The story of Super Mario Galaxy 2 is next to irrelevant. Producer Shigeru Miyamoto has gone on record to say during the development process he insisted on eliminating as much story as possible and it certainly shows. The story that is there is standard Mario fare: Bowzer shows up, kidnaps Princess Peach, Mario treks across levels to get her back. The first cut-scenes are presented in a charming storybook-style page turning that works to aid the main goal: brevity. The entire experience of Super Mario Galaxy 2 is far more streamlined. Gone is the clunky hub-world of the original and, in its place, Mario travels the universe on his new mode of transportation, a spaceship shaped like his head (make that Faceship). Level progression works more like the Super Mario Bros. games of old with a direct path that has players move along as they progress through each level. It’s a welcomed fix for the confusing observatory of the original Galaxy.

Nearly everything about Super Mario Galaxy 2 feels polished and highly refined. The mechanics of the original such as gravity, moving from planet to planet, collecting Star Bits, the Comet challenges all seem to have been given a careful reconsideration. Nintendo has said Super Mario Galaxy 2 exists because, after finishing development on the first game, the developers had so many ideas left over they realized they could make another one. When it was first announced at last year’s E3, some wondered if it would be a re-hash of old ideas, thankfully those fears can all be put to rest. With the actual gameplay mechanics already in place, the developers were able to come up with some of the most dazzling level designs in the company’s history.

Every level offers some new mechanics or twist on the gameplay. Just when you think you’ve seen everything, Super Mario Galaxy 2 still manages to surprise you. Whether its new Power-Ups such as Cloud Mario, playing with Yoshi and his new abilities, or the ever-changing complexity of the levels, Galaxy 2 constantly has something new to offer. Additions like Yoshi offer a variety of new gameplay options. The dino’s trademark abilities of tongue-whipping and eating enemies are back with added power-ups such as Blimp Fruit which lets him float in the air like a balloon and red hot chilies which make him run extremely fast. It’s nice to finally have Yoshi back and playable in a 3D Mario title and, like pretty much everything else in the game, it serves the main purpose of inundating players with as many new ideas as possible. Luigi also returns as a playable character although fans won’t have to go through the trials they did in the first game just to get him. Mario’s oft-forgotten sibling shows up from time-to-time to have a go at a level. Playing as Luigi isn’t really different from Mario but it’s nice and, hey, there’s always hope for that elusive Luigi’s Mansion 2.

The sequel falls prey to the same problem many games have when up against the original. Super Mario Galaxy 2 isn’t the quantum leap forward as the first but that’s the price of being part of an iterative process. To say it’s simply “more of the same” wouldn’t be far off but it would also be doing a disservice to the creativity abound in Galaxy 2. Sure, the sequel is closely tied to the first game and a large majority of the mechanics remained unchanged, but it’s hard to complain when the outcome is this good. And frankly, there’s enough room in the world for two Galaxy games, especially when there’s this much creativity within. It’s a lot like the Beatles White Album. Sure, some have said they could have settled on one LP instead of two. They could have trimmed the fat, so to speak, and had a much tighter, shorter album. But it’s the Beatles! You get more of them which is never a bad thing so stop complaining.

However, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is not without a few issues. Some of the less-than-stellar Power-Ups from the original Galaxy return and whether you love or hate Bee Mario, there’s zero excuse anyone should ever be subjected to Spring Mario. It’s an odd thing, when the rest of a game is so finely tuned, any blemish really stands out. In a game as inventive as this, I was also disappointed to see the cooperative experience go mostly unchanged. If you have a second controller, another player can join in but forget about actually playing together. Player 2 is still relegated to collected Star Bits and other menials tasks. Sure, a second player can help out by pulling coins and objects to Mario as well as thwarting enemies and obstacles. But it still feels like a half-step into co-op play. For now, it seems like Nintendo is dividing the Mario experiences into solo and co-op play between Galaxy and New Super Mario Bros Wii.

My long-standing rivalry with unnecessary motion control continues. For the most part, the game makes the best use of the Wii’s hardware. IR is used intelligently to collect items and despite a lack of a second analog stick, camera control is a non-issue. The few stages, however, that rely on precise use of motion control gave rise to frustration. Several levels use a mechanic of shaking the Wii Remote to flip the platforms so Mario can advance. I often found my motions not registering despite shaking the remote and I quickly came back to my age-old argument of, if motion does not do anything enhance the gameplay, it should not be included. For the most part, motion is used sparingly and correctly, it’s just worth noting I ran into some instances where it did not feel as responsive as it should be.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 continues to push the system to its limits and offer a variety of stunning set pieces. The game looks gorgeous, making those praying for a Wii HD even more hopeful. But high-def or not, Nintendo knows how to get the most from its hardware. Some of the most spectacular moments are the various boss encounters. Hulking monstrosities fill the screen and while the Bowzer fights get depressingly repetitive, many of the boss battles are clever and worthwhile. In addition to the game’s visuals, special thanks should be paid to the games localization team. Nintendo’s Tree House team, which works to localize these games from Japanese to English, continues their streak of offering funny and concise dialogue. Over the last few years, I’ve really enjoyed seeing the humor they add and the direction they’ve taken characters like Bowzer.

Players worried if this game dumbs-down the experience to make room for casual Wii-Fitters need not worry; Super Mario Galaxy 2 is hard. It can definitely challenge veteran Mario players and continues to offer new trials long after they reach enough stars to beat the game. For those players who hit a rough patch, Nintendo has imported a feature from its last Mario game. The “Cosmic Guide” is similar to the “Super Guide” feature of New Super Mario Bros Wii. The game takes over and plays itself, allowing the player to take over at any time. Nifty for some of the later levels which offer quite a challenge and doesn’t get in the way of people who don’t want to use it.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 doesn’t carry the same impact as the original but it does bring some new things to the table. Added to that, there’s much to be said and appreciated about a game that takes some core mechanics and refines them down to a sharp point. The game feels like the one Nintendo has envisioned since the first time Mario ever stepped foot into 3D. It’s the product of years of fine tuning and a must-play for any Wii owner.

Feast your eyes on the new trailer from Team Ninja, showcasing the game’s unique mechanics, controls, and some of the nostalgia-inducing gameplay.

Cursed Mountain is a survival horror game developed exclusively for the Wii by the now-defunct studio, Deep Silver Vienna. The fact that the developer behind this title has since been shuttered is, perhaps, a bit telling as to the quality of the game. Cursed Mountain suffers from a lack of polish but does have some redeeming qualities including a unique setting, chilling atmosphere, and clever mythology.

The story follows Eric Simmons, a renowned mountaineer, trekking across the Himalayas searching for his younger brother, Frank, who went missing while ascending Chomolonzo. It’s refreshing to see a game take place in the Himalayas. Along with the old American west, these mountains are one of the most criminally under-used settings in video games. Eric journeys higher up the mountain, his goal always far off in the distance while the world below slowly fades away. The mountains serve as more than just scenery, the game weaves a layer of Tibetan and Buddhist mythology throughout making it a wholly unique experience. In some survival horror games, there’s a disconnect between the setting and the creatures you encounter. In Cursed Mountain, the religion and mysticism work well to reenforce the believability of what is occurring.

During his journey, Eric will run afoul of ill-mannered spirits, monks, and angry demons- personifying the mountain above. His only means of defending himself come by way of an enchanted climbing axe, equipped with the power to ward off these ghosts. The combat can feel incredibly clunky as melee animations are very stiff and the game sees fit to introduce inane waggling. Occasionally, Eric will be prompted to mimic a series of motions to seal away spirits. This is done via motions on the Wii remote and nunchuck. For the most part, these motions register, but some can be difficult to duplicate. Given the game’s slow pace, this isn’t always a huge problem. Often, players are tasked with fighting off only a handful of enemies at a time. However, there were times, particularly during boss battles, where some of the nunchuck-related motions were problematic and would usually result in frustration and death. Adding in motion is fine so long as it enhances the experience. As it stands, the motion controls are only a small part of the problem in Cursed Mountain.

Overall, Cursed Mountain suffers from a total lack of polish. Everything from the character animations, the backgrounds, the hackneyed cut-scenes, the level design, right down to the font used in the logo has a low-budget sensibility. Make no mistake, I don’t believe the developers of this game did anything but their best work. The game feels like a labor of love, marred by poor funding and technical know-how. In fact, despite these issues I could not help but find the game enjoyable in many places. This is mostly because the developers clearly enjoyed making it and it shows when players realize Cursed Mountain, flawed though it may be, is a fully realized world. The Tibetan influences, the unique setting, the slow but deliberate pace, all of these factors add up to make a game that isn’t perfect but still worth checking out. For the die-hard horror fans absolutely eager for a fright fix, there’s lots of fun to be had. Others might want to pass in lieu of other, more polished horror experiences on Wii.

Cursed Mountain feels like a game from a by-gone era. Not only does it look like an early PS2 game, it falls into some last-gen trappings. Eric Simmons moves like he’s been dipped in molasses, exploration and combat are fairly shallow, and overall the game feels almost too reminiscent of survival-horror games of yesteryear. It’s a shame that the Vienna studio of Deep Silver has been closed. With a little more experience under their belts who knows what they could have done if given the chance to make another game. As it stands, the studio’s swan-song is not without its share of problems.

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Periodically, the nightmare world takes over, enveloping the town in a thick layer of ice. These sequences give rise to Harry being chased by horrible creatures. As I said before, Shattered Memories does away with any combat from the previous games. Harry is completely defenseless against these monsters and must resort to running for his life. While these moments are a welcomed change of pace, the game suffers a bit from having the danger of being killed separated from the rest of the experience. It’s only during these chase sequences, that Harry can be hurt. When he’s not in the nightmare world, there is no danger. So while players explore the school, the mall, and other places, there’s no real need for concern so long as the ice is at bay. As a result, the game is not very scary once players settle into the comfortable pattern of therapy session, exploration, chase sequence, and repeat. While the game may not be as terrifying as some may like, Shattered Memories innovates where other Wii developers falter.

Silent Hill is not a particularly long game. Most will be able to get through the first play-through in about six hours. Subsequent runs will require much less time as the puzzles don’t change much and, while player’s choices might alter some aspects, the experience is generally similar. I wasn’t bothered by the game’s length for one main reason. The game has got an agenda- it has a story to tell and a fantastic one at that. Perhaps this is why the puzzles are so easy, you almost get the feeling the developers want to push you toward the ending. Once you’re there it’s fantastic. During the credit sequence, the game even suggests a second play-through, encouraging players to make different choices to render different results. I was so floored by the ending and the possibilities of the psychological profiling I immediately began a second game, making entirely different choices. I easily got through it in one sitting in about three hours.

No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle starts off with a bang. The action is bloodier, the humor is more off-the-wall, and the experience is even crazier than the first. The game is influenced by things as varied as the Kill Bill movies, manga, animé, and even David Lynch films. Series protagonist, otaku, and deadly assassin Travis Touchdown returns in, what executive director Suda 51 considers, a story that’s much darker than its predecessor. Travis is on a mission to cut his way back to the top of the United Assassins’ Association and this time he’s out for revenge. As players assume the role of Travis Touchdown, they’ll behead a Final Fantasy character look-a-like, fight a giant mech high above the city, battle a team of cheerleaders, slice dozens of enemies creating buckets of blood, play with your pet cat, watch as the game repeatedly breaks the fourth wall, and morph into a tiger.

That’s all within the first hour.

The sequel improves upon so many aspects of the original, namely the open world clunkiness and side mission banality. The tedium of moving around the open world of Santa Destroy has now been stream-lined. Instead of driving from place to place, players are given a menu with various locations and fast-travel to each one. While it’s somewhat disappointing to see the developers go this route instead of improving the open world design, in the end it’s a much-needed change. It speeds things along, allowing you to quickly get to the next ranked fight. Between missions comes the greatest addition to the series. Gone are the job missions of the last game that, while fun at times, were usually a chore to get through- especially considering they had to be played repeatedly. In their place are a set of incredibly crafted 8-bit style minigames. Travis will do anything to make a buck whether it’s delivering pizzas, frying steaks for finicky customers, collecting coconuts, or exterminating bugs. All of these jobs are lovingly rendered as bygone products of the 1980s. From the visuals, the audio, and scenarios, the job minigames are so much fun you’ll find yourself going back to them again and again.

Desperate Struggle retains some of the same problems that hindered the last game. The game’s camera system can be very frustrating. In heavy combat situations, my view was often blocked by objects, walls, enemies, and more. There is no camera control other than a re-center button of which I made extensive use. Even with a lock-on system, the camera still lost sight of enemies. This is partly to do with the game’s less-than-stellar level design. Environments in Desperate Struggle felt cramped and bland. They’re usually just empty parking lots, empty buildings, or empty streets. There’s not much life in them and, at times, it felt like there wasn’t enough room to fight and maneuver. They really only serve as platforms for the combat. In a few instances, the poor level design only added to some of the frustation during boss battles. Many of the locations for the ranked matches suffer from the same claustrophobic design. It felt like there wasn’t always enough room to fight, dodge attacks, and still be able to keep an eye on what was going on. This wasn’t the case for every fight but it’s still worth mentioning.

Shinobu and Henry return from the first game as playable characters and the addition is a welcomed one. Shinobu is back from battling in Asia and has, unlike Travis, gained the ability to jump. While it mixes up her fighting style somewhat and allowed the developers to include a platforming puzzle, it doesn’t do anything drastic to the No More Heroes formula.

No More Heroes 2 does something more Wii developers should consider. It gives players the option to control the game via the standard Wii Remote and Nunchuck combo or playing via the Classic Controller. I started with the old standby but switched to the Classic Controller about halfway through and I’ll never go back to the original. Playing with the Classic Controller felt great and, even if some gamers would rather have motion controls, it’s nice to be given the option to use standard controls. This is how third party development should continue on the Wii.

In the end, No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle took many of the things that didn’t work in the first game, scrapped them and, in their place, made a more stream-lined, energetic, hectic, thrilling experience. While I was initially sad to see the open world of Santa Destroy get pushed to the way-side, I can’t argue with the results. Despite still being bogged down by a clunky camera, the game feels much snappier and the 8-bit minigames are simply amazing. Add that to another great cast of epic boss battles, more oddball humor, more style than some game studios craft in a lifetime, and Suda 51 has managed to up the ante on a series I hope is around for a long time.

As a proprietary division of MTV Networks, the 2009 Video Game Awards were estimated to be viewed by almost 100 million people, in over 175 countries. MTV’s decision to let SpikeTV brand the show over the years was a notable move. Not only does it bring notoriety to SpikeTV, it also helps emphasize the target market of both brawny and geeky gamers alike. Interestingly enough, the VGA show does not only pay tribute to video games, but also artistic performances and developments, new technologies, and even the music that help shape the video games we play today.

As the years progress, more actors have been willing and able to lend their off-screen talents to the creation of video games. Most notable was Hugh Jackman who won the award for the best performance by a human male for his role in X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition. Furthermore, presenter Zachary Quinto, who most of us know as the new Spock in Star Trek has announced that he will lend his vocal skills to the creation of the next Star Trek game. In retrospect, this can only help an actor’s career, and even more so help solidify their lifetime roles as characters like Wolverine and Spock accordingly.

In conclusion, MTV Networks and SpikeTV have done an outstanding job during this years performance. This will help ensure viewership for the years to come. Video games have begun to be intertwined with the movie and music entertainment industry, further solidifying its role for the years to come. As a cliffhanger, we are always left with video game previews for the 2010 year. Several of these games will surely make their way to the top over the course of the next year, and we are sure to see them again during SpikeTV Video Game Awards for the year 2010.

2009 SpikeTV Video Game Award Winners

Game of the Year – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Studio of the Year – Rocksteady Studios

Best Independent Game – Flower

Best Xbox360 Game – Left 4 Dead 2

Best PS3 Game – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Best Wii Game – Super Mario Bros. Wii

Best PC Game – Dragon Age: Origins

Best Handheld Game – Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Best Shooter – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Best Fighting Game – Street Fighter IV

Best Action Adventure Game – Assassin’s Creed II

Best RPG – Dragon Age: Origins

Best Multi-Player Game - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Best Individial Sports Game – UFC 2009 Undisputed

Best Team Sports Game – NHL ’10

Best Driving Game – Forza Motorsport 3

Best Music Game – The Beatles Rock Band

Best Soundtrack – DJ Hero

Best Original Score – Halo 3: ODST

Best Graphics – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Best Game Based on a Movie/TV Show – South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play

Best Performance by a Human Female – Megan Fox as Mikaela Banes

Best Performance by a Human Male - Hugh Jackman as Wolverine

Best Cast – X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition

Best Voice – Jack Black as Eddie Riggs

Best Downloadable Game – Shadow Complex

Best Downloadble Content (DLC) – Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony

Most Anticipated Game – God of War III

For starters, the intro of the game is both very cute and appropriate. We start by some singing and dancing for Princess Peach’s birthday party, full with gifts and the entire Mario crew. New to this game are some new Toad characters, in a couple different colors, another cute little addition. Of course to start the action of the story and plot, the antihero Bowser happens to be planted inside Princess Peach’s birthday cake, ready to strike and take her away. The candles of the cake quickly poof into his henchman, who all quickly grab Ms. Peach and run away with her. Mario, Luigi and of course Toad then desperately chase her in an attempt to save the day once again.

Gameplay wise, Super Mario Bros Wii is almost identical to Super Mario Bros 3. With many worlds to explore, each complete with lots of levels, any Mario player will know where to start. The Worlds are set up in the same way, 1-1 means World 1 Level 1 and so on. In each world you will also have to battle one of Bowser’s henchman in each of the castles. There is also a castle midway in each of the world’s in which you start your battle with the appropriate henchman.

There has been some debate on the fact that this game is in 2D, even in the year 2009. However, we must say that we are overly happy with this game and the features. The difficulty is nothing but easy. You definetly will die plenty of times as you traverse the world of Super Mario Bros Wii. Besides falling in the occassional hole or pipe, you may also lose some lives and powerups to the notorious henchman including the Hammerhead Men, Koopas, those damn spiky-fish and of course Bowser should you be lucky enough to reach him.

Some notable differences in this new and updated version of the Super Mario franchise add some fun and enjoyment, and truly increase the replay value of the game. Unlike the older Marios, in Super Mario Bros Wii, you are able to travel back into past worlds to obtain any coins, secrets or other easter eggs you may have missed. Several powerups in the game have also been added, like the penguin suit and ice-power. We don’t want to give too much away and spoil the fun little surprises at hand, so please be sure to pick up a copy as soon as you can.

Even more so, the multiplayer experience here is unrivaled when compared to Mario’s of the past. As most of you probably remember, Mario and Luigi were required to take turns in each level, going one at time. Now you can play up to 4 players at once on a single screen. While it may get a little crowded to jump and move around, it surely makes the game that much more fun and competitive. The multiplayer levels outside the campaign are pretty fun in general, but they can often get annoying and nuisance-like. As long as you aren’t taking it to seriously (and hopefully you aren’t taking Mario too seriously in your life) then you should have plenty of enjoyment for this game and all the features that it offers.

Controls wise you should feel pretty at ease with the simplicity Super Mario offers. Essentially there are only 2 buttons to use besides the conventional directional pads. One new unique feature is the use of the Nintendo Wii’s motion control. By shaking your controller up and down (as often noted on the screen during the game) you can perform higher jumps and spins with certain power-ups, and as well bring yourself back to life when dying.

Long-time Mario fans will definetly be satisfied and happy with this game. There are many of the same normal Mario elements involved – airships, Yoshi, Koopas, Bowser, the same cast and crew as always, and you even still get a 1UP when you reach 100 coins. Just make sure you try and collect the 8 red coins and 3 big coins on every level which will definetly prove to be tough to accomplish. While the music has also been improved with several more upbeats tones, the original Mario theme remains a constant calling throughout the game. Another cute addition that you are sure to notice while playing is some of your enemies dancing to the music during certain beats. This definetlly made us chuckle and remember back to the good old days when the original Mario was release almost 20 years ago now.

In conclusions almost every gamer on every level will be satisfied with this game. It is both fun and easy to play, while offering a challenging environment and game for even the most enthusiastic Mario fans. The replay value here is high, and you will be sure to smile with all the little easter eggs and unique Mario moments you will remember to love. Although in 2D, the graphics and music score will still provide a much-needed enjoyable experience for Nintendo and Mario fans. This game will surely remain on top of our lists for this holiday season as it has been well produced, well though out, and well worth its’ cost.

So we finally got our hands on a copy of DJ Hero, and we have to say that it’s probably one of the most fun and interesting video games to date. The cool, new, innovative DJ turnable, complete with a hard-cover carrying case, a copy of the DJ Hero game, an exclusive Eminem & Jay-Z CD, and some little extras, truly complete the special edition Renegade version of this game. Four screw-on legs are also included, which turn the hard-cover case into a stand for the turntable. While the $199 may be a little steep for this version of the game [Renegade Edition], the extra $50 is probably worth it for the hard carry-case case, the stand, and the endorsements of Jay-Z and Eminem.

Set-up was relatively easy, everything was included in the hard-cover box. All that was needed to be done was to attach the four legs to the stand, insert the disc into the console, and insert the batteries into the turntable. Other than that, we simply turned our console on, synced the turnable to the Xbox360, and we were ready to start DJing! First things first, since this game and concept are relatively new, we strongly suggest taking the beginner and advanced tutorials to find out what DJ Hero is all about. The tutorials are only a few minutes each and will really teach you all the neat tricks and rules of the games, one lesson at a time. Although it may get a little annoying since they play the same song over and over for each tutorial, it’s still well worth the lessons.

Graphically and visually, DJ Hero provided from the start a pretty pleasant experience. The graphics were pretty on par with the rest of the Guitar Hero/Rock Band series, although we felt the presentation was a little nicer, although more eccentric on DJ Hero – which is fitting for the genre. Flashy lights, hip-hop MCs, and lots of ‘funkiness’ are some things you can expect from DJ Hero.

Music and audio selections are great throughout DJ Hero. With 93 tracks to choose from, and a large array of playlists, you’ll have plenty of tracks and modes to DJ to. Daft Punk, Jay-Z, Eminem, Jackson 5, Blondie, MC Hammer, David Bowie, Queen and Third Eye-Blind are just some of the many artists available to choose from in the game. Furthermore, there is sure to be some downloadable content and additions for DJ Hero in the near future. For the most part, the track selections are set up into different playlists. Most have to be unlocked at the beginning stages. By completing the beginner and advanced tutorials, you can unlock a few different playlists. For example, there is a Jay-Z Mixtape playlist which included four tracks featuring Jay-Z. An important concept to understand throughout the game is that each track incorporates two songs. With the use of the mixer, you are able to switch and sample between the two songs throughout the track to masterfully blend them together.

There are basically three concepts to understand in order to play the game correctly. First and foremost, you must chose whether you want the turntable buttons on the right side of the disc, or on the left side. Make sure to set your preferences accordingly within the game settings. Simply enough, just like in any other Guitar Hero/Rock Band game, you must push the green, red or blue button accordingly as they appear on the screen. Where the game takes a twist is with the use of the mixer on the left. Throughout each track, you will be see the green and blue lines stray to the right of left sides. You must flip the mixer switch in sequence with the moving lines. To keep things simple, the mixer switch should always be centered. If it’s not, you will see it burning in red on the bottom right and left of the screen if its out of position. If the green line moves to the left, you must flip the mixer switch to the left in sync with the music. The same goes for the blue button as you must flip the mixer to the right when the line strays off to the right. This can get a little tricky to get used to, especially if you’re jamming along to the music. As in all these games, it is important to feel the beat of the music and maybe tapping your feet to it may help. Essentially the flipping of the mixer enables you to change from one track o the other.

The third element of the game includes a few little extras that can help you get higher scores. If you see an elongated green or blue line, you must hold down the button and skip the disc back and forth, probably the most popular DJ move there is. If you see an orange line hover over one of the buttons or the entire track, you can turn the knob right above the mixer to the left or right. This is a fader, which if you turn all the way to the left incorporates heavy bass, and if you turn to the right, incorporates treble over the bass. Moreover, if you see two green rewind arrows during the song, simply spin the disc around, and the track will rewind back a few seconds. This is imperative to get high scores in DJ Heroe, as you are essentially adding more time and more buttons to the track. Lastly, as in all the games of this series, you can get star power by hitting the highlighted blue notes in the sequence order. This will allow you to double your multiplier, and achieve higher scores than before possible. Simply push the button to the left of the fader which will light up when ready.

Although DJ Hero is a great game overall, there are some downfalls in its production. DJ Hero definitely provides a unique gaming experience, especially for music lovers, as some will find this game very addicting. Most people can’t argue that this game isn’t fun, as it is truly a unique concept that can provide entertainment for all. One thing we thought was a little strange was that you cannot fail song. Even if you miss every button and disc-skipping, the track will continue going even if you don’t earn any points. On another note, although the music selection is decently large, many of the songs may not appeal to you depending on your liking.

Overall DJ Hero is a great game to buy, and will provide lots of hours of fun for you and your friends. While the game will take some time to master, it will truly become more fun as time passes and as you unlock more levels and bonuses. The more you play, the more rewarded you will feel! Go out and buy a copy, or split it with your frat brothers so you can throw a DJ Hero mixer this weekend!

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Even more so, added only for the Nintendo Wii is the Wii Motion Plus™ – an accessory that promises to make the Wii Remote™ more sensitive and accurate to human movement. With the addition of the accelerometer and added sensor bar, the Wii Motion Plus™ truly adds another level to the Wii’s gameplay. The simple turning of the wrist a few degrees will make your golf ball hook, so be sure to take some practice before you play on Bethpage Black! Also worth mentioning is the noticeably improved grip. The remote now has a similar feeling to a tennis raquet and/or golf club, further adding much comfort and realism to Wii’s gameplay.

With this said, this game us a must buy for any Nintendo Wii owners. While the game performs wonderfully on the Xbox360 and PS3, the realism of swinging the Wii Remote™ truly adds immensity and realism to the gameplay. Being bundled with a Wii Motion Plus™ for FREE further makes this game must buy for Wii owners, as there will be an increasing number of Wii Motion Plus™ games on the market shortly. You can always buy the added accessory for an additional $25, but why waste the money when you can get a taste of the Tiger! Upon inserting the disc into the Wii, we must note that the loading times were pretty short on average. At the welcome screen, you are given several options of gameplay, which include Quick Play, My Career, and several other fun modes for Mini-Games which are great for playing with friends. If you are looking to do a round or two of golf with a few friends, Quick Play lets you get into the action relatively quickly. This game offers great multiplayer features all-around, allowing you and your friends to be entertained for hours.

Career mode quickly starts you on the hardest golf course known to human-kind – the infamous Bethpage Black. Living on Long Island, we know Bethpage Black well, and everything was emulated perfectly, from every tree, to fairway to green. Even the Bethpage Black warning sign was clearly posted throughout the course.

During gameplay, you are also given several options to choose from, both on drives and on the putting green. You are given the ability to change to an All-Play Swing, which will show you the trajectory of the ball you are about to hit. This should only be used for those having difficulty playing the game, as it does take some of the skill out. While putting, you are giving two methods to chose from, either Classic or Advanced putting. All in all this game is truly a showpiece for the entire Tiger Woods PGA Video Game franchise, as well as Nintendo’s Wii Motion Plus. We rated this game an overall 9.0 / 10.0 and recommend it with two thumbs up to even the most avid golf and video game players.