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November 20, 2007
Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)
It’s hard to believe that it’s now ten years since Nintendo’s seminal Super Mario 64 was released for the N64 console, but it’s true. Since then we’ve only seen one true 3D Mario game, the mediocre (by Nintendo’s own lofty standards) Super Mario Sunshine on the Gamecube, so it’s about time the rotund plumber had another outing, this time on Nintendo’s elusive Wii.
There were some concerns raised by ardent Mario fans when Galaxy was announced and shown (especially after the relatively lacklustre Sunshine) that it would turn out to be just another by-the-numbers Mario game, offering nothing new or inventive and failing to re-capture that magic that Mario 64 introduced us to. I can safely and without hesitation say that these concerns have all been recognised and addressed. In fact more than just addressed, more like smashed into a thousand tiny pieces on the rocks of so many average 3D platformers that came before it.
The basic premise sees our moustachioed hero setting about rescuing the princess from the grip of – yep, you guessed it – Bowser. He’s only gone and stolen her castle and everything in it (including the princess herself), and then in a fit of grandeur decided to conquer Space itself! Mario’s task involves setting free the stars held captive by Bowser and his cronies and restoring everything to the way it should be. How he goes about this is through a myriad of 3D platforming levels, only this time the worlds he’s bouncing and spinning his way through are tiny! Cunning use of gravity and rocketing through space are par for the course for this outing then, and it’s done so well. The level design is, as you’d expect from a Miyamoto headed title, sublime, and coupled with brilliantly realised Wii-specific controls, handles like a dream. Some developers have been guilty of shoe-horning the motion-sensing, pointing, tilting controls in to their games, but it’s obvious that this is clearly a case of doing the reverse and making the game around the controls. The nunchuck’s joystick controls direction, the A button on the remote jumps and pretty much everything else is explained, intuitive and in keeping with the Mario pedigree.
Coins, which have long fuelled the collecting habits of players in past Mario games, are still present but the kleptomaniacs amongst you have something new to harvest now – Star Bits. The brightly coloured gems have various uses throughout the game and are in abundance, freed usually by defeating enemies or breaking open items of scenery. They’re harvested using the remote’s pointer, and for those of you who are parents of two and are dreading the "It’s my go now. No it’s not! Yes it is! Muuuuuuuuuum!" festive arguments, worry not! The game offers the opportunity for a second player to control an on-screen pointer of their own to help out with collecting the star bits and shooting them at enemies.
It’s hard to review the game in any depth without giving away a lot of the story, and that’s the last thing I want to do. It’s a game that deserves to be played and enjoyed by everybody, regardless of demographic grouping. The sound is utterly fantastic, the presentation is bright and clear and it plays beautifully. Super Mario Galaxy is an absolute masterclass in how to make a fun, family-friendly game. It has bucketfuls of charm, is sufficiently big enough to satisfy those with more time to devote to 100% completion, and is enough to restore even the biggest sceptic’s faith in Nintendo. Their only problem now is how to top it. Hopefully we won’t have to wait another ten years to find out how they do it.
Buy it now through the BBM Review Store.
TSDAdam gives Super Mario Galaxy a thoroughly deserved rating of…..
ESRB Rating: Everyone
November 17, 2007
GoYin
When I was contacted to try GoYin, a new herbal infused drink that is about to hit the market, I had flashbacks of Market America-ish beverages. Years ago, my husband and I were dragged (kicking and screaming-ok, that was me, not him) into Market America and were made to believe that this OPC stuff was the best thing ever. It wasn’t bad. During college, it was a hangover pick-me-up, consisting mostly of grape seed extract. The taste was a bit much to handle though. It was gritty, and had a bite to it. I expected GoYin to be the same.
GoYin is not like that at all. It has a pleasant, albeit very fruity taste, that reminds me of a drink I used to like in college called "papaya punch." I don’t think I would choose it over my cup of coffee in the morning or my iced tea (must always have 14 gallons in the house because if I run out I get cranky), but it is a nice alternative to fruit juices.
The literature included with my samples says that GoYin is a product "based on 5,000 years of Traditional Asian Medicine designed to put our bodies and lives back in balance." Being married to a Clinical Research Manager, he had some "issues" with the study and whether or not there was a placebo effect since the article does not state whether or not the study was done blinded or randomized. If you’d like to read the study for yourself, you can find that information here.
GoYin boasts the following superfruits and herbs in their product: gac and cili for antioxidant support, rhodiola and schisandra for oxygen-blood levels, mangosteen and durian for cellular communication, tangerine peel and lycium (goji) for enzyme levels, astragalus and coriolus for immune function, seabuckthorn and ginger for inflammation, euphoria longan and lychee for neurotransmitter levels and finally, hawthorn and jujube date for blood flow. If you would like more information on the herbs, superfruits and their properties, you can find it in the GoYin literature.
With all of these superfruits and herbs, GoYin literature says that consumers decrease tension, depression, anger, fatigue and confusion, while increasing vigor. Personally, I didn’t notice any of these things happening during the few days that I tried the sample product. The product literature does say that consumers will need to drink GoYin over an extended period to really begin to see the health benefits. Unlike a lot of other health/wellness/energy drinks, there is no added caffeine, so there are no jittery side effects.
While it tastes pleasant enough, I was shocked to find out how much it costs. A 25 oz. bottle sells for $38.00 plus shipping and tax. (AHH! For that price, I was sort of hoping that it would grow me a new in tact ACL.) Preferred customers and customers using the product monthly are given reward points and free products throughout the year, although I’m not sure how many free products or rewards are given. If you are interested in finding out more about GoYin, please visit here. You can also contact Jenn Jantzen at jenn at experienceTAM dot com for information about the product.
As far as a juice goes, it has a mild fruity taste that isn’t overwhelming or too sweet; but the price of the product is the thing keeping me from giving GoYin a better rating.
BBM gives GoYin . . .
November 13, 2007
ESRB.com
If you’re a parent and you plan on buying video games for your children this year, the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) website is going to be one of your best resources. It is no secret that there are violent video games out there, and the ESRB site can help you make sure that your children are viewing age appropriate images when they’re playing their games.
I was one of those crazy Mom’s who went out to every likely store last year almost every single day, searching for the illusive Nintendo Wii. I was one of the lucky ones and found one for my daughter. This week, I found out about the parental controls on the Nintendo Wii, thanks to the ESRB site. If you’re video-game-impaired like I am, this site is of great resource as it provides detailed instructions on how to set these controls and also provides links to sites that take you step by step through the process of setting the parental controls. These links are found under Parental Resources and can be accessed here.
If you’re looking for more help as a parent, you can find it here. This section is the area where you can learn things your child probably already knows in attempts to find a loop-hole around the parental controls you’ve set up. Do you know what "mods" are? I didn’t, but I now know that they are downloadable programs that can change the content of the game your child is playing.
In addition to the parental resources, there are detailed descriptions of games for every platform available. Parents are able to sort by rating, operating system or content. And, you don’t have to worry about the ESRB’s pockets being lined by video game producers. The ESRB is a non-profit organization that decides on their ratings based on imput and feedback from child development and academic experts.
When you’re choosing your presents this holiday season, make sure you look for the following ratings which should be clearly displayed on all video games. The ratings are given for good reason and after extensive experience playing and evaluating the games, so it makes sense to follow their guidelines when it comes to appropriate games for your child.
For additional shopping advice, make sure you visit the ESRB website before heading out to the stores. If you’re video-game impaired like I am, you’ll need all the help you can get.
For ease of use and availability of important information, BBM gives the ESRB website. . .
November 12, 2007
Virtua Fighter 5 (Xbox 360)
As a keen martial artist and a lifelong video game fan, combining the two is one of my favourite things. The Beat ‘Em Up genre has been around for nearly as long as the first video games now, and have come a long way from their roots in the form of games such as Karate Champ (fans of Bloodsport will remember Mr Van-Damme playing this in the hotel lobby).
Virta Fighter 5 carries on Sega’s pedigree lineage in the VF series, with the latest two iterations of the game being widely regarded as the finest fighting games ever created. The 2D purists will argue that Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike perhaps deserves that mantle, but there’s no denying the fact that Virtua Fighter 5 is an awesome game!
Fans of the series will be pleased to see familiar favourites back again and spruced-up with glorious, shiny HD visuals. Stalwarts such as Akira and Jacky are still going strong, and the newcomers El Blaze and Eilieen (Lucha Libre and Monkey-style kung fu respectively) make their presence felt from the get-go. On the subject of styles, there’s a wide variety represented with varying levels of realism; everything from Judo to Shaolin Kung Fu so there’s bound to be something to please everyone.
The presentation and graphics are gorgeous, as you’d expect from a next-generation title, and one ported from a hugely successful arcade title. This is actually the Rev.C version, as opposed to the Rev.B which was used in the PS3 version, the geekier of you may be intrigued to hear. What this means to the vast majority of people who’ll play this is negligible though, you just need to know the CPU plays a mean game and is no walkover! It’s in Vs mode that the game really comes to life though, be it two people in the same room playing, or over the outstanding Xbox Live online implementation.
It’s not an easy game to play at first, but if you put the time in working through the Dojo training area and the vast Quest mode – where you can customise your character’s appearance and improve your Kyu/Dan ranking – it’s a rich, rewarding experience and one which will last a long time. People new to the game won’t find it too daunting to pick up, the premise of Virtua Fighter’s system has remained unchanged throughout its history – a button to punch, one to kick and one to guard. That’s it. The vast range of moves are executed with a combination of the joystick and buttons. The only difficult choice is which one of the 18 characters to use!
Fighting game fans rejoice, finally something worth sinking your teeth into on the 360! Just be warned that the learning curve (especially online) can be quite steep.
ESRB rating: Teen
TSDAdam gives Virtua Fighter 5 a BBMReview rating of….
November 9, 2007
The Daring Book for Girls
I can clearly recall the days I spent trying to make perfume and princess crowns out of dandelions. That was usually after a spirited game (or eight) of kick ball in the street, followed by an even more spirited game of freeze tag. When it was too hot, I’d sit on my porch and play cat’s cradle with a willing friend. School days brought Four Square and Tether Ball with a vivacity that would have told an observer that I was an Olympian and these were my sports. What a trip back in time "The Daring Book for Girls" was for me.
Childhood has definitely changed for girls and this book attempts to put it back to how it used to be. One can learn how to build things, paint and create origami. Girls can also learn some girl-power history in this book, like the story of Joan of Arc for just one example.
Some of my personal favorites include the following. During the "Rules of the Game: Softball" section, the authors write this:
"The first rule of softball is never to apologize. This may seem an odd way to introduce a sport, but many, many girls, and women, too, find themselves saying ‘I’m sorry’ if the ball they throw falls short, strays long, leaps out of bounds, or in any way doesn’t land exactly the way they intended. Try to resist this impulse. Unless your throw inflicts actual bodily harm, never apologize for an errant throw or catch. Now you’re ready to play."
I knew right then and there that the authors of this book, who happen to be the co-founders of Mother Talk, are truly my heroes. It wasn’t many more pages before I found yet another reason to love them. In the "Every Girl’s Toolbox" section, they’re not talking about lipstick and an eyelash curler, when they use the statement "Remembering the saying ‘righty-tighty, lefty-loosy’ will help you recall which direction to turn a screw." I used this handy little saying just yesterday as I tightened the screw on the hand-grip of my crutches. It’s practically been my tool mantra since Industrial Arts in the 7th grade!
I also loved the chapter called "The Girls Guide to Danger" where one of the "dangerous" things the authors recommend for girls is to "Stand up for yourself-or someone else." Thank you Andrea and Miriam! I must repeat this to my daughter every single week, and it’s something that is well worth repeating to young girls these days who will be walked all over if they don’t learn this simple concept early in life.
Hand in hand with this chapter is the one simply titled "Boys" which, when all is said and done, boils down to just one statement: "do treat all your friends, boys and girls, with kindness." That can’t be said enough. It has gone a bit out of style and that is a very sad thing.
In case you’re a bit forgetful when it comes to basic math, science, and history, "The Daring Book for Girls" also has a good dose of the basics. From the Periodic Table (with a mention of the elements that women were responsible for founding) to a history lesson on female pirates, this book has something for absolutely everyone.
My daughter and I spent some time perusing the book and she decided that she wanted to learn how to do a back walkover. For a girl who has trouble jump-roping (a sad commentary on society today in and of itself), I knew a walkover was pushing it. But that didn’t stop me from coaching her on the fundamentals of a back walkover, starting with a backbend.
Like Popeye the Sailor man, I believed that spinach was the key component to strength when I was little. After eating a healthy portion (while holding my nose to disguise the taste) I performed my first backbend from a standing position. I told my daughter that tale; and I now believe it is her mission in life to be able to do that as well. This book has clearly opened some doors for us.
I only have two issues/suggestions that would make the book better. Being a martial artist, I thought that the karate moves every girl should know were a bit lacking. Including more effective strategies such as: 1. a knee/kick to the groin, 2. a foreknuckle strike to the throat, 3. an eye gouge, 4, a front kick to the knee and 5. a headbutt with the back of the head to someone’s face, would definitely be more effective from a self defense perspective. Or, take the moves that are already included in the book and include some information on how you would appropriately use them, as in "kick ’em where it counts" for example. We can’t ignore the fact that we live in a different world today, and some basic self defense would have been a welcome asset to the book.
My only other critique is really a suggestion for the future. Because it’s sometimes difficult to read about how to do an activity and then do it, an accompanying DVD would be a fabulous addition. A demonstration of Four Square, the Hand Slapping rhyme that starts with "Miss Suzie had a steamboat", and a step by step guide to cat’s cradle would have been an exciting inclusion. Of course, I’m sensing that a sequel would be appropriate so maybe that could be included then.
I know that this book will become a treasured part of our family life for many years to come. It’s the type of book you want to share with every girl you know. I know I’ve had fun sharing it with my girls, and hopefully, with a little help from this book, they can become daring girls like their Mom.
If you’d like to purchase this book, go here. To find about more about the authors, go here and here.
BBM gives "The Daring Book for Girls". . .
To learn more about The BBM Review rating system, go here.
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