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NMS: Multiplayer mayhem with Mario Party 8
With its release just around the corner, many are looking to Mario Party 8 to fill the empty void in their life. The void of having no Wii games that are fun and engaging. Well, the folks over at Joystiq aren't of the mind that this game will fill the void, as they comment that even with the implementation of the Wiimote has improved the title somewhat, however it still feels stale on the whole. This is due mainly because most of Mario Party 8's minigames are just variations of those found in previous titles. Not only that, but they feel the graphics really look bad. But honestly who plays these games for the graphics? %Gallery-3452%
Nintendo Media Summit: Mario Party 8 hands-on (Wii)
One of the games that was shown at this week's Nintendo Media Summit was Mario Party 8, the latest in a long line of Mario-themed party games. Coming out next week on the 29th, the game boasts mini-game action for up to four players as they fight there way around a variety of new gameboards. The game looks like a solid addition to a decent series, but it's probably not going to be winning over any new fans. The graphics were Gamecube level at best and really the only new addition that it seemed to bring to the series was extensive use of the motion controls. The mini-games all appeared to variations of older Mario Party games or of a very similar theme, though at the rate Mario Party games are released I guess thats not a huge surprise. Luckily, the magic of the Wiimote did allow them to mix things up a bit by including games like shaking up cans of soda until they burst or lassoing barrels off a platform. It was a fun enough title to play, and made good use of the controller, but it still managed to feel stale. Maybe it was the lack of friends around to play it with, or maybe after this long the series just needs a bit of a break. And of course, there is no online play. If you are a huge fan of the previous Mario Party titles, then I'd say its worth giving this one a shot when it comes out next week. Otherwise I'd heavily recommend giving this one a rent to see if the motion-sensitive gameplay is really worth partying with Mario again. %Gallery-3408%
Bomberman Live 100% official, local multiplayer
In a daring attempt to reveal a shocking surprise to the world, Hudson Entertainment has announced that it is bringing Bomberman Live to Xbox Live Arcade. While the announcement was rather expected, considering both the game's rating and a video have already been leaked, it's nice to hear it from the horse's mouth. Hudson did reveal a few new bits of information. The game will support 8-player multiplayer via Xbox Live. Also (thank the heavens) the game will support 4-player local multiplayer (which was not supported at all by Bomberman Act: Zero). Finally, characters in Bomberman Live will be fully customizable. That's nice and all, but we'll be sticking with black Bomberman, thank you very much. We always totally have dibs on black Bomberman.
Bonk takes Revenge on the Dragon's Curse, and 3 more coming to VC
Hudson Soft is giving Wii owners its second dose of Bonk with Bonk's Revenge. The Turbo-Grafx 16 platformer is due sometime next month on the Virtual Console, according to the publisher's official list. Also on the list for next month are Dragon's Curse, Bravoman, Battle Lode Runner and Shockman. Bravoman stands as only the second TurboGrafx-16 game from Namco Bandai, and only the fourth title not distributed by Hudson Soft.The first title to be released, Dragon's Curse, is scheduled for next Monday, April 2. All titles will be priced the usual 600 Wii Points for purchase. Also known for next month are three from Sega, including a 2-dimensional Virtua Fighter 2. No word on what classic titles, if any, Nintendo will release in April.
Five TG-16 games coming to VC next month
Not to be outdone by Capcom's Virtual Console plans revealed earlier this week, Hudson has announced five TurboGrafx-16 games coming to the the North American shopping channel this April: Battle Lode Runner, Bonk's Revenge, Bravoman, Dragon's Curse, and Shockman.Bonk's Revenge builds upon the original adventure's headbutting formula, adding more complex levels and tightened graphics. Battle Lode Runner gets a similar visual upgrade from its Commodore 64 trappings, and it even features multiplayer action.Dragon's Curse, or Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap in Japan, should be available to purchase by next Monday. Players will be able to take on the forms and powers of five different creatures in this side-scrolling RPG, questing to regain their original human body. Bravoman and Shockman sound like Mega Man spin-offs, and you wouldn't be too far off with that assumption! They're both action-platformers overloaded with robots and larger-than-life bosses.All five of the Virtual Console games will be priced at 600 Wii points.
Sudoku ... for the Wii?
That's right, the popular number puzzles are making their way to living rooms across the world, because there can apparently never be enough sudoku. This is an easy choice for the DS -- that's why there's so much of it -- but we're uncertain about the potential fun of Wii-based sudoku. Maybe as part of something else, but as its own game ... we'll see. Not sure how it'll be played out? Never fear, developer Hudson Soft prepared a movie that should serve to answer all those questions.
Hudson interviews the real-life Master Higgins
Takahashi Meijin ("Master Takahashi") is the nickname of a longtime Hudson employee named Toshiyuki Takahashi, who became famous in Japan for his ability to tap buttons really, really quickly -- up to 16 times a second. This amazing power lent itself to videogames, naturally.After making a few TV appearances, and becoming a Hudson mascot of sorts (along with that adorable bee), he lent his appearance to videogames, too. Specifically, the Adventure Island games, which were called Takahashi Meijin no Boukenjima ("Takahashi Meijin's Adventure Island") in Japan. When you play New Adventure Island on the Virtual Console-- which you should do, as soon as possible-- you're playing as a grass-skirted Takahashi Meijin.Hudson's US branch has posted an interview with this legendary figure, which is not only interesting for the novelty of being an interview with a videogame character, but because he really knows his stuff about Hudson and their history. We can't wait until they post an interview with Air Zonk.
Fuzion Frenzy 2 gets reviewed and spit on
TeamXbox received an early copy of Fuzion Frenzy 2 and decided to pull an all-nighter reviewing the party game goodness. They came away less than impressed, giving it an overall score of 6.6. But we have to ask, why? We have yet to get our hands on the game, but after looking at why they gave it such a horrible score it doesn't look justifiable. 6.5 in the gameplay category because they felt that "eighty percent of the included games are fun. The other twenty percent are just plain difficult to play and uninteresting" ... that equates to an 8.0 in our ratings book. We're thinking that if you liked the original Fuzion Frenzy then the sequel will more than satisfy your party game hunger. Make the jump for the review, but we're holding off our judgments until we get some hands on time.
Joystiq hands-on: Mario Party 8 (Wii)
Like the early days of the DS, the Wii still hasn't really found its own identity just yet. Still lacking a Brain Training or a Nintendogs, minigames are de rigeur on the system at the moment. Certainly the Wiimote is well suited for minigames, and it's been hoped that it will breathe some new life into a rather tired Nintendo franchise. Yup, Mario Party 8. Joystiq got to play an incomplete version of the "ocho" at the Osaka leg of Japan's World Hobby Fair. Six different minigames were on display: Lasso the barrels: Swing the lasso (Wiimote) in a circle, once you've got some momentum going, throw the lasso forward, grabbing a barrels for points (don't throw Wiimote). Some barrels are worth more points than others. Ball tilt: Balls fall from ceiling. Direct bouncing balls to their correct container by rotating the wiimote. Green on the left, and purple on the right. Drink shaking: Simply shake the Wiimote up and down; fastest shaker wins. Target shooting: Just as in Wii Play, shoot targets with your Wiimote. The high score zone constantly changes so you have to think fast. Jet ski jumps: Move your jet skier to the ramps to pick up coins. The challenge comes from the difficult controls. Crank turning: Turn a crank as fast you can. Exactly the same as the similar WarioWare minigame. Overall, the minigames were solid and fun, if not a tad on the simple side. If the board game side of things (not shown in this early version) is a winner, this could be a fun party game, if not an inventive one. They don't have their Brain Training yet.
FFV: Give us our Kororinpa
Where is Kororinpa? Sure, we're getting roly-poly blobs of mercury, but this is already out -- in Japan, that is. The Wii needs more marble-rolling action, and that's why this footage from Kororinpa is our Featured Friday Video. Watch it and shed a little tear for the game we don't have.
Fuzion Frenzy 2, new maps, games revealed
Microsoft released some new shots of Fuzion Frenzy 2 today. The game promises to whisk players off to exotic locations. This week's exotic locations are a planet called Blazer (wonder what the weather is like) and, um, Earth. Okay, Earth isn't exactly exotic, but nobody plays Fuzion Frenzy for the backdrops. At least no one that we know. And we know, like, everybody. No, you play it for the minigames. Today we bring you shots of 7 new games and descriptions of each. The game pictured above is "Amoeba Hunting" on Earth. Players must destroy amoeba with bombs while being careful not to get caught in the explosions themselves. Read on for more shots with descriptions and (hilarious) captions.
Hudson defends crappy Bomberman
Someone by the name of J. Montes over at Hudson has written a short post about why Bomberman Act: Zero is in fact not a crapfest of epic proportions. "I'm here to tell you why Bomberman Act: Zero is actually pretty damn cool. And if you think I'm talking out of my ass, check out my Xbox Live Gamercard - I'm actually playing the game - and enjoying it! Forget the haters out there and all the lemmings who've jumped on the bashing bandwagon. Bomberman Act: Zero matters most in one key area: gameplay. And if you love multiplayer gaming, this is your calling."He then goes on to cite five reasons why the game is good. And, to be honest, he does have a point. Whether or not you're completely turned off by Act: Zero's character designs, the gameplay probably is solid. I wouldn't know. I haven't played it, and I'll tell you why. Look at Montes' number one reason:"IT'S BOMBERMAN!"I'm sorry Mr. Montes, if it doesn't have local multiplayer, it is not Bomberman. Granted, lots of 360 games don't support local multiplayer, but Bomberman, above all else, is about destroying your friends on the couch. Plain and simple. I wouldn't care about the design if I could play with my friends on the same TV. I know there are people out there enjoying this game. More power to you. I will wait for a sequel with a complete feature set, thank you very much -- either that, or Saturn Bomberman on Live Arcade.[Via digg]
Bomberman bombs XBLM
Here's a new strategy for game developers. First, take a beloved franchise and then change everything about it that made it aesthetically unique and iconic. Second, announce this new, eXtreMe version of the game, knowing that existing fans will pick it up anyway. Finally, before it's actually released and everybody learns how awful it is, put a bunch of Gamer pictures and a theme on Xbox Live Marketplace to make a quick buck off of nostalgia. Repeat.Thanks, Hudson, really. Now, please, get back to work on Fusion Frenzy 2, and -- for the love of all that is holy -- put Saturn Bomberman on Xbox Live Arcade.
Screens 12, Bomberman Zero
Since we're doing Japanese game screens this morning, take a gander at these Bomberman Zero screens fresh from the Xboxyde ovens. Personally, I'm puzzled by Bomberman's eXtreMe! makeover, especially considering the gameplay looks to be exactly the same. Apparently there's some sort of plot as well. Ah well, as long as it plays like the Bombermans (Bombermen?) of yore, it should be blast. Now if Hudson would just hurry up and put Saturn Bomberman on Xbox Live Arcade...
This ain't your grandpappy's Bomberman
Yup, Hudson Soft's twenty-year-old Bomberman has undergone a tiny bit of brand re-imagining. The latest issue of Japanese gaming-mag Famitsu reveals the iconic character is being updated with something straight out of a 13-year-old's sketchbook.It's unclear what format this game will take; whether it will be an Xbox Live Arcade title, or a retail release. Either way, fans will be pleased to learn, the gameplay looks very similar to the Bomberman you know and love. Unfortunately, it may never make it out of Japan. An XBLA version of classic Bomberman would be a guaranteed hit.
Mario Party coming to DS?
Mario Party might be on it's way to the Nintendo DS. Aussie-Nintendo writes: "In a recent interview with Hudson Soft, Shuichiro Nishiya expressed that he would like to develop Mario Party for the Nintendo DS. With its microphone and its two screens, Nintendo DS would be perfect to accommodate a game like Mario Party." The producer is said to be looking into the expansion on the DS and intends to make it happen. While not official, it's a safe bet we'll be seeing the party game grace the DS handheld soon based solely on the franchise's success.
