All Max Wants for Christmas…A Game Wishlist

After tackling my massive Wii Holiday Game Guide, I wanted to take a moment to list off some of the games I’m hoping to get under the tree, even though there are some I have no chance of getting. J did this awhile back, and I thought it’d be cool to do my little list. I’m kinda burnt out on hunting down screenshots after doing the Holiday Guide, so use your imaginations.

Left 4 Dead - Xbox 360

Luckily, my brother game through for me and got me Left 4 Dead as an early Xmas gift about a week ago. Although I haven’t played it every night (as many of my friends are) I’ve still sunk plenty of hours into both the campaign and versus. Now that I’ve played the final version, I gotta say that it is really fun to play as zombies in versus (my favorite is vomiting on opponents as Boomers), and very intense to play as survivors in either mode. This is definitely a must have game for Xbox 360 owners!

Wii Fit - Wii

I was really hoping to score a copy of Wii Fit for Xmas, but the price and its limited availability made that pipe dream go up in smoke. Seriously, people are eBaying copies of the game for boo coups bucks, and online and retail stores are selling out of them as quickly as they get them. The lucky folks are people who are getting Wii Bundles with Wii Fit included—which is about the only way the game is readily available. Ah well, maybe next year…

Chrono Trigger - Nintendo DS

This is the game I absolutely want the most for Christmas, and I’m pretty sure it’s already under the tree. I haven’t played Chrono Trigger in some twelve years, and I cannot wait to play this epic time-traveling RPG again, with bells and whistles added such as animated cut scenes, a new dungeon, a new ending, and last but not least, the portability.

Animal Crossing: City Folk - Wii

Call me crazy, but even after playing the first two Animal Crossing games, I still want more. Especially because both my sisters-in-law have the game, and there’s a good chance Dustin will get it too. Playing online is one of the few things seemingly expanded upon in this version of AC, not to mention the new chat function, provided you have the microphone. I really hope to get AC:CC so I can play with Maureen and she can play with her sisters, and if I’m really lucky (though I’m not counting on it) I may be able to score the Wii Speak Microphone for the game too.

Wii Music - Wii

Like I said in the Wii Holiday guide, despite all the negative press surrounding Wii Music, after seeing videos about the game week after week on the Nintendo Channel, I’m interested. I don’t think there’s any way I can get this for Christmas, but I may end up picking it up in the early days of 2009, or at least give it a rent so I can try it for myself.

Personal Trainer Cooking - Nintendo DS

Yeah, I know this is an unusual request to make of Santa, especially when there are games like Fallout 3 (which I have no time for unfortunately) to be had. Still, Personal Trainer Cooking is an all-in-one game to boost your real life cooking skills, providing step by step recipes, a shopping list you can take to the store and several other neat functions that made me want to get it. Maureen did look for this as a holiday gift for me, but couldn’t find it anywhere. This will be something else I’ll have to get in the New Year.

Omega Five - Xbox 360 XBLA

I don’t know if this counts, but after buying Maureen Banjo Kazooie for XBLA as an early Xmas gift, I bought Natsume’s Omega Five with the remaining Microsoft Points. I did want it for a really long time. It’s a great sidescrolling shooter, where you fly around the screen. The really neat thing is that you shoot by pressing in the direction you want to fire on the second stick—pretty slick! The game is hard, but fortunately by increasing your play time, you work your way up to earn more credits and eventually unlock Free Play. There are also two characters to unlock. A really fun, well designed game; I guess it was a little gift to myself!

So that’s that. Any of these games would be great to get, and since I already have a couple of them, anything else would just be sweet. Here's hoping you get the game(s) you want for a holiday gift!

Max

Lotsa Reasons I’m Stoked about the Wii Right Now

I can’t post about my 360 anymore—and it better not give me any more reason to. So while Dustin and J are happily in the PS3 club, and I’m overcoming the bitterness of 360 problems galore, I’m looking more to Maureen’s and my Wii, our “first child” (we actually call it that, as it was the first thing, let alone game console, that we bought together), with a list of why I’m excited about it and will be playing it increasingly over the coming weeks and months.

• No More Heroes 2! - I’ve just come back to the original and am still wrapping it up, but I’m thrilled there’s more assassination adventures ahead. Suda 51 wanted to do a sequel, and while the over-the-top gore fest for Wii only received a lukewarm reception (at least in sales), I’m stoked to see Travis Touchdown back in action, becoming the franchise character he deserves to be. More laser sword fighting and toilet squat saving? Yes please!

  
  



• SIN & PUNISHMENT 2!!! – Sequel to one of my favorite games ever. I think I said enough about it here and here. October 2nd, 2008 will go down in history as not just the day Biden handed Palin her ass in the VP debate, but the day my dream of more Sin & Punishment Treasure goodness came true.


• Nintendo Club coming to North America by year’s end – Oh hell yes, finally we can get some good swag outta buying Nintendo Wii (and DS) games, much like Japan does. Gamers in the know of the Nintendo Club have always cast a jealous eye to the East, but now we’re going to get some excellent goodies. At least we better get stuff that’s comparable to all the treats Japan’s Nintendo Club has sent out. This will be a really effective way to strengthen Nintendo’s customer loyalty a great deal.


• The chance of Monster Hunter 3 coming Stateside – I know the other Monster Hunter games haven’t received the biggest reception in North America, but the third one should definitely come over here, mainly because it’s an opportunity to fill the gaps in the Wii’s lacking core library. A cool game like Monster Hunter could gain attention with the few offerings for hardcore gamers. Hopefully, the reportedly clunky controls will get tweaked a bit before the game’s release.


• A Punch-Out!! remake! - I loved Punch-Out and loved Super Punch-Out even more. It is not a franchise that has deserved to languish as much as it has. But now with Wii-motion (AKA “waggle”) on the scene, it’s a perfect time to bring it back. Yeah, so far it looks to me a straight remake of the original, and I’m hoping for new characters (maybe a versus mode, a la Wii Sports' Boxing), but look at this way: I’m in my 30’s now and played Punch-Out as a kid on the NES, even in the arcade. Kids today have no idea who Little Mac, King Hippo or Bald Bull are. If this is what it takes to get the franchise going again, I’m all for it. Plus, I know I’ll have fun with it no matter what—especially punching the croissants and loaves of French bread outta Glass Joe. Sure it doesn’t make sense, but does it have to? It’s awesome!

  
  




• Mad World – Thank goodness for Platinum Games, former members of the beloved & brilliant Clover Studio. Clover made some of the best action games ever, and Platinum looks to continue down this path. Mad World looks great, almost a combination of Clover’s own God Hand and Frank Miller’s gritty Sin City (both comics & film). It is uber violence that even puts No More Heroes to shame with its sadism and unflinching chainsaw beat-‘em-up action. I don’t know when this is coming out, but it’s not soon enough.


• Animal Crossing City Folk – I have no illusion that City Folk is anything more than just another rehash of pretty much the same game. Still, I love Animal Crossing, from designing super hero clothes for my characters to growing orchards upon orchards or just decorating my house. The big reason I’m excited is that I’m sure Dustin and his fiancée, Rose are going to get it and we’ll be chatting it up as we visit each other’s towns. Maureen is reluctant to try it, but I’m hoping she’ll become an addict like me after she gives it a chance.


• Rygar: Battle of Argus – Yeah, I know it is basically the PS2 game all over again, with a couple of improvements, motion controls, and an anime-ized makeover for Rygar. Thing is, I never played much of the PS2 version, and what I did play, I loved. Rygar is a great franchise, and I liked him in the arcade and on the NES in my younger days. It’s almost kinda cool that the excellent PS2 game is getting a makeover for a new audience. Plus, an action game can’t hurt the Wii lineup.


• Games I’ve ordered – I ordered Wario Land Shake It and Sambo De Amigo from Super-Fly Comics & Games. They’re having some problems with their distributor, but I’m happy to wait for now (gives me a chance to save up!). Wario looks like great fun and Samba is an old friend made new again.


• Games I’m playing – I’ve been delving into Wii Okami and returning to No More Heroes, plus I’ve just received a great amount of games back from my niece and nephew, including Super Mario Galaxy. I’m going to be sinking time in all three, as well as polishing Sin & Punishment skills on the VC.


• Wii Fit – I can’t find it anywhere, but my sister got it for her family and I’m hoping to play it with them. Also, hopefully I can score a copy for Xmas. It will be good to do some low impact exercises, lose a little weight, and help establish a healthier lifestyle, things the game has allegedly done for many people.


• House of the Dead: Overkill – I nearly forgot to mention this one. House of the Dead 2 was the reason I bought my Dreamcast (a Japanese one no less with guns made by Sega), and I still play it on my Wii on the House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return. I thought that House of the Dead 4 might come to Wii after playing its gun-shaking control in the arcades. Instead it turns out that there’s now a brand new House of the Dead game, and it looks fucking phenomenal. Maybe I’m sold on the game because of its Grindhouse-like trailer, but from the trailer, one can see that revolvers are used in one scene, automatics in another. This would make it the first HOTD game with weapon switching in the arcade mode. It also looks like a prequel (again, with the 70’s feel of the trailer). It drops in February, and I know Dustin is really stoked about this one too.



• Greater Wii suppy – More supply means more people with Wiis. My buddy Aaron went hunting one yesterday and found one at the first place he looked, so I look forward to playing Smash Bros online with him. I’m also happy that people who have wanted to have one forever will finally have a better chance of landing one.


• My Wii has never broken down on me – Had it since launch. It’s locked up a couple times, but nothing console killing. I've transported it all over the place, including Super-Fly Comics & Games for "Free Wii Play" days where customers can come in and play. Still, it's shown no wear and tear from this. Recent posts made by me should indicate why this is so exciting to me...


• I’ve only had to call Nintendo’s Customer Service Line once regarding the Wii - and it was about a controller connectivity issue, which the automated troubleshooting tips provided a fix for.

I know that’s more than enough to be excited about, but the Wii has been a great system, and I’m happy to see so many great things in the pipeline for it. It’s also nice to look at it and respect the hardware, despite lack of HD (not that I have an HDTV), as being reliable and capable of yielding so much fun.

Max