26, 2017

Join Courtney, Derek and Shane as they discuss the last week in video games!

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https://soundcloud.com/geekscape-games/episode-131-plumbers-dont-wear-dresses/s-sxhNR

Geekscape Games Theme Song: Winter Frosts – MmcM

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E3 2017: You All Owe ‘Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle’ An Apology

by Josh JacksonJune 24, 2017

When Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle was leaked a few weeks ago, the reaction was about what we would expect. Why is this being made? Who asked for this? Who thought this was a good idea? This was the basic sentiment shared by many, only using much more colorful language. Yet while the Rabbids haven’t always been synonymous with quality gameplay, titles like the first two Raving Rabbids games and Rabbids Go Home were proof that these psychotic bunnies could put together a great game when they need to. With a collaboration as big as one with Mario for the Switch, I had little doubt that they would knock it out of the park. Based on what I played of Kingdom Battle on the show floor at E3, Ubisoft is on their way to doing just that.

The comparisons that have been made with Xcom since its initial reveal are apt on the surface, with this bizarre mishmash of characters coming together in a turn based strategy game that involves the Mushroom Kingdom’s finest and cosplaying Rabbids getting into gun fights with the bad guys. I found myself mapping routes, sliding into cover, (and enemies for extra damage), exchanging Mario’s iconic golden coins for better equipment mid battle, and whittling down enemy HP with each shot. When you can’t quite reach that perfect position to wipe out your enemies from, teamwork goes a long way when two units make contact. Once they do, the non-active unit will spring the character you’re moving into a far off spot, allowing you to get some extra distance before launching your attack. Special abilities eventually come into play, such s Mario’s ability to increase his attack strength for a certain amount of time, or the hilariously creepy Rabbid Peach being able to heal allies in her, (its?), vicinity. A variety of objectives led to victory, between eliminating the entire enemy squad to positioning your squad to claim a section of the map.

But outside of combat is where the mashup really comes together. Battles start when your team is ambushed on the world map, which you travel through in real time as if it were a typical Mario adventure. Scanning the environment led to finding bonus coins, extra items that you could take into battle, and bonus sections in the environment where you could observe the Rabbids as they interact with your favorite Mario environments in some hilarious ways, all while your annoyed narrator explains how truly obnoxious these things can be. That’s not to say that your references stop once the action starts. Maps become even more interesting when explosive crates, warp pipes and chain chomps all become strategic elements of this wacky war you find yourself caught in. Luring enemies into the Chomp while trying to avoid it myself was especially fun, knowing that this indiscriminate animal would attack whoever came near it. This was especially useful when the stronger units started to overwhelm us, forcing us to use our wits to get us out of some tough situations.

We were promised that the full game would have even more depth, so expect genre staples like terrain, additional hazards, and character growth for more strategic options. At the conclusion of the demo, I left feeling even more excited for what a full campaign would be able to produce, with local co-op expanding the possibilities of the game to an even wider scope. Many doubted this seemingly nonsensical combination of characters, but it’s safe to say that we all owe Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle an apology. It’s looking damn good.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle will launch exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on August August 29.

E3 2017: Yes, ‘Super Mario Odyssey’ Will Feature Co-Op

by Derek KraneveldtJune 15, 2017

Briefly: Super Mario Odyssey remains one of the coolest-looking games that was shown off at this year’s E3. The title looks to bring a ton of new ideas to the series, and the idea of being able to play such a breathtaking Mario title on the go is beyond exciting.

Since the game’s initial announcement last year , the main question about the game on every gamer’s mind was in regards to multiplayer. The Wii U’s under appreciated Super Mario 3D World and its intense, insane four-player multiplayer led to some of the most fun times I’ve ever had playing a video game.

Revealed today on Nintendo’s Treehouse livestream, the company revealed that while the game won’t have the same frantic multiplayer mode as the last title, it will feature two player co-op.

In co-op mode, Mario no longer controls Cappy. The second player will control the newly-living hat, who can fly around, attack, and control some camera movement. He (it?) is also invincible, so you can play with a non-gamer spouse or even your kids, and they won’t be able to cramp your style too much.

According to Polygon, it sound like Nintendo may have even added a few teamwork-oriented puzzles to the game to force players to work together.

In any case, while I’d love a more in-depth multiplayer mode, I’ll take what I can get, and Super Mario Odyssey looks freaking fantastic.

Rewatch the game’s E3 trailer below, and let us know if you’ll be picking this one up on October 27!

Universal Japan Gets A Teaser Trailer For Super Nintendo World!

by The_aczJune 7, 2017

Today in the magical land of Japan, Universal Studios Japan had their (literal) groundbreaking event for Super Nintendo World. On top of finally getting a confirmation that there will be an actual Mario Kart ride heading to the land, we were also teased with a short little concept trailer of the land itself. The video shows Mario entering to the world through a pipe, while they tease being able to visit both Peach and Bowser’s castles. The land is still a far ways off as it’s not scheduled to open until 2020, but hey, it’s fun to think about what this could hold in the future. Check out the trailer below and get ready to buy a one way ticket to Osaka!

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 111 – ‘This Is My Load, Let Me Blow It!’

by Shane O'HareMay 24, 2017

Join Adam, Courtney, Derek and Shane as they discuss the last week in video games!

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This Week:

We talk about our wishes and predictions for E3 2017! Far Cry 5 info leaked with a teaser trailer. Mario and The Rabbids are teaming up in a strategy RPG? That and a whole bunch more!

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It’s Real! ‘Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle’ Has Been Leaked!

by The_aczMay 23, 2017

After months of murmur, rumors, and re-tooling, it looks like the fabled Mario and Raving Rabbids crossover RPG is real.

That’s right, the heavily rumored strategy RPG crossover is real, and a bit confusing still. Art and info on the game leaked this morning from what looks like what was supposed to be an internal only presentation for investors. The game features only 8 playable characters: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, and Rabbid variations of those characters (a step down from the original rumored cast of Mario side characters). Another notable feature is that the weapons mostly consist of guns. Yeah, their themed too match the Mario universe, but it’s still weird talking about how a new Mario game has guns in it.

The title is currently being developed not by Nintendo, but Ubisoft Paris and Milan, and will contain a 20 hour single player mode, as well as 2 player local co-op. The game is set to be released in August or September, and will be playable on the E3 show floor. Are your expectations high or low, and will you even try it out? Tell us in the comments below!

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 106 – ‘Wii Ulogy’

by GeekscapeStaffMarch 12, 2017

Join Adam, Carlos, Courtney, Derek, Josh and Shane as they discuss the last week in video games!

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This Week:

We give our final thoughts on Nintendo’s Wii U as we move forward with the Nintendo Switch!

Mission Objective:

“What are your favorite Wii U memories/moments?”

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Nintendo Reveals Pikachu Yellow Edition New 3DS XL, Details On Mario Sports Superstars

by Natalie KipperJanuary 24, 2017

Come February 24, North American gamers can get their hands on another collectable, special edition of the New Nintendo 3DS XL: The Pikachu Yellow edition. The cover features art of the electric mouse Pokémon in a sketch-style. As one would expect, it looks very cute. Although, I personally would have preferred it be a new faceplate for the New Nintendo 3DS rather a whole additional XL but they didn’t ask me. The Pikachu Yellow Edition New Nintendo 3Ds XL will retail for US$199.99.

With upcoming games like Mario Sports Superstars, Poochy and Yoshi’s Woolly World, Tank Troopers, and Pikmin (Working Title), 2017 is looking like a great year to invest in the 3DS if you haven’t already. Mario Sports Superstars brings five different real-life sports to the Mushroom Kingdom – Soccer, Tennis, Golf, Baseball, and Horse Racing – and lets players fine tune their skills in practice before trying their hand in single or multiplayer tournaments. Multiplayer is available both locally as well as online.

Launching alongside the game on March 24 are a series of amiibo cards for the game. Tapping one of these amiibo cards during the game yields a a “variety of fun bonuses.” Intriguing! For a limited time, physical copies of Mario Sports Superstars will come with one card included. Additional amiibo cards can be purchased in five-card blind packs for US$4.99 each.

‘Super Mario Odyssey’ Has Been Announced & It Can’t Come Fast Enough!

by The_aczJanuary 16, 2017

Aside from Breath of the Wild, the biggest announcement at the Nintendo Switch presentation had to be Super Mario Odyssey!

For the first time in the 15 years since Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Odyssey will be an open sandbox Mario game coming to the Nintendo Switch this holiday season. While it still is a ways away, the game is shaping up to be one of the most graphically pleasing games to hit a Nintendo system since Super Mario Galaxy’s 1 & 2. The game was also confirmed to be playable at E3 this year, so it’s nice to know that the game is already very far into development. Check out the mouth watering trailer below and tell us what you think in the comments!

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 102 – ‘We Have A Switch!’

by GeekscapeStaffJanuary 13, 2017

Join Adam, Courtney, Derek, Josh and Shane as they discuss the Nintendo Switch Reveal event.

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This Week:

We give our general impressions of the recent Nintendo Switch reveal event.

Check out our entire coverage of the Nintendo Switch reveal below!

Mission Objective:

“What was your favorite part of the Switch Reveal?”

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‘Super Nintendo World’ Heads To Universal Studios Japan Before 2020!

by The_aczDecember 12, 2016

About 2 weeks ago, Nintendo and Universal teased eager theme park fans about what to expect from the iconic partnership. Today we finally got the answer (kinda.)

Late last night, Nintendo revealed that the now called Super Nintendo World will be hitting Universal Studios Japan by the year 2020, just in time for Japan to host the Olympics. The photo they teased us with is a beautiful piece of concept art featuring the mushroom kingdom in all its glory (green hills, Peach’s castle, Bowser’s castle, etc.).Sadly, no date has been given for a Florida or Hollywood release, but hopefully the company is working on that as well. Another thing to mention is that Nintendo has said that Mario thankfully won’t be the only Nintendo I.P represented by rides and locations (please Please PLEASE! give me my Donkey Kong Country mine cart ride.). Check out the image yourself! Are you excited, or disappointed? Tell us in the comments below!

Get Ready To Rumble With Loot Gaming’s October Crate!

by Josh JacksonNovember 3, 2016

October always means a busy month for gaming, with the holiday release schedule being in full swing. With so many hard hitting games, Rumble seems to be a fitting theme for the month. To celebrate the release of Titanfall 2, as well as paying tribute to some other great games from past to present, Loot Gaming has some surprising items to reward our fandom. Without further ado, here’s what we’ve got!

Starting with two original items for the Rumble crate, a pin commemorating the month shows two boxing gloves clashing with “October 2016” being engraved at the bottom and “Rumble” at the top. The included poster sets the scene for a futuristic battle, while the back details all the goods that have arrived for the month.

Prepare for Titanfall. Titanfall 2 is the major new release being focused on this month with a new T-Shirt featuring the silhouette of a Titan and its pilot. Simple, but recognizable enough thanks to the iconic mech in the background, we’ve found out shirt of choice when its time to hit the battlefield.

Taking a more villainous turn for our other clothing options for the month, we’ve got not one, but TWO accessories that will surely keep us warm with the fires of hatred they both exude. First, Dr. Eggman may not be able to defeat the world’s fastest hedgehog, but at least his hands will be nice and cozy with these Game Over gloves. These are great, but the biggest surprise of the crate came from the pair of Toon Ganondorf socks courtesy of Bioworld. Wind Waker is my favorite iteration of The Legend of Zelda, so full length Ganon socks would be something I’d buy on their own. Knowing that, my enthusiasm when I saw these resting in the box went through the roof. All it’s missing is a slot in the forehead.

Going from a pair of classic villains to one that’s captured the hearts of our meme filled modern times, Reaper from Overwatch arrived as an adorable Funko Pop figure! I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of the brand, mostly because the vast majority look identical. This is why when one comes along that has extra detail, it catches my attention even more. Reaper is one of these cases, with a unique mask and well crafted shotguns that look like they could be straight out of a Play of the Game, it’s close as to whether this or the Ganonforf socks win best item for the month.

What easily wins the prize for the strangest item this month is this box of Pac-Man adhesive bandages. Wondering why one would ever need these outside of the inevitable moment when a giant yellow ball eats your finger, the back of the poster made everything clear. This month, if you show off your rumble wounds by getting creative with your bandages, you’ll have a chance to win a Wii U and a copy of Super Smash Bros. For Wii U. With the console ceasing production this week, you might want to jump on the chance to win it, especially because Pac-Man himself is in it!

To round out the line up, we can’t talk about retro heroes or Smash Bros without mentioning Mario. Now the plumber can go wherever you want with this Mario magnet. When you want to be greeted when rummaging the fridge for mushrooms or have his smile to look forward to when stepping into the car for the day, you’ll never have to go without the savior of the Mushroom Kingdom.

That’s a wrap for October! What are your thoughts on this month’s Loot Gaming offerings? As always, share your thoughts below, and make sure to use “Geekscape” as your promotional code for a discount!

The Era Of Wii U Is Over! Say Hello To ‘Nintendo Switch’!

by The_aczOctober 20, 2016

We’ve been waiting for this day a very long time.

https://youtu.be/f5uik5fgIaI

What was originally referred to as Nintendo NX has now evolved into something else. This is the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo’s next home console that is a hybrid between a console and a handheld. Using the new Switch controller, you can initially play all of your games on a gamepad looking device, but if you choose to, you can easily plug the screen and unhook the side controllers to attach it to a docking station for use on your TV. That’s not where it ends though. The controller screen can als be used as a mini TV while you play the game using only the 2 detachable Joycon analog sticks, just a single Joycon analog , or just get rid of the screen and turn it into a psuedo pro controller for your TV.

Don’t fret though! You can still find a regular controller with the Switch Pro controller which is even more reminiscent of the Wii U pro controller. Afraid about 3rd party support not being there? Not a problem! The Nintendo Switch will have the following Developers on board. Take Two, Capcom, Ubisoft, Bethesda, From Software, Activision, an much much more. No need to worry about drought game months anymore.

And what would a Nintendo console be without first party support. During the video, Nintendo teased fans with quick glimpses of a new Mario Kart, Splatoon, and even a 3D Mario. All of these seem to be hinting at a possibility that all these games could be availble at launch when the system comes out in March 2017, and if that’s true, we’ll be in for one doozy of a line-up.So, what do you think? Love it? Hate it? Tell us in the comments below!

Nintendo Announces NES Classic Edition for November Release!

by J.C. MarquezJuly 14, 2016

Alright, Nintendo. First you team up with Vans Shoes and give us amazing Nintendo-themed footwear. Last week, you unleash Pokemon GO on us and overtake our lives. Now on this day, you announce that the Nintendo Entertainment System is coming back?

That sound you hear right now is the sound of millions of old-school Nintendo fans crying tears of joy.

Earlier today, Nintendo revealed they will be releasing the NES Classic Edition–a smaller version of the Nintendo Entertainment System–on November 11. The NES Classic Edition with come with an HDMI cable, a replica NES Classic Controller (yes, just like the 1985 original), and will come packed with 30 pre-installed NES games. Additional NES Controllers will be sold separately for $9.99.

The system will include the following 30 games:

Balloon Fight
Bubble Bobble
Castlevania
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong Jr.
Double Dragon II: The Revenge
Dr. Mario
Excitebike
Final Fantasy
Galaga
Ghosts ‘N Goblins
Gradius
Ice Climber
Kid Icarus
Kirby’s Adventure
Mario Bros.
Mega Man 2
Metroid
Ninja Gaiden
Pac-Man
Punch Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream
Star Tropics
Super C
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 3
Tecmo Bowl
The Legend of Zelda
Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link

The NES Classic Edition will allow players to save, suspend, and restart their games at any time, so those days of starting a stage over from scratch are now a thing of the past. Additionally, those who own the Wii Classic Controller of the Wii Classic Controller Pro will be able to use them on the NES Classic Edition.

Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime says, “We wanted to give fans of all ages the opportunity to revisit Nintendo’s original system and rediscover why they fell in love with Nintendo in the first place. The Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition is dieal for anyone who remembers playing the NES, or wants those nostalgic memories to the next generation of gamers.”

With a $59.99 MSRP, the NES Classic Edition will undoubtedly be a hot item this holiday season.

Geekscapists, it is shocking to see that some beloved NES games have failed to make the list. For example, where is Contra? If we’re talking about amazing and beloved co-op games, why not include the grandaddy of them all? Anyway, what say you? If you could replace a game on the list with one of your personal favorites, what would it be? Sound off in the comments below (or on our Twitter account: @geekscapegames) and we will discuss your choices on an upcoming episode of the Geekscape Games Podcast!

Geekscape Games Podcast: Level 76 – ‘Boney Boners And Kaskade’s Prostate’

by GeekscapeStaffMay 21, 2016

Join Carlos, Derek, Josh and Shane as they discuss the last week in video games!

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This Week

Mario theme packs for Minecraft Wii U are causing YouTube takedowns.

Yo-Kai Watch 2 coming to US.

Pokken Tournament outsells Street Fighter V.

Nintendo is going to make movies!

Tetris Movie get’s an $80 Million budget!

Dragonball Xenoverse 2 announced.

Batman: Return To Arkham officially official.

Yooka-Laylee story details and new screenshots released.

Fallout 4 DLC causing performance issues.

New Destiny expansion leaked!

Dark Souls 3.

Uncharted 4.

Mission Objective

“Since Nintendo is going to start making movies, what Nintendo Property do you want to see turned into a film?”

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Mamma Mia! ‘Super Mario Mashup’ Jumps Its Way Onto ‘Minecraft: Wii U Edition’ Next Week!

by The_aczMay 9, 2016

In a surprising announcement this morning, Nintendo has announced that they have partnered up with Microsoft & Mojang to create a special Super Mario Mash-up pack for the Wii U version of Minecraft.

The free update on May 17th will include 40 new skins including Mario, Luigi, Diddy Kong, Waluigi, the Koopalings, and much more. There will also be 15 pieces of new music and item textures, as well as a pre-made world for you to explore. If you don’t want to fill your internal hard drive too much, then you’ll be able to purchase a retail version of Minecraft: Wii U Edition with the mash-up pack included for $29.99 on June 17th. Are you looking forward to the free update? Tell us in the comments below!

Nintendo Direct: ‘Paper Mario: Color Smash’ Announced For Wii U

by Shane O'HareMarch 3, 2016

WE’RE GETTING A NEW PAPER MARIO!

Just announced in the Nintendo Direct is Paper Mario: Color Splash.

This time around Paper Mario and the gang head to a brand new far away island, but when they get there they find out it is losing its color!

Use color to bring life back to the island, and edit the world around you.

Paper Mario: Color Splash is set to release in 2016

Give Warm Fuzzies To That Special Someone With These Nintendo Themed Valentine’s Cards!

by Josh JacksonFebruary 14, 2016

It’s February 14th, which means love is in the air for some of us. For others, it’s a sad reminder that you still haven’t found someone who’s willing to put up with your uniqueness. However, if you’re in the hunt, Nintendo has released some gaming themed Valentine’s Day cards for that special gamer in your life.

Are your potential love a Mario person? Or maybe they’re more into that mushroom love with Captain Toad? Link may have collected many heart pieces throughout the years, but the only one he’ll want is yours! Those are just to name a few, so check out the rest of the set below, and let us know what your favorites are. They’re cute, funny, and most importantly, free! Even better, let us know if you use one and share the results with us in the comments! Good luck, and happy Valentine’s Day!

Turn Up The Heat With ‘Super Mario Maker’s New Update!

by Matt RodriguezDecember 23, 2015

Nintendo’s highly anticipated Super Mario Maker December update is now live! The update adds some never-before-seen items, as well as the launch of Super Mario Maker Bookmark!

The new items, directly from Nintendo’s website, include:

-Fire Koopa Clown Car: This volcanic vessel is capable of shooting fireballs as well as a powerful charged shot that can even destroy Blocks. It’s perfect for creating shoot-’em-up-style courses.

-P Warp Doors: Unlike regular Warp Doors, these are only visible while a P Switch is active—perfect for creating truly devious Ghost House courses.

-Bumper: This bouncy donut-shaped object sends Mario bounding away when touched.

-World Records: Now pages will display the World Record for each course uploaded, displaying the fastest clear time.

-Super Mario Maker Bookmark: Levels that players have bookmarked to play later using the Web portal will be accessible from the Course World tab.

Super Mario Bookmark is a web based tool to help you find Super Mario Maker courses to play when you’re not at home. It also includes many filters to find courses, such as difficulty, and even incorporates search tags, such as “automatic”, so you can even look for a style of level! We have seen similar endeavors, such as with Sony’s LittleBigPlanet series. These options make it wonderful to search for courses while you’re at work, or busy outdoors, so when you get home, you can just concentrate on playing! The tool is available right now, right here.

Super Mario Maker is a platform where you can build your own Mario levels, using many tools provided by Nintendo, such as enemies, music, and blocks. We at Geekscape recommend Mario Maker levels weekly, our latest article details an unreal Metroid-vania style user-created level.

Source: Nintendo

Mario And Me: Justifying A Lifelong Fictional Friendship

by JonathanSeptember 20, 2015

I’m going to tell you about one of my longest friendships. This is a friend who has seen me through grade school, college, grad school, and into adulthood. This is a friend that has stood by me while others in my life, some fairly major friends and family, have come and gone. He’s cheered me up while I was down and rewarded me at my most successful… and he doesn’t really exist.

Well, he doesn’t exist in the way we think about our usual friends. You know, the friends who have their own, real lives and who are usually there for you but sometimes they’re not. No. This isn’t one of those friends. This friend has always been there. And I’m writing this to tell you about the time I needed him the most.

You know my friend. If you’re reading this, on a site called Geekscape, then you self-identify in much the same way I do, so you might just be a friend of his as well. His name is Mario Mario and he’s the world’s most popular video game plumber (and that is his full official name). We’ve been good friends for quite a long time. Well, 30 years by the official count last weekend.

Yes, last weekend Mario turned an official 30 years old. I celebrated, like some of you did, by picking up his newest game Super Mario Maker. I also grabbed some (okay, I’ll admit it, all) of the new amiibo figures that accompanied Mario’s weekend celebration. The writers on the site shared their favorite Mario memories in a piece last Saturday. It was quite the investment, more than I’ve given other, REAL people in my life.

Waiting in line last weekend with Geekscape writers Josh Jackson, Megan Haley and Matt Rodriguez!

But I’m 36 years old. How is this friendship with a video game plumber even still acceptable? Almost everyone roasting themselves to stand in line under the scorching Southern California sun last Friday was also in their 30s or mid to late 20s. You probably are as well. Let’s be clear on something: these are toys and video games that society at large deems “children’s things”.

We all have our reasons. After a week of thinking it over for myself, and getting to the core of my lifelong relationship with Mario that I have mine; the origin story to a bond forged at a young age. I’ll admit that every time I’m drawn to buying another Mario anything I do think about why I do it. I imagine that all of us grown up geeks think about just what it is about Mario (or Spider-Man or Luke Skywalker or any of our fictional friends) that a 36 year old still sees as valuable in their adult life? Beyond the temporary fun and excitement of reading or watching or playing through the latest stories alongside them, what do these characters give us to the point of returning to them time and time again, dollar over dollar?

They give us stability. In a world where we can lose our jobs, lose our homes, our family members or our friends, these characters and stories prop us up against the face of this constant instability. Life throws us a relentless series of unknowns, and we wake up knowing this every single day. This fear can paralyze us and keep us from doing everything from meeting people to following our dreams. It’s the source of our greatest insecurities. And we live with the promise that it will rear its head every single day.

I remember, or at least I’ve romanticized over the past few decades, the moment I learned my parents were getting a divorce. I’ve thought about it a lot this past week. I was in the 4th Grade and my father was getting a new place to live. My brothers and I were sitting around the table at dinner and the news was broken to us in the clearest, most adult way possible. But this didn’t help my head from spinning. It didn’t help my appetite from turning to sickness. And it definitely didn’t help me understand the calmly stated impossibilities that I was hearing.

The walls of my childhood home exploding. I remember the aftermath as a series of images. My father’s new home, with new beds and silverware for weekend TV dinners in front of a rented VHS movie with my brothers. Comparing the weekend neighborhood kids to the old neighborhood kids. And I remember the feeling I would get walking through my parent’s old bedroom, now only occupied by my mother. I vividly saw the ghosts of that room, where my brothers and I unboxed our first NES system one Christmas morning and played Super Mario Bros., wildly swinging our arms to the left and right as we learned to use the controller. It was no longer a happy place in my life and the loss of that feeling stayed with me for a very long time.

That year for my birthday, I asked my father for a Mario doll. It was THE thing that I wanted that year and it could not wait for Christmas a few weeks later. I remember the way that my collected friends and brightly lit birthday table dimmed and muted away as I unwrapped that stuffed Mario doll. Looking back on those moments this past week, I realize that my young self, unable to reconstruct his family, had looked to that doll as something that would give him strength and security. It could return him to that perfect Christmas morning when he unpacked his original NES with his two brothers and swung his arms all over.

My Mario doll was a bulbous-nosed, blue and red suspender wearing totem and I needed it, probably more than any of the other comics, toys and games I’ve purchased in my life since. That was the first time that the world had turned drastically in a direction that I had not been prepared for and that doll was my only constant in keeping it from spinning me off into space.

I carried that Mario doll with me everywhere that I went for the better part of a year.

Was I asked to leave it behind sometimes? Yes. Was I ridiculed for it by the other kids at school, most of whom had started getting into other interests like sports and dances? Probably. Was I going to let that Mario doll out of my sight? Not a chance.

Eventually, the world stopped spinning. Over time, I moved on to the next grade and to thinking about things like playing sports and dances. But did I leave Mario behind? Obviously, I didn’t. In some form or another, whether it was Mario or Spider-Man or Luke Skywalker, these friends that I surrounded myself with have stayed with me, a constant buoy in a sometimes turbulent sea.

Everyone has them, even if they come in the form of a sports team or a Hollywood celebrity or a favorite musician or book series. It’s at the heart of any fandom, a strong need to belong to something bigger than ourselves, that gives us a sense of meaning and permanence in a world that often makes us feel small and temporary. At their best, they give us an entry into a greater community, something to share with others who may also understand our loyalty. At their most crucial, they give us a confidant, a constant guide that tells us how to not give up, to keep trying to continue looking for our place. They teach us lessons on how to be heroes, or successes or just how to be better to ourselves and one another.

These things are important, not just to kids but to adults. I can never thank Mario enough for the year he helped get me through. Divorce can really mess a child up, giving them profound feelings of distrust and isolation that can shape them for the rest of their lives. I’ve had lots of incredible friends throughout my life, each one leaving me with fantastic, unquantifiable gifts and lessons both large and small. But this story is a thank you to that first, fictional one, my plumber friend Mr. Mario Mario, and how when all is said and done, I can look at my life today and realize that the things he’s given me aren’t all that fictional after all.

We Celebrate ‘Super Mario Bros.’ 30th Birthday With Our Favourite Mario Memories!

by GeekscapeStaffSeptember 12, 2015

30 years is a long time.

In 1985, there were only three Star Wars films, one Back to the Future, and Alf wasn’t even a thing yet. It’s also the year that the wreck of the Titanic was found, the first Blockbuster Video store opened (RIP), and New Coke was introduced (and discontinued).

Arguably the biggest, most important, and most culture defining moment in 1985 was the introduction of Super Mario Bros. for the NES / Famicom. It’s the title that made people fall in love with video games all over again, fall in love with a myriad of quirky characters, and become enamoured with a unique platforming formula that is still beloved today.

We want to wish Super Mario Bros. a very happy 30th birthday, and what better way than to share our favourite Mario memories from the past 30 years. With the just-released Super Mario Maker and beyond, we can’t wait to see what memories we’ll create next.

Read on for our memories, and be sure to share your own below!

Daniel Campozano

This may come as surprise to some, but I’ve actually only played three iterations of the Mario franchise. Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World. So I have short list to pick from for my favorite moments with the franchise.

I would have to say my favorite Mario memory is with the original Super Mario Bros. for the NES. I remember getting it in the late 80’s as a Christmas gift and just being a natural at it. Everyone gathered around the television taking turns to see who could get the furtherest. As I’m jumping around and trying to figure out the mechanics I accidentally find the hidden warp room on level 1-2 and everyone screams in delight that I found a secret board and transported to another far away Mario land.

My favorite of the franchise would have to be Super Mario World. It was the only game I completed without the help of a warp or a magical flute. Though to get the full completetion I did use a strategy guide. The aspect that I enjoyed the most from the game was just the updated graphics and soundtracks from the prior gaming consoles. It almost reminds me of when I first saw an HDTV after decades of standard visuals, all the bright colors were mind blowing.

Gabriel von Grünbaum

Apparently, the saying might not be entirely accurate but parts of my childhood remind me of what I’ve heard is an old Chinese curse—”May you live in interesting times.” I’ve heard some tales from folks about troubles they endured while they were growing up that would rank as far more difficult than my own experiences; those occurrences that carved me into who I am today. I’m quite content now to think of my more tender years as interesting.

As my own interesting times began to develop, I remember that one of the highlights of any day—that I was able to wander off on my own—was to find myself at the arcade. It’s where I first met one of my oldest friends, Mario. He was just a young scrapper then, climbing up in the world, facing challenges like any of us do. . . especially like any of us who faced barrels hurled at us by a giant gorilla dabbling in human trafficking while we tried to balance on steel I-beams. Donkey Kong easily encapsulated the big scary world outside the doors of the arcade while Mario helped teach me that determination can payoff. Plus, blocky little Pauline was rather captivating and absolutely worth all the quarters.

Not too much later, as life got so much more interesting—and opportunities to visit the arcade became harder to come by—Nintendo offered a solution, the. . . Nintendo. Now the arcade could be right in the living room. The thought of it was like a dream within a dream within a Round Table Pizza. My father was pretty firm about his “no” on the subject of bringing such magic home. Magic where my new friend Mario wasn’t just climbing beams in a dark void—he had an entire world to explore!—an army of turtles to fight and a princess to save! It may have been only days but, honestly, I’m not sure how long it was that I languished after asking him for this magical arcade machine that I’d heard and read about, because it felt like eons upon eons.

I still remember coming home from school one day and he wasn’t there to greet me as usual. I just heard his voice from the living room, “Come here. I want to show you something.” I moaned reluctantly feeling confident I was in trouble for something—probably the grape juice I’d spilled and covered up by scooching the potted plant over it. So much for the perfect crime.

As I entered the living room, there it was on the coffee table, the cardboard box that held unspeakable wonders within. “I waited to open it so that you could help me set it up,” he explained. And so we did—through my squeals of delight. And so we didn’t get much sleep that night or many other nights after. Super Mario Bros. was far better than I’d imagined. We’d trade off playing Mario and his brother Luigi, milking every ounce of adventure, three lives at a time—hurtling down pipes, hunting down mushrooms, turtles and 1-Ups.

Yes, the game was amazing but during such interesting times in our lives, the best part was how it brought us together. We were exploring this fantastic new world, side by side, with hard-headed Italian brothers serving as our guides.

My dad and I solidified a bond over Super Mario Bros. that stands to this day. We became a team in the face of those interesting times and I’ll never be able to thank Mario enough.

Shane O’Hare

My most memorable Mario moment is probably one of the most unconventional.

We all remember the first time we played Super Mario Bros 3., Super Mario World, and Mario 64. My most VIVID memory has to be playing Mario Paint on the SNES for the first time.

I was a huge computer nerd growing up, and always had a PC around. My first gaming memory was playing DOS shareware games. So when I visited my uncle’s house and he showed me Mario Paint I was blown away. The mouse controller was so familiar yet at the same time foreign to me, it being an SNES input device and all.

Playing around with the different stamps, canvases, music creator and that fly swatting game OH MAN! I wish I had a SNES and a copy of the game right now!

Juan Carlos Marquez

As a kid, I was lucky enough to grow up during the NES era. Having amassed a number of great memories involving my friends and family playing Nintendo–specifically Super Mario Bros. titles. From the Christmas of 1985 where I read the Super Mario Bros. manual cover to cover in anticipation of starting my adventure through the Mushroom Kingdom, to playing Super Mario 3D World with my wife who inadvertently caused me to die a number of times because she wanted to grab a Star Coin or a 1-UP mushroom,–Mario games are a constant when reminiscing about my beloved gaming moments. But one that stands out quite prominently is one involving the biggest Mario fan besides myself: my grandmother.

As a kid, my parents worked late into the afternoon and wouldn’t come home until 6 P.M., so for the better part of my childhood, my grandmother was in charge of watching over me when I came home from school–along with my sister and three cousins. Luckily for her, I owned an NES which kept my cousins and I inside the house which kept my grandmother’s nerves at ease. She would watch us play Super Mario Bros., listen to us yell and point out oncoming enemies to avoid, and question me why there was always a butter knife on top of the television (RF switches, right?). As much as she refrained from playing, she would always sit quietly behind my cousins and I while we played. It seemed like our pleas would never convince my grandmother to play, but that was quickly proven wrong when she forgot my cousin and I were coming home early from school.

Whenever we came home around 2 P.M., my grandmother would have lunch ready for all of us. While we were at school, my cousins and I imagined my grandmother was watching a marathon of game shows, Mexican novelas, or simply taking nap on the couch, so you can imagine my surprise when my cousin and I showed up to the front gate and heard the Super Mario theme blaring through the living room window. We peeked and saw our grandmother–the one who always refused to play video games with us–sitting dead center on the couch with her hands firmly gripped on an NES controller. Her eyes locked on the television as she made her way through World 3 of Super Mario Bros.

We just stood there and watched her play for another ten minutes–partly to convince ourselves that what we were seeing was real and to marvel at how she would frantically move the controller up and down whenever she wanted Mario to jump. It was incredibly hard to keep our laughter to ourselves. The muffled sounds of two kids giggling caught her attention and was surprised to see us outside the window.

After explaining why we were home early, she laughed and confessed that she has been playing for weeks and would watch us play to get tips on how to get passed certain areas of the game (she hates Lakitu and Spinys with a passion). Here I thought that my grandmother was spending her day watching Price is Right when in reality she’s been getting her Mario fix on.

To this day, my grandmother still plays Nintendo games, and I can’t wait to see what she creates when she gets her hands on Super Mario Maker. I guess I’ll have to keep the levels that I make for her Lakitu-free.

Karson Braaten

I was four when Santa Claus came down my chimney with a Super Nintendo and a copy of Super Mario World. My parents told me I played it a lot so it’s safe to say that Mario has been a part of my life for longer than I can remember. Speaking of not remembering, does anyone else play the Mario Kart drinking game?

All joking aside, here is a list of some of my favourite Mario memories:

– Loudly swatting flies with the Mario Paint mouse and pad and being jealous that my friend could compose songs on it that actually sounded like music. I couldn’t.

– Being blown away that Super Mario All-Stars was four games in one!

– I spent years fascinating about owning an N64 before actually getting one. While my mom shopped in Zellers I would spend all my time with my neck tilted at an awful angle playing Super Mario 64.

– I enjoyed Super Mario 64 but the game my friend and I sank the most time into when I eventually got an N64 was Mario Tennis.

– Once upon a time there was a girl who 15-year-old me had a crush on but was too shy to talk to. I broke through my shyness by volunteering to help her beat a level in Super Mario World. We spent that summer playing Nintendo then became MSN friends shortly after. Ten years later, she is now my girlfriend.

– Luigi’s Mansion was the first game I played on day one of a console release.

– Crazy nights that began with one too many rounds of Beerio Kart. (Racing your friends in Mario Kart but you must finish a drink during the race. The catch? You can only drink while your vehicle isn’t moving).

I could go on and on. I think many people could. There is no measuring all of the good that Mario has brought to our society. However, I have a decent idea of the impact he has had on me. Mario has in one way or another brought joy to nearly every facet of my life and because of this, the little plumber will always be close to my heart.

Eric Francisco

I weirdly associate Mario with my mom.

My sister grew up with an NES and Super Mario Bros., but the console was pretty broken by the time I grew into gaming. So as a kid I knew Mario as this kind of — thing — that was just some kind of… game thing. Very descriptive, I know.

A few years later I’m playing Super Smash Bros. on my N64. I didn’t have many friends to play with, so my mom and I would play and she’d always pick Mario for whatever reason. Perhaps because he was the easiest to control and his moveset established the paradigm of Smash controls (Up+B gets you higher, Down+B is a baller ground attack, and B is projectiles).

I was never a huge Nintendo gamer. I liked the GameCube and Wii and stuff like Mario Kart just fine but I never played many Mario games, even now. So while most people see an Italian plumber, I see a middle-aged Asian lady who just finished the dishes and wants to play video games with her son.

Derek Kraneveldt

I really cannot believe its been 30 years since Super Mario Bros.

Heck, I’m only 25. I’ve never lived in a pre-Super Mario Bros. world. What was it like? It was awful, wasn’t it? I can’t even imagine.

Well, in my 25 years I’ve amassed a ton of memories in the Mario universe. It’s pretty tough to narrow it down to just one or two, so how about a RAPID FIRE BULLET POINT ROUND!?

– I think that I was a pretty good kid, but when I was little I was sent to my room a lot. In said room, I had an NES and a myriad of games for it, so I kind of loved being in there. Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 (2 was a little strange for kid me) were my favourites, and by the age of 6 or 7 I was pretty much a pro.

– The time that I learned the upside down Koopa shell on stairs in Super Mario Bros. to gain tons of lives trick. I felt like a god.

– I don’t know how many hours I spent pinching Mario’s face on the Super Mario 64 title screen. Also climbing up hills and sliding down them. So fun.

– My dad was a gamer, and he seemed pretty good at most games when I was growing up. When Super Mario Sunshine came out, I actually had to help him complete a lot of the levels. That felt pretty cool.

– I ended up really good at Mario Kart. In a big media-only prerelease tournament for Mario Kart 8, I ended up in 2nd out of 32 very good players. That last match, I was in first until the last turn when a trio of red shells came towards me. That stunk, but second is still pretty great. Now, I have friends that have trained for 100+ hours that still rarely beat me. That feels good.

– Completing Super Mario 3D world with three friends is one of the best times I’ve ever had playing a video game. We’d play once a week, for a few hours at a time, and always try to get all three stars in each level. It was probably the thing I most looked forward to each and every week

– For some reason when I was a kid, I loved Mario Is Missing. It was pretty tough for me as I was so young, but I was pretty addicted to it until I finished it. It wasn’t until years later that I realized that Mario Is Missing was not a well received game. Haters gonna hate.

I also just realized that I’ve bought the Mario Amiibo seven times between the different versions. That’s how much I love the guy. I love Luigi too, but they’ve only released two Luigi Amiibo thus far.

Did our memories bring back some of your own? What we they? We want to know!

‘Animal Crossing’ Amiibo Incoming? Leaked Image Says Yes!

by Derek KraneveldtJune 14, 2015

If you already thought your wallet was in trouble after this morning’s Amiibo announcements, you may want to avert your eyes from the following image:

Yeah. So this image came straight from Nintendo’s European site, and it’s scary as hell. Sure, we see a bunch of Amiibo that we already own, as well as the Yarn Yoshi and Amiibo cards that we already knew about, but the image also features and awesome looking 30th Anniversary Mario figure, as well as figures depicting Animal Crossing‘s Tom Nook, Isabelle, Mabel, and K.K. Slider.

Could we be getting a Wii U version of Animal Crossing? I just got into the series, so I damned well hope so.

Source: NeoGaf

‘Yoshi’s Wooly World’ Uses Amiibo In The Most Adorable Way

by Josh JacksonJune 2, 2015

Starting to feel the fatigue of all that Amiibo hunting? Maybe Yoshi’s Wooly World will bring some purpose back to the twelve hour campouts and online refresh fests.

In the latest trailer from UK Nintendo, the Yarn Yoshi’s get a bit of a makeover! In addition to the AI controlled partner that unlocks when one of the plush Yoshi Amiibo are tapped into the game, tapping seemingly every Amiibo up to this point will unlock a special knit pattern based on the character you tapped. Want a Mario themed Yoshi? How about Donkey Kong, or Kirby? If you didn’t before, the trailer below will likely change your mind.

A specific list of which Amiibo will be compatible has not yet been released, but the trailer looks promising. Imagine a Sonic, Mega Man, or even a Fire Emblem themed character in a full fledged Nintendo platformer? I’m definitely getting a LittleBigPlanet vibe from these, but considering how its costumes was one of the game’s highlights, who could complain?

Yoshi’s Wooly World will launch in late June with a green Yoshi bundle, alongside the blue and pink versions… in Europe. No release date or bundles have been shown for the West, but we can’t imagine our turn will be far off.

Which costume are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments!

Amazon Releases Their Amiibo Wave 4 Schedule!

by Josh JacksonMay 29, 2015

Do you want those wave 4 amiibo, but value your sleep, time and dignity? Amazon might have you covered!

Despite Amazon’s international branches taking pre-orders for the latest round of figure hell, North America bypassed the whole system, instead deciding to release the latest set on release day in increments. By limiting each character to one per person and making the formal announcement the day prior, it’s obvious that Amazon wants to give its shoppers an equal chance to make their purchase, (in the middle of the day, no less!)

Promising to work with Nintendo to secure more stock, this hopefully won’t be the last time Amiibo hunters can turn to the online retailer for their wave 4 needs. Let’s just hope that future waves are approached in a similar manner, making late night lineups a thing of the past!

The release schedule is as follows, with special attention being paid to Lucina at 3:30 PT and Robin at 5:30 PT. Will their servers survive the mad rush?

Pac-Man: 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. PT
Charizard: 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. PT
Inkling Boy: 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. PT
Lucina: 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. PT
Wario: 4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. PT
Inkling Girl: 4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. PT
Silver Mario: 5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. PT
Robin: 5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. PT
Inkling Boy, Girl, and Squid 3-pack: 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PT

Let us know which figures you’re hunting for, and share your experiences in the comments below!

Silver Mario Amiibo Coming To Stores On May 29th!

by Megan HaleyMay 18, 2015

A new flavor of Mario amiibo has a release date, to the delight/chagrin of hunters across North America. The silver-colored plumber is scheduled to be available for purchase, trade, or bartering of your first-born on May 29th along with the wave 4 Smash Bros. and Splatoon sets of amiibo. So prepare those overnight bags and running shoes and remember to pack plenty of snacks.

Major retailers are said to be stocking them both in-store and online for the suggested retail of 12.99. The functionality is the same as regular and gold edition Mario amiibo already available, so if your purchasing concern is with playability, save yourself the time and frustration and hop over to your local game retailer and purchase the readily available and much more colorful version.

As veteran hunters are aware, it’s likely to sell out immediately. Are you planning on fighting the crowds on release day for silver Mario, or any of the other upcoming amiibo?

Super Smash Bros DLC Detailed; Includes Costumes, Mewtwo and Lucas!

by Josh JacksonApril 2, 2015

If you thought that Super Smash Bros. has ran its course, think again. During yesterday’s hype filled Nintendo Direct, the company had a ton of news to share for the blockbuster fighter, much of which was completely unexpected.

First, if you’re one of the people who have been waiting on baited breath for the Mewtwo DLC that was announced late last year, you won’t have to wait much longer. For those who registered their copies of the game for both the Wii U and 3DS, the legendary Pokemon will be available for download at no extra charge on April 15^th. For everyone else, they’ll have to fork over $3.99 for one game, or $4.99 for both and wait until April 28^th. Check out its reveal trailer below, including its Final Smash, complete with its Mega Mewtwo Y form and its signature Psystrike attack!

Next, also on April 15^th, Mii Fighters will receive the downloadable costume treatment. Highlights of the first set of outfits include a Link costume, a Majora’s Mask headgear item, Dunban’s duds from Xenoblade Chronicles, Mega Man X and Protoman costumes, along with Smash T-Shirts, cat suits and monkey suits, (seriously, what’s with Nintendo’s animal suit obsession these days?) Each item has four download options, at either $.75 each, $1.15 each for both the 3DS and Wii U versions, or $6.00 and $9.20 for the entire set for one or both consoles.

Third, and easily the biggest surprise to come out of the Smash Bros. news wave, is that Lucas is making his big return! The protagonist of Mother 3 and formerly cut Smash Bros. Brawl newcomer is returning, with most of his moves seemingly intact. Will he get a new Final Smash, different pricing from Mewtwo or any other major changes? We have no idea! What we do know, is he will be released in June and his reveal trailer is pretty sweet. Check it out!

And lastly, if Lucas and Mewtwo aren’t your favorites and you think you could come up with a better downloadable roster, now’s your chance! A trip over to the official Smash Bros. website links to a poll where you can write in who you would want to appear as future DLC for the title, with a deadline of October 3^rd.

Our own Eric Francisco has urged us to write in Travis Touchdown from No More Heroes, but we have enough sword users! If you don’t write in Ray MK II from Custom Robo, Chibi Robo from, well… Chibi Robo, or Issac from Golden Sun, then we can’t be friends. I mean sure, Issac has a sword, but at least his character model is complete as a former Assist Trophy and would have unique Psynergy attacks. At the very least, vote Starman from Pro Wrestling! A winner can never be you without him! Then again, while the site says one vote per person, there’s nothing actually stopping us from voting more than once. Just saying…

With so much news, it seems like we’ll be settling it in Smash for a long time. Comment below to tell us what you’re most excited about, and who you’re going to vote in as the next DLC character!

Nintendo Announces Partnership With DeNa, Mobile Games Coming!

by Derek KraneveldtMarch 17, 2015

Briefly: I never thought I’d see the day.

Nintendo today announced a partnership with DeNa Co. that will bring Nintendo’s franchises to mobile platforms, and also potentially bring Nintendo’s online services into this decade.

According to the release, “both companies will develop and operate new game apps based on Nintendo’s IP, including its iconic game characters, for smart devices. The alliance is intended to complement Nintendo’s dedicated video game systems business and extend Nintendo’s reach into the vast market of smart device users worldwide. Under the alliance, DeNA will also be able to strengthen its gaming business at a global scale by leveraging Nintendo’s IP. To ensure the quality of game experience that consumers expect from this alliance of Nintendo and DeNA, only new original games optimized for smart device functionality will be created, rather than porting games created specifically for the Wii U home console or the Nintendo 3DS portable system.”

Insane. INSANE. And great to see that both companies will be focussing only on new experiences rather than porting over (and selling us) the same ol’ Nintendo titles that we’ve been buying for years and years. It’ll be very interesting to see just how different these games end up, since if, for instance, you’ve tried to play a platformer on your phone, it typically doesn’t go very well.

The release continues, and arguably gets even more interesting, stating that “Nintendo and DeNA also plan to develop an online membership service that is accessible from smart devices, PC and Nintendo systems, such as the Nintendo 3DS portable system and the Wii U home console. The membership service, which is targeted to launch in the fall of 2015, will be built on DeNA’s extensive experience and capabilities in online membership services.”

Could this be the much asked for and long awaited account services that we’ve been asking for for years? You know, the type that other consoles have had since the last generation? We can only hope! I can barely imagine being able to log into my Nintendo account and redownload titles purchases on another unit… which is really sad as it’s 2015.

What do you think of the announcement? Are you looking forward to playing Nintendo titles on your iPhone? Or will you be sticking with your 3DS? Sound out below!