Mario is definitely Super

When I used to play Super Mario 64 I looked at it as more of a chore that I had to get certain stars to open certain doors. When I played Super Mario Galaxy, I enjoyed getting every (for the most part) star. I enjoyed blasting off into outers space. I enjoyed being pulled in different directions by gravity and taking it into account. I enjoyed looking for the hidden stars. I enjoyed completing one level before going to the next even though (and here's the kicker) I DIDNT HAVE TO COMPLETE EVERY LEVEL TO BEAT THE GAME! BUT I WANTED TO! Every adventure was exactly that, an adventure. Every adventure had it's own unique, yet familiar twists and turns. From turning into a Bee to turning into of all things a Spring (not of water), this game certainly has everything that a video game is supposed to entail. A heartfelt story line. Creative game-play. Gorgeous graphics. A nostalgia like none I have felt since watching Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (and that's nostalgia from a movie to a game, not a game to a game). Everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING about this game was thought out and put to perfect use. If every video game out there had 3/4 of what Super Mario Galaxy offered, every video game would be sold out. You read me right. The motion sensor controllers were PERFECT. I never felt as if any of the motion sensor controllers were just thrown together for the heck of it. Some may find the camera angles to be a bit of a problem from time to time, but hey, for the most part, what you see is where you need to go and Nintendo isn't trying to confuse you. In all honesty, Super Mario Galaxy is one of the best games of all time. And I haven't played a game that is truly a perfect 10 in a long time. If you need proof just go get it for yourself. If you love video games and love Mario, I promise you, a wonderful adventure awaits.

Rock Band...Small Land

I called my local GameStop today to see if they had the bundle for Rock Band which was released today. The bundle, if you are unfamiliar lets people buy the microphone, drums, and guitar peripheral along with the game for an astounding $180, individually the game would cost $60, the Mic $30, and the Guitar and Drums $80 each. So you are saving a pretty substantial amount of money. At any rate I found out that the game itself was for sale, but only those with a pre-order could get the peripherals, and that the peripherals themselves wouldn't be out until (get ready for this) MARCH!!! So I started thinking. Who were the idiots over in marketing at Harmonix who decided that their game would be for sale 4 months before the peripherals would be? Talking to worker at GameStop, I found out that Harmonix did this because they wanted to have more people pre-order. This makes sense, but at the same time, it makes only about 5% sense. Why have the game, that you really can't do anything with unless you have a wireless guitar, from Guitar Hero II or III. And if you do, why would you want to buy Rock Band in the first place. Oh Harmonix, you are about as confusing to me right now as I am confused about imaginary numbers in Algebra. It doesn't make sense, nor does it serve any (in my opinion) purpose in life. Ah, but the light at the end of the tunnel got a whole lot brighter. I called up my local Wal-Mart, and THEY HAVE ROCK BAND BUNDLES!!! So that whole thing about Harmonix wanting people to reserve it, really is just GameStop trying to get people to buy from them so they can rip them off with "trade-ins" and "get money for your games" Since when did getting 7 bucks (if that) for a game you've paid $50 for a month ago a good deal? If you really want a good deal, here's a website. www.getcheapgames.com. They compare prices across the internet and find the best deal for you. You will thank me when you see the price differences compared to GameStop's "great" used games prices. You will thank me.

-Jeremy

Lego Batman

For all the horrible karma Superman has had as far as a video game, Batman hasn't been heads and shoulders above ol' supes. While his games have been playable, they haven't been great. But here is something to satiate your "why do the best superheros not have great games" appetite. Batman is becoming a Lego. In thinking about this, it is kind of sad that people can't get excited for a real life Batman, and when I say people I mean me. It is odd that a lego batman can excite me as much as it has (and not in the way you think you dirty minded reader). I am actually looking forward to this like a kid who is looking forward to meeting the "real" Mickey Mouse in Disney World. I'm not overly excited because I have seen pictures, but I am giddy because I honestly don't know what to expect.

Assassins creed rips "HOUSE" Theme

I was watching TV today and an Assassins Creed commercial came on with a familiar theme. I could not think of this theme for the life of me until I took a nap later on. The theme was from Fox's show House. I thought to myself, "Self," I said, "Why did they do this? I realize, self, that this is not a House produced song but rather a song that Fox paid to have the rights too, but self, if you were the person from AC doing the commercial, wouldn't you say, 'Hey, lets not do this song because everyone knows that from the hit show House.'" Self responded and told me yes, bu he understands that if people recognize it and figure out it is from House, maybe they will always remember, like me, the AC commercial ripped of House. Hmmm, I guess subliminal advertising really did work on me.

-Jeremy

Maybe it's just me

I just got done beating Stranglehold. And it has been out for not even a week. Which now begs the question, are fun action games too short? Or am I just playing through them too fast? I thought God of War and God of War II were kind of short even though common sense told me they weren't. But this past spring I thought Spider-Man 3 was way too short. Now I think I'm starting to realize that games with interactive worlds or highly destructible environments might have a lot in them, but not story or longevity of game-play. I have come to the conclusion that not every game can be a FF7 or any of the FF's for that matter. And not every game can be as satisfying as the Grand Theft Auto series, with so much more to do and look for. Therefore I have to give this game an 8 out of 10 because it is just so much fun. This is easily a game I can try to play through on hard, and even just play on 'casual' (another name for easy) mode. It's not about the longevity of the game per-say. It is the experience the gamer receives while playing the game and I have to say I've had a great experience. You should definitely pick this game up, or wait for the price to drop and then pick it up. This makes me think that maybe I'll pick up Heavenly Sword after all, even if the reviews say the game is too short. Experience is what counts.