Slice of life is a very popular anime genre. Essentially it's a genre depicting the aspects of life in an easy-to-watch enjoyable way. Some are mixed with drama. Others can be mixed with romance. The genre stretches far and wide. Here I will list and describe my top 5 slice of life anime, in no particular order. Feel free to share yours as well!

Honorable Mentions: The Eccentric Family, Nodame Cantabile, Maison Ikkoku, Usagi Drop, Barakamon

Silver Spoon

Who knew an anime with the simple concept of farm-life could be so well-written, so funny and so heartwarming. The anime teaches you a lot about farms and how they operate and you feel like you are learning along with the main character, which is just fantastic, as you invest yourself in the great characters of the series. I highly recommend it.

Kids on the Slope

Kids on the Slope is the legendary motherfuckin' Watanabe's (the creator of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo as well as few others) first step into the slice of life genre and boy did he start with a bang. Kids on the Slope revolves around a group of high school kids who start a jazz band. At it's core it's an extremely heartwarming coming-of-age story. The well done drama, and music as well as those moments that make you smile and cry are extremely well made. I highly recommend this one, you won't be disappointed.

The Aria Series

The Aria franchise is more of a futuristic slice-of-life series, taking place on Mars and revolving around the daily life of girls who run a gondola company. It's just an adorable series overall, extremely episodic, slow paced and just god damn relaxing. At times it will make you smile, and laugh, and others tear up. It has it all and the series gets better with every season, adding more fantastic characters and little stories.

Welcome to the NHK!

I'm not really a people person, so boy did this series resonate with me. The paranoia, the social awkward aspects of the main characters, and more. The underlying romance as well, and everything just hit me. This character is extremely relate-able, especially if you're an introvert or just a socially awkward person overall, and even if you're not, you'll likely get a kick because you have a friend who's exactly the same way.

Honey and Clover

This is very much a coming-of-age story, but one a little different than most, revolving around art school students, who are still struggling with love and finding themselves. The characters are so well made here, each one is unique, eccentric, and all have very relate-able real life issues. It's almost too easy to empathize with at least one, if not all of them. It's just fantastic.

I hope you guys enjoyed the read! I'd like to hear yours as well, so share away, what are you top 5 slice-of-life anime?

Spoiler elements are marked in red for your convenience.

Metroid: Zero Mission; a game that is a full remake of the original Metroid. I reviewed that game, and thought it was okay at best, easily skippable for those who are new to Metroid. However you do not want to miss the remake, which is one of the best remakes in videogaming, period. The graphical upgrade is huge and looks downright beautiful. The changes in artstyle feel like a great mix of Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion and there are several varying areas througout the game that look great. It was very easy to get lost in the first Metroid game due to many areas looking the same, and it's much easier to stay on track in Zero Mission. Another big welcome addition is the map. Another reason it was very easy to get lost in the original Metroid.

The graphics upgrade isn't all that was changed. The mechanics of course received a huge overhaul, with new powers, like the Power Grip for better maneuverability, and Samus controls smoothly throughout the entire game. She controls much like in Zero Mission, but faster and smoother in places, and I actually preferred the mechanics here greatly.

The story in the game is rather simple, just more expanded upon. Samus is sent on her first mission to the Planet Zebes, where she is to exterminate the Space Pirates, who are using biological weapons known as Metroids. But overall, it's not a complicated story, and very straight forward. Small nuances like Samus's reaction to Ridley were added, but nothing that took away from the overall atmosphere and feel of the game. Some extra story elements were added to the end, which show more the Chozo connection between Samus and her suit as well as some tidbits about the Chozo who raised Samus. 

One thing I'd like to get out of the way, and of course this is subjective on my part, is the final part of game when Samus gets to the pirate ship. While I found that area interesting, I felt the stealth mechanics here were poorly done. You can just run from every pirate. There isn't much difficulty here and the game doesn't force you to hide much at all. It seems very tacked on, and it gets very tedious because it is way too long. Even after recovering Samus's suit, it's still overly tedious because there's no exploration and no real challenge, you just plow through tons of enemies, and the boss here takes 6 super missiles to kill, which you can land easily. It was easily my least favorite part of the game, but overall it ended well.

There aren't many new powers and pick ups here, but I don't criticize the game too deeply for that, as it is a remake overall, and the additions are already massive. You do have the power grip, ice beam, super missile, and more of the usual pick ups you see in a Metroid game. I found that finding game's hidden upgrades easier than other games like Fusion and Super Metroid, since I finished with a 65% rating, however there were still tons I missed, and one area I didn't fully explore either.

The map design is fantastic, with 8 major areas to explore, although the last is fairly linear. The areas are well paced and have plenty of secrets to find, and several hidden that bring back the nostalgia of the original game, like the one energy tank hidden in the ceiling at the start of the game. There are also quite a number of new boss battles although smaller and shorter than the main ones with Kraid, Ridley and Mother Brain which are the main bosses you will fight throughout the game and each have their own areas to explore.

The music itself is very well done and catchy, especially the initial Brinstar theme. I absolutely loved the melodies here and the original's music was remade masterfully.

Finally, the speedrunning aspect. I finished this game in my first run in 2 hours and 15 minutes, and I took my time a good amount. I can safely say the speed running aspect of the game is very good. Although the last part is where people may feel it's a little unfair, it's still challenging and well worth trying. The game itself is definitely made for many, many playthroughs.

Overall this is a fantastic Metroid game, a fantastic Metroid remake and just an amazing game in general. For those of you in the UK, grab it on the Wii U Eshop. It's easily up there with Super Metroid as one of the best 2D Metroid games around.

Author's note: I hope you all enjoyed the read. I was doing these in order of release, but I decided to get Metroid: Zero Mission out of the way first. Next up: Metroid Prime. I will hopefully be going through it twice, so this one will take some time. To fill the gap a bit I will be ranking the 2D Metroids. I hope you enjoy the next blog!

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Links to the entire series!

A Metroid Retrospective Series: #0 - Introduction | #1 - Metroid | #2 - Metroid II | #3 - Super Metroid | #4 - Metroid Fusion | #5 - Metroid: Zero Mission | #6 - Metroid Prime (coming soon!) Special #1 - Another Metroid 2 Remake | Special #2 - Metroid: Confrontation | Special #3: Ranking the 2D Metroid Games (coming soon!)

Hi everyone! Another week has gone by and more games got played, this week I played a bunch of games. A couple recommended by the people here as well! I haven't gotten Splatoon yet, but I plan to in the next few weeks hopefully.

Favorite of the Week: Shovel Knight (Wii U)

Shovel Knight was the best indie game of 2014, in my opinion and one of the best indie games in general. It's so beautifully retro, the mechanics are so satisfying, the music is just sublime, and the bosses are creative and unique, just like every stage, providing you with new enemies and powers at every turn. The game manages to stay fresh all throughout, and even though it may be on the short side, it's one of the most replay-able games ever. I came back to this game and finished my NG+ playthrough, and loved every second.

The Witcher 3 (GOG)

Of course I'm still going through this fantastic game as well. It continues to keep me playing and I'm about 45 hours in doing all the side quests I can before I head to the Skellige Isles. The way this game keeps me invested in the characters and dialogue is nothing short of amazing. This is definitely going to be one of my games of the year.

Super Smash Bros. (3DS)

Didn't get too much time in this week, but I'm slowly going through all the challenges. I have 69/105 done so far, and I'm hoping to complete them and move on to the Wii U version after.

Company of Heroes (Steam)

Thanks to a friend here, Arcterran, I started Company of Heroes this week, finished up the tutorial and first few missions and so far the game is pretty excellent. Plenty of customization of squads, fun gameplay and it's one of the prettier looking RTS games I have played. I haven't played much, but I plan to put in more time in the next few weeks.

Bulletstorm (Steam)

I played about an hour of this arcade style FPS, and while the story is very textbook, the gameplay is really fun. Great shooting mechanics and a point system for different types of kills that really make it quite enjoyable.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (3DS)

Of course I just continued my time with Monster Hunter, doing Caravan 6, which is quite long, and hunting with a few friends.

So what games did you play this week? Anything new? Went back to some old classics? Let me know down in the comments!

I was tagged by SmaugtheMagnificent (Damn you, Tim) to do one of these so here we go.

Real Name: Nabil

Age: 25

Nationality: Arab

Nicknames: Blad the Ripper (apparently I'm Jack the Ripper O_o), Blade, Blades, Nebs, Nibbles, Able (the last two in particular come from Mary and Justin)

Reason Behind Username: It's just a name of a game I got on Steam called Blade Symphony. However I usually tell people it's a Castlevania reference combining Vorpal Blade and Symphony of the Night. Shhh, don't tell anyone.

Best MyIGN Friends: Well they're all losers but I'll mention them anyway: SecondServing, neil_rev, EinyelVargas, Ksquall1, Xbro, cookiemonster426, xxDisturbedSavio, JohnSnow123, ZeldaFinalFantasyFan, OcarinaPlayerOfTime, and SmaugtheMagnificent.

MyIGN Crush: All of you. I'm building a harem. :3

MyIGN Arch-Enemy: ZeldaFinalFantasyFan. That's right, Martin. I WILL BEAT YOU IN SMASH BROS. ONE DAY.

Hobbies/Activities: Blogging, Anime, Videogames, Music

Pets: None I own but I do share outside cats with the neighbors. They do most of the work however lol. I just play with them.

Pet Peeves: I can't really think of any but I probably have quite a few.

Game Consoles Owned: Xbox, Xbox 360, PS1, PS2, PS3, NES, SNES, Gamecube, Wii, Wii U, PSP, PSVita, GB, GBC, GBA, GBA SP, DS, DS Lite, 3DS, New 3DS, and a PC.

Favorite Game Console: Gamecube. Always. Second in line would be the DS or SNES.

Favorite Games: These are all off the top of my head so this is one hell of a list. Metroid Prime Trilogy, Chrono Trigger, Radiant Historia, Danganronpa 1 and 2, Persona 4 Golden, Star Fox 64, Super Mario World, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, The WItcher 3: Wild Hunt, Super Smash Bros. (all of them), Vanquish, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Bayonetta, Bayonetta 2, God Hand, Pikmin series, The Wonderful 101, Super Mario Bros. 3, Final Fantasy IX, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Warframe, Trauma Center series, Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate, Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy, Bastion, FTL, Hotline Miami, Red Alert 2, Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War, Torchlight 2, Terraria, Mass Effect trilogy, Path of Exile, One Finger Death Punch, Civilization V, Alpha Centauri, The Halo series, Red Dead Redemption, and so, so many more. I'm indecisive if you couldn't tell.

Favorite Foods: Tabbouleh, Kebabs, basically most Arab cuisine. Also sushi, sashimi, kani salad and tons of Japanese cuisine.

Favorite Drinks: I'm not much into alcohol. I guess I can put water here.

Favorite Films: Goodfellas and Pulp Fiction will always be the best of the best.

Favorite TV Shows: Breaking Bad, The Venture Bros., Archer, Rick & Morty, Scrubs, Seinfeld, American Dad, Spongebob (the earlier seasons before it become awful), Harvey Birdman, Futurama, The Simpsons (season 4 - 9), It's Always Sunny, The Office, Louie, Last Week Tonight, The Daily Shows (;_;), The Colbert Report (;_;), Conan, etc., etc.

Favorite Books: Not a big reader but... Halo: Fall of Reach, Halo: First Strike, Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, The Last Wish, Blood of Elves, mostly gaming books I know.

Favorite Anime: Cowboy Bebop, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Gintama, FLCL, Hellsing Ultimate, Ping Ping: The Animation, Bakuman, Planetes, Mushishi, Cross Game, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor, Haikyuu, Monster, Slam Dunk, Trigun, Aria, The Garden of Sinners, Eve no Jikan, Rec, Maison Ikkoku, Silver Spoon, Honey and Clover, Chihayafuru, Psycho-Pass, The Kids on the Slope, Katanagatari, GTO, Samurai Champloo, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Gungrave, SNAFU, Black Lagoon, Usagi Drop, Nodame Cantabile, High School DxD, Spice & Wolf, Toradora, Welcome to the NHK!, Barakamon, Food Wars, Inferno Cop, Gurren Lagann, Touch, AnoHana, Full Metal Panic, and many, many more.

Some of my Favorite Songs

Random Stuff Goes Here

I'm 5'7''. Fairly short for a male. >_>

I've visited the Middle East twice, I rode a camel one of those times. It was only slightly painful.

I'm not a Zelda fan or a Naughty Dog fan. In fact I find all but a few games in the Zelda series subpar, and every Naughty Dog game post PS2-era extremely dull. So now both sides of MyIGN can yell at me

I don't believe in a god but I believe in an afterlife. Strange I know.

I wanted to make this my 100th blog but I'm 2 blogs short. Settled for 98th. ;_;

And if you've seriously read everything and reached the end, thanks!

Idk who's left who hasn't done one of these but I'm tagging Xbro and Ksquall1.

We've gone into the double digits! It's been a long 10 weeks. Time really does go fast. This week I went on a big multiplayer kick from coop to competitive. I also played a brand new game and one old favorite.

Favorites of the Week: Trauma Center: Under the Knife (DS) & Warframe (Steam)

Trauma Center is one of my favorite Atlus series. From the music to the story, characters and especially brilliant use of touchscreen gameplay, it's one of the best games on the Nintendo DS. It was incredibly unique for it's time, and is essentially part visual novel, but it's one of my personal favorites. If you ever wanted to play a DS game that really made great use of the stylus, this is your game.

Honestly Warframe is not a great game to play for hours upon hours, but if you ever wanted a game that was fantastic for those quick session where you just wanted to kill things, this is your game. You are a goddamn space ninja, and it makes you feel like a badass. While essentially a horde based game, the mechanics in this one are so good I can easily forgive it.

The Witcher 3 (GOG)

Decided to start this game again due to a few bugged quests on my save, lost around 40 hours, but this time though, I plan to 100% the game, so I'm starting on Death March difficulty.

Freespace 2 (GOG)

I bought a brand new joystick to play this fantastic space sim. I've only done a few missions and to be frank I suck with a joystick but it's mega fun. I'll hopefully get better as time goes on.

CS:GO (Steam)

I went back to CS:GO to check out the new maps and the Bloodhound expansion. I am really enjoying the new leveling system. It's quite fun, and the new maps are very well made, big props to those who contributed and made them. I think my favorites so far are Zoo and Resort.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Phantoms (Steam)

This is another multiplayer game I got into this week. It's a very tense game, and I am quite bad at it, but the gun mechanics and sound assets are excellent. It's incredibly satisfying to get kills in this game, and the level of stealth and tension is done very, very well.

Nosgoth (Steam)

Another MP game I really wanted to try and it's actually quite fun, basically humans vs. ghouls, though I am far from decent at this one yet.

Smash Bros. (3DS)

And finally this week, Smash online. Fought some very good players, and even someone who was good with Samus, which you never see. I still gottem though. I still gottem.

So what games did you play this week? Anything new? Went back to some old classics? Let me know down in the comments!

I'm officially at blog #100!!! I had no idea what to write about so cat gifs for everyone! so I hope you all enjoy how adorable they are. :3 A couple dogs for you dog lovers too

Thank you once again everyone who reads and comments on my blogs! You're all fantastic people!

So word just came around 3 hours ago, New characters have been leaked for Smash! A compilation of all the information so far! We have the models, different colors, SF logo and a stage leak!

So are you excited? Disappointed? Let me know the comments!

(I'm excited by the way if you couldn't tell )

We're back! I hope E3 was as amazing to the rest of you as it was to me! Due to E3 I didn't play too many games this week, but I did enjoy a select few from the Steam sale that I bought.

Favorite of the Week: Super Smash Bros. (3DS/Wii U)

Smash was the main game I was playing this week due to the new character DLC. Ryu is absolutely fantastic and a great addition to Smash. I've played with him for a solid 10 hours so far and he's definitely one of my new favorite characters in the game and is part of my character rotation. Roy is also fun to use, and I am glad he's not a complete clone of Marth, and Lucas, well, I can't figure him out at all.

Ziggurat (Steam)

Ziggurat is a first person roguelike game with deadly carrots. Yes you heard right, deadly carrots. It's a very fun take on the roguelike genre and I have been enjoying it quite a bit.

Burnout Paradise (Steam)

I literally just use this game to relax. There's something about driving 100+ miles an hour on an empty highway that just lulls you and calms you down.

Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds (Steam)

A cute little anime style beat 'em up game. What's not to love? It actually has a solid amount of depth to it's battle system, surprisingly, and I like it a lot.

Ultra Street Fighter IV (Steam)

And finally just Street Fighter IV with a friend. I'm still nooot very good at this game but I do intend to play much more in order to get better.

So what games did you play this week? Anything new? Went back to some old classics? Let me know down in the comments!

Hey everyone, I hope you had another fantastic week. I played quite a few games myself this week, from classics to new games.

Favorite of the Week: Dungeon Keeper (GOG)

This week I spend quite a bit of time with the first Dungeon Keeper. When I was growing up I was mostly a Nintendo kid, but every now and again I would spend hours upon hours playing strategy games on PC, anything from Command & Conquer, to Age of Empires II, and of course one of my favorite old school games, the fantastic Dungeon Keeper (and I mean the original PC game, not the garbage mobile game EA made). It's essentially less of a strategy, but more of a management game, where you as the Dungeon Keeper build your own dungeon, take care of minions and use them to fight the filthy heroes that try to ruin your evil plans. It's undoubtedly one of my absolute favorites.

Splatoon (Wii U)

While I've only played a few hours of Splatoon, it's a damn fine game. Very fun mechanics, and an interesting single player mode, I'm just quite terrible at it. They really need to fix the matchmaking so we're not fighting level 20s all the damn time. Besides that caveat, I've been loving it and I hope I can pour more hours in this week, as well as finish the campaign.

Brutal Doom (Steam)

Still playing through this amazing mod. I beat the gigantic evil hell demon from hell and moved on to episode 3. So far, it's been rather amazing, and simply just one of the best mods you can play for any game.

Burnout Paradise (Steam)

I'm still driving through Paradise City. This game really is a fantastic one to just relax to. I've been doing less missions and just driving around finding all the secrets in the open world. It's very fun.

Just Cause 2 (Steam)

In the wake of Just Cause 3 being shown at E3 and being one of my most anticipated games this year, I went back to Just Cause 2, and ran around killing people, blowing shit up and flying helicopters into other helicopters while skydiving out at the last second and landing safely on the ground. One of the best open world games ever made.

Super Mario Bros. 3 (GBA)

Just playing this one in my off time because I felt like it. Still one of the finest 2D platformers ever made and probably my absolute favorite Mario game.

Bayonetta (Wii U)

Bayonetta is the best spectacle fighter ever made, and I've been playing through the Wii U version, which has been great so far, although I haven't played much this week of it, it's still as good as the one on the other consoles, and I need to get those Nintendo costumes.

Fire Emblem (Wii U)

I can't say much for this one yet, it's interesting and I'm early on in Chapter 5, but the tutorials go on for quite a while... so hopefully I can get to the actual game soon.

NieR (PS3)

I bought this one because PlatinumGames is making the second. That's basically it. I'm hoping I enjoy it as I only played the introduction but so far it doesn't impress very much.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (3DS)

And finally, the usual hunting. Rank G3, and 137 hours. This is without a doubt my game of the year so far.

So what games did you play this week? Anything new? Went back to some old classics? Let me know down in the comments!

On an unrelated note, we started a MyIGN Skype chat, so along with your message do please leave your Skype name, if you want to, so I can add you.

What genre do you think it should be and developer do you want to see make it? I actually have several.

Ironclad Games made Sins of a Solar Empire, a real-time space 4X strategy game. I think Legend of the Galactic Heroes is the perfect anime fit for this developer and genre. They would work perfectly together, as you play out the battles and go through the anime's story. It's TOO goddamn perfect.

Another I think would go well are PlatinumGames and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. Gurren Lagann is over the top and batshit crazy, PlatinumGames is, well, over the top and batshit crazy, so it's a perfect fit. A mecha-like character action game by Platinum using Gurren Lagann as the source would be an instant day one but for me. And while we're on Platinum and that genre, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure would just be amazing.

Arc System Works makes some great fighting games. I do think there's one anime they should make a game for and that's Hunter x Hunter, with it's huge character roster, and tons of different ways to make finishing moves, I would definitely buy this one, it's another match made in heaven, and the 2D artstyle would fit perfectly here. Ya know they'd be good for Yu Yu Hakusho as well actually. Give them a crossover.

This one is a little more ambitious, but I always wanted to be a bounty hunter, in space, in game made by Rockstar, using one of the more well known anime, Cowboy Bebop. I think the playstyle of Bebop would work extremely well in a game made by Rockstar, and they could easily adapt the story within the narrative, plus add all new stories in side quests. Trigun would actually be a really good fit here as well, considering that it's a space western, and Rockstar has a lot of experience with those.

Finally, I think Full Metal Panic! is an excellent match for the JRPG, sorta like Persona, with social elements, but not Persona. Dungeons would have to be omitted completely and replaced with missions. I think the characters would actually fit quite well for this sort of game, there are plenty that would work well for social links, and the battle system could still be turn based. Some may disagree with this one, but I've always though FMP was perfect for this particular genre. Atlus would be a good fit to make one.

How about you guys? What do you think would be fitting for a certain anime, developer and genre?

Hey everyone! Hope you had a hell of Fourth of July weekend! Now that we're back, time to recollect all the games we played this week. Specifically just tons of Monster Hunter for me and a dip into a couple strategy games, one of my favorite genres.

Favorites of the Week: Total War: Shogun 2 (Steam) and Command & Conquer: Red Alert (PC)

Strategy games are part of my favorite genre, whether it be an SRPG, like Fire Emblem, Advance Wars or Valkyria Chronicles or RTS, like Starcraft, or Warcraft. This week I had the liberty of playing Shogun 2, a CIvilization V style game with RTS battles, and boy is it just as addicting as Civilization V, you have clan management, skill trees, betrayal from you allies, finance management, clans fighting each other for control, and so many features jam packed into one terrific strategy game. I absolutely adore it.

The original Red Alert is somewhat of a forgotten relic, but OpenRA, which you can google, is a mod project dedicated to reviving the old school Command & Conquer games on PC, and the original Red Alert here is a joy to play. I've played a few games with a friend and against the AI, and just have been loving every second from the old school music to the new maps they added, it brings back all the nostalgia of playing Red Alert and Red Alert 2 as a kid for hours upon hours.

Super Mario Bros. 3 (GBA)

Just making my way through this one slow. On World 4. Still my favorite 2D Mario platformer.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (3DS)

And finally more Monster Hunter 4. 150 hours, still not done with even half the game. I've ranked to G3 and just can't stop playing.

So what games did you play this week? Anything new? Went back to some old classics? Let me know down in the comments!

It's been a slow week, but that doesn't mean gaming didn't find a way to make it just a little faster, here's a few games I played this week. Some new, some old, but no favorites this time, since I didn't play a massive amount of much but I am on a strategy gaming binge. I need to boot up FTL again soon.

Total War: Shogun 2 (Steam)

More co-op with a friend of mine. So many hours wasted, but this game is absolutely amazing, and just one of the best strategy games I have ever played. I bought the Fall of the Samurai expansion a couple days ago on the cheap, so I can't wait to check that out too.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion (Steam)

I'm still just learning the ropes for this one. It's an RTS mixed a 4X strategy game, that I am hoping I can really get into the next week or two.

The Legend of Korra (Steam)

One of the weaker titles by Platinum that I am going through. The combat is frantic, fun, and fast, but so far everything built around that is very mediocre, I will likely finish, because the combat is very very addicting.

Legend of Grimrock (Steam)

A dungeon crawling RPG where you make your own characters! I haven't played too much yet, but I made SmaugtheMagnificent, neil_rev and EinyelVargas, as well as myself to take on this epic adventure. I'll obviously be the last one standing. So far it's quite engaging and the combat and puzzles are quite fun.

Super Mario Bros. 3 (GBA)

World 7. Once I finish this one, it's on to Donkey Kong Country, the very original. It's been years since I played it.

Super Smash Bros. (3DS/Wii U)

Trying to make King Dedede one of my mains. Been practicing with him a good bit this week with some friends.

Star Fox 64 3D (3DS)

I love me some Star Fox, and this remake is rather excellent. I've beaten it 3 times already. I don't much care for those voice changes though. Much worse than the original, which was better, much better.

Red Alert (PC)

And of course, more Red Alert, from one of the best RTS series ever made.

So what games did you play this week? Anything new? Went back to some old classics? Let me know down in the comments!

This week... was slow. July's always feels slow. But Gamescom is upon us! Only 3 more weeks until it starts! I hope you're all as excited as I am. In the meantime, what vidya games did you play this week?

Favorite of the Week: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call (3DS)

I got Theatrhythm due to a recommendation from a squirrel (@neil_rev) and have been playing the hell out of it. Going back to the old Final Fantasy music is awesome and it's a very addicting rhythm game, with easy to learn controls and just tons and tons of content for the price I got it for. If you love Final Fantasy music, this is just a must-buy.

Super Mario Bros. 3 (GBA)

I finally beat this game, 100%, every level, and enjoyed every second. Still my absolute favorite 2D Mario platformer to date. I love the speedrunning aspect of this game as each level is perfectly bite sized platforming perfection that you can beat in under a minute if you're quick enough.

Donkey Kong Country (Wii U)

After beating SMB3 I need a new platformer to play, so I chose Donkey Kong Country, and so far it's been as good as I remembered it. I'm not one for collectibles, but I am very much enjoying playing through this game again, each level feels unique and so well built and I love how each world has its own theme. I will probably play this one a couple times and move on to Donkey Kong Country 2.

Total War: Shogun 2 (Steam)

I've put in about 30 hours since buying this game around a month ago. It is one of the best strategy games I have ever played and will ever play. The Civ like maps and RTS battles mesh together so well that it just has its claws in me, and I will probably be playing this one for a very long time.

Anarchy Reigns (PS3)

It's been years since I played this game on 360 and I bought it again during the PS3 sale, and it's still one of the best beat em ups I have played in a long time, probably the only spiritual successor to God Hand we are ever going to get. Well worth every penny. I plan to put a solid amount of time into this one.

Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Vita)

I bought this during the flash sale and cannot put it down. I don't really like most fighting games, but Street Fighter is one big exception for me, being one of my favorites since the SNES era and playing Alpha 2 is extremely addicting.

So what games did you play this week? Anything new? Went back to some old classics? Let me know down in the comments!

Another slow week in July. I hope you've all been doing well. Another week means another blog! And this week I played a ton of games and hope you did as well!

Favorite of the Week: Metroid Prime (Wii)

As my favorite Nintendo game of all time, and my second favorite game of all time, this is definitely my favorite of the week. Metroid Prime is one of the most immersive, and amazing experiences in gaming, with top notch art design, level design, enemy design, brilliant music and just everything about it is utterly perfect. Right now I'm at Phendrana Drifts and hope to finish this one up to continue my retrospective and move on to Metroid Prime 2.

Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)

I restarted this one since the first time I played it I stopped near the end, the second time I lost my save 17 hours in, it's safe to say I've played this game for a good 100 hours already and didn't get anywhere. Hopefully THIS time I can get through it with nothing going wrong.

Donkey Kong Country (Wii U)

Complete! Now it's time to move on to Donkey Kong Country 2!

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (Steam)

While I've only played an hour of this one, I'm enjoying it so far, the controls are iffy but they are easy to get used to and fix as you play, though they have resulted in having both brothers run into walls at several points.

Ultra Street Fighter IV (Steam)

I played a good 6 hours of this game this week, after my Street Fighter 2 Alpha marathon last week, and I am loving it. Amazing fighting game, and Street Fighter continues to be my favorite traditional fighter.

Theatrhythm: Curtain Call (3DS)

I'm still mastering as many songs as possible in this one. Fantastic 3DS game, a must buy for any Final Fantasy fan.

Super Smash Bros. for (Wii U)

And finally my Smash adapter arrived so I've been playing a good deal of Smash on Wii U and getting used to the Gamecube controller again, since I've been exclusively using the gamepad.

So what games did you play this week? Anything new? Went back to some old classics? Let me know down in the comments!

The Wonderful 101 is hardly a story of success, pushing only 350k copies, it's a game I consider one of the best, and certain my absolute favorite games on the Wii U. The game's premise is pretty simple. It's about 101 superheroes who combine to form giant fists, swords, whips, claws, bombs and more in order to save Earth from an evil alien menace by fighting them with these powers while Gregorian hymns play in the background about your great deeds. You also fight tanks, mutated spiders, metal turtles, and get to hear a heartfelt story about a boy and his father.

Simple right? Pretty simple, it's game based on the sentai craze in Japan, you know, the idea that also spawned Power Rangers here in America. At it's core, the game is a character action game, a spectacle fighter, much like Bayonetta, where you go through fantastic levels, fighting waves of enemies and eventually get to fight a badass boss battle at the end. The Wii U gamepad was used specifically to draw shapes to switch to the different weapons, it was quite ingenious. The game doesn't hold your hand, providing tons of hours of challenge, and fantastic gameplay that just kept me coming back for more. I put tons of hours into this title simply replaying the levels over and over and over again just to get a better score, just to get the highest ranking.

When I booted this game up I didn't know what to expect, I was confused at first, the game was actually rather annoying for the first hours or so, but when I reached that first boss fight and the music started playing

Somehow, some way, everything clicked, I felt that adrenaline rush, I started getting used to the controls, it eventually just all came together and the entire game never slows down, from beginning to end this whole game is a thrill ride. Every boss fight was the same, bigger and better, and it never stops, even all the way to the amazing final boss. I went back recently and continue to come back to this title, it's that addicting, and that well made.

Tons of amazing collectible trophies hide waiting for you to find them, as well as a bountiful set of achievements for you to accomplish, new pick ups, new power ups, all that add to your fighting style, making your movements more fluid as you get them, all make the game one of the most visceral experiences on Wii U, also running at a stunning 60 frames per second, with a few drops here and there, that never take away from the experience, but simply make it even better. And I'm still not even close to finishing, as I want to go beyond and play the higher difficulty levels.

This post is more of a love letter to what is now one of my absolute favorite games. It is undoubtedly a masterpiece, a niche product that will be forgotten by time, but a game that I will forever consider the best game on Wii U, and my absolute favorite game of this generation so far, and still expecting absolutely no game here after to ever top it. I am extremely happy Nintendo funded this hidden gem and I hope they give more devs like Platinum a chance to see their vision come alive.

The summer days are slowly ending. Finally. I hate the summer, too many wasps flying around. Probably way I stay inside and play a ton of games. Including the fantastic selection this week.

Favorite of the Week: Metroid Prime (Wii)

I'm cheating! But I don't care. Twice in a week because this game is brilliant and I love it to death. I'm playing Metroid Prime through the trilogy, the Wii controls are amazing so far, and probably the best use of the WiiMote out of any game I played, not only that but it makes things at least three times faster, I really don't think I can ever go back to the GC controller after playing through this game with the WiiMote. Currently I've reached the Gravity Suit, so I'm likely about halfway done with the game.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (Wii U)

One of the best platformers around, I am loving this game, I am on World 2 right now and hoping to finish this up and move on to the 3rd, and I may then go through the two Banjo-Kazooie games because it's been so damn long since I played them, and they are great 3D platformers.

Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)

Still going through this one as well, on Juju's arc, which is the weakest arc in the game, in my opinion, but it's only up from here, and the battle system is just so good in this title, that I'm addicted to it all over again, trying to fight every monster I can as I play.

Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons (Steam)

I finished this game up. It wasn't really my sort of thing, a nice little game, I enjoyed it to an extent, but it's not as good as I heard and wanted to be, worth it for the price I bought it for however.

Rocket League (Steam)

One of the most addicting and fun games out right now, it's so damn good. Such a simple little game, but the controls are excellent, unlockables are great, and I'm loving it. I haven't played into double digit hours yet, but soon. Soon.

So what games did you play this week? Anything new? Went back to some old classics? Let me know down in the comments!

This week I played a game about cars trying to get a ball into a goal. It's like soccer, but with cars. You can see where this is going.

Favorite of the Week: Rocket League (Steam)

I actually did not expect this game to be as good as it was. I have about 10 hours clocked and it's incredibly fun. I played for hours on end when I started and I am still playing a few matches a night. It's one of those games you can just pop in, play for a bit, have some fun and move on, and is definitely a game I plan to play for quite a while before moving on to another multiplayer title.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest (WiiUVC)

I'm still going through all of Rare's big hitters. DKC2 is still amazing. I've made it to World 4, and I'm trying to 100% the game as I go along, but boy is it difficult. So far this is definitely up there as one of the best platformers I've played. The music is sublime and the boss design is also absolutely amazing.

Metro 2033 Redux (Steam)

I've been trying to get into the Metro series and while this game is quite good so far, there's something about it that's more aggravating. Level design for stealth for one, is garbage, and I'm certainly more fond of running and gunning, but the atmosphere is rather good and the shooting mechanics do keep me playing. I may or may not finish it.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Steam)

I'm playing and 100%ing every Platinum game. I'm crazy I know. I'm starting here. It will take quite a while but I love Platinum to death and they are my favorite Japanese developer at this point, so it certainly will be fun.

Metroid Prime (WiiUVC)

Still making my way through this game at a very slow pace but I plan to speed it up this week and finish it since my Rocket League addiction is wearing off, then move on to Metroid Prime 2. After I beat the third, I plan to come back and 100% the trilogy, including the infamous Hyper Mode.

Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)

And finally, I made it to Colony 6 in Xenoblade and slowly going through the mines, so I'm almost done with Juju's arc.

So what games did you play this week? Anything new? Went back to some old classics? Let me know down in the comments!

It's been a pretty slow week for me, haven't played a large amount of games overall, but I did play a good amount of some existing ones.

Super Mario World (GBA)

I'm done with World 5 and 100%ing everything along the way. This is still one of my all-time favorite 2D platformers.

OlliOlli (Steam)

I really like this game. It's a very arcadey style skating game that is very difficult. Sometimes too difficult as I rage a lot when playing it. I finished the first 3 worlds of amateur levels and put it away this week. It's becoming more frustrating than fun, but I enjoyed the solid 5 - 6 hours I spent on it. It's also very very addicting.

Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)

While I didn't play too many hours of this one, I'm still enjoying every time I boot it up. I'm about halfway through Satorl Marsh right now. Also Dunban is the best character, I'm just letting you all know you're wrong if you don't think so.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

And I'm back on the CS:GO train. This game just never gets old for me. Played a good few hours this week and will continue for a good while.

So what games did you play this week? Anything new? Went back to some old classics? Let me know down in the comments!

This week I got back into Counter-Strike, as well as played a few other solid titles.

Favorite of the Week: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (Steam)

CS:GO is my favorite multiplayer shooter. No other one I have played has grabbed me or met the level of tension you feel each match. The mechanics and guns also feel great. I've been playing it for a good year now, and although I only played maybe ~half an hour daily, it keep me coming back, over and over again. Definitely a fantastic multiplayer shooter, that in my eyes, has yet to ever be topped.

Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)

Going through this at a slow pace, finally got Melia on my team, and headed to the Nopon village. Still an excellent title with one hell of a great battle system. I can't wait until X releases.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (3DS)

Finally finishing the first game with case 1-5, which has been pretty good so far, although Ema is no Maya Fey. After that I'll continue and finish up the trilogy and the sequel to them. So far this is definitely an excellent visual novel, and a must own 3DS title.

Braid (Steam)

I finished up this game, and while the gameplay is average imo, the story it self is actually really interesting. I won't spoil the ending if you haven't played it, but it takes a very unexpected turn.

Tales fromSpace: Mutant Blobs Attack (Steam)

Finally, I've been playing this cute little physics platformer. It's awfully short, so I'll likely be done soon, but it's very satisfying to play and very fun.

So what games did you play this week? Anything new? Went back to some old classics? Let me know down in the comments!

I'll be honest, I didn't play too much this week. I really need to continue Xenoblade as I haven't touched that one for a week. Trying not to add too much to my plate before finishing that one. But I did play some good stuff anyway, even if not too much overall.

Favorite of the Week: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (3DS)

I finally finished the first game of the trilogy and loved every second of it. I think my favorite cases were definite the last two. They were very intense and so incredibly well done and boy does it feel good to finally win a case in this game. The character development in these titles are second to none, imo, in terms of visual novels and I love how each character gets more and more fleshed out. Even the villains have interesting backstories and pasts. Hilarious dialog, touching moments and just fantastic writing overall, if you have any interest in visual novels, the Ace Attorney series is a great place to start. And now on to the second game!

CS:GO (Steam)

I've been sorta bouncing back and forth between other multiplayer games like SMITE, Dirty Bomb and Chivalry, but I've probably still played more CS:GO than those this week so I won't list them all here. I can't find another multiplayer title to really get into. CS:GO still holds my attention the most overall and the fact that I can jump for 5 - 15 minutes is probably the most attractive prospect of this game, I've played for around 8 months and racked up 50 hours. The short game times definitely keep me coming back. Maybe I just prefer multiplayer games that give you that quick adrenaline rush. I may try to get back into Rocket League however.

What? I told you it was short.

EDIT: Noticed I was a day early after I posted this. Sorry about that lol.

So what games did you play this week? Anything new? Went back to some old classics? Let me know down in the comments!