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Drawing Up Plays in the Sand

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May 11, 2010

Originally Published: December 8, 2009, on 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com)

Few would argue the dominance of Madden as the premiere football franchise, but there are several competitors out there who are offering some interesting alternatives to the typical football experience. Everyone knows I’m a fan of the Blitz series. It’s a nice alternative to the Madden series how it provides true bone-crunching play and some less than legal alternatives to medicine, but it is more of an arcade experience than true football.

Another of these alternative franchises is the Backyard Football franchise that is trying to branch out from its “kiddie” label over on the Wii console to something that is a “family friendly” alternative. Part of that movement is making it available for the Xbox 360 in this year’s version. Unfortunately, it has still has a long way to go before it can shake off its “kiddie” label.

For those of you who are unaware, the Backyard Football franchise looks like a bunch of the Wii’s Miis in football gear representing the 32 NFL teams. Along with the cartoony looking children representing these teams, each team has one age regressed superstar from each NFL team. San Francisco has Frank Gore, the Giants have Eli Manning, the Arizona Cardinals have Kurt Warner, etc., etc. To open up the field a bit, each team also only has seven players on the field so you see a lot less “in the trenches”.

In terms of a football game, this will not appeal to any hardcore fans out there. It might appeal to little children (or ignorant girlfriends) who are trying their hardest to get into football and might make a decent stepping stone before trying to focus on the real deal. To also appeal to a younger generation, you can also earn powers to help out your team in tight spots like the “bull rush” where you grow horns and run over everyone or the “twister” where you spin around the field and can’t be tackled.

A nice new feature is also the ability to create-a-player and make custom teams to help personalize your playing experience during the 16-game season. Still, the experience overall is very simple and will bore most gamers very quickly.

The graphics are poor even when admitting they were done in a cartoony style and the audio is subpar at best. The commentary might make you chuckle a little as they try to spoof the old Madden style (and are probably more entertaining than the current commentators for Madden), but the kiddie carousel music will have you shaking your head by the time you finish your first session.

This is not a very good football experience overall, but if you have a little child who is trying to learn about football and can’t wrap his head around the Madden franchise or the actual live game, this might be a nice way to bridge the gap.

Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest.

Graphics: 4.0: Even though you know going into this game the graphics are going to be cartoony, they aren’t even a very good cartoony look. Plus, it’s very hard to follow the football because the graphics are so poor.

Audio: 6.5: A barely passing score due to the light-hearted commentary, but it grows old very quick and the music grows old even faster.

Plot/Plot Development: N/A: It’s supposed to be a sports sim…

Gameplay: 7.0: Controls are a mix of both the old-school Blitz series from the arcades and the current Madden style and it works, but it is really nothing spectacular.

Replay Value: 5.0: There is a season mode that can keep bringing you back if you want to play with different players or teams, but that’s really it. There is also only localized multiplayer so all those Wii friend codes you collected or that Xbox Live account is worthless.

Overall (not an average): 5.0: A poor attempt overall as a football alternative and it doesn’t appeal to anyone who can tie their own shoes, even with the cheaper price tag than its more adult counterpart ($39.99 compared to $59.99).

Backyard Football 10 is available now for Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.

-Ray Carsillo

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From My Mom’s Basement – Episode 1

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Originally Published: December 6, 2009, on Lundberg.me and Sportsrev.tv

This pilot episode features reviews of Assassin’s Creed 2 and Uncanny X-Men #518.

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Reinventing the Renaissance: Assassin’s Creed II DLC announced

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Originally Published: December 2, 2009, on Lundberg.me and Examiner.com

With Assassin’s Creed II living up to the tremendous hype it had leading up to its release with awesome gameplay and an engrossing plot, and with a solid 800,000 units sold in its first week for Xbox 360, it is no surprise that Ubisoft has officially announced two new DLC packs for the first quarter of 2010 for Assassin’s Creed II.

The first new DLC is titled “Battle of Forli” and will hit the marketplace sometime in January 2010. No details of the plot have been released, but if it is taking place in the Romagna/Forli region, and if you paid attention to the Animus’ promptings for history lessons about the people and buildings in the area, then you could probably draw the conclusion that you are going to be doing a few favors for the lovely Catalina.

The second new DLC is titled “Bonfire of the Vanities” and is supposed to hit the marketplace in February 2010. There have been absolutely no confirmed details released about either of these DLC’s in terms of plot and how they tie into the main story of Assassin’s Creed II, but Ubisoft has confirmed that each DLC should be about 1 GB in size. This means that each one is going to be about the size of GTA IV’s The Lost and the Damned if you are looking for a point of reference.

Ubisoft has also said that they will reveal more before the New Year at least about “Battle of Forli”. There has been no word on achievements, price, or exact release dates up to this point, but with the few details we have, I think it is enough to get excited about considering how great Assassin’s Creed II was.

An addendum: Published 12/5/09: After finally completely beating the game, I make the prediction that the two DLC packs are the “two sequences” that are skipped over in the regular game for the sake of time due to the Templars closing in on your Animus 2.0’s position.

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The Beautiful Game

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Originally Published: December 2, 2009, on 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com)

Soccer has always been the most popular sport in the world, but in the United States it has never been better than 5th in many people’s eyes. Slowly though it has pulled even with other sports for many people as the USA’s representative team and MLS teams have improved their overall quality of play over the years. Now, as we prepare for the 2010 World Cup, US soccer fans are almost at a fever pitch.

Although it is arguable if a US soccer fan will ever reach the level of intensity as fans from European or South American countries (probably not), the spike in popularity for the sport on US soil is clear. With this spike in popularity, we have seen a spike in video games sales for the main soccer video game franchise, FIFA, produced by EA Sports, as well.

FIFA 10, this year’s entry into the FIFA library, is clearly the best version ever produced in the series as the inclusion of the My Live feature, similar to the NBA Live 365 feature, allows you to take control of your favorite team like never before. And the people have responded to this year’s improvements as 4.5 million units have been sold worldwide in its first five weeks of availability, easily making it the most popular sports game of 2009.

I had a chance to talk to Sam Cooper, the Global Product Manager for the FIFA Soccer Franchise at EA Sports, about everything dealing with the FIFA franchise from the increase in sales and popularity over the years and improvements to this year’s game to his overall thoughts on the upcoming World Cup.

To listen to my interview with Sam Cooper, Global Product Manager for FIFA at EA Sports
CLICK HERE!

–Ray Carsillo

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The Newest Face in Late Night

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Originally Published: November 25, 2009, on 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com)

He is a Saturday Night Live alum, a movie star, and now he is leaving his mark on the late night landscape in a way no one has ever seen before.

Of course, I am talking about Jimmy Fallon. From using Twitter to drive people to his show’s blog (how about the fact his show even has a blog), to spoofing video games, to having the biggest names in movies, music, and sports on his show, Jimmy has already made his mark during his short tenure in the world of late night talk.

Robin Lundberg and I had a chance to talk with Jimmy about all these things and more as Jimmy gets ready to tackle his next big project…the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

To listen to Robin Lundberg and I interview the newest face on the late night landscape
CLICK HERE!

–Ray Carsillo

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Returning to the Mushroom Kingdom

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Originally Published: November 23, 2009, on 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com) and Lundberg.me

New Super Mario Bros. Wii Red Carpet w/ Ray Carsillo
Video by Jared Bodden

He is the most recognizable figure in video games and Nintendo is celebrating his 25th anniversary (23rd in the US) by releasing an old-school side-scroller that pays homage to his decorated lineage. Of course I am talking about Mario and speaking of that lineage, Nintendo threw a party at the Nintendo World Store in Rockefeller Center for Mario’s anniversary and I was lucky enough to attend. Take a look at the video!

The new game is New Super Mario Bros. Wii and it takes elements from the greatest of Mario’s titles from over the years (mostly Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World, with hints of the original Super Mario Bros., Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island and Super Mario 64 sprinkled in). Princess Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser for the millionth time and it is up to Mario to traverse eight worlds (inspired by Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World) broken up into 69 different stages.

To make matters more difficult, Bowser has pulled out all the stops. After their 18-year hiatus, the seven Koopalings (again from Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World) Larry, Morton Jr., Wendy O., Iggy, Lemmy, Ludwig von, and Roy are back along with Bowser Jr. to defend the castles at the end of each world. Bowser Jr. is also traveling in style since Bowser’s old airship has been rebuilt and will continue to pester Mario on his quest. Also brought back into the mix are the many varieties of brothers who used to pester Mario way back in Super Mario Bros. 3. Hammer, Boomerang, Giant Hammer, Fire, and Wrench brothers are back along with the all-new Ice brothers, and always seem to pop up in Mario’s path at the worst possible moments.

To help combat the largest roster of baddies Mario has ever had to face, Mario has been given several brand new powers along with his payload of Invincibility Stars, Fire Flowers, and Super and Mini-Mushrooms.

The first is the Propeller Mushroom that gives Mario limited flight abilities (anyone remember the Tanooki Suit, Raccoon Leaf, or Cape Feather?) as well as increases his spin attack. The next item is the Ice Flower. Similar to the Fire Flower, Mario throws snowballs now that freeze his opponents in huge blocks of ice that he can then use as stepping stones to make it to higher ground or to pick up and throw at other enemies. The final new item, the Penguin Suit, is a multi-purpose tool. It not only allows you to walk on ice with minimal slipping, but you can throw snowballs like with the Ice Flower and swim better as well (memories of the Frog Suit come flooding back to me now). They even brought Yoshi back, but unfortunately, he can only be used on the stages you find him in, he can’t travel with Mario anymore.

This game is the ultimate shot of nostalgia for any gamer who grew up with the Mario Bros. franchise. There may be a few new additions to the franchise like new items and the 4-player co-op gameplay, but aside from that this is just plain old-school Mario Bros. (they even brought back item reserves that you can access from the world map like in Super Mario Bros. 3).

The graphics are crisp, clean, and make this probably the best looking side-scroller I’ve ever seen. Mix that with the classic Mario music, SFX, and Charles Martinet as Mario and the peripherals for this game don’t come much better.

The plot is the same as it is in every other Mario Bros. game, but we wouldn’t have it any other way and with 4-player co-op adding new levels of fun and intensity, this could be the greatest Mario game ever. Along with the 4-player co-op adding tons of replay value and a new level of difficulty to the game, there are also three special star coins on each stage that unlock something special at the end of the game if you collect them all…

The only real knock I have with this game is the single-player difficulty. I beat the entire game with 50-plus lives in just under 6 hours and was left wanting more. With an abundance of items and 1UP chances available, there is no reason why you should die repeatedly on any stage or against any boss (all you need is to jump on all their heads three times, works every time). I think Nintendo was worried about trying to cram in every single obscure reference to previous Mario incarnations that they forgot to add a little more difficulty to some of these levels.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is available now and looks to stack up as the greatest Mario side-scroller of all-time.

Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest.

Graphics: 9.0: This is the best looking side-scoller ever in the Mario series simply because this is the most advanced system for a Mario side-scroller to be on. Need I say more? Although tiny Mario (before he eats the Super Mushroom) did look a little weird at times.

Audio: 10.0: Charles Martinet coming back for a Mario’s limited dialogue combined with the classic SFX and music we’ve all come to know and love and the audio is spectacular.

Plot/Plot Development: 10.0: I don’t know how the same thing has worked for the past 25 years, but it has and I’m more than happy with it just being “Peach gets kidnapped by Bowser, Mario chases after Bowser, Mario stomps on Bowser (or throws fireballs), and Mario rescues Peach”. If something is not broken, don’t fix it, and Nintendo knows that better than anyone.

Gameplay: 8.5: For the most part the game handles perfectly and is classic Mario action in every way. I love the new items, I love all the nostalgia, I just wish it was a little more difficult.

Replay Value: 9.0: Like I said, the lack of difficulty might keep you from wanting to come back, but 4-player co-op, tons of collectibles, and classic Mario action should outweigh the difficulty factor.

Overall (not an average): 9.0: This game is a must have for any Mario fan and gamers who grew up with the series will jump for joy with all the old-school elements brought back. The only real knock on the game is that I didn’t think it was as hard as it could’ve been or had been hyped to be. At the end of the day though this is still a great game and most gamers should go crazy for all the nostalgia this conjures up. And hopefully it won’t be another 18 years before we see the Koopalings again.

-Ray Carsillo

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Shredding on the World Stage

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Originally Published: November 20, 2009, on 1050ESPN.com (Now ESPNNewYork.com) and later re-published in the Nintendo Wii archives of ClassicGameRoom.com

Olympic Snowboarder Shaun White with Ray Carsillo
Video by Jared Bodden

I’m the first to admit that I know little to nothing about snowboarding. The only shredding I know about has to deal with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles character and the only carving I generally do concerns next week’s turkey. The one time in my life I did hit the slopes, I looked more like a Looney Tunes character rolling down the mountainside as the snow collected around my body. But when Olympic gold medalist snowboarder Shaun White comes out with a sequel to his hit video game franchise and wants to sit down for a few minutes (check out the video!), I’m more than happy to brush back up on the subject.

After sitting down with man the game is named after, I grabbed myself a copy of Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage (a Wii exclusive), turned my Wii Balance Board sideways, and geared up for one of the most fun gaming experiences I’ve had all year.

The game opens with a cut scene featuring Shaun and several of his friends as they head to their central base of operations, an airport (so they could have quick access to some of the worlds most premiere courses), as they prepare to move up the international snowboarding rankings and try to make a run at the World Championships. Of course, the higher your rank becomes, the harder it is to keep moving up as the competition and the courses increase in difficulty accordingly.

The boarders are a little cartoony looking, as is typical with many of the Wii’s best games, but aside from that, the game looks beautiful. From snow covering your boarder if you fall flat on your face (which I am very accustomed to) to detailed designs of all the courses used, the game surprisingly delivers big-time on the visuals.

The audio is pretty average. It has a few sweet tracks from Kiss and Andrew W.K. as you shred, but it needs a larger selection to keep me entertained as I perform barrel rolls down the half-pipe. Shaun and the other boarders who lend their voices do a pretty good job at sounding natural and enthusiastic, which was a nice surprise. There isn’t a lot to expect in terms of SFX aside from generic crowd noise so the audio mixers weren’t exactly strained as this game was being put together.

The best part of this game is clearly the gameplay. Using the Wii balance board, you feel like you’re actually on the slopes as you apply pressure to different quadrants on the board to perform a plethora of tricks from tail grabs to indies to gorillas. I don’t recommend playing the game for extended periods of time though because if you play for four or five hours straight, like I did after getting addicted to the game, you’re sure to break a sweat and maybe give yourself a stiff neck from straining your neck left or right constantly as you grind over the always fresh powder.

A real downside for the game is that it’ll probably only take you 10 hours of gameplay to blow through the 100 world ranks and to challenge Shaun as the top dog, but to help bolster the replay value, the game is online capable and there is a new feature where you can design your own tricks to only add to the last version of this game’s awesome customization features.

Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage successfully avoids a sophomore slump and comes out strong with seamless gameplay and awesome additions like new courses, boarders, and online vs. modes. Even if you are not a fan of snowboarding, this is a ridiculously fun game and you can very easily find yourself addicted to it.

Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage is out now exclusively for the Nintendo Wii.

Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best.

Graphics: 8.0: Although I’m not a tremendous fan of the cartoony look, I understand the limitations of the Wii and it actually works well with the atmosphere the game looks to create. Add-in some sweet effects like snow covering your boarder when you screw up a trick and I can walk away content with the looks.

Audio: 7.0: Solid voice acting bolsters the game, but not enough music tracks and generic SFX drop the score into a more average range.

Plot/Plot Development: N/A: It’s a sports sim…

Gameplay: 10.0: I used the balance board when playing the game, and although there is a mode where you can only use the wiimote and nunchuck, using the balance board is the ultimate way to experience this game. Also consider that the board flawlessly responds to every shift in weight and movement you make and there isn’t a glitch in the game to speak of.

Replay Value: 8.0: Online vs. modes, create-a-trick mode, and a campaign that will take you probably around 10 hours to get through and this is a good amount to bring you back to this game, especially if you are a shred-head.

Overall (not an average): 9.0: The game wasn’t perfect. But it was so much fun. I really enjoyed every aspect of the game and only a couple of rough edges keep this from being perfect. I can’t wait to see how Shaun tries to top this year’s version in the future and I applaud the move of moving the game from other consoles to a Wii exclusive because I believe being able to focus on the Wii balance board and their control set helped them correct a few of last year’s flaws. The new features and seamless gameplay make this game a sleeper must-have for the holiday season.

-Ray Carsillo

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Never Saw It Coming

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Originally Published: November 18, 2009, on 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com) and Lundberg.me

As a Giants fan, the first person who comes to my mind when speaking of defensive greatness is Lawrence Taylor, the one and only man who should be referred to as LT. When I think of LT, the first things that come to mind are the hundreds of great plays he made over his career, the MVP, and the two Super Bowl Championships. Many other football fans, though, instantly think of him snapping Joe Theismann’s leg like a twig and ending his career instantly.

LT changed the game forever that day as the position of left tackle (which fittingly is also LT on the stats sheet) had a spotlight shone on it like never before. The position was now seen as needing to be filled by someone just as talented as the quarterbacks they were hired to protect. Men like Orlando Pace, Tony Boselli, David Diehl (maybe my Giants bias comes through with that one), Walter Jones, and many others in their position have been lauded as the rocks of many franchises over the years.

This unquestioned importance for the position makes the true story of Michael Oher, the current rookie left tackle for the Baltimore Ravens (1st round, 23rd pick), something of a modern day fairytale (along with the whole rags-to-riches and inner-city struggles thing wrapped in football pads) as he did not have the most traditional of paths to the NFL.

The Blind Side, presented by Warner Bros. and based on the best-selling novel The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, is the telling of Michael’s incredible tale that is still unfolding as we speak.

Growing up without a real family or home, Michael (played by newcomer Quinton Aaron) survived a difficult childhood in the poverty stricken projects of Memphis only to be taken in by the well-to-do Tuohy family, spearheaded by the unstoppable force that is Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock). With the help of the Tuohy family, specifically Leigh Anne, Michael is able to reach his full potential, both on and off the field, and help the Tuohy family find something they didn’t realize they were missing until Michael entered their lives.

We all know that this tale has a happy ending, but this is still a spectacular movie, even if you are not a football fan or familiar with the story. Everyone involved gives fantastic performances and Sandra Bullock could be up for an Oscar nomination for this role. The movie has you laughing one instant and tugs on your heart strings the next, all the while telling this amazing story in a way the whole family can enjoy.

But this isn’t just a football movie. Football is simply the catalyst for this tremendous story of how one man’s journey was forever altered by the love and generosity of complete strangers and how he was able to reach his fullest potential because of it.

I almost felt that the story, which took 2 hours and 5 minutes to tell, was actually a little too perfect, even with me knowing it’s true. There was clear adversity that Michael had to overcome, but I don’t think it was shown as much as it could’ve been, possibly just to maintain a PG-13 rating. How much he struggled adapting to a new school, these strangers who took him in, these teachers who didn’t want to teach him, I just needed something more. There just seemed to be a lot of help for Michael wherever he turned and that ever-present aid will keep this movie from being an all-time great sports movie like Rudy. Still, it’s a very enjoyable watch and a must-see film for any sports fan.

The Blind Side will be released nationwide on Friday, November 20, 2009, and gets 4 out of 5.

-Ray Carsillo

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Sailing Out Across the Radio Waves

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Originally Published: November 12, 2009, on Lundberg.me, Collider.com, and 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com)

It was an unusually warm day in November when I got word that there would be an advanced screening of Focus Features’ newest picture, Pirate Radio. In addition to the screening, I would get the chance to talk with Tom Sturridge, a bit of an acting newcomer who would serve as the film’s lynchpin, and the writer/director of the film, Richard Curtis.

Well, I grabbed The Who’s Greatest Hits album, aptly titled after one of their greatest singles, My Generation, jumped in my Chevy (would have been more fitting if it was a Mini Cooper, I know, but I drive what I drive) and sped away towards midtown Manhattan.

Being a bit of a Richard Curtis fan for his work as a writer on one of Britain’s most celebrated sitcoms ever, Black Adder, and for his directorial debut with Love, Actually, to say I was amped up would probably be an understatement. I had also wanted to desperately see this movie since I had heard of it because I usually enjoy time-period pieces about one of my favorite subjects, the history of TV and radio.

All I can say is that my anticipation did not turn to disappointment. Pirate Radio is a wonderfully done coming-of-age story about a young English boy named Carl (Tom Sturridge) whose mother has sent him to one of England’s notoriously famous pirate radio stations where his godfather (Bill Nighy) happens to be the man in charge.

Once aboard the floating piece of history, Carl becomes fast friends with many of the DJs who operate out of the waters surrounding England including an American man simply known as “The Count” (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) and another known as Dr. (he’s not a real doctor) Dave (Nick Frost). While there, Carl struggles with the many problems faced by a teenaged lad of the time from drugs, to women, to making friends, and all the while finding out who he is to the greatest rock soundtrack possibly ever put together.

The music is the true driving and uniting force of this movie. When I asked Tom how he got into the character of Carl he replied: “The thing that was really useful was just listening to the music. I think the easiest way to learn about what it’s like to be young in the 60s is to listen to its most eloquent, youthful poets sing about it. So, Rich, gave me an iPod before the film that had every piece of music from 1961-66 on it and I would just constantly listen to the music.” To hear more from Tom on Pirate Radio, you can
CLICK HERE!

The music would also serve as the catalyst for much of the action in the movie as back on the shores of merry ol’ England, while Carl is busy finding himself, several members of the Parliament, spearheaded by Sir Alistair Dormandy (Kenneth Branagh) are trying whole heartedly to shut down the pirate radio stations and this would lead to the movie’s exciting climax that I refuse to spoil here.

When all is said and done, Pirate Radio is a fun to watch romp on the high-seas with a tremendous, star-studded cast, who all deliver fantastic performances. When I asked Richard Curtis how it was trying to direct all this talent at once he said, “I think you just have to tell people the truth at the beginning. All of them knew this was going to be a communal film. We shot it in a particular style with cameras on the cameramen’s shoulders so every scene anybody could be being shot at any moment. So it wasn’t one of those films where you said ‘well this is Phil’s half hour, and this is Nick’s half hour’, the camera just roamed around as we did the scene again and again and I think that meant that everybody joined up in the agreement that it was a democracy, a chaotic democracy.” To hear more from Richard on Pirate Radio, you can
CLICK HERE!

The best part of this movie is that as absurd as it is at times, it is based off a time when England really did have radio stations based out at sea and that alone brings a smile to my face. I thought Tom Sturridge wasn’t the most likable of main characters, he seemed a bit too stiff and serious at times, but if you like British humor wrapped up in zany situations, then this should be a sure fire winner for you. Now crank up Baba O’ Riley and be sure to see Pirate Radio as it comes out nationwide Friday, November 13th, 2009.

I give Pirate Radio 4.5 out of 5.

–Ray Carsillo

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Video Games Live!

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Originally Published: November 9, 2009, on Lundberg.me and 1050ESPN.com (now ESPNNewYork.com)

Since the video game revolution really started plowing forward back in the mid 80s, one of the most underrated aspects of the aspects has been the music. The 8 and 16-bit processors that the Nintendo, Super Nintendo, and Sega Genesis systems could produce were not much more than melodic beeps and pings made to sound like a catchy tune.

Of course, times have changed. Now, many of the best and brightest games have scores composed by full orchestras or big time, main-stream bands, but those original compositions still bring back childhood memories of simpler times to go along with our simpler games. The themes from Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Mega Man, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Castlevania, are still lovingly talked about alongside the newcomers from Metal Gear Solid, Halo, and Kingdom Hearts.

The music from these games and the feelings of nostalgia they conjure up are only now starting to get the respect they deserve on a scale worthy of the sales of these monolithic franchises. In that vein, I present to you Video Games Live.

Video Games Live was founded back in 2002 by celebrated game composers Jack Wall and Tommy Tallarico and has been a tour de force ever since. With a full orchestra and choir in tow, Wall and Tallarico have put together a show that needs to be seen to be believed. Fortunately, I saw it about two weeks ago. With musical selections from over 20 video games played, and 40 more waiting in the wings ensuring that an audience will never see the same show twice, Wall and Tallarico mix in geek-based humor with a light show, scenes from the greatest games ever created, and musical acumen that rivals the best and brightest out there.

The show I went to at the Beacon Theatre was the most fun I’ve had in a long time. You had a costume contest for people dressed as video game characters, a Guitar Hero competition, and a random drawing for a Nintendo DSi. You had special messages from Hideo Kojima, the creator of the Metal Gear series, as he gave a special recorded greeting before the playing of the Metal Gear music, and Koji Kondo, the composer of the Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda themes, give a special message as well.

There was a live Q & A with Ralph Baer, the man credited with inventing video games (he is also credited with inventing the light gun, the first video game system peripheral, and the popular kids’ game Simon in the 70s), over Skype and it was impressive to see this legendary inventor at the ripe age of 87 still smiling at how his invention has changed and influenced the lives of so many people across the world.

You had YouTube sensations, pianist Martin Leung and Laura “Flute Link” Intravia, come on and do what made them famous on the stage. Martin is best known for playing the Mario theme on piano blindfolded and Laura plays a stunning rendition of the Ocarina of Time music on flute, in full green tunic like the Hero of Time. Both would accompany the orchestra on several songs over the course of the night, usually to standing ovations (I nearly leapt out of my seat when Martin started playing the Super Mario World theme).

There was a request portion (where I nearly lost my voice screaming for the Mega Man theme and starting a Mega Man chant in my section of the Beacon Theatre; I was pleasantly surprised to find it was incorporated later into the show) where everything many fans called for was played and many were pleasantly surprised when Martin broke into the original Tetris theme, just because.

There were classics played from Mega Man and Chrono Trigger to more recent games like Halo and Shadow of the Colossus, but no matter if you were young or old, newbie or wily old veteran, there was something to make every geek and video game fan smile and laugh.

Video Games Live is now on their fourth world tour, and much like the game music they play, are just beginning to receive the respect and recognition they deserve. Playing to sold-out shows all over the world and constantly adding new and beloved video game music all the time (including the one I went to at the Beacon Theatre), Video Games Live is an ever-evolving entity much like the games off of which they are based. It is with the utmost praise that I recommend that every video game fan should see this show when they come to your town.

-Ray Carsillo

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