Category: Wii Reviews

Bit Boy (WiiWare)

Bplus’ 3rd title for the WiiWare service, Bit Boy attempts to service the retro gaming desires of older gamers, but doesn’t completely succeed. The player is taken on a journey through different gaming eras using the vehicle of a maze game – a genre that is pretty much unheard of in the post-8-bit era.

The different game eras are standalone games in their own right so you can play whichever you like after initially completing all of them. The 2D games work the best, though the challenge may seem unfair to some with items to collect near enemy spawning points and loads of dead-ends. The 3D levels add little to the gameplay – other than making it easier by allowing the player to jump over walls to places enemies cannot reach, but they lack the charm of the retro 2D levels. If you like 8-bit maze games like me you’ll get some enjoyment from it, but I think Bplus would have done better by making a series of more fleshed-out games with each game focusing on a single era.

The Conduit

An original IP from veteran developer High Voltage Software published by Sega, this is a stand-out first-person action title on the Wii. The story unfolds quicker than I would have liked, but the short length makes replay more appealing and will hopefully lead to a more fully fleshed-out sequel. It has great customisable controls and visuals and is quite challenging even on the 2nd of five difficulty levels. The online multiplayer mode is compatible with Wii Speak – a first for shooting games on the Wii. If you have even a passing interest in the first-person action genre it’s definitely worth a look.

Mojipittan Wii Deluxe

Mojipittan is a successful puzzle game series from Namco in Japan where the object is to clear a board of tiles bearing hiragana characters by forming words using tiles from a reserve stock. Like the WiiWare version this also features Wi-Fi play, but adds many more levels. Being able to read hiragana characters and knowing some Japanese words will certainly help, but is by no means necessary to play – though it’s likely you’ll get trounced in online matches with native Japanese speakers if you don’t!

Sky Kid (Virtual Console Arcade)

This classic arcade title from Namco is quite difficult, but has some charm. Pilot your little plane against cute-looking fighters and tanks, then pick up a bomb and try to blow up your primary target. It’s a mission-based alternative to traditional side-scrolling shooters and also unusual in moving from right to left. As with other classic Namco titles you can adjust the starting number of lives and score required for extra lives, as well as the primary button layout on the controller. Currently only available in Japan. It’s probably a good idea to check out a video of the game in action on YouTube if you’re not already familiar with it before buying. Also available on the Namco Museum 50th Anniversary collection for the Gamecube elsewhere.

Wii Music

The subject of much hate and ridicule on the internet, this title contains some mini-games, but as a whole is more of a musical software toy. The brilliance of it is that whilst you can play the included tracks by the numbers – either in concert with the included Tutes (Mii substitutes that look like The Muppets) or a band of your own Miis, you’re also able rearrange songs and craft new pieces by playing “between the notes” using simplified controls for dozens and dozens of virtual instruments. There’s also a drum lesson mode for people with Balance Boards which gives you full control over a drum kit for use in your own videos. The ability to vary tempo and have the music played in a variety of styles (about a dozen all told including rock, pop, jazz and latin) is the icing on the cake.

Sure you can quibble about the sound quality (which really isn’t that bad; I’d rate it over a budget synthesizer) and the fact that there’s only 50 tracks (why no DLC Nintendo?), but if you have an interest in music that goes beyond listening to the radio on your commute it’s really worth checking out. It gets even better if you have Wii friends with Wii Music because you can collaborate and then share the results with others.

It’s a highly recommended title that I hope has a follow-up with a lot more musical styles (really not enough World Music and Classical Music in here), DLC and a better video sharing feature (presently recordings made can only be shared with others who own Wii Music and are registered as friends using Wii system codes).

Star Parodier (Virtual Console PC Engine)

One of several cutesy shooting games that appeared in the arcades and on consoles in the 80s-90s. Gameplay is fun – if a bit challenging – and the visuals are great. Who wouldn’t want to fly around in a PC Engine shooting baddies? This game was released elsewhere as part of the Hanabi Festival, so people who don’t own Japanese Wiis can also enjoy it.

Starblade (Virtual Console Arcade)

Originally a cockpit arcade game using a flight yoke, Starblade controls well using the IR pointer on the Wii remote to move the on-screen cursor. Being an on-rails space shooter this game probably isn’t going to warrant many replays as the whole game is complete in about an hour; given it was originally designed to suck coins out of the pockets of arcade-going youth, there’s plenty of cheap deaths to be had. The control interface alone is what makes this a better game than Space Harrier, however superior 3D visuals don’t hurt. If you’re a fan of this kind of game then check it out, but otherwise save your points for something better.

Super Darius (Virtual Console PC Engine)

This hard-as-nails side-scrolling shooter was originally a fairly large cockpit arcade game which had three displays linked together to create a panoramic view. This arcade-perfect home conversion re-formats the game to fit in a 4:3 screen and has lower resolution than the arcade, but otherwise plays the same. The difficulty is just as punishing as the arcade game and there are no continues, both of which seem odd choices given this is a home console port! You’ll need to be a big fan of Darius and have a pretty high frustration threshold (or brilliant shooter reflexes) to get enjoyment out of this Japanese VC exclusive.

Super Darius II (Virtual Console PC Engine)

This is an arcade-perfect port of the arcade game Darius II, which is very similar to the first Darius, though with a more forgiving difficulty level. Like the first one the screen has been re-formatted from three displays in the arcade to one – with a corresponding reduction in graphical resolution, but the gameplay is still the same. Unlike Super Darius this game has continues (whew!). Despite being easier than the first game, it’s still quite a challenging shooter and not for newcomers to the genre.

Super Fantasy Zone (Virtual Console MD)

The Mega Drive entry in the Fantasy Zone franchise, this is presently the closest thing to Defender on the Virtual Console in that your ship scrolls back-and-forth through a series of closed levels with a radar scope on the top to tell you where you are in relation to the baddies. That’s where the resemblance to Defender ends as the graphics have a cutesy look to them and levels are ended with a boss fight. There’s also a shop that appears from time to time where you can use money collected from shooting baddies to buy upgrades and temporary weapons like missiles as in Namco’s arcade classic Ordyne. Don’t let the cutesy look fool you though, as this game is quite challenging. Definitely one to check out for shooter fans.

Super Ghouls ‘n’ Ghosts (Virtual Console SNES)

Not simply an arcade port of Ghouls ‘n’ Ghosts, Super Ghouls ‘n’ Ghosts has different levels and enemies and a more forgiving difficulty curve. I think it’s a lot more approachable and better to play than the two arcade games that preceded it, so give it a try if you like arcade-style action-platforming games.

Super Shinobi (Virtual Console MD)

The console-only sequel to Shinobi, this game was sold in other territories as Revenge of Shinobi or Shinobi II. Apparently it features Batman and Spider-Man in an unlicensed fashion, which is why people speculate it hasn’t appeared outside of Japan yet (though apparently this hurdle has been overcome). It’s more difficult than Shinobi and not really in a fun way given that your character tends to bounce back from enemy attacks into other things that damage them such that a nice “juggle of death” can occur in certain parts of the game. Personally I’d opt for the Virtual Console Arcade release of Shinobi.

Wonder Momo (Virtual Console PC Engine)

I played Wonder Momo’s arcade port in the Japanese exclusive Namco Museum R on PlayStation and somehow the game grew on me. It’s a bit of a strange arcade title — released exclusively in Japan — which is set up like a “Super Sentai” stage show in front of cheering men. The titular Momo is a young woman with poofy hair who walks back-and-forth across the stage kicking baddies in the face until a boss comes out which looks like a guy in a giant beetle or robot suit. Near this time a whirlwind appears which turns Momo into Wonder Momo, who can then throw a glowing hula hoop at opponents as well as deliver a boot to the choppers. The PC Engine version is nearly identical to the arcade, but adds some interstitial stills of Momo that lean towards cheesecake and make this the preferred version of the game to get. I did a retro review of this game for Nintendo Life, so check it out!

Yōkai Dōchuuki (Virtual Console Arcade)

This is another Namco arcade game only released in Japan (and likely to remain exclusive to Japan since it never saw release elsewhere) in which you control a boy who appears to be platforming through Hell, fighting ghosts and demons on the way. It’s a nice bit of fun though it’s pretty tough. There’s also a PC Engine port on the Virtual Console, but given I’ve never played the game I figured the arcade version was the one to go for.

Paradroid (Virtual Console C64)

A nice slice of 8-bit computer-gaming goodness. You guide your robot through various rooms on a star cruiser attempting to take over more powerful robots in order to take control of the ship. Robots are represented by ovals with a 3-digit number to demonstrate relative power. You can shoot them or better still transfer your consciousness into them via a mini-game where you’re trying to highlight the greater number of data-paths than your target in a set time limit. Don’t let the simple graphics fool you, there’s quite a challenging game on offer which is pretty good fun.

Parasol Stars (Virtual Console PC Engine)

The console-only sequel to Rainbow Islands, Parasol Stars sees Bubby and Bobby still in human form travelling through various worlds battling various critters using umbrellas and water droplets of all things. The mechanics are quite good and the game is just as fun as Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands. The VC offering is on the PC Engine so keep an eye out for it in a future Hanabi festival if you don’t have a Japanese Wii.

Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure (Virtual Console MD)

Not a bad platformer, but a platformer nonetheless. The action takes place in a jungle and whilst it’s well-animated it’s quite confusing where you’re supposed to go. Expect to do a lot of falling and having to climb back up to where you were. Although the main game is a bit on the tedious side of the equation you can enter a lengthy code to play a reasonable facsimile of the 2600 classic Pitfall. Unfortunately you need to enter this code every single time you want to play it. Unless you’re a diehard platforming fan it’s probably safe to avoid this one.

R-TYPE (Virtual Console TG16)

This arcade shooter was a classic in the truest sense of the word: great animated sprites, an interesting power-up system and the movable weapon made for varied strategy and fun gameplay. There are several versions of this game on the Virtual Console, but I remember the TG16 version being the best. In Japan it was released in two parts, so folk outside of Japan have it good being able to get the whole game in a single 600 point download. Until Irem arcade games start appearing in the Virtual Console, this port is the best way to play this game on the Wii.

Rolling Thunder 2 (Virtual Console MD)

Rolling Thunder was a classic action platformer from Namco and it’s coming soon to the Virtual Console Arcade. The sequel is less well-known and whilst it’s not quite as nice visually, Rolling Thunder 2 still offers much of the fun and challenge of its predecessor. Definitely worth checking out.

Soldier Blade (Virtual Console TG16)

Soldier Blade is the last in a series of vertical shooters on the TG16 and worth checking out if you like shooters that consist of a series of sub-bosses and bosses. Just hold down fire and maneuver. The game takes its time ramping up the difficulty, but there’s certainly some challenge on offer. Enemies are varied and look nice. A safe bet for shooting game fans.

Solvalou (Virtual Console Arcade)

Namco has loads of games on the Japanese Virtual Arcade and Solvalou is one of the newer ones from the 1990s. A 3D sequel to Xevious, it’s got some familiar enemies in an unfamiliar perspective. The Wii remote pointer has replaced the arcade flight yoke and does a great job. There’s limited control over your flight direction and as with the first game you need to blast all comers whilst heading for the showdown with the Andor Genesis mothership. It’s a pretty challenging game and a treat for fans of 3D arcade shooters.

Space Invaders: The Original Game (Virtual Console SNES)

I just love Space Invaders, so it’s great to see this collection released. Originally released on three platforms in Japan (Playstation and PC Engine were the others), Space Invaders: The Original Game is a collection which includes an arcade perfect port of the arcade game with three different appearances: original B&W, simulated colour film bands (the original low-tech method of making a colour video game) and my favourite, the planet backdrop (marketed by Midway as Deluxe Space Invaders). In addition you get a two-player battle mode which is a novel addition. The price for the SNES version and the requirement of the Classic Controller make me wish I had known the PC Engine release of this was coming out in Japan. If you have the choice, get that version instead. A colour version of the arcade game alone (sans filmstrip effect) is also available through the Japanese Virtual Console Arcade.

Splatterhouse (Virtual Console Arcade)

Another classic game from Namco, this one has a horror theme with you controlling a Jason Voorhees-esqe character in a side-scrolling action title fighting monsters and trying to rescue a girl. It quickly becomes quite difficult, but thankfully you can increase your life bar and the number of lives on offer as well as change the score required to earn bonus lives. There are a couple of ports already available in the Virtual Console for the TG16 and Megadrive, but the arcade is the original and best, so get it if/when it’s released outside of Japan.

Star Force (Virtual Console Arcade)

I’ve been playing arcade games for decades, so it was a bit of a surprise to find this among the initial offering for the Virtual Console Arcade because I’d never seen it before. It’s an early example of the vertically scrolling shooter from Tecmo and it’s a decent bit of fun. Not the greatest, but it’s an arcade game with all the intensity and difficulty that implies. Worth a look for fans of the classics.

Devil’s Crush (Virtual Console TG16)

Excellent follow-up to video pinball classic Alien Crush which offers more animated creatures to hit and more bonus screens than its predecessor. If you liked Alien Crush you’re sure to like Devil’s Crush even more.

Elevator Action (Virtual Console Famicom)

Famicom port of the Taito arcade original. It’s lacking a bit in audio and the animations aren’t as smooth as the arcade, but until Taito sees fit to put something beyond a colourised Space Invaders on the Virtual Console Arcade this isn’t bad. Also available in North America for the NES Virtual Console.

Genpei Tōmaden (Virtual Console Arcade)

This appeared in arcades outside of Japan as Samurai Ghost and had a port and sequel on the PC Engine. A decent side-scrolling action game, though the difficulty is quite high. Action splits between a side scrolling mode from a distance, then a zoomed-in one with large on screen characters and more control over your character’s swordplay and finally top-down sections with a sort of isometric pseudo 3D view. These help break up the monotony of slashing everything over and over again and dying over and over again. For the curious and nostalgia buffs only.

Golden Axe (Virtual Console Arcade)

The Megadrive port isn’t bad, but the Arcade version is the one to get. Annoyingly Sega has decided not to follow Namco and Tecmo’s lead and present their arcade games in 4:3 aspect without built-in pillarboxing meaning you need to adjust your widescreen TV display yourself, but that’s a minor complaint. This is a classic side-scrolling beat-em up with pseudo 3D depth and a fantasy setting. As with other Sega VCA offerings you can adjust the button layout on your controller of choice (wiimote, GC and Classic controllers are supported), number of lives, health metre and magic power metre. If you like games like Final Fight, this is for you.

Jumpman (Virtual Console C64)

Classic 8-bit platforming action which I find identical to the Atari 800 version that I used to own. If you liked the game back in the day then get it, but it probably won’t stand up to the standards of today’s platforming fans.

Liquid Kids (Virtual Console PC Engine)

This is another great Taito arcade port on the PC Engine. A fun side-scrolling platform game with a hippo that throws spheres of water at enemies. Good clean fun from days long gone. If you have a Japanese Wii check it out!

Nebulus (Virtual Console C64)

Some of the more impressive effects seen on the C64 with your little green character platforming around a 3D tower as he works his way to the top. The controls take a little getting used to and the game is punishingly hard, but if you can perservere you’ll find a novel platforming game that’s worth a look for only 500 points.

Nekketsu Kōkō Dodgeball Bu – PC Bangai Hen (Virtual Console PC Engine)

Probably the best version of this arcade title to be seen on a home console. This is not only because the gameplay is so close to the arcade Super Dodgeball, but because there’s a story mode where you can have members of the teams you defeat join you as you try to track down a UFO that did a hit and run on your team captain(!)

Ninja Spirit (Virtual Console TG16)

A very good port of Irem’s arcade action side-scroller. The special effects aren’t as good, but the music and gameplay are all there as you’d expect. Until Irem titles start appearing on the Virtual Console Arcade it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan or want to try one of the more interesting 2D action games from the late 80s.

Alien Crush (Virtual Console TG16)

This is the first video pinball game that wasn’t really trying to be a shadow of arcade pinball, spawning a new genre in which the gameplay couldn’t be emulated in real machines due to the use of creatures running around on the table and special bonus screens accessed by opening doors on the playfield. Classic and still a lot of fun to play all these years later. An updated sequel recently released on WiiWare in the form of Alien Crush Returns.

Altered Beast (Virtual Console Arcade)

There is a Megadrive port of this which has been out for quite some time, but the arcade version is the one to get. Great side-scrolling beat-em-up action with the addition of power-ups that turn you into a different beast-man on each level. Controls are customisable as is typical of Sega VCA releases; since the game uses three buttons the Classic Controller is strongly recommended. You can also toggle the life bar and number of lives.

Assault (Virtual Console Arcade)

Currently only available in Japan, Assault is a classic top-down tank game which used two sticks for control in the arcades. Unlike other dual-stick tank games like Battle Zone or Vindicators, this game really requires two sticks to maneuver the tank and fire special mortars so it only supports the Classic Controller.

I find the control to be spot on, though the CC is a bit awkward to hold and use both sticks with fluency. Using the Classic Controller Pro will give you better results due to the handles; despite the fact that the Z-buttons aren’t used for anything but inserting coins in Namco VCA titles, which sadly cannot be remapped. As with other Namco VCA offerings, you can change the score required to earn extra lives as well as the number of starting lives and which of the other (non-Z) button(s) fire the main gun.

Balloon Fight (Virtual Console NES)

Basically Nintendo’s version of Joust, but with enough game differences to let it stand on its own merits. Your character is supported by balloons; by pressing the button you flap his arms so he can move about the screen to try landing on enemy balloons to drop enemies into the sea below. A great alternate mode sees you trying to get your character as far as possible through an ongoing series of obstacles whilst great theme music plays. Not to be missed!

Bare Knuckle II (Virtual Console MD)

Sold as “Streets of Rage” outside of Japan, this is the second in a series of side-scrolling beat-em-up games for the Megadrive – basically Sega’s version of Final Fight. It’s not as pretty as Capcom’s definitive title in the genre, but until that appears in the VCA this is a very nice substitute.

Bomberman ’93 (Virtual Console TG16)

There have been many Bomberman titles, but the later 8-bit ones (including the arcade) are the best. I really enjoy the single-player mode, though the bosses are a bit more challenging than in the arcade due to the fact that continuing starts boss fights over from the beginning.

Bonanza Bros. (Virtual Console MD)

A game that originally appeared in the arcade in a System 24 cabinet. Quality pre-rendered 3D visuals and appealing character design make this a nice game to watch as well as play. There’s a radar at the top of the screen; coupled with the game’s theme around burgling people it reminds me of Activision’s classic Atari game Keystone Capers. The port is good quality and it’s a fun little game.

Chelnov (Virtual Console MD)

A rare example of a console port that actually has superior visuals to the arcade original. Plays the same and has the same music, but looks much nicer than the arcade – you can actually see detail on the enemies! A quality side-scrolling action-platformer that’s notable for giving players the ability to face backwards to fight enemies in both directions. This game was sold as Atomic Runner elsewhere, and is currently only available for the VC in Japan, probably due to rights issues surrounding former Data East properties like this one.

Crack Down (Virtual Console MD)

Another Sega System 24 port this is a top-down action game where 1 or 2 players must place bombs in specific locations of an enemy base and leave before they detonate. Many enemies and power-ups to be found and great gameplay. The Megadrive port is excellent and worth getting in the absence of the arcade original.

Escape Virus is the freshman console effort from Peakvox – an iPhone and mobile game developer. Your simple goal is to avoid baddies whilst moving around in a fixed playfield: a simple pick-up-and-play arcade gaming experience motivated by ascending to the top of the world ranking in each of the five game modes.

The menus throughout the game look like car number plates which drop onto a tilted plane with a nice clanging sound. It’s a bold and interesting effect, though the tilted aspect can make it hard to read the menu options towards the top of the screen due to the forced perspective. The online score-chasing aspect gets a lot of focus; in fact the first thing that happens before you even create a save game profile is a prompt to connect to the network.

After getting connected you’re prompted to create a save profile (there are five slots available) using a romaji character palette for inputting your name. After this is done you can then peruse the other menu choices. There are the usual options for adjusting the volume of the sound effects and the soundtrack (a nice bunch of pop-electro tunes) as well as turning off the wiimote rumble. Although there’s no screen indicating the nunchuck is required I wasn’t given the option to start any of the game modes until it was connected.

In all the modes you control what looks like a red magnifying lens with a big eye and two little arms. In three of the game modes you’re trying to rescue other magnifying lenses from things that look like spiky balls or rampaging cyclops-eyed free-roaming nipples (honestly, I don’t know what else to call them) – these are presumably the titular viruses from which you must escape. You have only one life in any of the modes and the controls consist of the control stick, which moves your magnifying lens about, the d-pad which can tilt the view of the 2D playfield – but is really only for effect since it’s mostly confusing and the game moves to fast for it to be of much use – and the A button which allows you to jump over the baddies (featuring some nice sprite-scaling as your character zooms up towards the screen).

The characters have a simple hand-drawn cartoony look to them without a blocky polygon or pixellated sprite in sight. Colours abound with your hero character being a nice bright red and allied characters being blue, red, yellow or white and enemy characters being purply-greens and generally nasty-looking with red eyes and such. The playfield is a fixed rectangle several screens across vertically and horizontally with the look of being some kind of lab slide (or LCD on a circuit board judging from the grey-and-black playfield border). The 2D characters seem to be suspended in some kind of fluid which your character disrupts with great visual flare as he moves about distorting the image of the background yellow-and-orange grid pattern.

After that lengthy intro here’s a rundown of the actual game modes:

“Normal” mode consists of guiding your magnifying lens about and touching other ones which then stick to you until you’ve created a massive conga-line of magnifying lenses of various colours, but this is not to last because viruses start appearing and multiplying and generally getting in your way. If you run into them with your character, it’s game over. If your conga line touches them everyone from that point to the end of the conga is broken loose and alarms begin sounding and the little magnifying lenses start crying their little eyes out with animated tears/sweat coming off them and little countdown clocks ticking on each of them. The more lenses in your line the bigger your bonus multiplier; if you cannot get the errant ones back they die. If you’re in a tight spot you can use “A” to jump the viruses, but if you’ve got a big conga line then odds are some of your pals will land on the baddies being jumped and get clipped, so use it sparingly. There are also two special items that appear at various places on the playfield from time to time: rockets and hypos (their appearance will result in the pupils of all the magnifying lenses becoming hearts). Touch the rocket icon and three rockets launch homing in on enemy virii. Once hit they turn into black silhouettes which you can touch to get bonus points on top of the ones for blasting them. The green glowing hypo turns you and your conga line into a flaming snake that can incinerate viruses at a touch for a limited time.

The next mode is “Radio Control.” Your magnifying lens now has what appears to be a tiny flag on a wire coming out of it like a remote controlled race car. It plays the same as normal mode, but your character is moving forward constantly. Press left or right on the control stick to turn (gee, just like an RC racer!), forward to turbo in your current direction, or back to temporarily put on the brakes.

In “Hold” mode you don’t have to save anyone, but instead try to destroy viruses with the rockets. Instead of three rockets, only one spawns; after it hits a virus a new icon appears with a multiplier increment. Touch it to launch it again, follow it, repeat. Other rockets will also appear to be triggered; if your rocket fails to connect with an enemy it fades away so it pays to have multiples on the go. Not that this matters as more and more viruses appear until you have nowhere to run. No jumps are allowed in this one.

The fourth mode is “Zoom Ichinippa” (itchy nipple?). In this mode the screen is zoomed in so you cannot see much of the playfield surrounding your character. You need to rescue the other magnifying lenses, but this time they’re absorbed into you when you touch them and your character increases in size as they’re collected which makes moving around ever more treacherous. There are a total of 128 other lenses to rescue on the playfield – assuming you don’t run into any viruses – and then the game ends.

The final mode is “Shooter” and sees you constantly firing two streams of blue-and-red capsules that look like they came right out of Dr. Mario. Viruses are plentiful so blast as many as you can. There is an occasional power object in the form of a giant blue and red capsule which causes you to blast pills in every direction like an anti-virus death ball – truly a sight to behold!

Whether or not the game modes appeal to you, what cannot be argued is that this game has gotten the implementation of online leaderboards correct. After every game ends the World Record board pops up with your place in it and you can press “+” to view the top 30. After the network connection at the game start there are no further prompts; there are no buttons to press to upload your scores or anything else – it just does it. Press A and you can restart the existing game, view the leaderboard again or go back to the main menu. In addition to scores, times are recorded so you can see that the person who got 15 million spent nearly 90min. playing the game to get that score which is difficult to imagine.

Escape Virus is a nice bit of fun, but not that much fun. The game modes are a mixed bag, but for 500 points it’s not a bad value, so give it a try if you’d like to play something simple once in a while.

If you started playing arcade games in the mid-80s you probably have never laid eyes upon the original Atari brick-breaking game, Breakout (or its superior sequel Super Breakout), but no doubt you’ll be familiar with Arkanoid: the Taito brick-breaking franchise that took the Breakout concept and redefined it in such a way that other brick-breaking games now seek to emulate the tagalong, rather than Atari’s original classic.

In fairness Arkanoid really is the definitive brick-breaking game, adding a more sophisticated graphical appearance to the blocks and paddle, but more importantly arranging the bricks in patterns to keep up player interest and adding further challenge in the form of power-ups, enemies and different brick types.

If you’ve played Arkanoid in the arcade Arkanoid Plus! will look very familiar. All playfields are presented in the middle of the screen preserving the original arcade aspect ratio (as with many arcade games Arkanoid was presented on a vertical monitor rather than a horizontal one like a circa-1986 T.V.). Surrounding the playfield is a moving background consisting of alien landscapes with drifting clouds or a “lava-lamp” effect with floating geometric shapes. The effect is nice without distracting player attention from the game. Sound effects are the same as the arcade game which will please fans; music is a poppy-sounding techno beat that creates a bit of tension without being obtrusive and is generally pleasing to the ear.

You can choose your game mode from three selections: Arcade, Timed or Versus. Arcade Mode consists of two Zones of over 50 levels each (Zone 2 can be unlocked for an additional 200 points from within the game’s shop menu). When launching any of the modes you’re given a choice of options before starting the game. For Arcade Mode the options include: one of three difficulty settings (this effects the ball speed), whether to have a stock of extra paddles or a barrier that will reflect the ball if you miss it, the number of paddles or hits that the barrier can take (choice of 1, 3, 5 or 7) and finally whether or not to have enemies present.

The gameplay is largely the same for all three modes: your paddle launches the ball and you must bounce the ball into bricks to smash them; if you miss the ball upon its return to the bottom of the screen you lose a life. You continue until all bricks are smashed or all lives are lost. Adding to the basic play are different brick types, power-ups and enemies.

In addition to normal colourful bricks, you’ll find silver ones that take two hits to smash and gold unbreakable bricks that act as obstacles; some of which move back-and-forth after being hit in some of the more challenging levels later in the game. Power-ups are small capsules which are sometimes released by colourful bricks when smashed. If your paddle intercepts them before they leave the screen the power-up is activated. Most of them are from the original Arkanoid:

E extends the length of your paddle
R makes it smaller (although points for smashing bricks and enemies are increased)
S slows down the ball
L gives your paddle a laser to blast bricks
C causes the ball to be caught by your paddle for relaunch, etc.

You also have a couple of power-ups from Arkanoid II:

T creates a temporary barrier below your paddle that can take a single hit
M causes the ball to smash through all breakable bricks and enemies as if they weren’t there.

Enemies are geometric shapes that enter the screen from the top and work their way down. They cannot hurt your paddle, however if the ball hits them it will bounce off in another direction; sometimes right back at you!

After breaking all the breakable bricks a door opens on either side of the screen giving you a choice of which level to try next; after the 1st level you’ll find subsequent levels have an L or R after the number to indicate which side they were accessed from. This is also true of the Zone 2 pack of levels and both Zone 1 and Zone 2 appear to have a final level of 30 with a boss fight where you must bounce your ball off of some large enemy until it is destroyed. In the event you run out of lives you may continue as many times as you like, however as with other recent Taito’s Collection games, Bubble Bobble Wii and Puzzle Bobble Wii, your score will reset to zero if you do so. As with Puzzle Bobble Wii, you only get an entry in the local high score table if you complete the game.

Timed Mode presents a choice of a number of random levels to complete in a fixed time period using only a single paddle. You have the option to have enemies or not and select a difficulty level, but that is all. You may face 3, 5, 7 or 10 levels. The clock only stops between stages, so if you spend a lot of time on the first level you’ll have that much less time to complete the rest. In this mode the S power-up will be seen frequently, but due to the timer it is definitely not your friend! Both this mode and Arcade Mode can be played with two players cooperatively, with one paddle being above the other and doing the initial ball launch and the positions swapping every other level.

Versus mode sees two playfields being displayed side-by-side. You can play against a human or computer opponent with the goal being to clear a certain number of boards first in a best of 3, 5, 7 or 9 contest. R and S power-ups you collect affect your opponent in this mode for a little extra back-stabbing fun. If playing against an AI opponent you can choose an AI skill level from 1-7. I was unable to beat level 1 in my sole attempt at this mode so I can only imagine how challenging the higher AI skill levels are!

The control scheme for this game is not the same as the arcade which used a round knob to move your paddle. Whilst the Wii remote has proven its worth as a good substitute for dial and paddle controllers both using the pointer (Geometry Wars) and twisting motion (Bit.Trip BEAT), Taito have elected not to implement any analogue control at all. Instead, Arkanoid Plus! uses the d-pad to move the on-screen paddle, whilst the 2 button makes menu selections and launches the ball or fires lasers as appropriate.

D-pad control can be tuned in the top-level Options menu with one of several settings, but I found the default to be fine with the paddle moving smoothly whilst holding left or right and stopping promptly when released. Whilst the decision to go digital may disappoint purists, I didn’t find the d-pad detracted from my game at all; in fact my game is much better than it was in the arcade with less balls being missed due to a last-second twitch of the dial.

Taito has managed to do a nice reworking of the classic Arkanoid games in a WiiWare title that’s sure to please Arkanoid fans and people who like classic arcade games generally. Even without the unlockable content there’s plenty of challenge which can be shared with a friend. Arkanoid Plus! definitely holds the crown as the definitive brick-breaking game on the Wii; the fact that all menus are in English should mean this game will be offered outside of Japan in the near future so everyone can get a chance to enjoy it.

Fish ‘Em All! features some good ingredients for a fun pick-up-and-play arcade experience: nice colourful graphics, easy to learn gameplay and plenty of challenge.

The basic premise of the game is that you control one of two old, but spritely fishermen who frequent ponds filled with colourful fish ready and willing to leap out of the water to be caught in their nets. In each of three play modes your goal is to catch them in exchange for points.

The controls are fairly simple: the nunchuck moves your fisherman, the A button causes him to jump and the fish catching is done via motions. Your net can be raised up or lowered down and waving the Wii remote back-and-forth at the right time will catch the fish and add to your score. There is an alternate control scheme which uses the d-pad instead of the nunchuck for movement, but given the A button is still used to jump this is a bit impractical. Outside of some forearm fatigue I found the motion controls to work well and seeing as it is an arcade game, play sessions of 20-30min. are probably going to be the norm so you’re unlikely to get overly stressed from playing it.

The main game mode is Arcade Mode, which sees you trying to catch as many fish as possible across levels that have different settings and introduce further challenges. Every fish you catch gradually fills up a fish meter in the top corner of the screen; when you’ve filled up three fish meters the level ends and you go to the next until you run out of time. Things that run down the time limit are environmental hazards such as various animals on the dock you’re fishing from that will try to trip you up, creatures in the pond which will attack you or bombs that mysteriously jump out of the water along with the fish. Items that boost your time are a clock floating by on a balloon and glowing angler fish that periodically leap out of the water. Two players can compete for the high score at the same time with local leaderboards for bragging rights.

Challenge Mode presents a series of levels that can be played in any order and have pre-set win conditions, usually revolving around catching certain fish and avoiding others. Making a mistake ends the challenge though you’re welcome to retry. Some of these are quite difficult (level 8 requires you to catch every fish that jumps, so loads of waving and good timing are a must), but then this is the “challenge” mode isn’t it? As you complete them you unlock more challenge levels to try your hand at as well as levels that support two players.

The third game mode is Fishtris and this one is tied with the arcade mode as the most fun way to play the game. Instead of catching fish at will you need to catch them in groups of three of the same colour lest you fill up the fish bar on the side of the screen — of course you’re still trying to fill your fish metre to progress to the next level, and then there’s that timer to worry about! The glowing angler fish in this mode eat the fish in the bar on the side in case your fish bar is getting too full, but otherwise good reflexes and multi-tasking are required for success. Like the Arcade mode two-player simultaneous play is supported.

Graphics are quite nice with colourful 3D fish and other creatures. The fishermen are animated using a few frames and have a stop-motion character to them that harkens back to early arcade game character sprites (the victory dance at the end of the level is a two-step animation that brings to mind the chef’s arm waving at the end of a level in Burgertime). The designs are full of charm and who doesn’t like a bit of banjo music now and then?

Whilst more choice in the control method would have been appreciated by some, Abylight should be commended for bringing a game to WiiWare that effectively captures the spirit of classic arcade games.

Wii Play

Unlike many I didn’t really purchase this for the controller as I already had two…well, actually I did, but I wouldn’t have purchased this package unless I thought the games looked decent and there are a few gems in there. The Duck Hunt-style game is nice and I also enjoy the air hockey game, the tank game and the “Find the Mii” game — the yarn-textured bull-riding game is also amusing. 9-ball is also good fun, but Midnight Pool on WiiWare makes it redundant. Fun to break out for a bash now and then.

Wii Sports

It’s the pack-in; if it wasn’t I probably wouldn’t buy it because I’m soft on sports games. I’ve never played the golf game because I have zero interest in golf. The boxing game has controls that are a little on the lame side: punch shoulder-height for head blows and at a downward angle for body shots; hold the Remote and Nunchuk together to block; block and sway back-and-forth to weave. Tennis and bowling are quite well done: on the latter I can actually position myself in the place I normally would on a real lane and hook the ball as I normally would. Pretty decent package altogether; it nicely shows off the new direction the Wii has taken video games.

Bit.Trip BEAT (WiiWare)

Excellent 8-bit retro gaming goodness from Gaijin Games. Brilliant use of the Wii remote as a paddle controller in a Pong-style music rhythm game. Includes three high-quality audio tracks and good challenge which reminds us that even back in the Atari 2600 days games were hard but fun. Check it out – one of the best WiiWare games around.

No More Heroes

There’s a reason Suda51 is the closest thing to a rock star in the world of video game development. Loaded with piss-takes at gaming conventions and gamers themselves, No More Heroes manages to combine fun hack-and-slash action gamplay with biting satire in a completely satisfying package. Don’t be put off by the lack of blood in the PAL or Japanese releases as the black ash rendering of Travis Touchdown’s opponents blends in nicely with the muted colour palette of the cell-shaded game world. Wii controls are well implemented, often to humourous effect (see recharging your beam katana weapon, training at Thunder Ryu’s gym or any of the mundane part-time jobs Travis needs to do to raise money for his massive wardrobe and showdowns on his way to the top of the United Assassins Association).

If you’re like me and passed on the game due to a perception it was all about killing people (which it is, sort of), do as I did and correct that mistake by getting it today! The god of gaming will forgive you. Enjoy your visit to the Garden of Madness!!!!!

Super Mario Galaxy

I traditionally dislike Mario games, but this looked like it was trying to reach a new audience and so I anticipated less of the “leap of death” gameplay that’s characterised the series since time began and more interesting environments and varied gameplay. This was a solid 3D platformer with amusing nods to its heritage, brilliant visuals and fun worlds to play in.

I’m pleased to say I got 112 stars and that Nintendo allowed for finishing the game without getting every last star. The part that most reminded me of what I dislike about past Mario games was the shadow races. I couldn’t even beat one of these so beating all 8 was outwith the realm of possibility for me. As a result, I’m extremely disappointed that every last star was needed to unlock Luigi. This removed any incentive to replay the game for me and is why I no longer own it.

I don’t understand why a major replay feature like a second character would have such a difficult requirement. Save crap like alternate endings for the %100 complete crowd, but please set a lower bar for stuff everyone would enjoy like playing the game as Luigi.

Swords and Soldiers (WiiWare)

Courtesy of Nederlands-based Ronimo Games, this is the first RTS game for the WiiWare service and it’s simply brilliant in both design and execution. The visuals are colourful and cartoony with amusingly styled characters. The 2D presentation and automated unit behaviour is perfect for people who are new to the real-time strategy genre or aren’t terribly good at it (like me!).

One of the best releases on the WiiWare service — don’t miss it!

Tetris Party (WiiWare)

It’s Tetris, what more need I say? Okay, I’m really Tetris’ed out, however there’s multiple play modes and up to six player online multiplayer. The game where you need to try to make the picture picross style is my favourite. I don’t need to tell you to get it because it’s consistently a top seller on WiiWare, so you probably already have it!

Wild West Guns(WiiWare)

The first lightgun game on the WiiWare service and a pretty decent one at that. Nice for a diversion and I like the wisecracks and the colourful characters as well as the variety of modes. Another consistent seller on WiiWare and deservedly so.

Zack & Wiki

A fun game that looks and controls well…until you get to the final stage. The last level and the Bonelich bell ringing mini-games feature the most broken controls I’ve seen on the Wii. The latter will cause your arm to fall off as you see youself timing the ringing appropriately only to be told you didn’t. These events are completely optional and could be overlooked I suppose, but the failure of motion detection in the swordfighting parts at the end of the game cannot be and I will not forgive their brokenness. The game should have been delayed to fix this and I feel the game’s praise from all quarters should be retracted because of it.

Very very poor show Capcom.