Not to sound like a tool, but this was just a brilliant idea. Yesterday (Thursday, July 23rd), Nintendo promoted the launch of Wii Sports Resort by turning Military Island in Times Square into a mini-Wulu Island. Granted, it could have been better had it taken place on a larger piece of real estate, but short of cordoning off Central Park or Coney Island, this is not too shabby.
Despite the close quarters, it looked like a cool event, I'm sorry I missed it.
This is ironic and funny to us, but no doubt embarrassing for Nintendo. Here is a company that limits its games by way of complicated friend codes, weak online features and even its hardware like Wii Speak so as to keep the horrible realities of the online world away from its (apparently) fragile and corruptible userbase. But within one of the special press-only Animal Crossing: Wild World (NDS) cards, you find a racial slur… created by one of the people (its unclear who) hired to play the DS game.
A pre-played version of 2005's Animal Crossing: Wild World for DS, sent out to media outlets to encourage connectivity with the recent Animal Crossing release for Wii, contains at least one shocking addition, reports MTV Multiplayer. Importing the saved data from the DS cartridge sent by Nintendo into Animal Crossing: City Folk introduces a host of changes into the game, including one, suddenly no longer E-rated character, Baabara, who now greets players with: "How are you, Ñ—á?"
It's easy to dismiss Nintendo's Wii as a $250 gimmick. The console's "revolutionary" library is full of muti-platform movie tie-ins and remakes—not to mention the last minute control-swapping in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Sure, the Wiimote can make first-person shooters more natural to play; it's also probably no small factor in Manhunt 2's infamy. But the real test of the Wiimote is a game that showcases its unique features while integrating them so deeply into the gameplay that its uniqueness doesn't distract us. There haven't been any games that fit the bill. Until now.
Wii Sports comes as something of a pleasant surprise. Going against the longstanding trend of increasing game complexity, Nintendo has created what is arguably the most accessible videogame ever made, rivaling the likes of Pong and Pac-Man in sheer simplicity.
Well, it sure doesn't look that way at first, does it? To be blunt, the aesthetics of The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker are awe-inspiring. The decision to go with a cel-shaded style was widely and roundly derided by a videogame community increasingly enamored of 'realistic' graphics, but it winds up making this title truly special.
As a child, I was scared of a lot of things. I'm sure if I were 11 years old and playing The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, the manic look on a moblin's face would haunt my nights. Some of the bosses are positively menacing. Even the thunderstorms in the game would make me think about how scary storm winds and lighting really are. That's if I was 11 years old.
True, there is a slight sense of 'been there, done that' in performing familiar tasks like collecting 100 coins in each level, but the amazing variety of new things to do in Isle Delfino quickly pushes this feeling to the back of ones mind. In what other game is there the opportunity to surf on an octopus one minute, ride on a roller coaster the next, and roll a giant watermelon down a hill the minute after that?
In Thom's review above, he touched upon the fact that Animal Crossing is structured to be played for about an hour or two instead of the longer, sometimes marathon sessions that other games inspire. This type of slower, more leisurely game design is a very new way of thinking in our field, but seems to be establishing a firm foothold.
Parents should not be concerned about letting their kids have access to this game. Like most Nintendo titles, Animal Crossing is incredibly kid-friendly in terms of mature content. Not only that, but Animal Crossing boasts a world that rewards positive, socially outgoing and responsible behavior from the player. Add in […]
Anyone expecting bosses and bonus levels should be warned, as Animal Crossing is best described as a simulation of life in a small rural village. But it has many aspects that separate it from the simulation games that we are used to seeing and which make the game a unique experience. Uniqueness is not a good enough reason to play a game, however. Luckily, Animal Crossing is not merely unique, but also highly addictive and entertaining.
Recent Comments