I've been racing around colorful tracks in Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U. Here are some thoughts on the game.

Nintendo went above and beyond to create some of the best tracks in the series. Planes flying around in Sunshine Airport, and a giant lava Bowser lashing at racers in his castle are just a small taste of the experience that'll have you playing them over and over again.

Battle mode is the weakest link of the game. Instead of battle arenas like the ever-popular Block Fort, you're just duking it out on existing tracks. Once the participants dwindle down, it becomes a bore to finish the match.

Check out my full review at www.theoaklandpress.com.

Get even tinier thoughts at www.twitter.com/JeffHoard921.

Ubisoft has announced that Far Cry 4 will release this year on Nov. 18 for the PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. It is being developed by Ubisoft Montreal with Red Storm Entertainment and several other Ubisoft studios.

The open-world, first-person shooter will take place in Kyrat, a region of the Himalayas, which finds itself in turmoil while being ruled under a self-appointed king. Weapons, vehicles and animals will be at the player's disposal for their journey in the Himalayas.

More information will be available at E3 in June. After the success of Far Cry 3, this sequel will be one to watch out for later this year.

Get even tinier thoughts at www.twitter.com/JeffHoard921

You knew some kind of Call of Duty game was coming this year, and Activision and Sledgehammer Games will deliver with Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, which will release Nov. 4 on the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4 and PC. The game stars Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey, who plays Jonathan Irons, one of the most powerful men in the world. Soldiers wear exoskeletons allowing them to jump really high, cloak themselves and enhance other traits like speed, endurance and strength. The trailer above gives a small taste of what's to come.

I've never cared much for the Call of Duty franchise, but since this is built for next-gen I may check this one out.

Get even tinier thoughts at www.twitter.com/JeffHoard921.

I've been playing more NES classics in NES Remix 2 for the Wii U. Here are some thoughts on the game.

NES Remix 2 is basically the same concept of the first title, but with a much better selection of games. Included in this package are Super Mario Bros 2 and 3, Punch-Out!!, Kirby's Adventure, and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. However, there are fewer challenges and some some feel repetitive from the first game.

A couple bonuses include the NES World Championships Remix, where players who own both titles can post online their best high scores from three classic games. It loses its charm too quickly, but Super Luigi Bros. is really cool as it lets you play through Super Mario Bros as Luigi in mirror-reversed levels.

Watch out for my full review at www.theoaklandpress.com.

Get even tinier thoughts at www.twitter.com/JeffHoard921.