I'm....back! I'm so sorry that this dragged on for so long, but don't worry. The "wait" is now over. Now, a few announcements first: GRU members, the first bracket in the GRU GotY will come either tomorrow or on Wednesday. I decided to wait a bit so more people would be in their daily routine again, meaning more people will visit the board and vote. I haven't forgotten, it will be EPIC. Second, I would like to reiterate that a low place is not a bad place, and somtimes, there are reasons for my placing there. This is mostly directed to #115 (not in this blog), which will raise some eyebrows. Okay, no more delays, here we go!
#130: Mario Bros. (NES/ARC) (1983)
Well, to be exact, the remakes are the better versions, and it's them that I'm technically talking about. However, the NES and arcade versions started it all. Being the first game to star both Mario and Luigi. The concept is simple: flip enemies by bumping the platform the enemies are on. Then, you walk over to kick them off the stage. But things get tougher fast. You soon meet crabs, flies, fireballs and freezies, which will all attempt to take you down. It gets even more frantic every level, and it really manages to hook you in. Getting the NES version is good for the nostalgia, but I recommend you to get one of the GBA ports of SMW, SMB2 or SMB3. There, you will find the brilliant remake. Something else worth mentioning is that, along with Donkey Kong, it's the one of the first platformers made.
No review of the remakes
VC NES Mario Bros. review: 4.9 (compared to the arcade)
#129: Dead Space Extraction (Wii) (2009)
Wow! Who would've expected an on-rails Dead Space game on Wii would be this much fun? I didn't, but that's also why I was so pleasantly surprised. It's not scary in the least, but it's tense, fast and exciting, and has a distinct arcade feel to it. The visual representation is brilliant, the controls are simple once learned and the story is great as can be expected. It's an incredibly solid game, and offers a lot of replay value thanks to the mission-like system. But now I just want Dead Space 2, yeah?
#128: Super Princess Peach (DS) (2006)
Yes, I liked this game. Not only that, I loved it. It's RIDICULOUSLY easy, but it's incredibly fun, and aspires to the collector mentality. In a brilliant twist of fate, Mario is the one in trouble, and it's Peach's job to save him. With the help of a magic umbrella and magical powers, Peach must fight the baddies and end this madness! Using emotional powers, like crying to water plants and burning up from anger to burn bridges, she will overcome a number of actually clever levels and enemies. You won't ever die, but for those that want just pure platforming fun, this is the game for you. Unless you hate pink.
GS review: 7.2
#127: Yobi's Basic Spelling Tricks (PC) (1993)
What's the first thing you think when you read the name? Cheap edutainment game? Boring game about spelling? WRONG! I think this is the most meticulous attempt to disguise a fantastic game. First, here's a video clip of a few levels: here. See how awesome that is. The basic gist of the game is to get letters in a specific order to spell out common words. However, dart-spitting trees, mud, tornados, evil flames, lions, hippos, gazelles, elephants, crocs and loads of other enemies will stand in your way. What to do? For instance, feeding a hippo an apple will make you be able to ride him over currents. You can lure a zebra from a gap by feeding him. There are so many different puzzles, and there is pretty much no flaw I can find here, except the fact that you'll be spelling words after every level. Even that's not boring. And getting the elusive sugar boys (that's what I call them, small little statues) are incredibly difficult to get. Good luck finding a copy, though. This is, understandably, a really rare game, and even if you find it, you'll need a Windows '95 to run it. Your only chance is to download it. I don't know if it's abandonware, but if you get a chance to get it, do it. You won't regret it.
No GS review available
#126: Soul Calibur IV (PS3) (2008 )
This legendary series' first outing on the next-gen consoles is also a great one. A large roster of rocking characters, an incredibly varied character customization tool and a lot of different missions are just some of the pluses in the game. Add to that the incredibly deep combat and you've got a truly great fighter. The story is pretty bare, but that's not really what it's all about in a fighter is it? Just enjoy the ride, and it's certainly a great one.
GS review: 8.5
#125: Jumpstart Adventures 3rd Grade (PC) (1996)
They just don't make edutainment games that are good these days. Seriously, they've just started churning out the most repetitive and boring games ever imaginable, thinking they're educating AND fun. They're not even that educating. 1+1*3=? How terribly difficult :roll: JA3G is how they're supposed to be made. Putting emphasis on maths, music comprehension, famous art, astronomy, strategy, geology, botanology, history and drawing, the game is a complete package. And don't go thinking it's just straight out boring activities. They're put, not only in a child-friendly, but also entertaining way. You won't get bored, and the game can last in excess of 30 hours. That's an achievement.
No GS review available
#124: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune(PS3) (2007)
11 years later, and we get this gem of a game. Heavily inspired by the Tomb Raider series, it polishes the game mechanics and puts it into the next generation. The Hollywood story, charming and realistic characters, great platforming and amazing visuals blend to create a picturesque experience on the PS3, and it's a worthy predecessor of the gargantuan behemoth that is Uncharted 2. It feels old in comparison, but it's a great game regardless.
GS review: 8.0
#123: Wii Sports (Wii) (2006)
Wii Sports wasn't just any other game on the Wii, it WAS the Wii. Packaged with most consoles, Wii Sports showcased the console's capabilities. Some say that when the novelty's gone, that's it. They're missing the point! We've completely underestimated what the Wii is and what it has done. It's motion control that works perfectly! Back in the day, that sounded like something that would crop up the year 2200. You'd think there would be catch, that something would be imprecise or glitchy. NO! It worked perfectly. Bowling is like it should be, baseball feels right, golf works wonders etc, etc. Let's not underestimate what Wii Sports has done to the industry. It has changed it forever.
GS review: 7.8
#122: Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (GBA) (2002)
What a legendary series, Castlevania. It's been around for a long time, and sports some amazing titles. HoD is a Metroidvania game, but it shares certain aspects with the CV games of old. But it's still all about exploration. There's the regular macabre environments, varied bosses and a wonderfully cheesy story, and some incredible smooth gameplay and fantastic music. What more do you want?
GS review: 8.2
#121: Sonic Adventure 2 Battle (GC) (2002)
There's a good 3D Sonic game? Well...yes. SA2B is a good game! A fantastic game! If you get past the camera, you will find a ridiculously varied, big game with awesome music, a cool story (when Shadow wasn't a shallow afterthought) and great gameplay. I liked the treasure levels (yes, I did), the speed levels are pure awesome, and the machine levels...are a bit weak. But the Ciao minigame makes everything alright. It's one of the deepest minigames I've ever seen, personally. And all this together makes SA2B a worthy game on the list.
GS review: 6.8
Well, there we have it. The next entry will come soon, I promise :D Thanks for reading! Ciao.
-Calvinsora