Endless Ocean for the Nintendo Wii is not a game. Not by far. There are no goals set for you to achieve, there is no way of losing or winning, no way of getting lost, confused or even mildly annoyed. There is no challenge. No bloody stress or horror. No blood. No puzzles to be solved. No naked mermaids. Nothing. Still, Endless Ocean is immensely enjoyable in a properly interactive way. And it’s fun playing with the thing too. You could call it an interactive toy, I guess, or, better yet, a relaxing, educating, beautiful, interesting, interactive toy that’s heavy on underwater exploration.

Said, uhm, interactive toy is all about simulating the beauty of diving into (mostly) tropical waters, exploring reefs, petting sharks, gawking at multi-colored fish and generally discovering the beauties of tranquil aquatic ecosystems. And all this from the comfort of your couch, without getting wet or in close contact with any creature that weighs almost a ton and sports a few dozen sharp teeth. Besides, I think that avoiding SCUBA diving is rather good for my health and I’m pretty sure I’d get tired just by hauling all the necessary gear to the boat. Oh, and I wouldn’t get to find any treasure lying around in real life either.

Football games, not unlike adventures and strategy games, don’t need fancy graphics, never truly age and are more than tricky to get right. They are, you see, one of them gameplay driven genres. That’s why Sensible Soccer still is a better game than the latest FIFA, that’s why thousands of people still enjoy Kick Off II and that’s why Football Manager -one of the most successful gaming franchises ever- is in essence a game without graphics. So, what are your options in digital football gaming, I pretend to hear you ask? Well, read on, read on.

Football Manager

Football Manager, the venerable series that began life as Championship Manager, has always been an immensely addictive time sink of a management game, an impressive ever-evolving database of the international world of of football and an incredibly fun game too. Nowadays, it can also be said that FM is a true football RPG, and one of those games we all take refuge in when our teams get disqualified/relegated/ridiculed. Traditionally FM 2008, the latest and best version of the game, is available for PC only, but you can also grab a stripped down version of the game for your PSP or go for FM 2006 for the Xbox 360. Oh, and a MMO should soon be released.

Pro Evolution Soccer

Pro Evolution Soccer is a rare yet happily popular attempt at realistically recreating football. There are no crazy scores here and precise crossing is a matter of technique. It really feels proper. Now, Pro Evo might lack FIFA’s official shine and impressive graphics, but -believe me- it still is the better game. By far. Makes for quite a brilliant party game too. Pro Evo 2008 can be played on the PS3, PS2, PSP and -provided you don’t mind less impressive ports- on the DS. The highly innovative Wii version of the game, a footie RTS of sorts, will soon be reviewed.

Sensible Soccer

This is the best football game ever. Want to know why? One word: pace. Care for more words? Well, how about after-touch, one button gameplay and lovely pixel-art graphics? To properly enjoy Sensible Soccer you should really play it on an Amiga, but lacking one, I guess you could try the equally retro PC or Atari ST versions of the game. Alternatively the best way to get some faithful yet up-to-date Sensi action would be via the Xbox Live Arcade. Sensible Soccer 2006 (PC, Xbox, PS2) is decent, as is the Mega Drive/Genesis version available via a certain TV plug-’n'-play thingy.

FIFA

Not much of a fan of the franchise really, but I must admit it’s quite enjoyable. And looks rather good too. FIFA 2008, quite obviously the latest offering in the long running series, can be played on virtually any console, meaning versions for the Wii, PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, DS and PSP have already been released.

Younger readers will be shocked to know that the survival-horror genre, just like many of the enjoyable things in life, is a French invention that first manifested itself as the 1992 critical and commercial hit Alone in the Dark or -as game journos came to name it- AITD. AITD, then, the first, best and still unrivaled survival horror game, and of cousrse something you absolutely have to play, went on to spawn three sequels. Actually, make that two decent sequels and one sub-par reimagining of the franchise in 2001, and do try to forget its filmic adaptation.

And now, in the year of our lord 2008, Alone in the Dark is coming back and hitting every major format from the PS3 to the Xbox 360, the Wii, the PC and the still enduring PS2. It’s so close you can even preorder it and, most probably, this will be a pretty wise pre-order too. The game, you see, might not be set during the 1920s or feature any traditional adventure gaming elements (let alone a properly Lovecraftian atmosphere), but it definitely looks fantastic, sounds spooky and will also sport some of the most innovative combat & physics mechanics imaginable. Besides, it all takes place in the astonishingly overlooked Central Park…


Oh, and here are some very reassuring words from Alone in the Dark lead designer (and apparently fan) Hervé Sliwa:

“We have great respect for the first Alone in the Dark and we want to respect the legacy of that, but we also want to put our souls into the new game. I would say the new game is not a sequel, it’s a new approach to the game with new innovations and new rules. Of course you don’t need to play the first one to start this one, but we have little connections between the two games.

The project started in my mind 10 years ago when I was on a trip to New York city, my first trip to the US. Just after I arrived, I was walking in Manhattan and I went up to Central Park. New York at night is lights everywhere – the city that never sleeps. I arrived in front of Central Park very late at night and the park was very dark. I was in front of this huge dark square and it was really weird – it was such a contrast between the dark square in front of me and the lights in the street everywhere. It was like a parallel world, the world of the light and the world of the darkness – it was amazing. At that moment I had a flash in my head that it could be a great playground for a new Alone in the Dark game. When I came back from the trip I had lots of photos of the buildings around the park and I started to imagine lots of different situations and possibilities for the game, different scenarios in the park, adventure plots and so on. At that moment I was working on Sheep Dog and Wolf, so I put all my ideas in a box. After Kya: Dark Lineage we found out Atari had the brand and we had the opportunity to propose a new project, so I took all my ideas out of the box. We had a brainstorm at Eden and proposed the first ideas for the new game and that was the start of the new Alone in the Dark.“

Outside the happy place that is the world of indie, homebrew and even PC games, in the rather bland deserts of mainstream gaming, that is, things can get pretty boring, pretty fast. Publishers churn out samey game after samey game while only paying attention to current trends, holiday deadlines and ad budgets. Innovation is feared, games are considered as franchises, sequels are a constant plat du jour and pushing graphics is still considered the way forward. Gaming really isn’t the wildly interesting beast it used to be. It’s mainstream, safe and unoriginal. Heck, even whole genres (niche or less so) are periodically wiped out.

Enter Nintendo and the Wii, a console so underpowered, so (relatively) cheap to develop for, so ridiculously popular and with such a uniquely versatile controller, that, not only allowed, but actually encouraged developers and publishers to innovate and even revisit them so-called dying genres previously only available for the PC gaming crowds or us retro gaming maniacs. A breath of fresh air really, even when taking all those shoddy Wii-ports and mini-game collections into account.

In what practically is less than a year the Wii has already been graced with a variety of puzzle games, strategy games, pinball games, 2D games and retro remakes, though the most impressive trend has been the revival of the rather forgotten and sadly unpopular genres of the light-gun and the traditional adventure game. The Wii Remote, you see, is perfectly suited for both point-and-click and point-and-shoot action, whereas the console does indeed prove itself as a welcoming home for the unususal. To realize the fact we already got such great additions to those genres as Ghost Squad, Zack & Wicki, The Umbrella Chronicles, CSI Hard Evidence and Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None, is to realize that something is finally changing. What’s more, there is… ah… well, more to come.

If you haven’t noticed, well, this is the second part of ButtonSmasher’s top third party Wii games feature. So, uhm, in case you’ve missed the first part and think you actually care to have a quick read, then, by all means, do click here.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock

Ok, it’s not the best rhythm game out there, but it definitely is the best one the Wii has to offer. Yes, despite the atrocious rendition of a certain classic punk song and the slightly unbalanced two-player mode. Just ignore the game’s minor flaws, battle the rather steep learning curve, grab your small toy guitar and click away to some truly classic tunes. On par with Wii Sports when it comes to party games.

LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga

It’s lovely, humorous, immediately accessible and the first game to (almost properly) let you swing a lightsaber with your very own Wii Remote. What’s more, being a compilation of the previous two LEGO Star Wars games that also features tons of extras, updated graphics and a few reworked levels, The Complete Saga offers amazing value for a very modest price. The kids will love it too you know.

Trauma Center: Second Opinion

Not unlike Under the Knife for the DS, Second Opinion is a unique and innovative offering casting you as a doctor in an oddly stylish soap-opera like environment. The game looks great, the Wii controls are spot on, the difficulty is almost cruel and the operations feel realistic enough to create the necessary tension. Brilliant and gory!

Scarface: The World is Yours

Scarface definitely isn’t much more than another brutal GTA clone, but being one of the rare examples of said sub-genre on the Wii and also being a game about one of Al Pacino’s best movies, it just had to make this very list. Thankfully, it’s a very solid game too, what with its excellent controls, fun gameplay, smart physics, gratuitous violence and passable graphics. Typical video game entertainment.

Dewy’s Adventure

As far as under-appreciated games out there go, Dewy’s Adventure must be the champion of the last two or so years. How very unfair, I say. Besides its fantastic graphics and lovely retro tunes, you see, this is an excellent, tough and quite innovative platform game with a few smart puzzle elements and some very interesting game mechanics. Oh, and don’t be fooled from its cute exterior, for this is a bastard to beat.

Honorable mentions

- Eledees (a.k.a. Elebits)
- Sonic and the Secret Rings
- Rayman Raving Rabbits
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympics
- Metal Slug Anthology

Seems like the Virtual Console is nigh on impossible to stop and Commodore Gaming just can’t help exploiting our -truly commendable, if I may say so- nostalgic sentiment. Want proof? Well, the announcement of downloadable Commodore 64 games for the Wii should be proof enough. Excellent retro gaming news too. And another reason to grab a Wii and stock-up thousands of them lovely Wii Points.

Truth be said, the addition of C64 games to the Virtual Console doesn’t really come as a shock, as it was something that was widely rumoured even before the Wii was launched. Then again, a rumour is so much less than a proper announcement, and even less than an announcement that actually mentions the first two games to hit the service: International Karate and Uridium. Besides, I was really starting to worry the whole idea had been abandoned. Oh, and for a change, Europe will be the first region to get Commodore 64 support.

Games will cost a hefty 500 points each and I have to say that Nintendo really has to look into a more realistic pricing structure. The average (boxed) C64 tape, you see, can be grabbed at eBay for less than the equivalent of 300 points. On the other hand, the prospect of harassing Little Computer People from the comfort of your couch should be irresistible.

Back during the days when the NES was ruling the world of video games with an iron fist, every developer was making the best games they could solely for Nintendo’s console. Actually, the thing was so popular and Nintendo so absolutely powerful, that developers were only allowed to release a set number of games per year and have said games manufactured and of course edited/censored by the almighty Nintendo. What’s more, developers weren’t allowed to make games for other consoles.

Then, happily, the 16-bit era came and Nintendo’s dictatorial methods and monopoly took a hit. And then another during the PlayStation era. And then another. And another, till everyone felt certain that quality third party support was something the company had lost forever.

Finally the Wii with its incredible popularity came along and despite the initial lack of third-party interest, the subsequent onslaught of shoddy ports and mini-game collections, it’s now more than obvious that quality non-Nintendo software for Nintendo consoles is on the rise. What follows is a two part feature on what I consider to be the best 10 such games released so far.

Resident Evil 4

RE4, though most obviously a GC/PS2 port of the peasant-zombie killing marathon and definitely not the most original of games, was the first non-Nintendo game to be released on the Wii and manage to get some stellar reviews. And rightly so. The game offers everything the excellent GameCube version did, them PS2 extra levels, updated graphics and some fantastic new controls. In a nutshell, that’s survival horror at its best.

Geometry Wars: Galaxies

A sequel to the Xbox 360 cult classic and the most enjoyable thing you can do with the Classic Controller. Not that it doesn’t support a variety of Wii-specific control schemes, mind you, but Geometry Wars: Galaxies was obviously meant to be enjoyed with Nintendo’s ridiculously precise dual analog controller. Oh, and so that you know, this is a vastly improved and greatly enriched version of the same weird Robotron-eque shmup the Xbox crowds loved. Hugely addictive and purely hardcore, though oddly accessible.

No More Heroes

Violence, style, weird humour, odd weapons, a brilliant soundtrack, smart visuals and frantic arcade action, all wrapped up in an excellent little package with a distinct -though discreet- retro feel. If you love yourself, love punk and/or love to be entertained you’ll grab this game, overlook its (very) minor flaws and love every lovably brutal moment it has to offer.

Zack & Wicki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure

The first full-blown point-and-click adventure to hit the Wii and it managed to prove the Wii Remote and the genre were always meant for each other. Quiet a feat that. Happily and despite the uninteresting story and not particularly likable characters, this is both an evolution in adventuring and a highly enjoyable old-fashioned puzzle solving point-and-clicker at the same time. Graphics are nice too.

Mercury Meltdown Revolution

I know, I know, a puzzle game doesn’t always sound that exciting, but if you miss Mercury Meltdown Revolution you’ll be missing one of the best Wii titles available. The game, you see, offers a completely intuitive interface that let’s the players immediately immerse themselves in its 150 plus levels and enjoy them brilliant physics, colourful graphics and incredibly smart puzzles. One of them easy to learn - hard to master games, then, that as an added bonus requires a sublimely balanced mix of dexterity and wits.

On to Part II… 

Finally, everything you ever wanted to know about Nintendo’s Mario, provided of course all you ever cared for were his appearances and cameos in video games of all kinds, in one convenient place: Here! Or, to be precise, included in the following list, which -I am sure- is not a 100% complete, despite cataloging over 100 games on more than a dozen platforms ranging from the ZX Spectrum to the Wii. Obviously, all the latest gems and our very dear Super Mario Galaxy have been included. Oh, and, please, do let me know of any omissions.

Arcade: Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Mario Bros, Vs. Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros., Mushroom World Pinball (an actual pinball machine!), Super Mario Bros 2., Super Mario Bros. 3., Super Mario World, Mario Kart Arcade GP, Punch-Out!, Vs. Dr. Mario.

Atari 2600, 7800: Donkey Kong, Mario Bros.

Game & Watch and Mini Arcade: Mario’s Cement Factory, Mario the Juggler, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Mario Bros., Mario’s Bombs Away, Donkey Kong Hockey

ZX Spectrum (Yes!): Mario Bros.

Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES (or even Famicom if you prefer) & Famicom Disk System: Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Classics, Donkey Kong Jr., Donkey Kong Junior Math, Donkey Kong 3, Dr. Mario, Golf, Mario is Missing, Mario’s Time Machine, Mike Tyson’s Punchout, NES Open Tournament Golf, Nintendo World Championships, Return of Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels, Super Mario Bros. 3, Tennis, Wario’s Woods, Wrecking Crew, Yoshi, Yoshi’s Cookie, Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally, Kaettekita Mario Bros.

NEC PC-8801: Mario Bros. Special, Punch Ball Mario Bros., Tennis, Super Mario Bros. Special.

Game Boy and Game Boy Color: Alleyway, Donkey Kong, Dr. Mario, F1-Race, Qix, Game & Watch Gallery, Game & Watch Gallery 2, Game & Watch Gallery 3, Mario’s Picross, Mario’s Picross 2, Super Mario Bros. Deluxe, Super Mario Land, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, Tetris Attack, Mario Tennis, Wario Blast featuring Bomberman!, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, Wario Land 2, Yoshi, Yoshi’s Cookie, Mario Golf.

Super NES (SNES, Super Famicom): Excitebike: Bun Bun Mario Battle Stadium, Mario and Wario, Mario is Missing, Mario’s Time Machine, Mario Paint, Mario’s Super Picross, Mario’s Early Years: Fun with numbers, Mario’s Early Years: Fun with letters, Mario’s Early Years: Pre-School, Nintendo Power Dr. Mario, Picross Nintendo Power, Super Mario All-Stars, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, Super Mario Kart, Super Mario World, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, Tetris and Dr. Mario, Tetris Attack, Wario’s Woods, Wrecking Crew ‘98, Yoshi’s Cookie, Yoshi’s Cookie: Kuruppon Oven De Cookie, Yoshi’s Safari, Zelda 3, Super Scope 6.

Virtual Boy: Mario Clash, Virtual Boy Wario Land, Mario’s Tennis.

CDi: Hotel Mario, Super Mario’s Wacky Worlds (unreleased).

Nintendo 64 & N64 DD: Dr. Mario 64, Paper Mario, Super Mario 64, Mario Tennis, Mario Golf, Mario Party, Mario Party 2, Mario Party 3, Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart 64, Yoshi’s Story, Mario Artist: Paint Studio, Mario Artist: Talent Studio, Mario Artist:Polygon Studio, Mario Artist: Communication Kit, Donkey Kong 64.

PC and Mac: Mario Teaches Typing, Mario Teaches Typing 2, Mario’s Fun with Numbers, Mario’s Fun with Letters, Mario’s Pre-School fun, Mario’s FUNdamental, Mario’s Games Gallery.

Game Boy Advance (excluding the Classic NES series): Game and Watch Gallery 4, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, Mario Bros., Mario Party Advance, Mario Party, Mario Tennis Advance, Mario Pinball Land (a.k.a. Super Mario Ball), Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Super Mario Advance, Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World, Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi’s Island, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario Advance 6: Mario is Missing, Wario Land 4, WarioWare Inc: Mega Microgames, WarioWare Twisted!, Famicom Mini: Wrecking Crew, Yoshi Topsy Turvy, Mario Kart Super Circuit.

GameCube: Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, Luigi’s Mansion, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Nintendo Puzzle Collection, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Super Mario Sunshine, Mario Superstar Baseball, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Power Tennis, Mario Party 4, Mario Party 5, Mario Party 6, Mario Party 7, Super Smash Bros. Melee, WarioWare Inc.: Mega Party Game$, NBA Street v3, Super Mario Strikers (a.k.a. Mario Smash Football), Dance-Dance Revolution: Mario Mix, Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes.

Nintendo DS: Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time, Mario Basket: 3 on 3, Mario Kart DS, New Super Mario Bros., Super Mario 64 DS, Super Princess Peach, Tetris DS, WarioWare: Touched!, Itadaki Street DS, Yoshi Touch and Go, Mario Slam Basketball, Mario vs Donkey Kong 2, Mario Party DS, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Yoshi’s Island DS.

Wii (excluding Virtual Console offerings): Super Mario Galaxy, Super Paper Mario, Mario Strikers Charged Football, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Super Smash Bros Brawl, Mario Party 8, WarioWare: Smooth Moves

Sonic the Hedgehog was really big, you know. Bigger than Horace ever was and definitely bigger than Zool. He almost won the 16-bit console wars too (if ever there was such a thing), and -admittedly- is still recognizable enough to sell the odd overpriced copy. Then again, everyone can see the character and his truckload of silly overacted friends aren’t doing half as well as expected and -that’s the ugly bit mind you- usually star in some shockingly dreadful games.

Now, as I’m not one to necessarily demand a return to Sonic’s 2D roots and 90s gameplay form, even though you have to admit that Sonic Rush for the DS was the best Sonic for what felt like ages, I think Sega should realistically have a long hard look at Sonic’s current-gen outings. Try to figure out what they can do right and what they simply should do away with. And you know what? It’s as easy as having a look at two 2007 games.

The first one is simply called Sonic the Hedgehog and debuted on the Xbox 360, though a virtually identical PlayStation 3 version did promptly follow. Oh, yes, and it is such an astonishingly awful game you’d think it was meant as a bloody interrogation tool for a consolized version of hell. Also, despite its title, this abomination has nothing to do with the implied return to form you might be hoping for. On the plus side though, Sonic the Hedgehog Next-Gen could probably also serve as a developer’s map of the things designers should avoid: tons of horribly unfunny Sonic Team written dialog, an overly complex control scheme, graphics without style or flair, a silly soundtrack, weird missions, a horrid camera system, pointless exploration bits, exhausting loading times, an interesting selection of bugs and glitches, a badly judged difficulty curve, nonsensical ideas regarding save points and only a few moments of fast platform (almost) properly Sonic action, that unfortunately aren’t that good anyway.

On the other hand, the other extreme if you wish (you know, to, uhh, justify this post’s title) we have Sonic and the Secret Rings for the Wii, an impressively better game that really tried to focus on the basics that helped define and elevate Sonic to classic status, while also trying to keep up with the gaming mainstream of today: it’s in 3D and uses the Wii Remote. Happily it also offers a simple -almost intuitive- control system, great speed and what can essentially only be described as 2D gameplay. It is thus a fun game that feels properly Sonicy. Mind you, it’s not perfect, not by far, but definitely a step in the right direction. And it does spare us those anime cartoon anthropomorphic animals that aren’t Sonic…

The Americans and the Japanese all but ignored it, but we Old Worlders knew better. We were after all old, loved arcade conversions and hadn’t really gone for this Nintendo Mario fad. Besides, instantly loading games impressed us deeply. Anyway, no matter the reason, we knew immediately. SEGA’s classic 8-bit console, the venerable Master System, was an impressive piece of hardware that sported dozens of gaming gems, managed to decently bring arcade favorites at home and was an all around excellent console. We absolutely loved the thing. Almost as much as our trusted home computers (though definitely not as much as those impressive AT PCs and Amigas).

But, as is customary, I digress. What I meant to tell you was that the Wii retro experience is about to get vastly enhanced with the addition of them lovely Master System games to the Virtual Console service. Yes! Your Wii Points will soon be able to get you all the Alex Kidd and Phantasy Star retro gaming you’ve always wanted. Oh, and judging by the Master System’s two-buttons controller you wont be needing a Classic Controller either, though, truth be said, it is an excellent little accessory.

Now, before you go off searching for downloadable bits of retro love, know that them SMS games will debut in Japan in a few weeks and only later hit European and US Wiis. The first games that will be made available will be no other than the excellently surreal, very cartoon-y, very smart Fantasy Zone shoot-’em-up (500 Wii points) and the Fist of the North Star (600 Wii points) brawler. Not a bad selection mind you, but definitely the best will arrive later and will hopefully include Phantasy Star, Golden Axe RPGs, lots of Sonic, Choplifter and -why not?- quite a few Sega Game Gear games too.