New Super Mario Bros

If you've ever considered yourself a Mario fan, and you're looking for one DS game you'll get the most out of your money for, I recommend New Super Mario Bros. It returns Mario to the days of scroll platforming, but in 3D and with all kinds of new tricks (such as grabbing a mushroom that makes you as big as the screen). It can be hard, but not too difficult. It's also interesting to actually watch Peach get dragged to each castle, her calling out to Mario for help.

One thing I really didn't like was that your game wasn't saved unless you defeated a tower or castle. So you could fight through two levels, but if you couldn't beat Koopa Jr. you lost all that work after restarting the game. So, you better be ready to do all that in one sitting or put your DS on sleep mode if you have to go off and do other things. But this is great for all ages, great for something to carry around on road trips or waiting in the doctor's office.

Princess Debut review

In Princess Debut, it's your job to switch places with a nervous princess (who looks just like you and shares your name), and not only learn to dance, but somehow win the heart of one of several handsome princes before the end of 30 days. It's basically a "choose your own adventure" story where everything you say or do has an effect on the ending. When you've gained enough dancing experience points you can also unlock dresses and other items.

I personally think it's very cute. Learning to dance can be frustrating, though - you basically follow a moving ball around with your stylus, and they grade you on whether or not you can stay inside that ball as it moves ("bad," "great," etc.). And if you've got your sights set on a certain prince, it's hard to find them when you want them (and even if you do, it's difficult to get them to really warm up to you to the point where they'd ask you to be their dancing partner). But if you love stories about royalty and especially romance, check it out.

Wikipedia says this is a otome game, which is "a video game that is targeted towards a female market, where one of the main goals, besides the plot goal, is to develop a romantic relationship between the player character (a female) and one of several male characters." So there you have it.

Video gamers gaming

If you're like me and you find it fun to watch others play video games, or are curious about the history of a certain system or game, check these out.

Aqualung Game Reviews

The Gaming Historian

School of Gaming

Zeta Plays Games are played in "real time" all the way through, unless he decides to stop a certain game out of frustration.

Mario Kart Wii

Mario Kart for the Wii was released in April, and brings a whole new level of fun for both beginners and long time fans of the series.

Gone is the traditional 8 racers - now you get 12, adding constant chaos. You will never be in front of someone else for long. Motorbikes have been added to the array of vehicles to choose from. Not only that, several retro tracks and new tracks are available to you - from reliving memories in Ghost Valley 2 to dashing up escalators in a mall, it's always exciting. And you can't really get bored, as Nintendo has added a Wifi feature - anytime, day or night, you can choose to challenge people from nearby or all over the world. Additionally, the game comes with a "Wii Wheel," allowing you to really feel like you're driving. It can be a little hard at first, but doesn't take long to learn. If you don't like it, you may also use a Gamecube controller.

What I don't like:

-My big problem would be the level of frustration that comes with it. It's no longer about skill, but luck.
-You can go from 1st to 9th in a matter of seconds (literally), be it from those horrible blue shells, to a POW, to a storm cloud - and, more often than it should be, you will get a combination of those at the same time.
-It doesn't matter how good you are, if you're ahead of everyone else you will be punished for it. Don't forget that even if you really nail a racer, they will be able to catch up to you at an impossible speed, so be wary.
-I suppose your best bet is to choose a racer kart with fast acceleration speed - you'll need that quick recovery, and often. But even that may not be enough.
-You also are stuck in Single Player in Grand Prix mode. No longer can you team up with a friend to go for the gold trophy - this time you're on your own, and it can get tedious if you're fighting the same Cup over and over to unlock something.

Regardless of these flaws, the game is very fun and should be a part of anyone's Wii collection.

Nintendo DS - Mario Kart

It took me awhile to get this, but I finally did and I have yet to regret it.

I have always found racing games fun but held a warm spot in my heart for Nintendo's wacky characters and their arsenal of banana peels, koopa shells and mushrooms. If you ever played Super Mario Kart (I spent many an hour with this as an 11-year-old back when it first came out) or any of its future incarnations, there are a number of "retro" tracks you can experience that should indulge your nostalgic needs - or, if you're like me and never owned a GBA or N64, you can get a feel for, if only slightly, what those games were like. There are also 16 new tracks that range from "normal" to zipping through a pinball machine and even a clock!

Of course, the old fan favorite of "battle mode" is also included, and I think you can play against friends if they have Mario Kart themselves. And if you have Wi-Fi or can locate a "hot spot," you can race against people from all over the world, so this game should never get boring.

Definitely recommended!

Official site: http://www.mariokart.com/mkds/launch/index.html
Youtube search: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22mario+kart+ds%22&search_type

Super Mario music

Some fun and clever Super Mario music videos I found on Youtube. If you're bored or just feel like being entertained, these should do the trick. Keep in mind they are mostly "old school" oriented. You won't find Mario Galaxy, kiddies. It really brings back some childhood memories just watching them :)

Super Mario Bros theme, midi-fied. Neat!



Super Mario Bros. 3 theme (done on Mario Paint). Pretty cool! I really wanted Mario Paint when I was younger, but I never got it (although once or twice I had the chance to play it at someone else's house).



Princess Peach sings "The Sweet Escape." Pixelated hilarity ensues.



For the grand finale, somebody with WAY too much free time got Super Mario World to actually make songs with sound effects from the game. Prepare to have your mind blown.

Nintendo DS - Cooking Mama

Cooking Mama is the kind of game that's so cute and quirky, you're too into things to really think about how simple it is.

"Mama," as she is called, drills you through various Japanese meals, such as octopus balls and fried rice, which you must prepare with the help of the stylus. Tasks such as pouring water and shaking a frying pan are timed - if you don't do it right or fast enough, Mama gets quite upset. It's as if this is all you should be living for, or your family needs this meal in exactly that time or they'll starve.

With that said, the graphics are very bright and colorful, making an otherwise boring task of cooking more enjoyable. Perhaps some people might want to try the recipes in real life, even if they couldn't do anything beyond cereal or toast previously. It may not be for the Zelda or Halo crowd, or anyone who prefers something more complicated/"mature" - but if you enjoy a charming, brief distraction (may be useful in the doctor's office or between classes) with replay value, this is it. I would especially recommend this to anime fans, if only for the goofy and enthusiastic Mama.

Official English site: http://www.cookingmamacookoff.com/
Youtube results: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cooking+mama

Nintendo DS - Super Princess Peach

For Christmas I received a Nintendo DS, along with the game Super Princess Peach. I would've bought the system myself, just to be able to play this game. I was THAT curious. The tables have been turned? The Princess is doing the rescuing? Sign me up! Now that I've gotten a feel for how things are done in it, I'm writing my thoughts.

This is not as "easy" as some players make it out to be (or maybe I'm just slow and dumb). Though the places I've explored so far are rather simple in design, you still have to solve problems and know what "emotion" to use in order to say, get under a bridge or make a flower grow to climb up on. It's no easier than Yoshi's Island or Super Mario Bros.

It's also incredibly cute. Peach uses an umbrella (named Perry) to whack enemies, or absorb them to fuel her emotions for later use. You use the touch screen in order to channel one of these emotions - joy, rage, gloom, and calm. Before I had this, I assumed the "vibes" came from how she was doing. If, for example, she had been hit by one too many enemies, she would get angry or cry. This is not the case, as you are in control of how she is feeling at the moment.

If nothing else, it's a nice little change from the usual damsel-in-distress scenario that plagues so many of the Mario games - now it's the Princess' turn! I am a little annoyed by the "women are so emotional/girly" stereotype, but if you channel that away, it's still pretty fun. Guys should not be scared by the pinkness and the word "Princess" in the title. I think they could enjoy this, too.

Official English site: http://www.superprincesspeach.com/
Youtube search: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=super+princess+peach