Gamer Corner: Ken

Welcome to this week's installment of Gamer Corner, where Fangirl Review interviews a gamer and gets his thoughts on the gaming world and learning what he is enjoying at the moment.

Tell me a little bit about yourself? What rig do you currently game on? What kind of gamer do you classify yourself to be? ie. PC, Console, Tabletop, LARP as well as Hardcore, RPG, etc.

Well. Lets see. Lol. I will be 32 in a couple of weeks. I also engaged and getting married later this year. I have been gaming since I was 3 years old. It started with the NES mostly and a little bit of Atari.
I currently play the Wii U mostly. However, I own almost all consoles dating back to the NES. I think of myself as a true gamer. To me that means games come before the consoles. I do NOT align myself to just one console. I always purchase them all...eventually.

What is your first memory of gaming?

My first memory of gaming that I can recall is playing Super Mario Bros and Duck Hunt on the NES. I remember my Dad always forcing me to die so my sister could play. I mean I would literally make it through about half the game before I died.

What game are you currently playing right now? Do you enjoy that game, why? How’s the overall game play and graphics?

Right now, I'm playing catch up...as in catching up to my fiancee. Lol. She was a serious mobile gamer. I got her into the 3DS and she has beaten games before me. But in all seriousness, I'm finishing up Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon on the 3DS. Easily the best looking game on the system. It really takes advantage of the 3D. The whole game is in 3D. The game is plenty of fun. Everything from Luigi's cowardly reactions to him humming along with the scary theme music. Play it and you will see what I mean.

Would you recommend it, why?

I would definitely recommend it. I would even go so far as to say it is a MUST HAVE on the system. I hope Nintendo brings it to the Wii U. I mean the game is the embodiment of Nintendo's attention to detail. Nothing feels out of place. Nothing feels too realistic either. I mean...its a game. Luigi's personality and reactions given his circumstance is something we can all understand. The game challenges you to think, but it does not make it impossible to figure out the next step.

Are there any games coming out that you are looking forward to?

You bet your ass there are! Where should I begin? In all honesty, I should not even start because of my huge backlog. But anyway, the games I am looking forward to are: SSB4 for 3DS and Wii U (Yes both), Devils Third, Splatoon, Captain Toad, Watch Dogs (Wii U), Hyrule Warriors, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Affordable Space Adventures, Road Redemption, Bayonetta 2, Zelda U, Project STEAM, Sunset Overdrive, No Mans Sky, Kirby's Rainbow Curse, Yoshi's Wolly World, Project Guard, Kindom Hearts 3, Final Fantasy 15....Just to name a few.

If you could design your own game what would it be like?

Honestly, I have came up with my own ideas for games more than a few times. I still have one for a balanced Marvel vs Capcom. The one I have been toying around with lately I still have to discuss with +GVGINU. It is a Nintendo title. Very ambitious.

Thoughts on this new generation of consoles – Wii U, PS4, and Xbox One?

First of all, I am a fan of all consoles because I follow the games I love and want to play. With that said, I prefer the Wii U. To be honest, I do not see ANY reason to purchase the Xbox One or PS4. Why is that? Because I do not see any worthwhile games on their respective systems. Most of the games released for them are also available on their predecessors...which I already own do NOT require mandatory installs. Even before they launched, I knew I did not and would not purchase them no earlier than holiday 2015. The reason behind that is last generation's burned fans. Lack of good games, hardware issues, etc. I personally was not burned, but I am a patient gamer. Another reason is because I want give both companies to work out the OS bugs, become more energy efficient (read no overheating), give developers time to become acclimated to the hardware, decrease the form factor, offer larger standard harddrives, etc.
However, after watching E3 2014, I am seriously considering purchasing an Xbox One this holiday because it actually has a few games I really want to play releasing later this year. And yes, I'm buying the Kinect version. Sunset Overdrive, Halo Master Chief Collection, and Forza Horizons 2 are all games I really want to play.

Going back to the Wii U, my fiance and I have so much fun with it. The catalog of games is not 80% shooters and zombie games. Also, Nintendo Land is very addictive when played with large groups. Just ask my family. They all want a Wii U now. Why? Luigi's Ghost Mansion and Sweet Day. If you have played that with a group of people, you know the volume level dramatically increases in your home. Lol.
As for the PS4, do NOT get me started. It is a hype machine at best. It has virtually no games. Their E3 was garbage in my opinion. They practically pulled an Xbox One from 2013 with their focus on services rather than games. In short, check out +Mizzah Tee's  Playroom video.

What are your thoughts on the gaming industry?

To be, the gaming industry has crashed already. I actually did my very first podcast about this. Warning, it is very long. Lets just say that all the panelists had something on their chest. Looking at the PS4, it is basically selling on hype alone. Most people basically use it to watch Netflix or mess around in Playroom. Pun intended. The Xbox One has basically backtracked on almost every policy. I would argue that its for the better. Overall, Nintendo is the only console developer on track to do better over the years. They are creating more jobs rather than cutting them as well as generating a profit. The Wii U may not be selling at the same pace as the Wii, but it will become just as popular. In regards to the publishers/developers, they have become EXTREMELY lazy. When smaller indie studios create better and more unique gameplay experiences than billion dollar studios, the industry has already crashed. I truly believe we are in the rebirth. I think the crash started with the Wii. After playing games the same way over 20 years, it brought something new to the table. Everyone wanted in, but most only put in lackluster effort. However, this is a deeper topic for a different day.

10 years from now, where do you see the industry? Are you happy with that direction? If you had the power, what direction would you have the gaming industry go?

I see the boom of the 80s and 90s again. I see Nintendo being the favorite among the people and the envy of the competitors. I still see them holding true to their ways while others spend billions trying to please a customer that truly cannot be pleased and truly does not know what they need in gaming. I would take the industry in the immersive direction like Nintendo is doing. I want games to be completely immersive. That's the way to enjoy a fantasy. You have to believe in the experience.

Favorite Game (can include tabletop) of all time and why?  

There are so many. Honestly, it will be hard to choose. For an RPG, it would be Xenosaga Episode 1 on PS2. For sports, NFL Blitz on N64. For the most fun I have ever had, Mario Kart and Mario Kart 64. Battle mode saw hundreds if not thousands of hours.

Additional Thoughts and Comments?

No matter you preference, in the end its all about the game. Consoles are nothing without the games you love. So KEEP IT GAMING.

Would you like to share your gamer tag and the system so others may add you? 

Wii U---DrFeelGood
Xbox Live----DJSNK
3DS---3110-3814-2941

Thank you to Ken for a fantastic interview. If you would like to be interviewed for Gamer Corner please contact me at fangirlcontact@gmail.com.