Zelda Reorchestrated and their Twilight Symphony Need Your Help!

Do you know what Zelda Reorchestrated is? If not, I can't recommend enough that you check out their work posthaste. They've been making excellent arrangements based on all the Zelda games for years now, and they're currently working on a massive project known as Twilight Symphony. Basically, they're hoping to include a full-sized orchestra with their two-and-a-half-hour-long reorchestration of Twilight Princess' score. However! This sort of thing costs a good deal of money, and they could sure use any loose cash you have sitting around. Just donating one dollar would help, and you'll win bunches of free stuff depending on your generosity. You can read my full article about this on Critical Gamer, and I encourage you to visit ZREO's Kickstarter page to spare what you can. This is a really awesome project that I, personally, am extremely excited about, so take a look if you've a mind to do so. Don't forget that the rest of their comprehensive collection costs zero dollars and can be downloaded from their website, so go there too and enjoy!

That is the public service announcement of the day. Carry on, and give ZREO money.

Shatter

8.5 - [Excellent]

Gameplay: 8

Visuals: 8

Music: 9

Sound: 7

Value: 8

Publisher: Sidhe Interactive

Developer: Sidhe Interactive

Multiplayer: Local co-op

Console(s): PC, PS3

Reviewed on: PC

ESRB rating: E (Mild Fantasy Violence)

BMR rating: E (No Descriptors)

Good points:

Fresh, exciting gameplay - Simple but full of depth - Uber-awesome soundtrack - Shiny visuals are appealing but not distracting - Great bang for your buck

Not so good points:

It... could have used an online mode? I don't know, I'm stretching here.

Sometimes a simple concept is the best kind, and it doesn't get much simpler than tried-and-true Breakout-style gameplay. Everyone has played it in some form or another, be it an old Atari 2600 title, a cheap Freeware knockoff, or a recent Nintendo DS remake. It is amazing to consider, then, that Sidhe Interactive was able to so profoundly transform an idea as stale as a month-old box of Tostitos into a full-fledged product of real substance. Yet that is exactly what they've done with Shatter, a downloadable game that boasts style, sheen, and class. There's nothing old-hat about this thoroughly entertaining experience.

The core concept remains the same: maneuver a paddle back and forth in an effort to bounce a ball off walls and into blocks. If you slip up and let the ball get by you, a life is lost. Once all the obstacles have been destroyed, the level is complete. Fun, but almost boringly straightforward. Shatter, however, manages to make this both exciting and deep, improving upon classics like Arkanoid in all the ways that matter. The game takes place in a cyberspace land full of neon lights and abstract backgrounds, and not only looks fantastic but does an excellent job of keeping the hectic action manageable during the craziest of scenarios. The fitting electro rock soundtrack is phenomenal, flowing with pulsing beats and fast-paced vigor. This world is inhabited with a whole mess of blocks that take on a variety of shapes and properties, and Shatter teaches you a few nifty (and surprisingly versatile) tricks to bash them into oblivion.    

You can practically feel those scores rising, multipliers combo-ing, and meters filling.

First and foremost is the multipurpose ability to suck in air and, conversely, shoot it back out. Everything is affected by this subtle push and pull, and if you're not careful you'll find piles of blocks hurtling your way to knock you out of commission for a critical moment. A shield helps to avoid this fate, but eats up the energy bar as a ravenous sea lion would several delicious fish. Use it sparingly, for a full meter unleashes a Shard Storm that slows down time, allowing you to barrage offending blocks with devastating bullets and spectacularly rad explosions. Blue shards pour forth from destroyed blocks to either fill up the meter or ricochet off your shield, becoming weapons of their own. It's supremely satisfying to pull in heaps upon heaps of the shiny prizes after an especially successful frenzy of destruction. To keep things even more interesting, a range of power-ups appear from time to time, awarding you with some game-changing abilities. All of these elements combine admirably to create an elegant stream of action that never lets up.

Level design in Story Mode is clever and fresh, making it a necessity to think fast and devise strategies on the fly. It's not terribly challenging, but it'll take a good two hours or so to complete. Each of the ten levels is comprised of several waves, a boss fight, and a bonus round, all of which entertain. The Endless and Time Attack modes task you with surviving for as long as possible and racking up points in the allotted time limit, respectively, both of which can be played via local co-op. Bonus Mode lets you practice your skill in the Pong-esque bonus stages, and Boss Rush pits you against each boss in succession. All told, there's a ton of stuff packed into this deceptively deep game, and it's consistently fun to come back for more. Easily surpassing the worth of the asking price, Shatter is a smashing success that deserves to be played again and again.

Critical Gamer

I have a question for you, reader:

Have you ever been to Critical Gamer? Well? Have you?

I discovered this delightful gaming site a while back and highly appreciated their unique articles, regularly updated content, and spiffy style. So luckily for me, I've had the good fortune of writing for them, and my first article is over there now! My topic of choice was something that I find very important in the land of video games; namely, role-playing and its role (pun!) in RPGs. So head over there, drop a comment, take a look around, and keep checking back for more good stuff by the fine staff of Critical Gamer.

Of course, I'll still be plugging away at Blue Mage Reviews as well, so expect more posts in the near future! If GameFly would hurry up and send me some games, I might have a review coming. Possibly. We'll see. Stay tuned. Goodbye.

QuickBlog: Lugaru HD

The following QuickBlog is a review request from a reader who shall remain nameless because he didn't mention his name. I hope a brief look at Lugaru HD is enough for you, nameless reader. I've had a lot on my plate recently (writing-wise and life-wise), and I don't really think this particular title needs extended exploration. All the same, let me know if you have any questions or whatnot, and enjoy! As for the rest of you, feel free to make a request of your own. I'm up for it!


6.0 - [Good]

Gameplay: 8
Visuals: 4
Music: 4
Sound: 4
Value: 6


Publisher: N/A
Developer: Wolfire Games
Multiplayer: N/A
Console(s): PC
Reviewed on: PC
ESRB rating: N/A
BMR rating: T (Blood, Violence)

Good Points:

Advanced, innovative combat system - Strategic depth prolongs replay value - Rad martial arts

Not So Good Points:

Nothing to do but the core fighting - Frustration can seep into the unforgiving fights - Muddy, unattractive graphics - Glitches break up the action - Almost nonexistent music - Disturbing, violent rabbits


Lugaru HD is without a doubt one of the strangest games I've ever played. Developed by the tiny independent studio Wolfire Games, it has little in the ways of production values and, at first glance, seems kind of worthless. But past the unattractive exterior is a deep game that will most likely surprise you in both good and bad ways. The simple plot revolves around a villager named Turner who loses his family and friends to a band of murderous raiders, and thus goes on a revenge-bent killing spree that ventures into some dark territory. What makes the whole experience disconcertingly surreal is the fact that nearly the entire cast is built up of anthropomorphic bunnies with disturbingly human-like proportions. And let me tell you, these bunnies can fight. It's tough to get a handle on the unorthodox combat system, and your first attempts might yield frustration. After learning the ebbs and flows of timing counters and strikes, however, the action can become fast and intense. There are three types of weapons in the game (knives, swords, and bo staffs), but almost all of your time will be spent wielding the knife or duking it out bare-pawed. Obtained items deal serious damage, but can be disarmed with a clever counter or solid blow, which sends everyone scrambling to recover the lost weapon and gain the edge in a fight. Taking on too many enemies at once can be your downfall, but a sharp mind and responsive controls guarantee that skill overcomes almost any odds. At its best, Lugaru HD becomes a whirlwind of awesome karate techniques as Turner throws opponents over his back, blocks their incoming fists, and wall-jump-kicks them in the head, all without taking damage. It's an unconventional combat system like no other, but it can be repetitive and exasperating at times, especially when stealth is involved. The satisfaction lies in that every minute spent practicing is a step closer to bunny fung fu perfection, and results can be dramatic in just a few hours of play.

Welcome to the world of Lugaru. You have been warned.

The story mode's length completely depends on your competence level, but certainly is short once you get the hang of things. Throughout the course of the adventure, you will stab rabbits with your knife (and pull out the blade dripping with blood), slit the throats of sleeping bandits in the night, and wipe out a village of wolves that may or may not contain women and children. The humorless tone, animal characters, and creepily hollow music make it even more disturbing, but it's true that Lugaru HD once again stands out from the crowd. Still, none of these acts of violence are very graphic due to the blocky visuals and highly un-cinematic presentation. The game is certainly not a looker, and there are some very shaky physics and camera jerks that regularly break up the flow. There's an overall feeling of low quality that can be mostly forgiven considering that the entire project was essentially constructed by a single person (an incredible feat, I might add), but it's present nonetheless. But the underlying mechanics are sound, and it's a good thing they're so finely honed, as that's quite simply all there is to the game. A bunch of challenge maps that are just as fun as the campaign missions will keep you going for a while, and you can raise or lower the difficulty depending on your preference, but that's pretty much all you'll get. It's a testament to the core gameplay that it continues to entertain well after the story mode is completed, and its blend of unusual ideas should be remembered and learned from in the future. The price runs at a mere $10, but even though it goes without saying, I'll say it anyway: Lugaru HD is not for everyone. It's weird, unsettling, complex, and ugly along with being brilliant and fun, and should be approached with the same amount of caution a knife-wielding bunny deserves.

Blue Mage and Twitter

Well, that last post was somewhat of a fiasco. Apparently Blue Mage has been getting restless and felt the need to hijack the blog in order to express his worthy opinions and obtain a piece of the virtual creativity pie. That's how he put it, at any rate. Conduct of that sort-- the kind where my life is threatened and nearly ended-- is, however, unacceptable, so we came to a compromise:

Blue Mage will now handle this blog's Twitter account. In return, he will not kill me.

Is this idea dangerous? Foolish? Kind of stupid? Yes, yes, and absolutely. I can only hope that this distraction will not only benefit myself and users of Blue Mage Reviews, but also keep the Blue Mage too busy to post horrible cosplay photos of himself. If you'd like to do so, feel free to follow him here. Ideally his tweets will be pre-approved before going live, but honestly, that's probably not going to happen.

Still, there's a bright side to all this. New reviews and articles will be updated regularly, so you can stay super informed and up-to-date and all that. You can also ask questions, give feedback, and have input regarding the content of Blue Mage Reviews. Who knows what sort of fascinating details Blue Mage will leak early? I'm hoping he'll at least keep passwords and other personal data a secret, but again, that's probably not going to happen.

So yeah, I'd love for you to follow the exploits of Blue Mage Reviews! You can still follow my personal Twitter account, of course, but I won't be speaking exclusively about the blog over there. Just let me know if you hear another murderous plot concerning my well-being, and don't get into a fight over Final Fantasy XIV with Blue Mage. If that happens, your only defense will be the restrictive 140 character count, thereby crippling his scathing yet elaborate insults. Remember that, and all will be well.

Thanks for reading!

Blue Mage's Resolutions and Their Results

Greetings to you, voyagers of the cyberlands! It is I again, Blue Mage, mascot and secret master mind of this very weblog. Emblem 180 has once again bowed to my wishes and is allowing me to create another intelligent article for your viewing pleasure. If one harks back to the beginning of the year 2010, one will recall a list of resolutions that I (the Blue Mage) vowed to complete before the year's end. If you wish to refresh your memory on this event, I encourage you to click this link to see the impressive spectacle for yourself. Now I am here at the beginnings of 2011 give my report on how, precisely, I achieved my inordinately overwhelming objectives. Please do enjoy, and attempt to keep your levels of raging jealousy towards me to a minimum. Emblem 180 must work hard at this task each and every day, and so can you.


#10: Learn to use two control sticks at once


This resolution, I decided halfway through a particularly grueling round of Halo: Reach's unrelentingly unfair Firefight Mode, was not stretching my potential to its fullest. I asked this question to myself: why should I merely "learn" how to use both control sticks when I can be alone on a hill of my own skillful making by mastering only one? While my foolish foes are fiddling about in a frenzy of twofold frustration, I can confidently move a single control stick to and fro in complete domination. Perhaps they can aim and turn and whatnot, but I-- ah, the Blue Mage alone-- can strafe very effectively.

#9: Buy an Xbox Live headset

I borrowed Emblem 180's but refused to give it back, and thus it counts.

#8: Travel through time/space in order to visit Dimentio

As it turns out, Dimentio is an extremely busy angular antagonist. And really now, I am not one to complain, but his secretary is in dire need of training. The impudent girl had the gargantuan gall to tell me repeatedly that I could not drop by without, as she so callously put it, "scheduling an appointment." Do I force viewers of this weblog to "schedule appointments" with me in order to correspond? No, I do not! A mere comment is all I take to respond with joy and pleasantries. Still, I do not hold Dimentio personally responsible for his incompetent underling, and I did manage to leave a flattering message on his voice-mail.

#7: Sue Nintendo

Nintendo had it coming with their flagrant blue mage stereotyping, and although my plot to malign Reggie Fils-Aime fell through, I did successfully hijack their pompous demonstration of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. By sending high-frequency signals through the air using my magical powers, I essentially rendered their precious Motion-Plus remotes useless! The look of  inescapable embarrassment on Miyamoto-san's face was a delicious and revengeful desert served, at the very least, below room temperature.

#6: Publish "The Big Book of Blue Mage Quotes"

Good publishers are nigh impossible to come by these days, but I am looking deeply into self-publishing. The project is nearly complete, and thus counts. To prove that this book does indeed exist in some form or another, I shall present to you an excerpt of "The Big Book of Blue Mage Quotes."

The look of  inescapable embarrassment on Mr. Miyamoto's face was a delicious and revengeful desert served, at the very least, below room temperature.

#5: Reach the level cap in Final Fantasy XI

This goal was, naturally, superseded by the 2010 release of Final Fantasy XIV. I switched all my efforts and energy to the brand new massively multiplayer online role-playing game instead, and it is... it is everything I could have hoped for. It is perfect and is in no way flawed, broken, boring, or terrible. Just... just leave me be!

#4: Travel to Japan

I have discovered that airplane rates are not as inexpensive as I was led to believe. Also, taking my cape off to pass through security is a demeaning act I would never participate in, regardless of reasonable safety regulations. However, I did finish my splendid Sazh Katzroy costume, pictured below:

#3: Buy a Chu Chu

They do not, as it were, sell chu chus on eBay. This is an automatic disqualification and thus does not count against my record.

#2: Train my Chu Chu

How can one train a chu chu named Chuey that does not exist? Aha, I have you in a clever logic trap. You lose, and again this does not at all count against me.

#1: Discover a way to get the inane failure known as "Emblem 180" fired

To my endless chagrin, it has been revealed that Emblem 180 has no higher-ups to fire him or ex-business-partners/wives that care to see him dead. As disappointing as this turn of events is, I was able to (through stealthy tactics and incessant stalking) poison his lunch this very afternoon. Therefore, it will not be long before Emblem 180 is no more and my first and foremost resolution is complete. So it counts.

As you can see with perfect clarity, I (the Blue Mage) have defeated each and every goal on my previously concocted list. I briefly considered making another such compilation for this new year, but having finished this one, I can see no room for improvement. I would consider brilliant suggestions from viewers, if merely to appease the masses, but I sincerely doubt there is any meaningful ambition to aim for in the new decade. That is not to say my life is devoid of meaning; far from it. There are countless things for a blue mage such as myself to busy himself with, and I feel more alive than ever before! That is more than could be said, I think, for Emblem 180. And to this I chortle.

A Look to the Past: Games of the Years - The End

Hello, and welcome to the finale of A Look to the Past: Games of the Years. The greatest entries from the past twenty years of video games have been successfully chronicled, and we finally make it to the end: all the way back to 2010! We've visited the NES, witnessed the brief reign of the Dreamcast, dropped by to see online gaming take off, and finally come to rest at the current generation of hardware. In case you haven't been calculating information in your head this whole time, here's a recap of the feature for your reading pleasure:

1990 - Super Mario Bros. 3

1991 - Super Mario World

1992 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

1993 - Myst

1994 - Donkey Kong Country

1995 - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

1996 - Super Mario 64

1997 - Star Fox 64

1998 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

1999 - Soul Calibur

2000 - Rayman 2: The Great Escape

2001 - Super Smash Bros. Melee

2002 - Animal Crossing

2003 - The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker

2004 - World of Warcraft

2005 - Shadow of the Colossus

2006 - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

2007 - Halo 3

2008 - Super Smash Bros. Brawl

2009 - Batman: Arkham Asylum

Game of the Ever: 2004 - World of Warcraft

And here are some fun statistics on the winners in case you're curious:

Publishers:

Nintendo - 12

Broderbund - 1

Namco - 1

Ubisoft - 1

Blizzard Entertainment - 1

Sony Computer Entertainment - 1

Bethesda Softworks - 1

Microsoft - 1

Eidos Interactive - 1

Original IPs: 

3 (Myst, Animal Crossing, Arkham Asylum)

Sequels/spin-offs:

17 (All the others)

Games with multiplayer:

11 (Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country, Star Fox 64, Soul Calibur, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Animal Crossing, Wind Waker, World of Warcraft, Halo 3, Super Smash Bros. Brawl)

Games that contain the word "Super" in their title:

6 (Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Super Mario 64, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. Brawl)

As this year comes to a close and people begin to furiously compile their Top 10 lists and select their Game of the Year nominees, it's good to reflect on how far games have come. Compare the first item on the list, Super Mario Bros. 3, with 2009's winner. Has any medium improved so drastically in such a short amount of time? We could debate which of the two games is better until 2012 comes around to unleash the T-virus, activate the seven Halo rings, and wipe us off the face of the earth, but nobody can argue that time hasn't been very generous to games both technically and sophisticatedly. But if nothing else, this has proven how amazing video games are. Looking back on all those years brings nostalgia to my heart and reminds me why I play games in the first place. I sincerely hope that you've enjoyed this Look to the Past, and I'd love to hear your Games of the Years (and Game of the Ever, too). 

And with that, I'm off! See you next time!

A Look to the Past: Games of the Years 2009 - Batman Arkham Asylum

2009 

Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3, Xbox 360)

The Joker's arrest has gone terribly awry. Mad, depraved inmates are roaming the grimy halls of Arkham Asylum. The security officers are all but nonexistent; most of them are dead. There's a sinister, evil plot behind these dark events, and the Joker himself is orchestrating it all, viewing the wanton murders and ghastly sights as a twisted joke for his own perverse pleasure. There's only one silver lining in this horrible mess: Batman is here.

Take that concept and mold it into the most awesome video game you possibly can; that's Batman: Arkham Asylum. The tone was dark and grim, dripping with minute details and creepy atmosphere, and you were placed directly into the role of the Dark Knight. Arkham Asylum's crowning achievement was its ability to make you feel just like Batman. The outstanding animation for the fight sequences had him delivering hard-hitting punches and vaulting around the enemies like a pro, always in command and always looking ridiculously cool. The free-flowing hand-to-hand combat was unbelievably fluid, and a daunting pack of criminals could be brought to their knees without Batman ever missing a beat or breaking a combo. The stealth mechanics allowed you to execute sneak attacks and mess with the enemy thugs' minds, slowly panicking them to the state of terror. Moving beyond the frustrations of most stealth games, Arkham Asylum made escape fully possible once spotted, and duking it out was usually an option as well, but creeping through the shadows and taking out minions one by one was supremely satisfying. These two elements blended together perfectly, all wrapped around an enthralling and immersive plot that felt like a blockbuster action film in which you got to be the hero. My jaw dropped during the opening interactive cutscene, and I didn't pick it up again until the credits rolled.

"Come on, boys. He's just one man! One man dressed like a lunatic and armed to the teeth! Hehehehehehe! Go get him!"

-The Joker speaking to his men via the PA system.

The setting went a long way to securing Arkham Asylum a place in the history books. The Joker's hilarious and sadistic remarks spoken over the PA system never became stale, and each inmate was well-acted and convincingly insane. Alone and against impossible odds, Batman had to maneuver every inch of the island and use every trick in his book to survive, which made everything all the more amusing for the maniacal Joker. The brave superhero was set up for failure every step of the way, but always he forged ahead without complaint, saving victims and beating down foes. This dynamic between the two central characters made everyone else seem like pawns in a horrible game of chess, except that Batman's side consisted of only one knight, and it had achieved both mental and physical perfection. Such tense struggle between good and evil, the sane and the insane, was the perfect story to be told in the madhouse known as Arkham Asylum, and it won't be forgotten any time soon. Of course, I missed out on some of the more popular games from 2009 such as Assassin's Creed II, Resident Evil 5, blah blah blah and etcetera. I think I've made it clear that I can't always play all of the newer games due to time and price restraints. However, I did get a chance to spend some quality time with games like Mario & Luigi 3: Bowser's Inside Story, Dragon Age: Origins, Demon's Souls, Halo: ODST, and (of special note) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. And let me tell you, I spent very long and tortured amount of time deciding between this final option and Arkham Asylum. Every time I came to a decision, I would change my mind and start over again, continuing the endless cycle in my indecisive mind. But in the end, it was Arkham Asylum's sheer originality that takes away the final prize of this Look to the Past, for it sprang seemingly from nowhere and forged an eye-opening new path of its own. Never before had I felt more like I truly was the main character of the game; Arkham Asylum nailed Batman, and that is a feat to be proud of.

A Look to the Past: Games of the Years 2008 - Super Smash Bros. Brawl

2008 

Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)

I count myself as a pretty big Nintendo fan, as this Games of the Years features has no doubt highlighted. From the early days of the NES to the present day Wii, Nintendo has consistently put out some of the best, most high-quality products on any platform. When you combine over thirty Nintendo characters, over forty Nintendo-inspired stages, and over two-hundred-fifty Nintendo songs, it essentially creates Heaven in video game form. Super Smash Bros. Brawl is yet another game on the list that is too big for words... unfortunately, this blog is generally constructed of words, so I'll have to do my best. In 2008 the madcap fighting style of Super Smash Bros. was unleashed upon the world once more, making everybody within a hundred yard radius exceptionally happy. I wouldn't go so far as to say Brawl perfected the series like I think Halo 3 did; Super Smash Bros. Melee's gameplay was superior in some ways. However! Brawl upped the overall quality and content (especially in the music department) so dramatically that it barely makes a difference. New characters were added to the fray, and most of them were fun to play as and interesting choices. Of special note was the inclusion of two outsiders: Konami's Solid Snake and Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog. These were among the greatest newcomers to arrive in Brawl, and helped to set the stage for even more crazy, fan-fiction-inspired showdowns. Levels were bigger and more interactive than ever, showcasing a great Hylian bridge that comes under attack by evil forces, a guided tour of Delfino Plaza's sunny entirety, and a Mario Kart track rife with reckless racers to name a few. The many, many songs set to these levels were composed by dozens of renowned video game musicians, from Nobuo Uematsu to Koji Kondo to Akihiro Honda. Most of them were remixed tunes from Nintendo's past, and the music as a whole was fantastic. Almost every piece was a winner, and some topped their original forms. Brawl was clearly intent on having both quality and quantity in all respects.

I don't know about you, but this is exactly what my crazy fan-fiction showdowns look like.

Well, in almost all respects. Although the Subspace Emissary (Brawl's attempt at a story) didn't hit all the right marks, the other modes and options made it easy to forget. Players could create their own battlegrounds with the stage creator, which made great strides in replayability. If you ever got tired of the excellent developer-designed stages, you could throw some blocks together and get a whole new experience. As the most notable new addition, it was simple but effective, and the flat-out amazing gameplay made even the slightest differences in stage design meaningful. And of course, the nostalgia-inducing trophies made a triumphant return, acting as 3D collectables to honor past Nintendo history. Other modes and options deepened an already deep game, which is, in essence, what Brawl did to the series overall. Now, I've never played Grand Theft Auto 4, BioShock, or Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (rather popular entries in the 2008 repertoire of games). However, I have played some eye-openers from that year, including Burnout Paradise, Soulcalibur IV, and LittleBigPlanet. Although each of those games were fantastic in their own rights, Brawl knocked them down like bowling pins. It was everything a video game should be: it conjured up images from the legends of yore; it presented new, fresh ideas; it boasted strong multiplayer options; it contained endless variety; it had amazing music; its visual style was both pleasing and impressive; and, last and most importantly, Super Smash Bros. Brawl was just plain fun.

A Look to the Past: Games of the Years 2007 - Halo 3

2007

Halo 3 (Xbox 360)

Halo was hyped. Really, really hyped. Posters for the third and final installment were plastered over store windows everywhere I went, every banner ad on every website ordered me to "Finish the Fight," and there was even a Mountain Dew flavor named after the long-awaited finale to the Halo trilogy. It appeared rather trite and superficial from the outside, having never played a Halo game before. My brother and I jokingly referred to the series as "teh haloz" because of all the poorly-spelled forum posts praising the game. But then we finally tried it, and radness ensued. Now that I've played every Halo game in existence, I can clearly see that Halo 3 was the pinnacle of the series. Maybe it didn't have the ridiculously cool pistol from the first game or the fascinating Arbiter missions from Halo 2, but it had much more than that. Bungie cranked up the scale with a phenomenal soundtrack by Martin O'Donnell, gave the visuals a shiny coat of Xbox 360 finish, and included meaningful features that both innovated and refined. Now four players could team up at once in the game's excellent campaign, which made pummeling Brutes and Grunts all the more exciting. Online multiplayer was essentially perfected with better map design and an overall slicker matchmaking service, along with new modes and weapons to keep things fresh. The most substantial new addition, however, was Forge Mode. With this creative tool, players could drop in all kinds of objects, vehicles, and items to populate their own maps. Imagination could yield great things, including elaborate, explosive traps and levels so heavily modified that they felt brand new. To capture all the magical moments of the game, a Theater Mode was instituted to save screenshots and videos so the hilariously grisly deaths of your clumsy Elite could be cherished forever. Bungie knew exactly how to give the Halo series new life without sacrificing its strengths, and they did so with near perfection.

Hey, this is my favorite thing to do in multiplayer! I always drive, my brother guns. Memories, I tell you...

But it's not only the gameplay that made Halo 3 memorable; story and characters, combined with the universe that went along with them, ensured that this is one game you'll never forget. Even amid a degree of confusion (the plot wasn't clear, going so far as to be flat-out unclear), the people embroiled in this battle for the fate of all was both fun and moving. It doesn't hurt that Master Chief is the coolest character ever. There was a certain vibe to the Halo series-- the feel of the weapons, the tone of the story, the pacing of the level design-- that reached maximum awesomeness in this game. It truly felt like the end of a great journey, one that was started at the dawn of the Xbox and continued into next console for an epic conclusion. 2007 was a good years for shooters. I myself played Lost Planet: Extreme Condition, Warhawk, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, and even the jaw-dropping Crysis (a close contender for this very award). However, Halo 3 still reigns as the shooter that does everything just abut flawlessly and contains a world that I always want to revisit. I also want to mention that Super Mario Galaxy and The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass were both released that year, proving further my devotion to the Halo cause (because those games were SO GOOD). Even amid the uncontrolled hype and raging expectations, Halo 3 was utterly successful in becoming the best of its kind, and in my mind has yet to be topped. For all intents and purposes, it really did finish the fight.

A Look to the Past: Games of the Years 2006 - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

2006 

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind was a mess. It was a grand, sprawling mess of amazingness, but it was a mess. Embarrassing animation, glitchy terrain, cheap-sounding spell effects, horrible AI... the list goes on. It was epic in scope and did what it set out to do, but there were plenty of bumps along the way. Its successor, Oblivion, fixed pretty much everything and expanded the Elder Scrolls series in magnificent ways. It sacrificed some player freedom and Morrowind's unique identity along the way, but it ultimately became for a far more polished and playable experience. The massive fantasy world of Cyrodiil held mysteries to solve, pirates to duel, books to read, mansions to rob, magic to learn, horses to ride, arenas in which to do battle, and a lot more... and I'm still talking about the capitol city. Yes, Oblivion was huge, and it provided one of the most convincing worlds ever conceived in a video game. Every AI-controlled NPC had his or her own schedule, from the moment they got up until they went to bed, as the world moved along in real-time. Farmers tilled the fields until the orange dusk descended, lords and ladies allowed visitors to their great halls before retiring to their personal quarters, and shop owners kept their stores locked up tight when at home. Meanwhile, you could go virtually anywhere you liked and do virtually anything you wanted to do. The combat was fun and satisfying and the quests were interesting, despite the fact that there were a staggering amount of ways to fight and places to go. And forget the main (and, might I add, optional) quest; wandering from town to town and fighting off bandits kept me occupied for hours. Of course, that was the beauty of Morrowind, too. But in Oblivion, things actually looked good!

The Road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone, and you must follow, if you can.

Picturesque countrysides, rolling hills, quiet townships, and flourishing forests made Cyrodiil a beautiful place that was worth spending time in. I still can't get over how remarkable it was to stand in the middle of the wilderness with nothing but dozens of trees, bright flowers, and thick bushes in all directions. Very few games capture that sense of depth and realism. The dank places under the earth were appropriately creepy, and I swear you could cut the tension in those caves with a knife. In fact, all of Oblivion's atmosphere was fantastic, the first-person perspective adding to the immersion. Also a vast improvement over its predecessor, Oblivion featured a physics system, which was a little on the iffy side, but far better than nothing. The soundtrack was quite simply some of the most beautiful music I've had the pleasure of hearing and refused to get old no matter how many days of play. But no part of Oblivion-- not even the music-- makes it what it is. The subtle, expansive world truly was the sum of its many parts, which made it a near-endless adventure in which you wrote the story. It's true that very few things in Oblivion were perfect (usually far from), but the astounding amount of cohesive, eye-opening dungeons, towns, and events that scattered Cyrodiil more than made up for the flaws. It doesn't matter if you compare similar games such as Okami, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess or Rayman Raving Rabbids against it; Oblivion is just too big to ignore.

Sonic Colors

7.5 - [Great]

Gameplay: 7
Visuals: 9
Music: 8
Sound: 7
Value: 7

Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sonic Team
Multiplayer: Co-op
Console(s): Wii, DS
Reviewed on: DS
ESRB rating: E (Cartoon Violence)
BMR rating: E (Cartoon Violence)

Good points:

Wild sense of speed - Improved controls - Rad soundtrack - Colorful visuals - Humorous writing - Highly replayable - Exciting level design

Not so good points:

Kind of lame theme song - Broken ranking system - Power-ups can grow tiring


Sonic Colors is a game that caught me by surprise. While the general public's collective eyes were trained on the long-awaited Sonic 4, this inconspicuous title sneaked its way onto the Wii without much fuss. The fact that it acts as a successor of sorts to the generally disliked Sonic Unleashed didn't bolster hopes. It is surprising and altogether heartening, then, that Sonic Colors is a big surprise in a very good way. To use a less-than-clever but still relevant analogy, it's as if Sonic Team took the pallete from their past efforts, picking only the best colors and brushes to paint a vivid picture that acts as a glowing example of the series done right. That's not to say Sonic Colors is without fault, however, for it sports a small collection of irritations and a large, stupid oversight that hurts replayabilty. But despite these superficial smudges, the image remains intact and highly entertaining. In fact, this is the purest 3D Sonic game since... well... ever.

The game launches you right into the thick of a crazy level without any exposition whatsoever. Those hoping for a break from the questionable stories seen in previous games might be disappointed to find that Sonic Colors does, after some initial high-paced running to set the mood, include a narrative. Upon completing the stage, it is revealed that Dr. Eggman has reportedly reformed and is the owner and creator of a massive interstellar amusement park for the good of all. Sonic, of course, doesn't for a moment fall for this bunch of shenanigans and convinces his buddy Tails that the mad doctor has to go down. Predictably, the seasoned hedgehog was right: Eggman is using an innocent alien race known as the Wisps to power his newest contraption of evil and malice. That's the entire plot and cast, aside from a couple goofy robots and an effectively mute Wisp, which proves to be the perfect size for a story that works as a compliment to the gameplay rather than a hindrance. The new voice cast does a great job at livening up the cutscenes with fitting voices, and the writing is surprisingly fun and amusing. A few self-acknowledging jabs at the series and some legitimately funny jokes make this a Sonic tale that doesn't take itself too seriously. It's cheesy, yes; but it's cheesy in a way that works.

It's a good thing that Baldy McNosehair (as Sonic and Tails have coined the diabolical doctor) put so much effort into designing his villainous theme park, because it did wonders for level design. Six vibrant worlds think outside the box to deliver some exhilarating speed and clever platforming. You won't find the average Green Hill equivalent, ice world with a snowboarding sequence, or gear-obsessed metal fortress here: Sonic Colors does a good job at bringing the hedgehog to lands unexplored. You'll visit towering mountains of delicious food that provide some sweet loop-de-loops through donuts, a brilliantly-lit fleet of neon-colored ships as they travel through hyperspace, and a submerged Japanese temple with schools of fish swimming between the pillars just to name a few. Stage selects reminiscent of Super Mario Bros. 3's map screen highlights the generous scoop of levels each world contains, displaying helpful information pertaining to ranks, scores, and objects collected for each one. Some are short and almost mini-game-like challenges, others focus on a particular gameplay element, and others still mix everything together for full-length levels. This wholesome amount of variety is a welcome addition, but still presents plenty of the core Sonic action that everyone's here for.

So that's where he gets all that caffeine! 

The game plays very similarly to Sonic Unleashed: both behind-the-back sequences with full 3D control and traditional 2D controls fluidly meld together to create the best of both worlds. Everything feels much tighter this time around, making it a ton of fun to blast through the levels at top speed. The 3D parts require a decent amount of finesse to keep from ramming into objects or flying off a ledge altogether, but the responsive quick steps will stop you from losing control during the blindingly fast and extra dangerous sections. Some areas will have you sliding around tight turns and others give you more direct control, but it all boils down to the same gameplay elements. At times slippery, there are certainly moments of mild frustration that lead to a lost lfie, but nothing that a little overcorrection can't fix. The 2D portions usually deal with more platforming-related trials and offer a classic sidescrolling bent to the action; they're often employed when complex, multi-layered stages take charge. Both are enjoyable and necessary parts of a whole, and the two styles of play often blur together so seamlessly that it's hard to even notice the change.

Despite their perspective differences, both modes share the same essence. Sonic can now double jump, which takes some getting used to but ultimately does a lot for precision. The sliding move and homing attack also return, both of which assist in chaining together combos and resisting gravity and friction alike. Maintaining your boost meter by grabbing capsules of friendly aliens will go a long way to keeping you zipping straight up walls and flying down rails at an impressive velocity, and it's undeniably thrilling to keep moving without skipping a beat. Sonic is a ridiculously speedy rodent and the stages take full advantage of this fact. Ramps and enemies are placed in just the right manner to allow a skilled player to blow through a stage by taking all the best tricks and shortcuts. The first way through can be a bumpy ride, for level memorization is key to success, but it's the practice and results of said practice that make it so rewarding to finally nail a stage start to finish. Sonic Colors knows when to slow things down, though; mindlessly pushing forward won't do you any favors. Spikes and pits will trip you up if you're not looking where you're going, and it's oftentimes advantageous to stop and examine your surroundings to find a better route for your next run. This installment in the series boasts commendable pacing and great controls, which is an impressive feat considering the delicate balance between slowing Sonic down too much and, alternatively, letting him blindly dash in a straight line to victory. A Wii remote and nunchuck combo, a single remote, a classic controller, and a GameCube controller can all be used to play the game, and they all work fine (though I wasn't able to personally test the classic controller setup). I found myself gravitating to the nunchuck setting since it's easier to boost and jump simultaneously, but it's surprisingly playable with the other controllers.

The primary new feature of Sonic Colors is the power-up mechanic. Excluding the previously mentioned white Wisps that fill the boost meter, there are seven different colored Wisps that each possess their own special properties. Yellow turns Sonic into an earth-digging drill, cyan bounces him off walls and through robots as a laser, pink morphs him into a spinning blade of spikes that can latch onto walls, blue turns special tokens into platforms of cubes (and vice versa), green floats him through the air to reach high places and nab rings, orange sends him high into the air as a rocket, and purple transforms him into a raging beast that devours everything in sight. These power-ups can be used to access secret passages, blow through large groups of enemies, and generally interact with the world however you see fit. As you unlock more of the powers you'll be able to revisit old levels and put them to good use where previously nothing could be done. I sometimes found myself wishing that I could just keep moving instead of fiddling around with a spiky pink bowling ball (especially since the controls can be a mite finicky every now and then), but they're a nice addition to break up the action and add a bit of depth to the familiar running and jumping. It's a shame that shaking the Wii remote is required to activate them (that is, if you're using one of the Wii remote control schemes), though. It's a functional mechanic, if somewhat pointless and unresponsive, but the game could have done without any motion controls whatsoever. Yet the seemingly innocent alien pals contribute a far more irritating error to the game, and much as the drill power delves deep into the earth, it digs the replay an unfortunate grave.

Grab those rings, hit the springs, get to the end of the stage... you know the drill. PUN!

That might have been a tad on the dramatic side of things, but the designers seem to have overlooked an import aspect of their ranking system. As is custom in recent Sonic games, a grade is handed out for each level's performance, ranging from the unbearably lousy E to the coveted S. Three elements factor into the rank: the time it took you to complete the stage, the number of rings you obtained and finished with, and the overall score from beating up robots, grinding, and general things like that. The problem lies within the power-ups, as simply remaining in one of the forms continuously racks up score. This might not be a problem if some of the Wisp capsules didn't respawn, but that isn't the case. Therefore it becomes all too easy to spam the heck out of the power-ups, resulting in an S rank for turning around in circles and wasting time. There's a cap for score and time, which does help to an extent, but some stages are hurt by this cheap exploitation. Naturally this doesn't effect actual level design, but completionists or those looking for a challenge will be disappointed in a system that doesn't care too much about how skillful you are at charging through a given level. Luckily there are plenty of other things to do in Baldy McNosehair's wonderful world of impractically built amusement park rides, leaving behind the poor ranking system to contemplate its mistakes.

Five red coins are hidden in each level, and using wit and Wisps to find them is a simple concept that does a remarkable amount for replayability. It's also a good excuse to further scour each stage for the very best paths, which makes speed runs all the more satisfying. A challenge mode tasks you with completing the entire game, level after level, in one go. Your total time and score will be uploaded to the leaderboards for all to see, which isn't a bad option if you feel like sinking a lot of time into the game at once. Dr. Eggman has a game of his own cooked up for those yearning for even more to do in the form of an arcade-style Sonic Simulator, putting the player in control of a robot version of Sonic. Your custom Mii's head can replace Sonic's if you so desire, but honestly, that looks really weird. Collecting special rings from stages unlocks more levels in the simulator, and beating those earns you Chaos Emeralds. Can you guess what happens when you manage to gather all seven of the fabled jewels? If not, you probably haven't played a Sonic game before. A friend can join the fun in the form of a second Sonic-bot (or a disturbing, disgruntled, one-eyed Mii, in my case), but doing so isn't especially exciting, and the fellow player usually ends up getting in the way. The surreal, digital landscapes of the simulator are comprised of boxy platforms and sparse runways, creating an uncomplicated obstacle course. The whole atmosphere is kind of neat, including touches like arcade-cabinet-style artwork for the menu and MIDI versions of all the regular level songs. All things considered, it's a fun distraction, if not a little dull here and there.

The visuals that light up Eggman's fun-filled fair, however, are anything but dull. The game lives up to its name by presenting a colorful display of artistically and technically proficient graphics. Sonic and the other characters are animated well, and the speedy hedgehog's eyes are admirably reflective. But it's hard to pay attention to the blue blur when magnificent, otherworldly scenery is whizzing by, which tends to happen a lot in Sonic Colors. The rate of speed can be intense at times, but the frame rate stubbornly refuses to dip against all but the most hectic scenarios. Huge vistas full of detail and bright colors grace the first stage's surroundings, drawing attention to the spinning ferris wheels, flying cars, burning tiki torches, and absolutely enormous outer-space view of planet Earth. To continue the interstellar trend, at one point during the previously mentioned space fleet level the camera continues to pull back until Sonic is nothing more than a tiny dot on the screen, kicking up rainbow-colored sparks from the hull of a ginormous spaceship, all the while slipping in and out of a warp gate. It would be a lie to say that the game consistently manages to look this awesome, and an HD TV will reveal a certain amount of jagged lines here and there, but Sonic Colors is definitely one of the more impressive-looking Wii games out there.

Enjoy the view. In the actual game, you'll be halfway across the space station in the blink of an eye.

The sound design doesn't disappoint either. A smattering of well-known dings and boings from the Library of Old Sonic Sound Effects are at work here, but the new ones do the job, too. The voice acting and writing is a step up (or perhaps several very large steps up) from the past performances, with Eggman stealing the show as usual. Baldy McNosehair will occasionally make unexpectedly hilarious announcements over the park's PA system ("Remember, this ride is not safe for children twelve and under or over thirteen. This ride is also not safe for thirteen-year-olds."), but it's a pity that the volume is often too low to hear them properly. The music is joyous, fast-paced, and all around rad. Energetic guitar riffs and blissful synths can often be heard, but the tunes also venture into calming map screens and Sonic-Adventure-esque rock. The carefree powerpop theme song doesn't capture the excellence of the rest of the music (despite its admittedly endearing qualities), but the orchestrated version has appropriate grandeur and awesomeness. It's comes as no surprise that yet another Sonic game boasts an amazing soundtrack, but that doesn't take away the fact that Sonic Colors sounds as good as it looks.

And so this roller-coaster of a review finally comes to a close. There were plenty of ups and a few downs (the ranking system was especially terrifying), but nobody died and I certainly enjoyed myself. I'm also pleased to say that this Sonic game is fun, fast, funny, sharp, well-designed, and beautiful. It is delightfully devoid of anti-hero hedgehog clones with guns, stupid-big casts of unneeded characters, and glitches that haunt the souls of those who encounter them. It's not the very best platformer you'll find on the Wii (Super Mario Galaxy posing the main competition), but it's close to the top of the list. This is how Sonic the Hedgehog is meant to be played, so let's cross our fingers and hope that Sega continues to launch the beloved mascot into a future brighter than the extraterrestrial power-ups themselves.

A Look to the Past: Games of the Years 2005 - Shadow of the Colossus

2005

 Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)

"Here are beauties that pierce like swords and burn like cold iron."

-C.S. Lewis

When you start an entry with a quote like that, you know you're talking about a very special Game of the Year. You know you're talking about a game that transcends what, by all logic, a game should be. Indeed, without a doubt, you know you're talking about WWE Smackdown! vs. Raw. And it's a good thing this isn't a vlog, because I couldn't even type that with a straight face. Of course we're actually talking about Shadow of the Colossus, one of the most emotional and incredible games ever created. If somebody were to come up to me and say, "Emblem 180, video games are not art. You are silly to think that video games are art," I would hand him a copy of Shadow of the Colossus. If the cover art didn't win him over, I'd give him a PS2 and tell him to play the game. The words "epic" and "awesome" get thrown a lot these days ("Dude, that awesome can of Pepsi tasted EPIC!"), but Shadow of the Colossus earns the true meanings. You (the player) are tasked with defeating all sixteen Colossi in order to save a presumably dead girl dressed in white. The scale is earth-shaking yet the story is understated; I've never been more touched or awed by a game before. You travel the beautiful, desolate Forbidden Land with your loyal horse, slaying magnificent beast after beast, never quite assured that your actions are right. It's an unforgettable experience, laced with the smallest details and the largest vistas. There just aren't any other games like this (unless you count Team Ico's previous game); it forwent any tradition of genres and norms to craft its own truly unique adventure.

Nothing from 2005 stuck in my mind more than moments like these.

Luckily, Shadow of the Colossus isn't just an interactive art exhibit. The gameplay is excellent and filled with action-packed moments of battling colossal beasts and galloping across arid deserts. Some games tend to make the player feel like a near-invincible force to be reckoned with (like Halo) or a helpless and vulnerable victim (like Silent Hill), but Shadow of the Colossus manages to do both. One minute you're tripping over your own feet in an effort to escape your impending doom and the next second you're king of the world and slayer of giants. Tranquil and bombastic moments alike were memorable in their own ways; honestly, everything in Shadow of the Colossus was fantastic. Read my awesome review for all the epic details. I must admit to having never played some of the top games of 2005, such as Resident Evil 4 and God of War (have you picked up on the fact that I dislike large quantities of blood?), but even against the rest of the year's competition, Shadow of the Colossus looms over all. It's a shame that the top sellers from 2005 were largely dominated by sports games and titles with "Star Wars" on the box, but you know what? That's kind of good. Maybe it's for the best that Shadow of the Colossus stays out of pop culture's limelight and remains in the safe corridors of video gaming where it can be appreciated for its true worth. Sometimes a treasure is more valuable when nobody knows you have it.

Kirby's Epic Yarn

7.5 - [Great]

Gameplay: 7
Visuals: 9
Music: 8
Sound: 7
Value: 7

Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Good-Feel
Multiplayer: Co-op
Console(s): Wii
Reviwed on: Wii
ESRB rating: E (Mild Cartoon Violence)
BMR rating: E (Mild Cartoon Violence)



Good points:

Fantastic and unique artistic style - Solid platforming - Smooth, well-implemented co-op - Creative levels with plenty of variety - Absolutely, positively impossible not to fall in love with

Not so good points:

A bit on the easy side - Extra content and collectables could be more interesting


The Kirby platformers have always been light, simple affairs with dreamlike worlds and cuddly characters. The pink puffball of a mascot hops along fluffy clouds, rides atop magic stars, and flutters through the air with his tiny arms. How could this series conceivably become even more adorable? If your answer was "Make everything out of yarn," then you're entirely correct. Kirby's Epic Yarn, as the title goes, takes you on a trip to Patch Land that is so lovable you won't be able to resist smiling the whole way through. Of course, Kirby begins his journey in familiar Dream Land where everything is going perfectly well. The peaceful day shatters, however, when Kirby swallows a seemingly innocent tomato that transports him to another world, courtesy of the diabolical magician Yin-Yarn. But that's more or less the extent of Kirby's trademark eating abilities, for the world of Patch Land is created solely from yarn and other patchwork material, including Kirby himself. It's terribly difficult to eat things when you have no stomach to speak of. Therefore he must resort to using a few new tricks to find his way back to Dream Land and topple Yin-Yarn's evil scheme. Luckily for the plucky hero, a fellow circle of yarn named Prince Fluff is willing to help take down the vile villain, which opens up space on the couch for another player. This doubles the fun to be had, and believe me, there's plenty of it to go around.

Epic Yarn's presentation is its greatest strength. The tale is unraveled in a storybook format by a narrator who does a great job at sounding like he really is reading a picture book to a small audience, complete with different voices for all the characters. The aww-inspiring cutscenes move the story along and provide a few chuckles along the way, making good use of the motif. Even more impressive is the consistent and utterly adorable art style that strings the plot together. Kirby and Fluff use their lasso-like bits of string to swing across buttons suspended in the air and splash into lakes that create the illusion of water with a single, rippling line of blue yarn. Backgrounds appear as images sewn together with all sorts of colorful fabrics, portraying locations like a wintry town tucked away in the quiet dusk, a lively beach with a bright cobalt sky, and a land of toys stocked with teddy bears and building blocks. Imaginative level design includes zippers that can be pulled to open new portions of the stage and holes in the wall that let the protagonists slip behind the backdrop and run to and fro, making spherical imprints beneath the fabric. Everything is bursting with life and emphasized by the silky smooth frame rate and amazing animations. Kirby and Fluff move about in an extremely endearing way, the former of who smiles happily through the entire adventure (unlike the oddly disgruntled Prince Fluff). All of this is complimented perfectly with a fantastic soundtrack featuring new and old songs alike. Some levels will employ a single piano, tapping out the melodies with an uncomplicated beauty, and others are highlighted with the gentle nostalgia of a music box. The remix of Green Greens from past Kirby games, on the other hand, utilizes not only a piano, but a recorder, a bell, a bass, and a harmonica to joyous effects. A whole range of other musical styles exist to liven up any level with a wonderful tune, many of them cheery and almost all of them excellent. Epic Yarn somehow manages to have umbrella-bearing Waddle Dees float through rainbows without talking down to the player; the game isn't sickeningly cute and its visuals can be enjoyed by anyone with an open mind and a toleration for yarn.

Admit it. You want to hug this screenshot.

But fear not, Epic Yarn does indeed have gameplay! It's a departure from Kirby's past expeditions, but that doesn't take away from the breezy, collection-based platforming fun found here. Still two dimensional and still relatively easy, this new installment robs Kirby of his flying and scarfing talents. Yes, chowing down on an enemy won't grant a special power, and a single hop (along with a floating option via a second button press) is all you'll get for air movement. But that doesn't mean Kirby won't be transforming: double tapping a direction will change him into a speedy automobile, which is useful for quick dashes and long jumps. The aforementioned floating move turns him into a parachute, which also comes in handy for tricky situations, and slamming to the ground by morphing into a weight rounds out his new move set. Special sequences will see the perky puffball changing into a variety of wild transformations, but let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Most of the time playing will be spent as regular old Kirby and his new friend Prince Fluff, which is where the co-op comes in. Although the game can be played with only one person, it's far more entertaining to leap around the always entertaining levels with a friend. The surprisingly versatile lassos can be used to do just about anything, from taking out enemies to activating switches to swinging across chasms. Foes can be unraveled and thus defeated outright or picked up to be throw at blocks or other enemies. Both Kirby and Fluff can also be used as projectiles, opening up a whole new world of teamwork and revenge. Aside from reaching the stage's end, collecting dozens upon dozens of beads will be your main concern. These shiny objects don't only determine your rank for a particular level, but can be used to purchase items from the local shop. Death isn't a problem-- in fact, it's apparently nonexistent in Patch Land. Instead, taking a blow from an aggressive minion or a sharp spike simply causes your chosen character to lose a mess of beads in a similar fashion to the recent Lego games. It's not particularly challenging, but this style of play fits like a glove for the carefree quest. That's not to say you can get lazy, though: if you don't watch your step you'll miss out on the best scores and gold medals, which in turn presents an enticing reason to revisit past levels.

Of course, glittering medals aren't the sole reason to replay Epic Yarn's well-designed stages. An expert amount of creativity and variety has been poured into each and every location, and it's a joy to explore the unreservedly charming landscapes. The core gameplay generally remains the same throughout each world, but you'll always be doing something different depending on the circumstance. Topsy-turvy gravity and musical instruments that react to every footfall are just a couple of the scenarios you'll run across, and the transformation scenes add even more spice to the experience. Kirby and Fluff will morph into UFOs, dolphins, tanks, and more, each providing its own control scheme and play style. It's great fun to discover how each of these forms tick, and they do wonders in giving the game a diverse mixture of things to do. Speaking of things to do, the hub world known as Quilty Square gives you some nice motivation to take a break from beating level after level. An apartment building comes stocked with empty rooms, one of which Kirby claims for his own. You can find objects within levels to place in the humble abode, and a nearby shop soon opens up for you to spend your beads on. Honestly, this whole setup is little more than a glorified sticker book, allowing you to put up wallpaper, lay out carpets, and stamp couches, fountains, coffee mugs, and a load of other items in the quaint room. Trying to collect all the collectables is a good extra bit of challenge, but there's nothing very enthralling about arranging the earned prizes. The other apartments will eventually become occupied if you can hunt down the necessary items to attract tenants, and doing so will open up mini-games from Kirby's new pals. These tasks occupy your time with hide-and-go-seek matches, races to collect enough beads in the time limit, and other such activities. While they make fine distractions, there isn't much meat to the side quests and they certainly don't hold the appeal of the main course. For even more collectathon goodness, soundtracks are hidden inside levels for the curious hunter to find, which can be listened to at your leisure. Taken as whole, the numerous activities in an already solid game add to the inherent value and make for a fuller product overall.

Kirby's hanging from that dinosaur by a thread! LITERALLY! BAAA HA HA HA HA!!!

Seven worlds, fifty levels, and a plethora of extras ensure that you'll have more than enough platformer goodness to tide you over until Nintendo's next home-run. Epic Yarn may be held back a little by its simplicity, both in difficulty and in features, but its shining quality and sheer dedication to fun more than makes up for the drawbacks. Good-Feel certainly created a game that lives up to their name, and in doing so brought a beloved character back to home consoles with resounding success. If you're looking for a platforming experience less demanding than something like Super Meat Boy and Limbo (especially if you have a second player along for the ride), Epic Yarn is wholeheartedly recommended. Playing it will put a smile on your face and make your spirits rise, all the while sweeping you through an amusing adventure of lighthearted delight. It's true that money can't buy happiness, but it most definitely can secure you a copy Kirby's Epic Yarn, which is close enough.