Tag Archive for video games

Style Savvy: Pokémon Edition!

July 20, 2018 Gaming No comments
Eevee in a cute outfit

I had a great idea for a game that I wish Nintendo would make, even though I know they probably wouldn’t: Style Savvy: Pokémon Edition. It would be just like the regular Style Savvy games, but set in the world of Pokémon, and your customers would be Pokémon trainers looking for outfits for their Pokémon. Some customers would also be looking for matching outfits for themselves and their Pokémon.

The recent announcement of hairstyles for your partner Pokémon in the upcoming Pokémon: Let’s Go games sparked this idea. There have already been Pokémon that can be dressed up in previous Pokémon games, including the “cosplay Pikachu” introduced in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Some main series Pokémon games also allow the player to change their own outfit and hairstyle.

Eevee has bangs!

Style Savvy: Pokémon Edition would be a spin-off Pokémon/Style Savvy crossover focuses mainly on the dress-up aspects of Pokémon.  A hair salon for Pokémon would also be available in the game, much like the hair salon in the previous Style Savvy games.

I know a lot of hardcore Pokémon fans would hate this idea, but there are so many other Pokémon spin-off games. This game idea isn’t any more ridiculous than Pokken Tournament, Pokémon Art Academy, or Pokémon Pinball.

Cosplay Pikachu

Style Savvy: Pokémon Edition would be popular with a particular niche of Pokémon fans. Style Savvy is more popular than many gamers realize, and Style Savvy: Pokémon Edition would be popular with fans of both series. It may also bring new fans to the Style Savvy series who have never even considered playing a dress up game before but would be interested in a Pokémon version.

There are so many other Pokémon spin off games that have been released over the past couple decades. I think a Pokémon Style Savvy crossover would be an excellent addition to the ever-growing Pokémon game library.

Preferably, this game would be on the Nintendo Switch, rather than 3DS.

Classic Gaming: Original Console and Cartridge Vs Emulators and ROMs

July 15, 2018 Gaming No comments
Classic Gaming: Console vs. Emulator

Many gamers argue whether classic gaming is best done on its original hardware or by using emulation software. This article will help you to decide which is best for you.

Classic Gaming: Original Console and Cartridge Vs Emulators and ROMs

Classic gaming is becoming an increasingly popular hobby as the original generation of gamers gets older and becomes nostalgic for the classic games they grew up with. There is a lot of debate amongst classic gamers as to whether it is better to play classic games on the original hardware, or if emulators are a preferable way to play classic games. Both options have pros and cons, and many gamers may prefer a middle ground between these two options. There are several factors to consider when deciding between playing classic games on their original consoles, on fan-made emulators, or by utilizing official methods of emulation developed by the games’ license-holders.

Read the rest on LevelSkip.com

Splatoon 2 Amiibo Unlockable Gear Guide

July 14, 2018 Gaming, Tutorials No comments
Marina and Pearl Amiibo

This guide will show you how to use each Amiibo in Splatoon 2, and includes a reference guide for the gear obtained by each Splatoon Amiibo, including the newly released Off the Hook: Pearl and Marina Amiibo.

Splatoon 2 Amiibo Unlockable Gear Guide

All Splatoon and Splatoon 2 Amiibo can be used to unlock Amiibo-exclusive gear in Splatoon 2. The original Inkling Girl, Inking Boy, and Inkling Squid Amiibo from the first Splatoon game unlock the same gear in Splatoon 2 that they unlocked in the original Splatoon for Wii U, but now you do not need to complete challenges to unlock them. Callie and Marie from the original Splatoon Amiibo series also unlock exclusive gear in Splatoon 2. The Splatoon 2 Amiibo series includes a new version of the Inkling Girl, Inkling Boy, and Inkling Squid. The two new idols, Pearl and Marina, where also just released as Amiibo figures. These Amiibo unlock exclusive new gear as well. Each Amiibo unlocks three pieces of gear, including headgear, clothing, and shoes, all with special abilities. In addition to gear to customize the appearance of your Inkling or Octoling character, each Amiibo also unlocks a song to play at the Squid Beatz 2 arcade machine in Inkopolis Square.

This guide will tell you what gear is unlocked by each Amiibo, what abilities come with each piece of gear, what songs for Squid Beatz 2 are unlocked by each Amiibo, and how to unlock the gear from the Amiibos.

Read the rest on LevelSkip.com

Everything We Know About “Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!” and “Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!” so Far

July 13, 2018 Gaming No comments
Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee

Nintendo has slowly been revealing details about the upcoming “Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!” and “Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!” games. Yesterday they released a new trailer showing off new features of the game, including new customization features. Here is everything we know about these new Pokémon games so far.

Everything We Know About “Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!” and “Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!” so Far

Though Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! are not the core Pokémon RPGs that fans were hoping for, many long-time fans of the series are still hyped about these new Pokémon RPG games for the Nintendo Switch. While these games aren’t scheduled to be released until November 16th, 2018, Nintendo has been slowly unveiling details about these two new games.

These two games are based on Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition, the enhanced version of the first-generation Pokémon games originally released on the Nintendo GameBoy. While Nintendo states that they are not direct remakes of Pokémon Yellow, they are reimagined and updated retellings of this game. These two new Pokémon games also feature Pokémon catching mechanics similar to those of Pokémon Go.

While Nintendo still hasn’t told us everything about these games yet, we do have some details about them already.

Read the rest on LevelSkip.com…

Where to Find All Four Thangs in Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion

July 10, 2018 Gaming, Tutorials No comments
Where to find all 4 thangs in Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion

I wrote this guide for Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion to help people who just want to unlock the playable Octoling character as quickly as possible. Many players who purchased the expansion are more interested in being able to play as an Octoling in multiplayer than in the story mode. While I do enjoy the story modes in Splatoon and Splatoon 2, I did want to get my Octoling right off the bat. I will go back later to finish all of the levels and unlock the rest of the unlockable gear. For now, here is my guide to finding all four “Thangs” in the Octo Expansion so that you don’t have to spend too much time exploring all of the Deepsea Metro lines to find them.

Where to Find All Four Thangs in Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion

Octo Expansion is a new DLC expansion for Splatoon 2 on the Nintendo Switch. This expansion adds 80 new single-player stages to the game and allows the player to play as an Octoling character for the first time in this series. The story of the Octo Expansion follows an Octoling known as Agent 8, who awakens with no memories of her past or of her identity deep underground on a subway platform. With the help of Captain Cuttlefish, she must retrieve four objects known only as “Thangs,” which are hidden in various locations within the Deepsea Metro subway system, to help her to find her way to the surface. Once the expansion is completed, players can play as their own customizable Octoling character in the game’s multiplayer mode.

This guide will show you exactly where each of the four Thangs are located to help you to reach the surface much more quickly. The Thangs can be obtained in any order. For convenience, I have listed them in alphabetical order by the subway line where they can be found.

Read the rest on LevelSkip.com

How to Replace the Battery in Your Pokémon Go Plus

June 27, 2018 Gaming, Tutorials No comments
Even Detective Pikachu plays Pokemon Go

With all the new updates Niantic has recently added to Pokémon Go, many players who have long since abandoned the mobile game are returning to continue their quests to become the ultimate Pokémon master! Unfortunately, since it has been so long since most players have last used their Pokémon Go Plus, the battery in the device is likely to be dead. Fear not! It is incredibly easy to replace the battery in your Pokémon Go Plus as long as you know what battery you need and have a screwdriver handy. I have written an easy-to-follow instructional guide on how to replace the battery in your Pokémon Go Plus so you can quickly get back to catching Pokémon throughout your neighborhood.

How to Replace the Battery in Your Pokémon Go Plus

So your Pokémon Go Plus is dead, but you want to catch some Pokémon. Fear not! It is very easy to replace the battery in the Pokémon Go Plus by following these simple steps.

Niantic has recently released some major updates to the popular augmented reality mobile game Pokémon Go, including more interactivity with other players. Pokémon Go players now have the ability to add friends and send and receive gifts. Players can now also trade with nearby friends. The hope of a more robust trading feature allowing players to trade with faraway friends over the internet finally being added in the near future has also been renewed. With this major update, many Pokémon fans who have long grown bored of Pokémon Go are returning to the game in droves, taking to the streets once more to one day become the very best, like no one ever was.

If you are like me, you were probably excited to dust off your old Pokémon Go Plus device to venture out into the real world outside and begin collecting gifts from PokéStops to send to your friends in the game, only to find that the device’s battery has died since the last time you played. Fear not! It is super easy to replace the battery in your Pokémon Go Plus. You just have to have the right replacement battery and a screwdriver at hand.

Read the Tutorial on LevelSkip.com…

Game Over: A Short Story

June 13, 2018 College, Writing No comments
Game Over: A Short Story

I wrote this story for a creative writing class while I was a student at Lorain County Community College. The assignment was to observe people around campus, and use some of them as inspiration for a character in a story. There really was a gamer’s lounge at LCCC. Theodore is based on several people I observed, people I know, and, regrettably, some of the worst traits I saw in myself at the time. As Theodore’s story shows us, we all have room to improve, as long as we recognize the things that we need to work on.

 

Game Over – A Short Story – Part 1

“Die alien scum!” Theodore shouted out at the TV screen in mock anger as the crowd cheered him on. “Your mother put up more of a fight than this last night!” His friends roared with laughter as he reached for his half empty bottle of Mountain Dew, his only sustaining life force.

It was a day like any other on campus. Theodore Lucas Fisher spent hours in the student lounge playing video games with his fellow nerds and social outcasts. Though he rarely attended the few classes he had registered for, Theodore spent most of his time here at his community college, for he had nowhere else to be (and even if he did, he couldn’t get there, for he still didn’t have his driver’s license, despite the fact that he was 19). He also didn’t have a job or a girlfriend, and he still lived with his parents, though from time to time he would stay with his older brother Joseph for the night or the weekend. Aside from the people he played video games with at the college, Joseph was really Theodore’s only friend.

From the outside looking in on this group, you’d think that they were the closest of friends; they laughed together, spent hours a day together playing video game, and all seemed almost the same in personality and demeanor, but Theodore rarely conversed with these people outside the student lounge in the context of first-person shooters and RPGs. Though he has been out of high school for a year now, Theodore still had not picked up the finer points of social interaction and for the most part, his socializing consisted of nothing more than a regressed form of parallel play with nothing but a television screen and a few game controllers holding the closest things he had to interpersonal relationships together.

The Many Social Benefits of Playing Video Games

January 1, 2018 Gaming, Mental Health No comments
A gamer holding an Xbox 360 controller.

I wrote this article as a research paper for one of my classes at LCCC and recently published it on HubPages because I thought parents of gamers and younger gamers might find it interesting and informative. Since this blog covers video game related topics, I thought it would be useful to share it with my readers here. This article covers how video games may help children to learn valuable social skills. In this article, I discuss how multiplayer and co-operative video games can be particularly useful in helping individuals on the autism spectrum develop social skills.

The Many Social Benefits of Playing Video Games

Introduction

Though video games have become a popular pastime for children and adults alike in recent years, negative stereotypes of gamers still persist. Conventional wisdom suggests that children and adults who spend a lot of their free time playing video games are socially inept and that video games may stunt the social development of children. But is this true? Recent research suggests that video games may have many social benefits and that certain types of games may even help boost social skills in children who struggle socially, such as those on the autism spectrum.

Read the rest.

Style Savvy: Styling Star Custom Fashion Designs

December 29, 2017 Gaming No comments
Jenny in front of Nybiru Studio

I enjoyed Style Savvy: Fashion Forward more than I expected I would, so of course I had to get Style Savvy: Styling Star as soon as it was released. I was a bit bummed that the new Style Savvy game was only available as a digital download in the US, and that they put it on 3DS instead of Switch, but it is still a worthwhile purchase if you enjoyed the other games in the series.

In this iteration of the game, you can create your own fashion designs and share them through the online Design Centre. I created a few designs to share.

You can download my designs in the Design Centre, which can be accessed through your in-game phone. Once you are in the Design Centre, click “Enter Item ID” and enter the item ID number below for which ever designs you would like.

Ariel's Wedding Dress in Style Savvy: Styling Star

This Little Mermaid inspired wedding dress is perfect for any bride looking for a non-traditional wedding dress fit for a Disney Princess!

Black Swan Ball Gown in Style Savvy: Styling Star

Show off your darker side with this elegant ball gown inspired by Odile, the black swan of Swan Lake.

Waffle Cat bag in Style Savvy: Styling Star

Looking for a cute and quirky handbag? Look no further than this round bag featuring delicious waffles and an adorable black cat!

Check back again later. I might add even more Style Savvy: Styling Star designs.

Style Savvy: Fortune Teller Room

September 11, 2016 Freebies, Gaming No comments
Style Savvy Fortune Teller's Room address

In addition to clothes, hair, and makeup, Style Savvy: Fashion Forward allows you to do some interior decorating via miniatures. These miniature rooms are then magically converted into real rooms that people in the town can rent from you in Caprice Chalet. I don’t bother with making rooms in Caprice Chalet as often as I play the other features in Style Savvy: Fashion Forward, but I have made several rooms. I have chosen my Fortune Teller room, which includes a handy crystal ball and a toy black cat, as well as a variety of house plants and mystical decorations, as my Streetpass and online showcase room (though so far I haven’t run into anyone who has this game on Streetpass). Please feel free to download my Fortune Teller room and check it out! This room is very popular with the people in my town who want to practice reading fortunes, or who simply want to pay me to play with my toy black kitty.

Style Savvy Fortune Teller's Room address

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