Retro Moves

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday September 30, 2006

Eliot Fish

Only the brave and the nimble will be able to outrun the goblins in Arthur's clanky old armour, writes Eliot Fish.

Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins

PSP

$79.95

PG

* * * *

If lightning-fast reflexes and saintly patience don't make it onto your gaming CV, then you shouldn't apply for a stint with Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins. As far as intense gaming goes, this is the ultimate platform game challenge.

The legacy of relentless difficulty that began with the original Ghosts 'n Goblins arcade cabinet game is carried on here with this faithful PSP sequel to the Capcom classic.

Once again, players take on the role of the bearded Arthur, a knight known for losing parts of his shiny armour until he's running around in nothing but colourful boxer shorts.

With the action unfolding against side-scrolling 2-D backgrounds, this series has become a hit partly for its highly stylised, old-school graphics. Shuffling zombies, ghoulish demons and Arthur are animated with an appealing wit, while the gothic backdrops and level designs ooze style.

Unlike other platform games that allow you to influence the movement of your character through the air, the difficulty here is that Arthur's jumping animation is fixed.

He also can't jump sideways from a standing position. This means that not only is timing critical, but you need to be mindful of the exact spot from which you jump to ensure Arthur will reach his intended destination. Even crossing simple pits can be traumatic until you develop the correct technique.

Now factor in an endless spawn of monsters that home in on you like flies on a raw steak. Rapid dodging and well-timed weapon strikes are crucial to surviving even the first few seconds of play, let alone the latter stages that require Zen-like concentration.

No doubt some will find this game an impenetrable challenge, but a generous supply of lives and a forgiving "continue" system make it possible to conquer this beast if you're up for it.

Endgame: Here's a game to sort the men from the boys. Just try not to grind your teeth away.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon:

Blue/Red Rescue Team

Nintendo

DS, GBA

$69.95

G

* * *

If you're looking for something to keep the children enthralled for weeks, this latest dual-platform Pokemon release (Blue Rescue Team on DS and Red Rescue Team on GBA) is a cute adventure that should do the trick.

In previous Pokemon games you played as a human trainer, hunting and capturing the little critters until you caught them all. This time around, you actually become a Pokemon and see the world through its eyes. Little did we know that Pokemon run their own small communities, complete with shops, a post office and emergency services.

After answering a few questions about your personality, the game transforms you into an appropriate Pokemon type and pairs you with an animal buddy to guide you through the early stages. Aware that you were once human, part of the story revolves around the mystery behind your metamorphosis.

Your job is to form a Rescue Team and spend your days helping other Pokemon in distress, from recovering lost possessions to saving their lives. But regardless of the objectives for each rescue mission, the action involves the same thing: working through multi-levelled dungeons, fighting off the "bad" Pokemon within and collecting useful items such as health-restoring berries.

Whether you're climbing to the top of a mountain or adventuring through a forest, the randomly generated mission locations, though maze-like, tend to feel very samey. While ploughing through the dungeons becomes repetitive, following your character's evolution and steady growth in skills becomes addictive.

Endgame: Slick presentation should ensure it's a hit with young kids. EF

Gamer news

* Nintendo (www.nintendo.com.au) will launch its radical Wii console in Australia

on December 7 for $399. The system comes with one Wii remote controller, a Nunchuk controller and a copy of Wii Sports featuring tennis, baseball, golf, bowling and boxing games.

* Electronic Arts (www.easports.com.au) has implemented a new batting system in the coming Cricket 07 on PS2 and PC. Players now use the analog stick to simulate swinging the willow, with full control over foot movement, shot selection, power

and direction.

* Confirming the abandonment of Nintendo's previous strict "games-only" mantra, Wii (www.wii.com) offers features such as net news and weather channels, photo browsing, message boards and web surfing. A Mii Channel allows users to create a unique avatar and store the character on the Wii-mote to use when visiting friends.

* Cheat of the Week: Bust a Move (DS) - at the title screen, press A, Left, Right and A to unlock Another World and double the number of puzzle stages.

For more gaming news, visit blogs.smh.com.au/screenplay JH

Top ten

Best-selling games*

1 Lego Star Wars 2 (PS2)

2 Dead Rising

(Xbox 360)

3 Saints Row

(Xbox 360)

4 Lego Star Wars 2 (Xbox)

5 New Super Mario Bros (Nintendo DS)

6 AFL Premiership 2006 (PS2)

7 Singstar Anthems Bundle (PS2)

8 Lego Star Wars (Xbox 360)

9 Cars (PS2)

10 Eyetoy: Play 3 Pack (PS2)

* Source GfK

© 2006 Sydney Morning Herald

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