Gaming Pumpkins

Here in the Eastern Time Zone, Halloween has less than two hours left. Still though, that's 100 minutes I have left to post this.

This year I decided to only do one Halloween pumpkin with a gaming theme, and I wasn't even able to do what I wanted to because of time constraints. Still though, I thought I'd post them and share my pumpkins with the readers and encourage you all to link to yours as well. If you're reading this after Halloween, just pretend it's a "Harvest Pumpkin" thread...

This year I did one as an owl (which I'll throw on at the bottom of this entry) and one of Commander Video from the Bit.Trip games. Here he's represented from his Runner stance but I was originally going to also cut out his standing stance on the left, his Fate 'leaping' stance from Fate, and then shave the pumpkin to allow for that rainbow type thing to shine through. Alas, I only had time for one, and the lines to emphasize my point. Still though, it was nice for a quick little job.



Last year I had more time, more pumpkins, and perhaps more ambition.

This one was my favorite and a completely original idea from me. The Cow from Harvest Moon.



Here I used the shaving technique and a framing-style to allow myself to have a solid cow but still have the thing nicely defined. I also did this Wario pumpkin (though admittedly from a stencil). It looked great on a pumpkin this size and shape.



Finally I did Totakeke, or K.K. Slider from Animal Crossing. He was simple but great nonetheless.



The year before that (or maybe it was two or three years) I also did this Hylian Crest Pumpkin. It was quite a hit back then and still people seem to love it now. I personally love how the light shines through, as if it were some activated crest from the game. The Legend of Zelda: The Pumpkin of TIme.



Many of my pumpkins can be seen as best-picks from the contest Kotaku did last year. The file names even say DrF so you know I'm not bullspitting you. So to finish this out, I want to ask anyone out there to link to their own works of art. Seeing other people's pumpkins is a great pleasure of mine, especially when they're gaming related. Again, if you're reading this after Halloween, just pretend it's open to holiday gourds. Happy Halloween everyone!



(Just an owl looking creepy, but believe me, I did consider Kaepora Gaebora...)

Why is the blog called PK Gaming?

Well, I was going to wait a little later to make this article, but I feel the timing is right. PK Gaming is actually an option for a special attack you can have in EarthBound. In the beginning of the game, you are asked what your favorite thing is, and if you choose 'Don't Care', one of the options that pops up is 'Gaming.' That will become your most powerful PSI (or PK) ability.

Though the blog is named after an attack that you can have in the game, I haven't played it... until now. It was my friend and co-editor Ink who thought of the name, because he is a fan of the series. I wanted to have the name of a power-up or attack like 'ScrewAttack', so I asked Ink about it, and figured that the underrated Mother series would probably have something we could use.

I felt really obligated to play the game all the way through since the blog is named after something from it. I started playing it sometime last week and just finished it yesterday. I have to say... I'm really satisfied with it, and I think I've been converted into a fan. I'm a bit ashamed that I never got to experience EarthBound as a kid. I feel like it would have really impacted my childhood.

Before I started playing though, I watched this video, which reinforced my decision to play it:



The video is pretty lengthy, but I encourage you to watch the video before commenting if you don't know anything about the series. It goes really in depth with the history of the series and the issues with bringing the series over to the U.S.

I'm going to start playing Mother 3 sometime this weekend. I'm really excited to see what kind of story I'm diving into... especially with a #3 spot on Destructoid's Top 50 Games of the last decade and what they say about it:

"Despite its completely retro (but gorgeous!) presentation, Mother 3 may have the most complex, mature, and heart-wrenching story of any videogame of the last decade. The tragically beautiful tale of Lucas, his family, and the complicated characters that surround them is both powerful and unbelievably emotional. If you haven’t played the game, you are missing out on an experience that you will never forget for the rest of your life."


"Mother 3 is a game that looks like it could have come out in the early ’90s, yet it sits high at the top of a list of the best games that came out in the new millennium. Despite all the advanced technology, it just goes to show you that, as long as a videogame has a strong story and great gameplay, it doesn’t matter how many polygons can be displayed on the screen at one time.


Mother 3 may be the last game of its kind to ever be released. It truly is something special."


Anyway... what do you readers think about the Mother series? It has one of the most dedicated fanbases of any Nintendo franchise... yet... they're usually snubbed aside. For Christ's sake, they're even working on a fan-game dubbed Mother 4. How many other fanbases have that much dedication? (Well, maybe Metroid because there is a project to make a fan-game which is basically Metroid Prime, but in the classic 2-D style... but I haven't heard anything from it in a long time.)

Review: Bit.Trip Fate

I got into the Bit.Trip series with Bit.Trip Runner earlier this year. The chiptune soundtrack and fun graphics, melded with the unique style of platforming gameplay really sucked me in and engulfed me. I was consumed by that game until I beat it, but not always a completionist, I didn't even try to best each level, despite knowing that's what the Bit.Trip games are really all about.

So when I heard of this next installment, I may have been behind on the storyline, which there is one. Still I didn’t care. I realized that my Wii’s storage space needed a bit of reorganizing but once I did that, I nabbed Bit.Trip Fate for a measly 800 points and 300 some odd blocks. The start-up screen was familiar and I heard that lovely little sound upon starting the game. For me, the music and sfx in these games is half the fun.

Again, like Runner, the menu was simple and I was able to jump right in. The first level is easy enough but I still found my head boggled as it tried to make sense of all the different projectiles and on-screen assets. I’m not one for shooters of this kind mind you. I like a good FPS but I never cared much for the on-rail shooters, nor the fixed-shooter classics like Galaga. Here I was, playing a mix of both the latter. Weirdly enough, I really enjoyed the mix of these two genres into one here. While the scrolling level reminded me of those damn annoying levels in Super Mario Bros. 3, I felt it was necessary to keep me from camping out in one spot. There was a lot of “dual viewing” from me, where I had to literally keep my eyes on two separate spots on the screen at the same time. It’s kind of like when you’re driving a car and focused on what’s in front of you and yet you subconsciously know what’s on the side of you at the edge of your vision. This really gets you focused into the action.

As the level progressed, I started getting new power-ups but not really being sure why. I saw Super Meat Boy in there helping out Commander Video, but I know little about him besides he’s the star of an upcoming (and equally intriguing) game. As you begin to learn the patterns of the enemies, you begin to develop a sixth sense and your own natural strategy begins to kick in. The game gradually picks up pace, even in the first level alone. Another fun thing about the game is how the enemies die to the music. Those little touches make these Bit.Trip games something special in that sense alone.

At the end of the level I fought a boss. The letters B.O.S.S. scrolled across the screen and I was giddy considering the excitement I remembered from the last time this happened, in Runner. I had a simple sin wave to move on while the boss could move any which way he pleased. Of course he had his patterns, both in movement and also in projectiles. It was easy to spot the patterns in this first round but in true Bit.Trip fashion, it was tricky to time it right and to slide past while still keeping your aim on the boss. Again, there was that dual viewing, keeping your eyes on two places at once.

I scored a whopping 57,316,500 points… who knows if this is good or not for the first level though. I’m not one to care about high scores ever, so I know that aspect of the game will go over my head. Still I know that those who do care about high scores will find this game to be perfect. Each run through even the same levels will come out a little different every time so there’s always room for improvement. That was a complaint I’ve heard with Runner, how Runner had a finite score for the end of a level. This was great for people who wanted to be completionists, but not for those who wanted to always be competing for the high scores. Bit.Trip Fate fixes that and goes back to the scoring style of the previous three games.
At least early on, I found the levels to be rather easy compared to the boss battles but really the trick there too is memorization. The overall difficulty seems to lie lower than Runner to a point but I think it's because you have more options on how to attack the levels themselves. There is still a lot of frustration that might be too annoying for some gamers. I teeter on that line, and I think in some weird way that's what keeps me coming back. These games are the kings of making me rage quit, I'll tell you that. Still though, I return.

All in all, I’m satisfied with my download and excited to proceed to the bitter end. The first three Bit.Trip games might have missed me but Runner and Fate have both capture my attention and I eagerly anticipate the sixth and final installment in the Bit.Trip series. Who knows though, there’s rumors they’re already working with the 3DS… which would be something incredible.

How badly did you beat my score? Tell me in the comments so I can try to one up you, only to be one upped back I’m sure.

The Verdict:

If you liked any of the previous Bit.Trip games, you'll likely enjoy this one too. Even as someone who isn't a fan of this genre, I still find myself invested in this title. Glad I picked it up and I thank Gaijin Games for being so fresh and unique in an all-too-often stale gaming market.

What I liked:
Continues the distinct graphical style of previous Bit.Trip games, gameplay is fun and mellow while being challenging and suspenseful.

What I didn't like:
Music is lacking, especially compared to the ear-sex of Runner.

Review: Comic Jumper

Ah, Twisted Pixel, how you've lightened up our day with your wonderful XBLA games... if only it were the same with this one. Taking the place of Captain Smiley, your comic is canceled due to a heavy dose of suckage, and are forced into bankruptcy. Luckily, the folks at Twisted Pixel (breaking the fourth wall) offer to help Captain Smiley gather enough money to reboot his comic, by guest-starring in other ones.

As I started the game, I immediately fell in love with the characters and dialogue (I'd love if they made a movie based on these characters), but the gameplay didn't immediately strike me as oh-so amazing. The premise is great, especially how it breaks the fourth wall and has tons of tongue-in-cheek humor pertaining to all the comic book cliches, especially during the second comic, where it's a take on old 50's comics, full of self-aware feminism and racism.

However, that's about where the gameplay makes you want to drive a drill through your temple, as it's a complete basic run and gun style sidescrolling with a few too many on-rails section. There's absolutely no variety and it's a terrible grind. Many of the sections have too many enemies at once, but even the best player will find even with full upgrades, it takes a little long to kill the enemies. Chances are, you get smacked around often, but even with great skill, you don't care enough to try your best.

The only thing that pushes you through the game is the eagerness to see the next bit for the story and dialogue. However, even in some sections it's a pain. For example, reaching the third comic, a manga, instead of just going with usual anime cliches, they surpass the stereotypes to the point where they're not even funny anymore, a-la Glee.

In there, as well, is probably one of the rare moments I've ever ragequit (keep in mind I still picked up the game a few hours later and beat it), where you fight a certain boss a second time. However, as you get it to near-death, it heals itself fully. Not once, but TWICE this ridiculous event happens. The worst part is your character complains how bullshit it is that it happened, as if it excuses it. It's like a chef serving a horrid meal, joking about how bad it tastes while you're eating it.

But, I digress, I'm just turning this into a rant.

The Verdict:

The characters and dialogue, once again, are comedic gold, and are worth the $15 to hear everything. At the most, I can only give a hesitant recommendation, just for everything but the gameplay, but don't blame me if you give up on some of the levels. It's sad to see things like this happen come from the company who brought in Splosion Man.

What I liked:
The characters, dialogue, the clever and creative visual and narrative styles used for the different comics

What I didn't like:
The repetitive, bland, grinding gameplay

One Month

So... it's been a month since I started this blog with a few of my friends, so let's reflect on our small accomplishments so far.

Here's what we've done in the past month:

• Three Reviews (All by Paleo)
• Two Top 10 lists (One by Ink, One by Paleo)
• Started 3 article series (One by Skye, One by Ink, One by  Paleo)
• 9 miscellaneous posts, not including this one
• Opened up an Amazon store.

I know, I know... this is filler, but I have writer's block. That's a good excuse, right? No? Well.... shut up...

Review: Kirby's Epic Yarn

If I had to describe Kirby's Epic Yarn in one word, it would be 'adorable.' This game is so cute I can't stand it. Actually, sometimes the cuteness can get a little tiring... maybe even sickening... but hey, it's Kirby. The reviews have mostly been absolute praise and I agree... mostly. Kirby's Epic Yarn is definitely a top notch game with a lot of gaming goodness that satisfied.

I was a bit taken aback when I heard that this game originally started out as a new intelligent property, because I really want to see some new IPs from Nintendo, but Kirby works well with this game since he's known for transformations. Kirby can't actually suck up enemies in the game, which is explained in the very first cut-scene, but he can still transform into a multitude of things.

There are two classes of abilities though, one class you can use any time and the other class you activate when you come across a circular patch. I won't spoil all of the things you get to turn into, but one of them I just have to mention, and is advertised right on the back of the box and in some other ads... A DOLPHIN! Kirby gets to change into a dolphin! Do you know how happy that makes me?! You don't? Oh, well... uh... moving on.

I actually played through the whole game with my good friend Tyler... that's right, it can be 2-player co-op throughout the whole game. The second player plays as the other main character, Prince Fluff. I feel like the game would have been more challenging if playing single-player though, because in some instances I was wondering how I would ever get to an area without the help of a buddy. 

The Verdict:

For the length and amount of content, it's pretty standard for a Kirby game, though I knew the ending was coming, I didn't want to quit playing. Gameplay-wise, this game nails it. The story is a bit childish, but again, what do you expect from Kirby? There is a father-like figure that voices over the cut-scenes, and at times I felt almost embarrassed watching them. Finally... the graphics... holy crap is this game beautiful and genius. I didn't know there were so many things you could do with fabric, yarn and buttons. I can see how this would have been a great IP if it weren't for Nintendo fearing that it wouldn't sell (I'm supposing that's the reason they made it a Kirby game). Oh, and did I mention that this game has some of the best piano-centric music ever composed for a video game? Well, it does.

What I Liked:

• Amazing visual style
• Two-player co-op throughout the whole game
• KIRBY CAN BE A DOLPHIN!!!!

What I Didn't Like:

• Story-time Dad

Review: Picross 3D

Hm, it's been about three weeks since the first review on the site, so I thought I would go ahead and make another. The reviews may be scattered like this until we get more editors.

Well, here is my opinion on Picross 3D. Now, I didn't actually 'complete' the game. As in, doing every single puzzle, but I just about have. I figured I would write a review while I'm still into the game rather than after I've finished it and forgotten about it.


I bought this back when it came out in May so I could have a new game to play on the plane ride to my vacation to San Diego. I feel like I made the right choice because the puzzles lasted me a lot longer than I thought they would. I've been playing the game off and on since then, and it's always good to get my thoughts flowing after a hard puzzle.

I never played the original Picross DS, but I have played an online version of Picross called HeroGlyphix, and I recommend anyone to go play it on that site! The original Picross deals with a square of a certain size and amount of squares inside of it. There are numbers on the edges of each row and column to give you clues as to what squares are part of the image you're trying to uncover. Picross 3D is basically the same concept, but with an added dimension, depth, and instead of just having numbers on the rows and columns, there are hints on every face of the cube or rectangular prism that you are working on.

In pretty much every case, I was able to figure out the puzzles by using logic techniques the game taught me in the beginning levels. There are some however, that have me scratching my head and force me to guess. I'm not sure if I just ran out of logic to go on, or I'm just not seeing the clue that's so obvious to someone else. I have gone back to puzzles that have given me trouble before to get a better star rating on them to unlock more puzzles, and I think to myself, 'Why did I have trouble with this?'

The difficulty curve in the game is quite balanced. There is never a time that I thought a puzzle that I was on was too hard for the level. There's also the shear amount of puzzles that makes this game last so long. You can also create your own puzzles and not only that, the game allows you to download more from either the official source or from your friends.


The Verdict:
Overall, the game's amount of content and the very smooth difficulty curve allows me to recommend Picross 3D to everyone.

What I liked:

• Amount of content
• Balanced difficulty
• Virtually limitless replayability

What I didn't like:

• Some puzzles go over my head, and I have to guess