Launch Station: Mario Kart 8

Not everything has to be saving princesses and stomping giant turtles for the world's most famous plumber.  From time to time, Nintendo's mascot is not afraid to pick up a baseball bat, hit the tennis court, play a few rounds of golf or dance all over the Mushroom Kingdom.  Before Mario did everything and anything under the sun, his first foray outside the confines of the platforming genre came in the form of Super Mario Kart for the SNES.  That little kart racer sparked a global phenomenon that has become a staple of every Nintendo system as a new Mario Kart game only comes once in a system's lifetime, be it a console or a portable.  Such a limited release schedule makes the release of a brand new Mario Kart feel like a huge event.  Mario Kart 8, the latest in this long-running series, is among the most anticipated titles for the Wii U and the wait for this huge game is just about over.

Mario Kart 8 looks to flip Nintendo's kart racing franchise on its head literally.  The newest addition to the Mario Kart formula is anti-gravity sections a la F-Zero.  At specified areas of the track, the wheels on the kart will turn sideways in order to engage anti-gravity mode which allows karts to travel on surfaces parallel or perpendicular to the regular track.  During anti-gravity sections, racers can bump into each other or special bumpers to receive a spin boost.  Careful timing and chaining of these spin boosts can be the difference between victory and defeat in the more difficult races.  These anti-gravity sections can be found on most of Mario Kart 8's tracks including some of the sixteen classic tracks which have received some tweaks to take advantage of the new mechanics.  Apart from the new anti-gravity mechanic, much of Mario Kart 8's improvements come in the form of online multiplayer.  Mario Kart 8's online multiplayer supports up to twelve people at a time, friends and random people across the globe, totally customizable rule sets and voice chat in the lobbies.  On top of those features, players can set up tournaments that can be put on a schedule, download ghost data from friends and expert Mario Kart players including the developers themselves, earn Miiverse stamps by beating developer times and share their online exploits through Mario Kart TV.  In particular, Mario Kart TV allows players to share, edit and view replay data from races.  Players can take some initiative in creating some cool looking clips to share on Miiverse and even upload to Youtube.  Aside from all the additions to the gameplay and online multiplayer, Mario Kart 8 introduces new characters such as the Koopalings and Pink Gold Peach and new items like the racer and item chomping Piranha Plant and the shockwave-inducing Super Horn.

There is no doubt that Mario Kart 8 will be packed to the brim with content for players to indulge in.   The more Nintendo shows this new kart racer, the more this writer cannot wait to gather some friends together to create some brand new Mario Kart memories.  Also I look forward to diving into the online multiplayer in order to see where my Mario Kart skills rank on the world stage.  For those looking to pick up Mario Kart 8, Nintendo is offering a special bonus for registering the game on Club Nintendo before the end of July.  Register Mario Kart 8 and get a digital copy of New Super Bros. U, Pikmin 3, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD or Wii Party U for free.  An excellent bonus that even counts when registering the Mario Kart 8 Wii U bundle on Club Nintendo.  With all these great incentives, it is better time than ever to pick up a Wii U so do not hesitate.  See you on the track.

Top 5 Game Boy Advance Games

Handhelds have always been a generation or two behind the technology found in video game consoles.  This significant technological disadvantage has never hurt the popularity of handheld gaming.  In fact, it is a non-factor to most except those most obsessed with graphics and hardware specs.  The ability to play quality games in the palm of your hand has captured the hearts and minds of gamers around the globe.  From black-and-white pick-up and play arcade-like experiences of the Game Boy to fully featured time-consuming 3D worlds of the 3DS and Vita, the landscape of handheld gaming has drastically changed in the past two decades.  Nintendo's Game Boy family of handheld systems, which just celebrated its 25th anniversary, has played a major role instituting this change.  In particular, the final entry in Nintendo's legendary line of Game Boy systems pushed the bar the furthest before the Nintendo DS brand took over.

The Game Boy Advance put the power of the Super Nintendo, arguably one of the greatest video game consoles ever created, in the palm of your hands.  Although small in size, Game Boy Advance cartridges housed some of the best experiences from that beloved era of gaming such as A Link to the Past, Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country and Final Fantasy VI along with brand new classics like Advance Wars, Golden Sun and Drill Dozer.  The Game Boy Advance was the one video game system that introduced this writer to likes of Castlevania, Metroid and Fire Emblem, easily some of my favourite video game franchises.  In honour of the Game Boy's silver anniversary and the launch of the Game Boy Advance Virtual Console on Wii U, I would like to share my Top 5 Game Boy Advance games.  For this Top 5, I will be excluding any Super Nintendo port because they can overshadow the original titles released for the Game Boy Advance which deserve the recognition.  Enjoy the Top 5 and hopefully Nintendo will bring some of these titles to the Virtual Console for all to enjoy.

5. Mega Man Zero
Over the years, Capcom has developed various different iterations of the Blue Bomber from a robot-hunting mercenary to a living computer AI.  Each iteration focuses on a different aspect of game design such as the infusion of an overarching story in the X series to the RPG elements of the Battle Network series. The best iteration of Mega Man in this writer's opinion is Mega Man Zero for the Game Boy Advance.  Introduced as a character in the X series, Zero finally got the top billing that he was originally meant to receive in Mega Man X with Mega Man Zero.  100 years after the events of Mega Man X, Zero is awakened to help the Reploid resistance in their fight against his former friend X and the Neo Arcadian army.  While the story of Mega Man Zero spans four games, it is the first game that set the gold standard for the series with excellent action-platforming, fast-paced combat, challenging yet rewarding difficulty and heart-pumping music.  For those who missed out on Mega Man Zero on Game Boy Advance, the Mega Man Zero Collection for the Nintendo DS is a perfect way to experience this series in its entirety.

4. Mario & Luigi:  Superstar Saga
No one ever though Mario and RPG mechanics would ever be a good combination.  In actuality, Nintendo's iconic plumber is more than well-suited for the RPG genre as proven by both Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario.  Inspired by Mario's previous ventures into RPGs, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga took Mario RPGs in a different direction by limiting your party to just two characters-- Mario and Luigi.  The battles were ultimately turn-based, but involve much more input than your regular RPG.  Mario and Luigi always need to be on their toes at all times as they can cause more damage or even outright avoid attacks with a perfectly timed button press.  Exploring the overworld in Superstar Saga was not limited by gravity as Mario and Luigi could platform their way through areas to further the story and find hidden items.  The Mario Bros. repertoire of special moves and items like hammers and propeller jump allowed them to solve puzzles interspersed throughout the game.  Along with the gameplay, the love for Superstar Saga comes from its signature humour which ranges from Luigi dressing up as Princess Peach to allude the main villains to all the hilarious results of missing button presses to initiate Bros. Attacks.  While the series has only got better with each entry, Superstar Saga still stands as one of the best RPGs on the Game Boy Advance.

3. Castlevania:  Aria of Sorrow
Before the Game Boy Advance, portable Castlevania games were among the worst entries in the series.  With the power of the Game Boy Advance and later the Nintendo DS, Konami reversed the stigma firmly placed on portable Castlevanias for the better.  Their quality easily outclassed every console Castlevania following Symphony of the Night.  In fact, each portable entry has added their own additions to the Metroidvania formula introduced in Symphony of the Night such as Circle of the Moon's Dual Set-up System or the two interchangeable versions of Dracula's Castle in Harmony of Dissonance.  Among the three Castlevania games on the Game Boy Advance, Aria of Sorrow is the best.  Set in 2035, you play as Soma Cruz, the reincarnation of Dracula, as he stumbles upon Dracula's Castle hidden within a solar eclipse.  Trapped in Dracula's Castle, Soma must use his abilities as Dracula's vessel to escape before transforming into the iconic vampire.  Aria of Sorrow refines the same action-platforming and RPG mechanics used in the other Castlevania games for the Game Boy Advance to perfection.  What differentiates Aria of Sorrow from other entires in the series is the Tactical Soul system.  Instead of interchanging a select number of sub-weapons, Soma is able to absorb the souls of fallen enemies to acquire new attacks, summonable familiars, stat boosts and abilities which open up new areas to explore.  Equipping different combinations of souls allows you to create your own unique Soma with the attacks and abilities you want to use.  With the poor direction Castlevania has taken in recent years, Aria of Sorrow is a shining example of how great this franchise can be.

2. Fire Emblem
Fire Emblem is a series with a long and storied history.  Sadly that long and storied history was exclusive to Japan until 2003.  The first Fire Emblem to reach North American shores is one of the best tactical strategy games on any game system.  Following the adventures of Eliwood, Hector and Lynn, three lords from the continent of Elibe, Fire Emblem tasks players with taking an army of allies to stop the evil forces of the Black Fang and their pursuit to unleash the powers of the Dragon Gate on the world.  Fire Emblem's greatest strength came from the gameplay which has one managing the strengths and weaknesses of weapons and magic, the durability of items, character stats and the range of allies and enemies to overcome insurmountable odds.  At the game's best, it feels like playing a game of chess with medieval knights and wizards as your chess pieces.  Along with introducing North American audiences to the core mechanics of the series, Fire Emblem introduced players to its most signature feature-- the permanent death of ally units.  This feature caused plenty of chapter restarts from yours truly, but it made you feel connected to your units in a way no other tactical strategy game has done before.  No longer were these units expendable pawns; they were living, breathing characters that you cared for and grew attached to over the course of the game.  Their loss packed much more weight than losing a unit in a game like Advance Wars or Starcraft.  This emotional weight along with excellent game mechanics made Fire Emblem a defining experience for the strategy genre in general.

1. Metroid:  Zero Mission
Out of all the experiences available on the Game Boy Advance, one stands taller than the rest.  This experience comes from gaming's favourite bounty hunter, Samus Aran.  Actually, it is the remake of her first adventure to Planet Zebes in the original Metroid.  Metroid may be an iconic achievement in video game design and development, but certain aspects of the game, namely the graphics and the unguided structure of the game, have not stood the test of time.  Zero Mission took the original Metroid and upgraded the gameplay, graphics, level design, music and story to the masterful quality of Super Metroid.  Zero Mission made Metroid better in every conceivable way and that was not the only thing it did.  Zero Mission expanded on the original story of Metroid.  No longer was defeating Mother Brain the final thing Samus did on Planet Zebes.  In trying to leave Zebes, Samus is shot down by Space Pirates and stripped down to her Zero Suit.  With no power to fight regular enemies, the game changes from your standard 2D action-platformer to a compelling 2D stealth game as Samus tracks down a brand new Power Suit in order to finally escape the clutches of Zebes.  This incredible twist gave the final act of Metroid a greater sense of danger and vulnerability than fighting off countless waves of metroids.  Hands down, Metroid: Zero Mission is the definitive version of a classic which preserves it against the negative effects of Father Time.

On the Download: Earthbound

Since the inception of the Virtual Console in 2006, there has been one game that Nintendo fans clamoured to see on Nintendo's online catalogue- Earthbound.  Earthbound is a cult classic RPG from HAL Laboratory and Ape that released on the SNES back in 1994.  When Earthbound initially released, it did not do well commercially despite how loved the game was by RPG fans and critics.  Due to the poor sales, Nintendo kept future re-releases of Earthbound and its predecessor and successor in Japan.  For a long time, the only way to get Earthbound was by buying an original copy for the SNES, which easily cost upwards of 100 dollars.  After 19 years, Earthbound is finally being re-released for an affordable price in order for those who missed it to enjoy this classic.  The launch date for the Virtual Console re-release had been shrouded in mystery until the masters at Nintendo of America surprised everybody with a Nintendo Direct Mini, which revealed Earthbound would be released today on the Nintendo eShop!

Earthbound follows four unlikely heroes, known as the Chosen Ones, as they fight off an extraterrestrial threat.  These four heroes are small-town Onett native Ness, famous young physic Paula, child genius Jeff and mystic prince Poo.  These four heroes must use their Psi powers to dispatch numerous strange monsters from dinosaurs to piles of vomit and even some human foes such as hippies.  On their adventures, they will experience the quirky humour that Earthbound is known for firsthand as the game parodies American culture and many RPG tropes.  The original Earthbound came with a strategy guide to help gamers if they ever got stuck.  Considering this Virtual Console re-release is digital only, there is no way to get the guide when purchasing the Virtual Console version.  Before you get depressed, Nintendo has made a digital version of the strategy guide available for free on Earthbound's official website.  The guide is also optimized for use on the Wii U Internet Browser.

Earthbound is available now on the Nintendo eShop for 10 dollars, which is peanuts compared to the insane price the original SNES cartridge fetches nowadays.  Personally, I never got the chance to play Earthbound for myself as I did not owned a SNES.  Seeing Nintendo re-release this beloved RPG for fans old and new to experience is just wonderful.  Hopefully if enough people purchase Earthbound on Virtual Console, maybe Nintendo will finally bring Mother 1 and 3 across the pond to North America.  If you own a Wii U, it is time to make Nintendo notice that we want more games like Earthbound by talking with our money.  Simply Earthbound is a must-buy for any Wii U owner.

On the Download: Wii U Update Bonanza

After months of patiently waiting, Wii U owners have finally received the massive update needed to solve the load time problems the system has had since launch.  While this update does drastically decrease the load times between running games and applications, it is not the only feature that Nintendo has added to the Wii U through the update.  Wii U owners can now boot right into the Wii Menu by holding the B button during start-up, download and install games and applications in the background and when the system is turned off and transfer data between two USB storage devices.  Along with the update came a few new games to download in the Wii U eShop.  For the first On the Download of 2013, let us get on with the show.

Wii U owners have gotten a little taste of the Wii U Virtual Console through Nintendo's 30 cent trial program on the Wii U eShop.  Now with the release of the spring update comes the official launch of the Wii U Virtual Console.  While Nintendo's 30 cent program on select Virtual Console games will continue until July, Virtual Consoles will be released much more frequently now that the service has officially launched.  For those looking at what to download for the Virtual Console launch, there are eight games to choose from.  These games are Super Mario World, F-Zero, Punch-Out, Balloon Fight, Excitebike, Kirby's Adventure, Ice Climbers and Donkey Kong Jr.  The prices for Virtual Console games range from 5 dollars for NES games and 8 dollars for SNES game, but Kirby's Adventure is on for 30 cents until May 16th.  For Wii U owners who have moved their Wii Virtual Console library to the Wii U, you will be able to download the Wii U Virtual Console versions of these games for either 1 dollar for NES games and 1 dollar and 50 cents for SNES games.

While the delay of Rayman Legends and loss of exclusivity made a lot of Wii U owners very angry, Ubisoft has been trying their best to make it up to these gamers.  First, it was announced that the extra time has allowed the developers up to 30 new levels into Rayman Legends.  Second, Ubisoft planned to release the multiplayer portion of Rayman Legends exclusively for Wii U owners before the launch of the actual game.  There was a vague mention of a spring release for this feature, but nothing was ever set in stone.  It was to many gamers surprise to see the Rayman Legends Challenges App up on the Wii U eShop ready to download this past week.  This free app allows gamers to play through the final versions of the demo levels along with the online challenge mode.  There are daily and weekly challenges for gamers to test their platforming skills against people from all over the world.  Win trophies in these challenges in order to boost your awesomeness level and unlock more extreme challenges.  Personally, I have enjoyed my time with the Rayman Legends Challenges App and will easily spend more time with my Wii U because of it.  The app is free so Wii U owners should have no excuse to download it while we all wait for Rayman Legends' September release.