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, November 18, 2018
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Throwback Thursday - Banjo-Kazooie (series)
Welcome to another Throwback Thursday, our weekly look into my Top 100 games and general nostalgia, now examining the cream of the crop with the Top 20. Completing the puzzle this week: The games of rhyming witches and jigsaw switches that is the ever endearing Banjo-Kazooie series.
Released in the US on June 29th, 1998, Banjo-Kazooie debuted on the N64 set to capture the success and fun that was 3D adventure platforming as introduced by Super Mario 64. Developed by Rare during their years of partnership with Nintendo (the golden years), Banjo-Kazooie delivered on the many hallmarks this company was becoming well known for, notably impressive graphics and top-notch sound design. This goofy, lovable adventure follows the exploits of a bear named Banjo and bird named Kazooie, the latter of which lives in Banjo's backpack. When a wicked witch, Gruntilda, captures Banjo's little sister Tootie to steal her youth, the dynamic duo of bear and bird set forth into Gruntilda's lair to gather the many scattered Jiggies and ascend the tower's peak. Jiggies unlocked new worlds for more Jiggies and more musical notes to find, of which allowed further access into the tower for more worlds to uncover, and thus began the cycle of what was the popular and addicting genre of the collect-a-thon.
Released in the US on June 29th, 1998, Banjo-Kazooie debuted on the N64 set to capture the success and fun that was 3D adventure platforming as introduced by Super Mario 64. Developed by Rare during their years of partnership with Nintendo (the golden years), Banjo-Kazooie delivered on the many hallmarks this company was becoming well known for, notably impressive graphics and top-notch sound design. This goofy, lovable adventure follows the exploits of a bear named Banjo and bird named Kazooie, the latter of which lives in Banjo's backpack. When a wicked witch, Gruntilda, captures Banjo's little sister Tootie to steal her youth, the dynamic duo of bear and bird set forth into Gruntilda's lair to gather the many scattered Jiggies and ascend the tower's peak. Jiggies unlocked new worlds for more Jiggies and more musical notes to find, of which allowed further access into the tower for more worlds to uncover, and thus began the cycle of what was the popular and addicting genre of the collect-a-thon.
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Super Mario Party Review
Genre: Party Game
Players: 1-4
Playtime: 20+ Hours (Includes playing every mode, board, and mini-game, both in single-player and local multiplayer fashion)
The Mario Party franchise has a rich, long history of clever boards and mini-games, hilarious and bogus luck-based situations, and the cause of many a heated and memorable arguments to be had. The last well-received entry in this chaotic series was Mario Party 8 for the Nintendo Wii, released back in May, 2007. After 11 years with several missteps along the way, the new Super Mario Party for the Nintendo Switch now looks to do what many games on Switch do best: Go back to the roots and reexamine the core fundamentals of what made this series so beloved to begin with. Does this reboot find success in re-rolling the dice? Let's jump to the board and examine the many joys and cons to be found inside.
Sunday, November 11, 2018
Thursday, November 8, 2018
Throwback Thursday - Super Mario 64
Welcome to another Throwback Thursday, our weekly look into my Top 100 games and general nostalgia, now examining the cream of the crop with the Top 20. Making the long jump this week: The game of plentiful yahoo's and wahoo's that is Super Mario 64.
Released in the US on September 29th, 1996, Super Mario 64 was the iconic plumber's first foray into the world of 3D and would pave the way for much of the industry and other 3D games to follow. At the invitation of the princess and delicious prospects of cake, Mario ventures to Peach's castle only to find Bowser's shenanigans at play once again, capturing both the princess and all the Power Stars of the castle. From the very opening moments of the game, players have free reign to perform all sorts of acrobatic moves and run around wherever their whims desire, creating an immersion into the world of Mario like never before. As players push the bounds of their curiosity, they'll notice many peculiarities that will require returned investigation. A door beneath the water's surface of the front moat. A ghost at the end of a long hallway. A painting that wavers at close touch. And then the magic happens. You decide to jump into the mysterious painting, and you're literally sucked into a whole new world of possibilities.
Released in the US on September 29th, 1996, Super Mario 64 was the iconic plumber's first foray into the world of 3D and would pave the way for much of the industry and other 3D games to follow. At the invitation of the princess and delicious prospects of cake, Mario ventures to Peach's castle only to find Bowser's shenanigans at play once again, capturing both the princess and all the Power Stars of the castle. From the very opening moments of the game, players have free reign to perform all sorts of acrobatic moves and run around wherever their whims desire, creating an immersion into the world of Mario like never before. As players push the bounds of their curiosity, they'll notice many peculiarities that will require returned investigation. A door beneath the water's surface of the front moat. A ghost at the end of a long hallway. A painting that wavers at close touch. And then the magic happens. You decide to jump into the mysterious painting, and you're literally sucked into a whole new world of possibilities.
Sunday, November 4, 2018
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Throwback Thursday - Beyond Good & Evil
Welcome to another Throwback Thursday, our weekly look into my Top 100 games and general nostalgia, now examining the cream of the crop with the Top 20. Sneaking into the fray this week: The game of anthropomorphic aliens and sneaking into things that is Beyond Good & Evil.
Released on November 11th, 2003, Beyond Good & Evil is yet another game from Michel Ancel of Ubisoft, creator of the Rayman series, set in a new universe filled with aliens, war, conspiracies, espionage and more. Players take control of Jade, a female photojournalist, who lives with her "uncle" Pey'j, a pig-like human mechanic, among other orphans on the planet Hillys. The planet is under attack by a hostile alien force known as DomZ, to which a government force known as the Alpha Sections has the planet under lock-down for its protection against this opposing force. Strapped for cash in which to shield their home, players take an assortment of odd-end photography jobs to pay the bills. However, these pursuits soon lead to discovery of darker truths to be found in this world of Hillys.
Released on November 11th, 2003, Beyond Good & Evil is yet another game from Michel Ancel of Ubisoft, creator of the Rayman series, set in a new universe filled with aliens, war, conspiracies, espionage and more. Players take control of Jade, a female photojournalist, who lives with her "uncle" Pey'j, a pig-like human mechanic, among other orphans on the planet Hillys. The planet is under attack by a hostile alien force known as DomZ, to which a government force known as the Alpha Sections has the planet under lock-down for its protection against this opposing force. Strapped for cash in which to shield their home, players take an assortment of odd-end photography jobs to pay the bills. However, these pursuits soon lead to discovery of darker truths to be found in this world of Hillys.
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