Seriously, better than Halo 3? Hell yeah!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
God of War: Chains of Olympus Preview
Can Kratos kick as much ass on a handheld as he does on a console?
Monday, December 17, 2007
Super Mario Brothers: The Lost Levels Review
Don't let the title fool you.... This IS Super Mario Brothers 2.
Final Score: 8.4 out of 10
Final Score: 8.4 out of 10
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl Review
Too many pokemon.... too many colors.... too few excuses not to pick this up!
Final Score: 9.1 out of 10
Final Score: 9.1 out of 10
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Review
With Rockband on the way, and the original creators of Guitar Hero on their side, does this game have what it takes with Activision by their side to still be worth purchasing?
Final Score: 9.5 out of 10
Note: From being lacking in certain features you could shave as much as a point of off the Wii and PS2 versions of the game, though they are still definitely still worth picking up if you do not own multiple consoles that Guitar Hero is available for.
Update: Activision is working on a replacement disc to fix the problems with the Wii version of the game. Click here to find out more!
Final Score: 9.5 out of 10
Note: From being lacking in certain features you could shave as much as a point of off the Wii and PS2 versions of the game, though they are still definitely still worth picking up if you do not own multiple consoles that Guitar Hero is available for.
Update: Activision is working on a replacement disc to fix the problems with the Wii version of the game. Click here to find out more!
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Super Mario Galaxy Review
CLICK HERE FOR THE PDF VERSION OF THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY TEXT REVIEW
Back in 1996, a revolutionary thing happened. Video games would never be the same again. Super Mario 64 was the first game ever to pioneer into the land of 64-bit 3D video games. It was a revolution in video games.
A few months later in 1997, Nintendo interviewed the game's director, Shigeru Miyamoto, who suggested that a Super Mario 128 may be in the works. And for years after this, the gaming world went wild.
And even so, Nintendo teased us. At Spaceworld 2000, they created a technical demo called, "Mario 128" which showed off the Gamecube's processing power. In 2001, there was an event match in Super Smash Brothers Melee called "Super Mario 128".
Finally, in 2007, Shigeru Miyamoto finally addressed what happened to Super Mario 128 over the years, at his keynote speech at the Game Developers Conference. He explained how one part of the project was to be able to manage large amounts of characters at once, which is what the Spaceworld demo ultimately was, and he also said that this piece of Mario 128, was put into a game called Pikmin for Gamecube. He said the rest of it, became what is now known as Super Mario Galaxy.
So yes, Super Mario Galaxy is Super Mario 128, and that means it may or may not have been in the works for the past 10 years. We may never know. But what we do know is this: Super Mario Galaxy is the only game that is worthy enough to be called a sequel to Super Mario 64.
But enough history, let's get into the game itself:
Story (6.5 out of 10):
Not to much thought was put into making the game's story. It is probably one of the most un-original storylines I have ever seen actually. And, it's pretty much the same as every single other Mario game that Nintendo has released. That doesn't make it bad, or make the game any less entertaining. But it's just the usual:
Well, every 100 years a comet soars over the Mushroom Kingdom and every 100 years the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom celebrate by throwing a carnival, of sorts. And of course, who else is going to come throw everyone off guard during this party? Hmm.... Perhaps, Bowser? Yeppers. So, this time Bowser generally comes to steal the princess, but not in the usual way. No. This time, he rips Peach's castle right out of the ground! Heh....
Deja Vu?
It's weird because I could've sworn that Paper Mario opened the exact same way.... Hmm.... Didn't Mario get knocked out by Kammy Koopa in that game, and once he awoke he spoke to a Star Spirit who told him everything that was going on? Isn't that exactly what happens here? Yes! Now, you see what I mean by un-original. XD!
That's all there really is to the main storyline. There's also an optional storyline that you can read about in a library later on the game. But this is rather boring. All it really does is tell about the life of a new character named, Roslina. Good thing, it's optional.
Fortunately, story is the weakest part of the game. It all goes uphill from here!
Graphics (10 out of 10):
This is easily one of the games strong points. Super Mario Galaxy, easily have the best graphics on the Wii. It can easily be said, the Mario has never looked so good, and here it is apparent how very under-rated 480p actually is! These graphics aren't just "good for the Wii". They're good, for any console!
Not to mention that the game runs very smoothly in 16:9 wide-screen the entire time! This game shows that there really isn't any excuse for developers who blame poor graphics on the fact that their game is on Wii.
In fact, along with the amazing and unique level design, you may find yourself awe-struck as you play.
Sound (10 out of 10):
It could easily be said that this is one of the better soundtracks to come out of Nintendo. Sure, people may complain there is barely any voice acting, but I personally like it better that way. It doesn't tarnish your own image of a characters that way. Besides, remember what happened when Bowser got a voice actor? *shivers*
Plus, Mario is still as cheerful as ever and the normal jump sounds and all of the basics are perfectly spot on.
And Nintendo did meet one demand this time around. This is one of the major complaints against Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess....
Almost every single piece of music in the Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack is fully orchestrated! And orchestrated quite nicely might I add. This is one of those soundtracks that you'll find yourself humming without even realizing it. It has the kind of music you'll get stuck in your head for days without end! And it's one of the few video game soundtracks that you could listen to straight without any sort of remix added to it.
It's that good! Of course, this soundtrack also features old and classic Mario tracks redone, remixed, and entirely revamped! And the new tracks do sound pretty also! :P
Presentation (10 out of 10):
This game will have you in awe from beginning to end. Every cut-scene from the introduction to the very last boss fight is done beautifully in a very action-packed cinematic sort of way.
Actually, go ahead, compare this with, Super Mario Sunshine. That opening cut-scene was with Mario idle, asleep, and dreaming about food. In this one, Mario is knocked unconscious while Peach's castle is ripped from the ground! It's intense! (Yeah, it may be unoriginal, but last time Peach's castle was ripped from the ground was, Paper Mario.... PAPER is the keyword! It feels so much more intense this time!)
Now, onto level-design. If you thought the whole gravity gimmick was how the entire game was going to play out, think again! It isn't just a 3D platformer, there are also times when it'll switch into being like a 2D side-scrolling platformer, and sometimes, planets will be so huge, that it'll feel like you're on flat-ground again. This is truly and simply a Super Mario 64 in space.
Yeah, you'll have your same typical variety of levels. You'll have your sand-world, lava-world, water-world, ice-world, and all the basic worlds you've seen from other Nintendo games. But then you'll also have amazingly unique levels that you can't even categorize and the wide-assortment and variation of these levels is so awesome that no two levels will ever be alike. It feels like a fresh-new game with each new galaxy you explore.
Aside from level-design, you can also team-up with a buddy in a sort of co-op mode. But I'll talk more about this in the gameplay section of the review.
Throughout your adventure you'll collect Star Bits. These Star Bits act as both the game's form of currency and as weapons. This time around coins are here only fro the purpose of healing yourself and getting high-scores in levels (as in the original Super Mario 64).
On the note of high-scores, you can take screen-shots of your high scores, achievements and mini-game records, post them to your Wii Message Board, and send them to your friends over WiiConnect24.
When you first begin your adventure you'll start in the Comet Observatory, this acts as a sort of Overworld in your quest (like Princess Peach's Castle was in Super Mario 64). And here, you can't die. Try it, go ahead, jump off! You'll get dragged back anyway! This will help stop embarrassment if your friend is watching you play. :P
And as in any Mario game, there is also a nice share of power-ups here. These power-ups include classics like Fire Mario from the original Super Mario Brothers to reiterations of old power-ups like a new form of the Wing Cap from Super Mario 64, to power-ups that are new to this game altogether like Bee Mario and Boo Mario, as most of you have seen from the E3 videos. Though, I bet nobody expected an Ice Mario or a Spring Mario! All and all power-ups aren't ever overused and are very satisfying!
The overworld is a bit smaller than Peach's Castle, which is a good thing, as it will be easier to travel between different world's this way. All of the levels are divided into Solar Systems, each Solar System has a set of galaxies you can play along with it, along with those few mini-games and special galaxies that you can play (in Super Mario 64, these types of levels were called "Castle's Secret Stars"). In all, there are over 40 galaxies to explore!
As in Super Mario 64, the main objective is to collect 120 power stars to restore power to the observatory. But you also have to collect 6 Grand Stars to beat the game (these would be the equivalent of castle keys in Super Mario 64). Technically, you can beat the game by collecting only 60 power stars, hard-core gamers will want to collect the full 120).
By taking the easy way out, and getting only half of the power stars, it'll take about 12 to 15 hours, on a difficulty that goes from easy to a bit challenging.
If you want to collect EVERYTHING, it could take around a nice 40 hours or so! And you'll find that after you collect the 1st 60 power stars, the last 60 stars are significantly harder and more challenging to find. And yet, the further you get into this game, the more enjoyable it will be!
You will find it incredibly hard to put your Wii Remote down once you start playing. But it isn't a game anyone would want to rush through. Take your time.
Gameplay (10 out of 10):
Ah, yes, gameplay. This is what I find is the most important part of any game. And this is where Super Mario Galaxy really shines!
Yes, it is on the Wii, but it doesn't abuse the Wii Remote like other games do. You control Mario by using the analog stick on the nunchuck in one hand, and in the other hand you have your Wii Remote, which you will use to do certain motions throughout the game, but for the majority of the time, you will be using it to collect Star Bits via an on screen cursor. As previously stated, your Star Bits act as both a currency and as weapons in the game.
Each time you complete a level, your Star Bits will be added with the rest of the Star Bits you have collected throughout your adventure, so each time you start a level you'll begin collecting star bits from scratch. Which you'll have to keep in mind as you are using them to attack enemies.
You use your Star Bits as weapons, point at an enemy via the on-screen cursor and press B, a star bit will shoot out and daze an enemy, so now all you'll have to do is kick that enemy to destroy them and get your reward of more Star Bits!
So, enemies will release either Star Bits or coins, depending upon how you defeat them. Defeat them with a Star Bit to get more Star Bits, defeat them any other way to get coins.
Now, for other "Wii-specific" controls. Shaking the Wii Remote will cause Mario to do a spin-attack, this is Mario's main method of attack throughout the game. Of course, you can't just keep spinning rapidly and such, so you'll have to keep in mind that there is a 3 second "charge time" of sorts before you could release another spin attack.
Though getting Star Bits and using spin attacks is what the Wii Remote will be primarily used for throughout the game, there are also certain levels where there are very Wii-specific controls. These, are pretty much for mini-games. All of the mini-games found within Super Mario Galaxy have their own unique control scheme which works and is perfected beautifully.
A surfing race is done by holding the Wii Remote straight forward while you turn the control right and left, as if you were turning a key in a door. In another mini-game, you'll be rolling a giant ball to the finish line, in which you'll hold the Wii Remote, like a joy-stick on an arcade machine. And no matter which mini-game you come across every control scheme works very well. And as with everything else in the game, there is no repetition to be found here.
And now, onto the co-op mode I mentioned briefly earlier. Here, any player can seamlessly enter the game at any time and take control of the on-screen cursor, which is a very nice addition to the game. And as Star Bits are so plentiful throughout the levels, the 2nd player will likely never get bored of collecting Star Bits and attacking enemies with them. And of course, the 2nd player wouldn't be required to use the Nunchuck.
And now onto the "gimmick" of the the game: gravity. How does gravity work in this game? Well, very nicely, that's how! The gravity work in Super Mario Galaxy is very intuitive, to say the least. And you WILL have to "re-wire" your thinking patterns for this one, to understand it. Here's an example: "I see another planet... Hmmm..... I wonder if my long jump can make it.... *long jumps* OH NO! I'm not gonna make it. AHHHH!" And then, at that moment gravity sucks you back in.
Actually, the only way you can possibly die by falling off a stage is if there is a black hole underneath you, so you'll need to check for that before you try any risky maneuvers. All and all the gravity adds loads to the gameplay and experience of Super Mario Galaxy. And every single planet or mass, no matter how small has some sort of gravitational pull to it. In fact, it's entertaining just to experiment and play around with the gravity effects alone. And like everything else in the game, it's very satisfying!
Lasting Appeal (9.8 out of 10)
Back in 1996, Nintendo didn't have much to work with when designing Super Mario 64, so for each mission you would find that you were ultimately taking and re-using the same paths to get all of the 120 power stars squeezed into that little N64 cartridge. Now, here we are, exactly 10 years later, where we find that there was by no means any sort of issue like that here. For each mission you'll find that you're taking a brand new path to reach the power star, and that you'll rarely be re-using anything on the quest to a Power Star, unless you choose to. So, every time you go on a new mission you'll be experiencing new planets within the same galaxy.
Everything in Super Mario Galaxy is "Super-sized", there are over 40 vast galaxies to explore, with dozens upon dozens of planets within each, on a quest for 120 power stars, that could easily take beyond 40 hours to finish (for best results: take your time playing this one, bragging rights aren't worth rushing through this game). Not to mention that even once the game is over, there are various side-quests and mini-games do add to the replay value.
And as far as mini-games go, you can even compete with your friends to see who has the best time by sending records back and forth over WiiConnect24. Also, aside from records and stats, the Wii Message Board is also utilized for you to receive messages from characters in the game.
In fact, the game is so addictive that once everything is said and done, you may find yourself wanting to go through the game again and again! And Nintendo obviously realized this when they made 12 game save slots! The replay value of this game is amazing, and you may find it will be taking over your life for a while, probably until Super Smash Brothers Brawl comes out! I know, you see, if we review or preview a game before it comes out, that copy of the game most likely isn't ours, and usually we have to send them back, but in this case, I'm actually looking forward to playing through the entire game again! It's just THAT fun!
Though I can't stress enough how much more you WILL enjoy the game by taking your time! (Or at least on your first run through the game)
Closing Comments
Super Mario Galaxy has been hyped like anything by Nintendo, from the tons of television commercials, to making statements as bold as this game being the only worthy sequel to Super Mario 64. And while, the storyline isn't anything to boast about, everything else about the game is solid, and has far surpassed my initial expectations.
This is finally the classic 3D Mario type gameplay we've wanted out of Nintendo. We were incredibly disappointed with Super Mario Sunshine (not that it was a bad game, but just that it didn't meet expectations...) and we were a bit skeptical when gravity was announced as a factor of Super Mario Galaxy. But now, we can put our minds at ease.
Previously on GamersCast, we discussed the possibility of Super Mario Galaxy being game of the year, but then we quickly ruled it out after comparing it to games like Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4, but this was of course before we had our hands on the game. And now, it can easily be said that Super Mario Galaxy not only has some shot at Game of the Year, but a VERY good shot at that! Master Chief better watch his back!
Now, that I've played through the game, I can easily say that Nintendo was not bluffing when it came down to making the bold statements they have about this game. Yes, I am going to say it. This IS easily one of Nintendo's best games. This IS easily one of the greatest platformers I have ever set my hands on. This IS the best game out for the Wii. This IS better than Super Mario 64. AND, this IS truly the Mario 128 that we have been waiting for.
I originally only expected to give Mario galaxy a 9.6 at most, but now that I've played it, I couldn't imagine giving it a score any less than a.....
Final Score: 10 out of 10
Sub-Scores:
Story: 6.5 out of 10
Graphics: 10 out of 10
Sound: 10 out of 10
Presentation: 10 out of 10
Gameplay: 10 out of 10
Sound: 10 out of 10
Lasting Appeal: 9.8 out of 10
Final: 10 out of 10
Back in 1996, a revolutionary thing happened. Video games would never be the same again. Super Mario 64 was the first game ever to pioneer into the land of 64-bit 3D video games. It was a revolution in video games.
A few months later in 1997, Nintendo interviewed the game's director, Shigeru Miyamoto, who suggested that a Super Mario 128 may be in the works. And for years after this, the gaming world went wild.
And even so, Nintendo teased us. At Spaceworld 2000, they created a technical demo called, "Mario 128" which showed off the Gamecube's processing power. In 2001, there was an event match in Super Smash Brothers Melee called "Super Mario 128".
Finally, in 2007, Shigeru Miyamoto finally addressed what happened to Super Mario 128 over the years, at his keynote speech at the Game Developers Conference. He explained how one part of the project was to be able to manage large amounts of characters at once, which is what the Spaceworld demo ultimately was, and he also said that this piece of Mario 128, was put into a game called Pikmin for Gamecube. He said the rest of it, became what is now known as Super Mario Galaxy.
So yes, Super Mario Galaxy is Super Mario 128, and that means it may or may not have been in the works for the past 10 years. We may never know. But what we do know is this: Super Mario Galaxy is the only game that is worthy enough to be called a sequel to Super Mario 64.
But enough history, let's get into the game itself:
Story (6.5 out of 10):
Not to much thought was put into making the game's story. It is probably one of the most un-original storylines I have ever seen actually. And, it's pretty much the same as every single other Mario game that Nintendo has released. That doesn't make it bad, or make the game any less entertaining. But it's just the usual:
Well, every 100 years a comet soars over the Mushroom Kingdom and every 100 years the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom celebrate by throwing a carnival, of sorts. And of course, who else is going to come throw everyone off guard during this party? Hmm.... Perhaps, Bowser? Yeppers. So, this time Bowser generally comes to steal the princess, but not in the usual way. No. This time, he rips Peach's castle right out of the ground! Heh....
Deja Vu?
It's weird because I could've sworn that Paper Mario opened the exact same way.... Hmm.... Didn't Mario get knocked out by Kammy Koopa in that game, and once he awoke he spoke to a Star Spirit who told him everything that was going on? Isn't that exactly what happens here? Yes! Now, you see what I mean by un-original. XD!
That's all there really is to the main storyline. There's also an optional storyline that you can read about in a library later on the game. But this is rather boring. All it really does is tell about the life of a new character named, Roslina. Good thing, it's optional.
Fortunately, story is the weakest part of the game. It all goes uphill from here!
Graphics (10 out of 10):
This is easily one of the games strong points. Super Mario Galaxy, easily have the best graphics on the Wii. It can easily be said, the Mario has never looked so good, and here it is apparent how very under-rated 480p actually is! These graphics aren't just "good for the Wii". They're good, for any console!
Not to mention that the game runs very smoothly in 16:9 wide-screen the entire time! This game shows that there really isn't any excuse for developers who blame poor graphics on the fact that their game is on Wii.
In fact, along with the amazing and unique level design, you may find yourself awe-struck as you play.
Sound (10 out of 10):
It could easily be said that this is one of the better soundtracks to come out of Nintendo. Sure, people may complain there is barely any voice acting, but I personally like it better that way. It doesn't tarnish your own image of a characters that way. Besides, remember what happened when Bowser got a voice actor? *shivers*
Plus, Mario is still as cheerful as ever and the normal jump sounds and all of the basics are perfectly spot on.
And Nintendo did meet one demand this time around. This is one of the major complaints against Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess....
Almost every single piece of music in the Super Mario Galaxy soundtrack is fully orchestrated! And orchestrated quite nicely might I add. This is one of those soundtracks that you'll find yourself humming without even realizing it. It has the kind of music you'll get stuck in your head for days without end! And it's one of the few video game soundtracks that you could listen to straight without any sort of remix added to it.
It's that good! Of course, this soundtrack also features old and classic Mario tracks redone, remixed, and entirely revamped! And the new tracks do sound pretty also! :P
Presentation (10 out of 10):
This game will have you in awe from beginning to end. Every cut-scene from the introduction to the very last boss fight is done beautifully in a very action-packed cinematic sort of way.
Actually, go ahead, compare this with, Super Mario Sunshine. That opening cut-scene was with Mario idle, asleep, and dreaming about food. In this one, Mario is knocked unconscious while Peach's castle is ripped from the ground! It's intense! (Yeah, it may be unoriginal, but last time Peach's castle was ripped from the ground was, Paper Mario.... PAPER is the keyword! It feels so much more intense this time!)
Now, onto level-design. If you thought the whole gravity gimmick was how the entire game was going to play out, think again! It isn't just a 3D platformer, there are also times when it'll switch into being like a 2D side-scrolling platformer, and sometimes, planets will be so huge, that it'll feel like you're on flat-ground again. This is truly and simply a Super Mario 64 in space.
Yeah, you'll have your same typical variety of levels. You'll have your sand-world, lava-world, water-world, ice-world, and all the basic worlds you've seen from other Nintendo games. But then you'll also have amazingly unique levels that you can't even categorize and the wide-assortment and variation of these levels is so awesome that no two levels will ever be alike. It feels like a fresh-new game with each new galaxy you explore.
Aside from level-design, you can also team-up with a buddy in a sort of co-op mode. But I'll talk more about this in the gameplay section of the review.
Throughout your adventure you'll collect Star Bits. These Star Bits act as both the game's form of currency and as weapons. This time around coins are here only fro the purpose of healing yourself and getting high-scores in levels (as in the original Super Mario 64).
On the note of high-scores, you can take screen-shots of your high scores, achievements and mini-game records, post them to your Wii Message Board, and send them to your friends over WiiConnect24.
When you first begin your adventure you'll start in the Comet Observatory, this acts as a sort of Overworld in your quest (like Princess Peach's Castle was in Super Mario 64). And here, you can't die. Try it, go ahead, jump off! You'll get dragged back anyway! This will help stop embarrassment if your friend is watching you play. :P
And as in any Mario game, there is also a nice share of power-ups here. These power-ups include classics like Fire Mario from the original Super Mario Brothers to reiterations of old power-ups like a new form of the Wing Cap from Super Mario 64, to power-ups that are new to this game altogether like Bee Mario and Boo Mario, as most of you have seen from the E3 videos. Though, I bet nobody expected an Ice Mario or a Spring Mario! All and all power-ups aren't ever overused and are very satisfying!
The overworld is a bit smaller than Peach's Castle, which is a good thing, as it will be easier to travel between different world's this way. All of the levels are divided into Solar Systems, each Solar System has a set of galaxies you can play along with it, along with those few mini-games and special galaxies that you can play (in Super Mario 64, these types of levels were called "Castle's Secret Stars"). In all, there are over 40 galaxies to explore!
As in Super Mario 64, the main objective is to collect 120 power stars to restore power to the observatory. But you also have to collect 6 Grand Stars to beat the game (these would be the equivalent of castle keys in Super Mario 64). Technically, you can beat the game by collecting only 60 power stars, hard-core gamers will want to collect the full 120).
By taking the easy way out, and getting only half of the power stars, it'll take about 12 to 15 hours, on a difficulty that goes from easy to a bit challenging.
If you want to collect EVERYTHING, it could take around a nice 40 hours or so! And you'll find that after you collect the 1st 60 power stars, the last 60 stars are significantly harder and more challenging to find. And yet, the further you get into this game, the more enjoyable it will be!
You will find it incredibly hard to put your Wii Remote down once you start playing. But it isn't a game anyone would want to rush through. Take your time.
Gameplay (10 out of 10):
Ah, yes, gameplay. This is what I find is the most important part of any game. And this is where Super Mario Galaxy really shines!
Yes, it is on the Wii, but it doesn't abuse the Wii Remote like other games do. You control Mario by using the analog stick on the nunchuck in one hand, and in the other hand you have your Wii Remote, which you will use to do certain motions throughout the game, but for the majority of the time, you will be using it to collect Star Bits via an on screen cursor. As previously stated, your Star Bits act as both a currency and as weapons in the game.
Each time you complete a level, your Star Bits will be added with the rest of the Star Bits you have collected throughout your adventure, so each time you start a level you'll begin collecting star bits from scratch. Which you'll have to keep in mind as you are using them to attack enemies.
You use your Star Bits as weapons, point at an enemy via the on-screen cursor and press B, a star bit will shoot out and daze an enemy, so now all you'll have to do is kick that enemy to destroy them and get your reward of more Star Bits!
So, enemies will release either Star Bits or coins, depending upon how you defeat them. Defeat them with a Star Bit to get more Star Bits, defeat them any other way to get coins.
Now, for other "Wii-specific" controls. Shaking the Wii Remote will cause Mario to do a spin-attack, this is Mario's main method of attack throughout the game. Of course, you can't just keep spinning rapidly and such, so you'll have to keep in mind that there is a 3 second "charge time" of sorts before you could release another spin attack.
Though getting Star Bits and using spin attacks is what the Wii Remote will be primarily used for throughout the game, there are also certain levels where there are very Wii-specific controls. These, are pretty much for mini-games. All of the mini-games found within Super Mario Galaxy have their own unique control scheme which works and is perfected beautifully.
A surfing race is done by holding the Wii Remote straight forward while you turn the control right and left, as if you were turning a key in a door. In another mini-game, you'll be rolling a giant ball to the finish line, in which you'll hold the Wii Remote, like a joy-stick on an arcade machine. And no matter which mini-game you come across every control scheme works very well. And as with everything else in the game, there is no repetition to be found here.
And now, onto the co-op mode I mentioned briefly earlier. Here, any player can seamlessly enter the game at any time and take control of the on-screen cursor, which is a very nice addition to the game. And as Star Bits are so plentiful throughout the levels, the 2nd player will likely never get bored of collecting Star Bits and attacking enemies with them. And of course, the 2nd player wouldn't be required to use the Nunchuck.
And now onto the "gimmick" of the the game: gravity. How does gravity work in this game? Well, very nicely, that's how! The gravity work in Super Mario Galaxy is very intuitive, to say the least. And you WILL have to "re-wire" your thinking patterns for this one, to understand it. Here's an example: "I see another planet... Hmmm..... I wonder if my long jump can make it.... *long jumps* OH NO! I'm not gonna make it. AHHHH!" And then, at that moment gravity sucks you back in.
Actually, the only way you can possibly die by falling off a stage is if there is a black hole underneath you, so you'll need to check for that before you try any risky maneuvers. All and all the gravity adds loads to the gameplay and experience of Super Mario Galaxy. And every single planet or mass, no matter how small has some sort of gravitational pull to it. In fact, it's entertaining just to experiment and play around with the gravity effects alone. And like everything else in the game, it's very satisfying!
Lasting Appeal (9.8 out of 10)
Back in 1996, Nintendo didn't have much to work with when designing Super Mario 64, so for each mission you would find that you were ultimately taking and re-using the same paths to get all of the 120 power stars squeezed into that little N64 cartridge. Now, here we are, exactly 10 years later, where we find that there was by no means any sort of issue like that here. For each mission you'll find that you're taking a brand new path to reach the power star, and that you'll rarely be re-using anything on the quest to a Power Star, unless you choose to. So, every time you go on a new mission you'll be experiencing new planets within the same galaxy.
Everything in Super Mario Galaxy is "Super-sized", there are over 40 vast galaxies to explore, with dozens upon dozens of planets within each, on a quest for 120 power stars, that could easily take beyond 40 hours to finish (for best results: take your time playing this one, bragging rights aren't worth rushing through this game). Not to mention that even once the game is over, there are various side-quests and mini-games do add to the replay value.
And as far as mini-games go, you can even compete with your friends to see who has the best time by sending records back and forth over WiiConnect24. Also, aside from records and stats, the Wii Message Board is also utilized for you to receive messages from characters in the game.
In fact, the game is so addictive that once everything is said and done, you may find yourself wanting to go through the game again and again! And Nintendo obviously realized this when they made 12 game save slots! The replay value of this game is amazing, and you may find it will be taking over your life for a while, probably until Super Smash Brothers Brawl comes out! I know, you see, if we review or preview a game before it comes out, that copy of the game most likely isn't ours, and usually we have to send them back, but in this case, I'm actually looking forward to playing through the entire game again! It's just THAT fun!
Though I can't stress enough how much more you WILL enjoy the game by taking your time! (Or at least on your first run through the game)
Closing Comments
Super Mario Galaxy has been hyped like anything by Nintendo, from the tons of television commercials, to making statements as bold as this game being the only worthy sequel to Super Mario 64. And while, the storyline isn't anything to boast about, everything else about the game is solid, and has far surpassed my initial expectations.
This is finally the classic 3D Mario type gameplay we've wanted out of Nintendo. We were incredibly disappointed with Super Mario Sunshine (not that it was a bad game, but just that it didn't meet expectations...) and we were a bit skeptical when gravity was announced as a factor of Super Mario Galaxy. But now, we can put our minds at ease.
Previously on GamersCast, we discussed the possibility of Super Mario Galaxy being game of the year, but then we quickly ruled it out after comparing it to games like Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4, but this was of course before we had our hands on the game. And now, it can easily be said that Super Mario Galaxy not only has some shot at Game of the Year, but a VERY good shot at that! Master Chief better watch his back!
Now, that I've played through the game, I can easily say that Nintendo was not bluffing when it came down to making the bold statements they have about this game. Yes, I am going to say it. This IS easily one of Nintendo's best games. This IS easily one of the greatest platformers I have ever set my hands on. This IS the best game out for the Wii. This IS better than Super Mario 64. AND, this IS truly the Mario 128 that we have been waiting for.
I originally only expected to give Mario galaxy a 9.6 at most, but now that I've played it, I couldn't imagine giving it a score any less than a.....
Final Score: 10 out of 10
Sub-Scores:
Story: 6.5 out of 10
Graphics: 10 out of 10
Sound: 10 out of 10
Presentation: 10 out of 10
Gameplay: 10 out of 10
Sound: 10 out of 10
Lasting Appeal: 9.8 out of 10
Final: 10 out of 10
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Super Mario Galaxy Preview
Wow... maybe it really is BETTER than Super Mario 64......
Super Mario Galaxy will be released on November 12, 2007.
Pre-order Super Mario Galaxy on November 11 or earlier to receive a free Mario coin with the game!
Super Mario Galaxy will be released on November 12, 2007.
Pre-order Super Mario Galaxy on November 11 or earlier to receive a free Mario coin with the game!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass Review
Could it be the greatest DS game ever made!?
Final Score: 9.7 out of 10
Note to iPod Touch and iPhone users: If you viewing this page on your iPod Touch or iPhone, you will notice that it will not let you play the Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass review because the file is too big, but I have found that with a direct link it does work! So, if you're on iPod Touch or an iPhone click here.
Final Score: 9.7 out of 10
Note to iPod Touch and iPhone users: If you viewing this page on your iPod Touch or iPhone, you will notice that it will not let you play the Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass review because the file is too big, but I have found that with a direct link it does work! So, if you're on iPod Touch or an iPhone click here.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Halo 3 Review
The most profitable game franchise of all time.... could it be the greatest game of all-time?
Final Score: 10 out of 10
Final Score: 10 out of 10
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass Preview
Link heads onto the DS and online for the 1st time! Find out what to expect from the final game!
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass releases for the Nintendo DS on October 1, 2007.
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass releases for the Nintendo DS on October 1, 2007.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Review
Step behind the visor... one last time!
Final Score: 9.6 out of 10
Final Score: 9.6 out of 10
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Brain Age 2 Review
Train your brain in more minutes a day!
STICK AROUND 'TILL THE END OF THE REVIEW TO HEAR HOW TO UNLOCK A HIDDEN GAME MODE!
FINAL SCORE: 8.4 out of 10
STICK AROUND 'TILL THE END OF THE REVIEW TO HEAR HOW TO UNLOCK A HIDDEN GAME MODE!
FINAL SCORE: 8.4 out of 10
Monday, August 27, 2007
Super Mario Strikers Review
The sequal to the popular Gamecube game gets an online sequal on the Wii!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Sonic the Hedgehog (Mobile) Review
ANOTHER PORT OF THIS GAME!?!? Well, whatever.... Here's the review of Sonic the Hedgehog for the mobile phone...... *groans*
God of War: Betrayal Review
Kratos is now God of War, so what else should he do other than..... start a war!
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Monday, April 16, 2007
Star Fox 64 (Virtual Console) Review
Boot up your Arwing and get ready to head to Venom!
Final Score: 8.5 out of 10
Final Score: 8.5 out of 10
Friday, April 13, 2007
Thursday, April 5, 2007
GamersCast in April
Alright, the download count has once again doubled in March, so I would like to take the time to thank everyone for their support for the show, once again! I cannot thank you guys enough! Now, I've been looking at the download stats to see what kind of things you guys like to download. To my surprise, most of you are very picky and don't download the Super Paper Mario videos that I put up. Those videos got around 20 downloads each, while Adam's preview of Guitar Hero 2 for the 360 got about 800 downloads. So, though it is surprising I'd like to thank you guys for being so picky, because now I know exactly what you guys are most interested in. So, I'll know what to put up, in the future. This means, I'm not gonna put up the rest of the Super Paper Mario videos that I was planning on. So, if I get around to a video review, that'll be the last one you'll see from that game. But speaking of reviews, here's what reviews you can expect from us in April:
- Star Fox 64 (Virtual Console)
- Sonic Spinball (Virtual Console)
- Super Paper Mario
- Excitebike (Virtual Console)
- Kirby's Adventure (Virtual Console)
- Pokemon Diamond
- Pokemon Pearl
- Diddy Kong Racing DS
- Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Virtual Console)
- Legend of Zelda (Virtual Console)
- Kid Icarus (Virtual Console)
- Donkey Kong Country (Virtual Console)
- Super Mario Brothers (Virtual Console)
- Super Mario World (Virtual Console)
- Other Virtual Console releases
- Other DS games that SteveCask feels like reviewing (I wish I could be more specific, but Steve's unpredictable)
Aside from that, episode 20 is going to be out on the feed really soon, along with episode 21 (AKA: The 1st annual GamersCast Awards). We'll also be looking at the new Wii Channels being released, and much more! So, keep it right here with GamersCast, and once again, we thank everyone for supporting the show!
I would also like to thank everyone who subscribed to the GamersCast Newsletter! Right now, we have over 30 subscribers, who are receiving the newsletter on their Nintendo Wii Message Board. To sign-up, simply register GCnewsletter@gmail.com on your Wii Address Book.
- Star Fox 64 (Virtual Console)
- Sonic Spinball (Virtual Console)
- Super Paper Mario
- Excitebike (Virtual Console)
- Kirby's Adventure (Virtual Console)
- Pokemon Diamond
- Pokemon Pearl
- Diddy Kong Racing DS
- Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Virtual Console)
- Legend of Zelda (Virtual Console)
- Kid Icarus (Virtual Console)
- Donkey Kong Country (Virtual Console)
- Super Mario Brothers (Virtual Console)
- Super Mario World (Virtual Console)
- Other Virtual Console releases
- Other DS games that SteveCask feels like reviewing (I wish I could be more specific, but Steve's unpredictable)
Aside from that, episode 20 is going to be out on the feed really soon, along with episode 21 (AKA: The 1st annual GamersCast Awards). We'll also be looking at the new Wii Channels being released, and much more! So, keep it right here with GamersCast, and once again, we thank everyone for supporting the show!
I would also like to thank everyone who subscribed to the GamersCast Newsletter! Right now, we have over 30 subscribers, who are receiving the newsletter on their Nintendo Wii Message Board. To sign-up, simply register GCnewsletter@gmail.com on your Wii Address Book.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions (Wii) Review
What innovation could the Wii Remote possibly bring to Poker? None.
FINAL SCORE: 4.6 out of 10
FINAL SCORE: 4.6 out of 10
Sonic and The Secret Rings Review
Apparently, next-gen 3D Sonic games are cursed! Will this one suffer the same fate?
Final Score: 8.4 out of 10
Final Score: 8.4 out of 10
Excite Truck Review
The Nintendo Wii's 1st racer begins with a sequal to the NES Classic!
FINAL SCORE:8.3 out of 10
FINAL SCORE:8.3 out of 10
Caskey on the DS
Well, now that Mr. Caskey has gotten a microphone (after a year of waiting!) he said he would review every game that comes out on the DS (except Diddy Kong Racing DS and Phantom Hourglass, because I called them already :D ). So, I'm holding him to it! So, now everytime a new DS game comes out, Steve Caskey will be there with the review!
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Virtual Console) Review
I review the virtual console version of what is (arguably) the greatest game of all-time!
Final Score: 10 out of 10
Final Score: 10 out of 10
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
GamersCast March Preview: A record breaking download month!
You guys never cease to amaze me. Last month, I was in shock about how many downloads we had, as we had just hit our 10,000+ download milestone at the time. But last month was nothing compared to the immense support you guys showed us this month. In February 2007 alone, you guys have now more than TRIPLED our previous download record, which was set just last month, especially considering it's the shortest month of the year! So, once again for setting another download record I would like to thank you all for supporting the podcast!
Since you guys have been showing so much support, I'm gonna let you guys in on a few things we have planned for the podcast.
This weekend we are planning on recording episode 20 of GamersCast, so be sure to look for that on the feed soon. We are also looking into our budgets to get ideas on how to give the podcast a few upgrades. The final design for the website is coming along great, and it should be launching early on this summer. We also may tentatively be going to this year's E3!
Our video game tournaments may be considered "dead" to some, but we have been re-doing the entire interface for that, so we will be able to get those up and running fairly soon as well.
Around the holidays, I decided that my New Years resolution for the podcast would be to get at least one thing on the feed every 10 days. In 2006, like Nintendo, there were huge droughts on the feed. We're going to make sure that doesn't happen again. And if for some reason it does get past 10 days (don't plan on it), you can expect to be bombarded with loads of content afterwards!
And of course, we have loads of reviews being planned for March, including reviews of:
- God of War II
- Excite Truck
- Sonic and The Secret Rings
- Mario Party 8
- Diddy Kong Racing DS
- Wii Sports
- Legend of Zelda: A Link to The Past (Virtual Console)
- Legend of Zelda (Virtual Console)
- Excitebike (Virtual Console)
- World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions
- Kirby's Adventure (Virtual Console)
- Kid Icarus (Virtual Console)
- Star Fox 64 (Virtual Console)
- Donkey Kong Country (Virtual Console)
- Super Mario World (Virtual Console)
- Super Mario Brothers (Virtual Console)
- And other possible Virtual Console releases!
Yes, I know some of these games I said were going to be reviewed in February, but we got really busy, but hey you also got a lot of reviews we weren't expecting to put up, also! I mean, we gave you a review of Crackdown, when I never said anything about that. We're also going to be covering loads of other stuff this month as well! So once again guys, thanks so much for supporting the show!
Oh yeah, and we're also gonna try and find a fix for the problem Wii users are having with the newsletter.
Since you guys have been showing so much support, I'm gonna let you guys in on a few things we have planned for the podcast.
This weekend we are planning on recording episode 20 of GamersCast, so be sure to look for that on the feed soon. We are also looking into our budgets to get ideas on how to give the podcast a few upgrades. The final design for the website is coming along great, and it should be launching early on this summer. We also may tentatively be going to this year's E3!
Our video game tournaments may be considered "dead" to some, but we have been re-doing the entire interface for that, so we will be able to get those up and running fairly soon as well.
Around the holidays, I decided that my New Years resolution for the podcast would be to get at least one thing on the feed every 10 days. In 2006, like Nintendo, there were huge droughts on the feed. We're going to make sure that doesn't happen again. And if for some reason it does get past 10 days (don't plan on it), you can expect to be bombarded with loads of content afterwards!
And of course, we have loads of reviews being planned for March, including reviews of:
- God of War II
- Excite Truck
- Sonic and The Secret Rings
- Mario Party 8
- Diddy Kong Racing DS
- Wii Sports
- Legend of Zelda: A Link to The Past (Virtual Console)
- Legend of Zelda (Virtual Console)
- Excitebike (Virtual Console)
- World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions
- Kirby's Adventure (Virtual Console)
- Kid Icarus (Virtual Console)
- Star Fox 64 (Virtual Console)
- Donkey Kong Country (Virtual Console)
- Super Mario World (Virtual Console)
- Super Mario Brothers (Virtual Console)
- And other possible Virtual Console releases!
Yes, I know some of these games I said were going to be reviewed in February, but we got really busy, but hey you also got a lot of reviews we weren't expecting to put up, also! I mean, we gave you a review of Crackdown, when I never said anything about that. We're also going to be covering loads of other stuff this month as well! So once again guys, thanks so much for supporting the show!
Oh yeah, and we're also gonna try and find a fix for the problem Wii users are having with the newsletter.
Mario Kart 64 (Virtual Console) Review
The legendary racer returns for the VC! How could could you screw up an emulation?
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Wii Play Video Review
It's Matt's video review of Wii Play. It's seperate from Adam's audio review
Adam's Score: 7.2 out of 10
Matt's Score: 7.0 out of 10
Adam's Score: 7.2 out of 10
Matt's Score: 7.0 out of 10
Monday, February 19, 2007
Wii Play Review
A review by Adam Shear on the only Wii game bundled with a Wii Remote.
Matthew's Video Review is coming soon!
Matthew's Video Review is coming soon!
Gunstar Heroes Review
One of the best and most explosive games on the Virtual Console to-date! Literally, it's a bit TOO explosive!
VIDEO REVIEW COMING SOON!
VIDEO REVIEW COMING SOON!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Sonic The Hedgehog Video Review
Here's my video review of Sonic The Hedgehog for the Wii Virtual Console. The audio only review can be found two posts below this one.
Final Score: 8.2 out of 10
Final Score: 8.2 out of 10
Monday, February 12, 2007
Red Steel Review
One of the most hyped-up games for the Wii, naturally became an instant best-seller, 2nd only to Twilight Princess. But this game shows that just because it sells well, doesn't mean its good.
Final Score: 5.5 out of 10
Final Score: 5.5 out of 10
Sonic The Hedgehog Review
It's yet another emulated version of the classic Genesis game!
VIDEO REVIEW COMING SOON!
Final Score: 8.2 out of 10
VIDEO REVIEW COMING SOON!
Final Score: 8.2 out of 10
Vortex Review
It's a review of yet another recreation of Pong, but this time it comes for the iPod! We already have Brick on their free, so do we really need another version of it?
Final Score: 7.9 out of 10
Final Score: 7.9 out of 10
Thursday, February 1, 2007
February GamersCast Preview
UPDATE: Also, now that the release date has been revealed you can expect a review of Sonic and The Secret Rings for the Nintendo Wii, either in late February or early April.
UPDATE 2:Well, I just downloaded 2 new Virtual Console games today, so you can also be expecting reviews of Kirby's Adventure and Kid Icarus fairly soon.
UPDATE 3: Well, the good news is, I just downloaded Donkey Kong Country. The bad news is, I'm down to 400 Wii Points. Expect the review of Donkey Kong Country, sometime in early March.
Well, guys, it happened. This January the GamersCast feed hit a record high number of downloads! To be honest I didn't expect that to happen until E3 this year, since May of 2006 is the only other month that's even close to this January's amount. So, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you guys for all supporting the podcast, we couldn't have it this milestone without you guys, and we hope you will all continue to download and support the show. It looks like 2007 is gonna be one heck of a year for GamersCast!
In February expect game reviews of:
- Diddy Kong Racing DS
- Super Mario World (Virtual Console)
- Super Mario Brothers (Virtual Console)
- Vortex for iPod
- The Legend of Zelda (Virtual Console)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to The Past (Virtual Console)
- Wii Play
- Red Steel
- Wii Sports
- World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions (Wii)
- Excite Truck
- Sonic The Hedgehog (Virtual Console)
- Gunstar Heroes (Virtual Console)
- Donkey Kong Jr. (Virtual Console)
- Along with other February Virtual Console Releases!!
(I heard rumors of Donkey Kong Country, Star Fox 64, and Super Mario RPG coming out too, but I'm not sure if that's February)
In February we'll also have Episode 20 of GamersCast up and recorded (possibly episode 21 also, and maybe some mobile edition episodes).
In February, I'm also gonna be re-doing some things to the site, but I don't wanna ruin any of the other things I've got up my sleeve.
So, really the purpose of this post was to thank you guys for supporting us, so... THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way, in case you haven't noticed I fixed the video of the Wii Launch Vid. It ain't anything all too special, since I couldn't get back in once Reggie got there, but it's still worth downloading (I think....)
And thanks again guys!
UPDATE 2:Well, I just downloaded 2 new Virtual Console games today, so you can also be expecting reviews of Kirby's Adventure and Kid Icarus fairly soon.
UPDATE 3: Well, the good news is, I just downloaded Donkey Kong Country. The bad news is, I'm down to 400 Wii Points. Expect the review of Donkey Kong Country, sometime in early March.
Well, guys, it happened. This January the GamersCast feed hit a record high number of downloads! To be honest I didn't expect that to happen until E3 this year, since May of 2006 is the only other month that's even close to this January's amount. So, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you guys for all supporting the podcast, we couldn't have it this milestone without you guys, and we hope you will all continue to download and support the show. It looks like 2007 is gonna be one heck of a year for GamersCast!
In February expect game reviews of:
- Diddy Kong Racing DS
- Super Mario World (Virtual Console)
- Super Mario Brothers (Virtual Console)
- Vortex for iPod
- The Legend of Zelda (Virtual Console)
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to The Past (Virtual Console)
- Wii Play
- Red Steel
- Wii Sports
- World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions (Wii)
- Excite Truck
- Sonic The Hedgehog (Virtual Console)
- Gunstar Heroes (Virtual Console)
- Donkey Kong Jr. (Virtual Console)
- Along with other February Virtual Console Releases!!
(I heard rumors of Donkey Kong Country, Star Fox 64, and Super Mario RPG coming out too, but I'm not sure if that's February)
In February we'll also have Episode 20 of GamersCast up and recorded (possibly episode 21 also, and maybe some mobile edition episodes).
In February, I'm also gonna be re-doing some things to the site, but I don't wanna ruin any of the other things I've got up my sleeve.
So, really the purpose of this post was to thank you guys for supporting us, so... THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
By the way, in case you haven't noticed I fixed the video of the Wii Launch Vid. It ain't anything all too special, since I couldn't get back in once Reggie got there, but it's still worth downloading (I think....)
And thanks again guys!
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Mario Brothers (Virtual Console) Video Review
Our 1st video review! I just added some gameplay footage mixed with the audio review that I already released to see how it would come out. Virtual Console game reviews are gonna be somewhat like this, but for NEW games the video reviews will be more elaborate.
LINK TO THE AUDIO ONLY REVIEW
LINK TO THE AUDIO ONLY REVIEW
GamersCast Reviews Feed
This is the page where all of GamersCast's reviews will be posted, in addition to the GamersCast podcast feed, which can be found on many major podcasting clients. On this page, will be both video and audio reviews. Audio reviews can generally be heard on all computers, as long as they support .MP3 files. Video reviews are hosted on YouTube and require Adobe Flash Player (formerly known as Macromedia Flash Player), to function.
If the audio reviews do not work, download itunes at: http://www.apple.com/itunes/download
If the video reviews do not work, download Flash Player, by clicking here .
To go to the podcasting feed use the links below:
GamersCast PodCast Feed
GamersCast iTunes Music Store Page
iTunes GamersCast Subscription Link (iTunes Required)
All reviews on this page are only reviews made after, the video review of Mario Brothers (Virtual Console).
If the audio reviews do not work, download itunes at: http://www.apple.com/itunes/download
If the video reviews do not work, download Flash Player, by clicking here .
To go to the podcasting feed use the links below:
GamersCast PodCast Feed
GamersCast iTunes Music Store Page
iTunes GamersCast Subscription Link (iTunes Required)
All reviews on this page are only reviews made after, the video review of Mario Brothers (Virtual Console).
Monday, January 22, 2007
Dragonball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 Review
Most anime games don't make good video games, can this one break the trend?
Thursday, January 18, 2007
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