Page 6440 – Capsule Computers

Sled Shred featuring the Jamaican Bobsled Team – Nintendo Wii Review

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October 23, 2010

Game Name: Sled Shred featuring the Jamaican Bobsled Team
Platform(s): Nintendo Wii
Publisher(s): SouthPeak
Developer(s): Just For Fun Studios
Genre(s): Racing, Family
Release Date: Oct 12, 2010 (US)
Price: $19.99

The Jamaican Bobsled Team is looking for a special individual that has what it takes to join the slopes and take the world by storm. In this unique title, Sled Shred featuring the Jamaican Bobsled Team is a racing game at heart with a surprising amount of content at a budget game price. So how is the game and how does it play out when it comes to sled racing? Here is my review.

Story
The main story mode starts with three kids sledding down a hill and into the path of Coach Mon. Coach Mon is looking for someone with serious skills to participate in the Winter World Games with the Jamaican Bobsled Team.

The story is quirky, a bit stereotypical, but honestly fun for the most part. In the few cutscenes that come between races, Coach Mon will drill you on what to expect for the next set of events and your off. Not too much to it, but the characters all have some charm with their personalities and while a bit cheesey, they keep the game interesting and add some life to Sled Shred throughout the experience.

Gameplay
Downhill sledding has not been approached too many times in gaming, and the best comparison to Sled Shred in this area that I can think of is the penguin race from Mario 64. There are 4 different sleds you can use in the game which each play very differently. I will get to those in a minute though. First let’s talk about the races themselves.

Story Mode is the mode you need to start with and due to nothing, not even power-ups being unlocked for other modes from the start, this mode was the first I jumped into. The main objective in story mode is to get 1st or 2nd place out of the 4 racers or teams you are up against while traveling to new maps as your progresss . Using the WiiMote, Classic Controller, or Balance Board, you slide downhill and avoid obstacles to cross the finish line. I will say that the first half of the game is extremely simple. Most races can be won with little effort but the game was still fun to play regardless as each sled was a different experience from the next.

Power ups consist of different items found on the track which can help during gameplay. Most prominent are the snowballs, which can be gained by getting the snowflake icon in various locations on each map. Tossing a snowball is as simple as it sounds and doesn’t require much aim at all for a successful smash. By gaining three on certain levels, you can use a super move with certain sleds which is also a bit rewarding. There are also Sun icons which boost your time for landing tricks, and a few other random power-ups such as speed boost tunnels are also present to assist in speed. Keep in mind though that even these must be unlocked, but it really isn’t too hard as every race you complete in story mode give you something new and most power-ups are given near the beginning of the story.

Now for the vehicles, or sleds, you have to alternate between an intertube, disc, two-man toboggan, and of course a four man bobsled. The intertube is the easiest to use as it controls very well. Players can jump over obstacles and braking and speeding up by leaning forward or backwards is accurate and doesn’t slow down the matches at all. The next sled is the disc, which has a special power you can activate which whips up a tornado quickly, delaying all those behind you for an advantage. The disc also makes jumping and landing much more simple and speed is increased quite a bit over the standard intertube. With the toboggan, the game puts you with an AI player, and the two of you must race down together. With this sled being a bit slower, you must work together to lean with your partner to gain speeds.

The last and most important sled is the bobsled. This was my favorite in the game as it controls without gimmicks or power-ups and is by far the fastest in the game. There is a huge amount of challenge when you get up to the bobsled races and it can come down to making a proper start-off by rapidly shaking the remote at the beginning of a match. Bobsleds travel fast and the races are more enjoyable, but the game seems to have hiccups from time to time frame-rate wise as if it were having trouble keeping up.

When you complete the game, replay value will not be hard to find as with the in-game achievements to unlock as well as multi-player and many other challenges to keep you busy, there is a reason to return to the tropical iced world many times over.

Graphics/Audio
As far as the characters go, think of the Miis, add a bit of height and add floating hands and you have the racers in Sled Shred. Each character is detailed differently and the game adds a bit of personality to the title. The environments you race in are bright and with the characters make the game stand out on its own which was a plus for me. From giant gators to sandy beaches, each area brings a new feel to the game. Besides a few bobsledding framerate issues, everything plays smooth and looks just as good.

The music is pretty solid, but nothing too memorable. With this genre of game though, music isn’t too big of an issue to start with. There is a voice-over for Coach Mon which is borderline Sim-lish and added subtitles used to translate. Even with the odd language, personality is still present in the small bit of voice work though, and it was a plus to hear some of the sounds made by the characters coming from the Wii-Mote, even if some sounded more like squeaks than anything else.

Overall
Sled Shred is a lot of fun to play and with all of the the various races and wacky costumes and characters, it thrives with personality and charm. The game does have it’s small issues such as framerate trouble and some unlockables that shouldn’t really be an unlockable rather than part of the main game to start with. Overall, with the price and the fun factor in mind, Sled Shred is one of the better racers on the Wii and adds a unique twist on racing games making it stand out in a crowded market and definitely gets a recommendation to anyone looking for a fresh, off-beat experience on the console.

I Give Sled Shred featuring the Jamaican Bobsled Team:

Wii Party Review

Jack Joly

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October 23, 2010

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Wii Party
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Party/Mini-games
Released: 8 October (Out Now)
BUY NOW

From the people who brought you Wii Sports, Wii Play and Wii Fit, Wii Party is Nintendo’s latest offering in the ‘Wii’ range. In short, it’s an assortment of mini-games, over 80 as it boasts on the box to be a bit more precise. But the game does have slightly more depth to it that this, although it’s not the most structured game you will ever come across. Essentially, it is just Mario Party (even the voice-over guy who exclaims “Finish!” is exactly the same person), but Nintendo have decided, in the hope of achieving higher cales, to drop the Mario characters and put ‘Mii’s in their place. However, it’s not a simple straight-swap, as the entire game has been sculpted to the style of the Mii character models, and where Mario Party has different game boards, Wii Party gives more variation with completely different separate game modes.

These modes come in all shapes and sizes, with some pitting all 4 players against each other with the CPU players filling any gaps, some designed for two players to go head-to-head, and others which have you working together. There is even a compatibility test mode which is interesting to play with a friend, partner or sibling to see what score you get, especially when it comes to the questions round, whereupon you answer a series of questions and compare answers. I found this mode to be particularly enjoyable simply because of this quiz part.

But, as aforementioned, there are other modes too; Globe Trot, Balance Boat and Board Game Island just to name a few. All games are easily accessible from the main page and there is even the option to play mini-games on their own in the mini-game mode, ousting the structured play seen in the main game modes and all motivation behind the mini-games that accompanies them. Basically, playing for fun and to win each individual mini-game, rather than winning them to help propel you forward as part of the bigger picture. This is a nice addition because it allows you to jump into the game quickly for short, sharp bursts of play, rather than feeling forced to start up a long, drawn-out main game mode. It’s also ideal for those mini-games which you fall in love with, as with the help of mini-game mode, you can play them over and over again as much as you like, something that’s unlikely to occur in the main game modes.

Linking in with the nature of the game -a party game designed to be accessible for all and straight-forward enough for anyone to pick up and play- Wii Party has a well thought-out and unrivalled user interface. Honestly, the start menu screen is one of the best I’ve seen in a long while, with many thoughtful, helpful integrations which I wish some other games would think of implementing. Such as the approximate game-duration estimations underneath each mode, which are extremely helpful as it means instead of having to play through the games once for yourself to figure out how long each game lasts, you can easily access this information when selecting a game, aiding your choice with highly accurate estimated durations.

It must be said, nearly all the main games and mini-games in Wii Party are of a high standard. While there are a few exceptions like Globe Trot as well as a hanful of mini-games that don’t work so well, for the most part they are all highly entertaining, especially when played with friends. Playing solo isn’t as great because the AI is poor, even when turned up to the unlockable ‘Master’ difficulty mode, and with the social interaction gone, many of the games lose their fun-factor and charm. As hinted on above, some games are no fun even with a group for multiplayer. For example, Globe Trot, one of the larger main games, is just flawed. While it is a near carbon-copy of the Mario party style of game board, there are too many event spaces which have you constantly changing position on the map, rendering it impossible to be considered ‘fun’. Then, as for the less enjoyable mini-games, these are few and far between and come about usually from badly mapped control schemes which are generally pone to inducing RSI among the players.

However, these negative aspects shouldn’t be dwelled on too much, because as with all mini-game compilations, there is bound to be a couple of bad ones: it is pretty much a cemented fact thanks to the laws of probability. Just to reiterate, of the 80+ mini-games, at least 70-75 of them are quality, and are sure to provide a great deal of laughter when played in a group. Seeing other peoples Mii’s (who aren’t necessarily involved in the game directly, but still make an appearance) in odd circumstances is surprisingly amusing, such as in one mini-game where if you open the wrong door you walk-in on an unsuspecting Mii sitting on the toilet. Plus, with the added bonus of a Wii remote bundled with the disc, in similar fashion to Wii Play, the package is great value for money, especially if you were planning on getting another Wii remote soon anyway.

Overall, Wii Party is another solid Nintendo offering in the official ‘Wii’ range, mirroring the casual appeal of games previous titles like Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, Wii Play, Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus. This party game provides a high quality selection of mini-games and unparalleled accessibility. Not only are the menu screens well-designed, but there is a cutesy character to guide you through the game, and the simple yet fun mini-games make it appealing for anyone to play. In groups it’s an absolute joy to play. Bearing this in mind, if you don’t have people around willing to play with you, your experience will be somewhat prohibited, as the game is much less fun on your lonesome. But if you do have people to play with, it couldn’t be recommended more, and it looks like it could be the ideal Christmas party game this Winter, with all the relatives around to play, The added controller in the package is just the icing on the cake.

Pros

Excellent multiplayer game
Wide array of quality mini-games
Highly amusing
Comes with Wii Remote

Cons

No where near as much fun when played alone
Some of the games aren’t great

Gamestop Power up rewards explained

Zachariah Blue

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October 23, 2010

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Enough time has past for the new Power up rewards to roll out all over the world. Since I also work for Gamestop why not I explain it to the people who are still on the fence or are still confused about it. This new card replaces the edge card whether you have the 14.99$ version or a free card with store credit on it. The only main difference is that now everyone who uses the card can get points for doing pretty much everything Gamestop related. There are now two tiers you can can sign up for at your local Gamestop.

-Power up card-

Price: free

20 Points for every dollar spent on pre owned games and accessories

10 points for every dollar spent on new games and accessories

points for doing the store survey on receipt

one enty into the epic givaway

-Power up pro card-

price: 14.99

23 points for every dollar spent on pre owned games and accesories

11 points for every dollar spent on new games and accessories

points for doing the store survey

10% off used games and accessories

10% extra on trade in games for store credit

Game Informer magazine subscription for a whole year

2 entries into the epic givaway

-Activating rewards ( pro only)-

buy 2 get 1 free on pre owned games coupon

birthday gift

Basically what the new Power up and Power up pro cards are all about. You will need a valid email address unlike the old edge cards. If you do not have one go out and get one its free. Want more information? Go to www.poweruprewards.com or visit your local Gamestop.

The 3rd Birthday gameplay videos detail Aya’s Liberation and Crossfire abilities

Travis Bruno

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October 23, 2010

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While we haven’t been covering the upcoming Parasite Eve: The 3rd Birthday, expect that all to change. Let us begin with the newest videos that explain a few of Aya’s different abilities that utilize what is called the Overdive system. This system gives Aya the ability to control other soldiers around her during gunfights. Though as you can see below there are a few other abilities that give Aya an edge during battle.

First we have the Liberation technique. The player will see a gauge where their Liberation meter will fill up as they defeat enemies, and when it is full Aya will move faster and evade attacks automatically. On top of that Aya’s weaponry will shoot energy bullets instead of whatever is equipped at the time.

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

Another ability though is Crossfire. Crossfire allows Aya to synch up her gunshots with one of the soldiers on the field. The meter fills up overtime as you are near fellow soldiers. When it is activated both Aya and the soldier she is linked with will focus their fire on one enemy and finish it off quickly.

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-Ek0J0yABk[/pro-player]

The 3rd Birthday will be arriving in Japan on December 22nd, but will also be making the trip across seas to the US in the early months of 2011 on the PSP. You can catch the English trailer for the game itself below as well.

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7B493uMog4[/pro-player]

Source: Siliconera

PvP Arena battles announced for Diablo III

Travis Bruno

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October 23, 2010

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So we now know the entire roster of character classes that we can play when Diablo III finally makes its way to computers. But now we also know that PvP will be returning in Diablo III. Except instead of open world conflicts where duals can be agreed to and occur within the normal game world, now it appears that they will take place in set Arenas instead.

Chris Metzen announced this today during Blizzcon and showed a trailer detailing the Arena and giving us a taste of what is to come. Full details have also been posted here on Diablo III’s official website. You can catch that trailer, which features team based PvP, below:

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

Fallout Online set for 2012 release, beta opening same year

Travis Bruno

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October 23, 2010

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After many years of battling for legal rights Interplay has told Edge Magazine that they are planning to release Fallout Online, an MMO based on the Fallout universe, sometime in 2012. They also have stated that a beta will be planned for that year as well, whereas those who register at the game’s website here can apply for beta access already.

Eric Caen, the president of Interplay, told Edge Magazine:

“I can’t say too much. What I can say is that everyone who is registered is getting a newsletter every five or six weeks. The content is not a typical newsletter with a lot of technical information; it’s letters from NPCs about what they’re experiencing. We’re giving a lot of hints about the future of the game. We have a beta scheduled for 2012, with the commercial launch in the second half of 2012.
“We have 90 people working on it. Even in January 2009, you were already able to move across the world.”

Unfortunately however those anticipating the game should not be too excited quite yet. Bethesda and Interplay have been consistently locked in a legal battle over the rights to publish a Fallout MMO, and the latest news is that Bethesda rejected a $50 million deal for the MMO rights.

Source: EuroGamer

Call of Duty: Black Ops getting Steam support and PC requirements revealed

Travis Bruno

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October 23, 2010

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Steam has finally confirmed what Treyarch was hinting at. That Call of Duty: Black Ops will be making its way to Steam for download. This is great news for PC goers as they can now be guaranteed support from Valve’s Steamworks. This means that there will be auto-updates happening, achievements, offline play and more.

Steam has also posted up the PC specs that the game will require to play the game at all. So best be checking them out here so you can make sure that your computer is up to snuff, and cleaned out of spare files (game ranks in at a whopping 12GB), when Black Ops hits shelves, and now downloads, on November 9th.

Blizzard announces final Diablo 3 class, introduces Demon Hunter

Travis Bruno

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October 23, 2010

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Blizzcon kicked off with a bang today as Christ Metzen the VP of Creative Development told those in attendance that the final class for the upcoming Diablo III will be a dual-crossbow shooting Demon Hunter. This is the fifth class to round out the already established classes of Barbarian, Witch Doctor, Monk, and Wizard.

The Demon Hunter appears to be similar to the Amazon and the Rogue from previous Diablo games as her primary attacks focus on ranged projectiles such as the obvious crossbows, throwing knives, grenades and various magic spells involving these attacks. Blizzard has also established her character bio page on their website that you can check out here. You can catch her in action as well as her introductory video below:

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W787uZzeoi0[/pro-player]

Random live stream

Ramblings

Justin Mienkiewicz

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October 23, 2010

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Today I’m just going to be streaming random stuff at will. Pop into the chat to put up a request or just comment here. Not sure how long I’m going to keep the stream up today. Cheers.

WiiWare/DSiWare Releases For This Week Ending 22nd October

Jack Joly

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October 23, 2010

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After the excitement of Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode this week’s selection of WiiWare, DSiWare and Virtual Console releases will look pretty meagre in comparison. Still onwards and upwards. Here are this weeks releases:

Racers’ Islands – Crazy Arenas (Zallag, 800 Wii Points)
My Starry Night (Hudson Soft, 500 Wii Points)
Street Hoop (Virtual Console: D4 Enterprise, Neo Geo, 900 Wii Points)
Glow Artisan (DSiWare: Powerhead Games, 500 DSiWare Points)
Mahjong (DSiWare: dtp young entertainment, 200 Nintendo DSi Points)
Spot The Difference (Enjoy Gaming, 500 Nintendo DSi Points)

So there it is. Six new releases for this week. Is anyone interested in any of these or planning on downloading any of them sometime soon? I know last week was a high point in the download service with Sonic the Hedgehog: Episode 1 coming to WiiWare, so those of you who use the service are probably still keeping busy with that.