User blog:BlueHighwind/What I'm Bringing on the Trip

It's now Saturday morning here in New Jersey, and I'm beginning a very important process: planning what's coming with me to E3. Obviously there's the basic toiletries: cloths, shaving, toothpaste, you know the deal. But more importantly, what kind of games are going to take the journey with ol' BH? Yes, I know it's E3, there will be hundreds of games to play and I'm sure I'll be playing games a lot. However, this is still a vacation, and there are still going to be long hours of transportation and flights with nothing at all to do but watch a bad Adam Sandler movie or try to make conversation with the elderly Swedish couple to my right who speak only two words of English: "please move". I always like to come prepared, and that's why I'm taking some games.

Luckily when you're a Nintendo fan, you have no limit to options. Nintendo has been the master of the handheld gaming for over twenty years, so there is a selection of literally hundreds of video games across nearly a dozen devises. In my case, the handheld system is an easy choice: the classic fat Nintendo DS. This little clamshell piece of gray plastic been in my life since eighth grade, and it has become my most precious possession - a portal to infinite fun and wonder. If anybody is going to share this moment with me, let it be Mr. DS. I'm picking this system in particular for two reasons. 1) Battery life: The thing never dies, it can easily play through an entire plane ride across the North American continent, and then last throughout the night.  I've already spent entire vacations in Los Angeles fiddling with this guy, so it seems he's the perfect choice for durability and most gaming life per charge.  2) Two Games:  I know the 3DS can hold two games as well, but there's the problem of charge, it doesn't last nearly as well. The DS, however, gets to have a DS gaming slot and a Game Boy Advance slot. And all Nintendo fans know, the Game Boy Advance kicked ass as well when it came to game selection.

Now, what games do I choose? I have literally dozens of options available. So it was a difficult choice but I ultimately decided on:


 * Pokemon Emerald Version - A hearty long RPG across my personal favorite Pokemon region, Hoenn. Emerald might be my favorite iteration of Pokemon so far, with a fantastic Pokemon selection, some impressive moments, and decent challenge.  I actually started a Nuzlocke campaign last year but was never able to finish it.  Now would be a good time to start again.


 * The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks - Not the greatest Zelda game ever made, which for that reason makes it one of the few I haven't played to death already. I love the creativity of the train world, and the close relationship between Link and Zelda in this title.  Zelda is my favorite gaming series of all time, it had to come with me, just no discussion there.  The only wiggle is that I completely have lost my DS's stylus, so I'll have to either use my finger nail or - and this is a tip for gamers - a cheap plastic thermometer.  It's a perfect size for an adult hand, and even though it's pretty much useless as a medical devise, thermometers are great for replacement styluses.  Just don't use a mercury one!

Anyway, I took a picture of the crew with my little crappy flip phone. I'm sorry for the bad quality, my later E3 photos will be done with a real camera:



Anyway, my next blog update should be on Monday. There's going to be a lot more report, hope to keep you all informed. Have a good weekend.