mini-games
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Counterpoint: In defense of Wii Play
If you own a Wii, it's a safe bet you own more than one remote ... and you probably picked up that second remote with a copy of Wii Play. Why not? For an extra ten bucks, Nintendo threw in some mini-games, and for some reason, this aroused the ire of selected gamers and reviewers around the globe (including some who didn't even bother to play it). Want a spare controller for your 360 or PS3? You're going to drop a similar amount of cash and get ... a controller. Want something extra? You're boned, friend; take your controller and like it. Not so for Wii owners, for whom a second controller is pretty much a necessity; after all, so many of the Wii's games depend on an in-house multiplayer experience, rather than the single-flesh-person online experience the other consoles tend to offer. Sure, that's a drawback in a lot of cases, but it's fact: the Wii is great for party games, so you need a spare remote or three. Period. Which is why the Wii Play bundle is not only brilliant, but an excellent bargain for Wii owners. You get nine small games for ten bucks -- and that's a deal any way you slice it.But this goes beyond the idea of price. Not only is Wii Play a surprisingly good mini-game collection for ten bucks, but it's an effective game in its own right. Sure, it lacks the depth of most full-fledged games, but it beats the pants off a few, namely Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz and Carnival Games. Pound for pound, Wii Play is certainly a better deal than either of those titles. The first features a few completely unplayable mini-games (and has review scores I will never understand), and the second feels half-finished in many respects. Wii Play, however, can be a blast! Grab a friend and sit down for a few rounds in the shooting gallery, or half an hour with Tanks! or Charge!, and then tell us that it was the worst experience of your life. Unless you hate fun, you're probably going to manage to have a little.Further, the mini-games of Wii Play seem tailor made to teach new gamers how to use the Wii remote in different ways; simply by playing, you learn to point and shoot, to grab and move items, and to "drive" while holding the remote sideways. There's a good reason for this -- Wii Play started its life as a tech demo, but that actually makes it very useful as an in-home title. Like it or not, many Wii owners (or users) are new to gaming, or returning to the hobby, and games like Wii Sports and Wii Play get them accustomed to manipulating the controller ... which means they'll probably want more games. That gives the more robust gamers more people to play with. Everybody wins.Does that mean the experience is perfect? No, not at all, but despite the perfect review scores that are being tossed around more and more often, few games are. What's important is that Wii Play is exactly what it sets out to be -- an inexpensive bonus training game that offers shallow fun -- and for that, the bundle deserves the crazy sales. It's one of the best bargains out there for any Wii owner. Anti-Wii Play Back You decide!
Point: The case against Wii Play
Wii Play. Anyone who keeps up with sales figures knows that the package has been selling steady ever since it released early last year. Folks see an almost-free game with a Wiimote for only $50 and they immediately think it's a deal. And many can argue that it is, but for this individual, the bundle has no appeal.The first issue I have with the package is the software. Wii Play as a "game" is like saying a peanut butter sandwich is "a meal." It's lacking. When looking directly at the worth of the software (the games within it), one finds titles that, upon being tried for the first time might come off as mild amusements and "well worth the extra $10," but after several sessions, the truth comes out. These minigames feel like they were never finished.The mini-games seem half-baked and only offer a diversion for a short amount of time. After giving them a few plays over an hour, I quickly came to my senses that Wii Play is something I didn't want to see happent to the Wii. I didn't want quick slap-togethers of minigames to flood the console. Luckily, that isn't the case, but doesn't save Wii Play from its own flaws. Also, as a sort of "Wiimote trainer," it's not any kind of introduction to some wider world of Wii wonders that can only be seen through picking up Wii Play and playing it. Wii Play only trains you in how to get bored quickly. Nintendo would have you believe otherwise.Finally, the comparisons between it and Wii Sports are inevitable. Again, where Wii Play is nothing more than a tech demo with some added polish, Wii Sports stands on its own as a worthwhile experience on the console. The sports games included in that package are, more or less, actually fleshed out and allow you to play for more than 5 minutes. In Wii Sports, you can also enjoy multiplayer gaming, where should you expose a friend to Wii Play you're probably only going to get a smack to the face in response. At least, that's what I'd do.In the end, it's no doubt going to boil down to what your personal preferences are, but I really don't see the validation of Wii Play. For what this software is (a collection of quick and tedious minigames), I would say the only way I could accept Wii Play was if it were packaged with a Wiimote for free. Until then, my extra $10 will go to more important things. Like lottery tickets. placeholdertext Back In favor of Wii Play
Breakout in World of Warcraft
One of the things I really don't like about World of Warcraft, or any other MMORPG, is the waiting that is involved in getting a group together. This can be a real problem in raid environments, where it often times can take half an hour or more just to get the group set. I've been a raid leader before, so I know that they are busy and there isn't much they can do about the time we all just sit there on vent chatting with each other.One of things that I've recently came across to help ease the wait is a little in-game game of bricks, a.k.a. breakout. Breakout is the game that I used to play back in elementary and middle school on the old Macs* where you'd bounce a ball around, breaking (you guessed it) bricks. The ball is bounced off a small platform that you move with your mouse. Pretty simple, and mindlessly entertaining. Lately I've been enjoying a version of this game called WoWonid, which is an Ace2 addon I found via my addon updating with the WoWAceUpdater. It's a good enough implementation of the game (and quite impressive when you consider that it's done in LUA and built using an interface that's designed for game addons). The controls are simple enough, and just like the old Mac controls: move the mouse left or right to move the platform, bounce the ball, pwn.
Hello Kitty Online to feature character creation and ... farms
I have to apologize in advance to any stalwart fans of the Hello Kitty franchise who are anxiously anticipating Hello Kitty Online with baited breath. Perhaps it is a sad commentary on the inherent cynicism and snarkiness of your modern blogger, but I have serious doubts about whether or not you will ever see a post about HKO here on Massively without some at least a touch of sarcasm or irony. Fault us for our taste if you will, but never doubt or honesty!Having said that, this official trailer for Hello Kitty Online demonstrates such innovative new features as character creation, personalized avatars (which is different than character creation, in some way that eludes me), virtual community, farms, in-game items, houses, and mini-games including fan favorites like Rock-Paper-Scissor! In this respect, the game appears less interested in re-inventing the wheel, than in ensuring it is super cute and perhaps slightly creepy. As the game moves into beta in the near future, look for more impressions and news to surface.[Via ZergWatch]
DS Fanboy Review: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Over the Christmas period, yours truly spent a genuinely exhausting evening drinking with three friends, a Wii, and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. The drink flowed freely that night, and we were all fairly inebriated by the time we hit the sack, happy but tired.The next morning, we were feeling less jolly.It wasn't just the hangovers. Thanks to our exertions in Mario & Sonic, shoulders ached, arms were leaden, and simply putting a shirt on was a painful experience. Despite this, we all agreed we'd do it again. And we did. And yes, it still hurt the following morning. Why am I telling you this? Simple: because it underlines just what a fantastic social experience the Wii version of Mario & Sonic can be. Break the game down in the cold light of day, and it becomes easy to nitpick at its flaws. It's far from perfect. Yet it is immensely fun with friends. It's worth the pain, you could say.And the DS version? Well ... not so much. In fact, as a social experience, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games on the DS falls a long, long way short of its bigger, stronger Wii brother.%Gallery-4700%
Catch these Ninja Reflex screens in your chopsticks
It's no Wii, but the DS still has its fair share of mini-game compilations. Nevertheless, the crucial ingredient of ninja means we feel compelled to cover Ninja Reflex, EA's forthcoming selection of ninja-based party games.More information on the once mysterious title has stealthily found its way to our inboxes, including the news that the game will feature a series of six reflex-honing martial arts challenges. These include such exercises as hunting koi with your bare hands, taking down attackers with either shurikens, nunchucks, or a samurai sword, testing your quickness against the flash of a firefly, and catching flies with chopsticks. Regrettably, there is a crushing lack of painting fences or waxing cars.Having prepared with EA's game, we appreciate some people will want to go one step further, and become a full-time ninja. If you are one such person, you'll want to head here for full instructions. Thank us later.%Gallery-15605%[Via press release]
More mini-game hilarity in Wild Earth: African Safari
Not content with giving us the chance to wash other animals with an elephant, the most recent screens of Wild Earth: African Safari released by Majesco reveal a host of other zany mini-games. Apparently, we'll be able to fly through hoops as a vulture, or dodge yawning hippopotamuses as we negotiate whitewater rapids.Best of all, there's a variation on fairground favorite Whac-A-Mole, only with what appear to be meerkats. That's right: Wild Earth: African Safari is a game that encourages players to bash nature with a huge mallet. Where the hell is FOX News?!%Gallery-15460%
2008's Biggest Blips: Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles
Developer: GameloftPublisher: UbisoftRelease: February 5When Assassin's Creed was first confirmed for the DS, we spent a lot of time speculating about just what it could be. It didn't seem possible that the epic game could be squeezed down into a handheld-sized title, so we assumed the worst, and we weren't alone. But now that we've finally learned a little about the prequel, we thought it might be a good time to reminisce about those dark days of speculation and recap all the things Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles isn't.It's not quite the console/PC version: It's not Apollo Creed: Or, now that you mention it, Apollo Justice: Definitely not Assassins of Creed: Not, as Penny Arcade speculated, Assassin's Crossing: Also, not as we once theorized, a rollicking pirate adventure. At least, we think. Pirates are insidious. We really hope it's not like this: Because that causes this, and lots of this: And no one likes that. %Gallery-13855% placeholder text Civilization Revolution Back placeholder text
Friday Video: Bring your own BUUUUHHH
Yeah, listen. We know we've talked a lot about Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, and now it's out, and maybe we should just leave it alone. But we can't let go yet. We've had too much fun making jokes about rubbing and destruction, and with the yelling and ... and ... it's an emotional time. So we had to have one more video. One last moment in the sun. You'll have to do your own yelling with this video, however. It's stuffed with melodramatic descriptions, but there's a distinct lack of BUUUUUHHHH.%Gallery-4700%
Last Week on Massively: WoW-related stories
This week's round up of WoW-related posts on our sister site Massively spans the range from NSFW to Tauren Chefs. You can click on the links below or subscribe to a special WoW-only Massively feed.Building a better MMOusetrap: PPOrnography in gamesHow is the ESRB rating system affecting your favorite MMO?The WoW starts now!A Second Life fan tries World of Warcraft for the first time. Read her impressions of an MMO newbie.WoW comic artist on keeping the fans happyThe MTV Multiplayer staff interview the penciller behind the World of Warcraft comic.Animations to die forShould WoW have encounter specific death animations?A tale of grinding, sucking and snowboardingShould WoW add a snowboarding mini-game to make it more casual? Kyle Horner investigates the ramifications.Behind the Curtain: Great ExpectationsCraig Whithers uses this week's Behind the Curtain column to explore expectations players have going into many of the major MMOs (including WoW) and how well each game fulfills them.WoW Europe spotlights noted machinima artistsMachinimist extraordinaire Baron Soosdon is interviewed by WoW Euorpe. Hear what he has to say about his art. Also, Olibith has his own interview exploring how he approaches his popular work.The Escapist spends a day in the life of a WoW addictNot all stories about playing WoW are downers about too much time in Azeroth. This one is about how WoW brought two people together.Is that a Tauren in the kitchen?A book of real life recipes based on in-game foods? Sounds familiar.MMOGology: Leaving homeIn his weekly column MMOGology, Marc Nottke asks "Do you have to stop playing one MMO to start a new one?"
Wii Warm Up: Casual favorites
Would you identify yourself as a casual gamer? Do you have friends who do, or whom you would label as casual? If so, we're interested in some of the casual favorites. We'll guess Wii Sports, because who doesn't love it? Wii Play and Carnival Games are big sellers as well. What else might get hauled out at Wii parties? Or what other games do your casual friends seem to enjoy? For this blogger's part, the mother unit, whom we'd call casual, demanded a copy of WarioWare: Smooth Moves. We were so proud.
Codemasters to continue Wii's mini-game doldrums with Emergency Mayhem
Mini-game collections are the bitter spice of life that Wii owners have been forced to swallow time and again during the console's short, but arguably over-enthusiastic life, and while a very small handful of these games have managed to bridge the gap between tedium and genuine fun, we think the bulk of these compilations are better served at keeping sweat rings off the coffee table. The latest to join the Wii's bite-sized militia is Emergency Mayhem from Codemasters, a mini-game extravaganza that asks players to save the unfortunately-named Crisis City from "decidedly slapstick" disaster.Set for release in the second quarter of 2008, the Wii-exclusive game will let players control police, fire, and paramedic services as they race to save the accident-prone city over the course of 30 time-sensitive missions, which will include such madcap antics as tranquilizing monkeys and using the Wii-remote as a hose to put out fires, which to us just sounds like work, and another day at the office.
Rocky and Bullwinkle bound for Xbox Live Arcade
In the spirit of Thanksgiving... okay, so this is in no way relevant to the American holiday, but we're posting it anyway. Who remembers Rocky and Bullwinkle? No one? Well, the classic cartoon characters are getting their very own mini-game compilation, coming soon to Xbox Live Arcade.At the very least, this will be an opportunity for the franchise to redeem its former sins; the duo starred in atrocious platformers on the Game Boy and NES back in 1992. The new title, The Bullwinkle Show (what, no Rocky?) is being developed by Zen Studios, and will include Live Vision Camera support in its plethora of party games.So, is this even news? By all means, let us know in the comments.[Via X3F]
Today's most Olympic video: Mario & Sonic at the Olympics review
Maybe most humans have ceased caring about Mario and Sonic at the Olympics, especially since the whole "Sonic and Mario in the same game" draw has been severely overshadowed by Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Regardless, we were still curious to see how Mario and Sonic's first outing together would fare......and by the sound of this video review, the answer is not well. Game Trailers' video reviews are great for demonstrating the problems of a game as they're being discussed. In this case, the review might very well save us a rental; there doesn't seem to be any more to see here.
Alternate uses for Guild Banks
Since the Patch 2.3 introduction of Guild Banks, it's been easier to distribute items for raids, pay for repair costs and track all the transactions involved. But did you know it could also be used to play an ancient game of tactical skill?Player Affix of the Tichondrius server has figured out a way for her and a guildmate to use an empty tab in their Guild Bank to play checkers. As you can see from the image above, one player is Arcane Dust and the other is Netherweave, but any two distinct items could work.Admittedly, one row is missing and there are too many rows across, but a game could still reasonably be played. It's no musical chairs in Karazhan or pet wars or even downtime games, but it is pretty ingenious.EDIT: This is what I get for posting while out of town, double-post!
Kabu Trader Shun's minigame and big trailer
Half adventure game, half stock trading battles, Kabu Trader Shun hits Japanese stores later this week. Looking to promote its release, Capcom posted a Flash minigame complementing the Phoenix-Wright-styled title. Players can live out the after-hours-lounge experience of a stock trader, text messaging a needy girlfriend while trying to keep the boss' drink filled at the same time. It's a simple, fast-clicking diversion, but seeing the creative steps companies are taking to advertise their games is always interesting.We happened to also spot a lengthy trailer during our stay at Kabu Trader Shun's official site, though we can't guarantee its freshness. Clocking in at just over two-and-a-half minutes, the video introduces the game's characters, trade battles, and adventuring sequences. Head past the post break for the movie.
Fun with guild meetings
My guild is coming up on its next guild meeting here in a few days. As it's the first one we've been able to have for some time due to scheduling problems and other things, we are really hoping that we can make it fun for all who attend it, no matter the level. Previously, we've done things like all-guild PVP in the Gurubashi arena, and a "Running of the Bulls" type events like the ones that have happened on several servers. Our version involved most of our people rolling a Tauren of any class, and then proceeding to run from Mulgore to Light's Hope Chapel in Eastern Plaguelands wearing nothing but a green holiday shirt, and using no abilities/spells/etc. (my favorite name was "EatMorChikn") This time, we think we've hit something a bit more fun to do, but just as potentially deadly. Our original intent was to get everyone out to Shattrath and use our flying mounts to play Nogginfogger Roulette. The problem is that this would have prevented all of our under 70 members from being able to play. That wasn't going to work, because the whole point of the meetings is to spend time together, no matter the level. As such, the officers checked the in-game event calendar, and set our meeting for this Saturday when the Darkmoon Faire is open in Mulgore. Those who can get the elixir will stock up, and using the cannon at the faire, we'll have our competition! The idea for the game is this...
A-ha! Experience screens released
I'll be honest, I haven't heard much of A-ha! Experience until I've seen these newly-released screens. It seems like the game may be the PSP's answer to the DS' Brain Training games. A-ha Experience is a collection of three types of mini-games: A-ha Change, A-ha Movie and A-ha Cut.A-ha Change challenges the player to quickly tell the difference between two pictures. A-ha Movie features what at first looks like a picture, but is actually a short video clip, and the player has to find what is moving within the video. Lastly, A-ha Cut challenges the player to watch several similar-looking video files and find what has changed.The game is supposed to challenge a player's "brain reaction where you figure out something that had eluded you in the past," according to an IGN preview. The chances of this game making to the States probably isn't very good, but because the game focuses on video and pictures, it will probably make for an excellent import title when it's released Nov. 30.[Via Gamespot/IGN]
Rayman Raving Rabbids interview, new info revealed
A Nintendo magazine in France recently held an interview with the development team of the upcoming launch title Rayman Raving Rabbids. Thanks to a wily, bilingual forum poster (thanks, Jing_Ke!), we now have some new information. The story mode of the game is divided into fifteen game days. On each day, you wake up in jail, where you can enter the hub area "Rabbit Arena". This area gives access to five mini-games per day: four regular mini-games, and a boss battle. If you do well, the rabbits will reward you with various costumes or decorations. Another mode exists where you can play the mini-games freely, multiplayer if desired. The length of the games are discussed (much longer than, say, those found in Wario Ware), and they reveal that around seventy games will be in the final version. Alas, no classic platformer for us...are you disappointed? Hopefully, Sonic and the Secret Rings can fulfill those lingering desires to fall to your death while jumping to a platform inexplicably floating in mid-air.
KAZooK is yet another mini-game compilation
Really? How many games do we need that feature quirky art styles and short mini-games. Sure, you can fight zombies, wrestle sumo-style and pilot a UFO, but with WTF and HOT PXL both coming out for the handheld, isn't this genre already a bit too crowded? The game features 30 mini-games, which seems to pale in comparison to HOT PXL's hundreds. It also features 16 characters and wi-fi multiplayer. It also featured Game Sharing, but don't get too excited: you can only play 5 of the games through this feature.Don't you agree that maybe KAZooK will be too little, too late? Especially when HOT PXL features downloadable levels to extend its life. Check out shindakun.net for more pics.[Thanks, steve!]
