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Duck Amuck breaks both screens' fourth walls [update 1]
Duck Amuck is the best concept for a minigame collection we've ever seen. It may also be the best concept for a licensed game we've ever seen. It's based on the classic 1951 Merrie Melodie, in which a malevolent animator (later revealed to be--SPOILER-- Bugs Bunny) jerks Daffy Duck around as the cartoon plays. Locations are changed, Daffy is frequently erased and redrawn, and his attempts to regain control of the cartoon are met with punishment.The concept of "Daffy Duck being dropped into hilariously unfortunate circumstances at the hands of an animator" translates into a DS game well, since gamers are used to manipulating onscreen characters. DS gamers, in particular, are used to doing so with a pen. We watched the trailers and looked at the screenshots, expecting to have our enthusiasm thoroughly dampened. But the screens actually look good, and the trailers are well-animated and funny. What? Humor? In our video games? Even though we're pretty sure it's all concept art and not real gameplay footage, we're already impressed. We're also inclined to support WayForward, our new favorite DS developer (pending playtime with Contra 4.)[Update: A producer at Warner Bros. Games wrote in to confirm that all of the footage is in-game, done with Flash!]%Gallery-4960%[Via NeoGAF]
Mario Party 8 recalled in Europe
The Nintendo releaseth, the Nintendo taketh away. Mario Party 8, which finally was supposed to release in Europe today, has been recalled. According to Ninendo, "Unfortunately we have discovered that a small number of games contain the wrong version of the disk due to an assembly error." We can't help but wonder what's on the disk ... perhaps something naughty? That would just be too much fun. Nintendo says they'll re-launch Mario Party 8 as soon as they can. Guess Europe is going to have to wait even longer now, but, you know, aren't they kinda used to it by now? [Thanks JaSoN]
E307: Furu Furu Park minigame list
Say what you will about Majesco's Furu Furu Park, but it's got taste. Taito and 505 Games picked some fantastic games to adapt into minigame versions. If everyone made minigames based on stuff like Cameltry, we would never have a problem with minigames.We thought it would be useful to post the full list of included games, because we hadn't seen it yet. If at least five of these are fun, we'll consider the game a winner. Arkanoid can't possibly be non-fun, so that's one in their favor!In our bleak world of cancelled Pocky & Rocky sequels, we must take what we can get. And at the moment what we can get is a Pocky & Rocky-themed shooting minigame. We can smile a little, thinking that there's still some Pocky & Rocky in the world.[Via press release]
E307: Mario Party DS media explosion
Well, call it a controlled explosion, kinda like a smart bomb -- but we're still pretty pleased to see some sweet new media from a brand new DS game. Er, mostly new, considering it's a franchise title. Still, Mario Party on the DS sounds like a winner, though we would prefer more than just local wireless play. Mario Party could only make Game Night that much more fun, amirite? Oh well, enough complaining -- check out the images in our gallery and the spankin' new trailer after the jump. %Gallery-4736%
Conjecture Countdown: 2 days to go
Even with a diminished E3, there's no controlling the wave of rumors that hit the Internet every year before the show. Why fight it? From now until E3 hits, we'll be posting one piece of wild speculation every day. Some may be patently ridiculous, and others just might turn out to be true. Even some of the ridiculous ones might turn out to be true! Rest assured, everything will be totally made-up and unfounded. Except, of course, when we speak about all the ass Reggie is going to kick. That part? Totally true.Rumor: The dentist game we've all been expecting since Nintendo first revealed the Wii remote will finally be announced. Titled Open Wide, this orthodontic release will feature minigames like filling cavities and fleecing parents out of thousands of dollars by recommending that their children wear braces for the next decade. Though you'll be able to trade dental x-rays with your friends, online multiplayer support will not be included. According to developers, working with Nintendo's WiFi connection was like pulling teeth. Har har har!
Conjecture Countdown: 7 days to go
Even with a diminished E3, there's no controlling the wave of rumors that hit the Internet every year before the show. Why fight it? From now until E3 hits, we'll be posting one piece of wild speculation every day. Some may be patently ridiculous, and others just might turn out to be true. Even some of the ridiculous ones might turn out to be true! Rest assured, everything will be totally made-up and unfounded. Except, of course, when we speak about all the ass Reggie is going to kick. That part? Totally true.Rumor: Nintendo will announce some games that are small. Perhaps even ... mini.(perhaps it would be more ridiculous if we said they weren't planning on this ....)
Mario Party 8 fastest-selling game in the franchise
Eight time's a charm, apparently, as Nintendo was quick to serve up a piping-hot press release tooting their own horn, declaring that Mario Party 8 is the fastest-selling entry in the series. In little over a month since its May 29th release in the United States, the title has sold over 550,000 copies. Nintendo's George Harrison sees this as a victory for both the franchise and Nintendo's new console, stating the "overwhelming response not only reminds us how much fans absolutely love the Mario Party franchise but also proves the unmatched ability of the Wii system to attract new players."
Majesco to localize quirky Wii game Furu Furu Park
Released in Japan in April, Furu Furu Park is a Wii-exclusive title that features over two dozen mini-games based on classic Taito franchises such as Araknoid and Bubble Bobble. Majesco recently announced the game will be localized for North American audiences, pulling out those squiggly Japanese lines and replacing them with the glorious Roman alphabet. In addition to its battery of "quirky stylized" arcade games, Furu Furu Park includes three multiplayer modes (including one where you compete to win "female affection") and a number of original games that, naturally, take advantage of the Wii remote's motion sensing, such as "Safe Cracker" and "Super Karate".
Cha-Ching! WarioWare: Smooth Moves for $25
This item has been going in and out stock all morning, so it will require a bit of patience and providence to take advantage of this one-day deal at Amazon. If you don't mind spending the rest of your day watching the product page, however, WarioWare: Smooth Moves could be yours for only $25 (s/h included), half of its regular price! Just think of it as another minigame -- every click on your browser's reload button is another opportunity for you to win! Bwahahaha! [Thanks, Adam!]
New Ring of Fates video: Jumpin' Yuke Flash
Square Enix is keeping up its media push for Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates with yet another video, adding onto its bombardment of scans and screenshots to draw in anyone who hasn't already decided to pick up the game's special-edition DS Lite bundle. This week's clip features Alhanarlem, one of the main characters from the ARPG's spellcasting tribe of Yukes, leaping from platform to platform in what looks like a competitive minigame in which players race through a stage to find a hidden blue switch. Power-ups are scattered around the field, but their effects aren't revealed until they're grabbed. Vault past the post break for the embedded movie.
Make pudding with the Sugarbunnies
Move over Mama, there's a new set of cooks in town. Make that a nest ... of bunnies. Sanrio's Sugarbunnies, to be exact, and they are ready to bring you on board for a delicious candy-making revolution. Bunny twins Shirousa and Kurousa have been charged with making candy for everyone, and as far as we can tell, they have to select the right recipes and ingredients to satisfy a variety of sugary cravings through Cooking Mama-style minigames. But the Sugarbunnies go beyond the limits of Cooking Mama, it seems, as they need to harvest the proper ingredients for the recipes. Sounds a little like Animal Crossing on the farm and in the kitchen to us, and that's really all we need to know to be interested. The Sugarbunnies will be bounding onto the DS in Japan this fall.
Tamagotchi: Party On! for $18
Reviews for Tamagotchi: Party On! haven't been favorable, but if you've ever wanted to compete against your friends in an election for the Sparkling President of Tamagotchi planet, have we got a deal for you! Amazon is selling Namco Bandai's minigame collection at a bargain price of $17.99, shipping them out for free with orders totaling over $25, as usual. The deal ends today, and we don't expect the game to stay in stock for long, so snatch up a copy now, while you can![Via CAG]
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.
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%
Square Enix mini game service
If the recent barrage of games from Square Enix hasn't sated your appetite for all things chocobo-related, you'll want to be signing up for Game Town, their new mini-game service. The site is currently in beta, with Japanese registration forms. Luckily, IGN has posted a guide on how to sign up with as little fuss as possible. So far there's only a couple of chocobo games to play, but there are a whole bunch of 'coming soon' slots just waiting to be filled. We reckon there's a good chance we'll be seeing mini-games based on new Square Enix titles showing up here over the next few weeks.
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%
Today's multiplying videos: Rabbids gameplay
The second Rayman Raving Rabbids is in production, and GameTrailers has posted a series of in-game clips from Ubisoft's gaming event. The Rabbids trailer and these clips seem to downplay Rayman even more than the first game. (Here's hoping the shipping version has little to do with the appendage-free mascot. Let Rayman thrive in the platformers; he doesn't add much to these mini-game buffets.)See gameplay clips of bunnies spitting carrots, playing baseball, rodeo riding, and serving food after the break.
Carnival Games officially announced
Global Star Software's Carnival Games, previously discovered via Gamefly listing, has been confirmed as a real game. It's pretty much what we thought it was going to be: a collection of midway-style (not Midway-style; no Kombat here) minigames for the family. Carnival Games, developed by Cat Daddy Software (Deal or No Deal PC) will feature over 25 minigames including Milk Can Toss, Dunk Tank, and Test of Strength. In keeping with the carnival theme, players will be able to win 250 prizes in-game, including goldfish and stuffed animals. There's a really goofy people-in-front-of-the-couch gameplay trailer at the official site, if you can't wrap your mind around the idea of minigames on the Wii.
