Jotun Valhalla Edition and Axiom Verge for Nintendo Wii U

November 8, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Today we are going to look at two of the plethora of cool Indie titles for the Wii U, Jotun Valhalla Edition and Axiom Verge.  An epic Norse adventure game and a mind bending side scroller which questions your trust in the programmers of the game.

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First up is Jotun, Jotun Valhalla Edition follows the story of Thora, a Viking warrior who has suffered an inglorious death.  This means she can not enter Valhalla. As such, Odin offers her another chance to prove herself worthy of Valhalla by battling various gods and defeating them.  You begin the game in Ginnungagap, a Norse limbo which acts as your central point between various levels.  Each has lush hand drawn designs and characters.  Every level acts as a puzzle in itself, as well as an exploration chance to find a God’s weapon.  These weapons then make each boss battle easier to get through, some times, later in the game these are even necessary to defeat some tough baddies.  This game has a “new school”, artistic vibe and an old school, boss rush game play. It is perfect for new gamers as well as older ones.  What I really like about this game is its lush settings, designs, and the Norse driven story which is a relatively fresh area in gaming.

Axoim Verge video game

Next up is Axoim Verge.  Axoim Verge, looks familiar at first glance, a 2d side scrolling Metroid-vania style game where the hero explores a huge area piece by piece.  But that is where the similarities end. With nine massive non linear areas which are unlock-able,  tons of weapons, tools, and equipment (the most memorable of which is a glitch-er tool which, when used, causes game elements to break and either open up new areas, turn enemies into health power ups, or even have enemies turn into assistants).  This not only opens up new elements of game play and gives players a new way to analyze an area, but also opens up new portions of the area and has you question where this game’s setting is. Is it the future, an alien world, or a glitch virtual reality world?  Either way, we had a great time exploring it and can’t wait to unlock more weapons, areas, and tools.

Jotun Valhalla Edition is available now for $14.49 and Axoim Verge for $19.99 through the Nintendo eShop on the Wii U.

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Skylanders Imaginators – The Newest #Skylanders Video Game

October 27, 2016 by 2 Comments

new skylanders game

Skylanders are back with Skylanders Imaginators, and this time they need some of your imagination to save the day.  Kaos is once again causing problems in the Skyland, and Eon needs you to defeat him and the Magic Mind he used to create new Doomlanders.  This Skylanders differs from previous iterations in the series in a pretty cool way- you can now create your own Skylanders. Nothing but your creativity will hold you back with your new Skylander creations. With the help of Senseis in game which specializes in one of ten different techniques, you can also train your Skylander to defeat Kaos and his minions.  As with other games in the series, all previous Skylanders can be used with the Imaginators game including Super Charger vehicles and traps (both of which are functional in race mode).

new skylanders game

In total there are 31 new senseis to collect, as well as Creation Crystals which save the Skylanders you create. This allows you to call upon their help whenever needed.  In addition to new Skylanders, there are also a few surprises. You can now use Kaos in game, and purchase his collectable toy as well.  In addition to Kaos, Crash Bandicoot is making his first Skylanders appearance with his own unique fighting abilities including his whirlwind spin, TNT crates, and yo-yo Sky-Chi attack.

The main concept behind Imaginators is the ability to build your own Skylander Imaginator.  This Imaginator can be customized in appearance, ability, sounds, and even appendages.  Each edit is done on the fly in game through a series of easy to navigate menus.  Scattered throughout each level in the game itself are items which can be used to build and rebuild your character as you please.  Use an air horn for an ear, a snake for an arm, even a chain for a tail and s’mores for a staff. Choose to have color coordinate everything to fit together nicely, or simply mix it up to make your Imaginator your own.  The gameplay is easy to pick up and play, hack and slash gaming where exploration is encouraged and villains are colorful and different.  Each level has a theme, and each level has an end boss who must be defeated to progress.

The starter set includes a portal, the game itself and a minimum of 2 senseis and an Imaginator crystal to make your own Skylander.  The start set retails for $74.99 and is available nationwide now.

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Slink and Slither in Wormax.io

October 17, 2016 by Leave a Comment

fun apps

Multiplayer games come in all shapes and sizes. Today, we’re looking at Wormax.io, which belongs to the “.io” subgenre of browser multiplayer games. If you played an .io game before, you should have a good idea of what to expect: an easy-to-join, hard-to-win battle.

The Gist of It
Wormax.io pits all players against one another. There are no teams, guilds, or clans. Team Deathmatch is non-existent; in this game, every worm plays for itself. The objective is simple: kill other worms. That’s the quickest way to grow and clear your surroundings. There’s no final winner, just a temporary leader (i.e. the longest worm). It’s like Slither.io, but with a bunch of cool bonus features.

Skilled Worms
Wormax.io equips players with Super Skills. These come in the form of Acceleration, Stop, and Ghost. Acceleration works identically to the boost feature in Slither.io—you can activate a temporary speed boost to zoom in front of other players. This allows you to attack others, at the cost of shortening your worm. The other features, Stop and Ghost, and brand-new to the .io genre. Stop allows you to completely halt for up to 5 seconds. This is a great defensive skill, letting you avoid the Acceleration attacks from other worms. The Ghost feature makes your worm transparent, which doubles as invincibility. When you’re a ghost, you can glide through other worms without dying.

Random Abilities
Boosters are another totally new feature in Wormax.io. Five different Boosters appear randomly throughout each match. The Health power-up is self-explanatory, while others are more unique. For instance, the Toxic Booster gives your worm poisonous abilities. If you die, your worm’s remains become toxic, instead of providing healthy food to others. This sneaky feature is perfect for seeking revenge after being attacked. Another interesting Booster is Telescope, which makes the camera zoom out for one minute. This gives you a broader view of the map, which is essential for planning long-range attacks and avoiding incoming bullies.

Being Original
One of the first things I noticed when playing Wormax.io is that hardly any worms look the same. This is because worms come in a variety of colors and patterns (i.e. skins). By sharing a link on Facebook, VK, or Twitter, you can unlock over 40 free skins. Changing the look of your character is a fun way to keep the action fresh. Some of the skins look like other animals, such as cats, cows, and pigs. This also helps the gameplay feel more interesting, since you’re not slithering around a bunch of identical worms.

Designed for Action
Wormax.io doesn’t have levels. When you play a regular game, you’ll be thrust into the arena with hundreds or thousands of other players. How long you last depends on how well you slither. If you want to practice in an easier environment, you can set up a private room to share with friends. That might be easier at first, but jumping right into the action with everyone else is plenty of fun.

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Yo-Kai Watch 2 Fleshy Souls/Bony Spirits for the Nintendo 3DS

October 5, 2016 by 5 Comments

yo kai watch games

Yo-Kai watch is the newest phenomena to hit our shores from Japan.  The newest games in the series are Yo-Kai Watch 2 Fleshy Souls and Bony Spirits.  The main story follows around our protagonist Nate as he solves mysteries involving the spirit world through the usage of his Yo Kai watch.  These newest games dig deeper into the origins of the Yo Kai watch, and brings players into the watch’s humble beginnings.

When two mischievous spirits steal away Nate’s memories and his Yo-Kai watch, the game begins introducing new players to the mechanics and play style of Yo-Kai watch.  Players search around town for spirits and befriend them in order to call upon them later on to battle other spirits in their name.  Battles are predominantly played as more of an armchair rather then an active fighter, where you can power up the Yo-Kai soultimate moves with screen taps or spins. For the most part, your Yo-Kai battle on their own.  This can be either off putting or make game play easier for younger players, giving the player a different way to view a battle.

This is more as a preparation and couching experience then an interactive eb and flow type experience.  There is also an online multi player where players can fight their Yo-Kai against one another in battles which is great fun and breaks up the story nicely.  The story in Yo Kai Watch 2 is interesting and fun- it  ultimately brings to head a war between Yo-Kai of historic proportions while also helping out various townspeople with mini quests along the way, as well as bug catching.  Not only is the story engaging, but the Yo-Kai themselves are also quite odd combinations including a snot nosed character, a character who is literally all leg and a hat, and of course the cute cat-based spriti Jibanyan.

If you are looking for a fun, easy to pick up and play RPG with monster collecting for between those bigger pocket monster collecting titles, Yo-Kai Watch 2 is perfect to cleanse your pallet. If you are a fan of RPG’s in general and are looking for something with an odd flavor this works as well.  Of course, any fan of the TV show will enjoy the game. Yo-Kai Watch 2 is not to be missed by fans of the series, my son  is having a blast trying to catch as many Yo-Kai as possible (and telling me all about the little creatures the entire time).

Yo Kai Watch 2 Fleshy Souls  and Bony Spirits is available now for the Nintendo 3DS and retails for $39.99 each.

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Metroid Prime Federation Force for the Nintendo 3DS

October 5, 2016 by 2 Comments

metroid federation force

Metroid has long been a favorite among Nintendo fans.  Amid quite a bit of controversy when first announced, Federation Force is an interesting spin on a familiar game setting and characters.  The controversy surrounded Nintendo’s decision to work on a release of this game instead of continuing the Samus saga in the Metroid Prime universe.  If you are looking for a continuation of the Samus story line, this is not the title you are looking for.  Instead, this title is a spin off of the federation force, which picks up after the events in Metroid Prime 3 Corruption.  This game follows the federation force in their pursuit to clean up the galaxy by battling Metroids and Space Pirates as well as various other alien creatures, causing problems across 3 familiar planets.  Each planet consists of various missions, totaling about 60 in all.  Each mission takes place in a different setting, some of which include ice and desert areas.  But fear not Samus fans, the familiar armored maiden does make an appearance as a non-playable character in the game.

This game also differs from other Metroid Prime installments in its emphasis on team work and group based shooting instead of exploration, as well as the removal of the touch screen based elements of Metroid Prim Hunters, and the scanning ability of Metroid Prime.  Players can be a few different specialties based on the choosing of their weapon load out before each mission, including a healer weapon and heavy fire missiles.

Federation Force also includes and arena style combat soccer mode called Blast Ball.  Players using their mechs and working as a team of three must shoot the ball into your opponent’s goal, while defending your own goal from offenders.

Both game modes are available now with the purchase of Metroid Prime Federation Force which is available now in both retail stores and the eShop for 39.99.

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Paper Mario Color Splash for the Wii U

October 4, 2016 by 2 Comments

paper mario color splash

Today we are looking at the newest entry in the beloved Paper Mario series, Paper Mario Color Splash.  This game takes Mario to the formerly, colorful Prism Island where someone is draining the land of all its paint and color.  As the hero we all know and love, Paper Mario comes along to save the day with his paint hammer. When used, the hammer splashes color on formerly uncolored portions of land, flowers, characters, houses, and even water.  This game plays like other Paper Mario games in the series, where combat is turn based, but also includes cards which describe what moves can be used next. Some cards have to be colored before you can use them, and some are found already colored.

As you progress through the game, more powerful cards are found which can give super fun moves and leave the enemy flapping in the wind (like the paper that they are).  Combat is not simply about picking the right cards and hoping for the best as with the previous Paper Mario games- in this edition, when playing a move and using the proper button combinations, it is possible to power up your moves to sometimes even double the damage or give you multiple hits with one card.

What is nice about this game is the paper craft feel and physics which are used in everything from waves of water to the flat 2 dimensions in a 3 dimension world Mario and friends have. This game is a blast to play for RPG fans or Mario fans in general and should not be missed.  It is a perfect jump on point for the Paper Mario series giving players an interactive role playing experience which will keep you wanting more and itching to paint smash some dull areas of your own life.

Paper Mario Color Splash is available for the Wii U on October 7th for $59.99 only on the Nintendo Wii U.

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Kirby Planet Robobot

September 16, 2016 by 4 Comments

planet robobot

Kirby and his pals have been in a plethora of games for many different Nintendo system, each time a new adventure with the same fun Kirby flavor. In his newest adventure, Kirby sports some kick butt robot armor to save his world from a resource-eating robot-based enemy.

The game Kirby Planet Robobot is a side scrolling platforming game where you control the cute pink fan-favorite Kirby. In this game, he has the ability to suck up and eat his enemies and absorb their powers or shoot them out as stars at others.

The game play is simple to master and makes for some fun puzzles and level designs which change Kirby into a fire wielding robot, a blade and saw slicing robot, and even a car or rocket ship.

Each level introduces a new play dynamic while keeping the player in a light hearted, fun adventure.  The game itself is easy to play, but there are tons of collectibles to grab along the way. These include stickers to customize your robot and digital cubes which open up secret levels in each land.  Each land has a general theme like water or desert, and take Kirby on a whirl-wind adventure culminating in a boss battle.  The boss battles can be difficult, but of course once the boss’s pattern is figured out they become easier.

Personally, Kirby has always been a favorite in our house, and with this game is no different. It is fun for the little guy and a challenge to collect all the perks for dad.  Included in the game are 5 game modes including the main story, Meta Knightmare Returns, The Arena, Team Kirby Clash, and Kirby 3D Rumble.  Each a separate and different game, the main story is a blast to play through.  Meta Knightmare lets you take on the role of one of Kirby nemesis Mata Knight, The Arena is a rush game where scores can be shared via street pass, Team Kirby is a light RPG game which is unsurprisingly a blast, while Kirby 3D Rumble brings Kirby game play into a 3D arena.

Kirby Planet Robobot also supports amiibo power ups which are activated when the amiibo is tapped on the 3DS. According to Nintendo, “Four new amiibo figures will be available in stores at a suggested retail price of $12.99 each. These include fun new models for Kirby, King Dedede and Meta Knight, as well as the lovable Waddle Dee, who makes his amiibo debut. While playing, tapping these new amiibo figures gives Kirby new looks and/or abilities. In fact, players can tap any amiibo figure to trigger something in the game. When using the Kirby, King Dedede or Meta Knight amiibo from the Super Smash Bros. series, Kirby will receive the Smash Bros., Hammer and Sword abilities, respectively, as well as a special body color. When tapping any non–Kirby character amiibo like Mario, Kirby will receive a random Copy Ability that is already in the game. Some of these abilities even relate to the amiibo itself, such as earning the Sword ability when tapping Link or the Poison ability when tapping Ganondorf.”

Kirby Planet Robobot is available now on both the eShop, retail stores nationwide, and at Nintendo.com at a suggested retail price of $39.99. For more information about the game, visit http://kirby.nintendo.com/planet-robobot/.

 

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The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess on the Wii U

August 25, 2016 by 7 Comments

zelda game

Every so often a gem of a game comes along for a console.  The biggest problem is, that console will eventually be replaced by a newer better one, so how does one share a great game with a younger generation?  With a remake, of course.  Shinier graphics, updated character designs, improved game play, throw in a few extras and you have yourself a fun new-ish game to share with everyone.  This is exactly what The Twilight Princess is.  A great game from the beginning of the Wii now remastered for the Wii U.

Twilight Princess has the familiar Link hero character in an action adventure game where he must fight, solve puzzles, and explore his way through his adventure.  This time, the story line and art is a bit darker, but this doesn’t distract from the same Legend of Zelda formula we all know and love.  Link must find a way to save his world from the Twilight dimension and its evil king, Zant.  In order to do this, we meed some new characters like Midna, who teaches Link to change into his Twilight Wolf form as well as familiar ones like Zelda and Ganondorf.

As this is a remaster, you may be wondering what was added to make this a must buy.  Well, there is added Amiibo support which opens up a new Wii U exclusive dungeon as well as power up abilities with other Legend of Zelda Amiibos.  Your Amiibo also has the ability to carry over data into the next Legend of Zelda release planned for later this year.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is available now for the price of $59.99 and includes an exclusive Wolf Link / Midna Amiibo.  It is also available for download from the eShop for $49.99 but this version obviously will not include the Amiibo.

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