https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6l_dincuaw

-Kurt L.

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     Without question, I'm a huge fan of the Super Mario Bros and nearly every game associated with the princess saving plumbers. Needless to say, my collection of Mario Bros games has grown quite a bit over the years. I've even been known to buy gaming systems specifically to get my hands on a new addition to the franchise. This was the case with Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga for Gameboy Advance.

     Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is an RPG very similar to that of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Superstar Saga is a very story driven game, character leveling, and turn based fight sequences. Yet there are some additional features that keep the game play feeling fresh, while at the same time keeping true to key elements of the Mario Bros franchise.

     Superstar Saga begins with the Mario Bros going about their business in their Mushroom Kingdom home, when Toad comes busting onto the scene with news of Princess Peach being stuck in yet another predicament. Since the Princess can't seem to keep herself out of trouble, the always brave Mario and his reluctantly brave brother Luigi are off to the castle to see what all the fuss is about. And wouldn't you know who is there...Bowser!!! Yeah, big surprise right? Anyway, Mario and Bowser exchange their blows, and after Bowser admits defeat the real problem presents itself when the Princess tries to speak. As Princess Peach was awaiting an ambassador from the Beanbean Kingdom, a bizarre villain named Cackletta has stolen Princess Peach's pure voice, and now it has been replaced with a more "explosive" vocabulary which detonates every time she opens her mouth. With Bowser's plans to kidnap Peach once again foiled by the Mario Bros, and the Princess's new extreme dialect, Bowser decides that he will allow Mario to tag along with him as they go off to the Beanbean Kingdom to get Peach's voice back...so he can later kidnap her once again. Luigi is dragged along into the adventure by force, and the Mario Bros are off to the Beanbean Kingdom with their passports in hand. As you might have guessed, things don't go exactly as planed. From there, Mario Bros mischief ensues.

     Superstar Saga's game mechanics revolve around the use of both Mario Bros simultaneously. Mario & Luigi are always side by side, one in front of the other. Where one brother goes, the other is right behind. Jumping and using special abilities are broken down into the A button for Mario, and the B button for Luigi. So, if you are trying to jump over an obsticle with Mario, you must also push B to activate Luigi's jump so you can continue on your path. Failing to do so will stop the leading brother's advance in his tracks until the other can catch up. For the most part, maneuvering around the maps and keeping the brothers in tune with each other is a pretty simple task. I doubt it will cause much of a hang up for anyone, although the game's slightly over head view does result in some complications as pathways, and obstacles may not be clearly defined as they blend into the flat background at times. On occasion, in some locations I personally even walked off a ledge by mistake, and would have to jump my way back up to where I need to be. This is a minor flaw, but an annoying one none the less. On a better note, unlike many RPGs Superstar Saga has no random battle sequences. As players move throughout the game, any threats are clearly displayed moving around, and can easily be avoided if the player desires to do so. This also works when entering combat, as Superstar Saga allows the player to make the first strike by jumping or using one of the other abilities on the enemy. This will cause the enemy to be stunned upon entering the fight, on top of dealing out some damage right off the bat which is a nice touch. Combat, as I mentioned before is turned based. However, there is a twist. Anyone who as ever played Mario RPG, or even Paper Mario knows that hitting the attack button at the right time will do a boost in damage, and can also defend against incoming attacks. That premise continues on in Superstar Saga, and works great to keep players involved in an otherwise mundane and uninspired turn based process. Like when roaming around the environment, Mario and Luigi are again controlled by A and B specifically, and their enemies will give a brief hint on who their next attack will be against. With a keen eye, and good sense of timing, its is not impossible to make it through even some of the toughest of fights without taking any damage whatsoever. However if one of the Bros becomes unconscious its up to the remaining brother to either bring them back with a 1Up, or defend them by piggybacking them and jumping to avoid incoming danger. Mario and Luigi can also use Brother Points which allows the bros to do a double team attack, which when times perfectly can have devastating results. After a fight is over, experience is rewarded and the Mario Bros will level up individually. Each brother will be rewarded some points into their stats, and the player will be allowed to pick one of these stats to give a little boost giving Mario and Luigi an edge over one another in certain areas. If you are looking for a bit more traditional Mario Bros action, the Original Mario Bros is packaged together with Superstar Saga cartridge. Obviously I will not go into detail about that particular game, we all know it, and it is what it is about. The fact that is there, is a plus. I mean...who doesn't like a free game?

     Sound quality is decent for a hand held system. Musical themes are generally lighthearted, and really aren't bad although after awhile I did find them to get a bit momentous. There is also a bit of voice work mixed into the game, although they're used more as sound effects. Players will read all of the actual dialog, and say Mario and Luigi speaking tidbits of Italian (if you can call it that) as punctuation. They're not consistently use, so don't become annoying which if they were used more could easily have been a problem.

     One area Superstar Saga truly shined was with the nostalgia factor. Like many Mario Bros games, Superstar Saga plays off of previous Mario Bros titles. So, we see many familiar faces, and all of them have their place in this new adventure. Characters are treated with a certain respect, all though Superstar Saga doesn't take itself seriously in the least bit. There is a constant humor, and it simply just feels right as another great Mario Bros game, if that makes any sense. Any fan of Mario and Luigi, and enjoy playing RPGs would get a kick out of Superstar Saga. It is a genuinely fun game, full of memorable moments, and is easily my favorite title released for the Gameboy Advance.

Written by RB

Over and Out!

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     As compilations go, Metal Slug Anthology is a rather complete collection. It contains Metal Slug, Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug X, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug 4, Metal Slug 5, and Metal Slug 6. That is a whole lot of Metal Slug! Hardcore fans will be in their glory, newcomers to the series will have everything they need. While this anthology contains essentially everything you need to get your Metal Slug fix, you'll notice that these games are all pretty much the same. There are some minor variations in terms of character selections and whatnot, but overall, the experience doesn't vary. Depending on your perspective, that is either great or disappointing. For me, it's a good thing because I happen to enjoy these games from time to time despite them all being so similar to one another.

     The Wii remote functions pretty nicely. You turn it sideways to resemble an NES controller, and you can flick the remote to throw a grenade - and that is pretty cool. There are also ways to customize your game; you can set the difficulty, and the amount of lives you get (including unlimited lives).

     It's a fine game, one that utilizes the Wii remote as a strength in a simple yet effective way, and provides you with plenty of games for your buck with a decent amount of customizable options. Plus, the graphics are lush and beautiful with some nicely ordained 2D environments. If you can look past some of its shortcomings, you'll enjoy this compliation. The Metal Slug games are brief and very similar to one another, but still fun. And that's exactly what you'll have - fun! And isn't that what a game is all about?

-Kurt L.

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     Based on the famed Atari classics Breakout and Super Breakout, Arkanoid for the NES is a essentially a remake and reshaping of the original games. The NES clearly had a much stronger technological punch than the good old Atari 2600, so indeed any remake of an Atari game will look and sound better than its original counterparts. The question is though, does it play better?

     The original Breakout and Super Breakout games did not utilize the joystick controller but rather the paddle controllers which consisted of a large rotary turning knob. If you have a paddle controller in good condition, you were in Vintage Gaming Heaven. However, those old paddle controllers are generally prone to breakage after heavy and continued use, thus rendering those games unplayable - so be gentle on those paddle controllers if you should have them. However, in Arkanoid, there was a special controller packed in with the original game known as the "Vaus" Controller. Since I acquired this game used only recently, I wasn't aware of the Vaus controller then. Apparently, this Vaus controller was similar to the Atari's paddle controllers as it uses the same potentiometer technology, but I'd wager it was better in quality considering it was made much later in time. In any case, the Vaus seems like a great idea and probably plays well with the game. I use the original NES controller, and it works exceptionally well but the paddle only moves at a single moderate pace, whereas the Vaus allows for a more delicate control over speed.

     As I alluded to earlier, the graphics are vibrant, the music themes basic yet very appropriate and entertaining. The sound effects are clear and crisp, and the gameplay is very tight, responsive, and ultimately fun. Speaking of gameplay again, there are also various upgrades you can acquire to make your paddle more dynamic - they include lasers, lengthening and shortening the width of the paddle, multiple balls, amongst others. It makes for a very engaging experience with plenty of dimension and variety.

     In a nutshell, you can't go wrong with the game. It's fun - it really embodies what it means to be a game. It's simple, to the point, very straight-forward, and ultimately, it's just good times to be had by people of all ages.

-Kurt L.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGgfvvJDKps

-Kurt L.

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     Ah, the dreaded Zombie. Ever since I first got the chance to kill the in 3D action was with the Playstation release of Resident Evil. It was a satisfying experience, taking down undead after ghoulish undead with a trusty Beretta 92fs (along with plenty of other weapons) in that creepy mansion setting. There was no denying that I was hooked, and zombies have become one of my favorites for gaming target practice. Perhaps my favorite of the Resident Evil franchise was the second installment, Resident Evil 2.

     Resident Evil 2 takes place shortly after the Mansion Incident that took place on the outskirts of that American suburb, Raccoon City. This time around our "survivors" are Leon Kennedy, a rookie cop whose first day on the job happens to take place as flesh eating zombies have over taken the city (talk about bad luck), and Claire Redfield who is the sister of Chris Redfield from Resident Evil 1. Resident Evil 2 will take players through the streets of the infected city, deep inside a puzzle filled police station, city sewers, and other places where death is potentially waiting around every corner.

     Resident Evil 2 plays very much like its predecessor. The control schemes remain the same, and the inventory screen is essentially identical despite some minor graphical upgrades, and puzzle solving still has an impact on the game advancement. The similarities between the two games is a good and bad thing. Veteran Resident Evil gamers will feel right at home playing Resident Evil 2, and everything works as it is designed to, but the minor annoyances that plagued the first game return in the sequel. For example, the two largest annoyances are sometimes aiming can be difficult depending on the camera angle, and players still need to rely on inventory crates to store or retrieve necessary items. The constant running back and forth to grab a much needed key, or weapon from the inventory crate can be a monotonous task just as it was in the original. There is nothing more disheartening than reaching your destination then realizing you forgot something, and have turn right around to get to a crate. Those who have played Resident Evil 2 through a few times will be able to overcome these flaws, being they'll know ahead of time which items are needed and when. Those who plan on playing Resident Evil 2 for the first time however...well just prepared for the backtracking. As far as game play changes go, possibly the biggest change comes in the way of the character selection. Just like in Resident Evil, Resident Evil 2 has two playable heroes as I mentioned before. Players can start their adventure by either using the Leon play disc, or the Claire play disc. This starts the adventure as the respective survivor, and their half of the story will play through as such. Upon completing either Leon or Claire's story, players can save the game after the credits, and play through the remaining scenario. This makes Resident Evil 2 much larger in scope than the original Resident Evil, as now we are getting another side of the same story. The events that take place are drastically different between the two survivors, and add to the overall replay value of the game.

     The key place where Resident Evil 2 stands out above all the rest of the Resident Evil games in my mind, is the overall setting. With the improved graphics, the background settings are truly eerie. Whether it is walking through a trashed alley filled with graffiti, or the truly devastated police station, Resident Evil 2 just feels creepier. Everything looks as if zombies and other horrors have thrashed their way through killing anyone who is unlucky enough to get in their way. Mixed in with the outstanding use of sound effects and excellent musical scores, at times walking through the environments are scarier than the game play itself.

     As far as story goes, Resident Evil 2 is pretty solid. Voice acting is much better than the original Resident Evil, although there are still plenty of tacky moments that have come to be expected from the Resident Evil franchise. The story itself is about how the Umbrella company continued their biogenic research on the T-virus, and discovered a mutated version of the virus called the G virus which is running rampant through Raccoon City. Resident Evil 2 uses more CGI style cut scenes than first game, and gives a more cinematic feel to the franchise. These cut scenes still look pretty good today, considering they were made in 1998. Despite the better cut scene graphics, I found the standard in game interactions between different characters to be much more interesting. Every character has a defined role and personality, and make for some memorable moments that continue to bring me back to Raccoon City today.

     What else really needs to be said about this game? Since its release, its been incredibly popular to Playstation owners and has been re-released N64, Gamecube, and even the PSN store making it available on PSP and Ps3. Sure early Playstation graphics weren't the greatest, but Resident Evil 2 hit all the right notes. With its eerie settings, and zombie killing action, this game has earned its place as one of the greatest Survival Horrors out there.

Written by: RB

Over and Out!

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     This stunning sequel boasts one of the most impressive soundtracks to ever grace a video game. If you think back to why NES games are known for such classic gaming music, Mega Man 2 is probably the primary reason. One memorable track after another will keep you humming them for decades - it surely has done that to me, I can't stop humming them to this day! My favorite song from this game is in Flash Man's stage, if you're curious. Aside from that, the sound effects themselves are enhanced over the first game, but are much more closely linked to the original than the rest of the series. Needless to say, this game is a pleasure for the auditory senses.

     The gameplay is tighter and more enjoyable than the first game as well. Not to knock the original Mega Man, but MM2 just exudes a better technical prowess in that sense. Mega Man gameplay wouldn't quite be perfected until Mega Man 3 (when a slide feature was introduced), but it's still top-notch here in the sequel. The level design is also a big step up. First off, there are more robot masters to defeat here, and each of their respective levels are endowed intricately with their personalities.

     Another aspect of Mega Man 2 is its intense difficulty. Indeed a supremely hard game, and that goes for the entire Mega Man NES series, but "2" is particularly tough. It indeed features one thing I've always hated about these early games is those darn disappearing/reappearing platforming blocks - you know what I'm talking about! They are incredibly aggitating, and I feel detract from the flowing action. There are some tricks to get around them, and I've definitely tried my best to avoid them, so, if you can do that, then all the more power to you. The Dr. Wily stages are also very hard - especially the bosses, so, you'll need your most prime skills to defeat this one, and it's worth it, because the ending is a surprise, and shows off one of the most hauntingly odd stages I ever saw in an NES game; I can't say anymore about it though, for you must see for yourself.

     Mega Man 2 is not only one of the best games in the Mega Man library, but it is one of the best NES games period. The next game in the series would indeed be the best, but MM2 stands along side it as a close second. This game certainly garners itself the silver medal in terms of Mega Man games, with "3" getting the gold - why allusions to the Olympic medals? I have no idea. In any case, if you want to play some intense action with awesome 8-bit visual flare, and with one of gaming's greatest soundtracks to boot, then this is the game for you.

-Kurt L.

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     Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 was one of the biggest failures in video game history. In the newest Ethos Video Review, I take something of an in-depth look at this notorious bomb and even delve into a little gaming history and discuss the Video Game Crash of 1983. I even touch upon another gaming disaster - E.T.

     This is Episode #6 in the Ethos Video Review series. Click on the link below to watch! Thanks so much for watching!

     Any veteran of the first game will feel just at home in the sequel as you control the same commando as before, and have essentially the same weapon upgrades. There are some minute differences in the weapons - such as the Fire gun has been changed to having a giant fire ball bursting into four smaller fire balls. Aside from that, it's the same - and again, that's a good thing. Why mess with such a successful formula? The great folks at Konami have made yet another classic side-scrolling run and gun shooter.

     If you've played Contra already, is it worth playing Super C? Of course! The NES had its fair share of bombs on the system when it came to make side-scrollers, so why pass up such a terrific game here? If for some reason you didn't like the original game, there isn't much here that would change your mind. However, if you're a fan, you are in for a big treat.

     As I alluded to earlier, the graphics are slicker here. While the original Contra featured some of the best NES visuals available, Super C does just the same. Some levels have more complex looking backgrounds, some with lightning effects (like the first level), and nice glowing effects too in some of the level backgrounds. There is one really cool level where you descend from the top of this base, and it's as if you are jumping down from the side of this colossal structure, and enemies pop out of each door from each platform - it's awesome.

     I would say that Super C is much more challenging than the first game - and that is saying a lot, considering this series is known for its fairly high difficulty. However, it doesn't detract from the enjoyment level because these games are not frustrating because they are made poorly, they are high quality games that are just with high difficulty threshholds. Anyway, this game is not nearly as tough as Contra III: The Alien Wars for the Super Nintendo (previously reviewed here on Ethos by the way), but still stands as a formidable challenge - especially the final level. Also, it doesn't feature the "Konami Code" where you can instantly start with 30 lives like in the original, however, there is still a code you input on the title screen that gives you 10 lives.

     In a nusthell, Super C is a bonafide NES classic, ranking up there with many of the system's best. It is available on the Wii's Virtual Console, if you dare to undertake its strong challenge, but ultimately uber-fun gameplay. As something of a sentimentalist, I prefer to play it on the good old NES, but an original cartridge may be hard to come by these days. In any case, it's worth the purchase. It's a heck of a lot of fun.

-Kurt L.

     *Also, if you haven't already and are interested, I made a Video Review for the original Contra game. It's now on the Ethos YouTube Channel. Here's the link if you'd like to check it out. Thanks for watching and reading our reviews!*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypu8h2Ap12g

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