NyxQuest: Kindred SpiritsPublisher: Over the Top Games Developer: Over the Top Games Cost: 1000 Points Players: 1-2 Release Date: August 10, 2009 This is one of those games that just surprises you. It starts out innocently enough as you are given control of a winged girl who can manage nary more than running along and fluttering upwards. It seems like a typical, albeit beautiful, sidescrolling platformer out the gate. Within no time, however, NyxQuest's gimmick sets in: pointer control, by which you manipulate the environment around you with the Wii Remote. At first, you can only move certain blocks or stop pillars from squishing poor Nyx. Soon enough, though, you'll find yourself flinging fireballs back at your attackers, changing the direction of the wind, and navigating mazes with both Nyx and an easily extinguished ball of flame. The game's sense of pacing is divine; NyxQuest eases you into each task and never gives you more than you can handle, but there's always one more wrinkle to consider. By the final level, you'll be multitasking in ways you never imagined. The music and graphics, by the way, are beyond phenomenal and speak to the dedication of the developers. NyxQuest is one of those WiiWare games that everybody needs to play. - Zachary Miller |
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Contra RebirthPublisher: Konami Developer: Konami Cost: 1000 Points Players: 1-2 Release Date: September 7, 2009 Contra Rebirth, the second Rebirth game from Konami, is a fantastic new entry in the Contra series. Paying homage to the classic Contra III: The Alien Wars, the game takes you on a wild ride filled with big bosses and mayhem. It's a short ride, but it has unlockables (two characters and an absurdly hard difficulty) and is a great co-op experience. If you loved the older Contra games, this new addition to the series is definitely worth your time. - Neal Ronaghan |
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LostWinds: Winter of the MelodiasPublisher: Frontier Developments Developer: Frontier Developments Cost: 1000 Points Players: 1 Release Date: October 19, 2009 The ending to the original LostWinds hinted at the possibility of a sequel. More than a year later, this prediction was made a reality. LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias took everything that made the original title an enchanting game (unique pointer-based controls, charming characters and solid gameplay) and refined it to make it a much more polished experience. On top of the usage of wind, Toku can now alter the seasons in order to solve puzzles (changing it from winter to spring, for example), a hint and guide was added to make the game more accessible, and players can use items they have found throughout their adventure. - Pedro Hernandez |
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Carnival KingPublisher: Incredible Technologies Developer: n-space Cost: 700 Points Players: 1-2 Release Date: November 2, 2009 Now more than ever there is a need for fun, short, classic arcade experiences that everyone can enjoy. Carnival King delivers in every aspect and more. Even if you discover what the game has to offer in less than thirty minutes, Carnival King is great for game sessions in short bursts thanks to gameplay that is very easy to get into and a faithful arcade translation. Don't be afraid to spend some time at the carnival, kids! - Pedro Hernandez |
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Excitebike World RallyPublisher: Nintendo Developer: Monster Games Cost: 1000 Points Players: 1-4 Release Date: November 9, 2009 Excitebike World Rally mixes Excite Truck and Excitebots with the classic franchise that spawned them. Featuring tracks from all over the world, a track editor, and a great online mode, it is a great new entry in the series. The online mode allows up-to-four players to race against each other online, and while it doesn't quite make up for the sorely missing local multiplayer, it is a lot of fun. If you liked the original Excitebike, then this new entry is right up your alley. - Neal Ronaghan |
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Pokémon RumblePublisher: Nintendo Developer: Ambrella Cost: 1500 Points Players: 1-4 Release Date: November 16, 2009 Nintendo continues to do the impossible by finding more ideas for spin-offs to the Pokemon series. In Rumble, players control a wind-up toy version of a Pokémon, roaming around different levels to defeat other Pokémon toys. Each toy has two move slots and these attacks are used against other Pokémon toys in the six levels. Pressing a button launches into an attack that reduces a toy's HP until it finally faints and turns into coins. Waves of these Pokémon toys will attack you in each area, finally leading to a boss battle. Some of the toys along the way will turn into collectables and become part of your team, allowing you to collect stronger Pokémon as your fighters, and to save your favorites. To move up a rank where more types of more powerful Pokémon can be recruited, the Battle Royale must be defeated, where a fixed number of Pokémon must be defeated without running out of time. While there are many additional features such as lotteries for Pokémon and moves, different difficultly levels, saving Pokémon onto a remote, support for Classic and GameCube controllers, you'll be playing the same levels over and over again as you try to complete your collection. - Karlie Yeung |
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