Top 5 best Horror Games on Nintendo Systems

It's October and you all know what this means. Yes it's this time of the year again. The time of ghouls and ghosts. The time were we are all aching for a good scare. Of course finding such on Nintendo consoles may be a hard, but not impossible. Over the years our favourite maker of game consoles has been home to some pretty terryfying experiences. And no I'm not talking about the Zelda CDI games. Instead I want to take this chance to dedicate this weeks toplist to a genre that often is overlooked between Marios and Links adventures, but is just as important for a healthy console library. At least for me.

So join me in taking a look at the five best Horror games on Nintendo consoles.

5: Clock Tower

Source

It's hard to imagine by todays standards, but the first Clock Tower Game on the Super Nintendo was really terryfying. Even when I played it some years ago, when I was in my mid twenties, I still felt a little bit uneasy. Of course the Graphics are extremely outdated, but hte gameplay still perfectly transfers the feeling of help- and hopelessness.

The Story of the game is quickly told. The protagonist Jennifer and three other children are adopted by a wealthy, secluded living man, named Simon Barrows. After the are brought to his mansion, which is named Clocktower after it's most prominent feature, and Mr. Barrows is nowhere to be found, Jennifer opts to search for him. Shortly after she finds the corpse of one of the other girls and from that point onward, is stalked by a mysterious deformed man with a huge pair of scissors.

Like I said earlier Clock Tower is stil a good horror game, despite its outdated graphics, because it perfectly translates the horror via Gameplay. As with all Point and Click games you only indirectly control Jennifer. But that's not what I'm speaking about. The two main factors that keep the game working even today are Scissorman and how your character reacts to him. Scissorman may look grotesque and even funny at first glance, but the gameplay he creates is truly terryfying. The developers have perfectly incorporated one of the fundamental rules of Horror. You can't fight the monster. If you try Scissorman will kill you. Everytime.

Instead you have to hide or use enviromental traps to momentarly stop him. But here comes the second genious gameplay twist into play. Whenever Scissorman is nearby you enter panic mode. Simpyl said Jennifer is fearing for her life and this clouds her judgement. In panic mode you may trip and generally act slower based on your health.

This all coupled with the extremely open structure of the game with several endings and pathways to take made Clock Tower and instand classic in the Horror Genre with several great sequels, which sadly can't be found on Nintendo consoles.

4: Resident Evil Revelations

Source

While Resident Evil 4 is an excellent game and has claimed it's rightful place in history, it was also the first step away from the classic Resident Evil formula. Of course the end result is one of the best games of all time and most certainly the best Resident Evil game overall, but it can't be denied that it toned down the Horror Atmosphere from previous titles a little. The shift towards a more action oriented franchise started with this title and because we're talking about Horror games here, I wanted to shine the spotlight on another entry. One that brought RE back on track and put down the groundwork for the series excellent resurrection in Resident Evil 7. Of course I'm talking about the first Revelations game on the 3DS.

When the game was first introduced I, and many others, where sceptical. Can a Horror game work on a handheld console? The simple answer is, yes it can. Revelations was one of the first games that really made the 3D effect worthwile, simply because it looked great. Capcom really got everything out of the Hardware and created a gorgeous 3DS title.

But what made the game truly a success was that it perfectly brought back the old Resident Evil theme. The abandoned cruise liner Queen Zenobia is a perfect Horror location. It manages to combine grand setpieces with claustrophobic and dark corridors. But what really puts Revelations on this list is the great enemies they introduced. The T-Abyss Virus infection creates truly amazing monsters, and even though the enemy variety could be bigger, Capcom managed to create truly disturbing monsters for you to fight. And of course you don't fight them in hordes, which helps to keep things rather fresh (and frightening).

3: Eternal Darkness

Source

You can't make a list about Horror games on Nintendo consoles without mentioning this GameCube classic. If you're familiar with the Psycho Mantis Bossfight in Metal Gear Solid for the Playstation then let me tell you that Eternal Darkness is this Boss fight turned into a full game. And also if you're a fan of H.P. Lovecraft and lament his lack of presence in the video game world, then let me tell you that this is a game you need to play, as it's story is heavily inspired by the authors works.

But what is the story? Well just like the rest of the game it's complicated. The main protagonist of the game is Alexandra Roivas, but most of the time you'll be playing other characters which stories Alexandra experiences through reading in the Tome of Eternal Darknss. The Story spans over more than two centuries starting in 26 b.c. up until Alexandras part in the year 2000. It's very well written and deals heavily with the concepts of insanity and cosmic horror. I won't say anything more, just that this game is well worth playing for the great story alone.

But luckily that's not all Eternal Darkness has going on for it. The gameplay is also quite good. But of course the one thing that I have to mention, and central pillar of the gameplay, is the sanity meter. Your characters don't stay unaffected by the Horrors they'll have to face in order to survive. All of this takes a heavy toll on the mind. And Eternal Darkness takes joy in showing this to you. Every time your sanity meter drops lower more and more hallucinations will occur. Thes hallucinations are often character and location specific, so there is a shit ton of them. And the most insidious thing is that they don't ''physically'' affect your character, but they all make it harder to survive. For example a room is now full of monsters or upside down. And of course there are the legendary Fourth Wall breaks like the fake error screen that tells you your save data has been lost and so forth.

Overall Eternal Darkness is a true mindfuck of a game in the best way possible and should be enjoyed by every fan of Horror games.

2: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

Source

I haven't played Silent Hill 2....

I haven't played Silent Hill....

but I have played Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. And to all of you now saying that this is a remake of the first Silent Hill congratulations. You're technically correct. The best kind of correct.

But now back to the actual game. As stated above Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is a remake of the first Silent Hill for the Wii, but that's not entirely true. It's more of a reimagining of the first game. It has the same basic premise as the first, the main characters search for his daughter, but the plot has been altered as well as new and changed characters. The biggest change, however, is the the new and defining feature of psychotherapy sessions. From time to time you'll enter these first person sessions and answer questions. And the answers you give will then influence the future gameplay and surroundings. This creates an incredibly dynamic game that feels different for every player.

One thing that makes Silent Hill: Shattered Memories so frightening is it's monsters. Or should I say monster? Instead of many differend creatures hunting you this time around it's only one typ of monster. But don't worry you won't get bored of them because just like the rest of the game they are everychanging. Every action you take and every answer you give to the psychotherapist alters their appearance. This ensures that these monsters not only feel very threatening, but also keeps them unique for every player.

And one last thing adds to their impact. You can't fight them. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is the first title in the series without any combat system. Instead you have to avoid and outwit the monsters your own action have created. And that makes for one hell of a memorable play session.

1: Project Zero 2:

Source

When the Project Zero (Fatal Frame) IP was partially bought by Nintendo I didn't think much of it. A friend had owned the first installment on his PlayStation 2, but we never actually came around to playing it. So when I got a used copy of the Wii Remake of the second game, Crimson Butterfly, I didn't knew what I was in for. What i got was simply one of the greatest horror trips I've ever experienced.

The plot of the game is simple. The Twin Girls Mio and Mayu visit their favourite childhood playspot before it's lost to a damn construction. But the nearby forest had been home to a village a long time ago where the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual was performed. When this ritual failed one day the whole village vanished. Now there is an urban legend that whoever wanders to deep into the nearby woods becomes forever entrapped in the lost village.

I don't think I have to delve any deeper into the story, do I?

But the story is not the part that makes this game so special to me. It's the simple fact that this game has created one of the best atmospheres I've ever experienced in a video game, period. The dangerous beauty of the Lost Village really pulled me in, even with the outdated Wii hardware. And one thing that the developers understood masterfully was how to create a perfect, threatening enviroment. The Ghosts never lose their edge and every encounter had my heart beating. The game doesn't overload you with encounters, but perfectly paces them and keeps you in a state of constant tension. It is a really stressful experience. And that's what makes it so great.

So tell me. What games had a chill running down your spine? Which made you turn on the light at night? Let me know your experiences in the comments.

And as always

thanks for reading

It ain't over till it's Game Over

Source

It's only three more weeks until we finally get to play Super Mario Odyssey. Even now it's safe to say that it has been a very long time since a Mario Game has created such buzz. Of course every game the (now officially) former plumber has starred in was excellent and from the looks Odyssey will continue this trend, but it's been a while since even non Nintendo Fans looked forward to a new Mario adventure.
Odyssey aims to take everything we knew about Mario, throw it right ouf the window and start completely fresh. And I couldn't be more excited.

Still there was one piece of news lately that got me thinking. Some of you may have heard about it, while others are still blissfully unaware. Don't worry it's nothing spoilerish, so you can continue reading. The piece of Information I'm talking about was revealed by the game director Kenta Motokura.

If you die in Super Mario Odyssey you won't have to worry about your life count. Simply because there is none. So if you die you'll get send back to the last checkpoint and lose ten coins. And even if you don't have any coins left you won't Game Over. Simply speaking there is no Game Over in the game.

We thought about how a lives system would work in this kind of broad, exploration-focused game. In this sort of game, there would be a lot of different restart points. We decided not to use the lives system because it was not an element that was absolutely necessary. We also thought that it would affect some users’ desire to play because, while users who are good at the game would rarely see the (game over) screen that comes up when Mario runs out of lives, inexperienced users would probably end up seeing it frequently.

Source

Now some purists may cry out about this, but let's face the fact. When was the last time you saw a game over screen in a game? Well it was probably Breath of the Wild but just because the words are written on Screen doesn't mean that this is a true Game Over. So let me rephrase my previous question. When was the last time you saw a Game Over have serious consequences? Ahh now it gets more tricky to answer, doesn't it? So today I'd like to take a look back at the history of the Game Over Screen and how it's used today.

Money Please:

To put it simply that was the reason for the Game Over screens existance in the first place. The 80s and earyl 90s were the domain of Arcade machines. Home Consoles had started to grow in popularity, but if you wanted to play the best looking and most impressive games you had to head to your nearest Arcade. In the early days of the industry many games on NES and other consoles were simply watered down ports of the arcade version. That's why so many titles had highscores and simply felt ''arcady''.

So why was the Game Over important for arcade games? You paid to play. Yes just like with todays online gaming, in arcade halls you had to spent your hard earned money to play a round. And it influenced game design, just like microtransaktions do today. A Game Over simply meant you had to start and pay again.

Source

You may have wondered about the classic continue screen many fighting games still have. A countdown is, well, counting down from and you have to press a button to try again. Well in the arcade it worked the same, but instead of pressing a button you had to insert more money. The countdown was there to pressure you into doing so. You don't want to lose your hard earned progress, just because you hesitated for 9 seconds, don't you?

So during those days the Game Over Screen was tied to real consequences, namely losing your hard earned allowance. That's also partly a reason why so many arcade games are hard as hell. Harder games resulted in more Game Over Screens, which resulted in more money.

But with the rise of Home Consoles this started to change. Game Over couldn't have any monetary consequences anymore, so developers had to adapt. Now time lost was the measurement in which you payed for your game over. Which leads us to today.

Back to the starting line:

That's probably still the moste common Game Over penalty, if there is still a Game Over in your games. You simply get sent back to the beginning of the level to your last checkpoint or (in some very old games) to the start of the game. But while this method was quite popular in early days it quickly died down. Simply because it was very discouraging. While in the Arcade you had the chance to choose, pay for the continue or loose your progress, on the home console this choice was absent. This lead to frustrated customers quitting, which in turn lead to the developers gradually reducing the impact the Game Over had on the gameplay experience.

Another fact for the dwindling impact of the Game Over Screen was owed to the fact that games grew more and more diverse. Over the time the simply platforming gameplay, which dominated the early NES days, had turned into countless different genres. And with that new questions arose. How do you implent a ''Game Over'' into a sports game? Or you can't send the player back to the start of your game, if it's a hundred hour long RPG epic.

Source

The questions developers now had to answer was if they wanted a Game Over in ther game and if yes, how could they make it count? Many started to answer the first question with no. Games like Assassins Creed don't really offer a Game Over anymore. If you die you'll get briefly desynchronized before you can start again from a savepoint, which there are many off, meaning that in the end the only time you loose is on the loading screen. Even Breath of the Wild does this. When you attack an enemy camp and fail, you may see the words Game Over written in red letters over a black screen, but once you press Continue you'll start again at the same location.

The Idea is that a death shouldn't frustrate you instead. Instead it should allow you the learn from your mistakes and quickly use your new knowledge to this time conquer the task in front of you.

Game Over truly has become nothing more than some words written on the screen. So the question todays developers have to answer isn't really if they want a Game Over or not, but how much do they want death to count. How much should a death cost you?

To die, or not to die:

The Game Over has always been just the name for the most costly death. A ''normal'' death may send you back to the start of the level, but once you've used up all your lives it will send you to the start of the game. As we iterated the concept of finite lives and the Game Over has mostly disappeared from todays gaming market, but that doesn't mean the concept of a costly death has. But it's easy to make a death cost ''much''. It's not so easy to do this without creating a frustrating experiences for your customer. It's a thin line creating a death system that does punish your players but at the same time encourages them to keep playing your game. Luckily there are two games out there that impented that concept brilliantly.

Source

The first one is Dark Souls (it was probably Demon Souls but I've never played that game. Like with everything in the Game Dark Souls really punished you for your death. Souls are the core currency in the games world. You use them to level up and buy things from merchants. Because of that they're pretty important. Now if you die you loose all your souls and are send back to the last bonfire (savepoint). Now because this would feel really frustrating because you will die a lot in Dark Souls the developers implemented a genious trick. You can reclaim your souls if you manage to come back to the place where you died earlier and pick them up. But if you die again before that they are lost forever. They give you a chance to make up for your mistake. This has two effects. Frist it makes a stressful game even more stressful if you have to get through the deadly traps of Sen's Fortress to reclaim your one million souls near the top, and secondly because of it Dark Souls never feels unfair. You always have the chance to get back what is yours. Another Game that used the same concept was Zombi U for the Wii-U. If you died there you're character would turn into a Zombie and you'd take control of a new survivor. If you then returned to the place your former Avatar had died, you could find him(or her) wandering around the area as Zombi. Now you just had to kill your former self to reclaim all your equipment. But just like with Dark Souls if you died again before that all was lost.

The second one is the predecessor to a game which released the other day. Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor was kind of a sleeper hit in 2014. The gameplay was an Assassins Creed rip-off, but quite solid and Monolith managed to create a Mordor that was interesting to explore. The hidden star of the game was, however, the Nemesis System. Many of the Orks in Saurons Army did have unique character traits and even without the players input the Army would change. Orcs would fight eachother and rise in rank. I don't want to get into to much detail for this system, but there was one aspect of it that ties into todays topic. If an Orc managed to kill you during your adventure this would have real consequences. Not for the player, you would still get send back to the last checkpoint and could start again, but for the Orc. Not only would they gain scars from the encounter but if they managed to kill you they would then rise in rank and grow more powerful. So as a direct consequences of your failure your enemies grew stronger. This wasn't just a great way to attach a real weight to your deaths, but also served to motivate the player. Finally killing an Orc that managed to slay you earlier is an extremely satisfying feeling.

But how does this all tie into Mario you may ask? Well I talked about this two examples to show that just adding weight to a death isn't enough today. It would be easy for the developers of Odyssey to just implement a life system and if you saw the Game Over just throw you back at the start of the world and delete all your Power Moons, but that would be bad game design and feel extremely discouraging. Death can still have weight in video games, but you need to be the right game for it. It shouldn't be an afterthought, but instead needs to be an integral part of the experience. If it isn't then you're better off simply kicking it out.

But what are your experiences with Game Over in Video Games? Which Game Over did turn you insane? Do you miss a meaningful Live and Game Over System in todays games? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

And as always

thanks for reading

Top 5 Nintendo Enemies

What is a hero without his villain? It's a widely accepted truth that the nemesis is as, if not more, important as the protagonist of your story. But what is a villian without his henchmen? The upcoming remake of Mario & Luigi Superstar Sage intends to shed some light on that question in the new mode Bowsers Minions. Because even the most powerful evildoer can't do all by himself.

So I'd like todays toplist to be about the henchmen. The everyday evil guys. You may stomp them without a second thougt, but that is exactly their job. They exist as stepping stones for the hero, to elevate him. While the endboss waits hin his castle, they are out there doing the hard work. Everyday.

Not every enemy has to be a fire breathing dragon or an eldritch abomination. Often its the simple everyday enemies that leave the biggest impression. Their simplicity is what makes them iconic. Just like a fancy five star menu is perfect to top an amazing day, but for our everyday breakfast we love to return to the simplicity of our cereals or a simple marmelade sandwich.

So to start this years months of evildoers and villians I want to honor the everyman of evil. The hard working lakey that makes sure it's masters dreams of world domination are realized.

5: Waddle Dee

Source

Kirby is a monster. It's time we all face the truth and accept this cute looking pink ball as the eldritch abomination that he is. An all devouring monstrosity that is never satisfied. Anyone who blocks his path will surely fall victim to the endless void inside his stomach. So to stand against him you need the most fearless and elite of warriors. That's what makes the Waddle Dee all the more impressive. Sadly their bravery is hardly ever rewarded.

As King Dedede guys for everything one can often see them performing mundane tasks, but they are also the first line of defense against the endless pink hunger. Because they don't give Kirby any special powers when consumed they are often spared the horrific fate of digestion and instead spit out as projectiles to kill their friends and family.

As you can see the life of a Waddle Dee isn't an easy one, which makes them all the more impressive. Time and time again they face Kirby with dutiful dedication. They never back down and without them Kirbys adventure simply wouldn't feel whole. And that earns them a spot on this list.

4: Kremling

Source

I love Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and I can say that I thought the Snowmads to be awesome and unique villians. But let's be honest. Even though they were really great the can't compare with the original thiefs of Donkey Kongs Bananas. The Kremlings belong on this list because of their diversity. These crocodile bastards manage to pull of a militaristic look, crazy scientists and even Pirates. Because of that it felt like you faced fresh enemies during each and every of the three original Donkey Kong Country games. And that's what elevates them above the Snowmads. While the nordic animals had the viking look perfectly nailed down, it's hard to imagine them as anything else. The Kremlings don't share this problem.

So let's talk about, what is my favourite game in the series and among the top five games of all time for me, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddys Kong Quest. Not only was Crocodile Isle an awesome and creepy location to visit, but the Kremlings adapted too. While they were mostly bland crocodiles in the first title, here they showed just how diverse they could truly be. From the fake legged Pirate to creepy ghosts. They filled the location with life (or in the case of Kackle unlife).

3: Shy Guy

Source

I know that Shy Guys debuted in, what was originally a game called Doki Doki Panic, and of course I know, that this game got turned into Super Mario Bros. 2 for the West. Still the game that really established Shy Guys was the, in my opinion, best game of all time Yoshis Island. Shy Guys, just like Kremlings, show a lot of diversity, while you travel across the Islands various regions. But that is not all there is to them. Shy Guys are part of one of the biggest mysterys in gaming. What exactly are they hiding behind their mask? We know that Luigi got a brief glimpse and it left a lasting impression on him.

Source

Is it a horrific face? Or no face at all? Nintendo probably won't answer the question, but this only increases the appeal of the Shy Guys. And one more thing. Not only are they mysterious, but also some of them show awarness of their role and standing in the universe. While Paper Mario: Color Splash for the Wii-U may not be regarded as a high point for the series, it was still a solid game that showed of the great versitility of the Shy Guys. One of them left a lasting impression on me, and yes it was the one, who has a long and peaceful conversation with Mario on the Sunset Express.

Source

As you can see the Shy Guys are more than their Mask and they definitely deserve a spot on this list.

2: Goomba

Source

And of course the same applies to our next entry. While Bowser may be the King of the Koopas his most iconic servants are without a doubt the small brown walking shiitake mushrooms. Interestingly even though they are the first enemy encountered in Mario Bros. they were the last to be designed. Originally the common green Koopa should fill their role, but early playtesters said that they were too difficult to defeat for a beginner. Becasue of that Miyamoto designed and enemy that could be defeated by one single stomp. And by that one of the most iconic video game henchmen was born.

Goombas are the perfect first enemy. Very easy to defeat, but not completely helpless. And interestingly they have a pretty rich backstory, even though you'd have to look outside of the Mario Jump'n'Runs for that. Especially the first two Paper Mario Games did a great job to flesh out the Goomba race. Locations like Goomba Village or Rogueport show them in other roles as the simple ground troop of Bowsers army. Of course this is, and always will be, their main role, but just like with the Shy Guy on the Sunset Express it's nice to see that there is more to them.

1: Metroid

Source

After seeing the Goombas only on the number 2 spot it was clear that Number one had to be something special. An enemy that managed to surpass all the others with ease. And I'm not only talking about power wise, evne though the Metroid would win here with ease too. No it's the simple fact that no other ''basic'' enemy managed to have the entire series they come from named after them. Goombas will always be part of the Mario Universe, while Kremlings belong to Donkey Kong. But here it's Samus that is part of the Metroid Universe, even though she is the main heroine.

Metroids simply are the full package. They are iconic, unique and formidable foes. In my opinion they even manage to outshine most of the series ''big'' villians, except for Ridley of course. Because nothing is cooler than a huge purple Space Dragon. But back to the Metroids. Not only are they extremely dangeorus, even for veteran Space Warriors like Samus Aran, because of their ability to drain the energy of every living organism, but their immunity to most damage, except freezing temperatures, makes them next to impossible to beat without special equipment.

They were so dangerous that one game is entirely focused on killing every last one of them. And even after that they regularly pop up in the series. For that tenacity the Metroids surely deserve the first place on this list.

But what about you? What kind of enemies are your favourites? Is it because you enjoy fighting against them or are there other reasons? Whatever your answer is let me know it in the comments.

And as always

thanks for reading

Top 5 atmospheric Games on Nintendo Consoles

Happy and colorful. That is the image that Nintendo has cultivated over the years. And that's the way they are seen by the general public. Just take a look at their two latest big new IPs, Splatoon and ARMS, and you'll see it for yourself. Now of course there is nothing wrong with that, and that's the last thing I would want to imply. But this image, as true as it is, leads to one simple problem. At least in my eyes. People tend to see Nintendo as just that. It's just a kids and family company. And this will and should always be Nintendos main identity. But to say Nintendo is just that is very, very wrong.

When I say to you, think of a typical Nintendo title, most of you probably going to have a very specific picture in mind. But what people tend to forget, when thinking of Nintendo games, is that there is more than just the Happy and colorful fassade. There are countless games for Nintendo consoles with thick atmosphere. Of course this doesn't exclude happy and colorful ones, but most people tend to forget that. When you think of an atmospheric game you probably think of something dark and brooding. Which is a damn shame because atmosphere can come in all shapes and colors. So today I'd like to focus on this topic. I hope you'll enjoy my little collection of atmospheric Nintendo games.

5: Xenoblade Chronicles X

Source

For me this game is still one of the best games on the Wii-U and it's a damn shame that so few people have played it. Luckily Xenoblade Chronicles 2 looks just as promising, so maybe this time around more people get to enjoy the creative worlds that Monolith tends to create. Because if there is one thing that this studio excels at, then it's creating imaginative worlds with rich atmosphere. And while the original Xenoblade had some really cool areas, which has to be expected of a game set on two gigantic titans, Xenoblade Chronicles X really took the cake for me. Becaues it was one of the few games that managed to create truly alien feeling areas. While venturing through Sylvalum or Noctilum I never had the feeling that something like this could exist on earth. Together with the genius music this created an alien atmosphere that has yet to be replicated by another game for me.

Source

There is hardly anything comparable to the feeling of soaring through the Noctilum with your Skell. The titanic beasts and awe-inspiring enviroments just suck me in. Or the contrast between the calm serenity of Sylvalum and the deadly beasts that inhabit it. The other three continents int the game, Oblivia, Cauldros and Primordia, don't manage to live up to that standard fully, but they are just as beautiful. Especially at night.

Sadly that rich atmosphere is sometimes interrupted by the gameplay. I'm not talking about battles or the like, but things like collectibles being small blue crystals floating on the overworld instaed of actual things. Picking up an actual plant from the ground or simply driving over a bluy crystal symbolizing it, is a huge difference. Especially in the atmosphere department. Still the awe-inspiring enviroments will (hopefully) let forget about such minor hiccups.

4: Zombi U

Source

Everytime I mention this game I praise it. But it's simply that good. Especially for being a launch title on the Wii-U. Coming from a time when Ubisoft still was fully behind Nintendo this game sought to do what Red Seel on the Wii couldn't. Showing of the new unique capabilities of the console and create a good title in the process. What we got is still one of the best Horror titles on any console. Ubisoft managed to do the unthinkable and make Zombies menacing again. And they did it with one simple trick, which also was responsible for the great atmosphere of the title. The perrfect use of the Wii-U gamepad. I have already talked countless times that Zombi U used the problem of competing screens to it's advantage. By not pausing the game when you open the inventory and forcing the player to look onto the gamepad they create a threatening atmosphere where you never can relax. Just how a Horror Game should feel.

Zombi U is the perfect example that you don't need the latest tech and best graphics to create an atmosphere that sucks you into the game. It uses the limitations and possibilities of it's hardware perfectly. That's also the reason why the port of the game for X-Box, PlayStation and PC didn't truly work in my eyes. Zombi U only works fully on the Wii-U, but here it creates a horror atmosphere that doesn't allow you to relax even one second.

3: Metroid Prime

Source

You can't talk about atmosphere without mentioning one of the most atmospheric game series of all time. Even with it's limited tools on the NES and SNES Metroid always managed to suck you into it's alien worlds. The feeling of isolation mixed with the greatness of Samus Aran truly created an unique atmosphere. So when the series made the jump to 3D enviroments it continued to do exactly that. Metroid Prime was a huge risk for Nintendo. Not only was the series on a more than seven year hiatus, but the preceding game also was one of the greatest of all time. So could Talon IV keep up with the creepy and alien atmosphere of Planet Zebes?

To answer this question quickly. Yes it could. Retro masterfully reimagined Metroid as First-Person title, and while Talon IV may not feel as alien as Zebes at first glance, it is an absolutely stunning and atmospheric place to visit. Even now more than a decade later.

The one thing Retro absolutely nailed on their first try with the Metroid Series was the feeling of lonelyness. Exploring Talon IV always feels dangerous, but never out of your league. After all your Samus Aran.

One of the main reasons for the great atmosphere of the title is, without a doubt, the switch to first-Person. This creates a much stronger connection with the game. Metroid Prime manages to make you forget your surroundings and completely sucks you into it's alien world. And any game that still manages that more than a decade after it's release deserves a place on this list.

2: Resident Evil 4

Source

In 2002 Capcom announced the Capcom 5. Five exclusive titles for the Nintendo Gamecube. Among those was one game in particular that created a lot of buzz. Resident Evil had been a PlayStation exclusive series up until then. But after releasing the excellent Remake on the first title on the GameCube the wind seemed to change. And so the excellent Resident Evil 4 was created from the ground up as GameCube exclusive. (Ironic because nowadays nearly each available platform on the market got a port of this game.)

After the third title in the series and the spin-off Code: Veronica the Resident Evil franchise was in a tight spot. The games, great as they were, had started to feel stale. Because of that game creator Shinji Mikami decided that the gameplay of the series needed a rework. The result was, and still is, one of the greates horror titles ever.

So what is so great about the atmosphere in Resident Evil 4? Well I could talk about how great the game sill looks or how the varied and detailed enviroments or rural spain suck you in. But the thing that truly creates the great atmosphere, at least for me, are the enemies. No longer are you fighting brainless Zombies, but infected villages and cul people. And while the Las Plagas parasite has made them obedient towards the cult, it hasn't turned them into mindless Zombies. They behave quite dynamically and adjust to your strategy. And that's what makes this game so atmospheric.

1: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Source

Never ever before have I lost myself to such an extent in a virtual world. Only Skyrim and my first time playing World of Warcraft in 2005 come close to the feeling that Breath of the Wild created. When the game was first introduced in 2014 I couldn't completely believe Nintendos promise of a truly open game, where you could tackle problems from any possible angle. But I happily admit how wrong I was. Not only did Breath of the Wild create the most ''open'' Open world so far, but it also has showed me the limitations other, similar, games have. Awkwardly jumping up a mountain in Skyrim now feels so much worse after experiencing the climbing system in BotW.

To me the game is the complete package where presentation and gameplay perfectly work together to create the single best atmosphere in any game I've played so far.

An important factor in that is the genious muscial score, that is praised far to less when talking about the game. Yes the score is very withdrawn, but that's exactly the idea. It is only there to emphasize the world. Take the Hebra Mountains as an example. The sparse music there serves to pull you in and emphasize the feeling of cold- and lonelyness that these mountains emit. Also when the Score wells up from time to time it feels that much more intense and special.

If you've never played Breath of the Wild it's hard to describe but the ability to go wherever you want simply changes everything. When playing Breath of the Wild I don't have the feeling that I'm playing a game, instead it truly feels like an adventure. An Adventure everyone should experience for themselves.

So what games manage to suck you in with their atmosphere? Which games let you forget the fact that you're playing a game? I really love to hear your answer. So let me know in the comments.

And as always

thanks for reading

5 times Nintendo dropped the Ball with Metroid

This week it's finally time. Seven years after the last ''proper'' release in the series we're getting a new Metroid game. Of course it's not completely new, but ''just'' a remaster of Metroid 2 for the Gameboy, but if you compare both games directly it's like night and day. Metroid: Samus Returns is not just a remaster with better graphics, but a true remake build from the foundation that was Metroid 2. With new areas and more story this game will be worth it even if you know the original in and out. Or at least that's what I hope. The definitive answer will arrive on the 15^th of September when the game finally launches.

Still in the past Metroid fans didn't have it easy. Even though Samus is often considered as one of the big three Nintendo figures, together with Link and Mario, she is by far the character with the fewest appearances. Also Nintendo hasn't been handling her all to well in the past. And while I'm sure that Samus Returns and the upcoming Prime 4 will be a return to form for her, it can't be denied that Nintendo has had several missteps in Metroids long and storied history.

So before we, hopefully, return to a positive outlook for the Metroid series let us delve one last time into the dark pits that was the Metroid series in the last couple of years. Hopefully by looking back at the darkness behind us the light at the end of the tunnel will shine even brighter.

So without further ado here are the five times Nintendo has dropped the Ball with Metroid.

5: Metroid Prime Pinball

Source

Metroid is a series that has a very unique atmosphere. No matter which game you play all perfectly translate the feeling of being alone in space perfectly to the player. So what is the natural idea for the first Spin-off game in the series? If your answer is a Pinball game because of Samus Morph Ball then I think I hate you. Metroid Prime Pinball was released in 2005 in NA (or 2007 in Europe) for the Nintendo DS. It was a commercial failure selling only 6,228 copies during it's first month, but more importantly this was the first proper Spin-off game the Metroid series recieved. Not only that but it felt more like a cheap cash in, than a full fledged game. Nearly all reviews criticized the lack of variety and content.

Not to say that the game was bad, but a series with such a long history clearly deserved more. Metroid Prime Pinball is a perfect example on how to cheaply cash in on a huge IP. In todays market it would probably be a phone game, created to make a quick buck. Still some of the redeeming qualities the game has, are the fact that it's actually a pretty good pinball game and fans of the Metroid series will recognize many details on the different tables.

Still the fact remains that the first proper Spin-off the Metroid series recieved should have been something more thematically appropriate. A stealth based game where you play a Federation Spy or maybe a team based shooter with some federation forces.... which brings us to...

4: Metroid Prime Federation Force

Source

Hach Metroid Prime Federation force... you were so young and innocent. But you were also delivered to us at the worst possible time. You just can't hope that Fans, who have been waiting for a new game in a franchise, will take lightly to a spin-off game using a completely different art style and having little in common with the main line entries. Federation Force has been doomed from the start, which is a pity because the game wasn't that bad. It's not great by any means, but it is a solid team shooter. It was a solid Spin-off and certainly more thematically fitting than a Pinball game.

Then why is it higher on this list? The answer is simple. When Metroid Prime Pinball was released it was between Prime 2 and 3 during one of the best peroids for being a Metroid fan. As a result the game was mostly ignored or accepted as a fun oddity. When Federation Force released it had been six years since the last proper Metroid title. And that title was Other M.

So the first Metroid title after a full console cycle was a game where you didn't even play Samus. And while I did say that the game wasn't half bad there is one glaring flaw, which I simply can't ignore. Earlier I said that Metroid is a game series with a strong and rich atmosphere. And that is the one thing that Federation Force is severly lacking. The Chibi Artstyle they chose for this adventure simply doesn't mix well with the idea of a Metroid title.

So in conclusion the game came at the worst possible time and with the worst possible art style. Which is a damn shame because otherwise I'm sure it would've been a success. So in the end Nintendo is to blame for the fall of Metroid Prime: Federation Force

3: Not celebrating the 25^th anniversary

Source

2011 was a huge year for Nintendo. During e3 they celebrated 25 years of Zelda with a live orchestra and later that year Skyward Sword, the biggest Zelda releas up to that point, came out for the Wii. And Nintendo really went all out to make the 25^th anniversary of the Zelda series as big as possible.

Another series that celebrated it's 25^th birthday during that year was Metroid. Of course you wouldn't know because Nintendo did absolutely nothing to remind you of that fact. No concerts, no release, not even a sale of older titles on the e-shop.

Hey Samus thanks for 25 years of service and staring in several of the most critically aclaimed video games of all time. Here's a friendly handshake. Now back into the closet with you.

Metroid is often ranked among the most important Nintendo franchises. Even though it doesn't sell huge quantities of games it has an extremely high standing among the more hardcore gamers. A demographic in which Nintendo doesn't have the strongest standing. Metroid is one of the few possibilities to garner the attention of that crowd. By not celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the Metroid series Nintendo let a perfect opportunity got to waste to promote their brand as something more than just a casual paradise.

2: Metroid Other M

Source

Metroid Other M started with a bold vision. Giving Samus a voice. But along the way it seems like Nintendo forgot that she also has to say something with that voice. When Other M was released Voice Acting was still a novelty in Nintendo titles. Metroid Prime: Corruptoin had been the trail blazer three years earlier. Samus, however, had remained silent during the course of that game. And looking back this was the right decision.

Before Other M we never knew what Samus was thinking. So we had to fill that with our own imagination. Luckily her actions did speak for her. We got to know Samus as a badass bounty hunter, who gets the job done. Even when faced with immense danger she never backed down, but instead bravely faced it head on.

Well now we know she proabably was haunted by self doubt during all those encounters. Other M has many problems, but by far the biggest has to be Samus characterization in that game. I get that they intended to maker her a flawed character for a more engaging story. After all it's hard to connect with a superhuman, but they overshot that goal by a long mile. Other M currently sits nearly at the end of the Metroid canon. When the game takes place Samus not only had been a soldier in the galactic federation, but also an accomplished bounty hunter and hero for several years. She has survived two encounters with Mother Brain, exterminated the Metroids and defeated Dark Samus. And still one meeting with her old superior turns her back into the insecure and, to be honest, dumb girl she was many years ago?

To say Metroid Other M has been pretty damaging to Samus character would put it lightly. At this point everything about that game should be forgotten and burried.

1: Not doing enough with (and for) the franchise

Source

Between Super Metroid and Metroid Prime were nearly 8 years and between Other M and Federation Force still 6 years. And if you count Metroid Prime 4 as the next ''true'' Metroid game then it's even more. As you can see Metroid has always been a series with ups and downs. Which is a huge shame considering the great potential it offers.
It's often said that Nintendo lacks appeal for more mature audiences. It even goes so far that some people love to suggest transitioning games like Zelda into a game for adults. I think a darker Zelda is always among the top of wishes when a new game in that series is announced.

What people tend to forget is that Nintendo already has a franchise with a dark atmosphere and the possibility for a deep story. And they just ignore it.

Even though there lies so much potential in the Metroid series. Not only in the mainline games, but also in spin-offs and merchandise. Of course Samus is no Mario, so seeing her go cart racing or having a nice Boardgame with Ridley would not fit into the tone of the series, but games like Federation Force, ill recieved as it was, prove that there are great possibilities for Spin-Off games in the series. And not only that. Metroid would be a great fit for adaptiation in a different Medium. Expanding the backstory of the galactic federation in a series would be interesting to see.

Generally speaking the lack of Metroid in all of Nintendos merchandise is just baffling. While you see Mario around every corner and each GameStop has at least two copies of Zelda Monopoly in store you're hard pressed to finde any trace of Samus outside her own games. And that is a damn shame.

Where do you think Nintendo dropped the Ball with Samus? What would you do differently? Let me know in the comments

and as always

thanks for reading

Top Five Times Nintendo has thought outside the box

Nintendo is an interesting company. On one hand they are as conservative as it gets, but on the other they always manage to surprise us with some new inovation. I think it's this duality that has allowed them to stay relevant up to this day. They never forget their roots, but always strive to move forward. Of course they sometimes go overboard in both directions. Innovation for Innovations sake is never desirable, as is complete stillstand.

But overall Nintendo managed to achieve a good balance I think.

Still the company is mostly seen as living in the past, being stuck in their old ways. But as we fans all know this is far from the truth. Nintendo is an ever changing company with one single focus. Creating quality Video Games for us to enjoy. Now before this introduction sounds even more like a glorified press release, let me introduce todays topic to you.

Overall Nintendo is a traditonalistic company. We can always count on them releasing a new Mario Kart on a console or handheld. We always know that the next Mario adventure is on it's way, and we can be certain that a return to Hyrule is already planned. And we know what to expect from these games. Great, but familiar gameplay. But today I'd like to shine the focus on the unexpected. The decisions that took us all by surprise. Today I'd like to talk about the five times that Nintendo has thought outside the box. The times the left their comfort zone and created something truly new.

5: Breath of the Wild

Source

Who woul'dve thought that a series like Zelda, which is filled to the brim with history, would appear on a list like that. And to be honest up until e3 2016 I would've never even considered it, but then this trailer hit and changed everything.

Source

In just 3 Minutes and 19 Seconds Nintendo managed to throw everything we knew about Zelda out of the Window. A completely open World. Survival Gameplay. Breath of the Wild looked like a different game entirely. And the simple truth is, it not only seemed that way, but also felt unlike any Zelda title before once you've got to play it. The new world of Hyrule, while familiar at first sight, was something you have never seen on a Nintendo console before.

Zelda is a storied franchise with a lot of critical acclaim. Nintendo didn't need to change anything about the formula. Skyward Sword, the last truly classic console Zelda, sold well and recieved great scores. Still Nintendo and Eiji Aonuma opted to give the series a complete shake-up. It was a huge risk fundamentally changing, what is arguaby, your most important franchise so completely, but it was a risk that, in the end, payed out.

Breath of the Wild was a new start for Zelda. Like the original game in 1986 or Ocarin of Time in 1998 it has set the standard for future iterations of the series. The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild is one of the best examples of Nintendo stepping outside their comfort zone. And it is glorious.

4: Virtual Console

Source

Nostalgia is a huge part of Nintendos identity. Heck if you ask the right people they will tell you that it's the only thing about Nintendo. No other gaming company can look back on such a storied history as Nintendo. For over 30 years they've been providing us with great games and great memories. But in 2005 this wasn't really the case. Apart from a Handful SNES games they had ported to the GameBoy Advance Nintendo didn't really capitalize on their long history of games. Nobody in the industry did. Everything was focused on moving forward. If you wanted to enjoy the classics you'd have to find an old console at someones yard sale. But during e3 2005 while introducing the Wii Satoru Iwata revealed the Virtual Console.

The Wii was the first Nintendo console with actual backwards compability. But instead of fullfilling the standard of being able to play games from the previous console generation they went beyond that. Via the Virtual Console the Wii was backwards compatible towards all former Nintendo consoles. Of course you'd had to buy the games again, but for many this was a small price for having all of their favourite games on one console. Now you could play A Link to the Past and Super Mario 64 back to back without the need of switching consoles.

The Virtual Console marked the first time that Nintend truly started capitalizing on the massive value of Nostalgia. It was a genius idea and proved that they were capable of adapting to a new market. The Wii was the first gaming console for a lot of people and via Virtual Console they were given the chance to catch up on over 20 years of gaming history.

3: Donkey Kong

Source

It seems hard to understand nowadays, but in 1980 the world was a very different place. And even though video games were mildly successful during that time their appeal was still very limited. They story behind the game is well known nowadays. In 1980 Nintendo of America was left with a large amount of Radar Scope arcade machines, because they failed to sell. Hiroshi Yamauchi, the president of Nintendo during that time, tasked a young designer called Shigeru Miyamoto to create a replacement game, which could be insterted into the machines to replace Radar Scope. This was Miyamotos first shot at designing a video game. He was also supervised by veteran Nintendo engineer Gunpei Yokoi (who you might know as the father of the GameBoy)

The two immidiatelly started working on a game concept that, for that time, was truly revolutionary. Yokoi and Miyamoto used the graphics as a means to characterize the hero of the game. No longer were you a faceless character, but you controlled Jumpman on his quest to save the beautiful Pauline from the brutish Donkey Kong. Not only that, but the two designers also included Cutscenes and different stages. Unheard at that time.

Donkey Kong proved to be a huge success and the jump start for Miyamotos legendary career. It revolutionized story telling in video games. And all that because Nintendo thought outside the box to find a solution for the unsold Radar Scope machines.

2: Metroid Prime:

Source

Let's see. You have one of your most iconic franchises, which hasn't seen a new release in over 8 years. You want to bring it back, but it has to adapt and change to fit into the modern gaming enviroment. Whad do you do?

If your answer is you hand the task to a newly founded american studio, which hasn't released any games so far then welcome abord the board of executives at Nintendo. Because that's exactly what happened in 2002 when Nintendo released Metriod Prime for the GameCube.

In 2000 Shigeru Miyamoto visited the studios of Retro in Austing, Texas. He wasn't impressed with the prototypes of games the studio was working on during that times, but saw a lot of potential in their Action-Adventure Game Engine. He suggested it could be used to develop a new game in the Metroid series. And that's not the only thing he did suggest. He was also the driving force behind transitioning the game into an first person perspective.

This was a bold new step. Afterall Super Metroid is often regarded as one of the best games of all time. To throw nearly everything about this game out of the window and create a new experience in Metroid Prime was a huge risk. But like with Breath of the Wild it was a risk that was very well worth taking. Next to Ocarina of Time and Super Mario 64 Metroid Prime is often named when talking about the perfect example of a 2D to 3D transition. And it has cemented it's place as one of the best games of all time. Just like its predecessor.

1: Wii

Source

In 2005 Nintendo was in a difficult position. Their days of ruing over the console market were long gone. Sony had dominated them the second time in a row with the PlayStation 2 and the Gamecube had even fallen short in defeating the new competitor X-Box. At the end of the sixth generaion the PlayStation 2 reigned supreme with over 150 Million Units followed by the X-Box with 24 and then the Gamecube with 22 Million sales. During this time Nintendo president Satoru Iwata realized something. Nintendo couldn't compete directly with Sony and Microsoft. So instead of entering the ever evolving hardware and power race Nintendo instead opted for something different. Instead of fighting for a finite amount of hardcore gamers they instead decided to tap into a completely new market of customers. People, which up until then, wheren't even considered to be possible buyers. People, who had never played a video game before. Nintendo literally jumped out of the box of pre-existing customers with the Wii.

During e3 2005 Nintendo announced the Nintendo Wii. Barely more powerful than a Nintendo Gamecube and instead focusing on motion controls. It took everyone by surprise. Instead of making games look better and bigger they introduced a completely new way to play. And the reletively weak tech had another advantage. The Wii sold for a retail price which none of the other two consoles could come even close to.

Nintendo had created the perfect storm. Everyone immidiatelly understood the appeal of Motion Gaming through Wii sports and the low price made the decission to get a Wii even easier. No matter on which side you are on the whole Motion Gaming experience in 2006 and 2007 the Wii was the thing to get. And at the end of the console generation, despite it's short comings and a lackluster support during it's latter days, the Wii reigned supreme with over 101 Million Units sold.

When did Nintendo surprise you? Did they ever? Tell me in the comments.

and as always
thanks for reading