Publisher: Nintendo
System: Nintendo Wii
Cost: $50
Review rating: 4 stars
After a long hiatus, Mario is back and wackier than ever in the much anticipated Wii title, "Super Mario Galaxy". Only this time, there is no sunshine to bathe in as the beloved plumber traverses the deep reaches of space, hopping from asteroid to asteroid in his never-ending quest to gather golden coins and stars.
Although this game is set in space, Mario still retains his signature moves, like relentlessly stomping on the heads of enemies, grabbing his hat while ducking and munching magic mushrooms. New to his repertoire is the devastating spin attack. With arms held sideways, Mario makes a fist with each mitt and spins in place, knocking nearly everything he touches into oblivion. Performing this move is as simple as shaking the Wiimote. Another new move is the long jump, which is activated by holding down the Z-button and A-button simultaneously.
With his feet planted firmly on the ground, Mario defies gravity by running around floating spheres and platforms. Grabbing power-ups and jumping around while hanging upside down may seem a bit disorienting at first, but it gives the player an unprecedented amount of possibilities.
Publisher: D3 Publisher
System: Nintendo Wii (DS, PS2, PSP)
Cost: $40
ESRB rating: E
Review rating: 2 1/2 stars
Most people have never heard of Ben 10, but ask any young boy who he is and their eyes will light up as they deliver an in-depth soliloquy about the awesome teenage super hero. In order to add authenticity to "Ben 10: Protector of Earth" the game's developers worked closely with the cartoon's creators, and it shows. Ben 10 features a youth who can transform into different nonhuman creatures that each sport specific powers.
For example, Heatblast is a walking ball of fire who fires flaming projectiles and extends his jumps by coasting on a floating surfboard whereas Cannonbolt can roll around as a sphere while attacking enemies.
Mysteriously, only five characters are available in the game, but 10 characters are in the cartoon. Maybe they should have called the game Ben 5.
While combat is standard fair for a beat-em-up style game, a total of 80 different combos can be unlocked between all five characters. This adds a huge amount of variety that helps to keep the action slightly below mind-numbingly dull. I appreciate the fact that different abilities are necessary to pass each level, but the linear design the game will make most older gamers grow weary by the second level.
Younger players will appreciate the storyline, which centers on Ben's vacation to famous U.S. landmarks such as Mount Rushmore and the Grand Canyon. They will also love the cel-shaded look of the game that makes it seem like they are playing a cartoon. As a result, "Ben 10: Protector of Earth" makes a great gift for young fans of the series.
4 stars - Must have
3 stars - Pretty good
2 stars - So-so
1 star - Don't waste your time
Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
E: Everyone
T: Teen (13 and older)
E10-plus: (Everyone 10 and older)
M: Mature (17 and older)
