Tinykin (Multi) Review

Our next review takes us time traveling back to 2022. Sometimes a writer just wants to revisit a fun game and write a review about it! That's exactly the case with this particular game and review. It's Tinykin time, friends!

Honey, I shrunk with some 'kins!

Tinykin is by no means a really recent game. It released in August 2022, but sometimes I feel the urge to review a game not because I want to question and evaluate its quality. No, instead this review is more to beam and boast about the game--as it's one I very much have enjoyed--so much so that I've played it across three platforms to 100% completion, the most current of which was the Steam version. Thus, to say that I have a fondness for Tinykin is a bit of an understatement. While it's by no means my perfect game, it's definitely an entertaining one.

If you're not aware of what Tinykin is, then allow me to enlighten! Not only is it a game but it's the namesake of the little creatures that our hero and intrepid explorer Milodane that assist him along his journey throughout a house while he's in teeny and yes, tiny form. Perhaps a relatable analogy would be that the Tinykin are the Pikmin to Milodane's Captain Olimar. That notwithstanding, Tinykin's comparisons to Pikmin as a series almost totally end there, save for the Tinykin also being able to retrieve items and objects for our plucky protagonist.

Each room of Tinykin's world (house) is interconnected and full of places to discover.

The meat and potatoes of Tinykin is that it's a platformer first and foremost, and one where you explore various worlds--or in this case, rooms of a house in miniature form, to solve environmental puzzles, take on NPC tasks, and complete the overall objective of the room. Whether that's getting things set up for a party around a bathtub for a sudsy shindig, or baking a cake by tracking down and retrieving the ingredients, mixing them up, and putting the ingredients in the oven to bake proper, there is a fair amount to do within Tinykin's sprawling, expansive worlds.

Tinykin come in various forms, usually one form introduced per world (or room). There are your standard pink Tinykin that can grab, retrieve, open/unblock obstacles, and other helpful tasks, while red Tinykin merrily explode upon contact with targets they're thrown at, such as candles, destructible objects, etc. Then, you have your green Tinykin, which can be assembled one on top of the other to create makeshift ladders for Milodane to climb. The more Tinykin in his possession, the higher he can climb to reach otherwise inaccessible areas needing some extra verticality to reach. 

These rambunctious red Tinykin really love to bring the boom.

From there, you have blue Tinykin which are electrical, able to hold charges, and when placed between an electrical outlet and something needing power piped to it, the blue Tinykin can be tossed and arranged to form a chain to bring the power to it. Finally, yellow Tinykin serve as makeshift bridges, though only at specially marked locations.

This gap is not a bridge too far for these yellow Tinykin!

The Tinykin are born from eggs, and ready to be hatched by Milodane discovering them all throughout the worlds of the game. Tracking down enough Tinykin to get a task at hand completed requires a fair amount of careful exploration, as the eggs are practically everywhere. So, too, is pollen, the currency used to upgrade Milodane's bubble ability. 

Yes, Milodane isn't completely helpless to get around the worlds without his Tinykin friends--he can jump in the air and glide for a limited amount of time in a bubble. The more upgraded the bubble is, the more Milodane's bubble will carry him across hazards like water, spikes, and long drops from high up in the air. Milodane can also access a surfboard in the form of a clever bar of soap, not just to slide along surfaces more swiftly, but also to grind along special pieces of string that serve as shortcuts from various points of interest in each world.

Eat your heart out, Sonic the Hedgehog.

But, going back to the pollen and Tinykin eggs, it can be quite challenging to go for 100% completion in this game. There is no radar to determine where missing eggs and pollen are located in a given world, so while you have a tally and total available to you for what's missing, you're practically on your own to track down where those last eggs and pollen particles are in a world. Again, as the worlds/rooms in Tinykin are so open, large, vertical, and expansive, this can be mighty overwhelming to comb every inch, corner, nook, and cranny of these otherwise platforming paradises.

Tinykin has no combat to speak of--enemies are pretty much limited to the aforementioned hazards of water, spikes/thorns, and gravity. This approach may not be compelling to some players, but for me, I felt that combat wasn't at all needed nor something I missed in this game. It was just a chill vibe to leap around levels, searching for Tinykin and pollen, solving various characters' dilemmas, figuring out solutions to puzzles, and discovering secret areas that were quite commonly off the beaten path. The rewards for exploration were so enjoyable to me, that I didn't even second guess the decision to not have enemies of the traditional variety.

Keep your eyes peeled for secret alcoves and other hidden areas 
within the game world. They're all over the place!

The length of Tinykin's adventure isn't too terribly lengthy. For most players, they may be able to beat or even complete the game in less than ten hours. That's a perfect length for me, in all honesty, as the game does not at all outwear its welcome whatsoever. The December 2022 addition of new costumes and rather tricky time attack challenges--both optional content--delivered even more replay value to this already enticing package. Heck, by virtue of me enjoying three separate playthroughs across three years, that should say more than enough about how easy it is to come back to this game.

Tinykin's world is immensely populated with 3D objects and backgrounds to platform and otherwise play around on, while its characters are 2D. It's a very Paper Mario-esque presentation, and it works wonderfully. It amazed me how I could stand atop one of the later level's peaks, essentially, and see so much below Milodane and in the distance, as well. The draw distance in general is phenomenal. There is so much going on, it's any wonder it doesn't fall to pieces in frame-rate. Musically, the score is appropriately bouncy and never grating. Perfect for spending hours in each level.

The draw distance is absolutely awe-inspiring. (This is the Steam version, as an aside!)

Sure, 100% completion in Tinykin can be a bit tedious and irritating to track down a handful of missing Tinykin eggs or pollen particles hidden throughout levels, as it can be reminiscent of looking for a needle in a haystack. Of course, I don't really know anyone who has needed to do such a task with looking for needles in haystacks, but it's a colloquialism for a reason! Otherwise, Tinykin is such a charming and clever platformer that I love returning to it every now and then. Not all will vibe with the lack of combat, but if the idea of exploring expansive worlds full of objectives to complete, items to find, platforming challenges to perform, and secrets to discover, then you probably already have jumped into Tinykin. If not, I wholeheartedly recommend you do!

[SPC Says: A-] 

Hey! Pikmin (3DS) Review

SuperPhillip Central heads towards the end of June with a cavalcade of new reviews! This next one is from a Nintendo 3DS game that released last fall. It's Hey! Pikmin, and hey! It's time for SuperPhillip Central's review!

Little Pikmin, Big Adventure

Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto is one of the most celebrated creators in the video game industry, and it's for good reason--he continually makes amazing games out of simple concepts that most often than not turn into long, thriving franchises. One such franchise is Pikmin, which debuted in 2001 on the Nintendo GameCube, thanks to Miyamoto's own interest in gardening. Since then, three main installments have been released on home consoles, and a fourth game, a bit of a spin-off, is on the Nintendo 3DS as of last fall, Hey! Pikmin. With a developer in Arzest that doesn't have the best reputation with many Nintendo fans, can Hey! Pikmin break new ground, grow, and prosper? Well, in a word, yes!

Hey! Pikmin once again sees Captain Olimar's ship, the Dolphin, crash landing on a planet that is mysteriously reminiscent of a certain planet we all live on. (Hint, hint.) With the help of his longtime friends, the Pikmin, Olimar must journey through dangerous plains, caves, mountains, and more to uncover a whole assortment of objects from the wild. These objects are then converted into energy for the Dolphin, in order for it to repair itself and leave the planet with Olimar in one piece. While the way the game sets itself up will be familiar to any Pikmin series player, instead of exploring a three-dimensional environment like in the console titles, Hey! Pikmin plays out completely in 2D through side-scrolling, relatively linear levels.

The game uses both of the Nintendo 3DS's screens to display each level. You utilize the Circle Pad (or face buttons for left-handed players) to move Olimar around, and use the stylus to toss Pikmin. Where you tap on the screen determines the place a given Pikmin is thrown. Pikmin can be chucked at various enemies, objects, and obstacles in order to proceed through levels, and this feels very nice and natural. The precision granted by the stylus/touch controls is great for picking off even the smallest of enemies with little margin of error. Of course, enemies don't just stand still, waiting to have Pikmin manhandle them. Timing is key to tap the screen at the right time and the right spot to successfully throw Pikmin at moving targets, or else they might be over or under-thrown, perhaps resulting in some grisly Pikmin deaths.

The enemies of Hey! Pikmin feature some well known buggers for fans of the franchise, but there are also plenty of new, exclusive creatures to contend with. Starting out, enemies are easy to dispatch and take care of, but as you progress through the game, they become more dangerous, offering greater offense and resistance. From oval-shaped birds that aim at your Pikmin pals to an overgrown bug that marches back and forth, intent on devouring any and all potential meals that are foolish enough to stick around in front of it, Hey! Pikmin's world definitely isn't too friendly to Olimar and his squad of helpers.

Thankfully, Captain Olimar and the Pikmin are more than capable of fending off any foe or challenge that rests on this perilous planet. Olimar himself has a helpful jet pack that he can use to hover for short distances. This acts as an admittedly clunky way of adding platforming to the game, but the mostly slow and relaxed pace of Hey! Pikmin makes it so the clunky jet pack doesn't ruin the experience.

Like the main Pikmin games, each variety of Pikmin has their own usefulness and abilities. For instance, Red Pikmin are the most common and can walk through fire and flames without being incinerated. Meanwhile, Yellow Pikmin are the lightest of the bunch, able to both be thrown higher than other Pikmin types, and can also defy the dangers of electricity. Blue Pikmin won't drown in water like other Pikmin, swimming and moving freely in the water. Then, there are the strong, crystal-crushing Rock Pikmin and the flying Winged Pikmin to help out as well. Each type is gradually introduced throughout the adventure, and the game teaches the abilities of the varieties of Pikmin in a steady manner as well through showing rather than telling. This is done through cute, animated scenes when Olimar comes across a batch of Pikmin in levels. Not only entertaining and adding personality to Hey! Pikmin, but also a great tutorial as well. Fortunately, not all of the Pikmin's abilities are revealed through these scenes. Some things you stumble upon yourself--particular uses of the Pikmin--and these moments really shine brightly in the game.

Hey! Pikmin isn't too difficult of a game in general, especially if your goal is to just go from the start of levels to their end. However, if you're exploring levels for objects to collect, there's more of a challenge to be found. This challenge is even greater if you want to collect all 20 Pikmin in a level without having any of them perish. Some levels are quite tricky to accomplish this task, and it can get very annoying proceeding through a level only to have a Pikmin get gobbled up or otherwise die at the final enemy or obstacle before the goal. The reward for completing all levels in the game this way is minimal at best, but it's an extra way to challenge yourself and add even more replay value to this 9+ hour game. If that doesn't do it for you, then each level's hidden areas and secret exits leading to unlockable levels can extend the fun of Hey! Pikmin, as well.

Hey! Pikmin's eight major sectors of 5-6 levels each (including a generally pleasing and interesting boss battle at the end of each sector) feature some smart level and puzzle design. Yes, I just said "smart level and puzzle design" when it comes to a game developed by Arzest. Hell hath frozen over. Regardless, levels where you explore a flooded cave that requires emptying its water for your Pikmin to be able to pass through, descend downward through a cavern where your Winged Pikmin carry you as you control your descent, avoiding enemies and hazards on your way down, and speed down a snowy series of slopes on top of a bottle cap as you fling Pikmin at enemies and deadly rolling snowballs alike, all offer excitement and nice variety.

Many of the passages, pathways, and areas leading to treasure have some nicely designed puzzle sequence to solve as well. One had me throwing Pikmin onto a sardine can in order to weigh it down and lift up the platform Olimar was standing on. Then, I could move Olimar over to where the treasure was located after figuring out how to raise up a second sardine can by correctly positioning his Pikmin squad in place. Many times I would be playing Hey! Pikmin and get a revelation as to how to interact with an obstacle in the game, or even realize that I could use this Pikmin in this particular way.

Another reason that avoiding treasure (which amounts to just ordinary everyday objects to people like us) is a negative is that you'll miss out on reading all of the incredibly clever descriptions of objects that Captain Olimar stumbles upon and makes note of in his journal. For example, a combination lock for a locker is described by Olimar as an ominous vault of sorts, complete with foreboding countdown. These entries of both objects and enemies are fun reads, and they add even more welcomed personality to Hey! Pikmin.

What isn't so welcomed is Pikmin Park, which seems like a throwaway mode in the main story of the game. Here, you send Pikmin off to various locations in the park to dig up Sparkium, the energy Olimar's rocket requires to escape the planet. However, the process is so slow and the rewards are so small in comparison to simply going through levels and collecting treasure, that it really feels somewhat worthless in the grand scheme of things.

Eschewing the more photo-realistic take on the visuals as seen in the home console, mainline entries of Pikmin, this 3DS spin-off has a more watercolor look, sort of similar to Yoshi's New Island. However, here it's more impressive with more appealing colors and lighting. With the use of both screens as the playing area, the stereoscopic 3D isn't available in Hey! Pikmin. Furthermore, even when the action isn't intense, some frame-rate issues occur. This is nothing that spoils the game by any means, but it's important to mention. Meanwhile, the sound side of Hey! Pikmin sports a soundtrack that is probably my favorite out of all the Pikmin games, I found myself humming and bobbing my head a lot to the music in the game, and the familiar sound effects of the Pikmin hustling and bustling brought a smile to my face.

In a time where the Nintendo 3DS is winding down, Hey! Pikmin stands as a successful experiment for the Pikmin formula. Controlling Captain Olimar with the 3DS's Circle Pad while commanding his Pikmin with the stylus and touch screen is absolutely stellar. Hey! Pikmin is a terrific conversion of the series's gameplay from 3D to 2D, offering an entry that keeps the franchise feeling fresh. It might not be the Pikmin 4 that many of us have been waiting for, but Hey! Pikmin succeeds at being a great addition to Shigeru Miyamoto's anything-but-garden-variety brain child.

[SPC Says: B]

Attractive Attractions: My Most Anticipated Nintendo Land Mini-Games

The Wii U finally launches in North America on Sunday with the rest of the world following suit soon after. As someone who isn't able to get a Wii U until later on down the road, I am still enamored with the launch lineup. One of the games that excites me the most is none other than Nintendo Land. While not the real world Nintendo theme park that fans of the big N have wanted and wished for for years, Nintendo Land looks to be an extremely entertaining title.

I'm using this opportunity before the Wii U and Nintendo Land launches to write up a list of my most anticipated attractions from the compilation from least interested to most interested. Think of it as Rank Up! but without the official segment title.

12) Octopus Dance

The mini-game I am least excited for is based off of one of Nintendo's oldest properties, the Game & Watch. The Octopus Dance game has players essentially partaking in Simon Says as the AI does various poses which the player has to memorize, and then they have to repeat the computer's actions via the control sticks or gyro controls. This is all while doing it in rhythm. It seems like Octopus Dance is rather light on content and depth, so this game doesn't really appeal to me so much.

11) Yoshi's Fruit Cart

Don't let the simplistic presentation fool you-- there is a lot to like about Yoshi's Fruit Cart. By drawing a line on the GamePad's touch screen, players lead Yoshi through a level to gather all of the fruit and make it to the goal. The caveat here-- and the thing that makes the game something that could only be done on the Wii U-- is that players need to look at the TV screen to see where the location of the fruits are, as the GamePad screen does not show it to them. The dozens upon dozens of different levels interest me greatly.

10) Takamaru's Ninja Castle

The mini-game showcased in the North American general Wii U television advertisement, Takamaru's Ninja Castle is based off a Japanese-only Famicom Disk System game. By sliding his or her finger across the GamePad longways, players can launch shuriken at multiple waves of ninja. Alongside the normal ninja enemies, there are boss characters to battle. These sections has the player using a sword instead of shuriken. I enjoy shooting gallery-style games, and Takamaru's Ninja Castle looks to scratch that itch for me.

9) Donkey Kong's Crash Course

Get a crash course on using the GamePad to tilt a fragile vehicle through a hazard-laden, platform-filled obstacle course. Go too fast, and your vehicle might topple over. Go too slow, and time will expire. Ample checkpoints promise that repeated attempts don't get overly frustrating. The TV screen shows the entirety of a given level while the GamePad screen shows a zoomed in view of your vehicle. With multiple levels to ride through, Donkey Kong's Crash Course may seem intimidating to beginning players, but it appears to be a solid challenge regardless.

8) Captain Falcon's Twister Race

Not even using the F-Zero name in its title, Captain Falcon's Twister Race has the player's Mii riding in a windup Blue Falcon as they tilt the Wii U GamePad to steer through a windy track full of obstacles, boosts, and ramps. Perhaps my thirst for a new F-Zero is making me more enthused for this particular mini-game than I should be, but I could always use a good and not-so-complex racing game for the Wii U launch.

7) Balloon Trip Breeze

It's pertinent to note that only the single-player mini-games have been listed thus far. The final of these solo mini-games is Balloon Trip Breeze, based off of Balloon Fight. Creating wind gusts to blow the player's Mii around the auto-scrolling levels, the player collects balloons and dodges air mines that will pop one of their three balloons. Pop all three, and it's game over. Similar to Donkey Kong's Crash Course, the GamePad screen shows a zoomed in view while the TV screen displays a larger portion of the level. Each level ends with the player landing on an island.

6) Animal Crossing: Sweet Day

Animal Crossing: Sweet Day features the asymmetrical gameplay that Nintendo has been touting so much since the Wii U's initial unveiling two E3s ago. One player controls two guards with both analog sticks, one for the left stick and one for the right stick. That player's job is to capture all of the other players who are trying to collect candy and take it back to a drop off point. The more candy one has on them, the slower they move. The game ends in one of two ways: 1) The GamePad player captures every animal, or 2) The players collecting candy drop off enough.

5) Luigi's Ghost Mansion

Dressing one's Mii up as Mario, Luigi, Wario, or Waluigi?! Where do I sign up for that? Luigi's Ghost Mansion has a promising premise. Like Animal Crossing: Sweet Day, this game also uses asymmetric gameplay. The four players dressed up as the four plumbers attempt to find the location of a ghost controlled by the player with the Wii U GamePad. The ghost is completely invisible, but can be seen occasionally when a player's flashlight gleams on it or when lightning brightens the room. The players searching for the ghost have their controllers rumble when they are nearby the ghost. If the ghost player grabs and sucks the life force out of all players, that person wins. If the ghost gets sucked up by the other players, they win. I think Luigi's Ghost Mansion is a remarkably clever little game, and I am excited to try it out for myself.

4) Pikmin Adventure

Since Pikmin 3 isn't getting a release until next year, Nintendo Land's Pikmin Adventure mini-game will have to do for now. This is a cooperative-based game. The GamePad player controls Olimar. Meanwhile, up to four players with Wii Remotes control little Pikmin. Working together to bash baddies and break through obstacles, the players pass through colorful levels as they head to the end where Olimar's ship awaits. Before they can reach the Dolphin, however, they must deal with a powerful boss. The cooperative aspects of Pikmin Adventure seem enjoyable enough to me, making this mini-game my four most anticipated.

3) Mario Chase

We first saw this game under a different guise as Chase Mii at E3 2011. Now it has been given a Mario aesthetic as up to four Miis dressed as Toads try to capture the Mii dressed as Mario. The Mario Mii player can see where the Toads are on the Wii U GamePad screen. The fun comes from the players chasing after the Mii in the Mario costume communicating with one another. "No, over there!" "Not here! THERE!" If time runs out, the Mario player wins. If he or she is tagged by a Toad, then obviously the Toad brigade wins. It's an intriguing and seemingly entertaining take on tag, for sure.

2) The Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest

Set in a patchwork Hyrule, The Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest can be played alone or with some buds. It's an on-rails game where the GamePad player shoots bows and arrows at foes from afar while the other players utilize Wii MotionPlus to attack nearby baddies. The whole team shares a handful of hearts, so it is pertinent to play nicely and work together. With a fair amount of levels included, The Legend of Zelda: Battle Quest excites me as someone who 1) Loves The Legend of Zelda, 2) Enjoys teamwork, and 3) Likes on-rails experiences.

1) Metroid Blast

Unquestionably the Nintendo Land mini-game that I want to play the most (like right NOW), Metroid Blast takes third-person shooting to the Wii U. The game was originally known as Battle Mii, an E3 2011 tech demo. There are three modes in Metroid Blast. One has the GamePad player utilizing Samus's Gunship to destroy the opposing ground force Mii players and vice versa. Another has players scrambling to collect credits while the last is akin to the Gears of War series's Horde mode, where players work together to defeat wave after wave of enemies. Hearing reviews that the third-person controls are some of the most fun to use definitely has me excited. Another reviewer stated that Metroid Blast was one of the few Nintendo games in a long while to have him "feel like a bad ass." Mighty strong words, and ones that cannot stop me from feeling hype.

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I have ranked the Nintendo Land attractions from least hyped to most anticipated. Which attractions excite you the most, or do you not even plan on playing Nintendo Land at all? Why or why not? Spark up the conversation in the comments section below.

SuperPhillip's Favorite VGMs - Firework Frenzy Edition

The Fourth of July celebrates the United States' founding as its own entity and country. A typical Fourth consists of barbeques and fireworks, and while this edition of the VGMs has no BBQ food to be found, it does have fireworks of its own. On this week's installment we have music from F-Zero, Conker's Bad Fur Day, and Pikmin.

v141. F-Zero (SNES) - Mute City (Brawl Version)

Be prepared to see a lot of Super Smash Bros. Brawl arrangements and remixes on my favorite VGMs. That game and its flurry of popular Japanese composers did a wonderful job of re-imagining classic Nintendo songs from the company's extensive catalog. Composer Yasufumi Fukuda's Mute City arrangement is but one of these fantastic songs from Brawl which came from the original Super Nintendo F-Zero game. When the theme rocks out at 1:08, one can't help but be impressed and moved by the marvelous guitar riffs being showcased.

v142. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (DS) - Realm Overworld

The DS entries of the Zelda franchise consist of heavily polarized opinions. Some, like myself, love both, while others hate the touch only controls. Spirit Tracks is criticized by some because of the train transportation around the world map. I happened to enjoy it, and I truly loved the accompanying music that joined you as you traveled along the high speed rails, this song. One of my favorite parts of the game was the dynamic between Link and Zelda, who served a much more important gameplay role than in any other franchise title. Koji Kondo, Asuka Ohta, Toru Minegishi, and Manaka Tominaga penned the soundtrack for this atypical Legend of Zelda game.

v143. Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64) - Windy (Overworld)

A song that sends you back to the roaring 20's with its jaunty jazz, Windy (Overworld) is a perfect example of the compositional geniuses that worked at Rare back in the company's good old days. The actual game was unlike the majority of Rare's 3D platformers as the only main thing to collect within the game was wads of money. Compare that to Donkey Kong 64 and the difference is night and day. Throw in one foul-mouthed squirrel (a complete change from his appearance in Conker's Pocket Tales and Diddy Kong Racing) and a game that hard-to-find, and you have Conker's Bad Fur Day.

v144. Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure (DS) - Banson's Aria

One of the boss encounters of Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure has you taking on a mezzo soprano opera singer aboard his stage. This is the theme that plays during that battle. Henry Hatsworth was a game developed by Dream Rift who would go on to create such intriguing gaming experiences like Monster Tale and the upcoming Disney Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion. They certainly know how to develop some creative 2D platformers.

v145. Pikmin (GCN) - The Forest of Hope

This gentle melody and accompaniment encompasses you in the Forest of Hope, an area which with wildlife, nature, and pieces of Captain Olimar's Dolphin spaceship to collect. Olimar isn't alone, thankfully. He has the help of the local natives of the planet he crash landed on, the Pikmin, coming in three varieties: red, yellow, and blue. Whichever version of the game you get, whether it's the GameCube original or the Wii port, Pikmin is a modern classic.

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I hope all Americans enjoy the Fourth of July, despite half of the country being covered in dangerously hot temperatures for a lengthy series of days. As for everyone else, enjoy the week as you normally would. Until next time, check out the VGM Database for a full listing of songs you might have missed.

Rank Up! - New Play Control!

Smell that in the air? No, it's not delicious body odor, it's the scent of a new Rank Up! in the air! Exactly one week ago I posted my review of the New Play Control! version of Pikmin 2. This version had all-new Wii-based controls and received a 9.0 out of 10. Since all of the NPC releases have been... uh... released (save for Chibi Robo, which is a JPN exclusive), now is the perfect time to strike while the iron is hot and rank this series of GameCube ports from least impressive to most impressive. But before we can engage in this activity, we must see what games will be ranked:

New Play Control! Pikmin (Wii)
New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis (Wii)
New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (Wii)
Metroid Prime (Wii)
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Wii)
Pikmin 2 (Wii)

The New Play Control! line of games was originally designed as a twofold proposition: 1) To hark back some classics from the GameCube library and retrofit them with enhanced Wii controls as well as other bonuses, and 2) To fill the gap in-between software releases. Whether the NPC line succeeded in either of these goals is entirely debatable. Nonetheless, for twenty dollars apiece, it was nice to revisit these titles once more.

6) New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis (Wii)

I really enjoyed the GameCube iteration of the Mario Tennis series, Mario Power Tennis. Its introduction of all-new gimmick courts, featuring obstacles and hazards like treadmills, Klaptraps, ghosts, and puddles of goop to give the sport of tennis some more Mushroom Kingdom flavor. The addition of power shots is something that arguably worked in the game's favor. It did slow down the pace of matches quite a bit, but they could be turned off if one wished. The cast of colorful characters consisted of the likes of standbys like Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Yoshi, and Bowser, and included atypical character choices such as Koopa Troopa, Paratroopa, Petey Piranha, Wiggler, and Fly Guy. The Wii version brings all of these aforementioned aspects to the fold, so it must be even better with Wii controls, right? Well, not exactly. The game hardly manages to read your ball-striking gestures, making you enter a den of relative frustration. By the time you're through trying to play a match, you'll have cursed as much as a classic John McEnroe match. You cannot be serious. Well, I am.

5) New Play Control! Pikmin (Wii)

Unlike New Play Control! Mario Power Tennis, the Wii version of the original Pikmin is not a bad game by any means. In fact, the brand-new controls work wonderfully with the game. The pointer is used to select targets and areas for your favorite fictional astronaut Captain Olimar to chuck his precious Pikmin army upon. His ship, the Dolphin, has crashed on a foreign planet (though it is remarkably similar to a certain planet you and I live on), and meeting the helpful Pikmin, the capable Captain Olimar search across five unique levels to find his missing ship parts. The reason Pikmin is listed as number five is the annoying (at least to me) time constraints. You have a limited number of days to succeed in Olimar's mission, and the constant pressure can get to a more timid player! Regardless of this, Pikmin is a modern classic that demands your attention, Wii or GameCube.

4) New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (Wii)

I adored the GameCube exclusive Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. This game came out around the era of Nintendo experimenting with their main monkey after they parted ways with Rare, the developer behind the Donkey Kong Country trilogy on the SNES/GBA, the Donkey Kong Land games on Game Boy, and the 3D platformer Donkey Kong 64 on the Nintendo 64. Nintendo made the criminally overlooked DK King of Swing for the GBA, but they also developed this ace of a title. The game had players bashing a bongo drum controller. Tapping the right drum would move DK right while tapping the left drum would-- you guessed it-- move him left. The faster you tapped, the faster the banana-craving monkey moved. After extended periods of play, one's hands would hurt considerably. Meet New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. Instead of tapping, you have a control stick on the Wii's nunchuk to move DK around. Jumping is assigned to the A button while smacking foes and nabbing 'nanas is the job of shaking both the Wii remote and nunchuk. At first glimpse, the game seems relatively short, deceptively so. Gunning for high banana totals earns you crests which unlock secret, more difficult kingdoms filled with new levels. It's a fantastic game, and one that the team would move on from to make a little-known classic called Super Mario Galaxy.

3) Pikmin 2 (Wii)

While the sequel still had time to worry about, you didn't have to be anxious regarding beating the game within so many number of game-time days. Olimar's employer, an intergalactic shipping company, has gone in mad debt, and Olimar's boss sends him and newcomer Louie to the planet that the Dolphin previously crashed on in order to salvage as much valuable treasure as possible. Getting out of debt is never easy, after all. The Pikmin quickly get reacquainted with Olimar, and vow to assist him on his adventure. There's even two new types to be found, Purple and White Pikmin. Purple Pikmin are heavy creatures who may be slow, but they can really whoop a baddie brutally. Meanwhile, White Pikmin are poisonous (great for wading through toxic areas) and can uncover buried treasure. Despite their being only four levels in this sequel, the levels present are large and well designed. They also feature various caves which are essentially levels of their own. Deeper and deeper you delve in search of loot and survival. The greatest horrors lie in these dark and dank sublevel of the caves. Pikmin 2 is very much an improvement on the original's formula, and the Wii iteration brings with it the same superb pointer controls of New Play Control! Pikmin.

2) Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Wii)

There were a lot of changes going on as well as a ton of hype for the sequel to the highly successful-- both critical and commercial-- Metroid Prime. Retro Studios had a lot of work to do if they wanted to appease their fans, and they quite possibly crafted yet another masterpiece. The light and dark world mechanic, similar to what was found in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, allowed players to transport themselves between both worlds, solving environmental puzzles, earning new suit upgrades such as for the first time in 3D history, the Screw Attack, and overcoming obstacles. Yes, the near end fetch quest might have soured some opinions of the game, but when you have such tight controls (especially the Wii's version highly responsive point to aim controls) the fun outweighs the bad most definitely. Added to this game and perhaps a precursor to the Nintendo DS's Metroid Prime Hunters was a multiplayer mode for up to four combatants, all playing as different colored Samus Aran characters. The lack of bots made this mode nothing more than a novelty for me and others. That said, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is another essential play for any self-described gamer. Note: The Wii version can only be found outside of Japan in the Metroid Prime Trilogy collection.

1) Metroid Prime (Wii)

After multiple gos at transitioning Metroid from a 2D side-scroller to a fully 3D game, Shigeru Miyamoto stepped in and suggested that the wet behind the ears team at Retro Studios turn the game from a third-person action game into a first-person adventure. A crazy idea, but it would turn into be an extremely successful and novel one. From the moment you step foot on the planet of Tallon IV and have the steamy surroundings fog up your visor, you know you are in the midst of something sensational. The map design was impeccable, the abilities' tremendous representation in 3D, and the creature and boss design were all fantastic. The story was subtle, usually requiring the player to scan data from objects, wildlife, plant life, and computers strewn about the planet to gather information. The secrets like extra energy tanks, power bomb upgrades, and missile tanks were hidden especially well. Every inch, every segment, and every room of the world of Tallon IV had reason for existing. Metroid Prime is one of my favorite titles of time, and the Wii edition makes this the superior iteration. The controls are smooth, flawless, and make precision a priority and almost effortless to do. The fun of flanking foes and blasting them from behind is always a treat, and taking down the expertly created bosses is always a thrilling prospect. If you can somehow manage to score a used copy of Metroid Prime Trilogy, then you will no doubt play one of the best games in Nintendo's grand history. Note: The Wii version can only be found outside of Japan in the Metroid Prime Trilogy collection.

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Rank Up! is all ranked out. We have flourishingly conquered yet another edition of this popular and most requested segment. Next week we will be hitting court and ranking the Mario Tennis games while our tennis rackets are still hot. Until later, have a magnificent weekend!