Galaxy Watch FE Review

 Samsung has continued it's trend of releasing FE (Fan Edition Devices).  Now adding it to it's premium Galaxy watch line.  What's the trade off?  I purchased the watch FE nearly a month ago and have been really impressed.  They were running a deal for $175 at the time normally $199.  The watch is fast, fluid, and does everything it needs to do.  Why the lower price tag then?

The watch FE has a lower price tag in part due to it's smaller screen, smaller battery, and larger bezels.  I don't sleep with mine and where it from usually 6:00 in the morning until 9 or 10 at night.  I track workouts, and let the watch auto detect workouts as well.  The battery is very sufficient for the screen size as I usually finish they day with between 30 and 40 % battery life remaining.  I do not use an always on display and my watch face is a black background with green text for the date, weather, time, steps, and battery. 

Other than that the watch FE appears to have everything my wife's Galaxy Watch 6 classic has minus the rotating bezel which uses a digital bezel similar to the Watch 6 and 7 standard and the watch ultra.  I would give this watch a 10/10 and highly recommend.  

10/10

The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Review

 The Legend of Zelda has been a beloved series for many years.  Now it's back for it's 2nd main game on the Switch and it promises to be bigger and better than ever.

The Good

• Beautiful Graphics
• Nostalgic music remixes
• Tight gameplay
• Challenging bosses
• Massive world packed with things to do
• Engaging Story

The Bad

• Only 4 Standard Dungeons.
• Needs more voice acting

The Verdict

The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom is massive, fun and has hundreds of ours of gameplay.  The game is nearly perfect and will keep you hooked for hours.  I would sit for a play session thinking it had only been an hour and it had been 6.  It's just that good.

10

Super Mario Bros Wonder Review

The side scrolling Mario games have been in a slump lately.  Does Wonder live up to the name and break the cycle?

The Good

• Beautiful graphics
• Great Music
• Unique level Design
• Lot's of Playable characters
• Wonder powers are very unique
• Unique Badge System
• Tight controls

The Bad

• The Yoshi's and Nabbit are too limited not allowing you to play the game with powerups or any real challenge.  This should be a toggle for all characters.

The Verdict

Super Mario Wonder is in my opinion the best 2D Mario game since Super Mario World.  The game is the best Mario has ever looked.  The controls are tight and the music is "wonderful".  The main thing I would change is allowing the easy mode to be a toggle and not character locked.

9.8

3 New Smash Characters Announced and a New Spirits Mode

Slightly underwhelming but the last 3 characters have been announced.  The roster over all is exceptional with more than 70 characters more than 80 if you count Alph and the koopalings and pokemon trainer as 3.  The new characters are Ken from Street fighter, Incineroar from Pokemon, and Piranah Plant from the Mario series.  There are 5 additonal DLC fighters in the works and Pirinah Plant is a DLC fighter available for free by registering the game before the end of January.  The game is very impressive.

Spirits mode is the spiritual successor to Subspace Emissary.  It is a large scale adventure mode giving you access to unlocking spirits and characters.  Spirits replace trophies in this game and are used for powering up your fighters.  

Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon Review

The super popular Luigi's Mansion for the Nintendo Gamecube finally received a sequel on the Nintendo 3DS bringing stereoscopic 3D and a more expressive Luigi.  

The Good

• Gorgeous Graphics
• Multiple Mansions
• Good Use of 3D
• Great Soundtrack
• Engaging Story
• Good controls

The Bad

• Challenges were broken up into missions
• Mansions Felt disconnected instead of cohesive like in the original
• No portrait ghosts

The Verdict

Great game but needs a more cohesive mansions that feel more like progression.  Mission based levels feel out of place.

8.5

Smash Bros Roster Continues to Grow

This game has been a surprise throwing characters requested heavily by fans.  Many characters no one expected at times.  King K. Rool, Simon and Richter, Ridley, and now Isabelle from Animal Crossing.  This makes us wonder who else may join in the coming weeks to the games launch on December 7th.

Nintendo Direct Today! 9-13-18 at 6:00 EST

Last weeks Nintendo Direct was cancelled due to a powerful earthquake in Japan.  Today the new Direct will air.  Here are our predictions for tonight's Direct.  

-Yoshi's Crafted World Trailer and Details
-New Fire Emblem 3 Houses Trailer and Details
-New Pokemon Let's Go Trailer and Details
-New Luigi's Mansion 3DS Trailer
-New 1st Party Game Announcement
-Nindies Spotlight Rapid Fire
-False Ending leading to a new Smash Bros Ultimate Character unveil and a new stage for the character

You can watch tonight's Direct here.

Fire Emblem 3 Houses comes to Switch in 2019

Nintendo's hit strategy game is coming to the switch in a big high quality cinematic way.  Fire Emblem 3 houses doesn't have a lot of detail on it yet, but the story seems engaging and the battles flow so smoothly it's at times hard to tell it's a turn based strategy game.

Click here for the trailer.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Unveiled

Nintendo wrapped up it's E3 Direct in a Big Way with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate!  The definitive and biggest game in the Smash Bros. Series.  This game will bring back every character ever made playable in a Smash Bros. Game.  You will start with the original 12 and unlock a roster that will be over 70 characters in total.  New comers announced were Ridley from Metroid, Daisy from Super Mario Land, and Inklings from Splatoon.  Knowing Mr. Sakurai there are a few characters he will keep hidden from us until launch.  He did say there are not a huge number of new characters this time due to the overwhelmingly huge roster.  Final Smashes have been sped up and streamlined to interrupt the gameplay less and most characters feature new moves.  Including Mario getting Cappy and Link having his runes.

SNES Classic Review

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System originally launched in 1990 was the most powerful ground breaking hardware of it's time.  Supporting beautiful 32 bit artwork and some early, but crude 3D polyganol modeling and become an instant classic and huge cash cow for Nintendo.   Now nearly 30 years later the SNES is back with a miniture form factor and 21 preloaded games.  Included the never before released Star Fox 2.  

Pros

• Great size to travel with
• Controllers feel just like they did in the 90's.
• Tons of great games with no generic filler
• Save States
• Beautiful UI
• HDMI support
• No input lag

Cons

• Missing a few classic games that would have made this collection perfect:  
• Donkey Kong Country 2
• Donkey Kong Country 3
• Super Off Road the Baja
• Top Gear
• Top Gear 2
• Kirby's Dream Land 3
• Super Mario All Stars

The Verdict

9.5

This console is nearly perfect.  Just needed a few more games to make it complete.