NNR: 17th October 2010

Hey everyone! Welcome to a new NNR! I hope you're all enjoying the games you are playing. The next months will be full of great releases for both wii and ds and I'm sure most of you know what I'm talking about :3 This week I'm also gonna review Wii Party, the latest party game for the white console. Will it be fun or will it be boring ? Read and see!

VC RELEASES OF THE WEEK

USA
no releases

EU
no releases

WIIWARE RELEASES OF THE WEEK

USA
-Sonic the hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (2D Platformer)
-Thriple Jumping Sports (Sports game)

EU
-Sonic the hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (2D Platformer)
-Miffy's world (Educational game)

DSIWARE RELEASES OF THE WEEK

USA
-GG Series: Suèer Hero Ogre (fighting game)
-Datamine (Puzzle game)
-Ivy the Kiwi? Mini (2D Platformer)

EU
-GO Series: Pinball Attack! (Pinball game)
-QuickPick Farmer (Puzzle game)
-Academy: Tic Tac Toe naughts & crosses (Tic tac toe game)
-Music On: Playing Piano (Music sim)

GAME RELEASES OF THE WEEK

USA
17th October:
-Kirby's Epic Yarn (WII)

19th October:
-NBA 2K11 (WII)
-DJ Hero 2 (WII)
-Flip's Twisted World (WII)
-Bakugan: Defenders of the core (WII)
-Bakugan: Defenders of the core (DS)

EU
22nd October:
-DJ Hero 2 (WII)
-Professor Layton and the unwound future (DS)

NEWS OF THE WEEK

DS

MARIO VS DONKEY KONG: MINI-LAND MAYHEM! New scan:
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52905/


SHIREN THE WANDERER 5: New scan
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52941/


THE SIMS 3 DS: New screens
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/53035/


OKAMIDEN: New footage
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/53128/


RADIANT HISTORIA: New footage
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/53131/


999 announced! First trailer!
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/character-trailer-999/705929


KINGDOM HEARTS RE:CODED: new footage
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/japanese-boss-kingdom-hearts/705954
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/japanese-battle-kingdom-hearts/705955
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/japanese-opening-kingdom-hearts/705956
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/japanese-title-kingdom-hearts/705957


GOLDEN SUN: DARK DAWN: new footage, trailer
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/nycc-10-golden-sun/706044
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/japanese-overview-golden-sun/706114


ZACK & OMBRA: New trailer
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/japanese-story-zack-ombra/706141


SOLAROBO: new trailer
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/japanese-magical-solatorobo/706143


DATAMINE: New trailer
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/launch-trailer-datamine/706244


SUPER HERO OGRE: new trailer
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/launch-trailer-super-hero/706245


3DS

MEGAMAN LEGENDS 3: video of the project
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52724/


SUPER STREET FIGHTER IV 3D: New scan
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52918/


WII

EPIC MICKEY: new footage, screens, video
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52694/
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52734/
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/the-tale-epic-mickey/705968
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/nycc-10-epic-mickey/706224


CONDUIT 2: New footage, trailer, screens
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52749/
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/53039/
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/debut-trailer-conduit-2/706154


SONIC COLORS: new trailer, footage
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52751/
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/nycc-10-sonic-colors/706046


MARIO SPORTS MIX: new screens, scans, details
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52770/
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52931/
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/53075/

-Character roster (type in parenthesis):
Mario (all around)
Luigi (all around)
Princess Peach (technique)
Princess Daisy (technique)
Bowser (power type)
Bowser Jr. (speed type)
Wario (power type)
Waluigi (technique)
Yoshi (all around)
Toad (speed type)
Donkey Kong (power type)
Diddy Kong (speed type)
-7 more characters to be revealed
-Exhibition mode: 1-4 players, choose your court and team, 2 on 2 or 3 on 3 matches
-Tournament mode: 1-3 players, make your team, go through a tournament, 2 on 2 or 3 on 3 matches
-Wi-Fi support
-Can play against general players or friends online
-Each Wii can have 2 players online


KIRBY'S EPIC YARN: new screens, videos
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52778/
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/fountain-gardens-kirbys-epic/705960
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/flower-field-kirbys-epic/705961
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/lava-landing-kirbys-epic/705997
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/pyramid-sands-kirbys-epic/705996
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/dino-jungle-kirbys-epic/705998
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/cool-cave-kirbys-epic/705999


DONKEY KONG COUNTRY: RETURNS: new footage, scans, screens
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52832/
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52921/
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52981/


RUNE FACTORY: OCEANS announced! First scans, screens and details!
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52881/
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52984/

-Control Azel (male) and Sonia (female)
-Fantasy involving love and adventure
-Travel across the seas and islands
-Travel via a giant Ymir that you find on your journey
-The Ymir can raise sunken ships and submerged islands
-Farm on the islands that your Ymir raise above the water
-Real time action battle system
-Simple controls
-Take part in relationships
-Can get married as well
-Producer Yoshifumi Hashimoto has stated that the game has been in development for awhile
-Pretty far along
-Multiplatform because the team wants to reach as many people as possible


INAZUMA ELEVEN STRIKERS: new scan
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52894/


EARTH SEEKER: new scans, screens
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/52927/
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/53013/


GHOST RECON: new footage
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/53103/


JAM CITY ROLLERGIRLS: New trailer
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/53145/


THE LAST STORY: new scan
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/53185/


SENGOKU BASARA: SAMURAI HEROES: new trailer
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/launch-trailer-sengoku-basara/705923


FLIP'S TWISTED WORLD: New trailer
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/gameplay-trailer-flips-twisted/705944


LOST IN SHADOW/SHADOW'S TALE: New videos
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/exclusive-chapter-lost-in/705938
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/nycc-10-lost-in/706251


GOLDENEYE 007: new videos
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/exclusive-classic-goldeneye-007/705927
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/nycc-10-goldeneye-007/706029
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/behind-the-goldeneye-007/706235


SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 4: EPISODE 1: new footage
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/wiiware-casino-sonic-4/706125
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/wiiware-splash-sonic-4/706124


BONK: BRINK OF EXTINCTION: new footage
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/nycc-10-bonk-brink/706253


WII GAME OF THE WEEK: Wii Party
Genre: Party game
Developer: Nd Cube (F Zero Maximum Velocity, Tube slider)
Publisher: Nintendo
Time spent on it: Several evenings with brothers and/or friends :3



The party genre is certainly something that isn't missed on the wii. Most of the titles representing the genres though are rated under the term of shovelware, with just a couple of exceptions in the entire party game roster, such as Mario Party 8 and WarioWare. Wii Party is the latest Nintendo title representing this genre, acting as the “casual game” of this year for the white console (even if I don't believe in calling games casual or hardcore...it's silly, really). Is it a hit or is it a miss ? Let's find out :3

the graphic aspect of the game is colourful and bright and certainly does its work to depict the happy-go-lucky feeling of the game. Technically it isn't anything awe-inspiring but it doesn't look bad to the eyes at all and it uses quite a few neat tricks here and there, so it certainly does its job and, as usual, the miis work perfectly to give the game a simple, yet enticing look for what it has been made for: making people smile and have fun.

The gameplay, being a party game, is quite various. The game is not a Mario Party clone as some may think though. Sure it got the classic board game mode, but, not only it isn't the main mode, but there are a lot of other game modes too. So let's analyze them in detail:

There are three big categories, wich are games to be played in the house, two-player modes and 4-player modes. The two-player modes are, as the name says, built to be focused on two players, giving three games to play together with your best friend, your little brother or your girlfriend/boyfriend.

There are three games in it. The first one is a sort of quiz to rate how much you and your friend know each other...not much to say here, just a fun little quiz that could rip off some smile or cause chaos XD

The second game will have you and your friend at the lead of a large boat in wich you and your friend will have to place miis correctly, distributing the weight evenly to not make the boat topple off. The goal of the game is to put 20 miis on the boat. Each time there's a cooperative minigame. If you and your friend clear it you get two miis with the same weight to place on the boat, if not you get two miis with different weight, making things harder. Quite the nice concept if you ask me :3

The third game of the category is a sort of memory game with miis to play with your friend. Not much to say here too, I'd say the boat game is the best mode of this category in my opinion :3

Another category is games to play in your house. This mode is quite particular, as it haves games that, for most of them, focus on the wiimote as main tool of the game...not as controller, but rather as object of the game.

The first game is similar to the friends quiz but for four players, with one friend acting as the one who will decide the answers to each question, to determine who knows him better.

Much more interesting are the other games though. One of them haves the players put the wiimotes all in front of them...there will be a few animals making their cry...each of them will be reproduced through the wiimote's speaker. The players will have to grab the wiimote wich makes the cry that the game will ask you. The fastest one wins!

Another game will have one of the players hide the wiimotes in the current room and the other players will have to find them following the acoustic clues the wiimotes will give out, a sort of hide and seek with the controllers :3

Another game (one of my faves) haves one of the wiimotes turn into a sort of motion-sensitive bomb. The players will have to pass the “bomb” to each other, pressing certain buttons at the same time and making sure not to shake the wiimote too much, or it'll explode. (in the game of course )

the last game is a sort of alternative to the bomb game. The wiimote is still a bomb, but a countdown-based one. The game will give you a category (like insects, word starting with T, nintendo...) and the players will have to press a and pass the bomb to each other after saying a word representing that category. If one of the players tries to be smart and says a wrong word or a word that was said before, the player after him can press 2 to pass the bomb back to him and make him say a fitting word so no cheating! X3

The 4-player category haves 4 modes, wich include a classic board game, similar to the Mario Party ones. The goal of the game is to reach the top of the island and break the seal to find the treasure. The island is scattered with lots of traps and luck-based trials that will get in the players' way and will make turnabouts the theme of the game. With each round there will be a minigame to decide the order of the players to throw the dice (or dices), depending by the results of the minigame itself. This is another thing that will make turnabouts happen often and certainly gives more variety to the game.

The second game of this mode is another board game, but widely different from the first one. I'ts set on a world-shaped field and there isn't a main track to follow but multiple ones. The game will give the players three missions to complete, wich most of the times are about going to certain countries. The field, not only gives you full freedom of where to go, but every “spot” will turn on a certain event. Instead of throwing dices you have a number of cards with numbers on it. Picking one will tell you how many spots you can go forward. Some spots will give you bonus or special cards, more money (wich are also needed to complete the missions), will give you the chance to buy special item cards, , block other players, change place with them...it's a lot more strategy-based than the first one. The game will, like the previous one, have minigames to decide the order of players in each round. There are also the classic 3 vs 1 or 1 vs 1 minigames in certain events to gain something off the losing player. It's certainly one of the best modes of the game ^^

The third game is quite particular. The goal is to complete two lines of miis with the same shirt colour, with multiple rounds and a point system deciding the winner. With each round there's a minigame, deciding the order in wich the players will choose the miis to put in their lines. There aren't just simply coloured miis though. Some will be rainbow miis and can be changed into any colour...there are “stealing miis” too, wich will let you steal a mii from the other player. It's a nice game and with the support of minigames it's quite fun to do with friends ^^

The fourth game is a “spin the wheel” game. The winner is the one that by the end of the game will have the most money. Each player spins the wheel, wich will decide if to add moneys to the “bank”, give moneys to the player, take them off him or give him the chance to win everything off the bank. Sometime the wheel will stop on a minigame too. The winner of the game wins all the money that are in the bank in that moment. The more the game goes forward the more the wheel will change, also adding challenge minigames, wich will let you steal half of the money off one of your other friends, thing that may turn things around really easily.

The last game of this mode is a Bingo game, in wich a machine will randomly give out miis instead of numbers...the goal is to make a line of miis in your box. Sometime a minigame will popup and the winner will be able to mark a mii off his box, at his own choice. It's a short but fun game when you don't have too much time to play, I believe ^^

The minigames themselves are quite various, some more original than others, one of my faves being the space race, in wich your miis, dressed as super-heroes will go in a race in the space against each other X3 The minigames are simple, fun and will make you smile more than often. Watching the miis you created,representing your friends or famous people is hilarious, especially when the game makes random miis from your wii pop up somewhere to cheer on the players, or put them in the background, kind of like wii sports and wii sports resort used to do.

Of course, the game gives its best when it's played in multiplayer...the single player can be fun, but get repetitive to the most after some time. Using this game at parties with friends, with family or with your brothers is a sure success though, given the simplicity of the game, wich aims to be simple and outright fun for everyone. I'd say that it's one of the few party games on wii worth getting along with warioWare and Mario Party. Who knows, this may become the new party series from Nintendo.

This game is just for everyone, just like Nintendo wanted. It's recommended to every gamer who haves friends to play it with and who don't mind simple games to have fun. With the upcoming holidays it's certainly a multiplayer game worth owning along with the big ones incoming in November and December.

Here are a few pics of the game:
http://www.gamekyo.com/Webmasters/Images/84201520100623_150450_9_big.jpg
http://www.gamekyo.com/Webmasters/Images/84201520100623_150448_8_big.jpg
http://www.gamekyo.com/Webmasters/Images/84201520100623_150452_14_big.jpg
http://www.gamekyo.com/Webmasters/Images/84201520100623_150452_13_big.jpg
http://www.gamekyo.com/Webmasters/Images/84201520100623_150443_5_big.jpg
http://www.gamekyo.com/Webmasters/Images/84201520100623_150440_1_big.jpg

and a video:
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/japanese-overview-wii-party/701427

that's all for this week! Have a good nintendo gaming time! :3