Before the Operation Rainfall trilogy, I was not aware of how much I really loved Role-playing games. I had enjoyed a number of titles from the genre in the past, but understanding the need and lack of representation on Nintendo's seventh generation console helped me realize why iterations in the Paper Mario and Crystal Chronicles series that appeared on the Wii were dissatisfying experiences. I longed for numbers-based combat, meaningful character progression and growth, and the wackiness that comes with a good, old, far-fetched Role-playing game. I was not alone in this desire. The power of a vocal community can be a compelling catalyst, though Nintendo themselves would only bring Xenoblade Chronicles to North America after the Operation Rainfall petitioning began. However, localization and publishing company XSEED recognized the potential of bringing these already-translated titles over from Europe, and thus, three of the Rainfall titles headed to North American shelves. While...

What sensible 90's child didn't love Pokemon? As the years have gone by, this franchise has sustained its momentum with minor improvements to its gameplay and major increases in the number of catch-able critters. One of the finest examples of polymorphic content, Pokemon comes in all shapes and sizes, and more than a few titles have used its iconic character designs in various different ways. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon turns each monster into a rogue-like procedural dungeon crawler. Pokemon Conquest applies an isometric strategy twist to the fold. Hey You, Pikachu! uses a microphone to make a little critter into your Tamagotchi buddy. Detective Pikachu is a stupid thing that shouldn't exist. But one subseries of Pokemon that stands out as both bizarre in concept yet wildly addictive in execution is Pokemon Rumble. While none of the titles in this series are particularly fantastic, the idea of smacking around hundreds of weaker Pokemon with one's super-powered, highly a...

If it ain't broke, should you refrain from fixing it? Although a slight rephrasing from the original statement, this question is one we have all probably faced in some shape or form. The idea of rephrasing, or perhaps refreshing, old ideas for a new circumstance is likely another situation we have found ourselves in. Whether you like it or not, this is often the state of combat and game design in role-playing games, where we can see numerous iterative versions of a rather traditional formula. It's a bit surprising that game designer, producer, and scenario writer Hironobu Sakaguchi, one of the creative minds behind the beloved Final Fantasy series, found himself asking the same question after releasing Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey. “I have an RPG formula from the 25 years experience I have in the industry,” He told the media, “which is a turn-based, orthodox one.” So if the tried-and-true isn't cutting it, where do you go next?

The title of this series is Really Passionate Gaming, and with initials like those, the most obvious subject of my analyses would probably be “action-adventure games,” which, you know, is what Nintendo likes to call Paper Mario nowadays. There are some who would argue otherwise, however, as the first two installments of the series were structured more like light Role-Playing Games rather than puzzle-solving-centered, superfluous combat exercises in tedium that evoke nothing but disappointment... Sorry. I got a bit ahead of myself, there. See, the Paper Mario series in general is one that I consider to be “good,” and yet, its best installment has one of the most satisfying turn-based combat systems I have ever encountered. Sadly, this combat system appeared in the second of the five games released, The Thousand-Year Door (TTYD). Before I get into the features of TTYD's combat system, I'd first like to talk about Paper Mario's identity crisis. I'm not just talking ...

In the days of the Super Nintendo, Squaresoft and Enix provided the JRPG support and helped tell wonderful stories, among others. But much of that support dwindled in the fifth console generation, leading Nintendo to push for further support through other developers, such as Intelligent Systems, Camelot, and a particular studio named Monolith Soft. While I never did cross paths with the Baten Kaitos duology, Monolith came to my attention in the wake of a peculiar video on Youtube during the Wii era. In seeing the field exploration for their title Xenoblade, I was enthralled, and subsequently delighted to see the efforts of Operation Rainfall convince Nintendo that the title should be brought over to the United States. Ever since playing the first installment in this seemingly ongoing series, I have become fascinated with the way that Monolith Makes Worlds .