Video Game Reviews

Oh Skyward Sword, fly my heart away to you.

1. Video Game Review: The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword

   Well, it wasn’t “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.” As long as I have been gaming that has been the gold standard: The benchmark that most games fell short of.

2. Video Game Review: Kirby's Return to Dreamland

   The last time a proper iteration in Nintendo’s pink studded Kirby franchise came out, I was 11. I have fond nostalgia-fueled memories of “Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards,” which stood as my first, and still one of my favorite, games in the series.

3. Video Game Review: Mario Kart 7

   From banana peels to blue shells, the "Mario Kart" series has continually been a fun and entertaining racing experience, appearing on every Nintendo platform since the Super Nintendo. And the good news is that none of that has changed with the Nintendo 3DS installment, “Mario Kart 7.”

4. Video Game Review: Kid Icarus Uprising

   Not since Retro Studios rebooted the dormant “Metroid” franchise has a seemingly lost Nintendo series been reinvented with such care, craft, and charm. It’s been 20 years since gamers have seen Pit and the “Kid Icarus” series, and “Kid Icarus: Uprising” has not only redefined the series, but has given gamers one of the best original Nintendo titles on the 3DS yet.

5. Video Game Review: Mario Tennis Open

   I’ve never really gotten along with tennis. Ask my high school gym teacher: He made an effort to catch the comedy hour that was my group's attempt to keep the ball in play and get a volley going. Perhaps that's why I have fond memories of playing "Mario Tennis." It counted as playing a sport, right? But, "Mario Tennis: Open," the 3DS offering, feels a little light on the Mario, and isn’t the ace I had hoped for.

6. VIDEO GAME REVIEW: Pokemon Conquest (DS)

   Gotta Conquest Them All

7. VIDEO GAME REVIEW: Heroes of Ruin (3DS)

8. Video Games: Nintendo 3DS XL Review

   Just more than a year after the release of the 3DS, Nintendo is rolling out a newer version of the handheld, raising more questions than answers. Did we really need a bigger 3DS? Is it enough of an upgrade to buy another 3DS this soon? And, perhaps most importantly, where am I going to find screen protectors this large?

9. Video Game Review: New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS)

   “New Super Mario Bros. 2” for the 3DS is an interesting title. As a flagship for Nintendo’s current digital offerings it makes sense: it’s the first game to be offered both as a download and at retail stores, so why not start with a traditional Mario platformer? But the only problem is this one relies more on tradition than substance, struggling to be different from its predecessors while falling short.

10. Video Game Review: Star Fox 64 3D

    I have a confession to make: I've never played “Star Fox 64.” My first experience with the furry space fighter was the GameCube’s “Star Fox Adventures,” which probably explains why I’ve never been a fan of the series as a whole.