amphibious_ReViews

One of my favorite things about geek culture is how often creators come together with their characters, games, etc. and release special collaborations that combine multiple great things into one awesome product. Although Nintendo  is just one company, their willingness to combine their IP's in different games has always excited me. Because of this, I have a deep appreciation for the Smash Bros.  franchise. My introduction to the series was a $25 copy of Melee  that I found at a Gamestop near the end of the GameCube's  lifespan. As the years passed, I still appreciated the franchise, but I rarely sat down to play it anymore (with the exception of pulling out Brawl  with a group of family friends every now and then) because the gameplay felt more catered towards a short playtime, and I didn't feel like it was worthwhile to boot up a console and get everything situated if I wasn't going to play for a significant chunk of time. That's why the portable (yet powerful) 

Every new  Mario Kart  game comes with its own gimmick of sorts, whether its the introduction of motion controls on the  Wii  iteration, or the pairing up of riders on the  Gamecube's Double Dash;  but this new  Switch  release does more than introduce gimmicks, it improves the entire system. Even compared to its previous release on the  Wii U , this game kicks it up a notch! Small improvements including the return of old mystery box items and the ability to carry multiple items at a time are appreciated, but the real fun comes with the major additions -- with my attention immediately gravitating towards the full-fledged battle mode with 5 different battle options and 8 new/returning arenas that allow for some amazing multiplayer mayhem. Beyond the improvements this game boasts,  Mario Kart 8 Deluxe  is a solid entry into the  Nintendo Switch 's growing library. It acts as the perfect pick-up-and-play option, allowing for  Switch  owners like myself to bond with others t