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Kart Krashers Review (DSiWare)
Even with the new, shiny 3DS and Wii U, there are still DSiWare games coming out. Oddly, I have to play these games on my 3DS as I never bought a DSi. DSiWare games are pretty small and I honestly can’t name three off the top of my head. This doesn’t mean there isn’t anything good on the service; I’m just weird. So several weeks ago, I took on the review for Kart Krashers. This has been a long time coming but I am finally writing this review.
What You Need To Know
As you might have guessed, Kart Krashers is a driving game. As you might not have guessed, it is not a kart racer ala Mario Kart. Instead you need to think back to a game called Smuggler’s Run. For those of you not familiar with Smuggler’s Run, and those too lazy to look up the Wikipedia page, Kart Krashers is a game where you drive a kart in an open environment, gathering items and power-ups. The point is to gather stars and rings to increase your score. With each item gathered, your score multiplier increases for a time. The faster you collect, the higher your score. To help you are power-ups such as star magnets, rocket boosters and shields. Trying to stop you are a few random enemies that don’t seem too bothered by your quest for points. For each arena, of which there are eleven, you need to attain a certain rank across three events to advance to the next arena. This is all loosely tied together by some story about exposing an evil conglomerate to the public. However, as this was told through text bubbles that barely seemed to be related, I can’t say that the story does too much. Read more…
Escape the Virus: Shoot ‘em Up! Review (DSiWare)
I’ve played some “shmups” in my time, one of my favorites is Geometry Wars on XBLA. Recently, Teyon released a new game in this genre called Escape the Virus: Shoot ‘em Up! for DSiWare and the 3DS via the eShop. Just by looking at the title, you can clearly see where this game is supposed to fit in and I’ve had the lovely privilege of reviewing it just for you… lucky reader…
What You Need To Know
Escape the Virus: Shoot ‘em Up! is a top-down game that’s a lot like a twin-stick shooter without the use of any sticks. You play as a small piece of bacteria in a micro-sized world that is being over run by viruses. There are two game modes, Shooter and Territory. In Shooter you will spend your time playing an arcade-style, shooting experience with no real goal but to get a high score. In Territory you play something similar to king of the hill where you travel to certain zones on the screen and try to keep them clear of viruses for a set amount of time. Read more…
Escape The Virus Coming to DSiWare
Polish Studio, Teyon, is working on several games that are going to be hitting Nintendo’s portable platforms soon. The first is a DSiWare game called Escape the Virus: Shoot’Em Up! which will be hitting the DSiWare on August 28th for 200 points or $1.99 through the 3DS eShop. The game looks like a top-down shooter where you control the action using the touch screen to aim. Check out this trailer game and head past the break for the full press release and more screen shots.
Gameplay Challenge – Go Series: 10 Second Run
You guys know I like to occasionally do these gameplay challenges were I give you a task and see who can complete it the fastest or get the best score on something. This week I’m doing it to highlight a DSiWare game that I really enjoy and think everyone should play. It’s called Go Series: 10 Second Run and it was published by Gamebridge. The game hit the DSiWare store back in 2010 and I played it not long after the 3DS hit stores.
There are a couple different game modes available in the game. One is a mode where you play through each level at your own pace, with the only rule being the level must be completed in 10 seconds. The other, and the one we’re going to focus on, is called Marathon. This is where you have to finish all of the levels as fast as you possibly can. I’m not going to ask you to do that, as I’ve never finished Marathon mode.
Here’s your challenge for this week. I want you to play the first ten levels of Marathon. Post your time in the comments, post a video to Youtube or show us a screenshot of your fastest time. I’ve posted the video of my run through and I finished in a time of 57:37. Not the fastest time possible, but still fairly respectable. As with all of our gameplay challenges this is just for fun, but I seriously think you should check out 10 Second Run. It’s available in the DSiWare store and the 3DS eShop for $1.99. That’s pretty cheap for a really solid platformer that’s going to definitely test your skills. If you want to know my thoughts on it you can check out our review.
New Club Nintendo Reward
Club Nintendo has added yet another digital reward for people wanting to spend their coins. This time the game is Starship Defense, a tower defense game originally sold on the DSiWare shop. It will run you 150 coins and is available until July 29th. Get it while it’s hot. Mario Tennis for the Wii Virtual Console is set to expire next week on the 22nd and there will probably be a new reward available at that time.
This Week’s Mighty eShop Has Kung-Fu Kicking, Pink Pinballs and Plenty of Hope
If you’re a Nintendo 3DS owner, you’ve been basking in the glory of new content over the last few weeks. We’ve had at least four new titles and as many as six at any one point available for download. This week, the 8-bit Summer continues with two more retro titles; Kirby’s Pinball Land and The Sword of Hope II for the Game Boy.
The eShop gets two original titles. The first, Johnny Kung Fu, is a single screen brawler that mixes Game & Watch style visuals with a more modern look. The second is Sweet Memories: Black Jack. DSi and 3DS owners can download Candle Route and Ace Mathmatician.
The Wii sees a second straight week of downloads. WiiWare gets the release of Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition, a modern take on the Frogger franchise similar to games like Pac-Man Championship Edition. The Virtual Console sees the release of The King of Fighters ’96.
Two New Club Nintendo Rewards Available
The beginning of the new month signifies new digital rewards available through Club Nintendo. This month sees two new games redeemable with your hard earned Club Nintendo coins.
Mario Tennis (N64) available for the Wii (150 coins) Available until July 22nd
Electroplankton Rec-Rec (DSiWare) available for the 3DS (100 coins) Available until July 15th
These games aren’t available for the whole month like previous rewards have been so you’re going to have to act a little quicker if you want to pick up these titles. I made the “mistake” of downloading Urban Champion when it was available, but Mario Tennis is looking pretty good. I don’t currently own that version of the game and I’d like to play it. Anyone out there played the game and can make a recommendation on whether to pick it up?
Chuck E. Cheese’s Arcade Room Review (DSiWare)
Chuck E. Cheese is a dream world for kids. A place where you can eat pizza, play video games and win silly little toys. I can remember going there as a kid when it was Showbiz Pizza. Is there any kid on the planet that wouldn’t want to take the fun and excitement of Chuck E. Cheese with them wherever they go? UFO Interactive managed to obtain the license to the popular food chain and slap it on a game featuring a number of activities you’d find at the restaurant. Unfortunately what resulted is a mess of boring mini-games that you won’t really have reasons to play more than once.
What You Need to Know
Chuck E. Cheese’s Arcade Room is a collection of five mini-games based on popular games you’d see at any modern arcade. You’ll get to try your hand at a basketball shootout, whack-a-mole style game, skee ball, a shooting gallery and a racing arcade game. The more points you score in those games earns you more tickets that you can use to unlock virtual prizes in the game’s prize room. There are even challenges based on the five mini-games that will test your “skill” at playing them all. Read more…
Zuma’s Revenge! Review (DS)
Zuma is a fast-paced match three game released in 2003 by PopCap for a plethora of platforms and mobile devices including the PC, Xbox 360, IPod and many others. In 2009 PopCap released Zuma’s Revenge! for the PC and it has since been making it’s way across the platforms that it’s predecessor has already conquered. Now it makes it’s way to the Nintendo DS with both a retail release as well as a eShop/DSiWare download.
What You Need To Know
As in most of PopCap’s hits, this is another take on the addictive “Match Three” style of gameplay with a few interesting things to keep it different. As in the first Zuma you play as a frog who has been given the seemingly painful job of vomiting up multicolored balls. All of which is to stop the flow of new balls on their way to the Skull that denotes a “Game Over” when reached. The ball flow follows a predefined track that comes from off-screen to the Skull, the balls will continue to come until you have cleared all the ones on screen and in the container that supplies the flow. After you have cleared all the balls you are given a score based on how well you did with making combos and how you managed your time. There are many helpful power ups and ways to get extra points from things like fruit and gap bonuses just to name a couple.
I Now Own Mario Party 2
Courtesy of Club Nintendo. Their latest round of digital rewards expired on January 31st and a new set of rewards went up yesterday. From now until February 29th you can download a copy of Mario Party 2 (150 Coins), originally for the N64 or Art Academy: Semester 1 (150 Coins) for DSiWare.
While many people will tell you that Mario Party 3 is the best game on the N64 any Mario Party game is good to have when you’re looking for a good party game to play with friends or family. I don’t know anything about the Art Academy software.
Name The Turtle!!!
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (Wii U, 3DS)
Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo (3DS)
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity (3DS)
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (PS3)
The Amazing Spider-Man: Ultimate Edition (Wii U)
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