Bringing Back the Funk

Toejam and Earl may be making a comeback as a crowd-funding campaign for a brand new entry to the series has launched on Kickstarter.

Toejam and Earl: Back in the Groove will see the alien duo return to their roots with the RPG style gameplay of the original Mega Drive/Genesis classic. I've just watched the pitch video and the developer comments on Sega influencing the design choices of the second and third games, claiming Back in the Groove will be a true sequel to the first game.

The graphics have been changed to a comic book style and it looks pretty sweet. The game is currently in development for PC (Windows and Linux) and Mac, with a view to bring the game to other platforms but nothing has been confirmed at the moment.

Back in the Groove is promising 4 player multiplayer (AWESOME), new presents (with popular oldies returning), and also new earthlings (again, with some oldies returning).

There's obvious risks to backing projects on Kickstarter but the prospect of another entry to a much loved series is very exciting indeed! Here's a link to the Kickstarter page.

Skull Kid Figurine Unboxing

                                     

According to The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, the world needed to be saved in 72 hours. Well, this figurine took 2 weeks to arrive so it's a good job there isn't an angry moon crashing toward us.

The figurine however, is finally here so let's take a closer look!

The figurine comes packaged in a very plain white box, as Nintendo seem to package all of their figurines/trophies/toys, but it would have been nice to see some graphics on the box to liven things up. Once opened you'll find the figurine in a plastic cover which is easy to remove. 

The figurine itself is beautifully detailed but it seems quite fragile. It's made of plastic and upon closer inspection there's a been slight break on part of the Skull Kid's hat, which is a bit of a shame, so my advice is to take care and handle this figurine as little as possible.

                               

The base has the Majora's Mask logo across it, but the figurine can't be removed from the base.

All in all the figurine is great, with the detail on the mask being exceptionally well done, and it was an unexpected bonus, so I'm really pleased. ^_^

Now I leave you with a view of the rear.

The Boy and the Telescope

What about AR Cards?

I've owned a 3DS for a couple of years and I've never tried the Augmented Reality cards...until now. :P

There's a pack of 6 AR cards bundled with every 3DS, each depicting a famous Nintendo character. Once scanned with the 3DS camera, the character will appear as if it's in the room; it's a nice feature that has been strangely under-used.

There's also some additional AR cards bundled with Kid Icarus Uprising, so I decided to check these out and to be honest they're not bad. You need KI: Uprising in order to use them but the artwork is fantastic and when they're scanned the characters look great. And if you put two opposite each other they're meant to battle, but mine just seem to get into an awkward dance off.

You could pick up KI: Uprising booster packs to add to your card collection, there's apparently 412 cards in total, but I haven't clapped eyes on a booster pack in shops for a good while and naturally certain cards command high prices.

I'm wondering if Nintendo will produce any more AR cards, as it seems strange they only bundled a small pack with the system and made a Kid Icarus range, but not for any other franchise. I imagine a Pokemon AR card series or even an Animal Crossing series would fare amazingly well, then again with the launch of amiibos it's pretty doubtful Nintendo will bring out any more.

What do you guys think? Do you want to see more AR cards or are you happy with the new amiibos? Let me know in the comments.

Knackered

Well my manga skills may leave a lot to be desired (in fact they're crap), but I think my doodles aren't too bad. 

I've had a really long day/week/year so I thought I'd draw myself on the way to work tomorrow (I probably won't be this well dressed).

On the Lookout

I'm actually downsizing my games collection at the moment but there's always something I'm on the lookout for. Whether it's because of curiosity, or just something I've never been able to get my hands on, there's always something I'm searching for; so let's take a look.

The Firemen- I've played this before, and featured it in 100 Happy Gaming Days, but I've wanting to find a copy to play on my SNES. A Japanese copy is very easy to come across (but I can't read the language, although I'm learning), I've never seen an American copy and a European copy commands extortionate prices. 

I might have to face the facts, I may never track this one down. :(

Panzer Dragoon Saga- I want to play this one mostly because of it's reputation. It was a Sega Saturn exclusive RPG that spanned a whopping 6 disks and was meant to be brilliant, and again, commands high prices. You're lucky to find a copy with all of the disks intact.

Shaq-Fu- just kidding.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past- I already own a copy of this on the GBA, and I could just download it on Wii U, but I like to the play games on their native systems as I enjoy the experience. I would like a boxed SNES version, with the map and booklet, perhaps I could ask my parents to reinstate my pocket money.

Late Birthday Wishes

Well, this one snuck by me.  The classic sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf celebrated its 27th anniversary on 15th Feb 2015. The show follows the exploits of the hologram, Rimmer, the creature known as Cat, and Lister, the last human being alive (with the mechanoid Kryten joining the show full-time from series 3).

The popular show has ran for ten series and has a massive cult following, and there may be an eleventh series airing on Dave in Autumn 2015. YAY!

The show cropped up during my 100 Happy Gaming Days feature thanks to some great gaming related episodes, but here's 3 episodes guaranteed to make your smegging day.

1. Polymorph- A shape-shifting monster that feasts on human emotions is loose aboard Red Dwarf. The Dwarfer's have two choices; one take it on and kill it, or two... run away. Who's for two?

Best bit: The scene involving Lister's underwear is probably the most popular, but I like the scene with the crew trying to decide how to defeat the Polymorph. Each character has been drained of an emotion; turning Rimmer into pacifist and Lister into fearless lunatic, it's great.

2. Stoke Me A Clipper- Ace Rimmer returns to try and convince his cowardly counterpart to take up the role of the hero, and simply be brave, handsome and all-round magnificent. But is Rimmer up to the task?

Best bit- The brilliant opening scene with Ace Rimmer sky-diving on a crocodile and then causing chaos at Nazi army camp while riding a motorbike, all to save Princess Beryl.  

3. Meltdown- When Kryten discovers a transporter allowing the crew to quickly travel through space, they land on a mysterious planet inhabited by dictators, dinosaurs and celebrities. It turns out the planet is a theme park that's been abandoned for millions for years, and now there's an epic war between the forces of good and evil. The evil side has the leaders of the Third Reich, and the good side has Marilyn Monroe and Elvis.

Best bit- Any scene with Elvis, but also the scene where Lister witnesses the execution of Winnie the Pooh. 

Majora's Mask First Impressions

It's strange to think that to sell Nintendo's (sort of) New 3DS they bundle it with a 15 year old game. Sure, fans were pleading with Nintendo to re-release Majora's Mask, but is it the must have title/console seller Nintendo hopes it will be?

Well Majora's Mask has undergone a complete graphical overhaul, it looks incredibly sharp and the world of Termina looks wonderful, right down to the smallest detail. The characters have also been re-modelled and look indistinguishable from their Nintendo 64 counterparts.

The music of the Legend of Zelda series has always been a focal point, and MM is no different. You'll feel overwhelmed at the sheer volume of music present in the game, and it sounds brilliant in this remake.

I've mentioned before that I didn't play MM the first time around, so when the 3DS edition was announced I tried the GameCube port of the Nintendo 64 original. The save system in the port was a little confusing; with certain saves only lasting until I turned the game back on, and this coupled with a faulty memory card didn't help matters. Luckily every save point in the 3DS version is a definite save point, so no losing progress unnecessarily, and it certainly helps the games transition from the home console to the handheld platform.

The controls are very straight forward, MM is very easy to just pick up and play. The only frustration is that your inventory is only accessible via touch screen/stylus, and it really disrupts the flow of gameplay. So keep your stylus drawn at all times cowboy cos you're gonna to need it.

Majora's Mask was a stand out for the series thanks to it's foreboding undertones, which has been the subject of some great gaming theories, so it may be a draw for those looking for something different from the franchise. Plus Majora's Mask is chock full of unlockables and side-quests to keep you going for months, so I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Nintendo Anime Channel

Nintendo has released a new anime-on-demand streaming service exclusively for 3DS (but strangely not the Wii U). 

It's completely free and surprisingly stable, I was able to watch a couple of cartoons with no sign of lag or any other problems.

There's a handful of episodes available at the moment with Inazuma Eleven, Kirby: Right Back At Ya!!!, and Pokemon Advance.

I'm hoping Nintendo will release more of their back catalog when they expand the channel, some earlier Pokemon series would be pretty sweet. Right now though; the Nintendo Anime Channel is off to a great start but what shows would you like to see? Let me know in the comments. 

Happy Nintendo 3DS Day

The New 3DS console lineup was released today alongside Majora's Mask, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and Ace Combat. So I thought I'd put together my Top 3 3DS games.

1. Super Smash Bros.

The perfect title to have on the go. There's just so much to unlock (characters, trophies, levels) the controls are excellent and local multiplayer is amazing (forget the online multiplayer though - plagued by lag).

2. Animal Crossing: New Leaf

In stark contrast to Super Smash Bros. we have Animal Crossing: New Leaf. A peaceful game where you play as the Mayor of your own town and you get to customise pretty much everything about it. It's not as demanding as previous entries to the series (thank goodness), but AC:NL is seriously addictive, you have been warned.

3. Kid Icarus: Uprising

A brilliantly dynamic shoot 'em up with stunning visuals and a heap of weapons to unlock. The best part though is the dialogue between the characters as it's wonderfully scripted and well voiced. Some found difficulty with KI: Uprising because of it's unusual control scheme; you hold the console with one hand and tap the screen with your stylus to shoot, I can imagine it's difficult for smaller hands but for a big kid like me I didn't have a problem. There's a bundle available with a stand which should make things more comfortable.

Can't Mask the Excitement

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D Special Edition arrived one day early...YAY!!! So let's take a look at the extra goodies on offer:

• SteelBook
• Double Sided Poster
• Majora's Mask Pin Badge

Steelbook Case

I don't own any SteelBook's but this is pretty nice. A lovely detailed image of Majora's Mask on the front, Skull Kid on the Back, and what appears to be an image of a map on the inlay. It's beautifully presented but I'm unlikely to use it as the game comes in its original packaging alongside the SteelBook, one for the collectors I guess.

Double Sided Poster

I'll let the pictures do most of the talking, but this is printed on very high quality paper and looks fantastic. I might get it framed and pop it on the wall.

Majora's Mask Pin Badge

I take back what I said in November because this pin badge is absolutely gorgeous. It comes in a great little presentation box, the engraving is incredibly detailed and it's been polished to the nth degree. Seriously, a lot of care and attention has been put into this.

Well, enough blogging about it because now I'm going to play it. Catch you guys tomorrow. ^_^

Ramune

We had a rough day at work, so we decided to treat ourselves with a trip to Hi-You Oriental Food Emporium!

In amongst the sweets and cake that made up most of the shopping, we picked up some bottles of Ramune; a type of fizzy drink usually found in Japan.

The 'original' flavour tastes similar to lemonade, (the drink I'm holding in the photo is peach flavoured), but you can apparently find a wide range of flavours; for instance cola, cherry, bubble-gum and even teriyaki!

The best part however, is the unusual bottles. To open them you remove the lid, press out the middle of the lid and then use this to force a little marble down into the bottle. 

It's a tasty, refreshing beverage and just what I need to wash down all the sweets we've bought. :P

Fallout 4 at E3 2015?

E3 may be 4 months away, but Bethesda have announced they will be appearing at E3 2015!

This will be the first time Bethesda has ever appeared at E3 and obviously there's speculation as to what they'll be bringing to gaming's biggest event of the year. And sitting comfortably at the top of most gamer's wish-lists is Fallout 4.

The phenomenal Fallout 3 was an action role-playing game set in a dystopian future America. Players encountered a vast range of wonderful characters in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC; all nestled within some delightfully dark humour. Naturally fans have been clamouring for a follow-up for years with little to no confirmation if one was even in production.

Of course Bethesda may have something completely different to showcase at E3 (new Elder Scrolls perhaps), but the prospect of another adventure in the Fallout universe is an exciting thought.

Only 126 days to go until we find out I suppose... ( ; _ ; )

Zelda on TV?

There's rumours afoot that Netflix are developing a live action Legend of Zelda series!

Not much is known about the project at the moment, I can't even find where the rumour started, but all we know is that it's being pitched as 'Game of Thrones for a family audience'. So most likely no sex, violence or another opportunity to watch a long winded death scene starring Sean Bean (aww).

While I would like to be excited about a Zelda TV show; part of me is filled with dread. Nintendo's track record with film and television isn't exactly great, mostly consisting of nostalgic (yet cheesy) cartoons from the 80's/90's and the Super Mario Bros Movie...

There's also the question of where to start? The series timeline spans across centuries, splitting into several different timelines according to the Hyrule Historia, and stars a different Link and Zelda in pretty much every installment. Seeing as this could become very convoluted very quickly we'll most likely be treated to a brand new story; an exciting prospect for fans of the series and a great way to introduce a new audience to the world of Hyrule.

And if the series does get off the ground; we can hope it will receive the same high level of production as the likes of Game of Thrones. There's potential for some great costume and prop design (you can bet your last rupee there will be merchandise), a wealth of locations to consider, and no shortage of characters, beasts and monsters to bring to the screen. Plus a killer soundtrack!

One thing though, what's the script for Link going to be like?

Link - Hurr, rawr, hurr, HYAHHH!!!!

A Link Between Worlds Soundtrack

I was surprised to find the soundtrack to The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds had arrived in the post yesterday. I'm playing it while I write this blog and the quality is absolutely stunning.

Since 'A Link Between Worlds' was the sequel to the phenomenal 'A Link to the Past' released back on SNES in 1992, there's delightful mixture of nostalgia balanced with entirely new music. 

The composer, Ryo Nagamatsu, mentions in the liner notes that he felt 'A Link Between Worlds' should be equally enjoyable for fans of the original SNES title; as well as those who were being introduced to the series.

Here you'll find very dark and exciting battle themes, uplifting orchestral arrangements and melodious ditties guaranteed to make you smile. ^_^

The only criticism I can make of this double CD set is the score excerpts, it would have been so much better to have a separate booklet for these rather than printing them on the back of the CD inlay.

Now I just need to find out where my Super Smash Bros. Soundtrack has got to?

Free Skull Kid Figurine?!

Nintendo sent me an email and apparently I'm eligible for a free Skull Kid figurine! ... as long as they have the stock, of course.

If you buy any New 3DS console, including the Ambassador Edition, with The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, you'll be able to qualify.

If you already have the console and the game on pre-order from Nintendo's UK store; you'll receive the Skull Kid figurine at the same time or a few days after it's been delivered.

If you're planning to get the console and the game from Nintendo's UK Store, you'll need to order them before Saturday 28th February 2015.

And if you've pre-ordered the console and the game from somewhere other than Nintendo's UK store, you'll have to register everything on Club Nintendo by Saturday 28th February 2015.

Now if only I had somewhere to put this thing...

Chibi Noggin

Couldn't find my skin tone Copic marker, so he's looking a bit pale. I like his jumper though.

Origami Kitty

I'm having a really busy week so I'll be posting some quick updates just to tide things over.

I thought I'd show off my unimpressive origami skills with these origami sticky notes. There's instructions for penguins, pianos, hats and a bunch of other things. First up is the Cat!

8 Bit Bayonetta

Platinum Games have added an addictive 8 Bit Bayonetta 'shmup' to their 404-file not found page.

Just stand, jump and shoot a never ending barrage of enemies. If you can beat my high score of 6400, I commend you. 

Click here to play 8 Bit Bayonetta \ ^_^ /