Five Things I Thought About Super Smash Bros for Wii U.

Well, it’s been about a month now since Super Smash Bros. for Wii U was released and I finally feel like I’ve finally played enough of the game to be able to write my style of review for it. As you can probably expect, I am a fan of the series and I really enjoyed, and will continue to enjoy, this new Smash Bros. game. The following are just some of the things that stuck out to me the most while playing the new game.

1. The Graphics Are Spectacular

Not very surprisingly, the first thing that stuck out to me about this new installment was just how beautiful it was. The graphics in this game are wonderful. The characters are expressive and are modeled well, the stages are all expansive and detailed, and the additions of some visual cues during the fights really help make this game both amazing to look at while not being too hard on the eyes. Though in Smash Bros. for 3DS I would once in a while lose track of my character, I didn’t have this happen during any of my fights on the Wii U version despite the amount of detail present in every stage and the sheer size of some of them. Simply put, the game is just beautiful all around.

2. There’s So Much To Do!

There are a lot of things to do in this game. Aside from doing matches with your friends in local and online multiplayer, you can take on challenges, collect trophies, take on Master or Crazy orders, play Classic, Event, and All Star mode, and so much more. My personal favorite mode of the bunch is Event Mode as most of the challenges are fun and some are kind of difficult, especially if you go for the special reward on all of them. Regardless, clearing each Event feels like an accomplishment and it’s nice to get a little reward (whether it is equipment or a trophy) after each one. I also like that you can play many different modes with two players, which only doubles the fun. Though the 3DS version left you with a lot to do, this version really seems to top its portable predecessor in all the various ways you can play.

Gameplay Footage of New LoZ Game Showed Off at Game Awards!

Among other things, such as a trailer for Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. and Mario Maker, the 2014 Game Awards showed off some long awaited footage of the next Legend of Zelda game! Click here to watch a short video showing off new gameplay footage from the upcoming Legend of Zelda title. This is the first we’ve seen of the game since E3! How exciting. The footage emphasizes the game’s large world and navigation mechanics. Link is shown both traversing the world, shooting at enemies with a bow and arrow, and riding Epona. They even mention Star Fox briefly, saying that the new game will be released before the next Legend of Zelda game! Sounds like 2015 is going to be another great year for Nintendo! Be sure to check out the video if you want to see it all for yourself!

Five Things I Thought About Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire

Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire have been out for almost two weeks in North America and I’m still playing the games as much as I can trying to explore every nook and cranny of the new and improved Hoenn region. The game’s been a lot of fun and it’s no surprise that I’ve really enjoyed playing it. The following is a general review of the game that goes over five key things that I thought while I was playing the newest installments in the Pokémon series. Don’t worry, if you haven’t played the newest games yet, this “review” of sorts is free of any major spoilers.

1. The Graphics Are Wonderful

It’s funny how seamlessly Game Freak managed to transform the look and style of the R/S/E Hoenn in these new 3D games. If you played the original games, you’ll have no problem recognizing all of the familiar areas despite the graphical leap forward. Everything looks so classic, yet so new at the same time. Tiny details, like the waving of the grass, the Pokémon in the overworld, and the wide array of colors used to give life to the world really go a long way and fans of the older games will really appreciate it. Aside from just the overworld, though, the 3D trainer models look great and even better than they did in X and Y. Their movements and expressions are fluid and expressive and really add a lot to the experience. Speaking of the trainers…

2. Every Character Has a Distinct Personality

Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire truly stand out in terms of character development. Each unique character you meet from your rival to the Elite 4 all have distinct and memorable personalities that are only enhanced by their expressive faces and movements. True standouts in this department are the previously flat characters of Courtney (she in particular I found to be both creepy and awesome at the same time), Tabitha, Matt, and Shelly. While the Magma/Aqua admins were never super memorable in R/S/E, they really stand out here. They not only have more interaction with the player and involvement in the story, but Game Freak really went out of their way to make each of them unique. The same can be said for your two rivals, Brendan/May and Wally, as well as the gym leaders. It’s unfortunate many of the gym leaders don’t do much but battle you, but even in the short time you see them, they make their impression. The gym leaders and Elite 4 also each get their own cinematic introduction that really helps get you hyped for each battle. Special props to the introduction and battle with Norman in particular which set the stage for your dramatic fight against him perfectly. I hope future games take as many steps as these ones did to help establish their characters because I think it’s something that fans young and old can appreciate.