Review: Dragon Ball Z – Ultimate Tenkaichi (PS3)

This issue has some very good news about two games I’ve been monitoring, plus some bad reviews for two games I was going to get. And a little middle-of-the-road news about WarioWare DIY. Stuff your sorries in a sack, mister, and read-a-long!

Issue #253, April 2010
featuring Scribblenauts 2 (DS), Super Mario Bros 3 (NES), WarioWare DIY (DS), New Super Mario Bros Wii (Wii)

Not that anybody listened to what I said, but I considered Scribblenauts a massive disappointment. While the core functionality – spell it and it appears – was amazing, the actual game sort of sucked. Controlling Maxwell was abysmal, leading to ridiculous, obnoxious deaths. The snapping camera was terrible, also leading to ridiculous, obnoxious deaths. The “par” mode for the levels rewarded simplistic solutions, rather than encouraging creativity. But Scribblenauts quickly became one of those games that you dare not criticize because it represented a bold new vision and gave new life to the DS in non-kiddie circles.

Unless, of course, you are the developer. Then you can criticize the first installment and, more importantly, fix what went wrong.

This is all very good news, as it promises to raise an incredible concept apart from the serious flaws that ruined it.

Scribblenauts 2 (which does not yet have an official title) has two ways to control Maxwell – d-pad AND touch screen – whereas the first game only has a dastardly touch screen option. This is all I needed to hear: “…you can move Maxwell directly via the Control Pad while using the touch screen to move the camera and interact with objects.” Well, duh.

The camera will no longer snap back to Max after a few seconds. Nintendo Power points out how “annoying” this was in the first game, but I don’t recall that affecting the game’s 9-out-of-10 score. Objects now have improved physics and weight, plus you can attach ropes to any part of an object rather than certain pre-selected vertices.

The par system is out and a lot more post-level merits (sort of like Achievements) are in. The level editor is back and cleaned up. And while the game only has 120 levels – compared to 220 in the first – the new levels are more complex and less regimented into types of action vs puzzle boards.

That’s all fixing what came before. Scribblenauts 2, however, has a very big trick up its sleeve: 10,000 adjectives. The original game has 10,000 nouns (which return in the sequel, plus more!) that you can now modify with words like “fiery,” “supersonic” and “magnetic.” Take a look at this poor cow:

How long until we can solve Scribblenauts puzzles by writing complete sentences?

Seems like I no longer have anything to complain about. Scribblenauts 1 sold a million copies, but #2 is going to be the one to get.

SHOCKING, BREAKING NEWS: Will LEGO Harry Potter cure the franchise?

There is one sentence in the three page LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 preview that raises my interest and expectations higher than I could have previously imagined:

If the two players happen to wander away from each other, the game automatically switches to a split-screen mode, so everyone is free to explore wherever they’d like.”

Does this mean that LEGO Harry Potter is about to solve the age-old problem that has dogged the LEGO ____ series since the very first Star Wars edition? To wit: the games’ hateful implementation of co-op? After Traveller’s Tales ignored the problem in this generation’s LEGO Indiana Jones and LEGO Batman, dare I be optimistic that Potter could break the curse?

LEGO Harry Potter also will give the hub world more substance, which is a direction the series has always been moving towards, with the central Hogwarts zone sounding more like a sandbox game. Even speaking as somebody who has read all the books, I’m astounded that the Wii version will have 140 playable characters (but I’m not naive enough to think that various costume changes for Harry, Ron and Hermione won’t account for a significant percentage). LEGO Harry Potter is scheduled for May 2010 on Wii and DS.

I’m calling it. Sonic 4 is going to have playable characters other than Sonic.

We’ve got to read between the lines here. Despite that cute internet reveal that crossed off all of Sonic’s least-loved supporting cast members. Despite the triumphal roar that preceded the videos where only Sonic is seen in Sonic 4. Despite the Sonic franchise being turned into a punching bag of playability missteps and bizarro alternate universe storylines. Sonic 4 is going to have the friends as playable characters.

Not Episode 1, of course. Multiple times, Dimps frontman Takashi Iizuka becomes coy when pressed by Nintendo Power on the topic of playable characters. “We want to keep it simple with this episode,” (emphasis mine.) “You’ll have to wait and see what happens next as the Sonic the Hedgehog 4 saga progresses.”

Optimists in the audience can presume that Tails and Knuckles will appear just as they did back in the Genesis line. Back then, they were not game-killers at all, just signs of the apocalypse to come… and they did not get in Sonic’s way, gameplay-wise. Naturally, the optimists in the audience are the group keeping Sonic games alive at retail. The rest of us can eagerly anticipate Episode 2 to hand the reins to Amy Rose and her massive hammer.

(Sonic fan art by k1llerRabbit of deviantart.com.)

There’s a little to be worried about with WarioWare DIY.

I’m still jazzed for this one, and I hope to make some seriously crazy custom microgames. But some weaknesses of the game have begun to poke through the nose-picking, cow-milking, retro-flogging veneer.

NP is depressingly vague about how sharing works. In the review, they state that you can only download custom microgames from Nintendo or from friends. In the article, they mention being able to connect to the online community and “exchange microgames, comics and records with other DIY users.” So is there a LittleBigPlanet-style potluck database or not?

NP also does not outline how this all works with the WiiWare play-only interface, WarioWare DIY Showcase. Can I make a microgame on the DS, and then upload it to the Showcase for my Wii Friends to enjoy (assuming they also own Showcase)?

The review suggests that the only interface for custom microgames involves tapping… this means we can’t make microgames that allow for button or d-pad input. I’m assuming this is so the games work equally well on DS or Wii, since the Wii Remote lacks buttons. Still, bleah.

The nine page article does a great job of introducing the DIY creation tools, and I liked the examples cooked up by the NP editorial crew. But the lack of specific sharing info could end up heralding the dagger at the heart of Wario.

Download Staff Picks: Blaster Master Overdrive (WiiWare), Mega Man 10 (WiiWare), Dark Void Zero (DSiWare), Number Battle (DSiWare)

And that’s the first time anybody on the internet has mentioned Dark Void in months.

Top scoring Wii review: Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love, 7.5 (all scores out of 10)
Top scoring DS review: Pokemon HeartGold / SoulSilver, 9.5
Lowest rated Wii review: Calling, 5.0
Lowest rated DS review: Crime Scene, 5.0

Also reviewed for DS this month, Nintendo Power gave WarioWare DIY 8.5, and 8.0s for Infinite Space, Squishy Tank and Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey.

So, two under-the-radar Wii games I have been championing – Calling and Fragile Dreams – ended up with low NP reviews, 5.0 and 5.5, respectively. Sorry about that.

Lost in Shadow is still coming! – Many months ago, NP showed off a looker of a game in Lost in Shadow. The premise being that you need to control a light source and create shadows to traverse platformer levels. Originally thought to be a spring Wii release, it is now bumped to Fall 2010.

The usual fanboy suspects. – NP asked readers to reveal what unannounced game release would make 2010 “the best year ever.” As you would expect, there are callouts for Mother 3 and Starfox… but some brave souls asked for another Paper Mario, a sequel to The World Ends With You, and a new Punch-Out!! with (more) classic Nintendo characters. Dalton B. asked for Pikmin 3 and he seems to be getting his wish.

Earthworm Jim coming to DSiWare – The DSiWare Earthworm Jim game is a remake of the first one, with a little graphical polish and an optional easy mode. It will also use the DSi camera to put your face beside Jim’s and match his expression. Natal is trumped again!

Who is the audience here? – This year the DS is getting not one but TWO River City sports games. You know, like the NES meme-faves River City Ransom and Super Dodge Ball? Look for River City Soccer Hooligans this May and River City Super Sports Challenge in July.

I did not know this. – Game composer Tommy Tallarico is cousins with Aerosmith’s Stephen Tyler. And Tommy might be vegan.

What the hell is Squishy Tank? – How can we have never heard of a game that gets an 8.0? Because it’s a DS match-three puzzle game. Squishy Tank rates high on personailty, throwing in dialogue that makes fun of Metal Gear Solid and Fallout 3.

Again, why? – Is there any reason we can’t get a Wii Classic Controller that skips plugging in to the stupid Remote accessory port? Monster Hunter Tri will come with a very sleek Classic Controller Pro… but it still plugs into the damn Remote. Am I the only guy that would pay $30-40 for a Classic Pro that comes with its own Bluetooth?

Next month in Nintendo Power… a “snazzy new world reveal” that might just be the aforementioned Pikmin 3, although the teaser page has a big boring Mario picture. And I’m still waiting on that low Red Steel 2 review.