Merry "Mario" Christmas!?

Updated image! Inspired by Chalgyr's background image!

Coffee Beans
We have finished unwrapping gifts and the Beans are currently playing with a few of them right now. While things have been slower on the site the last 2 months, I just wanted to take the time to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! I hope you all are having (and/or have had) a great Christmas, and that you get to spend time with family and friends, and perhaps get a gift or two.

Also, here's a non-Christmas related video (more Halloween) that some of you might enjoy of the Beans; it is Mario related:

Hopefully, you can drink some coffee and maybe even find time for some games today!

Bean 1 and Bean 2. Mario and a Koopa? Kritter? Take your pick. Just have a Merry Christmas!
Original image that was above.

Critics vs. Customers! ZombiU reviews, or zombie reviewers?

Coffee Beans
Do you like zombies? Do you not like zombies? Do you feel like a zombie when you wake up, and generally throughout the day?

ZombiU released for (and with) the Wii U on November 18, 2012, basically as a brand new IP. The game was developed and published by Ubisoft, and received an ESRB rating of "MATURE" with "Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of. It released with a MSRP of $59.99 in the United States, and can be purchased either via a physical retail copy from stores, or a digital "copy" through the Wii U's eShop.

With a full month of "professional" critic reviews and customer reviews for ZombiU to look at now, and having completed the game myself, is ZombiU a Wii U title you should play (if, you are of age)? Have Wii U owners agreed with the "professional" reviewers on ZombiU? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

November Brewed - Coffees consumed, games played, & a Wii U game finished!

Coffee Beans
November is gone, and with it millions of turkeys. (For a few of those missing millions, start HERE.) If you had a busy November, here are a few posts you may have missed:
     1) Halloween candy laced with the t-Virus making people zombies? Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles Data Report
     2) Vote? Don't vote? Gamers vote? Everybody votes? Did you vote? Everybody Votes Channel Data Report
     3) Nintendo's U.S. Wii U TV advertising. Marketing genius, or marketing failure?
     4) Call of Duty? Conduit? GoldenEye? Metroid? What is the most played FPS Wii game in the U.S.?
     5) Caffeinated Thoughts on the Wii U

While I didn't post as much in November as recent months, I did get a good bit of gaming done and drank lot of coffee during the month. What coffees did I consume, and which Wii U game did I complete? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

Coffees Consumed
We finished using the Gevalia Espresso Roast very early in November, and enjoyed it while it lasted. November then consisted of us using our coffee grinder a good bit. We ground up some of the Kona Blend Coffee that was another birthday gift to me back in October, from my brother and his family. We have enjoyed the Kona Blend and have enough to last us a little while longer, if we start grinding it up. We finished the month of November using the Maxwell House Master Blend coffee and the Maxwell House Original Roast coffee; both the 200+ coffee cup containers.

Games Played
The skimmer list for games played in November is: Rage of the Gladiator (iOS and WiiWare), Mario Kart Wii, Super Mario Bros. 3, BIT.TRIP RUNNER, Mutant Mudds, Max & the Magic Marker, Nintendo Land, ZombiU, Trine 2, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.

Rage of the Gladiator - If you don't know, Rage of the Gladiator is now available for your iOS devices and soon to be Android devices as well. The game has a price of just $2.99, and has all of the WiiWare content/bosses included, with some improvements. The game was ported over by a different developer though, Gamelion, while Ghostfire Games remained involved in the process. Ed, from Ghostfire Games, contacted me over the summer and asked if I would be interested in helping test it out, and help some on the community front. Gamelion seems to be very active on the developer community front though, so I was able to more of less help out with the testing of it, and see how it progressed through development.
Mario Kart Wii - Bean 1 randomly requested this one I think in October, and he kept playing it early in November. He has now graduated to Mario Kart DS though, since our New Super Mario Bros. DS cartridge randomly freezes in levels now; which results in a very sad Bean and me randomly finding the game cartridge shoved under his door.
Super Mario Bros. 3 - This was another one Bean 1 and I randomly played early in the month, but not very much of it.
BIT.TRIP RUNNER - I. SURVIVED. THE GAUNTLET! So, I started this from Mrs. Coffee's gift from my birthday, the BIT.TRIP COMPLETE set, and I am in the third world so far (I think the last as well). I'm really enjoying my time with the game, and it is definitely challenging. I can see why some people might not like these type of games, due to the difficulty, but when everything flows together so well, it really is a great experience.
Mutant Mudds - Could I complete the main levels before IncompleteGaming? It wasn't meant to be! But, I am still enjoying my time with Mutant Mudds, and find myself randomly trying to beat the levels from time-to-time, sometimes with Bean 1 watching. Other times, I'll be voluntold by him to play the game; even if it's a delay tactic right before he goes to bed, sometimes I'll play a level a few times trying to beat it.
Max & the Magic Marker - This was one I hadn't played in a long while, but Bean 1 found it on our Wii's SD card and fired it up one day. I showed him a few things in the game, and he actually got the hang of drawing/erasing pretty quickly, and was soon off running around the level having fun. I didn't play it much, but it did make me hope that we get a Max & the Magic Marker HD sequel on the Wii U now. Not only could the game still support Wii Remote and Nunchuk controls, but I think using the GamePad to draw in the game would work very well also.
LittleBigPlanet - This is another game, like Super Mario Bros. 3, that I find myself playing most often with Bean 1 watching and/or being voluntold by him to beat a level in it. We have made pretty good progress in the game, but Bean 1 has discovered how to find the user created levels, and watching him run around in the Nintendo-Mario themed levels is a lot of fun, and some of them are incredibly well designed.
Fat Princess - This is a demo I had downloaded on our PS3 for a long time, but never played it. Bean 1 randomly requested I give the game a try one night, so I did having no clue what to expect. After not winning the first night, and just running around the battle losing, I turned it off defeated. After figuring out what to do the second night, winning became a lot more achievable, and I can see why this game was pretty popular when it first released. If you haven't played Fat Princess, you should be able to still find a demo for it on the PSN store, and give it a try.

Nintendo Land - I briefly talked about my time with Nintendo Land in my Caffeinated Thoughts on the Wii U piece, and I have since played it a bit more. I actually put more time into Metroid Blast and The Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest. I am really enjoying Metroid Blast, and The Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest is surprisingly better than I was expecting using the GamePad controls. Bean 1 and I completed one of the Battle Quest missions together, with me using the Wii Remote+ and him using the GamePad. So, while he figured out the GamePad controls I was able to swing away and help keep us going for a bit. It was actually a lot of fun, and we completed the mission we did together.
ZombiU - This is the Wii U game I completed in November. It kept me coming back to it, night after night. If you can go into ZombiU not expecting it to be perfect, but expecting a different experience, I think you will enjoy it. Go in thinking survival horror, even with a sense of survival terror thrown in; and don't go in thinking you will be burning down rows-after-rows of zombies with guns, and don't think your melee weapon will be wielded like a lightsaber (for SHAME!) delivering you up 1,000 hit combos. I really don't understand the mindset of some of the early reviewers on ZombiU, complaining about things like the melee combat in the game, since the melee combat is one of the very things that helps deliver the mood of the game. It's as if the "reviewers" were expecting a guns-a-blazing game, grabbed the wrong game and perhaps realized they got ZombiU only after getting home. Reading some of the reviews appears they were expecting to get Resident Evil 5 or 6 action based game instead; I just don't know. Also, many of the early reviews have incorrect information (entire paragraphs in some), and leave out alternate, relative, information (if you tell me the game has "Low" replay value, but fail to tell me if you beat it, how many hours it took you, or how many survivors, I can't really judge much on the replay value). One even complained about scanning with the GamePad via motion controls, but FAILED to mention an alternative default control option for doing the same exact action in the game.
Trine 2 - Is this The Princess Bride of video games? It's told via storybook like the movie was, and the game definitely has a good assortment of characters from the start. The sense of humor in the writing is there so far, and the way the characters interact with each through dialogue randomly as you progress is a nice touch as well. Have I said how incredible the game looks? I really hope that NSMBU looks this good, or there might be a "Caffeinated Thoughts! Nintendo is LAZY!" post incoming. I actually now pretty much use only the GamePad when I'm playing Trine 2, not even looking at the TV. Perhaps once we get a new HD TV, that will be remedied? The GamePad play is really great though, and very convenient for lounge playing late at night on the couch. I haven't tried the online yet, but Bean 1 and I did complete the first section together, and I have since made pretty good progress in the game (I think), playing through about one section each night this last week. If any of you have Trine 2 on the Wii U and want to play it online, feel free to add my NNID to your Wii U friend list: Coffees.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 - That's right. The future is black coffee, and Black Ops 2. I have been playing Black Ops 2 on the Wii U, though most of my time with it in November was the very last night of the month. I have played a bit of the single-player campaign and the multiplayer, and the streaming of the game to the GamePad is done very well. Now, I will say for some reason the game doesn't use up the entire GamePad screen display when it streams to it. I'm not sure why it displays the way it does, but it works very well nonetheless, and I found myself using the GamePad streaming feature quite often my first night with the game.

Questions
Did any of you get a Wii U in November, and if so, what games have you been enjoying on it? If you didn't get a Wii U, but have been gaming in general, are there any games you would recommend that you played during the month?

Again, if you missed my "Caffeinated Thoughts on the Wii U" piece, my Wii U ID is Coffees, and feel free to add that to your Wii U friend list, and I'll add you back!

As always, if you have any questions about the coffees I consumed or games I played during the month, feel free to leave a question below or send me an email to: Scott(@)CoffeeWithGames.com.

Caffeinated Thoughts on the Wii U

How many beans can you count?

Coffee Beans
So, the Saturday night before the Wii U released on the 18th, I attempted to find a Wii U at a midnight release in town, but having no such fortune I ended up just getting our reserved Wii U system on Sunday as was originally planned.

I brought the Wii U home, but didn't start setting it up until a few hours later (about 3:30PM), after making sure the Beans were down for their naps.

With almost 2 weeks with the Wii U system now, what do I think about it? Brew yourself some coffee, probably a whole pot for this post, and let's take a look!

Watch the Wii U game prices.

Coffee Beans
I went to the Wal-Mart closest to our house earlier tonight to see how their electronics section is handling the Wii U launch, and to see if by any chance they are doing a midnight release. They aren't doing a midnight release for the system, but while I was browsing the video game section I spotted a few Wii U games already out, with prices listed for each.

If you are heading to Wal-Mart tonight (or this week) to try and grab a Wii U and are planning on picking up Scribblenauts Unlimited make sure to bring a price match ad from perhaps Target, or an online scan from Amazon.com. Wal-Mart had the game listed at $59.96, but Target.com, Amazon.com, and a Game Stop store tonight all have Scribblenauts Unlimited for the Wii U now with a list price of $49.99, instead of the $59.99 (or $59.96).

So, if you're going out Wii U shopping this next week, make sure to watch game prices across a few different sites to make sure you are getting the best deals for your money.

If you haven't seen the newest Wii U commercials for Scribblenauts Unlimited yet, here's one of them:

Questions
Are any of you planning on buying Scribblenauts Unlimited with the Wii U, and if you have played the past Scribblenauts games, do you think a 3.5 year old would enjoy them?

You can see Scribblenauts Unlimited on Amazon.com below with the lower list price:

Caffeinated Thoughts on the Wii U GamePad (demo unit).

Coffee Beans & Brew
There have been Wii U demo stations popping up in Best Buy, Game Stop, and even Wal-Mart stores around the U.S. for the last several weeks. We ventured out a few weeks back, but didn't find a Wii U demo station on our first attempt.

This past Monday afternoon, after checking Nintendo's Wii U demo locator, I ventured out to a Best Buy to give one a try. Upon entering the Best Buy the Wii U demo station was easy to spot in the middle of the store with the Wii U logo being lit up on top, helping draw attention to the unit. The Wii U demo unit on display was the white Wii U console and GamePad, which I believe is the standard color for the demo stations.

What did I think of my short time with the Wii U and the Wii U GamePad? Brew yourself some coffee and read my thoughts on the GamePad, and even find out one thing I found to be uncomfortable about the GamePad!

Rabbids went home? Rabbids find a new home! Rabbids Go Home data report.

Coffee Beans
The Rabbids will be finding a new home this Sunday in North America, when the Wii U launches and they start invading the console through Rabbids LAND; but the Rabbids have had a home on the Wii for the last several years.

Rabbids Go Home was released on November 3, 2009 for the Wii, at a MSRP of $49.99. It was the Rabbids' first comedy-adventure, according to Ubisoft, and players helped the Rabbids collect junk in their attempt to make a ladder of sorts, to the moon. The game was developed by Ubisoft Montpellier, and received an ESRB rating of "EVERYONE 10+" with "Cartoon Violence, Crude Humor, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Tobacco Reference" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.

How many U.S. Wii owners have reported playing Rabbids Go Home, and how many hours have they reported trying to help the Rabbids get home? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

Call of Duty? Conduit? GoldenEye? Metroid? What is the most played FPS Wii game in the U.S.?

The Roast
The Wii has had a variety of first-person shooter (FPS) games released during the last 6 years, some of the more popular Wii FPS titles you can see in the image above. With more than 20 FPS games released for the Wii, at least 10 have had online multiplayer, while some have been more single player focused like Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and Red Steel 2.

What is the most played FPS game on the Wii in the United States, according to the overall total hours reported and the average hours reported "Per person" on the Nintendo Channel? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

Nintendo's U.S. Wii U TV advertising. Marketing genius, or marketing failure?

Coffee Beans
There are now four official Wii U commercials for the United States. There is the official "Wii U Advertising Campaign Launch Video", which is the only one minute Wii U commercial so far; and New Super Mario Bros. U, Nintendo Land, and SiNG Party each have their own 30 second commercial.

The U.S. Wii U commercials have received mixed reactions from fans, and for various reasons: the music, the presentation, the information (or lack thereof). The video above is the slightly updated version of my original updated version of Nintendo's "Wii U Advertising Campaign Launch Video", that Nintendo of America revealed last Thursday.

Do the U.S. Wii U commercials do a good enough job at addressing the fact that the Wii U is a brand new console, with a brand new controller? Will the way that each U.S. commercial is worded be a genius marketing strategy, or a marketing failure? Brew yourself some coffee and hit the jump to take a look at the commercials, and specifically listen to the way the Wii U is talked about in each commercial.

Coffee Shop - Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition for $9.99 (PS3, 360, PC)

Coffee Beans
If you have been interested in Fallout 3, but have never bought it, now may be a great time to grab it. The Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC is currently on sale for just $9.99.

The game is eligible for Amazon.com's "FREE Super Saver Shipping" which applies to orders totaling over $25, and is also eligible for free shipping for Amazon Prime members.

If you have played Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, do you recommend one over the other?

You can purchase the Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition for the PlayStation 3, HERE. The Xbox 360 version, HERE. The PC version, HERE. Or, by clicking on their boxes below:

Coffee Bean Counting: Which launch Wii U Ubisoft game(s) are you interested in?

Coffee Beans
Which Wii U third party publisher will have the most games when the system launches on November 18th? From my count, Ubisoft. As of now, Ubisoft will have six games available to purchase when the Wii U releases, with a few more games being published for the system before the end of March 2013.

The last Coffee Bean Counting poll ended last week, and which Ubisoft Wii U launch title had the most votes? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

Vote? Don't vote? Gamers vote? Everybody votes? Did you vote? Everybody Votes Channel Data Report

Coffee Beans
Today, November 6, 2012, is the general election in the United States, and many Americans will be going to cast votes for the next President of the United States, if they haven't already.

The Everybody Votes Channel was released on February 13, 2007 for the Nintendo Wii and was (and is) available as a free Wii Channel download from the Wii's Shop Channel. If you own a Nintendo Wii, you have the opportunity to participate in weekly votes through the Everybody Votes Channel. The questions are usually simple, such as one this week being something like, "Do you feel small when looking at stars?", and they have been consistently updated.

How many hours have U.S. Wii owners reported voting through the Everybody Votes Channel with over 5 years of data possibly reported? Brew yourself some coffee on this general election day, and let's take a look!

Nintendo's U.S. Wii U Commercials, and updated Coffee "Launch Video" version

Coffee Beans
This past Thursday, November 1st, Nintendo showed its first Wii U launch video produced for the United States. They released a New Super Mario Bros. U commercial and a SiNG Party commercial, both Wii U games, last week as well.

The official launch video has received very mixed reactions. Some Nintendo fans think it's okay, and that it will do okay with multiple viewings. Others think it's pretty bad at conveying what the Wii U is and what the Wii U is about, and aren't fans of the music chosen for it.

If you missed the new Wii U launch video an commercials last week for the U.S., brew yourself some coffee and hit the jump to see them below, as well as my updated version of the first official "Wii U Advertising Campaign Launch Video"!

Coffee Shop - The Last Story for $8 on Amazon.com!

Coffee Beans
The title says it all really, The Last Story is currently on sale for only $8.00 on Amazon.com! I just did the debut data report on the game not even 2 weeks ago, which you can read HERE.

For $8.00, if you're like the average Wii owner that has reported data from the game, you should be able to expect at least around 18 hours of gameplay from The Last Story.

If you have been interested in the game, now is probably the best time to grab it if you wanted it, or are thinking about giving it as a birthday or Christmas gift this year. You can buy it now and just leave it in your collection of games as an incomplete game if you have a big backlog of games, which is not necessarily a bad thing; and if you grab it on sale that means there is more money, for more coffee in your pot!

Grab it while you can, HERE (and below), as I'm guessing this sale won't last long!

October Brewed - Coffees Consumed, Games Played, & Site Notes

Coffee Beans
October has vanished like Halloween candy from a kid's basket! If you skimmed here occasionally during October, here are some posts you might have missed:
     1) Is Okami for the PS3 worth $20? How many hours can you expect from Okami? Data Report
     2) Can the Wii U GamePad be charged with a USB port on the console? Nintendo answers, sort of...
     3) Nintendo says no, then yes, now no AGAIN on LEGO City: Undercover's multiplayer feature.
     4) New Super Mario Bros. U to have online multiplayer? "Online Interactions Not Rated..."
     5) What is the most played Just Dance Wii game?
     6) STAY CALM! Wii U's Miiverse details before launch, & all Wii U features and functionality ready at launch? Nintendo's Bill Trinen and Scott Moffitt
     7) "Black Ops II will just be on Wii U", Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 not releasing for the 3DS, DS, or Wii.

November is now brewing, and what coffees did I consume and games did I play during October? Brew yourself some coffee and let's take a look!

Coffees Consumed
Maxwell House coffees were the main coffee blends for us in October, with us finishing off a Maxwell House Gourmet Roast blend container, as well a Maxwell House 100% Colombian blend.

Another coffee that we brewed quite often in October, one Mrs. Coffee gave me as one of my birthday gifts, was the Gevalia Espresso Roast. The name says it all really, "Espresso Roast" and it is a nice, super dark, roast. I enjoyed it a great deal, but it was a tad too strong for Mrs. Coffee's liking.

Games Played
The skimmer list for games I played in October is: Super Mario 64, Super Mario World, Rage of the Gladiator, New Super Mario Bros. DS, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Mutant Mudds, LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean, Double Dragon Neon, Punch-Out!!, Rayman Raving Rabbids 2, BIT.TRIP COMPLETE, Mario Kart Wii, and LittleBigPlanet.

All Super Mario Games - I'm still playing these with Bean 1, randomly. The Mario game(s) he selects to play can vary each day, but in October Super Mario 64 was a favorite of his, as well as New Super Mario Bros. Wii. We have made decent progress in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and when he requests me to play through a level with him, I am instructed to carry him through the entire level. He doesn't want to bubble necessarily (he did enjoy doing that for a while), he just wants me to carry Toad, Luigi, or Mario (depending who I'm playing as) through the level and survive. He recognized and called out New Super Mario Bros. U in the first Wii U system commercial Nintendo released yesterday, then went back to his snacks.

Rage of the Gladiator - I'm just going to leave the following link for a site that covers a lot of digitally downloaded titles: http://www.facebook.com/RageOfTheGladiator.
Batman: Arkham Asylum - Our neighbors are gamers, and we have loaned/traded games over the last few years. The last loan-trade was me giving him Metroid: Other M, and me getting Batman: Arkham Asylum in return. I completed Arkham Asylum in October, and I enjoyed my time with the game. Being that the game can be found for under $20 new, if you have been interested in this title but not played it, I can easily recommend the game.
Mutant Mudds - I'm still playing through Mutant Mudds, and enjoying it. I have said it before, and I'll say it again, if you enjoy challenging platformers, I recommend you give the game a try. Bean 1 had discovered the start menu on my PC and I have randomly found him attempting to play the game a few times, and he will tell me sometimes to play "Mutant Mudds" so he can watch me. I'm waiting to learn more about Mutant Mudds Deluxe for the Wii U, before I worry with buying the Xbox 360 controller to make it easier for Bean 1 to play it on my PC.
LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean - Mrs. Coffee gave me this as a gift a few months back, but it wasn't until October that I actually opened it up. I have completed the first movie's levels so far, and have enjoyed my time back in a LEGO video game world. I think the developers did a great job making LEGO Captain Jack run/walk like he does in the movies, and I like how in certain levels there aren't hidden/invisible walls to keep you from venturing further than they want, but an actual LEGO shark in the water to help keep you where they want you.
Double Dragon Neon - I won this in a contest/giveaway over on Chalgyr's Game Room, and played through the first level, and almost finished the second level (maybe third?). The game plays well so far, and the boss I'm currently on though was giving me quite the challenge my first night, and after a few attempts I had to get that thing some call sleep. I haven't been back to it since, but I do plan on trying to finish it up this month.
Punch-Out!! - I'm slowly making my way through the game's Title Defense Mode, and I believe Bear Hugger was the last boxer I was able to get my belt back from. Yes, he pummeled so many times while I was trying to figure out the new timing of his attacks.

Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 - Did you miss the Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 data report post? If so, you can see how many hours the game has been played, as well as gameplay video I uploaded from one of the FPS minigames in it. Bean 1 enjoys one of the plunger FPS levels a lot (the one in the video), and can make his way through it. Every time the Rabbid shows up with a camera, he says, "Cheese!" Bean 1 also found the Rabbids LAND trailer on the Wii's Nintendo Channel earlier this week, and played it 3-4 times in a row laughing at the Rabbids in the trailer. I'm interested in Rabbids LAND on the Wii U, as I mentioned in the data post, because of Ubisoft's history/support on the Wii.
BIT.TRIP COMPLETE - If you missed my birthday post, Mrs. Coffee gave me this game(s) as a gift. I have just played BIT.TRIP RUNNER on it, but I have enjoyed the game so far. I'm up to world 1-11, I think? Considering I burned through almost the first world my first night with it, I may finish this one sooner than I was expecting. I am looking forward to hearing more about Runner2 on the Wii U, so hopefully I finish this one up soon, and perhaps be ready for more endless running when the Wii U launches.

Screen grab from Bean 1 playing.

Mario Kart Wii - Bean 1 randomly, out of nowhere, asked to play the, "Mario Wii Racing" game one day. I was surprised he remember the game from his time with it from over a month ago, and broke it out for him to try. We have both played the game, sometimes together, but often times with me watching him, or him watching me. He surprised me earlier in the week when he finished 2nd in a race, which means he's made some great improvements since he first started off by driving in circles and often in reverse.
LittleBigPlanet - This is Bean 1's final game delay tactic at night. The PlayStation 3 is the console closest to his room, and to play LittleBigPlanet is his last request/delay tactic. He enjoys finding a lot of the user created levels, and just running around in them. He completes many of them though, and I'm impressed with how he has learned to grab and hold onto items since he first started playing the game not that long ago.

Site Notes
Changes are brewing! If you haven't noticed, there's a tab that has now been removed from the top section. The "Reader Points" tab has been removed, but the "Reader Points" that were there are stored (across three emails!), and if I can get over my reluctance to go to the Post Office again, I can mail the rest...yes, they are sitting on the table, and Bean 1 has been looking at them this last week.

Also, gameplay videos (of myself playing and even Bean 1, and Mrs. Coffee occasionally) and impressions of games will become more standard on the site, and the "Critics vs. Consumers" posts will continue. Data posts will continue, but probably slow down once the Wii U releases, unless the Wii U provides the same type of data for Wii U games...PLEASE NINTENDO! I have even been experimenting, a little, with a podcast idea...

There's a few other features/ideas/changes I have been roasting for a while now, and one should be popping up at the end of next week.

Questions
What video games did you play in October, and are there any you would recommend to others? Also, were there any new coffee blends or drinks of choice in October, perhaps even while gaming?

As always, if you have any questions about the games I played, or the coffees I consumed in October, please me in the comment section below, or by sending me an email.

Halloween candy laced with the t-Virus making people zombies? Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles Data Report

Coffee Beans
Halloween is over, and the only zombies we saw were on a t-shirt! Did you know the Nintendo Wii has had five Resident Evil games released on it? One, two, three, four, and five!

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles released on November 13, 2007 for the Nintendo Wii with a MSRP of $49.95. The game was published by Capcom, and it received an ESRB rating of "MATURE" with "Blood and Gore, Violence" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.

How many hours can you expect from Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles if you have never played it? How many U.S. Wii owners have reported playing it, and how many hours have they reported playing the game since it released? You may be feeling like a zombie from all the Halloween candy, so make sure to brew yourself some coffee and let's take a look!

"Black Ops II will just be on the Wii U", Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 not releasing for the 3DS, DS, or Wii.

Coffee Beans
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 will be releasing on November 13th, and until now Activision has been quiet about the game releasing for the Nintendo Wii, DS, or 3DS.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 has already been confirmed as a Wii U launch title, even pre-launch of sorts, and it will be available to purchase on November 13th. Will Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 release for the Wii, DS, or 3DS this year? Brew yourself some coffee, and hit the jump for a quick Call of Duty games history on the Nintendo DS and Wii, as well as the answers!

Halloween? Check! Hordes of zombies? Check! The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return Data Report

Coffee Beans
The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return released for the Nintendo Wii on March 11, 2008. The game was published by Sega, and it received an ESRB rating of "MATURE" with "Blood and Gore, Violence" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.

How many hours of gameplay can you expect battling the undead in The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return if you haven't played it? How many U.S. Wii owners have reported playing the game, and how many hours have they reported playing it since the game released over 4 years ago? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

The Walking Dead to Wii U? Walkers don't talk, neither does Telltale Games?

Somebody, or THING, needs some coffee.

Coffee Beans
The Walking Dead episodic games series by Telltale Games is currently available for PC/MAC owners, PlayStation 3 owners, Xbox 360 owners, and iPhone/iPad owners. The series currently has four episodes available to play, and Episode 5 is scheduled for release in December.

After seeing the first two seasons of The Walking Dead on Netflix and finding it interesting, I contacted Telltale Games about the possibility of The Walking Dead episodic games series releasing for the Wii U, since I have the system reserved and because they do have a history of developing an episodic games series on a Nintendo platform.

No answer is usually an answer, but in this situation I have no clue what that answer might be. Maybe my questions weren't clear enough? I know walkers don't talk, at least that's what I have heard, but apparently from my email communications neither does Telltale Games. Brew yourself some coffee, and hit the jump to see my questions emailed to Telltale Games.

"Zombies. Groovy." Black Ops 2 Live Action Trailer

Coffee Beans
Call of Duty: Black Ops II will soon land at retailers nation-wide and be available to purchase on November 13th. Treyarch and Activision are busy getting Black Ops II ready for launch, and like last year's release of a live-action trailer for Modern Warfare 3, that has now been followed up with today's release of a live-action trailer for Black Ops II. Brew yourself some coffee, and enjoy the trailer (a few times)!

*NOTE! Apparently the beans spilled out of the bag too soon, and someone released the trailer earlier than it was supposed to be release! Coming from a follow up email, "The explosive :60 second high-octane piece, titled 'Surprise,' will be unveiled on network television in the U.S. tonight on Monday Night Football and will rollout worldwide across high-profile telecasts including elite European football matches."

Mall walkers, or zombies? Probably both? Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop Data Report

Coffee Beans
Halloween 2012 is almost here, and over the next few days we will see how many hours Wii owners in the US have reported playing different zombie related games. Do zombies drink coffee? It probably depends on your definition of zombie, but apparently they do like shopping malls.

Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop was released for the Wii on February 24, 2009 with a MSRP of $39.99. The game received an ESRB rating of "MATURE" with "Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.

How many hours of gameplay can you expect from Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop, and how many more US Wii owners and hours have been reported battling zombies in Colorado with Frank West since the last report? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

STAY CALM! Wii U's Miiverse details before launch, & all Wii U features and functionality ready at launch? Nintendo's Bill Trinen and Scott Moffitt

Coffee Beans
Do you still have questions about the features and functionality of the Wii U?

There is now less than a month (21 days left, as of today!) before US shoppers can grab the Wii U from store shelves, and run home to play it. Nintendo of America just had another Nintendo Direct conference this week, on Thursday, that detailed games for the Nintendo 3DS system, but it provided no new information about the Wii U system or games for US consumers.

How does Miiverse work? What about the Wii U's eShop games and details? Does the Wii U video chat feature function like the Wii Speak Channel? How about Wii U online multiplayer details? Will every Wii U system feature and functionality we know about be ready when the system launches?

These may be some questions about the Wii U you're wondering about, as I am myself.

Brew yourself some coffee, and hit the jump to listen to Nintendo of America's Bill Trinen's statement about Miiverse being covered in "more detail", and Nintendo of America's EVP of Sales & Marketing Scott Moffitt's response about the Wii U having all features and functionality "right at launch"!

Hours debut for The Last Story! Data Report

Coffee Beans
What's faster than Sin & Punishment: Star Successor, but slower than Xenoblade Chronicles?

The Last Story released for the Wii on August 14, 2012 with a MSRP of $49.99. The game was developed by MISTWALKER, and published by XSEED Games for its North American release. The Last Story received an ESRB rating of "TEEN" with "Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.

How many US Wii owners have reported playing The Last Story, and how many hours have they reported playing since the game released? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

What is the most played Just Dance Wii game?

The Roast
The first Just Dance game released on November 17, 2009 for the Nintendo Wii. The game did not receive a typical professional review score average that would make you think it would become one of the best selling Wii games, but apparently many consumers ignored the "professional reviews" and bought the original Just Dance in droves. It has sold millions of copies and its success helped form a new major franchise for Ubisoft, with at least one new game for the series each year, since the original released.

In January this year, Ubisoft announced that since the series launched, it had sold more than 25 million copies. The Wii has had at least 8 games from the Just Dance series, from my count:

• Just Dance
• Just Dance 2
• Just Dance 3
• Just Dance 4
• Just Dance Greatest Hits
• Just Dance Summer Party
• Just Dance Kids
• Just Dance Kids 2

Another Just Dance title is releasing this Tuesday, Just Dance: Disney Party.

Which Just Dance game has become the Wii's most played "Per person" and also has the most total hours of gameplay reported, with so many titles for Wii owners to choose from? (Hint: It's not Just Dance 4.) Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

Time for rabid Rabbids on Wii U? Time for rabid Rabbids on Wii! Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 Data Report

Coffee Beans
Are you looking forward to Rabbids LAND on the Wii U? Did you play any of the Rabbids games on the Wii? We're taking the plunge, and looking at one of them today!

Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 was released for the Wii on November 13, 2007 in the U.S., and was developed by Ubisoft Paris. It released with a MSRP of $49.99, and received an ESRB rating or "EVERYONE 10+" with "Cartoon Violence, Crude Humor" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.

How many U.S. Wii owners have reported playing Rayman Raving Rabbids 2, and how many hours have they reported being Rabbid rabid? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

New Super Mario Bros. U to have online multiplayer? "Online Interactions Not Rated..."

Coffee Beans
Will New Super Mario Bros. U have some form of online multiplayer?

New Super Mario Bros. U will be releasing with the Wii U on November 18th, just over a month away now. Nintendo has not really detailed the Wii U's online features, and hasn't even really confirmed which Wii U launch games will feature any sort of online multiplayer, yet. We do know New Super Mario Bros. U and Nintendo Land, both Wii U launch titles, have Miiverse functionality; but Miiverse details have not been fully discussed by Nintendo either.

At the Wii U Preview on September 13th, Nintendo showed off two new game modes in New Super Mario Bros. U for the first time, those being the Boost Rush Mode and Challenge Mode. So, Nintendo had kept two new modes in New Super Mario Bros. U under wraps until the Wii U event, and nothing was said if either of those modes would have an online multiplayer function.

Why do I think New Super Mario Bros. U might have a form of online multiplayer, outside of just Miiverse communication? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

Greedy? Uncouth? Rude? Wario! Wario Land: Shake It! Data Report

Coffee Beans
Why did Nintendo stop publishing and shipping Wario Land: Shake It! as I reported in January 2010, and why isn't the game a Wii Nintendo Selects title yet? Is it because Nintendo thinks the "W" is misprinted upside-down in the title? If the game was, "Mario Land: Shake It!", would it be a Nintendo Selects title already?

Wario Land: Shake It! was released for the Wii on September 22, 2008 in the U.S., and was developed by GOOD-FEEL and published by Nintendo. The game released with a MSRP of $49.99, and it received an ESRB rating of "Everyone" with "Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence" listed as content for gamers and parents to be aware of.

How many U.S. Wii owners have reported playing Wario Land: Shake It!, and how many hours have they reported playing it? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

Coffee Bean Counting: Which Wii U digital title(s) are you interested in?

Coffee Beans
Another Coffee Bean Counting poll was posted last week, and has now closed. While Nintendo has shown and detailed many of the Wii U's retail games, and we know the MSRPs on most of them, there isn't a lot of information on the Wii U's digital titles. We don't know specific release dates for any of them yet, though some developers have said launch day is what they're trying for; and more importantly (to me anyway) we don't know the prices of the Wii U's digital titles yet.

Hopefully, Nintendo will be answering here soon exactly what digital titles will be available to purchase when the Wii U launches on November 18th here in the U.S., and what prices new Wii U owners can expect to pay for the games. Knowing what the Wii U digital titles will cost me, will probably effect my buying decisions with other Wii U accessories, and even other Wii U retail games.

So, which Wii U digital game had the most votes in the poll that started last week, and which titles did I select? Brew yourself some coffee, and take a look!

The Brew
The poll ran from Wednesday, October 3, 2012 through Wednesday, October 10, 2012. The poll question and available answers to select from can be seen below (also in the main Wii U GamePad image above).

Which Wii U digital title(s) are you interested in?
Little Inferno                                                  15.79%  (6 votes)
Mutant Mudds                                                  7.89%  (3 votes)
Nano Assault Neo                                          15.79%  (6 votes)
Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien          13.16%  (5 votes)
Toki Tori 2                                                     13.16%  (5 votes)
Trine 2: Director's Cut                                   34.21%  (13 votes)

How about some awesome charts? Well, PollDaddy even provided charts for the results, so I don't have to plug the results into any spreadsheet program. You can see them below:

Caffeinated Thoughts
I was surprised by the results. I had never heard of Trine 2 that I can recall, until I saw it at E3 this year. I wasn't sure how popular the Trine games were, so I wasn't expecting it to place first in the poll. What Wii U digital game(s) were on my short list of placing first?

I thought Little Inferno, Mutant Mudds, or Runner2 would get the most votes. The reason I thought this is because Little Inferno is being developed by Tomorrow Corporation, which consists of the guys behind World of Goo. I thought Mutant Mudds would be higher due to Renegade Kid's solid support of the Nintendo DS and 3DS, and the fact that Mutant Mudds is a solid, if challenging, platforming title. As for Runner2, it is being developed as a sequel to BIT.TRIP RUNNER and by the same team, so I thought perhaps it might get more votes as well.

So, I was basically thinking that games from developers that have a history of working with Nintendo were going to do well. Again, I just didn't expect the one game I hadn't heard of before E3, Trine 2: Director's Cut, from a developer I didn't  really know, Frozenbyte, to do so well; but that's not a bad thing!

As for which Wii U digital titles I voted for, I selected all of them. Yes, you could do that! It was an honest vote though, as I really think the Wii U digital titles we know about right now, all seem to provide something different from the others (at least from what I can tell), which I think is awesome.

Questions
Which Wii U digital title(s) are you interested in?

Are there any Wii U digital titles that have been announced, that perhaps I didn't include in the poll, that you are really interested in?

Wario has smooth moves? WarioWare: Smooth Moves Data Report

Coffee Beans
Are you ready for Game & Wario on the Wii U? Before looking forward, we're looking back!

WarioWare: Smooth Moves released for the Wii on January 15, 2007 with a MSRP around $49.99. The game was developed by Nintendo's Intelligent Systems, and received an ESRB rating of "Everyone 10+" with "Crude Humor, Mild Cartoon Violence" listed as content for games and parents to be aware of.

The game features "more than 200 lightning-quick microgames", and its "Game Type" is listed as "Mass Microgrames" from Nintendo via the press page.

How many U.S. Wii owners have reported playing the craziness that is WarioWare: Smooth Moves, and how many hours have they reported playing it? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

My very "coffee with games" birthday...

Coffee Beans
Last week, as has happened every year for my entire life on the same day, I turned another year older. Crazy, I know.

Last week, on my "September Brewed - Coffees Consumed, Games Played!" post, SOMEBODY attempted to spill the beans about my birthday in the comments. FYI, I know who you are, and where you sleep!

So, what items did I get for my birthday last week? Brew yourself some coffee (if you haven't already), and take a look below (picture included for skimmers)!

The CoffeeWithGames feedback winner is...

Coffee Beans
Did you miss the "CoffeeWithGames Turns 3!" post at the end of August? Well, I ended up having to wait until we finished our Maxwell House Gourmet Roast coffee, so I could have a coffee container for the giveaway drawing.

To enter the contest I said in the post, "If you leave feedback to the questions below, I'll put your name in the coffee container...and draw it for a coffee and/or game related giveaway."

I dropped the names in the coffee container, gave it a good shaking, but I didn't draw out the winner. Mrs. Coffee did! Brew yourself some coffee, and see which lucky provider of feedback was picked from the container!

Nintendo says no, then yes, now no AGAIN on LEGO City: Undercover's multiplayer feature.

Coffee Beans
Does LEGO City: Undercover have a multiplayer option?

About 2 weeks ago now, I posted how Nintendo representatives had been back and forth on LEGO City: Undercover having some form of multiplayer, because the fact sheet for the game showed, "Players: 1-2", while the official page for the game showed, "No. of Players: 1". I waited patiently on responses from Nintendo representatives, and Jeremy, from NintendoFuse.com, even offered to send an email asking for clarification.

We both received two different responses though. The response Jeremy received basically said that LEGO City: Undercover does not have a multiplayer feature. The response I received, a few days after his, told me to refer to the fact sheet for the game which said, "Players: 1-2".

After receiving the two responses, I posted up the "Grounds for Celebration! Award - LEGO City: Undercover" and "LEGO City: Undercover to feature multiplayer? Nintendo says no, then yes?" posts that covered the issue and responses.

Well, I received another response a few days after those posts, and apparently the first response was the right one? Brew yourself some coffee, and take a look at the timeline of responses below, as well as another mention of multiplayer in the game from somebody that played it at E3 this year!

Can the Wii U GamePad be charged with a USB port on the console? Nintendo answers, sort of...

Coffee Beans
The Wii U's release is just over a month away now, on November 18th. (44 days, 4 hours, 15 minutes 30 seconds away as of typing this!) Each Wii U console, whether the Deluxe Set or Basic Set, will come with a Wii U GamePad and apparently a Wii U GamePad AC Adapter. From the only pictures I have seen of it, the Wii U GamePad AC Adapter requires an AC outlet; meaning it must be plugged in a wall outlet or power strip.

While the Wii U GamePad can be charged with a cable that has to be plugged in a power outlet for it to charge the GamePad, I was curious if the Wii U GamePad can be charged with just a USB port on the console itself. After some searching and not finding any direct answer to the question, I contacted Nintendo to find out.

I asked, "Can the Wii U GamePad be charged using a USB port on the Wii U console, just with a separate cable; or, can it only be charged with a wall AC outlet?" Brew yourself some coffee, and see how Nintendo responded below!

September Brewed - Coffees Consumed, Games Played!

Coffee Beans
Like coffee in my cup, the month of September is gone! If you skimmed an occasional post here and there during the month, here are some posts you might have missed during September:

• Caffeinated Thoughts on Mutant Mudds!
• Underrated? Overrated? Must Play? Muramasa: The Demon Blade U.S. Data Report
• Wii U's Release Date, Price, Games, & Features - Caffeinated Thoughts
• Is Kirby's Dream Collection worth $40? What do Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards' hours suggest?
• Time for Wave Race Wii U? Time for Wave Race 64 - Data Report
• Critics vs. Customers! Madden NFL 13 - PS3 & Xbox 360 Reviews Averages
• Grounds for Celebration! Award - LEGO City: Undercover

With October already brewing, what coffees did I consume and games did I play in September? Brew yourself some coffee, and let's take a look!

Coffees Consumed

Maxwell House coffees were the dominate coffee blends in our house during September. We had three Maxwell House coffee blends in September that we enjoyed, those being:

• Maxwell House House Blend
• Maxwell House Dark Roast
• Maxwell House Gourmet Roast

For the first time in a few months, we purchased some Starbucks coffee during the month, but it wasn't just for brewing. I had been wanting whole coffee beans to record the grinding sound with our grinder, for the Grounds for Celebration videos. Mrs. Coffee was out one day early in September, and I messaged her asking if she could grab some whole coffee beans before coming home. She purchased the Starbucks Blonde Veranda Blend, and it is an extremely light blend. If you don't like your coffee dark and very strong, this would be a good blend to try.

Over the last weekend in September though, Mrs. Coffee and I packed our bags and loaded the car with the boys, and headed off to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee with some friends. While we were in Gatlinburg, I searched for a local coffee shop that I could perhaps grab a cup of coffee from on National Coffee Day. I found a local shop, Coffee & Company, and tried their house blend for the day (either the Costa Rican Tarrazu or the Le Conte View roast).

Games Played

The short list for the games I played in September is: New Super Mario Bros. DS, Super Mario World, Super Mario 64, LittleBigPlanet, Mutant Mudds, Rage of the Gladiator, Blacklight: Retribution, Batman: Arkham Asylum, 2 Fast 4 Gnomz, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario Bros., and BIT.TRIP RUNNER.

New Super Mario Bros. DS - Bean 1 is still playing this, even with a barely functioning bottom screen. He'll ask/tell me (or, I'll be volun-told as Chalgyr said) to play few of the levels from time-to-time, and we are currently back in World 3. I have been tempted to take apart the DS Lite, and see if I can figure out the touch screen problems; I even looked up a few YouTube videos on how to do it.

Super Mario World - Not much new here to report, but Bean 1 and I are still enjoying this one on the Virtual Console like most of the other Mario games.

Super Mario 64 - This one became Bean 1's Mario game of choice in September. He has improved GREATLY in the game. I have attempted to record footage of him in the levels a few times, but usually start recording a little late. He beat Koopa the Quick on September 9th, and enjoys running around the castle and levels; but like NSMBDS, I get asked/told to play a few levels and do a few things in it from time-to-time.

LittleBigPlanet - Bean 1 asks to play this as his last delay tactic before bed usually. He is pretty good at getting through levels in the game now, and he has found some incredibly designed player created levels, with Mario themes and even a Phineas and Ferb level that I was really impressed with. Like the Mario games, I usually get asked to play a few of the levels to help out, and show him how to get through certain areas.

Mutant Mudds - I purchased Mutant Mudds for my PC the first week of September, and I have really enjoyed my time with it so far. The game is definitely challenging, and platforming fans should enjoy it. I have been using the default controls in the game, but you can adjust them or use a separate gamepad if you want. Bean 1 has even attempted to play a few of the levels, which I found amusing to watch.

Rage of the Gladiator - I played a few matches again, and realized that there are quite a few bosses I haven't recorded/uploaded any footage from yet. I may do that for an October post, or two.

Blacklight: Retribution - I decided to give this one another try in September, and enjoyed my time in a few matches one night in September. I actually placed 3rd in a match, which I think is the highest I have placed so far. I just started attempting to change out my gear, and once finding where to look, it seems like a pretty easy process once you have the points and the required level in the game to use better equipment. If you have a Steam account and enjoy FPS games, I would easily recommend you giving Blacklight: Retribution a try considering it is free-to-play.

The game shows the top three players at the end of each match.

Batman: Arkham Asylum - I'm not sure how close I am to beating the game, but I think I have made some decent progress in it so far. Perhaps before the Wii U releases, I can finish Arkham Asylum, then give Arkham City a try on the Wii U. I'm still enjoying my time with the game, and I like how the game is challenging and makes me think of ways to clear rooms of enemies. Batman is not invincible!

2 Fast 4 Gnomz - Bean 1 clicked on this WiiWare demo from the SD card menu on our Wii. I ended up being volunteered by him to play it, and completed the demo. The game is insane, at least from my time with the demo. Think BIT.TRIP RUNNER style where you don't stop moving forward, but the graphical style kept making me wonder if I was going to have a seizure! One thing I did like that 2 Fast 4 Gnomz provided in each level was the number of times you had attempted it. So, if you hit spikes, fall in holes, or just miss your jumps 20, 30, 40, or 50 times, you know exactly how many times you have been tortured by the level. The level of difficulty might be too much for your average gamer also, but if you enjoy tough challenges I do recommend giving the demo a try.

Super Mario Bros. 3 - Another Virtual Console game that has shown to be a great value for us. Bean 1 is still running around in some of the levels, and can complete World 1-1 and World 1-2 now usually without any/many issues.

BIT.TRIP RUNNER - On National Coffee Day, I started with the Maxwell House Gourmet Roast, then the house blend from Coffee & Company, then a cup from McDonald's, then I ended the day/night with another cup(s) of the Maxwell House Gourmet Roast. Right before sleep took over Saturday night, I played BIT.TRIP RUNNER on Mrs. Coffee's laptop.

Questions

Did you have a coffee blend/roast of choice in September?  What video games did you play during September, and would you recommend any of the ones that you did play?

Also, if you have any questions about the games I played or the coffees I consumed in September, feel free to ask in the comment section below.