Before Donkey Kong Barrel Blast was released, I remember watching videos of the gameplay and seeing screens thinking, “It looks like fun.. For about 5 minutes.” and I couldn’t put my finger on why. Was it the controls? The repetitive looking levels and objectives? I’m still not sure and I haven’t played the game yet, but I have been watching the reviews and they aren’t pretty.

Here’s a roundup of the reviews for Donkey Kong Barrel Blast from various outlets with quotes that sum up some of their feelings:

1up Review - 4/10

Barrel Blast’s main problems are a result of the game’s control scheme (surprise!), particularly how the throttle, steering, and jumping are all controlled in the same manner (shaking the controllers up and down). Not only does this court confusion, but with the oft imprecision of the Wii controllers, it also invites anger. You’re never quite in full control in Barrel Blast, and given the amount of effort it takes to shake your way to victory, this becomes increasingly bothersome as you play.

It’s especially annoying when you can’t even see what’s ahead of you, which is often the case as you’re goofily pounding your way through the game’s many courses. Because of the amount of clutter onscreen — from menus to other racers to simple elements of the environment — it’s often impossible to make out what’s what, leading to plenty of unintentional crashes and other blunders. And with the typical rubber-banding that comes in a Nintendo racer like this, one simple mistake can be extremely costly.

Aha.. The controls are a pain and detract from the game according to 1up and I don’t doubt it given how you control your character. Maybe the original idea of using the DK Bongos to control your racer would have been better? For some reason I doubt it.

IGN Review - 4.5/10

If DK Barrel Blast would have released well over a year ago on GameCube like it was supposed to the title might have had a chance at being remotely entertaining. After some seriously basic motion control, the removal of bongo support (even for those that already invested in the accessory), and some quick Mii integration the game has become a garbled mess of slow racing, shallow gameplay, and an overall boring experience. The only thing more depressing about the franchise’s move from killer sidescroller to 3D joke is the realization that this game will still sell, encouraging those in charge to continue the bastardization of a character just as old as Mario himself. We expect excellence from the Mario franchise, only to be let down time and time again by DK’s fumbling franchise. Can we give this license back to Rare?

OUCH! But it’s true.. :( Ever since Nintendo and Rare split, the DK franchise has gone downhill in terms of quality gaming. Donkey Konga was unique and quirky enough to almost work as a rhythm game but honestly, the quality of gameplay just has been lost somehow. Now that DK Barrel Blast is out, it appears to be more of a stain on the franchise and the console as a whole as opposed to a game you would recommend as an example of how well the controls work on the system.

This next one is from GameSpot and I thought I would point out something real quick before diving into whatever score they gave the game. Check out this screen and notice that both sides of the content and the top ad are all about DK Barrel Blast:

What kind of review would some folks expect from GameSpot seeing so much money has been spent on advertising the title? Well, let’s see!

GameSpot Review - 4.5/10 (!!)

It’s impossible to know whether or not Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast would have been any better with bongo drum controls instead of Wii Remote action, but in truth, it doesn’t really matter. The lackluster track designs, inconsistent difficulty level, and no-personality presentation are more than enough to sink the game all by themselves, and when you throw in the wonky motion controls, that just sinks things even deeper. Skip out on Barrel Blast.

Oof. Well, there you have it. The whole package unfortunately just stinks right on down to (and perhaps especially) the controls. And BTW, you can never say that GameSpot is bought out, eh? Despite the full page ads suggesting you buy the game, GameSpot themselves say to “Skip out” on it in the end.

I think that will about seal the deal. Below average scores for what appears to be a below average game. Knowing me, I’ll still give the game a rental just to make sure something wasn’t in the air the day the reviews were written and somehow caused the reviewers to give it an unfair score. I’ll give it a fair go despite so much negativity surrounding it but I’m fully prepared and expecting to have some worn out, skinny arms after playing a few rounds.

Does anyone own this game or perhaps have played it have some input here? Are these reviews pretty spot on or out of their minds?

If you didn’t pick up “Sin and Punishment” this week from the Virtual Console, you may be missing out on something great according to this IGN review in which they give the game a 9.0. Developed by Treasure and published by Nintendo, the game offers some great graphics and gameplay with localized menus and tutorials to help get you started. I have yet to check out the game, but after reading this review, my interest has definitely risen. Here’s a few quotes from the review:

Sin & Punishment was published by Nintendo, but developed by Treasure – so it’s packed to overflowing with that studio’s signature style of constantly swarming crowds of enemies, endless amounts of ammunition and more simultaneous on-screen action than you could possible hope your brain to process all at once. And it’s a blast. Each level of S&P is such a sensory overload that you won’t quite care that you’re missing minor details – you’ll be too focused on frying everything in sight.

With your gun, and with your sword. Saki wields both weapons as he runs constantly forward along an on-rails path, while you jump, double jump and roll to avoid obstacles and enemy attacks. The gun is your primary method of assault, as you can either guide its blasts around the screen freely or set it to lock-on to the nearest enemy threat. The sword is meant mostly for defense and deflection, as missiles that stray too near to you can be bounced back with a well-timed melee strike.

The controls were complex to comprehend back on the N64, and the shift to the Virtual Console doesn’t make it any more intuitive to pick up your pad and dive into the action – but with a little practice and patience, playing Sin & Punishment with the Wii Classic Controller works out just fine. You handle Saki’s movement with the D-Pad, while simultaneously positioning your gun’s aiming cursor with either the left or right Control Stick. Firing the gun and swinging the sword are mapped to the L Button, jumping’s on R, and the A Button swaps you between free fire and lock-on cursor modes.

Sounds fantastic! It’s a shame the game couldn’t make use of the Wii motion controls to aim and such but I’m sure the Classic controller works just as well as IGN makes it sound.

IGN has thier review up of MySims and while it’s not a horrible score and there have been many games that have fared worse of course, it is dissapointing to see such a low score roll in already for the game. I think the title looks incredibly creative and open to customization, which according to the review is true for the most part, but it’s limitations seem to outweigh the openness of the game.

Here’s a coule of snippets from the review:

EA very clearly wanted to create a streamlined, easily accessible version of The Sims with its Wii endeavor, and for the most part it has. Take, for example, how quickly and hassle-free you can create your Sim, name your town, and begin. Using the Wii remote, you merely point to an on-screen character model, choosing face and hair types in addition to various outfits, and tap a button to cycle between a robust selection. It can be done in a matter of seconds, not minutes or hours, and anybody will be able to pick it up. The intuitive means in which MySims utilizes the Wii remote carries over into the game itself, whether you’re interacting with the environment or building objects.

At the same time, from the moment you delve into the character creation process, you will be left wanting more. You can’t individually tweak or customize facial eyes, noses, or mouths, for example - you can only select a full set. By comparison, Nintendo’s notoriously simple Mii creator is deeper, which is disappointing. Limitations like these are noticeable throughout the experience and they clash with the very nature of the franchise, which has flourished in part because of its depth.

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MySims disappoints, though, in a few key areas. The first is that it doesn’t often feel like a Sims game because the social experience is lacking, to say the least. You don’t really hold a job or sustain yourself (although you can, you don’t even need to sleep), and interaction with the townsfolk is only in place as a means to relay new assignments. You can be nice or mean to the Sims, but there’s rarely a need to explore this mechanic except to gain new essences. And speaking of essences, while they are initially a fun component of the building process, later in the game some essences can be frustrating to find. Sometimes, you get essences from people and other times you have to go prospecting for them - the latter of which can be cumbersome. And finally, for whatever reason, the flow of MySims is interrupted with load times, which take place whenever you leave a house or building, enter a new world, or go into your workshop, for starters.

What say you, those of you who have picked up the title? Is this just a critical review of a game that is fun for casual gameplay or is it pretty spot on?

Here’s a review of Carnival Games from GameTrailers.com and I can’t tell you how bad I want the game. No, it’s no Metroid Prime 3 or anything, but I’ve always dugg those carny games! When we get together with friends, we always bust out the party games or mini games to play and I think this one would go well with our collection.

Anyone pick this up or rent it yet? Thoughts?

Just when you think the folks in mainstream media couldn’t figure out the Wii, another mainstream media outlet comes around to prove you wrong! MSNBC has a glowing review up for Metroid Prime 3 in which they call the title “well crafted”, “sure to please”, and how it “proves that the Wii can certainly be a destination for both casual players and hardcore gamers”. Read more clips taken from the article below, then click the link for their full review.

“Corruption” realizes the potential of the Wii Remote as a gun sight. You point the remote at the screen, aiming Samus’ arm cannon. With the nunchuk attachment, you move her around the alien environments. Developer Retro Studios really nails the right sensitivity of looking and aiming with the Wii Remote, proving that for a first-person shooter experience, this controller is far superior to dual analog sticks on a traditional video game controller.

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The art and sound design in “Corruption” are exceptional — for the Wii. The dazzling use of color and shape in creating Samus’ universe is so impressive that it cries out to be rendered in the kind of HD you find on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Yes, the Wii is not a graphical powerhouse by design, but “Corruption” has such style that you want it to explode off the screen.

Even more praise for Metroid Prime 3, this time coming from GameSpy with them giving the title 4.5 stars out of 5 in their review. Overall, they seemed to love the game minus a couple of quibbles. Check the quote below and follow the link for another astounding review of Metroid Prime 3:

The two best qualities that Corruption brings to the table are its amazing visuals and its brand-new twitch-based control scheme. We could go on for half of the review about how the graphics, lighting and other visual stimuli are on a par with some of the better games seen running on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The fact that Wii is vastly underpowered compared to these other two systems is a resounding testament to Retro’s graphics and art design team that have certainly milked the Wii hardware for all it’s worth. We doubt that even the most snobbish next-gen owners would disagree with our assessment here.

The controls are the other part of the winning formula, and thanks to the nunchuck and Wii remote combo, first-person-style shooting has never been more accurate on Nintendo’s new hardware. Aiming, shooting and secondary activities are handled by the Wii remote, while movement is left to the nunchuck. The game offers three different levels of skill here, and while we recommend nothing other than the highly responsive and effective expert setting, the other two will stand newcomers to the series in very good stead.

Another awesome review for Metroid Prime 3 from GameTrailers.com. They love the game and have very little if anything negative to say about it. Not too many spoilers, but if you were even remotely on the fence about this game, these reviews should help you make up your mind.

Let the reviews start rolling in, I’ve seen Nintendo Power give it a 10.0 and now, IGN is giving it a 9.5. Watch through this video review for their take on the title:

Is anyone picking this game up today besides me? Post your codes in the comments here and let’s trade!

NintendoWorldReport.com has their review of Madden 08 up and they cover just about everything in the game including controls, graphics, different gameplay modes and more. In the end, they enjoy the game quite a bit but can tell it was not built from the ground up with the Wii controls in mind and go so far to call it “an old game with a shiny new coat of paint on it.”

Here’s some snippets from the review, visit the link for the whole shebang:

Madden NFL 08 is a tough game to rate. There’s much in the game done right, and it’s obvious that EA is really invested in getting the most out of the Wii’s unique controller. The problem is that they haven’t invested nearly as much time in the game that exists underneath the control scheme. The AI, the playbooks, and the presentation are still inexorably rooted in the PS2 design that might have been compelling four years ago but which is now really starting to show its age. For all the creativity of the motion controls, it becomes painfully apparent that this Madden engine was originally designed for button pushing and not arm waving. There’s definitely fun to be had with Madden NFL 08. Online, a wealth of mini-games, and the user-friendly Family Play mode are all welcome additions, but none of them really change the basic fact that this is an old game with a shiny new coat of paint on it. Madden NFL 08 is a marginally better game than last year’s, but it’s still got a long way to go to fully realize the potential hinted at with the motion controls.

Watch the video review from IGN for Madden 08 on the Wii. It raises many aspects of the game while bringing up some of the issues like online play and graphical nuances. Overall, they enjoy the game and go so far to say it’s better than Madden 07 and a must own, especially for fans of the series.

Charles Herold from the New York Times recently sat down and played the Nintendo Wii version of Madden 08 and has some good things to say about the title even though he’s neither into football nor video games all that much. I’m not big into football video games myself and always wanted to check out the Wii versions of the Madden games. Here’s a good quote pulled from the writeup:

Unsurprisingly, I care neither for football nor for most football video games. But this year I’m making an exception for Madden NFL 08 for the Wii.

The Madden video game series from Electronic Arts is considered the gold standard for football simulation games; I have been assured that if you love football you will love Madden. But for me these games take me back to those confused days in front of the television. Using every button on the game controller, you can pump a fake, call an audible or choose a defensive playmaker, but these options are less compelling if you don’t know what any of that means.

You perform all the same actions in the Wii version, but the most important moves are accomplished using the Wii’s motion-sensitive controller. To throw the ball, you swing the controller in an arc as you would toss a real pigskin. To tackle, you shove the controller forward. To intercept, you reach your hand into the air.

I find it much easier to focus on what’s going on in the game when I don’t have to think about which controller button lets me tackle or throw. Madden’s Wii version cuts out some of the artificiality inherent in sports video games, allowing you to play the game through physical movement. I don’t understand football, but I do understand what it means to throw a ball.

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I still don’t know what an audible is or why I would want to call one, but that doesn’t matter. Despite all that, I had a lot of fun playing the Wii version of Madden.

The whole writeup is good stuff and covers the game nicely. It goes into detail on things like the various gameplay modes, the optional extra-simplified control scheme, and more much better than this less than stellar GamePro review. Anyone out there picked up Madden 08 for the Wii yet and have any thoughts on how it plays and how fun it is?

The reviews for Boogie have started moving and shaking their way in and where GamePro’s review is a bit more forgiving than say 1up’s review of the game, they both share some common thoughts. Namely, the game is a bit shallow and perhaps aimed at a younger audience than what they had envisioned. In the end, GamePro manages to give the title a very respectful 4/5 while 1up leaves the game with a 3 out of 10. Here’s a couple of key quotes from both reviews:

GamePro Review

Boogie is big on atmosphere and it plays out as the game’s greatest strength and weakness. The cartoon visuals are fun without being too childish and the soundtrack for the game is composed of music from the 60’s up to modern day. Every track got me up and dancing but the problem is the good times end there. I beat the story mode in a couple of hours and while I enjoyed every moment of it, I got squat for my effortsthere were no unlocked characters, no fire works and no balloons, just a few crummy new outfits and some money that can be used to, wait for it, buy more outfits and unlock a handful of songs.

1up Review

So, chances are, you’ve heard of Boogie by now: It’s an ambitious mashup of genres, a rhythm/karaoke game for the Nintendo Wii, dosed with a dash of vaudevillian bizarreness. Let’s get another thing straight: This is a party game. If you are playing this by yourself, you aren’t going to have very much fun. After all, nobody wants to look stupid at home, alone, by herself.

But that isn’t all. The crux of the game is, almost certainly, to embarrass you. Not that there’s anything wrong with that — I love inviting friends over and asking them to look asinine. But the reason you’ll look asinine is, in fact, the fault of incredibly shallow gameplay.

I don’t know, to me the 1up review comes off as if it was written by a no fun stick in the mud that’s more worried about how they look when playing video games than actually having fun. Get over yourselves and have fun already!

Nintendo World Report has played through and reviewed Alien Syndrome and the final score isn’t pretty, scoring a 3.5 out of 10. They cite mediocrity, graphical issues, and control problems amongst the list of complaints they have for the title. I was really looking forward to this one too! Check the choice quotes out below and visit the link for the full writeup.

..Alien Syndrome is easily one of the worst Wii games to have found major release. At its core, Alien Syndrome is a lifeless and terrifyingly repetitive shooter that puts the “crawl” back in dungeon crawl. Levels are cut up into 20-30 minute snippets spent wandering through the winding corridors of a space station or planet surface, mashing the fire button at hundreds of indistinguishable alien drones. Every level plays out nearly identically to the one before it: kill all the drones, grab some space loot (in the form of weapon and armor upgrades), fight a mini-boss, and call it a day.

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Alien Syndrome claims to have 100 different enemy types, but that’s just some creative accounting. You will have seen almost every alien model in the first third of the game; the remaining levels are made of the same enemy in a different color and with added HP. That kind of trickery might have been allowable in 1987 when arcade cabinets had less memory capacity than the GBA, but it’s a dirty trick to pull on a gamer in 2007 for a full-priced $50.

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The choice to leave the game as a top-down shooter is also a big miscalculation. While it remains true to the original game, it feels cheap and insubstantial 20 years later. The game’s dark and grisly color palate makes it hard to pick out much environmental detail, like walls or doorways. It can be a brutal chore to just find your character on screen during some firefights, as the camera zooms even further out to capture all the action, reducing the size of your character to an inch or so of muddy green.

And on and on and on and on.. I’m still going to rent it!