Luigi's Mansion 2 - 3DS

When the ever bashful Luigi reluctantly entered the spotlight without his more famous brother in 2002's Luigi's Mansion - a GameCube launch title - there was a smattering of grumbling from some, who were disappointed that Nintendo chose not to unveil a fresh Mario platformer to kick-start their dinky box of tricks.
    However, Luigi's Mansion - despite being a rather short caper used mostly to highlight the GameCube's technical fizz - proved to be an enjoyable little gem, which is now, I'm happy to say, fondly remembered.
    Earlier this year, Nintendo finally saw fit to release a spooky sequel and with Halloween only a few days away, it's the perfect time to revisit this gem of a game on 3DS.
    Professor E. Gadd has been happily studying ghostly goings-on in a variety of spooky locales when the Dark Moon above his base in Evershade Valley shatters, turning the once friendly apparitions into mischievous rascals. Who better to sort out this phantom menace than the experienced - if utterly terrified - Luigi? Armed with the wonderfully titled Poltergust 5000, Luigi reluctantly agrees to help the professor by Hoovering up these translucent tykes across five sprawling levels and restore some sanity back to the once peaceful valley.
    The Poltergust 5000 might be nothing more than a modified vacuum cleaner, but it's not just for cleaning up dusty corners and sucking up cobwebs. Luigi uses it to capture ghosts of all shapes and sizes, but first he must stun them with his trusty torch. What follows is a paranormal game of tug of war, as Luigi clatters around the fabulously detailed rooms, frantically wrestling with the obstinate spooks. It's a hugely enjoyable activity, too, and it can be quite a challenge thanks to a decent variety of ghosts who are intent on making life as uncomfortable as possible for the industrious Luigi.
    Later in the game, new elements are added which make Luigi's task even harder, but it rarely becomes frustrating and causes the player to think quickly and change tactics on the fly.
   But even when he's not ghostbusting, Luigi has plenty to keep him occupied. The five huge locations Luigi is forced to visit contain a wonderful array of fiendish puzzles and it's to the game's credit that they never feel stale or lose their focus throughout the course of the lengthy adventure.

    Exploration is a key element and rooting around in gloomy corners amply rewards the player, with the Poltergust 5000 used to snaffle out of reach coins, pull dusty curtains away from grimy windows to reveal shiny trinkets, blow aside rugs to reveal secret switches, and expose glittering gems which had previously been squirrelled away in the game's glorious environments. The whole experience is underpinned with eye-popping art direction, amazing animation, a terrific soundtrack, an extraordinary eye for detail, while a healthy seam of humour runs throughout, causing the player to chuckle away at some of the ludicrous sights.
    While the haunted environments he scuttles around in are magnificent, it's Luigi himself who proves to be the star of the show. He nervously glances around as he creeps about, leaps in the air with a startled yelp if he discovers a supernatural spectacle and all the while his wee knees knock together in terrified tension. He also hums to himself to keep his flagging spirits up, an act which is beautifully choreographed with the game's soundtrack.
    But Luigi's latest adventure isn't perfect and it occasionally stumbles. The constant interruptions from the professor - he contacts Luigi via a bit of technical wizardry in the shape of a humble Nintendo DS far too often - quickly begins to grate, while the mission-based structure of the game can be annoying. Too often Luigi is teleported back to the prof's lab just when things are getting interesting, leaving the player slightly frustrated that they can't snoop around and explore to their heart’s content. I suppose the bite-sized missions have been crafted to suit the mobile nature of the 3DS but it's still frustrating when all the player wants to do is see what new terrors lurk around the next corner.
    Multiplayer has been included, which sees teams of up to four people - either online or via local multiplayer - partake in three ghostly activities. These provide short-term fun, but never match the sheer scope and variety of the single player campaign.
    An intelligent and instantly appealing game, Luigi's Mansion 2 is bursting with creative ideas which, for the most part, are implemented perfectly. So this Halloween lock the door, turn out the lights, put the headphones on and experience one of the finest games on 3DS.

Pikmin 3 - Wii U

Incredibly, it's been 11 years since Captain Olimar first plucked a ruby red Pikmin from the soil of an alien planet and embarked on a quest to find the missing parts of his ruined ship, the S.S Dolphin on the GameCube.
    The brainchild of Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto subsequently spawned a sequel which catapulted the cult classic through the arboretum into mainstream consciousness.
    Evidence of the game's growing appeal can be found by merely glancing at Nintendo's work over recent years. Transferring data from the Wii to the Wii U was anything but a slog thanks to a wonderful animation sequence involving the plant-like Pikmin. Olimar and some of his Pikmin chums are coming to the next Smash Bros game, they made an appearance in Wii U launch title Nintendo Land and nabbing a Pikmin hat in Animal Crossing: New Leaf always brings a smile.
    Now, Pikmin 3 has landed on Wii U, bringing the much-loved series into the high definition era for the first time and with it, a whole heap of expectations from a  Wii U audience starved of first-party Nintendo titles.
    The people of Koppai are running out of food and decide to launch a trio of intrepid explorers - Captain Charlie, Alph and Brittany - into the vast vacuum of space on board the SS Drake to search for vittles to feed their dying planet.
    However, a near disaster while entering a suitable planet's atmosphere scatters the three astronauts and so begins the latest entry in the Pikmin series.

Pikmin 3's gameplay isn't a radical departure to what has gone before - it's still an action/strategy hybrid, where your chosen astronaut romps about beautiful environments, recruiting an army of Pikmin followers to bash through obstacles and drag fruit and assorted trinkets back to the safety of the spacecraft before night descends.
    Once darkness falls, nocturnal creatures emerge, chomping down any Pikmin that have been accidentally been left behind. It can be stress-inducing as the sun sets and you frantically leg it towards safety before suddenly realising you've left a handful of your colourful charges out in the wild.
    However, despite the grim outcome once dusk settles over the land, there's no rush to accomplish tasks and the player is free to get their hands dirty rooting around in flower beds and snuffling out new paths to their heart's content - as long as there is enough fruit juice on board the SS Drake to keep the pint-sized space explorers sustained.
    Fruit that was hastily abandoned in the rush to get to safety the night before is still there the next morning and by taking things at a more relaxed pace, you learn to appreciate the work Nintendo has put into crafting this delightful world.
    The Pikmin come in various flavours, each type having its own strengths and weaknesses and choosing how best to deploy them around the luscious gameworld lies at the heart of the Pikmin experience. Red Pikmin, for example are fire resistant, while the yellow blighters conduct electricity, while rock Pikmin are a dab hand at smashing through glass barriers.
Squads can be split, put into groups and divided among the three explorers and this focus on team work becomes vital as you progress through the game.
    Controlling your Pikmin army and flipping between sets is easily handled but despite Nintendo's best efforts to integrate the Wii U's controller, the old Wiimote and nunchuk system works so much better than playing solely on the pad.
Controlling via the Wii U's controller is a fiddly and frustrating business and it jars when compared to the fluid  motion sensing control option. It's something of a missed opportunity and the Wii U pad is quickly cast aside, only ever glanced at occasionally when you need to check a map of the level. Its one saving grace is that the pad can be used to take pictures which can then be uploaded on to Miiverse for the world to see.

    The to HD has had a striking effect and while I've never been one to get overly excited about visuals, seeing the Pikmin world in full, colourful, eye-popping HD really is quite an experience. Every new piece of collected fruit can be rotated and gawped at and it can be a mouth-watering experience, while Nintendo prove once again that when it comes to water effects, they are the best in the business.
    Sound design also stands out and helps give Pikmin 3 its quirky atmosphere. The off-kilter soundtrack plinks and plonks beautifully in the background, while the main characters chirrup away to each other in a garbled tongue in a similar style to characters in Skip Ltd and Punchline's games such as Chibi-Robo, Chulip and Giftpia.
    Aside from the main story mode, there are two others to dive into: Mission and Bingo Battle. Mission is split into three activities: Collect Treasure, Battle Enemies and Defeat Bosses. These are wonderful little timed excursions and can be played either solo or with a friend.
    Bingo Battle is Nintendo at its best and involves a head-to-head competition where players are tasked with finding specific fruit and enemies to complete a line on a bingo card. It's a riot, with players scampering desperately around the level in a bid to outdo their opponent. It's a simple idea, but Nintendo execute it brilliantly and is a mode which will keep everyone laughing and shouting long into the night.
     When it comes to first-party titles, Nintendo are hard to beat. Their core titles are consistently good across all platforms and Pikmin 3 illustrates this perfectly. It might not be radically different to previous games but the Japanese giant have carved out a slice of delightful entertainment which shouldn't go unnoticed. Wonderful and uplifting, Pikmin 3 is a gem.

Pikmin 2 - Wii

Sorry about the lack up updates recently. With longer working hours and the annual Christmas games rush well and truly underway, I've had little chance to update the old blog.

Anyway, I've been going through this year's releases trying to pick my top 20 games of the year - so far. All the usual suspects are included, but I thought I'd take time to highlight a few crackers which might have escaped people's attention, so let's start with the Wiimake of Pikmin 2.

Initially available on Gamecube, this year Nintendo decided to release a few old classics on Wii, adding motion control support. The 480p option also means that these old timers are looking better than ever.

Created by Mario's dad, Shigeru Miyamoto, the Pikmin series takes the form of a fun and light-hearted real-time strategy game.

You control Captain Olimar and his sidekick Louie, and are tasked with revisiting the Pikmin's home world in a bid to raise funds for their ailing freight company back home. To do this, everyday objects such as fruit, batteries and crushed cans must be collected, which add to your company's funds.

Of course, the two intrepid explorers can't do this alone, so they employ the services of the planet's Pikmin - strange plant-like creatures who are only too happy to lend Olimar and Louie a hand.

These flower-topped creatures come in five different flavours: red, yellow, blue, purple and white, and each have their own strengths and weaknesses.

Pikmin can be thrown at objects, which they will then carry to Olimar's spaceship, while throwing them at enemies causes the Pikmin to start fighting. Thrown en masse, they can also destroy most obstacles blocking your path.

To help manage the different coloured Pikmin, the player can switch between Olimar and Louie to command different armies, which helps things from getting too chaotic.

It might all seem a bit complicated, but with Miyamoto pulling the strings, Pikmin 2 is incredibly easy to pick up and a wonderful experience.

The added Wiimote controls add a great deal to the title, and commanding your Pikmin army is now far easier than it was using the old Gamecube pad.

For those who love collecting in-game items, Pikmin 2 has plenty to keep you occupied. The Piklopedia catalogues all the flora, fauna and creatures you come across on your travels - each one accompanied by a beautiful videoclip.

You can also keep track of all your treasures, each one featuring an excerpt from Olimar's diary. The attention to detail throughout is typical of Miyamoto-san and makes for an excellent all-round package.

With hundreds of objects to be collected above and below ground, lush and beautiful locations to explore, surprises around every corner, and two-player support Pikmin 2 feels as fresh today as it did back in 2004.

For those who played through the original back in the day, there's not a great deal more here to tempt you back. But for newcomers to the series, Miyamoto's masterpiece is an essential purchase and one of the finest games out on the Wii.

Okaeri! Chibi Robo! Happy Rich Osouji - DS

While we patiently wait for the Wiimake of Gamecube classic Chibi-Robo to land, Nintendo have released Okaeri! Chibi Robo! Happy Rich Osouji (Welcome Home Chibi-Robo) on DS in Japan.

I'm waiting for my copy to drop through the door, but it definitely looks more like the original game, and less like Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol - which never made it to the UK.

Jenny, the frog-loving girl from the first game returns as a grown up, with a son - Keith - and a dog called Lucky. However, times are tough, and it's up to Chibi to clean the house and help Jenny redecorate.

Chibi can now sift dirt and rubbish to find small nuggets of gold, which can then be used to buy new furniture and wallpaper for the house via a TV shopping channel.

While Chibi can pick up rubbish and use a toothbrush to clean as before, he now has access to a vacuum.

It also looks like the game features another range of off-the-wall characters - although it has its work cut out if it hopes to match the original's brilliant cast.

Judging from the video, it looks as if there's a Poker game buried in the game, a plane for Chibi to fly and a Cooking Mama-style mini game.

Chibi-Robo - Gamecube

I first picked up the American import of Chibi-Robo back in May 2006. However, due to a faulty Gamecube and subsequently the Wii's region lockout, I only had the briefest of chances to play the game upon its release. But that changed last week when I bought a cheap second-hand Cube, allowing me to really get my teeth stuck into this cracking little game. I managed to complete it last night and I've been blown away by just how wonderful the experience was.

But let's take the clock back to when Chibi-Robo made his debut. Unfortunately for the little fella, the game was released just as shops in the UK were stopping their Gamecube support. As a result, Chibi-Robo never got the recognition it deserved and while it received favourable reviews upon release, people struggled to get their hands on a copy. In fact it's something of a miracle that Nintendo released it at all in the UK.

That's a real shame, as this Skip Ltd creation is definitely one of the Gamecube's finest pieces of software.



Chibi-Robo makes his entrance at the Sanderson family's house during their daughter, Jenny's, birthday party. Mr Sanderson has bought our mini robot chum as an expensive gift for his daughter, but it soon becomes apparent the family are struggling financially, which leads to friction between Mr and Mrs Sanderson.

As Chibi-Robo, it's your job to wander through the house, collecting and disposing of rubbish, cleaning floors and surfaces, generally helping out and spreading happiness as you go. Chibi starts with only a limited amount of battery power, which means he initially can't wander very far. However, as you gather happy points by doing good deeds, your battery life increases, meaning the whole house becomes accessible. If you find yourself running out of juice, simply find the nearest power socket and plug yourself in to replenish your energy.



It doesn't take long to find out just how serious the situation between Mr and Mrs Sanderson has become, as you discover that Mr Sanderson has been turfed out of the bedroom and is now sleeping on the sofa.

It turns out his latest expensive blunder is just one of many and comes at a time when his marriage is already under pressure due to his laziness and lack of job prospects - a theme which runs for the majority of the game. It's very unusual to see a game feature social problems such as family breakdowns and financial troubles, especially when it's the least thing you expect in a cutesy, Toy Story-like wrapping. It works incredibly well, though and leads to many touching scenes, and it's hard not to feel for poor Jenny as she is forced to look on as her parents constantly bicker.



The flip side to Chibi-Robo's darker themes is the game's brilliantly realised comedy characters. As night falls, toys across the house spring to life, and what a colourful cast they are: Sophie, a lovestruck toy caterpillar, Drake Redcrest, a cheesy Buzz Lightyear wannabe, the wonderful Captain Plankbeard, a wooden pirate who constantly swigs from his obligatory bottle of grog, Funky Phil, a musical flower who almost steals the show with his laugh out loud dance moves, Mort, the mournful monster who lives under Jenny's bed, Sunshine, Jenny's innocent looking teddy bear who is actually suffering from a nasty drug addiction, and an army of egg soldiers called the Free Rangers...I mean, what's not to like?



As Chibi progresses through the game's story, he receives new outfits to achieve different tasks. The achingly cute frog suit, for example, allows Chibi to communicate with animals, while the ghost outfit lets him scare other toys. He'll also utilise household objects to help with his cleaning duties: a toothbrush becomes a useful scrubbing brush, while a spoon is used for digging in flower beds. Chibi also gets access to a range of gadgets, such as the Chibi-Copter, which lets him float down gently from high places.

The Sanderson's house is a joy to explore thanks to well thought out level design and the game's bright, colourful look, and while some of the quests are nothing more than standard fetch quests, they never feel repetitive or boring as there are so many new places to be discovered and secrets to be found.



Special mention also goes to the game's soundtrack - it has a sort of Charlie Brown feel to it, with the cheery upbeat theme suiting the game perfectly. The game's use of sound is also something special - using a toothbrush to clean paw marks off the carpet is accompanied by gentle acoustic strings, while each step our chipper little robot takes is met with plinking musical notes which change depending on the surface he's traversing. And although there is no speech - think of Okami's or Animal Crossing's garbled take on the spoken word - it's hard not to smile when Sarge - an egg with a bad attitude - gives his troops an earful.

Chibi-Robo took me a little over 20 hours to complete and it brought me so much enjoyment that I didn't want it to end. If you have a Wii - or a Cube in the cupboard - and haven't experienced this gem of a game, get on eBay now and see if a copy is kicking about.

Go on, Spread The Happiness.