Welcome to the second edition of the Nintendo Spin Gate, where we talk about the latest news, releases and a few other odds and ends. Don’t forget to check out the Microsoft and Sony Spin Gates, if you’re a multi-console gamer. With all that out of the way, let’s get down to business. I hope you’re as excited as I am, because we actually have a few major releases to discuss this time around. Of course, there’s a small catch. There isn’t one bit of noteworthy Nintendo news this week.
Recommended New Releases Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Final Fantasy finally returns to a Nintendo home console, and while it isn’t the epic Final Fantasy game many Nintendo fans were hoping for, it should still be a fun time. Instead of a traditional roleplaying experience, we’re essentially getting a team-oriented version of Gauntlet. Each player uses a GBA to control the on-TV action, but is also given unique info on their GBA screens. One player may have an area map, while another has info about the enemies, thus forcing players to communicate during the game. There’s also a magic chalice, which is basically the adventurers leash. One player needs to lug the chalice around, or the team can’t progress. To further encourage teamwork, players can combine spells to produce even more powerful effects.
The GWX team, myself included, had a fairly positive experience with this one at E3 - although I still feel that requiring every player to have a GameBoy Advance is obscene. Managing inventory without pausing is a nice idea, but it could just as easily be done in a corner of the TV screen. We’ll have a full review of the game shortly after its release, but it’s safe to say that if you already have three friends and four GBAs, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles will be worth at least a rental. Solo gamers should certainly pass, though.
Metroid: Zero Mission Solo gamers do have something to look forward to this week, however. It’s not a brand-new Metroid adventure, but there’s more than enough new content here for fans of the franchise to get excited. Nintendo has taken the original Metroid adventure, updated the visuals, and then added a ton of bonus content. Metroid is one of my favorite games on the NES, and certainly deserves an update. I’m thrilled Nintendo has embraced the Metroid series again, after leaving it alone for so long. Still, I’d rather they were pumping out brand new games than simply updating the old ones. In any case, this one deserves to spend some time in everyone’s GBA.
Cool Stuff: More Viewtiful Joe Did you get Viewtiful Joe yet? Alright, well, for those of you that did, I’m sure you’ve fallen in love with Joe and his wonderful game. I stumbled across this at Capcom’s online store and thought I’d share the info. The Joe bobblehead is surprisingly sturdy, and a good 7 inches tall. It has taken up a prominent place on my shelf, and for just ten bucks, shouldn’t it be on yours, too? Now they just need to make Captain Blue and Alastor ones.
Sorry for the brief column this week, but I’ve been working mad overtime in order to get together a down payment on my new automobile. I picked it up yesterday, and I have to say: it’s pretty slick. It’s a 2004 Hyundai Accent, brand new. Sure beats the hunk of scrap I’ve been driving around for the last 5 years. I’m planning to get custom plates for it, so if you have a cool videogame-related license plate idea, send it my way. As always, drop me a line if you’ve got anything Nintendo-related to talk about. Have a good weekend, and stay out of the trees.
