Mar 13, 2023 | Gamer News Updates, The Whole Gamer
Nintendo is spoiling us with four waves of DLC (downloadable content) for Mario Kart 8: Deluxe. They’ve included new tracks, old tracks, and some classic tracks with new twists! Here are five must-see tracks that will have all Mario Kart fans driving for hours.
1. Maple Treeway (Mario Kart: Wii on Nintendo Wii)
You can get some serious height in this giant forest. Watch out for Wigglers, some sharp turns, and piles of leaves with hidden banana peels! I absolutely love the music to this track. It’s so lively and really embodies the autumn season. There is some great scenery, too, as you drive through falling leaves and elaborate tree houses.
2. Daisy Cruiser (Mario Kart: Double Dash on Nintendo GameCube)
It’s one of the more challenging and exciting levels of this game. This course lets you drive around on Daisy’s large cruise ship in the middle of the ocean. Look out for the pool on the deck, some sliding tables in the dining area, and a surprise trap door that can give you a great shortcut through the engine room.
3. Merry Mountain (Mario Kart Tour on Android and iPhone)
If you love the holiday spirit, then this level is the ultimate playground for you. This is one of the best looking levels in the game, as you race through an ornately decorated Christmas village. There are lights, mountains of presents, and even a toad driving a holiday train in the air! This would go great with a December release for the third wave of DLC: just in time for the holidays!
4. Wario Colosseum (Mario Kart: Double Dash on Nintendo GameCube)
This is another hidden gem of a level. As you race through Wario’s Colosseum, you only get two laps. However, these laps are filled with long, winding turns that can really be hit or miss for even the most experienced gamers. Make every drift count!
As we anxiously await the next wave of DLC, it’s clear that Nintendo has some amazing courses to choose from. They can surprise us with some all-new tracks, but the courses on this list are just too good to forget. Stay ready for anything, as the 3rd wave of DLC will dash up before we know it!
Jan 17, 2023 | Gamer News Updates, The Whole Gamer
With all of the hype that surrounded Super Mario Odyssey back in 2017, it was sure to be the greatest Nintendo platform game yet. As much as Odyssey impressed many, I was left comparing it to an earlier platform game: Super Mario Galaxy. Released ten years prior to Odyssey, Galaxy had quickly become a classic in the series. Here are some reasons why Galaxy is still the definitive Mario game.
Engaging Story and Characters
In Odyssey Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach, plans to marry her, and wreaks havoc in other kingdoms. It’s a harmless and fun story, but the stakes aren’t as high as with Galaxy. Galaxy’s story involves Bowser stealing stars from the Comet Observatory, the home for Rosalina and the Lumas. As you collect the stars for the Observatory, you learn more about Rosalina and the Lumas through storybook renderings. Throughout, you really want to help such loveable and memorable characters. Also, Bowser is fierce, as he creates a Galaxy Reactor to rule the galaxy in the center of the universe. It’s his most dangerous plan yet.
Enchanting Music
Galaxy was the first Mario game to feature an orchestral sound, giving it a grand and cinematic feel. Odyssey follows suit, but I honestly cannot recall many memorable tunes from it. Fossil Falls comes close, and “Jump Up, Super Star!” is certainly a lively number, but Galaxy‘s score is more captivating. The main theme, the theme for the Comet Observatory, and the Space Junk Galaxy are just a few that stand out. Personally, Koji Kondo, a composer of both games, just couldn’t present the same kind of magic in Odyssey that he did so successfully in Galaxy.
“Luigi time!”
Once you have collected all 121 stars in Galaxy, you get the chance to play through the game once again as Luigi. In Super Luigi Galaxy, you can move faster, jump higher, and have an overall change in game play. In Odyssey, Luigi really gets the short end of the stick, as he hosts an online mini game, Balloon World, where you must find hidden balloons in a certain amount of time. The mini game is just fine, but no Luigi Odyssey? Super Mario Galaxy is a masterpiece in gaming. The puzzles, the music, and the story all work seamlessly to create an incredible experience. However, both Odyssey and Galaxy will go down in gaming history as some of Mario’s greatest adventures yet.
Guest Author: Gabrielle Muniz
Dec 20, 2022 | Gamer News Updates, The Whole Gamer
Gamers got a treat with a new Ninja Turtles game this year. It’s a fun, beat-’em-up, action-packed nod to retro adventures from the ’80s. As fun as the game is, it’s has some problems, though. Here are some improvements that can make this already great game even more radical.
Patches for Glitches
Though some patches have already been made, there is still some work to be done for glitches. At times, switching between difficulties can cause achievements to disappear. I played Story Mode on the Okay difficulty and then Arcade Mode on Chill; I lost my Arcade Mode achievements. I’ve also experienced launch errors, characters freezing in the air during aerial attacks, and even falling through the ground without a hole being there. These are the kinds of tweaks that would really improve the overall game play.
Shredder as a Playable Character
With over 30 years of TMNT games, we’ve only really been able to play as the four main turtles. Shredder’s Revenge changed that by including Splinter, April, and Casey Jones as playable characters. Still, it would be more exciting to play as the main villain, Shredder. Including Shredder would be a complete curveball, as gamers could play as the character that they’ve had to defeat all these years. Shredder would really come in handy for those pesky “No Damage” challenges, especially with his Super Shredder mode. Please make this happen, Tribute Games!
Practice Mode or Versus Mode
There are some slightly complex moves for this game. There are even some awesome co-op moves that you can pull off, too. You don’t really get a safe space to practice these moves, though. When you start a game, you get a tutorial on how to play. You also have a move list when you pause the game, but giving gamers a Versus Mode or a training room like in Smash Bros. Ultimate would really help. I definitely could have used some training rooms to try out some combos. This would just be the pepperoni on the pizza for this game!
Shredder’s Revenge is already a near-perfect love letter to the TMNT franchise, but why stop there? DLC gives developers a chance to perfect their games, so all developers should seize the opportunity. With these ideas for DLC, we’ll all really be shouting “Cowabunga!”
Guest Author: Gabrielle Muniz
Nov 1, 2022 | Gamer News Updates, The Whole Gamer
From what we’ve seen of footage for Sonic Frontiers, it looks like there’s a very different adventure in store for Sonic. In the game, you get to explore Starfalls Island, as you search for the Chaos Emeralds. Though some things look great, others look questionable. Here are some things that might work and some things that might not.
Gotta go fast…kind of
In Frontiers, you can explore completely new terrain that looks like Mario Odyssey or even Breath of the Wild: waterfalls, beautiful green mountains, and clear waters. There may be more of a free-roaming, 3D element to the game. Certain Sonic games, such as 3D Blast, get it right, as you can still loop de loop and have a fast-paced bonus level. However, a game like Sonic Boom fails miserably because the fast-paced levels are so few and far between. An open world on the Sonic platform needs a good balance of engaging game play and a fun atmosphere to fulfill the need for speed. Let’s hope that’s what we get.
The Uneven Tone
A main complaint in the Sonic fandom is that the games struggle with creating a consistent tone within the storylines. Some Sonic games become far too serious with very dark elements. For example, Sonic Forces implies that Sonic has been tortured for six months as Eggman has taken over the world. The stakes are high, but the game play is nowhere near memorable enough to match it. Frontiers already seems dramatic, as if Sonic has just entered the world of Hyrule. Serene, peaceful game play that has never been a part of Sonic’s M.O., honestly. Let’s hope the story doesn’t go too over the top.
The Puzzles
You’re running around, soaring through the air, performing some homing attacks on enemies, and then there’s a gate blocking your path. The player must rearrange some statues in specific positions to open the gate. It doesn’t look exciting and it interrupts Sonic’s otherwise smooth movements. The developers may have been trying to add some dimension to the game play that may work in the final product.
I don’t know about you, but I’ll definitely be giving this game a chance. As a devoted fan of the Sonic franchise, there is hardly any game I won’t try! Sonic Frontiers is available on all gaming platforms on November 8th, 2022
Guest Author: Gabrielle Muniz
Oct 18, 2022 | Gamer News Updates, The Whole Gamer
The trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie is truly impressive and definitely brings the hype for Mario fans everywhere. Nintendo and Illumination have outdone themselves with the graphics and overall fun tone, but what else could make the movie great for gamers? Here are some ideas!
1. “Let’s a-go!”
After popping out of nowhere amidst several mushrooms, Toad invites Mario to follow him to Mushroom Kingdom. We get to hear Chris Pratt’s Mario say “Mushroom Kingdom: here we come!” This isn’t too far from saying “Let’s a-go,” but it’s not quite the same. Hopefully, this will evolve into the iconic line that we all know and love by the end of the movie.
2. Yoshi
Let’s face it: the crowd would go wild if Yoshi popped up in the movie. Mario’s green, dinosaur companion has been carrying Mario around and gobbling up enemies since 1990’s Super Mario World. Yoshi’s even been the main hero in his own games, so why not surprise devoted fans with this adorable character?
3. Luigi’s Mansion
At the tail end of the trailer, Luigi, the man in green himself, makes a short appearance! He’s running away from several Dry Bones chasing him out of a creepy forest at night. Luigi hops along stones over lava and into a disheveled castle, closing the door just before the Dry Bones make it inside. This definitely looks like it could be straight from a level in Luigi’s Mansion. All we need are some Boo’s and the Poltergust 300!
4. Mario Kart
Who wouldn’t love a reference to the iconic Mario Kart franchise? Seeing Mario and Luigi driving around and throwing items at enemies Double Dash style would just bring so much joy to the hearts of gamers everywhere.
5. Sonic Crossover
It’s a long shot, but it’s an epic one. The Sonic movies have garnered a lot of success and praise from fans, as the third movie already has teased Shadow as a villain. We’ve had some Mario and Sonic crossover games, mostly in Olympic Games, but how cool would it be to see these two characters really team up to save the day?
It’s been a long time coming for an animated Mario movie to be made. By the looks of it, it’s going to be a blast! Mama mia! The Super Mario Bros. Movie comes out on April 7th, 2023.
Guest Author: Gabrielle Muniz
