philip larsen
Articles by philip larsen
Famicom leaves college and settles in to a secure office job
Time to get nostalgic, proud, and teary-eyed all at the same time. On this fifteenth day of July in the year 2008, the legendary Famicom turns 25 years young. Some of us (though not all of us) weren't even born when the Famicom was released in Japan in 1983, and that day marked the beginning of Nintendo's plot of world domination. They didn't get around to the United States until 1985 with the NES, but it's the thought that counts.A few committed folks at 1up have gone to extreme lengths marking this occasion, reminiscing about the life and times and significant games that made the little white box of fun so legendary. Is the Famicom dead? Hellz to the no -- in fact, you might say the Famicom legacy is just taking shape with new games and new ideas, all with origins dating back a quarter of a century.As we begin today's E3 proceedings, spare a single thought for the console that changed the world for the better. Happy 25th birthday, Famicom!
E308: MillionHeir inherits new media
The dual announcement of Kirby Super Star Ultra and Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir was a pleasant surprise, and after Kirby had a hot injection of goodies, the mysterious heirs decided they wanted a piece of the action too. Hey when in Rome -- or in this case, E3.The trailer is suitable atmospheric, ensuring you won't feel left out of the ... mystery. It demonstrates a number of standard jigsaw and tile puzzles, along with a bit of pixel clue hunting. For a Mystery Case Files experience with less movement but more detail, check out the new round of screens in the gallery below. After perusing the updated Nintendo release list, it seems MillionHeir is still right on target for the original September 8th launch. Hooray and success for all -- we know that the DS handles adventure games extremely well.%Gallery-26089%
Agatha Christie burns us all with Evil Under the Sun
A good murder calls for a glass of fine wine, a monocle and perhaps a strapping butler, ready to answer all questions concerning dastardly deeds. Luckily for adventure fans, Agatha Christie is happy to deliver mountains of murder, mystery and intrigue with the upcoming PC port of Evil Under the Sun.Followers of the adventure series will know that And Then There Were None was ported to the Wii a while ago with mixed results. However, the recent revival of point-and-click games on the Wii is incredibly refreshing, as it gives developers inspiration to create new, interesting storylines to accompany the solid gameplay mechanics.Evil Under the Sun tells the story of master detective Hercule Poirot as he goes about solving a murder case on a sunny island -- hence, the evil being under the sun. The game comes out in October this year; plenty of time to brush up on Agatha Christie history in preparation.[Via press release]
E308: Mario Super Sluggers in fine form
Mario Super Sluggers is right on track to becoming a must-have game when it's released on August 25. The trailer above is quite similar to the original trailer we saw ages ago, but this time a few reaction shots of trendy young people playing in their lounge rooms have been spliced in. Now we know the game is fun, because the internet tells us it is.In addition to the cinematic masterpiece, a hefty chunk of new screens have been released, including heaps of high-quality character artwork. For a sports game, Mario Super Sluggers has plenty of content and massive amounts of preview material available. Now we just want to play the damn thing.%Gallery-24326%
E308: Kirby loves super stardom
Kirby Super Star Ultra is getting a hefty overhaul from the original SNES title, and the pink blob is right in the spotlight with an absolute metric tonne of new media. The above trailer shows all the colorful action right on the DS screens, while the gallery below has a whole range of new screens and character art -- not to mention the snazzy box art.Finally, 'tis the season for release dates (you may have notice the whole E3 thing): Kirby Super Star Ultra will be hitting the stores on September 22nd. About damn time, too -- fans have been waiting too long after the brilliance of Canvas Curse.%Gallery-8402%
Chrono Trigger: A noble spirit embiggens the smallest screens
We can only put up with tiny scans and crazy Japanese writing for so long before we go Chrono crazy. Thankfully, we've nabbed a select number of high-quality screens and created a genuine, bonafide, one-hundred percent awesome Chrono Trigger gallery.Again, they look pretty much identical to the original SNES version, but remember that for a good portion of the world, there never was a first time around for Chrono Trigger. New to some, old (yet inspiring) to others -- but either way, it's a kickass batch of images from one of the greatest games ever made.%Gallery-27682%
E308: Ghostbusters busting ghosts, faces
Ghostbusters could be good, but the antics of Slimer and the gang might not make a smooth video-gamerial transition. If you watch the above trailer, peruse the new gallery and your head doesn't explode, there's a chance for success in an otherwise disappointing scenario.While "cartoonish" graphics might not be everyone's cup of tea, Red Fly still stood up to defend the game, with fun a priority. Realistically, that should be the goal for all games, but somehow adding the word "party" when describing a Wii title actually results in negative fun levels. %Gallery-27664%[Via press release]
E308: GTA: Chinatown Wars shooting up the DS in winter!
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/GTA_Chinatown_Wars_shooting_up_the_DS_in_winter'; And ... snap. Since the oft-panned Grand Theft Auto on the GBA, we have waited for another handheld installment. We have it now, with GTA: Chinatown Wars, coming this winter on DS. The game will feature a brand new engine (hopefully ditching the top-down view) and will take place in Liberty City -- the flagship location of the GTA series. If you played GTAIII and IV, you will have trekked through Chinatown (the awesomest place ever), and more of the high-fighting action in Chinatown Wars will be fantastic. Coming this winter, like, a few months away!
E308: Kid Icarus flies away from the show
After confirming Kid Icarus for the Wii, Matt Cassassminasiissanisina from IGN has made a wee comment that's sure to disappoint gamers around the globe: "Uh-oh. Looks like we're going to have to wait a little longer than E3 to see the kid fly again. Not too long, though, hopefully." Well, at least we won't waste our time during the Nintendo press conference hoping and praying for a Kid Icarus showing. Instead, we can focus on filling up the remaining spaces on our lovely E3 Bingo cards.
E308: SimCity Creator all boxed up in a neat little pack-age
Considering the worldwide domination of all things Sim, it's no surprise that E3 will play host to precisely eight jillion updates about The Sims, Sim City, SimAnimals, SimSim the Simmy Simulator of Simness and other classic titles. What's that right there? Why, it's the box art for the upcoming SimCity Creator, which is a pretty decent looking addition to the legendary city-building series.A press release has also recently arrived, but it doesn't reveal much more than what we already knew. Build cities, draw roads with the Wiimote, destroy them with big, scary monsters. Nothing new, but sounds like fun on a bun.%Gallery-27626%[Via press release[
E308: Apartment Pets shining on the tiny screen
As much as we liked to question the philosophical and political ramifications of the Sims 2: Apartment Pets boxart (hey, we take our jobs seriously), we couldn't immediately condemn this latest trailer for abusing the high standards of Fanboy beliefs. Why? Because it's too damn tiny. Fair enough, E3 might not be a bastion of high quality media at all times, but come on. We love pets and apartments, so give us the goods!In any case, squint at the above video for admittedly pretty footage of Apartment Pets, and hope that it might turn out to be better than sucky.%Gallery-24370%
Lego Batman game should be better than the movies
Batman Forever and Batman & Robin (OH SICK! YUCK! GROSS!) were pretty awful. Nay, they were horrendous. However, that isn't actually evidence to suggest the upcoming LEGO Batman game will be bad. In fact, the LEGO series hasn't had one misstep so far, with both the Star Wars and Indiana Jones iterations achieving exactly what they set out to do.The official LEGO Batman website has been launched, and it immediately causes a stir of excitement. All the cheesy parts of the worst movies that didn't work in a live-action setting should work just fine with LEGO characters, and the site presentation is incredibly engaging. With in-depth character profiles and new videos (check out the awesome campy clip above), you'll want to piece together everything you can in anticipation for LEGO Batman. Piece? LEGOS? Forget it.%Gallery-13236%[Via press release]
E308: Bushels of excitement sprout as Harvest Moon trailer is revealed
A simple, relaxing day on the farm. Sounds like a perfect treat to escape the hustle and bustle of big cities, hostile takeovers and estate settlements. The Pensky file will have to wait, because the brand new trailer for Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness has arrived, and it will charm the pants off you. Natsume was quick to deliver its E3 lineup, and they have already begun showering us with fertile, productive videos and news. Nice one! Go on -- use your powers of vision to check out the above video, then use your powers of purchasing to buy the thing when it comes out. Harvest Moon is a pretty failsafe franchise. %Gallery-15230%
Stringer: Wii is 'expensive niche' console
How does one reply to such a comment? Point out that Stringer is obviously incorrect, or just ignore it and hope it goes away? Unfortunately, big Howie S. won't be going anywhere as head honcho of Sony, appearing last week at the Allen & Co Media Conference.Stringer simply said "I've played a Nintendo Wii," -- betcha he bought one for his grandkids or something -- and he followed that up by stating "I don't see it as a competitor. It's more of an expensive niche game device." Cue inevitable spiel about Blu-ray, and you've got another carbon-copy Sony statement in a nutshell. It's difficult to take anything he says seriously, especially since we've heard it all before.We could explain that the definition of a niche wouldn't have anything to do with the biggest and most popular console on the planet, or point out that the PS3 is still way more expensive (and will be for yonks), but that would make too much sense.[Via Gameindustry.biz]
Ocarina gets a spit-shine
Who needs all the "newness" of E3 when you can relive a masterpiece of days gone by? A team of modders went to the trouble of improving a selection of screenshots from Ocarina of Time, with sharp textures and ultra-high resolution. At the end of the day, these graphics are technically far behind most of the games released this generation(key word: most), but since we all lovingly play Ocarina of Time on a regular basis anyway, a sharp upgrade like this would be just what the doctor ordered.Check out the full set of new and improved screens here, with an ambient melody drifting over the flash page as you compare the original shots with high-res and cel-shaded versions.[Via Go Nintendo]
Shaun the Sheep screens taste good with mint sauce
Mention anything associated with Nick Park to animation aficionados and you will be met with squeals of delight. On second thought, don't mention anything -- just take solace in the fact that you know all about the mega-popular creator of Wallace & Gromit, Creature Comforts and now Shaun the Sheep.Our first look at Shaun was a positive one -- despite the possible trappings of the standard mini-game compilation, the light-hearted, mischievious nature of the trailer had people talking. D3 has released a whole batch of new screens today, which show the farm map along with several other characters. Judging by the dual-screen displays, it appears gameplay might mix with stop-motion cutscenes simultaneously -- which would be awesome. The overall polish of Shaun the Sheep is making a strong case for a decent game when it arrives in Q3 2008.%Gallery-26222%[Via press release]
Duke Nukem killing his way to a new trilogy [updated]
The word "badass" means many things to many people. It could be an idea, a concept, a frame of mind. It could be the way Reggie Fils-Aime talks. So many definitions, each of them slightly incorrect. The only universally accepted definition of "badass" can be summed up in one name: Duke Nukem.Apogee Software is kicking into gear and throwing three hard-fightin' missions together in one package, known as the Duke Nukem Trilogy. We had an inkling that Duke would be arriving sometime soon, and it probably wasn't going to be some port of Duke Nukem 3D. The press release is annoyingly light on the details, merely making the announcement and philosophical tirades about "what's old is new again." Does this mean the Trilogy will be just a collection of the old 2D shooters, or perhaps a batch of new levels? Apogee isn't telling, or they're being extremely hazy about it. We'll let you know, because the Duke must be acknowledged in all his forms. Update: Turns out Apogee is telling just a little bit. On their official website, a few details have surfaced about the three missions in the Trilogy: Critical Mass, Chain Reaction and Proving Grounds. The game features 9 worlds, 36 levels, 3D "accelerated" graphics and 3D characters. Meaning, it'll probably be a side-scroller, but it'll look snazzy. Nothing wrong with that at all. Finally, we can look forward to five different styles of gameplay, a multiplayer component and "Total Ass-Kicking Weapons." Right on! [Via press release]
MLB Power Pros is back for the 2008 season
With the advent of the Wii, baseball fans are throwing in realism for rock-em-sock-em chibi sports games, complete with big heads, big bats and little (or in this case, completely absent) legs. It was a joyous affair when 2K Sports first hit the airwaves with details of the MLB Power Pros series, and now the rugged little chaps have stepped up to the plate for the next season of quasi-baseball fun in MLB Power Pros 2008.Little in size doesn't necessarily mean little on content. Gameplay modes include Exhibition, League, Home Run Challenge, Success and MLB Life -- just to name a few. Wannabe big-shots can manage teams and organize rosters, seasons and equipment, all with the goal of becoming World Series champion. MLB 2008 looks pretty gosh darn good, and with solid gameplay to back it up, this might be a winner when it hits the shelves on July 29th. Scroll through the mammoth gallery of images below for a sneak peek at the action!%Gallery-27384%[Via press release]
We want to believe in We Move: Pain vs. Pleasure
It's probably an outright hoax -- nay, almost definitely complete nonsense ... right? Whether you're a believer or a skeptic, the shocking media and disturbing atmosphere for the enigmatic We Move: Pain vs. Pleasure is simply too intense to ignore.It began with this trailer -- a seemingly innocent (if odd) attempt at marketing an upcoming WiiWare game. Righto, no problem, we'll wait for more information. While said information didn't arrive, the whole gaming community was shocked by the completely awesome second trailer, with the same woman from the first video becoming a dominatrix for a pained young man.Now, if this is nothing but a big pile of lies, you can't discredit the creator for having commitment to a project. The latest We Move trailer has surfaced above, and it's just as mystifying as always. The Balance Board Blog team contacted a Nintendo rep, who simply stated that they "know nothing about this at all." A blunt answer to halt any probing journalists before a surprise Pherosesoft announcement at E3, or the cold hard truth that We Move is a hoax? You decide -- just keep an eye out for any additional goss during our E3 coverage next week.[Via Balance Board Blog]
Tales of Hearts: the full monty
The recent press event for the Tales series gave us a brief glimpse at the world within Tales of Hearts, the latest lamentable stunner from Namco Bandai. Stunner because it looks gorgeous, lamentable because the chances of gamers seeing it in North America are slim to none. Regardless, the full TOH trailer has been commandeered in the video above, so hit play and enjoy the fruits of an unattainable RPG.The environments themselves look stunning (especially the CG), but the characters are still colorful little sprites. One can argue the power of sprites in almost any game, and they certainly command some charm in Tale of Hearts. Is the contrast between 3D levels and 2D characters too off-putting? Not really -- but let us know if your eyes start bleeding.[Via Nintendo Everything]