Nintendo Wii Reviews

Sam and Max Season One

It’s a vile world out there. Get too complacent and all sorts of weirdos start coming out of the woodwork. Good thing Sam & Max are here to hose down the sleaze and keep some kind of peace. Violently, if possible. Who are these irreverent crime fighters? Sam’s a six-foot tall canine shamus with a love of justice. Max is a hyperkinetic rabbity-thing with a taste for mayhem. Together, they’re a team of freelance police officers, on a mission to take down a bizarre mind-control conspiracy. Get ready to meet some off-kilter characters and to puzzle through some brain-tickling conundrums. Grab your Wii Remote, sit back on the sofa and get ready for some side-splitting humor!

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Really fun game, a little glitchy.
I don’t know, I’m not a programmer, so how difficult it is to port a point and click to the Wii I could not tell you but I wish a little more time had been spent cleaning it up. Frame rates can cause frustrating flutter if not freezing altogether for brief moments, dialogue gets cut off in the middle, Wii-mote can be difficult to move across the scene. As much as I enjoy the game and the idea behind it I find it equally as frustrating sometimes because of issues that really shouldn’t be there. Sure there are many people who have already played this game but I do think with some care Sam and Max could have been a very big deal for the Wii.

Admittedly I have only played episode 1 all the way through and that went pretty smoothly. It’s episode 2 where I have started to have the glitch problems. I have not gone and checked out the other episodes yet so maybe it will only be a problem with this specific episode. It’s very frustrating to have to wave the Wii-mote in the air and have nothing move on the screen. It has not been frustrating to the point where I will stop playing though. I’ve never played this series and I do like point and click so I’ll work through that and add any comments about the glitches getting any better or worse as I play along. (Add:Since this I have gone back and been able to finish episodes 2 and 3, both with few glitches, played pretty smoothly and both were honestly quite fun and a lot less frustrating than when I was originally playing episode 2)

Though after going back and playing another couple of episodes and finding them to be far less glitchy than the first time I tried to play them I would still recommend Zack and Wiki. Now there’s a point and click puzzler that got it right. But then it was made specifically for the Wii in the first place.

There is certainly a place for Sam and Max and I’m glad that I’ve been able to play through it. I hope the seasons that followed will be made available and affordable. I will likely play them.

I would really like to see Grim Fandango come to the Wii. I’m over the Star Wars stuff. Maybe Tim Schaeffer can come up with something along the lines of Psychonauts for the Wii. Even though that wasn’t a point and click it showcases just how creative he and his teams have always been.

4 Stars Sam and MAx Episode one
Despite the controls being a little slow and slightly buggy, I still found the humor very entertaining. The puzzles ranged from complex to silly to easy, so levels for all “Point and Click” fans. If you are a big Sam and Max fan and own a Wii then you need to place this game just for the sheer laugh value. If you are not familiar with Sam and Max and need more action in a game, then this one isn’t for you.

4 Stars Quirky, fun little adventure game
I got Sam and Max for my wife, who has fond memories of playing point and click adventure games in the early 90s. I looked long and hard for such a thing on the Wii, and the search finally led me here.

Basic premise – you control a dog, who goes around and solves crimes. You use point-and-click with the Wiimote to solve various puzzles and close the case.

The game works well with the wii’s controller, which functions almost as well as a mouse. This port is a wonderful fit, and I’m glad to see it on the Wii.

I was initially skeptical due to the goofy cartoon style, but don’t let that fool you – the game still works well for an adult. The humor isn’t exactly what I’d call side-splitting, but it serves to mix things up, and I’ve found myself laughing more than a few times.

The puzzles are varied, and the number of items you carry around is reasonable. The solution to puzzles is usually logical, if not always readily apparent. We have gotten stuck in “random click mode” a few times, but upon discovering the answer it felt like a “duh” moment on our part rather than some sort of sadistic game design. These puzzles make sense, and you’re given the tools you need to solve them.

The game isn’t super long, but it’s not disappointingly short either. I highly recommend it for anybody looking to relive the feel of some of those classic adventure games, but with a modern and humorous twist.

3 Stars Sam n Mac – freelance mediocrity
This game is kinda fun. And delivers reasonably good entertainment. Some of the jokes are funny. Some of the solutions to the puzzles are rewardingly bizzare. But something about the dialogue just rubs me the wrong way. It is kind of stiff. And it all just feels kind of forced and choppy. Nice to have something different to play though. A good value at $26 plenty of hours of entertainment trying to figure out which item is supposed to be used for what. Maybe when I’ll get over the mario kart binge i’ve been on I’ll come back to it and solve the rest of the episodes.

5 Stars Good fun!
I played “Sam and Max Hit the Road” on an old 386 about 15 years ago. When I saw this one, I wondered if it would live up to that experience. It did!

What a great game – It’s a puzzle game, so probably not suitable for smaller kids, but my 10 and 13 year old kids love it, too!

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Winter Sports 2 The Ultimate Challenge

Winter Sports 2

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars Disappointing
Thought this game looked fun with all of the different sporting options. Basically I was looking for something that would expand Wii Sports. This is not it. If only used with a controller the game is very boring and basic overall. I have not yet played it with a wii fit board which might transform the game, but was so turned off by the game prior to owning the wii balance board that I have yet to venture to play it again.

Give it a try with the wii board, but it is not worth the money without it.

3 Stars Winter Sports 2 – fun game
This is a fun game, but isn’t easily mastered. Difficulty understsanding what moves on the Wii Balance Board to do to make the game go smoothly.

3 Stars Nice game for use with the Balance Board
Nice game, directions on how to use it could be better, but they were fun to do with the Wii Balance Board.

2 Stars Ok game
I got this game because it was less expensive than the Shaun White game, it seemed to have different games that you could play not just snowboarding and they had it used at the store so I could try it for 7 days and if I didn’t like it I could take it back… Well I am taking it back! It is kind of confusing, the balance board capability is nice but not very intuitive and it is hard to get used to playing it. The worst part of the game is the announcers (you can turn them off but it took a bit to figure out how)they are constantly insulting you as you learn how to play and they have the same side conversation with each other about some fight one of them had with a judge or something in every single game. If you are trying to decide between this and Shaun White’s game go with Shaun White!!! I borrowed that game from a friend after getting this one and it is great because it is so intuitive and they don’t insult you! I am going to cough up the extra cash and get that game instead of this one!

4 Stars Wii game
This was a gift for a family member, age 13. He enjoys the game immensely, but currently does not own a Wii fit board and believes it will be more enjoyable once he has obtained this.

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Turtles IV Turtles In Time SNES

Great Action game for the Super Nintendo Starring your Favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great game no matter how old.
Very fun game one of the best beat’em ups on the snes fun varied stages lots of extra lives and great fun with 2 players.

4 Stars Almost as much fun as the first one
It’s too bad Konami never released an arcade-perfect version of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game on the SNES. Actually this one isn’t a perfect translation either. The SNES version is missing some digitized voices, a little robot in the second level that punches you, and a sample of the Pizza Power song. Some other chages are also made: April blinks onto the screen and yells “Fight!” (written, of course) when you lollygag as opposed to Splinter running across the screen telling you to hurry up, you fight Slash instead of a mud man in the Prehistoric level, you fight Rocksteady and Bebop on the ship level instead of Toka and Razar (who you fight in the Technodrome), you use surfboards in the sewer instead of just walking on water, and you fight the Rat King instead of Leatherhead in the Sewer level. It’s not all bad though. Some of the levels are longer, there are new levels entirely, and you can fight a friend in training mode. A playable April would have been nice, but at least she doesn’t get kidnapped again.

Anywho, although the title may be (sic) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time, that’s only because there were three TMNT games previously released on the original Nintendo Entertainment System (not counting Tournament Fighters). This is actually the second game released in the arcades.

Now for the actual review. The game takes you through, uh, I dunno, 15-or-so levels of repetitive non-stop action (double entendre? you decide). As usual, you get to choose between Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael (sorry, Venus, you weren’t here yet). The subtitle, Turtles in Time, comes into play when you almost defeat Shredder and then are hurled back through time to 100,000,000,000,000-or-so B.C., then forward to 15??, 18??, 20??, 2???, then back to 1993 where you fight Shredder for supposedly the last time. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

4 Stars Turtles in Time….is timeless fun
One of the first and greatest Super Nintendo games. Just as fun today as it was way back in the day. Very fun to play with friends. Only reason I gave it 4 overall and not 5 was because it would have been cool to have some different features other than the classic side scrolling play maybe after you beat it. Just a thought.

5 Stars They don’t make em like this any more
Turtles in Time was the second Ninja Turtles arcade game released, but the fourth in a line of Ninja Turtles games released to home consoles, and the first Ninja Turtles game for the Super Nintendo. You play as one of the four turtles, and must fight through ten stages to get the Statue of Liberty back from Shredder and his goons. Halfway through the game, you’ll be sent into a time warp that has you battling on trains, in the age of the dinosaurs, and the future.

Konami was on a roll when it released these arcade games in the early 90s, and Turtles in Time is the company at its best. Graphics are bright and colorful, with lots of animation and traps in the levels. Enemies are mostly Foot Soldier robots, but they come in multiple colors and carry varying weapons, to good effect. Each Turtle is different in terms of strength and speed, and each has a different special attack. There are also special moves including being able to toss enemies at the screen, and the controls are responsive. The music is also very catchy, and fits each stage very well.

Konami also went the extra mile with the SNES version. Instead of being a straight arcade port, they tossed in new levels and mixed up the bosses a bit. The additions make for an overall better game, and are welcomed.

Turtles in Time can be unlocked on the TMNT3: Mutant Nightmare game for Gamecube, PS2 and Xbox, but its the original arcade and not the SNES port. Although the game is rather short (you can literally beat it in half an hour), it packs a ton of replay value with friends, and if you own an SNES it’s worth tracking a copy down.

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Crash Mind Over Mutant

Crash is back! In Crash’s latest adventure, the villainous Cortex has teamed up with N. Brio and created a monstrous mind-controlling device that has taken over all the bandicoots and mutants on Wumpa Island. Crash sets out to stop the madness by destroying Cortex’s evil device using his quick wits, lightning-quick agility, and the hijacked mutant in his pocket.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars I really liked it
I am in my late 50’s and new to Wii, actually video games in general.

I found that Mind over Mutant is just about right for me. It is neither too easy nor too hard, and I cannot wait to get to each level to see what is going on next. So while this game may not be for everyone, it is a good match for me.

5 Stars Crash
I have purchased the Crash Bandicoots for my Gamecube, and now have the Crash for my Wii. I really like this game, and find myself entertained for hours. I would recommend this game to anyone who wants to have fun !!

5 Stars Perfect for some fun
My roommate and I picked this game up as a rental remembering how much fun the original was. I was thrilled to see that this version is just as much fun!

Yes, some of the cartoons are a little cheesy, but after you get past the first bit, they don’t show up so frequently. I was a little dismayed that they “force” you to watch through the animated bits – until I figured out that it’s a two button combination to skip. (Plus sign, then A).

No, it’s not a game set up for the serious, hardcore gamer – but if you’re like us and are just looking for something you can play for fun for a few hours, then it works great. You don’t lose your place, and it’s easy to pick up again later.

5 Stars A great one!
Excellent for 9 to 11 year old boys. My kids and their friends love it.

3 Stars A good game, but very short
I got Crash; Mind over Mutants for Christmas and found it to be a very fun game. The controls are easy, with decent graphics and a good storyline. There were a variety of lands, although for the most part your kept on a path that takes to to and from places allowing little exploration.

Crash was also dissapointingly easy and short. I beat the game after only five hours of gameplay, during which I don’t think that my character died in combat once (save for the times I accidently fell off the side). On a simliar note to its difficulty, there are no ‘lives’ in this game. If you die, you appear where you died again. No getting sent back to start, not penalities, nothing. To some this may be a good thing, but it was a dissapointment to me.

I would recommend renting this game. Younger children will enjoy it, but teens and adults will probably grow bored with its easy gameplay.

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Speed Racer The Videogame

Get behind the driver’s seat with this Speed Racer based on the Wachowski Brothers film with its garage of combat-ready rides and see how you fare in “car-fu style” action. Take on the role of the characters from the film, getting behind the wheels of each character’s signature vehicles to experience firsthand the film’s high adrenaline, combative racing style. The film itself is based on the classic series created by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida. A live-action family adventure, Speed Racer follows the young racecar driver Speed in his quest for glory on and off the track in his thundering Mach 5. Choose between three different variations of the Mach 5, each one equipped with several gadgets that are unique to the car like grip tires, rotary saws, a periscope, a deflector, and auto jacks. All of the gadgets have a specific purpose. The rotary saws are used to cut down any trees that get in the way. By activating the auto jacks, the Mach 5 can jump over obstacles to discover shortcuts. Discovering the shortcuts is the key to getting the fastest times on all three tracks and mastering the Normal and Endurance modes. If you play the game well enough, you will be able to unlock new vehicles, including Racer X. Get behind the wheel and go, SPEED RACER, go!

This is the true film experience in your control. Race at top speeds and battle for the WRL cup as you take on your opponents

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star No connection
Not much fun, there seems to be no connection to the small car on the

track, like pushing a hot wheel down a small blurry but very colorful

winding track. I was hoping for a better driving experience, possibly

view from the cockpit. It’s a little like pinball but with small cars.

Children might enjoy it for a few minutes.

4 Stars Very fun game!
My family enjoys this game, it’s fun for everyone. The graphix and tracks are awesome.

5 Stars Easy, quick fun, not a lot of depth
Okay, you have a Wii and get some high rated games, but sometimes the plot is so deep (Zelda) or the moves you have to make to use the Wii are confusing (SSX Blur), that you kind of burn out on the games. I picked up Speed Racer and it is easy to play, kids shouldn’t have a hard time at all with the driving. You don’t die easily such that you don’t fall off the track unless you are really, really bad. You don’t need a Wii wheel for the game, but my daughter now wants one. She has played this one the most because you can do a few races, save and then quit for awhile.

The tracks are really colorful, but they can get a bit redundant, but for some quick 1P and 2P fun, it is worth it, better if it is on sale.

4 Stars LOVED this game.
I read a lot of reviews for this game before buying it and I must say that I had very high hopes. I was not let down in the least. This game was amazing fun. I still have my friends come over and play it even though we beat it. It took a lot of diligence to get through the entire game as some of the races were very hard. However, there are some key quirks to the game that a lot of reviewers don’t seem to get. It’s true that the enemies will attack you and throw your game off, but they are WAY more prone to do it if you attack them. These guys and gals are quite vengeful. Also, you are less likely to be attacked when you are nearer to the crown so save your turbo boosts for when you are on the outer edges of the tracks to prevent attacks. This game is a ton of fun and can get really physical if you turn out to be a more aggressive driver. All ages can enjoy it and I think it’s well worth the money.

4 Stars What a good time.
This game is a lot of fun. I played my grandsons, and said “I’ve got to buy this game.” It is well worth $20.00. No disappointments here. It will take you sometime to get through all the courses, and then mastering the variety of moves such as CAR-FU makes it very challenging.

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The Simpsons Game

In The Simpsons Game, Homer, Marge, Bart, and Lisa use exciting, all-new powers to defend their home town from rising chaos. While the Simpsons have general abilities that can be used to fight opponents, interact with environments, and finish puzzles; each one has been imbued with special abilities that are unique to their personalities. These abilities grow and change as they progress through the story to battle tougher and tougher enemies in their quest to save Springfield! To help the Simpsons, gamers must journey through their home town (as well as vast worlds beyond!), vanquish an amazing array of villains, and fight their way through parodies of multiple popular games. 100% original script from the writers of the show with 4 distinct acts divided into 16 episodes and over 8,000 lines of dialogue. The open-world Springfield was designed as a central locale to jump into episodes with iconic locations to visit, characters to be visited and interact with, and hundreds of collectibles to be found. With parodies of the video game industry, pop culture and current events, the game has the same gut wrenching hilarity as the show. Co-op Play – With two members of The Simpsons family involved in each episode, all episodes can be played cooperatively in addition ESRB Rated T for Teen

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars Fun for about 30 minutes. Then frustrating and annoying.
I’m sure hard-core Simpsons fans would enjoy this game but it gets tedious and repetitive. The controls are hard to get used to and I wanted to turn it off after the first 30 minutes. Rent it, don’t buy.

4 Stars Fun Game.
This game is fun. You go on different adventures or episodes. It’s a great variety of random things, and you never know what to expect after at all it is the simpsons.

They had the actual voices of the characters.

The controls are a little stiff and annoying at times, but I got used to it enough. The game isn’t perfect but I still enjoy it. And for the price at less than 20 dollars, this game is defintely worth the price.

4 Stars Fun Game. Best in Co-Op Mode
I bought this game when my girlfriend was visiting, because I heard that it had a great co-op mode and was pretty easy for all ages and gamer experience levels (she is not a gamer at all). What I heard was true on all accounts. We played the entire game in split screen co-op mode and had a blast. It makes doing all of the tasks a lot easier and allows both characters to basically free roam the entire level.

My only complaint is that it is a short game, since we beat it together in about 9-10 hours.

If you are simpsons fan and are looking for a good 2 player co-op game, then I would suggest getting this.

4 Stars Simpsons
Fun platformer…all third person games have hinkey cameras, but this was not really a problem. I’ve enjoyed it !

3 Stars Horribly clumsy, but occasionally witty
The Simpsons Game for the Nintendo Wii has a lot of very fundamental flaws. Poor camera control, bad viability in multi-player mode, not enough for to do in multi-player mode, and a lot of actions right from the beginning that are just within the physical abilities of the characters, meaning that if you’re off by any amount you’re not going to have to re-do a long, drawn-out series of stupid tasks just to get back to where you were, and then you’ll probably screw it up again.

Granted, I’ve played games like that and really enjoyed them, but those were all games with really good plots. The Simpsons Game is too much game and not enough Simpsons. If you’re a fan of the show, that means you like the simple, easy-to-absorb, random and goofy nature of the characters. You’re not watching because you want high-brow, and if you bought the game you’re probably not playing to have a series of nearly impossible and complex challenges. You probably just want to run around and be the Simpsons through a goofy, simple, non sequitur adventure.

The dialog running in the background is almost enough to make this worth the time. If you’re listening, you’ll probably laugh out loud more than once. Trouble is that they do have a tendency to steal lines they already used in the show, leaving you to wonder just how much the original creates had to do with this game anyway.

In short, too much of the wrong, not enough of the right. Good for a couple laughs packed into hours of frustration.

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Crash of the Titans

Crash Bandicoot is back in his long-awaited latest adventure, now on the Nintendo Wii! His arch-nemesis Neo Cortex is out for destruction yet again, this time having gotten his hands on a mysterious substance that turns the ordinary creatures of Crash’s islands into mutant minions! Fortunately, Crash is on the scene with a whole new skill set including the ability to hijack these same minions and use their powers to his advantage. Take on a whole new world of freaky enemies, challenging puzzles and innovative new tools and powerups as everyone’s favorite orange cartoon marsupial!

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Go Crash Go
I love Crash Bandicoot. I am 57 years old, new to video games. This game is a great mix of not too easy, not too hard. I also bought Mind over Mutant, after I played this game. I am happy with it too. I am hoping that there will be more Crash for the Wii coming soon.

4 Stars good
i ordered this and it took forever to come tried to contact seller but never recieved any answer until after I recieved the game and then it was like almost 3 weeks later. game in good condition but i would never order from this seller again. bad customer

4 Stars crashing success
my son likes playing this. it keeps him entertained for hours. he was happy with his pick.

4 Stars Great fun
Awesome game. Really liked the graphics and the way the controls handle. Highly recommend it.

4 Stars Fun game!
I didn’t know quite what to expect from this game, but my 12yr old daughter has always liked Crash since back in the PS1 days so I went ahead and purchased it. I have been pleasantly surprised by how much fun the game is. It is part adventure and part ‘brawler’ with the little twist that you get rewarded for hijacking the various larger foes in the game and using them to accomplish various tasks. The best part of it is the 2 player co-op mode that allows me to play together with my daughter. We both really enjoy playing this game together. I would imagine that it is also relatively fun to play in single player mode, but for me the best part is the co-op mode. Fun game. Highly recommended.

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