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[Check out TYP’s impressions of The Legend of Zelda: Kaze no Takuto from the Cube Cl—Hey, wait a sec! I’ve seen this before!]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

« on: October 20, 2002, 06:45:41 AM »

Check out TYP’s impressions of The Legend of Zelda: Kaze no Takuto from the Cube Cl—Hey, wait a sec!  I’ve seen this before!

Yes, it’s true.  Perhaps you’ve been wondering why no one on PGC has written impressions on the Zelda GameCube game in the last few days.  Well, the simple fact is that it’s the exact same thing that was at E3.  I’ve heard claims of a few minor differences, but whatever differences that exist were undoubtedly changed just a little too late for the E3 showing.  Heck, the thing even says “Thank you for playing the E3 demo" after you’re done!  So, since there really isn’t anything new about the game factually, I’ll dive right into my personal impressions.  Pull up someone else’s E3 impressions or the preview if you want details on the game itself.    

First off, I love the cel-shaded presentation.  It’s cute and fun and should be accessible to all ages.  Of course, I’m also one of those guys who insist that animation is for everyone and video game music is “real" music, so I know not everyone shares my perspective ;-)  Link’s expressions are amusing, and while one or two of the cut-scenes I’ve seen are more clichéd than humorous, I still enjoyed them overall.  Despite what some say, the game does NOT look flat in motion, and no one should make a final judgment on the style until they see it in person.  I’m not all goo-goo ga-ga over the graphics though.  Nintendo seems crazy about this rising heat effect they discovered for distant objects in Super Mario Sunshine, and I feel the Zelda demo overuses the visual trick.  But more importantly, I feel that Zelda’s textures are also lacking.  Wall and floor textures are often blurry, something that looks very out of place when the game is supposed to have a crisp, hand-drawn look.  Anime doesn’t have blurry lines, and neither should this game.  Sure, sharper lines means Nintendo can’t fudge its way around detailed textures, but plain, sharp textures would probably still look better in this context.  Maybe this will be addressed in the final version, but somehow I doubt it.    

There’s not much to say about the gameplay and controls, really.  Once I adjusted to the whole B-is-sometimes-A deal, Link handled like a dream, as to be expected.  The gameplay is of similar fare, and Nintendo purposefully isn’t showing any new concepts in this E3—I mean Cube Club—wait…yeah—edition.  Right now it just plays like any other Zelda, and until I experience the full game I can’t make any definitive statements on the matter.    

What little music that is played during these short demos is highly enjoyable.  Some songs are atmospheric while others are more playful, but all of them are great.  Lately Mr. Kondo has let others contribute to the compositions in franchises he has historically done himself, but that hasn’t hurt Nintendo yet.  I’ve enjoyed the songs I’ve heard so far, be the composer Kondo, Takada, Totake, or whomever Nintendo has working on the project.  The sound effects are standard fare for the 3D Zelda series, which is good I guess.  I still can’t decide on Link’s voice, though.    

The game is good.  How good is yet to be seen, but I’m positive I won’t feel cheated when I buy the game in February.  And unless you’re one of the people who despised Majora’s Mask or are totally hung up with the “non-realistic" visual style, I don’t think you have anything to worry about either.

[Donkey Kong 64 with Mumbo. Yey.]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Tak and the Power of Juju

« on: May 15, 2003, 10:52:39 AM »

Donkey Kong 64 with Mumbo.  Yey.

At THQ’s booth, I had the chance to try out Avalanche’s Tak for the Nintendo GameCube (and other platforms).  Although it has a few interesting aspects, the game isn’t really worth anyone’s time.    

If there is anything decent about the game, it is its personality.  Tak is a young shaman who must save his town from an evil spell which has turned everyone into sheep.  He must solve puzzles and complete levels by using his magic wand (with a turtle shell on it), as well as the sheep, villagers, and other indigenous animals.  The part of the hub I played includes a chicken that lays exploding eggs, other chickens perfect for Hylian anger management, and a mountable rhino.    

By now you must suspect that this game borrows heavily from games found last generation.  It really did play like some sort of Donkey Kong 64 knock-off, and that completely turned me off.  Although the game is 75% done, the controls are sloppy and poorly mapped.  R rotates weapons (I only had the wand and a blow-gun), A jumps (or pole-jumps with the blow-gun out) and B is used to smack guys around.  But there are other horrible control problems, besides the sloppy analog control.  To shoot the blow gun you hold the Y button to switch into a first person view and aim, then release it to shoot.  That means you get one shot before you must re-aim.  It gets worse.  Tak can hide under a sheep as camouflage and sneak around, and the THQ representative said that this is a big part of the game.  But when you're under cover, you cannot jump.  This would not have been a problem except I could not get over the smallest bump.  Unless the 25% not done refers to the controls, this game is in trouble.    

The visuals are under par for even a PS2 game, though the character models are interesting enough.  The framerate is disappointing; when I barged through a fence with the rhino there was a LOT of slowdown.  The game also has severe loading problems (restarting a level took a minute) and I thought it had crashed.    

Tak has some amusing concepts, and THQ’s team is genuinely trying to make the world as interactive and interesting as it can, but the gameplay on the showroom floor left me very disappointed.  The game could be fun by the time it gets out the door, but from what I played it isn’t likely.

[Between 1080 and Mario Party-ing, TYP took some time to check out Swingerz Golf for the GameCube. Can Telenet compete with Camelot? See what this Mario Golf fan thinks.]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Swingerz Golf

« on: October 21, 2002, 02:31:14 PM »

Between 1080 and Mario Party-ing, TYP took some time to check out Swingerz Golf for the GameCube.  Can Telenet compete with Camelot?  See what this Mario Golf fan thinks.

Though I wouldn’t consider myself a huge golfing game fan, there have been a few golf games over the years that captured my heart.  So it was with enthusiasm that I wandered over to the Swingerz Golf kiosk, itching to hit a few golf balls.    

The game physics and course design left me fairly impressed.  As a true golf game, players are able to attempt approach shots, off-green putts, power shots and more without much of the ridiculous guesswork found in the joke that was Monkey Golf 2.  I also noticed my clubs level up in mid-game, suggesting the game has RPG elements like Mario Golf for GBC.  The game provides all the little technical aspects needed in a good golf game, plus extras like the time of year, and it should be commended for its interesting holes and complete physics.    

However, I found myself displeased with the controls themselves.  Pushing L and R to switch clubs is disorienting enough, but the bigger problem is the golf swing itself, which makes use of the analog C-stick.  I grew up on the 3-button swing, so I naturally prefer that setup, but I had approached Swingerz Golf expecting analog controls along the lines of a circular motion.  I was amazed to find this wasn’t the case.  Instead, the game asks players to pull the stick “back" (down) and then “follow through" by pushing the stick forward as straight as possible at the desired strength percentage.  It all sounds well and good, but pulling it off is just a little too difficult.  It took me well over 30 attempts before I started to understand how the controls worked, and I never really got the hang of it thanks to my unsteady fingers.  I simply found the game to be much too sensitive, handing me a duff unless my follow-through was almost completely straight.  Power shots seemed impossible to pull off.  And even when I was told I made a good shot, I never seemed to get all of the club’s distance, so I’d end up dangerously short most of the time.  When putting, a slightly inaccurate follow-through meant a cruel extra stroke, not that I didn’t have a hefty score already.  For me, all of this was compounded by the nature of spring-loaded analog sticks themselves, which demand different quantities of force at varying positions for constant speed.  I understand Telenet’s desire to focus on the swing instead of aim, but I found Swingerz a little too much like the real deal for my liking.  I’m sure I would improve with time, but a golfing game should be readily accessible to anyone who picks up the controller, not just professional surgeons.    

The graphics and audio were a mixed bag.  The slightly anime-influenced characters had a plastic coating, as did the environments (especially the water), but the game also featured an excellent draw distance and a smooth framerate.  If I had to make a general statement I’d describe the visuals as average Dreamcast quality.  The layout seemed natural enough, with easy to read lies and distances, and a friendly camera.  The game featured a jazzy song not unlike something you might hear in the club’s Pro shop, and the various golf sounds were realistic enough.    

Though most of the characters seem interesting enough, their voices are just annoying!  Each player gets his or her own choice of caddy, who only makes the same stupid supportive comments such as “Here goes nothing!" over and over again.  And since everyone present apparently has something to say about a shot at the exact same time, you’ll rarely understand what a character just said, even when playing with just one friend!  It’s like Eidos thought it would be neat if they took Sonic Adventure 2’s garbled, overlapped voices, made them even less coherent and tried to one-up Sonic Team by making all the voices uninspired!  Hopefully there’s a way to turn off the voices or at least ditch the caddies, because players definitely won’t want them hanging around.    

Swingerz comes out October 23rd, but I’d suggest golfers check the title out at the Cube Club or give it a rental before putting down the wad of cash.  Those who can handle Swingerz’s interesting swing controls will likely find the game very amusing, but those who can’t will just wind up frustrated.

[TYP finally writes up his impressions of the game that stole the show.]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Super Smash Bros. Melee

« on: September 29, 2001, 01:10:44 AM »

TYP finally writes up his impressions of the game that stole the show.

The Cube Club version of SSBM is just like the SpaceWorld version (except in English mode).  So what new things have been implemented since E3?    

Characters: The Spaceworld/CC edition has many more characters, and each seems to be distinct in both moves and responsiveness.  The biggest extreme is probably Ice Climbers: they don't have all that many moves, and they are not fast, but they have "double" the attack power, as both climbers swing their hammers.  They are also distinct in the sense that they are in two places at once.  There is lag involved with these characters, and it will take much time to get used to those two (and I'm not about to try).  Others were easier to use: my new personal favorite is Peach.  She has a variety of attacks as well as the good looks to back it up :-) Meanwhile, other old characters are somewhat different: sure, many of the attacks and attributes are the same, but the details of them have changed.  Link's Up-B jump goes higher and attacks further.  Kirby's rock seems faster.  Pikachu is now so light that it is a risk factor and Samus' blaster fires so much quicker I never got used to it.  Instead, I thought it would take an extra moment like in the N64... I took it head on.  Just about everything has been sped up just a smidgen.  This, in combination with various situations in the environment, makes SSBM crazier than ever.    

Speaking of environments, the levels are packed with detail.  This includes both foreground and background.  Peach's Castle is threatened by giant Bullet Bills (who enjoy drilling into the building and blowing up) while "!" Blocks and switches reveal items and platforms.  Link's stage, Great Bay (who knows why they say "Hyrule" with it...) has the ever-present Tingle and the turtle island, which goes underwater and surfaces in different positions.  But the thing that really amazed me was the background.  While watching those play ahead of me, I was focused on the evil moon.  Apparently, it gets closer and closer as the battle goes on, and is then pushed far away by the four giants!  Such detail is almost unheard of in games...especially fighting games.    

Of course, there's the music too.  The songs range from standard remixes to orchestral arrangement to vocals.  In fact, Kirby's stage had what sounded like another performance of the arrangement played at the Orchestral Gaming Music Concert series!  Meanwhile, DK's stage has vocals of some sort.  (I think it may have been the Donkey Kong Rap from DK64!)  The sound FX were too high for one's own good and overpowered the music in most situations, but I can safely say that the sound track is worth looking forward to.    

I also thought I'd mention two items I found especially interesting.  I was pleased to find another allusion to the good old days with a Kirby Star--you know, the kind Kirby rides in Kirby's Dreamland and other old school Kirby titles!  In SSBM, you hop on and it flies around a little...until it dive bombs right on an opponent!  It's a very powerful item that is just plain cool.  Another item I was lucky enough to find was a Bunny Hood.  Just like in Majora's Mask, the hat increases your running speed.  But this time it's more than just a little.... It's a great item that doesn't hinder your attacking power, and it comes in handy for coin mode!  Oh yeah... Coin Mode is ultimate Smash Bros. chaos out there!    

Overall, the game is shipping up quite nicely.  According to the rep, the game version on hand was an almost complete version (though it lacked the newly announced L-shield).  This game is hot... the enclosed booth had an AC system to combat body heat.  This is a system seller, people.    

Written: 05/20/2001    

SSB: Melee was my favorite game on the showroom floor.  "What?!  But what about Luigi's Mansion!" you say?  Well, the key phrase is on the showroom floor.  Although Luigi's Mansion made me wet my pants, (metaphorically) as a demo and a one player game, I couldn't exactly spend hours watching and playing the game.  But SSB2 (the F-Zero level even says "Smash 2" on a billboard) could have been released just as it was and been a "smash" hit.  Fortunately, there is even more to come.    

As you have probably already seen via pictures and movies, the graphics are amazing.  And they'll probably get better by the time it is released.  The first thing I thought when I saw the game on the big screen was "this is like one of those $1 arcade games that must've cost a fortune to buy!"  Everything is very crisp, and movement is very fluid--even though I've been told AA (anti-aliasing) hasn't been implemented yet.  And, just like the original, the game can end with players in very amusing positions.    

The sound is a very high point in this game.  Orchestrated versions of your favorite classics play in full surround sound with equally impressive sound effects blasting from all sides.  I asked the Nintendo representative if it was prerecorded or MIDI, but he didn't know.  Personally, I couldn't tell and couldn't care--the music was perfect.    

But above all of this comes the gameplay.  The basic controls are very similar to the original, but since extra moves have been added, you may have to get out of the habit of being able to shoot a fireball while pushing forward, for instance.  If you can adjust for things like that, the game comes out very crisp and responsive.  Timing has also changed a little, but I assure you that you'll be more than happy to take the time to adjust.  The biggest change for me was using the Z button for grabbing (or R and A, which doesn't seem to work too well this time.)  After playing for 30 minutes or so (off and on,) I learned to switch between the two buttons, so it wasn't that bad.  Since I'm not planning on doing a controller review, I'll say that the Z button shouldn't require quite as much pressure (especially since you are alternating between an ultra-responsive analog trigger.)    

I had a chance to play the one-player adventure, too.  If you didn't like the 64 version, don't worry.  Many of the levels in the Cube version are almost like platforming levels with mini-bosses.  I only was able to get to 2 of these long levels: Peach's Castle and Link's stage--which was quite long.  Each level has its own enemies pulled straight from its respective license.  It was kind of strange not to be able to hop on a goomba, but the level was fun....    

Overall, this game was probably the one that convinced naysayers that GameCube is the system for games.  It will probably sell almost 1:1 with the console.  I say almost, because I know there are people like Jonny Metts who can't follow the chaotic battle system.  This is definitely a killer app, and it's coming out AT LAUNCH!  Whoo!    

P.S.: Thanks, HAL, for bringing something out at launch this time!  We all love you!

[The original was great, but is the sequel worth owning as well?]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Super Monkey Ball 2

« on: May 30, 2002, 07:52:22 PM »

The original was great, but is the sequel worth owning as well?

Yes, yes it is.  The single-player levels on the floor were much harder and more interesting than the original's, but that's just the start.  Everyone knows the real juice of the game is in its mini-games.  If you loved the original's, you'll go crazy their updates, and you might find one or two of the new ones worth your while.    

With its 4-player simultaneous action, Monkey Target 2 had the most prominent update of the pack.  The game is much more intense when four monkeys are competing for the same airspace, and since there is MUCH less downtime it is now perfect for a party.  Besides the split-screen alteration, the biggest change is the implementation of tokens and stars for items and multipliers, respectively--bananas only give points now.  The power-up obtained while flying is automatically used on the same turn.  All of this, plus higher point values and varied target space makes for an almost completely new (and better) game.    

My other favorite playable mini-game was Monkey Fight.  While essentially the same as Super Monkey Ball's version, Monkey Fight 2 is more well-rounded and kept players' attention for a longer period of time.  I found the arenas much more interactive, with more regulated power-ups and very dynamic aspects such as folding walls.  An ultra-powerful spike fist power-up has been added as well as an endurance mode, but the game really is just a more refined Monkey Fight.    

The other remakes had notable changes as well.  Monkey Bowling 2 featured a secondary mode with obscure (and often dynamic) lanes to tease even the best Monkey Bowler.  Each frame had a different setup.  Monkey Golf 2 is a full-blown golf game, thought the basic idea and controls remain the same.  Monkey Race now features even crueler items, such as rockets and a magnet-like item--both of which tend to cause a Fall Out.  The tracks themselves are much harder, with one featuring horrible dead-ends!  I wasn't too blown away by the latter two, but they were still fun.  Fans of the originals should adore these remakes.    

Sadly, I was less than content with the new mini-games.  The Boating mini-game asked players to paddle down the river with L and R.  I found the boat hard to control and constantly crashed into walls, though I may have been trying too hard.  Aiming weapons, on the other hand, was next to impossible.  It could be a fun mini-game, but I suspect that it will only be so for players of comparable skill level.  Monkey Soccer and Tennis played like their Sega franchise equivalents, only with simpler mechanics and sluggish controls.  I found them both frustrating and boring, honestly.  Buy Mario/Virtua Tennis and one of Sega's soccer games if you're looking for a good time.  It's sad, but true.    

Despite the unimpressive new mini-games, Super Monkey Ball 2 is still a great game and will totally be worth the money when it comes out.  Hopefully the mini-games unavailable at E3 will prove more enjoyable than Monkey Soccer! (ack)

[It's Zany, it's quirky, it's SEGA. Amusement Vision's GCN launch title was at the Cube Club, and TYP took it for a spin.]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Super Monkey Ball

« on: September 28, 2001, 11:46:47 PM »

It's Zany, it's quirky, it's SEGA.  Amusement Vision's GCN launch title was at the Cube Club, and TYP took it for a spin.

This game is hard to describe.  You probably already know what it is like, so I'll head straight into my impressions.  I got to play everything there was of the game at the show, and I walked away from it fairly impressed.    

I first tried my hand at the single player mode (which can actually be alternating multiplayer) and found myself an a heap of trouble.  The control setup takes some getting used to, moving the level instead of the character.  I wasn't THAT bad at it, but starting on the fourth floor didn't help.  I can tell that spending time will solve the control issue, but the levels are designed on a trial-and-error basis.  Even early on,  the game is quite tedious...but it never seems to be beyond the average player's capacity.    

The single player is all well and good, but I loved the party games (mini-games were blocked off).  They are all point based, and they are rewarded just like you would expect them to be.  Also, you don't move the ground anymore, which makes things a little easier on the eyes and head.  I came back to Monkey Ball throughout the evening, each time trying my hand at something new.  The first game I tried was Sega's version of "Bumper Balls" (from Mario Party) with punching gloves.  It's a blast to play.  It incorporates all of the goodness that is Bumper Balls, but it adds power-ups like a bigger glove, longer reach, or spin attack.  There are also  three settings, making the game more varied.  The second party game attempted was the racing mode.  Power-ups are sparse, and are rarely useful (except for the lightning boost).  It is fast paced and well done, but it is definitely not a game within itself.  There are a few tracks (with some variation) and this mode is amusing but it isn't enough to completely satisfy Mario Kart cravings.  It's all good,  though, since it is only one of many excellent game modes.  The final party game was the target game.  This is by far the most difficult mini-game to master.  Reminiscent of Pilot Wings 64's hang gliding mode both in gameplay and visuals, your monkey must be glided to one of many targets.  Players take turns, trying to one up each other by landing in high-scoring zones.  It is very easy to crash into the water (more so on later rounds), and the "Wheel of Danger" doesn't make things any easier.  Though optional, the "Wheel of Danger" adds an element of luck to the game.  I wasn't so fortunate, and usually ended up with air mines or bomb-infested targets.  A skillful game indeed, targets will be a test of gaming expertise for years to come.    

The game is very polished (as it should be) and is very deserving of being the only 3rd party title available at the Japanese launch.  I envy Billy for being able to fly Baby off of cliffs whenever he chooses.

[It’s the remake everyone’s been waiting for: Super Mario Bros. 3 on the GBA! Check out TYP’s impressions from E3.]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3

« on: May 14, 2003, 06:12:36 PM »

It’s the remake everyone’s been waiting for: Super Mario Bros. 3 on the GBA!  Check out TYP’s impressions from E3.

Honestly, there isn’t that much to say about Mario Advance 4’s presence at E3.  The graphics and sound are ripped straight from the SNES treasure, Mario All-Stars.  This means respectable, crisp graphics with well-arranged versions of Super Mario Bros. 3’s memorable music and an accurate recreation of THE best Mario game ever.    

Super Mario Bros. 3 is displayed on the GameCube Player with a GBA SP controller as well as on a stand-alone SP.  I find the SP inferior to the original as a GameCube controller, so my skills were slightly hindered, but from what I could tell the game’s control is true to the original.  I only noticed a few minor enhancements.  Rainbow-tastic colors now appear when Mario clears a mini-dungeon, a door has been added to enter the N-spade bonus game and the warp whistle now induces a wavy distortion similar to that of “Touch Fuzzy."  From what I heard through the background noise, the audio, like the visuals, closely mimicks that of the SNES version, only now prominently featuring Mario’s voice, of course.    

But what about all the cool enhancements you may have heard about?  Isn’t there a crazy remix with all sorts of new enemies?  Yes, but for some strange reason it isn’t playable.  On the Super Mario Bros. 3 title screen there are three options: “Mario," “Mario & Luigi," and “Communication".  Only the first is accessible on the floor, but the introductory animation sequence (similar to the one found in Mario Advance 2) does feature Luigi with his signature flutter-jump.  It is safe to assume the single player Mario & Luigi mode and unlockable extras will provide a new twist to the game.    

I’m annoyed at Nintendo for holding out on us for this long, knowing full well this has always been the most highly anticipated remake of the bunch. However, at the same time I’m happy they are doing it right.  All gamers, both casual and hardcore, owe it to themselves to play Super Mario Bros. 3 at least once.  Seven million Americans bought SMB3 on the NES thirteen years ago, and a handheld edition is long overdue.  I can already confirm the no-frills remake is a keeper, but for my verdict on the game’s other half you’ll have to wait for my full review upon Mario Advance 4’s release.

[Slurp all you want, but be careful not to touch Fuzzy!]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island

« on: May 26, 2002, 11:57:36 PM »

Slurp all you want, but be careful not to touch Fuzzy!

Yoshi’s Island is one of my all-time favorites, and though I would have preferred Super Mario Bros. 3, I can’t say I’m upset about getting the dinosaur’s title instead.    

Yoshi’s Island looks to be a direct port of the SNES game.  I was able to pick the game up and get 100% on the first level with no trouble: each flower and red coin was right where I expected it.  The graphics were just as I remembered as well, though there is now a more user-friendly world scoreboard and an altered world map screen.  The E3 floor was VERY noisy and the Sharp TV’s speakers weren’t great, but from what I could tell the music did the original justice, unlike in the Super Mario World conversion.  They have added voice samples from Yoshi’s Story, which will surely bring up controversy, but I didn’t mind them.  The control is as tight as in the original, though R is now used to throw eggs.    

I’ll say what I said about Super Mario World before it came out: the vertical resolution on the GBA will be a big problem.  Nintendo handled scrolling in Super Mario World better than expected, but Yoshi’s Island won’t be quite so easy.  Many of Yoshi’s Island’s levels feature a lot of vertical progression, and there are also areas with a good deal of roaming space, making it impossible for programmers to predict the player’s next move.  I also noticed that a few items designed to be somewhat hidden in the original would be near impossible for first timers to find on the GBA.  No multi-player was available at E3, but I’m hoping for upgrades of the original’s mini-games (especially Seed Spit).    

Judging from what I played, the game could already be finished, waiting for Mario Advance 2’s sales to dwindle...but hopefully this isn’t the case. Don’t get me wrong: the current version is tons of fun, but it looks to be a direct port and not an update.  With Mario Advance 2 in mind, nothing more should be expected from this title, but moving or adding items would be much appreciated.    

Despite my nitpicking, this is still a great game.  Those who only played Yoshi’s Story will finally see why so many were disappointed with the N64 sequel.  Many will relive their favorite game on the road.  The Game Boy Advance is a beautiful thing.

[Mama Mia! Scrambe for stars in a four-player, 3-D fun fest!]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Super Mario 64 DS

« on: May 12, 2004, 10:52:30 AM »

Mama Mia!  Scrambe for stars in a four-player, 3-D fun fest!

When Mario 64x4 was revealed at the press conference, everyone assumed it was just an extension of the Mario Advance series, this time on the DS with Mario 64.  While this may still be true (I was told there will be a single player game), the Super Mario 64x4 demo was wireless multiplayer, and very impressive.    

The battle game takes place in a modified version of the Super Mario 64 castle courtyard, where Mario, Luigi, Yoshi and Wario must race to collect stars the appear randomly in random locations in the area.  Whoever collects the most stars in the allotted time winds!    

The graphics are sharp--very close to Super Mario 64 in modeling and with some better textures.  Although audio was faint, I could make out Super Mario 64 music and voices to accompany the gameplay.    

The controls successfully reproduce every move found in the N64 classic.  Just as in the Super Mario classics, players jump with the B button (DS uses the SNES face mapping) and run by holding the Y button.  The digital D-pad is used to move your character, and in combination with the jump button you can do wall-jumps, U-turn flips, and triple jumps!  Players punch with the A button and crouch with X (which can be used for back-flips, long jumps and ground pounds).  The digital controls make running around more difficult than on the N64, but I adjusted to the change without too much trouble.    

Surprisingly, each character looks to have some unique moves as well.  Yoshi has his trademark flutter-jump to gain some extra air, while Luigi can flutter to the ground.  I did not check for unique Mario or Wario moves.  You can also hit a red “!" block and snag a feather to briefly fly in the air, though I never found one myself.    

Whether this is a whole new Mario game or a respectable port of Mario 64, this is one game to watch out for.  Hey, any multiplayer Mario that isn't Mario Bros. Battle Advance is a good thing!

[Snaaaaaaake! I mean, Fooooooooooox!]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Star Fox: Assault

« on: May 13, 2004, 11:07:40 AM »

Snaaaaaaake!  I mean, Fooooooooooox!

Namco’s Star Fox is much improved over last year’s showing.  The E3 demo had three modes available: an arwing mission, a land-based mission and versus mode.  And while the graphics are still sub-par, the gameplay is very good.    

The most outstanding mode was the arwing mission, which was highly reminiscent of the second-to-last level in Star Fox 64, where Fox and his team infiltrated Andross’s Armada.  The mission starts of innocently enough with Slippy getting bogies on his tail, but it slowly gets more and more intense as you battle swarms of ships, large and small.  This level was fairly short, but it was clear this game is a true Star Fox game.  You can charge up an lock on to enemies by holding A, perform tricks with the C-stick, roll with the L button, and brake and boost with the face buttons.    

The land-based mission took place in an improved version of last year’s battle arena.  Fox starts off on foot, shooting down enemies with his blaster until he gets better weapons.  For the land-based missions, there are two control schemes: single-stick and dual-stick.  In single-stick mode, you run with the main stick, aim by holding down R, and fire with A.  In dual-stick mode, you aim with the C-sick (you can aim while running), and shoot with the R button.  You can also jump with Y.  With some weapons you can zoom with the X and Y buttons, and charge up/lock on with A.  Some of the cooler weapons included a bazooka and sniper rifle.      

Early in the level you get a land rover tank.  This also has both dual-stick and single-stick controls similar to on-foot controls—L rolls and X hovers.  The main objective was to destroy scattered targets, many of them hidden in buildings or corners.  The tank can destroy some walls, but is less maneuverable than Fox on foot.  The boss is a land-walker that shoots green missles.  Using the tank, you must shoot the underbelly of the walker to bring him down to the floor and then hover on top of him.  You must shoot the core while avoiding land mines-like attacks without falling off.    

The versus mode has many more levels than before, and there are power-ups, but overall it feels too much like Star Fox 64.  The game encourages camping: when on foot you can be virtually indestructible.  Machine battle takes out the on-foot action—you spawn in arwings and tanks instead.  One space battle arena only supported arwings, much like Sector Z in Star Fox 64.    

I should also mention that the characters talked before and during missions, and they were downright horrible.  Fortunately, I’ve been told the voice work was done quickly by NOA Treehouse members and is temporary.    

The game looks ugly, but at least it is Star Fox, and it is most certainly fun. Anyone up for a straight-up shooter who can manage a few land-based missions will not be disappointed.

[Read TYP's hands-on impressions of Namco's Star Fox game straight from the showroom floor!]

261

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Star Fox: Assault

« on: May 14, 2003, 10:06:59 AM »

Read TYP's hands-on impressions of Namco's Star Fox game straight from the showroom floor!

Although Star Fox will have a single player mode, only a demo of the multiplayer game was on the showroom floor.  The demo is limited, flagging the game’s early state, but it gives a good idea of what the final product's multiplayer will contain.    

Modeled after the Star Fox 64’s multiplayer game, the arena Namco and Nintendo provide gives a good taste of what the final product will include.  After choosing characters (Fox, Falco, Slippy or Crystal) the four competitors are thrown into what could be considered a military base.  Much like the land-based zone in the N64 game, players must take advantage of the various structures that house power-ups and provide cover.  However, Namco has integrated the arena and vehicles much more smoothly.  Initially armed with a standard laser gun and his or her two feet, a player must destroy the other players as many times as possible within the time limit (two or three minutes on the showroom floor) to win.  The default pistol isn’t particularly effective and weapon upgrades, such as land mines, rapid-fire guns and a sniper, can be found lying around.  Two tanks and two Arwings are located in the base as well.    

This brings us to the controls.  On foot players can run with R (analog-sensitive), jump with Y, and strafe holding L.  The player can pan the camera or switch into a first person view with the C-stick.  Holding B creates a shield in the direction your character is facing which is useful for blocking weaker attacks.  In the tank players can roll to the side pushing L, hover with Y and charge a shot with A.  In the Arwing L and R tilt the craft, and the digital click initiates a barrel roll.  Y is the air brake.  Players can upgrade their Arwing’s gun by flying through silver and gold rings.  Players can enter or dismount from a craft by pushing the Z button.    

In case you couldn’t tell, the controls are VERY similar to the N64 game’s.  In fact, it’s too similar: the controls are too sensitive.  Players are currently better off never touching the C-stick, and I was fighting with the touchy controls whenever I was on the ground.  I wasn’t alone either—most of my competitors had similar complaints, though those familiar with Star Fox 64 were able to adjust.  The N64 was able to get away with questionable control on land since most action was in the Arwing, but the GameCube game’s augmented level design demands better.  I have some gripes about the level itself, too.  Although the radar is very useful in locating enemies and vehicles, the tanks and Arwing can still be difficult to find.  But the setting’s big flaw is its poor balance.  The level’s complexity almost works against itself: there are so many little tunnels and mini-forts that the Arwing is useless.  It is obvious that Namco is aware of this, too: in an attempt to compensate the air brake can literally bring the Arwing to a HALT, and crashing into buildings simply stops the plane instead of inflicting mad amounts of damage.    

These complaints aside, the game has a lot of potential.  The level shown isn’t in its final form, and there will surely be a dog-fight arena or two solely for the Arwing.  I had fun gunning down and running over little humanoid animals, and with more power-ups to salvage than its predecessor competition could easily become fierce.  Namco’s Star Fox GameCube game could evolve into something great, but to do so the development team must target the game’s weaknesses as the game progresses.

[TYP also tried his hand at the Arwing level. It is short, and so are the impressions.]

262

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Star Fox Adventures

« on: September 29, 2001, 03:43:26 PM »

TYP also tried his hand at the Arwing level.  It is short, and so are the impressions.

The Arwing level is beautiful.  Everything spins, even though each asteroid now features mind-boggling detail.  I never was able to beat the thing: it is obvious Rare hasn't finished the level.  The life meter is VERY small, and not all of the moves have been added.  They didn't even seem to have the Lock-on mechanism!  I could only fly around and shoot single blasts.  Oh well... it was fun, and I know the difficulty level will be more reasonable once Rare gets done with the game.  The Arwing level is very true to Star Fox 64 style gameplay, so there shouldn't be too much to worry about.

[The guy in green writes up some brief thoughts on Rare's featured game.]

263

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Star Fox Adventures

« on: May 20, 2001, 02:54:41 PM »

The guy in green writes up some brief thoughts on Rare's featured game.

I'll come right out and say it--I was disappointed in this game.  To me, it looked like a Dreamcast game: some of the textures were a little blurry, and the framerate was inconsistent.  It would be smooth, then skip 5 frames or so.  VERY noticeable, and will be a major problem if it isn't fixed.  Fortunately, it seemed to be a loading problem, and may be contributed to the fact that it's running on a dev kit.  Also, I noticed some pop-up with a barrel on the ground.  The gameplay looks like it could be promising--I just hope Rare does a better job of explaining what to do in the final version.    

I didn't go into the booth, so I can't comment on the sound, but I was able to listen to the voice acting.  Slippy's voice is NOT as annoying--it's almost a joke on his previous voice.  Heh....  I'm sure the music will be very good, as David Wise is on the job.    

Rare has definitely worked hard to make sure that you can't blame the system for a mistake.  Fox can do all sorts of crazy--and fun tricks using his staff.  Link may have to start studying under Jackie Chan to compete with Fox....    

They didn't tell me, but I can guarantee it: Rare ported the code from N64.  The first thing Rare needs to do is to take a hint from Silicon Knights and rewrite the code for the GameCube.  Then they shouldn't have much problem fixing the other things wrong with this game.  Good luck, Rare--it needs a lot of work, but I know you guys can pull it off.  Don't be afraid to delay the game!  Everyone here would rather see it fully optimized, and hopefully Nintendo will agree.

[The hedgehog is back, and quite possibly better than ever.]

264

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Sonic Heroes

« on: May 16, 2003, 10:42:20 AM »

The hedgehog is back, and quite possibly better than ever.

Although still early, Sonic Heroes has thoroughly impressed me on the showroom floor.  Sonic and his teammates, Knuckles and Tails, are playable on two levels.  The Easy level looks to be the game’s first level, and does a good job of introducing the game’s mechanics.  100% Sonic goodness, the level features fast-paced loops, robots, cannons, and a whole lot of speed.  The design makes good use of the new team setup.  Setting Tails as the leader lets you fly, while Knuckles’ strength makes him a perfect choice for fights.  Sonic, of course, is fast.  This level also features a downhill cart.  The Hard (and lesser played) level is a grind level similar to those found in Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, with long rail segments connected by dangerous platforms and is heavily weighted in Sonic’s favor.    

The game’s biggest surprise is its improved control.  The camera, now adjustable with the C-stick, is a god-send for any Sonic fan.  The two playable levels’ default camera angles are also greatly improved over Sonic Adventure 2’s.  That’s not to say the camera is perfect now, but it is better.  Sonic and Knuckles respond to the analog stick very well, though Tails still needs some work.  I also enjoy the characters’ special moves: Knuckles and Tails can throw their teammates as an attack, and Sonic’s light-speed dash seems more reliable.  Grinding is exactly like it was in Sonic Adventure 2, at least for now. Some moves haven’t been implemented, but Sonic Team USA is heading in the right direction.    

Sonic Heroes may be early, but it is already looking very good on GameCube.  Sonic Team’s experience with the system is paying off: the game features bright colors and sharp textures with no pop-up to speak of, and slowdown is minimal.  The character models come off as slightly plastic-like, though they certainly didn’t look bad.  The game’s audio is already well underway with sound effects and voices, and Jun Senoue’s new music fits the two playable levels very nicely in his standard style.    

Sega only has the most popular of the four trios on display, so I can’t make any grand statements on the whole game, but what I've seen of Sonic Heroes makes me very happy.  Sonic Heroes has the best 3D Sonic gameplay yet, and those burned by Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 may want to give Sonic Team another chance.  If the other teams’ gameplay are equally improved, this game will be huge.

[Super Smash Bros. for the GBA it is not.]

265

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Sonic Battle

« on: May 16, 2003, 10:57:30 AM »

Super Smash Bros. for the GBA it is not.

This game’s only saving grace is its early stage in development.  Displayed on a Wide Boy Advance, Sonic Battle takes place in a pseudo-3D arena rendered with Mode 7 scaling.  The Wide Boy Advance likely degrades the picture quality, but the game is far from pretty with objects scrolling very awkwardly.  The controls are even worse.  Although each character has his own moves, all have control so fluttery it makes Sonic 3D Blast look like Mario 64.  Combine this with a completely uninspired and chaotic fighting system, and you have yourself a bona fide button-masher where skill is irrelevant -- nay, unattainable.  Perahps it is simply way too early to be judged at E3 this year, but I’m not expecting anything out of this title after my ten grueling minutes with the game.

[Sonic Team plays a trick on Father Time.]

266

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Sonic Adventure DX Director's Cut

« on: May 20, 2003, 10:13:29 AM »

Sonic Team plays a trick on Father Time.

One level was playable for each Sonic Adventure DX character at E3 2003.  From what I’ve been told, the game is already done, though it certainly didn’t look it in LA.  The character models taken from Sonic Adventure 2 Battle look decent, but the environments haven’t been touched at all.  Playing as the faster characters reveals an unacceptably horrible framerate.  At times the game ran at 60 frames-per-second, but it often drops below 30 for no apparent reason -- something I found very distracting.  Tails’ snowboarding level has the most trouble: I honestly felt as though I were playing the game on a Nokia N-Gage.      

I am also disappointed with the controls, which are just as bad as in the original.  Although I’m aware of how hard adding to an already-completed game can be, Sonic Team could have at least tightened up the analog controls a bit, even if they couldn’t implement camera control with the C-stick.  When a similar game very early in development (Sonic Heroes) handles better than an update to an already completed game, I can’t help but be frustrated.    

The Sonic Adventure DX E3 demo left me yearning for my 4-year-old Dreamcast original.  I only hope the gameplay bonuses in the final version can make up for its shoddy framerate and unimproved controls, because right now I’m not looking forward to my own review of this game.

[Shadow with guns doesn’t sound great, but it is better than fans would think.]

267

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Shadow the Hedgehog

« on: May 19, 2005, 09:40:07 AM »

Shadow with guns doesn’t sound great, but it is better than fans would think.

Despite my negative gut reaction at its announcement, I checked out Shadow the Hedgehog.  As I expected, it plays somewhere between Sonic, Gamma, and the Power formation in Sonic Heroes.  Each of the three levels has fast sections, though they are briefer and more automated than I would like, but they do convey the sense of speed one would expect from Shadow.  The dark hedgehog retains his floatier running controls, which I'm not too fond of, but they seem slightly more responsive than in some of the prior 3D games.    

Just as prominent, though, is the combat.  Shadow can use his homing attack (A) for more traditional combat, which can defeat shielded enemies, or use a variety of weapons with the B button. When unarmed, you can pick up a variety of armaments, such as a machine gun, a bazooka, and a long sword.  You can toss or exchange weapons with X, which also doubles as a context sensitive button for the light dash and similar moves.  Shadow grinds to a halt when using these weapons, partially so that they may be aimed, which really destroys the speed of the game.  Fortunately the battles look to be far less tedious than those in Sonic Heroes' power formation, as most enemies fall after a handful of shots.  Shadow can also shoot guns while grinding and riding some sort of aerial animal.    

Also new to this game are the light and dark missions.  Each level has three goals: a hero goal, a dark goal, and a chaos emerald goal (which is not featured in the demo).  The goals seem to focus on defeating the dark or human enemies, respectively, but the Sega representatives demoing the game seem to suggest there will be more variety in the final version.  This mechanic seems to conflict with the special attack system, though.  There are light and dark gauges that independently fill as Shadow defeats monster and human enemies.  Once filled, Shadow can perform a special attack like Chaos Control with the Y button.    

Anyone defending the game's concept because it features Shadow and not Sonic can shut their traps.  Shadow is often accompanied and instructed by either Sonic or a dark flying octopus, who each help defeat underlings, but are not directly controlled.  Shadow also seems to be taking orders from Robotnik...I'm not sure when Shadow became everyone's b*tch, but whatever.    

Those hoping for patches to Sonic's dated engine will not be pleased.  Shadow now stalls at the edge of a platform so he doesn't run straight off a cliff, but that's about it.  I ran into the familiar homing bug where Shadow circles a spring for five seconds, and the wall jump frequently ruined my attempts at a homing attack.  The game runs smoothly most of the time, though I noticed one or two significant hiccups.  I cannot judge the graphical fidelity on the show floor's LCD televisions.  There is one other interesting gameplay tweak, though: Shadow only loses ten rings when hurt.    

The only horrible section on display is the boss battle, in which Shadow must shoot a large monster roaming the city in the eye numerous times.  Since the aiming system is not very precise, the battle degenerates into jumping, pushing A, and hoping you hit.  I stopped playing out of boredom well before he was defeated--hopefully this section of the game will be re-evaluated.    

Shadow doesn't impress the way the Sonic Heroes demo fooled me back in 2003, but I suspect what I've seen more accurately depicts the final product than last year's dud.  If so, this may be a game worth checking out--even if it rips apart a cherished franchise.

[The version of Snowboard Kids DS on display is early, but it certainly shows potential.]

268

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: SBK: Snowboard Kids DS

« on: May 20, 2005, 09:27:55 AM »

The version of Snowboard Kids DS on display is early, but it certainly shows potential.

The demo features one course to race and four characters, with two systems available for multiplayer racing.  Since the build on display requires four players, two boarders are controlled by the computer, mucking up my head-to-head competition with Jonny.  The Mario Kart-esque items are acquired by running through a question block and are stored in one of two slots assigned to the trigger buttons.  The weapons in the demo, such as an anvil and sleep, are creative in concept, but require no skill to use: they all work instantly on one (seemingly) random character.  The Atlus representative mentioned that the item system in place for the demo is very early, though.    

The controls are simple but solid.  Tapping the screen makes the character push off of the snow when going slowly, but otherwise it is unused outside of the menu.  The D-pad gets most of the action, since it both steers the boarder and adjusts the board’s angle when in mid-air.    

The graphics are similarly basic, but presentable.  The framerate is smooth and conveys a decent sense of speed (though not nearly as well as Mario Kart DS).  The largely guitar-based music during the race is entertaining enough, but the voices in place for the teen boarders, who exclaim when passed or hurt, got on my nerves quickly.    

Snowboard Kids DS probably will not win any awards as a single player game, but it looks to be another great multiplayer title in the growing DS library.

[Ubi Soft certainly loves its mascot. Come see what the Plumber thought of their spin-off title, Rayman Arena!]

269

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Rayman Arena

« on: May 24, 2002, 12:58:53 AM »

Ubi Soft certainly loves its mascot.  Come see what the Plumber thought of their spin-off title, Rayman Arena!

Every established character seems to be getting a multiplayer-oriented title nowadays.    But although some have labeled Rayman Arena a Mario Party style game in the past, that really isn’t the case.  Rayman Arena takes Rayman’s world and turns it into something like Mario Kart on feet.  Close to completion, there are two main games in Rayman Arena: Race and Battle.  The racing game features 12 circular platforming levels in the Rayman style, each with multiple routes and various obstacles.  Controls are similar to the Rayman games, with jumping and floating being the most important moves (A) and .  I only played the first few tracks, but I found it fairly amusing.  I’m not sure how well this will work multi-player, just because a competition requires people to be of the same skill level.  Battle mode could be likened to Mario Kart’s Battle mode, with question spheres containing various weapons in an enclosed arena.  Once again, controls are taken from the Rayman series: you can lock on to an enemy with R and shoot with B, avoiding attacks by jumping and floating.  With twelve different battle arenas and a secondary freeze mode, there should be enough variety, at least with four people.  Both games handled quite well and have a lot of potential on the multiplayer front.     The PC and Xbox versions will be online, but GameCube and PS2 owners will need to play multiplayer the old-fashioned way.  Unfortunately, this fun game only has two modes, both multi-player oriented, making the online-capable versions more appealing than GameCube’s.

[A big fan of Rayman 2, TYP was sure to check out Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc on the show floor. Is it a mindless sequel or gaming magic?]

270

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc

« on: May 23, 2002, 10:27:37 AM »

A big fan of Rayman 2, TYP was sure to check out Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc on the show floor.  Is it a mindless sequel or gaming magic?

Ubi Soft was proudly displaying Rayman 3 at the front of their booth, and there is good reason.  Though only 38% done on the GameCube, Rayman 3 is looking to be another great title.  The platformer is focused more on mini-bosses than small-fry creatures, many of which have their own personality.  In these duels, Rayman can Jump and float with A, charge and shoot with B, strafe with R and more.  The strafing and shooting could use some fine-tuning, but overall the controls seemed fairly solid.  It isn’t quite the same as Rayman 2, but fans of the previous title should be happy with Rayman 3’s game design.    

Rayman games are also famous for their ambiance, and so far the next game continues the tradition.  The game is set in a colorful cartoon world that perfectly reflects the playfulness and humor found in the title.  The graphics are pretty much the same as its PS2 sibling so far, but Rayman 3 for GC certainly looks good, especially for being only 38% complete.  The surreal environments are excellent and totally Rayman.  Similarly, Rayman 3’s music is rich, epic and playful.  Rayman 2 had some great music—I expect the same from is sequel.    

Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc is one to look out for.  Coming to all three systems this year, Rayman 3 is not a game to be overlooked by any adventuring fan.

[Objection! OVERRULED!]

271

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

« on: May 19, 2005, 11:25:05 AM »

Objection!  OVERRULED!

When Capcom announced Phoenix Wright is coming to North America I was surprised.  Now I know why they are doing it!    

This obscure DS game is full of crazy anime humor that cannot be missed.  The demo is very short, but it has goofy characters and over-the-top animations that had me laughing more than once.  The lead is an attorney fresh from the bar exam and starting his first case.  And although he may LOOK like Roger Smith, he doesn't keep his cool. After the briefing on his first case, a murder trial involving his best friend, he appears in the courtroom visibly nervous. He begrudgingly takes advice from his female assistant and a drill test from the judge, where you must select the correct answer to questions about the trial, before he can begin the trial.      

The game will clearly be driven by the crazy folk on the stand and in the prosecution.  The demo only includes the first witness, but it shows a lot of promise.  The lying witness, who does a hilarious butt-jiggle dance, gives his testimony, then the player cross-examines the witness.  This involves selecting a section of the witness's story, then finding contradictory evidence in your briefcase of evidence.    

There was only one round of cross-examination in the demo, but if the game continues its hilarity and introduces more complex cross-examinations involving multiple pieces of evidence later in the game, DS owners looking to play lawyer or watch kooky anime humor should be pleased.

[I hope you like direct sequels.]

272

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

« on: May 12, 2004, 01:24:27 PM »

I hope you like direct sequels.

Judging from the E3 demo, Intelligent Systems’ Paper Mario 2 is a direct sequel to the N64 original, adding extra little touches to keep things interesting.      

Mario is once again accompanied by good baddies in and out of battle, and the interface and battle system are nearly identical.  The overworld includes pipes, ? blocks, and othe Mario-esque items.  The attack and defense timing system found in the original is still central on the GameCube, and  you must usually touch the enemy to initiate a battle.  The demo also included power-up and defense badges to collect, as well as common attack items such as the POW Blocks and Shooting Stars.    

There are a few new aspects, though.  Most significantly, Mario’s partner now has his (or her) own health meter, and now takes damage instead of getting stunned when attacked.  The attack & defense timing system has been extended to encompass first strikes and non-violent moves: you must time Tattle . Also, battles are now on a stage in front of an audience, and the game reflects this.  A new “Tactics" move is to appeal to the crowd, which seems to increase one of the character’s statistics.  More powerful attacks can shake the stage and cause off-stage props or the scenery to fall on Mario and his buddy.    

There were three playable areas in the E3 demo.  In Star Crystal Field, you are partnered with little Goombella, Goombario’s sister from Paper Mario.  Since it is near the beginning of the game, I rivaled only Goombas and Paragoombas.    

Star Crystal Field wasn’t very interesting, so I explored Boggly Woods next.  In this jungle setting I was teamed up with an overweight female creature named Flurrie.  Her special battle move is Gale Force, in which you rhythmically push A to blow enemies out of the battle.  Baddies included Pirhana plants and spiders, though the level was clearly puzzle-oriented.  The main draw of this level are the baby slugs-like punies accompanying Mario as he delves deeper into the woods.  By placing Mario’s Star Crystal in empty slots, the slugs can activate switches and unlock pathways.  If you lose one, you can ask the Punie elder to call the babies back.  This level also included some humor: I made Mario say, “I love you," which prompted a “two hour" story of her life (which Mario sleeps through).  Also of note was the ability to turn sideways with the R button, though I didn’t play long enough to discover any practical use.    

I also watched someone else play the third level featuring Kooper-clone Koops in a castle., who can be kicked out of battle by pushing X The castle’s enemies included Koopa Troopas and Koopa Paratroopas.  Once again, level design was similar to areas in the N64 game.  The most interesting parts I saw of this level were the sections where Mario folded into a paper airplane.  As an airplane, you control Mario’s speed and pitch by pulling back on the control stick (think Super Mario World), and a careful touch can guide Mario to the desired platform.    

There was a time limit on the Paper Mario 2 demo, so I was not able to get too far in any of the levels, but it is clear Paper Mario 2 is more of the same, and should appeal to fans of its N64 inspiration who don’t mind a fun, but unchallenging romp, through Mario’s zany world.

[Namco presents a disappointing demo.]

273

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Pac-Man World 3

« on: May 19, 2005, 02:43:21 PM »

Namco presents a disappointing demo.

Pac-Man World 3 for the GameCube is on the showroom floor, but it doesn’t leave me smiling.  At first, it seems like its excellent GameCube prequel: the demo has a decent Pac-maze level, and the platforming section’s controls are mostly unchanged. Pac-Man can eat a Classic Power Pellet to munch on ghosts, gobble up regular pellets, and hop around.  Pac-Man can also jump off walls in a fashion vaguely resembling recent 3D Sonic games, bounce with the B button and rev roll, as he did in the last game.    

What has changed is the level design.  Only one 3D area is on display, and it has left me unsatisfied.  Pac-Man World 2 was best known for its faster-paced, highly linear platforming.  The Pac-Man World 3 demo puts the player in a more open area with little instruction.  Besides eating some ghosts and pellets, there is little to do but climb up the city environment.  A switch higher up turns off a fan, allowing you to reach a health item near the start, but I could not find anyplace else to go.  Other players seemed to have the same frustrations (actually, most couldn’t see how to platform upwards).  Hopefully, the game is very early on, and the level displayed really is as limited as I perceived.    

If the vague environment shown accurately represents the game’s final level design, Namco has a real dud on their hands.

[Namco’s trying its luck with the Party game genre with Pac-Man Fever, and TYP has the goods.]

274

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Pac-Man Fever

« on: May 23, 2002, 01:07:41 PM »

Namco’s trying its luck with the Party game genre with Pac-Man Fever, and TYP has the goods.

Nintendo and Hudson’s Mario Party is the standard, but Namco hopes to bring something new to the genre with Pac-Man Fever.  Featuring Pac-Man and other popular Namco characters, players traverse a game board in hopes to be first across the finish line.  The spaces range from free tokens (money) to shops to one-on-one battles, which give the boards some purpose, but they’re nowhere near as interactive as those in Mario Party 4.  Boards are primarily a way to keep score, as movement is dependant on a player’s performance on the previous mini-game, which is at the start of a turn.  This prevents players from suffering cruel fates based on bad luck…something I don’t like about Mario Party.  Overall, I liked the general game layout.    

But the mini-games are the bulk of any party game, and Namco seems to be aware of this.  The mini-games I played in Pac-Man Fever are hardly revolutionary or terribly inspired, but the games are varied and fairly well implemented.  Each board has its own set of mini-games centered around the board’s main theme, a feature I appreciated.  I did find the analog control to be a little on the sensitive side in the mini-games, as making your character/icon move a short distance was difficult, but games were still playable.  Some of my favorites are the Arcade-style shooting game and the kart game, where players collect fruit while avoiding obstacles.  Namco does need to work on the visuals: textures are blurry and models are simplistic—the game looks last-generation right now.  I couldn’t hear any sound during my time with the game.

[Dog-owners beware: this game will make your little fluffy jealous.]

275

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Nintendogs

« on: March 10, 2005, 07:28:00 PM »

Dog-owners beware: this game will make your little fluffy jealous.

Nintendogs is Nintendo's flagship "non-game" game—an entertainment product designed to appeal to those who currently do not play.  Nintendo had a playable (though limited) version on the GDC showroom floor.    

A large part of Nintendogs involves training your puppies with vocal commands and building relationships with the digital bundles of joy.   Gaming expositions are never the quietest of settings, and building a relationship with a virtual pet takes time, so the GDC demo had neither of these key aspects of the game.    

While I couldn't judge the game's interesting voice recognition and AI features, one thing was clear from the GDC demo: the game is unique.  Playing with the three virtual puppies was amusing: the dogs behaved playfully but believably.  The dogs loved to be petted, often with a preferred region in mind, and were anxious to climb onto my lap...er, lean against the screen.    

Interacting with the puppies is intuitive: the stylus is used both to browse the menu (with very limited options on the showroom floor) and play with the puppies. There was interaction among the dogs: if I tossed a ball by flicking the stylus across the screen, they would fight each other to retrieve it.  When I threw a towel, the dogs played in a game of tug-a-war.  When I picked up the towel I wound up tugging against one of the dogs.    

After I had petted and played fetch (and a little jump-rope) the game brought me to a Frisbee-catching competition.  The premise was simple: get as many points as possible before time runs out.  Players earn points for throwing the Frisbee further, and more if the dog catches it in mid-air.  If the dog does not catch the Frisbee, no points are awarded.  The premise is no more complex than a Wario Ware Microgame, but it was amusing nonetheless.    

Nintendogs isn't for most gamers.  From what I've played, it is the latest in interactive distractions—a successor to the Tamagotchis that took casual gamers by storm a few years ago.  Unless Nintendo has not improved its voice recognition software since Hey You, Pikachu!, this game should find a market in both Japan and America.  From what I've seen so far, Nintendo has done an excellent job of simulating the dog-owning experience.  Current gamers may not be interested in Nintendogs, but pet lovers will absolutely eat it up.