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Tetris Party Deluxe – Nintendo DS Review

Dustin Spencer
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0

Game Name: Tetris Party Deluxe
Platform(s): Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS
Publisher(s): Majesco
Developer(s): Hudson Soft
Genre(s): Puzzle
Release Date: June 1, 2010 (US), October 14, 2010 (AU)
Price: $29.99 (US) DS, $29.99 (US) Nintendo Wii

The classic game of Tetris has had many revivals and reincarnations since launching back in 1984. With the release of Hudson Soft’s Tetris Party on the WiiWare a couple of years back, many gamers got the chance to play the classic puzzler in a whole new way. Fast forward to today and we now have Tetris Party Deluxe, an upgraded version of the fan favorite downloadable title has hit the Nintendo DS and Wii with new modes and loads of ways to play with you and your friends. Here is my review for the Nintendo DS version of Tetris Party Deluxe.

Story
I don’t think I should even bother mentioning this, but there is no story present or needed in this title. Tetris is known for the addictive gameplay to start with, so lets get straight to the point on how this one measures up.

Gameplay
There are eight modes in Tetris Party Deluxe, but each rely on properly inserting the classic tile-based pieces in the appropriate spots on the game board. The first thing players will see as they boot up the game is to either start the main game, or a standard version of the classic Tetris. When you go into single player mode in the main game, you have eight different options for modes on how to play so I will run through each of these modes and explain how they work.

First up is Marathon Mode. In my opinion this is the heart and soul of the game as it is the standard classic. With two different ways to play which are endless and standard marathon, players can either compete to get the best score or just see how fast they can knock out 150 lines. Marathon mode plays great and everything runs smooth. An extra option is also given while playing to hit UP on the d-pad to quickly insert the piece into the playing field which is great for quickly moving through pieces as you fill up the board and deplete lines. Another feature in this mode I liked was the ability to hold a piece that is not needed at the time for later use. This really came in handy due to the speed of game increasing over time making those crucial moments of shape accuracy much easier. Overall, it may not be too complex but any fan of Tetris will be able to easily jump right in and play for hours in Marathon as it has everything a hardcore player would want, yet simple enough for a casual fan to pick up and play on the go.

For the competitive players out there that would rather duel the computer, Computer Battle is the next mode of choice. This works almost identical to the standard game, but with extras thrown in to change up the odds a bit. Your display is on the bottom screen and the computer is shown at the top screen so the player must clear lines and try to make the biggest combos possible as each line you clear will add another stack to the opponent’s field. I enjoyed this mode for the most part, but the computer player was a bit on the easy side and moved slow throughout the whole match. Later on, things may get a bit difficult, but most of the way through felt just like single-player so those who are looking for a challenge would best enjoy the multi-player option.

There are a few modes within the game that mix it up and go outside of the classic formula as well. The first of those being Field Climber. In the usual playing field, a small stick-like man is at the bottom and it is your job to stack the blocks up for him to climb out and reach the goal zone. The catch is you must make each step only one block high so he can easily climb to that piece. This mode can be quite challenging as you always have to use strategy to ensure pieces properly place correctly. I smashed and trapped the helpless climber many times before I got the hang of this mode, but with practice you will be hitting goals in no time. As you progress, more blocks are on the ground making it more difficult to make the footholds for the climber so the challenge gets greater as you move along.

With the game of Shadow, a certain shape is shadowed out and you must place the pieces on the board in the exact area to move to the next area. There is also in-game editor where you can make your own shadows and change up the background as well as even the stage music. Shadow may be simple, the level editor alone had me in the mode for a couple hours creating new challenges.

Stage Racer assigns you a random Tetrimino (Tetris block) and drops the piece through the constantly moving stage for you to guide with the d-pad. Constantly switch positions to make the piece fit throughout map and make it to the goal is the objective. Abyss mode changes things up by making the piece constantly drop until you finally hit a snag and lose, with the number of lines cleared being your final score. For those wanting a more fast paced game, Stage Racer is a great addition that added some intensity to the relaxing setting of the game.

For speed demons, Sprint is a time-based version of Tetris where you must clear 40 lines as quick as possible. Master Mode by far is the most challenging mode in the game, as the game plays like the classic, but pieces do not fall into the field, they appear and you have just barely a second to switch them into the appropriate positions. Finally, Bombliss wraps things up nicely with the main objective being to form bombs out of tiles, then blow up remaining Tetriminos by completing lines in the field.

I mentioned multi-player earlier, and while the single player is fun, the game seems to beg to be played with friends. Using Single or Multi-card, you can locally challenge a friend to the mode of choice and see who racks up the highest score in the end or have a duel to the death. Wi-Fi is also an option and being able to play any players around the world was great as they even threw in mic support.

There is literally so much to do in Tetris Party Deluxe as every mode is superb and has a bit for everyone. While every mode takes from or uses the original formula, each have their own bit of addictive gameplay so things never get boring and replay value is not even an issue in the slightest. I didn’t encounter one bug or game error so any puzzle fan will be in pure heaven as they try and decide which mode to play. I will say I kind of wished the touch screen was used as I think it would have been great to see it utilized on the DS, but the D-Pad does it’s job so I really can’t complain too much.

Graphics/Audio
As far as graphics go, each piece is colored brightly and looks great, as well as the backgrounds blending perfectly into the playing fields to add some extra eye candy. Overall presentation for the menus and the whole game overall was a bit bland though, and yes, it is just Tetris, but I think like some of the reincarnations in the past, this one could have used something to make it feel a bit less generic.

Music in this game makes up for generic visuals in every way. From the classic theme that we all know and love to brand new melodies that are just as catchy and fun to listen to, the music can easily suck you into the game and make the whole experience nostalgic and fresh.

Overall
While Tetris Party Deluxe is a bit simple and is just Tetris with a few new coats of paint, Hudson completely pulled off this reincarnation to near perfection. The new modes are just as fun as the original and there is so much to do I spent hours in each setting playing and trying to rank up high scores and there is so much to do in multi-player, friends can join in and get the same great experience every time. Yes, it could use less generic interface, but consider Tetris Party Deluxe the tribute to gamers who have been fans of the series for years. Adding so many new ways to play while staying true to the original and even going the extra mile to keep the whole classic formula feeling fresh make this the ideal Tetris game to own at the moment.

I Give Tetris Party Deluxe
8-5-capsules-out-of-10

Fable 3 – Review

Dylan Radcliffe
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3
Fable 3 – Review


Game Name: Fable 3
Platforms: Xbox 360
Publisher(s): Microsoft
Developer(s): Lionhead Studios
Genre(s): Action & Adventure, Strategy & Simulation
Release Date: 10/26/2010
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Price: $59.99

Story
“Fable III is the next blockbuster installment in the highly praised Fable franchise. Lead a revolution to take control of Albion, fight alongside your people, and experience love and loss while preparing to defend the kingdom against a looming threat. Your choices as ruler will lead to consequences felt across the entire land.” [via Xbox.com]

The game starts off with your brother as the king. He is a tyrannical king, and must be overthrown. After escaping from your home, you must gain followers in order to overthrow your brother and take your rightful place as ruler of Albion. Will you be able to keep the promises you made in order to gain followers? Choices are all throughout Fable 3 and your choice impacts the fate of Albion.


Gameplay
If you are a fan of the Fable series you may have noticed that Lionhead Studios is slowly taking out all the normal RPG elements. In Fable 3 there is no longer experience and there is no longer a health bar. Throughout the game you gain followers which act as a form of upgrade points. With these points you can purchase upgrades from the road to rule, but you can only purchase the upgrades according to how far in the game you are. Basically, it has become more action game oriented where you purchase upgrades and then use these upgrades to progress through the game. There are multiple forms of upgrades, from simple stuff like the ability to get married or purchase property to combat related upgrades that increase your damage which each form of attack. There is also no longer a health bar, which is kind of annoying. You have to rely on a red tinged screen and the sound of a heart beat to tell if you are about to die. The only real problem, is that it is difficult to notice unless you are always on the lookout for it. I’ve always been a fan of health bars in games that require you to heal yourself, and the lack of one simply created a nuisance.

The sanctuary is the new pause menu. This sanctuary acts as a storage unit for all your weapons, clothes, and other items. Instead of a pause menu with scroll bars and a whole bunch of items, the sanctuary lays everything out in front of you and you can move your character around to look at everything and change out weapons whenever you want. The only annoying thing about this sanctuary, is that it acts as a pause menu. It never really feels like pausing, and if you want to change out weapons mid fight it removes you from the combat all together and feels weird compared to a traditional pause menu; however, new is weird and it doesn’t necessarily mean it is bad.

Like previous Fable games, Fable 3 is all about choices. Throughout the story you will be prompted to make choices on how you play. These choices are usually categorized as good or evil, and will change the layout of Albion as well as shift your morality. The weapon morphing system is also based on your choices. The hero weapon will change in look and appearance based on how you play. The changes are pretty flat, but they are present. The other weapons will change based on if you complete the tasks or not. Each weapon has 3 tasks that will change the weapons appearance as well as its stats. The main choice this game fails in is money based choices. Lionhead Studios emphasized that money is harder to come by and the choices that have to do with money will be difficult, this isn’t true. The economy is broken once again and making money is way too easy. Halfway through the game you can own every single building and easily be making 50,000 gold every 5 minutes from rent and store income alone.

Co-op is a lot fun in this game. When you enter someone else world, you bring your entire character over. There are also weapons in other player worlds that you will never find in yours, so co-op is a big feature. This time around you can create business partnerships, get married, have children together, and do quests together. When you go to another players world, you really feel like you are bringing your character over because you literally are. All your items, your character, and even your dog are all entering another players world. Co-op also no longer forces players to stay close together, both players can go off and explore the area on their own if they want. However, couch co-op still requires the players to stay in the same camera since it isn’t split screen. Overall Co-op in Fable 3 is a huge improvement from its predecessor.


Audio & Graphics
The audio has its ups and downs. The voice work is amazing and the humor is phenomenal. On the other hand, the repetitive sound effects are kind of annoying. Whenever you run into combat, the enemies will always have their little sound effects and all your weapons sound exactly the same every time you hit them. It really shouldn’t phase anyone unless they are like me and decided to farm kills in order to upgrade their weapons and get the achievements. Since I needed easily a thousand or more kills, I heard the exact same sound effects over and over again within a short time frame. This is the main reason it became annoying to me.

The graphics are brilliant, with an art style that still feel like Albion. Every weapon has unique graphical enhancements based on how you use them and what upgrades you unlock for them. Sadly, there are some graphical errors and the occasional bug that plagues the game. While playing, your dog may begin to float in the air, or the framerate plummets. The framerate drops are definitely the more annoying of the batch, because last I checked, no one complains about a dog that can fly. (yes, that is a joke)


Achievements
The achievements give variety to the gameplay, and requires the player to experience every bit of the game. A few of them are story based, but a majority of them are tasks that aren’t part of the story. There are the normal side quest based ones and the co-op ones. The real fun comes from completing the miscellaneous achievements; sadly a majority of them a evil based and if you are playing as a “good” character, you may want to create another account to complete them. There are also a few completionist achievements for getting all the weapons, all the clothes, all the books, all the gnomes, and all the flowers. The only one that is really annoying here is collecting all the weapons. The reason it is annoying is because they won’t all appear in your game, you have to trade and purchase the other weapons from real players. There are also 4 avatar awards, but these are all gained through story progression and by the time you are king/queen they will all be unlocked. The avatar awards include: Royal Boots, Royal Trousers, Royal Shirt, and a Crown.

Overview
The game is simply fun to play. Each choice creates a consequence that changes the world in either a small way or a major way. There is also tons to do which leads to many hours of gameplay. You may even want to check out alternate choices, or maybe make a file that plays to the opposite moral extreme from your original file. All of these things leads to replay value, or at least a second replay in order to see what would happen if you did something different. Sadly, the game is plagued with a whole bunch of bugs. While these bugs may be fixed at some future date, they can currently cause the game to be unplayable if you run into them. Aside from graphical bugs, there are a few that cause quests to break and stop you from completing them or even game breaking bugs that halt your progress altogether. These bugs really ruin the experience of the game and if you run into one it isn’t enjoyable to start all over when you worked so hard on one account.
I give Fable 3
8-5-capsules-out-of-10

Pinball FX 2 – XBLA Review

Dylan Radcliffe
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2
Pinball FX 2 – XBLA Review

Game Name: Pinball FX 2
Platforms: Xbox 360
Publisher(s): MGS
Developer(s): Zen Studios
Genre(s): Sports & Recreation
Release Date: 10/27/2010
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: Free. Tables must be purchased Separately.

Story
“Pinball FX is back, and it is better than ever! Pinball FX2 offers brand new tables and a host of new features and improvements: new state-of-the-art physics model that surpasses anything available so far, full compatibility for Pinball FX owners, online races, hotseat and split-screen multiplayer modes, Operators Menu with custom settings and advanced play info.” [Via Xbox.com]

There isn’t a story at all, because Pinball FX 2 is basically  a HUB to house a bunch of pinball tables that you purchase separately. Like Game Room, you purchase additional content that can all be accessed through the Pinball FX 2 game.


Gameplay
Pinball FX 2 is a HUB that houses a bunch of different pinball tables for the player to enjoy. While the player has to purchase every table separately for a small fee, they do have the luxury of being able to try out a demo of the table before purchasing it. Pinball FX 2 is a lot like the Game Room, where you can look at what is offered and only buy the ones you truly enjoy. The user face is simple to use and extremely easy to navigate. Leaderboards are easy to locate and a lot of times are right there when you need them. The overall experience is smooth and extremely welcoming.

There are some additions to the game that wouldn’t be found in a normal arcade pinball. These additions treat you as the owner of the pinball machine, and since you are the owner you can tweak certain aspects of the machine. You can move around certain pegs, adjust the tension of certain items, increase the bounce of other items. This may be a good thing or a bad thing. It is quite complicated to understand and isn’t necessary for the full experience; however, if you are one of those people who strive for perfection this new ability is perfect.

The physics engine has been revamped and it is incredible now. I can full heartedly say that Pinball FX 2 is the best pinball simulator I have ever played on a console. Everything that you would expect in a pinball game is located in Pinball FX 2, from the ability accurately slingshot your balls with practice to being able to memorize what angles to hit certain obstacles at. This game isn’t necessarily predictable, but since the physics engine is reliable you can practice and actually memorize the exact location, angle, and speed a ball has to be shot at in order to hit certain targets.

Each table lets you get a score and compete on the leaderboards against friends. Every million points you gain gives you 1 superscore point. These superscore points are combined over all the tables to create one overall superscore that you can compare with friends. Pinball FX 2 emphasizes having a lot of friends playing the game because it creates a challenging atmosphere as well as enables you and your friends to cooperate in unlocking some of the things within the game. Throughout the game you can gain wizard score, which takes you and your friends superscore and multiplies it all by the amount of tables you have played. The need to have a lot of friends, all working cooperatively, to unlock some of the more expensive unlockables. This creates a nice experience and may even help you find new friends who share your love for pinball.


Audio & Graphics
The audio is nice and reminds me of playing an actually pinball machine. As the metal ball bounces around, the pings and pongs of the tables creates the classic feel. Each table also has a unique element to it, and the sound emphasizes these elements further. Voice acting for both male and female narrators are superb and help delve the player even further into the specific tables.

The graphics are extremely well done. Each table has a unique look and feel to it, with a theme on each one that feels special. The lights, and camera angles create an effect that can’t even be successfully reproduced with a real pinball table. This all creates an exemplary effect that makes the experience as a whole even more fun than a real pinball table.


Achievements
Each table includes 3 achievements and range from extremely easy to extremely difficult. The easy achievement are usually gained by doing some simple task that is done regularly on each table. The harder tasks require you to do a lot more on each table, such as completely beat the table or unlock every aspect of it. Avatar Awards are unlocked by gaining Wizard Score, which makes these avatar awards extremely difficult to get. I had to add over 50 new friends just to get enough Wizard Score to unlock both avatar awards. As stated earlier, wizard score is gained by combining your superscore and your friends superscore and multiplying it by the amount of tables you have played. Based on how many tables you own, your amount of friends, and your skill; this task could be easy or quite difficult.


Overview
Pinball FX 2 is a nice addition to the Pinball FX series with a bunch of new tables, and the ability to import all the classic tables from the original into this new HUB and access them along with a bunch of new tables. Each table is unique, and you can even demo each table before purchasing it. Remember, Pinball FX 2 is just a HUB that houses separately purchased tables. For some reason I actually have to emphasize this even more, because there are gamers out there complaining that it isn’t really free. I assume they are the same people that complained about the Game Room. Any pinball fan will love this addition with the improved physics engine, great graphics, and the ability to tweak aspects of the table. Why go to the arcade when you can just play Pinball FX 2 in the comfort of your home, away from any friends looking over your shoulder and telling you what to  do and how you should have done something.
I give Pinball FX 2
9-0-capsules-out-of-10

Call of Duty: Black Ops Launch Trailer

J. Bradshaw
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0

Shooter fans everywhere are literally jumping for joy these days.  Why? Call of Duty: Black Ops is only 9 days away.  If you are in delirious pain of expectation, maybe this launch trailer will help ease the suffering.  It could also just intensify the pain, so watch at your own risk. You have been warned.

Even if you are on the fence about Call of Duty, this trailer will most likely at least get you thinking about your decision.  Blackbird SR-71? Check! Immensely important historical figures? Check! Crazy stunts? Check!  Guns galore? Check!  Yea, you should definitely check it.

Xbox Live Update Goes Live November 1

J. Bradshaw
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0

Everybody who has been waiting to see the message that your Xbox Dashboard needs updated only needs to wait a little bit longer.  Tomorrow, November 1, your Xbox Live service will be updated to reveal features like better voice codec, Kinect support, and new avatars.  Other features include ESPN3 and search for Netflix.  Go here for the full list of things that were in the beta, and then pull an all nighter to be the first to get your new experience.  Don’t worry; we won’t be jealous.

Confused about your update and worried you might brick your precious box?  Don’t be! Microsoft has got you covered!

From country to country, features may vary.

New Sonic Colors Trailer Appears; DS Demo Goes Live…

Dustin Spencer
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0

We are closer than ever to the the release of Sonic Colors and it is looking better than ever. The first thing to take notice of is the brand new trailer showing off how each wisp power effects Sonic in gameplay. What is obvious by this trailer is how fast the game is and how the wisps, unlike power-ups in more recent titles, do not effect this speed whatsoever.

If you are itching to try out this game, whip out your DSi and download the demo from the Wii Nintendo store as it is now live! Sonic looks to be making the comeback we have all wanted for years by the looks of it Sonic Colors has potential to be THAT title where the blue hedgehog gets back all of his credibility with fans. We will bring you more updates as the game gets closer to launching November 16th. Check out the trailer below…

Slice It Update available now

Philip Federico
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0

Great news for all you Slice It fans out there, Com2us have just released an update for the game available via the App Store.  The update includes the following :

Episode 2 : (Version 1.2.0 30/10/2010)

10 more New stages have been added from 71 to 80 in Chapter 4 – Stay tuned Chapter 5 is not too far away !!

Achievements have been to for Game Center !! If you’re on Game center add me !! (MasterAbbott)

You can also skip stages which are difficult to solve.  Com2us have also added more hints in each stage to assist with passing the more difficult levels.

If you don’t know much about Slice it!  Then why not check out our review of the game here.  If you’re a fan of puzzle games then Slice it! is right up your alley.

We did catch up with Com2us producer/designer of Slice it! Peter “Crazylife” Huh back at Tokyo Gameshow this year.  Peter was really excited to share with us that Episode 4 and 5 will include another 20 new stages. The difficulty level staying pretty much the same as the earlier Episodes.  The great thing about Episodes 4 and 5 is that they will be absolutely free as long as you’ve purchased the full game.

We asked Peter how long it took to create and design each stage, Peter advised that on average it took his team approx 1 day to design 2-3 stages, with some stages especially the harder ones taking days to design.  So when you clear a stage stop and think and give praise to Peter and his team for all the hard work and dedication that they have gone through to deliver to you these fun, addictive and challenging puzzles.

If you haven’t tried Slice it! yet why not give it a try now.  Com2us has released a free demo version that gives you a taste Slice it! Try it out here.  If you feel you can Slice it! like a pro then step up to challenge and grab the full version now for only 99c !! Buy it now.

X1 Prototype & Gran Turismo 5

J. Bradshaw
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0

Red Bull and Polyphony Digital have teamed up to create the ultimate speed demon, the Red Bull X1 Prototype.  The real life results of the car are incredible.  Using an F1 banned technology, the team added a fan that is used to force air out from underneath the car, lowering the air pressure and creating an amazing amount of downforce.  This created results of 8Gs of lateral force and speeds of more than 450kmh.  Sebastian Vettel broke the on the record on the Suzuka Circuit by 20 seconds.

Adrian Newey, Chief Technical Officer of Red Bull Racing states, “The results were thrilling.  X1 is about evolution, delivering the optimum combination of tested technologies in a single integrated design.  This would be the future of racing were we not bound by regulations, but one that is achievable today.  And as Sebastian has shown, it is about devastating speed coupled with real handling control.  Today thanks to PlayStation 3 and Gran Turismo we can test drive the future.”

Kazunori Yamauchi, President, Polyphony Digital Inc and creator of the Gran Turismo series says, “X1 sees the marriage of virtual and real worlds as we explore the boundaries of our technology and aesthetic senses.  The X1 Prototype Project has been motivated by curiosity and passion, powerful forces that brought together the best the world has to offer in design, physics simulation, racing car product technology and driving.”

Be on the lookout for the new release date for Gran Turismo 5, and then play through a variety of real life cars like NASCAR and the X1. Also, you can win a chance to drive the X1 when you buy the game.  Find more info at gran-turismo.

Halloween Sales on the App Store

Travis Bruno
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2

Ready to kill some zombies with some plants? Well if you haven’t hopped on the bandwagon yet then you have a great chance to now for the iPhone. That is because quite a large number of apps have been discounted now on the Appstore. Not sure quite how long these deals will last but most likely until Halloween ends so if you want these deals then you better hurry!

Prinny 2 gets rated by the ESRB; details are a must read

Travis Bruno
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0

The prinnies are back yet again with their own game focusing just around them, dood. Though being titled Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties, Dood! may make the ESRB a little worried and fans of the series concerned it will receive an unfair rating but there is no reason to worry. The ESRB has come through today with a T rating of Language, Mild Fantasy Violence, and Suggestive themes.

You can catch the full rating below which deserves a reading because it is quite hilarious:

“This is a side-scrolling action game in which players assume the role of penguin-like demons on a whimsical quest to retrieve stolen underpants. Players use “cartoony” swords, bombs, and flamethrowers to battle a variety of small creatures (e.g., gargoyles, scarecrows, demons, animal-like characters); enemies disappear in flashes of light when defeated.

Dialogue frequently mentions “perverts” or “pervs,” and characters make numerous comments about the stolen “panties” (e.g., “[W]ouldn’t it be great if sniffing them did destroy the Netherworld?” and “If some perv wears it over his head and takes a whiff of it . . .”). Some dialogue references the body proportions of various female characters (e.g., “Girls with something to grab onto are so much better, like pork loins” and “That flat-chested demon can’t even come close to comparing with her!”). The words “sh*t,” “a*s,” and “bastard” also appear in dialogue.”

Prinny 2 will be arriving on shelves in the US in January 2011. The game itself will be coming with a small side game on the UMD called Asagi Wars. You can also catch the trailer for Prinny 2 below dood:

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dV2CAcgvLY0[/pro-player]

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