posted by Chris on June 2, 2008 6:48 PM in Podcast
With companies catering to the swelling masses of "casual" gamers, hardcore gamers are starting to feel slightly underrepresented. This week, Chris, Qais and Jinny talk about (more like obsess about) The World Ends With You and what it does to shake up the RPG formula, how Guitar Hero for the DS may actually be good, Beyond Good and Evil getting a much-deserved sequel, and the strange subset of hardcore Warcraft III custom map players. We then proceed to rip through the mailbag, where we actually read your actual letters on the air. I don't know how it works, I'm not a scientist.
posted by Chris on May 19, 2008 6:22 PM in Podcast
This week, Qais, Chris and Ross the Transparent Underground Gnoll meet at the Fortress of Geekitude to discuss the state of video game trade shows, Konami's new Rock Revolution and what a new drum peripheral could mean for crowded living rooms everywhere, making worthwhile games for children, the Great Slipper Collapse of 1985 (includes bonus Fraggle Rock discussion) and then the boys dip into the mailbag. Which isn't a euphemism.
Nintendo's insistence on using an arcane series of numbers to connect to friends on the Wii hasn't stopped the majority of intrepid internet users, as yet another website is making it easier to link up to friends for some hot kart on kart action. WiiTransfer has a nifty tool that allows you to share your friend codes with other Twitter users, so if you have a bunch of friends who like to be kept up to date with every single mundane detail of your day, this service is for you.
Now if only Nintendo would bring voice chat into the game, it may actually be playable online.
posted by Chris on April 7, 2008 6:03 PM in Podcast
Is being called a "gamer" a bad thing? On this week's podcast, Chris, Mack and Qais look into how gamers as a group are regarded by the general populace. Are we really all just trash talking escapist sociopaths? Or is "gamer" just another flavor of geek? We discuss various arguments on both sides, also touching on this week's news from Microsoft's answer to the Wii, to analyzing Portal's main villain, to Penny Arcade's newest indie games venture.
Why oh why didn't you do something this awesome back when Okamifirst came out, Capcom? In order to help promote the release of Okami for the Wii, a brand new art site has launched, showcasing the incredible hyper-sumi-e style of the Clover Studios classic. Not only will you find some choice wallpapers for adorning your desktop (some old, some new) you'll find backgrounds and characters in reasonably high resolutions. You could cut out the characters and place them on the backgrounds just like those old Colorforms sets! Perhaps if you didn't have a Wii and wanted to pretend to play Okami.
They even have each set in an easy-to-grab .zip file. Thanks, Capcom! Now let's remember how awesome your non-Resident Evil non-Mega Man franchises are and give them a little more love from now on, ok?
The Weekly Geek would like to introduce Hampson Bonerman, guest writer and No More Heroes enthusiast. If you have a review you'd like to share with The Weekly Geek, email us at mailbag@weeklygeekshow.com.
No More Heroes should belong to every Wii owner who considers themselves a gamer. I wasn't aware of who Suda 51 was when I bought it, having skipped the Gamecube and subsequently Killer7, so I didn't really have that good of an idea what I was in for.
You play as Travis Touchdown; slacker, otaku, and wrestling fan. Having won a used beam katana in an internet auction, you find yourself strapped for cash. What's an almost-Kaneda's bike driving, morally bankrupt, moe loving guy supposed to do? I hear the assassination business pays pretty well.
posted by Chris on February 4, 2008 4:33 PM in Podcast
While all the rest of the world was scouring the Internet for videos of their favorite Super Bowl commercials, The Weekly Geek was recording our least caustic podcast ever! Chris, Qais, Mack and Colette ramble about the dangers of man-children, squeal about Ender's Game becoming a...uh...game (speculating which other books would make good games in the process), cast a realistically pessimistic eye on Rock Band for the Wii, and unapologetically profess their rampant book-lust. Our PopCap cover contest winners are announced within, and the moment you've all been waiting for: Qais gets a new gamertag.
posted by Chris on January 31, 2008 10:32 AM in Games
I love me some rhythm games. While I am probably the whitest non-albino white person you could ever meet in person, I like to think I have a little bit of rhythm in me, ever since Parappa the Rapper came out on the Playstation I've been entranced by titles that merged music with conventional gameplay. Following the release of Parappa on the PSP (which is a fantastic port that you should check out, by the way), NanaOn-Sha announced today a new Wii game titled Major Minor's Majestic March, in which players control a marching band by using the Wii remote as a baton.
No screenshots or further gameplay information have been given, but we have received a couple neat concept art shots of some of the characters (after the jump), who look decidedly like creatures from the Parappa universe. Hopefully NanaOn-Sha can break the mold of cruddy third party gimmick titles and make Major Minor's Majestic March as classic as Parappa. Look for the game Holiday 2008.
posted by Chris on January 30, 2008 10:37 AM in Games
If you are as excited as I am about the upcoming release of Super Smash Bros Brawl (that is to say, pants-wettingly excited) then you'll enjoy knowing that the floodgates have opened and the Smash spoilers have started pouring in. New, not-yet-announced characters, fantastically awesome fan-service levels and more await you at this NEOgaf post. While I don't normally enjoy spoilers, knowing what combatants you will be facing may just give you that added edge when you take the brawl online. Enjoy!
posted by Chris on January 7, 2008 9:37 AM in Games
Super Mario Galaxy was a fun game (it even made it into my Top 5 of the year), but Nintendo has felt the need to squeeze every last drop of cash out of their iconic Italian plumber like he's some sort of bizarre money-sponge creature cow thing. Where are all the original Nintendo titles that AREN'T Mario, Zelda or Metroid? Today on the Wii Virtual Console we get a glimpse into the brilliance of non-Mario Nintendo with Star Tropics. It's a classic adventure-RPG that paved the way for games like Secret of Mana and Earthbound, and was a critical success back in the day. So why haven't we seen a new Star Tropics game? The world may never know. Maybe if it becomes the best selling title on the Wii VC they will consider a new-gen sequel? Maybe? Hello?
One thing I am curious about is the fact that a puzzle in the game requires the use of an insert in the actual physical meatspace packaging. There was a sheet of paper with invisible ink on it that you had to reveal a secret code in order to progress after a certain point. How are they going to accomplish this on the Virtual Console? Are they going to expect us all just to get stuck and consult GameFAQs? My mind! It is being blown!
Star Tropics is available today for 500 Wii points. Full press release after the jump.
The latest Photoshop Friday over at the inimitable SomethingAwful comes with a couple steampunk re-imaginings of a DS, Wii, and Wiimote. Temper the overwhelming sadness you'll surely feel when you open that Wii rain check this Christmas with another picture of something you can't have.
posted by Qais on December 21, 2007 11:29 AM in Games
If you've listened to basically any of the podcasts I've been on here at the Weekly Geek you know that I have a love/hate relationship with Nintendo. Sometimes Nintendo gets a little uppity, and yeah I drink a bit so maybe I over react, but Nintendo knows I love them and...oh Nintendo, baby why do you make me hit you? However in this case, I'm pleading the Connery defense.
You see, Nintendo is at it again, having announced in Nintendo Power,
"There are no plans right now for a Kirby game on Wii but there are plenty of Kirby fans out there, so in the meantime look out for Kirby in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Brawl which will be released in 2008."
Disappointing news considering Kirby has been one of my favorite Nintendo titles since Crystal Shards. Interestingly there is no mention of additional Kirby titles for the DS either in the affirmative or negative. If nothing else, for the Kirby fans at least the disappointment of no titles on the Wii might be slightly abated by the rampant speculation of new Kirby titles on the DS resulting from a lack of direct denial on Nintendo's part.
Nintendo had a lot riding on Super Mario Galaxy. Super Smash Bros Brawl had been pushed back to 2008, and the Wii really didn't seem to have any other strong titles coming out this season (maybe because it doesn't.) Nintendo as a rule puts a ton of effort into their first party properties, and after the critically and commercially unsuccessful Super Mario Sunshine (for the record, a game I greatly enjoy) and myriad watered-down sports titles featuring the mustachioed mascot Super Mario Galaxy had to be a success. Now, if you define success by fantastic game play, inventive and imaginative levels, beautiful music and a refreshing joyful experience, then Super Mario Galaxy is definitely successful.
There are some flaws, sure. The Wii motion controls are as tacked-on as any Wii game; never really adding to the immersion and always feeling like a hindrance. Whoever thought it was a good idea to remove the precision of pressing a button to attack and replacing it with sporadically-working waggle controls should be seriously talked to. I found in a few areas the challenge in Super Mario Galaxy lies in actually getting Mario to do what you want him to do. You'll accidentally get knocked off platforms or jump when you didn't want to so much you'll want to pull your hair out. Luckily, the second player can actually make you do a short hop if they click on you, so there's that added area of frustration if you have friends who are also jerks (I am looking at you, Qais.) The star bits feel a bit like a half-baked idea, an afterthought that was added to allow the second player to feel useful. And that's alright. The second player controls make it so that someone who would otherwise just be sitting and watching can actually do stuff. Any time co-op is added to a game I am a fan.
The voice acting is strange and often ridiculous. Nintendo has always had an aversion to voice acting, but the half-assed voice acting in Super Mario Galaxy makes the game feel slightly dated. Good thing there's very little plot, I guess? It's not a big concern. No one plays Mario games for the storyline.
What Super Mario Galaxy does right is bring back the joyful feeling of playing video games for me. I remember playing Super Mario Bros. 3 for the very first time on Christmas morning the year it came out. I spent the next three days playing through it non-stop. Absorbing the world, the characters, the music. Through the majority of Super Mario Galaxy I was grinning ear-to-ear. Mario in a bee suit? Yes, please. Is he adorable? Only the most adorable Mario ever. The level design feels brand-new, yet it evokes previous Mario games perfectly.
I won't go over the plot with you. I won't give you a run down of how many worlds there are, or how many stars you have to collect in order to defeat Bowser. These are things that are best left to you to discover. Just know that the game is completely worth it, and that discovery is part of the joyful experience the game provides. Compared to Super Mario 64, it's a bit linear in places. There aren't really any big hub-worlds for you to roam around and get stars at your own pace. You can choose which levels you want to visit with the different observatories, and there's a ton of replay value in going through and collecting all the stars, getting a high score for coins or star bits, or just sort of messing about in the fantastic worlds Nintendo has created for you. It's the same Mario you've come to know and love, and the same Mario formula Nintendo is going to feed to you for decades to come. Princess gets kidnapped by Bowser, Mario has to fight Bowser. Bosses take three hits to defeat. Rinse and repeat. Is it fresh and new? Not that aspect, no. But what Super Mario Galaxy does right refreshes the tired formula enough to make it feel comfortable, not uncreative.
Is it a system-seller? The Wii pretty much sells itself, but adding Super Mario Galaxy to the mix makes it a little bit more worthwhile. Unfortunately I see Nintendo repeating history here: a set of absolutely fantastic first party titles released at about 3 to 6 month intervals throughout the life cycle of their current system. As long as said titles are of Super Mario Galaxy caliber, I think I am ok with that.
Score:4/5. An instant classic Wii title, vital to any collection.
posted by Chris on October 29, 2007 6:13 PM in Podcast
On this week's podcast, Chris, Colette and Qais discuss if Pong is actually a good game (because seriously. Is it?), talk about Will Wright's insight into what makes a next-gen game, rave some more about E4, talk Smash Brothers Brawl, and get all nostalgic about the Game Boy. It's definitely a riveting podcast you cannot afford to miss. People have missed podcasts of this magnitude before only to result in their untimely demise. No one knows what really kills these people, but many scientists suspect it's a deficiency in the level of hilarity intake in their diets.
Overview:Mercury Meltdown Revolution is the third in a series of games that started with Archer Maclean’s Mercury on PSP. This incarnation appears on the Wii and takes advantage of the Wiimote’s motion sensitivity to control your little blob of mercury. Along the same spirit of Marble Madness, MMR is an actiony puzzle game where you have to guide an coagulated ball of mercury around various levels filled with various traps, tricks, and mazes. Oh, and did I mention it’s a budget title? Let’s see if it’s worth your 20 bucks.
Shininess: Being on the Wii, it’s not gonna be the super duper bright and shiny that you might find on the 360. But also being a basic puzzle game instead of an experiment on theoretical physics or a nightmare survival in a submerged steampunk dystopia, it doesn’t really need them new-fangled grafficks that all the kids want. Obviously, if it was on the 360, it’d look sharper, but the game doesn’t suffer for not being so. In other words, the graphics are good enough, but nothing to write home about. Though the way the blob of mercury rolls around and pools against walls is pretty nifty.
The game also has a quirky little soundtrack. Again, nothing to blow your mind, but it’s pretty good. At the very least, it’s not repetitive and irritating which can happen sometimes in lesser known puzzle games.
Funness: I was looking forward to trying out this game, since I love Marble Madness so much, but I was not terribly optimistic. I wasn’t sure how much more they could do with rolling something around a maze. As it turns out, there’s actually quite a bit more they can do with it. There are lots of traps and other interactive objects that give it more depth than just another maze game. I couldn’t tell you for sure how many of these have appeared in the previous games in the series, so I’m going to approach them as if they’re new because they’re new to me.
The main mechanism that I find the most interesting is the color changing. You can roll your little blob into paint sprays that will change its color. There are various gates and pressure switches that will only react if your mercury is the correct color. Sometimes, you’ll have to force your blob to hit a corner and split up into two pieces, make one hit a red spray and one hit a blue spray and then bring them back together to make purple. It’s pretty fun.
Because your blob can split up, just falling over the edge and losing isn’t that simple. If you happen to barely catch yourself right before you’re gonna fall, you might lose some of your mercury, but not all of it and still be able to finish the level. Of course, some levels require you to have a certain amount left in order to activate certain switches and you get more points for saving more when you finish.
There are lots of various obstacles to get in your way, things that push you, things that suck you in, things that blow you up into the air, and things that splatter you. There really is quite a wide variety in this game, so I have yet to run into a level that feels like I’m doing the same thing as another. The game is quite challenging without being annoyingly so.
Worthiness: I honestly think this game is a little gem in the Wii’s library that lots of people are probably going to miss. I’m enjoying it quite a bit. On top of having 150+ levels to go through, there is some replay value in each if you go back and try to get a perfect score on each level by collecting all the bonus icons and trying to make it to the exit point with every drop of your mercury. And you get bonus points for doing it within a certain amount of time. The game also has some unlockable mini-games that are more about survival rather than hitting and end goal. They’re kinda fun, but not that big of a deal. If this were a full-priced Wii title, I’d scoff and move on, but it’s not. This game is a budget title and rightfully so. At 20 bucks, I’d say it’s a worthy buy if you’re a fan of puzzle games, and especially if you liked Marble Madness or Super Monkey Ball. If you’re looking for some games to fill out your Wii shelf, this is one of them.
There's this place you can go on our website where you register your very own personal internets nom de plume can converse with the other patrons of our fantabulous blogcast. It's actually quite near. All you have to do is click this little linky-doo and join the world's greatest forums.
And once you're there, you can with other TWG fans about stuff such as:
posted by Chris on October 1, 2007 9:01 PM in Podcast
It's a packed house this week, with Chris, Grant, Amy, Qais and a phantom Colette discussing a vast variety of things from Anime-inspired science, to a possible PS3 price cut for the holidays. There is also the requisite angry rant as the geeks rail on internet slang and the un-ironic use thereof. Download it here, or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. Hit the jump for show notes.
posted by Chris on September 25, 2007 11:41 AM in Games
Geometry Wars! Known as one of the reasons I purchased an Xbox 360 - this fantastic series is coming to the DS and the Wii and the requisite marketing rush has begun. Not only have they released a cool trailer featuring dorks dressed in dorky costumes dancing to Particle Man by They Might Be Giants, but we get a heaping helping of LOLcat inspired Geometry Wars humor. Viral marketing is often cheesy and flops miserably, but this is tongue in cheek enough to get a chuckle out of me.
New Jersey is a town often lampooned in the media for being home to filth, petrochemical refinery, and a seemingly endless display of dullards. While this may or may not be true, although I'm inclined to believe it having lived within smelling distance for a time, what New Jersey is unquestionably home to is over reactionary parents, a newspaper of questionable scruples, and, if memory serves, Robot Hell.
While I take no umbrage with the latter, the former are a current source of consternation in the form of seemingly reasonable (yes in spite of living in New Jersey) adults pitching a fit over the new Wii zapper. Apparently for them Nintendo's new peripheral is just the thing to finally turn their otherwise innocent children into roving gangs of monsters, bent on destruction. Thankfully the blame can't wholly be placed on the shoulders of parents with enough time in their day to respond to newspaper polls, we must also look to the media in this case, for it is with them that this conflagration begins. The aforementioned poll from New Jersey newspaper The Star-Ledger (emphasis theirs) reads as follows:
Wii announced over the summer that it's coming out the a gun-like remote, so kids can play shooter games, with, well, a shooter.
What do you think about making a wand in the shape of a weapon so play is more realistic? ...Is it harmful? ...Will you buy one for your kids?
posted by Qais on August 30, 2007 11:12 AM in Games
Today the intertubes bring news of stock price drops for the champion of the "non-gamer" console Nintendo. Now I am not the most informed person when it comes to the stock exchange, my knowledge is limited to the existence of such a thing and this about where it ends. However it would seem that the perceived value of a stock decreases as more people sell their shares and the faster they sell the more rapidly the value of the stock decreases.
What does this bode for Nintendo? Will Miyamoto end up bumming for change while Bill Gates and Phil Harrison trade high fives over trays of cocaine borne by vat grown clones of Caprica-Six? Unlikely to say the least.
posted by Chris on August 30, 2007 9:37 AM in Games
I'd like to finish the game before I do a full review, but I was so excited last night after playing Metroid Prime 3: Corruption that I just had to gush about it with you. My impressions? Unbelievably good. Granted, I have always been a huge fan of the Metroid series so I may be a little bit biased, but I was a huge fan of Zelda, too, and that didn't prevent me from telling you Twilight Princess was crap. Consider everything that made the original Metroid Prime classic: the music, atmosphere, exploration elements - everything was perfect and melded together. Multiply that by a million, and you get MP3. This is the Metroid game we all dreamt about as kids - the kind we would stretch our infinite imaginations with, filling the gaps in the story of the original NES title. The fullness and richness of the experience is amazing. I've always loved the OCD gotta-catch-em-all aspect of scanning, and exploring the vast universe Retro Studios created for us, but now MP3 has a sort of mini Xbox Achievement system, where you get tokens for performing certain tasks in game, which you can redeem for unlockable extra content. You can even earn tokens for friends, which you can then send to anyone on your Wii friend's list, and they can use said tokens for unlockables. Fantastic.
New to the Metroid Prime series is voice acting. Nintendo has been reluctant in the past to put voices into their first party games, and rightly so. Voice acting has been, as a rule, horrible in games. Only recently have we been seeing a voice acting improve with games like Bioshock, and Metroid definitely is up to par. The added narrative is slightly strange for Metroid at first, but as you play it helps flesh out the incredibly cool Sci-Fi storyline. It just adds depth to the title, and makes it feel like the first "true" Metroid game.
The Wii controls are fantastic. I am a vocal opponent of waggle-controls, but Metroid uses them to a bare minimum. As far as first person shooters go, Metroid has perfected the control scheme for the Wii Remote, just as Bioshock perfected it for the standard controller. While my wrist did start to get sore after about 4 hours of playing, it was still 4 hours of playing. Using the nunchuk for grapple abilities is a fun addition, and I didn't even resent having to move my arm more than 30 degrees at any given time. Amazing!
I'm going to give the game a bit more time. It's possible that it could suck after a while, but I doubt it. With such an amazingly epic game new to the Wii library, it really shocks me that Nintendo isn't pushing it more. Just goes to show that they really don't care about the hardcore anymore. It's ok. We can make Metroid Prime 3: Corruption our little secret.
Based strictly on the adorable packaging (and maybe my Final Fantasy fan boy leanings), I bought SquareEnix's Chocobo Tales for the DS earlier this year. It was most certainly a novelty - cute little chickens, inside humor, mini games, and some collectible card slinging on the side. It was great though: challenging at moments and a fun little time killer for a handheld title.
If you liked that, you're sure to blow your top over SquEnix's purported upcoming Wii effort: Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon. Finally a reason to fire up that other small white thing next to my 360! Japanese game rag Famitsu had some lovely screenshots (including the one above) depicting not only a truer RPG game play format, but Chocobos donning the legendary Final Fantasy Black Mage and White Mage garb. This amazing role expansion for our favorite in-game fowls is exciting, to be sure, and it couldn't possibly get any cuter unless you rolled it up in icing and sequins and packaged it as a new Barbie accessory.
posted by Chris on July 16, 2007 7:01 PM in Podcast
(note: Chris' mic cuts out around 21 minutes, and will be quiet for the rest of the program. Buy him some more RAM). On this week's podcast, Chris, The Geek, Colette and special guest Aaron Linde from Destructoid talk about the glorious week that was E3. Well, not so glorious for big game announcements, but certainly glorious for exclusive parties, free drinks, good food and friends. They discuss how the Wii zapper sucks, they ask if RPGs need to be innovative, and then Rock Band is pitted against Guitar Hero. Also Bill and Ted are discussed in length. Download the podcast now or subscribe on iTunes!
The wait is finally over, we got some good games goin' on the Wii Virtual Console today. Finally Nintendo brings Paper Mario for the N64 to their download service, a game I have only played once, and for about 5 minutes. Being a huge fan of Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario Thousand Year Door (Super Paper Mario wasn't all that great), I am really excited to play through this game. The Wii VC could use more RPGs. I wanna see Dragon Warrior, Earthbound, Secret of Mana, and all those classic RPGs on the Wii Shop like pronto. I really do want to spend more time with my Wii, Nintendo! As long as you keep giving me good reasons to.
Oh, they also released Balloon Fight and some other game for the Turbografx that no one will play. I really hope this is the last time we see the NES version of Balloon Fight for purchase anywhere. Nintendo keeps pumping it, and it's not a great game. As a matter of fact, it's pretty much shit and I am sure that no one remembers it as fondly as Nintendo thinks. Anyway, go download Paper Mario! We will play together like Paper Mario friends! *excited clapping*
posted by Chris on July 12, 2007 10:46 AM in Games
The very first thing I did when I walked into the Barker Hangar was spot the Mario Galaxy booth. I rushed over quickly, and found it open! No lines! Was this a dream? Was this some sort of sleep-deprived delusion? No, it was true. I got to play, and what I played was wonderful. I've been completely annoyed with the Wii recently, very annoyed at Nintendo insistence in making me waggle my Wii remote to do anything in a game. Super Mario Galaxy really does feel like the true successor to Super Mario 64, just like they are saying. The level I played plops you down on a very Little Prince style planet, where you can run around the sphere, essentially turning upside down. It seems like this play mechanic would be disorienting, but you get used to it very quickly. The controls are tight but trying to jump on a goomba is a bit sketchy. It's hard to aim where you are jumping when you are running around upside down, but I can see getting fairly good at it. The only waggle I had to suffer through in the demo was used to perform a spin attack. The demo had me zipping from planet to planet trying to find stars (in true Mario fashion). The feeling of gravity, and zooming through space was very satisfying. So far I am pretty happy with the game, I am going to return to the hangar today to check out the bee suit level. That's right, MARIO HAS A BEE SUIT. Super Mario Galaxy is coming out in November, and from what I have played it's definitely a must-buy.
posted by Chris on July 2, 2007 6:08 PM in Podcast
The Geek, Chris and Colette sound like they are in a cave this week as they discuss Ratatouille, movies that don't suck, the iPhone, Kwik-E-Marts and other geeky things that probably you care about. Download the show now or subscribe using the magic of RSS.
I spotted a funky looking playlist on my friend's MySpace profile the other day- a slick flash widget with full album art, 40 song streaming capacity, and links to buy the music directly from Amazon and/or iTunes. My interest was bagged. So I spent an hour handpicking cuts for my spiffy new FineTune gadget and threw it up on my various pages. I didn't unearth the real benefit of this thing until I fired it up on my next-gen Nintendo Console. Turns out my new FineTune player not only detected my browser, but it launched a version designed especially for the Wii. For a test drive, punch in my user name "Caspian" (duh) and scope my set. Next time you get sick of plungering deranged bunnies on Rayman, this might come in handy.
So there's a new trailer for the new Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles game for the Wii that has been released to the internet.
Go ahead on over to the site and check it out. I'll wait here.
Ok, you back yet? Is it just me or is it just amazingly underwhelming? C'mon Squenix, what the hell? This looks absolutely nothing like the pure golden god that was the first Crystal Chronicles. That game was pretty, had a unique artistic approach, and was craptons of fun to play for you and your friends. This new incarnation of the series looks like it has completely lost the heart and soul of the original. The color scheme is all off with graphics that look pretty sterile and typical, there is way too much advanced technology, and it looks like it's only single player.
From the very beginning of the trailer, when it started playing the traditional FF prologue theme, I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. The previous CC game never featured that theme. This trailer's music has a full orchestra and not the sweet ancient instruments featured in the previous game.
The previous CC really shared little in common with the rest of the FF franchise other than spell names and moogles. If you're gonna go that direction with a series and the game is sucessful enough to warrant a sequel, why the hell would you take out everything that made it successful?
I really don't understand what is wrong with Nintendo these days. Not even their PR reps can disguise the level of poop being shoveled out onto the Wii, and even the DS these days. Check out this year long lineup in a recent press release.
Whether you're a longtime gamer who likes classic franchises or a newcomer
aiming to keep your brain sharp, Nintendo's summer lineup of games has
something for you. Nintendo's offerings are anchored by key Wii(TM) games
like Metroid Prime(R) 3 Corruption and Mario Strikers(TM) Charged.
Nintendo DS(TM) owners can challenge their minds with games like Brain
Age(TM) 2: More Training in Minutes a Day and the new picture-based puzzle
game, Picross DS(TM).
Licensees also are demonstrating a strong commitment to Wii and Nintendo
DS by announcing more than 40 titles in all genres. The unique controls
of Wii and Nintendo DS make the Nintendo platform versions of these games
entirely new experiences. No matter what your taste or experience level,
you'll keep busy this summer!
Wii
July 30 Mario Strikers Charged Nintendo
Aug. 20 Metroid Prime 3 Corruption Nintendo
September Battalion Wars 2 Nintendo
Aug. 14 High School Musical: Sing It! Disney Interactive Studios
Aug. 14 Madden NFL '08 EA
August Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08 EA
August Space Station Tycoon Namco Bandai
August Brunswick Pro Bowling Crave
August Dave Mirra BMX Challenge Crave
August Pinball Hall of Fame: Crave
The Williams Collection
September Brothers in Arms Ubisoft
September Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal Warner Bros.
September George of the Jungle Crave
Fall Boogie EA
Nintendo DS
July 30 Picross DS Nintendo
Aug. 20 Brain Age 2: More Training Nintendo
in Minutes a Day
Sept. 10 DK Jungle Climber Nintendo
Sept. 24 Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol Nintendo
July SimCity EA
July Namco Museum DS Namco Bandai
July Drake & Josh THQ
July Glory Days 2 Eidos
Aug. 14 Madden NFL '08 EA
Aug. 14 High School Musical: Disney Interactive Studios
Makin' the Cut!
Aug. 14 Heroes of Mana Square-Enix
August I SPY: Fun House Activision
August Jewel Quest Expedition Activision
August Tiger Woods PGA Tour '08 EA
August Worms: Open Warfare 2 THQ
August Luminous Arc Atlus
August Mega Man Star Force: Pegasus Capcom
August Mega Man Star Force: Leo Capcom
August Mega Man Star Force: Dragon Capcom
August Operation: Vietnam Majesco
August Turn It Around Majesco
August The Wild West Majesco
August Fulllmetal Alchemist Destineer
Trading Card Game
September Drawn to Life THQ
September Zoey 101 THQ
September Crayola Treasure Adventures Crave
September Nancy Drew and The Deadly Majesco
Secret of Olde World Park
September Holly Hobbie & Friends Majesco
September Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Capcom
Trials and Tribulations
September Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck Warner Bros.
September Pet Luv Spa & Resort Tycoon Activision
September Animal Genius Activision
September George of the Jungle Crave
September Jam Sessions Ubisoft
September Professor Brainium Destineer
September Indy 500 Legends Destineer
No. Your third party companies are not showing their support for the Wii. What they are doing is shoveling the same shit at you that they always do. Cartoon Network and Disney Channel tv show games? Who buys that crap? The only games on the list that are anticipation-worthy are Metroid, Phoenix Wright, Heroes of Mana, Sim City and MAYBE Chibi Robo. This will NOT keep me busy this summer, Nintendo. You know what WILL keep me busy? The Xbox Live Arcade. You know the one. Where I can meet up with my friends at any time and jump into a game instantly without having to exchange a 16 digit code. The one that rewards me for in game accomplishments. The one that ACTUALLY WORKS.
I know you make a ton of money off of Pokemon and Brain Age in Japan, but we US gamers are feeling a bit unloved with the severe lack of great titles. At the very least don't try to make it seem like we are getting a deal here. We're not.
posted by Chris on May 14, 2007 6:07 AM in Podcast
This week sees Chris Furniss, The Geek and White Mage trapped in a cave somewhere in the Welsh countryside discussing such matters as the Halo 3 beta, new Crackdown content, Square Enix's new offerings and how the TSA angers us. Subscribe now or download the MP3, you will be sorry if you didn't. Seriously. Hit the jump for some show notes!
posted by Chris on April 22, 2007 6:49 PM in Podcast
On this week's podcast, The Geek and Chris "Frodo" Furniss are joined by Colette Bennett from DESTRUCTOID as they discuss games being blamed for violence, Extreme Home Makeover, Mortal Kombat going serious, the long dialog of Okami and Super Paper Mario, and Harry Potter. Also included is a discussion about whether or not you should die in a well-designed game. SUPER BONUS ROUND: voicemail! Download the podcast here or subscribe. You know you want to.
Super Paper Mario is the latest (and hotly anticipated) title in Intelligent Systems' Paper Mario series, this time departing from the quirky RPG formula in favor of a quirky platformer with RPG elements. This isn't to say it's a bad thing, but it's also not a great thing. The Super Mario RPG series (even starting way back when with Square's SNES title) has always been a game for the fans. Filled with in-jokes, fun puzzles, secrets galore and great action, it has a little bit of everything for real Nintendo lovers.
The plot actually departs from the typical Mario setup (though not the typical Paper Mario setup, sadly). [Villain who is not Bowser] kidnaps [something] and has an [insert devious plot here]. [Villain] is bumbling and slightly silly but has a [secret past]. Mario must set out and save [town name] from [villain].
Sure the plot is a bit tired, but does the crazy cool paper art style and clever dialog make up for it? Does the merging of RPG and platformer work well, or is it like the N-Gage, trying to be two things at once, and not doing either very well? Hit the jump for the full review.
posted by Chris on April 18, 2007 7:41 AM in Games
What do you do when every game store within a 50 mile radius has run out of Wii Remotes and your friends are demanding (demanding!) to play Wii Sports together? Well, those crazy Italians from the Interaction Design Venice workshop have it all figured out apparently. Make your own!
During one intensive week students built their own Wii remote (Wiimote) and designed original Wii mini-games, learning a bit of electronics, rapid prototyping and game interaction design in the process. See how they did it and build your own!
I am quite impressed that the homebrew community has done SO MUCH with the Wii remote. People have used it to control games on their PCs, they have hacked the sensor bar to use candles, made wireless sensor bars, even used Wii remotes to control robotic arms. Even though we have a massive game drought that we will most likely just have to get used to, the innovation is pouring out of people.
posted by Chris on April 15, 2007 7:30 PM in Podcast
This week, The Geek and Chris "Frodo" Furniss discuss why you shouldn't see the Transformers movie (it's not for you), how to possibly rip off Gamestop in theory maybe, some notable Wii releases (Super Paper Mario forevaaaah) and the Guitar Hero II downloadable song price-gouging going on. Will you enjoy it? Probably! Subscribe now, download it here, whatever your flavor.
We all know that large chain game stores are pretty much the bane of gamers. It's a fairly universal experience among our kind to receive crappy treatment at our local GameEBcrazystop. Once in a while, you'll run into a few decent employees peppered around these franchises, but for the most part, people who work at these stores annoy you with constant pushing of pre-orders and membership cards. Many times, they'll hassle you for returning or exchanging a game even if you do it within the limited guidelines of their own store policies. I've even heard stories of game store employees telling their customers that their choice of purchase is stupid and that they should get something else. On top of all this, their used games programs are pretty much just thinly veiled extortion, buying used games from you for 10-15 bucks at most and selling them back to someone else for only 5 dollars less than new.
However, depending on participation in your area, there is a small, petty yet satisfying and legal way to get back at them.
posted by Chris on April 9, 2007 6:15 AM in Podcast
This week The Geek and Frodo (now known by the clever Internet moniker "Chris Furniss") rant about why April Fool's Day sucks, the virtues of Guitar Hero II for the Xbox 360 (and why unlocking things is excellent), Super Paper Mario, Red vs. Blue ending, Subway and the bullshit obesity epidemic, Steven Colbert's ice cream, using Mitch Hedburg quotes in real life, and then finally in the end Chris sells out. Download the podcast now or subscribe in your favorite reader. You do have a favorite reader, don't you? Click the thing for show notes.
posted by Chris on March 28, 2007 9:02 AM in Games
I have no idea who came up with the brilliant (sarcasm) idea to tag Mario and Sonic onto some cheesy Olympics title, but they should get a pat on the back. Make it a really hard pat, so it bruises. SEGA and Nintendo have announced that Mario and Sonic are teaming up for a game called Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. What's that you say? Sounds incredibly lame? YEAH! I THOUGHT THAT TOO! We must be psychically connected, you and I. The premise is that Mario and Sonic are going to be competing in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The game is going to come out for the Wii and the DS and should hit sometime at the end of this year.
I can see the appeal in pitting Mario vs. Sonic in a game. But using it to promote the Olympics? That's just odd. This game will probably be given to some unknown second party publisher who will do a horrible job on it, making Mario and Sonic look like their long lost third-world cousins or something. Remember Mario is Missing?
posted by Chris on March 19, 2007 6:53 AM in Podcast
Frodo and The Geek are back this week to bring you all things Spartan. We're obsessed with God of War II, and 300 isn't too bad either. In this podcast episode, we talk about how movie critics are out of touch, why we won't own a PLAYSTATION 3 for a while, some crazy RPG about Chopin (the composer!), Katamari and the electric car. Best episode ever? You be the judge! Download it now or subscribe to the podcast. You know you want to.
Overview: HOW CAN THIS BE? HIS POWER LEVEL IS OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAAAAAAAND! Yep, the primal growling is back once again in the latest DBZ game to hit the stands. It's pretty simple on the face. Over the top fighting with craptons of characters in the Dragonball Z universe. But like the previous Tenkaichi game, it goes a bit further beyond your standard 3D fighter and expands your battle arena into giant sweeping landscapes. Plus, since it's on the Wii, you've got some unique controls to get a handle on. DBZ is a guilty pleasure of mine. You have to go into it knowing that it's hokey, campy, and basically the Japanese version of He-Man. I never tried the previous Tenkaichi game because the lack of traditional fighterness turned me off. But I've been interested in DBZBT2 ever since I heard about the Wii controls making you actually do the proper hand moves to fire of a Kamehameha. So how does the game stack up? Read on and find out. I'm not gonna tell you here in the opening part, duh!
Today the intertubes bring news of stock price drops for the champion of the "non-gamer" console Nintendo. Now I am not the most informed person when it comes to the stock exchange, my knowledge is limited to the existence of such a thing and this about where it ends. However it would seem that the perceived value of a stock decreases as more people sell their shares and the faster they sell the more rapidly the value of the stock decreases.
I'd like to finish the game before I do a full review, but I was so excited last night after playing Metroid Prime 3: Corruption that I just had to gush about it with you. My impressions? Unbelievably good. Granted, I have always been a huge fan of the Metroid series so I may be a little bit biased, but I was a huge fan of Zelda, too, and that didn't prevent me from telling you 
The wait is finally over, we got some good games goin' on the Wii Virtual Console today. Finally Nintendo brings Paper Mario for the N64 to their download service, a game I have only played once, and for about 5 minutes. Being a huge fan of Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario Thousand Year Door (Super Paper Mario wasn't all that great), I am really excited to play through this game. The Wii VC could use more RPGs. I wanna see Dragon Warrior, Earthbound, Secret of Mana, and all those classic RPGs on the Wii Shop like pronto. I really do want to spend more time with my Wii, Nintendo! As long as you keep giving me good reasons to. 
I really don't understand what is wrong with Nintendo these days. Not even their PR reps can disguise the level of poop being shoveled out onto the Wii, and even the DS these days. Check out this year long lineup in a recent press release. 
Super Paper Mario is the latest (and hotly anticipated) title in Intelligent Systems' Paper Mario series, this time departing from the quirky RPG formula in favor of a quirky platformer with RPG elements. This isn't to say it's a bad thing, but it's also not a great thing. The Super Mario RPG series (even starting way back when with Square's SNES title) has always been a game for the fans. Filled with in-jokes, fun puzzles, secrets galore and great action, it has a little bit of everything for real Nintendo lovers. 
We all know that large chain game stores are pretty much the bane of gamers. It's a fairly universal experience among our kind to receive crappy treatment at our local GameEBcrazystop. Once in a while, you'll run into a few decent employees peppered around these franchises, but for the most part, people who work at these stores annoy you with constant pushing of pre-orders and membership cards. Many times, they'll hassle you for returning or exchanging a game even if you do it within the limited guidelines of their own store policies. I've even heard stories of game store employees telling their customers that their choice of purchase is stupid and that they should get something else. On top of all this, their used games programs are pretty much just thinly veiled extortion, buying used games from you for 10-15 bucks at most and selling them back to someone else for only 5 dollars less than new.
Overview: HOW CAN THIS BE? HIS POWER LEVEL IS OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAAAAAAAND! Yep, the primal growling is back once again in the latest DBZ game to hit the stands. It's pretty simple on the face. Over the top fighting with craptons of characters in the Dragonball Z universe. But like the previous Tenkaichi game, it goes a bit further beyond your standard 3D fighter and expands your battle arena into giant sweeping landscapes. Plus, since it's on the Wii, you've got some unique controls to get a handle on. DBZ is a guilty pleasure of mine. You have to go into it knowing that it's hokey, campy, and basically the Japanese version of He-Man. I never tried the previous Tenkaichi game because the lack of traditional fighterness turned me off. But I've been interested in DBZBT2 ever since I heard about the Wii controls making you actually do the proper hand moves to fire of a Kamehameha. So how does the game stack up? Read on and find out. I'm not gonna tell you here in the opening part, duh!