Super Mario Bros 3

The best game for last.

Game no: 215

Genre: Platfomer 

Platform: NES

Does this game holds up?

- This game started it all.

• Overworld map
• Powerups
• Minigames 
• Different ability suits

- 8 different worlds to explore, each with different gameplay mechanics 
- Difficulty ramps up in the last levels
- A lot of ways to get 1-up since you are going to need it. You'll end up dying a lot

Status: Finish the game and save the princess 

Fun Factor: Spectacular... This is a game for the ages.

Super Mario Bros.

The OG Mario game that started it all

Game no: 214

Genre: Platfomer 

Platform: NES

Does this game holds up?

- Stages are fun yet challenging.
- Controls are spot on precise
- There is a castle that will loop if you don't follow a sequence
- Underwater stages are still a hassle
- Warp pipes are awesome ( I wonder why they dont do that any more )

Status: Finish the game and save the princess 

Fun Factor: A classic masterpiece

Super C

Is not on par with Contra

Game no: 213

Genre: Action

Platform: NES

Does this game holds up?

- Same mechanics and Contra but there have a couple tweaks to it
- 3D stages are no longer. It has been changed with an isometric top view
- Bosses still provide a lot of challenges
- Basically you can beat the game with a spread gun 

Status: Finish the game until the final alien boss

Fun Factor: A great way to waste your time 

Pinball

The first pinball game that Nintendo ever produce

Game no: 212

Genre: Pinball

Platform: NES

Does this game holds up?

- Simple 2D pinball physics 

- The pinball table is divided into 2 sections 

- There is a minigame where you control Mario and need to balance the ball to save Pauline 

Status: Pinball is an easy game to win. Once you beat it, you are considered done 

Fun Factor: A great way to waste your time 

Othello

A board game with a simple premise

Game no: 211
Genre: Board

Platform: NES

Does this game holds up?
- It's a game where you have to same coloured pegs on both ends of the board and it will cause the rest of the line to change colour
- Level 1 computer is hard as nails.
- The trick is not to go to the outer end of the board. Whoever goes there first will lose 

Status: Finish the whole game in Level 1
Fun Factor: A great way to waste your time 

A great time with "family"

Like every beginning Monday I will tell what notable things that happen to me throughout the entire week.

The week was just the same mundane routine. I did managed to finished a couple of NES games which is awesome.  On the weekend we went to 2 open houses. The first was one of my wife's students. It's a yearly tradition where he invites us to come every year. The food was great and the company was too. It was not until the evening where the real fun begins.

A bit of backstory behind this. Around 8 years back when I was in New Zealand, we met this couple with 3 boys. Both wives get along good. As for the guy, both of us tolerated each other. So it wasn't an awkward moment. Eventually we became "family" that has no blood ties but we would do anything for each other. Fast forward 7 years in 2016. We were invited to participate in their last sister's wedding. So even though we are not related by blood the whole extended family treat us like we were brother and sister. Fast forward last Saturday. (Oops, forgot to mention we are the "family" of the wife side of the group. The wife has 5 sisters and 4 brothers plus in laws). So on Saturday it was their annual Eid get together. We were also invited. When we arrived there, we had food and we talked a lot. Apparently, my jokes over there are like gold... So I keep making jokes and they keep cracking up. It came into a point that the whole house were roaring since my jokes were hilarious. I love spending time with people who appreciate our company and my jokes.

On Sunday, went to my friend house (he used/is still my best friend but his wife is err..) for the last Eid celebration. Since I pratically spend my entire uni years with that family, I figure why not come to see his mom and dad. I ate and talk for a while. The mom and dad loves having me around (I hope so) since I talk a lot. Apparently my friend is so introverted that he never tells his parents anything about my life. So I spend a good 30 mins updating them on what is happening with me. Suddenly, his wife and kid showed up. If you think he is introvert, (as my wife put out) his wife is a snob. Did want to talk to me and when I did talk to her, he just nodded...

Studying time: I finished week 3 in record time. Now helping my wife doing her clerical work. Soo week 4 will be put on hold for a while. 

Ninja Gaiden II

Oh hell no...

Genre: Action

Platform: NES

Does this game holds up?
- Why... why was this game invented. All the same tropes as the first Ninja Gaiden but they up the craziness to 11
- Enemies comes from multiple direction
- There is a stage where is pitch black and there are 2 second intervals where lightning strikes. You need to land each jump perfectly
- Bosses are even crazier
- You now have shadow clones which can give you extra firepower

Status: Saw a speedrun of this on youtube. The guy cleared the game in 15 minutes. Crazy
Fun Factor: It is not fun, if you have to torture yourself all the time.

Ninja Gaiden

The game that is hard as nails...

Game no: 210
Genre: Action

Platform: NES

Does this game holds up?
- This game you play a ninja with one hit slice.
- The ninja abilities including wall mounting and climbing
- Apparently this ninja can't climb up a ledge which is wired since he can climb up a ladder
- Each boss provides a different challenge and battles can last of a couple of seconds
- This game is super hard, enemies will continue to respawn until you past a certain points
- Jumps needs to be execute precisely if not you will fall to your death
- You will constantly die again and again (thank god for save states)
- How did they play this game during the old days since it's super hard and you only got one life.
- Lots of different power ups.  

Status: Finish the whole game until the final boss. After discovering they 3 different forms, I just youtube the ending.
Fun Factor: Fun game if you are up for the challenge.

Ms. Pac-Man

It's pac-man but with a twist

Genre: Action
Platform: NES

Does this game holds up?
- Well its Ms. pac-man. You guide a yellow puck eating pellets around while avoiding ghosts
- The stages change every 2 rounds so there is variety to it 
- Well that's about it

Status: Played a couple of stages 
Fun Factor: Good time waster

Monster's in my Pocket

Should be played two players.

Game no: 209
Genre: Action

Platform: NES

Does this game holds up?
- A fun action game where you play as either a vampire or a monster and you need to fight hords of tiny monsters 

- The stages moves either from left to right. Down to up or down to up to right. 

- Minature stages looks awesome 

- Enimies are unforgiving. They come in hords. You really need to play this with a buddy 

- Times jumps since you will die a lot.

- Each boss battles are unique. Stage 6 you will fight all previous bosses with a new boss

- Just when you thought you win the game... The final final boss shows up 

- Controllers are spot on

Status: Finish the game until stage 4 and watch a speed run for it
Fun Factor: Fun game with a buddy...

Mike Tyson's Punch Out

This game is surprisingly fun

Game no: 208
Genre: Sports
Platform: NES

Does this game holds up?
- You play as Little Mac and you have to work your way from the bottom tier until you reach Mike Tyson
- You can't move but the directional pad provides a good offensive and defensive system
- Each of the boxers you fight are characters on their own. You need to figure out when is the right time to attack.
- This is a precursor to Wii Boxing
- Mike Tyson is over powered. It's funny to see one hit KO

Status: Finish the game until Mike and after that just youtube that ending
Fun Factor: Fun game.. a nes classic

Tearaway

Finally after putting it of for years, I finally played this game.

Game no: 207
Genre: Platformer
Platform: PS Vita

What is it about?
You play as Iota, a messenger in the paper world. You are task by giving a message to the sun (which is you). From there your adventure begins

What's Great
- This game fully uses the vita capabilities from touch screen, rear trackpad, gyro sensor, camera and voice recorder.
- Your face is at the sun and when and it looks cool when Iota is looking at you
- By using the rear trackpad your finger pops out in the screen. If you look closely, you can see the rear camera showing the real world.
- Take pictures by using multiple camera functions such as wide lens and high speed.
- Each item can be made in real life. By taking pictures of it, you can print the actual model and make it in the real world.
- The gameplay is awesome and each stage is focus on different types of gameplay which makes it never boring.
- The story is also great and the ending is very unexpected. (which is awesome)
- Lots of hidden passages to get extra items.

What's not so great. 
- Like all good things, It eventually ends.

Great for: Vita owners
Not so great for: Those who doesn't like cutesy graphics and jumping

Status: Finish the game with 69% of collectibles
Fun Factor: Spectacular... Game of the year contender (which is 4 years too late, the game was out 2014)

Mario Bros

An old classic

Game no: 206
Genre: Action
Platform: NES

What is it about?
You play as Mario and need to stop the animals that coming out of the pipes

What's great 
- Different enemies provide different challenges
- Need to time the jumps right.
- Ice provide a slippery slope which makes running harder

What's not so great 
- That's about it. The game doesn't have that much depth into it. Its a old NES classic

Great for: Short burst of gameplay
Not so great for: A challenge. Game is simple enough 

Status: Played it until phase 15.
Fun Factor: You'll get bored after 30 mins. 2 players will probably make it more fun.

Blogging before bed

It's been a while since I've been blogging. Probably because I am just lazy or there nothing much to report. Actually there is a lot that I want to talk about but really don't have that much time. So let's get started on some reporting

Last week 9/7/2017. The whole day after 11am was filled with open houses. I am on this no sugar diet (where I don't eat anything sugary based stuff) and I find it is freaking hard since there are a lot of nice desserts that taste so good. The open houses lasted until evening. After that we had to rush home for an Indian wedding. This is my first time going to an Indian wedding and I must say it was an experience. The person that invited me, was actually meant for my mom, but she couldn't make it so she send us instead. Basically in the Indian wedding you expect a lot of dancing and curry based food. Since the people of here are vegetarian so all the food are vegetarian based or vegetables that look like meat.

Besides that my sister in law is going through a rough patch. It's been 10 days and I think they are piling more shit on them. The divorce that happen 10 days ago didn't sit well with her. The wife expects the husband to just come back to her. But the husband ( as my wife said ) is an idiot. What kind of guy who leaves 2 beautiful kids just because he wants a to be treated differently with another woman. Well what I heard to day is that my step mom in law is in talks with the lawyer in order to move all her daughters assets from her husband. The problem is that the wife is not having a good family support system. Her family is treating this as her fault and they are not giving her words of encouragements. So who does she turn to.. My wife... She should start charging for her sessions

My studying has gone full swing. I am clocking 4-5 hours a day in doing my courses. Usually at night my brain gets drained by learning a lot of codes. I really hope this is useful to my advancement of my career.

Rant of the week
I know it is not nice to be jealous of people but sometimes I feel that other people in Facebook has better lives than me. Which is highly suspect since, people usually post happy stuff on the wall on facebook. Unless its a sad story... Seeing family having gatherings celebrating birthdays, people going on vacations, people just having the time of their lives makes me feel that I am not accomplishing anything at all. But I think I have a fulfilling life.. But I do wish I do more.

Series: Watching family guy when I have the chance. 1 or 2 episodes a day...

Ok that's all for now... I want to try to catch some zzz... Night folks

Spider-Man Homecoming

Spider-Man is back after years and years of crappy movies.

What is it about?
2 Months after the events of Captain America Civil War. We see young Peter Parker struggling becoming a high school teenage and wanting to be something more than that

The Good:
Tom Holland is perfect and Spider-Man and Peter Parker

Spider-Man skips the origin story since we already know how's he became the superhero in the first place

Tony Stark (even if his face is big at the poster) was only there for a good 10 minutes

Micheal Keaton in my opinion is the best Marvel villain since Loki 

The fight scene were well choreograph

The jokes all sticks its landing.

Ned is just more than the comic relief. He plays an important role in making Peter seems more human 

Spider-Man suit with extra upgrades is awesome. Wish they had more scene with just Peter and Karen   

After credits scene was epic

The Bad:
The after credit scene was one big epic troll. They could use that space to build more hype for Infinity War

Why does Peter needs a love interest and its not with Mary Jane 

They should spend a good time where Peter and Tony was interacting more about the suit.

Aunt May was hot but I do think she was a bit underutilized 

The Ugly:
Zendaya, what was her role in this movie. She was too creepy to even be a love interest for Peter. Please don't let her be the new MJ.

After credits:
1st is an aftermath of the story

2nd is epic... But you can miss it. It won't effect anything.

Verdict:
Best Movie of the year so far. Could be a contender for movie of the year. Best MCU movie for 2017. Worth every minute in the cinema 

Doom

It took a while but I finally finish it

Game no: 205
Genre: FPS
Platform: PC

What is it about?
You wake up as the Doom soldier is the Mars space station. There hordes of demos overrun the base and it is up to you to stop them. The story won't win any Pulitzer.

What's great 
- This game is amazing from start to finish. The action is non-stop.
- Way point markers make it easy to find where are you going. Even if the map is tiered, you rarely get lost
- Each unique weapon is design for each specific enemy.
- Signature kills gives bonus and gives you a couple of seconds to breathe before the action continues.
- Power-ups range from upgrading your armor, health and weapons. As well as checkpoint markers (when you kill a certain number of enemies) which help you upgrade each weapon.
- Double jumping and climbing. You can climb and smooth surface without a prominent marker.
- Extra mission to help you hone your skills
- The chainsaw is one hit kill and will replenish your weapons.
- You wont run out of bullets if you know the right way to maximize damage
- Bosses provide a lot of challenge

What's not so great 
- Game is hard as nails
- The final boss is quite a handful
- The story ends abruptly but you don't really care since the characters don't relate to Doom guy.
- BGF can't be used most of time. I forgot I even have it

Great for: Those who love fast pace adrenaline pumping action
Not so great for: Those who want a game that doesn't give you a heart attack.

Status: Finish the game till the end credits
Fun Factor: Spectacular... Contender for my Game of the Year.

The Swapper

A puzzle game on the moon

Genre: Puzzle
Platform: PS Vita

What is it about?
It's been a while but you are in a planet and you have to navigate the planet by solving puzzles

What's great 
- Puzzles are intuitive
- The use of multiple people to solve the puzzle

- Graphics has a very dark feel to it 

What's bad 
- The game puzzle doesn't teach you what to do, so you do get stuck. And stuck you get... A lot
- That's all about the game... Going from one room to solve puzzles

Great for: Those who love puzzle games
Not so great for: Those who wants easy solutions to puzzle cause some of them are not.

Status: Played a couple of hours and quit due to the inability to solve puzzle 
Fun Factor: Fun until you get stuck. 4 - 5 hours tops.

Titan Souls

8-bit Dark Souls

Genre: Action
Platform: PS Vita

What is it about?
You wake up with a single bow and arrow. The arrow can be called back upon. You open to explore the world and fight a lot of bosses.

What's great 
- Controls are tight. Very responsive
- Pixel art looks cute.
- Difficulty curve.
- Clever way to fight bosses

What's bad 
- Difficulty curve. Its freaking hard. You will die. A lot. This game is a glutton for punishment
- No instruction. You have to figure it out youself.
- No map so you just end up wondering around for the next boss to fight
- Can't pause just like dark souls I guess
- When you die you restart at the checkpoint and you have to walk again to the boss

Great for: People who love to challenge their dexterity in beating bosses
Not so great for: People who want to play a game to relaxed (ME)

Status: Beat a couple of bosses and then give up due to keep on dying.
Fun Factor: You'll end up rage quitting. Game is great but its not for everyone

Volume

Reminds me of Metal Gear Solid VR Missions

Game no: 204
Genre: Puzzle
Platform: PS Vita

What is it about?
I don't really understand the story that much but from what I can gather is that you are a rebel who uploads a program which creates simulations that are called "volumes". Then you used this volume to simulate real world environments where you navigate and steal some stuff

What's great 
- The stages are all interesting. It teaches you the mechanics of the game and change the situation when you gotten used to it
- The amount of items you get and each play a different role it navigating the stages.
- Enemies bring different range and challenges
- Checkpoints are plenty but only if you didn't trigger the alarm. You could just run your way through the course but there is no fun in that.
- Voice acting is superb. It will start a story during gameplay and will continue it through the next stage.
- The text files that are found in the game.. Some are hilarious
- Online leaderboards

What's bad 
- Not sure it was not designed for the Vita. The vita keeps on crashing a couple of times
- The story really doesn't make sense or it just doesn't make sense to me
- No weapons but it is a stealth action game.

Great for: Those who prefer stealth games and likes to takes things slow
Not so great for: Those who wants action and face paced combat

Status: 100% the game. Finish the whole main story
Fun Factor: Great game. You won't get bored since the levels are only 2-3 mins long.

A lot to talk about

Well Its July and it has been a rollercoster June month. Let's kick it off

Well first of all, the fasting month is over. 30 days have come and gone and I think I didn't accomplished anything spiritually. That's kind of sucks but I do what I can and the rest its up to God to accept it or not.

After fasting comes Eid. I am in the age where I don't look forward to Eid. While everyone is excitedly preparing for the celebration, I really couldn't care less. My wife loves to shop during this time. She loves to buy clothes for the kids and herself. Since everyone needs to be the same colour theme. So I needed to get new traditional clothes. Whatever makes the family happy I guess

The main reason I hate Eid is because families just don't understand. Everyone wants to spend the first Eid raya with that particular family. In my case it was my wife's turn. But my mom guilt trip me into spending time with her. I kind of felt used and a bit annoyed by it. But she is my mom and I try my best to accommodate . I didn't get any brownie points with my wife so that kind of sucks. My weideal Eid is just going to all my parents and after that go home and just eat and sleep and watch tv. Long story short 1, 2nd day was great. did do anything much. 3rd and 4th day spend it with my mom.

Stuff that is happening around me

I am getting to lazy to start again my online course. But I have 3 months to finish it sinc emy wife has given up on her phd. I will support her no matter what so I think by October I need to get back in the workforce. Why I am lazy? I don't find the subject interesting? Not really... I think the main reason is I know I want to slack and play games or do something else which is much more awesome than studying. But its a long game. I am doing this for my families future so I need to make sacrifices.

The big thing that happen this couple of months is that my sister-in-law (SIL) is having marital problems. Her husband is having a kind of affair with a student of his (He is a highschool teacher). It escalated a lot until my wife have to step in to become mediator since my SIL can't handle it. The climax of the issue happen yesterday when the husband wanted a divorce and left the house with the 2 kids as well. The kids are 4 years and 8 months. His wife gave him 2 weeks to think it over and see what does he wants in life. In my personal opinion is that, if you don't have any once of responsibility for your kids, you just a F-king douchbag and better just leave the family. I do pity my SIL since she can't accept the fact that the husband wants other people in the relationship. But the wife is a strong women and the kids are resilient so they will survive if he decided to get back together. The thing is that knowing him... even if he promised not to do it again... Its human nature to have something that you can't have so I think the marriage won't work out.

Series: Probably for 3 months no series since I really need to start this online course again.

Studying time: Starting today

Real Racing 3 minute

A game that I've played more than 200 hours deserve its own post. 

I can't move ahead since I lack funds. So for the month of July I am going to play 1 30 minute race to earn 300k for 30 days. And then we will continue the normal race operations