Nothing beats a good golf game. Any sports enthusiast, whether they play golf or not, should own at least one golf game for their video game console. I have Tiger Woods 2004 for my PC, then I got an Xbox and got Tiger Woods 07 for the Xbox. Now that I have a Wii, it was only natural to get Tiger Woods 08.
Here's the lowdown:
Gameplay: The Tiger Woods series are all pretty typical as far as game play is concerned. From one year to another, the only major differences are the addition and subtraction of golf courses and EA's addition of a "new feature." The one thing that makes this game unique is the controls that allow the Wii to create a more realistic golfing experience. Its not perfect, but its good.
The controls, which is my first concern that I research before purchasing a Wii game, are fairly intuitive. You swing the Wii remote like you would a golf club. You have the option of practicing your swing as much as you like too, which is almost a necessity when trying to finesse a shot. I have noticed that the swing can not be too large. If your back swing brings the Wii Remote over your head and points at the TV, it probably will not pick up on the rest of the down swing. I have also found it to be a little tricky to make a swing that is not 100% or greater. You really have to slow down your motion. This could be the game telling me that my golf technique needs a lot of work (and it probably does), but I doubt that is the case. Putting is a little different. You still make a natural putting motion (and its probably a more realistic swing than you make during a typical swing), however the practice mode is a little different. They call it "Putt Preview" and when you enter the Putt Preview mode, a timer starts to count down. You only have so much time to preview your putt. There is a lot of time for previewing your putt, however, the timer is shared for the entire round. If you spend a lot of time on one green previewing your putts, you will want to conserve your time on another green or risk running out of time and losing the ability to preview putts.
All this talk about the Normal Swing Mode, and I have nearly forgotten the other swing modes. There are two other swing modes. One allows you to swing the remote in any direction as long as you go one way, then the other. This allows people to swing while sitting down. I tried it once and did not care for it too much. The other swing mode requires the Nunchuk and is the traditional swing moving the joystick down for the back swing and forward for the down swing.
Getting back into the game, the player creation remains to be as specialized as its always been. Every little detail can be included. I have heard about the Xbox 360 and PS3 having a automatic player creation with the use of a digital photo or two. Unfortunately, that did not make it to the Wii. I was looking forward to it and it did not make the jump.
Taunts are back, which were in a previous Tiger Woods, but not 07. I'm not sure exactly how efficient they are because I have not yet tried any of them, but that was always fun. There is also a confidence meter for your individual golfer. Depending on the course, the type of shot, the difficulty of the shot, and your abilities, a meter shows your confidence in making the shot. Its a pretty interesting feature. If you play one course a lot and you are in a similar situation attempting a particular shot that you have attempted before, your confidence meter is higher than it would be on a native course, attempting a rare shot, and it increases your chances of making the shot.
The game modes are extremely similar to Tiger Woods 07. They include the Tiger Challenge (though with a LOT more content), the PGA Tour season mode, all the different round options (stroke play, match play, etc.). The Mini Games are similar as Tiger Woods 07 too. I think there is a new putt-putt mini game, however, I have yet to try it out.
Graphics: The graphics could use some work. There is a great deal of realism, but I think it could use a little work and attention. I believe the graphics look cleaner on Tiger Woods 07 for the regular Xbox. They look alright, I just think there should be a smoother transition when things move following shots and previewing holes. The animals that are occasionally seen on courses are extremely unrealistic and incredibly disappointing. They should not have been included.
Sound: EA sports has always done a decent job with sounds. Its nothing too special. The occasional chirp or the sound of wind blowing through a tree. The soundtrack is always something to admire with EA sports games too. They did not miss a beat here either.
Replay-ability: Despite the graphics, this game has a lot of replay-ability. There is always something to do, whether its following the PGA Tour season or taking on another Tiger Challenge, there is a LOT of content here to keep players coming back.
Wrap-up: A great game for the Wii. I have read this in a few reviews and I will repeat it here because it stands true: If you own Tiger Woods 07, its probably not worth getting Tiger Woods 08. EA Sports will have to come up with something radically different to get people hopping on 09. The past couple years have produced extremely similar games. Regardless, any Tiger Woods game is worth owning on whichever system you currently own.
Showing posts with label Wii. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wii. Show all posts
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Super Paper Mario
This game surprised me. I had absolutely no intention of purchasing this game when I first heard about it. I didn't know much about it either. I got bored at work one day, read a review, watched a quick preview, and that has made all the difference. It ranks high among Nintendo Wii games too. Its incredibly unique controls, story, and gameplay make for a great experience.
The best way to describe Super Paper Mario is "role-playing for beginners" with the nostalgia from the 8-bit Nintendo days. However, there are some added twists that make things a little more exciting. With all that in mind, let's get started.
Gameplay: For as simple as the controls are, this game does a great job at keeping things interesting. The controls only utilizes the Wii Remote. For most of the game, it is held sideways in the "traditional" style, and you don't use more than 3-buttons (a 4th to access the menu/pause) and the control pad. I'll let you guess what the control pad does. One button jumps, the other will perform the action that your selected Pixl does (more on that soon), and when you're Mario, the 3rd button flips into the 3D view. Like I said, very simple controls.
As I said before, this is a role-playing game. As you defeat enemies, your score increases. Remember that score from the first Super Mario Brothers? It didn't mean anything, but kept tallying up as you hit blocks, jumped on guys, and picked up items. In Super Paper Mario, those points actually mean something. Once your score reaches a certain point, you level up. Typically during a level up you'll either increase your hit points by 5 or you'll increase your attack by 1 point. As you keep getting points, it gets easier to face your opponents. Its the RPG at its most simple and raw form.
The one thing I tend to enjoy about any action, RPG, or shooter (1st or 3rd person) are the puzzles. Its rare to find good puzzles in games these days, but Super Paper Mario really makes it interesting without being too overly frustrating. Like Zelda, whenever I got stuck, I had to just step away from the game for a little, give myself a break, and come back a little later. They took some paying attention, knowing what your Pixls can do, and knowing how you can take full advantage of your Pixls.
Okay, by now you're probably wondering what a Pixl is... these little babies, each with their own name, give your character (typically Mario) the ability to do different things. Thoreau looks like a little hand and allows you to grab objects and throw them. Boomer is a bomb and lets you drop/explode one bomb at a time at your will. Cudge is a hammer that lets you slam enemies and blocks. There are a number of these guys and they are necessary to solving puzzles. They're pretty fun. The only catch is that you can only use one Pixl at a time (but you can switch anytime during gameplay). You will see the one you're currently working with as it flies around you as you move.
The characters involved throughout the game are the classics... Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Bowser. BOWSER? Yep. Each has their own special ability that is critical for progressing. Mario is the only character that can flip from the side-scrolling 2D view to the 3D view (looking down towards the end of the side-scrolling board). This allows you to pick out things you can't see in 2D. Its a real fun twist and you have to "flip" often to help you throughout the game. You'll find pipes hiding behind stairs, coin boxes and items, a means to avoid enemies, and a way to get through the game. Luigi can jump really high... surprise, surprise. Peach can "float," just like in Super Mario 2 and when she ducks, she protects herself with her umbrella. Bowser, who joined the team to help prevent "all games from ending," is the slowest of the bunch, but does twice the damage and can blow fire. When the game starts, its just you, Mario. As you go along you eventually pick up the rest of the characters at different times, then you lose a few, then you get them back... etc. etc. You never lose Mario though, who you use the most anyway.
As for the story, I tended to enjoy it. I don't want to go into it too much, but here's how it all starts out. The villain, Count Bleck, has read this book, the Dark Prognosticus, which tells its reader how the future will bring an end to the world if he can do a few things to set it all up. To battle this, a Light Prognosticus was created to combat it. The first step require the creation of the Chaos Heart, which is created when Peach marries Bowser. This puts the whole story into motion. Its a pretty bizarre start to a good adventure. As you go along, there are some funny jokes about the plumbers and how ridiculous the whole premise is, which keeps things light. I do think the game/story goes on a little bit longer than I'd prefer.
There are side missions that are optional too. They have "Capture Cards" that you can collect throughout the journey. There is one for each enemy and most characters involved. I think there are over 250 cards to find. I opted not to, but have fun with that. They also have maps that you can purchase. Each map has a different screen shot of a place you've been. Once you go there, you use a Pixl named Fleep to reveal a treasure. The only problem is that you can't find the treasure at all until you purchase the map. There is also an arcade with some fun mini-games too.
Graphics: For trying to hold onto what Mario has been, this game does a great job at bridging the gap between old and new. Its a very clean and crisp looking game. I think they did a great job here. Its obviously not a realistic as Zelda or any other game, however, that isn't what they were going for when it was created. I think they hit the nail on the head here.
Sound: One major downfall with the Wii games I've played so far is their sound. I guess I shouldn't expect much from Super Paper Mario though. There isn't any dialog, but I think its important to leave that out with these characters. There is the occasional "Ooh!" and "Yea!" from Mario, but that's about it. I don't have a lot of good things to say, but then again, I don't have a lot of bad things to say either.
Replay-ability: Like most all Mario games, this game does have some replay-ability. Not as much as Zelda, and the length of the game doesn't make it as replay-able as any of the old Marios, but I would probably pick it up again to search out those maps or play some of the mini-games.
Wrap-Up: Overall, I enjoyed playing this game. The story kept me intrigued, the puzzles kept me thinking, the levels were unique, the characters were fun. Its a very casual game to get involved with. Even my wife enjoys playing it, which is always an added bonus around the house. Either way, I recommend picking it up at some point.
The best way to describe Super Paper Mario is "role-playing for beginners" with the nostalgia from the 8-bit Nintendo days. However, there are some added twists that make things a little more exciting. With all that in mind, let's get started.
Gameplay: For as simple as the controls are, this game does a great job at keeping things interesting. The controls only utilizes the Wii Remote. For most of the game, it is held sideways in the "traditional" style, and you don't use more than 3-buttons (a 4th to access the menu/pause) and the control pad. I'll let you guess what the control pad does. One button jumps, the other will perform the action that your selected Pixl does (more on that soon), and when you're Mario, the 3rd button flips into the 3D view. Like I said, very simple controls.
As I said before, this is a role-playing game. As you defeat enemies, your score increases. Remember that score from the first Super Mario Brothers? It didn't mean anything, but kept tallying up as you hit blocks, jumped on guys, and picked up items. In Super Paper Mario, those points actually mean something. Once your score reaches a certain point, you level up. Typically during a level up you'll either increase your hit points by 5 or you'll increase your attack by 1 point. As you keep getting points, it gets easier to face your opponents. Its the RPG at its most simple and raw form.
The one thing I tend to enjoy about any action, RPG, or shooter (1st or 3rd person) are the puzzles. Its rare to find good puzzles in games these days, but Super Paper Mario really makes it interesting without being too overly frustrating. Like Zelda, whenever I got stuck, I had to just step away from the game for a little, give myself a break, and come back a little later. They took some paying attention, knowing what your Pixls can do, and knowing how you can take full advantage of your Pixls.
Okay, by now you're probably wondering what a Pixl is... these little babies, each with their own name, give your character (typically Mario) the ability to do different things. Thoreau looks like a little hand and allows you to grab objects and throw them. Boomer is a bomb and lets you drop/explode one bomb at a time at your will. Cudge is a hammer that lets you slam enemies and blocks. There are a number of these guys and they are necessary to solving puzzles. They're pretty fun. The only catch is that you can only use one Pixl at a time (but you can switch anytime during gameplay). You will see the one you're currently working with as it flies around you as you move.
The characters involved throughout the game are the classics... Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Bowser. BOWSER? Yep. Each has their own special ability that is critical for progressing. Mario is the only character that can flip from the side-scrolling 2D view to the 3D view (looking down towards the end of the side-scrolling board). This allows you to pick out things you can't see in 2D. Its a real fun twist and you have to "flip" often to help you throughout the game. You'll find pipes hiding behind stairs, coin boxes and items, a means to avoid enemies, and a way to get through the game. Luigi can jump really high... surprise, surprise. Peach can "float," just like in Super Mario 2 and when she ducks, she protects herself with her umbrella. Bowser, who joined the team to help prevent "all games from ending," is the slowest of the bunch, but does twice the damage and can blow fire. When the game starts, its just you, Mario. As you go along you eventually pick up the rest of the characters at different times, then you lose a few, then you get them back... etc. etc. You never lose Mario though, who you use the most anyway.
As for the story, I tended to enjoy it. I don't want to go into it too much, but here's how it all starts out. The villain, Count Bleck, has read this book, the Dark Prognosticus, which tells its reader how the future will bring an end to the world if he can do a few things to set it all up. To battle this, a Light Prognosticus was created to combat it. The first step require the creation of the Chaos Heart, which is created when Peach marries Bowser. This puts the whole story into motion. Its a pretty bizarre start to a good adventure. As you go along, there are some funny jokes about the plumbers and how ridiculous the whole premise is, which keeps things light. I do think the game/story goes on a little bit longer than I'd prefer.
There are side missions that are optional too. They have "Capture Cards" that you can collect throughout the journey. There is one for each enemy and most characters involved. I think there are over 250 cards to find. I opted not to, but have fun with that. They also have maps that you can purchase. Each map has a different screen shot of a place you've been. Once you go there, you use a Pixl named Fleep to reveal a treasure. The only problem is that you can't find the treasure at all until you purchase the map. There is also an arcade with some fun mini-games too.
Graphics: For trying to hold onto what Mario has been, this game does a great job at bridging the gap between old and new. Its a very clean and crisp looking game. I think they did a great job here. Its obviously not a realistic as Zelda or any other game, however, that isn't what they were going for when it was created. I think they hit the nail on the head here.
Sound: One major downfall with the Wii games I've played so far is their sound. I guess I shouldn't expect much from Super Paper Mario though. There isn't any dialog, but I think its important to leave that out with these characters. There is the occasional "Ooh!" and "Yea!" from Mario, but that's about it. I don't have a lot of good things to say, but then again, I don't have a lot of bad things to say either.
Replay-ability: Like most all Mario games, this game does have some replay-ability. Not as much as Zelda, and the length of the game doesn't make it as replay-able as any of the old Marios, but I would probably pick it up again to search out those maps or play some of the mini-games.
Wrap-Up: Overall, I enjoyed playing this game. The story kept me intrigued, the puzzles kept me thinking, the levels were unique, the characters were fun. Its a very casual game to get involved with. Even my wife enjoys playing it, which is always an added bonus around the house. Either way, I recommend picking it up at some point.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Cooking MaMa: Cook-Off
This will be probably one of my shortest reviews and probably the most useless. I can't imagine why anyone reading this blog would be interested in this game at all, but, I've had a chance to review it, so here goes. Before I begin, let it be known that I have only played the game maybe twice. The rest of my review is based on watching Alissa play it (who really likes it for some reason).
Gameplay: This gameplay is probably the only positive here and its a slight positive at that. The gameplay is kind of entertaining. You move the Wii remote around to move tools causing you to prepare and cook food. You do everything from open cans, crack eggs, peel potatoes, stew, fry, and anything else you can think of. Its gameplay and multi-player setup doesn't go much further than any of the other party games that have come out for the Wii. The actual game involves going head to head with the computer making meals faster and better than the computer. It sucks.
Graphics: The graphics are absolute crap. I'm sure they tried really hard to make this work, but its a long shot. They can't even make all the food look like its supposed to.
Sound: Also awful. You get some elevator music throughout the game and after you've completed a certain part of preparing the meal, Cooking MaMa rates how you did based on time and quality. It sounds like an Asian voice and it is hard to understand.
Replay-ability: Unless you are a perfectionist, you only have to go through things once. Even if you completely bomb a meal, it still lets you continue the game and adds recipes no matter how you did on the selected meal.
Wrap-Up: As I read before my wife purchased the game, its not worth the $50 they ask to own this game. I wouldn't own this game if Alissa didn't purchase it. And I definitely recommend that you rent it before you consider purchasing it. She still enjoys playing it though, so I guess I can't complain too much.
Gameplay: This gameplay is probably the only positive here and its a slight positive at that. The gameplay is kind of entertaining. You move the Wii remote around to move tools causing you to prepare and cook food. You do everything from open cans, crack eggs, peel potatoes, stew, fry, and anything else you can think of. Its gameplay and multi-player setup doesn't go much further than any of the other party games that have come out for the Wii. The actual game involves going head to head with the computer making meals faster and better than the computer. It sucks.
Graphics: The graphics are absolute crap. I'm sure they tried really hard to make this work, but its a long shot. They can't even make all the food look like its supposed to.
Sound: Also awful. You get some elevator music throughout the game and after you've completed a certain part of preparing the meal, Cooking MaMa rates how you did based on time and quality. It sounds like an Asian voice and it is hard to understand.
Replay-ability: Unless you are a perfectionist, you only have to go through things once. Even if you completely bomb a meal, it still lets you continue the game and adds recipes no matter how you did on the selected meal.
Wrap-Up: As I read before my wife purchased the game, its not worth the $50 they ask to own this game. I wouldn't own this game if Alissa didn't purchase it. And I definitely recommend that you rent it before you consider purchasing it. She still enjoys playing it though, so I guess I can't complain too much.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
I touched on Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess on the Nintendo Wii about a month and a half ago. I wanted to expand on that now that I'm approximately 60 hours into the game.
Gameplay: I'm incredibly impressed with the controls. It requires the use of the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk. The Nunchuk is used for movement, Z-targeting, and looking around in first-person mode. The Wii Remote is how you use items, select menus, point at objects with items (like shooting enemies with the bow when you aren't Z-targeting), and for swinging the sword. The sword play involves swinging the Wii Remote or Nunchuk (for the spin move). Its pretty basic, but it gets the job done without having to over exert yourself.
The puzzles range from being easy to kinda hard. Everything can be pretty easily figured out, though there have been a few times where I've gotten stuck and needed to "dumb myself down" in order to realize what I needed to do to progress. If you've played Ocarina of Time or Majora's Mask, a handful of puzzles will be solved in similar fashion. For example, shooting your bow at the diamond thing opens a door. However, there is enough new content to keep things fresh.
The overall timeline/plot of the game is pretty linear. The recent Zelda series have done a great job at giving players enough to do on the side that they don't realize they're progressing through the game plot exactly as planned. All in all, the puzzles, side games, and side searches for poes, golden bugs, and heart pieces give this linear plot a different adventure for each player. The plot is a bit confusing and hard to grasp. I'm not sure I've fully gripped what is going on. I have a better understanding now then I did when I started, so I'm hoping that everything clears up before I finish the game. The story is dark, though not as dark as Majora's Mask. I still find it entertaining.
Graphics: The unfortunate thing about the Nintendo Wii is that the graphics do not get any better than 480p. There are some Xbox games that do better than that. I know that's not the draw, but it definitely lowers a game's potential. For what the Nintendo Wii can offer, the graphics are done pretty well. Compared to other titles coming out for the Xbox 360 or PS3, it is going to always come up short.
Sound: The sounds are pleasant. Some music throughout the game can be recognized from Ocarina of Time. The quick song that plays when the sun rises or sets is exactly the same as Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. There is enough new music that it doesn't sound like they just stole an old score. I wish the voices were audible instead of read. I think it'd add more personality to each character. Characters will blurt out random onomatopoeias, like Link's, "Waaaaa," when he's surprised, but I want more.
Replay-ability: There is very little replay-ability. There is nothing different that you could do that would prevent you from hitting the forest temple first, then the Goron Mines, and so on and so forth. You could probably do it faster, get items sooner, or finish searches faster. The earlier you have those items doesn't necessarily make the game any easier. However, now that I'm on the verge of completed Twilight Princess, I'd be tempted to get a Virtual Controller, download Ocarina of Time, and replay that one. So let's put it this way: immediate replay won't be very exciting, but if you let some time pass, the game play and puzzles will bring you back.
Wrap-Up: For as poor the graphics and sound compares to other next gen systems, the overall game play is second to none. As far as Wii games go, I rate this as one of best, especially since most Wii games are party games.
Gameplay: I'm incredibly impressed with the controls. It requires the use of the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk. The Nunchuk is used for movement, Z-targeting, and looking around in first-person mode. The Wii Remote is how you use items, select menus, point at objects with items (like shooting enemies with the bow when you aren't Z-targeting), and for swinging the sword. The sword play involves swinging the Wii Remote or Nunchuk (for the spin move). Its pretty basic, but it gets the job done without having to over exert yourself.
The puzzles range from being easy to kinda hard. Everything can be pretty easily figured out, though there have been a few times where I've gotten stuck and needed to "dumb myself down" in order to realize what I needed to do to progress. If you've played Ocarina of Time or Majora's Mask, a handful of puzzles will be solved in similar fashion. For example, shooting your bow at the diamond thing opens a door. However, there is enough new content to keep things fresh.
The overall timeline/plot of the game is pretty linear. The recent Zelda series have done a great job at giving players enough to do on the side that they don't realize they're progressing through the game plot exactly as planned. All in all, the puzzles, side games, and side searches for poes, golden bugs, and heart pieces give this linear plot a different adventure for each player. The plot is a bit confusing and hard to grasp. I'm not sure I've fully gripped what is going on. I have a better understanding now then I did when I started, so I'm hoping that everything clears up before I finish the game. The story is dark, though not as dark as Majora's Mask. I still find it entertaining.
Graphics: The unfortunate thing about the Nintendo Wii is that the graphics do not get any better than 480p. There are some Xbox games that do better than that. I know that's not the draw, but it definitely lowers a game's potential. For what the Nintendo Wii can offer, the graphics are done pretty well. Compared to other titles coming out for the Xbox 360 or PS3, it is going to always come up short.
Sound: The sounds are pleasant. Some music throughout the game can be recognized from Ocarina of Time. The quick song that plays when the sun rises or sets is exactly the same as Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. There is enough new music that it doesn't sound like they just stole an old score. I wish the voices were audible instead of read. I think it'd add more personality to each character. Characters will blurt out random onomatopoeias, like Link's, "Waaaaa," when he's surprised, but I want more.
Replay-ability: There is very little replay-ability. There is nothing different that you could do that would prevent you from hitting the forest temple first, then the Goron Mines, and so on and so forth. You could probably do it faster, get items sooner, or finish searches faster. The earlier you have those items doesn't necessarily make the game any easier. However, now that I'm on the verge of completed Twilight Princess, I'd be tempted to get a Virtual Controller, download Ocarina of Time, and replay that one. So let's put it this way: immediate replay won't be very exciting, but if you let some time pass, the game play and puzzles will bring you back.
Wrap-Up: For as poor the graphics and sound compares to other next gen systems, the overall game play is second to none. As far as Wii games go, I rate this as one of best, especially since most Wii games are party games.
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