One thing we've learnt this year is sometimes old is gold. While us hardcore gamers are craving the latest graphics and gameplay to blow us away on the next-gen consoles, some of the most fun has been on stuff that's been around for a while.
Sony's
Wipeout HD
download for PS3 is a good example of how you can realise the strength of some of those classic games that still stand the test of time, another to look out for is the multiplayer mayhem game called
Crash Commando
.
Nintendo fanboys who had an N64 will know instantly what
Banjo Kazooie
is. It was a platformer developed by Rare for the N64 ten years ago. As explained in this
the game adopted a lot of its central game play mechanics from Nintendo's groundbreaking title
Super Mario 64
. For instance, the player explores non-linear 3D worlds and gathers musical notes.
This is the latest update on the game, spruced up visually and successfully adapted to the Xbox 360 platform and 360 controller that's far removed from the more basic N64 single-trigger glory days.
The open-environment
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
(Microsoft; rated G) finds the characters (Banjo is a bear and Kazooie a bird) have become modern day overweight food and video game junkies. You build vehicles for Banjo to pilot over land, water and air. Parts for the vehicles are earned and collected and you have to use your imagination to combine parts to create the ultimate vehicle. You can even add wings and propellers and test it to see if it will fly!
This has that quirky funny Rare studio magic about it and is good old fashioned fun.
MadGamer rating: 8.5 / 10
LocoRoco2
(Sony; rated G) will keep young PSP gamers happy. It's not very different from the original but there are 25 new stages, new stuff to unlock, new mini games and characters. Once again the planet must be saved but this time by making flowery music and warding off the bad mojo of the Moja.
The original - easy to master but strangely addictive as LocoRocos, funny little singing bubble creatures, had to contend with the Moja, an evil race out to upset their delightful planet.
It's short and repetitive but will keep fans very contented after Christmas dinner if they find it in amongst their presents.
MadGamer rating: 8.5 / 10
PSP owners also have a new Buzz game -
Buzz! Brain Bender
(Sony; rated G) with 16 mini-games.
I'm still working my way through Sony's gorgeous looking PS3
LittleBigPlanet
that was mentioned in my best of the year list.
This documentary about how SackBoys create building levels and contraptions gives a good idea of how this platformer concept works. (Calling it a platformer is probably underselling its original innovative value; one critic called it like a 'magic trick' which is nice).
The biggest fun is to explore the planet with others and build levels.
What game or console have you bought for Christmas?
-
The Mad Gamer
Visa and Mastercard push back.