Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - NWR_MattB

Pages: 1 ... 5 6 [7] 8 9 ... 11
151
TalkBack / Wipeout: The Game Review
« on: September 01, 2010, 02:36:53 PM »

Not quite the wipeout many people were expecting.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23962

Based off of the popular ABC television show of the same name, Wipeout: The Game for DS is, in essence, a rather simple minigame collection aimed primarily at younger demographics. The game has a lot in common with the television series, most notably that the main goal of both of them is to run through obstacle-filled courses without ‘wiping out’ along the way.

The game is fairly easy to understand in terms of controls. The directional pad is used to control the movement of your character, while pressing the Y button will allow them to sprint. The B button is used to allow your character to duck, whereas the X button enables them to jump. Holding the A button will allow the character to block projectiles and objects thrown at the player in the Sucker Punch and Butt Kicker obstacles.

The goal in each mini-game is simple: get to the end without being pushed or thrown into the water surrounding the obstacle. Though it may appear to be a simple task, some of the obstacles are harder than you may think.

Upon starting up the game, your first task is to compete in TV Mode, which is based off of the television series. Here, players will participate in three different activities, all of which require them to race against the clock. The first round is composed of five random obstacles, whereas the second round, entitled the Sweeper, puts players on a small pedestal and requires them to jump whenever a spinning object draws near. The finals are very similar to round one. In order to win the round and the competition, you must race to the end of four different obstacles and achieve a better final time than your opponent. Upon completion of this task, the Obstacle mode will become unlocked.

The Obstacle mode plays very similarly to round one of the TV Mode. There are twelve different sets of challenges present, each composed of three different missions. The goal for most of the missions is to beat the time outlined on the screen, though those involving the Sweeper will require you to be the last one standing. After finishing up a set of missions and completing the challenge, you will be required to return to the TV Mode and win again before a new challenge will appear.

Wipeout: The Game can certainly be fun at times but it suffers from being too repetitive. There are only a handful of obstacles to participate in, though new takes on them become unlocked by completing challenges and missions. Unfortunately, these different versions are often only slightly harder obstacles and do little to mix up the gameplay.

On the other hand though, there is a ton of content to unlock. There are plenty of hidden characters to unlock in the game and new outfits can be unlocked for all of your characters. Each character has their own unique stats too, so it is definitely worthwhile to unlock all of the characters and see which one suits you best.

From a presentation perspective, Wipeout: The Game ends up being a mixed bag. The game features the voices of the hosts of the show, and while it is certainly nice to see their voices implemented into the game, the end result is disappointing. Their voices can get annoying after a short period of time, due to the lack of variety in their speech. On the other side of things, the game’s visuals aren’t that hot either. The character models and stages both come off as mediocre in the end due to their lack of detail.

Wipeout: The Game is a great game for young audiences, though for more seasoned gamers, it will most likely not fill their hunger. The game takes only a couple of hours to complete, and its difficulty level is appropriate for young children. If your kids are looking for something fun to enjoy, look no further than this.


152
TalkBack / Art Academy a Surprising Success in Europe
« on: August 26, 2010, 09:07:46 PM »

Art Academy has gone beyond and above Nintendo's expectations.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23924

Nintendo’s Art Academy has turned out to be quite a hit in Europe, with the game topping the DS charts for two consecutive weeks thus far. The game also sits at number six in the All Formats Top 40 in the UK, despite it seeing supply constraints.

Retailers such as Amazon Marketplace have raised the price of the game as it appears to be quite a hard item to locate. A new television marketing campaign geared towards the game is certainly not helping to calm the demand either.

James Honeywell, Nintendo’s UK product manager for the DS, commented on Art Academy’s success recently. He said, “We have been really surprised and delighted by the reception that Art Academy has received. It shows that by offering new and exciting subjects on DS, people are willing to try something new. We just try to show the products in their best light and ensure that our customers are aware of it.”

Art Academy has seen a similar success story in Japan. The game is scheduled to launch in North America in October.


153
TalkBack / Media Create Sales: August 16-22
« on: August 26, 2010, 08:37:43 PM »

Sales plummet as Obon comes to an end.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23923

Last week saw many games with large sales increases due to the mid-summer Obon holiday, but this week was quite the opposite. All of the games in this week’s top 20 had decreased sales, whether by a few hundred units or a couple of thousand.

After ruling the roost last week due to an enormous spike in sales, Wii Party slips one spot to number two for the week. Nintendo’s new hit ended the week with sales just short of 69,000, bringing its lifetime-to-date total up to just over 805,000.

Ahead of Wii Party is Another Century’s Episode R from Bandai Namco. The game starts its run with sales of 219,000. The series has had pretty weak legs in its previous entries, so expect it to see a large drop next week.
 Another new PS3 game can be found at spot three. Super Dimensional Game Neptune starts with sales just over 22,500. Inazuma Eleven 3: World Challenge!! Spark/Bomber slips one spot to number four this week. It ends the week with sales of just under 18,000. Its lifetime-to-date number sits just below the 800,000 mark.

Sengoku Basara 3 for the PS3 tumbles three spots to number five this week, whereas Tales of Phantasia continues its descent down the charts as it drops from four to six. Both games ended the week in the 17,000 range.

Super Mario Galaxy saw a 34 percent drop in sales this week, bringing its weekly total to 13,800. The game is showing much stronger legs than its predecessor, which also experienced a holiday bump back in 2007. The game should cross the 800,000 mark in around two weeks' time, and assuming it continues, it could hit the one million mark by the end of year. 

Another game showing strong legs is Nintendo’s Art Academy. The game sold just over 13,000 units for the week, bringing its lifetime-to-date total to just short of 140,000. Project Diva 2 from Sega follows closely behind Art Academy, as it slips four positions to number nine. Rounding out the top ten is Nintendo’s Friend Collection with sales of just over 10,400.

On the hardware side of things, the Nintendo DS family of systems sold approximately 45,000 units this week, while the Wii saw a large drop to 18,100. The PS3 finished the week far ahead of the Wii, selling close to 30,000 systems.

Media Create August 16-22
(Chart position / previous position [Platform] Title (Publisher) – Sales this week / Sales to date)

01. / 00. [PS3] Another Century's Episode R (Bandai Namco) - 219.849 / NEW
02. / 01. [WII] Wii Party (Nintendo) - 68.853 / 805.060 (-45%)
03. / 00. [PS3] Super Dimensional Game Neptune (Compile Heart) - 22.574 / NEW
04. / 03. [NDS] Inazuma Eleven 3: World Challenge!! Spark / Bomber (Level 5) - 17.986 / 797.828 (-36%)
05. / 02. [PS3] Sengoku Basara 3 (Capcom) - 17.574 / 352.618 (-50%)
06. / 04. [PSP] Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon X (Bandai Namco) - 16.326 / 152.504 (-41%)
07. / 06. [WII] Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Nintendo) - 13.856 / 783.626 (-34%)
08. / 07. [NDS] Art Academy (Nintendo) - 13.142 / 138.458 (-22%)
09. / 05. [PSP] Hatsune Miku: Project Diva 2 (Sega) - 12.973 / 314.322 (-46%)
10. / 08. [NDS] Friend Collection (Nintendo) - 10.443 / 3.389.706 (-31%)
11. / 10. [NDS] Taiko Drum Master DS: Dororon! Battle With the Ghouls!! (Bandai Namco) - 9.729 / 186.070 (-32%)
12. / 09. [WII] Dragon Quest: Monster Battle Road Victory (Square Enix) - 9.648 / 230.091 (-35%)
13. / 13. [PSP] Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball 2010 (Konami) - 9.046 / 138.058 (-33%)
14. / 11. [NDS] Tetris Party Deluxe (Hudson) - 8.268 / 36.117 (-40%)
15. / 21. [WII] Wii Fit Plus (Nintendo) - 7.736 / 2.037.993
16. / 19. [NDS] Harvest Moon: Twin Villages (Marvelous Entertainment) - 7.643 / 136.852 (-26%)
17. / 16. [WII] Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo) - 7.635 / 2.908.669 (-31%)
18. / 14. [NDS] Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem - Hero of Light and Shadow (Nintendo) - 6.838 / 232.568 (-46%)
19. / 20. [WII] New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Nintendo) - 6.498 / 3.971.357 (-35%)
20. / 18. [NDS] Heart Catch PreCure! Oshare Collection (Bandai Namco) - 6.171 / 33.660 (-41%)



154
TalkBack / Media Create Sales: August 9-15
« on: August 18, 2010, 08:58:11 PM »

It was a holiday week in Japan, and that lifts Wii Party back to the top.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23894

The Japanese holiday known as Obon has helped lift the country from its rather dry spell of software releases. In fact, quite a few titles for Nintendo’s systems saw noticeable increases last week.

Recapturing the top spot after a short hiatus is Nintendo’s Wii Party, seeing a massive 51% increase in sales. The game managed to move 124,000 units for the week, bringing its lifetime-to-date sales in the country to 736,000. Next week it should surpass Super Mario Galaxy 2 as the best-selling Wii game released this year in Japan.

Elsewhere in the top 10, Capcom’s Sengoku Basara 3 for the PlayStation 3 slides 38% to 35,324, while Level 5’s Inazuma Eleven 3: World Challenge!! Spark/Bomber saw a modest 16% increase in sales. The new Inazuma Eleven finished the week with sales just over 28,000.

Tales of Phantasia for the PSP was last week’s best-selling game, and it slips three spots to the fourth position this week. Sega’s Hatsune Miku: Project Diva 2 ruled the roost a few weeks ago, but continues its descent down the charts as it slides 4-5. Nintendo’s Super Mario Galaxy 2 also climbs up one spot this week. Mario’s new game sees an increase in sales this week, bringing its lifetime-to-date total to just short of 770,000 units.

This week’s biggest mover is Nintendo’s Art Academy, rebounding all the way from 19-7. Art Academy has been a slow burner in Japan, debuting with sales of just over 20,000 units, and has finally managed to break the 125,000 mark in its ninth week. The game managed to move a little over 16,000 units last week, and if its legs are any indication, Art Academy may be sticking around the charts for quite some time.

Another big jumper can be found in the eight position as Friend Collection leaps 18-8. This week the game manages to squeeze past the 15,000 mark due to a 32% increase in sales. Rounding out the top 10 are Dragon Quest: Monster Battle Road Victory and Taiko Drum Master DS: Dororon! Battles With the Ghouls, both of which were around the 15,000 mark for the week.

Outside of the top 10, many of Nintendo’s games saw increases. New Super Mario Bros. Wii returned to the top 20, as did Mario Kart Wii.

On the hardware side of things, the Nintendo DS line of systems ended the week with sales just over 57,000. The best-selling model was the Nintendo DSi LL, followed closely by the Nintendo DSi. The Wii, on the other hand, was outpaced again as the PlayStation 3 managed to outsell it by almost 8,000 units, ending the week with sales of just over 25,000 in total.

Media Create August 9-15

01. / 02. [WII] Wii Party (Nintendo) - 124.489 / 736.207 (+51%)
02. / 03. [PS3] Sengoku Basara 3 (Capcom) - 35.324 / 335.044 (-38%)
03. / 05. [NDS] Inazuma Eleven 3: World Challenge!! Spark / Bomber (Level 5) - 28.215 / 779.842 (+16%)
04. / 01. [PSP] Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon X (Bandai Namco) - 27.822 / 136.179 (-74%)
05. / 04. [PSP] Hatsune Miku: Project Diva 2 (Sega) - 24.017 / 301.349 (-33%)
06. / 07. [WII] Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Nintendo) - 20.873 / 769.769 (+25%)
07. / 19. [NDS] Art Academy (Nintendo) - 16.895 / 125.316 (+62%)
08. / 18. [NDS] Friend Collection (Nintendo) - 15.243 / 3.379.263 (+32%)
09. / 13. [WII] Dragon Quest: Monster Battle Road Victory (Square Enix) - 14.803 / 220.443 (+12%)
10. / 16. [NDS] Taiko Drum Master DS: Dororon! Battle With the Ghouls!! (Bandai Namco) - 14.299 / 176.340 (+17%)
11. / 12. [NDS] Tetris Party Deluxe (Hudson) - 13.833 / 27.849 (-1%)
12. / 00. [PSP] Corpse Party: Blood Covered - Repeated Fear (5pb.) - 13.566 / NEW
13. / 15. [PSP] Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball 2010 (Konami) - 13.558 / 129.012 (+10%)
14. / 08. [NDS] Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem - Hero of Light and Shadow (Nintendo) - 12.719 / 225.730 (-20%)
15. / 09. [WII] Sengoku Basara 3 (Capcom) - 12.160 / 77.369 (-21%)
16. / 24. [WII] Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo) - 11.105 / 2.901.033
17. / 14. [NDS] Kamen Rider Battle: Ganbaride Card Battle Taisen (Bandai Namco) - 10.762 / 87.969 (-17%)
18. / 11. [NDS] Heart Catch PreCure! Oshare Collection (Bandai Namco) - 10.398 / 25.489 (-31%)
19. / 22. [NDS] Harvest Moon: Twin Villages (Marvelous Entertainment) - 10.333 / 129.209
20. / 25. [WII] New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Nintendo) - 10.069 / 3.964.859

Titles in Top 20 by Platform

Nintendo DS - 9
Nintendo Wii - 6
Sony PSP - 4
Sony PlayStation 3 - 1
Sony PlayStation 2 - 0
Microsoft Xbox 360 - 0

Japan Video Game System Sales

1. Nintendo DS (All Models) - 57,582
2. Sony PSP (All Models) - 36,342
3. Sony PlayStation 3 - 33,057
4. Nintendo Wii - 25,072
5. Microsoft Xbox 360 - 5,065
6. Sony PlayStation 2 - 1,675


155
TalkBack / Enjoy Your Massage! Interview with Giovanni Simotti
« on: August 16, 2010, 07:18:47 PM »

Microforum tells us about the company, and their latest WiiWare title.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/interview/23875

There have been quite a few bizarre games on the WiiWare service, but perhaps one of the strangest is Microforum's Enjoy Your Massage! With such a unique premise, we caught up with Giovanni Simotti from Microforum to give us some details.

Nintendo World Report: Briefly describe how Microforum came into existence.

Giovanni Simotti: Microforum was founded in Toronto during 1984 – at first it was focused on floppy disk replication, but after a few years the focus shifted on multimedia product development like PC games. In 2002, the company started to develop mobile games, producing over 60 games that have been sold all over the world by many telephone operators. Now in 2010 our game development effort is all about console products, starting now with Enjoy Your Massage! on the WiiWare platform.

NWR: How many people is your staff composed of?

GS: On this game, a staff of five people.

NWR: What was your inspiration for Enjoy Your Massage?

GS: I always had a liking for rhythm games, so even if Enjoy Your Massage is not really a rhythm game it has a lot in common to them.

NWR: Enjoy Your Massage's press release states that you worked with psychologists to create some of the game's animations and sound design. Would you mind elaborating how this additional detail "relaxes the player" and "enhances his emotional involvement", as the press release suggests?

GS: We have tried a lot of subtle mechanisms to involve the player - for example by alternating in a few seconds of relaxing phases with tensing phases. When you see the sequence onscreen you hear pleasant sounds, the time is stopped, and the squares are slowly lighting up. But then immediately follows the tense phase, with the time quickly decreasing, and the view zooming in and out as you perform the massage.

NWR: Zoonami's Bonsai Barber, a Hair Stylist simulation for WiiWare, gave players new customer appointments and story as time progressed in the real world, as if the game characters were making real-time appointments with the player. What do you think the potential for a Massage Parlor simulator is in that vein?

GS: I really like gameplay related real-time mechanics, like the ones implemented inside Animal Crossing or in World of Warcraft. However, I think that they are very "exigent" - you ask a player to play that game on a certain day of their life, what a request! If I'm addicted and the game is very deep, it will be a pleasure to do so, but I don't think this fits simple games like Enjoy Your Massage, which just hopes to entertain and relax the player every now and then. You run it, you play it for 5-10 minutes, and then enjoy the feelings it gives you. Something like when you play games like Rez or Ikaruga - you want to play them even for a short game session because of the feelings they can induct!

NWR: Enjoy Your Massage is rated E10+ by the ESRB, but it appears to be based on the much more "adult" Emmanuelle games from Microforum. What, and how much did you change in the process of bringing that gameplay to WiiWare?

GS: With Enjoy Your Massage, we wanted to have a "clean" game, that could be played by everyone. Because of that all the sexy elements have been scrapped away and remade, and some simple cut-scenes have been added before and after the massage sequences to deploy some story background for the clinic - nothing too demanding of course, this is not an RPG!

NWR: Enjoy Your Massage appears to have a slightly manga-inspired visual style, but the game it's based on was more realistically drawn. What precipitated this change?

GS: The drawings were made realistic because of the sexy focus of the game. After removing this we thought that a more "manga" style would appeal to a broader audience, which now also includes younger players.

NWR: Microforum has released many games in many genres on mobile phone platforms. What was it that made you decide to select your "Emanuelle" line of games for your first foray into WiiWare?

GS: We choose this game for a lot of reasons - it has a base concept which is associated to our common experience (you don't have to be a gamer to know what a massage is, right?) and intuitive, you move your hand (which holds the controller) to the direction where you want to move your virtual hands, simple and immersive. Furthermore the picture with the woman laying down with the squares on the back is immediately recognizable, and this is a plus when you deal with downloadable games where you need to "catch" the attention of the customer inside the virtual shop.

NWR: Do you have plans to bring Enjoy Your Massage to DSiWare? How about any other games in your portfolio?

GS: We don't have yet any plans to port Enjoy Your Massage to other platforms, even if I think that it would definitely fit the DSi well. At the moment it would be probably wiser for us waiting for the next-gen 3DS - it is going to be another hit, the right console at the right time.

WR: What can we expect from Microforum in the coming months? Can we expect continued WiiWare support?

GS: We want to continue working on WiiWare, its line-up includes both "innovative and wide-appealing products" and more "traditional" games - this is a chance other console manufacturers are missing, on their shops games tend to always give a deja-vu sensation. Downloadable games with their lower development costs have a duty to experiment, there are a lot of innovative concepts that should come out of the indie game scene, they deserve to be played by everyone.

WR: Finally, is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?

GS: I hope you'll enjoy our product, and please continue supporting us.


156
TalkBack / I Spy Universe Review
« on: August 13, 2010, 06:17:05 PM »

I Spy a good game.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23864

I Spy was a series of popular picture puzzle books written in the 1990s, with dozens of books published. I Spy Universe is the third game in the series to be released on Nintendo platforms, bringing the puzzle-within-a-picture concept to Nintendo DS for a second time.

In the I Spy series, players are given a riddle that indicates various items that must be located in a cluster of objects within a picture. I Spy Universe puts you in the position of having to restore a generator by collecting various parts throughout the depths of space. This generator is used to help the re-fire the sun, which is fading away. You are provided with fuel to visit various planets to find objects, but in order to obtain more, you must complete a series of rather simple puzzles such as matching an image with its shadow.

I Spy Universe features twelve different areas to explore, some of which are based on images from the books. This amounts to a small number in total, but there are multiple riddles available for the various areas, each of which has their own objects to find. The top screen of the Nintendo DS displays the riddle that you are asked to solve and the bottom displays the part of the area in view. A quick tap of the A button causes the riddle to disappear and another part of the image to displayed in its place. Navigating areas is done by sliding the stylus in the direction in which you want to view. The game has a hint system to help make things a little easier. Upon using a hint, a few seconds pass before a new one is available. It gives an unlimited amount of hints making this a rather easy to complete game.

Scholastic's I Spy Universe is clearly aimed at young children, hence the reason why the story is fairly simple and easy to follow. The game is incredibly simple and easy to pick-up-and-play as well, and despite being only a couple of hours long, it is fun while it lasts. Adding to the appeal, the game's visuals are incredibly detailed, with plenty of small objects in each picture; though, at times it can be hard to decipher lettering on some objects. In all, the game shows that keeping things simple makes a game fun when it's done properly.

I Spy Universe is available at a budget price, further adding to the list of reasons why this is a great game for kids. The game never overwhelms its players, and while it may be a little easy and short, I Spy Universe is a great piece of software for all demographics of gamers, but especially for young children.


157
TalkBack / Furry Legends Review
« on: August 09, 2010, 04:29:57 PM »

Gamelion's debut game is furry good.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23832

Furry Legends is the first entry in an episodic series of physics-based puzzle games set in the vibrant and furry world of Furland. You play as a little puffball and your goal is simple: make it to the end of each stage in one piece. It may sound like an easy task, but considering that your character has a ball-like physique, it can bounce all over the place and into hazardous areas. With only a limited amount of lives, Furry Legends proves that you have to be slow and steady like the tortoise in order to win each stage.

Each stage is filled with a variety of obstacles ranging from standard Thwomp-like enemies to pits of lava that will kill you instantly upon contact. Due to the small amount of lives you have, you are going to want to think twice before you make any bold movements. Luckily, there are checkpoints scattered throughout each stage that act as a new starting point for when you die. If you lose all your lives though, it's back to the beginning to the stage.

Furry Legends is an incredibly easy game to learn how to control. Your Furball's movements are executed through the control stick on the Nunchuk, and jumping is performed by pressing the A button. To destroy various obstacles scattered through the game's five different stages, you hold the Z button and shake the Wii Remote, all while aiming using the control stick.

Five stages may not sound like a whole lot for a $10 game but each stage is a decent length. The game can be quite challenging at times, too, making it highly unlikely that you will complete them in your first run. There are various fruits to collect that can boost your Furball's speed, though it is hardly worth the effort to collect these seeing as the game does not keep record of which ones you have collected.

Furry Legends is a great game that is severely plagued by its short length. If Furry Legends was available at a lower price point, then the shortness of the game would not be as big of a concern, but at 1,000 Wii Points ($10), the game's price is a little steep. With that being said, if Furry Legends sounds like something you would enjoy, you'd be wise to give it a try.


158
TalkBack / Pop Island - Paperfield Review
« on: August 04, 2010, 02:21:48 AM »

A more affordable edition of an already great DSiWare game.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23816

Pop Island was released on the Nintendo DSiWare service last December, and the general consensus is that it was an excellent variation of Capture the Flag. Eight months later, Odenis Studio is back with a sequel entitled Pop Island: Paperfield, which includes even more of what fans of the original have come to love.

In short, Pop Island is a livelier and more frantic version of Capture the Flag. The game throws you into the body of one of several animals, each of which has its own unique characteristics. Then, it is up to you to make your way around various levels collecting flags and returning them to your base. It is a simple concept, but a few key gameplay mechanics are thrown in to spice things up.

First and foremost, each animal has access to fireworks to hurl at enemies to try to prevent them from stealing one of the flags. Upon contact, the player who gets hit will be stunned temporarily, and their flag is dropped. It is evident that Pop Island is by no means your average run-of-the-mill game of Capture the Flag, and the unique twists that the game throws on the classic formula propels it above other strategy games on the service.

The strategy elements from the first game are still found here, such as determining which animal will work best on each stage. The lion, for instance, is fast on land, but slow in water, whereas the penguin is the opposite. Vehicles such as helicopters and submarines have been added to Pop Island: Paperfield as well, meaning there is plenty of new content to keep owners of the original occupied.

The game features all of the original’s vibrant graphics and multiplayer options. Up to eight players can battle it out on DS Download Play, which is quite definitely where the game works best and where most of the appeal lies. Racking up points in the single-player mode to unlock new stages and vehicles is fun, but when you play with a few friends, the game really shines. It is a shame that online multiplayer was not included.

Pop Island: Paperfield is great value at 200 points, especially for those who own the original. It is easy to make the assumption that it is a bite-sized edition of the first game, but it is more akin to an expansion pack, throwing new stages and vehicles into the mix. The game offers more of the levels that made the original so fun, as well as additional unlockable content for those who own both versions of the game. At a mere 200 points, Paperfield is one of the best additions to the Nintendo DSiWare Store and is a steal when you look at all the content you are getting.


159
TalkBack / Toribash Interview with Hampus Soderstrom
« on: August 02, 2010, 02:33:21 PM »

We talk to Nabi Studios about their new WiiWare game, Toribash.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/interview/23798

Toribash has been in development for the WiiWare service for quite some time, and just a few weeks ago the game was finally released for 1,000 Wii Points. A PC version of the game is available to download for free, so the obvious question is, "Why would you want the WiiWare version?" Hampus Soderstrom of Nabi Studios, the developer of the game, is here to answer that question and many more.

Nintendo World Report (NWR): To begin with, would you mind introducing your team and how it came about?

Hampus Soderstrom (HS): The main developers for WiiWare were Archee who did the graphics engine, Tapio who did sound effects, Fully Illustrated who did the visual style and Gman who did the marketing materials. I've worked with all of them except Tapio before.

NWR: What was your inspiration for Toribash?

HS: I practice judo on my spare time; having a hobby can be good for coming up with game ideas. The physics and game play was inspired by Bridge Builder and Stair Dismount.

NWR: How long has Toribash been in development?

HS: The WiiWare version was in development for about 2 years. Toribash for PC has been in development since 2006.

NWR: Toribash was delayed several times. Would you mind explaining the reason behind these delays?

HS: Bugs combined with an excessive amount of polish. The day-to-day running of the Toribash PC community takes a bit of time, which makes development slower.

NWR: Did you encounter any problems while developing the game? If so, would you mind explaining them?

HS: In the beginning, we couldn't get the physics running fast enough. The PC version requires a 2Ghz CPU to run, and Wii is a  smaller machine. We eventually managed to get it running in 60 FPS, which I am very happy with. Towards the end of the development, we had more issues with compliance, making sure we showed the correct error messages and things like that.

NWR: What was the hardest part of developing your first WiiWare game?

HS: Everything was new for us except the physics part of the game. All that adds up when you have to learn a new API for everything you do.

NWR: Was there anything you would have liked to add to Toribash but couldn’t due to platform limitations?

HS: We had some really nice animated head textures that where too big to fit in memory. So I was stuck between lowering the quality of the textures or not animating them. We had a nice system for emailing replays to PC machines which we had to take out.

NWR: Toribash is available for the PC for free. Why did you decide to make a WiiWare version of the game and charge $10 for it?

HS: The PC version generates revenue using virtual items. For WiiWare, it is a just a one-time payment instead.

NWR: Do you think that Toribash can be a little too complex to understand at times?

HS: Yes, it is super hard core.

NWR: What are some of the advantages that the WiiWare version has over its PC counterpart?

HS: Better replay system, quicker matchmaking and ingame sharing of replays.

NWR: Why did you decide not to make use of the Wii Remote’s pointer?

HS: It didn't work very well on small TV screens to select joints using the Wii Remote.

NWR: How do you feel about the reception that Toribash has received?

HS: Great so far. I am really happy that the players like it.

NWR: Is there a possibility that you could take the game to other platforms with the upcoming releases of Microsoft's Kinect and Sony's Move?

HS: I think Toribash could work on some other platforms. I haven't tested Kinect yet and I am not sure if Toribash would be a good fit for it.

NWR: Do you have any other WiiWare games in the works? If so, when can we expect to see them?

HS: Nothing that we can announce now.

NWR: Are you pleased with Nintendo’s WiiWare service? Some developers have expressed frustration due to some of Nintendo's policies, and you mentioned some compliance issues.

HS: I am pleased with the service.

NWR: Have you considered developing games for the Nintendo DSiWare service?

HS: No, not yet.

NWR: What do you think of the Nintendo 3DS? Would you ever consider developing games for it?

HS: 3DS is the platform I am most keen on developing for at the moment.

NWR: Finally, is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?

HS: Check out Toribash, tons of fun and gore.


160
TalkBack / Club Nintendo: Tips for Reaching Platinum Status
« on: July 26, 2010, 10:40:50 AM »

How to get next year's special reward, without the end of the year stress.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/23709

As every North American Club Nintendo member probably knows, trying to accumulate 600 coins a year can be pretty tiring, especially when Nintendo’s release schedule is dominated with family-friendly titles that core gamers may not be interested in buying.

It's important to note that Platinum status has nothing to do with the number of coins you have in reserve when June rolls around. Earning platinum status means you earned at least 600 coins in that Club Nintendo year (July 1 - June 30), regardless of the number you have in reserve at the start and end of the year. For example, if you enter the year with 300 coins, you should have 900 coins by the end of the following year, assuming you don’t buy any prizes.

With each passing year, gamers are finding it increasingly difficult to collect enough coins to reach Platinum status, and too often end up in a panic at year's end. With that in mind, we have put together some tips and advice to reach that special status next year without any last minute stress, as well as a sample list of games for the upcoming year that can easily propel you pass the mark.


161
TalkBack / Robin Hood: The Return of Richard Review
« on: July 26, 2010, 03:20:43 AM »

Another iPhone port -- oh, dear.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23754

Robin Hood: The Return of Richard was originally an iPhone game that was released earlier this year. Its price has fluctuated all over the board over the months, once being as low as a dollar, and as of this writing, sells for $5, the same price as its WiiWare counterpart of the same name.

For those wondering, the WiiWare version of Robin Hood: The Return of Richard is a direct port of the iPhone version with no additional content thrown in. This is a very simple arcade shooter, with ten different stages lasting about three minutes each. Your goal is simple - destroy all of the enemies onscreen before they inflict damage on you.

One notable issue with the game is that the environments are often too sparse, and there aren’t very many instances where you will feel overwhelmed with enemies. Robin Hood is a laid-back shooting game that never requires any alertness. You just point and fire at enemies on the screen in a very lazy manner. Eventually, your supply of arrows will run out and you will need to replenish your supplies by pressing the B button, but it adds very little to the game. Simply put, the game is a walk in the park with very little excitement.

The gameplay in Robin Hood: The Return of Richard is no doubt its biggest fault. The game poses no challenge to gamers until the last stage, which is the only boss stage in the game. Even then, the game game is fairly easy to complete.

There is also no real reason to play the game. Robin Hood: The Return of Richard attempts to set up a story motivate players, but it ultimately fails. Wall after wall of text only adds to the boredom that this game is so good at creating.

The visuals are just as sub-par as they are on the mobile version, adding very little energy to the game. Robin Hood: The Return of Richard is so bland to look at and so boring to play that it is hard to recommend.

When it comes to shooters on the Wii, there are plenty of options to choose from. Robin Hood: The Return of Richard is by no means a decent choice, feeling very archaic and boring. When a game is this bad, it is hard to even consider recommending it.


162
TalkBack / SteamWorld Tower Defense Review
« on: July 18, 2010, 06:43:42 PM »

One of DSiWare's better tower defense games.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23717

While there is no shortage of tower defense games on DSiWare, with games such as Fieldrunners and Starship Defense already released this year, SteamWorld: Tower Defense is arguably one of the better of the bunch. 

SteamWorld: Tower Defense plays like a typical tower defense game in which you are given a map and your goal is to use your money to create units that will deal with the enemies before they reach your base. In Steamworld, a place that is dominated by steam engines, brass and polished wood, your goal is to play as a group of robots and protect your land against humans that are invading it for gold. You must stop their progress before they reach your gold mines. It is a simple concept but is made difficult by the addition of multiple paths that enemies can take and a limited amount of money to spend on defense units. Money can be also used to upgrade pre-existing units, so budgeting will prove to be vital in a game of this nature.

The developers, Image & Form, have created a fairly classical tower defense game that does little to break away from the traditional mould of the genre. That is not necessarily a bad thing as what SteamWorld does, it does well, just not up to the levels of other games on the service such as Starship Defense.

One major problem with the game that might be enough to discourage newcomers to the genre, is the steep difficulty curve. The first few stages are fairly straightforward and simple but things quickly heat up. New gameplay mechanics are constantly thrown into the mix, and with the increasing number of enemies on the screen, it becomes hard to try and figure out what unit will work best.

SteamWorld is by no means a bad game. Not only is it one of the better tower defense games on the service but it is also Image & Form’s first release on the platform. Needless to say, they are off to a great start. Their debut effort is a pretty traditional game that packs quite a challenge. If tower defense games are your thing, look no further than this.


163
TalkBack / Hello Flowerz Review
« on: July 12, 2010, 11:48:24 PM »

Just a little more fertilizer will help this game reach its maximum potential.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23679

The Nintendo DSiWare Store has seen plenty of rehashes and bite-sized versions of retail games, so it is always nice to see something different come along. Virtual Toys have been big supporters of bringing quality new experiences to the service, with games such as VT Tennis and Spaceball: Revolution already released. Their latest game is Hello Flowerz While it might seem like a boring and uninspired concept at first, those who dig a little deeper will find a great simulation game.

In the game, players do practically everything involved in gardening from watering flowers to decorating a garden. It is a simple concept at heart that plays incredibly well. Whilst in their greenhouse, players can perform what is perhaps the most important task of all, making sure their flowers are growing properly. Statuses, such as whether or not the plants need to be watered, are provided for each flower, and players must try to correct problems by doing simple actions such as watering them.

After your flowers have grown to their maximum potential, they can then be transplanted into the garden. The garden can be decorated to suit your very own requirements, with things such as fences and accessories. Besides managing the garden, players can also make bouquets of flowers to enter in various competitions. By taking a few flowers from the greenhouse, it's possible to make a wonderful arrangement that will hopefully net a reward in the competition.

Hello Flowerz is one of those games such as Animal Crossing that needs to be played every day in order to get the most out of it. The game recommends you play every day to ensure that your players are growing fine and to make sure that they are getting enough water and sunlight. There isn’t a whole lot of variety here though, so for those looking for a game to play for hours on-end, Hello Flowerz is certainly not going to deliver.

There would be little reason to return to Hello Flowerz if there wasn’t any incentive to continue. Thankfully the game offers new flowers and decorations to players who stick with the game, giving players something to look forward to in future days, such as coming back to find out that they won the bouquet competition. Players looking for a great simulation game to play on a day-to-day basis will find Hello Flowerz very rewarding and enjoyable.

Hello Flowerz is a very laid-back game. It’s a game you will want to pick up for a few minutes and then put it away until tomorrow. If only there was a little more incentive to keep players playing for longer amounts of time, Hello Flowerz could have easily been one of the best pick-up-and-play games on the DSiWare service. Still, with the amount of content that is included, Hello Flowerz is a great way to relax and enjoy nature without having to dig flowerbeds and buy fertilizers and seeds.


164
TalkBack / Arcade Sports Interview with Icon Games
« on: July 12, 2010, 11:23:53 PM »

We talk with Icon Games about their Arcade Sports title and WiiWare development.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/interview/23678

Icon Games has released two games on the WiiWare service, with many more still in development. Arcade Sports, their latest title, was launched on the service earlier last month and we managed to catch up with the developer to dig a little deeper into the development of the game.

Nintendo World Report (NWR): Why did you decide to develop Stunt Cars and Arcade Sports for Nintendo’s WiiWare service as opposed to other console’s online services?

Icon Games (IG): We had previously developed Retail titles for Wii – Vertigo, Pool Hall Pro and Build’n Race, so it was a logical step at the time. We really enjoy working on the Wii, and Nintendo are very indie friendly with WiiWare.

NWR: How long has Arcade Sports been in development?

IG: In total I’d say around 1 year.

NWR: How did you come about picking the four sports that are featured in Arcade Sports?

IG: We’ve done work on these sports games in the past (with the exception of Air Hockey); and personally I am a big fan of Pool and Snooker. The games all gel together nicely and you would expect to find them all in a real bowling alley venue.

NWR: Why did you decide to choose bowling as one of the sports? With Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort now bundled with all Wii consoles, both of which offer bowling as sports, did you fear that gamers might turn to those games instead of Arcade Sports?

IG: Yes, we did worry about this – but for the setting and theme, Bowling was a natural choice. I’d certainly not do a standalone bowling title on Wii though!  Also when you factor in the Career mode, where you are playing through tournaments with a mix of game types, which is a fairly unique feature to Sports, the mix of games works nicely.

NWR: Was online multiplayer ever discussed for Arcade Sports?

IG: Yes, but we didn’t have the resources. To have added this would have taken more man-power, and more crucially time, and most likely bankrupted us as a company.  Bearing in mind, with Stunt Cars as an example, development took around 12 months, and by the time we hit the Nintendo performance thresholds for sales – another 11 months is added on-top BEFORE we see any money.  So that is essentially 2 years, without a cent of income for a title. For a small indie studio budgeting for that is a VERY severe head-ache, the sort of spend your life-savings trying to make it work head-ache.

NWR: How do you deal with any negative criticism that reviewers write about your games?

IG: First off, completely gutted. It hits very hard and gets under your skin. Reviewing is also quite subjective, so for example with Sports we’ve had a couple of really good reviews, and we are hopeful of more.  Next step for me after a review is to look to see what positives I can get from the comments going forward – to apply to future games. Everything is a learning experience.

NWR: Do you have any more WiiWare games in development? If so, when can we expect to see them?

IG: Yes – we have Soccer Bashi and Family Games, both currently going through final Lotcheck submission at Nintendo. So they should be out in a couple of months or so.  We are also working on a new title; Vertigo Tilt and Roll for WiiWare.

NWR: Have you ever considered developing for Nintendo’s DSiWare service?

IG: Yes – we will be starting this later in the year.

NWR: Finally, is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?

IG: Thanks for listening, and we are always happy to chat about our games past and present – so if any of you have any questions you’d like to put to us just visit the website and give us a shout. Thanks guys.


165
TalkBack / Pearl Harbor - 1941: Red Sun Rising Review
« on: July 11, 2010, 03:15:52 PM »

Take to the skies in this ace WiiWare title.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23648

Pearl Harbor Trilogy - 1941: Red Sun Rising follows the events of the Pearl Harbor bombing and allows players to play on both the sides of the war. The Americans, based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii were defending their Pacific fleet from the Japanese, who had already invaded parts of Asia. Red Sun Rising is set around the dangerous events of the Japanese bombing of the harbor on December 7th, 1941, due to economic sanctions the Americans imposed on the Japanese. It was a deadly fight between the two sides and one that helps make the story of the game somewhat appealing.

First and foremost though, Red Sun Rising is not a history lesson. Instead it follows a very simple plot of some characters and their struggles with the aerial battles that frequently took place during the war. The story is presented with comic book style graphics that contrast the harsh, brutal moments of the fight between Japan and the United States. Regardless of the contrast, the comic strips are attractive and do a marvelous job of explaining the game’s story.

Red Sun Rising is broken into two campaigns, each from a different perspective of the battle. Both the American and Japanese campaigns are of equal difficult and contain eight missions each.The missions offer just the right amount of difficulty to keep players challenged while not making it feel like a joyride either. This is achieved through the game’s decent enemy AI but sometimes it can be prove to be a little frustrating, especially when the enemy performs a sneaky move when you try and attack them from the rear.

While the gameplay is all top-notch, the controls can be irritating at first. Several different control methods are supported, such as the Wii Remote and the Classic Controller, but they can be a little difficult to get used to due to the strange placing of commands. It would have been nice to see a more basic control scheme where you control your plane’s movement with the Nunchuk and your bullets with the Wii Remote’s pointer.  Instead though, the game uses a little more obtuse control scheme that can be hard to adjust to. The game's auto-steady feature for the camera can also prove to be quite a challenge to adjust to.

Red Sun Rising is a lot of fun though. There is plenty of enjoyment to be had shooting down enemy planes, whether they be the Americans or Japanese. The dogfight mode is a great way to play the battles without having to deal with the missions of the campaign mode.   There is a lot of content packed in. There are two full campaign modes, each of which should take a couple of hours to complete. The visuals and audio are also very strong and fluid, and when everything is said and done, is one of the best looking and sounding WiiWare games to date. There is quite a bit of detail in the visuals compared to other WiiWare games and the audio is very appropriate for a game of this genre.

Red Sun Rising is one of the better WiiWare games released yet, assuming you can adjust to the game’s awkward style of controls. The missions have quite a bit of variety and each one takes a decent amount of time to complete. The game not only focuses on aerial dogfighting but also on protecting targets and destroying enemy bases. It is a whole lot of fun, and a title that is a no-brainer to recommend. 


166
TalkBack / Jett Rocket Interview with Manfred Linzner
« on: July 11, 2010, 02:39:40 PM »

We talk with Manfred Linzner of Shin'en about their recently-released WiiWare title and other projects.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/interview/23665

Jett Rocket was released on the WiiWare service a few weeks ago and has easily become of the most popular titles of the year, and for good reason, too. With that in mind, we managed to catch up with Manfred Linzner from Shin’en to talk to us about his latest creation.

Nintendo World Report (NWR): Jett Rocket is one of the most visually impressive WiiWare titles to date. Were there any problems trying to compress the game to fit into the size limitations?

Manfred Linzner (ML): Although it was much work there were not too much problems. Fortunately we started with our various compression schemes and techniques already on the DS. We used then improved versions of that tech on the Wii.

NWR: How long was Jett Rocket in development? Did you encounter any problems while developing it?

ML: It's been around 1.5 years, but in this time we also worked on other games like ART OF BALANCE. The biggest challenges were to create a good camera and physics system.

NWR: What was your inspiration for Jett Rocket, specifically its visuals?

ML: We did a some very nice and colorful jump'n'run games for the DS. So we already had an idea of where we wanted to go. So there was no direct inspiration for the graphics itself but for the lighting it was definitely Mario Galaxy.

NWR: Jett Rocket has often been compared by critics to Super Mario Galaxy. How do you feel about this comparison and do you think it is a reasonable one to make?

ML: I think its very natural that people do that comparison because nowadays there are only very few 3D jump'n'runs in development and the most known is simply SMG. The gameplay and feel of Jett Rocket is very different to that in SMG. People should just give it try and i'm pretty sure they will have a good time with it.

NWR: How many frames per second does Jett Rocket run at? Was it a challenge to maintain this number?

ML: Jett Rocket does always run in super smooth 60fps. It is very challenging to achieve that while still having good visuals and complex physics on the screen. However, we are ourselves gamers since the early 80s and we still feel nothing beats the smoothness of a 60fps game.

NWR: Why did you decide to include various means of transportation in Jett Rocket, such as snowboards and jet boats?

ML: Jett Rocket is a very agile character and so it just felt right to have him use different speedy vehicles. Its also simply big fun to test the different vehicles and solve the levels with them.

NWR: Jett Rocket has been criticized for being a short game. Did you ever consider turning it into a retail game to add more content to it?

ML: We always have seen JR as a game with great quality. We don't think too much in terms of retail or download. I think the best games on WiiWare are games like Lost Winds or Nyx Quest. Although both can be played through in less time then Jett Rocket they are great games and worth their money.

NWR: What are the chances of a sequel to Jett Rocket on WiiWare? What would determine whether or not a project like this would be given a green light?

ML: We would love to see Mr. Rocket in more games. Of course the final word is at the WiiWare community. If there are enough sales with Jett Rocket on Wii Ware everything is possible.

NWR: Shin’en has released two other WiiWare games in the past, those being Fun! Fun! Minigolf and Art of Balance. Have you been pleased with the reactions that these games have received?

ML: We are very happy with the reactions. We got excellent reviews for Art of Balance, it's maybe even one of the best rated Wii Ware games at all. Fun! Fun! Minigolf  is a longtime seller and also Jett Rocket jumped in the first days after its release right into the charts.

NWR: Do you have any more upcoming WiiWare games? If so, when can we expect to be able to play them?

ML: We always work on new games tho currently we can't announce anything new. We hope to have an announcement for upcoming fall. At least i can say it won't take years until you will see the next Shin'en game.

NWR: Why did you decide to release Jett Rocket on the WiiWare service as opposed to the various services that other consoles offer?

ML: We are longtime Nintendo developers. Also we really like the Wii. So it was a perfect match for us to develop on the Wii. We decided for a download title because you can just start developing without first looking for a publisher.

NWR: What are your thoughts about DSiWare? Have you ever considered developing for that particular service?

ML: We think DSiWare is a great service but as we currently concentrate on the Wii we don't plan to do DSi games.

NWR: Can we expect Shin’en to start developing retail Wii games in the future?

ML: If there is an interesting chance to do so we would go for it.

NWR: The Nintendo 3DS is scheduled to launch within the next year. Have you thought about developing games for that handheld, whether they be retail or digital?

ML: The 3DS looks like a very good platform. We developed for the GBC, the GBA, the DS and for the Wii. As said, 3DS development would be a natural move for us.

NWR: Finally, is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?

ML: Give Mr. Rocket a try and experience what can be done on WiiWare for yourself! And thanks for reading this interview.


167
TalkBack / Pong Toss Pro Interview with JV Games
« on: July 10, 2010, 02:27:31 AM »

We talk to JV games about their latest WiiWare release.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/23647

With the recent release of Pong Toss Pro: Frat Party Games on the WiiWare service, we managed to catch up with a representative from JV Games to dig a little deeper into the background of the game.

Nintendo World Report (NWR): What was your inspiration to create a frat party game for WiiWare?

JV Games (JV): The main goal for Frat Party Games is to create simple and fun games were a player doesn’t have to invest hours of game play.  We want to create games where if someone that is no good at video games or intimidated by them they can simply pick up a controller and be competitive with others. We were always talking about the college style games we used to play and how much fun we had with them.  A light just went off, those styles of games fit perfectly for the Wii because they are so competitive and simple.

NWR: Frat Party Games - Pong Toss was panned by reviewers when it was first released. How did you use that negativity when creating your other WiiWare games, specifically Pong Toss Pro - Frat Party Games?

JV: In a way we expected the negativity on Pong Toss.  Most reviewers belong to the hardcore crowd and they are typically pretty harsh to casual games.  Pong Toss & Pong Toss Pro is a casual game designed for a party environment.  In PTP, we did address most if not all of the reviewer’s complaints like better graphics & sound.  We changed the AI so easy mode isn’t so hard and redesigned our throwing system so it works like Dart Rage and is very accurate now.

NWR: Why did you decide to price Pong Toss Pro - Frat Party Games at 600 points as opposed to 800 like its predecessor?

JV: We priced PTP at 600 points because it seems to be a state of market.  The public has a general consensus that these styles of games should be priced about here.  We felt that it was very fair price point.

NWR: What new features does Pong Toss Pro - Frat Party Games boast that are absent from its predecessor?

JV: The game for the most part has been completely rewritten.  We have revamped all the graphics, completely rewrote the throwing engine so it’s much more accurate, got rid of the midi music and replaced it with rock themed MP3s and added an announcer.  There is now a tournament bracket system for both Pong Toss and Speed Pong.  This was one of the most requested features from our fans.  We also changed out a speed pong power-up to Flip Cup.  A lot of people didn’t get the invisibility from the old one.

NWR: There was some controversy surrounding the original name of Frat Party Games - Pong Toss in the US. Would you mind explaining that and how you went about to combat it?

JV: There was a lot of controversy about the game originally being called Beer Pong, which Pong Toss essentially is.  After discussing this with Nintendo and a couple of the involved parties, they felt that changing the name would change the fact that you’re not playing Beer Pong.  We felt it was really ridiculous but agreed; anyone just looking at the game knows that it’s Beer Pong.

NWR: What are the advantages of developing a game for WiiWare as opposed to other consoles?

JV: The development costs for WiiWare are much smaller as compared to XBLA and also less saturated.  We also have the advantage of using the Wii Remote which no other system has yet.

NWR: Do you have any other WiiWare games in the works? If so, when can we expect to play them?

JV: At this time we have no other WiiWare games in development.  We have a couple on the drawing board but nothing we’ve committed to.

NWR: Would you ever consider creating a game for the DSiWare service?

JV: We are throwing around some ideas and in the next couple of months we might get our feet wet.

NWR: You have developed four other games for the WiiWare service besides Pong Toss Pro - Frat Party Games. Which of those was the most enjoyable to work on and which is your favorite to play?

JV: That’s really a tough question, I really enjoyed working on all of them.  I love playing Incoming with my gamer friends because it’s so intense.  Just last night, I showed my friend Cathy Christmas Clix and got her addicted.  I play Dart Rage and PTP the most though.  I’m involved with a lot of parties and those are always playing.  I would have to say that Pong Toss Pro is my current favorite.

NWR: While all of your WiiWare games have been released on the North American WiiWare service, only one of them has been released in Europe. Have you ever considered releasing any more there?

JV: We are not too keen on releasing anymore in Europe.  Nintendo really dropped the ball there.  With the release costs being so much higher, the amount of installed units, the fact that very few people there even know about WiiWare and broadband issues in so many areas we feel that the risk vs. cost just isn’t worth it for us.

NWR: Is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?

JV: Thank you for this opportunity and we greatly appreciate your support.  I hope you all give PTP a try, and I look forward to your emails.  Thanks again.


168
TalkBack / Pong Toss Pro: Frat Party Games Review
« on: July 10, 2010, 02:19:09 AM »

A decent sequel to the original Pong Toss.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23646

The original Pong Toss! Frat Party Games was panned by critics across the board, with many claiming that a video game about beer pong just isn't that exciting. JV Games, on the other hand, has a different opinion, and is back with the sequel to prove that they can make a great beer pong game.For those who don’t know much about beer pong, the game is played with cups on opposite ends of a table in a bowling pin-like fashion. The game can be played with as people as you want, though Pong Toss  Pro limits that number to four. Players then take turns throwing a ball to the other end of the table, trying to get it to land in one of the cups. After the ball lands in one of the cups, the cup is removed and the game keeps going until all the cups are eliminated.

It is a simple concept at heart meaning that it can get repetitive quite quickly. Thankfully, JV Games have included two different modes, both of which involve the same basic concept of trying to get rid of all the cups on the other side of the table. The first mode is a basic game of beer pong, in which up to four players take turns throwing balls. While it's fun to play with a few other people, it can be quite sluggish and dull when played with a large group in the normal tournament mode as there really is not all that much to do in between turns.

The other mode Pong Toss Pro features is Speed Pong, which is a much more lively experience.  In this mode, players each throw their balls at their own pace, racing to see who can win first. This mode is very upbeat and never gives you an opportunity to breathe, which is quite the opposite of the ordinary mode. Besides racing to see who can win first in Speed Pong, a tournament mode is also available allowing a large group of people to compete against each other. Playing with other people is much more enjoyable than competing against the AI as it creates a very frantic and lively atmosphere.

While the core concept is still the same, JV Games has done quite a few things to improve on the Pong Toss formula. For starters, the throwing system has undergone a complete overhaul and is now much more accurate and precise. The controls still take a little getting used to, but after a few attempts you will likely get the hang of things.

The improved graphics are another noticeable upgrade. While a bit darker in comparison to the original, there is a little more detail in environments. The soundtrack is dominated with rock music and it can be changed at any point in a match by bringing up the menu screen and clicking on the next song.

Pong Toss was not well received when it was released back in 2008, and even though Pong Toss Pro  improves on some of the major faults of the original, those who couldn’t get into it then will likely not enjoy Pong Toss Pro. The gameplay remains much the same this time around, but the controls and visuals have been upgraded. The gameplay can be repetitive at times, but when you have a few friends around, that is when the game really starts to shine. Though it is unlikely it will replace an actual game of beer pong, Pong Toss Pro is a great little game to play without the hassle of having to set the cups and table up.


169
TalkBack / Maestro! Green Grove Review
« on: July 08, 2010, 02:10:43 PM »

Music to the ears!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23639

It is not uncommon to see retail releases broken down into bite-sized chunks and then released as separate parts on the DSiWare Shop. With titles like these populating the mix, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find something new and refreshing. While Maestro! Green Grove is a part of Maestro! Jump Into Music, the game is an exception as it was never released in North America. Thankfully for North Americans, the game is being brought over via DSiWare.

Maestro! Green Groveis a rather unique game. By playing as a little bird, players must make use of the touch screen in order to help him move throughout different environments. Music constantly plays in the background as he dashes across a tightrope-like environment. Through some handy use of the stylus, players will strum notes in order to move our little friend through the level and obtain a good score at the end. In order to clean each level, you must stick as close as possible to the original composition piece.

Maestro! Green Grove may sound like a fairly straightforward game, but there are several flourishes that mix things up. For starters, there is fruit scattered throughout each stage that can be collected. At some points in the game, you may need to slide your stylus a different way in order to get your character to go in a certain direction, such as up to reach a platform to collect fruit.

The game starts off relatively easy, but eventually starts to get more difficult. The tracks become much harder and start to throw different elements into the mix. Still, there aren't any times where things become too frustrating.

The boss battles are also great. They are played in a Simon Says-like manner in which you must repeat the actions of the boss. If you are successful in mimicking the actions of the boss, it'll take damage, but if you screw up, you will take the damage. It's an interesting idea that works very well and never disappoints.

Everything about Maestro! Green Grove is solid, namely the controls, graphics, and sound. The game features only one world from the European-only retail release, but considering that the game is this good, you will definitely get a lot of bang for your buck here.


170
TalkBack / Cruise Party Review
« on: July 08, 2010, 01:49:41 PM »

It looks like this cruise ship is taking on some water.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23621

Cruise ships are supposed to be a source of relaxation and enjoyment, a place where you can let your mind take a breather and enjoy the beautiful views of the ocean, or maybe participate in some activities such as karaoke and gambling. Unfortunately for us, though, Enjoy Gaming's idea of entertainment on a cruise ship seems to be rather soggy.

Cruise Party is divided into two modes, Competition and Quick Play. In each of these modes, players can play one of four different games, roulette, slot machines, blackjack and poker. It sounds like a decent collection of gambling activities, but each of them suffers from a few notable flaws that severely hurts the player's experience.

One of the biggest problems that affects many of the games is that they lack the need for skill. In poker, for instance, all of the other player's hands are revealed, and seeing as the game tells you what your hand is worth, you don't even need to understand the game to win. All you have to do is sit back and click a few buttons while the game tells you how to win.

Another notable issue is that while the game features local multiplayer, it lacks online options. Seeing as the game is much more fun to play with friends than AI opponents, it would have been nice to be able to hop online and gamble with your buddies. Still, the addition of local multiplayer makes this a decent game to have at a party if you have a couple of friends who like virtual gambling.

Disappointingly, the game's solo experience feels lacking. With only two modes, each of which lacks an incentive to play since the virtual money serves no significance, there is not much all that much to do. If you are looking for a strategy-heavy gambling game, Cruise Party is not a viable option.

Cruise Party had a lot of potential to be a great gambling game, but due to some issues with its gameplay, the end result is not that great. For first-time gamers, Cruise Party might be a decent choice as the lack of strategy can make it easier to grasp, but eventually a point will come where you will want to be challenged. For more experienced gamers, check out one of the WiiWare service's other gambling games.


171
TalkBack / Re: This Week in Nintendo Downloads
« on: July 05, 2010, 08:13:48 PM »
I just thought I'd add that I'm going to being reviewing both of the WiiWare games and a couple of the DSiWare games.


Hopefully we can have the first of the reviews up in the next few days! :)

172
TalkBack / Arcade Sports Review
« on: July 02, 2010, 06:37:30 PM »

It's another terrible collection of sports.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23599

A game such as Arcade Sports seems like a natural fit for WiiWare. With just a handful of simple sports, Icon Games could have maximized the service's potential and created a family-friendly party game for a budget price without having to deal with finding a publisher to distribute the game like they would have to if they decided to take the retail route.  Unfortunately for us though, Arcade Sports is an absolute disaster, even if it is only 800 Nintendo Points ($8).

Arcade Sports contains four different sports, air hockey, bowling, pool, and snooker. Two of these sports have their own unique variations, such as snooker, which has stand and 6-ball options.

One of the problems with Arcade Sports is that all of the sports included in the game have been done better elsewhere on the Wii, either through retail or WiiWare. For example, bowling in Arcade Sports feels archaic compared to the same sport in Wii Sports , and considering that game came bundled with the Wii at launch, it would make much better sense to boot that game up and actually enjoy your experience rather than go through torture in Arcade Sports.

One of the main reasons why Arcade Sports is just not that fun to play is that the controls are extremely frustrating. While there are two different kinds of controls (novice and advanced), it is hard to dismiss the fact that both control styles are difficult to adjust to, and considering when sports such as pool and bowling worked so well in other games – namely Wii Play and Wii Sports Resort – it is definitely hard to recommend Arcade Sports over those games.

Out of all the sports featured in Arcade Sports, the only one that proved to be somewhat enjoyable was air hockey, and even that had some issues with controls. It seemed as though once you started to get into the game, the controls would start to get frustrating. As soon as your cursor moves off screen, you lose complete control of the paddle and then have to deal with moving it back on screen. It may not sound like too big of a deal, but when an activity requires frantic movements of your arms, it gets frustrating.

While Arcade Sports certainly suffers from some issues in the controls department, the game has a decent amount of modes for its price. Besides a standard mode that lets you play the games at your own pace, there is also a tournament mode and a season mode. The AI players prove to be a decent challenge at times, but it is rather difficult to compete against them when the wonky controls get in your way.

Arcade Sports had a lot of potential, but the frustrating control schemes result in a disappointing experience. Considering that all of the game's sports have been done better elsewhere, it is pretty hard to justify a purchase.


173
TalkBack / Jett Rocket Review
« on: July 02, 2010, 06:34:57 PM »

One of the most anticipated WiiWare games of the year has arrived.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23598

When looking through the catalog of titles available for the WiiWare service, there aren't too many visually impressive titles, so when something like Jett Rocket comes along, gamers take heed. While people have been taught for generations that looks can be deceiving, Jett Rocket gladly doesn't fit into that category, as not only is it one of the best-looking games for the WiiWare service, it is also one of the best overall.

Playing as Jett, a young man with the ability to hover with his jetpack, your goal is to protect the planet of Yoroppa from an evil organization known as "Power Plant Posse." Their goal is to steal energy supplies from all over the planet, and it is up to you to set things straight.

Jett Rocket is a platforming game at heart, and while it doesn't do anything to break from the traditional platformer mould, what it does, it does well. In each stage, your goal is to make it to a generator located somewhere in the area. Rather than just jumping from platform to platform and breezing through each stage, puzzle elements are thrown in to help make the game feel more varied and enjoyable. There are also orbs scattered throughout the game to collect, and some are hidden very cleverly.

One of the best things about Jett Rocket is that the controls are very natural and easy to get used to. To control Jett, players use the Nunchuk's analog stick, while the Wii Remote's A button gives him the ability to jump. Motion controls are used, but their purpose is very minimal, such as shaking the Wii Remote to dash while on the ground or performing an attack on enemies while airborne.

One of the neat mechanics of Jett Rocket is Jett's jetpack, which allows him to stay airborne for a limited amount of time. This item uses energy and there are various platforms scattered throughout the game that can refuel it.

While on his adventure to save the land, Jett must also use a variety of other items, ranging from a paraglider to a jet boat. Each item that Jett comes across in his journey serves their own purpose and helps mix up the gameplay a little and add some variety to the game. Unlike some other games available on the WiiWare service, these items never feel tacked on and feel as though they were intended to be there right from the start. Rarely does anything in this game feel like a second thought.

While Jett Rocket is a great game at heart, it suffers from some notable issues. One of the biggest complaints one will have about the game is that it is over before you really start to get into it. Much like LostWinds, Jett Rocket is also a couple of hours long. Perfectionists are likely to return as there is still plenty to do after clearing the game, such as collecting orbs and trying to obtain all of the game's achievements, but for gamers who like to just do a straightforward runthrough of the game, Jett Rocket will likely fall short.

Perhaps even more severe than the length of the game is the presence of glitches. Not only do these disrupt the flow of the game, they might just be enough for some players to shelve the game due to its brevity.

Out of all the things that one could love about Jett Rocket, the one that will likely stand out the most is the great graphics it boasts. The lighting is top-notch and the different worlds are all nice and colorful. There is never a time when the game looks bland and boring, which is quite an achievement, especially considering that this is a WiiWare game.

When everything is said and done, Jett Rocket is one of the best WiiWare, even if it does suffer from a couple of shortcomings. Those who get past the short length of the game will find a great adventure with plenty of variety. For a mere 1,000 Nintendo Points ($10), gamers are getting what is possibly one of the best WiiWare games of the year so far.


174
TalkBack / 100 Classic Books Review
« on: July 02, 2010, 05:07:18 PM »

A good way to waste a couple hundred hours.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23586

100 Classic Books isn’t the most exciting video game title in the world, and when placed next to the likes of Mario and Zelda it could be easy to skip over in favor of a more traditional title. While it is indeed true that 100 Classic Books may not appeal to everyone, Nintendo DS owners who are looking for an affordable collection of classic books will find an unprecedented quantity of classic literature for a value price.

As the title suggests, 100 Classic Books is a collection of novels that have been well-received over the centuries. It contains works from the likes of William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, and has enough content to satisfy every type of reader’s tastes.

By turning the handheld on its side, players can turn the Nintendo DS into their very own book. The stylus is used to flip through the pages and navigate menus, and that is as complex as it gets in turns of controls. Things are kept quite simple and straightforward, resulting in an experience that mimics that of reading an actual book.

100 Classic Books will work on any iteration of the Nintendo DS, but people with poorer eyesight will most likely want to play it on the Nintendo DSi XL. Font sizes can be adjusted to a smaller or larger size to suit your reading preference, but the Nintendo DSi XL will ultimately give you the biggest fonts thanks to its increased screen size.

One of the neat features of the game is synopsis list that details the plot and theme of each novel, while at the same time providing a bare-bones look at each work without giving away any major events.

While the title implies that there are only 100 books included, more books can be downloaded via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Even if you don’t have access to these additional books, the 100 that are included have plenty of variety to satisfy every reader demographic. There are books such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and Black Beauty by Anna Sewell.

Another neat little feature is the ability to add background sounds to your reading session to help you unwind and relax. One of the more commonly used sounds in my reading sessions is the sound of waves crashing against a beach.

While some gamers may be able to read an entire book in one sitting, it is doubtful that more active people will have the time to complete one in just a few hours. With this in mind, there is bookmark functionality that you can use to mark where you left off.

After finally completing a book, you may have difficulty deciding where to go next. Enter the Book Guide, a feature that lets readers answer a few short questions in order to get a recommendation of other books they may enjoy. Players can also evaluate books they have read to help them determine what genre they are most suited to.

100 Classic Books isn’t for everyone. Adults looking for a way to relax and enjoy various pieces of literature will ultimately be the ones who will get the most value out of the game. Most titles are more suited to adults, such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream (which involves the mix-up of Athenian lovers), but more mature children looking for a great read may get some enjoyment of the title as well.


175
TalkBack / DSi LL Sales Increase in Japan
« on: July 02, 2010, 10:58:25 AM »

The release of Love Plus + helped the portable lead the pack in Japan last week.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23595

The Wii and Nintendo DS Lite saw slight sales increases of 100 units each in Japan this week, while the Nintendo DSi fell to 17,036 units.

The big winner this week for Nintendo was the DSi LL, which increased 10,000 units to slightly over 41,000 sold. This increase is most likely due to a combination of the release of special Love Plus + handhelds, a recent price cut, and some new colors.

The new slim Xbox 360 was released in Japan last week alongside a new Monster Hunter game, causing sales of the platform to surge to their highest sales week of the year. While it didn’t beat out any other home console, it was less than 2,000 units behind the Wii and PlayStation 3.

Media Create Hardware Sales Ranking, June 21-27

1. DSi LL: 41,676 (30,183)
2. PSP: 23,257 (20,929)
3. PS3: 19,578 (17,175)
4. Wii: 19,115 (19,045)
5. Xbox 360: 17,370 (2,060)
6. DSi: 17,306 (18,214)
7. DS Lite: 5,209 (5,126)
8. PS2: 1,530 (1,568)
9. PSP go: 845 (837)

Pages: 1 ... 5 6 [7] 8 9 ... 11