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

1951

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!]

1952

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!]

1953

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!]

1954

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!]

1955

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.]

1956

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.]

1957

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.]

1958

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.]

1959

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.]

1960

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.]

1961

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.]

1962

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!]

1963

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?]

1964

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!]

1965

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.]

1966

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.]

1967

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.]

1968

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.]

1969

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.

[What do you do when you run out of games to port? Make a new one!]

1970

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: New Super Mario Bros.

« on: May 19, 2005, 06:55:53 AM »

What do you do when you run out of games to port?  Make a new one!

It's been a while, but we're finally getting a new 2D Mario game--and if you think it's merely capitalizing on nostalgia, you're wrong!  The E3 demo is short, but very promising, bringing back the old-school magic with modern twists.    

New Super Mario Bros. handles just as well as Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World, and the game is one big homage to the past.  While the game may be rendered in three dimensions, it's the same run-and-jump, grab-the-flower, stomp-the-koopa goodness we all know and love.  There are only three levels playable for both single player and the 2-player racing mode in the demo, but they prove this game will be a must-have.  The field level features basic left-to-right mechanics with moving toadstool platforms, the desert level includes Pokeys and whirlwinds, and the more vertical fortress level is haunted by Thwomps and Dry Bones.  The DS game retrofits some of Mario's 3D moves as well: Mario (and Luigi) can perform wall jumps and U-turn jumps.    

The demo also hints at new mechanics.  In versus mode there are  blocks scattered throughout the level that summon the player's rival to the current location, dragging them back or pushing them forward.  The player can also use mushrooms on reserve by tapping them on the touch screen.  As in Super Mario World, the mushroom will fall from the sky, though, so the player will have to stand and wait for it to fall, and a quick rival can steal it.  Some pipes also spit Mario or Luigi out when entered.

[The mascot pinball genre makes a comeback!]

1971

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Mario Pinball Land

« on: May 21, 2004, 11:32:49 PM »

The mascot pinball genre makes a comeback!

Mario Pinball may not have been the most original handheld title in Nintendo’s E3 booth, but it was a fun distraction nonetheless.    

Mario Pinball almost instantly reminded me of an all-time favorite of mine, Pinball Quest for the NES.  As in most virtual pinball games, the D-pad controlled the left flipper, and the A button controlled the right flipper.  The pinball “tables" were divided into isometric rooms: the top of a room appears further away than its bottom.  This simulated perspective, making use of pre-rendered environments, was very attractive and allowed for more vertical table space on-screen.  In fact, it worked so well that there was no scrolling within any of the demo’s rooms.    

The demo began with a western-looking room with roaming goombas.  I cleared the bunch by knocking Mario (squished into a ball) around with the flippers, which activated a cannon in the center of the room.  After coercing Mario into the cannon, I was presented with a selection of areas—I chose the ice-themed area first, and later explored a grassier locale.  The worlds featured respectable variety in their rooms: some required me to simply clear the enemies and knock down a door to progress, while others offered branched paths.  I one room, I created a hole in the iced floor by repeatedly knocking a giant ice block toward the top of the screen.  This exposed a secret underwater room with treasure chests to open and familiar sea-faring baddies to thwart.  A room in the temporate climate contained a “!" switch, though I didn’t have time to investigate further, unfortunately.    

The coins squandered from chests and the more common question block could be used in Toad’s tent shop.  Items purchased were used with the B button in-game and lasted for a predefined time limit.  The super mushroom made Mario larger, and the pipe served as a center bumper.  Overall, the available power-ups were less exciting than I had hoped for: swinging a raccoon tail or throwing hammers would be much cooler than briefly growing larger.  In some rooms I also acquired stars by clearing enemies, which seemed to unlock doors (a la Super Mario 64), and blue coins, which I found no purpose for.    

Mario Pinball’s enemies weren’t all alike: while I destroyed wandering goombas and circling penguins without much effort, I had to hit koopa troopas once to knock them on their backs and a second time (quickly) for victory.  Mario Pinball also features bosses (or so I’ve heard), but I wasn’t skilled enough to encounter one in my scattered thirty minutes.    

Mario Pinball looked good on the floor, and it showed off some great design concepts with its branched and hidden rooms, but I had trouble exploring the game.  I had to hit Mario from just the right angle to travel through a door—the game was not generous in the slightest.  I spent far too long in cleared rooms simply because I couldn’t advance my Mario ball.  While such strictness might be fine and dandy for a pinball simulation, it is detrimental to a light-hearted pinball game featuring a deformed plumber.    

Mario Pinball could use some tweaking, but its current level design leaves me intrigued as to what other Mario-inspired paraphernalia the final game will include.  I don’t predict it will be a must-buy, but older codgers will likely get a kick out of a pinball game harkening back to simpler times.

[You all knew it was coming, but how is it? Find out what the Mario Bros. fanatic thought of the next title in Hudson’s series!]

1972

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Mario Party 4

« on: May 22, 2002, 02:56:03 PM »

You all knew it was coming, but how is it?  Find out what the Mario Bros. fanatic thought of the next title in Hudson’s series!

What sorts of crazy new things are Nintendo and Hudson doing with Nintendo’s new hardware?  Not much, sadly.  In fact, if you can think of the pros and cons with Mario Party 2 or 3, you probably don’t need to read this.  Mario Party 4 is more of the same, with new games that are pretty much variations or hybrids of older ones.  Once again, the game is designed as a board game, with players hitting a die and moving X spaces.  The two maps featured various little features, but its pretty much déjà vu.  I only saw a dozen or so games on the E3 burn (I focused on the mini-game menu), but what I played could usually be categorized into the standard groups: button mashers, timing, guessing/memory, following the example and evasion.  As expected, some games were more entertaining than others.  No games I played compared to the likes of Bumper Balls, but there were some decent games.  Hudson may need to rethink the design on a few games such as the Basketball game, where player placement creates an advantage, but Mario Party still retains its charm.    

The visuals are nothing to rave about either.  It seems Hudson just doesn’t want to put in the extra effort, despite the powerful hardware and optical media.  Character models are decent and resemble others found on the GameCube, but the textures are still under whelming, which really is a shame.  Backgrounds and mini-game demo screens are often horribly pixilated, something I can find no justification for.  Mario Party 3 looked just like Mario Party (1), so I wouldn’t be surprised if Mario Party 4 contains mostly old coding from the N64.  Hudson and Nintendo really disappointed me with the graphics.    

Mario Party 4 is the perfect example of the mindless sequel, but at least the game is great with four players.  The development team members don’t seem to be putting their all into the title, and Nintendo isn’t pushing them.  It could turn out to be a great game, but I wouldn’t count on it.  Only big fans of the series should be excited this time around.

[Anyone worried that Nintendo is abandoning classic gaming for new-fangled non-games can rest easy.]

1973

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Mario Kart DS

« on: May 18, 2005, 03:20:30 PM »

Anyone worried that Nintendo is abandoning classic gaming for new-fangled non-games can rest easy.

Mario Kart DS is exactly what everyone is expecting (and hoping) for.    

First off, the bad news: In the demo, characters and the track are assigned randomly for multiplayer--but this is probably just for the demo, since levels are automatically selected for single player as well.    

Honestly, though, the game handles VERY tightly.  Mario Kart DS controls can best be described as Mario Kart 64's responsiveness with Double Dash's items. Unlike Mario Kart Double Dash or Mario Kart Super Circuit, every character I've played with handles crisply, though the differences in heavy and light characters are recognizable.  Die-hard fans will appreciate the hop’s return and will make good use out of the power slide, both used with the R button.    

All of the standard Mario Kart items are in the demo, as well as the Bob-omb, though the game has no special items specific to one or two characters.  Shells and bananas can be dragged and thrown or plopped.  At least against other gamers on the show-room floor, the eight-way competition was fierce, and I had my fair share of first-to-eight fall-outs.    

The demo shows that DS visuals should be taken seriously, with its graphics rivaling Mario Kart Double Dash in polygonal detail.  More importantly, it has a fantastic sense of speed and the frame rate never falters.    

The demo shows a variety of tracks.  I played faithful, 3D renditions of Mario Circuit 1 from the SNES (complete with pipes), the N64 game's Moo Moo Farm, and Double Dash's Luigi Circuit.  The demo also includes a new circuit course and a Donut Plains-like track with cliffs and wooden bridges.    

In addition to eight-way multiplayer, Nintendo is displaying Mario Kart DS running online, with three local DS systems and a remote DS manned by none other than Charles Martinet.  The online experience is trouble-free, but with three of the four in the same spot, it is not a very solid test of the game's online stability.  The drop to four players is also disappointing, though this could change before the game reaches retail.  I was told the game will have a PictoChat-like text messaging system, but it currently has no microphone support.    

The game doesn't push any boundaries, but it looks to be an excellent culmination of the entire series thanks to its sharp controls, great visuals, significant course variety and online play.

[A new definition for extreme sports. And it involves Waluigi!]

1974

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour

« on: May 14, 2003, 11:01:50 PM »

A new definition for extreme sports.  And it involves Waluigi!

Since I'm a huge fan of Mario Golf for N64 and GBC, Mario Golf Toadstool Tour was one of the first titles I tried at E3.  I wasn’t disappointed.    

Mario Golf: TT builds upon its predecessors in a natural, yet captivating way.  Both the handheld and console games include realistic physics and a variety of courses, ranging from realistic to absurd.  This tradition continues in Toadstool Tour.  Two courses were playable at Nintendo’s booth, each with a few sample holes to try out.  The one on the right provides traditional holes that would fit in any golf game or live course, with standard dog-legs and hazards.  The standard holes are fun to play and are great for an introduction to the game, but the other course is far more interesting.  Whereas Mario Golf 64’s Mario-esque holes simply included impossible land formations often in familiar shapes, Toadstool Tour truly brings the golf course into the Mushroom Kingdom through the power of the GameCube.  Giant pipes block players’ shots on one hole.  On another, giant mushrooms adorn the fairway.  Yet another hole had chain chomps of various sizes anchored to the ground--land the ball too close and you’ll find yourself with two additional strokes and a new range ball.    

Overall I found the controls to be very similar to Mario Golf for the N64, though the version on display seems to be on a mode that did some work for me.  Instead of trekking into the hip new analog swing control world, Camelot opted to stick with the tried-and-true meter bar.  Push A once to initiate a swing and again at the desired power.  Players must then push A when the cursor is over the starting position, though how this is done is somewhat different from in Mario Golf GBC/64, with a balance meter starting from the right.  The demo has a permanent auto setting for this part, so I couldn’t judge how well the altered system worked.  The rest of the controls are swiped from the three-pronged controller.  C-stick adjusts the camera, the left analog stick controls aim and club, and B changes shot type/putter distance.  In an effort to better help people judge distance, Camelot has also added an FYI label showing the distance related to a certain position on the power meter, which is changed via the L/R buttons.  Taunts also make a comeback in the GameCube edition.  Pushing a direction on the C-stick or D-pad will make your character yell something audible and a not-so-related statement in a text bubble.  The taunts (and compliments) are enjoyable, though I only heard grunts and the like--nothing like the classic, “One two three FORE!!!" or, “HURRY UP, ALREADY!!!"    

The graphics are respectable, with every tree, pipe, and ‘shroom fully modeled.  If you’re close enough you can even see individual blades of grass!  The models are tweaked versions of Nintendo’s new standards, as seen in Mario Party 4 and Mario Kart: DD, though I honestly found Peach’s proportions quite disturbing.  As there was no surround booth for the game, I wasn’t able to make out the music, though it is most assuredly the standard fare for Mario Golf (and Camelot) games.  The characters’ animations and statements are as fun as ever, and totally Mario.    

Mario Golf for the N64 rocks, and Toadstool Tour’s accented personality and highly improved graphics look to leave Camelot’s first outing with Mario in the dust…er…sand trap.  I myself can hardly wait to play a full eighteen with Waluigi.

[Dance, Baby Weegie, dance!]

1975

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

« on: May 18, 2005, 02:51:40 PM »

Dance, Baby Weegie, dance!

Mario & Luigi 2 for the Nintendo DS is already looking like a winner.  Those who have played Alpha Dream's original will find the game very familiar: A controls Mario, B controls Luigi, and R switches between jump and hammer for the character in the lead.  Unlike the original, Mario is always in the lead, which reduces confusion outside of battle.    

The surprising additions are Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, controlled with the X and Y buttons.  Baby Mario and Baby Weegie can either piggy-back on their papas (or is that their older selves?) or be thrown by pushing L to split the team into two parties. Once split, L swaps which party the D-pad controls.  Baby Mario and Baby Luigi handle just like their older counter-parts in and outside of battle, but can fit through smaller spaces.  Often the tikes will venture into an area displayed on the upper screen, allowing the player to easily keep track of and alternate between both teams (needed to solve various puzzles).  Standing one team on top of another re-assembles the crew, and hitting warp pipe blocks summons the abandoned duo to the current location.    

Battles continue to expand upon the interactive, turn-based tradition Mario & Luigi founded.  Both adults and babies have hammers and their boots to use, which behave exactly as they did in the original.  When defending, the face buttons allow you to evade or counter-attack, just like on the GBA.    

The sections of the game I played do not feature any Bros. attacks, though they will likely return and vary among the individual teams and the piggy-back combination.  They did, however feature some fancy new attack items.  The red shell is rallied against enemies: after a shell bounces off of an enemy, it rebounds toward one of the characters, who can kick it back.  The process repeats, and the shell increases in speed until the player misses a kick.  The more powerful blue shell is similar, but involves the hammers (which are trickier to time).  Naturally, the older siblings are stronger than the babies, though the health/damage scale seems to be significantly higher than in Mario & Luigi.    

Players can also battle with all four Marios in one team.  When in a piggy-back battle players can use four-person items, such as the trampoline.  When the player uses the trampoline, all four characters jump high in the air and dive-bomb an enemy; pushing the button associated with the character upon impact increases damage.  The babies also act as alternates for Mario & Luigi: if Mario is downed, Baby Mario will carry him to safety and take his place until the older plumber is revived.    

The demo did not reveal much plot, but it seems the game takes place in an alternate world--this means we may not see the return of fan favorites such as Fawful.  Nonetheless, Mario & Luigi looks like it will be a smashing hit full of the same quirky humor and personality that made Alpha Dream famous.