(“Look, mom left me a bag of money and a note that says to do my homework before I think about playing this game …”) You initially have to do various errands for your neighbors to earn cash. It makes “Animal Crossing” ideal for a family. Up to four gamers can each have a house in the town and play the game (though not at the same time). The game comes with its own memory card, so no two towns or town residents are alike. This being a Japanese game, the sense of freedom is short-lived and soon replaced by the necessities of the real world (finding a job, paying a mortgage, keeping up with the Joneses and heck, even yardwork). A train takes you to a town inhabited by cute, talking animals. The GameCube’s answer to “The Sims” begins with you moving away from home to set out on your own. Duuuude, sweeeet! –Misha Davenport (reviewed 2/21/02)ĪNIMAL CROSSING (Nintendo, E for Everyone, GameCube) Plus, you can rip your own songs to the hard drive to listen to while you play. The graphics are awesome and the soundtrack includes electronic, emo, hip-hop and ska, among others. Grab either group’s attention with real moves like stinky stalefish (grabbing the heel of your board while your knees are apart) and you’re on your way to new duds and boards. You make your way through a run trying to impress would-be sponsors and the media. So, you’re thinking about jibbin’ for a livin’? For a real snowboarding experience without buying a board and hitting the slopes, look no further than “Amped.” You begin the game with crappy clothes and a lousy board. –Misha Davenport (reviewed 2/6/04)ĪMPED (Microsoft Rated E for Everyone, Xbox)
In one round, Simon trashed me, Randy gave me a so-so score and Paula told me she was “glad the three were all in agreement because I rocked!” The game is nothing more than a blatant attempt to milk a cash cow. It’s not like the button mashing matters. As a song plays, you hit or hold specific buttons to match an on-screen meter. Here’s a singing game that doesn’t require singing. This is a fine example of a total waste of game-playing time. –Jae-Ha Kim (9/12/03)ĪMERICAN IDOL (Codemasters, E for Everyone, PlayStation 2) “Alter Echo” will provide plenty of fun, especially if you’re a good combat fighter. The thumping music is well suited for the game and the voices are appropriately theatrical. The cartoon-style graphics aren’t up to anime standards, but they’re not bad. Like the power of the ring in “The Lord of the Rings,” this echoplast is heavy stuff. It’s your mission to stop power-hungry Paavo from trying to wipe out the human race with an uber substance he has developed called echoplast. You play as a fledgling shaper named Nevin. Using a substance called plast, shapers may create anything they want-like weapons of mass destruction, space-age style. It is the future and if you’re a shaper, you’ve got it made. –Jae-Ha Kim (reviewed 7/14/03)ĪLTER ECHO (THQ, T for Teen, PlayStation 2) But jumping from inning to inning also keeps the game from getting redundant. Diehard baseball gamers may be disappointed they can only play these one or two innings at a time. The Mets lost that game in real life, but it was that much sweeter knowing I had something to do with it. I got a particular charge in helping the New York Met’s Mike Piazza lose. The All-Star franchise always was a winner, but this latest version lets players re-create elements from the 2002 season. –Jae-Ha Kim (reviewed 8/26/02)ĪLL-STAR BASEBALL 2004 (Acclaim, E for Everyone, GameCube)
Sure, you don’t get hotdogs and beer at these ballparks, but you also don’t have to watch players readjusting their, um, undergarments in between innings. Watching the infielders fumble is as much fun as watching them make an awesome save. Balls bounce at varying speeds on the playing field. And just like in real baseball, there are flukes. Snooze at bat and the pitcher will whip a fastball past your head before you can blink. Guessing the correct pitch enhances your chance of hitting a home run. There are plenty of options to keep gameplay interesting, including quick play (two randomly selected teams pit against each other), home-run derby or all-star. And with the franchise mode, gamers have access to each team’s records from the last two decades. All the major stadiums are featured in a realistic manner. The rosters are accurate, reflecting Tsuyoshi Shinjo’s recent trade from the New York Mets to the San Francisco Giants. ALL-STAR BASEBALL 2003 (Acclaim, E for Everyone, GameCube)
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