Brain Age: Concentration Training 3DS Release Date: February 10th, 2013 Purchased at: Goodwill (Mountain View, CA – $9)Laura and I happened to be checking out a new sandwich place when we drove past this Goodwill. I have mentioned before stopping in here and commenting on how big it was, even noticing they had some old N64 and Game Boy Advance games for sale (though I didn’t pick any up). This time though they had a shipment of brand new (!) games from K-Mart. Among them was Brain Age: Concentration Training here. Granted not a wonderful price, it was at least still sealed, which is better for that price. And it’ll likely stay sealed.
Just Dance
Wii
Release Date: November 17th, 2009
Purchased at: Goodwill (Mountain View, CA – $5)We’ve been talking about getting some of the Just Dance games to use at parties and social gatherings, so this was a pretty fun find. Every now and then I see a copy of this original game in the series at GameStop or some place similar, and it’s still up in the $20 range. Dear god, it’s so old and there are a dozen sequels! Why are we still willing to pay that much for such an old game? Anyhow, it’s mine now, and as with every other game series, I must start collecting the rest. Ugh…
Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir
3DS
Release Date: April 13th, 2012
Purchased at: Goodwill (Mountain View, CA – $5)Woohoo! Best find of the day! Spirit Camera was one of the earlier 3DS games I’ve been searching for, and I am finally able to call it my own. And, just like Brain Age, it’s still sealed! This one might be opened tough, as I really want to play it, and the resale value of the game now isn’t astronomical. As a spinoff of the Fatal Frame series, I can also claim this one to be the final game I needed to complete the American-released series!
I actually forgot to include this one on last week’s Roundup, so here it is! When Nintendo announced Captain Toad back at E3, I was already on board. Like many other Wii U players, I thought the Captain Toad segments of Super Mario 3D World were fun diversions that were a welcome and challenging change of pace. Now the little guy’s in his own entire game! Having played just an hour of so of the game I can’t speak wholly on it just yet, but so far the game is equal parts challenging and adorable!
Another sale at GameStop this week has perhaps changed my mind about the company’s policy regarding, well, sales. But the real find this week was a handful of original Xbox games at Goodwill. Don’t get too excited though: this isn’t nearly as grand a find as the GameCube games a few months back, but it’s still decent. Read the rest of this entry »
For one reason or another, sales didn’t really happen this year at GameStop. There would be some nice Buy 2 Get 1 Free deals in years past, but there were none this year in the truest since. Occasionally I saw a Buy 2 Get 1 Free deal on used games $20 or less, but that was relatively limiting on the new stuff. Thankfully, as you all know so well, that usually doesn’t apply to me! Wrap around to this week, and we finally see a great deal come up at the store: 40% off used games under $20. If that “Under $20” tagline is the new way for sales at the store, I’ll be disappointed. There are some games worth the cheap price, but a lot of titles I’d love to have for that sale just don’t work. Anyway, here are this week’s games! Read the rest of this entry »
When you think of Borderlands, ridiculous guns, absurd violence, and a crude sense of humor come to mind. I’ll be the first to admit I never picture intriguing storylines or deep character development when reminiscing about Gearbox’s powerhouse, but Telltale’s take on the series has turned the perilous world of Pandora into the setting of a grand story full of adventure, backstabbing, and bloodshed—starting it off with episode 1 “Zer0 Sum.”
I’m a bit late posting this week’s roundup, but here it is! As for a Black Friday weekend Roundup, this wasn’t too great. But still, a trio of excellent games nonetheless!
Disney Infinity 2.0 Wii U Release Date: September 23rd, 2014 Purchased at: Target (Sunnyvale, CA – $35)
I honestly couldn’t pass up this chance to grab Disney Infinity on Wii U for so cheap,. Actually, it was on sale for every system at that price, but for some reason or another I was leaning toward the Wii U as my go to system for this one. Perhaps it was the Miiverse posts about the game that steered me the way of Nintendo. Either way, it’s sitting here in my apartment taunting me to open it up and play/waste more money on other toys. Sadly, this now completes the tri-fecta of NFC toys and games: I have Skylanders, Disney Infinity, and Nintendo’s Amiibos. *Sigh*
Mega Man ZX DS Release Date: September 12th, 2006 Purchased at: Target (Sunnyvale, CA -$8)
Again, another price I couldn’t pass up. This one was the only worthwhile game in the “All Games in this Bin 50% Off” section. I was hoping they’d be foolish enough to throw in a really great game (I still don’t have New Super Mario Bros. on the DS) for this deal, but I only came out with this one. Strangely, this game is the start of another Mega Man series. At this point, I’ve no idea how any of these games connect, if they do at all.
Man, up until a week or two ago I forget I even ordered this game, let alone it was coming out this week! Way back in the summer (or was it even earlier?) when this game was announced I put down my preorder. It’s essentially a crossover between the cast of Persona 3 and Persona 4 in an Etrian Odyssey style dungeon crawler. And this version comes with a whole bunch of spiffy stuff, not the least of which being those sweet tarot cards. Or should I say half of the tarot cards: included here are only half of the full set used in the actual Persona games. The get the other half you have to buy a special version of Persona 4: Arena Ultimax on the consoles. Shame on you, Atlus, for getting greedy and making me buy all your games!
Blockids
PS1
Release Date: August 4th, 2003
Purchased at: Space Cat (San Jose, CA – $6)
Since Laura is still gone this week, I found myself with absolutely nothing to do on Wednesday when I didn’t have to work. So after making myself breakfast, getting some simple chores done, and running a couple of errands, I found myself finishing my lunch at 11:30am. Not really wanting to go back home and do nothing all day, I decided to hit up some game stores that are a ways out of the way. Thankfully I did, because Space Cat was having a moving sale! All used games under $19.99 were 20% off! That’s my kind of sale. I picked up Blockids here, mainly because it looked odd enough to add to the collection, and for that nice Natsume logo in the corner.
Q*Bert
PS1
Release Date: December, 1999
Purchased at: Space Cat (San Jose, CA – $3)
I haven’t forgotten about my quest to collect all of those remakes of classic games on the PS1! With Q*Bert here, I am almost done as far as I can tell. I think I’m still on the hunt for Missile Command and maybe Defender. I know that came out on the Gamecube, but maybe there’s a PS1 port as well? Regardless, I am happy to have the game at a great price!
I actually remember passing on this game the last time I was at Space Cat, which has to have been several months ago. I thought then it was a bit pricey. Thankfully that 20% off deal took care of that! The game is a 3D adventure game that came out in the earlier years of the PS1. This is after Super Mario 64 really defined the genre of 3D platforming, but I’m not holding my breath for anything substantial in this one. But the cover art is pretty cool at least.
Well, sometimes you just cut your losses and go with it. I had been looking for this game on the Wii for a few weeks now after learning there’s a fully playable version of the point-and-click classic Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis included in the game, but after many failed searches through many a GameStop, I decided the PS2 version is nicer than nothing. Also, it’s even nicer when you have the previous game as well! I’m still on the hunt for that Wii version and it’s unlockable goodies.
Releasing a full six years prior to Staff of Kings (and on my birthday, I might add!), Emperor’s Tomb was the first instance of cinematic star Indiana Jones in a video game since Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine, which saw a console release in 2000 only on the Nintendo 64. Though I don’t really see any of these Indiana Jones games as extraordinary, they are often said to be average if not above average. That’s something, considering a lot of movie characters simply cannot transition to any other media.
Haha, I can’t believe I found this one too! A rare instance where you come across a game that is literally unplayable today. Like the PC game this was inspired by, EverQuest Online Adventures requires an internet connection and a dedicated server to play. Unfortunately the servers are no longer running. If we are to believe WikiPedia, they were shut down in March of 2012! I honestly cannot believe the game was online, or had anyone playing it, for almost a decade! This is literally the time World of WarCraft was debuting.
Shifters
PS2
Release Date: June 17th, 2002
Purchased at: Space Cat (San Jose, CA – $2)
I’m digging the Animorphs-like cover, aren’t you? After some research online, I learned this is actually set in the Might & Magic world, and it’s a sequel to Warriors of Might & Magic, which was also released on the PS2! I knew that dude that’s transforming into a… hawk?… on the cover looked familiar. He’s this guy, I bet!
Aqua Aqua
PS2
Release Date: January 9th, 2001
Purchased at: Space Cat (San Jose, CA – $2)
For a couple dollars I’ll buy pretty much any complete video game, so long as I don’t already have it, and it isn’t a sports game. To be perfrectly honest, Aqua Aqua looks kind of interesting: I do enjoy puzzle games, afterall. This one is also a sequel to Wetrix, another puzzle game for the Dreamcast, among other systems.
Sonic Riders PS2 Release Date: February 21st, 2006 Purchased at: Space Cat (San Jose, CA – $4)
I initially thought this game was on the Wii, where I’m trying to collect all of Sonic’s games, so I wasn’t planning on getting it. But after I debated and decided I don’t usually get out to this store too much, I picked up this game. I’m glad I did, because it actually isn’t on the Wii: it’s only for the PS2 and Gamecube. The Wii version is Sonic Riders Zero Gravity (which also happens to have PS2 version). So in the end it was a smart buy and at a good price. This one does have a space for a second disc, which I believe the box says is for a few episodes of the Sonic TV show (Sonic X, maybe?), but sadly this didn’t come with that bonus disc.
We Ski
Wii
Release Date: May 13th, 2008
Purchased at: GameStop (San Jose, CA – $2)
And that didn’t take long at all. After just a few days from picking up the sequel We SKi & Snowboard, I was able to come across a super nice quality We Ski in the bargain bin at this particular GameStop. The games in the bin were all atrocious, including a few of those “Naked Brothers” games from Disney, as well as a whole bunch of incomplete sports games and shovel ware. For this one though, I’m glad I forked through the racks, because this made it all worth it. Now, if only I had one of those balance board things…
It’s here. It’s finally here! There’s been a lot of hype around this game. Some would argue this is the only reason to have bought a Wii U. While I’ve been able to put in near a dozen hours with it, the freshly included Gamecube controller and adapter, as well as my Link, Marth, and Samus Amiibos, I can certainly say this is a great version of the fighting series, and handles and plays beautifully on the Wii U. Should you buy a system just for this game? No, not unless you’re fanatical about your mascot-filled brawlers. but coupled with a lot of Nintendo’s other heavy hitting franchises already on the Wii U, and the ones in the pipeline for 2015, I’d say the Wii U is certainly worth your time and money!
It’s been over three years since we last explored Ferelden and the world of Thedas, and gamers have been yearning for a game to cleanse their palate of Dragon Age II. With the release of Dragon Age: Inquisition, BioWare has made up for all the wrongdoings of its predecessor by creating a real, breathing world on the brink of chaos, as well as a complex and satisfying gameplay experience.
Sometimes a game character goes away. Every now and then they come back.
Sometimes a game character comes back. Every now and then it doesn’t go as planned.
While this list could almost entirely be populated by Sonic the Hedgehog reboots, I’ll limit it to just one reboot per franchise. Regardless, having to place a limit on how many times a franchise can be on a “Top Ten Failed Video Game Reboots” list should tell you something. Read the rest of this entry »
By now you all likely know the first chunk of DLC for Nintendo’s Mario Kart 8 is here. It has three new characters for your racing pleasure, including Link from the Legend of Zelda series, as well as a few new karts to use, and eight brand new tracks! To help take it all in, I’ve created a review video breaking down all the new content, what’s good, what isn’t, and why you should pick it up if you haven’t already!
I was hoping to find a lot more games this trip, but alas only a nice copy of Nintendogs showed up. I went to a new Goodwill this time (in Mountain View) and it actually had a handful of GBA games, but none worthwhile. Same thing for DS games. But it DID have some old N64 games, including a boxed, albeit beat up, copy of Yoshi Story! Also… a copy of Shaq-Fu for $7. Yeah, that’s right… SEVEN DOLLARS!!!
Brain Age: Concentration Training
Just Dance
Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
SlickGaming 