It seems that the Moon Walk is the new black as more and more Michael Jackson merchandise is in the works.

According to TMZ, the King of Pop is set to star in a new video game that will essentially be a “dance karaoke.” Unlike many other ventures surrounding the deceased Jackson, apparently the pop singer’s estate is totally on board for this plan. Basically, gamers will see Jackson dancing on screen and then will be challenged to imitate his movements.

The game, currently untitled, will be available on multiple gaming platforms including Wii and Xbox 360. The Xbox version will include Microsoft’s new Kinect motion capture technology which will allow players to participate in the game without holding a controller.

Also in the Xbox version, the player will be judged based on full body moves; the game will process the player’s movements and display them on screen, dancing alongside Jackson.

If that wasn’t spectacular enough for aspiring Princes of Pop everywhere, the game also includes a karaoke feature which will allow players to sing along to Jackson songs and even funk up their voices with an autotune feature.

The game is being developed by Ubisoft (the same company behind Assassin’s Creed and Ghost Recon) and they have apparently secured permission from Jackson’s estate, so this is sure to go ahead. The game is scheduled to be released sometime before Christmas.

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Red box means you will buy it the second you see it

Return of the king

I was very skeptical about the New Super Mario Bros. Wii. For starters it seemed like the DS game was ported over to the Wii and given a slight visual upgrade. Also when compared to its 3D counterpart (Mario Galaxy) the title seemed very “last gen” to say the least. So I questioned how a decade old game with a new paint job would ever keep my attention.

Oh boy was I in for a surprise.

Super Mario Bros. Wii is unlike anything out there. Sure the same old story of Princess Peach being kidnapped by Bowser and his Koopa Kids is far from original, but the gameplay is classic Mario at its best.  Granted it’s a reinvention, but does it pack enough variety and value to merit your hard earned cash?

Gameplay
The gameplay is platforming at its purest. Which means you have to navigate 8 large worlds with ten stages each (more than 80 levels) to reach the grand finale.  Each world has its own unique theme to add to the variety- my personal favourite being the tropics. You navigate each level by jumping, bouncing, sliding, and butt stomping your way to the end before the timer runs out.  Along the way expect to run into various enemies that you can stomp on and create point combos. You have your classic assortment of power ups like the Red Mushroom, Fire Flower, Star and a couple of new ones like the Ice Flower, Propeller Cap, Tiny Mushroom and the Penguin Suit. The Tiny Mushroom (as seen in the DS release) allows Mario to become micro and run on water and leap great distances. The Propeller Cap allows insane leaps and momentary flight/ glide abilities as well as a drill attack from the air. Finally the Penguin Suit is much like the Ice Flower and allows you to freeze enemies with ice shots, but also adds more stability to Mario snowy surfaces and allows him to slide at high speeds on land and water.

These new power ups play nicely to the variety of levels and will ensure you have a blast finishing each world. Controls are simple and have you holding the Wiimote sideways while using the D-pad to move. Jumping is relegated to the 2 button and 1 is the action button used for fireballs and holding down for running. You can grab shells and other players by holding 1 and shaking the Wii mote and some areas even have you tilting the Wii mote to slide and move objects. Don’t worry about the waggle part since its plays out naturally and never breaks the flow. In fact lightly shaking the Wii mote becomes second nature as you pick up shells toss em in mid air or jump up and do an extended air spin. You can play with the Nunchuck connected, but you are better off playing it classic style – trust me.

Momments later Mario landed with an atomic explosion

To keep up the variety in the game play department each progression is marked by harder platforming sections and levels that defy the traditional convention. A good example is a level where you navigate the skies on flying manta rays or the level where you are thrust into the world that is pitch black save for the 3 steps in front and behind you.  There are some truly insane levels here that will leave you smiling- I will not spoil them for you. And then there’s a few toad carrying challenges in every world that are only available when you play by yourself. We could have used a lot more of these missions as they are some of the most challenging ones. Good incentive to play the game alone once in a while. You will also never be away from collecting power ups to use before levels. The game lets you hold on to bonus round items in an inventory screen accessible only during level selection. With the many toad huts across each world be sure to collect you power ups and 1 Up Mushrooms.

By now there is no surprise that you have the ability to have 4 players play along. I’m honestly glad this functionality is kept as simple as drop in and out. The second player becomes Luigi while the third and fourth players are yellow and blue Toadstools. It is a shame they did not utilize other characters from the rich Mario universe to be a part of this game. Having two different Toadstools be the other characters feels rather cheap, but that’s just a minor gripe. It’s not like they function any different- in fact all characters jump and perform the exact same manner.  Having 3 of your friends play along comes highly recommended. It is tremendously fun and actually makes the main quest richer and far more entertaining.  If you have played Little Big Planet you will be at home here; after all the game was inspired by Mushroom Kingdoms platform action – though the platforming is much better and controls much tighter. There are a couple of new mechanics that open up when you play with friends. One of these is the ability to grab and throw your team mates which can be very useful for scaling high unreachable secret areas as well as being an annoying, destructive tactic. The other mechanic is the bubble – which is designed to help you from falling behind. Simply at any time you can enter a bubble that will leave you immobile until someone can pop it. We found some truly awesome ways to use this mechanic by tossing our friend over the edge to get that impossible to reach Star Coin- only to have him activate the bubble just before he dies thus keeping him in the alive. I believe the developers intended for such uses with novice players to keep up with the advance ones.

In the middle east we hunted piranha plants instead of foxes..

Now a feature that has gained some controversy is the ability to have an auto guide finish the level for you. This happens when you die 8 times in a row in a particular level and from what I gather only in single player. A green block pops up and Luigi then finishes the level for you. I’ll say it is a nice feature for those poor souls who have never played a Mario game. During any point of the run you can resume play and tell Luigi to beat it. This Super Guide feature is nice for the new gamer, but I doubt any of you will run into it. I had to die purposely to see it in action.

Finally you can use your hard earned star coins to watch videos of Nintendo pros doing speed runs and skill runs. These are remarkable videos that will leave you in awe. It is a shame the game has no ability to record videos of your play sessions that could be shared with friends online. I mean Smash Bros. Brawl did it so why can’t this game?

I create ice so you can tread on water

Graphics
New Super Mario Bros. Wii is not going to win any awards for its graphics. The game uses 3D characters and puts them on a 2D plane. The animation is solid for each character and the design aesthetic works wonderfully. There are nice subtle effects like volumetric clouds and sand storms but for the most part the game retains the simple feel of the classics. It is not the most gorgeous Wii game, but frankly I wish it was. Go ahead and boot up Donkey Kong Jungle Beat and marvel at how they handled 3D elements presented on a 2D plane. The graphics can definitely be a lot better, that being said the game looks much sharper and cleaner than its DS cousin (obviously) and has some truly scenic moments. Very few 2D elements are present in the game and for the most part these are background elements. Aside from the small gripes the over all package is a nice surprise because of the sheer number of locations this game visits.

Mario grabs on and recreates a scene from Die Hard

The game is pretty, but is not all that it can or should be.

Sound
No complaints here since all the classic sound effects and music are presented in such clarity. Something about hearing the warp pipe or collecting coins makes me smile. All the nostalgia you will feel is because of the brilliant sound design.  The level music is whimsical and very appropriate – even changing with each new world and infectious enough to be stuck in your head. Rounding the list there is an audience clapping sound effect that plays out when you collect all 3 Star Coins or manage to pull off an impossible feat, I found its inclusion refreshing and most appropriate.

Replay
Now here is where I look over the multiplayer options. The game allows you to select Free Play and Coin Battle.  Free play allows you to play with your friends from a select list of levels in the game. In the end, Free Play boils down to just fooling around in some of the games most chaotic levels while trying to get the most points and lives. Coin Battle on the other hand tasks you to collect more coins than your friends in each level. This mode is the more competitive of the two and often yielded the most hilarious moments between me and my friends. Trying to grab a hold of your opponent and tossing them into the abyss while collecting their loot was as hilarious as it was fun.

But I found one multiplayer game on the DS missing in the Wii game. It was a game of collecting Stars on a looped level. This multiplayer mode was insane on the DS and it is a shame they didn’t include it here. But lets be fair the game is all about playing the main story mode with four of your friends. Sure there are added challenges if you go it alone but nothing beats playing with your friends.

Having no online hurts but when you begin to realize the game is about having your friends over and just having a good time you understand why online play just wouldn’t be the same. But that doesn’t mean we couldn’t have used some decent leader boards and other share functionality. Even an online only multiplayer mode could have been a great addition.
In the end you have 80 plus levels with tons of hidden passages and Star coins – ensuring multiple replays for the hardcore.

Tilt the Wii mote to move the light

Verdict
I have always found something very unique about how platforming is executed in Mario games. You would think that jumping on to a platform is a simple animation, but there is something about the dynamics of this action that is perfectly created here. It is the best platform game out there, a true masterpiece of 2D gameplay. I feel sorry for gamers who did not grow up with a Mario game, for them this is a chance to understand why this little plumber is king of the platform.

New Super Mario Bro. Wii is the definitive title to own this season. The game packs enough nostalgic elements to keep the fans happy while throwing in some new power ups and refined gameplay mechanics to create a very satisfying experience. The game plays it very safe by not doing some of the advance functionality we take for granted. I just would have loved the ability to record my speed runs with friends or some online functionality. Throw me a simple level designer and I would have been floored.

But in the end it is all about the gameplay and in that case this title has it in spades.
A must buy for every Wii owner. Go play this with your friends!

Gameplay  5/5
Graphics    3.5/5
Sound          5/5
Replay         5/5

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My review of the New Super Mario Bros is on its way.
Playing the game I couldn’t help but wonder why the other Koopa Kids got the short end of the stick.
The game is insanely fun with four players and is a true surprise this holiday season.
Oh and honestly I had forgotten how many kids Koopa had..let alone how he had them in the first place.
It is best not to think about it and just enjoy the game.

Click on the image for the full sized glory

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Put Your Hands Up Here Comes My DJ!

In an industry that has been said to be over saturated with peripherals for rhythm games do we really need a plastic turntable? People that don’t enjoy the gentle musings of Children of Bodom and Metallica would have to say: Yes!

Activision and FreeStyleGame’s DJ Hero is a game that still has you making coloured circles disappear much like previous Guitar Hero games but adds in the new functionality of scratching and cross-fader manipulation. Does DJ Hero have the replay value and fun factor to have it stand beside Guitar Hero though? In the words of Flava Flav, “CHECK THIS OUT!”

The Controller

DJ Hero’s controller consists of a spinning record with three buttons on it, a cross-fader that has slight resistance/click in the middle, an effects knob, an euphoria button (DJ Hero’s star power), and of course the standard native system controls shielded by a hinged compartment.

The controller works great from the hours I’ve put into it,  though I think that the effects knob and the euphoria button should be swapped as I find my hand knocks the cross-fader around while twisting. The disc itself spins very easily, sometimes on complicated scratching sections this can be bothersome as the buttons sometimes slip away from me. Being a right handed guitar hero player, complicated button patterns can be quite daunting as the hand positioning is awkward at first and having to press and scratch with my strumming hand can be quite tiresome.

You cannot play this game without the turntable peripheral which forces the $130.00 package on you. Or, if you are an Eminem/Jay-Z fan, the $230.00 package for The Renegade Edition.

Gameplay

DJ Hero’s learning curve is interesting. You cannot start the game without playing the tutorial which ensures the player knows the basics of the game. The only way to bypass the tutorial is with the unlock all code which disables all achievements. After the tutorial narrated by Grandmaster Flash you get to play 3 of the easiest songs in the game. The next tier however is significantly more difficult, I still haven’t gotten 5*s on some of those songs and it only gets harder from there.

DJ Hero compensates for this increased level of difficulty by making the game all about getting points, there is no way to fail (you can only fail yourself). Once you unlock later set lists such as The Scratch Perverts or Daft Punk’s Record Bag you’ll understand why.

DJ Hero’s set up is fairly simple and when watching a video of it you might find it appears to be very easy compare to the 5 lanes in Guitar Hero you’ve come to know.

The green track (left) represents record one, The red track (middle) are your samples, and blue (right) is record two. Using the cross-fader you have 3 positions you can be in: Left, Middle, and Right. On earlier difficulties scratching is non-dependent on what direction you move but on Expert not following the pattern of up or down will cause you to break combo.

Some things that set aside DJ Hero’s gameplay mechanics from Guitar Hero’s is the new concept of rewinding. Rewinds occur when you reach a 60 note streak and allow you to go back to a section of the song you’ve already played. How far you go back depends on how fast you spin the turntable backwards (as far as I can tell). Rewinds should be used as soon as you get them as you cannot store more than one.

The second feature of DJ Hero is the effects knob which can be used on sections with an orange bridge over the track. The faster you twist the knob, the more points you get. If you are familiar with the club scene you might like to slowly twist the knob for an interesting effect reminiscent of a real mixer setup with less points awarded.

Euphoria works like the star power in guitar hero however you can activate it after only one phrase is collected. Activating Euphoria auto-cross-fades allowing you to focus on button taps and scratching. However, if euphoria runs out and your cross-fader is not aligned properly you will break combo instantly.

While providing a challenge, DJ Hero’s game play is quite fun!

Who would’ve thought that scratching a complicated section would feel as cool as hitting a crazy solo in Guitar Hero!

Graphics

DJ Hero is a game about the club scene, so it features scantily clad female dancers, flashing lights, and of course DJs!

The Graphics are good for what they are, which is essentially Guitar Hero 5 but in the Club. Though, I doubt you will be paying attention to them much given the fact you’ll be concentrated on looking at the notes. One thing that could be improved is sometimes the DJ on screen doesn’t exactly do what you are doing with your peripheral. Maybe DJ Hero 2?

One thing to note however. is the great job they did on the Celebrity DJs. DJ AM (RIP), DJ Shadow, Z-Trip, and yes even Daft Punk all look fantastic.

Sound

This game sounds great! Even artists I previously hated (Black Eyed Peas, The Killers) have mixes I enjoy.

I especially enjoy playing the mixes involving KRS-One’s Jack of Spades and Daft Punk. It also should be mentioned that I have never been a fan of Jay-Z yet I keep coming back to his set list for more.

One downside however is the lack of electronica/dance music but the David Guetta DLC pack coming out on Tuesday (November 24th, 2009) will fix that.

DJ Hero boasts 93 original mixes so there is bound to be something you’ll like!

Multiplayer

Here is the downside of DJ Hero.

In my opinion it is a very anti-social game, when it comes to actually playing. While the Guitar/DJ Mixes can be enjoyable there are only 10 of them and the scroll speed difference seems to make playing them quite tiresome. This could however be corrected with the Hyperdeck code which for some reason nobody can figure out.

Online Multiplayer is a total wash since there is no ranked matches or indication of any reason to try to win against people besides an achievement/trophy.

One amazing thing though about online is that your score achieved in a pro face off match is transferred to your career- a feature that should definitely show up in future Guitar Hero games.

Given the fact there is no stand-alone turntable available I see no real reason to even consider playing anything but the single player campaign in this game- maybe a future DJ Hero game will address this.

The Interface

One thing that has to be said about DJ Hero, is the whole set up of  “Make a Setlist” is very confusing at first. You have to add mixes to play a setlist with the blue button rather than with green as we’d come to expect. As well there is no way to sort the setlist by title. You can only sort by mix author, intensity, high score, and stars needed. This makes finding one song out of 93 quite annoying. Also DJ Hero erases your lower scores even if they were on a higher difficulty than the one you achieved a higher one on.

Your best way of going about making a set list is going to quick list rather than using the “Custom DJ Set list 1/2″

Final Thoughts

DJ Hero is off to slow start much like the original Guitar Hero. Nobody would have thought a game where you play plastic guitar would get as big as it is now, yet many people scoff at the idea that anyone would want to play DJ Hero.

I say to you, try the game before you dismiss it! It’s one of the most refreshing, unique, and difficult titles North American rhythm gaming has ever seen.

DJ Hero is also a game that can be as difficult as the mix authors want it to be, they don’t need to depend on whether a band has a guitarist that can shred for hours for the song to be difficult- and if the final songs are any indication of what FreeStyleGames/Activision can come up with, expert players should be very scared for what’s to come.

Gameplay: 4.5/5

Graphics: 4.5/5

Sound: 5/5

Replay: 4.5/5

Codes for DJ Hero

DJHero.com

Read more at andPOP. andPOP - POP Culture with Substance

Wii got another sports game

There are enough sports compilation games out there for the Wii, in fact one could say the sheer numbers of them rival  the GameCubes lifetime library. Tons of games that deliver a sub par experience and are hampered with control issues- a shame really considering the Wii is built on hassle free controls. Today I’m going to take a closer look at a title that at may be a departure from your average third party offering- Decca sports 2.

Lets hope they expand on this for the next one

You see analyzing sport compilation games, especially on the Wii is a hard pill to swallow. You have to keep telling yourself that this title might be decent enough to play but your experience tells you that the majority of times you will be stuck with an utter travesty of  a game.

I’ll get right to the point, Decca Sports 2 is not that bad. In fact I would say it worth a shot and is a breath of fresh air in the stench of Wii Sport knock offs. What makes this title stand out are three simple things.
Firstly you have a game which has much better production values and almost seems like a homage to a sports channel. It is by no mean excellent but has enough of a design aesthetic to really carve an identity for itself.
Secondly the title houses 10 unique sporting events that have a couple of variations thrown into the mix and lastly this would be the first sports compilation game out there to be online (not all of the 10 games are playable online by the way). But is that all this title has going for it?

Gameplay
I won’t meticulously go over each of the ten sports and their gameplay controls but I will highlight all ten sports and talk in depth about what works and what doesn’t. You have: hockey, dodgeball, darts, tennis, speed skating, Motorbike road racing, synchronized swimming, mogul skiing, kendo, and the odd game of petanque.

nice ice

That is a lot of sport games and then you realize that the first game had just about the same number. Granted they were different sports but I wonder if they could have fit all the games from the first one, it wouldn’t be that hard either, overall the sporting events are an interesting bunch and some of which have never appeared on the Wii.

Control wise you will need just your Wiimote and nunchuck. The nunchuck makes uses of sports like dodgeball, hockey, speed skating, and mogul skiing. The rest ask you to use the Wiimote as is. Sadly there is no motion plus support here so if you were blown away by Tiger Woods and Grand Slam tennis then prepare to go back in time where true 1 to 1 motion did not exist.

It seems like a poor mans Mii editor. Notice the official Adidas logo!

Expanding on controls you will realize that they are very simple and for the most part understandably so. Road racing utilize the Wiimote held sideways, hockey has you shaking the Wiimote and using the directional stick for a pass, darts have the IR sensor point a cross hair at the board while you throw, and synchronized swimming has you shaking the Wiimote as if it is a rhythm game. Aside from speed skating and mogul skiing- which have you using the Wiimote and nunchuck to be shaken alternatively to get more speed thus straining your arms- the rest of the games have sensible control mechanics behind them. One gripe I had is how they handled Kendo which uses the Wiimote on its side and utilizes the D pad for movement, it just feels very constraint and clunky.

What works here are games like Hockey, Tennis, dodgeball, darts, and motorbike road racing. The simple reason why these sports work is how the core gameplay is utilized. Good controls and design lead to a game that you wouldn’t mind playing with your friends and even competing in single player leagues. They are simple enough but also have enough depth to be mastered.

Probably the most fun game on the disc

The online part is a bit misleading, you see not all of the ten sports make it online. You can only play dodgeball, hockey and tennis online. There are active leader boards and it won’t take you long to rise through the ranks considering it is based on how many skill points you nab, each win you receive skill points and every loss they are taken away from you. Single player is broken up into four sections – open play, league, tournament, and challenges. League play has you facing off against other AI leagues across all ten sports and does open up its options to national and global. Tournament on the other hand has you climbing the ladders for one particular sport. And then there are the challenges which take a particular aspect of one sport and create an event of it. A good example is hockey and taking out the goalie so it’s all about the shots or syncronized swimming and trying to perfect your rhythmic timing as you do breast strokes. The controls stay the same during these challenges but the gameplay may differ slightly.

There are no real incentives to doing the challenges or league modes aside from skill points and much needed practice. I hate to draw direct comparisons to Wii Sports but that title did set the bar. You don’t get to see a graphed approach of you skills nor are you treated to a medal collection that acknowledges you pro status. I just wanted  something to compete for, something that would expand the blueprint laid out by Wii Sports. I loved playing Wii Sports alone and that is not something I can say for Deca Sports 2. Leader boards are a good start but there needs to be much more. Unlockable content would have created that motivational factor as well.

Hockey and tennis were extremely fun to play, both these titles had a tad bit of a learning curve (about 5 minutes of a curve) but once you got the hang of it these games wielded the most fun. Tennis had a huge emphasis of tossing and then timing your connection when serving. By allowing forward and backward movement at the sacrifice of not being able to track the ball you are thrown into a game of risk taking. Hockey on the other hand was the most arcady fun sport on the disc. Try scoring 7 goals in 20 seconds fun. Seriously reminded me of Wayne Gretzky 3D hockey. Sure it won’t stack up to NHL 2k10 on the Wii but it beats the hell out of their arcade pond hockey mode. Shooting thankfully was allocated to a button press first which makes passing then shooting a sublime experience.
Both tennis and hockey are not to be missed if you get a chance to play Deca Sports 2.

No mogul skiing is pretty sub par.. not good

Graphics
The game has its own look and feel but you can’t help but wonder if Nintendo refused them the right to use the Mii images in the first place. Sure you can create your own team as I did(Snake, Vegetta, Reiko, Taki and Jill from RE) but the title begs for Mii integration more than anything. Its stylistic (simple and clean) approach is akin to Wii sports but instead your avatars have fully connected arms and legs. You would be mistaken to think its visual fidelity is better than a two year old sports game; reality is that Wii Sports looks much better than this. Granted Deca veers into territory that the former has not – with indoor arenas, race tracks, and an ice rink- and it does an impressive job at creating a lively environment filled with clever replay snippets and all but in the end it still falls a bit short visually. What hurts this title even more is the fact that most of the character animations are stiff and choppy. It is a sad realization to see some of these character move around like it were the early years of the N64. Sure sports like Tennis, Hockey, and Motorbike road racing are decent enough; the rest however fall miserably short and pull you out of immersion. On a cool note Adidas is a sponsor and you’ll be glad to see their brand of striped sports gear.
There are nice subtle effects like blur and some particle magic on the slopes but nothing to go crazy about.

Sound
Sound is fairly well done with a great intro and menu theme that might just get stuck in your head. Each sport often carries its own music and for the most part they sound like hybrid techno mixes. It strangely does a great job of keeping the intense competitive feel. There is no voice acting and the lack of an announcer does really hurts.
The characters for the most part are mute and don’t even have any authentic reaction sounds.
It is a standard job that could have been something much more.

I want more motorbikes

Replay
Well there is very little incentive to play this one alone. With no progress charting or different achievement style trophies to unlock your pretty much left just beating the computer AI- which has multiple difficulties thankfully. I do like the fact that there are multiple environments for a couple of the sports and the teams aspect adds to the competitive feel. I love the multiplayer as these games are meant to be played with people. Crack this open in a party and you will surly love darts and pentaque while titles like tennis and hockey may take a bit  of practice but can yield the most fun multiplayer experiences. The online system is a small let down by not having all sports playable but once you see how intuitive and simple it is to get online you will begin to see the workings of what I assume will be a stellar system in Deca Sports 3. I mean you have the friend codes still but now you have the option to join various rooms and play either quick or custom matches which is a big accomplishment for the Wii. Online play was smooth and refreshingly fast paced. Of our sessions we once came across a bit of slow down while playing dodgeball. Hockey ran smoothly and so did Tennis. Heck I competed against Hudson Entertainment (for the record hockey was a tie, dodgeball I won as well as tennis- cuz andPOP got real gamers!). It may be hard during some times of the day to play anyone online but blame the lack of people connected. With the exception of Brawl and Tiger Woods every online game on the Wii has atrocious wait times.

Replay in the end will be measured by how much you play this game with your friends and online, this is not meant to be played by yourself.

Verdict
Look at it this way, this title can be found for under 35 bucks, has ten sports games and utilizes simple controls that are essential for multiplayer. Its versions of  hockey and tennis are actually deeper and dare I say evolutionary in some respects. I will actually say that playing hockey reminded me of the good old days of Gretzky 3D hockey- and that’s a big complement- nowhere else could you score 2 goals with7 seconds left on the clock except here and Gretzky!
Deca Sports 2 even houses an interesting take on Tennis with a deeper emphasis on serving. This title for its price point and value is worth a look. It may even be good enough for your kid sibling. It’s no Wii Sports but Deca Sports 2 is probably as close as any developer has gotten so far.

Of all the 3rd party sports compilations this stands heads and shoulders above the rest but just below Wii Sports.

Gameplay   3/5
Graphics     2/5
Sound      2.5/5
Replay        3/5

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Oh Scooby what are you searching for?

A trick or a treat?

With Halloween just passed I can’t get enough of scary games. You see last year my friends and I all got together and played Dead Space for the PS3. Sure it was a single player experience but we took turns and only played the game after 1 am every Friday leading up to Halloween. It was an insanely fun experience.

This year I got Scooby-Doo! First frights for the Wii. Now it’s no Dead Space but if you think back to when you were a kid(like 6 to10) I’m sure you wanted a slight chill of Halloween and not the full blown horror we all seek these days.

Gameplay
Scooby Doo! First frights is developed by Torus Studios and comes out for the Wii and DS. The main quest is broken down into four episodes with each containing upwards of four levels to complete.

The best way to describe it is linear progression with a heavy dose of collecting Scooby snacks. Along the way expect to search for clues fight bosses and beat up countless baddies, it’s standard stuff, nothing here is  really inventive nor innovative. That would not be a bad thing if the gameplay mechanics were solid, sadly they turn out to be more of a chore. Linear levels with tons of invisible walls are a bad start but then to add hordes of mindless enemies that are as fun to beat up as a bag of sand is just adding to the frustration. The combat mechanics are simple enough with two attack buttons and a charge up, it will get boring really fast unless you use Daphne-who does a Liu Kang bicycle kick! Now I was a big fan of the original cartoon and its half baked attempts in solving puzzles and piecing together clues yet those moments in the game are relegated to bashing items around an area to literally find “puzzle” pieces that become a clue item. I understand this is supposed to be a kids game but maybe a little more effort could have been made in creating something that could channel the spirit of the cartoons. A bit of point and click or other exploration elements in finding clues would have been amazing.

Man up Fred! You can learn a thing or two from Daphne

The other problem is with the actual platforming and camera. The game relies on a fixed camera that gives you a three quarters view from above and is relatively functional for the most part. The game however has this nasty tendency of going into a 2D view angle for some of these platform areas and often times it is just a bad choice. Especially since most of the platforming elements tend to go into the Z axis. The characters don’t seem to be designed with platforming in mind either since they jump and move in a very loose manner. This makes for some truly messy platforming.

To add to the plethora of game play experiences are the obligatory chase scenes that play out like the old Crash Bandicoot sequences,  it seem the people at Torus are fans of Naughty Dog. These sequences for the most parts are fun and feel right at home in Scooby Doo!

In terms of controls the game does a decent job of keeping things simple and fun- you can play with the nunchuck or even the classic controller. I played with the Wii mote and nunchuck where you can jump with the A button and perform attacks with the B button. Your characters special moves are assigned to the Z button and C lets you switch between the two characters in each level. You can do the classic butt stomp by double jumping and pressing attack. Certain characters like shaggy can even reflect projectiles with their special attack button. The character swap mechanic isn’t as deep as you would think since it’s relegated to simple level navigation. Now here is where the context sensitive moments come in – pressing Z lets your specific character do their special ability.  Scooby can go through doggy doors, Shaggy uses a Yo-Yo to swing and hit switches, Fred can push and pull large objects, Velma can hack computer switches, and Daphne can shimmy across pipes to reach far away areas. These elements help the gameplay but are not used enough or cleverly implemented. Now you wouldn’t have to do all that switching if you play co op but trust me the only way I would play co op is if my young cousin wanted help with the atrocious platforming. Again the game at its core is very simple and at times the same mindless set of actions are repeated level after level. The game after all is very linear.

Wasn't this a Loony Toons gag?

Is there a silver lining? Sure there is! The game uses costumes not as a skin but actually changes your characters visual functionality. Take Shaggy as an example, he has a space suit costume that shoots out laser blasts instead of his standard slingshot and double jumping activates the jet pack. Granted the functionality isn’t enough to be called an upgrade but I just adore the details. Then there is the solving of the mystery; you see whilst playing the episode you meet the locals of the area and by the episode’s end you have to decide of the three people you meet who was behind all the shenanigans. Choose the wrong one and there are no consequences but just having them in a line up and kids guessing “who done it?” is a nice touch.
It is small feature that makes me smile.

Graphics
In terms of production values the game is certainly packing some heat and the graphics aren’t that bad. Sure it uses low polygonal designs cleverly to create a very stylized look but you will be amazed at the versatility of the engine. Some of the stuff in this game is truly exceptional, the ambient lighting and some of the skyline vistas are just beautiful. The same could be said in the diversity of scary locations as this game skips all the typical settings and creates some truly inspired locations-granted they aren’t original settings but they are different from the usual mix of haunted mansions.

The character animations are decent but some of the important animations like jumping look as stiff as they are to control. It is evident that this is a last gen game but they try their best to deliver. The indoor areas are always littered with tons of geometry and often times  you may be forgiven to try and check out an object that ends up behind an invisible wall. Again I was really impressed with some of the background work- just play the second episode that has you jumping on parade balloons to get to the toy factory and tell me you weren’t a tad bit surprised.
The entire cast of Mystery Inc has been wonderfully recreated in their adolescent form, adding to that some unlockable costumes and you have a title that will try it’s best to keep things visually interesting.

Looks like you are on your own Shaggy

I’m actually in love with the intro and menu screen since it seems to be inside a small cottage with Scooby and Shaggy, just the movement around the cottage is nothing new but it goes a long way to say that the devs made sure to keep the feeling of the series alive in every visual aspect. This game won’t win any awards for its visual fidelity but it does do a great job and packs amazing production values that we have rarely seen on the Wii (aside from the stellar first party games).

Sound
The game has the standard music selection that compliments each area very appropriately, the cinematic showcases great voice acting with the help of classic canned laughter. Sadly these do not make it into the actual gameplay where we are treated with repeated taunts by our heroes and some incredibly annoying grunts by the baddies.
I really was expecting a lot out of the audio portion of the game to enhance the cartoon’s feel but it does an ok job and nothing more. Compliments again to the cinematic voice acting with canned laughter- just make sure there is more of that in the actual game.

Replay
With about four episodes and four levels each- it’s a good kids game that is over in about 5 to 6 hours. Even young kids who have played their share of video games will manage to finish this with relative ease.
Unlockable costumes and trophies are a nice addition but fail to offer anything beyond an aesthetic change. There isn’t a whole lot motivating you to play again.

Verdict
I have to keep telling myself that this is a kids game and I then catch myself wondering if as a kid would have enjoyed this. For a scary theme game First frights does a very decent job with particularly stellar production values but it is when we take the scary theme and cartoon license away do we see the core gameplay and how it relies heavily on its  license. For every great production value related moment we are treated to some mind numbing gameplay. A rental for the fans and maybe a buy for that little kid who can’t wait to play Dead space when he is old enough (yes let’s try and enforce the rating system people).

Gameplay      2/5
Graphics        3/5
Sound         2.5/5
Replay        2.5/5

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That’s right andPOP gaming fans. Courtesy of EA and Maxis, we want to give one of our loyal readers the chance to win a copy of Spore Hero for the Nintendo Wii Console.

Create a creature with over 250 parts, and become a hero! Fight to save a planet and use your Wii remote to unleash awesome attacks.

Just fill out the form below and we will contact the winning contestant. Contest ends Dec. 2nd 2009.

This contest has ended.

Check out www.sporehero.com for more information.

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Band Hero let's you be Taylor Swift without being interrupted by Kanye West!

After last week’s amazing DLC 3 pack of Gwar, Marilyn Manson, and The Misfits is there any better way to follow it up than offering a new game featuring Taylor Swift and Adam Levine?  Heck no!

On November 5th as a way to celebrate Band Hero being released, plastic instrument fans can either export 69 songs from Guitar Hero 5 into Band Hero or 61 songs (out of 64) into GH5 from Band Hero!

The songs that will not export from Band Hero to Guitar Hero 5 are as follows:

Jesse McCartney- “Beautiful Soul”
Aly & AJ- “Like Whoa”
Styx- “Mr. Roboto”
Hilary Duff- “So Yesterday”

Look on the bright side though you can make Kurt Cobain sing Taylor Swift!

The export runs you 400 Microsoft Points on Xbox 360, $4.99 on Playstation3, and 500 points on Wii.

November 12th is all about Lenny Kravitz as Guitar Hero commemorates the 20th anniversary of his 1989 debut album Let Love Rule. This three song track pack includes the title track “Let Love Rule,” “Lady” off his seventh studio album Baptism, and “Fly Away,” a song which I will assume you all know because it’s freakin’ “Fly Away”

On November 19th paint your faces and grab your tongue extensiosn because it’s time to rock out with the one and only KISS! This track pack includes their new single “Modern Day Delilah,” which has a ripping solo “I Was Made for Loving You,” their second Gold single and finally “Lick it Up,” which was the title track off their album which was also named… Lick it up.

It’s been awhile since Guitar Hero gave us anything for free and on November 24th they’re doing it SIX TIMES! The Neversoft Thanks The Fans Track Pack features: “Lemon Frosting” by Bunny Knutson, “RockNRola” by Nancy Fullforce, “From the Blue/Point of No Return/T.T.R.T.S” by An Endless Sporadic, “Love Holds It Down” by Dom Liberati, “You Really Like Me” by Davidicus and “Guilty Pleasures” by Tony Solis.

These may appear to be unknown bands to the casual player but I can tell you that I am super excited to play more An Endless Sporadic (from GH3 and GHWT DLC respectfully) and Guilty Pleasures sounds awesome as well.

For reasons unknown this track pack will only be available for Playstation3 and Xbox 360 as of this announcement.

We aren’t done quite yet though for the Wii fans out there that have been feeling not metal enough lately the 8 missing tracks from Metallica’s Death Magnetic will now be able to be downloaded as singles on your Nintendo Wii! This offer begins on November 24th so prepare to shred!

Lenny Kravitz Track Pack

Fly Away

Lady

Let Love Rule

KISS Track Pack

Lick it Up

I Was Made For Loving You

Modern Day Delilah

Neversoft Thanks The Fans Track Pack

Love Holds It Down

Lemon Frosting

You Really Like Me

RockNRola

Guilty Pleasures

From The Blue/Point of No Return/T.T.R.T.S

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Disney Interactive Studios has announced that Mickey Mouse will be taking his adventures beyond Kingdom Hearts. Along with Junction Point, Disney is developing a new platform-adventure gaming starring the 81-year old anthropomorphic rodent.

In Disney Epic Mickey, the mouse pulls an inFAMOUS and unwittingly devastates the world of the Cartoon Wasteland, where old and retired cartoon characters go – which ironically sounds like Florida without Disneyland.

Mickey stumbles into this realm and must choose to be a hero or to just get the hell out as fast as he can, since being the mouse that inadvertently rained destruction on this world he isn’t exactly popular. Sounds good, especially with the combat style being approached from the 4th-wall breaking idea of paints and thinners.  I’ve always wanted to erase Donald Duck anyway.

So playing Fable as Mickey Mouse, huh? Sounds interesting. We’ll keep an eye on it for you.

Cheers.

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Now on the iPhone and iPod Touch for the first time is FIFA 10, which can be downloaded via the App store. FIFA Soccer 10 can also be bought in store all throughout Europe for the PS3, XBox 360, PC, PS2 and the mobile platform.

FIFA for the iPhone is the only full-licensed soccer games in the App Store. It mirrors the 2009-10 teams in real life from the leagues worldwide.  It’s very simple to use and allows the user a lot of mobility and accuracy. Added on is different camera angles and slow motion replay. And if ever in the mood for a good challenge, simply uses Wi-Fi to connect with friends.

On the PS3 and 360 the dribbling system has been fine tuned for accuracy. An improved manager mode, new practice arenas, and customizable set pieces. Added features such as Virtual Pro, a mode that allows you to become a pro footballer with many accomplishments and face other pros online. With the weekly pulse as an optional addition which gives real-world info. The weekly pulse being a downloadable content.

On the Wii “The Strike It System” is timing the use of the Wii remote in order to score or defend. Compete and compare with family and friends and ultimately play online with friends in 2v2 online matches and tournaments.

Sorry non-Europeans we’re going to have to wait a bit longer to play this one.

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The Play offs have started.

The last hockey game I bought for full price was Wayne Gretzky’s 3D Hockey for the N64, since then I haven’t really fallen in love with any new hockey games. Sure, I’ve played my share but nothing has captured the frenzy of the old hockey games and has left me wondering if maybe my expectations are a bit too high.  No, I haven’t been under a rock or anything, I’ve played and kept up to date on the newer NHL games but nothing has really stood out enough for me to merit a purchase.

When talks were brewing about NHL 2K10 utilizing the Wii Motion Plus accessory I was really excited to see how evolutionary this title might turn out to be. This excitement was due to the fact that the last sports title I played that utilized the Motion Plus was the excellent Tiger Woods 10. In the end it’s the actual utilization of this little gizmo that will either make or break this title.

So does NHL 2k10 have what it takes?

Gameplay
I’m rather glad that we have this healthy competition going for NHL games. When two or more developers take on a sport you really get to see the creativity come out in each iteration. Where I would call the “other developer” one that goes to fine tuning the gameplay experience, I will give 2K the edge in providing sheer value. Bonus points for 2K for being first to bring hockey to the Wii. What clearly separates the 2K series in the end is its pick up and play arcade-like feel, where as I find the other hockey game out there has become more of a hockey simulator. Now don’t get me wrong, if you feel that the sim approach is what you love then you can certainly replicate that here. One of the features is the ability to tweak every aspect of the game (the 2k sliders) which makes the 2K10 a more robust offering.

Score!!!

In terms of modes you have your normal assortments- starting with season mode, franchise, mini rink, play offs, online, and pond hockey. With the option of having a no hassle quick match online or off, things are kept simple for those of us who might be overwhelmed with the options. There is even a mode to have your Mii become a seasoned hockey player. The actual bevy of play modes are sure to keep the fans of the sport hooked. The game does a great job of offering an auto sign in option the moment the disc is booted but despite all its intentions I found match making to be a frustrating waiting game almost any time of the day. I suppose the real blame lies in the fact that a large majority of Wii owners are not online nor divulging their attention to other fine games on the platform. Elaborating on the Mii integration the title offers themed motion controlled games that focus on the actual play mechanics of hockey. Modes that showcase goalie skills, shoot outs, passing, and dekeing get their own motion controlled challenge. I hate to call any of these mini games since they are far from a party offering; the reason being most of these motion controls are not as simple to grasp and master as you would want for a mini game. Add in also the fact that really there are just 5 different types of games that don’t beckon multiple replays. I know we all hate mini games as a stand alone concept but I believe almost any sports game on the Wii could benefit from a couple of light party style mini games thrown for variety online or off. Online wise there is nothing better than having a league match where you control just one player. Having ten people play with you is a rare achievement in online hockey. It’s a shame though that the Wii Speak isn’t being bundled with this game since most people online are mute.

What this title lacks in the game play department is a true identity, it begins as an arcady experience that tries to dive into sim territory with somewhat fair motion controls. It’s a decent effort but nothing really revolutionary let alone evolutionary. The real drawback is that the package is almost identical to the other consoles offerings save for the small Mii features and that just won’t do.

The controls require the use of a nunchuck as expected with the alternate option going to the classic controller. New this year is the Wii Motion Plus which technically should offer added precision and take this game to exciting heights.
The key word there was “should” since the application of the Motion Plus peripheral is a mixed bag. Flicking the controller to pass is horrendously inaccurate and trying to poke check and tackle someone by thrusting the controller feels ridiculous. What they did manage to nail is the goalie controls that have you face the Wiimote and nunchuck at each other to stop some speedy shots. Granted it’s not as fast of a reaction time as I would have wanted but does the job well. Taking a shot however feels amazing, the further you draw back the remote the more power you can expect to utilize. It is very subtle but just enough to make you appreciate it.

Another good application is the slight stick control you achieve by holding down on the D-pad and using the Wiimote to move your stick to evade incoming attackers. This creates a type of dekeing that is unrivaled on any console. No longer are you limited to idiotic button presses, now your control of the puck is all in your wrists. These applications are far from excellent but do lay out the framework which should help create a more immersible experience next year. The rest of the controls are fairly well laid out with movement allocated to the control stick while shooting and passing respectively being kept to the A and B buttons; finally turbo and backward skating are assigned to Z and C. With respects to passing and shooting you still have to hold the button down and flick the Wiimote to complete the move, honestly I would recommend you turn on pointer passing for your offline sessions since it feels more like an evolution than the motion controls.

At the end of the day it seems like the game really can be played with the same level of immersion without the Motion Plus however the dekeing controls are just so delightful that you might as well try it for yourself.

Now motion plus enhanced.

For the next iteration they should focus on the soccer control blue print ala the fine Winning Eleven series. There are small elements of that here such as pointer passes but unless they treat this sport for what it is (fast paced strategic game play) these problems may repeat year after year.

I will warn you about the Wii Speak utilization, the peripheral is tied to a 16 digit code so go ahead and invest in it. Chatting during a game is smooth and the Wii Speak channel gives you all that in-game access. You’re never really disconnected at any point during team selection to the moment the puck drops. The best moment seems to be when you’re in an online 10 player league match and then are sent to the box to chat with your rival for fighting. Online hockey deserves voice chat! It’s a shame that the peripheral is tied so strongly to a serial code.

Graphics
Things are kept really simple here which is somewhat sad. I find it amusing where other sports titles go out of there way to push the graphical limits of the console, the only game that truly lacks behind is hockey. I’m not just speaking just of the Wii offering, I’m talking about all the console versions. We have seen football, soccer, basketball, baseball, and countless other sports improve drastically each year but the hockey games just seem to get a better reflection mapping on the ice.

Who has a Wii here and is Online??

The Wii version seems to have horrendous cut out crowds and horrible reflection maps. Players do look like the real life counter parts albeit some stiff facial animation. Moving on the positive side of things the shadow works and player animations are very impressive. In fact all those gripes are forgiven once you see and entire arena in motion. For what it’s worth the animation saves this title from looking truly last gen. Still this is a bare minimum and things need to be stepped up drastically next year.

Sound
The standard array of sound effects you’d hear in any hockey game are here. With decent crowd reactions and fairly well done commentating. I found it impressive that they do a recap at the end of each period, despite sounding a tad bit vague it’s definably an extra effort that is appreciated on the Wii. The sound effects are sharp and well done except for the post ricochet which ends up sounding a bit too loud and fake. Musically the game has a decent selection of tracks that are catchy and mainstream. Nothing like hearing Lupe Fiascos’ Superstar the moment you score the first goal.

There should be a drinking minigame in every hockey game

Replay
The sheer amount  of things to do will keep you occupied for some time, with tons of modes designed to test your hockey skills. Obviously creating a well rounded online experience with leader boards insure this is an exceptional offering on the Wii. I only wish there were creative Motion Plus themed mini games designed outside the constructs of the game that were more geared towards a party expierence (I can’t believe I just wrote that). Maybe I just expected a bit too much but a good example was how Tiger Woods 10 handeled these options. It’s just about the quality of the offerings.
Another mention to the spectacular online mode despite its horrendous match making option. If you know 10 people who own a Wii (by now we all know at least 50) get them to buy this game and play as a league, I believe this is the greatest online experience on the Wii since Smash Bros. Brawl.

Verdict
NHL 2K10 is a hockey game without an identity. It dances around the fine line of arcade vs. sim without leaning to any one side. It’s a big deal they broke ground on the Wii with a more than decent effort but things need to improve as far as controls and graphics. The list of options and production values won’t win any awards but do deliver a good hockey game. If you own just a Wii and are a hockey fan then this is a must buy; however if you own any other console you might want to rent and see if the 2K series is right for you.  Either way give this game some of your attention.

Gameplay          3/5
Graphics        2.5/5
Sound                  3/5
Replay                 3/5

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andPOP got the opportunity to try out 2K Sports’ latest hockey title, NHL 2K10. We had the chance to play the game and talk with the developers.

Read more at andPOP. andPOP - POP Culture with Substance

Not necessarily a sequel to Nintendo’s hit Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus is more of an expansion and a tweaking to the original.

A big issue with the original Wii Fit (complete with pressure sensitive balance board) was that if one was doing a workout regeim, they couldn’t do two very important things when working out. 1) fitness gamers were unable to focus on speicific parts of the body (as they could in real world gyms), and 2) the process was so slow between sets and changes of workouts that the sweat gamers built up would die down in between exercises.

Luckily with Wii Fit Plus, these two major issues have been corrected, and in style! Gamers can now create their own customized workout routines according to their own unique schedules, preferences, and fitness goals.

Not only does Wii Fit Plus have all the original aerobic, yoga, strength training, and balance activities, but it also has over 20 new activities to increase the fun including skateboarding, platforming (Mario style) and even a Segway course! An estimated calorie burning calculator rounds out the new features in Wii Fit Plus giving all those gamers who are looking to get a little more active no excuse to stay on the couch.
That’s not all! Now for the first time, you can create a Mii for your pet by weighing them and creating custom Mii’s for them… that’s not to say your pet can exercise to Wii Fit Plus, but at least they won’t be left out of the family tracking lobby! Best of all, if you already own the balance board from the original Wii Fit, you can pick up this title for about $25!!! ($100 if you need the board as well).

Know what? this article is over, I’m heading out to pick this title up right now!

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The runaway hit gaming console of this generation finally receives a price cut.
Nintendo a couple days back officially announced the Wii will retail for (MSRP) $219.95.
A drop in $60 is sure to make you pick up that extra game or accessory for the system. I’ll suggest you check out every retail outlet for some killer bundle deals.

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Primed Perfection

Developer Retro Studios has my heart, what they have managed to create over the last 7 years is nothing short of the most influential and loved series to ever grace any console.
On my list of favorite games 2002’s Metroid Prime for the GameCube ranks the highest, simply put I love this title.

Till this day I am astonished at how a once unknown developer has taken such a beloved franchise and moved it into the third dimension whilst maintaining the classic series feel and essence. Very few games can match the sheer mood and ambiance that the Metroid Prime series is known for.
When I found out that the entire Prime series was coming to the Wii on one disc I just couldn’t believe Retro studios was going jam pack all that awesome sauce into one piece of media.

So what we get in Metroid Prime Trilogy is the excellent GameCube games, Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2 Echoes, and the Wii’s Metroid Prime 3 Corruption on a single disc with significant control and graphical enhancements for the GameCube originals plus a clever achievement system that ties all three titles into a seamless gaming experience. It has been a tremendous joy revisiting this entire series conveniently packaged into a metal collector’s edition case with an art pamphlet.  You couldn’t ask for a better deal on the Wii.

Yes this is a Wii game

Seriously, three tremendous gems packaged for around $59.99 is a steal!

Gameplay
The Prime series at first glance may look like a first person shooter but actually takes the more appropriate title of First Person Adventure.  They employ a lot of exploration, tons of back tracking, zany morph ball puzzles, some delightful first person platforming, and clever battles.  In fact each one of the sub genres within the series could very well be a game on its own; yet only in this series do we see such elements blend in a harmonious manner to create an unparalleled gaming experience.

All three titles focused on exploration of alien lands and trying to piece together a story of a greater threat. In the case of Prime 1 you’ll find yourself organically navigating the land to finally confront the final boss. This traversing and exploration aspect feels so natural and that by the end you begin to realize the true magic of the games script and level design. Having locations that were once unreachable quickly become accessible throughout the adventure and uncovering secrets and weapon upgrades never felt more satisfying. On the topic of upgrades expect to see a typical Metroid stereotype of losing your suit powers during the beginning sequence. This is forgivable for Prime 1 but by Prime 2 you feel slightly cheated and a tad bit sad that you’d have to go around and reclaim the upgrades that were yours to begin with again, thankfully this mechanic is tossed away for Prime 3. What all three games do well is create a layered world that beckons to be explored with the various weapons upgrades and insanely cool visors.

Control wise the first two games of the series get a much needed boost as these were original GameCube titles. By applying the same blueprint from Prime 3 the controls (thanks to the IR sensor) are smooth and refreshingly accurate. In fact I went back to the original Cube titles and found the controls very limiting. You visors and beam selection is smartly given to the plus and minus buttons that now overlay the screen and let you freely select the visor or weapon of you choice. Movement is set to the nunchuck and shooting and jumping is set to A and B on your Wiimote. The lock on ability is given to the Z trigger on your nunchuck and finally missiles are now selectable by pressing down on the D-Pad.  It is a smart utilization of the Wiimote and nunchuk and feels as intuitive as it is natural. I would strongly recommend that you select advanced controls in the options to get the best results. In advanced, the dead zone of your targeting is minimized giving you a sharper turning radius and faster left and right movement. Trust me it’s worth it.

Prime 1
The gameplay focus is on what wiped out the Chozo of Talon IV with different regions on the planet that need to be explored to solve this mystery. You’ll find yourself going from desert ruins to scenic glaciers to underground mining labs in some of the most diverse landscapes in any of the Metroid series. You begin to unravel the space pirates (your enemies) research and find the missing link to this poison that plagues Talon IV. Along the way expect tons of morphball puzzles and some very interesting story telling thanks in part to your scan visor. Very ambient with tons of cool weapons and memorable boss encounters. Prime 1 ranks as one of the best in this trilogy set.

Prime 2
Often compared to Majora’s Mask from the Zelda series, this iteration has the same gameplay mechanics as its predecessor but with the inclusion of light and dark worlds. Samus answers a distress signal to a planet and finds herself in a conflict between the Luminoth and the dark world menaces known as the Ing. Utilizing ammunition for her beam cannons you are thrust into a world which houses both a light side and a dark side that can be traversed by going through portals. With a lot more boss fights and tons of cool cinematic moments you soon realize the same poison from talon IV has had a hand in the disruptions on this new planet and face off against a new but somewhat familiar foe.
What begins as a side story soon ensues a deep quest to restore Luminous to its normal state.
With tons of secrets and some fine vistas to explore your objective is all about restoring light to the dark and collecting mystical keys to the Ing Hideout. Echoes was less about natural flow and more about objectives based gameplay which to some extent needed to be there since Luminous is dauntingly large and equally complex.

One of the gigantic boss encounters you'll face

Prime 3
Heralded as a return to the series roots while wrapping up the dark Samus/Phazon story arc, Prime 3 was developed for the Wii  and released almost a year ago. Weapon upgrades are handled in traditional Metroid fashion with each upgrades replacing your old one. A greater focus is laid on story telling and small investigative work in uncovering where the home planet of Phazon is located. With the most gorgeous levels  in the series you are not limited to just one planet and traverse to different parts of the galaxy.  Now mixed into the gameplay is an overdrive mode that runs on Phazon and players must use this hyper mode cautiously at the risk of Samus’ health.  Adding to that for the first time in Metriod history you get to use your Gunship in some really clever puzzles. Prime 3 showcases some of the finest boss fights and immersive story telling yet.
Since it was a Wii title the motion control implementation is natural and many of the motion interactive moments feel genuine and well thought out.

Graphics
On the visual front things are looking stellar as all three titles have received visual upgrades of which Prime 1 and 2 get the most out of it since they were last generation titles. The entire set runs at 480p and thankfully in widescreen mode. Prime 1 gets a lighting and texture overhaul with environments now looking crisper and more vibrant than ever before. This truly is evident in some dynamic lit rooms and when looking at enemy characters up close.  Prime 2 utilized a different rendering tech and so the upgrades may not be as apparent as in the first but they are definitely there. Visually Prime 2 does lag a bit behind but it’s still an upgrade when compared to the GameCube release. I find the reason may be in its design of the dark world and some dreary locations that really can’t benefit from slight visual upgrades. But don’t let that fool you as the game does look stunning for a Wii title. It’s rather sad that games that were released last generation with a small visual upgrade can stand as the best looking Wii games but then again I believe it’s a testament to Retro and their artistic ability.

Prime 3 was developed for the Wii as mentioned before, and its visual fidelity is noticeable right from the beginning; even though the game is a year old it still stands at the top tier of  Wii titles. Really they didn’t have to but Retro went in and actually did some minor visual work in Prime 3.  All three games are oozing with lush environments that cause you to stand there and stare. With dynamic lighting, tons of level geometry, and some awesome hand drawn textures  no two areas look alike. Just try and marvel at the lattice work on each corridor in Elysia and then be stunned as you traverse the high tech solitude of Sanctuary Fortress.

I should tell you that during my review word got out that some effects work was missing from Prime 1, namely slight water dynamics and some gun effects. This seems to be true and a questionable omission on Retro’s part. By no means does it affect the entire games visual scope nor does it hamper on any of the ambiance but its removal does prove odd for the fans who own the original. Above all let me stress that this is very very very minor and I guarantee 90 percent of people won’t even notice this. Still the original had some slight water dynamics and subtle effects like your gun freezing over when loading an ice beam.

I should also let you know that since all three games are selectable from the main menu there was no need to implement each titles personal menu and load out screen, a minor sadness to those of us who have seen the stellar load screens of Prime 1. Seriously it was the best menu load out I had ever seen. In the end the menu and selection screens are well done and follow the trilogy set’s own art style.

Sound
Someone go give Kenji Yamamoto an award! Prime Trilogy houses some of the best work he has ever done. All the music is eerily beautiful, almost like a galactic opera that fuses all sorts of electronic music into one harmonious symphony.  Some of the best ambient music is here and a fair amount of it is remixed/ re-imaginations of the original 2D soundtracks. But it’s not just the beautiful music that will catch you ear, a lot of smart effects sounds and ambient location noises complete the entire audio package. Whether it’s the beautiful chorus harmony of Elysia complimented with the turbulent sounds of airborne engine thrusters or the isolated ruins of Chozo and its echoing hallways which compliment the down tempo electronic music; it’s clear that a balance is created in each location through ambient sounds and awesome musical accompaniment.

Power up

Prime 3 takes it a step further with tons of dialog and well acted moments between you and the other bounty hunters. The voice work is top notch and while our heroine remains silent everyone around her certainly has a lot to say.
Turn up the volume on your surround sound set since it does run the standard Dolby Prologic II and defiantly ranks as one of the Wiis finest audio experiences.

Replay
You have three stellar games each taking about 20 hours or so on your fist go to complete .
Add to that hours of replay with an achievement system that is taken from prime 3 and now implemented for the entire trilogy. You collect prime Credits that can be exchanged for items like story boards, music, art, diorama sets, and small cosmetic upgrades ala a new skin for you armor or a virtual bobble head for your ship.  Combine the fact tat you can send friend credits and receive them via Wifi and you have an achievements system that rivals the trophies set on PSN. It’s sad that other games on Wii don’t do this.

Add to the whole list is a reworked version of Prime 2′s multiplayer now fully reworked to take advantage of IR motion controls and viola! A perfectly good time waster with you buddies; just don’t expect to play them online since it’s all local here.
Easily clocking at 80 hours I found myself completely in love with the tons of unlockables on this disc.
It’s a title that you’ll come back to again and again. The single player story alone will take up most of your time and should you dive deeper and complete 100 percent, you’ll definitely be treated to more than just an extended ending.

Verdict
The finest trilogy in gaming has come back as a stellar value package. There is no finer example of modern gaming than the Prime series. The innovations, style, music, and game play mechanics have stood the test of time. This is A MUST BUY FOR ALL WII OWNERS.

There are no excuses anymore if you own a Wii. Go out now and get this.
Just like Ocarina of time and Mario 64 before it, the Prime series is the crowning achievement of a classic franchise revived for next gen gaming. I can guarantee that there is no other gaming experience like this.

Gameplay  5/5
Graphics    4.5/5
Sound          5/5
Replay         5/5

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Welcome to GWAR into your home this October with Guitar Hero 5!

No tricks here folks just treats as Guitar Hero rolls out a fine month of DLC for Guitar Hero 5.

It all starts with a Queens Of The Stone Age Pack featuring three tracks from their debut album, with Dave Grohl being featured on Avon you know it’s going to be a blast on drums. The week after that we get three tracks from Billy Squier with “The Stroke” which funny enough was the first Guitar Hero custom ever! Coming up next is Mike Patton’s favourite band Wolfmother featuring three tracks from their forthcoming album  Cosmic Egg.

The second most exciting pack of DLC in October would have to be The Classic Rock 2 Track Pack featuring another epic from Peter Frampton with  “Show Me The Way (live)”. Canadian rockers Triumph make their debut on plastic instruments with their hit “Lay It On The Line” which is sure to give guitarists a run for their money. Finishing it all off is a track from The J. Geils Band “Freezeframe” which is sure to make you go “Oh YEAH! That song.”

The most exciting announcement however is The All Hallows’ Eve track pack with the debut of GWAR’s “GOR GOR” so make sure you don’t wear your Sunday’s best when you sit down to play with all the blood and umm “GWAR juice” coming out of your screen. Adding to the Halloween spirit Marilyn Manson submits his smash hit “The Beautiful People” and we finally get an authentic horror-punk band with The Misfits “Astro Zombies” (let’s hope it’s the original with Danzig).

Downloadable Content – October 1

Queens Of The Stone Age Track Pack

* “Mexicola”
* “Avon”
* “How to Handle a Rope”

Downloadable Content – October 8

Billy Squier Track Pack

* “The Stroke”
* “Everybody Wants You”
* “When She Comes To Me”

Downloadable Content – October 15

Wolfmother Track Pack

* “Pilgrim”
* “California Queen”
* “Cosmic Egg”

Downloadable Content – October 22

Classic Rock 2 Track Pack

* The J. Geils Band – “Freeze Frame”
* Peter Frampton – “Show Me The Way (Live)”
* Triumph – “Lay It On The Line”

Downloadable Content – October 29

All Hallows’ Eve Track Pack

* GWAR – “Gor Gor”
* Marilyn Manson – “Beautiful People”
* The Misfits – “Astro Zombies”

http://guitarhero.com

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Let’s start off this list of announcements with the launch date for Wii Fit plus: hitting store shelves October 4th 2009! The game disc alone will cost only $20! Giving you yet another reason to keep that balance board and your lifestyle totally active.

And starting September 13th The DSi will get pink and white colors added to its selection.
I know what youre saying, where is the Wii love? well come this holiday the Wii mote, nunchuck and Wii motionplus will come in black! could a Black Wii be far off???

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That’s right folks, Scene It? is coming out with it’s third foray into the video game world with Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen!

Not only will Scene It? be making it’s way back to the Xbox 360, but this time around it’s making the debut on both the Wii and PS3!

Offering more up to date movie trivia (as well as classic movie trivia of course), Bright Lights! Big Screen! will also feature a new and improved single player mode as well as new, unique mini-games.

Better bone up on your movie knowledge before Scene It? drops this holiday season.

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METROID PRIME: TRILOGY ON SALE NOW!!

This week we saw the release of my favorite game of all time, Metroid Prime! Now bundeled with Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Metroid prime 3: Corruption to create the METROID PRIME TRILOGY SET for Nintendo Wii.
Prime 1 and 2 now get a facelift with true widescreen presentation and subtle rendering effects that visually enhance the game (we are talking bloom lighting and sharper textures) while Prime 3 gets some minor texture enhancements and some smart loading fixes. Adding to the list of improvements to an already stellar game are achievements that unlock special content through out your progress as well as all new control schematics for Prime 1 & 2 utilizing the Wiimote. All these wonderful games are on ONE DISC!!! It comes with a sleek and beautiful metal case and an art booklet! This wonderful collectors edition package can be yours for the price of a single Wii game- 59.99

You have to be a FOOL not to get this for you Wii! Seriously let me stress at how amazing these titles are and what they have contributed to modern gaming as we know it. Bottom line- You own a Wii? GET THIS NOW!

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Coming this fall Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment is bringing you a party game compilation for all you party game fans!!
Yes it’s a double dosage with Game Party 3 and Touch Master 3 for Wii and the later for the DS.
Game Party 3 for wii features 19 game modes, customizable characters and 16 player tournament brackets to boot. No word if the title will use the Wii motion plus.
Touch Master 3 features a co-op game play mechanic that will have you playing through 20 plus games. Both games have been rated E for Everyone.

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