E3: Nintendo brings on the pain

Reggie Fils-Aime comes on stage because he wants to change the way you view the word "technology". "It shouldn't be about HD, Blu-ray, but it should be about the experience. Great technology married to great design is an experience like no other."

Ninty brings out the big guns, "an experience you've been waiting for". Yes, it's The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Semi-cel-shaded, semi-Twilight Princess. Wow.

Shigeru Miyamoto suddenly appears on a green screen dubbed in English, explaining the history of Zelda development circa 2004.

Wii MotionPlus was apparently key to the development of this new game, and Miyamoto calls for someone to demo the game's new controls. And fails.

Miserably.

Now that things in Nintendo land aren't looking quite good, Miyamoto comes to the rescue!

They're touting 1:1 motion tracking, and it's also failing badly. Hey Shigeru, this game isn't obviously ready for primetime.

Knowing Nintendo though, this game is going to be controlling quite well by release. Maybe there's lag due to the big screen being used, but even with that, the game's obviously still a work-in-progress.

Even with that, I like how you can actually control a few objects more granularly, in the sense that bombs can either be thrown or rolled. Miyamoto's blaming these snafus on Wi-fi interference though, and this is really Steve Jobs of them.

New gadgets include a beetle you can fly around with which is really cool. It'll kind of let you fly around a level to inspect and pick up unreachable items. Another item of interest is a whip you can use. A whip. Your dominatrix Zelda fanfiction just came true.

Seriously though, that whip is cool.

I know what's in store for this conference, but if I were actually watching this keynote for the first time, I would have my expectations lowered, if only because of these technicalities.

Reggie Fils-Aime goes back on stage to announce a new Mario game. No, it's not Galaxy 3, it's a sports game. Has volleyball, hockey, and basketball, all glorified with that arcade style Mario's known for. Coming in 2011, it's Mario Sports Mix. Might be fun, who knows?

Fils-Aime addresses some criticism for Wii, how it has waned in popularity and how games are sold less as time passes. "They're false assumptions," says Reggie. He then goes on to enumerate a lot of first-party games, thus somewhat making Reggie's claims pointless.

He then segueways to Nintendo's next "bridge" game: Wii Party.

In the spirit of Wii Play, it's pretty much another social game that's full of mini-games.

Next, Just Dance. Ubisoft's freaking everywhere.

I don't care much for it.

Fils-Aime goes back to the hardcore gamers by addressing the somewhat brief mention of a Golden Sun game for the DS last year. Now, it's getting a full-on trailer, along with a subtitle (Golden Sun: Dark Dawn). Looks really good.

I'm so loving my DS. Arrives "this holiday season".

Next comes a sudden segment talking about a new Goldeneye game. That's... very surprising! And the graphics look bad, a deliberate homage to the N64 days, or low production values?

I love that it has Daniel Craig in it, and it actually looks exciting. Activision's making it though. Hmm... well, maybe not Treyarch but yeah. It "arrives this holiday".

Epic Mickey is next on the pipeline, and I'm excited to see some really unique gameplay.

Warren Spector, the much-storied designer for Epic Mickey is called on stage to demo the game.

It's a 3D platformer with a catch: you can manipulate the world with your paint and paint thinner. You can draw things and erase the world.

Masahiro Sakurai is being featured by Reggie, and wait for it: Kirby's finally getting a new game in a console! The first time in seven years!

It's called Kirby: Epic Yarn, and the game looks astoundingly unique. This looks like art. Wow. Looks like it supports multiplayer. Releasing "this fall". That's a lot of blockbusters in one year!

Next game: Dragon Quest 9 for the DS. It's out in Japan, with 120 mini-quests (with more on WiFi), the ability to link with up to three DS's in an adventure and an lot of random treasure maps, this RPG is a huge craze over there. A localized version will be released on July 11.

Next, Metroid: Other M.

A return to 2D with FPS elements, it's pretty much Metroid with a new coat of paint.

Next, Retro Studios is working on a new Donkey Kong game. Yes, Donkey Kong Country is back. More specifically, it Returns.

Excellent.

Next: "3DS is on the way".

Satoru Iwata takes the stage and holds the new 3DS on his hand. The top screen is widescreen, and displays 3D without glasses.

There are a lot of cameras on the device. The cameras on the back are actually capable of taking 3D pictures: a nice touch. Also, Iwata reveals a new Slide Pad located above the d-pad. It will play some 3D movies from content providers like Disney, Warner Bros. and Dreamworks.

Next Iwata reveals Project Sora being worked on by Sakurai. What is it? It's Kid Icarus Uprising. Holy freaking crap.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!"

Wow. Talk about a great graphical upgrade for a handheld.

Another feature of note Iwata is introducing is a new way for games to communicate to your system. Basically, the old DS would have Nintendogs running, and under a Wi-Fi access point, another Nintendogs owner would be able to see you and wake your dog up, but the connection would stop when the cartridge was removed. Now, even without the cartridge, a 3DS can be communicated to. Does this mean that any software stored in the 3DS is finally separate from the hardware? Does this make the software downloaded from the DSi Store assigned to a user ID rather than an individual system? There are a lot of questions surrounding the specifics, but I hope Nintendo can sort all of those issues out.

Also, the launch lineup includes Nintendogs + Cats, as well as a lot of third-party titles from developers like Warner Bros., Atlus, Hudson, Marvelous, Ubisoft, SEGA, Harmonix, EA, Capcom, Bandai-Namco, Konami and more.

DJ Hero 3D, Professor Layton, Saint's Row, Madden NFL, Dynasty Warriors, Resident Evil, Kingdom Hearts, Batman, Assassin's Creed, Ridge Racer and here's a coup: METAL GEAR SOLID.

Bombshell, much?

A video about the Nintendo 3DS is shown.

I'm willing to bet that 5th Cell won't be leaving the DS any time soon.

In the end though, I'm so glad that Nintendo is going back and appealing once more to the hardcore. As Iwata said, "we've established the install base, now we want to make compelling games".

Another video is shown though featuring Satoru Iwata, Shigeru Miyamoto and Reggie Fils-Aime this time.

So far, this is really the only 3D display technology I've felt compelled to buy. And I really like how Reggie Fils-Aime got burned.

Reggie summons his echelon of booth babes to demonstrate the power of 3DS. I really want to see how the "3D sensation" will work. "No more glasses" should be the way of the future, really. Sony and Microsoft are working on 3D gaming but they have glasses. Nintendo is a step ahead.

Sounds fanboyish, but it's not.

P.S.

Other notable 3DS launch titles: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is being remade, along with Star Fox. That's awesome.

Nintendo introduces 3DS

After Avatar, every movie company has been screaming their respective heads off and promptly scurrying for their 3D cameras to cash in on the action. The gaming industry is actually no exception to this rule, and while nVidia has its fancy graphics card that requires the fancy monitor and the fancy glasses, Nintendo wants to take a different approach.

More specifically: they want 3D without the glasses.

While I have to admit that the prospect of that selling well is actually kind of high, especially since people don't want to pay for 6 more pairs of $150 glasses, I still can't find the point in all of this. There aren't really many details to be discussed about the device itself as of yet, but Nintendo is only hinting it as "the successor of the DS line", meaning that the 3DS will likely be a whole new playing field as far as Nintendo's handheld line goes, even going as far to say that "DS and DSi games are backwards compatible".

This raises a bit of hope that Nintendo will actually get rid of cartridges for its newer handheld games and distribute them digitally, ala the App Store or the DSiWare Shop. SD-HC will be the memory card, and Nintendo points are the currency.

Sounds rational, right?

Still, I have to mention once more: I can't find the point in all of this. If the system will be a huge graphical step up (as in, it'll possess graphics far superior to the PSP or the iPhone), maybe the upgrade will be a bit more warranted than that of, say, the DSi XL (which by the way isn't even released yet in the US). However, if it's just the same ol' DSi with 3D graphics, I don't see this device selling well, especially if cases of epilepsy or... 3DSickness or whatever get reported. It might just even be like a Virtual Boy... and we all know what happened to that piece of turd.

Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth Review

Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
Capcom
Nintendo DS

With 4 games under the Ace Attorney belt, it's hard not to get tired of the same mechanics and gimmicks that Capcom rehashes for every year a title gets released. However, the only thing that keeps fans coming back is pretty much story and new characters. I mean, even the twists that a case possesses has become familiar, so it's hard not to just sigh at the sight of yet another new entry in the series. Now, I'm a fan of the series, but after Apollo Justice, there was just... fatigue, really.

Fortunately, this new installment adds enough fresh mechanics but instills it with the familiar characters of the original "trilogy" to form a game that satisfies the fanboy within me and makes me want more. Couple that with the usual excellently-written dialogue and trademark interrogation gameplay mechanics and you get a very welcome, refreshing sequel.

Extremely accessible for newbies, Ace Attorney Investigations re-introduces prosecutor Miles Edgeworth as a man who only wishes to search for the truth at all costs. The story has him finding the right mantra for his aforementioned goal by subtly reflecting his inner struggle. And through it all, oh yeah, people get murdered. The familiar supporting cast: Detective Gumshoe, Franziska Von Karma, Manfred Von Karma... they're here, all right. That, and a few familiar faces that range from an old bag to a smelly troublemaker. While all the characters, even the new ones like Kay Faraday or Shi-Long Lang, get their due introductions, there are still a lot of in-jokes that will thrill the franchise's established fanbase. So yes, that may either be called a ladder, or a stepladder.

True, the story doesn't match up the caliber of the original, but what game in the series has? Despite that, Ace Attorney Investigations still has an intriguing story with 5 crime scenes to investigate and solve, each one increasing in length, difficulty and complexity as each case gets solved. All the events in the game happen in a span of 2 days in the game world, and while they are all tied together by a common thematic thread, you are rarely stuck in the courtroom.

One of the most refreshing changes of the game primarily comes from the new third-person perspective that is utilized for investigating, talking and moving around, naturally.

You are assigned a partner during your investigations, so yes, an on-screen character will follow you around. Now, it's usually not bothersome (and it gives the developers excuse to let the characters converse every time Edgeworth gives stiff descriptions for every piece of evidence found at the scene), but there are times when the character actually blocks a crucial piece of the room that needs to be examined, but that's easily remedied by, well, walking to the assistant's direction. Still, when your eyes feel strained but your mind feels intrigued, it's hard to just... never mind.

Another refreshing new mechanic to the investigation is Edgeworth's ability to use "Logic". Basically, there will be times when a piece of evidence spawns a sort of "thought". When you have multiple pieces of "thought", you can press the Logic button during the investigation to bind these "thoughts" in a way that is most... well, logical.

While it can be a bit frustrating when two pieces of logic don't really work for the game, but sound logical in the real world, these cases are pretty rare. Still, one will need to be cautious when the game considers your logic to be screwed up, because on the top screen there is a sort of "Life bar" akin to fighting games. When you screw up, you suffer humiliation from your peers (usually your partner, or Franziska) and your "Life bar" depletes. When depleted entirely, the case is out of your hands and in the words of Edgeworth, "the truth is lost forever".

The life bar is also present during your interrogations (or arguments), and these are scenarios wherein you, prosecutor Miles Edgeworth, are tasked upon exposing the lies (or snafus) of witnesses or exploiting the holes in logic of colleagues. These play out almost exactly the same as the courtroom sequences in the original Ace Attorney games, but the novelty is that you're able to just interrogate or argue with people outside the courtroom, meaning that there's no judge to comment on everything. Still, it's not like arguing with these people with baseless conjecture is enough to convince them of your point (especially that... last dude, urgh...), you'll need to present evidence to support your "OBJECTION!". Still, if you feel like a testimony is a bit too airtight, you can always "Press" a witness' statement to squeeze out more information. Even the most trivial of matters is important to solving a case, so keep an eye on your evidence at all times.

Because when you do expose a contradiction, you just feel satisfied with yourself. I don't know why, but that part plays a huge role in the series' appeal. Still, a bit of that satisfaction is lost when you find out that you can actually save virtually anywhere, anytime (although there is no "auto-save"). Really, a life bar becomes a bit moot when you can just load the moment right before the presentation of evidence. But you can't fault the game, it's just built with portability in mind.

There are also other things you can do in a certain crime scene. When you find something of note, the screen will magnify to that part and you can take a closer look, ala the old Ace Attorney games, in a 2D plane. When the "Examine" button appears, that's how you'll know when a crucial part of evidence is present so you'll rarely get stuck searching every nook and cranny for anything of note, because the game offers you indication of what exactly is of note.

Using evidence, you'll sometimes have to "Deduce" something about the crime scene. That means that the crime scene seems different and contradicts the facts known about a certain piece of evidence (or testimony). This may prove that the scene was tampered with, or there was something conflicting about date or time of murder.

Again, the life bar plays a part in this, and when you get the contradiction wrong, the life bar depletes.

What you may or may not get stuck with is testimony, however, and that's because the game goes on in a linear pace, so you'll need to adapt to the game's line of logic and reasoning. You can't defend a piece of evidence that should be technically correct! When the game thinks your line of logic is wrong, it's wrong, period. Alas, this has been a trademark of the franchise, and cases of this happen quite rarely anyway, so in actuality, it's a bit of a minor nitpick.

Despite the themes of murder and corruption, the game still manages to keep a goofy sense of humor, and despite introducing new and quirky characters, each of them is given a reason for existence, and a bit of backstory to boot. An airhead of a woman may turn out to be more than just a lovestruck co-conspirator, or a girl you think you didn't know is actually the one who saved your life years ago. This is one of the best things about the series, and it's glad to see it retained in this refresh of the series.

Also retained? The heavy text-based nature of the game.

The game's trademark presentation- a combination of sound effects, sparsely animated facial expressions, scarce voiceovers and flashes of light- are all left intact, and it's still as effectively done as ever. Maybe it's the well-written dialogue that seals the whole deal, but whatever the case, reading all this exhaustive text is still quite an engaging "chore", and the background music for each character is exquisitely done.

Existing fans of the Phoenix Wright trilogy (as well as the Apollo Justice game) may need to adjust to Edgeworth's stiff demeanor, but the man's charming enough and brimming with personality to deserve your 10 hours of game time. There are a lot of in-jokes and visual cues to take note of for old fans, but they're not prominent enough to alienate new players. Overall, this installment is an enjoyable return to the world of twisted lawyering that is Ace Attorney, and I couldn't be happier.

Rating: 8/10

Metroid: Other M surprises

Last E3, one of the biggest highlights of the Nintendo conference was the epic trailer that got Nintendo fans in a tizzy: Metroid: Other M. The opening sequence revealing the developers was all it needed to gain an absurd amount of hype, and that's because it was Team Ninja on the helm of this adventure, probably with a bit of Nintendo assistance as well.

Today on the Nintendo World Summit, the big N opened up a brief demo of this much-anticipated third-person/first-person shooter hybrid, and quite frankly, a lot of the design choices that were made are quite shocking.

The previews refer to the control scheme as "extremely different". Basically, the controls do not rely on the Nunchuk to work; you'll have to use the Wiimote sidewards ala New Super Mario Bros. Wii. However, the game comes with a few more tricks up its sleeve.

I'm sure Metroid Prime fans will be glad to know that the game does have a bit of a first-person perspective. You can point the Wii remote at the screen and the game will shift from side-scrolling third-person mode, to the first-person shooter mode where you can accurately assign targets for your lethal shots. This game also has the Search mode which can be initiated through pressing the B button.

Also, by tilting the Wiimote upward (like an umbrella), there seems to be a "concentration mode" which replenishes Samus' supply of missiles and a bit of health. That seems quite weird for me, since it might render Samus immobile especially during a fight, but we'll see what happens when the game actually comes out with its final build.

I'm not sure the Wiimote's d-pad is the best way to control a fully-rendered 3D game, but from what I've read, the controls are pretty workable. Frankly, the thing that will truly matter is the exploration. If it offers much exploration and unlockables, as well as some pretty epic boss battles, then I'm all for the game.

It is set for a pretty exciting launch date of June, but until then, there's Super Mario Galaxy 2 to hold me off in the month of May, maybe some Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands if it actually manages to be any good. The art direction seems to make the game look much better than Rival Swords.

And didn't I mention Red Steel 2? How about Sin and Punishment: Star Successor? Damn, that one looks good.

Nintendo caters to "adults"

When Nintendo swore on the mantra of "Everybody's game.", they probably really meant everybody. Today, GameSpot has reported on a new patent Nintendo has made detailing a man sitting on a cushion... that vibrates.

The real intention for Nintendo with this device is to simulate horse-back riding with the Wiimote and Nunchuk as your reins.

The patent also describes that the cushion will have accelerometers to detect if you're... bouncing on it and it may apply some haptic feedback while you're at it.

Gaming porn may just see a revitalization yet. Custer's Revenge Wii here we come! (Wow, I have issues.)

Punch-Out!! Review (Wii)

Punch-Out!!

Nintendo Wii

Nintendo, Next Level Games

In today's gaming world, it's all about online multiplayer, first-person shooters, and photorealistic sports simulators. So it's quite astonishing to even see a game like Punch-Out!! be so much the same as its NES counterpart yet so freshly fun at the same time.

What sets Punch-Out!! apart from games like Fight Night or God forbid, Facebreaker is that it's still the same pattern-based, reflex-dependent game that baby boomers reminisce so much about. Despite the nostalgic value the game holds, it also holds up well with the jaded audiences of today. The sheer accessibility and challenge makes this game a perfect example of a reboot done well. Not only does it have a sort of "pick-up-and-play" control scheme (or schemes), it doesn't feel dumbed down either, making this game a great way to unite casual and hardcore gamers.

But how do you even play this? You can use either just the Wiimote and orient it to landscape to make it play like the old NES version, use the Wiimote and Nunchuk so you can punch using your hands (but dodge using the Nunchuk's analog stick), or use the Wiimote, Nunchuk and the Balance Board- although I've heard that Balance Board support sucked. As for the actual controls, they're very much simple: when your opponent flashes red, that means he's about to attack you. Dodge the right direction (up, right, down or left) and you get the chance to pummel the opponent down with a combo. Simple, right? Well, how about we also add a "super-punch" mechanic into the mix? Punch your opponent in the right time and you get a star. A star allows you to activate the super-punch by holding the A button and punching. Still simple, yes?

It does all sound too simple, but just wait until you actually play it. True, the first opponent you encounter (Glass Joe) is easy as croissant, but succeeding opponents aren't so forgiving. To give you a hint on how hard this game can get, I have an embarrasing 14-31 record. For those who aren't into sports, that's 14 wins and 31 losses. Yes, 31 freaking losses. That's how hard the game can get. Even with all the visual and aural cues, you'll still find yourself sweating and swearing in frustration due to dodging in the wrong direction, among other human faults.

That said, the game is still tons of fun. Even if you win after, say, 12 attempts at the same opponent, you'll still feel this sense of joy-- it feels rewarding to win. That feeling can probably be attributed to the human psyche's dream of being able to conquer people who are bigger than him (WTF am I saying?!) because the presentation of the game has you feeling so small and the enemy so big.

The cel-shaded aesthetic, however, is very much welcome. Even though aiming for photorealism is the norm for sports games, the decision to use cel-shading very much benefits the game as it adds to the charm of the already charming characters. True, the characters can get a bit too stereotypical- croissants will fly over Parisian Glass Joe's head, for instance- but the "happy" overall feel of the game will probably make you dismiss it as something done out of sheer fun.

The single-player mode (Career mode) pits you against 13 different boxers with several distinct fighting styles. Obviously, your approach will be different with each one. There seems to even be a new character in the Punch-Out!! roster called Disco Kid. If homoerotic moans get you creeped (crept?) out, I suggest you to not take them seriously.

Each fight starts with a 4 picture slideshow of your adversary. That basic slideshow gives you an impression of each fighter's backstory. But trust me on this when I say Punch-Out!! has never been about story, so don't expect much from these slideshows.

But the career mode doesn't exactly end after you beat the 13th boxer, you'll be able to go through all of them again to defend your title, but they come in with more moves and sometimes protective gear that will force you to change your strategy again. It's very varied, which I like, and it very much pushes replay value.

Even Glass Joe's fragile head gets protection.

Adding even more to replay value is the local multiplayer aspect of the game- a first in the franchise. It operates on nearly the same principles as the career mode, but it offers a twist: punch your enemy enough and you'll become as big as all those other guys you fought-- in short, Giga Mac. The player who gets left behind as Little Mac will be able to see all those red flashes that the boxers in Career mode will emit when they get ready to throw a punch, and the same mechanics with all the combos and stuff in the Career mode apply as well. This makes for a varied and extremely fun twist on the formula- and it also makes for very fun 2-player split-screen sessions.

While there is no online, nor any photorealistic graphics, Punch-Out!! for the Wii is still very much a lot of fun- and it is very much worth a buy even when you don't have any nostalgic feelings toward it.

Rating: 8.5/10

E3 '09: The Two In Nintendo

Yes, I'm using yesterday's format for reporting the E3 news. No bolding or italicizing, sorry.

--------------------------------

Nintendo starts it off with a video that reaffirms its focus on the casual market. Cammie Dunaway comes back on stage this year and boasts about the expansion of gaming into the mainstream marketplace. Hmm, gaming in general, I think.

"Today we will bring you the leap forward in game control and put in places you may not expect." she then hints on a Mario game, and a retrospective comes out detailing the NES, SNES, N64, DS and Wii adventures.

"Four is the key to Mario's next surprise," she hints again, "a Mario game that's never been possible before- New Super Mario Bros. for Wii". Bombshell already?

Someone gets called to demo New Super Mario Bros. Wii, "we add more players," he said. The four rotate the Wiimote NES-style. Graphics look exactly like the DS version?

One box automatically makes 4 items appear. New Propeller power-up revealed. Somehow reminds me of LittleBigPlanet, still looks fun. (Cross-reference: GiantBomb says final game may get 80 levels!!!!)

Carrie talks again, confirms Holiday 2009 window. No online? That would be a big draw.

She hints at the rumored Wii Fit Plus. Is it true? Hints at sales figures of the Wii Fit... shut up. Shut up. Shut up.

There ya go, it's true. Wii Fit Plus is true. "This next version moves in an added direction. Find an exercise routine that fits you. 6 new Yoga and Strength exercises and combine in any order you want as well as repeat ones you think are helpful. It will keep track of calories burned. But there are 15 new balance games because Nintendo flavor isn't there if it isn't fun." Basically they're addressing common criticisms of the original.

Personally, the platforming game in Wii Fit Plus is the only that looks kinda fun. "Will support existing Wii Balance Board and ship with it"

A video of the Wii is shown... but for what?

Anyway, Reggie Fils-Aime goes on stage. He talks the good about Wii and free publicity through word of mouth, etc.. He's pleasing the shareholders.

He points out Wii MotionPlus. Old news, man. Nothing to see here. "Wii MotionPlus adds precision control" then a video comes out. -yawn- Ping pong... basketball... swordfighting... archery... golf (again?)... jet skiing...

JUST RELEASE WII SPORTS RESORT ALREADY. We get it... although I guess the basketball and the swordfighting look pretty cool.

Reggie punches Peter Molyneux in the face, "With video you can do anything". Now they demo the actual game... AGAIN. Did Nintendo erase all memory of last year's E3 conference?

But wait a sec, SKYDIVING?!

Looks really NOT fun. Seriously, but I guess Project Natal won't be able to do this either. But I guess my brother thinks it's cool.

Now archery gets demoed. -sigh- He's embarrassing himself by sucking. Fine Nintendo, I'm gonna buy Wii MotionPlus but for Red Steel 2 and all those other games that will obviously use it.

Next, Reggie gets invited back out on stage so he can co-op with the demoer whoever he is. What game are they demoing again? Oh, basketball. Side shots only? Lame. Looks tiring in long runs. Reggie wins, probably demotes demoer for actually "trash-talking" him.

July 26 is the release date for Wii Sports Resort, but Reggie points out EA's other games. Tiger Woods and Grand Slam Tennis, both by EA, will come packed in with the accessory, as well as SEGA's Virtua Tennis 2009.

"Every little mistake you make in the real world will be faithfully reflected in the game." Great, more reason to embarrass myself.

Reggie points out the Red Steel 2 will only play when you have MotionPlus. -raspberry- Lame. No demo?

"Let's go to the RPG. It allows devs to vary their approach and this means a new world for Square Enix in the FF franchise" Bad voice acting and script are shown in a trailer for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers. It might suck.

Then Kingdom Hearts 358/2 for DS is shown as well. Kairi in Organization wear? Many other familiar characters from the world are shown, and it looks pretty good. Pretty faithful to the PS2.

"Bowser really does suck. But in a good way." Latest Mario and Luigi RPG shown (in Japan it's Mario and Luigi 3, here it's Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story) and the premise is shown. Basically, the two get sucked into Bowser's stomach. I'm excited as hell for this, but because I loved Mario and Luigi Partners in Time. Wow, the Bowser segments look epic. Fall is the release window.

One more RPG is shown. What is it? ZELDA? ZELDA? ZELDA? ZELDA? ZELDA? ZELDA? ZELDA? Oh wait, it's not. Golden Sun is this franchise they're talking about. I'm not familiar with it, but it looks pretty damn good.

Carrie goes back on stage and boasts about the install base. AGAIN. Can't there be more games? Oh God, what the hell is this Women's Murder Club crap? Ugh... lame. Stick to books James Patterson.

C.O.P. The Recruit is shown, and it's a Ubisoft game. Judging from Ubi's track record in the Nintendo arena, I think it'll suck. Maybe the GTA clone will actually NOT suck?

What is this pre-teen crap now? Style Savvy. Spare me. Well, at least it has an online component unlike... NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. WII... Damn it, all the online in the all the wrong games.

Another "Everyone's game" video comes out, and it's about the DSi. Ugh... bla bla bla, 1 million units, bla bla bla, 400000 units for the DS Lite, bla bla bla.

Now they're talking about the DSiWare. A flipbook game, a Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! game (in which one can make levels) and WarioWare DIY (in which players can design their own microgames) are exclusively for download. WarioWare DIY is the only one that interests me.

Carrie announces a new feature for DSi. Basically, you can upload pictures to Facebook so you can make new enemies by editing your friends' faces.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is now featured. No footage? Ugh....

ANOTHER EVERYONE'S GAME VIDEO. GAH.

Satoru Iwata goes on stage. No one's clapping. He's talking in English, and wants the "Maybe?" gamer group to be able to finalize their stance on gaming. This "Maybe?" = 149 Million people round the world. Fine. So what? Ugh, is this speech even worth listening to?

I think he's talking about the hardcore and the casual and how they're so divided or something like that. Maybe he wants to stick two and two together through a really good casual-hardcore game? Who knows?

Yeah, I'm sensing a new kind of game that caters to both audiences. New Super Mario Bros., Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort are those games, he says. No they aren't.

He's gonna announce a new IP? Stop teasing... Oh what's this? Wii Vitality Sensor? You stick your finger inside it and... what? It looks creepy. It's like sticking your finger onto a little stapler. Some practical uses, please? "A new way to relax"? WTF. WILL GAMES EVEN USE IT? IS IT EVEN A GAME TOOL? COME ON, DON'T LEAVE IWATA.

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Carrie goes back to the stage and points out the Mario games that were announced of which there are several. Now, she's gonna reveal "the first second full 3D Mario title on a single Mario console". YES, IT'S SUPER MARIO GALAXY 2!

It seems you can now be controlled by Yoshi ala Super Mario World. As usual, it looks really good visually, hope they screw the rolling segments though. I doubt that.

Whatever, it looks really good. But I'm still not a fan of swimming.

Reggie says that all of those were "innovative and surprising". Well, it sure was surprising. That Vitality Sensor sure looks like crap.

"Let me offer third-party examples for Wii that you'll be able to play before the year's end." He shows The Conduit by SEGA which gets out in a few weeks (or was it days?), Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles by Capcom which is basically RE: Zero in light gun format, as well as Dead Space: Extraction by EA. Old news, all of them, and only three games? That kinda sucks, although Dead Space looks pretty good. Or not.

"Third party developers are drawn by opportunity, and Nintendo provides a lot of it." Yeah, opportunity to put shovelware and make a cheap buck.

Team Ninja and Nintendo?! What the? Holy... Project M... what is this? It looks good... SAMUS? METROIDDDDD... WTF IT LOOKS PRETTY... Pretty... pretty.. what the hell did they DO TO IT?! Third-person?! Samus looks badass as always though. Who is the scientist lady? 2010, huh?

No one clapped at that?! I need to know more!!!!!!

But the excitement ends... ugh... more everybody's game crap. UGH... that kinda sucked, but not as much as last year. And why didn't they even say anything about any new Zelda? Miyamoto had to confirm it in private?!

Rock Band 2 Review (WII)

Rock Band 2: Special Edition (Wii version reviewed)

EA Games, MTV Games, Harmonix, Pi Studios

It's not always when Harmonix screws something up. True, the LEGO mashup may be one case, but Rock Band (1) for the Wii is another.

You see, the first iteration of the franchise for the white dude had a lot of features stripped from its beefier 360 and PS3 counterparts: character creation, online play and most importantly for me, the online music store.

Fortunately, Harmonix has made up for the disappointment of the multitudes of Wii owners by offering a bigger, better, badder Rock Band 2. It's simply nearly identical to its big brothers from the art direction to the myriads of clothes on offer in Character Creation mode.

It's a rather massive game now in comparison to that of the first iteration, so I'll just sift through some of the major ones.

Graphics and Presentation

The departure of pre-rendered videos is very welcome, as it's very cute to see your own character miss notes when you do, as the "concert" that happens while you play is now rendered in real-time. Some frame rate issues do occur, but it's only noticeable when you are the singer in the band. Other than that, the characters and animation have very impressive art direction and fluidity. You'll even love how, at times, the avatar of the guitarist would sing along and share the mic with the singer.

The flexible character creation even lets you create some of the most outrageous avatars you'll find in a rock game, and they are all rendered flawlessly. Subtle uses of your characters in loading screens (as well as your band's name) also look extremely cool to boot. Hell, the only issue I'd have with the presentation of Rock Band would have to be the fact that it isn't in HD!

Instruments

The quality of the instruments is pretty solid. I personally would've liked the guitar to have better fret buttons, as well as some more responsiveness, but overall, I think the included instruments (1 set of drums, 1 guitar, 1 USB mic) will last very long. 

You'll need 3 AA batteries (included in the box) for drums and guitar for they are wireless, but you'll only probably exchange them every 2 months or so. We bought Rock Band 2 during the last week of February, and yet the guitar still lives on without a single battery change. The drums on the other hand, has just received its first battery change 2 weeks ago. Take note though, that battery life will still depend on how long you play in one sitting.

Drum sticks get black quick though, as they are made of actual wood and not plastic.

Gameplay Mechanics

Gameplay is relatively easy to pick up with drums as the color coded rings of the real instrument reflect the colors of the notes that will appear on screen. Guitar on the other hand, handles like a real one. You can hold the fret buttons, but you'll have to strum using the strum bar first before the game accepts it. (For training and more information about contorls, one could be able to go to a very detailed tutorial or just train on any part of any song)

Singing is radically different beast, obviously, but it's not just karaoke- it also detects correct pitch. No, actually, it's more pitch than words, so if you don't know a part of the song but you know the tune of it, you can just hum your way to victory. Some parts of a certain song where the instrumentalists go solo are supplemented with "clapping sessions". Basically, the vocalist will also have to clap to the beat- as indicated by scrolling black circles overlapping a stationary white circle.

When someone is doing miserably, a team member can use stored energy (which can be received through playing grey notes or singing yellow phrases correctly) to go into "overdrive". Overdrive is basically Rock Band's answer to Guitar Hero's "Star Power": it can "save" the troubled band member from failing, or even ressurect a band member who has already failed. One would know if failure is imminent by checking out a green/yellow/red meter on the left corner of the screen. When someone is going down that meter, it means he/she is doing badly or missing notes. When he/she reaches the bottommost part of that meter, he/she fails and must be "saved" through the Overdrive of the other bandmates- and fast because the meter turns yellow and later, red when someone fails. Basically, a failed bandmate will take the rest of you down with him, and if the others don't rush to save him (or are too late) they'll all fail the song; this mechanic definitely encourages teamwork and some frantic moments.

But of course, failing just sucks, doesn't it? This is why you can choose to activate a "No Fail" mode which effectively removes all chances of failure- as well as the ability to save your progress in Tour (aka, Career) Mode.

High Score OCD

Much of the replay value present in these types of games lies in the basic "I want to beat that high score" psychology- if you could call it that. This is why Harmonix also put "Solo" and "Rock Ending" mechanics. The former basically adds bonus points depending on how well you play a guitar/drum solo while the latter gives the players bonus points when an ending is successfully executed. 

Let me delve more into these "endings". The notes suddenly look like spreaded jam, meaning that you could just do anything with your instrument- and yes, that means strumming any fret, banging any part of the drum, and screaming/speaking gibberish into the mic- and after that part, the points will be given to you depending on just one condition: will the instrumentalists be able to play the last few notes? When they are able to not miss the last note(s), the points are given to you. Otherwise- when the player screws up on that last note- no bonus points for you!

Online

The actual experience of Rock Band lies in the number of people you have at your disposal. If you play it with a full band, a certain feeling surfaces- and that abstract, indescribable feeling is pretty much the thing that makes Rock Band so good and dare I say it, magical. Still, your friends or family aren't always around- they have lives too- so online is here to cure your loneliness.

There are two major online modes: Online Tour and Battle of the Bands. Online Tour enables you to find other people who are lonely too, and they could serve as one (or all) of the missing members of your band.

While I have yet to be able to find a full band online, I was able to find several guitarists, and the song I picked was Joan Jett's Bad Reputation. It doesn't replace real people who are there with you, but it's close.

Searches would take long depending on the time you go online and the number of people who are actually on and/or already playing, of course..

Personally, I haven't actually tried the latter- Battle of the Bands. Basically, its premise is that you can connect your entire band online and fight with other bands who are online.

Music Store

For the first time in the Wii edition, Rock Band gets its own Music Store where you can now download 20 free songs out of the box as well as purchase more famous songs. Each song costs 200 Nintendo Points or $2.00, and while the 630 song-catalogue is not yet complete in the Wii, it's getting there. New songs added in the 360 and PS3 are currently being added alongside the songs that play catch-up. So while there's no My Sharona yet, you could now get the newly added Spongebob songs.

Now Go Party!!!

Wii owners (or PS3 and 360 owners for that matter) who are fans of the rhythm genre (or just like to conduct parties in general) will consider Rock Band 2 a no-brainer. Personally, it's even better than Guitar Hero: World Tour even if its drums have those (unintuitive) cymbals and just 2 more songs than Rock Band 2. When you pop this in and you start playing with several friends, you're just gonna be so elated. It's just a gratifying experience with others- and Rock Band's ability to make people feel this way is unsurpassed, thus making Rock Band 2 (or the franchise in general) one of the best rhythm game(s) of all time.

Rating: 9.3/10

Should Nintendo and Sony adopt the App Store model?

Apple is counting down the days 'till they reach their 1 billionth download in the App Store, so it's glaringly obvious that the model is working for them, for developers, and most of all, for consumers. Hell, they're even giving away some iPod touches and MacBook Pro's to a lucky downloader but I won't delve deeper into that.

The point here is, since Apple's App Store model is extremely successful, should actual gaming companies follow suit and provide games for their handhelds through an online connection and an iTunes-like middleman?

Sony and Nintendo have the resources, the software experience (Sony has a mixed record with regards to bundled software, though), platforms (Sony PSN, Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection) and the memory card compatibility (Memory Stick for PSP, SD/SD High Capacity for DSi) to provide all of this so nothing's actually stopping them from creating a Steam-esque/App Store-esque gaming marketplace. If they so choose, they could still sell games in retailers so they can have a share of that audience (esp. for the DS and DS Lite), but ultimately, they could also create a thriving community that is built on the premise of being able to download PSP or DS games straight through the device online or through your computer (and PSP/DSi syncing will put it inside their memory cards).

Besides, the PSP and DSi, like the iPhone and iPod touch, have multimedia features like music playback, video playback (PSP only), photo viewer, camera/s (DSi only; PSP accessory sold separately in Japan and Singapore), etc., so a media manager like iTunes isn't that bad of an idea at all. In fact, the PSP already has one (but it's not bundled with the PSP, and unlike iTunes, it's not free) so it would do Sony good to actually add PSP downloads into the software so games can be accessed through Memory Stick (like how the pirates do it).

Additionally, Nintendo and Sony could use their respective built-in stores (PlayStation Store and DSi Shop) as a springboard for the model. If consumers are hesitant to give out their credit card numbers, they could already use the Nintendo Points and PlayStation points available in the market! After you download from the respective stores, you can sync your purchases to your computer and everything can be copied. I mean, if your PSP and/or DSi is stolen, at least you still have all your games with you in your computer, instead of having the game/games stolen with them. If your computer breaks down, you could retrieve the games in your newly reformatted computer by installing the media managers and authorizing your account in them so all your paid games can start re-downloading like iTunes.

One final reason why Nintendo and Sony should implement an App Store/iTunes model is due to one thing: cartridges and propriety storage can get really old. And expensive. I mean, if you want to play one game and switch to another, it would be a lot better if you could just go to the home screen of each respective handheld and just select the next game you want to play instead of having to switch UMDs or cartridges. And frankly, Nintendo DS cartridges are pretty small so they could get lost.

So obviously, I like the idea of having an App Store model to these handhelds. They could potentially cut production costs (or maintain them somewhat), reduce the rate of people rebuying their stolen games, and be a bit more environmentally friendly. After Apple made the splash with the App Store, I actually didn't touch my DS until after a few months (and that was because I was charging my iPod touch). Please make it happen (at least in the next generation of handhelds)!

Chrono Trigger Review

Chrono Trigger (DS)
Square-Enix
2008

Following in the Square-Enix tradition of porting their old games to the DS, they now feast their eyes on the fan favorite Chrono Trigger. But to make fans even crazier, Square Enix put some additional content, like a formal English translation, two additional dungeons, a new ending and a new Arena mode (which I never really figured out).

Now for a little history. First released in the 90s to much fanfare in gamer circles, Chrono Trigger was an RPG that was made by a so-called 'dream team' composed of the greatest minds from both Squaresoft and Enix at the time (basically when Square Enix merger didn't happen yet). The game also made big names out of several industry figures, and it pretty much took not only the genre forward, but also the industry itself in one way or another.

Now you may think that just because the original SNES game was a such a classic (and that the new game, err, remake adds more to the experience with new content and portability), I'd give it a ten in a heartbeat, but seriously, no. But before the fanboys out there go out and flame me, let me also say that the flaws in this gem are rather minor and the core experience is unforgettable and top-notch.

Let's get a background on the story over here. Crono is just an ordinary teen who resides in the fictional town of Truce during 1000 A.D., and this year is particularly noteworthy because it's when they hold the Millenial Fair- a fair held every thousand years. Everything changes when Crono bumps into exuberant Marle as she later dares to jump in Crono's inventor friend Lucca's teleportation machine. Thing is, the teleporter goes wrong and a time portal opens, sending Marle into another time period. This journey then suddenly becomes a bit more epic in scale as they travel from time period to time period to try and rewrite history as well as the apocalyptic future for that matter from the evil hand of Lavos.

You'd think that the game has aged too much due to the fact that its plot revolves around the now tired concept of time travel. Well, don't you go crying cliché on me right now because the game manages to use this foundation in a fresh, coherent way. How? Well, it's something best explained through experience, although I'll tell you this: despite the shifts in time periods, the big picture manages to flow oh-so smoothly in a manner that doesn't seem confusing at all. There will be times when you'll have to use the time element to affect a few other minor events as well, which is really cool when you get to do it.

Additionally, the characters have their own distinct (if not stereotypical in a manner of viewing) personalities and they come off as a really unique and unforgettable cast. The distinct style of Akira Toriyama (Dragonball) makes sure of that. Hell, everything artfully made in this game is beautiful, even if sometimes a few crucial paths look like walls (that just adds more opportunity for Easter eggs and hidden items which I like). The music goes hand-in-hand with the art direction, and the score is haunting, riveting, beautiful... it deserves an orchestral treatment, in my opinion. Instead, we're stuck to the same 16-bit era versions, although that's not to say that the quality of the music deteriorates due to it- in fact, a 16-bit score may just spur much more nostalgia instead to the retro gamer. Truly, the musicians worked hard to make the score sound as if it was played by true instruments of which they somehow succeed in doing.

Something else that's fresh is the gameplay. Yes, you may have seen the ATB battle system before in some games like FF8 but Chrono Trigger pretty much invented it (correct me if I'm wrong though). What is this ATB thing, you say? Well, let's say that there's a small bar below your character's stats: hit points, magic points, the usual. That small bar will constantly be filled up by a blue bar, and when it's full, you get to make your move as to whether you attack, use Techs (Magic) or Items. Basically you have to wait for a bar to fill up so you can take your turn. Despite the seemingly boring description, I think it's much more exciting and strategic than the usual turn-based battle systems used by many others. Like I said, you just have to experience it.

Subtler changes like being able to move while talking to a person (or when a dialog box is displayed), a silent protagonist (at the time of its release it was a new thing), the ability to evade fights with monsters (the game displays monsters in your field of vision unlike other RPGs that rely on random encounters so you only have to fight them when you make contact with them) as well as the fact that fights start instantly after monster contact without any loading or scenario changes contribute tons to the gameplay experience as a whole. I mean, I haven't seen many an RPG that lets players walk around an area while another person is talking to them or when the game announces that you made a discovery in a treasure box, nor have I experienced many an RPG that has fights that just start instantly- within the snap of a finger without those flashy transitions and 3D scenario changes. I mean, once you play this game, you'll be going ape-shit and you'll be asking questions like, "Why aren't modern RPGs doing THIS?!".

Still, I have a few complaints to get out of the way: most of the time, the game doesn't really give a clear hint as to where you have to go next. I spend much of my time exploring the world and finding out if something will happen in one place or another. It can be excruciating sometimes, but that's what walkthroughs are for. Additionally, a few of the new elements added in by Square Enix for the DS don't really matter much. The new content is composed of fetch quests which go stale, and I can't freakin understand the Arena mode which is basically Pokemon-esque. How can I get my own friggin beast to actually be able to use this mode?! Can anyone in-game tell me?!

Seriously, I think Square Enix should've only added the new ending and put the game out because with the now 13 endings to unlock and watch, the addition makes for loads of replay value alone.

The game is really good as it holds quite a place in my heart (look at me, I'm using understatements!), and the DS version may just be the definitive one since it also adds the anime cutscenes from the PS1 remake minus the load times. If you haven't played Chrono Trigger, then you just might be missing half your (gamer) life. A must-buy for DS owners.

Rating: 9.3/10

P.S. If you were wondering about the length of this adventure, a playthrough with only 4 or 5 sidequests done and only the general ending unlocked will garner 24 hours of game time. There's a LOT of sidequests and endings to unlock, mind you.

House of the Dead: Overkill Review

House of the Dead: Overkill

SEGA, Headstrong Games

Wii

It really seems that only SEGA is pretty much going to be the top-tier publisher for hardcore Wii titles this year. While Sonic and the Black Knight did pretty bad, the fallen Dreamcast maker has still spurred a lot of interest through its other games like MadWorld and House of the Dead: Overkill- the latter of which I'm going to review.

Intended to be a prequel to the previous games in the franchise, House of the Dead: Overkill makes a noticeable step-up from those games and gives the game a real personality and distinct signature into it. Anyway, you once again star as Agent G- a name that becomes a running gag- and you fight zom- err, mutants alongside a man who likes to say the word f-k 3 times a second named Isiah Washington. Luckily, the speakers of my TV are crappy enough to block out Isiah's extremely constant swearing, but I unluckily am left out of more of the extremely funny exchanges between the duo.

I seriously love the humor, the gunplay, the tone, and the music of the game. I mean, it's a really good HOTD game but there are also a lot of things that block the title from greatness.

Gamers will definitely note the sheer length of the game- or rather, the lack of it. I mean, there are only 7 missions, and while each mission seems to be really well-crafted, they are extremely short and extremely easy- especially with a second player. Those alone are going to be deal-breakers for some, but fortunately, there are quite a few unlockables (and damn good guns), and mini-games (which supports 2-4 players, unlike the campaign which supports only 2) that will make one come back for more.

Another potential deal-breaker for some is the fact that the game doesn't run for a minute without someone saying a swear word. While I'm fine with swear words as they are used to over-the-top and humorous effect, some will definitely not like the excessiveness of them (or maybe they just won't understand the context of the game). In fact, the game has set a real record for most swear words in the Guiness Book of World Records Gamer Edition!

Yet another less deal-breaking component of the game is the occasional dip in frame rate. OK, that's a really minor flaw given the horsepower of the Wii, but it's definitely a noticeable damper to the action. Plus, the game is still on-rails meaning that you're not exactly in control of where the characters go as that part is merely automatic (but you still can use the Wiimote to look slightly upward, slightly downward, slightly left, and slightly right).

And finally, there is gonna be a lot of disgusting sh*t (for lack of a better word) abound, so be sure to take the warning "Have a strong stomach" seriously, especially in the near-end which involves brain-swapping and mother err..., never mind.

Still, it's well-written, extremely funny and just plain fun, House of the Dead: Overkill ditches the old over-seriousness (that led to some unintentional laughs) and embraces a B-movie look that suits the series extremely well. The environments are extremely stylish and the soundtrack is slick! Seriously, there's a lot to love about HOTD: OK but there are also a lot of things that hold it down from greatness- and that's just unfortunate.

Rating: 8.5/10

Sonic Rush (DS) review

Sonic Rush

Nintendo DS

SEGA, Sonic Team, Dimps Corporation

Released in 2005, you'd expect this game to be one of those really bad stinkers you'd find in regular consoles. Fortunately for series fans, this game reminds everyone why Sonic is still popular in the first place.

With Dimps once again taking the reins on this 2D platforming adventure from the GameBoy Advance to the Nintendo DS, it's a no-brainer that the game would be what Sonic really is about: speed and fun.

Like the extremely popular New Super Mario Bros. coming after it, it models the characters in 3D and the environments are in 2D with some 3D elements thrown in the mix. And like that other game, it works extremely well. The character models look good, and the environments are extremely colorful and varied.

The action however, unlike that other game, occurs on both screens instead of only on top, and the developers utilize both screens to nice effect (as well as giving you a bit of a heads-up on whether there's an enemy above).

But the thing that matters most in a Sonic game is the speed, and the game delivers on that promise as it introduces a mechanic that makes the blue blur even faster- a dash attack. While you can dispatch enemies by jumping, you'll have to slow down to see them, thus the dash attack removes all that and lets you enjoy adrenaline-pumping speed continuously throughout the level. This dash attack doesn't last very long, however, as there is a limit to how long you can do it indicated by a meter on the left side of the screen. You can fill up this meter, easily enough, by mashing the B button mid-air, and this causes Sonic (or Blaze) to do tricks. This system is rather addicting, and you'll want to rack up the points and maintain the dash attack's limit.

Other than that new mechanic, it's all a return to roots for Sonic in this considerably successful entry in the series. It goes back to the magic of the Genesis Sonic's, while managing to keep the whole experience fresh and exciting.

But then again, there's also the way it handles Multiplayer. Regardless as to whether the other DS has a copy of the game or not, the game lets you select from all the stages available in the game (as long as you have played it in the single player campaign) for multiplayer play. And unlike that other mascot's game, it also loads extremely and relatively quick even if the other DS doesn't have a copy of the game. This is an approach to Download Play that I extremely like, and also a factor that makes it addictive for me.

Unfortunately, there are a few cons that keep the game from getting a perfect score. While this is personal preference, I think the game's music is rather grating. While not enough to make you throw the DS to the wall, it's still pretty annoying. And then there's the random placement of enemies on the stage. While there are power-ups that make you invincible to them, it's only occasional as the game expects you to use your Dash attack regularly. It does make sense, but in the first playthrough, you'll simply find this fact annoying. And then there's the button-mashing you'll have to endure in some bosses. There are times when you'll have to alternately press the A and B buttons just to win a boss battle. OK, perhaps this is just a way for us to feel more rewarded when the boss is defeated (and a way to put a bit more variation), but in my opinion, it's more annoying that way.

Overall, the game is still top quality, and I recommend a purchase, not only for Sonic fans but for platforming fans everywhere too. Of course, there's the more recent Sonic Rush Adventure (which is also excellent), but that's for another day (ie, when I finish it).

Rating: 8.7/10

DSi launches (in Japan); new WarioWare

You've probably already heard all about the newfangled DSi that's coming. It lets people purchase games and content from the DSi Store through the use of Nintendo points, it has two cameras, a sound player and recorder, powerful and fun photo editor and lots more that will alter the gaming landscape of the nearly 5 year old handheld in expense for the backward compatibility.

Well, it just got released in Japan for an equivalent of 192 US dollars (9500 pesos) meaning that you may have to expect even lower prices when it gets released elsewhere, even in the Philippines. So if you wish to import the region-locked DSi, you can do so right now.

But in other DSi news, Nintendo just announced two new Wariowares. One of them's a download from the DSi Store (WarioWare Photograph) while the other is for the millions upon millions of ordinary DS's out there (WarioWare Myself).

Now, the special thing about the latter title is that you can create your own mini-games. That alone sounds very cool, and fit even for the casual gamer since WarioWare mini-games (or "micro-games" in its lingo) are 5-seconds long, but even cooler is that you can even transport your creations into the Wii for testing through a WiiWare download.

Also available for download in the DSi Store are old WarioWare minigames from the GameBoy Advance iterations. So if one of them old minigames is what you like, then you can get 'em despite the lack of the GBA slot. Still, one would feel remorse if one had the game the minigames came from.

As for WarioWare: Photograph, the purpose of that game is obvious: take advantage of the new technology under the hood. So, in typical WarioWare fashion, you may end up having to pick a nose with your own finger instead of the stylus to achieve that goal. Note that I said "a nose" and not "your nose" which may make it even grosser. But, you know, 'tis just an example... that reminds me of EyeToy (PS2).

REVIEW: Apollo Justice Ace Attorney

Who would've guessed that Phoenix Wright would have his attorney's badge revoked, eh?

Literally and figuratively in this game is he relegated into the supporting actor position (to a fault) and personally, I don't see any reason to actually change the protagonist. Perhaps it's Capcom's way of saying, "This is not a port; it was made from the ground up specifically for the DS." by introducing Apollo Justice into the Ace Attorney franchise. And although he has his qualities, Phoenix Wright, IMO, still comes out as a more endearing, more complete character.

That also applies to the other characters the game introduces. If you set them side by side with the existing characters in the Phoenix Wright universe, yeah, they (the existing ones) come off as better structured.

But enough about the characters, how about the much ballyhooed new gameplay mechanics first introduced in the (pretty hard) last case of the original game? To be honest, they're still cool, but they just aren't employed extensively, meaning that the game kind of still reeks of microwave-heated remains of Trials and Tribulations- its predecessor- in terms of gameplay. And this also means that the bad eggs about Trials and Tribulations' gameplay mechanics- or the entire line of Phoenix Wright games for the matter- still remain.

You can save anywhere, thus making the Penalty system useless. The game still follows a linear path, meaning that you really have to do something before trigerring the action required to make the story progress, making me once again suffer some situations where I feel stuck. So word to the newbies: if you're stuck, go to the most unlikely, most unrelated location or present the most unlikely piece of evidence when stuck in court.

Don't understand? Well the game basically has two stages: the investigation and the court stages. You have several options when in the investigation stage which are to Talk to a person, Present evidence to a person so he or she can talk about it, Examine the whole crime scene and Move to another location if you haven't anything to do in a specific place anymore. In court, you will primarily cross-examine witnesses, and with their testimonies, you can Press to squeeze more information out of that statement or Present evidence that contradicts with the statement made.

It's simple for most anyone to jump into the game because of its huge level of accessibility, but it's not exactly for anyone. If you've got like, a short attention span, chances are you'll hate the text-based gameplay. You'll seriously be doing a whole lot of reading here whether you like it or not.

This leads me to the quality of the writing which is still top-notch. Why bother reading a text-based game with a bad script right? Once again, the audio-visual elements all colaborate to give each moment some much-needed personality, the drawing and the animation are all superb as well as the sound effects.

For fans of the series, the facelift is noticeable, with everything acquiring more detail and quality. Still, the game recycles a few of the art in the latter part so the new drawings stand out a bit.

But overall, it's just same old same old with a twisted Parent-Trap-but-children surprise. You'll get me when you get to finish the last case of this game which made my jaw drop 3 times.

RATING: 7.5/10

Posted with LifeCast

Tokyo Game Show: Stuff I Like

It's the Tokyo Game Show and there are a few announcements and reiterations that I particularly think are worth mentioning. Aside from No More Heroes 2, there are quite a few exciting stuff in display. And now I present my "Top 5 Stuff from TGS So Far".

5) Patapon 2
Although I haven't played the first one (because I don't even have a PSP), Patapon looked like a great game. I mean, an RTS with rhythm elements? Top that with a quirky art style and bam you got yourself a pretty unique game, which is why PSP owners have reason to rejoice for a sequel to the lauded game. "Pata pata pata pon!"

4) Professor Layton and the Final Time Journey
I've been wanting to play the Professor Layton series, but from what I've heard, the first game was pretty game. Now there's a sequel. Great, I think I gotta get cracking on the first one.

3) Street Fighter IV
SF4 looks awesome. As in, really. Fighting fan? Go get it when it hits shelves.

2) XBox Experience
I don't have a 360, but the features in the upgrade look stunning. The New Xbox Experience will probably attract a lot more people into buying the console because of the excellent look, and the movie rental features as well as the Community features. Especially me, lol. Look for it in November- if your 360 still works.

I still think they ripped off Nintendo's initial idea, though.
CAPTION: MII RIP-OFF!

CAPTION: Gears of War Theme

CAPTION: More attractive Dashboard!

CAPTION: Stream your favorite movies.

1) Prince of Persia
I just can't get over about how stunning it looks. I can't wait to play it!!!!!!!