Shall We Do It? (Aero Porter, Go! Go! Kokopolo and Ninja Jajamaru-kun 3DS)

Although Dragon Quest VII continues to be the focus of the time I spend with my 3DS systems, that doesn't mean I'm ignoring every other game released for the handheld.

In fact, I put a good number of minutes--and, in some cases, hours--into the trio of 3DS titles named below in the last week. Here are my thoughts on those experiences:

Aero Porter--I've wanted to play this Yoot Saito-made puzzler since it was first revealed to be a part of Level-5's intriguing Guild01 compilation. As is too often the case for yours truly, I failed to buy it upon release and then basically forgot about it until I saw it would be included in a Black Friday sale on the North American 3DS eShop.

That was all I needed to jump in with both feet. (I purchased The Starship Damrey at the same time, though I've yet to even boot up the curious-looking survival-horror title.) With that out of the way, I played Aero Porter throughout my recent three-day move--of sorts--from Seattle to California.

If you've never before heard of Aero Porter, the gist is that you have to manage all of the baggage coming into and going out of an airport. Not the most thrilling of premises, I agree, but it's definitely unique. Also, it produces gameplay that's a lot more compelling than I ever imagined.

Unfortunately, it also produces gameplay that's a bit too frantic for my liking. As such, although I currently love and respect the idea of Aero Porter, I'm not sure that's going to translate to me putting much more time into it, as I'm already feeling stumped.

Don't worry, I haven't completely given up on it, but I may have to do just that if it becomes clear it's not a good fit for my feeble brain. Regardless, I'm glad I finally bought it, and I still think it's worth trying if you tend to like portable puzzle games.

Go! Go! Kokopolo--This indie title was first made available to the gaming masses back in 2011 via Nintendo's DSiWare service. Later, it made the transition to the 3DS eShop--though its developer mysteriously pulled Go! Go! Kokopolo from the European and North American versions of that digital storefront in late 2014.

For whatever reason, Go! Go! Kokopolo can still be found on the Japanese 3DS eShop--which is where I bought my copy after publisher Circle Entertainment reminded me of its existence while promoting the game's upcoming 3DS sequel.

I'm now sad I waited so long to experience this wonderfully weird title, which calls to mind classics like Enix's Door Door and Namco's Pac-Man. Here, you're plopped into the paws of an ever-grinning cat named Kokopolo and then tasked with corralling each stage's creatures into the hungry stomach of what the game's makers describe as a carnivorous plant.

As for how you accomplish that, you do it by waltzing up to one of said creatures, swiping at it with your claws, making it angry and then leading it to the above-mentioned plant when it inevitably gives chase.

It's a lot of fun and doesn't require a huge investment of time or energy. (In other words, it's one of those play-when-you've-got-a-few-spare-minutes games that are so great when you're busy.) Plus, it's a real looker, with pixel-based graphics that remind of Saturday morning cartoons.

Ninja Jajamaru-kun: Sakura-hime to Karyu no Himitsu--I don't have much experience with Jaleco's Ninja Jajamaru-kun series. I've played a bit of the Mario Bros.-esque Famicom game from 1985, but that's it.

Not that Sakura-hime to Karyu no Himitsu plays anything like that antiquated title. This modern sequel is a fairly by-the-numbers platformer--with tossable shurikens, naturally. It attempts to make up for its staid gameplay with colorful backdrops and well-drawn character and enemy sprites, but the latter fall a tad short of the mark due to their annoyingly diminutive size.

Granted, of all the games discussed in this post, I've put the least amount of time into Ninja Jajamaru-kun: Sakura-hime to Karyu no Himitsu. Given that, it's entirely possible its adventure turns a corner at some point down the road and becomes thoroughly thrilling.

Should that prove to be the case, I'll let all of you know in an upcoming write-up (perhaps even in another "Great Gaymathon" review).

**Bonus** Picross 3D: Round 2 (demo)--I also recently downloaded and played through the Picross 3D: Round 2 demo that Nintendo added to the North American 3DS eShop. This despite the fact that I've barely touched the Picross DS cartridge I bought ages ago and have yet to even pick up 2009's much-balyhooed follow-up, Picross 3D.

Still, the original Picross 3D gets so much love on line that I couldn't ignore the chance to experience a bite of its digital-only (in my neck of the woods, at least) sequel. As for my impressions of Round 2's demo: I really, really liked it. It's polished to the hilt, as so many Nintendo-made and -published products are, plus there's plenty of substance below that shiny surface.

That said, I've got to admit I think I prefer the more straightforward rules and gameplay associated with traditional Picross to this three-dimensional offshoot. The former's certainly easier to boot up and zone out to, in my opinion, and that's usually what I want from a puzzle game these days.

Who knows, though, I may change my mind and import a copy of the Japanese version of Picross 3D: Round 2 later this year when it finally dawns on me that the days of the 3DS are nearly over.

Wait, a Tetris-like Katamari Damacy puzzler hit Nintendo's DSiWare service back in 2009?

In the comments section of my recent post about "book-style" DS games, two fine folks pointed me in the direction of a Giant Bomb write-up that detailed a good number of such releases.

One of the many games highlighted in that post was Korogashi Puzzle Katamari Damacy (or ころがしパズル塊魂).

Unbeknownst to me, the folks at Bandai Namco dropped Korogashi Puzzle Katamari Damacy onto the Japanese DSiWare shop (or whatever the hell it was called) all the way back in 2009.



Given my love of book-style DS games, Katamari Damacy and puzzlers, I nearly fainted when I first became aware of Korogashi Puzzle Katamari Damacy's existence.

Sadly, unless I'm horribly mistaken (someone please tell me if this is the case), Korogashi Puzzle Katamari Damacy never made the leap from the DSiWare shop to the 3DS eShop.

Oh, well, maybe this is just the universe's way of telling me I need to pick up a Japanese DSi pronto?

Who needs Thanksgiving leftovers when you've got a new episode of The Nichiest Podcast Ever?

OK, go ahead and enjoy those Thanksgiving leftovers, too. (Assuming you even have them, of course.) I don't think it would be a terrible idea to wash them down with a cold, refreshing glass of The Nichiest Podcast Ever, though, do you?

Especially since this "take" (our fourth) includes chatter about a whole heap of niche-y gaming goodness. Cases in point: Anne (aka @apricotsushi) talks about the Animal Crossing-branded 3DS LL (XL elsewhere) she recently acquired, while shidoshi (@pikoeri) and I continue salivate over the pink-and-white XL that just hit (some) store shelves in North America.

We also confer on Style Savvy: Trendsetters, the slew of niche-y PSP games due to be released throughout North America between now and next summer, the Deadly Premonition Director's Cut that's set to come out (for PS3) this coming March, and the possibility that the wacky PS2 title, Chulip, may soon find its way onto PSN.

Oh, and we also blathered on for a bit about the recent launch of the Wii U. Are Anne and shidoshi planning to join me in picking up Nintendo's next console at some point in 2013, or are they going to give it a pass?

Check out this episode of The Nichiest Podcast Ever (here) and you'll hear the answer to that question and also hear the three of us "cheerlead" in support of Dokuro (for Vita), Magical Whip: Wizards of Phantasmal Forest (DSiWare) and Persona 4 Golden (also for Vita).

A somewhat gay review of Magical Whip: Wizards of the Phantasmal Forest (DSiWare)

Game: Magical Whip: Wizards of the Phantasmal Forest

Genre: Single-Screen Platformer

Developer: Agetec

Publisher: Agetec

System: DSi/3DS

Release date: 2011

It isn't often that fans of single-screen platformers are presented with a current-gen game that can be considered an honest-to-goodness "Bubble Bobble clone"--especially one that costs just $1.99. As such, one of the first things I purchased from Nintendo's eShop after I obtained a 3DS was Agetec's Magical Whip: Wizards of the Phantasmal Forest (which, it should be noted, is a DSiWare, rather than a 3DSWare, title).

So, does this, er, dual-screened platformer (the action takes place over both of the DSi's and/or 3DS' screens, after all) bring anything new to the genre made famous by Taito's classic quarter-muncher, or does it basically just trade on nostalgia? I'd say the answer's a little of both, if that makes sense.

What I mean is that, yes, Magical Whip is, initially at least, aimed at those of us who have enjoyed games like Bubble Bobble, Don Doko Don, Rod Land and Snow Bros. It quickly becomes apparent, though, that the team that made this digital title wanted to do more than just copy those aforementioned trailblazers.

That's especially obvious after you first discover Magical Whip's combo system, which pushes players to master the game's juggling mechanic--use your character's wand/whip to grab an enemy and toss it at another, which will then launch into the air so it can be captured and then launched at another enemy--and then rewards them by boosting the power of their attacks. (According to the folks at Agetec, if you string together enough attacks you can wipe out one of the game's bosses with a single strike--although I've yet to do this myself.)

Magical Whip's juggling mechanic and combo system aren't the only thing that help separate it from the pack. Also noteworthy: The fact that the action takes place over both of the DSi's and 3DS' screens. Admittedly, it doesn't significantly change the gameplay, but it alters it just enough to make things interesting.

As for this title's negative aspects (you just knew they were coming, right?), the main one, in my mind, is the repetitive backdrops. I know the game's subtitle is "Wizards of the Phantasmal Forest" and, as such, most if not all of its levels should take place in wooded areas, but couldn't the designers have changed the look of the trees every five or 10 stages?

Also rather disappointing is the game's limited number of enemy designs. If Magical Whip were a retail release, I'd complain that it includes 50 measly levels, but since it's a two-dollar digital one I'll forgive that particular transgression.

The "two dollar" part of that last sentence is perhaps the most telling part of this review, by the way. Basically, if you consider yourself a fan of Bubble Bobble and its ilk, there's really no reason to pass up Magical Whip if you own a DSi or 3DS given its minuscule price tag, as its few miscues are easily overlooked when you consider just how few pennies you have to hand over to buy it.

See also: Previous 'somewhat gay' reviews

Is a Bubble Bobble clone really a Bubble Bobble clone if fruit and other food items aren't involved?

I asked myself the question in the header above shortly after I played the awkwardly titled (in my humble opinion) DSiWare title, Magical Whip: Wizards of the Phantasmal Forest, for the first time a few weeks ago.

In case you've never played--or even heard of--Magical Whip, it's a nice little dual-screened "Bubble Bobble clone" that puts players in the shoes--not to mention flowing robe and pointy hat--of a young warlock (or witch, if that's the way you swing) and tasks them with clearing 50 forest-themed stages of bats, ghosts, slimes and other baddies. That's accomplished, for the most part, by picking up--with the titular whip--one or more of the aforementioned spooks and tossing them at each other. (Larger enemies and bosses, which appear on every fifth stage, also can be beaten by bopping them with your weapon.)

Disappointingly, Magical Whip's foes don't produce an eruption of fruit and other food items, a la Bubble Bobble and most/all of its wannabes, once dispatched, which I have to admit caused me to wrinkle my nose in disgust at first. "What's the use in being a Bubble Bobble clone if you can't collect food?" I asked myself after clearing the game's first stage.

I've since gotten over Magical Whip's lack of munchables (for the most part) thanks to the unique spin it puts on this well-worn genre. Like I said earlier, rather than encasing enemies in bubbles or bopping them with hammers, the witchy protagonists in this digital title use their whips to grab and then hoist baddies above their behatted heads. After that, they can toss them at other baddies, causing them to flip into the air. Catch the spinning enemy (with a flick of your whip, of course) and you create a combo that slowly but surely increases your character's attack strength.

That's not all Magical Whip has to offer single-screen platformer fans, of course. It also offers up some surprisingly well-crafted sprites and an appealingly triumphant--if slightly repetitive--soundtrack.

Speaking of repetitive, the only real negatives associated with this game, in my mind, are its backdrops, which barely change from stage to stage. Considering buying the game will only set you back $1.99, though, I wouldn't let it keep you from giving it a try.

Hey, Nintendo: Where are my Art Style compilations?

At the end of October (on the 25th, to be exact), Nintendo of America will offer up to the DS-owning masses a $19.99 piece of software called Art Academy.

If you don't own a DSi--or if you do but you haven't paid much attention to Nintendo's DSiWare service--you may not know that Art Academy began life as a pair of downloadable titles.

As a DSi-less gamer who would love to experience the above-mentioned, buzz-worthy titles, I'm pleased as punch that the brass at Nintendo have decided to go this route. Given that, I have to wonder why they haven't yet combined all of their DSiWare and WiiWare Art Style games into similar available-at-retail compilations, especially considering seven of the former (Art Style: PiCTOBiTS, right, among them) and five of the latter currently exist.

Admittedly, the Art Academy games may be more attractive to the casual set that Nintendo has shown such an affinity for this generation and, as such, they may be more marketable as well, but I think the Art Style games could go far, too, if given the proper backing.

Pre-order: Art Academy

This game isn't going to be released outside of Japan, is it?

If you're anything like me, you've always wanted to own a game that lets you create songs and then have them performed--with digitized/synthesized singing--by a band of Rodney Greenblat-esque monkeys.

Well, you're finally going to get your chance to own such a game next week, when Nintendo publishes--in Japan, harumph--a DSiWare title called Tsukatte Utau Saru Band (aka Make and Sing: Monkey Band).

The 800-point game was made in partnership with Muu Muu, the developer behind the similarly strange PS2 title from 2003, Kuma Uta (aka Bear Song), which starred a polar bear who, you guessed it, performed user-created songs using digitized/synthesized speech.

(Via andriasang.com)

Is there any chance I'll get to be this good at Ivy the Kiwi?

Hey, for once the question mark at the end of Ivy the Kiwi? worked for me instead of against me!

Anyway, back to the point at hand: Prope's upcoming DS/DSiWare/Wii/
WiiWare title, Ivy the Kiwi? Specifically, how much I'm going to suck at said game (assuming, of course, I actually buy it).

Why do I think I'm going to suck at it? Take a gander at the following:



Now, I'm guessing the person playing the game in the video above is one of its developers, but I'd be lying if I told you that made me feel better about my own prospects with this so-cute-I-could-puke platformer.

(Via siliconera.com)

This is why I want a DSi

Singer/songwriter Billy Polard created the following music video (for his song, "Losing Light") using Nintendo's animation program, Flipnote Studio.



Apparently it took the Philadelphia-based artist "two weeks and hundreds of drawings" to make the melancholy clip.

Is it the title of a game or a gay porn flick?

The title in question belongs to one of Nintendo's latest Game & Watch DSiWare releases: Manhole.

Sadly, it seems the game isn't anywhere near as kinky as its name suggests. According to Nintendo's official description of the 200-point title, players are tasked with using their manhole covers "to prevent the pedestrians from falling through the holes. Pedestrians appear from the left on the upper path and from the right on the bottom path. Earn a point every time a pedestrian walks safely over a covered manhole, or receive a mistake icon for every pedestrian who falls down an uncovered manhole. Receive three mistake icons and it's game over!"

When the PR folks at Nintendo say "manhole covers," they're referring to something like this and not something a bit more personal (and pervy), right?

I know, I have the mind of a 5-year-old.

OK, you *really* need to check this out ...

The following trailer is for a DSiWare title (Rittai Kakushi e Attakoreda, or Hidden 3D Image: There It Is!) that's set to be released next week in Japan.



The gist of the game: Players tilt their DSis to change their perspective and uncover words (and objects, I think) that are hidden in each picture-book-styled stage.

How is that possible? I have no idea, but someone over on NeoGAF has come up with a pretty plausible explanation: "It's possibly ... using the outside camera and doing color-checking, but I'd wager it uses the front-facing camera and the face-tracking tech," said gamer suggested earlier today.

I can't see Nintendo leaving this one in Japan, so I'm guessing it'll show up on our shores sooner rather than later. Honestly, I'd be more than happy if it showed up later, as I don't (yet) have a DSi and probably won't have one for some time.

For more information on Dimensional Hidden Picture, check out this page on Nintendo of Japan's site and this NeoGAF thread.

Looks like someone needs a second job ...

Before its "media summit" in San Francisco began this morning, Nintendo of America promised (via Twitter) that it had "new info to share." Boy, did it ever.

A surprising number of release dates were announced during the company's presser, including:

DS:
WarioWare: D.I.Y. - March 28
Picross 3D – May 3
100 Classic Books – June 14
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies (which will be published by Nintendo of America) – Summer

DSiWare:
Metal Torrent – Spring
Photo Dojo – Spring
X-Scape – Spring

Wii:
Monster Hunter Tri demo – March 8
Monster Hunter Tri Classic Controller Pro Bundle – April 20
Super Mario Galaxy 2 – May 23
Sin & Punishment: Star Successor – June 7
Metroid: Other M – June 27
FlingSmash (formerly known as Span Smasher) – Summer

WiiWare:
WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase – March 29
Art Style Light Trax – Spring
Art Style Rotozoa – Spring

Also, the Nintendo DSi XL will be released on March 28 for $189.99. It will be available in two colors: Burgandy (eww) and bronze (double eww).

Looks like a pretty good spring/summer line-up, if you ask me.

The only disappointments in my mind: The lack of an announcement regarding the North American release of the black Wii and red DSi systems that were released in Japan last year, and the lack of an announcement regarding the North American release of Zangeki no Reginleiv.

Screw Sonic, I'll take Ivy the Kiwi instead

Full disclosure: I'm not the biggest fan of Sonic the Hedgehog. I spent a bit of time with the series' first two titles back in the day, but neither one left much of an impression on me.

So, when the folks at Sega announced a few days ago the forthcoming release of Sonic the Hedgehog 4, my reaction was "meh."

I had a much more energetic and excited reaction to the announcement that Yuji Naka, lead programmer of the original Sonic the Hedgehog, and his team at Prope Ltd. will soon release (in Japan--sigh) a cutie-patootie platformer called Ivy the Kiwi? (Yes, the question mark is part of the game's name.)

Based on the trailer below, the title seems to be a sepia-toned combo of the DS classic Kirby: Canvas Curse and the upcoming WiiWare release Max and the Magic Marker.



DS and Wii versions of Ivy the Kiwi? will hit Japanese store shelves on April 22, although DSiWare and WiiWare versions supposedly will be released soon, too.

Should the titles be brought to the States, I'll probably pick up one of the Wii versions--even though I imagine it'll be easier to play on the DS.

Metal Gear + Pac-Man = what seems to be a very cool DSiWare title

I say "seems to be" because, sadly, I haven't actually played Gevo Entertainment's recently released Escapee Go!

The word on the street, though, is that the title is well worth its 200-point ($2) price tag.

What do you get for those 200 points? According to the folks at tinycartridge.com, you get "a story mode in which you play a female amnesiac trying to find out about her past while using psychic powers to avoid her pursuers and a four-player local multiplayer mode that plays like Pac-Man Vs."

If that doesn't mean much to you, maybe this trailer will do the trick:



To learn more about Escapee Go!, check out this snazzy mini-site.
 
(Via tinycartridge.com)

Hey, there's a reason (or four) to visit the Wii Shop Channel again!

The Monday after Christmas usually is a bit of a downer for me, but not this year. That's because Nintendo of America offered up the best "Nintendo Download Monday" in some time by making available Pilotwings (via Wii Virtual Console), Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth (WiiWare) and The Oregon Trail (DSiWare).

Actually, those aren't the only downloadable titles that piqued my interest this morning. The Magic Obelisk, a WiiWare title, also intrigued me. Why? Well, it was developed by the folks at Game Arts--the Tokyo-based company responsible for the Grandia, Lunar and Silpheed series.

According to the press release sent out by Nintendo of America's PR department, The Magic Obelisk "is an action-adventure game in which you become Popo, a light spirit. Your mission is to guide Lukus, a tree spirit, to each stage's goal while moving only within the shadow. You can help him do this by shining your light near the mysterious magic obelisks, allowing you to create and connect shadows to solve tricks and gimmicks along the way."

Honestly, that description doesn't do much for me. This trailer, on the other hand, makes the title seem a lot more appealing: