Birthday Goodies!

So, my birthday was a month ago, and I am just getting around to writing this post… man I am so far behind! Oh well, eventually all the posts I want to write will get published! Anyway, I did get some good stuff for my birthday (including a fabulous new Google Chromebook that I am using right now since my aging laptop has been giving me issues), and I did get a few video game related items!

First of all, my husband bought me this awesome Animal Crossing puzzle!

I didn’t even know something like this existed and I LOVE IT! I am going to put it together and then frame it. It’ll look great in my office/ game room 😉

Second, my mom bought me several Amiibos! She found a lot of them on clearance at her local Best Buy so she bought some and hoarded them until my birthday! Here’s what I got:

And I have to laugh at these two:

She bought one Waddle Dee, boxed it up, forgot about it, then bought another one! And… I already had one! So now I have three Waddle Dees, haha! 😉

She also bought me two Japanese import Amiibo, which are pretty awesome.

Lastly, she got me a plush Mario (which is great, because I don’t have one)…

And these super cute little Kirby plush!

So, that’s it for my birthday goodies. It’s always fun to get more video game related items! 😉

Oh, and P.S.: while I was out shopping a couple days after my birthday, I picked up this adorable shirt! I couldn’t resist!! 😉

R.I.P. Game Boy?!?

My Game Boy… please don’t be dead!!

As I mentioned in a previous post where I played though Hoshi no Kirby to celebrate Kirby’s 25th anniversary, I had fully intended to play the game on my original Game Boy. I figured why not have the authentic experience and play the game how it was originally intended, right?

Well, my Game Boy had other ideas. In fact, it just flat out refused to work! I put in one set of batteries and when those didn’t work, I figured I had accidentally grabbed some bad batteries. So I tried another set. And another set. Nope. Nothing worked.

I checked the battery terminals, which really looked quite clean for a system that has been used A LOT since 1992. I cleaned them anyway. I still got nothing.

I dug through cords I had and found a plug that would fit into the Game Boy- I was hoping an external power supply would be the answer. But no, that didn’t work either.

I came to the conclusion that the problem must lie in my Game Boy’s screen. The last couple times I played with it, part of the right side of the screen was cut off- it was as if all those pixels were dead or something. It really didn’t interfere with gameplay that much, so I didn’t think it was a big deal.

Well, I guess I was wrong, because now it’s not working at all 😦 The power light doesn’t even come on, which makes me think it is definitely the screen… some troubleshooting tips I looked up all seem to point in that direction.

Why am I rambling on about a 25 year old plastic, clunky off-white box? Because to me, that clunky little box IS my childhood. I spent an ungodly amount of hours playing games on it, and it has brought me so much joy. I guess… I guess since I’ve lost so much this year, I almost feel like if my Game Boy is truly dead, that’s just something else that’s gone too. I realize that it’s just an inanimate object, but I can’t help feeling sad about it!

BUT! I’m remaining hopeful that I can fix it! I have zero experience with repairs, and I’m a little clumsy, but I’m willing to try. I’ve read some articles and watched a couple tutorials that show how to repair Game Boy screens, so I’m going to give it a whirl. What’s the worst that could happen? At the very least, I’ll know I tried to fix it before giving up on it forever.

Sorry if this post is a little morose, but I truly am bummed about my poor Game Boy. I’ll keep everyone posted on if I am able to repair it successfully or not. Wish me luck, and if you have any tips, they would be greatly appreciated! 🙂

8 Games I’d Take With Me On A Desert Island!

A little while ago, my blogging pal Rob over at I Played The Game! did a fun little challenge where he came up with 8 games he’d want to take with him on a desert island! I thought it would be neat to compile my own little list of games. 🙂 Of course, this challenge isn’t exactly realistic, because if I was on a desert island I’d be trying to get OFF of it and not trying to play video games… but hey, use your imagination and play along! Here are my 8 chosen games, in no order alphabetical order because I’m OCD like that!

1. Animal Crossing (Nintendo GameCube)

Hey, I need something to help me pass the time! There are many versions of AC, but I choose the GameCube one simply because this is the one that I put the most time into, as well as the one I feel most warm and fuzzy about when I think about AC! It was the first version I played, and will always have a special place in my heart. When I’m feeling homesick on the island, Animal Crossing will remind me of home.

2. Cooking Mama (Nintendo DS)

This may be an odd choice, but… if I’m on a desert island with barely anything to eat, at least I can play this and PRETEND I’m cooking delicious meals!

3. Kirby Planet Robobot (Nintendo 3DS)

Of course there had to be a Kirby game I’d bring with me! Kirby’s latest 3DS outing (not counting the new download-only games) was a total blast to play. Each level brought new and surprising challenges, and even after beating the game once, there are still so many secrets to uncover and new modes to master. Kirby Planet Robobot would keep me busy for quite awhile!

4. Loco Roco (PSP)

Oh man, do I love Loco Roco! Such a silly, happy game. Perfect for when I’m feeling depressed that I’m stuck on an island…

5. Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (Nintendo GameCube)

All that time alone on an island is bound to make me irritated. What better way to release some of that aggression than to play Mortal Kombat? I choose this particular version because back in the day when it first came out, my husband and I played for HOURS trying to unlock every last damn Koffin in the Krypt. Were those two words spelled with Ks in the game? I have no clue. 

6. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (Super Nintendo)

Well, as you probably know… this is my favorite game of all time. No further explanation is needed 😉

7. Tetris (Game Boy)

My desert island stay would not be complete without Tetris! The Game Boy version was the first game I ever owned, so it holds a special place in my heart. Playing Tetris is a great way to pass the time, and it’s also very relaxing to me. After I play it, I always see the pieces falling in front of my eyes hours later…

8. Tomodachi Life (Nintendo 3DS)

Quirky, weird, and easy to just pick up and play for a few minutes, Tomodachi Life is a great choice to take with me if I’m stuck on an island! Plus, I have Look-Alikes of everyone in my family (my side as well as my husband’s side), so if I’m missing anyone, at least I’ll see them in virtual form!

There you have it- 8 games I’d take with me on a desert island! Thanks again to Rob for the fun post idea! 😉

Pokémon GO Progress: July 2017!

July was quite a productive month for me in Pokémon GO! I caught several new critters, participated in my first Gym Raid, and nabbed one Pokémon that has been eluding me for months! 😉 Read on for more details!

First of all, I caught Corsola…

Gligar…

Ash-Hat Pikachu (yay! I love these exclusive little Pikachu!)…

Misdreavus…

Dodrio…

Shellder…

and OMG I FINALLY CAUGHT DITTO!

Ditto has been a thorn in my side since it first appeared in the game, and I wasted god knows how many PokéBalls trying to catch his ass. For those who aren’t familiar with Ditto, it doesn’t appear exactly like itself. Rather, it takes the form of another Pokémon, and only after you catch the Pokémon will Ditto reveal itself. It’s a lot of trial and error!

One day my husband casually opened up the game while we were at home and caught a Sentret, which turned out to be Ditto! He yelled at me to hurry up and open my game, and luckily the elusive little creature appeared for me as well! No more wasting my PokéBalls on a million Rattatas and Pidgeys!

Besides my new catches, I had two evolutions this month. I evolved my Drowzee into a Hypno…

and my Hoppip into a Skiploom.

I hatched one egg this month, which contained a Tentacool.

While on vacation, my husband and I were at a park that had several PokéStops and Gyms. One of the Gyms had a Raid Boss active, and it only had a little over 5000 CP, so I told my husband we should go for it!

It was the first Raid Battle for both of us, and it was pretty fun!

In the end, we took down Quilava! I caught it, but it got away from my husband. 😦 He wasn’t too happy about that!

I also earned three medals this month: one for collecting 200 poison-type Pokémon, one for collecting 200 normal-type Pokémon, and one for collecting 10 electric-type Pokémon!

I caught a glimpse of Articuno at a Gym, which was pretty awesome! I knew I had no chance of taking it down without a lot of help, which was kind of a bummer, but it was still neat to see it!

Lastly, since I finally evolved my Drowzee into Hypno, I now I have a new buddy: Gloom!

That’s about it for my Pokémon GO progress for July! See ya!

My Gaming Month in Review: July 2017!

**EDIT: I’m dumb and I originally had this post titled My Gaming Month in Review: June 2017! Yeah, I definitely meant July…**

Let me just say, doing these types of posts once a month is much easier than doing them once a week! As I’m playing games, I just jot down a few notes here and there and take screenshots if I feel so compelled… it’s way less stressful! 😉 Anyway, here’s what I played in July!

I’m making considerable progress in Harvest Moon: Animal Parade for the Wii. I’m still working on becoming friends with people so I can ring the purple bell! So far, I’ve only gotten Owen’s wish. These people need lots of gifts before they become friends with you, ugh! What’s with all the bribery?!

Anyway, one wish down, nine to go! I’m almost friends with Bo and Renee, so hopefully I’ll get their wishes soon.

Besides becoming friends with people, I’m becoming friends with all the animals too! I was really happy one day when I went pet the snake and realized I was able to adopt him!

I named him Slither, and now my little snake friend lives in my house! I wish I had a bed or little tank or something for him, but he still seems happy just slithering through my house! I can also teach him tricks and carry him around, which is pretty cute.

One day while I was visiting Toucan Island, I fished out some swimming trunks. Um… okay?

One of the holidays during Autumn is the Moon Festival. I was pleasantly surprised when Owen asked me to go with him!

The night of the Moon Festival, Owen and I hung out and had a great time! He said he was going to keep asking me out, so don’t reject him! This guy is pretty pushy, and he spends all his spare time lifting weights… geez, what did I get myself into?!

He still seems sweet, though. Soon after he shyly brought me a gift and wanted me to turn it into an accessory!

Here’s my current progress:

And here’s how much money I’ve made so far:

Aside from Animal Parade, my husband Michael and I continued playing Kororinpa: Marble Mania for the Wii! We played the single player game, but took turns with each level. Towards the end, though, the levels get REALLY annoying!

Seriously. The last few levels were so aggravating it almost took the fun out of it for me. I blame myself for not having a steady hand, but still.

In the end, though, we beat the game!

Doing so unlocked mirror mode, and we played around for a little while seeing how different marbles worked for different levels. We may finish mirror mode, we may not. I’m cringing at the thought of those last few levels…

Well, that’s about it for my gaming this month! I’ll have a separate post for Pokémon GO progress next. See ya!

Why I Love… Video Games!

I’ve done several of these Why I Love… posts now, and they have been a lot of fun to write! However, looking back, I realized that my very first post should have explained why I love video games! After all, that is what my blog is all about! 🙂

 

Well, there are many reasons why I love video games. First things first: they are FUN. I have so many great memories of playing through so many great games, and the fun factor keeps me coming back to play again and again.

Sure, every game can get annoying at times. I even get aggravated when I’m playing something as relaxing as Animal Crossing if I can’t catch a fish or a villager swindles me out of a bunch of my money! Nevertheless, games are meant to be fun, and they do a great job of providing entertainment.

Fuck the blue shell in Mario Kart!

That brings me to my second point: video games are great forms of entertainment! I don’t need to watch cinematic sequences or have ultra- realistic graphics to be entertained, either (although those are nice in their own right). I am just as happy playing an SNES game as I am playing a PS4 game!

Viva Pinata for the Xbox 360 ❤

Third, video games are so versatile. There is something for everyone out there! Whether you like shooters, platformers, racers, puzzlers, sports, etc., there is a video game out there for you to play. I had a friend in high school who knew nothing about video games and didn’t WANT to know anything about video games… until I introduced her to Animal Crossing on the GameCube. She loved it so much, she bought her own GameCube and copy of Animal Crossing and as far as I know, that was the only game she ever liked.

Fishing in Animal Crossing!

With all of that being said, my main reason for loving video games is because they are such a great escape! Let’s face it: life really sucks ass sometimes. But when you turn on a game and get sucked in, suddenly life isn’t as bad. When I am having a bad day or don’t feel well, playing a video game is a great way to distract me and put my focus elsewhere for a little while.

So there you have it: my personal reasons why I love video games! Everyone is different, so I suspect everyone has different reasons why they play. Whatever your reasons are, just enjoy playing and have fun! 😉