3rd Party Showcase (3PS) Archive: Articles 31 to 40

System	Wii Virtual Console (Super NES)
Developer	Konami
Publisher	Konami

Red alert! Prepare for battle! The evil alien menace Red Falcon has invaded Earth once again, and there's only one person tough enough to take him on: you! You'll need guts, determination, and an itchy trigger finger, because in Konami's Contra III: The Alien Wars, it's not just about your own survival, the fate of all humanity is at stake!

There are only two things you need to know: running and gunning. As in the first two games, Contra and Super C, Contra III is mainly about shooting enemies and dodging bullets, with some platforming thrown in to keep things interesting. There are also two overhead stages that include some light exploration. You'll need to navigate through several types of environments, from a war torn city, to a perilous highway, to a nasty alien nest. Every stage is crawling with the vilest of interplanetary scumbags, but you can think of them as big bulls-eyes.

To help you clean up, you can equip a variety of special weapons, such as lasers, homing missiles and flamethrowers. You can carry two at once and switch between them. There are also screen clearing M-80,000 Helio Bombs for when things get a little too crowded. If the action is still too intense, then invite along a friend for the two-player mode and watch each other's backs.

Of course, no matter how much help you have, Red Falcon isn't about to make it easy for you. This game is tough! There are selectable difficulty levels, but continues are limited. This mission is not for the faint of heart or easily frustrated. We're talking old fashioned, hardcore challenge. And you won't find any up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, Start to bail you out, either.

Contra III is often considered the pinnacle of the Contra series. It brilliantly balances the run-and-gun stages with several mini-boss and boss fights. It's also packed with many terrific sequences, including one of the most memorable and intense boss fights in the history of action games. It requires shooting at a flying alien ship while hanging from a pursuing missile. You must jump from missile to missile before they explode, all the while dodging enemy fire. The second you stop moving, you're doomed!

Then there's also--wait! What's that sound? Red Falcon has penetrated the outer defenses! It's time to take action, and Contra III provides some of the best action of any run-and-gun. With a variety of weapons at your disposal and a great two-player mode, you'll be ready to tackle all of the clever sequences and rapid-fire challenges in each diverse stage. It's time for revenge! We're all counting you! And be sure to attack aggressively!

Posted by Nester on 1 July 2007

System	Wii
Developer	Capcom
Publisher	Capcom

Resident Evil 4 is not only considered one of the best games of its generation, but often one of the best of all time. Much is made of how it reinvented the Resident Evil series, but more importantly, it is an absolutely superb action-adventure-horror game in its own right. With so many polished elements and near flawless execution, an encore is perfectly justified, and Capcom has given us one with Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition.

Calling this version a "Wii Edition" may give the impression that it has somehow gotten smaller, but that's certainly not the case! Everything from the original 2005 Gamecube version is present, plus the extra content from the PS2 version. These include the extra "Separate Ways" side missions, the extra costumes, and the new weapons, as well as the movie browser. It should be noted, however, that even though all the cutscenes are rendered in real-time (as in the original Gamecube version), the PS2 costumes still don't appear in them. And although there is no brand new content added to this version, it's still an all-inclusive, deluxe edition of the game.

As for the controls, well, they used to be great... Now they're even better! For shooting, aiming is done with the Wii remote while the nunchuck's analogue stick is used to control the camera angle. You also use the remote to slash with the knife, although you can still tap the A button if you prefer. The remote has even been worked into the QTE's, requiring vigorous shaking to avoid unfortunate consequences. But if you still prefer traditional methods, the game is entirely compatible with both the Gamecube controller, which makes the game play just like the original version, and the Wii Classic Controller, which bares more resemblance to the PS2 interface. You should be able to find a control method that suits you best.

Saying you've never played Resident Evil 4 (and assuming you're mature enough for it) is like saying you've never played The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It's a landmark game. An essential. It gives you a brilliant and lengthy adventure, topped off with addictive mini-games and unlockables galore. And as it's been said, combining the GC and PS2 versions creates the definitive edition of the game. The new Wii controls only enhance the experience, but you still have the option of playing with a traditional controller. The passage of time has only validated this game's reputation. Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition is a masterpiece that belongs in every mature gamer's library.

Posted by Nester on 8 July 2007

System	Nintendo DS
Developer	Square Enix, Matrix Software
Publisher	Square Enix

When the power of the four dark crystals brings chaos upon the world, seers foretell of four light warriors who art destined to restore balance. Thy journey is long, young one, and fraught with unspeakable dangers! Thou wilt be far from home, so take with thee thy trusty Nintendo DS equipped with a copy of Square-Enix's Final Fantasy III.

As most of thee are probably aware, this is not the same Final Fantasy III that appeared on the SNES in 1994. That game was a localized version of Final Fantasy VI, which was recently remade for the Game Boy Advance. Rather, this Final Fantasy III is a remake of the original version and was never previously released outside of Japan.

Despite being a remake, thou shalt discover the game retains its old-fashioned gameplay. Thou wilt explore bustling towns, wander across a vast overworld, and venture into deep, dank dungeons infested with unspeakably horrid monstrosities. As is the case with older RPG's, the challenge level is quite high. Thou wilt frequently encounter random enemies, and bosses art merciless. Thou wilt also need to spend extra time gaining experience levels, and to conserve money and items. And unlike the twist-packed tales of subsequent Final Fantasies, the story in this game is fairly simple.

But this remake still hath a few new tricks up its sleeve. The four main characters have been given all-new designs and basic background stories. The graphics have been upgraded to full 3D, and a few beautiful FMV sequences have been added. Nobuo Uematsu's original score hath been newly remixed under his supervision. The game canst be played almost entirely with the touchscreen, which is convenient for a menu driven game such as this. The second DS screen generally isn't used for much more than a map, but the few times it goes beyond that art often clever.

Another new feature is the addition of Mognet. Thine old friends the moogles appear in various locations throughout the world, and they wilt deliver mail messages to other characters in the game. Doing so may reveal brand new side quests and secrets. Thou mayst also send mail to other Final Fantasy fans over LAN or Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. It is good to keep close ties with other members of thy party.

Thou mayest be surprised at how well Final Fantasy III works as a handheld game. Its simplicity makes it easy to play in quick, short sessions. Fans of classic RPG's shouldest enjoy the challenge and character building, and the new features giveth the game a whole new charm. Now hurry on thy journey, young one. Balance must be restored!

Posted by Nester on 22 July 2007

System	Wii Virtual Console (Genesis)
Developer	Sega
Publisher	Sega

One year ago, three ex-cops named Axel, Blaze and Adam used nothing but their bare knuckles to save the city from the control of the evil crime lord Mr. X. It looked like things were finally getting back to normal when suddenly Axel and Blaze got word that Adam had been kidnapped, and that Mr. X was back! Now, our two heroes, along with their new companions, Max and Skate, are taking it back to the streets in Streets of Rage 2 from Sega.

You'll fight through eight bone-crunching levels before you reach Mr. X. There's a baseball stadium, a factory, an arcade, and even a weird amusement park. The four playable characters each have unique abilities and move sets that require different strategies to master. Big bruiser Max is slow, but he can dish out as much as he can take. Skate is light on defense, but his speed allows him to dodge many attacks. Blaze and Axel are rounder characters, but all of them are pretty well balanced overall. And in the classic brawler tradition, there are plenty of weapons you can grab that will help you lay the smack down.

But no matter how tough you think you are, we all need to call in a little backup once in a while. That's where the two-player mode comes in. Grab a buddy for some old school co-op action, and you'll even up the odds just a bit. Or go into the Duel mode and just beat on each other. Either way, you'll get twice the punches, flying kicks, body slams and missing teeth! Ouch!

While the Streets of Rage series could easily be seen as a blatant rip-off of Capcom's Final Fight, I always preferred the Streets. The creativity of the levels, the variety of moves and combos, the fun characters, and the great soundtrack from Yuzo Koshiro, as well as Sega's long lost ability to simply make things cool, give the game a huge amount of appeal. The beat-em-up genre is a lost art these days, but Streets of Rage 2 is a prime example of why it was so popular in the early 90's.

The best way to clean up a city is with a thug's face. The old brawler formula is solidly executed, and the two-player mode is exactly where these kinds of games shine. If you like classic, no-holds-barred, face-punching, pavement-cracking action, you can't do much better than Streets of Rage 2, and it's available right now on the Wii Virtual Console. So, get out there and take out the trash, and the city will finally be safe again...until Streets of Rage 3!

Posted by Nester on 12 August 2007

System	Wii Virtual Console (NES)
Developer	HAL Laboratory
Publisher	HAL Laboratory

There's a certain type of puzzle game that was a little more prominent in the 8-bit era, but you don't see it as much now. Rather than the arcade-style, Tetris-inspired puzzle games in which you line up identical objects to make them disappear, these puzzles involve characters in a small room who have to accomplish some task in order to move on to the next room. Sometimes it's more action-oriented, like Hudson's Bomberman. Other times, success is based almost entirely on hardcore, brain-busting puzzle solving, as is the case with HAL's Adventures of Lolo.

The game starts off with our little, blue hero, Prince Lolo, escorting the pretty-in-pink Princess Lala back to her homeland of Eden. But wouldn't you know, the evil Great Devil of Eggerland swoops in and kidnaps her. Now she's being held captive in a tricky, maze-like fortress, and it's up to Lolo to get her out!

Easier said than done. There are 50 rooms to solve, and in order to open the door in each room, you need to collect a treasure. The treasure is locked in a box that can only be opened by collecting all of the "Heart Framer" icons that are scattered around the room. Each room is filled with enemies and obstacles that must be manipulated in a specific way so that you can get to all the Heart Framers (and the treasure) without getting killed. This is where things get complicated.

One of the reasons Adventures of Lolo is difficult is that each room has a specific solution. There's no improvisation here. You either do it the way it's supposed to be done, or you simply don't progress through the game. Some of these puzzles are tough, and you will get stumped! You may have to stop playing and think about it for a few hours (or days, or weeks) before you come up with an idea of what to do. But then, that's the point of the game. It's about thinking your way out, and rest assured, there is always a solution.

Adventures of Lolo is a puzzle game in the truest sense. Forget brain training, this is major league. It's for people who enjoy solving logical puzzles, and a little bit of patience is necessary for some of the more complex rooms. You and Lolo will need all of your wits to save Princess Lala! Don't let her down!

Posted by Nester on 16 September 2007

System	Wii
Developer	Capcom
Publisher	Capcom

Listen up, ye scurvy sea dogs! Classic point-and-click adventures, like LucasArts' Maniac Mansion and The Secret of Monkey Island, have mostly gone the way of Davy Jones's Locker. And while the DS has recently seen some examples of the genre in the way of Nintendo's Trace Memory (Another Code: Two Memories) and Hotel Dusk: Room 215, it's Capcom's Zack & Wiki: Quest For Barbaros' Treasure that could really blow some wind back into the sails. Bravely making full use of the Wii Remote's potential, Zack & Wiki moves the genre beyond mere pointing and clicking and on to a new horizon of puzzle solving adventure!

As a pirate, Zack was a little wet behind the ears. But while making a simple cargo run, Zack and his monkey sidekick, Wiki, have come across a talking golden skull. It turns out that this skull belongs to a pirate named Barbaros, and understandably, he wants the rest of his body back! In return for Zack and Wiki's help, he promises to lead them to the legendary Treasure Island. In true pirate fashion, the allure of treasure is too much for Zack to pass up, so the group sets sail to find the rest of Barbaros' bones.

Each level is one big puzzle that's broken into smaller tasks, each of which is a puzzle unto itself. It's a matter of figuring out how to use various items, enemies, or parts of your environment to help you progress. Some levels even have multiple solutions.

The game does provide some methods of help for those of you who haven't earned your sea legs. You can use coins you collect to buy hints for when you get stumped, or extra lives to resurrect yourself at the exact spot you bit the dust, so you don't have to replay the entire level. However, the more hints you use and the longer it takes to get through each level, the lower your score will be.

The game contains 24 levels, including boss battles, and the puzzles quickly get tough, so don't expect to blow through this game in an afternoon. Argh! Thar be rough waters ahead, matey!

The real key to Zack & Wiki is the way in which the Remote is utilized. It's not just a matter of pointing and clicking. In fact, it's not even a matter of simply jiggling the Remote every now and then. Each item that Zack holds essentially becomes the Remote, and you need to figure out how to manipulate it in order to use the item. You may need to make a certain motion, or hold it a certain way, or even press a particular button on the Remote to operate the item. The variety of uses becomes like a series of mini-games that has been likened to those found in WarioWare: Smooth Moves.

Not to be outdone, the graphics aren't too shabby either. Using a cel-shaded style reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, the visuals are sharp and colorful, and even make use of particle effects. The look of the game effectively draws you into its nautical world.

So, you think if you just sit around, the treasure will come to you? 'Fraid not, matey! You'll need to use cunning to solve each clever puzzle on your way to Treasure Island. You'll also find some of the most effective uses for the Wii Remote among any game on the console. The graphics are the icing on the cake, providing a vivid, stylish world. A game like Zack & Wiki doesn't come around too often, and unfortunately, it's easy to overlook. Don't let that happen, matey! Ye treasure is right here!

Posted by Nester on 11 November 2007

System	Nintendo DS
Developer	WayForward
Publisher	Konami

Date: 2638.324
Location: Somewhere off the coast of New Zealand
Condition: RED

There's not much time, so I'll keep this brief.

In a few minutes, we'll be over the Galuga Archipelago. I just came from there, and let me tell you: it's hell on Earth. But that's what Konami's blast-a-thon, Contra 4, is all about, so don't get weak now.

It's been two years since the Alien Wars, and we still don't know why "they" came, but it doesn't matter now. Intelligence reports that Black Viper is back. You may remember that filthy cockroach from Operation C on the original Game Boy. We've already dispatched our best men, Bill, Lance, Mad Dog, and Scorpion, to the battlefield. Your job is to make sure they succeed.

You'll accomplish this by way of good old-fashioned running and gunning. Contra 4 gets back to the basics, modelling its gameplay after the original NES and SNES games in the series. A lot of areas, enemies and weapons will be familiar to veterans of those classics.

But I won't lie to you; it's not going to be easy. In fact, it's downright punishing. You'll be provided with three difficulty levels, so you can build up your skills gradually. Still, don't expect a cakewalk. Hotshot newbies will likely get a bruised ego on stage 1 of easy mode. With a little practice, though, you'll show that alien scum that you're no cream puff.

If you manage to tough it out, you'll unlock Challenge Mode. It provides you with short missions such as speed runs, surviving with limited ammunition, or trying not to shoot innocent bystanders, among others. You're going to need some steel nerves to complete many of these challenges, but for every four missions you survive, you'll be rewarded with unlockable content.

The unlockables celebrate Contra's 20-year legacy. Available from the get-go is a museum that chronicles every operation from 1987 to 2004. You'll also eventually unlock an interview with series producer Nobuya Nakazato, a 1992 promotional comic for Contra III, a new one for Contra 4, and the full NES versions of the original Contra and Super C. You'll also unlock five secret characters who were dispatched at the same time I was. ...I don't know where they are now.

While Nakazato had no direct involvement in the project, developer WayForward clearly made Contra 4 a labor of love. It's loaded with a lot of cool references and fan service. There are even some really nifty subtle details.

Looks like we're over the drop-off point, so it's time for action. Just remember everything I've said. Contra 4 stays faithful to the early installments in the series, and it's tough as nails. Challenge Mode will help you hone your skills while providing a bunch of unlockables that will let you unwind on your down time. But you won't get any of that until Black Viper checks into a roach motel. The guys are eager to get started, so don't keep them waiting. It's time to rock and roll! Now, MOVE!

Posted by Nester on 2 December 2007

System	Wii
Developer	Vicarious Visions
Publisher	Activision

Dude, I wanna rock. That's what it's about, man. That's what Activision's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock provides. It's the first appearance of this highly acclaimed series on a Nintendo console, and you'd better believe it's got the chops.

Just like previous iterations, the game comes with its own ax. The sleek, white Les Paul guitar plugs directly into the Wii Remote for wireless jammin'. Not only that, but it utilizes the Remote's rumble and internal speaker for extra punch. Right on, man!

The game, itself, plays like most rhythm games do. On the screen, you're shown something that looks like a guitar neck, and various colored symbols move towards "targets". When they hit these targets, you hold down the corresponding buttons on your guitar controller's neck and strum a bar as if strumming strings. It sounds a little abstract, but chill, man. You'll feel like your playing a real guitar.

The game's main single-player career mode will take you through dozens of songs and concerts, featuring a story and several quirky characters. You'll even get into one-on-one duels with real guitar legends. One of which is cover boy Slash of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver fame, who also performed motion capture and original music for the game. Progressing through the career mode will unlock further songs.

There's also a two-player co-op career mode in which one of you will play the lead guitar sections while the other performs bass or rhythm guitar. This mode has its own story and song lists.

In all, there are 71 tracks available in the game, including unlockables. They cover a wide range of rock artists, past and present. The original artists perform many of the songs, but a number of them are simply covers. Also, some songs are only available in either single- or multi-player modes.

But check it out, bud: ONLINE BATTLE MODE!!! That's right! Get your Wii online and you can duel it out with other Guitar Heroes. Setting up or joining a game is easy and, of course, free.

It's show time! The guitar peripheral is awesome! The music rocks! The game is addictive, both in single- and multi-player, and the online mode rules! The game is a little pricey due to the extra hardware, but Guitar Hero's first performance on the Wii will rock your world! Rock on!!!

Posted by Nester on 16 December 2007

System	Wii Virtual Console (Super NES)
Developer	Konami
Publisher	Konami

The SNES may not have been the best system for shmups, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t host a few great ones. Entries in well-known franchises, like Gradius III and R-Type III, took the spotlight, but flying in under the radar was Konami’s Axelay. Unfortunately, it sold poorly, and so plans for a sequel were cancelled. But now, Axelay is available on the Wii Virtual Console, and it has a second chance to gain deserved popularity.

Back in 1992 when Axelay was first released, it separated itself from other shmups by using the SNES’s Mode 7 function to create a quasi-3/4 perspective with a horizon. By today’s standards, it’s not as impressive and even a little awkward. But even all these years later, it’s still a unique aspect of the game that helps it to stand out amongst other shmups.

Taking a cue from a couple of Konami’s other shooters, Life Force and Salamander, the six levels in the game alternate between the vertically scrolling 3/4 view and a traditional side-scrolling perspective. The levels, themselves, also provide variety, with environments such as a robot laboratory, a flooded cavern, and a base over a lake of lava.

Aside from the Mode 7 scrolling, the graphics in the game, in general, were quite impressive for their time. There are many large, well-animated boss characters, ranging from huge mechanical spiders to cybernetic lava giants.

There are several different weapons to use throughout the game. Weapons are equipped before every level. You’ll start out with a small selection, but new weapons are earned after every level you complete.

Axelay’s only real shortcoming is literally its short length. Its six challenging stages may not provide a lengthy gaming experience, but the solid design and presentation make it fun while it lasts. Its solid graphics and unique ideas for the genre make it a standout title. If you’re a fan of shmups and you’re looking for something a little different, Axelay is worth checking out.

Posted by Nester on 6 January 2008

System	Wii
Developer	Capcom
Publisher	Capcom

Capcom has been very generous to Nintendo fans with the Resident Evil series. Every single installment of the main series was made available on the Gamecube in one form or another, and the Wii has its very own version of Resident Evil 4. Now, Capcom has given the Wii a unique addition to the series with Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, which somewhat synopsizes a few of the previous games in the series.

The first thing to note is that Umbrella Chronicles is not a survival horror or action-adventure game. Rather, it’s a first-person rail shooter, similar to arcade light gun games like Sega’s The House of the Dead. Despite this, the Resident Evil style and atmosphere is fully intact, complete with a few “Resident Evil moments.”

Also like the traditional games, ammo conservation is encouraged. Even though your default handgun has unlimited ammunition, it quickly becomes too weak to get you out of tough scrapes, so you’ll need to hoard ammo for more powerful special weapons. There’s also a weapon upgrade system, similar to the one in Resident Evil 4. If you still need extra firepower, bring along a friend for the two-player mode.

Umbrella Chronicles doesn’t actually take you through every game in the series, but as the title suggests, it covers the scenarios most relevant to the theme of the Umbrella Corporation. You’ll traverse ground from Resident Evil Zero, the remake of the original Resident Evil, and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. There’s also a brand new fourth scenario that finally reveals how the surviving S.T.A.R.S. members invaded Umbrella’s secret compound.

Even though the game automatically guides you through each environment, it does a good job building up tension. The camera cautiously pans around corners. The characters are constantly exchanging dialog. Some enemies have a tendency to pop up very suddenly and get right in your face. Being chased by the Nemesis through the streets of Raccoon City is truly thrilling. Boss encounters take a bit of strategy to get through, as you’ll need to learn their patterns and weak spots.

As you progress in the game, you’ll be able to unlock extra levels and scenarios, such as alternate paths through previous levels from the viewpoint of different characters. We finally learn how Rebecca met up with Richard after the events of Resident Evil Zero, and how Wesker escaped the mansion in the original game. Adding even more detail are various files you can find by shooting certain objects in each level. If you’re a Resident Evil fan, there’s a lot to dig into here.

For a light gun style game, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles has a surprisingly large amount of content and longevity. Even though it doesn’t play like a traditional Resident Evil game, it certainly feels like one. Lots of unlockables and fan service provide a lot of appeal. If you’re a fan of the series, or even a newcomer looking for a thrilling, arcadey experience, this is one to check out.

Posted by Nester on 20 January 2008