Happy Birthday Mario!

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Today is the 25th anniversary of the release of Super Mario Bros. Although not Mario's first game, it is the first true "Mario game."

Happy birthday to the plumber.

Stop Taking Your Forums so seriously!

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So apparently I have been moderated by Gamespot....Why?

Well, If you look at my last blog post, I have been trying to find out people's favorite games so that I can compile a "fan voted" list of best games ever.

So I innocently posted a thread on the General Gaming Discussion Boards asking people their favorite games, something which I'm sure has been done countless times.

Well I unassumingly made the mistake of letting people know I was conducting such a list (I felt it would be dishonest to just ask them their favorites without letting them know I intended to use them as "votes").

All was going well for a short time, I got a few responses with some great entries....But then a moderator shows up.

Now a simple "Poll and list threads are not permitted in the General Gaming Discussion board" would have been enough for me to take my business elsewhere. But before I had the chance to respond, the thread was already locked.

Now, understand that although I've had my Gamespot profile for a few months, I rarely ever post on any forums of any kind. So I didn't know where a "poll or list thread" should go. If you ask me, GENERAL GAMING seemed like something of a logical place.

So I continued to politely send the aforementioned moderator a message asking as to where I should post such a thread.

Keep in mind that there was absolutely no swearing, profanities or improprieties of any kind whatsoever in my message. I just asked a simple question to help me out.

I waited a few hours before I logged onto Gamespot again, and when I did, I noticed a message notice. But was it a reply from the moderator helping me out with my request?


I had been moderated.

And what exactly was the crime? That I was unaware that a common video game-based question isn't allowed in a certain discussion board? Or was it that I asked a question?

Why the heck are these boards taken so seriously anyway? Since when is it a sin to post something in the wrong discussion board (again a simple "you can't post this here" would have sufficed)? I wasn't trolling, talking inappropriately, or discussing something illegal or anything. What was my big crime that I couldn't just be helped out?

Stop taking your forums so seriously!

What Are Your Favorite Video Games?

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I love video games.

I always have loved video games. As far as I can remember, the likes of Mario, Sonic, Zelda, and Tetris have always provided great memories and have largely shaped my creative thinking.

Being someone who loves video games as much as I do, I seem to try to compile a definitive lists of my absolute favorites quite often. And while a few games definitely make that list, I always find myself thinking "oh, but I can't forget this game" or "I can't leave that game out." I can never seem to fully shape any kind of list, no matter my criteria.

Someday, I do hope I can make a list and post it here on this site. But who knows how long that could take…

But I got to thinking, I may not be able to compile my own list quite yet, but I can compile a list on this site nonetheless.

Which leaves me with this question: What are your favorite video games?

I know I don't have the largest readership of blogs out there (even on Gamespot), but I hope I can find enough people to form some kind of list.

You see, my idea is to have people tell me their top five or ten favorite video games of all time through my Twitter. (or you can message me here on Gamespot for that matter). And I hope I can get enough people sending me their favorites to compile a list of top 20 or top 25 games based on which games appear the most frequently (or "get the most votes" if you will). Think of it as a "readers' choice" kind of thing.

Of course, with my modest amount of Twitter followers and the humble readership of my blog, it is a possibility I may not get too many "top fives" or "top tens" sent to me and this whole thing could fade into obscurity. I refrain from making any particular deadline at the moment for this reason. If I get enough responses then I'll set some kind of deadline I suppose, otherwise I'll just have to do this another time.

So hopefully I can get enough top fives as to compile a list of "top games."

So again, here's how I plan to do this.

  • Go to my Twitter page. Or I suppose you can even write it here on Gamespot.
  • Tell me your top ten/top five favorite video games (of all time!) through Tweets or messages or whatever. (you can either number the list or not, whichever you prefer).

If I get enough responses I'll get to working on everything. If not…Better luck next time.

So hopefully I can get some good responses and see how this all goes. I may not have my own list yet, but it would be cool to write some kind of best video games list here.

My E3 Skirmishes!

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Just as was the case last year, I have had the honor to attend E3! I must be humoring someone important...

Now I'm sure you've already gotten your knowledge of E3 2010 from all the big websites and whatnot. But if you want to know about my journeys and opinions of E3, you can read about them on my website, www.sloganyams.com. I am attending all three days of the exhibit, and will continue posting different blogs based on my times there. So be sure to keep up!

Again, if you want to know about my times at E3 2010, visit www.sloganyams.com (oh, shameless plug-ins, what would I do without you?).

Game Rankings Fears Super Mario?

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Super Mario Galaxy 2 has been released, and it is, like its predecessor, one of the greatest games ever made. And I'm not the only one who thinks so, it is getting perfect scores like there's no tomorrow, and now ranks as one of the best reviewed games of all time. Specifically, it ranks #2 on Gamerankings.

But with that said, something fishy has happened on Gamerankings in this time. A few things actually.

The original Super Mario Galaxy has been ranked 2nd (now 3rd) for some time now with a score of 97.28 based on 81 reviews. As of today however, it has a score of 97.25 based on 80 reviews. Apparently, one review just mysteriously disappeared into thin air. It is reminiscent of what happened when the original Galaxy topped Ocarina of Time for the top spot, how it suddenly lost a ten and OoT magically gained another.

But even more peculier is that Super Mario World, which has been in the top five for a long while (based on 5 reviews, the minimum required to be accounted on the all-time list) is suddenly no where to be found in the all-time rankings. If you look it up on the site, it claims it now has only 4 reviews, but if you look further into it, all five reviews are still accounted for, but for inexplicable reasons, only 4 are acknowledged.

Yoshi's Island also appeared in the top 25 with 5 reviews, but now suffers the same fate as Mario World, where one review is no longer recognized. As such, it no longer appears on the all-time best reviewed list.

But why? Why are Mario games suddenly having reviews go unaccounted for? Why are they unjustly being removed from the rankings?

Could it be since the two Mario Galaxys take up two of the three top spots Gamerankings feels they shouldn't overflow the rankings with Mario? That seems nonsensical. If the games get good reviews, you can't just argue against that. Five reviews are the minimum to be included in the best reviewed list, but apparently if it stars Mario it shouldn't be acknowledged. Is it really so wrong that Ocarina of Time gets pushed back?

So what's the deal? Why does Gamerankings seem to simply not want to include the Mario World's in the list? Does the presence of both Mario Galaxys in the top three mean Mario shouldn't be further acknowledged? If that's the case, how do they explain the presence of eight Grand Theft Auto titles appearing in the top 50?

Apparently, Gamerankings wants to shift the truth to match their viewpoint as much as possible.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is Almost Here.

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Anyone who knows me knows there are a few things I like with such a passion, you cannot claim to have even bumped into me without knowing I like these particular things. One of these things is the Super Mario series.

The Mario series has been around for nearly three decades, and yet, it still produces games that not only wow me, but capture my imagination.

One of my favorite Mario games is 2007's Super Mario Galaxy, which, even when I look at it with my most fair and balanced eye, ignoring the fact that it's Mario, judging it completely on its own merits through my most critical of eyes, it still leaves me mouth agape.

The design of it, the fluid gameplay, the beautiful music, colorful visuals and its seemingly endless creativity are simply brilliant. I wondered how Nintendo planned to follow it up with the next (proper) Mario installment.

I first heard about Super Mario Galaxy 2 when I was at E3 last year. I was, naturally, ecstatic. A sequel to one of my all-time favorite games? Yes please (now just get me a Mario RPG 2 and Donkey Kong Country 4 and my life will be complete)!

Of course, I thought with Super Mario Galaxy 2, one problem may arise. I feared it might just be more of the same.

Now don't get me wrong, there would be nothing wrong whatsoever of more of the same. If it's more of the same of one of my all time favorites I say bring it on. The only problem is that "more of the same," while providing great fun, may provide less wow factor.

And as we all know, even if a more of the same entry of a series is better than it's already great predecessor, it still tends to get less praise from the critics (ain't that right, Majora's Mask?).

We all know Super Mario Galaxy is one of the best reviewed games of all time. But I feared people would claim it's sequel of having "copied and pasted syndrome" (otherwise known as Halo syndrom. BURNED!)

Well here we are, mere days before Galaxy 2's release, and the reviews are starting to come in, but what do they tell us?

Well, EDGE Magazine lavished the game, and awarded it a rare 10 out of 10.

Official Nintendo Magazine awarded it a 97% (the tied highest score in its history, because they are amongst those ridiculous "we don't give perfect scores" kind of people).

Lame Informer.... AHEM! Game Informer gave it a 9.25. It probably would have got a higher score if it starred a bald space marine and had more swearing.

IGN, of whom I'm usually indifferent, is the latest to review it, awarding it a rare perfect 10. I wasn't expecting that. I figured they'd pull the whole 9.5 cop out or something.

Famitsu also reviewed it, and awarded it 37 out of 40, but they have become completely unreliable so let's ignore them.

Apparently, all the reviewers are saying it works on the same engine as its predecessor, but enhances nearly aspect of it. I feared they would claim it had "copied and pasted syndrome." But apparently, the only condition they diagnose it with is "best game ever syndrome."

No, I'm not one to cater to critics, as I usually pride myself as a critic myself. But seeing as I absolutely adored the first Mario Galaxy, and seeing all these fantastic reviews, I simply cannot wait to get my hands on Super Mario Galaxy 2 this Sunday!

I will be sure to have a review of it on my website (sloganyams.com) ASAP.

Keep Yammin'.

I'm-a Shamelessly Plug-in my Website.

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CAUTION: The following blog post contains shameless self-promotion and gratuitous plug-ins!

Hello good people, I'm Slogan Yams. You may think that name is bizarre, and you'd be right. I am a life-long, avid fan of video games. I am also a tremendous fan of cinema, animation and pro-wrestling (don't judge me).

I have only recently joined the Gamespot community, but I have been on the internet for over two years now with my personal blogging website, the aptly named sloganyams.com.

I know you are probably thinking "Why the heck should I be interested you scruffy looking Nerf herder!"

Well, if you're on Gamespot, I take it you like video games. And video games are a huge factor in my website. I write reviews, thoughts, opinions and interest on the video game medium. Video games are one of my biggest passions, and I greatly enjoy sharing my thoughts and opinions and whatnots on them.

I even made this Gamespot profile to compliment my website. I can easily rate video games here, but for most of my reviews and opinions on gaming, you should check out my official website at sloganyams.com!

And if are interested in what I have to say about movies animation and, yes, even pro-wrestling, I recommend you give my website a look.

Am I shamelessly plugging in my website? Yes.

Do I care? Not really, I have to advertise somehow. But word of mouth has helped my website so far, as I have a...decent readership thus far.And thanks to my website, I had the honor of attending E3!

So why not check out sloganyams.com!

The Art of Video Games

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It's an argument that has been going on for year now, are video games an art form? Well this argument has sparked again with film critic Roger Ebert claiming that video games "will never be an art form."

I have always firmly believed that video games are indeed an art form. I figured now would be a good time to explain some of the reasons why.

Well to start, let me just say that it is video game fans themselves who I think hold the mainstream opinion of video games back. What with all the incessant complaining about just about every conceivable aspect of the medium they claim to like, their juvenile sense of humor, and the offensive slurs they constantly blurt out on Xbox Live, I can understand why people wouldn't take them (video games) seriously. Gamers themselves seem to do very little to convince people that video games aren't more than just mindless entertainment.

Anyway, with that said, I don't see how people can so ignorantly claim that video games "will never be art." Video games, whether people want to believe it or not, are a craft that requires the imaginations and hard work of many people, not entirely different from other entertainment mediums.

With that said, I don't believe video games are an art form that uses the same foundations as movies or books. Movies and books are art forms which are built around the concepts of storytelling, and as such, it is the movies and books that are deep and engaging that are considered artistic. Whereas video games are built on the concept of interactivity (more precisely, gameplay). A video game doesn't require strong storytelling in order to be good, it needs to be good at what it does. It needs to have fun and engaging gameplay. True, some video games have proven to have deep and wonderful stories (see Shadow of the Colossus and the Oddworld series), but it isn't the make-or-break factor of the video game medium the way it is for movies. A game could potentially have a great storyline, but still not be any good because it's boring to play. But if a game can engage the player by the sheer quality of the gameplay, then it has done its job.

If I may make a comparison, I would say video games can be viewed as an art form in a similar manner as cooking. What I mean by that is cooking doesn't technically have a story going on (unless you consider the passion of the cook as the story), but it is an art form in every sense of the word because of the craft behind it. A cook needs to know all the fundamentals of a recipe he is preparing, but also must add his own flair to it. A cook is a craftsman who must use his imagination to create something of his own.

This is how I view video games. Game designers must use their creativity in order to create an engaging experience for people to enjoy. It doesn't require deep story or characters, rather the art of it all is in the craft behind it, and the experience it provides.

I see a lot of gamers' arguments stating at how games can provide deep stories just as other mediums do, this is a good argument, though maybe not the appropriate one.Again, it is far from impossible for a video game to also incorporate a wonderful story. But rather it just isn't the essence and backbone for a video game like it is for a movie or a book. The art of it is in the gameplay and craft of it all.

Of course, not every video game is a work of art, but neither are all movies (ain't that right, The Love Guru?). But to outright dismiss video games as some mindless contraptions that could never be art is beyond ignorant.

Sure, I might understand one having some mixed feelings in this current state of gaming in which most of the best-sellers are games that require people to rack-up the highest body count. But not every video game is like that any more than every movie is G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.

Some games in fact, can be a higher display of imaginative ideas than most other mediums. I have certainly played many games which sparked my imagination in ways most movies couldn't dream of (no offense, I adore movies). Shouldn't something that can bewilder the imagination in the best possible way be constituted as art?

Particularly, the video games by Shigeru Miyamoto, are amongst the most imaginative experience I've had with any medium. Only Hayao Miyazaki has had such an influence on my creative thinking. Shigeru Miyamoto is such a master of his craft, in fact, that he should be called nothing short of an auteur.

Just as I believe video games are an art, I believe video game designers are artists. It is through their creativity that these games are made, and they are able to create experiences that can be genuinely engaging, immerse and inspiringlyimaginative.

People once said animation "would never be art," but would one argue that Toy Story is just that, art. Animation is one medium that was once so often ridiculed by snobbish prudes. But now it looks like it is video games that are so unjustly vilified.

How is a product of imagination, that can entertain, inspire and enthrall someone just by the experience alone not be considered an artistic medium? I suppose some people just want to be close-minded.

Oh well, at least I'm happy enjoying the art of video games. And I'm not s'darned pretentious about it.