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FlingSmash review: Just a fling
In general, I don't believe in factoring price into an evaluation of a game's quality. The artistic and entertainment value of a game is completely separate from its, you know, value. But there was basically never a point during my time with FlingSmash that I wasn't thinking about how it was about right at $10 -- which, if you take out the $40 that a Wii Remote Plus would cost on its own, is its effective cost. In my defense, Nintendo must have looked at it the same way, since it is only selling the game in bundles with controllers, despite all indication that it was originally conceived as a "normal" retail game (it's been in development at least since October of 2008, when it was announced at Nintendo's media summit, and the E3-era box art showed it being sold separately from the MotionPlus). The production values are nice, but it bears the design hallmarks you'd expect from a budget game: it's extremely brief (like three hours), it's shallow, and it's built around one reasonably insane idea. Luckily, FlingSmash falls on the "stupid fun" side of the superficiality continuum I've just invented.
Wii Remote Plus vs. Wii Remote
Our press copy of FlingSmash -- like all copies of FlingSmash -- included a black Wii Remote Plus controller, the new version of the Wiimote with MotionPlus inside. We immediately got it out and compared it visually against a plain old Wii Remote, and now we can determine with scientific* precision that it looks exactly like a regular Wiimote -- except for the "Wii MotionPlus Inside" label under the Wii logo. You can see the (complete lack of) difference for yourself in our gallery. The one thing you can't see in the gallery: the difference in weight. We didn't have a kitchen scale handy, but informal testing (i.e. picking them both up) revealed no perceptible difference in weight. The fact that the added hardware doesn't change the controller in the slightest suggests that the MotionPlus was a placebo all along, increasing the sensitivity of controls by making you think they were more sensitive. Either that or the gyroscope is really small. We're not ruling anything out. FlingSmash and the Wii Remote Plus will be out November 7 in North America.%Gallery-106403% *actually not scientific at all -- we pretty much just looked at it.
Wii Remote Plus and FlingSmash launch in Europe in November
Nintendo will release the Wii Remote Plus, which combines a Wii Remote and MotionPlus add-on, in Europe on November 5 -- six days before the Japanese release date. The new controller will be available in black, white, pink and blue. Nintendo has yet to announce a price, but the price in Japan is equivalent to a normal Wiimote, so it'll probably be a similar deal in Europe. If you want to get a Wii Remote Plus early, and if you have the money, a red one will be included with the Super Mario Bros. anniversary edition Wii on October 29. If you'd like to pick up a game with your Wii Remote Plus, but not a whole system, you'll be able to buy a FlingSmash bundle on November 19.
'Wii Remote Plus' shown on FlingSmash packaging
Though Nintendo's quirky, somewhat under-the-radar throwing game FlingSmash doesn't seem like the most likely partner for the launch of a new accessory, it would appear that's exactly how Nintendo is handling it. The GameStop listing for the Artoon-developed Wii game shows that it's bundled with a "Wii Remote Plus," and still due November 7. Given FlingSmash's MotionPlus requirement, we can safely guess that the Wii Remote Plus is a Wiimote with the MotionPlus already all up in it -- a trick we've seen from third parties. Nintendo confirmed the existence of the controller to Eurogamer, declining to offer any more details. No GameStop listing was found for just the controller, leading us to suspect that FlingSmash was always intended as a pack-in with the Wii Remote Plus (its Wii Play, so to speak) -- which neatly answers the question of why Nintendo would make FlingSmash a full-priced retail game. We're contacting Nintendo for more details, since it probably knows a bit more about its own release plans than GameStop. Update: Nintendo has "nothing to announce at this time," a representative told Joystiq.
Hands-on: FlingSmash
click to enlarge After playing a few levels of Span Smasher FlingSmash, I had finally answered an important question -- "What the heck is it?" -- but was left with another unanswered. It's true: This is a game of tossing a ball (well, a ball-like character) against blocks in side-scrolling stages, using the power of Wii MotionPlus to ... more accurately toss the ball-thing. (It actually comes in pretty handy for hitting small targets, such as gems and coins.) Playing it felt like tossing a ball against a brick wall, only sideways, which I assure you is as strange as it sounds. It was good enough fun; a very simple arcade game that is a nice change from the typical paddle-based block-breaker. I couldn't help but wonder, though, why it's destined to be a retail release and not a WiiWare title. %Gallery-86431%
What exactly is 'FlingSmash'?
Smash the image to fling yourself into the gallery. Nintendo released news about a bunch of big Wii hits today: Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid: Other M, Monster Hunter Tri, FlingSmash, Cave Story ... wait, what? Okay, so FlingSmash doesn't have the name recognition of those other games, but if you've been watching Nintendo carefully over the last couple of trade shows, you've seen it. FlingSmash is a new name for Span Smasher, a MotionPlus-exclusive game about throwing a character named Zip through side-scrolling stages, hitting obstacles and enemies pinball-style. It was shown at E3 alongside games like Line Attack Heroes, which was conspicuously absent from today's proceedings. FlingSmash features play for up to two simultaneously (provided, of course, you have two MotionPlusses) and is currently scheduled for a release sometime in summer 2010. %Gallery-86431%
Video: echochrono certainly isn't like echochrome
Were you thinking echochrono was just going to be more of same old puzzles? Well, think again. The follow up to the original Escher puzzler looks like it's taking things to a whole different dimension. Judging from this trailer, players won't have to alter perspective anymore as the game appears to be fixed on a 2D plain; however, this doesn't mean things will be any easier -- it just means it's a whole new way to play the game. What else is new? Color. Seriously, who thought of that one!%Gallery-64983%
AQ Interactive cans Xbox 360 RPG 'Cry On'
Fans of Blue Dragon's Mistwalker / Artoon dream team may have to hold back some bitter tears following the news that AQ Interactive will hold back the release of Cry On. According to 1UP, the action RPG, meant to be the third of Hironobu Sakaguchi's Xbox efforts, has been canceled due to "the current market environment and forecasts for the future." The company added, "We deeply apologize for troubling those who were awaiting its release."Whether you consider it a cryin' shame or prefer fans to cry in shame, you can expect Sakaguchi and Friends to unveil more titles in the future. Old habits die hard.
Away: Shuffle Dungeon in motion
For a game whose central gimmick is a constantly-moving environment, video seems like a natural fit for promotional materials for Away: Shuffle Dungeon. It's easier to explain the "shuffling" of the dungeons by just showing you. And yet there really haven't been many trailers for Mistwalker and Artoon's collaboration.This one features a bit of everything: cutscenes, battling, and lots of walking around in dungeons that get all messed up before your eyes. The boss battles look particularly epic, with the camera zoomed in and panned down for a more cinematic perspective. It's like the game shuffles between a Zelda: A Link to the Past look and an Ocarina of Time look.%Gallery-20078%
E308: Away screens shuffle into view
We've got a long time before we'll see Away: Shuffle Dungeon in the U.S. -- it's dated for January -- so we won't fuss over the smattering of screens. The game still looks decidedly odd, but there's nothing like a good dungeon crawl on the DS, and the art style is somewhat better in certain game shots than in others. Slip into the gallery to compare. %Gallery-20078%
Delay: Shuffle Dungeon
Away: Shuffle Dungeon has already been announced as a PAL release (and sort of announced as a North American release), even though the Japanese version of the game isn't out yet. AQ Interactive, Virgin PLAY, and (probably) Xseed should be able to give us firmer Western release dates for the dungeon crawler now, because the delayed Japanese game finally has its own date. Of course, that date is even later than the vague "summer" named in the last delay statement.AQ Interactive announced the final (probably) release date for Japan yesterday: October 16, right in the middle of the "fall" release window Virgin PLAY planned for Europe. Unless AQ Interactive is planning a simultaneous worldwide release, we expect the late release will cause the European version to get bumped into next year. The U.S. version still has yet to be officially unveiled.
Away shuffling into Europe
Virgin PLAY sent out a press release today confirming that they will publish AQ Interactive/Mistwalker's Away: Shuffle Dungeon in Europe this fall. They say they're releasing it in "the PAL territories," so Australia is a possibility as well.The press release is unusually interesting, as it provides the first official English-language details of Away's storyline. Away: Shuffle Dungeon is the story of Webb Village, a small town whose residents disappear randomly, a phenomenon known as Blue Dragon Away. After a girl named Anella gets "awayed" in his place, a young man named Sword finds himself the only remaining resident of Webb. Sword must enter the "Shuffle Dungeon" to rescue the villagers. And then the dungeon shuffles. Obviously.
Yoshi's Island for a Baby Mario-sized price
Artoon is in the news right now for the Mistwalker-assisting work of founder (and Sonic the Hedgehog character designer) Naoto Oshima. But before Oshima was designing blocky, vacant-eyed adventurers, he served as producer on a fairly high-profile Nintendo project: Yoshi's Island DS. In case you have yet to see how the creator of Blinx: The Time Sweeper handled the sequel to one of the most beloved Mario games ever, Amazon is giving you the chance to check out the game for a painless $15. The critics got a kick out of it, at least. And if you're going to buy one game about taking care of babies, it may as well be this one and not ... one of the others. But be quick about it: this deal expires at the end of the day.
Blue Dragon casts its shadow on the DS
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Blue_Dragon_coming_to_DS'; Mistwalker seems to be pro-DS, which we guess means they like money. Not only are they bringing us ASH, which looks not completely terrible, but now it seems that they will be sending us Blue Dragon, the title that encouraged Japanese gamers to buy an Xbox 360. We smell a special edition DS Lite in the works for this one. After all, they have to try to drive system sales again somehow.So what's the less-than-good news? It's a card game. Technically, a role-playing card game, according to the scan from Shonen Jump (available after the break). Mistwalker apparently likes to blend game types; one style just isn't enough for them when it comes to their DS offerings. We'll keep an eye out for more information on this one, because Mistwalker might just surprise us and turn out the best damned card game ever.
Vampire Rain downpours July 3rd
Well, if you're a little pissy about not getting the demo in your area, at least you won't have to wait long for the retail to be released. Microsoft just sent out a release stating that Vampire Rain will be shipping July 3rd for $59.99. Not only that, but a Fan Site Kit can be downloaded at the www.vampirerain.com. So, does the idea of merging Buffy the Vampire Slayer with Sam Fisher from the Splinter Cell series interest you, or does it run a little dry?
Vampire Rain goes gold, hits stores on July 3rd
Microsoft has announced that the Xbox 360 will soon be assaulted by moist plasma dependents in the form of Vampire Rain, which has gone gold and will commence its unrestrained display of sucking on July 3rd. Developed by Japan's Artoon (you'll see more of their work in Blue Dragon this August), the game has been summarized by internet pundits in much the same way it was originally pitched in a board meeting: Splinter Cell with vampires and, err, somewhat lower production values. Those hoping to judge the game for themselves and play the demo can call on any of their Xbox Live friends who happen to have accounts in Japan, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand or Singapore. The absence of a US demo at this stage seems a little suspicious, if only because international impressions indicate that Vampire Rain falls mainly on the plain side of things. That's not something you want people to know when you dangle a $60 game in front of them, now is it?[Via Microsoft press release]
Vampire Rain demo available in Canada & Mexico, not U.S.
The Vampire Rain demo was first released in Japan on Tuesday, and we suspected that it would become available in North America shortly thereafter. Well, we were right and today it is, but unfortunately for some (or rather, most), it's only available in two thirds of this continent. While being available in Mexico and Canada, as well as portions of Europe, Asia, and Australia, the demo is not on Marketplace in the US. Quite frankly this is quite odd, and we hope the rest of you get your hands on it sooner rather than later. We guess we can get you "exclusive" hands on impressions later today, if we aren't too busy.
Some Yoshi antics
If you've been holding off on picking up Yoshi's Island DS because you've never played the original and had no idea what to expect from the game or, in changing the roster up a little bit felt the game would be altered for the worse, then we suggest you watch the embedded video, available after the break, and see some of the action in-game.
Yoshi's Island ad, now with more tongue
We've been all abuzz when it comes to Nintendo's ads lately, but this new commercial for Yoshi's Island DS falls a little flat. Sure, it's cute, and it communicates the game well. Of course, we love the tongue, and the addition of the pink DS Lite is nice -- since pink is typically associated with girls (and, of course, real men who aren't afraid to wear it), there's a subtle messages that this game is girl-approved. Since we suggested it in lieu of a few others recently, we're all sorts of down with that impression. But all is not rainbows and coin-filled bricks in Nintendo land, despite the new ad's positive qualities. Here's our beef: when it comes to the US market for this title, where are the ads like this one? When the two are watched side by side, is it any wonder that Americans seem more likely to push the DS aside as a kiddy system? Today's ad seems aimed at a younger audience, while the UK ad is more polished and adult -- and includes the same game (though others as well). It's hard to move beyond a stereotype and pick up a new audience when you promote the very image for which you're already famous. Gamers know that where there is Yoshi, there is typically goodness, so there's no need to sell to us ... but what about everyone else? Where's our saucy blonde to prove that happy-funtime-Yoshi action is good for everyone? Sure, there have been (and will be) plenty of DS ads that don't seem quite so kid-centric. But these are in the same pre-holiday advertising window, so we thought it might be interesting to compare them -- particularly since the same game is in each. Which do you think is most effective? Will today's ad manage to sell the game to a new audience, or do you think an ad aimed at a different market would be better? Do you think the American ad is actually as effective or moreso than the UK DS spot? Tell us what you think!
Metareview - Yoshi's Island DS
The original Yoshi's Island has attained G.O.A.T.* status. True, not everyone agrees that it's the single-greatest 2D platformer ever, but SNES's Yoshi's Island certainly ranks among the best. Now, more than a decade later, Nintendo has finally published a true sequel (we don't count N64's Yoshi's Story). But with Artoon (responsible for GBA's ill-received Yoshi Topsy Turvy) sharing development duties, there's been some doubt about Yoshi's Island DS's ability to escape the shadow of its heralded predecessor. GameSpot (91/100) - "It's hard to top a masterpiece, but that's just what Nintendo and Artoon have done with Yoshi's Island DS." IGN (80/100) - "Perhaps the designers stuck too close to the established design in this new game, since it really ruins a lot of the surprises if you've already played through the original ... [Yoshi's Island DS] runs into the problem of not doing enough to make it its own game." EGM (68/100) - "I'd never choose this over the sublime original." Current overall average: 83/100 (6 reviews) *Greatest Of All-Time
