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Nintendo celebrates 100th VC release
Nintendo is celebrating the release of their 100th Virtual Console title this Monday, giving us all the chance to download The Legend of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (would've been nicer if the download was free). Now, most gamers usually have a strong opinion about this game, whether it be of extreme hate or strong love, so we won't bother trying to give you our opinions. Besides, there's a time and place for that.Also, our resident Hudsonaholic (what else are we supposed to call him?) JC would like everyone to know that Hudson will be gifting us with the shooter Dead Moon on Monday. Evidence of such can be found on Hudson's main web page.
Metareview: Mario Party 8
It's been awhile since we've been able to do one of these and, frankly, we're surprised at the mixed bag of reviews Mario Party 8 is getting. Sure, we had a feeling that with a game in its 8th installment, many might find the franchise to be lacking, but we were certain the implementation of the Wiimote would adequately spice things up. Guess we were wrong? GamePro (90/100) finds fun in the multiplayer: "Played alone, against the computer, the game is barely worth popping out of its case. But, having even one other human opponent ups the fun exponentially--you just can't get the same satisfaction out of trash talking against a faceless computerized enemy." GameTrailers (83/100) says it's intuitive: "The level of customization and personalization available in Mario Party 8 and the intuitive fun of the Wiimote make it the quintessential party accessory of 2007. What few control weaknesses are present are overshadowed by the inane fun and competition, a host of unlockables, and addictive mini-games." Yahoo! Games (80/100) says it's the same old thing, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing: "Let's be honest, who looks to party games for stunning originality, cutting-edge presentation, and engrossing single-player modes? It's Mario. He parties. So will you." GameSpot (65/100) finds the chance aspects of the game to be a downer: "There are some good minigames in Mario Party 8, but the overly familiar, chance-heavy board game wrapper gets in their way." 1UP (55/100) finds it disappointing, but still fun: "A really disappointing (but, as mentioned at the start of this review, inevitably still entertaining) Wii debut for the series. Perhaps the next game will truly take advantage of the Wii controls through and through." IGN (52/100) thinks the Wiimote doesn't get the attention it deserves: "All of our complaints about previous games – the slow pace, the lackluster single-player affair, the loose attention to detail – all remain and with Mario Party 8 we can add another criticism: ignorance of the Wii remote." Anyone have a pair of pennies they want to toss in?
Mario Party 8 'party' TV spot
With the release of Mario Party 8 today in the United States, those "Wii would like to play" ads have a new one in rotation featuring Nintendo's latest game. Obviously, the ad plays up the whole party aspect of the game, as we're shown many a party-goer taking their turn in the game to find it is (GASP!) quite enjoyable. Wait, an ad for something showing people enjoying it? Now there's a first! %Gallery-3452%
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%
Kid Chameleon, Zonk for Japanese Virtual Console this week
Warning sign of things to come: This week's Virtual Console update in Japan has got us buying up Wii Points and deleting the Everybody Votes Channel in anticipation. This Wednesday, Wii owners lucky enough to have access to the awesome Japanese Virtual Console will be able to download Hudson's Air Zonk, the future-Bonk cute 'em up for the Turbografx-16. Also from Hudson, Challenger for the Famicom, which we hadn't really heard of! And in a shocking turn of events, Japan is just now getting Bravoman. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! The last item on the list is Sega's Kid Chameleon for the Genesis, which, in addition to being a fun platformer with a lot of mask-based personas and abilities, is a great argument for the Virtual Console's save system.
Blazing Lazers confirmed for Monday VC release
Here's a little pre-Monday Virtual Console Madness, courtesy of Hudson. Get your Wii Points ready, because our personal favorite shmup ever is going to be available for download next week in the US. Blazing Lazers (Gunhed in Japan) is a vertical shooter for the Turbografx-16 that differs from other vertical shooters in one important way: really fun weapons. There are four categories of weapons, each of which can be upgraded to five different levels. Our favorite is the enemy-seeking green lightning beam thing. It's pretty.[Via GoNintendo]
Four legged puzzle fun
If you've been gazing at your game collection and thinking, 'Hmm, I'd love a dog based jigsaw game,' then break out the champagne. Kyou no Wanko is just what you've been looking for! Based on a popular Japanese morning TV feature, the canine puzzler is brought to you by Hudson, who've released similar games on the DS.As well as the usual jigsaw stuff, you'll be able to reassemble animated dog videos and compete with up to three friends in a multiplayer mode. Kyou no Wanko comes out in Japan on July 26th.
Ninja Spirit headed to VC, we take full credit
Have we mentioned recently how much we love Hudson? Not only did they make tons and tons of incredible games for the Turbografx-16 (and lots of other systems!), but they're better than anyone else about actually releasing their games on the Virtual Console. And now we have news that some of the best Turbografx-16 games are coming to the US in May! Also some stuff for Nintendo consoles in Japan, but we'll get to that. It finally happened. A game we profiled in Virtually Overlooked has been officially announced for the Virtual Console. Even though IREM's Ninja Spirit was one of the best and most popular TG16 games, we're going to go ahead and declare this as a victory. As if that weren't exciting enough, Hudson announced plans to release a personal favorite, Blazing Lazers, as well as Ordyne (excellent, adorable shmup) and World Sports Competition (we haven't played it, but we'll assume it's great because we're in a good mood). Nintendo of Japan also has some fantastic stuff planned, including Super Mario Bros. 2 and F-Zero X, either of which would no doubt be the headline if anyone else were writing this. That's Super Mario Bros. 2, the Japanese version, released here as Lost Levels. The really, really hard one, as opposed to the silly one about throwing vegetables.
DS Lite invades your breakfast
The fine folks at Hudson, who have a wonderful sense of humor, sent the box of cereal you see on your right to the crew at GameSetWatch. Meant as a spoof on their latest title for the DS Honeycomb Beat (check out the Metareview over here), the cereal within is actually Honey-Comb from Post, so it's totally edible and kind of a nice gesture, if we may say so. As you can see in the box to the right, it features a DS Lite, along with a couple of choice slogans, including "fortified with 200 puzzles" and "Excellent source of Brain Teasing (1 player per serving)." Also of note, are the "Gameplay Facts" on the side of the box, which you all know is the usual place nutrition facts are listed. How do they know it isn't chock full of poison (rather than delicious cereal), though?Their dachshund Rollo taste-tested it for them!
Wi-Fi Table Games: like Clubhouse Games but smaller and more competitive
A new Game Night contender is on the way to Japan. Hudson released some screenshots of Selected Wi-Fi Table Games, a collection of six classic games in the vein of Clubhouse Games. And by "in the vein of Clubhouse Games" we mean "pretty much the same as Clubhouse Games." The major difference seems to be nationwide ranking, which is admittedly pretty cool. The included games are Go, Renju, Reversi, Hanafuda, Mah-jongg, and something called Oodomi that uses Western playing cards. The bottom screen shows the game board or table, while the top screen displays character avatars and score information. At the risk of editorializing too much, the online competition had better be mind-blowing to make up for the severe lack of selection.
Subtle limited-edition DS Lite from Hudson
Hudson's Momotaro Dentetsu series of video board games (think Mario Party) has always been popular in Japan. It's so popular, in fact, that it justifies limited-edition hardware. That's a little unsettling, to us. It's hugely popular, but has never been released outside of Japan. Of course, Japan needs limited-edition DS Lites-- and all DS Lites, more than we do. Maybe this will add to the total supply.This DS Lite comes packaged with Momotaro Dentetsu DS Tokyo & Japan, and features very small character portraits and the series title on the top of the system. It's a very restrained approach to the special edition system, which contrasts to the recent BeDazzling approach. Check after the break for a closeup of the system!
Hudson confirms Bonk's Revenge for Monday's VC update [update 2]
Sure, we knew the game would be coming, but we had no idea as far as what date it would arrive. Well, it turns out Hudson is kind of heart, as their Virtual Console section of their website details Bonk's Revenge as being released this Monday. Now, we've had VC updates in the past where we were only given one game, so let's hope that Bonk's second adventure isn't left all alone this Monday.Anyone interested in downloading this game?See also: Wil Wheaton loves the VC[Via digg]Update: Neglected a word in the post. All is fixed. Thanks, Dan Russell!Update 2: Wow, talk about dropping the ball. I updated the post and didn't even fix it! It has been corrected now.
Virtually Overlooked: J.J. & Jeff
Welcome to our weekly feature, Virtually Overlooked, wherein we talk about games that aren't on the Virtual Console yet, but should be. Call it a retro-speculative. Hudson's J.J. & Jeff isn't particularly obscure. But it happens to be one of our favorite Turbografx-16 games, and we really like talking about it. If Hudson really plans to release every US Turbografx-16 game, then we have to hurry up and get our longform rambles out while we can! Plus, apparently some people don't like this game, and, while they're entitled to their crazy, wrong opinions, we feel like it deserves defending.
Hudson Entertainment president talks about TG16 and Virtual Console
As you may have guessed, we're big Turbografx-16 fans here, so Brandon Sheffield's interview with Hudson USA president John Greiner, who was with the company through that system's lifetime, was an especially good read for us. The interview is long and detailed, and covers a lot of Hudson's lesser-known franchises like Tengai Makyou, as well as the fantastic Kato-chan and Ken-chan, which we got as JJ & Jeff. It also talks about how Hudson got into the Virtual Console biz.Here's the quote of the freaking millennium for us: "We're looking at...you know, eventually all Turbo Grafx games will be on the Virtual Console, because they're going to be emulations." Oh, no, wait, that's awesome, but here's the quote of the millennium: "We're going to work on the Turbo Grafx titles, but there were 600 some-odd PC Engine titles, and there were only 150 or so Turbo Grafx titles, so I think that if people tell us they want these games, absolutely." We cannot control our dancing. It is difficult to type at the moment.
Kororinpa rolls onto Japanese phones
Hudson's Kororinpa, a game so short that it has to stand on a stool to get served at bars, has been ported from the Wii to Japan's i-Mode phones. The mobile version doesn't have any arm-waving shenanigans, of course, but it does appear to faithfully replicate most other aspects of the game. Kororinpa Mobile even does a decent job of copying the Wii original's 480i visuals. The i-Mode version was released in Japan yesterday, where it can be downloaded to 3G phones for just ¥315 (US$2.67).%Gallery-2404%
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.
Elemental Monster: new card battler from Hudson
Card-battling games seem like a natural for the DS-- the second screen is especially well-suited for managing cards while the game is in play. But we haven't gotten that many card games-- in fact, SNK vs. Capcom Card Fighters DS is the only one we can think of, and that one's not even out yet.Hudson's Elemental Monster is a turn-based card-battling game that uses some pretty great 2D sprites. Between battles, the game has an RPG-style story mode, which also uses a lot of hand-drawn 2D. We're actually surprised to see a DS game coming out that has this much non-polygonal art (some backgrounds are 3D, but that's fine!) How about a US release, Hudson?
Hudson celebrates the 20th anniversary of the PC Engine
2007 is the twentieth anniversary of the PC Engine (the Japanese Turbografx-16) and Hudson, who co-created the console with NEC, is honoring the little console and its little HuCards in two ways this year: By releasing lots of awesome games on the Virtual Console, and By featuring a multipart PC Engine retrospective on their home page We're so happy to see the Wii bringing the PC Engine back into the limelight. It brought us a lot of games that deserve a second look, and deserve to be played by a new audience. Please, tip your hat to NEC and Hudson's masterpiece. Go check out the first part of the article, and then check out some Turbo games on the VC if you haven't already!
Virtually Overlooked: Ninja Spirit
Welcome to our weekly feature, Virtually Overlooked, wherein we talk about games that aren't on the Virtual Console yet, but should be. Call it a retro-speculative.This is the second time we've ended up following a theme from week to week in these features-- in this case, we wanted to talk about Ninja Spirit for the Turbografx-16, and didn't remember until we started researching that, like last week's Photograph Boy, Ninja Spirit was developed by IREM.The best way to describe Ninja Spirit for people familiar with Virtual Console games is "The Legend of Kage, but good." And we say that as fans of Kage.
