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SGD '07: Crush
Sega's psychadelic dimension-bending puzzler Crush is due in just a few day's time. However, that didn't stop Sega from releasing a few new screens to tease us just a little bit more. Of particular note is the creepy box art: what's that guy wearing? %Gallery-3232%
Joystiq impressions: The Simpsons Game
This week, EA has been strutting The Simpsons Game (working title) with good reason; I sat in on a demo and was impressed with the style and visuals of the game. EA -- in collaborating with Gracie Films and Fox -- seems to respect the franchise and wants to deliver an authentic Simpsons game, citing 8,000 lines of original dialogue created by show writers and recorded by the original cast. The Simpsons Game looked as good as I could imagine, with great graphics and a sense that EA understands the franchise, but there's always a caveat; EA only showed the style and basics, so I have little idea of if the "Game" part of the working title will be realized. Due Fall, 2007 for all current platforms besides PC, if it's fun to play -- and yes, that's a critical "if" -- The Simpsons Game could rate high compared to any title, not just franchise tie-ins. At the very least, it should be the best-looking Simpsons game yet. %Gallery-3045%
Newest Crush video creeps us out
We knew Crush was going to be a little crazy. We didn't know it was going to be this crazy, though. GameTrailers is showing off one gameplay footage from Sega's hotly anticipated puzzler, and we have to say that it looks somewhat creepy. The random murmurs, creepy music, and surreal art all intertwine to create a somewhat Hitchcockian gaming experience. Who thought a puzzle game could do that?
The limited-edition Simpsons Xbox 360
Just in case black isn't your thing, Microsoft is making 100 limited-edition Simpsons-themed Xbox 360 Pro consoles available at a series of "special events and promotions" (which we're sure you'll be hearing about in the future) in advance of the long-time-coming Simpsons Movie, making its way to theaters on July 27. Winners will have to wait several months before playing EA's just announced (and rather promising) Simpsons game on the console, which isn't due until the fall, but it's not based on the movie anyhow ... and you call this brand synergy?
New Drawn to Life details paint an appealing picture
A few more screens of 5th Cell's Drawn to Life have popped up, and we're glad they did. We're getting a warm, happy morning feeling from them, because in addition to being generally pleasant, they're also pleasantly surprising. It turns out that not only do you draw your own (jointed) characters, but you are also tasked with drawing many other of the game's assets: background details, weapons, vehicles, and platforms. Opportunities to draw these items come up during the game as obstacles: you come across a blank area and are asked to fill it in. As evidenced by the many hours we've spent in Fighter Maker, we perk up at the sight of user-created content. With the potential to draw this much stuff, Drawn to Life has just suddenly shot to the top of our want list. We've posted some screens-- feel free to save them and doodle on them in MS Paint.
EA announces The Simpsons for every console known to Man
Using the license for the first time since acquiring it in late 2005, Electronic Arts has announced plans to bring The Simpsons to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, DS, PS2, and PSP. The title was announced at a party celebrating the show's 400th episode. The game will feature 16 levels designed as separate episodes, each with their own unique title animation, setting and story. The Simpsons family are cognizant that they are in a video game and use that to justify giving themselves special powers. The game's intention is to serve as satire for pop culture and the video game industry. Shown at the event were posters mocking other franchises: Bartman Begins, Medal of Homer, NeverQuest and Grand Theft Scratchy: Blood Island. It is unclear if any of these jokes were just for the party or if they will make it into the final game. A build of the game was briefly shown at the event (note the Xbox 360 next to the screen in the images). GameSpot has impressions from the demonstration. The Simpsons is planned for a release this fall. %Gallery-3045% [Via Pro-G]
Impossible Mission to stay in Wii Shop Channel... forever!
Impossible Mission is set to be the first downloadable Wii title that doesn't run on the Virtual Console. Eurogamer reports (via Nintendo Power magazine) that the remake of the Commodore 64 platformer will be made available in the online Wii Shop channel, making it the first new(ish) visitor to Nintendo's virtual aisles. Given the inescapable nature of the in-store music, we wouldn't be surprised to see the game stay awhile or indeed, stay foreeeeeverrr.For those unfamiliar with the title and the nefarious Professor Atombender, Impossible Mission will provide a retro mode in addition to the revamped adventure, much like the recent Jetpac Refuelled did on Xbox Live Arcade. Fight robots, keep atoms straight and sell an Xbox 360 in Japan this Summer when the game hits the Wii, PS2, PSP and DS.
Crush dev talks about the complexities of simplicity
The ideas behind Crush are deep, man. It's clear from the experimental games panel at GDC that Zoe Mode has a unique perspective on game design. In a new video interview with Gamespot, they reveal the aesthetic challenges of going from 2D to 3D. Simple design choices had to made, from darkening the background, to removing shadows, to brightening colors. Any fan of Crush will want to see the interview, if only for the tantalizing gameplay.
PSP Fanboy Theatre: Volume 17
PSP Fanboy offers the latest and greatest movie and game trailers, formatted for the PSP in this new weekly feature. Check it out every Saturday. PSP owners can download files wirelessly via m.pspfanboy.com. Instructions: Save all movie and thumbnail files to the VIDEO folder. These high resolution 480x272 videos require firmware 3.30 or above. (Note: OE custom firmware will also play these videos.) Silent Hill: Origins [PSP] Download MP4 (3.9MB) | Download JPG The following videos are featured after the break: Surf's Up, Crush (PSP), Chuck & Larry, Pokemon Launch
Virtually Overlooked: Bronkie the Bronchiasaurus
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. Some of the games we cover in this feature are worth talking about just because of their concepts. Zombie Nation, about a giant flying head, for example. Bronkie the Bronchiasaurus might be the ultimate conceptually-interesting game, at least to us, since it is one of the most bizarre and incongruous things ever to appear on a console. Bronkie is an educational side-scrolling platformer for the SNES about an anthropomorphic dinosaur with asthma.
'Crash' of the Titans headed to Nintendo systems
We weren't too impressed with Crash Boom Bang!, Crash Bandicoot's minigame-filled debut on the Nintendo DS. Crash Tag Team Racing DS couldn't even manage to drive itself out of the studio before the project was scrapped. Third time's the charm, maybe?Crash of the Titans brings the series to not only the DS, but the GBA and Wii. Screenshots of the Wii title indicate that the blue-jeaned marsupial will be thrown back into his natural, platforming/adventure-gaming habitat, freeing him from the wacky genres that've watered down the franchise. Players will be able to unlock extra elements in the Wii version with a DS copy of the game.We're much too cautious to let another Crash Bandicoot title get our hopes up, but we wish Radical Entertainment all the best with its development. Though the Spanish magazine that unveiled Crash of the Titans mentioned an October release, the game isn't guaranteed to arrive in the US at the same date. [Via NeoGAF]
Another video of Crush's mind-numbing gameplay
Many have been eager to compare the upcoming Crush to Wii's Super Paper Mario. While it's true that both feature dimension-shifting gameplay, the two are taking very different approaches to the concept. This PSP-exclusive puzzler has players going through a beautiful, dream-like world, looking for a way out. This new video from GameVideos.com showcases more gameplay--and we're psyched. Crush will land on PSP this June.
GBA wishes come true at The Old Well
Originally intended as a demo to entice interested publishers, The Old Well has been sitting in Athletic Design's vaults since 2004. The Swedish developer abandoned its hopes of a commercial release for the GBA title as years passed, and has decided to hand the puzzle platformer over to the homebrew community.The Old Well starts with a cute introduction to the game's story and controls, but it's easy to pick up after a few seconds. Avoid the falling bricks that track your position, don't get trapped in a pit, and line up the slabs to progress to the next "level." You can punch, push, and jump over the blocks, so you aren't a complete slave to their whims. There's a limited amount of punches that you're able to throw before becoming tired, but you can get your energy back during the lunch breaks that come every ten levels.The game plays out like a reverse Mr. Driller, forcing you to constantly move around and climb the accumulating landscape until you can pull yourself out of the well. It's a fun diversion, and you can't argue with the price.
Reggie lost out to Phil on LittleBigPlanet
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Reggie_lost_out_to_Phil_on_LittleBigPlanet'; If you've been eyeing shots of LittleBigPlanet and wondering why it isn't ours, you're not alone. Even Reggie Fils-Aime thought that Media Molecule, the company behind the intriguing platformer, would be a perfect match with Nintendo. Unfortunately, Sony's Phil Harrison beat him to the punch. Reggie couldn't resist getting in a little jab, though. "That product, I think, is quite intriguing. I'm not sure how well it will do on the Sony platform, quite frankly, but I think that the product they showed was outstanding." Frankly, we're not sure how it'll do, either. After all, people need to actually own a PS3 to be able to play it, eh?Reggie's other comments might shed a little light on what's in store for Nintendo. Though he loves LittleBigPlanet, he wasn't too impressed with Playstation Home, the PS3 community. So when our Miis hit the road on some distant future day, it's probably a safe bet to assume they won't be heading for their house or trophy room.
THQ gets Drawn to Life
THQ is picking up 5th Cell's do-it-yourself platform game maker Drawn to Life for a September release in Europe. We hadn't heard of the game before, but it looks pretty cool: you draw your own characters and items to appear both in an Animal Crossingish town simulation and a side-scrolling platform game. It sounds like sort of a 2D Magic Pengel. Is it weird that our first instinct when seeing a draw-your-own-character game is to try to imitate other game characters exactly? Or is it totally normal to want to play through a cartoony platformer as Solid Snake?
Everlasting Love is worth the effort
Why haven't we seen more rhythm platformers since Donkey Kong Jungle Beat? And while we're at it, how come there aren't more games that feature primates? We were on the verge of sending out subpoenas and demanding answers from the video game industry's "top people," but then we stumbled upon Everlasting Love, a charming, monochrome game from homebrew developer Mia (Ninja & Zarbi, Oil Panic DS).Following the single-song soundtrack (from We Love Katamari) and the monkey protagonist's head movements, players tap the A button to the beat. Just hitting the A button at all makes the simian character bounce around, but he jumps higher depending on how rhythmically accurate you are. You can use the directional pad to face which direction you want to pounce, but all movement is limited to hopping around.While there's a lot of emphasis on staying with the rhythm, jumping as high as possible isn't the goal of the game -- you're actually meant to complete the levels with as few measured hops as possible. Some of the portions actually require you to jump off-beat, keeping your head down to avoid low-hanging spikes.Everlasting Love can get pretty frustrating at times, but we're not sure if it's the fault of the game's or our own lacking abilities. Clearing the first pit took us a few tries before we could put it behind us, and the obstacles get exponentially harder after that. At version 0.1 though, Everlasting Love has a lot of potential to be the rhythm platformer we've been waiting for all these years.[Via DCEmu]
Where is our proper new Ape Escape game?
PSP Fanboy reader Michael sent us the opening for Ape Escape Racer and while it looks to have the playfulness that embodies the series, it got me thinking. Why is it that the PSP has yet to receive a proper new Ape Escape game. Just like Nintendo home consoles don't get proper Pokemon games, the PSP has yet to get a proper new Ape Escape game. It's not that we haven't gotten plenty of Ape Escape games, just the opposite. Between a port of the original Ape Escape, the mini-game Ape Escape Academy 1 & 2 and Ape Escape Racer, the PSP has been home to many a simian adventure. Where is my new Ape Escape platformer though? I realize the system doesn't have the ability to do the series trademark dual-stick gameplay, but adjustments can easily be made. Am I the only one looking for a new monkey tale?[ Thanks Michael ]
Bunnies can't play with a DS Lite
While we can't say much about the quality of Rayman Raving Rabbids DS yet, we're more than happy to sing the praises of Ubisoft's marketing behind the recently-released platformer. The France-based company sent out three promotional images showing the game's villains, crazed and deranged rabbits, in various states of distress.They're not as cute as kittens playing with a Nintendo DS Lite, but not much else is. Head past the break for more artwork of the disaster-prone bunnies.
The puzzling items of Crush
Sega has released a new video, and a few tidbits about their upcoming PSP-exclusive Crush in their latest press release. Considering how awesome the game looks, I can't really complain. The video showcases some of the truly surreal puzzles you'll be tackling in this dimension-bending puzzler/platformer. The puzzles themselves are based on a few unique items, described after the break.
LocoRoco spotted in PS Home trophy case
Though Sony continues to toy with us about LocoRoco sequels, the recent trophy sighting in the PlayStation Home video seems to confirm what Sony's led us to expect. LocoRoco is (likely) headed to PlayStation 3.When questioned during his GDC presentation about which platform -- PSP or PS3 -- the next LocoRoco would land on, the game's director Tsutomo Kouno said he couldn't yet answer that question directly, but slyly added, "I'm not going to betray your expectations. You can count on this." And he teased, "I'd like to use a new way of playing the game for the next version of LocoRoco." Just say it: "SixAxis."
