"Guitar Hero: Metallica" Official

As no surprise to anyone who doesn't reside under a rock, it has been made official that the next Guitar Hero installment will indeed be, "Guitar Hero: Metallica." Even the band's own website calls this "the worst kept secret in rock-n-roll." Rumblings began early last summer, around the time Activision was gearing up for the release of the Aerosmith edition.

As of now, the game should debut in the first quarter of 2009. Including 28 Metallica songs and over 20 guest acts, this will be a must have for any heavy metal fan. This will also be the first band-centric Guitar Hero to utilize all of the instruments of "GH: World Tour." The game even debuts a brand new Expert Plus difficulty mode, which features two bass drum kick pedals.

Some confirmed tracks thus far for the title include "Enter Sandman," "Master of Puppets," and "Wherever I May Roam." With over 50 million albums sold in the U.S. alone, this game is guaranteed to sell big.

Click Here to Watch the Game Trailer

Source: Metallica

Club Nintendo Reopens Its Doors

After a short hiatus, the Nintendo rewards service has reopened. Since its December 15th launch, the site had been plagued with reported login issues and other odd bugs. Users were frequently told that their username and password were incorrect, or would just get logged out while browsing the website's different sections. Fortunately, after a few days offline, all of the bugs seem to be gone.

You can now login or sign up and feel safe knowing your hard earned coins aren't going anywhere! That is unless you spend them.

Club Nintendo

Blackberry LIVE

I try to stay away from smart phones. When the singularity hits and artificial intelligence finally becomes self-aware, I don't want the first assault to come from my pants pocket. But for those of you with an Xbox Live account and a penchant for cozying up to the portable versions of your coming techno-overlords will be happy to know that Zumobi has released a mobile Xbox Live application for Blackberry phones. With it, you'll be able to view XBL Marketplace updates, watch video clips, and stalk your gamer friends by keeping an eye on their status.

It's like having a 360 in your pants! Except, you know, not as warm.

Source: BlackBerry News

Resident Evil 5 Compare-a-Demo

The fine folk(s)(?) at the-horror.com have posted a lengthy article comparing the graphics between the recently released (in Japan, anyway) Resident Evil 5 demos on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. I'll cut to the chase and tell you that it looks like the 360 comes out ahead. But, you should also know that these demos are probably based on different builds of the game, and the 360 version could just be a later build. Also, these comparisons were made using the component outputs of both systems, and according to the-horror.com, the PS3's component out isn't as sharp as the 360's in general. And even with these caveats, the differences here aren't all that noticeable to someone who doesn't obsess over the opacity of shadows. (Mark my words, "The Opacity of Shadows" will one day be the subtitle of a crappy Star Wars novel.)

Still, does anyone else find it odd that so few games seem to take advantage of the PS3's Area 51-caliber processing technology. There's enough power in that shiny black box to run a Borg cube, but aside from Metal Gear Solid 4 and LittleBigPlanet, I haven't seen a PS3 game truly outshine one on the more sluggish 360. Maybe it takes a twelve-digited Zeta Riticulan to figure out how to utilize that Cell processor. (Yes, I'm suggesting MGS4 and LBP were developed by extraterrestrials. In the case of MGS4, you'd be hard pressed to prove me wrong.)

Source: the-horror.com

Unwire Your 360

Is "unwire" a word? I'd say it is now, but I don't assume I have the power to shape the English language. Anyway, if you own an Xbox 360 and you aren't on Xbox Live, you might as well have a rusted Pinto up on blocks in your front yard, because you're obviously the kind of person who doesn't enjoy getting the full use out of things.

But if your TV is nowhere near your computer, you might have trouble running the thousands of feet of Ethernet cable necessary to traverse your palatial estate. You could make use of your wireless network, but at close to $100, Microsoft's official Xbox 360 wifi adapter is over half the price of a new Arcade system. Ridiculous.

Enter Popular Science, the magazine that always scored more chicks than its less popular cousin, Science Dork. In an online edition of their Cheap Tricks column (you see what they did there?), they lay out a bargain basement solution to create your own 360 wireless adapter out of an old wireless router. Just flash the firmware, replace it with the free DD-WRT software, and you've avoided forking over a c-note to Bill Gates. If you happen to have a DD-WRT-compatible router lying around, this will be totally free. If not, you can always order a cheap used one online.

If you can't find a wireless router for under $30, though, there's another solution Popular Science doesn't mention. Buy this wireless access point/repeater, set it to your network's I.P. address, and it'll work just like the official Microsoft adapter. Don't say I never did nothin' for ya.

Source: Popular Science

NBA 2K9 Review

NBA 2K9 is simply stuntastic. It's the closest any basketball game has come to perfection and its competition knows it. That being said, it's not without its flaws.

The most enjoyable aspect of playing 2K9 is the way the it looks. To get the full effect though, you need an HD TV. It doesn’t matter if it’s 720p or 1080p because both are visually glorious. The reflections of the lights on the hardwood floors of the NBA arenas are just unreal. The player’s faces and even their tattoos are spot on for the most part.

Naturally, there are some players that defy the realistic trend and look absolutely crazy. The only problem with the graphics (and I think this is primarily on PS3) is that players seem to have ghosting white lines around them. I understand that the white are representing the lighting from the arena, but it just looks unusual. Also there are times when the center court logos for different teams look blurry at certain points, but these are minute issues.

One aspect of the NBA 2K franchise that tends to fall behind is the commentary. This year Kevin Harlan is back, but with Clark Kellogg instead of Kenny Smith. There are some points at which Kevin Harlan’s commentary is very accurate and his enthusiasm matches the plays. Sadly, there are also moments when Kevin and Clark are absolutely off.

Read the full review here...

After playing a few games, you will hear all of the key stats about certain players and teams repeated so often that you can just about memorize them. For some reason, 2K just can’t get their commentary to match the high quality of NBA Live. However, this is probably the only significant weakness in NBA 2K9.

The animations in 2K9 are what make this game insane. Since arriving on current gen systems, NBA 2K has had signature jump shot animations for almost ever NBA player. All the Superstars, Stars and bench warmers have their own signature jump shot. The cover athlete for the game, Kevin Garnett, was motion captured to have his own shot duplicated for the game. Most of the other animations are imitated by motion capture artists.

A few discrepancies naturally arise such as Allen Iverson’s signature jump shot which, in 2K9, is just nowhere near his real life formt. In fact, Iverson’s default jump shot looks more like that of Timberwolves player Al Jefferson. Thankfully, 2K9 gives you the option of editing players signature jump shot animations, which is a huge plus because you can give different players any type of jumper you deem fit for that player.

There are different sites that have dedicated sections just for user suggested signature jump shots for different players. There are some gamers that think that Kobe’s jumper is way off while some think it’s perfect. This area is a highly debated topic among dedicated NBA 2K9 gamers.

In fact, the debates are so heated that it has been suggested by the 2K9 community that 2K sports should institute three jump shot animation points to remedy the problem of jumper inaccuracy. One point should be a standstill position, the second would be for stepping into, and the third would be a jump shot of the dribble. Customizing each phase of the jump shot should help calm the cries of angry fans.

Along with signature jump shot animations the 2K series has signature Dunk Packages. This has been in the 2K series since its jump to the next gen, but this year they have added packages for more than just dunks.

This year contains signature layup animations for Steve Nash, Chris Paul, and Tony Parker. They also added in signature moves for Rajon Rondo’s “show and go move “and Jamal Crawford’s “behind the back crossover move.” I guess the developers have a soft spot for Rondo and Crawford, because to me, they aren’t superstar players. Do they really deserve to have their own signature moves? Kobe and Lebron have their own signature Dunk packages, but they should have their own signature way of dribbling and making layups.

Most likely this is just the beginning of having signature moves for all players. Matching real life signature moves for all players is a tall order for developers, but is becoming more of a reality with every iteration of the 2K series.

Another addition to 2K9 is the chance for real time injuries. During the course of playing 2K9, I have seen players get injured by everything from awkward landings to hard fouls. In all there are three different degrees to the pain of injuries. With 1^st degree injuries, you can walk off the court on your own. Second degree injuries require help from a teammate. Third degree injuries demand two teammates carry you off of the court because you’re in so much pain. The way the players grimace during these injuries makes you sort of feel for them because of their realistic facial expressions.

Most injuries in 2K9 are direct correlations to fouls. The in-game foul animations have greatly improved in comparison to 2K8. When you foul somebody using the turbo, you really get your money’s worth. While committing a hard foul, the player who committed the foul will often hover over the opposing player talking trash. The player who was fouled in result, depending on their Emotion attribute, will either walk away from the confrontation or push the player back to stand up for themselves.

Also new to 2K9 is 2Kshare. This allows users to upload rosters, sliders, and highlight reels onto the 2Kshare server to share with their fellow gamers. The 2Kshare system also incorporates another new feature called the 2K Insider. This is 2K’s response to NBA Live’s DNA system. The 2K Insider, is an individual hired by 2K to make real time trades, adjust different art aspects of the game, add Isomotion, and new dunk packages for certain players and adjust player ratings to mirror the real life NBA. The 2K insider has been up to date on the different trades that have happened this season, but he has drawn criticism because of the way he adjusts player’s attributes to match their real life production.

For example, Dwayne Wade at one point during the season had a couple of games where he had a lot of blocks. The 2K Insider deemed fit, to raise Wades, block rating all the way to 90. A 90 rating is near Dwight Howard’s rating for blocks. This also ties into the fact, that for the first time in NBA 2K history there are multiple players who are rated 99, the highest rating a player can have. Lebron, Kobe, Chris, Paul, and Kevin Garnett are rated 99. Many players are all up in arms because of this but I guess they forget that you can change any players rating by adjusting their attributes.

But going back to the 2K share system, you have the option to not allow the 2K Insider to automatically download his rosters to your system. You can turn off the automatic 2K Insider downloads and make adjustments the old fashioned way by yourself or by downloading the roster changes from the many users who upload their own sliders and rosters on 2Kshare.

The Sliders of NBA 2K9 generally decide how you want to play the game. There are different sites that have a wide selection of user created sliders for the certain type of gamer you are. Using the 2KShare feature makes trying out different user sliders easy. It’s just a simple download whereas in years past you had to manually change the sliders yourself to match a particular user's. Also keep in mind that while the sliders are an integral part of the game, your experience is mostly defined by your own skill level, the number of minutes you play, and the difficulty level.

Another important feature of 2K9 is the AI. Suffice it to say that the AI in 2K9 is the best basketball AI to date. In years past, the simple act of pick n rolls would cause an assortment of matchup problems. When a Power Forward or Center would switch on the point guard, you were left stuck in this position.

In 2K9, getting stuck is almost a non-factor. If a PF switches on a point guard and his guard or small forward teammate is near him, the guard or small forward will quickly switch with the PF or Center to put their defense in a better position to stop the offense. Also in years past, if Shaq switched onto Allen Iverson, Shaq could actually defend Iverson on Isolation. This year, this is nonexistent. If Shaq tries to defend Iverson, he will blow past him before Shaq even moves. Also, players who are great at blocking shots such as Dwight Howard, will actually go for blocks rather than taking a charge like players such as Shane Battier. In previous NBA 2K titles players would not play like their real life counterparts whereas in 2K9 they are one in the same.

If playing against the Cavs, Lebron James will embarrass your entire team. In 2K8 Lebron barely took any shots whereas in 2K9 you have to double team him in order to stop him from scoring. The AI works to get open shots for the right players when facing double teams. If you double someone like Lebron, he will make the correct pass to ensure the right player gets the open shot. These examples, seem like common sense to any fan of the NBA, but no basketball game AI has ever gotten these simple facets correct until NBA 2K9.

The online feature of this game is way better than in years past. This year you can have “player lock” for 5 on 5 games online. This is a new feature, which allows you to control one player. You can set picks, grab opposing player’s jerseys to impede their progress, post up, and nudge players on defense. These new added controls make for interesting experiences while controlling just one player.

Players are randomly assigned players on the 5 on 5 online games, which is fair, because if people had the choice everyone would pick Lebron James rather than playing with Ben Wallace. While waiting for others to join a game, you get to shoot around in an arena with an NBA player. I really haven’t messed with the online feature much, but it seems to be that PS3 users are tending to have more problems than their 360 brethren.

The rest of the game is pretty much standard. There are 5 difficulty levels: Hall of Fame, Superstar, All Star, Pro, and Rookie. There is an outdoor Blacktop mode where you can play a game of 21, one on one and two on two. Along with this Blacktop Mode, they have semi All-Star game contests like the 3 Point Shootout and Dunk Contest.

To help master the Dunk Contest, you have the Dunk School. This feature shows you the different button combinations that will help you pull of a wide assortment of dunks which can be unlocked and used in the regular game modes.

Ultimately there’s a lot to say about NBA 2K9. It does so many things and manages to do most of them well. 2K9 leads the way in basketball video games and (thanks to its rabid fan base) looks to get even better in the future.

The Game:

NBA 2K9 is the ultimate NBA sim. The game is too much fun to play. You will cry when you have to stop playing because of bodily functions or having to go to work. (8/10)

The Time:

Well there aren’t really any levels per say on this game. I can say that 8 hours can fly by when playing. There are unlockables in this game, such as scoring 40 points with Kobe Bryant vs. the Phoenix Suns or any type of rivalry games between certain teams will unlock in game trophies. These unlockables probably can take up to 2 weeks to accomplish. (6/10)

The Verdict: This game has the stupid juice and the dope moves. It’s very fun whether playing against a human or against the computer. The unreal animations in this game and the improved A.I. will always result in a fun experience. This is the best basketball game ever, but it’s not perfect. In the end, any fan of basketball from high school to the NBA will love this game.

Left 4 Dead 4 Ever

Because Valve is one of the greatest video game studios around, it's no surprise to learn that their zombie-killing, friendship-forging, blood-gorging multiplayer masterpiece Left 4 Dead is getting some downloadable content soon. Still good to hear, though. Makes me all tingly.

According to Valve writer Chet Faliszek, the first batch of DLC will arrive simultaneously for both the Xbox 360 and PC versions of the game. A quick background check on Mr. Faliszek doesn't turn up anything on his being a notorious liar, so I'll take him at his word. In addition to new scenarios, the update will include versus modes for the Dead Air and Death Toll campaigns. No more forcing you to play nice now, jerk.

I'm sorry. Please don't shoot me and/or eat my brains.

Still uncertain is whether the DLC will be free. Valve traditionally gives its PC gamers DLC compliments of the chef, but word is that Microsoft isn't so keen on just giving valuable content away on the 360. Hence the freebiness of the offical Subway Sandwich Restaurant™ dashboard theme.

Source: Shacknews

Cry On Cries On

From 1up.com comes word that AQ Interactive has canceled the formerly upcoming Xbox 360 exclusive RPG Cry On. Developed by Mistwalker, Cry On was created by Final Fantasy mastermind Hironobu Sakaguchi and would have been his third Xbox 360 exclusive behind Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey.

This probably comes as a blow to all of you looking to save the world from some evil something or other while controlling a party of ragtag adventurers who are almost as deadly as they are cute. I love Sakaguchi's Final Fantasy games like nobody's business (seriously, it's none of your business) and I've just completed final construction on my papier-mâché Chrono Trigger shrine, Blue Dragon just felt like creative bankruptcy. So much so that I didn't even give Lost Odyssey a chance. With the RPG mantle passed to companies like BioWare and Bethesda, Sakaguchi's old-school Japanese style seems a little dated.

Yes, that's sad. But the silver lining here is that the title "Cry On" is now available for some emo band's next album. Any of them will do.

Source: 1up.com

Your PS3 Ate My 360

Is this a metaphor for the current generation console wars? The mysterious modder behind N8bog.com has used his impressive skills with sharp instruments and spending a lot of time at home to create the world's first and (so far) only PS360. It's all the guts of an Xbox 360 crammed into the gaping maw of a PS3, and it actually works.

As far as the metaphor goes, you may be thinking the PS360 represents the opposite of reality, since instead of munching on Microsoft, Sony has been struggling to keep up while still losing money on every PS3 sold. But I prefer to see the PS360 as an emblem of the fact that on the inside, every PS3 really wants to be a 360.

Or maybe not. I do love my 360, but it's a replacement for a replacement for a replacement. With every red ring of death, it loses just a little bit of its soul. Fortunately, the PS360 doesn't have red rings (or any rings, for that matter), and it's up for auction on eBay. As of now, the high bid is $207.50, which is about a quarter of what I got for every Wii I stole purchased from my local Gamestop last Christmas.

Source: N8bog.com

Mario Phones Home

“It’s a me, Marketing!”

Nintendo has a lot of things going for it. Well, mainly two things, the Wii and the DS.

Since its release, the Wii (aka Money Printer) has seen some stellar sales figures, at times outselling the PS3, Xbox 360, and PSP combined.

While many consider the Wii the most coveted item since Goosebumps books, Nintendo’s DS Lite handheld has been raking in literal boat loads of cash since its release. With the US release of the DSi on the horizon, it’s no surprise to see the Big N trying to exhaust its warehouses full of DS systems.

To help convince your friends and family that a DS is the ultimate gift for the holidays, Nintendo has put together a clever marketing scheme. By logging on to their Mario Wish List site, you can have Mario place a call to the gift givers in your life and explain several things.

For starters Mario (Charles Martinet in all of his Italian stereotype glory) will call your person of choice and let them know he is calling on your behalf. He will then tell them what color DS you would like and up to three Nintendo first-party titles, complete with some funny references to each game.

There are a few things to do with this feature such as labeling the person being called. You can have Mario refer to them as a parent, friend, or my personal favorite, love bunny. You can also select from a few things you would consider an undesirable gift, such as a pair of socks, and Mario will work that into his routine as well.

This marketing tactic will likely go down as a fun gimmick more than a sales driving concept. However, comparing it to other “have Samuel L. Jackson call your friends and tell them to watch Snakes on a Plane” ideas, I’d have to say that this one works rather well.

At the end of the day it’s all about calling your buddy Skeeter and having Mario refer to him as your love bunny, and that’s okay. When asked how he felt about the service, Mario stated: “With a Nintendo, ev-e-rybody wins! Wahoo! Let’s a go!” From there the interview ceased and we proceeded to have a fun filled evening of golf, tennis, and kart racing.

Top 5 Games of 2008

2008 has been a fantastic year for video games and 2009 is loaded to the gills with potential. To commemorate such a nerd pleasing year, each of the One Life contributors would like to break down their personal"Top 5 Favorite Games of 2008". Don't let us do all the talking though. Be sure to let us know what games kept your thumbs (or pointer fingers for you PC nerds) busy this year.

Adam Ballard

5. Patapon (PSP)
While 2008 was a great year for games in general, the PSP wasn't exactly the bell of the ball. In fact, there seemed to be a software drought for the system. All of this lackluster pressure managed to forge a few diamonds though, one of which was Patapon. Part rhythm game and part RTS, Patapon is a stellar handheld offering. It's got amazing an amazing art style, an addictive soundtrack, and is ridiculously fun to play. Patapon is easy to pick up and get into, yet also offers in-depth customization of your minions. Marching into enemy territory to murder and pillage has never been this adorable (and catchy).

4. Dead Space (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
As a long time survivor-horror fan, it takes a lot to make me turn the lights on during a scary game. Mowing down zombies with a shotgun has become about as frightening as jumping on a goomba these days, so what's a cat gotta do to get his freak (as in frighten) on? EA Redwood Shores hit the nail on the head with their outer space survival horror title Dead Space. What makes Dead Space so frightening isn't just the grotesque amount of gore and walking abominations (which are aplenty), but the overall atmosphere of the game. Enemies come at you from all types of dark places, vents, and corridors and Dead Space does a great job of timing its scares. Also, gone is the tried and true head shot kill for enemies. Taking away such a fundamental law in video game rules is just one of many ways that Dead Space will have you playing in a well lit room with Disney's The Lion King playing on a separate TV. What? It calms me down.


3. Mega Man 9 (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)
In an age of quick saves and infinite continues, it takes a game like Mega Man 9 to put you in your place. Built from the ground up with 8-bit bricks, Mega Man 9 is an homage of the NES' early Mega Man titles. The level design, enemy patterns, and boss fights are all in top form for the series. There's a good feeling that comes with beating any video game but Mega Man 9's insane difficulty makes conquering it a truly significant feat. To put it lightly, you'll feel like Andy Dufresne exiting Shawshank after besting Dr. Wily this go round.

2. Little Big Planet (PS3)
There's just something that can't be ignored about simple pleasure video games. While Mass Effect might offer a choice related story ala branching dialog, is that any more fun than playing Super Mario 3? Rejoice believers, for a new super fun simpleton has been born in the form of Little Big Planet for the PS3. LBP is all about navigating your Sack Boy (or Girl) through stages featuring larger than life everyday environments. The gameplay is simple, but based on a very intuitive physics engine that allows for creativity in clearing the stages. Also, players can access level design tools to create their own stages and challenges. While this "create a level" concept could easily have been a terrible montage of poorly re-constructed Battletoad's levels, the LBP developers have made a decent working rating system to keep well designed stages easily accessible. Working together with others to accomplish a goal doesn't reinvent the video game wheel by any means, but this "wheel" is used in such an approachable fashion that's it an attractive wheel nonetheless. Kind of like TI's (or TIPS's) 24s.

1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3)
To me, MGS4 represents brilliance in gaming. The story of Solid Snake has lasted two decades and the idea of it finally ending was a tough pill to swallow. Suffice it to say that Hideo Kojima and company not only finished up all the loose ends of the story, but they did it as respectfully to the series (and fans) as possible. Combining the solid gameplay, its cutting edge presentation, and Mr. Kojima's unrivaled direction, gives you a game for the ages. Imagine if every Star Wars film had gotten progressively better like the jump between Episode IV and V. That's the caliber of game MGS 4 is. While Kojima and crew are already hinting at another MGS "project", I tip my hat to them for even attempting to overcome the industry high bar that they have set with Guns of the Patriots.

Brian Thompson

5. Professor Layton and the Curious Village (DS)
This one took me by surprise. When it comes to the DS, I fully expected my portable world to be rocked by the remake of Final Fantasy IV, which is one of my favorite games of all time. But after dying for the thousandth time fighting some monster I could beat blindfolded when I was twelve, I realized some of the shine was gone. It may be technically impressive to replace colorful 16-bit sprites with pastel polygons, but it's also charm sucking. So, I played Professor Layton on a whim. I'm a sucker for French animation (kneel before my masculinity!), but I kind of hate puzzles. Somehow, though, strolling through a quaint little town solving crime and figuring out how to get all you sheep across a river without them being eaten by wolves is a recipe for success! There are a few games that engrossed me, frustrated me, or rewarded me more than Professor Layton this year. And by "few", of course, I mean "four."

4. Prince of Persia (PS3, Xbox 360)
You can read my review on this very site, but suffice it to say that Prince of Persia is the best platformer of this console generation. The meticulous art direction, flowing graphics, and cinematic score only serve to heighten the old fashioned fun of leaping and lunging from ledge to ledge. Plus, the combat is the bee's knees. I didn't touch on this in my review, but a lot of people have been deriding the prince in this game and praising his magical female companion Elika. While Elika's powers add a dose of fantastic to the game without ever getting in the way, she's really nothing different from the other soulful, headstrong female characters we've come to expect from any game written with a modicum of intelligence. And while the new prince isn't the kind of serious, mission-focused destiny monger of games past, he's definitely not just a dumb surfer dude as some other reviewers have lamented. He's a lovable rogue in the tradition of Han Solo or that crackhead who digs through my garbage and jokes around with me most mornings. Gotta love that guy. Even though he's kind of a dolt.

3. Fable II (Xbox 360)
Sure, I was a little disappointed in Fable II, but who couldn't be after Peter Molyneux promised it would do everything short of curing cancer and bringing your dead puppy back to life? (I miss you Mr. Paws...) But even though he didn't deliver the Greatest Game of This or Any Age, Fable II is still an immersive action RPG with a simple and addictive combat system, hilarious writing, Dickens meets The Brothers Grimm art design, and enough nooks and crannies to keep you going well beyond the admittedly short main quest line. Favorite moment? Earning admission into the Brotherhood of Shadows by eating a handful of baby chicks. A lesser game would have watered down the fun by forcing you to go on a menial fetch quest for the fluffy little avians, but Mr. Molyneux and crew simply add them to your inventory and let you crunch away while a seemingly evil door guard gags in disgust. This is called fun people.

2. Grand Theft Auto IV (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
The only thing keeping Grand Theft Auto IV from the top of my list is the burden of comparison. This game looks and plays as well or better than any other. The new cover system adds a layer of fun missing from all the previous games' shootouts. The driving (which takes some getting used to) is fluid and tight. The missions never seem repetitive, cheap, or anything less than gripping. The characters and story are enough reason to play, and the multiplayer is fun enough to tack on another hundred or more hours for those of us with a high tolerance for emotionally stunted racists with headsets and Xbox Live accounts. But after flying around San Andreas on a jet pack, wearing a clown wig and Uziing ice cream trucks, even the deepest details of faux-realistic Liberty City come off a bit duller than they should.

1. Fallout 3 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
I enjoyed the previous two Fallout games on PC, but I was never a fanatic like some others. They're hilarious and a lot of fun to play, but they're also painfully slow, and the mechanics of a top-down PC RPG have always been a bit clunky. On the other hand, I am obsessive about The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. I've played and replayed and wandered around Cyrodil so much that at times I start thinking about reality in terms of Oblivion. Did you know if you murder a random person on the street, you don't have to options to pay a fine, go to jail, or resist arrest? Well, you have to of those options. Anyway, Fallout 3 has been described as Oblivion with guns. In other words, holy crap. But the best part about Fallout 3--even better than the bloody and hilarious combat, the beautifully desolate post-nuclear Washington, D.C., and the swinging soundtrack--is the simple fact that this is possibly the closest to a hobo simulator we're ever likely to see. A lot of time is spent wandering the wasteland digging through garbage bins and bombed out houses looking for food and junk to sell. And in these trying economic times, it couldn't hurt to learn a bit of the hobo code. Now if only there were a suit of armor consisting entirely of an old pickle barrel with shoulder straps...

Jason Leavey

5. Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (PS3, Xbox 360)
Growing up on all of the Super Street Fighter II games, I felt abandoned when Super Street Fighter III debuted. It felt so unnatural to, so wrong, like Christmas in July. But luckily for me, Capcom came to realize that when you have a great formula, sometimes it's best to just reuse it as much as possible. Taking an incredible fighting game from the nineties, and updating it with HD Graphics, remixed music, and an improved control scheme helped make this one of the best games of the year.

4. Wii Fit (Wii)
I'll be the first to admit that the game only ranks high because it's half game, half peripheral. But what an incredible peripheral it is. In all of my experiences, it really works perfectly. The yoga and strength training exercises are responsive and really give you a workout. But for me, what it comes down to are the balance games. I could easily head soccer balls all day on Wii Fit.

3. No More Heroes (Wii)
This is one of the few games where I wasn't constantly punching the A button to skip through the story. And Travis Touchdown might be the coolest new character I've seen in a long time. Overall, everything about the game was extremely fun and the sequel can't come soon enough.

2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
Despite the broad criticism of the Subspace Emissary, I thought it was extremely enjoyable. Having an all-star lineup of characters to defeat a common foe was epic and masterfully executed. Plus the new characters, Wi-Fi multiplayer, and traditional melee modes are top notch.

1. Mario Kart (Wii)
If you were to tell me there would be a day where Mario Kart would use motion controls, I would have slapped you across he face and asked you not to get my hope up. Because nothing could possibly be cooler. Well, in 2008, Nintendo pulled it off and it was incredible. Mario Kart Wii featured double the courses of the previous installment, a boat load of characters, online tournaments, Wi-Fi racing and battle modes, and a new trick system. All of these factors help to make Mario Kart Wii the best installment in the franchise and the best game of 2008.

Club Nintendo: Overview

Finally, North America Joins the Club

North American gamers are generally spoiled when it comes to release dates, as we always seem to get products first, or close to it. But Nintendo burst that bubble when years went by with no Club Nintendo in our sights. Finally, after Japan, Europe, Australia and even South Africa, Club Nintendo opened its doors to North America.

Most North American gamers probably hadn’t heard of Club Nintendo until somewhat recently, but you should thank the hardcore Nintendo fanatics that constantly begged and pleaded for the service. It really is because of strong fan reaction that we have the service in the first place. Club Nintendo started in Japan as a reward system for those consumers loyal to the Nintendo brand. Members are rewarded “Stars,” in Japan or “Coins” in North America, that you use to purchase “Rewards.”

Before any coins can be earned, you must create a Club Nintendo account on Nintendo.com. Luckily, if you previously had a “My Nintendo” account, you can easily sign in and your information will not need to be reentered. If not, signing up is easy and only takes a few minutes. Once you’re ready, it’s time to beginning earning some coins. Earning coins can be done in three ways:

* Register a Wii or Nintendo DS game and complete a quick survey.
* Indicate your intent to buy a game and you'll earn 10 extra Coins after you buy it, register it and complete the survey.
* Register a Nintendo game and complete a quick survey within 4 weeks of its launch and earn an additional 10 Coins!

Coins are unfortunately not given based on how many products you register, but how many surveys you take based on those products. Luckily these surveys are quick and easy to do. Now you can begin registering some of your Nintendo products, which is simply done by entering the PIN or Serial Number given with your software or hardware.

Once you register the product onto Club Nintendo, a survey will pop up in the “To-Do” section on the main page. By clicking on the survey, you’ll answer less than 10 questions about your purchase. As of now, the surveys are the same exact questions for any product you register. After you have completed the survey, you will see your Current Balance with a newly deposited amount of coins. Members are rewarded coins in different amounts, based on what type of product you registered.

The breakdown is as follows:

* Wii games = 50 Coins
* Nintendo DS games = 30 Coins
* Wii Shop Channel games/Wii Channels = 10 Coins


By filling out surveys, indicating your intent to buy a game, and filling out surveys close to the title’s release date, Club Nintendo gives you plenty of opportunities to increase your Coin Balance. However your Coin Balance isn’t just important for purchasing Rewards. Club Nintendo members can gain “Elite Status” by earning enough coins to hit one of the two benchmarks within a Club Nintendo year. The Club Nintendo year starts on July 1 and ends on June 30. A Gold Status is achieved by having 300 or more coins. A Platinum Status is achieved by having 600 or more coins. Members who hit either of these benchmarks by the end of the Club Nintendo year will be given a special reward. In Japan, such rewards have included a Super Mario Galaxy OST, or a new Super Famicom controller developed for use on the Wii.

The Glorious Super Famicom Wii Controller & Super Mario Galaxy OST

At any time, you are able to view what Rewards you can redeem with your coins, but special gift rewards given to Gold and Platinum members are kept secret. Currently, the Rewards selection is small and includes Nintendo themed playing cards for 500 coins, a Nintendo DS Game Rack for 600 coins, and an exclusive Club Nintendo DS title, “Game & Watch Collection,” for 800 coins. Out of the 11 rewards currently available, only 4 are less than 600 points, which is a little surprising. I’m fairly confident however that the Reward section will update several times each Club Nintendo year, with array of great prizes.

The Club Nintendo website is less than a week old, and some kinks are to be expected. However the launch was more of a catastrophe, plagued with login errors, registration trouble, coin misinformation displayed and so on. As of now, the website seems to be running much better, as traffic has inevitably died down since launch, but it’s still not perfect.

I’m still continuously being logged off or told my username/ password isn’t correct. None of my WiiWare or Virtual Console titles had surveys to accompany them, many of which are first-party Nintendo titles. It’s unknown if Nintendo plans to go back and allow users to earn points on other past purchases, or if we are just looking to the future from here on out. It’s also unclear if you lose your Gold or Platinum status if you spend your hard-earned Coins. It would be awful to spend your Coins on a 600-point prize, at the expense of your Platinum status, and not getting that Special Reward at the end of the Club Nintendo year.

The website is setup nicely with tabs clearly indicating where to go to find what you’re looking for. But some information doesn’t seem to fit within those tabs. In order to view products you’ve registered that weren’t accompanied by surveys, you have to click on the “My Account Settings” tab, which seems pretty counter intuitive to the old My Nintendo page.

It’s not logical to review a service based off of a website’s debut. The site can only get better, and I’m sure the bugs are being worked on as we speak. For whatever the website lacks, the service makes up for with its free exclusive Rewards, available just for showing your devotion to Nintendo. As a fan, it is nice to get a little back from a company you give so much to. I’m fairly confident that Club Nintendo will continue to take care of us. As a company Nintendo might be stubborn, but they always come around in the end. So start buying, registering and surveying to get whatever Rewards you so desire. And let us all keep our fingers crossed for the day we might see the Super Famicom controller debut in North America, courtesy of Club Nintendo.

UPDATE: A response about whether your Gold or Platinum status goes away after spending your coins was given by Nintendo of America's Ryan Cardiff:

"Great question. Elite status is based on coins earned within the year, not remaining balance. So as long as you earn 600+ coins within the year, you will be eligible for the special reward. In the meantime, you are free to redeem your coins!"

So there you have it. Thanks Nintendo!

Prince of Persia Review

About halfway through Prince of Persia, I found myself standing on a platform that towered over the area below. A terrifyingly narrow little plank pointed from the edge. With nowhere to jump or run from its tip, I stepped out on it anyway. I just wanted to take in the scenery. And for that, the fine folks at Ubisoft Montreal awarded me an achievement. All I had to do was wiggle the right thumbstick. Aside from the time I earned the Irony achievement for just following by base sociopathic instincts in Bioshock, those were the easiest gamer points I ever scored.

And that about sums up the experience of playing Prince of Persia. The first thing you notice after firing it up is also its best feature. Namely, the thing is gorgeous. (Okay, if you're an Xbox owner like myself, the first thing you notice is that it hasn't red ringed your system. Unless it did. In which case, bummer.) I've seen the world "painterly" used to describe the games graphics. It skirts a line somewhere between the cartoonish cell shading of The Wind Waker and the grimy grays and browns of Grand Theft Auto IV. It's closest graphical cousin may be Okami, though considering how dismally that game sold on the Playstation 2 and Wii, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about. (Seriously Wii owners, you ignore a masterpiece like Okami and spend your hard earned cash air hula hooping? Have you had your frontal lobe scanned lately?) Anyway, PoP's colors do blend and merge like brushstrokes, but this isn't a static world you're presented with. Sure, the game looks great in photos, but it looks even better in motion. It's a world of rocks and vines and rickety wooden jungle gyms left to bake to a golden tan in the sun. There are towering Arabian spires and delicately tattered windmills. Also, balloons. I have a thing for balloons.


But there's no denying that PoP breaks one of the cardinal rules of gaming in that it doesn't really provide a challenge. This is where it will be maligned by a sizable chunk of gamers, and I can't say I blame them. The rumors are true: you can't die in this game. Your magical companion Elika will use her mojo to grasp your hand and pull you back from a free fall, and she'll use her shimmery fingers to knock an enemy across the room before it can deliver a killing blow. Of course, this isn't instant gratification. When pulled back from a rocky squish of doom, you might find yourself at a checkpoint dishearteningly far away from where you were when you took the plunge. And if you need your girlfriend's help to keep the scary monsters off of you, you'll trade your life for a refill of that scary monster's energy bar. But with patience and a modicum of skill, you'll always succeed. And you'll have a hot sorceress by your side while you do it.

So your enjoyment of PoP boils down to how much you're willing to invest in the experience. I loved running along walls, swinging off of poles, and flying across chasms in one fluid move. But in order to give you such fluid lines of acrobatic awesome, the controls have been simplified to something approaching rhythm game button pushing. If you jump towards a wall at an angle, you'll scurry along on autopilot until you lose your momentum or hit the jump botton. If you're climbing up a ledge and see a conveniently placed brass ring above you, one push of the B button will grasp the ring, propel you up, and keep you in motion for several feet. Given a long line of platforms, planks, poles, and other implements that begin with "P", you can conceivably bound across an entire area with only the occasional button tap.

But its this ease of use that also makes PoP such a breeze to soak in as entertainment. Fans of the series will definitely want to compare this outing to the famed Sands of Time, last generation's platforming masterpiece that wasn't just the high water mark for this series but for games in general. In Sands, it was all about meticulous jumps and giant environmental puzzles. But the new PoP is just a different game. Timing a leap or aiming for a pillar won't be that taxing, but in the meantime you'll be able to appreciate the beauty and the history of this world. And whenever you want to chat with Elika, she's just a trigger press away.


In the game mechanics department, there is one area where the new PoP has Sands beat. Combat this time around is more exhilarating than ever before. You won't face rooms full of undead sand soldiers. In fact, you won't face any enemies at all through most of the game. Your battles are always one-on-one against any of the four bosses enthralled by the evil god Ahriman, who's the central antagonist of the game. Like in the platforming segments, combat is all about timing and spacing your attacks rather than mashing buttons to rack up hits. It's sort of like the rhythm-based fighting in Assassin's Creed, though your move set and combo options are much broader here. You use one button for your sword, another for your spiny gauntlet, a third for acrobatics, and a fourth for Elika's magic attacks. These can be mixed and matched to different effects. And while it may sound limiting that all fights are mano-a-princo-a-magico-girlfriend...o(?) and ultimately in enclosed arenas, this actually adds to the immersion and tension of the fights. The camera doesn't have to worry about watching your back, so it can zoom in for dynamic angles unlike anything you'd expect from a simple platformer. Combat in PoP is almost like a fighting game, only with characters you care about and no sweaty friends throwing controllers at your head.

But combat isn't the focus of this game. When you defeat one of the bosses, a fertile ground is healed and an area is cleared. This means that Elika washes away the evil stink and glowing blue orbs called light seeds spring up all over the place. You'll have to hop and swing all over the area to collect the seeds and unlock new magical powers that you and Elika can use to access other territories. This can mean backtracking through a newly beautified area you've already explored or going off on your own jaunts. In essence, this is the tried and true collection mechanic you'll find in every 3-D platformer since Mario learned to butt stomp. But the beauty of the world and the excitement of the acrobatics on display as you flip and slide from light seed to light seed is what this game's all about. If you don't get it after the first few boss fights and fertile ground healings, you probably never will. And you've probably sold your soul. I just hope you traded it for some rocking guitar skills.

The Game

Prince of Persia is a classic. It's no Sands of Time, but it isn't trying to be. This is a new story with new characters in a new world with a new look and focus. Let's hope the solid foundation built here isn't squandered in the inevitable sequel. If the thief/prince from this game sports a greasy mullet and rocks out to Nickelback in part two, I'm going to have words with some of the cheese-eating Quebecois responsible. (8.5/10)

The Time

The whole game will last you 10-15 hours if you stop to smell the light seeds (oddly, they smell of cumin). But if you love it like I did, you'll want to play through again and again. Plus, Ubisoft promises downloadable expansions of some sort in the future. It's a decent time investment, but the structure of the stages allows you to pick it up, play as much as you want, and save anywhere you need. In short, you won't feel cheated in the value department, but it doesn't demand all night gaming sessions that dry your eyes and alienate your loved ones. (9/10)

The Verdict

The holiday season of 2008 will probably go down in history as the deathknell of giant end-of-year release jams. Since September, we've had Fable II, Fallout 3, Gears of War 2, and countless other huge profile games raiding our wallets. Reportedly, titles like Dead Space and Mirror's Edge got lost in the vortex and will end up costing EA a pretty penny. And if the sudden and swift price cut of Prince of Persia is any indication, sales for this wonderful game may have been a little soft as well. If you've been hesitant to sell your first borns for this game, I'm here to tell you to go ahead and put little Billy on the black market. If you're willing to put down the chainsaw guns and molotov cocktails and slip into something more fantastical for a while, you won't regret picking up Prince of Persia.

Playstation Home: First Impressions

Welcome Home?

After it was unveiled in early 2007, many wondered what Playstation Home would offer gamers, and how the service would impact the appeal of the Playstation 3.


Sure customizable avatars were a given, but what other features would it bring to make us want to play and explore in a networked environment? Finally, after nearly two years of waiting, Home beta has debuted.

Before you can roam like a nomad through your virtual paradise, you will begin by creating your personal avatar, naturally by altering the usual facial and body specs. Clothing choices are few and far between, but you are able to purchase additional choices later. After your avatar is complete, you are then welcomed to your apartment, which starts as a pretty empty and basic pad. Luckily, you can purchase additional items to compliment your taste, which I will discuss later.

Unfortunately, I already noticed a bug in Home where I got stuck within the glass doorway outside of my apartment. I was only able to move repeatedly in a circular motion, as if blindfolded like a piñata awaiting its impending bashing. I was forced to access the main Start menu in order to spare myself from a continuous nauseating torture.

The Home "Central Plaza"

The Home setup is essentially a virtual playground of different areas to explore, while being able to interact with other Playstation Network users. After leaving your apartment, you enter The Central Plaza, which basically serves as your main hub world. You can approach the real users’ avatars as they roam around, voice or text chat with them, and can even hear them speaking over their microphone headsets when you’re nearby. From here, you are free to wander around, talk with people, or visit some of the surrounding areas within the plaza.

The Central Plaza hub world is somewhat large and can be tiresome to walk through. Luckily, at any time you can access the Main Menu by pressing the start button, where you can shortcut key your way to any location without having to walk there. You also have immediate access to your wardrobe for a quick clothing change.

Another area to explore is a beautiful two-story Mall. The Mall includes shops such as "Threads," a place to update your avatar's lackluster wardrobe. A lot of clothing options are marked as "coming soon" but at least there's potential.

My biggest gripe is that like in “Second Life” you actually have to spend money on your digital threads. I'm pretty sure my avatar doesn't need a new $0.49 hoodie at this point, but I could be wrong.

They also have a furniture store within the Mall, where you can buy furnishings and accessories for your pad. Perhaps you want to splurge on a new Summer House Armchair for $0.99? A lot of the other stores are more of a "coming soon" ad for what’s to come, which is promising.
What is extremely cool about the upper level of the Mall is the big screen TV, which streams Pulse, a video presentation of The Playstation Network. The video is essentially a run down of all things Playstation, including games, TV and Blu-Ray releases. The big screen element really makes you feel like your avatar is a true representation of yourself, where you and a bunch of the Playstation avatars crowd around and actually watch what is on the screen. It's a really neat element that is explored further in the area called Home Theatre.

Currently, the only thing to view in the theatre, at least while I visited, was a trailer for the motion picture “Twilight,” which wasn't anything groundbreaking.

It may low on content now, but I can see the Theatre becoming a great way for Sony to share exclusive news and information about upcoming titles.

The next area, The Bowling Alley, was the most crowded area amongst the avatars and where I spent most of my time. There, you are able to play several arcade games, shoot some virtual pool and of course bowl. Being able to walk up and bowl or play pool with other Home users is a really cool feature, especially for free.

What makes the Bowling Alley somewhat lifelike, or annoying, is that the occasional microphone equipped teenager will scream and generally be obnoxious for all to hear, similar to a crowd at a real bowling alley. Luckily, if you walk far enough away you can't hear them anymore.

What I don't really understand about the Bowling Alley is that there are only five lanes, which for me meant not ever being able to play because they were always occupied. I attempted about a half dozen times, but to no avail. I'm not sure why there aren't infinite lanes open, but again, Home is only in beta and things will probably improve.

Overall, my impressions of Home do leave me a bit underwhelmed. It has great potential to be a feature that could draw gamers in. I think the key is having more to do within the environments and more interactivity between the users. Home should strive to be more of a virtual theme park, rather than a virtual museum.

I would be thrilled to have Home act as my Playstation’s start up menu, where when I start up my PS3 game or Blu-Ray disc, I feel like I'm in a virtual world. Maybe people on my friends list see what I’m watching, and opt to join in watching with me. Again, just ideas, but I see potential for Home which is exciting. And in all honesty, there's no reason for Sony not take big risks and try new things to increase hardware sales if nothing else. But at this point, this is not a service that will get anyone to go out and buy the system.

If Blu-Ray hasn't been a surefire selling point for the PS3, Home certainly will not be.



Jason Leavey

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix OST Breakdown

Rock out with your hadouken out.

To keep fans happy until Street Fighter IV’s February '09 release, Capcom has unleashed Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (HD Remix for short). HD Remix is a graphically revamped version of Capcom’s legendary Super Street Fighter II Turbo.

Capcom’s artist went back and redrew every sprite of Super Street Fighter II Turbo giving the game a much smoother, vibrant animation layout. Each of the game’s environments also received a graphical facelift. In a nutshell, HD Remix is the exact same game as Super Street Fighter II Turbo, but with sprites and environments displayed in full 1080p glory.

(Left) Ken Masters from the original SSFII Turbo

(Right) Ken Masters from HD Remix

However, the graphics are not the only aspect of HD Remix that was updated. HD Remix features a top notch remixed soundtrack. What’s so cool about the new soundtrack is that Capcom turned HD Remix’s music over to the fans at OverClocked Remix (ocremix.com).

OC Remix is an online community dedicated to remixing all manner of video game music. While this may sound like “Nerds Gone Wild” in theory, the fine folks as OC ReMix are good at what they do. Entries were submitted for each of HD Remix’s tracks, and the best of the best made the final cut.

If you’re a fan of Street Fighter music, or of video game music in general, check out what OC ReMix has to offer by clicking here.

Also, the entire Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix soundtrack is freely available for download (in flac or mp3 format) by clicking here. Be warned though, you may find yourself in an exercise montage while listening.

Wario Land: Shake It! Review

(Insert Polaroid joke here.)
by Adam

As far as side characters go, you've got to tip your hat to Wario. The man has come from humble beginnings as a game boy antagonist, and now has successful platforming and party game franchises under his belt. The Wario games are well known for their quirky characters, which often rival Mario's lineup in absurdity.

With his accomplishments recognized, I'm proud to say that Wario's 2-D sidescroller legacy continues in top form as Wario-Land: Shake It for Wii.

Shake It starts out in an anime cut scene that explains how the Evil Shake King has kidnapped the Shake Dimension's Queen Merelda and stolen the kingdom's infinite coin bag.

These events throws the Shake Dimension all out of whack and its inhabitants know they need help fast.

Luckily for them (I suppose), a pirate named Captain Maple has stolen an artifact that will allow her to access the Shake Dimension. Maple plans on claiming the infinite coin bag for herself, but doesn't feel like doing the work. She tells Wario of the kidnapped queen and the infinite coin bag, knowing he would want to help.

In true Wario fashion, our yellow and purple clad anti-hero agrees to help, but could care less about saving a princess. To Wario, it's all about that infinite coin bag.

Once the exposition has passed, it's time to play. Wario must traverse five continents, finding an artifact in each that will reveal the Shake King's stronghold. Each continent has four levels standard, with a few hidden ones that can be unlocked. Each stage contains various treasures to be found, and defeating a continent's boss will reward you with an artifact needed to access the Shake King.

To conquer each continent and find all the treasure, it's up to you the player and your trust Wii remote. The game plays ala classic NES style with the Wii remote turned sideways. Pressing the one button makes Wario dash (through walls and other object), and the two button makes him jump.

Being a Wii game, Shake It has several motion based moves available as well. Shaking the remote up and down will cause Wario to smash his fist into the ground, which has numerous effects on level environments.

Picking up an enemy and pressing the one button will initiate a throwing sequence. Simply press and hold the one button with an enemy in hand and tilt the Wii remote. An arrow will be displayed that matches the angle you are tilting your controller to, and you will fling the enemy in your desired direction upon releasing the one button.

And what would a game called Shake It be without shaking? Grab any stunned enemy and shake the controller like mad to receive coins or items. Shaking a coin bag will release an onslaught of shiny currency. Coins are an essential part of the game as you will need them to buy health items and maps to new levels.

Another move at your disposal is the classic (from the 3D era) Mario butt stomp. Pressing down on the d-pad and one in the air will initiate a butt stomp that can harm enemies and destroy weak floors. Holding down the buttons through a long fall will initiate an atmospheric burning effect on Wario's butt that will help get through the toughest of destructible floor sections.

You will need to use all of these moves in order to figure out Shake It's puzzles. You will have to throw enemies into switches, pound the ground to knock over loose set pieces, dash through certain walls, and butt stomp through certain floors. All of these concepts sound simple, but the developer's saw to it that critical thinking skills were required to one hundred percent Shake It's levels.

The ultimate objective of each stage is to rescue the Merfle (bird/elf creature) locked away by the Shake King. These Merfles use their power to give you access to each continent's boss. Freeing a Merfle from its cage at the end of each level will alert the Shake King. To escape his wrath, you have to race the clock and try to get back to the beginning of each stage.

The "escape scene" mechanism offers a great contrast to regular gameplay which can focus on exploring and puzzle solving. While racing the clock, it's all about speed. You will need to use any means necessary to dash, jump, and dive back to the beginning of the stage. While it may sound tedious, it actually allows you to go (gameplay-wise) from a traditional 2-D Mario experience to a more Sonic-esque speed-centric approach.

In all, you might think that five continents with six or so levels each would make a short game. If you play straight through the title, it will take a few solid sittings. However, the game has a challenging built in achievement system to keep you playing through levels. These level challenges can range from speed runs to not taking damage, and will push your skills to the limit.

I mentioned that the intro is told through an anime style cutscene, but let's talk about the in-game graphics. Shake It has a very unique art style that comes off as a mixture of cell shading and flash animation. The characters and environments are very colorful and look more cartoon like in their animation than a lot of Wario (and Mario) titles.

The enemy characters fit very well into the Wario universe. Everything from the lowliest of grunts, to the absurdest of bosses are colorful and interesting. Speaking of bosses, each one requires a different approach to take down, and ultimately serve as fun challenges. A quick word of warning about the bosses, be wary if you're of the "scared of clowns" variety.

In a nutshell, the game looks great and the look matches the game's whimsical cast. The only visual drawback is that the game doesn't support a 16x9 aspect ratio. The game is played in standard 4x3, with borders filling out the left over screen room on the left and right sides. The lack of 16x9 doesn't kill the experience, but it is annoying that such a fixable problem was not addressed.

Shake It also features a decent soundtrack. The music has a generic matching to the themes of each level (exploring an Egyptian-ish tomb yields Egyptian-ish music) but the tracks always manage to capitalize on the goofy nature of Wario.

On a sound related tangent, the game is ultimately devoid of any voice acting other than Charles Martinet's handful of "Waaaario's" and other one word sentences. Ultimately though, the game doesn't need a whole lot of useless banter, so the lack of voice acting could be said to strengthen the experience.

The Game:

Shake It is loads of fun. The bright colors will also reel in the not so hardcore gamers, like my wife, who really enjoyed it. The controls might seem like a recipe for Wii waggle blandness, but trust me they work. Fun levels plus fun characters plus fun controls equals a very fun game. (8 / 10)

The Time:

Wario's latest entry is ideal for the short on time gamer. Levels can be beat quickly, but completing level achievements will take time and dedication. All in all, if you've got time to play, you can feel comfortable investing it in Shake It! (8/10)

The Verdict

In closing, Shake It! is a great game for the busy nerd. As mentioned above, every level is beatable in an average sitting, but completing every level objective will keep you busy for a long time. The 4x3 will irk some folks (myself included) but that is quickly dismissed as you take control of Wario. With that, it's safe to say that the sheer fun of Wario Land: Shake It, will have you coming back for quite a while.