Actionloop Twist Review

By Jeann Wong

Actionloop Twist is pretty self-explanatory. It’s a twist on the traditional Bust A Move like games, and is based off a game called Puzz Loop. Basically, your Mii sits on a cannon in the middle of a loop, and coloured gems start moving into the loop. The cannon is rotated by twisting the Wii remote, and launches coloured gems onto the gems in the loop. Matching three or more will clear the gems, but if the gems reach the middle, it’s game over. As the bar on the right fills up, a rocket appears and clearing this results in moving onto the next 10 levels.

Different modes are quick play, quest, challenge and multiplayer. Quick play is based on gaining the highest score. Quest mode includes different targets which you must meet, such as clearing a number of gems. Challenge mode is continuous, and multiplayer mode can be played head to head or co-operatively.

Actionloop Twist can be a fun and satisfying puzzler for those sifting through the myriad of puzzle games available on Wiiware, but it’s lack of originality is not worth the 1000 points. Only buy if this sounds like what you’re looking for.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Adventure Island: The Beginning review

By Ben Salter

You might remember Hudson Soft’s Adventure Island series, or then again you might not since it hasn’t had a new game since 1994. However, it has had several remakes and Adventure Island: The Beginning is yet another of those.

It’s a straight forward, and very simple, platformer that asks you to navigate enemies and the environment to get from A to B. It plays similar to the original besides some aspects being made easier. The most noticeable change is that a single hit used to kill you; now you can take multiple hits and easily regain health. To help fight your way through the traditional left to right screen you can acquire variety of weapons and items. These range from axes and spears to fairies that grant you temporary invincibility and skateboards. The controls are simple, using the Wii Remote on its side with the D-Pad to control the protagonist and the 1 and 2 buttons run, use weapons and jump.

You can unlock some sub-par mini games, the first of which is basically a copy of cow racing from Wii Play, but you’ll go straight back to the main adventure. The lack of widescreen is really disappointing as you’ll have 2 giant black bars on either side of the gameplay (if you have a widescreen TV) which I found to be a little disorientating in a platformer. For 1000 Nintendo Points is a decent, but simple, platform game that offers some enjoyment without being anything special. If you’re looking for a quality platform title it’s hard to look past the Donkey Kong Country series on Virtual Console considering this is more of a remake than a fresh WiiWare experience.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Alien Crush Returns review

By Ben Salter

Pinball combined with crushing aliens. What else would you rather be doing on your Thursday night? Alien Crush Returns is a remake of the 1988 game by the same name (sans Returns) and sees you defeating a horde of aliens while seemingly playing a game of pinball.

The Wiimake is everything that the original was and more thanks to a host of new gameplay features. You control the various flippers around the stage using the Z and B buttons for left and right respectively. Motion sensing allows you to tilt the table and the new “action balls” introduce a new strategic element as different balls react diversely. The boost ball for example is faster and thus stronger than other balls, but that leaves you vulnerable to making a mistake with your timing and missing it all together with your flipper.

The game is a little on the short side with just three different tables but versus mode easily makes up for this. Jump online and take on up to 3 other players in the race to 10 million points. Great visuals for a WiiWare game and a catchy soundtrack make Alien Crush Returns an enjoyable game to play. It’s relatively simple, yet it will appeal to fans of the original. While it’s a little short Hudson has done a great job and Alien Crush Returns is definitely one of the best remakes we’ve seen so far on WiiWare for 800 Nintendo Points.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Art Style: CUBELLO

By Jeann Wong

Cubello is a welcome addition to Nintendo’s Art Style series, bringing original and challenging gameplay. 3D coloured blocks are stacked together in an object called the “Cubello” which slowly rotates towards you. Armed with a range of coloured blocks called the “magazine”, you must shoot at the Cubello, matching four or more blocks of the same colour. Doing so will make the blocks melt away, decreasing the size of the Cubello to make it more manageable. Strategic thinking is required to clear all but the core block before the Cubello reaches you.

Like the rest of the series, Cubello is fairly simple in aesthetics, sound effects, and focuses on its core gameplay. The only downside to the game is the annoying digitised voice that narrates your moves – go through the tutorial to see what I mean. Despite this, Cubello may be one of the best puzzle games available on WiiWare, with the perfect amount of depth, strategy, and challenge that every gamer will appreciate. Get it now for only 600 points.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Pop Them, Drop Them SameGame Review

By Jeann Wong

A contribution to the acclaimed Art Style series, Orbient is a unique puzzle game with a surprising amount of depth. It is a remake of Game Boy Advance’s Orbital.

The game starts off with instructions explaining how to manipulate your orb’s gravity and anti-gravity field. This field controls the movement of your orb in space. Running into orbs of the same size absorbs them and your orb grows bigger. Once you are big enough, a target orb appears and you complete the level when it orbits around you.

Reaching this objective is half the fun. Discovering how to interact with different sized orbs in space is the rest. Smaller orbs will orbit around you if you are close. Larger orbs will damage you if you hit them, but you can also enter their orbit. As your orb changes size, your level of interaction with the world around you heightens.

While Orbient sounds quirky and complex, the game successfully balances simplicity of controls with plenty of challenge to keep you playing for hours. As with all the Art Style games, Orbient focuses on quality gameplay which successfully contributes to an innovative and fun experience.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Pop Them, Drop Them SameGame Review

By Jeann Wong

Nintendo’s Art Style series consists of unique puzzle games executed with bare simplicity, and Rotohex is no different. Rotohex is the third instalment to the series, and is almost a direct port of Game Boy Advance’s Dialhex.

The game operates with Tetris style falling blocks, but with a challenging twist. Different coloured triangles fall into a hexagonal field and are rotated to assemble single coloured hexagons. Clearing enough hexagons of each colour brings in additional colours which ramps up the difficulty quickly. To finish the game, all eight colours must be cleared before the screen fills up with blocks. While it sounds easy in theory, Rotohex requires a fair bit of technique and thought into manipulating the triangles. As with any Art Style game, the synthesized music is a unique feature. As you progress further, the plain starting tones begin to morph into a more complete track.

All in all, Rotohex is a challenging puzzle game that requires skill and concentration. It relies heavily on its gameplay to carry it through, and it does this well. It’s available for 600 points if you want to invest time into a more challenging puzzler.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Pop Them, Drop Them SameGame Review

By Jeann Wong

Bang! is a delightful block clearing game which features colourful themes and interesting new abilities. The abilities to grab or “bang” blocks bring new ways to build combos and assists when you are stuck. Filling a power bar on the side allows you to “bang!” by swinging the Wii remote down, causing a new set of blocks to fall. Gloves are also rewarded, giving you the ability to grab a single block and flick it away. Each theme lasts for 10 levels, featuring seashells, fruits, party items, or other random objects.

While the game has excellent presentation, it does have its flaws. Once there are no further combos to be made and you have no abilities, you are forced to end the game. The multiplayer mode is difficult to see as 2 players play on the same screen. The lack of a timer also means there is no challenge to finish quickly. Despite these minor flaws, Bang! is guaranteed to feed your puzzle appetite at a low cost of 600 points.

We Say
GOOD BUY

BIT.TRIP BEAT review

By Ben Salter

Bit.Trip Beat revitalises the classic gameplay of Pong while keeping all the charm from 80’s arcade game. The gameplay is simple, holding the Wii Remote on its side you must move the paddle by tilting the controller up and down. “Beats” will fly across the screen and must be knocked back pong style. Rather than simply returning the one ball Bit.Trip Beat has you retuning a barrage of beats to earn big points. This becomes increasingly difficult as you progress as the music changes and new types of beats that move and effect the stage differently are introduced.

Bit.Trip Beat takes pong and introduces more a musical element and yet manages to retain the feel of an 80’s arcade game. More importantly it still has the pick up & play element to it that thrusts you straight into the thick of the action. With only three levels you’ll be left wanting more but it’s hard not to recommend when it’s only 600 Nintendo Points.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Block Breaker Deluxe

By Ben Salter

The latest mobile title to up beefed up and released on WiiWare, with the addition of “Deluxe” in the title, comes from Gameloft in the form of Block Breaker. However, you may know it best as Breakout, as it is indeed another clone of the classic title, or as Vortex on your iPod.

You control a platform at the bottom of screen and move it left to right with corresponding movements of the Wii Remote. A ball bounces off of your small platform and must be rebounded into blocks above to destroy them. Different types of blocks will give you power-ups, such as multiple balls, or take more than one hit to break.

The visual are reminiscent of GTA: Vice City in terms of everything appearing to be from a dodgy 80s nightclub. Some players may be turned off by its apparent sex appeal, but besides some lady silhouette there’s nothing too promiscuous about it. Block Breaker Deluxe is a great clone of a classic arcade game. Along side a great single player mode is a nice multiplayer option that’ll extend the overall playtime. You’ve probably played games similar to Block Breaker Deluxe many times before, as the original Breakout, or one of many other clones. The Wii controls work well and offer the D-Pad as an alternative making this well worth the asking price of 800 Nintendo Points.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Bomberman Blast

By Jeann Wong

The next Bomberman fix is here! Bomberman Blast contains the classic bombing action that we all know and love. It was meant to be a retail release but failed to make it out of Japan, so only battle mode is available.

Compared to other Bomberman games, not much has changed in visuals and gameplay – you use bombs to blow up blocks and opponents, collecting powers along the way. Multiplayer is perhaps the best thing about Bomberman Blast, offering fun for up to 8 players, online or locally (Gamecube controllers are compatible). It features different modes such as Air Raid where bombs drop from the sky, Countdown when you get 20 seconds to live after being bombed, and King where you grab a crown in the middle and try to hold on to it until time runs out. A variety of stages are also available, including Hyper Feet, and our favourite Classic stage.

Bomberman Blast is another title that’s similar to the rest of the series, with a fun and engaging multiplayer mode. The lack of story mode does dull single player games, but 1000 points is still good value for fans.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Brain Challenge review

By Ben Salter

After Nintendo released Brain Training on the Nintendo DS all of a sudden games that were good for the mind starting popping up everywhere. While most of them are copycat games Brain Challenge is definitely one of the better ones. Prepare to challenge your brain!

You select a Mii to perform the “Daily Test” that consists of activities broken up into the categories of logic, maths, memory, visual and focus. Some of the activities seem like double ups, but there’s still enough here to keep it fresh and interesting. Upon completing your Daily Test you receive your results from the doc who will give you specifics on how much of your brain you’re currently using and which categories you excelled in. Apparently I’m quite the logical thinker. There are some bonus modes such as a stress test and unlockables that help your multitasking and physical brain.

Brain Challenge is the complete package for 1000 Wii Points. The puzzles are entertaining while not overwhelming (except the stress test where that is point). The stats offer nice detail, and the use of Miis makes everything colourful and joyous to look at. Best of all is that this non-game is good for you. While it sounds like a chore more often than not people enjoy playing Brain Challenge games while giving their mind a good work out.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Bubble Bobble Plus! review

By Ben Salter

Bubble Bobble is an all time favourite for many arcade enthusiasts. The NES release is already available on the Virtual Console, so a complete remake of the arcade version seemed like a strange idea. Fortunately developer Taito uses Nintendo’s original download service to rejuvenate the veteran series, and has created one of the best value for money games available on WiiWare.

Bubble Bobble Plus! presents you with a stage spanning the size of the screen, on which a number of enemies will appear. Your goal is to capture them in a bubble and then pop it to defeat them before they mange to break free. Doing so will cause items to appear that give bonus points or on the rare occasion unlock temporary new abilities, such as being able to blow fire.

For 800 Nintendo Points Standard Mode gives you access to the original 100 arcade stages. The new Arrange Mode offers 100 new stages and allows you to play with up to 3 friends. As if that wasn’t enough, for an extra 200 Nintendo Points DLC is available with an extra 100 expert stages. The gameplay is as enjoyable as it was back in the arcade, the graphics look decent for the style of game and the soundtrack is catchy. Bubble Bobble Plus! is a great remake and highly recommended to anyone looking for a classic arcade game.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Onslaught Review

By Jeann Wong

For a game about fishing, Cocoto’s Fishing Master was a pleasant surprise. The game is one of the best presented Wiiware games available, with colourful cell-shaded graphics (akin to Zelda: Wind Waker graphics), multiple characters to interact with, navigation system for your boat and different levels of fish, rods, and bait to use and unlock. It all seems very promising and resembles sailing around in Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.

You commence marooned on a boat. A fairy gives you somewhat mystifying instructions on how to catch a fish. After half an hour of frustration, I roughly figured it out. You select your bait (three different ones targeted at different sized fish), then tilt the Wii remote to cast the line out. When a fish bites, you tempt it with the bait by following its nose. Then you must quickly flick the Wii remote up to drag the fish in, and finally reel it in by waggling your nunchuk. It’s definitely a challenge, which means you get immense satisfaction catching each fish.

Each of the five levels features a fishing store for upgrading your fishing pole and getting bait, a turtle on a raft, and a glutton that wants the fish you catch. To progress, you must catch all six fishes on each level. Cocoto’s Fishing Master is worth 700 points, looks great, and has large replayability.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Critter Round-Up review

By Ben Salter

Critter Round-Up has been designed with a young audience in mind. The gameplay is simple, the design is colourful and the visual representation of farm animals is similar to what you would find in a picture book. That’s not necessarily a bad thing; it just means that older gamers may become tired of the repetitive gameplay.

You control a farmer who must build fences to contain animals that are running amuck around the farm (quite the multitasker). Beyond that you have to separate the animals and keep them away from any danger, such as wild animals, then repeat. Co-op adds life to the game and offers another pair of hands to help out that poor old farmer who really has his work cut out with an excessive number of fences to build.

After a while the gameplay begins to become repetitive and tiring. I put this down to its intentional simple nature to cater for a young audience, but even they will soon begin to grow tired of it. The minigames, such as “Snowball Soccer” feel tacked on, unrelated and pointless. There’s some fun to be had here for a younger audience, pending that they enjoy animal based entertainment. If you’re looking for something with a little more depth then you may want to give this one a miss.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Crystal Defenders R1

By Jeann Wong

Square Enix has cashed in on a myriad of Final Fantasy spinoffs for WiiWare, and Crystal Defenders R1 (Round 1) is another one of them. Crystal Defenders was first offered on iPod Touch and Iphone, and is split into two parts for the Wii. The game follows the “tower defense” formula where you resist waves of enemies who are trying to steal your crystals. To prevent enemies from reaching their goal, you must level your units or strategically place them along the pathway. Different units are available from seven typical Final Fantasy classes, including Soldier, Black Mage, White Monk, and Thief. Units are introduced across 10 levels (out of the 13 available).

The music and overall presentation of Crystal Defenders R1 is based off the Final Fantasy Tactics series. Although the visuals have not been upgraded in this version, those who enjoy the overall look and feel of classic Final Fantasy games will find this ideal. Crystal Defenders R1 is a straightforward strategy game which stays true to the Final Fantasy series. The game is almost an extended tutorial with only three levels containing all units, but for 800 points, you can hardly complain.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Crystal Defenders R2

By Jeann Wong

The sequel to Crystal Defenders R1 has arrived (or rather, the same game split into two parts), as a tower defense game using popular Final Fantasy themed characters. In Crystal Defenders R2, new characters are available for use such as fencers (replacing soldiers), berserkers (replacing monks), hunters (replacing archers), and two moogle types. Unfortunately, these new units are just the same units with a few tweaks in costume or colour.

One major squander of the first game was that it was mostly an extended tutorial, with most of the levels introducing the characters. Crystal Defenders R2 follows suite with the first twelve levels doing the same. However, the little difference from R1 is mostly in ramped up difficulty, multiple exits and entrances to the map, and more crystals. A more strategic plan is needed to defeat the waves of enemies, instead of placing endless amounts of units on the map.

Crystal Defenders R2 is mostly the same experience compared to Crystal Defenders R1, which is good and bad in some instances. While it’s a little more difficult than its predecessor, I only recommend that you buy only one of these games at the high cost of 1000 points.

We Say
STAY AWAY

Defend your Castle

By Jeann Wong

Wii Play’s successful pool/billiards game has left enthusiasts asking for more. Cue Sports: Snooker Vs Billiards is an answer to this call, offering different variations of the cue game including Snooker, 9 Ball, and 8 Ball. Gameplay is well-adapted as you select the angle and rotation of your ball, and hit it by mimicking the action of a cue stick with the Wii remote. The game registers the power and the angle you hit the ball, allowing for some accurate shots to be made.

Cue Sports features a range of pleasing modes. Practice mode teaches you the basic controls. Matchup mode allows you to play your selected game against the computer, other players, or on the Nintendo WFC. Customisable options are available such as handicap, table design, and the venue. Puzzle mode features a set of 50 challenges where you must pocket the balls according to set criteria.

Cue Sports is a well-executed adaptation to the popular billiards game, and fills a much needed gap in the market. While the game may not cater to the general masses, it is a good buy for pool enthusiasts or those wanting a virtual pool experience.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Defend your Castle

By Ben Salter

Defend Your Castle began as a simple free online flash game. After unprecedented success Xgen Studios elected to release the interesting little title on Nintendo’s WiiWare service; featuring all new improved visuals with essentially the same premise flash gamers had grown to love.

The idea behind Defend Your Castle couldn’t be simpler. Villages come running at your castle filled with murderous rage attempting to destroy it, and using the Wii Remote you must do whatever it takes to stop them. ‘What ever it takes’ basically means toss them sky high and watch come crashing back down to Earth. While it sounds shallow, there’s more to it than meets the eye. The difficulty rises as the levels progress to include attacks from both the left and right of your castle, and a range of different enemies.

While it doesn’t offer much in terms of relay value, for 500 Wii Points it’s on the lower end of the price spectrum, and is a great little title when you’ve got a few minutes to killDefend Your Castle is what WiiWare is all about, a small developer bringing something unique to Wii owners. The only gripe is you can get a similar experience online for free, although $7.50 is hardly too much to ask.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Onslaught Review

By Jeann Wong

It’s been years since I last played Dr Mario on the Game Boy. My first revisit to the game yielded a typical impression – nothing had changed. The game features two different modes – Dr Mario and Germ Buster. For those nostalgic enough to want simple controls, Dr Mario mode brings you this pleasure by using the remote like a classic controller. Half-coloured pills drop down from above in a tetris-like box, on top of coloured viruses stacked together. The aim of the game is to match four of the same colour from the pill, with the colour of the virus to clear it. Germ Buster mode is a true adaptation of the game to the Wii. It makes use of the Wii remote motion control by allowing you to move the pills by grabbing them with the A button, and using B to rotate them. Mii’s replace Dr Mario on the right. Other than that, there’s no other difference to the main gameplay.

If you’ve played any of the Dr Mario games before, you’d easily know what to expect and whether you’d enjoy playing it. If you haven’t, you might want to try out a classic puzzle game. Available for 1000 points.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Equilibrio Review

By Ben Salter

Equilibrio takes the 3D ball rolling format we’ve already seen in games such as Super Monkey Ball and puts it back into the 2D arena. The controls have been made more simplistic to match the toned down graphics, requiring a tilt of the Wii Remote to either the left or right to manoeuvre the ball through the stage. Your goal is to guide the ball to an exit, along the way you’ll have to counter dangers such as spikes and acid pits.

Equilibrio features 64 levels which can be completed back-to-back in Conquest Mode or you can tackle a stage with a set of rules and conditions in Challenge Mode. Multiplayer allows up to 4 players to play the same modes, along with a race to finish 5 levels the fastest in Rally Mode or to gain the most points in Match Mode. The game features a gradual climb in difficulty and gives you plenty of time to get used to things before increasing the challenge, yet does so in time before you lose interest.

Equilibrio is a solid game without doing anything special. The visuals and music aren’t anything to write home about, while the gameplay is simple with a challenging set of levels to keep you busy for a while. For 500 Nintendo Points you’ll certainly get your monies worth, just don’t expect anything mind blowing.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Family Table Tennis review

By Jeann Wong

Many mini game titles have graced the Wii, and developer Gammick Entertainment has followed suite with their debut Wiiware title, Family & Friends Party. Categorised as an interactive board game, the game offers three different party modes. Team attack is available for one or two players, Triangular party for three players, and Family & friends party for up to eight players.

Teams play cooperatively against each other with mini-games from five different categories - pictionary, charades, spelling backwards, hangman and picking musical sequences. These recognisable mini games are far from original and executed in an unconvincing manner. Pictionary and charades require your teammates to close their eyes while the words are displayed on the screen, and it is up to you to tell the game whether teammates have guessed correctly.

While the game may be fun with more players, Family & Friends Party falls flat for less than three players, relying heavily on player integrity to carry the game. Available for a hefty 1000 points, this mini-game compilation is shallow and overpriced.

We Say
STAY AWAY

Family Table Tennis review

By Ben Salter

Family Table Tennis directly competes with Wii Sports and Wii Play, a brave move considering almost every Wii gamer owns both of these titles.

The controls are similar to those in Wii Sports, the AI will control character movement so you only have to focus on swinging your arm. Unfortunately the game isn’t even close to providing a realistic table tennis experience. It’s impossible to miss the table, the ball speed is predetermined by the length of the rally, so swinging hard really only effects your character’s movement and you’ll hit the ball by swinging in either direction, regardless of which side of the table it’s on.

Overall Family Table Tennis is a shallow affair, while it may be appealing to young children there’s not much depth here in terms of gameplay. The presentation is meant to be ‘family friendly’ but in reality is just painful to look at, meanwhile the music is just plain terrible. Family Table Tennis offers a slightly more complete experience than Wii Play; however you’re best off sticking to the free Wii Sports, rather than wasting 800 Nintendo Points on this monstrosity.

We Say
STAY AWAY

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years Review

By Jeann Wong

The great thing about Wiiware is the ability to release new versions of retro games that were popular back in the day. Final Fantasy IV: The After Years brings back the glory of the renowned SNES Final Fantasy franchise, before all the CG graphics and voice acting happened. The After Years is the direct sequel to the SNES version of Final Fantasy IV, offering a full blown adventure which takes place 17 years after the original. The game starts off with Ceodore, Cecil and Rosa’s son, on the airship of the Red Barons. He’s given a direct mission to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a full-fledged knight.

After the first hour of playthrough, the conclusion is that the sequel retains as much as possible from the original FFIV, including music, combat, characters, 16-bit graphics, and even monsters. A few pleasing new features have been added, such as a “moon-phase” which weakens or strengthens attack and magic. For 800 points, FFIV: The After Years is available, however up to 8 additional side stories can be purchased for an extra 300 points each. These side stories flesh out characters in the main game, with the first available being Rydia’s Story. This game brings back the nostalgic feel of older Final Fantasy games, and will definitely be pleasing to fans of the series.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Onslaught Review

By Jeann Wong

Fish ‘Em All is a beautiful cartoon mini-game about – you guessed it – fishing. However, there’s no rods to reel and no bait. Instead, a net is used to wildly catch a bunch of colourful fish that jump out of the river, by swinging the Wii remote. Think Penguin Slide on Wii Fit, except without the iceberg.

Obstacles appear to thwart your attempt at catching enough fish to fill up the three fish icons at the top. A shark pops up which will eat you up, crabs and other creatures temporarily stun you, and bombs can be caught which explode. Therefore, you need to avoid these obstacles, jump around, and swing away to catch fishes all at once. It gets a bit more difficult in later stages as more and more obstacles must be dodged while you catch the fish.

One small criticism for the game is that it doesn’t require much tact or strategy and your arm begins to hurt after a few minutes of swinging the Wii remote around. Fish ‘Em All is available for 800 points, get it if a simple action games hook you in.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Get in the hole, get in the hole!

By Wrecker + Schrekdog

For around ten years, official Nintendo third party developer, Shin'en, have made several games for the Nintendo handhelds. They have now released their first console title, “Fun! Fun! Minigolf” through WiiWare, which costs only 900 Wii points. Up to four players get the chance to play one of three courses at three different difficulty levels. America (easy) with its Hawaii type environment, Asia (medium) in a Japanese garden setting and Europe (advanced) in a woodland theme.

This game had the potential to be much more than what it delivers. It does have a good control system and presentation but seems to drop off after that. It's a reasonable game to have in your collection, but you would rarely play it much by yourself. It’s more of a party type game or maybe one for the younger kids. It’s downfall is its lack of depth and the silly “out of bounds” rule that has already been mentioned numerous times in this review. There can be some fun gained from this game, but not as much as the title would suggest.

Full featured review here

We Say
GOOD BUY

Helix Review

By Ben Salter

Helix is best described as a rhythm game meets Aus style aerobics. If you play the game how it intended, using complete movements (and I must say even if you were a Wii Sport wrist player it’s hard to not go for the complete body movements in this one), it’s quite the standing on the spot workout.

Using two Wii Remotes (one if you must but it’s made for two) you follow the moves of the on-screen robot. However, it’s not simultaneous; you must perform the moves a split second after the robot in time with the above rhythm bar. This results in you either focusing on the bar or the dancer then trying to watch the other out of the corner of your eye. It takes a little practice but in time you’ll be nailing a series of dances moves including punches, uppercuts, some weird pot stirring thing and moves Disco Stu would be proud to call his own.

The game offers a reasonable difficulty mix. Easy you'll find too slow, normal is challenging enough for most, and you won't know what's what in hard unless you've mastered the game. Helix is highly recommended to anyone who’s a fan of the rhythm genre and willing to make a fool of themselves with some crazy double handed motion gestures.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Helix Review

By Jeann Wong

Home Sweet Home is a port of a casual PC game, which allows you to be an interior designer for different homes. Fans of The Sims, Order Up or other sim/time-management games will find this a pleasing addition to the Wiiware.

Clients give you specifications for what they want done, and you can choose from a catalog of different furniture to meet their requests. After placing the furniture, you must micromanage several assistants which put together the room. You help them out by bringing them coffee when their “health” meter gets low, and assist them with their task by mimicking sawing, painting, or other movements with the Wii remote. If you complete the level faster, you get paid more income which goes into your own fund to decorate your own home.

With up to 50 levels, Home Sweet Home is a full-blown game that features a full tutorial, level selection, intuitive controls, and even your home to decorate as an incentive. This type of game is rarely seen on the WiiWare, and this genre is definitely a refreshing and much-needed addition to the multitude of puzzlers available on the channel.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

The Incredible Maze Review

By Jeann Wong

For a game that involves rolling marbles through a maze, The Incredible Maze was surprisingly fun. It mimics similar games such as Super Monkey Ball, the ball rolling exercise in Wii Fit, and Labyrinth, that wooden toy that you had as a kid. Although this game could hardly compare to its competitors in revolutionary gameplay or graphics, it offers simple and uncomplicated fun.

There are 30 levels to navigate, with the early levels guiding you through the maze with a dotted line. To get to your goal quicker, a jumping function can be used by flicking the Wii remote. While good in theory, getting the ball to jump was difficult and inaccurate partly due to the game’s extreme sensitivity. However, this was solved when the balance board was used which made movement much smoother. For a mere 500 points, The Incredible Maze offers cheap no-fuss quality entertainment for everyone.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Jungle Speed Review

By Ben Salter

Jungle Speed is a card game all about being the first player to get rid of all your cards and having quick reflexes. In many ways it’s similar to a game of Uno, with a relatively simple set of rules.

Each player begins with a pile of facedown cards which feature unique designs. Going around the table the “A” button is used to flip the cards face up, when two players flip up cards that match a duel begins between them. These players must swing the Wii Remote to grab the wooden totem statue in the middle of the table, the first to do so wins and gives all of their cards that have been used (flipped face up) to the loser.

For the most part the WiiWare version of Jungle Speed plays like the real game, and with the option for up to 8 players simultaneously (one player using the Wii Remote, and one the nunchuck x 4) it’s a great multiplayer title. The 1000 point price tag is a little step for a card game, and will most likely discourage some people. Still there’s some great 8 player fun to be had here.

We Say
GOOD BUY

MaBoShi: The Three Shape Arcade

By Jeann Wong

MaBoShi is a game based on the circle, square and stick. Each shape has its own arcade-style minigame. The circle game involves moving a ball around a circular field, by pressing A to change its direction for gaining momentum. The goal is to hit small enemies which appear in the middle. Obstacles in each stage (such as a bar or a pendulum) affect the ball’s movement. The square game is similar to Snake (on mobile phones) except a burning trail is left behind you. You must use the flame to burn the coloured blocks across the stage, and failure to do so is game over! The stick game is a little bit more complicated – a stick continuously swings around a circular “core” and pressing A will move the stick in the direction it is spinning in. The objective is to navigate the stick through the path without hitting anything.

Each game is challenging and fun on its own, but that’s not all. Once you play for a while, the computer (or other players) starts playing alongside your window which interacts with your game! MaBoShi is a game featuring simple controls, fluid mechanics, and offers a fun challenge for 800 points.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Mega Man 9

By Jeann Wong

Capcom has released the next Megaman instalment in all of its 8-bit glory on WiiWare, 12 years after the last game. The decision to release it in an age of third generation consoles may seem odd, but Capcom knows its target audience well - nostalgic fans of grueling platformers and retro gamers.

Megaman 9 contains eight extremely difficult stages entailing well-timed jumps, precise firing, and grueling boss bottles. Each level is available from the start where you select one of eight master robots to fight. Once you get through the level and defeat the boss (which may take more than a few goes), you copy their weapon which targets the weakness of another master robot. This adds a challenging quirk in discovering the order of how to defeat the bosses.

Despite its insane difficulty and stone-age look, Megaman 9 is well-crafted and brings us back to the era of difficult and satisfying NES games. If you crave a true challenge and are familiar with retro games, Megaman 9 fits the bill perfectly. However, stay away if you haven’t heard of Megaman and played your first game on the Wii.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Midnight Bowling

By Ben Salter

Midnight Bowling attempts to follow the successful transition of Midnight Pool from mobile game to WiiWare hit. However, unlike its predecessor it fails, and badly, and produce one of the worst games on WiiWare yet.

Within seconds it becomes obvious that this was thrown together with very limited development time. The gameplay is terrible. The graphics are terrible. The whole set up, you guessed it, terrible. The game attempts to copy the control of Wii Sports except its much, much worse. You seem to have little to no control over where the ball actually goes and how much power or spin it has. It’s either terrible at recognising the motion control or the computer just randomly selects the balls path not matter what you do.

On the vision front it’s almost painful to look at. The load time before each game starts gives you the impression that it’s going to boast fantastic graphics; it couldn’t be further from the truth. This is one of the worst looking games on Wii and further emphasises the lack of effort in development. The pins are a 2D pixelated mess which is unforgivable when they are the primary focus of the game. Considering everyone already owns the superior Wii Sports Bowling give this one a miss. Not recommended to anyone, you’ll get more enjoyment out of burning your Wii Points card.

We Say
STAY AWAY

Midnight Pool review

By Ben Salter

Midnight Pool takes a classic mobile game, upsizes everything, introduces a Wii Remote and places it on WiiWare. The fact that it was a mobile game gives you the right to be sceptical, but don’t be so quick to dismiss.

The control scheme is similar to that in Wii Play with a little more depth. Aim your shot with the D-Pad and pull of a host of tricks that you have at your disposal if you know where to hit the ball with your cue. Midnight Pool offers a single player campaign, arcade mode, challenge mode and multiplayer that’ll keep you coming back for more.

Midnight Pool is a great virtual rendition for pool sharks and for the casual 8-ball player. For 800 Nintendo Points you certainly get your monies worth with a range of different gameplay modes. If you don't happen to have the space for a real 8-ball table Midnight Pool is a great substitute.

We Say
GOOD BUY

My Aquarium review

By Ben Salter

I’ll be the first to admit that a virtual fish tank sounds like a terrible idea for a game. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised when I booted up My Aquarium for the first time. It’s actually not a bad little app, but that’s all it is an app, it certainly isn’t what we would traditionally class as a game.

My Aquarium successfully transforms your Wii into a virtual fish tank; it includes all the beauty of owning an aquarium without having to actually look after a living fish (certainly a plus for those of us who aren’t quite responsible enough to be a pet owner). There are almost 50 different fish you can put into your aquarium and a range of different items, including coral and coloured lights, to spice up the place.

My Aquarium is not a game, it’s an aquarium application for your Wii. For 500 Nintendo Points there’s some enjoyment to be had here, if it’s your thing, just don’t expect too much in terms of gameplay.

We Say
GOOD BUY

My Pokémon Ranch review

By Ben Salter

I can sum up My Pokémon Ranch for you in one word: pointless. To further expand on that it’s one of the worst games on WiiWare and begs the question why is it even here? A while back I wrote an article on the success of the Pokemon series. Along with the top notch RPG games there are also some rubbish half-arsed efforts that Nintendo know will sell simply because they have “Pokémon” in the title. My Pokémon Ranch is a prime example of the latter.

My Pokémon Ranch requires you to transfer your Pokemon from Pokémon Diamond & Pearl on the Nintendo DS; therefore, making the DS game necessary for you to get anything out of this. Basically that’s all there is to it; from here you ‘interact’ with them using your Mii, that is, if you count watching them do very little or riding them in a tiny area as interacting.

To make matters worse if you transfer a Pokemon from Pokémon Diamond & Pearl it will no longer be in your DS game save. This means you have to transfer it back if you want to continue using it in your handheld adventure. My Pokémon Ranch is a massive disappointment. For such a big name series and 1000 Nintendo Points quite frankly it’s terrible. Do yourself a favour and play any Pokemon game as long as it’s not My Pokémon Ranch.

We Say
STAY AWAY

Onslaught review

By Ben Salter

The first FPS on WiiWare is an interesting tittle to review, as many other games on the service come from genres we rarely see in full retail releases. At first glance Onslaught appears to be a lacklustre affair in contrast to what we expect from the genre, yet one must remember it only costs $15 and was never meant to be compared to a full retail release.

The Wii Remote’s pointer is used well to aim your weapon, while the nunchuck can be used to throw grenades with some waggling. The controls are simple to use and are as good as most other FPS’s on the console. Onslaught at its core is an online game, offering both competitive and co-op play. The single player campaign can begin to feel a little basic; however, it’s still satisfying to complete as it focuses on achieving a high score rather than just completing the levels, and in turn offers some replay value. This is done by finishing the mission as quickly as possible, whilst killing as many enemies as you can and minimising the damage taken.

At 1000 Nintendo Points Onslaught offers the best online multiplayer experience on the service to date. On a console that struggles to produce quality FPS and online games Hudson deserve credit for what they have been able to create with limited file size. Onslaught is well worth a look for any FPS fan.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Pirates: Key of Dreams review

By Ben Salter

When I was a wee lad I wanted to be a Pirate! Now that I’m a Wii (playing) lad if sailing the seven sees is anything like playing Pirates: Key of Dreams then I’m glad I didn’t pursue that career. It’s one of those games that lacks polish, a lot of polish, and while it has some good ideas they’re just not executed correctly. The end result is a repetitive mess, with a little fun to be had in multiplayer mode.

You roam around several areas, which are more like canals of cities rather than the open sea of traditional pirates Vs Navy ship battles. You’ll constantly encounter navy ships every few seconds, and destroying them will reward you with treasure or new weapons. It sounds like fun, but besides the occasional boss battle (which is just a larger version of the normal enemy ship battles), there’s not much else to do. Fortunately multiplayer is the game’s saving grace, and at least offers some entertainment. The game offers 4 player death matches with 30 different stages. It allows bots if you either don’t have any friends, or they have disowned you for buying this game in the first place. While it’s nothing special, if you’re really into pirate ships shooting canon balls into each other, and have 3 mates who feel the same way, there’s some fun to be had here.

Pirates: Key of Dreams is let down most by its poor and almost unusable controls. It’s extremely difficult to control your ship, resulting in numerous crashes and frustration. Only worth a look if multiplayer pirate ship death matches is your thing.

We Say
STAY AWAY

Plättchen Twist 'n' Paint Review

By Jeann Wong

Yet another puzzle shooter on Wiiware, Plattchen Twist ‘n’ Paint promises innovative gameplay with huge production values and up to 300 levels available. The startup is impressive with great music and excellent colourful visuals.

Unfortunately gameplay is a confusing and haphazard experience. Your screen is filled with white blocks which need to be “painted” to clear four or more of the same colour. “Twisting” the Wii remote changes the paint colour on a “colour wheel”. Unlike other block puzzlers, the blocks don’t disappear straight away, giving you more time to plan out a strategy. And amidst all this, you must control a “FantasyME” avatar floating around the screen, take note of the gravity which shows the direction of falling blocks, shoot objects out of the way, and monitor the block bar to the left.

Simply put, all these additions do not work together and I was left totally baffled after the tutorial. Needless to say, I couldn’t pass the first level. There was a lot of time and effort put into Plattchen Twist ‘n’ Paint, reflected in its exorbitant price of 1,500 points. Unfortunately, overcomplicating a traditional formula was a downfall.

We Say
STAY AWAY

Pop Review

By Jeann Wong

Pop is a surprisingly simple game about popping bubbles. It’s oddly therapeutic and a bit of a challenge. All you have to do is point and aim at waves of bubbles, but if you miss a certain number of times, you lose the game. Popping the same coloured bubbles will build a higher score. Powerups are also available to assist in this. Multiplayer mode unlocks several new powerups which affect your players screens, such as a flashlight which restricts the view on your opponents screen and lightning which stops your opponent from popping for a while. Pop is very relaxing to experience, with differently sized coloured bubbles floating to the top of the screen and good background music. The background changes colour with each wave.

For 700 points, Pop is an original, addictive and affordable Wiiware game. It provides fun in short bursts, but don’t expect to be playing this for hours on end.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Pop Them, Drop Them SameGame Review

By Jeann Wong

Pop ‘Em Drop ‘Em Same Game is a simple block elimination game based on a well-known formula. Clearing blocks of the same colour gives you points, and you beat the puzzle when the grid is clear. In this version there are no new stages to progress onto – the grid is simply renewed with another set of blocks. Difficulty is adjusted through settings, which also allow you to customise the look and feel of the game. The graphics are very basic with familiar 2D visuals reminiscent of the Atari era.

Pop ‘Em is easy to pick up and play. With repetitive gameplay and lack of depth, the game is good for a few minutes of fun, but that’s all it offers.

We Say
STAY AWAY

Pop-Up Pirate Review

By Jeann Wong

Pop-up Pirate is a wacky and entertaining addition to Wiiware. The game centers on placing swords into holes in a barrel, where a pirate has gotten stuck. The aim is to locate a set number of mines for each stage. Each hole gives you a number which indicates how many mines are nearby. The best addition to Pop-Up Pirate is that you can replace the pirate with a Mii! The 3D graphics are somewhat disjointed and blocky, but appropriate for the game’s wacky personality. Gameplay operates the same as Minesweeper, and the game is based on Tomy’s board game of the same name.

The Wii version is an excellent adaptation of a popular board game, with wacky pirates, amusing gameplay, and bouncy music.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Potpourri Review

By Jeann Wong

Potpourri does not look like a generic puzzle game with its charming art style, circular playing field and strange smiley blobs. It is based on seasons, where the levels cycle through Spring, Fall, Winter and Summer. Cute smiley blobs pop out from all four corners, and a cannon is used to shoot them into the middle. Connecting the same coloured blobs does nothing; instead you must match the colour of the blob with the circle around other blobs to clear them. The principle behind this is that each spirit is a season, and you must link them to the season before it.

A strange thing about Potpourri is the lack of menu. It launches straight into gameplay after the title screen, and have to figure out how to play on your own. The graphics are very colourful and pleasant, and is one of the better looking WiiWare games on offer. The game doesn’t offer much of challenge until year 10, with each progressive year slightly speeding up the blobs appearing.

Potpourri aims to be innovative, and it has definitely succeeded in a questionable way. Unfortunately, playing the game was lackluster and boring, even for 800 Wii points.

We Say
STAY AWAY

Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! review

By Ben Salter

Taito are quickly becoming one of my favourite WiiWare developers; this time however, they haven’t got it quite right. Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! is a spin-off in the Bubble Bobble franchise and allows two people to play as the key characters from that game “Bub & Bob”.

You have navigate to Bub and/or Bob to the top of a vertical stage shooting rainbows (aka magic) to defeat enemies or give yourself an extra boast. Covering an enemy with a magical rainbow will release all types of different gems, while taking a hit will reduce the timer by 30 seconds (and the stages are quite long so that can be a problem). The game is a little more entertaining in two-player and helps you to gain more power ups by increasing your hit multiplier.

I never played the original Rainbow Islands but Taito certainly haven’t reproduced the same quality of remake as they did with the similar Bubble Bobble Plus. It has an ‘Ice Climbers” feel to it, but after a while it gets repetitive and boring. If you’re a fan of the original or a new comer chances are you’ll be disappointed by this effort.

We Say
STAY AWAY

Snowboard Riot Review

By Jeann Wong

Snowboard Riot is a typical snowboard racing game, but with the addition of guns and blasters. Orbs scattered across the racetrack give you cool defensive/offensive items to use on other racers, including bombs, missiles, shields, and turbo boosters. Four customisable characters are available with different attributes. Although single player gameplay may be limited by only four racetracks, the game excels with three different multiplayer modes (Battle, Time Attack and Stoic) available locally or via Wifi. Snowboard Riot stands out graphically as one of the best looking Wiiware games available, with smooth snowy environments and seamless animation.

Buy this game if you want a high quality racing experience similar to Mario Kart.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Sodoku Challenge! Review

By Ben Salter

Its Sodoku in WiiWare form. There’s not much more I can say in terms of gameplay. If you’re not up with the latest in puzzles that can be found in your paper, sodoku presents you with 9x9 grid, which is subdivided into 3x3 boxes. Some of these will be filled out and your job is to fill each row and column with the numbers 1-9; each 3x3 box must also contain these numbers.

The WiiWare version does away with pen and paper in favour of Wii Remote and TV screen. You use the IR function of the Wii controls to drag numbers into the desired boxes. While this works well one can’t help but feel it would have been even better, not to mention faster, if you just had to click a box and then select a number, rather than having to drag them into it.

The game boasts over 1 million different puzzles so you’ll be set for life (unless you’re playing some inhuman amount of Sodoku). Controlling the Wii Remote in small boxes can be a little difficult, so I don’t recommend this one for grandma who’s not as steady with the motor skills as she once was. The advantage of being digital is that you can easily change what you have entered. Personally I believe that Sodoku is best played how it was intended, on paper, or on a free site that offers the same thing if you really want to be tech-savvy or save the trees. Only for the die hard Sodoku fans who need their daily fix or if you're forgoing print.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Space Invaders Get Even Review

By Ben Salter

It’s Space Invaders with a twist! The roles are reversed in Space Invaders Get Even, as you play as the Space Invaders who now have their chance to get back at those annoying humans.

You control a UFO with a swarm of Invaders around it using the analogue stick on the nunchuck. You’re job is to fly around the city and blow stuff up, watching the Earthlings perish as you destroy everything in your path. The rest is quite simple, you direct your Space Invaders to attack using the Wii Remote IR and A button. If you take a hit some of the Invaders will die and you’ll lose some valuable time. Not to worry though, as both can be restocked with more destruction.

Space Invaders Get Even is a great take on the 30-year-old franchise and is a breath of new life after a countless number of remakes that did little to change things up. It’s hard to straight out recommend this one though as for 500 Nintendo Points you only get two stages and a boss battle. You could finish these numerous times during your lunch break. If you wish to continue crushing Earth 3 DLC packs are available, but it’ll cost you a total of 2000 Nintendo Points. Really it should have been half that; nevertheless it’s an enjoyable experience.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Strongbad"e;s Cool Game For Attractive People Episode 1: Homestar Ruiner

By Matt Kelly

Awesome humor? Check. Awesome puzzles? Check. Quite possibly the best game on WiiWare so far? Check! SBCG4AP delivers with huge budget production values at a fraction of the cost. Sure the graphics may not feature lens flares and shiny shaders everywhere, but it's not that kind of game. Strongbad works because Telltale have clearly had a very exact idea of the look and sound of the game, and followed it through. The humor is universal, the puzzle logic is understandable, and the whole game strikes the perfect balance between directing your attention on puzzles without just walling you in frustrating situations. If you knew what was good for you, you would have the money aside for this one already, you are attractive right?

Full Featured Review here

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People - Episode 2: Strong Badia the Free

By Jeann Wong

Strong Badia the Free is the second part of the five episode point-and-click series of Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People. Brimming with coolness and wicked humour, each Strong Bad game offers a zany, entertaining and hilarious experience.

Episode 2 commences with Strong Bad reading emails (a nod to fans of Homestarrunner.com where their emails are answered by the character). The King of Town suddenly appears to place Strong Bad under house arrest for disobeying his tax email. Obviously a serious breach of coolness, Strong Bad enlists the help of his fellow citizens to get him out. They all need to be united under Strong Badia’s rule to overthrow the King of Town’s castle.

Like other Strong Bad games, you are free to explore the environment and pick up useful items after the brief plot introduction. Compared to the first Strong Bad game, Episode 2 is more straightforward and offers new achievements, collectibles, costumes, and dialogues. The environment is a joy to explore as you anticipate the next witty comment, and the arcade classic “Math Kickers featuring AlgeBros” can be played. Strong Badia the Free offers a quality experience that is well thought out and a strong continuation to the series.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Snowboard Riot Review

By Jeann Wong

From the desks of Telltale Games, comes the next highly anticipated Strong Bad episode on Wiiware. Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People is a hilarious point and click adventure, which originated as zany web cartoons from Homestarrunner.com. Those unfamiliar with the series should at least these out as the cartoon’s flavour carries across to the games.

Episode 3 starts off with Strong Bad, our badass character with something witty to say about everything, playing a shoot-em-up video game. All of a sudden, his fun machine blows up! It’s up to Strong Bad to get it fixed, and he takes it to handyman Bubs who requests a sack of cash in return for repairing it. Strong Bad quickly devises a plan to get this cash – to organise a Battle Royale of Bands and rake in the profits.

Like traditional adventure games, it’s up to you to solve puzzles for the plot to progress. The main storyline lasts about 3 hours with bonus post-games available. Episode 3 follows closely to it’s predecessors with a wacky storyline, hilarious writing, and excellent presentation. 1000 points is cheap for the laughs and hours of fun that Strong Bad has to offer.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Swords & Soldiers review

By Ben Salter

Real time strategy games are rare on Wii, let alone WiiWare, but Ronimo Games has set out to change all that with the release of Swords & Soldier. The 2D side-scrolling quest is yet another great example of what can be achieved on WiiWare, and what the download service is all about.

The player must for mine for gold and other resources, then spend that on troops to defend your castle and attack those of the enemy. The Wii remote is used to select commands and scroll across the battlefield to see what’s coming up. There are 30 missions in total, 10 playing as each group (the Aztecs, the Vikings and the Chinese). Each mission changes the objectives slightly by either putting you in a position to attack or defend, or asking you to take control of an enemy base with a limited number of resources. Beyond the main campaign there’s a range of minigames that focus on just one component of the main game, and a two player verus mode.

The entire game is presented in 2D and uses a traditional left to right side-scrolling set up. The cartoon style graphics and catchy tunes help Swords & Soldier stand out from the pack, as the developer has clearly put in the extra effort to make the experience as enjoyable as possible. If you’re a fan of real time strategy games then Swords & Soldier is highly recommended.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Tetris Party review

By Ben Salter

Tetris is one of the biggest names in gaming and rightly so. The addictive little puzzle game has been around for years and had gamers hooked in its simple gameplay ever since.

The game has finally made its way to WiiWare in the form of Tetris Party. The gameplay has well and truly stood the test of time, as it’s the same now as it was back in the 80’s. As well as classic Tetris the WiiWare version features a Wii Balance Board Mode in which you control the falling bricks with your feet on the Board. It also includes co-op and a decent online mode that allows play against friends or random players.

Tetris Party is a great console instalment in a series that has a reputation for being a quality handheld title. It’s a great game to look at and the music for the most part is a joy to listen to. All the classic modes are here along with decent online and an interesting experiment with the Balance Board. For 1,200 Nintendo Points there’s a lot of content here and well worth it for any Tetris fan.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Texas Hold em"e; Up Tournament

By Ben Salter

Online poker seems to be all the rage these days, as Texas Hold’em has taken the world by storm. Texas Hold'em Tournament offers three different game modes. The first being a single player consisting of 6 different tournaments or a free play mode; with the second being a tutorial. Online via Nintendo Wi-Fi is really the bread and butter of the game, and it’s great to see WiiWare games taking advantage of Nintendo’s online service. It offers the same modes as single player, with the added bonus of facing off against a real person.

Playing online is fun, but without voice chat communication is limited and ultimately results in the game losing its appeal unless you’re a massive poker buff. Mii support is a nice touch but unfortunately loses its appeal if you’re stuck in a long game with boring AI.

Texas Hold'em Tournament is a simple affair but unfortunately doesn’t do much to engage the player in a long game, and even keen poker players will quickly lose focus. For 500 Wii Points it’s not the worst poker simulator out there; however, I only recommend it to online poker fans, if you enjoy player online you'll have some fun here. If you’re a fan of the real game you’ll find yourself bored and disappointed with this Wii incarnation.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Wild West Guns

By Jeann Wong

With the success of the Wii zapper peripheral with Link’s Crossbow Training, and the shooting game in Wii Play, shooting gallery games are perfect for the Wii. Gameloft has released Wild West Guns, a western-styled shooter which is incredibly cliché but amazingly enjoyable.

Wild West Guns offers great variety in its levels. You’ll shoot targets on the screen, hit cans so they don’t reach the floor, or shoot flying sombreros. Each level starts off with two training exercises, and pits you against bandits in western environments such as a saloon, moving train, and even a cemetery. The environments are destructible and other objects (such as rats, explosive bandits) may pop out at any time which you can shoot to rack up points. Only six stages are available, which can be completed in less than an hour, however the (somewhat limited) solution to this are achievements to obtain such as 100% of targets hit. A two player mode is also available.

Wild West Guns is a short but immersive game that is presented well, which you can grab for 1000 points.

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

World of Goo Review

By Ben Salter

Developed by a team of three at 2D Boy World of Goo is not only the best game to hit Nintendo’s original download service this year, it’s one of the best on the console including full retail releases. The seemingly simple gameplay will have you addicted, so much that you could be forgiven for thinking that Nintendo themselves developed this gem. All you have to do is use your Wii Remote to pick up Goo Balls and connect them together to construct a gooey piece of architecture in order to reach a drainpipe located somewhere in the level where Goo Balls can exit. Each level has a required amount of Goo Balls that must make their way through the exiting pipe if you wish to be able to progress to the next stage.

World of Goo is what WiiWare is all about, it is one of the best games to appear on the Wii this year, and thoroughly deserves its serious contentions for Wii game of the year in numerous awards. It’s amazing to think that a development team of just three people put this all together, and they ought to have the support of gamers so they can continue to produce such wonderful games. 2D Boy has raised the bar for what we expect to see on the service in the future. This is proof that you do not need the biggest development team or budget in the world to make a great game, all you need is great execution and World of Goo pulls off what it has set out to do perfectly. It ticks all the checkboxes, the addictive gameplay is great, full of well designed levels, it looks fantastic; it sounds wonderful and controls almost perfectly. World of Goo is the first must own WiiWare game.

Full Featured Review here

We Say
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam

By Jeann Wong

Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam is yet another cooking game similar to Diner Dash and Cake Mania. The aim of the game is to put together the requested menu items as fast as possible. The faster you complete the order, the larger the tip. Four restaurants are available in Career mode, including Hot Dog, Hamburger, Pizza, and Mexican food. Each restaurant contains four levels.

The game starts off relatively easy but becomes increasingly difficult as you progress, with more ingredients to put together and more impatient customers. One point to note is that once you put an ingredient on the plate, you cannot get rid of it. If the menu item isn’t requested, there is no choice but to reset the level. The high point of Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam is its vibrant, cartoon visuals and bizarre but cute characters which include vampires, Vikings, and aliens. One may question why vampires are eating hamburgers, but at least they pay up if you forget to cook the burger.

Painfully cute to the point of irritation, Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam is great for those who crave a cooking game, but its overdose on chirpiness is not for everyone.

We Say
GOOD BUY

Make sure you check back each week as we update the new release games and a few older ones.

Tags: Featured reviews wiiware

ICC_06 11/04/2009

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