SILVER HORSE AWARDS OTAKU

Gaming Insurrection editors pay tribute to five games that have contributed to the Contributing Editor Brandon Beatty industry. GI’s first-ever awards highlight and examines politics in manga in his honor games that have brought review of the first volume of “Eagle.” something to the table. PAGE 24 PAGE 12

Third Quarter 2010

SonySony NintendoNintendo MicrosoftMicrosoft

One of the greatest and biggest shows on Earth comes back for its yearly showstopper in Los Angeles. Get the scoop on the upcoming games from E3 from GI’s editors. editorial Gaming luminaries put names with game faces

CRY OF WAR sk any hardcore creative elements they come touched a nerve with millions gamer what their fa- up with. around the world. vorite titles are, and Designers come a dime a If you consider yourself a se- A they're just as likely dozen these days, or so it's rious gamer, you should know to give you a favorite designer said. who these people are, what as well. Shigeru Miyamoto. Hi- The four names mentioned they've done and what they're ronobu Sagaguchi. Nobou Ue- previously have achieved going to do. They are that im- matsu. Will Wright. Those rock star status in the portant. names are synonymous with industry. For every game that comes Lyndsey Mosley video games and their respec- Through their works gamers out that's astoundingly bad, tive franchises: Mario/Zelda, have gone to different king- there's another that revolution- ContactContactContact: editor@gaming Final Fantasy, The Sims. For a doms, defeated villains bent izes its genre if not the indus- insurrection.com gamer, they are usually part of on world domination and com- try. the fab four and I'm not talking pleted routine events in char- Don't forget the names be- What I’m playing: about John, George, Paul and acters' daily lives. hind the revolution. Super Mario World (SNES), Ringo. The imagination and creativ- Super Smash Bros. Melee I'm making the case that the ity present in all of these Lyndsey Mosley is editor of Gaming Insurrection. Contact her by e-mail at (GameCube), Borderlands designers are just as impor- games don't necessarily ex- [email protected]. (Xbox 360) tant as the characters and ceed anyone else but it has contents Columns Features Usual Suspects

Cry of War ..…...... ….2 E3 2010 roundup....3-7 What We’re Playing ….. 8-11

From the Dungeon ...... 8 Silver Horse Awards ..12-17 Retrograde ….…..…... 18-21

Otaku ….…………...... 24 Tech Geeks …………...... 22

The Strip ..….………….23-25

Save the date ….....…28-30 staff this issue

GAMING INSURRECTION

Editor Lyndsey M. Mosley

Associate Editor Jamie Mosley

Contributing Editor Brandon Beatty

Website www.gaming insurrection.com

Blog www.gaming insurrection.com/GIforum

Jamie Mosley is GI’s associate editor. Mosley researches and writes the quarterly The Strip D&D feature Sage’s Chronicles and regularly contributes to the magazine’s features www.gaming and Editor’s Weekly Podcast. Jamie resides in North Carolina with his wife. insurrection.com/TheStrip

ContactContactContact::: [email protected] YouTube What I’m playing::: Left 4 Dead 2 (Xbox 360), Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 User: Gaming Insurrection (PC), Borderlands (Xbox 360) Twitter @GamingInsurrect

Brandon Beatty is contributing editor for GI. Beatty writes reviews and the quarterly Otaku column for The Strip. He resides in his hometown of Columbia, S.C.

ContactContactContact::: [email protected]

What I’m playing: Street Fighter II: Special Championship Edition (Genesis), Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)

2 STAFF feature Hear the crew’s crew’s Hear the extravaganza in in extravaganza thoughts on on thoughts GI’s annual GI’s annual this year’s year’s this podcast! podcast! WELCOME TO THE E3 2010 CIRCUS! CIRCUS! 2010 E3 THE TO WELCOME

The Xbox 360 maker shows off Kinect Microsoft Page 5

you the developments from Gaming Insurrection brings gaming’s biggest event! Past franchises and 3DS seal Nintendo the deal Page 6

3D titles, PSP and Move present united front Sony Page 4

What the editors thought Important developments ghlight from Sony Sony's press conference wasn't too exciting. It was strong with a united top hi attack on multiple fronts: PlayStation Move, 3D titles, PSP and exclusives. Big While they didn't excel on any one front, they were at least decent with all. The strategy was a little varied and having Kevin Butler make an appear- ance was helpful for morale. It seemed that just when the conference be- gan to drag, Butler's emergence to give a speech to the crowd about the The PlayStation Move brand re-energized everyone. He's a boost to Sony's marketing as well as will be available in morale. bundles and a I thought the conference met key objectives for Sony and interesting standalone package in titles were announced to keep things fresh. No embarrassing gaffes of North America on years past reared their ugly heads. Sony needs more years like 2010 at future E3s. Sept. 19. The device will be available in Lyndsey GradeGradeGrade:Grade B+ Europe on Sept. 15 and in Japan on Oct. 21.

Photo courtesy of So ny.com

Photo courtesy of IGNIGNIGN Sony's press conference was also extremely entertaining. I Killzone 3 will be fully compatible with Move at the periph- felt that every single ad that Sony placed during the confer- eral's launch and will be available in February 2011. ence were of Super Bowl quality. The PlayStation Move seems to be a great attempt to get couch dwellers to get 1. 3D titles coming more involved in the games. Most notable games for me were God of War: Ghost of Sparta, Twisted Metal and Portal * Motorstorm Apocalypse 2. * Killzone 3 PLAYSTATION * Sly Collection Grade:Grade:Grade: A * Gran Turismo 5 * Crysis 2 sony sony MOVEMOVEMOVE * Mortal Kombat Jamie * MLB 10: The Show Prices and release dates announced for peripheral Photo courtesy of Sony.com * Bundle (controller and wand) - $99 Gran Turismo 5 will be * Controller only - $49.99 released Nov. 2. Sony basically made a positive impact with * Navigation controller only - $29.99 2. PlayStation its conference. Compared with other confer- * PlayStation 3, Move bundle and game - $399.99 ences in the past, Sony actually showed its full * Release date: North America, Sept. 19; Europe, Sept. 15; Japan, Oct. PortablePortablePortable potential in gaming. Also, they brought out 21 More than 70 games announced for the handheld for the holi- good games such as Heroes on the Move, the day season this year: Ace Combat Joint Assault, Gravity Crash, Sly Collection and Infamous 2, which made me Eye camera and wand with three sensors will capture 1:1 fidelity Madden 11, Patapon 3, Tetris, The 3rd birthday extremely excited about the PS3. Kevin Butler's appearance at the press confer- Games that will take advantage of this feature are: ence ignited the crowd and energized the com- * SOCOM 4 3. PlayStation Plus pany's fan base. The Sony-Coke partnership also * Madden 11 This is a new level of the PlayStation Network service. Free con- turned heads. The PSP announcement of more than 70 * Sorcery – Action-adventure game coming Spring 2011 games coming was also a morale booster for the company. * Tiger PGA Tour 11 tent for subscribers with discounts on priced content, much like And finally, the accompanying ad campaign featuring Marcus * Heroes on the Move -Featuring six Sony heroes Xbox Live. The service will be available as of press time and and Butler was brilliant. prices announced are $49.99 for one year and $17.99 for three months. Brandon Grade:Grade:Grade: A+ microsoft Brandon Brandon Lyndsey Lyndsey Jamie Jamie What the editors thought thought editors the What table featurewas table Demand.OnESPN Dance Your3, Central Ubisoft's and Fitness:Evolved. Theno-most impressive.Notablegamesmost wereme for ofGears Fable 3, War ableconversations have Being move. and to 360withis Xbox your TheKinect innovative.groups. was It'sgames allowed you get up to captureeveryone's tryseemed to They attention, to just not specific Grade: A Grade:Grade:Grade: feel that I Microsoftpressconference presented.wellwas very Grade: delicious. Agamenotable was system. me forofCall Black Duty:Ops. looked It Theof Xbox. evolution the intoevolvingissystem social a networking Theroom.room nowentertainment.iscenter the of is this Also, the thatMicrosoft thing with portant evolvedid the was livingKinect the theand of familysoul focus to pressconference. the mostthe im- girlThelittle demo. who was ran through adorable.it broughtShe conference heartpress warmed my throughKinectimals the Dance to Kinectimals.Central For first to Microsoft'sthe time, got to titles eachdees. in I see genre Gear:from Metal Rising Grade: A Grade:Grade:Grade: Theconferenceallappealingfor atten- of E3 very the was Grade: achieved it achievedit throughoflineup theirand Kinect games exclusives. differentiate to had itself from competitionthe Iandthinkthey Turnracingusing gamepotential Overall, 10's Kinect. Microsoft appealedotherwiseotherreally me Gear: to Metal thanand Rising 360Slim wasn't Xbox exactlynoneand ofgamessurprising the Theannouncementpartnership. mand the of for consoletures andthe onDe-ESPN the wereme hand-and-voicethe activated fea- Two tems. impressiveof most the forthings with other petitor motion-controlthe sys- thatthingsmake special it acom- viable add-onsystemand couldwhatthedo the grabbag games Kinect. A of showedoff Grade: B Grade:Grade:Grade: thought MicrosoftahadI strong withshowing namednewly the Grade: compatible with all compatible Xboxes. deviceThe network. willger launch withNov.4 at be15titles leastand will fully movies watch chattogether.videoThe will be coming to WindowsLivethe Messen- features and hand-activatedKinect voice andvideofeatures with ability the chat to ArtsLucasStar gamegame, 8. racing Wars from 10(makers of Turn Forza) CentralDance Harmonix)7. (from– willoriginal feature from routines music videos YourShape:Fitness 6. Ubisoft) (from Evolved Adventures Kinect –5. Photos this from beuploadedcan Facebook to Joyride Kinect MarioKart –a4. clone Sports Kinect Sports–a 3. Resort Wii sports with clone more InteractingKinectamals animals2. – activities with with GearMetalRising 1. are:device forrevealedMicrosoft'snameThe sensor project.utilizemotion that will Games this Kinect, Microsoft’s motion sensor add-on for the Xbox 360, will be be will 360, Xbox 4. the onNov. available for add-on sensor motion Microsoft’s Kinect, Big topBig highlight KINECT KINECTKINECTKINECT KINECT Photos courtesy of 1up.com of courtesy Photos

1up.com 1up.com1up.com1up.com users receive will access for free. morevide than 3,500 live events HDin to the service. Live Gold The cable sports provider and Microsoft have teamed up to pro- Xbox 360. storesin as of press time and will cost the same as the original built-in 802.11n WI-FI and a 250 GB hard drive. Consoles will be The slim down version of Microsoft's current console will feature 2. Xbox Live and ESPN partnership partnership partnership ESPN ESPN and and Live Live Xbox Xbox 2. 2. Slim Slim 360 360 Xbox Xbox 1. 1. 2. Xbox Live and ESPN partnership partnership ESPN ESPN and and Live Live Xbox Xbox 2. 2. Slim Slim 360 360 Xbox Xbox 1. 1. Importantdevelopments from Microsoft from

Important developments What the editors thought Big top highlight from Nintendo Any presentation that doesn't feature Cammie Dunaway is probably good for Nintendo, and this year they brought every- thing to the table. Away went the unnecessary sales figures and 1. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword in their place came hard-hitting sales facts demonstrating why New Zelda tale using 1:1 motion of Wii Motion Plus is coming in you should stick with the company. Nintendo hit hard on two fronts: Exclusive software support 2011. Link will be able to use a variety of weapons to aid his from their major franchises and hardware in the form of the 3DS. No sale date or quest, including the Skyward Sword that will later become the The impressive lineup of developers ready to roll for the 3DS price has been Master Sword. stole the show and fabulous successor to the DS showed Nin- announced for tendo was ready to lengthen the handheld war. I was most im- the intended pressed with the return of Pit in Kid Icarus: Uprising and the an- 2. Kirby's Epic successor to the 2. Kirby's Epic nouncement of the Goldeneye remake. Nintendo was improved and focused and it showed. Nintendo DS. YarnYarnYarn

Lyndsey Photo courtesy of First console title for Kirby Grade:Grade:Grade: A- Ni ntendo.com in 7 years. Kirby's new adventure has a stitched look with cloth and sew- ing as the major compo- nents to the theme. The title is due in the fall of Nintendo's press conference added movie technology in its this year. presentation. It was far more entertaining than the other two. I felt that their press conference was targeting a specific group, which I am a part of. 3. Goldeneye remake The most notable games for me were: The Legend of Zelda: Activision is handling the exclusive Wii remake of the classic first- Skyward Sword; Goldeneye for online play; the 3DS and Kid 3DS3DS3DS Icarus. person shooter franchise. The game will feature Daniel Craig as Nintendo Global President Satoru Iwata introduced the newest handheld console James Bond and it will have split screen and online multiplayer. Grade:Grade:Grade: A+ from the company: The 3DS. It features full 3D graphics without the need for glasses It's due out this holiday season. and is the official successor to the DS. Console specs include: * 3.5-in. Screen * Slider that adjusts 3D perception 4. Donkey Kong Country Returns * Touch screen on the bottom (like most Dses) 4. Donkey Kong Country Returns Jamie * Motion sensor and gyro sensor integrated New version of Donkey Kong platforming series is being * Compatibility with the DSi; has two camera lenses, which are capable of capturing created by Retro Studios. It's in the vein of Donkey Kong I expected nothing less than top quality and I photos in 3D Country but has enhanced graphics and music. It is slated got it. I was very impressed with the Legend of * Free WI-FI service will continue with access through WI-FI access points. Systems will for a holiday release this year. nintendo nintendo Zelda: Skyward Sword, especially since you will be able to communicate with each other through a process similar to Wii Connect have full control of the Wii. NBA Jam was an- 24. other title that made me very excited. It's bring- ing back a true arcade classic. Just Dance 2 Some titles and franchises announced in production for the 3DS are: looks more like a fitness game but more fun. Epic * Nintendogs + Cats Mickey is definitely the game that Disney fans have * Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time been waiting for. It also serves as an apology for * Kingdom Hearts Mickey Mania, * Resident Evil I think. Goldeneye, without a doubt, brought visions of * Assassin's Creed James Bond back for me. Being able to play as Bond's legen- * Metal Gear Solid dary enemies again is a treat. I liked the 3DS announcement although I'm reserving full judgment until launch. That being Photos courtesy of NiNi ntendo.com ntendo.com said, I thought the list of developers for it was great. NiNi ntendo.com ntendo.com Brandon Grade:Grade:Grade: B+ others at E3 NBA NBA NBA JAM JAM WII WII NBA NBA NBA JAM JAM WII WII

Photo courtesy of Nintendo TWISTEDTWISTED METAL METAL TWISTEDTWISTED METAL METAL

Photo courtesy of IGN INFAMOUSINFAMOUS 2 2 INFAMOUSINFAMOUS 2 2

Photo courtesy of 1up.com CHILDREN CHILDREN OF EDEN CHILDREN OF EDEN CHILDREN CHILDREN OF EDEN CHILDREN OF EDEN PORTALPORTAL 2 2 PORTAL 2 PORTAL 2

Photo courtesy of 1up.com

Photo courtesy of gameinformer.com BULLETSTORMBULLETSTORM BULLETSTORMBULLETSTORM

Photo courtesy of 1up.com what we’re playing Super heroes have super start

BY JAMIE MOSLEY GAMING INSURRECTION By now, everyone reading this should know about Cap- com’s 2D fighters. Capcom likes to keep certain stan- dards for their famous fight- ing titles that carry over from one fighter to the next. There will be colorful supers, tight- yet-familiar controls and fast paced action. Marvel Super Heroes is no exception to this. Following the still-popular X -Men: Children of the Atom in art style and gameplay, Cap- com has allowed opportuni- ties to pummel your oppo- nents to continue by launch- ing them in the air for that super hero-type feel. Some of Marvel's famous heroes and villains appear so you, the true believers, and give swift justice over your foes. Use Captain America, Spider -Man, Iron Man, Juggernaut and Magneto to fight your way to Thanos. While on your way, be sure to pick up and use the Infinity Gems you find. You may need them. The controls and gameplay are what I consider classic Photos courtesy of IGN.com for any 2D Street Fighter. The Marvel Super Heroes was main difference in this game released for the PlayStation are the Infinity Gems. Each gem has the potential to and Saturn in 1998. unlock special abilities for a hero. For example, if Mag- sus series of which Capcom neto uses the Space Gem, is very proud. And they then you will see him pro- should be proud. With duce a force field around him games like Marvel vs. Street and he will not take damage Fighter, the Marvel vs. Cap- for a limited time. In each com series and the Capcom match, the AI opponent will vs. SNK entries, few other have a gem with them. You companies have been suc- must kick, punch or stare cessful in creating a more hard at them to take it. popular series millions enjoy Not all is perfect in this en- to date. And now with the an- try. The music in the game nouncement of Marvel doesn't stand out but the up- vs. Capcom 3, I’m going to beat tempo of each stage play them all until it is re- helps you stay in the action. leased. The game may slow to a I still enjoy this game. De- do are almost limitless. In If you want a fighter that crawl depending on the gem spite the game’s occasional some skilled player’s hands, you can pick up and play effects if both characters are problems, I remember my they are limitless because of with little knowledge about using them at the same time. friend Ted and I going to the infinite combos that all most Street Fighter, Marvel Super Sometimes the game is so local department store in my every character had. Heroes is it. If you want to slow that a full second will go hometown and playing it for That’s another standard that make creative combos, look by before your character re- hours. Once it was released Capcom kept with their fight- no further. This is good, clas- acts to your button com- for home consoles, we ers. sic fun made for comic book mands. But this slowdown is played it even more. The Marvel Super Heroes paved fans around the world to en- rare. zany combos that one can the way for the famous ver- joy. Villains play crucial part in any dungeon battle

illains are an impor- to see everyone’s face at the throwing in some “cannon tant element to any end when they find out that fodder” to soften them up for RPG. This is not the princess was plotting one or two heavy hitters de- V classified informa- against them. Second, I’m pending on the difficulty tion. Everybody who reads sure that not everyone is level. Remember that you books or watch movies know taunting you. So, you could want the game to be difficult, that a villain can make or pull out that “Destroyer” and but not unplayable. You can break any series. Creating a wipe them from whatever even give the group a “spy” good villain isn't always easy. multiverse that are currently for your ultimate villain. The There are many types of on, but don't be surprised best part is that the spy can villains to consider. There is the next week if you do not be an inanimate object: a the bully, the thug and the have a group to play with be- random item left for the manipulator. There is the vil- FROM THE DUNGEON cause they feel cheated. No champions of good to find lain who doesn't even realize Jamie Mosley group is sad, but there are and keep. A wizard or scien- that they are the villain. In other options. tist can then track the item’s this situation there doesn't too easy. Don't let this bother Through my experience as every move without the he- have to be a clear line be- you. You may want to create a game master, I have roes knowing, keeping your tween good and evil; there several villains that are learned a little equation. Try megalomaniac one step may be some gray mixed in badass and throw them into to create a lot of villains in ahead of those super friends. with shades of black and front the arrogant and confi- advance, pick out a few and Hopefully, the floodgates of white. Therefore, a villain can dent hero group. Although spread them as evenly as ideas have opened. It is even be someone that you reminding the heroes that possible throughout the cam- really up to you what type of know is a good person but you have their very lives in paign. villain that you want in your has been bound by some the balance by sending them Harassing the group with a campaign. code against the group. After to that “great dirt nap,” I random thug surrounded by Remember to enjoy the you have made a decision, would suggest that you listen minions is another good game and the story and lis- you can then decide if the to reason before you send in idea. If there is one villain ten to the group. Their advice villain is a monster, demon, the “big bad” against them. that you especially like, then is usually the most important human, elf or any other race. First, you risk losing count- “try” to let them escape to in villain selection. Most game masters have less hours that you used to harass them at a later time. been taunted with state- create the story and game. I Also, allow the villains set a Jamie Mosley is associate editor of Gaming Insurrection. Contact him by e-mail at ments such as the game is am sure that you would like trap for the heroes after fromthedungeon @gaminginsurrection.com.

8 what we’re playing Street Fighter II has been released for every home console since the Super Nintendo. The standard six-button controller for the Sega Genesis was created because of Street Fighter II: Special Championship Edition.

Photos by Lyndsey M. Mosley/ Gaming Insu rrection

Street Fighter II rocks the Genesis

BY BRANDON BEATTY GAMING INSURRECTION Hadoken. Shoryuken. Spinning Bird Kick. If you know these moves, then you know Street Fighter. For 23 years, Capcom’s world- renown fighting series has dominated social media, arcades gaming consoles and global pop culture. Ryu, Chun-Li and com- pany have set and continue to raise the bar for all fight- ing games. The Sega Gene- sis 16-bit system was among the many consoles to feel Street Fighters’ awe- some might. SFII: SCE was the first Street Fighter developed for the Genesis and brings eve- rything that made its arcade predecessor legendary, plus a few exclusive extras for Genesis gamers. SFII vets will find the entire regu- lar cast is playable includ- ing the four boss charac- ters. As a Street Fighter player, it was refreshing to play as a boss character to see how they would do against the regular players ers must use the start button and to see their own char- on the Genesis’ three button acter endings. Also, SFII: control pad to change from SCE has given two fan fa- punches to kicks, and to vorites some new moves. perform special moves for Ryu can fire a faster each character. You are in- hadoken while Chun-Li can stantly better off buying a unleash a kikouken, which is six-button controller to ad- useful when fighting oppo- just. Also, the music for nents who can throw projec- each stage is unchanged, tiles. Another special feature making SFII: SCE worth re- is the speed increase in the playing. options screen. With this op- SFII: SCE for the Genesis tion, you can choose to fight is one of Capcom’s biggest at regular speed or try hy- triumphs in the mid-’90s. For per speed. old-school gamers who The graphics from the ar- want to glimpse of a legen- cade were ported to the dary fighting series origins, Genesis version intact, with SFII: SCE guarantees that the only change is that play- they won’t be disappointed.

what we’re playing 9 Photos by Lyndsey M. Mosley/Gaming Insurrection Capcom vs. SNK2: Millionaire Fighting 2001 was released for the Dreamcast only in Japan in 2001. Ports for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube were released in the United States. Rivals settle differences in CvS2

BY LYNDSEY M. MOSLEY GAMING INSURRECTION It took a few years, but Capcom and rival SNK finally got up the nerve to find out which of the two companies was the best. Whether or not the question was actually answered we'll never know, but at least the debate is play- able in the form of the Capcom vs. SNK series. Picking up where Millennium Fight 2000 ended, Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mil- lionaire Fighting 2001 showcases the best of the bunch of fighters from Cap- com and SNK, pitting them in team fights. Characters that you'd think are rivals across companies and within each company have special pre-fight introductions and some home locations are represented faithfully. Representing Capcom are Darkstalkers/Vampire, Street Fighter, Rival Schools and Final Fight. Representing SNK (now Play- more) are King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting and Samurai Show- down. The concept and execution are some- thing special because the companies characters were grouped by ratios. they are used in SNK grooves. The ani- worked together to get the most mile- Fighters such as Sakura, Benimaru, mation definitely looks a tad cleaner in age out of years of back-and-forth Vice and Cammy were Ratio 1. Others this version although Capcom’s disap- games. If you ever wanted to know such as Ryu, Ken, Morrigan, Zangief, pointing reuse of sprites such as Morri- who'd win in a fight between Geese Iori and Kyo were Ratio 2. Rugal, Sa- gan’s continues. Howard and M. Bison, this is your gat, M. Bison and Vega were consid- The game's music, while not the chance to find out. ered Ratio 3. And the very special same as the first, is OK. I wasn't as What I love about the game is the characters such as Evil Ryu and Blood drawn to the soundtrack as I was with customization. It could have been lazily Riot Iori were Ratio 4. As you formed the first game and it's probably be- done but both companies thought your team, you were given four points cause I don't go for the disco sound about how a crossover game should to choose characters. Theoretically, that the game is going for. However, go and neither company seems to you could have several team combina- tracks from origin games such as dominate. tions: two Ratio 2s, four Ratio 1s, one Street Fighter and King of Fighters are Sure, two of Capcom's fighters are Ratio 4, a Ratio 3 and Ratio 1 or a Ratio faithfully recreated and that's a plus top-tier game-breaking messes -- 2 and two Ratio 1s. Ratios also deter- overall. Blanka and Sagat we’re looking at you mined the amount of damage charac- This is a game that needs to remind -- but I've noticed that it is still possible ters gave out and took in return. This its players of the history behind the two to win without having to resort to using made it easy for a team of Ratio 1s to companies putting it together, and it either character. die against a Ratio 4, or a team of Ratio accomplishes that goal. I am also especially fond of the 2s to be evenly matched. I thought this If you're going to play a fighting game groove system. It was already unique was far too limiting. on the Dreamcast, it needs to be a in Millennium Fight 2000 with the ability And while you can play Pair Match Capcom effort. The company whole- to play as a signature style from the Mode in the home and arcade versions heartedly supported Sega's final sys- companies in the forms of C groove of the first game, I was looking for tem and Capcom vs. SNK 2 is a con- and S groove, but by expanding on something different with the game sys- tinuation of that string of successful that experience by throwing in four ex- tem. With the sequel and the advent of support. tra grooves, the combo system be- the Free Ration System, it was easier to Capcom worked on the first game in came a little more interesting. form a team I liked. the series, polishing what worked and Capcom was wise to take another While engrossed in the system behind fixing what didn't. You can't ask for a look at what didn't work or needed the game, I did take the time to admire better reason to buy the game, espe- tweaking from the first game. For in- the scenery. Time and effort went into cially if you enjoy any of the various stance, I didn't particularly enjoy the recreating backgrounds, and it shows. fighting games represented by both ratio limitations placed on characters; Artists from both companies did a fan- companies. in reality, I wanted to be able to choose tastic job on the visuals, and I have to I'd be hard pressed to find a reason how my team was set up. For those especially praise the SNK artists' rendi- why this 2D gem shouldn't be in any who haven't played the first game, tion of the Capcom characters when fighting game fan's collection.

10 what we’re playing Planet Puzzle good for on the go

Photos courtesy of Gamefaqs.com Planet Puzzle League for the Nintendo DS is a newer version of Tetris Attack. Online play using the Nintendo Wi-Fi service is avail- able. DS puzzler updates Tetris Attack formula

BY LYNDSEY M. MOSLEY that option off. Remember that this is, GAMING INSURRECTION however, Nintendo's service so expect Don't be fooled by the glitz and glam to have no communication with other of Nintendo's Tetris Attack follow-up for players. the DS. This is the same puzzler you've While you're checking out the play been playing since 1995 with the Japa- modes offered, keep your ears peeled nese version of Panel de Pon and for the soundtrack as well. It's an inter- 1996's American version. Despite the esting mix, pleasant for playing through rebranding, fancy graphics and up- with a few memorable tracks that can graded music, you're still getting an get your toes tapping. addictive puzzle masterpiece that'll The techno beats join well with the keep your handheld charged for just bright graphics, and nothing seems out one more level. of place. At its core Planet Puzzle League is all It does get slightly repetitive when about sliding colored gems around to you're playing through the single- match them up and remove them from You can test your skills in the garbage player points mode so be prepared to the play well. With a simple premise mode, where you break down blocks to turn the sound down or block it out. I and an even simpler control scheme, earn points; versus CPU, fighting to personally enjoyed the music so it the addiction to making just one more see who's the best against a multi- doesn't sound like the same old thing match starts to add up. And that's the difficulty-leveled and multi-stage oppo- over and over again. meat of the gameplay draw: Finding nent; puzzle mode, which requires you The music actually brings the level of one more match to survive the inevita- to slide pieces around to discover a excitement up when I'm trying to break ble death at the top of the screen. This solution; and daily play, which allows a new score. is, in essence, what made Tetris a su- for one battle per day. I'm not too fond If you haven't experienced Tetris At- perstar and legend in its own right and of the daily puzzle mode because it tack, get out and buy it right now. It's a Planet Puzzle League shamelessly seems like a waste so I usually stick to great jumping off point to learn how the steals this concept and runs with it. the garbage mode. game mechanics, and overall as a puz- What you're getting is quality, not Online play is a draw as well. It's fun zle game, it's not bad. quantity, with this package. Puzzle to take on real opponents via Nintendo There are legions of Tetris Attack fans League has a few modes thrown in to Wi-Fi and there's generally folks play- who swear by the series and Planet satisfy the eager puzzler, but you're ing at all times of the day. The search Puzzle League is a fine addition. You probably going to be most interested in criteria (friends, birthday match, nov- might not get much of a change of the single player offline and online ice) is nice and it's easy to connect to scenery from the early days of the se- modes. These are the best there are in play. I didn't like the items used in ries, but it is a nice puzzler to add to terms of getting your money's worth. matches so I usually prefer to play with your game collection on the go. what we’re playing 11

SUPER MARIO BROS.

here are few people has it all: memorable villains, 40.24 MILLION younger than 30 that catchy music, tight controlled Copies sold worldwide have never played gameplay and instant accessi- T Mario Mario and Luigi bility. Let's face it: Every game Mario's genre-defining adven- on the market after 1985 owes 128 ture. Super Mario Bros. its existence. Maximum number of lives that can be held

Super Mario Bros. is a title that When a game single-handedly inspires a "where were you" first- sells millions of systems and is 36 time-playthrough moment for still recognized for its brilliance Levels in the game many and instant warm fuzzy 25 years after its release, it has memories in discussions about earned its status as legendary. 3 the game's strategy. The game Powerups afforded to the Mario Bros.

feature 13 THE LEGEND OF ZELDA

hat elfen boy from Hy- their choosing. The exploration tions: The first is that large maps rule sure knows how to aspect of Zelda was a boon for were necessary; and the second 128 charm the gaming pub- players in that they were trusted is that making a kb, size of the game T lic. You can't mention a to follow their instincts on a path player hunt for weapons to help 888 Nintendo console launch without toward reward and enrichment. them fight other bosses to get Zelda expected to be in the mix. This wasn't lost on the gaming in- more weapons to use against Triforce fragments The Legend of Zelda introduced dustry and it's a major reason other bosses was a good idea to the free-roaming system most why games today have risk- lengthen a game and provide 999 games appreciate today. Without reward structures interspersed challenge. dungeons in the game it, there wouldn’t necessarily be with strategic planning. Who knew the little boy wielding games that allowed players to You can thank Zelda for making a Master Sword would turn out to 555 tackle missions in any order of designers come to two realiza- be so important? records in the Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition

14 feature 169116911691 CASTLEVANIA Year the original game is set in

he first title in the saga of that really had the ability to pull it all the Belmont family versus together and make it look easy. 6 Dracula is awe-inspiring. Castlevania is renown for its eons- Bosses in the game T Maybe it's Simon's lack of old tale of a man facing down the skills or maybe it's the ability of an demons of death in Dracula and his 23 NES game to have outstanding mu- minions such as the Grim Reaper, sic such as Castlevania. Whatever it Medusa, Frankenstein's monster Rank on Nintendo Power's Top is, gamers the world over fell in love and mummies. 200 Games list with Castlevania early and never let It's these battles in the first version go. of the series that captured gamers 100 Throw in awesome boss fights and worldwide to take up the cross and art that showcased the limits of the continue forward through punishing Years required for Dracula to NES early on and you have a title controls and difficulty. sleep and regain full power feature 15 18 Months in development SUPER METROID 14 Maximum number of dmit it: When the epony- play Ms. Aran in all of her wondrous energy tanks found mous creature died at the glory. end of Samus Aran's third And did we mention the story is A adventure, your heart- crucial? 3 strings tugged a little. Super This is a game that 15 years after bosses who directly Metroid was designed to affect the its release still tops some "greatest provide useful weapons everyday gamer looking for an ad- games of all time" lists. venture. And it worked. Technically, It was the template from which Samus' 16-bit odyssey back to the most platforming games after the 3 planet Zebes is flawless. '90s aped their design and quite a suits for Samus that are The music is perfect, the controls few owe a certain amount of grati- used in the game are spot on and the graphics dis- tude toward.

16 feature 32 Spinoff titles in the series FINAL FANTASY

f it weren't for Square's near story of a group of warriors who must 14 bankruptcy in 1987, one of save the world that draws in even the Main entries as of 2010 gaming's earliest RPG ambas- most jaded gamer. It might also be I sadors may have never come the character development and the 11 into existence. Final Fantasy is a fact that no two main entries in the name synonymous with video series feature the same characters. listed in Famitsu's "Top 100 games. Or it could be that without Final Fan- Favorite Games of All Time" Most gamers have their favorite in tasy, black mages wouldn't be a the series and the gaming public at household word. Final Fantasy had it large is still in love with the series 24 years ago and it still has it be- 5 now numbering into the teens. It's cause it's one of the most beloved Games directed by something about the archetypical series ever created. Hironobu Sakaguchi feature 17 retrograde

Photos by Lyndsey M. Mosley/Gaming Insurrection Final Fight was Capcom’s answer to Konami’s Double Dragon series and Sega’s Streets of Rage series. It was released in 1989 for arcades and 1990 for the Super NES. Final Fight flourishes for SNES

BY BRANDON BEATTY GAMING INSURRECTION

Editor’s note: This article refers to the Final Fight version found in Capcom Classic Collection Vol. 1. Artwork for this game was taken from the original SNES version.

Final Fight is a side scroller beat-’em-up game released by Capcom in 1989 for ar- cades, the SNES and Sega CD. In Final Fight you are introduced to the fictional town of Metro City where former professional wrestler Mike Haggar is elected mayor to clamp down on rampant crime. However, the Mad Gears, Metro City’s main crime group, kidnaps Haggar’s daughter Jessica to stop his plans against crime. In response, Haggar, along with Jessica’s boy- friend/martial arts master Cody, and Cody’s sparring partner/ninja arts master Guy set out to crush the Mad Gear and save Jes- sica. Consisting of six stages game, you will fight enemies bars to increase health and ble thanks to the PS2 d-pad. with two bonus rounds, Final raging from areas such as points. The music for each of the Fight’s gameplay is very city slums to a hi-rise build- All elements of the original stages remains intact and is much the same as classic ing where the Mad Gear’s game have been ported di- truly arcade quality. In short, arcade games like Double head honcho is located. rectly from Capcom’s CP it’s nothing fancy, just pure Dragon and Streets of Rage. Along the way you will be arcade system with few dif- beat-’em up scroller action. Two players can select able to pick up objects such ferences. As a fan of the Full of replay value, Final characters by attributes in as knifes, swords and lead original Final Fight, I was Fight is worth a look if you strength, speed and fighting pipes to fend off enemies pleased that the controls of who want to play a classic style creating early co-op and items such as burgers, all three characters and beat-’em up with an arcade scenarios. Throughout the soda, diamonds and gold their special moves are flexi- feel.

18 retrograde Addams SNES romp a fun-filled adventure BY LYNDSEY M. MOSLEY GAMING INSURRECTION You'll hear that theme a great deal be- cause Addams Family doesn't skimp on They're creepy. They're kooky. They're the level design or length. Many of the the Addams Family. How many times levels are open-ended and can be have you heard that theme and had the taken on in any order. They're extremely urge to snap your fingers? You'll be long and involved as well. There are at snapping things with the SNES game least four or five rooms to each section about the famously eccentric family, and multiple puzzle switches to hit. With and it may or may not involve your fin- five family members to save and a cou- gers. ple of extra heart containers to obtain, It's a delightful romp through the large you'll get your fill of levels to complete strange mansion that's the backdrop for before reaching the end. original game version of the Addams The game’s length is not a problem; Family. Gomez must save his family however, it's the difficulty. This game is from the likes of the nefarious Abigail hard. Gomez can take a few hits and Craven, which is the plot of the first then it's curtains. The pacing is a little movie, and to do it he must roam off because it's hard right from the mo- through the halls of his home. It's simple ment you start up outside the mansion. and to the point, which I like in my story- There's a password feature available lines. and you'd be smart to use it so that you You'll notice the colorful graphics while don't have to start over saving family Gomez is hopping and bopping members every time you start a game. through rooms. Ocean took a little bit of Despite finding the heart containers, the time with the license. Textures pop with game is still designed to wear you rich vibrancy and the super deformed down. You will die, and you will die of- versions of the family look adorable. ten. You might as well get used to it and The tone of the game has just the right resign yourself to starting over at the amount of gloomy, and the ever-present beginning of a section. The hit zones for dark humor associated with the Addam- Gomez seem a little strange and the ses is sprinkled liberally throughout. enemies will bombard you so it's a little One thing I did notice was the similarity frustrating if you're looking for it to ease of the grass textures to Super Metroid's into hard. foliage. Maybe it's just me, but it rather Alleviating the pain is the fact that jumped out at me as I was wandering you'll gain a lot of extra lives if you pay around under the big tree before fight- attention and nab the abundant money ing the giant owl boss. just laying all over the house. Most of it Also interesting to note about the is in plain sight but this game, like Su- graphics is the sprite usage. If you pay per Metroid, is all about exploration. To close attention, two different sprites are get the most out of the adventure, you used for Gomez. The actual character need to search every nook and cranny, sprite that runs through the game is walk through walls that seem solid and based on John Astin's portrayal of the investigate pits in the ground every- character in the 1960s TV show. How- where. ever, if you go into the music room to It's important to note that the game see which family members have been does not really penalize you for inquisi- rescued, the portrait of Gomez on the tiveness. Much like the movie, the game wall is of the late Raul Julia, the actor rewards patience and eccentricity when who portrayed Gomez in the major mo- looking for interesting ideas off the tion pictures. As a fan of both proper- beaten path of life. ties, it's nice to see that touch of history If you enjoyed the Addams Family on display and acknowledged, as movies or even the TV show, this is a both actors were flawless in their por- solid entry into the lore about the weird- trayals. est family on Earth. As a pre-teen delv- With the dark humor done right, the ing into platformers, this game paved music steps up and does its part. There my road for hard-yet-satisfying adven- are a few tracks, but what little there are tures and just happened to feature my is fun to listen to. Jonathan Dunn, who favorite extended clan. As a well- also composed the equally excellent developed licensed game, The Ad- companion adventure Pugsley's Scav- dams Family is a eccentricity in the sta- enger Hunt, shows promise with the ble of games based on established soundtrack. The riff off of James Bond's movie and television properties. This is theme is prominent and engaging so be a title where it pays to look for some- prepared to hear it. A lot. thing a little different. Photos Lyndseyby M. Mosley/Gaming Insurrection

retrograde 19 Photos courtesy of Mortal Kombat Warehouse Mortal Kombat was the follow-up to Midway’s successful sequel Mortal Kombat II. Mortal Kombat 3 was released in 1995 along- side the Mortal Kombat movie. Age hasn’t been kind to third MK Suspect AI, graphics cloud nostalgia for Mortal Kombat 3

BY JAMIE MOSLEY GAMING INSURRECTION The Mortal Kombat series has always had something going for it. Among the somethings special were the creative ways to destroy your opponent after a hard- earned fight. With this knowledge, Midway had the power to be completely dif- ferent than its competitors. Mortal Kombat 3 had a lot of firsts for the MK series. The third game in the series al- lowed players to speed up their victory or defeat by adding a run button. In 1995, few games had people lining up to play like different than its closest MK3. At that time, it was competitor: Street Fighter. about finding new moves My friends and I played this with new characters. People game until we went MK were trying to figure out how crazy then watched the to best use the new run but- movie — the first movie ton that at first seemed awk- mainly — then played some wardly placed but later felt more. like it has been there the No doubt about it, in its whole time. With the new run day, this game was huge. button came the equally im- But it did have its share of portant run meter, which de- problems. The controls are pletes as you run or simply spotty: Sometimes you go to do a combo. dial-a-combo and all that When it came to combos, comes out are standing MK3 had them. With the pre punches. -programmed chain com- Also, sometimes the hit bos, a player could try to zones are off. The AI was make their opponent look suspect because it could silly for challenging them. It read your button commands took time and practice to the fourth level. This tactic people played Mortal Kom- to avoid, whenever it suited get that dial-a-combo right. wasn’t just for Mortal Kom- bat, after all. them, attacks. Characters Some combos would end bat; Midway Jam and NFL The music of Mortal Kom- were missing, and most no- with an uppercut or some Blitz also used it in the bat 3 is some of Dan For- tably, there was no Scor- other move that would pop fourth quarter. den's best work. Each song pion. your opponent in the air to MK3 also introduced inter- is different from MKII’s rep- I could go on, but ulti- allow juggle combos for ex- active stages to the series. ertoire. MKII's music had an mately the game just does- tra damage. To please the You could uppercut your op- Eastern feel to it while MK3’s n’t feel finished. I guess players of different skill lev- ponent to the stage above style is more Western. Each that’s the reason why Ulti- els, the “Choose Your Des- you. You could also perform stage, their and its corre- mate Mortal Kombat came tiny” screen was added for Animalities and you can sponding song fit well. out shortly thereafter. different paths to Shao give or receive Mercy. If you By today's standards, the If you played this game Kahn. are familiar with MKII, then graphics of MK3 aren’t the back in the '90s and loved Regardless of which path you won’t be surprised to best among 2D fighters. it, then you will continue to you took, you had to worry see Friendships and Babali- Even in the '90s it wasn't the love it. But if this game about your fourth opponent ties again. And, of course, best, but I played it because came out now, this would because Midway unofficially Fatalities are still there. Why of the challenge of pulling join a long list of bad raised the difficulty level on not? That is the main reason out combos. Also, MK3 was games.

20 retrograde Photos by Lyndsey M. Mosley/ Gaming Insu rrection

Mario is Missing was released in 1993 for the Super NES. Mario is Missing an identity as standalone SNES game

BY LYNDSEY M. MOSLEY This goes on for several levels ending adventures around his core launch GAMING INSURRECTION with a battle against one of the Koopa game. So you're going to see and hear children. There are approximately five lots of Super Mario World references Once upon a time, Nintendo was levels with five locations to visit, and throughout the game whether you want known for slapping mascot Mario on each stage gives up a password to to or not. any and everything they could think of continue if you should get tired of wan- Also, how is it that the graphics are in the R1D1 labs. The portly plumber dering the world. recycled so often, but the music isn't? known for saving the Mushroom King- The graphics are bright but a little There are a several variations of the dom time and again suddenly became muted when compared with its source themes for each region represented the pitchman for everything from go- material: Super Mario World. The game but characters stay the same. kart racing to painting courses. apes much of the scenery from the Playing through isn't hard at all. With Most of these games were moder- SNES launch title so it's a little hard to the password feature, it's bearable to ately successful and included in this denigrate it. sit through the tedium of the sublevels bunch was a little-known title: Mario is However, the two issues I have deal and investigate building and object Missing. with the look of the game. The first is thefts. It's pretty easy to figure out Mario is actually involved in the the seemingly crude touchups on the where you are in the world if you pay game. The problem is, you don't play character sprites. attention to the stolen landmarks. It's as him. Nintendo left the thankless job Luigi looks surprisingly amateur when also beneficial if you're well read on of rescuing the hero to perennial side- compared with his sprite in Super your world history because there will kick Luigi. This isn't bad, however. Mario World, so I have to wonder how be a pop quiz to return the missing Luigi is more than capable as a unit and why he got the short shrift here in items. pusher and practically deserved his his first starring role. The second is the It's not required to talk to everyone in own title long before this sideshow ex- recycled sprites of the people you talk the game, but if it's your first play- cursion. to throughout the game. In every re- through you probably should if you While it isn't the normal Mario fare of gion they look the same. can't figure out the location. “go through these levels and save the Was there not enough in the budget I found the game easy overall and in princess,” Mario is Missing shows to warrant giving different sprites to dif- my first time through 16 years ago, I promise as an educational platformer. I ferent regions? wrote down all of the information given know I learned a few things as a mid- Surely, the designers must have in the pamphlets you can read when dle-schooler playing through the game known there would only be a few you try to return the missing artifacts. and I was pleasantly surprised with places actually used in the game from That's dedication, folks. how much historical fact could be the judicious selection of a worldwide And it’s a great way to spend a lazy wrought from a simple Luigi-themed map, so it couldn't have been that hard afternoon because the length makes it adventure. to draw a few different people to repre- a rental at best. The core of Mario is Missing involves sent the locals. To a certain extent, Mario is Missing is Luigi globetrotting in the real world to The music also suffers for lack of pol- an educational tool with Mario's name save Mario from certain doom after ish. Most of the music is pleasant to and likeness draped all over it. If you he's captured outside of Bowser's cas- hear but it's mostly recreations of like Mario and can stand his side ex- tle in Antarctica. Luigi must go through tracks from, again you guessed it, Su- ploits that don't involve the Mushroom stages collecting clues about his loca- per Mario World. It's like someone went Kingdom, this game serves to pull you tion and famous landmarks to return back to the success of the previous in on the name alone. after they've been nabbed by Koopa game and made a template for use in If you can't see yourself learning Troopas. different situations that they could about the Sistine Chapel while running Once he figures out where he is in the throw the Mario brothers in to make a around on Yoshi or jumping on Koopa world after the Koopa children warp buck on the SNES. Troopas to return the Coliseum in him to mysterious locations, based on While Mario World is a good game to Rome, then take a pass on this. talking to folks scattered throughout the emulate, Mario is Missing should have However, it's not bad if you want to level, Luigi must summon Yoshi to the had its own identity. Also, keep in mind see the Super Mario World template in correct place to move on to the next that this was the era where Nintendo action as a video game learning tool stage. began thematic branding of Mario's for the younger set.

retrograde 21 technology TECH GEEKS — GEAR YOU CAN USE

BY GAMING INSURRECTION Digital tools that can help you is the name of the game in this quarter’s Tech Geeks. Whether it's a program or a website, helpers that can make your daily digital life easier are always welcome. This quarter we suggest three that GI considers invaluable for nearly any project: Photoshop, Winrar and W3Schools.com.

PHOTOSHOP 7.0 Every photo produced for Gaming Insurrection touches Photoshop at some point during the ed- iting process. We can't imagine life before Pho- toshop and there's a reason why it's so popular: It is the industry standard for photo editing. Pho- toshop's features have become default in other photo editing programs. There is a learning curve but there are many resources online and in print that can help you move along with your project.

Price: Version 7.0 - $450 to $600; CS4 - $699.99 Where to buy: Amazon.com (7.0 and higher), Office Max, Staples (CS5 package), Adobe.com (all)

W3SCHOOLS.COM If you ever have a question about designing a website WINRARWINRARWINRAR with any of the current design methods such as HTML Winrar is a decent archiver that unpacks compressed files. 5, CSS or Javascript, give W3Schools a try. The “try-it It's easy to use and is great for opening RAR files. As with examples” are invaluable because you can test how most archivers, Winwar can create zipped files, too. Although code looks before throwing it up on the Web. Especially you can use 7zip, and both are free, we still like Winrar be- helpful are the site's color charts. These charts list cause it's simple to get started with and use. every Web-viable color, which eliminates the need to guess if a color will work for your site. Price:Price:Price: Free to download Where to download: www.rarlab.com; www.download.com On the Web: www.w3schools.com

22 tech geeks ‘Stupid smart’ MOVIE REVIEW MARVEL villains livened ‘300’ up ’80s and ’90s Warner Bros., 2007 CHARACTER HIGHLIGHT

ayanara, shell-backed NAME: Sentinel simpletons.” With that one sentence AFFILIATION: Sentinel program from season three of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Tur- SPECIAL ABILITIES: Mutant track- “S tles 1987 animated series, I was hooked on the legendary Oroku ing Saki. Everyone who was anyone in the late '80s and early '90s knows him as BACKGROUND: Scientist Bo- Shredder. I knew him as genius. Well, that is until he employed Rocksteady, Bebop, liviar Trask, as a way to stop Baxter Stockman, the Punk Frogs, etc. on the perceived mutant threat to On tap this issue: a regular basis. The list goes on and on of humanity, created the origi- his failed attempts at finding competent nal Sentinels. Trask received criminal help in New York City, and as a government-funds to re- TMNT diehard, I search his work into eliminat- • Strip Talk: ‘Stupid was inclined to ing mutants and this was the bask in his lack of Sentinels prime objective. Trask smart’ villains made success in taking was invited to debate Professor down my four fa- Charles Xavier, one of the the ‘80s and ‘90s fun vorite dudes with world's strongest mu- attitudes. Shredder tants, in a televised is a prime indica- Hot, sweaty, loud: ‘300’ gets it right debate on mutant- tive of what we at • human relations. Review: Zack GI have come to Trask remained un- Snyder’s ‘300’ is a term as “stupid- STRIP TALK ou don't have to know much convinced of the lack smart” villain syn- Lyndsey Mosley about the ancient Greek Battle HOW WE GRADE of threat most mu- drome. of Thermopylae to enjoy what We score the properties in three categories: Cast- tants posed and re- great comic book Despite his gen- Frank Miller's 300 has to offer. ing (or voice acting in case of animated), plot and vealed his Sentinels to Y similarities to its source material. Each category adaptation ius IQ, as it was brilliantly displayed by You also don't have to have a lot of tes- the world. The robots Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor and voice tosterone or Y chromosomes to enjoy receives points out of the maximum of 10 per then kidnapped actor James Avery, Shredder was just the the slick visuals, fight scenes or lack of category and 30 overall. The percentage is the Trask and took him to latest in the long list of villains who could clothing that the Spartan faithful wear. final score. their leader, Master • Character cunningly devise plans and then ruin This isn't a particularly deep film but it Mold, where Trask them with some of the stupidest behavior doesn't aim to be. It aims to be loud, elements, and the folks who kill the Per- was directed to create summary: Every- known to man. Some of the luminaries on cool and sweaty. And that's exactly sian army in stylized sequences featur- more. this bumbling list? Gargamel from the what you get in the comic book adapta- ing no less than six gruesome deaths Eventually, after thing you ever Smurfs, Cobra Commander from GI Joe, tion directed by Zack Snyder. are no exception. The History Channel Trask was given a Starscream and Megatron from Trans- 300 has been faithfully recreated was actually heavily involved in the cos- mindscan of the X-Men wanted to know formers, Dr. Claw from Inspector Gadget, frame by frame by Snyder, the illustrious tuming phase of the production and who came to rescue Wily E. Coyote from Looney Tunes, Flint- comic book screen master who has that attention to detail is evident him, he realized that mu- about Sentinel heart Glomgold from Ducktales and brought forth visions such as The Spirit throughout. tants were peaceful and Skeletor from He-Man. For these super and Watchmen. 300 was one of his first The actors themselves aren't bad. that the Sentinels had to villains it's not enough to have their great- attempts to bring a comic to life and it's While I'd not believe them as Greeks, be destroyed. • est adversaries in their sights. They have well done. Because Snyder doesn't the enthusiasm that comes across on Trask then sacri- Otaku: Brandon to find a way to mess themselves up gen- stray too far from the source material, the screen is infectious. No one phoned ficed his life to stop Beatty looks at elec- erally because of greed. everything has a grimy comic sheen it in here and the dramatic portions are the Sentinels and Take for example, Starscream and Co- draped all over it. The comic book goop appropriately heartbreaking. Master Mold in a tion predictor ‘Eagle’ bra Commander. Both assumed com- the film is mired in doesn't betray the There isn't much to dislike about 300. massive explosion. mand of their respective groups direct lift of material; it actually en- A small quibble is that the pacing Other Sentinels have been created and re- Capcom (arcade), Marvel vs. (Decepticons and COBRA) after finding a hances the beauty of the visuals. This makes it drags near the end. While the programmed by numerous people including Capcom 2 (arcade), XXX-X---MenMen way to usurp power from the original film is undeniably gorgeous and it end battle is appropriately melodra- Sebastian Shaw of the Hellfire Club, Bastion, (arcade), XXX-X---MenMen the Animated Se- • Top 5 on The Strip: leader. Both eventually lost power when knows it. Even the green screen mate- matic and wrought with tension, it was a Cassandra Nova and Apocalypse. riesriesries,ries SpiderSpiderSpider-Spider---ManMan the Animated the original leader returned and high- rial doesn't detract from the beauty of little too drawn out. As Elvis once rec- SeriesSeriesSeries,Series XXX-X---Men:Men: EvolutionEvolution, Wolver-Wolver-Wolver- Every villain has a lighted their treachery and betrayal. Also, the film. Usually it's obvious that folks ommended, a little less conversation RELATIONSHIPS: Boliviar Trask (creator), ine and the XX----MenMen animated se- the troops under their command said it are employing it in a scene but 300 would have been nice. riesriesries,ries XXX-X---Men:Men: Mutant Apocalypse uselessness level was better to be unemployed than work more than covers its tracks and has a We're action buffs and 300 definitely Larry Trask (creator), BastionBastionBastion,Bastion NimrodNimrodNimrod,Nimrod (SNES), XXX-X---MenMen Legends for them. If that's not utter incompetence, I grand time doing it. satisfied that need. Besides, the many Master Mold (leader) (PlayStation 2/Xbox), XXX-X---Men:Men: The don't know what is. Also gorgeous are the various actors quotable scenes such as “This is Official Game (PlayStation 2/ The villains of the '80s have a lot in com- that make up the principal cast. The Sparta!” more than make up for the FIRST VERSUS GAME APPEARANCE: Xbox), XXX-X---MenMen Origins: Wolverine mon: Smart, well read, articulate geniuses abs are fabulous, hair is perfectly dragging of feet at the conclusion. 300 (PS3/Xbox 360), XXX-X---MenMen Legends View this content who could do anything they wanted, lim- coiffed and no one is out of shape or has earned its rank among great comic XXX-X---Men:Men: Children of the Atom II: Rise of Apocalypse ited only by their hired help. It's this lack unable to fight. The beautiful people of adaptations and action movies alike. (PlayStation 2/Xbox), XXX-X---Men:Men: Next of attention to detail that presents a chal- the8.6 world apparently all fought in the Dimension (Xbox/PlayStation 2/ at www.gaming lenge when selecting the greatest villain Spartan army against the god king Casting: 8 APPEARANCES IN OTHER MEDIA: GameCube) insurrection.com/ of this age. Xerxes and only one lived to tell the Plot:Plot:Plot: 8 tale. That previous comic book sheen Like the comics?: 10 XXX-X---Men:Men: The Last Stand (film), Marvel vs. Lyndsey Mosley is editor of Gaming Insurrection. Contact comes full circle in many of the visual Overall rating: 8.6 TheStrip her by e-mail at [email protected].

the strip 23 TOP 5 ON THE STRIP—USELESS VILLAINS EDITION

EVERY VILLAIN HAS A USELESSNESS LEVEL. ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10, IF YOU MAKE GOOD ON YOUR MASTER'S PLANS AND ACTUALLY ACCOM-

PLISH THE DEATH OF A SUPERHERO, YOU'RE CLOSER TO 1. IF YOU CAN'T GET THE JOB DONE, YOU'RE MOVING A LITTLE HIGHER ON THE SCALE. AND TRUST US, BOTH COMIC POWERHOUSES HAVE A FEW ON THE HIGHER END.

LOCOMOTIVE BREATH (MARVEL) FOUGHT: WAR MACHINE USELESS LEVEL: 6 EDGAR PLUNDER (MARVEL) WITH A NAME LIKE LOCOMOTIVE FOUGHT: CAPTAIN AMER- BREATH, IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME ICA BEFORE YOU HAVE PUT UP OR SHUT UP. USELESS LEVEL: 7 HE DID NEITHER AND THAT'S WHY HE ONLY APPEARED IN TWO ISSUES BE- OK, THE NAME IS A KEEPER FORE DISAPPEARING BACK INTO OB- BUT HE WAS STILL USELESS. SCURITY. HE MAY HAVE BEEN AN ETER- IF YOU'RE GOING TO FIGHT NAL BUT, REALLY, HIS NAME STOPS CAPTAIN AMERICA AT LEAST ANY SERIOUS DISCUSSION ABOUT HAVE THE SENSE TO DO MISDEEDS COLD. SOMETHING AMAZING. BUT HE HASN'T. HE'S DONE NOTHING RE- MARKABLE OTHER THAN HAVE AN IMPERSONATOR THAT WAS KILLED BY THE All photos courtesy of the Marvel and DC Wikia sites PUNISHER. BORING. WHO HASN'T BEEN KILLED OR THREATENED BY THE PUN- ISHER? DESAAD (DC) FOUGHT: SUPERMAN USELESS LEVEL: 1 Photo courtesy of Amazon.com AS THE RIGHT-HAND MAN TO MAN OF STEEL ARCH NEMESIS DARKSEID, DE- SAAD ACTUALLY DID SOME PRETTY NASTY DEEDS IN THE NAME OF EVIL ‘Eagle’ takes prophetic look at AND HIS MASTER'S WRATH. IF HE'D ONLY BROKEN OFF A LITTLE SOONER, HE COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE BEAT- United States political process DOWN DARKSEID LIKED TO INFLICT FOR FAILURE. OTHERWISE, DESAAD agle is a series with clairvoyance. No one the first chapter readers are introduced to Takeshi WAS A BAD MAN THAT PLAYED BOTH could have known that it would predict and his back story involving him and his mother SIDES OF THE COIN WHEN IT CAME TO President Barack Obama’s election eight and his search to find the U.S. Marine that is his THE CHANCE FOR MORE POWER. E years after it was father. The second, third and fourth chapters re- published. In 2000, au- veal more about Sen. Yamaoka. thor Keji Kawaguchi, best Yamaoka reveals to Takeshi that he is, in fact, THE QUINTESSONS known for his best-selling Takashi's father, which forces Takashi to be more (TRANSFORMERS) graphic novel “The Silent involved in the story than he bargained for. FOUGHT: AUTOBOTS AND DECEP- SILVERMANE (MARVEL) Service,” which goes into While reading Eagle, I gained a new and power- TICONS FOUGHT: SPIDER-MAN detail about the post-Cold ful perspective on how U.S. politics are con- USELESS LEVEL: 3 USELESS LEVEL: 4 War era, wrote a story ducted beyond regular print and TV headlines. At about the 2000 U.S. the same time, Kawaguchi has captured both MORE ANNOYING THAN USELESS, SILVERMANE IS ACTUALLY presidential election. It possible scenarios of the 2000 and 2008 U.S. THE QUINTESSONS WERE ACTU- KIND OF COOL. HE EMPLOYS A evolved into what we OTAKU presidential campaigns that manga fans and non- ALLY DANGEROUS. THEY SERVED BIONIC BODY, AGING AND DE- know today as Eagle: The manga readers will enjoy. AS THE JUDGES, JURY AND EXECU- AGING ABILITIES AND TAKES Making of an Asian- Brandon Beatty Will Kenneth Yamaoka become president? Can TIONERS FOR THE WARRING FAC- ON KINGPIN FOR CONTROL OF American President. Takashi Jo manage both an irresistible career op- TIONS THAT USED TO LIVE ON CY- HIS CRIMINAL EMPIRE. “Eagle” was originally introduced in “Big Comic,” portunity and a shaky family connection to the BERTRON. IF YOU WANT TO SEE BECAUSE OF HIS AGE, HE one of Japan's biggest manga magazines and man who could be the first Asian American to lead THE EXTENT OF THEIR USEFUL- TAKES ON HIS CRIMINAL simultaneously published by Viz Media. It focuses the free world? NESS, WATCH THE 1986 ANI- NAME. NOT BAD, OLD-TIMER. on Japanese journalist Takeshi Jo, who after deal- These questions are inevitably answered in fu- MATED MOVIE. THEY WEREN'T NOT BAD. ing with the tragic loss of his mother, is assigned ture editions. TOO BAD THERE AND ACTUALLY by his newspaper to go to Washington, D.C., to SERVED A PURPOSE SUCH AS CON- cover New York Sen. Kenneth Yamaoka, the first Brandon Beatty is contributing editor of Gaming Insurrection. Contact DEMNING EVERYONE TO DIE. Asian American to run for the U.S. presidency. In him by e-mail at [email protected].

24 the strip the strip 25 online this quarter GI TVGI TV VIDEOVIDEOVIDEO PODCASTSPODCASTSPODCASTS GAME NIGHT

GI editors Lyndsey, and Jamie get together to battle it out in their favorite titles! Electronic Entertainment Expo SFII: Special Champion Edition Mortal Kombat 3 The GI crew gathers to discuss the biggest three days in the game industry: E3! Silver Horse THE GI SHOW Watch GI editors Awards Lyndsey, Jamie and Brandon do what they Gaming Insurrection honors five do best: Talk about gaming pioneers for their games! The Addams Family Mario is Missing achievements

26 online this quarter Visit our archives online! www.gaminginsurrection.com/archives.htm

archives 27 save the date July 2010

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 • Tournament of Legends (Wii)

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 • NCAA Football 11 (PS3, Xbox 360)

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

28 save the date August 2010

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 • Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days (PS3, Xbox 360) • Divinity II: Flames of Vengeance (Xbox 360) • Mafia II (PS3, Xbox 360)

29 30 31 • Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned (PS3, Xbox 360) • Metroid: Other M (Wii)

save the date 29 September 2010

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 • Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (PS3, Xbox 360) • Flip’s Tw isted World (Wii)

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 • NHL 11 (PS3, Xbox 360) • Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest (ALL) • Tw o Worlds II (PS3, Xbox 360) • Epic Mickey (Wii)

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 • Legend of the Guardians: The Ow ls of Ga’Hoole (ALL) • Deus Ex: Human Revolution (PS3, Xbox 360) • Brink (Xbox 360) • R.U.S.E ((PS3, Xbox 360) • F1 2010 (PS3, Xbox 360)

26 27 28 29 30 • FIFA 11 (ALL)

30 save the date