Observe The Banana

Another joke from the mind of B:

What do you call a role playing game that moves around and changes a lot?
.
.
.
.
ADHD&D !

A game review by B

Ben 10 Protector of the Earth

This game could have been so much more, but it seems almost like a feeble attempt to capitalize on the TV show. The menu looks great, but I wish I could operate it with the buttons and the D-pad, not just the stylus. The music, however, is flawless. It perfectly captures the mood of the moment.  In addition, it has a feature I value very much- 3 save slots!  One feature which it has is  just weird, attaching the silhouette of an alien of your choice to a save.  Ok…

The game play itself seems like it could be in an arcade without much change. And that’s a bad thing.  It’s chock full of side-scrolling “run to the right-fight some bad guys-run to the right-jump-use special power-fight more bad guys” action.  Each alien has a special power that lets you deal with a certain environmental challenge.  I assume this is supposed to make you change aliens so everyone is used, but sometimes all it really does is slow you down.  However, in combat the difference in attacks is wonderfully fun. It really makes combat with different characters a pleasure, except for the fact you have almost no long-range attacks, and a lot of the enemies do. And once you learn how to do the combos, combat becomes even more fun.  The platforming elements are strangely fun as well. By strangely, I mean they aren’t too well thought out, but they’re still fun.

The bosses are either very hard, pretty easy, or needing a gimmick.  Most of them are pretty easy to beat if you stand right next to them.  But you can’t block their shots, and sometimes they attack with a short-range attack and send you flying backwards.  Killing them often requires a specific alien.

The combos are hard to pull off.  They have a small window of effectiveness, except for the A-A ones.           Each alien has three combos: A-Y(almost impossible, the cheapest), A-X(easier, more expensive), and A-A(easiest, costs the most).  I’ve yet to get the hang of them.  In addition, the difference between characters is extreme.  They all attack with different speed and strength.

This game is good if you are an avid fan of platformers, but it needs some polish.  In order to fully enjoy the game, you need to know about the show, and accept the comic-book-like story.  It would be worth it used, but not new.

As of May 2008, Owners of the Nintendo Wii game console can now download free game demos to their Nintendo DS game system at home just like the Download Service available at some stores. The service is available as part of the new free Nintendo Channel on the Wii. You can purchase the Nintendo Channel (for free) through the Wii Shop Channel. The Nintendo Channel features Wii game videos and trailers. To find the DS Download service you will need to agree to allow “Data-Sharing” service that sends data on what games you play to Nintendo (Under Nintendo Channel settings, Data-Sharing Settings). Then go to “Find Titles for You” and the bottom choice will be “DS Download Service”. If the option is grayed out as unavailable, then you have not agreed to the data sharing. Once in the DS Download Service you will see a list of available demos, some of which appear to be permanent, some of which seem to be available only temporarily. I have noticed the “Distribution Ends:” date they give is not always accurate and the list does not update until at least a day after that date. After you download a game you can keep it on your DS until it is powered off. If you want to save a demo to play the next day, just close the DS to suspend it without turning it off (and consider plugging it in since the battery will slowly drain in this suspended state).

Since I have been unable to find a list on the web of what demos are available, I will post the new list on this blog as they change (which is usually a day or two after the “ends” date).
Enjoy!

Click here for the current list of available downloads

As of May 2008, Owners of the Nintendo Wii game console can now download free game demos to their Nintendo DS game system at home just like the Download Service available at some stores. The service is available as part of the new free Nintendo Channel on the Wii. You can purchase the Nintendo Channel (for free) through the Wii Shop Channel. The Nintendo Channel features Wii game videos and trailers. To find the DS Download service you will need to agree to allow “Data-Sharing” service that sends data on what games you play to Nintendo (Under Nintendo Channel settings, Data-Sharing Settings). Then go to “Find Titles for You” and the bottom choice will be “DS Download Service”. If the option is grayed out as unavailable, then you have not agreed to the data sharing. Once in the DS Download Service you will see a list of available demos, some of which appear to be permanent, some of which seem to be available only temporarily. I have noticed the “Distribution Ends:” date they give is not always accurate and the list does not update until at least a day after that date. After you download a game you can keep it on your DS until it is powered off. If you want to save a demo to play the next day, just close the DS to suspend it without turning it off (and consider plugging it in since the battery will slowly drain in this suspended state).

Since I have been unable to find a list on the web of what demos are available, I will post the new list on this blog as they change (which is usually a day or two after the “ends” date).
Enjoy!

December 2008 Wii Download Service Titles (Updated December 22, 2008)

Click here for the current list of available downloads

Mystery Case Files MillionHeir – No end date
Crosswords DS – Crosswords Demo – No end date
Brain Age Demo – No end date
Brain Age 2 Demo – No end date
Flash Focus Demo – No end date

Personal Trainer Cooking: Lasagna Demo – Distribution ends 12/28/08
Amazing Adventures: The Forgotten Ruins Demo – Distribution ends 12/28/08
Lock’s Quest – Distribution ends 12/28/08
Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero  – Distribution ends 12/28/08
Soul Bubbles Demo – Distribution ends 12/28/08
MySims Kingdom – Distribution ends 12/28/08

As of May 2008, Owners of the Nintendo Wii game console can now download free game demos to their Nintendo DS game system at home just like the Download Service available at some stores. The service is available as part of the new free Nintendo Channel on the Wii. You can purchase the Nintendo Channel (for free) through the Wii Shop Channel. The Nintendo Channel features Wii game videos and trailers. To find the DS Download service you will need to agree to allow “Data-Sharing” service that sends data on what games you play to Nintendo (Under Nintendo Channel settings, Data-Sharing Settings). Then go to “Find Titles for You” and the bottom choice will be “DS Download Service”. If the option is grayed out as unavailable, then you have not agreed to the data sharing. Once in the DS Download Service you will see a list of available demos, some of which appear to be permanent, some of which seem to be available only temporarily. I have noticed the “Distribution Ends:” date they give is not always accurate and the list does not update until at least a day after that date. After you download a game you can keep it on your DS until it is powered off. If you want to save a demo to play the next day, just close the DS to suspend it without turning it off (and consider plugging it in since the battery will slowly drain in this suspended state).

Since I have been unable to find a list on the web of what demos are available, I will post the new list on this blog as they change (which is usually a day or two after the “ends” date).
Enjoy!

Click here for the current list of available downloads

November 2008 Wii Download Service Titles (Updated November 24, 2008)

Mystery Case Files MillionHeir – No end date
Crosswords DS – Crosswords Demo – No end date
Brain Age Demo – No end date
Brain Age 2 Demo – No end date
Flash Focus Demo – No end date

Personal Trainer: Cooking Mac & Cheese Demo – Distribution ends 11/30/08
Walt Disney Pictures Bolt Demo – Distribution ends 11/30/08
Prince of Persia: The Fallen King Demo – – Distribution ends 11/30/08
Soul Bubbles Demo – Distribution ends 11/30/08

As of May 2008, Owners of the Nintendo Wii game console can now download free game demos to their Nintendo DS game system at home just like the Download Service available at some stores. The service is available as part of the new free Nintendo Channel on the Wii. You can purchase the Nintendo Channel (for free) through the Wii Shop Channel. The Nintendo Channel features Wii game videos and trailers. To find the DS Download service you will need to agree to allow “Data-Sharing” service that sends data on what games you play to Nintendo. Then go to “Find Titles for You” and the bottom choice will be “DS Download Service”. If the option is grayed out as unavailable, then you have not agreed to the data sharing. Once in the DS Download Service you will see a list of available demos, some of which appear to be permanent, some of which seem to be available only temporarily. I have noticed the “Distribution Ends:” date they give is not always accurate . After you download a game you can keep it on your DS until it is powered off. If you want to save a demo to play the next day, just close the DS to suspend it without turning it off.

Since I have been unable to find a list on the web of what demos are available, I will post the new list on this blog as they change. Enjoy!

Click here for the current list of available downloads

October 2008 Wii Download Service Titles (Updated October 26, 2008)

Mystery Case Files MillionHeir – No end date
Crosswords DS – Crosswords Demo – No end date
Brain Age Demo – No end date
Brain Age 2 Demo – No end date
Flash Focus Demo – No end date

Crosswords DS – Wordsearch Demo – Distribution ends 11/02/08
Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals – Distribution ends 11/02/08
Brain Quest: Grades 3&4 and Grades 5&6 – Distribution ends 11/02/08
Ninjatown Demo – Distribution ends 11/02/08
MySims Kingdom – Distribution ends 11/02/08

As of May 2008, Owners of the Nintendo Wii game console can now download free game demos to their Nintendo DS game system at home just like the Download Service available at some stores. The service is available as part of the new free Nintendo Channel on the Wii. You can purchase the Nintendo Channel (for free) through the Wii Shop Channel. The Nintendo Channel features Wii game videos and trailers. To find the DS Download service you will need to agree to allow “Data-Sharing” service that sends data on what games you play to Nintendo. Then go to “Find Titles for You” and the bottom choice will be “DS Download Service”. If the option is grayed out as unavailable, then you have not agreed to the data sharing. Once in the DS Download Service you will see a list of available demos, some of which appear to be permanent, some of which seem to be available only temporarily. I have noticed the “Distribution Ends:” date they give is not always accurate . After you download a game you can keep it on your DS until it is powered off. If you want to save a demo to play the next day, just close the DS to suspend it without turning it off.

Since I have been unable to find a list on the web of what demos are available, I will post the new list on this blog as they change. Enjoy!

Click here for the current list of available downloads

September 2008 Wii Download Service Titles (Updated September 22, 2008)

Mystery Case Files MillionHeir – No end date
Crosswords DS – Crosswords Demo – No end date
Brain Age Demo – No end date
Brain Age 2 Demo – No end date
Flash Focus Demo – No end date

Crosswords DS – Wordsearch – Distribution Ends 09/28/08
Air Traffic Chaos – Distribution Ends 09/28/08
Spore Creature Demo – Distribution Ends 09/28/08
Arkanoid DS- Distribution Ends 09/28/08

As of May 2008, Owners of the Nintendo Wii game console can now download free game demos to their Nintendo DS game system at home just like the Download Service available at some stores. The service is available as part of the new free Nintendo Channel on the Wii. You can purchase the Nintendo Channel (for free) through the Wii Shop Channel. The Nintendo Channel features Wii game videos and trailers. To find the DS Download service you will need to agree to allow “Data-Sharing” service that sends data on what games you play to Nintendo. Then go to “Find Titles for You” and the bottom choice will be “DS Download Service”. If the option is grayed out as unavailable, then you have not agreed to the data sharing. Once in the DS Download Service you will see a list of available demos, some of which appear to be permanent, some of which seem to be available only temporarily. I have noticed the “Distribution Ends:” date they give is not always accurate . After you download a game you can keep it on your DS until it is powered off. If you want to save a demo to play the next day, just close the DS to suspend it without turning it off.

I will post the new list on this blog as they change. Enjoy!

Click here for the current list of available downloads

August 2008 Wii Download Service Titles (Updated August 25, 2008)

Crosswords DS – Crosswords Demo – always available
Brain Age Demo – always available
Brain Age 2 Demo – always available
Flash Focus Demo – always available

Crosswords DS – Wordsearch – Distribution Ends 08/31/08
PICTOIMAGE – Distribution Ends 08/31/08
Air Traffic Chaos – Distribution Ends 08/31/08
Arkanoid – Distribution Ends 08/31/08

As of May 2008, Owners of the Nintendo Wii game console can now download free game demos to their Nintendo DS game system at home just like the Download Service available at some stores. The service is available as part of the new free Nintendo Channel on the Wii. You can purchase the Nintendo Channel through the Wii Shop Channel. The Nintendo Channel features Wii game videos and trailers. To find the DS Download service you will need to agree to allow “Data-Sharing” service that sends data on what games you play to Nintendo. Then go to “Find Titles for You” and the bottom choice will be “DS Download Service”. If the option is grayed out as unavailable, then you have not agreed to the data sharing. Once in the DS Download Service you will see a list of available demos, some of which appear to be permanent, some of which seem to be available only temporarily. I have noticed the “Distribution Ends:” date they give is not always accurate . After you download a game you can keep it on your DS until it is powered off. If you want to save a demo to play the next day, just close the DS to suspend it without turning it off.

I will post the new list on this blog as they change.

Click here for the current list of available downloads

July 2008 Wii Download Service Titles (Updated July 30, 2008)

Crosswords DS – Crosswords Demo – always available
Brain Age Demo – always available
Brain Age 2 Demo – always available
Flash Focus Demo – always available

Crosswords DS – Wordsearch – Distribution Ends 08/03/08
Trauma Center: Under The Knife 2 – Distribution Ends 08/03/08
PICTOIMAGE – Distribution Ends 08/03/08
Contra 4 – Distribution Ends 08/03/08
Carnival Games – Distribution Ends 08/03/08

As of May 2008, Owners of the Nintendo Wii game console can now download free game demos to their Nintendo DS game system at home just like the Download Service available at some stores. The service is available as part of the new free Nintendo Channel on the Wii. You can purchase the Nintendo Channel through the Wii Shop Channel. The Nintendo Channel features Wii game videos and trailers. To find the DS Download service you will need to agree to allow “Data-Sharing” service that sends data on what games you play to Nintendo. Then go to “Find Titles for You” and the bottom choice will be “DS Download Service”. If the option is grayed out as unavailable, then you have not agreed to the data sharing. Once in the DS Download Service you will see a list of available demos, some of which appear to be permanent, some of which seem to be available only temporarily. I have noticed the “Distribution Ends:” date they give is not always accurate . After you download a game you can keep it on your DS until it is powered off. If you want to save a demo to play the next day, just close the DS to suspend it without turning it off.

I will post the new list on this blog as they change.

Click here for the current list of available downloads

June 2008 Wii Download Service Titles (Updated 6/23/08)

Brain Age Demo – always available
Brain Age 2 Demo – always available
Flash Focus Demo – always available
Crosswords DS Demo – always available

Crosswords DS Anagrams Demo – Distribution Ends: 06/29/08
Wall E DS Demo – Distribution Ends: 06/29/08
The Incredible Hulk – Distribution Ends: 06/29/08
Kung Fu Panda DS Demo – Distribution Ends: 06/29/08
Contra 4 – Distribution Ends: 06/29/08
Cake Mania 2 – Distribution Ends: 06/29/08

I have been enjoying playing Lego Star Wars II with my son on the PC. He has a version for his Nintendo DS, but the little screen is hard on my old eyes. If you haven’t seen it, this is actually quite a fun game that lets you play out all the major story line scenes from the Star Wars movies, all as a LEGO minifigure. Whenever the Evil Emperor (Palpatine/Darth Sidious) is in play you hear this periodic evil cackling laugh sound.   The funny thing is for some reason it always reminds me of our current Vice President. Maybe it’s Jon Stewart’s impersonation of him that does it. So now we have taken to just calling him Evil Emperor Cheney in the game.

Please excuse my rather primitive graphics work, didn’t have any decent software tools on this game pc.

Living in a foreign land, in a small apartment without all my usual distractions and entertainments of home, it can take some creativity to fill those long cold, dark nights when the one computer is being used by the one employed person to do work (I already figured out the combination to the bike lock I found by using trial and error) so I was happy when I found a intact Trivial Pursuit game thrown out by a neighbor (woot!) – but when I got it home and opened it I discovered it was in danish (doh!), not even the language of the country I am living in (Iceland). So how do you entertain yourself with a Trivial Pursuit game in a foreign language? Well, I started by making card houses from the cards.

B used the little wedges and circles to invent a cool new game with various rules and moves (like switch, send and forfeit) in which you rearrange the wedges between the holders and a pool to try to get each holder filled with the correct color wedges.

What else….how about a little stop motion animation with the card deck?

I hate to destroy an intact game, even though I did find it in the trash, but maybe in time I will move on to folding or cutting the cards for some interesting craft creation. Maybe one of those chains people made from gum wrappers would be fun….

Any suggestions?