DBPirate1129

I never got the chance to play the Bayonetta games despite owning a Wii U so I was thrilled when they were announced for the Switch. I'm glad to say that the hype and praise surrounding the two titles is very deserved. I found the gameplay a little repetitive at first, but then I realized I just had the insta-combo accessory on (in the first game) so if that's anyone's issue, just turn that off. Here's a quick rundown of the features of the games. Story: Bayonetta is great in both games, but different at the same time. In the first game, she's much funnier while in the second game, she's more serious. I like seeing both sides of her personality. I'll give the upper hand for story to 1 overall because certain characters are featured much more heavily in the first game, but the second half of 2 is beyond anything 1 had. Gameplay: The gameplay of the games is very simple to understand and the combat is really fun. This is one of the few action-based games I've played where I haven't got bored of the combat. Each battle is unique and memorable. 2's gameplay is a little more refined and also has less on-rails segments so I'll give this point to that game. Graphics: Obviously 2. The color palette of 1 is a little bland and Bayonetta 2 is one of the best looking games I have ever played. Seriously. Soundtrack: Both games have great soundtracks but Bayonetta 1 has much more memorable original themes such as Mysterious Destiny, One of a Kind, You May Call Me Father, and Let's Dance Boys. 2 has a few great tracks like Tomorrow is Mine, Noatun, The Legend of Aesir, and Let's Dance Boys 2 though admittedly not as many. Fly Me to the Moon and Moon River are equally amazing. Story: 1 > 2 (slightly) Gameplay: 2 >> 1 Graphics: 2 >> 1 Soundtrack: 1 > 2 Both Bayonetta games are fantastic and worth playing but I personally found 2 to be superior in the most important categories. Do yourself a favor and get these games!

I've already reviewed the original version of LEGO City Undercover so please check that out if you want to get my thoughts on the game itself. This will merely regarding new features, graphics, etc of the new version. LEGO City Undercover is a great game. In fact, I'd say that it's still easily the best LEGO game -- it has the best open world, the best gameplay, and it has the most collectibles of all of the games. The graphics have been improved in this version, though not drastically. The models and cutscenes look better and the load times don't seem to be as bad as they infamously were in the Wii U game, but that could just be my imagination. The frame rate for the game, at least when I last played it, was not necessarily "up to par." There were frequent drops and stutters. It was definitely worse in portable mode. Despite this, I found myself playing it quite a bit on portable mode. It really does enhance the game. Another reviewer here said that after you beat the story, the game crashes on a few occasions. This is true, but the game saves every time you do something important like collect something. I originally gave LEGO City Undercover a 9. This version gets a -2 for frame rate and stutters but a +1 for portability. It's still a great game, but ultimately I have to give it a point lower due to the new issues.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is what one would expect -- a Deluxe version of Mario Kart 8, which was already fantastic on the Wii U. Deluxe adds several new characters, which are all welcome additions (Bowser Jr., Dry Bones, and King Boo were missing in the original for some reason so it's nice to see them back) as well as an improved Battle Mode. Personally, I've never been a huge Battle Mode player in Mario Kart but this version was definitely fun. It's not something I'm always going to be aching to go back to though. The online is great as usual. The graphics and frame rate are also a huge plus. Nintendo should be applauded for always striving to get a solid 60fps on their games. If you haven't played Mario Kart 8 before, this is a must-buy. If you have, then I'm tempted to recommend it again just for the sake of being able to take this amazing game on the go.

Injustice 2 is another great fighter from NetherRealm Studios. In terms of the base game, I'd say that it slightly edges out its predecessor. I'm personally not a huge fan of fighting games, but Injustice 2 does a great job of making each character accessible and fun to use, though there will be some you're better at than others. Thankfully, the new gear system allows you to balance out that character's faults and make the character your own. I must say I enjoy that side of the game much more than I expected as someone that's normally not into gear or upgrading characters. The story was great, perhaps even better than the first Injustice, but I really do wish they'd make it slightly longer. I'm definitely in the minority on this, but the story's the part I was looking forward to most following the first game. That being said, it's really fun while it lasts! My main gripe with the game was the leveling up system, especially with how long it takes to level up. It almost seems like the game wants to restrict you to one character. Once you get to Level 20 on one character (which takes forever, unless you have a ton of time on your hands), all of the other characters will feel incredibly weak by comparison. If they made the leveling up system a little faster, I would have almost no problems with the game. The stages, acting, graphics, and presentation are all fantastic. If you enjoyed the first Injustice game, you should absolutely pick this up. I don't know if I can recommend it to anyone else other than fighting game or DC fans, but if you're thinking about it, you should definitely give it a chance. However, this is definitely the last time I buy a complete edition before the game releases because the DLC is utter garbage.

The Super Mario series continues its seemingly never-ending streak of spectacular games. Super Mario Odyssey effortlessly manages to make collectathons fun again by creating several enjoyable playgrounds of worlds to run around in. Mario controls amazingly and the addition of Cappy revolutionizes the series' signature platforming gameplay. However! I should note that this is one of the few Mario games I would recommend not going for 100% unless you absolutely want to. Some Power Moons are almost impossible to find near the end of the game and you shouldn't have to ruin the experience with frustration right at the end. That being said, Mario Odyssey is the only reason you need to pick up a Nintendo Switch! It has the most replayability of any Mario game to date with no playthrough guaranteed to be the same. It's a blast to play and the graphics are amazing. That's really all you can ask for in a game. I'd rank it as my second favorite Mario game behind Mario Galaxy 2.

I am generally not a fan of first-person shooter games. Most of them are just trying to be a bit too edgy in my opinion. Far Cry 4 breaks away from that stereotype by giving exploration, story, involvement in the characters, and side missions a focus and not just mindless shooting without any real gameplay. By far my favorite part of Far Cry 4 is the open world. I sometimes didn't touch the story for days and instead ran across Kyrat, taking down the Royal Army and just seeing what I could discover. I may not see the same locations or people every day and I may not get into the same situations. The amount of variety on display is simply staggering. It's fun to just mess around in the open world before returning to the mission-based narrative. That's not intended as a slight to the story. In fact, I found the story to be much better than Far Cry 3's cliché-driven, over the top drug fest. The protagonist, Ajay, is much more likable than Jason. I actually felt as if I was having an effect on Kyrat and its people. Far Cry 4's story was also much more my style--it is morally grey as opposed to 3's black and white story. Sometimes you may like the leaders of the Golden Path, sometimes you may prefer Pagan. I also really liked the choices dynamic where you decide whether or not you should side with Amita or Sabal. I wish that the writers took it one step further and allowed us to side with Pagan on some missions though. That would've been a real treat. I found the gameplay incredibly addicting. The map is simplistic and straightforward as opposed to games like AC: Unity or LEGO Force Awakens (a niche example, I know) where you are flooded with so many things that you don't even know where to start and you don't know what's happening. The sense of progression in the game is very well done as well. You always feel like you can get better. There's almost always skills and weapons out there that are better than what you have now. Far Cry 4 is a very, very good game. Though the gameplay is not changed much, the overall experience is a massive improvement over Far Cry 3. It simply cannot be argued.

I originally played this game on PC and recently revisited it on PS4. On PC, I gave it a 10 but I am sorry to say the game is not as tremendous as I remembered. The game has a very good open world and interesting, if sometimes disappointing, side missions. With the exception of the Riddler's stupid trophies, I would say all of the side missions are absolutely worth completing. The story, while not up to par with Origins or City, is still a joy to play through. It's always fun to go through another chapter of Batman's history. Unfortunately, the thing that really drags this game down is both its horrendous pacing (some sections in the story can be quite boring) and the Batmobile. I actually do not have that much of a problem with the Batmobile's combat. It is the puzzle-solving with the Batmobile that really takes it too far in my opinion. Arkham Knight is not the most satisfying conclusion that Rocksteady could've developed for their saga, but it's not that bad. There is definitely some room for improvement. The only reason I'm giving this game a 8 instead of an 7 is because the excellent combat and stealth gameplay that has been built upon over the course of the series is still here and it's still great.

Infamous Second Son was my first title for the PS4, I had high expectations as I love action open world games, and the infamous or hero mechanic intrigued me. The first time I beat the campaign for the hero trophy, the game was a masterpiece (in my opinion) But the second time I played on expert and did the evil storyline, the major cracks in the game started to show. So without further ado, here we go. The Good: First let me just get this out of the way, this game is BEAUTIFUL, from the stunning weather effects to the top notch facial animations, everything about this game screams next gen. The actual gameplay makes you feel like a comic book hero, you will be running on walls, throwing bombs of smoke, and flying across the landscape. I really loved most of the characters, and also the amazing soundtrack. The Bad: As much as I love Troy Baker's performance in this game, I just couldn't like Delsin Rowe, the new protagonist. He seemed annoying and I cringed when he made jokes. The choices are definitely a step down as only the hero story fits the character, being evil feels like some cheap gimmick in an alternate universe, and the AWEFUL ending definitely made all of it worse. The city of Seattle also feels empty and the citizens seem like mindless drones that do nothing but run away when you use your powers. I can say Cole's story was definitely more interesting. Verdict: Infamous Second Son is a decent game with great graphics and a fun world to mess around in. But the lackluster story and empty world sadly bring this game down. Infamous Second Son is well deserved 7 out of 10 :)

Return to Arkham is a very good game but it will be hit or miss depending on your preferences. This is definitely not the star-studded 60fps remake that should've been made but just like Knight, I think it's safe to say that WB was just looking to make some bucks. I think that, excepting the frame rate, City is a pretty big improvement graphics-wise. Whether or not you want Nvidia PhysX will make or break this purchase for you. Asylum is okay. There are some parts where you may need a barf bag and there are other parts where you may think "hey, this actually looks...pretty good." But the graphics upgrade or downgrade (opinion-based) does not affect the quality of the games themselves. Asylum and City are still among the best games ever made. Batman's mouth shape doesn't change that. If you've never played these essential Batman titles before, pick this up! If you have, then the choice is just up to you. I can't really make that choice for you. But I will say that if you already have it on PC, you are not missing much.

I was not that pleased with LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 when I first played it on the Wii. Game-breaking glitches were everywhere and the SD quality of the Wii made it even less enjoyable. Years 5-7 was much better, but was still a bit rough around the edges. I can't speak for those who played the original games on the PS3 or Xbox 360, but as for someone who played the Wii versions, this remastered collection is an enormous step-up. After about 5 hours of gameplay, I have yet to encounter a single bug. The game is much smoother, brighter, and overall better looking than before. HP fans who have yet to pick up this game or haven't played it in a few years should definitely try this out. I'm not sure if I'm in the minority on this or anything but I have found the recent LEGO games, excluding The Force Awakens, to be rather lacking in terms of fun. LEGO Harry Potter Collection is a great reminder of the older LEGO games, which I think were better by far.

New World Order is far an away the best Batman Telltale episode yet. It's the perfect length (about 2 hours in total) and keeps you guessing as to what will happen next. There are constant twists throughout the entire episode, as well as a new interesting take on one of Batman's more famous villains, who is now the Mayor of Gotham. The episode is also mostly well paced. There is one scene in Wayne Tower featuring Lucius Fox that could've moved along a bit faster, but other than that, the game will have you hooked. There is one thing wrong with this game though: why do we have to wait a month until the next one?

The second episode in the Batman Telltale saga expands the story and makes it the main focus. One of my main complaints in the first episode was that the crime scene section of the game was a bit of a drag. The second episode is thankfully lacking these particular segments, except for a brief intro that removes the "linking" mechanic. Children of Arkham includes more important decisions. Some may not directly impact the story, but they do manage to make you feel like you did something. I think that we could've had one more episode where a certain death and a certain injury didn't occur as those parts of the story felt a bit rushed. Other than that, the story is extremely engaging and really keeps you waiting to see what happens next, especially with its unique take on the Batman origin story, even if this installment is quite a bit shorter than its predecessor.

A great introduction to Telltale's latest venture and perhaps their best one yet. Thankfully, they did not fall into the trap of following the same old, same old Bruce Wayne--Batman origin story. They have thrown in a couple of twists while also somehow making Bruce Wayne more interesting than Batman. I hope that in future episodes, they help evolve Batman as a character, but there's certainly nothing wrong with having Bruce stand out. Some of the actual gameplay, such as a part in which Batman is solving a crime scene, is extremely boring and can get old fast. I know some people like to bash Telltale games because of their lack of gameplay, but in my opinion, the game would be a lot better if it was JUST choices, as opposed to choices with some poorly designed Arkham-inspired crime solving in there.

The first good Lego game since Lego City Undercover in 2013. I would say it's probably fourth- or fifth-best overall, behind Undercover, The Clone Wars, Batman 2, and maybe Years 5-7. This game really has the spirit of Star Wars and the charm of Lego, which is something that's been missing from recent installments like Batman 3, Avengers, and Hobbit which were probably the worst in the entire franchise. Though the latest Lego Star Wars game isn't the long-overdue Clone Wars sequel or packaged with a remade Complete Saga, it is perhaps one of the longest Lego games to date, with at least 50 hours of gameplay if you're aiming for 100%. The first four levels or so of the game are overly long and a bit boring but the rest of the game is a return to the kind of Lego fun that's been missing for three years. There are a ton of side missions in the game, including story missions that weren't featured in the film (such as Poe Dameron rescuing Admiral Ackbar and two levels starring a playable Kylo Ren). The world is as open as it could possibly be in a Star Wars game, as jumping from planet to planet would be a bit challenging to implement, and while it isn't the open sandbox that Lego City and Batman 2 offered, it's still really fun to explore. Surprisingly, Traveller's Tales has introduced some interesting new game mechanics into this one. The cover sections of the levels are really fun and bring to mind Uncharted, but maybe that's just me. The ginormous character roster is another great section of the game, as well as the flying sections (though admittedly not as innovative as Lego Star Wars III's). So overall, this latest Lego game is a great return to form for the slightly tired franchise and really gives me hope for future entries and the probably inevitable Lego Star Wars Rebels, Lego Indiana Jones 3, and Lego Pirates 2 (what with the fifth entries in the two latter series coming up). I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who loved Lego City Undercover and the earlier games but has been disappointed by the recent ones.

All right, people. I know this game isn't the masterpiece that all the Sims 3 players were expecting but it is absolutely not worth a 3.9. It's nowhere near there. This is my first Sims game, I have not purchased any of the DLC, and I'm still enjoying it after 3 months of playtime. Maybe I'm just a settle-for-less kind of a person but I've found the game extremely fun and I'm not planning on getting any of the ridiculously priced DLC anytime soon. The Create-a-Sim is very intuitive and super easy to use, the emotions are a great game mechanic (I actually didn't know that they haven't been in a Sims game up until now), and creating homes is surprisingly simple, which is very high praise coming from me. Yes, there are areas in which this game could be improved (make it a bit more open, for one), and yes, you may get bored after a while and have to use mods to make it better, but come on, people, this isn't worth a 0. This isn't worth anywhere from a 0-5. As a newcomer to The Sims series, I'm giving this a 9.

I just really can't seem to stop flip-flopping on games now, can I? First AC: Rogue and now this! I previously gave this game an 8. Now a big switch, but I'd still like to make a few changes. I'll address the good parts of the game first, and then the bad. The changes you are most likely to notice once you jump into the game are the ability to sprint and the ability to skip through dialogue. Both of these are very welcome changes, though I personally didn't have any problem with this in Dream Team. You are also able to skip tutorials, but strangely for some reason people forget that you can skip nearly every single tutorial in that game. Selective memory, I suppose. I did like how the game treated you as though you had played Dream Team, but I'm not sure how players will feel about this if it's their first time playing the series. The many Bros. mechanics (that's the only term that suits them, I think) that you can use in the open world is another improvement over Dream Team. I'm nearly 13 hours and about halfway through the game and I can safely say that they are much easier to keep track of. Dream Team seemed to throw a lot of the "spinning" and "digging" moves at you rapidly (especially in the Mount Pajamaja section of the game) while Paper Jam takes the time for you to get to know each one. The combat is simply fantastic, especially with the addition of Paper Mario. True, the fact that there are three characters for you to control makes it a bit harder, but you can switch to "Easy Mode" whenever you want, which helps you time your attacks easier and also points out which player the enemy will attack. The new Trio Attacks are all very simple to use, unlike the Luiginary Attacks in Dream Team which I found myself rarely using. Other that fairly obvious improvement, I'd say the rest of the combat is on par with Dream Team. I did find the boss battles a tad more repetitive and annoying than DT, but I appreciate their uniqueness. On to the bad parts. The cast of characters is slightly lacking---there are no original characters that haven't appeared in another game appearing here, which is disappointing. I found the original characters in DT (Dreambert, Brickle, Britta, Eldream, Antasma, etc.) all engaging and interesting. However, I have to admit I did like how they integrated the Mario characters we all KNOW and love in this game, such as the Koopalings, Big Bob-omb, Petey Piranha, and Wiggler. Paper Jam does have something over Sticker Star in this respect. I'm sure that when Miyamoto told Intelligent Systems to use "original Mario characters," he didn't mean use only Mario. The Papercraft battles are not something I enjoyed. They are very straightforward with no twist. The best part of this mechanic was actually refilling your energy required to attack. The Papercraft battles mostly consist of headbutt, jump, headbutt, refill energy, repeat. The game is also constantly interrupted by annoying Toad Hunts that constantly get on my nerves. They have no importance being in the already meh story. The music, though I hate to admit it, is also disappointing. While I have about 22 tracks from Dream Team in my Mac's music library, I only have 4 from Paper jam. Perhaps I just need more time to warm up to the music but it seems a little dull. And speaking of dull, my final gripe with this game is that it's too generic. I didn't find it very funny either. The locations are uninspired and the game feels slightly NSMB to me. I wish I could elaborate, but that's the only way I can put it. Well, that's all of my thoughts on the game. Thanks for taking the time to read this group of text walls (if you actually did)>

A perfection of the Black Flag gameplay and graphics. Possibly the most realistic-looking game in the series, even with Unity and Syndicate. The game is extremely smooth and detailed, somehow more engaging than other versions. It's definitely the definitive version of the AC4 experience. Keep in mind though, that this is probably the most bug-filled game I've ever played and there are some game-breaking ones. (Frame rate's also not what I would call superb, especially compared to AC3)

This is going to be the third time I've edited my review of this game. My thoughts on it definitely change a lot. Let's start with the good: the gameplay is the best the Assassin's Creed series has ever seen (up to this game at least. I haven't played Unity or Syndicate at the time of this review). The ship combat is perfect, the variety of different locations you can visit is astounding (Native American villages, cities, small towns, forests, icy wastelands, tundras, etc.), and pretty much everything else involving the gameplay is great as well, except for the overload of weapons and tutorials. I guess Ubisoft realized that all they had to do was upgrade the engine of Black Flag (their second best gameplay style) and voila, they've done good. However, the story, a major part of the Assassin's Creed series, is definitely where the game falls flat. Rogue is supposed to effectively bridge the gap between Black Flag and Assassin's Creed III. Ubisoft definitely failed in that department. Many characters are either missing or barely in the game. Achilles and Adéwalé definitely don't get the screen time they deserve, while others like Robert Faulkner, Ziio, Thomas Hickey, Charles Lee, Benjamin Church, John Pitcairn, George Washington (a major general during the time in which this game takes place), and others have apparently gone missing. Speaking of Faulkner, where is the Aquila in this game? It's supposedly been replaced by a random ship called the Morrigan. There's some other flaws in the story though, such as Shay's and Liam's relationship not being fleshed out enough, some characters randomly being thrown into the story with no explanation, Haytham having no personality, Shay's distrust of the Assassins not expanded upon, etc. If you just want to free-roam in an Assassin's Creed game, play Rogue. If you want to experience a great story, play another game in the series.

There's no denying Dumb Ways to Die 2 is simply much better than its predecessor. Better minigames (though slightly rehashed), more minigames in general, and the clever addition of a safety bonus that adds to your main point total everytime you finish. There are four main areas in the game: Freezerville, Drown Town, Dumb Dome, and Adrenaland. Each one does have its own annoying minigames to be sure, but they're all still fun to play. Dumb Dome (which revolves around sports) and Adrenaland (which doesn't seem to have any specific theme) are my favorites because of the sheer variety of minigames on offer. The other area, Dumbest of the Dumb, requires a ticket to enter. It seems you only get about a ticket every 24 hours which is an extreme shame because this area is the only way you can unlock characters for your map. Unfortunately, the map characters are a downgrade from the first Dumb Ways to Die. They do have unique animations now but there are only about six you can get as opposed to the fifteen to twenty you can get at the train station in the first game. However, Dumbest of the Dumb is easily the best mode of the game because it combines all the minigames from all the areas and you'll rarely see repeats, which was one of my problems with the first game. A lack of tickets can easily be resolved by buying the cheap $3 Kids' Mode which allows you to get into Dumbest of the Dumb for free and gives you your own kids' leaderboard. Trust me, you'd be willing to sacrifice a leaderboard to get into Dumbest of the Dumb at any time. Overall, Dumb Ways to Die 2: The Games is much better than its predecessor, with map characters being the only thing worse than its predecessor. The game has much more charm as well as minigames so it'll keep you busy for a long time.

Dumb Ways to Die is a fun and engaging experience that you can keep going back to for quite some time. The game wouldn't be exciting at all though, if not for the unlocking characters part of the game. When you reach a certain score (200, 400, 600, 800, goes in that pattern), you'll unlock a new character to see at the train station everytime you start up the game. It's a pretty nice feature. The minigames themselves are fun, though the game seems to pick certain ones to give you each time you play. For example, you might see minigame 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 one playthrough and that's all you see. And next time, they may give you 1, 4, 9, 11, 17, 18. It's a shame you don't get to see every single minigame before you lose your three lives, but it's not a major problem. None of the minigames really stand out as bad except for the one in which a tall blue character barfs on the screen and you have to wipe it off. This minigame is very inconsistent. Sometimes, you can wipe about 3/4 off the screen and you'll survive. Other times, you can leave all but a smudge on the screen and you'll die. I wish I knew how to win this minigame because it'd save me a lot of frustration. Another minor problem I have is the fact that some minigames can be very slow (though they do get faster as your playthrough goes on). Flicking piranhas away can take about 20 seconds when a minigame just before might've took you 2 to 4 seconds to complete. I wish they had a system where certain minigames like the piranha one only appeared when the game itself got faster. Overall, Dumb Ways to Die is an enjoyable experience that probably won't last you long, but it's fun while it lasts. I'm sure a pacing problem and one minigame won't stop you from getting the game so go ahead and do so.

I can't give the game a perfect 10, as it doesn't have any new features or missions as the other versions but I can say that Assassin's Creed III is simply beautiful on the PC. Surprisingly, the game never dropped below a solid 60fps even when I had all the graphics maxed out. There are still some glitches, but I noticed no game-breaking ones---the worst glitches were people randomly appearing or guards randomly falling, and these were very rare. The load times now take from about a minute long (the Wii U version) to anywhere from three seconds to ten seconds max on the PC version. There's still just as much content as the other versions and it's just as engaging. It seems you'll never run out of things to do. From debunking myths like the Headless Horseman to exploring the maze-like underground sections of the towns to completing your hunting map by finding every animal in a certain area, this game is simply astounding in the amount of content it offers. I wish I could give this game a 10, but as it's not a remake, you'd have to check out my Wii U review for details on my gripes. But this is easily the best version of Assassin's Creed III along with its sequel Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.

Turbo Dismount is a lot of fun, even if it is a bit limited. It's a great time waster and never gets old. It'll keep you coming back for a long time.

An outstanding level creator and incredibly intuitive. It's super easy to use, fun to play other levels, and it's always exciting when you see someone has played or starred your level using the great notification system. Super Mario Maker is a perfect match for the Wii U GamePad. The game already has a huge community that I can't imagine dwindling anytime soon. It's a great reason to buy a Wii U and if you already have one, totally worth $60. It's a wonder this game gets any less than an 8 in some of these reviews.

Strangely, a step forward and a step back for the Assassin's Creed series. But let's focus on the positives first, shall we? Black Flag greatly improves the already great ship combat from Assassin's Creed III. It also adds free roaming with main character Edward Kenway's ship, the Jackdaw which is a nice touch. Sometimes you just want to take in the sights and the ocean waves (oh, and shanties) and the occasional ship battle. Black Flag also added a better sense of immersion. In III, the citizens just felt like they were just...there and not a part of the city. Here, they can actually interact with the soldiers, attempt to fight you if you pull out a weapon, and more. I felt like I wanted to collect more things here than in III. One of the main collectibles in III were the almanac pages which ultimately did nothing. The sea shanties are Black Flag's answer to that and the good thing is I actually want to collect them. Ubisoft makes some random changes to the on-land combat here, making it a bit tougher and making the soldiers even more picky than they were in III, which I thought was impossible. Pull out a gun for a second and the soldiers will chase you and shoot you on sight. Grab onto a ledge and a soldier on a roof will attempt to ignite a new World War. The actual combat changes are a bit minor and you get used to them after a while but the thing is they are unnecessary changes and unneeded (pretty much describing Assassin's Creed Unity there). I really enjoyed the story of AC3. It was engaging, I really liked the grey areas the Assassins and Templars had, I liked the setting, and the characters were interesting. Black Flag gets 2.5 out of those things right: the setting, the characters, and at times engaging. When Edward starts going off on his pirate adventures, the story grounds to a halt. He is given the boring task of finding medicines while the story could be better focused on Assassin and Templar business...which brings me to the missing grey areas. Black Flag paints the Templars as psychopaths who want to spy on people and invade their business. Meh. In my opinion, III's better on the story side while Black Flag is better on the overall gameplay. Overall, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag makes improvements while at the same time degrading some aspects of the game so to me...I actually like them the same amount and not one more than the other.

I’d be the first to admit that when Splatoon was first shown off at E3 2014, I wasn’t exactly excited. I mean, the game looked cool at least, but I was nowhere near as hyped as most people. As more and more information about the game was released (such as the single-player campaign), I became interested in it. The thing that really convinced me to get the game was the Splatoon Direct. The main mode of the game is Turf War in which, you guessed it, tried to claim as much turf as possible in 3 minutes. You control strange creatures known as Inklings which use three types of weapons: shooters (or guns), chargers, and rollers. My favorite kind of weapons were the shooters as they covered a lot of ground and offered good offense. You’re more likely to win with the rollers but you were basically defenseless when using them. As an Inkling, you shoot ink on the ground and walls as well as swim through your own ink to move faster. This gameplay really separates Splatoon from other shooters out there and makes it feel even more unique than it already is. The colorful style of the game is also a contributing factor to this. Turf War was easily my favorite mode of the bunch. As of the date this review was made, there is only one Ranked Battle mode and that is Splat Zones. You only unlock Splat Zones once you get to Level 10 which was a bit high to me. I think Level 8 or 9 would’ve been reasonable too. Unfortunately, I was a bit less disappointed by this mode. It doesn’t feel worth all the effort getting to Level 10 which, believe me, takes forever! In this mode, there are areas on the stage your team must control for 100 seconds total. The concept looked interesting at first but soon I found it was more hectic and frustrating than just being simple fun like Turf War. I will try out this mode on occasion every now and again but it’s definitely not forgiving. Surprisingly, I had absolutely no lag while playing through Splatoon’s online modes. As you’ll spend most of the game playing online with others, it’s good Nintendo focused on making it as smooth as possible. I did have a few communication errors but none of them were during the match—they were all just in the lobby. Speaking of the lobby, the main area you’ll be exploring here is Inkopolis. It was pretty easy to get around since it was straightforward. If you don’t like finding the right shop everytime though, you can just click it on the GamePad which was super helpful. I really enjoyed the story mode, though not as much as Turf War. It seems every level introduces a new idea like Super Mario 3D World. Yes, the levels are linear but that’s never bothered me in past games and they definitely didn’t here. The bosses really stand out as a unique part in the mode. You really had to think about how to defeat them which is something I really appreciate in this kind of game. For something that has online modes as its main focus, I was surprised by how much I liked the single-player campaign. Battle Dojo is Splatoon’s only local co-op mode which was a bit of a shame as I was hoping for some co-op Turf War. You can do two-player online in Smash Bros. so why not here? Maybe in some future DLC. In Battle Dojo, you have to pop as many balloons as possible. They’ll appear in 20 second intervals on the stage you’re playing on which is plenty of time. Battle Dojo does feel like it goes on for quite some time but I’m pretty sure you won’t be playing it that much anyway. Not that it’s bad, it’s just not the most memorable aspect of the game. Overall, Splatoon was a very interesting game. We rarely see new IPs by Nintendo but this game for sure should encourage them to continue making them. While Turf War stands out as being my favorite mode of the game, I really enjoyed the story mode as well as the co-op Battle Dojo at times. The only thing I didn’t really like was Splat Zones but I can look over that. The online is smooth and the gameplay is super unique compared to other shooters.

I think this a very, very underrated game. People will accuse it of being the same as Superstar Baseball on the GameCube but the motion controls really improve the game as well as putting it on the Wii with a wider audience. The campaign is short but the gameplay is still entertaining enough that Super Sluggers will last you at least a while. Those not fans of baseball will want to stay away though.

Only one word can describe The Force Unleashed (Wii, that is): meh. I don't know why developers even bother with this. I don't understand why they can't just use the level design from the 360 and PS3 versions instead of making unnecessary changes to the level and the game itself. As an example, the opening cutscene on the other versions features Darth Vader talking to an Imperial officer. Here, it's a stormtrooper. Was that change needed? No. Does it bother anything? No, but that still doesn't mean it was necessary. If something isn't broken, don't fix it.

AlphaDream once again delivers a solid, entertaining, and enjoyable experience in the form of Bowser's Inside Story. Mario and Luigi must go into Bowser's body (not as gross as it sounds, don't worry) and tell Bowser what to do as you take control of the Koopa King to defeat the famous Fawful from Superstar Saga. The puns are real in this one! You'll be fighting a lot in this game so it's a good thing that the combat is probably some of the best I've ever seen. The items system as well as the special attacks are easy enough to do while still somehow remaining in-depth and effective. The plot takes many turns, the characters are unique, the dialogue is hilarious, and Bowser's Inside Story is amazing.

Ah, the game that sparked controversy among the smashing community. Will you become a loyal Melee fan or a extreme Brawl fan? Smash Brawl may be more slow-paced and methodical than its predecessor but that doesn't mean it's mindless boredom. The great Subspace Emissary story mode brings all the characters together in one coherent story (and all without dialogue, no less) as well as great new characters like Wolf, Snake, Sonic, Lucas, Meta Knight, and more. The stages are better than ever before and Nintendo chose some really great stages to bring back to the Wii generation. The music is fantastic as well. Another smash hit for Nintendo!

I recently played this game on the Wii U Virtual Console and this was probably one of the best games Nintendo could have picked to launch the DS VC with. Though the game isn't as good as recent entries, I'll be reviewing based on how it was at the time (2005). MKDS consists of the traditional characters we all know and love (while still managing to have a better roster than MK7). R.O.B. is a bit of a questionable choice. E. Gadd, who was a bit more popular at the time, might have been a better pick but I can look past that. As always, the main focus is the racing. Though none of the courses are "bad," per se, I did find Yoshi Falls to be a bit of a bore as it's just a simple oval. My favorites though were the unique Waluigi Pinball, Tick-Tock Clock, and Airship Fortress. For some reason, I'm also fond of DK Pass. This is the first Mario Kart to feature retro courses so it's a bit surprising they went for some strange choices such as two Luigi Circuits (GCN and GBA). That doesn't, however, change the fact that the courses are still enjoyable such as Choco Mountain and Mushroom Bridge. Mission Mode, so far, has only appeared in this installment. I know many really enjoyed this mode and are begging for it to return in future games in the series but after playing it myself, I think I'd rather have either an improved battle mode or an entirely new mode. Not that Mission Mode is bad, I just didn't enjoy it as much as other people. The items are a pretty big highlight of the game. Unlike Mario Kart Wii, they're as balanced as they could possibly be. I do wish the Boo item (turns you invisible and steals an enemy's item) would make a comeback at some point. Overall, Mario Kart DS was great for its time. While its graphics don't hold up that well today, the game is still a fun experience with some of the most unique courses in the game as well as some more great ideas like Mission Mode, even if they aren't as fun as they could've been. I doubt you'd be picking this up on a DS so if you have a Wii U, get it on the Virtual Console.

While Wii Sports Club is a stunning visual upgrade, not much has changed since the 2006 original. I found tennis and golf to be more enjoyable than they were in the original Wii Sports. This was most likely due to the new MotionPlus functionality the game has added which makes movements more precise. Baseball is improved greatly (even though it was fine to begin with) with the GamePad integration it has added. You now pitch with the GamePad screen while the other player bats using the Wii Remote. It's probably the only sport that feels truly different from the original. Bowling is mostly the same but the 100-pin bowling we all know and love from Wii Sports Resort has been included as well. I found myself losing a bit more because of the MotionPlus but I guess I am not as good a bowling player as I think I am in reality. Boxing is the only sport that feels a bit downgraded. You are now forced to use the MotionPlus instead of the Nunchuk. We only have 3 Wii Remotes so we can no longer do two-player matches. The new club feature that allows different clubs (Massachusetts and Florida clubs for example) compete against each other in terms of how much games people from those states are winning. It's a nice addition that makes it feel bigger, if only by a little, than the original game. My main gripe with the game is that it feels like it was made just to get people who haven't bought the Wii U to get it. That means Nintendo didn't take any risks and didn't add sports from the spectacular Wii Sports Resort like table tennis, basketball, air sports, wake boarding, and swordplay. This is probably because most people may not be familiar with Resort and Nintendo just wanted to do an HD remaster of the original hit. It feels like Wii Sports Club could have been a bit more in that respect. Overall, Wii Sports Club is an enjoyable family experience that improves four of five sports while leaving boxing a bit less financially-friendly unless you have 4 MotionPlus Wii Remotes. I would have preferred Wii Sports Resort activities be added but others in your family may not mind as much.

Though I wouldn't consider myself the most casual player, I do like the "Wii" series more than most. Surprisingly, I was a bit disappointed by the original Wii Party when it came out. I did, however, have much more fun with Wii Party U. It doesn't have much to offer in the single-player respect (unlike Wii title Mario Party 9) but it does have much more in terms of multiplayer which I never got tired of. It's fun for the whole family and while I wouldn't recommend it to every Wii U owner, I would certainly say you should get it at a lower price. I got this for free as I bought Mario Kart 8 and I will say it was worth that.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Simply spectacular! Somehow, Nintendo managed to top Zelda x Mario Kart 8 with their latest pack focused on Animal Crossing. Three brand new characters (all of which are great choices, unlike the last pack's Tanooki Mario and Cat Peach), eight new tracks (all of which are amazing, unlike the last pack's Ice Ice Outpost), and four new vehicles which I'll find myself constantly using. Baby Park is a chaotic thrill ride that lasts seven laps. It's always great fun. Cheese Land is a unique and at times challenging coaster through a maze of dairy products. Wild Woods is a beautiful and fast-paced climb up to the treetops and through river rapids. Animal Crossing is a nostalgic course that can change seasons, giving it great replay value. Neo Bowser City is a difficult, twisty rainy nighttime course that really tests your skills. Ribbon Road is nonstop eye candy filled with references; not to mention it's simply an amazing course. Super Bell Subway is a creative ride through the underground. Avoid the subway trains! Big Blue is an F-Zero course (3 sections; not 3 laps) that is speedy, beautiful, challenging, and stellar. Have I already given the pack enough praise?

Please note that this is going to be an unbiased review of Assassin's Creed III as I have not played any other of the titles in the series. With that out of the way, here's the scoop: Assassin's Creed III's gameplay could be divided into two sections: stealth and combat. You'll often find yourself sneaking around enemy camps and forts our simply not wanting any soldiers to see you and then taking them out silently with one of the game's many weapon options. Long-range projectile weapons and close-range melee weapons are both available. I found myself using the projectiles often and only used melee if I had to...which brings me to the combat. The combat is a bit confusing to learn but once you get the hang of it, it's fluid and simple. There are a lot of different enemy types so you'll never find yourself fighting an easy rookie soldier. Exploring the huge open world is a big part of the game. You can go from Boston to New York to the vast frontier to the homestead the main character stays at. While the two cities look nearly identical to each other, the frontier offers free running and hunting opportunities. It always gives me a sense of satisfaction during "free running" whenever I make the leap to another tree. In my opinion, free running is a great addition to the game. Hunting was much easier to learn than I had expected it to be. It's not something I'll do everytime I boot up the game but it's nice that it's there. In the homestead, you can complete missions in order to expand the property and open more shops. These missions help the colonial American world of ACIII feel more lively and lifelike. It's a really nice touch. New to the series are the naval missions which take place in the sea. You control your ship, the Aquila, through treacherous storms or calm seas while battling Templar foes. Like most other things in the game, it's a bit tricky at first but I found myself really enjoying blasting other ships (and in some rare cases, forts) to pieces with the ship. The ship is a bit tough to control and it can be a bit confusing to learn how all of the sails work and such, but I still really liked the naval gameplay and battles. The game has an intricate story with very relatable and well developed characters. The game offers possibly the best story I've seen in some time. I like how the game makes you think if you're on the right side or not. Unlike most, I don't think the game gets off to a slow start and I rather enjoyed the introduction. The GamePad is put to great use here as both a large map (which is very useful) and something you can use to keep track of your health, weapons, and notoriety as well as call a horse at any time with your horse whistle. There are, however, a few things I didn't like about the game. Everytime you start up the game (as well as when you're fast traveling to other areas), you have to sit through an incredibly long loading time. It can get really annoying when you want to get back to the gameplay. Also, the game does lag a bit at times and while it's normally not distracting, I did find the lag sometimes messing up my jumps. Lastly, during the story mode, the game will randomly cut to Desmond Miles' storyline (a modern-day Assassin). I found these sections to be a bit of a drag and while I do know that he is pivotal to the overarching plot, I wish it didn't just randomly cut into the engaging story of the main mode. Overall, Assassin's Creed III is very enjoyable and fun despite having a few minor issues like loading times and (sometimes) unresponsive controls. The story's engaging, the combat's fluid, the naval missions are fun, and everything in the game is basically a blast.

Mario Party 10 continues the infamous car mechanic that began in Mario Party 9 and sparked some controversy. Thankfully, that doesn't make it bad. As MP9 was my first Mario Party title, the return of the car is not a negative in my book. It keeps the gameplay a bit simpler and not as disjointed as it would if everyone was in different places in a giant board. I have no problem with the mechanic whatsoever. Mario Party 10 has three main modes: Mario Party, Bowser Party, and amiibo Party. Mario Party mode uses the car gameplay on five boards. Different spaces on the boards will earn you different things. One space might give you a special dice block and another will give you a minigame. The minigames are uniquely designed and I always found myself wanting more. For me, it was a bit rare to get a minigame which is a shame as they are a real highlight, particularly the boss battles. Bowser Party puts one player on the GamePad as Bowser and the others on the TV. Bowser has to make all the normal players on Team Mario lose all of their hearts so he can win. Despite being very excited for it pre-launch, I was a bit disappointed with the mode. There are very few boards to play on and Bowser only has a measly 10 minigames to play. It feels a bit incomplete. amiibo Party is more enjoyable than I expected but it's not amazing. Players move separately in this mode, controlling their amiibo (or cardboard cutout) on a plain square board. The layout of the board doesn't bring the mode down, however, because each character's board will have a clever twist implemented into it. For example, on Bowser's board there is a giant Bowser roulette statue that will determine how many bad spaces are created on the board. It's not a super addictive mode but it's not bad by any means. Overall, Mario Party 10 is great fun but it feels a bit lacking in some aspects. The GamePad is used extensively which is nice but it never quite reaches my expectations or my experience with Mario Party 9 for that matter.

Unlike most, I played this game's successor Paper Mario: Sticker Star after this one. Thankfully, I found Super Paper Mario to be superior in almost every way. Since this game is an RPG, it would naturally have an in-depth and engaging story (though Sticker Star begs to differ). SPM delivers with the best story in a Mario game to date, even if that's not too hard to beat. It has innovative gameplay as well. The switching from 2D to 3D mechanic never got old to me and it always opened up new puzzles and pathways. Super Paper Mario's soundtrack may not be quite as memorable as Sticker Star's but it still holds up with its funky 8-bit like tunes. The Pixls in the game are pixelated fairies that each have specific abilities. One can grab things and one can search for invisible objects, adding a fresh take on the gameplay. Overall, Super Paper Mario is definitely a game to pick up for your Wii (or Wii U) library. It's a polished game that I can easily recommend over Sticker Star.

This is truly an excellent quiz game even if there are a few minor hiccups in the interface (and yes, there are even some glitches). The grammar's actually really good here which is something I always look for in a trivia game and it's incredibly addicting. The friend ranking system, the chatting, and the replay value are all standout elements here. This isn't a game I'll be taking off of my device for a very long time.

I wasn't expecting much from Game & Wario but I was pleased with what I got. Is it one of the best games on the Wii U? Probably not but it's still good. The multiplayer games are easy the best of the bunch with all four of them being engaging. Yet that's the bad thing. There's only four multiplayer games with the rest being slightly story-focused single player games. Only a few of these single-player games are actually fun with standouts being Ashley which stars the titular witch going through a land of candy, Kung Fu in which a karate student named Young Cricket has to jump through an obstacle course, and Gamer where a kid named 9-Volt has to play games on his system while avoiding the sight of his mom. The rest of the single player games are either confusing to control or boring. Overall, Game & Wario is by no means a bad game. Most of its games are good but some of the others just leave a bit to be desired. The game does show off the GamePad well though. It's quite possibly the game to showcase the system best. If you're looking for a simple fun time, buy this game. If you're looking for a game along the lines of Wii Party U, you might want to look further.

I may be making a snap judgment type of thing in terms of this review and if I ever decide to go back to the game, I will change my score. For now though, you'll have to settle for this. I love the LEGO series. Both Star Wars games (Complete Saga and The Clone Wars) were great, Harry Potter Years 1-4 featured some glitches but 5-7 made up for it as it was an amazing game, LEGO Indiana Jones 2 was stellar, the previous LEGO Batman games were also great, LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean was great as well, and LEGO City Undercover was a masterpiece as far as LEGO games were concerned. Imagine my surprise when LEGO Marvel Super Heroes didn't live up to those games and now LEGO Batman 3 doesn't even live up to that title. While LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4 did have some glitches, the game at its core was still a very enjoyable title with plenty to offer for HP fans. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, which I found a bit tedious, is something I'm still willing to go back to once I'm doing playing the games I'm playing now. LEGO Batman 3, however, I found to be the most boring LEGO game I have ever played (excluding the handheld games). It may just be the gem that was LEGO City Undercover talking here but I found Batman 3 to be an extreme let-down. I want to like this game so much but by the third level, my brother got bored and stopped playing and even I couldn't figure out what to do since unfortunately, Batman 3 seems to increase the crypticness of the LEGO formula which is the biggest flaw I've had with the series. And yes, I have encountered a bad glitch in the game which forced me to restart a level. Nothing as bad as Years 1-4 but I haven't gotten that far yet so I can't say for sure. Almost every day, I see countless LEGO Batman 3 videos in my subscription box regarding the character roster (which is one thing I will praise in the game) but that is all that seems to appeal to me and my knowledge of DC Comics. I don't even know much about Marvel yet still that game was better than this one! The game also does not have an open world which was one of the best parts of games like Undercover and Batman 2. I can really not accept a LEGO game without an open world. I truly, truly hope the LEGO series can recover after Batman 3. Unfortunately, I am not sure it can. The LEGO series has never been stale to me and I don't think that I don't like the game because of it's extreme repetitiveness (this is the first time I have ever accused a LEGO game of this). It may be because of how much I liked the previous titles, especially LEGO City Undercover, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7, LEGO Indiana Jones 2, and LEGO Batman 2. Overall, LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham might be a fun game and my snap judgment review is unfair to it but right now, I just hope that the LEGO series will be able to get better because I really like all the games Undercover and before but this recent title has me wondering about the series' future. Sorry, Traveler's Tales.

Following LEGO Indiana Jones 2 and being a big Harry Potter fan, I have to say that I was quite pleased with this game when it was released. Unfortunately, my thoughts have changed a bit. This game would be receiving an 8 if not for one thing: after completing the main story, I encountered two game-breaking glitches. One that didn't allow me to go inside the Gryffindor common room ever again and one that didn't even allow me to get out of a basement so I was basically stuck in there the entire time. Not being able to go back to get 100% on a game you liked lowers the quality in my opinion. There are also does not appear to be a brightness option in the game. Several times in darkened levels, it took me several minutes to figure out what I was supposed to do due to the low amount of light in the game. I'm pretty sure what I'm experiencing (the brightness problem) may be simply related to the Wii. PS3 and Xbox 360 players may have no problems. The bugs, however, can be found on all versions, which is a shame. Well now on to the actual game. LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4 made me so happy when it first came out. Harry Potter and LEGO were two of my favorite things at the time (HP still is) and I loved how they turned the first four movies into something so fun and great. The co-op feature definitely adds to the fun factor of the game. LEGO games are simply nothing without co-op. They also brought back the level creator from LEGO Indiana Jones 2 which was a smart move. Unfortunately, there is also something wrong with the level creator. Every single time I am almost done with creating a level with my brother, the game crashes and we have to start all the way over which is really a shame. I don't think this a Wii problem because this never happened on LEGO Indiana Jones 2. Overall, I think I am giving LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4 a bit of slack in terms of the score I'm giving it. The levels are great and I would recommend to it any Harry Potter **** on another console. Several game-breaking glitches ruined this game for me.

I definitely wasn't expecting the quality experience I would've got from the Wii U version, but I'll be the first to admit that Smash 3DS did pass my slightly low expectations. Smash on the go is a genius idea. I mean, who wouldn't want to play as their favorite Nintendo characters brawling each other in familiar locations like Prism Tower, Spirit Train, and Rainbow Road on the 3DS? Exactly. Its simple concept is extremely fun and I'm delighted to say that I encountered no errors or lag whatsoever (at least not on the online; more on that later). The character roster in the game is fantastic but I already talked about that on my Wii U review, so you can go check that out if you need to. The stages here are based mainly on handheld games like Pokemon X and Y, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, and even PictoChat. Some stages from Brawl and Melee return but it's really the great new stages that are the standouts here, particularly Mute City and Magicant. The game's main feature to differentiate it from the Wii U version is Smash Run in which your characters run around a giant map, defeating as much enemies as they can to grab stat boosts before competing in one random final battle. You could be trying to climb (which plays to jump stat boosts strengths) or just fighting. It's a very fun mode and it's a great way to test out your favorite players before you take them into the main Smash mode, which is just as awesome as ever. The collectibles in the game are mostly completely different from that of the Wii U version, making it basically essential to get both games. Trophies and music are based on handheld games (speaking of the music: it's amazing) but it won't really ruin the experience if you don't have a Wii U. By far, the most disappointing aspect of the game for me, personally, was the online capabilities. The setup for online is great. For Fun and For Glory was genius but I encountered A LOT of lag while playing online. I had so much lag that I am not sure I will be going back to Smash 3DS' online for some time. If you're looking for an online experience, definitely go with the Wii U version. Overall, Smash 3DS surpassed my expectations with the only particularly disappointing thing being the online. The collectibles, music, pure Smash gameplay, and the new Smash Run mode all made me satisfied and you should always be satisfied with a Smash game.

Tomodachi Life is a quirky, fun, and clever experience that is every bit as enjoyable as I had expected it to be: and that's very enjoyable. Tomodachi Life gives your Mii characters life. In the Wii series, they may be staring off into space while bowling or just smiling while sword fighting. Now, your Miis can make friends, have their own personality types, sing their favorite tunes, or even get married and have kids! Some may call it a toned-down Sims for kids but I think it's much more than that. Right when you start, the game thrusts you into a new Mii maker which is easily the best Mii maker we've ever seen. There are new personality features and speech features added to give your Miis character. Your Mii could end up being a lone wolf, a designer, a leader, or maybe even an adventurer. It's fun to see how your real personality would line up in the quirky Tomodachi world. Of course, you don't have to just add friends and family. I myself have added characters like Mario, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, and Katniss Everdeen which makes for some really strange situations. There's not as much to do here as you could in Animal Crossing, but the game's quick check in nature makes this a nonexistent problem. You could always see what your Miis are doing or you could make a song for them, get food and clothes for them, and even take them on an 8-bit RPG quest. There are also two fun minigames here called Quirky Questions and Judgment Bay. In the former, a question layout is given to you and you can fill in the blank. For example, you might get: "Who hides ____ in their closet?" and can put anything (well, most things) in the blank. In Judgment Bay, you can make all of your Miis pick between two, three, or four things and they'll pick which is their favorite. Relationships are perhaps the biggest and best part of Tomodachi Life. Miis can make friends and some can even become their best friends, if you're lucky. They'll be seen hanging out at their apartments a lot. It gets really special when a Mii has a heart above their head, meaning that they have a crush on someone. They could eventually break up, marry, have kids, or divorce. It's very fun watching your Miis grow even if the couples are a bit...strange. Overall, Tomodachi Life is a very quirky and fun game which happens to be just what I was looking for. If you're a fan of lime simulators, pick this up. If you're expecting something along the lines of The Sims, this may not be for you.

Wii Fit U may be better than Wii Fit Plus and some other titles in the Wii series, but I can say that it definitely doesn't surpass Wii Sports Resort. Let's start with the good. I usually do not like when games recycle ideas over and over again (like New Super Mario Bros. 2) but for this one, I will make an exception since it will be easy for both newcomers and veterans to jump into. You'll remember the simple Body Test (yes, it will still criticize you at the end) and the Yoga and Strength Training. There are some new Yoga and Strength Training exercises, yet I rarely do these types since I'm not that flexible. If you are flexible, however, there are special exercises that are "For Advanced Users" as the game calls them. The game got rid of some of my favorite Wii Fit Plus exercises, particularly Rhythm Parade, Tightrope, and the Penguin game and I had really enjoyed those. They do keep Rhythm Kung Fu and Snowball Fight though. There are some new exercises such as one that involves you having to find certain Miis, one where you have to take food to Miis, one where you're rock climbing, one where you're jumping on a trampoline, and one where you have to squirt water at Miis similar to Snowball Fight. These new minigames are all very fun and enjoyable and I'm glad that they put at least some effort into them. Wii Fit U's main new feature is the Fit Meter which can track your steps and calories burned which you can later input into the game. I do have a Fit Meter but I've yet to try out this feature. Once you've inputted your data, the game will cleverly tell you things like "If you were in Paris, you would have made it ____ far" or "If you were in New York, you would have made it ____ far." It can help you set goals which is very neat. Overall, Wii Fit U is another enjoyable Wii-branded series title and I would probably say the second best in the series behind Wii Sports Resort. It does seem to take more of a diagonal step when it comes to improving over Wii Fit Plus but it's still worth picking up if you have a Wii U.

Easily one of the best LEGO games ever made. It's a large improvement over its predecessor and introduces one of my favorite mechanics: finding characters and fighting them to unlock them instead of simply buying them in the game's hub world. Speaking of the hub world, each episode (there are six; Crystal Skull is divided into three in order to give more of a focus on this film) has its own box. Boxes are essentially their own little hubs. They each have their own missions and characters to find and collect. There's a ton of replay value here. The amount of time it takes you to collect the characters and vehicles is big enough but add to that the engaging level creator (it's a shame this didn't return in future games) and the extremely fun co-op and you've got yourself an amazing LEGO game. Overall, LEGO Indiana Jones 2 is the second best LEGO game I've ever played (Harry Potter Years 5-7 remains the best) and it's definitely worth picking up.

Majora's Mask 3D is a spectacular game. I can safely say that (after looking back at the Nintendo 64 version), this remake is perhaps Nintendo's finest "do-over" ever, with Super Mario 64 DS close behind it. The Bomber's Notebook, Song of Double Time, graphics, and controls have been remade and perfected. Speaking of the graphics, everything you see here in your Terminian adventure looks amazing and this is a 3DS game! The graphics are simply fantastic. The music is also great even though I was a bit disappointed that it didn't get upgraded as well. One thing in this game that must be commended are the side quests and the story. Termina feels like a living, breathing world and I love the three-day time mechanic. Overall, Majora's Mask 3D is definitely worth your time. All the changes are for the better, the graphics and music are amazing, and it's fun to explore this mid-apocalyptic setting. 10/10

It's a shame that many won't be able to experience this amazing game. And yes, Pikmin 3 is amazing. From its visuals to its gameplay, it's surely a treat for players. First, the visuals. The graphics in the game are spectacular and in my opinion, it's the best-looking game on the Wii U alongside Mario Kart 8. It's not the level of graphics of your typical first-person shooter, but it looks gorgeous especially whenever it rains and you can see water on the ground. I can't tell you how many times I was amazed by the visuals. The gameplay in the game is the same as all the other Pikmin games. Usually you have a specific goal to accomplish in a certain in-game day and you must use the different types of Pikmin that have joined with you to complete the goal. There are many types of Pikmin in the game: red (defends fire), blue (can survive in water), and yellow (can withstand electricity), as well as the new rock (can break objects) and winged (can fly) Pikmin. The purple and white Pikmin do not make an appearance in the main mode but they make a return in one of the game's side modes. The gameplay is simplistic and fun and while you may not accomplish what you want to do in a day, you always have the next one. The Wii U GamePad is used as a map in the game which can be both helpful and confusing at times. The map's overall layout is a bit confusing but whenever you're trying to round up Pikmin at the end of the day, it's extremely helpful. There are many bosses to fight in the game and to me, these bosses are always an important factor when scoring a game. Thankfully, the bosses are incredibly unique and all require the Pikmin to work together to beat them, making the bosses a true highlight in the game. Overall, Pikmin 3 is a must-have for any Wii U owner. It has great visuals, engaging gameplay, amazing and creative bosses, and a helpful GamePad feature. Look for it before it becomes rare!

I played this game at school once. I was immediately hooked and I knew I had to get it on my personal iDevice. You simply grade random college kids' papers to pay off your debt. Your goal is to give them a terrible score and find all the mistakes. Sometimes it's easy (the game defines the difficulty as minefield) or hard (there can sometimes be one error in the entire essay). It seems like a simple idea but it can quickly become addictive. I easily recommend the full version as it's a pretty reasonable price for all the content you're getting in the game. Overall, The Grading Game is great for anyone who might be struggling in school but it's also incredibly fun for people that aren't struggling.

LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7 may almost be the exact same thing as its predecessor, but it removed all the bugs and it has the better movies? What more could you ask for? The gameplay is mostly the same as with every other LEGO game. You can collect studs and you build stuff with LEGO bricks along the way to advance in the game or complete a certain objective. Of course, a Harry Potter twist must be added. You can cast spells like Expelliarmus, Riddikulus, Avada Kedavara, and much more! One of the spells (Aguamenti) has to use the Wii sensor bar which I didn't really enjoy, but it's excusable. All of the spells are fun to use no matter how useless they are. The hub world in this game is huge! You can explore Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley, the Leaky Cauldron, a part of the Muggle World, and the forest from Deathly Hallows Part 1! It's amazing how much there is to see and do in just the hub/overworld! There's so much to collect as with every LEGO game. Character tokens and various gold bricks are scattered around as well as the gameplay-changing red bricks, which may add a cheat (multiplying your money) or just a random thing (mustaches). Each Harry Potter film (Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, Deathly Hallows Part 1, and Part 2) is separated into 6 levels. Of course, there are various things to do in between each level. You might have to attend a certain class, go to Hogsmeade, or the level might be locked until you do something for someone. It makes the game a bit longer and adds a lot more replayability. Like all LEGO games, multiplayer/co-op play is included. I played this entire game co-operatively and it was a blast! It's amazing how much more fun a game can be when playing with a friend as opposed to playing all by yourself. I'd definitely recommend playing with someone else to make the game even more amazing than it already is. Overall, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 is easily my favorite LEGO game, excluding LEGO City Undercover. There's just so much to do that it'd be a wonder if you ever complete it!

Wii Sports Resort is my personal favorite game in the entire Wii series. It adds tons of new sports into the mix and adds Wii MotionPlus support. I'll be going over each sport separately. Swordplay is sure to become an all-time classic. No, seriously, it's awesome. All you do is swing your Wii remote to fight the other player. You're standing on top of a big platform and you have to hit the other player sot that they fall into the ocean below. It's simple, it's fun, and it's everything I'd want from a sport included in this package. Score: 10/10 Wakeboarding may get old fast for some but it definitely didn't for me! I love going on the sea and doing all sorts of cool tricks to earn points. It always read my motions perfectly so I never felt cheated out of not doing a certain trick right. Score: 9/10 Frisbee is a bit tough but it's really fun once you get the hang of it. You have to throw a frisbee into a certain area so a dog can catch it. The more on target you are with the area, the more points you'll earn. There's also a Golf Frisbee mode in which the dog isn't there and you're throwing a frisbee on a golf course but I prefer dog frisbee. Score: 9/10 Archery: This definitely isn't my cup of tea but I can see how it would appeal to some. My hands shake a lot so it's hard for me to get the arrow correctly on the target. There's tons of variety in this mode though. You can shoot fruit from a distance so it's pretty good if you're looking for replay value. It's just not my personal favorite. Score: 8/10 Basketball: This one's pretty fun if you're playing it with another actual person. Playing with the CPU can get pretty tough at times but if you want to get a higher skill level, that's your chance. Basketball can be very simple once you get the hang of it and it's one of my favorites. Score: 9/10 Table Tennis: I don't know how much fun I had with this one but I know it was a lot! Table Tennis, or Ping Pong, has a lot of modes. You can play against a friend or against a CPU or you can see how many times you can hit the Ping Pong ball back and forth before you stop! This mode is so addictive I can't even express it in words! Score: 10/10 Golf: It's about as good as it was in the original Wii Sports, which wasn't that good. I don't really enjoy it that much. It's slow-paced and kind of boring. Score: 6/10 Bowling: It's about as good as it was in the original Wii Sports, which was excellent. Wii Sports Resort has revealed with its MotionPlus technology that my bowling ball throwing isn't as good as I thought it was. Still, bowling is super enjoyable and I love it! The 100-pin bowling is a nice twist that's also pretty fun. Score: 10/10 Power Cruising: **** comment. Score: 3/10 (I'm sorry, I'm just terrible and can never get the controls for this game). Canoeing: This one's decent. I guess as you can tell, I'm not the biggest fan of water sports. This one can be pretty challenging especially when playing it with 2 players. I'm pretty sure the MotionPlus isn't reading my movements correctly on this one, but who am I to say if it is or not? Score: 4/10 Cycling: Finally, another great sport! Cycling is a combination of getting a workout and making your brain work. You have to think about how fast to go and when to stop because if you go too fast, then your Mii will start tiring out. It can be pretty tough to get to 1st place as you usually start at about 30th place or 41st place, but it's all worth it when you do! Score: 10/10 Air Sports: This group consists of dogfighting, skydiving, and island flyover. Island flyover is a masterpiece. They definitely need to make a Pilotwings Wii U now or at least an island flyover separate game. It's my favorite in the collection. Skydiving is also amazing. You have to link up with other skydivers to get more points. Dogfighting's the only sport that has to be done with two players but it's also enjoyable. Score: 10/10 Overall, I love Wii Sports Resort! There are a couple dud sports, but the ones that are great are SUPER GREAT! Swordplay, table tennis, bowling, and the air sports are definitely the best ones!