Dragon Ball Z on the Wii

IGN gave Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi an 8.3. They called it "the best Anime fighter ever". I call it a solid fighting game period.

I got a chance to play the game at my friends house and was skeptical at first. Like many others, I'm sure, my basic opinion of franchise games derived from TV shows (or movies for that matter) was pretty low. I also thought to myself, how could a video game and my feeble human reaction time actually do a Dragon Ball Z style duel ANY justice. The truth is, this game delivers on multiple fronts to create a unique, and overall faithful DBZ experience.

First things first, this game is a fighter but not in the traditional sense. Like old 2 joystick mecha fighters developers have attempted to recreate the feeling of epic 3D battles that take place over a huge amount of ground. To do this they allow characters to remain locked on or not. This means you can run from an enemy just as easily as you can attack. In this version of the game the ability to dash close has been improved but also developers have added the ability to "phase", that is disappear and reappear to deliver amazing combos just like the series. Punch a guy, send him flying and appear behind him to hammer him down to the earth: badass.

Further more, the game was smartly designed using the actual buttons on the WiiMote for attacks. This might seem obvious to some, but more than a few games have fallen prey to lame motion detection. This way the motion sensitive aspect of the game can be reserved for "power moves". Thus, the regular punchs, blocks, etc are very easy to pick up and learn in the beginning. The power ups moves, however, use the motion sensitivity that adds difficulty to producing attacks such as "kamehameha". Add to that the need to "power up" before doing moves and you have combos that are hard to execute, but oh so rewarding when you finally pull them off. This might seem lame to the "fighter game" elite, but it makes pulling off combos more strategic and less about quickest button mashing. This basic truth creates some interesting tactics. For example, I held off near death for a long time but engaging my enemy constantly rather than running from him!

The character models are nice, and cel shaded. This means you feel as if your playing in the tv series. On the downside, the levels are pretty lame. Graphically they're weak (practically sub gamecube) and the terrain is more or less useless. I've had combos pulled on me THROUGH a wall, tree and rock. This would be okay for energy attacks, but some of these issues should be worked out in a game where the terrain should be crucial (for those that saw the show, they know this is true). The next game, slated for a 2007 release will at least deal with the graphical issues (probably? hopefully.)

Overall, the game is really fun and actually offered some more in depth game play once you got deeper in. With over 70 playable characters, their will be a lot of opportunities for those "what if" style showdowns, and a lot of the same ole same ole Goku Vs Vegeta. If the levels graphics are revamped, and minor glitches are reworked 3 will be badder than ever, but 2 still holds up very very strong on its own and probably deserved much closer to an 8.5. If you're not a fan of the DBZ series, hwoever, you might not get a huge kick out of the game.

Ait

Oh man about to go for the 1,2 punch here. Two posts in one night...

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DS Games I want, in order from most wanted to least wanted (but last on the list still means I want it...so get it for me.)

1. Final Fantasy 3
2. New Super Mario Brothers
3. Mario Kart DS
4. Nintendogs: Chihuahahahahaha edition
5. Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time
6. FIFA Soccer 08
7. Mario 64 DS
8. Advance Wars: DUAL STRIKE
9. Cooking Mama
10. Wario Ware: Touched


I need to finish up and beat Hotel Dusk because its actually very good...I've just been taken over by Pokemon.

Next...

Games I want...in general.

1. Super Papar Mario (Wii)
2. Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)
3. Final Fantasy 12 (PS2)
4. Madden 08' (Wii)
5. A decent fishing game for Wii...I mean COME ON THEY MADE COOKING MAMA!
4.

Console Fevah'

Today I stopped by Best Bizzle while my parents shopped for appliances for the new house. I figured I could use a few items for the PS2. I got a couple controllers, and a memory stick (which was WAY OVER PRICED)plus some other little bastards that weren't too bad. Overall, I enjoy having a PS2, though I must say it's been a really weird experience getting one. After all, PS2 is a totally last gen console so I have memories from early highschool playing ps2 with buddies, particularly socom and whatever sports game was the soup de jour. Not to mention, the thing sits right next to my Wii which is the yin to its yang.

So today I played a really sad amount of Gran Turismo 4 which is a really tight game and makes me desperately want to play Forza 2 again. While forza is sexy as hell and has a tight physics system, so far I think GT4 is every bit as good. I do miss that nice feeling 360 controller, but as far as everything else is concerned I'm more or less happy with it. Still, wouldn't it be tight to have that Logitech 900 degree's of pure race sexiness game wheel? Yeah well, not worth the 130 bucks it'll set you back unless your planning on missing out on the next-gen revolution.

All in all I'm excited to know that by the end of the summer I'll have an HD tv which I've come to find a couple newer PS2 games actually supports (of course, not without paying for those component cables...goddamnit.) But in general everything looks better on HD, and it might encourage me to invest in either a 360 or a PS3. Worst comes to worst theres a few TV's that support a direct hookup to your computer so you 'd have essentially the sickest computer monitor ever.

As for Wii, I'm trading in call of duty 3 (wii), and a few PS2 titles before they become worthless and maybe eventually I'll get a new game for Wii. In all the boredom of not having a dedicated computer the last thing i want is to get caught up in all this "console gaming" hullaballoo and miss out on a chance to get something really good. Too bad Alex isn't around to lend me games, but I am trying to avoid buying anything he might already have and lend to me.

Nintendo Wii

Alex has a few qualms with the Wii, primarily that he never plays it. This is, more or less, a similar situation for most of the people I know that have a Wii. The number of "good" games for Wii has stayed in the single digits with Wii Sports, a free included mini-game cd, leading the pack for more than a few Wii owners. Wii Sports, after all, manages to make what some argue is the best use of Wii's motion sensitive controllers. Still, other games definately come to mind. I managed to take a gander at a few of IGN's videos for Super Paper Mario, and I'm going to try and rent/buy the game ASAP. Still, my budget is tight and buying games is at the bottom of my list considering I have a computer to repair and an HDTV to buy. Still, with Wii being the first console I've owned since XBox, I think its only fair for me to get some use out of it. That means I'll probably end up buying Super Paper Mario, and Super Smash Brothers when they finally come out. According to an interview with President of NOA Reggie Mils, SSB3 is not the only big title on the list of promised 2007 releases. Mils has promised a new Mario title, a new Zelda title, and of course Metroid Prime 3 for the shooter in all of us. Granted, Metroid Prime 3 is the only one with a date (and a date thats hard to take seriously), but this is all very good news for Wii owners...especially Alex.

Playing through Twilight Princess I've been itching for a Wii game that delivers on some old promises. Nintendo has insisted that the Wii isn't just a dolled up Gamecube with a fancy new controller. No matter how sexy the control scheme is, ultimately even the most silly nintendo game could use some high-res textures and pretty lighting. Twilight princess has some nice last of the last-gen features, and great implementation of the Wii controller, but I'd love to see some limits pushed. Maybe that way next time I show my 360 touting friends they can at least get over that lame-ass "but the graphics suck" argument. The new Zelda game seems a perfect opportunity to get on with the eye candy already!

As for SSB, I'm personally quite pumped but I loved the previous incarnations and I doubt Nintendo going to be tampering with that formula. Rumors are even circulating that the new one might use the old Gamecube controllers! Hmmm, thats really a crazy idea for Nintendo to be playing with. I know a lot of press will be negative, almost like Nintendo doesn't believe in what they've been saying about the "future" of gaming. Still, I would stick by any decision that ultimately improves game play, even it means re-issuing gamecube controllers with bluetooth and dipped in white powder-paint....come to think of it....that'd actually be really tight. XBOX1 admitted defeat, after all, releasing the so-called "Japanese controllers" and if Nintendo does the same...for the good of the gaming community, then I think we owe it to them to go out and grab 4 ASAP.


Well that all for now...just a closing comment...I'm in Denison, Texas right now and they have more DS (every color) and Wii Controllers than they know what to do with. Anyone else sitting on the proverbial goldmine of rare Electronics? I feel like i should be buying these and selling them on Ebay. Guess I must still be in Holiday shopping mode. Later

WELL shes dead.

WHELP kids, the ole blue beauty is dead. God knows how its exactly went down, but its looking like a dead northbridge fan. THATS RIGHT I SAID NORTHBRIDGE! Somehow what killed the northbridge killed the processor. That leaves me wondering....do I rebuild her? Or starting selling her off to the highest bidder? Perhaps give her away at a discount price to someone or maybe to a family member. Who knows, lets see how much money I make this summer. If i can make 3 g's, I'll think about rebuilding her. If not, looks like I'm going to be in the library a whole lot more and my gaming days are definately numbered. Could this be Ian's chance to finally give in to the wild world of console gaming? god, I hope not. Do you know how hard it would be to transition to a "gamepad" (pfffff)?! It would be tough, I assure you. Still if Alex's madman rantings ever come true, and the pc gaming market finally calls it caput, at least I'd be one step ahead of my old gaming server: Johnny's Squared. Oh well, this is all stuff to consider later, when School isn't breathing down my back. The good thing is Ill still be able to use....my.....psu and my.....uhm....CPU cooling fan? Wow. Nice. Two componants that AREN'T obsolete....and that cooling fan is hit or miss. Wish I had some pictures, but that would require a computer to upload them with. Anyways until then let me just end by saying:

IF YOU EVER ENJOYED POKEMON AT ANY TIME IN YOUR LIFE, ITS TIME TO COME HOME MAMA!

Because the new one is every bit as addicting and fun as all of the ones previous (minus the new pokemon getting lamer and lamer) Give it a shot, seriously. In fact, give DS a shot in general. If you don't have one, its seriously about time. I could name 10 games right here that are literally every bit as good or better than 90% of PS3s currents game line up. In fact, Im going to do that RIGHT FREAKIN NOW

P.s. these are in no particular order.

1. Animal Crossing: Wild World
2. Final Fantasy ( any of them on DS,including the new FF12 spin off thats been announced. even Chocobo Tales is C-Clamp)
3. Pokemon
4. Advance Wars
5. Castlvania (both)
6. Mario (any of them)
7. TETRIS I MEAN THAT GAME IS RIDICULOUSLY C-CLAMP
8. Nintendogs
9. Cooking Mama
10. Trauma Center

Okay! and look at that list, half of those titles have like 3 or 4 spinoffs. later

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