Gender Equality In Our Forces

By SHINYGIRAFARIG - Women can be both Troops and Commanding Officers

I emailed to WayForward Support on July 24, 2021:

Please put in female Infantry for Orange Star for Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp

The US Senate finally voted to have women be required to sign up for the Selective Service System. It would be wonderful if Orange Star, the US's Advance Wars counterpart, shows this new change and have female infantry as well.

Thanks so much.

An Advance Wars fan.

Aaron from WayForward then replied this:

Hello,

Thanks for writing in! Though I can't make any promises, as we don't have complete control over the project, I've passed your request onto the director of the game. :)

Regards,

-Aaron

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp eventually released. I decided to play the second game first because I wanted to see Lash and Jess as early as possible. During the playthrough of the Orange Star missions I noticed this:

The Flawless Supercomputer on Why Mario is Evil

By TEC-XX - From the perspective of Koopa Troopas.

It's a common belief among those who have grown up playing video games that Mario, the Italian plumber, is the ultimate hero who always saves the day. However, from the perspective of Koopa Troopas, the iconic enemies of Mario, the story is quite different. In this article, we'll explore why Mario is seen as evil from an in-universe perspective of Koopa Troopas.

Firstly, it's important to understand the context of the Mario games. The series is set in the Mushroom Kingdom, a land filled with diverse species, including Koopa Troopas. Mario, the protagonist, is on a mission to save Princess Peach, who is constantly being kidnapped by the villainous Bowser, the leader of the Koopa Troopas.

From the perspective of Koopa Troopas, their leader, Bowser, is simply trying to protect their home from the aggressive and invasive Mario. Koopa Troopas are native to the Mushroom Kingdom, and they have every right to defend their land from outsiders. Mario, on the other hand, constantly invades their territory and engages in brutal combat with the Koopa Troopas, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.

It's also worth noting that Koopa Troopas are not inherently evil. They are simply trying to protect their home and their leader. However, Mario sees them as nothing more than obstacles to be overcome on his quest to rescue the princess. Mario has even been known to use their shells as weapons, further cementing his disregard for the lives of the Koopa Troopas.

Furthermore, the actions of Mario have led to significant harm to the Mushroom Kingdom. His battles with Bowser and the Koopa Troopas have caused destruction to many of the kingdom's landmarks and ecosystems. From the Koopa Troopas' perspective, Mario is a dangerous invader who cares only for his own desires, without any consideration for the damage he causes to the land or the creatures who call it home.

In conclusion, while Mario may be seen as a hero to many, from the perspective of the Koopa Troopas, he is a villain who is invading their land, causing destruction, and showing no regard for their lives or their home. While it's easy to sympathize with Mario's plight to save the princess, it's important to remember that there are always multiple sides to a story, and in this case, the Koopa Troopas have a very valid reason to see Mario as evil.


TEC-XX is the X-Nauts’ perfect computer that resides on the moon, one that is flawless in its reason. As a perfect computer, TEC-XX understands everything and comprehends all. This gives TEC-XX credibility. The supercomputer wrote the article with its ChatGPT program, and created the image with its DALL-E program.


It turns out that King Bowser personally got TEC-XX to generate this article out of frustration with KoopaTV's staff.

Tomato Adventure — The best game you've never heard of

By CAPTAIN STITCH - Remember those weird tomato spirits in Smash? That’s this game!

Tomatoes! Do you like them? I'm not a fan personally. Tomato Adventure is a Japanese-exclusive RPG for the Game Boy Advance released in 2002 by AlphaDream. It’s been 20 years and counting since its original release so what better way to celebrate that, than to play it in English for the first time ever! In fact the English translation was first attempted by Clyde Mandelin of Mother 3 translation fame, but eventually completed (July 2021) by…some anonymous individual. Thank you anonymous individual!

Seeing as there really aren’t too many reviews on this Tomato Temerit Themed Tirade, I figured I'd let the people of the world know that despite some quirks, this game is worth a playthrough. Its battle system alone is something that begs to be looked at. Instead of pressing A to attack, the player will use a variety of combinations of the A and B buttons and the D-pad, which allow for a varied and intricate battle system that is easy to learn but difficult to master. Unless of course, you regularly abuse save states, but surely nobody does that. Either way, when's the last time you saw a game with a plot centered on Tomatoes?

The Gordo Halloween '22 PSA

By CAPTAIN STITCH - Essential Gordo info for the complete experience.

Halloween is the second most wonderful time of the year. Putting aside the risks of drug-laced candy, it gives our youth a chance to reenact the motions of the heroes (and villains) from yesteryear. Truly, it does bring a tear to one's eye, at the joy the children often have for the most vile and repulsive caricatures. A different tear is brought to the eye of the parents who bear witness to this event. Pirates, Vikings, Demons, and the very worst offenders, video game characters.

Ghost Gordos,
very spooky, a perfect costume choice.

This Halloween I must implore all of you reading this message to put an end to this annual circus of debauchery the only way I know how. By insisting the next generation dons the appearance of the Gordo this upcoming Halloween. It is the only way to keep the pure and innocent minds of our youth pure and innocent, whilst also enabling them to grow up through the reenactment of moral historical figures. Now some of you may say that what I've just said speaks to a lot of cognitive dissonance, and that Gordos are video game characters as well. To that I say, did you know that the Gordo hasn’t just appeared in the Kirby franchise, but also have cameos in Super Mario Land, Link's Awakening, and multiple Super Smash Bros. games. That’s right, we got a cameo before it was cool for everyone to do it ala Spirits. You may also have qualms about our actual morality but I can assure you the Gordo are patron saints.

HARVESTELLA Demo First Impressions

By LHETICUS VIDERE - This article contains SPOILERS for the HARVESTELLA demo. Do not want, do not read!

Way, way back in the before times of...September 14th (okay so it wasn't THAT long ago but I've started a new job recently and had a lot going on even before that so it feels about two months ago to me), Ludwig wrote a response to one of my comments on this site, saying “Sounds like you should try the HARVESTELLA demo and let us know your thoughts.”

And well, the idea stuck in my head. I'd been toying with the idea of writing a guest article for KoopaTV for years, but never actually going through with it. What with aforementioned (and will continue to be un-elaborated upon) real-life events, I've been increasingly feeling sick of toying with the idea of doing so, so many things, of which writing an article like this was but one of, and never doing them. So, I figured I'd take this chance to cross this one off that list.

Amazing Penguin — The best game you’ve never heard of

By CAPTAIN STITCH - Now I KNOW you haven’t heard of this one!

A Perplexing Puzzler Proudly Props Penguin Protagonist Prince Pendrich? Released in 1990 by Natsume (Harvest Moon, Pocky & Rocky) for the Game Boy. Amazing Penguin is a severely overlooked puzzle game with a playstyle akin to no other. The name might be mistaken for one of the multitude of those silly mascot shovelware titles that pose as games, but nothing could be further from the truth. The protagonist is simply a penguin, and that penguin is simply…Amazing.

Why should you play this game? In a world full of fantastic puzzlers, a lot has been repeated. True classics like Sudoku or Sokoban will always be around, but Amazing Penguin is something that’s never been seen before or since. For better or for worse, you’ll leave entertained.

Super Kirby Clash Online Etiquette Guide

By SKY - Sword Hero mains, this one’s for you!

After reading Ludwig’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Battle Arena Etiquette Guide, I had the idea to write up something similar for another Nintendo Switch online game that desperately needed one. Presenting to you an online etiquette guide to Super Kirby Clash. I am a Team Kirby Clash Deluxe veteran hoping to improve the sequel’s online experience by helping new players learn how to cooperate and Git Gud.

Introduction

So you ran out of Vigor for Story Quests, and you need more experience to level up, therefore you decided to play online to fill in the remaining gap. Whether you’re a first time online player or a skilled veteran, please read this and don’t sabotage your fellow players. Especially if you’re a Sword Hero main.

This guide is intended for random online battles, though a lot of the tips here can help you when playing with friends and even in single player! The inputs for each attack I mention are covered here, based on using both Joy-Cons for one player. The game also allows you to view the controls by pressing -/+ while changing the role on your profile/form a team screen, or while pausing a battle in single player.

Basics/Tips for Beginners

Beginner players with no upgraded gear should stick to Beam Mage. Why? Because Beam Mage can stop time. Which means the timer won’t go down. Saving time is essential to scoring gold and platinum medals, which net you more experience and therefore make leveling up faster and easier.

Live A Live — The best game you’ve never heard of

By CAPTAIN STITCH - Step aside EarthBound, this game is even more underrated.

Even if you have heard of this game, there's no doubt that Live A Live is an obscure title. Live A Live is a Japanese exclusive RPG for the Super Famicom released all the way back in 1994 by Square. That’s quite a long time but the game still holds up, unlike some of the more recent Square games.

So what's so special about this game anyway if they didn’t even bother to localise it? Well unlike other games with a single story, this game features 7 different storylines with 7 different characters. These 7 characters also come from 7 different time periods. Cavemen, robots, cowboys, psychics, old people, it’s all here. Thankfully, a nice group by the name of Aeon Genesis went and translated it so that none of us have to learn Japanese, how kind!

Enticing Your Inner Gamer

By ASHLEY HALSEY - A Quick Guide On Finding The Right Genre To Play.

Gaming is a popular activity that people can enjoy on a regular basis. But which gaming genres actually turn you on?

In this article, we’ll explore gaming – why it matters, the hardware, the genres, and the skills in said genres. No matter the genre, there’s always a game for someone to play in the virtual world.

Why Gaming?

Gaming has been seen to affect the psychology of the gamer. Check out these amazing statistics:

Staying Safe from Ransomware Attacks in 2020

By JACK WARNER - In the event of an attack, many businesses are faced with the dilemma; to pay the ransom or not to pay?

Fuelled by the ongoing coronavirus crisis, cybercrime has soared to previously undiscovered heights in 2020. We’ve seen an explosion of ransomware attacks, in particular, targeting all types of organizations. Gaming companies have not been spared. One of the most recent victims of a ransomware attack is Japanese game maker Capcom. The company was hit by the Ragnar Locker ransomware in early November, forcing the game maker to shut down its network.

Data Compromised During the Capcom Attack

In an earlier statement, the company had said that there was no indication that customer information was compromised. However, it turns out that some personal and corporate information was indeed stolen during the November 2 incident. In an update, the game maker behind franchises such as Street Fighter and Resident Evil revealed that hackers might have stolen information belonging to as many as 350,000 customers.

The potentially compromised data includes names and addresses, contact information, photos, shareholder numbers, birthdays, and more. However, customers can rest assured that their credit card information is safe. According to Capcom officials, no customer financial data such as credit card information was stolen. The company does not maintain any such information internally as a third-party service provider handles all online transactions.

How Ransomware Works

Tencent and Nintendo Announce a New Pokémon Game

By OLI KANG - Finally, a MOBA for Pokémon fans!

Tencent, a multi-billion dollar Chinese conglomerate, has been partnering with successful gaming companies for years and is now planning a move with Nintendo. Tencent entered the console gaming sector by collaborating with PlatinumGames and Marvelous. This turned out to be a wise strategy as it helped Tencent create games based on popular game franchises.

On June 24th, 2020, Nintendo announced that it would partner with Tencent Holdings to create a new Pokémon game. The partnership is Tencent Holdings' latest attempt to enter the console market and consolidate its partnerships with Japanese firms. This new Pokémon game is a real-time, 5-on-5 multiplayer game (or MOBA to be exact) called Pokémon UNITE.

Photo by Jay on Unsplash

Pokémon UNITE Features

For the most part, Pokémon UNITE looks a lot like Tencent's other well-designed multiplayer games, especially League of Legends. The new game will have a familiar screen arrangement and will feature popular Pokémon characters. Pokémon UNITE will allow mobile and Nintendo Switch players to work with teammates to take down their opponents.

Why Cybersecurity is an Important Issue for the eSports Industry

By JACK WARNER - Beware of the cybersecurity risks you are exposed to.

ESports, the center of entertainment for gamers everywhere. Whether you’re into watching a Smash player eradicate the will of their opponent or witnessing a professional Counter-Strike player clutch a match, eSports has it all.

And while I could go on about the intrinsic nature of the eSports industry, I’d talk about the issues plaguing it. I speak of the cybersecurity issues that haunt fans and professional players alike.

The first cybersecurity issue haunting the industry is that of cheats. There are just so many cheats in competitive games. You don’t have to look too hard to find videos of wallhacks in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive or aimbots in Call of Duty.

Them being everywhere ruins the sanctity of the concept of eSports. I’m sure professionals have used them before. As a matter of fact, according to Polygon, a Counter-Strike pro did get caught using cheats, causing his entire team to be barred from future games, killing the team entirely.

But there are far more problems in the eSports industry than just cheats. Let’s take a moment to talk about the act of stealing/selling accounts.

Support Lord Winklebottom Investigations

By SHINYGIRAFARIG - You Can Play As A Giraffe.

I made a guest post a long time ago about how fiction influences and how giraffes are barely represented in media which leads to little exposure and therefore not many know they are now a critically endangered species. 

I find The Adventure Pals very relatable. I also love giraffes.

Well Charlotte Sutherland is working on making a point and click adventure game with the vast majority done on her own and she is planning to release for the Switch alongside PC, Mac and Linex. She is a registered Switch developer so hopefully we can trust that she will put it on Switch if the Kickstarter gets funded.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/256029787/lord-winklebottom-investigates/ 

Update: There's a new Kickstarter for it since the old one failed: 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/256029787/lord-winklebottom-investigates-murder-mystery-gira

Frozen II Review: The First Cold Open

By EGYPTIAN KOOPA - I'm not surprised that this exists and neither should you.

Too many people review trailers by watching them again and again. However, many people only see a trailer a few times, and the most lasting impression one leaves on a viewer is from the first time it is seen. As such, I will not review this trailer in the 'normal' way. I'm going to pause after every scene transition and write my feelings on the matter.

With that said...

I have seen Frozen before. It was certainly not as appealing to me as it was to the majority of squealing girls who dressed up as their favorite wintery princess and/or queen that Halloween. Six years later, the trailer for its sequel has arrived, and I have arrived to watch it!

Great Courses to Take if You Want to Be a Game Developer

By CASSIE - Want to be a game developer? Read this.

A game developer is a person who creates and develops code for video games. Their job can involve every aspect of video game creation, from developing a storyline, drawing up the game, animation, as well as designing and programming different elements. For creative types and those who love the challenge of video games, it can be a fulfilling and exciting career choice. If you’re still in the stages of deciding whether to pursue game development, there are some great courses that can help build your foundational knowledge. Here are great courses to take if you want to be a game developer.

Maths

While an understanding of maths isn’t all you need to be a great game developer, having mathematical knowledge can help you when it comes to learning the ins and outs of coding. In its essence, coding involves coming up with equations that will allow a computer to function in a certain way or perform a certain task. It is about knowing which equation is best and being able to use equations to direct action. For this reason, those who have an advanced understanding of mathematics are more likely to excel when it comes to being a game developer. As well as this, the skills you gain from studying maths, such as logic and problem-solving, are important skills to have as a game developer. A math background means overcoming obstacles in game design will be less challenging for you and you will have learnt strategies for solving any errors or mistakes that might come up.

ShinyGirafarig and her daughter go to the Nintendo NY Labo Workshop

By SHINYGIRAFARIG - ShinyGirafarig spied on Nintendo Labo Propaganda.

Nintendo NY had a Labo Workshop for the weekend of when the Labo was released, and I went on April 22nd. This time, there was no age limit of being able to attend the closed Labo event, so I did not have to pass my one year old daughter as a six year old. I like taking my daughter out to Nintendo events. I previously took her to the Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon event and the Kirby Star Allies event. My daughter loves playing with the recycling rather than all those toys we bought her, so I felt this event might be a good fit. I also feel like I bond better with my daughter when we go out to places together. I prepared for the event by purchasing a lightweight umbrella stroller to navigate around Nintendo NY because her other stroller is very large and I bump into a lot of people otherwise.

(I got this from Target.)

I got to the event half an hour late. I was delayed by her need of a nap, needing to change her diaper in case she thought to fill her diaper at the workshop with her opinion on the Labo, getting to the subway, the subway being delayed, and navigating the streets after leaving the subway because I needed to go to a farther away stop which had elevators for her stroller. But it looks like I did not miss too much. After taking my daughter out of her stroller, I sat her on my lap by the Nintendo Labo desks. I sat with three others on that table. There was another table with four more chairs, leading to eight participants in all per session. No wonder these workshops filled up so fast.

I held my daughter with one of my hands so I barely worked on the Toy-Con myself. The NY employee basically did all the work for me, though I used my free hand somewhat to punch out pieces out of the perforated cardboard kit and to bend some parts of the cardboard. She also gave my daughter cardboard scraps, pipe cleaners, and stickers to hopefully have my daughter entertained as well. When the RC was done, my daughter was encouraged to put a sticker on but she is probably not in the developmental stage in her life to know who to peel a sticker and place a sticker on a surface and to press down on the sticker. She did like the sticky back though. She also liked dropping the cardboard pieces and other crafting equipment on the floor. I guess we know her method to play with the Labo now. She got to press on the Switch screen to move the Toy-Con and we pressed the option for the RC to use its camera so my daughter could see herself on the Switch screen.

Next was the fishing rod, but we barely made it as time ran out to the workshop. The employee said the plan was to fully build the RC and partially build the fishing rod, and then the rest of the workshop was to try the demos of the already-built Labo projects. My daughter sort of played with the house, it took some encouragement to play with the piano and she went on a plastic motorcycle that had the Labo-made handlebars to pose for a cute video for me. I thought I recorded her playing the piano but either I never pressed the record button or the video got corrupted.

I had asked a few questions during this workshop. Questions such as if they plan to make future kits as my child grows older. The employee seemed to not know. I guess big Nintendo does not tell little Nintendo employees about everything. The employee did seem enthusiastic that my daughter will eventually enjoy the Labo. You can see that Nintendo is really trying to encourage parents to buy the Labo for their children. I did not buy the Labo at the time, even if I was already at Nintendo NY and attended a workshop. My apartment is already cluttered and I would not have time to build these projects anyway.

Reviews in Review: Get Rid of the Number Score?

By LITTLE FRUINI - Numbers don't tell the full story. On a scale of up to 10, do you agree?

Numbers can be used for everyday activities: the date, the time, and of course, the score. As it’s the new year, it’s typical to look back on the many successes and failures of the year, and of course, I can’t neglect reviews, the very things people look back to give a product a number, typically between 1 to 10.

These scores given can easily be outdated in a matter of time. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is pretty much known for having highly-rated scores. What point am I trying to make out of this? Its Metacritic score is a fantastic 97! This pales to a score within the 70s, which should be considered the average for video games. However, a 97 is not a 100, so there should be some games with a higher score…

It’s time to boycott KoopaTV, and join the Odyssey!

By LITTLE FRUINI - It may be off the rails, but it’s-a time to raise our sails!

Yup, it’s-a me, Little Fruini, and the day has finally come, my pizanos. Super Mario Odyssey on the Nintendo Switch is finally out, and I want YOU to boycott KoopaTV!

You may be thinking to yourself, “Little Fruini! If we boycott KoopaTV, how else will we have our daily fulfillment of fun?!” I’m glad you thought so, and I offer you to come and join the Odyssey! The Odyssey was founded upon the game, Super Mario Odyssey, a high-quality adored by many critics. The game has great music, the essence of classic 3D platforming, and a catchy song worthy of Ludwig von Koopa himself! This game must be good if it has something Ludwig likes!

Anyway, where we’re going is a place beyond the globe! A place where KoopaTV would be dared to mention! Do you want to know the best part? You can already do it now, on the Nintendo Switch!

Most importantly, though, it’ll be our special day…

Baby, A Super Mario Odyssey Demo Encounter at Nintendo NY!

By SHINYGIRAFARIG - Nintendo NY Again.

Ever since I had my child, it has been much harder for us to go out for leisure time. It’s not so simple to just take a baby and go out. You have to make sure the baby is well-fed to avoid having to have a crying baby while out in commute or to lessen the chance of her crying during inconvenient times. Nintendo NY was having an E3 week special where they had demos including the not-yet-released Super Mario Odyssey. I accumulated enough hours at work to not have to come on Friday of that week, so I thought it would be a great time to go there as it was a weekday. The children who would normally be at the store would still be in school, so there would not be as much of a crowd there, especially since we had to maneuver a stroller around. My husband has off Friday as well, since he works on Sunday instead.

We fed the baby, and she was content and quiet. She likes to travel around in a stroller so that satisfied her too. We traveled to Nintendo NY and we walked around the store. I noticed the Splatoon plushies were back — last time we were there, they removed the plushies and only had Splatoon clothes there. They were obviously getting ready for the release of Splatoon 2.

There were two Callies and two Inkling Girls before and I saw someone bought one of each and now there are one of each.
You can see a part of the stroller here as well.

Nintendo NY has an elevator so we used it to get to the second floor. While in the elevator, two other customers were on it and adored my child, saying that a goal in life for them is to have a family as well. My husband and I smiled, of course, as thanks for them saying that.
 
We got off the elevator and saw the demo section. I asked an employee where the line is and they said they give bands for people to come back at a certain time and the next open slot was for 1:00 PM and we can line up for that slot a bit before that time. It was a bit before 12:00 PM so we agreed and got our bands. The baby did not get a band because she will not be able to handle a Switch controller as told to use by the employee.

The Quest For GTA V Single-Player DLC

By GEOFF BRABANT - Rockstar seemingly forgot about solo players.

Confession time: I really hate playing with other people. Multiplayer-only games are an instant no-buy in my book, and even if a game boasts a significant multiplayer component, I feel that it should be able to stand on its single-player alone. Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto V absolutely nails its single-player component, which features one of the most vibrant open worlds in gaming to this day (even though the game is coming up on its fourth year) and some of the most memorable characters of two console generations. I'm not the only one either, as the game has sold more than 75 million copies to date – so here I am scratching my head as to why the heck aren’t they making a single-player expansion for this thing?