Posted on Apr 24, 2008 under nintendo gamecube |
What an eventful history this game has had. Originally an N64 game by the name of Dinosaur Planet it eventually got scrapped due to the moribund state of the host machine and was reborn as an exciting new prospect for the GameCube. Soon later the game acquired the Starfox license and subsequently resurfaced as Starfox Adventures: Dinosaur Planet only to lose the Dinosaur Planet bit a little further down the line. So now we have Starfox Adventures - essentially Dinosaur Planet but not really. Set eight years after the defeat of Andross in the previous Starfox 64 - Lylat Wars to all you Brits - the plot sees the Starfox team discover a beautiful prehistoric planet (can you guess its name?). A sinister tyrant known as General Scales rules over this planet so Fox McCloud and his buddies embark on a quest to free the inhabitants from Scales’ evil clutches and restore peace to the primal paradise. Taking control of team leader Fox players explore vast 3D worlds lush in forestry animals puzzles and adventure. Either that or it’s in to the faithful Arwing space ship for some typical Starfox space battles. A strong Zelda influence is evident throughout what with the game’s third person perspective puzzle-based objectives and Z-target-style lock-on combat system. The latter element in this case utilises a mystical staff which is used for weapon combat and also possesses some magical capabilities allowing Fox to cast spells. Anyone who has taken a glimpse of the screenshots will have noticed that there’s a fair bit of eye candy throughout the game. A great looking fur-rendering technique brings life to the characters as they explore the environments - they themselves full of lavish effects such as shimmering water real-time lighting and depth-of-field blurring. As the GameCube continues to be drip-fed with great games Starfox Adventures represents November 2002’s ‘one we’ve been waiting for’. It’s a triple-A license a deep and immersive adventure and being Rare’s last GameCube game helps the celebrated developers go out with a bang.
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Posted on Apr 23, 2008 under nintendo gamecube |
Mario Kart. A legend in its own tyre tracks. There isn’t a gamer alive during the SNES era that doesn’t hold a special place for the Mode-7 classic in his/her heart. True gaming bliss and a massive franchise a genre-defining move by Nintendo and leagues of dedicated fans all in one cartridge. Can it ever be topped? Not by Mario Kart 64 that’s for sure. Although a cracking game and arguably the best in its class (though some will argue for Diddy Kong Racing all day long) it was dogged by slow-player catch-up routines that ruined the game for the more experienced driver. Anyway that was then this is now and now things are different. The old system has been scrapped and upgraded perhaps explaining what Miyamoto was on about when he told us three years ago Mario Kart for GameCube is the game that troubles me the most. Replacing the standard ‘one kart one driver’ set-up players now get to choose two characters and one of a selection of karts all with different properties. The premise is simple enough in that one character drives and the other handles weapons with the option to switch between the two at any point. This gives you the option to choose your favourite character (it has to be Toad doesn’t it!?) whilst still being able to have a say in your speed and acceleration stats. All good. This is just pure Mario Kart a true update riddled with innovation. It’s true Nintendo genius and a welcome addition that will no doubt do Nintendo a great service in its continued efforts to make to GameCube more popular in the face of some alarmingly stiff competition.
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Posted on Apr 22, 2008 under nintendo gamecube |
Mario Kart. A legend in its own tyre tracks. There isn’t a gamer alive during the SNES era that doesn’t hold a special place for the Mode-7 classic in his/her heart. True gaming bliss and a massive franchise a genre-defining move by Nintendo and leagues of dedicated fans all in one cartridge. Can it ever be topped? Not by Mario Kart 64 that’s for sure. Although a cracking game and arguably the best in its class (though some will argue for Diddy Kong Racing all day long) it was dogged by slow-player catch-up routines that ruined the game for the more experienced driver. Anyway that was then this is now and now things are different. The old system has been scrapped and upgraded perhaps explaining what Miyamoto was on about when he told us three years ago Mario Kart for GameCube is the game that troubles me the most. Replacing the standard ‘one kart one driver’ set-up players now get to choose two characters and one of a selection of karts all with different properties. The premise is simple enough in that one character drives and the other handles weapons with the option to switch between the two at any point. This gives you the option to choose your favourite character (it has to be Toad doesn’t it!?) whilst still being able to have a say in your speed and acceleration stats. All good. This is just pure Mario Kart a true update riddled with innovation. It’s true Nintendo genius and a welcome addition that will no doubt do Nintendo a great service in its continued efforts to make to GameCube more popular in the face of some alarmingly stiff competition.
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Posted on Apr 21, 2008 under nintendo gamecube |
Five years five months and three days is a long time to wait for a video game especially when it’s the sequel to what is inarguably the greatest game of all time. Luigi’s Mansion may have whetted our appetite on launch day but this game is the reason why we all bought our Gamecubes. Whether Nintendo’s decision not to release this as a launch title was intentional or more related to time constraints is no longer an issue - the big guy is back. Please give it up for Super Mario Sunshine! Taking a well-earned break following his previous adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom and recent imprisonment in a certain haunted mansion Mario heads out to a remote sun-drenched island along with his special lady Peach. Upon their arrival it transpires that some cheeky young scamp has been polluting the island thus causing its energy source the Shine Sprites to diminish. What’s worse is that according to the inhabitants the person responsible for the mess has a round nose a thick moustache and a cap! Oh my word! So anyway following a rather brief and unforgiving court case the falsely accused tubby plumber is charged with cleaning up the island. This daunting task is made somewhat more bearable by FLUDD the back-strapped water cannon. FLUDD is Mario’s primary weapon in his quest for cleanliness and is used amongst other things to squirt enemies clean up the gunge and graffiti activate switches and at the push of a button propel our hero through the air. The combination of this tool along with the moustachioed Italian’s already-existing versatility makes for an astounding array of moves. You’ll probably spend ages merely running around the game world finding out what the guy is capable of. Run jump hover climb swing swim spray - the list goes on. The game world itself in similar vein to Mario 64 is based around a central hub with a number of small worlds accessible from certain areas around it. An expansive and lively environment bustling with interactive inhabitants Delfino Island is this hub. Throughout the island the evil Mario-impostor has graffiti’d a number of walls and buildings. Upon receipt of a squirt of water these paintings transform into portals to the various worlds each world having a number of polluted areas puzzles objectives and bosses that need cleaning solving completing and defeating respectively. In each case the reward is a Shine Sprite a cleaner area and a generally increased amount of good feeling amongst the natives. That about sums it up. Collect the full 120 Shine Sprites in order to complete the game. But honestly that doesn’t sum it up at all. There’s so much to this game that it can’t be fully quantified in these pages. Tons of interactive characters populate expansive and diverse environments which contain some of the most innovative level design ever witnessed in the world of video games. The levels are also incredibly interactive with the sheer amount of the protagonist’s moves and abilities meaning there’s seemingly nothing that can’t be accomplished. It looks gorgeous as well. Like Super Mario 64 before it Sunshine has created a benchmark and set a precedent for the 3D platform genre. Hopefully this time around other developers will be inspired by the game rather than shamelessly turfing out second-rate clones. Failing that lets just hope it’s not going to be another five years five months and three days before we see this standard of game again.
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Posted on Apr 21, 2008 under nintendo gamecube |
Five years five months and three days is a long time to wait for a video game especially when it’s the sequel to what is inarguably the greatest game of all time. Luigi’s Mansion may have whetted our appetite on launch day but this game is the reason why we all bought our Gamecubes. Whether Nintendo’s decision not to release this as a launch title was intentional or more related to time constraints is no longer an issue - the big guy is back. Please give it up for Super Mario Sunshine! Taking a well-earned break following his previous adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom and recent imprisonment in a certain haunted mansion Mario heads out to a remote sun-drenched island along with his special lady Peach. Upon their arrival it transpires that some cheeky young scamp has been polluting the island thus causing its energy source the Shine Sprites to diminish. What’s worse is that according to the inhabitants the person responsible for the mess has a round nose a thick moustache and a cap! Oh my word! So anyway following a rather brief and unforgiving court case the falsely accused tubby plumber is charged with cleaning up the island. This daunting task is made somewhat more bearable by FLUDD the back-strapped water cannon. FLUDD is Mario’s primary weapon in his quest for cleanliness and is used amongst other things to squirt enemies clean up the gunge and graffiti activate switches and at the push of a button propel our hero through the air. The combination of this tool along with the moustachioed Italian’s already-existing versatility makes for an astounding array of moves. You’ll probably spend ages merely running around the game world finding out what the guy is capable of. Run jump hover climb swing swim spray - the list goes on. The game world itself in similar vein to Mario 64 is based around a central hub with a number of small worlds accessible from certain areas around it. An expansive and lively environment bustling with interactive inhabitants Delfino Island is this hub. Throughout the island the evil Mario-impostor has graffiti’d a number of walls and buildings. Upon receipt of a squirt of water these paintings transform into portals to the various worlds each world having a number of polluted areas puzzles objectives and bosses that need cleaning solving completing and defeating respectively. In each case the reward is a Shine Sprite a cleaner area and a generally increased amount of good feeling amongst the natives. That about sums it up. Collect the full 120 Shine Sprites in order to complete the game. But honestly that doesn’t sum it up at all. There’s so much to this game that it can’t be fully quantified in these pages. Tons of interactive characters populate expansive and diverse environments which contain some of the most innovative level design ever witnessed in the world of video games. The levels are also incredibly interactive with the sheer amount of the protagonist’s moves and abilities meaning there’s seemingly nothing that can’t be accomplished. It looks gorgeous as well. Like Super Mario 64 before it Sunshine has created a benchmark and set a precedent for the 3D platform genre. Hopefully this time around other developers will be inspired by the game rather than shamelessly turfing out second-rate clones. Failing that lets just hope it’s not going to be another five years five months and three days before we see this standard of game again.
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Posted on Apr 21, 2008 under nintendo gamecube |
Lights Camera Action! Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble takes players back to the movies as you battle to become the greatest action hero of all time. Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble is the first non-platformer in the series instead being a fast-paced and crazy multiplayer ‘beat-em up’. The storyline is that Captain Blue has decided to retire and is therefore looking for a successor who can take over as the hero in his films. So this is where Joe and his various rivals must battle it out set against the cartoony film set backgrounds in order to prove they deserve the role. Backdrops include the wild west in ‘Midnight Shootout’ fighting on top of an aircraft against a giant dinosaur in ‘King John Dogfight’ and fighting with rivals as they fall from a high building in ‘Sky-High Building Battle’. Players score points by completing the four missions set throughout each level of the game which range from defeating enemies against the clock to collecting gems and defeating boss characters. Each mission follows on directly from the last giving the stages a hectic fast-paced feel with most missions taking under one minute to complete. Plus as an added twist players can steal points off their rivals by attacking them! Perhaps the coolest feature in the game is that players can collect special VFX powers which when activated allow them to slow down or freeze time attack at mach speed and even use sonic attacks against their foes. There is also a co-op mode the first to date in the franchise in which two players can team up and battle their way through the game’s Story Mode. Plus with multiplayer action on offer for you and up to three friends the option to select any one of the 25 stages unlocked in the game’s Story Mode and twelve playable characters six of whom are only unlockable in Story Mode Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble contains plenty to keep gamers happy for some time.
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Posted on Apr 18, 2008 under nintendo gamecube |
The heroes in half shells are back and they’ve brought a videogame. Remember the late eighties? We remember endless arguments about who got stuck with playing Leonardo in the playground and trying to fit giant fans to our skateboards . At the age of 20 we should have known better but never mind. So just in time for the movie of the same name comes Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. You’ll have to leap crawl and fight your way through the back alleys of New York to save the day. The bad guy in the scenario is a nefarious chap called Max Winters who after he loses his job decides to build himself an army of monsters to do his evil bidding. We’ve all been there. Enter the Turtles to mess things up for him. Unfortunately the Turtles are struggling to hold it together as their family starts to break apart. You’ll need to harness a bevy of ninjitsu moves to make it out the other end alive. Each Turtle has its own moves best utilising their weapons and acrobatic skills to take foes down. As the game progresses teamwork becomes crucial and you’ll have to pull off some spectacular tag team moves. You can also shift into ‘Turtle Time’. If you string enough moves together your reactions will speed up (or your enemies will slow down) and you’ll be able to go at them full tilt.
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Posted on Apr 18, 2008 under nintendo gamecube |
The heroes in half shells are back and they’ve brought a videogame. Remember the late eighties? We remember endless arguments about who got stuck with playing Leonardo in the playground and trying to fit giant fans to our skateboards . At the age of 20 we should have known better but never mind. So just in time for the movie of the same name comes Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. You’ll have to leap crawl and fight your way through the back alleys of New York to save the day. The bad guy in the scenario is a nefarious chap called Max Winters who after he loses his job decides to build himself an army of monsters to do his evil bidding. We’ve all been there. Enter the Turtles to mess things up for him. Unfortunately the Turtles are struggling to hold it together as their family starts to break apart. You’ll need to harness a bevy of ninjitsu moves to make it out the other end alive. Each Turtle has its own moves best utilising their weapons and acrobatic skills to take foes down. As the game progresses teamwork becomes crucial and you’ll have to pull off some spectacular tag team moves. You can also shift into ‘Turtle Time’. If you string enough moves together your reactions will speed up (or your enemies will slow down) and you’ll be able to go at them full tilt.
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Posted on Apr 17, 2008 under nintendo gamecube |
One of the few games in the Natsume series to make it over to western shores Harvest Moon is a bizarre franchise with a significant following and an established reputation. And what makes this strange is the fact that Harvest Moon is actually a farming simulator. That’s right - in a world where mundane violence and car racing is omnipresent Harvest Moon represents a break from the norm bringing with it some witty ‘Japanese’ gameplay and a little imagination. A brand new adventure Wonderful Life brings with it all the qualities of its predecessors and adds a plethora of new characters a new marriage system the ability to raise your child a refined approach to animal rearing and a new event aspect that plots the story of your 30 year life in the Harvest Moon world. In concept gameplay is simple whereby the player spends each day fulfilling a variety of chores. Feeding chickens milking cows and taking care of crops may sound like menial tasks but strangely enough there’s great pleasure to be taken from running a virtual farm. It’s sometimes hard work and often time-consuming but the end result is usually rewarding. But besides farming there are other things in your life that need taking care of. A career a new wife and a family are among your highest priorities and it’s the way you interact with the game’s non-playable characters that influences how you progress through the game. By earning and then giving away numerous valuables as gifts you’ll earn respect in your farming community and you’ll also uncover several new paths in your adventure. Harvest Moon in a basic sense could also be touted as a life simulator since your farming efforts are partially responsible for your character’s personal life. It’s a game typical of its Japanese origin. It’s cartoon-like the dialogue is direct if a little corny and gameplay is humorous as well as innovative. When you get deeper into A Wonderful Life and all of its underlying qualities it’s really not difficult to see why Harvest Moon is such a big deal.
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Posted on Apr 16, 2008 under nintendo gamecube |
Flushed Away is the official videogame based on the movie from DreamWorks and Aardman. This colourful game experience lets players inhabit the movie and go beyond as they assume the roles of adventurous young Roddy and Rita a beautiful and street-smart scrounger. Joining forces with Rita is a sound move: she’s the owner of her own boat the Jammy Dodger and manoeuvring through a dangerous underground city full of bad guys waterfalls and traps is made much easier with her and her customisable watercraft around. Flushed Away features 10+ levels and three minigames and a host of pick-ups. Players will discover Rita’s Ruby the Fire Extinguisher and Air Cannon a dashing Cocktail Sword Pudding mix and other items found in the sewer as they defeat enemies and dodge floating debris on the way to victory in a struggle against the villainous Toad and his evil plans. You’ll also find unlockable mini-games throughout the game’s story mode such as Rat Traps and Crayons Pathfinder and more.
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