Mini-Article: Is there a wrong way to Brawl?

A short article, but I feel it was something that needed saying.



If there's one thing that seems to divide the Super Smash Bros. fan base, it's whether or not to use items. Some people prefer the chaos of random items, while others think that the game better enjoyed with nothing but the fighters on the stage. Personally, I belong to the former group, loving the insanity of Bob-ombs and Smash Balls popping up here and there. Am I wrong? Are the other guys wrong? Are we both wrong? Could both sides be right?

Really, it all comes down to what the player prefers. If you're the kind of person who prefers to carefully calculate every move, leaving nothing to chance and allowing naught but skill to determine the outcome of the match, then you're best off without items.

On the other hand, you may be a bit more chaotic in your battling. Perhaps you prefer to let not only the skill of the players determine the winner, but also allowing the variable of luck to become a factor. If this sounds like your style, then you'll probably enjoy playing with items more.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is the kind of game that's practically impossible to play incorrectly. It all boils down to what you prefer. Sora Ltd. made it so you could tweak each match until it was just right for a reason. There is no such thing as a wrong way to Brawl, as well as there is no one definitive way to play it right.

So go ahead, folks. Grab your controller of choice, pop in that dual-layered disc of glory, and play the game the way it was meant to be played: Your way.

Discuss This Article On The Forums

The Duck Has Spoken.

Mini-Article: What if game rules and such applied to real life?

Just imagine if the video game rules, physics and logic were real. Take the world you live in, but imagine it as if it were inside a video game. This could be a really great thing, but it also has the potential to be very bad. Read on to find out more.

You'd never have to worry about injuries. Just pick up a health pack, and you're good to go. Broken bones? Separated shoulder? Have no fear, Medkits are here! Heck, you could probably get your head nearly 100% blown off, and a single Medkit would fix you up. Just so long as you didn't actually, you know, die. Games have their limits, you know.

Falling from great heights? Get in a car! After all, cars in games are almost entirely impervious to damage sustained hitting the ground. So long as the wheels hit first, you'll just keep moving like you merely drove off a curb. This would sure make going over Niagara Falls a whole lot easier... Just bring the Volkswagen!

Who needs U-Haul? After all, your invisible inventory has all the space anyone could ever wish for. Collapsible bike? Huge-ass sword? A queen-size bed? Just pick it up and shove it in your knapsack. Even the limited inventories in most games are insanely expansive, of course. Still, don't be surprised when you can't fit more than twelve couches in your pocket.

Low on cash? Break some boxes. It's bound to work. Some of the places you can find rupees are insane. Up a tree, in the grass, hidden in a pot, and sometimes even misleadingly placed in a treasure chest. Oh yeah, that big song and dance was totally worth five cents. No, if only I could resist the urge to hold everything I get above my head...

Don't worry about getting it right the first time. You can always just reset, right? Unless, of course, you live in one of those towns. Oh, you know the kind of town I mean. The kind with that ugly little dude who never shows his face until you hit the reset button, and then it's nothing but yak yak yak for days and days... Good thing there's plenty of exterminators in the phone book. Oh, and taxidermists, too. Great for cleaning up afterward.

Are you hopelessly stuck on a difficult puzzle? Don't worry, just talk to enough people and eventually one will tell you how to figure it out. After all, if there's one thing people exist for, it's standing around doing nothing but giving tiny little bits of advice to anyone who asks.

Breaking and entering? Bah! There's no such thing anymore! Everybody's door is open all the time. Just walk in, open up, and sit down. Will they call the cops? Kick you out? Yell at you? Nope. They'll happily entertain you, striking up conversations and telling you how much they love bread (Or something stupid like that). And I can pretty much guarantee that if a door is locked now, it'll be locked forever. At least until you do something completely unrelated that somehow triggers the home owner to open up, of course.

Cats aren't the only creatures that have multiple lives. Every $100 you earn, you get another chance at immortality! No wonder the really rich people never seem to die. I bet they just bathe in Medkits.

The preceding was but a minor glimpse into what life would be like if it were like a video game. Crazy stuff, hmm?

Discuss This Article On The Forums

The Duck Has Spoken.

Mini-Article: There's no reason to be ashamed of liking Pokémon

Okay, I can do a little something short tonight... Really short, though. This is just something I felt should be said is all.



I've heard a lot of people say that they were "ashamed" or "embarrassed" to show up at the recent Toys 'R' Us event to get their free Darkrai for Pokémon Diamond/Pearl. So what if you're a 21 year-old man standing in a crowd of pre-pubescent Poké-fans? If you like Pokémon, you like Pokémon, and that's that. It's a solid RPG with numerous hidden values and loads of strategy. Any kid can enjoy Pokémon, but it takes a well-developed mind to truly understand and master the game.

So yeah, the game's rated E and stars a ten year-old. So? Animal Crossing's the same, isn't it? And how about Earthbound?

So a large part of its audience is made up of grade-schoolers. Aren't Mario, Zelda and so many other franchises in the same situation?

The fact is, Pokémon debuted in 1995 (1998 in North America). People who were kids then have every right to continue enjoying the game to this day, and they have no reason to shy away from admitting it. I'm a 17 year-old male, I play Pokémon, and I'm damn well proud of it. I've been playing it since I was 7, and I'm not going to stop any time soon. Every other Pokémon fan out there, no matter their age, sex or whatever, should feel the same. Do your friends not think it's right to play Pokémon at your age? Well, as far as I'm concerned, it's their loss. It's a great series of games, and everyone has the right to play and enjoy it openly.

Next time there's a "download this Pokémon at Toys 'R' Us" event, go right in there and start up Mystery Gift. If someone gives you a weird look, good for them. You're having fun, and that's all that matters.

Discuss this article on the forums

The Duck Has Spoken.

Wii and PC: Why they're my systems of choice this generation

Decided not to put "Mini-Article" in the title, because I'd rather the article's name not be nearly as long as the article itself. It's in the tags, though...


Every generation, most people who game a lot choose two systems. Perhaps you're a Wii and 360 guy, or someone more for the PS3 and PC. I, for one, have chosen the Wii and PC this generation, and here's why.

When it comes to the Wii, I chose it because it plays host to some of my favourite franchises, such as Zelda, Metroid, Pokémon and Mario. Also, I love the new controller and the many new opportunities it presents. On a somewhat lesser note, it's also the cheapest, and I'm generally low on cash, so that works out nicely.

As for the PC, I chose it because it generally makes for a good selection of multi-platform titles. Also, the backlog of PC games is far larger than that of any known console, as well as incredibly affordable. SimCity 4: Deluxe Edition? $25. Need for Speed: Most Wanted? $10. Roller Coaster Tycoon: Deluxe Edition? $5. Saving tonnes of money? Priceless (I couldn't help it). Also, the PC has Valve developing for it, which is awesome. Half-Life 2 and Portal forever!

Now, it's only logical that I explain why I didn't choose the other systems. First, let's start with the popular-to-taunt PS3. Mainly, I'd have to say it's the library that's the problem for me. So little of the PS3's game interest me. KillZone? God of War? MotorStorm? Just not me. Also, there's the matter of how much it costs... I'm sure we're all familiar with Kaz Hirai's famous yelling of the console's initial price tag, so let's move on...

As for the XBox 360, well, this has been an ongoing mental debate for me. One day I might want it, the next I'll completely hate it, and after that I just don't know what to think. Today is one of those third days. On the one side, I do want it for games like Dead Rising, Viva Pinata and (Maybe) Grand Theft Auto IV, but on the other hand, I really, really don't want to pay for online. I suppose it's just best I don't bother and accidentally pay a few hundred bucks for something I'm not sure I want... And besides, most 360 games come out for the PC sooner or later, so I'm pretty much covered in that category.

So yeah, that's the basic reasoning behind my system choices this generation. You may think it's kind of odd for me to write this sort of thing out, but I think quite the contrary. It'd really be interesting to see just why every gamer choose the console they did. Feel like sharing your reasoning for buying whichever system(s) you bought? I'd really like to hear it. You can tell your story in the comment section, or in this forum thread.

The Duck Has Spoken.

Mini-Article: Touch screens, motion controls... What's next?

In 2004, Nintendo hit us with one of the biggest developments in gaming in years: Touchscreens. Two years later, we're really playing with power, using motion controls to do our bidding. But what control interface could possibly one-up this?

I've seen some ideas floating about, one of which is incredibly absurd, yet strangely interesting. This concept, called the Virtus Sphere, has the player running around in a giant hamster ball. No, really. A person dons a virtual reality visor, grabs a light gun, and hops in. Interesting, but incredibly impractical. I wouldn't want to have been a hamster-er, guinea pig on this one.

Hamster hamster hamster hamster

And then we have the prospect of taking the Wii remote and cutting out the middleman. In other words, no remote, and controlling the game with our hands. It sure sounds like a good idea. Just wave your hand to manipulate your environment. Close your fingers to grab something. Ball up your hand into a fist and make a punching motion to sock it to 'em. It all sounds good in theory, but then again, so did the Powerglove.

"I love the Powerglove. It's so bad." (Perhaps "bad" wasn't the best word to use...)

Of course, after that, we have the science fiction idea of controlling a game with one's mind. A little cybernetic implant here, some cranial modification there, and you instantly become the ultimate game controller. To take it a step further, the game could be displayed on a virtual reality visor, or even beamed directly to the player's optic nerve. Of course, this, like the above idea, has a couple of kinks in it. Firstly, if something happens while the player is in-game, they may not be able to react properly. House on fire? Sorry, can't help. Too busy grinding my level 70 Tauren.

The only step from here is a full-blown, straight-from-Star-Trek holodeck. In a holodeck such as the one from The Next Generation, the player actually enters the game, becoming part of a huge, fully-interactive holographic environment. Every projection reacts to the player as if it were a solid object, allowing for otherwise unmatched possibilities. The player could actually climb virtual stairs as if they were real, touch objects as if they were actually part of their world, and walk through a park as if it were a real place, feeling the virtual wind on their face. This is the ultimate level of player integration, but, again, it has it's downsides. If the power were to go out when the player is standing at a high elevation, they would plummet down and hit the real, solid floor. Not exactly safe. And then there's the matter of the program going haywire and hurting the user... It wouldn't be a pretty sight. And how impractical is devoting an entire room to a holodeck? Yipes.

Imagine playing Metroid Prime 3 in one of these babies.

As for now, I think we'll have to make do with what we have. Sure, the hamster ball and Powerglove-like interface have their perks, but the downsides overshadow them. Cybernetic implants and Holodecks are even more flawed, and even dangerous. So unless they think of some way to make this all safe and practical, we won't be seeing much of a departure from the Wii remote for quite some time to come.

Feel free to discuss this in the comment section, or in this forum thread.

The Duck Has Spoken.

Mini-Article: World War II games: Enough already!

The first World War II game I played was Battlefield 1942 on the PC. Good game, great level design, amazing online play. Everything about it was brilliant. A little while back, I picked up Brothers in Arms DS. Again, it was a pretty good game. It kept me busy for a little while. Did pretty well considering how cheap I got it for.

But by the time I picked up Medal of Honor: Heroes 2, I got an immense feeling of deja vu. I'd played almost the exact same level years before, but with less amazing graphics. I've seen Normandy before, I've fought the Germans several times, I've killed many a Swastika-wearing enemy. And I've barely even scratched the surface of war games with my experiences.

The same thing can only be entertaining so many times. I feel as if that each WW II game I play is just a remake of the last. The levels can't be very different, because they're based on fact. The weapons must be the same to match the time period. Unless the game branches out into the fantastical, the only real variables are the AI, graphics, sound and control schemes.

I'm glad to see that some game franchises are beginning to grow out of this phase. Call of Duty 4 saw a shift to modern day combat, and the upcoming Battlefield Heroes takes place in a fictional representation of today's warfare technology. But still, many games continue to follow the events of World War II. What will it take to stop this monotony? Can't we have a game based on World War I, with bayonets and stuff? I seriously think that'd be kinda cool.

Or maybe there could be a super-futuristic war game, pitting Earth against invading aliens. But unlike games such as Halo and Half-Life (Nothing against them, by the way), the player would be just another average human fighting to save and protect his planet. If the player has an ability, advantage or disadvantage, then every ally should, too. No giving the player super-awesome suits of high-tech armour or incredibly amounts of health. Each soldier would be equal, playable or not.

As for the aliens, they'd be all the same as well. No giant sword-wielding varieties, no tiny little grunts, just all the same species fighting to take over or destroy your planet. Every alien would have the same amount of health, basically the same armour (Minor differences depending on rank, of course), and the same weapons. Why can't developers take a risk and at least try something like this? I'd prefer it over any new World War II shooter. Call me crazy, but I like new games to be new.

Talk about this article in the comment section, or in this forum thread.

The Duck Has Spoken.

Mini-Article: Gaming pranksters are getting too good

Just something short tonight... It's Good Friday, so everyone was home. Until about ten minutes ago, I thought it was Saturday, and now I have to whip up something quick for an article. Next week should be better with longer and more in-depth articles...



Earlier today, a peculiar post showed up on NintendoWiiFanboy.com, claiming that a new Wario's Woods was being made for WiiWare. A few hours later, it was revealed to be nothing more than an early April Fool's Joke. I won't deny it: I was convinced that it could be real.

But, it just wasn't true. A pity, since I happened to like Wario's Woods ever since playing it on Animal Crossing. The biggest surprise about this whole thing, though, is how good people have gotten at making fake things seem real.

Seriously, today people make up a fake Wario's Woods game, and tomorrow, who knows? Earthbound DS? Final Fantasy XIV on the Wii? A good Spyro game? Nothing's too insane for the skilled prankster with too much time on his hands.

But still, I applaud Josh Thomas for this. He did some amazing stuff there, and he could have convinced hundreds of people that this game was real. Amazing stuff. If only the prank went entirely according to plan...

So then, so ends this somewhat lackluster week of updates. Feel free to whine about the inadequacy of the latest articles in the comment section, or in this forum thread.

Or you could also talk about this article on it's own. Whatever floats your boat.

The Duck Has Spoken.

Mini-article: An expansion on "Games: Having fun VS mastering the program"

This is a good example of what I meant in "Games: Having fun VS mastering the program", in regards to playing a game as a game, and not finding a certain way to turn it into timed button presses.

I was reading through the comments section on this Go Nintendo article, and I feel like I should put in my two cents on the whole "Snaking in Mario Kart" debate.

I will not deny that snaking was intentionally put into past versions of Mario Kart. As many have said, the staff ghost data on the time trials commonly use this tactic to decrease their lap time. And that's fine for time trials. But I feel that racing against other people is something much different.

If you're a snaker racing against another snaker, the outcome of the race all comes down to who can get more boosts out of each straightaway, which is usually largely dependent on the kart and racer used. I find many snakers use Dry Bones and his Dry Bomber due to it's agility and resistance to slowing down on rough terrain. The only other factor here seems to be pure dumb luck.

If you're a snaker racing against a non-snaker, the race is pretty much determined off the bat, with you snagging the gold. What's the fun of racing if you know you're going to win? And how do you snakers cope on levels without straightaways? Choco Mountain must be a real bitch to win, hmm?

Now, before you start calling me a stupid n00b who can't snake, allow me to say that you'd be absolutely right in saying this. I can't snake. Why? Because I've never tried to. I've never even wanted to. I consider snaking to be just as low as using cheap moves in any fighting game. Have you run into any punks online in Brawl, using nothing but Pit's sword-swirling technique to get the job done? I look at that in exactly the same way I look at snaking. Sure, it's in the game, but is it the right thing to do? I don't think so, and I'm sure many agree.

I'm not saying snaking is 100% wrong, and that all snakers are losers or unskilled. I'm just saying that I don't think it's the true way to play Mario Kart. Like Pit's spinning blades, snaking is present, but overuse isn't right. Save the boosting for the corners, and leave the straightaways for how Kart was meant to be played.

Feel free to discuss this in the comment section, or in this forum thread.

The Duck Has Spoken.

Mini-Article: Random Wii improvement ideas

These are just a few ideas I thought up that would improve the Wii. I guess some of them have been thought of before, but at least I can give my own spin on things to change it up.

Virtual Console additions notification
Sure, you and I have e-mail alerts and Go Nintendo to keep us on top of the new Virtual Console releases, but not everyone subscribes to Nintendo or keeps up with the news sites. Just the other day my brother-in-law asked me when F-Zero (SNES) would be hitting the Virtual Console. He had no idea it was already released!

Sure, a recent firmware upgrade makes it so new releases scroll by on the Shop Channel icon, but the preview images are so tiny, and it only shows a small selection of the recent releases. I think Nintendo should send you e-mails every Monday (Or whatever day they're released in your region) telling you what games were just released. It wouldn't take much work to arrange, and it would surely pay off if users knew what games were available.

USB hard drive support
I know I'm nowhere near the first person to suggest this, but dang it, this is really becoming a problem! I've already filled up about half of my Wii's memory with channels, saves and Virtual Console games, and it's only been 15 months!

I've heard the whole "Wii refrigerator" side of things, but that's not exactly the greatest alternative. Deleting and re-downloading games is a real pain, especially if your wireless network isn't exactly Mr. Reliable. I just think that hard drive support should be there as an option for the people who like having a well-stocked fridge.

Actually use WiiConnect24 for something
Remember all the talk we heard before the Wii came out? Talk of instant downloads and automatic updates? Well, either my Wii is broken, or this never happened. Will any of these promises come true in the future? Or will Animal Crossing Wii lack the option to visit towns when your pal's not there? This was a big example of WiiConnect24's power, and considering how things have been going so far, well, I'm not so sure it can happen anymore.

Would it be so hard to actually have a Wii online all the time? Is it so crazy to have a Wii automatically update itself? Maybe they're just afraid we'll overflow our fridges...

Discuss this article on the forums

The Duck Has Spoken.

Mini-article: Tips to Sony: How to sell the PS3

No, you haven't stumbled into the Twilight Zone. Just read on.



I think that everybody can agree that the PS3 is completely floundering in terms of sales. It's no secret, really. Looking at the sales charts, the PS3 hasn't even sold half as many units as the XBox 360, let alone coming close to the Wii.

Looking at the PS3 and how it's being managed, I can come up with a few ideas on how to make it sell better.

1: Stop making PS2s. From the launch of the PS3 to now, the PS2 has sold 10 million units, 4 million more than the PS3. Sony is cannibalizing their own sales! So nix the PS2, and implement 100% backwards compatibility in the PS3.

2: Find a way to lower that ridiculous price. Even your cheapest, $400 model costs way too much. Trim it down to $300 somehow. And make it possible for people who buy the cheap model to gradually upgrade to the full potential of the most expensive unit. None of this "Will never be as good" crap.

3: Show off the PS3's true power. Get SCEA off their asses and tell them to make a game that really flexes the console's muscle. Get every last bit of those processors humming with processing software, and make some good use of that SIXAXIS. Go out, play Excite Truck, get inspired and get working.

In short, Sony needs to cut costs, kill the PS2 and show off what the PS3 can really do. Then you'll see the sales.

I believe the PS3 can be good, but not in it's current state. It'll take some work and a lot of cash, but it can be saved and turned into a winner.

The Duck Has Spoken.

Mini-article: By this time next year...

Here's a mini-article for ya! Should be followed up by a full-length article if all goes as planned. If not, you'll be seeing that article on Monday instead.



I like predicting things. It's fun, and it helps get people excited for the future. So here are a few I've thought up.

By this time next year...

...Star Fox Wii will have been announced for an early 2009 release.
...Animal Crossing Wii will have launched in all major markets.
...a new design of the Nintendo DS will be announced.
...at least two more game systems will be added to the Virtual Console.
...the obligatory third Pokemon game of the generation will be released.
...over 20 million Wii systems will have been sold worldwide.
...Duke Nukem Forever will remain unreleased.

That last one is really obvious! As for the others, I'm seeing a probability of 70%+ for all of them.

Remember this article come November 2008, folks! Who knows, I may have to change my name to PsychicDuck!

The Duck Has Spoken.

Mini-article: Duck to the Future

Sorry, cheesy title. I couldn't resist! Also, this will be all for tonight. Gotta hit the sack soon...

Also, article #150! Yay!



I've done a lot of predicting in the past. A LOT of it. Of course, many of my predictions have been, well, WRONG (Star Fox Wii at E3 2007? Nope!). But I have been right a few times. Here are some instances when I managed to see the future (Not really).

Ike's presence in Brawl

Way back on the first of June, I wrote an article called "My thoughts on new Smash Bros. characters". In it, I predicted the presence of none other than Ike from Fire Emblem. And two months later, Ike joins the Brawl. Pretty cool, huh? Okay, so I really just overheard somebody else suggest Ike, but hey, I ran with it! To whomever I overheard: Good call, dude.

Mario Kart Wii to be shown at E3 2007

Okay, I totally hit the nail on the head with this one! Withing 24 hours of E3 2007's beginning, I predicted that Mario Kart Wii would be shown at the conference. And guess what? I was right, baby! Okay, so I was wrong about everything else in that article, but hey! I predicted Mario Kart Wii perfectly!

Also, I just noticed that Mario and Luigi are driving invisible karts in that picture posted above. How cool is that? Neato.

Dedede's presence in Brawl

Okay, I'll admit I was a little bit off with this one. I predicted that Dedede would be a boss, not a playable character. Close enough! He's in Brawl, so I nearly saw this one coming. I was this close, man! Also, this was all my idea. No help, no overhearing, no consultation firm of highly imaginative business men. All me!

So then, I can kind of predict things maybe! Sure, my accuracy is about 8%*, but still, it's something! Have you ever guessed something would happen, only to find your prediction come true? Let's hear some stories from you seers and clairvoyants, hmm?

*An entirely made up number. Math is totally lost on me!

The Duck Has Spoken.

Mini-article: Why the Brawl delay is a good thing

As every gamer on the face of the Earth now knows, Super Smash Bros. Brawl has been delayed in both North America and Japan until early 2008. I'm really not all that concerned. In fact, I'm glad Brawl was delayed.

Now, before you go calling me a madman, hear me out. First of all, look at Holiday 2007. Between now and the end of the year, we'll see the release of Super Mario Galaxy, NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams, Battalion Wars 2, Zack & Wiki, Trauma Center: New Blood, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Medal of Honor Heroes 2, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, Rayman Raving Rabbids 2, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn. And that's just for Wii! Don't you think there's enough on the way these next two months?

Second of all, and undoubtedly most important, this extra time will let Nintendo makes Brawl the absolute best it could be. More development time means more characters, more items, more stages and more modes, as well as an overall increase in quality of the whole package.

So then, would you rather have Brawl this December, or would you rather wait a while and get it when it's bigger, better and badder than ever before? I feel the answer is quite obvious.

Mini-article: Nintendo is about more than just videogames

Heya, this is a mini-article. Just something I had to say. I might make up a longer article later, and I might not, so don't freak if this is all you get, okay? I need to get my sleep for bowling tomorrow!

PS: Never thought you'd see pre-article comments again? WELL YOU WERE WRONG.



So today I went out to run a little errand. Needed to go reserve Super Mario Galaxy before it was too late, and I wasn't doing much, so hey, what the heck. Anyways, after the pre-order, I decided to go to the Wal-Mart next to the EBGames to browse around a bit. Once finishing my usual combing of the electronics section, I went over to the toy department for a minute. And that's when it hit me: Nintendo isn't just about games any more.

Merchandising! Everywhere! Big Brain Academy board game, Pokemon plush dolls, Mario Kart racetracks! Nintendo isn't just a game company, it's a cultural phenomenon! Two or three years ago, you'd at most see a plush doll or action figure of your favorite game character. Nowadays, you can hardly go down a toy aisle without seeing at least three different products!

The Mario Kart racing set that had so taken my attention
hostage.

Nintendo's nearly cornered the gaming market. Their next goal? NintenToys!!!

The Duck Has Spoken.