Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Demo: It's Really Hard!

I just spent 58 minutes constantly whaling on the Lagombi monster in the "easy" mission of the Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate demo on Wii U. It finally died during my third attempt.

At first it seems an impossible feat. Lagombi can dish out tons of damage, but that is not the biggest threat here. The demo gives 20 minutes to complete the mission: defeat Lagombi. You're liable to need every minute of it.

Choose the sword and shield, or some other fast gear. The larger, more powerful weapons are so slow you probably won't make it in time. Grab the electricity trap from the blue chest on your way north out of camp. Run (hold the R button with weapons sheathed) until you reach Lagombi (follow your mini-map to locate him).

As soon as you find Lagombi, plant your electricity trap and approach the monster. He will aggress and you can begin battle. Attack his head whenever possible, but his rear is a huge target and it's better than nothing. Attack ruthlessly, but dodge whenever he telegraphs an attack. If you can, line him up so he gets stuck in your electricity trap momentarily.

Pay attention to the subtle details and you may notice Lagombi wearing down: he will begin to salivate, move slower, and limp as he moves. Eventually Lagombi will start to collapse for a few seconds after his attacks. After a while of this Lagombi will probably try to run away for some food. Sheath your weapon and run after him. He's way faster than you, but he will stop at the next area, allowing you to catch up easily. Keep chasing and attacking.

I found Lagombi died suddenly, looking little worse for the wear. He must have found some food somewhere because his stamina had returned, but suddenly and anticlimactically he fell for good and I got mission complete!

Farming Lives in Super Mario 3D World

Super Mario 3D World is a fantastic game, but later levels - especially flying or moving levels with multiple players - can be rather punishing. At some point you may find yourself needing to go back to an earlier world and farm some extra lives because your gaming partner(s) keep dying and losing all your lives.

The absolute best place to do this is underground in World 1-2. All you need is to be a "big" character (just take a mushroom power-up) and go down the first pipe in the level. Butt-stomp the first breakable block you find in the floor and you'll find a green koopa wandering about between some other blocks. Hop on it and steal its shell. Go over to the right side of the room and you'll find a tiny tunnel that leads out to the next room. Stand just inside the tunnel, then throw the shell at the wall so it will bounce back and forth rapidly in the narrow tunnel. Make sure to jump as you throw it. It's pretty easy to time so your character lands on the shell.

This will kick of a chain reaction of you landing on the shell which sends it careening into the wall and back, where you'll land on it again and it flies off into the wall again. At this point you can put the controller down and watch as you rack up 1-UPs essentially for free! You can grab over 100 lives in less than a minute using this technique, and it doesn't even really feel like cheating. It's just making strategic use of the gameplay mechanics.

Hit up this video for a visual sample of this trick in action:

Anniversary of SimCity

The original SimCity game was released in October 1989*, making this its 25th anniversary. Birthdays and anniversaries are always good times to reflect on the subject at hand.

My introduction to SimCity was on my Super Nintendo Entertainment System in or around 1993. At the ripe age of six years old, I had learned to read well enough that I no longer struggled with stairs in Dragon Warrior, but most of the terminology used in SimCity was brand new to me. The concepts of Industrial, Commercial (try getting a six year old to pronounce that with no coaching), and Residential zones - not to mention the special buildings like power plants, seaports, and stadiums - opened my young eyes to the real world via this city simulation. Not only was it (and still is) fun, but SimCity has always been a highly educational experience. Consider the systemic growth of the player's mind as he discovers more of the simulation's rules and how they interact to form highly dynamic emergent systems. This game design concept is way beyond most entertainment titles of the time.

To this day I credit SimCity and its creator, Will Wright, for helping develop so much of my early understanding of the world around me.

*Alas, SimCity for Mac was actually released in February 1989 so this post is several months late. But the ubiquitous IBM/PC version was released in October of the same year, at least.

P. S. For those interested, the SNES version is possibly the best of the original SimCity. It boasts the strongest (redesigned) graphics and most memorable music (I can still hear it in my mind - so peaceful!) of the original SimCity ports. I believe there is a Wii Virtual Console version of the title available, if it hasn't been taken down (I hate it when download-only software is pulled from the store).

How to Get a Cheap Wii U System

The least expensive way to get some Wii U gear is to go pre-owned. The 8GB consoles are about $200 now. The larger 32GB consoles are about $275. The extra $75 is most certainly not worth it. If you're considering a used 32GB console, just buy a used 8GB system and pick up a good USB external hard drive to expand the console's storage. You can easily get a 1TB hard drive for about $60; this is far larger than 32GB and more space than you'll probably ever use on Wii U. I picked up an 8GB console and an extra controller for $190 after tax and haggling with the shop owner. Make sure to take the system out of the box and inspect it though. You don't want a cracked, scratched GamePad or yellowed plastic (yuck).

Note that both 8GB and 32GB consoles are so small you won't be able to download many full-size AAA games (zero on the smaller console, probably 3-4 on the 32GB machine) without picking up some external storage. If you buy retail discs only (no downloads except smaller indie titles) you probably won't need more storage than the bare 8GB console anyway.

If you're looking for a new console, the Premium 32GB set (currently $300) that comes with Nintendo Land is not my first choice, though the game is fun and the black console is really nice. The Basic 8GB set ($250) is an okay choice when paired with an external hard drive, but if you're buying new, you may as well buy a bundle:

• Wait for an undoubtedly-upcoming Super Smash Brothers bundle. I'm sure it will be a good deal.
• The Mario Kart bundle is the best deal Nintendo has had on Wii U so far: $330 nets you a 32GB Wii U plus a second controller and a copy of Mario Kart 8 and Nintendo Land. Unfortunately these sold out right away back in June and it doesn't look like Nintendo is shipping any more of them.
• The Zelda bundle has risen to $350 and comes with a 32GB console (the GamePad has custom Zelda-themed designs on it) and Wind Waker HD, but this set doesn't seem like the best value unless you're a huge Zelda fan.
• Older bundles with extra Mario or Luigi games are all round $300 and probably less desirable.

Once again, these bundles come with the 32GB console which can likely only hold 3-4 full-size AAA downloads so you might need an external hard drive eventually. I'm in the same boat with my 8GB console, though I plan to buy full-size AAA games on disc. If my available 2.7GB storage ever fills up with indie and virtual console games (unlikely, as my NES and SNES still work fine) I will look to spend less than $40 on an external hard drive, probably in the 120GB - 300GB range.

One Year In: Xbox One or Playstation 4?

It's been about a year since the Xbox One and Playstation 4 came out; so which one did I get? Neither one, so far. Which one am I eyeballing? Neither one in particular. Both consoles have failed to produce critical mass of titles which interest me. The Last of Us Remastered looks awesome, but I'm not spending $450 to play a slightly prettier version of a game I've already played (and thoroughly enjoyed). The Xbox One has Forza Horizon 2 which looks pretty cool, but I'm not that social so it probably wouldn't be fun unless my few friends joined in. Otherwise, nothing out now looks that interesting.

Looking into the future, From Software's Bloodborne seems really promising. It's a PS4 exclusive that I'll be keeping an eye on. The Xbox One doesn't have any exclusives at all I'm looking forward to at this time. In terms of console exclusives, the next-gen market is largely stagnant.

Multiplatform titles are starting to come out, albeit slowly and the previous-gen versions are still available so there's no compelling reason to upgrade. The fatal flaw of Xbox One/PS4 is they are simply not powerful enough. Neither one can reliably output 1080p (without an upscaler) at 60 frames per second. The graphical jump from 360 to One and PS3 to PS4 isn't all that earth-shattering; the least they could have given us is full HD at a reasonable framerate. But this generation's consoles are too weak for even that, let alone other improvements. Here's hoping developers can innovate on gameplay, at least.

Since most next-generation games appear to be multiplatform so far, I'll be sticking with the PC until further notice. PC and Wii U seems to be the gaming combo of choice at this point in 2014.

Bayonetta 2 Demo

Bayonetta by Platinum Games, in the likely event you haven't played it, is one of the strongest character action games to date, particularly in terms of gameplay. The combat is silky smooth and discourages mindless button mashing in rather ingenious ways. The dodging mechanic, however, is the key that ranks Bayonetta among the best. It is entirely possible to play this entire game without taking any damage, based purely on player skill. Over time you develop as a Bayonetta player and develop a skill set that only makes the game better and better. The dramatic change from new to experienced in Bayonetta is a thing of beauty. It really speaks to the caliber of gameplay Platinum developed here. If you like the way that sounds, check out Bayonetta and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, also by Platinum Games.

As officially announced at E3, Nintendo ultimately stepped up to fund development of Bayonetta 2 for their Wii U console. This week we have been treated to a free download of the Bayonetta 2 demo on the Wii U. This is probably the Wii U title I'm most excited about, so I downloaded the demo immediately upon setting up my recently-acquired Wii U.

The demo runs through about 10 minutes of gameplay, including a very dynamic moving stage and two boss battles. The art, style, music, and overall feel of the gameplay are so far unchanged from the original Bayonetta game. The level design is bold, dynamic, and bosses are massive in scale (as are Bayonetta's finisher moves). The brief demo did not touch on any items, weapons, or other equipment whatsoever, which is a bit of a disappointment. At this point it seems Platinum did not mess with their formula, but it's too soon to say for certain. Hopefully in the full version we will see Platinum take some risks and innovate in a few areas while keeping the overall feel of the original title's crisp gameplay intact.

Bayonetta 2 will be available for purchase October 24, 2014. The digital download of 2 is available for $49.99 while the retail disc version ships with both Bayonetta 1 and 2 for $59.99.

Secrets of the Wii U

The Wii U has a number of unsung features I only recently discovered:

• Its Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu, and YouTube players are really, really good. You can view content on your TV or the Wii U GamePad. Really handy when someone else is using the TV (you can plug headphones into the GamePad too, by the way).
• The TVii feature is also really interesting. You can search and view content on your TV network (cable, satellite, whatever), Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon backed by data from IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. You can also do interesting social network activities relating to the show you're watching on the GamePad while the show runs on your TV. It's a surprisingly immersive TV guide experience.
• USB storage expansion. The internal storage on the Wii U is tiny (8GB or 32GB) and laughably easy to fill with just a few games. In the 8GB console's case, you don't even have the option of downloading a game over 2.7GB since the system software itself eats up 5GB right off the bat. This issue is easily solved by attaching a cheap USB external hard drive available from Best Buy, Amazon, or Newegg.
• You can play most games right on the GamePad without using your TV. This is great when someone else is using the TV or just wants some peace and quiet. You can parallel play to your heart's content.
• The graphics are actually really good. Every game I've played, even the super-fast Mario Kart 8 outputs 1080p at a solid 60 frames per second, making it both beautiful and extremely playable even when the screen is clogged with action. Nintendo may not be pushing out games with more realistic graphics like other studios, but they make up for it with high-fidelity design and bold color. What first stands out about Mario Kart 8 are the colors: deep blues, striking reds, and vibrant greens that other games, even titles lauded for their impressive graphics (e.g. Destiny), just don't have.

Wii U Critical Mass

Nintendo released the Wii U in North America on November 18, 2012. Up until mid-2014, sales were about as lively as the Duke Nukem Forever multiplayer community.

But then Nintendo released Mario Kart 8 and, one month later, handily won E3 even with a phoned-in virtual performance. Nintendo announced enough upcoming Wii U titles that, in addition to their already-released library, opened the gates for the Wii U. Suddenly Wii U reached critical mass (finally) in terms of available software worth playing. Wii U took New Super Mario Bros. U, Super Mario 3D World, Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze, The Wonderful 101, and their recent Mario Kart 8 victory and announced the addition of Super Smash Brothers, Bayonetta 2, Splatoon, Yoshi's Wooly World, Hyrule Warriors, Xenoblade Chronicles X and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.

Finally, the Wii U has enough established and upcoming titles to warrant buying in. Enough so that after E3, the Mario Kart 8 Wii U bundles immediately sold out online and in stores. For three months in my area it was nearly impossible to find a Wii U, and I was even looking at pre-owned inventory! Hardware prices haven't been dropping much, either.

Where is that invisible "worth it" line drawn? About five or six titles. Once a console has enough software that you can spend more on games than the actual hardware, it's worth buying. Say 5 games x $50 = $250 makes the basic 8GB set worth purchasing.

Sure, Wii U still lacks in "hardcore" games (though it does have Call of Duty: Ghosts!). However, I recently rediscovered Nintendo's fun factor. Having grown so jaded and bored with most games lately (such as the aforementioned Call of Duty: Ghosts), I recently plunked down $200 for a used 8GB Wii U, a spare controller, and Super Mario 3D World. I find myself having a surprisingly good time. Nintendo is still innovating gameplay here while the shooter franchises of the world continue to stagnate. I want to keep exploring this crazy, silly world Nintendo created. I've been smiling! I hardly ever smile. Further adding to the fun, the game attracted my wife's interest so we finally have something she's interested in playing together. There's another hidden win in Nintendo's pocket: so many of their games are co-op you can play with friends.