Nintendo has definitely outdone itself and created one of the best Wii games with this Super Mario adventure. The graphics alone are example enough of what a great gaming experience is all about. When Nintendo created the character Mario, gamers all over the world fell in love with him right away. With each new Mario game, came a newfound love for Nintendo and Super Mario Galaxy is no exception. This game requires the use of the Wii controller as well as the nunchuck so you can have a unique gaming experience – getting up and moving around rather than just sitting on the couch and staring blankly at the screen.
This game falls along the same lines of the regular story line for the Mario saga. The Princess has been kidnapped by the evil Bowser and it’s up to the fearless Mario to save her. What separates this game from other Mario adventures, however, is that it takes place in a 3D outer space universe with each world that you visit having its own goal and villain that you have to defeat. There are so many interesting twists and turns that you will be pleasantly surprised and equally challenged with each new part of the journey.
Since the game is in space, Mario can go in all different directions, as gravity is different on each world you visit. The 3-dimensional Super Mario Galaxy gives you some things fresh and exciting around each and every turn, with fun to be had just from making big jumps and letting the slow gravity glide you down somewhere on the other side of the planet. In most Mario adventures you have to go through each chapter exactly before you can move forward to a new area, however with this game you can go play in different areas of the galaxy as you wish. This allows you to do so much more, and saves you getting frustrated at being unable to pass a harder part of the game.
Along with the mission to save the princess, you are also restoring life to the stars in the galaxy with a separate mission to find 120 Power Stars. 120 might not sound like a lot but this can actually take you awhile to accomplish so you can be sure to have hours and hours of game-playing fun along the way. You also have many mini challenges to complete while you collect Power Stars in each galaxy, to help you move on to the next galaxy. The more you find, the closer you are to getting Princess Rosalina’s ship up and running again – and once you fix her ship, you can travel to the center of the universe where you will have the final battle with Bowser and his son.
This game also gives you plenty of chances to earn 1ups (extra lives) as you can find green 1up mushrooms hidden in bushes all over the place. If you collect 50 tiny star bits, you also get 1ups so you can be sure to stay alive for a long time in the game. Be sure to stock up before you do battle at the end of each galaxy. Nintendo has truly created the ultimate Super Mario game ever. This is truly one of the best Wii games that all ages will fall in love with. It will be interesting to see what they will come up with next for Mario and the gang and if they can top this 3-dimensional wonder world of Super Mario Galaxy.
If you are new to Metroid Prime and its sequel then here is a brief run down. You play as Samus Aran, armor-plated beautiful blond bounty hunter of the galaxy in this first-person “so much more than just a simple shoot-em-up” shoot-em-up. Your missions basically have you exploring vast, three-dimensional environments, taking care of business against an array of foe and big boss foe alike, while solving various puzzles along the way to open all manner of hidden goodies and advance further along on your quest.
In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, our fair haired heroine awakens from a cryogenic sleep to land on the military ship, the S.S Olympus. There her quest begins as a mysterious virus threatens to corrupt everything. Beyond that, I won’t go into the storyline, so as to save on spoilers, but anyone familiar with the Metroid Prime series will know what to expect from the third installment in the trilogy. For those new to the series, strap yourselves in for a high-octane sci-fi adventure. In fact, to label this as a first person shoot-em-up may give people the wrong impression. Metroid Prime 3 is so much more than just a FPS (First Person Shooter) – it is more on par with the Zelda series, only in space. However, no matter which way you want to slice it, MP3 most definitely ranks as one of the best Wii games available.
And what a space it is! The designers have really outdone themselves with this latest installment. As Samus travels through the galaxy on her quest she passes through all manner of weird worlds and spacecrafts, each one lovingly detailed with some of the best art work seen on the Wii to date. Whether it be exploring the claustrophobic confines of an enemy ship – complete with strobe lights and steaming vents of gas – or zooming across a planet surface deep with lava or falling particles, the production value is top-notch, with each level surpassing the previous in terms of quality and art direction. As with all previous Metroid games there is a certain amount of re-traversing to be done in order to make your way through the game but we’re happy to report that not only is this done a lot less in Metroid Prime 3, but the visuals are so spectacular you’ll be happy to do some backtracking just to get another look at the amazing structures and detailed machinery.
It’s safe to say that the switch to the Wii’s unique controlling system is the icing on the cake for Corruption. While previous Metroid adventures sometimes felt a little too structured in the control department, Corruption positively radiates under these new tools. The aiming and turning duties are handled by the Wii remote, while moving and attacking are dealt with by the Nunchuck controller - and the responsiveness of these two working side-by-side is outstanding. Using your nunchuck to move through your various environments, while aiming with the Wii remote is possibly the most comfortable feeling you can experience in first person gaming. There are even 3 sensitivity settings, from Standard to Advanced, to help you get used to the controls – although this is totally unnecessary as the set up feels so natural you’ll have no need to use anything but the very precise and quick-response Advanced mode. Anything less will just bog you down in frustration as you struggle with the far less-fluid settings. Other functions handled with ease are the switching of visors, the very cool grappling lasso, and Hypermode. Never before has a Wii game made such good use of the motion-sensory equipment than here on Corruption. Throughout the game you will need to press buttons, turn locks, pull levers and more using the Wii remote – with the gestures involved working so smoothly you’ll almost believe you’re doing these tasks for real. Samus’ grappling lasso is handled with the nunchuck and is great fun to use as you take aim, lock-on and throw the lasso, then pull panels off walls, rip apart an enemy opponent and other useful acts of destruction with a simple throwing motion. Compared to the previous two Metroid Prime outings this is a much easier-to-maneuver affair, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s an easier game. With the variety of challenges and puzzles to complete, as well as increasingly tough bosses to defeat before moving on to further levels, Corruption will still have your palms sweating and your heart racing from the action.
Downsides? What Downsides?
As far as downsides, Corruption has very little. The only one of note is the occasionally slow load time when it comes to moving to a new section. This is undoubtedly due to the increased production value adding to the workload and therefore making the transitions a little slower – sometimes. Quite a minor pick but worth mentioning only because when you’re pumped up and itching for battle a 5-7 second delay in a door opening can seem like a lifetime. Some people have also said that the mere fact that the game is a sequel, and therefore familiar in its game play, works against it. I disagree. I think the familiarity is a plus – like revisiting a place you love. If you haven’t played a Metroid Prime game before then it won’t be familiar at all necessarily. If you have then you won’t have to waste any time getting to know the gaming system. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption has about 20-ish hours of game play to complete the main storyline, and much longer if you go about doing every little thing to achieve a 100% completion rating. The scanning mode adds even more game play value, as objects you uncover on your travels can bear anything from puzzle clues and unlockables, to missiles and energy tanks – with each find adding to your overall percentage. You can also earn various medals for performing certain tasks successfully. These medals allow you to purchase various add-ons such as concept art, a screen capture tool to send pictures of the game to friends online and a little bobblehead doll for Samus’ cockpit, to name but a few.
I never used to be much of a fan of first person shooter-type games, but the first two Metroid Prime games caused me to start thinking differently. Metroid Prime 3, however, has me totally converted (at least to MP3), and I think for the most part it comes down to how comfortable and natural the controls feel throughout the game itself. If you’re at all like I was then I recommend you give Corruption a go, simply because of how much more this game has to offer than a regular FPS. To me, all the aspects of what make a great game are satisfyingly supplied in spades here. Fantastic graphics and art design, ease of movement and functionality, brain-boggling puzzles to solve, a gripping storyline and some big ole nasties to bring down along the way. I haven’t gone into all the features available here as I don’t want to give everything away – but suffice to say that if the above review has whet your appetite for more then you’re looking at the best fun you’ve had on a gaming console in ages. Mark my words, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption will go down in history as one the best Wii games of all time – and the best right now. Now go and buy it!
Music has become an important part of our lives, radio stations are etched into our memory choices on our presets for the car radio, certain songs hold more meaning than others, and everybody wants to be a rock n roll star. This is why we play drums in the air and guitar on our steering wheel. We sing in the shower and when a tune gets stuck in our head, we’d love nothing better than to grab a guitar and rip out the feeling. But what happens if you don’t have a guitar or don’t know how to play one. Don’t get discouraged, one of the best Wii games from Nintendo has arrived in the form of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Even if you don’t fancy the axe, it’s still fun to try to see just how good you’ll do with a backing band. Today’s game technology allows everybody to at least attempt to find out what it’s like to hold a rock guitar in their hands.
If you didn’t take piano lessons as a kid because you wanted to avoid being called names on the playground or if you elected to not take the elective of choir because the same fate would be bestowed on you, then you’re not alone. Most kids didn’t get the chance to turn down guitar lessons in grade school because they were never offered. The great thing about Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is that you don’t need to know how to play guitar to really have a blast playing the game. You just need a urge to want to play and a hunger to find out what all the fuss is about. As soon as you see the song list, you’ll be transported back to the days of air guitar and a confidence will build in you that says you can have your shot now.
Many people shy away from music games because they think you have to be some kind of expert to play them – well that’s not the case here. Wii allows you to start on whatever level that you feel comfortable with. Once you get better, you can move that level up and up. It’s your choice where you want to go, the Wii is just your instrument. The game is very simple to play; instead of the nunchuck and wiimote, you have a device that looks like a guitar. Next, you have colored buttons on your guitar and a pull down lever. This feature allows you to strum while hitting the notes according to the colors on the screen. It takes a few times for your brain to figure out what you need to do, and after that, it’s your sheer joy of playing that will have you hooked.
You Wanted The Best - You Got The Best!
Kids love it because it gives them a sense of being a guitar player; it’s a smaller sized instrument than a regular guitar, plus it’s much lighter while still having the shape of a rock guitar. Wii designs their products for kids and adults too so parents will be able to play with the same intensity that they see their kids using. Some of the songs listed might not be recognized by the younger generation but that really doesn’t matter. Wii has chosen songs that are fun to play and practically beg for parents to try their hand at. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is really a multi-generational game.
If you compare other types of guitar games, you’ll find that one feature lacking with this Wii release is that you can’t download songs for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. You won’t complain because you’ll be having too much fun trying to master a song just to raise your bar of talent, and there are plenty of songs to choose from. There are also a few hidden things to know, such as some songs that can only be unlocked if you have another guitar playing along - if you’re just a one man band then those songs probably won’t see the light of day – which encourages you to get your friends over, who will most likely have their own Wii-tar anyway.
Kick Out The Jams On The Nintendo Wii
One of the advantages to playing a game like this is that you’ll learn hand-eye coordination and possibly improve your reaction time. But be warned, this game is addictive, much like learning a new instrument you want to play until you get it right, and since each song is about three minutes long you can just keep playing over and over without getting too exhausted. Your score is recorded and you can challenge yourself each time to beat it.
If you never took a guitar lesson, it doesn’t matter; you can learn which buttons to push and when to strum after just a few songs. Keep your skill level low to start out with so you can feel comfortable when playing. Like any game practice makes perfect and the best part is you won’t have mangled fingertips after playing this best Wii game to prove you’re the guitar hero in your family.
Be sure and watch the video trailer below as it shows this game as it should be seen - being ROCKED!!
Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock Video Game Trailer
I could just tell you in a single sentence that if you’re a Harry Potter fan and have a Nintendo Wii then this game is for you. Personally, I think this is one of the best games currently available for the Wii and I know that anyone who is into Harry Potter will simply love it – but since that would make for a pretty short review, I’ll go into a little more detail about it and why it is one of the best Wii games on offer.
The Wii adaptation of the fifth Harry Potter book and movie offers up the best Harry Potter adventure yet. You play as Harry, but Hermione and Ron are always close by. The game really does Hogwarts justice – the castle is enormous and it would take hours just to explore all of it. This is really a joy for those gamers (like me) who love exploring – as long as getting a bit lost doesn’t frustrate you too much. If you find yourself unsure where you are, you can simply pull out the Marauder’s Map at any time, select a person or place and a path will be marked out for you on the map (with a set of footprints) to get you headed in the right direction. I was stunned by the attention to detail in this game; it’s quite unlike any move-based game I’ve ever seen. There is a huge world to explore and the game sticks to the look and feel of the film closely – Hogwarts castle in the game is modeled on the same blueprints used to build the sets for the film and some of the stars of the film have provided their voices for the characters in the game; and even had their heads scanned for a more realistic rendition of their characters!
Introducing The Wii Wand!
The game is visually stunning, but how is game play? Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix comes through for players in this department as well. You can use the Wii controller as Harry’s wand – a dream come true for Potter fans. You can use your controller to cast spells like “Wingardium Leviosa” (levitate objects), “Reparo”(fix broken objects), “Depulso”(move objects forward), “Accio”(pull objects towards you), “Incendio”(burn objects) and “Reducto”(smash objects). You cast these spells through using the correct movements with the controllers and in no time, you’ll swear your Wii controller really is a magic wand!
An Abundance of Extras Now, this is not a shoot-em-up; instead, there are a lot of different tasks which you must perform to advance through the game. There is puzzle solving, attending classes, dueling, recruiting for Dumbledore’s Army and running errands for your teachers. There are different risks and challenges posed by each set of tasks and each lets you use the spells you are learning as you progress. You can also earn O.W.L. grades, which let you enter secret areas of the castle. There are also a variety of mini-games like Exploding Snap and Wizard Chess! There are many extras in the game which you won’t find in the movie or the book – but fear not, all of the important plot lines from the book and film are rendered in the game. Later in the game, you’ll get to play as Fred and George Weasley, Sirius Black and even Dumbledore as he takes on Voldemort in the final battle!
Nobody’s Perfect
While Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is visually stunning and offers countless hours of fun and engrossing game play, it’s not all pumpkin juice. The biggest flaw is the controls; Harry seems to be a little clumsy at times. Another problem is that the POV will switch on occasion to angles which make it hard to see the people or objects you need to interact with. There are workarounds, but it would be nice if the player didn’t have to deal with this issue in the first place. Smaller complaints I had were that there is no way to easily tell which people and objects you can interact with or which people you can duel with; the only way to find out is to try to duel with them. However, these flaws are minor and do not seriously detract from the game - there is a lot more fun than fault to find with the Nintendo Wii version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, making this game a must for any aspiring Wii witch or wizard. And for those of us just looking for an entertaining gaming experience, this is a great choice. In terms of entertainment value for the money, I’d have to again say that this is definitely one of the best Wii games out there.
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix Video Trailer
If you’re a Nintendo devotee, or if you’ve come to the Wii via PlayStation 2 you may have already heard of and possibly played Resident Evil 4 on one or both of those consoles. Both previous releases had their own individual advantages and disadvantages but the Wii edition of Resident Evil 4 has the best of both of them, making it not only one of the best Wii games on the market, but also THE best edition of RE4 available on any console. If you haven’t experienced this game on either consoles before then you’re in for a wild time - an all-encompassing suspense-filled thrill ride!
Resident Evil 4 reunites us with Leon S. Kennedy (from Resident Evil 2), now a highly trained government agent sent on a mission to rescue the President’s daughter. You know those days when you think you really shouldn’t have bothered getting out of bed? Well Leon is about to have one of those x 1000. His search takes him to a small Spanish village where he soon finds that all is not as it should be. For one, the villagers don’t appear to be all together human - and for two, they are trying their hardest to kill him without so much as an explanation! No sooner does the opening sequence get you up to speed on where you are and why you’re there, than you are set upon by a crazy, axe-wielding maniac (as opposed to a sane axe-wielding maniac?) - followed by a horde of villagers (you’ll find no slow-moving zombies in this town) who trap you inside a cabin in an effort to finish you off - and this is all within the first 5 minutes! There’s no time for pondering, you gotta think fast - there’s no time to panic but that’s all you can think to do at this point. You’re disorientated, you’re confused, you have menacing locals bearing down on you from all sides…and this is just a taste of things to come. There is definitely a heightened sense of adrenaline-pumping fear in Resident Evil 4 that is a step up from previous Resident Evil releases, which makes this game truly frightening. It’s less a case of something suddenly smashing through the window as you make your way down a creepy, dimly-lit corridor and more a case of frantically trying to escape the relentless pursuit of increasingly stranger, vicious and more difficult-to-defeat attackers. As you may have gathered the pace of this game is frantic and it really doesn’t let up. You’ll literally be wiping away the sweat in the rare moments you do get to catch your breath. The frenzied nature of the game adds a whole new level of terror, something previous releases in the franchise lacked. However those who like their scares the old-fashioned way will not be disappointed, as there are still plenty of sudden jumps and scares when you least expect it, to keep you on your toes. No more is this exemplified than when you play as the President’s daughter, Ashley who, with only a flashlight at her disposal, must silently creep past all manner of crazed weirdos, and act fast in her tasks to avoid detection, capture and death.
Monsters Galore!
So let’s talk about the beasties you’re up against then. Gone are the dim-witted zombies that trundle towards you at such a pace you’re able to have a shower, shave, shoe-shine and a shag before loading your gun, taking aiming and blowing them away. In this town you have the smart and quick footed villagers (complete with burning torches and pitchforks), creepy cultists, giant ogres-like creatures and a jaw-droppingly impressive (and scary) lake monster. Not to mention other increasingly difficult, weird and imaginative-in-their-appearance bosses you come across as you advance your way through the storyline (you get the idea without me having to give too much away). All the characters in this heart-pounding blood-fest have been created with an attention to detail never before seen on the Wii, which only adds to your ability to get fully immersed (and therefore fully frightened) in this white-knuckled, suspense-filled tale.
Point And Shoot - More Than Just A Wii Bit Better
Where the Wii edition of Resident Evil 4 stands out against the other console releases of the game is in its use of the unique Wii controllers for aiming and shooting the huge variety of nasties that mean to do you harm. Using the Wii remote, you can simply and effectively point at the target on screen with a speed and accuracy unmatched on other consoles. Here you can aim at the various body parts of your attackers with ease. Shooting at the legs of insane villagers is a cinch - and something you may find necessary when you’re low on bullets. Making a head-shot will be a walk in the park - albeit a gory one. When you are out of bullets (or any time you feel like getting “up close and personal”) your Wii remote becomes Leon’s knife, and you can slash away in the comfort of your living room, watching Leon on screen slice up some local nasties. A cool little feature is the addition of sound effects from your Wii remote speaker - so that the slashing of your knife or the reloading of your gun takes on an all more “realistic” feel.
Amazing Attention To Detail
Another major standout are the graphics. Everything from the buildings and landscapes to the towns “citizens” and the increasingly imaginative monsters has been created with blood-drenched attention to detail, giving this game the most consuming feeling of atmospheric suspense ever encountered in a survival horror game. Capcom, who is really the Godfather of the survival horror genre, have outdone even themselves with the look and feel of this epic horror action-fest. When this game was first released on GCN and PS2 a couple of years ago it really was breathtaking in it’s rendered beauty. By far the best looking game on the market. Sure, there haven’t been any improvements to the look of the game in the last two years, despite the Wii’s increased memory and processing speed, but that doesn’t detract from the game itself in the slightest. It is still stunning to look at, with some of the creatures you come up against simply mesmerizing in their brilliance. If you’ve played this game before on another console you’ll be so impressed with the fantastic use of the controllers and the other enhancements that it will almost be like playing it for the first time again (and even more so if you’ve only played this on GameCube, as the Wii edition contains the Ada Wong “Separate Ways” storyline that was only released on the PS2). If you haven’t played this before then you’ll just be impressed all round. Period.
No Bones To Pick, But Plenty Of Flesh
I really couldn’t find anything to pick at with this game. I’ve already mentioned above the lack of graphic improvements from the 2005 releases, but I never felt it in any way detracted from the overall experience the game presents, as the graphics from 2005 are still well above that of other games in this genre and certainly above any other Wii games. The sound is brilliant - creepy, atmospheric music and head-explodingly real special effects add even more depth to this already abyss-like release. The game play is an amazing 15-20 hours long (not counting the great replay value), and at the reduced retail price for the Wii that makes it tremendous value for money. All that being said, this game is certainly not for the squeamish - and if the sight of copious amounts of animated gore and violence is off-putting to you then you should definitely steer clear of this release. However if those things don’t bother you - or indeed if you find them an exciting prospect - then Resident Evil 4 is a must have, still managing to be one of the best Wii games after two years.
Anyone familiar with Nintendo Game Cube’s Super Mario Strikers will instantly feel at home when they first strap in to this screwball sequel. Anyone who has not first had a taste of “Soccer, Mario-style” will probably not know what hit them. In both cases, however, you’re in for a wildly entertaining, deliriously crazy, action-packed fun fest. It’s the sort of enjoyment you almost feel guilty having, simply because you know not everyone out there is willing or able to partake in this sort of riotous romp…but you’ll notice I did say you’ll ‘almost feel guilty’. The fact is you’ll be so caught up in the non-stop insanity of Mario and his pals you won’t be thinking of much else except dodging tackles while attempting to perform Mega-strikes, and thrashing your opponents. It’s safe to say that Mario Strikers Charged is one of the best Wii games released in the (so far) short life of this exciting game console, and if you don’t get immense pleasure from playing this game then you really shouldn’t own a Nintendo Wii at all.
The best part of Mario’s version of soccer is that it barely passes as soccer at all! Sure, you play on a field and you kick a ball around, but that’s pretty much where the familiarity ends. You can start by throwing realism out the door - as turtles and toadstools chase you around the field looking to constantly knock you off the ball. Then you can throw the rule book out the window - there are no referees or red cards to be found here, just plenty of weapons, power-ups, tackles and other random acts of arcade-game absurdity. It comes as almost a surprise then, perhaps, to find an underlying depth to the game, as it uses more strategies and tactics than we’re used to in the Mario universe. You ‘kick things off’ by selecting your team captain, and there are 12 to choose from such as Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Yoshi, Princess Peach, Wario, etc. Each character has his or her own strengths and weaknesses - so while one may be a fast runner, they may not be so good at passing the ball. It’s up to you to determine which captain is right for the game strategy you’re planning. Mario, of course, is the best all-rounder. Then you choose 3 team mates from a second line-up of characters including Toad, Boo, Monty Mole, Shy Guy, Birdo and more. These too have their own individual strengths and weaknesses, and you can get many varying results based on the combined team you choose. Each Captain also comes with their own Mega-Strike shot - a unique power shot that the goalie usually has a tough time dealing with. Your team mates also have their own individual skill shots - which can send anything from a swarm of hammers to a giant ball of electricity at an opposing goalie to throw them off.
Mega-Meaty-Mario Action!
When it comes to scoring goals, it’s the Mega-Strike that matters most. When pulled off, a Mega-Strike will send anything from 3 to 6 balls at the opposition’s Keeper, with the number of balls and speed of delivery determined by how well timed your button pressing is. If you happen to be on the receiving end of a Mega-Strike, the point of view will change to that of the Keeper, and you’ll use your Wii remote to point at the screen as the balls come flying at you, with good aim and well-timed button pressing the key to making saves. It’s a frantic little mini-game that comes as a clever addition to the hectic hi-jinx of the rest of the match. Be warned though, creating a Mega-Strike shot is not as easy as it sounds when you have multiple opponents, not to mention giant red shells and chain chomps bearing down on you from every angle looking to rearrange your intestines! On top of that you’ve got the pitch to deal with, with 17 different stadiums to choose from, many with their own unique hazard to add to the complexity and difficulty. Hazards such as raging winds, lightning bolts, Thwomps and giant balls that destroy everything in their path are just some of the obstacles that await you should you dare to play one of the booby-trapped playing fields. If it feels like man and God are against your team then you could well be right - all these factors make for a very challenging game of Mario soccer.
Multi-Player Is Where It’s At
Mario Strikers Charged really comes into its own, however, in multi-player mode. Single player is still definitely fun to play, with standard “versus” mode, challenge mode (players have 12 tricky challenges to overcome) and Road To Striker mode (round-robin tournaments to obtain various victory cups), but there’s nothing like playing against real people and having up to 4 players competing at once is a wild blast. Here you have the choice of offline or online modes, and for most people the online mode is the deal-clincher for Mario Strikers Charged. While you still have to deal with the controversial Friend Codes when it comes to playing against specific people, you can choose to skip that and just launch into ranked matches against random opponents from all over the world through the power of WiFi (Wireless networking). Here you get a roster keeping track of your friend’s online status and game progress, a leader-board with daily and amassed stats and easy to use notifications for match requests with other online players.
Not All That Glitters Is Goal!
While there isn’t much to fault at all with this fast-paced thrill ride, I would be neglect in my duties if I didn’t say it isn’t all gravy. The most notable is the Single player mode. While the single player modes are indeed fun to play, there are simply too few of them to create lasting appeal in this area. Also, the computer opponents tend to either be way too easy or way too difficult - a change that can come at the drop of a hat and can get a little frustrating after a while. Maybe the makers are trying to push everyone to use the multi-player/online features by offering sub-standard single player modes. To some degree I see the single player modes as being a tack-on, nothing more, as the majority of people who play this game won’t be interested in single player mode at all, other than to perhaps get accustomed with the game before trekking off to play online gamers from around the globe. The only thing that may sadden some people with the online gaming is there is no voice chat available. Depending on who you are this may be a good or bad thing, as I’m sure some of you wouldn’t have minded a little on-field sledging during play to help thwart your opponents attempts at scoring.
But that’s it really, nothing more I could see to pick at - and believe me I looked. The sound effects and music are great, the graphics are what you’d expect by now from anything Mario. No huge advances here, but then they certainly haven’t slacked off in this department either. All in all Mario Strikers Charged is a fast-paced, action-packed feast of entertainment, which will no doubt have you wondering where all the hours have gone (especially in online mode), and is well deserving of the title of one of the best Wii games on the market.
Super Paper Mario has successfully brought Nintendo’s idiosyncratic role-playing series to the Wii platform with brilliant results. The exclusive game is an amalgam of platforming and role-playing that feels both familiar and new at the same time. This may not be the expected features usually found in a single game, however Super Paper Mario has successfully managed to make it work. After having made its grand entry in the Wii world, Paper Mario has begun working on the Wiimoto with the intension of giving another dimension of playing these games to its enthusiasts. The superb combination of control elements and gameplay has made Super Paper Mario one of the best Wii games produced to date.
Originally slated for release in 2006, Super Paper Mario eventually came out in April ‘07, the postponement due to some last minute fixes and improvements to enhance the gaming experience. Initially, the game was planned for the Nintendo GameCube, but it was later changed to the Wii to make the most of the motion sensing in order to control the mini-games. The idea being to capture the nostalgic feel of the original Mario side-scrolling games while incorporating a jazzed-up visual style that brings a whole new depth to a familiar style of favorite.
This particular version of the Paper Mario franchise not only has a look and feel of its older games but also features unconventional characters, imaginative story, solid and interesting game play and funny dialogues. The entire package is a nicely polished affair that is sure to enter the realm of “classic game” as time goes on, having already been embraced as one of the best Wii games of 2007 by regular gamer and critic alike.
Super Paper Mario is the newest chapter in the Paper Mario series. Not content to just be a 2D or 3D side-scrolling game, Super Paper Mario combines both 2D and 3D game play elements, shifting back and forth between the dimensions. The Nintendo Power magazine describes Super Paper Mario as the first 5D side-scrolling game released. Not sure what that means, exactly, but it sounds cool and feels like an apt description of this multi-dimensional game. The action of the game is spread across eight worlds filled with strange mysteries, puzzles, traps, etc. One of the cool features of Super Paper Mario is that it allows more than one player to play at the same time against one other. Although Mario is the hero of the game, he isn’t the only star; players also get to play such characters as Browser, Luigi and Princess Peach. Each game has you starting as Mario, but as you progress you are able to incorporate other players into the game as other characters.
Super Paper Mario is the first Wii game starring everyone’s favorite mustachioed plumber who has finally landed on the Nintendo Wii world. The story revolves round Mario who is the main character, with his machismo and power of love, once again trying to stop the destruction of the world and save Princess Peach.
So, to sum it up, Super Paper Mario’s accessible game play, humorous story, cool visual style, inventive design, and remarkable amount of content gives the game an undeniable charm. I suggest all those Wii users out there who haven’t tried out what is undoubtedly one of the best Wii games so far, to go ahead and give it a shot and I’m quite sure you won’t be disappointed with your experience.
