STACK #129 Jul 2016

GAMES

FEATURE

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Of all the publishers at E3, Nintendo’s press area – situated behind the main booth – always presents the best opportunities to get hands-on with their games without having to queue. We remember being obsessed with Star Fox 64 , spending an unhealthy amount of time with the game when it released, so Star Fox Zero was the game we headed straight for. One mission was on hand to play here, with the design utilising the GamePad as the view from the cockpit, while the action is displayed on the main screen. There’s a bit of a learning curve involved in referring to the GamePad and the screen (not helped when you realise that Shigeru Miyamoto is watching over your shoulder), but towards the end of the demo it all came together nicely. This HD reboot is out later this year, and you can be sure we’ll be playing the hell out of it. How many times have you completed a level in a game knowing you could’ve done better? Super Mario Maker is giving you the opportunity to prove it! Mario turns 30 this year, and to celebrate, you can create game styles from as far back as the SNES-era Mario or maybe even a Super Mario Galaxy -inspired level. Is it hard to create these levels? Not at all; creation is simple and mostly undertaken using the GamePad and stylus. Limitations only exist in the mind, but do be careful not to create a game like we did that was practically impossible to play. Once you have designed the ultimate level, and beaten it yourself of course, then you can challenge the general public to do the same by sharing your creation. And Mario Tennis Ultra Smash is also great fun, especially when the opponents you rope in to play aren’t regular gamers and you thump them set after set.

car/Need for Speed enthusiast would want, and the hands-on demonstrated this before players were thrown into a mode known as Rep Attack. Eight players face off in an open world race and must accumulate rep points in an allocated time. Avoiding the police, pulling off near misses and drifts, and winning races can gain Rep points. It’s a small glimpse of the game, but the year-long hiatus appears to have paid off. Yet another scheduling clash restricted access to Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst to a “must return to see this” scribble on the timetable, but as always happens at E3, you can never find enough time to get back and see what you missed.

an opposition player is making an attacking run towards goal. “Games are won and lost in midfield,” said creative director Matt Prior, and the studio identified this as an area that needed attention. When a ball is won in midfield, supporting players will move to space to assist in the build up of an attacking manoeuver. Pressing the R3 button accesses contextual training during play, bringing potential options and moves into play. This is an invaluable tool for inexperienced players. Resting the annual Need for Speed series for a year is probably a lesson many publishers should heed, but EA’s popular driving franchise is back this year, once again in the hands of Ghost Games. A complete reboot that merges the best parts of games past is as good a place as any. Customisation is as deep as any

JULY 2015 JB Hi-Fi www.jbhifi.com.au

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