Review: Mortal Kombat: Armageddon – Xbox

Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Developer: Midway
ESRB: M (Mature) | Game Type: Fighting
iBT Score: 85%

Mortal Kombat Armageddon is the latest offering from the MK series! This will be the last installment on the Xbox platform, and its going out with a bang. This time all fighters will come together to make the biggest MK fight of all.. Armageddon!!

MK:A comes packed with new levels including new 3d renditions of older 2d levels from past MKs. There is an all new Konquest mode, and the all new Motor Kombat, both of which are an incredibly amusing sidetrack from the action. The Krypt also makes a return and has also been reworked offering a ton of new media stuff. There are two never before seen features in any MK game, they are: Kreate a Kharachter(KaK) and Kreate a Fighter(KaF).

The Story
The fury of Mortal Kombat has brought the realms to the brink of total destruction. Every warrior has been summoned to this last epic battle, where survival depends on their ability to… FIGHT!

I’m calling shortest story EVAR!!!!!! ;)

The Controls
MK:A follows in the footsteps of the last few iterations of the series with its control scheme, so you should have no problem at all picking it up. There is no response issues apparent anywhere. Just classic MK.

Graphics & Sound
Mortal Kombat just looks great! Its been polished to the point where you wouldn’t expect anything more from the Xbox. Everything from the weapons, clothing, arenas and even the blood look very clean and crisp. Particle effects add a nice touch to everything. The sound is clean as usual, but is not any major advancement. Although there are many new sound bits in there. The menu screens get an “A” in my book as well.

Lasting Appeal
This Game is buckets of fun! I felt that the last few MK’s were great but a bit overwhelming in all the fighting styles. in MKA you have kept the best of the 2d and 3d games. Two fighting styles per character along with a weapon for each. Air Kombat has been added, reminiscent of MK2+3, and just looks superb and is as equally fun to watch somebody get whipped into the air then bounced off the ground into an air combo. In KaK and KaF you get to design your own charachter and your own fatalities down to the T. These two features alone will keep you occupied for hours on end just trying to recreate your favorite actor, superhero etc.. And finally with 60+ characters to choose from you wont run out of new kombatants to learn!

Motor Kombat is a fun mini-kart racing game that heavily reminds me of the Mario Kart franchise. It’s a rough game in many aspects but is fun and challenging.

In Closing
Mortal Kombat Armageddon brings it. It just brings it, and we at iBloggedThis are very satisfied with how it’s played. Not only that, but the game actually costs $39.99 which makes that THAT much more appealing. However, we do have a few minor downsides. 1) we do sorta miss the old fatalities, maybe they are in there somewhere, but the new KAF system is HOT. 2) I personally miss puzzle fighter, so i’ll have to keep deception laying around! But those aside its a well rounded game that has brought back the feeling that i had while playing MK3 in the arcade.
For $39.99 this game is a must to add to the collection

iBT scores this game 85%

Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is available for purchase now.

Gears of War has gone gold!

Gears of War as officially gone gold! The game ships of November 7th. Although the official release date is November 12th, you will be able to get your hands on it starting November 8th through smaller retailers. Best Buy & Wal-Mart get it on the 12th.

Here is the brand new content which was released on Xbox Live Market Place. Does not show any game play, but it gets the job done.

Nintendo’s/Sony’s/Capcom’s Oopsy! – Lesson learned: Double check case covers

Here is an important lesson: Check and double check for typos, grammar and that you have the correct domain name on the back of the game’s box cover, before printing it and sending out to retailers.

The back cover of the Nintendo GameCube and Sony PS2 “Killer 7″ game is suppose to point gamers to the game’s website Killer-7.com. However, somehow, someone, seems to have missed the hyphen in the name. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the domain which it now points to is not exactly a family friendly site. (Check at your own risk – NSFW)

Here is the bottom of the Game Cube version of the box cover:

source

[Update]We have verified that the PS2 version of the game points to the same website.

Nintendo DS leads video game industry growth – Nintendo Press Release

Nintendo’s Latest Press Release:

NINTENDO DS LEADS VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY GROWTH
Touch Generations Titles are Expanding Audience to Female and Older Players

REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 13, 2006 – As both an entertainment and a business, Nintendo DS™ today is the powerhouse of the U.S. video game industry, driving nearly all industry revenue growth so far this year. Without this portable system, the video game industry growth overall would be nearly flat when compared with 2005, according to independent sales figures from the NPD Group of Port Washington, N.Y.

Through September’s end, the U.S. industry overall shows revenue growth of 11 percent when compared with the same period in 2005. Nearly all of the growth comes from the portable DS – without it, the industry would report a mere 1.6 percent growth over the past nine months. DS hardware and software units posted a robust gain of 203 percent when compared to the same period in 2005. The news is the same globally: Nintendo recently announced estimated full-year shipments for DS hardware will grow to 20 million units from 17 million units worldwide, while estimated DS software shipments increased to 82 million units from 75 million.

“Numbers dramatically show the value of reaching out to the masses with products that are compelling and comfortable,” says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “And this perfectly sets the stage for our breakthrough Wii console, which appeals to both core players and current non-players with an intuitive control system and a price everyone can afford.”

The NPD numbers also indicate that during September, Nintendo DS lifetime U.S. sales surpassed more than 6.2 million units. That total includes more than 1.4 million units of the new Nintendo DS Lite systems, which launched just 16 weeks ago on June 11. It’s important to note these numbers represent Nintendo DS systems actually purchased by customers, not ones shipped only to stores.

“During a home console generation upgrade, consumer interest in existing consoles tends to drop as anticipation for new consoles increases. Hand-held game hardware and software revenues have kept the industry afloat,” says Billy Pidgeon, Program Manager, Consumer Markets: Gaming at IDC. “Hand-held gaming has spurred real industry growth, and Nintendo’s longstanding leadership in this space continues to drive this market.”

This summer, Nintendo launched its Touch Generations brand to help newcomers to video games identify which nontraditional and pick-up-and-play titles are appropriate for them. The response from consumers has been enthusiastic, as four of the top 10 best-selling Nintendo DS games are Touch Generations titles. Touch Generations games include Brain Age™: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day and the three versions of Nintendogs™. And at the same time, avid players also are fueling growth: the New Super Mario Bros.® title, exclusively for Nintendo DS, is the third best-seller among all video games this year, including console games.

Nintendo’s internal statistics show the Touch Generations brand continues to reach more women and older gamers. Nintendo statistics show a significant percentage of all Touch Generations software buyers are female and are age 25 or older, demonstrating the broad appeal of Nintendo titles like Brain Age and Big Brain Academyâ„¢, which provide engaging and entertaining content for baby boomers and seniors alike.

For more information about Nintendo DS, visit www.nintendods.com. For more information about Nintendo’s Touch Generations brand, visit www.touchgenerations.com.

The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Nintendo DSâ„¢, Game Boy® Advance and Nintendo GameCubeâ„¢ systems, and upcoming Wiiâ„¢ console. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.2 billion video games and more than 375 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Marioâ„¢, Donkey Kong®, Metroid®, Zeldaâ„¢ and Pokémon®. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere.

For more information about Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at www.nintendo.com.

Source: Nintendo

As this sales chart shows, Nintendo continues to dominate..

1. Nintendo DS Lite – 403.435 – (6.246.000)
2. PlayStation 2 – 306.517 – (34.612.000)
3. Xbox 360 – 259.458 – (2.672.000)
4. Game Boy Advance – 177.145 – (31.876.000)
5. PlayStation Portable – 153.353 – (5.175.000)
6. GameCube – 42.286 – (11.165.000)
7. Xbox – 6.495 – (14.302.000)

Review: Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis – Nintendo DS

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
Developer: Nintendo Software Technology Corp.
ESRB: E (Everyone) | Game Type: Action Puzzle

iBT Score: 80%

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, is much more than just a sequel to the original 2004 release of the Game Boy Advance title Mario vs. Donkey Kong. This time you take control of the Mini Marios that you frequently rescued in the original game. The best way to explain this game is by comparing it to Lemmings. If you like Lemmings, you’ll love this game! It’s far simpler with a few added twists. March of the Minis will provide you with hours of entertainment, and with simple game play.

Just like Lemmings the point of the game is to navigate your mini Marios through each level and reach the exit. You will have to manipulate their environment, and help them get around obstacles and enemies to exit safely.

There are 8 levels, and each level has 8 sections. Once you have successfully navigated through each section you will reach the boss stage of that level. The boss stage offerings are completely different from normal gameplay in which you will need to defeat DK.

The Story
It seems folks love those Mini Mario toys. So much so that the Mario Toy Company has expanded the line to include Mini DK, Mini Toad and Mini Peach figures to the series. With all these toys bringing him more money than he knows what to do with, Mario decides to fulfill his lifelong dream and open a theme park called Super Mini Mario World.

The opening-day crowd includes Pauline and Donkey Kong, who immediately falls head over heels for the lovely lass. The proud ape tries to show off his Mini DK toy to Pauline, but she picks the Mini Mario toy over his and the jealous Donkey Kong becomes enraged. He smashes the displays, destroys the toys and takes Pauline to the top floor of the amusement park. Players must find Pauline and save the day.

The Controls
Differing from the original game, this spin-off title is completely controlled by the touch screen simplistic and effective. The player controls the individual mini-Marios by tapping them in the direction then want them to move to put them in motion. You can also make them stop moving, or make them jump onto different objects. Tap a mini-Mario that is already in motion to make him stop moving.

Unlike Lemmings however, the minis can interact with each other by bumping into one another and setting minis which are standing still in motion. Once the minis bump into an object or another mini they’ll start moving into the opposite direction. Controlling the game becomes much more challenging when there is a large group of minis which all start to bump into one another. It can get rather frustrating at times.

The player can change the environment by tapping on specific blocks to remove them and place them in holding to use elsewhere when they are needed. You will have to build platforms, protective barriers, or whatever else is necessary to be able to safely navigate your minis to safety.

Graphics & Sound
March of the Minis has great presentation. However, the in-game graphics do not push the DS to it’s limits, nor do they really need to for a game such as this. The sounds are fun with a lot of speech and great music.

Lasting Appeal
This game is hours of fun. There are plenty of levels to go through, and each level has a boss stage. One of the most fun aspects of the game are the boss stages which can be just amusing. However, this is a puzzle based game and at times it does tend to get rather frustrating. You will have to try levels more than once to be able to complete them, but once you get the feel and understand the level and environment it’ll be doable.

The game also offers the “Construction Zone” which is a way to build your own map from the ground up, or just a template which you have unlocked from the main game. It takes some getting used to as there will be a learning curve before you can make your own levels quickly. Once you have made a level you can play it and share it with friends. The WiFi option allows you to swap your custom level with your buddies online.

In Closing
March of the Minis is a good mix between puzzle and action games. While the puzzles are not extremely hard to figure out, you will have to restart and try a lot of them many times. The fact that you can put the minis in motion, stop them and make them interact with different obstacles which you might be able to use to your advantage, makes this game much more than a simple puzzle game. It’s really hard not to make a Lemmings comparison with March of the Minis. So, if you are a fan of Lemmings or games alike, but you are looking for just a little more action.. this game is perfect for you.

iBT scores this game 80%
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis is available for purchase now.

Review: Star Fox Command – Nintendo DS

Star Fox Command – Nintendo DS
Developer: Q-Games/Nintendo

iBT Score: 86%

In the spring of 1993 Star Fox was released to the SNES. It was the first game to include the Super FX chip, displaying complex 3D models with polygons which was still new and uncommon in console video games. Star Fox was a huge success and went on to become one of Nintendo’s major franchises with several sequels released since.

Star Fox Command marks the franchise’s first game on a portable system, as well as its first foray into online gaming.

Controls:
The entire game is played and controlled by the touch screen, which also doubles as the map and radar as it displays the location of the enemy. The aircraft follows the stylus around, making for a very interesting and new way to control your ship. Slide the stylus in any direction, and the aircraft will follow. Sliding the stylus to the left or right will make the aircraft turn. Sliding downwards to fall, and upwards to rise. You can double tap on the upper half of the screen to activate your afterburners, and double tapping on the lower half accesses your airbreaks to slow down.

Controlling your aircraft with the stylus might be a little disorienting at first. However, after a very short learning curve it becomes clear how advantageous to game play the new controls are. Aiming is completely accurate, and firing your primary weapon is done by the d-pad. The new control scheme makes the player feel like they have completely control of the ship.

Graphics & Sound:
The game looks great. Solid graphics all around, and it has the Star Fox look, feel and sound to it. The game has great presentation, and it’s very easy to navigate the menus. The sound stays true to the original Star Fox, with the characters speaking in their own language.

Lasting Appeal:
There are multiple endings to this game, which will make you go back and play over and over. Once you have finished the single player mode, you must hope on to mutliplayer. The multiplayer on Star Fox Command is a lot of fun and one of the highlights of this title. It’s basic, competitive and very well done. You basically go up against other aircraft in single player teams. It’s a Star Fox death match. You must take out the other players and take their star to eliminate them and win. You can play off-line with up to 5 other people, or take the battle online against 3 others. Star Fox Command offers hours and hours of fun game play.

Story:
Star Fox Command boasts a deep, branching storyline with memorable characters and multiple endings. The main plot of the story unfolds as follows… Years ago, a scientist named Andross went mad with power. Defeated by Star Fox and banished to the toxic planet of Venom, he dedicated his life to terraforming Venom into a lush, green world that his grandchildren would be happy to call home. Shut off from the rest of the galaxy and hated by all, Andross and his dream were eventually forgotten.

Fast-forward to the present day. A group of aliens called the Anglars, who discovered a way to survive in the toxic Venom Sea, launch an all-out assault on the Lylat system. The Cornerian military turns to team Star Fox for help but are shocked to find that personal issues have forced the team to disband. Fox McCloud, the team leader, agrees to take on the Anglar threat alone … but soon finds himself overwhelmed. After some consideration, he agrees to regroup the team and take another run at the Anglars.

But in order to enter the Venom Sea and take out the Anglars, team Star Fox will need to find the device invented by Andross so long ago. Can they do it? Will the team survive long enough to put aside their personal differences and fight as one? The world waits…

In Closing:
If you are a Star Fox fan, this game is definitely a must buy for you. However you do not have to be a Star Fox fan to enjoy endless hours of great game play. This game stays very true to the Star Fox universe and it’s tons of fun. Game difficulty varies, but it’s really only as hard as you want it to be. Make sure to check out the multiplayer (online or offline) on this game.

iBT scores this game 86%
Star Fox Command is available for purchase now.

RedSteel Box Art revealed

IGN has posted what appears to be the official box art of the RedSteel game. The box art for the game looks great, and we hope that the game will be good as well.

We have gotten mixed responses from different sources. Most complaints has been about the controller sensitivity and problems. However, UBISOFT has confirmed that the final version will have controller sensitivity settings.

1 Million Nintendo Wii consoles for North America at launch [UPDATE]

Update: We have recently received following statement to help debunk some misinformation and rumors. Please read the update here:

“A number of outlets have reported a misstatement about the number of Wii consoles that will be available in the Americas during the launch rollout. In fact, the truth is even better. After the Americas lead the worldwide launch on Nov. 19, Nintendo expects to sell 4 million Wii consoles globally by the end of 2006, with the largest allotment available in the Americas. Although we expect a huge demand for the consoles, we are working to ensure a plentiful supply and a consistent flow.”

That is the official statement and launch numbers straight from Nintendo. Anything beyond that is to be regarded and misinformation and just rumors.

[Original Article]
We know that Nintendo plans to ship out 4 million consoles by years end, globally. We also know that they planned to ship about 2 million in the Americas, by year end. We now have confirmation via an interview that North America will get 1 Million Wii consoles at launch.

“We’re looking at a million (units) for North America at launch,” said Bertram. “When Sony came out (with their PS3 announcement), they said 300,000.

“If we get what we’re supposed to get, this will be our most plentiful launch in the 15 years I’ve been at Nintendo. All signs are actually extremely positive.”

Source

After the XBox 360 mess, everyone seem a bit antsy to get their pre-orders in. This information should put some people at ease. With 1 million consoles at launch time, it should be easier to get a console without a pre-order. All US retailer seem to be holding off on pre-orders, until they can get firm numbers from Nintendo on their launch day allocation numbers.

Nintendo also promises that there will be 30 Nintendo Wii games available by December 31st.

Zelda Twilight Princess box art

Here is what GoNintendo claims to be the box art for the upcoming Zelta: Twilight Pricess

Just now I have received an email from an inside source that wishes to remain anonymous. This source is to be 100% trusted

(Source: GoNintendo)

Joystiq fires Robert Summa over post, Summa responds and joins Destructoid

Robert Summa responds to being fired by Joystiq.

Anyway, Joystiq knew the news (I told them) and they knew I was posting a note to let readers know to come back later. If they, at any point, thought I was sensationalizing things or was not in line with their “mission,� then they had an entire day to edit or take down the note. But, of course, they left it up. Why?

Destructoid was smart enough to bring is Robert Summa as soon as he was let go.

Earlier in the day on Thursday, Robert Summa ran a post on Joystiq entitled “Major next-gen console news coming tonight“. The post said that at 12:01am Joystiq would run a feature with next-gen console news which they couldn’t reveal until then. This particular post got a lot of attention and was hyped all over the net. It ended up with slightly over 1000 comments.

At 12:01 Robert Summa posted the promised news, which basically was that IBM has been shipping their Broadway chip for Nintendo’s Wii console since July. He also speculated that while this was great news, the release date of the Wii might be much sooner than originally though.

As it turns out a lot of readers were disappointed with the news, as they were expecting much much more. If you want to read through some of the comments you can see that some people were expecting ridiculous news, such as the Nintendo Wii being available for sale the next day, or the PS3 canceled. Numerous times throughout the night Robert Summa posted hints and debunked crazy ideas.

Soon after the feature started to receive negative attention, the feature was updated with “toned down language throughout”, which basically means they took any fun and interesting speculation out of it. Eventually, Joystiq ended up issuing a public apology, and firing Robert.

In their apology, Joystiq throws Robert Summa under the bus, basically saying that they agree with the readers.

We believe that Joystiq overreacted, and didn’t know how to deal with the negative attention. They should have not fired Robert and they did just to save face, as they were well aware of the contents of the upcoming feature, and still allowed the whole event to take place.

If you enjoy reading Robert Summa’s posts, you can now read them over at his new home destructoid.com