Tag: reviews

Posted on

Golden Axe – ★★½

Golden Axe for Genesis

I played so much of this (and Sunset Riders) at the arcade at Schlitterbahn and it was so fun with other people while wet and smelling like chlorine and 6th grade. Crazy all those times playing it and I probably never made it more than like 10 minutes/2 quarters in.

Played through this in one quick sitting via Switch Online and turns out playing it at home alone with save states doesn’t quite recreate that experience.

I don’t know if it’s the Genesis version or what but I never figured out exactly what the hit boxes of characters was and/or there’s just hardly any feedback from the game when you’re connecting and the bad guys in Arcade mode are just damage sponges. Either way, doesn’t hold up very well especially compared to the recent Game Boy games I caught up with but maybe I’ll rope my kids into trying it with me sometime and have more fun that way.

🎮 View GameTrack review
💿 Buy a Nintendo Switch Online membership

Posted on

Alice in Wonderland – ★★★

Alice in Wonderland box art

Overall, to me at least, the illustration and animation in Alice in Wonderland just isn’t as good as some of the older Disney classics and the story is too madcap (pun intended) and silly for me personally.

I don’t know, but this has always been the Disney movie I have least affection and connection with. I’m not 100% sure when/if I’ve really ever sat and watched the whole thing before this rewatch, at least not in the last 30 years. I’m not sure my kids have ever really watched it or been interested in it either.

🍿 View Letterboxd review
💿 Buy the Alice in Wonderland Blu-ray on Amazon

Posted on

Kirby and the Forgotten Land – ★★★★

Kirby and the Forgotten Land for Nintendo Switch

Bought this soon after it was released in 2022 but finally got around to playing it now after enjoying Kirby’s Dream Land on Nintendo Switch Online. Beat the main story and most all of the Treasure Road stages in about 15 hours and enjoyed pretty much every moment of it. With those and Kirby: Star Allies, I’ve now played my first three Kirby games in last couple years and the 3D Forgotten Land is easily my fave.

The graphics are absolutely gorgeous. Everything is vibrant and colorful with an incredible amount of detail. It’s impressive what Nintendo can do on Switch hardware with the right art style, even with packed and relatively open levels.

Continue reading “Kirby and the Forgotten Land – ★★★★”

Posted on

Last Argument of Kings (The First Law, #3) – ★★★

Joe Abercrombie's Last Argument of Kings

Definitely my least favorite in The First Law trilogy. I think in general I like Joe Abercrombie’s writing and world building but I don’t think I liked a single decision he made with the character direction in this conclusion to the trilogy. I don’t need everything to be wrapped up with a bow, but every single character is less likable by the end of this story and for the last book in a trilogy too many threads end without much of a conclusion.

I think Ninefingers’ arc was probably the least satisfying and the measly three female characters in either get short shrift or actively punished for just trying to exist.

Spoiler warning
Throughout the series, Sand dan Glokta is developed as pretty much evil incarnate, hideous on the inside and out, and you have Ardee West end up with him and act like she’s okay with it? And I’m not 100% confident Abercrombie is aware or sensitive enough to the fact that he’s condemning Queen Terez to a lifetime of being raped nightly by her husband Jezal dan Luthar, the rare character from this book I was actually growing to like.

Steven Pacey, who reads the book on Audible, is absolutely fantastic and his narration throughout the series goes a long way in really making the entire trilogy as engrossing as it was. Overall a disappointing enough end to the trilogy that I don’t plan to check out any of Abercrombie’s follow up books set in world of the First Law.

📚 View my Goodreads review
📕 Buy Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie on Amazon

Posted on

The Super Mario Bros. Movie – ★★★½

Super Mario Bros. Movie

Fantastic looking and tons of fun references. Adequate storyline that anyone whose ever played a Mario game could predict, but good enough for a fun afternoon at the theater with the kids.

Although it is not a nonstop laugh fest, it got several big laughs from my kids, despite the fact that they are more into Minecraft/The Sims than they are into Mario. It is definitely a kids’ movie with references for us “olds,” but it was made lovingly and shows a real understanding and appreciation of the Mario characters and worlds.

Anya Taylor-Joy’s Peach and especially Jack Black’s Bowser were definitely the highlights, but all of the performances were good. Yes, including Chris Pratt.

Special shoutout to the nihilistic Lumalee the Luma who stole the show in their brief appearances.

🍿 View Letterboxd review
💿 Buy the Super Mario Bros. Movie Blu-ray on Amazon

Posted on

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins – ★★★★

Super Mario Land 2 screenshot and game box

Super Mario Land 2 was next up in my first time exploration of the Game Boy.

I have played and bounced off the first Super Mario Land before (including on my TI85 calculator in high school) so was surprised how fun and unique 6 Golden Coins was. The level design and enemy design variety is fun and there are so many weird ones that never show up in other Mario games. Maybe we can get a Super Mario Movie post credits scene featuring Skeleton Bee. Lol.

Not super hard (especially thanks to cheesing with save states) and the actual gameplay wasn’t too varied, but still a blast to quickly (3 hours?) play through to see everything including the delightfully ugly tiny pixel Wario.

🎮 View my GameTrack review
💿 Buy a Nintendo Switch Online membership

Posted on

Kirby’s Dream Land – ★★★½

Kirby's Dream Land for Game Boy

Sat and put in three 15-20 minute sessions to beat this now that’s available on the Switch. This is the first OG Game Boy game I have ever finished as I never owned a Game Boy growing up. 12 year old Brian would be so jealous.

Nice, very quick and very simple playthrough to see the origins of Kirby. My kids delighted at seeing the green Game Boy graphics but not enough to want to play themselves it looked “too old”.

🎮 View GameTrack review
💿 Buy the new Kirby’s Return to Dream Land remaster for Switch