Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Review

The Final Showdown! -- Charge into the prime outer space battle of your life !!

Facts:

• Three difficulties
  
• "Medallion-Feature" via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
  
• Cinematic Synchronization
• High interactivity with the surroundings
• 480p mode with 60 fps
• 16:9 mode

Space - eternal widths! Six months have past since Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. A dark threat is once again agitating the universe. Dark Samus and the Space Pirates are infecting several planets with the highly toxic Phazon. The planet Norion, headquarters of the Galactic Federation, is also being attacked. Dark Samus and the Space Pirates were defeated once, but there is only one Headhunter that the whole universe can trust: Our Samus Aran, one of the biggest heroines of all time. She is ready for her hardest Prime mission. Will she defeat her foes ? Or will she be crushed by her evil doppelganger ? Last Round, last chance, last hope, last fight. Metroid Prime goes in its final round: Corruption.



Metroid Prime 3 has a new twist to it, but it still keeps its charm and has a Metroid typical atmosphere to it. You still move Samus through mazes and mostly still alone. You can say that it is a polished version of Metroid Prime 1, if not better. It has better graphics, visuals, music, sound, and controls. Now to the story: The attack of the Space Pirates comes when you at least expect it. In a short cut-scene, a monumental laser-beam rips a ship of the Galactic Federation into a bunch of pieces. The G.F.S. Olympus from Admiral Dane is also under attack. Immediately the pirates board the ship. A good chance to try the brilliant "pointer" controls. You can set up the wished sensibility in the options menu and there you go. The rumble may begin. The "Advanced"-mode guaranties a fast movement of the field of vision and optimizes your reaction speed. Without long fuss, you can easily control the innovative Wii-Mote in no time. Even in the most paced battles you will not lose the overview. Just that makes the game to what it is: A masterpiece.

Similair to Metroid Prime Hunters for the Nintendo Dual Screen, you cruise with your spaceship from planet to planet. This so called "planet-hopping" was one of the main critical points of the NDS version. In MP3:C you are underway to three different planets: As previously mentioned, you first defend the headquarters of the Galactic Federation located in Norion. A giant phazon-like meteoroid abruptly appears in the orbit of the planet, straightly heading for Norion. You move through the station and meet three other Bounty-Hunter. Together you try to reactivate a gigantic cannon, pulverize the meteor and contracept the impaction on Norion.
Bryyo is your second destination, which already is infected with Phazon. You follow the hunter Rundas, and find the origin of the phazon infestion. At the end of the level, a suprising story-twist happens. The third "attraction" is Skytown, Elysia. It doesn`t matter if Norion, Bryyo, or Elsia: The story (and gameplay) was perfectly cut into the surroundings of the planets. On each planet; you solve tons of mysteries and complete very different missions.



The classic beams from the Metroid-series are called ice- and wavebeam. In Metroid Prime 3, the two classic beams were not included, but you can find the brand new Ice-Missiles. Narrow places can be mastered (like already familiarized) with the morphball.

Positive:
- Gigantic Bossfights
- Nearly perfect First-Person-Shooter controls
- High percentage on riddles and puzzles
- Really genial level design
- Constant 60 frames pro second
- Good mix of a First-Person Shooter and adventure
- Hyper-mode turned out suprisingly well
- Epic music
- Loading times were cleverly solved: Some doors open later. A lot of video game magazines critisized this, but most core-gamers say this solution is the best. Would you like to wait three seconds more at a door and prepare for the next battle, and eavesdrop to the wonderfully made music or wait at a classicaly boring loading bar ? I would prefer first mentioned
- a long game


Negative points:

- It takes long to find a save-point.
- no Multiplayer or Co-Op mode
- Some passages are really frustrating


Metroid Prime 3 is one of the MUST-HAVE games for the Wii. If the above mentioned negative points don`t bother you, then buy it !!!

Sam and Max Season One (Wii) Preview

(Note: If you`re in a hurry, just read chapter 1.2-1.5)

1.0 Facts
1.1 Exorbitant Intro
1.2 Comeback after 16 years
1.3 Easier puzzles
1.4 What changed ?
1.5 Last word

1.0 Sam & Max Season One Facts:

Genre: Adventure
Publisher: JoWooD Production
Developer : Telltale Games
Players: 1
Release Dates :

: Aug, 26th 2008

: Aug, 29th 2008

• Was released 2006/2007 for Windows PC
• Includes six episodes; each one takes approximately two hours to solve
• Simple controlling via Wii Remote
• Relaxing jazz soundtrack

Web: www.samandmax-seasonone.com




Exorbitant Intro

Who comes to attempt a daring, spectacular and groundbreaking rescue ? Who comes to restore equity, justice, fairness and righteousness ? Who helps altruistic, when fellow citizens are in inconceivable perils ? Two animals...two friends...two legends..two members of the Freelance Police will not even lightly stir their pinkie for the townsmen in extremity, their successors in emergencies, and the women in destitution. Unless, the self seeking hare and a egoistic hound are pertained and affected from the nasty doings, presentiments and dark deeds fulfilled by diabolic criminals , sick rascals, psychotic villains and sinister evildoers......

Or when they can just shoot every single quantum of matter out of them. Well, anyways...adventure veterans and comic-book freaks know this wild duo since a few decades. Sam, "the six foot tall anthropomorphic dog" and Max, the lagomorpha- "a hyperkinetic rabbity thing". Enough talk, Sam & Max Hit The Road was released 1993 for the PC. Notwithstanding, it should be the only Sam & Max game, but because of the wacky story and the rare use of such unique black, painful humor, it was a big success and had a large fan community.

Comeback after 13 years

On the November of 2006, after 13 years, Sam & Max remigrated to the PC-- a adventure game in a episodic format. Every few weeks, a new adventure was released for a bargain buy. The Wii version will include all six episodes. Our anti-hero cops will face on manipulated lives, brain washing and the assassination of a president. Of course, Sam & Max are already on the job, trying to solve the case...but before that, the two cops need their telephone. But their telefon was stolen by a fat, greasy rat. It wants Swiss Cheese as the ransom. I am not going to tell you the answer, but it is, to say it in a fair way, somehow "different".

Easier puzzles

To wrap it all up, you will get a classic adventure-feeling just like in the good old early days. But the most important element will get a new twist: The solution of the assignments. The 1993 game Sam & Max Hit The Road had many tricky solutions that were just absurd and complicated. Nowadays, the challenges should by far logically . The dialogs between the odd friends will make sure that the game will still keep its charm, that it be pretty audacious and saucily, blatant and starkly.

What changed ?

I could play a preview-version of it, and found almost no changes to the PC version. Sure, the graphics are not good as the PC version. But at least you can play it from the couch or whatever. First you meet you a few teenie stars, that obviously are brainwashed. Noticeable is the amount of talking. It is almost like a interactive sitcom. In another episode, you actually are in a talk show

Last word

Overall, good synchro, nice humor and six episodes to solve. Adventure fans should annotate the release date. I am happy that this is released for the PC. I will buy this one, because I suspect a bargain buy. Then nothing stands against dirty cop work.
I give it 4 guns out of five.

.

Olympia: A gold-medal winner also trained with the Nintendo Wii

Kosuke Kitajima, the gold-medal winner of the discipline 100 meter breaststroke, played
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games as a preparation. After the question, what his secret was, Kosuke nonchalantly answered : " Mario does breaststroke swimming ! The perfect mental training !!"

First Screenshot of Super Metroid HD !

Here is the first screenshot of Super Metroid HD !! After researching a small amount of time, I found out that this is a fake. Well, it would be nice to have this game.

Too many Casual-Games ! Hardcore-Gamers are outraged

Most of the hardcore Nintendo fans are disappointed from Nintendo`s new formula- making games everyone can play easily. I might sound dumb, but only hardcore gamers might understand me. Well, just read on to know what I mean, because I don`t want a such long intro..... You could buy yourself a yo-yo and have more fun....if you`re a hardcore gamer. What does the industry say to this "casual boom"?


How did it come to this? Can Nintendo turn the casual-truck in hardcore-paradise ? What`s a casual truck ? I don`t really know. What happened with "quality",with "wit", with "oh my god, what the hell?!"-moments ? Let me tell you how it was back in the Nintendo 64 era with reviewing video games :

As we reviewers decided which games we review and which we push under the blanket, we just needed to take a look at release dates. Back then there wasn`t any big assortment of releases - de facto every new release was worth a preview, because every game was a potential hit.

Well, that changed over the years: Everyday the postman drags a bunch of Wii and DS-games into the editorial department or whatever. Games that don`t really bring our "gamer-heart" into a surge of emotions: crude, immature, callow and half-baked mini-games for the younger audience, soulless quizzes, "come hell or high water"-programmed hopping games with butt-ugly box-art and so on. In short, we have appetite for good games on the Wii or DS.

On the following bunch of 50+ sentences ( I counted:)), Gamesfurk will show you what my readers, but also the gaming industry says to this "casual phenomenon". Here is my opinion : I like games that are accessible for everybody. What I blister on are insubstantial, little games without any tiny piece of wit, that are only produced for the fast cash now and then.

One thing: Edutainment. I hate that genre. It is nice to learn things, for example Brain Age or English Training. But that is the limit. The Wii and DS features decline to a "Well, let`s use the new technology,because every game has it"-type of working. The Wii and DS now are pretty similar to a educational computer. The whole formula is nice, but the developers forgot the actual goal: good video games that make fun. Take a look in the past: The only edutainment Nintendo games I know were Donkey Jr. Math and a Mario game where you learn to type.

I am showing the red card to following bad habits of the gaming industry:

Opening doors via Wii-Mote

In some games like Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None you open the door as if your Wii Remote is a doorknob. That works bad, but is also pretty stupid after 3 hours of playing the game. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption solved this problem, so why can`t the casual industry do it ?

Not even a twist of challenge

I know a few games that are really hard. Super Metriod, Ninja Gaiden, Cybernoid, and almost every arcade game I have played over the years. But I also know a few games that you can literally play from not even thinking. Or puzzles that can be nearly solved by there selfs! Nancy Drew and the Deadly Secret of Olde World Park is one of these games. The difficulty of the game is so low, that there isn`t even one challenge in the game, let alone a part where you have to think.

Minigames without any substance

No one had a problem with the stone mini-game in Ocarina of Time. The slides in Super Mario 64 was a excellent diversion from jumping on goombas and kicking King Bowser Koopa`s virtual butt to save the princess. It was only a tiny, fun element in a humongous game. But at present, humongous games around the mini-games are vanished, disappeared and mostly forgotten. I have nothing against mini-games, but they must be good. A good mini-game collection: Warioware. A bad one: Game Party from Midway.

Game Over after five hours

Really a bulky, big, comprehensive, enormous, extensive, heavyset, large, wide-ranging and lengthy game: Iron Man for the Wii. You can`t never finish this game. Star Trek: Conquest is also lengthy. I have got to cry if some doesn`t know that this is meant ironic. :( Dear Publishers, please dare to make longer games !

Piece of plastic

The Rolling Rocker was the stupidest accessory ever. Only a piece of plastic. After twenty years, the same crap happens again : Why do I need a plastic wheel ? Why do I need a synthetic billard queue or a plastic tennis racket for my Wii-Mote ? Does make more fun? No. Controllers are still the best.

Well, some readers think we are only cosseted:

"Hello. Are you guys dumb? We have got Alone in the Dark, Okami, The World Ends With You, Secret Files: Tunguska, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicals: My Life as a King, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart Wii, Bully, Apollo Justice, Sonic Chronicles, Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword, Boom Blox, Lego Indiana Jones, Fire Emblem, Deadly Creatures, De Blob, Star Wars:The Force Unleashed, Fire Emlem DS, Lego Batman, Dragon Quest IX, Viva Pinata 2, Pikmin 3, Wario Land Wii, Wii Sports Resort, GTA: Chinatown Wars, Animal Crossing: City Folk and so on ! Cool off !

Now let`s go to the opinion of the industry !!

Note: I collected best of clipping form tons of interviews and bunched them into five.


Here clippings of interview put together from 2K people:

"2K is going to be on the hot seats of Nintendo in near future. These titles will approach to diverse audiences, but I don`t want to classify gamers strict into "casual" or "core", because I personally don`t want to get labeled like that. Fans of strategic games will love Civilization Revolution for DS, while sport enthusiastic gamers will play games like Top Spin, Don King presents Prizefighter, or NHL2K."

Same here with SEGA:

"Sega thanks hardcore gamers, because of them, Sega has its successes. What we do is a mix:Dinosaur King, or games like Sonic Chronicles".

Well, that is enough. Bye.

Wii MotionPlus Question & Answer

After I researched a while in the far.away nirvana called "Internet", I found some interesting news and facts about the near-future Nintendo homeconsole peripheral named Wii MotionPlus. If you don`t know what it is, read this post.

Here we go answering a few questions :
[Your dumb if you need to read following parenthesis(Q=Question,A=Answer)]

Q: How long will this attachment be?
A: Estimated 1.6 inches.

Q: How the hell do you attach the classic controller or the nunchuk to a Wii-Remote with MotionPlus ?
A: Damn, you`re cranky, Mr. Question-Taker. Well, it will have a pass-through extension...port.


Q: Do I have to buy Wii Sports Resort? If yes, how much will it cost ?
A: You can buy it with the Wii Sports Resort, but I would expect it also separate available. Just think how blockheaded it would be to play Wii Sports Resort alone. Not to mention buy Wii Sports Resort two times......I`m not sure how much MotionPlus will cost separate from the Wii Sports Bundle, but the bundle itself will cost 50 $ (Estimated 50€ in Europe).

Q: Can you plug it in a Wii Zapper, which would be useful for shooting more accurate in upcoming games like Call of Duty: World at War ?
A: It would be simple-minded to ask a stupid question like that. "There aren`t dumb questions, only dumb answers. Except by people a lá Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus or Adam Sandler..."-a citation by a paparazzi interview I saw on CNN. Back to topic: I never tried the Wii Zapper out. I don`t want to waste my money on an accessory that only mediocre games support. I would wait until CoD: World at War comes out and read a review on a site called Gamesfurk. That sentence was crap. Really crap.Back to the question, I don`t think so. I trust Nintendo. but maybe the Wii Zapper isn`t accurate after all. If only someone would comment this post and would particularize his experiences with the Wii Zapper....

Q: When will MotionPlus come out?
A: Spring 2009.

Q: I am highly skeptical. Will this piece of plastic be something fun, or will it be just a piece of plastic like the Wii Wheel ?
A: Figur out,only casual gamers use the Wii Wheel....Wii MotionPlus is produced in collaboration with AiLive. AiLive produced this tool for gaming developers working with MotionPlus. It is named LiveMove 2. Watch and enjoy



PS: I wrote following text in this article:

[...]Do you still remember the times, were you thought Red Steel would transfer your movements 1:1?[...]

Well, guess what: Red Steel 2 is one of the first games that will support Wii MotionPlus. What a fortuitousness.

Gamesfurks E3 2008: THE BUMMER SHOW?

Where was Mario? Where was Link? Disappointed faces after the Nintendo press conference. But: There is still hope for core-gamers.


What? It`s already over? As Cammie Dunaway, Vice President for Sales and Marketing at Nintendo of America, said farewell to the E3 conference participants, the fans in the international communities were completely broken ´: No Mario, no Zelda, no Star-Fox, no F-Zero. Only Pikmin 3. What the hell happened ?

It was kind of predicted that there will be no Hardcore-games. But hey: There is still hope. Hope that we core-gamers are going to be noticed. Hope, we can believe in......sorry. That catch-phrase was awful. But I`m still happy. Nintendo said that they will prefer to show casual games like Wii Play, Wii Fit, Mario Kart DS or Dr. Kawashima.The good thing: Nintendo didn`t forget us. Stuff like Wii MotionPlus is also interesting for the producers of core-games.

Imagine a Zelda game with 1:1 sword movements. How awesome would that be?! Do you still remember the times, were you thought Red Steel would transfer your movements 1:1? Technically, it wasn`t possible back then. Back then. Sounds like Red Steel is 3..4 years old. Back then is too harsh. To be exact, it wasn`t possible until now.

Somehow weird, but smart: The Wii MotionPlus thing was announced two hours before the start of the Xbox360-E3-conference. I think it was a strategy against the motion Controller of Microsoft, which was and hopefully is just a rumor. If not, Nintendo has a problem. MotionPlus is available with Wii Sports Resort, which will cost estimated 50$. Europeans will have a similar price.

One more question : Why didn`t the Wii offer that since the launch? A 1:1 movement would be awesome and Nintendo would be richer. But I think this is better like this, because they would have rushed it if it would available at the launch. Smart wise-cracks observed something: The accessory is too big for the safety jacket. I expect a new jacket included in Wii Sports Resort. Another negative aspect: The batteries will live shorter with this.

It`s nice to here that not every publisher forgot us hardcore-gamers. Interesting: The product portfolio of Electronic Arts. The giant continues successful and profitable game names like Need for Speed and creates new series like Boogie ( a second installment was already announced earlier this year). Example: The 2009 versions of FIFA, Madden NFL,Tiger Woods PGA Tour, and NBA Live will have a addition in there titles: All-Play.

"WTF does that mean?", you might ask yourself. Well, let us say that Core-gamer get the used action-packed game, but casual-gamers can just play without pressing through oh so long menus and options. Will it effect the market ? I don`t know. But it is not a bad start.

Otherwise, games like MySims or Boogies now have their own games: Boogie SuperStar, and MySims Kingdom. Ubisoft does the same with Prince of Persia and Nintendo with Toon Link : They don`t experiment on new games and possible game series, but instead work on spin-offs of successful game and on the game itself. What is the meaning of this strategy ?The answer,my friend is MONEY

But there are also developers that hate casual-games just like us. For example, High Voltage Games. They`re busy with the programming of the shooter The Conduit-but because of exclusive deals, nobody can show the pictures before High Voltage Games finds a publisher. Even I can`t :(

The Conduit will be playable online with 16-players, will use the VoiceChat "WiiSpeak" (Available with the new Animal Crossing, probably also available by its self too) and have awesome graphics. The developers are really crazy with the details: They work fastidious, fussy, persnickety,squeamish and precise. But not every publisher likeser this: A publish (no name included in the news article) asked the High Voltage Games team: Who will buy this? Which audience likes this?


I will claim the boycott of that anonymous publisher. What were they thinking ?! Hello ?! There are real gamers out there, that are sick of Barbies trying to catch wild ponies,rip-offs, quizzes, bad mini-games, music simulations and other crap that I can buy in supermarket discounters (not kidding) fpr 20-30$ !! OK, just because a game is cheap doesn`t mean it`s bad. For example Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition or Sam & Max: Season One (I will do a preview). Brain Age was interesting, I must admit, but every other casual game that even an elder can finish in 2 hours just is stupid.

"Yes, we`re making it!", said Shigeru Miyamoto. He meant the game Pikmin 3. To be true, I never played Pikmin 1 or 2...but it has a huge fan community. Let`s see if the new audience will like Captain Olimar. He did suck in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Another thing that Nintendo profits from: casual-gamers could like core-games and buy them. The Nintendo Wii would be a magnet of potential future gamers, because it brings the Wii closer to non-gamers. Enough said. That is only a speculation.

Well, I`m optimistic. Nintendo needs us hardcore fans because we will buy their games in good and weak times. This biz is wacky, but Nintendo did make it. There still good, and I am somehow proud of being a Nintendo fan.

Wii Salute !

E3 2008 : Gamesfurk is on the job !!

First of all : I live in Germany, so guess where I will go too ! Yes, that is right ! The Leipzig Games Convention. I will also report on that event.

E3 was a disappointment for Core-Gamers like me. But, hey ! Nintendo said that they won`t announce hardcore-games on E3, so I kind of expected something like this. But overall, it wasn`t as bad as I first thought. With titles like Animal Crossing: City Folk,Castlevania, Wario Land Wii, Wii Sports Resort, Dragon Quest IV, Wii Music, and last but not least Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars some of us are still happy. As Super Mario will always say :

Call of Duty: World at War Wii Preview

You`re once again in WWII, but this time everything is different.


Facts :

• Fifth installment of the "Call Of Duty"-series, excluding expansion packs
  
• Much darker, graver, and duskier than its predecessor
• The Wii version is going to be produced by Treyarch itself
• Compatible with the Wii-Zapper
• Also appearing for the Nintendo DS

The fourth part of the Call of Duty series was pretty unfair: The first-person-shooter was one of the best games of 2007 and of course, didn`t appear on the Wii. Well, it solaced us Wii-users a little bit that the third part was a launch title, but it was only mediocre FPS. Anyway, this doesn`t happen us this year, because the fifth part also appears on Nintendo`s home console. Call of Duty: World at War (there is not going to be a number in the title) is going to be produced by Treyarch. Back then, a external team was responsible for the Wii version of CoD 3. This time they`re going to make it by their selfs. That`s a big plus, because CoD 3 on the Wii sucked triceratops egotistical balls. Treyarch have got a big goal : revolutionizing the FPS-genre and making the best World War II shooter ever made to this point of mankind.

A short clipping from an interview with Treyarch.

What can you tell us about the Wii-version ?


The Wii version is going to be made by Treyarch itself, just like the PC-,PS3-, and XBOX360-version. We`re not going to hire a external team in China for CoD 3 Wii like last time, we`re going to make it on every single platform by ourself. CoD 4 for the DS was a solid thing, and we worked hard to make it better. We`re going have a WiFi-multiplayer modus for 4 players, online statistics, an d a bunch of alternation.



Old War, New Enemy

What ? WWII again ? Yes, but the producers are thinking that there are enough stories to tell about this global conflict. This time it`s the Pacific war in an US-soldier viewpoint. You will also be able to play a soviet soldier on his way to Berlin. The new story will have nothing to do with the typical, stereotypical "hurra-patriotism". Instead, the player should feel how the limits of hero and villain can blur and which radical situations the soldiers had to experience.

Fire them up, fools!

Your enemy is not going react like in other FPSs. Your main enemy, the Japanese, have got a lot of guerilla tactics to show you. Your enemies climb up palms, hide in grass or in tunnels, make themselfs look dead like opossums, or trepan you into dead ends. You will never feel your self safe. But you got one new destructive weapon : the flamethrower. Just try to burn these people up !!

Let us hope that Treyarch makes something good.

Top 10 Best Game Intros Part One

Hello !!

I will tell you about the best game intros !!

It is first thing you see : The intro. Some intros really suck, but some are just really awesome !


Number 10 :

Resident Evil Outbreak :





Well if the game was as good as the intro, I would have bought it !!

Number 9:

Conker: Live and Reloaded



Well, you knew what is coming. If you didn´t, get the hell out, you casual gamer !! The intro of Conker: Live and Reloaded was just one of the best. Even the first 20 seconds are brilliant. Black humor and a "cute" squirrel, that doesn´t look so cute when you see him puke....


To be continued....

Mario Kart Wii

The kart cult will live on !!


Ask a Nintendo fan-boy about his favorite racing game. In nine out of ten cases, a Nintendo fan would say : *Mario Kart Wii !!* Now we get to see the awesome Wii-version !!


April 11 : Mario Kart Wii was released in Europe. I went to the local electronics store. I got one of the last copies before it was sold out. Played it. Loved it. A superb online-mode, a spectacular multiplayer mode, and lots of unlockables....


Pros (Latin for good) :

• Huge number of courses, including some of the most imaginative yet
• Deeply integrated online play
• Easy to jump into for players of any skill level
• Fun and strategic trick system
• Motorcycles provide a great alternative to go-karts.

Contras (Latin for bad) :

• Nostalgia doesn't save most of the classic courses from being boring
• Items are more unbalanced than ever, especially on new tracks
• Battle modes are now exclusively team-based and timed.

One may wonder why Nintendo would add motorcycles and dirt bikes to the game series that popularized, if not invented, the genre of weapons-based go-kart racing. If you're one of the fans who balked at the inclusion of two-wheeled vehicles, a midair stunt system, and motion controls, rest assured that despite these changes, Mario Kart Wii is still very much the game that you have come to love over the years. But even if you haven't been on the receiving end of a blue shell before, the extensive multiplayer options, deeply integrated online functionality, multitude of controller schemes available, and simple gameplay make this latest Mario Kart great fun and quite possibly the most accessible one ever.

The main event of Mario Kart is the Grand Prix mode, which in you must play in order to unlock some characters, karts and more. There is the 50cc, the 100cc and the 150cc mode. You can also unlock the *Mirror Cup* , where all tracks and signs are mirrored. This is very fun, because you aren´t used to it. But this one broke the Mario Kart tradition : You can only play the Grand Prix mode solo (rather than multi-player) !!

16 new, and 16 retro tracks are available. The combination of both new and nostalgic retro levels makes Mario Kart the cremé de la cremé in track choosing. One of the major new features is the midair stunt system, which is activated by flicking the Wii Remote at the very moment you leave the ground from a ramp-assisted jump, making your racer perform an extreme-sports-style trick, such as a 360-degree spin, which upon landing rewards you with a considerable speed boost. To facilitate this new mechanic, most new tracks include huge half-pipes, rampant ramps, a multitude of moguls, and a plethora of pits, all of which are deliberately placed to encourage extensive stunt work. While this new system itself isn't flawed and in fact injects a great deal of fun and new strategy into the gameplay, its influence on course design has made certain items even deadlier, as you're that much more likely to be blasted uncontrollably into lava or other hazards due to how much time you spend in the air.

Online integration is deeper than most other games on the Wii, and you can join matches of any game type with friends as well as strangers from your local region or across the world. You have a persistent score, which is either increased or decreased by your performances, and when seeking out matches you're automatically place with like-skilled opponents revealed on a representation of Earth that uses Miis to show the approximate locations of the competition. In the event that you join a game already in progress, you will automatically be placed in a spectator mode until the round finishes and it's go time. Communication between players online is still virtually nonexistent, but while the ability to smack talk is a vital element of local multiplayer, it's not necessary for facilitating matches.

The most interesting online feature of Mario Kart Wii is the Mario Kart Channel, which can either be launched from within the game or saved directly into your Wii dashboard. Using WiiConnect24, you can compare your best lap times against your friends' and the rest of the region or the world. You can also download ghost replays to see firsthand how the top players pull off their times and send your own ghosts to friends as a challenge, and if this channel has been installed in the Wii menu, you can even do all of this without having your Mario Kart disc in the system.

Mario Kart Wii features a cast of 25 characters, over half of which must be unlocked through various accomplishments in single- or multiplayer modes. The ability to race as one of your Miis is perhaps the most notable new feature, but as great as putting Chuck Norris or Dr. Gregory House behind the wheel is, some of the newcomers like Baby Daisy and Dry Bowser are underwhelming and disappointing. Unlike Mario Kart: Double Dash, characters don't have items specific to them, but they do have up to 12 personalized motorcycles and go-karts to select from to determine racing stats.

Graphically, there isn't very much of a leap between this latest Mario Kart and its predecessor on the GameCube, but there are a lot of little details that add to the experience. Crowds of onlookers are populated by your Miis, and posters or statues throughout the levels can feature them as well. Lighting is vastly improved, and there are a number of nice environmental effects. Electricity crackles around you after you've been blasted by a lightning bolt. However, there is a considerable degradation of graphical quality in split-screen multiplayer--especially with four players--and character models are unnaturally shiny.

*Which controller should I use ?*

Wii-Remote (With Wii-Wheel) ★★★/★★★★★

This controlling method is recommendable for casual gamers. So you can drift better, Nintendo built in a big button on the back side. Negative points : Professional gamers wouldn´t like the Wii Wheel. It´s to imprecise for the harder levels. 3 out of 5


Wii







The best Wii tracks are :

• Luigi Circuit
• Mario Circuit
• Mushroom Gorge
• DK Snowboard Cross
• Wario Mine
  

The worst Wii tracks are :

• Daisy Circuit
• Moo Moo Meadows

The best Retro tracks are :

• GCN Waluigi Stadium
• N64 DK Jungle Parkway
• GCN DK Mountain

The worst Retro tracks are :

• N64 Sherbet Land

Mario Kart Wii Review

Yahoo !! Finally, Mario Kart Wii is here . How many of you were a bit nervous when Nintendo announced that Mario Kart Wii would be released so soon? How many of you started thinking it might be a 'rush job' to fill a gap in the Wii release schedule? How many saw the bikes and thought "oh no, they've ruined Mario Kart"? We'll admit it: deep down, we were worried about all of the above. It turns out we should have known better .

1.0
----Introduction-----

A long story short: It's Mario Kart! It's not some warped, twisted monster that used to be Mario Kart and has now mutated into some horrible kart/bike shambles that's lost its magic. That familiar, addictive Mario Kart gameplay is still there, only now it's even better.

There are 12 playable characters when you first start the game, with a bunch of racers to unlock. We won't spoil them just now but, needless to say, a couple of the hidden characters are surprise inclusions who haven't been in a Mario Kart game before. Some characters are only known by the hardest nerds in the business ..... Example : Toadette. Like expected the weight classes are back in force, with characters split into light, medium and heavy classes. At first, each weight class has a choice of three different karts and three different bikes, but more are unlockable as you progress.

Mario Kart Wii has a new controller called the "Wii Wheel" . I don´t really like it, because it´s inaccurate and for "Casual Gamers" (yuck). But it´s the best gaming wheel on a Nintendo console, no doubt.

2.0
-------The First Touch------

The moment of truth overwhelmed me as I opened the game. While it suck completely ? How will the Wii Wheel work ? I had to find out. Like the good old tradition, I choose the 50ccm class. Here the opponents are really foolish and easy to trick out. For casual gamers : It´s the easiest class.

XXXL-SUPER SMASH BROS: BRAWL REVIEW

!!! Allstar-Beat `em Up Smash-Fighters Better Then Ever !!!!!!!!!


Facts

• Classic-Mode with 11 Stages plus "Game And Watch"-Level
• Adventure-Mode with eight hours non-stop action
• Special-Melees are now also able to be played against another player
  
• 35 characters (14 of them unlockable)
• 30 arenas (7 unlockable) plus Melee levels
• 16:9/480p-Picture,sound in Dolby ProLogic II
  

Table Of Contents

1.0 Let The Hype Begin !!!!
2.0 Which Controller Should I Use ?
3.0 More Modes Than A Swiss-Army Knife
4.0 Gotta Unlock Em All !
5.0 Last Words

1.0 0-=:;Let The Hype Begin:;=-O

Oh, Nintendo, you certainly have come a long way. The original Super Smash Bros. started out as an experiment between Satoru Iwata and a young Masahiro Sakurai. The idea behind the game was to make an unparalleled fighting experience that took specific advantage of the analog stick, which was one of the N64's stones at the time. It wasn't until later in the development that Sakurai had asked for permission to slap Nintendo's most well-known characters onto the bodies of the fighters and market the game as the perfect "Nintendo-Fan" fighting experience.

Two years after its release, a significantly beefier Smash Bros. Melee launched on the GameCube, which stood the test of time for a solid 6 years. Finally, almost a decade after the first release, we are delighted with the third and presumably final chapter in the Smash series, entitled Super Smash Bros. Brawl.Super Smash Bros. Brawl is everything a true gamer could want from a outstanding Nintendo console in the seventh-generation of video gaming-history.

Even the character-list is filled with Nintendo`s mascots and icons: It`s a list full of characters that saved the video game crash of 1983 or made other rival systems (Neo-Geo,Sega Mega Drive,Playstation,...) unpopular and extinct. Mario,Fox Mccloud,Solid Snake,Sonic,Wario,Pokemon-Trainer,Kirby,Zero-Suit Samus,Yoshi,Meta Knight and lots more are featured in this mega-game!! First of all,let`s go to the subject "Controller"

2.0 §$%&/)(0ßWhich Conroller Should I Use ?ß0)(/&%$§

Which Controller should we use to fight with Mario,Pikachu,Samus,Link and the rest ? Gamesfurk knows the answer..

GameCube Controller
OldSchool-Feeling: 5 Stars Out Of 5
Grip: 2 Stars Out Of 5
Use : 2 Stars Out Of 5

Well,I used the Gamecube-Controller first and here is my decision : The GameCube controller is really good for the old-school Super Smash Bros. Melee-players.But what really bugs me is : I kind of like don`t use the old controller any more,so I am not used to the cable of GC controllers.Well in this situation I recommend the Wii-Remote,ut thefinal decision is up to you.

Classic Controller

OldSchool-Feeling: 4 Stars Out Of 5
Grip: 3 Stars Out Of 5
Use : 1 Star Out Of Five

I can´t really say, but I think this controller is good for Smash fighters who loved the GameCube(-controller) but lost/selled.... it.But the buttons are to wide away!!!
Nintendo Wii

OldSchool-Feeling: 1 Star Out Of 5
Grip: 5 Stars Out Of 5
Use: 4 Stars Out Of 5

I like the GameCube-Controller,but now it`s time for change (Gamesfurk For President;)! I just wanna say "yes" to something new.And thats why I like to use the Wii-Remote.Additionally all useful buttons are to unreachable , and there is nothing which spoils the fun.

3.0 "§$-More Modes Than A Swiss Army Knife-$§"

The smash excitement already begins before the main-menu appears.Because the "VIP"-game loads on a Dual-Layer Memory,the loading time is much longer than standard Wii-Games.After the game loaded,our eyes look directly at the character-screen.Uhh,only 21 fighters.But you have to unlock 14 characters,so you will be pretty busy,trust me.It looks like Nintendo only choosed the Crème de la Créme so that everybody would find there right fighter.Even (mostly) unknown characters like Lucas (From the USA and Japan exclusive RPG "Earthbound") or R.O.B. (the toy-robot for the NES) are playable.

Also,the "unlock"-factor is hugly higher then the predecessor Super Smash Bros. Melee . In the menu you can even have a list of Nintendo-games since the NES (!).The trophys from Melee are still in the game,also 10 virual console (retro) games are unlockable as really short demos.I think Nintendo did this unlockable for more sales in the Wii Shop-Channel.No chit-chat,let us talk about the new Adventure-Mode.The adventure mode which was not featured in "Melee". Like in the good-old fashioned 16-Bit Era with games a la Final Fight or Streets Of Rage you fight with a character and fight against monsters like in a real good Beat Em Up game.Well it doesnt sound interesting,but the more you play this XXL-Mode,the more you like it.

4.0 Gotta Unlock Em All !

The gameplay is as fast as it is used to be. Every character has similair attacks. But there are differences.Some characters can get hit more without being KO'ed then others.But the balance of stats is preety good.So nobody is really weak.One of the biggest new thing is the Ultra-Smash-Attack : If you see a glowing emblem floating somewhere in the stage,do not hestitate and just hit it.The fighter that hits the emblem KO gets a new special abbilty which can only be used once per fight.It is a lethal attack. Each character has its own Ultra-Smash.For example
Solid Snake gets his gun and shoots the enemy.If lucky enough all enemys.

5.0 Last Words

GamePlay: A combination of Smash 64 and Melee. The balanced fighting and easy-to-learn yet heavily in-depth controls will keep you striving for perfection.
Graphics: What the Wii lacks in polygon count it makes up for in sheer artistic value. Brawl looks absolutely stunning and completely appropriate at all times.
Sound: Hands-down the best soundtrack a video game has ever had. All of the sound effects are appropriate and vary enough that you won't grow tired of them. Also, Sonic Boom!
Replay Value: Infinite. Period. You will never stop playing Brawl, unless Sakurai decides to release a fourth installment on the Nintendo Us.
	Final Word: I have never seen more effort put into a video game than what has been shown in Brawl. With unbelievable multiplayer fighting, an enormous single player mode, and collectibles that will last for years, there's no reason why you shouldn't buy it. Please note this is a preview,because I only played it for like 20 minutes.When it comes out in Europe,I will do the real review.

Pros talking I:A new Nintendo DS?

The analyst Evan Wilson from Pacific Crest Securities speculates that Nintendo is working on a new Nintendo-DS model. Allegendly the new DS will be thinner, have no GameBoy-Advance Slot and will have a bigger screen, Wilson says. Additionaly the handheld console will have Internal-Memory, so it will be able to save music and photos. Wilson also says it will not be released, if the DS sells like last year.


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

^[[{/?<:Now It Is Time For The Gamers To Talk About This Topic:>?\}]]^

A new version of the Nintendo DS makes pretty much sense. Nintendo wants to release DS-demos on the Wii-Shop channel...then a internal-mermory is needed. Nintendo also wants older adults to buy the Nintendo DS,so it is smart to make a bigger screen.Someday the sales will stop and Nintendo will have to bring a new device on the market.Then the new updates will help Nintendo.It did by GBA SP and DS Lite,so it will probally work here to.

Websites I Recommed

10.GamesTrailers
9.HTML-Dog
8.Wilson Web
7.IGN
6.Digg
5.Wii Homepage
4.Yahoo
3.Gamespot
2.Youtube
1.IGoogle

Pro Evolution Soccer 2008

Pro Evolution Soccer 2008

Facts:

• Controlling over Wii-Pointer
• Team can be saved on Wii-Remote
• Online-Mode
• Mii-Support
  

Show your amazing skills !!!
Do the new controls help this game to get on the top of its genre ?

One-two,hit a cross and goooall!! At present,soccer is represented in the video game world by Mario(at least on the Wii).The zealous plumber throws off ice soccer-balls and supershots.But that game (Super Mario Strikers Charged) belongs to the arcade-box.Well,you can not really say that to Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 . Thanks to the revolutionary Wii-Remote Konami promises a new kind of expierience that will enjoy being on the top.The Wii-Remote and Nunchuk lets you control your Soccer-Star.

+=-new footballing expierience -=+

{It was very important for us that the wii-version of PES 2008 will be unique.} That is maybe a new start for sport-related-games on the Nintendo Wii.This game is going to be a feast! Real good controls,lots of new licensed clubs,good graphics and, Mii-Support! Hope this game is not going to be delayed,cause this is going to be freakin' awesome!!!The game is supposed to feel as if you have control over ALL your players ! To accomplish this,you will control your squad with your Wii-Remote.You can tell players in-game that they should move left,right.... with a Drag-And-Drop system(players that do not have the ball).While you can peforming passes,cross hittings,and shots,you can control your player with the help of your Nunchuck.Additionaly,you can use the Remote to select a player which you will pass to or let a player move to a direction you choosed.

(-=!!Caution:The opponent is not sleeping !!=- )

You should take a look on their formation to not do a Offside.....If you lighty shake your Wii-Remote,you will straddle your enemy.But you shake to hard,it will turn out to be a foul.So shake lightly,dude/dudet ! Before the game starts,you can save a strategie to your Wii-Remote and press Left/Right/Up/Down to perform it.Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 also includes a lot of Modes.There are six modes in the game:Match-,League-,Cup-Modes and Training-,and a Trade-Section. Also there is a Wii-Exclusive mode called "Champions Road".In Champions mode you can choose a favorite team and compete tons of cups.You can fight your to the top in real leagues !!After every match your team gains experiment-points and if you get a certain amount of points,you can upgrade the skills of your player.

(-=\The little things/=-)

....Are the things that make a game special.As metioned above,there is a full Mii-Support.Up to 16 Miis can be intergrated into a specific team.To put the cherry on the top,you can save the team to your Wii-Remote and take it to your friend and play with your updated squad.Last but not least you can play online Wi-Fi "Free Matches".Also cool:Thanks to WiiConnect24 you can send your team-data to your friend.

I think that this game will hopefully be a masterpiece.

Geometry Wars: Galaxies

8-Bit Gameplay collides with High-End-Graphics=Real Good Game

Facts:
☆ over 60 levels
☆ unlocked levels if the game is linked with the DS version
☆ online highscores
☆ only 40 €
☆ also as DS-Download !

Y'all thinkin‘ you got the reflexes of a professional ? Are you thinking, that you can concur stress appealing and hypersonic fast gameplay ? If yes, you would probably like "Geometry Wars : Galaxies" . Cause this one is a hell of a retro-shooter.

[<{¡Playable Chaos!}>]

You will experience explosions mostly colored and shaped.You control a itsy bitsy spaceship over a limited area.While you control with the stick,you aim with the cursor and shoot with A or B.A thick laser shows you the direction of your shot.Also,a drone floats with you who can help you in different situations.Well,you guested it,there must be evil spaceships too.They are real crazy,like if you stolen lollipops from 100 4-year olds.Ouch.Even touching your enemy costs you a live.By the chaos of tons of enemys there will be adrenaline.With a little bit practice you should enter slowly the highscore-tables and fight your way to the top.It really motivates to try to achieve a better score.It is still disappointing that you can lose your eye on the ship and shoot into nowhere.

(.:?What The Hell Are Geoms?:.)

Defeated enemys transform into little items called Geoms.If ya collect them,you could unlock new levels and new drone-skills but also as point multiplication.You can get up to 150-times the normal score.Then you get instead of lousy 25 points for an enemy 3750 points for one hit.Only this way you will achieve the gold-medallion.

!!!!!Caution,makes addicted!!!!!!!!!

This game is a must for highscore hunters and retro-shooter fans!

Rating:8.5/10

Super Mario Galaxy

Genre: Jump ´n run, Adventure


This Game is the 2.best game ever. This is masterpiece its a must play game.There are planets,one of the planet is even a pokéball-planet! Now comes a mega review.

1.0 Costumes
1.5 Short facts
2.0 Review Part 1
2.5 In the dark vades of the galaxy
2.7 Star? Wait,I am coming!
3.0 Get 'em all !
4.0 Opinions of other people in town.



1.0 Costume

Here are some of the transformation costumes.
______________________________________________________________
Bee-Mario:Buzz around with the Bee-Mario!
Appears:When you get a Bee colored [black-yellow] mushroom.
Again back to Mario:When your been touched or attacked from a foe,fallen down or When you have contact with water.
_________________________________________________________
Fire-Mario:This can shoot fire.You know the old-timer Fire-Mario from Super Mario World.
Appears:When you get a red flower.
Again Back to normal Mario: When the Time limit is over.
---------------------------------------------------------
Ghost-Mario:Go through walls with ghost Mario.
Appears:If you get a white mushroom.(with a tongue and look like a ghost).Can fly trough walls
Normal Mario:When your been touched or attacked from a foe,fallen down or When you have contact with water.

----------------------------------------------------------
Spring-Mario:Bounce always like a crazy guy with em´.
Appears:If you get a white mushroom (with stripes)
Normal Mario: When your been touched or attacked from a foe,fallen down or When you have contact with water.
----------------------------------------------------------
Ice-Mario:Can turn water to ice.Ability to walk at the water.
Appears:When you get a blue flower
Normal Mario:After a time-limit or after you touched a foe.


1.5 Short facts

• Six galaxys and 120 powerstars
• Its worth it to play the game two times:)Then comes....
• Dolby Logic 460 or 16:9
• Mailtoads messages appear on the Wii Pinboard
  

2.0 Review Part 1

A game like starbits: Shiny,fascinating ,brilliant!
I analyze, who good really the Mario-Dream(ing good)galaxy is.

These are the best in game minutes until now,that a Mariofan could ask for:
Who touches Super Mario Galaxy for the first time will play a adventure for all his/her senses.
The Wii-epos begins with a unusual sensationally kidnapping-scene of Princess Peach.The story isn't that good,but we understand that they want to come to the point:the titanic gameplay!
I have looked in more than the half (65 powerstars) of the game and i can usure you,that you will know what made Super Mario Galaxy to the best game ever!
(Gamerankings say Ocarina Of Time is slightly ((0,2%)) better)

2.5 In the dark fades of the galaxy

Little cuts for yourselves,a big cut into direction fun:The tempo and the big diversity of the first scenes are extremely high:Bowser shoots meteors like he shooted before from the skys and you run to the excited Toad-hoard to the castle of Princess Peach.Over there the cruel magician Kamek is waiting for you.So many action at the beginning of a Mario-Game was unbelivable.Until now.Additionally the "fast-intro-skip-syndrom" is gone,which only a extrem little amount of games have.After a few minutes,your first task is to be competed:Catch them freakin' rabbits,that are jumpin' around.You said it,I did it and "shupp de wupp" you meet Rosalina,the owner of the observatory.And the player doesn't just only complete a boring
tutorial,no no no,he learns the basics of a masterpiece in a fun,cool,and chic level.

2.7 Star? Wait,i am coming !

The highlight of Super Mario Galaxy is the open gameworld:You can decide anytime which mission you want to take on.Is your task to hard ?Try another galaxy!The location was in
Super Mario 64 the Toadstool-Castle and in Super Mario Sunshine the Delphino Island,but now the location is the star observatory.Sad is that in the real ingame world,you cant explore things like to let the swimming pool dry up like in Super Mario 64.This is one of the reasons , why you don't need a Walktrough to play Super Mario Galaxy . The focus of the game is to explore the new horizons by yourself.The world above is a much smaller than the 64-Bit Toadstool-Castle.
The producers have made their right decision,because you can get closer to the actual key of the game:The powerstars !

3.0 Get ´em all !

120 of the relics are in the Mario-Galaxy.Well,the number didn't really change.To collect these freakin´ pointy stars, you must compete tasks such as:A race versus a well trained ray.In the honey hive galaxy you free the bee queen from five star splitters.Well,you have seen 20 % of the missions kind of like in Super Mario 64.The gameplay of this game is very good,but still in a newly discovered Retro-Mario style.Lack of gameplay is not receivable.

4.0 Opinions from others in town

What a cool game ! Super Mario Galaxy is a must for every Wii-Owner! Not even one level compares with another.With so many game ideas i am asking myself if Miyamoto could ever top this one!


Summary:

• Leveldesign A+
• Two times playable
• Very good balanced difficulty
  
• Technical Brilliance in 480p and 16:9

Rating:10.0 Super Mario Galaxy has showed that that the Wii RULES

Mario Kart Wii

Mario Kart 64,Double Dash! and now Kart Wii.Ya all like it,the feeling of hitting the opponent
with a koopa shell.Hold on and here we go:

The motorcycle is truly a status symbol,but not everybody loves this two-wheel ragtop feeling.But in Mario Kart Wii it is going to be a delight!It doesn't matter if you like old-school,PS powerhouse,or motorcycles,all vehicles are adapted so far as i heard real good.So there is fun for everybody!!!

And there are twelve kart drivers at once,so there are four more karts than originally planed.The approved Drivers are All Round Playaz Mario and Luigi, Fat Boyz Bowser,Donkey Kong,Wario,Valuigi and Little Gnomes Baby Luigi,Baby Mario,Peach and...King Boo!!!!!

To be continued...............................................

Super Smash Bros. Brawl Stages

From the original web site http://www.smashbros.com/en_us/stages/index.html