Wii

pandorastower4

After a long wait, the third game from the Operation Rainfall fan campaign has been released in North America, thanks to XSEED Games. Pandora’s Tower, easily the strangest of the three titles, was considered by many to be the unessential game of the group. While it has a few promising aspects and a premise worth paying attention to, the early word on this bizarre action-RPG was not entirely inaccurate. READ MORE

Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure was groundbreaking in its combination of add-on content through collectible figures. The gamble paid off, with Skylanders claiming honors as the most profitable game of 2012 to date. Not resting on their laurels and simply releasing new characters, Activision and Toys for Bob pushed the envelope again by introducing new types of characters in Skylanders Giants. Will it be enough to convince gamers to pick up a new game with accompanying characters? READ MORE

The Kirby series is a bit of an odd companion to the rest of Nintendo’s library of first-party titles, though it remains a welcome one. Kirby is known more for its colorful style and emphasizing atmosphere and charm over difficulty, with few exceptions. It has always been a series Nintendo has not been afraid to try new things with, and it always seems to work out in his favor.  READ MORE

For those complaining about the potential death of the JRPG, this year is a treasure trove of big releases. From Xenoblade Chronicles to Tales of Graces f, the genre has been alive and kicking again for the first time in a few years. And now, the man responsible for creating the Final Fantasy series is at it again with his team at Mistwalker, bringing us The Last Story. This Wii exclusive JRPG tells a relatively formulaic tale, but thanks to its action-heavy battle system, it manages to stand out in the genre. READ MORE

Pikmin 2, originally released for the GameCube back in 2004, has now been re-released on the Wii as part of the Nintendo Selects program. The original Pikmin got the same treatment in 2009, with revamped controls to take advantage of the Wii Remote. Like the previous title, Pikmin 2 is built around the idea of exploring an unknown world through the eyes of a microscopic character. Through the help of indigenous creatures known as Pikmin, you guide Captain Olimar and his coworker, Louie, to locate and collect treasure of varying value in an effort to pay off the debt of the of the shipping company they work for, Hocotate Freight. READ MORE