kirby

Kirby's Epic Yarn: Comfort gaming

Since last year's New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Nintendo has demonstrated a commitment to updating successful franchises from the company's archives, but keeping the majority of the classic gameplay and look in tact. The latest incarnation comes in the form of Kirby's Epic Yarn. Though it may not look like Kirby games in the past, fans of the series will see a lot of familiar faces.

Jeff: Next to Mario, Kirby might be Nintendo's most versatile mascot, seemingly finding his way into one unique adventure after another. In Kirby's Epic Yarn, Kirby himself--along with the entire world the game takes place in--is made up of nothing but yarn, threads, fabrics, and buttons. The art style is among some of the most original work we've seen considering there have certainly been countless platform games on the market.

The developers have brilliantly incorporated the yarn theme into the title, with gorgeous visuals and clever level design. Players interact with fabrics seamlessly and the game's controls are spot on.

Epic Yarn is a much welcomed departure from the usual laundry list of shooters and action games that reveal themselves around the holiday season, and best of all, it's perfect for gamers of all ages. Sure, the older Wii owner may not find much of a challenge in Epic Yarn, but the unique game scenarios and variations in gameplay are much more fun simply experiencing them anyway.… Read more

Nintendo's E3 games: No Wii Fit in sight

What would you have said if someone told you pre-E3 that Microsoft would do its best to mimic Nintendo, whereas Nintendo would act like Microsoft? It certainly seemed like the companies flip-flopped at their respective E3 press conferences. Though the 360 spent a great deal of focus on motion control and the Kinect, Nintendo didn't breathe a word about health, motion, or the Wii Fit at its E3 briefing on Tuesday.

Instead, the company's games were the real focus, especially retro franchises: those folks hoping for years for a taste of old Nintendo games certainly had a field day. StarFox, F-Zero, and Pikmin remain undisclosed (Update: Though not discussed at the press briefing, StarFox 64 3D was announced for the 3DS), but Nintendo did unveil new Kirby, Donkey Kong, and Kid Icarus titles, along with detailed gameplay from the next Wii Zelda.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword: Demonstrated for nearly half an hour, the Nintendo flagship sequel will feature Wii MotionPlus support for more-accurate weapon and item actions. The rest of the story remains a mystery, but the game has a more cel-shaded look than Twilight Princess. It arrives in 2011.

Wii Sports Mix: In a very smart move, Nintendo is creating a Mario compilation sports game with what appear to be soccer, hockey, dodgeball, basketball, and volleyball. This could be a real surprise hit, and it's a nicer idea than infinite "Mario X" sports games.

Wii Party: Nintendo's "bridge" game, the next in the "Wii" series, features Miis in a game that looks a lot like an updated Mario Party. Board games, minigames, and group casual play seem like the focus. … Read more

Wii virtual console releases for this week

Two new virtual console games grace our Wiis this week.

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (2000, Nintendo 64, 1,000 Wii points): Everyone's favorite pink blob makes his 3D debut in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. Battle Dark Matter in this adventure game across six worlds while trying to collect all 100 pieces of the shattered crystal. Psychosis (1990, Turbografx 16, 800 Wii points): Psychosis is a side-scrolling shooter that has you battle grotesque enemies created by a psychotic demon. Make your way through five stages of chaos as you struggle to survive this surreal world.

Wii virtual console releases for this week

Two classic franchises round out this week's virtual console releases. But don't worry, there's a token TurboGrafx 16 game hiding behind them.

Kirby's Avalanche (1995, Super Nintendo, 800 Wii points)--In this departure from the conventional platforming you're used to in other Kirby adventures, Kirby's Avalanche will have you racking your brain in this fast-paced color matching puzzle game. Streets of Rage 3 (1994, Genesis, 800 Wii points)--A staple series in the beat-em-up genre, Streets of Rage brought great action and gameplay to consoles everywhere. In this third installment of the franchise, you … Read more

Wii virtual console releases for this week

Nothing whetting your gaming appetite this week? Well, it's good to know that you can play the back nine with Kirby, attack hordes of monsters with a pinball, or conquer the forces of darkness with this week's three new virtual console releases for the Wii.

Kirby's Dream Course (1994, Super Nintendo, 800 Wii points)--This Kirby adventure has you hitting the links on a number of golf courses inspired from the series. Devil's Crush (1990, Turbografx 16, 600 Wii points)--Devil's Crush is an action pinball game and the sequel to Alien Crush. Instead of … Read more