Well, I have been doing some gaming over the past while. I got Megaman 9, which is a phenomenal game. It got me swearing and smiling at the same time. I don't know very many games that can do that. I really had a blast, and that's all I can say. Though how did I get Megaman 9? Well, a friend used the Gift thing on the Wii's Shopping Channel, and he sent me the game. Oh, and he also sent me Sonic 2, Space Harrier, Kid Chameleon, and Altered Beast. I never owned a Genesis, so now I'm able to catch up on a bunch of stuff that I missed. Thank you VC, and thank you friend!

Yesterday, the university in my city had an open house, and even though I'm only in Grade 11, I decided to attend so I can start deciding ahead of time what I'm going to do once I graduate highschool. I'm torn between Music (composition specifically) and Astrophysics. Two subjects that require you to use the same part of the brain, yet are entirely different. Good thing I still got over a year before I have to start filling out my applications... Though I won't bore you with that. After the open house, I decided to go rent a game (I haven't done that in a long time). I ended up renting Phantom Hourglass, since I'm a Zelda nut and I need to be able to say that I've played every Zelda game (excluding Tetra Trackers and Link's Crossbow Training). Anyways, PH has actually surprised me in many aspects. First of all, I'm amazed at how the game utilizes the DS' capabilities. Everything is done with the stylus, which I'm also amazed by how well it works. You use the buttons for shortcuts, and you even have to do stuff like blowing into the mic, and even closing your DS! Another thing that amazes me is the graphics. If the DS were able to handle higher polygon counts, then this game would easily be able to look like a GC game with some minor adjustments. I honestly didn't think that a DS could handle this level of graphics. Unfortunately, Koji Kondo got a bit lazy with his compositions in this one. The soundtrack is incredibly average, and maybe even below. Kondo is capable of far greater things. Anyways, back to the gameplay. The combat is rather easy, yet satisfying. Though the puzzles are some of the best in the entire series. I could go into detail about that, but that would take forever. Oh, and Nintendo GREATLY improved on one area from The Wind Waker: the sailing. It's actually... ENJOYING!!! No more worrying about stuff like wind. Now you just draw your course, and off you go. Though don't fall asleep, for enemies will randomly appear. What's also surprising is how you get treasure. Instead of unleashing your hookshot in the perfect spot, you now just land your ship in a general area and you actually guide the claw down to the bottom of the ocean to grab the chests and pull them back out. It's a neat little minigame. The only realy flaw I can think of right now (other than the music) is the Temple of the Ocean King. Going to the same temple over and over again, doing the exact same things over and over again, all while evading the Phantom guards and eyes. Plus you have a time limit! This is definitely one of the most annoying dungeons in Zelda history. Though overall, I'm satisfied with the game to this point. It isn't mind-blowing epic as some of the other Zeldas, and it seems a littke "lacking" in a few areas. However, you can't deny that this is one of the most innovative games in the series. I was nearly flabbergasted by some of the thigns I experienced in this game. Though I can't really give a final judgement... especially since I'm not that far into the game. I just entered the Temple of Courage.

I know I haven't been active here lately, though i still do check some of your blgos every now and then. Though you won't be seeing me at all for the next 3 weeks, for I'm going on a vacation to Poland (I'll be visiting London and the Czech Republic as well). Well, that's my really quick life update.

Oh, and recently, a friend actually gave me a few VC games through that Gift feature. Really cool guy. I got Super Mario Bros 3 (do I need to say ANYTHING about that game) and Shining Force. Well, I do prefer Fire Emblem over Shining Force, but it's a good game, nonetheless. I've also been playing through Final Fantasy Tactics Advanced on the GBA (well, I actually was playing it on my DS). Good stuff. Other than that, I haven't been doing a whole lot of gaming. Just maybe picking up games every now and then. It's just that I have been a little busy lately. Oh well.

So farwell to you all. I hope the rest of your summers is good. My summer wasn't exactly splendid. This trip to Poland might change that, though my last trip there was horrendous. Well, that's life.

I'm going to talk about the underappreciated factor that people often don't understand the importance of. It's the music in gaming. Music has a massive impact on gaming, and I'm here to exploit it. I'll also take a look at sound effects and voice acting. Pretty much anything that has to do with sound. Buckle up for another massive post by me. If you don't have the time to read through it all, then that's okay. Though if you do manage to read all the way through, then I thank you in advance. I honestly appreciate it.

Before I begin, I'm going to re-introduce myself. Why? Well, let me put it this way. It seems as if everybody thinks they're experts in music. However, I'm hoping to become a real expert. In fact, I'm strongly considering majoring in composition once I'm done highschool. Music keeps me alive and sane. It gives me a reason to live. My grades are amazing in school, and I have many options. Though as much as I love math, chemistry, and physics (no sarcasm), I feel a deep void inside myself whenever I'm not thinking about music. Plus, there is one other thing that I'll admit to you guys. I'm an extremely mentally unstable person. While I may seem like a calm and sensible person most of the time, I'm a walking time bomb, and I have exploded on many occasions. I have bouts of absolute rage where I hate everything around me, including myself. I go crazy and act like I'm about to burn the house down (which has entered into my brain many times). Those fits often are followed by mass depression, where I drive myself to the edges of suicide. I often feel like there is no point in living for me... That I'm a waste... Until I pick up my guitar and start playing. Music helps me survive. It helps me stabilize myself. It gives me a purpose in living. I can't express through text how much I love composing music. If I got an opportunity to become a composer (or maybe even a videogame composer... hey, a kid can dream), I would take it in a heartbeat. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that music is my life. It's absolutely huge for me. Whenever I'm alone at home, I always have music playing at full volume (anything from Vivaldi to Black Sabbath to Pink Floyd to Korpiklaani). I love music. I also love videogame music. So without further ado, lets get right on to the topic.

Let's start off with the subject of the importance of music in gaming. One thing that I think music does best is that it portrays emotions, and then amplifies them. Nothing can pump you up more than a good tune. When you're facing that gargantuan beat from the dark abyss over, don't you want something in the background that emphasizes the battle? Or maybe just before the battle, a good tune to get your blood pumping won't hurt, right? Good music can really push you further. It can make you go beyond your limits, and makes you really want to beat the crap out of that damn **** who's trying to take over the world. There is just something about good music that can't be explained. It really grabs a hold of you and your emotions. It makes you forget who you are, and makes you feel like you're in a different world. It can also bring tears to your eyes. What about the Song of Healing in Zelda: Majora's Mask? All it is is a few simple notes that I can easily play on numerous instruments, but during certain scenes, the impact of the song is undeniable. Just thinking about it, reminiscing those certain moments brings tears to my eyes. There can be so much power in music...

One thing that developers have to take into consideration while making a game is that they have to find a way to keep the players wanting to play the game. What is one thing that they can do? Hire a good composer. Like Koji Kondo for example. In Super Mario Galaxy, I really hated those Purple Coin Comets. It's even worse when there's a time limit. I groan whenever a Purple Comet is in orbit... Until I start hearing that one tune that's played during the Purple Coin missions with a time limit. Something about just pumps you up. It certainly pumps me up, and within in seconds, it makes me go from groaning to saying, "Bring it on!" I always turn up the volume during these parts. Or what up those hard as hell Megaman games? Even though you might constantly have your ass handed to you, the music in the NES Megaman games always encourage you to keep on trying until you beat those damn robots. In contrast, what about the games with crappy soundtracks? Like Wally Bear and the No Gang. The music is awful in that game and just makes you want to stop. Or what about Xenophobe? That game doesn't even have music! I wrote a review for that game, and the header says: "Terrible controls and a lack of music may make your experience with this game last only five minutes." During my first time playing that game, I shut it off after five minutes because I was so bored and uninspired by it.

Do you notice a trend? The games with good music were good games, while the games with bad music were bad games. Make a mental checklist of all your favourite games. What's one common component in all of them? They all come with great music (probably, this isn't always the case, but generally it is). As well, whenever you review one of your favourite classics, you'll probably mention that the soundtrack about how awesome it is... Though have you ever elaborated on it? Have you ever considered the impact it had on your gaming experience? I'll admit, I often don't go into depth about the music whenever I review games. Though you should be aware of what good tunes have done for your childhood. Hey, can you hum me the overworld, underworld, underwater, and castle themes from the original Super Mario Bros? Most of you can probably accomplish this without any problem.

Though that brings me to my next issue: What happened to catchy videogame music, and how important is that? Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda are great examples. Just about every single gamer could recall those games' main themes at any time, any place. Their themes are just classics that will forever remain stuck in our heads. Though back then, composers were limited to MIDI programming. Games back then simply couldn't handle orchestras. Though nowadays, as gaming inches closer to realism, more and more composers are beginning to arrange orchestras. That means more complexity and more beautiful music. Today's gaming music is by far superior to yesterday's music, especially in terms of technicality. However, there is one issue that arises from this. Go play some games from today's generation. Then play some good old NES games. Chances are that you'll be able to far more easily recall the music from the NES games than from today's generation. Compare Super Mario Bros and Super Mario Galaxy. The music from SMB pops into my head much more rapidly than the music from SMG. In fact, I'm finding it rather difficult recalling SMG's music.

This creates a debate about music itself. While technical music may have more of that "Wow!" factor, simple music just sticks in your head better. I can easily recall Black Sabbath riffs far faster than any of the riffs from technical death metal bands today. Plus simple music can be just as powerful, if not, even more powerful then technical music. The Song of Healing is extremely simplistic. It's the first song that I learned by ear, and it's just really easy to play. Though it's one of the most powerful songs out there, and the emotion that it packs is stronger than the rest of the Zelda games (in fact, a lot of songs from the Majora's Mask soundtrack is extremely emotional). I'll even take my own FL Studio as an example (keep in mind that FL Studio is a MIDI program). One song on that album is called I Am Error. It has a real NES-type feel to it. It's extremely simplistic. Contrast that to my more orchestra-sounding songs. While some of the moments in my orchestra-sounding were just absolutely awesome, I can recall I Am Error quicker than any of the other songs. Even though I had a stronger sense of achievement with the rest of the songs, I Am Error is something that just sticks in my head.

While MIDI music is more memorable, everybody is begging the composers to make orchestrated music. I'm guilty of this as well. I was hoping for orchestrated music in Twilight Princess, and I was disappointed. I also heard one mp3 that was actually an orchestrated version of the main theme from that song. It absolutely kicked ass. Want me to hum it to you? Hmm... How did it go again? See, this is what I'm talking about. Orchestrated music in games can be overall more awesome, and just sounds so much better than MIDI music. Though MIDI music can easily be memorized. You must ask yourself: Do you want memorable music, or do you want natural good music? As well, another thing just popped into my mind. When I'm listening to videogame soundtracks, I much prefer listening to orchestrated soundtracks. While this is not always the case (like it's not always the case that orchestrated music isn't memorable), I generally prefer listening to people playing real instruments than just some synthesized music. This is a tough debate, but ultimately, the result is already decided. We're leaving the age of synthesized music in gaming, and now we're going into orchestrated music (ironically, that's exactly opposite from the majority of music today). Hell, we'll probably be listening to orchestrated music in handheld gaming pretty soon. If I ever become a videogame composer myself, I'll probably be requested to arrange orchestras. It's simply the way it is. So what's the final verdict? Orchestrated music is great. I just wish we could get a few tracks every now and then that would go back to the basics. While playing my guitar, I realized that while I should be always trying to make my playing more complex, I should often go back to simplicity. Sometimes keeping it simple isn't a bad thing. Though as long as music can keep on making you want to play the game, then it'll be alright.

Now lets look at another aspect: Sound effects. Their impact might not be that big, but if developers want to make a truly great game, then they better take a bit of time to make sure the sound effects are done right. I remember playing Ocarina of Time, and whenever I'm walking in a dungeon, I would just absolutely love hearing the sound of Link unsheathing his blade. It just sounded so cool, and it made me feel like I'm really inside a dungeon, ready to kick some serious ass. See how such a minuscule thing improved the experience of a game? To contrast, don't you just hate playing games with crappy sound effects? They get annoying so quickly that you immidiatly hope that there's an option to turn down the sound effects. It's all about the experience while playing games, and even little things such as sound effects can affect it. This goes back to one of my earlier blog posts where I basically state that even the little things can improve the overall quality of a game. The difference between a good game and a great game is that great games go the extra mile to make sure that even all the little aspects are done right.

Not only are we getting orchestrated music in today's games, but we're also getting voice acting. If done right, voice acting can really make a game seem so much better. Good voice acting can make you feel like you're watching a movie. We all love good movies don't we? Except that we're playing a game, and games mean interaction. So if the voice acting can be done right, then we may be getting the best of both worlds, making the entire experience just multiply in awesomeness. We're also hearing people wonder if there should be voice acting in Zelda games. On one side of the argument, it might make the whole series better. In Twilight Princess, the choreography was absolutely terrific. It was so good that it felt like something was really missing. However, on the other side of the argument, everybody is has a great fear. What if the voice acting is done bad? Like in the CD-i Zeldas. That could really ruin a great franchise. While voice acting can really help a game, it can also really hurt a game. Especially if you're playing a story-orientated game. Bad voice acting will make you ignore the storyline, and that might destroy much of the experience of the game. While it's inevitable that more and more games will be getting voice actors, how great are the risks associated? All that we can really do is hope that some good voice actors start getting into the business. If we can get some good voice actors, then the overall quality of games will improve. It might even help the Legend of Zelda series if done right. I guess as long as we assassinate those crappy voice actors that sound like constipated five year-olds, then everything will be good.

Well, it's time to conclude this post. Sound (this includes music, effects, and voice acting) can really boost the quality of a game tremendously. Though at the same time, it can kill it. Developers really need to pay attention to this department, and make sure they hire good composers and voice actors (if needed). I believe that videogaming can be an art. I'm a strong advocate of this. Though what is art? To me, art is expression of ideas, thoughts, images, and emotions. Music might only be able to only be able to express emotions in gaming, but that's enough. Great music will absolutely make a game so much better. It can make you want to play the game. It is one of the differences between a good game and a great game. Music is such an unbelievably magical thing. It's a true miracle. You can't see it, but it can completely turn your life around. Composers need to make sure they accomplish this. Also, it's a good thing that they're using orchestras more and more. I love hearing people play real instruments. It just sounds so much better. Though it would be nice if once in a while, they can write something simple. Simplicity can sometimes be a wonderful thing. While growing up, many of us got that Super Mario Bros theme stuck in our head. While stuff like this might sometimes be a curse, it's not always a bad thing. It's a piece that we can always look back to. So if we got to go through these experiences, why shouldn't the new generations go through this experience as well? Music can be such a wonderful thing, and I just can't wait to play some games in the future where a few composers come up with some more brilliant pieces.

Anyways, thank you all for reading through this blog. I hope you enjoyed reading it. Maybe you'll look at music in a whole new perspective? Or maybe not. If you liked this blog, please let me know by posting in the comments section. I respect positive feedback, and you have no idea how much it helps me get through my day. Though if you have some criticisms, then post them as well. One of the reasons why I write these blogs is to improve upon my writing. Also, do you have your own perspectives? Yeah, post them as well. I try to keep myself open-minded. So please, show me your side of the story. There are always two sides on a coin, and I'd love to see both sides. Again, thank you so much for reading this. I sincerely mean it. It actually started writing this blog a few days ago. It's really tough writing about music. There is just something about it that can't be described through words... Though I made sure I took my time with this blog so I did say the right words.

Alright, we've all played good games. Though we've also all played great games. Yet, what is that extra element that makes the difference between good and great? I recently played Okami on the Wii. Even though it does have some noticeable flaws, I still consider it a great game. In fact, it's one of my most favourite games out there. Why? What makes it so special? What made Super Mario 64, or Ocarina of Time, or games like that special? Well, let me give my analysis of what gives these great games that little edge.

---Doesn't Get Tiring---
I love Star Fox 64. Even though it was a standard game, there is somethign about it that really makes it feel like an all-time great. Emphasis on the all-time. I remember playing this game over a decade ago. I never owned it, but whenever I got the chance, I would play the absolute hell out of it. I've flown through that game so many times that even to this day, I have all the enemy positions memorized. As well, I downloaded this game a long while ago on the VC. I also played through it a ton. I just can't get bored with this game! It never get tiring!

No matter how standard a game is, if it keeps you coming back, it obviously did something right. There are many fantastic games out there, but many of them, I just can't play through over and over. There are games that just don't have that charm. As for those that do, no matter how basic, we will always remember them, and we always love playing them. Wait, isn't that the purpose of videogaming? To play games? You bet it is! That is why if a game can accomplish the task of never getting tiring, it can easily be considered one of the greats.

Let me give you some more examples. I started this blog off by mentioning Okami. Well, let me get back to it. It took me exactly 29 hours and 5 minutes to complete it. Not once did I get tired playing it. In fact, right after I finished, I created a new file and I started playing through the whole game all over again. I didn't mind at all. That's one reason why I think Okami is great. Another exaple: Ocarina of Time. I've beaten this game countless amounts of time. I didn't own it on the N64, but I did borrow it from a friend for a whole year, and I played the hell out of it during that time. Now today, I still pop it in once in a while and go for another ride through the game (I own a GC version of it, which came with Wind Waker when I bought the GC at Wal-Mart... yes, Wal-Mart actually did something good for once).

The three games that I just mentioned... They are considered greats. Hundreds of people still play them today. Well, except for Okami, but that's because it's getting really ignored, even with some excellent scores... Even from Gamespot (yeah, they gave the Wii version a 9.0 if you can believe that). Anyways, while this thign of never getting tiring might seem standard... Though there are some really fine games that I just can't play over and over again. There's tons. It really doesn't matter how a game keeps itself addicting, but if it somehow does it... Well, then it may be considered a great game, because it fulfills the exact purpose of videogaming. Even with horrible graphics, sound, story, and maybe even controls to a degree, if it makes you want to play it over and over again, then kudos to that game, for it's a real game... A real GREAT game! Well, as long as it's not ridiculously frustrating, like many NES games that the AVGN reviewed... That brings me to my next ever-important point:

---Great Blend of Difficulty---
If a game is too easy, then there will be no real point in playing it, and you'll get verylittle/no satisfaction from playing it. If a game is too hard... Well, then it's either unplayable, or just way too frustrating. Good thing that they built them NESs strong, cause it had plenty of those kinds of games.

Now, let me get one thing straight: Just because a game is hard... Or really hard... Doesn't make it a bad game. I loved playing through Contra, Ninja Gaiden, and other games like that, even though they made me want to go on a rampage. These games go back to my first point, and they are very playable. So while they may be ridiculousat times, they are still some really fun games that I love to play, along with many other gamers. However, if it is unplayable, then it's obviously a bad game, and if you have a real hard time getting through the first screen *glares at Dragon's Lair*, well then it's very likely a terrible game as well.

One thing developers must keep in mind is who are they targetting. You don't want a little kids game or a casual game to be Contra's rival in difficulty. Also, you don't want a hardcore game to be something that you could beat while sleeping, and not die once. There is one other consideration: Games should be as accessible to EVERYONE as possible. One strategy is to use difficulty settings. Though even with these, games tend to be a little easy or a little hard.

Making a dfficulty level that please everyone is not an easy task. Like I stated, even games with difficulty settings sometimes can't accomplish this. Though that's what makes the great games a cut above the rest: They can somehow manage to have a difficulty setting that pleases everyone. Now it's time for me to give you some examples.

One thing I liked about the SSB series is that they can be either really easy or really hard if you want. That makes it accessible to everyone. Why do you think this series is so incredibly popular? All three games show how it's done. Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy excel in this field as well. Beating them with the standard 70 and 60 stars (respectively) isn't tough, but getting 120 stars on both of them is quite a challenge. That can easily please both the casual and the hardcore.

The exaples I just gave are Mario games, or Mario-related games. Mario happens to be the icon of videogaming. However, the NES Mario games weren't a piece of cake. Though they did fulfill my first point. So while this point isn't the most necessary thing, if games can accomplish this, then they are often considered great games that anyone can play, which fulfills another purpose of videogaming.

---Is Pure Art---
Videogames aren't quite regarded as forms of art just yet, but there are games that truly show the meaing of art. Just play through Okami. That game is the definition of art. I myself am an artistic person. My field is music. My dad is also artistic. His field is painting. Art is truly a joy to me. You'd be surprised at the effect that art can have at you. It can give you a purpose of living. It can add a lot to your life. The same goes with videogames. If a videogame can show that it is a masterpiece, then you'll just want to play it.

There are two main areas I'm getting at here. Graphics and art. Let me start with graphics. I wrote an entire blog on this area, but I'll just quickly go over it again. Ask yourself this question: Do you want to play ugly games? No, don't give me this "If it has good gameplay, then yeah". One thing people don't realize is that graphics can add to gameplay, or have a big effect on it. Play some of the games that the AVGN reviewed. A bunch of them obviously have abysmal gameplay (excluding SMB 3 and Duck Hunt). Though a bunch of them also have abysmal graphics. In some of them, you can't tell what's a platform and what's not. That just detracts from the gameplay automatically. As well, playing through games should be pleasing. You shouldn't have to want to gouge your eyes out after playing a game. Yes, crappy games with great graphics do exist, but how often is the reverse true? Graphics can showcase the effort that was put into a game. Just play some Nintendo games. Zelda, Mario, Metroid, whatever. They are games with some of the best gameplay, but they also have some great graphics. Also, one thing that I like is that Nintendo doesn't always go for realistic graphics. Mario Kart: Double Dash is often underrated for it's graphics. The colors were wonderful in the game and made it pleasing to the eye. Also, don't you jsut love riding around Hyrule Field in Twilight Princess, jsut looking at the view. While Hyrule Field is mostly empty (again unfortunately), it's just satisfying riding around on Epona and looking at the surroundings. It made the game funner. Yeah, you heard me right. A game was made funner DIRECTLY FROM GRAPHICS!

Now onto music. Great music WILL upgrade the experience of a game. I don't know about you, but when I'm going up a against a gargantuan boss, or just simply a difficult boss in general, whenever the boss music is good, it just adds so much to the battle. Or when something sad occurs, like a person dying, or going through a distant memory, when you have a song like the Song of Healing playing, it can really bring out your emotion, which makes the game a much better experience. In fact, just reminiscing some of the moments in Majora's Mask is making my eyes water (quick note: Majora's Mask is my most favourite game). Many people don't realize what good music can do to a game. It makes games enjoyable, or extra enjoyable in many cases. That's why great games come with great music, or sound effects.

Games are supposed to be a pleasure to play, and one of the most pleasing things ever in life is art. There are times when games can be artistic and still suck... Though more often than not, that's not the case. If more games were made like Okami, then maybe videogames might finally be considered an art, which would help it against critics such as Jack Thompson. So not only can art in games make the games themselves better, but they can help the entire indusrty. Art can also create atmosphere, which is exactly my next point.

---Atmosphere---
Good games are fun. Great games are fun, and leave you with a wonderful experience. Nothing creates experience better than atomsphere. Just playing through Metroid Prime was one hell of a ride. Or any Metroid game for that matter. Just that feeling of isolation... That there is potential danger around every corner... Nothing beats that.

It's difficult to describe atmosphere. You have to play the games themselves (such as Metroid Prime) to really understand what atmosphere does to a game. Atmosphere makes gaming feel like it's more than gaming. It's more than just pressing buttons in front of a TV screen, or shaking a remote around. It makes you feel like you're in a different world. Like you are apart of it. That experience is what makes gaming great. That experience comes from atmosphere. That is why atmosphere makes games go from good to great.

---Depth in ALL Areas---
This point goes hand in hand with the last one. Depth makes for a great experience, which in turn makes a great game. Depth adds to a game. It makes it more than just guiding a sprite through a number of levels. It makes it more than going from point A to point B. Games are not cheap, and so when deciding which game to buy, a crucial question that you must ask yourself is: How much depth does this game have? Depth makes gaming more than what it's worth. Majora's Mask, Ocarina of Time, and Okami are three games with a ton of depth.

One thing that creates depth is the characters. When you run around in Termina in Majora's Mask, you will meet tons of characters, and every single one of them feel like they have a big role to play in the main story. Or at least they have their own stories. There is so much life in Majora's Mask. Every character has their own distinct personality, their own schedule, their own life. It's as if they are more than just a graphic. They are real people, and they need you to help them. It makes the game worth playing, but not just through the main quest, but also through all the little sidequests (and there's tons of them in Majora's Mask). It adds to experience, and it makes you want to play the game even more. That accomplishes the goals of videogaming.

Now lets look at Twilight Princess. That game has Midna, who has the best personal character development in the entire Zelda series. Though what is the game lacking? Personality in the secondary characters. With the exception of a few characters, there are no minor characters with their own life. They are graphics in a game. That's all.

Now contrast that to Okami. This game has character depth in ALL areas. There is ton of development in the major characters. You'll be getting different views of Susano throughout the entire game for example. However, it's not only in the major characters. There are some absolutely minor characters who have more personality than most characters in all of gaming. There is Tobi, Bamboo Girl, and the archer at the City Checkpoint. These three characters don't affect the main story in any way. They could've been just completely lifeless, and not made an impact on the game at all. In fact, they could've just been exlcuded from the game. However, these three characters clearly have some major stories behind them. They have some massive personality. You might even get emotional over one of them. I can't say much more about these characters since I don't want to spoil anything, so you'll have to play the game yourself to see what I mean. Though this is a perfect example of what makes the difference between a good game and a great game. Even the most minuscule characters had mountains of depth in Okami.

Though it's not only the characters that make up the depth. It's all the little things in gaming. That extra weapon here, that secret cave over there, that minigame around the corner... When developers take the time to put in all these little details, it just makes games feel like there's more to them. Often, those little details are extremely insignificant, their impact unnoticed... Though trust me, they do make an impact. They are one of the things that seperate good games from great games. Plus, stuff like minigames (such as Goron Racing in Majora's Mask... damn I love that minigame) make games a whole lot more fun, which is exactly what games are supposed to be.

---Gives You Reason to Complete the Game---
This might be incredibly obvious, but it's true. A lot of games just give you no reason to beat the game. Often, you're just beating a game for the sake of beating it. Though great games are more than that. There are many factors that can affect this area. It could be because of a terrific storyline. I personally love nice long epic novels with some fascinating storylines. When games can accomplish this as well, it really makes the game worth playing. Or it could be all of the above points combined. It doesn't matter how it does it, but games really must make you feel like you must complete the game. They should give you a reason for playing through the game. Good games are fun and beatable. Great games are fun and they make you want to beat it. There are exceptions, such as making you want to beat it because it's so hard, which doesn't make it a good game necessarily. However, there will always be exceptions. When I played a good game, I had fun playing through it. When I played a great game, I kept on going in it because I absolutely had to beat it, and yet I didn't want it to end because it was so great.

As well, great games should truly make you feel victorious whenever you complete it. They should also make you sad that it ended, and they should make you want to play through it again. They don't have crappy endings that leave a bad taste in your mouth. Whenever you beat a game, you should feel happy that you did. Unfortunately, that's not always the case. That's what seperates good games from great games.

Nearly a week ago, I completed Okami, logging in exactly 29 hours. It was a fantastic ride, and it never got disappointing right to the end. This game proved to me that I can still enjoy videogames. Even when Brawl came out, I still didn't feel like I had my old gaming touch. Though I really enjoyed Okami, and it's now one of my favourite games of all time.

During this week, I was looking for Mario Kart Wii. A week ago, there were piles of copies, but I couldn't find any this week. So instead, I decided to replay Okami. I was still having as much fun playing the game as when I first played through it! I'd probably keep on playing it to the end again, however, yesterday, I stayed after school for some biology help, and afterwards, to kill the time before the next bus would show up, I ran over to check to see if they had copies of Mario Kart Wii. Well, the store I first visited didn't. Though I quickly ran over to a second store, and they had tons! I ofcourse purchased it, and then I had to sprint all the way back to my bus stop (it wasn't that short of a distance, and I had very little time).

So, was all that running worth it? Definitely. Mario Kart Wii is a great game, simply put. It has some of the best courses in the series, it is really exciting, and the online is fantastic. My only gripe is that the items can get extremely annoying this time around. Other than that, I'm really enjoying this game.

This is the first Nintendo game that I've played where I REALLY enjoy the online play. Nintendo FINALLY got it right! There's no lag, 12 players, and it's always evenly matched. That last statement is what excited me the most. Anybody can go online and have a chance to win (unless if you're absolutely new to the series). A few races, I ended up finishing 1st or close to 1st, and other races, I was down at the bottom. Every race is new and exciting. Everything seems so even! Nintendo's goal with the Wii is the bring the casuals and hardcores together. Well, they weren't so successful on Mario Kart DS, but with this game, they pass with flying colours. Nintendo, good job! You got it right! Brawl's online was terrible, MKDS's online was terrible (unless if you had some friends whom make good match-ups, and I've had a few of those fortunately), but this game's... Nintendo, thank you for proving to me that you actually know what you're doing. Thank you for putting a smile on my face.

I'm really enjoying this game. Anybody, if you wish to race me, get me your FC... NOW! Mine is on top of my blog. I hope to race you all online on this excellent game. I've been blessed, for over the past few weeks, I recieved some outstanding games! Ironically, the game that was hyped the most is on the bottom of the pole. Brawl was really good, but it didn't excite me like these last two games I got. It's still a great game however. A few months ago, I wrote a blog on how my gaming interests are dying. Well, they've come back to life. For a while, I was actually regretting getting a Wii. Though now, I have no regrets whatsoever. Unfortunately, it might be a long while before I'm able to get my hands on more games. Plus, my DS isn't so active.

I'm just going to get straight to the point and tell you that I'm enjoying Okami more than I enjoyed Brawl. Okami is the first game I've played where it gets better every single minute! I've played the game for nearly 6 hours and I got through the ruins. Absolutely fabulous game. My only complaints are that there is too much text (though some of the dialogue is great), and the motion controls aren't spot on. Though man does the game kick some serious ass!

Brawl was a fun game. Though it didn't nearly match the wow factor that Melee had. I had some great moments with Brawl, and I love some of the things in it. Though once I got all the characters, beat the SSE, and beat all the events, I felt like that was it. It didn't even take me two weeks to do all of that, and now I feel like there is minimum incentive for trying to get everything else. Plus, the online is terrible. It's only good when you're playing with ONE FRIEND. Add in one more friend to the mix, or play against random people, and the experience just blows. The only thing that really wowed me in this game is the soundtrack. One of the best ever. The game is still a must have if you're a Wii owner, but really, it just didn't have the effect that Melee had.

Mario Kart Wii is will be out over here in a few days. I'll definietely be getting it. Though I'm not sure if I'll be playing it right away. Maybe I'll do a quick run-through through the cups. I do want to get into the online action, since for the first time, I'm hearing positive stuff about the online aspect from a Nintendo game. I'd really love to race some of you. However, I know I still have a long way to go in Okami, and the game is just so awesome. For the first in my gaming life, I might be getting a game and putting it off to the side. I've gotten mutliple games at once before, but never have I gotten a bundle that included a game like Okami in it. We'll see.

I'll be getting Mario Kart Wii. Though I'll still have enough money for one more game, and I've narrowed my choices down to these two games. However, I absolutely can not decide between them. Both have great reviews, both interest me greatly... I just can't decide. What are your opinions?

Alright, so I bought myself SSBB. What a great game! That's all I can say.

Anyways, here's my FC: 4983 5095 2425

If you want to brawl, just let me know.

I still have enough money for one more game, but I'm still undecided. I'm thinking of waiting till Mario Kart comes out. I'm also considering Prime 3.

Anyways, I'm having a lot of fun. I've created 3 custom stages so far, and 2 of them are absolute hell (one is called Death Trap and the other is called Demon Cage). I've seen some insane damage amounts in both of those, and I usually have the damage ratio up to 2.0! Also, I'm liking the SSE. I think it's a great concept, and it can be something really great if it's expanded upon in the next game.

If you want to brawl, just let me know. I'm still taking recommendations for another game. Right now, it's either Corruption or Mario Kart, but I'm still open for suggestions.

Tomrrow is my birthday, and I'll be getting enough money for two games. One obvious chocie would be Brawl. Tough what other game should I get (for either the Wii or DS)? Shouls I wait for Mario Kart or no? I have no idea, and I'm asking for one game above all others for me to get (other than Brawl and Galaxy).

Also, I've been extremely busy lately. I did have enough time to fly through Tales of Symphonia in 25 hours, but that's pretty much the only game I've played recently (except for one round of SMG). I've been doing tons of school work, and I'm also writing my own novel as a personal project. Plus I'm playing lacrosse now and I've been dedicating quite a bit of time to guitar playing. I probably won't be able to put much time into gaming for the next while, and I'm planning on working with my dad this summer.

So that's my quick life update. All I'm asking for is one game tyhat you would recommend above all others for either the Wii or the DS (except Brawl).

Okay, it's been forever since I last was spotted on here (I did come here, but I did absolutely nothing). My games haven't spotted me either... Okay, I'll stop the puns. Yeah, since my last blog I've barely played any games. The only exception is Brain Age, simply because I love those sudoku puzzles. Though that's it. Then to add on to that, I likely won't be getting Brawl. For now. I might get it in a month because my birthday is coming up, but there are also other interests that require money. I also don't haave much time to play games since school has been hell and I've been getting mass amounts of homework every night. I really want to do good in school. Right now, I have a 96% average in math. They say a person's average goes down by 15% in highschool... Well, mine went up by 20%!!!!

Anyways, my overall gaming interests have declined. Yes, I still want Brawl and MK Wii and all those other fun games, but with what I have, it just seems I have no motivation to play anything.

However, maybe it's because I'm missing so much. So many good games have come out, and I haven't gotten to enjoy any of them. Also, Super Mario Galaxy just wasn't "there." I don't know how to explain that. Whenever I think about games, I'm thinking about all the good ones that I'm missing. As well, a lot of the time, I'm just not thinking about games at all.

However, I stil have a yearning to get into the Brawl. This summer, if I don't have to go on a vacation across the seas, I'm getting myself a job, no excuses. I need money. A lot of it. Music has been dominating my life at this time, and I need equipment. I also need to catch up on all the action I've missed. My gaming interest hasn't died yet. Though I've got to wait a bit before I can get back into the fray.

Goodnight everyone. Enjoy your battles for those of you getting Brawl.