I'm a Nintendo fan... I said it. Some people will disagree that Nintendo are a relevant developer in this day and age. The thing is, nearly any first party game with Nintendo's name on it trumps anything on the market. That being said I was very sceptical when the Wii U launched, It had next gen ideas with current gen hardware and I felt they may have made an error releasing a system like this so close to the dawn of the next generation monsters. Against my own trepidation I decided to take the plunge and purchase the new system and one thing made me realise that even though the Wii U will be outdone performance wise when the next gen hits, Nintendo and the Wii U have a place in todays gaming market.
That one thing was Nintendo land...
When the Wii released back in the day it came with a copy of Wii Sports. Wii Sports became popular and demonstrated the Wii's capabilities and showed how fun the system can be. Nintendo Land outshines Wii Sports in every way, shape and form to deliver so much more than a glorified tech demo.
So the basic idea is this... Nintendo Land is your own theme park that you can wander around and enjoy attractions. There are 12 in all, and each one uniquely shows of the systems features. Some of these games fail to hit the mark, but the majority have you smiling and laughing out loud as you run away from your friends in Mario Chase, or fight through hordes of enemies in Zeldas Battle Quest (a personal favorite.)
These are the games on offer.
So it's a multiplayer game? Well yes and no. There are 3 multiplayer only games and the rest can be as easily enjoyed in single player. The beauty of the game is you can play it in short bursts or do an attraction tour for a longer session.
Speaking of beauty, Nintendo Lands graphics are vibrant and fun. The world is depicted similar to Media Molecules "Little Big Planet" making enemies and levels have a stitched and knitted look to them. This game also shows gamers what kind of graphical output the Wii U is capable of displaying highly detailed worlds in glorious high definition. The gamepad display is also crisp and bright and draws you into the magical world of Nintendo Land. Players with an internet connection will also enjoy other visitors walking around their park, giving out advice or sharing their thoughts via the "Miiverse." (The Wii U version of Facebook.)
"Well Sarge." I hear you say "Tell me about the games!" I won't bore you with paragraphs of game descriptions but I will cover a few of my personal favorites.
Zelda Battle Quest: One player on the gamepad controls an archer, the other players use Wii remotes and control swordsmen. Players then have to battle their way through Zelda themed levels in this epic mini RPG. Hands down one of the best games in Nintendo land.
Mario Chase: The player with the gamepad is Mario and the other players control Toads as they chase Mario around a maze. The catch is Mario can see all players on a map and the Toads have to go by instinct.
Captain Falcons Twister Race: Single Player or hotseat play pits you against the clock as you tilt the gamepad to steer your ship. When you go in a tunnel you have to look down at the gamepad so you can see where you are going.
Ninja Castle: So fun! On your gamepad is a pile of ninja stars that you have to flick at the tv to hit ninjas. There's a cool bossfight and funny humour throughout.
One of my favorite things about Nintendo Land is that when you first get your park, it's empty except for the attractions. As you progress you unlock coins which you put into a Pachinko (It's huge in Japan) machine to unlock scenery and alterative music for your park. My park is still a little bland but I have displays of Hyrulian shields and Metroids rockets dotted around the place.
In a gaming market like today where we have 10 year olds screaming obscenities at us online, it's a welcome change to laugh out loud while playing and have a great time doing it. I for one am glad Nintendo hasn't conformed to the current trend and have delivered a game that's enjoyable with plenty of replayability.
So What's it Like?
Hmmmm. I would say Nintendo Nostalgia + Little Big Planet + Mario Party = Nintendo Land.
I give it 8/10.
Lucky for me there's no queue for the rides!
-Sarge.
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