Hey ... buy this stuff.
Videogames
This week is the industry's last major push, which of course means we’ll be showered with the last batch of AAA titles that’ll be pushed as Christmas presents, when we all know the cellophane wrapper will come off as soon as we get home.
• "New Super Mario Bros. Wii (for the Wii of course)"
Mario’s forays lately have been in the third dimension; for those of us longing for his 2-D platformer days, "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" is the answer. Similar in gameplay to the NES, Gameboy, and DS Super Mario Bros. Game, NSMBW keeps the charm and adds more suits AND MULTIPLAYER. Yes, you can add up to three more Wii controllers and go co-op to save the princess.
• "Assassin’s Creed II (PS3 & 360)"
Ubisoft’s sequel to 2007’s hit game about elegantly killing people in the Matrix (or something like that). It shifts the timeline and geographic location to Italy, circa the 1700’s. Personally, I found the first game to be monotonous and the storyline, since nothing was mentioned of the details beforehand, kind of confused me. Now that the series is showing a bit more promise with more varied gameplay styles and the story is a bit more rounded out, I am more than willing to give in again; plus Da Vinci’s “Flying Machine” is a vehicle. The DS and PSP each have exclusive titles that tie in to the main story of "Assassin’s Creed".
• "Left 4 Dead 2" (PC & 360)
Zombies may be starting to be played out – werewolves FTW! - but that doesn’t stop Valve from quickly turning out the sequel to last year’s most awesome co-op game. The fact that it’s turnaround time seemed like Valve was using the Speedforce has a lot of people worried. “Might it be a rehash?” they ask, but come on, how many variations to the post-apocolyptic zombie scenario can you have? Just give us some undead and some form of weapons, and we’ll be fine!
• "Tony Hawk Ride" (PS3, Wii & 360)
Another large plastic controller, this time not in the form of an instrument but as a skateboard. I’d hold off on this one until we see what happens when kids kickflip the controller, bust their ass, and legal battles ensue. I never had a problem with using my controller to input a skater’s move set, and if I wanted to be this close to simulating skateboarding, I’d take my $120 dollars and get a real board.
• Rounding out this week are an interesting bunch. Through the Wii channel, "Pokemon Rumble", which is basically "Smash TV" ... with Pokemon (yes you read that right). More "Lego Indiana Jones" for almost all systems – the PS2 is feeling the cold hand of death right about now. "Little Big Planet" goes portable on the PSP, and "Resident Evil 2" gets revisited in "Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles" for the Wii.
Comics
• This week, that crazy Dr. Horrible gets a one-shot comic from the good people at Dark Horse.
• DC continues “Blackest Night” with Adventure Comics #4 (which nets you a Blue Lantern ring) and Outsiders #24 (which gets you the Star Sapphire ring). Justice Society of America gets an 80 page six dollar giant, and from the Wildstorm brand, Victorian Undead #1.
• Marvel kicks off the “Gauntlet” line in Amazing Spider-man #612, also Osborn tries to kill Spiderman in “The List” one shot. More “Dark Reign” all over the place and two of the four Avenger’s titles come out with Dark Avengers and Mighty Avengers. Punisher #11 should be interesting after last month’s brutal ending to, or should I say end of the Punisher, and my favorite dysfunctional family starts off a new mini-series with “Realm of Kings: Inhumans” #1.
• A new “Tales of the TMNT” this week and a new “Transformers #1” from IDW embraces the G1 look that we all know and love.