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Wii Fanboy Review: Orbient
In 2006, Nintendo and developers Skip and Q-Games released a series of Game Boy Advance games in Japan called "bit Generations." These lower-costs GBA games emphasized simplistic gameplay and minimalist, abstract graphics. They were very cool. But Nintendo of America, for some reason, decided not to release graphically simplistic Game Boy Advance games two years after the release of the DS. Now, however, Nintendo has a system for which tiny, simple games make financial sense, and out of nowhere they've resurrected bit Generations as "Art Style." The first game to be remade is Orbital, which, if they had to give one game a visual upgrade, is the best choice. As it turns out, Orbital (or Orbient, as it's now called) is still cool in 3D, and it's still shockingly original even if it is a remake.
Captain Rainbow investigates the Birdo gender issue
Birdo was famously characterized as a cross-dresser in the manual for Super Mario Bros. 2, but seems to have been made female in her appearances in the Mario sports games. According to Chris Kohler, who is currently playing through the Japanese version of Captain Rainbow, the character's gender dysphoria is back, and being discussed in-game for the first time.It turns out that Birdo has been in jail on Mimin Island for using a women's restroom. She asks Captain Rainbow to find proof that she's a female so she can get out of jail, and he does -- buzzing, under her pillow. When he picks it up, it is censored.Maybe Nintendo will rewrite this bit so it's about sandwiches. Then it could be released outside Japan.The weirdest thing about Birdo's gender is that the thing seems to be gender-free except for the bow. So, then, does it mentally identify as a man identifying as a woman? And let's ignore the egg-laying issue entirely.
Captain Rainbow flies to Japanese retail with a new commercial
We're going to miss the Captain Rainbow videos. Nintendo isn't likely to release any more once the game is out in Japan (which is this week), unless one of two conditions is fulfilled: either it is announced (and then subsequently advertised) for other regions, or it becomes a massive success and Nintendo promotes it forever, like Wii Fit. It's a bit too quirky for evergreen, expanded-audience status. Enjoy the fourth, and possibly the last, Japanese Captain Rainbow commercial!As for localization prospects, we want to believe, but we aren't really getting our hopes up for a game about old (non-Mario) Nintendo characters, given Nintendo of America's apparent disposition toward the Virtual Console.
The heroism of Captain Rainbow
Nintendo of Japan's Captain Rainbow media page now features three short commercials for Skip's latest game. All three start with the brassy Captain Rainbow theme and the caption "A new hero is born!" Then protagonist Nick, out of his heroic garb, demonstrates his awesome bravado by ... falling asleep and getting hit in the head a lot, or passing out in response to Birdo-kisses. Our favorite, however, features the Captain leaning into a giant treasure chest, Link-style.There's also a more substantive, slightly more serious trailer that introduces the world and the characters (whom we have met). This really looks like the kind of quirky action-adventure that we could enjoy.
Captain Rainbow vs. the Shadow
New screens of Captain Rainbow illustrate the two styles of gameplay found in the "actioventure" (Famitsu's term). During the adventure portion of the game, stars will fall from the sky which, when caught, trigger side-scrolling sequences (during which the sky goes all purple). Running into Shadow enemies, then, causes the game to go into a combat scene. Strangely, this combat takes place in an arena setting.Once you've obtained the star and successfully taken it to the island's Altar, you (as Nick/Captain Rainbow) face the choice to grant the wish of either the Nintendo character you're helping ... or yourself. Nick wants to regain his hero status, although stealing the wish of someone in need is an ironic way to do it.
Sing along to the Captain Rainbow theme
Because seriously, what else is there to do on a Friday evening that's more fun? Nothing, that's what. Socializing? Pah, whatever!This theme tune and its accompanying video appeared today on the brand new official Captain Rainbow site. There's not much at the site right now, but thankfully the song is as bizarre as everything else in this barmy game, not to mention catchy and even uplifting (like all good superhero themes). Fast-forward to the 1:00 mark, and you'll get to see some in-game footage of the bespectacled Nick change into his superhero alter-ego.Past the break, we've posted the lyrics to this, as translated by lovely YouTube user 23Makoto23, so head there to bring the house down with your caterwauling. All together now: Let fly with your yo-yo! Defeat them with your double yo-yo!
Captain Rainbow: like Animal Crossing, with action (and also it's insane)
While the weird trailers have given us a look at Captain Rainbow, the story of a guy who transforms into a superhero to help obscure Nintendo characters with their personal problems, 1UP has given us a bit more of an idea of what Captain Rainbow the game is, thanks to a translation of a Famitsu article.Captain Rainbow is divided between adventure and action segments. In the adventure mode, you, as Nick/Captain Rainbow, communicate with the residents of Mimin Island, helping with their problems and playing minigames. You earn crystals called kirarin during these interactions -- 20 of which unlock an action scene. In the action mode, Captain Rainbow runs through side-scrolling levels in an effort to grab a falling star, which is used to grant the wish of one of the island's residents (say, a wish not to be so fat), while avoiding enemies called Shadows.Is there any chance a communication/side-scrolling game about an island of Nintendo characters nobody remembers could be localized? We need to catch our own falling star. [Image via Gemaga]
Captain Rainbow: Crazy about Famicom Wars
Captain Rainbow is back with its weekly dose of concentrated retro Nintendo weirdness. In the latest trailer, the soldiers from the original Famicom Wars take a longing look at last week's narrator, Crazy Tracy, as she eats Pocky and lounges around on her throne. The soldiers are the ones driven crazy, it seems.Aside from Tracy, their main concern is winning volleyball medals in order to attract the Mimin Bird, or something like that? We don't know where the logic is there, though it's our mistake for looking for logic in Captain Rainbow. Functionally, it means that Captain Rainbow will -- superheroically -- teach some chibi soldiers how to spike.Hit the link to see a higher-quality, subtitled version![Thanks, Josh!]
Mysterious Captain Rainbow trailer
The characters in the Captain Rainbow trailers are getting more and more obscure. As expected, this trailer is about Takamaru, the samurai protagonist of the Famicom Disk System-only Nazo no Murasame-jou (Mysterious Murasame Castle), a samurai-style Zelda-ish game. He is apparently too hyper, given to random nosebleeds caused by excitement. We're starting to think that Captain Rainbow's superpower is that he motivates people to work on their problems. He's introduced by the buxom, wild-haired Tracy, of whose origin we aren't entirely sure. Is she Crazy Tracy from The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening? The hair color and clothing don't match the sprite in Link's Awakening DX, but the big earrings do, and her general appearance suggests "craziness." She could also be Ness's sister from Earthbound, maybe. "We'll find out next week" seems like a very unsatisfying solution to this issue.As usual, click over to YouTube to see the translation!
Captain Rainbow gets a Big Mac Attack
We're not referring to hamburgers, although they were no doubt involved with the transformation of Punch-Out!!'s diminutive protagonist from lithe, tiny athlete to pseudo-Cartman. Captain Rainbow is very quickly revealing itself as more than a top-down, adventure-based take on the same Japanese superhero tropes explored in Viewtiful Joe: it's a haven for lost Nintendo characters. The first video introduces Little Mac and his unfortunate weight gain. Little Mac then tells the story of Birdo, who seeks popularity with the boys (Yes, Birdo, or as she used to be known, Catherine, is female. Yes, we read the Super Mario Bros. 2 manual.) In the second, Nick (who becomes Captain Rainbow) trains Mac back to prime littleness, with narration from Nazo no Murasame-jou's Takamaru (who will probably be the subject of the next video).We didn't embed the videos because it's in your best interest to go see them on YouTube, where the clever uploader, 23Makoto23, has used YouTube comments to create subtitles (here is the original Captain Rainbow video subtitled).
DS Daily: OMG LOL, amirite
Skip, the creators of Chibi-Robo, surprised us last year with Archime-DS, one of the most bizarre games on a system known for bizarre games (seriously, its most popular games are about doing math and walking dogs). Then Agetec surprised us by announcing plans to (sort of) release it in the U.S.! It's about the weirdest and most simplistic concept for a game we can think of, basically a chat client with a configurable timer and a voting mechanism.We normally don't like to rely on our friends to create a game's content, but at the same time we can't deny that Pictionary is fun -- and LOL is even more freeform than Pictionary. It's designed with the idea of voting on the best answer to player-submitted questions, or best prompted drawings, but you can kind of do whatever you want. There's definitely the possibility of fun to be had here, but do you think you'll be able to get past the strangeness of the game to seek it?%Gallery-18526%
Europeans get to LOL with Bakushow
We won't bombard you with more details about LOL (we can really only LOL so many times in one day), but news just rolled in that Rising Star would be bringing the game to Europe. Instead of being called LOL, though, it will be titled Bakushow, which means "big laugh" in Japanese.There's no word yet on whether Rising Star will follow in Agetec's footsteps and make the game available online only, but even if it is available in stores, we're sure it won't be the easiest game to find. Rising Star also gently reminds us that "Billy No Mates need not apply," since this software includes no single player mode. You probably already knew that, but we just wanted an excuse to write "Billy No Mates."If that doesn't deter you, we've added some new screens to our gallery (for the love of all that is holy, we get it, you can ask people to draw pandas!) should you feel so inclined to check them out.%Gallery-18526%[Via press release]
Look Online for LOL
Skip and Route24's LOL is seemingly a very freeform game. It has no prescribed content, just an open canvas with which you can design your own trivia or drawing game -- or anything else you want that involves sending pictures and text between DS systems. It provides the infrastructure and a timer, and that's pretty much it! But LOL is defined as much by its constraints as it is its freedom, in that it is a strictly multiplayer-only game. Don't have any friends around? It doesn't work. Now it seems there's another restriction: according to Agetec's product page, LOL will only be available online when it is released on May 30th. This has the effect of ensuring that what was once going to be just a bizarre game will be a very expensive bizarre game within a year's time. Also found on the product page: new screens (in our gallery!) and the boxart, with the ESRB "Game Experience May Change During Online Play" notice. Online play?%Gallery-18526%[Via Siliconera]
Will the iPhone 3G frolic in the summer sun?
Way back last year, Steve Jobs mentioned that a 3G iPhone would debut some time this year. Then we started seeing iPhones being clearanced. And now, Yahoo reports that the 3G iPhone is on-track for, um, real soon now -- as early as Q3 2008 with a possible Q2 launch. Everyone and their brother has been waiting for the 3G iPhone. So is this report reliable? AT&T declined to comment on specific launch dates. Apple declined comment. Yahoo bases its article on a report by Bank of America analyst Scott Craig. But it fits into what (a) everyone expects and (b) we already know. Is there anything new here? Possibly not. More from Apple Insider and iPod observer about possible Hon Hai 3G contracts and Kevin Rose's 3G iPhone predictions. Does this spin & speculation make any difference to your purchasing plans for the iPhone of today -- buy now, or wait until something better comes along? Let us know.
GameSetWatch names Chibi-Robo one of 2007's Top 5 Overlooked Games
Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol, the environmentally-conscious (though perhaps not produced under such auspices!) DS sequel to skip's GameCube domestic adventure, has been listed as one of five notable games that didn't get the attention they deserved this year.GameSetWatch's Brandon Boyer said that the game "managed to pack big charm into its diminutive body, with a mostly non-combative and environmentally-minded ethos typical of the lineage of the staff at developer Skip." With such a big trend towards going "green" this year, a green-themed game should have been a huge hit, right? Well, it might have been, had people been able to find it. Unfortunately, it was exiled to Wally World.We do like to see DS games making best-of lists, even if it's because of their relative invisibility. Maybe some added attention will inspire someone to pick it up used or even maybe go to Wal-Mart.
Metareview: Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol
The Wal-Mart exclusive, environmentally conscious sequel to Chibi-Robo came out this week, and the reviews seem to be hovering around the low-to-mid 80's (with Eurogamer as an outlier). We find that sometimes we like the kind of games that inhabit that space, since it usually means they're solid and fun, but not too epic. It seems that the game has weathered the transition from adventurous chore simulator to park-building fairly well. If any of you out there have made the dangerous journey to Wal-Mart to pick this up, please let us know what you think!GameSpot -- 80%: "This delightful, bizarre adventure simplifies and builds on the gameplay of the GameCube original while making innovative use of the touch screen and presenting an often-hilarious story rife with colorful, insane characters." GameSpy -- 80%: "Chibi Robo: Park Patrol retains the fun and charm of its console predecessor even if the gameplay is noticeably different. It's a shame that it's being released on the same day as The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass as it will undoubtedly get overshadowed. That's too bad -- this tiny robot deserves better."Eurogamer -- 60%: "If you don't have the name of that significant series that Park Patrol resembles in your head right now then you've not been paying attention, but Harvest Moon springs easily to mind as a comparison. Its sow-reap-repeat dynamic, set against the pressures of a quickly diminishing day are easily mirrored here. And while Park Patrol lacks the extra-curricular entertainment of the best of those titles, it gets the core right."
Chibi-Robo retail presence rolled back
The rumor that Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol was cancelled is totally false. Well, mostly totally false. Gamespot contacted a Nintendo rep in order to verify the rumor, and got a surprising response."Chibi Robo: Park Patrol will launch October 2. The game, which features an adorable miniature robot who wants to clean up the environment, will be available exclusively at Wal-Mart stores nationwide."We have to wonder why Nintendo has such little faith in one of their own first-party franchises that they're limiting its distribution so sharply. Sure, Wal-Mart is the second-largest game retailer in the US, but do you know who's bigger? All game retailers.
Chibi-Robo review brings a load of screens along
GAME Watch seems to have loved Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol. They enjoyed cleaning up the park and arranging it to their liking, saying that, in the end, they wished for a multiplayer mode because they wanted to be able to show off their work.We had a little trouble getting through the review for some reason, which is why we summarized their conclusion about the multiplayer, and didn't give you detailed information about their judgment. There's no problem looking at the screenshots, however, which are beautiful and copious. We really hope this game actually comes out here.
A chibi trailer for Chibi Robo
This commercial for Chibi Robo: Park Patrol is really, really short. Fifteen seconds. It also shows no real game footage at all. But it's about Chibi Robo, which we really don't see or hear enough about. Also it's got some creepy flower things in it!It's mostly just great to see Nintendo putting some advertising yen into Chibi Robo. What are the odds that even fifteen scant seconds will be devoted to it on American television?
Archime DS screens: enjoy them alone while you can
Savor your solitude; once Archime DS actually gets released, your enjoyment of the game will hinge on the participation of the masses. Or at least the people you've shared friend codes with.These screenshots mostly show example play sessions-- one player writing a question, and then everyone voting on the best answer, or each player's version of a panda drawing. Since most of the content in this game is created on the fly, previews seem a little hollow. We can't really preview what you and your friends will draw, you know?We trust Skip (Chibi Robo, Giftpia) to make a compelling experience, but this program does have the air of non-gameness about it. It's not a training game, but it's not a traditional game either. It's in the "toy" category of non-games along with Jam Sessions and Electroplankton, we suppose.
