Welcome to Hughes3D: A Gaming Blog, where the three D's stand for dice, d-pads, and design. Hughes3D is your portal for impressions and discussions on video games and board games, an exploration into game design, weekly web comics, and more.
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Throwback Thursday - Castle Crashers
Welcome to another Throwback Thursday, our weekly look into my Top 100 games and general nostalgia. Leading the siege this week: The game of collectible critters and heavy hitters that is Castle Crashers.
Released in the US on August 27th, 2008, Castle Crashers is a delightfully silly and captivating cooperative Beat 'em up game with RPG elements. Developed by The Behemoth, the makers of Alien Hominid, Castle Crashers features that signature Flash art style and music created by members of Newgrounds. The game follows four starting playable knights who must stop a dark wizard, rescue various princesses, and recover the king's magical gem. To do so, players will slay countless barbarians, bears, ninjas, skeletons, and more (most all of which can later be unlocked as playable characters). Sandwiches will be eaten for Hulk-like power growths. Mounted crocodiles will be ridden by friends and foes alike. Terrified critters will run away in flatulent fear. The sense of humor and variance in this game knows no bounds, which is most welcome due to the repetitive nature that comes from Beat 'em up brawlers. Even the cooperative elements take a side seat occasionally for some quick competitive fun, as players compete in volleyball matches or some PvP combat for the honor of making out with a rescued princess, which builds up to a most comical final bout for this amorous reward and memorable ending to the game.
Released in the US on August 27th, 2008, Castle Crashers is a delightfully silly and captivating cooperative Beat 'em up game with RPG elements. Developed by The Behemoth, the makers of Alien Hominid, Castle Crashers features that signature Flash art style and music created by members of Newgrounds. The game follows four starting playable knights who must stop a dark wizard, rescue various princesses, and recover the king's magical gem. To do so, players will slay countless barbarians, bears, ninjas, skeletons, and more (most all of which can later be unlocked as playable characters). Sandwiches will be eaten for Hulk-like power growths. Mounted crocodiles will be ridden by friends and foes alike. Terrified critters will run away in flatulent fear. The sense of humor and variance in this game knows no bounds, which is most welcome due to the repetitive nature that comes from Beat 'em up brawlers. Even the cooperative elements take a side seat occasionally for some quick competitive fun, as players compete in volleyball matches or some PvP combat for the honor of making out with a rescued princess, which builds up to a most comical final bout for this amorous reward and memorable ending to the game.
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Tabletop Tuesday - A Fake Artist Goes to New York
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 suspicious strokes from artistic folks that is A Fake Artist Goes to New York.
Players: 5-10*
Time: 5 minutes per round
Genre: Social / Party Game
This week's game...the game of suspicious strokes from artistic folks that is A Fake Artist Goes to New York.
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| A Fake Artist Goes to New York |
Players: 5-10*
Time: 5 minutes per round
Genre: Social / Party Game
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Friday, July 21, 2017
ARMS Review
Genre: Fighting / Party Game
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 15 hours (Includes clearing up to Rank 4 with most characters, some Party and Ranked matches, and unlocking over 100 arms so far -- Note this review is posted as of the Version 2 update)
What happens when you suddenly wake up with extendable appendages for no explicable reason? You of course create a national sports league to fight against other stretchy combatants and be crowned champion, or so is the overall concept that is Nintendo's new IP and fighting game that is ARMS. Taking on a cast of colorful and varied characters, players will throw far-reaching fisticuffs, boomerangs, and more as they fight, smash targets, shoot hoops, and spike explosive volleyballs. It's bold, refreshing, and has a lot to prove as a new IP with a full price tag. So does this new game pack a powerful punch, or leave more than a passing bruise? Let's step into the ring and take a look at the positive and negative throws that come our way.
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Throwback Thursday - Guacamelee
Welcome to another Throwback Thursday, our weekly look into my Top 100 games and general nostalgia. Up to the plate this week: The game of dimensional shifts and brutal fists that is Guacamelee.
Released in the US on April 9th, 2013, Guacamelee is a unique action platformer / brawler with heavy influences of the Metroidvania exploration and upgrade mechanics. In fact, even the statues in which your luchador busts open for new abilities are referred to as Chozo statues, a direct reference to the Metroid series. Guacamelee features many references and throwbacks to games of old, proud to display the rich history that has helped shape this game into what it is today. However, with a unique blend of game mechanics, a colorful and lively art direction inspired from Mexican culture and folklore, some delicious fresh beats and tunes, and a delightfully silly sense of humor, Guacamelee is able to stand out as a creatively ambitious game of its own.
Released in the US on April 9th, 2013, Guacamelee is a unique action platformer / brawler with heavy influences of the Metroidvania exploration and upgrade mechanics. In fact, even the statues in which your luchador busts open for new abilities are referred to as Chozo statues, a direct reference to the Metroid series. Guacamelee features many references and throwbacks to games of old, proud to display the rich history that has helped shape this game into what it is today. However, with a unique blend of game mechanics, a colorful and lively art direction inspired from Mexican culture and folklore, some delicious fresh beats and tunes, and a delightfully silly sense of humor, Guacamelee is able to stand out as a creatively ambitious game of its own.
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Tabletop Tuesday - 7 Wonders
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 science and finance that is 7 Wonders.
Players: 2-7
Time: 30-45 minutes
Genre: Strategy
This week's game...the game of science and finance that is 7 Wonders.
Players: 2-7
Time: 30-45 minutes
Genre: Strategy
Sunday, July 16, 2017
Saturday, July 15, 2017
By Design: The Death of the Game Over
You may have seen the recent headlines on certain gaming outlets or Twitter: There will be no GAME OVER screen to be seen in Super Mario Odyssey. Instead, players will lose 10 coins from their collected total and continue from their last checkpoint. Sound familiar to other open-world sandbox games? Is this a change long over due? What does the future hold for the iconic 1-up mushroom and classic extra-life sound effect? Do Game Over's and extra life mechanics still hold any relevance in today's gaming medium? With these questions in mind, join us in our first design discussion as we dive into the origins and evolution of the Game Over.
Before the days of home consoles, video games had their explosive start in arcades. At a token / quarter a pop, developers put in certain gameplay mechanics to motivate players to keep playing their games, such as leader-boards or the infamous Game Over / Continue screen. By making games brutally difficult and allowing the player to buy more lives at the cost of a few more quarters, developers were able to earn additional revenue on their games as players fine-tuned their skills and sought out to reach the coveted ending. Many modern arcade games share the same conventions today as this mechanic is well suited for the challenging and short nature of these games.
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| Game Over screen from Super Mario 3D World for Wii-U. |
Before the days of home consoles, video games had their explosive start in arcades. At a token / quarter a pop, developers put in certain gameplay mechanics to motivate players to keep playing their games, such as leader-boards or the infamous Game Over / Continue screen. By making games brutally difficult and allowing the player to buy more lives at the cost of a few more quarters, developers were able to earn additional revenue on their games as players fine-tuned their skills and sought out to reach the coveted ending. Many modern arcade games share the same conventions today as this mechanic is well suited for the challenging and short nature of these games.
Thursday, July 13, 2017
Throwback Thursday - Elite Beat Agents
Welcome to another Throwback Thursday, our weekly look into my Top 100 games and general nostalgia. Swinging to the beat this week: The game of funky grooves and slick moves that is Elite Beat Agents.
Released in the US on November 6th, 2006, Elite Beat Agents is perhaps one of the greatest music / rhythm games of its time, with its absurd plots and a splendid sense of humor. Each song / mission in the game sets the stage with a striking comic-like style, depicting a crazy tale on the brink of disaster. It is in these moments of utmost distress that these trio of Elite Beat Agents are sent to dance and cheer the woeful characters back into good favor, accompanied by a selection of slick tunes to boot. Making great use of the Nintendo DS dual screens, players will tap, trace, and spin their dance moves on the bottom screens as the story unfolds on the top screen. Depending on the accuracy and timing of the player's gameplay, the story will react accordingly and offers a multitude of scenes and endings of negative and/or positive effect.
Released in the US on November 6th, 2006, Elite Beat Agents is perhaps one of the greatest music / rhythm games of its time, with its absurd plots and a splendid sense of humor. Each song / mission in the game sets the stage with a striking comic-like style, depicting a crazy tale on the brink of disaster. It is in these moments of utmost distress that these trio of Elite Beat Agents are sent to dance and cheer the woeful characters back into good favor, accompanied by a selection of slick tunes to boot. Making great use of the Nintendo DS dual screens, players will tap, trace, and spin their dance moves on the bottom screens as the story unfolds on the top screen. Depending on the accuracy and timing of the player's gameplay, the story will react accordingly and offers a multitude of scenes and endings of negative and/or positive effect.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Tabletop Tuesday - Bang!
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 dynamite and gun fights that is Bang!
Players: 4-7
Time: 20-40 minutes
Genre: Casual Card / Deduction Game
This week's game...the game of dynamite and gun fights that is Bang!
Players: 4-7
Time: 20-40 minutes
Genre: Casual Card / Deduction Game
Monday, July 10, 2017
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Throwback Thursday - Civilization V
Welcome to another Throwback Thursday, our weekly look into my Top 100 games and general nostalgia. Entering the fray this week: The game of discovering new lands and troops to command that is Civilization V.
Released in the US on September 21st, 2010, Civilization V is as you may denote the fifth main entry of the long running Civilization series all the way back from 1991. It carries over the major gameplay elements that make up a 4X videogame, one which you eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate rival civilizations. New to this entry though was the use of hex-based tiles instead of square-tiles for the world map. This had huge implications in allowing for more variation and choices in how to explore and combat enemy troops. As such, military units were also no longer able to be stacked, requiring more strategy and management skills to effectively make use of your armies. Elements such as religion and espionage were removed to make for a more streamlined experience, though were brought back in later expansions. And there is nothing quite as inspiring than listening to famous quotations narrated by William Morgan Sheppard.
Released in the US on September 21st, 2010, Civilization V is as you may denote the fifth main entry of the long running Civilization series all the way back from 1991. It carries over the major gameplay elements that make up a 4X videogame, one which you eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate rival civilizations. New to this entry though was the use of hex-based tiles instead of square-tiles for the world map. This had huge implications in allowing for more variation and choices in how to explore and combat enemy troops. As such, military units were also no longer able to be stacked, requiring more strategy and management skills to effectively make use of your armies. Elements such as religion and espionage were removed to make for a more streamlined experience, though were brought back in later expansions. And there is nothing quite as inspiring than listening to famous quotations narrated by William Morgan Sheppard.
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Happy Fourth of July - Top Five Fireworks in Games
Of course the 4th of July is about more than loud, colorful explosions in the sky, but it's those beautiful booms that makes it one of my favorite holidays of the year. To celebrate with you all, let's take a look at my personal Top 5 favorite displays of fireworks in the world of games.
-1- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Most every summer when our family would go down to the beach for a holiday weekend, the SNES would be waiting there for some retro gaming goodness. And what better way to get in the mood for fireworks than booting up Super Mario RPG, loading that save file just before the epic final boss against King Smithy, and reveling in the reward that was this game's credits. Seeing the memorable cast of characters and listening to the beautiful melodic themes, it was like watching something out of a Disney Land parade, especially when it transitions to night and the parade floats dawn sparkling lights. The simple fireworks at the end put the finishing touch of an adventure worth celebrating.
Tabletop Tuesday - Imploding Kittens
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 expansion to the ever popular game of combustible felines, Imploding Kittens.
(Note: Exploding Kittens is required to play this expansion. Click here to learn more about the base game.)
Players: 2-6
Time: 15-20 minutes
Genre: Casual Card Game
This week's game...the expansion to the ever popular game of combustible felines, Imploding Kittens.
(Note: Exploding Kittens is required to play this expansion. Click here to learn more about the base game.)
Players: 2-6
Time: 15-20 minutes
Genre: Casual Card Game
Sunday, July 2, 2017
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