Week: End Game: On 09.11.2016

It’s another edition of Week: End Game: On! What games are the Nintendojo staff playing this weekend? Read on to find out!

Robert Marrujo

I’ve been playing Super Smash Bros. on Wii U quite a bit during the last week. I’ve never really stopped playing the game since it came out, but there are times when I’ve played a lot less. Lately, it’s been a lot more, though, and I’ve been having a ton of fun. The online still ticks me off, sadly. It’s too hit or miss when it comes to a sturdy connection. Some days there’s virtually no lag, others it’s there and kicking me right in the face. Still, when it works it’s great, and the perfect way to expand your skill set by matching up with players of all stripes.

On the handheld front, I’m continuing to make my way through Metroid Prime: Federation Force. No joke, this is a really fun game that Metroid fans should check out! There’s no denying Nintendo made a mistake by releasing this spin-off after years now without a proper series installment, but that shouldn’t prevent anyone who likes Metroid from playing it. It’s got a fun style and the mechs/Federation troopers are a serviceable replacement for Samus. We’ll see how much further I get this week.

Finally, I’m getting ready to crack into the current run of Street Fighter Unlimited comics. I’ve been picking through the issues since they came out, but I haven’t given them a proper, absorbed read yet. I’m especially anxious for the issues drawn by Edwi Huang; that guy does some crazy good panel layouts that are a treat to stare at. Udon publishes the series; head to a comic shop and find yourself some copies if you like Street Fighter!

I just finished up my replay of Spider-Man. It’s been a lot of fun, even if it has been a bit of a culture shock revisiting a game from 16 years ago! There are a lot of things we take for granted about gaming in 2016, and the camera happens to be one of them. Mysterio, Carnage, Dr. Octopus? None of them resulted in more deaths for poor Spidey than that camera! Still, the game really holds up well, and it set a strong precedent for licensed games moving forward. Great games like Batman: Arkham City just wouldn’t have existed if not for Spider-Man!

Lately, I’ve been playing Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse on 3DS. I got it as part of a Humble Bundle deal, and I’m just now getting around to it. It’s my first time checking out the series, and I can totally see why it has such a devoted fan base: there’s a lot to love! The backtracking can get a bit monotonous, but the gameplay and level design are top-notch. Definitely looking forward to the upcoming Wii U follow-up!

Jon Stevens

This week sees me returning to Luigi’s Mansion 2 after a long hiatus. I stopped playing the game after too many other great games fell on my lap and just never ended up finishing it, but it is so unique compared to other games in the Mario franchise that it is definitely worth a return trip.

Besides that, I’ve actually recently started dipping in and out of Nintendo Land again. It’s interesting, but even in the short time that the game has been out, it feels different when you go back and play it. The early HD gloss which felt so new at the time is diminished somewhat by Nintendo’s later HD games, which all look fantastic. I can also re-confirm that it really wasn’t intended to be a single player game, as many of the minigames just haven’t held my attention now that I know what they have to offer. Despite that, I still think it was a great launch title with some really interesting ideas (and multiplayer that remains fun to this day), and I can’t wait to see what Nintendo is working on for the launch of NX.

I finished up the main quest in The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap earlier this weekend, and I must say, I had a lot of fun with the title! In retrospect, I’m a little disappointed with myself for having overlooked the game when it was first released, but I think that ultimately worked out for the best; Younger Kevin would’ve probably been disappointed with the game’s length, but Older Kevin appreciates the fact it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Now that I’ve finally completed it, I’m not quite sure where Minish Cap ranks in my personal hierarchy of Zelda titles; I’d probably place it even with A Link Between Worlds, but below Link’s Awakening and both Oracle titles. Regardless, the game is a bona fide classic, and anyone else who has overlooked it for one reason or another, like I initially did, should definitely give it a download.

Now that Minish Cap is finally out of the way, I’m not quite sure what game I should move on to next. I still have plenty of unplayed titles mocking me from my shelf, but I don’t want to commit to a new adventure so close to the release of Dragon Quest VII. I’m notoriously bad at finishing RPGs, and that likelihood drops even further if I’m juggling multiple games at the same time. I have had an urge to tinker around with Super Mario Maker once again, though, so maybe I’ll try to complete a new level before Dragon Quest takes up all my time!

What games are you playing this weekend? Let us know in the comments!