Monday, March 31, 2008

The Warped Zone by Vanilla Assassin

Hey, hey folks and welcome to another edition of The Warped Zone.
For those of you who know me, understand the warped part and it's also in reference to Super Mario Brothers.
I've recieved a few emails about my name, Vanilla Assassin. What does it mean? I was thinking of setting up a contest but i didn't because i don't have any prizes to give to the winner. So i'll just tell you what my name refers to. Super Mario World, Vanilla Dome. I've killed enemies there. So in my-style logic, i' m an assassin.

Now onto the meat and turnips.....

The Reggie man has said there will be a blockbuster announcement in the Nintendo world. What could this be? Will it be a new Zelda game? I doubt it. You don't want to release too may Zelda games too fast and create a bottleneck. You want the gamer to finish up the current game before feeding them a new one. Von Kaiser has mentioned a new Animal Crossing for the Wii or a totally new franchise. I know alot of AC'rs are dyin for a new version. The last AC was tossed at us back in 2005. We're due for a new one.

I recently purchased a copy of Barnyard Blast. What a great game. For those of you who are Catlevania fans, buy it. Great graphics, music, gameplay. Basically it's a parody of the Castlevania franchise. There are alot of funny spots in the game. Like when an evil minion from the castle makes known why they kidnapped your son. Apparently your offspring was caught tee peeing their castle. I kind of feel bad for the villains. their just teaching a bad seed, your son a lesson. If i caught somebody doing that to my house, i'd toss them into my dungeon. This game will totally quench your Castlevania thirst and hold you over for the next Vania.

Fatal Frame. This game promises to deliver on terrifying. This is what i want. Badly. Not since Pooyan has a game scared the Lego outta me. From what i saw of the game, it looks dark and eery. You have no weaponry except for the camera which you carry. You have to wait for the ghost to come real close to you and then ask him politely to say cheese. Cool part about this game is that you don't have to worry about red eye.
I saw a clip where you notice your sister's hand on your shoulder. The problem is, that your sister walks right past you and through a doorway, while this mystery hand slowly slips off of your shoulder. I'm definately gonna drop some cash onto this game.

Finally i'd like to say YAY. I finally purchased season four of Dragon Ball Z.

Anyway, that's about it for now. I've recently signed myself up at twitter.com. So i'm going to see how good that is. As of now, i feel restricted because of their word limit. But i don't know, some people say it's better than blogging while others like using both twitter and blogs. We'll see.

Talk to y'all later.
If it ain't worth the dime, it ain't Nintendo.
Peace.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Wii Remotes used in battlefield bomb disposal

The US military has integrated Wiimotes into it's Packbot bomb disposal bots. Operators can now operate the bot using the Wii Remote which New Scientist reports has allowed handlers to more intuitively navigate the bomb disposal unit. The rumble feature of the Remote is also used as a feedback system to warn the user of the proximity of an explosive.

Wii shortage continues

Wiis are still in short supply. Unbelievable when you remember that the Wii was released in 2006. The latest theory is that the Wii shortage is related to the recent weakening of the US dollar.

Colors, colors.

Looks like there may be some new DS colors hitting Europe around May Day. I think I just heard my wallet crying.

Nintendo putting the pressure on fansite to close

The Japanese gaming giant is putting the screws to Nintendo fansite "friendcodes.com" for infringing on its IP. The last thing I'd want in my inbox is "several e-mails" from NOA requesting that I cease and desist publishing my Nintendo fan page. Can't we all just get along? Link may not work if Nintendo is successful in shuttin' her down.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Act Raiser (Super Nintendo)

It's great see see one of my all time fave games released on the Virtual Console, Act Raiser.
This game is comprised of two aspects. Action and a sort of city simulation.

Your Character is a god. While in a long sleep your servant angel wakes you up and makes known that your civilization is in ruin. First of all, never wake a god from his sleep and secondly when he's climbing out of bed, real cranky-like, don't tell him that his civilization is in ruin.
Being a pissed off god you head down to your ruined civilization, posses an old statue and then go on the hunt killing monsters with your sword.
Once the action sequence is finished you get to build your civilization. Tell people where to build roads and farms..etc.

The graphics are great for it's time and the music is totally hot. Sounds symphonic (if that's a legit word). You know what I mean.

Act raiser has an old Contra Alien Wars mixed with Castlevania mixed with Civilizations feel to it.

Like i said earlier, this is one of my all time fave games. It's a definite buy from your Virtual console. it's probably one of the better games on there. You won't be disappointed. But that's just my opinion.

Commentary On Guitar Hero --By Vanilla Assassin

Hey hey folks.
Yeah, i know the following commentary is not going to be quite popular with all the readers and i'm probably going to get an inbox full of hate mail again. But hey, i love reading that stuff.

So what's the deal with Guitar Hero? Why the monster craze? The basic concept for those of you living under a pebble...the screen consists of a guitar with colored highlights. In your hand you hold a fake guitar and finger the colors you see on the tv with the matching colors on the guitar. If you do this properly you end up playing along with the tune blaring from your speakers.

Answer me this, do fans of this game actually think they're playing a real guitar, properly? I don't know. I think this game is a glorified "Simon" game, for those of you who remember that. A game where you sit around a little gadget with four sides with your friends. Each side lights up with it's own color in a different sequence each time you play. When the colors light up you hit that color. If you do that properly the game speads up. If Simon had blaring background music, you could have named it Guitar Hero.

Now the Hero is coming to the portable DS. There's a link below this article posted by Von Kaiser, which shows what the game will look like. This is basically a small gadget which slips into the DS snuggly and you finger the colours. At least this is what it looks like to me. Correct me if i'm wrong. A portable Simon. Not having played this game on the DS, i don't want to bash it too much, but with this version, you really don't feel like you're strumming a real guitar.

Having said this. I probably will purchase this game. Just because i want the add-on gadget.

Internals

Why so few posts month of March? Turns out that Von Kaiser's 'net connection fell apart for over a week. Also, we've been putting a lot of effort into podcasts Episode 1 and 2 (Episode 2 will be dropping next week.) But that's all behind us now. Keep an eye on the site or our feed for all your Nintendo news and reviews.

Curling DS coming to our shores?

I remember browsing Play-Asia last summer and spotting a game I really wanted to import. It was a curling game that I thought would meld very well with the DS's touchscreen. Eventually I decided against importing it because I thought the Japanese menus might present a problem. In retrospect, and after importing titles like M-06, I realize I was probably wrong in my assessment. The good news seems to be that the game is now coming to North America. Browsing through the ESRB's new rating lists you can find an entry for Curling DS by Ubisoft. I thought it was strange that a curling game would start its life in the Land of the Rising Sun anyway.

Guitar Hero DS: On Tour website launched

Guess I wasn't the only one confused about how the Guitar Hero DS: On Tour peripheral was supposed to be held and played. As expressed in our Podcast Episode 1, the pictures didn't fully explain how you were supposed to manage the mini fretboard that plugged into Slot 2 of the DS. Vicarious Visions came up with a brilliant website that features a 360 look at the setup that makes everything clear. The add on even features a holder for a guitar pick that's used on the touchscreen. This game is going to be a monster!

Wii Will Rock You!

Mark June 22nd on your calendars. That's the day Harmonix is set to drop Rock Band for the Wii. It won't feature downloadable songs or online play. But if you're anything like me you couldn't care less. I wasn't particularly interested in paying for new songs anyway. The white drum kit is bonus enough.

Why shovelware for the Wii is a good thing?

Another story from Wired. Wired discusses why shelves full of shovelware may actually be good for the Wii. I'd tend to agree personally.

Wired takes Wii Ware out for a spin

Nintendo recently launched Wii Ware which is a channel of original, downloadable content for the Wii. Some great looking titles are available through Wii Ware and Wired takes them for a spin.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Nintendo's rating cut from "Buy" to "Hold"

Had to post this one since we use the stock rating system in our reviews. Looks like some investors feel Nintendo has reached the saturation point and have downgraded Nintendo's stock from a "Buy" to a "Hold." I recall a similar concern a few months back but Wiis still keep selling out. Anyway, we'll see.

Leave Luck to Us Podcast Episode 1

Last night Vanilla Assassin and I, Von Kaiser, took to the mic and produced our first podcast for the site. We think it really turned out well and if you're a Nintendophile it's worth a download. Choose M4A (plays with iTunes or Quicktime) or MP3 (plays on anything else but it's double the size), download, throw it on your PC or DAP, get your cans on and bask in almost 40 minutes of Nintendo entertainment!

In this episode we riff on Super Smash Bros., Wii Fit, Korg 10, Mario Kart, Virtual Console, Nintendogs, Animal Crossing, Greenpeace Report, Guitar Hero: On Tour, and more!

As a bonus, check out the flickr set of our studio setup! A special thanks to Mars for engineering for us.

Download from Rapidshare:

M4A (17.2 MB)
MP3 (35.5 MB)

You only need one or the other. If you're running iTunes I recommend you grab the M4A file. Rapidshare requires you wait a couple of minutes and complete a CAPTCHA before you can download the file.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Onion editor doesn't like the Wii

What's with the hate for the Wii coming from the Onion? First it was funny but now it's getting mean. I guess when you're the king of the heap everyone wants a shot at you.

Guitar Hero DS: On Tour

I was moderately interested in this title when I first heard about it but now that I see that there's a crazy peripheral included in the box I'm all over it.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Zelda in Lego: I just peed a little

Here's a gent who creates 8 bit video game characters out of 8 stud Lego bricks.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Slot 2: It needs lovin' too!

If you're only playing DS games on your DS you're missing out on one of the largest gaming libraries on the planet. In the ultimate example of good will, Nintendo included Slot 2 on the DS for all your GBA games so don't ignore it any longer! Head out and start rummaging for some classic GBA action. Here's a baker's dozen of the cream of the cream (in no particular order):

  1. WarioWare Mega Microgame$
    Fast and frantic. Perfect gaming fare for the on-the-go gamer.
  2. Mario Kart: Super Circuit
    Sure, there's a Kart on the DS but Super Circuit is still worth owning. Where Mario Kart DS is closer to the N64 Kart experience, Super Circuit is closer to the SNES Kart game. One of the few titles on this list that is still available new at some retailers.
  3. Advance Wars
    This game makes owning a GBA worth it again even if you upgraded to a DS. Superglue this cart into a used GBA and you've got hours of strategery in a package that measures four square inches. It's really remarkable how well this title stands the test of time graphically and in terms of gameplay.
  4. Advance Wars II: Blackhole Rising
    More Advance Wars. The sequel to Advance Wars and the prequel to Advance Wars: Dual Strike.
  5. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past with Four Swords Adventures
    For a long time, A Link to the Past was my favorite Zelda game. Released for the SNES it was ported pixel for pixel to the GBA. If you haven't played it before now's your chance. And on the bus! If you have played it before, you probably already bought it for the GBA like I did. Throw in Four Swords Adventures and this cart is a must for your library.
  6. Metroid Fusion
    A beautiful throwback to the 16 bit Metroid titles.
  7. Golden Sun
    If you like RPGs then Golden Sun is a must. It's absolutely huge and deeper than the Mariana Trench. Becoming rarer so if you spot it in the wild grab it without thinking.
  8. Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
    It hurt not putting all of the Advance Mario World titles on the list but I wanted to keep it down to a manageable size. So I threw Super Mario Advance 2 on but let it be known that all the classic Super Mario World titles were published on GBA. Grab 'em all, but if you can only grab one, then you can't go wrong with Super Mario World.
  9. WarioWare Twisted!
    I recently picked this up at a bargain basement price and it's easily one of the funniest and most entertaining games I've played on any system. I brought it to work and I loved watching people play it. The oversized cart includes a motion sensor in it that lets you twist and turn your GBA (or, in this case, your DS) in order to complete one of hundreds of different microgames. Guaranteed laughs and only about $20. Some have called it the best GBA game ever released.
  10. Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga
    The classic RPG starring everyone's favorite plumbers.
  11. Fire Emblem
    The original cult classic that has since spawned several successors.
  12. Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
    Every Zelda is worth owning (think about that for a second) and The Minish Cap is no exception. Increasingly tough to find, The Minish Cap features a cute talking cap that shrinks Link down to pixel size. Once minimized, Link can explore an entire world within a world populated by tiny elves.
  13. Pokemon: Ruby/Sapphire
    Can't leave out Pokemon. If you wanna catch 'em all you can dig through Diamond and Pearl or you can go easy on yourself, catch a bagful in Ruby/Sapphire, and just import them into your DS cart. Bonus, you get to play another Pokemon title on the way to catching every single pocket monster.
Head on down to a thrift shop or check a garage sale and find those treasures!

If Mario was real. Mario rendered realistically.

The Super Real Mario Brother. You gotta see this, pores and everything.

read more | digg story

Female Duo Sets the Standard for Link Cosplay

"As far as Link cosplayers go, these two are easily the best we've come across."

read more | digg story

How Super Mario Bros Looks To Mario

Depressing.

read more | digg story

Foxtrot celebrates the release of Smash Bros Brawl!

The hilarious comic strip Foxtrot has released a comic about Smash Bros Brawl to celebrate it's launch in North America. Have you picked up the Brawl yet? If not, what are you waiting for!

read more | digg story

Friday, March 7, 2008

The Bible Game

Hey hey,
Vanilla here again.

Yes God likes his DS. I recently got my hands on a GBA title entitled "The Bible Game". This game is really simple. You run around on a map avoiding creatures like spiders and scorpions. With the help of random people on the map you have to track down "the Deceiver". Once you find him, you have to answer a series of Biblical questions. If you get a certain amount correct, you defeat the deceiver and move on. You have to find all six pieces of the armor of God to win.

This game is pretty cool if you're into Christianity. If you're not, i don't know how well you'll handle the questions.

I say BUY this game if you enjoy biblical related stuff. You can most probably find it at a low low price.

Peace