PixlBit

Retro weekend lasted about an hour. I tried to play Metroid, and I tried to play Mega Man. I downloaded them on my Wii from Virtual Console, used my classic controler, and just couldn't handle those crazy platform jumps - drove me absolutely nuts. I didn't even got past the very first screen in Mega Man. But, you know, I'm glad I got these games and experienced them, even if it was for only one screen. I loved the presentation of both and even admired the controls, which were obviously carefully worked out. These types of games are just not cup of tea, sad to say.

I forgot to mention yesterday. I got a Spot Pass Special Mii and guess who it was. Reggie! Yes, it was Reggie Fils-Aime's Mii and he was there to plug the new 3DS. What was he playing? Majora's Mask of course. I wonder if he's actually playing it or some intern has his 3DS and plays it for him. 

Just looking at my 3DS XL notifications after coming home from work tonight. Looks like I got six all at once when I went to this Hotel. I had four from earlier in the week, so now I'm maxed out with 10. Weehoo! Time to play some Mii Plaza games. 

More riffing on Dragon Magazine #94, February, 1985.  In this month and year Frank Herbert published his last Dune novel, Chapterhouse: Dune. I read the first trilogy of Dune books but I didn’t read all of the second. I lost steam after reading Children of Dune. Chapterhouse: Dune was the sixth book. There have been a lot of games of all types based on the Dune novels. The one I’ve been looking for is Dune: The Battle for Arrakis for the Genesis. It hasn’t been in any collections or been downloadable anywhere. You can only play it on the Genesis. Publisher Virgin Interactive is no more and developer Westwood Studios was bought by EA and then closed. So maybe EA has the rights to Dune: The Battle for Arrakis? Who knows.

I preordered Codename: S.T.E.A.M. (out March 13th) yesterday. While I was there, I tried to by a points card for Wii. Last time I got the DSi card and it was good for Wii too. When the Gamestop saleman scanning though, it was no good. So no more points cards for Wii. I'll have to use a card to get my virtual console games or spend big money for a Wii-U. Or, I could get the games I want on 3DS. I'm considering that right now. I'll probably go Wii though.

Last week I collected 9 Miis and then had a party running them through the six Mii Plaza games. Here's some of the things me and my Mii friends did.

I finished Inferno Mode on Hard today playing co-op with my friend Mark. Then we replayed the boss to try and get the last Diablo Triumph Challenge, which is beating him without picking up a health potion or drinking from the health well. This is a little trickier than it sounds because Diablo and his minions all drop health potions after getting hit and it's hard to not accidently pick them up. I discovered some of my equipment increases my reach to gold and health potions, so I removed all those before the battle. After a few tries, we both got the challenge and the associated achievement.

I didn't exactly follow my plan I laid out in my previous blog. I went straight to my friend Mark's place and we headed out to watch Seventh Son in the theaters. It was a pretty much a by-the-numbers fantasy flick: very predictible but full of interesting special effects and action. Just turn your brain off and have fun, and it was. Then it was time to pick up some burgers at Five Guys and head back to play video games. 

Thought I'd run down what I'm planning on doing later tomorrow (technically it's today, but I'm going to sleep the first 8 hours, so it feels like tomorrow to me).

I just finished John Shirley's novel Halo: Broken Circle, the latest, and 13th, novel about events in the Halo universe.