Minecraft: Pocket Edition Review

Minecraft: Pocket Edition

Publisher: Mojang Developer: Mojang Platform: Apple iOS Players: 1-5 (LAN Multiplayer) Release: 2011 Genre: Sandbox / Adventure Rating: 8.3 \ 10.0: Great

Above is gameplay of Survival mode

Minecraft: Pocket Edition is a portable edition of the PC hit, Minecraft, and although it's a little highly priced for an Apple App Store game ($6.99) and lacks  content found in the original version (several block types, the ability to craft, cook, and put objects in chests in Creative mode), it's still a blast to play. It has several advantages over its counterparts, such as solid modifiable touch controls. There's no keyboard, a but arrow icons and a jump icon to replace the W, A, S, and D keys and space bar, and you can simply tap an object to attack it instead of left-clicking. Although the touch interface originally made it seem impossible, you are now able to sprint and . And also, you don't have to go online and log on-- you don't even need a username or password, but you have an editable default username for Multiplayer mode, "Stevie", or "Steve". For those of you who don't know about Minecraft, it's a 3D sandbox game with retro-style graphics in which you dig up various blocks to build shelters. Well, that's the general idea of Survival mode, in which you must mine all the blocks you can and kill animals for food. At night, evil creatures come out. Zombies, skeletons armed with bows, explosive, four-legged creatures called Creepers, and spiders attack at night. Zombies and skeletons burn up in the sun,  but Creepers can survive in daylight, and spiders won't attack during the day unless you provoke them. In Creative mode, your given unlimited of (nearly) every resource to build whatever you desire. You are also able to host a game with up to four other people over Wi-Fi, a feature which has allowed for some of the best gaming experiences I've had with friends. It is possible for an obnoxious sibling or anyone else on your Wi-Fi network to intrude you and your pal's world, but this is an unlikely scenario. You are also able to access external online servers, but the process of logging into one is complex and frustrating. Although Minecraft: Pocket Edition is missing a good chunk of the content of its PC counterpart, it's still a very enjoyable experience that's slowly growing throughout updates, and one of the best titles available on the App Store.

Ups
Easy controls
It's portable Minecraft!
Fun Multiplayer mode

Downs
Missing content

Also available on other mobile devices.

ESRB: E 10+ Content: Fantasy Violence Price: $6.99 (Download)

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Super Mario Bros. 2 Review

Super Mario Bros. 2

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System Players: 1 (Adventure), 2 (Co-Op) Release: 1988 Genre: 2D Platformer / Adventure Rating: 7.4 \ 10.0: Good

Above is a scene from the game's first stage

I wouldn't have enjoyed Super Mario Bros. 2 nearly as much if I hadn't already known so much about it before downloading it via Wii Virtual Console. You see, Super Mario Bros. 2's existence has a slightly confusing story. In Japan, the first sequel to Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, was released, and Nintendo decided not to release it in North America because Nintendo of America decided it wasn't a good idea for some stupid reason. Then Nintendo created another game-- Dream Factory: Heart-Pounding Panic. The protagonist sprites were modified and the game was released it in America as Super Mario Bros. 2, and then it was (re)released in Japan as Super Mario USA (and I feel bad for any player of Dream Factory who bought a modified version of the game simply because it had Mario in it). But then The Lost Levels was featured in collections such as Super Mario All-Stars, and it was ported to the Wii Shop Channel in 2007. Now I'll explain the game. The plot, according to what I read from the text that appears on the title screen, says that Mario is dreaming, and opens a door in his dream after climbing up a flight of stairs and is informed that the villainous toad (the animal, not the cute mushroom guy), Wart, has cast an evil spell upon the dream realm of Subcon. Then Mario wakes up and enters a cave only to see exactly what he saw in his dream. As you start the game, you're given the option to play as one of four characters-- Mario, Luigi, Toad, and, surprise!, Peach. Each of them has advantages and disadvantages. Mario is the fastest and strongest at picking and throwing items, which I'll get to later; Luigi is the highest jumper; Toad is the fastest, but the shortest jumper; and Peach is the longest jumper, but the slowest item-picker. It all seemed like just another Mario game, until I jumped on an Shy Guy's head to find I was now riding around on it. By pressing B (or 1, if you're playing the downloadable Wii edition with the Wii Remote held sideways), you can pick up most small enemies and hurl them by pressing B (or 1) again. This is also how you pluck and hurl items, which you can uproot from red grass patches. You'll often find turnips and other vegetables in the ground, which can be tossed at foes, but sometimes you'll find bombs, which can be used to destroy otherwise indestructible chunks of land; stopwatches, which temporarily freeze enemies and can be uprooted only after you pluck four identical vegetables; red Koopa shells (one of the references to "true" Mario games) that plow through all the enemies in their path; 1-Up Mushrooms, which, as you probably know, grant you an extra life; and best (and rarest) of all, magic potions, that, when thrown, create a door that brings you to a silhouetted secret area, a mirrored version of the place you entered the door (a remix of the Super Mario Bros. ground theme even plays in these areas). You can uproot, coins that will be used in the end of stage slot-machine bonus game, collect mushrooms that add a life mark to your health display (a concept that has been carried to future games in the series), and enter underground areas via vases, some of warp you to farther worlds when a potion is used on them. Now, when it comes to enemies, there's a heck of a lot more variety than in the first Super Mario Bros., but just know they're not "true" Mario characters, because they're all from Dream Factory. The end-of-stage boss battles lack variety, however. The end-of-stage boss seems to always be the egg-spitting dinosaur, Ostro, who we now know as Birdo (not named after the enemy of the same, I don't think), while the world's final bosses have far more variety. They include Mouser, a bomb-tossing rodent, Triclyde, a three-headed snake, Clawglip, a gigantic, boulder-tossing crab, Fryguy, a massive floating fireball, and of course, Wart. And, just like most old-school Mario games, it's hard. Trust me, if you want to live through the next stage, try your hardest to win the bonus game and get five-life bonus. Although it's not truly a Mario game, I respect Super Mario Bros. 2 for what it is.

Ups
Four characters to play
Variety of power-ups
Creative bosses

Downs
Not a "true" Mario game
Very difficult

ESRB: E Content: ??? Price: $5.00 (Wii ) / $4.99 (3DS) (Download)

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Johnny Kung Fu Review

Johnny Kung Fu

Publisher: UFO Interactive Developer: UFO Interactive Platform: 3DS Players: 1 Release: 2012 Genre: Action / Brawler Rating: 7.6 \ 10.0: Satisfactory

Above is Johnny battling a pack of thugs

Johnny Kung Fu is a pleasant, but not perfect, blend of the era of the Game & Watch, Nintendo's first handheld, and the age of modern brawlers. The plot has Johnny's girlfriend, Paula, get kidnapped by the Mr. Wang Gang (it's obviously a Donkey Kong reference, and Paula's name is obviously a reference to Pauline, the constant damsel in distress of the Donkey Kong series, but this guy capturing Paula for a reason far other then romance!) and you have a pressuring one-hour time limit to conquer all the floors of Wang's skyscraper and save her. There are several types of stages, some old-school and some modern, and one a combination of both-- as far as I know. I'm on floor 15 with approximately 40 minutes remaining. The first old-school stage takes place in a room with three floors (that only count as 1 floor in all). The first floor has a gangster rolling bombs at you that you must jump over. The second floor has another crook throwing cleavers at you. And the third floor has you activate the elevator and dodge a laser defense system to get to it. And all in frame-by-frame motion, dim color, and Game & Watch presentation! The second old-school stage type has you steer Johnny across the floor while juggling bombs and avoiding letting them hit the ground. And the last old-school stage I know of pits you against an individual thug. You're both armed with a sledgehammer. A countdown from three starts, and at zero, a number will appear over you and your opponent's heads. If your number is higher, attack by pressing A. If your number is lower, dodge by moving left. If the numbers are equal, act quickly and attack. The first modern stage has you dispatch a number of gangsters, and then a boss. Your foes will appear as weakened versions of the previous boss you faced in this stage type. The next type of modern stage has you face a single  boss, which, as far as I know, is always a tall, bespectacled, crooked-nosed fighter who throws knives that you must punch out of the way. The retro / modern combo stage begins with a cut-scene showing a crook throw the switch on a circuit breaker, and when Johnny strolls into the room, the power goes out, and then the room reappears in black and white. You must refill a color meter in the corner of the screen by punching the crooks that appear. What makes this a crossover of retro and modern is the modern graphics and the vivid color that's restored as the meter refills, and what makes it also retro is the frame by frame motion and the type of challenge. This is fun, but the time limit encourages you to speed-run, leading to much trial and error. Plus, every time you die, you must sacrifice five minutes of your time limit to continue. At the same time, a lot of the stages are won by the skin of your teeth even if you're a pro gamer. Overall, though, Johnny Kung Fu is a fine homage to gaming's past.

Ups
Tons of retro references
Various stage types
Old school and modern blend

Downs
Very difficult
Lots of trial and error
Too much pressure from time limit

ESRB: E 10+ Content: Fantasy Violence Price: $5.99 (Download)

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New Super Mario Bros. 2 Review

New Super Mario Bros. 2

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Platform: 3DS Release: 2012 Genre: 2D Platformer Rating: 9.2 \ 10.0: Excellent

Above is a scene from World 4
 

I'm proud to be writing this review. Why? Because I'm one of the first people in North America, possibly, to own New Super Mario Bros. 2. I got it on it's release date (without preordering it!)-- August 19th, 2012, minutes after my local Target store opened, and I'm enjoying it very much. So far, it's not nearly as good as the original game nor New Super Mario Bros. Wii. But of course, like every Mario platformer, it's still outstanding. Your goal, as usual, is to rescue Princess Peach. This time, the capture occurs while Mario and Luigi are fooling around with raccoon power. Then the Koopalings, whom Bowser Jr. is no longer among, are the capturers, just as in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Your goal is not only to rescue Peach, but to acquire a lot of coins. 1 million coins to be exact. Does that sound too hard? Well, Mario's got a few tricks up his sleeves (and not Luigi, because this game, sadly, eliminates the Luigi cheat from the original NSMB. By the way, you can pull this off by holding L and R when you select a file.) that'll help you on your quest to absolute affluence. Among them is the Gold Flower, a rare power-up that allow Mario to hurl golden fireballs that turn blocks into coins and allows you to get more coins out of defeating enemies with fireballs. There are also gold rings that temporarily turn enemies gold, causing them to drop piles of coins when defeated. Kicked Koopa shells trail coins along their path! Coins erupt like a fountain from the pipes of defeated Piranha Plants! Bullet Bills and leaping Cheep Cheeps trail coins as they streak through the sky! You get the picture. There are gold blocks that appear when ten coins are emptied from a block. When you hit one from below or ground-pound one, Mario wears it on head, and until he gets hit or loses it gradually, he'll generate a coin with every step he takes. The faster you move, the more coins you earn. There are blocks that rapidly scroll numbers, and the number showing when the block is hit causes that amount of coins to pop out. And finally, there are special black pipes. When a fireball is thrown at one end, a coin comes out the other. Hidden rooms usually contain very clever coin collecting sequences, such as kicking a shell to make it ricochet of the walls and into POW blocks, exploding blocks full of coins.  New Super Mario Bros. 2 also reintroduces the Super Leaf, a beloved power-up from Super Mario Bros. 3. But if you think I forgot that there were Super Leaves in Super Mario 3D Land, you're wrong. The Super Leaves in 3D Land transform Mario into Tanooki Mario, while in  NSMB2 and SMB3 they transform him into Raccoon Mario, who has the ability to fly after a long dash. It bears similarities to SM3DL, though. There's also the new White Leaf, an ever-lasting invincibility granting Super Leaf that appears only after you die five times in a row on the same stage. This replaces the P-Wing from SM3DL that would take you to the end of the stage when you die 10 times. Now to get to the extras.  Additionally, in a nostalgic reference to Super Mario World, the Reznors return as mini-boss. These are triceratops-like creatures that appear here for the first time in over 20 years! NSMB2, unfortunately, lacks minigames, unlike the original (and not to mention Super Mario 64 DS). It  also lacks the Mario vs. Luigi mode from the original game. To make up for this, the game introduces Coin Rush, in which you must play three randomly selected stages with a short time limit and collect as many coins as you can. If you really enjoy Coin Rush, you can purchase the many DLC stage packs available on the Nintendo eShop. As a bonus, coins you collect in Coin Rush go into your overall total from the main game. Best of all, a second player can join you via local wireless, but sadly not third and fourth players. (If only all platformers could have New Super Mario Bros. Wii's style of four-player co-op...) There's one more great new addition: You know those secret cannon stages in which you climb into a cannon and blast to a distant world? Well, now, the cannon doesn't blast you directly to that advanced world. Instead, when you enter the cannon, a countdown starts, and when it hits "Go", you'll be blasted forward and start dashing without stopping through a silhouetted obstacle course while the catchy Toad House Mario theme remix from the original NSMB plays. You must time each jump perfectly if you want to survive and advance to the secret world. But one of the negative parts is the fact that the game wasn't built for the system like Super Mario 3D Land before it-- there's no real reason to crank up the 3D. Even so, the 3D adds some smoothness and depth to the background, which makes it less noticeable that the visuals aren't particularly impressive from close up. Although New Super Mario Bros. 2 isn't nearly as good as the original game to me, it's one of the best titles available on the 3DS and for sure the system's greatest 2D platformer. I still highly recommend it to any fan of Mario, platformers, or anyone who loves gold.  With all that fun coin-collecting, you'll become as greedy as Wario!

Ups
SO MANY COIN$!!!
The real Super Leaf is back!
Awesome new power up-- the Gold Flower
New Coin Rush mode
Download Play 2-player co-op

Downs
No VS. Mode or Minigames
Not built for 3DS
Visuals are unimpressive close up

ESRB: E Content: Comic Mischief Price: $29.99 (Retail / Download)

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Scribblenauts Review

Scribblenauts

Publisher: Warner Bros. Developer: 5th Cell Platform: DS Players: 1 Release: 2009 Genre: Puzzle / Sandbox Rating: 7.8 \ 10.0: Satisfactory

Above is the concept of the game's object creation system

I overestimated Scribblenauts-- highly. That's not to say it's terrible or anything-- but I might not have bought it if it wasn't for the fact that Super Scribblenauts, one of the most infuriatingly difficult-yet-greatest games I've ever played, wouldn't exist without this game. But I should've realized that Scribblenauts would be so inferior to its sequel. It doesn't give you control options like Super Scribblenauts-- the frustrating touchscreen controls are mandatory. You must purchase new worlds with Ollars, the game's currency. There are pressuring object-creation pars in levels. And worst of all-- you can't use adjectives! But it isn't all bad-- the game is quite good, in fact. I saw a bright side to the game when I realized that there were a few superiorities. The object-creating concept seemed as fresh as ever, and there are several infectiously catchy tunes that weren't featured in Super Scribblenauts. Although the stage creator from the sequel isn't present, I find that I sometimes want to use the game's level layouts for creating custom levels, and you're welcome to do that through Level Editor, a mode that allows you to create a level using the template of a pre-existing level that you've cleared. Although it's not perfect, I recommend Scribblenauts to anyone with exceptional mental abilities who enjoys and enjoys the clever concept.

Ups
Fresh premise
Catchy music
Level Editor

Downs
Touchscreen-only controls
Object-creation pars

ESRB: E 10+ Content: Cartoon Violence and Comic Mischief Price: $19.99 (Retail)

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Super Mario Sunshine Review

Super Mario Sunshine

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Platform: Nintendo GameCube Players: 1 Release: 2002 Genre: 3D Platformer / Adventure Rating: 9.0 \ 10.0: Excellent

Above is a scene from Gelato Beach

Super Mario Sunshine, as some know, is s sequel to Super Mario 64, despite being almost nothing at all like its predecessor, or any Mario game in general. Mario and Peach are vacationing in the tropical paradise of Isle Delfino, but their plans are ruined when they arrive at the airstrip to find that Mario's face has been drawn in paint-like goop. From there, you must locate the FLUDD-- Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device-- on the other side of the airstrip. FLUDD is a device built in a similar manner to a jetpack composed of a water tank and a nozzle. You'll use FLUDD for cleaning up "graffiti", defeating foes, and more. When you find FLUDD, a cut-scene showing him identifying Mario plays, in which he scopes Mario out from his perspective, and footage of previous Mario games plays on the bottom-left corner of the screen. You must squirt the thick-painted nose of the Mario face painting until a giant goop-covered (and toothless) Piranha Plant erupts from it. You'll encounter this foe many times throughout the game. Squirt his open mouth three times to defeat him. Once you've taken him out, the paint will clear away, and the game's first Shine Sprite appears. FLUDD later explains (yes, FLUDD can talk, and I will therefore refer to FLUDD as "he") that Shine Sprites are magical objects that once gathered around the Shine Gate, which brings sunshine to Delfino, and they've gone missing. It's up to you to recover all 120. And that's only after you get arrested and brought to court and charged for dirtying up Delfino with graffiti. Of course, Mario isn't the true culprit. It's his mysterious imposter Shadow Mario (who I know the identity of and won't tell). As soon as you're released from court and into Delfino Plaza, the Pianta police (the Piantas, as well as the Nokis, debuted in Sunshine) order you to clean up the mess. Near the ocean, you'll find another huge mess. You'll have to once again fight "Goopy Piranha", the big goopy Piranha Plant as I like to call him. Once he's defeated, the mess clears and the Great Pianta Statue erupts from the ground, and Shadow Mario swoops in and snatches Peach. You'll have to squirt him till he drops Peach, and then the adventure truly begins. Shadow Mario runs off and paints a rainbow M on the Great Pianta Statue and hops through it. Rainbow M's act as portals to stages. As you collect more Shine Sprites, more and more destinations are revitalized, such as the boathouse and the lighthouse. The boathouse serves as a shop, where you can exchange blue coins for Shine Sprites. If that doesn't sound very Mario-ish, wait till you see some of the old enemies' new incarnations: Piranha Plants are goopy and toothless, Bloopers tread land, have four realistic tentacles and suckers, and die in water (with the exception from the super speedy ones you get to ride on water and can even move on land-- so awesome!); and Koopas look almost nothing like their original selves-- unless their incarnations from the 1983 arcade game Mario Bros., released two years before Super Mario Bros., count, as they crawl in both games. There aren't even Goombas! I'm not at all trying to make the game look bad, though. (Although I could complain about the cruddy camera, as well as the return of the one-death-and-you're-out-of-the-level concept). Adding to the un-Mario-ishness, but to the variety, are the FLUDD's secondary nozzles. If it wasn't unusual enough to see Mario short-sleeved and wearing a jetpack-like device, FLUDD has a Hover Nozzle that allows you to hover shortly; a Turbo Nozzle that allows you to burst across the landscape with sonic speed; and a Rocket Nozzle that allows you to burst skywards and snatch out-of-reach items. I'm still not at all trying to make the game look bad-- as the series has evolved throughout the last decade, some of these things have become more and more true to the modern Mario formula.  Noticeable are the visuals, which hold up very well for decade-plus old game. There are a few rough models, but I the exotic landscapes are almost beautiful, and the water looks surprisingly realistic. The tropical-themed soundtrack is memorable as well. One of the greatest features about the game is that it has an more elaborate story, unlike nearly every other Mario game. In addition, the game's well-rendered cut-scenes are fully voiced! Sure, Peach had some lines in SM64, but no one else did. The un-Mario-ishness is combated by features like Yoshis (that spew fruit juice that transformers enemies into floating platforms and will evaporate if they run out of juice) and secret platforming stages in which you're deprived of FLUDD by Shadow Mario and an amusing acapella rendition of the "Super Mario Bros. Ground Theme" plays in the background. I highly recommend Super Mario Sunshine to any platforming fan, with the exclusion of Mario-haters and Super Mario 64 worshipers. Once I got far in the game, all my complaints meant nothing, and I loved the game. Super Mario Sunshine, as well as GameCubes, are hard to come by these days. Just be aware-- you don't need a GameCube system-- you can always get a Wii and a GameCube Memory Card and controller(s). It may be one of the only GameCube games I've played, but rest assured that it's one of the greatest titles in the system's library

Ups
FLUDD has multiple nozzles
Great visuals
Catchy soundtrack
More complex story
Secret platforming stages

Downs
Some untraditional elements are not good

ESRB: E Content: Comic Mischief Price: ???

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Super Paper Mario Review

Super Paper Mario

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Intelligent Systems Platform: Wii Players: 1 Release: 2007 Genre: 2D Platformer / RPG Rating: 8.4 \ 10.0: Great

Above is a 3D scene from the game's first stage

I'll assume that Super Paper Mario is a rather untraditional entry in the Paper Mario RPG series-- it's more platformer than RPG. The game begins at Mario and Luigi's house on a peaceful day. Luigi states that it's so peaceful, it's boring, and that he wished that something surprising would happen so they could go on another adventure. They're suddenly told by Toad that the Princess has been kidnapped, and probably by Bowser-- no surprise. So the Mario Bros. sneak into Castle Koopa while Bowser is plotting to kidnap Peach, and he spots Mario and Luigi. Suddenly, a mysterious, deranged figure appears out of thin air. He says that he's Count Bleck and that he's captured Peach. He casts a spell on Mario that renders him unconscious, then creates a vortex that sucks up everyone but the portly plumber. Mario wakes up to see a butterfly-like creature named Tippi who warps him to Flipside, a town in the sky that will soon be consumed by a vortex if Mario can't recover all eight Pure Hearts. After you find an ancient magician in a room behind an invisible door in the first stage,  which begins in 2D, he charges you all the coins you have (or 10,000 coins, his original price, which I highly doubt you'll manage to collect) to gain the ability to "flip". By pressing A, you can "flip" into 3D. While in 3D, a meter will appear under your HP display-- your Dimension Meter. If your Dimension Meter empties, you'll take damage. In order to defeat Count Bleck, you'll need the assistance of Peach and Bowser (who will eventually escape Bleck's grasp and wind up in Flipside, and become playable.) and several ancient creatures called Pixls. The first Pixl, Thoreau, allows you to grab certain enemies and items and toss them. The second Pixl, Boomer, can transform into a bomb to destroy obstacles and activate switches. The third, Slim, lets you become so thin that all moving hazards will pass through you if you stand still. The fourth, Thudly, allows you to jump up and slam into the ground, dealing heavy damage to unshielded foes. And the fifth, Carrie, transforms into a hovering platform, allowing you to move much faster and cross pits of spikes. These are the Pixls who will find during the first half of the game, and there are even more to discover. Throughout the game, you'll play as Peach and Bowser and escape Count Bleck's fortress, and they will join Mario on his quest as fully playable characters. Peach can float with her parasol by holding down the jump button, and Bowser can breath fire by crouching. However, I sometimes think the hints you receive from Tippi to help you solve complex problems are overly cryptic, making me stuck on certain parts of single stages for a very long time (thank goodness for Save Blocks). Also, some stage segments require you to use multiple characters (you can easily swap you character out from your item menu), like flipping into 3D with Mario in order to get on top of an otherwise un-scalable object, and then gliding over a long gap with Peach and her parasol, it can be frustrating to fail and have to repeat the process. Additionally, the script is very text-heavy. The writing is hilarious, but there's just so much, and sometimes I just wish the characters would shut their mouths! Still, Super Paper Mario is a superb platforming-RPG, and I hope to see more games with its unique dimension-swapping concept.

Ups
Unique dimension-swapping concept
Creative and humorous
Variety of playable characters
Platforming focus
Pixls

Downs
Very text-heavy script
Difficult stretches

ESRB: E Content: Comic Mischief and Mild Cartoon Violence Price: $19.99 (Retail)

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