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Like many games from the mid-eighties, Bubble Bobble was designed to be simplistically addictive. A platformer/puzzler hybrid reminiscent of the original Mario Bros., Bubble Bobble brings one or two players on a “journey" to clear out all the baddies in the Cave of Monsters, one floor (screen) at a time. Destroying an enemy usually involves blowing a bubble to capture the monster and then popping it with your dinosaur’s body before the creature escapes. Both naturally occurring and blown bubbles can be used as platforms, and special bubbles contain helpful items or weapons. Even with no instructions, this game is easy to pick up and play.
Gaming fans of today will most certainly find a few disagreeable aspects with Bubble Bobble: Old & New. Though the control is responsive, the dinosaurs (Bub and Bob) are sluggish, especially in midair. Players will also find themselves trapped on a few levels, and the difficulty makes for plenty of “Game Over"s. But though the control is below modern standards and the game has a few holes, all of this can be forgiven—after all, this is a 1986 arcade game! In fact, perhaps the game’s greatest feature is derivative of developer MediaKite’s dedication and observations about other ports’ problems: the developer has made the GBA’s smaller screen a non-issue. By using the GBA’s scaling capabilities, the game offers both horizontal and vertical orientation, changeable at any point during the game with the L button. The default horizontal orientation provides full resolution while the vertical orientation sacrifices attractiveness for practicality. The screen zooms in and out, creating a very smooth transition without losing sight of your character in the process. This one feature is really what makes the game such an excellent port, as there are no unfair surprises when the bottom and top of the level are connected. After exploring the arcade original, I can safely say that arcade fans will not be disappointed with the mechanics in this conversion.
Some things have changed in the move to the handheld, though, while others haven’t changed enough. The “Old" mode’s sound is supposed to emulate the Arcade’s, but it doesn’t do a very good job. The happy-go-lucky ice cream truck lead instrument has been replaced with the most basic of square waves, and many sound effects have had a similar downgrade. Also, MediaKite obviously hasn’t mastered the system’s LCD display yet, as the game’s graphics are much darker than the arcade game’s, sometimes impairing visibility. While these aren’t horrible problems, any gamer will tell you that part of Bubble Bobble’s charm was its cheery music and bright graphics. You may have noticed I haven’t really talked about the “New" mode yet: that label is very misleading. All updates in the “New" game are purely aesthetic. The graphics are updated, the sound effects are slightly enhanced (including occasional voices) and the music gets the remix treatment, but the game and its one hundred levels remain untouched. Anyone hoping for new levels to conquer is unfortunately out of luck.
There are a few little extras in the cart. “New" mode features some sort of collected item list and something else, though as far as I can tell it doesn’t unlock anything. The game also features a battery save when Taito could have easily skimped and used a password save, allowing the game to retain high scores. But the biggest bonus is its co-op multi-player. With one cart two friends can explore the original cave of monsters, and having two carts will open up the enhanced version. What’s more, this game is mostly in English, making it a very import-friendly game for the die-hard fans.
Bubble Bobble is a LOT of fun, and everyone should try it out in one form or another. This GBA port is very commendable, but it just isn’t worth the import price. For now, most gamers should wait and see if Taito can get another publisher to release the game internationally.
Pros:
The layout of the game could best be described as a glorified side-scroller. Sticking close to Wario’s Game Boy roots, the camera is at a fixed angle and moves in a fashion not unlike Luigi’s Mansion, following the big lug as he explores the various levels. While there were definitely platforming elements in the three playable levels, the game reminded me of an old Double Dragon title. One of the easiest games to pick up and play, Wario World only uses the A and B buttons in conjunction with the main analog stick. In any given level, Wario clobbers the multitudes of baddies with his trademark weight problem. He bashes, punches and ground-pounds the various monsters, knocking them out. He then performs one of many throw moves (with the B button) for the kill, from a standard toss to the ever-popular pile-driver, which can knock out other enemies near the fiendish hero. He can also throw some of the items scattered about. Wario will most likely find power-ups scattered throughout the game, much like in Wario Land 3, as Wario’s poor jumping abilities were not enough to reach certain areas. Learned techniques could add more to the controls and provide more variety in Wario’s arsenal. Mario’s nemesis will need to find and save five monkeys in each level to clear the stage. Of course, there’s lots of money to collect on the side as well. It really does feel like a side-scrolling fighter, and throwing Waluigi into the mix could make for some killer co-op action.
Wario World is still quite early in development and is therefore rough around the edges. The bosses were just put in last week and the three playable levels (a mansion, a circus and a pyramid) are the only ones running. The models are impressive, but game has a mild case of the jaggies, some of the textures are lackluster and the throwing is sometimes a little off, but keep in mind that Wario World is in better shape than NOA was expecting for E3. These problems will surely be taken care of by its launch. The audio isn’t all there either: sound was in stereo and I had to provide my own Wario voices, but the music was in place and was pretty good. What does worry me is the game’s style. The Wario series is famous for its zany attitude and its unique puzzles. The feel just isn’t completely there. Wario jiggles as he moves and conveys his personality to some extent, but there were very few puzzles and I saw none of Wario’s crazy transformations at E3. The gameplay is great, but unless there are lots of ideas yet to be implemented I predict another Luigi’s Mansion: a game that is great but short due to a lack of variety and a threatening due date.
Wario World is really fun, but after playing it I can only tell you a delay is imminent if Nintendo wants it to be as good as possible. The designers need to inject more craziness into the title to make it part of the Wario series. But since this game has just become truly playable, I’m sure some of my complaints are already being addressed. I expect a much more interesting experience next time I see this game.
For those of you worried about another Wario game just like the previous two (which I enjoyed) put your fears to rest. Warioland 4 plays like a hybrid of Warioland 1 and 2 with a feel sort of like Super Mario World... Thanks to the bigger screen and extra buttons, more moves and details can be found in this amazingly polished game.
Graphics are very souped up. Like all Mario-related games, the look is somewhat cartoonish, but colorful, still. In general, think of Yoshi's Island with a few more colors and effects added here and there. It really felt like a classic SNES game. I couldn't hear the music very well on the showroom floor, but I believe Kozue Ishikawa is hard at work to create some catchy Wario tunes!
Although many levels seemed to be open, I only played a few of them. The level design seems to be somewhat like WL2, as it is more linear than WL3, but it is not a side-scroller. In classic Wario style, level design is varied, and coins (which look like Rupees from Zelda this time) are there for the taking. The general level design, for the levels I played at least, involves hunting for various treasures located in the level and then finding a detonator that reopens the enterance. You don't need to collect them all on one go, but once you set off that timer, Wario needs to bust a move and get to that portal double-time.
But in order to create some sense of familiarity with all of these new and exciting features, the developers have put in many familiar transformations just like in WL2 and 3 (and probably some new ones, too.) And Wario still shakes his booty when climbing ladders, so don't worry!
Warioland 4 is looking like it is almost done, so I expect it to be out sometime this year. I can't wait to take my "beautiful" Wario out for another spin!
A touch screen menu on the right offers further control. One menu item on the right side of the touch screen changes the swing's orientation on the touch screen, cycling through all four possible directions. The player can also adjust the club selected and view the surroundings with the touch screen menu. The player aims with the D-pad.
The demo on display has stroke and match play, with the demo ending after three holes. I had trouble judging the mechanics and overall difficulty, since I only played the game briefly, but the ball's response to hills and sand seems reasonably believable. My biggest complaint is the game's lack of personality: the demo offers a choice between a male and female character, and has solid 3D representation of the golf course, but it feels generic. I was unable to hear the music adequately on the floor, but the static courses and the lifeless golfers did not draw me in.
The gameplay is promising, but the demo's lack of visual flair and bare-bones feel leave me unexcited. Hopefully, the single-card multiplayer and customizable characters promised will flesh out the final game.
Alluding to the point-and-click PC games of yesteryear, the upper screen displays important aspects of the scenery as you move around in a 3D overhead world on the lower screen. All interaction with the game uses the stylus: the player touches the location he wants her to move towards, and taps the magnifying glass to investigate the immediate area displayed on the top screen.
When investigating, the image displayed on the top screen moves to the bottom screen, where the player double-taps (or taps, then uses the magnifying glass) items in the environment. Sometimes the girl will comment on the scenery, and sometimes an event will occur. Most puzzles look to be standard point-and-click fare: drag and rotate items, pull levers, etc. Others are a little different. For instance, the player must push a boulder to the side with the stylus in one spot, and scrape rust off of a sign in another. Scratching slowly is far more effective for both situations, and players on the floor became frustrated because they tried to scratch too quickly.
Discouragingly, I had trouble figuring out what to do in the demo, described by a Nintendo representative as five minutes long. I wasn’t alone either: I watched someone play for fifteen minutes before I started over. This is hardly unique within the genre, though, so it probably isn’t a deterrent to those interested in the game.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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)
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.
