Welcome to another week of JOE’s videogame round-up. As always, we’re looking to provide you with up-to-the-minute news, download reviews, weekly charts and forthcoming release dates on a weekly basis. So if there’s anything you think we’re leaving out, or would like us to shine a spotlight on, feel free to leave a comment below.
News
3DS Japanese launch lineup announced though battery life remains a worry
Sadly there’s no release date confirmed for Snake Eater 3D just yet
Nintendo has announced the eight launch titles for the Nintendo 3DS’ February 26 release in Japan. Battle of the Giants: Dinosaurs 3D, Nintendogs+Cats, Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle, Puzzle Bobble 3D, Ridge Racer 3D, Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition, Samurai Warriors: Chronicle and Winning Eleven Soccer 3D (Pro Evolution Soccer in the West) will all herald the arrival of the glasses-free handheld.
Online reaction to the lineup has been mixed, with only one first-party title (Nintendogs+Cats) and expected games such as Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time 3DS and Mario Kart 3DS nowhere to be seen. The European launch has not yet been fully detailed but expect the Professor Layton release to not feature for some time, as European gamers will likely have to wait for the fourth Layton title, which was released in Japan last year and has not yet reached our shores. Online forums have also been abuzz over news that the 3DS’ battery life will range between just 3-5 hours for 3D gameplay and 5-8 hours for regular DS gameplay. Oh well, at least Ridge Racer confirms its reputation as being the one game you can expect at every single new console launch.
Mario All-Stars sells out in US, fetches high eBay prices
Let’s be honest, a snazzy cover like that might be worth paying extra for
Silly us, we weren’t expecting this at all – the recent Wii reissue of Super Mario’s retro platforming titles, Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition, has sold out in the U.S, with a reprint possible. Speaking on the releases’ success, Nintendo’s PR boss Marc Franklin said:
“We are gratified by the consumer response to this limited-edition product, which we created to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros game on NES. Because of the strong response, we are exploring the option of bringing this item back at a later date.”
The limited edition title, which contains a soundtrack and retrospective booklet, is also fetching high prices on auction site eBay, though admittedly not as high as this joker, who expects people to pay €899.99 for the original SNES Super Mario All-Stars release.
Purchase/Download of the Week
Microbot (Xbox Live Arcade 800 MS Pts, PSN €10.00)
This is actually taking place within the human body
When JOE came along for the EA Games Showcase a couple of months back, despite our time with Bulletstorm and Crysis 2 amongst others, the most interesting game we got our hands on was Microbot, released last week on PSN and XBLA. An R-Type shooter on the surface, Microbot lets players root out antibodies in the human body and mercilessly defeat them, with co-op and upgradeable weapons also available. A thoughtful approach to what is seen as a fairly stagnant genre, Microbot is not just an ingenious concept, it packs hours of challenging gameplay.
Friday Releases 14/01/11
Unless you have kryptonite-laced knuckle duster, this is always a bad idea
After zero releases last week, it’s good to a slight bump for this week’s offering, with DC Universe Online undoubtedly the most intriuging prospect this coming Friday. In development for years, DC should be an interesting answer to the question ‘Can MMO’s work on consoles’ as PS3 owners share the virtual plagrounds of Metropolis and Gotham City with thousands of real-world superheroes. Elsewhere, the creator of the wonderful Phoenix Wright lawyer series is bringing his latest venture, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective to the DS. Ghost Trick casts players in the role of an amnesiac ghost that wants his memories back, and does so by saving innocent victims from untimely deaths by visiting them four minutes before they’re killed, possessing objects to alert those that are in danger. Well, it’s certainly unique…
Xbox 360
Zeit² (XBLA)
Playstation 3
DC Universe Online
Wii
None
Nintendo DS
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Kingdom Hearts Re:coded
PSP
None
PC
None
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