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Mar 17, 2009 4:04 pm US/Central
Review: Classic GameCube Titles Get 'Wii-Made'
By Phil Stauskas, Web Producer
FORT WORTH (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
Everything old is new again.
In 2001, Nintendo released the GameCube video game console into an already crowded market. Sony's PlayStation 2 had been out for a year and taken the industry by storm, and Microsoft had just released its new kid on the block, the Xbox. Seen as being less powerful and aimed at small children, the GameCube was generally passed over by older gamers.
However, the GameCube saw a number of critically-acclaimed titles, many made by Nintendo themselves and thus exclusive to the system. Video game fans did not get to play these hidden gems.
My, how things have changed.
Nintendo now finds themselves sitting at the top of the still-crowded video game market with the Wii video game console. And, in an effort to put the best GameCube titles into the hands of gamers, they have just started re-releasing old GameCube titles onto the Wii. Dubbed "New Play Control!," the games have been updated to take full advantage of the Wii's unique capability (it's motion-controlled remote) and launched at a 'budget' price of $30.
This concept is nothing new. Game maker Capcom did the same thing two years ago with "Resident Evil 4" and was met with rave reviews from fans, many of whom now consider "Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition" to be the definitive version of the game.
But is the idea of "New Play Control!" really a good one, especially when the Wii is backwards compatible to play old GameCube games? Nobody is doubting that these are great titles, but should they really be 'wii-made' on the Wii? Does the updated control scheme make a difference?
To find out, I looked at the first two "New Play Control!" games that Nintendo just released.
"Mario Power Tennis" puts a racket in the hands of Nintendo's chubby little plumber and other characters from the fictional Mushroom Kingdom, as they compete to win on the court. But this isn't Roger Federer's tennis. A variety of Mario-themed 'power shots' and 'gimmick courts' add wacky elements to the traditional sport.
On the GameCube, "Mario Power Tennis" played best as a party game. Grab a big group of friends and let the unpredictability of the wacky stuff take over. But, under the crazy exterior was a very refined game that required strategy and skill to outlast the competition. It was easy to pick up and enjoy, but required some practice to really master.
However, the 'Wii-make' of "Mario Power Tennis" feels sloppy and unnecessary. Precise and controlled shots are replaced with random Wii Remote flailing that leaves the player feeling powerless. Too many maneuvers are too difficult to pull off. And even on the hardest controller setting (which requires the Wii Remote's Nunchuk attachment), the entire experience feels clunky and dumbed down.
But perhaps more importantly, "Mario Power Tennis" cannot even begin to compare to the tennis game in Nintendo's own "Wii Sports," which came out about two years ago and was bundled with every single Wii system. Wii owners already have a tennis game that is both easier to pick-up-and-play and requires more skill to ultimately master. That just makes the development of this game seem all the more confusing.
"Pikmin" finds space traveler Captain Olimar stranded on a distant planet with a broken ship. He must rely on the native Pikmin aliens to help him recover the ship's pieces within 30 days. Thankfully, Olimar learns that he can control the Pikmin and assign them to various tasks. This turns "Pikmin" into a strategy game centered around a thick web of puzzles and the need for time management. How many Pikmin should be working on Task A versus Task B? Do you accomplish one goal today, or set yourself up to hopefully accomplish three goals tomorrow?
One of the earliest GameCube titles, "Pikmin" remains one of the system's most stellar offerings. On the Wii, it only gets better. What had previously been an acceptable although occasionally tricky targeting system involving the GameCube's two joysticks, is now precise pointing with the Wii Remote. This major addition alone makes the gameplay feel more exact, more fluid and more natural. Instead of having to 'learn' to play "Pikmin," it's pretty easy to just pick up the remote and jump right in.
Maybe even more impressive about "Pikmin" is how well it stands the test of time. Eight years after it was released, and having already beaten the game a couple times over, I found myself just as engaged as ever. It does not feel like an old GameCube game being retrofitted with motion controls. "Pikmin" feels like it belongs on the Wii.
So, what does this mean for "New Play Control!" games?
Unfortunately, the jury's still out. These 'wii-makes' are a great way to expand the fanbase of a franchise and shine a light on titles that deserve more recognition. But correctly picking titles to be 'wii-made' is the key. With the right set of games, the concept could really work, making already-terrific titles even better. But with the wrong set of games, some classic titles could lose some of their luster.
In the coming months, look for "Pikmin 2," "Metroid Prime" and "Metroid Prime 2: Echoes," "Chibi-Robo!" and "Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat" to get the "New Play Control!" treatment.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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