gaming in schools & libraries
Posts tagged JustinLibrarian
Super Mario Brothers in the Classroom (Part 4 of 7)
Jun 22nd
Released in 1990 as the flagship title for the Super Nintendo, Super Mario World didn’t change how we play video games but it gave the Super Mario Brothers universe some wonderful features that are still featured in the games that we play today.
In particular, two things about Super Mario World stood out to me as I recently replayed the game:
1. The Spin jump: Basically, you jump gets some more firepower. In addition to being able to KO enemy by stomping on their head, the spin jump allowed you to bust bricks and defeat some enemies that couldn’t be killed with the standard jump.
Doesn’t sound too fancy, right? BUT IT IS! Think about modern Mario games and his ever popular butt thump. This is where it came from. The butt thump is a central feature in 3D Mario games.
2. Yoshi: Mario’s always been the star of his games, but Yoshi gives him a major run for his money. It was in Super Mario World that Yoshi made his first appearance. Since then, Yoshi’s had so many spin offs (read my review of one of those here) that he’s almost become his own franchise.
This is what Nintendo does so very well. They’ll add one small element to a game that won’t seem like a big deal, yet over time it becomes almost as important as the original game itself. Yoshi is a perfect example of how a simple idea can be taken to the next level.
So how can we incorporate Super Mario World into the classroom?
- Examine how Yoshi has changed the landscape of Super Mario Brothers. Look at the Yoshi character over a large period of time (1990 to present) and trace the path of his humble beginnings to his current status as a gaming icon almost as big as Mario.
- The little details: The spin jump changed how we play Mario games forever. Has this element been translated into any other games that you can think of? Have students look at the history of games over a time period and focus on the little details. What elements have changed the way we play games?
Sorry for the long overdue part 4 of this installment. I promise to not make you wait for part 5 as long! -Justin
Review: Nintendo DSi
May 19th
WHAT? Hello Nintendo. It’s about time you put something like this out. The Nintendo DSi is the newest in the line of handheld DS series put out by Nintendo. The perks of this new model: two cameras, connection to an online store, and external content storage (via SD card). The bad? The GBA cartridge slot (which opened up a totally different catalog for gamers to play) is gone. Crap.
WHY? The Nintendo DSi seems to be Nintendo’s answer to the Sony PSP. Whereas the PSP has multimedia and internet capabilities, the original DS was rather lacking in that department. The addition of two cameras, the online DSi store, and external content storage has changed that. Can the DSi do what the PSP does? Not really, but that’s not the point. Nintendo manages to incorporate some of those features and twist it up in the Nintendo style. It’s like they’re trying to create their own slightly odd yet refreshing version of a portable gaming/social media device.
WHO? Of course I’m gonna encourage libraries to lend out these systems. Not only are they fun, but they’re teaching users about creating content and sharing it. I’m gonna take this one step further…they’re especially wonderful in pairs. Imagine a family of four being able to swing by the library and rent out four DSi systems for some Saturday night family gaming. Heck, give them Mario Kart DS (see yesterday’s review) and send them on their way. Everyone will have fun as a unit and they’ll get to explore and understand new technology TOGETHER.
And that my friends, is what gaming is all about.
Review: Mario Kart DS
May 18th
WHAT? The immensely popular Mario Kart racing series hits the Nintendo DS with full force. Mario Kart DS was the first title playable via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection online service, thus cementing its place in history as a title MADE for gaming in libraries.
WHY? Let’s talk about community gaming for a moment. Perhaps one of the most wonderful features of the Mario Kart series is that its versus mode not only creates competition but also community. The 8 player Wi-Fi play mode used in conjunction with DS Download Play (players can use only one game card to play multiplayer) will get the crowds together and gaming. This type of play is also cost effective for libraries that are programming (have a copy of Mario Kart DS handy at your gaming events and encourage participants to bring their own DS systems)
WHO? Most of my reviews on Nintendo games always say the same thing…”these titles are so easy to pick up and play that any age can do so with ease.” Mario Kart DS is in the same vein. This title will fly off your library shelves, so I’m gonna recommend extra copies of this game at your library.
(I played this game on the new Nintendo DS-i system, which I will be reviewing here at 8BitLibrary tomorrow. Stay tuned.)
Project Brand Yourself a Librarian UPDATE
May 7th
It has been decided…
The 8BitLibrary team and YOU (well, if you want to) will be going to Jinx Proof Tattoos in Washington DC on SATURDAY JUNE 26TH at 4:30PM.
The bummer? They don’t take appointments. JP and myself will be getting tattoos and we’d love for you to be there to support us (one of us will cry, but who?) or get your own tattoo. Of course, there will be lots of pictures and video. Which leads me to this:
TAGS: Twitter: #librarytat8bit Flickr, Etc: librarytat8bit
AFTERPARTY!
Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 9:30pm
WHERE: RFD Washington
ADDRESS: 810 7th Street
If you support the project, please add this to your blog/wiki/facebook/myspace:
PROJECT BRAND YOURSELF A LIBRARIAN FLICKR GROUP!
OTHER PLACES TO GET TATTOOS IN DC
- Fatty’s Custom Tattoos PHONE: 202-452-0999
- Tattoo Paradise PHONE: 202-232-6699
- Off The Hook Tattoos PHONE: 202-581-2018
- DC Ink PHONE: 202-232-7711
Review: Punch Out!!
Apr 21st
WHAT? Little Mac and Doc Louis are back on the Nintendo Wii. Their quest for the Heavyweight Championship continues in this excellent update of the classic Nintendo series.
WHY? Let’s face it…the series was due for an update. Both the Nintendo 64 and Gamecube didn’t get an updated Punch Out!! In fact, the last title in the series was the excellent Super Punch Out which came out in 1994 (which you can download it on the Wii Virtual Console). The Wiimote/Nunchuck control combination is perfect for the game. It gives the game a classic Wii feel while still remaining an easy to pick up arcade style boxer.
WHO? Think of Punch Out!! as not only a beautiful re-visioning of the classic NES title, but also as an extension of Wii Sports Boxing. Fans of that title (and there are a lot, both young and old), will enjoy Punch Out!! as well as hardcore fans. Each opponent makes the player think about weaknesses and will find them developing strategies for each match. Highly recommended for library collections.
Super Mario Brothers in the Classroom (Part 3 of 7)
Mar 24th
Super Mario Bros. 3 was released in 1990 and since then the Mario franchise has never been the same. While Mario games have really always been big and full of adventure, I believe that this installment really took gaming to the next level and gave the series a solid place in pop culture history.
Each world that Mario or Luigi found themselves in was an epic, themed world that featured multiple levels, different castles, and a boss. These themed levels really created the template for the future worlds that Mario would explore. It gave us characters, locales, and items that all gamers and most non gamers will recognize.
Even more interesting was the promotional campaign Nintendo rolled out for the game. In 1989, the feature film The Wizard starring Fred Savage and Jenny Lewis (later of Rilo Kiley fame!). Basically, the film was an hour and a half long commercial for Nintendo. Did it work. Heck yes. I remember being a rather impressionable nine year old kid that wanted EVERYTHING THAT THIS MOVIE OFFERED ME.
So, wait, where were we? Oh yeah. The movie ended with a video game tournament featuring Super Mario Bros. 3 as the final challenge. It was the first time the game had been shown to a wide audience in North America. The effect? Mass pandemonium and huge sales. Super Mario Bros. 3 quickly became one of the biggest selling and most influential games of all time. Did it have something to do with The Wizard? Thinking back to my nine year self, I’d say yes. I was in hysterics about the game after I saw the film. I had to have it. Advertising really does work.
So how can we incorporate Super Mario Bros. 3 into the classroom?
- Super Mario Bros. 3 really drew a line in the sand for Mario games. It combined elements of the first game and took a major step forward. Since then, every Mario game has incorporated some element originally found in Super Mario Bros. 3. Have students play Super Mario Bros. 3 and then some of the later games in the series (Super Mario World, Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy come to mind first) and have them compare and contrast the games. Obviously, all the games are different, yet there are features running through each game that link them all together. What are these features? Why do you think these features remain a mainstay in Mario games?
- How has promotion and advertising for video games changed over the years? Have your students look at a brief history of video game ads. How have they changed? What was the focus of some of the older ads? What is the focus now? I highly recommend having your students create YouTube playlists that take the viewer on a journey through video game advertising history. You can find my example here on the 8BitLibrary YouTube Video Game Ads Playlist.
We don’t have all the answers (Part 2)
Mar 19th
Are you lending out games for handheld systems? Are you lending out handheld systems?
PLEASE SHARE YOUR STORIES WITH US!
This is my next step with circulating video game collections in the library. It never really donned on me to include handheld games in the mix when I was pushing for a circulating video game collection. I wish I didn’t overlook that. I see lots of kids and teens (mostly ages 6-18) in the library with the DS or PSP glued to their hands. They’re a population that is dying to be served by libraries.
Can’t wait to hear your stories. From myself and the rest of the 8bitlibrary.com crew, have a good weekend.
(I’m seeing a lot of this in my library these days. Are you?)
Review: Yoshi’s Story
Mar 17th
WHAT? A sort of sequel to Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, this title features the character Yoshi as the main character in this 2D/pseudo 3D adventure game. This title, which was originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998, is now available for download through the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console.
WHY? Yoshi’s Story is a classic, although slightly flawed adventure game in the Mario series. It’s major drawback is the simplicity of the game. Compared to other Mario games, it is a pretty simplistic affair that more hardcore gamers will be able to complete with great ease. Graphically, the game is beautiful, as each stage and the characters are colorful and full of life.
WHO? Yoshi’s Story is a classic 2D adventure game that I can’t wait to show my son when he gets older. Why you ask? It’s the perfect entry level kind of game for a young child to play. It mixes enough old school gaming elements with something a bit more modern to make it pretty unique. Highly recommended to parents who want to get their children into simply, yet fun gaming.
Video Games at the Library on Tour
Mar 12th
One way to get the word out about gaming in libraries is to take your program out on the road. Hearing about gaming is one thing, but users will start to see just how important gaming can be in literacy and libraries once they get their hands on the games themselves.
I saw some kind of magic happen when I took my game night program out on the road in the Summer of 2008. Sure, we had the hardcore gamers that just wanted to play coming to the program. But something else happened as well. I saw older folks getting really excited about sharing the experience. I had never seen this before. I thought the cut off age for anyone to like video games was 30. Boy I was wrong.
While it may not be the most exciting video in the world, I really think this video sums up what I was trying to accomplish with this program. Gaming is for all ages to share and enjoy. The experience is what counts. Getting people together to have a positive experience like this does two thing. It gets them understand that gaming is a good thing and it also shows the value of the library.
Here’s how I approached the program: Think of yourself as a traveling rock band. Pack up the van with your gear, gather some bandmates, and head out onto the road for an exciting (yet tiring) week of gaming with your library patrons. At the end of the week, not only will you have more library users interested in gaming but you’ll finally understand exactly what Bob Seger was talking about in “Turn The Page“.
(a brief glimpse into Game Night on Tour from the Cape May County Library)
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