Game of the Week: Starfox 64 3D [3DS]

The Star Fox 64 game, (which was actually a sequel to a  SNES game called StarWing,) was first released for the Nintendo 64 console in 1997, and now over fourteen years later, lead character, Fox McCloud and his intergalactic team is set to take flight again in order to stop his nemesis, Andross, from destroying the universe, and this time around, the whole battle will take place in full autostereoscopic 3D.

For those gamers amongst us who are old enough to remember the original version of the game, the worry here will most probably be that the game will be too familiar and thus not offer enough new content to entice them to purchase a 3DS version.

Nevertheless, there are a few subtle differences between the original version and the 3DS updated version, which does make this game a lot more challenging than its predecessor.

Vehicles in the game are mainly controlled via the Nintendo 3DS Circle Pad, which can sometimes feel a little bit awkward and difficult to move, however, for those brave gamers amongst you, Star Fox 64 3D also has the option of using the gyroscopic features of the 3DS console - by tipping the console left or right - which does enhance the gameplay and make it more believable, but can also slow down your progress through the various levels slightly.

As in the original game, players who perform badly during the in-game missions may find themselves  sent back to a previous (supposedly easier) level depending on how well they are deemed to have performed in the mission(s) included in each level.

However, in the 3DS version, this gameplay structure has been improved. Thus, players can now unlock different portions of the Star Fox 64 3D storyline depending on which characters you manage to locate and save during the missions, which does increase the game's replay value.

Having said that, the game's overall storyline remains virtually identical to the previous Star Fox 64 title, and for veterens of the series or hardcore gamers alike, it can be completed in under two hours of constant playing.

Nonetheless, the missions are fun and engaging, and the 3D graphics look really great and do seem to add to whole experience.

Furthermore, the game now features a new Score-Attack mode, which allows players to revisit any of their previously unlocked planets and try and gain a new high score. Again, this increases the game's replay value immensely.

The game also features a Multiplayer Mode for up to four players. Players can battle their family and friends in various aerial dogfights. The Multiplayer Mode also features new power-ups and weapons not used in the original version.

Unfortunately, the Multiplayer Mode does not include Internet capability, which means that it is restricted to local wireless play only. Nevertheless, the game does support the 3DS' Download Play function, which means that your friends can connect with their 3DS consoles, even if they don't own a separate copy of the game.

Overall, this game is a very good update of the original Star Fox 64 title. It makes excellent use of the 3DS capabilities and also includes some changes to the main gameplay mechanisms, which certainly ensures that the game can be replayed many times over.

Veterens of the Star Fox games will however find several familiar elements throughout the game, which may mean that the game is easier to complete than it will be for newbies to the series. Ultimately though, this 3D version of Star Fox 64 is a brilliant edition, which is not to missed. Overall rating:9/10.

Game of the Week: Dual Pen Sports

It is the latest sports title to appear on the 3DS, but Dual-Pen Sports certainly has one unique selling-point - The game is designed to be played with TWO styluses instead of one. As a result, the game even comes packaged with two unique green styluses of its very own.

There are seven sports included in the game: Boxing, Paragliding, Skiing, Football, Archery, Baseball and Basketball.

Each of the sports involves two distinct actions in order to complete them. This sounds complicated, but with a bit of practise, both actions will become second nature.

 For example, in the Basketball game, players must first tap the left side of the screen to catch the ball, and then slide the stylus in an upwards motion on the right side of the screen to shoot at the basket.

Each sport has two types of matches as well. Rank matches take place against a CPU opponent. The task here is to beat your opponents' rank.

 Please note, however, if you fail to successfully complete either of your two main actions, you will fail the round. If you fail for three rounds in a row, it will be 'Game Over', making Dual Pen Sports very challenging indeed!

The second type of match is a Score Match, whereby players try to score as many points as they can. This type of match also uses Score Multipliers.This is a lot of fun and adds loads of replay value to the game.

Each sport comes with a practise session before the main match, and has its own illustrated tutorial, which can be re-read at any time.

This is very helpful with sports such as Boxing, which contain two main actions for players to complete, (Strike Left and Strike Right,) but which also contains several optional actions that can be performed as well.

If you are concerned at the thought of playing a game with two separate stylus, then Mini Gamers can reveal that the game can actually be played just as easily with one single stylus, although the timing of each action may take a little more work this way.  

The game also features a Daily Challenge, these challenges will help players to hone their dual pen skills before competing in an actual match.

Each of the seven sports included can also be played against friends via the 3DS' local wireless settings.

 Unfortunately though, this will mean that each player will have to have their own copy of the game in order to play. Nevertheless, competing against real human beings does mean that you will get a chance to prove who the most ambidextrous amongst you and all your friends, which is an interesting contest.

Dual Pen Sports Trailer

In conclusion, unlike other sports compendium games, like Sports Island 3D, this game does not allow players to take part in complete sports matches, but rather consists of a set of sporting mini-game challenges, such as kicking the ball into the goal, or knocking out an opponent within three rounds and so forth. Thus, it may not appeal to the hardcore sporting fans amongst you.

Nevertheless, for those players who are looking for a unique, fun and challenging sporting title, which can be replayed again and again, then this is definitely the game for you. Overall rating: 10/10.

Skimpy line-up, Hefty Price Tag, Game Cancellations - Has Nintendo Failed the 3DS?

The Nintendo 3DS was launched a little over four months ago, but dispite its very unique selling-point - real 3D gaming without the need for glasses, it has sold only 3.61 million units since its inception, which is well-below the 4 million units that Nintendo had originally estimated.

Prior to its release on the 25th March 2011, the Nintendo 3DS was "the most pre-ordered video games system ever" according to online retailer Amazon UK [sourced from:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_3DS#Release].

However, just a few months later, the console appears to be in trouble. Mini Gamers recently announced that several popular 3DS games had been cancelled, with a few more titles being delayed, pending a cancellation decision. What has prompted video games publishers to do this?

Sega has openly admitted that it has delayed two of its debut 3DS titles - Crush 3D and Shinobi because of the lack of success of the 3DS console in the current gaming market. 

According to Sega Studio Chief, Paul Mottram: "We did our first 3DS title - we got Crush onto that, but we had to delay the release of that because of the [lack of] success of the platform." [sourced from: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2011-07-14-nights-at-the-roundtable-interview]

So, what has caused the Nintendo 3DS console to sell far below expectation? There are a few speculative reasons as to why the Nintendo 3DS has failed to attract enough attention in the gaming market so far.

Some people blame the expensive launch price of the 3DS for its lack of success. Although the Japanese version of the 3DS console retailed at a fixed price of under £200, (25,000 Yen), the European price of the console was set by individual retailers, which meant that prices varied wildly between £219 to £250. This made the Nintendo 3DS the most expensive handheld console to date, which was quite off-putting to many handheld gamers.

Another potential reason as to why the Nintendo 3DS has failed to sell the estimated amount of units outside of Japan, is the somewhat weak European launch games line-up. The highest-selling 3DS game at the Japanese launch was Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle, which sold 119,551 copies in its first launch weekend, and undoubtly contributed to the success of the 3DS in its native country.

However, when it was revealed that Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle would not be included in the European launch, it came as a disappointment. Worse still, other popular Nintendo game franchises were also not included in the line-up.

In fact, it was revealed that some of the most popular 3DS titles, including MarioKart 3D (see screenshot), Super Mario Bros 3D, Metal Gear Solid 3D, and Resident Evil: Revelations amongst others, would in fact not debut on the console until Winter 2011.

It has been argued in certain gaming circles, that if some of these more popular franchises had been part of the original launch games, it would have encouraged more gamers to trade in their DS consoles for a 3DS. Instead, many gamers have decided to wait until these titles are released, thus, affecting the overall popularity of the 3DS console.

A further reason for the lack of success of the 3DS console is that many of the unique features were not available at the original launch. This included the console's eShop and Internet Browser, and the Nintendo Video Service. 

These interactive features would have helped to make the 3DS stand out amongst its handheld competitors at launch and would have made the console appear much more versatile. Nevertheless, gamers had to wait several months for these applications to become available, by which time the console was already struggling to maintain good sales figures.

A Netflix film download service has now launched on the 3DS in North-America and is expected to launch in the UK and the rest of Europe some time next year.  It is hoped that this service will raise the console's public profile and lead to more sales, but at this point there is no way of knowing whether this plan will succeed.

Nintendo has now set itself the target of selling at least 16 million 3DS units by the end of the Fiscal year (which is the end of April 2012 in Japan). However, even Nintendo President Sotaru Iwata knows that this will be impossible if big name titles are not released before the end of the year. 

In a recent article on the Nintendo Life website, Mr. Iwata admitted that if big name titles such as MarioKart 3D and Animal Crossing 3D were not released by the beginning of 2012 at the latest, then the target figure of 16 million units was nothing more than a pipe dream.

He said: "If any one of the titles you mentioned right now is not released within this fiscal year, I do not believe that we will sell 16 million units of Nintendo 3DS hardware this fiscal year." [Sourced from: http://3ds.nintendolife.com/news/2011/05/iwata_we_need_big_games_to_hit_3ds_sales_targets_this_year]

Mini Gamers was very impressed with the 3DS console during our review earlier this year, and we are incredibly surprised that the console has not managed to exceed original sales estimations.

 The recent 3DS game cancellations have only helped to fuel the growing accusations that the 3DS is a novelty console whose success could only ever be short-lived.

Nevertheless, it is clear that the next few months will be vital in determining whether the 3DS can become the success that it was originally meant to be...

HAVE YOUR SAY...

Do you believe that the 3DS is a failure?

What can Nintendo do in the next 12 months to ensure that the 3DS can be a success?

If you would like to comment on any of the issues raised above, then please leave a message in our Comment's Box below. We'd love to hear from you.

Nintendo 3DS eShop: Is 'The Green Lantern' 3D Trailer A Sign That 3D Movies Are Coming To The 3DS?

When Nintendo  first showcased the new 3DS console back in January this year, they mentioned the fact that the new console was capable of showing 3D TV programmes and films, which could be downloaded using the 3DS SpotPass feature.

Amongst the television production companies said to be involved at that time were Eurosport, Sky TV 3D and Aardman Animations, who would apparently be responsible for producing a set of exclusive fifteen-minute  short films in full 3D, starring Children's TV favourite, Shaun the Sheep.

 Several Hollywood movie studios were also said to be partenering with Nintendo in order to stream 3D movies onto the console. A trailer for a 3D version of Disney's Tangled was shown during the Nintendo Press Conference in January as an example of this.

However, nothing further has really been mentioned about the possibility of using the Nintendo 3DS to stream TV programmes and films since that time.

Now, however, a trailer for the new Warner Bros film,  The Green Lantern, (which is set to debut in cinemas across the UK on friday) has recently appeared in the Nintendo 3DS eShop.

The trailer looks incredible when viewed in full-3D on the Nintendo 3DS and certainly gives a good indication of the kind of quality gamers could expect from 3D films that might be shown on the console in the future.

Nintendo is currently said to be in negotiation with an American firm called Netflix - the company which allows films to be streamed onto the Nintendo Wii console. The idea is that the Netflix company will stream 3D films directly onto the 3DS console via the newly-launched Nintendo eShop.

The NetFlix film service is expected to be available from July/August 2011 in North America, but as Netflix is largely unsupported outside of the USA, it is likely that another similar service, such as LoveFilm, will have to be used in other countries.

However, we should also point out that, as yet, there have been no dates given at all for the commencement of any such equivalent film-streaming service for the 3DS in the UK or the rest of Europe.

Thus it looks like gamers in the UK have a little while longer to wait yet until we can actually enjoy films on the 3DS. Until then, we can expect to see more 3D film trailers in the near future.

If you haven't seen the 3DS version of The Green Lantern trailer for yourself yet, it is well worth a look. It can be downloaded for FREE from the Nintendo eShop now.

Please note that Nintendo eShop content is currently updated every Thursday, and therefore items in the eShop may subsequently be added or removed at this time.

Nintendo 3DS: Flying High With Pilotwings Resort

Pilotwings Resort is a three-dimensional flying simulation game for the Nintendo 3DS. Players have a choice of three vehicles - Hang Glider, Sea Plane and Rocket Belt and several different missions to take part in.

Players can start of as Novices and can take part in basic flying missions such as flying through a set of rings, taking part in DogFights or landing in the centre of a specific Landing Pad.  Points are given for speed, accuracy of flying or landing and fuel efficiency. Players must amass a certain amount of points in order to pass that level.

The best thing about Pilotwings Resort is the ability to use your own Miis from the Mii maker. You can also use Miis that have been gained via QR Codes as well. The cartoon-style graphics of the game will be instantly recognisable to anyone who has played Wii Sports Resort on the Nintendo Wii.

The missions get gradually more difficult as players progress through the game. There are five mission classes, which range from Novice to Platinum.  Players can also choose to fly in Free Mode instead, which is a good way to get used to the controls of each aircraft in turn.

 This game is fantastic. The 3D graphics really enhance the flying experience. There are a few easy tutorial in the Novice level to help players get familiar with the in-game controls more quickly. If you have ever dreamt of soaring amongst the clouds, or if you just want a friendly, simple little game to enjoy in your freetime, then this is the perfect game for you. Overall rating: 10/10.

Nintendo 3DS: MYST Release Delayed...

At the beginning of April, Mini Gamers discovered that online retail giants Play.com and Amazon.co.uk were both advertising a MYST 3DS game for preorder. The game was given a late April release date. Very little had been discussed about the game up until that point, and we were very confused as to why a popular franchise such as Myst should not receive a lot of publicity before its supposed release date.

Today however, just three weeks after it was first available for preorder, the game has since been taken off the preorders list on both sites and is now stated as: "Date to be confirmed" or "Out Of Stock - Unavailable"  What's worse, is that there is now no way of knowing when this product will be available for preorder again.

This particular 3DS title has ironically been shrouded in MYST-ery ever since it first surfaced online, and it looks like that mystery is set to deepen for the time being. Remember to check in with the Mini Gamers blogsite for more news on this subject as it happens.

Nintendo 3DS: 'Record Returns' Denied By Retailers

Recent claims made by the Sun newspaper that 'thousands' of gamers had returned their 3DS consoles back to the shops after they had experienced several side-effects, have been refuted by retailers.

The article stated that there had been 'record returns' of the new 3DS console after gamers experienced dizziness and nausea after playing the console with the 3D effects enabled. Nevertheless, several video game retailers including GAME and HMV have said that the newspaper's claims are untrue.

GAME has admitted that a few people have requested a refund for the console after experiencing some minor ill-effects, but that these returns figures do not add up to thousands of returns. A spokesperson for GAME said: "We've had less than five people complain that they feel sick and want to return [the 3DS]." [Source:http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-04-05-nintendo-discredits-3ds-headaches-story]

Meanwhile, HMV has denied any 3DS returns. A representative of HMV said: " we are not aware of any manufacturing fault with the 3DS console - which we have seen huge demand for, and that we have not issued any refunds for it." [ibid.]   

Nintendo have also been quick to defend the 3D technology used in the new console, saying: "The number of calls and emails with queries on Nintendo 3DS is in fact well below the rate experienced during past hardware launches and having spoken with our retail partners there are only a handful of people who have actually gone into stores to request a refund." [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2011-04-05-retailers-deny-3ds-scare-story]

 The 3DS has proven to be extremely popular with the European gaming community. The console sold 113,000 units in its first two days on sale in the UK, and 303,000 units across Europe combined. Nevertheless, this latest media backlash - whether true or otherwise - is now likely to dent public confidence in the Nintendo handheld.

For those gamers who have experienced side-effects from using the 3DS, however, Nintendo have offered various pieces of health and safety literature that accompany the 3DS console, and which can be summerised in the following way:

• Children aged seven or under should not use the 3D effects on the new console as it could damage their developing eyesight. Parents and guardians should use the 3D Depth Slider to turn off the 3D effect before giving it to a child aged seven or under.

Play the 3DS in a well-lit environment and avoid playing if you feel tired. Take a fifteen minute break after approximately half an hour of playing the 3DS (with 3D enabled). 

• Consult your GP before playing the 3DS if you are prone to epilepsy or seisures when playing video games, or are affected by flashing images.

• Use the 3D depth slider on the side of the console to control how much of the 3D effect is displayed. If the 3D effects make you uncomfortable, slide the depth slider to the lowest possible 3D setting.

HAVE YOUR SAY...

Have you experienced any ill-effects whilst using the 3DS with the 3D effect enabled?

 Has The Sun newspaper article put you off of owning a Nintendo 3DS?

Have you tried to return a Nintendo 3DS console to the shop where you bought it? What was your experience?

If you have any comment to make on this subject, please let us know. We'd be delighted to hear your thoughts.

Nintendo 3DS: Is MYST Coming To The 3DS?

The  Nintendo 3DS has proven to be a very popular console since its launch just over a week ago. The 3DS launch games for March/April have been highly publicised throughout the Media, and even some of the games scheduled for later in the year have already appeared on online retail sites such as Game and Amazon etc.

Imagine Mini Gamers surprise therefore when we discovered that a 3DS version of the best-selling MYST game was also scheduled for release at the end of this month. Why had we heard nothing about about this version until now?

In fact, Mini Gamers only found out that the game was being released for the Nintendo 3DS after searching on the Play.com website for new 3DS releases. There is no boxshot at the moment, but the the overall  preorder information on the website clearly states that the 3DS version of this game is scheduled for release on April 22nd 2011.

If you are a gamer, it is likely that you have already heard something about the MYST franchise, which has been re-released countless times in several different formats since its debut on the PC over eighteen years ago. Its more recent incarnations have also included the iPhone and the Nintendo DS.

For those of you to whom MYST is a complete mystery, however, the game puts players in the role of someone called the Stranger, who uses a special book to travel to the island of Myst.

Once in the game, players can then use other special books (which are all written by an explorer named Atrus) to travel to several worlds known only as 'Ages'. Players must help people trapped in the dimensional fissure of MYST's tropical island by finding clues in different locations and solving puzzles.

MYST is probably best described as a completely open-ended point-and-click puzzle adventure, and therefore the game has several endings, depending on the course of action that each player takes.

The original PC game was very popular and was commonly thought by many videogame critics and publications to be "The best-selling PC game of all time" until 2002, when it was finally overtaken by The Sims franchise.

Nevertheless, the Nintendo DS version, which was released in 2007 proved to be a lot less popular. The game was criticised for its lack of a clearly defined plot, which could be one of the reasons why the 3DS version of MYST has so far not been highlighted as an April 3DS release game, however, there is just no way of really knowing why this intriguing and innovative game has been virtually kept secret until now, all we can say at this stage is: its a MYST-ery!

Remember to keep checking in with the Mini Gamers blogsite for more news on this game as it develops.






Sources:

http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/simslivinlarge/news_2857556.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myst

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/myst/id311941991?mt=8

http://nds.gamezone.com/products/item/myst_nds/

http://www.play.com/Games/DS/4-/18658497/Myst/Product.html?searchtype=DS&searchsource=0&searchstring=Myst+3DS&urlrefer=search&strefer=DS&searchfilters=s%7bMyst+3DS%7d%2bc%7b362%7d%2bc%7b10047%7d%2b

NB: All images displayed in this blog post are taken from the iPhone and PC versions of Myst