Welcome back to another edition of Week: End Game: On! What games are the Dojo staffers playing this weekend? Read on to find out!
Nicolas Vestre
Since my last entry, I’ve 100 percent completed Super Mario 3D World, which was quite difficult at the very end. I’ll admit that I used multiple Wii Remotes to speed up finishing every level with every character, but I didn’t want to be playing this game for the next two years. 3D World was a ton of fun, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
After that, I got addicted to NES Remix 2, and had a blast getting 100 percent on that. Even though getting a passing score wasn’t always intensely difficult, I came back again and again to try and beat my times. The challenges never really felt finished unless I got the best score I could muster, a sentiment that carried me through my experience with HarmoKnight on 3DS, way back when. Sure, I could blast through everything at light speed, but I wouldn’t enjoy myself nearly as much. One thing that I loved was the ability to view others’ replay videos, which helped me so much in getting better times. Sometimes I was approaching a challenge entirely the wrong way, and those videos were indispensable. Plus, I always got a smile on my face when I beat someone’s venerated score by a tenth of a second. Super Luigi Bros. was also fun (and maddening), making my brain work contrary to the way it has for the past two decades.
Now I’m going to be playing Mario Golf: World Tour and Professor Layton and the Curious Village, alternating between the two so I don’t get golf (or puzzle solving) burnout. But a little game called Mario Kart 8 got released not too long ago, so that will take precedence, at least for a little while.
Tomodachi Life looks interesting, but I’ve already spent way too much money on games lately and my backlog is enormous. And I don’t know if I could convince my mom to play it with me. I bet she’d love it if she tried it, though.
Kyle England
Even though summer vacation has been around for many people the past couple weeks, I feel like only this week am I getting enough time to truly enter my own personal summer break (or at least a weak facsimile resembling one). This means I’ve gotten to do more gaming than I have in a couple months! The only Nintendo game I’ve been playing this week is obviously Mario Kart 8. I can’t get enough of the beautiful tracks! I unlocked the entire character roster, which has 12 whole slots wasted on babies and Koopalings. Okay, Roy can stay, but the rest I can do without. Especially Iggy, I hate him.
But outside of Nintendo, I have been messing around with my newest piece of technology. Yes, I built a gaming PC last week! And what I am using it for? Why, to play a 12-year-old game! Seriously, I have been enjoying a heavily modded Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. It’s a true beauty and a real RPG classic. And I have barely scratched the surface. I also got a free copy of Watch_Dogs for PC with my graphics card, and I dabbled in that a little bit. So much to see and do! Hackers everywhere! I’m only two hours into that one, but I think it’s going to be pretty cool.
But of course, next week is E3. While I will definitely be keeping my eye on big PC releases now, I am still a Nintendo fanboy at heart. Let’s do it! Let’s see some awesome new games! I’m preparing to get my heart both broken and filled with pride.
Anthony Vigna
This may come as a wild shock to our readers, but I’ve been playing…Mario Kart 8! Yeah, who would of guessed such an obscure, relatively unknown title like that? Oh crap, did I forget to turn my sarcasm font on again?
I’m really enjoying this game a lot. I haven’t played a Mario Kart game since Mario Kart Wii because I grew tired of the series around the release of Mario Kart 7. I really thought that I would never get excited about a Mario Kart game again, but the release of Mario Kart 8 proved me wrong. The gorgeous visuals, amazing soundtrack, and creative use of zero gravity mechanics helped exceed my expectations tenfold, making the series feel fresh once more.
Mario Kart 8‘s digital game promotion not only gave me The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD for free, but it also got me five dollars of eShop credit due to the Digital Deluxe Promotion on Wii U! I plan on using this money to buy Aban Hawkins & the 1001 Spikes so my friend and I can play a ridiculously hard platformer cooperatively. I also got DuckTales: Remastered because I was eligible for 40 percent off any Wii U game at Toy “R” Us after purchasing Mario Kart 8! Wow, I have so many games to play this week! Mario Kart 8 is truly the gift that keeps on giving!
Andy Hoover
For me, it is all about the Mario sport spin-offs right now.
Like everyone else, I’ve been putting most of my time into Mario Kart 8 recently. I also just got all the characters, but there is still plenty to do as I’m still two Cups away from three starring all of the 100cc races, so I still have all the 150cc races ahead of me. I’ve also started on working the time trials as well, but I have barely scratched the surface so there are still plenty of hours left to sink in the game. Oh, and I haven’t played online yet, either!
The other game I’ve spent most of time with recently is Mario Golf: World Tour, which hasn’t left my 3DS since it came out. While I haven’t played every single sports game Mario has starred in, I have to admit that his latest golf outing in among the best. What’s really great is just how fantastic the game is for quick play sessions; it is the perfect game for killing a few minutes when there is noting better to do, or to play with something else going on in the background. The ability to switch seamlessly between casual and skill-based play styles is ultimately what I think really makes the game click.
Mel Turnquist
I will be jumping between three games: Mario Kart 8, Pikmin 3, and Tomodachi Life.
I’ve gotten gold on all the Cups in 50cc and 100cc in Mario Kart 8 and I’m looking to get gold in the 150cc Cups. I so nearly had it for the first Cup, but unfortunately I got screwed over during Thwomp Ruins. I’ll also be periodically racing people online. So if you see someone with a Baby Luigi in a Teddy Buggy with Wood Wheels, then that is likely me (unless I get the Wild Wiggler. I love Wiggler and am kinda bummed he didn’t make the cut on Mario Kart 8). I’ve been able to hold my own a lot better than I thought in online races, usually clocking in the top six.
For Pikmin 3 I’m currently in the Tropical Wilds and am confused on what to do. This game is surprisingly rage inducing when you don’t know where to go next. Especially when you look for guidance and people just won’t give you a straight answer.
As for Tomodachi Life, I’m picking it up on Friday and going to be having a blast with it. I need to make sure I get Iwata, Miyamoto, and Reggie in my group. Maybe some Dojoers as well. We shall see. I can’t wait to see the insanity that ensues with this game.
Marc Deschamps
This week, I finished playing The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. Our parting of ways is bittersweet, I have to say. While I’m excited to finally move on to Mario Kart 8 unencumbered by other games, I’m going to miss this one. I’ve never been overly fond of 2D Zelda games, but something about ALBW really connected with me. The gameplay, the wonderful use of 3D, the creativity behind all the puzzles, the gorgeous cut-scenes… I wasn’t sure it could live up to all the hype, but it certainly did. It’s possibly my favorite Zelda game since I traded Mike Germoni my copy of Forsaken 64 for his copy of Ocarina of Time back in 9th grade.
Jon Stevens
Mario Kart 8! My schedule is fully clear now, so I will be delving into Mario Kart as much as possible this weekend.
I also plan on playing as many other games as possible when I get the chance. Pokémon X is back on the agenda, I will be catching up on some Hearthstone on PC (which I am getting slowly addicted to), and hope to just generally get a little bit further on some of the many games which currently make up my backlog.
I’m also considering finally getting Super Mario 3D World… but may end up waiting until I’ve enjoyed Mario Kart a bit before trying that out!
Robert Marrujo
I’m boiling over with anxiety. I have three final projects, a final exam, and E3 prep all going on this weekend. I got Tomodachi Life, which is infinitely amusing, so far, and perfect for the state of franticness my brain is currently in. I’m playing it in spurts when I need to relax for a moment. Animal Crossing is also, as ever, a good way to soothingly pass away some relaxation time. This is my first E3 though… AND I’M SO EXCITED. Can’t stop thinking about it! I made business cards and everything. Wish me luck, people!
I’m still playing Mario Kart 8 quite a bit. It’s mesmerizing , not to mention fun. I was also fortunate enough to stumble on a pristine used copy of Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol for DS at Toys R Us last weekend, and if time permits I plan on playing it a bit this weekend. I’d like to point out that the stooges at the store put a big, ugly sticker over the “Only at Wal-Mart” logo on the cover-but on the actual paper insert! Almost ruined the thing! Geez!
What games will you be playing this weekend? Will you be playing more Mario Kart 8, or have you also picked up Tomodachi Life? Let us know in the comments!