Out There

From the Pocket Gamer workhorse's mouth: Tracy Erickson

The Portland Oracle

From the Pocket Gamer workhorse's mouth: Tracy Erickson
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It's Christmas. That means the staff of Pocket Gamer is drunk, if not on alcohol then on the giddying sensation that comes from receiving numerous expensive presents.

All this frivolity means we're not writing stories today. To enable you to connect with us in a different way - one that doesn't involve the transmission of news, reviews, and features concerning the world of portable gaming - we've decided to go on about ourselves a bit.

Feared, respected, and feared again for good measure, Pocket Gamer's august Apple editor Tracy 'I'm a Dude' Erickson surveys the iPhone gaming landscape from his Portland perch with the piercing gaze and proprietorial air of a Peregrine falcon.

Favourite portable gaming platform?

PSP used to be my favourite portable, but iPhone and iPod touch have really exploded. I haven't really touched my PSP in the last few months because of all the great games on iPhone. Plus, I love unlocking achievements and trophies, so OpenFeint and Game Center more often entice me to play on iPhone.

Favourite portable game of the year...

Real Racing 2 and Infinity Blade impressed me the most, but my personal favourite is either Beneath a Steel Sky Remastered or Midnight Mysteries: Salem Witch Trials. I laughed so much playing Beneath a Steel Sky.

If it came down to it, I'd say Midnight Mysteries - it caught me by total surprise and I couldn't stop hounding the rest of the staff about how much I liked it.

...and of all time?

Two finalists: Advance Wars and Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. Of those two contenders, Advance Wars is tops - so hard to choose, though!

Favourite home console game of the year...

Although it got a lot of criticism, I thoroughly enjoyed Final Fantasy XIII. I appreciated what the development team was attempting to do with the linear design and I really liked the story - it was emotional at the end and I like being made to feel something. Not the best in the series, but it still had an impact on me.

...and of all time?

Four finalists: Final Fantasy VI, Secret of Evermore (SNES), Devil May Cry, and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Since I've played more Final Fantasy VI than perhaps any other game, I'd say it. Secret of Evermore is a close second - I adored that game.

Will you be getting a 3DS?

While I'm interested in checking it out, I'm not sold on 3D. It doesn't really do it for me in the movie theatre, so I'm not eager to make the switch in gaming. If I get one, it'll be to play Kid Icarus or a new Mario.

What are you hoping to get for Christmas?

What I want for Christmas is precisely what I'm getting: time with my family. We've been through a lot this year and I want nothing more than to be with them. I love them so much.

I'd also like a puppy - a Siberian Husky, please! I've been pleading for one all month. I could also go for a copy of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. More time to play games would be awesome too!

What's your new year's resolution?

To take more pictures. I always forget to capture moments and I always regret it.

Tracy Erickson
Tracy Erickson
Manning our editorial outpost in America, Tracy comes with years of expertise at mashing a keyboard. When he's not out painting the town red, he jets across the home of the brave, covering press events under the Pocket Gamer banner.