Nintendo 2DS
- Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. (Special Team Eliminating the Alien Menace)
Turn-based, 3rd-person shooter/strategy game, something like X-COM, that, despite taking place in England, has an alternative history steampunk storyline involving American figures/legends like Abraham Lincoln and John Henry. Pretty cool but tough (I tend to be overly aggressive, rather than exercising some patience and strategic planning, which usually ends in failed missions). I wish there was an overhead map of the levels, but, of course, that would ruin the aliens' ambushes and flanking maneuvers.
This was actually the second time I ordered this title from GameStop. On the first attempt, last year, they told me that they had "unforseen inventory problems", couldn't fill the order, and refunded the money back onto my gift card. That's all well and good, except the VERY NEXT DAY after issuing my refund they relisted the game on their web site as being in stock and "usually ships in 24 hours". The fuck? Well, I still wanted the game, so, I tried again and everything worked out the second time, and even better at that, because I ended up getting Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. for free with this attempt (they had one of their "buy-2-get-1-free" promotions going on), and they also had free shipping if you spent at least $35, which I took advantage of, so, I can't complain (even though I just did).
- Crush 3D
GameStop-exclusive port of the PSP game. Rotating and "crushing" 3D environments down into two-dimensional affairs to facilitate exploration and item collection is an interesting gameplay concept that works out pretty well. It's engaging/challenging in small doses (I typically only play through a couple of stages at a time), but I wouldn't want to do marathon sessions, as my brain can only take so much of this spatial puzzling sort of thing.
- Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters
Metroidvania game starring Hal Jordan that's pretty meh. Nice graphics, but the gameplay is kind of slow/clunky, especially the combat. It froze up on me once too. I like being called a "Poozer" by Kilowog though, because a Poozer in all I am, all I ever was, and all I will ever be.
- Heroes of Ruin
On the fourth chapter, 19th experience level with my Vindicator character, and at 50% overall completion.
- Nintendo Badge Arcade
1,121 badges and counting . . .
- Pokemon Rumble World
66th rank and 587 Pokemon caught. Trying to save up for the most expensive balloon, which costs 200 Pokediamonds, and that will probably take about another month to do (I've got 106 right now). You can buy Pokediamonds with real money any time that you want, but I refuse to fall into Nintendo's pay-to-play trap (and, honestly, that money would be better spent on getting Pokemon Rumble Blast instead, which is essentially the same game, but a stand-alone cartridge release, rather than this free virtual game with optional cash transactions).
- Pokemon Shuffle
- Shinobi
Awesome love letter to fans of the series. Pretty tough/unforgiving at times, but, nobody ever said being a ninja was easy. Even though it's brief, I particularly loved the return of the horseriding sub-stage from Shinobi 3 (although it's an angled, behind-the-rider view, instead of sidescrolling, in this game). There are few experiences in life as pure as feeling the wind rippling across your cowl as you cut down fools with your ninjato while galloping through the trees on the back of your trusty steed. But know that you will never get all of the enemy's caked blood and entrails out of its hooves, no matter how much you scrape and wipe. Ninja.
- SwapDoodle
Nintendo DS
- Metroid Prime Pinball
