Leading by example, HMV has become the first UK firm to launch a mobile phone app designed specifically to game trade-ins.
The app is available now on iPhone and Android platforms, free of charge. The ‘re/play’ app lets you check the latest trade-in value of games and games consoles, either by entering product details or using a built-in barcode scanner. It also provides details about the latest in-store trade-in offers, as well as a store finder to find your nearest branch.
This app could prove invaluable for gamers who play games and trade them in shortly after completing them, as it saves them a journey to the shops just to see how much they can get for their gear. It looks like we could be seeing apps of a similar nature from rivals in order to challenge this step forward by HMV.
Hellokids Vol. 1: Coloring and Painting (BiP media, 200 Nintendo DSi Points)
Successfully Learning: English Year 2 (DSiWare: Tivola, 500 Nintendo DSi Points)
Adventure Island II (Virtual Console: Hudson Soft, 500 Wii Points)
That’s it for this week. We’ve managed to bring this week’s releases to you a little earlier than usual before they are released, meaning you can plan ahead if there’s something on the list that interests you. Will you be picking any of these up? The main game of interest this week is probably Adventure Island II, which from my experience from the game, was an enjoyable platformer which sees you collect a number of cool power-ups, such as beasts to ride on, weapons to use, or a skateboard if you want to look like a picture of cool.
Madman and Skybound Strike Graphic Novels have announced a distribution partnership which will see popular comic book titles appear in Australia this year.
Skybound is an all new imprint of Image Comics which was established by Kirkman in 2010. It aims to provide a new generation of hand-picked comic book creators the opportunity to publish their work, and has so far released titles such as the popular series, The Walking Dead, Invincible, Witch Doctor and Battle Pope.
Madman’s distribution of Skybound’s comic books and graphic novels will begin this April, 2011. This looks to be an exciting development for Australia’s comic book market, and even more exciting for the creators at Skybound to share their work with the folks Down Under.
From the makers of ‘We Sing’ comes ‘We Dance’, adapting the tried and tested formula to suit a dance game. Nordic Games today revealed the features that will be appearing in the game when it releases this May.
Features include four-player multiplayer, 40 dance tracks to choose from, warm up sessions, ‘Dance School’ tutorials, leaderboards and three party modes – ‘Jump’, ‘Step’ and ‘Pose’.
The 40 licensed tracks span four decades of music and incorporate a range of genres like rock, pop, disco, rap, drum ‘n’ bass, and hip hop. The Wii-exclusive will also be compatible with Nordic Games’ Star Mat dancing peripheral.
Game Name:Super Monkey Ball 3D Platform(s): Nintendo 3DS Publisher(s):Sega Developer(s):Dimps Genre(s): Party/Racing/Fighting Release Date: March 25, 2011 (EU) March 27, 2011 (US) Price: $39.99 BUY NOW!
For nearly ten years now, the Super Monkey Ball series has graced many different platforms with it’s simple, balance driven gameplay and made AiAi and his monkey crew a household name in the gaming world. Launching with the Nintendo 3DS, Super Monkey Ball 3D looks to not only put the core gameplay elements to use with the 3DS’ gyroscope control scheme, but also broaden the series with two other modes that should be a bit familiar to any Nintendo fan out there. So how do AiAi & company roll in this new 3D realm? Here is my review for Super Monkey Ball 3D.
Gameplay
Start up this Monkey Ball adventure and you are taken to a rather simplistic screen with three modes. While we have seen many titles in the series with more activities in the past, these three are a bit more meatier as a whole and certainly host some entertainment, but one certainly outweighs the other two by miles.
Monkey Ball
After spending quite a bit of time with all three modes in Monkey Ball 3D, I can easily say that there is no beating out the classic formula of Super Monkey Ball. If you are new to the series, the main objective is to simply roll your monkey through a maze-like stage while avoiding various obstacles to make it to the finish line in a set number of time. There are four different and very familiar monkeys to choose from, but they possess the same feel mostly so your monkey of choice really comes down to favoritism or personal preference.
Super Monkey Ball 3D also now boasts two different control schemes, each playing dramatically different from the other. The first method of control is to use the circle pad to guide your monkey around the maze as you tilt the land back and forth. While this method is extremely precise, it also suffers a bit due to lack of challenge. The main objective is to simply hit each finish line and unless you are dying to reach every single banana or collectible, breezing through the 80 stages comes with not much of a problem due to railing which blocks you from falling off in many areas and obstacles that provide more of a minor pit-stop or slow down than a true challenge. I finished the entire game in a small sitdown that lasted around two hours with this control method, and while yes, it is still fun to actually play, the lack of a true challenge prevents it from reaching it’s full potential.
While I didn’t really get into the circle-pad scheme of things, the gyroscope motion control method actually was a much more rewarding experience. This method allows for players to roll through the same stages, but instead of using the circle pad to control your stage, players get to tilt their system in different directions to guide their monkey to each finish. Since you are actually moving the system constantly, it is almost a requirement to turn off the 3D or else the visuals become a bit blurred and harder to actually see but the level design does not really call for 3D to be on to start with, so flipping the switch should cause no problem whatsoever. I played through the game first with the circle pad, but the gyro method actually made each level feel brand new with more of a challenge as the game now added strategy to each maze. Now when you run up ramps, you simply don’t just move your ball up a ramp, you must precisely tilt back your system and move it forward quickly to gain a bit of speed. With everything controlling rather smoothly, this certainly made each level much more enjoyable overall.
The environments in the levels look amazing and feel alive with each world having it’s own theme players must roll through. What holds the game back though is that the themes are not fully utilized to their full potential in gameplay. Take the Banana Nightmare levels for example, where you have stage after stage that is full of life with ghosts wandering about and a world that looks straight out of an animated feature. Instead of having any interaction with this environment, sand of all things is about the only obstacle that blocks your path. Some stages do offer a bit more themed interaction rather that just standard background scenery, but moments like the one I mentioned made me hit the finish line feeling a bit cheated. As a whole though, the Monkey Ball mode is by far the best in the game and is a lot of fun to go through, even if it mainly to see the impressive sights and tackle the innovative use of the gyroscope controls.
Monkey Race
I really wanted to enjoy Monkey Race more than any other mode as I really enjoyed Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing which released last year and was hoping for a similar experience. This mode however is a lot more like Mario Kart and plays rather similar, with modes such as Grand Prix, Time Trial, and standard singles races. You simply race against seven other racers to the finish in a set number of tracks, using power-ups along the way. Of course not everything is reminiscent of Mario Kart though as many of the power-ups feel off balanced an lead to quick stops to the action that can completely take you out of the experience. Some power-ups however are clever such as a dizzying disco ball and help balance out the more over-the-top ones which definitely keeps things a bit more enjoyable overall. After you unlock the 16 different racers in the game, there are many different vehicles to choose from which does make this feel much bigger than it’s add on feel. Controls are done rather well and as I mentioned, if you have played just about any Kart Racer, you should feel at home as the feel is nearly the same, even if this racer is not quite as polished.
Monkey Fight
Much like Monkey Race feels like a smaller version of Mario Kart, Monkey Fight feels like a smaller version of Super Smash Bros.. Now of course it isn’t a bad thing to copy from such a fantastic series so that is certainly what this fighter does right as it feels nearly the same in many areas. The main objective for most the variants of fights usually has you beat the bananas out of other monkeys, quite literally actually. The monkey with the most bananas when the time runs out is the victor. Power-ups can also be acquired through golden barrels and each character offers up a different move to tip the advantage to their side. The only problem with this mode is that each monkey feel and play the same, with the main attack being a generic melee so there really isn’t a whole lot of strategy behind this and as a result, things can get a bit stale just a few rounds in.
Multiplayer
For all of these modes that practically scream for multiplayer options, local wireless is the most that is offered throughout the game. I really felt like online mode would have added a bit more replay value in the long-run, even if it were just a simple leaderboard. Local wireless is something though and if you have a friend with a 3DS, Monkey Fight & Racing are much more enjoyable over just competing against the standard AI.
Graphics/3D Effect
While the 3D in Super Monkey Ball 3D doesn’t truly do much for the actual gameplay, it is still really nice to look at. In the standard monkey ball stages, everything pops out of the screen and animations send things like bubbles and ghosts right out of the screen. The graphics in general are still worth the price of admission as well as every location is bursting with color and life, but this also makes it a shame that more interaction wasn’t included that would have added a lot more depth to the overall experience. The racing does indeed look great in 3D, but I felt for Monkey Fight it was nearly unnecessary as the camera angle used just does not fare well to see someone like AiAi punching GonGon from what appears to be a mile away to begin with. Menus and the small interlude scenes give off a Paper Mario effect which to myself were the most charming sequences in the game.
Audio
Another redeeming factor for this title lies in the soundtrack. Each theme perfectly fits with the level you may be rolling through and adds a lot of atmosphere which helps bring the stunning scenery to life. I mentioned the Banana Nightmare stage for good reason earlier, as the level looks amazing to start with, but the score used to go along with it has to be one of my top tunes for a game this year as it truly sets the mood for the theme of the stage and much of the other music in the game completes that task successfully as well. The monkeys all have their own sounds and voices which add a nice feeling of character and also keeps everything feeling like a Monkey Ball title, no matter what mode you may be playing.
Overall
For a game with such great presentation value, Super Monkey Ball 3D comes up a bit short in other areas. While the main game is a short, yet fun filled adventure while using the gyroscope controls, Monkey Race & Monkey Fight feel simply like last minute add-ons to stretch the life of the game out. That doesn’t quite mean they are bad by any means as I enjoyed each for what they were, but the gameplay just felt a bit uninspired and rushed for each mode. To sum that up best, it is kind of like you are purchasing one full game with two bonus add-ons. Some may love having the extra two titles, but I was just a bit saddened to see this extra content not reach it’s full potential. Either way though, Super Monkey Ball 3D is definitely offers quite a bit of fun and variety for any fan of the series and still manages to keep the same Monkey Ball charm that has kept the franchise rolling along for the past decade.
From its immediate release date the national paper of the UK the Sun seems to have something against Nintendo’s new handheld 3DS console. Their reports that ‘hundreds of furious users have slammed Nintendo’s new handheld 3DS device – for making them feel ill’, seem slightly dubious and without reliable source, with both the developer, GAME and HMV refuting claims of mass returns from irate customers, resulting in the Sun having to amend its stories. The speed at which information moves on the internet can often blow issues out of proportion and it seems this has been the case in this situation.
3D technology has been in the news since its introduction with many reports of headaches and dizziness when watching large 3D flat screen monitors and Nintendo have advised against children under 6 playing the device and for users to take regular breaks. Rob Saunders, the PR boss for the UK, acknowledges that some people may experience discomfort from any kind of 3D device and that the effects are not harmful and don’t last long.
New reports from the same paper claim many users are getting returns but are not being fully refunded which to me sounds a little odd and contradictory, especially since they mention GAME who have disputed such claims, and report literally a handful of complaints of this nature. HMV have also reported no refunds on the unit with Nintendo saying they have had fewer complaints than they experienced with other product launches. The 3D sliding scale built in to the machine allows users to adjust the level of 3D they experience and need to play with the settings for optimal use.
The Sun has conducted their own tests on the 3DS which are actually quite comical and nothing short of a joke. They tested its use across 4 different scenarios, sitting, standing, sitting in car and walking whilst playing, measuring a test subject (who looks like he eats fast food all day), blood pressure and pulse. Some people get sick merely being in or reading on a moving vehicle so that arguments null and void, and how many people honestly walk down a busy street fixated on a gaming console, not many.
Over the top, scandalous stories have always sold papers and I’m sure this is no different, it’s just a shame it came off the back of misguided and blatantly incorrect information. Maybe there’s more to it than it looks but I doubt it’s any more than over-sensationalised hype.
Screen Digest, a leading media and analysis firm have predicted sales of 11.6 million units by the end of the year with 70 million expected to be in households by 2015. In comparison the DS sold around 14 million units in its release year and roughly 140 million by the end of 2010. It must be noted that when the DS was launched there was much less competition, and the 3DS has to compete with such mighty foes as Iphones, Ipads, XPeria, PSP and a plethora of other game ready hand held devices which will affect its impact and sales figures.
Jerry Lawson, shown above holding the Fairchild Channel F, died yesterday, April 11, at the age of 70. The Fairchild Channel F was a revolutionary video game console of the 1970s which introduced programmable cartridges as well as boasting one of the most impressive controllers of the decade. Prior to the Channel F’s release, all consoles could only play games that were built into the system. The ability to sell additional games separately was all thanks to Jerry Lawson. Lawson was also known as one of the only black engineers and inventors working in the early days of the video game industry.
Jerry Lawson had a long career in electronics and engineering, working for companies such as ITT and Fairchild Semiconductor. In terms of pioneering ideas, Lawson definitely had more than the lion’s share in the electronics industry and he gained a lot of respect among his colleagues, including Atari founders Nolan Bushnell and Alan Alcorn. Gerald Lawson was about as awesome as a man can get, as evidenced by this 2009 interview with Vintage Computing & Gaming. Gamers everywhere owe a lot to Lawson, and he will be missed by many.
Oh yea! The second developer for the new SSX game is upon us, and it is glorious! In case you missed it, hit up this linkto watch the first video, and then come back for a peek at #2.
Ok, you back now? Good. Now get ready to experience the next video in the series. Watch out for a special mention of Uber tricks too, ’cause they are uberfantastic, right? Be on the lookout for episodes 3-5 of the videos to drop in the coming months. In fact, the next one is scheduled to come out on April 18, 2011. Woot!
Catherine is set to release July 26 in North America and Atlus are looking for fan input for their latest trailer for the game. By heading over to the Atlus Youtube channel (or by watching the video below) fans can find the developer’s request for video submissions. All it takes is a video response to a few simple questions about marriage as it relates to the conflicts and themes of the newest game from the Persona team. Videos must be posted as responses to the aforementioned YouTube video and be in at least 720p, as well as being posted prior to 5:00pm PDT on April 22. For more information on video submissions and to read the questions you’ll need to answer, head on over to YouTube and check it out. It’s definitely an interesting opportunity for fans of the developer.
Recently an App developed for Android by DOSBox Team hit the market and emulates old x86 PC games, allowing you to play anything from Might and Magic to Baldur’s Gate 2 on your little handheld. The library of games currently available is fairly impressive and initial reports on performance have so far been great, some games are free and the highest you’ll pay is something like $10 for a game, which is fairly reasonable.
Android already has a few Gameboy and SNES emulators, which vastly adds to amount of games available, but Android has struggled to catch up to the Iphone in terms of newly developed games. Old school emulators seem to be the alternative to competing and it’s working to a degree. Sure there’s probably many ways of emulating on an Iphone through jailbreaking, but Android seems to the be choice when it comes to these sort of official emulators for developers, more than likely due to the open nature of the platform.
You’ll currently pay UK£1.49 (about AU$2.32) for the emulator and below are some of the features:
Features
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-Portrait and Landscape mode with/without resize.
-Sound support
-Software and Hardware keyboard input
-Support entering special keys like Ctrl, ESC and Function keys
-Virtual TouchPad and Virtual Joystick mode
Known Issues
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– May crash during activation on device without official Android Market.
– On some device it failed to call out the software keyboard by itself. In this case, try longpressing the “menu” hardware key.
Technical Details
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The emulation part is based on GPL source code of DOSBox 0.74 (available at www.dosbox.com) with the following features disabled:
-midi support
-keymapper
-hotkey
-media capture
-access cdrom drive (mounting cdrom image is support)
