Jet Lag Sucks

April 29, 2008 American time
This is gonna be the last day of that hectic American vacation and we're going back to Disneyland in Anaheim for California Adventure.

It's obviously smaller than Disneyland proper, but it has a few surprises that will make you come back. One of them is Soarin' Over California which is also the first attraction we went to and it was a favorite- or rather, my mom's favorite- because she clearly wanted to go back for a second ride on that flight simulator. Oh right, it was a flight simulator that realistically portrayed people- complete with the series of seats raised up a few feet from the floor- flying over the various cities of California, and the wind would also change according to the environment. For example, when we're floating over a beach, the air would simulate a sea breeze going on your face, or when we're soaring up to the air to avoid the surfers, we'd actually feel like it even when the seats don't go up. It's kinda like a goodly engineered 3D movie, sans the dorky glasses and more of that realism.

But anyway, we also went around the ferris wheel which was near the flagship California Screamin' roller coaster ride and the spinning chairs in an orange, and my brother and sister would ride the rotating chairs contained inside an orange while my father and mother lets an artist make a caricature of them. We didn't want to get wet this time around since we were gonna go to the airport the same day for a 1:00+ flight. We'd eat some ribs for lunch, some hotdogs and corndogs for snack time, and watch some 3D films like Muppet-Vision and the A Bug's Life inspired "It's tough to be a bug". The Bug's Life 3D movie was funny with stinging on your back and the "bugs" crawling on your butt, while the Muppet-Vision is...

When 5pm struck, we went to the entrance to wait for the shuttle home when I discovered that I left the DS in the hotdog stand. I ran, the thing wasn't there. I checked my bag again, and- false alarm- it was there. Just there. I ran back and we rode to LAX.

We were first in line (in the check-in line) and we had to wait for the line to actually open. However, when it was already open an hour later, we tried to check in our bags and showed our ticket and guess what? We missed the flight one day ago. And it wasn't long ago when I'd remember them (my dad, mom and sister) arguing over the time we were supposed to be in LAX. It wrote: April 28, 2008 1:45pm and one would say, if it was 1:45pm it should've been April 29 written on the thing, and the other would say, we'd still be home by April 30 Philippine time if we went to LAX on April 29 even though after 1:45, it would be April 30 in America. It was very confusing considering the time zones but it didn't have to be! It was very clear! But then, there was the itinerary the travel agent gave us. It was stated clear, especially in the expenses sheet, that we had to go to California Adventure on this day... This day.

We were now set for Stand-By and the person representing Cathay Pacific would say that we should wait till 10:20 so we can know whether we can ride the 11:45 flight. And wait (and eat) we did. In between, I bought a magazine because I was too lazy to read Neverwhere, and my brother got Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii. Of course, since it's my avatar in YM, I'd be happy, but something more important was the fact that we were in uncertainty as to whether we could actually ride the 11:45 plane. Fortunately, we got seats located in the back, and we were one of the first to board.

The 13 hours of flight would make the time out of control again, but after that time in the plane where I met merely 2-3 hours of sleep for some reason, we got to Hong Kong airport.

May 1, 2008 Hong Kong/Philippine time
It's Labor Day! But since we missed our flight the day before, we had to wait again and be on stand-by for the flight bound to Manila. My brothers played DS and we were just there on chairs at least, because at LAX, we had to stand up for hours (from 6-10:20)!

But unlike the delayed flight we had before we went to America from Hong Kong days ago, fortune once again chose us to be able to ride the 9am flight for Manila. It was another hour and 30 minutes at the plane and minutes at the grueling baggage check. We practically flew through the other processes and went home.

But surprisingly, jet lag was worse coming here than arriving there. Still, at least I get to not exercise tomorrow because of the nausea my body experienced. It was like my feet were walking on its own at some point and I just had to sleep. And at 8pm I did. The other people in the family watched the Idol elimination where the next day I'd find out, was Brooke White (finally). Still, I wanted Jason Castro to get out first, but whatever.

May 2, 2008
Now my body has sort of settled down, with mild nausea here and there, but the pissing thing is, I also experienced the infamous Wii Disc Error accompanied with the Super Smash Bros. Brawl Wii game, and I was like, after weeks of waiting, I get this?! Why'd Nintendo make a game that they probably know can't run on all Wii systems?! Why do high-rated games have to be so elusive to us in pirated shores?! And if it were pirated, why does Nintendo put bricking for that specific title?! Damn! The game we had was already original and yet it still can't be played! This is ultimate suckage, right? Especially since you have to send it to Nintendo America for that, and we bought Super Smash Bros. at the freaking airport at Los Angeles! You can call this one of the ultimate rip-offs of gaming history because it's so damn expensive (as usual) when it's original, and it's an AAA title to boot!

GAME PREVIEWS: Street Fighter IV Video Impressions and Mario Kart Wii!

OK, GDC's currently on, and I can't wait for the new Nintendo announcements, which should be big. For now, though, I've got Street Fighter Video Impressions which is literally my impressions on Street Fighter IV's videos, and my Mario Kart Wii feature. So yeah, it won't be the most accurate representation of a preview, but hey, can't hurt to write, right?

Street Fighter IV (XBox 360, PS3, Arcade)
It's a highly anticipated return of the legendary fighting franchise, but I think the game is going to fall flat headfirst.


Trailer
The trailer was pretty, darkly impressive, but you won't see any of that stylized cinematic 2D-3D fusion fighting action in the game proper. Yeah, there's great art direction going on from the man who brought us the character designs and art direction from the classic Street Fighter II, but I'm just not flat-out impressed. But don't take my word for it. There are a few new game mechanics such as the "revenge meter" and "focus attacks" as well as a slew of classic and new brawlers in the mix. Plus, the finishing special moves are cinematic and cool!

In 2D!
Plus, the fighting's in 2D- just the way it should be played, so who knows, it may be a pretty solid installment for the series. But for now, all I see is the same complex combos (not that I'm complaining about them), renamed meters and nostalgia reliance.Come on!
If Capcom wants to impress, they better show off what they've actually fleshed out. Otherwise, it will be just another over-hyped disappointment. And you know that there has been a lot of that. You've been there before, I've been there before, everyone's been there before. Why? Because the same applies for the movies. But hey, I'm dabbling on different territory!

FEATURE: Mario Kart Wii

Have you ever wondered what the world would be without that plumber? He revolutionized platforming, he has appeared in sports games innumerable and now he's back with his trendsetting racing game, Mario Kart designed for the Wii.It has become the subject of several rip-offs such as Crash Team Racing for the PS1, but since this is the original, you can expect a lot of the racing action everybody loved since well, 16 years ago! Its DS counterpart has become subject to praise from several professional gaming journalists, with X-Play's Morgan Webb even proclaiming it as "the best kart racer of all time". My experience, especially with multiplayer, of that specific game can also attest to that statement, bold as it can be.

CAPTION: How mobile can a steering wheel get?

And going back, Mario Kart Wii will be bringing a whole lot of favorites back: Split-screen multiplayer matches, online matches, online scoreboards, power sliding, drafting and 16 courses from past iterations. And for an even fresher change of pace, they've included bikes wherein you can just tilt the Wii remote up to perform acrobatic moves that increase your speed. And judging from the pictures, they can be used simultaneously.

CAPTION: Back from the dead- Split Screen Racing! And something new- Bikes!

16 more new courses, a constantly updated (online!) Battle Mode (which gives the player objectives to perform tasks) and a mobile steering wheel sweeten the pot. If this isn't something that will make Wii fans salivate, other than Super Smash Bros., then I don't know what. It's being released in the "Early 2008" timeframe which is kinda vague, but good to hear nonetheless. It ships with that steering wheel and is also like Super Smash Bros.- it has 5 five control schemes: GameCube controller, Wiimote, Wiimote and Nunchuk, Wiimote and Steering wheel, and Classic Controller. Can't wait.

Brace yourself for courses so daring in Early 2008.

Waiting for Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Wii owners are currently rioting, people are arguing in Wikipedia, and the news come trickling in everyday. Yes, it's the much ballyhooed Super Smash Bros. Brawl. So what the hell is this game about anyway?

The more you hit, the harder they fall.
Known best for its multiplayer, SSBB is a fighting game that has a different system from traditional fighters. Instead of the conventional life bar that you have to empty, the game utilizes damage percentages. The more you damage an opponent, the more likely they get to fall down the stage and lose a life. And also unlike traditional fighting games, you don't need to memorize unique control schemes for every character, you can unlock each one's potential with the same controls, and hell, at least you don't need to memorize, what? almost 40 controls?!

Big Depth
Delays were made in its release many times due to the "unprecedented game depth". Hell, if it's penned by its creator and a Final Fantasy writer, why complain, right?

It's all about something called The Subspace Emissary in which you go through several unique (!) storylines and features a group of antagonists as well as bosses. Not everyone knows about how it will go yet, but judging from Famitsu's perfect 40 rating of the game, it's gonna be huge.

More Playable... Pokemon?!
Yes, you can now summon different Pokemon and play them by way of selecting the Pokemon Trainer who summons them. Actually, you can only fully control 3 (plus Pikachu, Jigglypuff and Lucario as confirmed standalone characters) Pokemon- Charizard, Squirtle and Ivysaur. They may be the oldest Pokemon, but they're still fan favorites. Plus, it helps that their ultimate attack is a combination of Solarbeam, Hydro Pump and Fire Blast. Complete with text box.

Other indirectly controllable Pokemon include Rayquaza (as a boss), along with a slew of random Pokemon that go out of the Pokeball items in the stages. They're practically invincible and they will aid you to victory.

The match 20 years in the making
It's old news (along with everything in this post), but third-party characters such as Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog and Konami's Solid Snake join the fray. They get their own moves, and Snake even gets to decapitate Mario, which is quite funny because Mario's head... is big!

As for Sonic, well, Mario and the blue speed demon was already paired in an Olympic competition, but it disappointed. So to make up for that, SSBB is getting him into the roster, and the 20-year old debate would finally end!

Getting relevant
Japan-only Nintendo characters existed in its predecessor Melee, and they come back here for more. The developers actually wanted to get them (Japan-only characters) out of the game, but when Radiant Dawn, a former Japan-only franchise that made it to North America, met success, they decided to put them there anyway. And for North American gamers to know more about them, they decided to put up a so-called "Masterpieces" section that would utilize the Wii's emulation software and enable a player to experience a part of the game of an unknown character. That was a smart move, because they could potentially generate more revenue if they import more Japan-only games and make them English.

The online experienceDon't get me started with this picture.

The game takes advantage of Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection so you can brawl with players around the world, share your best moments (by capturing video or taking a pic and even putting it on an SD memory card) and even build your own stage! Of course, you can download the stages and pics and videos of others, of course! "Chatting" is also present.

Do I waggle?
Actually, there are four kinds of control. 1) Wiimote sideways, 2) Wiimote + Nunchuk, 3) Classic controller and 4) GameCube controller. And yes you can set it to your preference and, for the Wiimote, send it for on-the-go convenience.

There is actually mild waggling for the so-called "Smash Moves", but other than that, it's all button-based "for the full SSBB experience".

Mysterious Aura
Even if the game is almost getting released in Japan (Jan. 31) and a bit longer in the English language (March 9), the game is still subject to a hell of a lot of dispute... Just looking at the discussion forum in Wikipedia is making me nauseous already! What character is this, which is going here, are they reprising their roles? LEAKERS ARE RELIABLE! and stuff like that. Well, at least all this will end when the cat gets out of the bag in just 2 days (on Friday as of this writing) albeit in Japanese.

Closing Remarks
My God is the game going to be epic. It is the seventh game to receive a perfect rating in Famitsu ever (a sure sign of things to come), it features a lot of fan service, its trademark gameplay has remained intact, and the campaign is even written by someone working with the Final Fantasy staff. With all this and a lot more, what. can. go. wrong?!

SOURCE: Wikipedia, Smash Bros. DOJO!!

Meet The Spartans: Yet another crappy hit (The Box Office Report)

I never knew that "Epic Movie" was a box-office hit until now.

Well, it seems that the makers of these kinds of movies have churned out yet another lackluster spoof movie, and its theme is centered around "300". It also features other characters from other movies ("Ghost Rider", "Transformers", "Rocky Balboa", etc.) and manages to make them all coherent and err... "funny". Like its predecessor, it has also received an almost rock-bottom rating of 5% in Rotten Tomatoes, and yet it has become a huge hit with the masses in America. Well, it just goes to show that Americans do have bad taste, because if these people continue to even watch these movies, the creators will still strive to make yet another one next year... And it seems that it will indeed happen.

Actually, before it is also another (not as) crappy movie which is the follow-up of the growth hormone ingesting Sylvester Stallone. "Rocky Balboa" may have enjoyed astonishing critical and commercial success, and though this other revival of a long-gone series is quite gory and updated this time around, it's a miss for Stallone (at least with the critics) this time around.

Unrelated (Gaming News)
It seems that in every passing day, Super Smash Brothers: Brawl for the Wii gets even better and better. Now, they have even added the option for you to actually play demos of many brawlers' games like Super Mario Bros. (Mario), Metroid (Samus), as well as the games of less popular characters in the line-up. Note that they are mere demos and not free games (though it has not been confirmed whether all of them are demoes). It has been delayed to March 9, but Wii owners are keeping their fingers crossed in hopes that Nintendo won't let them down. (Well, I think doubts should be cast aside anyway, because Japanese gaming publication Famitsu gave SSBB a perfect 40/40 wherein 4 critics give 10 points each.)

Must-have Wii Games!

I've been feeling that there's a bit of a shortage on my own collection of Wii games. It's not that I'm sick of the unit and the games I have in possession. I mean, I'm not actually sick of any of the games yet! But if you here the prospect of me only having 10 games at present, it's actually a bit of a small number now at almost 3 months of possession.

So now, I'm gonna put must-have Wii games, not only for me to remember what good games are out there, but for other Wii owners as well. So here are the titles I'm currently jumping at excitement for:

Sonic and Mario at the Olympic Games - Yes, it's more focused on kids. But the showdown 20 years in the making between two mega gaming mascots is an offer that's irresistible, especially between those who closely followed said competition in the 80's. It may not be as fierce as you want to be (It's rated E for Everybody!) but at least it will finally happen. I have my inhibitions, though (Nintendo is not creating it, Sega, the creator of lame games like Shadow the Hedgehog, etc., is. But maybe there will be a fresher perspective that way?). Still, it looks like a great family/party game, the graphics look as good as pre-rendered video, and at least it puts Mii's to good use... But wait a sec, a fat plumber versus a fast hedgehog in a foot race?! You gotta be kidding! (UPDATE) Good news! Shigeru Miyamoto, legendary game designer is supervising! If he thinks it's too indecent to his perfectionist standards, he'll scrap everything and do it all over again if he wants to!

Zelda: Twilight Princess - OK, it's a Wii launch title and everybody with a Wii already has this. But I don't, solely due to defects of the Greenhills copy.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Most everyone with a Wii has already been craving for it ever since before the Wii's launch. But it has unluckily been once again delayed for next year but its huge fanbase is willing to wait. And what this fighter, as the title apparently indicates, offers is the match-up of classic Nintendo characters, famous and obscure, as well as third-party characters such as Snake from Metal Gear Solid and the more recently announced, Sonic the Hedgehog. The game provides manic action that probably inspired a little imitation called Digimon Rumble Arena 2. If the predecessor was heavily praised and commercially successful despite the GameCube's flop, why should this be any different?

Bleach: Shattered Blade - As I have said before, I'm not much of a fan of anime versus games. But the moves here are cool looking and I might as well give it a shot. It's Sega developed too, though.

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn - What's life without a little strategy? This challenging strategy game gives you control over troops in a battlefield. A.I. will probably be tough so don't expect easy ways to get done with a chapter in this acclaimed Nintendo game!

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock - I've been a fan of Guitar Hero ever since the PS2 era, then during the high of Frets on Fire. Now, the Wii gets a piece of the shredding action

Super Mario Galaxy - Of course, Wii owners are looking forward to the biggest Mario event since Super Mario 64! You can traverse through different planets and jump on shrooms along the way as well as experience physics and gravity defied (or at work) in different types of planets. The exhilarating feel of being catapulted to another planet is a big plus. Of course, there'll be bound to be lots of surprises in this new Mario game... especially if the influential Shigeru Miyamoto (creator of Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong and other Nintendo heavyweights) is on the helm.

(UPDATE) Trauma Center: New Blood - I can't believe I forgot this! This game will totally rock! But before I get more excited about this, let me shed some light on this game (unless you remember that other post a long time ago). It's about a doctor, two doctors actually (in this installment), who work together and in a hospital to save patients via surgery. The special thing about them is that they have an ability called the healing touch which slows down time to save patients in their most critical condition. The Wii motion-sensitive controls come into play perfectly in this second Wii release of the franchise and it simply looks great! Can't wait 'till November!

Noticeable, but not (yet) recommendable

The Simpsons Game (PS3, X360, Wii) - Past Simpsons games haven't fared very well under VU Games' development arm (excluding Hit and Run) but this time under EA, the game takes a turn for the good (or so it seems) as it injects humor upon different gaming conventions and satirizes with sarcastic humor similar to the TV series and hit feature film these said conventions. For example, Comic Book Guy would comment on moves using different gaming cliches. Say, a double jump. Instead of saying, "You've learned the double jump! Once in mid-air, press this button again to perform.", he'll say, "The double jump. How original.". Yes, to gamers it'll be funniest but some of the more hardcore crowd of gamers will know where the game references this one to- "You can't swim until the sequel."- or something like that...

It features great cell-shading and the hopes are high in the gameplay aspect. Hopefully it's not all flash and humor but substance as well, but Marge Simpson using a megaphone to detest gaming violence? Pretty awkward in an adventure format...

VIDEO CAPTION: This Simpsons Game video spoofs the over-energetic-ness of Japanese games, most noticeably in its game shows. Heck, the head is most probably a spoof of Dr. Kawashima in Brain Age!

Wii Fit (Wii, duh.) - The Wii certainly has lots of potential left in it. And Nintendo is on a journey to harvest all of it. The video below certainly says all... and it's pretty cool what Nintendo's trying to do. I guess all gamers can't be couch potatoes anyway. Oh and if this counts as an enticement factor, Shigeru Miyamoto also thought of this as well...

VIDEO CREDITS: GAMESPOT

The console wars...

It's been long since I touched this sort of subject and maybe it's time I did. So what's the take on the console wars after this year's E3? Well, the prospects of all companies seem bright this year. And here they are for the "Big Three".

Sony: I'd call the PS3 a technical advancement. But this thing is actually not of much significance when it released alongside the Wii. But this year, the tables might turn in favor of the PS3 because all the gaming heavyweights are finally releasing this or next year. Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Grand Theft Auto IV, Heavenly Sword (Boy, is this game cool! And it's directed by Gollum of the LOTR movies! XD), and Assassin's Creed (from the guys at Ubi Montreal). Plus, there is also the intriguing new Metal Gear Solid game which features Snake (the main character) trying to shoot himself with a gun! Boy does it bring chills and excitement!

Too bad the release of the PS3 was botched by a wrong strategy.-->

Sony made a wrong move at phasing out the cheaper PS3 though, which would mean less sales. But the revamped PSP is surely better especially in a lower price range!

Microsoft: Their console has the most number sold but then again, it was released a year prior to the Wii and the PS3 but this old dog has some new tricks in its sleeve and it won't give up this war. They're currently on the offensive as they prepare to release another edition of XBox 360 and another edition of Halo as well. They're even luring some Simpsons fans in with their new Simpsons Movie Edition XBox 360 which might give them more "D'oh!".

Don't let your donuts crumble on this one!--->

Nintendo: The innovative little tiger that could is still fighting with yet more innovative stuff. And it's also a nice idea to combine the tracking sensors of the Wiimote and the Nunchuck to create a gun for FPS's like Resident Evil perhaps (it was also demonstrated in E3. Look for the video in the archive entitled 'Viva Le Nintendo'). Plus, the new Wii Pokemon game which features DS connectivity (as has been the landmark of Pokemon games for the past 10 years) is also coming. And for the obese people over there, there's Wii Fit which is Shigeru Miyamoto 's (legendary Mario and Zelda creator) new game (aside from the much-anticipated Mario Galaxy) targeted for fat and fit adults and children alike (it features a cool board to boot). Plus, there is also Super Smash Bros. which pits Nintendo characters against each other (as well as Snake from the acclaimed Metal Gear Solid series which, ironically, is exclusive to the PS consoles from 1-3,)
<-- The Wii is still pretty much in fighting form.
Anyway, the DS is still in demand especially with the imminent release of the first true blue Zelda DS game as well as the intense demand for the new Pokemon RPG's.

After viewing and reviewing all these things, I still stand by the Wii. Especially with the irresistible deals at Greenhills! Wii Wiil Make Things Wiird. XD