CORBIE'S GAME BLOG

For any of you out there who haven't yet picked up Magical Starsign, what are you waiting for? I'll admit that I'm still a bit miffed over the US not getting the first Magical Vacation game on the Gameboy Advance, but I guess I can forgive and forget since we did at least get the sequel in Magical Starsign. On the other hand, playing Magical Starsign and seeing how fantastic it is just makes me now want Magical Vacation even more. So there, now I'm mad again. Seriously, if you're looking for an outstanding old-school RPG experience with one of the coolest art styles ever seen in an RPG, check out Magical Starsign. It's everything a great RPG should be. The only gripe I have is that the experience ended too quickly. So now I either want Magical Vacation for the Gameboy Advance, or another sequel. One or the other! NOW! : )

This was an easy choice for me. I've owned over 40 video game systems in my 28 years of gaming ranging from Odyssey Pong all the way up to Playstation 3, but the Super Nintendo system still remains my favorite game system of all time. Maybe it was the games, maybe it was the time in my life, either way, no other game system can touch the Super NES, even 15 years later.

You take a look at the games that were available for the system and it's clear what made it special. Starting off with the outstanding Super Mario World, and continuing on with games like Super Ghouls & Ghosts, Super Castlevania IV, and even Super Mario Kart. Shooters, the genre that many said the Super NES would fail at due to its slow processor speed, like Axelay, Super R-Type, R-Type III, and Space Megaforce all played great on the system and turned out to be some of the best the genre has seen. But if there was one genre that totally defined the Super NES, it was the role-playing games. Here are a few of the highlights: Seret of Mana, Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Mario RPG, Earthbound, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy II, Final Fantasy III, Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals, Soul Blazer, and even the US-developed Secret of Evermore. The list just goes on and on. Maybe a system will someday be able to capture the magic that the Super Nintendo system has held onto for so long, but it would be a high task indeed.

The one hope I have is that Nintendo will see what great games the system had and bring them back to life on the Wii's Virtual Console. Because these games deserve another run and what better system to do it on that the current Nintendo system. With the success the re-releases on such systems as the Gameboy Advance and the DS, it's clear that the fans still want the games from the greatest system ever made. And if you've played any of them, it's no wonder why. Click on the Super-NES picture to visit SUPER-NES.COM and check out some reviews of many of these classic titles.

There aren't many games in my 28 years of playing video games that I genuinely love as much as Final Fantasy X. I think it's the greatest video game ever made, and was just mind-blowing when it first came out. I got the opportunity to share this game with someone that I really cared about and it made the game even more of a moving experience for me. I've always kept my video gaming to myself for fear of tarnishing it by sharing it with someone I was dating in the event things didn't work out, but I took the chance for once and it really paid off. Although things didn't work out in the end, it was very special to be able to share something I love so much with another person I was close to. So this is a thank you to them for being a part of my life for a while and for sharing in something I love as much as video games and for sitting up with me late while I was trying to beat Seymour Flux. I'll always hold onto the two Final Fantasy action figures as a momento of the entire experience. I wish you could have been there when I finally finished the game, but I found the ending of the game kind of fitting considering the way things went for us at the end of our time together. Here's to you!

Salamander is a solid package much like the other two shooter collections Konami has put together for the PSP system in Japan. The package contains 5 great shooters including 2 classic Salamander games as well as the first release of the outstanding arcade title Xexex outside of Japanese arcades. While Salamander 2 and Xexex are clearly the best of the five titles, there's not a bad game in the bunch. Click on the screenshot to visit the Salamander Portable review over at Mobile Tech Review.

Konami has served up 5 of the best the TwinBee series has to offer and there's not a bad vertical shooter in the bunch. Konami even saw fit to completely update the classic monochrome Gameboy title TwinBee Da! and it looks and plays great. If you want to see a detailed review of TwinBee Portable. Click on the screenshot to go to the TwinBee Portable review at Mobile Tech Review.

Just finished the review of Parodius Portable for the PSP on Mobile Tech Review if anyone wants to check it out. I have to say, all three of these new portable packages from Konami are outstanding shooter collections and among the best PSP games I've played in many months. If you like the old-school shoot em' ups, look no further. I'll have the other two reviews done for Salamander Portable and Twin Bee Portable tomorrow. Enjoy! Click on the screenshot to go to the Parodius Portable review on Mobile Tech Review.

To say that the Nintendo DS has been a success would be the hands down biggest understatement of the century. The system has not only outsold the Sony PSP by a large margin, but it's also greatly outselling the home consoles as well. It's quickly become the best selling video game system ever made. Not too shabby for a system that was widely regarded as "too gimmicky" when it was first announced and shown at E3 in 2004. Now, over two years and 30 million DS systems sold later, there are so many hit titles that you can't even count them all. I'm going to show you ten games that no DS owner should be without.

Final Fantasy III - A classic that's been needing a US release for a long time. Square-Enix completely updated the music and visuals and the result is one of best looking and playing DS games to date. RPG fans will be in heaven with this one. And it's pretty tough to beat, which will take old-school RPG players back to the day when if you didn't die within the first hour, it wasn't nearly hard enough.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time - The sequel to the outstanding Super Mario RPG-esque GBA release Mario & Luigi. Partners in Time took everything that was great about the first game and upped the anty. The story is even funnier, the gameplay is even more playable, and the music is actually extremely well done. If you're a fan of any of the Mario RPG games then you owe it to yourself to pick up this title.

Kirby's Squeak Squad - After a terrific first outing on the DS complete with touchscreen play control, HAL has taken Kirby back to his platforming roots and the result is an absolutely fantastic side-scroller. The game builds on the gameplay of past Kirby games in which the little pink fellow can swallow enemies and take control of their powers and adds a fresh new twist to the classic game play. The game might end up being a little too easy for the die hard platformer fans, but this game is a good one for younger and or less experienced gamers.

Wario Ware Touched! - This is easily the best touchscreen game to date. No other game so accurately portrays exactly what the touchscreen brings to the table when it comes to play control variety. Making use of the same rapid-fire microgames that have made the Wario Ware series so popular over the years, Wario Ware Touched! adds the dual and toushcreen functions to make the entire package feel fresh and new again. This one is getting really hard to come by, so it might be a good idea to grab it if you can find it.

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin - After the amazing Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, Konami has returned with yet another awesome 2-D Castlevania game. The visuals are great, the music is great, and the gameplay is everything you could ask for in a Castlevania game. The touchscreen gimmicks are gone for the most part but the tried-and-true Castlevania platforming is still plentiful. One of the best games yet for the DS system.

New Super Mario Bros. - Not much to say with this one except that if you own a DS system, you have to own this title. It takes the old 2-D Super Mario Bros. style of gameplay to new heights and proves that Super Mario still has a lot of jump left in him. Beautiful visuals and a terrific soundtrack complete with many classic remixed tunes abound in this game. If you're a Super Mario fan you should already have this game and anyone who's not a fan will likely be converted with this title.

Cooking Mama - This is an odd title and most people will likely be turned off with the premise of cooking in a video game but the overall presentation is so high and the game is so playable that it's hard to not love this one. Everything from cutting up and preparing the ingredients to actually cooking and serving the meals is all here and the game gets more difficult as you progress to more complicated dishes. Don't let the theme of this game scare you off, it's a lot of fun.

Yoshi's Island DS - How can you go wrong releasing a sequel to one of the most beloved platformers ever made. Yoshi's Island takes everything that made the first game on the SNES so popular and brings it to the portable screen with an all new game. And just for the record, Yoshi's Island on the DS is every bit as tough as the original was on the Super NES. You won't blow through this one in one sitting I don't care how experienced you are at side-scrollers.

Magical Starsign - US gamers didn't get the chance to play Magical Vacation back when it came out for the Game Boy Advance system, but luckily we didn't get left out in the cold with the sequel on the DS. Magical Starsign uses a very original and unique art style and also sports one of the best soundtracks I've heard on the DS to date. Couple all of this with a 30 hour RPG adventure and you have one of the best games the DS has to offer. Not quite as good as Final Fantasy III but this game isn't quite as difficult either so it might appeal to those looking for a quality RPG experience without the frustatration factor.

Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime - I didn't know what to expect when this game was released but it actually turned out to be a terrific game. It's almost like an action-rpg and the gameplay is so well done that it just overflows with playability. The graphics and art style are amazing and even the soundtrack is superb. This game is easily the biggest surprise on the DS, at least for me, to date. If you want a game that's just a lot of fun to play, grab this one. It's got a unique charm to it that's hard to put a finger on but will keep you coming back for more.

Okay so Tales of the Abyss isn't all that forgotten since it's only been out for a short time, but I decided to give it a spot on here due to the fact that it came out so late in the Playstation 2 system's life that many RPG fans have likely missed it. I'm shocked at how many of my RPG friends online that don't even know it exists, let alone played it. Those who are familiar with my love of the "Tales" series know that I'm always a sucker for a Tales of game. I own every one that's been released here in the US and a couple that haven't, but of them all, Tales of the Abyss is the one I love the most. Almost every single facet of the game, be it storyline, visuals, music, or battle system, is executed beautifully and make playing the game a lot of fun. In fact, it's almost impossible for me to find anything to gripe about, which for me is very unusual. : )

There are very few games that can literally capture my attention at the very beginning of the game and not let go of it until the credits roll but Tales of the Abyss can do it with ease. Not only does the game sport an absolutely fantastic storyline, it also manages to keep the plot moving along at a steady and increasingly interesting pace throughout the entire game. And this is no short game either so that's saying a lot about just how well the storyline functions in this game. The battle system is still pretty much the same system that's made the Tales series what it is today, but it's been tweaked a little to make the entire experience a bit smoother and easier to come to grips with this time around. Even those who haven't played the Tales series before will find that it's very easy to get your feet wet early in the game and it makes doing battle a lot more fun later on in the game. The music is the best the series has ever presented and the voice acting is among the best I've ever heard in an RPG. Visually the game doesn't look quite as good as Symphonia did on the Cube but it's still very nicely done and has that same "soft" look to it that was made popular in Tales of Symphonia. If you haven't picked Tales of the Abyss up yet, put it on your list. It's one of the best RPGs to come out of the PS2 era and is right up there in my top 5 RPGs of all time. Think of it as the Chrono Trigger of the Tales series. It's good in every single category.

After a long hiatus, Nintendo is once again sending the greedy Wario back into a new 2-D platformer, this time with a unique touchscreen control system. Wario: Master of Disguise will mark the fifth platforming outing for Nintendo's chubby bad boy, but how will long-time fans react to the new touchscreen control system and will the new game live up to the high standards set by the previous Wario Land titles? I've got the import version of the game coming on Friday so I'll have a preview of the game up sometime this weekend. If you're a Wario fan, you don't want to miss it.

Falcom, famed RPG developer and creator of Gurumin, describes their newest title as a "Drilling Action-RPG." While this is an accurate description of the game, a better one would be a platformer with a side order of action-rpg elements. At its core, Gurumin is a very playable 3-D platformer. You'll guide the main character Parin through the many levels by running, jumping, and using your legendary drill in order to traverse the many levels. Along the way you'll be required to solve puzzles by moving and destroying objects and activating switches in each area. You'll also earn money in which you can purchase healing items as well as upgrade your drill in order to perform even stronger special moves. It's this careful mixture of platforming and rpg elements that make Gurumin such a unique experience. ** Click on the Gurumin logo to go to the full Gurumin preview **

Got in a preview copy of the US version of Gurumin from Mastiff today and so far the game is looking great. I've played about 4 hours of it so far and not only is the control and playability of the game terrific, but the English voice acting is also top notch. Such veteran voice talents as Tara Strong and Amber Wood join an all-star voice cast to bring the personality of Gurumin alive. I'll have a preview of the game up on here tomorrow so check back then to see if this offbeat action-rpg/platformer will be a game to pick up in February for PSP.

On February 22, 2007 Sony will introduce yet another new PSP color with the release of the Champagne Gold PSP. The system will only be available in a Core Pack and will retail for $199.95. Play-Asia already has them listed for preorder so it might be a good idea to get one preordered early if the demand for the other new colors is any indication. I went ahead and preordered one, no reason to ruin my record of owning every single PSP color ever made after all. I'll snap some pics of it when it comes in shortly after February 22.

You may be wondering why I saved Parodius Portable for last. Well that would be because I've always been a huge fan of the Parodius series despite the fact that the series has seen very few releases here in the US. I even paid a large amount of money to import a white Sega Saturn system and have kept it all these years just because of the Chatting Parodius and Sexy Parodius releases for the system in Japan. Easily two of my favorite shooters. Parodius is basically a "parody" of the Gradius series of games and basically turns the outer space theme into a circus of insane and cartoony enemies, bosses, and some of the zaniest backgrounds you can imagine. A good example would be the anime girls all bubble bathing in their tubs during a level in Sexy Parodius. And the sound is even more over-the-top than the visuals as perfectly shown in Chatting Parodius where you'll spend the entire game being shouted at by a Japanese game show host. Don't let the quirkiness of the games scare you off as these are some serious shooter challenges and rank right up there with some of my all-time favorite shoot em' ups. And don't let the looks fool you either, as these games are plenty challenging with some of the later levels in many of these games being downright hard.

The Parodius Portable collection brings together five of the best the Parodius series has to offer. The games on this collection are: Parodius, Gokujou Parodius, Chatting Parodius, Sexy Parodius, and Parodius: Tako Saves Earth. As with the other collections, the game's visuals vary depending on how recent a release the game was. Sexy Parodius and Chatting Parodius both look outstanding, even all these years later and still provide the same outrageous experience they did the first time I popped them into my Sega Saturn ten years ago. I'm excited about all three of the new Konami shooter collections, but it's Parodius Portable that has me the most excited. If you've never played a Parodius game you really need to try this collection and become familiar with what I consider to be the most underrated shooter series in history. And those are big words coming from someone that's as big a shooter fan as I am. All I can say is "Thank You" Konami. You really made my year with these releases. And now I can take them with me wherever I go. It's going to be like Christmas all over again. : )

Salamander was originally intended as a slightly easier spinoff of the quite difficult Gradius series of shooters. The game simplified the control system and toned down the difficulty a little bit giving shooter fans who were not accustomed to the high degree of difficulty a chance to enjoy a good shooter. While this may have been the original intention of Konami, Salamander and Gradius soon became pretty much the same game series as the name change went back and forth at times, and even changed altogether with the release of Life Force in the US and Xexex in Japan. There have been quite a few Gradius and Salamander releases over the years, many of which actually made it to release here in the US, so American shoot em' up fans will most likely flock to this PSP title much more so than the other two which have seen little exposure here in the US. Click on the logo to visit Konami's game page for these games.

Salamander Portable sports five games which are the best of the series, at least in my opinion. Sometimes with these collections you see one or two great titles and then a lot of filler. Not with these three Portable releases. Salamander Portable contains the following games: Salamander, Life Force, Salamander 2, Xexex, and Gradius 2. You'd be hard pressed to find 5 better space shooters from the 8 and 16-bit era. As with the other collections, there are not graphical or musical upgrades, but in truth, these games are outstanding just the way they are. As you'd expect, the games get better looking and sounding as you come to the more recent releases like Xexex. All in all, Salamander Portable is shaping up to be the best of the three and a must-have for any shooter fans out there looking for a hefty dose of space shooting nostalgia.


** Tomorrow: Don't miss the conclusion of this three part preview series with a look at Parodius Portable. **

On January 25th, Konami will be releasing three classic shooter packages in Japan for the PSP system. The first in this collection will be TwinBee Portable, which will feature 6 classic TwinBee games on one PSP UMD disc. The games included in the collection are: Twinbee, Detana! Twinbee, Pop'n Twinbee, Twinbee Yahho!, and Twinbee DA! There will also be a surprise sixth game that's not yet been announced. As if all of this were not enough, you'll also get a free limited edition skin for your PSP to go along with the outstanding collection of shooters. I've preordered all three collections from Play-Asia so I should have them just after the 25th and I'll be posting in-depth impressions of all three games when I get them in my anxiously awaiting hands. Click on the logo to the left to visit Konami's page for these games.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Twinbee games, the best way to describe the games is to liken them as a vertical version of the Parodius series. It's a very light-hearted vertical shooter that's generally not nearly as difficult as the Parodius games. They both tend to lean towards over-the-top visual styles and the soundtracks are as offbeat as the games themselves. Bosses tend to be very cartoony and overblown, but if you like a good shooter and don't mind the silly look and feel of the games, you're really in for a treat with this collection of games. They're some of the best vertical shooters out there despite the way they look. And take my word for it, Konami picked all of the best games from the series to include in this collection and we still have a surprise sixth game to look forward to. If you're a shooter fan, this one is a must-have.


** Tomorrow: Don't miss the previews of the other two shooter collections coming to PSP from Konami! **

This was a tough call. I had it narrowed down to three games - Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Final Fantasy XII, and Gears of War, but when all the dust cleared, it seemed like a no-brainer that the winner should be Zelda. Not only was the game one of the most anticipated titles in many years, it also debuted with a completely new style of play control and features one of the most epic quests you're ever likely to experience. It's everything a Zelda fan could want and then some. I've spent about 35+ hours on the game and I'm still not nearly finished. Final Fantasy XII and Gear of War are both top shelf all the way and games any gamer out there should own. But if you want the best of 2006, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is your game. A masterpeice in every sense of the word. What a way to kick off the Wii system with. (RATING: 9.7/10)

It's worth noting that I was a huge fan of the PSP game Gripshift so I was quite excited to hear that an updated version of the game was coming to the Playstation 3 Store for download. For $9.99 you get 125 new levels and some pretty slicked up visuals to go along with it. The game looks amazing and even the control system has been tweaked to allow for better control over the vehicles. You'll still find all the puzzle-filled levels complete with wild tracks for you to complete in the set time limits. The sound effects and music in the game have also gotten a bit of a facelift and the whole package just reeks of quality. And the great news is you can get all of this for a fraction of what you'd pay for the PSP version. Whether you've played the PSP game or not, you owe it to yourself to give Gripshift a try. It's a nice release in what's been a fairly uninspired Playstation 3 game release schedule lately. If we could get more Playstation 3 store releases like this, the wait for more quality disc-based games woudn't seem quite so grueling. (RATING: 8.8/10)

Coming Tomorrow: "Corbie's 2006 Game of the Year"

Before I go any further, let me just say that any RPG fans out there that don't have Final Fantasy III for their Nintendo DS systems yet need to drop what you're doing and go pick it up. Not only is it one of the finest RPGs to ever make an appearance on a portable game system, it's also one of the best RPGs to ever come out of the 8-bit era. Not to mention the fact that it never made it to US shores the first time around. The game has been completely updated with 3-D graphics and a remixed soundtrack and has never looked as good as it does on the Nintendo DS. Sure it's got all of the countless random enemy encounters and endless amount of dungeons to explore, but that's the way console RPGs were back during that period and it certainly brings back some fond memories for an old-school RPG fantatic like myself. It's also worth mentioning that Final Fantasy III isn't for the light of heart. This game is hard and then some. But if you do what you're supposed to do and properly level up your characters and outfit them with better equipment at each new town you should be fine. Easily one of the best looking DS games to date and a testament to just how capable a system the DS is. I'm still waiting for Square-Enix to update Chrono Trigger, but until that time comes Final Fantasy III will certainly fill the position quite nicely. A must have for any RPG fan out there. (RATING: 9.2/10)

Well the Blue Dragon faceplate finally arrived today. Looks really good on my Xbox 360. Now I just have to sit back and wait patiently for Blue Dragon to be released here in the US. I'm so ready to play through this game it's not even funny!