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["Welcome! Welcome New Galaxy!" Rinse. Repeat.]

51

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Super Mario Galaxy 2

« on: February 26, 2010, 02:26:51 AM »

"Welcome! Welcome New Galaxy!" Rinse. Repeat.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=22647

 It’s been a while since Mario has seen multiple releases of his core titles on the same platform.  But the genius of Super Mario Galaxy just couldn’t be contained in a single game, so now we have Super Mario Galaxy 2.  I’m not sure what the story is, or even if there is a coherent story, but again, the basic goal is to rescue Princess Peach.  The Lumas are back, but it’s not clear whether Rosalina will make an appearance.  The Media Summit demo had seven galaxies and two Bowser Jr. battle stages available for play chosen off of a menu, so there was no hub area on display.    

Sky Station Galaxy was a simple level designed to introduce players to the game.  First, Mario visits Yoshi’s house, but he’s not home (big surprise).  The level ends with a Petey Piranha battle.  The basics of the game are the same as its predecessor, including the collection of stars to complete the level.  If the levels shown here are any indication, the game is much more focused on creating clever and challenging level designs.    

Spin-Dig Galaxy introduces the drill item.  With the drill, Mario tunnels straight down through the level and comes out the other side (there is no interaction inside of the planet).  If he hits an obstacle, he rebounds back.  A puzzle component is added here as certain areas are only accessible by drilling.  Players must keep a 3-D spatial map in mind in order to read the other side properly.  One example of this was a planet with several tall pillars, pillars too tall to jump to.  But by running to the other side of the planet and drilling, Mario could make his way to the top.  The stage ended in a boss battle.  Digga-Leg, cousin of Mega-Leg from the first game, must be defeated in a manner reminiscent of the Raphael Raven battle in Yoshi’s Island.  As the enemy chases Mario around a 2D circular planet, you must time your drills through the planet to impact the bottom of the boss while he has his glass surface exposed, and not when he has his drill exposed.    

One thing that struck me is that Nintendo may be playing around more with changing our conception of what makes a level itself.  With the drill, players are no longer bound simply to the surface.  And while it wasn’t in any of the levels I played, the latest trailer showed certain enemies dynamically dissolving parts of levels, something that was played with in the first game.    

Hightail Falls Galaxy introduces Mario’s dino pal, Yoshi.  While you ride him around like in Super Mario Sunshine, the tongue mechanic has a separate and natural targeting mechanism: the Wii Remote pointer.  By pointing and pressing B, Yoshi will lash out his tongue in the direction marked by a red cursor.  Yoshi’s elastic tongue can be blocked by obstacles, however.  In a nod to Yoshi’s story, Yoshi has his own set of power-ups, each a type of fruit.  In this galaxy, the spicy Dash Pepper makes Yoshi do his best mad Wiggler impression, giving him extra speed necessary to scale walls, but at the expense of control.  And of course, you’ll have to navigate winding paths in this energized state, where a mistake means tumbling to your doom.    

Tall Trunk Galaxy also features Yoshi.  Here, Yoshi must eat Blimp Fruits.  Doing so turns Yoshi blue, and fills him up with something like helium, allowing him to float until all of the gas leaks out.  The level has players making their way up a tree, then around a 2D level wrapped around a cylinder (so you can fall around it forever), another 2D level cut out of a disc, and final area full of spiked enemies waiting to pop Yoshi.  Players must time their use of the fruit carefully, floating from one fruit to the next, or grabbing fruit out of the air with Yoshi’s tongue before they fall.  Get knocked off Yoshi, and expect to have to chase him around for long distances or until he gets killed after which he’ll respawn from an egg.    

Upside Dizzy Galaxy brought back 2D areas with gravity zones that debuted in the first game, zones where the arrow and color indicates the direction of gravitational pull.  These were some of my favorite areas in the original, and the level uses them to create a puzzle of sorts.    

After a bit of platforming over lava, Bowser Jr's Fiery Flotilla introduces a flying dragon enemy named Gobblegut, which is reminiscent of Fracktail from Super Paper Mario.  The boss tunnels through the planet targeting Mario.  It seems all that gobbling has given the serpent-like boss some health problems as it has several bright red engorged areas that must be spin-attacked.  As the dragon tunnels through the ground, it gets stuck for a short time at each red area, giving Mario some time to attack.  This boss was the only problem I found with the game that I hope they fix.  The boss didn’t have self-hit detection, so it could cut right through itself to kill Mario.  Cheap.    

Supermassive Galaxy is homage to Giant World of Super Mario Bros. 3, but the enemies are even bigger.  After climbing a few stories, I tried to jump on a Goobma, and all I got was damaged.  Blocks are too big to break, and even coins are too big to collect – instead they’re an integral part of the environment.  For instance, I had to use a coin to wall-jump off of, timing it properly against its characteristic spin.  The jumps were long, and getting hit by a super Thwomp would result in instant death.  Since you can’t attack enemies directly, the drill is critical here.    

Bowser Jr.'s Fearsome Fleet ends in another boss battle, but this time Yoshi comes along.  Yoshi can eat Bullet Bills and spit them back out at other targets.  Players must use this technique to take out Bowser Jr., who is piloting a giant mech.    

Flip-Swap Galaxy, the final level available in the demo is one of the bonus stages that can be unlocked by collecting Comet Metals [sic], though specifics on unlocking haven’t been finalized.  While the overall game seems to be focusing more on platforming, the real platforming challenges will be found in these types of stages.  If you liked Luigi’s Purple Coins in the first game, this level is right up your alley.  In Flip-Swap galaxy, platforms are flip between two positions every time the Remote is shaken.  These platforms are sparsely spaced so that careful jumping is necessary.  But you can’t use your spin to help you with the jump since that will flip the platform to the wrong position!  On top of this, you have to collect 100 purple coins within four minutes.  On top of that, you’ll have to time your jumps properly to avoid moving fences of electricity.    

While we only got a glimpse at the dozens of galaxies, it’s clear that Super Mario Galaxy 2 takes the original’s impeccable gameplay and manages to refine it even more.  While it looks and plays much like its predecessor, more of that greatness is welcome.  With more focus on using items to create interesting platforming situations, the game may very well set the new bar for 3D platforming.

[The latest Metroid adventure focuses on what's going on inside the suit as much as outside of it. Will it work?]

52

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Metroid: Other M

« on: February 25, 2010, 11:15:05 PM »

The latest Metroid adventure focuses on what's going on inside the suit as much as outside of it.  Will it work?
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=22646

 First announced at last year's E3, Metroid: Other M is a highly anticipated third-person action/adventure game, the result of a collaboration between Nintendo and Team Ninja of Ninja Gaiden fame.  At the Media Summit, Metroid: Other M was shown inside of a private booth.  This was a good decision since Other M is a cinematic experience unmatched by prior entries in the series.  Other M begins immediately following the events of Super Metroid.  In fact, the introduction video recounts the last moments of that game in gloriously rendered 3D.      

Spoiling that ending not only provides some epic visuals, it is essential to the story line. To quickly recap, during Metroid II, a baby Metroid hatches and believes Samus to be her mother.  Samus takes it back for study.  In Super Metroid, Space Pirates steal the Metroid.  In the final battle with Mother Brain, Samus is nearly defeated, but the Metroid transfers the energy of Mother Brain to Samus.  Mother Brain kills the baby and Samus subsequently destroys Mother Brain.  Samus then wakes up in a medical facility.  Apparently, she had been dream-recalling about the event with Mother Brain and the Metroid.      

Following this, the game begins a training simulation where Samus's doctor helps her recall (trains you to use) her basic attacks.  Surprisingly, the game is controlled only with the Wii Remote held in NES configuration.  Running and jumping work as you'd expect and work well.  Shooting involves an automatic lock on that works as long as you're pointing relatively in the same direction as the enemy.  Given the D-pad control, this is pretty necessary.  The A button is used to switch into Morph Ball mode.  Samus has a few new cool moves – pressing a direction just before getting zapped allows Samus to roll out of the way.  She can also jump on the heads of injured enemies to kill them with style.  Overall, it's what you'd expect out of Metroid in 3D space, though it's not too 3D since you'll be travelling down a lot of narrow corridors.    

Pointing at the screen with the Remote switches the game into a first-person view.  Here, Samus can scan as in Prime (though there wasn't much to scan in the demo) as well lock-on to targets and shoot missiles.  First-person view is a little jarring if you're used to the Metroid Prime games.  In first-person, Samus can only look around and shoot; she can't move.    

This Samus appears much more emotionally troubled than her depiction in other games, aside from Metroid Fusion, and in fact this game will likely tell the backstory of that game.  Samus keeps repeating "the baby" in reference to the Metroid that sacrificed itself for her and reflects how it is gone forever.  Following a briefing with the Galactic Federation, Samus leaves in her ship and picks up a distress call.   A so-called "baby's cry," Samus makes it her mission to investigate.  I can't help but think of Claire from Lost screaming about her baby.  That's not exactly the bounty hunter I've pictured in the past.    

Samus reaches a Bottle Ship, where she finds that a Federation vessel is already on scene.  The Army can't get into the facility because of a blocked door and they do not want to use explosives.  Samus opens the door with a missile.  In her first mission, Samus teams up with Adam Malkovich's team of soldiers from the Federation Army.  This would be the Adam that sacrifices his life to save her.  At the beginning, Adam does not trust her, telling his team that she is an outsider.  She was a part of this team before she became a bounty hunter, the result of a falling out, which will undoubtedly be explained later.  In previous Metroid games, Samus often loses all of her weapons at the beginning and must recollect them.  A little more cleverly designed here, Samus actually has all of her weapons, but Adam only slowly gives her authorization to use them, trying to create as little damage as possible until it becomes necessary.  A major plot point will likely involve Samus's reactions to taking orders.    

The station didn't have a lot going on; it seems designed to get you up to speed with Metroid mechanics.  There are several throwback enemies from the previous games.  Showing a Ninja Gaiden influence, combat is faster paced than the 2D games often with swarms of enemies, perhaps closer to Metroid Prime in third-person.  The Metroid feeling was definitely intact, with items hidden in plain sight in certain areas made inaccessible until a particular restricted weapon can be used.    

In the first boss battle, Samus teams up with the soldiers to destroy a tentacle monster.  As the soldiers use freeze guns on a particular spot of the enemy, you must switch into first-person mode to target a missile at the spot.  This is the first of two battles where players are forced to quickly switch back and forth between the two modes: you can't shoot missiles in third-person, and you can't move to avoid damage in first-person mode.  While the switch-off is doable, it seems this mechanic could have been avoided entirely by using a Remote and Nunchuk combination.  That is, the control is good, but frustration is sure to increase with the intensity of enemy attack.    

One major non-gameplay concern I had is with Samus' voice actress.  She really doesn't convey any emotion even though the dialog is filled with it.  Unfortunately, it sounds like the voice work is done, so we're stuck with a female Ben Stein.    

While I'm not completely sold on the switching control design, and I'm guessing some fans will be up in arms over the portrayal of Samus, I have little doubt that this will be a great game.  A lot of effort has clearly been put into the cinematics and story-telling, but the gameplay hasn't suffered.  The attention to detail is impressive, and the addition of Ninja Gaiden-style action with Metroid-style exploration should be a lot of fun.

[You'll be living large a month from now.]

53

TalkBack / Nintendo DSi XL Hitting North America in March

« on: February 24, 2010, 01:02:34 PM »

You'll be living large a month from now.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=22627

 This morning Nintendo provided the long-awaited North American launch date for their DSi XL handheld at their Q1 Media Summit.  Gamers will be able to get their hands on the jumbo-sized piece of hardware on March 28, for $190.00 USD.    

The Nintendo DSi XL is the company's attempt to introduce their ultra-successful handheld platform to older gamers, who perhaps shy away from the original model due to its small screen size.  It was released in Japan as the DSi LL on November 21, 2009, where it moved 100,000 units in its first two days on the market.

[Nintendo dates Mario's next adventure.]

54

TalkBack / Super Mario Galaxy 2 Coming in May

« on: February 24, 2010, 12:47:30 PM »

Nintendo dates Mario's next adventure.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=22625

 Nintendo has announced the release date for Super Mario Galaxy 2 at their Q1 Media Summit in San Francisco.  The highly anticipated sequel is set for release on May 23.    

Nintendo conducted a live demo of the game for an audience of journalists, showing off Mario's drill move as well as his ability to ride Yoshi.  Yoshi's skills were also shown, including his patented flutter jump as well as his ability to float through the air after eating Wind Fruit. The Wind Fruit looks to be an integral part of the overall gameplay.    

Several of the game's environments were shown as well, indicating a giant world much like Super Mario Bros. 3.  There was a battle with a Gigaleg-style monster on a planetoid, some platforming on a floating cylinder, and exploration of a disc with cut-out stairs and platforms.  Several different enemies made an appearance, including a dragon, and ghosts that eat parts of the ground around Mario.    

Look for videos and impressions of Super Mario Galaxy 2 as soon as we can post them.

[FADE study shows a decline in Virtual Console revenue, while WiiWare comes on strong.]

55

TalkBack / Nintendo Download Platforms Earned $125 Million in 2009

« on: February 24, 2010, 12:19:14 PM »

FADE study shows a decline in Virtual Console revenue, while WiiWare comes on strong.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=22624

 An annual report issued by Forecasting and Analyzing Digital Entertainment (FADE) estimates that Nintendo's WiiWare and Virtual Console platforms combined for $125 million in revenue in 2009, with Virtual Console edging out WiiWare overall ($66 million and $59 million, respectively) thanks to holiday sales.    

However, the report shows that the two services are on divergent trajectories.  WiiWare grew 30 percent in 2009 compared to 2008, while Virtual Console declined 25 percent for a 6 percent year-on-year decline overall.  FADE attributes the Virtual Console's slide to a weaker and sparser slate of 2009 releases, as well as Nintendo's promotion that gave downloaders of the Internet Channel a free NES game.  The promotion resulted in 500,000 free NES game downloads.    

As could be expected thanks to their lineup of classics, Nintendo garnered 76 percent of Virtual Console revenue.  However, Nintendo only earned 16 percent of WiiWare revenue, showing that WiiWare is a definite money-maker for third parties.    

FADE's 2010 projections call for a slight decline on the Virtual Console side offset by healthy gains for WiiWare, with VC earning $60 million and WiiWare earning more than $75 million.    

FADE also listed what they estimated to be the top ten downloadable titles in 2009 for Virtual Console and WiiWare.  They were:    

1. Super Mario Bros. 3 (Nintendo, NES) – $5,000,000 ($5.00)
 2. World of Goo (2D Boy, WiiWare) – $4,800,000 ($15.00)
 3. Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo, NES) – $3,300,000 ($5.00)
 4. Super Mario World (Nintendo, SNES) – $2,900,000 ($8.00)
 5. Super Mario 64 (Nintendo, N64) – $2,700,000 ($10.00)
 6. Tetris Party (Hudson, WiiWare) – $2,600,000 ($12.00)
 7. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the (Nintendo, N64) – $2,300,000 ($10.00)
 8. Pokémon Rumble (Nintendo, WiiWare) – $2,200,000 ($15.00)
 9. Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, the (Nintendo, N64) – $2,100,000 ($10.00)
 10. My Pokémon Ranch (Nintendo, WiiWare) – $2,000,000 ($10.00)

[Nintendo's legendary designer adds to his long list of accolades.]

56

TalkBack / Miyamoto to Receive BAFTA Fellowship

« on: February 24, 2010, 11:23:14 AM »

Nintendo's legendary designer adds to his long list of accolades.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=22623

 Joining fellow game industry luminaries Nolan Bushnell and Will Wright, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts has announced that Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto will be awarded a prestigious BAFTA Fellowship.      

The BAFTA Fellowship award recognizes excellence in film and television, but also in the entertainment industry at large.  And even though he is the sole recipient of the award, Miyamoto deflected praise towards the larger teams that help him realize his often grand design ambitions.  He humbly responded, "I am very grateful to be able to receive such an honorable award from the British Academy. Our video games cannot be created by one person; since Donkey Kong until the most recent New Super Mario Bros. Wii, I have been working closely with a number of friends for three decades in order to develop fun and enjoyable games. I would like to receive this honorable award on behalf of all of these dependable colleagues."    

BAFTA chair David Parfitt sung the praises of the newest BAFTA fellow.  Highlighting the historical significance of Miyamoto's achievements, he remarked, "The Fellowship is the highest accolade the Academy can bestow on an individual for their creative work and we are honored to have Miyamoto with us to accept his award. With previous honorees including Hitchcock, Kubrick and Pinter, it is only fitting that Miyamoto be recognized alongside these other pioneers for his groundbreaking work. He helped to develop an entire creative industry and is still a major force in its continuing success."    

The BAFTA awards will be presented on Friday, March 19 at the Hilton Hotel in London.

57

TalkBack / Nintendo's Q1 2010 Media Summit Liveblog

« on: February 24, 2010, 12:46:35 AM »

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blogArt.cfm?artid=22621

  We'll be liveblogging the Nintendo Q1 2010 Media Summit press conference, so keep this page loaded and updates will magically appear below!  We'll also attempt a live audio stream, so hopefully you'll be able to listen in as well (click the play button to your left once the conference begins).  The usual two-day schedule has been compressed into one looong day.  The fun starts at 9:00 A.M. Pacific.    

So far, we know the following games will make an appearance: WarioWare D.I.Y., America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking, Pokémon HeartGold Version/SoulSilver Version, Tetris Party Deluxe (Wii and DS), Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, and Rage of the Gladiator.  Going by their summer Australian launch announcements, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M are likely to be there as well.    

   

 

   

8:36:05: I'm here, waiting outside for the doors to open.

   

8:44:21: Starting up the audio stream so that you can listen to a bunch of journalists eat breakfast.  Let me know how it's working for you.

   

(Some technical difficulties.  Please stand by)    

9:08:  It's starting    

9:11: Cammie's here.  The focus is on games, for H1 2010.    

9:13: Talking about records.  We've all heard about them before.    

9:14: DSiXL is here.    

9:15: America's Test Kitchen for DS.  Recipes perfected    

9:16: 100 Classic Books.  June 14th.  Dracula, etc.  Ideal for DSiXL  MSRP of $19.99    

9:18: Mario Galaxy 2!  Nate Bihldorff demoing    

9:20: Mario Galaxy 2 is being demoed.  A new drill move is being shown.  

   

9:19:54: sorry for the technical difficulties... Try our audio stream here: http://www.nintendoworldreport.com:8000/

   

9:20:21: Mario Galaxy 2 is being demoed.  A new drill move is being shown.

   

9:22:24: Much of the game is based on determining what you're supposed to do in the particular galaxy-- more puzzling.

   

9:23:41: Cousin of Gigaleg-- smaller on a small planetoid.  You have to drill him or he will drill you.  Reminiscent of Raphael the Raven.

   

9:25:06: Another level demoing Yoshi!

   

9:26:35: Yoshi can eat a Wind Fruit to float through the air, blowing out air like a balloon.

   

9:26:52: Nate is very excited and wishes he could be playing instead of Ed.

   

9:27:22: Playing on a 2-D plane wrapped around a cylinder.

   

9:28:30: Flutter jump as usual.  Yoshi just ran away, but a new one hatched.

   

9:29:30: More 2-D platforming wrapped on a disc with cut-out stairs/platforms.  Besides run and jump, the wind fruit seems critical to getting around.

   

9:29:50: Demo over, but I'll get to play later!

   

9:30:10: Movie... you'll be able to see this on our Youtube soon.

   

9:31:20: Dragon enemy shown, much the one in Super Paper Mario.  Ghostly enemies that actually eat parts of the ground like acid.

   

9:31:37: Giant world like SMB3.

   

9:32:12: More 2-D gravity switching levels.  Lots of Yoshi usage, tongue acrobatics.

   

9:32:25: May 23rd launch date.

   

9:32:39: Sin and Punishment: Star Successor

   

9:33:49: FlingSmash - new name for Span Smasher.

   

9:34:03: Coming this summer.

   

9:34:44: Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver.  Pokewalker is a separate device that allows you to take your Pokemon with you Tamagotchi style.  Presales are huge.

   

9:35:12: Picross 3D with downloadable puzzles.  May 3.

   

9:36:02: WiiWare/DSiWare.  Dan Adelman presenting.  He manages WiiWare/DSiWare at NOA.

   

9:36:44: Numbers Numbers Numbers.

   

9:37:33: WarioWare DIY March 28 + WiiWare companion game.  Personally, I can't wait.

   

9:39:15: ArtStyle lighttrax - remake of GBA bitgenerations game.  ArtStyle Rotosoa, something involving colors and tentacles.

   

9:39:29: MegaMan 10 coming March 1.  

   

9:39:58: Max and the Magic Marker coming March 8th.  Already out in Europe.

   

9:40:14: Cave Story finally coming March 22nd.

   

9:41:16: Super Meat Boy coming in the summer.

   

9:41:47: And Yet it Moves coming Spring/Summer.  Originally a student project.

   

9:42:27: Rage of the Gladiator coming in Spring; it takes advantage of the MotionPlus fighting humans and monsters.

   

9:43:18: From Nintendo, Metal Torrent... players collect cubes to power weapons.  X-scape...  Battle ancient weapons resembling giant robots.

   

9:43:46: Bill Trinen and Dan Owsen showing off Photo Dojo DSiWare.

   

9:44:59: Bill Trinen likes to go to Nintendo's offices in Japan to see their cool prototypes.  This one was one that brought smiles to everybody's faces.

   

9:46:00: Must match poses.  Bill must do punching and getting punched.

   

9:46:11: Now recording sounds.

   

9:47:18: "My Kung-fu is better than yours"

   

9:47:56: Single and multiplayer modes.  More hilarious Bill monologue.  He has an "Obey the Captain" (Olimar) T-shirt.

   

9:48:47: It's a fighting game where your poses make up the sprites and your dialog makes up the voices.  It's hilarious.  

   

9:50:24: "You've been beaten by a girl." Desperation move to Bill's nads ends the fight.

   

9:50:40: People have added their cats to the game.

   

9:50:49: Cammie is back.

   

9:52:01: Steve Singer, VP of licensing presenting 3rd parties.

   

9:52:23: Showing old slide showing 3rd party games are important and are doing well.

   

9:54:09: Ghostwire from Majesco, DSiWare game using Augmented Reality.  Not playable here, but there's a video.

   

9:54:48: A pentagram.  Teh mature.

   

9:55:10: Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for Wii from Ubisoft.  Co-op play.

   

9:55:32: Includes 1992 SNES release exclusive to Wii.

   

9:55:45: Launches May 18, DS version also.

   

9:56:18: Disney's Guilty Party, from Disney and Wideload games.  Inspired by a mystery board game-- Clue.

   

9:57:27: Monster Hunter Tri from Capcom.  Bundled with Classic Controller Pro.

   

9:57:50: Free online play in North America.  Compatibility with WiiSpeak.  Demo disc at Gamestop on March 8.

   

9:59:12: Seth Killian from Capcom demoing.  Huge international following with fans creating camps, etc. - line in Japan was 4 hours long.  Over a million units sold in Japan.

   

10:00:48: Available on 4/20.

   

10:01:18: Sean Baxter-- "Don't clap; he's not that good."  (kidding)

   

10:04:19: Made easier for new players.  Jaggies are a species... he's running away from them since they were calling their friends.  Felines steal your items.

   

10:05:00: Jumped into water to take on a sea monster.  Graphics are nice.  Seems to be a fair number of loading screens, but they are short.

   

10:05:44: Looking for the boss monster (lagocris) but he hasn't found it yet.  

   

10:06:19: Finally found it.  It has electrical control.  Each monster has their own personality.

   

10:07:13: Use visual clues to attack enemies.  For instance, belly is not as protected.  Spikes on back generate electricity -- knock them off to prevent electrical attacks.

   

10:07:43: Sean died.  (Remember, he's not that good)

   

10:08:39: Pre-order incentive: Collectible 500 Nintendo points (for any software on Wii or DSi Shop).

   

10:08:57: 4-person online play demo video.

   

10:09:52: Fished up the water monster onto dry land where it is weaker.  The design is a crazy spiked armadillo thing with an angler fish face/light.

   

10:11:28: Monster ran away back to the water.  The hunters have tracked it, and now it has all new attacks.

   

10:12:01: Weapons look like they are made of the monsters... massive with crazy spikes.  They all have their own handling.

   

10:13:12: Monster (Gobel?) has buried itself in the sand.  Weapons such as Lion's Bane and two others were designed by fans and chosen by the design team.   Carving up the monsters, taking his whiskers, etc.

   

10:14:01: Sinister Saints, Tenebra are the other two community designed weapons.  Demo over.

   

10:14:20: Cammie is back.

   

10:14:45: Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies from Square-Enix is being published by Nintendo.

   

10:15:09: Now talking about Club Nintendo surveys.

   

10:16:16: 10s of thousands of responses regarding award items.  First is a set of original artwork Mario posters.  Second is Game & Watch Collection 2 (already out in Japan).  Third is Grill-Off with Ultra Hand! also released in Japan.

   

10:16:39: 10s of thousands of responses regarding award items.  First is a set of original artwork Mario posters.  Second is Game and Watch Collection 2 (already out in Japan).  Third is Grill-Off with Ultra Hand! also released in Japan.

   

10:17:13: Doesn't sound like they've actually done much with the surveys to me.

   

10:17:35: Metroid: Other M.

   

10:18:37: Private enclosed areas here to play it totally immersively.  Launches June 27th.

   

10:19:25: Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M footage/photos are prohibited (BOO).

   

10:19:58: Conference over! Time to play.

 

58

Nintendo Gaming / Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon questions

« on: February 04, 2010, 05:35:37 PM »

Hey everyone, we have the opportunity to interview tri-Crescendo, the devs of Fragile.  If there's anything you'd like us to ask them, post it here!

[With no sign of Fatal Frame IV getting released outside of Japan, a team of hackers and translators took it upon themselves to give owners of the game a way to play it in English.]

59

TalkBack / INTERVIEWS: Riivolution and Fatal Frame Translation

« on: February 04, 2010, 12:51:29 PM »

With no sign of Fatal Frame IV getting released outside of Japan, a team of hackers and translators took it upon themselves to give owners of the game a way to play it in English.

There are plenty of games that never get an official release outside of Japan, but few fans thought that Fatal Frame IV would be one of those games. Yet it's been more than a year and a half since the unique horror game came out in Japan and almost all hopes for an official English release have been extinguished.

However, a team of hackers and translators recently released the first version of their Riivolution File Replacement System for the Wii, with an English translation for Fatal Frame IV alongside it. As long as they have an SD card and an official imported copy of the game, interested Wii owners can have the opportunity of playing Fatal Frame IV with translated text and art assets.

Recently, NWR had a chance to conduct an interview with three members from that team: Colin "Tempus" Noga, Clayton "Mr.Mongoose" Ramsey, and Aaron "AerialX."

Read the interview here...

60

Announcements / Forum upgrade 11/17

« on: November 09, 2009, 05:27:24 PM »

I will be upgrading the forum software starting tonight at 11:59PM PST.  The forums will be unavailable for around an hour again.

Update: Pushing this forward again due to too much New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

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Announcements / Server upgrade 11/8

« on: November 07, 2009, 09:03:52 PM »

I will be performing a server upgrade starting at Nov 7 11:59PM.  The forums should be down for no more than one hour.

[We take a peek at the upcoming film adaptation of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, followed by a Q&A session with long-time game designer Jordan Mechner.]

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TalkBack / Q&A with Prince of Persia Creator Jordan Mechner

« on: November 04, 2009, 07:17:50 AM »

We take a peek at the upcoming film adaptation of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, followed by a Q&A session with long-time game designer Jordan Mechner.

Last week, video game journalists were invited to the first screening of the trailer for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time movie, which is based on the game franchise of the same name.  The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsly, and Alfred Molina, is directed by Mike Newell, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and distributed by Disney.  Jordan Mechner, creator of Prince of Persia and screenplay writer for the movie followed up the screening with a question and answer session.

One word for the movie, based on what was shown in the trailer, is "epic."  Featuring tons of action and special effects, the movie looks to bring the Prince of Persia story to the big screen in a big way with action scene after fight scene after action scene.  Elements from the game were shown, such as the sand-filled Dagger of Time, which gives the power to control time, and a powerful antagonist bent on obtaining the artifact.  Like the game, it appears that the interaction between the prince and the princess is also a major feature of the movie, with a lot of sexual tension and witty dialog featured in the trailer.  While many were concerned over the casting of the Prince, I'm actually more concerned with the Princess, who narrates the trailer with an artificial-sounding voice.  Overall, however, it's looking much better than I expected, given the movie-based-on-game stigma.

Click here to watch the trailer and continue to the Q&A with Jordan Mechner...

[NWR sits down with Telltale to talk about Tales of Monkey Island and more.]

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TalkBack / Tales of Monkey Island Interview with Mike Stemmle

« on: October 06, 2009, 02:41:10 PM »

NWR sits down with Telltale to talk about Tales of Monkey Island and more.

The Monkey Island series has a rich history and fan base, with the first adventure game appearing on PCs in 1990. Telltale has recently revived the series in the form of downloadable episodic adventures on WiiWare. We sat down with Mike Stemmle, who has been heavily involved with LucasArts adventure games and is the designer for Tales of Monkey Island Chapter 3: Lair of the Leviathan.

Read more...

[Just how "xtreme" can fishing be?]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Shimano Xtreme Fishing

« on: October 02, 2009, 12:06:28 PM »

Just how "xtreme" can fishing be?
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=20081

 Shimano Xtreme Fishing includes three different types of fishing: rod, bow, and spear.  Mastiff took pride in the fact that their fishing game is the only fishing game with a T rating.  This rating likely comes from the inclusion of blood in the game.  The game is also sponsored by a number of equipment manufacturers, whose equipment and ads are found throughout the game.    

In each mode, players first take a boat out to their respective prime fishing locations, indicated with a giant yellow arrow.  Rod and reel fishing can be controlled with either a single Remote or with a Remote and Nunchuk combination.  As you might expect, players can reel in fish by moving the Nunchuk in a reeling motion.  However, without the Nunchuk, this is simply accomplished by pressing the trigger.  Players can cast the line by flinging as you would expect, and slowly pull the lure in to attract the fish.  Once a fish has bitten, players must fight with the right balance.  Pulling in too fast will break the line, but pull too slowly and the fish will get away.  Sometimes the fish will jerk in a certain way, prompting an accompanying Remote motion to compensate.  Jerking back once the fish has tired will bring it back to the boat, though this particular control was finicky.  There were also collision and clipping problems; essentially, collision wasn't implemented and fish could pass through each other.    

Bow fishing and spear fishing are similar in controls, each letting you shoot fish directly. The primary difference is in location.  In bow fishing, you stay on your boat, while spear fishing takes place underwater.  Targeting takes place with the Remote pointer.  Score is dependent on distance to the fish (the farther the better) and number of fish shot in sequence without missing.  There are often specific fish to hunt, where others should be avoided.  Golden fish yield extra points, but they are much harder to catch, putting up a heavier fight.  You can also activate your boat's trawling motor to go after faster-moving fish.    

Spear fishing was described by Mastiff as "Endless Ocean with spears."  While the game certainly isn't as graphically-pleasing as Endless Ocean, this is a somewhat accurate assessment.  You can swim around underwater, admiring the sights and aquatic life.  Unfortunately, there seemed to be some problems with targeting, where the bolt would clearly go through the desired fish without catching it.  One of the "extreme" aspects is the fact that during spear fishing, you can be attacked by sharks.  It's better to take them out before they can get to close, though you won't actually die if attacked.    

The most fun part of the game I played was the arcade mode.  In this mode, I travelled down a river while fished jumped out in front of me.  I had to shoot as many fish as possible, and chaining hits without missing led to big bonuses.  Attaining certain scores unlocks more items and features, such as the powerful cross bow.   There is a competitive multiplayer mode as well, though I did not get a chance to try it.    

For me, the fishing was somewhat enjoyable, particularly in the arcade mode, but there were a number of glitches that marred the experience.  However, my guess is that fans of real fishing will have an enjoyable experience overall.  Shimano Xtreme Fishing certainly does have a number of fishing types not usually explored in games.    

See some of the gameplay for yourself in the video below.  

[It's Duck Hunt... and Pheasant Hunt, and Turkey Hunt, and Grouse Hunt and...]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Remington Great American Bird Hunt

« on: October 01, 2009, 07:19:59 AM »

It's Duck Hunt... and Pheasant Hunt, and Turkey Hunt, and Grouse Hunt and...
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=20075

 Though Mastiff resisted comparisons to Duck Hunt, calling it a classic, Great American Bird Hunt is a competent bird hunting game, which uses the Wii Remote's pointer for targeting.  Fans of Wii Play's Target Practice mode who were disappointed by its brevity should find Great American Bird Hunt a fun diversion.  There are six types of birds to hunt across 60 different stages, each with slightly different rules.  Some stages are timed where a certain number of birds must be killed.  In other stages, there is a limit to the number of misses or a limit to the ammo.    

There are a number of bird species to hunt, and each bird type has different behaviors, as in real life.  Each round also includes a bird that you are NOT supposed to shoot, like blue jays, or female birds.  Mirroring reality, the birds often look similar to the birds you're trying to hunt, so care must be taken not to kill the wrong ones.  This can be tricky, as they tend to fly right in the path of the birds you are trying to take down.  Kills can be chained for more points.  Long range kills are worth more, as are taking down two birds with one shot.    

During the game, a number of upgrades can be attained.  First, of course, is firearm upgrades.  Players can pick up more powerful weaponry by shooting birds with a gun indicator.  The change in guns is even reflected in the sound and vibration levels produced by the Wii Remote, which I thought was a nice touch.  After shooting enough birds, players can gain "hunter vision," which will slow down time and increase the contrast.  Once attained, this can be used at the player's leisure, so it is best saved for large flock fly-bys, where it is harder to clear all of the birds.  You can also call out your hunting dog, Rockford, who will run into the field and chase out golden birds, which are worth more points.    

My primary concern with the game is its difficulty level.  The game seemed very easy, even on the harder modes.  The birds are relatively slow and predictable.  The game seems pretty lenient in its targeting, especially compared to Mastiff's other upcoming sporting game, Shimano Xtreme Fishing.  One the one hand, this means anybody can play it and do pretty well right off the bat.  However, I am not sure about the lasting challenge.    

Great American Bird Hunt makes a good party game.  With a competitive multiplayer mode, players can go head to head individually or in teams.  It is possible to shoot the same bird simultaneously, but with four hunters rushing and strategizing over which birds to shoot, the game becomes frantic.      

Remington Great American Bird Hunt is a nice arcade-style bird hunting game with a good atmosphere and many variations of play.  The budget release price makes it a good game to pick up for those wanting bird hunting action.  And for those of you who might be wondering:  No, you can't shoot the dog.    

Check out some gameplay below.    

[Remember when Dorothy opened the door and entered the Technicolor world? This game is kind of like that. 45 minutes of direct feed gameplay video included!]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road

« on: September 28, 2009, 05:15:35 AM »

Remember when Dorothy opened the door and entered the Technicolor world?   This game is kind of like that.  45 minutes of direct feed gameplay video included!
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=20054

 The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road, known in Japan as the oddly-named RIZ-ZOAWD (an anagram of WIZARD OZ), is based on the classic book series by Frank Baum. Though people are more familiar with the film version, the game takes a much different path from that story line.  Filled with high production values, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road is a captivating new take on the Oz universe.    

It’s clear right from the beginning that Beyond the Yellow Brick Road isn’t your conventional rendition of the Oz story.  For instance, Dorothy has no aunt and uncle and is contacted by the Wizard immediately after awakening in Oz rather than by Glinda and Munchkins.  Dorothy’s trademark footwear is actually a requirement to be able to walk in the Land of Oz.  Players reach the end of the Yellow Brick Road and meet the Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, Tin Man, and the Wizard of Oz all in the first 40 minutes or so of gameplay.  Dorothy must actually battle and defeat each new party member to get them to join their party.  After reaching Emerald City, the Wizard of Oz (who is also king) sends the four on a mission to take down a family of four witches who threaten the king’s rule.  Throughout their journey, Dorothy and her crew will also encounter troupes of hooded cats, elemental sprits, “dragon grandfathers,” and a host of enemies.    

Beyond the Yellow Brick Road is controlled entirely with the touch screen, and control is somewhat unconventional albeit very fluid and responsive. As players explore the Land of Oz, the bottom screen is taken up by a giant green orb which is used like a computer trackball. Players spin this ball to move Dorothy around, and spinning the ball faster causes Dorothy to run.  Besides the orb, there are four buttons, two buttons to adjust view, a menu button, and a context-sensitive button.  When no special action can be performed, the latter button is used to tell Dorothy to pet Toto.      

The game's battles are surprisingly traditional RPG fare, harking all the way back to the original Dragon Quest with its first-person battle view.  However, the game brings an interesting twist to turn-based combat.  Players pick up the four playable characters early on, but not all four can battle simultaneously. Each turn in battle is made up of four sub-turns, which are chosen all at once. However, the Lion takes two sub-turns, and the Tin Man takes three. The characters deal damage proportional to their turn ratio, and characters can be switched out at the beginning of battle.  Additionally, each character has a particular affinity, where they can deal more damage to particular enemy types. Thus, players must strategize their attack plans.      The game isn’t afraid to show raw stat numbers, yet it is also tailored to inexperienced RPG players.  For example, when players are low on health, the game will automatically switch the default action to a healing command rather than an attack.  The game makes good use of the touch screen for selecting battle commands.    

One thing that immediately becomes obvious is that Beyond the Yellow Brick Road easily has some of the best visuals on DS, pushing the hardware to its limits. Except for some pop-in, the game runs smoothly, and both its 2-D and 3-D aspects are very detailed and colorful.  Traveling and battles take place in 3-D, while story elements are told in 2-D with gorgeous hand-drawn artwork.    

The music is light and beautiful, having been composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto (very prolific RPG composer) and Michiko Naruke (WildARMs series).  The songs are quite memorable and moving.  Careful attention has also been put into the English translation, with long, descriptive tracts of story text, though a few elements of the Japanese version remain (such as the RIZ-ZOAWD label below the track ball and the Japanese lyrics of the intro sequence).    

Despite gorgeous landscapes, Dorothy is confined to set paths – the rest of the world is fenced off.  This is a rather unfortunate choice, and it makes the game feel very linear.  Sections of the roads are connected through warp points rather than being continuous.  Though, once beyond the yellow brick road, the roads take many branching paths.  Players can mark signposts to keep track of their location.  Enemies appear directly on the path so players can attempt to avoid them if they wish, though this is harder on narrow walkways.    

The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road is a distinctly Japanese take on the classic children’s story.  The game mixes traditional RPG elements with a few of its own innovative ideas.  Thanks to a special focus on graphics, sound, and story, Beyond the Yellow Brick Road has a unique and charming character that should be experienced.    

To get a taste of the game, be sure to watch our exclusive direct feed of the first 45 minutes of the game below.    

     

   

   

   

 

67

TalkBack / INTERVIEW: XSEED Interview with Ken Berry

« on: September 09, 2009, 04:29:34 AM »

This is the Talkback thread for discussing NWR's interview with XSEED's Ken Berry.

Read more...

[This game redefines what horror games can be.]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: JU-ON: The Grudge

« on: September 07, 2009, 04:29:00 PM »

This game redefines what horror games can be.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=19924

 Ju-On: The Grudge is based on the movie of the same name.  The entire purpose of the game is to provide a constant stream of scares to players.  Thus, it is probably best played in a dark room either alone or with friends watching.    

In Ju-On: The Grudge, a family encounters a curse, which was generated by the death of a housewife.  Like the movie, the game is made up of a set of related character vignettes.  Players play as each character as they individually explore and try to escape dim and dank environments such as warehouses and hospitals fraught with grisly scenes and spooky spirits.    

Ju-On only uses the Wii Remote to control the game.  The game's characters move agonizingly slowly as players explore the game's dark levels.  The Remote functions as a flashlight and the D-pad and B button are used to direct the characters.  Objects can be manipulated when selected, but otherwise, the game almost feels like an interactive movie where you can influence the characters actions.  Ju-On also includes a second-player addition, which allows friend to trigger scare events at-will.    

Players must collect batteries throughout the game to power the flashlight.  If it goes out, the game is over.  As players explore the environments, a pervasive sense that something is not right abounds.  For example, electronics may activate seemingly without reason, and images of people or more disturbing scenes appear.  The game shows a heavy influence from Japanese horror and spirit beliefs.  Players are attacked (often psychologically) by onryo, ghosts seeking vengeance.  Sometimes they grab the player and must be shaken off by shaking the Wii Remote.    

The game is meant to be experienced fully, so the game doesn't try very hard to kill you outright, just make you feel like you're on the edge of survival.  At the end of each level, player's reaction times and resolve are calculated, based on movement of the Wii Remote recorded during the level.    

I'm not one to get a much of a kick out of horror spooks, so to me the game was slow and without a lot of action, but I did see other players have a really good time demoing the game.  The controls are well-suited for the game, shunning a traditional point-and-click adventure interface.  The budget title is specifically designed for players to pick it up as a scary party game.  No direct feed is available since showing any would remove the element of surprise from the game's scripted events.    

Ju-On: The Grudge is distinctly different from the usual Resident Evil-style horror games, distilling out the horror such that the game feels more like an interactive movie even though all exploration is player-directed.  It won't be appreciated by everyone, but with XSEED targeting Halloween, the game is positioned well for scary parties.

[This action RPG introduces online co-op and other series reinventions. (Includes exclusive direct feed footage).]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga

« on: September 07, 2009, 03:48:20 PM »

This action RPG introduces online co-op and other series reinventions. (Includes exclusive direct feed footage).
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=19923

 The Valhalla Knights series has traditionally been on the PSP and Eldar Saga for Wii is the first game in the series to appear on home consoles.  Eldar Saga is an action RPG in a similar vein to Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles.  Players begin the game as a human who must try to rebuild alliances among the dwarves, elves, and halflings.      

Previous Valhalla Knights games have put players in control of four characters, but the focus of Eldar Saga is building up a personal character, so control is limited to that one character.  The character is  extremely customizable, not just including job class and equipment, but also specific clothing.  Later in the game, players can choose a character from any of the four races.  During the course of the game, players may hire out various secondary characters to fight for them, but control remains with the computer, and the hired character may not even be engaged in battle anywhere near the same screen as the primary character.  Fallen party members will recover automatically after a given amount of time and rejoin the fight.    

Eldar Saga features some fairly wide-open spaces filled with a variety of enemies and bosses.  The game features quite a bit of level grinding, and despite its active hack-and-slash nature, is heavily stats-based.  Battles occur in real-time, and even the menus are accessed while in the midst of battle.  Since there is no pause screen for switching items around, players must take care in their fighting strategy.  The game allows players to assign items to the D-pad on the Remote so critical items can be accessed immediately.      

Eldar Saga features a two-player online co-op mode where players can explore and  the world of Eldar together, battle, and find special items.  The game also includes an unlockable gallery of the games enemies and items.      

The latest game in the Valhalla Knights brings a long and serious fantasy adventure to the Wii.  With intricate RPG details, vast environments, and online co-op, the game has the potential to fill a large gap in the Wii software library.    

Be sure to watch our exclusive direct feed footage, found below.  Due to the noise at the XSEED event, I didn't notice the extremely loud sound effects until I was reviewing the direct feed footage, so I'm not sure if the sound effects can be toned down, but I hope so.    

     

   

 

[No, really, I'm not holding the controller wrong. (Includes exclusive direct feed footage).]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces

« on: September 06, 2009, 05:26:55 AM »

No, really, I'm not holding the controller wrong.  (Includes exclusive direct feed footage).
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=19920

 The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces is based on a book series written by Hiroshi Mori and the subsequent anime motion picture, which was directed by Mamoru Oshii (best known for Ghost in the Shell).  The game features some anime cutscenes in the same style as the movie, but the game itself covers more material from the books as it is a run-up to the story portrayed in the movie.  In the world of Sky Crawlers, an alternate version of human history, worldwide peace has come to Earth.  However, since humans are used to conflict, to keep this peace, two corporations fight an endless war.  In this war, cloned children known as "kildren" are trained as pilots who then fly into battles.  In the game, you play a rookie pilot named Lynx, who is not one of the kildren.    

Sky Crawlers was developed by the same team as the Ace Combat series, so players can expect a good flight experience.  The game is probably best classed somewhere between an arcade flight game and a flight sim.  The game includes several difficulty levels and the control difficulty is also customizable.  In the easy and normal control modes, planes control much as you expect from playing something like Star Fox.  Expert controls make the controls more realistic, and thus harder and less intuitive.  Players switching to these controls are likely to find themselves weaving and crashing at first.      

Control is perhaps the game's most unique feature.  Instead of controlling the plane's direction with the Wii Remote, the game uses the Nunchuk as the rudder, meaning that the controllers are held in opposite hands from normal.  The Remote is used as a speed lever where tilting up speeds up the aircraft and tilting down slows it down.   Despite their unconventionality, the controls feel wonderful.  The Nunchuk feels better to hold than the Remote and so this scheme is appreciated, even though the Nunchuk has lower motion sensitivity.  The Z trigger is used for shooting and the A button is used to perform an automatic acrobatic pursuit sequence.  This sequence can be activated by waiting for a meter to fill after getting in range of an enemy.  The meter has three levels, and the higher levels are required to pursue more difficult enemies.  The control stick can be used to choose a semi-automated maneuver with B as its activation.  The game also supports the Classic Controller and GameCube controller.    

The game features a number of mission types, from straight-up dog fights to more defensive escort missions.  Some missions feature air battles, while others involve ground bombing missions.  Most missions can be completed when designated targets are taken out within a time limit, though some are instead survival-based.  The game includes the ability to customize the in-flight view as well as full replays of flown missions.    

Sky Crawlers includes a number of aircraft, each with its own set of stats.  Two different weapons can be equipped per mission, and selection of the proper artillery for the given mission is important for successful completion.  A map is displayed prior to each mission to lay out the battle strategy.    

Innocent Aces sports muted tones, with a color scheme like the anime, but the game uses real satellite data for its terrain.  This looks good from the sky, but the textures become pretty pixelated when hovering near the ground, just like when zooming in too far in a program like Google Earth.  The game also includes voiced cutscenes animated by the same studio as the motion picture.  Unfortunately, the game will only include the English voices and not the original Japanese ones due to lack of space.    

The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces looks to be a solid flight game with an interesting (if not depressing) story.  The control scheme makes a surprisingly unique use of the Wii controllers' motion controls.  The game is set for a holiday release.    

Check out our exclusive direct feed below.  The controls were inadvertently set to Expert for most of the recording, which explains the weaving flight.  Note that the game is not yet finished, so the videos show English text, but still contains the Japanese audio.    

     

   

 

[Nintendo releases two new trailers with perspectives inside and outside of Bowser.]

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TalkBack / Two New Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Videos

« on: August 31, 2009, 05:41:57 PM »

Nintendo releases two new trailers with perspectives inside and outside of Bowser.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=19889

       

 

   

The game's already out, but a Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box release trailer can be found here.

[Watch the latest Wii Sports Resort gameplay videos and footage from the launch party in New York City.]

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TalkBack / Wii Sports Resort Videos

« on: July 28, 2009, 07:40:58 PM »

Watch the latest Wii Sports Resort gameplay videos and footage from the launch party in New York City.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=19123

       

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

 

[The third and final promo code allows players to play as a drone in single-player mode.]

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TalkBack / The Conduit's Promotional Codes Revealed

« on: January 01, 1970, 03:00:00 AM »

The third and final promo code allows players to play as a drone in single-player mode.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=18959

 The Conduit's Special Edition release through GameStop included a 24-page concept art book.  At the end of the book were two promotional codes, which unlock bonus features within the game.  Luckily for those who didn't get the limited edition, the codes also work in the regular release.  Once the codes are entered, options are activated in the Cheat menu.      

The first code, NewASE11, changes the design of the All Seeing Eye, replacing its orange glow with a cool blue look and including a new projected eye pattern.    

       

The second code, SuitMP13, adds the "Suit" model to Multiplayer mode.  This suit, tie, and gas mask-donning model is the standard Trust field agent.    

       

The third code (along with the first two) comes with the European special edition, available from Play.com and GAME, and the Australian special edition, available from EB Games Australia.    

       

As seen in the following screenshots, the code, Drone4SP, lets players play as a Drudge drone in single-player mode.  The unlockable is just a skin and does not affect game play, though your character will also sound like a drone.  Enjoy fragging as an alien invader!    

       

[This physics-based action puzzle game is quirky but fun.]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: You, Me, & the Cubes

« on: June 03, 2009, 05:52:41 PM »

This physics-based action puzzle game is quirky but fun.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=18745

 You, Me & the Cubes is an odd little game involving cubes floating in space and people who are thrown onto the cubes.  If they are not centered properly, the cube will tilt and the people will fall off of the surface.  Each stage has a target number of individuals who must affix themselves onto a surface before the stage is cleared.  Once a stage is cleared, the entire block structure rotates and additional blocks emerge, creating more complex surfaces.    

There are several levels, each with several stages.  The first level includes standard blocks that act as a normal surface.  As the levels increase, the block behavior becomes more difficult.  For example, there are blocks that limit the number of people that it can hold on a surface.  Other blocks act as trampolines or have other physical effects.  Each stage is timed, and higher levels also have lower times, leading to increasingly frantic gameplay.    

The control is also a bit strange.  Players begin by shaking the Remote until an activation indicator lights up.  Players then use the Remote to point to the target locations for two characters to be launched (male and female) and press A for each.  Finally, the Remote must be swung to launch the characters to the block surface.  B is used to rotate the field.  Depending on their location, the characters may be stable or unstable on the surface.  Players can try to correct a bad situation by launching characters quickly, or they can take their time to better position the next set of characters (given enough time).    

The presentation is simple but sleek and electronic, and uses simple physical rules well.  There is a single player mode as well as a multiplayer challenge.   Though the concept is simple, I could see the challenge as compelling and a good example of a quick pick-up-and-play WiiWare game.

[World 1-1. Mario x 4.]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: New Super Mario Bros. Wii

« on: June 02, 2009, 03:40:57 PM »

World 1-1.  Mario x 4.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=18654

 Mario and friends are back in a new 2-D platforming adventure for Wii.  Gamers may recall Super Mario 64x4, which became Super Mario 64 DS or the battle mode from New Super Mario Bros., both of which seem like obvious precursors to this game.  The game is somewhat like New Super Mario Bros. meets Bonk III: Bonk’s Big Adventure, in that all players play simultaneously on a single screen.  Players who die come back in bubbles, which are attracted to living players by shaking the Remote.  Once the bubble is popped, players get back in the game.  Otherwise, the game is controlled like a standard Mario platformer.    

Players play as Mario, Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad, depending on their controller number.  They can play cooperatively and competitively.  Coin totals are shared, though final point totals at each level depend on performance.   Most power-up blocks spawn enough power-ups for all players to take, though it is still a battle to get them.  One primary new move is the ability for players to grab others to throw them.  This grab can also be used to give a little extra float while jumping through the air.  Moves from New Super Mario Bros. are still here like the butt stomp and the wall kick.    

Ten levels are available for play at E3 spanning the entirety of the game.  Despite sharing a name with the DS game, the levels appear to be all-new.  I played through standard levels, caves, ice levels, fortresses.   The game makes a lot of use of rotating and shifting platforms to trip up players.  The platform real estate becomes decreasingly available with the addition of players.  Narrow passages and strategically-placed items make for a competitive and fun environment.    

In one stage, players travel in a water-filled cave on a raft.  The light on the raft does not illuminate the entire stage, and characters can tilt the Wii Remote to direct the light.  Whoever is controlling the light can choose to help or hinder the other players.  There are a number of hidden areas as well.    

Two new power-ups were shown.  A floating P-cap allows players to spin up in the air and float down slowly, like certain platforms in New Super Mario Bros.  A more exciting power-up is the Penguin Suit.  Think of it as a cross between the Blue Shell power-up from the previous game and the Ice Flower from Super Mario Galaxy.  Players can shoot ice balls too freeze enemies into ice blocks, which can be used as platforms.  Players can also slide like the penguins in Super Mario 64 to glide quickly along the ice, but without the uncontrollability of the Shell power-up.  Of course, the Fire Flower is also prevalent.    

Yoshi is also back and fully part of the game.  Apples are edible off of bushes just like Super Mario World, and give 1-ups if enough are eaten.  Yoshi can eat enemies and even the Hammer Bros.’ hammers, which can be spit back out as an attack.  Yoshi can also shoot flame after eating a red shell.  The Koopalings are back as Larry was the final boss of one of the fortress stages.  Other Super Mario Bros. 3 characters, such as Micro-Goombas and Fire Bros. also make an appearance.    

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a lot of fun, and will finally bring the whimsical platformer to bigger screens where everybody can play.  The new (and old) enemies, power-ups, and gameplay are made of the Mario quality gamers have come to expect.    

 

   
Neal and Aaron playing co-op.