Level 2: Rebirth

A few months ago I had a vision, an idea to do this blog. I became excited started to write and the more and more I wrote the more I enjoyed the topic and the ideas began to take shape. Then I posted it and to my dismay I just stopped no reason just stopped. Well now here I am months later and the ideas are still racing in my head so I give to you my readers the resurrection of Legend of Bruherd with Level 2 Rebirth.

On the first issue of L of B I was discussing the games that took me down the long path to become a true Video Gamer.  We went over a few games that really affected me from the NES and for me the path stopped with consoles right there I never really had my own console until later in life but I did however have the infamous Game Boy.  The Game Boy has grown as a hand held and I grew right alongside it. Starting with the classic Game boy whose size was bigger than my head to the Nintendo DS.  For this issue I want to just speak about the Game boy games that affected me.

Tetris

Released in 1989 as the original pack in title for the Game boy. This puzzle game involves pieces of varying shapes falling into a confined space the goal is to create a horizontal line with no spaces. When these lines are created, they disappear, and the blocks above if any move down. As the game progress the blocks fall faster. The game ends when you allow the blocks to hit the top of the screen. Simple enough yet this game is one of the hardest to put down and has kept the same format through generations.One of the things that makes Tetris so rememberable is the sound track which are labeled music A,B, and C. Music A is an  instrumental arrangement of a Russian folk tune called Korobeiniki. Music B is an arrangement whose orginals are unclear. and Music C  is Johann Sebastian Bach's French Suites No. 3 in B minor. Studies have also shown that playing Tetris for prolonged amounts of time will increase brain activity and help with the ability to complete job related tasks. Just something for those who say playing video games are a waste of time.

Kid Icarus of Myths and Monsters

 This sequel to the NES game was first released in the U.S. in November of 1991. This highly addictive game scrolls in all directions as you climb to the top to save the Angel Land from the army of demons summoned by Orcos. You, Pit equipped with your bow and angel wings hover your way through map after map proving your worth to battle. After completing an area Pit encounters Zeus who judges his worth in battle and if you prove strong enough Zeus grants you with three gifts Wings of Pegasus, Silver Armor, and Light Arrows. Equipped with these powerful items you make way to battle the evil Orcos Dodging his fire balls, bats, and tail missiles you bring down this powerful demon and save the Angel Land from permanent darkness.

Kirby's Dream Land

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a pink balloon? Kirby's Dream Land released in the U.S. in 1993 featured the hero a pink balloon sucking the air and enemies around him and spitting them out as violent weapons. Another tactic was to swallow your enemy to finish him off. Later versions of Kirby games included the ability to swallow your enemies and steal their powers. This simple game was originally designed towards beginning gamers the Kirby genre has grown to encompass gamers of all strengths and is now a household name for people looking for a good series to get their kids into video games.

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3

Greed the sole force that drives Wario in this game you are not out to save the world you are out to get as much for yourself as possible. Released in 1994 this game barely resembles anything the previous games in the Mario series had to offer. The first easily noticed change is the way Wario moves apart from the graceful plumber that is Mario; Wario is a heavier stockier hero. Instead of simply taking damage when touching an enemy, Wario will knock it over and be able to carry his enemies as a weapon. Having a cap for any occasion from a jet cap making him faster in short distances, a dragon cap to shoot fire from his nose and the ever present bull cap giving Wario more strength a longer charge and the ability to hang from the ceiling with his horns.

Pokemon Red

Charmander I choose you! Pokemon: Red the better installment from the Red/Blue series released in 1997 in the U.S. features you as young Pokemon trainer working their way up to become the Champion of the region of Kanto. You fight your way through all the Gyms to prove your worth until you get to the Elite 4 a series of back to back boss battles. Along the way you encounter your nemesis a boy from the same town as you that is seeking to be the best in the world as well a Team Rocket an evil organization that is bent on stealing all the rare Pokemon. This game first developed for kid fans of the Pokemon T.V. Show quickly found its ways in the hands of their adult parents. A game suited for people of all ages its classic role playing system resembles that of early Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy games.

The games that come from the Game Boy are wide ranging and appeal to all who just wish to pick up the system and go with it. The Game Boy has changed from the Game Boy , Game Boy Advanced, Game Boy DS which is now just the Nintendo DS. For me this journey moves from the hand held platform which I still play to this day to the Personal Computer and First Person Shooters. Stay tuned for the next installment of Legend of Bruherd where we discuss the early FPS games and what really started the the downhill spiral into living in my parent's basement.