Super Mario Bros. Return To Their Roots

Nintendo returns the Mario franchise to its classic 2D-sidescrolling style with the help of Luigi and two Toad characters for some hectic four person multiplayer action in New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Most people will remember Super Mario Bros. in their traditional games on the NES and SNES consoles. Since then, the series has taken on a 3D look and feel to its graphics and gameplay. Nintendo brings it full circle with New Super Mario Bros. Wii. While it is the sequel to the acclaimed DS game, New Super Mario Bros., this is the first time classic Mario has been seen on consoles since Super Mario World in 1990.

The game features cooperative multiplayer for the first time. Instead of having to take turns, you can have up to four people playing at once. Luigi, a blue Toad, and a yellow Toad help Mario save Princess Peach once again from the evil Bowser and his Koopalings. In traditional Super Mario games, you would have to take turns playing different levels while the other person sat idly watching the action. Being able to play simultaneously completely changes the game and makes it even more fun than before. You can choose to play nice and help out your friends are try to kill them off and take all the glory for yourself.

While you will see traditional power-ups and items like the mushroom, 1-Up, Yoshis and the fire flower, New Super Mario Bros. Wii adds some new ones as well. The penguin suit allows you to glide on your belly, swim better, and shoot ice at enemies. The ice flower works similarly to the fire flower, letting you freeze enemies and use them as a platform. The propeller suit lets you fly up in the air. These new additions look to complement the traditional items very well.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii takes elements from several of the older titles such as the ability to save multiple power-ups for future use and a world map from Super Mario Bros. 3. You have the ability to pick up items and other players that was taken from the American version of Super Mario Bros. 2 and save points within levels from Super Mario World. But perhaps the biggest thing to take away from the game is its level of challenge and difficulty. The older games were notoriously known for their complexity, multiple secrets, hidden items and passages, and much more. New Super Mario Bros. Wii marks a return to this style but with some added help from Nintendo. The Super Guide feature brings in Luigi to show you how to beat any level and hint videos are available on the disc to show the way for secrets and helpful tips.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is like a nice ride of nostalgia for anyone who has played the classic games. It also serves as a nice entry point for people that are playing traditional 2D Mario for the first time. And with the addition of simultaneous multiplayer, it makes for a good party game.

Nintendo Expands Handheld With DSi XL

The DS platform gets larger with the introduction of a bigger version of the DSi, coming with a pair of 4-inch screens compared to the previous iteration's 3.25-inch and the DS Lite's 3-inch screens

A size comparison of the original DSi (inset) versus the larger DSi XL.

Nintendo has recently announced a new version of their touchscreen handheld called the DSi XL, set to release in the first quarter of 2010 in North America & Europe and launch as the DSi LL in Japan on November 21 for ¥20,000 ($218.50). Details surrounding the DSi XL release are still unknown, though full details of the Japanese release and more pictures can be found in this helpful FAQ.

The evolution of the DS: The original, DS Lite, and DSi.

The evolution of the Nintendo DS has been an interesting ride. There has been a tug-of-war battle to make the form factor smaller and larger. Since the release of the DS Lite, the handheld has been getting increasingly bigger to perhaps match competition with other handhelds and smart phones like the Sony PSP and the Apple iPhone. It's currently being marketed as a system to be played with others in person, touting the LCD's wider viewing angle in addition to the increased size.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has also recently discussed the idea of an always-on 3G internet connection for the DS similar to Amazon's free WhisperNet 3G network on their Kindle e-book reader. The cost of the connection is built into the cost of the system, so there would be no monthly fees or data plans. A feature like this could really improve the DS's abilities & potential with constant access to the online store and online multiplayer gaming anywhere. There are currently no plans to put this into development, though things may change leading up to the DSi XL launch next year.

However, the timing of this DS refresh seems a little odd. Nintendo has always included new functionality or a variety of improvements to form factor to each new iteration, but the only change from the previous version is the larger screens. This is coming just a year after the initial DSi release, which featured a pair of digital cameras, an SD card slot, internal memory, an online store, and the loss of Game Boy Advance support. The DSi XL will support all DSi enhanced and DSi exclusive titles and the entire library of DS titles. It comes with both a traditional stylus that fits into the system and a larger, pen-shaped stylus that can be carried around externally.

A Boy and His Blob

A Boy and His Blob is a nicely hand drawn game for the Nintendo Wii with great puzzle action platforming but lacks some in story.

The game revolves around the small clippit of story you get at the beginning. A blob from outerspace has landed near your home and it’s your job to help him save his planet.

The game play resembles that of it’s long forgotten original on the Nintendo Entertainment System. You travel the world solving puzzles to get to and destroy the evil blob king at the end. The gameplay can be tough at times but the infinite lives system keeps you in for the count.

In the beginning you may flounder around a bit as your tree house is actually a portal to all the levels. Gathering treasure chests will unlock more hidden levels on the top floor up the ladder near your bed. I suggest not going up the second ladder as it contains a garbage bin that will destroy your save data.

The controls can be a little funny at first if you are using the wiimote and nunchuck. They buttons are in weird places to throw jelly beans and other tasks. Remember to press A while falling when jumping on a trampoline to go higher. Jumps are a little short and some times you have to time it perfectly to get across an enemy or bottomless pit.

The graphics are cute and well drawn. Everything in the game was hand drawn much like an old Disney cartoon, before being scanned in and cleaned up. For a good quality commercial game this is very rare.

The Music for the game is nice and though repetitive, makes a great score for the game. The only annoying part is calling the blob. The kid sounds like he is always angry at the blob for being so slow. Wouldn't you be slow and reluctant to come too if you were always being yelled at?

The graphics are great, the sound is good, the controls could be better and the plot could have been more fleshed out. Never the less if you like platformers then give this one a try.

The Fat Princess Class Guide

Fat Princess is a team-based multiplayer game available for the PlayStation Network on the PS3. The plentiful gameplay modes provide fun for both offline and online play. To simply get started, click on the PlayStation Store icon and browse the game listings until you come across Fat Princess. The game can be purchased with a PlayStation game card or via credit card. Downloading and installing will only take a few moments, and then you're ready to play.

The tongue-in-cheek title reflects the premise of the gameplay, which consists of feeding magical cake to the opposing team's princess while trying to rescue your own. With the game set in a fantasy setting, there are six classes that will prove useful in helping your team and rescuing your princess. The following guide will provide some helpful instructions about each class.


Villager
The villager is the default class every player starts out as. They are the fastest character but also have the lowest amount of health. They are without weapon but have the ability to slap objects such as the princess out of enemy's hands. While they may seem useless at first glance, their speed and slapping ability make them great for rescuing the princess quickly and protecting your prisoner from enemy's rescue attempts.

Worker
The worker is by far one of the most important classes in the game. They gather wood and metal to be used for upgrading classes, repairing damaged structures, and building new amenities to aid in capturing the princess. They start out with just a simple axe/hammer that can be used to harvest these resources as well as attacking enemies. Once leveled up, they gain bombs that explode on impact against enemies and structures. The worker's charged attacks allow speedy gathering of resources and allow you to throw bombs even further than before.

They are the second-fastest class in the game, which makes them a great feature on the front-lines in rescuing the princess. They work faster when in conjunction with other workers and can build items like a catapult, ladders, and trampolines.

Priest
The priest is an essential part of the battle. They start out with two separate healing spells that recharge your ally's health. You can lock onto a player and a beam will stay connected to the player within a certain distance. This gives a constant rate of health to that player up to a magical shield that will protect them from a single attack. The second spell is an area effect that heals all allies within range. The amount of health regained grows the longer the spell is charged.

The class upgrade gives access to the dark priest. Rather than healing, they curse enemies by draining their health to recharge their own. They also have an area effect that dazes and confuses enemies within range of the spell, causing them to move dizzily and move slower. The combination of both white and dark priest is a deadly combination in battle.

Mage
The mage is a pure offensive class. They forgo melee-based attacks for charged offensive spells. The fire mage is the initial class, which allows charged fire attacks focused on a single enemy or over a wide radius. The fire damage is two-fold, as there is initial damage as well as burning damage before the fire goes out. Burning time increases with a longer charge period.

The upgraded class is the ice mage. Focusing on a single enemy will slow down an enemy while doing an area attack will freeze enemies. The frozen time will increase as the attack is charged longer, though they can become unfrozen faster by rapidly tapping on the square button. The combination of both fire and ice is a great one-two punch for taking out opposing foes as well as slowing down pursuing enemies while trying to rescue the princess.

Ranger
The ranger is a great support class for battle. He starts out with a bow and arrow that can be charged for increased distance and damage. They are best used on the fringe of combat or on higher ground for protection. Their range is formidable.

The upgraded ranger has access to a shotgun that is more powerful but also slower to reload in-between attacks. The charged attack gives way to a larger and scattered shot that increases in power and range. This class is best used in conjunction with another to help diminish enemy health or provide a killing blow.

Warrrior
The warrior was meant to be amidst the thick of battle. They have the most health by far but exchange this for a much slower movement speed. Their initial equipment consists of a sword and shield. The sword can be charged for a spin attack while the shield can block incoming projectiles such as arrows.

The upgraded warrior loses the shield in favor of a long spear. The charged attack is much more powerful and allows him to lunge at the enemy. This is good for covering distances or getting past an obstacle that would otherwise be difficult for the warrior to overcome.


There is much strategy to be had in Fat Princess. With up to sixteen players on each team, the class combinations are endless. With this guide, hopefully you will be well on your way to rescuing your princess.

Game Control Evolution

Motion and touchscreen controls have become increasingly prevalent over traditional control methods, leading to a new degree of accessibility in video games and a variety of new gameplay ideas.

The video game controller has seen an interesting evolution. The form factor and button combination has changed, but the basic philosophy has mostly stayed the same. The use of mouse and keyboard in PC gaming also follows the same principle, which all utilize a series of button presses to control gameplay on the screen. This has usually created a large barrier-to-entry into gaming for many people, as the controller was often too complex. The past generation of video games have shown a shift away from this traditional method and more towards new and innovative control ideas.

The evolution of video game controllers.

Courtesy of Damien Lopez.

Motion Controlled Gaming

Motion controls in video games have been one of the major contributing factors to the rise of video games these past few years. The Nintendo Wii has spearheaded this run with their Wii remote and the follow-up MotionPlus peripheral. Sony and Microsoft have been busy creating their own motion control experiences, trying to capture some of Nintendo's success and market share in the process. Sony's solution combines their PlayStation Eye camera with their own motion controller to create a system that touts precise accuracy within a full 3D space and the ability for facial and vocal recognition. They have tried their hand at controller-free gaming with the first EyeToy camera for the PS2, but it was met with a mostly lukewarm response. Sony hopes to create a more advanced version of the Wii experience for the PS3, which looks promising.

The Xbox 360 pictured with the Project Natal sensor.

Courtesy of Colony of Gamers.

Microsoft's Project Natal is one of the most ambitious yet. Their sensor utilizes a combination of cameras, microphones, proprietary software, and an array of light sensors to create a completely controller-free, motion-controlled gaming environment. The lack of any physical controller creates a whole new experience that seems one step closer to virtual reality. However, questions of feasibility, accuracy, and possible missing gameplay features arise with no controller or button presses available.

With all three major consoles touting motion control by 2010, there looks to be a fierce showdown for the best motion control experience. All three seem to have their strengths and weaknesses, but it's too early to tell if there will be a clear winner.

Touchscreen Controlled Gaming

The Nintendo DS was one of the first portable devices to successfully leverage touchscreen controls in video games. The dual screen format works well, with the DS having the advantage of both touchscreen and traditional button controls. This seemed like the first showcase of what touch gaming is capable of.

The popularity of smartphones like the Apple iPhone moved this gaming sector to a whole new level. Rather than relying on a stylus for control, the iPhone has a capacitive touchscreen that uses your fingers instead. However, gameplay can be limited with no physical buttons available without an add-on or accessory. The combination of both styles have led to games that are much easier to understand and control.

The Future

Both motion and touchscreen gaming are still in their early phases, with both methods criticized for their more casual nature and the lack of meaningful gameplay in many of the titles. But with new technology always on the rise, there is a lot of potential for video games to evolve even further.

The Reality of Nintendo’s Wii MotionPlus Add-On

Does Nintendo’s accessory-laden product strategy work well with this new controller addition?

The success of the Nintendo Wii has been undisputed. They have opened the door to motion controlled gaming with their Wii remote and the pack-in game, Wii Sports. They remain the leader in market share and console sales over competitors Microsoft and Sony. However, consumers and game developers alike have criticized the lack of precision, accuracy, and capability of the Wii’s controller to provide an immersive and unique game experience. Nintendo has introduced countless peripherals and accessories, but their new MotionPlus add-on plans to remedy this problem with improved motion control and better gameplay possibilities.

MotionPlus Breakdown

The Wii remote with the MotionPlus accessory attached at the bottom.

Courtesy of seth.fortuyn.

The MotionPlus accessory adds a gyroscope to the controller that helps improve motion precision and touts the ability to have 1:1 control. Unlike with the regular Wii remote, MotionPlus allows more exact replication of your movements and better translates them on the screen. They collaborated with company InvenSense to create this technology and solve the problem of poor gameplay and lack of accurate controls.

The product released this past summer and retails for a suggested retail price of $20 for a single add-on. It was also first released in a bundle with EA Sports’ Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 for $60. The recently released Wii Sports Resort is the sequel to the original Wii Sports and serves as Nintendo’s exhibition of what MotionPlus is capable of. The game retails for $50 but includes only a single MotionPlus.

One of the biggest missed opportunities is the fact that this new improved motion control will not work with older game titles. Game developers have not stated intentions of patching games to improve control and gameplay. Instead, MotionPlus will only work with future titles that provide support for the accessory. While some game developers have expressed interest in the product, game developer Ubisoft has announced that their upcoming shooter/sword-fighting title, Red Steel 2 will require MotionPlus to play. Thanks to brisk sales of the peripheral, close to a million units have been sold since early August.

How Well Does It Work?

I have spent some solid gameplay time using the add-on in both Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 and Wii Sports Resort, and I have come away impressed by the improved motion control. Golf was one of my favorite games in Wii Sports, and Tiger Woods highlights the improved gameplay nicely. There is much more control over your swing, with more precise movement required and the ability to detect your full backswing as well as subtle movements of your wrist to control the direction of the ball.

The European version of Wii Sports Resort with the attached MotionPlus.

Courtesy of dreamspower.

Wii Sports Resort represents a nice variety pack of mini-games that show off a multitude of gameplay types to both consumers and developers. Games include Sword Fighting, Basketball, Water Sports, Archery, Frisbee, the return of both Golf and Bowling, as well as many more. Many of these games are fun, but it can be harder to discern the impact of the MotionPlus in certain games. Sword Fighting is one of the best representations of the possible 1:1 control, but it can be harder to tell why games like Basketball couldn’t have been done with the stock Wii remote.

So Is It Worth It?

I applaud Nintendo for trying to improve their technology and allow both consumers and game developers a better experience with the Wii. Both Sony and Microsoft are working on their own motion controlled gaming experiences slated to release next year, so Nintendo’s proactive strategy is good for an overall improved motion gameplay experience. With the Wii reducing the barrier-to-entry to play video games, these steps should help the gaming industry as a whole and add even more legitimacy to this new controller type.

The games I’ve tried show that the MotionPlus does work as described, but it will be up to the developers to create interesting and fun game concepts. The fact that the peripheral costs $20 for each controller indicates quite a hefty investment for Wii owners. I don’t necessarily approve of Nintendo’s peripheral strategy, but the MotionPlus provides a lot of opportunity if both gamers and developers want to take a chance on it.