NGamer Issue 26

September 2008
Release Date: 16 Jul 2008
Pages: 116
Editor: Nick Ellis

Introduction

MySims Kingdom got the cover treatment for issue 26 and 3 other sims games were also previewed. The first MySims had done so well - that EA had decided that a new wave of games would be launched. There were both Wii and DS versions of MySims Kingdom, the classic Sim City Creator, Sim Animals, and The Sims 2: Apartment Pets on DS. Other previews this month looked at the latest wrestler WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009 - which was also both on Wii and DS. There was also a hands-on look at Lego Batman, as well as a look at Ghostbusters - a decidedly more cartoony style compared to the more film-like Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. Rare had also returned with a DS version of Viva Pinata - Pocket Paradise, back when Rare had an office full of ideas.

In the news, there was a look towards E3, with Animal Crossing and Punch-Out!! Set to be the big-hitters from Nintendo, as well as plenty of third-party games to be shown off. Nintendo had also updated their release schedule, with plenty of previously announced games sneakily being added to the list. There was also the latest online goings-on within the Online Desk section, as they also looked at New International Track and Field’s online mode on DS.

The lead review this month was Mario’s latest sports game - Super Sluggers on Wii. Martin gave it 79%, with praise as usual for the graphics and audio, but no improvement on Wii Sport’s excellent baseball controls. The highest scoring game this month was the DS’s latest Final Fantasy game - Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift, scoring 82%. Kittsy praised it’s graphics, but also commented that it didn’t do anything that the GBA wasn’t capable of. Family Ski was the only other release of note, with Matthew giving that 81%.

A feature this month looked at the worst games of 2008 - showcasing those games that were due to go straight into the bargain bin. This included such well-known games as Jumper, Cruis’N and Orbs of Doom - most of which no-one had ever heard about!

Over in World of Nintendo, the team got a chance to speak to the lead designers for Smackdown vs Raw 2009 - covering the games as well as their experiences with wrestling in real life. They also looked to rebuild some classic game scenes within Blast Work’s game editor. Another feature looked at how to get around Tokyo and the various gaming markets including the fantastic Akihabara. The team also simulated some interesting fights within Smash Bros Melee - pitting CPU against CPU in a fight to the death.

In Download, they looked at the Game and Watch, and some of the many different varieties of the original pocket gaming machine. The classic level this month looked at Spectrum game Skool Daze, which involved you trying to get through a school to liberate a damning school report. The Virtual Console essential this month looked at Mega Drive classic Eternal Champions - for which there certainly was a lot of hype back in 1994. There were still plenty of releases on Virtual Console - including Pokemon Puzzle league on N64 and Samurai Showdown on Neo Geo.

Articles

Features

At Home With the Sims
Scatfest 2008
An Audience with Yuke's
Blast Off
The NGamer Guide to Tokyo
Brawling for Truth
History Lesson 23: Game & Watch
School Daze

Previews

WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009
Lego Batman: The Videogame
Ghostbusters
Shaun White Snoeboarding
Wario Land: The Shake Dimension
Rune Factory Frontier
Sky Crawlers
Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise
Spyborgs
Little King's Story
Tenchu 4
Gauntlet
Mr Slime Jr
Age of Empires: Mythologies
Crazy Mini Golf
Summer Athletics
Matchman
Ninjatown
Football Director DS
Off Road
Neopets: Puzzle Adventure
My Aquarium
Master of the Monster Lair
Jawa Mammoth and the Secret Stone
Once Piece: Unlimited Cruise
Spore Creatures
Space Invaders Get Even
Soul Eater: Monotone Princess
Sports Party
Imabikisou: Solution Compilation

Reviews

Mario Super Sluggers
Author: Martin Kitts
Country: Jap
Score: 79
Wacky Races: Crash & Dash
Author: Matthew Castle
Country: Uk
Score: 35
Family Ski
Author: Matthew Castle
Country: Uk
Score: 81
Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destory
Author: Rich Stanton
Country: USA
Score: 75
Alone in the Dark
Author: Matthew Castle
Country: Uk
Score: 48
Family Trainer: Athletic World
Author: Matthew Pellet
Country: Uk
Score: 42
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Author: Martin Kitts
Country: Uk
Score: 82
LOL
Author: Matthew Castle
Country: USA
Score: 60
English of the Dead
Author: Matthew Pellet
Country: Jap
Score: 47
Super Dodgeball Brawlers
Author: Roy Delaney
Country: USA
Score: 61
My Pokemon Ranch
Author: Charlotte Martyn
Country: USA
Score: 2
Actionloop Twist
Author: Matthew Castle
Country: Uk
Score: 2
Pirates: The Key of Dreams
Author: Nick Ellis
Country: Uk
Score: 2
Protothea
Author: Matthew Castle
Country: Uk
Score: 1
Cocoto Fishing Master
Author: Rich Stanton
Country: Uk
Score: 2
Block Breaker Deluxe
Author: Rich Stanton
Country: Uk
Score: 4
The Incredible Hulk
Author: Charlotte Martyn
Country: Uk
Score: 24
Kung Fu Panda
Author: Roy Delaney
Country: Uk
Score: 71
My Fashion Studio
Author: Roy Delaney
Country: USA
Score: 60
Arkanoid DS
Author: Charlotte Martyn
Country: Uk
Score: 28
Wacky Races: Crash & Dash
Author: Roy Delaney
Country: Uk
Score: 63
Space Invaders Extreme
Author: Charlotte Martyn
Country: Uk
Score: 80
Cooking Guide: Can't Decide What to Eat?
Author: Martin Kitts
Country: Uk
Score: 82
Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles
Author: Matthew Castle
Country: USA
Score: 35

Staff

Martin Kitts Deputy Editor
Kim Bissix Designer
Matthew Castle Staff Writer
Andy McGregor Art Editor
Nick Ellis Editor
Charlotte Martyn Operations Editor