I’ve been slowly getting back into gaming since the Wii came this Christmas. I think working at EA again has also instigated this change somewhat; and that can be chalked up to working on videogames, and having money.
There’s a library at EA where we can rent games, or just play them there at the gaming lounge. I’m going through a bunch of games to get a feel for what’s good and what’s not, and am pretty pleased with what I’m finding. Some games are better than I expected, while some are worse. Unfortunately, the EA library is a little lacking in terms of what’s really out there, but it’s a decent sampling of the easier to find games.
Mostly I’ve been interested in the Wii for it’s active games, like EA Sports Active and Wii Fit Plus. Those games are cool, but they’re not enough to keep you playing. That’s a good thing and a bad thing. I particularly like the aspect of you not being able to play an active game for 10+ hours a day because it’s actually too physically exhaustive. This forces you to do other things with your life, and I like that. But, sometimes I just want to play videogames too. I still like the idea of the Wii interface (as waggle-tastic as it is without the MotionPlus), so it’s just a matter of finding games that use this effectively.
Along those lines, I was massively surprised by SSX Blur. The carving feels fantastic! Carving in SSX 3 was really good too, but the motion controls really put it over the top in Blur. In fact, the motion controls for Blur are just really well done and make the game a blast. Blur also has a great sense of personality that was severely lacking in SSX 3, and was overcompensated for in SSX On Tour. I’ve got Shaun White’s Road Trip, but it’s a lot more bland than SSX Blur. Unfortunately, I don’t think SSX Blur supports the balance board, which Road Trip does. When using the balance board, Road Trip might be pushed into the upper echelons above Blur.
Next is Skate It. I played an early version of the original Skate when I was working at EA over two years ago, and I absolutely loved it. I never played the full version, and I was wondering how the Wii version was in comparison to what I’ve seen. Well, the Wii version is freaking awesome. The control is loose, but the connection with the tricks you’re doing is far more tangible than that with a standard controller. Truly top-notch. I really want to try this game with a balance board too, but I suspect that might just be too gimmicky.
WarioWare: Smooth Moves was actually supremely disappointing. Maybe those games are only good the first time you encounter them, or maybe Twisted was really the only good one. I just found it super shallow with no draw to continue through the campaign.
I picked up Samba De Amigo for $5 from the game store. I remember playing it on the Dreamcast without maracas and found it rather challenging. Since that day, I’ve played many a rhythm game and have developed far more skill at it. Samba is rather straight forward, but the music is upbeat and pleasant and there’s just enough challenge to keep playing. Unfortunately, the controls are highly inaccurate, which removes a lot of the satisfaction.
I picked up Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip for $10 from the local department store. It’s pretty good, but underwhelming. In terms of a snowboarding game, the trickset is really limited and the whole game comes off as rather simple. But, Road Trip is also a great example of depth. After you unlock Shaun White (even the latter stages right before you unlock shaun white) require you to really master the trick and combo system in order to progress through the challenges. The earlier stuff isn’t super easy, but it’s easy enough that you can get through it without mastering these basics. The graphics are clean and stylized, but rather bland in comparison to SSX Blur. I really want to give this game a go with the balance board to see how it feels.
I rented SimAnimals because the screenshots on the back of the box made me think of the Canadian wilderness. The gameplay is a little stale and the graphics are sub-par. But, it’s not all bad. If you play with the nunchuck and wiimote, the control scheme is far superior to that of just a wiimote. The graphics have a lot of character and charm in their stylized form, but the engine chugs a lot. The gameplay is rather Sims like, relying on indirectly interacting with the animals. Actually, the game as a whole owes a lot to the Sims, so in that way the name is really appropriate. However, the description on the box markets the game in a somewhat different manner, so I was left disappointed, then slightly intrigued after getting to know the real game. Unfortunately, the game really isn’t polished. It’s below average in terms of everything, but still has an undefinable charm and draw. It’s an underdog that I can’t help but like for some reason.
Finally, I have EA Sports Active. I like this game because it really makes me sweat and it has a lot of varied exercises. I prefer the organization and interface of Wii Fit Plus, but I think EA Sports Active is better for actually being active and burning calories. The graphics are decent; the motion detection is good, but a few exercises have recurrent detection issues; but ultimately it does what it sets out to achieve. I’m actually highly anticipating a new game in the series if EA decides to do something like that.
I’m going to give Dead Space: Extraction a roll tomorrow. It’s gotten rave reviews and looks really nice, but it’s also an on-rails shooter. I’m pretty much evenly torn about what to think about it, so a good ‘ol playthrough should clarify matters. Oh yeah, and I also rented Super Monkey Ball, which seems pretty solid. Whereas Samba De Amigo looks really fun and perfect for the Wii, but falters in execution; Super Monkey Ball so far hits all the right notes and delivers on what you’d expect. It’s bright, colorful, full of personality and solid gameplay. That’s the makings of a solid game!