The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - 1UP - 10
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - IGN - 9.5
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - Gamespot - 8.8
Excite Truck - IGN - 8.0
Excite Truck - Gamespot - 6.8
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz - Gamespot - 8.3
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz - IGN - 8.4
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz - 1UP - 7.0
Wii Sports - IGN - 7.5
Trauma Center: Second Opinion - Gamespot - 8.0
Trauma Center: Second Opinion - IGN - 8.0
Trauma Center - 1UP - 6.5
Call of Duty 3 - IGN - 7.7
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam - IGN - 7.0
Rayman Raving Rabbids - IGN - 8.3
Madden '07 - IGN - 8.5
Twilight Princess is something you rarely see: a 60-hour adventure in which every moment is memorable. But then, maybe that's no surprise -- it represents the full resources and effort of the world's most powerful first-party developer, and thanks to all those delays, it's even enjoyed an extra year of polish and refinement. The question to ask therefore isn't "Is it any good?" but rather "Just how good is it?"
The answer? Truly fantastic. It's not a reinvention of the genre like Ocarina was -- but it's much better, because it takes all its predecessors' raw ideas, perfects them, and creates an experience that's at once new and familiar. It's rare to find a launch game that truly justifies the purchase of a new console, but this is precisely that. If Wii Sports is a game for everyone, Twilight Princess is for everyone who loves games.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - IGN - 9.5
Closing Comments
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is, in my opinion, the greatest Zelda game ever created and one of the best launch titles in the history of launch titles – second only, perhaps, to the at-the-time ground-breaking Super Mario 64. It is also one of the finest games I have ever played. The experience is made better and not worse on Wii. The Wii remote and nunchuk add accuracy and speed to exploration and combat for a heightened sense of immersion. While the game has just about everything going for it, including improved controls, a long and engrossing quest, brain-teasing dungeons and some beautiful graphics, it's not perfect. The difficulty has been upped over Wind Waker, but I wish it were harder still – the boss fights are oftentimes too easy, for example. Additionally, while the visuals are generally impressive, some textures remain blurry to the point they are noticeable. And finally, I still question why Nintendo refuses to add either voice work to the side characters (especially since Twilight Princess features such an improved, dark storyline) or orchestrated music to the soundtrack.
Nintendo's new console ships with Wii Sports, which effectively demonstrates a new breed of games only possible on Wii. The Zelda franchise is equally exclusive to the machine and Twilight Princess is must-see, must-play and must-own entry into the series that proves over and over again why Nintendo is the best developer in the world.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - Gamespot - 8.8
Twilight Princess contains the same expertly designed puzzles and time-tested gameplay that you've come to expect from the series, though parts of its presentation feel stuck in the past.
The Good: Compelling characters and story; outstanding world and puzzle design; longer than most action adventure games; terrific graphics, from an artistic perspective.
The Bad: Wii-specific elements feel tacked on; graphics and sound sometimes go from nostalgic to dated.
Excite Truck - IGN - 8.0
Closing Comments
I'm more of a Burnout and San Francisco Rush fan than a Gran Turismo and Forza gamer, and Excite Truck for Wii is definitely right up my alley. Excite Truck is clearly a first generation console game that will, without a doubt be outdone in the Wii system's later years. But as a game that bursts right out of the gate as a launch title for the system, Excite Truck is a fulfilling, fun, energetic arcade-style racer that features a good balance of technology and technique. There are a few spots in places that could have been filled, like its weak two player option and trick system, but overall this game definitely pulls off the intense racing rush that quality arcade racers offer.
Excite Truck - Gamespot - 6.8
Ultimately, Excite Truck feels more like a tech demo than a full-fledged game.
The Good: Good sense of speed; hectic gameplay makes you feel just shy of losing control of the truck.
The Bad: Not enough here to keep you interested for long; should have been at least a four-player game, if not online.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz - Gamespot - 8.3
Banana Blitz stands as one of the first, best proofs of what the Wii is capable of. The Good: Single-player game makes intuitive use of Wii Remote; incredible variety of multiplayer minigames; gameplay initially more approachable, but can still present a potent challenge; gives series much-needed visual makeover.
The Bad: Lack of camera control can be frustrating in some boss battles; quality of multiplayer minigames wildly inconsistent; single-player game a little short.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz - IGN - 8.4
Closing Comments
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz is a great Wii launch title and I highly recommend picking it up if you at all liked the previous games (discounting Adventure, which was an unfortunate departure). This is also an ideal choice for casuals looking to play Wii with friends or family. The title's easy-to-learn controls make it immediately accessible to newcomers or the uncoordinated among us. However, like with all solid Monkey Ball games, the puzzle arenas grow increasingly more difficult and later stages are downright insane – hence, although everybody can enjoy the experience on some level, only the skilled and dedicated will beat the title.
If you've been on the fence about the Wii controls, put those fears to rest. True, there is a different technique involved, but once you get the hang of it you will be flying through levels with precision and speed. Now that I've played through Banana Blitz, I would not want to go back to the older control configurations.
The single-player affair is engaging and rewarding, but although 100 levels seem like a lot, some of the previous outings actually included more. Given that some of Banana Blitz's 50 mini-games are throwaways, I'd have preferred that the developer spent more time making the single-player mode bigger and better and less time upping the mini-game count. All of that noted, there are still quite a few minis that are worth playing, such as Monkey Target, and they are also four-player-compatible.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz - 1UP - 7.0
Wii owners are probably going to be burned out on minigame collections way before WarioWare: Smooth Moves arrives, which makes Monkey Ball a nice compromise. It's hardly revolutionary, but it makes smart use of the Wii hardware as it straddles the divide between hardcore and casual gamers. Come for the intricate and frequently difficult single-player mode; stay for the entertainingly goofy minigames guaranteed to hook your most obstinate nongaming loved ones.
Wii Sports - IGN - 7.5
Closing Comments
Wii Sports is a successful showpiece for Nintendo's new hardware and a fantastic means to get non-gamers talking about Wii. Not all of the games are spectacular. Given the choice, I'd prefer not to play either boxing or golf, which is disappointing because both sports seem like a fine fit for the remote. But the games that do work really work. Baseball is good in short bursts. Tennis is a lot of fun, especially with two or more. And bowling is fantastic – I can't wait for Nintendo to use these mechanics and release the inevitable (and much deeper) Mario Bowling. What you're going to find in Wii Sports is a title that demonstrates the potential of the Wii remote, but comes up short in depth and visuals. Play it for an hour with friends and you'll love it. Your non-gamer friends will be dazzled by the immediately intuitive controls and the imported Miis. But the title sacrifices incredible depth and visuals for an immediately accessible experience.
Trauma Center: Second Opinion - Gamespot - 8.0
You don't need a surgeon's patience or precision to appreciate this quirky, inventive, very likable remake of a remarkable Nintendo DS game.
The Good: Fast-paced puzzle action gameplay shows off a lot of what the Wii Remote can do; surprisingly engaging storyline rife with the best kind of anime melodrama; multiple difficulty settings make the high level of challenge more manageable; controls do a great job of simulating some surgical procedures.
The Bad: While the presentation looks good, it feels dated--no support for widescreen 480p displays; some scenarios demand trial and error or punishing degrees of precision.
Trauma Center: Second Opinion - IGN - 8.0
Closing Comments
Now that the Wii launch is truly underway, is Trauma Center worth another dose? Yeah, it is. Putting aside the fact that Second Opinion is a retelling of the DS version, the game is absolutely perfect as an introductory game for Wii players. There’s a ton of diversity in the missions, an all-new Hard mode for previous fans of the series, and an entirely new sixth chapter of the game to appease the “been there, done that” attitude of the hardcore crowd. Trauma Center has a charming style, decent graphical and audio presentation, but really excels in the control department. The franchise has been given a rebirth on Wii, and it has never been better. Everything from interface navigation to tool switching and actual surgical actions is made easier with the Wii-mote/nunchuk combination, and that alone makes it worth your launch dollars. Under the Knife showed players what DS was all about, and now we’re seeing Second Opinion doing the same thing as it ushers Nintendo fans into a new era of innovation and control.
Trauma Center - 1UP - 6.5
One final thing: Don't let the score dissuade you from playing the game. It is enjoyable. Actually, it reminds me of that college professor who taught a fun class but didn't explain things very well -- in the end, you didn't learn as much as you could have. Second Opinion's fun, but in the end, you feel like you didn't enjoy it as much as you should have.
Call of Duty 3 - IGN - 7.7
Closing Comments
Call of Duty 3 for Wii is a bit of a mixed bag. For starters, the game’s control is pretty solid, and while there are a few issues with the battle actions, the pin-point aiming and Call of Duty driving feels great, adding a ton of immersion in to the game. If the gameplay isn’t your primary focus for FPS games though, Call of Duty 3 may be a bit of a downer, as there’s no multiplayer, and the visuals are pretty weak. If you’re expecting anything more than a solid single player adventure and GCN/Xbox graphics, you may be disappointed. Still, Call of Duty 3’s control is definitely something to experience, and seems to be second only to Metroid. If you’re looking to try the FPS genre on Wii during launch, Call of Duty 3 is the game to show the system off.
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam - IGN - 7.0
Closing Comments
It may be a bit flawed, but Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam still shaped up to be a pretty entertaining racer on Wii. In no way does the spin-off game stand up to Project 8 on the other next generation consoles, but as a “popcorn flick” equivalent to Hawk games, Downhill Jam is a decently entertaining and innovative game nonetheless. A somewhat dated graphical look hurts, though the game runs in 480p and 16:9 to counteract it. And while in-game music is a hassle to work with, there are some killer songs in the 40 track list. The stylistic look of the game is going to be hit or miss for gamers, and whether you love it or hate it, your opinion is justified. Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam is an odd game, but it still can be a blast to play, and the replay value goes up a ton when you throw a few more Wii-motes into the mix. A redesign for a franchise is always risky business, and while there are definitely things to change in a potential sequel, Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam is a solid first step in a new direction for Wii players. More control customization and higher production value is definitely needed, though the game is conceptually sound and still pretty fun in short bursts.
Rayman Raving Rabbids - IGN - 8.3
Closing Comments
Rayman Raving Rabbids is a gamble for Ubisoft because it is so dramatically different from its predecessors. It's not a platformer, but don't let that deter you because it is still easily one of the better games available for Nintendo's new generation system this year. Ubisoft understands that Wii is about new ways to play and it has with Rabbids created a title that utilizes the Wii remote 70 times over. The majority of minis in the title are fun whether you're playing by yourself or with friends, although there are the occasional duds. The biggest drawback is that many of the minis are not designed for simultaneous play; instead you go in sequence. But even with that being true the experience is still engaging and addictive and the title's sense of humor is in a league of its own. It is almost unfair to label this effort a Rayman game because the real stars of the project are the bunnies, whose blank faces and inevitable agonized screams will make you laugh over and over again.
Madden '07 - IGN - 8.5
Closing Comments
As far as launch titles go, Madden 07 for Wii is a very solid first effort. The game includes all the options as the other console versions including lead blocking, create-a-player/team/fan, hall of fame, tons of training sessions including two minute drill and NFL network, and a full-blown franchise mode just to name a few, and throws in an intuitive learn madden tutorial, multiplayer competitions including the amazingly addictive 2-on-2 and Y.A.C. Attack, as well as tons of motion control specifically built for the Wii-mote and nunchuk. There are still a few issues with kicking and big hits that could be a bit more polished, and the general stigma around Wii is that some people will love it or hate it simply because it offers new gameplay over improved graphics, but the game is simply awesome despite the countless naysayers out there.
Madden 07 offers a faster and more brutal game of football, and the added motion control makes pulling off complex football maneuvers easier than it’s ever been. The game is constantly offering pointers to newcomers as well, whether it’s in the on-the-fly tutorials accessible at any time during a game, or in the success/failure prompts that tell you instantly if your motion was too early, too late, or dead on. Madden 07 leaves definite room for improvement, but it’s a tremendous leap in the right direction. If Madden 07 is any indication expect EA and Nintendo to become very, very good friends this generation.
I'll have to get it along with Zelda.
ing times are we gonna see this in every Wii game review?
