Nintendo GameCube

NEW REVIEWS THIS WEEK:

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Hey there everyone, ruby331 here with a heartwarming review of Animal Crossing.

I can’t even tell you how much I love this game. I remember when I first rented it; it was so popular that I had to reserve it two weeks in advance. As soon as a began to play, I became a different gamer. I realized that not everything has to be about shooting and blood. In Animal Crossing, you play as a boy or girl and then live a life in a town that you “create.” There are certain limits, though. For example, you can’t control who lives in the town, what fruit grows on the trees, or where everything is. On the bright side, you can name it! When you get off of the train in the beginning of the game, you are immediately greeted by a shady character named Tom Nook. He offers you a house, and you can pick between four small houses and buy one. As you progress through the game, you can pay off your mortgage and increase the size of your house. Also, as your town grows, more animals will move into it. My best friend in that game, Buck, also happened to be the first citizen that I ever had. But, along the way, I met people like Greenhorn, Filbert, and Olive. Unfortunately, these animals can also move out of your town, so be ready. You make money by fishing, giving the museum fossils, doing oddjobs, etc. The more money you have, the more furniture you can buy for your house! Animal Crossing is always full of surprises. Whether it be a sweet new neighbor or a Pelican washed up on shore, it’s always fun. Animal Crossing scores a 10/10 on the ruby331 scale because it is really one of my favorite games to this day. Animal Crossing: Wild World (DS) and Animal Crossing: City Folk (Wii) are also out.

-ruby331

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tedizslayer here to review Chibi Robo!

Although there are many great adventure games on the GameCube, this has to be one of the best. As Chibi Robo, it is your job to clean up around the Sanderson house, resolve issues in the family, and help out the other toys around the house. This is all while being a tiny 3-inch tall robot who can barely lift a coffee mug. Although the game sounds like it might not have much to it and that its plot will go nowhere, it is just the opposite. You journey throughout the house is full of challenges, obstacles, and surprises. These will include running through a battlefield in the living room filled with gun-wielding egg soldiers, meeting up with tiny aliens in the back yard, and even helping Mr. Sanderson to make some home-cooked burgers! There is so much to do throughout the house, and each event will in turn lead to another one. The time changes from day to night, and depending on what time it is, different thing will occur. Typically you will interact with the Sandersons and their dog, Taio, during the day (when the toys are in hiding), and the toys at night (when the Sanderson’s are asleep). There are many subplots going on at the same time, and with no time limits or tasks to complete on certain days, etc., you can help any of the characters out at any time, in pretty much any order. Of course, there are some things that will have to be done in order for you to beat the game, but there are other challenges that are optional and can be done either before or after the game’s official ending. By doing simple tasks such as cleaning up footprints or throwing out garbage, you gain “Moolah,” which can in turn be used to purchase upgrades, anything from an arm cannon to an Inspector Gadget-style propeller that comes out of the top of your head. You can also collect “Happy Points” which are used to upgrade your Chibi Robo status. As you update this status you will be given a bigger battery so that you can go longer without having to locate a power outlet in the wall and charge. Finally, by you can also gain scrap metal by defeating smaller enemy robots throughout the house, and use it to create special devices including ladders, bridges, and warps that will allow Chibi Robo to reach new areas. All of these transactions are carried out inside you Chibi House, where you return at the end of each day. There are also stickers that can be gained for each character by doing special, often difficult, challenges within the game. Overall, there is a lot to this game, and it is one of the best adventure games for the GameCube. I give it a 9. Thanks for reading! Please check back soon for more!

-tedizslayer

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Sapph here with a review for Fire Emblem Path of Radiance!

Fire Emblem Path of Radiance is the 9^th game in the series and is the first and only game on the Gamecube! This game takes place on the continent of Telius You start off by playing as the hero of the game, Ike and his group of mercenaries led by his father Greil. The first few chapters of the game are more of training levels so players can get adjusted to playing the game on an at home console. This game was the first in the series to allow players play as the Laguz who are sub-human. The Laguz cause a major conflict in the game that players will encounter. Also, this is where you first see the Black Knight and he kills Ike’s father which leads to another conflict for you to resolute and that’s to kill the Black Knight!  The game’s graphics are not like your typical Gamecube, or Fire Emblem graphics because it is on the Gamecube, and the game was supposed to be for the Nintendo 64. The main story of this game is to defeat the Mad King Ashnard of Daein and win the war for Crimea. Just like other Fire Emblem games you can recruit characters as you progress in the game, but this game had a lot more features. You had a convoy and you can do the following in the convoy: Give EXP out to any of your units to help them level up, Forge your own weapon, support conversations, equip weapons, items, and skills, and buy weapons, items, and skills from the shop. I remember the good times of when I got this game for my birthday the year it came out and my cousin came over Thanksgiving Weekend to play it. Over that 3 day span all I did was watch him beat the game over that span on Normal difficulty, and this really upset my parents. We loved the game so much that we actually Role Played some of the game in my backyard at my old house. After you beat the game you can play on battle sheets and the Hard Mode will be unlocked. You also get to listen to all of the music and see pics you saw/heard throughout the game. You can unlock characters to use in the battle sheets by beating the game after a certain amount of times.(I will put up cheats for this game to help you viewers get the characters for the battle sheet) The game does end by you hopefully killing King Ashnard and saving Crimea and the other countries from losing the war! On Sapph’s Scale of Gaming this game gets a  10 out of 10 and remains to be my favorite Gamecube game of all tme! It is a must have for any RPG gamer and for anyone who is looking for a Legendary gamecube game! Check back soon for another update!

~sapphire11

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This is tedizslayer, and I’m going to review Kirby Air Ride!

Although Kirby Air Ride is very different from all of the other games in the Kirby series, it is still an amazing game. As opposed to centering itself around a single player sidescrolling adventure game like most of the other Kirby games, Kirby Air Ride is instead a racing and vehicle-riding game. Suited for one to for players, there are three different modes in it: Air Ride, Top Ride, and City Trial. Both Air Ride and Top Ride are racing modes; in Air Ride, you race through long courses for a few laps each, while in Top Ride, you speed around a small track using an overhead view for many laps. Both modes feature a lot of cool courses filled with traps, obstacles, and twists. City Trial, however, is completely different. You are able to ride around a beautifully-constructed city filled with a rail system, volcano, river, waterwheel, forest, castle, and a lot more. The city is not very large, making it easy to get around, but has so much in it that it can provide loads of good times. You can even jump off of your board and run around as Kirby, or seek out new boards located throughout the map. In regular mode you have 5-7 minutes to rack up your stats using powerups before competing in a stadium event against the other players, and events will occur throughout the city (anything from all of the items being the same thing, to giant meteors falling and blowing up throughout the city). However, you can also choose “Free Run.” This version of City Trial allows you and your friends to spend as much time in the city as you want, although events do not happen in this mode, and you can’t have any computers either. It is a blast for when you have 4 people, as you can do all sorts of things throughout the city. Inclluded in the game are unlockables such as being able to play as Meta Knight and King Dedede, two very special legendary boards, and a lot of cool stadium events such as Destruction Derby and Defeat King Dedede. The game has a lot to offer, and although it can get boring when you play it by yourself, it is an excellent multiplayer game which I still play with friends today. Overall, I give it an 8 out of 10. With a lot of different game modes and many challenges to beat, Kirby Air Ride is one of the Gamecube’s finest multiplayer games. Hope you enjoyed the review, and I’ll be back soon with another!

-tedizslayer

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Hey everybody! tedizslayer here to give you my review on the Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker.

Wind Waker remains just as true to the path set by the other Zelda games, while taking a slightly different way  of its own. While all of the other Zelda games before this one focused on land travel and generally did not focus on spending much time on the seas, Wind Waker is just the opposite, as you will sail to all parts of the sixty-four-quadrant map that you have throughout the game. After your sister is kidnapped by a giant bird, everything is hopeless until you convince a band of pirates to bring you to the Forsaken Fortress where she is being held. After a failed attempt that nearly costs you your life, you wake up stranded in the middle of the ocean. Luckily, a mysterious living boat saves you and brings you to shore. He remains mysterious as to what his true identity is, but calls himself the King of the Red Lions. Personally, I prefer calling him Boatie. Anyway, you soon find yourself sailing to all different islands in order to rescue your sister and ultimately defeat the biggest threat that the world has ever seen: Ganon. Be prepared for an epic story that is full of twists and surprises that will leave you satisfied at the end. After all, isn’t that one of the Zelda series highlights? The gameplay is amazing, as it is one of the most free-feeling games that I’ve ever played. The splendid graphics are cartoony chibi-style, with Link having big cat eyes and funny expressions when concentrating or swinging his sword. They are truly amazing, and have to be some of the brightest and most vivid graphics on the GameCube. The new aspect of sailing is very fun, and although it can get tedious to sail al the way across the map, don’t worry. You will eventually be able to warp to major islands and save yourself lots of time. And don’t think that sailing has taken over land travel, for there is still plenty to explore on land (after all, that’s where all the dungeons are). Overall, the Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker is an amazing game that I give an amazing 9.5/10. Check out the Videos tab every now and then, for I plan to make a bunch of videos about this stellar game.

-tedizslayer

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Hello! tedizslayer here, and I’m going to review Lego Star Wars!

This was the first and classic game in the Lego series that has begun today, and it remains my favorite. In this first game, you play through the classic first three episodes of the Star Wars saga (in Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, you play through Episodes 4, 5, and 6). There are about 6 levels per episode, giving a total of about 20 (since a few bonus stages are also included). All of these levels have a lot to offer and are fun to play through in the Story Mode, but also have so much more to offer when you go back and play them in Free Play. In Free Play, you can choose any of the characters that you have unlocked and use them in any of the levels that you have already beaten. All of the characters have special abilities (such as R2D2 being able to hover in midair or Jar Jar Binks being able to jump extra high). You will have to use many of these special abilities to get many hidden objects within the levels. Each level has a variety of challenges including collecting all of the hidden “Minikit” pieces, and collecting the “True Jedi” amount of Studs (the game’s currency). While some of these challenges can be completed when you play through the level on Story Mode, most of them will require you to return once you have unlocked Free Play for that level. This gives the game and its levels a lot of replay value. And where would Lego Star Wars be without multiplayer? While you are able to play through all of the levels alone with a computer player, you can have a friend join in or drop out at any time. This makes the game a lot more enjoyable and the challenges often become easier (because we all know how bright CPUs can be). From characters to wacky settings, there is a ton to unlock in this game, and even once you’ve beaten it 100%, it’s always fun to go back and replay many of the levels. The levels are filled with action, comedy, puzzles, challenges, boss fights, vehicles, and overall just fun times. I give this game a 9 out of 10 for being the best of the Lego games so far.

-tedizslayer

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How’s it goin’? This is tedizslayer, here to review Pac-Man World 2.

 The original Pac-Man was a huge game in its day, and Pac-Man World 2 follows up with being an awesome game itself. Rather than moving through a maze and eating power pellets, however, Pac-Man World 2 has you embark (as Pac-Man) on an awesome 3-D adventure to save your home, Pac-Land from the evil spirit, Spooky. The four ghosts who have always been after Pac-Man – Inky, Pinky, Blinky, and Clyde – return as his minions, and throughout the game you must face each of them in some awesome boss battles. There are a total of five worlds, each with many well-done levels and boss fights, and many different themes, from grasslands to snowy mountains to haunted woods. The levels are long and have a lot to offer, and the platforming involved is both challenging and fun. I’ll never forget some of the levels in the game, especially those toward the end that had me playing for hours to try to beat them. Overall, I rate Pac-Man World 2 a respectable 8.5 out of 10. Go get yours today!

-tedizslayer

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tedizslayer here to review Pikmin and Pikmin 2!

Don’t get me wrong, these are two completely separate games (and both worth getting), but they have a lot of similarities, and I figured they could be combined into one review. In the first Pikmin, you are Captain Olimar, and crash land on a distant planet. The pieces of your ship are scattered all around the area where you crashed, and with only 30 days worth of oxygen left, your outlook is grim. However, you soon find small creatures that grow out of the ground, and name them Pikmin. There are three types in the first game: Red Pikmin can survive fire and heat, Blue Pikmin can enter water without drowning, and Yellow Pikmin can be thrown higher and are also invulnerable to electricity. [In Pikmin 2, there are two additional types: White Pikmin can survive poison and also can dig in the ground, and Purple Pikmin are worth the strength of 10 other Pikmin combined when carrying items or battling enemies.] Going back to the first game, after finding these creatures, who are willing to follow you and help you, you begin to travel around several different areas in search of the pieces of your ship. As said above, Olimar only has 30 days of oxygen to survive on the planet, so you have somewhat of a time limit. Basically, there are a total of 30 pieces, so if you aim to get one per day, then you’ll be fine. Pikmin 2, on the other hand, gives you all the time you need: your goal in that game is to collect random objects found throughout the planet and turn them into money for your bankrupt company. Although the plots are different, the gameplay is pretty much the same. You go around with up to 100 Pikmin at your side (the others can be stored in their transportable shelters, or “Onions” near your ship), taking on enemies and reaching necessary ship parts or treasures. The Pikmin can carry objects back to your ship, fight enemies, build bridges, or simply line up and follow you, all at your command. It’s a great exploration game, and managing the Pikmin can be crazy but fun. It’s surprisingly easy to manage your Pikmin, although there are times that I frantically run around to try to find any stragglers before the day is over. (Any Pikmin left behind will be eaten by the monsters that come out at night. It’s tragic.) The enemies can be challenging at times (don’t even remind me about when I lost around 40-50 Pikmin on a single Bulborb), and it’s always tragic to see a lot of your Pikmin die in a fight (Empress Bulbax, a boss in Pikmin 2, once took out all of my Pikmin except for 2 or 3 by merely rolling over them). However, the fights are always fun, and screaming as a Wollywog floats over you and prepares to crush your Pikmin never gets old. Believe me, you’ll lose a lot of Pikmin in these games, and luckily there are always pellets found in each level that will regenerate more Pikmin for you. Don’t think that this is some kind of strategy game where you sit back and watch the action unfold; Olimar is right in the midst of everyhting, and will even take damage himself. You don’t necessarily have to be right next to a group of Pikmin for them to do the job you’ve given them; for example, you can tell some to build a bridge, and leave them there to work while you go a different path and decide to take out some of the enemies in the way. The only real change in Pikmin 2 (besides the different environments, different bosses, different objects, etc.) is that there are cave/dungeons  that you enter. In here, the time of day doesn’t change, so you can spend as much time as you need. However, you can’t get any more Pikmin from their onions until you leave the cave, so you’re limited to the number of Pikmin that you enter it with. Each cave has a lot of treasures to be found, and there’s usually a tough boss at the end. Also, in Pikmin 2, you have additional control over Olimar’s friend, Louie. This allows you to split them up and have Olimar managing one group of Pikmin while Louie handles another. Overall, Pikmin and Pikmin 2 are both fantastic games and two of the best on the GameCube, especially if you like exploration. While I prefer the original a little bit more than its sequel, both of them have so much to offer that they’re both worth getting. I give them both separate scores of 9. Thanks for reading, and in the words of ghostbusters, “BAKAAAAW!” (from one of the bosses in Pikmin).

-tedizslayer

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ruby331 with an eager review on Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door!

This game was released a few years back but to this day has modernized graphics, hip comedy, and a stellar replay value. The game starts off with Mario getting a letter to see Princess Peach in an island like town called Rogueport. Turns out that she is captured by an organization called the X Nauts by the time you get there and they want a certain map of hers (which she sent to Mario in the letter). After the intro, Mario meets energetic and creative sidekicks, unravels fun and shocking mysteries, and Peach even takes a shower *wink*. The overall story of the game will keep you intrigued the entire time. There’s something new and exciting around every turn and it’s not always good. The graphics are very much like the Nintendo Wii’s, and the 2-D look is brought to life very well. The gameplay just doesn’t get boring and you may even want to beat the game a second time after you’ve beaten it for the first. The only flaw that I found in the game is that some of the puzzles can be confusing and misleading making some levels very frusterating. Thousand Year Door scores a solid 8.5/10 on the ruby331 scale because of it’s ability to still be a fresh game even now.

-ruby331

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Hey everyone! It’s been a while, but tedizslayer is back with a review of Spiderman 2!

Spiderman 2 might just be my favorite sandbox game of the many I’ve played. It certainly is the one that feels the easiest to control and the most free to go anywhere. Well first the basics… you play as Spiderman (DUH) in New York City. The game includes the general events involving Doc Oc from the movie, but the events are spaced further apart, filled with many side (but necessary) missions in between. But of course, it is more than just doing the story. You can swing through the streets, get cursed at by pedestrians, rescue people falling off of buildings, and catch little kids’ balloons that are floating away and bring them back – you know, just a typical day for Spidey. You can get in massive fights and take on criminals with guns, whom you can shoot webs at in a variety of cool moves. Climbing buildings is as easy as walking down the street, and swinging through New York is always a blast. My personally favorite thing to do in the game is to climb to the top of the Empire State Building (the highest building in the game), jump off, fall hundreds of feet through the air, and swing to safety onto a nearby rooftop just in time. (Of course, I occasionally forget to hit the button in time, but we won’t go into that. It’s not pretty.) I mean, you can even deliver pizza!! The game is nowhere near as big as say, Fallout 3, but there is always so much to do, whether you are following the story line or running into the street and getting hit by a speeding police car. I give Spiderman 2 a well-deserved 8.5.

Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na- Spiderman-Spiderman!

-tedizslayer 

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tedizslayer here. Get ready for Super Mario Sunshine!

I honestly don’t even know where to begin with this game. It’s just awesome. As Mario, you are ready to take a much-needed vacation with Peach, Toadsworth, and the rest of the Toads in the beautiful Isle Delfino. And trust me, it’s beautiful. But when you get there, the island has been polluted by a mysterious figure looking like Mario. Even worse, Mario himself gets the blame, and is forced to clean up the island by its angry inhabitants, the Piantas. Mario immediately meets and joins up with FLUDD, a device created by Professor E. Gadd who can spray water, allow you to hover in the air, rocket to new heights, and even go speeding along the water’s surface. With the whole island to explore, you must set off to take on Shadow Mario, Bowser Jr., and of course, Bowser himself. Along the way, you will meet a variety of different characters, take on some awesome bosses, and even ride Yoshi throughout town. The levels in the game are honestly the best designs I’ve ever seen in a game. In addition to having a gorgeous tropical theme around you, the levels have really creative puzzles and secret areas that will keep you coming back for more. The game is so in-depth that you can even see other levels from the level you are in: for example, I love climbing to the top of a tree in Pianta Village and looking out past the sea to Pina Park and its moving ferris wheel. It has to be one of the best-looking games on the GameCube. Another thing that separates this game from many others is its terrific music. Sure, it may not seem like a big deal, but the music helps to make the game. There are times when I find myself humming the Ricco Harbor theme to myself without even knowing it. Each level has music that just adds to the beauty and relaxed feeling of the game, and you can tell that its makers put a lot of time into making these songs perfect. Overall, Super Mario Sunshine is my favorite Mario game to date. With so much to explore, beautiful graphics and music, and unforgettable challenges and boss fights, I literally didn’t find anything wrong with this game. It gets a perfect 10 in my book. This was one of the first games to be released for the GameCube (and the first one I ever got), but it remains my favorite for the system today. Nintendo, you sure outdid yourselves with this one.

-tedizslayer

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tedizlsayer here to review Super Monkey Ball 2!

Super Monkey Ball 2 is a pretty fun game. You play as Aiai or one of his friends and must roll your ball through various levels and obstacles, which get harder and harder as you go on. It also features a variety of other side modes including Soccer, Battle, and my personal favorite, Target Flight (in which you have six rounds of trying to get the most points among your friends by flying over open sea and trying to land on targets of different shapes and sizes). This game can get boring over time if played single-player, but playing it with friends can bring fun for hours. Overall, I give it a 6.5/10. That’s not to say that it is a bad game, though. Its levels and side games are a lot of fun, but they all just become very repetitive after a while. Thanks for reading, and check back soon for more!

-tedizslayer

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