MUSHROOM MEN (Wii) I don't want to go into too much detail on this because I've already written a four-page preview on it, which will be in the next issue of ONM (out next week). I like it though. The version I played today had a much improved weapon creation system, including a really sweet weapon I don't want to ruin for anyone.
RAYMAN RAVING RABBIDS: TV PARTY (Wii) The previous two Raving Rabbid games weren't my cup of tea to be honest, but I did enjoy the mini-games I played today (which I believe were the same ones shown at E3, though I wasn't there). On one, called "Mount Kilimanbotty", you have to sit on the Balance Board and lean left and right to steer down a mountain. Every now and then the other players get a chance to throw snowballs at the screen, blocking the action. Every now and then you jump into the air and have to flick the controllers, matching the on-screen prompts. This was a bit unresponsive, but it's not ready yet I guess. The other mini-games involving pushing your opponents under jumping wrestlers in a big wrestling ring, and a game where you stand on the Balance Board to make a Rabbid fly through space on a rocket, flying through rings. I was told that there's also a customisation thing called Pimp My Rabbid.
Advertisement:
SHAUN WHITE SNOWBOARDING (Wii) I wasn't expecting to like this (after the whole E3 conference thing) but I was really impressed with it. It uses the Balance Board really well and though at first I was on my backside all the time, it's because it's a completely different way of playing and takes a while to get used to. The snowboarding thing on Wii Fit was fair enough but that was just leaning left and right: when you add tricks, spins, jumps and grabs into the mix it gets a bit confusing. After a couple of races and half-pipe contests though I had the hang of it and it's really fun to play.
MONSTER LAB (DS) Had a quick look at this. The demo showed a turn-based fight with two monsters. You choose which body part to attack with, and then which move to perform with that body part. The aim is to wear away all your opponent's body parts. So, if your monster has a flamethrower thing on one arm you can choose that arm to burn the opponent. Each move uses up energy points so every now and then you have to use the chest to charge up the energy. After each fight you repair the body parts by touching them then turning a wheel as quickly as possible. There was a Wii version there too, I'll have a look tomorrow.
BIG BANG MINI (DS) This was the biggest surprise of the day for me. It's a sort of shoot 'em up where your ship is on the bottom screen and can be dragged around with the stylus, and the enemies are on the top. You flick lines on the screen to fire shots in the direction you flick, then when enemies die they drop stars. You have to shoot then quickly control your ship again to avoid bullets and collect stars. Each world is really diverse and stylish too, and at the end of each level you play a mini-game where you have to match up stars to form a constellation. If you mess it up then the level isn't 100% complete. Oh, and your bullets are fireworks. It looks really nice.
BRAVE: SHAMAN'S CHALLENGE (DS) This is a puzzle game where you fight opponents in a sort of Puyo Puyo-type way, by rearranging falling shapes and making at least four of the same symbols touch. It's really hard though, because each opponent has a "weakness" symbol, which does extra damage to them when you match it, but also a "strength" one which gives them health back. It also relies on you making consecutive matches one drop after another to build up a combo, which is pretty impossible. I reckon this one needs a bit of tinkering with the difficulty. And I'm good at games, I promise.
NINJATOWN (DS) A nice little strategy game where you have to build ninja huts on open land to protect a town from invading demons. There are Wee Ninjas (average attack and speed), Anti-Ninjas (orange ones that are slow but strong), Business Ninjas (fast but weak), Snowball Ninjas (slow down enemies), Snipers (attack from long range with peashooters) and loads more. It's got colourful graphics and is quite funny. Not too shabby.
WE CHEER (Wii) Don't laugh, this one does what it's meant to. I realise most of you (myself included) couldn't care less about a cheerleading game, but let's face it: this game isn't aimed at most of you. It's aimed at younger girls who like High School Musical, and compared to the High School Musical game this is vastly superior. Simply put, the controls work, and you feel like you're dancing when you play it. Look out for an embarrassing YouTube video of me playing it soon (yes, someone (Rob "ex NOM" Burman) filmed me playing it).
COOKING MAMA 2: WORLD KITCHEN (Wii) This is still at a really early stage so the controls simply didn't work in some of the activities, but I at least got an idea of the new 3D look. Each task now sees you controlling a fully 3D kid with a 3D Mama watching over you. It's a nice makeover. Control-wise, it's basically the same as the last one.
BUFFY (DS) Really didn't like this at all. It's like the first Resident Evil (with locked camera angles) only with Buffy pasted over it, much slower gameplay and the graphics redrawn by a seven year-old. It's early days I guess, but the combat system feels really stiff and clunky and the character models are hideous. There are first-person sections which are slightly better, but even these are badly implemented: they're far too sensitive (slightly moving the stylus across the screen makes you turn violently round).
BLENDED (DS) An odd little puzzle game. Basically it's similar to Zoo Keeper/Puzzle Quest/Bejeweled, only when you swap two colours they mix: for example, swap a blue and yellow one and they both turn green. It's a nice idea, if a little confusing at first.
HOUSE OF THE DEAD OVERKILL (Wii) Wow. Just wow. I've already played part of this game pretty in-depth for the purposes of the exclusive six-page preview in the next issue of ONM, so I'm not going to say much more: you can read over 1200 words on the game next week by buying the mag. But wow.
MADWORLD (Wii) This is by far one of the most shocking games I've seen (but in a good way). If you thought the violence was offensive, wait until you hear the commentators of the fake TV show the game's based on. Unfortunately I can't give some of their best lines because they're too dody, but let's say the talk about certain intimate body parts being shaved, and throw a few F-bombs in there too. In terms of gameplay there's a huge variety of moves you can do and loads of environmental stuff. Although the chainsaw is your main weapon you can also get new weapons, each of which have a whole new set of gory death moves. For example, you can get two huge daggers, stick them into your opponent's chest and pull them apart to rip them in two. Awesome. Very Happy
SONIC UNLEASHED Unfortunately the Wii version wasn't working but I was assured that other than the obvious graphical limitations, it's exactly the same game as the 360 version with exactly the same levels, so I played that instead. I can't talk about the graphics obviously, but the controls are great: it reminded me of the first Sonic Adventure because you actually have some control over Sonic now and it's not so frustrating. Finally, a good Sonic 3D platformer! Um, except the werehog sections. I didn't like those so much. They seemed too basic and slow. Anyway, not bad at all.
