Lessons from Super Mario Maker

I've basically been wanting to make video games since as long as I've been playing video games. I think most gamers have. But I think we take video games for granted. On a few occasions I've actually tried to make my own games and it's a lot harder than it seems. Even games that seems simple, like a top-down Zelda style game, have incredibly intricate rules.

I've even tried software built to make game creation simple with stuff like drag-and-drop interfaces. Trust me, you'd probably have an easier time pushing your car uphill than making a simple, bug-free game in a month for a class assignment where you're with a group of three other people and they don't put in the same amount of work and you have to animate sprites by yourself while your friends are off actually playing video games but you can't because you're busy making one and it's not fun anymore.

And then came Super Mario Maker.

Nintendo to release Super Mario 64 HD in 2016

Not an picture of the actual thing.

Don't you think it's weird that Nintendo just shut down that harmless fan recreation of Super Mario 64 in HD the other day? Turns out there's a reason behind it. Although it's not expected to be revealed until E3, Nintendo is hard at work on an HD overhaul of Super Mario 64 set to release next year for the game's 20th birthday. It's no wonder they don't want their own game being confused with a fan creation. The game will have a retail release next year on Wii U and will use amiibo to unlock additional playable characters from the DS version. It will contain other "extras" as well, though there are no details on these. The leak, of course, comes by way of NeoGaf, the place where all leaks originate. You can read the post here if you're so inclined. Who's excited!?

The first 10 years

Did you know Installation 04 is ten years old today? The ribbon there is a bit misleading since the site was founded with only two weeks of the year remaining. The real 10th year is 2015, so I ought to change that. But who cares anyway, because ten years is a long time to be online! So long, in fact, that you probably don't even realize how long. 

To put it in perspective, here's a bunch of websites that Installation 04 is older than:

• Facebook (publicly available only since September 26th, 2006– the private Harvard version is only a year older than this site)
• Twitter (launched July 15, 2006)
• YouTube (February 14, 2005)
• Tumblr (launched in 2006)
• Destructoid (launched March 16th, 2006)
• GamesRadar (launched 2005)
• Polygon (launched October 24, 2012)
• The Verge (launched November 1, 2011)
• The Huffington Post (launched May 9, 2005)
• Reddit (launched June 23, 2005)
• Wordpress (launched November 21, 2005)
• Instagram (launched October 6, 2010)
• imgr (launched February 23, 2009)
• Netflix streaming (launched February 2007)
• Hulu (launched 2007)
• Dropbox (launched 2008)
• Buzzfeed (launched 2006)
• Pinterest (launched March 2010)

Here's some websites older than Installation 04:

• IGN (launched September 1996)
• GameSpot (launched May 1996)
• CNET (launched March 5, 1994)
• Joystiq (launched June 2004)
• Kotaku (launched October 2004)
• Engadget (launched March 2004)
• Google (launched September 1998)
• Yahoo (launched January 1994)
• Amazon (launched July 5, 1994)
• Wikipedia (launched January 15, 2001)
• Blogger (obviously– launched August 23, 1999)
• eBay (launched September 3, 1995)
• Ask (launched June 1996)
• MSN (launched August 1995)
• Craigslist (launched 1996)
• DeviantArt (launched August 7, 2000)

FAST FACTS:

• When Installation 04 started, the iPhone and Android didn't exist. The iPhone was first released June 29, 2007. And Android was released shortly after.
• The most current game consoles were the Xbox, GameCube, and PS2. The DS was released only one month (November 21st) before the site launched.
• Halo 2 had just been released on November 9th. And Fable had just been released on September 14th.
• It would be another year before Kingdom Hearts 2 and Shadow of the Colossus were released.
• The most recent Pokemon games were Fire Red and Leaf Green, released September 9.
• Invader Zim was still on the air and Avatar wasn't on the air yet.
• Toonami had just been moved to Saturday nights in April.
• Samurai Jack had just concluded on September 24.
• Sonic The Hedgehog didn't completely suck yet. The latest game was Sonic Advance 3.
• The latest Harry Potter book was "Order of the Phoenix".
• The SpongeBob movie had just released on November 19th.

So happy 10th birthday to Installation 04! The 10th year should be an awesome one, so stay tuned. Hopefully we can do this again for the 20th anniversary.

Oh, stupid me! I almost forgot to thank everyone who's contributed over the last ten years! Thanks to Doegab, Battsman, RaiderBear, Prince Omega, and MonkeyLord! You guys are awesome.

Mario Galaxy 2 and the Lost Essence of Video Games

Playing through Super Mario 3D World really made me appreciate what makes a game good, which got me thinking about how fantastic the Super Mario Galaxy series is. Then I remembered a piece written by my good friend RaiderBear30 a few years back that was seemingly lost to the ages. Well, I found it. I think it's a great piece that really captures the meaning of what makes a quality gaming experience. I haven't been able to speak with my friend in almost a year, and I'd like to post this in honor of a recent birthday he had. It's too good to have been ripped from the clutches of the internet. Below the break, you will find the original article in its entirety. Here's to you, buddy!

Super Mario 3D World Review

I want to love this game. I really do. I can only assume it's for this reason that I picked up the game at all. See, 3D World is the sequel to 3D Land on the 3DS, a game which I also didn't care for. I guess a part of me wanted that game's problems to be fixed, because I really wanted to love 3D Land in the same way. Reading other reviews, you'd think Super Mario 3D World is one of the best games ever made. Sadly, this isn't the case. 3D World is, for lack of a more eloquent way to put it, not very good. Of course, I realize that I am in the minority with maybe about five other people on earth, but hear me out.

When Zombies Attack (draft)

It was a dark and stormy Halloween eve, as is typical for this sort of event. Two friends, Steve and Jon, were watching a Twilight Zone marathon at Steve's house, mere blocks from the old cemetery. Jon sat glued to Steve's couch that was so old it had butt indentations and smelled like burnt cheese. Steve was up munching on his favorite snack, a hot dog with steak sauce, as he watched the rain beat down outside. 

Building the Ultimate Smash Roster: Trimming the Fat

I literally finished writing this in June before any characters were announced, and never posted it. Well, here's what I thought would happen then. I'll update it shortly, and every time a character is announced. No, I'm not going to format it.

Brace yourselves, Smash Bros is coming. And with it come roster changes. But this new set of games may have the biggest shakeup yet. Previous installments built upon the old roster while cutting few characters and replacing those cut with new ones. This time around, Sakurai has confirmed that some old characters just won't make it. A while back, he stated something to the effect of the new roster having the same (or roughly so) amount of characters. With that in mind, I aim to build the ultimate roster. In the first part of this ongoing feature, to be updated until the final roster is confirmed, I will try and assess who of the current cast will stay and who will go.

Pikmin 3 Reveiw

Every so often, you play a game that reminds you why you love video games in the first place. Pikmin 3 is one of those games. Brimming with Nintendo magic, Pikmin 3 instills a sense of wonder and discovery into every moment that few games today can achieve. If you own a Wii U, you're going to want this game. If you don't, well maybe now's the time to buy one.

E3 2013 Final Grades

Console war. Console war never changes. When you were a kid, you were either Team Nintendo or Team Sega. These days, you're either rooting for Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft. Except Microsoft has lost most of its supporters recently. Who will dominate the next generation? Whose side are you on? Who won E3? Take a guess...

Nintendo Trailer Super Roundup!

Bayonetta 2