NB: This is written not as a review but as a retrospective account of the original Legend of Zelda, and is intended as something of an analysis.

The swift arrival of the game’s title screen leaves an impression mere seconds after switching on the game. Greeted by a very formal illustration of the game’s logo atop a curious rendition of a cascading waterfall, The Legend of Zelda sounds out a curious melody from the speakers--Nintendo’s penchant for composing captivating tunes feels very much in evidence here from the outset.

It isn’t long before your instructions are dictated to you, should you choose to listen. Without so much as a fanfare, you are dropped into an expansive world, bereft of any semblance of knowledge or information, save for one fact: Princess Zelda has been captured; and it’s up to you to find her.

All corners of the world seem open, and this is jarring in no small way. Before you lie exits in all directions, paths to unknown quarters and domains, and monsters-- gaudy-coloured beasts--are strewn about these territories. You will find your means of dispatching them, a wooden sword, soon enough--but any further assistance is not forthcoming in this bleak and barren reality.

The sense of disorientation begets frustration. Fending off the swathes of creatures--and suffering many consequent deaths--feels thoroughly unjust in consideration of your unawareness of this world and its regulations. False starts recur with trying regularity, threatening to compel unwary players to adjourn indefinitely.

And yet this theory fails to ever take root, for by the time ’breaking point’ would have been reached, individual players will have located, variously: a distant cavern across an impassable river; a boundless desert; an abandoned stretch of sea-shore; and a mountain-range with tumbling boulders. The myriad environments on offer are purely functional, visually, but in this desolate and seemingly vacant world, they invite the player to venture deeper, and question: where are this kingdom’s people? The shifting environments yield ambiguous responses--and only those travellers who stumble upon nine secluded environments truly become aware of what malevolence is at work.

These nine locations manifest in the form of labyrinths: underground lairs; shrines; temples--nine intricately fashioned mazes for explorers to plunder and investigate, but not with impunity. Each dungeon is littered with creatures that overshadow the threat of those in the world above. These are monsters at one with their sinister environs, their malice in tune with an eerie soundtrack. They encumber your passage, and they are not alone.

Advancing through these caves entails slaying these creatures, often with the reward of keys which unlock doors--though Zelda isn’t so formulaic in its implementation of this theme. Each dungeon--numbered in order of increasing difficulty--is bestowed with puzzles that the player must crack in order to penetrate the dungeon’s most distant arenas.

This won’t always be possible. Doors appear unreachable, situated across streams of water that you cannot yet traverse; some rooms are impossibly dark, guising all their traps and secrets; some environments are ostensibly immutable and bereft of any means of progression. If Zelda makes one thing clear in these tunnels, it is that you are inadequate in this world. If you are ever to fulfil your thirst for exploration, you’ll need to track down the proper gear, and each new dungeon offers a new and inspired bit of kit to ensure survival against the individual masters of each domain, each possessing strength vaster than their underlings.

As your arsenal grows in scope, so too does your strength and ability. No longer do some monsters pose the threat they once did; no longer will shirking from battle be an economic necessity. The hard-yards are done, and you become a warrior borne of circumstance, shaped by the demands of this cruel and unforgiving world. Each new skill lets you reach further, enabling triumphant crossing of rivers and scaling of mountains. In a perverse reversal of roles, it is you who become master of the world, no longer fumbling at its challenges to you, but you challenging it--beckoning it to throw something more.

It does. The lack of narrative creates a unique and understated motivation: when you come face-to-face with your final nemesis, he is as such not because he has kidnapped Zelda, but because he represents the world’s greatest obstacle to you: he symbolizes the greatest threat to your existence. It is at this point that it hits you: it is this creature, not the world, that is out to get you. The world has been the most visual a representation of the evil of this beast: its emptiness, its creatures and its cruelty are his doing. He is the personification of all the tribulations you have hitherto suffered. The realisation hits hard, and weights heavily on your chest in ways that more narrative-driven stories struggle to do.

The Legend of Zelda is a profoundly weighty undertaking, and a private and personal one. It makes an appeal--a risky one--to the player’s internal child, whose hunger for exploration is allowed to be realised in this monolith feat of the imagination. As an undertaking for the player, Zelda is monumental; it is a grand ordeal whose true colours can only be enjoyed by a player willing to swallow their pride, suffer and endure before blossoming into a hardened and seasoned fighter. Zelda will change you, but only if you refuse to ever give up.

First of all, this is by far my favorite Mario Kart game, the only two that come close are double dash and DS. Not saying the others were necessarily bad, but this one was just a masterpiece. Now, realistically, the game was not flawless, but it was the first to allow 4 human players [courtesy of 4 slots on the N64]. It kept the game simple, added 3d graphics and added drifting. It also replaced the flat squares that spat out items with diamonds that shattered upon obtaining the item within. Another feature it removed from Super Mario Kart was the coin system, which rewarded the person in first place, and abandoned the concept of spinning out if the player drifts too long. The game stayed with 8 playable characters, and no baby characters were introduced. The 4 cup system was brought back, and last but not least the end credits were epic, possibly my favorite ending credits from all games. Now i won't waste your time talking about how much i love MK64, and just get to the tracks:

MUSHROOM CUP

Luigi's Raceway: 7/10 Not the most entertaining track, but nonetheless simple and maneuverable as all first courses to be. Obstacles were limited and the corners broad. Compared to the other starting courses, this one is 2nd on my list behind the Double Dash! Luigi Circuit.

Moo Moo Farm: 6/10 Another simple track, but added bumpy terrain and the menace, monty mole. I did not particularly care for this track, as the bridge right before the finish managed to cause my downfall. Overall it is a simple course, and introduces the player to close-quarter racing.

Koopa Troopa Beach: 9/10 One of my personal favorites, this course introduces the water hazard and shortcuts. This is the first course of the Mario Kart series that isn't straightforward, and has many forks in the road the racer must choose between. The music was also well done, and is one of my favorites on the soundtrack. I don't think anyway can forget the shortcut under the waterfall.

Kalimari Desert: 9/10 Ok, honestly who could not love this course? The desert environment, trains, the music... Another one of my personal favorites. It was again easy to navigate, but added a predictable obstacle. The railroad was a great addition, and it didn't distract unless crossing the course. I can't find anything wrong with this track other than it is too simple.

FLOWER CUP
Toad's Turnpike: 5/10 The first course with the figure 8 layout, but they took it too far. Yes, a figure 8 is too simple, but why the traffic? Oh, at least it is one way traffic. Now try Extra mode. Yep, they are all out to kill you. Basically the winner is the person who is the best at dodge-car, because items are almost irrelevant. It wasn't a terrible idea, i just think the cars were too fake and the game wasn't ready for their addition.

Frappe Snowland: 8/10 A very nice course, and the first to involve jumps over water. A new obstacle, the snowman, was introduce, which explodes upon impact and sends the player straight up. I loved the snow idea, and the layout of the course was simple. The Mario snowman in the middle was always there to taunt the leader, but regardless the addition of this random scenery is what really made the track.

Choco Mountain: 6/10 A fun course with decent music. Touching the edge resulted in an immediate halt due to its higher elevation and cause most players to play it safe and stick to the middle. This course brought the addition of falling rocks to the game, which rarely hit the player, but were something to keep in mind. Falling off the ledge that led to the finish was always a downer. Doing so resulted in re-completing the loop and a great loss of time. Banana's were a massacre if placed at that location.

Mario Raceway: 7/10 A return to the simple course layout, along with the typical paved raceway. More or less it is a Luigi's Raceway with more curves and distractions. It was a very good course, with reminders of the Mario world. Also the first course to have piranha plants scattered on the edges about halfway through the track.

STAR CUP
Wario Stadium: 8/10 The longest track from Mario Kart thus far, and also the one with the most flaws. I can guarantee anyone that has played this course uses the shortcut at the beginning, and if your me, take the second shortcut and pull off a 9-second lap time. Other than that it was a great idea for a course, bringing in the feel of motocross wit the dirt filled stadium. I personally loved the addition of the jumps and hills, but it was almost always a course of controversy due to the shortcut that cuts the course in half, or into a tenth.

Sherbet Land: 3/10 I absolutely could not stand this course. The ice, the penguins, the lake, and the tunnel. It was a good idea, but i was never good at it. One of the previously mentioned always cost me the race, mainly because I'm aggressive in my driving.

Royal Raceway: 7/10 A typical return to pavement, and again the courses difficulty has been upped. There is a shortcut in this track, but it is only available in 150cc and hard to make. I like the return to greenery after the dirt and ice courses, and the drive by peach's castle [also where the awards ceremony is held] ties you in with Super Mario 64.

Bowser's Castle: 10/10 Another personal favorite, this course is the reason for my love of Bowser's castle. Anytime in any Mario Kart game the race is held on Bowser's castle, my friends give up. I am unstoppable. Ok, enough boasting, to the point. I like this course for the mood as much as the music. What makes the course entirely is the mood. Dark corridors, a rickety bridge, a stone structure, a spiraling tower, moving thwomps, a Bowser statue, the red hue... Everything is amazing.

SPECIAL CUP
DK's Jungle Parkway: 9/10 One word: Environment. I absolutely fell in love with the scenery, music, setting, and river. It was a masterpiece of a course and the only reason it doesn't receive top marks is due to the jump across the river and the problematic steamboat. By this i mean you can angle the first jump just right to land perfectly and lose little speed while cutting off a part of the course, but if the steamboat happens to be in the way, you are basically finished.

Yoshi Valley: 1/10 Just...no... too much to handle, not fun

Banshee Boardwalk: 3/10 I just never liked this course. I can't point out anything specifically, but the mood was too dreary for a good race environment. It wasn't that hard of a course, but the bats were always an annoyance.

Rainbow Road: 9/10 If there is anyway who doesn't like Rainbow Road they shouldn't be allowed to touch a Nintendo system. Yes it is difficult, but it also has the best music and longest races. This is a true test of talent, not luck, and other than the beginning shortcut it is a straightforward course. Only dissatisfaction? The chomps that prowl around the course, but i guess that was necessary to keep racers on their toes during this 6 minute race. Rainbow Road was the longest track from the series until Wario Colosseum i believe.

Overall track score: 6.69/10 [107/160]

My apologies for the hard-to-read colors, but its the best i could work with. As for the Yoshi Valley description, i could rip on that course all day. Feel free to add your own opinions!

NintendoLand.com has become a resource and reference to many authors documenting various aspects of Nintendo, as a company and a culturally significant icon to people worldwide. The honor of being credited should not be lost on NintendoLand staff, members, or even casual browsers tied to other sites. Anyone wanting a summer reading list, but just can't take their minds off of video games should check out these books. Reading is reading, even if you are just reading about yourself- and what has been permanently recorded and locked into the United States very own Library of Congress. It just goes to show that this IS your world and you are shaping it regardless of your awareness of that fact-as well as how much fun you had while doing so.

Wii Innovate - How Nintendo Created a New Market Through the Strategic Innovation Wii
By Jörg Ziesak
A thesis focusing on Nintendo's "Blue Ocean Strategy". NintendoLand.com is mentioned as a source on page 116, citing the History of Nintendo.

1. Auflage 2009
Copyright © 2009 GRIN Verlag
http://www.grin.com/
Druck and Bindung:Books on Demand GmbH, Norderstedt Germany
ISBN 978-3-640-49774-4


Game Console Hacking: Have Fun While Voiding Your Warranty
By Joe Grand, Frank Thornton, Albert Yarusso

This book covers how to hack EVERY system from the Atari to Wii! Page 333 lists some NES Resources on the web. NintendoLand.com and it's features are listed.

Copyright © 2004 Syngress Publishing
http://www.syngress.com/
ISBN 1-931836-31-0

Understanding Digital Games
By Jason Rutter, Jo Bryce

*No preview was available via Google Books. Anyone with the book may submit information to NintendoLand.

The Book of Games: Volume 1
By Bendik Stang

In a chapter chronicling how Game Heroes have transformed from "Pixel Peeps to Pop Culture Celebs", NintendoLand.com is listed as a source "for more on Link and the Zelda series." (page 23) This referral is found immediately following a trivial note on Link-like cameos in "Final Fantasy" and "World of Warcraft."

Copyright © 2006 gameXplore N.A. Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-82-997378-0-7
ISBN-10: 82-997378-0-X

Videogames
By James Newman

This book is a study on several aspects of video games, players, culture, technology and more. Beginning on page 159, NintendoLand's commitment to fan fiction is discussed and used as an example of how fans are creating their own media. "The Search for Koholint" is even quoted as an example of an interactive story on NintendoLand.com

Copyright © 2004 Routledge
ISBN 0-415-28191-1 (hbk)
ISBN 0-415-28192-X (pbk)

Convergence: The Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, Volume 11
By University of Luton

Scarce information is available online. Visible quotes reference The Grand Adventures section of NintendoLand.com. Please inform NintendoLand.com of any known information.

The Learning Coach: Inspire, Encourage, and Guide Your Child Toward Greater Success in School and Life
By Linda Dobson

In a discussion on "The Internet", the author compiles a list of safe, family friendly, and fun sites. NintendoLand.com is one of them, and recommends the "reviews, game secrets, fan fiction, message boards, and funny facts."

Copyright © 2004 Running Press Book Publishers
http://www.runningpress.com
ISBN 0-7624-2400-1
Library of Congress Control Number: 2005922805

Playing With Videogames
By James Newman

James Newman discusses fan communities and fan fictions. His advice is to see the Writing Tips at NintendoLand.com. (page 56)

Copyright © 2008 James Newman
Published by Routledge
ISBN10: 0-415-38522-9 (hbk)
ISBN10: 0-415-38523-7 (pbk)
ISBN10: 0-203-89261-5 (ebk)

ISBN13: 978-0-415-38522-0 (hbk)
ISBN13: 978-0-415-38523-7 (pbk)
ISBN13: 978-0-203-89261-9 (ebk)

Spielplatz Computer: Kultur, Geschichte und Ästhetik des Computerspiels
By Konrad Lischka

Scarce information is available online. Visible quotes on Google Books reveal that NintendoLand.com's profile on Shigeru Miyamoto is referenced. Please inform NintendoLand.com of any known information.

Electronic America
By John W. Weier

Scarce information is available online. Please inform NintendoLand.com of any known information.
Source of information: Google Books

Nintendo first released its DS (short for Dual Screen) handheld console in 2004. With two screens, touch screen action, and even a Game Boy Advanced slot, it was obvious that Nintendo had another hit on their hands. Then, in 2006, Nintendo released the DS Lite, a sleeker version of the somewhat bulky original. This was all well and good, as the system needed a bit of a makeover, so no one thought anything of it. In 2009 (2008 in Japan), Nintendo released the DSi, another model that was completely identical to the DS Lite save for cameras and music capability. Finally, just a few weeks ago, Nintendo released the DSi XL, a larger version of the DSi.

All I can think is, "What the eff, Nintendo?"

In all honesty, the DS is quite an inventive system, but isn't four versions of it within six years a bit... excessive? A new version (and I use the term lightly) every year and a half? Compare that to the Game Boy line, which released a new version approximately once every 2 years (9 systems over 16 years, from the original Game Boy to the Game Boy Micro). The biggest difference? The Game Boy line at least had some update to the system that garnered a re-release. What have we gotten with each new version of the DS? Let's just take a look-see.

The original DS was classic Nintendo: a brilliant new idea that was approachable enough for newbies, versatile enough for hardcore gamers, and of course, backwards compatible for the loyal followers. Of course, it only played Game Boy Advance games, but that was a small price to pay for two screens, one of which had touch capabilities. Then came the DS Lite, a slimmer version of the original. Okay, not a problem, the original was pretty bulky, so slimming down is a pretty good idea. Beyond that, nothing really changed. Next came the DSi, which brought with it a camera, mp3 capabilities, and a download store similar to the Wii Shop Channel. The last of these I don't have much of a problem with, but the other two sort of piss me off. Anyone who could afford to buy a DSi would no doubt already have an mp3 player and a digital camera of much higher quality than that offered with the DSi. Another important difference: NO GBA SLOT. Some of us sold our Game Boy Advances in order to pay for the DS, so now what are we supposed to do? Nintendo's aim was for a more "personalized" DS, hence the "i" at the end of the system name (sound familiar? *cough*iPod*cough*). Needless to say, I was more than disappointed with Nintendo going commercial; they've always been a "we do what we want" company. More recently came the DSi XL, with 93% larger screens than the DS Lite. Isn't this a bit of a step backwards? The DS went from bulky to slim to bulky again. Doesn't it somewhat defeat the purpose of having a portable system if you CAN'T FIT IT INTO YOUR EFFING POCKET?

I don't have a problem with re-releasing a system as long as you're going to include a real update with it. The Game Boy at least improved on itself with every re-release. The problem with the DS line is that it's starting to move backwards along the innovation scale. Four systems in six years, and the most substantial change is the missing GBA slot. Oops, five systems in seven years- Nintendo announced the "3DS" in March, a DS that will use a method called autostereoscopy to display 3D images without the use of special glasses, to be released sometime during this fiscal year (April 2010-March 2011). That's more like it, right? But until such time as the 3DS is released, the DS line remains to me a disappointment.

"Thank you, Mario. But our princess is in another castle." "Take this. It will help you in your journey." These two quotes are from two of the most popular Nintendo game series, Super Mario Bros., and the Legend of Zelda. In the 1980's, Mario and Luigi struck countries all over the globe for years...that is, until a game pretty much as successful as the two came out. But, these two games have more in common. Two more...unusual characters. Mario & Luigi, plumbers who must save a princess. Link, a small elf boy sent out to save a princess. Both unusual. Both saving princesses. Both extremely popular.

On the Nintendo Entertainment System, Mario and Link starred in their popular debut games. Both saving a damsel in distress. And for both of them, the story barely has changed. But, a fight has been going on ever since Link made his debut. Which is better? The plumbers, or the elf? They also both got inspiration from movies. Mario, from Alice in Wonderland, and Link from The Wizard. The fight began when arguments began to break out. Forums all across the web nearly buried in nothing more than Mario VS. Link. (back then, anyway) The two games being traded around, people screaming at each other, "LINK CAN'T HOLD A CANDLE TO MARIO!", and, "LINK COULD SLICE MARIO IN HALF!".

Through the years, Mario and Link both went through their own games. But some of their most popular games were on the Nintendo 64. For Mario, Super Mario 64, and Maro Kart 64. For Link, Legend of Zelda: Orcarina of Time, and Majora's Mask. Princesses, hidden characters, magical weapons, adventures, all in a days work for the two. People just couldn't decide! Fan-Fictions became popular around the Internet, some involving horrible sequences where the two nearly kill each other. But who would've guessed but to see Mario & Link, duking it out in the fighting game of the decade, Super Smash Brothers. Two of the most popular characters, of course, were Mario & Link.

Later on, around 2002, most of the fights between Mario & Link began to die out. Forums were clear of swearing and yelling. Schools clear of shouting and trading. And of course, the world clear of arguments and fighting. Everything was peaceful. Well, except for a few leftovers from the arguments still going on, with pointless posts about the two. And yet, the two's game production began to slow...

...until SUPER SMASH BROS. BRAWL! With Wi-Fi installed in, Links and Marios all across the world fought and fought until the winner was declared. Battles across the Internet began with Internet remakes of the game. Chat rooms, forums, even Emails began to build up with the controversy. And so, still not as violent, the fight between Mario & Link raged on throughout the entire world.

Right now, Nintendo is making a new game in the Mario franchise, Super Mario Galaxy 2. Link's also getting his name, still dubbed as Zelda Wii. The name won't be decided until it is true they are really gonna finish it.

I'm a fan of both Mario and Sonic, but recently, I noticed that Sonic is trying to be more like Mario and the question is, why is Sonic trying so hard? Wonder what I'm talking about? Well in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), Sonic had to rescue a princess from Dr. Eggman. Kinda like Mario rescuing Peach from Bowser, isn't it? But it could've been a coincidence.....until Sega Superstar Tennis came out and then I started scratching my head. Sure it was better than Wii Sport version of Tennis since I can actually control my character, but is felt like Mario Power Tennis with a Sonic twist.

This example isn't direct, but it made me think for a while. When Super Mario Bros 1-3 came out, it was set in the following order: Original feel, Completely different, and Made the original better. And when Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Heroes all came out for the GameCube, it followed the same order. Sonic Adventure felt like the classic Sonic games with the platforming we all know and love. The sequel, Sonic Adventure 2, tried adding more variety by letting Tails and Eggman use their robots while Knuckles and newcomer Rouge find the pieces of the Master Emerald. The third game, Sonic Heroes, returned with the original formula and tried to make it better by making three man teams, but depending on how you feel, the results vary.

Another example is in the recently released Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing. I'm not going to call it a Mario Kart rip-off; it did have its unique qualities that won me over. And every character feels different so I had true variety. However, most people would just look at the game and call it the Sonic version of Mario Kart. Mario Kart is superior to Sega All-Stars on some things and vice versa for Sega. So as I originally questioned, why is Sonic trying so hard to be like Mario?

Now it's true the Sega made Sonic to fight against Mario in the old console wars, but with the war over and done with, Sonic is in Mario's shadow, doom to follow Mario's footsteps. I feel bad for the blue hedgehog because for every original game he starred in like Secret Rings and Black Knight, he got cursed out because it's too different. And for every sport or racing spin-off, people assumed it's not as good as Mario or Mario had already done it. Now I'm guilty of saying that too, but that's after I played the Sonic games, not before and when it clearly a Mario rip-off. Even though the newest Sonic game, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, didn't come out yet, people already hated it because it didn't starred classic Sonic or because it's in episodes.

Sonic has been through a lot of hate over the years, but when is it going to stop? I hope it ends with Sonic 4 comes out. And maybe people will think of Sonic as Mario's rival again instead of Mario's rip-off version.

Mariokart Wii... There were high hopes for his game with the introduction of motorcycles and use of the Wii remote as a wheel, but once the packaging was opened and the disc began to spin inside the system it has scarred my happy image of Mariokart.

Being a very good, if not expert player of Mariokart i made sure to purchase this game on the day of release. The fat packaging should have been an indicator that Nintendo just tried to put way too many ideas into a single game without sorting out the good from the bad. New items to the game included: The Wii Steering Wheel, New Characters, Motorcycles, Completion board, New Items, New controls, and you can't forget the obvious addition of courses. All of the additions had good intentions, but many turned bad after the first play through mushroom cup.

Lets start with the use of the Wii remote as a steering wheel shall we?
Alright, so first a good note; the sensitivity was very well set. On the bad side Nintendo forgot people that play Mariokart tend to get "involved" in the game a little more than other games. You overturn that thing by the slightest bit to try to shave off a few fractions of a second off your lap time and you find yourself off the beaten path and lost on the other side. When performing one of those dinky tricks in the air it almost works, but the times it doesn't a player finds them self pissed after violently shaking the plastic clunker and getting no benefit while the cpu players succeed every time. Another problem...the god dang grass... You so much as hit a pixel of the gooey substance and your speed is cut in at least half. Trying to improve your lap times? Don't. Trying to "cut it close" doesn't work and takes away from the fun of living on the edge.

I don't even want to talk about the characters, but here's my view.
Funky Kong?!?
Baby Everything?
Mii's??!?!?!?!
WTF?

Motorcycles...
These "little" things are everywhere and pop wheelies at the end of the race just to piss you off and make your first a second. And not to mention DK's motorcycle vs Any-other-characters kart. You get so much as poked by the thing and you end up magically upside down, backwards, and at a dead stop. Then if god forbid you follow one off a jump they do these fancy haha-i-has-a-bike tricks that just taunt you while your character just waves or spins.

Ugh...Can't Forget the Completion License!
"Hey guys want to play Mario Kart?"
"Sure, but whats that thing with the Mii's head and all the boxes filled"
"My license?"
"Oh...dumb."
"Agreed."
"Remember the days with a decent title screen and music? And when 'press start' actually started the game?"
"Sure do."
"I miss those days..."

New Items!!
Lightning Cloud.... how i hate you. You could be in third place catching the leader slowly but surely then you get this bugger of an item. You speed up, and just before you get to suction the parasite to the leader you're screwed over and shrunk. It helps early, but the idea of a transferable item such as that just wasn't meant to be. The giant mushroom was ok, i don't see really how it differs from using a star...seeing as the only difference is you go slightly slower than with a star, yet you are also much larger. And lastly the POW block. How i hate this thing because it is used at least once a lap and is just annoying to avoid every time, plus it slows down the person for half a second, or the whole field rather, while the person in 8th-12th who used it gains nothing because the person behind them has a giant mushroom or star.I remember the days of the spiny shell... the "blue shell" that took out anyone in the way. It would be the combination of a POW and blue shell, thus simplifying the item base.

"New" Controls
Nintendo wanted to make a game that anyone could pick up and play, but now us veterans are constantly screwed over by the lack of a decent grind and item spam. The system of sliding was thrown out and they developed a new one which is either "Slide automatically with no boost" or "Attempt to drive this thing [Oh and you can have boost if you figure it out]" The trick system is just garbage and newbies and veterans alike find themselves losing time by making a run for a boost panel and failing to land the trick, regardless of how skilled you are [Oh wait, there is no skill, its a skill-less game] I dislike the trick system because it tends to bother me watching the cpu's dancing in midair to gain a boost and I'm stuck shaking the Wii-remote furiously to land the same thing. I guess i don't like the style, its something that should have been left out. Oh and i probably forgot to mention this game is based on luck and chance.

New Courses!
One of the good parts of the game were the new and old courses. The old ones had been remade for the trick panels [god forbid] but were still fun to trudge along through. The new ones were built for the new game play and were overall alright. Koopa Cape was good, along with: Mushroom Gorge[Music], DK Summit [Stunt rails], Dry Dry Ruins [Changing interface/Music], Bowser Castle [Obvious], and Rainbow Road [Epic]. Massive disasters of courses include: MAPLE FRICKEN TREEWAY [Dumb Music, Dumb Branches, Dumb Leaf Piles, ETC!], Coconut Mall [Mii's, although funny, just annoying], and Toad's Factory [No Comment].

Overall:
Being an overall fan, i just never got into this game. 12 instead of 8 just added about 8x the blue shells for 150cc, which you can no longer dodge by the way. And then you have to deal with the fatties on motorcycles who still manage to keep balance [Unlike ExciteBike] after plowing through the harmless lightweights in their carts. The "glue" terrain is an extreme pain, and most of the music just wasn't as good as previous games. New characters along with their whining never fail to be 2nd through 4th, just to make sure you hear them. The system for tricks and the Wii remote just wasn't perfected enough to be introduced in this game, although both were good ideas. The thing that was a real turn-off though was the change of controls. I could learn to deal with the Wii remote, or just plug in and play, but the lack of drifting and the exaggerated drafting ruined the fun of it. People used to play to get better, now everyone starts off the same level and STAYS there, which ruins competition, and therefore 150cc is 50cc just with 100x the red/blue shells coming at you.

IMO

Still a fan of Mariokart [Super Nintendo and Beyond],
King_Shy

It's true! Mario's gone into outer space many times, but this time, it's like no other space adventure. Now you may be thinking, "What are you talking about?" Well, to answer your question, i'm talkin about Super Mario Galaxy 2!

Yes, as the expected release date of May 23rd 2010, Mario shall be jumping back onto the Wii in one of the newest space adventures yet. This time, it's different from other adventures! It features some new characters, and some old ones, with the new one being Yoshi and the old ones being several bosses such as MegaLeg.

And of course, you're thinking, "But wait! Wouldn't this be a rip-off of the old SMG?" My friend, I am proud to say that you are...incorrect. This game is different from SMG in so many ways. Such as Yoshi, and many other things. But what happened to poor poor Luigi? Well, Luigi shall be starring with his name being the name of a planet, including a Mario planet as well!

And of course, there aren't many new power-ups as far as I know, but if you're a hardcore Mario fan, you'll go crazy for this game!

...well, maybe not...

But this game features some new stuff, and some old stuff! New planets, new galaxies, let's not forget about Yoshi! But another question remains, Will Rosalina be in this game? What about the Lunas? Only time will tell.

Finally, the plot, however, is basically nothing different from any Mario game. Mario must rescue Princess Peach from the evil clutches of Bowser in blah blah blah. So, the old damsel in distress plot may be getting a bit old, but who cares?

So go to your nearest video game store on May 23rd, and be the first you get your hands on Super Mario Galaxy 2!

Rejoice, Pokemon fans, HeartGold and SoulSilver are here! Remakes of the ground-breaking games Pokemon Gold and Silver, this game is mostly like its Gameboy Color grandpa but with (of course) some added twists.

You start out like any Pokemon game. You meet the Professor (Elm), you do some basic walking-talking-learning, learning the mechanics, seeing your Johto favorites such as Sentret and Ledyba. But, when you pick your starter (Chikorita for me), it stands next to you! Yes, this beloved trait of Pokemon Yellow is in this game! But, you are not restricted to your starter! No sir! You can pick your walking Pokemon.

Well, onto the other plot tidbits. You must get an egg from Mr. Pokemon, a colleague of Prof. Elm's. Suck up all the training, your little Pokemon will need it. You return with the egg, and you find one of Prof. Elm's starters has been stolen! The person who stole it later turns out to be your rival, who you must battle. Then, you run errands until you get your first badge! How exciting!

I'm afraid I have not gotten far in the game, but it is addicting!

The game also comes packaged with a device called the Pokewalker! This allows you to walk and LEVEL UP POKEMON! Depending on the number of steps, your Pokemon will level up! You can also catch Pokemon and find rare items! Clearly, the Pokewalker is essential for any beginning Trainer struggling to level their Pokemon and catch Pokemon.

Well, expect more to this article as I progress into the world of Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver!

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