Monday, November 25, 2013

The Legend of Zelda Unboxing !!!

Wait did that title just give away the surprise !??!?! Oh what the hell Im all hopped up on Triforce to care…..Wait I keep spoiling the surprise Gah Damn it just cut to the Video already…..




So I hope you enjoyed that Im just sooo excited for my new handheld and the Adventure that awaits in The Legend of Zelda - A Link Between Worlds. Join us and Follow us on Instagram to find out about our first Instagram #giveaway and keep your eyes peeled in the next coming weeks for a very big Contest/Giveaway here at the Blog. Thanks again as always.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

CAPCOM's 1942 Alive in 2013 !!!




 Way back in 1985 the Pint sized version of me was super excited as yet another of the Arcade Hits was coming to the Nintendo Entertainment System. CAPCOM had enjoyed great success with their first Shoot 'em Up or SHMUP Vulgus and decided to return to the format with a War based story. The plot of 1942 takes place during WWII's Pacific Theater campaign as the player pilots "Super Ace" an American Lockheed a P-38 Lightning and is pitted against the entire Japanese Air-force while on the way to clear a route from Midway to Okinawa for the North American Fighters & Bombers. As a kid I was one of many that thought its strange that a Japanese company would make such a game and assumed that it was repackaged for the N.American market, well we were wrong. The game infact DID start out as described ahead and has need been altered, the Japanese company CAPCOM new the value of the Arcade Market over seas and felt from the initial conception that this game would sell well and worried not about personal history over profit. CAPCOM's game plan proved right and the game has launched many sequels and even a recent remake in HD on Xbox360 Live and Sony's PS3 Network.






The game play got more exaggerated and complex over the years but the original is simplicity at its best. The Super Ace with its unlimited ammo (thank you programers) leaves a Aircraft carrier at the beginning of each stage to take on several types of Japanese aircraft and returns to the Carrier at the end of the stage. This format continues for 32 Stages counting down to Stage 1, along the trip the player will pass thru eight Japanese teritories and encounter  small, mid and large aircrafts. I remember as a kid feeling anxious and all alone flying over the giant barren blue ocean below and thought to myself on many occasions that this is how the actual pilots in the war must have felt, and to this day I wonder if that was the programmers intention. Breaking up the game play on Stages 26, 18, 10 & 2 a very large Boss craft will fly on screen and take considerably much more damage than any over craft before meeting its demise. Shooting down entire strings of red fighter planes will result in  the reward of CAPCOM's now famous "POW" power-up, depending on the icon's color the power-up will either be extra "mini-aces" that fly as your wing man or a fire power upgrade, instant screen kill or multiple points. The mini Aces have always been a favorite of mine for their fire power and shield like ability, they leave you when you land on the Carrier but quickly return to your side upon take off. Another CAPCOM staple makes a hidden appearance here as well the Yashichi item granting 5,000 points. Last but not least is your other weapon and a series staple the "LOOP" a 360 vertical Loop the Loop which allows you to avoid enemy fire and collisions as it takes you above the fight and grants invincibility. Many have stated that the best strategy is to not try and shoot down all the enemy planes just avoid  collisions and shoot anything in your way, don't sacrifice your remaining planes for power-ups and focus on safely returning each stage to the Aircraft Carrier. Bonus points are earned at the end of each stage based on planes shot down and Loop abilities not used, the bonus points will add up to extra lives which you may need to get to the end of this long game that has no ending payoff…. Thats right another ungrateful game that just ends in a points tally and a Congratulations… not in that order. The good news is you don't have to play thru twice like Gn'G.

Get used to this screen

Mini Aces are the Best !!





Don't let the non-ending deter you from playing one of the best Arcade conversions of the early NES catalog. The only thing to deter you should be the ANNOYING marching band tinny music, as a kid I don't know how I withstood it. Im kidding its not that bad …. no Im not it IS. Joking a side the game is a classic and is defiantly fun to pit your skill against and challenge friends. The simplicity can still be appreciated today and if nothing else this is the game that spawned the 19XX series. Other games in the Series introduce Co-Op play as well as many over the top enemies and weapons, 1943, 1943 Kai, 1941, 19xx and 1944 are not to be missed and the new HD 1942 is fun too. Arcade versions appear often on CAPCOM Classics Collections since the PSone and Sega Saturn era, But I strongly suggest you leave here and immediately head to the Wii Virtual Console to download the classic NES version of 1942 for the price of a foot-long at SUBWAY.


Please follow @Finalbossnyc on Instgram and Twitter for retro photos and contests specific to those medias, and get ready for a BIG year end holiday contest you won't wanna miss right here at Final Boss Review. Thanks Again for all the support and see you next week.


Saturday, November 16, 2013

Shirtless Warriors Fueled by Coke and Doritos !

This week we look at a game that I've always loved and spoke highly of…. Now I'm not so sure.

In 1985 the Arcade Juggernaut CAPCOM released Commando the first non-space themed shooter, it wasn't so much of a "SHMUP" either though it was a new concept altogether an on foot War Zone styled game a "Run N Gun" as the genre became known. Not to be out done and wanting a piece of the market Game manufacturer and noted CAPCOM Arch-Rival SNK launched its own war based RnG entitled IKARI meaning Fury in Japanese. State side and in Europe the game would become known as Ikari-Warriors.

Ikari Warriors put players in control of Paul & Vince or in Japan Ralph & Clark, the Ralph and Clark personas would out live the other two as the duo over the years became staples in the King of Fighters series since KOF '94 and also appearing as new playable characters the in Modern/Classic Run n' Gun series Metal Slug 6 & 7. Oh and yeah I did just say that they're are TWO players, SNK's Ikari Warriors made several improvements over its rival. Ikari had you control these rough and tuff bare chested lads with the use of  a eight way control stick that also had a rotating function so as you walked on screen you could easily turn to face a enemy from any direction while continuing walking in another, this brought about an almost real movement to the game and added a level of play to the newly spawned genre. SNK didn't stop there with the innovations it busted out tanks and helicopters…. whats that you say Commando had those …? Well you're right !! But you couldn't pilot them yourself now could yah sonny jim?
NO YOU COULDN'T !!! Sooo sit down!! The inclusion of drivable tanks and a Pilotable Copter was really kool and made those portions of the game feel cutting edge. This also of course led to friends and strangers alike fighting over who would grab a lone or remaining tank. Although I want to mention that if your vechile runs outta gas it explodes… ? Thats just a strange lesson to teach kids. Despite the lack of logic the game ate so many quarters in Arcades that it was ported to the Famicom & Nintendo as well as some home Computers I don't know nor care about… hey sorry I was too poor to own a Computer till '95.




 Tradewest handled the porting and Ive heard many say its graphically unimpressive or that the controls suck but to be fair the Nintendo version was a very ambitious port. Back in the day all my favorite games were in the Arcade and home-converstions is what owning a console was all about so you dealt with these issues like in the cases of Double Dragon or Bad Dudes, I feel sometimes people forget what we had to work with back in the day. Moving forward …  Unlike its rival SNK decided the player should have limited ammo and grenades this adds difficulty at home since if you wanted to use your Nes Advantage for the turbo fire or any other rapid fire controller it quickly drain your supply and left you begging the gods for a single bullet as you over throw grenades past intended targets and then feverishly run from glitchy blue and pink soldiers. The Basic Enemy soldiers were blue with some item dropping pink ones sprinkled in to the mix, don't doubt the manliness of the pink guys, when they rush past you off screen they double back unlike the blue boys. Quite a few variants on these two pop up through out the game such as the Bazooka troops, elites, swimmers, kamikaze, snipers and a shield carrying one but personally Ive always been found of three particular guys the Robo-Trooper, the Ralph and Clark Clones and of course who could forget Macho Man…. not Randy Savage but just a hulking huge sleeveless mohawk sporting individual that comes charging down the screen swinging a giant wooden club in a fire fight….. Yup its weird.

Snap in to a Slim Jim Bitches




In 1986 I was so excited to bring home a copy in its shiny silver box with the action promising painted art on the cover. But the box could have been blank for all I cared as I had liberated hundreds of quarters from my dads dresser over the last few months and pumped them directly in to the Ikari Cabinet at my local Luncheonette (news stand/eatery). Excited to not have to steal change anymore from my towering father I slid the cartridge from the dust jacket and into the grey toaster like Nintendo. When the two heroes walked on screen and rotated 360 while firing at the game logo I couldn't wait to press start, lifting my right thumb off the start button my jaw dropped as I watched the heroes flaming plane crash land in the Jungles of South America in what I thought looked graphically as good as the Arcade. Paul I mean Ralph sprang from the wreck and enemies rushed in from the top of the screen. Griping my uncomfortably sharp edged NES controller I pressed forward mashing the B button mowing down enemies and grinning as they suddenly seemed to recognize my threat of death and turned away running, as I came upon the first armored bunker much like in the arcade game I moved forward to draw its fire and then turned to make a strafing run at it and blow it to smithereens as I had done a thousand times in the arcade when suddenly I died….What the HELL I just saw Ralph and Clark doing the 360 movement on the title screen how can you show me something in the same graphics as the game and not let me do it 3 seconds later !?!?!? This was one of my first experiences with frustrating home conversions as a kid. Now the Controls are a big hurtle in this port since the NES D-Pad doesn't do rotating and there is really no way to emulate it at home even with the Nes Advantage. This causes the player to have to make sort of a U-turn every time you want to change direction. The U-Turn controls were not the only hurtle as the characters hold the machine guns one handed and SNK made it "realistic" by having the bullets fire from off to the side of your avatar where the gun is located. As correct or eye pleasing as this is it really makes it hard to target enemies that are designed to rush at you firing and then dart away to dodge your counter attack, the rotating joy stick really helped correct this in the Arcade version. These things did hinder my game play but as a kid very excited to own a Arcade hit I pushed onward. A few scrolling screens later and I felt the speed of Ralph was not the same as in the Original it felt as if I was really forcing him beyond his will to move forward. The slower progression probably is partly due to the constant serpentining I was forced to do to navigate around the map with out the 360 controls. My frustrations hit me head on when I died and had NOOO continues……. WAIT A SECOND in the Arcade if I had more quarters I could play all day ? Now that I OWN the Game and paid probably 50 or 60 bucks for it I can't freely continue all I want or at all even? What the Mutha Lovin #$%^&*#$%^&*!!!!!! After complaining to my non-caring adult handlers I sat down and just kept at it trying to memorize the game enough to inch my way further and further. After dinner the next day I went to my shelf and pulled out my copy of THE OFFICIAL NINTENDO PLAYERS GUIDE. Reading the book previous to owning the game I remembered it mentioning some code… A,B,B,A, thats what was to be entered in at the moment of death before the game over text pops on screen so that you may continue from the very spot you drop. Haleighula !!! Praise Mario !!! So I sat back down and attempted to play through the game some more but after having replayed the game with out the code all day and with it being a school night, saving the world would have to wait till tomorrow. At school all day I waited to get home and play it again with my new found weapon A,B,B,A. Running home with my friend Reggie in tow we sat down and I briefed Reg on how to do the code and we set off to beat the game….. I should mention that when doing the code one can not rush or mistakes will be made also when utilizing 2 player mode if one player dies and goes to enter the code the other player must not die him or herself be fore the first player rises or else NO ONE continues….. so excited nerves and tired thumbs lead to being forced to completely starting over again…. so go kiss your memory cards and hard drives right now ! After several attempts we got tired and gave up.

My Fake Nes Rig

OFFICIAL KiD !!!
"Damn it Launch Pad !! "


A few weeks later and my cousin CJ came to spend the summer as he always did and we sat down to decide what game we would complete, upon seeing Ikari Warriors in my stock CJ was very adamant about what game would be first especially with the Nintendo Players guide giving us maps of the entire game and item locations my cousin pointed out. I felt glad someone had noticed the usefulness of the guide (I didn't) and we sat down with a fresh 2 liter of Coca Cola Classic and a bowl containing a party sized bag of Doritos. After many hours and a very long and dangerous paused game for dinner we came to the last portion of the game the guide book displayed. We had no idea the first level alone was sooo long hell you could beat Contra Three times in the length of the first stage. When we finally got to the end of stage two points were issued and the game carried on….. Nope not like the Dreaded Ghost and Goblins this was a completely new area !! Stages 1 & 2 looked like the same jungle but stage 3 was something wholly new and not a redesign…. the Nintendo Players Guide Oh excuse me the OFFICIAL Nintendo Players Guide stops mapping the game at the end of Stage 2 ?!?! Yet it doesn't mention it and shows several other games all the way through like Goonies2, Super Mario Bros, Tyson's Punch Out, Kid Icarus, Castlevania, Ghost n' Gah Damn Goblins OH and COMMANDO!!
So whatever right ? I mean we were shocked and fatigued but Hey more game for the buck right !? I mean we got Caffeine and whatever the hell is in Dorritos and A,B,B,A so were good man. The Cold grey Orwell 1984 inspired stage was creepy with unfamiliar landscapes and new hazards like pursuing land mines popping up all the time. A portion had this weird piping all over the floor that some of it you could walk over and others prohibited you and if the boys were not careful someone could get stuck . Also waiting on one screen too long meant that missiles fired from off camera would randomly start descending on the heroes taking out the mobile and immobile alike. We got really far on the Third stage when CJ went to use the continue code and it didn't work then I died shortly after and tried and it with no response either thats when we learned the code stops working 3/4 of the way into Stage Three… @#$%^&*(*&^%$#$%^&*&^%$#!!!!!!! With our young over caffeinated hopes of glory crushed we shut off the extremely overheated NES and passed out for the night. Either the next day or the Following we started early and went at Ikari Warriors head on with finely tuned thumbs punching out the A,B,B,A's with such methodical precision we both should have became surgeons. This time making it all the way to the end of Stage 3 and finding the End Boss already dead behind his desk, yup. He's already dead? After blowing up his corpse we danced around throwing grenades and found a staircase hidden at the base of his desk. Traveling on to the practically hidden Stage 4 the unthinkable happened the NES over heated……YUP !! The first Red Ring o Death ever !! The console just froze the screen and emitted a hellish ringing beep from the TV…… well we wanted to scream bloody murder and smash the game but we owed it to ourselves to defeat this Fu*ker!



Creepy just Creepy...
After taking a lunch break we started over from the beginning and added a small electronics cooling fan to the NES. With rage and grim determination we went after Ikari Warriors like it had punted our NES off a roof top and replaced it with the Atari 2600. During lunch CJ had once again consulted the Nintendo Players Guide for some hope Official answers to our eternal struggle…. and guess what he found some…. the Guide said that at the Title screen enter the commands - UP-DOWN-A-A-B-LEFT-RIGHT-A-B-UP-A-DOWN-RIGHT-RIGHT-LEFT-B-UP-LEFT-A-RIGHT-B-LEFT-RIGHT-A-LEFT-UP-A-DOWN-A-RIGHT-LEFT-B- and you will be able to select the stage you wish to start from, wait ???? What?!?!?!?! Oh My God!!!! After all that, days of playing over from the start and we could just "warp" to the stage we left off at? After about 30mins of trying to enter the damn code we selected Stage 4 and marched off in to the Tron esque landscape. Even though we now had the Stage Select code we had to play at our best because the continue code would not work from here on. Forty minutes later we had restarted the game 3 times and we made it to the Final Boss a Giant metal skull that chattered at us as its robo-force swarmed us. Some well lobed grenades took out the bitch ass Metal Mumm Ra, YESSSS !!!!!!!! Dropping the sweat covered controllers to the floor we fell backwards in relief….. I quickly jumped up to see the visual ending I had expected based off the Plane Crash intro, there had to be a graphic out-tro.. right? The screen went black and all that was there was a horribly translated in to english message from General Kawasaki reminding us that we are the very prevailer that protect right, and that he would like to express his sincere and that we should take good rest, Oh thats nice…. WHAT THE @#$%^&*&^%$%^ ?!?!?!?! TAKE GOOD REST???? WHAT THE SH!T DOES THAT MEAN!??!?! All that and we got crap ……. except the right to say we beat IKARI WARRIORS on the playground for full bragging rights so I guess that was all we needed…..

Seriously are you High at work again ? 

Games like this didn't help my undiagnosed Dyslexia as a Kid… not kidding.


This wouldn't be the last game me and my Cousin struggled to finish over the years to come…
I guess after looking back on that experience and replaying both the Arcade and NES versions for this article I can say I still hold Ikari Warriors in high regard. Ralph and Clark are favorites of mine in KOF and it was great to see them in respectively displayed in Metal Slug. The Ikari Warriors are classic and old friends.


Check out the NES Ikari Warriors on the Wii Virtual console for mere peanuts or play the God intended Arcade version on the PSP,Vita and Ps3 also available from the PSN store is the sequel Victory Road which is total craziness and my absolute favorite in the trilogy….. Trilogy?!?

Don't forget to check back every weekend and Follow us @Finalbossnyc on instagram and Twitter, Prizes & Contests are regular and special Contests coming exclusively to Instagram at years end.




Sunday, November 10, 2013

SUPER HOLIDAY SHOPPING WISH LIST IS GOOOOO !!!!!

Obviously this is a Very Special Holiday article here at the FinalBoss and I love the holidays no matter which one you celebrate its a great time to give to the special people you care about or buy yourself a deserved treat for the hard work all year. So grab so coco sit back and let me show you some of the BIG releses coming out right before the holidays and some VERY SPECIAL EXCLUSIVES that you need to pre-order now or else miss out on by street release dates. Here we Goooooo....



PS VITA
First were gonna start of with a game I am VERRRYYYYYY excited about .......

Ys 4 : Memories of Celceta
Pronounced EESE this series may be new to some of you but It is an established legacy series among many. Older than Final Fantasy and more reliable (I said it so what?) the Ys series is a unique Action/RPG that I will devote more time to another day, BUT make NO mistake it IS MY FAVORITE RPG SERIES !! Ys on the Turbo-Grafx 16 CD is also my favorite game EVER.... Bold statement I KNOW. This one in particular comes to the USA for the first time ever on the VITA Nov.26 and can be pre-ordered at Gamestop for $60 in a  Silver Anniversary Edition that nets you the ENTIRE Series soundtracks, a large Cloth Map, an Art book and compass and some other neat stuff. If your saying well I never played the first ones don't worry it doesn't matter and the original games are available on the Vita and PSP cheap in updated gorgeousness  to match the new games, orrrr play it old school on the Wii Virtual console. I can't recommended this series enough its fast paced action, fun and tells a story like nothing else in the genre. If I recommended 10 old school series this would be at the top. So go online and preorder it from your local game shop today.








Next is a Import bundle...

Ps Vita SLIM God Eater 2 Edition
Thats right SONY has a skinny fetish and every thing must get SLIM'D. So for whatever reason Sony has some how shaved down the already sleek Vita (I have the original one its perfect) and with the new release comes the first of many Im sure of Limited Editions This one is designed with God Eater Series in mind and comes bundled with the new title. The Sony Handhelds for those that don't know are REGION FREE that means buy a Japanese one or N.American one and never worry about playing local & import games they do it all. If you dont already have a Vita or a loved one doesn't this is a nice designed one but is subject to SONY's high pricing. Its $399.99 comes out Nov.14 and can be ordered quickly and easily from Play-Asia.com . Below are also pictures of the Final Fantasy slim and Gundam Edition with figures in the bundle and the Gundam one is only $349? And also coming Nov.14 2013.










There is a really Expensive PS Vita TV player that takes your portable games and sends them to your TV but in SONY fashion its 200 bucks and Japan only so heres some shots but I would hold off on it for now.







PS3
Next we have several items for the current sony Platform...

Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme vs Full Boost
Yah it make some of my title seem short, But it is a whole lotta game. This most recent home console installment of the Gundam series boasts the largest cast ever assembled of its characters past present and future to battle it out in the fastest verses fighting game made for the franchise yet. Several Different editions are available for the game at varying prices starting at $73 and don't worry the PS3 IS REGION FREE so you CAN play import titles on it and a fighting game is the best kind since language is not really a main factor in play. Go to Play-Asia.com again to preorder it for a January release and why not grab the Limited Edition Arcade Fighting stick to go with it? Go on.... The video of the game is located below the description at Play-Asia.






Buy me Bitch !!


JoJo's Bizare Adventure All Star Battle 
JoJo's is another Japan only release that should not be passed over Fans of the show and comic have been waiting years for a updated game in the series. the dreamcast had a excellent 2D CAPCOM arcade fighter which recently was rereleased on PSN in HD so check it out. The Dreamcast versions sits in my console for months at a time when I get in to the game. The JoJo story is great and the gameplay is amazing the series has characters like no other and are so unique you'll be hungry for more of the series in no time. Play-Asia.com is currently selling the game with a reduction of 26 dollars for a  price of $49.00, Thats a really fair deal especially for someones first Import game and a special holiday gift. Beware the Limited Edition is still $170 although I believe it used to be $198.






BlazBlue-Chrono Phantasm
Chrono Phantasam is the 3rd orr 4th game in the franchise depending on which titles you count hell maybe the 5th but thats not important. What is important is that unless you've played a BlazBlue title then YOU HAVE NEVER played 2D Fighting game this GORGEOUS ! Arc System Works has been keeping the 2D fighting genre alive and fresh with this series, after Street Fighter 4 failed to meet "all" SF fans expectations many have moved over to another game for the first time EVER and BlazBlue is that game. Arc Proves that 2D fighters aren't dead as disco very installment and give fans tons of extras including solid voice acting & multiple fleshed out stories for each character( things Capcom skimped on for years). Try one of the installments today on 360, PS3 or PSP and Vita you wont be disappointed just look below at the pics or watch a video on youtube. Region free Japan and Asia versions available Nov 22 for $65 dollars or you can wait till March for N.American release. Expensive Limited Editions also available for the Hardcore Collector and Arcade stick as well. Check Play-Asia.


Have you ever played anything more gorgeous? No You Haven't !!



Just buy it already

Drag-on Dragoon 3
This game sereves as a prequel to a series you may not know but don't worry its supreme awesomeness dispels any concern you may have. This title is loved by all whom played it on PS2 and this one is handled by the creator of the original inspirational Panzer Dragoon series from the Sega Saturn. Im not gonna go into detail again as before do yourself the favor and go straigh to youtube and then open a new tab and go to Play-Asia.com and add it to your pre-orders, the import is available dec 19 the day before a certain someones Birthday but N.American stores wont see it till TBA 2014. Once agin a super huge boxed edition is available in honor of its 10th Anniversary.








On to Nintendo !

Nintendo Wii U

Super Mario World 3D
SMW3D comes out in just eleven days on Nov. 21st, I don't think we need to explain this one to much its the Home console continuation of the 3D Land on the 3DS. The Game is fresh and bigger than ever on the Wii U with a big focus on multiplayer and new power-up items like the Cat suits. This is a definite gift for any one with a Wii U console IF they haven't preordered it already.






THIS JUST MADE YOU BUY A Wii U ... No ? Then wait ....

Bayonetta 2 
The hot new SEGA franchise is now a Nintendo EXCLUSIVE !! For those that think the Big N wont allow "adult games" or violent game it doesn't get more extreme than Bayonetta (GTA is just silly fun shock value in comparison) This game was playable on a looong demo at NY Comic Con and Oh My Kojima it was amazing the Boss battles are as big as EVER. Lets stop for a sec..... if YOU havent played Bayonetta 1 then PLEASE go out and pick it up TODAY !! You wont be sorry I promise its on the 360 and PS3 for a reduced price these days as it is at least 2 years old. Fire up YouTube again and see the Trailer for Bayonetta 2 and then realize THAT IS ACTUALLY GAMEPLAY!!!. Platinum Games officially stated that SEGA couldn't afford to fund the game any more and that Microsoft and Sony refused offers to fund it despite the fact that they wanted it for they're consoles based off the popularity of the first game. Platnuim stated that without Nintendo there would be No Bayonetta 2..... Thats all I got , thats it just watch it on Youtube.... unfortunately you can only preorder it as a gift because its release in in 2014 but the gift will be appreciated, trust me.






Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Nintendo brings DKC in to the HD generation, keeping the original style and heart of the series this new adventure not only returns dixie kong to the mix but adds new concepts. The story is that DK and clan must travel back across 5 islands to return home and reclaim it from some Vikings and their walrus leader. The game stays a platform but the DEV team has expanded what a platformer can be by having the camera spin around the character and even follow them off the static side scrolling path. It all come together quite naturally with the enhanced but simplistic controls. A great present for anyone who owned the original SNES classic. The game falls from the tree December 6th for only 50 Bananas. (bad joke)






Sonic The Hedgehog: The Lost Worlds
Lost worlds is a in my dangerous opinion the best Sonic 3d game since I was wow'd by the Dreamcast Adventures (please dont shoot me). I am not a Sonic autherity but SEGA it seems has taken a serious look at some of the Fans Hate Mail and a que from Mario Galaxy and given us the best of all things Sonic has always had the potential to be. Hell maybe the hardware wasnt invented that could handle the blue blur till now but what ever it is its GREAT ! EGG Man is back to take over the world and has brought along some Friends from SEGA's NiGHTS in to Dreams Universe.... Yeah you read correctly... Oh yah Im wondering the same thing too..... NEW NiGHTS GAME!!!!! We Hope! But until then Enjoy Sonic Best Outing in Years........ Game is already released sorry if you missed the Free Bonus game edition ( I didnt) Im sure DLC will be out soon. BTW ALL Shots below are IN GAME FOOTAGE......








.....IN GAME !!

Taiko No Tatsujin Wii U Bundle set W/ Taiko and Bachi
This is a drum game I want to breifly mention it is a rerelease of an older game you may have seen on Gamecube and Wii it comes with the Drum controllers and is a great Family or party game or just you and your special guy or gal. Give it a quick look and Import it from Play Asia the bundle is worth the $119 or check wiki and see if its got a Local release date coming to your region soon.




Honorable mention
DuckTales
If you never played the Classic CAPCOM NES game then heres your chance to play it with the original controls but in beautifully redone HD graphics. The game was already a digital download but CAPCOM has a boxed version for only 19 bucks a great stocking stuffer or inexpensive gift in the money troubling holiday season.




XBOX360
Unfortunately I didn't see any notable releases Exclusively for the Three Six. Im gonna assume Microsoft is putting all its broken red eggs in the ONE basket which releases Nov 22 in N.America the same day as several other items and a week after the equally hefty priced PS4.

XBOX ONE & PS4 
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA ....... *Catches breath Oh sorry bout that. Moving on.


Nintendo 3DS

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Bundle
This is the Holiday release I have been waiting for Not only is the sequel to the SNES Classic a Link to the Past finally here but.......... a reduced priced Zelda themed 3DS XL is now available !!!!!!
The newly designed 3DS XL is a mirror image of the game itself as it lives in the light and dark worlds of Hyrule. The boxed set is only $219 USD and you get the system and game. In Canada and Europe there is a very specific edition of the game that come with a musical Treasure box straight from the Zelda-Verse see the images below to send yourselves in to a frenzy. The Canada version is playable on the NTSC system but the 3DS is region locked unlike its predecessor the DS so make sure you don't get the Europe version if you live in N.America. I am a Zelda nut and have pre-ordered it from Canada thru a friend. Go on eBay and get yours today before the price goes thru the roof currently the price from most sellers is 10 dollars over the original which is acceptable I feel.







OnePiece
Not one but TWO redesigned 3DS LL (XL outside Japan) models are being released to coincide with the release of the new game based of the widely popular Manga& Anime ONE PIECE. The game looks amazing but is not in english yet the good news is the consoles don't include the game so your free to buy the appropreate version later for your Local region 3DS.... the bad news is the price is a whopping 399 USD for the Red version and 379 USD for the Pink ......yeouch !!! Hey the series is very popular and don think the systems wont be sold out by their release date of Nov. 21st and as always available on PLAY-Asia.com



Im not going to mention the 3DS Pokemon systems or the X&Y games as anyone interested already owns them and knows tons more than I. I will mention that inexpensive great gifts can be bought in two DS titles that have dropped in price Mega Man Zero collection and MegaMan ZX can be bought for about 20 dollars and are fantastic gifts for a DS owner or 3DS owner whom may not have had time to play them at launch 2 years ago. And for any Ergoge fans in your life I saw a disturbingly funny 3DS game set called High School DxD and just look at the pics below and see what it comes with...









Boob Ear Buds?  Oh Japan...



Game related ...
They Hyrule Histora is a Legend of Zelda Hardcover by Darkhorse comics and Nintendo that cover the ENTIRE games series history and offer many gorgeous pictures art factoids and finally for the first time  EVER revealed to fands this past year the actual Time Line to the Zelda Games..... Its a shocker. At $34.99 the Book is almost outta print but can be currently purchased at game shops, comic shops and book stores.

Another Zelda Collectable is a bit more expensive but well worth the look on the recipients face. The Lengend of Zelda strategy guide boxed set comes in a pixelized storage chest that contains the soldout Hardcover guides for the last 3 3DS games and the last 3 Wii/WiiU titles, laser etched gold metallic bookmark and a signed certificate by Mr. Eiji Aonuma himself. The set drops on our world Nov. 26th and can be bought from Games Stop, Amazon and many others although months ago Amazon was offering a huge discount for preorder ( that I capitalized on) that may be still available. The retail price is $179.99. If purchased as a gift be prepared to be hugged to DEATH !!!!



Metroid Samus Aran Zero Suit 1:8 scale PVC Figure is available for only 99 US Dollars from Game Stop and other sites on Nov. 15th and is awesome !!!






And Finally a 2 Disc Nintendo Famicom Music set is available for purchase from who.... right !Play-Asia.com.... I have no connection to them I just trust them as a online store and they have amazing service and selection.Below are some cool stocking stuffers or again allet saver gifts for the 3DS and XL as well as a Classic loom for the Wii U pad..... Happy Holiday Shopping !!!