Features

• Timing Action Commands help you dodge or inflict damage, and impress the crowd to give you power for super attacks.
• Fold into a paper airplane and take to the air, turn sideways to slip through narrow passages, and roll into a tube to bounce to safety.

Reviews (121)

A kiddy game that adults will actually laugh at? Wow.
Back in the Nintendo 64 days, Mario, Nintendo's mascot, was in the uber-successful Mario 64. And pretty much since then Nintendo's been trying to have it's "sequel" or successor. They did that with Mario Sunshine but it probably wasn't what we had in mind. Paper Mario was released then and it had Mario and Co. as 2D characters in 3D backgrounds so Mario was essentially paper-thin literally. We now have the "sequel" to the original and it vastly improves on the original.

Story: One would be pretty stupid to try and think the Mario storylines were deep or original. Princess Toadstool is kidnapped and Mario must save the day by beating Bowser. Well Toadstool has been kidnapped only it's not Bowser's fault. This apparently ties into a treasure map and the mysterious Thousand Year Door.

Graphics: Basically with these kind of games like Wind Waker is that they're beautiful only on a different level. Nowhere near the brightness of Mario Sunshine, the realistic ultra-detailed Resident Evil 4 or the brilliant level design of Metroid Prime but it more than captures the essence of the game.

Sound/Music: Maybe they learned that Mario Sunshine's voice acting was pretty bad so Nintendo isn't even bothering. You still get Mario's "let's-a go!" or "oh yea!" and some other voice samples but nothing full speech. The music isn't immediately catchy but it fits.

Gameplay: All games come down to this. Paper Mario's "gimmick" is that it revolves around, yes, Mario as paper form. In this form he can fold himself into a plane and fly to a far platform, squash himself and launch himself into the air or squeeze through tough spaces.

The battles in Paper Mario unfold on a stage with it's own audience. This probably one of the most unique ideas to come in a long time. Basically battles are like Paper Mario and Superstar Saga with timed presses and dodges and you get a cast of characters to be your battle buddy.

The audience however plays a key part in everything. Let's say you're not showing off your extra damage attacks or not using cool moves then the audience goes down and some members will even through rocks at you. However, if you're the fan favorite they'll throw goodies on stage. There is also stage elements like the stage can collapse or these spiky guys can randomly fall from the ceiling. This isn't a press A constantly RPG, you'll be busy.

One of the big pluses is the dialogue. The dialogue in Paper Mario 64 was downright horrible. Here, it can actually be downright funny. My ever favorite Bowser line: "Crystal Stars you say? They sound like world conquering tools, I want them!". And Luigi doesn't join you on the quest but he has his own quest to tell you about should you go chat to him.

It's sad that games like this get past over for others which is a shame cause this is one of the Gamecube's must-play titles.

SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THIS GAME ROCKS LIKE ANYTHiNG!!! I love all of the chapters!!!! I could play this game a thousand times!!!!!

The Best Mario Game Yet!
This game is a ton of fun if you are into platform games.
There are loads of partners (7 to be exact) to choose from and each partner is unique! You have to collect 7 crystal stars and a long journey has to be taken for each one!

The problem is that when you are talking to someone who is telling you what to do, it takes for ages!

You get different abilitys such as Plane, Roll etc. and they are all briliant!
I think the best bit is the battles, you have to fight bad guys when you bump into them on the field mode! Each crystal star gives you a star attack and they are all fabulous!

If you like platform games and/or fighting games then this is the game for you! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Gamecube (Game Cube, Game-cube)    3. Action    4. Adventure   

Features

• Take on strike fighters in Fox's Arwing and command a heavily armored Landmaster Tank
• Weapons including automatic blasters, sniper rifles, and shoulder-launched rockets
• For 1 to 4 players
• Space-combat action game
• Join Slippy, Peppy, and Falco to counteract a growing galactic threat

Reviews (32)

Bitter disappointment.
What a let-down this game is.Seriously, is it too much to ask for a solid flying game like Star Fox 64 was?I mean getting out and walking around shooting things is great and all, but this is a STAR FOX game, and the last thing I would buy a Star Fox game for is to run around and blow things up, especially when there are other games out there that fulfill that type of game play so much better.I was expecting the bulk of this game to be spent flying around in an R-Wing....boy was I wrong.

Do yourself a favor if you've never bought a Star Fox game before, go to a pawn shop, get a N64 and buy Star Fox 64.You'll thank me when it's over.

Solid!
Fox has done it again. Nintendo always revamps its games and this is no exception. Graphics are good enough to make Starfox: Adventures look like Starfox 64! Beatiful explosion effects and lasers. Sound is beautiful, gameplay is simple to learn but hard to master. I love this game, and I reccommend it to Starfox veterans or those fresh out of video game boot camp. Speaking of military stuff remember 4 player combat, because someday you'll hear some dude screaming "Remember the Titanian planes!" and then hear his Arwing get shot down.

Okay
I was about to give this game a 1 star due to frausration in the levels ' but i decided to let it slide ' now im a beginner to the starfox games and i saw starfox assault on the shelves so i picked it up today i played it and the levels and gameplay are confusing as hell you ll here a character call out for help but you ll half to shoot down the enemy who is after them but sometime the enemy is invisible from the attack making it impossible to hit even the ground enemies are sometime invisible from getting hit ' maybe its because im a beginner but i doubt it ' and the levels are hard and difficult ' But if youre new to the starfox games get starfox adventures first because i think fox is not in no annoying wing

... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Gamecube (Game Cube, Game-cube)    3. Action    4. Adventure   

Features

• Read the Pitch with the EA SPORTS Hitters Eye: An all-new visual indicator allows the hitter to pick up the pitch the moment it leaves the pitchers hand. Admire a sweet swing or learn from your mistakes with an all-new enhanced replay that details, analyzes, and provides unprecedented feedback on your last swing.
• Own the Plate: Change your position in the box to adjust to what the pitcher is throwing you, or keep the defense honest with a drag bunt.
• Precision Pitching: Paint the corners or send a message with the Precision Pitch Meter, or catch runners napping with unprecedented pickoff control.
• Big Play Control Reaches a Whole New Level: Make an underhand toss to the pitcher as he covers first, slide around a tag at home, and make user-controlled stretches and dives. While leading off base, exercise your reflexes by beating pickoff throws with an all-new leadoff control.
• Build an Empire: Control every aspect of your organization in all-new Owner mode. Create your line-up based on player progression during Spring Training, or help build player attributes by completing in a variety of different mini-games.

Reviews (3)

Terrible baseball simulator
This is, without a doubt the worst baseball simulator out there.It's like EA just gave up on the product being that it's the last year they are doing it.The baseball games are just unrealistic.For exampleI'm three months into my season and all my starters have at least 2 perfect games each while my team has a batting average of .217!It's just impossible to hit in this game for both computer and player.I've even adjusted the contact levels to no avail.This game is just terrible!

The Elite of 2005's Lineup
MVP Baseball 2005 is the closest game currently on the market to give you the most in-depth baseball experience possible. In my opinion, the only people not liking some aspects of this game will be New York Yankees fans. It's not only Manny on the cover, but also the intro video, cracks and comments throughout the games and even a song praising Boston's first title in 86 years. Well, all I can say is, if you can't overlook those things, you're missing one fantastic game. Let's break it down:

Owner Mode:
New this year is Owner Mode where you begin with picking a stadium (not one of the existing ballparks, but a starter stadium) and making a few upgrades (seating, lights, whatever you can afford before opening day). You can add a restaurant, set ticket prices, make promotional days and on and on.

You have a financial advisor for the season, budget reports, player contracts, etc. One note: Yes, you can be the owner and play the game just like you would in Dynasty Mode. You can sim, play individual games, manage the game or sit in your luxury box and watch it all take place. There is so much to this mode that I couldn't possibly fit it into this review.

Dynasty Mode:
This mode is essentially the same as last year. Keep the owner happy, the players, do contracts and play the games. It's been updated and tweaked for more user friendly experience. And I can't leave out that this year, you even have single-A teams in addition to AA, AAA, and MLB.

Mini Games:
Instead of just a Home Run Derby, EA has included a variety of features that can teach you different aspects of the game. There is batting practice, pitching practice and also a scenario editor. To me, I found it to be an enjoyable experience especially when hitting the cars and busses over the outfield wall. This seems like a throw back to Triple-Play 2000 when you had target practice.

Graphics:
Simply amazing. Need I say more? The players faces and stances are mirrored to their real-life counterparts. Cutscenes, and animations are gorgeous. The only thing I found a proble with was the crowd...even in 2005, they are still wooden-looking. That's a sacrifice you have to make and it doesn't detract from the game experience.

Gameplay:
What a shift from last year! Pitching is now a lot more realistic with the way you use the meter. Instead on the old meter where you set power and tried to hit right spot, they have upgraded it to you having to stop it and exactly the right moment, if not, you risk and early or late breaking pitch. In rookie mode, it's not as big of a deal as it is in MVP mode. Make some mistake pitches in the higher levels and you're asking for trouble.

Batting is great! When you foul off a pitch, a little screen comes up and shows you how you hit it. Fouling off a pitch is a mistimed swing, same as a swing through. Gone is the animation where you swung, missed the ball and it popped up the crazy box to show you missing it. Instead, this year, they have the popup box, yet include the ball trail so you see how you missed it.

Fielding & baserunning is comparable to last years version with some great upgrades to visuals. There are plenty of dives, showboating grabs, wall jumps, and take-out slides.

Ok, I could go on & on with this review because, like I said, this is the most in-depth baseball game I have ever seen. If you want the best out there, MVP Baseball 2005 hits a Home Run.

Best Version yet
Unfortunately, it may also be the last version due to TakeTwo's contract with MLB.

Anyway, this is a great addition to EA's collection of sports titles.Some cons include:Commentators have new things to say, in addition to the old things, but they still get dull rather quickly.You can only control one team at a time.I like to play NCAA football and Madden while "playing" one team and "playing owner, gm, etc." for another.

Pros:

1)Graphics:So much smoother in this version.The outfield characters are leaner and better looking.The stadiums look great and even when you create a ballpark, it still looks good.

2)Gameplay:It is tougher to field, hit, etc. but I consider this a good thing.Fielding is tougher because when you're tracking a fly ball you don't automatically stop on the circle.You actually have to pay attention once you get "close".Hitting is tougher, I think, and I actually have had to lower my level of gameplay to make myself more competitive.Baserunning is also more of a challenge.The pitchers are better at picking your runners off, and while you can modify the "gameplay tuning" it doesn't make winning automatic.Additionally, they fixed a "bug" from the 2004 version that made it harder for left-handers to hit homeruns.

3)Game modes:
a.Dynasty:Great.Same as before.120 years to build a dynasty and see what you can do.

b.Owner mode:Wow!Only 30 years, but still long enough.You create your own stadium from pre-set options (This could be improved).You buy food stands to sell food to the fans.You buy batting cages, souvenir stands, order fireworks night, order magnetic schedules, etc.This is to get the fans to come, keep them interested while they're there, and hopefully make more money.You start off with a stadium of 20,000 and can work your way up to 65,000 (I think).Everything you buy costs money, but in the long run, you'll hopefully be able to turn a profit.This is hard.So far, I'm 30 games in and $5 million in the whole.

c.Mini-games.The pitching mini-game is HARD!Wow!It's not an automatic win.Of course, I could be losing because I'm using the Pirates.You have a "strike-zone" and you have to pitch the ball to certain locations in the strike-zone.THere is a timed game and an un-timed game.The batting mini-game is actually relatively easy, but definitely good for honing your directional hitting skills.You can also play these mini-games in your "season" games during spring training.It allows you to improve, or negate, your players' ratings.

d.Home-run Derby.Same as before.

One thing I really like that I didn't notice in the previous version is that when you do the different mini-games and homerun derby, the computer actually tells you how many points you got based on the level of difficulty.If you put it on higher settings (of difficulty) you get more points, but it's so much harder the higher you go.

I only became a baseball fan a few years ago, but these games have really helped me understand the game a bit better, learn more about the players, and boggled my mind with the number of things we can do with technology.

Great Game.Try www.easports.com first because they're currently offering free shipping. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Gamecube (Game Cube, Game-cube)    3. Action    4. Adventure    5. Sports    6. Outdoors   

Features

• GameFace II feature allows for near infinite combinations of facial features, body types, and skin tones
• 8 new licensed courses; 15 PGA Tour pros
• For 1 player
• Golf sports simulation game
• Modify course dynamics such as tee-box length, fairway patterns, and more

Reviews (15)

Tiger Woods y'all......it's all good y'all
Having bought and played the EA Sports Tiger Woods series since it came out I have a pretty good idea of what is to be expected.I loved TW 2004 and played that game until the disc starting smoking and caught on fire.For all the people who want to buy a golf game and don't have TW 2004 you should buy this game especially since you can buy 2005 for thirty bucks now.If you have 2004 and also have Xbox live you should buy 2005 since the online play is great. If you don't have Xbox live I will break down what I like and dislike about the game.

What I like about TW 2005 -
First of all the basic controls are the same and gameplay is almost exactly the same - they did add Tiger vision but I will get back to that later.The graphics are similar and the courses are similar.There are more golfers to choose from - and I am very excited that Natalie Gulbis is added again this year because she is beautiful and she adds alot to the LPGA tour.There are better clothes this year, and more sponsorships
are available in your PGA tour season.Also they added Tiger-proofing, I haven't really gotten really in depth into that so I can't say to much about it but it looks pretty cool.

What I dislike about TW 2005 -
There is basically one thing.The game is too easy.This is where the Tiger-vision comes into play - there is no skill in putting now.They should make the Legends harder.The PGA tour season is too easy.The first tournament I finished 70 strokes ahead of the next person.Other than this I really love this game.I do have one minor complaint.Some of the "fictional" courses have illegal holes.If it is humanly impossible to reach the green in four stokes on a par five that is an illegal hole.I think there is one hole that is a par four and its impossible to reach the green in three strokes too.These are stupid complaints though.

Basically I bought this game because I love the EA Sports Tiger Woods series, if you do as well.....Hurry and buy this game!!

Best Game Ever!!!!!!
This game is very very good because the graphics are really good, it has a lot of options and you can create your own career.It has a lot of cool players and lots of good unlockables like courses and players.You can also make courses with lots of strange colors and weird things.There are also tournaments for you to play.You can also make your own people and design their clothes, pants and shoes.The players look very realistic and they're very cool looking.There are also players who are not professionals that you can play with.The players reactions to when they hit the ball are very good like, if they hit a bad shot they will slam their club or if they hit a good shot they'll smile.The crowd also makes a lot of cool noises and applauds a lot of shots.There is one more thing which is the commentary.The announcers announce everything very well and sound very realistic.

Best Golf Game Ever!!
This game is the best golf game because it has very good graphics and you can do so many things.There are also a lot of cool unlockables like people and courses.This game is also fun because you can play with the game and play against the game.You can also make up your own courses with different colors and you can make your own players and design their pants, shirts and shoes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Xbox (x box)    3. Microsoft    4. Sports    5. Outdoors   

Features

• Create-a-fan feature lets you put your likeness into the stadium crowd
• New Defensive Playmaker Control lets you modify pre-snap assignments for any defensive player on the field
• Single player and multiplayer online modes
• Football simulation/action sports game
• New storyline central in franchise mode gathers game events into news-story presentations

Reviews (133)

Best football game yet, but with some drawbacks
This game definately has the most realistic gameplay i've seen yet.However there are certain plays that you can run and always gain alot of yardage.I have scored well over 100 points on All-Madden mode with just 5 minute quarters.

For passing, basically if you have a receiever whose speed and accel are good, you simply run up and out routes (on a diagnal) and throw it and you will almost always get the catch.

For running, there are a few plays which you will always gain yards, I have gained well over 400+ rushing yards in a game on all madden.Use rushing plays that go around your front line (but not pitch or swing plays).Sort of like up the middle but around.Then head towards the sideline, and when a person comes to tackle you, you basically let off the acceleration and before coming to a stop, use a juke move to the outside.The juke has little effect if you are running at full speed, but if you are almost stopped, the defender will be thrown way off.This goes the same for kickoffs and punt-returns.

Also, a HUGE problem is the ability for the ref to get the call right.Sometimes a play is called incorrect and it won't even let you challenge.Also, about 30% of the time a play that is challenged will still be ruled incorrectly.

Injuries are cool, but if they get a broken jaw, they will walk off the field holding their arm, or something stupid like that.So its not too realistic.

Also, the computer running backs have a rediculous way of breaking tackles.All of my guys wil just bounce off them unless their tackling ability is like 95+.However if i ran like that with my running back, he never breaks any tackles.

Also, their defense is usually alot better, if you throw a bad pass they almost always intercept, however if they throw a bad pass, it will hit my defender in the head if i'm lucky, usually it will go right by them and they don't even move which is annoying.

As for the franchise mode, its pretty good, but the computer teams don't trade with each other, and its IMPOSSIBLE to trade with other teams and get the better deal.The computer ALWAYS gets the better deal in the trade, which is not realistic either.
Also, the training camp is good , but you can only improve a handful of players, and usually not by much.

As for the draft, the players you get are never as good as players in the nfl now, and will never be.They just don't have the same attributes.Rookies in the game before the draft can be very good, but when you draft rookies, they are always horrible.Its better to use your draft picks to trade for good players instead of actually using them in the draft.


Overall the game is good, but there are really only a handful of offensive and defensive plays that you can use to be successful at it so it becomes very repetative.There are also alot of glitches that need to be worked out.

Great with Minor Complaints
Here's my opinion of Madden 2005, first let me say I've been playing Madden since the early Sega days - '91 or '92 (yeah, I'm an old mid-30s man), so I'm a devoted Madden fan. I've never played ESPN football, but I guess that's mute since their will be no future NFL ESPN football. Neither a pro or a con, but 2005 is basically the same as 2004, with minor enhancements/improvements. Glad I got 2005, worth it just to get the updated rosters, I hate playing with old players that are no longer on my team in real life.

PROS:
- Graphics are improved over '04 (love the way the late afternoon sun illuminates Texas Stadium as the game progresses). It does have a different look over '04, took a lil gettin used to.

- Great Pro is that you can mute Madden & Michaels commentary, at times I get tired of them saying the same corny cliche's over & over. Now you can either listen to the Fans or Players banter or Mute the all talk.

- To be honest all the added enhancements (Create A Fan, Defense/Offense Adjustments, Hit Stick, etc) - are nice, but not enough of a reason to buy the game... everything else is about the same as '04.

- You can monitor your players progression throughout the season.


CONS:
- I hate that it seems you can't call an Audible immediately after breaking the huddle (unless its the final 2 minutes of a half) and the QB goes through all these Peyton Manning hand-checks when the Audible is called - this really slowwwss down my ability to hike the ball quickly and try to beat the defense before they get set. (**PLEASE, EA make the Audible quick again**) -- if anyone knows how to call an AUD as the huddle breaks please post it here.

- This is real minor, but I don't like when you score a TD they don't always automatically show a replay - I liked watching my players beating the D for a TD (annoying to always have to manually hit replay).

- Also minor, but it seems near impossible to Kick-Off the ball into the endzone now, kinda unrealistic.

- The play selection screens are more difficult to read, the color contrast is horrible - it's harder to see where your players are going to be. I know its a video game and I have good vision, but they need to think about people with vision problems and consider using some of the Internets ADA 508 compliance rules for color balance.

- Come on EA and Madden, update the Commentary, they're still saying mostly the same corny things from 2004. I don't think it would take much for them to record new sayings and conversation - this seems VERY lazy (which is why I at times switch them off).

- Lastly, PLEASE PLEASE remove the Tony Bruno garbage, why is he even on this - it's a total waste of space and annoying!!!!! He's not even on mass radio anymore only on XM, and remove all the stupid fake callers and rhetoric, stick to football-esque features - don't over think things.

- Everything else is okay.

Now, I've read some complain that it's difficult to run... no offense to anyone, but you have to be kidding, right? I'm using Dallas and Julius Jones and Aveion Cason run all over the place. I only use All-Madden the most difficult level and I run with ease, you folks who can't run must be newbies, or have a non-functioning thumb -- stop complaining and learn how to follow your blockers and read a defense. I average 70+ rushing yards a game and Jones already had a 150+ rushing game and I've only been playing for 1 week. And I only play with Drew Henson and Tony Romo as my QB since Vinny & Quincy are no longer Cowboys (thank goodness they dumped AARP Vinny in real life). I'll build my own master QB later.

I suggest buying this game (only buy used, no game is worth the full price to me since every yr most games have a new version) - if for anything to get the updated rosters and graphic enhancements and the few minor add-ons.

I hope they make considerable improvements for 2006 since 04 & 05 are rather similar. BTW when is someone going to up the graphics ante, so games permanently look like the "cut" scenes - is it possible to to make a true 128-bit system, we've been on 64-bit for years!! If they have photo & video cell phones, IPods and overly fancy PDA's you can't tell me they can't upgrade to true 128-bit. I really hope SP3 is more than just a mini-computer with hyped audio/video features, I hope the graphics are much improved! Yes, I know what we have is great, but like any real American I want more :-)

Happy Gaming!

The Version That Made Me Switch From ESPN/SEGA!
For the past few years I have been playing Sega's (now ESPN)series of football games and just loved them. This year, I got Sega's offering, that was dirt cheap and it was OK. I'm not into the "crib" scene, but gameplay was great like in previous years. I saw a promo for getting a discount on a wireless remote when you bought Madden 2005 when it came out and went for it. After getting used to the differences, I have become addicted. I have started in Franchise mode and also done the fantasy draft. After playing several "seasons", I now look forward to the owner off-season mode as much as playing games. It gives you insight into the game, the combine, free agency, etc. ESPN's football game goes overboard in owner mode. I don't want to go through a massive menu and decide what kind of workout my defensive backs have this week. I would much rather shop around my baggage for what my team needs (in Madden). I think that Madden's graphics look better. I actually tried playing my Sega game last week and am so used to Madden that I stopped after a couple minutes.

There are things I wish Madden stole from ESPN/SEGA...a half time show, a weekly wrapup show, more realistic penalties. I have been playing this game a ton and have NEVER seen a pass interference call. Hopefully, some of this will be addressed in the 2006 offering. They may start to slack though since the NFL Players Assoc has signed an exclusive agreement with Madden, therefore squashing all competition. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. PS2 (PSX2)    3. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    4. Playstation2 (Play station2)    5. Sports    6. Outdoors   

Editorial Review

Though it looks like a toy, don't be fooled: the Nintendo GameCube is a powerful video game console that rightly deserves its place among the other next-generation game systems. In fact, its playful, appealing design and small size (the unit is a not-quite-cubed 6 inches) aren't the only features that set it apart from the others.

For starters, Nintendo has quite clearly made this a game-only machine. It doesn't try to play your CD collection, run your movies, read your e-mail, or store your MP3 files. The company has concentrated its efforts on games. All the prelaunch titles we've seen play smoothly, with bright, fast graphics and great sound. Nintendo says its engineers have removed traditional bottlenecks that have, in the past, slowed down processing. New components designed by IBM and MoSys, as well as a large-capacity secondary memory cache, keep instructions moving through the system's microprocessor (MPU) at peak levels. In English: the GameCube is optimized to push speed up while pushing costs down; hence its position at the lower end of the price spectrum.

The GameCube is the first Nintendo video game system to use a disc-based medium rather than cartridges for its games. Moving the software to disc media generally means lower development costs for the publishers, which, in turn, trickles down to the consumer not only in price, but also in availability and quality, as it's then easier to try out untested game ideas (Pikmin, anyone?). While most other systems likewise have their games stored on discs, the GameCube's 3-inch format is smaller than everyone else's, and is so designed to fit in a shirt pocket as much as to deter would-be software pirates.

Of course, the main advantage of the GameCube is that it's the home field of one of the world's premier game designers: Nintendo. While powerhouses Electronic Arts and Sega make games for all systems (including this one), you can play Nintendo games only on a Nintendo system. And Nintendo, you might recall, has been hitting them out of the park since it started with Donkey Kong. In fact, here's a roll call of characters and series you won't find on the other consoles: Mario, Legend of Zelda, Perfect Dark, Metroid, Kirby, and, of course, Pokémon. A few names that the GameCube will share with the other guys: Madden, Tony Hawk, Sonic, Batman, and Star Wars.

The system also comes with four built-in controller ports, so you can easily plug in extra controllers and let friends join in for the multiplayer games--it's even got a built-in handle so you can easily move it to a friend's house. It comes with two memory card slots for saving your progress through games, and there's the capacity for future expansion into the world of online gaming.

In short, the GameCube isn't an all-in-one entertainment system, and neither is it the most powerful of the modern video game consoles. But for video game enthusiasts who want to stick with their favorite characters, its value cannot be beat. --Porter B. Hall

Unit Specifications

• MPU (Microprocessor Unit): 485 MHz custom IBM PowerPC Gekko
• Graphics Processor: 162 MHz custom ATI/Nintendo Flipper
• Texture-Read Bandwidth: 10.4 GB per second (peak)
• Main Memory Bandwidth: 2.6 GB per second (peak)
• Pixel Depth: 24-bit color, 24-bit Z buffer
• Sound Processor: 81 MHz custom Macronix 16-bit DSP
• Sound Performance: 64 simultaneous channels, ADPCM encoding
• Polygon Performance: 6 to 12 million polygons per second (peak)
• System Memory: 40 MB
• Main Memory: 24 MB MoSys 1T-SRAM
• Disc Drive: 128 ms CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) system
• Data Transfer Speed: 16 Mbps to 25 Mbps
• Media: 3-inch, 1.5 GB capacity disc
• Controller Ports: Four
• Memory Card Slots: Two
• Audio-Video Output: Analog and digital
• Dimensions: 4.3 by 5.9 by 6.3 inches (height by width by depth)

Features

• External bandwidth of 3.2GB/sec, for really fast gameplay
• It also includes 64 sound channels -- you'll feel like you're in the game, with the top-quality audio
• The new 485MHz processor makes loading & starting the games faster than ever -- no more long load times!
• The processor is also capable of creating 6 to 12 million ploygons per second -- no more slowdowns in the middle of the game!
• Supports instructions for incredible effects -- your games will be brighterm faster, and more dramatic than ever before

Reviews (483)

Fanboys, get some perspective.
Some of these reviews...Seriously.

Just because you like one console, doesn't mean you have to hate the others. Play what all consoles have to offer, you don't have to be a fanboy to one system...

Anyway, I bought my Gamecube on release, along with Smash Bros Melee. Now, I am a huge Nintendo fan, but I also own an Xbox so rest assured, I play games, not the consoles they come on. I don't care what game the console is on, it's the games that count.

Whilst the 'Cubes selection of games isn't as vast as the PS2s, the quality is a lot higher. Games like Mario, Zelda, Metroid Prime, Smash Bros cannot be matched, and can only be bought for the Nintendo Gamecube. This is main reason to buy a 'Cube, Nintendo games. There are other fantastic games available only to the 'Cube too, like Tales of Symphonia, and Viewtiful Joe.

If you are a casual gamer, get a PS2. The 'Cube has a lot of games for the more pro gamer; don't be fooled by the "child" like graphics, Nintendo games are all about gameplay.
Still put off by the child like graphics? Check out Metroid Prime: Echoes and Resident Evil 4, exclusive to 'Cube.

Finaly, anyone concerned about graphic power of Gamecube, it is much prettier graphically then the PS2. Resident Evil 4 has the best graphics of any console game made, even surpasing games of Xbox, which is more powerful.

So, to sum up, the 'Cube is a powerful console, with a great selection of exclusive games and a controller that is confortable to hold. If you don't play games that often, you might be better with a PlayStation 2, but if you consider yourself a pro gamer, check out the Nintendo Gamecube.
You won't regret it =)

this sucks!
the gamecube sucks,theres a lot of stupid babie games.like mario or donkey kong! they should really call it the gaycube,theres no dvd players netheir.this is for retards who think e-rated games are cool.the gaycube disks are small so babies can hold them.nintendo keeps making kiddie games,always about gay mario or donkey kong.if you want to buy a console buy the xbox or the ps2.the xbox's graphics are very cool,and u can play cool games like halo2 or gta,and the xbox has xbox live,the ps2 is ok.the gamecube is gay

awesome
people say it is full of kiddy games. it isn't. in fact its got the most crulest games in the world like re4. get it now ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Gamecube (Game Cube, Game-cube)    3. Consoles    4. Bundles   

Features

• Devour your enemies and absorb their devastating powers and special abilities!
• Strategic battle system! Switch between your human and demon to take advantage of your opponents weaknesses.
• Customize and develop your characters using the unique Mantra Flow system.
• All new Break system allows you to protect you from an enemies attack and even reflect it back at them.
• Discover special link attacks to unleash the power of your party!

Reviews (1)

Great Game!!!
Great Game!!!I purchased this game with high expectations only to find that those expectations were right on!

It has a great story in that you are a gang struggling in a place called the junkyard to survive.Each gang (there are about 7 of them) must fight with each other, and the last gang standing gets to a place called Nirvana.That's where the game starts, but it takes a twist right off the bat!

The graphics and sound are great!If you order the game now, you may be able to get the boxed set, which actually comes with the soundtrack, so you can't go wrong!The graphics are the cell-shaded type, but it's very well done.The tone in the game is a very run down civilization, raining all the time, and Atlus does a great job at giving that feel.In my opinion, the dungeons are one of the best in a long time in a RPG.It has a mix of puzzle and exploration mixed together perfectly.The puzzles are very minimal but really add a great experience to the game.There are a lot of places to explore, and there is actually some mini games mixed in as well!

The combat is where this game really shines!It is turned based, but thank goodness it is!With all the RPGs now going to real time combat (even FF XII is going to be real time), this game is a diamond in the rough in that it brings the turn base combat back with a challenge.You MUST use strategy each and every time you fight, and if you don't, you won't last long.

The leveling up system in the game is also very well done.Your character earns experience points after each battle just like every other RPG you've played along with currency.The twist that Atlus has done to make each character very customizable is that you need to buy what powers your characters will use!This adds incredible depth to the leveling up experience!The faster you defeat your enemies, the more currency you get, so again, the strategy you use really plays a big part in the game.

If you are looking for a great RPG, with a unique feel, you can't go wrong with Digital Devil Saga.It's a deep rewarding experience that any fan of the RPG genre will enjoy.
... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Sony Playstation (Play station)    3. PSX (PS1 PSOne PS (1 one I)    4. PS2 (PSX2)    5. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    6. Playstation2 (Play station2)    7. Action    8. Adventure    9. Role Playing Games (rpg, rpgs)   

Features

• Superstar voice-over and commentary
• Become a Legend online via Xbox Live
• Four-player head-to-head online play with multiple match types and voice chat support
• New online create-a-belt feature will change the wrestling genre
• Character Evolution Unique character-building story mode allows you to upgrade your Superstar's appearance, abilities, entrance, costumes and move-set as you attempt to win the WWE Heavyweight Championship

Reviews (27)

This game is Kinda cool...
Well, I was really excited for it to come out and all, but when it finally did, it wasn't SOO exciting.... Sure, the graphics, Voice Overs, and Matches are cool, but there are things that totally suck. Like the fact that you cannot make a female wrestler, you can only get 1 voice over for your custom wrestler (male) and the overall gameplay. Get it if you think the graphics are cool and if you only want to make a guy... It was a bit dissapointing, so I don't really recommend it...

Nothing Special
While the graphics are amazing on the entrances, everything else seems to be over the top. Like Raw and Raw 2, the look of the wrestlers and the entrances are the only things that seem to be concentrated on, nothing else. The wrestling is crazy and boring, and the commentary and music is almost all copied and pasted from Smackdown vs. Raw. Studio Gigante, the new developers are not impressive on their first outing but who knows, maybe they will improve over time.

Why THQ, why?
WHy THQ, why? After playing this game, i have come to the conclusion that this game is probobly worse then the original Raw for Xbox. I will make this review in PRO/CON format as usual.

Pro:
1.Voice over
2.Graphics are pretty good in terms of character models
3. Blood is realistic looking

Con:
1.Tons of glitches
2.Game freezes often
3.Career mode is way to easy to beat
4. Commentators repeat themselves way to much
5. Roster is to small (Under 45 superstars)
6. Limited gametypes (NO hardcore, WHAT?!?!)
7. Put them in a submission 8 times in a row and you've won.
8. Unbalanced difficulty levels

As you can see, i would not spend 50 dollars on this game if i were you.
... Read more

Subjects:  1. Sports    2. Outdoors    3. Xbox (x box)    4. Microsoft    5. Video Games    6. PS2 (PSX2)    7. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    8. Playstation2 (Play station2)    9. Action    10. Adventure    11. Fighting   

Features

• The Trick Stick gives you complete control of the rock -- take your dunka nd slams further, and make up your own crazy moves
• Show off your style with over 1,000 different custom options - hairstyles, gear and accessories are yours to play with
• Build and customize your home court from the ground up -Create a home court advantage with new court surface, net, and backboard styles
• Play on 12 authentic courts around the world, from Rucker Park in NYC to Venice Beach, California -- even courts in Europe
• Go wild with the Gamebreakers - turn combos into a 3-man aerial dunk assault

Reviews (17)

da best
buy it buy it now 10 out of 10 graphics sound and gameplay



save your money and buy it

Hot
The 3rd NBA Vol 3 Wuz relli good compared to the last ones the graphics got better and there were more games to pick from to do and i relli liked how u can create ur own shoes nd all that but after u play it for a while u kinda get bored of it but i still think u should get it if u liked that last but even wit the last i noticed u get bored of them but still its relli fun in the beginning i guess

Review:

Gameplay - 7/10
Graphics - 8/10
Sound - 8/10

NBA Street V3
Soar above the rim and leave your mark as NBA Street V3 hits the pavement: 3-on-3, over-the-top, and larger than life. V3 builds on the game-proven, platinum-selling gameplay of the Street series with new tricks and high-flying dunks. All new Trick Stick and interactive Gamebreaker control elevates the game to new heights with unmistakable style and attitude. Featuring today's biggest NBA stars, a collection of the league's all-time greats, and a Hall of Fame cast of past Street characters, V3 is non-stop, fast-paced, action-packed, in-your-face fun. It's as simple as that. NBA Street V3 is packed with highly-detailed authentic street courts, deep player customization options, new Court Creator, and sick online play. Put your rep on the line in the ultimate proving ground: the street courts of NBA Street V3.

The best of the series by far, I would be surprised if there's a better arcade sports game released in 2005. From bouncing the ball off your opponent's noggin to draining a game-winning three, there is just so much opportunity to talk smack, to compete, and best of all, humiliate your friends by dunking on their heads, that I think this is a must-buy for gamers looking for a fun basketball game without having to worry about the differences between a Triangle and a Box formation. Throw in six controllers and go at it in a real three-on-three for even more laughs, more slams, and best of all, more smack.

EA doesn't need an exclusive license to be king of the NBA street court. Midway, you may be second-fiddle for the rest of eternity as NBA Street V3 is the best street game of this generation. The only weak point is the sound, but beyond that, every aspect of V3 crackles with energy and imagination. I am a little bummed that EA still hasn't done anything interesting with jump shots (give us a dozen different trick shots, please), making it all about the dunks. The new GameBreaker is a sick and sweet idea and after putting a few dozen games under my belt, I began coming up with my own custom GameBreaker dunks. The inclusion of the Beastie Boys is inspired, the ability to customize your own court and shoes well-executed, and every GameBreaker dunk a furious thunder of street attitude. It's great, go buy it.


... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. PS2 (PSX2)    3. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    4. Playstation2 (Play station2)    5. Action    6. Adventure    7. Sports    8. Outdoors   

Features

• Revived marriage system, the ability to raise a child
• 6 chapters of your life spanning 30 years
• For 1 player
• Build and run a farm while building and living a successful life
• A brand new Harvest Moon world with 40 new characters

Reviews (228)

A wonderful 2nd life
i am writing while eating popcorn so escuse any errors. i am 12 years old and this game is like a 2nd life to me. i got for my b-day this year(2005).My birthday is on may 15 and my grandma died the morning on may 15 2005. we were going to go to church together.i stayed in my room all day playing Harvest Moon A Wonderful Life.It kept me calm and made stop crying. it made feel better. Now ive been hooked on it ever since i named my person after my grandma.every time i play it reminds me of her. i dont know what i wouldve done without Harvest Moon.:)

???
(ignore the 1 star rating, i had to put something to post here, this post is a question really!)

Firstly...
Should i get this game?
All my friends at school have it and say its great but im not sure.

I LOVED animal crossing for the first 2 months or so but the graphics put me off after that.

so guys...

SHOULD I GET THIS GAME???

cya

Michael

ps. PLEASE REPLY TO ME BY EMAIL FOR THE ANSWER TO MY QUESTION!!

Grant Holmes (Exellent)
I got hooked on it. It was so fun. You should get it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action    2. Adventure    3. Video Games    4. Nintendo Game Boy (Gameboy)    5. Gamecube (Game Cube, Game-cube)   

Features

• New Parking Lot Brawl match
• More detailed characters and attire
• Classic superstars include John Cena, Randy Orton, Booker T, Ric Flair, Batista, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Rico, and Charlie Haas
• Sequel to WWE Here Comes the Pain
• Six-person simultaneous play

Reviews (141)

Both Pleasing and Disappointing
Pros:

1. Improved graphics, with the wrestlers looking like their modern-day selves.

2. Improved music and sounds.

3. Improved animations and moves.

4. An all-new submission hold type that allows the opponent to kick-out or even reverse it (Like turning the Figure-Four Leg Lock into an Indian Deathlock).

5. Better legends, including Mankind, Andre the Giant, and Bret "Hitman" Hart.

6. An all-new Royal Rumble style elimination in which instead of just punching your opponent out, you actually have to push them over the rope. You can even double-team.

7. Voice-over and Online Play

8. An option that allows you to either fight "Clean" (Signature and High-Flying Moves) or "Dirty" (Low-Blowing and Eye-Poking)

9. All new Turnbuckle Chop Battle and Pre-Match Staredown Challenges.

Cons:

1. The Season is very short. You only play in half of a year. (For Example: If you play as J.B.L., you can only fight at Judgment Day, Vengeance, SummerSlam, No Mercy, Royal Rumble, No Way Out, and Wrestlemania because he's a Smackdown! wrestler. Also, the storylines are all poorly made up. You can only win the World, WWE, Intercontinental, and U.S. Titles, and the storyline for one title is the same for the others. There is only 3 possible type of matches you can have at a PPV: 1. Title Challenge, 2. Title Defense, 3. Non-Title Grudge Match.

2. Many modern wrestlers aren't in the game (Spike Dudley, Billy Kidman, Paul London, Eugene, William Regal, Orlando Jordan, La Resistance, The Bashams, Kenzo Suzuki, Nunzio, etc) and the game has some wrestlers who aren't even wrestling anymore (A-Train, Chuck Palumbo, Rico, Garrison Cade, and Sable). Plus, for the first time you can't be Mr. McMahon (?).

3. Create-A-Wrestler is harder than ever.

4. No more Lumberjack or Hardcore Diva Matches. The Parking Lot Brawl is fun for like the first 3 times, but easily gets boring. Also, the backstage area has been reduced to one hallway that has ladders, tables, chairs, and more. What is that?

5. You can't be Kurt Angle in Season Mode because he's the General Manager of Smackdown. How long ago was that? Man did THQ screw up.

6. They included Piper and Snuka as legends. That's no real problem, but they already were in Here Comes the Pain. They also included Masked Kane and Legend Undertaker as legends with the SAME MOVES AS THE MODERN WRESTLERS! THQ is so stupid. Also for some weird reason The Rock is a legend (?!?).

7. There's not even 50 wrestlers in the game. Thank goodness this the last Smackdown! THQ game for PS2.

THQ keeps the hits coming
This game, the latest in the perennial "SmackDown!" series, boasts the best graphics, the most features, the smoothest wrestler control, but lacks in a few areas earlier games excelled in.

The new features arrived with fanfare, but some fall short of their expectations.Online play, albeit fun, is very basic.Only two match types (Single or Bra & Panties) are available; it would have been nice to play an Elimination Chamber match online or even a simple tag team match.The new match style, a "parking lot brawl," is essentially a sugar-coated hardcore match in a special area.There are cars that you can smash your opponent into, but that's about it.

Graphically, this is an amazing game.Entrances are done very well; managers now come down to the ring with their wrestlers while the wrestler's original entrance proceeds.The Elimination Chamber looks very nice, Hell in a Cell looks nice, and we get the added bonus of CAW images on the character selection screen.That's been a pet peeve of mine since the inception of CAWs, so I'm glad to see it.

The game's audio is a double-edged sword.I like the inclusion of real music in the game (especially being a huge Powerman 5000 fan).It adds a lot to it, and hopefully this trend will continue.On the other hand, the superstar voiceovers are at times tacky, unenthusiastic, and boring.Vince McMahon shines in them, but that's to be expected from Vinnie Mac.Eventually, they suffer the same fate as the season mode: repetitiveness.

The season mode starts the day after WrestleMania, and it takes a huge step backwards from WWE SmackDown!: Here Comes the Pain.With the voiceovers, there aren't half as many storylines, so after a few seasons, everything's been seen (and heard).Furthermore, none of the characters used in season mode act as their characters in real life would.Kane and Triple H both coming to Bischoff's office to complain?I've never seen that happen.Also, these storylines are the most misogynistic I have ever seen.The only role of women is to be your superstar's "manager," which implies sexual relations pretty explicitly.Stacy Keibler strips to her underwear for your character and promises to let you "play Santa" later.Apparently THQ isn't down with the whole women's lib thing like the public news station is.

Gameplay is solid in this game.The controls are smooth, easy to understand, and generally effective, save for one irritation.In a match with multiple opponents, say, the Royal Rumble, your character instantly switches focus to the nearest opponent.This is good when you're being attacked, but horrible when you send your opponent to the rope with an Irish Whip and can't re-select him to attack when he runs back to you.Speaking of the Royal Rumble, however, this game features the new "Ring-Out" meter, which means that the Big Show won't be punched over the ropes by Rey Mysterio anymore; Rey'll have to work at it to get him over.It also allows for two wrestlers to team up against another and send him over the top, or for one wrestler to save another from that fate.It's not all-inclusive, however, as the Big Show reserves the right to send you over instantly with a gorilla press.

The Create-A-Wrestler (CAW) feature of this game leaves something to be desired.It's not that it's that much worse than previous games' CAW systems, but that the menu system for it is illogical and that it takes a long time to load.Once you've spent three hours perfecting your character, who wants to actually play?The one good thing I'll give it is the ability to give your created wrestlers separate outfits for their entrances, in-ring action, and cutscenes.

The legends are a nice addition to the game, but they really shine in the all-new Challenge mode, which is easily the most fun aspect of the game.Having goals to beat (some of them extremely difficult, such as winning the Royal Rumble while starting it or beating the Big Show in fewer than three minutes) is a nice touch, and the added money for the in-game WWE ShopZone helps too.

I've a few other problems with this game, starting with the contemporary wrestler selection.Stars like the Hurricane, Rosey, Heidenreich, and Carlito Caribbean Cool aren't in the game, nor are Lita, Victoria, or Molly Holly.Another problem is that the hardest difficulty setting isn't really that hard for experienced players.Finally, the new button-mashing submission system makes it nearly impossible to make superstars with a high submission rating, such as Chris Benoit or Chris Jericho, to tap out; on the other hand, they'll readily tap after a submission move of the old kind.

Though it may seem like I'm tearing this game apart, I still give it 4 stars because it has a lot of redeeming quality and is genuinely fun to play.I've been playing it for a while now and probably will until the next incarnation of this franchise comes out.

A pretty fun game
I rented this game when it came out and I loved it. This sequel to Here Comes the pain is very cool. The story mode has the WWE superstars doing voice overs to add to the game. There are also secret characters to buy like Bret Hart, The Rock, Andre, and more. In this game insted of 5 smackdown icons they've been reduced to 3. This is probably the best smackdown game I've played. If you like this get Day of reckoning for GC. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adventure    2. Fighting    3. Video Games    4. PS2 (PSX2)    5. Sony Playstation (Play station) 2    6. Playstation2 (Play station2)    7. Action   

Features

• Clash with your friends in party-rockin' mini-games like Mowtown, Catch You Letter, Astaroad Rage and Cashapult.
• A new day and night system gives game boards and mini-games a split personality! Boards transform, characters emerge from hiding and mini-games change dramatically depending on the time of day.
• The game comes with a Nintendo GameCube Mic. Now you can control some furiously fun mini-game action with the sound of your voice.
• Faster movement: Speed around the board! Now there's less down time between turns and mini-games!

Reviews (57)

Best Mario Party of the 6
I found 6 to be the best of all of them. Once Mario Party moved to the GameCube console, it was pretty poor. 4 was just bad. 5 was better. But 6 has all of the best aspects of the previous games. The capsules are much better than 4 or 5. You can either get them for free or go to a Capsule Shop and buy them.The boards are interactive and changing. the day/night change adds an interesting side. you save up stars to buy secrets and taunts. and the mini-games are of course awesome.

Reminds Me Of Mario Party 1
So after having Mario Parties 1, 2, 4 and 6, I'd have to say that 6 is one of the best yet.

But before I go into that. Anyone who has the very first Mario Party knows that it was different from all the others- it wasn't just wandering around the board collecting stars. There were different ways to collect stars on each board (Yoshi's Tropical Island only had two star spaces, and the spaces switched when someone landed on a ? space; Mario's Rainbow Castle was a race to get to the castle when Toad was at it instead of Bowser; Peach's Birthday Cake always had the same star space, and you could plant flowers around the board to get stars, et cetera). Mario Party 6 seemed to be a much more exaggurated version of what the first one was meant to be, and a much better one at that.

Towering Treetop is a perfect example of how Nintendo isn't weakening on their boards. This one was beyond fun. Sure, it was just wandering around the board collecting stars, but it was one of the most creative, and I loved the atmosphere. At the top of the tree is a mini-tree that, when you land on his space, gives you coins during the day and takes away coins at night. Near the bottom is a space that you can land on to try to make the tree sneeze, causing all the players to fall down a level. You can also ride flower-like planes that randomly fly you anywhere on the board, and oh, there's so much that I love about this board!

E. Gadd's Garage seems to be the popular favorite that everyone likes. I can why- it's full of scientific inventions that can turn the game upside down. There are three teleportation inventions around the board. If you land on the space, you have the option to teleport to the next one, which is somewhere else on the board. There's also a missle where you can shoot orbs around the board at a cost. And then there's the gigantic fan that sucks coins from other players. This is the last "searching around the board for stars" board that there is on Mario Party 6.

Faire Square is a perfect example of how Mario Party 6 has much different boards than other Mario Parties. Faire Square is a little town square that has many games around it. There's the coin slot machine which you can earn coins with, and there's the space that takes coins or stars (depending on the time of day) from everyone and everyone randomly chooses a plant. The plant that grows the farthest wins the prize. Oh, and then there's the game where you can choose to give up one of your stars to make it into two stars (or three stars at night!). But you have to follow the hat that contains your star, or else you'll lose it! During the day, stars always cost the same thing- 20 coins (the star is always in the same place, and you can always buy up to five stars at a time, if you have the coins). At night, the star price is either 5, 10, 30 or 40 coins! This can turn into a really good deal or a real rip-off. Yes, Faire Square was definately one of the better boards.

Unlike other boards on Mario Party 6, Snowflake Lake (my personal favorite) is more to the player's advantage at nighttime, and here's why. There are huts around the board where you can pay a chain chomp to ride around the board to steal stars from other players (each player starts with 5 stars, and there isn't a star space). During the day, you pay 20 coins to roll only one dice that decides how many spaces you ride the chain chomp for. At night, you can pay 10 coins to toll one die, 20 coins to roll two, or 30 coins to roll three. What a deal! And also at nighttime you have a better chance of stealing other player's stars, because freezy's block the path that runs to the inside of the board (chain chomps only run alone the outer path of the board, and since it's hard to get out of that path because of the freezies, you have a better shot at stealing stars). Also, the little lake at the center of the board is fun. If someone lands on a happening space near it during the day, there is an ice skating competition, and you get to skate around getting coins. At nighttime there is a snowball fight, where you get to throw snwoballs at your rivals to steal their coins.

Castaway Bay has the same exact layout as Mario's Rainbow Castle from Mario Party 1. You wander around the board hoping to run into Donkey Kong who'll sell you a star for 20 coins, and every time someone passes the star space, Bowser takes Donkey Kong's space, and every time someone passes Bowser's space, he'll steal a star or coins from you, and then Donkey Kong will replace him, and the process goes on. I found Castaway Bay to be the hardest board on Mario Party 6. It's nearly impossible to get stars easily, and it's just as hard to keep them.

Clockwork Castle (the unlockable board) is probably the best Mario Party board I've ever seen. First of all, it's a chasing game. The board is a castle, where Twila and Brighton live. You wander around it trying to run into Donkey Kong, who'll sell you a star for 20 coins during the day. At the end of the turn, Donkey Kong rolls a dice or two and runs around the board. At nighttime, however, the movement of the board gets reversed, and Donkey Kong turns into Bowser, who'll steal a star or coins from you if you bump into him or vice versa. There are warp pipes around the board that you can use to teleport to another side of the board.

The mini-games are quite fun. The snowboarding game is cool. My personal favorite is Lift Leapers, which has the exact same concept as Super Mario Bros., except it only has four levels, and the first person to reach the end wins. Granite Getaway is a game where you're running away from a giant boulder. I found this to be very hard the first time I tried it. Oh, and there's also a game where you mow the lawn, and a golfing game, and there are all sorts of very fun mini-games on Mario Party 6.

Yes, Mario Party 6 has probably the best mini-games I've seen yet, it has the two best Mario Party boards I've ever seen, blah blah blah. Mario Party 4 was my favorite, and it more than likely still is. Here are the reasons why.

What happened to Donkey Kong? I loved him! He was an awesome character. Now instead he only gets a space. Replacing him are Boo, Toad, Toadette and Koopa Kid. Boo and Toadette are fun, but really. I still miss Donkey Kong.

Another thing- orbs. Who came up with the idea of orbs? They're different, and they add a different plot to the game, but I miss items still. They were a lot more managable and easier to use.

The boards are much much smaller, especially Castaway Bay. You can roll less than 30 spaces and bam! You're already at the end of the board. Very sad.

And those are the only reasons I can think of of why I like Mario Party 4 better than 6.

6 has many different things about it- different styled boards, the night and day time factor, the 3-D boards (you know, climbing, hopping, jumping, sliding down things that are much funner to watch than a person simply walking around a flat board), and of course, the mic. The mic is fun, but it doesn't really change the game in a major way.

Also, I heard someone say that it took an hour to play a 10 turn game. ... Huh?! I can play a 20 turn game in an hour, just like all the other Mario Parties I have.

If you're a fan of Mario Party, get this! This is probably the most solid one yet, mark my words.

Same game.. different look.
What started as a quirky, interesting use of Mario and all his iconic friends on the N64 has turned into an annual bash, which is now in its sixth year. On the surface, Mario Party 6 seems to offer some of the biggest fundamental changes the series has ever seen. But this is really just a fresh coat of paint on an old building.As always, Mario Party 6 is modeled after a board game, of sorts.Much of the other changes that Mario Party 6 makes to the Mario Party formula are largely superficial.
Whether you've worn out your last copy of Mario Party or are just looking for a light, accessible multiplayer experience, number six is a fine pick. Alternately, if you have yet to be charmed by previous Mario Party games, this one isn't likely to change your opinion of the series. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Gamecube (Game Cube, Game-cube)    3. Action    4. Adventure   

Editorial Review

Video game makers have been experimenting with live-action video in games since the early 1980s but EyeToy (a digital camera for PlayStation2) marks the first time it's been done right. The device magically superimposes video-game graphics onto a player's image and translates his or her movements into controlling elements of the game. It is the best improvement of video game controls since the joystick.

The EyeToy camera plugs into your PS2

EyeToy has two components: a digital camera that plugs into one of the USB ports in the front of the PS2 and a disc of party games. In the EyeToy games--there are 12 on the disc, but some of them are little more than variations on the same theme--your image is at the center of the action. The game is totally controlled by moving your body in front of the camera. For example, in one game where the object is to beat back invading hordes of kung-fu fighters who come at you from the four corners of the screen, you must move your hands (or elbows, head, hips, whatever) to connect with the fighters onscreen and slap them away. Unlike most contemporary video games, EyeToy is so intuitive that most users will be able to play in a matter of seconds--even toddlers and senior citizens. Watching someone play EyeToy is fun: onscreen, the games are like the fanciful mix of live action and animation á la Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and off-screen, the player's movements are almost as goofy as those playing Dance Dance Revolution.

EyeToy is best enjoyed by groups

Setting up EyeToy is simple--just plug in the camera and drop in the disc--but fine-tuning it for your game environment takes a little effort. First, you'll need to have adequate, well-balanced lighting. We found that a bare 60-watt light bulb positioned behind the EyeToy camera worked pretty well. Next, you should clear away as many objects as possible between you and the EyeToy camera. Not only can extra objects impede the camera's function, they can present hazard when playing the game. A uniform background helps, too; we found that a light-colored wall worked better than a dark background. Before you drag the couch out on the lawn and pull pictures off the wall, try out the camera in different positions to see if you can find something that works without redecorating. The recommended placement of your EyeToy camera is right on top of your TV, but if your PS2 is situated farther than the 72-inch attached camera cord, you will have to get creative. We tried pointing the camera up at us from a coffee table and it worked fine.

The EyeToy games, while fun, are too simple to keep solo gamers interested for long periods of time. EyeToy is best as a party game played with groups of friends, or as a way to show off your PS2. And as a peripheral for future games EyeToy holds a lot of promise. Let's hope that Tony Hawk and John Madden find a use for this little camera. --Porter B. Hall

Pros:

• Totally unique approach to video game design
• Great for groups
• So intuitive that anyone will be able to play it immediately

• Only the pathologically vain will find lasting fun in this as a solo game

Features

• Comes with twelve mini-games, including: Wish-Washi, Beat Freak, Kung Fu, Soccer Craze, Boxing Chump
• Can also be used to instantly create personalized video messages
• Funky Playroom feature (visual effects) and multiplayer options make EyeToy the perfect party peripheral
• USB digital camera makes the player the "star" of the game; camera unit is 2.25" tall by 2.25" wide by 3.5" deep
• Motion-tracking technology instantly translates body movement into on-screen interaction

Reviews (144)

Decent fun..
This ' game ' is decent fun. It's VERY innovative and capable. ( I've heard of it soon being able to hook up online and you'll be able to chat with people. ) This game is just repetetive. And a workout! There are times when at the end of the day when I played this when my arm was about to fall off. Buy this though if you want a strange, original, yet obvious idea, ' game ' . You most likely will not be too dissapointed in your first few outings with it.

A Priceless Treasure for the PlayStation 2
EyeToy: Play is really fun game for the PlayStation 2. It's one of the top ten reasons why the PlayStation 2 is the BEST gaming system in the whole world (at least in our opinion). It allows you to play a variety of old school arcade-style minigames while being able to see yourself on your very own television set and create your own backgrounds through the USB camera. It does this via a motion-sensor detector, which means that no controllers are required. The minigames are broken down into 3 levels of difficulty: easy, medium, and hard. They allow you to choose from a variety of characters, and they never get old. Some of my personal favorites include "Boxing Chump", in which you box a robot-like opponent for points; "Rocket Rumble", in which you blow up as many rockets as possible turning them into fireworks before they exit the screen, "Soccer Craze", in which you are given three chances to keep a soccer ball in the air with your head or hands; "Wishi Washi", which consists of you cleaning windows; "Beat Freak", in which you catch floating CDs by beating them into a four-sided speaker sytem; "Mirror Time", in which you mimic the actions presented in a series of mirror directions; and "Ghost Eliminator", in which you play a ghostbuster in charge of exterminating ghosts simply by waving your hand over them. Additionally, each game comes with a training guide, so as to eschew confusion on how each game is played. There's also a playroom, which allows you to do things like swim under water with different colors of fish, pop bubbles, play with falling snowflakes, perform crazy actions while the computer mimics them, or see the background environment with no effect. In each of the games, it is possible to obtain a high score (as with most other old school arcade-style games). In doing so, it can take your picture by having you pose for a photo.

EyeToy: Play is also an ideal choice for a fun way to exercise. You can blow off steam in "Boxing Chump" (makes good anger management), or practice some dance moves in "Disco Stars." It offers some very pleasant music at the selection menu and in each of the games (which kinda sounds like the Agent 9 levels in Spyro 3) and combines this with a solid gameplay experience. In short, this is just one product that no self-respecting PlayStation 2 owner should be without (this is PS2 exclusive by the way). Now, if only they'd release EyeToy Play 2...

The KAB ratings -

Fun Factor: 10
Replay Value: 10
Graphics: 10
Sound: 10
Gameplay: 10

Overall Evaluation: 10 Perfect!

Reviewer: Baron

Interesting idea, but poor quality for the money.
The Eyetoy is an interesting ide