Spotlight4

Out of the many games on the Wii and other fighting games out there in the game world, none can probably top Super Smash Bros. Brawl, or SSBB.  Let’s see what this baby can do!

Story: A Super Smash Bros game has a story?  Turns out Brawl’s story is called Subspace Emissary.  The basic point is while Nintendo’s biggest mascots are battling it out in the World of Trophies and are attacked by a bunch of baddies called the Subspace Army, led by the Ancient Minister.  The story features plenty of areas similar to their gaming counterparts.  It features all of Brawl’s characters, unlocking hidden ones as you befriend them to your team.  The teams start up by separating after the attack and everyone has to find each other while dealing with the Army.  Several characters don’t know about the Army until they meet them, and they’re pretty devastating with a few bombs up their sleeve.  While a bit clunky and boring to play, the Subspace Emissary unlocks various secrets like trophies and hidden characters.

Design: SSBB has one of the best designs in the gaming world.  There are so many modes to play and so much to do that this game is one of the best overall.  If you’ve played Super Smash Bros. Melee, then you shouldn’t be surprised with the return of Classic, Event, and Stadium modes.  The three have been passed through each game and gives solo players something to do when they have no one else to play with.   It turns out Brawl’s lineup of characters is the biggest roster of the series, exceeding 30+ playable characters.  Other modes involve looking at trophies, playing old games through the masterpiece feature, playing a minigame using collected coins, and plenty more.  Brawl has 40+ stages total, with 29 available at start and some include prior stages from Melee, allowing veterans to jump right in.  Braw is obviously meant to be a multiplayer experience, with online play and special rules to add some flame to battles.  Wi-Fi is a great addition by allowing players to jump online and battle other players connected to the internet.  On the downside, playing with anyone leaves the rules permanently fixed to 2-minute rounds.  Local teammates are out of the question in the Team battle feature; it’s always you and a random online player.  Battling with friends give players access to all the options expected of a multiplayer battle by using friend codes.  Brawl has all the modes, and the Gameplay, to keep anyone busy for a long, long time!

Gameplay: The percentage based stay-on-the-stage-at-all-costs formula hasn’t changed at all.  If you’ve played the prior two games, then you’ll feel right at home and be able to jump right in.   The game offers several controllers with control schemes to use, although you might want to break out your Gamecube controller or try to hunt one down.  The rest of the setups aren’t reliable like the Gamecube controller is.  Items have played a big role in the series, and it’s the same here.  Out of the new items, the over-powerful smash-balls bring more action than its predecessors.  When they appear on screen it’s a frenzy to bust them open and unlock the most impressive attacks in the game.  Other items include the Dragon parts returning from Kirby Air Ride and the Beam Sword returning from Melee.   Brawl has the styles and playing features to be one of the best experiences of any gamer!

Presentation: Brawl sits pretty as one of the Wii’s best looking games to date with one of the best presentations on the system.  While not as detailed as Super Mario Galaxy, it has a look that can satisfy people with eye for pixel-perfect timing.  Brawl’s soundtrack includes 200+ remixed and remastered video game tunes.  You can even adjust sliders to control how often you hear certain songs on certain stages related to those songs.

Overall: Super Smash Bros Brawl is average… if you intend to play solo.  As a multiplayer, it’s near perfection.  While the Subspace Emissary is a disappointment, the fast-paced fighting and plenty of modes, and a bunch of hidden content to be revealed, give it staying power few games have.  Put in online play, new characters, and a whole new slew of brand-new mechanics, and you have all the parts needed for a smashing success.

Overall: 9.4

Design:  Mario Kart Wii has many modes that other Mario Kart releases have had.  The Grand Prix is back with 8 cups with 4 tracks each, totaling 32 tracks.  16 come from old releases while the other 16 are brand spanking new.  However, unlike in previous installments, this one features a 12-place ranking during races instead of an 8-place ranking, which is something completely new to the series.  Time Trial has also returned, allowing players to try for their best times without the worry of competitors.  Also, each track from Time Trial comes with ghost data from Nintendo developers to test your skills.  Mario Kart Wii takes full advantage of the Wii’s Wi-Fi capabilities, allowing you to race against 11 other players online, send and upload ghost data, and update your profile.  All of this is fun, but Mario Kart Wii is best at Multiplayer.  Four players can race at a time on one Wii console and everything from previous games in the series, including Battle mode, is here.  But all these options means nothing if the Gameplay can’t hold its end of the bargain.

Gameplay: The Mario Kart formula has been changed countless times since its debut on the Super Nintendo.  The changes are for the better most of the time, but this time, that’s not the case.  The formula has been tweaked to make it better for the average player, with the biggest change being the Drift.  Usually, players can hold the drift button and wiggle the Analog Stick/D-pad left and right, increasing the power of the resulting turbo boost with each pass.  This time, the power of the turbo you get is based only on how long you hold the power slide button.  For the first time, players can use motorcycles to race with.  These can use wheelies to get turbo boosts, meaning you can get power slides immediately.  The tradeoff is that you can’t turn well and if you’re bumped, you’re going to practically stop.  By now you’ve heard about the Wii Wheel for use in Mario Kart Wii.  The learning curve is pretty severe to use it like a pro, but it works well for steering around the course.  If you don’t want to use it, you can use a GC controller, the Wii remote and Nunchuck combo, the classic controller for the Wii, and the Wii remote alone.  If you’ve played Double Dash for the Gamecube (GC), the Gamecube controller works best.  In addition, you can use the Miis tied to your Wii.  Whether you’re behind the wheel or handle bars, you can now pull off tricks on ramps and jumps.  When you land you get a short burst of speed, yet some tracks are designed for the boosts to take you away from the shortest route.  One downer is that skill in the game has been replaced by luck.  In other words, if you have been honing your skills over each Mario Kart release, that skill doesn’t come into play when doing things like trying to beat the 150cc class, because everything is almost entirely depended on luck.  So that’s a problem.

Presentation: Mario Kart Wii’s retro tracks have received some notable improvements, but others look basically the same.  The new tracks are the visual highlight of the game, with a lot more geometry and effects than others.  As for the sound, Mario Kart Wii’s soundtrack doesn’t really have anything that stands out.  Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Mario Galaxy both have incredible soundtracks compared to Mario Kart Wii’s.       

Overall: Mario Kart Wii has plenty to offer the average player, and designed to be easy to play.  Veterans of the series will be a bit disappointed with skill being put second in favor of luck.  With several new features, like online play, tricks, and motorcycles, Mario Kart Wii has some staying power that can be useful over the long hull.

Score: 8.5

            Before Mario Kart DS was released, Mario and crew had never went on the internet to challenge the world.  With the release of this game, they can go global for the first time.  This game also happens to be one of the best in the series.  Let’s find out what makes this game so great, shall we?

            Design: The Grand Prix is back with a new twist in store: 16 new tracks and 16 old and reverted tracks from older Mario Kart releases.  Time Trial has also returned, allowing players to race against their best times on tracks to improve their skills when going against others.  Battle Mode is another staple in the series and is here to give Multiplayer fanatics a run for their money with Shine Battle and Balloon Battle making a comeback from Double Dash.  So what’s new about the modes?  That would be the new Mission Mode that asks you to complete specific objectives, like collecting a certain amount of power-up boxes in  a given amount of time, or collecting a certain number of coins using your expert driving skills.  One downer in that these modes aren’t online, which is a bit of a disappointment.  On that note, the Wi-Fi options, while a welcomed addition, aren’t all it could be.  Setting up to play online is easy enough provided you understand how to connect; the problem is the new Friend Code system Nintendo is using.  No doubt put in place to protect young ones from predators, it severely limits the enjoyment from online play.  The reason?  The only way to add someone to your friend list is to exchange Friend Codes; this means you must know them in real life.  At first it’s not a big deal, but eventually, you’ll come across those who use the snaking technique.  Worst of all, players who drop from the game the minute they think they have no chance of winning. 

            Gameplay: The power slides are back, this time with the player using the D-pad.  Something new to the series are the emblems on the front of each kart.  Now you can make little designs on the front of the karts to show off your artistic design or to distinguish yourself among the 8 drivers.  The top screen is where all the action is while the bottom screen can be used as an overhead perspective or as the map to tell where all drivers are and their power-ups they have.  On the topic of power-ups, some new guys have been added to the track.  The squid will shoot black ink on the screens of your competitors and the Bullet Bill power-up transforms the player into a Bullet Bill and travel down the center of the course, taking out anyone dumb enough to travel along that line.  Neither weapon unbalances the others, keeping that perfect balance that the series is known for.  Mario Kart’s greatest strength is you never feel you’ve been ripped off; either you win or you lose.  Equally as impressive is it’s simple to learn the fundamentals, yet there are plenty of hidden content and advanced techniques for those who dig deeper.

Overall: Mario Kart DS has plenty of staying power for advanced players and novice players alike.  Also, it’s simple, fun, and a great game to play overall!

Score: 9.2

Super Penguin went to the temple. The temple looked scary from the outside. It looked like a haunted house from the outside. Super Penguin went inside and found a skeleton on the floor. Blue aurora came out from his body. “I never should have gone in the temple. It shucked the life right out of me.!” Super penguin was even scared then before. He walked deeper and found a hourglass floating over a stand. Super penguin wondered what that was until the old guy ( has no name cause i didn’t bother to give him a name) came in an told super penguin what that was.” that there is the hourglass of neo-dauglus. he was the leader of the ocean and watched the town until the phantom killed him in the hourglass. Take the hourglass and it would protect you from the darkness.” Super Penguin went in the temple. Their were purple spots on the floor in the whole room. There was a guy surrounded by spikes. He was the the teams caption, Luigi. ” get me out of here!” Super penguin looked for a switch to activate the spikes. Their was a purple ball. Super penguin ran right up to it. Right then when super penguin was going to touch it a guy covered in armor came out. ” you would not touch this orb.” said the phantoms guard ” Who’s going to stop me.” The guard attacked super penguin but SP dodged it. Then he used his fists of fury and knocked him of. His armor came of and it was one of the baseball players. It was Baby Luigi! The spikes turned off and Luigi was free to go. Super Penguin went to Luigi and Luigi was happy to be free. To thank super penguin, Luigi joined team. Super penguin followed Luigi up stairs. When they went up stairs, they saw to of the phantoms guards. “Those guards most be more of your baseball players.” said super penguin. “they are?” said luigi. “yea they are.” said super penguin In order to get past them we have to distract them to pull the switch. Baby Luigi went up to the guard and the guard started to chase him. When he got close, Luigi kicked him really hard and knocked his armor off. It was baby DK. Luigi pulled the lever and the door opened. They all went to the next part of the room. Their were 3 guards blocking a lock with a eye on it.” i think we need a key for it?” said Luigi ” no duh!” said super penguin ” you don’t have to be mean” said Luigi, then they started to complain. ” Stop it now and free me from this ugly guard.”  said ? ” hey watch it buddy, i can scramble your face to make it look like those scary people!” said the guard. Yea you and your stories!” said ? ” never mind!” said the guard. ” who was that?” said luigi “(sercetly) Do those two boys ever talk?” said super penguin. ” not really.” said luigi. They went further into the floor and found the three guards blocking the key. Behind them was a mokey jumping around and some stairs that said boss. They went up to the guards and the guards….ran away! ” what are they doing.” said super penguin “ I don’t…..” said luigi ” HEY, INSTED OF TALKING YOU CAN GET ME OUT OF HERE! FIND THE KEY AND GET ME OUT OF HERE!” said the monkey “STOP SCREAMING AT ME OR I’LL MESS UP YOUR FACE MISTER!” said luigi “FIRST I AM A GIRL SO SHUT YOUR MOUTH UP!” said the monkey “STOP YELLING AT ME!!!!!!!!!!” said luigi. So much wind came out of his mouth that it broke the lock. “Thank you very much for breaking the lock.” said the monkey “My name is Dixie Kong. Up the stairs theirs Droom the master of fire. He is the ruler of this temple and who beat Neo-Dauglas” said dixie “Lets beat him at get back this temple!” said super penguin. “Yea!” said everybody. They all went up the stairs. There was torches on the edges of the floor. “Welcome. you are going to be defeated!” said Droom. He summoned 3 fire bats. “Go my pets, kill them!” said droom. The first bat attacked Luigi. Luigi kicked offline and missed. The bat hit him and Luigi got hurt. “Your lucky he didn’t bite you. All you got to do is what you do in baseball. When the bat comes hit them with your bat. Throw the baby’s at Droom.” said super penguin “ok” said everybody. The second bat attacked. Dixie got her bat out and swing for the bat. The bat went flying to the wall. When he hit it he didn’t get hurt. “You can’t kill my bats. Their unstoppable.” said Droom “How do we them?” said Luigi. “With this.” said ? and that person threw the boomerang at the bat. The bat went flying at the wall;and when he hit the Wall he got destroyed and someone came out. It was a green crocodile came out “I’m finally out!” “it took me so long to get out of that armor.” said the crocodile “first of whats your name and second WE GOT YOU OUT.” said luigi. “My name is Kritter.” said Kritter. “stop talking and fight for once.” said droom “Your not hurting anyone Droom!” said ?. “Who said that!” said droom “Me!” and someone came down and kicked droom. “Ow, that hurt!” said droom “I’m the greens swordsman master of the sword.” said the GS “Then why do you use a boomerang?” said Luigi “Because i use it!” said GS. The GS threw another boomerang at the two bats and they got killed. “Were free!” said two people “I’m King K. Rool.” said KKR. “I’m King Boo.” said KB. “everyone use the force!” said Super penguin! Blue aurora came out of everyone and aimed for Droom. “Ah!” said droom and he got sent into a million pieces into the air.

As you have heard, many young minds have been corrupted.  These violent games are ruining how kids learn and play.  A study shows that violent games affect behavior.  A long time ago, someone was arrested for mimicking a violent and killing game.  So if you can, find something else to do such as, study or go outside to play.  What do you think of these games?  Tell us at www.spotlight4.com.

Here is a picture of corrupted kids playing violent games

Scenes of violent games

                         Sincerely Shirly