The TurboGrafx-16 prehistoric poster boy Bonk is set to once again visit the Wii’s Virtual Console download service, as Hudson has updated its [url=http://vc-pce.com/usa/e/index.html]Virtual Console website[/url] with a handful of upcoming April Virtual Console releases. In addition to Bonk’s Revenge, the series’ second outing from 1991, Husdon also has Namco’s comedic beat’em up Bravoman (aka Bioboxer), PC Engine import Battle Lode Runner, and action platfromer Shockman. Each of these will carry a 600 Wii Point ($6) price tag.
March 2007
In the march towards what now appears to be the all but officially confirmed sequel and/or remake of Sega’s Saturn classic NiGHTS, [url=http://www.jeux-france.com/news19769_nights-wii-premieres-images.html]scans have surfaced[/url] of the game care of French website Jeuxfrance. Taken from Portuguese gaming magazine Maxi Consolas, the upcoming 2 player Wii title will reportedly include “an on-line mode, new characters, and new movements with Wiimote,” so says Bablefish. An official announcement of the game is expected from Sega in April.
[img]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/news/2007/03/wii_nights_1.jpg[/img]
[Edit: The fine folks over on the [url=http://forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php?t=16884&page=15]Penny-Arcade forums[/url] have posted a translation of the magazine’s interview with Takeshi Iizuka on the game, which sheds even more light on this upcoming bit of fan service.]
[b]Q: How did the idea of creating [i]NiGHTS [/i]for Nintendo’s new console come along?[/b]
A: I’ve been interested in making this sequel for as long as I can remember, and the moment seemed perfect to start working on it. This game is ideal to take advantage of the Wii controller’s potential.
[b]Q: Will we get, once again, inside the dreams (and nightmares) of Claire and Elliot, or are there new human characters whose dreams we’ll be able to visit?[/b]
A: Just like the first game’s story, the new [i]NiGHTS [/i]happens inside a dream world, and its story will follow the adventure of those children. I hope to announce further details in the coming months.
[b]Q: Will the main character (also called [i]NiGHTS[/i]) be alone in this mission, or are there new kinds of Nightmare-people to control?[/b]
A: I can already confirm that [i]NiGHTS [/i]will be the main character, and that he will have new habilities which will be explained later. As for new characters, I can’t reveal anything yet. You’ll have to wait and see.
[b]Q: Which new flight manoeuvers will this charismatic figure be able to perform?[/b]
A: [i]NiGHTS [/i]will have a considerable number of acrobatic movements, many of them never seen before, for the player to perform easily using the Wii controller. You can count on loops, spins, and other manoeuvers which will be kept secret for now.
[b]Q: In which ways does Nintendo’s new console attract you?[/b]
A: I am particularly enthusiastic about witnessing all of this technological advance, and about knowing that, as a programmer, I can create games in the new consoles which, a few years ago, I was only able to dream of.
[b]Q: We’re real fans of this character. Do you think that he will still be able to be interesting to the public, after all these years?[/b]
A: Above everything, I hope that [i]NiGHTS [/i]fans like this game as much as the First one. I’m confident that, with all the new features I’m hoping to include, it will also attract a new player base, not yet familiar with this character’s world.
[b]Q: What can we expect, regarding game modes?[/b]
A: Besides a single player mode, familiar to everyone, there will be a two-player mode and certain special online functions.
[b]Q: Do you intend to take the inspired NiGHTS experience to other platforms?[/b]
A: So far, this new [i]NiGHTS [/i]game is a Wii exclusive.
[b]Q: What other classic franchises, developed either by you or Sonic Team, would you like to bring back to life?[/b]
A: When I created [i]NiGHTS[/i], I didn’t see it as a classic franchise, but I always hoped I would be able to dedicate it a sequel when the right moment came. For know, this is the only game series I’d like to see people talking about once more.
As I was sitting around, playing Puzzle Quest for this review, I mentioned to someone that the game was addictive.
“Is it Tetris addictive or MMO addictive?,” he asked.
My answer: “Both.”
1st Playable Productions and Engine Software’s Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords is one of those genre-breaking games, combining a RPG structure with a Bejeweled-style puzzler. Battles consist of players taking turns moving gems, using the colored mana gained to cast damaging spells. Also, gold and experience appear on the playfield, making an interesting dynamic where players only do as much damage as they believe is necessary.
Admittedly, this game uses stereotypical RPG elements. Players choose one of four classes, each with their own play style and spells. Then they are put in the position of mercenary, taking on tasks and earning gold and experience as rewards. The quests aren’t well-connected, but it doesn’t seem to matter, as it’s just a vehicle for presenting new enemies with their own spells and advantages. Some quests are too strong to be completed when you get them, but the game allows four uncompleted tasks at once, so you can train up and come back later. The game lasts a long time, and playing again with a different class makes the experience fresh again, so there’s no need to put this one down.
The game seems simple on the surface, but more time put into it reveals a multitude of gaming experiences. “Capturing” defeated opponents requires clearing a specific screen of gems, “seizing” castles is a test of endurance, and choosing weapons and armor is much deeper than just saving up for the “good” ones.
For those who want to jump in to a battle immediately, there is an Instant Action mode that brings a random, similarly leveled opponent to play against you, and the gold and experience gained can be used in the main game. However, those looking to avoid the RPG experience completely will be disappointed, as this is really what holds the game together.
For those who can find someone else with this rare title, Puzzle Quest offers a two-player mode, allowing you to take your built-up character and beat down on your friends. This game is made for two-player, and this mode is as much fun as a good board game.
This title does have a few elements that are unpolished. Those looking for intriguing dialogue or an original story will be disappointed, but the one that’s there does provide enough framework to have it make sense. The game’s four classes beg for four save slots, and the two available are somewhat limiting. The sound is repetitive, and the AI seems to almost always make the right moves.
But wow, this game is addictive. Crazy addictive.
Since it was originally announced, Electronic Arts’ Burnout Dominator was billed as fan service, a gift meant as a tribute to those players who had purchased and followed the series that has, to this day, become synonymous with high octane console racing. However, like a gift given with more good intention than sense of style, Burnout Dominator is best accepted with a smile and a nod before quickly being exchanged for store credit when EA and developer Criterion turn away.
Without question, the Burnout series hit its stride with Burnout 3: Takedown, as the franchise’s visceral marriage of speed and explosive wreckage took console racing and player expectations to new heights. This has proved to be both a blessing and curse for Burnout, as even the follow up Revenge, while entirely competent in its own right, failed to surpass Takedown despite a number of tweaks and new gameplay additives. However while Revenge was called out for its somewhat unwelcome additions to the Takedown formula, in Dominator for both the PlayStation 2 and PSP Criterion has perhaps listened too closely to critics and cut too deep into its engineering, removing many of the features that make Burnout so attractive.
The game includes flashes of both Takedown and Revenge, with the inclusion of rivals and crashbreakers, though the latter feels ‘nerfed’ and largely inconsequential, lacking much of the impact felt in the previous two entries. In addition, while aftertouch has been left in, Revenge‘s controversial traffic checking has been cut out entirely. Also gone are crash events, which had become a fan favorite since Takedown with their almost tactical take on the game’s more destructive elements. Burnout Dominator feels like a rather experimental mishmash of features cobbled together over a weekend as a quick cash grab rather than a self proclaimed tribute to one of the industry’s most noteworthy racing franchises.
This isn’t to say that the game is terrible, just that it feels like an unnatural step backwards for the series. In fact, Dominator comes off as an evolutionary cast away, harboring many elements from the first two games in the series while still exhibiting bit and pieces of what was to come later.
The nuts and bolts of the game lie in the game’s World Tour mode, where a collection of series offer a handful of events to be completed in order to score points, unlock new cars, and earn trophies. Each of these series are broken out by a type of vehicle, beginning with older classics, and progressing through coupes, muscle cars, hot rods, and more. There is a healthy selection of cars to earn in each class, though by forcing the player to use only certain types of cars in every race makes even the most robust catalog of vehicles feel claustrophobic.
Dominator‘s one key contribution to the franchise is what is called Maniac mode, a play on the return of the burnout from earlier entries, whereby a player is encouraged to drive as dangerously as possible in order to build up the boost meter, and then burn through it all in a single go without letting up. Doing so while also continuing to drive erratic will build it up again, creating a burnout chain for more bonus points and multipliers. This makes for not only an intense experience, but also one that is constantly moving at blurring speeds. It’s all about testing your reaction time and ability to look ahead several car lengths while simultaneously keeping your car from ending up wrapped around a pole, ledge, or another car.
The problem is that this mode effectively deemphasizes Burnout‘s niche, and lacks the emotionally purging qualities for which the series’ destructive qualities are known. In fact, crashing in Dominator can spell certain defeat, whereas in the previous two games it could give you a strategic advantage. In some ways, this game is the anti-Burnout.
In addition, other negatives persist, such as the lack of any online multiplayer, an excusable omission for the PlayStation 2, but a glaring oversight on the PSP, which has only ad hoc support.
There is some fun to be had in Dominator, but it’s a pale offering compared to the games to come before it. Seemingly destined to be a footnote in the franchise rather than an entry of any real significance, most players are advised to pass this one up in favor of Burnout 3: Takedown, Burnout Legends, or Burnout Revenge, each of which can probably be had for less than what this game asks for brand new. Only series completionists need consider adding this one to their libraries; anyone else should consider Dominator as a rental if curiosity cannot be satiated, at least until the franchise’s next ‘real’ sequel emerges.
Burnout: Dominator
PlayStation 2 / Reviews / by
/ 
Since it was originally announced, Electronic Arts’ Burnout Dominator was billed as fan service, a gift meant as a tribute to those players who had purchased and followed the series that has, to this day, become synonymous with high octane console racing. However, like a gift given with more good intention than sense of style, Burnout Dominator is best accepted with a smile and a nod before quickly being exchanged for store credit when EA and developer Criterion turn away.
Without question, the Burnout series hit its stride with Burnout 3: Takedown, as the franchise’s visceral marriage of speed and explosive wreckage took console racing and player expectations to new heights. This has proved to be both a blessing and curse for Burnout, as even the follow up Revenge, while entirely competent in its own right, failed to surpass Takedown despite a number of tweaks and new gameplay additives. However while Revenge was called out for its somewhat unwelcome additions to the Takedown formula, in Dominator for both the PlayStation 2 and PSP Criterion has perhaps listened too closely to critics and cut too deep into its engineering, removing many of the features that make Burnout so attractive.
The game includes flashes of both Takedown and Revenge, with the inclusion of rivals and crashbreakers, though the latter feels ‘nerfed’ and largely inconsequential, lacking much of the impact felt in the previous two entries. In addition, while aftertouch has been left in, Revenge‘s controversial traffic checking has been cut out entirely. Also gone are crash events, which had become a fan favorite since Takedown with their almost tactical take on the game’s more destructive elements. Burnout Dominator feels like a rather experimental mishmash of features cobbled together over a weekend as a quick cash grab rather than a self proclaimed tribute to one of the industry’s most noteworthy racing franchises.
This isn’t to say that the game is terrible, just that it feels like an unnatural step backwards for the series. In fact, Dominator comes off as an evolutionary cast away, harboring many elements from the first two games in the series while still exhibiting bit and pieces of what was to come later.
The nuts and bolts of the game lie in the game’s World Tour mode, where a collection of series offer a handful of events to be completed in order to score points, unlock new cars, and earn trophies. Each of these series are broken out by a type of vehicle, beginning with older classics, and progressing through coupes, muscle cars, hot rods, and more. There is a healthy selection of cars to earn in each class, though by forcing the player to use only certain types of cars in every race makes even the most robust catalog of vehicles feel claustrophobic.
Dominator‘s one key contribution to the franchise is what is called Maniac mode, a play on the return of the burnout from earlier entries, whereby a player is encouraged to drive as dangerously as possible in order to build up the boost meter, and then burn through it all in a single go without letting up. Doing so while also continuing to drive erratic will build it up again, creating a burnout chain for more bonus points and multipliers. This makes for not only an intense experience, but also one that is constantly moving at blurring speeds. It’s all about testing your reaction time and ability to look ahead several car lengths while simultaneously keeping your car from ending up wrapped around a pole, ledge, or another car.
The problem is that this mode effectively deemphasizes Burnout‘s niche, and lacks the emotionally purging qualities for which the series’ destructive qualities are known. In fact, crashing in Dominator can spell certain defeat, whereas in the previous two games it could give you a strategic advantage. In some ways, this game is the anti-Burnout.
In addition, other negatives persist, such as the lack of any online multiplayer, an excusable omission for the PlayStation 2, but a glaring oversight on the PSP, which has only ad hoc support.
There is some fun to be had in Dominator, but it’s a pale offering compared to the games to come before it. Seemingly destined to be a footnote in the franchise rather than an entry of any real significance, most players are advised to pass this one up in favor of Burnout 3: Takedown, Burnout Legends, or Burnout Revenge, each of which can probably be had for less than what this game asks for brand new. Only series completionists need consider adding this one to their libraries; anyone else should consider Dominator as a rental if curiosity cannot be satiated, at least until the franchise’s next ‘real’ sequel emerges.
