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New games this week: Afro Samurai edition
by Justin McElroy 
{ Jan 26th 2009 at 10:30AM }
Also, we're not saying that we're going to go out of our way to play new series entry Iron Triangle, but we're compelled to point out that "Nobunaga's Ambition" is still one of the best names for a video game ever.
X3F TV: Introducing the 'Porto Circuit' from SimBin's RACE Pro
by Xav de Matos { Jan 23rd 2009 at 12:50PM }
Wii Fanboy Review: Ultimate Shooting Collection
by JC Fletcher { Jan 23rd 2009 at 9:58AM }
A compilation of shooters on the Wii may seem a bit unnecessary or even redundant. The Wii already has what could be dubbed the "Ultimate Shooting Collection" -- though not on a single disc. The Virtual Console is loaded with a surfeit of shooters, including many of the best games in the genre's history. The Ultimate Shooting Collection, in comparison, is composed of just three games, some or all of which you may never even heard of. But just like there usually is an argument for a new game over an old one you've played, there is content of interest here that doesn't exist in the downloadable space. The games in Ultimate Shooting Collection are a great showcase for the evolution of the shooter genre, which may seem stagnant or even dead, in the modern age. Even with the piles upon piles of existing shooters, there aren't any like these on the Virtual Console.
Gallery: Ultimate Shooting Collection
PS3 Fanboy review: Savage Moon
by Jem Alexander { Jan 22nd 2009 at 12:00PM }
The gameplay follows the same basic principles of every other Tower Defense game. Your base is at one of the level and beasties (in this case, Insectocytes) approach from the opposite end. It's your job to build a series of gun towers in their path to prevent them from reaching and damaging your base. Simple stuff, on paper. Not so easy in practice.
Savage Moon builds you up and, to begin with, lulls you into a false sense of security. The first few levels will train you up via an extensive tutorial, which is necessary because the game is slightly more complex than most in the genre. As usual you'll spend money on different sorts of towers and you'll receive money from each individual beasty you kill. The levels are laid out so that there are areas of rocky mountains, level ground and lava. Lava cannot be built upon and usually marks the Insectocytes' pathways. Towers can be built everywhere else but are much more protected when on large rocks.
Gallery: Savage Moon
Wii Fanboy Review: High Voltage Hot Rod Show
by David Hinkle { Jan 21st 2009 at 1:43PM }
Gallery: High Voltage Hot Rod Show
Bury the Shovelware: Jake Hunter Detective Chronicles
by Kaes Delgrego { Jan 21st 2009 at 1:00PM }
Pedigree
Well, we've found one of the weirdest game company names in existence: Aksys Games. It's right up there with "Infogrames" and "Camerica." I was surprised to learn that they're not as obscure as their name would lead one to imagine: they're the folks behind the Guilty Gear series.Jake Hunter was developed by Arc System Works, which is a large Japanese developer and publisher who publishes overseas via Aksys Games. That'll be something I've gotta keep an eye on in the future: the same-developer-same-publisher factor. I'd probably have to talk to a few people who work for a development team or a publisher to learn more about that one. Any such folks reading this who'd like to help me out? Come on, I know you're out there.
The Critics Said ...
IGN was quick to note that this is a Phoenix Wright-inspired adventure, but also added that "Jake is a stereotype, and the stories are straight forward, humorless affairs." Game Informer followed suit, stating that the game "takes itself way too seriously." So ... the game is being criticized for not being closer to what inspired it? This leaves me a bit befuddled. If Jake Hunter copied Phoenix Wright to a T, it would be criticized for not being original. But when it decides to take a serious approach (as opposed to PW's humorous presentation), it's criticized for not being enough like the original. Poor Jake Hunter can't do anything right.Criticism of critics aside, the two reviews were basically on-par with their peers: the game holds a 47% aggregate score at Metacritic.
Wii Fanboy Review: Family Glide Hockey
by JC Fletcher { Jan 21st 2009 at 9:00AM }
Family Glide Hockey had serious potential. A series of cheap, simple downloadable sports games in the Wii Sports tradition is a fantastic idea -- one that, if done right, would easily be one (or more) of the WiiWare service's killer apps. Glide Hockey's predecessor Family Table Tennis actually delivered on the promise of the cheapo family sports game, giving me hope for the series. Plus, air hockey, the arcade attraction on which the WiiWare game is based, is generally awesome and underrepresented in games. The combination of good family sports game series and air hockey seemed like a natural winner.
"Natural" and "winner" are two appelations that fail to describe Family Glide Hockey in any way.
Gallery: Family Glide Hockey
Born for Wii: Blade Runner
by Wesley Fenlon { Jan 20th 2009 at 11:48AM }
It's always dark in the city. Always raining. The light from a thousand neon signs is refracted and scattered by the smog that hangs in the air, ominous and ever-present. Spinners pass by quietly overhead while those too poor to own a car travel by foot, hurrying with umbrellas clutched tightly and collars upturned against the cold and rain. A handful aren't even real -- fake, synthetic, the creations of man in his own image, now considered a threat and forbidden to walk the streets of L.A. For them, the chase is a fight for survival. They have no right to life. For you, it's just another day on the job. Retiring replicants is your business. You're a blade runner.More than 25 years after its release, Ridley Scott's Blade Runner still stands as one of the best science fiction movies of all time. It's a haunting dystopian noir, a gripping mystery, and a special effects marvel. In a fitting tribute to the film, Westwood Studios revisited L.A. circa 2019 in their 1997 adventure game, simply titled Blade Runner. The events of the game play out in parallel to the story of Rick Deckard, as rookie blade Ray McCoy hunts down his own set of dangerous replicants. Westwood's point-and-click adventure was an ambitious project for 1997, but it succeeds on all fronts: it's consistently atmospheric, delivers a solid and well-acted script, and alters the traditional gameplay enough to be a fresh take on the genre.
Gallery: Born for Wii: Blade Runner
Every week, Born for Wii digs into gaming's sordid past to unearth a new treasure fit for revival on the Nintendo Wii. Be sure to check out last week's entry in the series, BattleTanx: Global Assault, and for more great titles that deserve your attention, take a look at Virtually Overlooked.VC Monday Madness: MUSHA
by David Hinkle { Jan 19th 2009 at 6:15PM }
MUSHA (Sega Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points)
Wii Fanboy says: download it!
Wii Fanboy says: download it!
MUSHA is a great shmup. It's fast, fun, and very challenging. There's plenty of crazy weapons and the difficulty level makes things engaging throughout. It's a very solid shmup and a great way to drop 800 Points.
Each week, we here at Wii Fanboy like to check out the latest Virtual Console releases in our VC Monday Madness feature, in the hopes that you can make the most sound decision possible regarding purchasing retro titles from the Wii Shop Channel.PS3 Fanboy hands-on: Flower
by Jem Alexander { Jan 19th 2009 at 12:00PM }
We blitzed through the three-level preview and there was a sincere feeling of disappointment when, upon trying to access the fourth level, we were greeted with a simple message; "To be continued." Flower is simply a joy to play, which is funny because there isn't even much of a game in there. Not in comparison to a Final Fantasy title or Killzone 2, at least. If you've played ThatGameCompany's first PS3 outing, flOw, you'll be familiar with this sort of ludological whimsy.
Before anyone gets worried, I'll make it clear that Flower definitely has more gameplay than flOw did. The premise is simple. You are a gust of wind inside a flower's dream and you must carry petals to other flowers in order to progress to the end of the level. There's no time limit, no hazards, no points system and, really, no way to fail.
Gallery: Flower
Top 5: Jury's Still Out
by Kaes Delgrego { Jan 19th 2009 at 11:44AM }
In this little hobby of ours, there are undeniable classics. Only an utterly clueless fanboy will ignore Shigeru Miyamoto's contributions to gaming, and any Nintendo enthusiast can never deny the quality of a series like Halo or God of War. No matter the platform, there are games which make up the foundation of this medium as we've come to know it.
Traditionally, the formula would seem to be game made by a respectable company + a few years to let it sink in = indisputable classic. Yet there are a few that still provoke debate.
These are games that are neither universally adored nor hated. They almost always spark conversation, and are considered by some to be an acquired taste. Here are the Top 5 games that we all can't decide if they're classics or not.
The Top 5 is a weekly feature that provides us with a forum to share our opinions on various aspects of the video game culture, and provides you with a forum to tell us how wrong we are. To further voice your opinions, submit a vote in the Wii Fanboy Poll, and take part in the daily discussions of Wii Warm Up. Gaming to Go: Crosswords DS
by Matthew Madeiro { Jan 19th 2009 at 11:08AM }
Ready to slow things down a bit? Sure, sitting down with a good ol' crossword puzzle might not get the blood pounding, but there's something simple and serene about filling in the grids at a leisurely pace. It's a game of patience and dedication, not to mention smarts -- not the typical fare for today's high-adrenaline gaming, but definitely a worthy alternative when you want a pleasant distraction next time you're on the go.
Crosswords DS, yet another Nintendo entry in the Touch! Generations lineup, provides such a distraction. It's simple, fun, and caters to crossword puzzlers of all skill levels. Add to that numerous word searches and anagrams and you have a pretty well-rounded package, one that even a staunch anti-puzzler could find something to like in. Want to hear more? Check out this week's edition of Gaming to Go and see for yourself if it's time to switch out the Sunday paper for your trusty DS.
Gallery: Crosswords DS
Ask PS3 Fanboy: Volume 18
by Majed Athab { Jan 18th 2009 at 5:00PM }
Keep checking back every weekend -- we'll be sure to answer all intelligent, fun, and relevant questions that you may have. If you haven't asked us anything yet ... why haven't you? Send an e-mail to majed @ ps3fanboy.com with the subject "Ask PS3 Fanboy." We'd like to stress, if your e-mail doesn't include that subject heading, your question will not be answered. If you've got PSP-related questions, be sure to ask them on Ask PSP Fanboy.
Revolutionary: 3rd Party Control
by Mike Sylvester { Jan 16th 2009 at 9:54AM }
So far, this has been an unusual generation for controller-makers on all platforms. Microsoft doesn't license out its wireless technology, so 3rd party gamepads have to connect via USB. Sony's gyrating, vibrating, rechargeable DUALSHOCK 3 controllers may just be too complex for 3rd parties to replicate in full functionality when the userbase is too small to make a profit from. And the 3rd parties have seemed to be satisfied raking in the dough with non-essential add-ons and shells for Nintendo's own brand of controller. It does indeed come as a surprise that Nyko is now bringing out a Wiimote, and an enhanced one at that. Before we've had a chance to review the Wand, let's examine why its introduction has been long overdue.
YouTube caters to Wii users with YouTube for Television
by David Hinkle { Jan 15th 2009 at 4:23PM }
