PLAY: Punch-Out!! for Nintendo Wii (Tyson not included)

I promised myself I would post this prior to it's release but my art blog got the best of me.  For shame I know.  Just recently released and long time coming, Punch-Out!! is finally here!  One of the most beloved NES games (and to some degree SNES games) has finally made a comeback to Nintendo's newest system.  The game itself has changed of course, now with the addition of 3D modeled characters, intros, crowds, but that's pretty much it for the most part.  You still have the same game at it's core that we all remember from back in the day.  You have all the original boxers from the first, a couple thrown in from Super Punch-Out!!, as well as some new comers.  There's also some drawn out cutscene-like backstories for each boxer as well.

The game can now be controlled via the Wiimote and Nunchuk, but classic gamers know that it's all about speed so you'll most likely switch to classic controller mode to get right into the groove of things.  Aside from changing fighting patterns of the boxers as you progress, not much has changed.  This isn't of course Fight Night, but basically a pattern recognition game.  This essentially can be considered a bad thing as it's little more then just an updated version of a classic game.  But there's nothing wrong with that at all in my opinion.  To top it off there's also a versus mode but unfortunately no online mode (what gives?).  Either way it's an incredibly fun game to play, and I would say a must have to any old school fan of the original.

$40 | BUY

TV: G.I. Joe: Resolute Animated Series

With the upcoming G.I. Joe flick, starring Dennis Quaid, Channing Tatum, Ray Park, etc etc, on the horizon, Adult Swim has decided to release their own version or updated version of the animated heroes to their network.  Although this has nothing to do with the film other then capitalising on the fact that there IS a live action film coming out, it's a pleasant surprise.  Much like the He-Man Masters of the Universe series they produced years ago,  you won't get anymore silly PSAs or cheesy wrapped up stories.  What we get instead is some real hardcore American hero type action in this series.  

Clocking in at around 5 mins each, (much like the recent Clone Wars series leading up to the Revenge of the Sith film that were around 3 minutes long) they're set to release up to 10 episodes of which they're up to 8 right now.  The final one will be 10 minutes long for the finale.  With blood, team member deaths, and no shrill voices like before, this isn't your typical toon from our childhood, but we like it.