master-of-illusion
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Master of Illusion info appears from a cloud of smoke
Nintendo has released a ton of screens and info on their magic trainer/simulator, Master of Illusion. Whereas we previously approached the title with bemusement, the screens have captured our hearts. They're so charming! The whole thing looks not like traditional magic tricks, but like a Nintendo game. We must admit that we have a fondness for the Paper Mario font, as well.The screens show some of the game's trick demonstrations, which are used to teach the player each trick before he or she can pull them off. According to the fact sheet provided with the screens, each of the game's 20+ tricks has a detailed tutorial.Will your friends be able to solve the mystery of the Hand I Just Drew that Picks Up the Thing They Wanted? Will they thrill to your powers to transform a thing into another thing with only a clap? Will they see you surreptitiously controlling the tricks? We hope not, on that last one, at least. Check after the break for the full fact sheet!%Gallery-10368%[Via press release]
Master of Illusion finds quarters behind Joystiq's ears
Apparently unafraid that the game's secrets would be revealed by the open-air policy, Nintendo let a bunch of game bloggers try out their new magic training game, Master of Illusion. In summary: if you've ever wanted to use your DS to perform shockingly obvious magic tricks in non-obvious ways, then this is, like, the only product on the market for you. If you want to play a game or something, look elsewhere.Joystiq's Zack Stern explained the game as a set of interactive magic tricks which rely on the included deck of marked cards; the idea is that, once you've determined your friend's card by looking at the marks, you feed that information into your DS surreptitiously (by, for example, drawing a face in a certain way or entering button combinations), allowing the DS to miraculously guess the card. The game also contains some basic lessons about misdirection and other skills involved in magic.Zack, ironically, wanted to see more training in this DS non-game: "I hope that creative magicians will eventually figure out ways to perform without the handheld. I just wish the game offered that outright, analog goal."
Joystiq hands-on: Master of Illusion (DS)
I've always liked magic. Growing up, I learned card tricks, sleight-of-hand, and other ways to fool an audience. One of my great childhood memories was being driven downtown by my mom and rummaging though a magic store's disorganized racks. I picked out a small, mirrored box that could cause any object I placed inside to disappear.If that store had Master of Illusion, I would have likely bought it instead. The DS "game" teaches kids tricks through dozens of on-screen activities. Some even rely on the included deck of cards. The best tricks lead to performances for friends, while some activities -- like fortune telling -- seem better suited to slumber parties. A few other activities let single players amaze themselves, with the DS reading the gamer's mind in a series of logic-based tricks.While I'll try not to spill too many secrets about how Master of Illusion works, the game looks to be a unique tool for young magicians. However, I was disappointed that the DS is required in all activities; I wanted the game to teach stand-alone tricks that work with just the included cards. But at least the game explains ways to misdirect an audience, recover from a mistake, and other basics that could be applied to other performances.
