Games HOT SPOT - Top 10 Most Wanted

Game details

In the days of the Great Console Wars there were just two main protagonists - Nintendo, represented by a mustachioed pipe-wrangler named Mario, and Sega, Sonic the Hedgehog - and it was on. Save for the Big N pimping out Mario for a touch of edutainment, the two powers protected their mascots fiercely. The thought of the two sharing a game was akin to Oasis having a pint with Blur - it was NOT going to happen.

In M&SatOG three worlds collide; the officially licensed bubbles of Beijing's Olympics stadium and mascots, plus the universes of both Mario and Sonic, with seven each of their friends/adversaries along for the run/swim/jump/chuck/row/bounce/shoot etc. Mind you, the Kong klan must be off on a banana bender, for they're nowhere to be seen. Your very own Miis can also be used in most modes, and they're well-animated, going all Chinpokomon when you win and Charlie Brown when you lose.

In a Koopa shell, this is Track & Field/Hypersports/Summer Games for the Noughties; a selection of 20 Olympic events (and some bonus "dream" ones) squeezed onto one DVD. The innovation that Wii brings to the table control-wise would be expected to be the games biggest plus, however, it ends up being the root of the biggest problem with M&SatOG - in developing the title, Sega have gone overboard with finicky controls in some events, seemingly 'cos they can, rather than applying the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid).

Don't get us wrong though, this doesn't ruin the fun factor of the game by any means - it just makes it less accessible to the "pick-up-and-players" out there. Having said that, if you and your competitors do have the time to adapt to the slight learning curve, there are many good times to be had here.

Full review of Call of Mario & Sonic at the Olympics on Gameplayer.com.au

Game details

As a forewarning to you all, we've lost our usual control of the bad pun reflex - and as a result we're going to say that Super Mario Galaxy is an absolutely stellar experience. For those of you who were disappointed by the previous Mario outing (Mario Sunshine) and still have a sour taste in your mouth because of it - prepare to replace that sour with the sweet stuff.

This is because Super Mario Galaxy's basic game design solves every problem that existed in Sunshine and generally all platform or adventure games. Until now, your experience in a game world has always had to make sense in strictly architectural terms. Every corridor and every room has had to fit together like a giant jigsaw puzzle. SMG scraps all that though by having many small "planetoid" levels which may seem a little weird at first - but become second nature quite quickly.
Using the Nunchuck, you still have access to all of Mario's usual maneuvers like triple jumping, butt stomping, and wall jumps - but this time they've implemented a deadly spinning attack that is engaged by a quick flick of the Wiimote.

Speaking of remote use, another innovation is the inclusion of 'Star Bits.' Looking like delicious little nuggets of candy, these are the generic bits of energy left behind by defeated foes. Every fifty nets another life. Technically they can be picked up by Mario, but it's easier to snatch them with the Remote. As an added bonus they can be shot out again to stun your enemies - but the idea is to conserve them to facilitate the unlocking of levels down the track.
If a Wii is your console of choice, consider this game a very solid 10 out of 10. In short this is as about as good as gaming gets.

Full review of Super Mario Galaxy on Gameplayer.com.au

Game details

Some of us remember when board games were an ubiquitous and important part of everyday life. It wasn't that long ago that a rainy day meant the possibility of real boredom, for there was no world wide web, no Xbox Live, and the market penetration of video games was less than 100%. To be brutally honest, most of those Atari 2600 and C64 titles were rubbish. But board games! They were a different story. Games like Talisman, Space Crusade, and even Monopoly could really save the day when trapped indoors with brooding youths.

In this culturally recursive field, Mario Party is definitely the market leader. Up to four human players can choose their favourite Nintendo characters as avatars, using them as walking, jumping pieces in normal play, and as hands-on combatants in a scores of mini-games. There are a variety of game modes on offer here too, but they all boil down to the same thing: moving around a board and collecting enough magic stars to win. To that end, players gain, lose, and compete for coins, acquire and use special magic lollies for bonuses, and fight each other in randomly selected mini-games. Everything is clearly marked, and every challenge is straightforward.

If nothing else, Mario Party 8 delivers variety. Tons of variety. Pre-tweens should find dozens of hours of multi-player fun in its structured, mildly competitive board game environments. Older gamers will find none of the intense, knife-edge challenge that their packed schedules and adrenaline-addicted brains demand. Mario Party is a children's game. Adults will only find plasticine-flavoured desolation within.

Full review of Mario Party 8 on Gameplayer.com.au

Game details

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away ...

No, wait, we all know that part. What you may not have known, however, is that George Lucas' Star Wars universe and that ubiquitous childhood toy found in homes worldwide, Lego, have been thrust together into videogame form. And the results are nothing short of fantastic.

A romping action adventure which can be tackled with a second person by your side, Lego Star Wars has you playing as a huge collection of beloved (and some not so well-known) characters as you work your way through all the key events of the film. The trick here, of course, is that you've never seen Star Wars look as cute before.

What makes the whole Lego Star Wars so praise-worthy ­ besides of course, the brilliantly cute and effortlessly personable combination of the Star Wars and Lego universes ­ is the humour that's been lovingly injected into virtually every part of this adventure. As you relive all the key sequences of all the Star Wars films re-done in hilarious slapstick style, you'll come across a countless number of gags ­ both overt and subtle ­ that'll leave you smiling from the inside out. From the hidden stormtrooper spa bath room aboard the Death Star you stumble across to the way Princess Leia gets defensive about being ogled whilst wearing that bikini, The Complete Saga never fails to entertain. This is a game that doesn't take its Star Wars roots too seriously, and it's all the better for it.

The Complete Saga is actually the two previously released Lego Star Wars games ­ the first focusing on the new trilogy (beginning with the midichlorians of The Phantom Menace and ending with Anakin and Obi Wan's infamous duel on lava-filled Mustafar of Revenge of the Sith) and the second dealing with the original Star Wars trilogy (A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi) ­ in one complete package. There's also new a bunch of new characters to play and new abilities added to existing characters for those who have played either ­ or both ­ before.

Wii players also get a particularly awesome bonus that players of the other console versions of The Complete Saga miss out on: Wiimote lightsabre controls! What is surely another match made in Star Wars fan-heaven, the Wii's remote doubles as an imaginary lightsabre. The Wiimote's speaker even emits that familiar swooshing hum to help you settle into your role as a Force-wielding mystic! All you'd need to do is knit yourself up an earthy-coloured poncho and you'd be set.

Full review of Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Gameplayer.com.au

Game Details

In Bully: Scholarship Edition, you play as troubled kid Jimmy Hopkins who's been kicked out of more schools than his mother would care to remember. On her way to a year long honeymoon cruise with her fifth husband, Jimmy's mother leaves him at the only institution left that would take him: Bullworth Academy.

And you raise hell.

Structured similarly to Rockstar's infamous Grand Theft Auto series, Bully focuses on a boarding school called the Bullworth Academy and the varied and vicious social microcosm found within its grounds. So Jimmy explores every nook and cranny of the school as he tries to complete the main story missions and avoids being caught by the teachers and prefects who prowl the grounds. Jimmy's ultimate aim is to rise up the ranks from hated new kid to a powerful force in Bullworth Academy in his own right.

As can be expected of Rockstar games, the world featured in Bully is richly detailed, features a wealth of things to do and is a joy to explore. Even more so than the GTA series, Bully's main story is also well written and its characters cleverly ­ and often hilariously ­ scripted, making the game easy to recommend.

This version of Bully is essentially the same game as Canis Canem Edit (as it was known as when it was released on the PS2 back on the 27th of October in 2006 due to controversy; the original name of Bully was dropped in PAL territories) with a number of extra features befitting the gap in release on the current generation consoles. Mainly, there are eight new missions, four new classes to attend at school, and plenty of new unlockable items such as clothing. The script's also been slightly re-worked and is as entertaining as ever.

The Wii version of Bully: Scholarship Edition also features further additions over the Xbox 360 version, once again thanks to the unique motion-sensing capabilities of the Wii remote. A handful of the mini-games now get motion sensing controls, adding a whole layer of fun to the proceedings (like dissecting a rat, pinning flags onto poles and even using the drums!).

The other big change is combat. Given that Jimmy uses his fists a fair bit in the game, Rockstar has implemented Wii Sports Boxing-like controls allowing you to swing your arms instead of merely pressing buttons in combat. This addition is most rewarding and alone is reason enough to pick up the Wii version over the Xbox 360 one.

Full review of Bully Scholarship Edition on Gameplayer.com.au

Game details

Ghost Squad first saw the light of day as a Sega-developed arcade gun shooter back in 2004, offering a more military-themed adventure than Sega's more established hit shooter series, Virtua Cop.

As a release for the Wii, Ghost Squad stays close to its roots thanks to remote capabilities of the Wii controller. Using the Wiimote to point and the Nunchuk to shoot, the arcade experience feels perfectly at home on the Wii. And those wanting a more authentic gun experience would do well to seek out the Wii Zapper housing currently available, although Ghost Squad plays absolutely fine without it.

The game itself is a fairly typical on-rails experience (that is, a game which doesn't let you walk your own way through it), with some nice touches to extend play. There are three main levels in the game with multiple stages within each, and feature several junction points where you select which action or path you'd like to like to take. As a result there are a number of different endings to experience in Ghost Squad as is there ways to get to each ending.

Play can be quite hectic so there's over 25 weapons to collect and choose from (ranging for simple yet deadly handguns, slow but destructive shotguns and the fast but less accurate machine-guns, to name just a few) as well as three different shot modes : single, burst and automatic.

You'll need to choose wisely if you'll defeat the army of opponents and boss battles Ghost Squad sends your way. Ultimately an enjoyable ­ if short-lived ­ shooter that should take pride of place next to other gun games like Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles in your collection.

Read more game news & reviews at Gameplayer.com.au

Game details

And that's just what it's done. Twilight Princess is one of the best Zeldas yet. The very best? No. We have to say that title is still held by Ocarina of Time or Link to the Past (take your pick). In fact, it's easy to characterise Twilight Princess as an extended homage to Ocarina. Epona the horse returns (and is available from the get-go) and the key locations from Ocarina are reprised. Practically speaking, it means the game is drawing on one of the series' high-water marks, so newcomers are in for a treat and veterans will get many a delightful twinge of deja vu as they make their way through the game.

Hyrule is being overrun by the forces of darkness. Literally. Link, a simple cowboy, is transported into a twilight realm and transformed into a wolf. A mysterious creature named Midna helps you escape and as the game progresses you'll alternate between being young-man Link and wolf Link as you fight to free Hyrule from the forces of darkness. Midna is an impish creature and rapidly became a favourite. Her loyalties and motives are not clear, which adds a delicious layer of moral ambiguity to the goings-on.

Here's what you need to know, and will no doubt have figured out already: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is one of the best in the series and a damn fine game in its own right. If you've got a Wii, you owe it to yourself to buy, and play, this game. It really is that good.

Full review of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess on Gameplayer.com.au

Game details

With easy to grasp motion-based controls and the effortlessly enjoyable Wii Sports bundled in with every machine so that everyone gets a chance to taste the magic, it's no surprise that party-based games are a sure-fire hit on the Wii.

And we've had some good ones, too. Wii Play is a fun way to master the Wii's controls (and a great way to get a second controller on the cheap!), while we still love to pull out WarioWare: Smooth Moves for some zany motion-based fun and laughs with large groups of people.
Game Party is another collection of party-based games on the Wii to jockey for your attention.

This compilation features seven games, offering a decent mix of old-school arcade charm. There's Table Hockey (which you'd probably know better as Air Hockey), Hoop Shot (simple ball shooting), Darts, Skill Ball (a bowling style game where you instead try to launch the smaller ball into rings of different point value), Ping Cup (a game involving the throwing of balls into cups), Shuffleboard and Trivia. Each of these games is easy to pick and play with the exception of trivia; the questions haven't been localised and they've been written for a US audience, so brush up your American Football knowledge if you want to do well here.

As far as game progression goes, playing each of these mini-games rewards you with arcade-style tickets, which in turn are spent on cosmetic changes to the various balls and game cabinets found in the game. You can also purchase further characters to play as.

It's a rather mystifying, though, that you can't import your own Miis in the first place (like you can in Wii Sports and Wii Play) and instead must use the pre-designed characters instead.

Even casual players might find Game Party a touch on the simple side, so it's probably best suited for a younger audience needing something to do on a rainy weekend!

Read more game news & reviews at Gameplayer.com.au

Game details

The Paper Mario series from Nintendo is an intriguing departure from the main Super Mario games, offering a two dimensional role-playing take on the well known platform-jumping formula.
While the two previous Paper Mario games were strictly role-playing adventure games complete with experience-collecting, character development and reams of story to play through, Super Paper Mario leans strongly back towards its action-based platforming roots.

The most noticeable gameplay addition to Super Paper Mario is the ability for Mario to switch from the traditional side-on 2D view used in the game to a 3D representation of the area. Doing so reveals hidden items, enemies and ways to progress. Knowing when to switch between the 2D and 3D views is also the key to solving many of the puzzles the game throws your way.

But that's not all. As Mario progresses through the game he meets other characters which join him on the adventure and which can be selected at will. Princess Peach brings the ability to float over large distances with her umbrella; Bowser can breath fire and does double damage against enemies; Luigi can attack enemies from below and has a super jump which is higher than Mario's.

Further keeping to the RPG background of the Paper Mario series, Mario and his gang of adventures can also earn experience (which translates into more hit points) and collect enemy cards which grant double damage against the specified foes. Featuring eight varied and vivid worlds to explore, Super Paper Mario offers a refreshing change in pace and play to the main series of Super Mario games and such should be considered an essential addition to your Wii library.

Read more game news & reviews at Gameplayer.com.au

Game details

The most exciting thing about the Wii console with its motion-based controls is, without a doubt, the promise of original new games that just could not have been possible on more traditional console systems.

Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure is one such game, combining traditional adventure game elements with clever and entertaining puzzles which can only be solved with the creative use of the Wiimote and Nunchuk controllers.

Following the wannabe pirate Zack and his monkey sidekick Wiki, Barbaros' Treasure sees the pair searching for the various parts of legendary pirate Barbaros' booty ­ the ultimate prize being Barbaros' own feared pirate ship.

Of course, booby traps and pirates go together like vegemite on toast so Zack and Wiki will have to put their heads together to solve the many puzzles that are thrown their way.

Most puzzles have a definite order to them. Upon starting the puzzle, you explore the area finding items to collect and use. You work out how to combine these items (if required), then find a way how these items can be used to solve the challenge ahead.

Each item (and its related action) requires a unique use of the Wiimote, and this is where a big part of Zack & Wiki's charm comes through. As an example, one early puzzle requires the cutting down of a tree. Once you create a saw out of a rather large centipede, you start cutting away at the trunk by pushing and pulling the Wiimote in a saw-like motion. It's an absolute blast.

And it's gorgeous to boot. Using beautifully designed cartoon-like graphics, this colourful world is a joy to explore. It's entertaining too, with some hilarious lines delivered by the game's characters throughout and plenty of slap-stick comedy used to ensure things never get dull. Zack & Wiki is unique, brimming with personality and a helluva lot of fun to play. If you own a Wii, consider this an essential purchase.

Full review of Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure on Gameplayer.com.au