I read an interesting theory regarding the New Super Luigi U DLC: maybe Mario is dead. That could be a possibility. Mario is virtually wiped from this version of the game. That leaves the question of how he moved on to the life beyond. Regardless, I'm sure Luigi is glad to have some time in the spotlight. I got the chance to demo the game at E3. The timer starts at the 100 count for every level, levels are shorter and they have be reworked to fit Luigi's physics. Veteran Mario players are aware that Luigi is a little more slippery and floats more than his more stout brother.
My mind has been recently immersed in the world of The Last of Us. It's desolate and, if it wasn't for the constant companions, lonely. Crafting items is done in real time so it's best to prepare an arsenal before opening that door. Choices must be made as there is rarely enough resources to craft everything that's desired. Molotov cocktails and first aid kits share the same ingredients, so you're often choosing between the two. Is it worth healing to leave yourself defenseless when the clickers come or will a molotov be useless when you get swarmed by runners? It's a simple choice really, but each choice makes you approach each situation differently which is the magic of the game. The one thing that is definitive: Shivs are the most important piece of equipment you can craft. They can open locked doors, allow you to perform stealth kills and, after upgrading a specific stat, can help fend off attacking clickers.
The biggest issue I had with the Man of Steel is captured in the image above. SPOILERS AHEAD: Zod's ship was terraforming Metropolis, that's where most of the initial damage was coming from. When Superman arrives, he doesn't show much concern for the city other than Lois Lane. If he took two seconds to think he could have figured, "hey, the city is in pretty bad shape. If I'm going to fight, maybe I should take it to a remote location." Even after hitting a satellite, both Kal and Zod manage to bring the fight back to Metropolis. Seriously Supes, think a little about what you're doing. Just because you can drag someone's face across a building doesn't mean that you should. I enjoyed the movie for its action and effects, but much of it was impractical and unbelievable, even for a super hero movie. Lois Lane just happens to be at the same building when Zod's spine is snapped, that's just a little too perfect.
Mega Man! He's the big news from E3. Check out the announcement trailer below:
The Blue Bomber is officially added to the Super Smash Bros roster for the upcoming WiiU and 3DS games set for release next year. It's time to see who has the better charge shot: Mega Man or Samus Aran. The above comic is more like my tribute to the news. I still felt it needed some tweaking, but with all drawings, sometimes the artist just needs to stop. I'm glad with how it came out.
Do you like the Tanooki suit? Well too bad, Super Mario 3D World gives you a cat suit. You'll now have all the abilities of the everyday house-cat. I was able to play the game at E3, but I didn't get the chance to use the cat suit in all its glory. I took the reps advice and picked a level that was more traditional Mario. Here's a video of me playing the game (I'm only playing in the first level shown):
The cat suit is likely more fun than it sounds, but the game itself is pretty great. The cool thing is that it supports up to four players, which can get pretty hectic if you all don't work together. I was really pleased with the Nintendo booth at E3 and I enjoyed all the games I was able to play. My opinion of the console is now in the black zone (econ reference) and I'm likely going to pick up the WiiU when I can. The addition of Mega Man to the new Smash Bros game was also a huge selling point.
I haven't been this excited around E3 in a while. Sony knocked it out of the park this year. Virtually everything they could have done to beat Microsoft, they did. No DRM. The ability to play used games by just inserting the disc. Cheaper price point by $100. For a gamer, that's a no-brainer. Sony clearly catered more to gamers than Microsoft did. Sure, there aren't as many exclusives, but most of Microsoft's exclusives were laden with shooters. Nintendo is also showing a lot in terms of games. The big kicker for me is the addition of MegaMan in the new Super Smash Bros games. It's a big week in gaming and the plan is to reflect and comment on all this news in upcoming comic strips. I also have another project in the work with a friend of mine. We should have some stuff to show my the end of the month.
I've been playing Pokemon Gold on my phone. After every battle, my character sends a little money home. Eventually I get a call, saying that mom bought something and deposited it in the inbox. The lady is home all day, no husband, she must be doing something to stay busy. Plus she has this money coming in. I'm sure a some of it goes toward 'personal' items. This is the heaviest comic in terms of text. Boxing and lettering is still an art I need to practice. I'm pretty happy with the way this came out, but it did take a bit longer than my other strips.
I wish I started doing the Strip Search at home challenges a lot earlier. They're a lot of fun and challenging at the same time. Here is Tuesday's elimination episode for those that want to watch:
The topics for this episode are religion and candy. I was raised Christian, so I used what I know and figured Easter fit in nicely. Peter is one of the 12 Apostles, so I did a little play on the name by mixing in Peter Cottontail. This one was tough to come up with but the comic came out looking rather nice I think.
