the legend of zelda

Random Rankings – Mario Kart 8 Courses

/ Michael Beckwith / 1 Comment

H2x1_NSwitch_MarioKart8Deluxe

Despite telling myself there was no point in buying it again, I recently caved and wound up getting Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Nintendo Switch. Between the new characters, improved Battle Mode and all the included DLC, it’s easily the definitive version of the game. If you missed out on MK 8 the first time around, you have no excuse to not grab a copy.

As I replayed it, I was reminded of how good a lot of the race courses were, which got me to wondering which ones I liked the best. So, just for shits and giggles, I’ve ranked each and every course from Mario Kart 8, from my least favourite to my most favourite, with brief explanations as to why. Continue reading →

Six Nintendo Franchises That Should Get Anime Adaptations

/ Michael Beckwith / 1 Comment

So, yeah, remember several months ago when I wrote an article about what Nintendo franchises should get movie adaptations? Well, if a recent interview with Nintendo’s President is anything to go by, Nintendo will also be expanding into other markets – including anime.

For years, fans could only dream of seeing their favourite Nintendo characters appear in this format (with many fan artists having their own goes at it). Of course, it’s not like Nintendo are inexperienced in this kind of thing. Let’s never forget the Mario and Legend of Zelda cartoons, but the quality of those shows were… questionable at best and flat out terrible at worst. Hopefully, in this modern era, Nintendo can make the right choices to create new adventures for its beloved characters.

For now, though, let’s open the floodgates for discussion as I list some franchises that I think would make either great or, at the very least, enjoyable anime. Continue reading →

Five Nintendo Franchises That Should Get Movies

/ Michael Beckwith / 1 Comment

Videogame movies. We’ve all seen at least one and they have tended to range from passable to “Oh God this film is stabbing me in the soul and makes me want to vomit up my own intestines.” It’s probably for these reasons that Nintendo has very much kept its beloved characters away from the silver screen (though the failure that was the Super Mario Bros. movie probably helped).

Opinion on whether this is a good or bad thing seems split but with Shigeru Miyamoto’s recent announcement of them considering possible film adaptations, this naturally calls for speculation. So, here are five Nintendo franchises that I think could lend well to becoming films. Continue reading →

Ten Favourite Female Videogame Characters

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted March 13th 2015)

WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for the following games:

Ace Attorney: Justice for All
Gravity Rush
Kid Icarus: Uprising
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Persona 4
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Paper Mario
Tomb Raider (2013)
Xenoblade Chronicles

So, apparently, it was International Women’s Day last week, which finally prompted me into doing an article I’ve wanted to do for a while: a list of some of my favourite female videogame characters. So, join me in my celebration of some of the most awesome women to grace our consoles. Continue reading →

The Legend of Zelda TV Series – Can It Work?

/ Michael Beckwith / 1 Comment

(originally posted February 13th 2015)

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that a live-action Legend of Zelda series was in the works, and that Netflix of all people would be the one to make it. Neither Netflix nor Nintendo have said anything about the matter (I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns out to be false or gets canned before anything even happens) but it does make me wonder: could a TV show based on one of Nintendo’s most popular franchises work? Continue reading →

Ten Anticipated Games of 2015

/ Michael Beckwith / 2 Comments

(originally posted January 2nd 2015)

2014 was a mixed year for videogames. It was the year we got an HD Mario Kart, Layton VS Ace Attorney finally came to the West and we were graced with two Smash Bros titles. But it was also the year that gave us the mess that was Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, the disappointment that was Watch Dogs and the insult that was Assassin’s Creed: Unity.

But let’s not dwell on the past; let’s focus on the future because 2015 has got some great titles in the pipeline. So, here’s what I’m looking forward to what’s coming out this year, Continue reading →

Hyrule Warriors – The Most Metal Zelda Game Yet

/ Michael Beckwith / Leave a comment

(originally posted September 26th 2014)

Hyrule-Warriors-Logo

The Dynasty Warriors series is one that may be very fun to play, but doesn’t really grab me. The setting of ancient China can really only appeal to those interested in the culture. So, what’s the best way of getting someone like me to play it? The answer: dress it all up in Legend of Zelda clothing.

I’m admittedly not the biggest Zelda fan (having only played five games in the series) but the image of Link cutting down swarms of Moblins with the grandest of spin attacks was enough to get my attention, and as more details emerged over the months, it looked more and more enticing. But now the game’s out, is it as awesome as it looks? Continue reading →