This week there were 3 games released, 2 WiiWare games and 1 Virtual Console game.  as stated on my last update I am using a score system of 1-10, 10 being you should already have bought this game.

First up is Maboshi’s Arcade.

Maboshi’s Arcade™ (Nintendo, 1-3 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): Featuring three distinct modes and simultaneous play across three game windows, the constantly changing environment of Maboshi’s Arcade creates an atmosphere unlike any other. Each of the modes is based on one of three familiar shapes (circle, stick and square) and offers the same goal: score a million points. Use the intuitive controls to bash enemies in Circle mode, weave your way through Stick mode or burn a path around obstacles in Square mode-all while dealing with power-up items and keeping watch on which effects the other game windows may have on your own. Also featuring Mii™ characters, action replays that you can send to your Wii™ Friends via WiiConnect24™, and the ability to download a version to a Nintendo DS™, you may never want to leave this arcade.

In this game you can play up to 3 players on different arcade style games.  This game seems to me to be very interesting.  you can see game play here. this game looks like it might be worth a shot at 8 dollars.  I would give this game a score of 8.

Next up is Cue Sports – Pool Revolution.

Cue Sports – Pool Revolution (Hudson Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Grab your Wii Remote™ controller and take a shot at this virtual billiard game. Enjoy match-ups, playing classic favorites such as 9 Ball, 8 Ball, Rotation and Snooker, as well as walk-through trick shots in Puzzle mode. Connect to Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection (Nintendo WFC) to go head-to-head with your friends, or even hustle opponents across the world in Nintendo WFC match-ups. This game offers two types of controls, allowing you to virtually strike the cue ball with your Wii Remote controller or use the buttons to adjust the strength of your shot and then strike. Hone your skills in Practice mode, learning all the cool techniques you need to be a true hustler. Use the edit feature to create your own challenge and nail the trick shot you’ve always dreamed of sinking. Pull off an amazing shot and show everyone who’s the biggest shark in the pool.

this is yet another Pool game for Wii.  The difference i can see is that you have multiple choices of Pool games.  if you like pool this game would be worth the 5 dollars.  Although, there are already quite a few pool games already released on the Wii so if you haven’t tried one yet this might be a good place to start.  you can see some game play here. I would give this a score of 7.

This weeks there was only one Virtual console game released.

Zoda’s Revenge™: StarTropics II™ (NES™, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): Take on the role of Mike Jones, intrepid hero of the StarTropics universe, and once again battle the evil alien Zoda to control the fate of the Argonian people. In this journey, the island hopping of Mike’s original adventure gives way to traveling through time and visiting locations around the world. And you never know what famous historical figures may appear along the way, giving Mike helpful advice or useful items. Luckily, Mike also has a wider range of weapons and improved play control on his side, so he may yet stand a chance against Zoda. Can you help Mike stand the test of time and save the world again?

This game is similar to Legend of Zelda.  You run around and defeat bosses and gain new items and levels.  You can see some game play here. It doesn’t look particually bad but it does look really corny.  I would give it a score of 5.

Sorry about the delay in WiiWare and Virtual Console news.  Moving on though This week I am going to summarize the releases I missed and start to give basic ratings from 1-10 on a worth buying scale.  1 being you would have to an idiot to buy this and 10 being your a moron for not already owning it.

New This week we have 2 WiiWare games Tiki Towers and Fun! Fun! Minigolf.

Tiki Towers™ (RealArcade, 1 -2 players, Rated E for Everyone-Comic Mischief, 500 Wii Points): Tiki Towers is a game of construction, destruction, problem-solving and monkeys. Reclaim the islands of your tribe by defeating a series of evil enemy chiefs. Work with your monkey friends to build towers out of bamboo poles, coconuts and vines. Match wits against the enemy chiefs bent on destroying your towers and driving you from the islands. Navigate levels filled with crazy building challenges, and deal with unfriendly wildlife and other environmental obstacles. Get your monkeys to chant for the BananaMana necessary to counter enemy attacks. Play in either single-player or two-player cooperative mode in this game where monkeys rule.

In this Game you build structures to get monkeys to the finish.  This game reminds me of the DS game Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2.  If you like games similar to lemmings you will definitely like this game.  Here is a game video.

Tiki Towers gets a score of 5.

Fun! Fun! Minigolf (Shin’en Multimedia, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 900 Wii Points): Play minigolf with your friends in beautiful environments. Choose a character and turn your Wii Remote™ controller into a golf club. With its easy-to-use controls, all you need to do is aim, swing and see who’s the best putter. Play 27 holes spread across America, Asia and Europe. Enjoy exotic locations all over the world. Go for gold in single-player mode, or invite your friends. Fun! Fun! Minigolf supports up to four players. You can use one to four Wii Remote controllers. Fun! Fun! Minigolf is the ultimate party game for everyone.

This game has pretty standard Wii based golf controls.  The major things this game has over standard golf games is that it is Miniature Golf.  You are playing through a wide variety stages with some fun looking holes.  You can see a little game play here.

Fun! Fun! Minigolf gets a score of 6.

Wii Ware Games I missed. (scores are links to gameplay videos)

• Alien Crush Return                                                        score 3
• Home Sweet Home                                                       score 2
• Brain Challenge                                                             score 6
• Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam                                       score 4
• Strong Bad Episode 4: Dangeresque 3                        score 7
• Target Toss Pro: Bags                                                 score 2
• Boingz                                                                           score 5
• Sudoku Challenge!                                                        score 5
• Space Invaders Get Even                                            score 7
• Pit Crew Panic!                                                            score 4
• Bruiser and Scratch                                                    score 5
• Hockey Allstar Shootout                                               score 6
• Strong Bad 5: 8-Bit Is Enough                                     score 8
• Big Kahuna Party                                                         score 4

This week there was only 1 game released Phantasy Star IV.

Phantasy Star™ IV (SEGA GENESIS, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Fantasy Violence, Mild Sexual Themes, 800 Wii Points): Phantasy Star IV is the fourth released game from SEGA’s epic Phantasy Star series, one of SEGA’s biggest RPGs on the SEGA GENESIS. In the year AW 2284, planet Motavia is once again plagued by strange biocreatures, and it’s up to the brave men and women of the Hunters Guild to exterminate them. You are Chaz Ashley, a rookie Hunter straight out of training who is supported by Alys Brangwin-a crafty veteran whose good looks and prowess with the blade have earned her an awesome reputation. These two Hunters, along with a cast of supporting characters, will go beyond Motavia to unwittingly save their entire solar system.

This is pretty much what you would expect from a Phantasy Star game.  If you like the earlier games in the series you will most likely enjoy this one.  If you are in to trying new rpgs this is fairly popular series.  you can see some game play here.

Phantasy Star IV gets a score of 6.

Virtual Console games I missed. (scores are links to gameplay videos)

• Digital Champ Battle Boxing                                                        score 6
• Gradious II GOFER NO YABOU                                                      score 8
• Earthworm Jim                                                                             score 8
• Space Harrier                                                                               score 6
• Mega Man 3                                                                                 score 10
• Space Invaders: The Original Game                                             score 5
• Forgotten Worlds                                                                         score 7
• Boogerman                                                                                  score 6
• Metal Slug 2                                                                                score 7
• Sonic The Hedgehog 2                                                                score 6
• Enduro Racer                                                                               score 6

JoBlo.com is reporting that for the new kick-ass looking Batman game Arkham Asylum, Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill will be back as The Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime.

This is, indeed, great news.

Those guys are the best.

I am a robot made of cardboard, so you know it’s necessary I spend money upgrading my systems before I indulge in most newly released entertainment packages….I assume I am not the only one here, so I am going to bring you some budget gaming advice, courtesy of Budgetron.  In the future of this column I will cover a couple of newly purchased games that don’t cost an arm and a leg, and also do not suck.  So, without further adieu, Budgetron’s gonna show you how to save a few bucks and still be cool.

This week, I got a bonus at work, so to stretch that dollar to the max, I went to my local Play N Trade and headed straight for the back shelf…to the classic concole area.  Now, generally it’s pretty hit or miss on weather or not you’ll be able to find good games, but luckily this was budgetron’s lucky day, because I made 2 awesome purchases.

First up was Super C for the NES ($13).  Now, generally the original Contra is the more sought out of the two, and I think besides for purely nostalgic reasons, it is because it was the first of the series (on the NES) and it is the game that made “the code” famous.  But I would have to say that after jumping into Super C, it is definitely a more finely tuned version of the original.  The sidescrolling levels are well laid out, with a variety of enemies and obstacles, and the overhead levels are much better than the shitty “electro beam lazer monkey” stages from the first one.

Now, the question is, was it worth $13?  Yes and no.  The no comes from the fact that although it is a great pick up and play game, $13 is a bit steep for an NES sidescroller, and I think it may have been priced as such merely because of the big red “C” on the cover.  Contra sells, and all sellers know it.  That said, it is a definite must buy because it IS a Contra game.  If a friend comes over and you have a NES but no Contra–? Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.  Contra is a fine game, and since the first game fetches $20 or more on ebay, go for the lesser known (and arguably better) sequel for a fraction of the price.

My second purchase of the night was the pinacle of Disney Afternoon Capcom gaming on the NES, Duck Tales.  Now, this is another game I did not have growing up, but played at friends houses from time to time, and although I wondered how it would hold to those memories when thinking of buying it, the price tag ($4) made me take the gamble.  The gamble paid off, ladies.  This is a quality piece of gaming, and with the name Capcom on the tag, I wasn’t surprised.  Along with Konami, they were basically sure things in the 80’s.

The first thing I noticed when popping this game into my top loader (yes, I’m bragging…I have a top loading NES) was that the level select was much like that of Mega Man, a list of levels with no clue as to which one to approach first.  Now, I know some of you may be annoyed by this cheap tactic by developers to inject more playing time into their games, but it works.  I tried the Mines level first, and nope, I need a key from Transylvania, so I go there and beat that level, then I go to beat the Mines, beat it and head off to the Amazon, where I get my ass handed to me…then I start all over and try a different combination of levels.  Sure I have to play each level a million times, but I like to get a sense of satisfaction when I beat a level, and when you play a level a million times before it’s beat, theres satisfation to be had.  And remember when games had secret rooms with treasure?  And fake ceilings you could jump through to get to new areas?  Yeah, this game’s got em.  And for $4, you can’t go wrong.  Duck Tales is a fun platformer with classic gameplay.

Now, if you don’t have a play and trade, or other classic game peddler near you, I advise you to buy your games from a trusted online retailer.  I have bought from these guys and they have good prices, and are really nice!

http://www.collectorscardsandgames.com/games.htm

Happy gaming, cheapskates!

Seriously fun stuff. Give it a try.

Who will be Thor? Kevin Mckidd? Maybe. While laying down foundations to make the ultimate nerdgasm that will be The Avengers movie there are a few cornerstones that need to be placed and to me Thor looks like it might be the weakest one. However with Iron Man Marvel was really smart with finding the right person for the roll so hopefully they’ll keep it up with the next few movies. Head on over to joblo.com for their full story on the possiblilty of Mckidd as Thor.

At a UK Press Release, Atari announced that the new Ghostbusters game would be released this June to coincide with the 25th Anniversary.

More good news. Atari released a new trailer with lots of new footage. We finally get to see Peter in action, as well as some of the quips and humor coming through. Check it out here.

Frankly, I didn’t even know a game like this was being developed, but here’s the teaser trailer none-the-less, a little disappointing to me…

In Batman: Arkham Asylum the player assumes the role of Batman as he delivers The Joker to Arkham Asylum. There, the imprisoned super-villains have set a trap and an immersive combat gaming experience unfolds. With an original script penned by Emmy Award-winning Batman writer Paul Dini, the game brings the universe of DC Comics’ detective to life!

Some really good news I found about this is that Mark Hamill will be voicing the Joker and Kevin Conroy will be returning once again to the voice we all know and love of Batman.

Seems like a cool concept, but we will all have to wait until December 2009 to find out if this is the next great Batman game, or just another game that sounded cool on paper but failed to deliver. Until then, enjoy these pics courtesy of IGN:

I feel like more educating, so here, in no particular order, are ten games you have to play in your life.

Of course, This list is of my own choosing, so if you want to disagree or propose something, feel free. First up:

Super Mario Bros. 3. Too bad, Super Mario World, this one just is way better. Opening with one of the most memorable moments in gaming history, you once again assume the control of everyone’s favorite plumber in a quest to restore the Seven Kings neighboring Mushroom kingdom by reclaiming the wands stolen by the Koopa Kids. Of course, Princess Toadstool gets captured by Bowser again, so you have to save her as well. But the gameplay is what really stands the test of time, here. With a huge upgrade on available power-ups, including the Raccoon Leaf, you run through level after level of pure fun. It’s just good, so go play it.

While this one isn’t the best known, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening holds a special place in my heart as my favorite. The first handheld Zelda, you once again assume control of Link, sailing to an unknown desination. On this trip, his ship is destroyed, and he washes up on Koholint Island. LoD: LA’s enjoyable gameplay, lots of different equipment, and a story twist that beats anything that hack Shyamalan couldn’t touch make this a must-play.

The best Sonic, ever. End of story. Best levels, music, and the first game with Super Sonic. It’s just awesome, and perfect.

Final Fantasy VI, or III in the States until recent releases gave the game its proper title, is arguably the best Final Fantasy in the series. While it was classic RPG gameplay, the story, music, and characters are what reign supreme here. I mean, what other game do you play where the world is destroyed… and you still have half the game to go?

A bear and a bird. Classic. Rare didn’t release many games, but they were all gems. The characters and expansive levels were the stars here. Not to mention, while collecting things in platformer games was becoming taboo, Banjo Kazooie made you want to collect again.

Shadow of the Colossus. Wow… Just, wow. This game pushed the PS2 hardware to its limit and brought us a simple story of how far you’d go to bring back the one you love. Wander, the game’s protagonist has journeyed to a land forbidden by his people, hearing stories that by taking the spirit’s quest that resides there, he can revive Momo… who was unfortunate enough to be a sacrifice. So, you basically have to journey around the countryside, killing Colossus ranging in size from a large elephant to a small mountain. As you proceed, you see that there may be effects not explained beforehand. Play it, all right?

Megaman Legends, a personal favorite of mine. Taking the Blue Bomber, moving to full 3D, reducing the hardcore difficulty and generally making it something more like an action RPG may sound like a bad idea on paper, but this game shines as something special. The controls were a bit to grasp in the beginning, but the  story and characters made this game incredible. Really, it’s just epic.

When the Orange Box came out, Everyone thought “Great, I can finally play Team Fortress 2!” Who knew the shining star of this pack would be the shortest experience overall? Portal shocked gamers with the most innovative puzzle gaming, ever. What made this a whole adventure was the wonderfully dark humor represented through the various robotic influences throughout. GlaDos, the computer program running the “tests” was chillingly funny and vindictive, and even the deadly turrets disarmed you with sing-songy cuteness. (After killing the player’s character; “Naptiiiime”)

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater really brought the series to a perfect peak. With the introduction of CQC, close quarters combat, and camouflage elements, this entry into one of my favorite game series reigns supreme. Dropping the confusing story and wussy main character that put some gamers off of MGS2: Sons of Liberty, you assume control of a Cold War era Big Boss as he embarks on the mission which gives him the title of “Big Boss” and ultimately leads to his defection in the earlier NES Metal Gear games. The showdown with the old-as-dirt sniper The End, not to mention the beautiful final fight sells this title.

Roller Coaster Tycoon may seem like an odd choice, but it was the first theme park sim to take itself seriously. Remember Sim Theme Park? You could set up a roller coaster in any ridiculous way, and it would still make it just fine. RCT introduced real-world physics, and made for one of the most addictive games in recent history. The game didn’t wow us with amazing visuals or compelling storyline, but its root gameplay shone through and captured the hearts of many.

So there you have it. I dare anyone to say these games aren’t amazing. Really, I dare you.

Telltale Games was kind enough to provide Big Shiny Robot! a review copy of their new game “Sam and Max: Season One” for the Wii.  (If you’re interested in picking it up from Amazon, click here.)  I spent quite a bit of time noodling around with the game and I was quite excited to play. Sam and Max Hit the Road was a game I had a lot of fun with in my teenage years and so I’ve always harbored a fondness for these characters.

My inherent fondness for these characters might have been the only reason I was able to enjoy this game at all.

The game is very simple in it’s design.  You use your Wii-mote to point at various things on the screen and watch Sam and Max pontificate in a generally humorous fashion. And there is plenty to click on, so there’s never any shortage of stuff to do.

The problem is that the only thing there is to do is click on stuff.  There are puzzles to solve by clicking on stuff, but they aren’t terribly intuitive…  I played through three (of six) episodes and it did get easier as I went on and I think the reason was because I started to get acclimated to the mechanics of the game and the inherent…lameness (?) of how the puzzles work. Maybe lameness is the wrong word.  It’s just cheesy.  And for the first episode, the dynamics of how they work didn’t make a lot of sense to me, so it was really frustrating.  Like, so frustrating that I went to GameFAQs.com and looked up a walkthrough.

All in all, I think if you’re a fan of Sam and Max, you’ll enjoy the game if you can get around the awkward writing, they are fun characters.  If not, it might be worth a shot to Tell Tales’ Strong Bad Games instead.