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Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call review: Take a bow
Music is an essential part of the Final Fantasy series. Players who have spent any amount of time with the franchise likely have a few overworld themes buried deep in their subconscious, and the series as a whole covers a wide variety of musical styles, ranging from catchy 8-bit tunes to fully orchestrated scores. Theatrhythm Final Fantasy premiered for the Nintendo 3DS in 2012, repurposing a handful of Final Fantasy soundtracks for a rhythm-driven experience with light RPG elements. The result was both a nostalgia trip and a solid game in its own right, supplementing its pedigree with inventive beat-matching gameplay that made satisfying use of the 3DS touch screen. Sequel Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call easily surpasses its predecessor, tripling the original game's track list while polishing its gameplay to a mirror sheen. It's a loving, reverent tribute to a beloved series that skillfully recontextualizes one of its standout features, creating something worthwhile both for its fanbase and for newcomers.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy review: More fun to play than to say
I'm probably alone in feeling this way, but for me Final Fantasy is at its best when it puts the melodrama aside and embraces a sense of fun. Sometimes – not often – a Final Fantasy will acknowledge the ridiculousness of its characters and setting, and just give you a quest about chocobos or a pop-star protagonist, and it feels much more appropriate than being asked to take the usual group of overdressed, snotty amnesiacs seriously as they wander the forest fighting timid cacti and Bedazzling their armor.Theatrhythm Final Fantasy represents that whimsy in concentrated form – a celebration of the barest essence of Final Fantasy. More than that, of course, it's a celebration of the series' musical legacy, which is something worth celebrating.%Gallery-157377%
Aeris returns to life as Theatrhythm bonus character
It should come as no surprise that Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy, which features music from throughout the series, also features more characters for your onscreen party, drawn from a variety of Final Fantasies. It's even less surprising that Final Fantasy VII's iconic, dead Aeris would be among those redone in the music game's signature style (originally found in character art for Kingdom Hearts Mobile). The latest issue of Jump revealed this information, Andriasang reports, along with the following: Snow (FFXIII), Prishe (FFXI), Vivi (FFIX), Faris (FFV), Cid (FFIII), and Princess Sara (FF). They'll be unlockable as "sub characters," and can be swapped into your party. Not that it really matters who walks along the bottom of the screen as you tap icons rhythmically!
Japanese Nintendo downloads: Sutte Hakkun, Aqualiving, Hidden 3D Shapes
This week's sole Virtual Console release in Japan marks the debut of a beloved DS developer. The Super Famicom puzzle game Sutte Hakkun, originally created for Nintendo's Satellaview satellite service, is the first game by Indies Zero, who would go on to develop Retro Game Challenge for Namco Bandai. The game itself is a cutesy Lode Runner-type puzzler, in which a character creates and destroys blocks to reach rainbow fragments distributed throughout a level. On DSiWare, another interesting puzzle game is available: Rittai Kakushi E Atta Kore Da, the game that uses the camera for that eye-catching 3D effect. Sutte Hakkun (Super Famicom, 1 player, 800 Wii Points) Aqualiving (WiiWare, 1 player, 800 Wii Points) Shunkan Shibu-shibu Tsubushi (DSiWare, 1 player, 200 DSi Points) Karakuchi! Ookago Shiro (DSiWare, 1-2 players, 500 DSi Points) Kittens' House (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points) Rittai Kakushi E Atta Kore Da (DSiWare, 1 player, 500 DSi Points)
Get cooking with the America's Test Kitchen trailer
No, it's not Metroid or Mario or even Sin & Punishment, but ask yourself one question: Will any of those games teach you how to create your own sustenance? Unless you're planning on cooking up some fried Skree with your arm-mounted energy cannon, the answer is no. So, since even the most avid gamers get tired of ramen and Red Bull, Nintendo presents America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking for the DS. The "game" teaches you how to make real food and, bizarrely, was developed by Indies Zero, the same folks that brought us Retro Game Challenge. It contains 300 recipes provided by America's Test Kitchen, which you may have seen on public television. The game supports voice controls and multiple profiles, allowing different members of the family (or dorm, commune, etc.) to take on different tasks required by each recipe. It also includes age settings, just in case you're not quite ready for little Timmy to handle the meat cleaver. And, for the cooking impaired, America's Test Kitchen even includes handy tutorial videos to explain the more difficult bits. America's Test Kitchen hits shelves March 28 for $19.99. %Gallery-86451%
Best of the Rest: JC's picks of 2009
Muramasa: The Demon Blade Muramasa appealed to me in a way that Odin Sphere didn't, thanks to an emphasis on combo-heavy sword action instead of planting and whatever. And the RPG elements that are left, like the sword upgrades and cooking, are not only fun, but simple enough that I can get right back into the game after a long break and still know what is going on. Also, I don't mean to be shallow, but the fact that Muramasa is the most beautiful game of 2009 helps me be positive about it.
Promotional Consideration: Arino's Advertising Challenge
With XSEED recently revealing its intentions to localize Game Center CX: Arino's Challenge (U.S. name: Retro Game Challenge) for the North American market, we thought now would be an opportune time to feature an English-translated commercial for the Japanese game. Really, we'll make any excuse to post about this interesting title.A quick rundown of the Game Center CX show and DS game, for those of you who didn't read about the release the first dozen times we posted about it: Game Center CX is a Japanese television series in which comedian Shinya Arino plays popular "retro" games In the Indies Zero-developed DS title, players are sent back in time to the 80s by Arino Players have to complete challenges in eight Famicom-styled games, like Star Prince (Star Soldier clone) and Guadia Quest (Dragon Quest clone) There are a lot of great "meta" touches to the game, too -- a child version of Arino befriends and cheers you on against his older self, you'll have access to instruction manuals and Game Fan Magazine issues with tips and cheat codes, and Arino will even ask you if you're going to the bathroom sometimes when you pause the game.Anyway, jump past the post break for the commercial; we've also included photos from train advertisements and a segment from the show as bonuses!%Gallery-27519%
