Encyclopedia Muranica: Our Medium at Large

Gaming has diversified over the past several years, bulging out in all directions. Increased crowds have forced the industry to accommodate, giving way to a breakout in casual specific gaming. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have a bleed over effect, where games previously shallow have gained a baring in depth, and other affairs have dared to become even more complex.

In short, when you get big enough, things start to get confusing.

The moment being big gets confusing.

While some companies can’t just shut their mouths and make money, and others don’t even pretend to care, I feel as if many other less savage groups have showcased not just a want to grow, in entertainment value, but an accommodating responsibility to themselves and the fans in doing so.

This may not seem apparent to some, but in a grand crowd of neutrality, all it takes is a few evil weirdo’s to really stand out.

Not pictured: The Sex Dwarf.

A few examples of responsibility are simple enough. A trend of tiered game consoles at launch, ranging in price and technology, affording a certain level of commodity to different demographics of gamers. Another small example is Steam, forcing you to click on the terms of agreement before a purchase. This is a simple reminder that while buying games on Steam is quick and painless , making money isn’t, time never on our side.

Another example of a quick and painless technology.

The surface level ones are more obvious to me as far as intended variety, but there are a few that can be taken for granted. One example isn’t as new as others suggested here, most MMO players know well what I speak of. Borrowed powers of accounting playing the Jester to their King of DPS. Even without all of the end game raid planning, number crunched builds, or drop percentage mathematics, the inventory management alone can be a wrathful endeavor. Making new characters entirely to service and line the pockets of other existing characters.

The genre’s need of micro management representing to some, a true king of inanity.

Another true king of inanity.

My motivation, of course, is an odd nod of approval. MMO’s providing that all important option of choice in the matter, which is the only way this level of complexity can take effect. If not more or less a ripple effect of WoW’s popularity, the designers of many MMOs must showcase an inherently mindful responsibility. Many games in the genre now allow you to play without thought or strategy, solo or otherwise, to your heart’s content.

The MMO being one of the best examples of my many that help in painting this picture of possible convolution giving way to responsibility. This is just in the essence of choosing to be responsible or not. Having the option is ultimately beneficial, and gives way to playing mindlessly, or engaging vigorously. The micro-management being imbued with a sense of personally gratifying effort to those who choose that odd contradiction of enjoyable suffering.

My choice in the realm of enjoyable suffering.

MMO’s aren’t alone either, they’re just the beginning. From playing through a game or section multiple times based on simple moral decisions, to team management in FIFA, and deciding on a good play book in Madden. Not forgetting character and real estate customization in free roam games like GTA or Saint’s Row, or pimping out your car with thousands of options to shave off three extra seconds on a good run in Gran Turismo or Forza. With those examples in tow, we move to our fourth wall burdens, like signing up and making profiles in proprietary online gaming services and networks. Re-arranging apps, downloading, installing, transferring save games, altering your personal profile for an intended perception of your avatar in game, and communicating with your personal clan…gaming really has become as involved as you would like it to be. Hell, even something as simple as an FPS like Call of Duty has micro-management, in the form of synergizing a beneficial perk system, all in the sake of killing other dudes faster.

Even shooting games have evolved.

The simpler times, when your biggest tactical concern in an FPS was not getting slapped in the dick by a pissed off Korean dwarf.

I observe all of this with a playful willingness, having engaged and compromised with all of it. I don’t mourn a perceived loss of simplicity, I’ve routinely rejected the notion. Going back full circle to what casual gaming provides, is the lack of responsibility, because the games usually works on one level. This provides an absence of choice, and a streamlined entertainment therefore. All of those other aspects of gaming I’ve mentioned aren‘t brutally demanding, they are gloriously optional. This helps in servicing us with the benefit of responsibility, and not the burden it is often portrayed as. We then follow through with a mindless romp, or an intricate session of engagement. This help fills out the vast landscape gaming has become, and all of the roads you can choose, or not choose to travel down.

Our little puppy gaming has grown into a loyal dog, we just gotta remember to feed it when it’s hungry, and clean up after he accidentally takes a shit on the floor.

Our Medium at Large

The Attic: The Bog of Backlog

When I was younger, I created a rather short to do list in my life:

1. Beat every game I play
2. Meet Future Me

I’ve since crossed one of those off of my list as implausible.

What I’m realistically expecting to see any day now.

Something like the inevitability of never finishing every game I play is secondary to the fun I have of course. I see this in my later years, not soon enough realizing the value of quality vs quantity. This doesn’t make my gaming life any more predictable, mind you. Not a day passes where I’m not reminded of the unexpected happening, the future excels in this regard. My expectations in gaming are always adjusted, which can elevate and dissipate my mood, very normally in a 24 hour period. The every day is a balancing act, and coming out even at the ass end is a victory in my book. Sometimes, it’s not a matter of IF you can, but a matter of WHY you should.

Pictured: A man who doesn’t know the difference between the IF and the WHY.

I remain positive, retaining my adjusted expectations, fully aware of the daunting tasks ahead. Even when I’m reminded of all of the things I don’t have at the moment, I’m motivated to not accept defeat. Double Fine’s new IOS game is a unique example of far outside my applicable back log, still not even owning an I-device for which I could use to play the game.

A game about super heroes, Tim Schafer, and it’s free.

For all of those able, back log be damned…

…and with that, I move onto my my last entry (for now) into my feature “The Attic”, with my final piece from The Myspace Era of early writing. This piece, with the rather horrific name “Mungo Jerry Knew”, was likely written in an insomniastic rage fueled by little more than caffeine and a lust for gaming. The date of post was June 15th, 2009.

Enjoy.

The Attic presents…

OUR FEATURE PRESENTATION
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Mungo Jerry knew…

 …almost everything about the summer time except what a considerable boon to your gaming it can be, if one were to designate time properly. Well, time management is a skill that should be considered by everyone, not just the busy. I say this only to convey the message that with proper time management skills, you can be busy whenever you feel like it, which is a plus for the lazy and motivated a like.

I speak of summer as a golden ace with almost a certain clarity. Being the time of year any rational gamer would use as a catch up method is no dark secret, anyone who’s been around for even one half assed gaming cycle should know. Though I’ve somehow found myself entrenched in the bog of backlog far too long (circa the Outer Haven incident), I could easily list the experience as one of the best problems I’ve ever had. I would struggle trying to have all of the fun I could, marching on with an insatiable appetite parallel only to my eclectic tastes which drove me to this amazing swamp in the first place. I’ve yet to decide whether drowning forever in a bog of backlog is a comfortably doomed experience, or a celebratory spice that only variety is aware of in a lethal kind of way.So far, thanks to certain people who will be named (Jess), I’ve been able to discern and concentrate on how and when. “The List” has dulled my sense of chaos, and I have claimed success in pushing through swarms of enjoyment like you wouldn’t believe. The rhythm based scene still has me deep in a snare, but I maintain a careful balancing act, knowing one day that my dual analog will out weigh my colorfully clicky axe in destructive enjoyment once more. My parade of gaming shenanigans will no doubt eclipse the summer in full with priority after priority of everything I may still need to purvey…which is fine in the long run. The challenge is only outweighed by how much fun I usually have, whether or not that entails establishing my own series of brutal cock fights with adorable creatures, or longing for a more accurate way to roll a monkey around, which is as amazing as the sex involved might be if my waggle wiggled right. Motion control will continue to be the bane of my existence, until the parties responsible go through with the ever so important equation of 1:1 control, a nice fuck you other wise.
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(As an aside, like my first few Myspace rehashes in The Attic, this write up was untouched for authenticity)

This piece is quite loaded, and as mentioned, was thrown onto a screen without any proper care for intent or reason. I cover a lot of stuff here, not in the least of which is my recently discovered backlog problem, which I’ve referred to lovingly as the name of this attic post. Mungo Jerry was a British rock band responsible for the 1970 song “In the Summertime”. Pretty sure I was in a groggy state of silliness, and found the lead singer’s voice hilarious.Just to get that out of the way.

For the rest of the unfocused thoughts, I still maintained a nice clarity about my writing. This makes sense, as I have mentioned, I was knee deep in my freelance work for gamersinfo.net at the time, and was writing a variety of gaming reviews for them. Still, my editing and proofreading skills…not 100%. More to the point of gaming, I touch on a few golden basics, like the summer catch up, and what would be the standard of back logs. I refer to The Outer Haven incident as signifying one of the earliest moments of realization. This confuses me, as I remember the Christmas of 2007 being a more proper genesis of backlog  related crises. Being completely absorbed into the Guitar Hero/ Rock Band scene didn’t help, and would dilute my free time to the point of contradictory woe. One truly grisly example is buying the collectors edition of Fallout 3 on launch day, and never opening it.

Ever.

I also bitch a little about the Wii, forecast my inevitable disappointment with Nintendo’s lack of engaging 1:1 motion control titles, and also put forth the mention of “The List”. This was a tool I used to combat The Bog of Backlog. While it really only was a simple check list, it helped greatly, and marked the beginning of a new era for me. “The List” ended up being of a legendary status in completionism, with an added ripple effect of self-awareness. I mean to say, that this was about the same time I evolved my original concept of “The Minor Rules of Nothing Major” idea into something of an actual tangible tome of knowledge.

Encyclopedia Muranica was concocted, and then put into motion as a legitimate outlet for my writing and gaming to reach new heights of collaboration.

The stage was set, the players present.

The Attic: A Man Chooses, A Slave Advertises

Many important things happened today, to someone, somewhere.

Not necessarily in gaming….

Seems to be a shit storm kicking up in regards to box art, but the whole back and forth is the classic dichotomy of creativity vs. industry. The inevitable 180, when an artist comes up with an idea, and someone tries to thank them with a mis-directed  smile and a  mugging.

The first box art bonanza popped up a couple of days ago, in regards to the motivations behind the rather uninspired BioShock: Infinite cover. Ken Levine simply responded with “meh” (citation needed), and went on to say further that anyone needing the box art to decide their purchase, needs a cover like that to convince them.

He followed his initial statement with the helpful sentiment that you’d be able to participate in a community vote here, which will ultimately lead you to printing a much more attractive cover art.

Some of us plagued by this issue, sadly, predate this useful mediation.

The first reason Dr.Wily didn’t create Suicide Man.

With those thoughts out of the way, I continue my foray into the past,  by presenting yet another piece of older writing in my feature “The Attic”. This next piece was chosen as the second of three entries from my earliest days of writing personal jive on Myspace. This particular piece was posted September 17th, 2008, more than a full year after “Gotta Ban Em’ All”.

More thoughts after the write up…

and now…

OUR FEATURE PRESENTATION
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A Man Chooses, A Slave Advertises

I am Pashford Murano, and I’m here to ask you a question. Is an MMO player not entitled to the sweat of his brow? No says the EQ player, it belongs to me. No says the FF11 player, it belongs to the designer. No says the WoW player, it belongs to everyone. I rejected those answers; instead, I chose something different. I chose the impossible. I chose, Warhammer! An MMO where the player would not bore of the PvP. Where the users would not be bound by petty collision detection. Where the great would not be constrained by the small! And with the sweat of your brow, Warhammer can become your MMO as well.

Now play around with the trial version, would you kindly?
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A far different write up than my first attempt, and with a lot of my style attached to it. While the bulk of the post is largely just a modified version of Andrew Ryan’s speech at the beginning of BioShock, you can see where I’m headed in my efforts. The amount of time that had passed between this post and my last one, isn’t quite as important as the amount of writing practice I got in the interim. I was lucky enough to be offered a position writing for gamersinfo.net as a reviews writer, based off a random two in the morning exchange I had with the owner while playing Beautiful Katamari.

She was thrilled she met someone on Xbox Live who used punctuation instead of racial slurs.

I succeed at impressing, and wrote a couple dozen  video game reviews, helping me to strengthen  not only my writing habits, but my gaming resolve.

The concept within “A Man Chooses, A Slave Advertises” was directed at my hearty swath of friends, who always tried to get me to play WoW. I enjoyed playing a variety of games, and could never commit to the rather involved endeavor of an MMO, let alone Warcraft. Yet, time after time, their “unwavering devotion” and love was routinely second guessed by some impossible hope the next MMO was somehow going to top WoW. They had gone on to such great lengths about Warhammer (releasing at the time), that even my interest was peaked.

I wrote “A Man Chooses” as a sly poke at the inevitability of Warhammer going top side. While they might have been under the impression, I quickly observed that Warhammer  would in fact, not represent the ideal of Rapture. It would instead,  sink in spirit as fast as the hopes and dreams of an underwater Utopia motivated by narcotics, and the genetically enhanced corner store magic powers they represented.

And oh, how things got wet.

The Attic

After a long rampancy of posts regarding the Wii U, and shouting about the consoles initial endeavors, I take a moment of pause. Not to say you will hear no more about the system, mind you. Nintendo will likely get another five good years of magic out of the S.S Wii U. Shortly there after,  metaphorically start sinking, and responding by turning the on board faucets to full blast…

…all in the name of collecting on their insurance money returns.

Nintendo’s Accountants

In any case, this not being my first online venture, I figured I’d provide a little historical context to my writing. While the story of how I’ve progressed my skills won’t dazzle, I suspect my “online clippings” from writings of old will better help to frame how far I’ve come. This will take the form of a new feature called “The Attic”, and will chronicle some of my earlier attempts of gaming entertainment.

My first scrapped idea, as the alternative to this feature, was attempting a cyclical approach of posting content. That is to say, write enough content for one month, and then keep re-posting it, and disavow any knowledge of the intentional repetition.

One example of my “new content”

Once the site attracted enough readers, and my perceived apathy/trolling caught enough flak, I would then pass it off as some kind of viral marketing ad scheme to advertise one of the re-releases of the Bill Murray film, Groundhogs Day. This would trigger a thoughtfully aggressive debate between my fan base, on whether I had “past my prime” or was too avant-garde for the internet masses to understand. All the while, fueling the debate on both sides by releasing the same content.

One example of my “new content”

Of course,  I enjoy the prospect of writing about video games, and immediately condensed the idea into a two paragraph and three picture joke.

Seen Here.

Digressing intensely to my much better second idea. I present to you one of the first major thought’s I ever posted online. I wanted to avoid pulling a Lucas, and did no editing whatsoever to the piece, presenting a more accurate picture of who I was at the time. Therefore, the initial concept is left untouched, leaving it in it’s original incoherent state from April 5th, 2007.

Try to enjoy it.

AND NOW OUR FEATURE PRESENTATION

Today in The Attic:

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Gotta Ban Em’ All!

The following excerpt was taken from (at least) a post on Daily Gaming News on April Third:  “The Kansas Board of Education approved a controversial measure yesterday that will ban all Pokemon video games, trading cards, and related merchandise because of the franchise’s blatant promotion of evolution. The vote, which passed by a narrow margin after weeks of debate amongst members of the board, is being hailed as a victory by conservatives and religious groups.

Teachers will now be required to search their students at the beginning of the school day to make sure that they aren’t carrying any copies of the game. Any copies that are found will be immediately and permanently confiscated, and the student may be subject to punishments ranging from a temporary suspension to outright expulsion for repeat violators.”

In other news, Kansas has not been laid in 50 years.
I’m now severely convinced at this point that to spawn an idea, any one idea, regardless of content or nature, you are in fact spawning hate, with little or no warning, to with no answer could possibly suffice as response. Hmm…well, I suppose I should just rephrase that whole thought with this: would it even be possible to hire enough man power to remove all the sticks in everyones ass in todays society, without effectively, needing to re-holster gathered timber to shut someone ELSE the hell up? The answer is no of course.
You’ll Always have too many sticks…

Far be it from me to point out how pissy the south always has to get over anything that doesn’t end in “car” or begins with kk. The Kansas school board should be proud of the fact that it can free up enough time to tackle the overwhelmingly difficult issues, such as banning a video game about pocket monsters, instead of something as trite and trivial as to say…I don’t know…SCHOOL WORK. Maybe trying to focus on the increasingly high drop-out rate, lowering test scores, or the ever existing drab conditions most public schools face now a days just wouldn’t keep them busy enough huh? Not to mention all cited problems all seem to be an even greater source of contention specifically in the red states.
Hmm…
I’m sure before this though, they were way too busy focusing on pouring way too much money on something even more idiotically pointless, like building up there athletics curriculum or sports teams. Couldn’t they just get back to half-assing all the problems they can’t solve rather then invent new ones? Man…they should have really made a law about separation of church and state somewhere, or at least have some actual proof of this whole “evolution” thing.
Oh well, in the end, it all really boils down to a damned religious fiasco with a key statement “being hailed as a victory by conservatives and religious groups.” Good job guys. You’ve taken a big step to disproving years of scientific effort and grounded fact of how monkeys never existed and inter-family relations has absolutely no correlation to how many broken vehicles you have on your front lawn…And to think…all they had to do was ban a video game!
It all makes sense now. Christmas is saved!
I think next on Kansas’s agenda is banning that “fancy witch-craft” known as homosexuality by disallowing the sales of Harry potter books throughout the state. I’ve read their thorough and highly detailed outline on the back of a Denny’s napkin.
Very impressive.
I tell you…fucking Kansas.
Digimon Fans…every last one.
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That was not my first gaming related piece of writing, but the earliest I could find. Back in the summer of 2002, an old high school friend and I made a very basic website, centered primarily around video games. Not much content ever made it to the site, and one of the few substantial pieces that made it to post was indeed, my first actual attempt. This was in the form of a Super Smash Brothers Melee review, followed by a review of Dark Cloud, and lastly Halo.

Sadly, those write ups are beyond the void, and only remain in memory. This piece “Gotta Ban Em’ All!” was actually not posted on any gaming site to speak of, and was a random blog post I made on Myspace. As you can see, my style…barely existed, and I seemed to have a vague sense of speculation that I translated to fact on the spot. My experiences were next to nothing at that point, so some of my accusations are just  stereotypical non sense. I surmise a younger me was emulating the likes of Seanbaby and Maddox, poorly I might add. I had little to draw from, and they were two internet satirists I grew up reading, and being endlessly entertained by.

The cause and effect seems obvious.

The attempt is adorable, and when compared to idea’s I’ve presented on this site, infantile in structure. If nothing else, “Gotta Ban Em’ All!” foreshadows my efforts at conveying ideas. Ideas  involving my passion of playing, and doing so through the use of jokes, which is way better than some of my other earlier attempts of communication. One of my earliest posts involved me writing about winter, which is really fucking weird.

That ends my small commentary on what is, for all intents and purposes, my first recorded write up. The only other thing of mention before this post involving Myspace blogs, was a reference to “…chronicling the Minor Rules of Nothing Major…” which was an interestingly perceptive comment. More so on where I was headed within my own destinations of writing.

This is due in part, to “The Minor Rules of Nothing Major”  eventually taking on a new name entirely…

Encyclopedia Muranica: It’s Not U, It’s Mii

I feel as if I’ve done adequate job in detailing some of the more stand out additions and adulation’s of the Wii U launch. One element of surprise yet with standing my mention is actually not about U at all.

It’s about Mii.

The inventor of the it’s not you it’s me thing.

More specifically, the Omni-presence of the Miiverse, Nintendo’s attempt at a foray into the social side of gaming. While the Wii had “options” as far as reaching out to others, what existed compared to the 360 and PS3 was akin to a carrier pigeon trying to outperform a telephone.

Bloodied feathers everywhere.

Everyone’s reaction to Wii friend codes.

The Miiverse is some kind of bastard child, spawned from the essence of the Nintendo spirit and the fast commotion of Twitter. The whole thing works strangely well, and opens up a snappy line of communication between a large network of Nintendo fans. Getting a reading on others, analyzing their abilities, yelling at each other in celebration or disgust, it’s as if the scouters from DBZ had social networking capabilities.

Hey Vegeta! How many Wii U consoles was Nintendo able to manufacture for launch?

…29

Wait, really?

My interest was peaked from moment one of connecting to the overall network This was out of a complete misunderstanding of the value involved. Much like Nintendo Land, the concept didn’t seem as grand as the execution was. Nintendo is just now really starting to get into the online space, so I felt my accusations of irrelevancy untested. They are a massive company, who should really have their shit together. Even so, I had a feeling akin to screaming at a two year old for not being able to run, as they were learning to walk. Not believing in the capabilities of the young can develop into something demonic, the consequences visibly primal.

Seen here, Gregory Peck as Nintendo’s fan base, Damien; Nintendo’s online service.

As with most potent forms of entertainment, topicality rules the day. I suppose the platform of the Miiverse acts more as an information hub, albeit socially centric. A vast well of self-absorption being traded among similarly minded piers. While everyone is paying due mind to themselves, the reviews process of laughter or applause motivates the outspoken, and leaves idle those without the quality of thought.

No one’s really left out.

Very simply, the spontaneity of the Miiverse is what formalizes it’s power. Need help with a game? Ask the community. Share a cool pic or anecdote, post for all to see. Being able to access the Miiverse without quitting the game is indeed helpful, and makes streamlining the process center stage. I constantly see pleasant exchanges and sentiments, and I imagine the Miiverse to be one where everybody is singing and dancing.

The Miiverse, if hairier.

There does exist the unforeseen benefits of the application as well. Earlier on there was a technical hiccup that affected the whole service, people were able to post warnings about what to avoid. A meta review community has popped up, further showcasing warnings or dismissing mass negativity about certain titles (see defenders of ZombiU). Last but not least, the impressive array of casual artists that exist. Those that live in the Miiverse, the quiet creative element proudly putting hand to controller on a regular night.

Just one example of what I’m guessing was a quick five minute drawing I saw in the Miiverse.

Sounds slightly idyllic, right? That’s where my betraying cynicism sets in. The unfortunate truth about the Miiverse, is that’s it’s heavily policed. A knowable but very relentless force of moderators watching the quantitative sub space in which the players exist. The analysis here in makes several parts of me lash out. One part with the intent of reinforcement, another part, biting back as if cornered by an unstoppable destruction.

An artists rendering of a Miiverse Moderator.

I enjoy the Miiverse because of it’s laid back and friendly nature. This obviously confuses, being well acquainted with the internet. This confuses me on a very basic level, because  on the internet, it’s simply impossible. Not because humans aren’t inherently so, but because these aren’t human beings as we know them. These are vague visages and regulated resemblances of what once was, and what might be again. Sages that have preceded me have indeed prophesied this happening, others, becoming it entirely.

By day, a mild mannered 13 year old middle school boy. By night, an internet user with the handle gaydix99, and “her” insatiable lust for human aggravation.

So, the division in me seeks not a compromise of tolerance, in turn acting as a  crushing stalemate of resolution. I wonder if this policed state in the Miiverse carries out a proper intent, or if it breaks the very foundations of what makes the internet free and great. On one hand, everyone’s interaction has a controlled sense of emptiness too it, making me desire a larger depth of self-identity. Yet, I’ve seen a much larger female turn out on the Wii U service, maybe due in part to women not having to fear endless harassment or assaults based on physical differences. Cons and Pros making easy work of the landscape.

Still…there exists this hollow truth that has been banished from existence within these virtual walls.

Part of me loves this feeling of togetherness, and another part resents the reason why.

U don’t say?

The Wii U launch, as you might have gathered from my recent posts, hasn’t disappointed.

Well, maybe in one regard.

So glad we got Kid Icarus 3DS instead.

While my thoughts on these recent events haven’t been expedited, my playing has, and I’ve enjoyed the massive derailment of all my other gaming projects. A new console should bring tidings of great joy, which is convenient, because they always launch around Christmas. The time of the year when I’m not so holly jolly and more just fucking broke.

The Wii U, seen here with my wallet.

Not that the price is too much, mind you. They could have turned everyone off, and the damn thing could have cost 599 U.S dollars, for example.

How silly would that have made them look?

Very, it turns out.

I don’t normally take issue with price points, honestly, so this whole idea of too much is more of a farcical foot note. I do appreciate the tiering of the separate values presented, for any system. I never feel at a loss for choice, or value at the end of the day, and I feel graced as Nintendo showers me with free Hard Drive space and 10% off discounts galore…

Then there’s the imagination of Nintendo Land.

Picture slightly related.

Many, if not all would argue, with such a high price point attachment to early tech adoption, the reasons for doing so must be compelling. The social faux pas of not possessing one of these devices is sometimes pressure enough. Others, who require less shitty friends, and more depth to their decisions, demand some meat and potatoes, some veggies and quinoa…

A game with some real balls.

Picture not related.

Nintendo usually has us covered. A staple Mario game, a fighter that just won’t quit, a Gamecube port. The Wii U is no different, and Nintendo Land, as I view it, acts as that design catalyst by which many third parties, and future Nintendo endeavors will be judged. The game was presented in a rather poor manner at E3 this year, and garnered a range of emotions from confusing, to mass vomiting.

Seen here: Early impressions of Nintendo Land at E3

No one really understood the title, and Nintendo certainly wasn’t doing a good job of perpetuating mass comprehension. Having sat down with it on launch day, and almost every day after since then, I became very confident. I only reflex vomited once, and it was due to DK’s Crash Course being so god damn hard…

This god damn hard.

In honest variety, Nintendo Land serves up twelve different “attractions” (mini games), for you and your friends to play around in. The main area is a gigantic, and seemingly unimpressive lot of nothing when you first arrive. Each attraction will have different themes and goals, which grant you coins (currency for swag). This leads to some major redecorating, and thusly, awesomeness ensues of the Nintendo persuasion. These furnishings add a touch of replay value to the game, as there are many to obtain.  All of the swag represent elements from all of the attractions.  Of which, usually entail some of  Nintendo’s biggest characters…

…and some of the biggest Nintendo characters who didn’t show up, were likely being kidnapped on their way to the park…

..by this guy.
Probably.

The attractions themselves lend excellently to the new hardware, and do a great job at showcasing what the controller is really capable of. You can go solo on many of the events, which provide a surprising wealth of single player replay-ability . Other events require more than one person to enjoy, but this doesn’t cripple whats on offer. The legitimate excitement of recruiting friends for same room gaming entertainment is present, the game proud to offer a contrary bygone.  Nintendo Land helps to ignite these feelings of chaotic laughs, and does so effortlessly. Just from the sheer wealth of odds and ends, Nintendo Land takes all of the gaming prowess Wii Sports showcased, shoves it into a rocket, and launches it right over the moon.

Not that moon.

The examples of ways to play are large in number, and whether you’re acting as a lone gun, shooting  your way through Crash Course (arcade maze), or swearing a loud while playing Mario Chase (multiplayer tag), no one’s left out. I’ve made mention before about the unique commentator aspects the Wii U brings into play, and even watching your friend go at it on the big screen, while he fiddles around with the gamepad is extensively amusing.

With all of this in mind, the experience does what Nintendo awkwardly hyped, which was create compelling a-symmetrical game play experiences. Playing though any of the multiplayer attractions have different angles, depending on which controller you use (Wii-Mote, Game Pad). You might find you want to explore the best of both worlds. Yet, you may love playing god with the gamepads touch screen at the tips of your fingers, or continue waving the Nintendo flag high, by waggling that Wii-Mote in the thick of the action.

The choice is intoxicating, and that’s before the mass inclusion of booze to an all night gaming party.

Pictured: The after effects of a group of drunk people playing Wii Sports, or a sober person playing DK’s Crash Course. Results do not vary.

I refuse to relinquish any praise I hoist upon Nintendo Land, and that’s due to the complete 180 turn around the game pulled. With initial showings, the experience, first sold as a laugh. With my initial experience, sold on the first laugh. I’m still playing what I thought to be a one off tech demo at launch. This day mirrors launch day to some extent, as I spent so much time with Nintendo Land, I wasn’t able to really get into any of the other games on my mind.

And the time did fly…