Smashing or shooting, destruction is the name of the game for these two titles. I had no expectations before I checked these out and came out surprised and pleased by what I saw.
FlingSmash (Wii)
Release Date: Summer
Developer: artoon
Publisher: Nintendo
Rating: RP (Rating Pending)
When the conference took place on the morning of the event and Cammie Dunaway briefly talked about FlingSmash, I was surprised by how short the comment was. When I tried it out though, I could see why they left it to the game to do the speaking.
It’s tough to describe what FlingSmash is except a pinball smashing arcade experience. You’re somewhat in control of Zip, the ball-shaped character that get flung across the screen into blocks. It’s important to smash the blocks for more points since the more points you get the higher your rating. There are other objects to get as well that power up Zip on his journey, such as fruit.
The way you get Zip to move is to fling the Wii Remote in the direction you want to bounce him. A handy on screen guide shows you where your swing is aimed which helps tremendously when aiming for certain blocks. I found the action was all in the wrists after awhile of tinkering with different motions.
After I played the game for a bit, Kevin Cassidy of Go Nintendo hopped on and was doing for the most part OK until I chimed in. His aim started going down hill less points were scored in the end. I was laughing a bit excessively, most likely due to the lack of sleep on my part. Still, the experience reminded me that even single player games (FlingSmash is two players) can be fun for all.
One or two players, this could be a fun pick up and play title for everyone. There’s a difficulty for any player here since it takes little to no skill to simply get Zip to be flung across the screen. What will take skill is aiming him to certain areas for those higher scores. I think it has the potential to be a good accompaniment to Boom Blox on the gaming shelf. If you are thinking of picking it up, be aware it does require the Wii MotionPlus accessory.
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Sin & Punishment: Star Successor (Wii)
Release Date: June 7th
Developer: TREASURE
Publisher: Nintendo
Rating: T (Teen) Fantasy Violence
I didn’t understand all the praise this series got until I played Star Successor. It absolutely deserves all the positives and this is coming from someone who’s only played it for about ten to fifteen minutes.
when I first grabbed the controller and looked at the screen, what I saw amazed me. Generally the look of the game is something I mention last as a side note to the gameplay, however I want to make it crystal clear that Star Successor is absolutely stunning. When I saw a fellow colleague play it, my jaw nearly hit the floor. All the videos I’ve seen don’t do the game justice unless you’ve seen it in person for yourself.
The game itself is basic in concept. You’re in control of Isa or Kachi as they float around and shoot enemies that attack them in the sky from various different angles. Dodging is done with the Nunchuk while attacks are performed with the Wii Remote. Generally most attacks are done at range, however there is also a melee option for close quarters as well as repelling certain enemy fire. Players can also use a lock on to help focus their attacks better.
There is a bit of strategy as you progress through the levels. Eventually simply firing and using your super attack can only get you so far. Dodging, timing your attacks, and understanding the patterns of the enemies become critical. Since scoring is a feature for the game, due to the arcade shooting nature, this also plays a key in higher scores.
There was a downside to the game that was a tad bit unfortunate. When there were many objects and/or enemies on the screen, there was a bit of noticeable slow down. I’m not sure if that was intended for certain areas, or because of the limited process power of the Wii, but I noticed it. This wasn’t game crippling or anything of the sort, but it’s worth mentioning.
This had it all for me and I am grateful to Nintendo for bringing it out to the US. Had they not, I think I, along with many others who may give the game a shot would have missed out on a real treat. Definitely pick this one up if you love blowing things up and having a great time doing it. Kudos to Treasure for a fun, exciting game yet again.
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