[GreenNight]

Cover Story - Wario Land: Shake It

News:

-Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia (DS)
-Luminous Arc 2 (DS)
-Call of Duty: World at War (Wii)
-Cooking Guide (DS)
-Avalon Code (DS)
-Rune Factory Frontier (Wii)
-Cursed Mountain (Wii)
-SPRay (Wii)

Wii Channels:

-Tetris
-Mega Man 9 (interview with Hironobu Takeshita)

Preview:

-Samba De Amigo (Wii)
(Sonic Chronicles poster here)
-De Blob (Wii/DS)
-Crash: Mind Over Mutant (Wii/DS)
-Ultimate Band (Wii/DS)
-Secret Files: Tunguska (DS/Wii)
-Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers (Wii)
-Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2 (Wii)
-Locks Quest (DS)
-Tornado (DS)
-Master of the Monster Lair (DS)

Main:
-Wario Land: Shake It
-Time Hollow
-The House of the Dead OverKill (Wii exclusive hinted last month)
(Mushroom Men poster here)
-Kirby Super Star Ultra

Top 15 Games NP is Excited About in 2008 and Beyond:

15. Facebreaker KO Party
14. Sonic Chronicles
13. Wii Music
12. Castlevania Judgment
11. Major Minors Majestic March
10. GTA: Chinatown Wars
9. Wii Sports Resort
8. Wario Land: Shake It
7. Chrono Trigger
6. Rhythm Heaven
5. Animal Crossing: City Folk
4. Mega Man 9
3. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
2. The Conduit
1. MadWorld

Profile:

-Hideki Konno

Reviews:

-DQ4 (DS) - 7.5
-Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (DS) - 6.0
-Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Wii) - 7.5
-Mario Super Sluggers (Wii) - 7.5
-Tiger Woods 09 (Wii) - 8.5
-Disgaea DS - 7.5
-Sam & Max Season 1 (Wii) - 7.0
-SNK Arcade Classics Vol1 (Wii) - 8.5
-Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility (Wii) - 6.5
-Pop Cutie! (DS) - 6.0
-Ferrari Challange (Wii) - 7.5

[Firestorm]

I don't know why I subscribe. I get my issue and I hardly even read it because I found out everything before it got to my house :( I probably won't see the issue in my mailbox for another week or two. Is there a review on Time Hollow? Any exclusive news? Next Month hint?

[dwin45]

news sounds pretty....blah. It certainly is a boring time to be a Wii owner.

[AlternativeUlster]

What is Cursed Mountain? Sounds too kool.

[TSA]

What was that new "exclusive" game touted in the back of the last issue?

That's all I care about...here's hoping it's a good title.

[splattergnome]

What is Cursed Mountain? Sounds too kool.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=329406 (video inside on second page)

Third-Person Himalaya Survival Horror game - Wii Exclusive

And apparently undead Buddhist monks, for some reason.

[AzureJericho]

Why does it seem like Nintendo Power is such an underwhelmaton all of a sudden? I grew up with the damn thing and remember how awesome it was to get one in the mail... Ah well. :/

And yeah, I'm just hoping for something like TGS or SpaceWorld again so maybe I can have something to drool over on the first party front.

[sphinx]

news sounds pretty....blah. It certainly is a boring time to be a Wii owner.

she wants a word with you. :P

[AzureJericho]

What was that new "exclusive" game touted in the back of the last issue? That's all I care about...here's hoping it's a good title.

Wasn't that Sonic & The Black Knight? Oh wait, sorry.

[markatisu]

Why does it seem like Nintendo Power is such an underwhelmaton all of a sudden? I grew up with the damn thing and remember how awesome it was to get one in the mail... Ah well. :/ And yeah, I'm just hoping for something like TGS or SpaceWorld again so maybe I can have something to drool over on the first party front.

Its been pretty underwhelming since they changed editors and ownership a few months ago

[morningbus]

Why does it seem like Nintendo Power is such an underwhelmaton all of a sudden? I grew up with the damn thing and remember how awesome it was to get one in the mail... Ah well. :/

Nostalgia.

[TSA]

Wasn't that Sonic & The Black Knight? Oh wait, sorry.

Nah, they mentioned another. The Coming Next Issue page had Wario Land: Shake It! on it, but in the text it mentioned a new game.

Probably Cursed Mountain I bet...oh well.

[AzureJericho]

Its been pretty underwhelming since they changed editors and ownership a few months ago

Wat :o

I musta missed the memo.

[jj984jj]

Nothing we don't already know about this month.

What was that new "exclusive" game touted in the back of the last issue? That's all I care about...here's hoping it's a good title.

There was another one in the Sonic issue? I thought Wario was on the preview page?

EDIT: Nintendo Power was good before Future US took over?

If anything, only the past few months have been interesting.

[crimsonheadGCN]

Wat :o I musta missed the memo.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/future/futu...wer-301624.php

Future US continues it's domination of the official console magazine market as Nintendo hands them the reins of the long-running and well-respected publication Nintendo Power. For nearly two decades Nintendo has handled the publishing of the mag in-house, but starting with the December issue (on sale next month), it's all on Future. ...

[B.K.]

Another month and no Soma Bringer. Looks like we aren't going to get it.

[Firestorm]

Its been pretty underwhelming since they changed editors and ownership a few months ago

You've got to be kidding me. It was shit for years and the re-design and then later transfer of ownership has only improved the magazine. We've got some good stuff lately and they're really big on interviews + exclusives.

[Digital-Hero]

news sounds pretty....blah. It certainly is a boring time to be a Wii owner.

Indeed. They need something else besides Animal Crossing.

[batbeg]

-DQ4 (DS) - 7.5 -Sam & Max Season 1 (Wii) - 7.0

Probably going to be a few unhappy people in here. Wonder why the seemingly low scores on these games, which I would've expected to be a bit higher?

[shidoshi]

I wonder if Pop Cutie really is a "6.0" kind of game, or if it's just the type of game the reviewer couldn't get into. (I wonder because I'm interested in it.)

[jj984jj]

-DQ4 (DS) - 7.5 -Disgaea DS - 7.5

Disgaea = DQIV?!?!? I hate reviews.

-Sam & Max Season 1 (Wii) - 7.0

Was something wrong with the port? :\

[Death_Born]

news sounds pretty....blah. It certainly is a boring time to be a Wii owner.

I see a whole three games here that I might buy.

THREE GAMES!

[Aeana]

What did they actually say about DQ4?

[TSA]

-The House of the Dead OverKill (Wii exclusive hinted last month)

Oh ho Nintendo Power. GC 08 beat you by two days.

[Llyranor]

Details re: Avalon Code? Thanks.

[dwin45]

There are a few games I'm moderately excited for but this is the first time ever that there isn't a single game for a Nintendo console that I'm extremely excited for.

[GreenNight]

Also, NP kicks fucking ass since Future purchased it. The interviews are great and the features are much more indepth.

[Nose Master]

What were the complaints about Disgaea DS? That's a pretty shitty score for a port that's scored pretty highly otherwise.

[Teknoman]

Reviews: -DQ4 (DS) - 7.5 -Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Wii) - 7.5 -Disgaea DS - 7.5

WAT.

[jj984jj]

Oh GTA DS next month, I heard a rumor that they took an interesting approach to 3D on DS, kinda interested in how that looks.

What were the complaints about Disgaea DS? That's a pretty shitty score for a port that's scored pretty highly otherwise.

1. It's Disgaea.
2. It's the 3rd port since 2003.
3. The game is a downgrade from the other versions.
4. The game already has a better portable version available on PSP.
5. It's Disgaea!

[Windu]

There are a few games I moderately excited for but this is the first time ever that there isn't a single game for a Nintendo console that I'm extremely excited for.

same for me.

[GreenNight]

What did they actually say about DQ4?

Only cause its you:

(This is a really long review, an entire page)

+attractive polygonal world and plenty of usability improvements
-feels like a product of its time
-too close to standard rpg formula
+still fun in getting there even if you've played it before
+omnibus structure
+sixth chapter exclusive to DS
-auto party members are annoying (but you can turn it off)
-repetitive battles
+beautifully animated enemies
+fantastic soundtrack
+great localization
+great use of both screens
+30-40 hrs of gameplay
-not as good as FF4 or TWEWY

So apparently the guy is bitching because it's a remake of an NES game. Don't know what he expected.

[Eteric Rice]

09 will probably be a much better year, at least on the third party front.

1. Fragile
2. Arc Rise Fantasia
3. Rune Factory
4. Little King's Story
5. House of the Dead Overkill
6. MadWorld
7. Tenchu IV
8. Red Steel 2 (hopefully done by 09, I mean come on)
9. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicals
10. Spyborgs
11. Monster Hunter 3

Let me know if I'm forgetting anything.

[GreenNight]

09 will probably be a much better year, at least on the third party front. 1. Fragile 2. Arc Rise Fantasia 3. Rune Factory 4. Little King's Story 5. House of the Dead Overkill 6. MadWorld 7. Tenchu IV 8. Red Steel 2 (hopefully done by 09, I mean come on) 9. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicals 10. Spyborgs Let me know if I'm forgetting anything.

The new Tales game that isnt TOS2.

[Aeana]

Only cause its you: (This is a really long review, an entire page) +attractive polygonal world and plenty of usability improvements -feels like a product of its time -too close to standard rpg formula +still fun in getting there even if you've played it before +omnibus structure +sixth chapter exclusive to DS -auto party members are annoying (but you can turn it off) -repetitive battles +beautifully animated enemies +fantastic soundtrack +great localization +great use of both screens +30-40 hrs of gameplay -not as good as FF4 or TWEWY So apparently the guy is bitching because it's a remake of an NES game. Don't know what he expected.

Thanks! The points certainly don't match a 7.5 to me, but oh well. I personally find it to be the definitive version of Dragon Quest 4, so I hope that doesn't turn too many people off.

[GreenNight]

Thanks! The points certainly don't match a 7.5 to me, but oh well. I personally find it to be the definitive version of Dragon Quest 4, so I hope that doesn't turn too many people off.

I'll be buying it day one and the review is pretty positive, the only negative tone he takes is when the guy refers to it being a game that people have played to death.

[Eteric Rice]

The new Tales game that isnt TOS2.

I'll add that when it has a name.

Still, hopefully there's more in 09. That list is decent, but it needs more.

[TSA]

Top 15 Games NP is Excited About in 2008 and Beyond: 15. Facebreaker KO Party 14. Sonic Chronicles 13. Wii Music 12. Castlevania Judgment 11. Major Minors Majestic March 10. GTA: Chinatown Wars 9. Wii Sports Resort 8. Wario Land: Shake It 7. Chrono Trigger 6. Rhythm Heaven 5. Animal Crossing: City Folk 4. Mega Man 9 3. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia 2. The Conduit 1. MadWorld

What? No way...Sonic Chronicles is LESS anticipated than Wii Music? Okay, corporate politics intervened here, heheh.

[Linkup]

Let me know if I'm forgetting anything.

The Conduit!

I kidding, I don't know how that game jumped up on so many peoples list.

[jj984jj]

What? No way...Sonic Chronicles is LESS anticipated than Wii Music? Okay, corporate politics intervened here, heheh.

I think they're just insane, Major Minors Majestic March is #11.

[dwin45]

What? No way...Sonic Chronicles is LESS anticipated than Wii Music? Okay, corporate politics intervened here, heheh.

They're excited to see how bad it will be.

[I AM JOHN!]

Was something wrong with the port? :\

I wanna know this too. I'm trying to convince my friend to buy Sam & Max, so I wanna know if I should tell him not to bother and just lend him my PC copy/

The Conduit! I kidding, I don't know how that game jumped up on so many peoples list.

Agreed. High Voltage is a developer with little-to-no pedigree and have failed more often than not.

[GreenNight]

I don't get the Sam & Max review. The only negative they have in the entire goddamn review is that they say the writing is uneven. That's it!

Maybe they are starting to be like Edge where only the best games get above an 8.5.

[GreenNight]

Also, for Disgaea the reviewer docked it points because he played it on the PS2 and PSP. Said it would be an 8.5 otherwise.

[Guybrush Threepwood]

Good thing MadWorld is coming.

The Wii hasn't had a must-play game since Super Mario Galaxy.

[Takeda Kenshi]

Thanks! The points certainly don't match a 7.5 to me, but oh well. I personally find it to be the definitive version of Dragon Quest 4, so I hope that doesn't turn too many people off.

It got the score undoubtedly because it's a niche title. The old school-ness probably also contributed to it.

[I AM JOHN!]

I don't get the Sam & Max review. The only negative they have in the entire goddamn review is that they say the writing is uneven. That's it!

That's a pretty reasonable complaint. They're dead wrong, but it's a reasonable complaint.

[Gabyskra]

Good thing MadWorld is coming. The Wii hasn't had a must-play game since Super Mario Galaxy.

Why, because it appeals to the GeoW crowd? Brawl certainly deserves that title more than any other.

[Guybrush Threepwood]

Why, because it appeals to the GeoW crowd?

Huh?

If anything it appeals to the God Hand crowd (like me).

[Zihark]

What did they say about HM:TOT, its gotten pretty good impressions from jpn gamers. And NP scored the last console hms pretty highly. Also what do they say about RFF and Avalon Code.