Dare to Play the Game

Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. I’m your host that is having a rough week, but the looks on the horizon are quite good and I might come out of my current situation alive. Thank goodness I have my job to fall back on and thanks to my friends too for they provide me an outlet to let go my mental …espair. Here is a tip for the kids out there, don’t get divorced. Just shoot your spouse and bury the body in the backyard. It’s much easier and Bubba, your new cell mate will understand. (and then ask you to pick up the soap).

I believe we will take the hunter green approach today. Or perhaps that is seagreen? Alright, how many people even care? They just want something to stare at. Seriously, how many of you even read the clever notes that I make up below her picture. Perhaps I should throw it to the end and make you read. Yes boys and girls, even though I from time to time provide clever graphics for you to oggle at, I do provide content too. Amazing, even disturbing but it is true.

Playing the Wii is quite a different experience than the usual sit-motionless-on-the-couch scenario. Nintendo’s new console has gotten people on their feet and using muscles their bodies had forgotten about. One blogger in Philadelphia has lost nine pounds just from playing Wii Sports.

DeLorenzo told Reuters a fitness Web site has enlisted his help in creating Wii workouts, and he also recently bought the domain name WiiWorkout.net.

Alright, let’s examine the good points here. He lost 9 pounds in 6 weeks, that’s great and exactly the amount of weight you are supposed to lose per week. Point in fact, I’ve lost 45 pounds in the last year and most of that was accumulated in the first 30-35 weeks. 1-2 pounds a week kids, that’s what you should aim for, not the 15-20 lb, 3 week crazython that so much of Hollywood preaches. You only gain it back. Anyway, the ridiculous or funny part of this is the fact that 1) the old Nintendo power pad also did this (and so does DDR) and 2)this guy came up with this after he beat the crap out of his wife in simulated boxing on the Wii. Yep, expect a lawsuit and divorce proceedings in six months, I can see the argument now, “domestic simulated violence on the Wii”. Yes it could be a healthy thing for a marriage too I suppose but they don’t mention Wii bowling or Wii tennis against the wife, they mention boxing. Let’s not even go into what would be next.

Nintendo adds The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past to the Shopping Channel.

Nintendo of America today announced that it has added the classic game The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past to its Wii Shopping Channel. The Virtual Console version of the acclaimed S-NES offering sells for 800 Wii Points.

Return to an age of magic and heroes. When an evil magician named Agahnim begins kidnapping young maidens in Hyrule in a quest to break the imprisoning seal on Ganon, a young boy named Link is called upon to stop him. Link must venture into twisting mazes, dungeons, palaces and shadowy forests as he searches for the maidens and Princess Zelda. Traversing both Light and Dark Worlds, he must navigate eight dark dungeons, fighting evil enemies and huge bosses. Help our hero prevent Ganon and Agahnim from shattering Hyrule forever.

Sweet! This is the one game on my SNES need list (besides Super Metroid and Castlevania IV) that I’ve been dying to get my hands on (especially since I refurbed my SNES). If I had a Wii, it would be a purchase automatically. I know most people won’t view this like a Super Mario Bros, but in my eyes it is a very close second. A good reason to buy a Wii in my eyes. Go save the princess! Now!

Mentioned in a previous column, Halo 3 has began the beta test process. The first step was to for us to provide our information in order to see if you were “randomly” selected. I like many received the first email that mentioned thank you, you might receive another email that says that you have been selected to participate in the beta test. Unfortunately I did not qualify, I guess. However, there are other ways to qualify for this test. Read on.For those of you that didn’t make it in – fret not as thisphase one was just the first of three ways to secure an invite toparticipate in the development of Halo 3. The next two paths of entryare the following:

Well I guess this means they need to drum up business for Halo 2 online and enhance the sales of Crackdown. The first one I’m kinda down with. I mean if I’m going to purchase Halo 3, I should be at least familiar with the last installment so I know what I’m in for (A lot of dying). It’s just an odd process to be honest, but I guess this makes those chosen more likely to actually play the demo which is what Microsoft wants. The only problem is, I do own Halo 2, however it is sitting sealed on my shelf. I played Halo 1 & 2 for about an hour a piece at a friends a long long time ago. I’ve watched Red vs Blue for more combined time than that (and it’s funnier too). But I’m going to try to do this, if nothing else there ought no shortage of players wanting to kick my behind during this timeframe. The second option screams to me that Crackdown isn’t that great of a game. It might be decent, but if they are stemming the hope of a game being good by providing you entry to a beta test of another game, don’t be expecting to be playing that one too long.

This arcade game, released in 1989 was something of an underground cult favorite among its peers. It essentially can be described as a low level or platform rpg type game where it does have rpg aspects but dumbed down so anybody can play it. Great for arcades and truth be told I pumped a ton of quarters into this one. Essentially you played one of four characters; Fighter, Mage, Priestess, and Ninja. You ran threw levels, gaining in experience by killing creatures, unlock doors, buy better weapons and armor and so forth. There was a few places where creatures would respawn constantly leading the way to massive levels which would make the later levels bearable. I never did quite beat it in the arcades (though I did get to the last level a couple of times before I ran out of quarters), but I have beat the Turbo Grafx and Genesis versions both. Turbo Grafx is just like the arcade, while the Genesis is sadly dumbed down further and only offers two characters. In the arcade, it had the nice feature of linking two cabinets together allowing 4 player combat which I have never seen but heard about. I would like to see a Wii Virtual Console or XBOX Live Arcade release but I’m not putting my money on it. Most people have never heard of this game unfortunately but if you can find it, get it; you won’t be disapointed (it can be beat in about 3-4 hours of continous play).

PSP

Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean
Sid Meier’s Pirates

DS

Fossil League Dino Tournament
Hotel Dusk: Room 215
InuYasha Secret of the Divine Jewel
Underground Pool

Not much worth talking about this week. Basically if you have a portable this week, you have something new to mess with. Legend of Heroes should be pretty fun, and the DS has a usual list of unique titles. It’s interesting for you DS owners because you get a ton of stuff, some crap some rather unique and interesting. I mean you get cooking games, lawyer games, and other games that would never be tried on another system. I mean the only people willing to try anything different on 360 is some of the ones who release games on live and they are still not as imaginative as half the stuff on DS. Kudos for those who play with the small screen.

Well over the weekend, I learned a lot from my friend Russ about Rainbow Six: Vegas. As a result, I procured it from an auction on Ebay; it should be at my house by the end of the week. I’m kinda funny about first person shooters, sometimes I love them, sometimes I can’t stand them. It usually starts at the latter and if it makes it through my initial brain dementia, it ends up being the former. Expect a review in about a week, I know a lot about the game already and will be playing it a lot. If I decide to go through with the Halo 2 qualification for Halo 3 beta, that will also take up some of my time. I might actually become good at these type of games and not my usual smattering of wrestling, rpgs, guitar & arcade type games :). Have fun kiddoes.

As Always,
Kedrix of Aldrianian
(*The Forgotten One*)