NES Classic Edition

My most anticipated console of the year released today, the NES classic edition; a.k.a. the Nintendo Mini.  Since stores in Canada weren’t taking any pre-orders and shipments would be limited, I knew I had to wake up early to get one.  I decided to go to a store that is a little drives away from where I live, that not many people know about.  I made it there at 6:30 in the morning.  Thankfully I was the only one, but unfortunately it was also the coldest morning of the season.  No big deal I thought because I was guaranteed a console.  By 7:00 another person arrived and shortly after that the line got bigger.  I know lining up sucks, but I really enjoyed this one because everyone was over 30, and was very friendly; talking about old NES memories.  Time flew after that, and by the time the store opened I was almost sad to part ways with the people I had spoken with.

The NES Mini design packaging is a throwback to the original NES box.  You can tell Nintendo wanted to please their fans by touching as many nostalgic memories as possible, which is something that I love.  The console comes neatly packaged in the box, and comes with very little included besides the console, cords, controller and poster/manual.  While the hype for the NES Mini is large, I feel like only those people who grew up on the NES will truly appreciate this little throwback device.  I love the NES Mini, and I can’t wait to bring back Saturday mornings of Nintendo gaming and cereal.

Nintendo:

https://www.nintendo.com/nes-classic

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiRxnR6riWU

Nintendo Switch

First impressions of the Nintendo Switch are as follows:

The console has a distinguishable new name which can’t be confused with the previous model.  New console name = New Start.

Many of the console’s features are inherited from the Wii and Wii U.  The simple design will make it easy to use and not intimidating to the general population who isn’t a hardcore gamer.  The tablet controller is also carried on from the Wii U, making it possible to take your game on the go.  This feature has been one of my favourites from the Wii U; it just wasn’t used efficiently on the Wii U.

The advertising is focused on adults, which I love.  While Nintendo is known as a family friendly company, focusing on adults appeals to a larger portion of the population.

The main controller seems to be a wireless handheld that can “switch” and attach to other components such as the tablet.  I love this because I prefer an actual controller in my hand for most games, rather than a Wii U style controller that I might be forced to use.  From what I could tell there are at least 4 different ways to use the controller.

The screen on the tablet looks just like any other screen on the market; I like this because a standard screen will seem natural for people that already have iPads.  I also love the fact that there’s an earphone jack that accepts any regular earphone.

From what I saw, I can imagine we’re getting SD cards or some form of cartridges.  I actually prefer SD cards over downloads or wireless connection.

The tablet will allow for a more personal competitive feel because you’re allowed to play games head to head against your opponent on different tablet screens.  I prefer this more than playing online because I prefer to play with friends in the same room.

We’re getting a new freaking Mario game.  Enough said.  Though seriously, although the Wii U was a great system the lack of a Mario game on release really caused it to fail in capturing an initial consumer base.

While I’m not a fan of Splatoon, the competitive portion of the video makes me assume that Nintendo will sponsor competitions in the future.

Seeing a basketball game means we’re getting back third party support, and sports games in general.  The lack of sports games was a strong motivator for me getting a PS3/PS4 before.  Hopefully we get a baseball game as well.

And finally, it’s coming out in March, my Birthday!  Take My Money Nintendo!

The Legend of Zelda: NES Link Painting

This is a big year for Zelda fans because Nintendo finally announced that Breath of the Wild is releasing next year.  In order to celebrate my love for the franchise I wanted to do a painting that I’ve had on my mind to do for a long time; the animated character version of Link from the original NES Zelda game.  This version of Link can be found on the map that was included with the game.

I started this painting off by practicing how to draw Link multiple times on paper.  One of the difficulties I encountered at first was the lack of colour and shades within my drawing.  But then I decided to just keep going and worry about the shades later.  I then drew a basic sketch on a 5 x 7 canvas, which is my current size preference.  I went with a white background because it looks cleaner, and because animated colours tend to pop out more.  I then painted all of Link’s colours and shades in one swoop.

Thankfully, rushing like this made it easier to overcome my worries of the painting not looking good.  I then used a thin brush to do the lines which gave it a cel shading look, that worked perfectly.  I did make mistakes along the way, but the size of the painting made it easy to correct any imperfections.  Now that I am done I am very happy with the end result, and I hope to one day do another Link painting.

Link (The Legend of Zelda) Wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_(The_Legend_of_Zelda)

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN89H6B3NIU

Nintendo MediCom Toy Ultra Detail Figures

A few years ago there was this huge vinyl toy crazy that everyone was into.  With brands such as Medicom Toy and Kidrobot releasing limited edition artist designed toys.  Unfortunately just like beanie babies, trading card games and pogs; it was a craze I just didn’t understand.  I especially didn’t understand the price tag of vinyl toys, considering the fact that some sold for hundreds of dollars.  While I did buy some figures throughout the years, it was still something I had no interest in.

Earlier this year I found out that Medicom Toy would be releasing a line of retro Nintendo figures.  I wasn’t excited about them, but when I happened to see them in a local store one day I decided to get them.  I bought a Super Mario, and a Link figure.  Both figures are inspired by the Famicom version of those games.

Both figures are vinyl, are made in China, and are beautifully packaged in plastic clam shell that displays retro cards on the back.  Both figures also include a black base that pegs the figures in place.  I was disappointed by the paint job considering the price of these figures, and Medicom Toy describing them as “ultra detailed figures”.  Despite that I still love the figures and I’m happy to finally add vinyl figures to my collection that I actually understand.

Medicom Toy:

http://www.medicomtoy.co.jp

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9OmMwgt4Iw