Pokemon Go in the Library? Yes Please.

If you've been anywhere on the internet for the past two weeks, you'll have seen at least one post about Pokemon Go. The cellphone based app has surpassed Tinder in number of downloads and Twitter in numbers of daily logging on, making it one of the largest apps to ever hit the market. In the first week of it's release alone, the App raised Nintendo's stock by 120% since it's release in the U.S. though recently it did drop with the postponement announcement for the Japanese release.

I won't say the release has been perfect - constant server problems, game 'breaking' glitches, and less than stellar tutorial has left many fans and new players frustrated with what's happened. Overwhelming popularity has also lead to many people getting caught in strange or awkward situations ranging from finding dead bodies to meeting an unfortunate end due to trespassing into places they shouldn't be. Those, however, are only a subsection of the stories coming from this phenomenon. For every story I've seen putting down Pokemon Go, I've seen positive stories about the app giving a common footing for children with Autism, children in the Shriner's Hospitals, and just a positive impact in general.

Updates and Current things on the Radar

It's been a while since I made a post, five months in fact. Not exactly my game plan but life rarely goes the way we think it should. The past few months have been busy between planning for Summer Reading, multiple activities within the library and outside of it, and just generally trying to get by. In the past few months I've caught the release of a few new books that hopefully I'll get through soon so their reviews will be in the pipeline soon. Since my last posting however, we've gotten closer to a couple of new things that I'm super hyped about and can't wait to see them come out.

Things to Look Forward to: Video Game Edition

Video games, time consuming enhancements that supposedly keeps children, teens, and adults away from reading. That, in itself, I could write a whole article on and probably not exhaust the topic of how I think they can enhance reading and open it up to others out there. That said, I've got a few games that I'm desperately looking forward to with their eventual or recent releases.

Upcoming and Recently Released Games:

Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix - 
Release Date: September 10, 2013, Platform: Playstation 3

Description: Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix includes both Kingdom Hearts Final Mix and Re:Chain of Memories in high-definition and trophy support. Additionally, the collection features Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days in a Theater Mode, spanning 2 hours and 50 minutes of HD remastered cinematics from the original game, as well as new scenes. The 358/2 Days cinematic also has trophy support.

Whether you've been with the series since it began in 2002 or just recently joined in the magic, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix is something that might be worth investing in. This installment of the series offers a way for players to reconnect with the original game including materials that were previously unreleased outside of Japan, as well as the remake of the first handheld game Chain of Memories. Also available for viewing but not playing, is the 358/2, one of the later handheld games that runs parallel with the Chain of Memories time line.

Overall, I'll have to hope that the Playstation 4 will have the capability to play previous generation games if I wish to play this game.

Pokemon X and Y - 
Release Date: October 12, 2013, Platform: Nintendo 3DS

Description: Pokémon X and Y are role-playing video games with adventure elements, presented in a third-person, overhead perspective. The player controls a young trainer who goes on a quest to catch and train creatures known as Pokémon, and win battles against other trainers. By defeating enemy Pokémon in turn-based battles, the player's Pokémon gains experience, allowing them to level up and increase their battle statistics, learn new abilities, and in some cases, evolve into more powerful Pokémon. Alternatively, players can capture wild Pokémon, found during random encounters, by weakening them in battle and catching them with Poké Balls, allowing them to be added to their party. Players are also able to battle and trade Pokémon with other human players using the Nintendo 3DS's connectivity features. Like in previous games in the series, certain Pokémon are only obtainable in either X or Y, with players encouraged to trade with others in order to obtain all Pokémon from both versions.

Pokemon games were my own introduction into the world of gaming, and I'm not certain I have any other games that have been around quite as long as them. These quaint games tend to have the same story line, but each generation introduces new Pokemon to capture, new places to see, and of course new features. In this game, players will be able to use the 3DS's interface to interact with their pokemon on a personal level, participate in 'sky battles' and connect with players all over the world to reach the goal of collecting them all. 

I definitely will be getting my hands on a copy of both games, if only for the ability to collect promotional pokemon and to see what the differences between the versions are.

Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds -
Release Date: November 22, 2013, Platform: Nintendo 3DS

Description: The game takes place in the same world as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, a 1991 game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Its Japanese name (translated to Triforce of the Gods 2) is closely related to the Japanese title for A Link to the Past, Triforce of the Gods. According to Satoru Iwata, the game takes place six generations after the death of Ganon, the ultimate antagonist of A Link to the Past.

This game certainly looks fun, though I'm afraid I've not played the game that it's supposed to follow up. Legend of Zelda has been around since the 80s, with lots of growth and development with every generation of gaming system. Several of the games have been re-released as new technology comes available, however, we still get excited when a new game is released. The game itself follows the same basic guidelines, save the world from evil but like Pokemon, it introduces new places within the Hyrule and follows the growth and demise of different kingdoms in the area.

I'll be asking this for Christmas I think.

Child of Light - 
Release Date: 2014, Platform: Playstation 4, Xbox One, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, and Computer

Description: Child of Light is a platforming role-playing video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. The game puts players in the shoes of Aurora, a child stolen from her home, who, in her quest to return, must bring back the sun, the moon and the stars held captive by the mysterious Queen of the Night. Helped by her playable companion Igniculus the firefly and several unlikely allies, Aurora will face her darkest fears in this modern take on a coming-of-age story.

This game's trailer was circling on Tumblr recently, and it caught my attention immediately. The artwork reminds me of the game Okami, though both are produced by two separate companies. Still, the game play and the music of the trailer are enough to make me itch to play this game and is worth keeping an eye out as more news becomes available.

Kingdom Hearts III -
Release Date: Unknown, Platform: Playstation 4, supposedly Xbox One

Description: Sora will once again be the protagonist of the game. The game will also see the return of Riku, Donald Duck, Goofy, and King Mickey, as well as the inclusion of familiar Disney characters. Continuing from Dream Drop Distance, Sora, Donald and Goofy will attempt to search for seven guardians of light and the "Key to Return Hearts", while King Mickey and Riku search for previous Keyblade wielders, in an attempt to stop Master Xehanort's plan to balance the light and darkness, which may ultimately lead to the final showdown between Sora and Master Xehanort.

To round out my things to look forward to, we'll revisit the Kingdom Hearts series. The long awaited third Console game, Kingdom Hearts III is to be the end of the Xehanort saga which has stretched from the original game in 2002. To be fair, it's possibly a good thing there's not a release date quite yet since I'd recommend playing or at least watching a play-through of all the previous games so you're not completely lost. All new worlds, higher definition graphics, and of course the balance between light and dark are all draws into this game. 

I'll definitely be looking out for this game and all the news related to it.