Here's Why I Just Bought A Wii U Instead Of The PS4 Or Xbox One

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5cffdb006fc9201e93388583-2400/screen%20shot%202019-06-11%20at%2094555%20am.png" border="0" alt="The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2" data-mce-source="Nintendo"><p class="source"><span>Nintendo</span></p><p class="caption">Princess Zelda and Link appear to be in a dungeon or cave.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>Nintendo just surprised everyone by revealing a sequel to the critically-acclaimed blockbuster game "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild."</strong></li><li><strong>A short teaser was shown of a cutscene depicting Princess Zelda and Link in a dark underground area.</strong></li><li><strong>At the end of the teaser, a message directly states, "The sequel to 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' is now in development."</strong></li><li><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></strong></li></ul><p>A new "Legend of Zelda" game - a direct sequel to the blockbuster Nintendo Switch game, "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" - was just revealed by Nintendo.</p><p>The Japanese gaming giant announced the game as its "one last thing" at the end of a broadcast focused on big gaming announcements.</p><p>A short clip of the prior game's main characters - Princess Zelda and Link - depicts them facing some form of new enemy in a dungeon. It also appears to tease at the return of series antagonist Ganon, in an incarnation that seems to be inspired by his appearance in "The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker."&#xa0;</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5cffdc8f6fc92031c97ffc94-2400/screen%20shot%202019-06-11%20at%2094904%20am.png" border="0" alt="The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2" data-mce-source="Nintendo"><p class="source"><span>Nintendo</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div><p>Link appears to be affected directly - Nintendo tweeted out this image following the announcement:</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5cffdd0e6fc9202779095992-1920/lozbotw2.jpg" border="0" alt="The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2" data-mce-source="Nintendo"><p class="source"><span>Nintendo</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div><p>No other details about the game were provided, but Nintendo confirmed that the game is currently in production for the Nintendo Switch console.</p><p>At the end of the teaser, Hyrule Castle appears to lift straight off the ground and float above the planet:</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5cffddcb6fc92031ee0f11ee-2400/screen%20shot%202019-06-11%20at%2095813%20am.png" border="0" alt="The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2" data-mce-source="Nintendo"><p class="source"><span>Nintendo</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div><p>Check out the full teaser right here:</p><div><iframe width="800" height="450" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/fB-Yo3QHYSA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/review-200-scuf-vantage-better-than-25-easysmx-controller-2019-5">We compared the $200 Scuf Vantage PlayStation controller to the $25 EasySMX controller - and the winner was clear</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/8RF4rfRR-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

In a major surprise, Nintendo just revealed that a huge 'Legend of Zelda' sequel is in development

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c796d532628987c904d6adf-1920/switchthelegendofzeldalinksawakeningnd0213scrn06bmpjpgcopy.jpg" border="0" alt="The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (remaster)" data-mce-source="Nintendo"><p class="source"><span>Nintendo</span></p><p class="caption">"Link's Awakening" leaves players stranded on a mysterious island.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>"The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening," a remake of the classic Game Boy title, will be released for the Nintendo Switch on September 20, 2019.</strong></li><li><strong>The new "Link's Awakening" has been rebuilt from the ground up with a unique visual style and a handful of additions to the game.</strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></strong></li></ul><p>The next "Legend of Zelda" game will be a remake of a Game Boy Classic, "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening."</p><p>Released in 1993, "Link's Awakening" was the first portable "Zelda" game, which makes it a perfect title to remake for the Switch, Nintendo's portable hybrid console.</p><p>While most "Zelda" games take place in the familiar kingdom of Hyrule, "Link's Awakening" leaves players stranded on a mysterious island. Link, the game's hero, has to wake a mythical creature called the Wind Fish to find his way home.</p><p>The Switch version of "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening" underwent a graphical overhaul, with a cartoonish visual style that's unlike any other "Zelda" game. But at it's core, it looks to be the same adventure that captivated fans more than 25 years ago.</p><p><strong>Here's everything we know about the remake of "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening" so far:</strong></p>

The next 'Legend of Zelda' game is a remake of a classic Game Boy adventure, and it's coming to the Switch later this year

<p class="p1"><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/539755106bb3f76912457b1e-960-540/zelda-wii-u.jpg?maxX=800" border="0" alt="zelda wii u" width="800" /><p class="source"><span>Nintendo</span></p><p class="caption">The first look at "The Legend of Zelda" for Wii U, coming in 2015.</p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p class="p1">"The Legend of Zelda" is one of Nintendo's most important franchises, with its action-adventure games spanning several decades and consistently earning near-perfect or perfect scores from critics over the years.</p>
<p class="p1">It's been three years since the last "Zelda" game, but <a href="http://press.nintendo.com/articles.jsp?id=41718" target="_blank">at its E3 Digital Event on Tuesday</a>, Nintendo unveiled the next chapter of the fantasy franchise set to release in 2015. It may not have a name yet, but boy does it look good.<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>
<p class="p1">Nintendo's brief clip showed "Zelda's" protagonist, Link, sitting atop his fabled horse, Epona, in a vast field overlooking the kingdom of Hyrule, the main setting for the series.</p>
<p class="p1">The clip was subtle but showed off several important aspects of the game: For one, it revealed this iteration of "Zelda" would blend the semi-realistic character models from "Skyward Sword" and "Ocarina of Time" with the vibrant, cel-shaded look from "The Wind Waker."</p>
<p class="p1"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5397559f69beddba3bbe17ae/link bow.gif" border="0" alt="Link Bow" /><p class="source"><span>Nintendo</span></p><p class="caption">Link fires off a shot from his newfangled bow.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p class="p1">Nintendo also explained that the entire map of this world could be explored, including the mountains. And in a major departure from the series, Nintendo's Eiji Aonuma said any of it could be perused at any time. In all previous "Zelda" games, players were led from one area to the next in a linear manner.<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>
<p class="p3">"As far as what you can do with such a vast field to explore, as soon as those boundaries are removed, it means you can enter any area from any direction," Aonuma said. "So the puzzle-solving in this game begins the moment the player starts to think about where they want to go, how they want to get there, and what they will do when they arrive. This is a clean break from the conventions of past games in the 'Zelda' series, where you had to follow a set path and play through the scenario in the right order."</p>
<p class="p1">Thanks to a lack of boundaries, players will be able to explore Hyrule and its surrounding areas to their hearts' content - but they'll also have to keep an eye out for powerful monsters that will continually show up, even in the most serene settings.</p>
<p class="p2"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5397555769bedd603fbe17b9/link battle.gif" border="0" alt="Link Battle" style="color: #000000;" /><p class="source"><span>Nintendo</span></p><p class="caption">Link battles an unknown foe in the Hyrulian fields.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p class="p3">"As you know from the 'Zelda' series, the world in these games can be quite peaceful," Aonuma said. "However, it is a 'Zelda' game after all so strong enemies will certainly appear, even in this setting. Powerful enemies appearing in such a peaceful world is one of the defining features of the 'Zelda' series."</p>

Nintendo Just Unveiled Its Next 'Legend Of Zelda Game,' And It Looks Stunning

<p>Nintendo's amiibo figurines drive collectors wild, despite the fact that they don't do much in Nintendo's games themselves. This is because people <em>love</em> Nintendo, and some folks love having "Fire Emblem" characters sitting on their shelves.</p><p>If you already count yourself among the ranks of hardcore amiibo collectors, or if you can even see the appeal, there's good news: one of Nintendo's most beloved series is getting the treatment yet again. Here are the four new "The Legend of Zelda" series amiibo figurines:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57c83f33b996eb57128b5914-1283/screen shot 2016-09-01 at 10.37.58 am.png" alt="zelda amiibo" data-mce-source="Nintendo" /><p class="source"><span>Nintendo</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>8-Bit Link from the original "The Legend of Zelda" joins his counterparts from "Ocarina of Time" and "Wind Waker." Princess Zelda's "Wind Waker" incarnation is also here, as part of a two-pack with Toon Link.</p><p>These amiibo will offer the same functionality as standard Link and Zelda amiibo figures in existing "The Legend of Zelda" games with amiibo support. Here are the games in the franchise that support amiibo already:</p><ul><li>"Hyrule Warriors" for Wii U</li><li>"Hyrule Warriors Legends" for 3DS</li><li>"The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD" for Wii U</li></ul><p>Additionally, these amiibo figures will have exclusive, currently-unknown functionality in the upcoming "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" for Wii U and NX, Nintendo's mysterious next console. That game will launch in March 2017.</p><p>You can get these amiibo figures when they launch on December 2.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-iphone-7-worth-buying-2016-8">It's going to be a bad year for the iPhone - here's why</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="l5cjZjNTE6vFTshmBIw9CZMaa8UoNlIS" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'l5cjZjNTE6vFTshmBIw9CZMaa8UoNlIS',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Nintendo just announced 4 cool new 'Zelda' amiibo figures

My husband founded a startup. Then our marriage got weird.

<p>The newest version of Samsung's best smartphone, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-galaxy-s8-release-date-specs-features-2017-3">the Galaxy S8</a>, is quite a powerful little device. </p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58ece0fe77bb709d0a8b7a0c-900/screen%20shot%202017-04-11%20at%2095804%20am.png" alt="Samsung Galaxy S8" /><p class="source"><span>Samsung</span></p><p>Beyond what Samsung's telling us about the phone's internals, we've got an even better example of just how much horsepower the S8 is packing: One intrepid YouTuber managed to get the Nintendo GameCube running on the phone.</p><p>And yes, so we're clear, we're talking about Nintendo's fourth major game console - the little box known as GameCube:</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5821eb0646e27a1b058b5514-1280" alt="Nintendo GameCube" /><p class="source"><span>Evan Amos, Wikimedia</span></p><p class="caption">The Nintendo GameCube launched in 2001. 16 years later and the entire console can be emulated smoothly on a smartphone.</p><p>The GameCube is home to some of Nintendo's biggest games: "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker," "Super Smash Bros. Melee," "Mario Kart: Double Dash," and many more. It was Nintendo's response to the PlayStation 2 from Sony and the original Xbox from Microsoft, and it's a beloved console among millions.</p><p>And Samsung's new phone, the Galaxy S8, is capable of re-creating the entire experience - "emulating" the console and its games. That's no easy task; it's tremendously taxing on processors to re-create an entire piece of hardware, even though said piece of hardware is over a decade old. </p><p>Even more impressively, the S8 does it smoothly - see for yourself:</p><p>The S8 isn't available to buy just yet; it's up for sale as of April 21, and costs around $700. When it does arrive, you can download the GameCube emulator (known as "Dolphin") and test out this stuff for yourself. One note of caution: emulation is a legal gray area.</p><p>Notably, Nintendo's new Switch console doesn't offer access to Nintendo GameCube games - not yet, anyway. Nintendo's said it will have more to share on that front later in 2017.</p><iframe width="800" height="450" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/TXjC_JatJ6M?ecver=1" frameborder="0"></iframe>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-galaxy-my-s8-favorite-feature-2017-3">This is my favorite thing about the Samsung Galaxy S8</a></h3>                                    Please enable Javascript to watch this video                    

Samsung's new phone is powerful enough to run Nintendo GameCube games

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56ce1bf3dd0895da048b4824-1920/screen shot 2016-02-24 at 1.56.26 pm.png" alt="uncharted 4" data-mce-source="PlayStation/Naughty Dog" /><p class="source"><span>PlayStation/Naughty Dog</span></p><p class="caption">Nathan Drake (a PS4 exclusive) is not impressed.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Nintendo of America's president Reggie Fils-Aimé recently claimed that Wii U had the best exclusive content.</p><p>"<span>If you look at the three separate home consoles and you count up the unique content that has been rated 8.5 or above from critics, and 8.5 or above by consumers, by far they are more on Wii U than on other consoles. '</span>Bayonetta 2,' 'Super Mario Maker,' 'Splatoon,' 'Mario Kart 8,' 'Smash Bros<span>.' It's a long list of games," Fils-Aimé told <a href="http://motherboard.vice.com/read/reggie-nintendo-interview?utm_source=mbtwitter">Motherboard's Emanuel Maiberg</a>.</span></p><p><span>Yes, Nintendo has some great franchises, but does it really have the highest-rated exclusives? Not according to a quick comparison by Tech Insider. We counted the number of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_game_exclusives_(eighth_generation)">video game exclusives by console</a> with a Metacritic score over 85.</span></p><p><span>The real winner? PlayStation by a hair.</span></p><p><span>PlayStation 4 has 9 exclusives rated 85 or higher: 'The Last of Us Remastered' (95), 'Uncharted 4: A Thief's End' (93), '</span>Bloodborne' (92), 'Helldivers' (89), 'The Talos Principle' (88), 'The Witness' (87), 'Final Fantasy XIV' (86), 'Ratchet &amp; Clank' (85), and 'Valkyria Chronicles' (85).</p><p>Wii U boasts 8 exclusives: 'Super Mario 3D World' (93), 'Super Smash Bros.' (92), 'Bayonetta 2' (91), 'The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD' (90), 'Mario Kart 8' (88), 'Super Mario Maker' (88), 'Pikmin 3' (87), and 'The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD' (86).</p><p>Xbox One also has 8 exclusives: 'Titanfall' (96), 'Ori and the Blind Forest' (88), 'Forza Motorsport 6' (87), 'Forza Horizon 2' (86), 'Killer Instinct' (86 in latest update), ''Rise of the Tomb Raider' (86), 'Cities: Skylines' (85), and 'Halo: The Master Chief Collection' (85).</p><p>Yes, this is a rough and somewhat arbitrary comparison. Still, it should be enough to debunk Fils-Aimé's claim that Nintendo has by far the most high-rated exclusive content, at least when you look at aggregate review scores. To be fair, Nintendo's exclusive content tends to be more exclusive, given that PlayStation and Xbox exclusives are often also on PC and sometimes mobile.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/horizon-zero-dawn-gameplay-video-demo-2016-6"> PlayStation is taking a big risk on this game - here's what it's like</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="l2djBhNDE6UazeJwXqdz3Q_GdwoaLyhd" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'l2djBhNDE6UazeJwXqdz3Q_GdwoaLyhd',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Despite what Nintendo claims, PlayStation 4 has the most high-rated exclusives

<p><span class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><span><span data-post-image="" class="image on-image"><a title_source="Flickr/Sonny Abesamis" title_caption="Legos are a popular toy in many states." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/549069046da8118f2eab552c-960/lego-12.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/549069046da8118f2eab552c-971-728/lego-12.jpg" border="0" alt="lego" /></a><span class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/enerva/12279076393/in/photolist-jH4tBF-dWpHem-cgCuuh-7nZm6t-87MWfv-nDy3yt-9VX5vp-8XEkRf-8iW9ZH-abhCGU-6G8eHj-6xMX5z-puNJJ-n6idu-7fAt9z-746b7-dS3nvy-8XBmAi-n6iNe-y2Pd3-oD9bqR-bBvAN2-6sCJKE-6M4iqx-7x5fYJ-5tiYoy-8XEm6L-n6gDh-5rhs1k-fApM4R-7xBAEJ-aTQLeX-dWpGPY-7D2ZK7-dW3mX4-foDGA8-c5oURd-9sdHFt-puNK3-j57Phm-5WNsNS-7vJSJD-nZdzWq-4giVCG-e18tMX-e18tVP-dW915G-9z3rus-2JNN7j-dWpH2h">Flickr/Sonny Abesamis</a></span></span><span class="caption">Legos are a popular toy in many states.</span></span><p></p></span></span>With the holidays approaching, many parents are scrambling to buy Christmas gifts.&#xa0;</p>
<p>E-commerce giant eBay <a href="http://www.ebay.com/gds/Trending-Toys-for-the-Holidays-/10000000202393087/g.html">has released a list</a> of the most popular toy in every US state.&#xa0;</p>
<p>Legos, Barbies, and videogames are popular motifs.&#xa0;</p>
<p><strong>Alabama:</strong> Furby Boom Pink Hearts</p>
<p><strong>Alaska:</strong> Lego Minifigures</p>
<p><strong>Arizona:</strong> Barbie Fashion Doll Clothing Set</p>
<p><strong>Arkansas:</strong> My Little Pony Derpy Vinyl Figure</p>
<p><strong>California:</strong> Call Of Duty&#xa0;</p>
<p><strong>Colorado:</strong> Assassin's Creed IV</p>
<p><strong>Connecticut:</strong> Webkinz Sparkle Harp Seal</p>
<p><strong>Delaware:</strong> Littlest Pet Shop Playset</p>
<p><span class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><span><span data-post-image="" class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/52efe5fc6bb3f7f16e3e1f64-1200-750/465590573%20(1).jpg" border="0" alt="barbie dolls"><span class="source"><span>Joerg Koch/Getty Images </span></span></img></span><p></p></span></span></p>
<p><strong>Florida:</strong> Assassin's Creed IV</p>
<p><strong>Georgia:</strong> New Super Mario Brothers for Nintendo DS</p>
<p><strong>Hawaii:</strong> Star Wars: The Black Series R2D2 Action Figure&#xa0;</p>
<p><strong>Idaho:</strong> Mario &amp; Sonic At The Sochi 2014 Olympic Games</p>
<p><strong>Illinois:</strong> Call Of Duty Advanced Warfare</p>
<p><strong>Indiana:</strong> Super Mario 64 DS</p>
<p><strong>Iowa:</strong> LEGO Minifigures&#xa0;</p>
<p><strong>Kansas:</strong> Star Wars Clone Wars</p>
<p><span class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><span><span data-post-image="" class="image on-image"><a title_source="" Call="" of="" Duty:="" Advanced="" Warfare="" title_caption="Videogames like Call of Duty are on many wishlists this year." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5489c31ceab8eaec6a2f9996-960/call_of_duty_advanced_warfare_intervista.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5489c31ceab8eaec6a2f9996-1200-706/call_of_duty_advanced_warfare_intervista.jpg" border="0" alt="call of duty advanced warfare" /></a><span class="source"><span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Call-Duty-Advanced-Warfare-Xbox-One/dp/B00MU1YEE0">"Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare"</a></span></span><span class="caption">Videogames like Call of Duty are on many wishlists this year.</span></span><p></p></span></span></p>
<p><strong>Kentucky:</strong> Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa Doll</p>
<p><strong>Louisiana:</strong> Disney Frozen Elsa Toddler Doll</p>
<p><strong>Maine:&#xa0;</strong>Funko POP Game of Thrones&#xa0;Arya Stark Vinyl Figure</p>
<p><strong>Maryland:</strong> Call Of Duty Advanced Warfare</p>
<p><strong>Massachusetts:</strong> Lego Minifigures</p>
<p><strong>Michigan:</strong> New Super Mario Brothers Nintendo DS</p>
<p><strong>Minnesota:</strong> Barbie Fashion Doll Clothing Set</p>
<p><strong>Missisissippi:</strong> NCAA Football 12 Video Game</p>
<p><strong>Missouri:</strong> Lego Minifigures&#xa0;</p>
<p><strong>Montana:</strong> The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker</p>
<p><strong>Nebraska:&#xa0;</strong>Prestige 1:16 Scale Tractor</p>
<p><span class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><span><span data-post-image="" class="image on-image"><a title_source="Kirsten Acuna/Business Insider" title_caption="Elsa dolls inspired by the movie Frozen are a hot seller this year. " class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54321cec69bedd4362262bd9-960/snow-glow-elsa.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54321cec69bedd4362262bd9-1200-924/snow-glow-elsa.jpg" border="0" alt="snow glow elsa frozen toy 2014" /></a><span class="source"><span>Kirsten Acuna/Business Insider</span></span><span class="caption">Elsa dolls inspired by the movie Frozen are a hot seller this year. </span></span><p></p></span></span></p>
<p><strong>Nevada:</strong> LEGO Star Wars Favor Kit For 1&#xa0;</p>
<p><strong>New Hampshire:</strong> Lego Minecraft Microworld The End</p>
<p><strong>New Jersey:</strong> Call Of Duty Advanced Warfare</p>
<p><strong>New Mexico:</strong> The Lionel 30'' Straight Track</p>
<p><strong>New York:</strong> Call Of Duty Advanced Warfare</p>
<p><strong>North Carolina:</strong> Disney Frozen Puzzle Set</p>
<p><strong>North Dakota:</strong> Littlest Pet Shop Horse Pet and Horse Friend</p>
<p><strong>Ohio:</strong> Lego Minecraft Microworld The End</p>
<p><span class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><span><span data-post-image="" class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/4fb579ef6bb3f7b414000008-768-643/pokemoncards.jpg" border="0" alt="pokemon-cards"><span class="source"><span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristina06/3683967898/in/photostream/">Flickr via Kristina</a></span></span><span class="caption">Pokemon cards continue to be popular.</span></img></span><p></p></span></span></p>
<p><strong>Oklahoma:</strong> Call Of Duty Advanced Warfare</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>Oregon:</strong> Pokemon Black &amp; White 4 2-Pack Trading Card Game</span></p>
<p><strong>Pennsylvania:</strong> New Super Mario Bros Nintendo DS</p>
<p><strong>Rhode Island:</strong> Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa Doll</p>
<p><strong>South Carolina:</strong> Barbie Fashion Doll Clothing Set</p>
<p><strong>South Dakota:</strong>&#xa0;Mega Bloks&#xa0;HALO Covenant Scarab Building</p>
<p><strong>Tennessee:</strong> Halo The Master Chief Collection</p>
<p><span class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><span><span data-post-image="" class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54906deb69bedd993b163a6f-842-712/screen%20shot%202014-12-16%20at%2012.35.02%20pm.png" border="0" alt="furby pink hearts "><span class="source"><span><a href="http://www.toysrus.com/graphics/product_images/pTRU1-16768375dt.jpg">Toys "R" Us</a></span></span><span class="caption">Furby is a popular toy this year.</span></img></span><p></p></span></span></p>
<p><strong>Texas:</strong> Lego Bricks &amp; More</p>
<p><strong>Utah:</strong> Fisher Price A Little People Christmas</p>
<p><strong>Vermont:</strong> Magic The Gathering 2012 Core Set Booster Pack</p>
<p><strong>Virginia:</strong> Lego Minecraft Micro World The End</p>
<p><strong>Washington:</strong> Call Of Duty Advanced Warfare</p>
<p><strong>West Virginia:</strong> Lego Bricks &amp; More</p>
<p><strong>Wisconsin:</strong> New Super Mario Bros Nintendo DS</p>
<p><strong>Wyoming:</strong> Pokemon Black Version 2 Nintendo DS</p>

The Most Popular Toy In Every State

<p>Remember the 1980s? Everyone had big hair and cassette players and a bunch of stuff I can't properly reference because I wasn't born yet. Anyway, that was when video games were <em>video games</em>, man. You blew on your "Castlevania" cartridge, plopped it into your Nintendo and that was your weekend!</p><p>Thanks to Nintendo, you can now relive the part of your life when you didn't have a job or children or social obligations with the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57879dfcdd0895923a8b4631-2400/nes_classic_1.jpg" alt="NES classic" data-mce-source="Nintendo" /><p class="source"><span>Nintendo</span></p><p class="caption">Look at it! It's so tiny!</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>This miniature version of the original Nintendo Entertainment System (or NES) comes packed with 30 mostly-beloved games from that console's lifespan, and will retail for $59.99 starting this holiday season. It comes with an HDMI cable so it will work with modern televisions, and one controller that's an exact replica of the rectangular one you remember. Additional controllers are $9.99 each.</p><p>Here are the games that come with the NES Classic Edition:</p><ul><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Balloon Fight"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Bubble Bobble"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Castlevania"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Castlevania II: Simon's Quest"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Donkey Kong"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Donkey Kong Jr."</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Double Dragon II: The Revenge"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Dr. Mario"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Excitebike"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Final Fantasy"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Galaga"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Ghosts 'n Goblins"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Gradius"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Ice Climber"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Kid Icarus"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Kirby's Adventure"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Mario Bros."</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Mega Man 2"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Metroid"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Ninja Gaiden"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Pac-Man"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"StarTropics"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Super C"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Super Mario Bros."</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Super Mario Bros. 2"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Super Mario Bros. 3"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Tecmo Bowl"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"The Legend of Zelda"</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Zelda II: The Adventure of Link" </span></li></ul><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">As you can see, there are some heavy hitters on that list, but it's not without its quirks. Having the first two "Castlevania" games without the excellent third one is strange, as is including "Super C" without its predecessor, "Contra."</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Still, for the price of a modern console game, you get a tiny box that looks like the original NES, an official revision of the controller and a handful of the greatest video games ever made. Not bad at all!</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57879dfcdd0895923a8b4632-2400/nes_classic_2.jpg" alt="NES classic" data-mce-source="Nintendo" /><p class="source"><span>Nintendo</span></p><p class="caption">Shout out to the font work on this packaging.</p></div><p></p></div></div></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">There are a couple of other miscellaneous tidbits to know: </span></p><ul><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The controller that comes with the NES Classic Edition can be plugged into a Wii Remote and used to play downloaded NES games on a Wii or Wii U. </span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The Classic Controller and Classic Controller Pro add-ons for the Wii can also be used to play games on the NES Classic Edition. </span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">You can also suspend a game and come back later if you're having trouble, meaning there's no need to fumble with passwords anymore!</span></li></ul><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">There's no telling yet whether or not Nintendo will support additional games beyond the 30 that are included with it in any way, so don't expect some kind of online storefront to buy NES games to come with this machine. Even so, for the price and the nostalgic appeal alone, this is a pretty sweet deal for anyone who fondly remembers gaming in the Reagan years.</span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/most-powerful-onshore-wind-turbine-2016-7">This is the most powerful wind turbine in the world</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="dmeGM1MzE6iW5P120XG5MxBjOiyB9kLE" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'dmeGM1MzE6iW5P120XG5MxBjOiyB9kLE',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Nintendo just introduced a mini $60 version of its first major game console, NES

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d274278a17d6c12952ee01b-1200/read dead redemption 2 2.jpg" border="0" alt="Read Dead Redemption 2 2" data-mce-source="Amazon" /></a><p class="source"><span>Amazon</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>"<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Red Dead Redemption 2</a>" is an open-world video game set in the American Wild West. It's pretty popular and available for the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PlayStation 4</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M275W1G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M275W1G&amp;linkId=bbece5ee0d65301d257c0c9f63bb0423" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Xbox One</a>.</strong></li><li><strong>The game offers endless possibilities and many hours of missions to complete, making for a compelling and engaging story.</strong></li><li><strong>It's also beautifully designed, boasting interesting landscapes and incredible graphics. I enjoyed playing the game and would recommend it to anyone.</strong></li></ul><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The concept of the open-world game isn't necessarily new, but it has really hit its stride in recent years with games like "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076BJ723V/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B076BJ723V&amp;linkId=e0cfc7a4157ef39200c7a2a7d0d440b8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Horizon: Zero Dawn"</a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-nintendo-switch-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild</a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">." One of the latest games available on PlayStation 4, "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Red Dead Redemption 2</a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">," takes a beloved open-world concept, gives it a modern look, and lets you roam the land as an outlaw and member of a notorious gang.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Red Dead Redemption 2"</a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is a little different than its other open-world counterparts. It's slower, a little bloodier, and arguably more unforgiving. But are those things necessarily bad? No, they're not. Here's what we thought of the game after playing it for a while.</span></p><h2><strong>Set up and initial impressions</strong></h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d2742bda17d6c0f045c5204-1200/red dead redemption 2 3.jpg" border="0" alt="Red Dead Redemption 2 3" data-mce-source="Amazon" /></a><p class="source"><span>Amazon</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Navigating through the menus in the game is a simple process, and before long, you'll be on your way to playing through the story.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The story, however, is slightly slower than you might expect. Initially, you'll be introduced to the characters and their role in the game, along with how to actually play. You'll have to go through a series of missions aimed at teaching you how to use the controls, and the overall look and feel of the game. The process may take a few hours before you're introduced to the actual open world that you'll end up playing most of the game in.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The game centers around Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang that was forced to flee after a robbery goes awry in the town of Blackwater. The gang then has to rebuild from the ground up - all the while being chased by bounty hunters and federal agents as the era of the Wild West comes to a close. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You'll quickly realize that the character you're playing, Arthur, isn't necessarily all that special - you could have played as any other character in the Van der Linde gang and had a similar experience. That, however, ends up being one of the best things about the game - the fact that it ends up feeling like you're just playing a day in the life of a Wild West gangster.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the first things you'll notice about the game is how beautifully designed it is. The characters look fine, but it's the vast landscapes and quaint towns aimed at emulating the Wild West that really pull everything together. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After playing through the tutorials and being introduced to the open world, you'll begin to understand just how big the world you can explore is. It's probably not on the same level as a game like "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-nintendo-switch-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Breath of the Wild</a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">," but considering the fact that there's no fast-travel mechanism and you have to go through the world on horseback, it can take a while to get from one side of the world to the other. Not only that, but missions rarely take you to the edge of the world anyway, so in a way, the game ends up feeling endlessly open.</span></p><h2><strong>What's new in "</strong><strong>Red Dead Redemption 2?"</strong></h2><h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d27430fa17d6c2aaa381496-1200/red dead redemption 2 4.jpg" border="0" alt="Red Dead Redemption 2 4" data-mce-source="Amazon" /></a><p class="source"><span>Amazon</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you played the original "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005N4HBIW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B005N4HBIW&amp;linkId=7b5ac85cd1518087823478b133da4fcc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Red Dead Redemption</a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">," don't expect this game to pick up where it left off.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Red Dead Redemption 2"</a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is actually a prequel set in 1899 compared to the original's 1911. While the original game takes the perspective of a former outlaw, in the new one, you play the</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> outlaw - though during the game, you'll have opportunities to take the high road and build up your honor. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That said, there are plenty of similarities between the two games. You'll follow a different character in each, but there are some recurring characters, like Dutch Van der Linde and the original</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> protagonist John Marston. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The look and feel of the game is similar too - though obviously much more modern in the latest version of the game. Graphics are much better, game mechanics are more refined, and the story is a little more compelling. It feels like a natural successor to the original game - but considering the fact that it's a prequel, you can play through <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RDR2</a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> without having ever picked up the original </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">game before, and you'll be just fine. </span></p><h2><strong>Overall gameplay</strong></h2><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d27422aa17d6c2a6043dcd2-1200/red dead redemption 2.jpg" border="0" alt="Red Dead Redemption 2" data-mce-source="Amazon" /><p class="source"><span>Amazon</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></a></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Playing through the actual game varies from the action-packed and violent to the mundane. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your goal here is to really play the game as if you were Arthur himself - and to that end, you'll need to shave, sleep, clean your weapons, and so on. All this may sound boring, but it actually makes the game more compelling. It helps make you feel like a part of the world that the characters live in, and as if you have actual stakes in what ends up happening.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of course, there are times when this can feel a little long-winded. For example, there's no fast-travel mechanism in the game, and as such, you'll have to manually make your way to each destination. It helps to invest in a horse that can run fast here. Rockstar Games, the developers behind the game, put a lot of work into building a beautiful landscape, and they're going to make you look at it every time you want to get anywhere.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Perhaps the most fun parts of the game are the heists. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">From robbing a bank to stealing a stage coach, these missions are difficult and often take a few attempts to get right. That's not a bad thing - these parts of the game are enjoyable and intense, and you probably bought the game in the first place for those reasons. Action sequences take a little getting used in terms of how you use your weapons, but eventually it becomes like second nature.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not all of the game is about slaughtering people and taking their money. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In fact, there's a compelling reason not to go around shooting your gun off. During the game, you'll build up your honor meter and you'll end up getting rewards for taking the high road as often as possible. For example, if you have higher honor, you might get better advice from townsfolk, get discounts on items, and more. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the more interesting things about the game is that you can communicate with every single character at will. You can greet them, antagonize them, or even straight-up rob them, which means that there's almost endless communication in the game.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There is a main story in the game, but there are also a ton of side missions that can see you gain or lose honor, get some cash, and more. If you're looking for things to do in the game, you'll never really be at a loss.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gameplay quickly becomes compelling and intricate. There are endless possibilities here - which is exactly how it should be in an open-world game. </span></p><h2><strong>What we didn't like</strong></h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Red Dead Redemption 2"</a> is a clear winner for any fans of the "</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Red Dead"</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> series, or those interested in the concept of playing as a gangster in the wild west, but there are still a few downsides to note.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Perhaps the main downside where gameplay is concerned is the fact that there's no possible way to fast-travel. You do end up getting used to that fact, but it extends how long it takes to do anything by quite a while. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Apart from that, there's little to complain about. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Red Dead Redemption 2"</a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> isn't for those that want something quick and easy, but for those that are interested in getting attached to a game that may take them months to play.</span></p><h2><strong>The bottom line</strong></h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d274355a17d6c206016d2e7-1200/read dead redemption 2 5.jpg" border="0" alt="Read Dead Redemption 2 5" data-mce-source="Amazon" /></a><p class="source"><span>Amazon</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Red Dead Redemption 2"</a> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">is a well-designed game meant for hours and hours of play. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The game goes beyond basic good design, and offers a compelling and interesting story along the way. It can take a while to get through and it can be frustrating to have to manually make your way to each destination, but you'll quickly become attached to the characters and story of the game and enjoy it almost every step along the way.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We recommend "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Red Dead Redemption 2"</a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to any gamer who's looking for something to sink their teeth into over at least a few weeks, and who doesn't mind a bit of blood and gore. That said, this game definitely isn't for kids, so we would not recommend buying it for someone under the age of 18.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The game is available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PlayStation 4</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M275W1G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M275W1G&amp;linkId=bbece5ee0d65301d257c0c9f63bb0423" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Xbox One</a>.</span></p><p><strong>Pros: </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">Compelling story, beautiful design, endless possibilities</span></p><p><strong>Cons: </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">Can take a while to do anything, only available on two consoles</span></p><h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5DZ525/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M5DZ525&amp;linkId=f7f8bad6d5b9077935ee6f618fe3360d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy "Red Dead Redemption 2" for PlayStation 4 on Amazon for $36.94</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M275W1G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_071119_red-dead-redemption-2-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B01M275W1G&amp;linkId=bbece5ee0d65301d257c0c9f63bb0423" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy "Red Dead Redemption 2" for Xbox One on Amazon for $59.99</a></h3><p class="tagline"><p><a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/ci/insider-picks">Subscribe to our newsletter.</a><br><br>Find all the best offers at our <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/">Coupons page</a>.<br><br>Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.</br></br></br></br></p></p>

"Red Dead Redemption 2" video game review: an open-world concept game where you're in the Wild West fleeing bounty hunters

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53555ca6ecad045378083f72-779-460/jorgie_porter.jpg?maxX=800" border="0" alt="jorgie_porter" width="800" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://youtu.be/nN0MgdT7XrE">YouTube</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p>I'm a gamer. I'm also a girl. There are stereotypes that go with being a girl gamer: We don't know what we're doing, or we only play cutesy games like "Animal Crossing" or simulators like "The Sims." </p>
<p>Usually the message is that we don't belong. Even in the business, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/women-programmers-stories-of-harassment-2013-3">female gamers are frequently subjected to sexual harassment</a>.</p>
<p>A safe space for female gamers is a necessity. And that's why the Nintendo Girls Club YouTube channel is taking female gamers 100 steps in the wrong direction. The channel, which launched just a couple months ago, is an offshoot of the Nintendo U.K. YouTube channel, and is targeting girls with videos about gameplay and trailers of the newest games. It bills itself as "the official Nintendo UK YouTube channel made especially for girls."</p>
<p>With its focus on shopping and clothes, instead of gameplay and power-up tricks, it might be making games less popular with girls.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right click-to-enlarge"><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Screenshot" title_caption="Here's just a sample of what gamer Jenny Haniver has to deal with. " class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53556852ecad040d27083f75-960/screen%20shot%202014-04-21%20at%2011.49.09%20am.png"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53556852ecad040d27083f75-1019-452/screen%20shot%202014-04-21%20at%2011.49.09%20am.png" border="0" alt="Not In The Kitchen Anymore" width="480" /></a><p class="source"><span>Screenshot</span></p><p class="caption">Here's just a sample of what gamer Jenny Haniver has to deal with. </p></div><p></p></div>There are a bunch of women who want video games to succeed with women.</p>
<p>For instance, Jenny Haniver, an avid "Call of Duty" player, chronicles her experiences being a female gamer on her website <a href="http://www.notinthekitchenanymore.com/">Not In The Kitchen Anymore</a>. Since 2010, she has been posting recordings of how other gamers, usually men, act upon meeting a female gamer. As you can imagine, it's not good.</p>
<p>And Anita Sarkeesian runs <a href="http://www.feministfrequency.com/">Feminist Frequency</a>, "a video webseries that explores the representations of women in pop culture narratives," including video games. Her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn4ob_5_ttEaA_vc8F3fjzE62esf9yP61">"Tropes vs. Women in Video Games"</a> series explores the role female characters play in the games themselves.</p>
<p>She received a lot of backlash when she started a Kickstarter campaign to fund the project. "I knew that delving into video games might provoke a bit of a misogynist backlash ... [but] this level of organized and sustained harassment, vitriol, threats of violence and sexual assault in response to a project that hasn't even been made yet is very telling," <a href="http://www.wired.com/2012/06/anita-sarkeesian-feminist-games/">she told Wired</a> at the time.</p>
<p>In the end, she blew past her $6,000 goal and raised almost $160,000.</p>
<p>So Nintendo is onto something with wanting to create a safe space for female players. How did it go so terribly wrong?</p>
<h3>I'm a girl gamer and I don't like pink</h3>
<p>The Nintendo Girls Club channel is broken up into five parts: videos from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEfMm93R5KE5wy3V2fQf9nFWB3IhfKo6x">Jorgie Porter</a> (a soap opera star in the U.K.), videos from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEfMm93R5KE4IJMNfmSZNAcSFrioZd9m2">Mandy Hynes</a> (a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/millymollymandy16">video blogger</a>), <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEfMm93R5KE5Oi3sQiVK1tj5tDYtfYSkN">trailers and TV ads</a>, latest <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN17ThonXwb0vYSK7q8qoUNLODxEibV7h">3DS portable game console videos,</a> and latest <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN17ThonXwb2WiaX0Q_mFti14_14Gt9iG">Wii U videos</a>.</p>
<p>The first video I watched was "Top 10 Things To Do In 'Animal Crossing: A New Leaf,'" a community simulation game where you and your animal friends carry out various activities. </p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53555e75ecad045878083f76/epic_shopping_spree.gif" border="0" alt="epic_shopping_spree" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://youtu.be/1Tl0JvKjbAs">YouTube</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>"Kicking things off with number 1 is an EPIC shopping spree," Porter tells us. The more money you spend, she says, the more shops appear, including a "shoe shop and a beauty salon." </p>
<p>She does offer some helpful tips, like pressing the two shoulder buttons to snap a picture of your screen, so if you can get past the overly pink bedroom she's sitting in, as well as her dead, uninterested eyes, you might actually get something out of this video. </p>
<p>The next video is how to make the perfect dress in "Animal Crossing." </p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/53556216ecad044312083f73/animal_crossing_dress.gif" border="0" alt="animal_crossing_dress" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://youtu.be/FbL_bk8jTRY">YouTube</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>Again, if you can get past her cooing about how cute the dress is, the video does actually offer some tips on how to make clothes in the game. But the tips are so buried under a mountain of pastel, you'd hardly know they were tips at all.</p>
<p>Hynes' videos tend to be a little more technical, with unboxings and device comparisons.</p>
<p>Her section of the site seems a little more for everyone, focusing on the design of the devices themselves. But an expert she's not. In one video, about the 3DS' features, she doesn't seem to know where the microphone on the 3DS is - she points to a little hole on the back of the clamshell, which is actually a light to let others know the camera is on.  </p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5356b5a66da8115d31198ea1-757-461/3ds_microphone.jpg" border="0" alt="3ds_microphone" width="480" /><p class="source"><span>Screenshot</span></p></div><p></p></div></p>
<p>But even Hynes' videos veer off course, such as <a href="http://youtu.be/d2HG8bOljv8">in this one</a>, where she talks about why she loves the game "Pokemon X." Among her favorite things in the game: you can go into shops and buy hats and clothes for your characters with money you earn by being amazing at fighting people. </p>
<p>If I'd never seen a Pokemon game, and this was the description I got, it'd probably be a safe bet that I still would never see a Pokemon game. Not once did she actually say what the point of the game is, or describe the gameplay. </p>
<p>So we've got one section of the channel seemingly geared toward the casual gamer, with some important information buried beneath a cloud of pink fluff, and another section that's a little more technical - sort of.</p>
<h2>Who is this channel aimed at? And why?</h2>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right click-to-enlarge"><div class="image"><a title_source="YouTube" title_caption="At least Mandy Hynes' room isn't so pink." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5355673569bedd164a083f73-960/mandyhynes.png"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5355673569bedd164a083f73-586-439/mandyhynes.png" border="0" alt="mandy_hynes" width="480" /></a><p class="source"><span><a href="http://youtu.be/APkc9xKEB94">YouTube</a></span></p><p class="caption">At least Mandy Hynes' room isn't so pink.</p></div><p></p></div>In 2013, 59% of Americans played video games, according to the <a href="http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/ESA_EF_2014.pdf">Entertainment Software Association</a>. And of those people, 48% were female.</p>
<p>Many of those women were 18 years old and up. Nintendo sees an opportunity targeting young teenage girls, who might not necessarily be gamers.</p>
<p>I get it. This channel isn't for me: an experienced gamer who likes more intricate games like those in the "Assassin's Creed" series.  </p>
<p>But by targeting these young girls with pink bedrooms and "epic" shopping sprees, it seems that Nintendo is only enforcing stereotypes, not helping solve them.</p>
<p>Just having a Nintendo Girls Club is itself sexist: If a boy likes to go shopping in "Animal Crossing," does that mean he's a girl? If girls like to play "Mario Kart" or other sports-based games, do they not get to join the Nintendo Girls Club?</p>
<p>As Not In The Kitchen Anymore's Haniver points out, it's definitely a good thing to encourage girls to game, "but this video series feels more like pandering fluff than anything meaningful. They're just enforcing tired biases," she tells Business Insider.</p>
<p>"I think kids should be taught at a young age that they don't need to be defined by their gender, and that there aren't 'girl' activities and 'boy' activities," she says. "I think the point of the club is to appeal to a young audience in the hopes that they'll become customers later on, and therefore make money for the company."</p>
<p>In an article in <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/02/19/relax-girl-gamers-the-nintendo-girls-club-isnt-mea.aspx">The Motley Fool</a>, Leo Sun tries to calm everyone down. "Relax, girl gamers," the headline shouts. "The Nintendo Girls Club isn't meant for you." </p>
<p>His point is "that these ads are <em>intended to convert female non-gamers to the 3DS and Wii U</em>."</p>
<p>And that's the problem: Nintendo is trying to integrate new female players into an already-established boys club, not by showing them all the games that are available and fun, but by perpetuating stereotypes that girls only want to play dress up. It gives viewers descriptions of games, but only focuses on the ways players can customize their characters. It doesn't showcase actual gameplay, it only heralds what fun it is to go shopping and make dresses. </p>
<p>"Part of the reason a lot of women didn't game as kids was because they're told that gaming is something boys do," Haniver says. "If we remove that idea and show that gaming is something that's a hobby for everyone (not making it something <em>for boys</em> or <em>for girls</em>), that's a good start."</p>
<p>The gaming world is a boys club, not least of which because of vapid attempts at luring female gamers, such as the Nintendo Girls Club. In trying to integrate female gamers, Nintendo is just stereotyping them into a corner.</p>
<p>In fact, including the videos on the main channel, rather than relegating them to a pink corner of YouTube, would be a great first step.</p>
<p>"I honestly don't even particularly care for the idea of a channel geared specifically towards girls," Haniver says. "Does having a separate channel just for girls mean that the regular Nintendo channels <em>isn't </em>for girls? Why not have the Nintendo Kids Club, and make it gender-neutral (which is what gaming should be)?"</p>
<p>The channel is only a couple months old and there's definitely room for it to improve and be more inclusive. Hopefully in the future it will cover a little more ground in the gaming world - how about "Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker" and "Super Mario 3D World" - and lay off the pink.</p>

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