The Release List 01.06.09
Posted by Tommy Coloma on 01.06.2009
A sequel to one of the Wii's better fishing games and a twenty-year-old peripheral that shows you how fast you can press a button.
There wasn't a column last week because of the sheer lack of releases. Thankfully, things are a little better this week as we get one of my most anticipated games from E3 last year - Retro Game Challenge. The game that I was most looking forward to getting this week was pushed back a few weeks. Fortunately, there are still a few things that are worth looking at, including a 20-year-old device that can humble even the hardest of the hardcore.
Originally released over twenty years ago, the Shooting Watch averages out how many times you can press a button in ten seconds. Once I get mine, I'm going practice until I beat Takahashi Meijin's legendary sixteen presses per second. Do you think you can beat me to it?
Retro Game Challenge (DS) Update: It looks like XSEED pushed the release back to February 10.
This is one of the more memorable games that I played at E3 last year, which is both sad and cool at the same time. The story is that you have been turned into a child and transported to the 80s where you are forced to take on some challenges for several old-school games. The game itself is based on a popular Japanese show in which the host, comedian Shinya Arino, plays through old games while the audience watches.
Retro Game Challenge comes with eight fictional games that are based on titles from popular franchises. Cosmic Gate is a Galaga-like top-down shooter. Haguru Man is a platforming game in the vein of the original Mario Bros. (the one with the POW block). Rally King and Rally King SP are similar to R.C. Pro-AM. Star Prince has a Raiden vibe to it. Haguru Man 2 and 3 are your obligatory sequels, though they play differently from the first as well as each other, with the second sequel being more Ninja Gaiden-like. Guadia Quest is a Dragon Quest clone. RGC adds more to the nostalgia by featuring the ability to collect game magazines which contain strategy guides, cheat codes, developer interviews, and other information for all eight games.
The challenges do not require you to finish each game. However, all of the games are complete, so you can if you want to. They can take up to eight hours or longer to beat and are not what I would consider shovelware - there is some depth to all of them. One of the action games, for example, has its own power-up screen where you can use certain items you've collected to improve your character. Abilities such as jumping higher and throwing more projectiles are essential for getting further in the game. Another example is how one of the racing games has a very cool drifting mechanic which makes it much more interesting than most of the others that I played in the 80s. So, at the very least, some of the games offered here rival those that were actually released back in the day.
Retro Game Challenge was made to cater to anybody (the challenges aren't too difficult), so if you're looking for something different on your DS, this might be worth a look. However, if you're into old-school games, you owe it to yourself to check this gem out.
rumor mill: I heard at E3 that work for an American release of the show has already been done, but there isn't a distributor that's willing to take a chance on the series. Until then, you can find more info on it by checking out The Game Center CX Episode Guide over at crunk. Crunchyroll also has a few episodes online. Unfortunately, none of them are translated, so the jokes will be lost on most of us...
Ultimate Shooting Collection (Wii)
After numerous delays, UFO Interactive finally releases this MileStone shmup collection. Despite its shovelware-looking cover and shovelware-sounding name, the three games that are included might actually be worth more than the shovelware-price, at least if you are a shmup fan. Here's what you get -
Chaos Field
According to what I've read, this game throws you into one boss battle after another. Each level contains three bosses, and there are five levels that you have to work your way through. You have one life per game, but you can have up to five shields. Your ship is equipped with a sword that can be used to swipe away enemy fire (you can see that mechanic in action in the video down below). There is also a way to switch between two different "fields" which affect the damage you can deal, the number of bullets your enemies lob at you, and how quickly you can collect items that charge up your special attack meters. Getting a higher score requires you to figure out when to switch between the two fields.
Chaos Field gameplay footage
Radio Allergy (Radirgy)
The only things that I remember about Radirgy are that it is a cell-shaded shmup and that it has a cool looking cover. From the looks of things, Radirgy also has the sword-swipe attack seen in Chaos Field. I'm sensing a pattern.
Radio Allergy GameCube trailer
Karous
AKA, the last game to be released for the Dreamcast. I've been told that this is basically Radirgy 1.5...
Karous Dreamcast trailer
Fishing Master World Tour (Wii)
The first Fishing Master was really hit-or-miss amongst the everyday gamers who tried it, but most of those who are really into fishing games preferred it to Sega Bass and Rapala. I tried it myself and actually enjoyed it (especially the fish-fighting mechanic). Fishing Master wasn't something that I'd play for hours-on-end, but for quick pick-up games and multi-player, it was perfect. World Tour improves on the original by adding more multi-player modes (including wi-fi), letting you boat troll, and allowing you to tackle over two-hundred types of fish in more than forty different locations.
Fishing Master World Tour trailer
DJ Max Fever (PSP) Update: This has been pushed back a few weeks. I need to find better sources!
This is the first game in the series that fans in the US do not have to import. It's essentially a mix of DJ Max Portable 1 & 2. What's surprising is that PM Studios decided not to follow in Konami's footsteps by bastardizing the series with crappy songs from 2nd-tier US bands that nobody has ever heard of. Granted, most of the people who pick this up will not have heard of any of its songs either, but one of the game's main strengths is its song selection, and changing what works would kill the series before it has a chance to plant its feet. Just look at what happened to Beatmania in the US.
DJ Max Fever trailer
The other US releases Bigfoot: Collision Course (DS) CID The Dummy (PS2, Wii, PSP) Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero (DS) Paws & Claws: Pampered Pets (DS) Paws & Claws: Pet Resort (Wii) Saints Row 2 (PC)
The Import SceneNothing but re-releases this week. I'll talk about how I'm going to tackle the language issue when things start to pick up in Japan.
Posted By: Guest#2070 (Guest) on January 06, 2009 at 12:26 AM
Wow, hadn't heard of that Ultimate Shooting Game, that's an instant buy for me. Can't get enough Shumps. Don't know if you all heard but Microsoft asked Treasure to bring out Radiant Silvergun to XBLA. The article is on Kotaku if you're interested, Treasure said they weren't sure because they didn't know if the game would hold up today, and might want to do an update instead. I don't care, as long as it comes out!
Retro Game Challenge looks interesting as well. A look on Amazon says it hits Feb 10th from XSeed games, I'm assuming this is a US release. Don't know who XSeed is, but they've got another interesting title called Avalon Code for the DS coming out shortly afterwards. An Atlas/NIS type company specializing in importing Japanese titles? If so, hell yes.
And didn't realize Dragon Quest 5 is hitting DS as well, which was on the Amazon page. Dammit, my wallet is crying already...
Posted By: Deathpool (Registered) on January 06, 2009 at 01:25 AM
XSeed is, in fact, a company much like Atlus in that they translate and bring over Japanese titles. They were the company that brought over Shadow Hearts: From the New World when the original publisher passed on it, Populous DS, Wild Arms 4 and 5, and are the publishers of the forthcoming Little King's Story for the Wii. Basically, all kinds of niche goodness that wouldn't sell to the level expected of a major publishing house, but for a small house they sell quite well.
Damn good company, and one to look out for in the future.
Posted By: Brian J. Blottie (Guest) on January 06, 2009 at 09:50 PM
