Release Archives: WEEK OF FEBRUARY 7, 20062.07.2006 Chibi-Robo Dev. Nintendo Pub. Nintendo MSRP: $49.99 System: GC Ah, playing as a tiny robot doing chores in the home of a messy family. Do video game concepts get any better? I submit that they do not. Well, they don't get much more unique, at the least. Feed the fish, scrub the floor, and if they give me what I want, brush a mans teeth from INSIDE THE MOUTH. As I understand it having to regularly recharge your batteries in your robo-house is a bit of an annoyance, but hey - it's quirky, it's colorful, it's simple and most importantly, it's a new Gamecube game. Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max Dev. Capcom Pub. Capcom MSRP: $39.99 System: PSP SFA3 was the best fighting game on the PS1, and for my money, the best 2D fighter period. Character balance and speed were at their best, and the World Tour Mode was a fantastically challenging journey and mentor. The game sees a glorious redux on the PSP here, with four "new" characters, a tag team option, and 3-character team battles. The striking and wide screen of the PSP is perfect for action such as this - if only I could say the same for the analog nub or D-Pad. Try before you buy if you can to see if the controls suit you - if they do, you'll adore it. World Soccer Winning Eleven 9 International Dev. Konami Pub. Konami MSRP: $39.99 Systems: PS2, XBX, PSP FIFA has the license, but WSWE9I (I would just like to take a second to reflect on just how unwieldy even that ACRONYM is...jeez) has the gameplay. Authenticity and subtlety are both top notch and I would much rather play as real soccer hooligans than those US imposters anyhow. New positions, new weather effects and an improved Master League mode polish off an already fantastic soccer game. Resident Evil Deadly Silence Dev. Capcom Pub. Capcom MSRP: $34.66 Systems: DS Quite an interesting project we have here - a remake of the original Resident Evil, reworked from a new approach with the DS' features in mind. The puzzles, of which many are new incorporate the touch screen, as do the first-person zombie battles, of which there are quite a bit more. Basic movement and inventory management should also be less of a chore then before, as the series has never been known for great control (before four, anyhow). It's odd that it took a handheld, hands-on approach to freshen up the classic experience, but it seems like they've done an admirable job. And 2-player co-op! Drill Dozer Dev. Game Freak Pub. Nintendo MSRP: $34.99 System: GBA The first non-Pokemon game from the primary Pokemon team. While it's hard to get excited about a GBA game these days with the wonderful DS in our lives, DD does seem like quite a bit of fun. Using the L and R triggers you maneuver you Drillbot through various levels, defeating various creatures and finding upgrades for your transpost. The cart also has a rumble feature, making the experience a bit more tactile. As I said, it's not anything to get terribly excited over, but with fewer and fewer GBA games on the horizon, it's definitely something to take note of if it's your only means of portable entertainment. - Nick |
