For everyone who pre-ordered Super Smash Bros. Brawl, I'm sorry to say that someone who wasn't even looking for the game walked into a store and found it buried in a shelf the day before it hits the stores.

I'd take a picture to make you all jealous, but as I was shifting through the awful games at my Navy Exchange (the Naval store -- they have games and movies tax-free), which included some Poker game and Batallion Wars II (not a bad game, but not one I was looking for), behind BWII, I found it.

I found Super Smash Bros Brawl.

I bought it, and the clerk said "Have a nice day!" I said "You too!" I'm going to try out the online stuff tonight, see how it works out... but I'm one happy camper. :D

This Christmas, some of my favorite gifts were the Phoenix Wright games that I've played. The story's incredible, the characters are believable, and the humor is suttle enough not to get in the way, while funny enough to laugh. In point... I love them. When I thought about it though, it doesn't really fit Capcom's bill of being the "Scary-shooter" people I'd grown acustommed to in the Resident Evil and Mega Man series.

But, I really like the turn that Capcom's taking -- by bringing over the adventure game format that we're seeing in Pheonix Wright, it might mean a change in the future for the gaming world, by bringing in more adventure games to the states... at least I hope.

I recently found the entire Pheonix Wright series orchestrated on YouTube - see it yourself!

Everyone! Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Spread the tidings of joy, because... well, Christmas is here! Yes!

Go down the stairs, open your presents, and start singing to high heaven when you get the game you always wanted, that sweater you never dare wear on any other day than the 25th of next year, and the good cheer of family and friends!

... what are you still doing here? Go on! :D

Merry Christmas!... and a happy new year too!

I've gotta ask this -- everyone always has an answer.

There's always a game, a system, that when you try to get it, you just can't. Whether it's because of tight-fisted parents, a bad money situation, or overall unavailability, there's always something.

For me, right now, it's an Xbox 360 -- I know, I'm a sheep, but the thing is just so much fun... it's hard to believe that I want it that badly, but there's something about playing Halo 3 online with friends that no other system can match -- even the Wii (... yet). Also, Advance Wars Dual Strike -- I looked all over for that game, and I never found it. Too bad... I'll just wait until Days of Ruin comes out.

So? What's the one thing that you really want... but just can't seem to get?

It's already the season that we gamers have come to enjoy: Christmas. Whether it's children looking under the tree and finding that Mario game they always wanted, or if it's the older folk simply enjoying the post-Christmas sales, it's a good time of year.

But, from the games it looks like I'm getting this year at Christmas -- it'll be an interesting one... whether that's good or bad has yet to be seen.

Here are the games I know I'm getting:

Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 (Wii): I'm really looking forward to this one. I'm an owner of Medal of Honor: Allied Assault for the PC, and I still believe that to be one of the best games of all time. Recently though, I haven't been into the WWII genre (especially ever since Medal of Honor: Rising Sun was a total dud... that game embodied the term "letdown"), but I'm looking forward to this one from the generally positive reception it's recieved from critics. We'll see how the online play turns out.

Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Justice for All (DS): I've always liked a good story in my games. So for the past couple years, I'd always wanted to get the original Phoenix Wright game for the DS, but for some reason I could never find it on the store shelves. Originally, I had wanted Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, but after realizing the minimal amount of enjoyment I got out of Final Fantasy III, I've sort of decided that handheld Final Fantasy games just aren't my forte. After I gave a small nudge for a Phoenix Wright game instead (I was thinking about Trails and Tribulations), it was quickly noticed that the original sequel (... Justice for All) was only fifteen dollars... new. So, I'm sure I'm getting this one -- I watched it get ordered.

Wii Play (Wii): Yes. I'm getting this awful, terrible game. But, I thought about it -- I need another game so when the grandparents come riding in, they aren't shocked by the violence... or something. I only have three Wii-motes -- so, I figured that I might as well just get a $10 game on top of it... we'll see how the value turns out I guess.

... and last, but not least by any means...

World in Conflict (PC): I figured that I should have at least one other game that has the chance at being Game of the Year (though, it is a longshot)... and this one fits perfectly. I've always been a fan of strategy games -- most recently, I bought Command and Conquer: Generals along with Civilization IV. But this game... well, to say the least, it looks awe-inspiring. The graphics look impeccable, the story semi-believeable (in a cheesy sort of way), and it looks... all-around awesome. Can't wait! :D

But, for every game we get at Christmas, there are always disappointments... mine will most likely be...

An Xbox 360: I've always wanted one of these things. I know about their failure rates, their heating problems, their gigantic bricks -- hell, the design of the entire thing is junk. But, even though I like my Wii, so far there just aren't any good multiplayer shooters (save MoH: Heroes 2, apparently) that I can just have friends come over and pick up. On the other hand, Halo 3 would always be a nice addition to any library -- with games like BioShock and Gears of War to back it up, who can say it isn't a good console? Honestly though, I made no push to get this -- see above to see why.

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (DS): Even though I'd rather have a Phoenix Wright game (... yes, Final Fantasy fans -- you heard me right), I'd be lying to say that I'm disappointed that I won't be getting this one under the tree. It looks like an interesting concept -- Final Fantasy with a Real-Time strategy element added to it. But, I won't be able to play it until I pay for it -- I'll let you guys know if I ever do.

And lastly, it seems that January of '08 is the best time of year for gaming... well, February too. Here are the games that are just missing out being under the tree....

Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii): ... this is a given people. :P

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin (DS): It's hard to go wrong with the original Advance Wars... but with a whole new interface and a design, there are tons of us left in the dust until late January for this one. It's too bad too -- it would've sold well before Christmas.

Endless Ocean (Also known as Forever Blue: Wii): I've loved the games all my life where you have a more hands-off, relaxing approach with almost no goals as you go about your business. Though it could be argued that there are goals in the SimCity series, I disagree. You can work at your own pace, take a break by touring around your city when it's been dull... the SimCity series embodies what I've always liked in a game -- freedom. And it's exactly what Endless Ocean promises -- the freedom to do almost anything the user wants (within reason), and go where they want to go. The fact that this is already out in Europe though? ... that just plain disgusts me.

I recently just decided to buy this movie - I'd heard it was one of the best westerns ever made... and, I have to say, it's one of the best movies I've ever seen.

If you've never seen it, pretty much, bad guy's coming back to town to kill the Marshal, and the marshal tries to get people to help him out.... it just leads up to the climactic battle at the end -- and it's an incredible piece of work.

If you've never seen it before, I can't help but recommend it to you -- if there's one movie you need to see, it's High Noon.

... so... go out and buy it. ;P

Super Mario Sunshine was an okay game -- not a bad game, but it wasn't great.

... then I saw this. And I understood why nobody bought the Gamecube so suddenly... but, seriously. Watch the video. It's... it's... yeah. It's pretty bad.

... "'cause clean is better than dirty, and dirty's meaner than clean!"

:|

Clarification: The Wii is still a better system people -- I'm just saying we need to stop giving so much crap to the 360, just because it's actually not that bad.

I know what I just said people -- don't worry, you aren't reading the wrong blog. Mariofan just said, "The 360 is quality." Mariofan, the true sheep who believes the Wii will be the Systems War winner of this generation, Mariofan, who just compared the PS3 to the Gamecube (... which is pretty bad, even I admit).

How could I betray all of my fellow sheep?

It's pretty simple. I've played the 360 enough to be able to rate it as a system, and I believe it to be one of quality -- I don't mean by its manufacturing blueprints (... which are pretty awful -- one of my friends had to send in their 360 three times), but I mean by the quality of games it continues to put out in a seemingly never-ending cycle.

I'm going to cite my games - many of you I know have will disagree with my ideas about the respective games' quality.

I start with Halo 3 -- a game, which I personally believe to be fun as hell, especially in multiplayer. My friends forced me to get an Xbox Live gamertag (seen on the right - if you want to add me... well, don't. I'll never get back to you -- I log on once about every two weeks) so they could play ranked matches instead of just social ones. It's the sort of multiplayer where I find myself as I play drawn in, shouting at the screen when that moron hits me from behind, calling him a cheater, or screaming cheers of joy as I bash a poor ten year old kid's player into a wall - it just feels so satisfying.

Next, I go onto Viva Pinata. I'll be the first to admit it - it's a total kiddie game. You create a garden, where pinatas come to live. And then you take care of them. It's ludicrously stupid, but it's actually rather addicting and can draw you in when you least expect it.

Mass Effect is one game where I haven't had the chance to play it much yet -- but from the few moments I've played, it looks like it'll be a great game... but I'll get back to you guys later on that one.

I've played Madden '08 for the 360, but there's no denying that I enjoy the Wii version better. Still, it's a quality entry into the 360 library, and I recommend it to anyone else who wants to give it a go.

Ghost Recon (and Ghost Recon 2 - still playing through that game) was a great game, and I've spent countless hours playing that wretched (in a good way) game, just trying to get that one last guy before he snipes me in the forehead. I always chose the same weapon set (off the top of my head right now, I can't remember it, but it was a medium zoom sniper rifle and a small sized grenade launcher) and I was at least mediocre with the game.

So, this probably didn't convince you that the 360 is a quality system, but my personal experiences with it make it in my mind the second best system out there to buy. So if you can't find that Wii this winter... go for it. Buy the 360... I know I won't be.

Hey there, readers! I dare you to read what I've said before you post angry rants against me. Or praise me. :P

Let me start off with this - I loved the Gamecube. It was my favorite little box, and especially towards the end of last generation, I was playing Paper Mario and Melee alot more than my PS2. Still, looking at the lackluster performance of the PS3, I can't help but notice the similarities between the Sony of today and the Nintendo of yesterday.

1. Unwillingness to notice the obvious:

GCN: Compared to its opponents in the Console Wars, Gamecube had an easy lead on the price front. However, there was one glaring deficiency fwhen we look back at the Gamecube: the lack of online play. Despite the fact that almost all gamers clamored for it, and no matter how much we sheep said we didn't need it... we needed it. It was probably one of the main reasons nobody bought the little box. So, looking back on it, Nintendo killed itself by is unwillingness to notice the obvious. At least we have connectivity nowadays with the Wii.

PS3: When the Playstation 3 controller was announced to have no rumble, I laughed. I honestly laughed - I couldn't believe that such a high profile system would do away with something so rudimentary to gaming everywhere. Instead, it was replaced with a gimmicky, "Sixaxis" control scheme, where you can tilt the controller back and forth. In all the games its been featured, it either hasn't added anything important or has caused what might've been a great game to be a terrible one (Lair). So, congratulations Sony on your unwillingness to notice the obvious.

2. The Games:

GCN: I hadn't really thought of it until I was writing this post, but the Gamecube launch titles weren't very strong - there wasn't a Mario title at launch, and only Luigi's Mansion could even come close to representing Nintendo's flagship series. As things went on (and sales continued to suffer), Nintendo started to work its magic. Super Mario Sunshine, Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Metroid Prime (and its sequel), and Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door were all work by the Big N to bring some life to the Gamecube - all of those games (save Sunshine and Metroid Prime: Echoes) achieved universal critical acclaim, yet it was unable to sell systems. You can't fault Nintendo for not trying -- but most of all, you can fault the third party developers, who mostly only brought multiplats to the system instead of creating exclusively for the Gamecube.

PS3: Let's face it. Most of the titles right now for the PS3 aren't exactly stellar, and can be picked up for the 360 in a heartbeat. However, the cows continue to moo (... get it? Yeah... it's a bad one) about the upcoming stellar games for the PS3... much like Nintendo fanboys did only a few years before. And, I'll predict it now: the sales for these games might be strong, but it'll most likely be the established fanbase trying to get the most out of their wasted investment, much like I did with the Gamecube. At launch, there weren't many (... any?) strong titles, and as of yet, there are still no exclusives for the PS3 that hit the elusive AAA range. So... good luck Sony. You're going to need it -- even with Final Fantasy and MGS4 coming out, I'd place my bets on the fact that the PS3 horse is as good as dead.

3. Bad Extras on Console:

GCN: Again, I didn't really think of this until a couple years after I had the console, but there weren't really any other offerings for the thing other than the games for the Gamecube. You'd hope that there would at least be standard DVD support, but Nintendo was, as Nintendo usually is, unwilling to budge, believing that a gaming console was to be just that. Naturally, I expected some sort of other support for the console - but, aside from E-Reader cards and a GBA Advance link, there just wasn't much to add on to the console experience. You can say that I expect to much for what I pay, but when I spent my allowance money on that Gamecube, I was expecting something of a better thread simply because it was Nintendo -- and look how it ended up instead. Too bad.

PS3: Some of you readers might be wondering why I put the PS3 here. "Bad extras? Are you kidding? There's a Blu-Ray disk drive (apparently a good quality one too), full music library support (I'm making the library support up - I have no idea, but I'm pretty sure there's some sort of library support)l we have a great online community, a [enter number in here - too many different versions to count] GB hard drive, an intuitive menu, and tons of options to select from!" ... see, here's the problem though. There is such a thing as too much, and I think the PS3 has done just that. The Playstation 3 should be a gaming machine, not a Home Theatre system. Granted, I could see how some people might want a simple DVD drive in their system - but do we really need a whole Blu-Ray system? Do we need a whole hard drive triple the size of our old computer (when I can say that the 20 GB PS3 is well over three times the size of my old computer's hard drive, it's sort of sad actually) to save.... whatever we save? I know save files take up alot of space, but do they really take up that much room?

4. Unwillingness of fanboys to notice the sinking ship.

GCN: It's time to admit it, fellow sheep, now that we're in front. The Gamecube was a flop. Nobody really bought it (came second in Japan, third everywhere else), and the only reason we stuck with it was for those first party Nintendo games. I'll be the first one to come out and say I loved it -- as many Sega fans say about the Dreamcast, or quite a bunch of people (... er a couple) would tell you about the Atari Jaguar. We all love our respective companies to the point where we start spewing BS about its future success.

PS3: Cows, I know this won't change you (impressive though, if you actually did read this far). But you're acting like you're on the Titanic while it's sinking -- and when someone asks you while you're sitting at the table continuing to eat your turkey, you simply respond, "It'll be better soon." No matter what games come out right away, after the first year of a system's release, it's rare to see one simply "re-surge" and take the top spot. After a year, the PS3 has sold about a fifth of what the Wii has sold - even the 360 is leaving it in the dust. So, Sony faithful... it's time to admit it: Sony let you down. But don't worry - it'll be better next time.

Here I am on Thanksgiving night writing in my blog. Brilliant.

With the biggest shopping day of the season starting in a few hours, Gamespot's failed to review a couple of games that I'm thinking about getting. I'm looking at you, Trauma Center: New Blood. Same with you, Geometry Wars: Galaxies. Both of these games look pretty good... but, of course, I won't just go out and buy them without hearing from a trusty review source first.

Too bad.

Is anyone else thinking about getting these smaller games? Or am I the only one?