Excellent controller

Just a quick review. I have recently bought a Wii and wanted to play on gamecube games wirelessly and so decided to invest in a wavebird about a month ago.
All i can say its excellent, batteries(supplied), feels excellent in your hand, much better than the wii classic controller.
Only downside for those of you who value rumble is that its not there. due to the batteries for the wirelessness.

Funny but one of the most frustrating games ever!

You have to try this for pure novelty value! i mean monkeys in balls! c'mon thats funny!.

The first few levels you get to grips with controlling your monkey ball and it can be very satisfying to reach the goal! you find you are willing the ball to go in the right direction and end up holding the controller at bizarre angles in the hope it will make the ball go more left!.

Sadly as with most games - things get harder! MUCH harder! good lord! there were levels where it starts, you breath, and the ball falls off the side! ARGGGGG!!! i can honestly say it really is the most frustrating game i have played on the Gamecube!. I never bothered to finish it. Maybe i was just rubbish at it?!?.

One good thing is the multi player mode - it is great having races against people - although when you have four people on a tiny telly it gets very confusing! but after a few drinks that just adds to the fun!

I'd say have a go at it! you might be brilliant at negotiating a monkey in ball! or you might throw your controller at the telly as you hear the monkey yell as it falls off the side for the zillionth time!.

Addicted to going mad!!

The title of this post says it all really, once you start to play the game it quickly becomes addictive even when your sanity is slowly being removed. This is what me and my friend found when 'borrowing' someone's Gamecube we couldn't put the game to rest until some ridiculous time in the morning.

When I first started playing it seemed so reminiscent to the old PC game Phantasmagoria, the ideas on where things were kept and where secret passages were came across as being very similar.

The concept behind the game is good for me because you have no major time limits when puzzling out the next stage of the game. The only problems that arise are the fustrating times when you are low on everything and don't have the option to save, which more often or not meant you died and had to go through it all again. The other slight snag we found was that the further you progress in the game the longer it took us to figure out what and where to go next - cue frantic searches on internet for help.

Other than that the game pulls you into it so well with all the tricks to make you think you are going insane as well that you find you are constantly trying to figure the next stage out.

I would recommend this game for anyone who likes a puzzling challenge and doesn't mind having their world turned literally upside down.

Outstanding!

After years of waiting and hoping that SEGA would release SA2 for PC (having released SA1) I finally gave in and bought a Dreamcast version. Then I bought the Nintendo GameCube and ever since my Dreamcast has been gathering dust in my room.

Let's break it down.

THE GOOD:

The graphics. This goes more or less without saying; they're at least on a par with SA1, if not better.

Continuity. This may seem trivial, but it really grated on me in SA1 where you'd see one cutscene from Sonic's point of view, then the same one when playing Tails and the characters would say something slightly different.

The story. Gotta be the best Sonic story of all time!

Level design. I can play the same level over and over again and still find new things. In particular I like the Hard setting (fifth emblem).

Music. Great songs. 'Nuff said.

Difficulty. The levels start easy, like they should, and get progressively harder without too big a leap.

Big the Cat. Finally! Anyone who got frustrated with his levels in SA1 is going to love the cameos he makes here. That cat sure gets himself into some tight situations ;)

Stage Select. A much neater and better way of replaying levels. Also, when you beat Hero or Dark side, you get to watch the cutscenes again (a big plus compared to SA1)

Chao. You can now name them in the kindergarten, classes take a much shorter time to complete and there's the Black Market, none of which was available on the Dreamcast. You can also get your Chao's stats and medical report. At least, not without some serious hassle. The only problem is the redesign of the Dark Chao garden (hey, I liked that cave and the graveyard). And the fact that you can't get the Moon Chao egg.

THE BAD:

Camera Angle. While occasionally it's useful to know which way you're supposed to be going, sometimes you WANT to go backwards through the level (right now I'm thinking of various missiles you need to fire). Since every time you try to correct the angle it corrects itself back again, resulting in you going around in circles and often dying, you get used to playing backwards. There's no Free/Auto setting either.

Emerald Radar. (Note: this applies to the radar on any of the 'find it' levels). For some reason, Sega decided to change this. Now it detects the shards one at a time, from left to right. This basically means that you could be right on top of Item 2 or 3 and not even know it. For most of the levels, this is just irritating, but on Rouge's level Security Hall when you're racing the clock, it gives a whole new meaning to the word 'frustration'.

Hidden Upgrades. Not that much of a problem - the levels are arranged so you can't go on without the vital ones - but it's still irritating to not have a clue where to go. Mystic Melody is the worst one for this, and it's impossible to get all third rank emblems without it.

AND THE JUST PLAIN MISC:

Linear Gameplay. I honestly can't make up my mind whether this is good or bad, so I'll stick it in here. You get a far greater sense of continuity compared to SA1, but if you get stuck on a particular level, you only have one other character you can play.

Inadvertent Homing Attack. I don't know if this is just my controller or the Gamecube version, but sometimes when you push the jump button once, Sonic or Shadow decide to do a homing attack instead. This isn't too much of a problem, but on the Egg Golem boss with Sonic it's incredibly frustrating. It took me fifteen minutes to beat that one on the Gamecube, as opposed to only a few on the Dreamcast. If memory serves, it went something like:

SONIC: (Jump...jump...ju-HOMING ATTACK! Splat)

Over and over and over again.

Lack Of Adventure Fields. Again, I can't make up my mind if this is good or bad. I loved the adventure fields in SA1, but they probably wouldn't fit in here.

So the burning question is, do you buy this or the Dreamcast version? If you're never going to do anything with Chao, then in terms of gameplay it doesn't matter which you get. If you want to do anything with Chao at all besides pet and play with them, you need this version.

A worthy sequel

Okay, they took the good bits from Pimin 1, and rebalanced it, added new bits and made it a lot longer.

It takes elements of a real time strategy game, but to label it just as an RTS seems... unfair. It is loads more.

The game is cutesy violent, and well polished. Little things like the evil wasp things rubbish it's hands with mallace while wandering around a map... the new perspective on our own world from a very small perspective.

If I had kids, it would be one of those games I could play with them and keep the controller moving between us. It is real family entertainment - and a socialable game. People whom watch are compelled to warn you of danger, or laugh at some of the rich dynamics in the game. For instance, there's a big red bug that rolls bolders at you. In other games, perhaps the enemies wouldn't get hurt by them. Not in this one! You can try and lead it in to other enemies or even back at itself! Discoveries and rewards like this delight players and spectators alike.

You find yourself getting attached to the little guys, and when you loose some it is sad to see there little ghost rise up and disappear. You also feel great pride when your team takes down something hundreds of times bigger then themselves!

The game as I said at the begining is rebalanced... instead of yellows throwing bombrocks (I found them quite difficult in the first one) they are elemental like the others... yellows don't get hurt by electricity. Reds are fierce and impervious to fire. Blue can't get hurt by water, and so on. There are at least 2 more pikmin types you discover during the game - and other suprises along the way.

Higely satisfying and dare I say addictive - this is one of those innovative games you just don't find outside Nintendo consoles. If you have the first (or don't), I can tell you this one is a huge improvement and would be a decent addition to your collection.

James Bond Nightfire

Wow, is that game wicked or what!!!!
The gadgets are really cool and so are the guns etc.
The only bad thing is it is quite hard and you only get to use some of the guns once.
Overall a cool game!!
(Also the soundtrack is really cool)

you need this

if you have game boy advance just sitting there while you play your new gamecube buy this link lead and you can use your GBA as a controller for the gamecube! If you have Super Smash Bros. Melee for your gamecube while you play your players attacks are on the GBA screen to help and if you have Star Fox Adventures while you play with your GBA as a controller your map of the level is on your GBA.

You'll Need More Than A Brain To Complete This Strategy Game!!

I first rented this game for a week back in February 2003, only for the fact that I wanted to get game data so that I could get the Captain Olimar Trophy in Super Smash Bros Melee! But when that week passed I found out that the game was actually a little entertaining than I expected, so I decided to buy it!

It was actually an interesting game because unlike certain games, you had to plan out and think of what to do step by step! It even attracted my brother's attention to getting this game for his birthday!

The story is simple, but easier said than done! You are Captain Olimar and you've crashed landed on an Unknown Planet, which has a toxic gas you are allergic to codenamed... Oxygen, and your life support will only last 30 days (not in our days of life but in the game days). You also discover that your Rocket Ship is severely damaged and roughly 30 pieces of your ship have vanished, 25 of which are vital and must be recovered in order for you to get back to your home world... Planet Hocotate!

So, this is where you come in. It's up to you to help Captain Olimar recover the 30 Parts within 30 Days! To help you on your quest, you'll discover weird species you will call... The Pikmin. These unknown types of species are basically a flower dub, combined with a carrot and have the ability to communicate and help civilians in critical situations! There are three types of coloured Pikmins! There are the Red Pikmin's whom attack fear sly and are invulnerable towards fire! The Yellow coloured Pikmin whom of which can reach higher destinations if thrown and carry bombs! And finally the Blue coloured Pikmin whom have the ability to travel through water as well as rescuing other Pikmin from drowning in the water! With you and the Pikmin, you will create a destructive team whom must fight creatures, bugs, flowers, monsters, birds, plants and fearsome villains to claim and recover the 30 Parts of the Rocket Ship!!!

Although the game sounds long and entertaining, it is in reality quite short and can get boring time after time, especially when you make a big mistake and you keep on pressing the Reset Button!

I would say to myself that it is so difficult, that I needed a Guidebook to help me complete the game! It took me until August 2004 to finish the game. Only for the fact that the games data takes 19 Blocks on your Memory Card and unless I play the game occasionally, I tend to delete my data! But, since I finished the game, I probably won't be deleting the data in years now!!

My Personal Game Score: 7.5/10 - Great, Entertaining, Challenging!

My Wish: What I find a nuisance is the Game's Data! If you had the 4MB Memory Card for the Gamecube, you would not get much space left on that Memory Card, since this game eats almost ¼ of your data! If Nintendo do decide to make Pikmin 3 for Gamecube, could they please make sure the data is at least 15 Blocks or under?

Final Comment: If you are intending to be a Brainiac, Researcher, Wiseman, or even just a Gamer then I recommend you give this a try. If you are unsure about buying this game, rent it for a week like me, and even if you disliked the game, you can still use it's data to get the Captain Olimar Trophy for Super Smash Bros Melee, because as far as I'm concerned, that was my first plan anyway, until I found out that this was actually a good game!!

THE BEST FIGHTING GAME EVER!!!!!!!!!

This has got to be the best game ever! With Link as a special character it livens things up. I find the new combos really good to damage and destroy your oppenent with. The weopons and unlockable characters are ace! The game delivers a challenge aswell with the difficulty levels but don't let that stop you! You have got the same acarde mode but when you have completed that you have an extra arcade mode aswell which lets you choose your weopons! I better not say anymore otherwise I'll spoil it! If you like fighting 1 on 1 and beating the hell out of your oppenents then this is the game for you! Fantastic is all I can say!

Excellent RPG... but NOT the best

This is arguably the best Gamecube RPG and any roleplaying fan will enjoy it.

The story starts like a rip-off of Final Fantasy X, but several twists ensure it carves out its own identity in the second half of the game. Although the plot is fairly standard stuff, it actually becomes rather complicated and I found it difficult to keep track of which characters belonged to which faction and what their aims were - but even if it doesn't make complete sense to you, it's still an enjoyable romp. The characters are all appealing enough, although it was slightly shocking to see an older female character continually punching and beating two younger characters when they made a mistake! The dialogue is mostly cheesy but not so bad as to ruin the experience...as long as you're not expecting the kind of sharp script, well-rounded characters and complex, mature storylines found in Bioware RPGs like Knights Of The Old Republic and Jade Empire.

The graphics are cel-shaded, giving the game a somewhat 'cutesy' look, but the towns and cities are full of charming detail. The travelling sections are bland, but the same could be said for most other console RPGs. The music is fine, and the voice acting isn't too bad.

Length-wise, this is good value for money; the first time playing will probably take you between 40 and 50 hours, dependng on how much levelling up you like to do, and there are a number of side quests which can add to that amount. There's also some incentive for playing again (if you have the time!) in the form of grade points, awarded for your skill in combat after every battle. These can be used in the game to improve weapons and armour, but can also be used to purchase various special additions at the end of the game to be used for your second attempt.

The combat in this game is real-time, which is either a blessing or a curse depending on your point of view. I enjoyed it; it becomes quite frantic trying to position your character to strike whilst simultaneously issuing orders to your companions and watching their health. There are a wide range of strategy choices for the characters you aren't directly controlling, and the AI is pretty good at following your instructions. Even if things aren't going well, it's easy to pause the fight and issue new orders to your teammates.

So, overall an excellent RPG for Gamecube owners. However, I do find it surprising that anyone could describe this as 'the best RPG ever' - unless they haven't played many - as it is somewhat lacking in a few areas such as plot and characterisation when compared to the classics of the genre like Final Fantasy VII onwards, KOTOR, etc. However, if you own a GC and like RPGs, you should definitely seek out this game, as you are certain to enjoy it.

Great

What people need to keep in mind is that Super Monkey Ball is a bit of light-hearted fun. Saying that, some stages can keep you rigid with tension and then overcome by the euphoria of finally completing them. I have SMB1, but it remains very much unplayed in contrast to its sequel. If the cut scenes annoy you in story mode, then you can just skip them. In addition, the excellent party games have brightened many rainy afternoons. Superb level design coupled with tight controls; in my eyes, this game does no wrong.

gamecube = the best

well...wen the gamecube came out...i wanted to get a gcn but every told me it will drop like the dreamcast...so i bought a ps2...i mean yeah the ps2 has fifa, gta, gran turismo...but the gamecube have 4 of the best games in the world - pokemon, mario, zelda and metroid and now sonic...also because there is no dvd drive the laser focuses on the games so loading times are really short!!! and the controller is unique and is amazing to use....10 OUT OF 10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

im 18 and very very very very sad

i got smashed and bought it by mistake and all i can say is oh my god what a night i was hammered!!!!! oh ps pokemon sucks

Simply Perfect

Not much more to say except that this game is immense fun, perfectly balanced and simplicity really wins the day.

A blast from the past!

And you thought that nostalgia was dead? Here's a good collection of 80's video games, which nowadays rather quaintly, people went to a video arcade to play, simple blocky graphics, and used only one joystick and possibly, two buttons a most!

Pac Man, Mrs Pac Man, Dig Dug, Galaga, Galaxian, Dig Dug, Rally X, Boscoian, Pole Position 1 & 2, Xevious, Dragon Sprit, Bosconian, Roling Thunder, Mappy, and Sky Kid.

Happy memories all round for those who are old enough...

Good:
- Of course, graphically these 20 - 25 years old games don't compare to games today, but they made up for it then and now with cracking gameplay. With 14 games, everyone should find something fun in this collection. And anything with the oringinal Pac Man game in it just has to be fun.
- All games are simple and straight forward; good for kids, if you just want to have a quick ten minutes play time, and parties.
- Neatly and nicely laid out.

Bad:
- Unfortunatly, these games are 20 years old and it shows. Gameplay's better than most modern games, but you won't help feeling these games are very limited, even if you thought they where wonderful as a kid.
- Not a extensive collection of 80's arcade games!

Overall:
A good enough collection of 80's arcade games, anyone who has found memories of playing these games too much as a kid may very well want to pick this up, otherwise it's a ok to good but missable title in your game collection.

Flying High

Skies of Arcadia Legends may be a port of a fairly old Dreamcast game but it still remains one of the most original and Brilliant RPG's available.

You play a young blue rogue(Pirate) named Vyse who steals from the rich and er... well keeps the money, but who is mostly a ridiculously honest and just guy. Most Of The characters in this game are likeable and the story is good if not slightly predictable. The normal battling in this game does little to reinvent the RPG genre, but the battles in which you fight ship to ship are pretty awesome. But perhaps the best aspect of the game is the way in which it creates a believable world in which you can explore to great extent. For example Final fantasy 7 is a brilliant game but the exploration of the world map seems a bit dull and repetetive sometimes. Whereas in Skies, you can explore the world in a way you usually do in adventure games like Zelda.

Graphics: 7/10 While the graphics in this game are technically poor, the style of them is quite likeable and creates a cool cartoony effect.

Sound: 9.5/10 While the voiceovers are pretty poor, once the music grows on you it is nothing short of breathtaking.

Gameplay: 9.5/10 A good solid battle system and a great game out of battle make Skies Of Arcadia's Gameplay way ahead of most RPG's out there.

Lifespan: 9/10 It'll take you a good 50 hours to complete the main quest and there's many side quests to keep you playing after that.

Good: Cool battles, great music, brilliant story and an altogether involving experiance.

Bad: Not much new for an RPG, slightly predictable, technically inferior to alot of games out today.

Overall 9.5/10 Skies Of Arcadia Legends is one of the amazing RPG's ever made and while it may not be as highly recomended as Final Fantasy or Chrono Trigger it is a deeply rewarding experiance and a game any proper RPG fan should own.

Only for those who love grid based combat?

Now, I do NOT like grid based combat games, but based upon rave reviews I saw for Fire Emblem, I decided to have a look, let me tell you what I found.
Ike is a young man, trained as a mercenary by his father, caught between two nations warring and a lost princess-WOAH, what a story line! This easily has the same depth as any other typical RPG (Role Play Game.) Yet, the way you become attached to the characters is almost beautiful, relying on them, knowing them, crying over them etc.
Graphically, the cut scenes are genious, characters are varied, (except for enemies) and the locations are nice, so the graphics aren't a problem here. If your going to have problems with this game, it will be the game play.
You control a number of characters, who as a team will need to either survive, kill or escape from a number of varying situations. There are a range of characters you can control, but they basically fall into divisions, i.e. healers, magic users, swordsmen, arrow users, horse back riders, lancers etc. Strategically, you move characters and decide what your going to do, and then the computer has a go. Does it work? Yes and no-the computer deliberately picks off your weaker characters first, naughty. Secondly, when you lose one, they've gone for good, (bad) but this only makes the game a more intriguing experience. However, all the game basically is is fighting, no exploration or anything else. Like a game of chess, it requires expert patience, but it rewards those who commit with gorgeous cut-scenes beautiful characters and fulfilling game play.

A waste of time and money

When I bought this game I had high expectations. I was soon dissapointed. I was hoping it yould be a breakthrough in 3-D Sonic games, and that it would set the standard for future Gamecube releases. So I waited, highly anticipating it’s arrival, biting my nails off in exitement. I thought it would be a Sonic title like no other.How wrong I was!

When you start it up, you are immediatly drawn in to a complicated and fiddly menu. There are two modes to chose from: Hero and Dark. In hero you play as Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, however dark sees you playing with Shadow, Eggman (What happened to good old Robotnik???) and Rouge. The problem is, the only levels you will find remotly intresting are the Sonic and Shadow levels (Usally a high speed blur of twists and loop the loops). These levels are what Sonic is all about. In the Tails and Eggman levels, you are forced to shuffle about in a extremely sluggish and fustrating craft, while blowing up robots with a lock-on laser. The knuckles and Rouge levels aren’t much better. You have to run around endless landscapes, while collecting emeralds and listining to cheesy rap music. The boss battles are far to simple. All you have too do is jump on/shoot/punch or kick them several times. And don’t Sonic final bosses have a reputation of bieng fiendishly difficult? They aren’t on this game. You merely have to attack Sonic/Shadow (dipending on wherever your on hero or dark) four times while dodging their feeble attempts to attack you (which is a piece of cake). Of course I don’t have room too cover everything in this review, but there are some rather clever unlockable extras once you’ve completed the game.

Graphics:
69%

Although the game is in full 3-D,the levels look a tad messy considering the Cube’s proccesing power.

Sound/Music:
48%

Some ridicoulous rap music, and why do the characters have american accents?

Gameplay:
71%

Irritating camera angles, but nifty controls and plenty of diiferent enemies to destroy.

Value:
78%

The main game is the right lenghth, and there are some unlockables to keep hardcore gamers going

Overall:
64%

Some clever levels and a wide selection of characters, but poor music and some very fustrating 3-D camera angles

Fantastic

This is the single best game i have ever played and trust me i've played alot.The second i put it in the console i was hooked. It is the only film based game i have been on that actually followed the storyline and added some cool bits to keep you interested. The whole swinging around new york thing is very trickey to begin with but when you get the hang of it you can pull off some sweet moves. The freeedom you get in this game from flying around new york where you please is very satisfying and unlike most games where you have to follow a certain path.
in short i love this game.

The Best Game Forthe Cube!

Mario Party 4 is a cavalcade of brillantly wacky and fun mini games condensed with excellent 3 Dimensional graphics and hilarious animated characters, such as Mario, luigi, Wario, Yoshi and loads more. The structure of the game has obviously been devoted lots of time and effort as the game boards are realistic and great fun to play, there's so much to do. The best bit about this game is the mini games themselves, almost 100 fantastic mini ganmes that we keep you and your friends entertained for hours on end. You can play in teams, on your own or 3 against 1, all three of which are wonderful. Some of the best mini games include basketball, avalanche, booksquirm, GOAL and Blame it on the Crane.
My one critism with this game is that it is not half as fun when you are playing on your own - but it is a real hoot with friends and family. The party starts as soon as you buy it.