Korg DS-10 Synthesizer Plus and playing non-games

Creating music is not an easy thing to do.  Not many people actively play with instruments or synthesizers to figure out what sounds good.  In the video gamer cliche, that number is even smaller.  So, to appeal to gamers a product that demands a full respect of the creative art of music compilation is a very hard sell.  Little Big Planet 2 was probably the most successful game to introduce a music sequencer that everyone was willing to try.  To a lesser extent was Electroplankton, giving DS owners the ability to remix familiar Nintendo sounds and songs.  To an even obscure extent, PSX owners had MTV's Music Generator to create their own beats.  And yes, I was one of the few that actually owned that.

Another classic on the 3DS...Star Fox 64

In a largely-stagnant library of 3DS games arrives Star Fox 64 3D, one of the great N64 classics in 3D form to the portable screen.  I knew since E3 that it was a game I was looking forward to, but it wasn't until I watched how polished the opening scene was that it was an instant buy in my book.

But this marks the second game I bought for the 3DS that was a remake.  And while the nostalgia is pleasant and warm, it's still a desperate cling to the past - of an age when games were still adventurous and daring, pushing past the envelope of potential.  Where's that risk now?  Where's that daring new game that will make people go "wow, I thought I was through with games...until now."

Oh well, back into my Arwing.

Child of Eden at a steal

In search for more uses for my Kinect, I've purchased Child of Eden for the Xbox 360, more recenly for a sudden sale at Best Buy that knocked the price 75% off.  From the same person that created Rez, Child of Eden is a rails shooter in first-person this time instead of third-person, with all the trippy and colorful polygons that defined its predecessor.

With the Kinect version, the ability to lock onto enemies and fire is integrated to their Kinect accessory.  I'm looking forward to interact with this kaleidoscope mindfuck.

3DS Ambassador Program and 10 Free Games

If you were like me and was one of the early adopters of a Nintendo 3DS, you probably felt a little betrayed with the recent $80 price drop down to $169.99.  In an effort to not completely alienate people who bought their portables early, they initiated the 3DS Ambassador Program, which gives these people access to 20 free games - 10 NES games, and 10 SNES games - to download.  

Disgaea 4 arrives...6 days early?

Perhaps it was because I placed my pre-order months ago, but on the same day that I conquered Disgaea 3, I receive a package in the mail.  I was aware, certainly, that my package had been already shipped, but I thought it would take a full week for the game to arrive on time by September 6th.  Lo and behold my surprise when I get Disgaea 4 a full 6 days early!

Disgaea 3...FINISHED!!

In following Gameritis tradition, I must deploy an individual page to commemorate this achievement.

I finished Disgaea 3!!

"Days until Disgaea 4" challenge Milestone - Day 7 - Disgaea 3...FINISHED!!

In preparation for the 5-6 attempt at the second-to-last level, I decided to spend the extra 10 minutes leveling up a powerful axe up 20 levels for my axe-wielding character.  In the end, I ended up practically doubling his 1000-point Attack stat to over 2000, making him stupidly powerful compared to everyone else.