Things have been a little quiet here at Chic Pixel during the holiday, but now that I’m feeling refreshed and recharged, it’s time to get back in the posting groove! And what better way than with some best of 2015 lists? First, I’d like to share my five favorite video games that came out this year. There are many (so, so many) games that came out in 2015 I still need to play, so please keep in mind that the titles that appear here are simply those I put enough time into to consider. But enough with the caveats… on with the list!
Who doesn’t love Splatoon? Nintendo’s new fun, fast-paced, and drop-dead adorable IP has stolen many a heart over the last few months, and it’s not hard to see why. When I’m not jumping online for a quick match in Turf Wars, I’m humming my favorite songs and dreaming I’m half as fresh as the inklings inhabiting the world of Splatoon. If you’re like me and can’t get enough of this amazing title, here are five items you need to put on your wishlist immediately!
In a collaboration with Nintendo’s new ink-based shooter Splatoon, Japanese magazine Famitsu recently held a Squid Fashion Contest to design a new outfit for the game. After going through over 800 submissions, the winning design has been revealed! It will be made available as free costume DLC in August in Japan.
Isn’t it awesome!? There has been so much detail put into this sushi chef design, right down to the shape of the apron knot. And take a look at what kind of sushi that Inkling girl is serving up… Here’s hoping this also comes to North America and Europe!
A number of other finalists were posted, but while they will be receiving prizes for their interesting designs, unfortunately only the one will be making it into the game. You can see the full list over at Famitsu, but here are a couple of my favorites:
Raincoat! This makes total sense – I’d definitely want to wear a trendy neon raincoat if I was constantly getting shot with ink. I suppose it’s a little basic design-wise, but it would be fun if the color of the coat, boots, and glasses changed depending on your current ink color like some of the other clothing in the game.
Now this!! This is adorable. If you’re familiar with Japanese bento, you’ve probably seen miniature hot dogs cut into the shape of octopi before. I absolutely love the idea of turning that into a dress, and the slightly morbid implication of an inkling wearing an Octarian’s skin that the outfit implies. Also, that squid-shaped thing on her head? A toothpick! How neat.
Unfortunately, I imagine some of the runners-up weren’t selected for the DLC due to the fact that they’re designed exclusively for the female inklings. I guess it goes to show that pretty much everyone likes the girl design better!
In a surprising turn of events, Splatoon, Nintendo’s brand new IP for the Wii U, is one of my most anticipated games of 2015. Why? I’d be lying if it wasn’t largely in part of the game’s amazing aesthetic, but the idea of a shooter based around paint guns instead of real guns is really appealing to this cute, peace-loving blogger. Though I was pretty much committed to picking up Splatoon day one, when Nintendo announced they’d be hosting a Global Testfire, I was more than happy to jump in on so I could give Splatoon‘s online multiplayer a spin.
The Testfire was available for three one hour periods this past weekend, allowing players from around the world to play in online matches with a selection of four different weapons and two different maps. While Nintendo gave very little notice before the Testfire commenced, I was able to play during the first session, which started at 1 pm Saturday Australia time. I’m pretty helpless when it comes to shooting games, both first and third person… but even though I only won the very last game I played, I still managed to have a blast!
People often forget, but while the rest of the world is freezing, things are really heating up down here in the Southern Hemisphere! In honor of the summer season, Nintendo of Australia has released a special wallpaper to folks in the land down under, and it’s pretty darn adorable!
The wallpaper, featuring Yoshi and a catsuit-wearing Mario trying to escape the heat, is available in 13 different sizes for computers, tablets, and smartphones. The wallpapers can be downloaded from Nintendo of Australia’s website. Alternatively, I’ve uploaded the whole set here as per request of folks having problems accessing the page.
I just can’t get over Mario”s off-shoulder cat suit. And what’s with Yoshi hogging all the fan?! I know I’ve set this as my iPhone 6’s lock screen, but if you live in the frozen north, you may want to wait until summer rolls around to use this one!
