Wii U - Year Three Conclusion

More applause.

Another year down. Time really flies, you know? My Wii U collection almost rivals that of the Wii, which seems odd at points. But then after really thinking about it, there was so much shovelware and crap on the Wii, so it just looks like there's more content. I'm glad the sheer amount of garbage went down for the Wii U. Any that really pops up is limited to the eShop anyway, which is much nicer I think.

Some really good stuff over the past year, some worthwhile DLC, and a better amiibo situation (finally).

Favorite games released in 2015?

Retail:

eShop (not including Virtual Console):

Backlog:

Games that should be on the list, but were just an overall disappointment that didn't even come close to reaching their potential:

Xenoblade Chronicles X took up most of my time. I cannot walk away from that game. So close to getting 100% map completion. I think once that happens, I will finally be able to put the game down. Super Mario Maker is also a game I can't seem to put down. And with all the continued updates, it doesn't look like that will change any time soon. No complaints on this end.

Better third-party support this year, but I could still use more. Hopefully the NX will fix some of that. And that is right on the horizon, which is crazy to think about.

I'm hoping this blog will still be active then, too.

Wii U - Year Two Conclusion

More applause.

The second year of the Wii U picked up a lot of the slack from the admittedly embarrassing first. The extreme backlash of people stating the Wii U has no games has finally subsided. I will point out that these people never admit they're wrong, they simply pretend they never made the statements in the first place and look for something else to complain about. Good riddance.

A bit more third-party support made a big difference, although there was also a lot of the expected shovelware. The Virtual Console is still squeezing out titles at the same pace, but with the influx of original games, it's less irritating. I actually have a backlog of Wii U things now!

And amiibo? Don't even get me started. So much annoyance in being on top of release and pre-order information, yet still missing out. Please catch up with the demand, Nintendo. It especially baffles me in that you are not the first to go this route. The trail has already been blazed.

Favorite games of the year?

Retail:

eShop (not including Virtual Console):

Backlog:

It's great that I still have games to get around to, and 2015's lineup looks pretty good so far. It's crazy to think that it's already Year 3 of the Wii U. With the increasingly short lifespans of consoles, the next step for Nintendo is right around the corner, and they've been saying as much during interviews. Hopefully the coming year will be just as awesome.

I'm also hoping this blog will still be active then, too.

Dr. Luigi

Addicited to this medication.

Within the numerous announcements made last Nintendo Direct was one that put a huge smile on my face. The return of Dr. Mario! Well, kind of. In keeping with the spirit of the Year of Luigi, the game has been relabeled as Dr. Luigi. It was produced in conjunction with Arika, which is awesome, because they always have the best adaptions of puzzle games (Tetris: The Grand Master, anyone?). I was excited to see how it was going to turn out.

The classic Dr. Mario mode is included, of course, under the appropriate title of "Retro Remedy." You can choose to use the classic virus colors (red, yellow, blue) or the new colors (yellow, pink, light blue). It's everything you remember, with speed settings, virus levels, etc.

Since it is the Year of Luigi, there is a mode titled "Operation L," in which pills fall two at a time in an "L" shape. It's a rather interesting play mechanic, and I'll have to play it more to fully get a reading on how I feel about it.

There's also an innovative mode called "Virus Buster," where you play on the GamePad and drag the pills to the proper placement via the stylus. I thought it would be rather gimmicky at first, but was pleasantly surprised at how fun it turned out. It also helps that multiple pills will eventually fall simultaneously, ramping up the challenge factor.

And then there's the greatest thing ever. Online Battle! Finally, I can play Dr. Mario against other people in a matter of seconds. You can play either Classic or Operation L mode against an opponent. I was very happy with the speed at which I was able to connect and battle against others. I sat for no more than ten seconds waiting. You can also play with a friend (but that will not affect your online rank). Upon winning/losing, you can choose to play again immediately, or search for a new opponent. Your number of wins are recorded, as well as a ranking score. I assume the score pairs you up with similarly ranked opponents. Naturally, being the first day, it's all over the place. I was destroying some people, but having my head handed to me by others. Time will even that out. You can also play any mode against the CPU, if you so desire.

There's also some new play mechanics that were not in the NES installment, which is the one I played the most. Pressing "Up" will make the current pill fall immediately to its destination. This half-second difference in getting the pill down makes all the difference in Online Battle. You can also have a "ghost image" of where the pill will land if you want.

It's not all sunshines and rainbows though. There were some things I thought could be improved, or just seemed lazy overall. The new virus design seems uninspired. The fact that the classic viruses are selectable shows that maybe even Nintendo knew they couldn't re-capture that magic design. Although even if you select the classic colors, the three large viruses on the left don't change appearance. Lazy.

I also would have appreciated some more music choices than simple re-arrangements of Fever and Chill. Yes, there were two new tracks available, but only if you played Operation L. What about some music from Dr. Mario 64? Hell, why not ask Hirokazu Tanaka if he wanted to do some new music? I know he's all, "I'm the president of Creatures, Inc.," but he is obviously still musically active. How about a story mode, Nintendo? I absolutely loved playing 4-Player Dr. Mario on the Nintendo 64. Why not now? "Virus Buster" from Dr. Mario Online Rx was awesome too, and a great multiplayer experience. Nintendo wants people to come together to play Wii U. Dr. Luigi is a simple, fun concept that everyone can play and understand. Capitalize on that, Nintendo!

I'm sorry, that was a little bit harsh all at once like that.

And since you're obviously not opposed to modifying existing iterations of past games, why not pull something similar to the NES Luigi Bros. stunt?

THIS COULD HAVE BEEN.

It seems like every Dr. Mario iteration after the N64 has been a little bit lifeless (Dr. Mario Express immediately comes to mind). However, Dr. Luigi is very pleasant. And while it doesn't quite reach its full potential, it's still a hell of a lot of fun.

[UPDATE: Check it out! Somebody actually made an awesome ROM hack of Dr. Mario!]

Wii U - Year One Conclusion

Relieved applause.

The first year of the Wii U was admittedly a slow one. It really didn't pick up much steam until many months after its release. This was a negative in many ways (marketing, sales, media/public impression, etc.). However, at the end of its first year (well, a little bit past a year), it's really made leaps and bounds forwards.

Looking at my Wii U library, I feel pretty good about the investment. Seeing what's on the horizon makes me feel even better. I understand getting a year's head start against your competitors, Nintendo.  But if it's going to take nearly a year to reach a decent launch, then what's the point? You have so much ground to make up. As stated before, the uninformed public is extremely impressionable, and will parrot back what mainstream media tells them. Hopefully this new marketing push will get you back into the spotlight (notwithstanding, of course, the current eShop/Pokemon Bank/Miiverse/etc. debacle). Though at the end of the day, I do trust you, Nintendo.

Favorite games of the year?

Retail:

eShop (not including Virtual Console):

That was hard. I initially planned to narrow down my top five retail games, but I couldn't manage. There are still some I really want to put on this list, but I have to draw a limit. Every game I've bought has been a thoroughly researched decision. And I really enjoy almost all of them. Sure, I've made a mistake here and there (I'm looking at you, Sonic Lost World, you piece of crap), but no one is perfect. I've really enjoyed this year on Wii U, even if it did take a while to get moving. Hopefully the coming year will still be awesome, but perhaps a little better overall.

I'm also hoping this blog will still be active then, too.