The 10th Hour 08.01.08: Top 10 Wii Games

Posted by Derek Robbins on 08.01.2008

Last week the 10th Hour was pretty hard on the Wii, but this week...it's all about Nintendo love. 411's Derek Robbins breaks down his top 10 favorite Wii games!

Hello and welcome to the 10th hour. As always, there are a couple of tangents that I would like to go off on before I get started on the actual column.

-As of this writing the White Sox have traded for aging outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. I guess you can't have too many DHs on your team, huh? He's a good player, but not much of an upgrade at this time in my mind. Manny trade rumors are circulating around like always, including the possibility of him being traded down to Florida and getting Jason Bay from the Pirates in return (This would be a great deal for the Red Sox. Bay is fantastic)…but like always, I'd bet money this doesn't go down and by the time you're reading this Friday Manny will still be a member of the Red Sox. Edit: What do you know, the Dodgers got Manny. Only Ned Coletti is dumb enough to do this, hahaha.

-I have to wait until next week to play Soul Calibur 4. You know what next week is? My birthday! I'll be 21, so it should be a fun week for me.

-I've been playing a lot of Mario Baseball lately and I have to say…it's getting me excited for Mario Baseball: Wii. I don't know what it is about the game but it's just a blast. Simple as that.

Reader Feedback

Well last week instead of writing an actual list I did a column on what Nintendo's focus is. Whether I am right or wrong, I do feel that actions speak louder than words and through Nintendo's actions…we see that their focus simply isn't on us. Let's see what some of you had to say, though.

Poppycock has a nice rebuttal of my opinion

Did anyone unveil anything at E3? Not really. People are bashing Nintendo for not doing much at E3 but I think they did quite a bit. WiiSports 2? People have been begging for that and we're getting it. Plus a 1-1 adapter included. That alone is more exciting to me than Final Fantasy 800 or Halo 7.

Animal Crossing? NICE! Grand Theft Auto for the DS? SOLD!

Nintendo got bashed for unveiling WiiFit a year ago and WiiFit is a total success. WiiMusic very well could be too.

Although the VC hasn't been getting as good of games they are still constantly releasing games and many of the homebrew games are good.

Nintendo doesn't play by the industry's rules and THANK GOD they don't. Nintendo is different and they'll continue to be different because it works. It'd be a sad world if all the companies acted like Microsoft and Sony.

You're right, this year's E3 was pretty lackluster. There were still games on display that were impressive though. At least Sony and Microsoft unveiled games that looked like games. Nintendo as a first party revealed nothing much. Yes, they had some NICE third party showings but the first party was anything but that.

I understand it's good that Nintendo is different, but the way they're different right now I don't think is a great thing. We will see though and hopefully I am wrong. I want to embrace the Wii, I want to be talking glowingly about it years down the road. I just don't see that happening. Yet.

Heel Heat figures I have ADD

Who needs hardcore gamers when the casuals are lapping it up? And considering the N64 and Gamecube apparently failed, those hardcore gamers haven't been as huge as they think they are. I love Nintendo. Give me some big franchise games, which they do and will continue to, and I'm happy. Be patient. Pop so ritalin.

Popularity doesn't always mean quality though, Heel. The thing is, I don't even consider the games Nintendo is unleashing to be games appealing to casual gamers, but games appealing to non-gamers. Making a profit is great, but warping an industry so it alienates the fans that established it isn't as great. They WILL continue their big franchises, this is obvious. Their focus doesn't appear to be on those franchises anymore though. I guess we'll see.

Sean McCabe raises some good points:

If Microsoft or Sony actually had decent showings, maybe you'd be onto something.

However, as it stands, I feel "as a gamer" that Nintendo had the best showing at E3. They showed two new concept games which are actually quite exciting. A lot of people complain about Wii Sport's aesthetic whilst completely forgetting that the game itself will likely be an extremely enjoyable sports title with an emphasis on local multiplayer.

Then there's Wii Music. Wii Music will do for those of us who feel that Rock Band and Guitar Hero basically have foregone any accessability (in difficulty and in price) in favour of appealing to the minority. Honestly, "gamers" can be immensely selfish, can't they? Someone said Nintendo turned their back on the audience that made them what they are... I don't think so. The Audience that made Nintendo what they are either don't play games anymore or play the Wii. They're adults. The group this person speaks of are the people who halfheartedly played Nintendo's games whilst really giving Sony success. They are Sony and Microsoft fans for the most part. And for those few that really are Nintendo fans? I have to say, Nintendo have already released more good games for them on the Wii than they had by this point on the Gamecube. Their games take time to make. If you must blame anyone, then that would be the third parties, but it's not like they were much around in the N64 or Gamecube days, is it?

As far as I'm concerned, this is a classic case of knee jerk reaction from an audience who don't know how to react any other way. But it's going to be at least a couple of years before there's any real justification for saying Nintendo have actually changed their business policies.

I figure the only reason I'd be interested in buying the new Wii Sports is simply because of the Wii-motion plus. That could be very interesting. I did love playing Wii Baseball with friends…but I'm not convinced I would have spent fifty dollars to do it. A fun game Wii Sports was, but not one that would be worth a price tag above twenty dollars. While sword fighting will most likely be fun, the whole package doesn't seem like something I'd want to spend fifty bucks on.

I can see where you're coming from regarding Wii music. It's a cheap alternative. At least Guitar Hero and Rock Band are actual games though. I'm not sure that I can say the same about Wii Music.

I also agree that Nintendo's quality titles take time to make, but they should at least be in the process of being made. Following E3 we really have no idea what their newest titles will look like. Of course they'll come. I'm not foolish enough to suggest one day Mario will just stop existing…but Nintendo is no longer in need of the plumber to carry them.

Also, yeah, this is probably a bit of a knee-jerk reaction but I can't help but feeling this way. I love the ‘sequels' Nintendo has released for the wii, but I don't like that they flat-out tell me to basically stand pat.

Mega Man Forever is in support of Sean

I agree with you 100%. I've been playing games for over 20 years, and I can accept Nintendo's model. Let Microsoft and Sony fight for second place, Nintendo is going home with the gold.

The Wii is like my SNES, my Gamecube, my N64, etc. There are tons of games out there, but there are only a few that appeal to me. The same thing happens with all my systems.

Currently, I can come as a pro-Sony individual, but I recognize the value that Sony provides. Nintendo provides the cheapest, most accessible product. Microsoft, on the otherhand, likes to nickle-and-dime you. However, I still on a 360 and a Xbox. :-)

Well the wii is awfully convenient when it comes to playing old games…so I could see where you would like it. Sort of an all-in-one sort of thing.

As for your nickel-and-diming comment…as Rod Oracheski pointed out Nintendo is the king of Nickle and Diming. I mean, they released a pokemon game for ten dollars on wii ware where you practically do nothing but look at your pokemon. They may be cute, but really all you do is look…

And yes, I desperately want that game. Damn I am such a sucker. Even I have my faults, dammit!

Smoka Joka feels let down by the N

I can agree with a large majority of this, I was thoroughly disappointed in the Nintendo conference at this years E3. They didn't even really mention anything that peaks my interest or talk about upcoming comes that have large potential in the future. Games like Madworld, Spore, Kings Story, Harvest Moon...hardly even got mentions.

And it's not just them ignoring gamers at E3, here recently they have been putting out almost complete garbage on the VC, knowing full well that North American gamers caught word of Super Mario RPG was released over a month ago in Japan they are still trying to stuff Neo Geo and other crap down our throats. Personally, I'm not going to buy WiiMusic...and I could see alot of others who won't be appealed to it either. Hopefully the game is a bust and Nintendo wakes up to the reality they need to put out something that doesn't suck if they want to keep gamers and nongamers alike.


I'm not sure why those third party titles didn't get more time. I figure it's more of the: "We've got this game you will like, but check out this title that you can play with your non-gaming friends". Or, err, perhaps it's due to their third-party nature. I guess I couldn't really tell you.

The VC has been a sort of a drag lately but I'm not entirely convinced it's going to stay that way. You have to remember, we're about to embark on the biggest game selling time of the year. September-December is huge for the game industry and I expect a lot of big titles on the Virtual Console in that time to push those wii cards. Of course, if you are right and they continue to push mediocre titles that aren't even worth downloading on an emulator…that'd suck.

JC wraps up the comments this week

I was rather disappointed too! I know I'll probably buy Wii Sports 2 just to try out the motion plus but nothing else appealed to me! Infact, the only Nintendo first party release I'm currently looking forward to is Wario Land Shake.

I've stuck by Nintnedo throungh thick and thin due to always loving their games, although there looks nothing to love at the moment!

Ironically its Sega that appear to be the saving grace here with Sonic Chronicles, Sonic Unleashed, Sonic and the Black Knight (giving that one a chance) and Madworld! Who would have thought that 10 years ago eh?

I actually forgot about Wario Land Shake. That game looks great. I hope it's as good as it looks. They didn't really showcase that one at the conference though, huh? Guess it furthers the point about their focus.

Sad thing is…I'll probably always harbor an interest in Nintendo because that's what I grew up with. No matter what direction they go in, I'll want to see what Mario is up to. I won't buy these non-games…but as long as they at least occasionally release the games they are famous for I'll be okay.

As for Sega…yep. That's weird, isn't it? The jury is still out on the Sonic games (which I REALLY want to like.), but Mad World looks awesome. Hopefully Sega can remind us of why they were beasts back in the 16-bit days.



Top-10 Wii Games

Last week I was a little rough on Nintendo so this week I'll embrace them! I'm going to run down the top-10 Wii games to this point. Now, of course, there will be rules. First of all, no Japanese only games. I'm not sure what this would effect, but…just throwing it out there. Also, no games that are ports. Now, if a game debuts on the Wii first and is later ported to another system – like Twilight Princess – then it is eligible.

Next week will be a list based on Microsoft's X-Box and the following will be one for the PS3. It'll be a good way to see where we stand so far in this generation.

10-) Mario Strikers: Charged - Mario Strikers for the gamecube was a fairly fun game. While it didn't have a wonderful single player mode it gave you something good to play with your friends. If a game can get a soccer-hating buffoon such as myself to actually enjoy soccer you're doing a good job. Mario Strikers: Charged brings that very same concept to the Wii but adds something to the mix. Online multiplayer. Now you no longer need someone there for you to actually play your game. If nobody is in a Mario Strikers mood you can play if you want and that is pretty cool. Now you may be asking yourself: "Wait, wait…a Nintendo game that you're putting on this list solely for online play!? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?" If I hadn't played the game before and was reading this list, I'd think the same thing…but unlike some of Nintendo's other online offerings – such as Super Smash Brothers Brawl – Mario Strikers actually plays SMOOTH online. In most games you are in, there is very little lag and it's a constant flowing experience. On top of the smooth playing online that may make you forget what console you're playing, there also is…a ranking system! Yes! They included mode that apparently was "too grown-up" for Smash Brothers appears in this game. In this mode you play a three-game series. If you win two, you win. Simple as that. It keeps track of your W/L record and ranks you accordingly. I've gotten up to 93rd in the world, which made me pretty pleased. If ranking isn't your thing, they also included a free-play mode. I really wish Smash Brothers had thought of that. Looking at this game at first gave promise to the possibility of a smooth online Smash Brothers experience. If only the promise had delivered. This game is THE definitive online experience on the Nintendo wii. It is only rivaled by another Mario sports title – Mario Kart.

- Mario actually looks cool? Hrm, I guess that'd render Sonic obsolete.

9-) Mario Kart Wii - Wow, speaking of Mario Kart…look what checks in at number 9! If you've played Mario Kart before you essentially know what you're getting with this one. You're in a race with 11 other drivers and you want to finish in first. Of course, doing so won't be very simple. You have to battle against items and the courses themselves. It seems that with each passing Mario Kart iteration the less forgiving the items get on you. It's very seldom that you'll run a race without running into a blue shell or several red shells. Unless you have complete command, odds are any lead is not safe. Still though, the actual experience is quite fun and there IS some skill involved. If you're a good racer you'll win more races than you lose and learn the course. Of course there's luck involved, but for the most part a skilled player will beat an inferior player every time. The easiest way to prove this theory? RACE ONLINE! Hopes were low for this game's online mode following the absolutely embarrassing Smash Brothers Brawl online mode, but Mario Kart Wii absolutely delivers here. Like Mario Strikers before it, Mario Kart offers a ranking mode…but this one is a little different and more reminiscent of World of Warcraft's arena ranking system. The better you do in races, the more you rank up…and the inverse is true as well. Eventually you'll begin racing players more your rank. Trust me, there's typically a huge difference between a player ranked 8000 and a player ranked 4000. There will always be exceptions, but this provides for more even ranks depending on a player's skill level. What else does Mario Kart do well? It has a SMOOTH online mode. Sometimes you could even be fooled into thinking you're playing the offline single player. It's just incredible that the Nintendo wii has the capability to do something like that. Perhaps if they spent a bit more time on Brawl's…Of course, Mario Kart will always have its detractors since theoretically the best racer doesn't always win…but as a pure game it's a load of fun and worthy of a try. It ranks above Mario Strikers simply for the fact that the one player mode isn't completely dull. Put your doubts aside, this game is a keeper.

- I love Peach.

8-) Wario Ware: Smooth Moves - When Wario Ware came out it was fairly shocking. To that point, Wario had only appeared in high caliber platforming games…so it came as a surprise when he appeared in a collection of microgames. That's right! Microgames. Whereas minigames typically last for at least a minute…microgames can last as short as three seconds. It's pure reactionary stuff and can make for a great gaming experience. Several Wario Ware games have come out since the original and all have been fairly fun experiences…and the Wii version is no exception. The game has you distort your controller in various ways to defeat their microgames. It can get a bit hectic when the pace picks up – considering you have to flop your controller all over the place – but it's still pretty responsive and fun to play. Probably the most fun thing about Wario Ware is the ability to play with friends. I mean, what can be more fun than watching your friends make asses of themselves by flailing their arms around and the like? Not much, really. Wario Ware gives you various ways you can tool around with your buddies, but you're still essentially doing the same microgames. While this game doesn't quite measure up to the GBA original it still has a lot of fun within and is a worthy addition to your wii library. That's right! A game that is essentially a minigame collection for the wii that isn't a waste of money…isn't that something special? This will probably be the last we see of Wario Ware on the wii unless Nintendo thinks of a new gimmick for the next one – much like they did for the GBA's Wario Ware: Twisted – so make sure you get your fill of it. After all, Wii-style nine-volt games are something that everyone needs to experience!

- I think I prefer the classic Wario...

7-) Super Paper Mario - Prior to the Wii, Mario actually had a history in the RPG realm. Wouldn't that sound weird to you if you were reading this in the early 90's? Mario? Turn-based games? Sounds bizarre. The Paper Mario franchise was a charming little RPG series and when the Wii one was announced I was expecting more of the same…but that's not exactly what we got. At all. Super Paper Mario is a side-scrolling platformer with a couple of RPG elements. You hop and bop around "paper" worlds and solve fairly simple puzzles – usually involving you flipping into 3D mode – and to be completely honest it's a blast. The game doesn't ever really slow down and as long as you're playing as Mario it's fairly simple fun. The one complaint I have is that, while the story is entertaining…sometimes the scenes can go on for quite a long time and detract from the overall experience. I am not the sort of person who skips a cutscene. Generally speaking I like to absorb the stories that games tell, but in a game like Paper Mario that claims to be a platformer, the story isn't exactly the most welcome thing. It's weird playing through a level and having to press A to jam through text for ten minutes. It's really not a very big deal given the overall quality of the game though. It's a platformer with a twist and it sort of keeps it fresh. It doesn't really reek of the "Been here, done that" syndrome you may find in other 2D platformers and that's really nice. While Paper Mario not being an RPG was as surprising as say Mario being an RPG star in the first place, this non-traditional side-scrolled really is a nice touch and outside of some length issues is a quality title.

- So soccer Mario is cool and Paper Mario is cute?

6-) Zack and Wiki - The cutesy characters may be a bit of a turn off to some, but make no mistake about it – this is one of the best action games in years. It makes use of the wii remote in order to solve a lot of puzzles. Even though some of the action you take with the wii remote may seem frivolous and unnecessary others just feel right and lend to this game's rather unique experience. My one complaint is that for a game that would generally appeal to more ‘hardcore' gamers it has a rather kiddy core. The voices are ridiculously goofy sounding and it just seems very…I don't know…kid friendly. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't bother me one bit. I mean, come on, I play the hell out of pokemon and that game takes kid friendly to a whole ‘nother level. It's just perplexing how an adventure title would try to appeal to a fanbase that really couldn't give a shit about its existence. Ah well. Fact is, no matter what audience is playing Zack and Wiki it's a breath of fresh air into a dying genre that desperately needed a savior. It makes actual good, non-gimmicky (sometimes) use of the wii remote…and it's a non-first party title. If you can look past its kiddy nature, you will find an adventure experience you probably haven't experienced since the days of Monkey Island.



5-) Metroid Prime 3 - As the third game in the Metroid Prime series, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was also the first of the series to be released on the Wii. The big concern was, how well would this game control? After the embarrassment known as Red Steel, many Wii owners were unsure of how well a first-person shooter game would control on the console. A console that theoretically promised incredible FPS control had already offered a lackluster offering, this couldn't happen twice in a row now could it? Luckily enough, Corruption controlled like a dream. Prime was a series known for its immersive feeling, and adding on the motion controls made the experience just that much more immersive. I would even go as far to say that the controls in that game may very well be the finest control scheme for a console shooter yet. I just couldn't see playing this title with a keyboard and a mouse now, unlike with other console shooters. Another change to the series was the larger focus on combat, which seems obvious with the new control style. On the Gamecube, most people referred to the Metroid Prime games as "First-Person adventure" games, but on the Wii, this was clearly a "First-Person shooter." Even though the exploration took a back seat to the action, it was still there…just far less notable than previous iterations. This is good for a guy like me who really disliked the "exploration" segments in the Gamecube Metroid Primes. As an example of earlier games exploration, you would have to go through Magmoor Caverns and Chozo Ruins if you wanted to reach the snow mountain (I know the name but spelling it is a risky endeavor). With Corruption, getting to the next area is as simple as finding your ship. Some people don't like the ability (see: convenience) of being able to fly to the next area, but its an idea I embrace with all of my heart. It makes the entirety of the game easier to grasp. A case could be made for this being the finest of the "core" Nintendo games released on the wii yet…and I could see why people think that. It's certainly one of my favorites.



4-) The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess - The Twilight Princess was a game that many people were looking forward to very much. After the windwaker, which was cartoony in the eyes of many, a lot of Zelda fans were clamoring for a return to fashion. A return to the N64 style Zelda games. For the longest time we were led to believe this would be a title exclusive to the Gamecube…but it wound up being a Wii launch title and to help ship copies of it on the wii it had a full month head start on the Gamecube version. During video presentations of the game the waggle looked rather hard to control but luckily when you actually played the game…it went rather well. So well in fact there are certain parts in the game – particularly involving the gale boomerang – that I can't really picture playing on the Gamecube controller. Zelda: Twilight Princess is very reminiscent of Ocarina of Time…which is fine and dandy since OoT was quite the legendary game. The gimmick of this game is that Link can transform into a wolf at any chance he wants in order to explore the shadow world. It's an interesting touch and makes the game feel somewhat unique. Really…my only complaint about this game is that it's too much like OoT. If you had toned down the graphics in this title and told me it was OoT with altered dungeons I probably would have believed you. It's not a bad thing again, just…a "been there, done that" sort of thing. This title also features another excellent boss battle against Ganondorf. It's not quite as epic as the Windwaker equivalent, but it'll do nicely. The Legend of Zelda is still one of the best franchises in gaming and Twilight Princess really helped to further establish that.

- I don't think Zant gets the credit he deserves. He was a pretty good villain.

3-) No More Heroes - No More Heroes is a game that was directed by Goichi Suda, or Suda 51. Suda 51 is also behind the cult hit Killer 7 which met very mixed reviews. Surprisingly enough, when people were talking about games they were looking forward to on the Wii, NMH was one of the top ones. On a kid friendly console, No More Heroes struck out as a pretty "mature" title. In combat, there is literally a shower of money and blood as you fight along. Quite literally, you decapitate someone blood will flow from their neck – think Kill Bill – and money will go flying everywhere until you finish combat. It's just quite gruesome. The violence would be nothing but flash without the game's style. It has this very distinct comic-book style feel to it that really helps bring it home. Yes, No More Heroes is a very stylish game. Style isn't really anything without substance though and…NMH definitely supplies that. At face-level the story in NMH is quite simple but underneath that it's a very subtle commentary on society. It's kind of interesting, nothing too deep, but it adds to the experience. Of course, this IS a videogame, so likely the most important thing in a video game would be the gameplay right? Outside of some pretty repetitive missions…it's really fun all the way throughout. The swordplay is phenomenal and is never too tough to control. It's one of those instances where waggle doesn't feel gimmicky, but quite welcome. From countering, to parrying…it's quite nice. The game also has one of the best assortment of boss characters ever. Every single one of them is interesting and could potentially make a final boss candidate in a different game. I would go as far to say it has the most interesting assortment of bosses since MGS 3's compilation of the cobra unit. No More Heroes isn't necessarily the most mainstream title out there, but it's definitely one that should get more attention. It's a beauty and deserves all the credit in the world.

- Well, better hurry on to the garden of madness.

2-) Super Mario Galaxy - Super Mario 64 is one of the most beloved platforming titles of all time. It really helped usher in the 3D era and let fans of 2D platforming know that the future would be bright. To this day, many people consider Super Mario 64 to be their favorite game on the Nintendo 64. Super Mario Sunshine was a bit of a departure from that as it added a new element into the mix – Fludd, a water jet-pack thing – and many fans were disappointed. It wasn't as much like Super Mario 64 so it wasn't really…their thing. You will notice fans of Zelda bemoaned the Windwaker and Majora's Mask in much the same way. Those two games weren't enough like Ocarina of Time, and fans sort of wanted a return to form. When I look at Super Mario Galaxy, I see Super Mario 64 in space. Oh sure, there are some differences – such as the new powerups – but as a whole it feels a whole lot like the first 3D Mario game…and that's not a bad thing at all. The worlds all look marvelous and have some pretty great design. It doesn't feel like you're doing the same thing in a different place…it feels nice and fresh no matter where you go. On top of the great gameplay which we have come to expect from the Mario franchise we also get some awesome music. It's a mixture of new tracks and old remixes which is very nice. It was one of my favorite OSTs of last year. A lot of people complain about how this game is pretty much a rehash with gravity features…but that doesn't matter. When a "rehash" is this fun, it's worth your hard earned cash.



1-) Super Smash Brothers Brawl - Prior to the release of Brawl, Super Smash Brothers Melee was one of my favorite games ever. Countless days of my life were wasted brawling amongst my favorite Nintendo characters. It was the only place where you could get Mario, Ness, Link, and Pikachu together and have them duke it out. The game had some issues though, such as glitches (mostly due to the game being rushed out) and character balance. Characters like Marth and Falco were just in a different class than characters like Link and Ness. Brawl came along and fixed a lot of the problems that Melee had. While there are still some glitches to be found in Brawl, to this point none have been abused in tournaments and the few that have – such as the Ice Climbers infinite throw – have been banned. It's nice. To go along with this is character balance. This is a fighting game and of course there will be tier lists. As long as there are people competing, there will always be opinions on who is the best. In this game, it feels to me that there is a much, much better chance for a low tier character to beat a high tiered one. A matter of fact, I would even argue that a tier list isn't needed for this game. It's one of the most balanced "fighting" games yet and that's pretty neat. If you've played Smash Brothers Melee before, you probably know what this game plays like so I don't really need to touch on the gameplay…instead I will discuss some of the game modes. The single player mode, Subspace Emissary, while being ragged for featuring generic enemies…is actually quite a lot of fun when played with someone. Sure, it's not exactly a Kirby and smash brothers combination but it beats the snot out of Melee's Adventure and Classic modes. Also, there are tons of collectibles and extras to keep you playing for years. For instance, its soundtrack is over 300 songs deep and features many tunes that rank among Nintendo's best. Hundreds of trophies and stickers for fans to wax nostalgically over Nintendo history and a level editor you can toy around with to create anything that you thought should have been in the game but wasn't. Sure it may be simple but at least it's there. You can also share your levels with friends from around the world along with videos and photos. Sadly, that's the only highlight of brawl's online content. Super Smash Brothers Brawl is plagued by tons of lag and in some matches…is made damn near unplayable. Oh sure, you can run matches with people around your area…but generally speaking people from far away are a pain in the ass to play with. I was playing with a friend from Washington once and the input lag was over a second long making gameplay just plain awkward. This is a shame because with proper online play Brawl could very well have been one of the best games of all time. Whatever your take is on Brawl, it's hard to deny that it combines replayability with fanservice and creates quite an impressive package for longtime fans of Nintendo. Going into the month of August in the year 2008, Super Smash Brothers Brawl is the wii's finest game.

- Poor Lucas...

Well that's it for today, as always if you wish to reach me by e-mail send a line to [e-mail] . Of course, you can also leave a comment too and I'll try to address you in my comment section in the following week's column.

Before I go though, let's check out some links from around 411's game section:

Jordan Williams brings us Working Title and discusses how Resident Evil has changed for the better. I agree. I was not a fan of the Resident Evil series.

Owain J. Brimfield writes the Wonder Years and this year brings us Aero the Acrobat. Another good title. Read about it here!

Tommy Coloma brings us the Negative Edge News Report. Glad to see he's looking forward to the new Bionic Commando…because I am too.

Theo Fraser pens the Nintendophiles and does a great job of it. This week he brings news that SF IV on the wii is possible. How AWESOME.

Chris Vicari is off to write his Master's Thesis and will be gone for a while. He will be missed as The Forgotten PC Games was one of the few PC-centered columns on the site. Good luck buddy. Make sure to read this farewell piece. He also hits on moves based on video games if you're interested.

Chris Evans brings us the PC-Centric Extravaganza. This week he discusses Games for Windows Live among other things. I liked the Quake Live trailer he showed.

John Curry brings us The Checkpoint and this week he talks about comics that should be made into games. Kurosagi Corpse Delivery service would definitely be the most interesting game he listed. That would be excellent.

Drew Robbins writes Coming Attractions. As always he discusses games that are being released…on the Drewmometer this week he rates Soul Calibur 2 and 3 and gives 3 a three stars. WHY? 2 and 3 are practically the same game, only three has a slightly inferior single player mode. Who plays fighting games for their single player mode? Bazooka Derek says chew on this

Rod Oracheski brings us Achievement Unlocked. As typical, we update on the same day so make sure to check out his column which should also be up tonight. In this one he discusses how a lot of games today are the same ol' shit. Among other things.

Joe Roche writes the Full Circle News Report. We update on the same night sadly, but you should check him out when you're done with my column. Last week he brought news of how Splinter Cell was delayed. Luckily that's not where I get my stealth fix.

Mark Salmela writes B3yond the Report. He's a great guy and writes a great column even when his life is hectic. He brings news of how Tekken…may no longer be exclusive. Oh well, everything else is multiplatform these days anyhow. Great job Mark.

Well, that's it. I'm out.

Til' the crossroads