Happy Monday Pixlbit! It’s a nice cool morning here in SoCal, which means the two weeks of winter and me getting to wear a hoodie is getting closer. So what has been going on? Anything new happen this weekend? On my end I added a bunch of new stuff to Mount Backlog, but I also knocked out two games and I am almost done with a third, and I starting playing a couple of tablet games again, but first things first, let’s take a look at what was picked up this past weekend.

Friday was the start of the GameStop Buy 2 Get 1 Free Sale, which I like to call here’s my wallet GameStop. My plan of attack for this B2G1F was to bulk up the 360 library, and get the games I was iffy on for the PS3 on the 360, as well as get the games I always wanted to play, that were a little pricey last week, but were manageable this week. I hit two different stores in hopes of finding everything on my wishlist, and I think I did pretty darn good

The one game on the pile I did not buy at GameStop was the Trials/Limbo/Spolsion Man Triple Pack. I actually bought that at Toys R Us while on a dinner run. It was in the small display box of used games stuck next to the WiiU stuff, and plug and play games. I thought it was a bad deal at $8.00 considering I saw on the Marketplace Trials alone goes for $10. Everything looked brand new but the included code sheet didn’t work, but that was not a big deal.

I added two more of the dual game packs to the library because two games for around $6.50 isn’t bad, plus I like the concept. As for my pickups I did buy four games I already owned on the PS2/PS3 again but I did have my reasons: NCAA March Madness 07 because I owned it on PS2, and I wanted to play an inexpensive college basketball game in time for the start of the new season, Mortal Kombat I have for both the PS3 & Vita, but in digital formats, and NBA 2K12 because I wanted a simulation basketball game on the 360, and Lego Batman because it was part of the dual game set that I like. I should also note I played through Need For Speed: The Run on the PS3 but it was borrowed from my cousin.

A couple of thoughts about the other games I picked up:

-       Max Payne: I almost bought this on PS3 when it was on sale on PSN, but passed because I wanted a physical copy

-       Grid: Yeah I needed another racing game

-       NFS Shift 2 Unleashed: I really enjoyed the first game on PS3, and I liked the game on iPad, but now I get to play the “big boy” version

-       Gears Of War 3: I wanted to get the trilogy in the library, but seriously is Gears 2 a collector’s item? I only found 2 at both stores, and both were disc only.

-       FIFA Street: I never tried the soccer version but I do like the Street series.

-       DOA Xtreme: I like to play it for the articles?

-       Marvel vs Capcom: Ooh I forgot to add this to the multiples list. I have the digital version on PS3. I guess I can take it off the hard drive to make room for other things now.

I also picked up three games on the XBox Arcade, and they were recommended by you good people of Pixlbit, again big thank you’s go out to you!

I picked up Shadow Complex, Hydro Thunder Hurricane, and Bastion. I have yet to try out Bastion, but since I’ve been knocking games off Mount Backlog, it’s next to be played.

Overall I am really happy with my 360 library. I have a bunch of games to play, and of course there are a handful of titles I’d like to add and I’ll probably do so as the year goes on, but right now I’m going to be busy.

I did mention that I knocked a couple of games off Mount Backlog

Need For Speed: The Run - 360

Like I said earlier, I already played through this game on the PS3, but now I actually own a copy and I got to use all the special Limited Edition stuff, so I played through it again. I also picked up the Supercars Pack, and I can’t remember if I actually used them in game. The game is still fun, and I am going to do another playthrough of the story mode, and actually try and finish the challenges to raise my skill level (I topped off on Level 15 on the PS3). What I enjoyed most about this game is that it combines Cannonball Run with Fast and the Furious, and mixes up different types of races just enough that it doesn’t feel repetitive.

I’d like to see a sequel to this game, with the same characters maybe traveling through Europe. I give NFS: The Run an A.

Shadow Complex – XBox Arcade

First let me say this: I LOVE THIS GAME! The concept of a 2D side scroller in a 3D world sounds odd, but once you play it, you don’t even notice. I enjoyed playing through this game, picking up all the add-ons that help you in the game, and wanting to go back and explore the areas you couldn’t get to before those improvements. While playing the story mode, I found at least three different games that might have influenced the design, but it was like they took the strongest elements and combined them to work perfectly.

My only gripe is that is this could have been a physical copy release, because it’s so good. I’m going to not play it for a couple of days before jumping back into it, so that I won’t get burned out on it. Shadow Complex easily earned an A+ in my book.

WHAT AM I PLAYING?

NCAA Football 14 – PS3

I am currently in my third season with Missouri (notice how I started using Missouri and the actual team went from unranked to #5 in the BCS Polls? You’re welcome Mizzou). To end last season the Tigers went Undefeated, Ranked #2 and faced #1 Ole Miss in the SEC Championship Game, which I called the real National Championship. After beating Ole Miss, the Tigers took on The Ohio State

And won back to back National Titles. I’m currently in Game 7 of Year 3 and since the defense isn’t helping, (I sim the defensive side of the ball to make it interesting) every conference game has been a shootout. I’m still holding out that if either Oregon or Maryland jobs open I’m going to go for them because of their 1,000,000,000+ uniform combinations. (Maryland is currently 1-7 and their coach is on the hot seat)

Fairway Solitaire HD – iPad

So last night while watching Andrew Luck prove to me why I should have started him over Aaron Rodgers on my fantasy team Cell Block 81, I started playing Fairway Solitaire again (I needed something to cover up the Yahoo Fantasy Football App). For those who are not familiar with the game, FS is a golf theme solitaire game with a pesky gopher just like a certain film cough Caddyshack cough.

You play through a series of holes in a course where you try to get at or under par to earn in game cash, and trophies. There are a bunch of unlockables including numbered irons that help keep runs alive, and tapping on the pesky gopher will earn you come in game cash. One of the interesting things is that when a wildcard comes up a mini game happens where you either play minigolf, or a long drive competition for in game cash.

Before I reformatted my iPad I think I got pretty far in the game but I used to play it religiously, and got burned out. Since I’m starting to get back into it, I’ll only keep the version on my iPad and play it at home, and not have it on all the phone too because of the burnout factor.

Fairway Solitaire is a really solid game, the voice acting of the commentators is well done, and the music is good. What I like the most is the ambient noise like birds chirping, and the golf claps at the end of every hole. If you like solitaire, and casual gaming on the couch, especially if you can’t stand watching your Fantasy Team lose, this is a good game for you.

Wow I’m impressed that this was actually a short Monday blog. I’m still playing the other usual tablet games, but nothing big has changed in those games, so I’ll guess I’ll end it here.

Well that’s all for now, more later!

-Chris