TwinBee (Famicom/NES) Review

With a recent release on 3DS as a 3D remake, I thought I'd dig out my old copy and play it. Now this was released only in Japan as far as the NES version goes. So don't expect to find it on the flea market or yard sales.

It's a fairly simple shooter, similar to that of Galaga and such. It seems like they were targeting a bit of a younger audience since it's far more colorful, it's easier than most in it's genre, and the game moves at a slower pace. 

It throws some decent ideas like boss fights and such, but it's really too old of an shooter for me to recommend. For those somewhat interested in buying the 3DS 3D remake, I'd advise against it. 

Score: 4 out of 10

Nintendo Downloads for September 22: TwinBee and Other Stuff

TwinBee gets remade on 3DS

Break Tactics for DSiware

Escape Trick: Ninja Castle for DSiware

Aya and the Crystal Cubes for WiiWare. 

StarFox 64 3D Will Lack Online Multiplayer

The 3DS remake of the N64 classic is shaping up great. However fans of the multiplayer mode better have some real life friends, because online play is being ditched. The reason? Time and costs. Because remaking short games is really that expensive on it's own? Oh well, I thought the multiplayer in the original was mediocre anyway. 

New NCIS Video Game Announced By Ubisoft

Fans of the show will have a new video game featuring mini-games which will let you play as you favorite characters from the TV show. It will be coming soon for PC, 360, PS3, Wii, and 3DS. 

You Won't Be Playing PSVita For Very Long (Until You Have to Charge It)

Apparently the word out of the Tokyo Game Show is that Sony's new handheld won't even go as far as 4 hours of gameplay before the battery dies. Granted that's about the same as the 3DS. 

3DS's 2nd Analog Stick Add-on Priced and Dated For Japan

It will cost about $20 and will hit the land of the rising sun December 10th. There's no confirmation about it hitting stateside, but I wouldn't doubt it if we receive it by Christmas time. 

Monster Hunter 4 Coming to 3DS

While the first couple of Monster Hunter games were enjoyed only by people who bought Sony products, Nintendo quickly took notice and helped bring the series over to their turf. It doesn't mean much to Americans, but in Japan it's like their Halo or Call of Duty. It's what the high school boys play when they're out of school. It's hard to believe that Sony let this slip out of their fingers so easily.

Kid Icarus: Uprising Delayed To 2012

Kid Icarus fans will have to wait until next year to see the long awaited sequel hit the 3DS.

3DS Sales Surge After Price Drop

Sales increased about 260% after the much needed price drop. Hopefully Christmas sales will help this promising system out. 

Metallic Rose DSi XL Coming September 18th

Man Nintendo is out of their minds. The DSi XL was a failure, and now they're releasing a new color after the 3DS and guess what? It's the same price of a 3DS. 

Nintendo Downloads for September 8th 2011

We have Golf (Gameboy) for 3DS E-shop

Dotman for DSiware

Puzzle Rocks for DSiware

Paint Splash for Wiiware 

Liight for Wiiware

Fatal Frame Spin-Off Headed to 3DS

It seems the series will get a new game called Spirit Photo. However this game was only confirmed for Japan, not America. While games in the past have reached America, the more recent Fatal Frame IV was nowhere to be seen here. 

RollerCoaster Tycoon Coming to 3DS

The popular PC series is coming to the 3DS either this year or next. It will however not be a port of any game, but a new game built from the ground up. Like an actual theme park ride. 

Tetris Axis Announced For 3DS

Tetris has been pretty good to Nintendo over the past couple of years. Plenty of new games with online play for all of their current systems. Now it seems the 3DS is getting a Tetris as well. Tetris Axis will feature the usual stuff the other games have enjoyed such as classic mode and online play, but it will also have special 3D modes. 

Sounds good to me, I really liked the extra modes in Tetris DS.

Nintendo Downloads for August 25th 2011

The Ignition Factor (SNES) for Virtual Console. 

Just a firefighter game. 

Magical Whip for DSiware

Let's Create Pottery! for DSiware

Gargoyle Quest (Gameboy) for 3DS's eshop. 

Calculator for DSiware

Nintendo Downloads for August 18th 2011: Urban Champion Gets 3D Remake

Urban Champion hits the 3DS E-shop even though it's a really awful gave undeserving of a remake. 

Flight Patrol for WiiWare

Zoonies: Escape from a Makatu

Build-a-Lot for DSiware

Blockado: Puzzle Island

My Top Ten Mario Spin-Offs #10: Luigi's Mansion

Luigi's Mansion was a bittersweet treat for Nintendo fans. Our new GameCube was here and unlike every other Nintendo console before it, a major Mario game was nowhere to be found. Nintendo instead gave us a rather goofy spin-off to satisfy us until Smash Bros. Melee got here. 

Granted a game about Luigi being scared to death doesn't sound exciting in the slightest bit of the imagination. However it was a decent idea, just came out at the wrong time. Even the Ghostbuster-style vacuum cleaner didn't do enough to suck the dirt off of the GameCube's crappy reputation among angry video game nerds. 

I actually liked the game-play of sucking up ghosts. Sure it was probably too easy and a bit silly, but I had my fair share of fun with it. 

I just hated when the game turned into a crappy fetch-quest. I hope when Nintendo releases Luigi's Mansion 2 for 3DS that things might be a little better. 

Nintendo Downloads for August 11th 2011

My Asian Farm for DSiware

Kyotokei for Wiiware

Go! Go! Kokopolo for DSiware

Crazy Hamster for DSiware

Avenging Spirit for 3DS's E-shop. 

Super Adventure Island II for Virtual Console. 

3DS Getting a New Color

After a price drop recently down to $169.99, Nintendo is going to release the 3DS in a new color which will be called "Flame Red", and it looks pretty sweet to me. The current blue color reminds me too much of my DSi. 

My Top Five Zelda Games #1: Ocarina of Time

It's my favorite game of all time, so of course it makes my top 5 Zelda list with the Numero Uno spot. 

As a kid I hated the first game since it was way too hard for my noob self. When I was in middle school, I had bought an N64 and a crapload of games from some dude my mom worked with. Ironically Ocarina of Time was probably one of the last games from that pile I picked to play. However once I got to this moment I was hooked. 

The world was so huge and charming, it was hard to resist exploring every nook and cranny for every stupid little item or side-quest. Plus at night, Zombie-Skeletons come out to kill you!

Speaking of side-quests, I loved all the ones in Ocarina of Time of couse like jumping away from Lon Lon Ranch with Epona as an adult. Plus there was so many little things that you didn't have to do. Like attacking the chickens would have them all come after your butt and murder you. 

The dungeons were awesome, each one better than the last. With every dungeon came an epic boss, and this is really my childhood wrapped up in video game form. 

I also loved the Past-Future mechanic of the game as well. Seeing the whole land of Hyrule fall into darkness after several years was impressive. Gave you a sense of pride when you swung your sword into Ganon for the final time. 

I really can't wait until I get a 3DS for the remake. Makes me feel like a kid again.