Corrupted Super Mario 64 shows the real mushroom kingdom

by David Hinkle on Dec 4th 2013 1:00AM

Sometimes cartridges go bad. We can't explain what is going on in this footage of a corrupted Super Mario 64, presented by the same individual who posted that creepy Sesame Street footage earlier this year, but at least we know to avoid Princess Peach when she's baking a cake. Peach smash!

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REVIEW – Cloudberry Kingdom (Wii U eShop)

A Game Review by Greg Dabkey

Game – Cloudberry Kingdom
Version – Wii U  eShop
ESRB Rating: ‘T’ – Teen
Price: $9.99
Release Date: 8/1/2013
Obtained – Review copy courtesy of Ubisoft/Pwnee Games

The kingdom of Cloudberry is in trouble.  A retired hero named Bob returns to the scene.  Will he be able to restore the kingdom and win the heart of the princess?  Hey it’s worth a shot!

Story/Plot

The story behind this game is somewhat ridiculous.  Ridiculously funny that is.  A princess is hanging out in her tower when Kobbler shows up with a magical orb.  Bob the retired hero returns to the kingdom and their is a struggle of power between the three of them.  Bob and Kobbler have a brief fight (pretty humorous as Bob says he has no neck as he’s being strangled) and Kobbler throws him down the tower.  There he must journey back to the top to rescue the princess who was kidnapped.  Okay, so the story isn’t anything special or different, but it does have plenty of humor in it and is entertaining to watch the cutscenes.  They also aren’t terribly long either, but it’s definitely worth watching.

Gameplay & Controls

This game has some very interesting gameplay mechanics.  Everything is customized to the player which is pretty great to see.  The game randomly generates levels based on your previous level and how well you did.  It also is generating the next level while you play the current one, so when you complete it you are basically instantly loaded into the next level.  Oh silly me, I didn’t even describe what type of game this is.  Okay, think about the hardest Super Mario level you’ve played.  Now multiply the difficulty by say 10 times, and trim the level length so it’s a little longer than a Warioware microgame.  It’s a platforming game with some short sequenced levels with up to dozens of hazards.  The entry levels are still very easy to get you into the game with only a few things to dodge or jump over.  But if you continue long enough the game will throw some exciting challenges your way that really scratch your head how you will pass through the sequence.

Every jump will eventually be on a specific schedule so that you can navigate around the hazards at a particular pace.  With each level being different, some will require you to sprint, others to do a semi-jog type of run and others must be slowly or carefully done.  There are even levels that mix up those three paces so you will rush then have to come to a complete stop to go slowly through a part of the level.  Some of the levels are timed with a wall of spikes that chases you to the end of the level.  With the random levels you never know what type of room awaits next.  There will be levels with next to no floors and you just bounce on enemies, others will have lasers all over the place, and others are just filled with chained balls and/or fire arms.  Or even some combination of everything.  There’s a lot more hazards then the ones I listed.  If you are having trouble with the level, you can send a CPU through the level, or have an orb show you the path through the level or finally activate slow motion so you can find the route and complete it a little easier.

The controls are also very solid for this game.  The screen is also duplicated on the GamePad, so you just use that if you prefer the off-TV play.  Basically just use A to jump and Y to open the door at the end of the level.  There are at least 10 different heroes that can be used and each has a unique ability.  There’s also boxed Bob who can only move forward while midair, or Double Jump Bob who can jump twice, or even Bouncy Bob that uses a pogo stick at all times (so he’s always/constantly jumping).  There’s Mini Bob who can jump higher, and Fat Bob that is large and can barely jump.  So each hero is controlled differently, and even in story mode you will get to use each hero for at least five to ten levels and either switch back to classic Bob (no unique ability) or to a different hero.  A few of the obscure types include Phase Bob who continues to alternate in size between Mini Bob and Fat Bob, Wheelie Bob who is strapped into a wheel (so it makes it difficult to stop suddenly) and Jetpack Bob who can use a jetpack for about five seconds (until he lands on the ground or an enemy).  Each has controls that handle differently and you never know when you are about to be using them since it load a level and suddenly your form changes, so the game keeps you on your toes.  There’s several others that you will come across in addition to the ones I listed.

Game Modes

This game offers four modes and definitely worth noting them.  The main mode is Story Mode which I believe has set levels that aren’t randomly generated.  It’s divided into seven chapters of twenty or more levels each with the difficulty gradually getting harder within each chapter of levels.  I believe at the time of this writing I am on level 119 (overall total) and in chapter four.  The next mode to describe is free play.  This is where the game allows complete customization and randomization.  You set the initial amount of hazards with a scroll bar per hazard and the game allows at least two screens worth of customization.  You can even just hit Y to randomize all the settings on the page.  After this, you begin the level.  If you manage to complete it, the game will generate a new level with either more or less hazards depending on how well you did.  You can play with up to four players total to go through.  Finally, if you think it’s impossible, the game will show you that it is completely do-able.  A CPU will run through the level and show you the route and timing needed to complete the level.  This isn’t exclusive to Free Play either, it works in Story, and Arcade modes.

Arcade mode is broken into four parts, Escalation, Time Crisis, Hero Rush and Hybrid Rush.  Escalation is similar to the standard story mode, but you have a limited amount of lives.  You can gain lives by collecting twenty-five crystals (there’s about 10-15 per level).  Basically play through as many levels as possible.   Time Crisis you have a countdown clock, and with each coin you collect it adds a second onto the clock.  It continuously runs and carries over to the next level.  If you die, the coins you collected stay collected, so you will need to minimize your  deaths as you run through the random levels.  Hero Rush is similar to Time Crisis, but your hero changes with each level.  At the end of each level, you see an icon of the next hero you will be is shown above the door, and the time limit remains from the previous level and is increased with coin collection.   Hybrid Rush is a combination of Time Crisis and Hero Rush, but with a twist.  You will get two of the hero’s powers, so for instance you might be a Mini-Wheelie Bob, or be Boxed Bob and Jetpack Bob, so you will have two powers to use at once while collecting coins to expand the time to get to the door.  All modes allow up to four players with local multiplayer, and your hero Bob has complete customization with such features as: different colors, hats, facial hair, cape, with a number of different settings to change.  These character designs do not affect your controls.

Visuals & Sound

If you are looking for realism or somewhat clean visuals, this isn’t the game for you.  The characters are cartoony and simple, Bob even jokes he doesn’t have a neck!  I like the art style and find it fun and entertaining to watch.  Sure the levels are simple backgrounds and obstacles are not cleanest, but I really love how everything flows together.  You can be in an ice world and the fire arms will still be swirling around preventing you from getting to that door.  I do like how it switches up the backgrounds and settings.  You’ll be in a cave set of levels for five or ten levels, then suddenly into a series of sky levels for short while then suddenly into the frozen ice world.  There is no set type where one is always hard or always easy so it provides a nice change of space and continues to switch up the level styles.

While the sounds are simple and even somewhat similar to Mario, such as the jump sound and collecting coins, but it’s such standard and fitting sound for the movement and collection.  The door sound is also a simple door closing sound.  The voice work during the cut scenes is very well done and such a fitting tone for the characters.  My absolute favorite is the soundtrack.  If you watched any of the trailers for this game, that is the legit music you will hear while playing.  A fast paced electronic/techno style that I absolutely love.  It gives you that energy to want to rush through the level to advance to the next one.  Each track is timed, so you will hear it for a little while and then the next song in the playlist begins to play.  So it will switch in the middle of levels or between levels depending on the length of the song.  Sometimes there is a moment of silence, then the next song will kick in momentarily.

Conclusion 

Cloudberry Kingdom is an excellent platforming game that kicks it into high gear and will challenge any fan of the platforming genre.  With customization of the character to different abilities to randomly generated levels and even four player simultaneous local multiplayer it can be fun for players of all skill levels.  If you wonder where Mario’s really lost levels are, then look no farther as even the most difficult levels are beatable and at any time as a CPU can show you the way.  With essentially infinite levels and combinations you will have an infinitely fun time playing alone or with friends.  Sadly there is no online multiplayer, but I have heard that the developer has a planned patch to add in online leaderboards, so you will be able to compete with your friends online for bragging of rights of the highest score.  I’d recommend this game to fans of the platforming genre, and even those that seek a thorough challenging game.  This game will bring out many emotions, as things can get insanely crazy.

Final Score: 10 out of 10

+ Off TV play
+ custom difficulty
+ custom/random levels
+ multiple game modes
+ different heroes
+ incredible soundtrack
+ local multiplayer
-  no online modes or Miiverse integration (online leaderboards are tentatively planned)

Some videos I took of the gameplay: Story, Story + Free Play, Free Play + Arcade, Arcade + More story

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[PC, PS3, Wii U, X360] Cloudberry Kingdom will break your spirit this week

[PC, PS3, Wii U, X360] Cloudberry Kingdom will break your spirit this week
Remember Cloudberry Kingdom?

If you don't then don't fret because I completely forgot it was coming out as well, let alone that it was actually a successful Kickstarter project. The game will release across a multitude of platforms this week starting on the PlayStation Network today, then hitting Steam/Xbox Live Arcade on July 31st, and the Wii U eShop on August 1st.

If you like getting your pride broken and your spirit shattered then this could be the game for you, I'm still not certain it'll scratch that itch that Super Meat Boy manages to reach but it definitely looks like it could be worth checking out.

I must echo the sentiments shared by Destructoid's Jordan Devore concerning the art style, it just doesn't do anything for me.

Written by: Kyran Morrison

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[3DS] Check out these screens from Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance's opening

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[3DS] Kingdom Hearts 3D to feature the longest ending in the series

[3DS] Kingdom Hearts 3D to feature the longest ending in the series

Tetsuya Nomura has dished out some more details on Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance. He hasn't revealed anything too meaty, but he did tease some extra tidbits about the characters and what we can expect to be revealed in an interview with Famitsu.

“If I had to say who the key persons were, I’d say they are the silver haired boy and Axel,” Nomura shared with Famitsu. “This time at the end of the story, there will be the longest cutscene of the whole series where the true form of Ansem and Xemnas, as well as their goals and many other truths will be revealed all at once.”

That does sound pretty tantalizing, especially if you are a Kingdom Hearts fan who have been there since the beginning when Ansem was the only real enemy and the Organization XIII weren't even a factor. Nomura also stated that he believes the game will take roughly 35 hours, Japanese fans will be able to get their hands on the game as of the 29th of March. Western gamers will have to wait for further announcements but Square Enix are believed to be pretty far into the localisation progress.

Written by: Kyran Morrison

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[PS3, 3DS] Nomura talks Versus XIII and Kingdom Hearts 3D

[PS3, 3DS] Nomura talks Versus XIII and Kingdom Hearts 3D

Remember Final Fantasy Versus XIII? That elusive piece of vaporware apparently still in development over at Square Enix. Well, the topic came up in a recent interview with Famitsu. Will it ever exist? Tetsuya Nomura apparently wants to make some sort of announcement this year regarding the game, but he couldn't set any sort of concrete date. He also added that the ratio of real-time to pre-rendered cutscenes will be something along the lines of 7:3. On top of that, Nomura also assures readers that the next time we see the game it will be played on actual hardware.

Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance also came up, he touched on spoiler-free teases about the ending, stating that it will be somewhat different to the usual Kingdom Hearts endings. Apparently the original ending was not approved, which caused Nomura to change the ending. The game will also feature a secret ending that players will be able to unlock, it will feature shocking developments and will link the game to the next installment in the series.

He also touched on Final Fantasy X HD that is currently in the pipeline, mentioning that development has officially started on the project. So hopefully we'll get to hear more about that in the future.

Written by: Kyran Morrison

(This post was last modified: 01-19-2012 11:52 PM by LemonManX.)

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[3DS] Square Enix dates Kingdom Hearts 3D, shows off themed 3DS

[3DS] Square Enix dates Kingdom Hearts 3D, shows off themed 3DS
Square Enix has announced a release date for Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance in Japan, fans will be able to pick the game themselves on the 29th of March. Along with the release date, they also announced a hardware bundle as well that includes a special 3DS console.
Unfortunately no pricing was announced for the bundle, but it looks like a pretty spiffy piece of hardware. Now we just need to wait it out and see what sort of release date Square Enix give the game for a Western release.

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Fortune Street review: Occupy Mushroom Kingdom

by JC Fletcher on Dec 2nd 2011 1:00PM

As soon as you start up Fortune Street, you need to go into the options and turn both "game speed" and "text speed" up to their fastest settings. Then, when you get ready to choose your board and start the game, you must reduce the amount of money required to win by at least half. Even with these utterly necessary precautions, you should probably block out a big chunk of your day to dedicate to Square Enix's board game.

At its default settings, Fortune Street will wear out both its welcome and its players before the conclusion of a single game. That is, of course, if you can find someone to play with, which seems unlikely, given the presumably small pool of nearby friends who love Mario and Dragon Quest, love the real estate market, and have nothing going on for the whole day.

Fortune Street, like the other games in the previously Japan-only Itadaki Street series, takes its inspiration from Monopoly. Players roll dice to travel across a selection of game-themed boards, purchasing shops to acquire assets, and charging other players who land on those shops. Players can invest in their shops to boost their value and charge more, buy shops near each other to increase the value of the whole "district," and -- in the game's most complex wrinkle -- buy stock in various districts, to earn dividends on every transaction that happens within, and profit from increased stock prices when the district gains value.

As you attempt to gain property and stock, you also race around the board to cross four "suit" symbols (heart, spade, etc.), draw cards for random positive and negative effects, and engage in the occasional minigame. These are more games of chance than Mario Party button-mash-fests -- you'll throw darts at a spinning wheel, or play a slot machine game, or, in one case, just watch a Slime race.

I should note that I have no problem with the premise and ruleset of Fortune Street. I think the stock market adds an interesting strategic element to the Monopoly-style game, allowing players to profit on things that happen anywhere on the board. I even kind of feel like I learned a little about economics from it. I also like the presentation, with charming banter from all the characters (my favorite, of course, is the Slime, who speaks in puns involving "goo," "plop," "slurp," and other Slimey terms) and themed boards suspended over settings from both series.

Unfortunately, the game plays out at such a slow pace that
all those interesting elements become grating long before you've completed a board. While money starts piling up at a reasonable rate toward the end of the game -- once everyone's got a ton of stock and the shops have all been maxed out -- that comes only after hours of glacial progress. Goals are set at 10,000 gold or more, and you'll typically make a few hundred on the way around the board, and then maybe a thousand when you return to the "bank" starting point. Even the minigames and "venture" cards usually award the winner prizes in the low hundreds, meaning that everyone goes around the board way too many times, and every transaction makes barely perceptible progress toward the end of the game. It's a single design flaw, but it's one with devastating effect on the game. I think Fortune Street has the potential to be fun, but it's not fun enough to support such protracted gameplay sessions.

You can alter the goal amount in multiplayer games and "free play" mode, making each round shorter, but there's no such luck in the single-player "tour" mode. There, you play through each of twelve boards, all with increasing goal amounts and increasingly complex layouts, to unlock more boards, more playable characters, and, weirdly, customizations for your Mii. Want a little Goomba to walk around your Mii on the board? Or some dragon zombie wings? Or a tougher-looking win pose? Yeah, I didn't really either, at least not enough to deliberately earn "stamps" to buy them. You can also play with "easy" rules, which cut out the stock market -- but taking out the most interesting part of the game is no solution.

I really wanted to like Fortune Street. I looked forward to this game. I went into the experience assuming I would love it. I was as receptive an audience as Nintendo was going to find. But the game-breakingly slow pace of a game that isn't that exciting to start with took its toll. Fortune Street has no respect for players' time, turning what should be a breezy pastime into a languid, dull experience. Or, in honor of my friend Slime, a "lan-goo-id" experience.
This review is based on a retail copy of Fortune Street provided by Nintendo.

Joystiq's review scores are based on a scale of whether the game in question is worth your time -- a five-star being a definitive "yes," and a one-star being a definitive "no." Read here for more information on our ratings guidelines.

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[3DS] Second circle pad supported by Kingdom Hearts 3D and Snake Eater

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Disney Universe sounds like Kingdom Hearts with better hair [update: trailer!]

by Justin McElroy on May 26th 2011 9:55AM

We've all had the thought while playing a Kingdom Hearts game: "Sure, this is fun, I just wish my clothes didn't have so many buckles on them." Your prayers may have been answered by Disney Universe, a new multiplayer action game unveiled this morning for the 360, PS3 and Wii.

Here's what we can extrapolate from the release: Players will team with friends and battle bad guys in six Disney-themed worlds with the aid of Disney character costumes, each with their own special powers.

We're hoping for the Uncle Remus costume that will allow us to disappear from store shelves for decades. Maybe that's not terribly likely, but we'll all find out together when Disney Universe Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Drops this fall.

Update: Catch a teaser trailer after the break. We're sure that scene of a character swinging a key like a sword is just there coincidentally.

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Mario propaganda posters for glorious Koopa Kingdom

by Alexander Sliwinski on May 3rd 2011 2:00AM

The Koopas are fighting, why aren't you? Don't let Mario stomp all over the armies of the great and mighty Koopa. Join up today!

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Indiana Jones - The Complete Adventure Collection (Raiders of the Lost Ark/ Temple of Doom/ Last Crusade/ Kingdom of the Crystal Skull)

INDIANA JONES:COMPLETE ADVENTURE COLL - DVD Movie

Price: $69.98

Click here to buy from Amazon

[3DS] Tiny Glimpse at Kingdom Hearts 3D

[3DS] Tiny Glimpse at Kingdom Hearts 3D
With Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep out on shelves and Kingdom Hearts - Re:coded not far off, everyone is wondering about the next installment in the convoluted Kingdom Hearts franchise.

Square Enix showed off a teeny 8 second clip at Nintendo World over the weekend, but it wouldn't really budge more than that. Sadly, it wasn't playable at the event.

What we do know is that it is the game will lead into Kingdom Hearts 3, it will feature new Disney worlds, you'll be able to take control of Sora and Riku and last of all the theme of this game is trust.

Hopefully we'll hear some more news soon.

Written by: Kyran Morrison

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