Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack #2 Now Out!

It's finally here! After months of waiting the second Mario Kart 8 DLC pack has been released to the masses! As good as the last pack was, this is one absolutely takes the cake. The tracks are even more creative and enjoyable than the previous batch... if that's even possible. Do yourselves a favor and check it out!

                                    

Anther's Ladder (Smash Ladder) is Awesome!

If you're a Smash Bros fan you need to check out Anther's Ladder ASAP! The site has everything a competitive player could ever want. It gives players the ability to connect with and battle skilled Smash Bros players online. Anther's Ladder includes Project M, Melee, Brawl, Smash 4, and even Smash 64 communities! What's more, the site incorporates rankings and allows you to face other players using official tournament rule sets! So what are you waiting for? Enjoy: http://www.smashladder.com/ 

Famous Video Game Scenes Illustrated by Mikael Aguirre!

The exceedingly talented Mikael Aguirre recently posted some truly breathtaking illustrations of famous video game scenes. They expertly capture the memorable and magical atmospheres of the original games. Have a look!

Mario Kart Series

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Metroid Series

Yoshi's Story

Secret of Mana

Final Fantasy VI

Pokemon Red/Blue

Final Fantasy VII

Street Fighter Series

Original Blog Post: optimisticx.blogspot.ca

Mikael Aguirre's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/OriotoPosters?fref=ts

Kirby VS Megaman: Clash of Clones

Here we have two beloved video game characters who just love to steal their opponent's abilities. The first is the blue bomber himself, Mega Man! The second is the pink blob with the black hole gut, Kirby! A spectacular Smash Bros. 4 customs tournament was held recently, and some of the top players in the nation attended. Allow them to show you the terrifying fighting prowess of these two esteemed combatants! Fight!   

Donkey Kong Country 1 VS Donkey Kong Country 3: Planet of the Apes

The original Donkey Kong Country series holds a very special place in my heart. The Super Nintendo was the first game console I ever owned, and Donkey Kong Country was my first game. To put it simply, the game blew my mind. The stunning visuals, atmospheric soundtrack, tight platforming, insane difficulty, and expert level design came together to create something amazing. I spent all my free time playing DKC1, who needs friends right? My parents would often called me obsessed- they were right. Very right.

Donkey Kong Country 2 and 3 released in the next few years, and both were spectacular games. However, the reason I chose DKC3 for this comparison is because of the wealth of new mechanics and characters added. Although it kept the core game-play of the first two games intact, new features such as an explorable over-world, mini-games, and grabbing/throwing mechanics spiced things up. So what did I think of these additions? Well, although I did enjoy them, I thought they got in the way of the core game-play at times. Grabbing and throwing your partner character was cumbersome, and the over-world didn't really add much to the overall experience.

Where DKC3 has the original game beat was in sheer imagination. DKC1 is beautiful and vibrant, but the level locations are slightly generic. DKC3 took things up a notch- many notches actually. From waterfalls, to sewers, to mountaintops, to wooden cabins, to ship docks, no location was left unexplored. You can really tell that the genius developers at Rare worked hard to avoid limiting themselves to predicable, and expected, jungle settings. You never know what to expect from the next level, and this unprecedented visual diversity is reason enough to complete the game.

In conclusion, both games are fantastic. DKC1 is the very definition of simple, unadulterated platforming bliss. DKC3 has the same great platforming mechanics and superior art design, but is hampered by unnecessary mechanics and features. However, if I could only play one game for the rest of my life it would have to be DKC1 simply because it's so easy to jump into the game world and start playing. All you have to worry about are those nasty Kremlings! To be honest though, the real reason I'm choosing DKC1 as the winner is because it was my first game ever, how do you compete with that?! DKC1 is your Bit Brawl winner!

  

Mortal Kombat 9 VS Super Smash Bros Melee: Which is the better fighter?

At their core, fighting games come down to one simple thing- defeating your opponent. So why not pit two against each other? I've chosen Smash Bros. Melee and Mortal Kombat because they represent two distinct styles. First up we have Mortal Kombat- a very traditional fighter. Each character has a life bar, and the winner is the first to completely deplete their opponents.' This can be achieved by using a combination of attacks, counters, and grabs. Each character also has a long list of special moves. These can be unleashed by inputting complex button combinations.

Super Smash Bros. Melee takes a much different approach, and can best be defined as an 'open-world' fighter. Each character has a life percentage, and the more they get hit, the higher their percentage goes. Once it gets high enough, what is refereed to as a 'smash attack' will send them rocketing out of the arena, and to their demise.

Instead of needing to memorize lists of complicated button combinations to pull off combos and special moves, players are essentially given the ability to create their own combos. Each character has all their moves mapped to two buttons, with tilts of the joystick leading to variations of them. Thanks to a generous amount of 'hit-stun,' upon impact your opponent is incapable of retaliating for a split-second. During this time, you can instantly string together various moves to create impressive and flexible combos.

The two games are very different when it comes to character selection. Mortal Kombat presents users with a variety of very traditional, generic fighters. The majority are variations of ninjas, soldiers, and monsters. Although they are well-designed and relatively diverse in regards to their move-sets, the fighters are generally forgettable as a whole. Super Smash Bros. has a much more varied and memorable cast. The game is filled with classic Nintendo characters as well as a few third-party guests in the later games such as Sonic, Snake, and Pac-Man. This makes the game extremely captivating. Who hasn't wondered who would win in a fight between Link, Mario, and Donkey Kong?

The winner of this Bit Brawl (hehehe) is....Super Smash Bros. Melee!

PS4 VS XBOX ONE: Which new generation console has the edge?

After years of excitement and speculation, the next generation of consoles has finally arrived. Sony launched the PlayStation 4 on November 14th, and Microsoft launched the Xbox One on November 22nd. Although the initial selection of games was limited, both sold well and released without any major issues. So which is the superior console?

Spec-wise, the machines are very similar, with a slight edge going to the PS4. Due to quicker RAM, the PS4 consistently outputs visuals at 1080p,  while the Xbox One tends to struggle, and instead runs the majority of taxing games at 900p. Although this is nothing major, it's proof of the superior graphical capabilities of the PS4. However, this advantage will be relatively short-lived. Microsoft has recently announced that they will give developers the ability to disable the Kinect, giving the Xbox One slightly more processing power to work with, essentially putting it in line with Sony's machine.

In terms of software selection, things are largely up for debate. Neither console has a decisive 'killer-app.' Many AAA-games are available on both platforms, some examples being Destiny, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Assassin Creed: Unity, Evolve, and Dragon Age: Inquisition. The PS4 has a few quality exclusives such as Infamous: Second Son and The Order. The Xbox One also has a decent selection, with Sunset Overdrive and Forza Horizon standing out. Overall, the two consoles are pretty even at the moment.

Moving on to online services, both machines offer great experiences. Lag is minimal, video and party chat work well, and streaming capabilities are present. PlayStation Online and Xbox Live also have  identical price-points. However, in terms of indie game selection, the PS4 has a definite edge. There is a larger selection of excellent games, and members are given access to 2-3 free games each month.

The controllers of both consoles are excellent. The Xbox One controller is essentially an upgraded version of the Xbox 360 controller, arguably the best controller of the previous generation. Sony's Dual Shock 4 is a comprehensive re-imagining of the Dual Shock 3, and feels spectacular in the hands. If I had to chose one though, it would be the Dual Shock 4. It simply feels perfect, and the touch pad and light bar are nice touches.

As you can probably tell by now...the winner of this Bit Brawl is...the PS4!