Blogging the experience of gameplayhttps://www.gamelog.cl/gamers/GamerPage.php?idgamer=553https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2993GAMEPLAY The second round of gameplay wasn't all that much different from the first. One thing that I did notice was that I got bored a lot more easily. Once all of the challenges have been met, there is not a whole lot one can do. I guess the challenge is to beat your best times, but once you play a level a couple of times, it doesn't seem as exciting. I can only play for a certain amount of time before feeling that it's very repetitive. The Mirror levels help to combat this, but after a while you lose interest with all the backwards stuff.I think I'm making it sound like it's not fun at all, which is not my objective. It is very fun . . . for a while. It just loses some replay value. It really needs more levels. Or some other new aspect that gives me a reason to play after I've beaten the game. When you beat the game, you are able to choose from any kart that is available for any character. This is pretty fun. You can have a huge character driving a tiny kart, or a tiny character driving a huge kart. This mildly amusing situation adds very little to the overall gaming experience, but there is very little to say. It's a fun game, but it kinda wears thin. DESIGN One of the many interesting design aspects of this game, is the variation of attributes for the karts. The minor differences in the abilities can make all the difference. For instance, in some races I would like to have a kart that had a high top speed, but in others, the top speed wouldn't matter so much, so I would choose a kart that would have a sharper turning radius. If I could go faster around the corners, then I wouldn't need to make up speed on the straightaways. Having several tracks from past versions of the game is another great design concept. This gives people who have not played those games several new levels, and people who have played them a nostalgic feeling. Not only are these "retro levels" great nostalgia, but they are also fantastically designed. This great design makes them seem better than the new levels at times.Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:11:56 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2993&iddiary=5808https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2993SUMMARY Mario Kart DS is a worthy addition to one of the best racing franchises in gaming. You control one of a variety of playable characters, racing against each other for dominance of the track, and of course the trophy. Getting new trophies unlocks new levels and once you beat all of the levels you can move up to a higher racing class, this keeps the challenge going. The cartoony aspects of this game make it fun for the whole family! GAMEPLAY Mario Kart is always fun to play. There is just something about putting these familiar characters into a new setting that excites the blood. Plus, there is just something so gratifying in shooting a perfectly timed turtle shell at your enemy's back, or blasting through other karts when you have "star power." So I guess what I'm getting at is that the items are fun. The cartoonish characters also make it very easy to form emotional attachments. The little phrases that they shout out can very easily become part of one's normal vocabulary. My favorite character (Luigi) always gives a sharp "Wahaa!" as he passes opponents. I have noticed myself producing this high pitched noise from time to time. This suggests a very good connection between character and player. My favorite games are ones where I create these emotional bonds with characters that have very little depth. The WiFi connection makes it possible to play with other players in the vicinity (thanks to cruznet, I am unable to connect to people from far away). As always, games are more fun when many people are competing to win. The close calls are made even more painful or joyous when you can see the look on your opponent's face. Overall this is a very fun game. Good job Nintendo!Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:37:02 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2993&iddiary=5636https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2708GAMEPLAY The second round of gameplay did not give me much more insight. However, it was a little strange that no matter how many games I played, it did not seem very repetitive. Sure, after a while I got a little bored with the games, but (with the exception of Bowling) they all seemed to keep me thinking that a new outcome could be reached. Since there aren't any real "characters" in the game, you can't form any real emotional attachment to them, but it is nice to see your friend's Miis on your baseball team or sitting in the audience cheering you on. In a way, the emotional attachment seems to be placed more on the games themselves; one can like one game a lot and hate another. DESIGN One design element that really makes the game work is the sound. The different familiar sports sounds help put the player in the sporting venue. For example, in Tennis, you hear the echo of the ball hitting the rackets and the ground, giving a feel of a very open game world. While play is proceeding, you hear nothing from the crowd, however when someone scores the crowd cheers. This makes the reward system so much better. Along with your points, you also get cheers. There are cheers when your opponent scores, but they're not for you, and you know it. While there is a quiet atmosphere in Tennis, a more noisy background in Bowling gives the player a more laid back feeling. It's less formal and more fun. The only game where level design really comes into play is Golf. These levels are fairly simple, as they should be. However, on several occasions the player must choose whether they should go for the risk and get the big reward, or play it safe and get an average score. These decisions often lead to quadruple bogeys, however, they do add an interesting element to the game. This is without a doubt the quintessential game for the Wii. It provides a great start in figuring out how exactly to use these new controls. Future generations will undoubtedly look back on this game as a crucial step in gaming history.Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:23:59 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2708&iddiary=5316https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2708SUMMARY Wii Sports is usually the very first game people play for the Wii. Its new style of control was the first showcase of the new system's ability for motion detection. Wii sports has five different games that you can play: Tennis. Baseball, Bowling, Golf and Boxing. Each one of these games has different controls designed to mimic the motions of real sports. In addition to the games themselves, there are also various training modes for each game, designed to hone your skills and to further gameplay. GAMEPLAY Tennis is without a doubt my favorite game. In tennis, you must swing the remote when the ball comes to you, pretty simple. However, the timing of the swings prove difficult to master. The sooner you hit the ball, the more to the left it goes, and the longer you wait to hit it, the more to the right it goes. This becomes very fun, trying to time your swings so your opponent cannot reach the ball in time. One strange thing about this mode is that you cannot control how your player moves, I'm still not sure if this is a good or bad thing. Baseball, in my opinion has the sharpest learning curve. It is very hard to hit the ball at first, however once you get this down, it is very easy to hit homers every time. The aiming of the ball is the same as in tennis, you hit too soon and it goes left, wait too long and it goes right.Baseball is also the game that least resembles the real sport in that you only bat and pitch and the separation between single,double, triple and home run seem very distinct. If Baseball least resembles real life, Bowling is the game that feels most like bowling. The controls make you mimic real bowling motions and it has the somewhat boring atmosphere of a real bowling alley. Golf proves to be the hardest sport on Wii Sports. The controls don't always seem to work correctly and it's hard to know exactly how hard to swing. However, when you get everything right, there is nary a more satisfying feeling in the world. Boxing is the sport that makes for the best workout. Punching and dodging gets the blood stirring and defies that stereotype of lazy gamers sitting on the couch all day doing nothing.Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:21:07 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2708&iddiary=5102https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2363GAMEPLAY Once you get further into the game, it becomes more appealing. The levels get more interesting and more is at stake. While the story is still just as ridiculous, you almost start to care about the outcome. This doesn't really start to happen until about half way through the game though, and I'm not sure if I actually started to like it more or if I just got used to it. Although the second round of gameplay is a little better than the first, is not too different. Doing the same three types of levels over and over again can get a little tedious. However, each level has something different that makes it worth playing. DESIGN The level segmentation is a little strange in this game. After you complete each level, you get a little screen telling you how you did. Then, your boss gives you a little briefing as to what you're doing next. This can get in the way of the flow of the story sometimes. Even when you go directly from one spot to the other and shouldn't have any time to stop you get a briefing. The artistic style of the game is good, especially in the underwater lab. Oftentimes I wanted to complete a level just to see what the next one looks like rather than wanting to advance the story. Overall, the game delivers what it promises. You go around and shoot things. There isn't an expansive gameworld, and the story is pretty terrible, but it doesn't really matter. You can avoid most of the games problems by playing multiplayer.Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:12:34 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2363&iddiary=4744https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2363SUMMARY Agent Under Fire is a slightly ridiculous addition to the James Bond gaming franchise. In this first person shooter, you kill, drive and sex your way through a highly unrealistic plot as James Bond 007. The story is somewhat complicated, but essentially people are cloning other people, so you have to get to the bottom of this mystery. Of course the best way to do this is to kill everyone who crosses your path. There are three different types of missions, shooting missions, driving missions, and missions where you shoot while someone else drives. They are mixed up throughout. Overall, it works out to be somewhat entertaining. GAMEPLAY The worst part about the game is the cheesy story line and the terrible one-liners. There are several cut scenes designed to get the story going, but all I really cared about was blowing stuff up. The tasks that you are supposed to overcome don't really offer much of a mental challenge. For instance, in a room full of different flags you are given a clue: "For king and country." You now have to choose which flag has the hidden passageway behind it. Also, a good amount of the problems are solved by shooting something that blows up, which of course blows other things up as well. That being said, although the mental challenges are rather simplistic, it is kind of fun to shoot stuff and watch it blow up. The whole premise is stupid, but it really doesn't matter. Shooting, driving, and shooting while someone else drives really can be a lot of fun. The best part of this game by far is the multiplayer mode. This is probably because there is no story in multiplayer, you just shoot your friends. As always this leads to great social interactions. The multiplayer mode really saves this game from being totally ridiculous.Thu, 07 Feb 2008 23:03:09 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2363&iddiary=4518https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2036GAMEPLAY After my second gaming session, I feel like I must retract something I said earlier. The upside-down, twisting style of gameplay does get a little uncomfortable. Sometimes I thought that I would be going in a certain direction by moving the control stick a certain way, but I would move in the opposite direction. Other than that I have no major complaints. The great fun and excitement that comes with playing this game get more intense as it goes on. The boss battles with the big lava squid, King Calamari, Bowser Jr., and that big wizard Koopa thing are not very challenging, but I like that. I would have to say that the best boss battle is the one with Bowser Jr.'s big robot. It is great fun climbing up a massive robot and battling it from the top. It's fun. DESIGN Well, as always the wiimote gives another element to the game. The game looks great, the gameworlds are interesting, it's always cool to float through space and the creatures are interesting. The controls are relatively simple, other than being upside-down sometimes, it's easy to maneuver around. It is obvious that the designers really had a clear idea of what they wanted and worked hard to get the desired effects. It's really just a good game.Fri, 25 Jan 2008 20:01:38 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2036&iddiary=4106https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2036SUMMARY Goodness gracious! Mario is back! This time Bowser has stolen Princess Peach's castle and taken it to OUTER SPACE! It is up to Mario to travel through different galaxies to try and save her. This time the Wii Remote gives extra movement based powers. Plus you can collect and shoot "starbits" (which are little pieces of stars that give you an extra life when you collect fifty) with the greatest of ease. The most notable aspect of Super Mario Galaxy is the game worlds. There are several different planets each with its own gravitational center, so you can run and jump to the other side with great ease. GAMEPLAY Super Mario Galaxy is a very interesting game. The seeming expanse of this three-dimensional universe makes the player feel like they have total control in the game. The controls are very easy to learn, and as always the Wiimote adds fun to the mix by allowing the player to swing around. All the cute, silly stars, toads and other creatures make for a humorous good time. In addition to the great gameplay, the game has a great look and feel to it. Each world is beautifully made with great accuracy and although you can get turned upside-down and in all different directions, oddly enough, it is not very disorienting. The little details really come out, like the shiny glimmer of the stars and the grains on the wood planks. Playing this game really made me wish I had a better TV. All of these things combined make for an excellent gameplay experience. Everything is fun, the challenges are just challenging enough and sometimes a little easy (for me, this is a positive thing) and the universe is absolutely beautiful. It is definitely the best game for Wii that I have played.Fri, 25 Jan 2008 02:57:18 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2036&iddiary=4003https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1834Fifa Part 2! GAMEPLAY After the second round of gaming, I find that not a whole lot has changed my experience. This may be due to the fact that it's a sport simulation. However, even though the gameplay itself does not change, the outcome of each individual game is always different. Every game has high points and low points. An amazing goal and a terrible sliding tackle. This game is most fun when played with a friend. The rivalry of countries and clubs expresses itself through the smack-talk of the gamers. This community aspect is what I have always liked about video games. I feel that a good game is able to bring people together and have them interact, joke and play with one another. DESIGN The reviews that I have seen for this game have all praised the new and improved artificial intelligence. While I'm sure that new systems of AI is technically "Better", I have not noticed any huge differences. Most of the players still move around in these predetermined paths with no serious improvement that I have noticed. The new overhead view, in my opinion, is a small downgrade from the side to side view. While the far side of the field is more accessible now, it is a little harder to score when facing the "down" direction. While I feel this way now, I can see how I may like this view better in the future. Overall, the game is fun, well made (I believe I have noted all of my complaints), and a very good stepping stone toward the future. I can't wait to play Fifa 2018.Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:00:11 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1834&iddiary=3825https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1834SUMMARY Ten years ago I played Fifa 98 for the Sega Saturn and for the first time in my life I didn't hate soccer. Now a decade later, this soccer simulation comes to the Wii. The new motion sensitive controls give an interesting spin to commanding the 621 playable teams. Along with a "Play Now" and "Tournament" modes, "Footii Party" is also available with a collection of three mini-games exclusive to the Nintendo Wii. GAME PLAY Controls-Now that every game that wants to be sold on the Wii has to come up with its own special system, there are going to be some challenges. Although these controls are not without their flaws, I'd have to say that they are a definite success. One can pass, shoot, head and lob the ball with relative ease. The only real problem with the controls is the power of shots. A good amount of the time I hit the ball with either way more or way less power than I thought I would. Although it could use some fine-tuning, the control system is definitely a good start. Replay-Perhaps the best part about this game, as with all sports games, is its high replay value. Every time this game is played, a different outcome can be produced. This gives the player a reason to come back. It could be that a player wants to better their play, or prove their dominance over a thoughtless being. In any case, the uncertainty of the outcome is what is exciting about this. Game Modes-The most common game mode that I play is just the regular "friendly" match, it allows me to choose my opponent based on the level of challenge that I want and there's nothing on the line but pride. The tournament mode has one major flaw, and that is the fact that there is no international tournaments between countries available, so I can't prove the football superiority of my beloved Argentina to that emotionless computer. As for the "Footii Party," despite having a funny name, there is not much to work with there, just three mini-games: "Table Football" AKA foosball, "Juggling" AKA Shake the remote when it tells you to and "Boot It" AKA penalty shots. I suppose the only way to describe the gameplay experience of "Footii Party" is "It's alright I guess." Characters-With sports games it may be somewhat strange to think of connecting with the characters since they exist in real life. However, it is possible for these emotional bonds to be formed with these teams and players and it is also possible for these to carry over into real life. For instance, back when I would play Fifa 98 with my friend, we would always be Argentina for some reason and our favorite character on that team was Hernan Crespo. So who do I always root for in the World Cup? Why Argentina and Crespo of course! In sixth grade when my class had to do a report on a foreign country, my friend chose Argentina. I think that this connection to a team is what makes Fifa 08 worth playing. Of course, of you're not already a fan of a team, then it takes a lot of playing to get so emotionally attacthed. (This entry has been edited1 time. It was last edited on Tue, 15 Jan 2008 02:28:49.)Tue, 15 Jan 2008 02:27:04 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1834&iddiary=3742