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Rise and Shiny recap: Shadowtale
Shadowtale is pretty close to genius in a lot of ways. It can be played in pretty much any browser, it can run on almost any machine, and it still offers pretty in-depth gameplay, especially considering its limitations. While the controls are not necessarily the easiest to remember at first, they become very simple to manage after a short while. It would seem that the developers have a good grasp on how to make a solid, fun game for many different age groups. I spent most of my time running around, exploring and killing monsters along the way. Attacking enemies is one of the most fun parts of the game. You simply hit a keyboard or mouse button and your character will swing his sword. You have another button for block, and the number keys can fire off special abilities. I was so surprised when the combat responded as it did, allowing me to actually block and dodge incoming enemies. It was fluid and almost like a "2-D Vindictus-lite." But I'm not just going to go on about the controls all day. Click past the cut to see what I thought about the rest of the game.
Maple Story headed to the DS
The online aspect of the DS is, though not without its flaws, a rapidly growing and very successful service. And while connecting to several players around the globe is all well and dandy, it was uncertain if the tiny handheld had the capabilities to support a true MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online game). Allay your fears, nobles! South Korean publisher Nexon has announced a DS version of their popular casual MMO Maple Story, which to our knowledge appears to be a cross between a side-scrolling action game and a traditional RPG.Can you imagine if something like WoW was portable? People could have social lives and play the game at the same time! Maple Story might not be on the same level as those over in Azeroth, but it's a good start. Also, check out Maple Story's trailer, which might just be the greatest video game trailer of all time. Seriously.[Thanks, Eric!]
Super Star Soldier now available on Virtual Console
Well, Nintendo sort of promised us Virtual Console updates on Mondays, and no, they technically didn't lie. Late last night, Nintendo added a single new game, Super Star Soldier (of TurboGrafx-16 fame), available for 600 points. For those of you who aren't familiar with the title (you know ... everyone), Super Star Soldier is a vertically scrolling arcade shooter, resplendent with eight whole stages and seven whole bosses. There are even two-minute and five-minute time attack modes! Golly!Cynicism aside, those old 2-D shooters are fan favorites, and may add a lovely bit of retro to your gaming life. Anyone excited? Or just pissed that Nintendo is on its merry way to breaking its ten-game-a-month promise?
