Legend of Zelda Oracle of Ages and Seasons coming to 3DS

When I heard that Oracles of Ages and Seasons (originally from the Game Boy Color) was coming to the 3DS 3DS eshop I felt it was about time. After all we had Link`s Awakening on the eshop, and a new rerelease of Ocarina of Time on 3DS so why not Oracle. What with a sequel to Link to the Past on its way, as well as the eventual 3dification of Majora`s Mask why not Oracle. Sadly if there is a downside there is no plans to attempt to remake the lost third game of what should have been an Oracle trilogy, and no doubt entirely frivolous and useless things from the original remain intact, much like how the Game Boy Printer content in Link`s Awakening Game Boy Color remains intact despite the fact it is unmistakably useless content on the 3DS version. In this case no doubt it's the Pokemon like trading system that exhausted between the two games, and needs to be entirely revisioned taking into account the 3DS streetpass capacity in order to be even remotely functional.

It's out this month (May) and if you are a Zelda fan you should definitely check it out.

Getting back on track

Sorry for the long delay, but working on getting back on track worldwide.

First step is getting my hands on a used laptop for working on podcasts. Something that is presently a work in progress.

Part of my summer schedule is getting podcasts back on track. That means posting related episodes of 3DS Addict, Antisocial Gamer, Pocket Gamer and Wii Life in relations to RPG and Strategy gaming.

First thing first, getting back on track to posting daily content. Stay tuned.

It's Demo Time with Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (Nintendo 3DS)

Demo Time!
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Intro
Nintendo 3DS
Publisher - Capcom

I never thought we would get to this point. Honestly. This was a long time in coming.

After being promised in a past Tokyo Game Show that we would get Monster Hunter 3DS then Monster Hunter 4, only to see the first get a Japan only release we FINALLY get a 3DS Monster Hunter release!

Its only a year or so late but better late than never.

So we have this brand spanking new demo on the 3DS, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Something about that name clicked and rattled in my brain for a bit, so I went and refreshed my memory as to the history of Monster Hunters. Sure enough I found out that this is the long promised Tri G release we should have had last year! What the heck! Why did it take THIS LONG to get released! Boggles the mind, I tell you.

OK. So lets just jump right in and try this demo out shall we...

The first thing we are going to cover is not so much what the demo has as to what it doesnt have. Mainly this means no village. The village represents the largest single portion of the game, where you manage and upgrade all your character's gear, weapons and armor. You also do your side stuff like farming, fishing, mining and more... maybe the best reason to not show you the village though is to hide the fact that only the Wii U version of this game sports online multiplayer. Yes, online on this game literally is dead before arrival.

So with that said what does the demo hold? Two random levels. The basic level is another snowy mountain level though I have to credit the game for not recycling the mountain level from Freedom Unite (which probably recycled it from Monster Hunter Freedom 2 in turn). It is in the same spirit, but just different enough to feel fresh and new. The second harder level has you fighting a waterborne dragon in a sea level... and yes this is your first exposure to the swimming mechanic first shown in Tri from the Wii. Each level is a 20 minute taste of the game, gtiving you a general idea of how they play out and for the most part the game plays out like past versions. Buttons are even pretty much the same as, say, Freedom Unite and the spirit of the game is basically the same. Forage and kill for resources, some you sell and some you hold onto for improving your gear. Cooking is easy once you get the hang of pulling the meat 2 seconds after the music stops and the meat quickly shifts color. All in all getting a hang on the game shouldn't be so hard, especially since quite a few things can be done just with the A button alone so... what is the downside?

The downside of the demo is that it gives you a taste, but a rather useless taste as you can't start building your character right off the bat with it. So while it will tempt you it wont sell you. Furthermore alot of the issues that drive most RPG gamers away from Minster Hunter are still present and in your face (but I will cover that in a future review from the franchise). The game will appeal to long term addicts of the franchise, but it won't be winning any new converts even in this iteration. Not having online multiplayer will hurt sales even more in my opinion as hardcore gamers will migrate to the Wii U version for it's online capacity, completely ignoring the less than fully developed 3DS version behind.

Hopefully by the time this sees release they actually do get around to creating a n online service for multiplayer, which can be added on via a game patch at launch. Otherwise this will just be picked up by 3DS only owners, and maybe even not that much either in comparison to other games with multiplayer that you could be playing on your 3DS.

So I am kinda looking forward to this... I am just not all that excited over it, even after trying the shallow limited demo. Stay tuned for a full review down the line.

Getting back on track with gaming

So let's see about getting back on track with gaming shall we? What do we have...

We have a new podcast for gaming, Pocket Gamer, which if I remember right is a revival of a past series with new added content (episodic walkthroughs of games). We start off with Episodes 1 (a new guide to the travelling gaming kit in case of emergency evacuations) and Episode 2 (Part 1 of Poke'mon Heartgold Walkthrough on the DS). with more to come.

Working on posting quick shot reviews here too as I work on new stuff. So stay tuned to that.

Coverage will be of...
Nintendo
Game Boy/Game Boy Color/Game Boy Advance
Nintendo DS
Nintendo 3DS

Sony
PSP

Hope to add on new stuff in the future but we'll see.

So that's it. Time to get back to work.

Sorry I've Been Absent (new reviewing jobs)

Sorry I've been absent for awhile. I got new writing positions and I'm cranking out a new blog to cover it.

AroundHawaii.com
It is the first time I ever had work here in Hawaii, as opposed to all my other jobs in the mainland and beyond. So this weekend I'm woeking to get my first month article out this weekend to the Editor.

GameSyndrome.com
I'm still waiting on permissions to start working. I am already preparing my first batch of content to turn in ASAP once I get cleared.

Once I got the Nintendo page up I'll post the link here, then I'll post new review.

Anonymous Notes From the Abyss Chapters 1 to 2

The problem with Nintendo's newest console, the 2012 Wii U, is the balancing act that Nintendo itself doesn't realize is coming. They're out to pursue the core gamers with their long overdue entry into the next gen cycle... but they need to leave a place for the casual gamer... which seems to be assured with first gen games like Pikman 3 and LEGO City Stories (seemingly a tongue in cheek parody of the Grand Theft Auto Stories franchise for the PSP).

But while we wait what is the latest entry into the vast scape that is bridging the gap between the casual gamer and the core gamer? It might be this, Anonymous Notes From The Abyss Chapter 1 to 2... almost, but not quite.

Split into bite sized real time combat RPGs, you play a different person each chapter, discovering the Abyss Hall for whatever reason depending on each character in question.

The dungeon diving is bite sized. X amount of exploring and creatures to fight. You gather gear, potions, gems and spells which carry over to the next chapter. Your ultimate goal is to uncover the boss of the Chapter, beat it, and then wait for the next chapter.

Story? Barely. You interact, barely, with the female guardian of the Abyss Hall who stores your extra gear (the only way to rid yourself of weaker gear as the game doesn't have a store to buy and sell stuff in) and she saves your game. That's it.

Could this game be better? Yes. It could stand a shop so you can sell weak gear you don't need, and the fame could stand to have free downloadable content to give the game a little distance between chapters. Then again this is a $2 a pop download game so I guess it is too much to ask for free dlc... sigh.

So this small bite of rpging is great for casual gamers... but unless your a fan of the From the Abyss series this might not be the greatest for core gamers... well, at least it is one more game to slowly seduce casual gamers into core gamers. Too bad though. While a great many games exist to gradually turn casual gamers to core gamers, only a few games (Professor Layton, Ace Attorney, Pikman, Mario Party and Mario Kart, etc) brings core gamers into the realm of casual gaming... sad. Anyway Anonymous Notes gets a 3 out of 5.

Reviews of the Week - July 11th to 15th

Upcoming reviews of the new week

July 11th - Crystal Defenders (PSP)

July 13th - Dragon Warrior III (Game Boy Color)

July 15th - Kingdom Hearts 358/2 (DS)

For the podcast versions of the reviews listen to PSP DLC Life Episode 3 and Retro Game Boy Life Episode 1 for the first review. Stay tuned to 3DS Life for my upcoming review of KH 358/2'

Legend of Zelda : Link's Awakening DX

The first, and one of the greatest Zelda games ever, Link's Awakening is now available from the Virtual Console of the 3DS Shop, most timely given the fact we are now celebrating the Legend of Zelda's 25th Anniversaet... the first yet hopefully not the last we see in terms of Zelda games from the Virtual Console, but more on that shortly.

Link, which kinda reminds me of the Link from the odd rare non Nintendo released Zelda CD games, is shipwrecked on a seemingly time lost little island seperate from the rest of the world. Saved by a girl named Marin, who looks strangely like Zelda, Link is told by a talking owl that the only way to leave the island is to gather eight magical instruments from eight dungeons, and awaken from it's egg the sleeping Wind Fish.

Thus begins one of the greatest Zelda games ever told. Journeying across a nicd sized island domain in classic top down Zelda gaming style you quest to wake the Wind Fish, gathering gear both traditional and premiering for the first time in this game. You have a myriad of people to meet, monsters to slay, dungeons to dive into, many many gear to play with, fantastical bosses to slay (each getting stronger and stronger with each victory), side quests and your first mini game aka the crane game. Lots and lots to do... yes, the game is only 20 to 30 hours depending on your skills, but considering we've fallen in love with games half to 1/3rd shorter than this, aka God of War, 20-30 hours is a ton of gaming.

New to this Game Boy Color version as opposed to what you had in the original Game Boy version is a ninth dungeon, and a camera man to take advantage of the old Game Boy Color gimmick of the printer... wow, show of hands if you remember the old Game Boy Color Printer!

Otherwise it's all here, it's all cool... and it even sports cameos by Yoshi, Princess Peach and Kirby (as an enemy) so where can you go wrong reliving your Game Boy past picking this game off the 3DS Shop! You can't go wrong, you can't! A lovely 5 master swords out of 5!

Now to say that we're happy with just this classic, however, woild be just wrong. Hopefully within a matter if weeks the eshop releases Legend of Zelda Oracle of Ages/Seasons from the Game Boy Color era. An oft overlooked rare gem of a Zelda game great for any collection... once Nintendo puts it out on the Virtual Console... but I guess this is a "To Be Continued" topic isn't it... so stay tuned.

Next Review : Crystal Defenders from the Sony PSP
See you Monday!