Zelda Week: Hyrule Warriors: "Strength in numbers MEANS NOTHING TO ME!"

How do you like to relax? For me, it is something I can enjoy without needing to think too much about something. Whether that be a familiar book, movie or show, a video game franchise that I've been playing for so long that I don't need to think about the mechanics, or in this case, taking out red dots on my map by killing anything that moves, which is where Hyrule Warriors comes in. Because sometimes, it helps to have a relaxing game. And if you think that's cruel, do bare in mind, Pokemon and Kirby are also stress relieving games for me. So shall we build up that ko count?

Mediaholics Podcast Episode 3

MP3 download: http://adf.ly/1YcDLc

CJ joins the squad to help us discuss things like

The NX Controller leak
Ace Attorney 6 trailer
PlayStation VR
Hyrule Warroirs Legends
and more

Zelda Week: Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker

And you thought Pokemon had too much water

In a convention called Space World in the year 2000, a few Gamecube tech demos were released. One of these showed Link and Ganondorf sword fighting. Fans speculated that this is a demo to a brand new Zelda title for the Gamecube. Not too long after, another tech demo was shown in Space World, 2001. It was shown with Link in a new cartoonish style. The fans were confused about the cute art style of Link in this tech demo, and not the darker tone of the Space World 2000 tech demo. Fans at the time were afraid that every proceeding Zelda title was going to be in this style.

Although some, as well as myself, don’t mind the different cell shaded cartoonish style. I find it rather refreshing. As with most new Gamecube titles, it showcases the power of the Gamecube, although does it pretty well. The water physics for the ocean move up and down simulating waves. The grass moves with the wind. Not to mention that the entire overworld map is just one expansive area with no walls. You can loop around the map as if it were on a globe.

The story of Wind Waker is you as Link setting off on a journey to save your sister Aryll from a demon bird. After you meet the pirate girl Tetra and her crew in a fateful encounter, you set off to save your sister as well as some other characters you meet along the way.

Wind Waker has you travelling on boat sailing from island to island, which is pretty cool. Although, I hear conflicting arguments saying whether or not the traveling in this game is tedious or not. I’d say it’s all depends on how you look at it, and how much patience you have. This game, as many Zelda games or even any RPG for that matter is about the journey. I feel like this game does a pretty good job on it’s theme of adventuring out. Even if it takes a while sailing to each individual island, and if you just don’t have the patience, the Wii U version has a faster sail to accommodate this. The real joy is finding little islands with treasure along the way of your quest. Even for the main story islands have really good atmospheres about them. Forsaken Fortress taking place at night. The lush green Forest Haven. My favorite is when you approach Greatfish Isle and the atmosphere becomes more gray and rainy as you approach it.

This game’s main mechanic besides seafaring is the titular wind waker. The main draw of the wind waker is, big surprise, that it controls the direction of the wind. Though it’s pretty fun to play with combined with the deku leaf item that lets you sail with the wind to reach places you wouldn't otherwise. Another small mechanic is that you can use enemy weapons against them which is really fun. It makes the first staple stealth section of this game more bearable.

The typical theme of sidequests are apparent in this game as with every Zelda title. Of course almost every island has a little sidequest, as well on main islands. Although, the biggest sidequest is the Triforce pieces. There are 8 Triforce pieces as well as 8 Triforce charts (3 charts in Wii U). It costs roughly 400 rupees each to get each chart deciphered. This and the sailing is why some people call this game very tedious. Again, Wii U version accommodates this for the fewer charts. Also considering the fact that this sidequest is only for 100% you’re not missing much if you are casually playing the game for the story.

Before we finish I should mention Tingle. Yes, that weird fairy guy, although he gives you something useful if you have a Gameboy linked to the Gamecube. The Tingle Tuner is a Gamecube exclusive item. It almost acts as a Wii U pad. You can spend rupees for small power ups that help you throughout your adventure. You can write on your map, drop bombs, get potions, ect. It’s basically a mobile shop, which is pretty nifty. Although this is exclusive if you have a Gameboy link cable with a Gameboy Advance, so not a lot of people actually use it. If you can get it, good for you since it’s a really helpful item. This feature was replaced in the Wii U version in favor of the Tingle Bottle, which is just Miiverse compatibility. Tingle Bottles wash up on random islands depending on where you post it which display Miiverse posts. Fun, although clearly not as useful as the Tingle Tuner.

So at this point you’re probably wondering which version do you want to play? Well, I personally play Wind Waker on the Gamecube just because I have it. Of course the Wii U version has gamepad functionality so it’s easier to swap items. The Wii U version fixes a lot of complaints, thus making the game easier to pick up. A full list of changes from Gamecube to Wii U can be found [here] if you are interested. Overall, I’d say get the Wii U one if you want an easier time. Get the Gamecube one if you want authenticity, and have access to the Tingle Tuner.

Overall this game is pretty amazing. The expansive Great Sea makes this game feel huge. Exploration is a key part, and they do this fantastically well. The game looks beautiful on both versions for their respective hardware. Even if you’re not a huge fan of the Zelda series, this is a great game to start out with.

-Marissa (keybug55)

Zelda Week: The Legend of Zelda: "Wouldn't it be a BiForce... DuoForce?"

Welcome to Zelda Week. 5 games, 2 reviewers (due to real life activities clashing), and in one week, we'll be taking a look at almost all sides of the spectrum that is The Legend of Zelda. So up first, why don't we take a look at the one that started it all, the original game on the NES, back when people had a better excuse to call Link by the name of Zelda. Sorry people, its like Samus' name not actually being Metroid, or Pit's not actually being Kid Icarus. So, shall we?

D.C.M.M.M: Man of Steel, also known as Jesus Symbolism and Bloom lighting, the movie

This, this movie, this product, is the reason why Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice has so much to prove. I'd personally like to just get to it, so here's Man of Steel.

Even the poster has bloom lighting?

Top 20 Bayformers bot predictions

While I am still working on Man Of Steel, suffice to say, that preparations for next week have been putting a toll on it. I'm delaying Man of Steel for a day, to bring it up to snuff. So in the mean time, something quick, something easy, a top X list... Yes I do still try to do those. For some reason I've had Bayformers on the mind, not enough to watch them again, wouldn't even if I had the time. But with 3 new movies already in the works, with release days, may as well do a bot prediction on them. The quota for these choices are

• Personal opinion
• How much attention they've gotten recently, from the TV shows, games, and comics
• How they could be used in the movies
• Do they fit Bay's quota, based on the last four movies

Would I like to be wrong about some of these following comments, yes, absolutely yes. But I am basing these off of the last four, and stories of his other films. This is going to be interesting...

D.C.M.M.M: The Dark Knight Rises: Wait, didn't he do that already?

The end of the Dark Knight Trilogy, at last. But, where do you go from the critically acclaimed "masterpiece" that is The Dark Knight? Well, for me, The Dark Knight wasn't flawless, still good, but not flawless, and this movie is seen as many to be worse... Primus help me...

First Impressions: Ghostbusters 2016

I know I said First Impressions will be videos, and that's technically still true, you can see why if you look at yesterday's Podcast. But this is one that I felt needed more detail. So consider this more of a "Second Impression" for the movie, mainly because its one that I've been seeing a lot of "mixed reactions" to the movie (as gently as I can put it). Some like it for what it represents to them, granted I've seen that with a bit of projection onto it, some like the trailer because its a new Ghostbusters trailer for a new Ghostbusters movie, and props to them for it. However, about 325,000 people, at time of writing, aren't so on board with the movie. So where do I stand?

Honestly, not a fan of these poster designs, they're just generic and some parts are overkill for the"All girls team" idea

Mediaholics Podcast: Episode 2

Download the mp3 here: https://mega.nz/#!5gdABBaQ
Episode 2 of the podcast, once again, sit back, relax, enjoy for we have new topics to discuss like:

The last two Nintendo Directs
Headmasters and Titans Return
Legends of Everfree
Reboots and the Powerpuff Girls
Critiquing the trailer for the new Ghostbusters, probably leading to one of us getting labeled a sexist
And more in detail.

Combiner Wars: Peace is but a brittle thing for them

Encase it might not be obvious, I have no intention on doing arcs in the order they were released, simply being because of how old some arcs are. I'd rather bounce between old and new arcs, as to me, it would be more interesting, and may shine a new light on older arcs. For now, we go back to Cybertron, and while there are many arcs between Autocracy and Combiner Wars I want to talk about, such as Dark Cybertron, Last Stand of the Wreckers and All Hail Megatron, let's see what the toy line has been up to lately, the Combiner Wars.