Game of Fame #2: Resident Evil 4

Game Of Fame: Resident Evil 4

Console: Various (originally debuted on Gamecube)

Year: 2005

Hello one and all! welcome to another new post in my Game of Fame blog series. The first Game of Fame was easy to choose as it was always going to be my first in the series due to the impact it had on the industry. For those of you haven't read my first Game of Fame post its on Super Mario Bros and the post can be found here: http://stephensonite.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/game-of-fame-1-super-mario-bros.html

Anyway, as I was saying, choosing the first post was going to be easy, but choosing the second was a bit harder. All these amazing and classic games were rushing to my head until I though about my own second favourite game of all time: Resident Evil 4. 

Capcom managed to reinvent the survival horror genre in the mid 90's thanks to the Resident Evil franchise. Headed by Shinji Mikami and inspired by a Japanese exclusive NES Capcom horror title roughly translated to Sweet Home, the team managed to create a brand new franchise which really did scare players through making the player feel under-powered by using limited weaponry and ammo, fighting tough zombies and other mutants, claustrophobic and corridor like map design and weird tank-like controls in addition to stiff movement  to hinder the player. The first major three games in the series were all big hits, particularly the second one and picked up numerous game awards amongst critics and gamers alike. After three or four games of essentially the same feel, Mikami and the team felt it was time for change. Development for RE titles have never usually been straight forward as the team were literally about ninety percent done with RE2 when Mikami decided the game wasn't up to standards and thus they scrapped it. RE4 however took ages to develop. It went through multiple changes and gameplay styles before it eventually became the version which we all know today. Mikami wanted different enemies to zombies as he thought they were now becoming stale and more importantly, not scary. The team thought of many horrifying enemies to include from ghost poltergeist type enemies to crazy dolls wielding knives! Eventually the team choose the enemies, choose the new location and choose the not so new protagonist and it was all uphill from there.

The game was met with unanimous praise when it was released in 2005 on the Gamecube. The emphasis of the game changed from survival horror to survival action enticing more casual and new players to pick up and play the game. Gone are the static camera angles and clunky movements (for the most part), instead the camera is positioned right behind Leon and over his shoulder. For the first time in the franchise's history the game doesn't have zombies as the main enemies. This time around the enemies are ravenous infected villagers which can run, climb, use weapons, set traps and organise themselves. Due to these new enemies, players found themselves having to think fast as unlike zombies the infected villagers, or Ganados as the game label them as, don't mess about and stand still for long. It was a welcomed and different change for the series and helped new-comers ease their way into the series. However there was scepticism amongst RE fans as many (including myself at first) thought removing zombies from the series would be taking away a core component of the franchise; which it kind of was. But in the end this proved to be the correct decision by Capcom.

The story itself isn't anything original but it works. The president of the United State's daughter, Ashley has been kidnapped and the US government send in a highly trained agent to find her and get her out of harm's way safely and back to her father. The agent in question is one Leon S Kennedy, the same rookie cop from fan favourite title RE2. This time though Leon isn't a new rookie but a competent secret agent. Throughout the game, Leon is led to myriad of different settings from a rural Spanish village to highly secured secret base. These settings are full of atmosphere and suspense, reminding the player that the game is still a horror title and not 100% a full-on action game. This time around though Leon can find a whole war chest full of weapons. Weapons can either be found, which is quite rare, or can be bought from The Merchant. This mysterious cockney character can be found in various locations and is a chance to upgrade the weapons you have, purchase weapons and first aid sprays and sell any valuable items or weaponry. Again this adds to the more action style of play.

Another major reason for the game's success was down to the fact the game managed to balance both genres of action and horror. Even though Leon is more equipped with various types of weaponry, the mutants and possessed villagers you face combined with the haunting environments Leon and Ashley need to explore make the feel on edge and not over powered. The game is great in terms of balance, knowing when to introduce the player to a new weapon or health upgrades but also to newer more threatening enemies; like I said before, you never feel over-powered and still makes the game feel like a traditional Resi game in terms of horror. The game is also broken up into chapters and rarely does the player have to revisit locations they have previously explored. These two brand new features add to the more 'action' aspect of the game, but I feel are both welcomed additions as they better the pacing of the game. Usually after a chapter is over players are left wanting more due to these mechanics; compared to previous RE titles where the player is forced to find limited ink ribbons and constantly retrace their steps. These mechanics added to the game in terms of creating anxiety through limited saves and remembering what's behind every door, but at the same time created a more slower pace and familiar atmosphere to the player making hard to encourage the player to continue once they've found a typewriter (save point).



Resident Evil 4 really does excel in a lot of areas and it shows by the fact it has won multiple awards, is constantly being released on the newest consoles and features on many gamers' top video games of all time lists in addition to being a Game of Fame! The game is paced terrifically; contains memorable characters; has competent 3rd person gameplay, of which many other later games would be inspired to use such as Gears of War; creates a scary atmosphere using various differentiated environment; improves upon past RE titles such as the save system and control; and generally leaves gamers who play the game incredibly satisfied and wanting more. Even Capcom knew how well they struck gold when they created RE4 and set the team on the path to better it by adopting a more action orientated approach to each subsequent RE title, but they failed to create the same almost flawless experience which RE4 had managed to provide as RE4 had more than just action, it focused on the horror and side of things too. It may of became more action-orientated but at the same time knew it had to have its horror elements intact too.  These reasons are why Resident Evil 4 is a Game of Fame.

My Retro Gaming Merch #3: Nintendo Monopoly Collector's Edition

Welcome all to chapter three of my retro gaming merchandise blog posts! So with this post I'm combining the giants of gaming, Nintendo, to one of the big boys of board games, Monopoly. I'm going to assume that you've all played at least one version of Monopoly before as it's probably the most famous board games to hit the shelves. If you've haven't, I strongly recommend you do so as it's a very enjoyable one...and quite long too, so be prepared to sink hours into this thing if you want to play it the proper way. Each version of Monoploy is essentially only a re-skin anyway. There aren't any new rules added to each version (as far as I'm aware), so pick your favourite franchise, because odds are there will be a Monopoly board game of it, grab some friends and start playing!

I'm not really here to talk about the rules of the board game, but rather explain the details which can be found in this particular Nintendo edition. So first of all lets take a look at the unique collectable tokens which come with this particular version. They are all made of metal, as you would expect from any Monopoly game, and you can see the tokens are very finely detailed and are of good quality; they don't feel cheaply made and do have a 'collectable' type feel to them. Of course the tokens also come from a few of Nintendo's popular franchises. So the playing tokens are:

• Super Mushroom (Super Mario franchise)
• Starman (Super Mario Franchise)
• The Master Sword (Legend of Zelda franchise)
• Samus' Helmet (Metroid franchise)
• Captain Olimar's Ship (Pikmin franchise)
• Gyroid (Animal Crossing franchise)

Talking about franchises, most of Nintendo's most popular franchises are present and correct here as you don't explore the board buying properties but rather characters from the Nintendo universe. For example Mario is the most expensive and is the Mayfair or Broadwalk (if you're from the States) of the game; the cheapest being Waluigi. But don't worry, as I said the game features multiple Nintendo characters and not just ones from the Super Mario universe. So you'll find the likes of Link, Samus, Tom Nook, Kirby, Donkey Kong, and more all up for purchase. Chance and Community Chest cards also take the form of question mark blocks and brick blocks from the Mario franchise once again. Most Chance and Community Chest cards contain the same sort of rewards and punishments (depending how lucky you get) as the rest of the Monopoly games. However, they try and tailor them to gamers to make it feel that little bit more authentic. For example, instead of winning second prise in a beauty contest and winning money you win second place in a gaming contest instead. Each card has a retro, almost steamboat Willie style picture of Mario on the card too adding to the charm. The game board itself is what you'd expect from a Monopoly game and feels quality and is laid out in the style as the original.

If there were any negatives to say about the game I would say that some Nintendo franchises go missing. I understand they can't include every character on here but some key characters are missed. The main two which stand out for me are Pokemon and Star Fox. The reason Nintendo probably missed out these franchises was down to Pokemon having its own Monopoly game and Star Fox not being that popular enough at the time the game was released. However, the Zelda franchise has its own Monopoly board and some of the characters still feature on here (which I'm very thankful for by the way.) I just feel there are a bit too many Mario characters featured on here, and some of them could of made way for other lovable Nintendo franchises. Again the reason probably behind the over-inclusion of Mario is probably down to his popularity and enticing people who aren't all that popular with Nintendo's other franchises to purchase it. Apart from this small gripe though the game is great. If you're a fan of Monopoly and Nintendo then I strongly urge you to go out and purchase it! Even if you're just a casual gamer you'll probably enjoy the ride as the rules haven't changed since the original and the game is still is as fun to play today as it was all those years ago, except this time you're buying famous characters you know and love rather than random streets you either haven't heard of or have no connection to.  

Super Nintendo Classic Mini Review

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past year and half or so you've probably noticed Nintendo has been releasing miniature versions of their past famous gaming systems. So far they have only released two: the Nintendo Entertainment System Mini (NES Mini) and the Super Nintendo Mini (SNES mini). Both consoles contain multiple golden games which were released for the system during its original release and are installed onto the console instead of having to hunt down the cartridges (which are getting more expensive by the day), Nintendo has installed a vast amount of classics onto a miniaturised model of the console. Unfortunately both systems have been in very high demand and as such the price for these things have skyrocketed. Especially the NES mini which usually goes for around £90 these days! However, I only own the SNES mini at this point in time. So I thought I'd do a review about the SNES mini and whether or not its worth getting one. Hopefully at some point I can snag an NES mini too at when I do I'll be sure to do a review for that system too.

So the second console in Ninty's Mini Classic lineup then: The SNES! Back in the early and mid 90's Nintendo's second console was a runaway success. Sega did give the console a great run for its money, but in the end the SNES really did prevail over it. The software defines the hardware however and the SNES had some genre-defining games for the system; games which still appear in gamers' and critics top 10 best games of all time lists to this day. Before talking about the games on the system though lets have a quick talk about the system itself.


As you'd expect the system looks exactly like a SNES in miniature form (quality reviewing from Stephensonite today). The controller on the other hand is practically a one to one replica of an original SNES controller: Same size, buttons, shape and overall feel of the original SNES controller. This is a good thing as the SNES controller is often one of the preferred controllers on many gamers' lists, including my own. The cable length of the controllers could do with being a bit longer however. For some reason Nintendo have opted to make the cables shorter than the original controllers, which I don't really understand. Apparently the cables were even shorter for the NES mini! As I said, I don't understand that decision, all it does is require the player to sit closer to the TV and thus make the playing experience that bit uncomfortable. They could of easily made the cable length as long as the original controller, or better yet, make the controller wireless! I know they probably went against the wireless option to give the player a more authentic experience, but still, they should of made the length of the cables longer. It isn't a huge issue but it would of been nice to sit further away from my rather large HD TV (not trying to brag.)


 The system does come bundled with two controllers though which was a great decision by Nintendo as you can play with a friend right from day one of opening the box. The ports also differ from the original controller ports, so you can't use an old SNES controller you may have lying around. But it does share the same port as the controllers from the old classic controller for the Wii, you know the controllers which you could plug into the bottom of the Wii remote? So you can use an old Wii classic controller if you have a spare one!The system itself also outputs in HD and makes the games look very crisp and clear. You can, however, select from various filters such as an old CRT television filter if you really crave the original experience.

Anyway, enough of the boring stuff! Time to talk about the games for the system and if its worth picking this mini beast up! So here is the full game list available for the European & America SNES Mini:

1. Super Mario World
2. Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past
3. Super Metroid
4. Donkey Kong Country
5. Super Mario Kart
6. Super Ghouls & Ghosts
7. Street Fighter 2 Turbo: Hyper Fighting
8. Earthbound
9. Super Castlevania 4
10. Star Fox
11. F Zero
12. Super Punch-Out!!
13. Mega Man X
14. Kirby's Dream Course
15. Final Fantasy III
16. Contra III: The Alien Wars
17. Secret of Mana
18. Super Mario RPG
19. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
20. Kirby Super Star
21. Star Fox 2 (Previously unreleased!)

So there you have it! The full 21 games available for the system. And for those of you retro gaming readers you'll see quite a few knock-out hits; some real all-time classics. There's even a brand new game which has never officially been released before: Starfox 2. If you've never played anyone of these games before though, first of all, how?! Second of all you can rest assured that there are a great bundle of games included with this system. From probably the best Super Mario game ever made to some of the best RPGs, to the ultimate 1 on 1 fighter; the system seems to have multiple tastes catered for here. There are of course classics which aren't included on the system, but this is really down to licencing issues. This is why you won't find the likes of Turtles In Time or some of the Capcom Disney SNES titles as licences have expired and Nintendo are unable to purchase or rather borrow them for the SNES mini. Aside from a few games which couldn't be licensed though, there really isn't no filler here. Practically every game on the list is either a master of a single player experience or an amazing multiplayer one, or both in some cases. The catalogue will be sure to keep gamers occupied for hours and for those of you who have never played these titles, its a perfect way of popping that particular cherry. Its also a cheaper way of playing these games. Seriously, the popular RPG Earthbound goes for prices around £100 plus for an authentic copy. In fact the game wasn't even released here in the UK! So doing the maths you can see purchasing one of these mini systems would work out cheaper overall.


So overall then is the system worth purchasing, especially seeing as though there are emulators and roms available for so many different devices these days. In fact some people are selling the SNES modified with even more games. I'm talking 200 more! But still, the legality of such a modified device is questionable. However, I would recommend picking up the authentic SNES mini. It is a great piece of gaming history and is great device to either reminisce about the games you used to play as a kid or introduce to some of the best games ever developed. The games are in HD and have save state slots which the player can choose when to save the game, they're all installed and ready to be played instead of waiting hours upon hours of updates. It really is a great novelty system and if it is classed as a 'plug-in and play system'then its the best damn plug-in play there has ever been. Just watch out for the prices some people are asking for on Ebay and Amazon. But if you manage to find one in the region of £69-85 I recommend picking one up; you won't be disappointed. 

My Smash for Switch Wish List

Hiya guys and gals! So as of late I've been hearing about various people from various websites start to mention, probably Nintendo's most popular franchise, Super Smash Bros which is due to be released on Ninty's newest console the Nintendo Switch. While it sure won't be released anytime soon, that hasn't stopped fans and gamers from talking about all sorts of aspects about the game, from potential new characters they'd like to see having a scrap to brand new modes of play. So that made me think of what I would like to see released in the new Smash. So here we go! A wish list regarding what I would like to see in the next Smash Bros game! In no particular order by the way.

A new Subspace emissary type mode

Lets face it, the last Smash Bros game which was released for the Wii U felt a bit of an empty single player experience due to the fact there wasn't an adventure mode which was present in the last two Smash games. And to be honest, I wasn't that impressed with the Subspace Emissary mode which featured in Smash Bros Brawl for the Wii. What I would love to see would be a fleshed out adventure mode containing levels from the Nintendo universe. The Subspace Emissary lacked due to the fact the levels were mostly comprised of generic levels: a zoo, a generic spaceship, generic grassy plains etc. Granted, there were one or two levels inspired by the Ninty universe, but these could of been better and were very few and far between. Wouldn't it be great to control Link throughout the Mushroom Kingdom or have Mario exploring the dark depths of Brinstar? It would be fantastic to have a woven storyline incorporating all of the various gaming characters the Smash franchise seems to include these days; the possibilities are all there for a captivating and entertaining story for a great single player, or heck, even multiplayer experience. In order for the next Smash game to be truly great I do believe it needs a great adventure mode again; another board game type mode like last time is just not good enough.

Customiseable move sets

I believe the time has come where players are able to choose from a range of moves they wish their favourite Smash fighter to have. For example, someone like Link makes the use of his bow when pressing the B button and nothing else, but what about if you could select something else in its place? How about a charge up hammer strike? With the use of the Megaton Hammer link could charge up his strike and then release to deal the damage! Or how about instead of pushing down and B to make Link reach for a bomb, he could instead reach inside his...um...inventory to pull out a random weapon which he could wield for a certain time before it broke (just like in Breath of the Wild). How about someone like Mario? Instead of pressing right and B on the controller to swish his cape, what about if instead it made him throw Cappy? Or how about changing his B move from using a fire flower to throwing out a question block, hitting that question block and then using one of the many power ups the plumber has used throughout the years? My ideas for moves for various characters could go on and on but I have to end it at some point! You get the idea though. I know creating an array of moves for all the characters would take time and effort regarding balancing the characters (not making them too over or under powered), but I feel it would be a great addition to the franchise and no one Character would feel the same. Even if you all were using Samus they would feel that bit different due to the moves the player has selected for her.

Better online play

The online play for the previous Smash title wasn't bad by any means but it could of been better. Nintendo has never been one for leading the way when it comes to online play but it would make Smash a sensational game if the online mode was given proper care and attention. Imagine having ranked modes under various rules and circumstances; from professional ranked matches which take place on Final Destination type stages to ranked matches for special rules such as giant smash or tiny smash. Nintendo could also host tournaments where the victor earns a certain reward the higher they climb up the tournament ladder. They could even host certain new event matches each week which players could partake in and even download them to the Switch in order to play them at a later date; the online possibilities with this game are many and I think it's time Nintendo started to exploit them.

Signing up more third party characters

To give credit to Nintendo I already think they have been hitting this particular objective, what with the likes of Sonic, Mega Man, Ryu and even popular characters such as Cloud from Final Fantasy VII! A game which wasn't even released for a Nintendo console! Most players expected to see him as a playable fighter in the PS3 game Playstation AllStars Battle Royale, but it seemed Nintendo had the last laugh signing him up as a playable fighter for their Smash franchise instead. It really is fantastic to see all of these iconic characters do battle with each other in familiar historic gaming arenas with the timeless music to fight along side it; it is an area Nintendo has done well and needs to continue to do so. There will always be multiple characters which fans will love to see in the next Smash instalment and Nintendo needs to continue to sign up as many famous gaming faces as they can as this will entice more gamers to play the game and the Smash community to grow.

Console Wars (Blake J Harris) book review

For this particular blog post I'd thought I'd do something a little different and review a book! Shock! Don't worry though, I haven't lost my head completely as the book is still about video games; the famous console battle between Nintendo and Sega to be precise. So is it a book worth picking up and reading on those spare moments you're not glued to your console screens? Let's find out shall we?

So as mentioned previously, the book is all about the events which happened in the late 80's leading up to the mid to late 90's; the famous battle between gaming powerhouse Nintendo and the cool newcomer, Sega. It ultimately tells the tale in great detail from various key people involved in 'the war', not just employees/employers of Nintendo & Sega but people from various companies and backgrounds who were involved in this important piece of gaming history. However, most of the story, and yes that's how how the book is set up, part novel and part factual history book, takes the Sega perspective of events as the 'main character' (if you want to call it that)Tom Kalinske, who became president of Sega Of America during this key point.

Console Wars definitely manages to differentiate itself from other history/factual written works as the majority of it is written as a story as previously mentioned. Harris went on dozens of interviews and trips to question the key players in order to gain the information they had and to understand what went on from their prospective. He then used the information he obtained to weave it altogether into a story. The book essentially tells the story of how Tom Kalinske became president of Sega of America (SOA) and how he lead the way in transforming the company into one of the most famous names associated with video games. The book spans across several years covering key events such as the creation of Sonic The Hedgehog, Sega's overtaking of Nintendo in terms of sales and market-share and the launch of the Saturn and its downfall plus more! The book isn't all about Tom Kalinske's and Sega's journey though. The book flips back and forward to multiple people who were instrumental during this time, such as Minoru Arakawa, Howard Lincoln and the rest of the Nintendo of America team to Olaf Olaffsson and his pioneering efforts to bring Sony on board into the video game market and ultimately go on to create the Playstation. There are so many first source stories and information contained in this book that even the most dedicated video game fans and historians will learn something new.

So that's what the book contains but is it any good? Does it translate well into a story? Are all the various viewpoints from different people make it too hard to read? Well I'm happy to report the book is very good. In fact I own quite a few gaming history books and I would say this one is my favourite precisely because it is told as a story rather than a generic historic documentary. And even though Harris flips back and forth between various people's viewpoints in the story, it still doesn't feel chaotic or hard to follow; it just feels like a story book with multiple characters helping to tell the same story. The book contains so much inside information that a gaming fan, especially one who loves either Nintendo or Sega.. or both, will very enjoy. The book goes in depth about some of the great and curious aspects of gaming such as how the employees of SOA had to battle against the employees of Sega of Japan  (SOJ) to create Sonic in the way he is known today, or the details of how Sega nearly patterned with Sony following Nintendo's rejection but ultimately just missed out or why Sega decided to use aggressive advertising; it's all here! It is a fantastic book filled with all the facts and events which Sega put in place to challenge Nintendo and how they did it.

In conclusion then, the book is a definite must have for any retro gaming fan or any gaming historian really. The book is laid out so well and documents the various events in so much detail that, for me personally, It is my favourite piece video game history documentation. The way it is written as a story just adds that extra flourish. If you've ever been interested in the great battle between Nintendo vs Sega then this book is a must have for your shelf!

Final score: 9/10

My Gaming Birthday Memories

Hi all! So, I thought I'd write a blog post a little bit more personal today seeing as though its the month of my birthday. During March, particularly on my actual birthday, it tends to make me very nostalgic which usually results in me playing as many retro games as I can within the day. I've been very lucky during the many birthdays I've had other the years as I've received multiple games and even one or two consoles over the years. So I'd thought that maybe I'd share a few of my very favourite memories with you guys and girls! There have been multiple games which have made an impact on me personally due to the memories which surround it in addition to the game itself being quality. For example, I have a few games which I always play at Christmas due to the original impact that game gave me at that time of year. I'm sure it's the same with a lot of you. So without further delay, let me share with you some of my personal best birthday gaming memories!

25/3/05 (16th birthday) - Sonic Mega Collection Plus

2005 was a time before retro games and re-release collections were a big thing. These days most companies have released a collection or two based on their popular characters and properties. One such collection I received for my 16th birthday was Sonic Mega Collection Plus for my original Xbox from my brother. Till this day this collection remains as one of my very favourites due to the amount of classic games included on the disk. It introduced me to so many of the classics which made Sonic the icon he is, particularly the Game Gear games. It was fantastic to have so many great games on one disk staring my absolute favourite character! Once I got this game I couldn't stop playing it for months! I remember having a football party on the weekend of my birthday and before the party I invited a bunch of mates down and we just played the various levels together on a bunch of the Sonic titles; it was great fun and we were very much all high on Coca Cola and chocolate to top the day off. God knows how we managed to play footy afterwards. Whenever I bring the landmine (the Xbox) down from my attic, this game is always a sure-fire thing I play. This was a particular good birthday memory for me as it was such a great collection, which as I said earlier was a bit more rare back then, and it starred my favourite character and so many great games in addition to bonus features such as art and entire issues of the Sonic The Hedgehog Archie comic series which I would read. It really was, and still is a great title to pick up if you're a Sonic fan.

25/3/98 (9th birthday) - Owning my own SNES

This one of my strongest nostalgic gaming memories for sure. I remember when I was younger than 9 seeing the SNES every now and again at gatherings or parties around my older cousins' houses; just seeing mind you, not playing. Me and my younger brother were usually the on-lookers as we were the younger children of the family. Every now and again we would get a few golden minutes on Super Mario World or challenge each other on Street Fighter 2, but usually we were the viewers, which I didn't mind too much. Anyway, on my 9th birthday my prayers were finally answered when my parents bought me a SNES of my very own! And not just a SNES either, but one with two controllers and multiple classic games! Including the likes of Mario World, Street Fighter 2, Starfox, Super Mario Kart, Turtles In Time and so many more! I was in love with it. Finally a SNES of my very own which I could play whenever I wanted to. I finally got explore the likes of Mario World at my own pace and defeat the evil M. Bison all by myself! And I got the chance to playthrough Bubsy... Whatever though! I was extremely pleased with my gift as it provided so many cherished memories playing with family and friends and ultimately cemented the console as my very favourite.

25/3/97-99 - My gaming parities

So the last big birthday memory I'd thought I'd share is probably the most strongest and well-loved of them all. From about 1997 to 1999 I used to host video game parties! I loved them and still remember them strongly now. Basically I would have about three TVs set up around various locations in our living room and each TV would be hooked up to a console I owned. The usual line up was the SNES, Mega Drive and NES. From there my friends were free to pick which console they would like to play and then, well, play! My parties became quite legendary and I eventually had about twenty people or so who would come round! Must of been manic for my parents but I'm so glad they put up with us all as this is one of my most fondest childhood memories, period. Heck, I'd love to do that now let alone thinking it was a neat idea when I was younger! It was just a great time loved by all as It had so many people who were close to me participating in the hobby which I adore: playing video games. Maybe for a birthday in the near future I will rekindle this particular memory by recreating these legendary parties I used to host.



Thank you for reading a slightly smaller but more personal blog post of mine guys and gals, it's much appreciated! Like I said earlier, I would love to hear some of your gaming memories too! We all have them and I really do enjoy hearing about them.

My Top 5 Gaming Consoles

Hey everyone! So I came across a feature in the UK magazine Retro Gamer the other day. The feature was on the public's top twenty video game consoles. Although I'm only doing my top five gaming consoles, the article inspired me to think of my favourite consoles and why they're my favourite. So here they are everyone, my top five favourite video game consoles! It doesn't matter when they were released as long as the primary purpose for the machine was for gaming. So without further ado lets get on with it!

Number 5: Xbox (original)

Release date:

To kick the list off then we have the massive console which was produced by the leviathan company Microsoft. Due to the 360's success, most people tend to forget about Microsoft's first ever foray into console gaming. Which is a shame due to the console's expansive library of games! Not only were Microsoft churning out classics due to partnering with several developer companies but there were a range of third party companies doing just the same. Who can forget the stellar first person shooter gameplay of Halo, or watching your hero grow in strength and age in Fable? Or maybe it was choosing your first lightsaber in Knights of the Old Republic. There really were stand out games for the system, and there were even fantastic games which came out for multiple systems at the time such as the Timesplitters series, the various GTA games, Spider Man 2, Max Payne and so much more. We can also thank the Xbox and its Xbox Live service for taking online gaming into the main stream. It was handled fantastically and once a person played Halo 2 for the first time online with others there was no going back. You didn't even really need a memory card to save your whole library of games, as the console came installed with an enormous hard drive! I must of had at least 20 games for the system with multiple save files and the Xbox could handle it without a sweat. Yes, the console and its accessories might have been bulky, but to me this gave me a sense of power! No console felt as powerful as the Xbox at the time. It was even more powerful than the Nintendo wii, a next generation console. It took me a while to think of my number five favourite console but when I look back at what the Xbox did for modern gaming and the games which were available for the system, for me it has to be the console which takes the spot.

Number 4: Playstation

Release date:

Who could of predicted just how well Sony's first console did. It really did bring gaming into the mainstream and appealed to the masses. It also had a incredibly expansive library containing some classic games: Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Resident Evil and the Final Fantasy series all really became popular due to this boheimeth! It was also a system which seemed ahead of its time due to using CDs and having the ability of displaying FMV. The controller was and still is one of the best to play with in my opinion too. But of course any console is defined by the games which are available for it, and boy did the PlayStation have some games! They had stand-out games for almost every genre. Thanks to the PS1's powerful 3D rendering hardware, niche genres such as survival horror and stealth shooters even began to shine and make itself known to the average player. When I personally think of the Playstation I think of a time when gaming was beginning to grow up and was able to entice people who never fancied playing a video game before. It was the beginning of a time when talking about and playing video games were the cool thing to do.

Number 3: Nintendo 64

Release date:

If there was one console which had one of the smallest gaming libraries but one of the biggest impacts on the gaming scene, then it has to be the N64. It might of been a console which was knocked down into second place by the Playstation (a position Nintendo certainly weren't used to) in terms of units sold, but good lord, the games it had were some of the best games in the world and were only available on the N64. Many exclusive games the console had either pioneered a specific genre or were masterpieces of the genre. Super Mario 64, Goldeneye, Lylat Wars. Ocarina of Time, Banjo-Kazooie, Perfect Dark, Mario Kart 64: all of these games either rewrote the book on how their specific genre should be played or were just damn fantastic. Even until this day, Ocarina of Time remains my very favourite video game of all time and Goldeneye remains my favourite FPS. And although some part of this may be due to nostalgia, the fact that I still play these games frequently and still get enjoyment out of them too must prove that there are something else to these classics. Even if you are not the biggest Ninty fan, you would still have to admit the influence this console had on 3D gaming was incredible. Again, it may not have a big library, but thanks to the meteoric efforts of Nintendo and Rare those were the only games you really needed for the system. In fact, I'm off to complete Goldeneye on 007 mode right now as I've never been able to complete it.

Number 2: Sega Mega Drive

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The silver trophy then goes to the first major 16-bit system on the list: the Sega Mega Drive also known as Genesis in the states. The Mega Drive proved that there was room for more than one console on the market and proved that the underdog was capable of winning. If that wasn't enough, Sega also managed to create my favourite fictional character, Sonic The Hedgehog. A load of games available on the system had a sort of 'edge' to them and seemed to appeal to the more older gamer. Sega's mascot character seemed to embody this feel as Sonic was all about his attitude and speed. I'm sure most people are aware of Sonic's games for the system; at this point I would love to know how you've managed to avoid them since they're literally available on practically every console and device! But the Mega Drive had a library of games available for the system, both exclusive and titles which were available on other consoles at the time which were fantastic to play. In my opinion a few of the Mega Drive's games beat their SNES rivals such as Streets of Rage compared to Final Fight, where I believe Streets of Rage is the clear winner. Other exclusive classics include gems such as Golden Axe, Toejam & Earl, Castle of Illusion, Outrun, Comix Zone and many more. Not to mention the Sonic The Hedgehog games which managed to topple the mighty plumber back in the 90's! The Mega Drive really is a system which did a lot for gaming and provided me with tons of memories and my favourite hedgehog! And for that reason it is my second favourite games system ever.

Number 1: Super Nintendo

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The majority of you might be thinking ' oh, the SNES at number 1 how original.' But for me there really is no other video game console which deserves the gold award. The amount of classic, ground-breaking games for the system just can't be ignored. Playing these games with the innovative controller also aided the player in feeling in complete control; who could of played the likes of Super Mario Kart and Street Fighter 2 without those shoulder buttons? Who can forget the legendary launch day line up too! What a game to launch with! Of course I'm referring to Super Mario World; still my very favourite Mario game to this day. The 2D platforming gameplay was flawless and the amount of secrets included within the game still beats many modern Mario titles today. Add that to the fact you get Yoshi too and you pretty much will be experiencing a pioneer of its genre and one you won't forget quickly. Mario maybe Ninty's mascot, but there were just a whole catalogue of legendary games for the system. Link to the Past crafted the pen-ultimate action RPG and really provided the series with the backstory and mythos of Hyrule; not to mention it created the framework which every Zelda game would follow for many years to come. Street Fighter, Turtles in Time, Super Metroid, Chrono Trigger, Super Mario Kart, Star Fox, Donkey Kong Country; you name a genre and more than likely the SNES could provide a classic for that genre. The SNES was such a triumph it even managed to last throughout the 32 and 3D bit era thanks to the chips and hardware installed onto the console. For many, many gamers this console would be at the number one spot, hence why I had a little dig at myself for an unoriginal first place spot. But it really just goes to show the impact the SNES had on the gaming community. The Mega Drive maybe my second place console and did a good job at rivalling Nintendo, but for me there is quite a stretch between second and first place. I'm very confident that for as long as I play video games no console will come close to producing ground-breaking and genre-defining games as the Super Nintendo did. I still play on my original console to this day and still have as much fun with all the games available for it as I did when I first got my own SNES back in 1998. The games and the console, to me, are timeless and will forever be remembered in the history of gaming. It's for all of these reasons and its impact it still has on me until this day that the console remains my number 1 favourite.

Game Of Fame #1: Super Mario Bros.

Game Of Fame: Super Mario Bros.

Console: Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

Year: 1985 

Hi all! So, I've decided to start a new series of blog posts which I have dubbed 'Game Of Fame'. Basically these posts will be focusing on a range of amazing video games across all the generations of consoles explaining what made them amazing and why they still resonate with gamers till this day. Quite basic to understand really, but hopefully there'll be a few useful facts in there along the way to impress you and the ladies... Anyway! There was only ever going to be one game on this list to start the series off with and that's a small game called Super Mario Bros.

Back in the 80's, players, especially home console owners, weren't used to playing games which lasted a long period of time and consisted of multiple screens. Seeing a colourful array combined with a world which would move with the character on the screen very much captured the attention of players at the time. Although there were side-scrolling platformers before Super Mario Bros, the game very much set the standard of what a truly spectacular 2D platformer should be. Where to even begin though as to why this game deserves such praise? Probably with the gameplay itself. SMB still stands as a brilliant game to control; which is vital for any game, especially a platformer where control is everything. The player is able to influence the direction Mario falls to the ground whilst he is in midair. The player can also perform a longer jump if Mario is running and the player presses the jump button. Mario feels like he should and has momentum when he should and thus making the player feel more enveloped in the game because of the feeling of control they have over him.

So, Super Mario Bros was a pretty huge deal back in the mid to late 80s. Created by the Walt
Disney of Nintendo, Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario of course first appeared in Nintendo's first big break, Donkey Kong which he sort of made himself known to the public. Afterwards, his brother Luigi joined the fray in the arcade game Mario Bros which was released in 1983. After Nintendo knew the key to the future lay in home consoles, Miyamoto was challenged once again of coming up with a blockbuster game; something which was going to make the Famicom, and eventually the NES, fly off the shelves and become incredibly popular with kids. Unfortunately they didn't achieve this, they created something much better beyond what they originally envisioned: Super Mario Bros.

What really set the game apart from others, and are even mechanics which gamers enjoy about Mario till this day, are the power-ups and the secrets; every Mario title worth their salt needs them. Collecting the various power-ups in the game gave Mario stronger abilities which he could use to his advantage. From making obstacles and levels easier to clear to finding secrets due to having a certain power-up and using its abilities. Every power-up had a purpose aside from giving Mario an extra hit and made the player seek them out whenever they could. Another thing players would seek which were still quite unique in video games at the time were secrets. Secrets played a massive part in SMB and really still continue to do so. From exploring the thick green pipes which protrude from the ground and take you to the dark caverns below, or starting an underground level and breaking the bricks up top to access the hidden warp zones scattered; never before has a game challenged you to look and explore everywhere! You never know, you might come across a secret extra life shroom (or 1up as its known to the Mario enthusiasts) if you jump in the right place. These unique aspects to the game really did set it aside from other platformers at the time and still make the game hugely replayable to this very day.


The presentation of the game also shines. Of course now it looks dated, its bound to! Yet there is still a charm to it. The game is full of colour and don't get me started on the music in the game! Each theme used has become legend and very familiar to gamers the world over. The music just compliments the level design incredibly. The levels which take place above the ground have bouncy, happy, and not to mention addictive rhythm to it. On the other side of the scale the levels taking place underground are very ominous and minimal making the player feel a bit on edge and lost in the dark. The music just further cemented the game as being an all-time masterpiece. SMB could also be played with two players. Remember Mario's brother Luigi we mentioned earlier? Well he is the second player's main man. Having a two player mode just helped in regards to including others and sharing the fun with a sibling or friend. Again, multiplayer games were still quite uncommon and to share a game with someone of this size was certainly something back then, and is still a great two player game to play today.


There were many reasons as to why this game deserves to be a 'Game of Fame' in my opinion, let alone my first game I decided to write about in this particular series of blogs. But I think the main reason it deserves that accolade (if you can really name it that), is because it broke a lot of new ground back when it was released and still holds up as a legitimate amazing game to play. It's simple in its design and core gameplay which attract people who have never played a video game before, but its also difficult to master! Try speed running the game and you'll know what I mean. But as I just mentioned, the reason why it deserves to be a Game of Fame in my opinion is that it still holds up great today. Children can pick up and play this game right now and they are guaranteed to have a brilliant time; its timeless, just like the first Star Wars will be watched by children over multiples of generations, so to will Super Mario Bros be played on a variety of different consoles and formats. Although, In my opinion, Super Mario Bros managed to achieve something Star Wars didn't: It made video games a legitimate form of entertainment and started an industry worth billions today. When historians look back on video games and when the industry first started to become popular and relevant, they will look back at this game and most will agree, including myself, that this is the game which did it. That is why Super Mario Bros. is a Game of Fame!




Thank you so much for reading my first blog post in this series, guys and gals. Let me know what you think of Super Mario Bros. too! Do you think it deserves the praise it still gets or has it become very dated and over-rated? (Unintentional rhyme, there). Would love to know what you all think!