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[Relativism destroys nations, and right now our culture is being torn down from the inside]

76

General Gaming / Are Video Games Art?

« on: July 20, 2007, 11:45:59 AM »

What a terrible question.

Even worse is the question "which video games are art?" For whatever reason, people think that art is a compliment, and only some games achieve the status of art. Ergo, someone could claim that Zelda is "art" but Charlie's Angels is not, because one is successful (in terms of quality, not commerce) and the other isn't.

I understand the question, I really do. We call things "artful" which is apparently a compliment. And we believe there are such a thing as skilled "artisans" who create things with their hands. And the definition of what art actually entails is very difficult too. Here's some broad definitions I want to throw down, from Dictionary.com (which references multiple dictionaries). Please note that I had to pick and choose since the word has many, many definitions.

Quote
the class of objects subject to aesthetic criteria

Quote
Human effort to imitate, supplement, alter, or counteract the work of nature.

Quote
The conscious production or arrangement of sounds, colors, forms, movements, or other elements in a manner that affects the sense of beauty, specifically the production of the beautiful in a graphic or plastic medium.

When most people say "I believe that this is art," they are really meaning that they believe it is "artful." A secondary definition of the word art is this:

Quote
High quality of conception or execution, as found in works of beauty; aesthetic value.

If something has art in it, it is beautiful or of high quality. But if something actually is art, then it is part of "the class of objects subject to aesthetic criteria." There's a difference.

So I don't really have much of a problem when someone says "this is art," because I know they mean it is of higher quality than something else, even if they're saying it wrong. But when someone says "this isn't art," they're not just saying that it is "artless." They're demanding that the thing (be it a game or a movie) not be classified as art at all, and not be treated in the same field as other works that are "more valid." They're actually saying that discourse about this title be relegated to another area, that if we consider it "art" we have made a statement of endorsement and we cannot intellectually discuss its merits (or demerits).

This is an epidemic! All video games are art. I posit this statement as a fact, and I hope that it won't engender a giant discussion. Of course it will, and I probably won't dive too far into the ensuing rabble for fear of being argumentative and controversial. Let me just say that once we recognize that video games are of "the class of objects subject to aesthetic criteria," then we know that we must always criticize them as works of art, meaning how they sound, what they look like, and how it feels (via the controller) to play them. All video games are made up of a combination of those three: sight, sound, touch.

The primary art of gaming, though, is control: what do I get to do, and what don't I? When do I get to do it? What are the effects (usually visual or auditory) of my actions? How does it feel to do the actions physically with a controller?

So yes, Superman 64 is art. It's not a compliment! There is such a thing as bad art. If you say a film is art, you're just stating the obvious. Let's move past the idea that some things are art and some things aren't, otherwise we will be mired in subjectivity and individualistic responses like "this is art to me," and "I feel like this isn't art." Relativism destroys nations, and right now our culture is being torn down from the inside. Art is one of the many things that is being destroyed by subjective response. In fact, with art, we've gone beyond subjective response and into subjective identification! So my opinion is that something is art, and no one can change that since it's my opinion.

Raph Koster (who's fairly famous) added fuel to this fire back in February, and I responded with a blog. The blog includes links back to Raph's original post, about a video game called High Delivery that was very "artful," and is definitely "art." Raph asked "is this art?" Most of the responses were "it's art to me!" And then Joystiq posted the most idiotic thing I have ever read on the Internet. Please read the post for links to that as well.

Well I'm sure I was too harsh and inflammatory with this post. Please know that I'm not trying to be a jerk, but that this is a problem that will forever set back games criticism and scholarship. If we don't agree, right now as a community, that games are art, then we will never hold our own against the other major art forms. If we wait for judges to decide for us whether our favorite medium is art or not, we'll be very dissatisfied with the answer they give us.    

[No four letter words here.]

77

TalkBack / REVIEWS: The New York Times Crosswords

« on: June 29, 2007, 11:20:58 AM »

No four letter words here.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewArt.cfm?artid=13730

 If you ever thought you were really good at crosswords, let the New York Times set you straight. DS owners can prove their skills without waiting for the next newspaper to come in the mail, because New York Times Crosswords delivers over a thousand puzzles from the New York Times archives, plus a fully touch driven interface. However, as good of a fit crosswords and the DS are, it's a bit surprising that the final game has some obvious flaws.    

The best thing about NYT Crosswords is, simply enough, that it gives the player access to over two and a half year's worth of crosswords, all originally published in the New York Times between March of 2004 and November of 2006. As a quick, easy, and portable way to access all those crosswords (and without the need for a pencil or a flat surface), NYT Crosswords is convenient and functional.    

The main game is a “campaign" mode of sorts where you go through random puzzles in order from Monday, the easiest, to Sunday, the hardest. A timer keeps track of your progress and scores your speed at the end. There is also a Challenge mode that allows you to select any puzzle you like from the calendar (knowing the date can help you solve some of the pop culture clues), and lastly a random puzzle selector. All three of these functions provide you with the same set of puzzles, making the random puzzle selector superfluous.    

The crossword takes up the entirety of the bottom screen, except for a tiny text box for you to write letters in and a heads up display. The top screen is mostly wasted, holding only the clue and a timer. The touch screen does a fine job for navigating a crossword, allowing you to drag the board with the stylus, and the game has solid letter recognition (upper and lower case are both recognized, while cursive for the most part isn't) and an onscreen keyboard if you don't want to bother with drawing letters. Certain functions, like zooming or erasing, are relegated to buttons or touch icons, and none of them offer any real grief. There is a hint function, however, that is mapped to the X button; using the hint function lowers your score, and since you're not using buttons very often it's easy to forget which buttons do what and accidentally hit the wrong one. The L and R buttons work ingeniously for scrolling through all the clues in order, but the developer very unwisely decided to make the L button move through the puzzle backwards, while R moves forwards. This works well for left-handed players who will be holding the DS with their right hand, but those holding the DS with their left hand (right-handed people) will find this function useless.    

One of the key faults of NYT Crosswords is its visuals. Firstly, none of the zooming functions offer an entirely appropriate view, since the highest zoom gives you little perspective of the whole board, and the lowest doesn't include the puzzle numbering. This is mostly the fault of the DS' small screen, however, and can be slightly remedied by turning off the heads up display. The second visual complaint worth mentioning is the color scheme. It may seem silly, but shouldn't a crossword game include the classic crossword black and white coloring? Instead we are treated to variations of soft greens, oranges, and purples, with tiny designs in the corners. Complaining about color schemes may seem overly critical, but when your entire game is text on a screen, the colors matter. (Also note that there is a screenshot of black and white gameplay available on NWR, so it may be an unlockable function that this reviewer did not find.)    

Other than those mostly minor complaints, NYT Crosswords is exactly what it says it is: nearly three years of crosswords from the New York Times all available on the DS. There is probably room for more features, but as a simple record of crossword history, the game works well. For crossword junkies it's a no brainer.

Pros:
       

Crosswords, sans pencil and paper

 

Interface works well enough

 

Lots of puzzles

       Cons:
       

Some control options aren't perfected

 

Non-traditional color scheme that some may consider ugly

 

Soundtrack features only one song during gameplay

               Graphics:  7.5
       The game has some fun doodles and a crossword themed menu, but the color scheme is not traditional and makes the game kind of ugly. Heads-up display gets in the way of the board, but can be turned off.

               Sound:  5.0
       There's only one ambient song that lasts roughly a minute long and loops forever, endlessly, into the abyss. Luckily, it can be turned off. The sound effects are unnecessary, but unobtrusive.

               Control:  7.0
       The touchscreen is well employed for both an onscreen keyboard and text recognition. All of the functions from the touchscreen can be accomplished with the DS' buttons, except for entering letters. Most of the button mappings don't make sense.

                      Gameplay: 10.0
       The crossword is a great game, and the New York Times crossword is very hard (especially on Sunday).

 

       Lastability:  9.5
       With 1,000 puzzles, there is a limit, but it's set pretty high. Plus, after you've done 1,000 crosswords, what's to stop you from starting over?

 

       Final:  9.0
       Niggling, and even glaring faults can't change the fact that this game has nearly three years of NYT crosswords in it. For those who love crosswords, there's nothing better.      

[Top execs have decided not to follow Nintendo to San Francisco or New York.]

78

TalkBack / Kaplan, Llewellyn, and Harrison All Call it Quits

« on: June 06, 2007, 08:37:39 AM »

Top execs have decided not to follow Nintendo to San Francisco or New York.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=13582

 Three top executives and 90% of Sales and Marketing staff at Nintendo of America have decided not to relocate to New York or San Francisco when the division moves later this month. George Harrison, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Beth Llewelyn, Senior Director of Public Relations, and Perrin Kaplan, Vice President, Marking and Corporate Affairs are all resigning their posts when Sales and Marketing makes the move from Redmond, where NOA is currently headquarted. Sources close to Game Informer Online have reported that these three and the other resigning employees will take a severance package of some sort.    

No one has received an official word yet on the resignations or when they will actually occur; Game Informer speculates the three will leave after this year's E3 show in Los Angeles.    

Nintendo World Report recently interviewed George Harrison on our podcast at the Universal CityWalk midnight Wii launch. Our last interview with Perrin Kaplan can be found here.

79

General Chat / The sad truth about Oregon

« on: June 03, 2007, 08:15:04 PM »

In Southern Oregon, most of our libraries have closed. We didn't have the funding for them, so they are gone. I'd love to get into the nitty gritty of it, but Oregon is a messed up place for government spending anyway, and we need some restructuring all told. I'm tired of our local government holding a gun to our head with new taxes so we can keep the things we were supposedly already paying for.

Anyone who lives in Oregon, please listen to me. Make efforts to promote a sales tax around here. We need one. Badly. We also need a reduction in income tax to go with it. Under the current system, if unemployment in Oregon goes up, we lose most of our funding - this is what happened when our economy got shot in the hip in 2003-04, and schools were threatened to be closed (just a few days were shaved off in the end, and when the taxpayers voted down extra taxes for the freaking public schools we already pay for, our legislators magically found some money lying around that provided our schools the funding they needed).

Right now, illegal immigrants, the homeless, and the unemployed do not pay taxes in Oregon, but they do provide food (somehow) to themselves and sometimes to their large families. The money's coming from somewhere, either illegal jobs or panhandling (or welfare, which can't be taxed). These people need to start paying taxes. Those who make money need to be taxed only if they use it - saving money shouldn't be a taxable offense. So let's reduce income taxes (a lot) and promote the damn sales tax that every other state already has. Do not vote Yes for a sales tax unless the income taxes are going down at the same time.

In the meantime, I'm eating raw cookie dough and gaining weight by the minute.  

[Developer Milestone seeking to release it in North America on Wii.]

80

TalkBack / Radio Allergy for GameCube Cancelled

« on: June 01, 2007, 11:52:58 AM »

Developer Milestone seeking to release it in North America on Wii.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=13557

 Radio Allergy was to be the GameCube's last game, but it kept missing its proposed release dates in February, and later April. Speculation that the game was cancelled is now confirmed. A representative of publisher O~3 Entertainment sent an e-mail to press today notifying them that the game will not be published by O~3 in North America. The e-mail cites video game retailer's lack of interest in GameCube games now that a new generation of consoles and software is available. According to the e-mail, developer Milestone is pursuing the possibility of releasing the game on Wii as part of a compilation and without the help of O~3; this would make Radio Allergy yet another port from late-gen to next-gen.

81

General Chat / My Name is Bruce

« on: April 14, 2007, 12:36:03 AM »

Yes, Bruce Campbell lives in Oregon. Yes, he made a movie in Oregon called My Name is Bruce. Yes, he used local actors and crew. Yes, I got to see it Friday night, and yes, Bruce Campbell was there making fun of everyone who attempted to talk to him. Head over to my blog for the full deets.

evanburchfield.blogspot.com  

edit: blatant linking like this may be against forum rules. If this gets out of hand, I may have to lock this thread or maybe even ban myself. That's your first warning, self. Don't let it happen again.

82

NWR Forums Discord / Before the Internet falls on top of me

« on: March 05, 2007, 10:40:43 PM »

I want to document just how awful I've been.

February 2006: Low score for Shadow the Hedgehog
February 2006: High score for Chibi-Robo
May 2006: Middling impressions of Elebits at E3
May 2006: Negative impressions of Zelda at E3
Post E3 2006: Open letter to Nintendo about Zelda sucking
December 2006: ZELDA IS A 9.5 DUE TO SUCK
January 2007: Low score to Elebits due to suck
March 2007: Low score to Secret Rings due to suck

I hope that, somehow randomly, there are eight Sonic fans reading NWR right now and that is why my review already has eight posts. I hope that, by God's grace, there will only be eight responses when I wake up. Why doesn't Chris Kohler get lambasted for his opinions? I think he's just as guilty. In fact, let's tear Game/Life down from the top to the bottom, rip it to shreds and spit on it. DOWN WITH GAME/LIFE AND ITS UNFAIR OPINIONS ABOUT SUCKY GAMES!

"And he called to the Internet and the Web and said 'fall on me.'"

[Slight improvements don't change Sonic's bad luck in 3-D.]

83

TalkBack / REVIEWS: Sonic and the Secret Rings

« on: March 05, 2007, 07:53:06 PM »

Slight improvements don't change Sonic's bad luck in 3-D.

Sonic and the Secret Rings is miles ahead of the crew of hedgehog miscarriages that Sonic Team and Sega have turned out over the past several years, but this is unfortunately not enough to save the game from falling into some of the same traps as its older brothers. While the basic game design seems to be revolutionary for Sonic, the game itself makes no apprehensions about existing in the same realm as Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog for Xbox 360 and PS3, and Sonic Adventure 2. Like those games, Secret Rings revels in gameplay features that bastardize Sonic and have nothing to do with the core concept of his original 16-bit games. I'm really surprised that Sega was able to screw this up.    

Secret Rings main innovation is quite welcome: no longer do we have open, 3-D levels that Sonic must roam about, but rather there are  linear levels that Sonic progresses through on a track. Sonic moves forward automatically while the player moves him left and right by tilting the Wii Remote, similar to Excite Truck. Players can also make Sonic jump, stop, and move backwards. While jumping, the player can thrust the Wii Remote forward to perform a homing attack on a nearby enemy. There is no camera control.    

The control system isn't awful, although it is quirky. Moving left and right with the Wii Remote is a fine feature, and I hope Sonic Team uses it again. Jumping is a different matter: holding down the jump button causes Sonic to grind, and only upon releasing does he jump, causing a delay. Even a quick tap of the jump button has a delayed reaction, and jumping overall slows Sonic down. Also, homing attacks can only be performed after jumping, and you must “lock on" to an enemy to perform them. There are two problems here: one, it takes too long to jump. Two, you must be in the air for a certain amount of time before you actually “lock on." If you are running at full speed towards a gap and see an enemy at the last minute, you are likely to jump, performing your homing attack without locking on, and fall to your death. This means that whenever something unexpected shows up in the levels, you will die. There's never enough time to dodge, jump, or attack. Sonic Team wanted the game to be fast paced, but why did they make Sonic's attacks so slow?    

Where Secret Rings really falls apart is in level design. Replicating the main mistake of Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic Team has put too many obstacles in the way of Sonic as he attempts to zoom through a level at high speed. These obstacles range from simple obstructions to groups of enemies that must be defeated or puzzles that must be solved. One area has you transporting dinosaur eggs to their appropriate nests, but since there are many branched paths, you have to loop around the level just finding the darn eggs before you can go on a hunt for the nests. The on-rails concept just doesn't fit the exploration necessary in this level. Other times, the levels will have long side scrolling portions where you must inch yourself left and right to avoid spikes and jump over barricades. It is awkward when Sonic stops in one of these areas so you can have complete control over his movement, then once he is past a specific obstacle will begin running automatically again. It is also awkward in general to have 3-D movement controls intact while playing from a 2-D perspective.  It must be said that the level design does not reach Shadow the Hedgehog's heinous heights. Some of these levels are inadvertently fun, but they're few and far between.    

One early level puts Sonic in front of a pack of raging Triceratops, and he must hit as many of the familiar “speed pads" as he can to avoid them. The problem is that Sonic Team has attempted to create a cinematic dinosaur chase that is shown from many different angles but, for simple gameplay purposes, I need to see where I'm going. The camera is often looking in the wrong direction, or at an awkward angle that confuses your left/right movement. It is also hard to actually hit the pads, and if you miss a few of them, the Triceratops will trample you. It also just so happens that in this level gaining rings is your top priority. It's a really sadistic level that you may have to play many times before completing.    

The game is lacking linearity where it could use some – since you're unlocking everything out of order, often you have to go back to the early stages to play a mission you missed before you can progress. There is also an experience point system that is entirely out of place. As you level up, Sonic will gain new “abilities" which range from useless to absolutely necessary: “Improve steering control," or “Accelerate faster." The game is nearly unplayable at first until you gain these key abilities, making the controls go from awful to adequate. Some of the skills become necessary, like the ability to slow time down or speed it up, but it's never clear when to use these until too late. The organization of these skills (which must be equipped prior to starting a level) in the menu is confusing and annoying… actually, so is every part of the menus.  You'll be seeing the menus a lot because every time you complete a single level (some of them in less than 45 seconds) you'll be sent back to select a new one.    

No surprise again, Sonic Team has thrown in an overlong and ridiculous “plot" that attempts to motivate Sonic's adventures inside of the book “Arabian Nights." The voice acting is terrible, although the hand-drawn images are rather beautiful. Likewise, the game's graphics are perhaps the best on Wii, outside of Zelda. The levels look clean and polished, much unlike the stop-and-go gameplay mechanic. In terms of music, Sonic is once again billed as a “rough dude," which is why we hear angst-rock most of the time. Some of the level tunes break this mold and are catchy, in a Sonic way, almost making you think you could be playing an old Sonic game.    

Secret Rings throws in a multiplayer party game extra that is amusing if you have people over. It attempts to emulate Mario Party with a game board interface, but the only part that's actually worthwhile are the mini-games themselves. Like most first generation Wii developers, Sonic Team was able to think up some fun and stupid mini-games that make the Wii Remote seem really cool. One of the best ones I encountered has you pretending to play a violin with the Wii Remote, and there are others similarly inventive. The party game element isn't too complicated, which means it will get old fairly quickly except for the occasional replay of an awesome mini-game.    

Overall, Secret Rings isn't a new low, just a new disappointment. It seemed like, maybe, we would finally get a Sonic game that achieved its goals, namely speed and fun. Sonic Team needs to take the on-rails concept and thoroughly rework their previous notions about level design, and then perhaps we can get the 3-D Sonic game we've always wanted.

Pros:
       

Great graphics

 

Innovative ideas

 

Party games are fun

       Cons:
       

Control is uneven

 

Level design counteracts Sonic's speed

 

Frustrating difficulty due to design flaws

               Graphics:  9.0
       The varied environments are detailed and lush with good water, lava, and smoke effects. The framerate never drops and the animation is fluid. Cinema scenes are communicated through dynamic hand drawn pictures that are really gorgeous. Graphically, Sonic is a huge success.

               Sound:  6.5
       There are catchy songs, as well as some horrid awful ones. The voice acting is terrible. Sound effects are convincing and canonical.

               Control:  5.0
       Some great ideas are on display here with the Wii Remote used in unique ways. Unfortunately, timing jumps is awkward, as is Sonic's primary attack. When the game goes into a 2-D side-scrolling mode, the controls just don't work as they should – sometimes moving the Wii Remote left and right causes Sonic to move to his left and his right, other times the same motion causes him to move to the player's left or right.

                      Gameplay:  3.5
       It's too stop-and-go, thanks to the level design. Some levels must be replayed over and over just to learn where all the obstacles are so you can get through without dying. Other levels have awkward camera angles or require you to have a skill that you haven't earned yet.

 

       Lastability:  8.5
       Every level is jammed with secrets, and you are scored with medals depending on how fast you complete them. Missions are also unlocked, and there is a whole party game mode to satisfy multiplayer cravings. This package is full; it's just too bad that the main game isn't satisfactory.

 

       Final:  5.0
       There's a lot to hate about this game, but with all the extras and the unique control scheme, some people may find it worthwhile. I don't recommend the game to anyone, though, and instead encourage a rental to the morbidly curious.      

[There's some good stuff, and some bad in Sonic's newest adventure. First impressions inside.]

84

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Sonic and the Secret Rings

« on: February 20, 2007, 06:20:24 PM »

There's some good stuff, and some bad in Sonic's newest adventure. First impressions inside.

Sonic and the Secret Rings is not the full facelift of the 3-D Sonic franchise that critics and audiences have asked for since Sonic Adventure 2. Sonic Team has instead developed a game that takes the best bits from the recent Sonic games, namely their speed and on-rails gameplay, while removing the worst, like the extra playable characters and dull adventuring quests. Sonic and the Secret Rings finds its home in speed - Sonic moves forward without your help while you steer a la Excite Truck.    

The controls aren't perfect thus far. Perhaps more playtime will enhance the scheme, as only certain parts are broken. Steering, for instance, is great. Jumping, though a bit awkward, serves its purpose. What is most frustrating is the method of attack. First you must jump, then shake the Wii Remote forward to home in and attack. This is cumbersome, especially when you are moving forward at high speeds: very often you will jump right over the enemy you are intending to attack. This also adds to unnecessary deaths when the homing is required to cross chasms. Overall, though, the controls allow you to experience Sonic's speed without relinquishing playability as past Sonic games have.    

After a three hour sit down with Sonic, it is evident that there are two types of complexity in his new game: one of these types is welcome and the other is not. The welcome type is that of a full world with branching paths, many enemies, items, and secrets that will keep you replaying levels for high scores and best times. Sometimes Sonic jumps on a log for a river ride, other times he's being chased by dinosaurs, other times he's sneaking past them, and all in the same level. This reassures those who may have thought that the on-rails premise of Sonic and the Secret Rings would be oversimplified. The type of complexity, though, that is not so welcome is that of the skills Sonic can gain; they are attained via experience points, which are themselves gained through mysterious means. Sonic can upgrade his attacks, add boosts, special moves, even speed up at critical moments. All of these extras don't seem to add to the basic on-rails gameplay, though with only a few hours of play, this reviewer may not have seen the best of them yet. Also complicated is the level configuration - depending on your best times and scores, different stages are unlocked. By the time you unlock the third level, you'll still be unlocking stages in the first level, ad infinitum. What would be really nice, especially after the branching path nightmare that was Shadow the Hedgehog, is a simple linear progression through a platforming game that does not involve experience, skills, or backtracking.    

Graphically the game is impressive with large levels and many different environmental features within each level. The speed of the game so far is fast with no frame drops, and the animation on the various creatures is solid. Graphically, Sonic and the Secret Rings may be the best third party game on Wii yet.    

The sound, though, is terrible. Anyone who's played any recent Sonic game knows about the generic angst-rock with bad lyrics, as well as the terrible voice acting during the otherwise beautiful cinema scenes. Turning down the sound and turning up a favorite album is advised.    

So far Secret Rings is more faithful to Sonic than every Sonic game post-Sonic Adventure. If it sticks, Secret Rings could be the best Sonic game in 3-D. Look for our full review this weekend.

[The toy maker anticipates to make 3 billion yen less than previously expected, thanks to Nintendo's success with DS and Wii.]

85

TalkBack / Tomy Blames Nintendo for Low Profits

« on: February 20, 2007, 06:28:58 AM »

The toy maker anticipates to make 3 billion yen less than previously expected, thanks to Nintendo's success with DS and Wii.

A report from Reuters today states that Japanese toy maker Tomy has cut its annual profit forecast from 5 billion yen to 1.7 billion yen, blaming high sales of Nintendo's Wii and DS game systems for diminishing toy sales.    

Tomy says that Nintendo's video game systems have replaced demand for these toys among young boys. Tomy manufactures cards, action figures, and other traditional toys based on licensed media such as movies and television.

86

NWR Forums Discord / ARGH BLOOD

« on: February 18, 2007, 09:35:09 PM »

Can we freaking get the private message limit extended? 100 is good enough for, like, two months tops.

87

NWR Forums Discord / Kirby is pretty much Life

« on: February 13, 2007, 03:56:16 PM »

Sometimes you fly, sometimes you suck, things are usually simpler than you think, and that bitch duck from outer space is always on your back. But the music rocks.


































































 

[Claudia Cardinale]

88

NWR Forums Discord / Meowfia Day Six: Fellini Fever

« on: February 05, 2007, 07:30:47 PM »

Today marked a sad day in Roma: Claudia Cardinale was mercilessly killed by the Italian Mafia while walking on La Strada. Cardinale's last words were, "I remember."

There was an attempt by Roberto Rossellini to save the victim, but it was blocked by Marcello Mastroianni, who has been disguising himself as Vitelloni.

Still masked:

The White Sheik

The remaining players are:

Anita Ekberg
Anouk Aimee
Nino Rota
Giulietta Masina
Anthony Quinn

The death toll is now 8 1/2.

[Find, catch, and mercilessly destroy cute creatures so you can power your toaster.]

89

TalkBack / REVIEWS: Elebits

« on: January 15, 2007, 04:40:24 AM »

Find, catch, and mercilessly destroy cute creatures so you can power your toaster.

Elebits is a unique concept game that is intent to prove the Wii Remote is the “new wave" – if that wasn't a hard enough goal, Konami has self-imposed a comparison of the game to Katamari Damacy since it was first announced. This comparison is somewhat true since the two do have some odd similarities, but as soon as the two games differ, Konami's unwise design choices become evident. In the end, Elebits isn't as elegant or innovative as they, or we, may have wished it to be, leaving Katamari triumphant and Elebits just this side of mediocre.    

I want to lay out in detail why Elebits and Katamari Damacy are similar, and if I seem indiscreet the reader must forgive me - Konami has gone out of its way to mention Katamari as a source inspiration for Elebits, and anyone who has played both will have trouble disconnecting the two. What is odd is that Elebits has the trappings of a shooter, much unlike its older brother, and this dissimilarity is Elebits' greatest strength. Aside from this immediate difference, the two games are extremely similar. In terms of subject matter, both games seem preoccupied with household objects and the basic aesthetics of every day life. Each game has a time limit that counts downward, and they both share inane plots (although the plot of Elebits is in no way interesting or amusing). Most important though is the gameplay structure: each game has the player performing a bizarre yet simple task while navigating benign territory, slowly unlocking access to new areas in a level by continually performing the same task. For Elebits, this is done via a "Capture Gun" that is utilized to catch the Elebits who are the source of all electricity. For some reason, they've abandoned their posts and are no longer providing energy to the world's appliances. Each level consists of a variety of objects tucked away in closets, on shelves, neatly stacked on tables, or behind glass doors - all of these objects must be shaken or turned around with the Capture Gun to expose the hidden blue, red, and other variously colored Elebits. Once found, they must be zapped by this same gun and turned into electricity. As more electricity is gained in each level, more appliances can be turned on, and in so doing you can reveal special yellow and pink Elebits that enhance the Capture Gun's ability to lift heavy objects. The typical level sees you finding as many of the red/blue variety of Elebits as you can until you can turn on the TV, the ceiling fan, the refrigerator, or the sprinklers, revealing the special Elebits that will allow your Capture Gun to lift boxes, pianos, and cars that block your way.    

Now the most immediate difference between Katamari and Elebits is right here. While Katamari's therapeutic brain relaxing gameplay encourages the player to make the world cleaner and simpler, Elebits encourages you to make a mess. The Elebits themselves are not often lying around as are the objects in Katamari, rather they are hidden in books and dishes that are neatly packed on the shelves of the house, encouraging you to completely destroy the tight organization of the house to find them. This is not only counter intuitive to the basic premise of simple, free-form gameplay, but is actually a huge roadblock to completing each level. Because you leave a trail behind you at all times, and backtracking is encouraged and eventually required, you'll spend the last few minutes of each level pushing aside your junk so you can merely open a door or get a better view. Since the timer is counting down rather than up, each level will end if you have not captured enough Elebits within the prescribed time limit. Many levels of the game have to be played twice through in order to learn their ins and outs and better prepare your progress, and with some reaching fifteen minutes long, it's no picnic. All this adds up to is a frustrating experience that doesn't feel nearly as laid back as Katamari Damacy.    

But even on its own merits, Elebits is lacking. The physics keep the basic gameplay fun, but unfortunately this fun is not what gets you through the level. Finding the Elebits is your goal, and this isn't as fun as throwing vacuum cleaners around the simplistic, lifeless worlds. After a few levels the gameplay itself gets wearing, and in anticipation of that moment the game introduces concepts such as limitations on noise and breaking things, enemies and health, and later, zero-gravity. These keep things fresh for awhile, (and make the game hard), but not long enough to draw more fun out of the concept. In presentation Elebits is a first person shooter, and frankly it is quite successful as a completely unorthodox take on the genre; the Wii Remote shines in the game, and I suppose that was Konami's primary goal. Some later outdoor levels seem to be channeling more orthodox first person shooter level design, but these unfortunately feature consistent slowdown that lets up only when facing a wall. This is sad, since these levels are great fun compared to the stop and go of raiding a closet. Even the game's interiors suffer from slowdown when there are a lot of objects in play, like during the zero-gravity levels (which are more fun than the real gravity ones). Finally, a very serious error was made with the game's hit detection: the game simplifies hit detection by reducing each object to a rounded off blob when trying to pick it up. These blobs are often bigger than the objects you are trying to manipulate, meaning that if you see an Elebit just to the right of a piano, you may not be able to capture it since your Capture Gun is trying to pick up the piano instead. This reduces the aiming in the game to a bit of a joke, which isn't funny when the entire game is about aiming a gun.    

Konami seems to have spent extra care in providing a full package for their limited game; there is a multitude of modes, and high scores on each level unlock new objectives and features. Among these are Challenge Missions which differ from the first playthrough, and Score Attack mode. The multiplayer mode is limited, but has its moments: each player shares one screen, and movement is given to only one player at a time. From the menu you can decide if this rotates every game, or every few seconds, which is pretty fun but not in large doses. Also there is the ability to customize the levels by placing the Elebits and objects wherever you want, which could potentially see some great results, aided by the Internet and a considerable time investment. These levels, as well as in-game screenshots, can be traded via WiiConnect 24.    

Elebits is a launch title that's a bit more ambitious than it should have been. The game is easy to pick up, but as the levels continue it becomes clear that the frustrations are not going to be eased, and the various modes are just repeating something you've already played. Many people will likely be able to dive into the game and glean some enjoyment from it, so to the curious, I recommend playing before buying. There probably won't ever be a Katamari killer, but there may be room on the Wii for a quirky shooter with more traditional gameplay. Elebits is not that game, but it gets really close.

Pros:
       

Great use of the Wii Remote

 

Controls streamlined, easy to use

 

Fun, light-techno score

       Cons:
       

Countdown timer forces replay of long levels

 

Slowdown, especially in exteriors, hampers action

 

Easy to get stuck in the geometry

 

Simple premise never takes flight

               Graphics:  6.5
       The bright, colorful look of the levels gives the game some charm, while the Elebits themselves steal the show. The game's hit detection is simplified such that the shape of each object is not really correlative to where you are allowed to zap it to pick it up - this makes intricate aiming across rooms or through objects impossible. The game engine chugs during large levels, or when lots of objects are spinning in zero-g. The game is deliberately sparse, and would not receive low marks if it could merely keep up with itself, or if hit detection were not so poorly designed.

               Sound:  9.0
       The music in the game is catchy and moody, an easy-listening ambient techno that makes the night time levels mysterious and interesting. The sound design is equally excellent in that each action of the Capture Gun is related to a noise, enhancing the player's ability to read a situation even if he can't see everything that's going on in the busy mess of objects.

               Control:  8.5
       Movement and aiming are simple and workable with sensitivity settings customizable. It is slightly irritating that one of the game's main features, throwing objects, requires you to vigorously move the Wii Remote until it is not pointing at the screen any longer, which can cause breaks in gameplay.

                      Gameplay:  5.5
       Good ideas, fun physics to play with, but it ultimately doesn't go anywhere substantial. New gameplay limits, like noise and health, are introduced often, but they never promote the basic idea beyond its limits. Making a mess in each level is actually really frustrating when the clock is ticking, and it leaves you unsatisfied.  Repeating levels because of the countdown timer is frustrating, especially when you get stuck in the objects that you had to throw around to beat the level at all.

 

       Lastability:  8.0
       Some of the modes (like Score Attack) just repeat gameplay seen before, but others do unlock new fun ways to play the game. Creating levels is as worthwhile as the time you put in it, and trading levels and screenshots over the Internet is a great first step for WiiConnect 24. For those who want more Elebits, there's more to be had.

 

       Final:  6.5
       Elebits is definitely not trash; in fact, it's got some fun stuff to it. Take away the slowdown, give me some larger levels, and I'd be sold. Otherwise, the concept of the game feels unfinished and is inert by the twenty-fifth go around.      

[Here's NWR's opinion of the Christmas batch of Virtual Console games.]

90

TalkBack / Virtual Console Mondays: December 25th

« on: December 25, 2006, 09:30:38 PM »

Here's NWR's opinion of the Christmas batch of Virtual Console games.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/vcArt.cfm?artid=12975

 The weather outside is frightful, but those Christmas (and Thanksgiving) Wiis are ready for some Virtual Console love. Today's batch of games is definitely the best yet - there's something for everyone. Want to know which games to get? Read on.    

   

Street Fighter II - SNES

 

Released: 1991
 2 Players
 Cost: 800 Points
 Controllers: Classic Controller, GameCube Controller

   

In ancient times, fighting games were mindless button mashers, wherein you just kept hitting A and B until someone ran out of energy and keeled over.  Even the original Street Fighter was pretty much like that.  One year, Capcom decided to try something different.  Thank the stars that they did, because the result was Street Fighter II, the game that revolutionized the fighting genre with six attack buttons and special moves like the ol' Hadouken.  The new arcade layout translated perfectly onto the SNES controller, as did the game itself.

   

What's that?  You don't like fighting games?  Maybe that's because you've been playing ones that aren't very good.  Street Fighter II is a classic, and if you and your friends don't have a good time duking it out, you are a sad person.    

Addendum added June 26, 2007: While Street Fighter II is still a great game, it has been depreciated by its SNES sequel, Street Fighter II' Turbo: Hyper Fighting.  While we still recommend this game to everyone, we don't recommend you download it over the superior-in-every-way SFII'HF. - Steven Rodriguez    

   

Super Castlevania IV - SNES

   

Released: 1991
 1 Player
 Cost: 800 Points
 Controllers: Classic Controller, GameCube Controller

   

Super Castlevania IV was the first game from the series to hit the Super NES.  Like many games that made the transition from 8 to 16 bit, the visuals in Castlevania IV really stood out at the time.  While primitive by today's standards, experiencing the great use of 2D technologies like Mode 7 can be a nostalgic and rewarding experience today.    

Being a Super NES game, either a Classic or GameCube controller is required for play.  The original game even features a way to manually change the button configuration.  This helps overcome the non-traditional button layout of the GameCube controller so most players will be able to find a layout that works for them.    

Super Castlevania IV is one of those gems that makes the Virtual Console such an incredible feature.  The game consists of eleven levels that are packed with the timeless gameplay the Castlevania series is famous for. - Mike Gamin    

   

R-Type - TurboGrafx 16

   

Released: 1989
 1 Player
 Cost: 800 Points
 Controllers: Wii Remote, Classic Controller, GameCube Controller

   

R-Type is, of course, the "O.G." of side-scrolling shooters.  Taking control of an R-9 space fighter, the game takes you through a gauntlet of eight levels filled with endless enemies to take down.  Oh yeah, you need to avoid everything that gets shot at you, too.  Expect to die a lot.    

Though you can play the game with all three controller types, you may find that the Wiimote is the least capable of the three.  Rapid-fire is set to the awkwardly placed B Trigger, so you may want to use the Wii Classic controller or dust off a GameCube pad for best results.    

It's a difficult game and a premium price for a TG16 download.  If either one of those factors turn you off, you probably won't think R-Type is worth the $8.  If neither apply, you should probably get it. It's one of the classic shooters of all time, and one of the most satisfying to beat as well.  If you want a challenge, here it is. - Steven Rodriguez    

   

ToeJam and Earl - Genesis

   

Released: 1992
 2 Players
 Cost: 800 points
 Controllers: Wii Remote, Classic Controller, GameCube Controller

   

One of the strangest games that gained popularity in the 16-bit age, ToeJam and Earl details the adventure of our titular heroes who become stranded on earth and must find the lost pieces of their spaceship so they can return home, (a la Pikmin). The game is a top-down actiony-adventure type thing that is easier to play than to understand. Gameplay consists of scanning various levels to find the spaceship parts, along the way using items and avoiding enemies.    

Control is a bit stiff, and the game is best enjoyed with the Classic Controller or the GameCube pad as the Wii Remote's A Button is just not a good action button.    

One of the top-selling Genesis games ever, most people will buy ToeJam and Earl for nostalgia alone. Those who haven't played it before shouldn't venture in as the game design is sloppy and only reaches great heights after many levels (and perhaps a White Russian). Those who have played it before don't need my recommendation. - Evan Burchfield    

   

Super Mario Bros. - NES

   

Released: 1985
 2 Players
 Cost: 500 points
 Controllers: Wii Remote, Classic Controller, GameCube Controller

   

It's the grandaddy of modern video games, a historically significant title for its narrative, length, and fun factor. It's also one of the first non-gamer games - more Moms, Grandpas, and Adult Family Friends have been sucked into the realm of controllable media through Super Mario Bros than any other game sans Tetris. And Super Mario Bros stands next to Tetris as an utterly simple, purely visceral, and ultimately landmark masterpiece.    

It is quite simply one of the most fun games ever made. Nintendo has based much of their current game design philosophy on Super Mario Bros, meaning you're actually buying a history lesson. That this game wasn't available on Virtual Console until now is a shame - no other game needed to be on there quite as much as this one. If you don't have a copy of this yet, five bucks is a sweet price for never having to blow on a Nintendo cartridge. - Evan Burchfield

[Experience "Intense Ninja Fighting" on Game Boy Advance, DS, GameCube, and Wii thanks to Ubisoft's Montreal studio.]

91

TalkBack / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Coming to Every Nintendo System

« on: December 20, 2006, 06:44:27 PM »

Experience "Intense Ninja Fighting" on Game Boy Advance, DS, GameCube, and Wii thanks to Ubisoft's Montreal studio.

UBISOFT USHERS THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES INTO THE NEXT GENERATION OF VIDEO GAMES    

Family Bonds, Classic Turtle Humor and Over-the-Top Ninja Action Take Center Stage in New TMNT Video Game    

CITY, COUNTRY - DECEMBER 20, 2006 - Today Ubisoft, one of the world's  largest video game publishers announced that its TMNT(TM) video game, based on the upcoming CGI feature-length film starring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, is being developed for the Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Windows® PC, Game Boy® Advance, Nintendo DS(TM), Nintendo GameCube(TM) and Wii(TM). The TMNT video game is being created by Ubisoft developers in its world-class Montreal and Quebec City studios and will be available at retail stores nationwide March 13, 2007, just ahead of the release of the feature-length film March 23.    

The new TMNT video game uses the same dark and dangerous environments and adventurous themes featured in the new TMNT CGI film being developed by Imagi Animation Studios and Mirage Licensing. The TMNT movie takes place in a New York City plagued by secretive villains and strange, otherworldly creatures. Faced with these perils, the Turtles will experience their most trying time as heroes and as a family, as Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo lose their focus and struggle to maintain their unity and ninja discipline. In the movie and in the highly immersive video game adventure, it's up to Leonardo and the faithful father figure Splinter to reunite the band of brothers and save New York City from a monstrous evil that lurks around every corner. Video game players will engage in over-the-top acrobatic navigation, collaborative combat and powerful fighting moves.    

"The TMNT movie is all about the emotions associated with family and teenage angst," said Nick Harper, creative director of the TMNT game at Ubisoft's Montreal development studio. "We've taken that philosophy and turned it into gameplay mechanics that will be fun and challenging. The direction for the all new TMNT movie and game is a darker, more realistic Turtle experience. Gamers will embody all four Turtles from the big screen to engage in over-the-top action sequences and intense ninja combat. We think this game will appeal to kids, teens and adults alike."    

Video Game Features Include:    

Intense Ninja Fighting: Harness the power of Ninjitsu and become a master of combat. Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo are playable and each have unique acrobatic moves, weapons and combat skills, such as Michelangelo's fast nunchuck face slap and Raphael's powerful Sai throw.    

Unique Acrobatic Navigation: The Turtles jump from rooftop to rooftop, scale tall buildings, dive into sewers and race through every corner of the city to confront their enemies.    

Powerful Tag-Team Moves: Together the Turtles can team up to reach locations unattainable alone, or defeat the enemy.    

Diverse Enemies and Bosses: Characters from the movie and the original comic book series - including the Purple Dragon Street Gang and the infamous Foot Clan - and a whole new group of enemies creep out of the shadows to face the Turtles.    

Ubisoft's TMNT video game is being created under a licensing agreement with Mirage Licensing, Inc. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are represented for merchandising by 4Kids Entertainment. Please visit www.tmntgame.com to access the official game Web site and www.tmnt.com for the latest news and information on the new CGI movie.

[Popular internet flash game will utilize stylus and Wii Remote's drawing potential.]

92

TalkBack / Line Rider Coming to Wii and DS

« on: December 19, 2006, 06:59:58 PM »

Popular internet flash game will utilize stylus and Wii Remote's drawing potential.

INXILE ENTERTAINMENT AQUIRES CONSOLE RIGHTS TO HIT INTERNET GAME LINE RIDER™!    

Nintendo DS & Nintendo Wii Games Scheduled For Spring 2007    

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Dec. 19, 2006 – Having already amassed a worldwide cult following on the internet, inXile entertainment announced today that it has acquired the rights to the hugely addictive ‘toy’ Line Rider™ and that the popular game will soon be available for both the Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo Wii™. Since its first appearance on the Web (www.official-linerider.com) on September 23, 2006, Line Rider has attracted over 15 million viewers to date and has spawned over 11,000 video posts on YouTube.com. Anticipated to ship in Spring 2007, Line  Rider for the Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo Wii™ from inXile entertainment will retain all the fun and thrills of the addictive Web version, but will also include new added features.    

Line Rider has received accolades from media worldwide. Time.com commented, ‘Line Rider is becoming one of the most popular flash games on the web’, and The Wall Street Journal called Line Rider ‘Online gamers’ new addiction’. The Toronto Star noted that Line Rider was ‘a deceptively simple online game’ and stated that it has become “the latest Internet addiction".    

“I have been around the interactive entertainment industry long enough to have seen similar phenomenon like Tetris and Bejeweled become massive international hits, and Line Rider has all the elements to do the same," said Brian Fargo, chief executive officer of inXile entertainment. “Line Rider is like a fully animated Etch-A-Sketch® and will be perfect for the Nintendo DS and Wii."    

Fargo continued, “The amazing thing is that it has appeal to almost everyone. I’ve watched 6 year-olds and adults play Line Rider and both were thoroughly entertained and captivated. Easy to pick up and play, and highly addictive, we are very pleased to be bringing Line Rider to video game players."    

Described as a ‘toy’ by its creator Bostjan Cadez, Line Rider allows players to construct their own track filled with as many ramps, hills, and jumps as they can imagine utilizing a pencil tool. Once the player is done creating their course, they can send a virtual sledder down the route until he wipes out. The possibilities in Line Rider are only limited by physics and the player’s imagination with an almost endless number of variations and replay.    

"Line Rider began its life as a project I did for illustration class," commented Bostjan Cadez, who created Line Rider in his native Slovenia. “As much as people see it as a game I think of it as a toy because there is no score and no one wins or loses while playing Line Rider. I’m looking forward to working with inXile entertainment on the new Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii versions as they will bring added gameplay and features."

[Nautical Nonsense indeed.]

93

TalkBack / REVIEWS: SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab

« on: December 19, 2006, 02:34:24 PM »

Nautical Nonsense indeed.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab is not really a SpongeBob game, at least no more than a generic platformer dressed up with a randomly assigned cartoon license will ever owe that license anything, other than sales. That's not to say that the game doesn't take place in SpongeBob's world of Bikini Bottom, or that his sense of “humor," if you want to call it humor, isn't present. These incidental SpongeBob artifacts are there, surrounding a boring, unimaginative platformer that doesn't recall in any tangible way the TV series on which it is based.    

There is one similarity between the show and the game, though, and that is the inane quality of both. Plot-wise, the game seems to take place in and out of dreams belonging to various characters, who sometimes apparently even share dreams. Of course there are no lofty artistic aspirations here, except absurdity, and the game provides plenty of that. One mission takes you inside the belly of an Alaskan bullworm, while another has you rocketing through space chasing a giant hamburger.    

The game suffers from a lack of depth mostly due to its simplistic and awkward play mechanic. There are plenty of moves but they are all revealed at the beginning of the game. The developer fails to have any good ideas about how to use these moves to create challenges, instead lengthening each linear level beyond monotony. Furthermore, the Wii control has some occasional level stopping issues, such as when the game requires you to spin the controller in the air to operate a winch or even the simple motion activated attacks while playing as a giant plankton.    

There are a variety of missions for you to tackle, from flying and platforming to racing and side-scrolling. The diversity of gameplay types don't make the game less monotonous – in fact the developer completely misuses them and makes the game even more tiring. For instance, to escape the bowels of the Alaskan bullworm SpongeBob is told he must fly out in a nearby airplane. After several long platforming levels this sounded like a treat. However, the plane is broken down and several parts must be retrieved before SpongeBob can fly it out of the worm. What follows is a fetch quest unworthy of Rare, much more boring than anything that British developer would have made. Only after this is over do you get to fly the plane, but instead of a fun diversion or sidegame, the flying portion turns out to be an entire level. To control the plane the Wii Remote must be held vertically like a joystick and titled accordingly. This is unimaginably awkward, especially since the levels require a fair amount of precision when collecting power ups. Even without the control problems, the level just goes on for too long with nearly no changes in gameplay. This much desired variety ends up being a device by which the developer extends the game beyond its limits.    

Even though the game is playable and features some interesting looking, if completely static environments, I can't say I could recommend it for any gamer of any age. If the control issues don't stop you, the tired and overdone level design will.

Pros:
       

Bright graphics, solid music

 

Neat horror movie presentation during one level

 

Captures the show's sense of humor

       Cons:
       

Long levels that just don't stop

 

Controls that will occasionally impede progress

 

Excessive repetition

 

Captures the show's sense of humor

               Graphics:  6.5
       Although there are colorful environments to explore, they get repeated so often that they all merge together. The polygon count is low but that doesn't stop it from having slowdown during hectic portions. Character animation is fine except during cutscenes where it is idiotically poor.

               Sound:  8.0
       High points to the lush musical score, which makes the game seem more epic and inspired than it actually is. Low points to the excessive voice acting which doesn't stop, ever.

               Control:  5.0
       The platforming action is solid enough with some odd button mapping, though the Wii Remote and Nunchuk actions are not always responsive. Sometimes they're actually impossible to perform without multiple tries. Racing isn't impossible but it is much harder than it needs to be, and flying with the Wii Remote is worthless.

                      Gameplay:  4.0
       The linear levels are simply too long and too boring – there are no real objectives other than collect items or defeat enemies. There are plenty of moves, but each is used to interact with the world in a simple way and nothing ever requires too much thought. The flying and racing levels don't redeem the game because they go on just as long as the platforming levels. There are a few bonus games and a funny musical mini-game, but they don't offer anything substantial to the mix.

 

       Lastability:  6.5
       Surprisingly long for a kid's game, and with quite a few extras on top – however the desire to collect all the items and replay the levels is hindered by their length and monotony.

 

       Final:  4.5
       The levels are too long, linear, and offer nothing of interest other than color and voice. The Wii mechanics are tacked on and ruin the game. If you hate SpongeBob there's nothing worthwhile for you here, and I doubt there's much for those who like SpongeBob either.      

[Our first take on which games you should buy for Virtual Console this week.]

94

TalkBack / Virtual Console Mondays: December 18th

« on: December 18, 2006, 05:34:00 PM »

Our first take on which games you should buy for Virtual Console this week.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/vcArt.cfm?artid=12974

 We love the Virtual Console here at Nintendo World Report, but let's be honest: some of the games are just not worth your money. Variety is the spice of life, sure, but some spices are best left on the rack. That's why we've decided  to offer our quick take on which games are worth your cash, every Monday night. Consider this your one-stop shop for Virtual Console details. The staff at Nintendo World Report are experts on retro games, so we'll be recommending titles based on our past experiences with them as well as our quick playtime with them on the Wii.    

We have invented a three-tiered rating system for Virtual Console games to keep things simple. The ratings are:    

Recommended for Everyone: For those games that anyone can enjoy whether they've played it before or not.

Recommended for Fans: For the "cult-classic" game that may not be up everyone's alley, but is sure to put a smile on the face of 16 or 8-bit veterans, or those who played the game when it was first released.    

Not Recommended: Games that shouldn't be played by anyone, or games that are horridly over-priced for what you get.    

And now for today's titles:

   

   

Tennis - NES

   

Released: 10/18/1985
 2 Players
 Cost: 500 Points
 Controllers: Wii Remote, Classic Controller, GameCube Controller

   

The NES version of Tennis is one of Nintendo's first-generation sports games.  The game features singles and doubles modes, five difficulty levels, and the un-heard-of ability to actually control your character's movement around the court.  Take that, Wii Tennis!    

Why would you spend $5 on an old tennis game when you already have a newer version that's more fun?  Everyone has Wii Sports Tennis, making NES Tennis redundant.  Don't bother with it. - Steven Rodriguez    

   

Space Harrier II - Genesis

   

Released: 05/29/1988
 1 Player
 Cost: 800 points
 Controllers: Wii Remote, Classic Controller, GameCube Controller    

Fantasy-Land falls into crisis now.  Space Harrier II is the sequel to the popular arcade game.  For those who don't know, it's a forward scrolling shooter that is loosely similar to Star Fox.  It features twelve different levels that are each selectable as soon as you fire it up.  It controls fine with all three controllers as there is only one action, shooting.  All of the buttons do this.    

It's hard to rationalize spending $8 on a game like this.  The main thing it had going for it when it was released was the interesting and almost unheard of use of semi-3D.  In this day and age glaring hit detection issues and stale gameplay make it quite boring. - Mike Gamin    

   

Military Madness - TurboGrafx 16

   

Released: 1990
 2 Players
 Cost: 600 points
 Controllers: Wii Remote, Classic Controller, GameCube Controller

   

Billed by Hudson as the precursor to titles like Advance Wars and Heroes of Might and Magic, Military Madness is a retro turn-based strategy game featuring infantry and lots of tanks duking it out on the moon. Stats for each unit and the terrain play into the game's tactical play. The game controls fine with all three available controllers as only two buttons are used for in-game action.    

If you like a good turn-based strategy game, you can't go wrong at this price. It's a lot more complex than you'd think, and includes an in-game manual with handy tips. Two players can duke it out as well. - Evan Burchfield

[Game combines Sudoku and Kakuro math games into one cartridge.]

95

TalkBack / Crave Bringing Sudokoru to DS

« on: December 18, 2006, 06:05:01 AM »

Game combines Sudoku and Kakuro math games into one cartridge.

Puzzle Fans Celebrate as Crave Entertainment Announces Sudokuro    

Newport Beach, Calif. - Dec 12, 2006 Crave Entertainment, a leading publisher of console videogames for the casual gamer, today announced plans to publish Sudokuro for the Nintendo DS(tm) handheld system. Featuring both the incredibly popular and highly addictive Sudoku and Kakuro logic games, Sudokuro contains enough puzzling goodness to keep even the most avid fans occupied.    

“The Sudoku and Kakuro puzzle phenomenon is still going strong and appeals to all ages," remarked Sheri Snow, Director of Marketing for Crave Entertainment. “With unlimited replay, a special mode for kids, and the stylus input with handwriting recognition, this game is a natural fit for the Nintendo DS."    

USA Today says Sudoku has “become the morning brain breakfast for millions of commuters," and the New York Times comments, “no puzzle has had such a fast introduction in newspapers since the crossword craze of 1924-25." Kakuro, often called a mathematical translation of the crossword, is second in popularity only to Sudoku in Japan.    

Sudokuro contains 1,500 hand-crafted Sudoku puzzles and an unlimited number of automatically Sudoku puzzles, and over 5,000 Kakuro puzzles. Players may enter data either with buttons or the Nintendo DS stylus, and the game also features text   recognition. With three levels of difficulty for each game, and a simple 2x2 Sudoku mode especially designed for children, the whole family can enjoy playing Sudokuro.    

Sudokuro is expected to be available in January 2007 for a retail price of $19.99.

[Marble Madness-inspired puzzle game for PS2 is coming to Wii.]

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TalkBack / Mercury Meltdown Revolution Announced

« on: December 16, 2006, 07:10:44 AM »

Marble Madness-inspired puzzle game for PS2 is coming to Wii.

Mercury Meltdown Revolution Rolls toward the Wii™    

Ignition Entertainment to Incorporate Wii Remote Motion Control into Brain-Teaser’s Gameplay    

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today Ignition Entertainment™ announced it will publish the addictive puzzle game Mercury Meltdown Revolution™ for the Wii™ home video game system.    

“We are thrilled to bring Mercury Meltdown to this ground-breaking game console that truly reinvents the gaming experience," said Paul Robinson, president of Ignition Entertainment. “The Wii Remote is a true compliment to the Mercury series as the original game design was intended for a tilt controller. Now gamers can fully interact with the Mercury blob, navigating through the labs with precision and unprecedented speed."    

Mercury Meltdown Revolution is a puzzle game that challenges players to immerse themselves in a colorful world of sci-fi machines, crazy characters, and bubbling test tubes. Players take control of a liquid mercury ‘blob’, guiding it around traps, door switches, spikes, moving floors and other hazardous elements in order to complete the level.    

Mercury Meltdown Revolution Features:    

* Full interaction using the Wii Remote tilt sensor  
* Advanced rendering techniques for improved graphical quality  
* Over 150+ challenging levels  
* Hidden Labs to unlock.  
* State of the art blob physics.  
* Bonus features to unlock    

Mercury Meltdown Revolution for the Wii is being developed by Ignition Banbury (UK) and is scheduled to ship to North America in spring 2007. For more information on Ignition Entertainment titles please visit www.ignitionusa.com or www.mercurymeltdown.com

[As per usual, Hudson is ready to spill the beans before anyone else: Military Madness is coming to Virtual Console.]

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TalkBack / Virtual Console Mondays Preview

« on: December 16, 2006, 06:56:06 AM »

As per usual, Hudson is ready to spill the beans before anyone else: Military Madness is coming to Virtual Console.

Hudson's website has updated to include a Virtual Console title only announced previously for European markets. Typically, Hudson's updates indicate that the new title will be released on VC the following Monday, so expect Military Madness for the Turbo-Grafx 16 to be available for download in just two short days.    

Hudson's classic strategy gameplay is compared to Advance Wars and Heroes of Might and Magic on the official site. The game's turn-based battalion wars will offer a new genre to the ever-widening Virtual Console lineup.    

For more information on Military Madness, visit the game's page at Hudson's official site.    

As previously  reported, also expect Space Harrier II for Sega Genesis on Monday.

[Game is a resurrection of an old Sega arcade title and has no connection with the previously announced Alien movie franchise games.]

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TalkBack / Sega Announced Alien Syndrome for Wii

« on: December 12, 2006, 05:51:32 PM »

Game is a resurrection of an old Sega arcade title and has no connection with the previously announced Alien movie franchise games.

SEGA’S 'ALIEN SYNDROME' VENTURING ONTO THE WII AND PSP® SYSTEM    

Action-RPG Meets Fast-Paced Sci-Fi in an All-New Adventure    

SAN FRANCISCO and LONDON (December 12, 2006) – SEGA® of America, Inc. and SEGA Europe, Ltd. today announced they will be publishing Alien Syndrome, a fast-paced action-RPG set in a stunningly imaginative sci-fi universe. Developed by Totally Games, Alien Syndrome will launch simultaneously for Nintendo’s Wii™ system and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system in Summer 2007. Alien Syndrome features two fast-paced action-RPG modes – the dramatic and engaging  single-player campaign, plus an infinitely replayable co-op multiplayer mode for up to four players. Derived from the classic SEGA arcade game, Alien Syndrome’s new action-RPG gameplay makes it easy to pick up and play, while its depth and wealth of features and missions keeps it challenging for all gamers.    

In Alien Syndrome, players will take control of the game’s strong and enigmatic heroine – Earth Command Trooper Aileen Harding – and battle a variety of fearsome aliens and colossal bosses. Gamers will choose from a wide selection of character specialties and skills as they progress through an engrossing campaign, protected by many different types of armor and using a variety of melee and ranged weaponry. Players can improve their heroine’s statistics and discover a huge number of powerful new abilities as they fight through infested spaceships and bizarre alien planets.    

“SEGA is updating its classic franchises and re-imagining these brands on next-generation and portable consoles for today’s gamer," said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. “Alien Syndrome uniquely combines arcade-style shooter gameplay with RPG elements, making it the only fast-paced, sci-fi action-RPG on the Wii and PSP."    

Alien Syndrome features 20 different weapons including flamethrowers, quad-barreled lasers, nanobot swarms that dissolve enemies, and incendiary grenades that shoot fire geysers from the ground. Each weapon offers advantages and disadvantages, dependent upon how it is used and the specializations players have chosen to adopt. Alien Syndrome’s fast-paced combat also allows for any number of combat strategies to defeat over 100 different alien enemies at one time.    

“Completely re-designed from the ground up for the PSP and the Wii, this new Alien Syndrome offers a refreshing blast-athon on a venerable classic," said Larry Holland, President and Creative Director of Totally Games. “As well, it has allowed us to exercise our science fiction chops to the fullest to create a totally involving futuristic action-RPG game experience."    

Aileen has an indestructible battle-robot assistant trailing her at all times. This helpful companion will automatically attack nearby targets during battle. It also acts as a vendor through which players can purchase or sell items at any time, as well as construct better weapons and synthesize more powerful items. Additionally, the robot can be upgraded with abilities such as healing and charging weapons.    

Alien Syndrome on the Wii will utilize the Wii Remote’s motion-sensitive technology to allow players a full range of motion when slashing through enemies, unloading on bosses, or running and gunning through hallways. Gamers will also be able to access new game modes and mechanisms that expand on the core gameplay. These new features include using the Wii Remote to craft new items, to enhance existing items and character abilities, and to hack into computer systems.    

For gamers on the go, Alien Syndrome on the PSP system is Wi-Fi enabled so that up to four players can play cooperatively in various multiplayer modes.      

Alien Syndrome is developed by Totally Games and will be available for Nintendo’s Wii system and PSP system in Summer 2007.

[The rundown on today's Virtual Console releases.]

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TalkBack / Virtual Console Mondays

« on: December 11, 2006, 06:59:01 PM »

The rundown on today's Virtual Console releases.

Today saw the release of four games for the Virtual Console: two for the Sega Genesis, and one each for Turbo Grafx 16 and Nintendo Entertainment System. Today's games are:    

Alien Crush for the Turbo Grafx 16  
Originally released in 1989, Alien Crush is a single player pinball game developed by Hudson Soft with an extraterrestrial theme.    

Controllers: Wii Remote, Classic Controller, GameCube Controller    

Cost: 600 Points    

Ice Hockey for the Nintendo Entertainment System  
A two-dimensional ice hockey sim made by Nintendo in 1988, the NES game allows you to modify the characteristics of your team and strategize against the opposition. For one or two players.    

Controllers: Wii Remote, Classic Controller, GameCube Controller    

Cost: 500 Points    

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine for the Sega Genesis  
A Sonic-themed Puyo Puyo game (and the first Puyo Puyo released in the US) that has a crazy plot about Dr. Robotnik turning the citizens of Beanville into robots. Originally released in 1993 and developed by Sega. For one or two players.    

Controllers: Wii Remote, Classic Controller, and GameCube Controller    

Cost: 800 Points    

Gunstar Heroes for the Sega Genesis  
A classic side scrolling shooter that is fast and explosive. Developed by Treasure in 1993, it is considered one of the Genesis' best games for its co-operative two player mode.    

Controllers: Wii Remote, Classic Controller, GameCube Controller    

Cost: 800 Points    

In other news, the main page of the Wii Shop Channel has updated - the title screen of Zelda for the NES has been replaced by the title screen of Gunstar Heroes.

[DS version delayed until March.]

100

TalkBack / Rayman Raving Rabbids Released on GBA

« on: December 11, 2006, 06:50:20 PM »

DS version delayed until March.

RAYMAN RAVING RABBIDS(TM) INVADES STORES FOR THE PLAYSTATION®2 COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM, GAME BOY® ADVANCE AND WINDOWS® PC    

SAN FRANCISCO - DECEMBER 11, 2006 - Today Ubisoft, one of the world's  largest video game publishers, announced Rayman Raving Rabbids(TM), the fourth installment of the Rayman® franchise, is now available at retail  stores for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Game Boy® Advance and Windows® PC. Rayman Raving Rabbids(TM) has an ESRB rating of "E"  for Everyone and an MSRP of $39.99 for PlayStation 2, $29.99 for Game Boy Advance and $29.99 for PC. Versions for Nintendo DS(TM) and Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft are scheduled for release in March 2007.    

Rayman Raving Rabbids(TM) marks the return of the iconic video-game hero Rayman in his funniest and zaniest adventure ever. Gamers will take control of Rayman as he fights the Rabbid invasion to restore peace to the world in two brand new action adventures for DS and GBA. Each handheld console version boasts an original story exclusive to the platform. In the GBA game the player must help Rayman search for magical costumes that will grant him the powers to fight the Rabbids. In the DS game the player will control Rayman and his powerful otherworld avatars, the Guardians, and together they will battle the mischievous Rabbids.