Friday, February 20, 2015

Punch-Out!! (Wii) Retro Review

In North America, Punch-Out!! was one of the Wii titles released on the Wii U for purchase. It seemed like an obvious sign that I should play my retail copy after such a long hiatus and not having beaten the game so many years ago. I did just that, and now I have a much delayed review, a retro review, if you will.

I could have been a contenduh, but Punch-Out!! certainly is!


Don't think of Punch-Out!! like a typical, traditional boxing game. This is no Fight Night here, ladies and gentlemen. Sure, there's the goal of knocking out your opponent with a coveted K.O., but Punch-Out!! is more of a game for the reflexes and has a greater emphasis on puzzles. What's the puzzle, you ask? It's finding out when to dodge, block, evade, and go on the offensive to deal the greatest amount of damage while conserving your energy.

Every fighter that Little Mac faces has a tell when they're about to throw down on the brave boxer. There's the need to learn when a fighter is about to make his offensive move, there's the need to learn how to dodge or evade said move, and there's the need to learn when to strike and when to back off, as if an opponent blocks your attack, you lose a heart. Lose all your hearts, and you can't fight back. Instead, you have to evade attacks to regain hearts.

You gotta admire Glass Joe's resolve. He keeps
losing, yet he keeps coming back for more.
The greatness of Punch-Out!! is how it teaches you how to play, or for a more conducive word to boxing, it trains you in how to prepare for the coming bouts. For instance, the first opponent you face as Little Mac is Glass Joe. With this lovable loser, you can pretty much punch till your heart's content. However, with the next match against Von Kaiser, you need to block and dodge attacks. King Hippo requires not only dodging and blocks, but he also forces you to dodge in different directions, such as ducking. It trains you to do these things with or without you realizing it by forcing you to, or else you'll lose!

Give my regards to Berlin.
The World Circuit is the main event in Punch-Out!! It has you as Little Mac starting fresh in the minor leagues, taking on weaker and less formidable boxers, as you raise yourself through the ranks. Eventually you tackle super hard opponents with much crazier patterns to learn and smaller windows of opportunity to get a punch in on them.

If a specific opponent gives you too much grief in the ring, you can enter a practice mode in a separate area of the game to take on a hologram form of the certain thorn in your side. You don't take damage from their attacks, and it's a great means to learn each opponent before heading in the ring to do the real thing.

Different attacks require different directions to dodge in.
Beaten boxers offer challenges to take on, also in a separate menu and mode. These have you satisfying up to three conditions per opponent. Some can be knocking out a competitor within a certain amount of time, and challenges with stipulations like letting an opponent win by decision but only after knocking him out three times total. These challenges are a way to add even more longevity to Punch-Out!! And that's if you can even beat the single player mode.

Is this considered regulation boxing!?
Yes, Punch-Out!! is a tough game to beat and even tougher to master! Some players might find the difficulty of Punch-Out!! rather off-putting, which is something to consider if you're prone to aggravation. However, if you do find yourself getting knocked out a lot or losing in general, after 100 losses Little Mac gains some headgear which allows him to take less damage in bouts.

After the World Circuit mode has been completed and Little Mac is crowned champion, gaining a gold-studded championship belt, he goes through the process of defending it against a stronger onslaught of opponents. Even combatants like Glass Joe put up one heck of a fight this go around. For example, King Hippo can no longer be hit in his huge gut, as now he has a manhole cover taped to it, in addition to new, faster attacks.

Outside of the solo modes, there is a multiplayer feature that pits two players against one another. Once a special gauge fills for either opponent, they turn into Giga Mac, offering gameplay similar to what is found in the solo mode, only with a human opponent fighting the other player's Little Mac. It's a cute mode for two players once or twice, but it quickly outstays its welcome.

Giga Mac's reaction when he realized the
Majora's Mask New 3DS XL was sold out.
Next Level Games, the developer behind this title, were either huge fans of the Punch-Out!! series or were greatly shown the ropes (pun intended) by Nintendo. The game emanates with polish and humor, whether it's in character animations, opening cutscenes of each boxer, or Little Mac's trainer, Doc Louis's hilarious mid-round advice. The visuals are stylized with beautiful cel-shading, giving a cartoon feel, great for the underpowered Wii. All signs point to Punch-Out!! being a superbly polished game, and it was no fluke that Next Level Games nailed it so well.

A real boxer doesn't eat a diet of baguettes!
While Punch-Out!! may be too difficult for less patience players, and the multiplayer might be a bit of a bummer, but the gameplay of Punch-Out!! is super tight, super thrilling, and super fun. From the exuberant personality the game displays to its clever puzzle mechanics, Punch-Out!! is definitely a game that Wii owners (and now Wii U owners) can consider to be the main event.

[SPC Says: A-]

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Sonic Runners (iOS, Android) Gameplay Video

After the success of Sonic Dash, Sega and Sonic Team are set to release a new Sonic runner with the appropriately titled Sonic Runners. The game features three playable characters, a host of Sonic's friends as potential unlockables, and speedy gameplay. Just see for yourself with this first gameplay video for Sonic Runners.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Top Five Most Wanted Wii U Games of 2015

It's weird how my tastes have shifted so far from the mainstream. I see the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One duking it out in sales, and just don't see the appeal in either of them... yet. Then I look to a system that has quality exclusives, the Wii U, yet it's selling like itching powder to a man with a rash. It just shows how different my likes are to what's popular nowadays.

This top five list this evening has to do with the titles that are due out this year that I can't wait to have in my filthy paws. While they may not set the world on fire in sales, they will most likely give me and many other Wii U owners a fun and fantastic year.

5) Yoshi's Woolly World 


I greatly enjoyed Yoshi's New Island despite its general ease of difficulty, shoehorned gyro control portions, and less than fantastic soundtrack. However, while Yoshi's New Island was a small evolution of the Yoshi's Island formula, the Wii U's Yoshi's Woolly World seems to be a giant step forward and something unique for the Yoshi sub-series of games completely. As the title suggests, most everything in the game world-- characters, backgrounds, platforms, etc.-- are made up of yarn, wool, and other fabric. It ties into the gameplay as well, having Yoshi unfasten a string to reveal a whole new area of a level. Cooperative play adds to my excitement of this game as well. While the Wii U has no shortage of platformers, especially of the 2D variety, I still cannot wait to finally get my hands on Yoshi's Woolly World.

4) Star Fox (working title)


Not much is known about this next game other than it's a pet project of Shigeru Miyamoto and the limited information and footage seen at last year's E3. What I do know is that the game is set to make great usage of the Wii U GamePad and the television screen. Just how? The full details have yet to be unveiled, but if anyone can make the combination work, I trust Mr. Miyamoto. While the last great Star Fox game to me was the GameCube's Assault, many fans are wanting something with the gravitas of Star Fox 64. Here's hoping every Star Fox fan gets what he or she wishes for when the game hopefully releases later this year!

3) The Legend of Zelda (working title)


This is probably the biggest title coming for the Wii U this year (again, hopefully this year). While I'm still deep in the world of Termina in Majora's Mask 3D on the 3DS, I have a vested interest in the latest home console Zelda game. The team promises an open world setting to explore, horseback travel which can actually be automatic so Link can focus on aiming his bow, and plenty of sites to see. My reservation with the new Legend of Zelda game for Wii U is that, like Twilight Princess, there will be an expansive area but it won't be filled with substantial content. Here's wishing that my thoughts don't have any amount of truth to them. We'll see when The Legend of Zelda for Wii U makes its next appearance at this year's E3!

2) Splatoon


Multiplayer third-person games generally involve shooting and killing. That's why it is such a breath of fresh air to see one where the goal is painting the largest portion of a multiplayer map. Folks were pleading for Nintendo to do a third-person shooter of sorts, and like Nintendo is always prone to do, it opted to do an imaginative take on the genre. That's exactly what Splatoon is, due out in May in North America. With online play, robust character customization, and an amount of creativity that is unrivaled in the genre, Splatoon is going to be a roaring good time. I can't wait to paint the town red... or blue... or green... or-- you know what I mean! If the necessary feature of voice chat is available for friend battles (sad that voice chat is in doubt in the year 2015), Splatoon will be an ever better game for it.

1) Xenoblade Chronicles X


The original Xenoblade Chronicles was a meaty and massive game-- so much so that I never actually completed it! Perhaps another try is in order. Despite that, I cannot contain my excitement for Monolith Soft's next RPG behemoth, Xenoblade Chronicles X. The game has absolutely gargantuan areas to explore, gigantic creatures, and ground and mech traversal and combat. It's everything that one would want out of a sequel: bigger, bolder, and hopefully better. The developer promises over 100 hours of content easily, and with how large the game seems to be, I definitely believe them! Xenoblade Chronicles X is the type of game that will kill many players' social lives, but that's the sacrifice that must be made for playing and being engulfed by a content-heavy RPG such as this.

===

A game that I am also really enthused about is the new Mario Maker title, allowing players to share created levels with other players. It was painful to leave it off the top five, but there's still so many questions I have regarding the game. How big of levels can I create? What sharing options are there? How complex can my levels be? Can I do vertical levels? Scrolling levels? This lack of overall knowledge kept Mario Maker from the list, but do not fear, I certainly am excited to have the game eventually inside my Wii U!

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Oceanhorn - Steam Trailer

One of the most desired iOS games of mine that I couldn't play because of a lack of said iOS is Oceanhorn, a very heavily Zelda-inspired game with a great art style and intriguing design. The game is being remastered for Steam and will release on March 17. Now, here's hoping I have a PC that can run it!

SPC Interviews: Big John Games (Cube Creator 3D)

Cube Creator 3D is a game that is of great interest to many Nintendo platform owners. It's because Minecraft has skipped Nintendo's systems, and fans have been clamoring for any kind of substitute, so much so that the demo for the game will have crossed over 200,000 downloads by the conclusion of this upcoming weekend, according to Ken Patterson of Big John Games. The studio wishes to step in and provide a fitting and polished voxel-based game substitute with their soon-to-be-released Cube Creator 3D.

Last week, I was able to catch the Big John Games team to ask them about details surrounding Cube Creator 3D, its features, possible continued support of the game, how the team is trying to bring a fun voxel-based game to the 3DS, and information about future projects and prospects.

If you missed my interview in 2012 with Big John Games' Ken Patterson, talking about how the studio came into fruition among many other subjects, you can check that out here. Without further ado, let's get to this second Big John Games-focused interview!

Phil Stortzum (PS): Firstly, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for agreeing to this interview. It’s really appreciated. My first question regards what made your team decide to create Cube Creator 3D in the first place. Where did the desire come from?

Big John Games (BJG): When we first started developing Cube Creator 3D, there were no voxel type games available for the 3DS. We wanted to see if we could make something similar. There was a demand for it and we wanted to supply a quality product to fill the void.

PS: It’s no surprise that Cube Creator 3D is inspired by Minecraft. Is your team doing anything to distinguish your game so it isn’t just another Minecraft clone (and I use the word “clone” in a non-derogatory way)?

BJG: Minecraft got a lot right. We wanted to make sure we got the fundamentals of what made it what it was and then expand from there. We have added different types of enemies, they are similar in ways but also different. We have portals that will take you to different environments. Each environment is specific, Plains, Mountains, Snow Mountains, and Desert.

PS: What details can you provide about Cube Creator 3D different modes?

BJG: There is a Creative and Survival Mode. In Creative you pick one of the maps and all of the items are available to you. In Survival you start in one map and have the ability to transport to 3 others. You have to collect all of your materials, survive enemies, collect food, you can sleep at night. Very much what you might think of for a typical survival mode.

PS: How big of a playing area can players expect to see with Cube Creator 3D?

BJG: There will be four 192x192x95 worlds in a survival map, and you can choose one 192x192x95 map for creative. Each map has over 3,500,000 spots that can have a cube put in them.

PS: Minecraft allows for grand creations such as towns and castles. What limitations, if any, are there to what players can create in Cube Creator 3D?

BJG: Size would be the only one, Our world is 192x192. That can limit a mega build, but for the most part anything a player can imagine they can create.

PS: Is there any form of multiplayer or sharing of creations with other players?

BJG: Miiverse is the way you can share images of the creations at this point. We are looking into multiplayer as a future update.

PS: Then, your team has considered future downloadable content and/or support for Cube Creator 3D after its release?

BJG: We do plan on gathering feedback and releasing updates. Our hope is to continue supporting Cube Creator 3D. We hope to have open dialogue with our customers and make sure that they know that we hear them.

PS: Speaking of which, Cube Creator 3D does not have a firm release date yet. Do you have a release period in mind, or even more, an exact release date? Will the game be available for SuperPhillip Central’s non-North American readers any time soon?

BJG: We are very close to submitting the full version to lot check. Once Nintendo has approved the submission we will be able to lock in a release date.

PS: Shifting our attention away from Cube Creator 3D, I’d like to take this opportunity to ask you about your team’s future proposed projects. Do you have something already in the works as your next Nintendo 3DS project? Is there anything you can reveal about it today?

BJG: In production is “Lionel City Builder 3D: Rise of the Rails”. It’s a city building game that features trains. It has a pretty cool story that takes the player 50 years into the future and transportation has broken down due to neglect and fossil fuel shortages. Communities are isolated and decaying since current transportation cannot support survivable commerce. The idea of using trains to reestablish transportation and commerce, with your help, can save the day.

Our Coaster Creator 3D sandbox has been expanded and enhanced to make Lionel City Builder 3D: Rise of the Rails a great creative experience.

PS: This is purely a selfish question, but one of my favorite games from Big John Games was Kart Krashers on DSiWare. Has there been interest expressed by your team to return to that series, possibly for a Nintendo 3DS sequel?

BJG: We would love to create a sequel with multi player, tournaments, and more crashing chaos. It’s on the short list.

PS: What makes your team decide for its games to stick primarily to Nintendo platforms?

BJG: We love the Nintendo platforms. Nintendo is always coming up with cool player input and feedback systems. The eShop, if done properly, is a great place to sell games and earn some revenue for our studio. The eShop audience is receptive to games created by studios like ours. The online news portals, like yours, covers digitally published games. Consumers of the eShop can find out info on literally any game being sold on the eShop.

Nintendo continues to improve the digital buying experience. We look forward to growing with Nintendo as it increases its digital publishing platforms.

PS: In our first discussion together back in 2012 I asked about Wii U development for Big John Games. You responded that the team was going to start developing Wii U projects the following year. How is that progressing? Is there any information or screens you can share about this project?

BJG: We keep looking at Wii U projects. Right now it seems like our resources are better spent making 3DS games. That will change once the right game concept comes along.

PS: This leads me to my next question, how is developing for the Wii U? For ignorant folks like me who are console development illiterate, how much of a difference is there between developing for the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U? Do they have any similarities?

BJG: We have not built anything on the Wii U yet. We have done Wii, DS, DSi and 3DS games. There is a similarity among the console dev tools that even the Wii U shares. Each system has dev tools that high light features of that particular platform.

We write our code in C++ and have found that much of our core code ports well between Nintendo systems.

Since each system has different graphics abilities. We try to bring out the maximum capability of each system in regards to graphics.

Also player input devices are different, so a lot of thought goes into how the player will interact with the game. Nintendo offers some really cool and unique user feedback experiences.

PS: Moving on from the future to the past, regarding your Nintendo 3DS games and DSiWare titles, have sales been kind your games? Which titles have seen the greatest success thus far?

BJG: We sold a lot of Thorium Wars on the DSi, our sequel on the 3DS has not done as well. Our Big Bass Arcade games have done well on all of the Nintendo platforms. Coaster Creator 3D has sold well on the 3DS here in North America, Europe and has sold really well in Japan. We are very honored to have some of our games selling in Japan.
Ohno Odyssey (Nintendo 3DS eShop)

Reviewers and players seemed to like Ohno Odyssey on the 3DS. But it still had trouble finding an audience on the eShop.. Maybe your readers can download the demo of Ohno Odyssey and give it a try. If they like the demo maybe they will get the full game. It’s a lot of fun to play. We lowered the price to $3.99 and did a content update to add 14 more puzzles, hopefully the demo, the lower price, and the new content will help Ohno find a wider group of players.

PS: Thank you very much for answering my questions. I know your answers will be interesting to a lot of people. Are there any parting words you’d like to say to those reading this interview?

BJG: Thank you for all you do when it comes to informing your readers about games on the Nintendo platforms.

We really do this because we have a passion for playing and creating games. I hope that translates to the players of our games. We really put the player first when we develop our games.

I hope your readers will check out Cube Creator 3D, Lionel City Builder 3D: Rise of the Rails and our other games on the 3DS. We love building the games and really love it when people play and enjoy games.

===

My thanks to Ken Patterson and the Big John Games team for taking time out of their busy schedule and final prep work for Cube Creator 3D to answer my questions. 

All-Star Franchises, Underrated Entries - Part Two

If you've been around SuperPhillip Central for a little while (it's still okay if you haven't, so no harm done), then you know that I like talking about underrated and overlooked games. I've done various series on the subject. However, most of the time, the games mentioned in these articles are from wholly new or overlooked franchises themselves.

There are also a multitude of series that I can think of that have one, two, or a handful of games in it that aren't viewed as highly as the others, whether just or not.

These ideas are where the concept of All-Star Franchises, Underrated Entries comes from, and since part one, I've come up with six more underrated entries to big-time franchises, some bigger than others.

The Legend of Zelda - Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES)


The black sheep of The Legend of Zelda franchise (I'm not counting the CDi titles that aren't official entries in the series), Zelda II: The Adventure of Link remains the most radically different game in the series, with its main gameplay as a 2D action-platformer. The game is known for its brutal difficulty, extreme deviation of the standard Zelda formula (at the time it was just viewed as a natural evolution of the NES original), and sometimes obtuse puzzles. While it was indeed a big change for the Zelda series and one not seen again in a future installment, I'd personally love to see a return to this formula, as it did a lot that was novel to the Zelda franchise. Of course, that opinion isn't the most popular one with Zelda fans, and understandably so!

Mega Man X - Mega Man X8 (PS2)


After what I consider the worst in the Mega Man X mainline games, Mega Man X7, I wasn't very hopeful for the sequel. While Mega Man X7 did try something new-- wholly 3D environments-- it didn't execute them well enough to make most players form a positive opinion about the game. Mega Man X8 went back to the 2D roots of the pre-X7 games in the series. However, it kept the 3D models of characters, enemies, and environments and threw in an excellent half of a dimension, creating a 2.5D Mega Man X experience. Mega Man X8 isn't perfect. Two of the levels aren't traditional platforming engagements, but all in all, X8 is a highly competent installment that is also highly underrated.

Castlevania - Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate (3DS)


Stated as being all beauty and little substance by some, others as shallow and fragmented, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate has seen a lot of abuse from fans and critics. As someone who greatly enjoyed Symphony of the Night and its similarly styled games, it was a nice breath of fresh air to get a different kind of Castlevania game. While the world was indeed a bit fragmented, it was a lot of fun exploring the world of Mirror of Fate, finding secret areas, battling fierce bosses, and following along with the story. Yes, the game is relatively easy, and it doesn't reach the same levels of greatness as the DS trilogy, but Mirror of Fate remains to me an engaging entry that I believe some were too harsh on for it not being just another Symphony of the Night clone, whether my thoughts have merit or not.

Batman - Batman: Arkham Origins - Blackgate (3DS, Vita)


Moving from one Metroidvania to another, former Retro Studios staff shifted focus and wanted to work on different projects than what Nintendo was offering. Thus, some once-Retro Studios employed staff founded Armature Studio, which had its first project being a Metroid game in Batman's clothing. The developers at Armature successfully brought a myriad of features found in the console versions of the Arkham series, such as the ability to grapple, glide, use gadgets, and participate in the same reflex-driven combat the series was known for. Outside of a heavy reliance on using Detective Mode to identify destructible walls and other points of interest, as well as a hard-to-understand map, Batman: Arkham Origins - Blackgate is a mostly well designed game and an excellent first finished project from Armature Studio.

Sonic the Hedgehog - Sonic Triple Trouble (GG)


Underrated due to its existence on an underperforming handheld, Sega's Game Gear, Sonic Triple Trouble was the sole Game Gear entry that one could mistake for a Genesis title. While other Sonic the Hedgehog games on the portable were pretty much ports of the Blue Blur's games on the Sega Master System, Triple Trouble was a new game with gameplay more in line to what the Genesis offered. The game allowed for players to take on the role of either Sonic or Tails, each with their own move set and abilities, making the otherwise short and easy game have more longevity. Plus, like any notable Sonic the Hedgehog game, there still stands the value of playing through Triple Trouble more than once. It certainly is fun to do so, much like it is with the Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog games. It is just a shame that the game released on the Game Gear, where so few got to experience it. By the time it released in some Sonic collections, Sonic Triple Trouble was a mere footnote in the Blue Blur's illustrious history.

Yoshi - Yoshi's New Island (3DS)


The original Super Nintendo Yoshi's Island is a tough act to follow. Goodness knows that Nintendo has tried, albeit with farmed-out sequels. While neither Yoshi's Island DS or Yoshi's New Island reach the heights of the SNES original, both are worthwhile games to pick up and play. I will be focusing on the Nintendo 3DS's Yoshi's New Island. The game at first seemed like a paint-by-numbers Yoshi's Island game, but as I played further into it, I became impressed by the level designs and clever hidden secrets. There is a lot to like with Yoshi's New Island, and for anyone who thinks the game is too easy, try collecting 100% of the items in each level (a process made less irritating by allowing the player to gather all three collectibles in different trips to a level rather than all at the same go). Then, try the bonus levels, featuring some of the most difficult platforming challenges a Yoshi game has ever seen. Case in point: Yoshi's New Island got unfair flak for its presentation that made many pass over it despite its enjoyable gameplay.

Monday, February 16, 2015

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - Patriot Games Edition

After a skipped week, SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs have returned for Presidents Day! There is a great mix of music this week, taking you listeners from the busy and bustling skies of Ratchet & Clank's Metropolis on Planet Kerwan to the neon-lit rooftops of the Sky Palace in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters. Along the way there's music from Yoshi's Story, Pushmo World, and Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose, adding even more retro goodness into the mix. If you're ready, let's get started!

v811. Ratchet & Clank (PS2) - Metropolis (Planet Kerwan)


I reviewed the Vita version of the very first Ratchet & Clank game last month. Despite many future games showing just how far the series has evolved gameplay-wise, the original Ratchet & Clank is still worth checking out regardless of the lack of strafing and the ability to pause when the quick select menu is brought up on screen. David Bergeaud composed the music for this and the rest of the PlayStation 2 entries in the franchise, and his compositions are still the reigning the champions when it comes to the Ratchet & Clank series.

v812. Yoshi's Story (N64) - Yoshi Standing in the Wind


Yoshi's Story was a soundtrack that masterfully used the same melody in a multitude of different ways and styles to create most of its level themes. While the actual game isn't as heralded compared to other 2D platformers, Yoshi's Story deserves applause for trying something different with the platforming genre, despite the argument of whether the game succeeded or not in doing so being a wholly different subject.

v813. Pushmo World (Wii U) - A Puzzling Afternoon


A game I have been meaning to review (see: actually play for more than an hour), Pushmo World was the Wii U eShop version of the game, sporting all-new push-and-pull puzzles to solve. Along the journey was this catchy and bouncy soundtrack for the game that seldom fails to put a smile on players' faces. Well, unless said players are dealing with a really tough puzzle!

v814. Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose (SNES) - Acme Looniversity


We travel back in time to an age where Tiny Toon Adventures dominated the airwaves. Well, at least if you were brought up on Nickolodeon. Buster Busts Loose was the Super Nintendo entry of the TV series, offering fun platforming antics with all of Acme Acres's best. Though the game isn't my favorite of the Tiny Toons Adventures game franchise (Buster's Hidden Treasure on the Genesis is my pick), Buster Busts Loose is still a highly capable platformer.

v815. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters (SNES) - Sky Palace


While many fought as Ryu, Ken, Zangief, M. Bison, and more in Street Fighter II, I was a fan of a more tubular and bodacious fighting game, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters-- the definitive SNES version to be specific. The game had lots of characters from the comic books, great combat, and it was all set to a soundtrack that totally delivered terrific tunes.

Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. (3DS) Abraham Lincoln Trailer

To celebrate Presidents' Day here in the United States, Nintendo of America has published a new Abraham Lincoln-focused trailer for its upcoming mid-March release Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. for the Nintendo 3DS. My only fear with this game that its patriotism-heavy presentation may put off potential buyers. For those that do take the leap and buy the game, Intelligent Systems is sure to deliver fun strategic action.