opinion

Five Great Racing Games That Aren’t Mario Kart

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted June 20th 2014)

So, how about that ‘Mario Kart 8,’ eh? One of the most hyped games of 2014; one that increased Wii U sales by 666% (truly work of Satan himself). I can safely say it is one of the best ‘MK’ games I’ve played – maybe even the best. But you know where you are with ‘Mario Kart.’ Every game has been at least of decent quality (except for the GBA one) – with ‘Mario Kart,’ fans of the mascot racing genre can sleep easily.

But imagine, if you will, that ‘Mario Kart’ never existed. Maybe somewhere, in a parallel universe or alternate history, Nintendo never considered sticking their mascot in a go-kart. It’s a grim and terrifying image, I know, but do not worry, because even without it, there are plenty of great cartoony racing games that can fill up an evening with friends, and here are five of them. Continue reading →

Batman vs Superman – Insert Yawn Sound Effect Here

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted May 30th 2014)

Batman-v-Superman-Dawn-of-Justice-Logo

So, how about that ‘Batman vs Superman’ movie, eh? Oh I’m sorry, ‘Batman v Superman.’ Apparently that extra ‘s’ wasn’t broody enough to be included. As a self-proclaimed geek, you’d think this film would have me foaming at the mouth with excitement, but you’d be wrong. I do love Batman and I do love Superman, but the idea of these two iconic superheroes duking it out, quite frankly, bores me. Continue reading →

Eight Characters That Should Be in Mario Kart

/ Michael Beckwith / 1 Comment

(originally posted May 16th 2014)

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We’re less than a month away from ‘Mario Kart 8’ hitting the shelves and I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much hype for a new ‘Mario Kart’ before. Since its announcement at E3 last year, we’ve slowly but surely seen more of it and I have certainly become more and more excited. But if there’s one thing I have to take issue with, it’s Nintendo’s choice of characters.

Now, ‘Mario Kart’ isn’t exactly something you play for its playable characters, unlike a fighting game like ‘Super Smash Bros’ but as the cast has grown, certain characters have unexpectedly cropped up… and not in the good way. ‘MK8’ will star many fan favourites but the rest are a bit of a head scratcher. All seven of the Koopalings? Are they really that popular? Baby Rosalina? Do we really need another baby version of an existing character? Even Baby Daisy was pushing it. And Pink Gold Peach? You’re not even trying with that one.

It wouldn’t be so bad if there wasn’t a far richer selection of Mushroom Kingdom inhabitants to choose from. So, here’s my personal pick of new and old racers that should be allowed onto the racecourse.

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Frozen – Is It Really That Good?

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted May 9th 2014)

(WARNING: The following post contains spoilers for ‘Frozen’)

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I can already see many of you pulling out all manner of weapons and typing my name into Google in the hopes of finding my address just by reading that title, so let me explain: I don’t hate ‘Frozen.’ I like ‘Frozen.’ It was a good movie. But when I found out how popular it was, I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Was it really worthy of such praise? Did it truly deserve to be the highest grossing animated film ever? Well, having re-watched the film, I’m going to break down all the points I deem important; both positive and negative, and try and find out why people love it so much. Continue reading →

Attack on Titan – The One Anime Where Character Deaths Aren’t Spoilers

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted May 2nd 2014)

(WARNING: The following post contains spoilers for ‘Attack on Titan’)

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Let’s face it. You’ve probably already watched ‘Attack on Titan.’ I don’t need to tell you why you should watch it. It’s quite possibly the biggest anime in recent years, rivalling the popularity of the likes of ‘Bleach’ and ‘One Piece.’ Everywhere you go online, you’re bound to find something ‘Attack on Titan’ related. So, rather than explain why one should watch it, I shall simply give my personal thoughts on the series thus far.

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How the Ending Can Ruin the Beginning

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted April 18th 2014)

(WARNING: The following post contains spoilers for the final episode of ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and ‘A Doll’s House’)

On March 31st 2014, the long running US sitcom ‘How I Met Your Mother’ ended after nine seasons. Usually when a series such as this comes to an end, there is much fanfare. The fans come together in unison to bid farewell to their beloved characters and, sometimes, tears are shed. But ‘HIMYM’ wound up doing something that took me by surprise. The final episode created a chasm that split the fanbase down the middle. I hesitate to use the word ‘controversial’ but opinions were definitely mixed.

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GBA Games on Wii U Virtual Console – Why?

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted April 11th 2014)

I’m just gonna say that the Virtual Console is possibly one of Nintendo’s best ideas. The ability to download classic games from the days when gaming was nothing more than a niche, little club is just genius. Not only does it allow gamers to relive some of their favourite titles from when they were growing up but it also introduces these classics to a new generation. The youth of today can now experience the kind of games their parents or other older relatives used to play. I myself would love to purchase more titles off the VC, having already got games like ‘Paper Mario’ and ‘Kirby 64.’

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My Five Favourite Pixar Movies… That Aren’t Toy Story

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted April 4th 2014)

With ‘Finding Dory,’ ‘The Incredibles 2,’ ‘Cars 3’ and a couple of original films in the works, Pixar has got their work cut out for them for the next several years. Pixar is, in my opinion, one of the best animated film studios out there and though every film hasn’t been a complete hit, they’ve always had consistent quality; you know what you can expect from a Pixar film – it’ll be funny, touching and have superb animation. So, I feel it’s appropriate to list my five favourite Pixar films… with a slight handicap.

TStory Continue reading →

Should Snake Return for Smash Bros. 4?

/ Michael Beckwith / 4 Comments

(originally posted March 28th 2014)

In a recent interview, Hideo Kojima, director of the ‘Metal Gear Solid’ series, admitted that he would love to see the star of the series, Solid Snake, appear in the next instalment of the ‘Super Smash Bros’ series for Wii U and 3DS, though he also said the chances of that happening were unlikely. Personally, I doubt Snake will get back in but the more I thought about it, I started asking myself maybe he should.

HideoKojima Continue reading →

Postman Pat: The Movie – Stupidly Awesome or Awesomely Stupid

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted March 21st 2014)

‘Postman Pat’ is one of those series that transcends generations, having appeared on TV between 1981 and 2008, reaching children of all ages spanning over two decades. I remember watching the show back in the nineties and I’m sure even those several years younger than me are somewhat familiar with Pat and his black and white cat.

Postman-Pat Continue reading →