Nintendo Chronicles

New Poll for the New Year - 2009 Edition

2009-01-03T00:11:00.002-05:00

Even though I've neglected my poor old blog over the past year that doesn't mean I can't try harder this year! And what better way to start off the new year than with a new poll! As voted by you, the thirteen loyal readers (the actual tally of votes was much higher) of Nintendo Chronicles the most anticipated game of 2008 was Super Smash Bros. Brawl so who will it be in '09? This time I'm mixing things up, or rather separating them out. Instead of condensing both Wii and DS games into a single poll I decided to split this one up with Wii games first. At least now I'll have to post again in the middle of the year to update the poll!

So what game are you already planning the preorder for? Is it Sega's Conduit or Madworld? What about Nintendo's own Wii Sports Resort? Or maybe something else? It only takes two clicks to make your opinion known so go vote and have a great 2009!

Luigi's Mansion 2: IGN's Reboot vs Nintendo Chronicles' Bright Idea

2008-12-09T00:16:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago IGN's Matt Casamassina posted a "Reboot" feature article based on his ideas for a Wii sequel to Luigi's Mansion and I was instantly reminded of my "Bright Idea" post from way back in 2006 on the same subject. As it has been one of my most popular posts (based on the number of replies) I thought I'd post the link to both articles for your reading (and comparing) pleasure. While Matt, with his superior writing skills, focuses more on presentation and I focus more on controls I'm glad we both agree that there should be a sequel. Perhaps his greater level of influence within the gaming industry, by virtue of his position, might get the ball rolling at Nintendo and we can see it happen!

Looking for a Factory Sealed Nintendo Wavebird?

2008-04-22T17:10:00.002-05:00

Yes, another long break from posting, but boy oh boy is Super Smash Bros. Brawl fun! I hate to say it, but when I have free time, I don't even think about poor ol' NC as long as there is Smash to be played. I hope you all have been enjoying it as well or whatever it is that you are playing and are looking forward to this Tuesday's mega hit release Mario Kart Wii. I know I can't wait.

Anyway, I don't know about you, but as a Melee veteran switching to the Wii Remote for Brawl was a bit awkward. I'm thankful that I still have my GameCube and especially my Wavebird which has made the experience much better. However, I know there are quite a few Brawl players still desperate to get their hands on the now discontinued Wavebird. I've been searching for awhile to get some for my friends, but haven't come up with anything, until very recently.

As luck would have it I found several brand new, still factory sealed, platinum Nintendo Wavebirds. I jumped at the opportunity and purchased several and am now offering them up for sale to the highest bidder on eBay. If you are interested in getting your hands on a brand new, sealed, platinum Wavebird for Smash, or even Mario Kart Wii you can click here. If you miss out on that one just keep checking eBay as the weeks go on because I will probably try and list more.

$29.99 Games - Keep Them Coming

2008-01-22T23:10:00.000-05:00

In a brief post last month I mentioned that Ghost Squad was a pretty good game for only $29.99. Now, I have another to mention, that being the just released Endless Ocean. After reading through the IGN Review, which you can read here, I was still feeling "iffy" about the game. Then I read the last sentence, "Did I mention it's only $29.99?" Now I'm still not sold on the game, but I am no longer as "iffy" as I once was.

It's a very attractive price and I'm glad that it's not disappearing, despite the fact that we're seeing an increase in the number of $59.99 games on the 360 and Playstation 3. Not only that, but we're seeing a larger amount of quality titles for only 30 bucks. In a world where we've had consoles that are $600 and games that are over $100 it's refreshing to know that I can still drop a smaller amount of change and get a fun console game.

So after finding out about Endless Ocean's surprisingly low cost I'm going to have to take a second look at it, and I suggest that you do too. If I get some free time I'll try and make a list of the best Wii games at $29.99, so check back later if you're a penny pincher like me.

New Poll for the New Year

2007-12-23T17:41:00.000-05:00

As the old poll on Virtual Console downloads had been up for 6 or 7 months I decided to retire it. The final results were fairly interesting, after all the hub bub going on about the lack of memory on the Wii I was expecting to see a lot of votes for some of the higher numbers, but it was just the opposite. In case you didn't catch the final tally here were the results:

How many Virtual Console games have you downloaded?
None: 44% (30 votes)
1 - 5: 34% (23 votes)
6 - 10: 13% (9 votes)
10-20: 3% (2 votes)
More than 20: 6% (4 votes)

Like I said, fairly interesting results, but now onto the new poll. The new poll, which you can see over to the right, asks "What game are you looking forward to the most in 2008?" I did limit the answers to Wii and DS games, this is after all a Nintendo blog, but you can vote "Other" if you feel so inclined.

Now, I have a pretty good idea of which game will probably lead the pack, but like last time, I could be wrong. So go vote!

And by the way have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Quick Food For Thought

2007-12-09T01:31:00.001-05:00

Ghost Squad Wii is a really fun multiplayer game, especially for only 30 bucks.
Medal of Honor Heroes 2 features 32 player online multiplayer and 1 player local. As in no local multiplayer whatsoever. Lame.
Better posts are still coming.

My Return Is Imminent

2007-12-02T16:54:00.000-05:00

I will be posting regularly again soon.

Still Here

2007-09-12T19:02:00.001-05:00

I know I've left you all hanging in an awful suspense with my last post, but I've been more busy than any person should ever have to be. I just wanted to post real quick and let you all know that I'm still here and that I will hopefully be able to finish up my story sometime soon, but I can't say exactly when.

My Sensor Bar Snag

2007-08-22T15:48:00.000-05:00

Ever since I first mentioned it, I'm sure all 15 of you readers out there have been desperately waiting to read my story about the death of my Wii Sensor Bar. While it isn't an epic tale, it is a story with a point. Due to it's length I have decided to separate it into two parts, the first of which day, and the other likely coming Friday or Saturday. I hope by the end you'll appreciate your own Sensor Bar, because you just don't know how important something is until it's gone.

Within the past month I've been fairly busy, what with school starting, soccer practice, and a job, I barely had any time to play my Wii. On top of that, one of my cats gave birth to a litter of four kittens awhile back, and I've been trying my best to spend as much time with them before we have to give them away. Now at a few months old they are a rambunctious bunch, who love to climb curtains and sink their teeth into anything that moves, but enough about the kittens for now, we'll talk more about them later.

Anyway, one afternoon last week I was quite pleased when I found myself with an open hour or two when I could sit down, relax, and play some Red Steel. I grabbed my remote and turned on my Wii and got comfortably centered with the T.V. However, my Wii Remote lights started to flash every time I pushed a button signifying a problem that I have had before, and have read on other forums that Wii owners have encountered as well. The first methods of approaching this problem is to check the batteries and try and sync the remotes, but with no success I had to move on to the last resort. Turning off and unplugging the console. After letting my Wii sit for a few minutes, I plugged it back in and started it right up. Thankfully, the lights stopped flashing and I could hit the A button to skip the black and white warning screen, but as I soon found out, this minor issue was nothing like the major problem I was about to face.

Once the main page was up, I pointed my remote toward Red Steel and attempted to click it, but for some odd reason my cursor was not appearing on the screen. I checked to make sure the remote was functioning properly and found that my buttons still worked, but that I could not point at anything. At once I tried to move closer to the television. No cursor. Then I moved back. Still no cursor. Perturbed, but not distressed I picked up my other remote and tried. Nothing. Now after replacing the batteries, syncing the controllers, and resetting the console four or five times I started to get worried. So I turned to Nintendo's trusty customer service and troubleshooting site. I soon found the information I was looking for and went straight down through the list of tips. Most of them I had already attempted, but I had not tried cleaning the sensor bar. So I gave it a nice wipe down with the bottom of my shirt, took my seat, moved my controller, and as I'm sure you can guess by now, no cursor appeared.

With each failed attempt I only grew more concerned. Finally, I was left with only one last troubleshooting instruction before it appeared I was going to have to send off my remotes and console for repair. The advice was the following:

Check the cord on the Sensor Bar for any frayed wires or kinks, and verify that the Sensor Bar is free of obstructions.

Of course I couldn't have ever imagined anything damaging my cord, but I checked anyway. As I ran the cord through my fingers, about two feet through I felt it, the awful break in the perfectly smooth plastic. Sure enough, there was a frayed part where a piece of wire had been torn loose. Ironically enough, at the same time one of my new pet kittens started to rub against my leg and purr. Then, I knew what had caused the tear. Whether guilty or not, I no longer had the same fondness for that particular kitten as much as the others. It has taken several weeks before I have been willing to put aside my grudge and move on, but nonetheless now I knew what I had to do.

To Be Continued...

Check back in later this week for the exciting conclusion to my story, in which I come across yet another dilemma and am forced to make a tough decision. For any of you thinking of getting a new or different type of sensor bar you won't want to miss it!

Super Monday!

2007-08-20T16:51:00.000-05:00

In case you've been living under a Xbox and don't already know, Super Metroid released for the Wii's Virtual Console today. This will be my first Virtual Console download... once I get myself a retro controller, but just because I'm picky doesn't mean you have to be, because as long as you have a GameCube controller you can still play the game.

See for yourself if it is indeed the greatest Metroid, and perhaps one of the greatest games of all time, but make sure you'll still have enough money to buy Metroid Prime 3 when it comes out next week. Just remember that's two awesome games for less than the price of ONE Playstation 3 or Xbox 360 game!

Now go download!

Shin'en Blast Their Way Onto The Wii

2007-08-13T13:57:00.000-05:00

If you read through my recent Nanostray review, you probably know how much I enjoyed the game and understand why I am so fond of the developers. Back in my younger days as a video game news writer I even got the chance to interview them about the game. I'm not sure if I still have that interview, I highly doubt it, but if I ever find it in one of my old vaults I'll be sure to post it here.

Anyway, now to the big news. As I'm sure none of you know, due to the fact that this announcement wasn't posted on IGN, Gamespot, or even a lot of the Nintendo-centric fan sites, Shin'en has become an officially licensed Wii developer. Now most of you probably don't have the same level as excitement for this announcement as I do, but it's still terrific news and I'll tell you why.

As you should have already known Shin'en specialize in side-scrolling shooters. While they may do work on other children's titles, such as Miss Spider and Strawberry Shortcake, they are most known for their shoot'em up games like Nanostray and Iridion. Due to their success with these types of games I'd almost guarantee that they'll be the first that they develop for the Wii and I for one am looking forward to them.

So, Ikaruga and side-scrolling shooter fans alike get excited, because one of the best developers in the genre are now working on the Wii.

Wii Eye Candy - Soul Calibur Legends, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Bros. Brawl

2007-08-10T16:42:00.000-05:00

Surprise! Just a late afternoon post today. Apparently I made more than one mistake in listing the games, as not one, but two games are out of order! Oh well. It's the pretty pictures that count right? So, enjoy the last group of screens!

Soul Calibur Legends - November 13th

Super Mario Galaxy - November 13th

Super Smash Bros. Brawl - December 3rd

And that concludes my Wii Eye Candy special week-long feature, perhaps I'll do another in the future, or as I suggested before, one for the DS. We'll just have to wait and see. Until then, I hope you'll stick around. I'm thinking it's about time for a new poll and I've got an interesting story to tell about my Wii Sensor Bar and it's tragic, untimely death.

Wii Eye Candy - Rayman 2, Umbrella Chronicles, Mario & Sonic

2007-08-09T19:58:00.000-05:00

You knew to expect another evening post didn't you? Well, here you go!

Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 - November 13th

Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles - November 13th

Mario & Sonic At The Olympics - November 20th

On our last day we'll battle through an adventure, journey across the galaxy, and finish off duking it out against one another. (On a side note: Due to a mistake on my part one of tomorrow's games will be out of order.)

Wii Eye Candy - Endless Ocean, Geometry Wars Galaxies, Harvest Moon

2007-08-08T20:13:00.000-05:00

Another evening post, but a post all the same! Enjoy!

Endless Ocean - October 29th

Geometry Wars: Galaxies - November 6th

Harvest Moon: Tree of Peace - November 6th

Tomorrow we head to the olympics, mess around with some silly rabbits, and shoot our way through zombies.

Wii Eye Candy - Dragon Blade, Zack & Wiki, Battalion Wars II

2007-08-07T21:13:00.000-05:00

Although it might be late in the evening, I am a man of my word and as promised here are some new screens!

Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire - September 25th

Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure - October 16th

Battalion Wars 2 - October 29th

Tomorrow we travel the depths of the ocean, blast are way through some polygons, and get down and dirty on the farm.

Wiik Long Wii Eye Candy - Metroid, Dewy, MySims

2007-08-06T17:19:00.000-05:00

After two exceptionally long posts, I thought I'd do something different. Instead of a thought provoking editorial or comment on some news I thought I'd add a bit of visual eye candy to the site. I have journeyed far and wide across the internet to bring you some screenshots from what I believe are the best upcoming Wii games. Across the next five days I'll be posting these screens in order of release for your viewing pleasure. In the future I may do a similar series for the DS as well. So without further ado...

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - August 27th

Dewy's Adventure - September 4th

My Sims - September 18th

Tomorrow we fight some dragons, search for treasure, and head off to war.

What Lies Ahead?

2007-08-03T22:05:00.000-05:00

Think back to your earliest memories of playing video games. Unless you're still a youngster, chances are you remember playing the NES or SNES, maybe even ancient hardware like the Magnavox Odyssey or one of the original Atari systems. Games were simple back then, and the video game industry in it's infancy. It didn't take much to entertain players back in the 70s and 80s. Slap two white lines on either side of the television screen and have a small ball ricochet back and forth and you've got endless fun. Or even better make a yellow circle move through a maze "eating" smaller white dots, while dodging pink and red blobs. Perhaps to the amazement of some kids today, it was actually quite enjoyable.

But my how time's have changed! Now we have massively multiplayer online role playing games, first person shooters that can land you in any mission of WWI or WWII or take you to distant halos in the universe. It's not only the games, but the technology. Now we have thousands of polygons on a screen at once, physics and particle engines, orchestrated background music, realistic sound and lighting effects, and graphics so amazing that you can see bullets of sweat roll down your basketball player's face. It takes quite a lot of work to make a video game good enough to satisfy modern day players. As technology increases so do the demands of video gamers, but with today's near photo-realistic graphics and life-like motion control what lies ahead on the horizon that will entice the gamers of tomorrow and better yet, will video games even last until then?

As I foresee it, in the near future the video game industry is headed in one of two directions. Up or down. Simple conclusion eh? The up, is that games continue to get more engaging, more realistic, and simply, more fun. The down is that the industry becomes stagnant, developers and publishers alike keep churning out the same stuff over and over. Sequels upon sequels, games that are barely different from what we've already played hundreds of times, and a major lack of creativity and innovation. Eventually, people will get tired or the same old crap, and if nothing is done the industry will retract and video games will become a thing of the past.

Luckily for us there is a company out there that is determined to make sure that this doesn't happen. They are the front runners of innovation, the leaders in expanding the video game audience, and the martyrs of realistic immersion. I'm sure if you think hard enough you can guess who I am talking about. Yes Nintendo, creators of the console with the funny name and the handheld with two screens. I believe it is thanks to them, that the video game industry is not currently starting to slide downwards.

Just imagine if there was no Wii, just the GameCube 2, PS3, and Xbox360. Updated versions of the same old systems we already had, with updated games that we've already played. Do you really think that given these options that consumers who hadn't purchased a system during the last generation would purchase one of the new ones? Or how many more analog controlled, R-trigger firing, WWII FPS' could you take until they just got boring? There's only so much prettier graphics can do, it takes innovation and a deeper sense of immersion to keep people interested.

We've seen this theory meet great success with the Wii. With the Wii Remote and Nunchuk playing your favorite video games are now more realistic than ever, and with the upcoming Wii Balance Board, it's only going to get better, but Nintendo must realize that these things are not enough. They must continue innovating and continue to make games more fun to play, because eventually, motion control may get repetitive and boring. But then what will keep us interested?

It could be something that casual and hardcore players alike have imagined and dreamed about. Virtual reality. Before you call me crazy take a second to think about this. When you played The Legend of Zelda for the first time, did you ever imagine that some day you'd actually be able to swing your controller and Link would swing his sword? Or how about when you were amazed by the updated visuals from the NES to the SNES? Did you ever fathom that maybe someday every game would be in totally realistic 3D? With each new technological breakthrough and boundary broken we're getting one step closer to total video game immersion that could be possible with virtual reality, but that's only one possibility. Maybe in the future there will be an entire Wii Suit. Your guess is as good as mine.

Only one thing is for sure. We'll never get there if every new generation all we get is better graphics and faster processors. Could there be another video game crash ahead? That will depend on the innovation of the console manufacturers and on you, the consumer. Because the manufacturers, publishers, and developers alike are all trying to get your money and if you demand innovation, creativity, and immersion then there will be manufacturers, publishers, and developers who will listen and take action and video games will continue to get even better.

What lies ahead none of us may know, but as long as we don't sit by and accept a lack of innovation then the horizon looks pretty bright for the video game industry.

Nanostray Review

2007-07-23T00:53:00.000-05:00

Although I've been very busy as of late, I've spent quite a lot of my free time playing video games, especially those handheld games I picked up from TRU. After finishing my personal favorite of that batch, Nanostray, I've decided I'd post a review in hopes of getting more people interested in this sleeper hit for the DS. So, I hope you enjoy reading and if you have a DS go out and get the game!

When the Nintendo DS first launched in 2004 there were a handful of games to choose from within the first few months. With big hit games like Advance Wars and Metroid not hitting shelves until the following year the early pickings were slim. However, there were some lesser known titles that turned out to be diamonds in what was a rough first six months. Among them was a gorgeous looking, fast-paced, futuristic shooter known as Nanostray. Developed by Shin'en, the makers of the Iridion games for the GBA, Nanostray puts you in control of a small spacecraft as you attempt to blast your way through waves of enemies and survive each level.

Nanostray is very light on any kind of story, as a matter of fact it's pretty much non-existent throughout the game, but basically your mission is to fly to each of the 8 areas and destroy everything that comes at you. Sounds simple enough right? Well as with most shooters the enemies are constantly swarming, attacking by the waves, and it becomes quite a task to clean-up all of them and survive the level, even more so if you're trying to get a good score. The top screen shows all the action and this is where your eyes will be glued. I would only take a seldom glance at the bottom screen, which shows a small map, the life and sub-weapon meters, your score, and the buttons to select your weapon. I barely had enough time to check my life meter in between all the action and eye candy on the top screen, much less my score or what was even on the map. While you may rarely look at it, the bottom screen does provide useful information, and it clears the way for a better view of the level on the top screen.

Each of the 8 levels has it's own unique design and theme. You'll visit lush green planets, journey to desert wastelands, and even battle through space stations. Everything looks simply gorgeous and is highly detailed. The graphics are still some of the best I've seen on the DS thus far. The stages all look great and as the locales change, so will the enemies. There is a great deal of variety in their design and in there strength. Some can be taken down easily with one hit, while others will take a few seconds of full blasting from your most powerful weapons. Not to mention the massive bosses at the end of each level which can easily take down your ship with only a few hits.

Luckily for you, there are four different weapons with their own sub-weapons at your disposal, as well as the life-saving smart bomb, which will completely clear the screen of enemies, but at the cost of destroying your score as well. The main weapons include the simple rapid firing vertical blue beam, a similar yellow beam, but which fires horizontally, a slow purple heat seeking weapon, and the very cool lightning weapon which latches onto an enemy until they are destroyed. While the main weapons have unlimited ammo, the much more powerful sub weapons deplete after prolonged usage. You'll be able to refill the sub-weapon gauge only by clearing an entire wave of enemies and collecting the blue coin that appears. As you can imagine the sub-weapons are basically the same as the main ones, but much stronger.

While all the weapons are useful you'll be mainly using the blue pulse beam, with the occasional usage of the yellow side-shot. This is do to the difficulty of switching weapons using the touch screen. All other controls are tied to buttons and the triggers. It's all very easy to learn and simple to use. However, you have to tap the large button corresponding to each weapon to switch and it is hardly easy to do when your using one hand to move your ship and the other to fire your weapons. I found it much easier to stick to one weapon for a whole level, but in some you'll need to switch, in which case I had to keep the stylus in my hand while I played which wasn't all that comfortable. It's one of only two big gripes that I have with the game; the other is the length.

There are only 8 levels to play through in the adventure mode, which increase in difficulty, but even with tougher enemies one could still finish the entire game in 3 or 4 hours. Good players could probably finish even quicker than that. Although I would have liked to have seen more levels in the game, it's not really over once you have beaten each area. Like in the best of the scrolling-shooting games you'll want to try and get a higher score and after you've finished a level you'll be able to do just that in the game's arcade mode. However, unlike other similar games, there is even more reason to try and get a better score, as you will receive a code that you can enter online at the official site and see where you rank on a worldwide leader board. Not only does it stack you up individually, but it categorizes players by their countries and ranks them to see which nation has the best Nanostray players. It's a very compelling way to keep people interested in playing, and the competition it fosters will bring some players back long after they would have with any other shooter.

Finishing off the single player experience is the challenge mode, where you are set with very difficult tasks, such as completing an entire level with only one ship or zero smart bombs. While the challenges are definitely hard, the reward is not so great. For each one that you complete you only get a measly artwork from one of the levels in the game. So the only real motivation is to test your own skill. It's a shame you couldn't unlock new weapons or levels. It would have made the challenge mode alot more interesting.

There is also a multiplayer mode in the game, which is surprisingly fun and well worth trying out with a friend. The game features single-card multiplayer which is gratefully appreciated. There are four modes to choose from in the multiplayer. There are two time limit modes, a two minute and one minute race to see who can get the highest score, a points race to 25,000, and a bonus race where you try and collect the most yellow coins from enemies. You can also add sudden death to the mix, where if you die before the level is over or time is up you lose instantly. The multiplayer captures the intensity and excitement of the single player and adds to it a friendly dose of competition. It's a real blast to play with a friend, but sadly there is no online battling. The addition of Wi-Fi would have been icing on this multiplayer cake.

Nanostray has an unrivaled sense of intensity, the non-stop action will keep you coming back for more, and with the dazzling effects and beautiful scenery you won't want to blink. Although it's biggest shortfall may be it's length, it makes up for it with a difficult challenge mode, an arcade mode with a worldwide leader board, and an awesome multiplayer. Don't let it's age on store shelves keep you from getting this game. Even though the DS library is now full of great hits, Nanostray can stand amongst the best out there. Quite simply if you can find it, buy it!

E3 2007

2007-07-06T17:41:00.000-05:00

Well the "new" E3 has come and gone for 2007 and I can't help but wonder if it would have really been all that different if it were still in it's previous form. It seemed pretty similar from my viewpoint in my chair in front of my computer screen, but obviously it was not nearly as extravagant as it has been for those who were actually there. It's still up for debate if it was better or not, but I believe it's all a matter of personal perspective anyway. Easier for the janitors and developers, worse maybe for the attendees. I was just happy to see more of my favorite upcoming games and listen to Reggie and Miyamoto announce some new stuff. I'm looking forward to this fall and holiday season, but not much more than I was prior to E3. Anyway, here's my personal commentary about the big Nintendo stuff that went down.

The Wii Balance Board was obviously the biggest announcement from Nintendo, while I have absolutely no interest in Wii Fit, it will do a terrific job reaching out to "non-gamers". I'm more interested in seeing what else can be done besides yoga and hula-hooping with the board. Like for instance, snowboarding or surfing. As both rely mainly on how you lean your body and where you put pressure they could be perfect fits.

I'm also looking forward to the other new accessory announced, the Wii Zapper. In it's previous prototype form it looked much like a shotgun, but I love the new two handed approach similar to something like an AK-47. Prior to the announcement I had only a mild interest in Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, but now I can't wait to try it out with the Zapper, especially if I can get two to play with a friend.

As for the games, the ones that I wanted to see the most weren't even at the show which was very disappointing. They included Final Fantasy Tactics A2, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and the Harvest Moon games for Wii and DS. However, the games that were there looked better than ever, especially Metroid Prime 3. After what IGN said claiming it to play better than any FPS to date I can't wait to get my hands on it. Super Mario Galaxy looked good, but I'm not anywhere close to foaming at the mouth for it. Other than those two there wasn't much. I was glad to finally see Mario Kart Wii. It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun, and will be a great title to carry the weak Q1 and Q2 after holiday sales. The DS had The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, but where was everything else? Aside from a few other titles the DS was relatively quiet during E3.

Overall, E3 was just okay in my opinion. There wasn't much in the way of newly announced games from Nintendo, seeing Mario Kart Wii was nice, but we all knew it was coming eventually, Wii Fit will do wonders on expanding the market and games like Metroid Prime 3 and Super Mario Galaxy will satisfy the hardcore crowd for the mean time. While it may not have been as special as in the past the new E3 appears to be staying and I'm just glad it wasn't as bad as we all though it would be.

Melee vs Brawl Character Comparison Shots

2007-07-05T15:28:00.000-05:00

Doing my daily internet browsing I came across these interesting comparison screenshots on N-Philes Forums of some of the characters from Super Smash Bros. Melee and their new looks in Brawl. As a matter of fact, I found them so interesting I decided I would post them here as well. Take a look for yourself.

Notice the impressive detail in some of the characters, especially Zelda and Pit. Personally, I like the old Star Fox better than the new one, but other than him they all look smashing!

You see what I did there?

EA's Great Idea

2007-07-03T20:19:00.000-05:00

Sports video gamers used to come in two breeds; 2K Sports or EA Sports. However, within the past few years EA has taken supreme dominance over sports games thanks largely in part to it's exclusive rights deals with the NFL, AFL, NCAA, and NASCAR. Whether or not these deals have been for better or worse is still debated, however, until the contracts expire we'll just have to take what we get. Thankfully, EA hasn't used the deals as a way to sit by and do nothing to make their games better. For the most part each new yearly iteration is better than the former. New additions come each year, some better than others, but there are few drastic new innovations. However, no series has seen as many yearly updates as the Madden franchise.

Last year's Madden 07 game was the first of the EA Sports games to grace the Nintendo Wii. The new motion controls made Madden an entirely new experience on the Wii and while arguable, I'd say much more fun. Instead of every tackle, kick, throw, and shove tied to a button, now you can actually move the controller to imitate many moves. Want Peyton Manning to launch one deep to Marvin Harrison? Tap Marvin's corresponding direction on the D-Pad and throw one to him with the Wii Remote. While the new controls have made the game much simpler EA has decided to take it one step further and by doing so is opening the EA Sports games up to the entire family.

Enter the just revealed feature Family Play. Family Play is a brand new way to play Madden, FIFA, and NBA Live with just the Wii Remote. Now the computer will control movement and all the player has to is the motion controls tied to the Wii Remote. Such as passing, kicking, and shooting. I've included some IGN screens of some of the controls for all three games. (You can view more screenshots and read the entire article by clicking here.)

FIFA Soccer

Madden
NBA Live

Notice there are still some button presses, but for the most part it is motion based and much more so than if you were playing in the advanced mode with the nunchuk included. As the name suggests now the entire family can play or just newly converted Wii players. It's a perfect way to introduce newbies and then once they get the hang of the Wii Remote controls, they can simply plug in the nunchuk and play the advanced way.

It's a great idea and it expands upon Nintendo's mission to reach out to non-gamers. For once I'm surprised that I can say that EA has done a great job innovating their games. I for one will be among the first to pass the Wii Remote over to my family and other non-gaming friends and get them in on the fun.

The Toys R Us Odyssey

2007-06-30T20:27:00.001-05:00

Of course as an avid DS gamer I wasn't just going to pass by the opportunity to at least travel to my nearest Toys R Us to browse around and see what I could be getting and getting for free. So on Thursday along with one of my friends I hit up TRU to see what I could find. Like I said before I was hoping to snag Sim City DS, Brothers In Arms DS, and then some old games I haven't got around to picking up like maybe Starfox Command or Hotel Dusk. Much to my surprise the store didn't even open until 10 a.m. so I sat and waited for around 30 minutes. When it finally did open up my friend and I headed inside and were the first in the video game section.

Sadly, within my first pass I realized Brothers In Arms wasn't there, the number one game on my list, but there were to many games for me to just leave free money behind. I picked up one of the two Sim City DS games and started to browse around and see what else I was willing to buy. My friend quickly became bored with my indecisiveness over Sonic Rush, Starfox Command, and Brain Age and went off to dig through the bargain bin games that were 10 dollars each. After awhile I joined him, by this time he was making a large hole in one corner, when to my surprise he pulled a copy of Nanostray from the bottom. I've always wanted to get Nanostray, but I've never been able to find it, even when it launched, and the only copy I found was a used one that was just the cartridge. It was the diamond among the rough, as the only other DS games were some Texas Hold Em', Disney games, and several copies of Super Black Bass Fishing.

However, I now had a problem. The free game in the deal had to be of equal or greater value as the lowest priced game. So I would either have to get another $10 game for free or purchase a $20 or higher one to get Nanostray for free. I wasn't thrilled about spending even more money, but I didn't want one of those crappy games left in the bin. The only game I might have considered was Super Black Bass Fishing, just because I like to fish, but I remembered that it got a horrendous score on IGN, a 2.5 as a matter of fact. Even though I went on a long spill about how reviews shouldn't be the most important factor when purchasing a game a 2.5 is pretty darn bad, but as it turns out I wouldn't be a hypocrite after all. Although I was uncertain my friend was dead set on the game. He likes to fish as well and it wasn't his money. So after giving it much thought I decided what the heck I'll give it a try and got the game.

After putting a good amount of time into each game (Except for Sim City DS, I'm holding out and making myself beat my other games first.) I'm pretty happy with my haul. Super Black Bass Fishing isn't a 2.5 in my highly opinion, especially for those who do enjoy fishing out there. The multiplayer is actually kind of fun. Of course Nanostray is a blast and I'm positive I'll like Sim City when I get to it. Now I just got to get around to beating all my other games! But here's to hoping you took advantage of the TRU Buy Two Get One Free and found some great games too. We can only hope that this won't be the last time we get a deal like it.

Amazing DS Game Deal at Toys R Us

2007-06-25T18:58:00.000-05:00

While I contemplate on whether or not I really need to pile 3 more DS games on top of the load I already have I wanted to let you all in on this awesome deal. Toys R Us is having a buy two get one free on all Nintendo DS games both online and in stores through June 30th. 30 free dollars might be too much for me to pass up, even if I do have 3 or 4 games I haven't finished. I've been wanting to pick up the just released Sim City DS and Brothers in Arms DS. How nice would it be to get something like Hotel Dusk or Starfox Command for free? I'll have to do a bit more thinking, but if you've been planning to get some DS games and have been waiting now is the time to buy! Just think of all the fun you'll be having with 3 new DS games for the price of two. I promise I'm not a Toys R Us employee, just don't miss out!

Freedom From Video Game Reviews

2007-06-18T17:10:00.000-05:00

If you play video games and have internet access, chances are you've read a review or two for some games. Whether you like IGN, Gamespot, or Nintendo specific fan sites likes N-Philes we've all come across reviews at some point in our lives. They are very useful in learning more about a game and sometimes lead to full blown internet wide fights if a score is felt to be unjust (See IGN's 7.9 for Mario Kart Double Dash). While I don't suggest using one review as a justification to either purchase a game or not, looking over several reviews of a game can help you decide whether it's right for you if done correctly, but don't rely on reviews alone. You have the freedom to make your own decisions and you shouldn't let reviews control your purchases.

I feel that is a growing problem with today's video gamers. We put too much emphasis on the score a game gets. How many times have you been interested in a game only to mark it off your list and forget about it because it got a 6 on IGN? It's a scene all too familiar. Just ask those who were excited for Red Steel. Prior to the reviews this game looked to be a mega hit, then those early reviews from IGN and Gamespot came in and instantly people who were singing praises started slamming the title. There is no doubt in my mind that because of those reviews it severely hurt the sales potential of the game and that shouldn't be the case. Reviews shouldn't have that much power over us and our decisions.

Why? For several reasons. Just as you have individual tastes in clothes, food, and movies everyone has individual tastes in video games! Mark Bozon from IGN may like shirts from GAP and might hate stuff from Kohl's, but if you like clothes from Kohl's you don't start shopping at GAP just because he doesn't like it do you? The same should be thought of when it comes to video games. Maybe you absolutely love puzzle games, well do you think that if someone who dislikes puzzle games reviews one they'll give it a great score? It's poor decision making if you let their review greatly influence your decision to purchase a game.

Another problem I have with reviews is that half the time the reviewer hasn't even played more than a few levels of a game, if that! And it's a tiny percentage of reviewers who have actually beaten the game they are reviewing! You don't see people reviewing books after a couple of chapters or Ebert and Roeper giving a thumbs up to a movie they only watched 30 minutes of. Why should video game reviews be any different?

The current reason is our own impatience. Everyone can't wait to read the first review of a game, and news sites compete to see who can get their review out the fastest. This shouldn't be the case. Reviewers should be able to spend as much time as needed with the game to finish it, or in the case of games that can't be "finished" (Animal Crossing, racing games, etc.) enough time to make a good judgement on the game. So what if it takes 6 or 7 more days for the review to come out at least now we know they know what they are talking about. They have played the game enough to really understand the depth and all the intricacies, not just enough to get a gist of what the game is like.

So don't let video game reviews control your purchases anymore. Instead of trying to figure out why a reviewer gave a game a score that they did ask them how long they played the game. How far they got into it. Or is the ending any good. Don't forget to ask what their favorite types of games are. Then use these answers to base how much influence you let the review have on you. Don't let a number ever make or break your decision. You'll be more likely to find hidden gems and enjoy games you would have never imagined yourself playing. There are way to many great games out there to limit yourself by what some guy on the internet says.

Freedom of thought, freedom of choice, freedom of purchase, and freedom of playing. Long let freedom ring!

Samus Aran Brawlin'

2007-06-16T22:57:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's daily update at Smash Bros. Dojo featured one of my personal favorite Nintendo characters, Samus Aran. Sporting a graphically updated suit, now with extra metallic shine there's just too much to love about her mega arsenal of beams, missiles, and bombs. I posted some side by side screenshots below of the new Samus and Samus from Super Smash Bros. Melee. If you can't tell the difference you don't deserve to know.