More Screens HERE

We’re going to have a Monster Hunter Tri BBQ in LA on Tuesday next week. We have a few spots to invite you to the event, eat some BBQ, play some Monster Hunter Tri, and overall have a good time!

We’ll even have custom mugs that look like the ones you can get in the online pub. You can bring a friend, and since there’s drinks, you’ll have to be over 21. The event is on Tuesday March 23rd and starts at 4:00PM.

If you want to attend and live in the Los Angels area, here’s what we need from you:

- Full name of yourself and a guest
- Age of you and your guest (you must be 21 or over)

Send it in a private message to THIS GUY with “BBQ” as the subject line. If you’re invited, we’ll reply with the details, address, and add your names to the list.

Link

Announced for the first time at GDC 2009, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks became one of the few Zelda games to be announced and released in the same year. Featuring a graphical style similar to that of 2007’s Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks showcased a new mode of transportation for Hyrule’s hero, a train. While the initial trailer for Spirit Tracks showed off quite a bit of gameplay, there were still many questions I had. Would Link still be able to travel on foot in the overworld? Will you be able to lay your own tracks in the world? Where did the tracks/train come from? Fast forward to today, and we have all our answers as I’ve spent many an hour in Link’s latest adventure. And believe me, this is one adventure you won’t want to miss!

Spirit Tracks takes place about 100 years after the events of Phantom Hourglass. The story begins as Link is studying to become a train engineer. Link finally gets his chance to be called an official engineer when he is invited to Hyrule Castle for the ceremony conducted by Princess Zelda. Zelda knows that Spirit Tracks all across Hyrule have been disappearing but feels the ceremony necessary. After the ceremony, Zelda gives Link a letter to meet her in her room. She informs Link about the disappearing Spirit Tracks and wants Link to take her to the Tower of Spirits which she believes holds the key to the Spirit Tracks’ disappearance. While en route, Chancellor Cole and a mysterious man named Byrne intercept your train. They break the Tower of Spirits into pieces and Cole uses magic to separate Zelda’s soul from her body. Zelda’s soul travels with Link where they retrieve the Spirit Flute from Zelda’s chamber and head back to the Tower of Spirits. There they find Anjean, a Lokomo (ancient tribe), who tells them that 100 years ago the Spirits of Good fought and imprisoned the evil king Malladus. The Spirit Tracks were created as shackles to hold the king and the Tower of Spirits is the key that locks the prison. Link must find a way to bring the Spirit Tracks back, stop Cole, and reunite Zelda’s soul with her body.

If you’ve played Phantom Hourglass, you’ll feel right at home in Spirit Tracks. All the stylus controls are in tact with some slight improvements as well. Obviously the big change is you’ll now traverse Hyrule using a train rather than your boat in Phantom Hourglass. While in the train, you can control the speed by moving a lever to different positions. You can go normal speed, faster speed, neutral, and reverse. You can also pull a rope which blows the horn (one of my favorite things to do) and use another lever that switches the tracks at intersections. It’s all done on the touch screen and is incredibly fun and intuitive. As far as comparing it to the boat travel in Phantom Hourglass, it’s like comparing apples and oranges. In both cases, you can map out where you want to go before you disembark. But in Spirit Tracks, you are given far greater control over your motion along the way. At any point you can switch directions, tracks, speed, or even stop to enjoy the sights.

Not all of the tracks are missing at the outset of the game. There are enough tracks for you to explore the main Hyrule field where the Castle is located. As you explore the world, you’ll find various Lokomos who are in charge of different temples/regions on the world map. Each Lokomo will teach you an ancient song to play using the Spirit Flute. When these songs are played with the Lokomo, Spirit Tracks are reborn and new paths are opened for Link/Zelda. And yes, Zelda is with you throughout the entire game and she plays a BIG part. Not only is she your guide, but she also helps you throughout each dungeon as she can inhabit the bodies of Phantoms. This allows you to send Zelda through environments that you normally couldn’t go to retrieve keys, unlock doors, or get special items. Also, puzzles are now a lot deeper since you’ll often have to coordinate your efforts with Zelda such as stepping on 2 switches, or climbing on her back to go through lava.

Like most Zelda games, progress is made by going to various dungeons/temples, finding a unique item, beating the dungeon boss, and unlocking a path to the next dungeon/temple. Spirit Tracks is no different. You’ll progress from dungeon to dungeon and solve various puzzles and get items to help you along your way. However, as I played through Spirit Tracks, there was a distinct feel to the game that differentiated it from all the other Zelda games. I’m not sure if it was the train aspect, or the more involving puzzles, but it felt more fun than ever before. I really felt like I was Link and the immersive puzzles done on the touch screen further enhanced that feeling. Phantom Hourglass definitely pioneered a lot of what you see in Spirit Tracks, but ST went above and beyond any of my expectations. Every puzzle is engaging, every boss battle is well thought out (and challenging), and the overall experience is pure fun. The game design in Spirit Tracks truly is remarkable and innovative in so many ways.

From a graphics/presentation perspective, Spirit Tracks shines as one of the best on the DS. From the detail in character animations to the full 3D world to the intricate dungeon/boss design, Spirit Tracks is a sight for sore eyes. And there is soooo much detail in the game. There are certain areas where you’ll get to see the ocean close up and it’s amazing to see all the attention to detail that we’ve come to love about Nintendo’s game developers. The world doesn’t feel ‘empty’ like some 3D worlds. The boss battles in particular really show off what the DS is capable of displaying. Phantom Hourglass had 3D bosses, but sometimes the perspective wasn’t quite right. Boss battles in Spirit Tracks are incredibly epic, and utilize both the touch screen and the 2 screens very well. I won’t spoil anything, but the boss battles in Spirit Tracks could be some of the best in the entire history of Zelda games (not even joking).

Multiplayer

The multiplayer mode in Spirit Tracks is very similar to the one in Phantom Hourglass with a couple new modes. You can still play with up to 4 people and there are different mini-games such as collecting the most triforce shards and new Phantom modes. It’s still quite a bit of fun and is easy to pick up and play on the go.

Conclusion

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is one of the best Zelda games I’ve ever played, period. It has a great storyline with unique elements that differentiate it from all the others in the series. Having Princess Zelda along for the adventure is a welcome, new idea and helps to liven up the experience. All of the improvements in level design, a massive world to explore, tons of new items to collect, and great boss battles make Spirit Tracks a must-own for any Zelda fan craving a new adventure.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks gets a 9.6/10

Ruli Island is located in the entrance of the only open bay of the continent surrounded by the mountains. The place is gathered by wealth and power because of the linchpin of traffic and defense of the empire behind it. A huge battery is enshrined, skilled knights and reckless mercenary soldiers prepare for the enemy’s invasion. At the wealthy town of Ruli’s, the enquettish(?) voice is like intoxicated from the (???) party wraps around everything, despite the ground of entire empire being covered by corruption, while the neighboring castle is filled by a weird ghostly air with an eerie magical power. Tonight as well, an evil spirit is lurking nearby, like it may be attracted to Ruli’s strange power.

Link

System Launches March 28 with Pre-Installed Software

REDMOND, Wash., March 18, 2010 – From bank balances to IQ scores, there are many things people would love to see increase by 93 percent. Nintendo, for its part, is determined to significantly boost the social fun of portable gaming. Launching March 28, the new, extra-large Nintendo DSi XL™ hand-held system makes it easier for everyone to gather around and have a good time. It features 4.2-inch screens that are 93 percent larger than those on the Nintendo DS™ Lite system. The improved wider viewing angle of the Nintendo DSi XL screens also provides a new way for people to enjoy games with friends and family, making it easier than ever to watch and join in the fun.

Nintendo DSi XL will be available at a suggested retail price of $189.99, and that includes three titles that have been pre-installed on the system. These include the brain-training games Brain Age™ Express: Math and Brain Age™ Express: Arts & Letters, as well as Photo Clock, which lets users customize the pictures on the background of their clock. Nintendo DSi XL launches in both Burgundy and Bronze, with a glossy top and a matte-finish bottom for a better grip.

“For some people, good things come in big packages,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Our Nintendo DS family of systems has been going strong since 2004, and this new portable system really lets players enjoy the fun together.”

Nintendo DSi XL is launching at the same time as two portable games that demonstrate the social nature of the new hardware. America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking uses the larger screens to help multiple chefs chip in to prepare delicious recipes. In WarioWare™: D.I.Y., the larger screens help players see all the details as they create and share their own microgames.

Beyond the social experience, the larger Nintendo DSi XL screens draw players in and make games feel more engaging. Eye-popping graphics are beautifully rendered. Even people who have been playing Nintendo DS games for years will see them take on a new life with Nintendo DSi XL. As always, playing is believing. To truly understand the difference Nintendo DSi XL makes, you have to experience it for yourself.

Nintendo DSi XL includes all the same features as the Nintendo DSi system, including two cameras and photo-and sound-manipulation tools. With a broadband Internet connection, you can also upload photos directly to Facebook to share with friends or access downloadable Nintendo DSiWare™ games via the Nintendo DSi Shop.

To help celebrate the launch of Nintendo DSi XL, Nintendo is asking the public to choose things in their lives that they would like to see 93 percent bigger. The poll lists fun, humorous options, including sound speakers, swimming pools and furniture. The poll is a great way for people to get social as they show off their responses to their friends. People can check out the “What would you like 93% bigger?” application on Facebook® Platform at http://apps.facebook.com/ninetythree-percent or visit the @NintendoAmerica profile on Twitter to answer the poll questions for themselves.

Remember that Nintendo DSi XL features parental controls that let adults manage the digital content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit www.nintendodsi.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™, Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo DSi™ systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.3 billion video games and more than 558 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at www.Nintendo.com.

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Lets have some honest time. I really do enjoy the Sony commercials, I think they are fantastic.