Earlier you may recall that [url=http://www.snackbar-games.com/n2460.html]we mentioned[/url] the possibility of a return to Sega’s Saturn classic NiGHTS into Dreams, a rumor spurred by not one but two different magazine teasers for their forthcoming April issues.
It seemed unlikely that two different publications would team up for the same April Fool’s gag, but now Swedish magazine Game Reactor [url=http://www.gamereactor.se/nyheter/10115/Gamereactor+%2346/]has posted[/url] a teaser shot of its April issue as well, confirming the sequel for all naysayers in the audience. The magazine mentions that this is indeed going to be a new game, but does not make mention of a platform. However, given the context of earlier reports, a Wii version, if not an exclusive, seems likely.
Thanks to everyone who sent this one our way!
[img]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/news/2007/03/Nights_fo_sure.jpg[/img]
Square Enix has confirmed plans to ship Dawn of Mana for the PlayStation 2 on May 22 in North America. This game marks the next chapter in the company’s World of Mana collection of games. The RPG will mark the series’ first foray into 3D, and will include “new characters and environments” as well as “familiar monsters and elemental spirits from previous Mana titles.”
In addition, the game will, for a limited time, be offered alongside a Breath of Mana sampler disc featuring musical selections from the soundtrack originally released in Japan. While specific selections have not been disclosed, it’s probably safe to assume that the disc will include Dawn of Mana’s title track by Ryuichi Sakamoto. This gift will be given to those who pick up the game from Amazon, Game Crazy, GameStop and EB Games.
In addition, Heroes of Mana, a new real-time strategy game developed exclusively for the Nintendo DS, will ship in North America during late summer 2007. Apart from this different take on the evolving Mana tree, the game will also feature a ranking system tracked by the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
Few games are more adept at invoking the unadulterated bliss of online multiplayer mayhem than Worms, the long-running 2D franchise from Team 17. Now making its way to the Xbox Live Arcade, Worms is showing off the strategic depth that can underlie a seemingly simple and childish affair. Controlling your four-strong squad of custom cutesy combatants, your goal is to be the last player standing in pure deathmatch. At your disposal are a variety of creative armaments with varying levels of destructive and utilitarian potential. The game is turn-based, making strategy and precision a much bigger priority than a twitchy thumbstick.
Worms for Xbox Live Arcade is a simplified affair, even for Worms, and this may cause long-time fans of the series to bristle at the prospect of plunking down the $10 price of admission. The weapons set is a little bare compared to what some might be used to (the absence of the Holy Hand Grenade might amount to sacrilege amongst a certain sect), but it is serviceable while still making the acquisition of weapons crates a vital strategy. The fundamental weapons are all still in place, and to Team 17’s credit, they function as smoothly as I’ve ever seen. The physics on the grenades in particular have been tweaked to make it easier to land one right in an enemy worm’s face, which players will come to appreciate with time. The game also suffers a bit for a lack of variety in the level themes, but not too much. Worms looks absolutely fantastic in high-definition, which might not seem to say much given the simplicity of the visuals, but it’s a treat to look at nonetheless.
There are twenty challenges to complete against the AI, and while they are good practice and worth the trouble for the achievement points, they’re really ancillary to the multiplayer mode. Playing Worms with three other friends feels like equal parts chat room, video game, and unscripted comedy. Strange and amusing turns of events are pretty much par for the course, and nearly every round I’ve played has been accompanied by a laughing fit. It’s just not every day when you see a Worm named Uncle Jesse attempt to blow up another worm named Batman with an exploding sheep and accidentally send himself careening across the map into the ocean.
The only real complaint to be had with Worms is that they are charging $10 for what feels like $5 worth of features. I don’t doubt that the game will receive downloadable updates in the future, but it’s with those future fees in mind that 800 marketplace points feels a little steep now. Still, there isn’t anything like Worms on the marketplace right now, and if you can muster a group of friends to play the game with you, it’s well worth the time and effort. Worms is a fantastic game, and it belongs in your list of Arcade games. It’s that simple.
Sega has announced a set of three Genesis titles currently on deck to be released for the Wii’s Virtual Console. While a date has not been confirmed for any of these games, they are expected to debut for the traditional 800 points ($8) each, as is the case with other Genesis releases.
Perhaps the most exciting of the three new games is Virtua Fighter 2. First released for the console in 1996, the game built upon the grappling excellence of the original with refined visuals and a couple new characters. Well, refined visuals, for the time, I suppose. [url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/genesis/virtua-fighter-2/screenshots]Looking back on the game[/url], it’s really pretty ugly, but I digress.
However, for some inexplicable reason, neither of these new characters will be featured in the Virtual Console version. That’s right, no Chun Di or Lion Rafale for you. Characters featured in the game include Lau Chan, Kage Maru, Wolf Hawkfield, Jeffry McWild, Akira Yuki, Jacky Bryant, Sarah Bryant and Pai Chan. Without the Genesis version in front of me I’m unable to recall. Were these characters omitted from that version as well?
The next game announced is the mascot heavy Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle, which while being a largely forgettable romp from 1989, is still somewhat entertaining. However, it pales to the third member of this set, Wonder Boy in Monster World. While arguably inferior to the sublime Dragon’s Trap (or Dragon’s Curse), Westone’s Monster World ins nonetheless a terrific addition to the Virtual Console library, with its lush colorful graphics, lengthy quest, and charming platforming and RPG-lite atmosphere.
[img]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/news/2007/03/Wonder Boy in Monster World.jpg[/img]
By now I’m sure that Activision’s Marvel: Ultimate Alliance has been left to linger on your shelf, gathering dust, never to be played again, right? Well, for those of you owning the Xbox 360 version of the action RPG, it will be soon time to break out the game once more.
Activision has announced Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Heroes and Villains, a downloadable expansion to the game for release over the Xbox Live Marketplace in April, which will add eight new playable characters: The Incredible Hulk, Magneto, Hawkeye, Sabretooth, Doctor Doom, Cyclops, Nightcrawler and Venom, each complete with new signature powers, skins, dialog, conversations and achievement points.
The downloadable content will be released in three packs. The ‘Hero Pack’ and ‘Villain Pack’ will each be 500 Microsoft points ($6.25) and the ‘Combined Hero and Villain Pack’ will be 800 Microsoft points ($10). Heroes and villains gamer pic packs will also be available for 80 Microsoft points each ($1). For now the Xbox 360 is the only platform announced as getting the new content, leaving those who picked up the game for other platforms no doubt crying foul.
