I have played many interesting video games since I have had my Nintendo DS. I have played RPGs, side scrollers action games, puzzle games, strategy, but nothing compares to one of Nintendo’s latest: Scribblenauts DS for the Nintendo DS/Nintendo Dsi.
Now when I first saw the box art for this particular video game, I thought it must be a game exclusively for kids.
But as I played and delved further into it, I observed that Scribblenauts for the Nintendo DS is for anyone who enjoys doing a little problem solving every now and again.
For this video game will bring out the creative problem solver in everyone. In it, you help the game’s hero, Maxwell solve each problem by typing in a noun in the game’s keyboard feature.
Then you click on the submit button and voila! The word comes to life in the form of an object or person on your Nintendo DS to help Max solve the problem.
Take something simple as trying to get a cat down a tree. Type in any noun, object or person to aid Maxwell and it shows up on the screen to help him get the cat back on solid ground.
If you want, for example, to go the regular route of using a Fireman to get the cat from the tree, just type in the word Fireman. Or if you want Maxwell to climb the tree to rescue the cat himself, you can have him do so with a ladder and so on.
Each individual has a different way of solving such a problem. So the words, or objects you use can be endless.
The puzzles get harder as you advance. But once you start solving puzzle after puzzle, you might not want to put down your Scribblenauts game for too long. For it can get addicting.
And since it comes with 220 levels, there is certainly much to do and solve here. Also before each level ends, there are things known as Starites Maxwell has to collect.
You get to help him find a way to collect these as well. But you have so much fun doing so, that it might make you wonder, gee where has a game like this been all your video gaming life.
There are also other challenges along the way. For example, the quicker you complete solving a puzzle, the more points you get. And the fewer objects you use the better.
Like you can use one object to remove one or more obstacle and so on.
I have really enjoyed this video game. It comes with great graphics and sound effects to match. So if you’re looking for a way to let your imagination run loose, give Scribblenauts for the Nintendo DS/Dsi a try.
And allow your creative, problem solving side to take over. You will be glad you did.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Dark Spire DS
If you are looking for something a little more challenging than SNES’ Eye of the Beholder, then let me welcome you to take Dark Spire Nintendo DS for a spin.
Along for the long trek through Dark Spire’s vast dungeon, you will need a good dose of patience and some time. For you will spend a good many hours just building up your party’s levels.
So come along, build your party from the beginning, arm them and get ready to battle.
And when you feel your heroes are good and strong enough, you can venture forth to the quest of finding the monster, Tyrhung, at the top of the tower and slay him to regain the Royal Family Necklace.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But some of the monsters you will encounter are rather fierce, so level up all you want, your heroes will need every ounce of health point they can get.
And unlike other RPGs you have played, this one is quite different.
Here, you won’t find any 3D animated graphics. What you will find is the classic Retro wire frame version, as well as the modern, colourful one.
There is no big, epic storyline a la Final Fantasy style. But if you love RPGs, then you will love this dungeon crawler. Although the auto mapping feature allows you to see how much of each floor you have covered, it won’t let you see where your party is.
But if you get too lost, and want to see where you are, just have your mage use his Visum Sitis mapping spell. Filled with more than enough treasure boxes for your Thief to disarm and open, you will find a treasure indeed in this Dark Spire game for the Nintendo DS/DS Lite/Dsi.
Don’t forget to level up your band of heroes, save often (you can save anywhere in the dungeon) and bring along some heal potions as well as some antidotes.
You will also need these in case your Priest runs low on his Heal spell. Oh, and it does get addicting after a while, just in case you were wondering.
And the music is also great.
My Rating: 10 out of 10 For Graphics
Music: 10 out of 10
Gameplay: 10 out of 10 for simplicity but can get addicting
Nintendo’s Rating:
E for Everyone 10+
For: Alcohol Reference
Fantasy Violence
Language
Suggestive Themes.
Along for the long trek through Dark Spire’s vast dungeon, you will need a good dose of patience and some time. For you will spend a good many hours just building up your party’s levels.
So come along, build your party from the beginning, arm them and get ready to battle.
And when you feel your heroes are good and strong enough, you can venture forth to the quest of finding the monster, Tyrhung, at the top of the tower and slay him to regain the Royal Family Necklace.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But some of the monsters you will encounter are rather fierce, so level up all you want, your heroes will need every ounce of health point they can get.
And unlike other RPGs you have played, this one is quite different.
Here, you won’t find any 3D animated graphics. What you will find is the classic Retro wire frame version, as well as the modern, colourful one.
There is no big, epic storyline a la Final Fantasy style. But if you love RPGs, then you will love this dungeon crawler. Although the auto mapping feature allows you to see how much of each floor you have covered, it won’t let you see where your party is.
But if you get too lost, and want to see where you are, just have your mage use his Visum Sitis mapping spell. Filled with more than enough treasure boxes for your Thief to disarm and open, you will find a treasure indeed in this Dark Spire game for the Nintendo DS/DS Lite/Dsi.
Don’t forget to level up your band of heroes, save often (you can save anywhere in the dungeon) and bring along some heal potions as well as some antidotes.
You will also need these in case your Priest runs low on his Heal spell. Oh, and it does get addicting after a while, just in case you were wondering.
And the music is also great.
My Rating: 10 out of 10 For Graphics
Music: 10 out of 10
Gameplay: 10 out of 10 for simplicity but can get addicting
Nintendo’s Rating:
E for Everyone 10+
For: Alcohol Reference
Fantasy Violence
Language
Suggestive Themes.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Summon Night: Twin Age For The Nintendo DS
Sometimes when I am not certain about certain books, games, movies or music cds, I start looking for reviews.
And reviews are important. They give us insight into items or forms of entertainment we are interested in. But what if you do not always agree with some reviews.
Take, for example, the Nintendo DS/DS Lite/Nintendo Dsi’s game, Summon Night Twin Age. Some reviews said this game is lightly entertaining, not long enough, and some said it was fun. And had I based my decision on whether I should or should not get this game on a few of those reviews, I think I would have missed out on a great RPG.
Because after playing Summon Night Twin Age, I found it to be rather interesting, intriguing and no, I was not expecting anything that is similar to a Final Fantasy epic.
Especially after playing the GBA Summon Night Swordcraft Story. What I did get here in Summon Night Twin Age for the Nintendo DS was something deeper than I expected.
Sure you have the same find the items you need to create weapons similarity as there is in Summon Night Swordcraft Story for the GBA. But in Summon Night Twin Age for the Nintendo DS, there are characters your hero, Aldo/Reiha meet along the way that help you with all that fighting.
In fact, as the story opens, you and your hero find yourselves in the world of Clardona. In this world, the Spirits take part in all activities, but lately, those Spirits have grown restless and aggressive.
It is up to our hero, Aldo or Reiha to find out the source of all this restless behaviour and calm the areas that are affected. Reiha, a magic user, is a great help to Aldo who uses physical or weapon based attacks. And you can get Reiha to help Aldo by opening the menu and going into the Party Action option. When you are there, just click on the OFF button. In the GBA Summon Night Swordcraft Story, our hero met many interesting characters, but he was the sole fighter.
Other than that, the Nintendo DS capabilities allow you to use a touch screen style of play for fighting and advancing the game. There is also some voice acting here in Summon Night Twin Age in certain cut scenes.
Spread out into 20 chapters, with the last one being the longest, Summon Night Twin Age for the Nintendo DS will keep you coming back for more.
I found it to be neither too easy nor too difficult. But as in any Summon Night RPG video game, you will have to level up your fighters, craft your weapons after finding the items you need for that, prepare yourself for those nightly talks with other characters and have fun.
Oh, and some of the decisions you make will have an effect on the outcome of the game, so decide wisely, and make good use of the auto mapping feature in those dungeons. The red dots are the enemy and the white dots are you and your party.
And after you have conquered Summon Night Twin Age for the Nintendo DS, you can play as the other character in the lead, whether that character is Reiha or Aldo. If you want to, of course.
Another aspect I liked about this offering for the Nintendo DS, is you had several dungeons to visit. Not the same 50 or 100 floors of the same dungeon as you had in GBA Summon Night Swordcraft Story.
My Rating:
Graphics 10 out of 10
Sound Effects 10 out of 10
Music 10 out of 10
E for Everyone but contains
Animated Violence
Suggestive Ideas (from a few of the characters)
Nintendo’s Rating:
E10+ For Everyone 10+
Mild Fantasy Violence
Suggestive Themes
And reviews are important. They give us insight into items or forms of entertainment we are interested in. But what if you do not always agree with some reviews.
Take, for example, the Nintendo DS/DS Lite/Nintendo Dsi’s game, Summon Night Twin Age. Some reviews said this game is lightly entertaining, not long enough, and some said it was fun. And had I based my decision on whether I should or should not get this game on a few of those reviews, I think I would have missed out on a great RPG.
Because after playing Summon Night Twin Age, I found it to be rather interesting, intriguing and no, I was not expecting anything that is similar to a Final Fantasy epic.
Especially after playing the GBA Summon Night Swordcraft Story. What I did get here in Summon Night Twin Age for the Nintendo DS was something deeper than I expected.
Sure you have the same find the items you need to create weapons similarity as there is in Summon Night Swordcraft Story for the GBA. But in Summon Night Twin Age for the Nintendo DS, there are characters your hero, Aldo/Reiha meet along the way that help you with all that fighting.
In fact, as the story opens, you and your hero find yourselves in the world of Clardona. In this world, the Spirits take part in all activities, but lately, those Spirits have grown restless and aggressive.
It is up to our hero, Aldo or Reiha to find out the source of all this restless behaviour and calm the areas that are affected. Reiha, a magic user, is a great help to Aldo who uses physical or weapon based attacks. And you can get Reiha to help Aldo by opening the menu and going into the Party Action option. When you are there, just click on the OFF button. In the GBA Summon Night Swordcraft Story, our hero met many interesting characters, but he was the sole fighter.
Other than that, the Nintendo DS capabilities allow you to use a touch screen style of play for fighting and advancing the game. There is also some voice acting here in Summon Night Twin Age in certain cut scenes.
Spread out into 20 chapters, with the last one being the longest, Summon Night Twin Age for the Nintendo DS will keep you coming back for more.
I found it to be neither too easy nor too difficult. But as in any Summon Night RPG video game, you will have to level up your fighters, craft your weapons after finding the items you need for that, prepare yourself for those nightly talks with other characters and have fun.
Oh, and some of the decisions you make will have an effect on the outcome of the game, so decide wisely, and make good use of the auto mapping feature in those dungeons. The red dots are the enemy and the white dots are you and your party.
And after you have conquered Summon Night Twin Age for the Nintendo DS, you can play as the other character in the lead, whether that character is Reiha or Aldo. If you want to, of course.
Another aspect I liked about this offering for the Nintendo DS, is you had several dungeons to visit. Not the same 50 or 100 floors of the same dungeon as you had in GBA Summon Night Swordcraft Story.
My Rating:
Graphics 10 out of 10
Sound Effects 10 out of 10
Music 10 out of 10
E for Everyone but contains
Animated Violence
Suggestive Ideas (from a few of the characters)
Nintendo’s Rating:
E10+ For Everyone 10+
Mild Fantasy Violence
Suggestive Themes
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Dragon Quest V: Hand Of The Heavenly Bride (Nintendo DS/DS Lite/Nintendo Dsi)
After playing Dragon Quest IV: Chapters Of The Chosen on the Nintendo DS, I was so impressed and taken in with the gameplay and storyline that I wished that particular game were longer and wondered what the other one in the series would be like.
And I didn’t have to wait long, for Dragon Quest V: Hand Of The Heavenly Bride, one of the video games that was not previously released in the US, was already here for play on the Nintendo DS/DS Lite and now the Nintendo Dsi.
There is no voice acting, but when the game opens, you see Pankraz, who is most of this game’s hero’s father pacing the floor. A short while later, you hear the sound of a baby crying as Pankraz’ wife gives birth to the hero, name him what you will, I named mine Edgar.
Just like most RPGs, you beat bosses, do little side quests, level up, find items and so on. But unlike some of those RPGs, this particular one involves a strong family element.
You and your hero enter a world in which you are travelling with Pankraz, (or your father) visiting towns in which people just seem to have lots of respect for Pankraz.
Also, you explore dungeons and caves and a little later in the game, you get to have monsters join you. This is a unique feature that must have been a slight introduction to the Pokemon series.
Since the wagon you also acquire (later on as the game progresses) can only hold eight monsters at a time, there are monster monitor points in certain towns where you can drop off or pick up such monsters.
Furthermore, as you level up these monsters, you are able to equip them with weapons, armour and such. And yes, they do come in handy when you are faced with some of those battles.
The game’s storyline contains so many dramatic twists that once you have invested a couple hours of playing time into it, you will want to continue, more so if you love RPGs.
So come on and watch your hero grow from child to a young man, gets married. And I thought I might add here, that if you allow the second generation hero, Pankraz’ son to marry the wrong girl, it could have an impact on how the rest of the game plays out.
Of course, I let him marry the right girl, but maybe on my second play through of the game, I will let him marry one of the other girls,( there are three from which to choose) just for fun.
Oh and if you let your second generation hero marry the right girl, you will have your third generation hero, his son and also a daughter. For your hero had twins.
Dragon Quest V: Hand Of The Heavenly Bride for the Nintendo DS/DS Lite/Nintendo Dsi contains a few violent based thought provoking scenes, ( a slave scene, a flogging scene, Pankraz death scene) but it still remains as one of the best RPGs that I have had the pleasure and time to play. You will too, if you haven’t done so already.
My personal rating:
Graphics: 10 out of 10
Sound Effects: 9.5 out of 10
Story: 10 out of 10
Gameplay: 9.5 out of 10
And below is Nintendo’s rating:
Rated E 10 + for:
Alcohol Reference
Mild Fantasy Violence
Mild Language
Mild Suggestive Themes
Simulated Gambling
And I didn’t have to wait long, for Dragon Quest V: Hand Of The Heavenly Bride, one of the video games that was not previously released in the US, was already here for play on the Nintendo DS/DS Lite and now the Nintendo Dsi.
There is no voice acting, but when the game opens, you see Pankraz, who is most of this game’s hero’s father pacing the floor. A short while later, you hear the sound of a baby crying as Pankraz’ wife gives birth to the hero, name him what you will, I named mine Edgar.
Just like most RPGs, you beat bosses, do little side quests, level up, find items and so on. But unlike some of those RPGs, this particular one involves a strong family element.
You and your hero enter a world in which you are travelling with Pankraz, (or your father) visiting towns in which people just seem to have lots of respect for Pankraz.
Also, you explore dungeons and caves and a little later in the game, you get to have monsters join you. This is a unique feature that must have been a slight introduction to the Pokemon series.
Since the wagon you also acquire (later on as the game progresses) can only hold eight monsters at a time, there are monster monitor points in certain towns where you can drop off or pick up such monsters.
Furthermore, as you level up these monsters, you are able to equip them with weapons, armour and such. And yes, they do come in handy when you are faced with some of those battles.
The game’s storyline contains so many dramatic twists that once you have invested a couple hours of playing time into it, you will want to continue, more so if you love RPGs.
So come on and watch your hero grow from child to a young man, gets married. And I thought I might add here, that if you allow the second generation hero, Pankraz’ son to marry the wrong girl, it could have an impact on how the rest of the game plays out.
Of course, I let him marry the right girl, but maybe on my second play through of the game, I will let him marry one of the other girls,( there are three from which to choose) just for fun.
Oh and if you let your second generation hero marry the right girl, you will have your third generation hero, his son and also a daughter. For your hero had twins.
Dragon Quest V: Hand Of The Heavenly Bride for the Nintendo DS/DS Lite/Nintendo Dsi contains a few violent based thought provoking scenes, ( a slave scene, a flogging scene, Pankraz death scene) but it still remains as one of the best RPGs that I have had the pleasure and time to play. You will too, if you haven’t done so already.
My personal rating:
Graphics: 10 out of 10
Sound Effects: 9.5 out of 10
Story: 10 out of 10
Gameplay: 9.5 out of 10
And below is Nintendo’s rating:
Rated E 10 + for:
Alcohol Reference
Mild Fantasy Violence
Mild Language
Mild Suggestive Themes
Simulated Gambling
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Legacy Of Ys (Ease) Comes To Nintendo DS/DS Lite
When I first learned that these couple of games were coming to the Nintendo DS/DS Lite on one game card, I was ecstatic. So ecstatic, that I pre-ordered a copy, watched some videos of previous computer and Turbo Grafix versions of the games while I waited and the more videos I watched, the more impatient I became.
Because Legacy Of Ys Books I And II are a great couple of games to have in one’s RPG video game collection, judging from the videos I watched, that is. Finally, the day when the games were released came and I began to play mine.
Now considering that I have watched some videos of earlier versions of these games, this article is not so much a comparison/contrast, but more of a plain run through of the story, gameplay and so on.
First, of course, I began with Book I. At once reminding me of a typical Zelda title, Adol, the game’s hero is washed up on shore, unconscious and is taken to the local clinic by a young man, Slaghf.
Adol, a red haired dude, wakes up some time later convinces everyone that he is well and sets about the adventure. He learns that he is in the land of Ys, (Ease) where some strange events have been taking place lately. First of all, the Six Books Of Ys have suddenly disappeared.
And as RPGs go, you can be certain that is the quest Adol is now on. He has to find the six books. And even though you will find clear graphics and sound effects in the Nintendo DS/DS Lite version, there is no voice acting.
Another aspect I found interesting, was that the games are designed to give you hints about what to do next or where to go after the completion of each quest. Although they are not as long and involved as a Final Fantasy epic, you can finish these games in less than say, fifteen to twenty hours.
Book I, for instance, has eight areas to explore. Three towns: Barbado, Minea, Zeptik, a Temple, an underground dungeon close to the temple, a Thieves’ Den, a mine, and the final area, a tower known as Darm Tower. (Pun probably intended as Darm Tower is a pretty long area.)
But don’t be fooled here by how brief the games are though. Once you start playing them, you will discover that there is a lot to do, find and you may even end up rescuing a person or two.
Come and help Adol restore order to the world of Esteria in the land of Ys as he rams into enemies to defeat them, uses a little magic and even talks to beasts in Book II. You will enjoy the two games in one Nintendo DS/DS Lite game card.
And if you are fortunate enough to get the game’s music soundtrack CD with your purchase, yes, even the music is super. Both games are playable with the Nintendo DS/DS Lite stylus, but I found it more enjoyable to play them using the D-Pad.
Rated T for Teen, for:
Animated Blood
Suggestive Themes
Partial Nudity
Alcohol and Tobacco Reference
Mild Violence
Mild Language
Because Legacy Of Ys Books I And II are a great couple of games to have in one’s RPG video game collection, judging from the videos I watched, that is. Finally, the day when the games were released came and I began to play mine.
Now considering that I have watched some videos of earlier versions of these games, this article is not so much a comparison/contrast, but more of a plain run through of the story, gameplay and so on.
First, of course, I began with Book I. At once reminding me of a typical Zelda title, Adol, the game’s hero is washed up on shore, unconscious and is taken to the local clinic by a young man, Slaghf.
Adol, a red haired dude, wakes up some time later convinces everyone that he is well and sets about the adventure. He learns that he is in the land of Ys, (Ease) where some strange events have been taking place lately. First of all, the Six Books Of Ys have suddenly disappeared.
And as RPGs go, you can be certain that is the quest Adol is now on. He has to find the six books. And even though you will find clear graphics and sound effects in the Nintendo DS/DS Lite version, there is no voice acting.
Another aspect I found interesting, was that the games are designed to give you hints about what to do next or where to go after the completion of each quest. Although they are not as long and involved as a Final Fantasy epic, you can finish these games in less than say, fifteen to twenty hours.
Book I, for instance, has eight areas to explore. Three towns: Barbado, Minea, Zeptik, a Temple, an underground dungeon close to the temple, a Thieves’ Den, a mine, and the final area, a tower known as Darm Tower. (Pun probably intended as Darm Tower is a pretty long area.)
But don’t be fooled here by how brief the games are though. Once you start playing them, you will discover that there is a lot to do, find and you may even end up rescuing a person or two.
Come and help Adol restore order to the world of Esteria in the land of Ys as he rams into enemies to defeat them, uses a little magic and even talks to beasts in Book II. You will enjoy the two games in one Nintendo DS/DS Lite game card.
And if you are fortunate enough to get the game’s music soundtrack CD with your purchase, yes, even the music is super. Both games are playable with the Nintendo DS/DS Lite stylus, but I found it more enjoyable to play them using the D-Pad.
Rated T for Teen, for:
Animated Blood
Suggestive Themes
Partial Nudity
Alcohol and Tobacco Reference
Mild Violence
Mild Language
Thursday, February 19, 2009
My Top Twenty Video Games
Here are my top twenty video games of all time. Games I have played, of course.
Enjoy.
1. ANIMAL CROSSING- CITY FOLK- Nintendo Wii
Because now you get to go the big city, where you can shop, ride on the bus to go to and from the city, and just have fun while trying to pay off that in game mortgage.
2. ANIMAL CROSSING WILD WORLD- Nintendo DS.
I enjoyed taking it on the go, and shooting down those balloons to see what else was in them. Finding those space ship parts for Gulliver was also fun.
3. LEGEND OF ZELDA PHANTOM HOURGLASS- Nintendo DS
I had a notion there was more to this Triforce, and playing this portable game showed me just how significant it has been to the Legend Of Zelda series.
4. EARTHBOUND- Super NES
I never realized what a great game this was/is until after I played it. And if you haven’t yet played it, get a copy while you still can on ebay or amazon. It is a great game.
5. SUPER MARIO WORLD- Super NES/Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
Mario needed to run, jump, pounce on the enemies and sail through the air in his cape to teach Bowzer yet another lesson. Very addicting and fun to play over and over and over…well, you get the idea.
6. FINAL FANTASY II- Super NES
Cecil of The Redwings had to do something to save the world around him. A world he noticed that had begun to change…for the worse. Also available on the GBA as FINAL FANTASY IV Advance and on Nintendo DS/DS Lite as FINAL FANTASY IV DS.
7. FINAL FANTASY III- Super NES.
Terra’s mind had been controlled and abused long enough for her use of magic. Come help her and memorable characters such as: Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Celes, Cyan and others defeat the ultimate villain, that is Kefka. Also available on GBA and Playstation as FINAL FANTASY VI.
8. FINAL FANTASY VII- Playstation.
AH! The love triangle. Cloud, Tifa, Aeris. All in all, another great RPG. Play as Cloud as he and Sephiroth battle it out.
9. FINAL FANTASY VIII- Playstation
When Squall and Rinoa first met, who knew they would end up falling in love, with each other, that is. Or is the case of yet another love triangle? Remember Seifer? Come and help Squall and other members of the elite SEED team maintain order in their world as they prepare to take on Ultimecia.
10. BREATH OF FIRE- Super NES/GBA.
When you awake to the sights and sounds of your village on fire, what are you going to do? Try and save it and the rest of your world from destruction, of course. Come help a young warrior, Ryu and others do just that in this excellent RPG.
11. BREATH OF FIRE II- Super NES/GBA.
Come join Ryu on yet another epic RPG.
12. PHOENIX WRIGHT GAMES- Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
Maybe I fantasized about being an attorney when I was a teen. Great games though, great games.
13. PROFESSOR LAYTON AND THE CURIOUS VILLAGE- Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
Do you enjoy riddles? If you do, here is an excellent game with quite a few of those. Come join Professor Layton and his assistant, Luke, unravel the mystery of this curious village with the aid of those riddles.
14. CHRONO TRIGGER- Super NES and Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
A great RPG, especially if you don’t mind stepping back or forward in time to rescue a friend or two.
15. HOTEL DUSK ROOM 215- Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
Every now and again I enjoy a good mystery. And helping former detective Kyle Hyde unravel this one was fun and addicting.
16. FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES RING OF FATE- Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
Reminding me more of a Legend Of Zelda game than a Final Fantasy one, I aided Yuri, his sister and others as they seek out the villain in this portable epic.
17. DRAGON QUEST IV CHAPTERS OF THE CHOSEN - Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
This game is so great, I can’t wait to play it again or the next one in the series.
18. Millionheir- Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
If you enjoy a little point and click, spot the clues sort of game, you will certainly enjoy this.
19. LEGEND OF ZELDA A LINK TO THE PAST- Super NES and GBA.
Addicting, fun and just a great game from a great series.
20. FIRE EMBLEM THE BLAZING SWORD and FIRE EMBLEM THE SACRED STONES- GBA
A couple of good, strategy RPGs as you lead your team into battle. Addicting, and fun.
And those are my top twenty video games for right now.
Enjoy.
1. ANIMAL CROSSING- CITY FOLK- Nintendo Wii
Because now you get to go the big city, where you can shop, ride on the bus to go to and from the city, and just have fun while trying to pay off that in game mortgage.
2. ANIMAL CROSSING WILD WORLD- Nintendo DS.
I enjoyed taking it on the go, and shooting down those balloons to see what else was in them. Finding those space ship parts for Gulliver was also fun.
3. LEGEND OF ZELDA PHANTOM HOURGLASS- Nintendo DS
I had a notion there was more to this Triforce, and playing this portable game showed me just how significant it has been to the Legend Of Zelda series.
4. EARTHBOUND- Super NES
I never realized what a great game this was/is until after I played it. And if you haven’t yet played it, get a copy while you still can on ebay or amazon. It is a great game.
5. SUPER MARIO WORLD- Super NES/Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
Mario needed to run, jump, pounce on the enemies and sail through the air in his cape to teach Bowzer yet another lesson. Very addicting and fun to play over and over and over…well, you get the idea.
6. FINAL FANTASY II- Super NES
Cecil of The Redwings had to do something to save the world around him. A world he noticed that had begun to change…for the worse. Also available on the GBA as FINAL FANTASY IV Advance and on Nintendo DS/DS Lite as FINAL FANTASY IV DS.
7. FINAL FANTASY III- Super NES.
Terra’s mind had been controlled and abused long enough for her use of magic. Come help her and memorable characters such as: Locke, Edgar, Sabin, Celes, Cyan and others defeat the ultimate villain, that is Kefka. Also available on GBA and Playstation as FINAL FANTASY VI.
8. FINAL FANTASY VII- Playstation.
AH! The love triangle. Cloud, Tifa, Aeris. All in all, another great RPG. Play as Cloud as he and Sephiroth battle it out.
9. FINAL FANTASY VIII- Playstation
When Squall and Rinoa first met, who knew they would end up falling in love, with each other, that is. Or is the case of yet another love triangle? Remember Seifer? Come and help Squall and other members of the elite SEED team maintain order in their world as they prepare to take on Ultimecia.
10. BREATH OF FIRE- Super NES/GBA.
When you awake to the sights and sounds of your village on fire, what are you going to do? Try and save it and the rest of your world from destruction, of course. Come help a young warrior, Ryu and others do just that in this excellent RPG.
11. BREATH OF FIRE II- Super NES/GBA.
Come join Ryu on yet another epic RPG.
12. PHOENIX WRIGHT GAMES- Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
Maybe I fantasized about being an attorney when I was a teen. Great games though, great games.
13. PROFESSOR LAYTON AND THE CURIOUS VILLAGE- Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
Do you enjoy riddles? If you do, here is an excellent game with quite a few of those. Come join Professor Layton and his assistant, Luke, unravel the mystery of this curious village with the aid of those riddles.
14. CHRONO TRIGGER- Super NES and Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
A great RPG, especially if you don’t mind stepping back or forward in time to rescue a friend or two.
15. HOTEL DUSK ROOM 215- Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
Every now and again I enjoy a good mystery. And helping former detective Kyle Hyde unravel this one was fun and addicting.
16. FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES RING OF FATE- Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
Reminding me more of a Legend Of Zelda game than a Final Fantasy one, I aided Yuri, his sister and others as they seek out the villain in this portable epic.
17. DRAGON QUEST IV CHAPTERS OF THE CHOSEN - Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
This game is so great, I can’t wait to play it again or the next one in the series.
18. Millionheir- Nintendo DS/DS LITE.
If you enjoy a little point and click, spot the clues sort of game, you will certainly enjoy this.
19. LEGEND OF ZELDA A LINK TO THE PAST- Super NES and GBA.
Addicting, fun and just a great game from a great series.
20. FIRE EMBLEM THE BLAZING SWORD and FIRE EMBLEM THE SACRED STONES- GBA
A couple of good, strategy RPGs as you lead your team into battle. Addicting, and fun.
And those are my top twenty video games for right now.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Come Be A Hero Or Two Or Three...
Being the serious Action/Adventure/RPG video gamer that I am, whenever I feel like playing a new video game, and I go to the local Gamestop store to see what they got, I obviously start looking for new or not so new RPG video games I have not played.
And whether I leave the store with either a game in the Final Fantasy series, or some other game, one game I subconsciously see on the shelf is a game in the Dragon Quest series.
But usually, whenever that happens, I say to myself, maybe someday I will select you, but not today. Why? Because I have not played a Dragon Quest video game before and was not quite sure what to expect, should I decide to get, say a copy of Dragon Quest IV.
Sometimes playing all those Final Fantasy games can really spoil a video gamer.
Anyway, the day finally came when I thought I should give Dragon Quest IV for the Nintendo DS a try. So when I got home and inserted the game card in my Nintendo DS, a feeling of forboding also set in with me wondering, did I just set some hard earned cash on a game I might not even like?
I was in for a nice surprise. Subtitled: Chapters of the Chosen, I found this Dragon Quest IV game to be unique. For each chapter comes with a new hero or heroine, each with his/her own adventure.
And when you have aided the hero to do all the things he/she needed to do to bring a resolution to his/her quest, that chapter ends and another one begins with another hero and another adventure.
Broken down into a total of six chapters, the game’s heroes manage to come together to put an end to the villain who seems to have a knack for making people and entire villages disappear.
If you have not played this game, it is one you will thoroughly enjoy as you move from one chapter to the next, especially if you like playing RPG video games.
There is no voice acting here, but you will find stunning graphics, sound effects and engaging story lines.
Come along and meet interesting characters and heroes such as: Captain Ragnar, Princess Alena, Torneko, an aspiring arms dealer/merchant, the Mahabala Sisters and of course, yourself as you come together to fight the evil that’s plaguing the video game landscape of Dragon Quest IV for the Nintendo DS.
Rated E10 plus for:
Suggestive Themes
Alcohol Reference
Mild Violence
Animated Blood
Simulated Gambling
Mild Language
And whether I leave the store with either a game in the Final Fantasy series, or some other game, one game I subconsciously see on the shelf is a game in the Dragon Quest series.
But usually, whenever that happens, I say to myself, maybe someday I will select you, but not today. Why? Because I have not played a Dragon Quest video game before and was not quite sure what to expect, should I decide to get, say a copy of Dragon Quest IV.
Sometimes playing all those Final Fantasy games can really spoil a video gamer.
Anyway, the day finally came when I thought I should give Dragon Quest IV for the Nintendo DS a try. So when I got home and inserted the game card in my Nintendo DS, a feeling of forboding also set in with me wondering, did I just set some hard earned cash on a game I might not even like?
I was in for a nice surprise. Subtitled: Chapters of the Chosen, I found this Dragon Quest IV game to be unique. For each chapter comes with a new hero or heroine, each with his/her own adventure.
And when you have aided the hero to do all the things he/she needed to do to bring a resolution to his/her quest, that chapter ends and another one begins with another hero and another adventure.
Broken down into a total of six chapters, the game’s heroes manage to come together to put an end to the villain who seems to have a knack for making people and entire villages disappear.
If you have not played this game, it is one you will thoroughly enjoy as you move from one chapter to the next, especially if you like playing RPG video games.
There is no voice acting here, but you will find stunning graphics, sound effects and engaging story lines.
Come along and meet interesting characters and heroes such as: Captain Ragnar, Princess Alena, Torneko, an aspiring arms dealer/merchant, the Mahabala Sisters and of course, yourself as you come together to fight the evil that’s plaguing the video game landscape of Dragon Quest IV for the Nintendo DS.
Rated E10 plus for:
Suggestive Themes
Alcohol Reference
Mild Violence
Animated Blood
Simulated Gambling
Mild Language
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Cecil Gets A Voice (Finally)
When I played the SNES version of this game, FF II, I was first amazed at the intriguing storyline, the little romance between Cecil and Rosa and even the notion that the real King of Baron was disposed off long before the game began.
So when the remake of this game came out on the GBA, I played that version too. But later on when I heard that a version for the Nintendo DS (Final Fantasy IV DS) would be out, I was not certain if I wanted to play this game again on a different system.
But since I am right smack in the middle of playing this Nintendo DS version, I must say, I highly recommend it for those who have played the SNES as well as the GBA versions and for those who have not played it at all.
For this Nintendo DS version has features that makes good use of the Nintendo DS system. There are dramatic cut scenes, voice acting in certain areas of the game, fantastic graphics and sound effects, but there is more.
Running into a character known as Namingway changes a range of additions he brings to the game. For example, when you meet Namingway, you have the option of changing Cecil’s name to one you otherwise prefer. Later on, when you encounter him as Mappingway, he introduces an automapping feature.
Once you have, for example, cleared one hundred percent of a dungeon or area map, your character receives unique items like potions, elixirs, etc. But what I found really fascinating is when Recordingway saves certain cut scenes for your later viewing pleasure.
And you can view these cut scenes later by speaking to the giant Chocobo in the back left side of the town of Kaipo. Another interesting feature this DS version has is the Augment one.
Whether a few of the characters who aided you ended up sacrificing themselves for a good cause or they just left your party for whatever reason, they leave a few of their skills behind. Palom and Porom, for example left behind their Twincast ability after sacrificing themselves at Baron Castle.
These augments can be easily identified by their shiny glitter. Step up to the glitter and press A to receive the augment that you can now transfer to a member of your party. Certain bosses you have beaten will sometimes leave augments behind too.
And to find these boss augments, just revisit the area where you fought the boss and walk up to the shiny bit of glitter. The Dark Elf, in the Lodestone Cavern or Metallic Cave for example, leaves the Wind augment behind after you have beaten him.
Speaking of boss battles, a few of them are difficult, granted, and building up your heroes’ levels is one thing you might find yourself doing in order to beat those bosses. And with eight crystals at stake, four from the Light world and four from the Dark one, you are truly in for some epic video gaming.
So come on and join Cecil (Lord Captain) Rosa, Kain, Cid and others as they try to save their world from ruin on Final Fantasy IV for the Nintendo DS. You will be pleasantly surprised you did.
Although this version works well with the Nintendo DS stylus, it can also be played using the D-PAD.
Next up, I can’t wait to play the soon to be released (February 2009) Legacy of Ys Books 1 and II, also for the Nintendo DS.
Final Fantasy IV DS
My Overall Rating: 10 out of 10. (It’s that good and magnificent.)
Rated E For Everyone but mainly for those 10 on up because it contains: Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes, Alcohol Reference, Language.
So when the remake of this game came out on the GBA, I played that version too. But later on when I heard that a version for the Nintendo DS (Final Fantasy IV DS) would be out, I was not certain if I wanted to play this game again on a different system.
But since I am right smack in the middle of playing this Nintendo DS version, I must say, I highly recommend it for those who have played the SNES as well as the GBA versions and for those who have not played it at all.
For this Nintendo DS version has features that makes good use of the Nintendo DS system. There are dramatic cut scenes, voice acting in certain areas of the game, fantastic graphics and sound effects, but there is more.
Running into a character known as Namingway changes a range of additions he brings to the game. For example, when you meet Namingway, you have the option of changing Cecil’s name to one you otherwise prefer. Later on, when you encounter him as Mappingway, he introduces an automapping feature.
Once you have, for example, cleared one hundred percent of a dungeon or area map, your character receives unique items like potions, elixirs, etc. But what I found really fascinating is when Recordingway saves certain cut scenes for your later viewing pleasure.
And you can view these cut scenes later by speaking to the giant Chocobo in the back left side of the town of Kaipo. Another interesting feature this DS version has is the Augment one.
Whether a few of the characters who aided you ended up sacrificing themselves for a good cause or they just left your party for whatever reason, they leave a few of their skills behind. Palom and Porom, for example left behind their Twincast ability after sacrificing themselves at Baron Castle.
These augments can be easily identified by their shiny glitter. Step up to the glitter and press A to receive the augment that you can now transfer to a member of your party. Certain bosses you have beaten will sometimes leave augments behind too.
And to find these boss augments, just revisit the area where you fought the boss and walk up to the shiny bit of glitter. The Dark Elf, in the Lodestone Cavern or Metallic Cave for example, leaves the Wind augment behind after you have beaten him.
Speaking of boss battles, a few of them are difficult, granted, and building up your heroes’ levels is one thing you might find yourself doing in order to beat those bosses. And with eight crystals at stake, four from the Light world and four from the Dark one, you are truly in for some epic video gaming.
So come on and join Cecil (Lord Captain) Rosa, Kain, Cid and others as they try to save their world from ruin on Final Fantasy IV for the Nintendo DS. You will be pleasantly surprised you did.
Although this version works well with the Nintendo DS stylus, it can also be played using the D-PAD.
Next up, I can’t wait to play the soon to be released (February 2009) Legacy of Ys Books 1 and II, also for the Nintendo DS.
Final Fantasy IV DS
My Overall Rating: 10 out of 10. (It’s that good and magnificent.)
Rated E For Everyone but mainly for those 10 on up because it contains: Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes, Alcohol Reference, Language.
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