Tabletop Tuesday - Codenames

Welcome to another edition of Tabletop Tuesday - Your weekly exploration into games of dice, cards, luck and more of the Tabletop world.

This week's game...the game of obscure clues and agents of blue that is Code Names.

Players: 4+ Recommended
Time: 15-30 minutes
Genre: Team-Based Word / Party Game

A Kingdom to be Saved

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Throwback Thursday - Sound Shapes

Welcome to another Throwback Thursday, our weekly look into my Top 100 games and general nostalgia.  On the menu for this week: The musical-platformer of sweet beats and impressive feats that is Sound Shapes.

Released in the US on August 7th, 2012, Sound Shapes is of a unique breed that marries side-scrolling platformers with a focus on music and unique art styles.  Controlling a small eyeball, players travel across vivid landscapes collecting beats scattered about.  As players collect these beats, the music develops and carries over from screen to screen, building into a looping symphony.  For those with a competitive edge, they can also race through the levels to see who can collect all the beats in the fastest time, receiving top marks on the scoreboard.  But the main charms I find of this game are the musical compositions and creative tools it has to offer.

Tabletop Tuesday - Pandemic

You may have noticed a rising trend the past few years: Board games.  Those games of dice, cards, luck and strategy are no longer just for rainy days when the power is out.  Board games are proving to provide socially engaging and often deep and rewarding experiences for players of all ages.  So join in every Tuesday as I showcase notable games in this Tabletop world and see if they may be a good fit for your crew.

This week's game...the game of high stakes and viral outbreaks that is Pandemic.

Players: 2-4 (You can add in a 5th or 6th player, but it will affect the gameplay balance)

Time: 30-60 minutes

Genre: Cooperative

A Link Between Worlds

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Throwback Thursday - Super Mario Sunshine

Feeling nostalgic?  Curious about a game you missed out on?  Well buckle down, because it's time for Throwback Thursday!  Every Thursday, I will highlight a game from my personal Top 100 Games.  (For those doing the math, yes, this should provide at least 2 years worth of content for this blog) Hopefully in doing this as well, you'll be able to identify my tastes as a gamer and if you similarly identify, try some new games or recommend some games my way.  ;)

So, this week's oldie but goodie: Super Mario Sunshine!  Yahoo!  Was released in the US on August 26th, 2002 for Nintendo GameCube.  It's a single-player platformer / action-adventure game featuring your favorite goomba stomping plumber, Super Mario, headed on a well deserved vacation to Isle Delfino.  Unfortunately, trouble is afoot on the island to which Mario is framed for polluting the island with hostile goo.  Teaming up with an artificially intelligent squirt gun called FLUDD, Mario sets off to clear his name and restore Isle Delfino to its former sunny glory.

Happy Valentine's Day!

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E3 2017!

Exciting news!  For the first time ever, E3 is open to the public!  And I will be fulfilling a childhood dream and be attending this E3 2017!!  For those interested, there still look to be tickets available as of 2/13/17, found here: https://www.e3expo.com/.  Tickets are $250 for access to all 3 days (June 13-15).  For those unable to go, I hope to provide a unique perspective as an average gamer (and aspiring designer).  I will try to remember to take pictures.  And I'm sure you'll have plenty of coverage to be found online otherwise.

Until then, all aboard the hype train!

Early Impressions - Nintendo Switch

Hello fellow game enthusiasts!  I've been wanting to create a blog for some time now to share thoughts on games and hardware, share discussions on game experiences, enthuse about upcoming games, make silly comics and top 10 lists, and more.  So as I had the special honor to try the Nintendo Switch hands-on this past weekend, what better way to kick this off than with some impressions: