By seaempty.
Wednesday, 1. July 2009, 11:52:21
seaempty, sega, review, wii
The tennis season is in full swing, and those unable (or, as in my case, not fit enough) to get out and hit a few balls around, can turn to their consoles for their tennis fix.
Virtua Tennis 2009 is the latest iteration of the arcade classic to hit home consoles, and the Wii version takes full advantage of Nintendo's new MotionPlus feature. The prospect of 1:1 responsive gameplay and playing with Ana Ivanovic was more than enough reason for
N+ to see what VT2009 can serve up.
Read more...
By lutherjw.
Monday, 29. June 2009, 22:31:38
prope, let's tap, sega, games
...
The gaming industry was abuzz at this year's E3, with news of Microsoft's Project Natal and its promise to deliver gaming without having to touch a controller. Just two weeks after E3, though, Sega and developer Prope beat Microsoft to the punch with the release of Let's Tap, an innovative Wii game controlled entirely by tapping one's fingers. An interesting idea, to be sure, but how does it play? Read on to find out.
Read more...
By lutherjw.
Thursday, 18. June 2009, 03:26:23
remote, charge, lutherjw, charger
...
Ever since the Wii was released in 2006, people have been clamoring for the "perfect" Wii Remote charger. We reviewed a few different
chargers over the years, which all served their purpose well, until October 2007, when Nintendo announced and released the Wii Remote Jacket. Players who wanted to use the jacket in conjunction with a charging dock were forced to sacrifice the rubber sleeve - and their safety. However, with the advent of the Wii MotionPlus and its near-compulsory jacket, it's becoming more frustrating than ever to use a charging dock. Luckily, Performance Designed Products, partnering with Energizer, has stepped up to the plate, offering the Wii's first wireless, contactless charger, which allows for charging through the Wii Remote Jacket. Sounds perfect on paper, but how does it fare in the real world? Does it deliver on its promise of hassle-free Wii Remote charging, or does it fall short? Read on to find out.
Read more...
By DotEd.
Sunday, 5. April 2009, 02:15:51
ds, video, screenshots, .ed
...
Since everyone is interested in different aspects of the DSi, we decided to run this like a list of features, all of which we see as improvements. There are a few caveat's like the choice of AAC over MP3. Truth is, AAC sounds better but MP3's are what everyone's got, so converting is a pain for some people, and will probably confure more people than it pleases - bit of a drawback, but in an
added feature, so can we really complain? These types of micro details are all inside. Find what you're looking for, and see what else you may have missed about this excellent system. The truth is, games really make the system, and we know
support for the DSi is going to be huge. However, this system comes with a great deal of additional ways to use it for fun, to record your life, share, and browse the web. You can't really go wrong. So, since no one's reading this long paragraph anyway, here's the listed details:
Continue reading for the full explanation, thoughts, pictures, videos, and more.
N+ RSSRead more...
By Khadgar.
Tuesday, 3. March 2009, 03:45:10
DSi, menu, khadgar, review
...
Okay. It's about time I did a DSi review, hmm? Let me get on with it. This is going to be a microreview like many of the ones DotEd has done, except his epic video. I'm going to tackle the menus. I'm not as fortunate as DotEd to have a video camera, and you all would probably be laughing at my accent more than paying attention to what I have to say about whatever I'm reviewing in a video anyway. This is perhaps more safer for me and you. Some of the mods have heard my voice and can provide testimony to my claims. If I were doing a video it might be easier to show everything off, but since I'm having to do everything by the way of prose I'll need some translations done; my magical translation wand as you can see already is being used in this case.
Read more...
By DotEd.
Monday, 16. February 2009, 01:15:32
preview, N+, exclusive, khadgar
...
N+ moderators Khadgar and myself were lucky enough to receive two Nintendo DSi's with the Opera web browser preinstalled a few weeks back, and we've been putting them through some rigorous testing (literally - I dropped mine twice, and I never drop anything, so it must have been for science).
Over the next few weeks, we'll be posting daily on the DSi. We're going to cover EVERYTHING because it seems like no other blog did. Exclusive to N+ will be our unique coverage of the new DS Browser - because our DSi's (even though they are Japanese language versions) were sent to the sexy folks in Norway where they downloaded it for us from DSware before shipping to N+. This new version has obvious updates like no need for additional RAM, it becomes a 'channel' on the DSi home screen, and since it's software based there is potential for updates, like the Wii browser has seen (and will get again).
What we'll need from you is comments and feedback on what you want to see, so we get you the most interesting info. DSi compared to DS lite, in every way. New DS browser compared to Old DS browser, in every way. DSi compared to G.I. Joes, in every way. New DSi Browser compared to Opera Mini, iPhone, iPod touch, GBA, GameBoy Player, a cat named Skoo, etc., in every way.
So give us some work to do in the comments, tell us what you want to see, while we compile our data from the past weeks and we'll give you guys and girls something to read daily on the upcoming European and North American Nintendo DSi. Also, follow
@NPlus on twitter for kicky fast notifications of new posts or subscribe to our new
N+ RSS Feed so we can get some stats to work with to better serve the community.
By lutherjw.
Thursday, 22. January 2009, 06:32:37
renegade kid, mastiff, nintendo, review
...
The developer of the wildly popular Dementium: The Ward releases its second game for the Nintendo DS. Is this extraterrestrial adventure as captivating as a journey through a hospital ward? Check after the break to find out.Read more...
By -MK.
Saturday, 30. August 2008, 23:06:20
MK, Gamecube, have a rotten day, wario
...
Wario Land: Shake It! I can't stop thinking about it. This has turned me into a Wario fanatic--looking for any game with Wario written on it to satiate my garlic chomping urges. Wario is my main in
Super Smash Bros. Brawl (everyone fears DA CLAP),
Mario Kart Wii, and all the other Mario spin-offs. But I needed MORE. I've beaten nearly every WarioWare to 100%--it's still not enough. Then lo and behold, sitting on the shelves of my local Video Entertainment Facility,
Wario World for the Nintendo Gamecube called out to me. It said, "HAVE A ROTTEN DAY, Nyah-HEH-HEH!"
I had to have this game.
"Gamekeep! How much of your Earth moneys will it take to acquire this game?!" Alas! The Wario World was a rental copy. In denial, I threw a wad of money at the guy's face and ran off with the game. I later had to return to get the security lock removed. When the game came out in 2003, I was a bit hesitant because all of the reviewers trashed it for being so short. Fifty bucks for what was exaggerated to be a five hour game doesn't seem like my cup of tea. Because it's a video game and not a cup of tea--Short story long: I passed. Well, now that
Wario World generally retails for 14.99 at most used game emporiums, shortness is no longer an issue. So, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a review on
Wario World. Click past the break to give it a read. Otherwise, you can "Get outta here, you losars! Nyeaaagh!"
Read more...
By Khadgar.
Thursday, 17. July 2008, 02:06:33
music, khadgar, E3, crossing
...
E3 has become a staple in gaming culture, evolving from a small convention where the gaming industry shows off their stuff to the press to a big convention where the old American practice of showboating and shock and awe takes center stage. Anything but a shocking presentation is considered subpar. Yesterday Nintendo delivered a presentation at E3: the one everyone waits for. Nintendo-- yesterday-- announced Animal Crossing: City Folk with Wii Speak (which we need to do something on), Wii Music, and Wii Sports Resort while showing off the new Wii Motion Plus they announced the day prior to the presentation. This year the common consensus is that the presentation and what was presented for the most part was garbage, and I can say that I agree.
Read more...
By -MK.
Saturday, 31. May 2008, 17:27:38
MK, games, review, wii
...
Okay look everyone. I admit it. I'm a jaded gamer who has the attention span the size of a hey what's that? Because of this, I rarely finish games. Sometimes, I get lost and lose interest. Other times, I'll get right to the end of the game and decide to call it quits. Most of the time, however, a new game comes out and it's shiny. And I get distracted. This is why I prefer arcade-type games where you can beat them in one sitting. I don't have to worry about where I was headed before when I boot up a save. House of the Dead and Virtua Fighter beckon my name. I was raised by Sonic the Hedgehog in his glory days. Power Stone, anyone? Sega and Capcom have always been there for me.
Don't get me wrong, I love adventures. I just don't have the patience/attention span to finish most of them. Of the few I have completed, I've done so because they are particularly amazing. First to strike my mind is Grandia II and everything Shenmue. However, I've never finished a Final Fantasy game. Ever. I haven't even beaten Pokemon Pearl (please don't hurt me, Nintendo Defense Force)! The only reason I quit playing No More Heroes (which is made of badass) was I got hooked to Team Fortress 2. I loved the hell out of Shining Force until I realized how much more Gunstar Heroes I could be playing. Balloon Fight has destroyed any remaining chance of completing anything (special note: Balloon Fight owns). For the most part, I simply can't get into anything that takes me more than 10 hours to complete.
Long-winded introductions aside, I felt it was very necessary to express how hard it is for me to stay focused to stress this very point: Okami is one of the best damn games I have ever played.Read more...
By seaempty.
Tuesday, 27. May 2008, 17:20:07
seaempty, ds, review, micro
What is it?
A cross between Brain Training and Hotel Dusk. You must assist Professor Layton and his young sidekick Luke as they try and solve the mystery of the Curious Village. You will need to solve many, many puzzles and mind teasers in order to progress through the story.
How does it play?
It's a slow paced, text heavy game, but this shouldn't put you off. With over 130 puzzles to unlock and complete, it's a highly entertaining game. They story might be a bit bland, but the characters are interesting enough to make you want to see it through to its conclusion. The puzzles vary in difficulty, and there's a great feel of satisfaction when you solve them (especially with no hints). You can even download a new puzzle every week via the WFC. If you're a fan of puzzles and have a logical mind, this game should be on your wish list.
N+ Summary
Game: Professor Layton And The Curious Village
Developed by: Level 5
Genre: Puzzle
Players: 1
Release Date: Out now (US and JP), EU (?)
Supports WFC: Yes
Video available: No
N+ Points
N+ 130 puzzles to unlock and complete
N+ Nice FMV cut scenes
N+ Downloadable Content via WFC
N+ Good variety in the difficulty
N+ Decent (if predictable) story
N- Points
N- There is lots of text to read throughout the game
N- A couple of the puzzles are made harder due to the explanation
N- If you don't like puzzles, you'll probably hate it...
JudgmeN+: 8.5
By seaempty.
Tuesday, 27. May 2008, 17:14:55
ds, review, micro, seaempty
What is it?
A collection of the Sun Crosswords playable on the DS. There are over 1000 crosswords available to tackle, using either straight or cryptic clues.
How does it play?
The game uses the touch screen to input the answers, and for the most part the handwriting recognition is great. There are a few errors in the clues, however, and it's annoying that you can only have one crossword in progress at one time (you can only save one at any one time). The graphics aren't great, and it feels a little rough around the edges, but with marketing like this, you can't really complain. On a personal level, in normal crosswords, I like to use cryptic and straight clues in conjunction, using one to verify the other. On the DS version, you can only use one set of clues at a time.
N+ Summary
Game: The Sun Crossword Challenge
Developed by: Mercury Games
Genre: Puzzle
Players: 1
Release Date: Out now
Supports WFC: No
Video available: No
N+ Points
N+ 1000 crosswords is good value for money
N+ Simple and effective
N+ Handwriting system works well
N- Points
N- Writing "I"s is a pain
N- Rough around the edges
N- Only using either cryptic OR straight clues is disappointing
N- Saving only one puzzle at a time
JudgmeN+: 6.0
By seaempty.
Tuesday, 27. May 2008, 17:07:44
ds, review, micro, seaempty
What is it?
It's a new RPG from Square Enix, centred around Japanese youth culture and trends. When Neku enters The Game, he has 7 days to stay alive, and complete the Reapers' missions. With a fantastic story and an innovative, fast paced combat system, this game is destined to become a classic. It has incredible depth, and collecting and evolving the Pins will take over your life. The graphics and soundtrack give the game great style, and it's sure to be glued into your DS for some time.
How does it play?
The real time battles make this game highly entertaining. On the bottom screen you control Neku, using the stylus and microphone in a variety of ways to activate your pins and attack The Noise. On the top screen you use the D-Pad to control Neku's partner, with different combinations of directions unleashing attacks. You can evolve pins to make them stronger, even when your DS is turned off. The make of the badge and the clothes you wear will affect their performance, thanks to the game's trend system. There is so much to this game that this micro review will never do it justice. It's been a long time since a game has impressed me this much, and it is thoroughly recommended.
N+ Summary
Game: The World Ends With You
Developed by: Square Enix
Genre: RPG
Players: 1-4
Release Date: Out now
Supports WFC: No
Video available: No
N+ Points
N+ Lengthy and involving story, tackling some dark, dark issues
N+ Pin battle system is superb
N+ The various ways to evolve your Pins
N+ Great use of the two screens
N+ Excellent graphical style
N+ Innovative and unique
N- Points
N- No real multiplayer, apart from the quirky Tin Pin Slammer mode
N- Mingle Evolutions will be hard to come by
N- Controlling both characters at once can be confusing
JudgmeN+: 9.0
By seaempty.
Sunday, 18. May 2008, 18:03:48
seaempty, games, review, ds
The DS is perfectly designed for Point and Click adventure games. There have been some exceptional examples on the console, whose dual-screens and touch controls make it an ideal platform on which to play them. Undercover: Dual Motives is a new game from Anaconda games, and the sequel to the PC title Undercover: Operation Wintersun. It involves espionage, Nazis, bombs, and a parrot. But is it any good? N+ attempt to decipher the code after the break.Read more...
By seaempty.
Tuesday, 22. April 2008, 16:34:23
wii, review, games, seaempty
Mario Kart Wii is the latest game in one of the most popular series of all time. Mario Kart DS raised the standard of the franchise, with the addition of online gaming and some fantastic new courses. The Wii version aims to build on this by using the console’s motion controls to bring you closer to the action. The game comes bundled with the Wii Wheel to turn the Wii Remote into a steering wheel. Is it just a gimmick, or does it continue the improvement of the series? N+ hit the track to find out.Read more...
Showing posts 1 -
15 of 74.
(41%)
WIDGETIZE