DrGamerDad

QuickFacts

Featuring a classic "monster movie from the '50s" aesthetic, gameplay in Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack generally consists of platforming and flying through levels while eating everything in sight in order to grow bigger.  Special levels include different mechanics such as rolling the mutant blob around a maze while avoiding holes in the style of the classic rolling ball Labyrinth game or rolling the ever-increasing sized blob around a farm eating livestock, hay bales, and ultimately farm equipment.

What I Like

There are two things that make Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack great.  First, the monster movie atmosphere is great.  While not the most visually stunning game on the Vita, the style is second to none.  Second, the controls are perfect.  And, by that I mean they are perfect.  I love the way the blob controls.  It is responsive but has some blobby momentum.  Everything about it feels just right.

Another thing I like, but let me reiterate this is not what makes it great, is the price.  Priced at an incredibly reasonable $7.99, there is more value in this title than any other game on the platform.  Even if one is not convinced about this game, at $7.99, it is worth a shot.

What's Not To Like

The only thing I didn't like about Mutant Blobs Attack was that it ended.  I want some more.

What To Watch Out For

What to watch out for?  I guess if I had to worry about something it would be that the blob you are controlling eats everything it can to grow bigger.  As the blob gets bigger, this includes people.  These are clearly cartoon guys who cry out in cartoon response.  Rated E for Everyone, it is clearly comical.  I would be happy for all three of my children to play this game.  I do not think many parents would be concerned with the violence.

Bottom Line

Mutant Blobs Attack, the second Tales From Space game from DrinkBox Studios has been out for a few months now.  As usual, I am way behind in giving my impressions.  That does not mean that I was not impressed, though.  In fact, it is one of my favorite Vita games, and I would go so far as to say that every single person who owns a Vita should own this game!

5 out of 5 stars

I bought a 3G Vita, because I wanted the First Edition a week early and to have the option throughout the life of the Vita.  I bought the first month of 3G service, because it came with a second month free and Super Stardust Delta.  I will not be buying another month for now.  I wonder how many others are like me...

Yesterday, I received a survey from AT&T regarding my 3G experience.  Among many other questions were two that I found potentially significant.  One was whether I would purchase service next month if the options included a 100 MB/1 Month plan for $9.99, and the other was whether I would purchase service for $6.99 that included 50 MB/1 Month.  Currently the cheapest plan is $14.99 for 250 MB/1 Month.  As I have far better ways to browse the internet, tweet, and facebook, I mostly only used the 3G service for leaderboard updates, trophy syncing, and near.  Additionally, I have Wi-Fi nearly everywhere I use my Vita.  So, I really only used a few MBs over 3G service.  I liked having it, but it would not be worth $14.99 per month.  

Are these new pricing plans a possibility?  Obviously, AT&T is thinking about them.  For me, they would be welcome possibilities.

QuickFacts

Everyone has played Plants Vs. Zombies before, right?  Well, just in case you have not, the concept is simple.  Zombies are trying to invade your house; you buy plants with sunlight to stop them.  Zombies come in a variety of forms, from simple walkers to gigantaurs (they're big).  Your plants shoot peas, fling corn or mellons, explode, or block lanes.

What I Like

I like Plants Vs. Zombies.  I have previously played it on PC, iPad, and PS3.  As above, the concept is simple, but the gameplay is compelling.  While often not difficult, levels are engaging because they typically can be beaten in a multitude of ways.  Playing with the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches for any variety of zombie attacks provides hours of enjoyment.  Once the basic mechanics are learned, the levels are like a playground on which to have fun.

As an added bonus to this version of the game, there is a quite obtainable platinum trophy available for completionists.  Somewhat confusingly, the PS3 version is nearly identical but did not have one.  Perhaps this was to attract those of us who had previously played the game.

What's Not To Like

Unfortunately, the Vita version of Plants Vs. Zombies has some drawbacks.

First of all, the price is too high.  This is really the same game that has been available for several other platforms at much lower prices for quite a while.

Second, while the touch controls perform fine through most of the game, in order to obtain the platinum trophy, one must proceed through 'Endless Survival' which is a hectic mode to say the least.  During this mode, the action becomes frenetic.  Unfortunately, when the game reaches these levels of craziness, the touch controls become very sluggish, to the point that one cannot complete enough levels to get the trophy and switching to button controls becomes necessary.  This works okay, but the game should run adequately to allow the player to complete the challenges with either control scheme.  Certainly, the Vita is powerful enough for this, which makes the poor performance seem lazy.

What To Watch Out For

Plants Vs. Zombies is rated E10+ by the ESRB for animated blood and cartoon violence.  I actually think that this game is appropriate for most children even younger than ten years old.  Keep in mind that your child will start talking about how to kill zombies, and true to the ESRB rating there is cartoon violence.  That being said, it is all presented in an extremely playful manner.  Most parents will share this game even with their youngest children.

Bottom Line

You should get and play Plants Vs. Zombies if you have not already.  But, you might want to find it on a platform for which it is cheaper.  The exceptions would be if Vita is your only gaming platform or if you just have to get that platinum trophy.

3 out of 5 stars

 

QuickFacts

Over the past several years, Uncharted has grown to be Sony's biggest exclusive for their PlayStation 3.  Immensely popular in the North American territories, having a portable version available for the launch of their new hardware, the Vita, seemed to be a sure way of winning support. 

The Uncharted games blend exploration and gun combat from a third-person perspective.  In many ways, the experience of playing the prior Uncharted games can be likened to playing an "Indiana Jones"-style adventure. 

The new Vita game promises this same cinematic experience in the palm of your hand.  Find out how well it lives up to its heritage.

What I Like

Usually, my favorite parts of Uncharted games are the stories.  The story in Golden Abyss is good again.  It does not quite reach the heights of the previous Uncharted games, but it is far better than most games in terms of story.  Certainly, the story is far beyond what is found in most portable games.

Surprisingly, what I liked best were the Vita specific touches that were put into the game.  In bringing Uncharted to the Vita, Bend Studio added a number of new elements.  While in no way difficult, producing charcoal rubbings with the touch screen and taking photographs by moving the Vita around in real space feels really good.  Additionally, using the motion control of the Vita to fine-tune shots feels surprisingly good!

Finally, I like being able to have a game playing, put it to sleep, and immediately start playing again when I have a few more minutes to play.  This is how I spend my lunches!

What They Like

My children are 14, 12, and 7.  If my 14-year-old was pushing to play Uncharted, I would let him.  To this point, however, none of my kids have really pushed to be allowed to play this series, and I am just as happy to allow them to play less violent games.

What's Not To Like

Uncharted is a very movie-like experience.  This works on a handheld, but it is kind of like watching a movie on a handheld.  You can do it, and it is fun.  But, it is not the same as going to the movie theater or even watching a movie on a large, flat-panel television.  There are plenty of things I like about taking my Uncharted experience to go, but I would not want to trade the big-screen experience for the handheld.

The dual analog sticks on the Vita are nice, but they are a little short.  This did not bother me too much, but aiming in Uncharted: Golden Abyss does not feel as good as aiming using the Dual Shock 3 on the PS3.

What To Watch Out For

Uncharted: Golden Abyss is a violent game.  There is essentially no gore, but Nathan Drake kills scores of enemies throughout the course of his adventure.  Some of the banter between Drake and his friends contains language and themes that could be found offensive, although if a person were okay with the violence, it would be surprising if the level of language in this game would be bothersome.  The game is rated E10+, which seems reasonable, but even parents of children over ten should still decide whether they think that the level of violence in this game is appropriate for their children.

Bottom Line

Uncharted: Golden Abyss is a great game.  I enjoyed it the whole way through.

5 out of 5 stars

Buy at Amazon:

Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Wow!

So, I bought a First Edition Vita Bundle this morning and I love it.  I know that the market for dedicated handhelds may be shrinking, but the Vita is one slick piece of hardware.

The First Edition Launch - Brilliant or Baffling

I bought my Vita bundle from Best Buy this morning.  Surprisingly, while the sales associates were well aware of the Vita, they did not seem to know that the First Editions were set to release today.  In fact, a couple of hours into their day, I was the first customer to purchase one.  I am thrilled to be getting a Vita a week early, but I wonder if this staggered launch will cause confusion among both customers and retailers, essentially decreasing the focus on the Vita launch.

The Hardware

Inside the box for the First Edition Bundle, there is a copy of Little Deviants, a zippered case for the Vita, a 4 GB memory card, and a box which contains the 3G/Wi-Fi Vita.  Thankfully, Little Deviants is packaged in a real case not a cardboard sleeve.  The zippered case for the Vita seems nice enough, but I haven't really had the chance to use it yet.  The 4 GB memory card will not be nearly big enough for me, but I am hoping it will get me by until I can get a bigger (32 GB?) card on sale.  Of course, the real star is the Vita itself.

Inside the box with the Vita is, of course, the Vita itself and a 3-part charging cord, reminiscent of the cord for the PSPGo, but unfortunately the two are not interchangeable.  The Vita is sleek and black, very eye-catching.  It also catches fingerprints which was apparent immediately.  The case is all plastic which might have felt even better if there was some metal to it, but really it feels pretty sturdy.  The construction feels solid in my hands.  The focal point, of course, is the screen.  It truly is brilliant.  I have no other device with a screen so vivid.

The Software

When the Vita is first turned on, it takes the user through a typical setup.  This is all done with the touch screen and is all quite intuitive.  The only problem I ran into was in trying to set up a data plan, AT&T's web site stuttered a lot and finally froze my new Vita!  This was easily fixed with a reboot, but obviously it was not ideal.

I have been a fan of the Cross Media Bar on the PS3, so the home screen layout with its touch interface will take some time to get used to, but it is relatively easy to get around.  Included with the pre-installed software is a little program called Welcome Park.  This program teaches the basics of the different inputs that the Vita has in the format of little mini-games.  Amazingly, this included software even rewards the user with trophies!

Everything works very smoothly.  The Vita allows the user to quickly switch between different apps, playing games and checking trophies nearly instantaneously.  It is a real joy to use.

I have not yet checked out the social-type apps like Near and Party.

Overall

I guess the best way to put it is that I did not get as much time with the Vita today as I would have liked, because my kids were eager to check it out, too.  Of course, this is not unusual.  They get excited about every new piece of electronics that comes into the house, but I think the Vita with its awesome screen and touch interface especially caught their interest.

As those of you who follow me on Twitter may know, on February 1st I left on a trip for Haiti.  This small country has a remarkable history of upheaval and unrest.  Generally considered the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has many needs.  My goal in travelling to Haiti was to support an ongoing mission group located outside of Cap Haitien, by assisting in the medical clinic, helping out at their schools, and doing various jobs around the missionary compound.

In terms of helping at the medical clinic, I quickly found that I would not be very useful.  I had previously been to Haiti for one-week medical mission trips in 2004 and 2005.  However, on these trips, I came with a team and we brought all of our own supplies and worked in areas where there were no ongoing clinics.  At the clinic in Cap Haitian, there were already Haitien doctors and staff.  Unfortunately, there was a bit of a language barrier between them and me, despite the fact that they spoke some English.  Furthermore, since I had not brought my own equipment or medications, I was unsure of what we had available to us in the clinic.  After struggling through a couple of days in the clinic, it became clear to me that I could be more useful helping in other ways.

One Mission Society (OMS) runs the missionary compound where I stayed.  Part of their work in Haiti is education.  To this end, they have a number of schools in Cap Haitien with thousands of children enrolled.  I had the opportunity to visit and help with projects at a couple of these schools.  The children were amazing.  It was so much fun to see them learning and working in this environment despite the crowding and relative lack of materials.

While on the missionary compound, I helped with cleaning a flooded house, so that it could be used again.  I raked leaves off of another house's roof, and I helped with a couple of English language classes.  There was always something going on with which I could be helpful.

In addition to work, I was able to go to the beach for a day.  We went to an area called Cormier Plage.  The beach was beautiful and the day could not have been more relaxing!

I am thrilled to be home, back to my family, and back to my real job, but I had a great time in Haiti.  It is a poor nation, but the people are wonderful, the land is beautiful, and I hope for a bright future for this country.

The missionaries who live and work in Haiti are pretty amazing.  One of the families that I got to know there was the Bundy's.  They are pretty amazing.  The dad, Brett, coordinates the One Mission Society works throughout Haiti.  His wife, Angie, is the principal at the Missionary school where the missionary children and some Haitian children go to school.  And, they have four beautiful children.  If you have an interest in supporting mission work in Haiti, they would be a great family to support.

Support the Bundy's in Haiti

In Japan, December saw the launch of the PlayStation Vita.  February will be the release for the rest of the world.  In the United States, the full launch will be February 22^nd with the ‘First Edition' bundles available one week earlier on February 15^th. 

I am so excited for this hardware launch!  Check out the following 'Top 10' list of reasons.

 

10. Modnation Racers: Roadtrip.  Kart racers are common.  Good kart racers are not.  The original PS3 Modnation Racers was okay, but it had too many flaws that held it back.  Chiefly, too much time was spent between races on loading screens.  With a few adjustments, and without the loading problems, I expect this handheld version to be much better than the original.  And, who doesn’t like a good kart racer?

 

 

 

9. Escape Plan.  The visual style of this game is completely stunning.  The gameplay utilizes touch to interact with the environment in order to help the main characters, one Laarg and one Lil, escape from... somewhere.  There is a lot to learn about this game, and I am looking forward to finding it all out.

 

8. Front and rear multi-touch screens.  I have not been enamored with most touch screen gaming.  But, it is perfect for certain games.  The rear touch screen may not work out to be a great addition, but I love that they are trying it.  To have touch controls that don’t obscure the screen seems great, but I am not sure how well it will work when I don’t see what I am touching.  Likely, it will depend on the implementation within specific games.

        

 

7. Lumines: Electronic Symphony.  I missed out on the original Lumines, but I have only heard great things about it.  I look forward to downloading this version to have with me for all the times I can get in a short burst of gaming.

 

6. Retail and digital releases for most games.  I prefer downloading games compared to purchasing physical media, because I don’t have to worry about having it with me or losing it.  On the other hand, there are some drawbacks, it doesn’t give me the same opportunity to price shop, big games can be slow to download, and it does not afford me the chance to sell back my games if I know that I will never play them again.  The PlayStation Vita gives me both options!  I plan to mostly buy digitally, but the option for physical media allows me to be selective about which games I download and which games I buy in physical media format.

 

 5. Uncharted: Golden Abyss.  The Uncharted series is one of my favorites.  Nathan Drake on a portable?  Yes, please.  My only concern is that Naughty Dog has not developed this title.  I’m excited about it anyway.  Sony Bend seems to be doing a good job, and they have done some well received games in the past, so my hopes are high. 

 

4. Dual analog sticks.  I like portable games.  I played my DS Lite for years.  I use my PSP for games and media frequently.  But, I like the controls of console games better than the controls of portable games.  The PlayStation Vita brings the control options that I like from console games to portable gaming.

 

3. LittleBigPlanet Vita.  Although it will not be available at launch, one of my most anticipated games for the PlayStation Vita is the newest version of LittleBigPlanet.  This should be a perfect showcase for the unique features of the Vita, allowing for new play mechanics as well as more intuitive tools for building levels.  I look forward to seeing what the community can create with what appears to be a great addition to the series.

 

 2. Trophies on the go.  I do not have too many trophies, but I sure do like them.  The idea of being able to play portable games for trophies has me gleeful.  I love to game at home, but the truth is that by the time I get home from work, have dinner, get my kids to bed, relax with my wife, get jobs done around the house, etc., I just don’t have the time for games that I would like.  On the other hand, I have five minutes here and there for gaming every day.  Being able to use that time for gaming makes me think that I can finally earn a respectable number of trophies.

 

 1. The Screen.  That five-inch OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) screen looks awesome.  I would still be excited for the system without such a fabulous display, but this screen jumps out and makes me take notice of everything else.

 

      Pre-order now from Amazon:  PlayStation Vita - WiFi

 

QuickFacts

The 3DS has been in need of "must-have" games.  Nintendo would like you to believe that Super Mario 3D Land is one of those games.  It is a 3D platforming game which does take more advantage of the 3DS's unique 3D screen than most previous games released for the system.  Levels are designed like 3D versions of traditional Mario levels.  That is, the player starts each level with the goal of reaching the flagpole at the end.  This is in contrast to more open platforming games such as Super Mario 64 where there were multiple objectives in each level.  Along the way to the flagpole in Super Mario 3D Land, there are power-ups and coins to collect, enemies to stomp, and secrets to find.  Each level is relatively brief, lasting typically half a minute up to a couple of minutes.

What I Like

There is lots to like with Super Mario 3D Land. 

Perhaps the best part for me is the level length.  I prefer having many small levels in a portable game rather than fewer sprawling levels.  Now, short levels would not be good if they were poorly designed or if there were not many of them.  Fortunately, there are tons of levels and they are expertly designed.  No one makes better platforming levels than Nintendo.

The use of the glasses-free 3D screen on the 3DS is also well implemented.  While playable at all times with the 3D turned off, turning on the 3D improves the platforming by allowing the player to better judge their position in 3D space while jumping.  Additionally, there are a number of places where Nintendo designed what amounts to optical illusions for which the solution can be seen in 3D but not with it off.

Last, I really enjoyed after completing the regular game, playing through the same stages with additional challenges, some of which become quite challenging.  This adds a lot of value to the game.

What They Like (Luke - Eleven Years Old)

"With its cross between the platformer games of the original Mario games and the newer explore-around Super Mario Galaxy games, it is a must-have for all Mario fans.  I enjoy that in some levels you have a more platformer-like thing, but on multiple planes, while on other levels you can more explore around.  It has many of the enemies from the other Mario games (Goombas, Chomp-chomps, etc.) but also introduces some other enemies.  It brings back the raccoon power-up from Super Mario Bros. 3 and also has the standard power-ups.  I would give it a five star rating!"

What's Not To Like

Here is where it gets a little tricky for me.  I can recognize all of the good things that Super Mario 3D Land does, and I have a good time when I play it, but... it is just not nearly my favorite Mario game.  While expertly blending elements of past games, I just found many of the individual previous games to be somewhat more compelling.  Again, Super Mario 3D Land is fun, but I never felt like I could not wait to get back to playing it.  A contrary example is, when New Super Mario Bros. DS came out, I was obsessed by it.  I could not stop playing until I had gotten every last coin in the game.  That is how I expected to feel with this game, but I just did not.

Finally, it may be a system issue more than a game issue, but despite the generally good use of 3D effects in the game, I still find it distracting at times to try to get the 3D working for my eyes correctly and staying right.  It may just not be the game system for me, but I cannot seem to keep the system in the right place for the 3D to work for more than a few minutes at a time.  I am beginning to think that the 3DS will never have a game that I will want to play for extended periods of time in 3D mode.

What To Watch Out For

This is a Mario game.  There is not much to be worried about.  The player controls Mario (or Luigi after he is unlocked) and stomps on goombas and turtles.  Even "cartoon violence" would be a stretch to apply to it.

Bottom Line

Super Mario 3D Land has received a lot of well-deserved praise.  I enjoy it as well, but it is by far not my favorite Mario game.  Clearly, it is well crafted.  And, my eleven year old loves it.  All of this adds up to a situation where the game is too good for a three star rating, but I cannot give it a five star rating when I never felt like I could not wait to get back to it. 

4 out of 5 stars

Buy at Amazon:

Super Mario 3D Land

When Nintendo dropped the price of the 3DS earlier this year, they promised those who purchased it before the official price drop day ten free downloadable NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) games and ten free downloadable GBA (Game Boy Advance) games.  Just over three months ago, the NES games were made available.  Yesterday, the GBA games were released.  And, it is quite a good crop of games!

How To Download Your 3DS Ambassador GBA Games

You might think that the process for downloading your free games would be straightforward, or, more likely, you might remember how convoluted the process was for your free NES games.  In any case, the process is essentially the same, somewhat backwards one that was used for the NES games.

1. First, go to the eShop on your 3DS
2. Next, scroll all the way to the left and select 'Settings/Other'
3. Go to 'Your Downloads'
4. Click 'Redownload' on each of the GBA Ambassador games - I had to scroll past all of the NES games, plus a few other games I have downloaded to find the new GBA games

 

What Are The Free Games

As I eluded to earlier, the selection of GBA games being offered is really outstanding.  As a 3DS Ambassador, you will be entitled to these games...

• Metroid Fusion
• The Legend of Zelda: The Minnish Cap
• Wario Land 4
• Wario Ware, Inc.: Mega Microgame$
• Mario Vs. Donkey Kong
• Mario Kart: Super Circuit
• Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island
• Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
• F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
• Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

Enjoy your free games, Ambassador!  And, enjoy that your system is finally getting good games of its own with the recent releases of Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7.  It's finally paying off to be a 3DS owner.

 

Club Nintendo, the long-standing rewards program for buying and registering Nintendo systems and games, received a major overhaul today.  For years, users have received virtual coins for registering their Nintendo products.  Over the past couple of years, surveys have also entered the mix.  With these coins, the user could "buy" rewards from a number of Nintendo related trinkets.  Additionally, every year Nintendo sends out gold level and platinum level rewards to people who have earned enough coins over the preceeding year.

Over the past few years, there have been a couple of one-off downloadable games associated with these rewards.  For instance, they offered Doc Louis Punch-Out as a platinum reward the year that Punch-Out Wii was released.  This was a stripped down version of the Punch-Out game.  But, never before have they offered games which they are also selling for cash.  Today, that has changed.  Now available on Club Nintendo are several currently available downloadable games.  And, they don't take an inordinate number of coins to purchase!

The plan is that Nintendo will rotate the available games over time.  The current ones are set to be available through January 10th.  Available now are Super Mario Kart and Fluidity for the Wii, and 3D Classics: Xevious and Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! for the 3DS.

That's enough talking about it.  I'm heading over to club.nintendo.com right now to snag Minis March Again!