I finally caved and got New Super Mario Bros. 2 for the 3DS a few weeks back. I had so many other games on my plate that this game took a backseat, which is surprising because I’m usually right on board for a Mario game. Especially a 2D one.

But there’s something… hard to describe in regards to my feelings on the New Super Mario Bros. series. I liked the DS one as “old was new” and it was the first real Mario side-scroller since Super Mario World.

The Wii one was alright, and I’ll admit I was excited for the novelty of four players at once, though I REALLY wanted this for the character selection:

Nintendo makes a fortune off of nostalgia and “tried and true”. I’ll never understand the yellow and blue Toad thing.

And the Wii U game is certainly very colorful and pretty, but since the initial “wow” factor of the original game, and ultimately culminating with the 3DS title, I’ve reached one conclusion:

The New Super Mario Bros. series are my least favorite adventures of the famed Italian plumber.

Don’t get me wrong: The game is fun, and it plays heavily off of Super Mario Bros. 3 nostalgia Read the rest of this entry

I’ve been reading up on the “Kind Code” of late, regarding Miyamoto’s/Nintendo’s newest patent idea which in effect plays the game for the gamer.

Having grown up on gaming and having worked in the industry myself, I can’t help but wonder what this translates into. On one hand, helping a gamer is not exactly uncharted ground, as evidenced by the number of gaming strategy guides published over the years. And I will openly admit to having to resort to using one from time to time, or GameFAQs to look up a solution for a tricky area.

In my own defense, I only use the guides to nudge me to the next step without spoiling what I need to do next or divulging any plot details. And my reference has only been with a path is not obvious after a few attempts, and I am genuinely stuck to the point where I can no longer play anymore. But I certainly don’t want someone to do it for me. Even the slightest bit of outside help invalidates my sense of achievement, and having someone play it for me becomes an exercise in “What’s the point of playing”.

When looking Read the rest of this entry