If there was one game that people were looking forward to this year, it was Scribblenauts. Its claim to fame was the fact that you could use your in-game notepad to summon any object you could think of, as long as it wasn’t rude, crude or copyrighted. The game essentially succeeds in what it says it does; as it is possible to spawn what ever you can think of – but there are still many flaws that make this game that one big step away from being perfect.

There are several different locations which contain puzzles, unlockable by finishing previous levels (hence obtaining cash etc). These puzzles are quite varied, fully testing your ability to come up with solutions – some solutions being more obscure than others. It does get a little frustrating when there comes a puzzle and there are limitations on what you can use (namely weapons) and then there’s what I call ‘Scribble-block’; when you can’t think of what to use. Maybe it’s the overwhelming feeling of having near anything at your disposal.

One glaring error is the camera. You control a little character called Maxwell (a stylish little figure who introduced the Rooster Hat to the world) and the camera just can’t get enough of him. You might move the camera to a different part of the level so you can see what you’re doing away from little Maxwell, but after a short time, the camera kind of flicks back to him, making you mess up what ever it was you were doing elsewhere. It’s hard to explain the extent of irritation gained because of this; though as frustrating as it is, it isn’t game destroying.

Spot the Lightsaber. Oh wait...

The best part of the game is at the beginning. You boot up the game, and up comes the title screen. The title screen is one of the most important parts of the game; it’s an efficient way of showing what the game has to offer. In fact, if they just bundled the title screen as the entire game (maybe a little less expensively) I’m sure many would be quite contented by this – maybe even give it a little more credit.

The graphics are really something. You see the screen shots, you hear about the game itself, but the animation never really gets much of a talking about. In this case, a unique take on the graphics is excellently done. The physics could almost be likened to rag dolls; even the design probably comes under that – each object having visible joints or hinges for the moving parts. This looks quite good for the game, but it sometimes seems a bit tacky.

Now we come to the often overlooked subject; sound. The sound in Scribblnauts is nothing out of the ordinary for the DS. It contains the typical ditties that only five year olds could bear playing at full volume for music, while maintaining likable enough effects for interaction. The music isn’t necessarily a bad thing; I just think they blow their own trumpet a bit by having unlockable music which can be played in a jukebox kind of fashion in the extras menu. Not really necessary in my opinion.

What this game does is brilliant. The extent of objects it has in that one cartridge is amazing; the sheer amount of possibilities for each puzzle is amazing. This game should, in every right be amazing; but it doesn’t quite make it. Once you get into it, the true nature of the game hits and you lose the illusion of a fantastic game. Tarnished with the dreadful camera and oft frustrating controls it’s so close to being a classic, but doesn’t quite break it.

And in case you were wondering, in a fight between a Scribblenauts Vampire and a Scribblenauts Werewolf, the Vampire wins. Thanks to Kade for lending me his DS to play this. Much appreciated.

Graphics: B

Suits the game, but slightly tacky.

Sound: B

Nothing out of the ordinary.

Gameplay: A-

Awesome for the first hour or so.

Overall: B+

Ruined by the camera, this could’ve been so much more.

Note: Originally posted in 2009 sometime…

This is easily one of my favourite games of all time. A game which is so enthralling that it made me genuinely feel for the characters as the game progressed – a storytelling positive in any medium, let alone gaming. The story itself unfolds through a variety of characters, all aspects intertwining into the main story, no matter how unassuming they may be. The storytelling is brilliant, there is never a dull moment in the game, whether it’s the underlying humour, drama, or just plain charm that keeps you playing – one thing is for certain: you will keep playing.

For a Game Boy Advance game, the graphical feats of this game are truly amazing. It seems almost too good to be something of the GBA, obtaining its unique look by keeping everything wonderfully simple, avoiding overcrowding the screen with unnecessary pixels. Sprites in particular are wonderfully designed, each one uniquely different to the other. The plot thickens as you discover various enemies; animals that have been melded together, more commonly known as Chimeras. All of these are cleverly designed to have a kind of humorous air to them, while at the same time being fearless beasts that certainly make you think twice before confronting them.

It's a Kangashark. And it's PARENTAL!

One of the many awesome features in Mother 3 is the fact that you keep all the experience points you’ve obtained thus far if you unexpectedly meet your end before saving. Those of you who’ve ever played a game where you’ve grinded for about half hour to the point you can achieve one hit kills, only to have your arse handed to you when you’re about to save, will understand what I’m talking about when I say that this is a very good thing.

The characters in Mother 3 are deep, occasionally hilarious and frequently quirky. There’s a whole range of unforgettable characters; everyone from Duster the thief / bass player to the Salsa the frog will keep you immersed in the game even after you’ve put the game down. Just one example of the utter quirkiness of the game involves the Magypsies. There are seven of these odd creatures, all situated in different parts of the Nowhere islands. They have no particular gender, meaning they have both male and female traits in their personality and indeed, appearance – they all have pink hair and whiskers. Once they disappear, they kindly leave you a memento – a mirror and a razor – which is actually quite useful, believe it or not. Since it’s part of your quest to find all of them, you will inevitably come across the Magypsies whether you like it or not.

A "Laugh Out Loud" moment if ever I've seen one.

The battle system works great. You have normal and, depending on the character, PK attacks (I have no idea what PK stands for… Psycho-Kinetics?) at your disposal. Normal attacks have to ability to be multiplied by tapping “A” in time with the music. I never really got the hang of this, since the music changes every battle, but when it does work, it sure makes you feel like you’ve unleashed some sort of awesome attack. You have a maximum of four characters in your party at once, meaning all four are used in battle. Though this means you have more health statistics to keep an eye on, which is a bit daunting at the start, you get the hang of it eventually.

This seems like a good time to say something about the music. When music is used in games properly, it is more than capable of creating the right atmosphere and evokes the correct mood for the part of the game. As this is a GBA game, it’s probably needless to say I wasn’t expecting too much in the way of orchestrated masterpieces. While it may not be composed by an orchestra, the music in Mother 3 certainly lives up to the rest of the game. By which I mean it is brilliant. My personal favourite tune in the game is played when you come across Mr. Passion, a conductor / bad-guy. The music fits the character of the antagonist almost perfectly; it would certainly be out of place anywhere else in the game. Another part in the game where music is essential is the DCMC concert, which at its beginning I was thinking that they’d just fade into the next scene, avoiding playing any sort of music. I was, however, mistaken, and the band actually started playing, until the story kind of interfered. This music emitting from the speakers wasn’t any trashy sort of chip-tune, it was in fact, quite decent.

I’m sitting playing the game when all of a sudden it asks me my name. As in, me, the person playing the game (other than, me, the character I’m controlling). I slowly select the right letters which make up my name. The game then tells me to forget ever doing this. Okay, now I’m never going to forget this part of the game. Oh well, at least I’ll have something to write about if I ever get around to reviewing it…

No of course he doesn't, he's in an arcade.

The ending is just mindblowingly awesome. Darkness is surrounding you as you creep forward into the dimly lit cavern. You hear music in the darkness, which sets the tone wonderfully; an ambient, almost eerie sound, following you to into the darkness. The following events make up the ending of the game, including a rather large twist, which isn’t too unexpected, but gives the story a real edge.

If there is a downside to all this it is that it is over way too soon. Thirty hours in and it’s all wrapped up nicely, no going back and exploring once your quest is over – that’s it. Also a huge downer is the fact that this game was never released locally. Or even in English. This means that such a deserving audience will most likely never play it. (Much thanks to the fan base for releasing such a robust translation, without you I’d have never played this game).

Graphics: A+

Brilliantly simple and unique, great use of colour.

Sound: A+

Beautifully ambient and atmospheric.

Gameplay: A+

Awesome in every possible way, pretty much flawless.

Overall: A+

I really can’t recommend this game enough; consider your gaming life incomplete until you have played this. It’s brilliant, albeit a bit short.

Note: Originally posted in 2009 sometime…

]]> http://fictitiousyetreal.wordpress.com/2010/07/23/mother-3-review-gba/feed/ 0 Ol Its a Kangashark. And its PARENTAL! A Laugh Out Loud moment if ever Ive seen one. No of course he doesnt, hes in an arcade.