Wiifit

Guitar Hero: On Tour

• Nintendo DS
• Publisher: Red Octane
• Release Date: Summer 2008

First Look:

If you’re anything like me, your initial reaction when you heard the announcement for On Tour, a Guitar Hero title specially designed for the Nintendo DS, was one of immediate skepticism. Could they recreate the magic of everyone’s favorite guitar-based rhythm game on the small screen? And could their intriguing custom controller- it features four buttons and slots into the GBA port- actually work?

None of us will know the answers to these questions until we get our hands on the final product. Developer Vicarious Visions certainly got my attention with their presentation at this year’s Nintendo Media Summit. They showed off some of the game’s features, showcased their new controller, and released a preliminary track listing.

On Tour makes full use of the DS functionality, reinventing one of the best music games around!

First things first: the new controller has got me itching to try it. The development history of the new peripheral is long and colorful; the mad scientists at Vicarious Visions apparently conducted a lot -and I mean a lot- of different experiments trying to come up with a control scheme that would work. Some of the prototypes were functional while others, including one that contained a ridiculous number of buttons, were just plain silly. But then came the lightning-in-a-bottle moment: the engineering team hacked together a four-button prototype that utilized the GBA port. And from the very moment they tried it, they knew they had stumbled onto something.

Not having tried out the controller, I can’t comment on whether they succeeded or not. But you have to give Vicarious Visions credit for trying to innovative. Rather than slap some contrived control scheme that used the DS’ face buttons or the stylus, they really went the extra mile, and I really hope that the controller fulfills its potential.

Though a full song list hasn’t been released, from the look of this guitar we wonder if Van Halen will apper on in the game.

I was also intrigued by the work that they put into shrinking the iconic rhythm game experience of Guitar Hero so that it would fit on the DS. Early indications are that the butter-smooth gameplay remains intact and that the songs will push the limits of the DS’ audio. The preliminary track list was contained mostly familiar songs but I’m going ot guess that Activision is going to wait to announce the really big stuff until later.

There’s no doubt that there are a lot of question marks surrounding On Tour. The new peripheral and the reduced capabilities of the DS are just two roadblocks that Vicarious Visions has to navigate. Only time will tell if they succeeded but there’s no denying that On Tour is one DS title that definitely bears watching.

Wii Fit

• Nintendo Wii
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Release Date: May 29

Hands-on:

We’ve seen a lot of Wii Fit in recent weeks, but not as much as our overseas friends. The game came out in Japan at the end of last year, and is primed for a European release within two weeks, with us Americans at the end of the line. I got to play a completely localized version at Nintendo’s Media Summit, examining some new-to-us minigames while basking in the non-metric measurements thrown at me.

As small of an addition as it was, getting to play the game with feet, inches, and pounds really helped me understand Wii Fit’s viability as a fitness device. After entering my weight and height accurately–I had to guesstimate the centimeters and kilograms during previous demos– I was given a fitness overview I could trust. The game said I was slightly below the ideal body mass.

Achieving total fitness not only involves weight, but balance as well… holding this pose for too long can put you on the floor!

Imagine my surprise when the Nintendo rep tailored my fitness regimen to gain muscle weight! As a cardio-heavy guy, I’m intrigued by a game that promises other forms of working out. I got to check out the representative’s fitness progress, as his weight sunk and rose, with comments for the more drastic shifts, like “I snacked too much” or “I missed a workout.” There was also a detailed log for his workout regimen, including time playing Wii Fit, the mini-games he took part in, as well as non-Wii Fit activity he logged during the day.

One small leap for Dave’s balance, and a giant leap for the Wii’s versatility!

I started the demo with a simple balance test which required me to shift my body weight in order to match specific percentages on each side. I had trouble. Once again, the game gave a correct prognosis, surmising that my klutzy ass falls down more often than most. With that in mind, I performed a myriad of balance-strengthening activities, starting with yoga poses that allowed me to work out muscles I’d often ignored.

From there, I tried one of my favorite Wii Fit games, wherein you have to sink Mii-emblazoned balls into holes by tilting the course by shifting your weight. It feels like a barebones version of Monkey Ball or Marble Madness, but the game really reaches its stride when multiple balls are put on one course, and you have to tilt the board slightly to move balls to a goal without having the others careen off the board.

Putting balance to good use: Getting these balls in the center may look simple, but actually requires lots of concetration.

My progress in the previous events unlocked another minigame. The final game of the demo was one that proved I still had a long way to go before considering myself a well-balanced individual. In this one, my Mii walked a tightrope, which required me to walk on the board while keeping my balance. As my Mii swayed with every other step, I was humbled by my lack of proficiency while frustrated with the unnecessary addition of a jumping element that requires you to physically mimic a jump without your feet leaving the board. If anything, it proved that a game filled with dozens of unique physical activities can’t have all winners.

Don’t look down Dave… you’ve got a lot of Wii fit ahead of you to perfect your balance.

With the May release date for Wii Fit fast approaching, my workout is far from over. We’ll have some interesting impressions coming your way in the next few weeks, so try to keep up with us!

• Nintendo Wii
• Publisher: Sega
• Release Date: Summer 2008

This monkey’s got rhythm… and the Wii’s motion sensing controls put it to good use!

Hands-on:

Bringing the cult rhythm game hit Samba De Amigo to the Wii is like drinking water when you’re thirsty or washing your hands after using the bathroom- it just makes sense. The Wii Remote’s unique motion sensing capabilities is a perfect fit for the game’s maraca-based gameplay and eliminates the biggest hurdle that kept the Dreamcast version of Samba from achieving mass success- the need for specialized controllers.

The Wii version lets you use either two Wii Remotes or a Wii Remote paired with a Nunchuk and shake them to the beat of the included songs (final tracks haven’t been announced yet). You shake your virtual maracas in three ways- high, middle, and low- and either shake them in unison or singularly. There’s also special pose moves where you have to hold the maracas in specific ways, as well as “hustle” moves where you have to shake a maraca back and forth.

Strike a pose… landing a special pose can rack up the points!

It may sound complicated but much like every other good rhythm game worth its salt, it’s instantly accessible and intuitive. The graphical style retains its vibrant, colorful charm and the songs, at least the ones I heard, had a catchy bounce to them. It remains to be seen whether or not Samba De Amigo on the Wii will catch the interest of gamers the way Guitar Hero and Rock Band did but I’m convinced that the game has the potential to be yet another quirky and fun addition to the Wii’s already impressive library.

Major League Eating

• Nintendo Wii Ware
• Publisher: Mastiff
• Release Date: May 12

Hands-on:

You want to know what the coolest thing I saw at the Nintendo Media Summit was? It wasn’t Mario Kart Wii nor was it Wii Fit. Heck, it wasn’t even an actual video game. No, the coolest thing I saw was an eating exhibition starring Tim Janus, aka Eater X, who was on hand to help promote the new Major League Eating game for the Nintendo Wii’s WiiWare service.

A new world record: Eater X is featured in the new Wii Ware title where keeping it down is not as easy as he makes it seem….

Armed with a gut of steel and large cups full of lemonade, Eater X proceeded to demolish 141 pieces of sushi. No, that is not a typo, and he set an International Federation of Competitive Eating record in the process. It was a gross, yet awesome display of gluttony. The associated video game is a lot more sanitary and it doesn’t require you to actually consume your body weight in pizza or hot dogs, which is a good thing all around.

I have the admit that a competitive eating game sounded so ridiculous that I initially dismissed it as just another lame attempt to cash in on a pop-culture phenomenon. But after playing it, I have to admit that I found myself pleasantly surprised. Is Major League Eating going to blow your mind? Heck no. But will it entertain you and your friends and offer up a few laughs? Heck yes.

Let’s get down to specifics: you start off by picking an established competitive eater- familiar names like Crazy Legs Conti, Sonya Thomas and Joey Chestnut are present, though Takeru Kobayshi wasn’t- and choosing which food you want to eat. I saw items like pizza, hot dogs, jalape?os and chicken wings on the menu. Consuming each food type requires unique motions.

On-screen cues show how full your eater is getting… keeping food down takes a balance of speed and observation.

I competed against fellow editor Dave Rudden in a hot dog battle and we were required to flick the Wii Remote towards our mouths in order to get the virtual food stuffed into our virtual cheeks; a biting meter traveled back and forth across the food, requiring us to press the B button twice in order to chomp it down. Pressing the B button when your mouth is empty results in you biting your tongue, which renders you unable to eat for a few seconds.

You also had to keep an eye on your stomach acid level; with each bite, it rises and if you let it get to far, you’ll hurl chunks all over the place, resulting in a penalty to your total score. Holding the A button and shaking the Wii Remote results in the jiggle that professional eaters use to settle their stomachs. You can also reduce stomach acid using the antacid power-up, which was just one of the powers you can gain during battle the other power-ups allow you to do things like burp fire and noxious gas in your opponent’s face, stunning them for a few seconds.

The only way to keep your eater’s stomach in check is by shaking the Wii remote to jiggle their belly.

I had a lot of fun standing there with a crowd at my back, virtually demolishing a plate of hot dogs. Much like real competitive eating, Major League Eating for WiiWare is a hilariously gross and exhilarating experience. It won’t go down in the history books as one of the best games ever, but as a pick-up-and-play title that only cost a few bucks, it’s probably worth considering, especially if you have buddies over often.

• Nintendo Wii Ware
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Release Date: May 12

This is your kingdom, and you better get used to it, becuase in the FF game you’re not able to leave.

The Final Fantasy franchise is finally making its way to the Wii, but it’s not in the form you’d expect. It’s not an turn-based RPG, nor is it on a disc. The first Wii Final Fantasy is a Wii Ware launch title– a single-player sim-RPG from the Crystal Chronicles universe. You won’t engage in a single battle; heck, you won’t even leave the cozy confines of the city you start in. What will you get? Just the most imaginative new direction for the series we’ve seen in quite some time.

The best way to describe Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King is as a mix between Animal Crossing and SimCity. Your character is a young king named Leo who must rebuild a fallen kingdom. In order to do so, you need to harvest materials from faraway caves, forests, and other dangerous places. That’s no work for a king, so you must train an elite army to safely procure these important items. As you’ll soon find out, keeping a kingdom happy and safe is just as tough on the guy on the throne as it is on the men on the battlefield.

Part Animal Crossing, part Sim City, in My Live as King you’ll need to use all of your resources to make your people happy.

Leo’s kingdom has quite a few cogs he needs to keep turning to ensure it runs proficiently. You’ll need to build new homes to increase the population, research new weaponry, armor, and magic to keep your soldiers trained, and keep morale high by being an efficient leader. Your faithful assistant, Chime, is summoned with the shake of a bell (the Wii Remote), and provides vital information for running your kingdom properly. Chime provides important reports that keep you up to date on the most important aspects of your town–the status of your soldiers and the state of your finances. If you’ve got unhappy soldiers, they may not survive when confronted with danger. If you’ve got no money, they won’t be prepared to fight.

The greatest leaders keep in touch with the common man, which My Life as a King allows and requires you to do. You’ve got to visit people to find out about their personal problems and address them, and you’ve got to visit armories and guilds to make sure your soldiers are getting proper training. Most of all, talking with the people makes them happy, and makes your community a successful one.

What’s a Final Fantasy game without Moggles? In My Life as King they will play a helpful role.

You may not be casting a spell, equipping a sword, or using a Phoenix Down in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King, but you may just get an entirely new perspective on the familiar franchise. Your new life begins in less than a month.

Sonic Chronicles

• Nintendo DS
• Publisher: Bioware
• Release Date: Fall 2008

With Bioware at the healm, Sonic is getting a darker presence.

Hands-on:

When a series in dire need of a comeback meets a can’t miss developer, expectations are bound to be sky-high. We got to try out the beginning of the Bioware-helmed RPG featuring the once-glorious gaming icon Sonic the Hedgehog, and while it’s not quite a portable Mass Effect, it is an interesting new direction for the stale speedster.

It’s almost immediately noticeable that there’s a capable hand writing Sonic’s latest saga. While the blue bomber’s last few platformers featured forgettable storylines, what little we saw of Sonic Chronicle’s narrative was enjoyable. The opening featured Sonic’s return to his hometown, which was under attack by a mysterious robot race. Just because the team behind Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect is working on the title, don’t expect mature themes or lesbian alien sex. Sonic’s story is purely E-rated.

That said, the concerned chatter between Sonic and Tails was more interesting than everything the two have had to say to each other in their 3D adventures. The game even features an interesting comedic element in giving Sonic-stalker Amy a boyfriend which she makes a point to mention to Sonic while the city is under siege. As you’d expect from Bioware, the story allows for branching conversations depending on how nice or naughty you want Sonic to act.

Dialouge is more interesting than other Sonic games and include branching conversations.

As opposed to Bioware’s previous work, which featured battles that blurred the line between RPG and action, Sonic Chronicles takes a more traditional RPG approach to battles. Like Chrono Trigger, the enemies are visible within the environment, and most battles begin only if Sonic touches them, with the exception of a few scripted fights. The battles are standard fare, with Sonic’s speed allowing him to attack more often than most, which was a nice touch.

We also got to attempt a few combined attacks, which allow for some cool-looking combo moves, including one where Amy uses her mallet to knock a speeding Sonic into enemies. Due to the earliness of the demo within the game, we didn’t get to try a wide variety of attacks, nor did we get to encounter some of series’ stalwarts outside of Sonic, Tails, and Amy, but we were told that the cast of characters will be large (including Knuckles and Big the Cat). We can only assume that the later-learned attacks will be amazing-looking. Knowing Bioware, it’s a safe assumption.

Battles play out in standard turn-based formations, but the combo attacks are anything but standard.

Sonic Chronicles looks like it could be Sega’s answer to the Paper Mario series. It still has some kinks to work out, especially in adapting Sonic’s speed to an RPG setting. We had trouble moving him about the environment and avoiding enemies, particularly with the Phantom Hourglass method of “touch where to go” movement. It really didn’t feel fast enough for Sonic, but it wasn’t slow enough for a traditional RPG. We have confidence an able team like Bioware can pull it all together before release. A mascot’s future depends on it.

• Nintendo Wii Ware
• Publisher: Telltale Games
• Release Date: June 2008

Fans of the internet cartoon won’t be disappointed with the inclusion of some of their favorite episodes.

Hands-on:

Those of you who are familiar with the long-time internet series know how ripe it is for a videogame adaptation. From the many gaming references made during episodes, to the inclusion of the Trogdor theme to Guitar Hero II, to the Atari-inspired Videlectrix titles (which are optimized to play in the Wii’s Internet Browser,) Strong Bad already has his boxing glove-covered fingers on the pulse of gaming culture. It’s no surprise, then, that his console debut, Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People (SBCG4AP), comes with high expectations.

Luckily, the game is in the hands of Telltale Games, the team behind the hilarious Sam and Max series. Like Sam and Max, SBCG4AP is an episodic point and click adventure, which is probably the best genre for the masked wrestler to wreak havoc within. Just as his cartoons are rife with Easter Eggs found by random clicking, Strong Bad’s world is meant to be explored and exploited. During our half-hour we played through one of the episodes. We spent a good 25 minutes just walking up to inconsequential objects to hear Strong Bad’s bizarre take on it.

Exploring Strong Bad’s world is rewarding and entertaining.

From using Homestar’s cell phone to prank himself, to checking e-mail, to playing the Videlectrix classic “Snake Boxer 5″, it’s extremely easy to lose yourself in Strong Bad’s virtual world. We only got to explore two environments during our demo–Strong Bad’s home and Bubs’ Concession Stand, but you can rest assured that plenty more locales will be available when episodes start arriving.

The episode we played centered around clearing the name of Homestar Runner, who has been incriminated on grounds of public nudity. While the quest was made easy for demo purposes–Homestar’s criminal records were hidden under a box–we were told that the actual solution would be more complicated. And we’re assuming, hilarious.

It’s about time Homestar went to jail for nudity… put some pants on dude!

While the game isn’t being written by series creators Matt and Mike Chapman, the folks at Telltale seem to have the series’ sense of humor down pat, with the brothers providing script touch-ups as well as their vocal talents to the many inhabitants of Free Country, USA, including Coach Z, The King of Town, and Strong Sad.

While Wii Ware may be late to the original game download party, SBCG4AP encapsulates why it will be worth the wait. It looks to be an original, irreverent gaming experience that wouldn’t be caught dead on other consoles. The console point-and-click adventure is almost back, and we can’t wait for Strong Bad to bring it to us.

via : gamepro.com