zelda – Eric Watson

My Top Ten Games of 2017: #1

My top ten favorite games of the year, presented in ascending order each day leading into the holidays. Look for my full Top Ten list with categories and awards on December 24!

#10 Fire Emblem Heroes
#9 Metroid: Samus Returns
#8 Injustice 2
#7 Hand of Fate 2
#6 Battle Chasers: Nightwar
#5 Thimbleweed Park
#4 Cosmic Star Heroine
#3 Horizon Zero Dawn
#2 Divinity: Original Sin 2

#1 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

I was a relative latecomer to the Zelda franchise. I’ve owned every Nintendo console, but never really got into the series until Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo 64. Ocarina of Time remains one of my all-time favorite games, but The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is demonstratively better, and one of the most overall impressive games I’ve played in years. Continue reading “My Top Ten Games of 2017: #1”

30 Games That Should Be on the SNES Classic Edition [Pixelkin]

Read the full list on Pixelkin

While we patiently wait for Nintendo to confirm and announce the SNES Classic Edition retro console we can have a bit of fun speculating on which games it should include.

The Super Nintendo was blessed with arguably the greatest gaming library of any console. While Mario, Zelda, and Metroid didn’t start with the SNES, it was where they became titans of the industry.

The NES Classic Edition came bundled with 30 games, most of which were published by Nintendo. Let’s decide which 30 SNES games should grace the upcoming SNES Classic.

READ THE FULL LIST ON PIXELKIN

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Review [Pixelkin]

Read the full review at Pixelkin

While The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time could be considered the prototype for open-world adventures, the genre really didn’t take off until MMORPGs and RPGs like Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls series embraced giant 3D worlds. These days nearly every big game is an open world adventure, and it’s become more of a rote expectation.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild redefines what it means to be an open-world adventure, creating a vast frontier of possibility. Ocarina of Time remains one of my all time favorite games, and I’m here to tell you that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the best 3D Zelda game ever made.

READ THE FULL REVIEW AT PIXELKIN

PAX South: Hands-On With Nintendo Switch [Pixelkin]

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Nintendo was in full force at PAX South last weekend. A large, permanently crowded booth stood near the front of the show floor. You could wait in line for hours to play half a dozen titles for the newly announced Nintendo Switch. The marquee title, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, had its own roped off section within the booth area. That was a separate line that filled up instantly, creating a three hour wait to play the 20 minute demo throughout the weekend.

Thankfully I got a chance to meet privately with Nintendo and get some quality time with the Switch.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON PIXELKIN

30 Games to Get Excited About in 2017 [Pixelkin]

Read the full list on Pixelkin

Every year is seemingly the best game ever for gaming. But 2017 will give us a new Mass Effect, new Zelda, and new Nintendo console with the Nintendo Switch. That’s an incredible lineup, and there’s even more to come, like Super Mario Odyssey, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Horizon Zero Dawn. Indie titles continue to generate huge buzz as well, with games like Yooka-Laylee, Tacoma, and Night in the Woods coming this year.

Read on for our 30 most anticipated games of 2017.

READ THE FULL LIST ON PIXELKIN

Why Should You Get a Switch if You Own a Wii U? [Pixelkin]

Read the full op-ed at Pixelkin

The dust has begun to settle from the big Nintendo Switch Presentation. We now know the big main talking points. The price ($299), the date (March 3), and the launch titles (not much). There wasn’t anything very shocking, and the conference did a good job focusing on new games. But right now I’m not seeing a very good incentive to purchase a Nintendo Switch at launch, especially if you already own a Wii U.

At launch the Nintendo Switch will have five titles: 1-2 Switch, Skylanders, Just Dance, Zelda, and Bomberman. Skylanders released last year. 1-2 Switch and Just Dance are motion-control mini-games. Bomberman is a top-down party game. Only Zelda represents what we would call a core game – a true system seller.

READ THE FULL OP-ED AT PIXELKIN

My Top Ten Most Anticipated Games of 2016

From space aliens to cyborg warriors to a Link and his horse, I list the ten games I’m most excited about that are set to release in 2016.

You’ve already read my Top Ten Games of 2015. Now it’s time for everyone’s favorite annual list. Who doesn’t like getting excited about new games? And holy crap, 2016 looks really freaking fantastic.

Here are my Top Ten Most Anticipated Games of 2016! Continue reading “My Top Ten Most Anticipated Games of 2016”

My Top Ten Most Anticipated Games of 2015

Read the full list over on my blog on Game Informer >>

Now that my Top Ten Games of the Year list is out of the way we can focus on what’s really important – being excited for future games! Many of the biggest 2014 games were pushed into the next year, and many new Kickstarter and Early Access games will be debuting. I’m feeling fairly confident that all of these will actually release this year, but time makes fools of us all….

Read the full list over on my blog on Game Informer >>

Four Reasons to Buy a Wii U this Holiday

When the Wii U first launched two years ago, no one was sure what to make of it. Lots of people thought it was simply an expansion to the Wii. The Wii U’s high-definition graphics were viewed by many as Nintendo merely catching up to Sony and Microsoft’s previous generation. Sales were much lower than expected, and the grumbling about Nintendo’s entire future began in earnest—and continues to this day.

Flash forward to this holiday season and the Wii U is suddenly one of the hottest items around. An attractive price point, a modest but high-quality library of games, and the unique touchscreen controller make the Wii U the most interesting console on the market. In addition, Nintendo’s primary focus on family-friendly entertainment and software continues unchallenged.

If you still need some convincing, here are five reasons to get a Wii U this holiday season.

Read the full article at Pixelkin.org >>

Video Game Music Makes the Perfect Lullaby

As a parent of a young child I’m all too familiar with the eternal struggle of bedtime. After many sleepless nights, I discovered a nightly ritual of a lullaby playlist worked wonders. I’m a huge fan of video game music and many official soundtracks, orchestral adaptations, and remixes work amazingly well as beautiful lullabies, especially if you’ve grown tired of Enya and classical music. Here’s a collection to get you started.

Read the full list at Pixelkin.org >>