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[Dirt 2 is another great racing title from Firebrand Games.]

251

TalkBack / REVIEWS: Dirt 2

« on: October 31, 2009, 03:45:37 PM »

Dirt 2 is another great racing title from Firebrand Games.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewArt.cfm?artid=20223

 Usually when a handheld version of a game is released simultaneously with its console counterpart, most people’s eyes are on the graphically superior console version. With this in mind, does Dirt 2 for the Nintendo DS deserve to be overlooked, or should it be acknowledged just as much as its console counterpart?    

Firebrand Games, the studio behind other Nintendo DS racing games such as TrackMania, Grid, and Race Driver: Create and Race, return to the Nintendo DS for another take on the racing genre. Since their first title on the system, these racing games have evolved and vastly improved, as seen with last year’s GRID. With Dirt 2, the final result is a great and enjoyable racing title, despite it feeling a little lacking compared to some of the other games.    

Upon starting the game, it is quite evident that Dirt 2 is an arcade-inspired title. Players will find themselves jumping all over the globe and racing in places such as Mexico and Ethiopia in one of three difficulty levels. The game boasts quite a diverse array of tracks, as well, with everything from a desert-themed location to a chilly, arctic track.              

One great thing about Dirt 2 is that the pacing is spot-on. Not only are the menus simple and easy to navigate, but loading times are almost nonexistent. Thanks to this smooth presentation, players will find themselves spending much more time on the track than they will find themselves speeding through menus, and as a result, Dirt 2 is among the best pick-up-and-play racers on the Nintendo DS.       The main single-player mode allows players to jump into a vehicle and race on a variety of tracks, while at the same time collecting money and points to unlock new tracks and upgrades for their cars. The game doesn’t have much of a career feel to it outside of unlocking new races and earning money, but the eight or so hours you’ll spend playing certainly proves to be a fun experience.       

One of the best things about Dirt 2 is the ability to upgrade and unlock cars. By doing this, not only are you improving the ability of your vehicles for future competition, but you can also go back and revisit older stages to smash your old high scores. For those who are just interested in unlocking everything, Dirt 2 will keep you sticking around for many hours after completing the main game.    

Besides the ability to customize vehicles, Dirt 2 also has an expansive, full-on 3D track designer that allows for players to use the pieces collected from the career mode to design their very own courses. It is a little disappointing that these custom tracks don’t have nearly as much detail or beauty as the pre-made ones, but the ability to share a level with a nearby friend via local wireless is certainly a huge plus.    

Speaking of friends, Dirt 2 lacks one major feature: online multiplayer. Some of the developer’s past Nintendo DS titles have supported online racing, but the feature is not included in Dirt 2. Both single-card and multi-card multi-player are present in the game, but nothing can compare to competing against other drivers from around the world.  Would it really have been too much trouble to keep some sort of online feature, whether it’s the ability to download tracks that other users have created or just race against friends?    

Dirt 2 is by no means a bad game, but when compared to other games on the platform – more specifically from Firebrand themselves – it feels a little stale. While it has licensed vehicles and a stronger visual appeal, it lacks online play and a solid career mode. Regardless, Dirt 2 is a great addition to the Nintendo DS library.

Pros:
       

Licensed vehicles.

 

Great visuals.

 

Wide variety of background music.  

       Cons:
       

No online play, in contrast to its predecessors.

 

Lack of a real career mode.

               Graphics:  8.0
       Each of the game’s tracks look incredible, and the amount of detail present is amazing.

               Sound:  7.0
       While nothing to write home about, the sound is certainly fitting for a racing game of this sort.

               Control:  8.0
       Racing is simple and intuitive, and menu navigation is equally impressive.

                      Gameplay:  8.0
       Not only is Dirt 2 one of the best looking racing games on the market, but it’s also one of the best playing, as well.

 

       Lastability:  7.0
       The main game should take anywhere from eight to ten hours to complete, but the lack of online play severely hurts the overall package.

 

       Final:  8.0
       The Nintendo DS isn’t well known for its racing games, but that’s starting to change. Not only is Dirt 2 fun to play, but it also has a decent amount of depth. All in all, it should certainly please fans of the genre.      

[An expensive, but highly entertaining and enjoyable, futuristic shooter.]

252

TalkBack / REVIEWS: Thorium Wars

« on: October 17, 2009, 10:10:37 AM »

An expensive, but highly entertaining and enjoyable, futuristic shooter.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewArt.cfm?artid=20168

 Many of the titles released on the Nintendo DSiWare in the first few months of its introduction were published by Nintendo, leaving many to question where the third-party support for the service was.        While the same can be said about the service now, more and more publishers are starting to hop on the bandwagon and release some quality titles. Big John Games just recently released their debut title, Thorium Wars, the first shooter for the service, and while it does have its issues, the final product is definitely one to consider purchasing.    

Set in the year 2152, Thorium Wars is a futuristic shooter in which players take control of a variety of different machines to battle their way through waves of enemies. It certainly isn’t anything creative, but the story isn’t what Thorium Wars so enjoyable - it is the game play.    

Thorium Wars is composed of twelve distinctive different missions in which you are thrown into the cockpit of everything from aerial fighters to land-based tanks. In each mission, you’re provided with a basic victory condition, usually something along the lines of “destroy a highlighted object on the map” or “defeat all the enemies in an area.” In each mission, the action unfolds on the upper screen, while the bottom screen presents an overview of the battlefield. The amount of variety in the missions is certainly a welcome addition, as it constantly keeps things varied.    

Not only does the game provide players with a multitude of different vehicles to control, each of which feels distinct from each other, each mission offers players the choice between different types of each vehicles. There are plenty of different planes to control, tanks to maneuver, and hovercrafts to direct. Each specific type of vehicle feels different from the other types, and finding one that is easy for you control will prove vital to winning. Thanks to the this addition, you can always go back and revisit missions with a different vehicle and see which one suits you best. It would’ve been easy for the developers to do a quick copy-and-paste job here, but seeing as made each individual unit unique, they certainly need to be acknowledged for their hard work.           The controls, on the other hand, are just equally impressive.. While they may be a little difficult to grasp at first, they eventually grow on you and end up working quite well. The game gives players the option to play with either stylus input or an all-button scheme. While the latter works wonders, the former can cause some problems as they aren’t quite as intuitive and responsive as they should be.             

One of the biggest issues with Thorium Wars is that there’s no tutorial to explain how the game plays, and due to the complexity of the game, it would have been nice to see one included. Seeing as there are no instructions on how to play the game, you’ll probably have to consult the manual while not playing the game. So in other words, if you have a question while playing the game, you’ll need to exit the game, as you can’t consult it while playing, and then go read the manual.    

The missions - while engaging and varied - are a little on the long side, which is quite disappointing seeing as the game is on a portable platform. In general, a typical mission can run up to a full hour, and while there are some mid-level checkpoints in the game, there is no way to create a save file if you want to exit the game. If you want to put down your DSi and resume your progress at a later point, you will be disappointed to hear that you will have to start the entire mission over from the top.          

Thorium Wars not only plays great, but it also has a great effort put forward in both the graphics and sound departments. The visuals are very impressive for a downloadable game, and considering that the size limitations of the service, it was nice to see Big John Games try to make the game the best it could be.          

Of course, the big question that most people have on their mind is whether or not the game is worth the asking price of 1,000 points. While it may appear quite steep, Thorium Wars is a highly entertaining game that has a fair amount of replay value and high production values. It might be expensive, but it sure is a great piece of software.

Pros:
       

Wide variety of vehicles to control.

 

Missions are varied.

 

Twelve missions that can take upwards to an hour to complete.

       Cons:
       

Asking price may be a little high for some.

 

Lack of mid-level saves is disappointing.

 

Lack of a tutorial may upset gamers who find the game difficult to control.

   

               Graphics:  8.5
       The game has some impressive three-dimensional environments and vehicles, and the amount of variety among stages is nice to see.

               Sound:  7.5
       The few background tracks the game has to offer are all very fitting, and the sound effects are top-notch.

               Control:  8.0
       While a little difficult to grasp at first, Thorium Wars eventually becomes a very easy to play game

                      Gameplay:  8.0
       The amount of variety among the missions is great for a downloadable game, and the number of vehicles is also noteworthy.

 

       Lastability:  8.0
       Thanks to the variety among the missions and vehicles, players may find themselves revisiting levels in order to try out all the different machines.

 

       Final:  8.0
       Thorium Wars may be a little on the expensive side of things, but when everything is said and done, it is one of the best-playing games on the DSiWare service.      

[Is Spaceball Revolution really a revolution?]

253

TalkBack / REVIEWS: Spaceball: Revolution

« on: October 14, 2009, 07:50:44 PM »

Is Spaceball Revolution really a revolution?
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewArt.cfm?artid=20151

 Puzzle games are by no means a rare commodity on the Wii Shop Channel. Thanks to the efforts of Nintendo, we have several innovative and unique titles in the genre available at bargain prices, such as Maboshi's Arcade, Magnetica Twist, and the Art Style series. As a result of many efforts from different developers, one may feel as though the genre has quickly become saturated on the Wii Shop Channel, and the popular titles section of the channel certainly reflects that.    

With that being said, Virtual Toys still went ahead and developed their sophomore WiiWare title, entitled Spaceball: Revolution. While it shares many similarities with the team's debut title, Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam!, Spaceball Revolution is an overall slightly better offering.    

The goal of Spaceball Revolution is a simple one: light up squares of a grid that appear at the end of a hallway to match a pattern that appears in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. To get these squares to illuminate, you must throw the magical spaceballs and hit a square on the grid. Players point at the screen using the IR ability of the Wii Remote, and then use A or B to fire. If you accidentally hit a square, you can just throw another ball at it to change it back.    

Sounds pretty simple, but as the game progresses things start to become much more difficult. For one, you'll need to use your environment to get the balls to hit certain squares, and while this is happening, a timer is constantly ticking. If your figure is not completed within the set amount of time, the camera will zoom in, making it harder to aim your shots.          While the game is a little on the short side, there are several difficulty levels that significantly add to its replay value. Revolution has 15 different levels, each of which consists of five different rounds with increasing difficulty. It should take most players anywhere from three to five hours to see everything that Spaceball Revolution has to offer.  The inclusion of online leader boards is certainly a nice addition that adds to the replayability as well.    

After successfully completing the fifth round in a level, players will be greeted with some target practice, in which they have to aim the reticule to shoot down targets. While this may sound like a great idea on paper, it is not executed as well as it should be. Not only is there no point of reference for depth, but it also drags on for far too long.              The multi-player mode present in the game allows players to split the screen vertically and see who has the better skills. It's a nice addition that is great for families, but solo players are going to be thirsting for online play.    

Spaceball Revolution is clearly going for a very arcade-style approach in which the main goal is to get the highest score possible. With that in mind, there's only so long that you can go without eventually finding that the formula gets stale.    

The Wii Shop Channel has seen plenty of great puzzle titles, and while developer Virtual Toys certainly can brag about having one of the more creative titles, Spaceball Revolution grows old fast. It's nice to see some online leader boards thrown into the mix, but due to the game's repetitive nature, it provides little reason to return.

Pros:
       

The multi-player is very enjoyable

 

Core mechanics are fun and precise

       Cons:
       

Only fifteen levels

 

Gameplay can be repetitive at times

               Graphics:  7.0
       Spaceball Revolution is not the most beautiful game on the market, but it certainly looks better than a lot of other titles on the Wii Shop Channel.

               Sound:  7.0
       There's nothing over-the-top, but the energetic electronica music really suits the game.

               Control:  8.0
       The controls give players plenty of precision, which is required in this type of game.

                      Gameplay:  7.0
       The core mechanics are definitely nailed down, but the game gets very repetitive.

 

       Lastability:  7.0
       Online leaderboards are a nice addition, but due to the game being repetitive, most people won't find it as a huge plus.

 

       Final:  7.0
       Spaceball Revolution is a decent addition to the Wii Shop Channel, but it would've been nice to see the gameplay a little more varied. With that being said, you'll certainly get a decent amount of content for the 800 Wii Points you'll pay for the game.      

[This decent platformer falls just a little short of greatness.]

254

TalkBack / REVIEWS: Shorts

« on: October 12, 2009, 04:00:01 AM »

This decent platformer falls just a little short of greatness.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewArt.cfm?artid=20133

 In most scenarios, games that are released to coincide with the release of a motion picture often end up less than spectacular, and for good reason, too. In order to capitalize on the movie, most games are often rushed in order to send them out of the gate so that they’ll release around the same time as the film. While it’s quite apparent that this was also the case with Shorts, based off of the film sharing the same name, it isn’t quite as bad as many might have expected.    

Shorts is set in the suburb of Black Falls, where all the houses are identical and everyone works for the same company, Black Box Unlimited Worldwide Industries Incorporated. The company produces an item called Mr. Black’s Black Box which is said to be the “ultimate communication and do-it-all gadget.”    

Toe Thompson, our lonely protagonist of Shorts, is not one bit pleased with this magical box, seeing as it is keeping his parents unemployed. One day though, his luck begins to change, as an elusive, rainbow-shaped rock falls from the sky and grants him wishes whenever he holds it. Before long, his wishes start to backfire and create a swarm of monsters that  invade the town. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the adults create even more havoc when they gain possession of the stone. In order to save the town from destruction, it’s up to a group of kids to defeat the enemies.    

Shorts plays like a typical platformer in which the main goal of each level is to make it to the end while avoiding enemies and other obstacles. Each stage offers some fairly basic puzzle-solving that certainly adds bit of challenge to the game, it is nowhere near difficult. In fact, it is rather short and can easily be completed within a couple of hours.    

While the puzzles are certainly a welcome addition to the game, it would’ve been nice to see a bit of creativity thrown into the mix. For starters, you'll probably find yourself stepping on switches to raise up previously lowered gates and grabbing keys to open unlocked doors. As one might expect, this becomes quite stale after awhile and significantly takes away from the fun factor.    

Scattered throughout each level are floating orbs that give each playable child a power boost once 100 of them are in your possession. This power-up is temporary, so once it is gone, you’ll have to start saving again in order to reactivate the child’s ability.    

Shorts is primarily played using the D-pad and buttons, but occasionally the opportunity springs up to use the touch screen. At specific points in the game, players can create their own platforms with the stylus or block rampaging enemies by using the line as a shield. It’s certainly a neat little feature, but it has been done better elsewhere, such as in Kirby Canvas Curse.    

From a visual and audio perspective, Shorts does little to impress. Besides some notable problems with the frame rate and enemy size, the backgrounds are also on the ugly side.  The audio also suffers from repetitive sound effects and a lack of variety among the background music. All in all, very disappointing.    

Shorts is by no means a bad game, but it suffers from some common technical problems that easily drag the game down. Besides the repetitiveness and frame rate, the game is also on the short side, and seeing as there is little reason to revisit the game after finishing it, you’ll unlikely want to replay it. Then again, the game is bargain priced, so if you have a bit of money that is waiting to be spent, or you are in dire need for a platformer, Shorts may be satisfy your appetite.

Pros:
       

Different characters to change up the gameplay.

 

26 different levels throughout three different episodes.

       Cons:
       

Can be a little repetitive.

 

Some frame rate issues.

 

Fairly short.

 

Backgrounds are somewhat ugly.

               Graphics:  5.5
       The frame rate is very inconsistent and the backgrounds are much uglier than they are pretty.

               Sound:  6.5
       The opening tutorial is voiced, but the sound effects and background music are nothing to write home about.

               Control:  6.5
       Controlling the children can sometimes be more frustrating than fun, due largely to imprecision.

                      Gameplay:  6.5
       The core gameplay is fairly simple and can be fun at times, but it would’ve been nice to see a little more variety among levels.

 

       Lastability:  5.5
       The game can easily be completed within a few hours and after finishing the game there’s little to no reason to revisit it.

 

       Final:  6.5
       The Nintendo DS certainly has its share of great platformers, but sadly, Shorts does not fall into that category. The core mechanics are certainly present, but due to some technical problems, the game falls short of its potential      

[Welcome to the artsy equivalent of Big Brain Academy.]

255

TalkBack / REVIEWS: Art Academy: First Semester

« on: October 11, 2009, 08:42:18 PM »

Welcome to the artsy equivalent of Big Brain Academy.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewArt.cfm?artid=20132

 While Art Academy: First Semester may appear to be nothing more than a painting application, there’s quite a bit more to it than meets the eye. Not only is it the first in a series of art-themed games, but it’s also a magnificent creation tool, much like another highly-acclaimed DSiWare title, Flipnote Studio.    

First Semester may seem like a weird choice for release on the DSiWare Store seeing as Flipnote Studio is already available for free. Fear not: Art Academy goes far beyond reasonable expectations and brings plenty of neat features that are absent from Flipnote Studio.    

One of the features that the game emphasizes are the lessons that teach you how to create a masterpiece. By engaging in the six different lessons found in the game, one can easily grasp the basics of art and then put their knowledge to work, painting their very own piece using the game’s free paint mode.    

Besides these core lessons that teach players the basics, there are also some more bite-sized lessons in which players are given a photograph to paint without any guidance. While they are not as useful as the main lessons, they do prove to be a worthwhile distraction and a great challenge for seasoned veterans.                    

While the number of lessons may seem a little on the short side, the time you will spend at them is beyond what you might expect. Out of the six lessons featured in the game, all of them should take at least anywhere from ten to twenty minutes to complete, and that is only if you rush them. If you want to make your portrait the best it can possibly be, you might find yourself taking upwards of an hour to complete a single lesson.    

           The pacing of the lessons is also spot-on. The lessons are structured logically, and confusion should seldom appear. Your mentor, Vince, does a great job explaining the steps you need to do to complete a lesson, and even offers some advice and trivia to keep you engaged.    

The educational aspect of the game is quite impressive – there is plenty of fun to be had, and the game does a fabulous job of keeping players captivated throughout the entire semester.         

For those skeptical as to whether or not Art Academy is capable of delivering a realistic painting simulator, worry not – Art Academy goes far and beyond what most painting games have to offer. Each of the many tools found in the game are extremely responsive, thus resulting in some accurate use of the Nintendo DSi’s touch screen. Every one of the tools – from the pencil to the eraser – feels just the way it should. Not only that, but the game also picks up on your speed and pressure and accurately translates it to the screen.    

While learning is a crucial part of Art Academy, those just wanting to express their emotions and feelings, will find that free paint is where the game really excels. Not only is it structured so that you can draw whatever you want, whenever you want, but it also allows you to import pictures from your Nintendo DSi and customize them to your liking. After you have gotten them to the point where you are satisfied, you can then save them and then view them with the rest of your Nintendo DSi photos.    

Art Academy: First Semester offers much more than most painting games on the market. The amount of precision and content found in the game is truly exceptional. Everything from the controls to the lessons to the tools is extremely fine-tuned. The game has virtually limitless replayability thanks to the free paint mode, which is accessible right from the start of the game. All in all, this is an excellent piece of software.

Pros:
       

Tools are very responsive

 

Has limitless replayability

 

Introduces the basics of art to newcomers in a very well structured fashion  

       Cons:
       

Only six lessons

 

Price may be a little high

               Graphics:  9.5
       Art Academy is presented in a very well organized and creative fashion that emphasizes the artistic style of the game.

               Sound:  7.0
       While a little boring at times, the music is very soothing and fits the game perfectly.

               Control: 10.0
       Not only does the game give players a wide variety of tools to paint with, but they are also very accurate and responsive.

                      Gameplay:  8.5
       The core mechanics of an art game are certainly here, but it would’ve been nice to see a few more tools thrown into the mix.

 

       Lastability: 10.0
       Thanks to the free paint mode, there’s always something to do in Art Academy.

 

       Final:  9.0
       The Nintendo DSiWare Store is full of great software, but none of them come close to matching the quality of Art Academy. It’s easily the best art simulator released on any platform, and  it’s definitely worth your Nintendo Points.