Evaluation

Now that I have finally completed the magazine, it is time for an evaluation. First of all the research, I thought I have done really bad and poor quality research at first so I have gone over everything and redone the research completely, if not just added more to it. If there was more time then I would have further improved my research and begin to go through in a lot more detail. Also I would have taken more screen shots and images, plus more detail on work.

I have to admit I am happy with all the prototypes of covers I have done along many different image manipulations. By doing this I have further extended in showing what I am capable of. Also this has helped me get a further understanding and more use out of Photoshop. I would have done more though due to given time.

Putting the magazine together was fun but time consuming. Sorting out all the columns, typing out entire reviews, previews and tips takes a lot to do too. For the reviews I had to go back to old games and replay them, getting to a certain point where I know they are easy to review and point out all the good and bad bits about each game in particular. Previewing includes plenty of research on new coming games. The research can be obtained by looking at various websites for information and watching videos to soak in the gameplay and details. Finally the tips were by playing the games, finding the easy way to accomplish tasks and give helpful advice through experience.

I have done several sections within the magazine, News, Intro, Online section, all sorts. I am happy with the amount of contents included, although it took me a few months, I managed to finally put together a magazine with lots of different features. Although I am hoping if I get a next time, I will round up a team to severely help increase the amount of contents, thus more of everything will be included. As having a team can show teamwork, can get a lot of work done within the day, the magazine would have a lot more done within the month and could also be monthly too.

The online section is more of a guide of what can be done if the magazine became successful. I do think it is a good way to show that the online section is ready if the magazine becomes successful. I am considering thinking of continuing the production of the magazine if the audience enjoys the magazine and are willing to read, communicate and enjoy the magazine after every month. I could have improved this by advertising the magazine around the internet, mainly focusing around Nintendo gamers, this way I could have built up, even a small audience ready for when the magazine becomes available. I would have also included a forum for the readers to interact with each other.

I have made a leader board which I thought was a good idea for again, when the magazine gets some audience. Each month will be coming up with new challenges and tasks for each member to participate to make the top of the board, or even in fact an entrance onto the board. This shows the competitive side of people and also can show determination and commitment. Singles out the best players to form groups. I could have improved this by advertising the leader board and rounding up submitted scores.

The news section, I had to wait until E3 for this section. As disappointing as E3 was, I managed to gather a group of information and turn the whole section about E3, mainly about the new Nintendo Wii U. Also a feature or selected new games for the upcoming Wii U. Due to the news section, it requires all the up to date information so I wasn’t able to start until the beginning of June which was cutting it close for the deadline.

I have also done an art gallery of some of my image manipulation which helps show what I am capable of. I also needed to do a few for another project so why not throw some in. This also helps to show what can be shown within the magazines plus people will be able to submit their own art if they either want to demonstrate what they can do, have a kick start in the art career or just for fun.

Overall I think my progress through magazine has been steady and consistent. Also I think it was a good experience to write out a whole magazine on my own, although next time I would gather a team that are willing to help out and get their work published. I could have also done with a video camera so I could have put up some videos for the magazine and have more of a timeline to learn more about all the features about InDesign. Overall I have enjoyed this.

Updated covers

I have now updated the front and back covers. What I have done is make the text stand out more with a simpler, yet eye catchy white with curving effects. Also the back cover now features just one character. Here are the final versions.

Overview of what I have managed to do so far

So far I have managed to:

Design the front and back cover: I have done some Photoshopping for the front cover using various Nintendo characters. By doing this I have managed to draw attention to what is inside the magazine by looking at the cover. The only thing is that the font is boring and needs work, plus the back cover is a bit everywhere, so I will be going back over them. I do think the covers work though.

Introduction and contents: These sections are very basic, the introduction is only for introducing and talking a bit about what the magazine is about. I do want to edit the contents a bit to make shortcuts to the designated page.

Previews and Reviews: I have gone over several released games and reviewed them after completing them. Also I have done several previews of upcoming games, I only need to do more previews but I am going to wait due to E3 which is between 5th-7th June. I would have liked to video some games but I do not have the required equipment.

Hints and tips: I have done a section for hints and tips, this will help players who are stuck on current games, given on the amount of time left and needing to tidy up and do a layout on the magazine, I would have done some more games and bigger amounts of hints and tips but unfortunately I am one man doing a whole magazine.

Art gallery: I have got several of my art and placed it within the magazine. I am thinking of doing a slide screen of each image on two separate pages. This will increase the amount of different methods I have done to create the magazine.

Leaderboards and online section: This is where the fans will be getting involved. This will allow me and the fans to interact, have fun and also set up clans, making new friends is a good option too. The leaderboards are there for competitive players.

I have also done several screenshots of the games that are getting reviewed, previewed and the hints and tips section. I am also tempted to do multiple screenshots and turn the images into a scroll through which can show several screenshots in one space.

So far the magazine is coming along nicely, but quite a few edits is needed and alot needs to have been gone through so I better get started.

Experiment with Indesign movements

I am now experimenting with moving images across screens. First of all I have set the animations on a different layer. Then I made my object within the layer. I then tested out with making a motion path with my pen tool after selecting them both together. After creating a motion path I then set the circle to on click and turned off on page load.  Here is a screen shot of what I did with this.

Next I have decided to include a sound within my circle so I then placed in a sound, moved it off the page and tested out that the sound was working. When this is all fine I then proceed to the next step. 

Finally I then clicked back on my circle and made a button out of it, so when I click on the circle, it will begin moving and make the sound effects. This is just a simple way to make an animation.

Paper Mario 3DS Preview

The brand new Paper Mario game is getting released on the Nintendo 3DS, no release dates have been confirmed unfortunately.  Great news though that Paper Mario has gone back to the way it originally was, an RPG! The first two Paper Mario games were amazing, Super Paper Mario was kind of a let down as it does’nt follow the elements of the orginal two. Anyway that is enough about that, I am sure you want to know about the new release title.

First of all, the system is back to turn based fights, which is what Paper Mario is all about. By the looks of some of the special moves Mario can use, such as cutting out the enemy or using a fan to blow away the enemies, Mario has a huge range of special moves to perform and help out during battles. Mario is also seen walking around with a Toad with green spots. Maybe a possible ally? No others have been spotted following Mario, neither has any allies been seen during a fight, so maybe they return, maybe they don’t only time will tell.

First strike is back again which gives you a chance to attack your enemy first before the      actual battle starts, giving you a good advantage within the fight. Also there appears to be a lucky slot during battle, if you match all three then you get a bonus, as seen getting three coins spews out loads of coins for Mario to collect.

Overall Paper Mario seems to be an amazing title, even among the top ten of all 3DS games, will it live to these standards though? Only time will tell. Paper Mario games that are RPG have always been amazing and this games looks like it is no exception. So be prepared for any information that will be given out.

Luigi's Mansion 3DS Preview

A sequel to Luigi’s Mansion has been wanted by fans for several years now. Fans can now rejoice as Luigi’s Mansion 2 has deffinately been confirmed to be released on the Nintendo 3DS, sadly no release date has been given as of yet. Professor E. Gadd asks Luigi to begin searching mansions (thats right, not just one this time) to capture ghosts and obtain more treasure. By the looks of it, Luigi has an updated version of his Poltergust. By the looks of it, the mansions are even bigger aswell, they include many different aspects in rooms. The room that caught my eye the most is the Egyptian room. Seeing a mummy rise from the sarcophagus has really made me want this game more.

Capturing ghosts seems to be different too. Instead of doing the flash with your torch, you seem to need to charge your torch and release for a huge flash of light, which will ofcourse, stun the ghost. Their health will be displayed and this will be your chance to vacuum up the ghost. When this happens you hold down the vacuum and move the control stick in the  opposite direction the ghost is trying to run away. When the ghosts health reaches zero, you have pretty much caught the ghost.

Overall Luigi’s Mansion 2 looks like it is shaping up extreamely well, brilliant graphics,  brilliant sound, plenty of rooms and mansions to explore. Deffinately looks a lot better than the original. I for one cannot wait for the release of this game. So get watching videos, read up about the game and get excited too!

Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon Review

Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon

Console: Nintendo DS
Genre: Strategy
Multiplayer: 1-2
Wi-Fi: Yes

Shadow Dragon is a remake from the very first Fire Emblem which was exclusively released for Japan. Shadow Dragon gives us a chance to play an up to date version of the original with added extras. The main character within this game is Marth, prince of Altea. Your kingdom is under attack as you try to fight your way out for survival, losing a comrade or two just to help you survive. After you escape, you manage to flee to Talys, which Marth manages to stay for a few years. A group of pirates attack which leaves Marth and his small army to defend the small country at all costs. After the pirates have been defeated, the king of Talys tells Marth that it is time to retake his lost country and gives him some soldiers to aid Marth in his quest.

Throughout all of my playthroughs I have always used atleast one Berserker. I find these the best class of the game. There are so many other classes such as Swordmasters, Ballistas, and even Manaketes (stone wielders that turn into dragons). Each class have their own unique play styles, tactics and special abilities. Thieves play the role of, well breaking into doors and chests. Generals usually block most attacks with their huge defence, Berserkers swarm the field with their high power plus high critical hits and speed. Healers usually stay at the back and either use distant staves to heal far off comrades or may have to go close. Mages deal magical damage which are very powerful but usually lack defence.

Each stage usually requires thinking and strategic planning to conquer the map. With some maps, depending on your Berserkers stats, you could just send out the Berserker and he will clear the whole field. I have managed this on several times and it feels good taking out an army with one character. Experiment with each class, predict your enemies, even heal regularly to keep your characters safe. Keep an eyes on your weapon usage too, each weapon only has a certain amount of uses before it breaks so it is advised to bring plenty of each weapon of choice to keep your characters fuelled for battle.

Another amazing feature is forging. Once per map, you have the option to forge one of your weapons, making them more powerful, more accurate and more deadly with criticals. Another example with the Berserker is that I forged a Hand Axe to maximum strength and increased the critical rate to 30. Berserkers also manage to have a plus 20 bonus critical due to their skill so you will be landing a critical hit once every two attacks. You can also do arena training to increase your levels even further. There are so many new features included in Shadow Dragon.

You can make a team of five from your profile and connect to your friends and challenge them to a battle, you must seize the castle and keep the castle until the turns run out. Or you could defeat all your opponents characters. This feature is also used online with random battles too.  There is nothing better than seeing your friends face when you used a forged Hand Axe and do ridiculous damage with the Berserker.

Overall one of the best games on the DS that has been released. The graphics are great, the sound tracks are brilliant and the gameplay is addicting. The only thing about Shadow Dragon is that it is a rare game so if you find it cheap, buy it! You will not regret it.

Overall score: 94%

The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Tips

The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Tips

Now time for an old classic, Ocarina of Time has lived to be one of the best games ever! So I thought, what could be better than an Ocarina of Time tips guide.

First of all I am going to cover the best sword in the game, the Biggoron Sword. This weapon does twice the amount of damage but you are unable to block. A bit of a disadvantage but if you can dodge really well over using your shield then this weapon is just… amazing! You can get this weapon before you enter the first dungeon as an adult. To obtain this weapon, obtain the Sun’s Song from the graveyard as a kid. Then when you become an adult obtain Epona from Lon Lon Ranch. Finally get the Hookshot from Kakariko Graveyard. Now we can begin the trading sequence. Just a note that when you have a timed item, you cannot warp or it will spoil.

Head to Kakariko Village and talk to the girl that loses her chickens when you were a kid, she will then give you a Pocket Egg, upon receiving, equip the egg and play the Sun’s Song until the egg hatches. Then head to the house with the crates outside of it. Enter the house and use the Pocket Cucco to wake up Talon. After that head back to the girl and she will give you her brother’s Cucco, Kojrio. Hop onto Epona and head to Kokiri Forest, then go through to the Lost Woods, make the first left and there will be someone sitting by the stump, talk to him and he will give you the Old Mushroom, you will have to deliver this within three minutes. You must deliver this item to the potions lady in Kakariko Village, she will then give you the Odd Potion.

The old lady asks you to take the Odd Potion back to the guy by the stump. As you arrive back, a little girl is there in his place, saying he went missing and wants the potion due to the mushroom being part of the forest, which you then obtain the Poacher’s Saw. Make your way to Gerudo Valley and give the boss the Poacher’s Saw, he will exchange it for the Broken Goron’s Sword. Run all the way up Death Mountain and talk to the Biggoron. He will say he cannot currently fix the sword due to the volcano erupting and ashes going in his eyes. So he then give you a Prescription, head to Zora’s Domain, you will find that the whole area has been frozen in ice and the King Zora is encased in red ice.

Head to the area behind King Zora, jump across the frozen platforms and enter the cave, make sure you have an empty bottle, grab a blue flame and leave. Drop it on the King Zora and he will give you an Eyeball Frog. You only have three minutes to deliver these so back to Epona. Race to Lake Hylia and enter the only house. Talk to the scientist and he will give you the World’s Finest Eye Drops. You only have four minutes so again be quick, race up Death mountain and hand over the eye drops. Then play Sun’s Song so three days pass. Finally talk the Biggoron and you will obtain the Biggoron Sword.

Finally the Skulltula awards, I will list out what you can get with how many.
~ 10 Skulltula Tokens – Adult Wallet (carry 200 rupees)
~ 20 Skulltula Tokens – Stone of Agony (when near a secret area, will cause the remote to vibrate)
~ 30 Skulltula Tokens – Giant’s Wallet (carry 500 rupees)
~ 40 Skulltula Tokens -  Heart Piece (collect four for a Heart Container)
~ 100 Skulltula Tokens – 200 rupees

Back Cover

I have now finished the back cover for my magazine, here is what I have managed to accomplish.

Yoshi's Island Review

Yoshi’s Island

Console: Super Nintendo/ Gameboy Advance
Genre: Platformer
Multiplayer: 1 Player
Wi-Fi: No

Here is the beginning story of the Mario Bros. Baby Mario and Luigi were getting delivered by a stalk but the stalk was then attacked, the thief stole Luigi while Mario was sent plummeting which happens to land on Yoshi, also Yoshi discovers a map, this is how the story opens up for saving Luigi. I know it is a simple storyline but this is the first stage of their lives. This was my first game on the Super Nintendo, and I got hooked on it. Yoshi’s Island is a nice challenge filled with amazing graphics for the Super Nintendo and outstanding music. This is one of those games that truly stand out as a gem among games.

The game starts out relatively easy, just exploring most of what you can do such as getting to grips with your hover jump, getting used to auto moving stages and taking on bosses. The game works differently to most games, Yoshi doesn’t die unless he steps on spikes, falls in lava or falls in a hole. Enemy attacks cannot kill you, but baby Mario falls off your back and floats in a bubble, you have a time limit between 10-30 seconds, if you do not retrieve him before the timer runs to zero, enemies will carry off Mario and you lose a life. Each stage has a scoring system too. You must raise your seconds to thirty, collect twenty red coins and collect five flowers which will earn you 100% on that level. One coin and one second is one point each but one flower is ten points.

There are several ways to beat your enemies, you can either jump on them, ground pound them, eat them, spit them out at other enemies or even convert them into eggs. This way you can throw eggs at enemies or hit flying question mark clouds. These always earn you some kind of reward. I also love that each level on a world uses a different colour Yoshi. Every boss have creative and different ways to beat, you just got to think how you will win. Earning 100% on Yoshi’s Island is a huge award on its own.

My favourite level has to be called Touch Fuzzy Get Dizzy, the first half of the stage involves you spitting out a ball like enemy to get most of the flowers, coins and defeating enemies impervious to your attacks. The second part of the stage requires you to avoid hairy clouds, but avoiding them takes the fun out of it, keep collecting the clouds, go through the rest of the level like Yoshi is dizzy (drunk in my opinion). Apart from this level, every level is fun too, there are some water stages too. As you progress through the game, you will encounter bubbles with helicopters, submarines and cars, touching this will turn Yoshi into that object for a certain time limit. Each method is just as fun as the other.

Overall this game is a true classic, never forget the old Super Nintendo games as this game always comes to my head first whenever I hear Super Nintendo, also rereleased on the Gameboy Advance so pick up your copy as soon as you can!

Overall Score: 92%

The Legend of Zelda Minish Cap Review

The Legend of Zelda Minish Cap

Console: Gameboy Advance

Genre: Adventure

Multiplayer: 1 Player
Wi-Fi: No

Yes as you can tell, I am a huge fan of Legend of Zelda games, one of my favourite series of games ever, and Minish Cap is no let down either. You start off sleeping, someone has decided to pay a visit, which happens to be Zelda. You get out of bed and go downstairs, Zelda is talking to your grandfather about wanting to go to the Picori festival with you, which was perfect timing. Your grandfather wants you to deliver a sword he crafted to the royal family which will then be handed down to the winner of the fighting competition. When you reach the town, Zelda will not stay still, she has to go and see almost everything so you must follow her. Zelda then wins the raffle and this is when you acquire your first shield. You then proceed to the castle but a Business Scrub blocks your way, use your new shield to bounce back the seeds he fires at you.

The winner of the fighting competition earns the right to touch the sacred blade that has been embedded into a chest, keeping evil sealed, this blade is called the Picori Sword. When you finally reach the castle, the winner of the fighting competition is finally announced, which is the villainous Sorcerer known as Vaati. He attacks the royal family and their guards, then attacks the sword itself, breaking it in half and releasing the seal. Finally Vaati turns Zelda to stone and disappears. You wake up, recovering in bed within the castle, as you leave the room, the king asks you to go search for the princess, which is where your adventure begins.

Minish Cap, well… the main skill you have during this game is shrinking and returning back to normal size with certain objects such as tree stumps and vases. So as the name suggests, it really is the Minish Cap. You end up fighting all sorts of enemies when you are shrunk too. Flies are the same size as you, you end up fighting worms, lady bugs, ants and even Chu Chus are giant compared to you. Also you use this skill to climb inside an enemy like a robot or certain bosses. You either shut them down or attack from the inside. Also an early item you acquire which is known as the gust jar. This weapon works by inhaling anything in front of you. If a jar or a weak enemy gets in the way, they get stuck at the end of the jar, which if you let go, you fire the enemy across the room. You can also vacuum enemies masks, get rid of the dirt on the floor to find switches. A very useful item.

The bosses within this game are not as challenging as previous handheld Zelda games but that doesn’t mean fighting them isn’t fun. There are loads of fun bosses which do require a bit of thinking to defeat. By the way you will be collecting elements to fix the Picori sword, which leads to visiting loads of different locations such as swamps, mountains, forests and even the sky. Each area filled with their own challenge plus a dungeon. Each dungeon has been thought out very well and will require quite a bit of searching first time around. Loads of puzzles, loads of fights and loads of rupees.

The music is just outstanding, just like any other Zelda game, you will be loving every second, the graphics kind of fit a Sprite version of Wind Waker, which some people love, some people hate. It all depends on the player. I preferably love the Wind Waker graphics so I love Minish Cap graphics too. Very well done for the Gameboy Advance.

Overall this game is definitely worth getting. Back on release Minish Cap was bundled with a gold Triforce edition of the Gameboy Advance SP Which I currently own and have to admit, was the best design for a Gameboy Advance SP Ever. If you can pick this game up then do it!

Overall Score: 93%

Review Okami

Okami

Console: Nintendo Wii/Playstation 2
Genre: Adventure
Multiplayer: 1 Player
Wi-Fi: No

Okami is a Japanese style adventure game that was originally released on the Playstation 2 but was re-released on the Nintendo Wii, which this review is based off. Before I obtained this game I have seen screenshots, I have read reviews about it, Okami looked great, sounded amazing, but I wasn't too sure that it would live up to how amazing Okami truly sounded, so I bought the game, played a little bit and ended up becoming completely hooked. After loading up Okami, watching the intro and playing into the first few battles while taking in the amazing unique graphics, you can already tell this game is a true masterpiece.

Pretty much, the story starts off with a flashback 100 years before the current game time, about a swordsman named Nagi and a White Wolf named Shiranui. These two fought off an eight headed demon named Orachi, which they were unable to defeat but they did manage to seal it away. After that, you return to the current time, which you see Nagi's descendant who goes by the name of Susano, who believes that the legend of Nagi was false and wanted to prove it by going to the altar where Orachi was sealed, which ironically broke the seal. Orachi broke free and began sapping the land of all life force. One tree with a statue of Amaterasu which is the reincarnation of Shiranui and also known as the sun goddess. This area hasn't been effected by Orachi, which Sakuya, a wood spirit, takes advantage of this and revives the sun goddess, asking for her help, which is where the adventure begins.

The controls of the game are a bit awkward to get used to at first but once playing the game for a while, Okami can be quite easy to use to play. The battles are brilliant, you shake the Wii remote in rhythm for your combos. Also as you progress through the game you unlock more skills, such as to add to your celestial brush, which is a magical brush that freezes time, while time is frozen, you can use the brush to sketch a line for a slash, draw a circle with a line in it for a bomb and so on, these skills are brilliant and fun. Sometimes the only way you can damage an enemy is through the celestial brush. You also have a variety of three different weapons types and five different versions of each weapon. These are known as the mirrors, beads and great swords, the mirrors act as a mini sword and if they are secondary equipped, can act as a shield. The beads act as a long range whip and as a secondary weapon, is fired like a projectile. Finally the great sword is what it says and secondary acts as an uppercut.

Also as you progress, the money you earn can also be used to purchase new skills that can help you along the way such as double jump and improved attack power. Within the game there are so many side quests too. There is loads to do, like obtain several demon fangs, kill certain amount of enemies, collect stray beads, earn praise and so on. The more you manage to do means the more you unlock at the end of the game. The graphics are just amazing, the sound is incredible and the gameplay will last you at the least, a good week.

Overall this is a truly amazing game, definitely worth getting if you are into adventure games, or even just want to try something new, I recommend this game being somewhere on your to get list. A truly amazing game.

Overall Score: 94%

Review Pokemon Crystal

Pokemon Crystal

Console: Gameboy Color
Genre: RPG
Multiplayer 1-2
Wi-Fi: No

An old classic back in the Gameboy Color area, Pokemon Crystal is an upgrade of Pokemon Gold and Silver. This is the first Pokemon game where you can choose your own gender. You start off in a little town called Newbark, as you go to see Professor Elm, he asks you to take a little errand but it is dangerous to go without a Pokemon so he end up giving you one of three. This is usually a hard decision, the choices are Cyndaquil (fire), Totodile (water) and Chikorita (grass). Which is the starter triangle, fire beats grass, grass beats water and water beats fire. Whichever you choose, your rival (later on) picks your weakness. After running the errand you get a phone call from Elm, one of his Pokemon has been stolen, which is by your rival, as you rush back, you battle him on the way and he runs off after you defeat him. You get back and report to the police, which you then decide upon his name, then you can finally make your way to catch Pokemon and train to collect gym badges.

As you progress through the game you will find the old evil group known as Team Rocket, they plan world domination, you have to stop them along the way which is no easy task. Also along the way you bump into the star Pokemon Suicune several times, which leads to the final encounter of battling and attempting to capture this legendary Pokemon. Pokemon Crystal has to be one of the biggest Pokemon games created with a huge amount of sixteen badges to collect which consists of two regions, the Kanto region and the Johto region. After you complete the Johto region you can access the Kanto region.

Even playing Crystal again, it is one of those games that really draws you in, you cannot stop playing it and you will love all the old Pokemon style games through playing this again. This is the first game to show animations when you encounter wild Pokemon or trainers. Also you can encounter extreamly rare Pokemon that are an alternate colour, this is known as a shiny Pokemon, the odds of coming across one is 1 in 8192. The only exception is the red Gyarados within Lake of Rage. Coming across a shiny and capturing it is a true accomplishment to any player.

After completing the game you will want to gather up the strongest team you can, then you can play against your friends in a multiplayer match to see who has the better tactics and strengths. You can either play offensive, defencive or a mix on teams. This can be known as competetive play. You also have the feature to trade one for one to your friends to help complete your Pokedex or help complete your team.

Another goal you can have within the game is obtaining all 251 Pokemon. This will be hard but well worth the effort. After collecting eight badges you can challenge the elite four. But if you obtain sixteen bages and beat the elite four, you have access to Silver Cave which has the toughest trainer of them all within the cave, bringing him down will take alot of skill but well worth the fun.

As usual, the classic Pokemon tunes can be found within this game, almost every sound will make any Pokemon fan smile listening to either a legendary battle music or just listening to the bycicle music. The graphics are still good, despite the age of the game, the lifespan you will have on this game will last you for a while, depending on how addicted you get, and ofcourse the gameplay, a classic rpg take in turns battle which is always awesome. There is nothing better than taking down a Snorlax in one hit with a Hyper Beam.

Overall despite this being one of the older Pokemon games, I belive this to be one of the best of the series, generation two will always be brilliant and well remembered for the older Pokemon fans, if you have not played Crystal before then what are you waiting for? Buy it now! A true classic, possibly the best game on any Gameboy console.

Overall Score - 96%

On top

Okay I am going to sort out what I have done and need to do here, so far:
Front cover                         100%
Introduction                         100%
Contents                              100%
News (near the end)             100%
Gamers Base Online             100%
Previews:                             100%
Fire Emblem 3DS                 100%
Luigi's Mansion 2                   100%
Paper Mario                           100%
Reviews:                             100%
Mario Kart 7                        100%
Super Smash Bros Brawl      100%
Skyward Sword                   100%
Metroid Prime                      100%
Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn  100%
Pokemon Crystal                  100%
Okami                                  100%
Minish Cap                           100%
Yoshi's Island                       100%
Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon 100%
Deadly Creatures                 100%
Hints and Tips:                   100%
Freedom Unite                     100%
Legend of Zelda Ocarina       100%
Pokemon Black and White    100%
Art Gallery                            100%
Leader Boards                       100%
Sign Off                                 20%
Back Cover                          100%

Need to do:
100% Sign Off

Done:
Front Cover
Contents
Introduction
News
Gamers Base Online
Previews
Reviews
Hints and tips
Art gallery
leader boards
back cover

Layout plan/ Contents

I am planning to layout the magazine on a similar note to this:
Front Cover -> Introduction -> Contents -> News -> Online Section -> Previews -> Reviews -> Hints and Tips -> Art Gallery -> Leader Boards -> Sign Off -> Back Page.

Contents (rough plan)
News...........................
Gamers Base Online.....
Previews......................
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---
---
Reviews......................
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---
Hints and Tips.............
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Art Gallery..................
Leader Boards............
Sign Off......................

Final front cover

After deciding the star game of the magazine is skyward sword, I have made the final front page, here is what I have done.

Gamers base online group

Here we will have all our online sections for our online group. You can submit your details such as name and friend codes, plus what you request along with permission to post your email.

How this will work is I shall publish information such as this:
Name
Game wanting to be played online with the friend code on the end
Email address to contact player

After all this has been published, you can have the chance to write up a report which will get published within the magazine. All contact information will be under gamersbaseonline@hotmail.co.uk

Contact information

I have officially set up my contact information now, anything about the magazine is required to be sent to gamersbase@hotmail.co.uk. If I decide to have competitions then I shall create a separate account for this.

General - gamersbase@hotmail.co.uk
Online - gamersbaseonline@hotmail.co.uk

Rough leader board design

Okay what I am going to do is do a leader board for certain games, like time on beating a boss, highest score, you name it, I will make a leader board, all I require is either a screenshot or a video. Here are the challenges and the scores you need to do. Submit them to gamersbase@hotmail.co.uk

Monster Hunter Tri - Alatreon speed challenge, how quickly can you beat the Alatreon? Screenshot/video your scores and send them in!

1. 09:23 (Adam Everson)
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Okami - Speed game, how quickly can you complete Okami? Again submit your score via screenshot/video.

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More to come as this is only a planned section

Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn Review

Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn

Console: Nintendo Wii
Genre: Strategy
Multiplayer: 1 Player
Wi-Fi: No

Fire Emblem, one of those games that not many people have heard of, one of the untold greatest series of strategy games ever created. Playing Fire Emblem on the hardest difficulty requires a lot of thinking, a lot of planning, and sometimes you need to throw in risk. The way Fire Emblem is played is by advancing through chapters on different levels, you are playing on a grid on that level, many different terrains effect the players, there are usually two teams, which you strategize by moving your characters into position and either attacking through enemies or defending certain places. If any of your characters run out of health, they are out of the game for good, no way of getting them back unless you restart the whole chapter again or start a new file.

At the beginning of the game, you start off by being pursued by an empire known as the Begnion Empire. You are a Daein group of rebels known as the Dawn brigade. You are on a goal to liberate Begnion out of Daein as they are trying to claim Daein for themselves. This is how the first quarter of the game begins. After about halfway through the game, Ike and the Greil Mercenaries appear as the main group, just trying to stick up for the Laguz.

The Laguz are a race of humans that can transform into certain types of animals, such as cats, tigers, lions, ravens, eagles, wolves and dragons. They do not use weaponry and rely on their physical strength. Other humans (known as Beorc) see the Laguz as unequals, they call them sub humans and refuse to live in the same country, thus they live in separate continents, as generations have passed, and they have grown to hate each other more and more.

The weapons you can acquire within the game range from swords, lances and bows to magic tomes and staves. There are weapon triangles within this game, which work like this, if a sword goes against an axe, the sword has more advantage in the weapon triangle so will deal extra damage and has more accuracy of hitting while the axe has been reduced. The basic triangle works like this, swords -> axe -> lance -> swords. You get the idea. Always take this into consideration as there is nothing better to do than to send in a sword master against a big group of warriors as sword masters have high dodge while warriors have low accuaracy and they wield an axe which makes it even easier to be untouched.

Also within the game, you are able to obtain several different skills and equip them to your characters, keep in mind though there is a limit to how many skills you can hold. Some skills increase the amount of experience you receive, while others can increase the amount of attacks you can get in. There are so many skills so experiment with what you can do. As you use your weapons more, that weapon type can increase so you can use stronger weapons, depending on the type. Finally each weapon has a certain amount of hits they can dish out before the weapon breaks. Although there are some weapons that cannot be broken such as Ike's main sword, Ragnell. Also the Laguz have their own weapons such as the cats have their claws and the dragons have their breathe. These are ofcourse unlimited and as their weapon rank increases, their claws/breathe/other can gain more accuracy and more might.

Depending on the class of your characters, you can move a certain amount of space each turn. Between five and ten spaces, some characters are only limited to attacking only one square away too. Mages can obtain tomes that will either hit one to two squares away while others can hit from three to ten spaces. One thing you need to be aware of is that depending on the terrain you and your opponent are standing on as sometimes your attacks won’t reach, or you will be hitting for less damage or your opponent has increased evasion. Sometimes you can find heal bushes too which if you stand on them, you will recover a slight amount each time a turn passes.

The aim to complete each chapter has several methods of winning, you can win by either beating the boss, clear the stage of enemies, survive a certain amount of turns or capture the end of the map. It is usually advised to wipe out all the enemies if possible. With certain characters, you will see an enemy which may be recruitable depending on certain conditions.

The graphics are brilliant but the cut scenes stand out more, I really do think they are cut scenes that you will want to rewatch again every now and then. The music is brilliant, especially the black knight’s theme. This game could last anyone a long time if you want to complete it on every difficulty, for your first few times around, the game will take at least 24 hours to complete, even if you skip all the dialogue, which is needed to know what is going on. The gameplay really is amazing, it is so addicting once you get into the game.

Overall I do love the Fire Emblem series, if you feel like getting a strategy game then this is definitely what game I would recommend. Truly amazing, addicting, and really gets you thinking. Just try completing it on the hardest difficulty. That could take you a while but will be worth it.

Overall score: 95%

Deadly Creatures Mini Review

Deadly Creatures

Console: Nintendo Wii

Genre: Action

Multiplayer: 1 Player

Wi-Fi: No

I have to admit I was really looking forward to the release of Deadly Creatures, the story behind it is that you are either a scorpion or a tarantula going through the levels, killing other bugs and progressing through the levels. Some of the finishing moves look really awesome too. The graphics of the levels were really good too, but I have to admit, I am very disappointed after completing the game.

First of all the battle system was a bit flawed, the attacks took a while as they weren’t very accurate. The music got boring quite quickly and you only need to play the game around 2-3 hours until the game is completed. For the wait I thought this game was too short. With only about ten chapters and each chapter only takes twenty minutes at the most to complete.

I do like however the battle with the snake though, it is the first proper fight with something big, but then again, the fight didn’t last long or take much to win. Plus the final battle is against a human with a shotgun. Which ends up blowing up a whole petrol station. The ending of the game wasn’t impressive either.

Overall this game was a huge disappointment, I did have high hopes for this, it could have been something a lot better. It is a shame really. The graphics are probably the best part of the game.

Overall score: 52%

Metroid Prime Review

Metroid Prime

Console: Nintendo Gamecube

Genre: Adventure, First Person Shooter

Multiplayer: 1 Player

Wi-Fi: No

I have recently been playing Metroid Prime again and I thought, what would be a good review for the Gamecube? Metroid Prime has always been one of my classics. Playing this game while it was first released, I have to admit were the best graphics on the Gamecube that I have ever played. First steps onto the planet Tallon IV, all you can see when you exit your space ship, a few cliffs covered in green, trees, plants and a nice little waterfall, while it is pouring with rain. You would think the planet is quite peaceful, until you advance a little further through the planet. You will encounter loads of the planets inhabitant creatures, some which will leave you alone but most will attack you on sight. Either way you have to fight for your life as you try to explore the planet.

The reason why you are here? You play the role of the female bounty hunter known as Samus Aran. You have received a distress signal from one of the space pirate’s frigate, which you take advantage to investigate. As you have entered, most of the space pirates are either critically injured or dead, as you explore and scan everything around you, you will discover some of their experimentations which have escaped and begun killing them all, these are parasites. As you go through, you will encounter a few until you reach the center which is where the parasite queen is located, after killing her, the parasite queen will fall into the ships reactor core which will set off the destruction of the ship. As you are fleeing to abandon the ship, you come across the general of the Space Pirates, Ridley, which is a dragon-like extra-terrestrial. You killed Ridley in previous Metroid games but the space pirates have managed to revive him with metal parts which he is known as Meta Ridley. After escaping, you are hit with an electrical surge, losing all your power ups. As you get back to your ship you see Meta Ridley fly to Tallon IV which you give chase.

As you advance through the game, your arsenal of weapons. Your primary weapon is an arm cannon, which you acquire different beams to fire, along with missiles. Your beams are unlimited on ammo but your missiles are not. You can also turn into a morph ball which can help you get through shorter sections, you can plant bombs and boost through ramps, also stick onto spider tracks too. Grappling gun is also another weapon which you can use to swing from one area to another as long as there is somewhere to latch onto. Finally you have different visors which can help you keep track of enemies better, solve puzzles that can only be seen with a certain visor and scan information.

The boss fights in this game are truly amazing, some bosses are huge. While fighting a boss, if you get stuck you can scan it to find its backstory and weaknesses. Some of the bosses can be a real challenge too, which is what is needed within games. The details are brilliant too, I know the graphics aren’t as good as todays graphics, but they are pretty darn close.

There are loads of different styles of locations you can explore, you first start off in a tropical rain forest like area, which you then continue on to explore into the ruins, which you begin to find out more about what has happened to this planet, which you continue on to an underground magma cavern, you navigate your way through to find a frozen land. Each of these are designed beautifully and almost every room is filled with puzzles or enemies.

Speaking of the ruins, when you enter and start scanning different lore, you discover about a race called the Chozo, which were the planets main intelligence and superior race, but they describe themselves as equal to all other life on the planet. You begin to find out about a great poison that has struck the planet and began killing off the planets species, either that or corrupting them into evil creatures that will attack on site. There are no signs of the Chozo race but what has been mentioned in the lore is to be warned of Chozo ghosts that has been corrupted from the great poison.

Playing through Metroid Prime is just amazing, I cannot imagine a better way to improve the series, when I found out that Nintendo were going to make Metroid from 2D to 3D I was a bit unsure of what to make of it, but after playing through Metroid Prime, I do believe that they have definitely improved the series by far. As far as classic 3D first person shooters go, this is the game that will always spring to my mind first, a true classic.

Overall I do believe Metroid Prime to be the best of the series, the best of all shooters, the most creative shooter game of its era. If you are looking for a brilliant cheap game that will last you ages, looks beautiful, plays amazing and extremely fun, this is the game you will want, a true classic.

Overall Score: 96%

Review layout plan

At the beginning of each review I am going to have a standard layout of information which will help readers find small bits of information easy to find and red, here is what I am going to do for each review.

Game Title

Game console
Type of game
Multiplayer
Wi-fi

This is how I will be basing, I am going to go through all my old reviews and adapt them.

Proposal

What I am going to make for my project is an interactive online game reviewing magazine, I am aiming to create a unique Nintendo magazine that will be used just like any other magazine but with interactive features such as a slideshow for the images, videos and many more features as I go along. I will be aiming to make this magazine regularly when I obtain the software at home. I am going to be reviewing all types of Nintendo games from old to new, along with previews of unreleased games and finally I will be offering helpful tips for games that have been released too.

What has inspired me to do this? Well I have been collecting the Official Nintendo Magazine for years, if I recall I started collecting them back in 2002. By reading their reviews and seeing what content they have, I can adapt with what they have created within their magazine and add new features to mine which they do not have. By doing this I can show I am capable of making my own magazine.

The way I am going to accomplish this is by playing a lot of Nintendo games, completing them and then reviewing the sections in detail, by doing this I will be able to put together a good enough review, also I am going to get plenty of screenshots within the game but I am going to put them on a slideshow which will save more room, I might even put videos on the page to show how the gameplay works and how the music sounds. I am aiming to get quite a few reviews done each week, if not then I will get other features up and running. I am also going to do an art section of my style to show off some of my image manipulation. I am mainly going to use InDesign and Photoshop for this project. I am going to do all my artwork and front cover pages through Photoshop and I will be using InDesign to put the whole magazine together. For the next eight weeks I am going to get all my reviews, previews, tips and other features written out, and the last few weeks I am going to put everything together and include all the videos.

I am going to be releasing my work onto blogger and spreading around links everywhere such as Facebook, forums, other bloggers and going to ask to give feedback, what to improve, what they like about the magazine and what could be added for the next issue, by doing this I will be able to identify what I have done wrong and what I need to do to improve my magazine.  Also I am keeping track of everything through blogger which is like a planned section for me. Also I will review the magazine myself to see how professional it is and how I can improve it, I will be comparing it to other magazines.

 
An example of my time plan is:
Week 1-8: Complete all written work on reviews, previews, tips.
Week9-16: Put together everything and make interactive pieces and slideshows plus videos.

Review The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword

The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword


Console: Nintendo Wii
Genre: Adventure
Multiplayer: 1 Player
Wi-Fi: No


The newest edition to the Legend of Zelda family released for the Nintendo Wii. Skyward Sword takes place before Ocarina of Time within the Zelda timeline. For first timers to the Zelda series, you play as Link who starts off in a quiet village which is located within the sky, no one within the village has ever been able to go to the surface of the planet, then something happens like one of your friends are kidnapped, and go after them, which usually leads you to going on a big quest trying to save the world. Within Skyward Sword, you have to do various tasks such as finding Zelda and competing on your giant bird known as a Loftwing. After completing the challenge, you and Zelda are flying casually when a black tornado appears and pulls Zelda into the surface. You then end up finding the Goddess Sword and the emerald tablet, which opens a gap within the clouds to get to the world below, which is where your adventure begins.

The mechanics within the game has changed slightly, you now by shields which can be upgraded, your shields however have a stamina bar which if it depletes completely then your shield brakes, if you manage to parry the enemies attacks, then the shield will remain undamaged. Also instead of having to roll everywhere, you now have a stamina bar which you can now run, roll, climb and run up walls a few steps. Due to limited stamina, there is stamina fruit throughout the game which will fill your stamina to full without waiting for the recharge limit. The new features and controls work extremely well. The sword style is pretty much swing in the direction and that is how you attack, also if you hold your Wii remote up then your sword will charge, which you can release for a air slash. You can also spin attack horizontally and vertically within this game.

The graphics are truly stunning, the style of the graphics are a mix between the styles of Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. Just stop within each area and scan the place, you will see how detailed and amazing the graphics truly are. The soundtrack, like all Zelda games are amazing, never a let down, nothing boring, nothing dull, just true masterpieces right there. The gameplay is flawless, I cannot see anything wrong with this game, you could spend days trying to complete this game first time around, trying to uncover every chest, help every person and collect every heart piece. Speaking of heart pieces, within Skyward Sword, the amount needed for a new heart container has returned to four again.

Some of the new items are just pure genius. Who else would have thought of a flying beetle that can grab bombs and drop them onto unsuspecting enemies. This has taken out the need for bomb arrows though, which I have always loved. Of course there is the return of the bombs and bow and arrows. These two have always been the two most featured weapons, not including the sword of course. Being able to use all the items to their full potential is essential for completing Skyward Sword at 100%. This should be the goal of every die-hard Zelda fan. Just completing Skyward Sword isn't enough, you must get 100%.

This time around you get pockets for holding your items such as medals, shields, bottles and ammo for bombs, arrows and more. You start off with four slots, as you progress, you can buy more slots and increase the amount you can store with you. The maximum you can store is eight slots. This should be enough as you really only need one shield, about three bottles and maybe three different medals. Yeah I should really explain the medals for the people who don't who what they are. You collect medals along the way, when you carry these with you, grants you certain effects like enemies drop hearts more often and even one that acts as a heart container. Don't worry about not being able to carry everything, there is a free storage at your home town. You will be heading back to your home town quite often anyway as this is the main place to travel to different sections. Also it is home to all the shops too.

You can no longer save while pausing the game, instead just like Majora's Mask, instead around the region you will see many statues, these statues are your save points and also your key to returning back to the sky. There are a lot of brand new dungeons ready to confuse you, with each dungeon being trickier than the previous one. So many confusing and challenging puzzles, the boss fights are also more challenging within Skyward Sword. Definitely one of the more challenging Zelda games within the series.

Overall possibly the best game there is on the Nintendo Wii, this game is just a true masterpiece, extremely addicting and definitely worth the price, which was also available in a special pack, you get the game, a special CD of orchestrated Zelda music from the past up to now And a special gold Wii remote the the Legend of Zelda logo within the center of the remote. A plus note is that this game requires Wii Motion Plus. The most recommended game needed for adventure gamers.

Overall Score: 98%

Review Super Smash Bros Brawl

Super Smash Bros Brawl


Console: Nintendo Wii
Genre: Fighting
Multiplayer: 1-4
Wi-Fi: Yes


One of the most anticipated games for the Wii during the consoles release. Although Smash Bros was released two years after the Wii has been released, it has been revealed and due to the huge hit Super Smash Bros Melee had on the GameCube, there is no surprise on the uproar about Brawl. Also with online play and an increase in characters, along with a brand new story mode, so many features have been included within this game. First of all I better explain what this game is like to those who have never played Super Smash Bros before. Super Smash bros is a beat'em up type of game with up to four players. The aim though instead of reducing the health bar to zero, the characters start with 0%, the more damage inflicted on the character, the higher the percentage increases, the aim is to knock your opponent off the stage, the more they have on their percentage, the further they fly off from attacks, but just simply knocking them off isn't enough, your opponent is capable of attempting to recovering back to the stage with mid air jumps and certain attacks.

First of all, one of the new features is being able to use up to four different types of control methods. You can either use the Wii remote on its side, the Wii remote and nunchuck, the Classic Controller or the Nintendo GameCube Controller. From my experience I tried out all four but I stuck to the GameCube Controller which I find easier as I have played the Melee version for years. It is a simple two different attack buttons, move, jump, shield, grab and taunt. The attacks vary depending on the direction you are holding on the joystick. Also while shielding you can preform rolls and dodges by tapping the joystick in that direction.

The characters are all based off Nintendo characters with an exception of two which Nintendo have been given permission to use. These characters are Sonic the Hedgehog and Snake from Metal Gear. Some of the characters that have been included within Brawl are Mario, Bowser, Link, Zelda, Ike, Samus, Fox and many more characters. Of course there are many characters to unlock as well but I am not going to spoil that for you. Several stages have also made a return as well as new stages, also you are now able to create your own stages! This can be done within the create stage section, you are given a few bits to create your stage, you also unlock more parts while completing various things.

Included within Smash Bros is now a check list of various tasks to complete, you complete a task and you are rewarded, the rewards vary from a sticker to a new stage. The collection is huge within this game, you can collect stickers, music, trophies, characters and stages. Also within the extras there is a mini game which you launch the coins you have collected to earn more stickers and trophies, this is another way to increase your collection.

Within the single player mode (which you are able to play with a friend on most of the modes anyway) classic mode returns which is pretty much beat your opponent and advance with a few other challenges such as break the targets. Then there is the story mode called Subspace Emisarry, which you play as the characters within the story, win fights and run through stages beating enemies along the way, also collecting trophies, stickers and CD's for your music. Also after completing the sections with new characters, you unlock them to be able to play as in other modes. Of course training mode has returned too, which helps brush up on your skills. Multi Man Brawl is pretty much Multi Man Melee which is an endurance test, varying from defeat ten opponents, to one-hundred, to surviving fifteen minutes with endless enemies. Home run contest which is to damage the sand bag as much as you can within the ten seconds before you launch it as far as you can. And of course Smash Targets is back which is to break ten targets as fast as you can.

Multiplayer, which is of course, the best feature within Smash Bros games is all customisable matches which you can set from one to four players, you can set any items on, how often they appear, you can set a time limit match, a stock match or a coin match. There is also a handicap option for the new players. Just beating your friends on Smash Bros is one of the most satisfying feelings within the gaming world. Multiplayer offers hours of endless fun.

The online mode is just as great, you are able to go up against anyone online, you have the option to go against your friends online or you can go up against three random strangers, either way the match should be challenging enough. You are able to give yourself a nickname and have a little display picture of one of the characters within the Smash Bros game.

Finally there are three new items that stick out, these items are called the Smash Ball, Assist Trophy and the Dragoon. The Smash Ball floats around the stage at random times, you need to attack it a certain amount of times to acquire the Smash Ball, which you then just simply press the secondary attack button and this activates your characters special move. The Assist trophy works by simply picking it up, which a random non playable character appears to help you out for a set time. Finally the Dragoon works by collecting all three parts, once acquired, you aim at your opponent, which if you hit will knock them out of the stage instantly.

Overall this is is simply one of the best games ever. The graphics are so detailed, the gameplay is flawless and the multiplayer is so addicting. After this game, I cannot wait to see what the next Smash Bros has in store, there is a lot to compete against previous titles, which Nintendo has managed to do within each sequel. This is a must have for Nintendo gamers.

Overall Score: 97%

Intro

Welcome to the very first issue of Gamer Base! This magazine is purely based on Nintendo based games along with Monster Hunter games. I shall be previewing unreleased games but I will also be reviewing any game that has been currently released within the UK. Our star game of this month has to be our cover star The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword. As usual Nintendo always manages to impress again and again. I have honestly never felt let down while playing a Legend of Zelda game! Other titles that will be featured within this magazine are Metroid Prime and Pokemon Crystal, along with many more! Also we have an online section that will be expanding more and more within future issues, so join in and have fun! After the first issue I am hoping for our readers to submit their art for the gallery page which the best will be picked and featured! Many helpful tips will be featured within the magazine too!

Since I am on my own for this issue I am hoping to acquire a team after issue two. We will also have an email section too within the next issue. Bust on with this issue, there are so many games out there that it is impossible to review even a small portion! So I will be picking some of my favourites plus a few random ones to balance it out. Any suggestions can be submitted to gamersbase@hotmail.co.uk.

~Adam Everson

Review Practice Mario Kart 7

Mario Kart 7

Console: Nintendo 3DS
Genre: Racing
Multiplayer: 1-8
Wi-Fi: Yes


Mario Kart 7 is the... well... 7th addition to the Mario Kart series, which has to be one of the best of the series. On the top screen is all the racing action while the bottom screen is the map for the game. again the game is following the same mechanics with eight cups again. Each cup consists of four tracks, the first half of the cups are all brand new tracks, while the others are old tracks which have been remade with ramps and jump pads and also fitting the graphics with the older Super Nintendo and the Game Boy Advance versions. Some new mechanics have been added such as vehicle customisation and now there is gliding too.

The new gliding feature is one of the main parts of the game, which is activated when you jump off a green ramp, the glider is automatically activated and you control it as you would with driving except there is a inverted way to steer up and down through the air. The vehicle customisation is great, you can choose the frame, the wheels and the glider, this way you mix and match which changes your stats, which can benefit you in the way you like to drive best. You also unlock more parts the more coins you collect, yes that's right, the coins have made a return in this game which adds up in the end, the more coins, the more you can unlock, there is also eight new characters to unlock which can be accomplished by winning certain cups.

By winning a cup, a rank is determined by from one to three stars, the better you do, the more stars you earn, when you earn that many stars on every cup, that becomes your rank. This game features online gameplay again which again is competitive, battle mode also makes a return. The items are all great too. One of the new features that stick out is if you press up on the d-pad, you will enter first person view, with this you can steer by tilting the 3DS in the direction you want to go, with this feature this opens up a new way to play.

Spot pass is included within this game too, all you have to do is activate it on your 3DS, then walk past someone with the same game and then you will exchange data. This is a great way to improve online play. The graphics are as always, stunning for the 3DS, the 3D is amazing and all the details on each track, on each character and each item.

The multiplayer has always been the best for Mario Kart, and this is no exception, the multiplayer is so competitive and competitive is what you need within a game. Which can consist of up to eight players. With that many it is sure to be great fun and so amusing all the time. Also as long as your friends have a 3DS, they do not need a copy of the game to race on, download play is featured within the game which means only one game card is needed. The only thing is that all players without the game can only play as shy guy and cannot customise the vehicle. All the more reason to own the game.

Overall an amazing game! If you are a huge race fan or a huge Mario fan then this is a deffinate! You can get hours of fun, the difficulty is mediocre but that doesn't matter, the online can be very addicting, one of the best titles on the 3DS. The only downside is that Dry Bones has not been made a playable character, but still, buy it!.

Score: 94%

More research

Game Reviewing
To review a game, a lot of studying has to be made on a game, this game needs to be played a considerable amount of time, all the areas are needed to have been explored and the game needs to be completed. If the game has not been completed then you cannot explore the game fully to review it, also the game needs to be released or close to its release date, within a month at the most. The main aspects of a game to be reviewed is the gameplay, the graphics, the controls, the music and the lifespan of the game. Also multiplayer and extra features is an essential if they are featured within the game.

Game Previewing
For a preview, owning the game is not a priority. You can preview a game just with researching with demo videos, looking at peoples opinions who have played with demo games or people that have got their hands on the game already in maybe Japan or the US. Trailers are usually my way for reviewing games.

Game Tips
To give tips on games you have to explore and create new ways to play, new ways to discover how to do things, such as finding secret areas, solving puzzles easily, beating bosses easier or even explore glitchy sections of games, also easter eggs can be put into the tips section. Sometimes unlocking stuff can be put into tips too. Anything that can help a player can be considered a helpful tip.

Preview Practice - Fire Emblem 3DS

The new Fire Emblem that is scheduled for release in Japan around March. Which I have to admit, looks amazing! You can now pair up two of your units for a tag team against the computer player. For those who are new to the Fire Emblem series, this is a strategy game, you have a small bunch of units against your opponent which has ridiculous numbers compared to you. At the beginning it is usually seven units vs about twenty. After playing Radiant Dawn, near the end it can be roughly ten units vs around eighty. The goal is to either defeat the boss, clear all enemies or capture the area, which is pretty much defeat the boss and claim his square. Once you lose a unit, you lose him/her for good. No coming back, no fainting, just death.

The graphics are really up to date for the 3DS, truly spectacular. Everything has improved, from the simple birds eye view grid to the stunning critical hits. The 3D looks amazing, every little detail just looks amazing, the characters look great too. This is the first non remake Fire Emblem game that has been released since 2008 which was Radiant Dawn. Also Fire Emblem is the first game with the Nintendo DLC (Downloadable Content) which is like a beta test for future games.

The only thing about the Fire Emblem series is the time it takes to be released within the UK and the US. The main character which has blue hair which may be a descendent of Marth, the original character from the first Fire Emblem. Although the timeline isn't confirmed yet. The main character also appears to be wielding the Falchion which was Marths sword too.

Overall it is shaping up to be a classic of the Fire Emblem series, I for one cannot wait for this game, the online play sounds great, the storyline looks amazing and the return of roaming the map and fighting/training without following the storyline will really make competitive play more interesting. I really do recommend this game for anyone that likes strategy games, I for one am not a fan of of strategy games but I do love this game so pick it up and give it a try when it is released, if you cannot wait then play any other Fire Emblem games, all of them are amazing so you cannot go wrong!

The Audience

The aim of this magazine is for targeting the big gamers, mostly for Nintendo gamers as this is what I specialise in, what I know best as I have been a big Nintendo gamer ever since I was young, which is why I am inspired to start a magazine with mostly Nintendo products. I am also a big Monster Hunter fan which is what I would like to review too. So I would say the audience is for big Nintendo gamers.

Brain storm evidence

I have now designed a spidergram to help me think of ways on what I can include within my magazine. By making a spidergram I have been able to learn how to improve what I can include within my magazine and get the general idea of how the magazine will look. Here is my spidergram.

Practising tips, Freedom Unite

Stuck on Monster Hunter Freedom Unite? Need some tips to help you out? You have come to the right place! Here are some tips on how to improve your skills and beat monsters easier!

Blocking Roars - First of all, this gets really annoying when a monster roars, this leaves you open for an unavoidable attack. You will want to block these. There are four different ways on how to avoid the roars. First of all you can get the skill ear plugs, this can block all the low roars, but won't work on other monsters. This is when you use the upgraded version, the high grade ear plugs. Secondly if you are using a Lance, Sword and shield, Great Sword, Gun Lance or Heavy Bowgun, you can block the roar with your shield. Thirdly you can run out of its range. Lastly you can chance it by trying to stun the monster, with flash bombs or even hitting it and making it flinch.

Sleep Bombing - This is one of the easiest ways to defeat a monster, especially in a big team. Use sleep coatings, sleep shots, sleep inducing weapons or sleep knives to put the monster to sleep, then bomb it in its weakest place with Large Barrel Bomb+, when they are asleep, the first hit they receive does double damage. Repeat the process until the monster dies.

Diablos easy kill - I know some people that struggle on the Diablos, but with the technique, it will be easy! This works best in the desert during the day or night, make sure you are in area 7. You will want adrenaline 2, any ice bow and power coatings. First of all, get damaged until adrenaline kicks in, then hide behind the rock in the centre of the area while the Diablos is in the area, wait for it to charge, it will get stuck in the rock, make sure power coatings are equipped and aim for the tip of its tail, which is its weakest point, repeat this and it will be dead in no time. This works with Black Diablos too.

Unlock Fatalis quests - The Fatalis trio is the hardest of all monsters within the game, including Ukanlos that is, Fatalis can be fought within high rank and G rank quests. This is how to unlock them.

High Rank:
Fatalis - Clear the first 10 training quests with the same weapon.
Crimson Fatalis - Slay the Fatalis at least once.
White Fatalis - Slay five of each elder dragon, 3 Fatalis and 3 Lao Shan Lung.

G Rank:
Fatalis - Complete all the G rank training with at least one weapon.
Crimson Fatalis - Slay the G rank Fatalis and complete all the G rank elder dragon quests.
White Fatalis - Slay the Crimson Fatalis and complete all G3 epic hunting quests.

The most recommended meal to eat has to be any meat aka King Turkey, Dragon Head or Dragon Meat with either Fatty Tomato or King Truffle. This will give you +40 health and a small attack boost. Have with with one nutreants and you will be at maximum health with an attack boost. Always eat before a big fight, this will give you a big advantage and better survival.

Sometimes, the best way when fighting a new monster is to learn how to avoid the moves, focus on dodging without attacking, when you feel comfortable then go in for the attack, always keep in top health too if you are unsure on the damage you will receive. Remember to bring plenty of potions and mega potions too.

Plans of what to include

For my magazine I am planning of doing more than game reviewing, I am going to do tips, console history and more as I come up with stuff. Also I am going to do previews of games that haven't been released yet. Unfortunately I cannot test the games so it will be based off of the information of controls and screenshots and leeks. Here is what I have come up with so far.

Intro - discuss what the magazine is about.   _/

Reviews: (going to try to do around 4ish)
The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword   _/
Super Smash Bros Brawl   _/
Mario Kart 3DS   _/
Pokemon Black and White


Tips: (about 1 game)   _/
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite   _/

Previews: (about 2)
Monster Hunter 4
Fire Emblem 3DS   _/


Console History: aka consoles top games.

Rough final front cover plan

After quite a bit of planning I have come up with a simple guide of how I will be doing my final front cover. This is more of a basic idea of how it will have been lain out. The only thing is that the font is too dull, the image is too blended and nothing stands out at all. It is way too blue and too many words everywhere. So after this I am going back to more planning for my final front cover as this just lacks too much.

The added bar code is nice but this is going to be an online magazine so more or less, the bar code is just a useless add on. The logo isn't really that noticeable either which does not help getting the name out there.

More front cover designs

I have been experimenting with more front cover designs, by the looks of it I have been basing the front covers off Monster Hunter and Legend of Zelda. Here are some of them.

For this front cover, I have gone into Photoshop and created my own sand texture. I then grabbed the two images and tried to make them fit into their environment by bass relief with similar colours. The only thing is this doesn't fit my theme at the end of the day. Plus it just seems a bit too plain in certain areas.

Here are the source images I have used.

Finally I have made a Zelda version of the Link I have done earlier with the crystal cloud effect. Again this is a bit too plain and doesn't stand out much at all. I have also tried to give the a slight stone slab effect too.

Here is the source image I have used