Set pilot to “auto” in NSMB Wii

Cheating will always be around. Be it the famous Konami code, various cheat peripherals, or even strategy guides, but Nintendo is upping the ante with its upcoming New Super Mario Bros. Wii release set for later this year. According to a confirmation in USA Today, Miyamoto is launching a feature called “demo play” that will automatically complete areas that you have difficulty with.

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I feel the earth move under my feet.

The good folks at NIS America released an early demo of this bizarre new PSP title set for summer release. Most tower defense games focus on killing hordes of nasties. Well in this dungeon defense game (NIS is labeling it a “dungeon management game”) you dig, dig, dig up lots of nasties in order to kill the hero who is trying to capture Overlord Badman. The demo only features a tutorial and three story levels, but for fans of strategy games, this is looking to be a perfect fit for the PSP. It’s incredibly unique with a silly story and a delightfully simple interface.

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Mana Khemia 2 leads the pack for 2009.

Lots of goodies from RPG publisher NIS America. Some remakes, some new ones, and one highly anticipated sequel. It’s no surprise that I loved Mana Khemia on the PlayStation 2 and with the recent PSP enhanced version, there’s no excuse for not checking it out. Well NIS America has finally announced the US release of the sequel on the PlayStation 2. I’m also intrigued by Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! From the video it appears to be a dungeon defense game. There are lots of other goodies coming too, including two PlayStation 3 titles. Check out the full list. In other news, Puchi Puchi Virus for the Nintendo DS finally released. Check out our review (based on a reviewer copy sent last year).

Making hard look easy with everyone’s favorite freaks.

Flat-chested firecracker that she is, Master Etna wants dessert and she wants the very best. So it’s up to her vassals to attain all the right ingredients. So, you have 1,000 Prinnies to beat some nasty, nasty levels and bosses, and trust me, you’ll use a lot of these lives as the adventure gets more and more difficult.

At heart, Prinny is a very well-executed game. You know exactly what you’re in for from the very first level and that is pain. There are no power-ups, though some levels offer vehicles. You get a dash, double jump, butt slam (that can be bounced for combos), and ground and air knife attacks. Jumps are rigid, so once you are in the air, there is no changing trajectory. Levels aren’t terribly exciting, with a mix of platforming elements that we’ve seen since the days of NES. Boss fights are, you guessed it, hard. You have to stun them and then beast with knife attacks.

The great thing about a game such as Prinny is that it is pretty easy to sum up the experience. It’s a hard platformer with simple, checkpoint-based level designs and a basic moveset that lets you accomplish just what you need to do. Jumps are precise, lives are completely expendable, and the entire experience is a mix of anger and accomplishment. The presentation is top-notch and the dialog is pure NIS gold. It’s an easy decision, you either like this type of game or you don’t. The PSP may not have quantity, but it definitely has some quality titles, this being my stand-out thus far in 2009.

Will this 2D colossus finally be complete?

Castle Crashers is a gem. A giant, glimmering example of what happens when 2D and hi-res collide. It’s online experience however, is the opposite – a festering pile of disappointment that does everything from dropping games to clearing save data. The wait for this essential patch will soon be over, as The Behemoth has updated its page with the following:

“Over the last five weeks we’ve knocked out the issues with CC and are now verifying the changes to be sure they work as intended. Work is rapidly coming to an end for us and we are prepping the build to be handed off to Microsoft for their test pass and certification.”

Let’s hope it hits before the end of October and that all my friends aren’t already burned out on this excellent game.