How Alucard would work in Super Smash Bros. Brawl

This week Digital Gamer is highlighting the next generation of Wii games that really start to show off what Nintendo's little box can do.
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Undoubtedly the crown jewel of Nintendo's Fall 2007 lineup, Smash Bro. Brawl is looking like it lives up to the expectations. I was going to recount to features that have been mentioned on smashbros.com. However, I think it would be better if everyone just went there for information on what has been confirmed, because it's pretty well organized and regularly updated. What I'll do instead is list characters, stages and features I WISH were in Smash Bros. Brawl. Right up until the all the games secrets are revealed. Ready? FIGHT!

Dream Character: Alucard
From: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
AKA: Reverse Dracula (To me anyway...)

Who can deny Alucard's awesomeness? The guy can change into toxic gas, jump 40 feet into the air, shoot fireballs out of his cloak and even choke you from several feet away! OK, maybe not that last one, but I'm he could if he tried! This is how his moves would be set up:

Can double jump: First a Regular jump and then the double jump has his cloak flapping like wings.

When Shielding: Alucard will bring out the Alucard Shield.

When Dodging: Alucard turns to mist to avoid damage.

Neutral A: Punch.

Neutral Air: Sword Strike. This would be a quick horizontal sword strike.

Up Air: Throw Ax, Une, or Plate of Curry (Random).

Up Tilt: Sword Strike

Up Smash: Fast Sword Strike up with extra swing.

Down Tilt: Slide Kick.

Down Smash: Slide Kick leaves behind flame trails.

Down Air: Drop Kick.

Forward Tilt: Sword Lunge.

Forward Smash: Faster Lunge.

Forward Air: Lance

Backward Air: Lance (Back End)

B Neutral (Hold): Spirit Orb (Can be steered.)

Up B: Swing Pole Ax.

Down B: Moon Jump (Can be strung together but each time distance
is shorter and shorter).

B Left and Right: Shoot three small fireballs.

Final Smash Crissinger Fury: Alucard attacks wildly using the Crissinger to hit anyone in his way.

So, how did I do? 'Em I way off? Don't think I chose the right moves? Is there another character you like to talk about? Let me know, leave a comment! The best suggestions will be featured in later posts.

Wii Round 2: Geometry Wars: Galaxys

This week Digital Gamer is highlighting the next generation of Wii games that really start to show off what Nintendo's little box can do.
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Late 2005, during the launch of the Xbox 360, many gamers were disappointed in the then lackluster retail games available. Thankfully, Microsoft also launched the Live Arcade along with Bizarre Creations space shooting game, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved. Originally a hidden mini-game in Project Gotham Racing 1, 2, and 3, Retro Evolved bought back memories of arcades from the 70s and 80s where you were competing not only with friends, but also yourself. It went on to be the best selling Live Arcade game to date. This success compelled Bizarre Creations to make a sequel, but this time on the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS.

The controls have been completely redesigned to work with the Remote and Nunchuck. Point at any part of the screen you want to fire and shoot. The stick on the Nunchuck maneuvers the ship around. It takes awhile to adjust for Geometry Wars vets but, overall, it works well. The dual-stick setup on the classic controller can also be used for those who prefer. Also, the DS version can be linked up for competitive play.

Retro Evolved on the Xbox 360 was fun enough to play forever and that was only one level. Multiply that by 60 levels, and it starts to set in how significant this is to fans of the franchise. Each require a unique strategy to effectively tackle. Some of these include: a level where gravity spins around like a whirlpool, pulling everything (Including enemy ships) in the direction of the tide and one with a giant black hole, pulling you in as you fight the oncoming swarm.

Loads of new features are present, including a drone helper which can be set to be more defensive and watch your back or be more aggressive and actively seek out enemies. You can even go so far as to have it only go after certain types of enemies, shoot in the opposite direction as you (Spinning Wheel of Death!) or not shoot at all and collect Geoms, the currency of the game. These can be spent on new worlds, challenges and abilities.

It wouldn't be a proper sequel to Geometry Wars without strange new adversaries. Two that have been confirmed: One that weights down your ship, slowing it down (Shake the remote around to knock it off), an another one that infects other ships making them twice as deadly.

It's not the most complicated game ever made and thats OK. Sometime all you need is brilliant design and few friends.

Wii Round 2: Super Mario Galaxy

This week Digital Gamer is highlighting the next generation of Wii games that really start to show off what Nintendo's little box can do.
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When Nintendo showed off Mario 128 so many years ago, people where left wondering what would result from this tech demo. Now we know that half of it was Pikmin and the other half became Super Mario Galaxy.

A lot has changed since that press conference. The game was moved from the Gamecube to the Wii, it was graphically spruced up, and all need to control the camera was removed. In Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, the player had to babysit the camera the whole way and sometimes it wouldn't work at all. Mario Galaxy's camera never gets in the way because of the lack of walls; the majority of the game takes place out in deep space. However, those who prefer to tweak the camera should be relieved to know that the D-pad can be used to change the perspective and the C button on the Nunchuck centers the camera.

Galaxy lacks any real overworld like previous games in the series. Instead Mario hops and flies to separate planetoids throughout space. Each have their own gravity and physics. Where one may be completely spherical, another may be completely flat. These planetoids range from giant floating apples to a walking robotic fortress to more traditional grassy plains.

Gameplay is the same hop and bop it's always been but, it also couldn't be more fresh and new. A triple jump can be preformed by tapping the jump button when Mario lands until he flips like 3D Marios past. Waving the remote back and forth will make Mario do a spin attack. In addition to jumping and running, Mario has several new powers. One of the more prominent ones is a pointer shaped like a star that appears wherever you point the Wii remote. You can grab things by pointing to them and pressing (A). A series of floating blue stars that Mario can float across are one of the things showcased in mutiple videos. Most enemies can be selected, causing them to freeze in place.

Star gems littered around everywhere can be collected by waving over them. These can then be shot at baddies, switches and basically anything. A second player can even use a second remote to help or hinder the first player, shooting stars, even preventing Mario from moving!

This is definitely the type of newness that many believed was missing from Super Mario Sunshine. This is surly to be one of the best selling Wii games to date. That is until Smash Bros. Brawl comes out...

Wii Round 2: Dewy's Adventure

This week Digital Gamer is highlighting the next generation of Wii games that really start to show off what Nintendo's little box can do.
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Dewy's Adventure is quite an original title. It's about a water droplet trying to restore his land to how it was before it got polluted. Story aside, the real charm is in the gameplay. Anyone who has played Super Monkey Ball should feel right at home. Instead of directly controlling Dewy himself, players tilt the entire world. Move the stage to make him slide around and tilting up quickly will make him hop.

Also because he's made of water, what the temperature is factors into what form he takes. Pushing (+) or (-) on the Remote increases or decreases the temperature. Other forces of nature at your command are:

• Causing earthquakes by quickly shaking the remote left and right thus changing the landscape and
  
• Blowing the wind around by waving the remote up and down.
  

Liquid Form
Keeping the Temperature at a medium level will cause dewy to be in liquid form. Naturally this allows him to get in tighter places with ease. He's easy to control in this form but also weak against enemy attacks. Cannon type plants can suck him up and then shoot him to higher spots.

Solid form
Changing the environment to a cold climate turns dewy to ice, making him hard and heavy. He'll slide more quickly across the ground and can shape himself into a sharp spinning top that makes for a deadly weapon against baddies. And now that the world is colder, lakes that would have swallowed dewy previously can now be simply slid across.

Mist Form
Turning the heat up will evaporate dewy into a misty cloud that will only move with the wind. Thankfully the wind is fully under your control. But dewy is not completely helpless in this form. Since Dewy is now a cloud he can drop lighting bolts on any thing he wants, powering switches or shocking foes.

Anyone looking for something completely different from anything they've ever seen before should check out this soon to be classic.

Wii Round 2: Metroid Prime 3

This week Digital Gamer will highlight the next generation of Wii games that really start to show off what Nintendo's little box can do.

The third entry in the Metroid Prime saga sees Samus getting corrupted by Dark Samus with Phazon. This leads to having the ability to tap into her newfound power, becoming incredibly fast and powerful. However this power comes at a price: it slowly drains her life force as it corrupts her.

For a game series that had less focus on shooting and more on platforming, it's a bit of a surprise to see more attention to combat. This is mainly because of the ingenious new control scheme. Point to somewhere with the Wii remote and Samus will look there, then push the B trigger to shoot. It's hard to imagine FPS any other way. Also, while the Wii Remote controls the right hand, the nun chuck controls the left. Open doors, grapple enemies (with the improved grapple beam), and even lock the camera. Yes, even with the free movement of the gun you can still lock the camera onto enemies and tons of other things.

Those familiar with the previous prime games will remember needing to switch to different beams. In Corruption all the beans are layered, not unlike the 2D Metroids. The different visors have also been revamped. Gone is the X-ray, Echo, Infrared, and Dark visors. New only three remain: Combat, Scan and one to control her ship. It hasn't been revealed all that you can do with the ship but, I do know that it can be summoned to save your progress and check on your corruption level.

Voice acting has never been a big thing in any Metroid game. Characters barely spoke at all and when they did it was all in pages of text. Prime 2 did have voice acting here and there but, it was too far and few between. However, thanks to more disk space and a much deeper plot, Prime 3 has tons and tons of VO. Samus, however, is still mute.

With all the casual games on the the Wii, it's nice to know that Nintendo hasn't forgotten the gamers who have been there from the start.

Assassin's Creed promises to truly shake up the platformer genre

Man I can't wait for this amazing game. The setting, the graphics, and the wide open nature just sounds like so much fun.

For those who don't know, the game takes place in the year 1192 during the third crusade. Basically, The Knights Templar are making war and the original Assassins Clan want it to stop.
You control a Master Assassin, Altair, in his quest to free his country. The Assassins don't want to kill members of the Knights Templar but, it is necessary for them to survive. In a trailer Altair even shows regret for his actions by closing his victims eyes before running from the guards.

The vast cities are full of life from guards to beggars to even the people your hunting.
And they all react accordingly to your actions. The guards don't attack you unless you do something to give them a reason. And if you help people out they will help you in return.
Give to the church and they'll let you blend in with them when your running from the law.
Help the beggars and they will be more likely to block the path of your enemies you're hunting. On the flip side if your rude and pick fights, villagers will be more then happy to turn you in.

Almost everything in three authentic looking cities in the game can be climbed and throughly explored. If you can climb it in real life then more then likely it can be climbed in Assassin's Creed. Due to a unique control setup scaling tall buildings has never been more enjoyable. The face buttons represent your head, free hand, weapon hand, and feet. This mean that obstacles can even be climbed in multiple ways. Press down and then release the "feet" button when approaching a low wall, for instance, and Altair will jump over it. Press the free hand button instead and he'll vault over it. Combat controls in a similar manner.

One of the more exciting things I heard about this game is the promise that what you do has an impact on the future somehow. Hmm... Alternate Endings?

Mystery grenade revealed

Today IGN broke the story about the forth grenade type and also confirmed something everyone hoped would be true...

The Flamethrower joins the party!
After being teased time and time again, first in Halo 1 and then in Halo 2, the flamethrower is now officially confirmed. It's considered a "turret" weapon and as such will force the camera into third person, slowing down whoever uses it considerably. The flames spit out from this monster will stick to anything (Including the bubble shield) and burn away whatever it touches. Flame walls can be used to keep out unwanted visitors from your base. The only weaknesses are that it can only be used in 3 second bursts and is very hard to aim with.

The Firebomb
The forth grenade type is like a mini flamethrower covering everything in flames when it explodes. This is a better option if you want to create a flame wall. Like the flare, when a firebomb goes off a bright blinding light is emitted. With so many different grenade types I wonder if the maximum number of grenades allowed to be held at one time will decrease.