Pokemon Mystery Dugeon: Gates To Infinity Review

        It's been nearly 7 years now, but it feels like just yesterday I was scurrying through dungeons while portraying an abnormally powerful Cyndaquil who, oddly enough, somehow was once a human who doesn't remember anything with the exception of the fact that he was once human! I remember buying a Prima guide to help me get through a game with randomly generated levels and complaining that the guide just wouldn't help my constant struggle for survival. I'd pull my stylus from the rear holster of my blue original Nintendo DS and lose myself through over one hundred floors of various Pokemon-infested chaos! And although the game now holds on to a Metacritic score of only 62, it holds a score in my heart which may consist of a power level which exceeds nine thousand. That game is Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and is remembered for its simultaneous release on both the Nintendo DS and the Game Boy Advance early on in the DS' lifespan (and perhaps late in the GBA's lifespan if you're a glass half full kind of person). This game not only revolutionized the Pokemon franchise in finding new ways to milk a series, but also introduced a new gameplay aesthetic and monotonous story only to be retold over and over again.

From Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team on the

Nintendo DS.

        

        This morning I was given a choice between the purchase of either Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon or Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates To Infinity to compliment my new nipplech... I mean Pikachu 3DS XL. I went with the obvious choice as Mystery Dungeon only made sense within the context in which I refer. I bought the game only expecting a rehash of everything I've seen before, but with 3D sprites and environments. Perhaps I was right, but this 3D rehash has reminded me that originally Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games weren't as bad as they've become, and that before exploring time and darkness, there was a hint of heart and personality rushed into these games. Even now, there is a scent of redundancy in the air as I boot up my nipplech.... Pikachu 3DS XL for hours of entertainment, but beyond the worry that a prodigious franchise such as Pokemon could get milked to its limits, there is nothing harmful about Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates To Infinity, and beneath its thick get-rich-quick-scheme shell, there lies a beautifully designed world which seems to have been crafted by minds full of passion. While it would never be considered for the likes of a Game of the Year nomination, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates To Infinity will be remembered as a beautiful remake of perhaps one of the most ambitious titles I've ever played, no matter how mediocre the gameplay of the original title seemed to be. 

From Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates To Infinity on 

Nintendo 3DS.

Bullogna Score: 7.8!

 Pros:

-One of the most beautiful games on the 3DS.

-Feels like a 3D PS Vita game.

-Stays true to its franchise in both positive and negative accounts.

-A few fun new gameplay mechanics.

Cons:

-Stays too true to its franchise.

-Marketed as a cash grab.

-Feels tedious at times.

Notes:
-Makes me want a PokePark 3DS game.

       

What Wii Want From Wii U At E3 2013

While this isn't a complete list of everything Nintendo would need to survive the next generation of console with their Wii U system, I have constructed an outline of points that would help Wii U achieve cult status as its predecessor did. If you can think of more advice for the video game-exclusive company to rise to the ocassion this June for E3 and blow gamers away with a changed mindset, please leave your ideas in the comments section below.

A Strong New IP

        Although Nintendo has been able to cook up some fresh new IPs over the past 10 years, the number of new Nintendo intellectual properties with strong sales has remained at an all-time low. As a publisher, Nintendo's first-party lineup has become victim to re-releasing slightly modified versions of games which already exist on an annual basis, or in other words has contracted the Call of Duty Virus! *Gasp* A well-designed fresh new take on the publisher who started it all could help Nintendo inch their way up to the starting line.

Super Smash Bros. 4, Zelda U, Mario Kart, and 3D Super Mario U

        Each of these titles have been confirmed to be shown at E3, but promises are not often kept nowadays. Nintendo needs to have gameplay for each of these games with upcoming release dates that aren't so distant in the future that the system would die off before their respective launches.

Proof of Future Third Party Support

        We've all heard rumors that Ubisoft and EA could be completely dropping support for the Wii U altogether. As much as most of us despise the latter company, it seems that a lack of EA support would harm the systems sales exponentially, and that Ubisoft is the only major publisher still continuously supporting Nintendo's home console. Without apparent proof of third party support for the future of Wii U, it may seem to consumers that Wii U is just a reiteration of the Wii's final years, and that Nintendo's first party lineup doesn't solely sell dedicated gaming consoles anymore.

Non-Existent Loading 

        While this may not be possible with Wii U's current hardware, it would indeed be impressive to see non-existent load times on Wii U games not dissimilar to the technology found in PS4. If possible, this could help disprove the theory that Wii U isn't a next generation game console.

GameCube/GBA Virtual Console

        This is yet another asset which I'm not aware is possible or not, but if Nintendo is able to pull off GameCube games on the eShop's Virtual Console, this could unanimously increase sales as older teens, and perhaps college students unaware of emulators or who oppose piracy, would buy Wii U primarily for nostalgic purposes. If they could find a way to include the option of HD upscaling in both GCN and GBA games then kudos to Nintendo because they'd be set to win!

A Clarified Marketing Campaign

        Perhaps this wouldn't be appropriate for E3 in particular (or perhaps it would), but I think it is the general consensus that poor marketing has affected Wii U's sales more than almost anything. All Nintendo would need is one commercial to air on various cable networks, explaining the differences between Wii and Wii U, and clarifying that the gamepad is NOT an accessory for the original Wii and sales numbers would increase drastically. It seems that less companies have it in them to invest in marketing recently, and without this major flaw, less major companies would be suffering as of now.

Top 10 Most Anticipated Gaming Events of 2013

  This Saturday on Dose of D-Pad I'll be hosting the Top 10 Most Anticipated Gaming Events of 2013 special episode/season finale event. Fittingly enough, Saturday also happens to be my birthday, so as assumed, I'll be crying myself to sleep praying to God that I could be 6 again. Nevertheless, I plan for this event to be a success and therefore find it suitable to promote it by publishing the outline that I'll use for Saturday morning's podcast event. If you have any ideas on how to improve this list, feel free to comment and I'll be sure to include your contribution on the show when I record on Friday night.

10) Roller Coaster Tycoon (Android, iOS)

The original Roller Coaster Tycoon is being ported for support on both Google Play and the App Store. We better see a simultaneous release on both platforms. Nostalgia, here I come!

9) Beyond: Two Souls

Quantic Dream's spiritual successor to the critically acclaimed Heavy Rain may be the final PS3-exclusive worth discussing.

8) PS Vita North American Price Cut

Will PS Vita finally get a price cut in North America? Will it matter?

7) Tearaway

Speaking of PS Vita, LittleBigPlanet developer Media Molecule has something special tucked away in their gaming laboratories... And it releases on October 22nd in the U.S. (October 25th in Europe)  

6) Wii U Price Cut

While analyst Michael Patcher claimed today that a price could wouldn't help the Wii U, it sure wouldn't hurt, and along with a potentially large assortment of games to be announced at E3, a price cut could be Wii U's savior.

5) Pokemon X and Y

While Nintendo may be flopping in console sales, they're certainly succeeding in the handheld department, and the first fully 3D Pokemon is going to make the ride that much sweeter. Pokemon X and Y will be releasing worldwide for the Nintendo 3DS in October 2013.

4) The Last of Us

I bought a PS3 last year for the sole purpose of being able to play this game at its launch. I then played all of Naughty Dog's other titles and thrilled that I'll be able to hang out with Joel and Ellie on the same day that I'm going with my dad to see Man of Steel. The Last of Us releases June 14th.

3) PlayStation 4 Launch

This includes every launch title for PS4; hopefully Infamous: Second Son, Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack, The Witness, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, and more!

2) Next-Gen Xbox Annoucement

We've all heard the awful rumors, but I want to be able to separate truth from lies. It's rumored that Microsoft will be holding a press conference to announce the new Xbox on May 21st, 2013, but if you want to stay updated on this subject, join my Facebook event page by clicking here.

1) E3 2013

This is where we'll (hopefully) get all of the answers. This year's Electronic Entertainment Expo conference will take place from June 11th until June 13th, 2013 at the Los Angeles Convention center, but is not open to the public and will be covered on most general/gaming news sites. I expect Vita games and major changes for Nintendo, but my E3 predictions will make their way into a separate article written at a later date.