I didn’t feel I needed to discuss my reasons for Top 3 albums and gigs of the year, these have been covered on the site. Click each of them to see why.
Albums:
1. The First – Take Courage
2. Avenged Sevenfold – Hail to the King
3. AFI – Burials
Gigs:
1. Avenged Sevenfold – Wembley Arena, London 1/12/13
2. The First – Cambridge Junction 21/9/13
3. Papa Roach – Brixton Academy, London 10/12/13
Games:
So you’re looking at the list below thinking they’re all kids games. I’m a big kid at hear and believe me I know what games you expect to see in the list based on “amazing graphics” and “killer gameplay” and the “multiplayer mode is just awesome”. I used to work in the gaming industry, I’ve heard it all.
But you have to stay true to yourself with these lists, so this is me; something I can laugh at and preferable play with someone else in the room, cause I get bored gaming alone. Seriously, killed that off with many hours playing The Sims in my youth. So here’s my list:
1. Lego Marvel Super Heroes (Xbox 360)
Lego was always one of my favourite toys growing up. Had boxes of it piled mountain high, these days it’s less messy and used actual recognisable characters and locations, rather than Lego’s own made up world.
Honestly, I thought nothing could beat the Lego Star Wars frnachise and playing as R2D2, especially for how hard I was laughing as I repeatedly attempt to fly him across a lake of sludge, knowing he;s going to plummet to his death with a fantastic scream and amazing Lego brick shattering display, but Lego Marvel Super Heroes did it.
From beginning to end, I found myself grinning from ear to ear like an idiot as I ran around various landscapes as a host of brilliant heroes. Lego isn’t for kids, they’ll love what it is, but the jokes are for us adults and as always this instalment led to many a laugh.
2. Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move (3DS)
This instalment of Mario and Donkey Kong is an e-shop 3DS game. It really is the direction video gaming is heading in the future and something we was discussing back when I worked in the industry all those years ago. But the reason I picked this wasn’t because of it’s foresight into how we’ll receive all games in future, its because it’s a lot of fun.
Having played all other instalments in the franchise, I was less excited about the notion of a 3D title. I’m not a huge lover of 3D, classic gaming worked for me because were incredibly hard despite being only 2D, so it if ain’t broke…
…anyway. Turns out this game had everything it should have, cute mini Mario, one angry ass gorilla and a host of puzzles to get all the minis to safety. I like a good puzzle game, if it taxes my brain: I’m there. If it taxes my brain, is bright coloured and based on a franchise I love (or 2, sort of): then I’m totally there.
3. New Super Luigi U (Wii U)
New Super Luigi U takes classic Mario and throws him out the window in favour of his cowardly, weird jumping taller brother. This game was a big excuse for Nintendo to make more Yen and a big excuse for me to have some more fun collecting coins, breaking shit and rescuing the ever-ungrateful Princess Peach, this is oddly a human ruler in a mushroom kingdom.
Least this time, without Mario around, she’ll have to thank Luigi, who usually puts in as much effort to save her, although there’s still something oddly suspect about her love for both brothers who claim to be plumbers but do nothing of the sort, ever.
Either way, this game is a ton of fun as Mario, er… I mean Luigi always is and totally fits the bill for me for multiplayer fun.
Movies:
So I haven’t seen many movies this year. Time was just not on my side. In fact, I have only seen 3 and they were all on plane journeys for my vacation. But I haven’t been given a 2 month Netflix subscription for Xmas for nothing. I shall be catching up with all the movies I missed this year, but here are the only 3 movies I aw this year and why I loved them anyway.
1. Monster’s University
Monster’s University, seriously, what’s not to love? Pretty sure this Pixar franchise would’ve made my list if I’d seen 1000 movies this year. If you haven’t seen the first instalment Monster’s Inc., have you been living under a rock?
If you have, can you honestly say that a movie involving the awesome Mike Wasowski and James P. ‘Sulley’ Sullivan would not at all interest you again?
This movie is a prequel to the original Monster’s Inc. and gives you an insight into the history of Mike and Sulley’s relationship and how they got to where they are by the Monster’s Inc. film. It’s fun, it has a great story which is simply not at all what you’d expect and it’s Pixar, again I ask, what’s not to live?
2. Iron Man 3
Iron Man 3 is another Marvel Comic Book Action Super Hero Movie (ar at least that’s how they’re always described). I’ve been following this whole movie franchise from its beginning, so one of them from this year was always going to make this list and it had to be this as I’ve yet to watch Thor 2 (which also means the TV series went on hold as the next episodes to watch occur after the events of Thor 2).
Anyway it has explosions, a guy with nifty gadgets and it’s a freaking Marvel movie, how can you not enjoy it? Everyone keeps saying its better than Iron Man 2, but frankly I couldn’t give a crap about that, this franchise gives me a fantastic storyline that you can now trace back years and at least 1 new movie a year, I love it!
3. Disney’s Planes
The only other movie released this year that I’ve seen is Disney’s Planes. I know, I know, it’s just a cash in movie for Disney. Or so everyone thought, but actually I really enjoyed it.
The plot wasn’t a million miles away from the Cars franchise, but they had invested time and money into these characters and I was pleasantly surprised at some of the truly laugh out loud jokes.
I’m a Disney nut anyway, but I haven’t liked every single spin-off/follow up that Disney has ever done and I went into this one with a face that said ‘I’ll like it because I liked Cars but I expect nothing more from it and I actually got much more than that. I love animation and I love Disney, but this really did make me smile and laugh, which means it ticked all the boxes for me.
