I’ve been playing a lot of Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn the past few days, and like Little Mac in Punch-Out!! (and everyone else who has played a Fire Emblem game), I’ve learned a thing or two about little victories. Whether it’s beating down a crucial enemy with a white-knuckled critical hit in Radiant Dawn or reaching that Starman in a desperate bout of New Super Mario Bros. Wii— or, perhaps more frequently, doing that tiny back-A aerial in a game of Super Smash Bros. Brawl that somehow leads to victory– it’s the little things that count. And of course, that’s another way video games relate to real life, helping us enthusiasts wage the war for social acceptance of video games. (Recently, even Satoru Iwata went into the fray– though since he’s president of Nintendo of Japan, perhaps that’s not so surprising.) When video games help you learn that picking up your socks from the ground is, in fact, a small thing that makes everyone like you more, you know you’ve got a great hobby.
In fact, what games like Advance Wars: Black Hole Rising do for us is massive. The little things we do lead to little victories, which lead to great victories, which lead to us feeling pretty darn good about ourselves– which leads to us being the nicest people around for days. (And if there’s one thing the video game hobby needs, it’s nicer video game enthusiasts.) This week, we’ll explore some of the seemingly most marginal things, from Nintendo’s free 3D Classics: Excitebike game to the perhaps repetitious housecleaning chores of Chibi-Robo!. We’ll even channel our own inner Little Macs, taking on issues twice as big as ourselves. Is Wario really greed personified? Did Panel de Pon fail to reach stateside because it was, er, somewhat gender-biased? That’s what this week is for. We’re all about finding victories for Videogameland– even if they are little.
Enjoy,
Andrew
Send your battle scars to nintendojo.mailbag@gmail.com.
Issue 58: Little Victories
The Two-Wheeled Trojan Horse by Michael Edwards
The eShop’s 3D Classics seemed like another way to get us to buy old games, but Nintendo’s decision to release Excitebike for free showed how polished these can be.
Danceless Danceless Revolution by Andrew Hsieh
Nintendo fans were pretty sad that they didn’t get a true Dance Dance Revolution game in the days of N64. Then it came out for GBC.
Dojo-Show-Go! Episode 151 by Matthew Ward
This week’s episode: we look for Mew under a truck.
Of Pixies and Prejudice by Smith Stuart
Was Panel de Pon too girly for 90’s America? Smith investigates.
Wario: Greed Personified by Aaron Roberts
Isn’t Wario simply the greed and vengeance in each of us formed into a maniacal caricature? Urr… Mibbe?
Simple is Beautiful by Adam Sorice
Sure, Nintendo offers smaller experiences, but at least they live within their means.
Green Switch Palace: Company Swap by Marc N. Kleinhenz
Are Nintendo and Sony switching places?
Toy’s-Eye View Kevin Knezevic
What is it about being a tiny, housecleaning robot that makes Chibi-Robo so entertaining?
Cerebral Gamer: Hall of Memories by Joshua Johnston
You may not remember what games you’ve played, but your Wii does.
Additional features in this issue…
Tuesday
- Now Playing by Mel Turnquist
Thursday
- Industry Chatter by James Stank
Saturday
- Week: End Game: On by Adam Sorice
Sunday
- Weekly News Roundup by Michael Edwards
Coming Up Next Week…
Issue 59: Sugar-Coated
“Well, I mean, this box art looks good … I guess I’ll buy it?”