Mario Kart Wii

   Mario Kart Wii is a racing game for the Wii from 2008. It is the sixth game in the Mario Kart Series. There is really absolutely no story, except some Mario characters are trying to win various kart racing competitions.
   I would like to start by telling you that the Wii Wheel is amazing it turns perfectly and naturally, and everything is extremely intuitive. Just the Wii remote is awful, and Gamecube controllers work fine. The game's save file system is interesting using "drivers licenses." Something new to the series that I noticed and liked was that there are 12 racers per race instead of 8.You can play with up to four players locally or 8 online on 32 race tracks, or by yourself play one of 8 4-race grand prix. The single player is pretty good, but really the best part about this game is the multiplayer. You really don't get half the experience in single player. That said you should still play it so you can unlock the many characters in the game. The graphics ran pretty smoothly for such a fast paced game.

SCORES

Gameplay-10 This games gameplay is incredibly fun and simple.

Graphics-10 There were no noticeable unintentional pixely looking things

Replayability-10 The multiplayer keeps you playing over and over again

Size-10 There were tons of tracks.

OVERALL SCORE: 10!

Ice Climber

   Ice Climber is a vertical platform game for the NES from 1985. It is the second game in the Ice Climber series. The story is that the two ice climbers Popo and Nana's vegetables have been stolen by a condor. They have to climb 32 of mountains to get them back.
   The first thing I noticed was that the graphics are really bad. I also noticed that you can skip right to the last level or do any level before that. The music also was pretty good. You play as Popo and run around hitting things with a mallet. The game is pretty easy but it's hard to get the bonus sometimes. The goal is to reach the top of the mountain and dodge various enemies. Jumping on monsters does not kill them by the way. I never spent the time to beat the game, but I don't really fell that I would get anything by doing so, the levels are so similar. Maybe I'll just skip to the last level and find out. The last level is nothing special except extremely difficult. I guess that means there is a good difficulty arc, but I actually can't beat that level and I tried five times. There is no extra things to do after you've beat the game.

SCORES

Gameplay-6 The idea is good but sometimes the controls don't work or you fall into a trap that will kill you repeatedly until you get a game over. Also you can't jump on enemies.

Graphics-3 The graphics were really bad

Replayability-7 The game isn't that great, but really you could keep playing the levels over and over.

Size-8 There are a lot of levels and some of them are really challenging so it's pretty big.

OVERALL SCORE: 6

WarioWare D.I.Y.

   WarioWare D.I.Y. is mini-game compilation and design game for the DS from 2010. It is the seventh game in the WarioWare series. The story is that Dr. Crygor is playing a video game when all the characters jump out and have a stampede. He wakes up and invents the Super MakerMatic 2, a machine that allows you to make mini-games, records, and comics. Meanwhile Wario breaks his TV and takes it to Dr. Crygor. He sees the MakerMatic and thinking it is a TV tries to trade in his old one. Crygor tells him what it really is and Wario buys one and founds WarioWare Inc. He hires you to be his employee.
   The game has a clever title-screen where you tap on the screen and choose where the logo goes. After that you go to the main menu which has 5 things. D.I.Y. Shop WarioWare, Inc., D.I.Y. Studio, Distribution Center, and Options Garage. You start the game by drawing a character for a pre-made game WarioQuest. After drawing an enemy there are many more "Jobs" you can take drawing things. After taking lessons in WarioWare, Inc. you can make games, comics, and music. Also you can play some professionally made games, most of the best ones from 9-Volt. You can get games over the Internet, but I don't use this feature often because they don't post new ones anymore. There are tons of cool features like the  D.I.Y. Forum (not actually a forum), The achievements are good and every time you get one you unlock a new professional record, The assembly dojo, and allot more. The graphics are fine but visibly pixely.

SCORES

Gameplay-10 Everthing is perfect the game control, the record control, the menus...

Graphics-7 The graphics were fine but pixely all the time

Replayability-10 You can keep making and playing games not forever but for a really long time

Size-9 I don't know how they could have made this game any bigger, except add more storage.

OVERALL SCORE: 9

Mario Power Tennis

   Mario Power Tennis is a sports game for the Gamecube from 2004. It is the third game in the Mario Tennis series. There's no story but the opening cut-scene shows Mario and Luigi beating Wario and Waluigi. The next scene they go to the Peach Dome and find that they have been crossed out from the tennis tourney bracket. They get mad and draw on the picture of Mario and Luigi. The cops chase them and they end up in a strange room with Bowser. He trains them to become better tennis players while the tourney continues. At the final match they launch bombs at everyone, but Mario and Luigi hit them back at them and they explode.

   I decided to play a tournament as Bowser Jr. The first match was really easy. I beat Diddy Kong without losing a point. They didn't get too much harder after that, but after beating the Mushroom Cup you can play the Flower Cup then the Star cup etc. which get harder each time. There was a good selection of 14 starting characters, and several more that had to be unlocked. Also every now and then, after a nice play I assume, you get a special shot. There are two types of special shots, the long range shot which is good for getting balls you couldn't normally reach, and the power shot which allows you to hit a ball that is harder to hit than a normal shot. The gameplay was fun, and the graphics were good. The controls worked well most of the time, except sometimes when you are trying to hit the ball it charges a shot. It is a sports game, so you can play it as much as you want without getting bored.

SCORES

Gameplay-8 The game was really fun, but the problem with charging shots instead of swinging happens too often.

Graphics-8 The game mostly looked good but words and some picture looked slightly pixely.

Replayability-10 The game doesn't change at all however much you play it.

Size-6 Few tourneys that can all be beaten quickly make this game a little small.

OVERALL SCORE: 8

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

   New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a platformer for the Wii from 2009. It was the first Mario game since Mario Bros. for the arcade to have simultaneous multiplayer, and the twelfth game in the series. The story is that Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach, and Mario is going to save her. Again.
   The game starts with a cut-scene. After the cut-scene, you find Mario in a standard level-select map. The game starts with a goomba coming at you with some blocks ahead of you. Jump on the goomba to kill it, and jump up and hit the question mark blocks to get coins and a power up. Goombas and question mark blocks continue to come back throughout the entire game. The first level was pretty easy, but not too easy, and the later levels were actually pretty challenging. There are 8 worlds with 9 levels, plus a bonus world you get after beating the game with 8 levels, that you have to unlock by collecting all of the star coins in a world. The graphics really couldn't be much better. It's not visibly pixely, and the cartoonish style fits the game well. There aren't any extra things added to make the game easier to replay, and I have not replayed the main story. A while later and with some help in multi-player I thought I had beat the game. Well I didn't I just unlocked a new world that is insanely difficult.

SCORES

Gameplay-9 All the controls worked smoothly, but sometimes it was a little too difficult.

Graphics-10 Everything looked perfect.

Replayability-3 Nothing extra. Not compelling enough to replay

Size-10 Many levels with plenty of difficulty make this a very long game.

OVERALL SCORE: 8

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

   Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones is a tactical role-playing game for the Gameboy Advance from 2005. It's the eighth game in the Fire Emblem series, and the second to be released outside of Japan. The story is that the main character, princess Eirika's homeland of Renais is invaded by neighboring country and former ally Grado, led by Eirika's childhood friend. You must solve the mystery of why Eirika's friend is invading Renais.
   The game starts with an introduction and a cut-scene. The story impressed me and the graphics were fine. After Eirika is rushed away from the castle by Renais knight Seth, the first battle begins. You control each character individually, and meet the objective of each battle. The controls worked well and the gameplay made sense. The first battle was easy, but there was a good difficulty arc. During the next battle you get some new characters. Your army continues to grow throughout the game, but if one of your characters dies, you can't get them back, and if Eirika dies you have to start the level over. Also there is a limit to how many soldiers you can have on the battlefield at a time. After a long time I finally beat the game. It was very satisfying, and the story wrapped up nicely. There is nothing you can do other than the main game, but the story is compelling enough to replay every now and then.

SCORES

Gameplay-10 The controls are great, the fighting works well, and there's a good amount of challenge.

Graphics-5 During the cut-scenes the graphics are good, but during gameplay they aren't.

Replayability-5 No extra things but compelling enough to replay.

Size-9 Many levels that take lots of time and thinking make for a large game.

OVERALL SCORE: 7.25

Kirby's Adventure

  Let's start with some background information. Kirby's Adventure is platformer for the NES from 1993. It is the second game in the Kirby series, a sequel to Kirby's Dream Land for the Game Boy. The plot is that Kirby, slept a whole night without any dreams. He goes to the fountain of dreams to investigate, and finds that King Dedede has stolen the power rod, source of dreams in Dreamland, and broken into seven pieces spread across Dreamland.
   When I first turned on the game I noticed that it had amazing graphics, the best I've seen on the NES. After pressing start you go to a small room with a door marked "one". After entering the door you start the first level. It's a green place with water in the background. the first enemy is pink with one large eye. Press B to inhale him and press down to take his "beam" power. Throughout the game you can use this on many enemies to take their powers. The first level was really easy, and so were the rest up until the final boss. You should be able to beat this game quickly. After beating it I haven't played it since, but there are some mini games spread around, to entartain you after you beat it.

SCORES

Gameplay-8 The copy ability is nice, and the lack of difficulty makes it a fast paced game but you don't feel like you've really done much upon completion.

Graphics-9 The graphics are really good and cartoony, but it's still an NES game so...

Replayability-4 The mini games aren't that fun, and it's not something you really want to do over.

Size-3 The short easy levels make this game a make for a very small game.

OVERALL SCORE: 6