Wario World (GCN) Retro Review

We have a new review for this Fourth of July weekend. Game & Wario released for the Wii U just over a week ago, and to celebrate Mario's plump rival, we have a retro review of Wario's GameCube platforming romp, Wario World.

It's Wario's World-- 

We Just Play In It.

Ever since his debut on the Game Boy with Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, Wario has been a favorite among many Nintendo enthusiasts. His gross behavior, such as mining for nose treasure, passing gas, and chomping on copious amounts of garlic cloves, is just one interesting facet of this lovable lug. In 2003, Nintendo and Treasure gave Wario his own platforming game. Not content to have his own land anymore, Wario went and got himself a world to conquer with Wario World.

After taking treasure from lands near and far, Wario has just finished construction on his colossal castle, where his round rump rests on his gold throne. However, his greed has once again gotten the best of him. In his pilfering adventures he nabbed a black jewel. This black jewel awakens and begins taking Wario's treasure and turning it alive. The entire castle is transformed and Wario is booted out. With garlic on his breath and a strong will, Wario decides to teach the black jewel a lesson by heading to four themed worlds to collect the key pieces needed to open the treasure where the jewel has taken up residence.

Laugh it up while you can, Wario!

Wario World is a side-scrolling 3D platformer featuring four worlds of three levels each. The first two levels are fully explorable, complete with treasure, hint-giving Spritelings, pieces of gold statue, and red diamonds to collect. The latter is used to open the boss hatch at the end of each level. These red diamonds are located in trapdoors that must be found and ground pounded through either by Wario himself or with an enemy in hand for the steel trapdoors. The areas are either simple puzzle/platforming rooms or special platforming challenges that occur in another dimension. Unlike the main levels of the game, these special rooms and dimensions allow you to rotate the camera a full 360 degrees.

Clear out areas of enemies with
Wario's spin attack.

The garlic-chomping Wario wants nothing more than to get his greedy mitts on anything and everything golden. There are eight treasures in every level, but before they can appear, buttons marked with a "W" must be hit to spawn them. A treasure will appear on the tile the same color as the button hit. In addition to treasure, there are multiple pieces of gold. Not only do these create a stunning gold statue of Wario, impressive all to itself, but collecting them all in a given level bestows Wario with a boost to his health in the form of half of a heart.

Enemies and boxes drop coins, and these are as valuable as the treasures Wario covets so much. You see, when Wario loses hearts from damage, he can go to a garlic-dispenser to pay for a clove of the helpful garnish. This will revive one heart, as long as Wario has got the coins. If Wario loses all of his health, you can opt to pay an amount of coins to avoid a game over. Otherwise... it's game over. Wario can also lose coins by falling into a hole within a level, entering a lair of the Unithorn creatures. These purple heads will chomp at Wario, taking away his coins, as he scrambles to find the exit spring, hidden underneath one of many boxes.

Even Wario's jaw drops at all those coins!

Every level and world ends with a boss battle of some sort. These generally have Wario dodging the attacks of the boss or bosses in question and waiting for an opportunity to strike. For instance, one boss has Wario needing to run to its rear to leap onto its tail, which will then rise into the air over its backside, allowing Wario to perform a ground pound on its weak point.

This boss may be large, but
Wario's greed is larger!

In normal levels, Wario is still a much more brute force kind of plumber than his rival Mario, and he assuredly shows it in Wario World. Wario talks with his fists, able to pummel foes into a dazed state. Then he can pick up an enemy and choose to chuck them, spin them around like crazy or pile drive their face into the ground. For a plumber so... plump, Wario can get around. He can dash and jump to cross large chasms or to just make up a great distance across the fairly linear levels.

Wario gives his brute strength a spin.

As for the levels, there are but eight in the game, not including boss levels. This might seem like a low number, but if you're trying to collect everything, they can take you upwards of an hour each to complete. With no way to save during a level, I think the developer could have split up levels into more manageable bits. That way there would be more levels, there would be less getting burnt out on a particular level-- what, with being stuck in a level for almost an hour, and the player could save more often without worry of losing a good portion's worth of progress.

Another issue with Wario World is that the camera is always at a fixed position. This makes some jumps near impossible to judge, causing Wario to fall down into Unithorn's Lair, or have to redo whole sections of level all over again. The camera's abhorrent behavior shines particularly true in some boss levels, where it tries to keep up with Wario but cannot, or it can't decide if it wants to spin around or not.

Sloppy seconds? No thank you!

Wario World looks rough around the edges graphically, but Wario's animations are absolutely top notch, especially his facial reactions. Lighting is quite good in levels, particularly special effects like lightning, and most level geometry comes across as competent in looks. Enemies might be the same archetypes each and every level for the most part, but they, too, look competent and occasionally foreboding. Unfortunately, Wario World doesn't run the greatest, with severe frame-rate chugging when a lot of enemies or moving environmental objects are on the screen at the same time. For the audiophiles out there, Wario World's music is a mix of truly catchy tracks and forgettable background noise. Hearing Wario's quips like "good luck" and "have a rotten day" seldom get old, even after the hundredth time.

Wario World is far from a perfect game, and like his rival's GameCube platforming installment, it has a fair amount of issues that prevent it from being truly terrific. If you have that need for greed, Wario World is a title you can get for cheap and play through it for about 8-10 hours and then forget about it afterwards. Seeing how Wario World was developed by Treasure, the minds behind Gunstar Heroes and Ikaruga, it's disappointing to see how unspectacular Wario's GameCube debut really was.

[SPC Says: 7.0/10]

Top Ten Final Fantasy Soundtracks

Time to continue the celebration of 25 years of Final Fantasy. You read my opinion on the Best of Final Fantasy Music (best dungeon themes, battle themes, boss themes, character themes, world map themes, airship themes, etc.) and my thoughts on Theatrhythm Final Fantasy. Now, it's time to read my opinion on what I consider to be the most magnificent Final Fantasy soundtracks of the series's 25 year history. From mainline games to spinoffs, this list has the best covered with selected tracks for you to sample and enjoy. So sit back, relax, and get ready to feel waves of unbridled nostalgia.

10) Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers (Wii)

We start off with one of the more recent additions to the Final Fantasy universe, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers for the Nintendo Wii. This game actually replaced Final Fantasy X in the eleventh hour on this list. I await your letters, but hopefully after hearing the samples provided you'll see why I went this direction. Using a wide range of musical styles, the soundtrack is quite compelling, sometimes soothing, sometimes energizing, and always fun to listen to. There's the opening track in Kuule Taa Unelmain, Ephemeron, also performed by Donna Burke, then you have Selkie Guild, a refreshing song to stroll around the countryside in Lett Highlands, a theme used for battle, something out of The Dukes of Hazzard in Catch and Throw, the particularly moving Althea's Waltz, and the beach-bumming fun of Girls, We Have to Win. The soundtrack is a veritable smorgasbord of musical genres, fitting for number ten on this list.

9) Final Fantasy XIII (PS3, 360)

The final game may be severely disappointing but the soundtrack is far from that verdict. It is remarkable. Composed by Masashi Hamauzu, Final Fantasy XIII's soundtrack is a cornucopia of sensational songs. There's one of the best traditional battle themes in the franchise's illustrious history in Blinded By Light, a brilliant boss theme in Saber's Edge, my favorite Chocobo theme of all in Pulse de Chocobo, nice area themes like The Sunleth Waterscape, gentle character themes like Serah's and Lightning's. Whatever kind of mood you are in there is certainly a track from Final Fantasy XIII that will fit it.

8) Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (DS)

Composed primarily by Hitoshi Sakimoto, Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift is a playful yet at the same time serious soundtrack for the Nintendo DS tactical RPG game. It features themes from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance as well as some from Final Fantasy XII. At one point the music is touching as can be, while others  get you invigorated and ready for battle, Final Fantasy Tactics A2's music is lovely. Tracks like Green Wind, Crossing Over the Hill (aka Ozmone Plains in Final Fantasy XII), Gathering Allies, Summer Vacation, and more all add up to a particularly enjoyed Final Fantasy soundtrack of mine.

7) Final Fantasy VIII (PS1)

Considered by a good portion of Final Fantasy fans as a black sheep installment of the franchise, Final Fantasy VIII contains a substantial amount of incredible music within its four disc set. Right away from the opening you know that you're in for an impactful ride with Liberi Fatali. The boss battle theme Force Your Way, normal battle theme Don't Be Afraid, and final boss theme The Extreme certainly paint a powerful picture as well. Don't forget The Landing either. Then there's a touching track like Love Grows and the spirited Waltz for the Moon for the romance between Squall and Rinoa. Final Fantasy VIII may not be universally liked, but it certainly delivers when it comes to wonderful music. But who would doubt that when Nobuo Uematsu is at the helm?

6) Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (GCN)

Composed almost solely by Kumi Tanikoa, the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles soundtrack is one that invokes memories of Renaissance and medieval times with its interesting choice of musical instruments like the recorder. It is a perfect fit for the rustic world the game presents players. From songs that deliver a rich sense of ambiance and wonder like Into the Gloomy Darkness to songs that portray a vibrant rural community like A Gentle Wind Blows, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles has such an under-appreciated soundtrack. It truly is magnificent and unlike many soundtracks in the series. Other terrific tracks include: Magi is Everything, Daemon's Court, Amidatti, And Eleonor Too, and When the Northern Sky is Clear.

5) Final Fantasy IV (SNES)

Before it was well known as Final Fantasy IV in the West, it was known as Final Fantasy II. The game was the first Final Fantasy to be created in 16-bits, and it was made all the better for it, from graphics to our focus, sound. Nobuo Uematsu once again showed why he is one of the best when it comes to composing for video games with tracks like the Main Theme of Final Fantasy IV, Battle 1, a bombastic boss theme in Battle 2, one of the great dungeon themes of all time in Into the Darkness, Mt. Ordeals, the moving Troian Beauty, and how could anyone forget Battle with the Four Fiends? Those tracks just scratch the surface of the impressive amount of unforgettable themes heard within the reaches of Baron, Damcyan, and Troia.

4) Final Fantasy VII (PS1)

The first Final Fantasy game to leave a Nintendo system, but more importantly, enter 3D, Final Fantasy VII sports a marvelous memorable soundtrack. The new direction the series took, casting aside medieval themes and technology of yore, going with a futuristic approach, allowed for new musical styles and sounds. It features one of the most cherished final boss themes in RPG history, One-Winged Angel, possesses touching character songs like Aerith's Theme, the Opening ~ Bombing Mission theme that puts the player right into the action, more ethereal tunes like J-E-N-O-V-A, one of the great RPG airship themes, borrowing Final Fantasy VII's Main Theme, in Highwind Takes to the Skies, and even a marching tune thrown in for good measure in Rufus' Welcoming Ceremony. I don't have the same kind of nostalgia for Final Fantasy VII as most people, but I still find the soundtrack to be incredibly good.

3) Final Fantasy IX (PS1)

My favorite of the mainline Final Fantasy soundtracks on the PlayStation 1, Final Fantasy IX invokes memories of old school games in the franchise, and it has the music to back that stance up. Cid's Theme gives a marvelous march that plays in Lindblum's castle. Then we get medieval with Freija's Theme which is played in The Gizamulke's Grotto dungeon. I'd be amiss if I didn't mention the intense boss theme, Kuja's Theme, The Airship, Hildagaldy, The Dark Messenger, and Beyond the Door. I list Final Fantasy IX's soundtrack so high because of the sheer amount of quality tracks that permeate throughout the soundtrack set's multiple discs. It's the type of soundtrack that I can enjoy as someone who is a casual Final Fantasy player but can admire thrilling music.

2) Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1)

One of the most stirring soundtracks I have ever had the pleasure of listening is made even more spectacular by hearing the music played throughout the duration of the game. Yes, this is the fabulous Final Fantasy Tactics soundtrack from the best Final Fantasy spinoff in existence. The duo of Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata combined their compositional mastery and crafted one hell of a score for the game. Tense battle situations get even more unsettling as themes like Antipyretic, Trisection, Battle on the Bridge, Apoplexy, and Decisive Battle. But don't think that it's all struggle and intensity with the music. No, there's plenty of heart-tugging themes such as Ovelia's Theme (one of my favorite tracks of the game), Overlia's Worries, and Chapel, as well as jaunty themes like Pub and Tutorial to behold.

1) Final Fantasy VI (SNES)

And here we have it, the best of the best in Final Fantasy soundtracks. Coming from one of my favorite entries in the series, Final Fantasy VI possesses the greatest bevy of terrific tunes, memorable melodies, and powerful tracks. We have Terra, the world map theme of the World of Balance, the chaotic boss battle theme of The Decisive Battle, the truly haunting sounds of The Phantom Forest, the homely sounds of Kids Run Through the City Corner, the massively moving Aria De Mezzo Carattere, the riotous The Fierce Battle, and the airship theme of the World of Ruin, Searching for Friends. Then you have what I consider to be the best final boss battle theme in video game history, Dancing Mad. The many layers the song contains and how it segues into each movement makes for a wonderful theme. What all of these musical songs and elements make together is one of most celebrated, enduring, and impactful video game soundtracks of all time. It is just one of the reasons why Final Fantasy VI is so cherished by both fans of the franchise and simply those who adore superb RPGs.

===

The Final Fantasy series comprises a large amount of my love for video game music. It is what got me interested in composition, and made me enjoy listening to other genres of music that I might not have otherwise tried. It's the fantastic minds of the composers behind the franchise's games that have in part made Final Fantasy such a cherished brand.

As with most of my lists, I'm sure you won't agree with my order. Perhaps you won't even agree with my omissions of Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy XII. That's just fine as well. If those are some of your favorites, what are your most liked tracks from those games, then?

Super Mario Sunshine (GCN) Retro Review

This is the final review of August, and it is the perfect game for the unofficial end of summer. It is Super Mario Sunshine. I had such great memories playing through this game, but that was a while back. My gaming tolerances have changed since then, but I remember the title being quite remarkable. After playing Super Mario Sunshine over the course of the past week, all I can think to say is "Man, nostalgia is a b*tch!" See why with this retro review.

The Plumber for Summer

With Labor Day approaching, the unofficial end to summer is closing in. Kids are back in school, the final barbeques are being completed, and the period of time of being able to wear white without some fashionistas scolding you is soon coming to an end. (Who thought of no white after Labor Day anyway?) Nonetheless, ten years ago, Super Mario Sunshine left the traditional scope of the Mushroom Kingdom and headed to uncharted territories, a tropical island full of new characters, enemies, and locales. A decade later, and are my memories of the game back in 2002 the same as my thoughts on the game now? Is Mario's vacation fun in the sun, or should he have just stuck to a "staycation?"

Every plumber deserves a vacation, and that is exactly what Mario, Peach, Mushroom Kingdom ambassador Toadsworth, and several Toads have decided to do. They land on the cozy shores of Isle Delfino only to find the island completely defaced with hazardous graffiti and "icky, paint-like goop." Little does Mario know that someone is impersonating the portly plumber, vandalizing the island, and framing him in the process. A pair of Delfino Island police officers take Mario into custody. With a swift slam of the gavel, the judge orders Mario to clean up the mess before our hero is able to leave the island. But no worries as Mario is not alone this time around. He teams up with a water-spraying backpack known as F.L.U.D.D. and with the device's help, plans to make Isle Delfino squeaky clean (because clean is better than dirty) and find out the villain behind Mario's framing. Unlike any other game in the series, Super Mario Sunshine employs complete voice acting for cutscenes. Whether you can appreciate the Saturday morning cartoon vibe displayed is a stance that I think I can say "your mileage may vary."

The FMV here is quite charming.

Super Mario Sunshine is more similar in structure to Super Mario 64 than that of Super Mario Galaxy and its same system sequel. The main goal of the game is to complete episodes within each of the Sunshine's levels to obtain Shine Sprites (of which there are the familiar number of 120 total), spirits that will turn the darkened mess of Isle Delfino back into the warm sunny atmosphere the lovely locales are used to. There are also Shine Sprites assembled around Delfino Plaza, the colorful hub of the game, as well as inside secret bonus stages. As Mario collects more and more Shine Sprites, new levels around Delfino Plaza open up for him to explore, containing eight episodes each.

The focus of Sunshine is the collection
of all of these Shine Sprite spirits.

There are ten levels that all contain a tropical island theme. There can be arguments made that there isn't that much variety in the locations Mario visits, but really, there are some discrepancies. For instance, there is a ocean-side harbor, a beach, an amusement park, a haunted hotel, a tribal village, a bay with tall cliffs to traverse, and a trek through a blistering hot volcano. The seven main levels are your traditional Super Mario 64-style affairs where you play through eight episodes, all containing their own distinct objectives. One in Ricco Harbor has you ascending a complex vertical series of platforms and walls that can be clung on to and climbed. The Shrine Sprite rests in a cage on the very top of the amalgamation of platforming peril. Meanwhile, one in Sirena Beach has you investigating a haunted hotel where there are multiple hidden passageways leading to otherwise inaccessible rooms. The Shine Sprite hides in plain sight, but it is just a matter of finding a way to get into the room housing it. Other episodes have a more general them such as having you chasing down Shadow Mario, spraying him with FLUDD until he surrenders, or collecting eight red coins spread across a certain portion of a level.

Ricco Harbor provides some early platforming
challenges for players to get their feet wet to.

Some episodes hold a mysterious gateway to a special stage that Mario must find. They take Mario within a special bonus area where at the beginning, Mario's doppelganger, Shadow Mario, steals FLUDD from him, forcing him to run and hop through a platforming obstacle course where precision jumping is absolutely key. These are some of the most challenging sections of Super Mario Sunshine as Mario doesn't have the capabilities of FLUDD to use as a crutch. There are spinning, flipping, and tilting platforms; cubes that rotate; and sand blocks that will dissolve once Mario steps foot on them. After one of these special stages has been completed, Mario can return to it for a red coin challenge, where FLUDD accompanies him. Gathering all eight red coins strewn about the stage within a strict time limit will give you a precious and well-deserved Shine Sprite.

One of several special stages full of skill-based play.

There are numerous boss battles to partake in as well with some fierce foes. One of the earliest boss battles has you spraying water in Petey Piranha's mouth as the colossal creature foolishly leaves its mouth open. Once it has taken in enough water, its stomach will protrude out and have it topple over, allowing Mario to perform a powerful ground pound. Talk about a gut check. Then there's the encounter with Glooper Blooper in Ricco Harbor. This boss requires you to jump on its tentacles when they swipe at Mario. The leaped on tentacles will become temporarily stuck to the ground, allowing Mario to grab and pull them out. Once all tentacles have been forcibly removed, Mario can run up to the squid's snout and pull like he's never been pulled before. The range of encounters in Sunshine is quite vast, making for some memorable fights (aside from the final boss fight, which is simply disappointing).

Open wide!

Sadly, a fair amount of the Shine Sprites found in Super Mario Sunshine are given out through collecting Blue Coins, 240 in all. Every ten Blue Coins can be traded in to a Tanooki in Delfino Plaza for a Shine Sprite. Some of these coins are placed in easy spots, but a lot of them are in hard-to-find locations, requiring extensive searching and trial-and-error. They just feel like blatant and unnecessary padding to make the game last longer than it needs to be.

Mario by his lonesome has a plethora of moves in his acrobatic arsenal. For a pudgy plumber, this guy can move. He can dive, covering loads of ground in seconds. He can jump between two walls to reach higher destinations. He can back flip to gain greater height. He can ground pound, and do much more.

You quickly learn that along with Pokeys and 
Cataquacks, the camera is also your enemy.

But like I said earlier, this time he's not alone (well, besides during the special stages). Mario has FLUDD around on his back. This verbal robotic device in normal mode can spray graffiti off walls and floors. It can daze certain enemies with a simple spray of water. There are also various Nozzles that can be equipped. (However, Mario can only have one special nozzle equipped at a time.) The Hover Nozzle is great for crossing large chasms that Mario otherwise wouldn't be able to jump over by his lonesome. The Rocket Nozzle allows Mario to be propelled high into the air to reach towering heights, while the Turbo Nozzle sends Mario careening at a grand speed across both land and water. However, FLUDD doesn't have an infinite amount of water it can hold. When it gets low, Mario can enter a body of water and refill FLUDD's tank. The addition of FLUDD opens up tremendous possibilities in the platforming and how the levels and the episodes are completed. Mario can perform some serious acrobatic athletics with FLUDD that would be impossible without the device.

In addition to FLUDD, Mario can occasionally come across a Yoshi egg. By feeding the egg its desired fruit, a Yoshi will hatch from its imprisonment. Mario can ride the darling dinosaur, spraying juice at foes (some obstructions can only be cleared with Yoshi's spray), and other helpful feats. Unlike other games in the series, however, Yoshi will disappear immediately if it enters a deep body of water or runs out of juice.

For the first time in 3D, Yoshi is here!

Regardless, Mario games generally feel tight and responsive in their controls. For some reason, Super Mario Sunshine doesn't fully have that sentence going for it at all times. I often felt myself not fully being in control of Mario. This is especially apparent with the abhorrent camera. It constantly gets caught behind walls and objects, and this is nowhere as obvious to see than a particular episode in the Pinna Park level. Mario has to climb up the backside of the amusement park's ferris wheel. Unfortunately the tight confines make the camera act out like me on a bender. It is also problematic when you use the Rocket Nozzle, and it the camera jerks to a view below Mario. That's good and all, but it doesn't shift back to show where Mario is about to fall, making for frustrating guesswork and trial-and-error (there's that term again). I can understand why Nintendo went with a new camera system for the Super Mario Galaxy games.

One of the worst episodes for dealing
with the game's troublesome camera.

The main drawback with Super Mario Sunshine is that there is no feeling of complete control, and that isn't a statement I thought I'd say for a Mario game. The Hover Nozzle, something that you'd think would fully feel fine isn't perfect either. Sometimes Mario's momentum in midair just stops as he hovers, particularly when close to a ceiling. It's just aggravating. And don't even get me started on controlling Mario in a boat. There just seems to be a total lack of polish. Mario sometimes controls clumsily, the camera acts just as bad, and there are glitches like Mario not grabbing onto ledges or falling through platforms. Was this game rushed or what?

Super Mario Sunshine is a bounty of color. The worlds are vibrant, lush, and full of interesting details. The game tends to run at a steady framerate, but there are indeed moments where the game appears to be pushed to its limits and everything slows down to a tremendous chug. As for the sound, the voice acting is either take it or leave it. It is quite polarizing. Some will like it, some will hate it. I don't think there is much middle ground to be had for most people. On the side of the music, the genius composers at Nintendo once again provide some very catchy melodies like Delfino Square,  Bianco Hills, Noki Bay, the a capella Super Mario Bros. theme in special stages, and the main boss theme. Overall, the presentation package of Sunshine pleases.

Make a mecha mess out of Mecha Bowser.

No Mario game has ever tested my patience as much as Super Mario Sunshine. I don't recall the game being of this lesser quality than other games in the much heralded series, but then again, it's been a long while since I've played the game since my fond times with it. From the severe lack of polish, large amount of glitches, the feeling of never being in total control of Mario (a first for me for the 25+ year-old franchise), and the atrocious camera - one of the worst I've seen from a Nintendo EAD game, Super Mario Sunshine has a lot of problems that detract from the experience. It has a lot of fun moments and awesome ideas, but for every two terrific moments, there seems to be one moment that is truly and simply awful. FLUDD is an outstanding addition to the game, and it makes Super Mario Sunshine stand out, even when the execution is imperfect. I have no qualms with stating that Super Mario Sunshine is without a doubt the worst 3D Mario game I have ever encountered. It's a shame, too, because my memories of the game when I first played it were so vivid and positive. As it is, Super Mario Sunshine is a game that will sometimes delight like a warm summer's day, while other times it is a game that is as painful to play as a sunburn.

[SuperPhillip Says: 7.0/10]

Spider-Man 2 (PS2, GCN, XBX) Retro Review

While the rest of the world is enamored by The Dark Knight Rises, SuperPhillip Central continues its enchantment with the best webhead to ever don a spandex suit, Spider-Man. The subject of today's review is Spider-Man 2 for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox. Best Spider-Man game ever? We shall see.

Does whatever a Spider-Man video game can.

I have made no attempts to hide my adoration for Spider-Man. He's my favorite superhero in existence. The boy behind the spandex suit might be self-conscious, awkward, and not quite the ladies' man, but when he wears that suit and starts kicking villain butt, all inhibitions swing away. The Spider-Man 2 movie is called by some as the greatest superhero movie of all time. That's fine and all, but should you take the video game that released alongside the film out for a spin?

The Spider-Man 2 video game loosely follows the story of the film. Dr. Octavius is working on an experiment that allows him to harness the energy of a miniature sun. When things go awry, Spider-Man is there to save Octavius and get him out of danger's way. However, in the event, Octavius's wife dies, and in the aftermath he snaps and blames Spider-Man for his wife's death. Now, Spidey has to contend with a new villain, Doctor Octopus. This is all the while Spider-Man's alter ego, Peter Parker, has to deal with being Spider-Man and possibly giving it up so he can go back to a normal life. Enter Black Cat, a sultry antihero who wants Spidey to do the exact opposite and give up his life as an ordinary human being. This dynamic lasts throughout the game, and it is a very interesting one. Throw in some side story content such as encounters with the Shocker, Rhino, and Mysterio, and you have all the elements for a wild ride. Three actors from the movie reprise their roles: Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man/Peter Parker, Alfred Molina as Doctor Octavius/Octopus, and Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson. Meanwhile, Bruce Campbell provides the voice of the tour guide, offering humorous gems here and there along the way.

Unlike the previous poor game based off the first Spider-Man film, Spider-Man: The Movie, Spider-Man 2 is an open world sandbox game that is similar to Grand Theft Auto. Of course, Spidey isn't pulling people out of their cars and driving them. The game works on a chapter-by-chapter basis. In order to reach the next chapter, you must complete all story-related segments as well as earn the required amount of Hero Points. Hero Points are gained by completing missions, side missions, and just beating on thugs and henchmen. As Spidey swings around New York City, on his sub-map you will see green circles with exclamation marks in them. Going to the location and talking to the citizen in peril will start a side mission. These range from stopping an armored car robbery, to transporting an injured denizen to the hospital, to saving all of the crew members of a sinking ship. The latter of these missions is nigh impossible to pull off because you have to possess near-perfect precision because if a crew member falls into the water, the mission is failed. There are also random "crimes" like a person driving around with a bad case of road rage that needs to be stopped or a child's balloon that needs retrieving from the air. Successfully completing these missions net Spidey with some Hero Points.

"Get a job!" "You have no idea."

The actual main missions of Spider-Man 2 have plenty of variety once you get to them, but a lot of the time it is simply getting to a destination within a time limit to start things off. Also, if I have to follow Black Cat across the rooftops one more time, I'm going to snap - either myself or the disc. Regardless, some missions have Spider-Man taking pictures of the Big Apple's skyline. Some have him interrupting a shady business deal in a back alley. Some put him in a coliseum-styled showdown with Quentin Beck, the man that would eventually become Mysterio. Others have Spidey shutting off switches to turn off a dangerous machine that threatens to explode if it is not contained, or dealing out damage to a band of art thieves in a museum. Nonetheless, the actual story of the game isn't as long as you might expect. It only lasted me about six hours.

From Soho to Manhattan, NYC is yours to explore.

But there is much more to do than just play through the story. There are certain achievement-like tasks to accomplish like stopping so many robberies, completing all of the game's races (swinging through a number of checkpoints in order), collecting so many secret tokens that are placed around the city, and beating a certain number of enemies. The game can last you days, but I never found the motivation or desire to do so. There are really no major rewards for doing so.

Unlike past installments of Spider-Man games, Spider-Man 2 has players exploring an expansive city. Web-swinging is a fine science in this game. You need to have a building or object near you to swing off of (no attaching webs to the sky in order to swing). By holding down the jump button, Spidey can leap higher into the air while swinging. If you're having problems dealing with web-swinging, there is an option to choose the much simpler Easy Swinging as opposed to Normal Swinging that necessitates more mastery of the controls and mechanics.

Spidey's idea of going for a ride on a helicopter.

Outside of transportation and getting to places fast, Spider-Man can also use his web abilities to take out opponents. From ensnaring foes by tying them up within web to pulling them towards you with a tug of the web, Spidey has a robust arsenal of web-related moves. Then there's the flurry of combo attacks that come into play (most of which are purchased via NYC's many Upgrade Stores) to try out many various button combinations. His battle maneuvers aren't relegated to just offense either. When an enemy is about to attack, the webhead's spider sense comes into play, displaying a flash over Spider-Man's head. You can nimbly evade punches and gunshots with a well-timed press of the dodge button.

All in a day's work for the webhead.

Spider-Man 2 looks absolutely dated as of now. Even the opening cutscene, which is a camera shot that sprawls through Manhattan, shows obvious traces of pop-in, trees spawning from out of nowhere, and poor textures. Most of the character models outside of the main cast are pretty bad as well, but at least they are more detailed than the ugly and dirty mess that was Spider-Man: The Movie. For the time it came out, Spider-Man 2 was an impressive game, and in some regards it still is. The draw distance is rather far; just standing atop the tallest building in the game and looking below and beyond is quite the sight. So as much as I have ragged on the game's visuals as being outdated, there are some graphical aspects that still amaze to this day. As for the sound, while you're taking New York for a spin, a stirring orchestra backs up the action. Other times, you get this generic-sounding rock music. The score basically covers both extremes. As for the voice acting, the known Hollywood talent present does its job well, and the cast that rounds out the numerous parts also sound great. Sure, there are a few eye roll-worthy performances here and there, but it is generally more than satisfactory.

Take a moment to relax and take in the sights.

Spider-Man 2 manages to be a Spider-Man game that requires a fair bit of finesse to master the web-swinging mechanics. This may put off more casual Spider-Man fans, as might the glitchy-at-times combat. (The final battle had Doc Ock convulsing so much after a punch that I thought he was having a seizure.) Achieving 100% completion in the game is a lofty ambition, but it is one that I think most players won't bother doing as there is no major reward for completing this arduous and time-consuming task. It is simply not worth the struggle. Despite these problems, Spider-Man 2 is one of the better superhero games out there, and one of the better Spider-Man games period. Spider-Man 2 does whatever a video game can, and it does it rather well.

[SuperPhillip Says: 8.0/10]

Spider-Man: The Movie (PS2, GCN, XBX) Retro Review

The Amazing Spider-Man premiered in theaters across North America this past Tuesday, so it seems appropriate for this retro review. Plus, July is Retro Review Month here at SuperPhillip Central. It all fits together so beautifully! We start the celebration of all things retro and all things webhead with this review of Spider-Man: The Movie. Is it good? Is it bad? Is nostalgia a jerk? We'll find out!

Play the Official Game of the Official Movie 

With the Official Spider-Man

The month and year was April 2002, more than a decade ago now. The movie world was all abuzz with the upcoming release of the Spider-Man motion picture directed by Sam Raimi of Evil Dead and Darkman fame. The movie would tell the origins of Spider-Man and the Green Goblin as well as introduce notable characters like Mary Jane Watson, Harry Osborn, Uncle Ben, Aunt May, and J. Jonah Jameson, Peter's boss at the Daily Bugle newspaper. Spider-Man lit up the box office and was a smashing success worldwide. The game that accompanied the release of the movie came out a week or two before the film debuted, but like the movie, my memories of the game don't quite hold up as well as I once thought they would.

Spider-Man: The Movie loosely follows the plot of the big-budget Hollywood film. It takes some creative license, of course, to extend the length of the game to something acceptable by adding in alternate scenarios featuring fabled webhead villains such as Shocker, Vulture, and Scorpion. If you've watched the actual movie, you should be familiar with the story of the game it is based off of. It begins with Peter Parker in his amateur-made Spider-Man costume-- what, with its ski mask and long-sleeved shirt and all-- hunting down his Uncle Ben's murderer, and the game concludes with the final battle against the Green Goblin. In the middle of the game are the aforementioned creative license parts which pad out the game considerably.

Once the game gets into the swing of things,
you'll still end up disappointed.

When I think of Spider-Man I think of sprawling outdoor cityscape playgrounds for the web brain to swing around in. Spider-Man: The Movie does not have an abundance of these scenarios. There are a handful of outdoor levels to partake in, but the majority of the action takes places indoors. Now, when I think of when Spider-Man does have to go indoors, I think of the terrific PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Dreamcast Spider-Man game which handled indoor and outdoor areas splendidly. Spider-Man: The Movie spins out in this aspect among many others.

Who needs to go to a museum when you
can admire the art in the subway tunnels?

For one, the camera is absolutely terrible in these claustrophobic sections. And moving the camera while walking? Forget about it. For some reason you continue walking in the direction you were moving in when you turn the camera instead of being able to move in a different direction like, say, Super Mario 64 or any capable 3D game, for that matter. It makes movement a tremendous hassle. It's a shame because the actual web-slinging is commendable. You can zip up walls quickly, dangle from ceilings onto foes, and cross large periods of air in a swift pace. You feel in control for the most part.

Just hanging around.

But then comes the unfortunately unresponsive combat controls. Punching, kicking, and shooting web all feel too loose for their own good. Combat feels extraordinarily clunky. Things get even more frustrating when the game throws gobs of goons at you. Cycling between enemies is way too slow, and you seldom get to target the foe you want to. This is impossibly difficult when you're facing ten thugs, two or three of which are using high-powered handguns to blast you with. It'd be fine if you could always rely on your web techniques like spraying webs on your hands to increase your pummeling power, or encasing yourself in a web dome to defend yourself, but you have a limit on how much web you can use before running out and needing to find a blue spider token to refill it. Combat is simply an inexcusable mess.

There are over twenty levels to complete in Spider-Man: The Movie. You'll be taken through the New York City skyline, through subway tunnels, and a burning clock tower along your way to stop part of the webhead's rogues gallery in the game. As you play through each level, you can nab gold spider tokens that unlock combos for Spidey to utilize in battle. Most of these tokens are hidden in or on out of the way areas. There are also plenty of secret areas to find. Discovering these areas give you an end of level point bonus. You can also get points by beating enemies as well as not taking any damage at all in a given level. What do these points do, you ask? Points accumulate over every level, and as you reach certain thresholds, you unlock new in-game content like new costumes, secret CG movies, and even a fun little distraction called Webhead Bowling.

Air combat fares a little bit better than ground combat.

I've said plenty of negative things about the Spider-Man: The Movie game. Regardless, something good I can say about it is that the presentation is rather solid. Publisher Activision and developer Treyarch spared no expense, even getting Tobey Maguire and Willem Dafoe, the actors who play Spider-Man/Peter Parker and Green Goblin/Norman Osborn respectively, to once again assume their roles in the game. Their voice acting, especially Willem Dafoe's, is of a high quality. They don't sound phoned in as you might expect that approach from a big Hollywood actor doing voice work on a video game. From voices to music of Spider-Man: The Movie, the soundtrack is comprised of several riveting symphonic melodies and heroic fanfares. Most of it is forgettable, but it perfectly suits the Spider-Man character. Meanwhile, the visuals of backgrounds, buildings, and indoor areas hold up somewhat well. What doesn't, however, are the character models outside of Spider-Man and a token amount of villains. Faces look extremely muddy and blurred, characters have gloves for hands, and animations are all over the place in quality.

Don't mind me, I'm just your friendly
neighborhood Spider-Man.

Spider-Man: The Movie is a video game that suffers the fate of many licensed movie games before it; it just isn't that good. The combat controls leave loads to be desired, the camera in indoor areas is laughable, and the irritation will just leave many in a simply flustered state. Even the most diehard Spidey fan should make reservations before plopping down any cash to play this game. Better yet, if you want a full Spider-Man experience, play the superior Spider-Man 2 or the PS1, N64, and Dreamcast Spider-Man games. Both options are some of the best the comic book hero has been involved in. My verdict of Spider-Man: The Movie can be summed up with a quote by the lovely Mary Jane Watson, "Face it, tiger, you just missed the jackpot."

[SuperPhillip Says: 4.0/10]

Geist (GCN) Retro Review

Something tells me it will be a slow week news-wise for gaming. That means nothing really as the exclusive content at SuperPhillip Central will get pumped out regularly anyway. That includes the newest retro review to haunt the SPC Review Archive, Geist.

Possession Is 9/10ths of the Law

Nintendo and Mature-rated games do not usually go hand in hand. In fact, Nintendo generally strays away from such material as they have fought long and hard to preserve their mostly family-friendly image. In the GameCube era, however, they did delve into some M-rated fare. Nintendo published two of Silicon Knights' titles, Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem and the remake of the original Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes. Later on in the GameCube's life cycle they also published an effort by a small developer known by the name of n-Space, a supernatural shooter and the subject of this review, Geist. Does Geist stand a ghost of a chance in capturing players' attentions and imaginations?

You play as John Raimi, a man who joins a counterterrorism force infiltrating the suspicious Volks Corporation in search of a missing friend and mentor of Raimi. It all begins as a routine extraction mission, but when Raimi is captured by Volks personnel, he is forced to undergo various experiments all culminating with his spirit being torn out from his body. Escaping from his prison, Raimi, as a ghost, now has the ability to possess objects and certain living things. With this ability-- and the help of a mysterious ghostly girl-- he must find a way to recover his lost body as well as fulfill his assigned mission. The story of Geist has some intriguing plot elements and twists, but most of it comes off as cheesy thanks mostly in part to the voice acting. Some of it isn't that bad, certainly not cringe-inducing, but the actors present definitely weren't part of a nationwide talent search. My problem with the actual cutscenes is that there is no way to skip them initially. Only if you fail a mission and you review a cutscene can you skip it. This makes repeated plays through the game annoying.

To call Geist a first-person shooter is to make a bit of a faux pas. It's a misnomer. Yes, there are copious amounts of time where you are indeed firing guns at foes, popping caps, and causing bloodshed, but that's just a segment of the gameplay.  There is a huge emphasis on exploration as well as puzzle elements within the nine chapters of the game.

The shooting action is standard material, for sure.

Possession is a large component of Geist, as one might suspect from a game where you spend most of your time as a ghost. You can't just possess anything and everything all willy nilly. In fact, to capture human or other lifeforms you must put them into a state of severe fright first. Each device, person, animal, or thing you can possess emits a red aura. Some people and animals need to be alarmed to the point that their aura turns from normal to red. The early goings of the game offer simple solutions to how to coax your potential hosts into fear. Scaring a dog is as easy as taking over his dish and frightening the poor pooch when he approaches it. Some require a bit more finesse and multiple steps. An innocent girl in a shower can be horrified through possessing three nearby shower heads. She'll then to a mirror which you can take the form of to give her an eerie glimpse of herself as a zombie, shocking her into a red aura, perfect to possess.

It is important to keep key hosts alive. If they perish for any reason, you fail the current objective and must restart from a checkpoint. So as fun as it is to blast away your mentor and friend, it won't help you advance in the game. Sometimes you'll need to cycle through hosts to clear obstacles. Time slows to a crawl as you are a specter, and most of the time you cannot be seen (later in the game you encounter guards who can see and damage you while you are a ghost). Certain fields block you from passing through them in ghost form, but simply possessing someone with a solid body makes going through them a breeze. De-possessing someone is a smart tactic to see what enemies lie ahead, perhaps waiting for you for an ambush opportunity. 

"Hey, buddy. You got any more Cheez-Its?"

Not all is well with taking over hosts, though. My main beef with the possession mechanic is that there is typically just one right order of steps to possess a given person or living thing such as a rat or rabbit. I feel the potential of Geist isn't fully realized because of this. Could you imagine a type of gameplay where you had a choice of how you wanted to go about frightening a host? The possibilities would be incredible and open the game up to further experimentation.

The actual shooting parts of Geist feel great. It's a typical dual analog setup-- you use the analog stick to move and the C-stick to look around. Depending on your host, the left shoulder button performs a flurry of maneuvers such as crouching or sprinting. You have unlimited ammo with each host (who can only hold one gun at a time), but you must reload after you've relinquished all of the ammo in a clip. Unlike modern shooters of this generation, Geist doesn't rely on regenerating health. Hiding behind cover when you have been shot at to heal doesn't work in this title. Instead there are health packs plastered on walls around the various levels and boss battles of Geist.

Meet your maker, generic solider scum!

Unlike most shooters on the market, Geist actually does have encounters with stronger enemy characters-- bosses, if you will. Some are as effortless as strafe to avoid their fire while blasting away at the baddie's weak point. Others require more of your cunning. One boss is a battle between a human opponent. You can possess the dropped grenades that fall from the opponent's belt, roll them over to him, and detonate them to instill some explosive values onto the character.

Fi-fi-fo-fum all you like. Your days are numbered.

The single player campaign of Geist will last most player 7-10 hours. However, there are some good reasons to replay completed chapters. Strewn about the levels of Geist are ghost and host collectibles. Ghost collectibles can only be gathered by you in ghost form while host collectibles can only be nabbed by a worldly body. Ghost collectibles increase how long you can stay in spectral form without needing to possess something while every two host collectibles grabbed unlock bonus content in the multiplayer modes such as new arenas and characters to play as.

Speaking of the multiplayer, the options are pretty expansive for a console shooter, containing numerous options from whether or not to include power-ups like defense up and health increases to whether or not you can possess objects like explosive crates and gun turrets. There are about a dozen or so arenas in all ranging from small to large, one-tier to multi-tier. Oh, and yes, there is the inclusion of bots. Hallelujah. Three modes is the amount of match types to choose from including Possession Death Match, where a selection of hosts rest idly by in all corners of the map and the goal is to take a host and kill your opponent with them; Capture the Host, where the objective is to possess a host and bring him to your base; and Hunt, where a team of ghosts try to possess a team of hosts, forcing them into death traps while the team of hosts try to exterminate the ghosts. Geist's multiplayer is quite unlike any other shooter on the market. It's an enjoyable experience, especially with a roomful of friends.

With four friends, the fun ends 
when your GameCube breaks.

Geist was by no means a technical marvel when it originally debuted on the GameCube in 2005, late in its life. It wasn't a showpiece of tech then, and that fact certainly shows itself in the here and now. The character models aren't heavily detailed, the textures of the environments aren't too impressive, and the lighting is capable but nothing to write home about. The HUD is quite good, though, and clean. I do like how it shows the character you have currently possessed in the bottom left corner of the screen and what he or she is currently doing (i.e. shooting, running, walking, etc). Away from the visuals, the music of Geist is pretty competent. It kicks up when things get tense while it stays subdued when the situation calls for it. Like I said previously, the voice work isn't the best, but it gets the story across adequately and that's all that really matters. Overall, Geist is a pretty dated looking game. 

Possessing (see what I did there?) a high degree of innovation in a genre that pretty much strives on being by the numbers, Geist is a welcomed change from today's line of grey and/or brown corridor shooters and highly scripted affairs. It could have pushed itself to be more ambitious, but considering the developer behind the game, this project turned out well for them. This game didn't turn the industry upside down, nor really should it have, but if we see more shooters that try to push the genre in interesting directions, then I couldn't complain. Geist isn't the ghost with the most, but it is a commendable effort by n-Space.

[SuperPhillip Says: 7.0/10]

Mario Power Tennis (GCN) Retro Review

Time to cap off the week with a retro review. As you most likely know by now, Mario Tennis Open (3DS) is due out in less than three weeks in North America. It seems as good a time as any to take to the court for some practice with the GameCube's Mario Power Tennis. 

Power to the Players

Tennis isn't a sport I was put on this earth to enjoy. In fact, I find the act of watching tennis to be incredibly boring. I can only imagine how it is to see it live at center court. Eyes looking to the left, then the right, then the left, then the right, ad nauseum as the players volley the ball back and forth in a rally. That's okay, though, as I know the sport is popular throughout the world. However, whenever Mario leaps his way into a sport, I find myself getting more invested in it. This is true with Mario's GameCube tennis escapade, Mario Power Tennis. Is this version of tennis an ace or a double fault?

There are a myriad of modes to partake in inside the wacky world of Mario Power Tennis. The main attraction here is Tournament Mode which pits you against a vast array of Mushroom Kingdom characters in order to earn the coveted trophy for each cup. There are three cups: Mushroom, Flower, and Star. As you progress through each tournament, the competition gets tougher and the sets you must win become greater. Tournament Mode is set up for singles as well as doubles play. Unfortunately, you cannot play with a buddy in tournaments; you are forced to work with a computer character. As you complete tournaments, you not only unlock one of four secret characters to play as, but winning the Star Cup of a singles tournament gives whatever character you played as a star, giving them more abilities in a given match.

Mario once again takes to the court!

Outside regular tennis that generally takes place on the Peach Dome trio of grass, clay, and hard courts, there are gimmick courts which add a flavor of Mario's fantastical elements into the sport. The Luigi's Mansion court is haunted with a plethora of poltergeists which will attack their victims, slowing them down, as well as throwing slippery banana peels all over the playing surface to trip up players. Meanwhile, the Gooper Blooper court hanging above the waters of Super Mario Sunshine's Ricco Harbor has sliding floor panels which move once a ball hits them, revealing holes. If a ball hits these holes, the ball is considered "out" and your opponent gets the points. Another example of a gimmick court is the DK Jungle court where the always-annoying from Donkey Kong Country Klaptrap enemies will attach themselves to players, slowing them down. There are a total of ten courts-- including the three variants of Peach Dome-- to play on.

As if tennis wasn't hazardous enough without
all of these Klaptraps on the court!

In addition to the gimmick courts are concepts like Item Battle and the fan favorite Ring Shot. Item Battle has Mario Kart's item boxes spread across the net. Each time a ball passes through an item box, the player that hit the ball receives a helpful item such a Mushroom (speeds your movement up), a Star (grants invincibility), or a Red Shell (homes in on your opponent to knock them out temporarily), to name a few. Ring Shot pits two opponents or two teams against one another, hitting balls through rings to score points. The side with the most points at the conclusion of the game is determined as the victor.

Send back all of this big, bad Blooper's shots to win.

Apart from typical tennis and the aforementioned eccentric modes come Special Games. These put your numerous tennis abilities to the test in various scenarios. In Artist on the Court, you hit multiple colored paint balls into a wall in an attempt to paint a mural of a character. Hitting shots accurately to touch up various portions of the painting is key to getting a good time. Meanwhile, Gooper Blooper Volley is a test of endurance as you hit back all of the shots of the titular boss enemy. If you miss a shot or hit a ball onto a space marked with an "X", your game is over. There are eight or so Special Games to play, some of which need to be unlocked. Each game has multiple levels to complete with each level becoming increasingly more difficult to complete. Usually you have less time to score more points or some other kind of stipulation that is against you.

Up to four players can join in on the Special Games fun.

As for the actual gameplay of Mario Power Tennis, it is incredibly accessible to any player's skill level. The controls couldn't be easier. There's buttons for slices, topspin shots, lobs which send the ball high into the air near the back of the court (perfect against players that play near the net), drop shots that aim for the front of the court on a low trajectory, and smash shots. Smash shots occur when the ball is hit high into the air and a star appears on your side of the court. If you hustle on over to the star, you can press the A and B buttons to perform a powerful and speedy smash shot. All of these shots can be charged up to be launched at a fast velocity. Your opponents won't know what hit them.

The "Power" part of Mario Power Tennis refers to the various power shots players can use on one another to unleash vicious offensive or defensive maneuvers on their opponents. As you volley the ball back and forth between you and your adversary, your racket will begin to glow. At full power, you can dish out a power shot. Depending on your position in relation to where the ball is you can let loose either an offensive or defensive power shot. If the ball is right in your line of sight, you can use an offensive shot such as Mario's heavy hammer power shot which hits the ball at a high speed. If your opponent hits the ball back, they will momentarily be pushed back deep within their side of the court. Likewise, defensive power shots are used when you are far away from the ball with no hope of getting to it on your own. For example, Luigi's defensive power shot has him strapping on his Poltergust 3000 and sucking up the ball from wherever it may be. He can then send the ball to his opponent's side of the court. Power shots are surrendered if you block an offensive power shot. However, you won't be hit deep on your court's side.

DK's defensive banana boomerang grabs far away shots.

There are eighteen characters in all to play as (four of which are unlockable through Tournament Mode). Each has their own power shots and proficiencies. All-around players like Mario and Luigi are good in every category while Technical players like Peach, Daisy, and Shy Guy can hit shots with better accuracy. Then there are Power players who can hit the ball with such strength that they will hammer the ball down your throat. Other categories include Speed players such as Yoshi and Diddy Kong, Defensive players like Waluigi, and Tricky players in the vein of Boo and Bowser Jr.

Mario Power Tennis runs at a steady framerate in order to keep up with the fast and frenetic action of the sport. Characters are modeled well, and the courts are lively background and foreground. The game can become cluttered with too much color at spots which may blind some players or make it challenging to see where the ball is. The voice work isn't too grating, and the soundtrack by veteran composer Motoi Sakuraba fits the happy-go-lucky realm of the Mushroom Kingdom quite well. The opening cutscene is also highly hilarious to watch if you enjoy lighthearted fare.

One of the two unlockable courts in Mario Power Tennis.

While not perfect (I can take or leave the addition of power shots), Mario Power Tennis (stay away from the Wii's New Play Control version) is a welcome addition to the exhaustive lineup of Mario sports titles. If you are interested in the ultimate arcade tennis experience, then I suggest you look into the Nintendo 64 version of Mario Tennis or the PlayStation Portable's Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip. For everyone else, you have a competent and entertaining tennis romp that even non-fans of the sport can enjoy. Mario and friends don't hit a smash shot with this game, but it is a game you'll feel the "love" towards.

[SuperPhillip Says: 8.5/10]