Nintendo is a Japanese company. I’m guessing that’s because it was founded in Japan. And, for whatever reason, many of the games created in Japan never make it to US shores. It’s a shame, really, since many of these games are excellent. Let’s have a look at a few Japanese games that never made it to the US of A.
Showing posts with label Chibi-Robo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chibi-Robo. Show all posts
Monday, February 20, 2012
Thursday, June 4, 2009
E3 Bingo Day 4
Friends, I ask you now to retrieve your pocketbooks. It is time to purchase Nintendo Points for benjamines. You see, this morning, Nintendo revealed even more new information. First, that Japan will be getting a black-colored Wii next year sometime. Second, Nintendo is making a new RPG franchise called Monado, and third, there is a new Chibi-Robo being made that will also be released next year. Therefore, I now have BINGO!!!So, you have two choices: 1) Buy me Nintendo points now, 2) Wait and see if I get more bingo's later, or 3) don't do either. If you choose 1 or 2, thank you dear readers. If you choose 3, then I will go home and throw a tantrum. Choose wisely.
Here's hoping Mario Golf, Strong Bad, and Mario Party all make an appearance real soon...
-benjamines
Monday, May 18, 2009
Awesome Games A-Z, pt. 1
Good Monday to you, reader(s)! (That's the oxymoron of the year, eh?) Today I'd like to post the first in a short series of articles: The Best Games from A-Z. Basically, I pick the best game I have that starts with A, then go to B, etc. Naturally, this won't give you the 26 best games ever, since there is only 1 Q game. In any case, it should be interesting. So here we go!
A! This one was a tough one, actually. But, after a short deliberation, I have decided that it is Animal Crossing: Wild World for the DS. For those who don't know, Animal Crossing is an amusing life sim. Basically, you move to a small town where anthropomorphic animals live. You get a house, catch and sell bugs and fish to pay our debts, make friends, plants flowers and trees, and buy cool things for your house. Sounds odd, to be sure, but it's actually very engaging. Plus, you can play online and visit friends' towns, which makes it easier to get good items, since you can trade. In case you were wondering about the different versions, here's a short comparison:
Animal Crossing (GCN): Playable NES games, town divided into acres, animals rarely leave
Animal Crossing Wild World (NDS): Online play, no acres, animals leave regularly, it's portable
Animal Crossing City Folk (Wii): Nearly the same as the DS version, can visit the city, WiiSpeak compatible
Runner-up: Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright
B! Surprisingly, I have 25 games that start with B, which I thought was weird, since it seems like a less common letter. In fact, I picked a game with TWO B's, so yeah. Double awesome. Naturally, it didn't take much to convince me that Bubble Bobble (NES) was the best one. In Bubble Bobble, you play as tiny dinosaurs Bub and Bob, who have the interesting ability to capture monsters in the bubbles they can shoot from their mouths. Sounds odd, of course, but it's one of the best NES games ever made (and that's saying something). Plus, it's one of the great NES multiplayer games. There have been countless sequels (which are decent), but the original is the best. By the way, it's available on Virtual Console (and there's a new WiiWare version in the works). So go buy it now!
Runner-up: Boom Blox (Wii)
C! This game is easily one of the most under-played games of all time. Of course I mean Chibi-Robo, the story of a tiny robot who helps a family keep their house clean. In the process, he helps sort out some of the more serious problems the family is having. As always, sounds odd, but it is one of the more adorable and engaging games the world has ever known. Basically, you walk around, pick up garbage and clean floors, which earns you happy points. Enough happy points and you can buy new gear, such as the ability to float, or a longer-lasting battery. Once you get enough gear, you can traverss the entire house and backyard, giving you plenty of opportunities to meet the toys and animals of the house and help them with their problems as well. If you don't have this game, you're in luck! The New Play Control! version (for Wii, of course) is on its way and may be here sometime this year. Wait until it comes out, and then... Go buy it now!
Runner-up: Chibi-Robo Park Patrol (NDS)
D! There are a number of good D-flavored games, so it was a tough decision. At last I decided that the winner should be Ducktales, the classic NES game. If I remember correctly (and I usually do), it was the first NES game that was my very own. I got it for my birthday or Christmas and loved it then, and I love it now. It has tight controls, excellent music, a great story, and is just a fantastic play all-around. It's not a hard game, but as the Kirby games have proven, that's not a bad thing. You play as Scrooge McDuck on his quest to get the biggest and best treasures in the world. Prepare to pogo-stick off of monkeys and hit rocks into giant spiders to get to the end. Unfortunately, this game is not yet available on Virtual Console, but don't be surprised if and when it shows up. And then, go get it. Cause it's awesome. And amazing. Awesomazing.
Runner-up: Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
E! The final game of the day is a classic. Excitebike 64 is the sequel to the really cool Excitebike for NES. The N64 version took everything great about the original and nitro-charged it to the super-extreme! Admittedly, it's one of the hardest games to learn, but once you get it, you've got it for good. It's a work of art, really. Not only are there races and tournaments, but there are other crazy things to do, like soccer. On motorbikes? Yes! You hit a giant soccer ball across a giant field. Super fun! Plus, there's time trials, a hill climb, a never-ending desert with never-ending jumps. Not only that, it has a very intuitive level editor. In short, it has limitless replay value. Sadly, it is not yet available on Virtual Console. Perhaps soon, dear friends, perhaps soon. And when it does... well, you know the drill.
Runner-up: Elite Beat Agents (NDS)
Well, that's enough for today, friends. Stay tuned in the coming days (maybe weeks) to see the rest of the best games the alphabet has to offer! Peace!
-benjamines
Currently Playing: Okami, Animal Crossing City Folk, World of Goo
A! This one was a tough one, actually. But, after a short deliberation, I have decided that it is Animal Crossing: Wild World for the DS. For those who don't know, Animal Crossing is an amusing life sim. Basically, you move to a small town where anthropomorphic animals live. You get a house, catch and sell bugs and fish to pay our debts, make friends, plants flowers and trees, and buy cool things for your house. Sounds odd, to be sure, but it's actually very engaging. Plus, you can play online and visit friends' towns, which makes it easier to get good items, since you can trade. In case you were wondering about the different versions, here's a short comparison:Animal Crossing (GCN): Playable NES games, town divided into acres, animals rarely leave
Animal Crossing Wild World (NDS): Online play, no acres, animals leave regularly, it's portable
Animal Crossing City Folk (Wii): Nearly the same as the DS version, can visit the city, WiiSpeak compatible
Runner-up: Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright
B! Surprisingly, I have 25 games that start with B, which I thought was weird, since it seems like a less common letter. In fact, I picked a game with TWO B's, so yeah. Double awesome. Naturally, it didn't take much to convince me that Bubble Bobble (NES) was the best one. In Bubble Bobble, you play as tiny dinosaurs Bub and Bob, who have the interesting ability to capture monsters in the bubbles they can shoot from their mouths. Sounds odd, of course, but it's one of the best NES games ever made (and that's saying something). Plus, it's one of the great NES multiplayer games. There have been countless sequels (which are decent), but the original is the best. By the way, it's available on Virtual Console (and there's a new WiiWare version in the works). So go buy it now!Runner-up: Boom Blox (Wii)
C! This game is easily one of the most under-played games of all time. Of course I mean Chibi-Robo, the story of a tiny robot who helps a family keep their house clean. In the process, he helps sort out some of the more serious problems the family is having. As always, sounds odd, but it is one of the more adorable and engaging games the world has ever known. Basically, you walk around, pick up garbage and clean floors, which earns you happy points. Enough happy points and you can buy new gear, such as the ability to float, or a longer-lasting battery. Once you get enough gear, you can traverss the entire house and backyard, giving you plenty of opportunities to meet the toys and animals of the house and help them with their problems as well. If you don't have this game, you're in luck! The New Play Control! version (for Wii, of course) is on its way and may be here sometime this year. Wait until it comes out, and then... Go buy it now!Runner-up: Chibi-Robo Park Patrol (NDS)
D! There are a number of good D-flavored games, so it was a tough decision. At last I decided that the winner should be Ducktales, the classic NES game. If I remember correctly (and I usually do), it was the first NES game that was my very own. I got it for my birthday or Christmas and loved it then, and I love it now. It has tight controls, excellent music, a great story, and is just a fantastic play all-around. It's not a hard game, but as the Kirby games have proven, that's not a bad thing. You play as Scrooge McDuck on his quest to get the biggest and best treasures in the world. Prepare to pogo-stick off of monkeys and hit rocks into giant spiders to get to the end. Unfortunately, this game is not yet available on Virtual Console, but don't be surprised if and when it shows up. And then, go get it. Cause it's awesome. And amazing. Awesomazing.Runner-up: Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
E! The final game of the day is a classic. Excitebike 64 is the sequel to the really cool Excitebike for NES. The N64 version took everything great about the original and nitro-charged it to the super-extreme! Admittedly, it's one of the hardest games to learn, but once you get it, you've got it for good. It's a work of art, really. Not only are there races and tournaments, but there are other crazy things to do, like soccer. On motorbikes? Yes! You hit a giant soccer ball across a giant field. Super fun! Plus, there's time trials, a hill climb, a never-ending desert with never-ending jumps. Not only that, it has a very intuitive level editor. In short, it has limitless replay value. Sadly, it is not yet available on Virtual Console. Perhaps soon, dear friends, perhaps soon. And when it does... well, you know the drill.Runner-up: Elite Beat Agents (NDS)
Well, that's enough for today, friends. Stay tuned in the coming days (maybe weeks) to see the rest of the best games the alphabet has to offer! Peace!
-benjamines
Currently Playing: Okami, Animal Crossing City Folk, World of Goo
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
In honor of the holiday where people dress up like grass and limes, naturally the logical thing to do would be talk about games that have a prominently green cover.
The first one that comes to mind is Chibi-Robo Park Patrol for the DS. In fact, the whole game revolves around making a park greener and greener. As the tiny robot hero, you run around and pick up garbage, plant flowers, and make friends in the surrounding city. Sounds strange, but just like Animal Crossing and other life-sim games, it becomes incredibly engaging in a video game. I will admit, there are a few environmentalist flavored pieces of dialogue, but it is one of my favorite DS games. If you don't own it, you're doing yourself a serious disservice.
Speaking of life sims, of course we have to mention Animal Crossing. The greenest cover is for the Wii version, but all the games revolve around moving to a small town, making friends, catching fish, buying furniture, etc, etc. And since you're in a country town, there's grass all over the place. You can't see it in the winter, but there are cedar trees that are evergreen, so yeah. Green. Oh, and you can create your own clothes, so plenty of green there. Speaking of which, perhaps I'll go create a nice shamrock t-shirt for my character...
Ok, I'm back. Next up, we have Mario Super Sluggers. Baseball fields are green. And so is the cover of this baseball game. For those who haven't played it, I would recommend it. It's loads of fun and easy to play with anyone. Also, you can play as Toad. In fact, you can play as 5 toads. 6 if you count Toadette. My team usually consists of Mario, DK, Bowser, and a bunch of toads. Best. Team. Ever. Anways, the fields are green. At least some of them. There is an ice field. That one's not so green. And some of the others are different colors, too. Ok then.
Probably the greenest sport there is is golf. You go hit tiny orbs with sticks on a giant lawn. Fun times. Also, many golf games have green covers. Take True Swing Golf for example. It's very green. Just a logo and loads and loads of green. I try not to get too caught up in golf games in the winter because it makes me want to drive to somewhere warm and golf for real. But I know my car sucks, so I would get halfway there and break down. And then I'd be missing the cold weather while I fry in the extreme desert heat... What's that? Me, sidetracked? Never!
Next up we have a box from one of many games starring Mario's popular prehistorical mascot. Of course I mean Yoshi, the rainbow-spawning dinosaur. There are some games where Yoshi drives me crazy. But in his own games, he's pretty alright. Take this one, for example. Yoshi Touch n' Go is a DS game where you guide Yoshi and Baby Mario through various levels by drawing lines and creating paths. Not the longest game ever, but a fun one. Those who love Yoshi should get it. It's probably pretty cheap if you can find it. Not that anyone who reads this blog likes Yoshi. Especially not anyone related to me... Not you, ya dork!!!
Alright, so moving on, we have a green game that doesn't involve grass or idiotic global warming. Of course I mean Midway Arcade Treasures 2 for Gamecube. It's a compilation of a bunch of older arcade games. Some of the highlights include the excellent Mortal Kombat II and 3. Plus, there's Guantlet II, NARC, Primal Rage, and Rampage. Considering it was only $20 when it came out, it's a heck of a deal. You can probably find it on the cheap nowadays, too. I mostly bought it for MK II and 3, but I like Rampage and some of the others, too. Plus, you can get to know a few older games that you may have never played before. What a deal!
Finally, we have Pikmin, the odd yet popular Gamecube/Wii game. The Wii version just came out and it's a remake of the Gamecube one, just with Wii controls. If you don't have either, go grab the Wii one. It's only $30 and you don't have to fight for it on eBay. Anyways, the game involves Captain Olimar (who you may recognize from Smash Bros. Brawl) and the tiny Pikmin. Basically, the Pikmin are plant/human creatures that sprout from the ground. Olimar uses them to make bridges, defeat predators, and collect parts of his spaceship that fell of when he crash-landed. It's a little challenging, I will admit, but it's worth your time. A very cool game from the same guy who created a couple of other games you may have heard of (Mario or Zelda ring a bell?)
Well there you have it. Games you can play on St. Patty's Day to avoid being pinched by Mario. Take it from me. That plumber will give you such a pinch.
Honorable Mentions:
TMNT: Pretty much all TMNT games have a green logo. And four green turtles. Yeah. That's pretty green.
Luigi's Mansion (GCN): Mario's lil' green brother also has his own game. It's not totally green though, considering the brackground is an old run-down mansion and lightning.
Clubhouse Games (NDS): Another very green cover. Also, playing cards.
-benjamines
Currently Playing: Animal Crossing: City Folk, Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, Super Monkey Ball Adventure
The first one that comes to mind is Chibi-Robo Park Patrol for the DS. In fact, the whole game revolves around making a park greener and greener. As the tiny robot hero, you run around and pick up garbage, plant flowers, and make friends in the surrounding city. Sounds strange, but just like Animal Crossing and other life-sim games, it becomes incredibly engaging in a video game. I will admit, there are a few environmentalist flavored pieces of dialogue, but it is one of my favorite DS games. If you don't own it, you're doing yourself a serious disservice.
Speaking of life sims, of course we have to mention Animal Crossing. The greenest cover is for the Wii version, but all the games revolve around moving to a small town, making friends, catching fish, buying furniture, etc, etc. And since you're in a country town, there's grass all over the place. You can't see it in the winter, but there are cedar trees that are evergreen, so yeah. Green. Oh, and you can create your own clothes, so plenty of green there. Speaking of which, perhaps I'll go create a nice shamrock t-shirt for my character...
Ok, I'm back. Next up, we have Mario Super Sluggers. Baseball fields are green. And so is the cover of this baseball game. For those who haven't played it, I would recommend it. It's loads of fun and easy to play with anyone. Also, you can play as Toad. In fact, you can play as 5 toads. 6 if you count Toadette. My team usually consists of Mario, DK, Bowser, and a bunch of toads. Best. Team. Ever. Anways, the fields are green. At least some of them. There is an ice field. That one's not so green. And some of the others are different colors, too. Ok then.
Probably the greenest sport there is is golf. You go hit tiny orbs with sticks on a giant lawn. Fun times. Also, many golf games have green covers. Take True Swing Golf for example. It's very green. Just a logo and loads and loads of green. I try not to get too caught up in golf games in the winter because it makes me want to drive to somewhere warm and golf for real. But I know my car sucks, so I would get halfway there and break down. And then I'd be missing the cold weather while I fry in the extreme desert heat... What's that? Me, sidetracked? Never!
Next up we have a box from one of many games starring Mario's popular prehistorical mascot. Of course I mean Yoshi, the rainbow-spawning dinosaur. There are some games where Yoshi drives me crazy. But in his own games, he's pretty alright. Take this one, for example. Yoshi Touch n' Go is a DS game where you guide Yoshi and Baby Mario through various levels by drawing lines and creating paths. Not the longest game ever, but a fun one. Those who love Yoshi should get it. It's probably pretty cheap if you can find it. Not that anyone who reads this blog likes Yoshi. Especially not anyone related to me... Not you, ya dork!!!
Alright, so moving on, we have a green game that doesn't involve grass or idiotic global warming. Of course I mean Midway Arcade Treasures 2 for Gamecube. It's a compilation of a bunch of older arcade games. Some of the highlights include the excellent Mortal Kombat II and 3. Plus, there's Guantlet II, NARC, Primal Rage, and Rampage. Considering it was only $20 when it came out, it's a heck of a deal. You can probably find it on the cheap nowadays, too. I mostly bought it for MK II and 3, but I like Rampage and some of the others, too. Plus, you can get to know a few older games that you may have never played before. What a deal!
Finally, we have Pikmin, the odd yet popular Gamecube/Wii game. The Wii version just came out and it's a remake of the Gamecube one, just with Wii controls. If you don't have either, go grab the Wii one. It's only $30 and you don't have to fight for it on eBay. Anyways, the game involves Captain Olimar (who you may recognize from Smash Bros. Brawl) and the tiny Pikmin. Basically, the Pikmin are plant/human creatures that sprout from the ground. Olimar uses them to make bridges, defeat predators, and collect parts of his spaceship that fell of when he crash-landed. It's a little challenging, I will admit, but it's worth your time. A very cool game from the same guy who created a couple of other games you may have heard of (Mario or Zelda ring a bell?)Well there you have it. Games you can play on St. Patty's Day to avoid being pinched by Mario. Take it from me. That plumber will give you such a pinch.
Honorable Mentions:
TMNT: Pretty much all TMNT games have a green logo. And four green turtles. Yeah. That's pretty green.
Luigi's Mansion (GCN): Mario's lil' green brother also has his own game. It's not totally green though, considering the brackground is an old run-down mansion and lightning.
Clubhouse Games (NDS): Another very green cover. Also, playing cards.
-benjamines
Currently Playing: Animal Crossing: City Folk, Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, Super Monkey Ball Adventure
Friday, October 17, 2008
Ye Olde Holidaye!
It's my birthday today! And it almost snowed yesterday morning! Plus it snowed last weekend! How awesome is that?! But, despite my fervent prayers, it has all melted. I know it'll be back someday, though. I just knows it...
Either way, the falling of new snow marks the approachment of my favorite holiday: Christmas! I know it's been severely commercialized, but I think that's half the fun. Half the good games come out during the holiday season! But, seeing all these new games makes me wonder why they picked the ones they did instead of something better. So, let's take a look at some games that need to be made, hm?
Chibi-Robo (Wii) - I love Chibi-Robo! It's an fantastic gameplay design that anyone can play. While he is unfortunately undersold, hopefully Chibi-Robo will continue to be released every couple of years. They are making a Wii-controlled Gamecube version soon, so the liklihood of this isn't too high, but I think we'll see it before the Wii moves along. Either way, it would make a great addition to the already great lineup of Wii titles. I can just hear the robot sounds coming out of the little speaker on the Wiimote. Awesome!
Paper Mario (DS) - I think it's only a matter of time before this one comes out. Paper Mario takes the good parts of RPGs and adds them to the good parts of adventure games, which creates an extremely rewarding and supremely entertaining combination. I hope they go back to regular-style Paper Mario instead of mostly platforming. While Super Paper Mario was very fun, it lacked a certain something-something. Just think of it. You could be battling, and you could use the touch screen to do action commands and pick items to use. It makes perfect sense! Again, I think this one will come out eventually, but I wish it was coming out sooner.
F-Zero (DS and Wii) - F-Zero is easily one of my favorite franchises. It's not your regular racing game. Not only is it much faster, but there's a lot of strategy involved. After the first lap, you can use your ship's energy to give yourself a boost, but if you use too much, you may hit an opponent and explode. Plus, you get rewarded for knocking other people off of the track. Great fun! But the last one came out nearly 5 years ago. This is simply unacceptable. Much crappier games have seen much qiucker releases. Even epic games like Mario and Zelda see more releases than F-Zero. But it makes so much sense to make new ones! The unique controls of the DS and Wii could open up some seriously incredible possibilities. Come on, Nintendo! Make it happen!
Just seeing that picture on the right makes me want to wet myself. So warm...
Mario DDR 2 (Wii) - One of my favorite gamecube games needs a sequel, dangit! Even if they just had the game and no dance pad, I'd still get it! (Because I already have a dance pad). Oh, and this time, I hope they make more than like 1,000 of the total, so you know, everyone that wants one can get one. That'd be nice. Or, maybe they could change it up a little and do a Nintendo DDR, with songs from Zelda, Pokemon, and Donkey Kong. That'd be great. Something tells me we won't see this anytime soon, but it's ok to wish. Dangit.
Kirby (Wii) - It's been years now, but Nintendo released a video showing a Kirby game for the gamecube, which appeared to be the sequel (or successor) to Kirby 64. I love Kirby 64! But then it just kind of vanished. Then later on, there was a rumor that they were going to release the game on Wii instead. Awesome! But again, it has faded away. Nintendo, I just have one question: Where the crap is my Kirby Wii?!?! Kirby 64 is, in my humble yet indisputable opinion, the greatest video game ever made. Why then, would you not make a sequel? Honestly! But I'm not bitter or anything...
Click here to see the Kirby trailer released 3 freakin' years ago.
So, there you have it. Some games that make perfect sense, but ones you may never see. Have any other idea about what Nintendo (or others) should make? Let us know!
-benjamines
Currently Playing: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Megaman Battle Chip Challenge, TMNT Mutant Melee
Either way, the falling of new snow marks the approachment of my favorite holiday: Christmas! I know it's been severely commercialized, but I think that's half the fun. Half the good games come out during the holiday season! But, seeing all these new games makes me wonder why they picked the ones they did instead of something better. So, let's take a look at some games that need to be made, hm?
Chibi-Robo (Wii) - I love Chibi-Robo! It's an fantastic gameplay design that anyone can play. While he is unfortunately undersold, hopefully Chibi-Robo will continue to be released every couple of years. They are making a Wii-controlled Gamecube version soon, so the liklihood of this isn't too high, but I think we'll see it before the Wii moves along. Either way, it would make a great addition to the already great lineup of Wii titles. I can just hear the robot sounds coming out of the little speaker on the Wiimote. Awesome!Paper Mario (DS) - I think it's only a matter of time before this one comes out. Paper Mario takes the good parts of RPGs and adds them to the good parts of adventure games, which creates an extremely rewarding and supremely entertaining combination. I hope they go back to regular-style Paper Mario instead of mostly platforming. While Super Paper Mario was very fun, it lacked a certain something-something. Just think of it. You could be battling, and you could use the touch screen to do action commands and pick items to use. It makes perfect sense! Again, I think this one will come out eventually, but I wish it was coming out sooner.
F-Zero (DS and Wii) - F-Zero is easily one of my favorite franchises. It's not your regular racing game. Not only is it much faster, but there's a lot of strategy involved. After the first lap, you can use your ship's energy to give yourself a boost, but if you use too much, you may hit an opponent and explode. Plus, you get rewarded for knocking other people off of the track. Great fun! But the last one came out nearly 5 years ago. This is simply unacceptable. Much crappier games have seen much qiucker releases. Even epic games like Mario and Zelda see more releases than F-Zero. But it makes so much sense to make new ones! The unique controls of the DS and Wii could open up some seriously incredible possibilities. Come on, Nintendo! Make it happen!Just seeing that picture on the right makes me want to wet myself. So warm...
Mario DDR 2 (Wii) - One of my favorite gamecube games needs a sequel, dangit! Even if they just had the game and no dance pad, I'd still get it! (Because I already have a dance pad). Oh, and this time, I hope they make more than like 1,000 of the total, so you know, everyone that wants one can get one. That'd be nice. Or, maybe they could change it up a little and do a Nintendo DDR, with songs from Zelda, Pokemon, and Donkey Kong. That'd be great. Something tells me we won't see this anytime soon, but it's ok to wish. Dangit.
Kirby (Wii) - It's been years now, but Nintendo released a video showing a Kirby game for the gamecube, which appeared to be the sequel (or successor) to Kirby 64. I love Kirby 64! But then it just kind of vanished. Then later on, there was a rumor that they were going to release the game on Wii instead. Awesome! But again, it has faded away. Nintendo, I just have one question: Where the crap is my Kirby Wii?!?! Kirby 64 is, in my humble yet indisputable opinion, the greatest video game ever made. Why then, would you not make a sequel? Honestly! But I'm not bitter or anything...Click here to see the Kirby trailer released 3 freakin' years ago.
So, there you have it. Some games that make perfect sense, but ones you may never see. Have any other idea about what Nintendo (or others) should make? Let us know!
-benjamines
Currently Playing: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Megaman Battle Chip Challenge, TMNT Mutant Melee
Monday, October 6, 2008
Slough of New
Hello all! This last week was chock-full of great new gaming news! There's like a billion games coming out soon! Like, seriously! A billion!
First of all, Nintendo has announced a new Play on Wii series. They take classic Gamecube games, add Wii motion controls, and poof! Instant awesome! The first to be released will be the original Pikmin. Other titles will includes Pikmin 2, Metroid Prime 1 & 2, DK Jungle Beat, and Chibi-Robo. They all sound awesome. But I'm not so sure about DK Jungle Beat. I mean, it's a great game, but you just need the bongos to make it work. It's just not the same without all that tactile feedback. Either way, at least the Pikmin games and Chibi-Robo will finally get the attention they deserve.
Also, Nintendo showed a video with TONS of new games for both the Wii and the DS. Some of the Wii games include Punch-Out!, a remake of the NES Classic with cel-shaded (cartoony 3-D) graphics and motion controls, and the sequel to the fantastic DS title Trace Memory. It was one of my first DS games, but also one of my favorites.
The new DS games coming out are also awesome. They include a new WarioWare (you can't get enough of those), a new Mario & Luigi RPG, and a crazy-cool looking 3-D Picross. Also coming up is the Phoenix Wright spinoff starring his best friend/arch nemesis-in-court Miles Edgeworth. Details are sketchy, but it has something to do with running around with Detective Gumshoe and collecting evidence or something. Either way, I call dibs.
Also, there is more news on the DSi. At first, I was a little disappointed since I just got a new DS and it's coming out in less than a month in Japan. But after further review, I have decided it's ok now. First off, it won't be released until well into 2009, so possibly summertime-ish next year. Plus, it doesn't have any better hardware, so it's not an upgrade, just a redesign. The only thing about it I really want is the Virtual Console download thing they'll be doing. But I know that they will probably be releasing Gameboy and Game Gear games for it, the majority of which I either already own, or do not want. So, in short, I am excited for it, but I haven't decided whether I want it on day one or not yet. We shall see.
So there you go. Proof that there are a billion games coming out soon. And don't forget previously announced games like Animal Crossing for Wii and a new Strong Bad episode every month for the rest of the year. Awesome. Just awesome.
Don't forget to vote in the new poll! And by the way, you can vote multiple times if you use a different browser or computer each time. Hoo-hah!
-benjamines
Currently Playing: Megaman Battle Network 5 DS, Wario Land Shake It!, Nintendogs
First of all, Nintendo has announced a new Play on Wii series. They take classic Gamecube games, add Wii motion controls, and poof! Instant awesome! The first to be released will be the original Pikmin. Other titles will includes Pikmin 2, Metroid Prime 1 & 2, DK Jungle Beat, and Chibi-Robo. They all sound awesome. But I'm not so sure about DK Jungle Beat. I mean, it's a great game, but you just need the bongos to make it work. It's just not the same without all that tactile feedback. Either way, at least the Pikmin games and Chibi-Robo will finally get the attention they deserve.Also, Nintendo showed a video with TONS of new games for both the Wii and the DS. Some of the Wii games include Punch-Out!, a remake of the NES Classic with cel-shaded (cartoony 3-D) graphics and motion controls, and the sequel to the fantastic DS title Trace Memory. It was one of my first DS games, but also one of my favorites.
The new DS games coming out are also awesome. They include a new WarioWare (you can't get enough of those), a new Mario & Luigi RPG, and a crazy-cool looking 3-D Picross. Also coming up is the Phoenix Wright spinoff starring his best friend/arch nemesis-in-court Miles Edgeworth. Details are sketchy, but it has something to do with running around with Detective Gumshoe and collecting evidence or something. Either way, I call dibs.
Also, there is more news on the DSi. At first, I was a little disappointed since I just got a new DS and it's coming out in less than a month in Japan. But after further review, I have decided it's ok now. First off, it won't be released until well into 2009, so possibly summertime-ish next year. Plus, it doesn't have any better hardware, so it's not an upgrade, just a redesign. The only thing about it I really want is the Virtual Console download thing they'll be doing. But I know that they will probably be releasing Gameboy and Game Gear games for it, the majority of which I either already own, or do not want. So, in short, I am excited for it, but I haven't decided whether I want it on day one or not yet. We shall see.So there you go. Proof that there are a billion games coming out soon. And don't forget previously announced games like Animal Crossing for Wii and a new Strong Bad episode every month for the rest of the year. Awesome. Just awesome.
Don't forget to vote in the new poll! And by the way, you can vote multiple times if you use a different browser or computer each time. Hoo-hah!
-benjamines
Currently Playing: Megaman Battle Network 5 DS, Wario Land Shake It!, Nintendogs
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Small Robot, Huge Fun
One thing that bothers me about video games is that sometimes, a great game comes out. But because no one hears about it or knows about it, it doesn't get played. This is unfortunate, because fantastic franchises can wither away into the shadows simply because they did not get the attention they deserved. Such is the case with Chibi-Robo. Chibi-Robo is a tiny house-cleaning robot who is trying to help a family get closer together. This particular Chibi was purchased by the Sanderson's. He starts out walking around, picking up garbage and cleaning up muddy footprints. As the days go on, he starts to notice that the family is not all that close. The Dad is sleeping on the couch because he has spent all the family's money. The wife is constantly hungry, cause she refuses to eat with her financially-deficient husband. And the daughter is upset because her parents are upset at each other.
Now, of course, it sounds like a ridiculous premise for a game. But just like Animal Crossing or The Sims, real life scenarios somehow become engaging in a video game. Anyways, Chibi-Robo continues to clean the house, but he also helps the family, plus their come-alive-at-night toys, who have their own share of problems. Chibi turns out to be the perfect solution to every problem in the Sanderson household.
The game is not limited to cleaning dog prints or picking up candy wrappers. Chibi races cars with a hot-rodding egg. He feeds a bird who dares not leave his nest. And he helps a group of soldiers find the strength to come together and defeat the enemy. Chibi makes many friends on the way to solving the Sandersons' problems. And because of his size and position outside the actual family, he becomes the glue that holds the family together, like how he can slip in vents to talk to the disgruntled mother who locked herself in the bedroom.
Chibi-Robo is one those gems that keeps you involved constantly as you try to help and clean your way to the top. The more you help, the more items you can buy. For example, Chibi-Robo has a battery that needs to be charged after a short time. The more you help people, the larger battery you can buy, thus letting you roam around longer without charging.
I could go on and on about this game, but there is one point that needs to be remembered. This game is one of the best the Gamecube had to offer, and more people need to play it. It's probably hard to find now, but I can assure you it would be worth it.
In any case, the game is great and when new Chibi-Robo games come out, you should consider buying (or at the very least, renting) them. The DS version of the game is also amazing, but I'll talk about that one another day.
This game has earned a Blatantly Biased: 
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