Den of Wii

Dennis' Den of Geek: Now the place to be!

2008-02-04T18:37:14Z

February marks the start of something new ... and the end of something lovely, too. Den of Wii as a blog is no more; the force is being shifted into www.DenOfGeek.com, where you can get the Dennis teams views, rants and raves about all the formats of gaming, from the point of view of real gamers. So we'll still be on hand to tell you the latest Wii news and reviews, etc. You might even discover other stuff that interests you along the way ...

As well as gaming, Den of Geek handles everything that's brilliant in a geeky way. Cult TV, movies and icons will cram their way through the net onto your screens at home. Don't click away until you've taken a dekko for yourself!

Thank you to everyone who has ever read, commented on or used our web site here at Den of Wii. We love you and we'll miss you in this intimate form we've known and loved. For those of you who would like to trace the work of those involved, you can catch me (Kim Kaze) and the team who contribute over at the Den of Wii Facebook group, which we'll keep running for now so you can comment, throw rotten veg - anything, really.

Once again, thank you all very much for being with us, and we'll see you over at Den of Geek!

-=Kim Kaze=-
Editor, DenOfWii.com

Coloured Riimotes coming your way!

2008-01-31T14:49:29Z

Want a splash of colour in your life? Fed up with your Wiimote looking the same as all your friends? There's lots you can do about this, but one German company reported last night that from 8th February across Europe, there will be a funky, new way to change the way your Wii controllers look. Black and lipstick pink (especially for the girls they tell us!) are the colours initially availible and it's not just rubber grippers this time.

Riimotes as they're being dubbed, come complete with matching rubber skins that you can remove and swap around (much like the standard Nintendo rubber skins). They're wireless and near enough exactly like the standard, Nintendo Wiimote. Buttons are placed identically and the only obvious difference is the battery cover, which is a different shade of colour to the rest of the remote. Nunchuks are also to become availible in these colours, along with wireless nunchuks (akin to the Nyco wireless offerings) and a retro controller.

We've got pics so far of the Riimote and nunchuk in three colours, but more are promised. Black and pink are promised to launch on Feb 8th. We'll test them fully as soon as they arrive and let you know how they work in real time, so watch this space.

Bottom line: What we REALLY think you should be buying

2008-01-31T11:54:15Z

The funny thing about journalism is that half the time, the things people tell you are great and must-haves for your pad at home turn out to be stuff that they personally wouldn't touch with a barge pole. Why? Because reviews and articles have to be 'fair, balanced and eliminate personal biases where possible'.

The trouble with this method is, you're an ordinary human being and so am I. Personal biases, if they're established for a good reason, are actually worthy of keeping to a certain extent. I want to know that despite a game being the best thing in its genre right now for Xbox, the PC has titles which whoop it out of sight and you can actually update the PC graphics card. I also want to know that a title may be very good, but that something better is coming next week or is even already out right now. I want that bigger picture, the personal recommendation if you would. If there's a good reason you don't own the game as a journalist, do I want to own it either? It might be a great game, but if you're all playing something else and will never touch it ... why should I?

]]> What it comes down to is what those in the know are playing and BUYING out of their own pocket. It's one thing to be totally happy with a game that you were GIVEN by Sega, Nintendo or so-and-so, another entirely to go into a store and part with £20-£35 a pop to purchase your own copy. Playing a game to review it is worlds apart from playing it for over a week after the review is done.

With that said, we've asked a few of our sterling writers and contributors to tell us what their favourite Wii and DS games are (currently). Their answers were mostly helpful, with only minor slaps being handed around for instances of "Oh I can't choose!" and non-answering:

Eyemax
Wii: Resident Evil 4. Yeah, a Gamecube game.

DS: Probably Trauma Centre.

Matt Kelly
Wii: Probably The Complete Lego Star Wars, which says more about the fact that the Wii is yet to have many really good games of its own (what, Twilight Princess? Also a Gamecube game...).

DS: I'd go with Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.

Kim Kaze
Wii: The game I want to keep going back to play again is Ghost Squad. I think this is mostly to do with the fact that I am not into platformers right now (so Mario is out) and the other mature titles like Resident Evil simply don't appeal to my taste. Ghost Squad it is then; just beating Link's Crossbow training to the line.

DS: Probably Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Thrilled me, kept me playing until I completed it and the final episode's new control features were excellent. Very original game concept - who would have thought a lawyer-em-up would have worked out?

Ken
Wii: Rampage, Lots of destruction with lots of Kaiju to play as and unlock. Other than that I'd say Link's Crossbow Training as a more recent title.

DS: Guilty Gear DS, I once considered saving for a PS2 of my own after playing a friends copy a while ago. I now have my own GG with a twist of Smash Bros to it and still enjoy it.

Mat
Wii: He wasn't around to comment today, but the games we can't pry him away from for long are Dragon Ball Z 2 and Geometry Wars: Galaxies.

DS: Again, Geometry Wars: Galaxies. (He keeps nicking my pink DS Lite to play it!!! -Ed)

Paul
Wii: He likes Excite Truck, Mario Galaxy & Ghost Squad but we can't get him away from Geometry Wars: Galaxies!

DS: Probably Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.

Mark
Wii: Rayman Raving Rabids for the win!

DS: It's got to be the as yet unreleased - Nanostray 2.

Jazz
Wii: Mario Galaxy & Excite Truck.

DS: Probably Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.

What can we expect from Mario Kart Wii?

2008-01-29T17:03:01Z

So far, only the hallowed few have been allowed to get their hands on Mario Kart Wii for the purposes of reporting how it plays and what we can expect. Here's what we know so far:

. Up to 12 players online. Big step forward, especially considering the need Wii gaming has to get better online and open the doors to the more mature gamer. We expect these things.

. Online gaming is improved version of Mario Kart DS - you're thrown straight into racing, no waiting to connect. At least that's what we've been informed, I can't wait to test this.

]]> . Stunts appear to boost speed for a short time, adding a new element to play. Whilst final confirmation of this has yet to reach the printed page, we're fairly sure from play testingg reports. Expect to see this implemented.

. Cars or bikes are availible ... choice abounds and no doubt tactics for certain tracks will, too!

. 16 new tracks with classic tracks also appearing. Moo Moo farm again? Bah! Let's hear it for a remix of original Ghost Valley!

. New weapons also join the traditional array of mushrooms, shells, lightning rods and banana skins. It never hurts to chuck more options into the gameplay, we're looking forward to seeing this.

. Early hands on testers report that the game plays 'smoothly' and that the Wiimote steering system has been well implemented. This is the single most crucial bit of news that we've got so far because items and tracks aside - if the game handles poorly using a gimmick-driven Wii-wheel idea, it's going to bomb. Hearing that this is not the case fills us with gladness and we now can say with confidence that we expect to see an evolution of the Mario Kart era; one that plays as Mario Kart should. Really, it's all down to the control system, which will make or break the title.

Nintendo Power said, "You hold the Wii-mote in both hands with the buttons facing you (and that's how it'll fit into the steering-wheel accessory). Then you turn the wheel left or right. If you tilt it steeply, you'll make a sharp turn. A gentle dip will ease you to one side. Buttons control acceleration, braking, and item use."

In the arcade, a cabinet using these sorts of controls is tested to death before release. We know it's the QA departments job to ensure that the final product handles well, and from released news thus far, it seems they're earning their moolah. Watch this space as we press Ninty for further developments and testing before the game hits the shelves!

School PE classes now using Wii?

2008-01-28T18:10:25Z

Well, not quite. At least - not yet. What has happened is that four schools in the UK have now decided to embark on a lottery funded project to use the Wii as part of their offerings to students doing PE classes. The logic? Simply that certain students who would otherwise completely skip the PE class, are now likely to remain and participate. Team working skill increases have also been reported, as children play together in a fashion that is far more akin to the way they socialise today.

Heart rate monitors were purchased along with a Wii for each school using the scheme. The children invited to participate were those who had often missed PE lessons, aged 14-16.

As expected, there are already nay-sayers decrying the project as no replacement for real sports. Of course this is true, but we feel that any step towards breaking a sweat on children who otherwise would not participate at all is a good one - especially if team skill improvements are also noticed.

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We've got one serious reservation, however. What kind of a message does this send to all the other unethusiastic but usually obedient students? Only a small percentage of school children strongly identify with PE as a favourite lesson, in fact it is one of the most loathed across the board. This suggests that students may notice the Wii alternative and decide that not going to a few PE lessons might be a good thing ... if it means indoor play on a Wii instead of a forced cross country ramble around the local area, or rugby on a freezing pitch.

Reinforcing bad behaviour is not the way to go, teachers. Get the Wii into the PE course and give all students access to it! If some students play truant from other forms of PE, giving them endless Wii gaming isn't going to send a very good message to the other students who're bothering to try.

The Wii should be for all, or not at all.

Sega Master System releases on Wii Virtual Console

2008-01-28T17:57:55Z

We'll cut to the chase - today heralds good news for Virtual Console (VC) fans everywhere, especially Japan. Why, you might ask? Simple - the Sega Master System is being brought to the Virtual Console at last, joining the selection of decent hardware already ported through the VC system on the Wii.

This also means we're sure to see Game Gear titles released as well, since the Master System and Game Gear used the same technology. Japan are reportedly getting Master System games for 500 Wii points with Fist of the North Star and Fantasy Zone starting off the action in February 2008. This puts the Master System in a great position as a budget selection of retro games that many will remember growing up playing.

The more hardware that VC supports, the better. We'd hope to see Dreamcast and Gameboy/Gameboy colour titles in the future, perhaps?

Wii sweat claims tested: Canadians box it out!

2008-01-25T22:25:05Z

We all know the claims in the media and from Nintendo themselves that the Wii gets couch-dwellers off their rear ends and onto their feet, working out. No surprises there; but does it pass the fitness test? Could you for example, substitute a walk in the park or a game of tennis for a bout of Wii Boxing? The Canadians were keen to find out.

"I was playing Wii boxing with a friend and noticed how exerting it was," said Justin White, a fourth-year kinesiology student. "I thought to myself, 'I'm working up a sweat doing this Nintendo thing; I might run with that.' So I put together an outline and the class thought it would be a good project to take on," he said.

White and 27 students tested the impact of playing Wii boxing for 30 minutes against a 30-minute walk in a local park and an equal amount of time doing a boxercise video. Every student did each activity and their heart rate was measured as well as how hard they thought they had worked out for all three activities. (cont...)

]]> They found that the Wii did get people off the couch and more active but, as a cardiovascular workout, it didn't pass the test.

"If they're looking for cardiovascular fitness, I'd advise them to do something else because it's really not intense enough," White explained. "But if they're just looking to lose weight, it's a good way to get started. It can also be a gateway to other things and may get people interested in the actual sports themselves too," he added.

The students said the most energetic exercise was the boxercise video, while the walk through the park was the least demanding.

White, who is thinking about publishing his findings, believes interactive fitness could be a good way to get people to enjoy exercise more and therefore do it more.

"I've always held that the best exercise is exercise that a person will do," Jo Welch, the professor of the class, said in a statement. "Because different activities appeal to different people, the more options that are readily available, the more likely it is that exercise will occur."

This agrees with British research into the effectiveness of the Wii as a fitness tool, especially for children. The idea isn't entirely new of course, dance mat titles have been trying to help gamers to lose weight for some time. Nintendo is set to release Wii Fit later this year that allows the user to perform a variety of exercises -- and tracks changes in their BMI. More than a million copies have sold in Japan, and we'll cover the game as soon as Ninty get revealing.

Geometry Wars: Galaxies (DS)

2008-01-25T11:54:09Z

Here's a quick introduction to the game for those who didn't read our first article on the Wii edition (naughty!):

You fly around in 2D space as a small spaceship and other ships come at you. Shoot them & collect the gems they drop. That's the simple beauty of Geometry Wars as a concept, like arcade games of old. Simple and addictive - all about the high score. The ships are all represented as small, geometric shapes such as diamonds, triangles and circles. The music is high energy and repetitive, not that we think you'll notice nor care. It suits the mood of the game perfectly and should only annoy the most fussy gamer. (cont...)

]]> We've talked about the brilliance of Geometry Wars: Galaxies on the Wii in our review. Words like 'gripping' have been bantered around the office, and I'll use that word again now. Only in a different setting this time.

I've been gripping the DS itself, rather hard. When playing with the DS held in both hands, it's clear straight away that the arcade nature of the title makes you squeeze the unit. We recommend trying your best not to do this, as it can ache after a while! When the stylus is the aiming device and D-pad moves you (you can aim with the buttons, but we don't recommend it), we found it hard holding the DS in open air, as the hand you're supporting the DS with is also the one you are steering frantically with. Pressure on the ball of your left hand can be straining at times, so we recommend resting the DS on a table or surface of some kind to free up your left hand to use the D-pad. I know - it's a strange thing to mention in a review but it really made a difference when we played it. The left shoulder button fires your bombs.

The circle you use to aim your firepower can cause you to have to circle the stylus around the centre point, rather than simply drag it in the right direction. I found myself circling the stylus several times like an Ipod control to try and get the stylus to be in the right place. A certain comfort set in after ten minutes though, so I expect it's practice makes perfect. The aim recticle can be switched on or off, as can the laser. The aim recticle appears to be a hang-over from the Wii edition, as getting rid of it makes things no harder.

The graphics do not display the background rippling that you'll see in the Wii version (and indeed other incarnations of Geometry Wars on other machines). To be honest, I found it easier in some cases to play and last longer without this effect going on, as there's already so much on screen at any one time, leading your eyes away from your ship. Death can never be far away when this happens ...

Perhaps the most important aspect of the game is as with the Wii edition, it's very addictive! The arcade approach brings a sensation of 'just one more go', making me glad the DS doesn't take 10p pieces. I'd be broke, if that were the case. There's a lot for you to do here even though it's pretty samey, giving you fair value for money.

During your space-blasting quest, you'll notice the medal system at work. Score high enough on a planet and you'll gain a medal - genius and addictive, always bringing out a striving to do more. Your ship has a little pod that travels with it, enabling you to spend the in-game currency you gather on upgrades such as turret, collect or snipe mode. You also unlock new galaxies with currency and to collect more, you fly close to gems on the screen that dead enemies will scatter for you. One galaxy can only be unlocked linking up to the Wii version of the game and you can go online globally or locally to check your scores. The options are simple but varied, though we're not sure it's fair that you need the Wii version to unlock everything.

There's nothing ground-shatteringly original here, but more a case of repacking a concept very well for today's audience. Think 'the Asteroids of today's generation' and you're probably getting the general idea.

Every silver cloud has a black lining, however. Unfortunately we've got to tell you that on the DS, Geometry Wars: Galaxies has quite severe slow down & lag when there's a large spawn of enemies or a lot going on around the screen at one time. This takes away the sheer, manic thrill somewhat and also makes the game easier at these so-called difficult points, enabling large high scores compared to the Wii version. The lag allows you to operate at your usual speed in terms of thinking and aiming, whilst the game is working very slowly. This gives you a marked advantage just at stages where the game is supposed to be getting very tricky. Certainly it is harder to gain very high scores on the Wii version than it is on the DS, not an ideal situation considering the games are exactly the same.

Is this worth your time? We'd say it is, unless you already have it on the Wii. If you do, you have the superior version for certain. Depending on how bad your addiction is by this point, you may also want to invest in a DS version as well, but we'd think that the Wii is the way to go with this one. It's a great idea done quite well - just a shame about the lag.

3/5 --- Kim Kaze

Are Nintendo dominant?

2008-01-24T14:59:20Z

Well ... are they? Facts may be facts, but it's also about the context of these pieces of data and the way you choose to spin them, too. The field of play is often a way that facts can sometimes be distorted, but whichever way you do choose to look at it, Ninty has had a fine 2007 and a strong start to 2008 so far. What they have to say today follows, in bullet form:

· The DS was the best selling hardware of any kind (home console or handheld) in 2007 and now has a UK installed base of over 5 million units.

· The Wii was the best selling home console of 2007 in the UK and now has an installed base of over 2 million units, surpassing the installed base of Microsoft's Xbox 360 which launched one year earlier (cont...)

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· Combined sales of both Dr Kawashima Brain Training titles in the UK have now passed 2.5 million units and were the top two selling software titles of 2007.

· Nintendo's Touch! Generations software range now accounts for 56% of all 1st party software sold for Nintendo DS in 2007 within the UK.

What does all this mean for us, at the end of the day? Here's what we think it means:

. Gamers are now more likely than ever to be families

. The averege income of the gamer, whoever they are, is more likely to be much higher than in the past when gaming was geeky, a SNES cart could be £80 new and would take you three months to save up for

. Thanks to the credit card, even if you can't afford something you want, you're probably going to find a way to get one anyway

. Gaming is now part of the entertainment sector, with billions invested in it and brand names flapping around like cheap shirts.

. Quality is being challenged more strongly than ever by quantity - we the gamers must speak with our wallets louder than ever to stem the tides of rubbish whenever we see it!

Geometry Wars: Galaxies (Wii)

2008-01-23T14:51:06Z

I'm not quite sure how they've done it, but the creators of Geometry Wars: Galaxies have crammed the adrenaline surge and buzz from a roller coaster into a game. You have to focus so hard, be aware constantly of your surroundings and react perfectly each and every time. The game just sucks you in more and more ... and more.

It's a challenge for sure, but a rewarding one; one that tells you that if you try one more time ... get it just right ... one more time ... push yourself that little bit harder, that elusive gold can be yours. In fact it will be yours. Just once more.

I feel like I'm 10 and back in the arcades of my youth. Just. One. More. Go!

At least it does if I'm using the Wii Classic Pad option. With the Wiimote controlling the direction I shoot and the nunchuk where my ship goes, I'm not as sold. But perhaps I just need more time with it. Or I'm just old...

]]> Regardless, the game itself is an excellent experience. This is the type of game where you sit down for a quick half hour blast, then look up at the clock and find you've just lost half a day - and you're shaking slightly. So you turn it off, walk away and do those useful things in your life that you're meant to do. I hear work is one of them, eating perhaps might be a good idea?

Give it a few hours, and something doesn't feel right. The depression starts to come over you, you're a little more moody to your friends and co-workers, jokes don't seem as funny and you can't shake this nagging feeling that you need something. Need a fix, a quick jolt to get you going again. That's your adrenaline gland, and what it's saying to you is:

"GO AND PLAY GEOMETRY WARS: GALAXIES, NOW!!!"

And I'm not kidding. I sincerely hope they haven't sent a copy of this game for The Times to review or gaming as we know it might never be the same again.

So what's the game about? Seems a little ludicrous considering how simple the hypothesis of the game is. You over look your space ship in a two dimensional field, controlling it with the analogue stick of the Nunchuk or Classic Controller and aiming and firing with the Wiimote or the other analogue stick of Classic Controller. Moving about in a restricted part of space, your aim is to survive and score as high as possible by shooting incoming objects (it's hard to call them enemies really) and collecting the bits they leave behind to rack up your score and the all important multiplier. That last part is important because the real trick to this game is getting the multiplier maxed and then staying alive long enough to hit the gold medal score objective. Yes there are medals, after you die (because you will die, trust me on that) you get even more points for reaching a new medal goal. It's an arcade classic, make no mistake about it.

The points you gain can be spent on unlocking new galaxies and worlds to play on as well as buying new drones. Before you start each level you can choose the type of drone to use, each one doing it's own particular trick and some being more suited to certain levels than others. Personally I'm a big fan of the turret option, but then shooting things always makes me feel better.

And that's it, really. It's that simple! There's no story line to get in the way, no cut scenes; you just get into it and try to survive in the best arcade tradition. There is a two player option, options to link up to the DS (with or with out a copy of Geometry Wars in it) and even an option to play a cut down to the bone version of Geometry Wars, which possibly provides even more of an adrenaline thrill. I should also mention the sound track; a fast paced, pumping, techno affair that suits the mood of the game perfectly.

Aside from it's simplicity and raw addictive appeal for those of us that like that kind of adrenaline buzz, the real beauty of this game is the difficulty curve. It really is extremely well crafted, with each medal being the kind of goal that gives you the aforementioned 'Just one more go' sense. The game doesn't feel too far ahead of you at any stage, always lingering within reach of a tiny bit more effort. Although the formula for the game is simple, each level presents you with a different challenge and a different way to play. It doesn't get repetitive as some arcade games do, but rather demands you keep playing till your eyes are bleeding and your head throbbing in pain.

Geometry Wars isn't for every one, that's for sure. But for those that it does appeal to, it's a Class A narcotic ... like gaming crack, perhaps. (Pass some to the Times, they seem interested - Ed)

Mat Owen 4/5

NiGHTS (Wii)

2008-01-22T22:16:17Z

The Internet is a funny place sometimes, peoples opinion can quickly become fact and vice versa. One case in particular is the new NiGHTS game for the Wii. Much talk has been made of the control system, how unwieldy it is and how it ruins the game.

I can only presume those having said such things were at the end of a long day, didn't bother to read the manual and were already on their third Stella of the evening, because in my experience, the control system is fine. The Wiimote on its own is certainly usable, though perhaps not quite as precise as you might like. Add the nunchuk and all is well; NiGHTs being perfectly controllable with the analogue stick, allowing you the freedom to enjoy the world that Segas Sonic team have created for you.

That's not to say getting to grips with how NiGHTs flies is easy; it takes a certain amount of practice to fully master the tricks at your disposal, but rather then being a frustrating attack of control frustration, the finesse is in there for you to find ...

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This is a game full of imagination and life, almost Disney like in its wonder. But enough of me waxing lyrical about the experience, you'll probably want to know more fundamentals about how it plays.

You start in a 3D world, walking about and exploring the dreamscape. Upon finding NiGHTs you merge with him/her/it (the whole gender thing is confusing, best not to think about it) and your world becomes one in which you travel in two dimensions on a 3D rail. For those of you new to NiGHTs and wondering why you can't fly everywhere you want, just trust me on this. It's a far better experience this way and flying in three dimensions isn't necessarily as fun as it sounds.

You're on a course when in flying mode, the idea being to complete the course as fast as possible. When completing a run, usually you unlock the next, then final run, and then a boss fight. The formula is simple, but as with the best Sonic Team creations, the more you put into this game the more you get out of it. The more comfortable you get with flying as NiGHTS, the simpler it becomes to perform long chains of 'links' and the more the game asks you to be artful, to enjoy the experience of it and get sucked into the world.

As adventure games go (sorry I'm not about to class this one a platformer) it's a fine example of the breed, perhaps not in the Mario Galaxy section but certainly a worthwhile addition if you're looking to spend some time with a new story, to experience a new world and let yourself enjoy a new experience.

And that after all, is what gaming's about, isn't it?

4 / 5 -- Mat Owen

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings website launched

2008-01-22T18:53:14Z

Fans of the Final Fantasy genre are some of the most passionate and decicated fans in the realms of video gaming. It should be no surprise then, that Square Enix have released a specially animated website to handle the needs of the fans; set off with typical, Final Fantasy-esque music in the beautiful backdrop.

If this anime is your thing, head this way:

http://www.ff12revenantwings.eu.com/

The comment of one gamer we showed the site to was 'Wow ... it really looks a lot like RO (Rangnarok Online).' Certainly, the style of animation bares some resemblence to the online behemoth of the MMO world, RO. We also note the chosen spelling of 'magick'.

Times writer accuses gamers of being on 'crack'

2008-01-22T07:04:25Z

Is your Wii and DS no better than 'crack'? We think there are titles on every format deserving of study, deserving certainly of ridicule perhaps, but no further. There are books that lead the mind into all sorts of situations, ever so vividly too. I recall reading books and being totally sucked into their world as a child. I came out of it a dreamer, a writer and an editor. Perhaps modern day children will play deeply entrenching games and come out of them games designers, or writers, play writers, editors, directors ... who knows?

Certainly there is a strong case to be made for limiting a young child's access to media machines such as PCs or consoles, but that's been the same since the dawn of anything interesting or addictive for children (TVs, radios, cricket down the common). Your Wii should no more be unlimited in your child's bedroom than a TV or DVD player ought to be, but that doesn't make it pure evil. Children need monitoring in every form of life - that's why we call them kids not adults - they aren't ready to make every desicion for their own health yet. But attacking video games over and over because we didn't grow up with them (my first machine was actually a BBC Micro B at home) seems to me to be unresearched and ignorant.

Someone pass this lady a DS with a copy of Brain Training!

FIFA Street 3 Music!

2008-01-21T10:11:22Z

The music in FIFA Street 3 includes:

Artist | Song | Region

Hexstatic Red Laser Beam London
Hexstatic Tokyo Traffic London
Hexstatic Bust London
Tim Deluxe Let The Beats Roll London
Tim Deluxe Let The Beats Roll (Rennie Pilgrim Mix) London
Asian Dub Foundation Stop Start Bombay / London
Bassnectar feat. Ms. Persia Kick It Complex San Francisco
Bassnectar feat. Ms. Persia Kick It Complex (Bassnectar Remix) San Francisco
Bassnectar feat. Ms. Persia Bomb The Blocks San Francisco
Bassnectar feat. Ms. Persia Bomb The Blocks (Ghislain Poirier Mix) Montreal / Canada
Bassnectar feat. Kristinamaria Yo San Francisco
Bassnectar feat. Kristinamaria Yo (Speaker Junk's Jackin' Mix) Brazil
Buraka Som Sistema Yah! feat. Petty Portugal
Chromeo Fancy Footwork (Zdar Dub, Pee Thug Edit) Montreal / Canada
Chromeo Fancy Footwork (DIM Mix) Montreal / Canada
Coburn feat. Solidstate We Interrupt This Programme London
Coburn We Interrupt This Programme (Jean Claude Ades Mix) London
Datarock I Used To Dance With My Daddy (M.O.M. Mix) Norway
Datarock I Used To Dance With My Daddy (Subsource Mix) Norway
Does It Offend You, Yeah? We Are Rock Stars London
Does It Offend You, Yeah? Battle Royale London
Forro In The Dark Suor de Futbol Fina (Mawglee Mix) Brazil
Innerpartysystem Don't Stop Philadelphia
Junkie XL feat. Lauren Rocket Booming Right At You Netherlands
M.I.A. Bird Flu Sri Lanka / London
M.I.A. Boyz Sri Lanka / London
MC Amilcka Humildade da Favela Brazil
No Bizzi feat. J2K Yeah Yeah London
Sasha & Paul Rogers Black Powder London
The Go! Team Grip Like A Vice London
The Planet People feat. Afrika Bambaataa Make It Break (La Resistance and Deemus Mix) London
The Tigerpicks Disco Punk Electro Funk Manchester, UK
Underworld Crocodile London
Underworld Crocodile (Huntemann Mix) London
Walter Meego Wanna Be A Star Chicago
Walter Meego Wanna Be A Star (Walter Sees Stars Mix) Chicago
Wax Poetic Bombeiro Brazil

Ghost Squad (Wii)

2008-01-16T23:00:00Z

It's been out in the arcades since 2004 (with Ghost Squad Evolution appearing in 2007). Launched firstly in Japan, followed by the US and then Europe & the UK, Ghost Squad has come to the Wii, which can only be seen as a positive thing for the more mature gamer. Rated 16 by ELPSA and making full use of the Wii Zapper unit, could this be part of the answer for gamers wanting more 'punch' on their Wii at home? We look to see if that's the case.

The first observation worth talking about is the arcade nature of the title, which may be alien to some not raised in the arcade environment, pushing 10p coins into slots. In short, the game is exactly that - short. Don't expect a lot of levels that takes you days to complete, the entire game playing field is only three levels long. Sounds terrible, doesn't it? But ask any arcade gamer and they'll quickly tell you that in arcade titles, the learning curve within the levels is very stern; there's plenty of variety in tasks to do and different ways that you can go ...

]]> There's also loads of extra challenges such as playing through again on a higher level, with different weapons you've unlocked and even differing costumes for your men. Three levels it may be, but it's enough. Is it worth the price of a Wii game? We say yes. Just be aware that the game is not massively deep in terms of experience; it is an arcade game and is intended for playing for short bursts of enjoyment.

The Wii version of this arcade classic makes use of the rumble feature, setting it off when anything very loud or 'rumbly' happens. I liked this feature, you could even feel it through the Wii Zapper unit. Having tried playing it with and without the Wii Zapper, I'd say that its not harder to play it without, though it feels a tad less authentic if you're used to light gun games where you actually hold a replica weapon.

In true arcade style, more players can join at any time which really adds depth to the game play. Your friend Jimmy turns up and wants to pick up a Wiimote to play? Bang - he's in the game shooting terrorists before you can say 'Fire in the hole!' and leap over a wall.

The four player action provided by the Wii is possibly the games most outstanding feature in real terms. Whilst testing the game for playability, we never had more fun than when a load of us took up Wiimotes and started to join in, alongside the Zapper player who started. Things quickly get competative when player rankings are displayed at the end of each section, giving a medal to the best player. Everyone wants the bragging rights, so you try your best to pick up better scores which is done with swift accuracy rather than just spraying the screen. For Wii four player gaming, we'd recommend this as one of the best experience we've seen to date - so long as gunfighting and counter-terrorism doesn't offend you. The game is rated for 16 and over, worth remembering before presenting the title to young kids.

In terms of safety using the Wii controllers, there is no instance in the entire game where you need to wave or shake the controllers - at all. This makes it a very safe title for those with a smaller playing area and a good game for the more mature player in his/her bedsit or smaller flat. You should be able to play this game on any Wii anywhere at all, and we like that.

The graphics and sound are very arcade in style, the sound especially so. As soon as I turned it on, I could tell that it was an arcade game on the intro screen without needing to know. There is a slightly retro feel to the whole thing, done by not updating much about the interface and keeping the arcade design that attracted gamers to the cabinet back in 2004. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, they say. We agree - it works well and vamping it up to 'realistic' graphics and some sort of drum and bass soundtrack just wouldn't have worked.

You play as part of a crack unit of course, the Ghost Squad. Player one is Alpha Blue and player two Alpha Red. Third and fourth players take additional slots not technically featured in the storyline, but unofficially make up the rest of the Alpha wing of Ghost Squad. Depending on what routes you choose through the missions (go in over the roof or defuse the bomb in the top floor), your team will take one part of the effort whilst Bravo and Charlie sections will take others. The choice is always yours as the player, with further options opening up to you once you've unlocked them by playing through once, then twice, etc. The options don't get any harder but the level you play the mission at will get harder itself, raising the overall difficulty of every route within the mission (so there is no easy path).

There are three practice modes to warm you up that are quite fun and worth a look at (unlike in some games where they're just a waste of time). In the first, you shoot a traditional target range paper target that is then brought forward to show you how you did. The second is a target shooter in the Point Blank vein; you shoot floating targets of various kinds against a timer. The third is a very short mission to blow away a pack of terrorists in a small resturant basement, against a tough clock that demands you miss almost nothing to complete it in time. We think these are worth playing first as they do give you an idea of what the game has in store for you and what degrees of accuracy and swiftness it will demand.

In terms of gameplay, we give Ghost Squad a firm thumbs up. It's short in terms of missions, but the arcade style extras make up for that and it is fairly challenging, offering completists/elitists lots to try and achieve if they want more depth. The online leaderboards (local to your Wii, regional to your nation and global!) really give you a thrill - a chance to globally shine, if you can really ramp up the skills.

Before it was only your local arcade cabinet that showed off your prowess, now you can take it to the streets worldwide. We think this is well worth the asking price, just be aware that it is a mature game for mature gamers, and it is a short affair with few missions but lots of options.

--- Kim Kaze
4 / 5