War is upon us, at long last.
Just when you thought it was safe to bid farewell to your Wii U, a lone figure appears on the shadowed horizon. Unhindered by multiple delays, primed for war and ready to impress; the horseman cometh. Darksiders originally released back in 2010, and was hailed as a hidden gem of the last generation. While it skipped Nintendo consoles at the time, the next entry in the franchise - - would later go on to launch alongside the Wii U as a flagship third-party title. Now at the end of that console's lifespan, the original has been freed from purgatory in the form of , meaning you can now book-end your Wii U collection with both Darksiders titles in reverse order, if you're into that sort of thing.
While we admit to having a soft spot for its silly alternate subtitle, this 'Warmastered' release is essentially a souped-up remaster of that 2010 original, and it's a remaster which also arrived on PS4, Xbox One and PC late last year. It's the first release from the newly rebranded THQ Nordic, which acquired the rights to the franchise when publisher THQ declared bankruptcy several years back. Although it doesn't boast any additional content, the game has gone through a visual overhaul that improves texture resolution, performance, and runs in "hellish" 1080p HD, so we recommend having an exorcist on hand, just in case.
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Link's latest adventure in its natural home.
We've been playing a lot of , mostly on Nintendo Switch. Yet not everyone is buying into Nintendo's latest hardware yet, and there have been plenty of fair questions around how this game shapes up on its original home - the Wii U. After all, this title was announced for Wii U and was primarily developed for the system, with Nintendo making a relatively late decision to port to the Switch with a 3rd March release date. Promises have been made that, some performance features and 'dynamic' sound aside, these are the same games - we've been putting that to the test.
First and foremost, let's be clear in saying that unlike for our Switch review we have not played through to completion once again on Wii U. What we have been doing is playing through multiple areas and parts of the Wii U entry, while also playing through a similar amount in a fresh save on Switch. That's a lot of Zelda, but ultimately what we've been doing is trying to answer one key question - does the game stand up on Wii U, and does its quality shine through on the system?
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Use your imagination.
With the demise of Disney Infinity you may think that toys to life games are on the way out. However, with the Skylanders Academy show on Netflix and another new game for fans, Activision are pressing ahead - for the time being, at least. is this year's game and it offers a substantial twist on what has gone before. Rather than provide a complete set of characters, the game gives young players the chance to design their own. It sounds like a gimmick but it doesn't take long to become engrossed with creating your own Skylanders characters.
The creation mode extends beyond a basic selection of head, body and arms to defining a catchphrase, voice and even aura for your Skylander. This gets you started before you head into the game proper and start collecting more parts to apply at will - you can pause the game at any point and jump back into editing your creations. It's an incredibly flexible system, so much so that it has spawned hugely popular videos on YouTube where over-enthusiastic vloggers recreate favourite heroes and characters using the various available parts. Some of them are impressively realistic and testament to how much power the Imaginators creator tool offers.
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Genieus.
Immediately upon seeing the title screen and hearing the game's main theme, you know that is another step forward for this series. Back in 2002, made her debut on the Game Boy Color to rave reviews but disappointing sales — hardly a shock when you take into account the GBC was on its last legs — but the purple-haired half-genie has persevered through the years and slowly built for herself a loyal fanbase. With each new release, it seems that WayForward has further distilled the essence of this series' gameplay and found new ways to improve and tighten it, and Shantae: Half-Genie Hero — the first game to be developed primarily with home consoles in mind — continues this trend; it's quite evident that WayForward pulled out all the stops in the making of this game. It won't do much to sway those who weren't interested in the previous releases, but it definitely stands as the best Shantae game yet and it's one that no fan will want to miss.
The story opens with Shantae having a dream in which a mysterious presence from the Genie Realm warns her of the coming of an evil force which will threaten both realms. As expected, the story never amounts to anything particularly memorable, but the writing and humour depicted throughout make up for it. The whole cast of memorable Shantae characters make an appearance here, and they keep the pace going at a decent clip. Instances such as Sky kicking a protesting Shantae off of her bird with a firm "Get!" or an attractive woman mistaking a drooling Bolo for a decorative statue help keep an upbeat, lighthearted tone, and lend the game a lot of charm that engages you in the narrative in a way that few other games replicate.
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Another year, another Just Dance game.
It seems like it was only yesterday that this writer was reviewing – last year's entry in Ubisoft's mammoth dancing franchise. Most people will be at least somewhat familiar with the concept; seeing friends and family dancing along to a variety of songs with wavering levels of success. By that we mean you're either the type of person who transforms your front room into a heavily-furnished version of the West End, getting five stars on every song, or the type who awkwardly flails their arms around in vaguely circular motions whilst tripping over the cat. So has much really changed in ?
In short: no. At first glance Just Dance 2017 seems identical to its predecessor; many of the modes and features are retained from last year. At the heart of the game is your standard Just Dance mode, allowing you to jump in to any one of the 40 provided songs and just have fun. As with all previous instalments, you follow the direction of an on screen dancer to earn points. The complete dance routine is shown in the centre of the screen, whether in single player or multiplayer, with smaller icons displayed in the bottom corner signalling which moves are about to come up.
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Colour us impressed.
For any long-running series, innovation is key to keeping fans coming back for more without getting too bored. Gameplay tweaks and changes to the setting can work wonders in refreshing a stale format, but some might argue that if an idea ain't broke, then don't keep trying to fix it. The Paper Mario series has been no stranger to these changes over the years, nor have recent titles avoided their fair share of controversy and scorn as they step further away from more traditional RPG roots. Things came to a boil with the release of on 3DS in 2012, which some considered to be a drastic leap in the wrong direction.
Enter ; it was revealed earlier this year to a lukewarm response and carrys with it the dubious honour of being one of the last major Nintendo titles on Wii U. In many ways it has something to prove, and despite following in the footsteps of that contentious Sticker Star format, it stands much taller as a more confident, complete title with a real sense of life and adventure to it. It hasn't revolutionized the system and isn't a total return to form, but we reckon there are enough welcome surprises in store to change more than a few uncertain minds.
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It's LEGO, all of it...
The LEGO series has been an ever-present for a number of years, covering a broad range of franchises. It seems that as long as an IP has scope for action, it can be a LEGO game, though the success rate can vary when TT Games struggles to turn the source material into exciting gameplay. This summer joined the ranks, and it deserves credit for making the most of limited source material while also introducing some fresh ideas.
Though a hugely successful movie, plenty wondered whether its limited number of set pieces and action sequences would be enough for a retail LEGO release. In fairness, this game delivers with some clever workarounds. The core story campaign stretches out to over 10 levels, though a couple are stretching the film thin. In addition, though, there's an introductory stage to please fans of the older movies and a series of extra levels and challenges that can be tackled afterwards. The additional stages will give Star Wars fans some thrills, as they touch upon subplots and clarify some small aspects from the film. Pleasingly, these stages also benefit from following their own scripts, with the extra freedom enabling some interesting level design.
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Now more complete.
After a half-year wait, is now also available on the 3DS's big brother system. The suffered from some annoying issues, mostly related to hardware limitations, so does the Wii U version fare any better?
For those who weren't really interested in the game up until this point, Terraria is a 2D sandbox game in which you explore a randomly-generated world, collect materials and items, fight bosses and generally just look around for stuff to find and do. In this sense it's quite comparable to , with the key difference being that it's a side-scroller.
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Let us tell you a story...
Nordic Games' revisits the point-and-click adventure glory days known for titles such as Monkey Island and Simon the Sorceror. Although there are still some great adventure games out there, not many arrive on console (and even less on the Wii U), so it's always exciting to see how these titles play out. Although this game is a sequel you don't necessarily have to have played the first one, either, as it's fairly easy to catch on.
The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 sees you play as different characters throughout the game – Ivo the elf princess, Wilbur the gnome and Nate the - erm - human as they embark on an adventure to save the land of Avantasia from evil. You are thrown in straight away, taking on the role of Nate as he freefalls through the air. The introductory sequence and tutorial that follows are cleverly done and certainly useful, preparing us for the story to begin. You start in earnest as rebellious Ivo who is locked in her Elven home to avoid not only a strange epidemic, but her mother who is putting the pressure on for an arranged marriage.
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Taking home the bronze.
Although carnivale looms neon bright on the horizon, the party may already be winding down for Sonic and Mario. From snowy peaks to sandy shores, these former rivals are back for another collection of sporting mini-games in celebration of the Rio 2016 Olympics, and while they won't have to deal with the political turmoil or controversy surrounding the event itself, they've still got a few difficult questions to answer in regards to how much life this series has left in it. We found the 3DS version to be , but perhaps the plumber and the hedgehog can do better on a home console?
Stripped of its motion controls and brought back to basics, aims to recapture a purer form of gameplay. It's the classic party game pitch, with 14 different events to play across a variety of different modes. These can be divided into either team sports or single events, and for the most part it's business as usual. Standard Javelin, 100m Dash and Triple Jump events are supplemented by a teresting lineup that includes Archery, Equestrian and BMX racing. Soccer, Rugby Sevens and Beach Volleyball are the meatier team sports in question, and have a bit more depth to them with different options to switch around for further replayability.
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Mediocre No. 9, more like.
There are few Kickstarter projects that have gained as much attention as Keiji Inafune and Comcept's . Billed as a spiritual successor to Capcom's seemingly dormant series - a lineage Inafune is closely connected with - this new project was supposed to bring back everything fans loved about the Blue Bomber and introduce a new IP that would develop into its own successful franchise. But after some controversial delays, questionable communication between the Kickstarter campaign and its backers and a shaky launch, Mighty No. 9's journey from concept to finished article has been a bumpy one - and now that it's finally here, we can't help but feel a little short-changed.
In Mighty No. 9 you play as Beck, a nice and gentle robot who has to go on an adventure to stop and recover eight other "Mighty" bots, all of whom have been corrupted under mysterious circumstances (sound familiar, Mega Man fans?). With the help of Dr. White and sister Call, Beck tackles eight missions in any order, defeats the robots and gains their power. Mighty No. 9 doesn't deserve criticism for its surface similarity to Mega Man; the game was pitched to backers as a spiritual successor, after all. But where games like took their inspiration from retro classics and made wholly original, compelling experiences out of them, Mighty No. 9 is content to mostly copy its predecessor's gameplay mechanics.
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Superstardom awaits!
When you hit the main menu of , there's no start button. Instead the bright, rainbow-coloured visuals invite the player to debut, a seemingly minor change of wording that nonetheless sets the tone for the entire game. In this candy-coated world heroes are showbiz sensations, dungeons are department stores, and songs save lives. You don't just step into battle - you take to the stage.
First announced way back in 2013, this crossover RPG between the Fire Emblem and Shin Megami Tensei series has been raising questions - and eyebrows - from day one. The reveal trailer was all visual flair with little to really grasp onto, while the sheer concept of mixing these franchises together was a shock in and of itself. With veteran developer Atlus at the helm, the end result is an addictive and enjoyable title that's bolstered by a fluid combat system and some stellar presentation.
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From zero to hero.
Almost from the moment it was revealed, has endured the kind of scrutiny that first-party Nintendo releases are rarely subjected to. to the news that and the game would , Fox McCloud's long-awaited comeback has faced a wall of skepticism focused mainly on the which uses the Wii U GamePad's screen and motion controls to full effect. The end result of this sorry narrative should be a game which crash-dives under stern critical analysis, but mercifully that isn't the case; while Star Fox Zero certainly isn't without its faults, it's still the kind of rousing space adventure that McCloud and his band of anthropomorphic allies can be proud of.
In terms of story, Star Fox Zero is essentially a retread of - which, in turn, was effectively all over again. One-time scientific genius Andross has gone rogue, amassing a fleet of hostile craft and threatening the stability of the prosperous Lylat system. The military forces of Corneria enlist the mercenary Star Fox team to render assistance, with the ultimate goal being to take the battle to Andross' base of operations and bring down the tempestuous tyrant once and for all.
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Nintendo used Smash Hit. It's super effective!
: it's not quite what a select few may have imagined when they dared to concoct a Pokémon / Tekken crossover game in the recesses of their wildest dreams, but few had even considered such a ludicrous idea until it actually came to fruition. Nevertheless, it's a real thing that Nintendo and Bandai Namco have produced, and it's much more Pokémon's own breed of fighter than a fan-hack of the classic brawling staple - but does it do enough to stand up amongst so many well-established franchises? In a word, yes.
You take the role of an unsurprisingly mute Pokémon Trainer, but with a difference. As this all takes place in the Ferrum region, Pokémon battles are distinctly different because the game's mechanics demand it and the fans demand the lore to back it up. Using a device known as a Battle AR, you are able to sync your thoughts and actions with those of your chosen Pokémon so you can help guide them in real-time within the battle. It's a fairly extravagant way to explain how you're controlling an otherwise self-aware Garchomp, but it's nice that Bandai Namco went to the effort to do so.
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I have come to play!
It's been the generation of remakes for The Legend of Zelda. The main entries from the N64 and GameCube have now all been given the remaster treatment, though many will think of this title as a Wii game. A decade on from its original waggle-heavy release, gives a second chance to one of the most talked about and debated entries in the series to date. A well written storyline and a lengthy adventure await Wii U owners, and once again Nintendo and its partners - Tantalus Media, on this occasion - have breathed new life into a key release while remaining faithful to the source material.
What's interesting about Twilight Princess, and its dual identity as a late arrival on GameCube and launch title on Wii, is that most will know the game from its waggle-heavy incarnation. In 2006, when motion controls were an exciting idea that truly captured the zeitgeist, swishing a Remote around - with minimal accuracy - had an immersive feel. Time wasn't necessarily kind to that control scheme, however, especially when MotionPlus arrived and showed how rudimentary the sword wielding was - the pointer aiming, to be fair, aged gracefully.
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You still have that membership for Wii Sports Club, right?
What's the meaning of life? We all have wondered about it at least once in our lives. Whether it's on the commute, while taking a shower or when rolling a bowling ball down the lane. When you think about it, Bowling is pretty similar to life, a continuous cycle that depends on numerous factors that we usually take for granted - Sometimes a little spice can bring back the passion we've been missing in our daily routine, and sometimes that extra spin can throw our lives into complete chaos.
The fact that we came up with an intro for this review that is as bizarre as the concept of bowling itself points to the power encased in for the Wii U. This is one of those titles that once you put the controller down it will leave you with more questions than answers.The thing about falling into a philosophical funk in which you question everything in life, is that it usually leaves a path of destruction that's difficult to recover from.
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Not quite Marvel-lous.
The LEGO series is one of the most prolific in modern gaming, capturing hearts way back in 2005 with the earliest Star Wars titles and since evolving into a hugely lucrative franchise. LEGO as a toy brand has arguably never been bigger, and with the IP muscle of Warner Bros. and the specialist skills of developer TT Games / TT Fusion the long run of games has never looked like stopping.
While - released Fall 2015 - represented a flirtation with new ideas which was rather expensive to enjoy fully, is a return to the old formula. Take popular films, throw in some pig and chicken jokes, design cute LEGO versions of the star characters and insert environmental puzzles. In some ways this particular entry on Wii U can't decide whether it's keeping it simple and old-school or dabbling with aspects of open world play, making it an enjoyable but peculiar experience.
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Super Kung Fu Smash Panda Bros.
takes the movie franchise's core themes of kung fu, lovable characters and comedy, throws it into a 2.5D brawler and leaves you with a feeling of being satisfied but ultimately wanting something else. With the game being crafted by those at Vicious Cycle, the team behind other recent licenced titles such as and , you can be sure that plenty of experience at transforming films to the smaller, but interactive, screen has gone into its development.
You'd be forgiven for writing off this title purely because it is a movie tie-in; and with good reason because often that would be the right choice. But with Kung Fu Panda: SLL - the full name can get very tiring, very quickly – the game stands up in its own right as something worth your time and money. Fans of the Kung Fu Panda films will instantly be drawn in by a character roster full of both heroes and villains from the series, and with 20 different fighters to choose from there will be someone for everyone. The stages are also based on locations from the films and full character bios written for every single fighter help the player really feel at home in the world of the series.
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A Dance Party for some.
You never know how poorly coordinated you are until you play a round of - this is a rhythm game that's almost true to its name. While it does involve just dancing, it could also be named Just Dance: Disney Party 2 for The Skilled. Rhythm games like Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and Dance Dance Revolution use timed button presses or dance pads taps to execute melody and moves to progress towards a score. Disney Party 2 uses motion control via the Wii Remote to track dance moves and scores, and the Wii U GamePad can only be used to boot up the game and select songs if you'd like, but it's not a necessity. The game requires memorization on a whole other level to make those dance moves look cool.
On first try, players may fail to look as though they're dancing. At least, they may not look coordinated at all, as Disney Party 2 features some tricky choreographed move sets. This doesn't mean players will fail as per the scoring as there's no real fail state, but intuition for recognizing set patterns can be key to dancing like a pro. Learning these moves will likely take time, and getting there is half the fun.
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A Strange Beast.
The catchy refrain in a song at the beginning of declares - "We are Monsters. We are Proud.". Its words sum up the game's positive message of "who you are is more important than what you are". Soon thereafter, players are led into a character creation mode to decide the kind of pretty monster you want to be. If this seems ironic and somewhat shallow, welcome to Monster High.
Monster High: New Ghoul in School is a strange game. It's part high school simulator, part Persona 3 and 4's high school social links without the status building effects, part RPG and adventure, and part fashion extravaganza.
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