All posts tagged 'Misc'

Virtual Reality Gaming – Quest 3 and Quest 2

The world of VR (virtual reality) headsets continues to evolve. While the pricey Apple Vision Pro was just released, last fall saw the release of the Quest 3. The Quest 3 is around 6x cheaper, and more importantly for this site and article, is far more focused on entertainment than business/work. I jumped on the VR bandwagon with the first PlayStation (PSVR) but sat out the next generation (PSVR2 and Quest 2) but with the release of the Quest 3 I thought I’d test the waters again. The primary reason was to be able to play multiplayer games with friends that also owned Quest headsets. After a few months of play, it seems like a good time to share my thoughts on the system in general and some of the newest games. Today, we’ll look at the headset and mention a few games. In the coming weeks we’ll evaluate some of the games in more detail.

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Unplugged: Legacy of Yu (Boardgame)

While fans of wargaming have been playing both sides of a battle for decades, the idea of playing a boardgame solo has recently seen a large uptick in broader gaming circles. Many boardgames advertise a “solo mode”, allowing gamers to play even if, for whatever reason, they are unable to arrange for a meet-up to play a game. A few games, like Legacy of Yu, take things a step further and are designed solely for one player. Designed from the ground up as a solo game it has an advantage over other single-player options since it isn’t just an add-on option (perhaps an afterthought) to a multiplayer game. Legacy of Yu does a stellar job of providing an interesting solo experience that manages not to outstay its welcome through the use of an ongoing story arc that slightly adjusts the difficulty between games.

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Unplugged: D&D Toys and Tabs

Kid Robot has once again paired up with Dungeons and Dragons licensed Wizkids to create some stuffed toy creatures with a D&D theme. This time around they’re even smaller. You can find a 3” tall plush charm featuring a Mind Flayer, Tarrasque, Intellect Devourer, or a Flumph suitable for latching onto your backpack (or briefcase if you’re daring?) This is apparently the third wave of 3” creatures but the first set I’ve encountered (provided by the nice folks over at Wizkids.)

In terms of Tabs, Wizkids is producing a set of non-permanent sticker tabs for use with one’s main D&D books. The first set has been released with sticker tabs for the Player Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual. Upcoming sticker tab sets will be available for
Rulebooks Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything and Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants, as well as the beginner-adventure Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk.

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Xenoblade Chronicles 3 amiibo

Got some new amiibo figures recently, this time a two pack of Noah and Mio from Xenoblade Chronicles 3.  So let’s check them out!

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The Many Games of Mini Mario

This month, Nintendo is releasing Mario vs. Donkey Kong.  It’s a re-release/remake of a game on the Game Boy Advance that came out about 20 years ago!  It’s also the first appearance of the Mini Mario characters, an army of little wind up Mario toys.  These little guys would go on to star in their own series of spin-offs.  But those games kind of all run together because many of them look and play similarly.  So I thought in honor of the new game’s release, I’d go over each one and see what makes them special, if only for a little bit.  This Mario vs. Donkey Kong series also has quite a few games in its belt, more than what you might think.  And the history of these games stretched back farther than what you might expect, too!  So let’s check ‘em out!

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Splatoon 3 amiibo

I got some more amiibo figures recently, this time of characters from Splatoon 3.  So let’s take a look at them!

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Cary is Looking Forward in 2024

Happy New Year!  Around this time of year, I like to make a list of games that are releasing in the coming year that I’m looking forward to.  Of course, this isn’t a full complete list, as there will assuredly be titles announced throughout the year that I may get as well. But anyway, here’s what I know now, for the most part, so let’s take a look at what games I’m looking forward to in 2024!

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Top Video Game Elephants

With Super Mario Bros. Wonder being recently released, everyone is talking about the new power-up that turns Mario into an elephant!  I didn’t realize Mario was such a University of Alabama fan!  He DOES wear red all the time, though!  Roll Tide, Mario, Roll Tide!  Anyway, Elephant Mario isn’t the ONLY elephant in video games, so I thought I’d talk about my other top video game elephants.  So let’s stomp our feet and trumpet our nose! These aren’t in any particular order or anything, though.

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Tears of the Kingdom amiibo

The new Legend of Zelda game, Tears of the Kingdom, was one of Nintendo’s biggest releases this past year.  And now there are two new amiibo figures from the game based on Zelda and Ganondorf.  I got them of course, so let’s check them out!

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Cary’s Best Video Games of 2023 Awards Show!

It’s the end of the year so you know what that means?  It’s time for my “Best Video Games of 2023 Awards Show!”  Keep in mind that this is my list only and no other outside opinions contributed.  And if a game isn’t on this list, it either just didn’t appeal to me as much or I haven’t had a chance to play it yet.  Ok with that out of the way, let’s begin!

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