[REVIEW] Fantasy Life

Fantasy Life
Platform: 3DS
Genre: Action-RPG, life simulation
Developer: Level-5 / Brownie Brown / h.a.n.d.
Publisher: Nintendo

As a fan of deep, customizable role-playing games, I’ve always been enamored with the MMORPG concept. Alas, the “online” part of the genre brings with it something I just can’t stand when it comes to gaming: social obligations. As much as I love extended sessions of Smash Bros. and Mario Kart with friends on my living room couch, I prefer to experience my RPGs on my own pace, playing whenever I feel like and not having to hastily log on after work to join a guild raid. With Fantasy Life, Level-5 gave me the best of both worlds, providing a sizeable MMO-like adventure with an almost intimidating number of things to do, and allowing me to play it entirely on my own if I so choose.

[REVIEW] Paper Monsters Recut (Wii U)

Paper Monsters Recut
Platform: Wii U (e-Shop)
Genre: 2D Platformer
Developer and publisher: Mobot Studios / Crescent Moon Games

Originally released for mobile platforms, Paper Monsters has received a new coat of paint and several new features to make its console debut. The result is Paper Monsters Recut, a game that boasts a lot of charm and, a few problems aside, makes for a fun little adventure.

VGM: Top 20 Donkey Kong Country 1/2/3 tracks

My two favorite hobbies are music and games (with, as a good Brazilian, football/soccer coming in third). As such, it stands to reason that music plays a really big part on my gaming experiences.

This is a video I made a while ago, listing my 20 favorite tracks from the original SNES Donkey Kong Country games. I love listening to stuff like this to chill out while I work, for example. Give it a listen and see if you agree with my picks.

[REVIEW] Lego Marvel Super Heroes (Wii U)

Lego Marvel Super Heroes
Platform: Wii U
Genre: Open-world action-adventure
Developer: TT Games
Publisher: Warner Bros.

I've always seen Lego video games as inoffensive little diversions that didn't really deserve my attention in a big way. Last year, everything changed when I played the fantastic Wii U exclusive Lego City Undercover, which is not only the epitome of the Lego series in my opinion, but also one of my favorite titles on the console's entire library. Of course, this also means that Undercover will forever be a point of comparison for newer Lego games I play, and in the case of Marvel Super Heroes, the comparison isn't flattering.