Nintendophiles 12.21.06
Posted by Theo Fraser on 12.21.2006
Prince of Persia Wii, Medal of Honor Wii, and a Square Enix overload...come inside for a Nintendophiles Christmas special! And my belated thoughts on Twilight Princess.
Yeah baby! Christmas-themed logos rule! Unlike my Paint skills.
Well guess what, guys? I am now (finally!) the proud owner of a Wii! There I was on Friday morning, still in my pyjamas at 11.35am (I don't do early mornings, OK?) watching Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (Am I the only guy on the planet who actually LIKED the Ewoks?) when I get a phone call. My mind instantly springs to the Wii and I practically DIVE at the phone. "Hello is that Mr Fraser?" YES, ENOUGH OF THE FORMALITIES, ALREADY!! HAVE YOU GOT THE DAMN THING? "We have your Wii in stock." A pause of about 10 seconds whilst I have a quick, silent orgasm. "I'll be there in 10 minutes." Nevermind the fact that I live 15 minutes outside of town, AND I'm still in my pyjamas and in need of a shower (I get the worst bed hair known to mankind- think Cloud from FF7, but a bit more unkempt). Still, I get there just after 12pm, and collect my New Best Friend, free of hassle.
Of course, upon getting home, I realise I have to go to work in 5 minutes. That was enough time to position the sensor bar, but that was all. So I had an agonising few hours at work, my hands involuntarily convulsing in various remote-slashing gestures. But the wait was more than worth it.
Everything about the Wii just feels so natural. I love the DS, I really do, but sometimes it can be a little cumbersome when entering letters on a keyboard on the touch screen; something I spend a lot of time doing thanks to Animal Crossing. It's just a little too fiddly at times. But an on-screen keyboard on the Wii? It works wonders. The sensitivity of the Wii-mote is absolutely perfect for my personal preferences, and after a couple of minutes, it felt like I'd be using that control method for years.
I was a touch disappointed with the Mii Channel, as at this stage there doesn't appear to be a ton of depth to it. It's annoying not being able to change the colour of the Mii's shorts/trousers/pants, but I guess that's a minor gripe. And who's to say Nintendo won't release some kind of update through WiiConnect 24? Here's hoping!
Speaking of WiiConnect 24, my Wii evidently utilises WiiConnect 0. Nothing to do with Nintendo, mind; I have that god-awful internet provider known as AOL. *Shudders* And despite being broadband, it still requires sign-in. Sigh. After Christmas, I'm hoping to get a wireless router, which should sort out all my troubles (and make DS Wifi a HELL of a lot easier), but for the moment I shall remain Wii Shopless. Bah, and I thought I'd be playing Gunstar Heroes on Christmas morning.
Didn't really spend too long on Wii Sports to be honest, as I've tried it out in the past, and is much better in multiplayer. Enjoyed a good bit of Boxing though!
And then we come to Zelda. Zelda, Zelda, Zelda. Let's see, how should I start this paragraph? First things first…IT'S FRIGGIN' FANTASTIC! I've only played 12 hours so far, and already it's in contention in my mind for Best Zelda Ever. Ocarina of Time was always a solid favourite of mine, but Twilight Princess takes everything from OOT and expands upon it in nearly every way imaginable. The fully animated cutscenes really help the presentation of the (f'n awesome) plot, and it's got such magnificent charm. I love how expressive Link can be at times, like when Ilia scolds him for hurting Epona, and Link and Ilia's Dad look at each other with this expression that says, "Geez…PMS!"
For anyone still sitting on the fence on whether to get the Wii version or the Gamecube version, please…make sure you purchase the Wii one. I've been playing for a few days now; enough for the novelty value to wear off, and now I am enjoying it as it was intended; the next step in the evolution of the way we play games. I could rant on forever about all the little intricacies that make the Wii version so much better, but suffice to say the control scheme, just like the Wii-mote itself, feels totally natural. That is the best compliment I can give. It feels as though this is the way it SHOULD be played. Using the bow and arrow to shoot down goblins on top of battlements is actually incredibly accurate, and above all else, genuinely fun; it's not a chore, like it sometimes ended up being when using an analogue stick to move the cursor. I cannot WAIT to play a good FPS game, as headshots would no doubt be a blast to pull off. "BOOM HEADSHOT" indeed! Anyway, Zelda rules, period. Once I progress further into the 50+ hour adventure, I will no doubt get back to you with my thoughts.
So in case you couldn't tell, I'm pretty pleased with my Wii. And looking back, having to wait a week wasn't such a bad thing after all, as I had a hectic week last week, and wouldn't have been able to full enjoy it anyway. Shame it's Christmas next week, as that means I have to socialise. Damn it!
Prince of Persia sWiings its way into your homes
Announced just a couple of days ago, Prince of Persia: Rival Swords will be heading to the Wii next March. Here's Ubisoft's official statement on the game:
"Based on last year's highly successful Prince of Persia The Two Thrones(TM), the game takes advantage of the revolutionary Wii Remote(TM) and Nunchuk(TM). Players will be able to clash swords with enemies, execute speed kills and perform the Prince's well-known acrobatic moves such as running on walls. Prince of Persia Rival Swords creates an epic experience by combining two playable characters in a masterly balanced gameplay, with the perfect mix of combat, platforming, puzzles and a compelling storyline."
The game is also based upon the same storyline featured in the previous instalment in the series, The Two Thrones, which tells us of the Prince's return to his hometown, Babylon, and his slow metamorphosis into the Dark Prince due to the Sands of Time being unleashed once again.
The Wii-mote will be put to good use, as Rival Swords introduces the notion of "Stealth Kills", whereby a flick of the wrist with the nunchuk attachment whips out the Dark Prince's chain to strangle enemies, as pictured below:
I'm a huge fan of Sands of Time, but felt that the two sequels didn't quite live up to the precedent set by the current-gen original. Will the addition of these Wii-nhancements be enough to put the game on a pedestal alongside SoT? With the release set for March, it won't be a long wait. Expect more gameplay details in the new year.
Who named this Square Enix month?
Credit: IGN, Gamesradar
I'm not complaining, I love Square Enix to bits, but my God they've been churning out announcement after announcement after announcement. I feel sorry for their PR department! Just this week alone they've gone crazy with logos, gameplay info and videos!
First up is the logo for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers (Wow, I am not looking forward to repeatedly typing that out over the next few months) for the Wii. And here it is, in all its glory, with thanks to IGN:
And that's it on that front. Just a logo. Looks pretty similar to the original Crystal Chronicles logo, so we can assume the game itself will retain most of the main features seen in the GC game.
Then, slightly confusingly, we had quite a lot of information released on Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates for the DS. I am soooo going to get those two games mixed up, but hey. Here's everything you need to know in handy bullet point format!
Main characters are the twins named Yulie and Cherinka
Cinematics feature full voice-overs! Holy pushing-the-DS-to-its-limit!
Dungeons feature non-linear aspects, as well as 3D elements, in which the Jump button will come in use
Touch screen shows inventory and item list, as well as your current stats
Stylus is used to select items. Place items on top of your character's portrait/avatar to make the item appear on the field
No crystal sphere, unlike the GC original, so players won't be restricted to a small playing area
Sounds pretty promising if you ask me. But just when you thought you had time to sit and ponder what surprises Ring of Fates might have for us, Square Enix announce a new Final Fantasy Tactics game! This one's a touch confusing, as it's definitely confirmed for the PSP, but it's being rumoured that the A2 at the end of the name refers to it being the sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and is therefore coming to the DS. All we do know is that the game is part of the "Ivalice Alliance;" the set of Final Fantasy games revolving around events from/related to that of Final Fantasy XII.
Newsbits on THREE Final Fantasies not enough for you? How about some ‘proper' info on Dragon Quest IX?
The first Dragon Quest IX trailer has been uploaded onto the Square Enix website, and can be viewed here:
Daaaaaaaang! That looks sah-weet! I'm guessing it has something about pears in it. I know, I know, you're itching to play it after that statement. But it's true. A pear is featured in the official logo, and at the end of the trailer a pear falls off a tree into nothingness. Judging by this revelation, we can decipher that the villain of the game will take over the world with a pear. But not just any old pear…a MAGICAL PEAR! Or not, as is more likely the case. Still, it looks very pleasing to the eye. But more to the point, HOLY CUSTOMISABLE COSTUMES! If you were feeling a little lazy and couldn't be bothered waiting for the video to load, take a look at these handy screencaps I took for your viewing pleasure. Think of it as an early Christmas gift.
Logo
Customisation Options
Dialogue Screen. 10 points to anyone who translates it for me
Medal of Honor arrives on the Wii
Credit: IGN, Gamesradar
Also announced this week was Medal of Honor: Vanguard for the Wii (and PS2). Developer EA will be utilising the Wii-mote for the game, but as of yet it is unknown how. Plot-wise, it looks to follow the same story as MoH: Airborne for the PS3 and Xbox 360.
To be honest, I'm not sure I like the fact that it's related to the PS2 version; is this how 3rd parties are going to treat the console? It might not have the graphical prowess of the 360 or PS3, but it's still a next-generation console at heart. But, I'm happy to reserve judgement until I play the game; if it turns out to be a solid MoH outing, I have no gripes with it.
Castlevania Portrait of Ruin…out now!
Check out Jordan Williams' review of the game for further proof that THIS is the game you want sitting under the Christmas tree this year. And then…you know…go out and buy it.
The Wii Forecast Channel is up and running!
I wouldn't know, of course, as silly old AOL is unfriendly to my Wii. Still, the Forecast Channel has now gone live, and it couldn't be easier to set up. In your WiiConnect 24 settings, make sure the console is set to Standby mode, and check your internet connection. Reboot the system, and a message should be in your inbox from those good folk at Nintendo telling you that a system update is ready. Download the update, and hey presto, the Forecast Channel is yours!
Your Weekly Animal Crossing Blog
YWACB took a little hiatus last week, but rest assured that I was still playing. AC still never fails to impress me; I've been enthralled over the last week or two at the progressive nature that winter sets in. First, the land turned a shade of white, then it started snowing, and then, finally, the snow settled. Nice touch, as opposed to just ‘becoming' winter on December 1st.
I built my first Snowman yesterday, but it wasn't quite the right size, so no special Snowman furniture! Make no mistake about it, I'll keep trying until I get it right. It's tough, though. I keep rolling my snowballs into trees, causing them to disintegrate.
With the land being white, it's much easier to see where fossils are hidden, so I've been racking up a nice amount of bells over the last few days, and slowly but surely I'm paying off one of my last mortgages, aka lining the back pockets of that damn racoon Tom Nook. Talk about Scrooge! I try and enjoy the holiday and enter the Christmas spirit, but all he wants is my money! Well, no worries, we all know who's getting a lump of coal under his Christmas tree this year.
No new arrivals in town recently, so my ‘town population' looks like this:
And Egbert gets stranger and stranger as the days progress. I'm not even kidding you. He stopped me on my way to the post office the other day and asked "Which do you think is the best side of my body?" I didn't think it sounded too loaded, so I just picked "Left side." And do you know what he said? "Yeah, that's what I think too. I'd kiss it. Would you?" WHAT?! Egbert, you SICK FREAK, get away from me before I call the butcher or something! Geez!
On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to meeeeeee! A joke about pimping other columns that I also used last week.
~SHAMELESS SELF-PLUG~For the next few weeks, The Retrospective will feature yours truly in a look back at Nintendo's history. Don't miss the epic (Didn't think a column could be epic? Think again) first edition, as myself and Sean McCabe dive back in time to look at the Game and Watch, the NES and the Game Boy.
The Mellickmeister has another SIXAXIS for all of you who want a good laugh, as he talks about a brilliant PS3 scam in the parking lot of a McDonald's!
Andrew asked his readers (I say HIS readers as I know none of you would stoop to that level) to pen him a design for a logo for his column. I took the time to design one for him, and I personally think it's very fitting. What do you guys think?
Joshua Richey's "Xbox-a-gogo" debuted last week in the 411 Games zone. In case you missed it, here's the link. If you are about to clear your cookies to erase the fact that you ever looked at a Microsoft column, then feel free to check it out beforehand.
The Negative Edge News Report, where Tommy Coloma considers buying a Wii due to the Virtual Console line-up. Take the plunge, my friend, take the plunge!
Vincent Chiucchi's Select and Start News Report is here for your perusal. Catch up on all the important news to last you through to next week.
The Code Games News Report provides all the stories you might have missed this week due to the buzz of Halo 3 trailers and the like. Plus, he includes the funniest video I've seen all month; the Wii Safety Manual with added Australian voice over! Make your Christmas complete and check out Shawn Struck's weekly news report.
Will Scott's Unlockable Content looks at what could have been done to make Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds a decent game, as opposed to the mediocre offering that sits on our shelves.
This week's Gaming Trends by Vincent Chiucchi looks at spin-offs, and how they are dominating today's video game market. Click the link to read everything from Paper Mario to Typing of the Dead!
It's Angry Gaming's Hall of Shame Awards! See who swept up the "victories" as Damian Sarcuni looks back on the year that was 2006.
And finally, another debut column arrived earlier in the week at the Games Zone. Keith Perera airs his views and thoughts on Grand Theft Auto, Halo and the Console Wars in general in Me, Myself & Games. Welcome to the dance, buddy!
All that's left for me to do is to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to meeeeeee! A joke about pimping other columns that I also used last week. 
