[Game Review] Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)

Mario Galaxy 2 US Box artSystem: Wii (Exclusive)
Developer: Nintendo EAD Tokyo
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Platformer

I have been writing reviews on this site for coming up on two years now, and I have never awarded anything a perfect 10. I’ve reviewed books, video games, energy drinks, movies, food, tech, and music — a very wide scope of products — and never experienced one single item that deserved a score of perfection. Never. I don’t know why, but I’ve just never experienced anything that I truly thought existed without some flaw, some merit of quality detraction.

That streak has come to an end, as I have finally experienced something truly perfect. No blemishes, no flaws, nothing to detract from the experience offered. Super Mario Galaxy 2 for the Nintendo Wii is truly perfect in everything that it does. Of course I can’t just say that without offering something to back it up, so if you feel you need further convincing, then by all means read onward dear gamer. If, however, I’ve already swayed you, then I suggest buying the game right now if you don’t already have it in your library. This is an interactive experience that shouldn’t be missed.

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Third Party Woes on Wii – Who’s to Blame?

Recently the president of EA said finding success on the Wii was “confounding”. I found this statement rather confounding myself due to various reasons. This seems to be a common thing with third parties on Wii. Many publishers are hesitant to put forth big budget content since it’s failed them in the past. That’s a self-fulfilling prophecy if I ever heard one.

Firstly, third parties have no one to blame but themselves. Answered that question quickly, didn’t I? They were the ones who created the current market on Wii by filling it with garbage. What games that aren’t garbage they produce get limited marketing and next to no commercials. Again, compare the marketing of the “biggest” Wii third party game, The Conduit, with the marketing of Rogue Warrior, a B-level action game for the HD consoles. Rogue Warrior has received much more of a push. What games deserve to sell on Wii? Little King’s Story? Muramasa? Dead Space: Extraction? Maybe. But which ones received proper advertising? Oh, yes. None of them. So none of them “deserved” to sell. Quality can only do you so much in the games business.

Read the rest of this fantastic entry on SuperPhillip Central.

[Game Review] LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias (WiiWare)

System: Wii Exclusive (WiiWare)
Developer: Frontier Developments
Publisher: Frontier Developments
Genre: Adventure

The first LostWinds is widely considered one of, if not the absolute best games the WiiWare has to offer. Featuring gorgeous visuals, creative controls, and an absolutely fresh premise, no one could argue that LostWinds was anything short of spectacular (besides those douchebags at GameSpot, that is). The sequel, dubbed Winter of the Melodias, takes everything that made the first adventure such a smashing success and somehow manages to add to it. Continue reading

[Game Review] Dead Space Extraction (Wii)

System: Wii (Exclusive)
Developer: Visceral/Eurocom
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Genre: Rail Shooter

I never played the original Dead Space on 360/PS3. It’s not that had no interest in the game, because I definitely did. I drooled at tons of screenshots, lustfully watched plenty of gameplay footage, and read a good amount of reviews. Everything I saw or read about the game definitely tickled my fancy, but for some reason I just never bought or rented it.

So when Dead Space Extraction, the Wii-Exclusive prequel, was announced I had very little interest in the game. Once it was revealed that the title would serve as a spooky and atmospheric On Rails Shooter, my ears perked up and I began developing an interest while the majority of Wii gamers scoffed at the Light Gun Style gameplay, calling it inferior and assuming it would be boring.

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[Game Review] GT Pro Series (Wii)

boxart_wii_us_gt-pro-seriesSystem: Wii
Developer: MTO
Publisher: Ubisoft
Genre: Racing

Racing games are simple, fun, and give you immediate results. You don’t have to work through a number of complicated levels, with variables that you cannot control. You get a track, a vehicle, and opponents. Its about as straight forward as gaming gets. Nintendo’s Wii offers you the ability to control the action with an actual gaming wheel. So, automatically, you are given a unique gaming experience.

The only problem is that GT Pro Series otherwise plays like it could have been developed for Super Nintendo over a decade ago. The graphics are sub par, and it looks like a 32-bit system. The cars are chunky, bland, and non-descript. The race tracks are basic, and completely barren of any major graphic achievement. The graphics are the game’s major, and truly the only damning weakness. If you aren’t distracted by graphics that barely would’ve been revolutionary in 1993, then you won’t mind this game. Continue reading

’08 Holiday Buyer’s Guide: Wii

While Nintendo has left us with some pretty slim pickins this holiday season, there’s still a plethora of games that you probably haven’t heard of that are well worth your hard earned cash. And since the economy isn’t exactly the greatest, I’ve kept this guide to essentials only. Listed below are 5 disc-based games and 3 WiiWare games you should definitely make sure are under your tree this year.

Games:

de Blob

deblobOne of my personal favorite Wii games, de Blob is an ultra-stylized action platformer in which players fight against an evil corporation known as INKT. The INKT are attempting to drain the world of it’s beauty, and it’s up to you to join the color revolution and return beauty to a world under assault. The controls, music and visuals are all stellar, and this is the kind of game that deserves your hard earned cash.
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