Top Ten Party Games

One of the best things video games can do is bring people together. Multiplayer has been around for decades, and with a general shift toward online multiplayer being the only way to play with others, local multiplayer and party games have been declining. Despite this, some of the greatest video games created were made specifically with local multiplayer in mind. Recently Nintendo seems to be the only publisher making games to fit in this genre, but there have been dozens of games released over the past years that exemplify the party genre. Here is my list of the ten greatest party games ever!

 

Top Ten Dream E3 2015 Predictions

It’s that time of year again. E3 is this week, and with it will come the best and most exciting video game announcements, trailers, demos, and releases for the upcoming year. Many companies benchmark their entire remainder of the year on this show, making or breaking 2015 before it even finishes. Rampant speculation fuels the show year in and year out, and this year is no exception: a few days out of the show and there have already been announcements and rumors flying. But if I could have things 100% my way, we’d be gearing up to hear the following ten announcements at E3 2015.

 

Sunday Roundup: 11/23/14

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!

Floating Runner: Quest for the 7 Crystals PS1 Release Date: December 31st, 1996 Purchased at: Space Cat (San Jose, CA – $6) 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.

Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings PS2 Release Date: June 9th, 2009 Purchased at: Space Cat (San Jose, CA – $4) 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.

Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb PS2 Release Date: June 26th, 2003 Purchased at: Space Cat (San Jose, CA – $6) 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.

EverQuest Online Adventures: Frontiers PS2 Release Date: November 17th, 2003 Purchased at: Space Cat (San Jose, CA – $2) 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…

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Wii U Release Date: November 21sth, 2014 Purchased at: Amazon (Online – $100) 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!

Laters,
Jsick

 

Sunday Roundup: 10/5/14

Usually within a week I grab a few games from one, maybe two locations. But this week I was able to pick up a bunch of games from a lot of different places! GameStop, Amazon, another GameStop, and a trio of games from eBay! And, of course, seeing as this is “Smash Bros. Week”, I had to pick up my copy of Super Smash Bros for 3DS last Friday. It’s what I have been sinking all of my time into, so much so that I actually developed a small sore on the right thumb! Anyhow, if I have any luck, I’ll try to hit up a different GameStop today, one that I usually have good luck with and one that I don’t get to frequent all too often. So here we go.

 

Super Smash Bros 3DS Demo Impressions

I was fortunate enough to be among the select Club Nintendo members to receive an early download code for the Super Smash Bros. 3DS Demo. Coincidentally, while I was reading about Nintendo sending out codes to select Club Nintendo members of Friday, I happened to look down at my phone and noticed I had just received said email! Throughout the weekend I dabbled in the demo every chance I could get, and have a pretty nice grip on the five characters available. I must say, if a demo is supposed to make you want to purchase the game when it’s released, this has done a fine job of that! Although I was already going to be buying it…

 

Here’s Hoping Nintendo’s Amiibo Figures Are Worth the Wait

With the impending release of Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U, Nintendo is not only going to roll out the (hopeful) biggest game on the Wii U ever, but the Japanese company will also bring out the newest contender in the NFC toys-meet-games sub-category. Called Amiibo, each figure is being marketed as something very different from Activision’s Skylanders and Disney’s Infinity line of figures. Not simply used to unlock content in a specific game, each Amiibo figure will apparently act as a sidekick to the action, enhancing your gameplay experience, but not at all required to otherwise play and enjoy the game they are a part of. It’s bold, it’s different, and I think it just might work, and here’s how.

 

Top Ten E3 2014 Moments

The 2014 Electronic Entertainment Expo has officially come and gone, and left in it’s wake are mountains of exciting games to play, systems that look a hell of a lot better, and gamers who are proud to pronounce their hobby to any and all. Last year’s show was filled with announcements about the next generation consoles, the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4, so this year it was expected that Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo would put out plenty of new software to go with that shiny new hardware. These ten moments were the defining times of E3 2014, and the games I am most excited to play.

 

Top Ten Dream E3 2014 Predictions

In what might be the only tradition I have here at SlickGaming, we are one week away from the 2014 Electronics Entertainment Expo, which means it’s time for some dream predictions! I’ve come to realize that while these are mostly in good fun, they are all actually things I really would like to see come out of the show. Interestingly enough, some of these predictions have come true (more or less): Nintendo has actually made significant progress in the online gaming department, and the PS4 and, more recently, the Kinect-Free Xbox One do indeed retail for under $400! Two out of twenty isn’t that bad, right?

Without delay, here are my predictions for this year’s show!

 

Stages I Want to See Most in the New Super Smash Bros. Games

With E3 nearly upon us and information about the new Super Smash Bros. trickling out in steady succession, my mind has been stirring with thoughts of what may come to be. You can browse just about any gaming blog and find a most wanted character list, or even now some of the confirmed characters for the game. But the game isn’t just about the combatants: the stages you play on are just as important and memorable as the fighters! Any Smash fan will have their favorite stage, or a special moment thanks to some background element being thrown into the fray. While many stages have already been announced, here are a few of the stages I want to see in each version of the game.

It’s also worth nothing that the 3DS version of the game will be slightly different than the Wii U version. Some of the stages in the 3DS game are going to come from exclusively portable games, opening up a whole barrel of awesome, unique ideas for stages!

 

The Rise of the Wii U?

Nintendo has been around for awhile. They’ve weathered many storms and come out, for the most part, better for it. Not everyone was on board with the Wii, thinking motion controls were going to flop big time, but here we are in 2014 with the Wii selling near 100 million units, which is more than both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. And let’s not forget the 3DS’ rocky launch. It was plagued by poor sales and lack of software, but fast forward three years after its release and its arguably the best system on the market. I won’t mention the Virtual Boy, but it was a think that Nintendo persevered through, too!

So where does the Wii U stand? The follow-up to the insanely popular Wii features HD graphics, a nifty game pad, motion controls, a better online community and support, as well as a much lower price point than its competitors. But much like the 3DS before it (even worse, in fact), the system has failed to be commercially successful, selling less than 10 million units in 1 1/2 years on the market.

There’s one rule I’ve heard floating around the gaming world that I have to agree with: never count Nintendo out. The Wii U looks dismal now, but maybe this is the year for the Wii U. As an owner of the console myself, I must say that I am indeed having fun with the system. Even better though, I’m looking forward to the future and am actually getting excited to own a Wii U. Nintendo needs to sell this console to gamers, and it’s looking like 2014 could be it.

Last year was definitely the Year of Luigi.

2014 is the Year of the Wii U.