Super Scribblenauts
Let’s start off this week with Super Scribblenauts. If you haven’t played Scribblenauts (you really should), the game involves a boy named Maxwell who must collect Starites. Each level presents him with some goal for reaching the Starite, and the player is able to tell the game to create any object with which to attempt to solve the puzzle, giving players bonus points for coming up with new items with which to solve similar problems. The amazing thing about the game was the sheer breadth of items available. The database of possible items is so vast, that half the fun of the game is trying to come up with stuff that the designers may not have thought of, and failing to do so every time. This sequel is very similar with a few new features, not the least of which is what they unassumingly call the “Adjective System” allowing the player to use as many as 10,000 different adjectives to create more dynamic solutions, and to alter the items which are already in the level
Doc Clock: The Toasted Sandwich of Time
Along strikingly similar lines, we’re getting Doc Clock: The Toasted Sandwich of Time. This goofy game gives players the power to invent devices from the materials found in the game, touting a limitless number of possible inventions, which then require dexterity with mouse or Wiimote to control. In addition, Doc Clock has a “time slider” which allows the player to undo any fatal mistakes. Just like anything else that sounds inherently cool, this one is all going to come down to the implementation of the mechanics.
Invizimals
Invizimals is one of the markets first altered reality games. In this Poké-esque monster collector game, the players seek out the monsters in real-space, using the PSP camera as a detector. Unfortunately, the system does not actually recognize real space and hide a monster within it—the monsters are tied to cards which must be “hidden” on a flat surface somewhere in the environment. When the PSP ‘sees’ the card, the monster is standing next to it, waiting to be captured by the player. The system also allows the cards to act as arenas for the monsters, so that players can pit their monsters against each other in what appears to be the real environment, allowing the player to affect the combat by moving or shaking the PSP. All in all it carries this important message: Truly playable AR games are still a ways off.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
This week’s Icrontic Spotlight bristles across the bright blue quills of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. This sequel finally picks up the plot of Sonic’s story right after the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, seemingly rolling back all of the silliness and vestigial characters which have been introduced since that time. The freshly defeated Eggman returns to the DeathEgg to complete some improvements, and Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles must stop him from enslaving the forest population. Again (as it should be). Much like the successful hark-backening of Mega Man 9, this game will see a return to two dimensional levels, and classic game mechanics and components. Expect to see lots of loops, spins, bounces, and level designs that encourage exploration too fast to even see. Of course: There will be Chaos Emeralds and secret levels which must be conquered to find them, and allow Sonic to power up fully. New features include full HD graphics and an online leaderboard for comparison of level times with one’s friends.
Following is a full list of this week’s announced North American releases:
Windows
- Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition
- Diamond Dan and The Towers Of Treasure
- Doc Clock: The Toasted Sandwich of Time
- Dynasty Warriors Online
- EverQuest: House of Thule
- Lost Planet 2
- Medal of Honor
- Painkiller: Pandemonium
- The Guild 2: Renaissance
- Vindictus
- Wild Rumble
Wii
- Casper’s Scare School: Spooky Sports Day
- Disney Sing It: Party Hits
- Doc Clock: The Toasted Sandwich of Time
- Dragon’s Lair Trilogy
- Just Dance 2
- Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes
- Sled Shred featuring the Jamaican Bobsled Team
- Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
- Triple Jumping Sports
- ZhuZhu Pets: Featuring The Wild Bunch
- Fatal Fury 3: Road to the Final Victory (VC – NEO GEO)
DS
- Datamine
- Deal or No Deal
- G.G Series: Super Hero Ogre
- I Love Puppies
- Ivy the Kiwi? mini
- Jewels of the Tropical Lost Island
- Logic Machines
- Lucha Libre AAA Heroes del Ring
- Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals
- My Baby 3 & Friends
- Solitaire Overload Plus
- Super Scribblenauts
- Vampire Moon: The Mystery of the Hidden Sun
- Zhu Zhu Pets: Kung Zhu
- ZhuZhu Pets 2: Featuring The Wild Bunch
Xbox 360
- Alan Wake: The Writer
- Arcania: Gothic 4
- Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition
- Lucha Libre AAA Heroes del Ring
- Medal of Honor
- Ninjabee Critic’s Choice Collection
- Pinball FX 2
- Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
PS3
- Alundra
- Arc the Lad
- Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition
- Disney Sing It: Party Hits
- Lucha Libre AAA Heroes del Ring
- Medal of Honor
- Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes
- Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Game of the Year Edition
- Who’s That Flying?!
PSP
- Invizimals
- Zenonia
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