Exciting

While there seem to be a number of titles for Wii that have received justifiably poor reviews at launch, there are several that have been panned by some critics, but given decent scores by others. Following are my thoughts and impressions concerning one such title, Excite Truck from Nintendo.

Excite Truck was one of three titles I picked up at launch, and while it hasn't sucked away so much of my life as Zelda, it has logged a pretty decent amount of time in the glowing blue slot... First off, let me state that I am not a huge racing title fan, or at least, not a fan of racing sims, such as Gran Turismo or Forza. I prefer arcade racers, if any, and am definitely partial to games like Mario Kart, F-Zero and Burnout.

And I guess that is why I find Excite Truck to be such a fun title! Really, it takes some of the best elements of those titles and blends them into an adrenaline-pumping, gotta-get-an-"S"-on-this-track, how-many-trucks-can-I-unlock? package. Here are the highlights, in bullet-point form:


- Tracks: There are only five or six locales in Excite Truck, but each is unique and well-designed. Not only that, but there are multiple course variants in each locale. I am not finished with the whole game yet, but I have unlocked 15 tracks in Excite mode, and there another 5 available in Super Excite mode, not to mention the Mirror Mode flipped tracks that become available when you score an "S" ranking on all tracks (That's 40 tracks, if you count the reverse tracks).

- Trucks: The variety of vehicles is quite decent, for an arcade racer. The trucks and buggies available are un-licensed clones of very recognizable cars, from the Dodge Ram to a Hummer (no, not an H2 or H3-a REAL Hummer), and they all have differing driving characteristics, including speed, boost, grip and acceleration. When all are unlocked, you get something like 20 trucks, including, I have read, a monster truck that becomes unlocked after all paint jobs are unlocked for the previous 19! Which brings me to the paint jobs! I was content with the prospect of earning 19 trucks when I saw the silhouetted shapes on the selection screen, but after playing a while, I managed to earn an "S" ranking three times with the first truck, and was rewarded with an alternate paint job, complete with striping, some sponsorship decals and extra crash bars and lights. Very slick! In addition, a third paint option becomes available after 10 races are won with any truck...

- Tricks: Boost is the name of the game. You can hold down the D-Pad to boost, but if you press it too long, the temperature gauge on your screen hits the red zone and your truck will overheat. Thus, keeping the boost going without over-doing it is critical. In addition, you can earn boost by performing various tricks, such as Turbo Jumping by tapping boost right after you leave a ramp. Tricks also earn you stars, by which your race performance is ranked. Drifting around a turn, for example, gets you stars, and the longer you drift, the more stars you get, maxing out at 5. The same is true for big air, jumping through rings, dodging trees at high speed, etc. In fact, if you race well, it's possible to earn a high ranking without winning the race! Many critics have called this trick system "tacked on", I think largely because the only air trick is a 360 or 720 degree spin, but I disagree. When you play Excite Truck, you find yourself constantly trying to get 5 star awards, because it's all about your ranking.

So that is the bulk of the game. There is also a Challenge Mode for single player, which offers three challenges on two tracks each. They are Ring Mode, Gate Mode and Crush (my favorite), and my only gripe is that none of these are available in Versus (PLEASE add this, Nintendo!). The games' graphics are actually quite good, although I haven't played it in 480p yet, and the control, once you get used to it, is very responsive and tight. Add to all of that the custom soundtrack option (with an SD card inserted) and I really think Excite Truck is one kickin' racer.

Now if only we had online...

Zelda Awesomeness

Let's get one thing straight; I am definitely biased. I have owned virtually every Nintendo system ever made (with the exception of Virtual Boy - get it?) and am absolutely partial to the Big N's games and hardware.

Okay, now that we've established that, let me say this:

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWILIGHT PRINCESS IS THE BEST GAME I HAVE EVER PLAYED!!!!!!!!1

Yeah. 15 hours in, only two dungeons finished (out of 9) and no time spent on side quests, and I can say with complete veracity that I've never played better. Every aspect, from control to character development, has me mesmerized. True, the visuals aren't completely "Next Gen", but that takes nothing away from the amazement that this game produces.

I would say that, aside from the phenomal new control mechanics (sniping enemies with the bow is sheer bliss) and the excellent level design, Twilight Princess ups the ante over previous Zelda titles with its epic and immersive storyline. I remember being moved by Ocarina of Time and shocked by Wind Waker, but Twilight Princess brings a new level of emotional connection to the characters, in part due to better animations and facial expressions.

So, congratulations, Nintendo, Miyamoto and Aonuma; you have succeeded. You have built the greatest Zelda game ever, and possibly the best video game ever.

Turkey Day Shenanigans

So, like many of you out there, I picked up a Wii on the 19th, and I've truly been blown away. My own expectations were quite high, being the rabid fanboy I am, but Nintendo has outdone themselves once again.

But more on that later...

Thursday, we had about 30 people in our home for Thanksgiving Day Dinner, including some of my family, some of my wife's family and a few friends. The age range spanned between 2 years and 65 years. There were only 4 self-proclaimed gamers present, including my brother and two cousins, and there were more women present than men...

I set the Wii up in the main living room after a while, knowing it would draw some people to it. After all, in the few days I had owned it, my wife had already played some baseball and tennis, without being dragged into it! Both of my boys had taken to Excite Truck and Wii Sports Baseball, and my brother reported that both of our sisters and our niece had all been asking to play as well (he picked up a unit on launch day, too).

I was totally unprepared for just how big a hit the Wii was going to be, however, as we started up with Wii Sports Tennis. At first we had the usual suspects trying it out, including the core gamers and a few casual or non-gamers. But after we started bowling, everyone got involved. In a short time, my own father in law (not a gamer, pictured below) was throwing strikes and spares, and soon afterward, my wifes uncle, a self-professed ANTI-gamer, was rallying at tennis! I couldn't believe my eyes.



True, neither of these older guys is likely to go out and drop $250 on a system. But to have the entire family playing together was truly a testament to Nintendo's strategy with Wii. And, I did receive one check that day, from a couple of friends who haven't played games in over a decade, to go and purchase a Wii for them as soon as possible.

Blue Ocean!

TEH AWESOME!

First off, sorry for the long delay between posts... I guess frequent blogging just ain't my forte!

Last night two friends of mine and I hopped into the bat-cruiser and hit the freeways to make our pilgrimage to San Diego, where we attended the latest stop on the Nintendo Fusion Tour! Needless to say, we were there for one reason, and one reason alone - THE SLEEPING! I kid, I kid! We were there for Wii, of course (yes, I avoided a terrible pun...must be losing my touch)!

We arrived later than I planned, about 5:30 pm, and I was concerned, as there was a block-long line outside the venue, a little rock club named SOMA. But apparently my concern was unfounded; about ten minutes after we got in line, everyone began filing forward and into the theater, where we were told to go straight ahead for the bands, or down a hall to the right for Wii games (no DS kiosks were set up at this stop - apparently not enough level floorspace). My buddies and I stopped first at a counter where we could enter a raffle for a signed DS Lite, grabbed some minor swag (guitar picks, mini-buttons and a keychain) and made a beeline for the Wii room.
The room was basically a gutted movie theater room with five Wii kiosks at the front end, and the lines had already begun to form at each station. The games on display were the same bunch almost every Fusion Tour report has mentioned; Wii Sports Tennis, Wario Ware Smooth Moves, Wii Play Shooting Demo, Excite Truck and Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess. I had already made up my mind that if the line looked reasonable in length, I would head straight for Zelda, and so I did.

I must say that I'm so glad I made that decision; even though I was privileged enough to play Twilight Princess on Gamecube two E3's ago, trying it out with the Wiimote and nunchuck is an incomparable experience. I'll write up my full impressions and a few noteworthy details in my next post.

I only had to wait about an hour to play Zelda, and the bands, which had been playing in an adjacent room (we could see and hear them through a glass-less window between the rooms), had progressed up to the second to last act, Relient K. I happen to like them a lot, so I sort of paid half-attention to them and half to the rest of the Wii games in the room.

The lines were still present, but those for the Wario Ware and Wii Play kiosks were shortest, so we got in the queue for those. I chose Wario Ware, shedding a tear for my lost opportunity to try Excite Truck (looks outstanding, by the way), and soon enough got a shot at the zany micro-game title. The game is great fun, as are all of the Wario Ware titles, and I really got into the creative ways they used the Wiimote. One of my buddies pointed out, however, that the game did seem to lack a bit of polish; some games used the rumble, while others did not, and it didn't make much sense to us that the feature was missing in some places. Hopefully Nintendo will iron this out before the game launches in the Spring.

By this time, Relient K was winding down their final song, and we knew that the Fusion Tour staff had instructions to shut down the Wii kiosks before the headlining band, Hawthorne Heights, came on, so we called it a night. Driving back home to the desert, all three of us wore smiles of contentment on our faces, knowing that we were among the few fortunate souls to have tried Wii out before its launch.

Winging It

Okay, you may not be into handheld gaming; heck, you may despise all Gameboys, NeoGeo Pockets, Gamegears, etc. But the truth of it is, if you haven't given the Nintendo DS a try, you are seriously missing out. I know some of you are die-hard PC gamers, and the mere thought of purchasing a console, let alone a handheld system, makes your spine shake like a suspension bridge in a 7.5 quake, but you are mistaken, my friends!

Since jumping on the DS bandwagon (right at launch, of course), I have had nothing but pleasant, enjoyable and often addictive gaming experiences with it. I am pleased to say that the latest outing, Starfox Command, is no exception!

I picked up the latest installment in the canine-goes-dogfighting (get it?) series last week, and I have had little time or mind for anything since! The controls take a moment of getting used to, as you can only use the stylus for your flight control, but after a brief adjustment period, I found myself very much hooked. The game is all air combat, which remedies the flaws of the last two Starfox titles on Gamecube, and there is a new turn-based strategy element that breathes new life into the game. This, combined with great visuals, excellent control, a plethora of pinatas (characters) to unlock and play as and both local and online wifi multiplayer make this a MUST HAVE! If you have a DS, go get it (and I'll look forward to shooting you down on WiFi Connection), and if you don't, you should be shot.

Well, at least bludgeoned.

Time to try again

Okay gang, sorry it's been soooooo long! Now I'm done with school (yay!) and starting a new job soon (also yay!), so hopefully we can keep this thing going...

Keep your eyes and ears peeled (and unplugged?) for plenty of gaming news here in the next few days and weeks; there's tons of stuff about to break all over the web, and I'll be linking to it and offering my thoughts, as usual!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

I found these bad boys (and girl) at the LEGO store in the Glendale Galleria mall on Sunday as we drove home from Santa Barbara. Couldn't resist... If only the Dark Knight had been available as well!

More fun stuff

As many of you know, one of my other great passions is Lego building sets. Especially Star Wars (and now, Batman) sets. Well, I couldn't resist posting this picture, as this set was just announced...

SHINY... SO SHINY...

Can't...stop...looking...at it!

Okay, I know everyone and their mom has already posted pictures of their precious DS Lites all over the intraweb, but I couldn't resist... I picked this baby up, pre-paid, at my own Game Crazy store last night just before closing. I must say, the pictures and descriptions don't do it justice. The Lite is so much slicker and sexier than the "Phat" DS, and the difference in weight, size and screen brightness is just INSANE! My poor Mario Kart Red DS will now be relegated to Nintendogs sessions for Hayden and Sudoku for my wife... until I get a Lite for them!








Notice some of the nicer details; the AC adaptor is grey, not black, so easily distinguished from older adaptors. White would have been nice, but oh well...
Extra white stylus is included, just like an extra grey stylus was included with previous DS models. The packaging itself is just great; very Apple, as many have noted.

Alright, enough posting... time to play!

Cubetoons

I LOVE THIS SITE! I've added it to the list on the right, as you can see. I guess JKR began creating these great comics about the staff at IGN, my favorite gaming site, and I just can't get enough of them! Anyway, there it is.

Alright, here we go...

FINALLY! I finished a 10 week stint this past Saturday night of homework and study, and I have this week-long breather now before my next class session. The downside? I have to start studying my butt off again in a few days. The upside? Five more weeks of that and I'll be a degree-carrying graphic artist!

So, my hope is that I can do a bit more regular updating here since I have some time this week...

Let's hope!

Zelda Video Goodness

Well, I haven't had much time to post stuff lately, so I'm slipping this one in to tide you over...

If you haven't seen any of the great videos for Zelda: Twilight Princess as played on Nintendo Wii, you need to. NOW! So here's one for your viewing pleasure!

The party's over

Another E3 has come and gone, and I personally am still atwitter about all the amazing news that has come out of this show. I'm more than ever looking forward to Wii and all it has to offer in the way of fresh gaming experiences, as well as some great follow ups to classic franchises. It sounds like Sony and Microsoft had some great offerings as well, but I really think Nintendo stands a chance at taking back their crown, so long owned by Sony...

I guess one picture can sum up what I am most excited about now that the show is over:



LONG LIVE NINTENDO!

Soon... very soon...

As I type this, we are a mere 23 hours or so away from total disclosure on the (gaming) secret of the decade... At 9:30 a.m. tomorrow morning, Nintendo will hold its annual pre-E3 press conference and undoubtedly stun even the most fanatical with their announcements and video footage of its "New Generation" home console, Wii.

Already, the hype machine is working at full-capacity;

1. Time magazine has run a preview article, in which the author recounts his visit to Nintendo's world headquarters in Kyoto, Japan and test drives the Wii controller in WarioWare, Zelda and a previously unannounced Tennis game.
2. Ubisoft let loose the first volley weeks ago with screens and an in depth look at their premier Wii title, Red Steel (Stiil?).
3. Activision has already officially announced the development of a unique version of Tony Hawk: Downhill Jam and Call Of Duty 3 for Wii. They reportedly have one other title in development (Spiderman 3?) for the platform.
4. EA added fuel to the fire with the announcement of a completely new version of Madden tailored specifically to the Wii's unique controller, including over the shoulder passing motions and nunchaku juking. Furthermore, the publishing giant has opened a new studio in Canada dedicated purely to the development of Wii titles!
5. Other confirmed third party developers include Sega, Konami, THQ, Atlus and Bandai, each with unique Wii versions of software or completely exclusive franchises for the system, including Super Monkey Ball, Trauma Center and Dragonball Z Tenkaichi 2.
6. Finally, the big N themselves have, of course, many tricks up their sleeve. Titles that they have mentioned include:
- A Mario Title
- A Zelda Title (not Twilight Princess)
- A Donkey Kong title
- Pikmin
- Battalion Wars
- An un-named racing title
- An un-named flight title
- An un-named Tennis game (mentioned by Time magazine)
- Wario Ware

While I'm sure I've left some stuff out, this makes for a very impressive showing, even if not all of these are playable at the big show! You'd better believe that I will be glued to the intraweb tomorrow morning and most of the week!

But I was going to Tashi station...

I absolutely loved the first Lego Star Wars: The Video Game! As many of you know, I am an avid collector of the toys, not merely because they are Star Wars but moreso because they are Lego; my collection ranges in the 10,000's of pieces and while I don't own every set out there, the assortment is pretty impressive.

Needless to say, I'm excited about this:



Yeah. Coming this fall... Preorder, anyone?

MAY AND JUNE!

Wow... so much to look forward to for us gamers!

Nintendo announced today that it's ultra-cool looking DS Lite would hit American shores June 11th at a base price of $129.99. Of course, I've already slapped down my $50 for a pre-order at work, so it's a given that I will be the first on my block to own one...

And how could I resist? Being an admitted Nintendo fanboy and lover of all things Apple, any piece of video game hardware wrapped in gorgeous shiny white plastic is catnip to me...

Before that, however, comes New Super Mario Bros. on the DS, and I'm guessing I'll be playing through at least 60 of the 80 levels on my new ipod-esque handheld system when it arrives.

So, to recap:

Tuesday, May 10th, 9:30 am PST - Nintendo Pre-E3 Press Conference (all the Wii details)
Sunday, May 15th - New Super Mario Bros. arrives
Sunday, June 11th - DS Lite arrives

If Wii could alter reality...

Sorry about the pun... I couldn't resist!

Game Daily has an interesting article about "augmented reality", which is a crazy kind of virtual reality technology in use by the auto industry as well as city planning and other high end stuff. Check out the video if you go there... the possibilities are amazing, and if Nintendo does indeed plan on something of this kind it could be so far beyond what any of us had thought.

Augmented Reality

Oh yeah, funny stuff!

Joystiq posted a link to something hilarious: a Castlevania random subtitle generator... Just click the link to the right!

Now if only naming kids was this easy... (no, that's not a hint).

Castlevania Random Namer

E3 Expectations

Being a video game industry professional, I was privileged enough to attend E3 last year. It was a great experience, and a very eye-opening one at that; the sheer mass of the crowd attending was quite overwhelming for me, and the cacaphony of lights, sounds and game demos kept my brain at near-overload most of my day there.

A highlight of the entire experience was, of course, waiting in an hour-and-a-half long line with my two staff members to play the single most amazing game demo I've ever enjoyed; the Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Seriously, we stood in that insanely long line, rubbing elbows with fellow Nintendo fans and playing DS demo games, all the while eagerly anticipating what would be a very satisfying gamers' experience. I can safely say that the four small samples of the game that we tried when we reached the end of that line were more enjoyable and impressive than most of the finished games I have purchased or played this entire past year (maybe even few years!).

All of this to say, while I won't be in physical attendance at the event this year (darn VIP passes), I do have some very eager expectations:

1. Nintendo Wii - like the name or not, this system promises to blow us all away at the show. I have been a strong believer in Nintendo's Revolution from the day it was unveiled, and I am confident that Iwata and co. are not going to fail us here. BRING ON THE GAMES!

2. Nintendo DS - new titles like Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and New Super Mario Bros. will surely keep the lines at the DS kiosks long and busy, but I am curious what interesting third party offerings will be shown. Nintendo has showcased the system's unique capabilities in the past year, but I really think many third parties are starting to "get it" too... This is a promising precedent for Wii as well...

3. Zelda: Twilight Princess - I am literally frothing at the mouth for this game *wipes drool away from chin*; ever since I tasted that small sampling last May, I have longed for more, and I believe that Nintendo will deliver, if only in the form of video for us non-attendees, this year.


4. Metroid Prime 3 - Again with the froth... if this game plays anywhere near like I think it will, I expect to be floored. Quite possibly my favorite game series ever, I love both Metroid Prime games on Cube as well as Hunters on DS, and Prime 3, with 1.5 to 2 times the graphics power of the Cube versions, could very well leave me catatonic.

In any event, if you cannot reach me next week, or if you see me wandering some street with a zombified expression, you'll know why - E3 Fever will have struck!