Guess who is the Ultimate Dragon Warrior?

The following is unexplainable. No, really. I can’t explain it.

I popped Kung Fu Panda back into my Xbox 360 last night and played for a little bit. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY.

Okay, okay. I have a suspicion why, and it has to do with Achievements. Curiously, the last time I played was on 5/11/2009, and while perusing my list of Achievements I noticed that there were some that sounded like they were pretty easy and I wondered why I hadn’t unlocked them before. I mean, the majority left are completing levels on 100% on the Dragon Warrior difficulty, which is not a true challenge. Just a time waster, which is probably why I didn’t go after them initially. Anyways, after thirty minutes or so, I popped the following cherries:

Level 11 100% Completion! (20G): Completed level “The Palace” 100%.

Ultimate Dragon Warrior (30G): All Upgrades have been purchased.

Easy peasy. Might go for a few more just because most of the other console games I’m playing currently really require a lot free headspace, of which I’m running low on.

Also, some things never change: the camera is still horrible and the faux Jack Black voice confuses me every time.

I might be on a podcast, yo

So, last night, I spent about twenty to thirty minutes chatting with Paul Eastwood from The First Hour for the next episode of their podcast. It was my first ever involvement with a podcast, as well as a lot of fun. We chatted about videogames in general, and more specifically about Pokemon HeartGold and my take on it as a Pocket Monster n00b. I hope I didn’t sound too silly, and I managed to actually go the entire time without trying to say some of the crazy Pokemon names. Honestly, I have no idea how to safely pronounce Quilava or Buizel or Girafarig. There were a couple of topics that I thought about discussing only after the fact–such as how I’ve grown attached to the first few ‘mons I’ve caught and have no idea who is good to use and who is a waste of time–but that’s okay.

Hopefully our chat makes the cut! I think the episode is planning to go live…next week. Not sure on that, but stay tuned to find out.

Really silly, alternative title for this post that I still might use down the line: Gotta podcatch ’em all!

Scott Pilgrim VS. The World teaser trailer mmm

The teaser trailer for Scott Pilgrim VS. the World debuted today…and it is seriously awesome! I’m a huge fan of the comic books, of which the final volume comes out ten days after my birthday this year, and this is the movie I’m most looking forward to in 2010 (and all the way through 2078). Seriously, it’s tagline reads “an epic of epic epicness” and that is exactly what it will be. Epicky.

As one can see from the image above, the comics are bloated with videogame references. There’s jabs at RPG tropes and Zelda fairy companions and air combo juggles, among others. And the movie looks to keep many of those details in check, especially after hearing a Street Fighter-esque KO after Scott punches one of Ramona’s evil exes. So looking forward to this. There’s also a planned videogame tie-in though all development on that has been pretty quiet. Either way, I’m definitely getting it to help support the series.

Yay, Scott Pilgrim!

Spring draws near for my Xbox Live Avatar

Well, the weather is changing in New Jersey from cold to not-so-cold, and that means it is time for another update to Avatar Evolution. I switched out for some new digs, specifically a button-down shirt I’d sooo wear in real life, some khaki shorts, and moccasins. Also got a free grill prop. Turkey burger, anyone?

And that, dear readers, has been today’s exciting post about…digitial clothing.

Size matters, but not to me

For Fallout 3, there’s a varied choice of weaponry: you can go unarmed, you can wield melee weapons like the über awesome Deathclaw Glove, you can toss and set explosives, you can use an array of small guns,you can zap enemies into piles of ash and green goo thanks to energy weapons like the Plasma Rifle, and you can totally demolish just about anything with big guns. Seriously, a Raider is not going to get up after you set a mini nuke off on his/her head.

But get ready for a humdinger.

Of those weapon types just listed and after a collective total of 120 hours spent scouring the Wasteland, I’ve never used a big gun. Not even once. Both my good karma and evil karma characters have instantly attached themselves to smaller weaponry, Chinese Assault Rifle and energy weapons, respectively, and any time I come across a big gun in the wild or off a bullet-infested Super Mutant, I either leave it where it is or sell it as soon as possible. Even missiles, which do not take up inventory space, get sold because I know that, no matter the what and when of the situation, I will never launch them.

I wonder what Sigmund Freud would have to say about this pic.

For one to roleplay Fallout 3 using only big guns…well, that’s a bit challenge at the start. They are hard to come by, weigh a lot, and are often usually in bad condition upon first looting. There’s only a couple of perks to help you on your way to mastering them as well. When you leave Vault 101, you will most likely have a pistol, a police baton, and your jumpsuit. From there, finding or purchasing a good one will take time and a lot of effort. But ammo is scarce, they are not the best weapons in close quarters or when being sneaky is vital, and they even have a greater chance of injuring the Lone Wanderer.

One might assume that some of the tougher enemies like Deathclaws and Super Mutant Behemoths can only be killed via big guns. Those folks are wrong. I’ve dropped a ‘Claw or two thanks to a well-placed bottlecap mine and some undetected shots to the head with Lincoln’s Repeater.

I appreciate that big guns are there in the world and love taking down those that wield gatling guns and such, but I don’t ever really expect to use them. They don’t fit my playing style, now or ever really. After all, Paul means small. And yes, I know I just set myself up there. Go on, try me.

Super Effective…is super effective!

That was an easy blog post title if I ever came across one.

As you dear blog readers are aware, I’m just now getting into Pokémon thanks to HeartGold. And you know what that means? Super Effective, the side comic from VG Cats‘ Scott, finally makes much more sense to me. It’s a funny stab at the game’s world and characters. Check out the first comic below, and then head on over to hit up the archives:

Hopefully it’ll be updated again soon (and more regularly).

REVIEW: SimCity DS

Right. I recently gave SimCity DS a second chance and reviewed the first 30 minutes of it for The First Hour. Alas, it’s still not a good game, nor will it ever be. Clunky menus, unforgiving controls, and globby goo graphics hamper the entire experience. I have no plans of ever going back…

You can read my full review of SimCity DS by clicking on this very sentence! Click, click, click!

First stroll with the Pokewalker is a success

I’ve been wanting to try out the Pokewalker since I got HeartGold, but it rained all day yesterday. So I figured I’d bring it to work in my pocket, fully knowing that since I work in an office and sit at a desk for 90% of the day there would be few steps taken. I loaded in my LV. 2 Spinarak nicknamed Aragog since he’s my lowest level critter at the moment and not very strong. See:

Don’t frown, buddy! Anyways, after eight hours I’d taken a total of 2,837 steps, a number that surprised me. Guess it’s all the back-and-forth to the copier. What’s neat is that stuff is happening when you’re not even paying attention, which is nice. While walking, your Pokemon accumulates Watts. You then use these Watts to play two mini-games and open up new paths to stroll down. The one mini-game has you searching bushes for wild Pokemon, and I ended up catching a Duduo. You can also play a dowsing/guessing game for hidden items. When all is said and done, I zipped Aragog back into my DS, and all the items and Pokemon I’d caught came with him. Then he went up a level. Easy peasy.

The device definitely works, and it’s something I look forward to exploring more. If I can get a level a day for my Pokemon while at work, that’s not too shabby. Playing the game without playing it, y’know. I’ll take it.

Also, sidenote, I know nothing about Pokemon and who is good to use and who is a waste to level up. Any tips are greatly welcomed.

Nintendo announces the Nintendo 3DS, and I am mad

No, no, no nonnononono NO!

That is my gut reaction to the news that Nintendo has announced the successor to its Nintendo DS system, and that it will be all about 3D gaming. I’m sure we all remember how well the Virtual Boy fared. Regardless, I’m more put off that there seems to be a…market for 3D gaming. I just can’t get its appeal. The portable platform will somehow offer 3D gaming without the need for 3D glasses, a first I think. However, I am and will always be more interested in games than gimmicks.

P.S. I blame Avatard for all of this.

PURCHASE OF THE MONTH: Pokémon HeartGold Version

Okay, this is going to need some explanation.

Ever since enjoying the badunkadunk out of Monster Rancher, I’ve always had a soft spot for creature-raising gameplay. It’s addictive, and there’s a sense of fatherly pride upon seeing one’s little critter grow stronger and more powerful. That said, Pokémon has never appealed to me. I will freely admit that I watched the cartoon show now and again back in the day, mostly as background noise, and therefor know some of the basics of the world, but otherwise…I stayed away.

But then I started noticing a lot of gamers falling in love with Pokémon. Some were my age, some were older. Was I missing out on something great just because I scoffed at it as nothing more than a child’s plaything? I’m actually a very open-minded man hobbit, but I wanted a better consensus on the state of things. I asked via Twitter if there were any Pokémon-fashioned games out there for the Nintendo DS worth pursuing? I got two answers: Bakugan Battle Brawlers and Dragon Quest Monsters. Of them, DQM seemed to be a better fit for me so I headed to the local GameStop over the weekend…

…to purchase Chrono Trigger!

See, while browsing, my eyes get real big and I suddenly see a bunch of games I want to play and quickly forget why I journeyed outside that day. So, seeing that Chrono Trigger was a cool $20 and knowing the sad fact that I’ve only ever played an emulation of it and even then gave up pretty early because I loathe playing games on the computer, I marched up to the counter, ready to make a deal. And then it happened:

Clerk: Hmm, I’m really sorry, but I can’t find any copies. We don’t have any more in stock right now.
Me: …
Clerk: Did you know that Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver just came out?
Me: …
Clerk: They’re pretty great.
Me: …tell me…more.

And so, yes, the salesman did his sale thing and got me. In actuality, as silly as it sounds, the Pokéwalker, the pedometer that comes with Pokémon HeartGold, was what intrigued me most. I already enjoy going for walks after work, and now these walks can count double for me: 1) being healthy and 2) leveling up my monsters. Can’t knock a game for trying to get its players to be active.

I’m definitely interested to see if this will get me addicted hard and good, or if I will play for a bit and just find it so-so. I already named one of my fire Pokémon…Balrog, and care for him deeply. So, y’know, that’s good.