Video Game VS Partnership Announcement

I am proud to announce that as of tonight Nintendo Chronicles will be partnering with VideoGameVS.com. Video Game VS is a website where users can post their opinions on a variety of video game topics and debate with others. You will be able to see my posts in their "Featured Arguments" section where other writers and bloggers from various sites debate and share their thoughts on different subjects pertaining to video games. For right now I only plan on posting arguments that you'll have already seen here at my blog. However, if you'd like to see what others might have to say to counter or agree with my opinions you can check them out at Video Game VS under Featured Arguments.

To visit VideoGameVS.com click here.

15,000 Blocks For Just $15

I always hated memory cards. I never could remember what game saves I had on which one and it would always turn out to be the memory card that I tried last. Thankfully Nintendo has included a good amount of memory built in to the Wii and most games only take up a few blocks of space. Heck, Zelda only takes up 1 block and you get close to 2000 blocks to start with. So, most of us will be good for some time, but in the event you do need more space you can always invest in an SD Card. That is if you don't already have one. You can purchase the official Sandisk 1.0 GB Nintendo SD Card for about $40, and I believe it's $60 for the 2 GB. That seemed quite too high for me, so I decided not to get one. Besides, I wouldn't even need it for at least a year, unless I started downloading alot of Virtual Console games, which I did not forsee myself doing anytime soon.

However, I came upon a deal on a 2 GB Kingston SD Card that I simply could not refuse. The first time I had found the deal I waited too long to act and it expired, but I made sure to keep watching it and sure enough they had another rebate offer on it, but this time it was even lower! Buy.com had it for the original price of $39.95 (That's still much cheaper then the Nintendo/Sandisk card.) but with a rebate it was only $14.95! For those of you not good at math that's $45 dollars less than Sandisk's 2GB Wii SD Card and $25 less than the 1 gig! I made sure I didn't miss this opportunity and quickly ordered my own.

It wasn't long until I recieved it in the mail, I was eager to find out just how many more blocks this would add to my memory space and I figured it would at least double the amount already on the system, maybe even triple it. So I plug it in, go to the memory screen in the options and check my SD Card and find out that it added an absolutely staggering 15,709 blocks!! It didn't double it, nor triple it, not even quadruple. No, it nearly octupled it! And for just $15. I could barely believe it. Of course I'll never need this much space, but at least I'll never have to worry about running out of room even if I download every single Virtual Console game that is ever available or purchase 200 Wii games.

So, if you're looking for a cheap way to get alot more memory space for the Wii check out Buy.com's deal on the Kingston 2GB SD Card. The rebate that I had is still going on if you'd like to go ahead and get one, but if you wait and it ends, just wait awhile, they have them every so often. You can always pass it by though and go purchase a different one for more than double the price, but if you like saving money like me, this deal is for you.

Happy Diamond and Pearl Day

In case you didn't already know today is the release of the newest Pokemon RPGs, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl for the Nintendo DS. Why is this post worthy? Well because these games are likely to be not only the fastest selling DS games ever, but highest selling ever and an event like this only comes around once every two years or so. Pokemon trainers everywhere are flocking to local gaming stores to purchase the games and you'll be lucky if you can find them even though it's just 2 o' clock.


There's a new region to explore with more than 100 new Pokemon so you're going to have to catch them all again, but this isn't the biggest selling point. Oh no, it's the new Wi-Fi battling and trading system. No longer are you confined to trading next to your friend, with their code you can now trade and battle your Pokemon all over the world.


I personally haven't decided if I'm willing to purchase one of the new games, I was once in my younger years a big Pokemon fan, but since then Ruby and Sapphire have left a bad taste in my mouth. They were the only Pokemon games I didn't complete. However, when I pass by the game in the store my inner Pokemon trainer urge might overcome me. We'll just have to see. If any of you have them and can recommend them leave a comment or send me an e-mail. I'd be glad to listen.

Vince Young You Poor Man

You were doing great Vince, you were one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, you turned your team from another losing season into a near playoff contender, and everything looked to be going your way into this coming season. Your best players back, more experience, some new talent, but now it's all meaningless, because you Vince Young have been cursed. You are receiving the "honor" of being on the cover of Madden 2008 and with it the curse.

Some may argue against it, but I for one am a believer. Just take a look at this excerpt from Wikipedia's page on the subject:

Garrison Hearst (1999)

Garrison Hearst was the first player to ever be featured on a Madden cover, appearing on Madden NFL '99. Hearst's 1998 season was the best of his career, rushing for 1570 yards and seven touchdowns. He led the San Francisco 49ers to the playoffs, but on the first play of the game versus the Atlanta Falcons, he suffered a bad ankle break. He would not play again until the 2001 season.

(It is worth noting that there are two versions of the Madden NFL '99 cover, one with Hearst and one with John Madden.)

Barry Sanders and Dorsey Levens (2000)

Barry Sanders shared the cover with the then-customary picture of John Madden on Madden NFL 2000. However, a week before training camp began in 1999, Sanders abruptly retired - ending his career and leaving the Detroit Lions without their star running back of the previous 10 years. Sanders' part in the curse is debated because he is not pictured alone on the box, and he had willingly retired. Dorsey Levens was featured on the 2000 cover that was released in PAL regions. After rushing for 1,034 yards in 1999, he gained only 224 yards from scrimmage in 2000. Ultimately, Levens was cut by the Green Bay Packers after the 2001 season. Levens managed to hang on for three more seasons of journeyman work with the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. Levens retired as a Packer after the 2004 season.

Eddie George (2001)

Eddie George, then of the Tennessee Titans, who graced the Madden NFL 2001 box, is often said to be the next 'cursed' player, even though in the year he was on the cover, he had career highs in yardage and touchdowns. Curse advocates point to the 2001 season following his appearance on the cover, during which he averaged only 3 yards per carry and rushed for career lows of 939 yards and 5 touchdowns. For the rest of his career, he never averaged more than 3.4 yards per carry.

George's curse can be argued to have started the year he was on the cover because in 2001 AFC Championship game George had a costly fumble that lost the game for Tennessee. He also fumbled 7 times during the 2000 regular season, losing a career high 4 fumbles.

(It is worth noting that curse advocates ignore the season following the appearance on the cover for some of the other listed players, notably Vick who had career bests in a number of categories in 2004 after being on the Madden 2004 cover).

Daunte Culpepper (2002)

Former Minnesota Vikings star quarterback Daunte Culpepper appeared on the Madden NFL 2002 cover after throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and 33 touchdowns while rushing for 470 yards and 7 more scores in the 2000 season. But Culpepper struggled with turnovers in the first 11 games of the 2001 season, throwing 13 interceptions and only 14 touchdown passes. A knee injury ended his season in the 11th game. Culpepper followed 2001 with two average seasons before a stellar reemergence in 2004. However, the following season, Culpepper struggled as the Vikings posted a 2-5 record to start the 2005 season. In the seventh game, Culpepper was carted off after suffering a potentially career-ending knee injury. He would later be traded to the Miami Dolphins. Culpepper started the 2006 season as the Dolphins' starting quarterback but his mobility was limited and he was benched after 4 subpar games. He recently went under the knife for a second surgery and his return to the Dolphins is questionable.

Marshall Faulk (2003)

Running back Marshall Faulk of the St. Louis Rams, who was on the Madden NFL 2003 box, suffered an ankle injury, missing five games. He did amass nearly 1,600 total yards and 10 touchdowns in limited time in 2002; however, it was a steep decline from his 2,000 yard and 21 touchdown campaign of 2001. He never broke through the 1,000 yards rushing mark for the rest of his career.

Michael Vick (2004)

Five days after Madden NFL 2004 was released featuring Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick on the cover, Vick was injured during a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, suffering a fractured right fibula. Vick played in only the last 5 regular season games, finishing with just 585 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. The Atlanta Falcons missed the playoffs and were already out of contention by the time Vick returned from his injury. The "curse" forced the Falcons to finish the season with a record of 5 wins and 11 losses, a stark contrast to the team's 9-6-1 record the season prior.

Ray Lewis (2005)

Madden NFL 2005 featured Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, the first defensive player ever to appear on the cover of a Madden game. He broke his wrist, an injury that kept him out of the last game of the regular season. It was also Lewis' first season without a single interception, after posting a career-high 6 the previous year - although admittedly, interceptions are a secondary statistic for linebackers. The Baltimore Ravens also failed to make the playoffs that season (2004), after winning their division the year before. Furthermore, in Week 6 of the 2005 season, Ray Lewis' season was ended by an injury.

Donovan McNabb (2006)

After leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 2004, the Philadelphia Eagles' star quarterback Donovan McNabb was on the cover of Madden NFL 06. Throughout the 2005 season, McNabb had had a highly-publicized feud with his teammate, wide receiver Terrell Owens. During the 2005 season, McNabb suffered a sports hernia in the first game of the season against the Atlanta Falcons. Even though it needed surgery McNabb continued to play through the injury.^[1] In the tenth game of the season, McNabb re-injured his groin when he threw an interception that was returned by Roy Williams of the Dallas Cowboys, and subsequently decided to have season-ending surgery for his sports hernia. ^{[2] [3]}

Shaun Alexander (2007)

Prior to the 2006 season, Alexander had never missed a full game in his entire seven-season NFL career. In the 2006 season, however, Madden NFL 07 cover-athlete and reigning NFL MVP Shaun Alexander of the Seattle Seahawks suffered a fracture in his 4th metatarsal in his left foot which he received during the first game of the season against the Detroit Lions. Alexander attempted to play through the injury, but was relatively ineffective. After the Seahawks third game, it was announced that his injury was worse than originally thought, and Alexander missed the next six games.^[4] Alexander rushed for 896 yards (3.6 yards per carry) in the 2006 season, as opposed to 1,880 yards (5.1 yards per carry) in the 2005 season. In addition, Alexander's record of most touchdowns per season lasted only one year, as his 2005 record was broken by LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006.

This all does not bode well for Mr. Young. It was a shame, such a bright future and such a promising young quarterback, I can only hope that you manage to break the curse, but of course still lose to the Colts.

Here I Come Tiger

A Wii owning friend of mine just recently purchased Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007. I'll go ahead and mention that he also enjoys golf, but you should have already guessed that. I've tried on countless occasions to play golf, but I have yet to get the hang of it. My most recent attempt was over Spring Break, when I went to a driving range and managed to hit around 3 balls out of a bucket full of 30 into the air and over 50 yards. Anytime I do make contact I have an awful slice that goes in a sharp curve to the right. So, any of you golf pros reading I wouldn't mind getting some free lessons. Anyway, the point is I'm terrible at golf, but alas, the Wii makes things that you might not be so great at fun.

Or does it?

He brought the game over one afternoon and after getting it set up we were ready to golf. He took the first swing, a perfect motion by my standards, that went in a nice straight path. Then I step up to take my drive. Of course it looks much easier then real golf, and you don't have to worry about humiliating yourself in front of other golfers who actually know how to play. (They always make me feel so incompetent.) I line up, and take a few practice swings with my awkward swinging motion, and try to get the gist of it and I feel like I'm ready to go. I get into position, pull my Wii remote back and swing. I watch painfully as my ball slices off to the right into the rough.

I wasn't necessarily angry at first, but amazed at how realistic it was. There went my ball sailing past trees to the right just like when I go up to the local Country Club. Then I felt like crap again, realizing just how inept I am, but as we kept playing I slowly started to loosen up and I started playing better. When I did poorly I didn't start burning with embarrassment like I would out on the real golf course with people watching. It was actually fun, I could laugh at myself, because it wasn't real and it wasn't serious. It was just my friend and I playing some golf in my living room and I had a lot of fun, unlike when I try to play a round in real life. Who knows maybe I can keep practicing at the video game and that might translate into the real game. It's no big deal if it doesn't, because now I can enjoy the game of golf even if it's just on the Wii.

So Long Spring Break 07

Put another one down in the history books, because for me at least, Spring Break is over. I have returned to snow, rain, and general cold from where I had a brief period of warmth and sunshine, but I'm glad to be back and it's taken me up until now to get settled back in. I'm still busy as ever, but with school winding down for the year I'll be able to post more frequently, or at least I hope so. I hope you all enjoyed your Spring Break if you had one and if not, well that sure sucks.

I put a lot of time into Age of Empires: The Age of Kings DS which is quickly rising through my ranks of favorite DS games and played some Theme Park. I also purchased a nifty Pelican "Travel Kit" for the DS Lite which saved me on the long car rides from seeing the red light. The car charger worked great for me and there's even a cool key chain light. They have also included an adapter so that it can work with every current Nintendo handheld. So if any of you are planning long car rides in the future it could be a good investment to look into it. I purchased it at a Best Buy for around $10. So it's not that bad of a deal for you frequent travelers.

Anyway, just wanted to let you all know I didn't abandon you. Check back later on this week for some new posts and maybe even a short review if I've got some time.