Wii round-up

If there is one thing that Super Mario Galaxy proved is that somewhere in Nintendo's Kyoto headquarters there are still people who loves playing video games. And thank god for that. SMG is one of the best platforming video games, ever. It easily surpass Super Mario 64 (which to be honest I never really got into it) and is easily the only game that comes close to demonstrating the full potential of the Wii platform with its gravity gameplay and spherical platforms (planets).


It isn't a perfect game (camera for one can get annoying) and like New Super Mario Bros., can be pretty easy for the seasoned players. The lack of cohesive plot may put off some but then again since when did anybody played a Mario game for its storyline? The visual design while brilliant isn't helped by the lack of the Wii's lack of graphical power, but at least it is very very pretty. Worth dusting off your Wii for.

If platforming isn't your cup of tea, then you may want to pass this as well. The third game in the Metroid Prime sub-series is more of a technology showcase for the Wiimote's FPS capability. Do not get me wrong. Like Metroid Prime: Hunters, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was fun and if anything goes it only cements the truth that the gameplay future of console first person shooter genre lies not with clunky dual analogue controllers, but with 3D mouse waggles.

Let me be honest again, I was never a fan of, as Nintendo puts it, the first person adventuring genre (FPS + platforming). To me FPS is about brain-less fragging, something the Nintendo DS game provided via its flawed online multiplayer system. Unfortunately no such online set-up exists here and that is a shame. The Wii is crying for a Quake III: Arena style game and Retro had the perfect opportunity to provide it here but bailed out for some reason. Fortunately Corruption is, as a single player game, fun and engaging despite its GameCube traits. I recommend it as a rental title.

For European Wii owners the Virtual Console has just been recently updated with a quality SNK title. The King of Fighters '94 is the first in the series that combined the best of SNK other series like Fatal Fury and Ikari Warriors. It also introduces some gameplay elements that has since been adopted by future KOF titles. Here you are forced to select a pre-defined (grouped under countries) three-person team then determine the order in which each fighter goes out to fight. It has since become a staple to the series. Not that I recommend the purchase of this on Virtual Console as this is the same game you've played at arcades, MVS kits and emulators before.

I still debate the usefulness of Virtual Console but if you have to play a retro game you can't go wrong with any King of Fighters series, even if it would be a modestly priced lesson in the history of mid-90s 2D fighter genre. But heed my advice first: do not purchase this until NoE confirms that what you will be getting are 60Hz (don't count on it), none-censored and Mai's jiggly boobs.

SMG: 9/10
MP3: 7/10
KOF: 6/10
Super Mario Galaxy: Amazon UK Play-asia
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption: Amazon UK Play-asia