The Shrine

<div style='font: 11pt arial; text-align: left; '>Mario Power Tennis - Get this game!</div>

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Mario Golf was an absolute blast to play as well. The problem with those games is that they're quite expensive IMO, even used. I still wouldn't have bought Mario Golf even today if I didn't get it free (won in a contest)</div>

<div style='font: 11pt arial; text-align: left; '>Not only is it hella fun to play tennis with cartoonish characters and super moves, but even on top of that MPT's design is simply superb.

Here's how it works: You have the expected set of tennis moves (Topspin, Slice, Lob, Dropshot, Flat) and you can add greater power to your hits by tapping the button a few times to charge your shots. If you make a few nice shots in a row you'll get a Super Move. You can use a Super Move by either positioning yourself in front of the ball to pull off a deadly offensive shot, or by using it when the ball is far away to pull off a save (it's 100% effective but has little offensive power so you have to use it wisely). Every character has their own unique offensive and defensive Super Moves and none of them are useless.

That brings me to the issue of balance, which I think is the main draw of this game. Every character specializes in one of the six primary styles: Power, Defense, All-Around, Technique, Speed, Tricky. The Power users (Bowser, DK, and Wario) are best at strong, hard shots but don't have much maneuverability. The Defense user (Waluigi is the only one I've seen) uses his height to cover the net. The All-Around guys are good...well...all-around (these are the Bros themselves). Technique specialists (Peach and Shy Guy) aren't particularly powerful or fast, but their ability to place their shots is very formiddable. The Speed guys (Diddy, Yoshi, and Koopa) race around the court and can get to balls many other characters couldn't reach in time. The Tricky ones (Boo and Bowser Jr.) use diabolical slices and confusing Super Moves to make it difficult to read their shots (for instance, Bowser Jr.'s offensive Super Move shoots feathers in three directions and the ball is hidden under one of them). Every one of these specializations is quite useful in one way or another, and each one forces you to adjust your strategy accordingly. This means that all the characters are good in their own unique ways.

This is an intense, fast-paced, extremely well-designed, and extremely fun game, and I'd recommend it to anyone of you.</div>

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>But it's not realistic, it's got Mario, and it's "geared towards children". Thus, most above the age of 15 will write it off as another "kiddie game"</div>

<div style='font: 11pt arial; text-align: left; '>It's a damn shame.</div>

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>Who cares? Labels on any type of media only really matter to 10 year olds and angry loners anyways.</div>

<div style='font: 11pt arial; text-align: left; '>I think you missed his point. He's saying older gamers won't play it because it looks like a "kiddie" game.</div>

<div style='font: 11pt ; text-align: left; '>But in M&M a while ago you were the one saying that only certain types of people listen to certain types of music. Aren't you guilty of labeling people via media yourself?</div>

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>And the irony is that a lot of the stuff is too difficult for the kids and it has the depth that the older games want</div>

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>No kidding. Look at F-Zero GX. Ye gods.</div>

<div style='font: 10pt "EngraversGothic BT", "Copperplate Gothic Light", "Century Gothic"; text-align: left; '>Actually, I think only WE think it's hard. I'm sort plenty of kids are running circles around us in hand/eye.</div>

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>That was the point of my post. Only angry loners and 10 year olds care if a game is labelled that way. If a game is a good game, most normal people won't care if it Mario Tennis, Mortal Kombat Tennis, or Virtua Tennis.</div>

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Other than maybe Zelda, their first party games have been fairly difficult. The second parties vary, but right now, with the industry trend going towards easier games (Japenese people are pussies and don't want tough games), Nintendo is putting out some of the toughest games around</div>

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Maybe in your case, but I'm a God after all :-)</div>

<div style='font: 11pt ; text-align: left; '>Ummm, yes they do.</div>

<div style='font: 9pt ; text-align: left; '>Yeah, it's a cool game. Especially four player-wise. We should've consulted more with each other on our strategy if we wanted to win the 'champion of the universe' games. However, I was slightly intoxicated and my 'art of war' techniques went right out the window. : )</div>

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>No they don't.</div>

<div style='font: 11pt ; text-align: left; '>You do it with music, what makes video games any different. I mean, in your case you love Nintendo so you don't do it towards their consoles and games, but everything else you say "Only X kind of people listen/play this type of thing"</div>

<div style='font: 12pt ; text-align: left; '>As for music, it is generally true as to what I said. Heavy metal is not a very good or enjoyable form of music, it takes very little talent to produce it; I have not heard one good song under the genre of heavy metal. If it was enjoyable, or at all good, then I would listen to it. Essentially speaking, heavy metal is to music as Mortal Kombat is to video games.

My argument would be against people who label good music as pop, and therefore not good music because it is "pop" or manufactured, even when it is good music. That is not the case with heavy metal or Mortal Kombat, as neither are good.

I labeled the people who believe that because a game is labeled as angry loners or kids, which is generally true. I also say the same thing about those who won't listen to pop music because it is labeled such. However, heavy metal is NOT GOOD MUSIC, Mortal Kombat IS NOT A GOOD GAME, and people who actually believe the opposite have simply bought into cheapness; blood and guts. Strangely enough (or actually not so strangely, it makes perfect sense), the same people who bash music for being pop, and games for being kiddy, are the same ones who like their blood and guts in video games and listen to heavy metal music.</div>

<div style='font: 10pt verdana; text-align: left; padding: 0% 10% 0% 10%; '>What I think is most amusing is that your warped little view of reality is actually self-consistent.</div>

<div style='font: 11pt ; text-align: left; '>ok Seeker.</div>

<div style='font: 11pt ; text-align: left; '>I love it when he proves my point for me. heh.</div>

<div style='font: 11pt arial; text-align: left; '>No, it's exactly the opposite. The labelling is done by the 20-something male casual gamers whose primary lineup consists of Halo, Madden, GTA, and Bond games.</div>

<div style='font: 11pt arial; text-align: left; '>Yeah, there wasn't much communication going on anymore at that point : ) I think we beat them overall though.</div>