Wow. I've been slowly but surely getting through every review I had planned. That's basically every game I've ever played, except Pokemon games (many of which I got as a kid for N64, and sucked in retrospect, and others are handheld versions I just haven't felt like reviewing). I may also review Pac-Man, Galaga, and Tetris, all of which I have in some form as well, since they're all awesome and insanely addictive.

The only two I had planned left of the ones I currently have are The World Ends With You and Final Fantasy IV. TWEWY was awesome, although I haven't beaten the secret missions after the main game. I'm nearing the end of FFIV, and it's awesome too. I'm predicting TWEWY wins Game of the Yea 2008 for DS, because it uses the touch screen more, is very original, and isn't a port. Although FFIV has more voice acting and the best cutscene ever in the opening... Close call. But I'll get TWEWY's review down first.

In other news, I beat veteran mode on Medal of Honor: Heroes 2, and Subspace Emissary on normal in Brawl. Medal of Honor was much more fun on veteran than green, and I'm going to eventually play hero mode, but it sounds pretty daunting, since the end of veteran was pretty tough. Subspace Emissary was fun, and definitely the best single player Smash has ever had, by a mile. Great cutscenes, great story, but it felt pretty repetitive, and not in a good way like multiplayer is, plus a bit tedious. Nevertheless, I stand by Brawl's 9.5. Also, I've beaten Super Mario Galaxy with Luigi, (playing that again someday for sure), every song on expert in Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, and all but five, counting the battle with the Devil, of the expert songs in Legends of Rock. Nearly beaten No More Heroes in the hardest difficulty too. I'm at Henry, who's insanely hard! And I've borrowed Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance from a friend, it's so cool! It deserved much more than an 8.6.

I'm excited for the holidays! I'm applying at Toys R Us to help them sell the three bajillion Guitar Heroes and Rock Bands necessary this season (plus the lame little kid stuff)! There are a lot of games I want, and in future, and I want to be able to pay for them with my own money, for the most part. Assuming I don't get a PS3 (in which case this list would be at least twice the size), these are what I want to get (or consider getting) and review, if not necessarily this year:

Mario Kart Wii
The House of the Dead: Overkill
Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop
Tomb Raider: Underworld
The Conduit
MadWorld
Shaun White Snowboarding
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
Guitar Hero: World Tour
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Wii Sports Resort
Sonic Unleashed
Sonic and the Black Knight
Final Fantasy V, VI and Resident Evil 5 (you know they're coming)
Please God Final Fantasy VII
Disaster: Day of Crisis
Project HAMMER (are this and Disaster coming out? Ever?)
Future Marios, Zeldas and Pikmin

At least, those are the ones I'm interested in, as said. I cut out some I'm not as excited for (Chrono Trigger, because it's 2-D... I might change my mind, we'll see). I'm going to get all the HP games because I got the first five, I might as well finish up. And they're getting better ideas, and with some better execution Order of the Phoenix would've been amazing. No more Rock Band because my family likes Guitar Hero guitars better, and World Tour apparently rocks (sounds like it)! Well idk, maybe I'll skive off HP...

With this job, I'll definitely get all of those that come out prior to Christmas, and probably a PS3. I'll be selling Rock Band, getting a wireless router (finally! Not this stupid Nintendo Wi-Fi connector...) and someday, lots and lots of Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, God of War, Resistance, Call of Duty, BioShock, Fallout, Dead Space, Killzone, Resident Evil, possibly 360 stuff like Halo, Mass Effect, Gears of War... you get the idea. Watch out for those reviews, and have fun during the holidays!

Ok, sorry everyone, but I'm slowly but surely resigning from every union I'm in. No offense, it's just that I never remember to post and I might as well not be a member anyway. And I'll decline inviations. I'll be on forums though, and catch up on blog posts. I've gotten some reviews down recently, if you're interested, including the amazing No More Heroes and Super Smash Bros. Brawl! Later!

Oh man. I am in a serious hole here. Idk what I'm gonna do.

I currently own Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, and Rock Band for Wii. My family all likes the Guitar Hero guitars better, but then, we already have a guitar, drums and a mic for Rock Band, since they came along with the game. We do have two Guitar Hero guitars btw, we got one with each game.

And now Guitar Hero: World Tour is coming out in October, and for Wii we have Rock Band 2. Both are confirmed to have downloadable content, multiplayer online, all that good stuff. World Tour will have Mii Freestyle and more importantly, create a song though. No word on which will have more graphical power between the Wii versions.

So the question is: which will come out on top? It seems from this side of the releases that Guitar Hero does better work on the Wii than Rock Band. Guitar Hero also has create a character already guaranteed, and you can use the usual Guitar Hero characters (create a character doesn't mean with the Miis- that's a separate mode all its own). Rock Band 1 didn't have any characters, or creation either. But Rock Band 2 might have the full prowess that was put into the 360 and PS3 versions of the Rock Band games. Both have damn good track lists.

So it seems I should pick one direction or the other, not both. We're starting to waste money if we invest in both. With both Guitar Hero games that I currently have, I have 110 songs, give or take. With Rock Band, I have 60ish, and haven't bought the track pack for the other 20.

Seems to me I should stick with Guitar Hero. Again, my family likes the guitars better, we can already tell that there's lots of effort involved with the Wii exclusives, and I have two of the instruments.

Rock Band isn't guaranteed create a character and we're not as used to the guitars, but I have three of the instruments.

And here's the other issue: the instruments aren't compatible. The Wii Guitar Hero games all use a Wiimote to work alongside the instrument, including the drums, which have a spot to plug it into above the drum pads. Rock Band doesn't. Instead, it uses just one for the mic.

I only have two Wiimotes, so I'd have to buy two more and get drums and the mic for Guitar Hero. With Rock Band I just need one guitar.

So what do I do? I'm thinking I'm gonna go with Guitar Hero because they even put modes in exclusive to Wii, and seem to care about the system more- probably because GHIII sold a zillion units on Wii. But then it's a larger investment- two instruments and two Wiimotes that I'm not sure my parents would enjoy buying. On the other hand, they bought more than half of Rock Band, and they bought both Guitar Heroes all on their own :) And then, I should probably get two more Wiimotes anyway...

I think I'll sell the games from whichever franchise I ditch. Meaning selling both Guitar Heroes or Rock Band on ebay, where they sell for twice what I bought them for lol. Sound off if you have a suggestion- Guitar Hero or Rock Band, Wii versions. Thanks!

if you've been keeping up (I don't know if anyone has), I've been reviewing games chronologically, as in moving through the years up toward today, generally speaking. I'm pretty happy with my reviews, and haven't based them off Gamespot's, IGN's, or anyone else's who's already critiqued them. That makes for 54 reviews. Wow.

So this is basically a retrospective on what I've done thus far. I stand by my scores, and don't think I'd change any of them. I know the reviews are pretty long, but I want to argue my case and give readers a thorough understanding of the game, and, as I say, it's my personal alternative to Gamespot's reviews. I've been keeping up with each franchise I start grading on purpose so you can see each franchise all the way through. I still have reviews to do for 2008, but I'm getting close to catching up. The list goes as such:

The Legend of Zelda: 8.5
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past: 10
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX: 9.0
Super Metroid: 9.5
Super Mario 64 DS: 9.5
Star Fox 64: 8.5
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time/ Master Quest: 10
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask: 8.5
Super Smash Bros.: 8.5
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons: 9.5
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages: 9.5
Golden Sun: 9.0
Super Smash Bros. Melee: 9.0
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: 7.0
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: 8.0
Metroid Fusion: 8.5
Metroid Prime: 9.5
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time: 8.5
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: 6.0
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: 8.5
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past/ Four Swords: 9.5
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker: 9.5
Metroid: Zero Mission: 8.5
Golden Sun: The Lost Age: 9.5
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance: 7.5
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: 7.5
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: 8.5
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures: 8.0
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes: 9.0
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within: 9.0
Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition: 10
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap: 9.5
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: 7.5
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones: 9.0
Mario Kart DS: 9.0
Metroid Prime: Hunters: 8.5
New Super Mario Bros.: 9.0
Final Fantasy III: 8.5
Wii Sports: 8.5
Call of Duty 3: 7.5
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: 9.5
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day: 7.5
Okami: 9.5
Sonic and the Secret Rings: 8.0
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: 7.0
Wii Play: 6.0
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption: 9.5
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles: 7.5
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock: 8.5
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass: 9.5
Medal of Honor: Heroes 2: 8.5
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings: 9.0
NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams: 8.0
Super Mario Galaxy: 10

Those are all the 10's I'm giving out on Nintendo systems thus far, by the way. You may think I was a little nice to some games or a little hard on others, but then, I like Gamespot's new review system because of that. It leaves room for a little leeway so you can make up your own mind. I really don't understand how you could find fault with the 10's, and there's very little to be had with the 9.5's, 9.0's... You get the point. And as for my upcoming reviews:

No More Heroes
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Wii Fit
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith
Rock Band
The World Ends With You
Final Fantasy IV

And Mario Kart Wii, hopefully. I still don't have that game...

I also want to review, when they come out:

The House of the Dead: Overkill
Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop
Chrono Trigger DS
The Conduit
MadWorld
Rock Band 2
Guitar Hero: World Tour
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Probably Wii Sports Resort
Sonic Unleashed
Sonic and the Black Knight
Final Fantasy V, VI and Resident Evil 5 (you know they're coming)
Please God Final Fantasy VII
Future Marios, Zeldas and Pikmin

There you have it :)

I decided that Guitar Hero III deserved an 8.5. While the graphics are straight off a PS2 (showing no effort from the devs), Battle Mode's stupid, and there's no DLC, other areas showed effort on their part.

The gameplay is as good as Guitar Hero II's, which is saying a lot. There is at least Wi-Fi. And, what makes me less annoyed at the devs the most is the way they utilized the Wiimote.

So it wasn't a crappy PS2 port, it was a semi-PS2 port with actually well done Wiimote use. So I won't dock it as much as I did.

The game does get damn near impossible, but before that it gives you lots of ways to improve your skills, plus there's still Training Mode. And I think it's better than the games I've previously given 8.0's, so there ya go.

Gamespot's pretty harsh anyway. Well, sometimes they get it right, but still, I tend to think (as you may have noticed) that they should've given at least a slight boost to the score.

I still have three games to review from 2007, two for Wii and one for DS. Then I have five for Wii and three for DS in 2008, so then I'll be all caught up. I reviewed the port games when they were released the first time, because, as you probably noticed, I went back in time and moved forward from there, generally.

Then, as is probably more important to the general public, I'll review recent games. I want to make reviews I consider more fair than Gamespot's and other websites, in case you'd like a different perspective.

Oh, and I might work with my sisters to get reviews for other games that they've played that I haven't very much. Those would include both Animal Crossing games, MySims, Kirby games (I've played those too, but not all the way through for the most part), and Cooking Mama. There's the game plan, literally :)

I decided that Guitar Hero III deserved an 8.5. While the graphics are straight off a PS2 (showing no effort from the devs), Battle Mode's stupid, and there's no DLC, other areas showed effort on their part.

The gameplay is as good as Guitar Hero II's, which is saying a lot. There is at least Wi-Fi. And, what makes me less annoyed at the devs the most is the way they utilized the Wiimote.

So it wasn't a crappy PS2 port, it was a semi-PS2 port with actually well done Wiimote use. So I won't dock it as much as I did.

The game does get damn near impossible, but before that it gives you lots of ways to improve your skills, plus there's still Training Mode. And I think it's better than the games I've previously given 8.0's, so there ya go.

Gamespot's pretty harsh anyway. Well, sometimes they get it right, but still, I tend to think (as you may have noticed) that they should've given at least a slight boost to the score.

I still have three games to review from 2007, two for Wii and one for DS. Then I have five for Wii and three for DS in 2008, so then I'll be all caught up. I reviewed the port games when they were released the first time, because, as you probably noticed, I went back in time and moved forward from there, generally.

Then, as is probably more important to the general public, I'll review recent games. I want to make reviews I consider more fair than Gamespot's and other websites, in case you'd like a different perspective.

Oh, and I might work with my sisters to get reviews for other games that they've played that I haven't very much. Those would include both Animal Crossing games, MySims, Kirby games (I've played those too, but not all the way through for the most part), and Cooking Mama. There's the game plan, literally :)

Guys I gotta say, idk where all the complaints come from with Super Mario Galaxy. I give credit where credit is do with my reviews, and I can't really find fault with Galaxy.

I give games a 10 when they're perfect or so close that it deserves it, because the developers clearly put absolutely everything they had, plus more, into it, and did something unique in the game.

I know I've given 9.5's to a lot of Zelda games, but seriously look at them. Phantom Hourglass's only issue was the Temple of the Ocean King, and that's there to make sure you learn to work the map well. I might've given it a 9.0, but it used one of the best control schemes I've played with on any system.

Twilight Princess just had minor complaints, like the orchestrated music and voice acting, and maybe that the overworld is a little dead. Minish Cap was sorta short, but other than that there's not much to hold against it. Four Swords Adventures is another story, but Wind Waker's collection quest and overused sailing and sneaking were the tiniest of complaints too.

But Galaxy just isn't like other games. It has some of the best graphics and music I've seen on any system, ever, by any standards. It has a flawless control scheme. When you complain about the change in controls when the camera turns or when you go over the side of the planet, note that the controls are still based on where the camera is. It's plenty long and I'll enjoy it again and again for years, like Ocarina of Time. The game itself isn't hard if you're judging by the standards of old school Mario games, but neither was Super Mario 64. I guarantee you'll die multiple times, even if not until you get a Game Over.

I think this game is flawless and can be enjoyed by absolutely anyone. Idk why everyone's so hard on it. Even a 9.5 is criminal in my opinion, when Grand Theft Auto gets a 10. I understand Metal Gear Solid, but...

Don't be harsh just because there's no blood, shooting, or sword swinging. It's Mario, and I full expected it to be a little weak too, like Super Mario Sunshine, but it wasn't. Instead, it's the best platformer ever, if not damn close, and the game can be enjoyed just as much the second time thanks to Luigi. It's one of the most revolutionary titles in years.

And it competes for the best Nintendo game ever title for me.

Game of the Year is really a pretty big award, if you think about it. Tons and tons of games come out every year, hundreds, and only one, from just one system (unless it's a multi-platform game, duh), can actually get it.

Gamespot, recently, has given the award to the following:

Game of the Year 2003: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (Gamecube)
Game of the Year 2004: World of Warcraft (PC)
Game of the Year 2005: Resident Evil 4 (Gamecube)
Game of the Year 2006: Gears of War (Xbox 360)
Game of the Year 2007: Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

Those are some damn good games.

So here are my predictions for the award for each console and the overall Game of the Year. Unless a giant, fantastic game comes out by December that beats out any of these (not very likely), I predict most of these will turn out correct.

DS Game of the Year: The World Ends With You
Square Enix has officially become the biggest third party developer on DS, with a long list of fantastic games. It's unfortunate that the Wii doesn't have as much support from the Final Fantasy creators, but regardless, DS has the goods. The World Ends With You is the most unique, fresh RPG to come along in years. It's modern, has bits of voice acting, touching moments, humor, a set-up that fits perfectly on DS, and a massive campaign. It really doesn't have many flaws, either. While FFIV has great graphics, cutscenes with full voice acting, and a fantastic story, it's a port, and not as original regardless. It also doesn't use the touch screen much, and despite that they both got a 9.0, I think that leaves The World Ends With You free reign for the year.

PSP Game of the Year: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Yet again, Square takes the gold on handhelds. PSP hasn't really gotten a lot of games in 2008, so that's not saying as much, but God of War is another big franchise that gave it a go, too. Still, just seeing the graphics and gameplay, plus the words "Final Fantasy VII" in the title, plus the 9.0 from Gamespot basically make Game of the Year a dead lock.

Xbox 360 Game of the Year: Grand Theft Auto IV
Yep, it's the franchise that caused your parents to raise their pitchforks in outrage, Grand Theft Auto. Killing more or less whoever you like, tons of drug use and nudity, and not much of a sense of morals take center stage here. But it's gameplay we're focusing on here. There'd have to be a pretty good game to beat a 10.0 Gamespot winner. Not to mention, from what I hear, the vague (very vague) feeling that you're doing something wrong killing a whore so you don't have to pay her, as given to you by the game, not by your conscience. It's something good to see, and not just for your mom.

Wii Game of the Year: Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Whatever you may think of the single player, whether it turned out that much better than the the original and Melee or not, Brawl's graphics, music, and, of course, the multiplayer are all flawless. Wi-Fi is even incorporated into the franchise for the first time, plus the 35 characters, Gamespot's 9.5, and the fact that people were playing Melee five years after its release. Wii's focus this year seemed to be multiplayer, what with Mario Kart coming along with this guy, but there aren't many titles that even stand a chance against a title this huge that actually lived up to the hype.

PS3 Game of the Year: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Probably the best graphics ever made, flawless controls, a giant campaign, one of the greatest stories every told on any medium, and ultimately, the game that the genius Hideo Kojima put his heart and soul into, even topples GTA IV off the top spot, without a doubt. This one didn't live up to the hype, it surpassed it. Just look at Gamespot's 10.0, the only complaints being heavy handed story (expectedly, when MGS gives us half hour cutscenes) and the fact the game ends, tells you something. You probably notice every time that Gamespot nitpicks as much as they can, but this is one of the few that they just couldn't find fault with.

Overall Game of the Year: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
I love Brawl to death, but there are certainly some huge flaws in there. Mainly because of Nintendo, the Wi-Fi doesn't compete with things we've seen on 360 and PS3 for years, and the single player, to me, still needs quite a bit of work. It's been improved, but still. Unfortunately I have never played MGS4, GTAIV, CCFFVII, or some competitors, but I'm judging on gut instinct, gameplay footage, and Gamespot's reviews, which, as of late, have been fairly reliable. I've heard people say that Super Mario Galaxy and Metal Gear Solid 4 deserve 10's, but not Grand Theft Auto. I've heard the crazed fans who actually managed to pay for a PS3, and that there isn't even a tiny flaw to be mentioned for the game. Plus, it's the last game in one of the biggest franchises ever made. The director put absolutely all his time and effort into every tiny bit of the game, and, to me, produced a game that already won Game of the Year.

Those are my thoughts. I really can't imagine a game knocking Metal Gear Solid 4 off the top spot. That gives all three modern gen consoles a Game of the Year award- making this Console War very strong. Wii sells the most, but I care about the best games. I'm happy with the Wii, but I might get another system. Where to go from here...?

I focused way too much on just one part of the game- the backtracking- in my original iteration of my Prime 2 review. I still dislike backtracking and collection quests, but it's good to remember that it also gives you the chance to get your character stronger before the final battle.

I'm sticking with my 9.0, but I changed it a bit, and it works a little better, I think, for the score I gave it. Take a look if you're interested in the masterpiece that is the Metroid Prime trilogy.

Well I can't believe it, but I can't decide whether the Wii version of Twilight Princess or Okami is better. I thought there'd be a clear cut winner, but I can't honestly say there is.

Anyway, despite the mostly poor E3 from Nintendo, what is there to look forward to for Wii and DS?

First party (Nintendo, duh):
1. A new Mario game is in development.
2. A new Zelda game is in development for Wii.
3. Animal Crossing: City Folk is in development for Wii.
4. A new Pikmin game is in development, presumably for Wii.
5. Wii Sports Resort, with the Wii Motion Plus is in development, with second party Touch Generations involved.
6. No Star Fox has been announced (possibly second party).
7. No F-Zero has been announced (possibly second party).
8. A reboot of Kid Icarus has been rumored for obvious reasons, but hasn't been announced.
9. Project H.A.M.M.E.R. is either cancelled, in development or postponed for Wii.

Second parties:
1. Retro Studios has announced nothing in development, having just done Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.
2. HAL Laboratories most recently made Super Smash Bros. Brawl and is now working on a Kirby game for Wii.
3. Touch Generations did Brain Age 2, worked on Wii Fit and is probably involved in Wii Sports Resort.
4. Game Freak is probably working on a new Pokemon for DS and possibly a Pokemon on Wii, but hasn't announced anything.
5. Factor 5, a semi- second party, supposedly has rights to Kid Icarus, but no game has been officially announced.
6. Nintendo is partnering with Suda 51, creator of No More Heroes to make Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse for Wii.
7. Nintendo and Monolith Software have Disaster: Day of Crisis in development or postponed for Wii.

Third parties:
1. Capcom recently ported Okami to Wii and is now bringing Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop and Monster Hunter 3 to Wii, while they're considering a port of Resident Evil 5 to Wii (fact).
2. EA Games brought Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 and Rock Band to Wii and is bringing Rock Band 2 and Spore to Wii.
3. EA Sports is bringing Madden NFL 09 to Wii, obviously.
4. Sega's Sonic Team did Nights: Journey of Dreams and is bringing Sonic Unleashed and Sonic and the Black Knight to Wii.
5. Sega's Sonic Team and Bioware, who did Mass Effect, are bringing Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood to DS.
6. Sega's Gearbox Software is making Samba de Amigo for Wii.
7. Sega's Platinum Games, with creators from Resident Evil 4, Okami, Viewtiful Joe and No More Heroes are making MadWorld for Wii and Infinite Line for DS.
8. Square Enix has Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers for Wii and Chrono Trigger and Kingdom Hearts for DS in development, having recently made The World Ends With You and Final Fantasy IV for DS.
9. Nibris has Sadness in development for Wii.
10. Ubisoft, who made Rayman Raving Rabbids and worked with Suda 51 on No More Heroes are bringing Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party to Wii.
11. Ubisoft Paris, creators of Red Steel, are making Red Steel 2 for Wii.
12. Namco has Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World in development for Wii.
13. Activision is making Guitar Hero: World Tour and Call of Duty: World at War for Wii, and Guitar Hero: On Tour 2 for DS.
14. High Voltage Software has no license but is working on The Conduit for Wii.
15. THQ is bringing de Blob to Wii.
16. LucasArts is bringing Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and Star Wars: Clone Wars to Wii and DS.
17. Konami has Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia for DS and Castlevania: Judgment for Wii in development.
18. Tecmo has Rygar: The Battle of Argus in development for Wii.
19. Deep Silver has Cursed Mountain in development for Wii.
20. Rockstar Games has Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars in development for DS.

More than you and I thought huh?