With 2009 finally out the door and the 2010 gaming season right at our doorstep, it’s time to take a look at the year that has fully passed and remember some of the most memorable moments from the last 365 days.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii review

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Reviews, Wii | 9 Comments

Game Info:

Genre: 2-D Platformer
Available: Now
Video: 16:9/480p
Audio: Stereo
Players: 1-4
Nintendo Wi-Fi: None
ESRB: Everyone

Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto return Mario back to the realm of 2-D once again for New Super Mario Bros. Wii. This time up to four players can join in on the platforming goodness that originally made the Super Mario Bros. franchise such a smash sensation all those years ago. Unsurprisingly, Princess Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser & Co. and it’s up to you (and three of your closest friends) to once again rescue the princess and set things right in the Mushroom Kingdom.

What do YOU think? – Wii homebrew

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features, Wii | 11 Comments

Note: Make sure to check out the selected response from last week’s article after the break!

This week’s topic is something a lot of people love, a lot of people hate, and a lot of people are on the fence about: Homebrew. For those that don’t know, homebrew is the act of “modifying” your Wii to enable it to play music, watch movies, run games, and a plethora of other thing that expand the usability of the console beyond what it was original intended. The entire process is free, but it runs the risk of “bricking”, or permanently breaking your Wii console. For many people, homebrew is used to illegally download roms of games in order to dodge paying for them, but for others, like myself, it’s used in a strictly legal way.

What do YOU think? – Nintendo’s first-party franchises

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features | 10 Comments

Since 1985 when the Nintendo Entertainment System first released, Nintendo has been premiering a slew of fantastic first party titles every single year, starting with Mario and eventually leading to things like Metroid, Zelda, Pikmin, and Star Fox. Every single franchise has it’s individual perks, but everyone that plays them has one particular favorite that really strikes them as being truly fantastic. Mario has its near-perfect platforming gameplay, Zelda has an epic adventure that really draws you in, Metroid has a sci-fi exploration element; There really is something for everyone in these Nintendo franchises. Now, while I love every single one of these games to death, there is one that is just a tiny step above the rest: The Legend of Zelda.

Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes review

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, Reviews | 10 Comments

Game Info:

System: Nintendo DS
Category: Puzzle RPG/Adventure
Players: 1-2
Release Date: December 1, 2009
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Capybara Games

What was your gaming epiphany?

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features | 17 Comments

Thinking back to the days of my youth, one memory stands out above all else: The summers. School was out, the air was fresh, and all the kids got together to play baseball and Frisbee in the park. All of them except me, because summers to me were filled with nothing but a constant fascination with the Nintendo 64. First it started with FIFA (which version it was eludes me at the moment) but as the summer went on I got more games, from Mario 64 to my personal favorite, Star Fox 64. Then, at the end of the summer, it all went away once again, leaving me dreaming of games throughout the fall, winter and spring until the cycle repeated itself.

Though, you’re probably wondering, “Why such an odd cycle of gaming, Austin?”, and I’m about to tell you.

An interview with the Frobot developers

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features, Wii | 3 Comments

Over the past week or so, Valay and I have had the pleasure of getting some of our questions answered by the guys over at Fugazo regarding their upcoming WiiWare title, Frobot. For those that aren’t familiar with the game, Frobot can be summed up best by reading a snippet from the press release issued by Fugazo a few months back; Imagine if Wii Tanks and The Legend of Zelda had a baby. That baby’s name would be Frobot. Taking inspiration from two fantastic titles and throwing them together with a spike of funk? Sounds like a great plan to me! Check out the full interview after the break!

C.O.P. The Recruit review

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, Reviews | 2 Comments

System: Nintendo DS
Category: Action Adventure
Players: 1
Release Date: November 3, 2009
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: VD-Dev

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, the DS’s first, true sandbox-type game, shipped earlier this year and was met with much critical acclaim. There was one significant aspect that was missing in the title, however – an open-world 3D environment. Rockstar’s Dan Houser told Nintendo Power that the team never really considered creating a 3D GTA experience for the handheld. Yet, here we are, a few months later, with C.O.P. The Recruit, a title that most gamers thought Chinatown Wars would look like. C.O.P. certainly is technically astonishing, but does the gameplay match the title’s visuals?

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Reflex Edition review

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Reviews, Wii | 12 Comments

Game Info:

Genre: First Person Shooter/Action
Available: Now
Video: 16:9/480p
Audio: Dolby Pro Logic II
Players: 1-2 (Campaign)
Nintendo Wi-Fi: Online Multiplayer
ESRB: Mature

Treyarch and Activision finally bring 2007’s “Game Of The Year” to the Wii. Staying true to the Call Of Duty formula, the title places you in the fatigues of mainly two soldiers; a Sergeant from the USMC, and a British SAS operative. The games acts (levels) will have you switching back and forth between the two soldiers; offering you a different view of their distinctive story lines and the war they fight.

Rabbids Go Home review

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Reviews, Wii | 1 Comment

Game Info:

Genre: Action/Adventure
Available: Now
Video: 16:9/480p
Audio: Dolby Pro Logic II
Players 1-2
Nintendo Wi-Fi: Yes (No Gameplay)
ESRB: Everyone 10+

In Ubisoft Montpellier’s comedy adventure the Rabbids find themselves homeward bound; in which case their destination is the moon. You take control of a few rabbids as you push a shopping cart around various environments collecting as many items as possible so that the rabbids can build a big enough junk pile to make their way home.