Name: Helen Doherty
Nintendo Network ID: HelenBaby
StreetPassUK Username: HelenBaby
StreetPass Hits: 1548
Plaza Population: 1520
Favourite Outfit: Top Hat
Location in the UK: London
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SPUK: Hello! Please tell us a bit about yourself, including how you first came to play Nintendo games…
HD: My name’s Helen, I’m 30 years old and have lived in London all my life. I first played a Nintendo game in 1989, it was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on my brother’s NES. It was OK but kind of hard, and I wasn’t completely sold on it. Then I tried Super Mario Bros 2 and fell in love with the world of Nintendo
SPUK: You’re no stranger to Gaming Communities, could you give us a little more information about SonicLondon? What’s been the best moment of these meets for you?
HD: SonicLondon’s a meet-up group I set up in early 2010 so that Summer of Sonic attendees would have a place to meet up more frequently than just the once-a-year con. Recently, however, it seems to have developed an independent identity of it’s own.
The best parts of these meets is when people travel from far off locations just to attend. We’ve had visitors from Scotland and the Irish Republic so far, and one of the staff members (FastestThingAlive) who moved to America even scheduled a visit back so that it coincided with one of the meets. It’s wonderful to see the lengths people go to to come!
Aside from that Nintendo have been really generous, donating over £200 worth of goodies towards our most recent meet. Sumo Digital, who handle the Sega Allstars series, in turn, donated some bits to our last summer meet. Good times.
SPUK: And what about StreetPass London? You recently set up the group, but what do you hope to do in the capital? Can you reveal any of your plans and aspirations?
HD: Seeing as the group is new I’m planning on taking things one meet at a time. I can tell you that we have a meet in the works, the details of which will be announced shortly… hope to see some of you there. Please support this new project =)
SPUK: That’s all in the real world, but you’ve also planted digital flags, too. Care to tell us a bit about 3DSBlessed? First of all, where did the name come from?
HD: I started writing articles for some friends’ gaming blogs in 2010 (SegaDriven and PlusXp). One day I asked myself ; if I had a gaming blog what would be it’s focus and what would it be called? As the console I had played the most titles on between 2005 and 2010 was, without a doubt, the Nintendo DS (and also because I seemed to enjoy reviewing DS games the most when writing for the aforementioned sites) it seemed obvious to me that the site would have had a DS focus. Then the name ‘DS Blessed’ suddenly came to me, I’m not even sure how or why!
However the DS was nearing the end of it’s life at that stage, and I was personally loosing interest. I knew the 3DS was on it’s way, and luckily 3DSBlessed sounded pretty similiar to DSBlessed! I set up a Tumblr, but couldn’t afford a 3DS at launch. I didn’t get mine til November 2011… At that time I was really into writing for PlusXp, so put off the 3DSBlessed idea. But the time came for me to leave PlusXp, and shortly after that I registered the 3DSBlessed.com domain…
SPUK: Lovely, ok, so how did 3DSBlessed get started? What were, or indeed are, your plans for the website?
HD: Well it took me a fair while (a few months) to get the site looking how I wanted it to (and even now there are some things that need changing) but I finally had a look I was satisfied with around the start of March 2013. I needed some content to open the site with. As DS:London were (and are) one of our affiliates, and played an important role in keeping me interested in Nintendo from 2007 onwards, I asked Harrison Nathaniel-Wurie if I could interview him for the site. He agreed and what resulted was a good little interview that both brought attention to their group and gave us some good content. I also wrote an article on the Colors 3D community, because I’d been playing around with it around that time and was very impressed both at what the community were coming up with art wise, and the fact that the developers were continuing to tweak and make updates (free of charge) to the software even though it was a year old. I believe they still do infact…
As for my plans? My first plan is to get a job and move out of my current residence, as there’s no internet here. Heck I don’t even have a computer desk! I’m Ok administering the site at it’s current level with the help of internet cafés and USB sticks, but will have to put off things such as expanding the site/taking on new staff until I am in a position to better organise myself. Which is a shame.
I would also like to buy all the existing staff 3DSBlessed-branded t-shirts, and do something nice for them as a thank you, such as taking them out for a meal or something. When I get my finances on track : we shall see!
SPUK: What sets 3DSBlessed apart from the other game, or more specifically Nintendo, centric sites out there?
HD: Well for a start I don’t think there are many sites that focus primarily on the 3DS (although I know there are a few others, such as Planet3DS). Aside from that we marry our 3DS coverage with an extensive UK gaming events list, letting our readers know what events are happening in the gaming scene (not just events with a 3DS emphasis). For this reason I hope gamers of all formats will decide to bookmark us.
I really believe, in addition, that we’re one of the best places to get coverage/information of the London 3DS scene. We’ve produced articles on the Nintendo Spot Monster Hunter event, a comprehensive article on DS:London, and have published several articles about our friends the Monster Hunter Community UK. This is in addition to our involvement in SonicLondon/StreetPass London.
SPUK: Also, have to ask, are you a big fan of Kid Icarus? Your use of him in the site’s banner suggests yes…
HD: I’m actually not believe it or not!
Before the 3DS’ release Kid Icarus had been my most anticipated game, seeing as I loved playing as Pitt when playing Smash Brothers Brawl. I also felt that Pitt really fit in with the celestial theme that came into my mind when I imagined what a site called 3DSBlessed might look like, as well as being one of the most recognisable 3DS-related characters at that time. It was during this period that I actually created the logo, and I plonked it on the aforementioned Tumblr site.
I later tried Kid Icarus at Eurogamer and wasn’t a fan! But I still love Pitt as a character, and his image really helped inspire me in relation to some of the design elements.
SPUK: Speaking of being a fan of things – or not, whichever the case may be – let’s get down to the quick fire round! That said, feel free to elaborate. What’s your favourite 3DS game?
HD: I would like to say Harmoknight as I loved it to bits and feel it deserves more love. I think, ultimately , I’m going to have to say Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate however. Ever since I played World of Warcraft around 2007 or so I’ve yearned for a portable experience on that same epic scale. I wanted a handheld game that made me feel the way WoW made me feel. If it had social elements : even better!
I pre-ordered MH3U, then spotted there was a demo on the e-shop, so greedily downloaded it. Although much about the experience impressed me, such as the graphics, I just found the game way too hard, and just didn’t get it (like many 3DS players this was my first time playing a Monster Hunter title). So I cancelled my pre-order. Still, when I heard there was going to be a Monster Hunter meet at Capcom HQ, then one at MADD, I took myself along. Mainly because some of my friends were going, plus I just wanted an excuse to play 3DS with others. There I met a lad called Dean, who I told about my desire for a portable WoW. He said I should put my bad experience with the demo aside and give MH3U a shot, because he believed it was the experience I was craving. And, as it turns out, he was absolutely right!
350 hours in and I’ve had a whale of a time, crafting new armour sets, learning the subtleties required to beat increasingly ferocious new bosses, making my inventory increasingly awesome etc. And that’s before I get on to the social aspect. As mentioned before I don’t have internet at home. Which actually worked out a treat, because MH3U’s 3DS incarnation isn’t online! I have wonderful memories from last summer of working hard at home to build myself the toughest weapons and armour I could, then going along to the Monster Hunter Community UK meets to show them off/geek out with other fans. MH3U is an immense experience, I would recommend it to anyone…
SPUK: What do you love about StreetPass?
HD: I love that it adds an extra element to games. Whenever I go to a meet-up or convention where I know there will be alot of 3DS players, it’s always exciting to go home afterwards and check how many Shadow Links I managed to pick up (Legend of Zelda : A Link Between Worlds) or if I’ve got any intriguing new cards in Tekken 3D Prime. Over the years I’ve had alot of fun using the StreetPass features on such titles as Sonic Generations, Street Fighter 4 3D and Super Pokémon Rumble to name but a few.
SPUK: Which game, do you feel, has the most interesting use of StreetPass?
HD: I suppose it’s got to be Animal Crossing : New Leaf. For those of you who don’t know ; New Leaf sees you acting as the mayor of a town. At the back of this town there are an (initially empty) row of streets. Everytime you StreetPass someone their house is added to one of the streets until the they are full. After this happens older ones are pushed out to make way for newer ones (although any houses you mark as ‘favourite’ will be kept).
You’re welcome to go inside and look around any house you collect via StreetPass, and can even buy most of the furniture, which is ideal for catalogue completists such as myself.
SPUK: What upcoming 3DS game are you most looking forward to?
HD: Easy : Smash Bros!
SPUK: Ok, let’s broaden things. What’s your Favourite Nintendo game of all time?
HD: Legend of Zelda : Twilight Princess. They took the Ocarina of Time formula and somehow made it even better!
SPUK : And your absolute Favourite Nintendo series?
HD: Would saying the Smash Bros franchise be cheating?
SPUK: And finally, what’s one game – be it a dream sequel or funky spin off – that you’d sell your left pinky to see Nintendo create?
HD: A full-length, fully 3D Pokémon title that incorporates the real-time elements of Super Pokémon Rumble with the social elements of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. Doubt it will ever happen, but that’s my dream!
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