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Super Mario Odyssey Made Me Love Gaming Again

Travis gives this an astounding "Must Play" on the Ghost Scale

This achieves something special, and it would be a shame to miss it.

Travis gives this a "Must Play" on the Ghost Scale

This achieves something special, and it would be a shame to miss it.

This game is bonkers. In the best way possible. It's trying to edge out Super Mario World to be my favorite Mario game ever, and it's easily the best game I've played in years. It reignited my love for gaming. When I think of labels for myself, "gamer" is definitely one of them, but for the past year or so I haven't been prioritizing gaming like I once did. It wasn't because of a lack of time, but a lack of motivation. I'd get excited about a game and give it a few hours, and then just kinda drift. They were all super fun games, I just ... drifted. All that changed as soon as I finally got my hands on this game.

The premise is pretty simple. Princess Peach has been... Read All This game is bonkers. In the best way possible. It's trying to edge out Super Mario World to be my favorite Mario game ever, and it's easily the best game I've played in years. It reignited my love for gaming. When I think of labels for myself, "gamer" is definitely one of them, but for the past year or so I haven't been prioritizing gaming like I once did. It wasn't because of a lack of time, but a lack of motivation. I'd get excited about a game and give it a few hours, and then just kinda drift. They were all super fun games, I just ... drifted. All that changed as soon as I finally got my hands on this game.

The premise is pretty simple. Princess Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser (go figure, right?) and you have to save her. The game takes place in a world with many varied kingdoms, but you start off in the Hat Kingdom, a kingdom populated by sentient hats. Makes sense. There you meet your trusty companion for this game, Cappy, who can be thrown onto many enemies, NPCs, and some objects to take control of them, with their abilities. Everything from manhole covers to dinosaurs. This leads to some of the most inventive and unique gameplay I've ever seen.

To put some misconceptions aside, this isn't Mario in a modern, real-life setting except for one kingdom. Much of the pre-release coverage was from the Metro Kingdom, and with good reason. It's probably the best part of the game for me. But it appeared to many (myself included) that the game may take place in a more real-world setting, or at least have a real-world overworld with the ability to travel to others. That's not the case. It's just one of many unique areas you can visit. It's actually the home of Pauline, the damsel in distress from the early arcade Donkey Kong games, and she's come a long way since her being-captured-by-a-giant-ape roots. She's now the mayor! The story there culminates in one of the game's best set pieces with an homage to DK and Super Mario Bros.

Speaking of which, another game mechanic is 8-bit sections that fit in seamlessly with the 3D world. Hop into a pipe and you might be in an 8-bit Mario stage that plays out on a cliffside, allowing you to scale to higher places. I love seeing how Nintendo continues to reference their history while keeping things fresh.

Overall, the graphics are exactly what you'd expect from a Mario game, just with some more shininess and polish, but the music is the real MVP here. The soundtrack is full of songs that will get stuck in your head, especially Jump Up Superstar from the aforementioned Metro Kingdom. But look closer and you'll notice that little NPC animations are in time with the music. Listen as you dive underwater and you'll hear the song seamlessly transition to a version of the same song without the higher-pitched instruments and a softer EQ. And every song transitions to an 8-bit version when you enter those sections. Incidental sounds change key to match the music currently playing. The level of attention and detail here is astounding and very appreciated.

The mechanics keep a lot of the same platforming actions from previous 3D Mario games, and they still feel the same as ever. But some new hat-assisted techniques spice things up. You can take the long way around, or do some crazy hat parkour to take a shortcut. And each creature you take over with the hat gives new abilities that elevate the gameplay. Stack some goombas, throw some hammers with a hammer bro, jump into lava with a fireball, curve around corners with a caterpillar. Like I said in the first sentence of this review: bonkers. In the best way possible.

And if you're a couch co-op aficionado, this game improves on that from the Galaxy titles. I'd say about 95% of my playthrough, my wife was playing Cappy. If you remember Galaxy's co-op, player two controlled the star you kept in your hat and could influence the world a bit while also collecting star bits. Cappy has far more to do in this game, and it adds to the fun factor significantly. Cappy can take care of some enemies or hold others, and can allow player one to focus on other things.

One criticism the game has received is that it's too easy. It may be true that it's easy to get to the end credits, but as with all recent entries in the series, things really get going after you beat the game, and that's where the true challenge lies. There are a total of 836 moon instances in the game. Some of those, especially from boss fights, give you multi-moons, which drives that total up to 880. You can also buy moons for a boost, so you can rack up to a grand total of 999 moons with that. You only need 120 to beat the game, and yeah that's pretty easy to do. A secret area unlocks at 250 moons with some of the hardest platforming challenges I've ever experienced. Another unlocks at 500 that's basically a marathon of tricky but not punishing sections-- the trick here is that there are no checkpoints, so one mistake sends you back to the beginning. THEN after that there's a secret version of the final boss battle that's much harder. So yeah, if you're just playing for the credits, it may not be that challenging, but the challenge is there if you want it.

But it's not all rosy and peachy. A few minigames throughout the game are just not fun at all, and require kinda ludicrous scores to get a moon. Some moons out of those 836 are just uninspired. But the few bad things are a drop in the bucket, all told. The game is truly magical.

This is the game I needed to revitalize my gaming interest. After finishing it, I notice myself wanting to play other games in my backlog and games I have started but walked away from. It's pure, unbridled fun. All told, I racked up every single moon, every purple coin, every costume, and every collectible in around 75 hours. I wish I had 25 more. Or 50. I'm currently playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and that game is winning Game of the Year awards like crazy, and seems to be on track to winning ours as well. If something can unseat Super Mario Odyssey for the best game of 2017 then I'm very interested.

I normally hesitate to give scores for games, but this one needs no hesitation. Super Mario Odyssey is a perfect 10/10, easily. There are issues and annoyances, but those are very easy to look past when a game is this fun. It's an absolute must play.

Got A New Nintendo Switch? Metal Jesus Reviews Switch Accessories

If you recently got a new Nintendo Switch for the holidays you might want to pick up a few accessories for it. One of my favorite gaming YouTubers Metal Jesus recently created a video showcasing the gear he has for his Switch where he outlines the good and the bad. Apparently the picking up an official Switch dock costs $99? That's a lot but it seems like that was the best option he found.

If you are a Switch owner what are some of the things you picked up for it?

Happy Presents Day – What Loot Did You Get From The Presents Elf?

Wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Presents Day! I hope the mythical Presents Day Elf brought you everyone you wanted and more and that you can bathe yourself in cookies and egg nog. Since it’s Presents Day some of us might have some fresh new video games we are all playing and other cool stuff so if you are interested in sharing what you got drop it in the comments!

Travis Admin wrote on 12/25/2017 at 04:57am

Wishing every one happy times with family and friends!

Travis Admin wrote on 12/25/2017 at 05:03am

Also just a comment on that video--- that kid went to give his parents money for that, that's awesome, what a sweet kid. But his brother, I worry about him. Had no interest in playing the NES and just kept pretending to shoot himself in the face with the light gun. We need a "where are they now" follow up.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 12/25/2017 at 05:07pm

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!

It's not gaming related, but I'm now the proud owner of about $6 in both Bitcoin and Litecoin lol

Travis Admin wrote on 12/25/2017 at 11:03pm

That $6 will either be worth $50 or a few pennies in a few days depending on who you listen to.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 12/26/2017 at 01:56am

Exactly lol

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 12/26/2017 at 05:14am

I got a SNES Classic but I knew I’d be getting that as I got it for myself

With that I also got Metroid Samus Returns special edition on 3DS and some music and movies.

Travis Admin wrote on 12/26/2017 at 06:29am

So far-- a Logitech MX Ergo trackball. It's been a while since I've done trackball over mouse, so this is taking some getting used to but it's great. Not for gaming, just for general computing. My wife and I were both drooling over it, and we both got the brilliant idea to buy it for each other.

vdogmr25 wrote on 12/26/2017 at 04:00pm

I was given XCom 2, Necrodancer, and Prey. Then I got the gift of throttling to 256KBs from my ISP. Only a few more days until I can play them.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 12/26/2017 at 05:58pm

I got Super Mario Odyssey, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Monopoly for the Switch and the book “Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made”.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 12/26/2017 at 09:20pm

I got a $20 Gamestop gift card, so I used it to buy a $20 Steam card. :)

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 12/26/2017 at 11:35pm

Smart man!

Travis Admin wrote on 12/27/2017 at 06:20am

I used to do that with gamestop gift cards too, until I joined this console generation. I've enjoyed the brick-and-mortar experience of buying games again.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 12/27/2017 at 04:41pm

> I used to do that with gamestop gift cards too, until I joined this console generation. I've enjoyed the brick-and-mortar experience of buying games again.

After getting my 3DS and with collecting retro games I enjoy have the actual game too. Digital is really nice but having a box and a cart, even if super small is really nice.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 12/27/2017 at 04:58pm

Travis, I want to think that was an "I used to be an adventurer like you..." joke? If so, I loved it. If not, I want to live in my ignorant bliss!

Travis Admin wrote on 12/28/2017 at 02:38am

In that case I will not disenchant you ;)

Travis Admin wrote on 12/28/2017 at 02:39am

To add onto the thread: Breath of the Wild and a Google Home round out the awesome stuff this year!

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 12/29/2017 at 12:11am

Ok, thanks to Amazon gift cards, I was able to finally buy the Razer Chroma keyboard I've been wanting. The keys light up and when Terraria updates, the key lights will reflect the biome I'm in. I'm excited! Also thanks to Steam gift card and a little extra money I bought South Park: The Stick of Truth and Fable Anniversary Edition (along w/ all DLC for both games).

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ARK: Survival Evolved Aberration DLC Review

Azurephile gives this a solid "Rad" on the Ghost Scale

This is fun, with very few issues, and is well worth your time.

Azurephile gives this a "Rad" on the Ghost Scale

This is fun, with very few issues, and is well worth your time.

Review

Recommended

New creatures, biomes, mechanics, and dangers

Aberration is the second DLC for Ark: Survival Evolved. When it comes to the game, each map is an Ark, basically a planet. When it comes to Aberration, you’re on an Ark that’s been corrupted. A lot of the new map is actually underground. Apparently the surface is an extremely hazardous place to be, although I haven’t been there yet.

There are some cool new creatures. One of the main things about Aberration is that there are no flying creatures. However, there is a creature called a Rock Drake that can climb, turn invisible, and glide. Although you can find Rock Drakes in some biomes, you’ll find their... Read All Review

Recommended

New creatures, biomes, mechanics, and dangers

Aberration is the second DLC for Ark: Survival Evolved. When it comes to the game, each map is an Ark, basically a planet. When it comes to Aberration, you’re on an Ark that’s been corrupted. A lot of the new map is actually underground. Apparently the surface is an extremely hazardous place to be, although I haven’t been there yet.

There are some cool new creatures. One of the main things about Aberration is that there are no flying creatures. However, there is a creature called a Rock Drake that can climb, turn invisible, and glide. Although you can find Rock Drakes in some biomes, you’ll find their nests in their own trench, which is also an environmental hazard. Their taming method is similar to the Wyverns in Scorched Earth. In order to tame one, you have to find a nest with an egg in it, steal it, and hatch it.

Another interesting new creature is called a Karkinos, which looks like a giant spider crab. It has two pairs of pincers. You can attack with one set, either using the left claw, right claw, or both. You can also grab some creatures. This is good for transporting creatures around, but you can also throw creatures quite a distance. Karkinos are really good for getting around because they can jump really high and far.

Some creatures from the Island (default game map) are included in Aberration. However, unlike their default counterparts, they have patches of bio-luminescence, which makes them easier to see in the dark. Not all of them are on Aberration though, which makes kibble taming a bit more difficult.

There seems to be a few main biomes. One is like a forest, but many of the trees are actually large mushrooms, which provide fungal wood. This seems like the safest place, however there are still dangers. There are mushrooms in the game and if you accidentally step near one, your character will hallucinate and start drowning. It’s pretty, but it’s also deadly. That’s just the effects of one of the poisonous mushrooms.

There’s another biome that I love, it’s pretty much entirely blue. Unfortunately, this area is more dangerous because of the creatures that spawn in it. However, it contains a lot of metal nodes, which are almost always in dangerous areas. There’s also a purple biome that you can’t survive in without the Hazmat suit, a new armor set in the game. Unfortunately, creatures take damage there, too, although I believe some are immune. Then there’s the surface. Apparently it has lots of metal and oil, but is also an environmental hazard. There are also some really bad things that spawn there.

Getting around the map without a flying creature is definitely something to get used to. Since this map doesn’t have flying creatures, new mechanics have been introduced such as climbing hooks and zip lines. Climbing hooks enable players to climb, but it does decrease your stamina. If you stop, your stamina will recharge. They also have durability, so you’ll need to keep an eye on that so they don’t break while you’re trying to climb. To make a zip line, you shoot an anchor onto two different places with your crossbow. The line is then created, allowing you to have a ride down. If you want to go up one then you’ll need to equip a zip line motor attachment to your pants. There is also a gliding attachment for your chest piece. It’s fun to glide around and makes it easier to get around, although it will drain your stamina.

Aberration is tough to start out as a new character. Players have to get used to new mechanics and new dangers. A new map means you need to explore in order to find the resources you need to survive. It can be tough, but it’s also fun. Aberration looks beautiful, Studio Wildcard was really proud of this DLC and I can see why.

Now Studio Wildcard is working on a creature TLC pass in which some of the original creatures in the game are getting redesigned. The new previews look great. Other than that, we can definitely expect to see one more DLC for Ark. With the release of the game, they started selling a season pass, which is supposed to cover three DLC. I have no idea what Studio Wildcard will come up for the next DLC, but I’m sure it’s going to be pretty awesome.

Check out the TLC pass preview: https://survivetheark.com/index.php?/articles.html/community-crunch-112-and-dino-tlc-preview-r635/

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/24/2017 at 11:26pm

So would you say Ark is your favorite game of all time at this point? It’s the one you’ve played the most of right? Not that playing a game the most means it’s your favorite but yeah, when I think of Ark I think of “that cool Dinosaur game Greg plays.”

Seems like it’s so popular they might just keep making DLC forever. Or maybe add a ton of cosmetics and go free to play at some point to get more players.

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 12/25/2017 at 02:02am

I wouldn't say the one favorite of all time, but it's pretty high. Steam says I've played 2,505 hours of it. It's kind of hard to believe and I still love it. It's a bit like Minecraft in that you can craft and build bases. But, you also get to tame dinosaurs and explore an interesting map. I love that it's a bit of a PVP based game, but still allows me to do PVE on my own. Oh and of course I love how gorgeous the high quality graphics are and glad that I have a GPU that can handle it.

I'd love for them to keep making more DLC. I'm not sure what they'll do after they release the third, because it's supposed to be the last. It's supposed to tie up the lore of the game. It seems it will be the final confrontation with the one true end boss. Other than that I have no idea what they might do for the third. But yeah, I'd love to see more Ark DLC.

Thanks for the comment! I'm glad to be the one that you think of when it comes to Ark. I've been in love with this game for the last few years, ever since we last played Terraria together.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 12/27/2017 at 05:29pm

I would say anytime I see Ark, I think of Greg as well lol. It's definitely "Greg's game" in my mind :)

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 12/28/2017 at 12:50am

:) Ark has been life for me for the last few years. I've even watched a lot of YouTubers play it. I subscribed to some people because of it and I found new favorites of mine.

Maybe I've spent so much time w/ it because there's so much to do and a lot of things take time to do. I could run around an area for days looking for a high level wild creature to tame. Luckily the game's settings are extremely customizable and I'm able to do things much quicker than if I were playing on an official server (which I've done).

Anyway, thanks guys!

Travis Admin wrote on 12/28/2017 at 06:08am

2505‽

Holy wow

Azurephile Super Member Post Author wrote on 12/28/2017 at 07:25pm

2520 now and I promise you that number will grow even more! I wonder how many hours I'll have in after I'm done with the next DLC coming out.

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Head Back To Fallout Shelter For The Holidays!

Fallout Shelter has had specially themed holiday quests for sometime but this week I decided to get in on the special season update during this Christmas. It seems the game adds a couple quests to sate your dystopian wasteland cheer in "The Spirit of Taking" and "Santa's Helpers." Besides these new quests there is also a decorated tree outside your vault with twinkle lights that help set a more cheery mood. The quests are set just like the others but the quest dialog boxes are set in green and the dialog is set to a very Fallout Christmas vibe. For instance with Santa's Helpers at one point my people went into a raider area claiming to be Santa's Helpers where I could... Read All

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 12/24/2017 at 06:19am

I found someone wearing the same clothes as your guy, but he has a different name. I invited him to my vault (dialog option). I did a few quests, but am out of Quantum, so I have to wait for my team to make it to the next quest.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 12/24/2017 at 05:07pm

Nice to hear! I haven’t spent any Quantum and I’m currently sitting on 99 bottles.

I’ve also been hoarding lunchboxes and have 12.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 12/24/2017 at 09:10pm

Damn, why are you hoarding?

Man, Fallout Shelter makes me want to play Fallout 4 again. LOL

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 12/24/2017 at 11:23pm

Hoarding because there isn’t a reason I can see to open them. It’s just a random chance to get something in the game you could get otherwise so I don’t open them as late in as I am because I can craft mostly whatever I want or train someone to all 10’s.

It makes me want to play Fallout 4 too and since I haven’t actually beat it yet.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 12/25/2017 at 02:07am

Ah. I haven't really hoarded, I use all the lunchboxes, pet carriers, and such that I can. I use Quantum for quests. But yeah, the things you get are random. However, since there's a holiday event going on, you can now get those, too. That's actually how I acquired my Santa suit.

Maybe it's not so much that I want to play it (Fallout 4) again, but more so that since Fallout Shelter uses Fallout 4 music, it reminds me of that time when Fallout 4 came out. I remember the Thanksgiving at home I really enjoyed and playing Ark, too. It was quite a rough start for me though. I'm still blown away by the fact that it's outsold Skyrim. I thought Skyrim was much more popular.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 12/25/2017 at 04:47am

Skyrim might be more beloved than Fallout 4. Fallout 4 received more criticism than I think it was due because it simplified some of the dialog and RPG options. Since it wasn’t a clone of New Vegas some people were upset.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 12/25/2017 at 04:07pm

Hey Greg you’ll want to log into FS today as a special holiday bonus you get a couple pet carriers, lunchboxes and nuka bottles for free.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 12/26/2017 at 04:44am

Sweet thanks for the head's up!

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 12/26/2017 at 04:51am

Uh, wait, I didn't get that. How are you playing the game? I'm playing it on Steam.

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 12/26/2017 at 05:12am

Playing it on my iPhone. I wonder if it’s a mobile only bonus?

jdodson Admin Post Author wrote on 12/26/2017 at 05:13am

I had to play for about 10 minutes before I got it. Maybe less.

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What If Donkey Kong Country 2 Was In HD?

What if scenarios are interesting and more so with a proof of concept. We've had modern Donkey Kong Country releases in HD such as Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze on Wii U and Donkey Kong Returns on the Wii. YouTuber BlobVanDam created the video Bramble Blast that is a recreation of Donkey Kong Country 2 in full blown HD. Personally i'd buy a modern revisioning of the original SNES Donkey Kong Trilogy in HD which would have to be essentially a whole new set of games in the same upgrade style as Super Mario All Stars. I bet Switch owners wouldn't mind either.

Thoughts On The Mega Man Legacy Collection 3DS

jdodson gives this a solid "Rad" on the Ghost Scale

This is fun, with very few issues, and is well worth your time.

jdodson gives this a "Rad" on the Ghost Scale

This is fun, with very few issues, and is well worth your time.

After I picked up the NES Classic this year I played a lot of Mega Man 2. It’s the one i’ve played the most of as a kid too but never could actually beat it. After putting in the time to complete Mega Man 2 on the NES Classic I continued playing it to keep improving boss battle by boss battle. I still have yet to focus on the entire run but instead make sure certain parts are ironed out instead. For instance, right now, i’m focusing on completing the boss stages in a nearly perfect manner. Later on i’ll focus more on the Wiley stages and then glue them together.
The reason why I like focusing on the game this way is that hopefully micro focusing on aspects of the game... Read All After I picked up the NES Classic this year I played a lot of Mega Man 2. It’s the one i’ve played the most of as a kid too but never could actually beat it. After putting in the time to complete Mega Man 2 on the NES Classic I continued playing it to keep improving boss battle by boss battle. I still have yet to focus on the entire run but instead make sure certain parts are ironed out instead. For instance, right now, i’m focusing on completing the boss stages in a nearly perfect manner. Later on i’ll focus more on the Wiley stages and then glue them together.
The reason why I like focusing on the game this way is that hopefully micro focusing on aspects of the game can come together to allow me to complete the game without dying once. At least, that’s my goal and so far I’m a ways from that but it’s fun to keep playing the game and get better each time I play it.

In 2015 Capcom released the Mega Man Legacy Collection that includes Mega Man through Mega Man 6 making it a must have for Mega Man fans or people that want to get into the franchise. After playing a ton of Mega Man 2 I decided to get the Legacy Collection but I didn’t want to get it on Steam. In the end I decided to get it on 3DS and had to get it used as it seems that Capcom is no longer stocking fresh copies in stores or online, at least not at the time I wanted to buy it. The used copy arrived in great condition and included two mega man stickers and two codes to 3DS Mega Man skins that surprisingly enough, were not redeemed. Mega Man Legacy Collection includes all 6 original Mega Man games that you can play in “Mega Man” or “Rockman” mode. I’m not entirely sure what the di erence is here but it seems you can play the original US Mega Man or the other Japanese or EU version.

If you are interested in looking over the game concept art, manuals and box art that Capcom created for each regions Mega Man release Legacy Collection includes a Museum and Database mode that makes accessing all of that really easy. You can even zoom in to inspect the ne detail on the box art which is a feature I enjoyed more than I thought I would. Like a lot of remastered versions Legacy Collection also includes all of the music in a music player you can listen to as much as you want. Want to DJ a retro party? Hook up your 3DS to the sound system and mix it up over all 6 games. Or not... I really have no idea if people have retro game parties but it’s a thing you could do if you want.

Mega Man Legacy Collection is a nearly perfect release if not for one minor gripe I have. In the US the NES was presented in a 4x3 aspect ratio on all our CRT TV's. Nintendo games were sprite based and each pixel was a perfect square yet the Nintendo slightly stretched the image to use the full width of the TV. It’s one of those lovable aspects of the analog days and not a choice I actually fault Nintendo for as the image t the screen and never looked bad as a result. That said in the Mega Man Legacy Collection the default mode is pixel perfect meaning the 4x3 aspect ration is not preserved. The NES Classic and SNES Classic default to 4x3 mode but also provide a pixel perfect mode for people that want to play the games in that way. That said, not having the choice to play it in 4x3 is a bit of a bummer. Again, it’s not a huge deal but the game doesn’t look quite right to me but once I tuck in to a play session it’s not something I think about much.

I plan on continuing with the Mega Man series as i’ve really only played Mega Man 2 and 3. The original is included but i’ve heard it’s not quite as good as Mega Man 2 yet I plan on playing it and talking about it. I usually play through games at a snails pace so expect to hear from me in regard to the remaining Legacy Collection games over the entirety of 2018.

Cheerful Ghost Radio Episode 12 - Star Wars: The Last Jedi Holiday Special

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is out and as per Cheerful Ghost tradition we dedicate an entire episode to it. We talk about what worked and what didn’t and take a long look at the fan criticism of this movie.

Currently The Last Jedi holds a 93% Critic rating and a 56% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans have many conflicting opinions and are having fierce debates over the film’s merit, so we have lots to talk about. Get ready because this conversation contains some intense debate and nothing is off the table for discussion.

WARNING: This episode is full of spoilers, and as such you should also expect the comments on this post to contain them as well.

Do not expand the... Read All

Cheerful Ghost Game of the Year Nominations

It's the most wonderful time of the year! We got a new Star Wars movie (stay tuned for more from us about that) AND Cheerful Ghost Game of the Year award season is starting! And as always, we need your help to make it awesome.

This is the nomination thread, so drop your nominations in the comments. We will keep nominations open through Christmas. The categories are the same as last year:

Best AAA Game: This category is for the Call of Duties and the Fallouts, the big games with big publisher backing.

Best Indie Game: The games that go their own way, sometimes self-published.

Best DLC/Expansion/Update: Any addition to a game that had a very positive effect, from... Read All

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 12/19/2017 at 02:44pm

My nominations:

Best AAA Game:

Super Mario Odyssey: Perhaps my game of the decade, this game is just a masterpiece from beginning to end. It brings together Mario's history and new, wild mechanics to create something simultaneously nostalgic and fresh.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus: Expanding on the previous games with better and weightier plot, new mechanics, and a fresh coat of paint.

Horizon Zero Dawn: I'm ashamed to admit I haven't finished this because other games kept distracting me, but what I played was a beautiful and very unique game blending adventure, RPG, and stealth mechanics into a perfect stew.

Best Indie Game:

Cuphead: Beautiful art and insane difficulty combine for a very memorable game. Like Super Meat Boy, you can always see what you were supposed to do, so you never feel like the game is punishing you. There are no "THE GAME CHEATS!" moments.

Superflight: A small game developed by grad students as part of their curriculum, but the polish would suggest otherwise. Beautiful flight mechanics, crazy tricks, and a chill and relaxing experience. This one is a great game for decompressing at the end of the day.

Best DLC/Expansion/Update:

Diablo III's Necromancer pack: There's not much here aside from a new class to play, but wow, that class is fun. I felt that it perfectly achieved the game's goals of making you feel like a magical badass while also keeping the sense of a threat from the enemies.

No Man's Sky's Atlas Rises update: This is the biggest update yet, and wow, does it ever shine. One of the games biggest complaints was that it was as wide as the ocean and deep as a puddle. This update added significant depth, weight to your actions, new activities, new ship types, and even the first hints of multiplayer.

Best Mobile Game:

HQ Trivia: This is less of a video game than you'd expect on this list. It's a live game show, and you are a contestant, along with half a million others. Twelve questions and you're out after your first wrong answer. Whoever survives after round 12 splits the pot o' cash. My wife and I have had a ton of fun with this one.

AdamPFarnsworth wrote on 12/19/2017 at 06:44pm

Best AAA Game: Zelda Breath Of The Wild (that came out this year, right?)

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 12/19/2017 at 06:47pm

It did, yup!

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 12/19/2017 at 07:15pm

+1 for Zelda BotW for Best AAA Game.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 12/19/2017 at 07:58pm

+1 BotW AAA
I agree with Travis's DLC picks, too.

I'd like to put Ark for Indie game, because it just released. I'd also like to nominate the new DLC, Aberration.

Azurephile Super Member wrote on 12/19/2017 at 08:35pm

Oh and I think Civ6 goes in there somewhere, too.

vdogmr25 wrote on 12/21/2017 at 08:59pm

Best AAA Game: Resident Evil 7. It's been a long time since Resident Evil actually scared me. Good times.

Best Indie Game: Pyre. Supergiant was once again able to make a game where all aspects of the game come together and support each other in the wonderful story of redemption, political intrigue, and fantasy sportsball. As with other indie darlings of this year, the art, music, and gameplay are spot on.

Best DLC/Expansion/Update: StarCraft 2 going free to play. SC2 has had a good boost in players with the addition before co-op mode, and between that and going free to play, I've been able to pull more friends into the game who were hesitant to pay for a game as daunting as StarCraft.

Best Mobile Game: Jackbox Party Pack 4. A stretch of the term "mobile," but this game is available for everything (even roku and apple tv), and each person plays using a mobile device. I take it with me to nearly every social gathering as there's a game for everyone in this, and is incredibly accessible. (Monster Seeking Monster is the best one)

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/21/2017 at 11:29pm

Triple A: Metroid: Samus Returns & StarFox II(i'm open to recategorizing this but where else would it go? ).

Indie Games: Thimbleweed Park & The End is Nigh.

Best DLC/Expansion/Update: Full Throttle Remastered, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, StarCraft Remastered & Hearthstone: Kobolds and Catacombs.

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/21/2017 at 11:34pm

Actually drop Samus Returns from Triple A.

Best Mobile: Metroid: Samus Return & Stranger Things(I still need to write up my thoughts about this). I might have more games later too.

Travis Admin Post Author wrote on 12/22/2017 at 04:02am

Wait there's a Stranger Things game?

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 12/22/2017 at 05:23am

What Travis said^^^

jdodson Admin wrote on 12/22/2017 at 07:48pm

Yep.

Will_Ball Game Mod Super Member wrote on 12/22/2017 at 08:50pm

Ok, I downloaded the ST game.

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DF Retro Looks Back At Donkey Kong Country

As the holiday seasons is upon us we all get closer to the reality that some of us may open a SNES Classic on Presents Day! If you want a SNES Classic and need the mythical Gift Elf to bring you one for Presents Day I recently watched a recent DF Retro video that you need to watch. DF Retro takes a pretty long look back at Donkey Kong Country and interviews quite a few developers that worked for Rare during the games development. Watching this video helped me shovel more coal into the SNES Classic Presents Day hype train and I hope you like it too!