MWAHAHAHA well, a little explaination My replacement DS lite came in the mail. I called Nintendo a while ago and told them there was an error with my top screen. Which is ironic since I was one of those individuals laughing at the misfortunes of all those that had the CRACKED DS Lites. But for those were unfortunate cosmetic damages, this was faulty wiring. The screen will flicker on and off if I pressed the L Button..... and in Mario Kart, Boktai and Castlevania, that's critical. So I called and I was just blown away by nintendo's kindiness and eager to help me. I just paid 5 buck and it came in 3 days in the mail. WOW! but now I paranoid about the new DS Lite and how cariful I am with it. Unlike the DS FAT, the lite does feel really fragile in my hands. I mean I had mine for a month and I needed to replace it, I'm sure there are people with japanese DS Lite from March that had no problems right now. So I guess for now I'm trying to build a coffin case for my DS, like the one they have for Boktai. For all those Nintendo DS Lite users, BE CAUTIOUS! And Call Nintendo in case of anything.... Man, they are just too kind.

Such a unique experience is Boktai.
There is a moment where I'm outside and I have to chuckle that it takes a video game to get me outdoors to apprecate this weather. It's been such lovely days recently so I devoted my time into defeating Boktai 2. of Course the final boss lives up to the hype and ending is well worth it..... although I was most surprised at how much content there was even after defeating the game. It makes me apprecate the game more and more..... BUT! I still often debate as to how easy to play this game for just about anyone? I'm quite annoyed with the menu navigation and the magic and weapon selection. Boktai has a wonderiful solar forging system but it's also got flaws like damaging your weapons if there is too much sun out. It's not an easy game to jump into.
I've often debated if A Link to the Past is the best Legend of Zelda game. The one thing that bothers me about the game is that all the other extra content isn't as intriguing as the main quest. Sure, I can devote my time for more hearts, but you can beat the game with the current hearts, hell it can take you less then 5 hours to beat A Link to the Past. Boktai isn't better, in fact it's flawed for being too deep. Although you are giving more mission and more puzzels to which makes the extra content more engaging. Personally I would LOVE more random generated dungons in Zelda, a whole weapons crafting system, and some more intriguing characters...... but you know what, Zelda WORKS! It works really well to stand the test of time. I guess I'm one of those people who are somewhat hurt when the game pretty much ends everything just to assure you can move on away from the game.
Boktai is really for those who know what their getting themselves into, there is more depth in this game for the hard core gamers, but needs a very nurturing heart to play it.
I'll try to come up with a review for it :wink:

Well, I bought the DS lite recently. Which I was rather lucky, My sister was kind enough to help me by chipping in 50 bucks so basicly I paid 70 bucks on the Nintendo DS Lite. In exchange I gave her my DS Fat for her and bought her New Super Mario Bros...... which is kinda bit expensive since she could have borrowed mine.

Still, Now, that I got a DS Lite, I now have been facinated with playing GBA games now that I have a brighter screen to play them on. I bought Final Fantasy 4 and Boktai 2.

Now I've played FF4 for the past 15 years, but I'm deeply facinated with Boktai 2. Much like the causal game like Animal Crossing, Boktai is limiting as to how much you can play it. You can't grind it all day, and you can't stay in the sun forever. It's funny since there is a massive Thunderstorm here, and within the game there is a thunderstorm that limits where I can go. I could see where the light and darkiness is very well implimented because it's an actual gameplay element. It's deep, comlpex and emmersive. I think I would have again been dissappointed if I beat this game in less then 10 hours like New Super Mario Bros, Super Metroid or A Link to the Past.

Although I believe I'm bias because it's my own personal taste because it's such a small niche game. It's like, if you love Legend of Zelda, Vampires, Spagetti Westerns, and Hideo Kojima, then you will love this game...... and that's practicly just me XP

Regardless I love this game, and I'll post a review soon.

After a solid week of Animal Crossing I finally see the credits upon see K.K. Slider's performance....... and you know what, I felt that was the most thrilling way to sum up a a solid week of gaming
You know what, Animal Crossing is beautifully casual. There is never a moment where I was bored or even irritated while I was waiting to grind my way up in bells. Although I found myself paying attention to the real world clock, waiting for key events to pop up in the game. There is a moment where I'm waiting in my own room thinking "OH MY GOD! This is exactly what it's like waiting for a date to arrive! ARGH!"
I'm addicted, but I think this is a lot more healthy then being addicted to WoW, which feels mind numbing when your not grinding valuable experence points. Here, I enjoyed the whole social commentary.
I'm sorry if I'm behind compared to other fans, but I'm just so surprised at how amazing this game is and I'm glad I bought it :]
But back to my point, I found it rewarding after a week meeting KK Slider and seeing this really special moment. The music was beautiful and I had a moment where I really bought into the music and emotions this digital character was playing. This is a game that may be ignored graphically, but I felt it was a leaps and bounds better then anything I've seen before..... yeah, sound far fetched after playing Half-Life 2, but I'm surprised with it. I guess because before I leaped into the Nintendo DS I persumed it was going to be up to par with the Nintendo 64 emulator. Although seeing a game designed by a talented and skilled developer the art and animation is amazing.
I'm addicted, influenced and touched. this is an amazing game.

I ask myself, "Am I too hard core of a video game player?"
I just got Animal Crossing Wild World for the Nintendo DS....... and well, I'm very close to paying off Tom Nook's Debt in less then a day. I thought about this considering I beat New Super Mario Bros in less then a day and now I'm close to beating Animal Crossing in less.
Well, this brought me to really take time out and enjoy the game then race to the finishline. But I'm betting I'm willing to paying off my debt in less, so I don't know, there might be something exciting to get after this point of the game? But it's made me think about just stoping the game and just enjoying the game in short burst then just blowing through a game.
Video games aren't about a race...... WOW! Wish someone would have told me that Summer of 92, when I beat Zelda in less then a week.

I think I will just devote myself to old school gaming.
Hee hee, and I feel fine about that. I bought New Super Mario Bros and I was just in awe over how they handle the abilty to ooze out 20 years of nostalgia. I mean it reminds me of how easy Mario games are, but at the same time it's the Best thing about Mario games. I think I can get tired of the game easily, but I bet 5 years down the line I'll say "Hey, I want to replay it." A few weeks ago my friend and I were replaying Mario 2, 3 and world and really enjoying them. The Mario games aren't about difficulty, they are more about being easy for newbies and then rewarding you for being a skilled player.
My only complaint is how other players seem to be obsessive compelsive over the Mario games, "NO! You missed that coin, you have to get them all." What does that matter? I mean this is why the mario games and platformers get tired for a lot of people, since your doing the same thing over and over and over again. It gets dull just playing the game only one way, I feel a joy in taking time out and experimenting with the Mario games. I guess this is why I'm 27 years old and I'm really loving Mario 3 even now or replaying Mario 2 and I think that's the Beauty of New Super Mario Bros.
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I'm also replaying the Castlevania games. More Specific Super Castlevania 4, Castlevania Bloodline and Dracula X (Snes version)........ and Now I understand why there isn't a remake of action platforming style over the adventure Castleroid gameplay style we have being recycled every year.
the biggest problem with the old school Castlevania games is there isn't as much variety in the way you navigate, enemy patterns, and weapons to beat bosses. I mean that's why I brought up the Mario games, at least there is freedom in the last Castleroid games.
Although I'm not saying the games are complete rubbish. Playing the old school Castlevania games are really like playing the biggest action films of the era. The production value is amazing, music is pumps you up to push yourself further, and the castles are beautiful and inspiring. Although this is really comparing over all the other platformer games at the time, but if you were to compare these games with some recent GBA games your going to notice they aged Badly.
I'll make these mini-reviews short and sweet
Super Castlevania 4 (SNES) - BEST REMAKE EVER! It was the definative reason to buy a SNES at the time. Aside from being still beautiful after 15 years it's also really solid platformer worth playing.
Castlevania Bloodline (Genesis) - "meh"....... and this is me trying to be open minded and trying it out. It's the reason why the Genesis games age so badly and clearly show off why it doesn't compare with the SNES, but it's got character which is one of the saving grace that Konami did with there different versions on each consoles. You can come here, notice the different gameplay, story, characters and music. So it's WORTH playing at least once.... and it's HARD! So it's worthwild
Dracula X (SNES) - basicly it's the worst conversion of the Turbographx 16 CD Rom game, but it's suppose to be a sequel...... a sequel that uses the SAME BG, SPRITES AND MUSIC....... But apparently it's the sequel. Right off the bat, the controls are rubbish, and the graphics are just very dissapointing. I mean I don't want to sound shallow, but like I said before the Castlevania games are reknown for amazing production values, and when you walking down a bland Blue Brick wall and not feel inspired like the original games were. Music is really amazing, but it's a dumbed down TGCD music. The music really helps this sore medicine of a game go down easier because that pushes you forward in a really dull game. Another good bonus is the enemy variety and randominess of attack keeps you on your toes compared to even the original parttenrs of the NES Castlevania games. So it's a big surprise when your oppents really fight back...... Biggest problem the control...... Just UGH! Compared to the original TGCD game it's a big dissappointment, and it's a reason why you would not want to play the game unless your insane like me.
Oh well, that's a mini-review of the games. I can't wait for the upcoming PC conversion of Akumojo Dracula X Chi No Rhodo. 

http://pcenginefx.com/main/homebrew_projects.html
 
Play the work in progress, it feels sooooooooo smooth that it's GLORIOUS! It would be amazing to play a magnifcent port of Dracula X compared to the SNES and it will show us the LAST action Castlevania game made until it moved onto the whole Castleroid style.
..... but I'm going to play some more Aria of Sorrow, because the game is so rewarding of an experence.

I don't think I can find anthor word to describe it. Since I came into the PS2's lifecycle, I've been getting a hold of used and cheap games. It feels like everyday I make a new discovery with the console..... so yeah, this isn't that much of a revlation.
But going back on the title, yeah, Shinobi...... I'm in love with this game. It's something about it's it's difficulty that makes me apprecate HARD video games of the Genesis and SNES.
In fact I recalled when I was a teenager I somewhat felt insulted with the difficulty of Legend of Zelda A Link to the Past and Super Metroid, now as over 10 years have pasted I'm really accustomed for games to hand hold me and play easier on me. Auto-saving and reduced difficulty really are something I've taken for granted...... and you know what, I would have to admit I disliked beating Super Metroid in a weekend, but now I'm insulted by how much of a fool I was for just rushing a game like Super Metroid and apprecating it.
Still, Shinobi is a remarkable gem of a game. It's a Diamond in the rough, with a lot of rough edges, but still it's something I enjoy to play and I am addicted to. As I play it I find it difficult to write a review for it. I feel it's like a solid 7 maybe close enough to get an 8. But still there is something I keep coming back to to really think about it.

Aso I go back into Metal Gear Solid 3, I'm reminded how complex Sokrovenno as terms of technology is concerned. The game started to bog down as I'm chasing after The End, it reminds me of the limitations of the current generation hardware? Especially now with the Xbox 360, Nintendo Revolution and PS3, I can't help but think...... do we really need to be into another generation already?

So I've been playing a lot of Subsistence, and I'm just amazed at the budget pricing and how easily accessable everything is within the game. I feel like I'm rewarded as a gamer even so close to the end of the PS2's timeline, so I can't help but enjoy everything about it. So back to what I was saying before, Sokrovenno is probably the only point within the game where you can see the flaw on such a technically complex game. Is this the reason why people are demanding Next Gen hardware? I don't know, I mean my sister is constantly playing Bomberman on her Mac, her boyfriend is playing bejeweled on a cell phone, and my mother is playing Katamari Damacy and Tetris on the NES.

We are now at a point where gaming is considerably cool to play, it's no longer a niche following, but it seems like the high demand of advancement of hardware it's something that not everyone is claiming for. Only those small audiences who play Counter Strike, Grand Theif Auto and some graphicly intensive games are the ones really saying "Man, this loading stinks." But then you have people from the other side saying "That's too realistic for my taste."

Which why I find MGS3 so unique, it's detailed but not too realistic. It feels a lot like an old school game but with enough detailed to feel like it's an advancement of technology. Still this game is 6 years after the release of the PS2, so it's unlikily we will get something like this on the PS3 or 360 immediatly. I mean in the history of game launches there are very few games that feel like all the possiblities of the consoles' power. I guess the only one I can say was that was Soul Calibur on the Dreamcast since that had a short lifeline.

Oh well, still the game is remarkable, and it's made me apprecate current generation hardware even with it's flaws ^^  

Well, here I am..... my 3rd Mario Kart game I've bought in my gaming hirstory. Well, I have to admit that Mario Kart 64 was the main reason why I bought a Nintendo 64 and now I bought a Nintnedo DS for Mario Kart DS. What can I say but the game is exhilerating and I feel lucky that it runs smoothly only Wireless Router. I feel like I don't doubt buying a Nintendo DS and I'm anxious in the next game I'm going to get because there are too many games that really push the system.
I'm going to troll around the fourms looking for communities and gamers playing Mario Kart DS, and if you are interisting my friend code is: 511163-083706 and name: DeadSouls my icon is a little green mushroom. Hope to catch you online ^^

Currently working Resident Evil 4, as much as I discover something new the more I grow to appreciate the game. It's easy to praise this as the best game of the year, but I'm trying my best to really analyze what work and what doesn't work in the game. I mean that might be taking the fun out of the game, but it's a unique experience that I would love to at least explain why it's such an amazing success of a game.

Although as amazing as RE4 is, I'm often left frighten how the series will be picked up on RE5. Personally I could be happy if there was NO sequel, why top yourself and try something new. Then again this is Capcom, and they really know how to beat a dead horse to death better then anyone out there. I believe Megaman 4 was the moment where I stopped playing Megaman games all together because it was an enjoyable game, but I felt somewhat "Wow is this the future of Megaman series?" I don't feel that way after playing RE4, instead it's got me as a gitty as an old school gamer can get about something new.

It's better not to dwell, but it leads me to just be cautious about the future.

As of now, the Ada Wong missions are a lot of fun, and the bonus content is really worth the price of admission.