And they said it would never happen: I (finally) got a Switch!

Those of you who follow me on Twitter or Instagram likely already know this news, but for the rest of you: I finally got a Nintendo Switch!

Shocking, I know. Especially since I never bought a Wii U despite regularly saying I would do just that. Also, back when Nintendo revealed the Switch, I declared I likely wouldn't purchase one until its price dropped to at least $250. I've also suggested on more than one occasion that I'd prefer to wait for the inevitable hardware revision to be released before I pick up a Switch.

Well, all of that went out the window after a Super Mario Odyssey Switch bundle was announced during the most recent batch of Nintendo Directs. (Read this post for some of my thoughts on those broadcasts.)

That's not to say this bundle caused me to go weak in the knees or anything like that. I'm probably as interested in Super Mario Odyssey as the next Nintendo fan, but I'm not so interested in it that I'm champing at the bit to own a pair of "Mario red" Joy-Con controllers or a Super Mario Odyssey-themed carrying case.



However, when I realized this bundle was going be pretty widely available--you can still pre-order it via gamestop.com--I couldn't help perk up a bit.

So, I pre-ordered it. Within days, maybe even hours, though, I discovered Walmart had almost surreptitiously started selling a Splatoon 2 bundle.

This same bundle--featuring a copy of Splatoon 2 as well as a set of neon green and pink Joy-Cons and a Splatoon-branded carrying case--has been available in Japan for some time now, but Nintendo of America's never even breathed a word about it since the game's late-July release, so I assumed it wouldn't be an option for me. (To be honest, I'm not entirely sold on Splatoon 2. I am, however, sold on the pink and green Joy-Cons.)

Anyway, everything changed once I knew about the availability of this Splatoon 2 bundle. I kept an eye on it for a few days and after it became clear it wasn't going to sell out immediately, I canceled my pre-order for the Super Mario Odyssey bundle and pre-ordered this one instead.



It arrived yesterday, but I've yet to even open the box, let alone turn on the Switch and give it a go. Don't worry, I plan on doing that soon, though perhaps not for a few more days. I want to wait for the screen protector I just bought to arrive (and be applied) before I put this lovely piece of hardware through its paces.

Once that's out of the way--watch out! The first thing I'll do is make my way to the Switch eShop and download the Octopath Traveler demo. (See the latest Octopath Traveler trailer and read some of my thoughts on it here.)

After that, I've got to decide what I'm going to do with the Splatoon 2 download code that's packed inside the pretty box seen throughout this post. I want to play the game at some point, don't get me wrong, but at the moment I think I'd rather use whatever money I could get for it on something else (like a physical copy of Super Mario Galaxy).

Do any of you have a Switch? If so, what do you think of it? Also, do you have any advice or recommendations to share with a newbie like myself? If you do, please share them in the comments section below.

Welcome to WonderSwan World: Special Glamour Shots® Edition

Three WonderSwan-focused posts in a row? Seriously?

Yes, seriously.

I guess you could say I have Bandai's Japan-only GameBoy competitor on the brain right now. Don't worry, I'll write about something else in the next few days. (In fact, a couple of half-finished, 3DS-centric posts are staring at me, begging to be wrapped up, as I type this one.)

In the meantime, I hope you'll enjoy ogling the following photos I recently snapped of my WonderSwan Color system and a selection of the WonderSwan games I brought on the road with me this year.



I took these photos in a Palm Springs (California) hotel room, by the way. Its decor didn't exactly lend itself well to such snapshots, so I improvised a light box by going to a nearby Walmart (don't judge), buying a large piece of white poster board and then laying it on a table near our room's main windows.

Granted, that isn't a whole lot different from what I did to nab game and console photos back when I lived in Seattle. There, I placed items on a white, well-lit IKEA table that also effectively replicated a light box.

Anyway, enough about that. I promised WonderSwan Glamour Shots®, so let's focus on them from here on out, shall we?

The first two showcased here are of my translucent black WonderSwan Color system. It's a real beauty, isn't it? Honestly, I'm head-over-heels in love with this handheld's design. Strangely, I think I like the look of the original WonderSwan best (it's a tad sleeker and smidge more minimalist than its two successors), but the Color is pretty sweet, too.

If you'd like to see a few photos of the WonderSwan Color's box, by the way, you can do so by checking out my first "Welcome to WonderSwan World" post or this Flickr photo album. (The latter includes shots of a number of WonderSwan game boxes, cartridges and manuals, too, in case that sort of thing interests you.)

A few more thoughts on the Nintendo Switch now that I've had a couple of days to think about it

If you read my most recent post, you know I was pretty excited by the unveiling of Nintendo's next games console, Switch. I wouldn't say the reveal blew me away, but it definitely interested and intrigued me.

Although I'm still interested and intrigued a few days later, I'm also a bit ... confused? I'm not sure that's the right word, but whatever. Basically, a number of questions have been bouncing around in my brain since Nintendo introduced Switch. Here they are, in case you're curious.

Is Switch really supposed to replace both the Wii U and the 3DS?--That Switch is supposed to replace the DOA Wii U is a given. Hell, Nintendo even chose to promote Switch using bulked-up ports of some of its best Wii U games, like Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon. I'm not entirely sure Switch is supposed to replace the 3DS, though. I assumed that would be the case before the system's reveal on Wednesday morning, but now I've got my doubts. That's mainly because Switch doesn't look like a $200 or even a $250 system at the moment--and, in my opinion, that's the price point Switch is going to need if it's going to take over where the 3DS and even the company's DS and GameBoy lines left off.



Maybe the Switch Nintendo unveiled this week is just the first in a planned line of systems?--What I mean here is, what if what Nintendo showed off in Wednesday's three-minute promo video is the "pro" version of Switch? And what if Nintendo later (six months down the road, maybe a year) releases a "standard" or "lite" version of the system that dumps the dock? In other words, what if Nintendo offers up a package that consists of just the tablet and two Joy-Cons? I'm guessing that would allow the company to sell Switch for a lot less than it's going to sell the docked version it introduced us to a couple of days ago. It also would allow the company to attract more of the mainstream (or maybe I should say family-friendly) audience that has supported its other portable systems over the years. And who knows? Nintendo may also produce a "plus" version down the line that beefs up the abilities of the standard Switch and costs $50 or $100 more.



If Switch isn't supposed to replace the 3DS, why is Nintendo replacing the Wii U first?--There's no question the Wii U bombed--right out of the gate, in fact. If Nintendo intends to stay in the home console space, it needs to be replaced. Most people (including me) would argue, though, that replacing the rapidly aging (and dying) 3DS line is far more important at this time. Nintendo and a few third-party game developers and publishers may continue to support the 3DS with software into 2018, but that isn't going to keep the handheld's sales from falling off a cliff at the end of this year or sometime early in 2017. Given that, why would Nintendo decide to replace the Wii U first? This makes me think either Switch will be cheaper than I'm imagining ($250 or less), or Nintendo is prepping a stripped-down Switch--à la the comment above--that the company hopes will be more appealing to the 3DS audience.



Will Nintendo finally offer up a real account system with Switch?--It's going to be really interesting to see what happens if Switch hits store shelves and doesn't include a modern account system that ties digital game purchases to the buyer rather than a specific piece of hardware. In such a situation, I'd actually expect a sizable portion of the Nintendo faithful to pass on the system. A lot of people are tired of being asked to buy the same games many times over--whether we're talking about retro Virtual Console titles or digital versions of current-gen or last-gen releases. I'm one of them, unsurprisingly. Does that mean I'll pass on Switch if it treats eShop purchases like the 3DS, Wii and Wii U did? I'm not sure. What I can tell you right now, though, is that if such a scenario were to come true, there's no way in hell I'd re-buy any game I already bought via my Wii or 3DS. I'd also continue to do what I've done for some time now, which is buy physical or retail games (rather than digital ones) whenever possible.



How is Nintendo going to handle backward compatibility this time around (if at all)?--Of all the console-makers, Nintendo is at the top of the heap when it comes to consistently producing backward-compatible systems. One of the few times the company didn't produce such a system was when it transitioned from the cartridge-based Nintendo 64 to the disc-based GameCube. With Switch, Nintendo's going the other direction--from a disc-based console (Wii U) to a cart-based one. Given that, it'll be hard to fault the company if Switch doesn't magically allow owners of physical Wii or Wii U discs to play those games on their shiny new systems. But what if it doesn't allow them to play previously purchased digital Wii or Wii U games? That could be as problematic as the possible lack of a real account system, if you ask me. Here's hoping Nintendo comes up with a solution that makes everyone happy.

Do you have any thoughts on the questions above? Share them in the comments section below.

Eight thoughts on the Nintendo Switch

Early this morning (in my neck of the woods, at least), Nintendo unveiled--via a three-minute video that can be viewed below--its "new home gaming console," called Switch.

Previously referred to as the NX, the Switch offers up a whole lot of gaming options in a surprisingly small package. The gist: it's a small tablet with detachable controllers that also can be connected to (and played on) a TV.

As with all things Nintendo, the Switch's reveal provoked reactions that ranged from amazed to aghast. How did I react to it? The rest of this write-up should give you a good idea.

The name is miles better than the Wii U--To be honest, when I first saw it appear in this morning's Nintendo Switch debut trailer, I wasn't all that impressed. As I continued to watch, though, it sunk in that the name's pretty darn fitting given what the system allows people to do. Plus, it ditches both the DS and Wii naming schemes Nintendo has relied on for the last two generations, which was a must. (Connecting this system to the Wii brand, especially, would've been suicide, in my opinion.) Plus, I really like the animated logo that was used throughout today's teaser and I think Nintendo can get a lot of mileage out of it if it plays its cards right.



I'm going to miss the clamshell design of the DS and 3DS--Now that I've seen what Nintendo wanted to accomplish with Switch, I understand why it had to leave the iconic clamshell design of its last two portable game systems in the dust. Still, I can't help but mourn the loss at least a bit, especially since that design helped protect DS and 3DS screens and buttons from scratches and other damage. Oh, well, that's nothing a soft pouch can't help with (in the case of Switch), right?

I'm also going to miss the DS' and 3DS' two screens--I'm having an easier time with this design decision than I am with the one above, as Nintendo effectively killed the most interesting aspects of two-screen gaming when it added 3D to the 3DS' top screen and also made it larger than the bottom one.

Do I have to mourn touch-screen gaming, too?--No part of this first Nintendo Switch video suggested the console's portable component features a touch screen. Still, I have a feeling we'll find out it does, in fact, sport one between now and then it finally hits store shelves next March. It only makes sense given the Switch's form factor and the rumors of Nintendo courting mobile-game developers to bring their wares to the system.



Its hybrid capabilities are even more interesting than I imagined--That the Switch was going to be a system you could play on the go or at home (while connected to a TV) has been a given for eons now. Even the detachable controller parts have been a known quantity for some time. Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't shocked by some of what was shown off in this morning's teaser. In particular, I loved seeing that you can detach the above-mentioned parts and hold one in each hand, or you can stick them into an accessory that makes them look and act like a more traditional controller. And then there's the most controversial use of these "Joy-Con" peripherals (I love that name, by the way), which involves turning them sideways and holding them like they're tiny NES or SNES controllers. I can't see myself ever employing that method of play, but I like that it's an option all the same.

It's hard to tell how powerful the Switch is in a three-minute piece of PR fluff, but it looks capable enough to me--Of course, "capable enough to me" means on par with or a smidgen better than the Wii U. I sincerely doubt Nintendo's aiming for this system to be no more powerful than that failed console, though, so the final product should at least equal two Wii Us duct-taped together. (Please tell me you get the joke.) That would be beyond fine with me, especially since I passed on the Wii U and have yet to experience any of Nintendo's wonderful gaming franchises in honest-to-goodness high definition.



I love that Switch uses cartridges rather than discs--Some people find this baffling, I'm sure, but I'm not one of them. I mean, can you imagine a portable device like this having a disc slot? I can't. Plus, I simply prefer carts to CDs or DVDs when it comes to gaming. No disc drive means less noise, fewer loading screens and a smaller console--with the latter being especially important for an on-the-go system like Switch.

The list of third-party partners Nintendo has shown off is promising, but doesn't mean much at the moment--If you've followed Nintendo and its systems for any length of time, you know its relationships with third-party developers and publishers have been strained--to put it mildly--since the Nintendo 64 era. Has everyone kissed and made up thanks to Switch? I'll believe it when I see it. Hopefully, though, Switch will attract at least as much third-party software as the 3DS has, and far more than the Wii U ever did.

So, those are my initial thoughts and opinions on today's Nintendo Switch unveiling. What are yours?

Four reasons I'm planning to nab one of those adorable Nintendo Classic Mini: NES consoles once November rolls around

If you were like most folks in the Western world yesterday, you spent at least a few of its 24 hours staring at your phone while playing Pokémon GO. As a result, you may have missed seeing or hearing a piece of news that pertains to another curious Nintendo product. The product in question: the "Nintendo Classic Mini" NES.

This smaller, sleeker take on the Japanese company's first real games console was revealed early Wednesday and will be released in both Europe and North America on Nov. 11. I'm planning to nab one as soon as possible, and for the following reasons:

It's cute--I mean, come on. It's a tiny NES! What's not to like about that? OK, so I actually understand why some may not like it. After all, I've never been a huge fan of the system's design myself. For some reason, though, seeing it shrunk down as it is here brings a huge, stupid grin to my face.

That said, if Nintendo announces mini Famicom in the coming weeks or months, I may well buy it rather than this similarly petite NES. Or, who knows, maybe I'll pick up both of them.



It's cheap--I've encountered more than a few people on line who think this product's $59.99 price tag is a bit egregious. I think that's ridiculous. Packed inside each beautifully branded box is an adorable miniature NES, a controller that looks like a dead ringer for the original, an HDMI cable, an AC adapter and 30 pre-installed games.

Considering The Legend of Zelda, all three of Nintendo's 8-bit Super Mario Bros. titles, Kirby's Adventure and Kid Icarus are among those pre-installed games, that last bullet point's an especially big deal, if you ask me. Also, think about how much you'd have to plonk down to buy those games via the 3DS, Wii or Wii U Virtual Console. About $4 or $5 a pop, right? To own all of them, you'd have to shell out $120 to $150. With the "Nintendo Classic Mini," you have to hand over just $60 or so.



The included games--It's hard to find fault with the list of 30 titles that Nintendo's going to cram inside each of its tiny NES systems. Sure, I could come up with about 30--or even 60--others at the drop of a hat, but as far as "classics" go, I think the company has done a pretty solid job with this aimed-at-the-masses product.

I was especially happy to see so many third-party efforts appear on the list of included games. Hell, it could be argued titles like Bubble Bobble, Castlevania I and II, Final Fantasy and Ninja Gaiden alone are worth the price of admission.

Could they have given us the original Contra, Double Dragon and Mega Man releases rather than, or along with, their sequels? Of course. Also, I would've full-on swooned if, say, the palm-sized console came with Adventures of Lolo, the first Dragon Quest (Warrior), Duck Tales or Kickle Cubicle installed. I understand why that's not the case, though. And like I said earlier, even without those unquestionably stellar games, this plug-and-play product has my full attention and support.



The possibilities--As far as I'm aware, owners of these reduced-fat NESes can't take them on line, nor can they add external storage to them. Both of those aspects likely will make them harder to hack. (Says the guy who knows very little about such things.) Still, I get the feeling someone, somewhere, will find a way to make these things more practical. And by that I mean they'll make it so folks like me can fill out its games library a bit.

Don't worry, I won't whine if that fails to happen. I won't even whine if I drop nearly $60 on one of these suckers and it stops working at some point. I'll still have a lovely, NES-shaped paperweight, after all--and who wouldn't want one of those?

I'm not alone in wanting Nintendo Classic Mini: NES, right? Surely some of you also are chomping at the bit to pre-order one?

Happy (ever-so-slightly belated) 25th anniversary, Super Famicom!

Twenty-five years ago, Nintendo made its second cartridge-based games console, the Super Famicom, available to the Japanese masses.

I breathlessly followed its development in the pages of magazines like Electronic Gaming Monthly, Nintendo Power and Video Games and Computer Entertainment. (Note: I remember reading this article--over and over again--like it was yesterday.) I was especially obsessed with coverage of Super Mario World, of course, although I was nearly as keen on "launch window" titles Pilotwings and F-Zero.

Despite my overwhelming interest in the Super Famicom and its initial releases, though, I didn't buy one on or around its Nov. 21 debut. Granted, I was just about to turn 14 at the time, and buying Japanese consoles (or even games) wasn't really an option--especially since doing so likely would have cost me somewhere in the vicinity of $400.

Instead, I had to wait until shortly after the Super Famicom's North American counterpart, the SNES, launched in my own neck of the woods a year later before I was able to experience Nintendo's brand of 16-bit gaming for myself. 

A couple of years later, I finally got to play my first Super Famicom (as opposed to SNES) game when I imported a used copy of Final Fantasy V--which I still have today, mind you--via one of those companies that advertised in the back of DieHard GameFan and the aforementioned EGM.

Actually, I may have picked up Parodius Da! first, but who really cares this many years later, right?

Strangely--given my current love of imported games--those two Japanese titles, along with Final Fantasy VI, may have been the only ones I ever bought to play on my trusty SNES. (Don't worry, I've bought a few more Super Famicom in the last couple of years, although only a few--so far.) 

Also, I've never owned an actual Super Famicom system. Which is a crying shame, as I've always considered its design to be among the most attractive and appealing of the consoles that have seen the light of day since the early 1980s.

What else did I--and do I--love about the Super Famicom? I've always loved its graphics capabilities, which for me represent the peak of two-dimensional, sprite-based game visuals. I've also always loved its audio components, which allowed the best musicians and composers of the day to produce some absolutely stellar soundtracks. 

And then, of course, there was the system's controller, with its four face and two shoulder buttons, which I've long considered to be as eye-catching as it is comfortable.

How about you? Do you have any particularly fond memories of this superb entry in the fourth generation of game systems? If so, feel free to share them in the comments section below. 

FYI: I'm quickly becoming obsessed with the GameCube

Granted, it's really damn easy to fall head over heels in love with Nintendo's fourth console thanks to the adorable form factor of its hardware. Also, the packaging of the system's Japanese games is beyond precious.

Speaking of which, the latter is what's prompted me to regain interest in the GameCube in recent weeks.

What do I mean? Well, after spending time with Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits last month,  I decided to get off my lazy butt and buy Mr. Driller: Drill Land as well.

In case you weren't aware, Drill Land's box art is pretty darn nice. Just as nice, though, is its overall package, which is a lot smaller and cuter than you might think (about the size of a Japanese GBA game box, although thinner). Plus, the little cardboard sleeve that covers and protects the plastic case beneath is a nice change of pace from the bulky DVD cases publishers have used since the PS2 hit the streets all those years ago.

Anyway, that single purchase spurred me to pick up a few more Japanese GameCube titles as well--all of which I'll of course chat about in future blog posts.

I'm also seriously considering finally picking up an "orange spice" Japanese GameCube system sometime in 2016. Not only have I wanted to own one for ages, but making it happen now (or soon) would allow me to play all of these recently acquired games in style, wouldn't you agree?

That may be just what I need to finally get behind this "failed" console. After all, I've hardly been its biggest fan over the years.

I don't know if I've ever shared this here, but I'm surprisingly inexperienced--given my overall love of Nintendo games and hardware--with the GameCube.

I waited a good couple of years before I bought one, and even then it was only because the console was $99 and because I felt a desperate need to experience the weird life sim, Animal Crossing, for myself. (The latter also was on sale at the time, thanks to it being one of the company's rare "Player's Choice" offerings.)

I purchased a few other GameCube titles afterward--The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Mario Power Tennis and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door among them--but once I was done with them, I moved on to other systems and rarely looked back. (Animal Crossing has been the one exception, naturally.)

So, this will effectively be my "second chance" with this sixth-generation console--and believe me, I intend to make the most of it.

What do all of you think of the GameCube, by the way? Do you like the system and its catalog of games, or is it a console that's never really done much for you?

Nice Package! ('Noble Pink' Nintendo DS Lite)

Considering all of the love I've shown for the Nintendo DS over the years (especially this past year, as I've devoted an entire series of posts to it), you might think that I'd have a whole slew of systems that are dedicated to playing its wonderfully diverse catalog of games.

In fact, I've only ever owned or played a single DS system--that being the white DS Lite I semi-begrudgingly bought (I wasn't all that keen on Nintendo's first dual-screened handheld until I finally experienced it for myself) sometime in 2007 so I could play Animal Crossing: Wild World while traveling for work.

Although I've barely put any time into Wild World in the ensuing years, I’ve spent hours upon hours with the aforementioned DS Lite--which continues to chug along like I only pulled it from its box yesterday, I'm proud to say.



Still, as much as I love its sleek design and its diminutive size, I recently came to the conclusion that I’d love it even more if it were a bit more colorful. Specifically, I'd love it even more if it were a pretty shade of pink. Which initially struck me as kind of funny, as my mom has had a pink DS Lite for ages, and I never much cared for the particular hue that Nintendo chose for its casing.

For some odd reason, though, I recently had a change of heart that prompted me to see the "coral pink" DS Lite ("noble pink" in Japan) in a far more appealing light.

So, when I came across an eBay auction for a (mostly) complete-in-box "noble pink" DS Lite a month or so ago, I naturally couldn't keep myself from bidding on it.

Anyway, imagine my surprise when I was able to win the auction in question with a bargain-basement bid (in my humble opinion) of $25.



As I alluded to earlier, the Japanese DS Lite I acquired as a result of this online shopping extravaganza can’t really be described as “complete in box.” Oh, a box was included, as you should be able to see in the photos shared throughout this post, and a pretty-in-noble-pink DS Lite system was included, too, but that’s about it. In other words, it didn’t come with an instruction manual or any of the pamphlets and fliers that Nintendo usually stuffed inside this product's packaging.

Of course, who in 2015 really needs an instruction manual for a DS Lite, especially one that’s totally, or at least mostly, in Japanese? Not me.

Even if I were the kind of guy who refused to buy anything but undeniably complete-in-box gaming products, though, I’d have shoved aside those irrational feelings in favor of picking up the lovely DS Lite shown in the snapshot above, as the hardware, in particular, is in pristine condition.



If I were to guess, I'd say the system's never been used. At the very least, its previous owner either has the softest skin ever or wore gloves while playing it, as the outer shell is free of the usual smudges and scuff marks. Also, he or she must've obsessively ignored the lower touch screen, as it has absolutely no scratches on it.

Is this beauty going to be my new go-to system for DS games? Sadly, probably not, but don't take that to mean it's going to sit in a cabinet, forever unused. I'll definitely pull it out and put it through its paces now and then, but for the most part I'll turn to my trusty OG 3DS when I want to play DS carts, as I love the more modern hardware's ability to track playtime.

Are any of you aficionados of the DS Lite's packaging--or, more likely, of the DS Lite itself? If so, let me (and others) know why in the comments section below.

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears ... as well as your Vita game recommendations

If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you've already heard this thrilling piece of news: I recently bought a Vita!

Actually, I bought it quite some time ago, but it took its sweet time getting to me. Plus, after it finally arrived in my neighborhood, it had to sit at the local "carrier annex" for a full week before I was able to come rescue it. (Which is what happens, I guess, when you go from being a full-time freelancer to having a full-time office job and thus no longer have the luxury of pretty much always being home when such packages arrive.)



Sadly, I haven't been able to do much more than charge its battery, start it up, set it up, download a couple of PSP games from my PSN account (Patchwork Heroes being one of them) and connect with a few pals between last weekend and today.

I'm planning to spend a lot more time with it late next week and the following weekend, though--right after I wrap up the class I mentioned in yesterday's post about my Solitiba and Katamari Damacy doodles, basically. 

As for what I'll be playing once I finally give my Vita the attention it deserves: well, I'll probably begin with Danganronpa, although it's possible I'll also download and play a bit of Magical Beat, Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines or Pix the Cat.

Given that my gaming wish list is sorely lacking in Vita titles at the moment (it includes the ones I just mentioned, of course, as well as a handful of others), I thought I'd ask all of you who also have Sony's PSP follow-up to share with me any recommendations you may have for a Vita noob like myself. 

Should any must-play Vita games come to mind in the next few hours, days or even weeks, please share their names in the comments section of this post.

You don't need to be a Mega Man fan to dig this custom-painted PlayStation

I should know, as I haven't been much of a fan of Mega Man, the character or the series, since Mega Man X was released in 1993.

What can I say? The change in aesthetics just didn't appeal it for me, which I realize is an admittance that's akin to blasphemy.



Still, I'm bowled over by the custom-painted PlayStation that's showcased in the photo above.

It was produced, of course, by the artist who calls himself Oskunk. To see more photos of this creation, check out this post on Oskunk's blog, Custom Art.

The question is, where's Pauline on this otherwise-gorgeous, custom-painted NES?

I know what some of you are thinking, and my response that is, yes, I have a bit of a problem when it comes to salivating over the custom-painted game systems concocted by the artist professionally known as Oskunk.

Can you really blame me, though? After all, the guy regularly pumps out beautiful, paint-covered (or in this case, posca-covered) consoles like the following:



As I stated in this post's header, the only problem I have with this particular Oskunk creation is that it's lacking even a hint of Donkey Kong's resident damsel in distress, Pauline.

Anyway, should you want to check out additional photos of this awesome NES, please direct your favorite browser to custom-art.blogspot.com.

I think I'm going to pass on the PS4, the Xbox One and even the Wii U for the time being

With "the time being" potentially extending through the end of next year (2014). Oh, and it's extremely possible I'll also pass on the Vita during the same period.

The funny thing is, I actually want two of those systems--the Wii U and the Vita--quite a bit at the moment. What I don't want so much is to support them with games in the coming 12 or so months.

There are a number of reasons for that, of course. One of them: I'm just not interested in shelling out $60 per game when it comes to the Wii U or $40 per game for the Vita.

I know that's not always the case and that some of the games released for these systems carry more agreeable price tags, but in general those are the prices I'm going to be forced to pay if I want to own and play the marquee titles that come out for them.

Another reason I'm not so interested in picking up a Wii U or Vita or any other system anytime soon is that my gaming backlog is pretty insane right now. Not only do I have 3DS games that have yet to be played (or that have been played just a smidge), but the same is true when it comes to my DS, PSP and Wii, too.

Via sparklyvodka.com

And then there are all of the retro systems--the PC Engine, Famicom, GameBoy, Game Gear, and WonderSwan, especially--I own and continue to support.

Actually, I'm as likely to want to buy a game for one of the above-mentioned consoles and handhelds as I am for my 3DS, DS or PSP these days, which only adds weight to this most "first world" of problems.

So, there you have it: I think I've come to the conclusion that unless something monumental happens within the next 12 months (such as the Wii U version of Dragon Quest X earning a North American release or Mario Kart 8 blowing me away to an enormous degree), I'm likely going to forgo the Wii U and Vita next year and focus my attention--and spending cash--on the DS, 3DS, PSP and retro systems I already own instead.

Are any of you considering doing the same--sticking with consoles and handhelds you own rather than buying a "next-gen" one--in 2014?

Here's hoping Glen Brogan gives us a 'Video Game Console Guys' calendar in 2015

So, artist Glen Brogan (aka Albino Raven) recently decided to concoct a calendar that features female pin-ups "inspired by the design aesthetics of classic video game consoles."

A few of the consoles that inspired Brogan while he illustrated the above-mentioned pin-ups: Atari 2600, Commodore 64, Game Boy, NES, Sega Master System, SNES, Vectrex and Virtual Boy.

The final product is 8.5 inches by 11 inches in size and can be purchased at albinoraven.com for just $20 (plus shipping).

As much as I like Brogan's style, and as much as I support this particular endeavor, I really hope that next year he gives us a similar calendar featuring male pin-ups.

Reason #407 I could be considered an 'eccentric' (aka bat-sh*t crazy) gamer: I recently bought a gold Pokémon Center 3DS LL

While everyone else in the world (yes, every single person in the world who isn't me) digs into Pokémon X and Y this weekend, I'll be impatiently waiting for my copy of this portable, catch-them-all-centric RPG to show up on my doorstep.

That's not because I decided to order my copy from a retailer with snail-slow shipping, by the way; instead, it's because, as is stated in the header above, I recently bought one of the gold Pokémon Center 3DS LLs that were just released in Japan and that come packed with a digital version of either Pokémon X or Y.



(Actually, I pre-ordered this system the same day I published this post, but I didn't mention it here until now because I was pretty sure I would cancel said pre-order long before it actually shipped.)

Is this one of the crazier things I've done in my gaming life? I think it may be. I guess that speaks to the power of this system's stunning, Disney-esque (in my opinion) design.

Speaking of designs, I can't say I'm thrilled with the boxes (see above and below) that contain these systems and their related accoutrements. I expected the packaging to be shimmery and gold, like the systems themselves. Oh, well, I guess the red and blue backdrops help draw attention to the golden systems hidden within.



Although I have no idea when my gold 3DS LL will arrive, you can rest assured that as soon as it does I'll snap tons of photos of the packaging and the system and everything else and then share them here.

In the meantime, let me know in the comments section below what you think of Pokémon X and/or Y, should you be able to pull yourselves away from its preciousness.

See also: 'All of a sudden, I want one of these suckers'

I'd rather own a Hello Kitty Dreamcast, but this pink 'DUX 1.5' one is pretty rad, too

I have to admit, I didn't even know a game called DUX 1.5 existed until I came across this post (on artist Oskunk's blog) about a Dreamcast custom-painted to look like the title's cover imagery.



Is it my favorite of Oskunk's custom-painted consoles? No, but it deserves kudos both for introducing me to a curious-looking shmup and for bringing the world yet another pink console.



In a perfect world, though, I'd play this game--and maybe its sequel, too--using the pink Hello Kitty Dreamcast that I don't yet own (but hope to acquire sometime in the not-too-distant future).

DS and 3DS designs for your Animal Crossing: New Leaf digs

For what I'm pretty sure is going to be my last post devoted to system-inspired Animal Crossing: New Leaf cushion designs, I decided to switch things up a bit.

Do these dual-screened creations look as good as their console-based predecessors when applied to cushions? Maybe not, but they're still pretty adorable (or at least that's how I feel about them).

One quick note before you critique them yourselves: the DS Lite designs, in particular, should be considered works in progress. I may eventually put a bit of a border around the edge of each of them to give them some more visual heft, for instance. Or, I may make it appear as though they've been paused mid-game by swapping out their currently gray screens for something that looks like, say, Tetris DS.

For now, though, both of the DS Lite designs that can be seen below will remain borderless and powered down.





Here's how the pink DS Lite design looks after being applied to a cushion (by Cyrus) and then plopped onto the floor of the busiest-looking living room you've ever encountered. (It's near the lower left-hand corner, by the way, in case any of you are having a tough time spotting it.)



The 3DS designs I came up with were a bit more successful, I think. I especially like the Midnight Purple one, of course, although the Flame Red one is pretty nice, too.





I know the details of the Flame Red 3DS design appear overly muted in the screenshot above, but I promise you they're far more evident in-game. 

 

Finally, here's a shot of the Midnight Purple 3DS sitting on the floor of my male New Leaf character's robo-themed bedroom.  

See also: Famicom and NES designs; Mega Drive 2 and Saturn designs; Dreamcast (original) and PC Engine designs; PlayStation, Nintendo 64 and Hello Kitty Dreamcast designs

PlayStation and Nintendo 64 (as well as a pair of Hello Kitty Dreamcast) designs for your Animal Crossing: New Leaf palace

They're baaaaaaaack!

Yep, I made some more Animal Crossing: New Leaf designs over the last few days, three of which make pretty awesome "cushion consoles," if I do say so myself.

Sadly, the other one looks a bit wonky as a cushion, but it looks rather nice as a poster if you're into that sort of thing.

"The other one," by the way, is this Nintendo 64 design:



I should've known it would be tough to translate those circular "feet" that sit at the base of the system to such a design, but unfortunately I didn't realize it until Cyrus had finished applying it to a cushion.

Thankfully, the other designs I conjured up fare much better in the transition from "canvas" to cushion. First up, my PlayStation design:



I actually attempted a PSone design as well, but it didn't look anywhere as nice as the one above, so I ditched it.

Should any of you want to see how it looks after being applied to a cushion (by Re-Tail's Cyrus), here you go:



Shortly after, I decided to alter my previously completed Dreamcast design to make it look like one of the Japan-only (of course), Hello Kitty-branded Dreamcasts I've drooled over for years.

Naturally, the first one I worked on was the pink one:



It wasn't long, though, before I went back and tweaked the design a bit to make a blue Hello Kitty Dreamcast as well.



I forgot to grab a screenshot of the blue system in its current resting place (in my guy character's robo-themed bedroom), but here's a shot of the pink one in my girl character's living room.



Is this the last of my New Leaf design posts? Possibly, although I'm considering trying a few (more) handheld designs in the next few days.

Should they turn out less hideous than the Game Gear and Neo Geo Pocket Color ones I came up with yesterday, I'll share them here as well.

See also: Famicom and NES designs, Mega Drive 2 and Saturn designs, Dreamcast (original) and PC Engine designs

Famicom and NES designs for your Animal Crossing: New Leaf flat

Don't worry, those of you who aren't as obsessed with New Leaf as I currently am, this blog isn't transitioning into an Animal Crossing QR code blog, despite these last three posts.

In fact, this will be the last QR code-focused post for a number of days--although I can't promise that another won't be published on, say, Friday or Saturday.

As for this particular QR code-filled post: as I'm sure you surmised from the header above, the focus today is on Famicom and NES designs.

In the screencap below, Aino, the Fabulously Coifed Mayor of Animachi, shows off a couple of cushions that have been affixed with my most recent designs:

I know the NES cushion is a bit wonky, but the actual design is pretty nice (if I do say so myself):



Oh, and here's the Famicom design (and corresponding QR code, for those of you who want to plop a cushy Famicom in front of one of the many TVs that are surely sitting in your New Leaf pad):



You don't have to have these designs etched onto a cushion (by Re-Tail's Cyrus), of course. Another option is to hang them on your walls, like art--and like Bryan demonstrates in the following screenshot.



Or you could sit them out on easels, for an even more artsy interior design element.

Next up: a handful of handheld designs--assuming they look decent enough after being plastered onto cushions.

See also: 'PC Engine and Dreamcast designs for your Animal Crossing: New Leaf pad' and 'Sega Saturn and Mega Drive 2 designs for your Animal Crossing: New Leaf suite'