The Rumble Pack Posts

(originally published at Smile Politely, 11/25)

Since its debut last spring, Nintendo’s WiiWare service has scored a number of well-received hits: World of Goo, BIT.TRIP BEAT, Swords & Soldiers and a handful of others. But you may notice that the one thing missing from that brief list is Nintendo’s own lineup of beloved mascots. World of Goo’s bulgy-eyed globules are not without their charm, but they’re not going to move software like Mario or Donkey Kong can. This has been a deliberate decision, as the company higher-ups are trying to promote independent developers, whose games probably wouldn’t stand a chance against the plumber and company. That’s why it came as such a surprise last week when Excitebike: World Rally showed up.

The Pack weathered all sorts of hardships this week – fire alarms, disturbing Skype chats, shoddy wi-fi connections – but they’ll stop at nothing to make sure you get your weekly Rumble fix. If you’re trying to escape the Modern Warfare 2 media blitz, you’re probably listening to the wrong show, but at least Kaz, Tony and Tom offer some interesting insights on the campaign and the phoned-in “controversy” surrounding it. Nick gets nostalgic with Phantasy Star Ø, but warns of better things to come, while Justin recommend Artstyle: Whateveritscalled*, a game that combines the thrills of curling with the thoughtful strategies of a crossing guard. We’ve got all that, plus The Ballad of Gay Tony, Dragon Age Origins and early New Super Mario Bros. Wii impressions.

*Make that Artstyle: DIGIDRIVE.

Welcome all to our biggest feature yet. While not all of us here at the Rumble Pack are huge platforming nuts, all of us can appreciate the talent and joy that goes into an excellent user-made LittleBigPlanet level. So to celebrate one year of Popits, Paintinators and pulling our friends into bottomless pits, we’ve compiled an LBP blowout. Follow the links below for…

Building Upon a Solid Foundation: An opinion piece from Justin on why the game still matters and how to build sales momentum in year two.

Our Own Favorite Levels: We promise you won’t see any of the usual genre cliches here.

An Interview with Joe O’Rourke (LiBiPl.net): Joe talks about the loyal LBP community and why the game’s groundbreaking level design tools have captured its imagination.

And as always, let us know about your favorite levels, multiplayer moments, costumes or whatever else is on your mind on our message boards! The game’s all about sharing, after all.

We’ve been talking a lot about the “cult of the new” on the podcast and message boards lately, and I’m admittedly more susceptible to this phenomenon than anyone else on the ‘cast. But for all of my idiotic impulses buying, I still find myself routinely going back to Street Fighter IV. I’m not going to pretend that I even know what I’m talking about when we have Nicolo over here pouring over minutiae from the latest King of Fighters, but I do like to unwind with some hundred-hand slaps every now and then. While my much beloved Street Fighter III‘s series always confounded with its split-second parries, the countering in IV strikes the perfect newbie-friendly balance, and I don’t think I’ll ever tire of the core World Warriors introduced so many years ago.

my reaction to the SSFIV announcement

So when Super Street Fighter IV was announced in late September, I was a little hesitant to jump on board. It’s true that eight new fighters is practically two sequels worth for a game in this genre, and now that Dee Jay and T. Hawk have been checked off the list, we’re all but assured at least one or two of my Alpha and III favorites. Supposedly, online improvements are on the way too, thank goodness. But shouldn’t this all be DLC? (Yes!)

Marco…Polo! This week, the entire gang dives headfirst into Uncharted 2‘s thrilling conclusion, taking cranky ol’ Lazarević down with them. After that, Justin delivers vague but ominous predictions of a brewing Modern Warfare 2 controversy. Tom steps into the Dragon Age: Origins for some Tolkien-esque questing, Nick’s got some Persona in his pocket, and Kaz craves for more hand-drawn Wii efforts. Plus, a Tony Gauntlet 33 episodes in the making and “live” Twitter feedback.

*For those of you who haven’t solved the mysteries of Shambhala, be sure to skip to 19:52 for a spoiler-free cast!

At first glance, LocoRoco Midnight Carnival seems to fall right in line with its predecessors. Bold graphics, Chipmunk-inspired music and the same troupe of lovable multicolored blobs from the previous two games – even as a $15 downloadable quickie, you may be reluctant to put down cash on a mere “expansion.” It’s a valid concern, but after a couple of stages, it’s clear that this is a significant departure from the easy, breezy rolling of the past.

Welcome, brothers! The cult of the new has officially convened. Tony claims to have seen the light, but can the rest of us avoid the bleeding edge? In addition to our introspective debate, Kaz tries his best to not put people to sleep talking about Forza Motorsport 3 (also known as “Cars 3”), Tony laments unruly controls in the otherwise charming Little King’s Story, and Justin explains why LocoRoco Midnight Carnival might be the right LocoRoco game for you.

Who: Everyone

When: 9 p.m. EST (November 3rd)

What: Uncharted 2 Multiplayer

Where: PSN (Duh…)

Why: Because we need to climb on things and shoot bad guys, and only Sully “Goddamned” Sullivan can satisfy.

When it comes to Halloween, I’m a bit of a curmudgeon. I’ve always associated the “holiday” with constantly ringing doorbells, resulting barks from confused bulldogs and last minute study sessions for big exams the next morning, instead of the candy and campus parties that folks love so much. But in the back of my mind, I knew that when the time came to finally don a costume, I had the perfect idea. The ultimate combination of nerdisms, nostalgia and heroics, all rolled into a sleek red-and-blue package. The result…

Wouldn’t hold my breath for this crossover…

Artie, the strongest man…in the world! I’m not sure that the red masking tape did him justice, and I’m short one action land canoe, but I’m so glad I didn’t go with spandex pants. Nobody wanted to see that. Oh, and next to me in the above photo is special ladyfriend Caitlin, dressed up as Joan from Mad Men, a show that you should all be watching!