Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters

Insomniac Games' dynamic duo shines in their first handheld game.

I'm a big fan of the Ratchet & Clank franchise, so it was a no-brainer that I would try out Size Matters, even though it was released on the PSP and was developed by High Impact Games and not Insomniac. I can confidently report that High Impact did a tremendous job shrinking a Playstation 2 franchise onto a portable device. The designers there did an excellent job retaining the humor, gameplay, and art direction of earlier Ratchet & Clank titles, while adding a few new features. There are some control and audio issues, but overall Size Matters is a success, and one of the best games on the PSP.

Size Matters begins on Pokitaru, where heroes Ratchet and Clank are enjoying some well-deserved rest (they save the galaxy pretty routinely, after all). There they meet Luna, a young girl writing a school report on superheroes. Luna is summarily kidnapped by strange looking robots, and the heroes are forced to interrupt their vacation to save her and reveal an insidious threat to the galaxy. Unfortunately, the story is a little too predictable and too rushed. The characters, worlds, and jokes in Size Matters are as colorful as always, but the story falls flat.

Look at those gadgebots go!

But it's not like Ratchet & Clank is known for epic sci-fi storylines. It's known for its sense of humor, its awesome array of weapons and gadgets, and its unique gameplay, which combines platforming, third-person shooting, and light RPG elements. The gameplay in Size Matters is as good as ever. There are typical platform-heavy stages, and stages that require a clever combination of weapons and gadgets, but there are also many, many mini-games. The best of these are "Clank Challenges," where the robot sidekick Clank performs in one of three mini-games. One is like a robotic version of Gladiator, where several robots attack each other with lasers, sawblades, and battering rams. Another features robots vying to pick up gadgebots (small robots that perform a variety of tasks) and toss them into a force field. The best, though, is a Lemmings-style mini-game where the player navigates several gadgebots to safety by programming them in real-time.

The first of many armor pieces.

Another new feature in Size Matters is the ability to find armor (not just buy it) on the many planets Ratchet and Clank visit during the game, and mix and match armor sets. Certain suits of armor will provide bonus effects, like shock-wave, acid, and flame damage.

There are flaws in Size Matters, and these relate to the control scheme, and to some audio issues. High Impact Games had the unenviable job of moving Ratchet & Clank from the PS2, which has a controller with 10 buttons, two analog sticks, and a directional pad, to a Playstation Portable, which has 6 buttons, one analog stick and a d-pad. For the most part the transition went smoothly, with two big exceptions: 1) the camera is operated somewhat awkwardly with the shoulder buttons, and 2) players strafe by using the d-pad, which is inefficient and cumbersome.

Ratchet and Clank fight some nasty looking robots.

Audio is another problem. A lot of the sound effects and music in Size Matters sound tinny. Rarely, especially during busy fights, the audio cuts out completely.

However, those are rather small complaints compared with the excellence of the overall game. It looks good – sometimes better than its console counterparts – and comes packed with a healthy amount of content, including mini-games, upgradable weapons, and customizable armor. There are better Ratchet & Clank games out there, but for PSP owners Size Matters is a must.

Score: 8.5

Crossover Brawler Coming to PS3

It's official: Playstation 3 owners are getting the Sony equivalent of Super Smash Bros. It's called Playstation All-Stars: Battle Royale and, like Smash Bros., it brings together first and second-party mascots into a side-scrolling fighting game. But instead of characters like Mario, Donkey Kong, and Link, players will control Kratos (God of War), Sly Cooper, and PaRappa the Rapper. The title is being developed by SuperBot Entertainment.

Playstation All-Stars debuted recently at a Playstation event in Los Angeles. Only six characters were playable in the demo: Sweet Tooth (Twisted Metal), Colonel Radec (Killzone), and Fat Princess, in addition to the three mentioned above. These characters will fight each other in a number of Sony-themed arenas, including Hades from God of War, Metropolis from Ratchet & Clank, and Sandover Village from Jak and Daxter.

F.E.A.R. 3

Released in 2011, F.E.A.R. 3 is the sequel to F.E.A.R. and F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin. Whereas the first two games were mostly single-player affairs, F.E.A.R. 3 features online co-op. I had the chance to play through the game with my buddy Rob, who was experiencing F.E.A.R. for the first time...

Evan (Point Man): Well Rob, we beat another co-op game together. I wouldn't call it the best co-op game we've ever played, but it was a fun – albeit short – experience. F.E.A.R. 3 isn't as good (or as scary) as its predecessors, yet it does cooperative play surprisingly well. Which is saying something, since the previous two games had no co-op modes at all. I'm interested to hear your impressions, since this was your first experience with the F.E.A.R. universe.

Rob (Paxton Fettel): I agree that it wasn't the best we've played but it certainly wasn't the worst (sorry Army of Two: The 40th Day). It's interesting to note that this is the first co-op mode in the franchise because from what I gathered the story almost naturally flowed to this point. The co-op is great because it allows two players with two different combat approaches to each play a character suited to their talents. Well I prefer a Halo-style combat of rushing into the heat of battle yelling and firing off wave after wave of rounds, you certainly take the more cautious approach, evaluating the situation and acting accordingly. In most games one strategy is necessary over the other to be successful but with Point Man and Fettel and the nature of their characters you almost have to adopt both strategies to succeed.

Rob sets 'em up, I knock 'em down.

Evan: Couldn't agree more. Point Man and Fettel have complementary powers which makes for a tremendous co-op experience. Point Man (the hero from the first F.E.A.R. game) and Paxton Fettel (one of the main antagonists from the first game) have very different skill sets. Point Man has a command list typical of first-person shooters: the ability to shoot guns, throw grenades, perform melee attacks, plus the ability to slow down time. Fettel, as a disembodied spirit, has a completely different command list: telekinesis, stun, plus the ability to possess enemies and gain their abilities. It was serendipitous that I played as Point Man, who is better served shooting from a distance, and you played as Fettel, who needs to fight in close-quarters to absorb psychic energy from fallen enemies to sustain possession. Although I will say that neither character was particularly likeable.

Rob: I couldn't help but laugh at Fettel at some points who in one scene cackles like a maniacal Bond villain but I certainly had a great time playing as his character. Possession was one of the most fun attributes as you had to store up enough psychic energy to maintain the body. What a great way to put you in the mind of the character. The only way to hold onto your body was to go on a huge killing spree and collect the needed energy from corpses. It's instills a blood lust that allows you to sort of see what's going on in his mind. Did you have a similar connection to your character?

Forget the gun! Point Man needs some static guard.

Evan: I wish I could say I did. The main character of the first F.E.A.R. game was nameless and faceless. He was referred to as "the new guy" and as "the point man." But Monolith Productions did a great job of making him an interesting and well-rounded character without giving him a name, a face, or one line of dialogue. In F.E.A.R. 3 we finally see his face and we finally get his full back story. But it only serves to make him a less interesting and engaging character. Sometimes less is more. Especially when it comes to suspense and horror. And that brings me to a larger indictment of F.E.A.R. 3, which is that it's not as scary or as mysterious as the previous two games. However, it somewhat makes up for this with its score system, which keeps track of progress in single-player, co-op, and online multiplayer. For example, you can earn 1,000 points for using cover for 100 seconds, or 5,000 points for ten kills in a row without taking damage. It made us work together, but also allowed us to act selfishly at times. A healthy mix of cooperation and competition.

Rob: I suppose that having another player with you and cracking jokes relieves a lot of the tension. Do you think that was the only contributing factor to F.E.A.R. 3 being less scary than its predecessors? For me personally I tend to get more freaked out by horror in video games than in films. With a film you're sort of separated from the action but in a game you're the one interacting with the environment (or your avatar anyway) and I know had I played F.E.A.R. 3 alone it would certainly has been more tense and scary. I'm curious to how this games stacks up to the previous two in that regard.

Fettel in the middle of a possession.

Evan: That's a totally valid question. Being in the room or even online with another person defuses a lot of the tension. That's largely why Resident Evil 5 wasn't as scary as previous games in that series. I was actually impressed that F.E.A.R. 3 was able to create some genuinely scary set-pieces and frightening moments even with the addition of a co-op partner. But it doesn't really compare to the first two games because of two things: 1) the plot is a little too over-the-top – one of the playable characters has been dead for two games after all – and 2) too much information is revealed throughout the game. Generally, the more you learn about a subject, the less frightening it becomes. F.E.A.R. has always been about letting the player's imagination run wild. In F.E.A.R. 3, it's just the facts, ma'am. But obviously there's more to a video game than just scares. F.E.A.R. 3 looks good, sounds great, and plays like a dream. Plus it's got some excellent multiplayer modes, which add a lot of replay value.

Rob: The game certainly handles well although playing as Fettel does mean that you will need to learn two sets of control schemes. I usually have it down after a level or two but towards the end of the game I was still trying to reload with the alternate weapon control while in a possessed body. I do have to applaud the game for its cooperative play because you are definitely right, you can either work together to get points or be totally selfish and work towards your own goals. Although it seems the cooperative challenges will bring you more points in the end. The game also looks great. All of the environments are well realized and spooky. Each level aims for something a bit different than the last so it never feels like you are covering the same ground again and again.

An image from the "Contractions" multiplayer mode.

Evan: Well, I think that about covers it. All that's left now is the scoring. For me, F.E.A.R. 3 earns a 7.5/10. It's a solidly built first-person shooter with great co-op mechanics, spooky atmosphere, and fun (if unoriginal) multiplayer modes. I can't go higher than 7.5 because the story and characters never engaged me, and the scares came too infrequently.

Rob: I'm going to be different (twist!) and go with an 8.0/10. I thoroughly enjoyed F.E.A.R. 3. It was a game I could not wait to continue and not just to be done with it. The gameplay was smooth, the levels looked great and most importantly it was fun to be Fettel. If I had played the first two games my score might be lower however my introduction to the F.E.A.R. universe was more than satisfactory and left me wanting more.

New James Bond Game Announced

A new Bond game is hitting stores this fall: 007 Legends.

The game is being developed by British video game company Eurocom, which developed the Wii remake of GoldenEye 007 and its subsequent port on the Xbox 360 and PS3. Eurocom also developed Nightfire, one of my favorite James Bond games. But this is no ordinary 007 game; this is easily the most ambitious. According to the press release, 007 Legends will feature "an original, overarching storyline tying together six classic Bond movies, concluding with this year's highly-anticipated 23rd installment - Skyfall - to offer the most diverse Bond gaming experience yet."

In addition to the single-player campaign, which somehow ties together six different Bond movies, Legends will include Mi6 Ops Missions, first introduced in GoldenEye 007: Reloaded, plus online and four-player split-screen multiplayer. And for the first time, players "will be able to participate as one of Bond's cohorts or villainous foes, reliving the missions through their eyes, as well as 007's."

Why the Wii U Will Succeed

There has been a lot of speculation about the Wii U in recent months, a lot of commentary, a lot of rumors. It makes sense, after all. A new home console from one of the big three video game companies comes along once every 5 years or so. The Wii U is also a sexy story because the original Wii was a such a revolution in video gaming, and because Nintendo recently posted an annual operational loss, the first in its 40 year history.

What will Nintendo do to reverse that trend? How much will the Wii U cost? When will it debut? What games are planned? How does it stack up against high-powered current-generation consoles like Xbox 360 and Playstation 3? All these questions and more are being asked. The one that I'm most interested in is "will it be successful?" For me the answer is a definite "yes." I believe strongly the Wii U will be a financial and critical success, and will be the best Nintendo system since the SNES.

Below are five reasons Wii U will succeed in the bloated and ultra-competitive industry we call video games.

5. A One-year Head Start

History shows us that head starts in the video game world do not guarantee success. The Sega Dreamcast launched a year before the Playstation 2, and two years before the Gamecube and Xbox, yet it was doomed to obscurity. The Xbox 360 got a one-year head start on the PS3 and Wii, but the Wii easily outsold it. However, there is precedent. I think the Wii U will be something like the Sega Genesis. The Genesis, Sega's best-selling console, earned the lion's share of the American 16-bit console market, in large part because it had 1) a one-year head start over the SNES; 2) a larger library of games; and 3) a lower price point. When Playstation 4 and Xbox 720 launch in 2013, I believe the Wii U will match all three criteria. Even if it doesn't, Wii U has something Microsoft and Sony never will.

4. Nintendo IPs

This, above all else, is what makes Nintendo successful year after year. They have the best IPs on the planet: The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Metroid, Pokemon, F-Zero, Star Fox, Donkey Kong, etc. Shigeru Miyamoto, who invented several of those franchises, has already alluded to a HD Zelda game, and a tech demo at E3 2011 showed a high-definition Link battling a giant spider. And a few days ago, Nintendo confirmed it will be showing a new Mario and Pikmin game for the Wii U at this year's E3. A currently untitled fourth installment of Super Smash Bros. was also unveiled at E3 2011. What's more important is that some of these high-profile Nintendo games launch with the Wii U. I'm confident it will happen. Why?

Link in HD. It's about time

3. Nintendo Learned its Lesson from the 3DS Launch

Although the immediate 3DS launch went very well, the weeks and months after it was unveiled were sour ones for Nintendo. It was only after a price cut and, later, the introduction of some much-wanted games – Monster Hunter 3G, Super Mario Land, Mario Kart 7 – that sales rebounded and then shot into the stratosphere. To paraphrase James Carville, "the software, stupid." Good games sell systems. That's why I feel strongly at least one major Nintendo game will launch with the Wii U. In fact, I think the Wii U version of Super Mario will be bundled with the system. But Nintendo titles may not be enough. Video game players follow many IPs, not just those owned by Nintendo. Don't worry, cause the Wii U has that covered.

2. Third-Party Support

This is absolutely critical to the success of the Wii U. I cannot overestimate its importance. Yes, the Wii did well in its first few years with very few AAA third-party titles, but in the past two years, sales have slumped. Nintendo hasn't released a system with a top-flight library of third-party titles since the SNES. If I made a list of the best games for the N64, Gamecube, and Wii it would be mostly filled with first and second-party games. But this time, Nintendo made a commitment to woo big-name developers instead of alienating them. That's why the Wii U will host games like Batman: Arkham City, Darksiders II, Assassin's Creed III, Aliens: Colonial Marines, and Ninja Gaiden III. This is huge. Finally, some darker and more mature (and more importantly, popular) games will be playable on a Nintendo system. In the case of some franchises, its something of a reunion. The last time a Ninja Gaiden game graced a Nintendo console, for example, was over 20 years ago. What's that you say? Xbox 720 and PS4 will also have these games, and they'll look better? It doesn't matter, because the Wii U versions of these games have the potential to be the best versions. And that brings us to the #1 reason the Wii U will succeed.

Nintendo's new tablet controller.

1. The Tablet Controller

Many critics laughed at the motion controller for the original Wii. The new tablet controller for Wii U is similarly being dismissed. What Microsoft and Sony don't get, and maybe never will, is that graphics aren't everything. The original Wii, which features laughably under-powered hardware but which outperformed its rivals, is proof of that. Video game players want new and exciting ways to play games, to interact with them, to share them with friends. The tablet controller with its touchscreen provides that. Moreover, the tablet controller allows Wii U versions of multi-platform games to be the best versions. For example, imagine playing Aliens: Colonial Marines where the controller functions as a motion tracker like the one used by marines in the movie Aliens. The possibilities are endless.


So, that's what I think. But what about you? Are you planning on buying Wii U on day one? Or will you wait for a price drop? Do you think Nintendo will win the next round of console wars? Or be crushed by bigger and better systems?

Super Mario 4

Several days ago, Nintendo registered the domain www.supermario4.com. Don’t get too excited – the link reroutes back to nintendo.com – but this could be the start of something big. Nintendo promised a brand new 2D Mario game for the 3DS in the upcoming fiscal year (April 2012-March 2013) in January. This could be it. Or, it could be a launch title for the soon-to-be-released Wii U.

Both are exciting possibilities. A true sequel to Super Mario Bros. 3 – arguably the best Mario game ever – would be awesome for adults who grew up with the mustachioed plumber in 8-bit, and for a new generation of video game players. A 2D console version of Super Mario, akin to New Super Mario Bros. Wii, could also be a lot of fun, and would certainly raise interest in the Wii U. The most unlikely possibility, but also the most intriguing, is that Super Mario 4 is a remake or revival of Super Mario World – originally called Super Mario Bros. 4 in Japan. Or it could be another 3D Mario platformer, like Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy, and most recently Super Mario Land 3D.

Resident Evil 6 Update

New release date, new trailer.

When I first reported on Resident Evil 6 in January, Capcom planned to release the game on November 20. But at last week's Captivate conference in Rome, Capcom announced a new release date: October 2. Capcom also revealed cooperative multiplayer modes and the return of Mercenaries mode.

Capcom released a new trailer also. In it many of the details of the outbreak are revealed. There are also some surprises, like the reappearance of Sherry Birkin (first introduced as a child in Resident Evil 2) and the identity of the mercenary from the first RE6 trailer. Some have speculated that the mysterious woman in the trailer with short dark hair is Ada Wong, a villain from Resident Evil 2 and 4. But I'm not convinced. I think it's a brand new villain.



RE6 will release first for Xbox and PS3, then for Windows. It has not been announced for Wii U.

The game should take around 30 hours to beat, according to Capcom director Eiichiro Sasaki. There will be three separate campaigns, which can be beaten in any order. They follow Leon, Chris, and series newcomer Jake.

Epic Mickey

Disney's cartoon mouse is back, and better than ever.

Rarely do I disagree so strongly with video game critics, but Epic Mickey is criminally underrated. Yes, it has some camera control issues. Yes, it's not as dark and sinister as advertised. But it is, without a doubt, one of the best games for the Nintendo Wii and one of the best video games with a Disney license. It represents a wonderful amalgamation of ideas, genres, creative minds – most notably Warren Spector and Robert Iger – and over 80 years of Disney animation.

Epic Mickey is darker and more complicated than previous Mickey games. In the opening cinematic, Mickey wanders unknowingly into a wizard's workshop through the enchanted mirror in his bedroom. There he discovers a wondrous creation: a miniature world created with a magical paintbrush and inhabited by the lesser known and oft forget Disney characters, cartoons, and attractions. Mickey makes some mistakes, including spilling magical paint thinner on the miniature world and accidentally creating an inky, evil-looking blot of paint. He escapes from the workshop, but the damage is done. Years later, Mickey is drawn back to the workshop and into the miniature world where he must finally repair the damage he caused so many years before.



It's difficult to precisely identify Epic Mickey. It's one part platform game, one part action-adventure, one part role-playing game. Mickey explores Wasteland – the world he damaged with thinner – solving puzzles, jumping across platforms, completing quests, and using the magical paintbrush he found in the wizard's workshop. At first it seems like a traditional platform game with a very non-traditional mechanic, i.e. the paintbrush, which can restore thinned out buildings, windows, and treasure chests, or erase locks, walls, and support beams. But as the game progresses, it becomes clear that exploration, puzzle-solving, and NPCs (non-playable characters) are a big part of Epic Mickey.

One of dozens of quests.

There are also RPG elements, most notably a morality system and Mickey's ability to take on side-quests from the residents of Wasteland. Depending on Mickey's actions, certain quests and items will be made available to him. Moreover, the cartoon denizens of the Wasteland worlds will react favorably or unfavorably to him based on how he handles certain scenarios. For example, enemies can be destroyed with thinner or turned friendly with paint. What makes Epic Mickey even more provocative is the fact that some of the choices Mickey must make on the spot have unintended consequences. Sometimes it's easy to see the final outcome, other times it's much more cloudy. So Mickey and, by extension, the player have to choose carefully.

Skull Island never looked so good.

Regardless of its genre, Epic Mickey is fun to play. Controls are tight, the mechanics are bold and innovative (although they borrow heavily from Super Mario Sunshine), and the art direction is breathtaking. The biggest drawback – and this has been noted my many reviewers – is the camera. Many times it is difficult or impossible to move the camera to a good angle, and the result is often accidental death. But it's not a deal-breaker. Epic Mickey more than makes up for a sub-par camera with an excellent story, diverse levels, and what amounts to a virtual encyclopedia of Disney animated films, cartoon characters, and memorabilia.

Mickey jumps through a projector stage based on Oh What a Knight.

Epic Mickey is a love letter to Disney. It is overflowing with Walt Disney creations, including cartoon characters, theme park rides, theme music, along with countless inside jokes and references. Take, for example, Mickeyjunk Mountain, one area of Wasteland that's just a huge heap of Mickey the Mouse memorabilia: Mickey Mouse Club buttons, posters, comic books, thermoses, even old NES cartridges. Then there are projectors, which serve as portals between areas of Wasteland. When a projector is activated, Mickey can literally jump into old cartoons, including several based on the adventures of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, who has a big part to play in Epic Mickey. Projector stages are 2 1/2D side-scrolling platform stages modeled after cartoon shorts like Steamboat Willie and major motion pictures like Fantasia. Even the animated cut-scenes are a nod to Disney tradition. They are constructed based on the artwork of Mary Blair, who drew concept art for Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan.

Cut-scenes like this are based on artwork by Mary Blair.

Epic Mickey is a beautiful tribute to the world of Walt Disney. It's a perfect vehicle to rekindle interest in Mickey Mouse, and some of the forgotten characters in the Disney universe. But it's not solely for fans. Epic Mickey is an excellent and inventive platformer with terrific art direction, a great sense of humor, and a moving, involving story that will appeal to gamers of all stripes and ages.

Score: 9.0

Editor's note: Epic Mickey has two announced sequels: Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, and Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion.

Top 10 Easter Eggs

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!!

Well, it's Easter again. Time for quiet reflection about family, friends, and faith. And also, strangely, time for brightly-colored eggs, anthropomorphic rabbits, and assorted candies. It's a strange holiday, and like many Christian holy days, is a mixture of Abrahamic, pagan, and secular traditions.

In recognition of Easter, and all the Easter eggs that will be dyed, hidden, discovered, and eaten, I present the top ten Easter eggs in video games. In media, Easter eggs are messages, features, or in-jokes intentionally hidden in anything from a crossword puzzle to a motion picture. The first video game Easter egg can be found in the 1979 Atari game Adventure. Since then, they have been covertly hidden away in hundreds of games for consoles and personal computers.

Part of the fun of Easter eggs is stumbling upon them yourself. Therefore, I would recommend that anyone who hasn't played the following games and is interested in experiencing them first-hand read no further. The games are, in alphabetical order: Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie, Doom 3, Duke Nukem 3D, Epic Mickey, Final Fantasy, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, Super Mario 64, and Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.


You can still turn back.


Last chance!


Ok, without further ado, and in recognition of Easter, the top 10 video game Easter eggs.


10. Doomed Space Marine (Duke Nukem 3D)

Doom > Duke Nukem. Just saying.

Few games are as packed with hidden messages, secret rooms, and inside jokes as Duke Nukem 3D. The best is 3D Realms not-so-subtle jab at competitor id Software, which produces the Doom series. In episode 1, level 3, there is a secret button in the church that once pressed will open up a hallway to a hidden chamber where you'll find the hero of Doom, or at least what's left of him. Upon finding him, Duke declares, "that is one doomed space marine!"


9. Rabbit (Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire)

Max makes a cameo in Shadows of the Empire.

Scattered throughout Shadows of the Empire are challenge points, silver medallions in the shape of the rebel insignia. They are not needed to beat the game, but finding them unlocks some interesting features. Plus bragging rights. In Mos Eisley, there is a deformed challenge point hidden near the front walls of the city. It took me a long, long time to figure out exactly what this challenge point, shaped like a rabbit head, represents. It turns out it's Max from Sam & Max fame. And apparently Max has made many other secret cameos in LucasArts games.


8. Zelda's Room (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword)

Tingle!!!

There are many rooms, caves, and chambers to explore in Skyloft in Skyward Sword, but one room in the knight academy would just not open its secrets: Zelda's room. Locked doors in video games are super intriguing. Locked doors to the rooms of major Nintendo characters are unbearably intriguing. Luckily for me, I found a secret way in while searching at night for gratitude crystals. Inside Zelda's room, you'll find some very cool things: a heart piece (hidden in her closet), a gratitude crystal, a Tingle doll, and Zelda's diary.


7. 8-bit Mario (Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars)



Role-playing games by tradition have lots and lots of hidden items, secret rooms, and Easter eggs. This is one of the coolest, and a real treat for Mario fans. On one level of Booster's Tower, instead of following the door out of the room, move Mario behind a nearby curtain. When he emerges he has magically transformed from a 16-bit Mario to an old-school 8-bit version of himself. The music and sound effects change too. Check out the video.


6. Psycho Mantis (Metal Gear Solid/Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes)

Who doesn't?

Some critics – including myself – have complained that Metal Gear Solid games are sometimes too clever for their own good. But in the boss battle with Psycho Mantis, clever works. Mantis is meant to be a mind reader, and to that end Kojima and company designed the game so that it would read the memory card in the system. If there was a save file for a Konami game (like Castlevania) on the card, Mantis would "know" that you played it. The same goes for The Twin Snakes, a Gamecube remake of Metal Gear Solid. Somehow Mantis knew that I had played Eternal Darkness and that I liked Zelda.

5. Walt's Apartment (Epic Mickey)

The original Disney Vault.

Epic Mickey is a real labor of love. There are dozens of references, in-jokes, and memorabilia crammed into the game for fans of Mickey and the entire Disney gang, past and present. In fact, Mean Street (the main hub in the game) is very faithfully modeled after Main Street in Disney Land, right down to the fire station that houses Walt Disney's apartment. That's right, Disney kept a private office/apartment in the second floor of the fire department, one of the first buildings built in the park. If you collect enough power sparks, one of the gremlins will open the door to Walt's apartment. Inside are e-tickets and an original Walt Disney sketch.


4. Here lies Erdrick (Final Fantasy)

Alas, poor Erdrick!

Before RPG giants Square and Enix merged in 2003, there was a healthy rivalry between the two companies. This is clear as early as 1990, when the original Final Fantasy debuted in North America. When you arrive in Elfland, go to the top right corner of town. There you'll find three gravestones. The one on the left reads, "Here lies Erdrick 837-866 R.I.P." Erdrick is a character from Enix' Dragon Warrior. In the Japanese version, the grave reads, "Here lies Link."


3. id Software PDA (Doom 3)

No human being would stack bricks this way.

I'm particularly proud of myself for finding this one. On the last level of Doom 3, Excavation Site, right before you face the game's final boss, there is a passageway that goes left. Follow it to a dead end. Under a few protruding bricks you'll find a strange sight: the id logo. Activate it and you'll enter a room with a PDA on a pedestal. Pick up the PDA and download its data, and you'll find messages from id developers thanking their fans and loved ones, and making general commentary on the game.


2. Ice Key (Banjo-Kazooie/Banjo-Tooie)

So close, yet so far away...

You know an Easter egg is good when it spans two games. The infamous ice key can be seen first in Wozza's cave in Banjo-Kazooie, but it sits behind a transparent, unbreakable wall of ice. It just sits there, taunting you. I can't tell you how long I tried to get into that chamber and get that key. Alas, it was not to be. The key is impossible to obtain without cheat codes. It reappeared, however, in Banjo-Tooie. It can be found by smashing open a Banjo-Kazooie game pak, and then used to open the gigantic ice safe in Hailfire Peaks.


1. Yoshi on the Roof (Super Mario 64)

Reunited and it feels so good.

This one has a special place in my heart. Super Mario 64 was probably the first game I ever completed 100%. If you're lucky enough to finish the game and collect all 120 stars, the closed grate on the castle grounds will open to reveal a cannon. Jump in and fire Mario onto the castle roof. There you'll find Mario's old friend Yoshi, who promptly gives Mario 100 lives. The extra lives are superfluous now that all the challenges are complete, but that's not the point. Meeting Yoshi on the roof is one of those special moments in gaming that you'll never forget.

Asteroids at The New York Times

No one ever accused The New York Times of being too much fun, but one of its most recent articles has something super fun embedded in it: a playable version of Asteroids. Go here to play. It's especially amusing to blast away reader comments.

The article itself is flawed. It describes Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja as the "offspring" of Tetris. Gross. Having played both Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja, I can tell you that they are offspring of Tetris in the way that Oasis is offspring of The Beatles.

The author goes on to write "Angry Birds, it seems, is our Tetris: the string of digital prayer beads that our entire culture can twiddle in moments of rapture or anxiety — economic, political or existential." God help us. I don't know about you, but playing Tetris is an event; playing Angry Birds is a diversion. Yes, they can both be played on the go, can be played for moments or hours, can both trigger the serotonin in our bodies. But Tetris is a test of endurance, of willpower, of farsightedness. Angry Birds is a test of battery life.




Thanks to Aaron R. for the link.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence

A shining example of how prequels – and gaming in general – should be done. 

I don’t throw this word around carelessly, but Metal Gear Solid 3 is a masterwork. It’s not just that Hideo Kojima, who directed the game, fixed some of the flaws in the Metal Gear formula. And it’s not just that Metal Gear Solid 3 (MGS3) finally gives fans an origin story worthy of the franchise. It’s that MGS3 has diverse, deeply layered, perfect gameplay. It’s getting harder and harder to reconcile Kojima’s reluctance to identify his own games as art with the cold, hard fact that his games, especially MGS3, are some of the most captivating, seamlessly constructed, and emotionally powerful video games I’ve ever played.

MGS3 is a prequel to Metal Gear Solid. In fact it takes place before the first Metal Gear. Set at the height of the Cold War, MGS3 follows CIA operative “Naked Snake” as he attempts to infiltrate the Russian jungle and rescue a captive Soviet scientist. Things go dreadfully wrong, and the operation suffers a major setback. But soon enough, Snake is redeployed in the field, this time with a much bigger, more challenging mission that will test his endurance, resolve, and sense of duty like never before.

If that last paragraph was overly vague, it’s because MGS3, like the Cold War spy movies that inspired it, is filled with enough plot twists, shifting political alliances, and double agents to make your head spin. Kojima, however, tells his story deftly. Unlike the story in Metal Gear Solid 2 – which was convoluted at best, impenetrable at worst – the story in MGS3 makes sense, at least according to the rules of Metal Gear. Moreover, it is told poetically through some of the best cut-scenes you’ll ever find in a video game with some of the very best voice acting. By the end of the game I had tears in my eyes.

Cut-scenes are a major part of Metal Gear Solid 3.

Critics and fans alike have complained about the length and abundance of cut-scenes in the Metal Gear franchise, but apart from the first three hours – which are weighed down with long cut-scenes – MGS3 strikes a careful balance between playing and watching the game. Many of the cut-scenes are actually interactive, so it never quite feels like the player is totally out of control. Thankfully, though, the majority of the game is spent controlling Snake as he navigates jungles, swamps, mountains, and buildings. It is necessarily to be stealthy to make progress in MGS3, and to that end the designers introduced a new camouflage system whereby players can change Snake’s face paint and fatigues to match jungle, urban, and mountainous environments, to name a few. A camouflage meter in the top right corner of the screen informs players to what degree they are hidden from the enemy.

Keep an eye on that camouflage meter!

Combat is sometimes unavoidable, however. Thankfully there is a new combat system in MGS3 called close-quarters combat (CQC) which is a huge improvement over previous Metal Gear games. Snake can perform combo attacks; grab enemies from behind and interrogate them; and even use captured enemies as human shields. Combat is even more necessary during encounters with enemy bosses in MGS3 which, I have to say, has the best collection of boss battles of any video game ever. Gunplay has never been the smoothest operation in Metal Gear Solid, but in MGS3 it works. Snake can aim his weapons in first-person mode and, more importantly, aim down the sight. This is absolutely essential to take down bosses.

Try to avoid this whenever possible.

The third part of the MGS3 trinity, in combination with stealth and combat, is survival. Snake is deployed miles away from his target in a harsh and unforgiving jungle filled with hostile sentries, poisonous snakes, and lethal traps. Whereas previous games in the franchise had only a life bar to monitor Snake’s health, in MGS3 Snake has both a life bar and an endurance bar, which depletes as Snake performs strenuous actions or if he is burdened with heavy supplies. Low endurance levels are bad news: Snake’s hands shake when he is aiming weapons, nearby enemies can hear his stomach gurgling; and wounds heal slowly or not at all. To restore endurance levels Snake must eat food, either captured from storehouses or unconscious soldiers, or gathered from the local flora and fauna. Some food items restore lots of stamina, some restore very little, and some will actually poison Snake. There is also a “cure” tab in the start menu where players can identify and treat Snake’s wounds. For example: applying a splint to a broken bone. It makes for a much more immersive game experience.

It's not half bad.

MGS3 is surprisingly long. It took me about 16 hours to complete, but I easily could have spent several more hours exploring everything there is to see and do in the game. There are many secret areas, weapons, camouflage, food items, and Easter eggs hidden throughout the jungle and in storehouses, many of them off the beaten path.

MGS3 is not for everyone. It takes a great deal of patience to move quietly through the jungle past enemy patrols. It is also slower and more deliberate than the majority of action games. But for those who want a gaming experience that represents a near-perfect combination of narrative, gameplay, and new ideas about what a video game can and should be, look no further.

 Score: 10

Editor's note: The version of Metal Gear Solid 3 I played came bundled in the Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection. That version is based on Subsistence which is an expanded release of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Konami recently released a collection called Metal Gear Solid HD Collection that has a remastered port of Snake Eater as well. Just play whichever version you can get your hands on.