Thursday, October 12, 2006
Lunch with Tom: At least I have Okami
We've all been in a situation where you come home from work, completely exhausted after suffering through hours of tedium, and want nothing more than to sit on your butt for the rest of the night. That's the big plan that got you through the day in the first place. And then your friend calls, begging you to come out. You don't want to move, you want to sit on your butt and watch baseball. "Who's going to be there?" you politely ask. They rattle off a few nondescript people before mentioning That Person. The one that makes you think, "I'm going to miss something awesome if I don't go." This happens in every walk of life. There are quarterbacks in the NFL who can make a football fan cancel any plans they had foolishly made. There are directors who have never made a bad film. That make you get out of the house, plop down $10, and just bask for two hours.
Rare is obviously the video game developer most likely to make me blindly shell out $50 for their game. But there are others. David Jaffe and Shigeru Miyamoto have such an outstanding track record that I cannot ignore anything they are involved in. Even though I wasn't a huge fan of Ico, Shadow the Colossus was so incredible I need to play everything from that developer. They demand attention. Of course Bungie falls into this category, but I should say that quietly since I had never heard of them before Halo came out. There are certain companies who either have mastered the basic tools of development so well, or have such creative ideas, that it would be a travesty not to play everything they put on the market. For the last two years I would have included Clover Studios in that mix. Sadly, they died before they ever got a chance.
I wrote about Viewtiful Joe a couple years ago. It is one of the best action titles I have ever played. A creative art style and goofy characters certainly help, but the gameplay is what separated it from every other 2D brawler. Think about how old this genre is. From Double Dragon and Bad Dudes to all those Ninja Turtle games, this is a genre that helped build the industry into what it is today. Viewtiful Joe is the fruition of all that hard work. It had perfect combat that never overburdened the player but promised huge rewards if you were patient enough to master it. I talked about God Games yesterday and how good it feels to finally be in control. VJ falls into that category because of its flawless controls. Every move could be strung together in perfect unison. When things were clicking in VJ, when your combo meter would soar and you could do no wrong, it felt like a symphony. With the rising crescendo of your Red Hot Kick to the mellow bridge of your Voomerang, Viewtiful Joe is an experience like no other in gaming.
I took a break from Clover after VJ came out. They ended up making four more games in the franchise, but I never had the heart to play them. Viewtiful Joe is a perfect video game. There is no way to make the game better. So I turned my focus to other games while I kept one eye on Clover. I was ready to pounce when they stopped with the VJ.
Finally, two years after VJ hit they released Okami. I am 25 hours into this game right now. I am in awe at how well it is made. Unlike VJ, the gameplay is not flawless. It serves as just one tool in the whole experience. VJ proved they can make a great action game, but Okami proves they know how to make the other parts work. The mood of the world is perfect. All the non-playable characters you run into have their own unique personality. In a game that shows what a creative developer can come up with given a clean palate, Okami continues to surprise with every new area. While VJ mastered a long running genre perfect for hardcore gamers, Okami created a world that anyone would be able to enter.
But Clover is no more. The same day their most recent game hit the American market (God Hand), Capcom announced that they were getting rid of one of the most promising developers out there. The lead directors have moved on, the programmers and artists are being incorporated into other Capcom teams. I really don't know what to say. None of their games were huge hits. Okami sold less than 200K copies in Japan. It was in development for four years. I'm sure Capcom looked at their bankbooks and decided they had no choice. But as someone who doesn't care about sales I am angry. Clover is a company that can become popular. Any time a developer is willing to make high quality, unique titles there has to be a market for them somewhere. Eventually, more people will be playing games and craving something different. People will get tired of mindless killing. When that day comes someone else will have to step up, though. I'm crossing my fingers that the creative heads of Clover will form their own company someday. Capcom got rid of Grasshopper last year after Killer 7 bombed. But Grasshopper found a new publisher and is still making games. I can only hope Clover has a similar fate.
Rare is obviously the video game developer most likely to make me blindly shell out $50 for their game. But there are others. David Jaffe and Shigeru Miyamoto have such an outstanding track record that I cannot ignore anything they are involved in. Even though I wasn't a huge fan of Ico, Shadow the Colossus was so incredible I need to play everything from that developer. They demand attention. Of course Bungie falls into this category, but I should say that quietly since I had never heard of them before Halo came out. There are certain companies who either have mastered the basic tools of development so well, or have such creative ideas, that it would be a travesty not to play everything they put on the market. For the last two years I would have included Clover Studios in that mix. Sadly, they died before they ever got a chance.
I wrote about Viewtiful Joe a couple years ago. It is one of the best action titles I have ever played. A creative art style and goofy characters certainly help, but the gameplay is what separated it from every other 2D brawler. Think about how old this genre is. From Double Dragon and Bad Dudes to all those Ninja Turtle games, this is a genre that helped build the industry into what it is today. Viewtiful Joe is the fruition of all that hard work. It had perfect combat that never overburdened the player but promised huge rewards if you were patient enough to master it. I talked about God Games yesterday and how good it feels to finally be in control. VJ falls into that category because of its flawless controls. Every move could be strung together in perfect unison. When things were clicking in VJ, when your combo meter would soar and you could do no wrong, it felt like a symphony. With the rising crescendo of your Red Hot Kick to the mellow bridge of your Voomerang, Viewtiful Joe is an experience like no other in gaming.
I took a break from Clover after VJ came out. They ended up making four more games in the franchise, but I never had the heart to play them. Viewtiful Joe is a perfect video game. There is no way to make the game better. So I turned my focus to other games while I kept one eye on Clover. I was ready to pounce when they stopped with the VJ.
Finally, two years after VJ hit they released Okami. I am 25 hours into this game right now. I am in awe at how well it is made. Unlike VJ, the gameplay is not flawless. It serves as just one tool in the whole experience. VJ proved they can make a great action game, but Okami proves they know how to make the other parts work. The mood of the world is perfect. All the non-playable characters you run into have their own unique personality. In a game that shows what a creative developer can come up with given a clean palate, Okami continues to surprise with every new area. While VJ mastered a long running genre perfect for hardcore gamers, Okami created a world that anyone would be able to enter.
But Clover is no more. The same day their most recent game hit the American market (God Hand), Capcom announced that they were getting rid of one of the most promising developers out there. The lead directors have moved on, the programmers and artists are being incorporated into other Capcom teams. I really don't know what to say. None of their games were huge hits. Okami sold less than 200K copies in Japan. It was in development for four years. I'm sure Capcom looked at their bankbooks and decided they had no choice. But as someone who doesn't care about sales I am angry. Clover is a company that can become popular. Any time a developer is willing to make high quality, unique titles there has to be a market for them somewhere. Eventually, more people will be playing games and craving something different. People will get tired of mindless killing. When that day comes someone else will have to step up, though. I'm crossing my fingers that the creative heads of Clover will form their own company someday. Capcom got rid of Grasshopper last year after Killer 7 bombed. But Grasshopper found a new publisher and is still making games. I can only hope Clover has a similar fate.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Lunch with Tom: Orders from Above
I used to raise a tree branch high above my head when I was a child and let out the wholly untrue though surprisingly believable statement, "I have the power!" I wanted to be He-Man. I wanted to have a really cool super hero name and an evil nemesis lacking relevant organs. Most importantly, I wanted people to bow to me. It's not surprising two decades later I have the same ambitions. Since my power at work stems from little more than quiet rebellion, I have to exert my unquestioned strength in other facets of life. Namely, I play God Games.
My stomach drops a little hearing that term. Usually associated with Sid Meyer's Tycoon-themed crap, God Games have a bad rap for being boring non-games. But I look beyond that. Like a real God, I love staring down at mindless beings so willing to do as I command. Lemmings is the best God Game ever devised. It's beautiful poetry, a subtle parody of the dronish behavior running rampant in our society. Simply do what the guy in front of you does. You may get hurt, you may fall to your death or have your head popped cleanly off of your body, but it's not your fault. You're just following everyone else. If you're really lucky, if God happens to be in a good mood, you may even finish the level. It's an allegory on the same level as Pilgrim Progress. There's an all-powerful God and a narrative full of mindless believers. All that's missing is one rogue Lemming named Obstinate.
This ability to have hundreds and thousands of being respond to my every command without question has always appealed to me in an extremely personal way. Placing myself in the action, manually pulling the trigger or leaping over the toad, provides a visceral rush that gets the heart beating and the palms sweating. But sitting in a comfy throne and ordering others to do as I say, to place the burden of bridge building on that Lemming and hole digging on that one, well, that comes with a smugness that doing can't provide. Because with action, any time I fail it is my fault. When I order someone to do something and the results aren't satisfactory, it's their fault. What do you mean you can't survive that fall? Why did you turn around when you bumped your head? Why must I lead a group of buffoons?
Which leads me to Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis. The prequel, Mario vs. Donkey Kong on the GBA, placed me in the role of hero. I was Mario and I had to jump the pits and flip the switches. I had to beat the clock. I had to save the princess. It was a fantastic experience, but doesn't Mario deserve a little break once in a while? Why must he risk his neck every other month? He's an old man! He's been squashing koopas before I was pretending to ride Battle-Cat. In MvDK2, Mario is a God. And not one of those fallible Greeks or mortal Norse. No, Mario leads and Mario can do no wrong.
MvDK2 plays kind of like Lemmings for slightly retarded though infinitely more dexterous kids. Whereas Lemmings gave you mental cramps from running mind/wind sprints, MvDK2 requires little bit of planning and a lot of delicate touches. The Lemmings, those cute little green bipedal beings, could do just about anything. They could whip out an umbrella to float gracefully to the ground. They could climb sheer walls. They could build, dig and burrow. They could even spontaneously combust. In fact, if they only realized the power they possessed, they could overthrow this bumbling, sadistic God who keeps popping off their heads. They could have simply stopped walking, had some tea, and invented trigonometry. But they were stupid, they needed their God, and they got killed following orders.
The miniature Marios you control in MvDK2 are not nearly as talented. They can walk, yes, and jump, but that's about it. They cannot turn into a paper airplane like Paper Mario. They can't swim. They can't even drive a kart. They are pretty worthless actually. You should see them smile when they figure out how to use a tool, though. Oh, it's so precious. Like a two year old with a chainsaw, they don't quite understand what they have, and they end up loosing some toes. Watch the little guys pick up a hammer and refuse to drop it. Toss it in the air and watch them clamber after it, anxious to swing it mindlessly again. Like an ape driving a car, they have no spatial reasoning. An ape will hit the breaks as soon as the light turns red, even if it's two blocks up the road. The mini Mario will swing that hammer even if all the enemies are dead. It's cute, but only because you feel sorry for them. God Mario will lead them to the end.
With only a few "moves" (is walking a move?) at your disposal, MvDK2 is much easier than Lemmings. Most levels can be completed by the second try. And once you figure the basic principles of the game, even getting gold medals can be ridiculously easy. Neither your brain nor your hand will be taxed in this offering, but it's still fun. It's still fun making Golden Mini Mario walk off the top of a tall platform to his shattering death. It's fun to see how many mini Marios you can fit into a monkey sack. But it's too simple to make me bow my head and speak in a hushed voice when it approaches. If there was just a way to pop off their heads, I would whole-heartedly recommend this to everyone.
My stomach drops a little hearing that term. Usually associated with Sid Meyer's Tycoon-themed crap, God Games have a bad rap for being boring non-games. But I look beyond that. Like a real God, I love staring down at mindless beings so willing to do as I command. Lemmings is the best God Game ever devised. It's beautiful poetry, a subtle parody of the dronish behavior running rampant in our society. Simply do what the guy in front of you does. You may get hurt, you may fall to your death or have your head popped cleanly off of your body, but it's not your fault. You're just following everyone else. If you're really lucky, if God happens to be in a good mood, you may even finish the level. It's an allegory on the same level as Pilgrim Progress. There's an all-powerful God and a narrative full of mindless believers. All that's missing is one rogue Lemming named Obstinate.
This ability to have hundreds and thousands of being respond to my every command without question has always appealed to me in an extremely personal way. Placing myself in the action, manually pulling the trigger or leaping over the toad, provides a visceral rush that gets the heart beating and the palms sweating. But sitting in a comfy throne and ordering others to do as I say, to place the burden of bridge building on that Lemming and hole digging on that one, well, that comes with a smugness that doing can't provide. Because with action, any time I fail it is my fault. When I order someone to do something and the results aren't satisfactory, it's their fault. What do you mean you can't survive that fall? Why did you turn around when you bumped your head? Why must I lead a group of buffoons?
Which leads me to Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis. The prequel, Mario vs. Donkey Kong on the GBA, placed me in the role of hero. I was Mario and I had to jump the pits and flip the switches. I had to beat the clock. I had to save the princess. It was a fantastic experience, but doesn't Mario deserve a little break once in a while? Why must he risk his neck every other month? He's an old man! He's been squashing koopas before I was pretending to ride Battle-Cat. In MvDK2, Mario is a God. And not one of those fallible Greeks or mortal Norse. No, Mario leads and Mario can do no wrong.
MvDK2 plays kind of like Lemmings for slightly retarded though infinitely more dexterous kids. Whereas Lemmings gave you mental cramps from running mind/wind sprints, MvDK2 requires little bit of planning and a lot of delicate touches. The Lemmings, those cute little green bipedal beings, could do just about anything. They could whip out an umbrella to float gracefully to the ground. They could climb sheer walls. They could build, dig and burrow. They could even spontaneously combust. In fact, if they only realized the power they possessed, they could overthrow this bumbling, sadistic God who keeps popping off their heads. They could have simply stopped walking, had some tea, and invented trigonometry. But they were stupid, they needed their God, and they got killed following orders.
The miniature Marios you control in MvDK2 are not nearly as talented. They can walk, yes, and jump, but that's about it. They cannot turn into a paper airplane like Paper Mario. They can't swim. They can't even drive a kart. They are pretty worthless actually. You should see them smile when they figure out how to use a tool, though. Oh, it's so precious. Like a two year old with a chainsaw, they don't quite understand what they have, and they end up loosing some toes. Watch the little guys pick up a hammer and refuse to drop it. Toss it in the air and watch them clamber after it, anxious to swing it mindlessly again. Like an ape driving a car, they have no spatial reasoning. An ape will hit the breaks as soon as the light turns red, even if it's two blocks up the road. The mini Mario will swing that hammer even if all the enemies are dead. It's cute, but only because you feel sorry for them. God Mario will lead them to the end.
With only a few "moves" (is walking a move?) at your disposal, MvDK2 is much easier than Lemmings. Most levels can be completed by the second try. And once you figure the basic principles of the game, even getting gold medals can be ridiculously easy. Neither your brain nor your hand will be taxed in this offering, but it's still fun. It's still fun making Golden Mini Mario walk off the top of a tall platform to his shattering death. It's fun to see how many mini Marios you can fit into a monkey sack. But it's too simple to make me bow my head and speak in a hushed voice when it approaches. If there was just a way to pop off their heads, I would whole-heartedly recommend this to everyone.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Lunch with Tom - Stupid Tom made a Stupid Mistake
And there goes my chance of having a PS3 this year. Late last night (9 0'Clock is late for me now) I found out that EBGames would be accepting preorders for the PS3 this morning. Extremely limited numbers. Any store located near living humans would sell out of preorder spots less than an hour after opening their doors. It's like when U2 comes to town. If you aren't camping out, you are not getting a ticket. And here I am, working a job I don't care about, one with flexible hours so I can show up late if I just give them a heads up, and I didn't preorder. I actually thought I would be able to call them when their doors opened and get a spot on the list. What was I thinking?
Needless to say, I ended up calling the store at 9:36, 24 minutes before they opened their door, and was greeted by someone who was in a hurry. He said there was already a huge line outside of the door and that no new people would be allowed to preorder. Wow, I said, and then hung up meekly. Even with 100 Million PS2s out there and ridiculous hype building for the PS3 as we speak, I still underestimated the demand. People have jobs, I reasoned, they wouldn't be able to wait outside of a store. I'm clearly more hardcore than random Vernon Hills bastards anyway. I'll get on that list because I deserve it. Stupid, PS3-less Tom.
The thing is, I know I don't need a PS3 this fall. I'm still playing Okami even though I've had it for three weeks already. I simply do not have time to play through as many games as I want anymore. What would I do with another system? There are three more PS2 games I want to at least play after I wrap up Okami (God Hand, Family Guy and Bully) that will fill up the rest of October for me. And then there's the NDS storm that is quickly approaching. X360 may not have much, but I want to play the new Splinter Cell and cannot wait for Viva and Gears of War. So why do I want a PS3?
It's new and shiny. I want Resistance because Ratchet and Clank is one of the best franchises around. I want that new Jaffe game because, as far as I can tell, he has never made a bad game. I want Motorstorm because it looks fantastic. Have you seen this thing? Ridge Racer 7 even blows Ridge Racer 6 out of the water. And then there's Unknown Realms. I have no idea when that is coming out but I better own a PS3 by then. Basically, there are enough games at launch to justify a purchase, I have money for the system, and I'm going to get it eventually anyway. Why can't I have in November?
So how will I console myself? For one, the Wii does come out just two days after the PS3. I'm not too hyped for the Wii right now, but Zelda alone should make it ridiculously fun. The NDS certainly had a slow start, just quirky mini games showing what the system could do, and the Wii seems to be following suit. It may take six months or a year, but the Wii will be incredible. Plus, it's a new experience, right? Screw next gen, I'm getting a new gen system. We know Sony's track record with launch consoles. It isn't good. We know the failure rate of X360s manufactured last year, also not good. If I miss out this year I can pay less for the system, less for the games, and get a piece of technology that won't break right away. I should be overjoyed EB rejected my .preorder.
I'm going to go to the bathroom and play Mario vs Donkey Kong now. I need some cheering up.
Needless to say, I ended up calling the store at 9:36, 24 minutes before they opened their door, and was greeted by someone who was in a hurry. He said there was already a huge line outside of the door and that no new people would be allowed to preorder. Wow, I said, and then hung up meekly. Even with 100 Million PS2s out there and ridiculous hype building for the PS3 as we speak, I still underestimated the demand. People have jobs, I reasoned, they wouldn't be able to wait outside of a store. I'm clearly more hardcore than random Vernon Hills bastards anyway. I'll get on that list because I deserve it. Stupid, PS3-less Tom.
The thing is, I know I don't need a PS3 this fall. I'm still playing Okami even though I've had it for three weeks already. I simply do not have time to play through as many games as I want anymore. What would I do with another system? There are three more PS2 games I want to at least play after I wrap up Okami (God Hand, Family Guy and Bully) that will fill up the rest of October for me. And then there's the NDS storm that is quickly approaching. X360 may not have much, but I want to play the new Splinter Cell and cannot wait for Viva and Gears of War. So why do I want a PS3?
It's new and shiny. I want Resistance because Ratchet and Clank is one of the best franchises around. I want that new Jaffe game because, as far as I can tell, he has never made a bad game. I want Motorstorm because it looks fantastic. Have you seen this thing? Ridge Racer 7 even blows Ridge Racer 6 out of the water. And then there's Unknown Realms. I have no idea when that is coming out but I better own a PS3 by then. Basically, there are enough games at launch to justify a purchase, I have money for the system, and I'm going to get it eventually anyway. Why can't I have in November?
So how will I console myself? For one, the Wii does come out just two days after the PS3. I'm not too hyped for the Wii right now, but Zelda alone should make it ridiculously fun. The NDS certainly had a slow start, just quirky mini games showing what the system could do, and the Wii seems to be following suit. It may take six months or a year, but the Wii will be incredible. Plus, it's a new experience, right? Screw next gen, I'm getting a new gen system. We know Sony's track record with launch consoles. It isn't good. We know the failure rate of X360s manufactured last year, also not good. If I miss out this year I can pay less for the system, less for the games, and get a piece of technology that won't break right away. I should be overjoyed EB rejected my .preorder.
I'm going to go to the bathroom and play Mario vs Donkey Kong now. I need some cheering up.
Monday, October 09, 2006
I tried to buy a world
I definately wanted to check out the Nintendo World Store while in New York, so we wandered over there a few nights ago. It's actually tucked away on a sidestreet (like most things in Manhattan), but it's a decently classy place (unlike most things in Manhattan).
It vaguely reminded me of their setup at E3, except the Wii wasn't anywhere to be found outside of a looping promo video.
It is very....Nintendo though, and even with all of the kitschy shirts and underwear for sale there's a nostalgic sincerity behind it all.
There's also some cool swag to leer at:
Wicked cool golden Zelda GBA signed by Miyamoto.
A bunch of sassy designer DSses that would most likely tear your hands to bloody shreds for your $400.
GBA fight, anyone?
A freakshow veteran GB that got wounded in the Gulf War, but can still run a mean game of Tetris.
And me, in all my hoodied, feather-haired beauty.
Crosstown the day after, I visited the Sony Wonder Technology Lab, a disgustingly out-of-date collection of interactive learning expriences people in 1989 might have found mildly cutting-edge. To be fair to them, it is free and it's target audience is about 9 years old, but that doesn't mean they have to be trumpeting the marvels of HDTV, which will "revolutionize living rooms in the year 2002, with sets spanning fifteen feet across that cost upwards of $175,000."* *Not an actual quote
The highlight of that particular experience was being attacked by the second-largest Spider-Man I'd ever seen.
Actually, I take that back. After bitching the whole time about them not having even a mention of the PS3, we stumbled into a room showcasing Sly Cooper, The Getaway, and Some Jetski Game on a triplet of PS2s, with PS1 videos rolling above. I asked the sole nearby employee whether they would get PS3s in at some point, almost giggling at the absurdity of my own question. "Not before the public does." Fair enough, though not what I asked. I followed up with "Maybe the theater [where we saw the HDTV presentation] will change over to Blu-Ray then?" He casually, confidently responsed with "Well, HD is better than Blu-Ray." Maybe he was thinking of those little red toys that rotate a circle of still pictures when light shines through and you click the button, when I said Blu-Ray. Or maybe he's a stone cold moron. That was the highlight. Sorry Spidey.
It vaguely reminded me of their setup at E3, except the Wii wasn't anywhere to be found outside of a looping promo video.
It is very....Nintendo though, and even with all of the kitschy shirts and underwear for sale there's a nostalgic sincerity behind it all.
There's also some cool swag to leer at:
Crosstown the day after, I visited the Sony Wonder Technology Lab, a disgustingly out-of-date collection of interactive learning expriences people in 1989 might have found mildly cutting-edge. To be fair to them, it is free and it's target audience is about 9 years old, but that doesn't mean they have to be trumpeting the marvels of HDTV, which will "revolutionize living rooms in the year 2002, with sets spanning fifteen feet across that cost upwards of $175,000."* *Not an actual quote
The highlight of that particular experience was being attacked by the second-largest Spider-Man I'd ever seen.
Actually, I take that back. After bitching the whole time about them not having even a mention of the PS3, we stumbled into a room showcasing Sly Cooper, The Getaway, and Some Jetski Game on a triplet of PS2s, with PS1 videos rolling above. I asked the sole nearby employee whether they would get PS3s in at some point, almost giggling at the absurdity of my own question. "Not before the public does." Fair enough, though not what I asked. I followed up with "Maybe the theater [where we saw the HDTV presentation] will change over to Blu-Ray then?" He casually, confidently responsed with "Well, HD is better than Blu-Ray." Maybe he was thinking of those little red toys that rotate a circle of still pictures when light shines through and you click the button, when I said Blu-Ray. Or maybe he's a stone cold moron. That was the highlight. Sorry Spidey.
Lunch with Tom: Worthwhile Releases!
I'm not sure why website designers seem to go out of their way to hide the information I desire. I'm checking out EBGames.com right now, my number one source for video game release dates, and am disappointed to see a detrimental redesign. A few months ago I could click on New Releases and get a list of every new game coming out, along with price and system it can be found on. Really convenient for people like me who don't care about systems. I just want games. Now every system has a box to itself. God forbid you mix a Sony and Microsoft game. What would happen? On to the games.
God Hand - Hey! I kind of know about this one. My eyes would normally have glossed over this PS2 game (who plays a PS2 anymore? Orphans?) except for two pretty nice tidbits. First, it's only $30. That's half as much as a new X360 game. Heck, that's $5 less than an NDS game. In other words, that's coming dangerously close to impulse buy land. Second, it's made by Clover. I love this little developer. I would take Viewtiful Joe over any action game last generation. It's deeper and more difficult than God of War and just flat out more fun than Ninja Gaiden. And then there's Okami, just a gift from people who truly love gaming. If you can create two of the best games from last generation in just a couple years, well, I'm going to pay attention to whatever else you put out there. God Hand involves lots of walking around and punching. But what separates it from something like Final Fight is the magnitude of all these fights. They all matter. There is no push over, Raiders-type opponent in this one. So it may appeal more to a fighting fan (are there any of those left?) but since it is cheap, it is Clover and it does let you spank your opponent, how can I turn away?
Clubhouse Games - You want another EBGames.com complaint? They don't list this game as an upcoming release on their main release page. They list Strawberry Shortcake, coming out next week, but not this. They list Crash Boom Bang! (I assume this is a porn version of The Movies) coming out this week, but not the greatest NDS game ever? For shame EBGames. Clubhouse Games is a compilation of about 50 old school games. It may not sound like much, but it lets you play with up to 8 people on one cart or battle your friends via WiFi. It has card games like Hearts (of which I am a master of) and Rummy, board games like Checkers (real and Chinese), and even bar games like Darts. Basically, if it's great and isn't a real video game, it's in Clubhouse Games. What man can resist that? It even has Turncoat, the Benedict Arnold-sim we all reenacted as kids, and Koi-Koi! I think we all remember sitting around the bonfire playing Ludo with Grandma, right? It's a little pricey at $35 (I told you God Hand was $5 cheaper than NDS games) but the sheer volume of games and WiFi should make up for the cost. You can even Pictochat in games. And I believe there's even a PDA application buried somewhere in there. Yes, in fact I'm quite sure that Hasami Shogi is another way to say "Personal Digital Assistant." So there you go, everything you could possibly want on one NDS cartridge.
And that's all you're getting this week. Two games are enough for anyone. I'm not writing about Barbie or Scooby Doo, I just won't. Next week seems to be the beginning of the Holiday Season, tune in for some huge titles.
God Hand - Hey! I kind of know about this one. My eyes would normally have glossed over this PS2 game (who plays a PS2 anymore? Orphans?) except for two pretty nice tidbits. First, it's only $30. That's half as much as a new X360 game. Heck, that's $5 less than an NDS game. In other words, that's coming dangerously close to impulse buy land. Second, it's made by Clover. I love this little developer. I would take Viewtiful Joe over any action game last generation. It's deeper and more difficult than God of War and just flat out more fun than Ninja Gaiden. And then there's Okami, just a gift from people who truly love gaming. If you can create two of the best games from last generation in just a couple years, well, I'm going to pay attention to whatever else you put out there. God Hand involves lots of walking around and punching. But what separates it from something like Final Fight is the magnitude of all these fights. They all matter. There is no push over, Raiders-type opponent in this one. So it may appeal more to a fighting fan (are there any of those left?) but since it is cheap, it is Clover and it does let you spank your opponent, how can I turn away?
Clubhouse Games - You want another EBGames.com complaint? They don't list this game as an upcoming release on their main release page. They list Strawberry Shortcake, coming out next week, but not this. They list Crash Boom Bang! (I assume this is a porn version of The Movies) coming out this week, but not the greatest NDS game ever? For shame EBGames. Clubhouse Games is a compilation of about 50 old school games. It may not sound like much, but it lets you play with up to 8 people on one cart or battle your friends via WiFi. It has card games like Hearts (of which I am a master of) and Rummy, board games like Checkers (real and Chinese), and even bar games like Darts. Basically, if it's great and isn't a real video game, it's in Clubhouse Games. What man can resist that? It even has Turncoat, the Benedict Arnold-sim we all reenacted as kids, and Koi-Koi! I think we all remember sitting around the bonfire playing Ludo with Grandma, right? It's a little pricey at $35 (I told you God Hand was $5 cheaper than NDS games) but the sheer volume of games and WiFi should make up for the cost. You can even Pictochat in games. And I believe there's even a PDA application buried somewhere in there. Yes, in fact I'm quite sure that Hasami Shogi is another way to say "Personal Digital Assistant." So there you go, everything you could possibly want on one NDS cartridge.
And that's all you're getting this week. Two games are enough for anyone. I'm not writing about Barbie or Scooby Doo, I just won't. Next week seems to be the beginning of the Holiday Season, tune in for some huge titles.
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