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The week in preview has cards and Donkey Konga 2
Something for everyone this week, except Xbox owners from the looks of it. The PC has far too many card games coming out for it, while the GC snags Donkey Konga 2. The full list is below, care of the ever-dependable Reed. PC: Knights of Honor (05/10) Restricted Area (05/10) Poker Superstars (05/10) Supreme Ruler 2010 (05/10) Hoyle Blackjack Series (05/12) Hoyle Poker Series (05/12) PS2: Cold Winter (05/10) Haunting Ground (05/10) In The Groove (05/10) GameCube: Donkey Konga 2 (05/09) DS: Need for Speed Underground 2 (05/10) PSP: Smart Bomb (05/10)
First Katamari Damacy 2 pics look like Katamari Damacy pics
Yeah, there's not really any difference betweeen the original and the sequel as far as graphics go. But if there was ever a game that spat in the face of eye-candy fans it's Katamari Damacy. No, KD is all about gameplay - weird, trippy, someone-should-be-hospitalized-for-this-one gameplay. So why are we showing off screenies of the upcoming title? Because we're excited, that's why!
Katamari Damacy sequel on July 7th
But not in the U.S. or Europe, alas. Japan will have the privilege to rack up the worlds' goods with the next Katamari Damacy this July. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like there will be any kind of innovation in the sequel. But considering the original's gameplay was unique, addictive, surprising and trend-setting, we'll let is pass this time. We expect a FULL report from our Japanese readers once it's released, though. No slacking over there guys.
Soul Calibur 3 details on the official site
The news is buried in a Japanese interview, so we must depend on Game Informer's crack-team of translators to do the dirty work. Apparently, the game's producer, Hiroaki Yotoriyama, verified the Playstation 2 exclusivity. He also said there won't be any "extra" characters, so you Michael Jackson fans can just put your hopes away in that dark drawer over there. Oh, and no online play. Great news all around!
Soul Calibur 3 revealed on Gamespot
It's been verified. The best fighter of all time will soon have a third chapter. Soul Calibur 3 will introduce a slew of new characters, new modes, a new story that may actually make sense this time (hey, we can hope) and an exclusive home. That's right, as we posted earlier, Soul Calibur 3 will be a Playstation 2 title only. At least at first. It's surprising to see a sequel so soon after the second installment. It makes us wonder how well the last one did on the shelves. Anyone have an idea?
Soul Calibur III to be PS2 exclusive?
Sorry, Link/Spawn, you're gonna have to sit this one out. Apparently, an article in GamePro magazine has reported that Sony and Namco have arranged for the third iteration of the brilliant Soul Calibur franchise to be solely exclusive to the PlayStation 2. There had been rumors prior to this that Dante would show up for duty as a playable character for the PS2 version of Soul Calibur III (no offense, Heihachi), though there have also been rumors that a version of Soul Calibur for Nintendo DS was in the works. Of course, there's a chance that all of these rumors may be correct. After all, nowadays when developers label a game as "exclusive," the footnotes usually read "for about the next six months or so." There's a chance that Namco may just be making Xbox, Gamecube, DS, and perhaps even PSP owners wait until 2006 for their daily recommended amount of fighting game goodness. Aside from that, the article also divulged a few other details concerning Soul Calibur III. According to reports, the game will feature around 25 playable characters, three of them totally new to the franchise. On top of this, the game may also feature a full-fledged character creator. Two other modes, Soul Arena mode and Museum mode, were also announced, though their respective functions are anyone's guess. There's also a murmur that the title may not feature online compatibility, though Namco'd be hard pressed to include one should an Xbox version of Soul Calibur III surface. Come to think of it, an energy sword-wielding Master Chief would make such a kickass exclusive character.
DoA's Itagaki disses Tekken 5
We just went right ahead and skipped to the end of an otherwise boring interview: "1UP: Speaking of your enemies, Tekken 5 just came out in North America (and we know how you feel about Tekken), but doesn't feature any sort of online play, multi-tiered stages, or tag-team play. Do you think they chickened out of the online arena? Itagaki: First they put in all of these half-finished "features", then they take them right out again. Tag fights, elevation differences, walls. I don't know if it's because they're impatient, or because they lack the ability, but no matter the reason those guys are a pretty weird bunch. Any of those things would have become a bonafide feature if they took the time to do it right (laughs). Oh, and come on guys, let's quit trying to hide the prehistoric nature of the main product by tacking on some absurd "bonus game." I have been saying this for 5 years, haven't I? If you have the time to make an action-style "bonus game", why don't you create an honest-to-god action game and sell it as a standalone product? Oh, and if you're going to bother including such a "unique" form of ball play, you should do a beach volleyball game instead (laughs). Oh, that's right, I forgot something important. You guys did do a "bonafide" action game, didn't you? What was it called again? Oh yeah, NINA: Death by Degrees." Yep, dem fightin' wurdz...
Tekken 5 review glows
1up was fortunate enough to check out the latest Tekken game, Tekken 5. They've found it wanting very little. Tekken 4 was one of the biggest disappointments of 2002 for some of us. It wasn't a bad game at all, but it just seemed listless. It wasn't excellent in any way. Not Tekken 5, if 1up is to be believed. The hype has been relentless on this one. It's hard not to get excited by a game that packs three other games on the dics, besides. But the BS-radar was also going off. How can a game be good when it's trying to do so much? While it looks like they may have stretched thin in a couple of places, the developers seem to have pulled off a great figher. The main 1up gripe is that it needs more strategic elements. With no way to back off of a fight, the action is non-stop, but also lacks a depth that some fighting fans may be accustomed to. All in all, we're ready to give it a try if a couple more raves hit the streets.
Nintendo shows Europe how much they care
Europe will be getting a nice stream of games this coming quarter. Nintendo has released their updated schedule for Q2's games, and it includes some doozies. The ones that stand out to us are: GameCube Viewtiful Joe 2 - 1 April 2005 (pictured above) Star Fox Assault - 29 April 2005 Donkey Konga 2:Hit Song Parade - 3 June 2005 Batman Begins - June 2005 Killer 7 - 27 June 2005 Game Boy Advance Yoshi's Universal Gravitation - 22 April 2005 KINGDOM OF HEARTS CHAIN OF MEMORIES - 6 May 2005 Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith - May 2005 WarioWare Twisted! - 3 June 2005 Mario Party Advance - 24 June 2005 Batman Begins - June 2005 Nintendo DS Yoshi Touch & Go - 6 May 2005 Need for Speed Underground 2 - 29 April 2005 Cocoto Card Racer - April 2005 Space Invadors Revolution - April 2005 Ultimate Brain games - May 2005 Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith - May 2005 Madagascar - June 2005 Ultimate Card games - June 2005 Pac-Pix - Q2 2005 Yeah, we left all the Nintendo DS games in the "stand-out" category. Every new game is a news event for the handheld at this point. What is this? No Star Wars movie game for the Gamecube? No Batman game for the DS? For a full list of the titles, follow the link.
Dante joins the Soul Calibur 3 lineup
According to a recent interview with Namco producer, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Devil May Cry's leading man, Dante, could wind up in Soul Calibur 3 for the PS2. Reportedly, Capcom borrowed the Soul Calibur 2 engine for a boss fight in the upcoming Devil May Cry 3. In return, Namco requested the rights to use Dante in the next Soul Calibur sequel to "appease" fans. We could be wrong, but we're assuming PS2 owners will find that Dante is an infinitely more rewarding bonus character than-no disrespect-Heihachi. [Thanks, Don]
Tekken 5 clip goes into detail
If you're a Tekken fan, you'll want to see this thing. 1up has posted a video of Tekken 5 director, Katsuhiro Harada, narrating over extensive game action. He discusses the arcade version, as well as the Playstation 2 port, which should be exactly the same product for all intents and purposes. The interview is filled with interesting factoids. Apparently, you'll be able to bring your PS2 controller to the arcade and plug it into the game machine. The developers feel this will offer the player a comfort level that should keep them coughing up money until they have nothing left. Also of interest are the console bonuses. The exclusive PS2 port will include an entire adventure game using Tekken characters. And to top it all off, the console iteration will also include full versions of a couple of the older Tekken titles. All in all, it sounds like an amazing value.
The secrets of Tekken 5
IGN dishes up some new treats from the upcoming Tekken 5, and they're very tasty indeed. They spill the beans (Note: Don't write while hungry) on unlockable characters. Plus they have some new screenshots for Tekken fans to lust over, including some of the ways you can customize your fighter. Get ready to fight. The game arrives in the US on February 22nd.
NEW Katamari Damacy 2 images!
The Magic Box has a nice collection of new Katamari Damacy 2 pics (very rare!). Enjoy. [Via Waxy]
Tekken 5 goes free-roaming
Tekken has always come through with the off-kilter modes in its console translations. And so, it comes as little surprise that Namco has revealed an all-new free-roaming mode in the upcoming PS2 version of Tekken 5. The new feature will star Jin Kazama and will involve multiple-enemy rumbles in destructible locales. Jin comes packed with the ability to "double jump to hidden areas"; he can also hang. Little else is known about this mode, but at the very least, it should provide an entertaining distraction from the proven (standard) 3D fighting modes.
Katamari Damacy 2: Everyone Loves Katamari!
Minna Daisuki Katamari Damacy ("Everyone Loves Katamari Damacy") is currently at 30%, with a projected Spring 2005 Japanese release. As is, this much-anticipated sequel is looking to provide more of the same addictive action that made the original a cult classic. Of course, Namco is implementing a number of changes including a greater variety of primary goals carried out in all-new stages-Candyland-esque houses, a school, zoo, & raceway... Also, this time around, there will be three types of presents: for the head, face, and body. We'll keep you posted as the development process furthers to completion.
Tekken 5 heads to PS2 Q1 2005
As expected, Tekken 5 will be making its PlayStation 2 debut sometime during the first quarter of next year. Analysts suspect that Namco will have little trouble porting the arcade version (running on System 258) a notch down to the PS2 (System 246). As for the game itself, Tekken 5 features 20 fighters from past installments plus 3 new characters, all complete with new moves and the ability to customize their digs. Apparently, there's also an overarching story behind the beatdowns, but do we really care? New engine, new moves, hot outfits, and beefed up arenas... count us in.
Tekken 5 clip shows off new graphics engine
Happy Puppy has a low resolution film of Tekken 5. The blocky clip still manages to show off the new and improved graphics, as well as some of the features that usually set Tekken games apart. The Tekken.net online play, for example, looks like lots of fun. Unfortunately, it's only available in Japan, which is disappointing, to say the least. Tekken has never matched Soul Calibur in our minds (or hearts), but some online head-to-head could have had us drooling. The clip is long and thorough, with gameplay and intro movie scenes. Warning, the preview will start to stream immediately after you click on the link. We wish they wouldn't do that.
Taiko Drum Master: just beat it
After the initial flash flood, rhythm games have been steadily loosing the public's interest, at least in the western world. But apparently Namco would like to challenge that notion, as it has recently ported over its popular Japanese drum series, Taiko Drum Master, to the US. Drum Master is by no means a bad game, but somehow it seems that banging on a plastic drum with plastic drum sticks won't have much staying power in the US market-correct me if I'm wrong. Taiko Drum Master features 31 unique songs to drum along too and an offbeat cast that at times can be puzzling to an American audience. But if you're a down-low rhythm-junkie, definitely add Drum Master to your collection.
Drum roll please... Donkey Konga!
While it was just yesterday that Nintendo shipped Donkey Konga off to retailers, the reviews have been piling up for some time now, and it certainly looks like this latest ape adventure is a mixed bag of bananas at best. You've got to hand it to Nintendo for being a risk taker, often lending to worthy innovations in the industry, but how significant is an undersized plastic drum-controller? Konga offers the kind of novelty that quickly wears off and doesn't offer enough complexity to satisfy true rhythm-heads. Cop this for your kids or younger siblings, otherwise find a different jungle to play in.
Tekken 5 hits US arcades
Namco recently announced that Tekken 5 will appear in US arcades this October. Coinciding with the release will be a series of local and national tournaments, which will run into 2005-the National tournament is set to begin in February. Arcade owners must register their location in order to participate in the local tourneys. As an added comfort, players will have the option of bringing their own PS2 controller, which will plug into the machine. A home version is scheduled for release next year. We just wish it was sooner though because we can't seem to find the local arcade...
