Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition Review [PS Vita]

If you are old enough to remember those now 'ancient' computer systems like the the Amiga and the Atari ST, then you may well be old enough to remember a quirky game called Another World. The game first launched in Japan in 1991, where it quickly became noted for its cinematic cutscenes and in-game style, which eventually helped to make it a popular title in other countries too.

 The game was designed by French-born video game designer, Éric Chahi, and  tells a story of Lester, a young scientist who, as a result of a failed experiment, finds himself transported to a mysterious and foreboding alien world. It is a dangerous and unknown environment full of deadly creatures, hard to cross chasms and unfriendly aliens, and the only way for Lester to make it through alive is if he fights for his survival.

Now, twenty-three years after the game was first released, Another World is set to make its debut on the PS Vita. So what can users really expect from this game? Well, the game has tried its best to stay as close to the original version as possible, both in its controls and in its visual style, so it is likely to be a game that will appeal to many traditional retro gaming enthusiasts. The game's original graphics have been rendered in High Definition, but pressing triangle will return them to their former graphic style.

Another World is a traditional Platformer and uses two buttons: X and Square, and the D-pad for movement. Holding down the X button allows Lester to sprint, shoot, charge a shield, unleash a power shot or kick, whereas a press of Square will allow you to jump.

However, this unusual and restrictive choice of controls felt quite difficult to master, which often made the game feel unresponsive and slow at times. The uneven use of the X button for many of the in-game actions felt very odd indeed, as the X button felt like the more natural choice for the 'jump' control instead.

The game also features some quite tricky puzzles that will need to be solved in order to progress to the next level. The game demands a high level of observation and accuracy, as failing to correctly shoot a dangerous item or locating a particular hidden switch in one area of the game could mean a very quick 'Game Over' scenario in subsequent levels.

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Depending on what kind of a gamer you are, you are likely to find the process of watching Lester die and having to reload your last saved checkpoint, either immensely challenging and engaging, or very tedious and difficult. We here at Mini Gamers HQ found it to be a bit of a mixture at different times in the game.

Nevertheless, for those of you who are not put off by seeing the 'Game Over' screen flash up several times in a row (and believe us, it will happen over and over again), or those of you who do enjoy a unique and challenging gameplay format, then this game is definitely worth a look, as the story is very interesting and entertaining despite its distinct lack of dialogue, which is quite hard to achieve.

 This is a game where the adage: "practice makes perfect" constantly springs to mind, because reloading checkpoints is a good way of learning where you went wrong, and eventually you will be able to complete all the levels with a relative amount of ease, assuming that you haven't given up playing the game entirely by that point, of course!

In conclusion, Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition is not a game that will appeal to everyone. Its retro button controls and difficult puzzles may prove a bit frustrating to some gamers. Nevertheless, the game does have a good plot and will definitely appeal to fans of the original game or to retro gamers in general. Overall Mini Gamers rating: 5/10.

No 3DS games in the eShop: Why the Nintendo 3DS Shop Will Never Beat The PSN Store...

It is now almost three weeks since Nintendo launched their new eShop service, and a lot of gamers out there are all wondering the same thing: Why are the games on offer all retro Nintendo titles? Why can't I download new Nintendo 3DS games from the eShop as well?

These are two very valid questions, and as yet, there has been no satisfactory answer as to why the actual 3DS games that you can find in the shops are not available to purchase from the eShop as well, but this could be one of the core reasons why the new eShop has not proven to be very popular amongst 3DS fans so far.

Instead of offering a few good 3D games to play and download, the eShop tends to be filled with several 2D retro Gameboy and DSiware titles, which is fine for those gamers who want to play them, but has left several other 3DS users feeling disappointed recently.

A sample of the only 3D game on offer in the eShop at the moment

Don't get us wrong, the Nintendo 3DS eShop is very useful when one is planning which Nintendo 3DS title to buy next. The 'Coming Soon to Shops' section, provides details of several up and coming titles as well as video trailers, which are displayed in full-3D, so that you can really tell how the games will actually look on your 3DS console.

The 'Now in Shops' section is also useful for keeping track of new 3DS game releases as well, as it lists several new titles along with customer reviews, trailers and information, which is very good.

Retro 2D games feature heavily in the eShop

However, it could be said that the 3DS eShop is still lacking in several ways. Nintendo's rival, the Playstation Network Store offers a whole range of new games for its various Playstation consoles, including its PSP handhelds. These games are purchasable and are instantly downloaded onto the console's special Memory Stick.

Frogger would look so much better in 3D, but alas, 2D only...

The Nintendo 3DS has a removable SD card for data and game storage, so it would not be too difficult for Nintendo to offer its own type of 3DS game download service if it wanted to. This would save gamers having to pre-order new games, and would add real value to the 3DS eShop.

Furthermore, Sony's Playstation Network Store also offers its own video rental and download service, so that gamers can get the latest films straight onto their consoles.

Nintendo has recently begun a 3DS TV streaming service in Japan, and has suggested that this type of service might eventually become available throughout Europe via a company called NetFlix, but with no commencement date in place, it seems like this could be a long way off in the future.

So will we ever get 3DS games in the eShop? Nintendo has mentioned that they will be adding playable demos alongside video trailers but they did not say whether they would ever consider adding purchasable 3DS downloads to the eShop.

HAVE YOUR SAY...

Would you like to see downloadable 3DS game titles in the Nintendo eShop, or do you think that the Nintendo eShop is okay just the way it is? What other services do you think Nintendo should provide in the 3DS eShop?

Please feel free to leave us a comment, and let us know your thoughts on this subject. We'd love to hear your opinions.

Unique Christmas Gifts For The Gamer In Your Life...

Christmas is almost upon us, and with it comes the frantic scramble to find the right gifts for your family and friends. It could be said that Gamers are one of the worst type of people to buy presents for,  usually because they already own every game in existence and, unless you have been told to buy them a specific game, it can be a nightmare trying not to duplicate items that they have already bought for themselves.

Never fear though! Mini Gamers has come up with a few ideas of what you could get gaming fans this year. We have searched high and low to find the best and most original gaming-related gifts that will satisfy most gamers and even appeal to the gamer who has everything. This is our shortlist:

1) Assassin's Creed Collectible Figurine



This highly decorative figurine is the pefect collectible for fans of the highly-aclaimed Assassin's Creed series. However, as this figure is limited edition, its price tag is not cheap. This figure retails for around £30. We found that online stores like play.com and Amazon were selling it slightly cheaper at £24, but this is still an expensive but exquite gift piece for most gaming fans. This item can be purchased from the GAME stores.

2) Super Mario Bros: Super Mario Chess: Collectors Edition

This zany little chess set is perfect for fans of those superb Italian plumbers, The Mario Bros. However, as another collector's item, this gift also carries a hefty price tag. Expect to find this item for just under £50. If you can afford it, however, the item can be purchased directly from The Super Mario Store for £47.99.

3) Gaming T-shirts/Hoodies

Online retailer Play.com features a large number of game-themed T-shirts and Hoodies. Prices vary but rarely go above £11.99. It has to be said, that the T-shirts do seem to be aimed more at men than at women, but they will make a useful and affordable present for many male gamers. Gaming T-shirts can also be found at HMV and other clothing or memorabilia stores.

4) LittleBigPlanet Sackboy/Sackgirl Beanies

These cute six-inch beanies come in a variety of designs aimed at both male and female gamers of all ages. They usually retail for around £6.99 and can be found in many highstreet stores such as GameStation and HMV.


5) Raving Rabbids: Travel In Time Blister Packs 1, 2 and 3

This gift idea is aimed at slightly younger gamers who like the Raymans Raving Rabbids series of games. There are three separate blister packs. Each containing approximately three different figurines from the latest game in the series - Rayman's Raving Rabbids: Travel in Time (Wii). Each blister pack retails for around £6.99 but is guaranteed to provide little gamers with hours of imaginative fun with their favourite characters. This item can be found in many GAME and  HMV highstreet stores.


6) PAC-MAN Alarm Clock

Arcade or retro fans and gamers who grew up in the 1980's are sure to love this novelty alarm clock. It wakes up its owner with the authentic sounds of the original game. Not to worry though, if the novelty wears off, you can turn off the alarm feature and simply use it as a standard clock.

7) 80's Stress Ball

shaped like one of the blob-like aliens from the original Space Invaders game, this nifty little gadget is both a practical and nostalgic piece of memorabilia which will appeal to Arcade gamers. This item usually retails for around £5, but they can be a difficult item to track down but is sold by online retailers such as Play.com, however they might end up being a belated Christmas gift due to delivery schedules at this time of year... Be warned!

8)  The VTech: Storio

The link between fun and learning is considered to be pretty strong these days and many video games (especially for the Nintendo DS) have attempted to educate our brains in a variety of fun and exciting ways, but for children who are yet too young to have their own Nintendo DS, comes a nifty little handheld reading tutor.

The VTech Storio Animated Reading System is aimed at very young children between the ages of four and six and can increase their confidence as well as develop reading and language skills.

Children can play a number of reading games, interact with the story and develop basic comprehension skills. Alternatively they can read along with the story, watch the animated screen or simply listen to the narrative.

The actual Storio system is not cheap and costs around £60 to buy,  but a number of Storio accessory  packs can then be purchased for around £12 each, featuring characters like Tinkerbell, Toy Story or Dora the Explorer. The packs vary depending on the age of the child and will help them learn to read more easily. It also covers basic English Language skills from the National Curriculum such as phonics, vowels, spelling, capitals and more.

This is a great little handheld gadget and very useful to little ones. The VTech Storio can be found at toy stores including The Entertainer and Toys 'R' US amongst many others.

So that completes our wonderful and wacky tour of  unique or collector gifts for gamers. These items are great as both a main present and as a compliment to the actual games.

We at Mini Gamers  hope that this post has given you some last minute ideas and that you have enjoyed exploring what type of gaming memorabilia is on offer in shops today.