Some Mini-Reviews

I was in New York City just recently, and whenever I go there, one the top of my agenda is to go to the wonderful Nintendo World Store. A great 2-story store that is sure to give you Nintendo Fever. Well in there, they have these white orb chairs in front of a Gamecube on an Aquos plasma t.v. (SWEET!) Of course, I had to jump on that and play a bit. In the Gamecube is a demo-disk with a nice variety of games. So here are some reviews of the demos that I played.

First, let us begin with the good ones. Mario Kart: Double Dash is a fun guilty pleasure sure to give anyone from 2 to 99 yrs. old some enjoyment. In the demo, you get to choose from 2 courses and the characters that are already unlocked when you just begin the full-version of the game. I very much enjoyed my time playing Double Dash being a big fan of Mario. The combination of cartoony environments, and nice weapons and distractions to ruin you opponents is just really good. I give the demo-version on Mario Kart: Double Dash a 4 out of 5.

Next up to the plate is Resident Evil 4. Back when this one was first released, it got so much hype from gamers and reviewers alike, and guess what, it deserved it. This demo was fun, scary, and annoying all in one package. The demo gives you about 2 levels to play, if you can make it past the first one. There is this awesome targeting system with a little red laser dot on you awesome shotgun which can kill some zombie. You also get a knife to stab some zombie. Although the game is fun, it's hard. It took me about 10 or 15 tries just to get to the second level it offers, and just barely make it. Also, it is annoying when the zombies won't die. Although it is embarrasing yelling, "Die zombie, you *******, die!!!!" in the middle of a public store, I did, and most likely you will yell this at least 5 times when playing this game. So overall, the game is very well done from the graphics (which are phenominal) to the gameplay. The demo gets a well-deserved 5 out of 5.

Ok, that's about all the good ones I played, so now (dun dun dun) the bad games. First let's start off with a game that will not make you look at your cat the same way again. I'm talking about the dreadful Hello Kitty: Roller Rescue. I don't know why Namco published this, but, they did. This game is about Kitty on roller skates, skating around places, and probably rescuing people. I really got out of it about 35 seconds in. The controls were absolutely and utterly horrible (a little Simon Cowell for you), and the gameplay, don't even get me started. Ok, the gameplay was typical. Typically bad. I know I am being a bit harsh on this game, let's talk about what good about it. Well, um.........it has a cat. Ok, the environments are pretty attractive, however, pink. So this game demo gets a 2 out of 5.

Next up are two movie games. The first is based of the movie with a lot of monkey business, Curious George. This is just one of those games. Well in the beginning of the demo, you are George trying to catch the dude that controlls you, I think his name is the man in the yellow hat or something (who is probably being kidnapped or something because he is yelling for the person who is driving him through the jungle to turn around.) You have to slide down branches, swing on vines, and climb vines to get to him, all while collecting bananas. The beginning gameplay is pretty fun when you are just starting to get into it, but then it gets very boring. And the controls, man, those controls are just bad. You don't know how many times I cursed out that monkey during the demo. Just another game that is continuing the movie game steriotype about how they are all bad. The demo gets a 1 out of 5.

Finally, the last demo/game I will be reviewing is......Chicken Little. This is another one of those games. In the demo, you get two levels, if you can stand it. For the first level, you have to get Chicken Little to school by sliding down power lines, jumping on trees, climbing poles and other stuff. You also have a whip which you will use a lot to break boxes and other things that are in your way. The graphics are.......ok, and Chicken Little comes out with a few sayings that are pretty funny which will make you smirk, but not much. The worst part though, is that you can't skip the cut scenes. Oh those annoying cut scenes, just make you want to throw the Gamecube. But seriously, this demo was, oh why. This one gets a lucky 2 out of 5. So that is all for now. Zam, out.

Balls in Space! Otherwise known as Spaceballs! Review!

When you see guys wearing balls on their heads, you know you're watching Spaceballs. At least you will after this review. This is a Star Wars spinoff just so you know, but it's so different you may forget it's supposed to be Star Wars. It's based on the last trilogy, and it's dang funny. I mean, when you see midgets that look like mickey mouse dancing around the desert singing the Barney theme song, you know you're watching a funny movie. The main characters are: Lonestarr [Luke], Princess Vespa [Leia], Darth Helmet [Vader], Barf [Chewbacca], and Yogurt [Yoda]. So if you've seen the Star Wars movies you know the basic plot, but it's a little different. Basically, it's all about balls. Balls. Balls. Balls. Balls on dudes heads. Oh yeah, the Storm Troopers are called Spaceballs. It's got all the main Star Wars moments, balls style [whatever that is]. Just so you know, Helmet doesn't like his Balls. He thinks they're stupid and annoying. If I didn't say already, this movie is funny. It's also really unique. You won't see industrial-sized blow dryers, pepperoni pizza spheres called Pizza the Hut, robot maids that suck and blow, balls combing deserts, and The Schwartz in any other movie. The special effects are..ehh...but then again this is from 1987, so it doesn't really lose anything on my score for that. The cast is pretty good. Mostly unknowns, but a few stand out such as Bill Pullman. Spaceballs is definitely the best Star Wars spin-off I've ever seen. Then again, that's not saying much seeing as it's the only Star Wars spin-off I've ever seen. For the $5 it is now, you have to check this out. Spaceballs gets 3.5 [half a ball? that's just weird...] big white balls out of 5.

Oh Look, A Movie Review Of The Movie Rent

Oh why did I have to watch this movie. I mean I thought the commercials were bad enough getting the song "Seasons of Love" stuck in my head and all day I end up humming the tune and occasionally saying "525,600 minutes." But then my girlfriend made me watch this musical that just blasts tons of music into your head. I mean in this movie they break into song every 2 minutes. Did you know there is only about 20 minutes of talking during the whole 2 hr 15 min. movie? Yes, ONLY 20 MINUTES!! Ok, I'm hitting too hard on this movie. Let me tell you a bit about the story. There are a big group of friends that like each other and most of them have AIDS. Then they sing and sing about some stuff that happens to them. One's named Mark, played by Anthony Rapp, who enjoys making films and he makes one throughout the film of what happens, one is Roger, played by Adam Pascal, who is Mark's HIV positive roommate who need to write a song before the year of 1989 ends, one is Tom (Collins), played by Law & Order's Jessie L. Martin (who surprisingly sings GREAT), who is HIV positive and falls in love with a transvestite named Angel, played by William Jermaine Heredia. Another one in the group is a HIV positive stripper named Mimi, played by Rosario Dawson, who tries to get with Roger. One who was not said to have AIDS or not is Maureen, played by Idina Menzel, who is a leader of a protest which is against a building that is being controlled by their landlord Benny, played by Taye Diggs. Maureen once dated Mark but dumped him for a lawyer named Joanne, played by Tracie Thoms, and they get engaged (which is soon ended by a song). They go through a bunch of stuff like a protest, to dancing and singing on tables to singing at a funeral. So overall, this movie is pretty good. I mean some of the songs you are like, "Hmm, that a pretty good one, I like the toon," but some you just lean back and go "Oh man, I can't believe they have to sing about that." I enjoyed most of this film, its good, but alert before you watch it, there are some crying parts and this movie may get you a bit depressed. You can get this movie on DVD now. But one tip when watching it, after you see it, go to the special features and check out the alternate ending, it is VERY good. Ok, I'm gonna break into song, "The movie RENT gets threeeeeeeeeheeeeeeeee singiiiiiinnnnnggggggggggg HIVeeeeeeeeeee positive friends out of fiiiiiiiiiiiveiiiiiiiiiiiihiiiiiiiiva. (If you didn't get that it's: The movie RENT gets 3 singing HIV positive friends out of 5.)