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I'm afraid I don't recall getting anything...not even a notification. Maybe my internet decided it didn't want me to receive whatever your gift was, heh. I did just get my first Network Link though, which was @Mokong. Perhaps he'll be able to tell us if he gets a reward from me! Oh, right, my thoughts on the game! Uh, let's see... Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, Y. Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, X. In other words, mindless fun.

Random demo impressions in bullet point form! Just going off the top of my head here, and some of this stuff may have been mentioned before:

I genuinely can't believe how well timed that was. Thanks @Aneres11! =D

No, I'll get my chance today!

Oh hey I'll take- ... I suppose I'll get my chance... another day...

I saw the Squirtle (and Ivysaur) trophy. Boohoo. I have fulfilled my Squirtle GIF debt to you, @Goron_3. Maybe. In non-Squirtle news, I've suddenly come to the realisation... that you will be able to customise Wario's farts. ...

I'm drawn to the new 3DS XL's larger screen, but I prefer just about everything else about the smaller new 3DS. It's cute! It has face plates! It has SNES coloured buttons! The new 3DS XL feels like it's meant to be the "grown up" version, and yet here I am thinking, "Noooo, I want the fun looking one!" =P Speaking of fun, I enjoyed the music in the video introducing these devices, particularly with the little tunes from Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario World mixed in. I'm sure everyone is guilty of humming those tunes, or other playful Nintendo jingles, at some point in their lives... though perhaps not at such a high pitch, heh.

Another Mario and Peach? Including the babies, that's four of each character at this point, haha. That said, I like them. Would have preferred Cat Toad or Captain Toad, though. The funniest part is that Tanooki Mario and Cat Peach aren't even in this image. Still, oooh, more characters, including Link and Animal Crossing characters. Neat. Oooooh, more vehicle parts, including F-Zero’s Blue Falcon. Also neat. Oooooooh, more stages, including stuff from F-Zero, ExciteBike, The Legend of Zelda and Animal Cro… wait. Behind that squirrel. Is that… is that Joey the Duck? Is that my favourite Animal Crossing villager, Joey the Duck? ... ...By which I mean that that, too, along with the stages, is also neat. Boy, I sure am gonna look silly if that isn't actually Joey the Duck. Well, sillier, I mean.

This guy knows how to be the very best, like no one ever was. I have more to contribute to the discussion than Squirtle GIFs, I swear. But I keep thinking my opinions are stupid and dumb and not worth mentioning. Think I might just wait 'til release and give my thoughts on the game around then.

And thank you for putting it on another page for more exposure, heh. Would you believe me if I told you that that post is the short version? =P There's one other character's voice that I find iffy, and that's Morton's. When I was using him to collect his stamp, I wasn't enjoying hearing his voice at all... but occasionally he makes a sort of laughing "hur hur hur hur!" noise when he boosts or does a trick. I'm probably the only one who thinks this, but the more I heard that sound, the more I was reminded of Louis Armstrong. Audio I can't get it out of my head. Send help. Oh, and thanks to everybody who took the time to read my post! I appreciate it. --- On the topic of Luigi GIFs, I was looking through my MKTV highlights and I had to GIF this, because he looks so happy, almost maniacal, with this Bob-omb: "I do it."

Now that I've completed all of the cups, I've decided to actually commit to this comment I made! Usually when I have thoughts about a game I either don’t share it, or by the time I do share it people have usually moved on to something else. But not this time. I'm tackling this whilst it's still hot. And you're gonna sit here and read it! Or you could just click a different page or scroll down and skip it but c'mon be nice it took a lot for me to get the courage to write something and post it so you'd be a mean person if you did that. Like, just the meanest. My impressions of Mario Kart 8, then! Yaaay! Minor Niggles Mario sounds so excited and he just can’t hide it “WAHOOO!” When this guy gets boosts and makes fancy jumps his voice becomes so high pitched sometimes, to the point where he almost doesn't sound like Mario. Mario, calm down. You're hurting my ears and scaring my cat. And when my cat gets scared whilst lying on my lap she hurts me with her claws, which makes you hurt me even more by association. Why would you hurt me, Mario? I've shown you nothing but love for over 20 years. I will leave Mii helmet on I'm assuming the staff didn't want to animate all those different hairstyles flowing in the wind and upside down, but with a helmet on its noggin, I feel Miis are less recognisable. Take that thing off! You can't be that concerned for your safety if you’re wearing a helmet but not a seatbelt. You may keep the neckerchief or whatever it is, though. I still want to feel a little like a demon on wheels ha ha. There are a couple of other minor things I could nitpick, like the map or a lack of a "Thanks for Playing!" screen, but a lot of it has been discussed at length, whilst others are just sooo minor (why don't you let Luma come to the races anymore, Rosalina?). Oh, but in regards to the choice of characters... I actually kind of like Baby Rosalina. But I hate myself for liking her. I hate myself so very much. Minor Kudos Wii Wheely appreciate the change (oh God please stop this bad writing I beg you) Judging by the online races I had with some of you the other night, I don't think there are many people using the Wii Wheel, so mentioning this feels a little redundant. But the other day I learnt that, unlike Mario Kart Wii, you can now do tricks with the 1 button instead of shaking it. My arms ache so much less now. And with a Wii Wheel, I'm not destroying any analogue sticks either! =P Moderate Niggle Mario Kart TV thinks it knows what I want to see …Actually, I'm ok with this shot. This was a bad example. There are times where I do something in a race and think, “That was a pretty cool moment.” But Mario Kart TV often thinks otherwise. Or maybe it will show part of that moment you liked in the highlight reel, but not the part of it that you liked the most. Or maybe it will show the full moment, but at an angle where you can't really see it very well. Whilst I understand they wanted editing of these highlight reels to be simple, being unable to pick your own highlights is annoying. It's clear that the game records every driver for the entire race, so let me pick out the moments I like for myself if I want to! Failure in this regard means that I doubt I'll be using this feature as much as I would have liked. However, I will say that when it does capture those moments you want, or captures a certain moment at just the perfect angle, it feels sooo satisfying to watch. Sometimes, even moments that don't feel very spectacular during a race or battle can look amusing when watching it back. Also I'm not very good at making GIFs. By the way, not sure if this has been brought up already, but I found out the other day that certain things, like a Green Shell breaking apart, will continue its animation normally even when you rewind during replays. Meaning you can make screenshots such as this: Poor Rosalina has been hit by the same Green Shell about thirty times! Shells aren't the only thing you can abuse. Take this bubble effect around Mario… …And take it to fabulous extremes! Moderate Pat on the Back, whilst I whisper softly into your ear, “You did good, son. You did good.” I like the item balance this time (mostly) The Coin item can be hit and miss, but other than that, I like the balance this time round. Perhaps it's not so much the items themselves, but more that you can't carry two items at once. My number one grievance before was that the player in first could have an item in reserve to protect them in addition to the item they're already using to protect themselves most of the time, and the player in second couldn't really do much about it. Now that first place is a little more vulnerable with only one item to protect them at a time, I feel that second place has a bit more of a fighting chance. I do miss the Super Leaf, though. But then you say to me, “I think you mean ‘You did well’.” To which I reply “Being clever whilst I give you some praise, are you? Congratulations, son, your pat on the back has just been upgraded to five across your backside!” In other words, a Major Niggle. Battle Mode needs arenas! Battle Mode changed in Mario Kart Wii to some kind of team score attack mode with a time limit. And like the race courses in that game, the maps for Battle Mode accommodated for the increased player count a bit too much, resulting in areas that were just too large. It wasn't as bad in Mario Kart 7 as the team aspect at least became optional, but it was still a far cry from the Battle Mode of old. Then along struts in Mario Kart 8, and it says to us, “Look, folks, we need to keep the timer on. And it's still gonna be based on score. And we're dropping the Coin Runners Mode, because if there is something that Mario Kart's Battle Mode needs, it's even less content. But hey, when you lose your balloons you actually don’t just get another three this time! Just like before!” “Well, uh, that last part isn't so bad,” we reply. “What about the arenas? What are they like?” “Whoops, knew we forgot something,” stutters Mario Kart 8. “Whatever! Just have some of the race courses. You liked big arenas anyway, so have something even bigger! Good luck trying to hit anybody when there's only a few of you left.” “I bet you wish players came back with three more balloons, now!” It's actually not that bad, but I don't think it's a good replacement for arenas. The only race course that would arguably work is GCN Baby Park, which isn't in this game. But I don't want Baby Park (okay maybe I want Baby Park a little bit). I want arenas! Give them to meeee! And Bob-omb Blast! The proper kind, where you can hold up to five of those things with one driver. Oh, and in Mario Kart 8, you don't have much invincibility after getting hit. We're talking less than a second's worth after taking a tumble, here. Not so problematic when racing, but in Battle Mode it can be pretty deadly if the person hitting you has something like a Fire Flower or Triple Green Shells… Strike One! Strike Two! Strike Three! You're Out! If you're on the receiving end, there's not much you can really do about it. Maaaybe something that should be looked at. The Mother of all Niggles Peach's Castle Lockdown I've been wanting Royal Raceway to be a retro course since retro courses were a thing, and solely for one reason. Not because it's a pretty good course, but because in Mario Kart 64 I could drive in Peach's Castle Courtyard, which looked pretty much exactly like it did in Super Mario 64. But the castle now stands on elevated ground, and the gates are shut tight. “Let me in,” I cry, “and allow me to see my childhood memories in that shiny newfangled HD I hear so many folks yammer on about! Let me have all of the feels!” “No,” replies Mario Kart 8, coldly. “You shall race your three laps with no distractions, and you will like it. No Super Mario 64 HD tease for you.” And the Toads look at me and my miserable kart from the impossible to traverse higher ground and the castle walls. And they laugh at me. They laugh at me and mock me with their faces of glee and sounds of cheer. “Look at how much fun we're having here at the castle,” they say in unison. “Bet you wish you could join us!” “Yes,” I sob to myself, pathetically. “Yes, I do…” Whyyyyyyyy?! This is actually just a minor niggle. Also, I bet that area would have made a great arena, too, Battle Mode. >=( Major Thumbs Up of Approval. Seriously, it's, like, pointing directly upwards. You can't really get more up than that. Ah heck, I'll give you two thumbs up. I look a bit silly now, but you deserve it. Just about everything else about the game The, music, the presentation, the track design… much of Mario Kart 8 is phenomenal right from when you start the game up. Whilst I miss the garage they used for the character select in Mario Kart 7, the absence of this is made up for the fact that everything in the menus sparkle! Ohhh the sparkles, how they grab my attention. I could be transfixed with you sparkles forever, but I must go now to where the races are. I will be back, though. Yes. One thing that has kind of stuck with me throughout Mario Kart's many iterations is that I often find its locales just as interesting as Mario's main titles, or on some occasions, even more interesting. I look at my surroundings as I cruise along the likes of Thwomp Ruins, Toad Harbour and Shy Guy Falls and I have a huge desire to escape from the confines of my kart and explore this wonderful world that Mario and his friends exist in. The retro courses (of which there is a pretty good selection this time round) spark the same feeling, reigniting the passion I have for older titles. And that includes Royal Raceway, even if I did criticise it earlier. After playing Mario Kart 8, would I like to see a Super Mario 64 HD? I certainly wouldn't say no to it. Would I like to see a brand new title in the same vein as Super Mario 64 with a world as alive as Mario Kart 8's? Hnnngh! Truth time: I've only been adding these images to make this post look less like a long wall of text. I don't think it worked very well. But at least it's pretty! Extra truth time: I only told you that because I couldn't think of a caption for this image. And so many little touches! Spectators are everywhere. Flags wave about with team logos such as Yoshi Runners and Luigi Gusters. Adverts from in-game sponsors can be seen wherever you look, from Burning DK to Galaxy Air. Shy Guys can be seen working the mines on Shy Guy Falls, sounding off in rhythm with the music as you pass. Toad Harbour is full of different shops. On Rainbow Road 64 on an island just outside the city below you can catch a glimpse of a statue of Princess Peach holding a star illuminating the night sky when you begin the race, a nod to the Statue of Liberty. I could go on, but it feels like it would take forever to list everything. Nintendo has a knack for putting in such little details in their titles, and Mario Kart 8 is no exception. …This got pretty lengthy. Overall, whilst not without its blemishes, the positives from my time with the game so far outweigh the cons. Like Super Smash Bros. can be seen as a celebration of Nintendo as a whole, the Mario Kart series can be seen a celebration of the Mario series as a whole. Though some big names didn't get an invitation to the occasion this time, it's still bloody good fun. Both Nintendo and Mario have been getting their fair share of criticism over the past couple of years, some of it certainly justified. But no matter how critical myself or others may be, when I step into Mario's world in titles like Mario Kart 8, all of that melts away, and I think to myself, “Mario and this world of his still feels like a pretty special thing to be a part of.” So, I guess to summarise, it's a good game and I like it? Hm... maybe I should have just stuck with saying that instead writing that long post. And most of what I said has probably been mentioned by plenty of others, already. … Welp! Audio "Hey, you very good! See you next time!"

Pfft, whether it's shells or , you always find a way to hit me. =P I had fun last night, though! Was surprised that I came first in my first online race, heh. This race was my personal favourite: Pay no attention to the fact I threw a banana directly in front of me and slipped on it. Might post more in-depth impressions later, but for now I'll just say that I like this game! Which, y'know, was kind of expected.

Audio I'm glad he's returning. One of my favourite Smash Bros. characters.

Great direct... but Squirtle was my favourite character. And now characters like Zelda don't transform anymore, I guess Squirtle and Ivysaur are probably gone now that Charizard is fighting on his own. =( Regardless, looking forward to the Summer! And the Winter!

Decided to look through my photos of the game again, and managed to find this set when the three of us were together: "Well, I didn't get the fortune I needed..." "..." "YES!" "YES!" "YES!" Unfortunately my copy of New Leaf (along with Super Mario 3D Land, Pokémon Y and the latest Professor Layton) was stolen from me whilst I was being treated in hospital last month. Talk about hitting you at your most vulnerable, eh? =P Whilst it's not quite the way I wanted to end things, I can say I had great fun with the time I spent as Mayor. Despite owning these games since the Gamecube version, I never really accomplished any of the "milestones", like collecting all the items in the museum, or pay off my debt to Nook. When I first started the game, I made it a goal to make a real effort when it came to accomplishing tasks like these. I think those who witnessed my town in its later days saw that my collecting got a bit too far! I don't think I'll take another stab at it if I play future instalments, but I'm glad I made the effort at least once. Made me realise just how many things they put into these games! I also want to say that this was probably the first time, barring Super Smash Bros. Brawl, where I’ve made a more concerted effort to try playing online with others. I had fun with everyone, and a lot of you had some pretty creative villages and houses! Thanks much to everyone who had me as a guest! Though parting was sad... I'll remember the good times. Bye for now, New Leaf! Audio

Either him or Jeffrey Rath.

I've always had a soft spot for Dynasty Warriors, so I'm sure I'll have some good, mindless fun with this game. Link's additional clothing and armour reminds me of the Link that appeared in the Skyward Sword prequel manga, so it'll be interesting to see if there's a connection. Also hope that we get to play as more than just Link. Gimme Zelda, Gorons, the lot! ... On another note, I'm going to assume that depending on how closely this game follows the Dynasty Warriors formula, this game might have voice acting. Y... Yaaaaay...?

I guess we know that Pokémon battles aren't my forté now, @Sheikah. =P That Snorlax is a speedy bugger.

Thanks a bundle @Hero\-of\-Time! I'd have asked for other mega stones but I didn't want to sound greedy, heh. He also gave me his starters, so I guess I should do some breeding later. I have all the Kanto and Kalos starters, so if anyone is interested... I will trade it to you for your Animal Crossing New Leaf Golden furniture 7PM is fine and dandy and I will see you then!

One week in, and I’ve only just gotten the third gym badge and the mega ring, haha. I keep coming across Pokémon I like too much to just catch and keep in the box, so instead of having a single team like I usually do when I play Pokémon games, I’ve been raising them all! So right now I have about forty Pokémon in rotation, heh. At least I'm filling out my Pokédex for once!

Ordered (though I didn't see an end table so I just assumed you meant a minitable). You'll be able to pick 'em up from 5pm onwards, so let me know when you wanna collect them! Saw Pascal today. Second time since I started playing. I need to go swimming for scallops more often, maaannn...

That town tree just keeps on growing… It’s been just over 100 days since New Leaf was released in Europe! I'm a little late, but I thought I would mark the occasion by posting a selection of pictures I’ve taken during that time.

Secret characters are unlocked by collecting bottle caps. You can check which bottle caps you need to unlock a certain secret character by looking at your bottle cap collection. If you want to unlock all of the characters, you have to pretty much collect everything in the game, which is a pretty demanding task considering how much there is to collect in this game, some if which are hidden pretty deviously. And no movie player to my knowledge, sadly. I'm sure they'll all show up on YouTube though, heh. Boooh, my post is on the previous page. What a blunder(-Red).

SHEEEEENANIGAAAAANS! Sorry, I just really like that word. =P So yeah! Beat this game the other day! Yay! The game reminds me a lot of Kid Icarus: Uprising. Both games have controls that take a bit of time to get accustomed to, which can admittedly lead to some early frustrations. There’s a lot of humour that got a chuckle out of me, some of which was pretty surprising to hear from a Nintendo published game. They’re both filled to the brim with charm, over-the-top scenes and likeable characters that interact with each other in such entertaining ways. And just when you've finished a section that made you think, “Wow! It’ll be hard for the game to top that moment!” both come right back with something even bigger and crazier than the last to knock you off your feet. The end of the story can only be summed up as epiiiiic! Oh, and both games are damn good fun, if my opinion wasn't already obvious to you. That said, the game is certainly not without its flaws. I felt that some sections of the game overstayed their welcome. Think the worst sections were when a characters had some lengthy back-story to say, and the game would give you endless enemies to fight against until they had finished speaking. Not so bad on the first run through the game, but being unable to skip these sections gets tiring pretty quickly. Vorkken also became a little bothersome to fight after a while. Think I battled him about 30 times! Oh, and I encountered a glitch that would make the game unable to load, making it unplayable unless I closed the game from the Home menu, which prevented me from collecting everything and completing the game for a while (for some reason, disconnecting the Wii U from the internet seemed to fix it). Sounds like a pretty major glitch to me! Some frustrating experiences sprinkled in to be sure then… But I’m not going to let those instances make me forget how much fun I had with the title overall. I really enjoy seeing small little touches in games, and this one is full of ‘em. Like, if you press start and select at the same time during a mission, the game will pause and you’ll get a message from Commander Nelson. And how one of the voices you can hear on the loading screens is Geathjerk’s Laambo, who says “THE WONDERFUL 101! I hate those guys…” And who could ignore the boss fight of 5-C! There are really too many to mention. In conclusion, great game! Great new IP! Hope we get to see more of it in the future! The Wonderful 101 for Super Smash Bros.! One more exclamation point for good measure! I’d like to end with a quick look at one of the secret characters, because I think he’s hilarious.