Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz



The original Super Monkey Ball was easily one of the best, most surprising games to appear on the Nintendo GameCube when it launched back in 2001. It made the deceptively simple task of rolling a ball from one end of an obstacle course to the other a tense, diabolical challenge that could fray the steeliest of nerves yet still be immensely satisfying and addictive. A more robust sequel followed, but the series has been withering since, a malady that seemed to culminate in the bastardized Super Monkey Ball Adventure earlier this year. It seemed the series had run its course, but along comes Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, which reinvigorates the franchise with a warm new look, an intuitive control scheme, and a selection of multiplayer minigames, the volume of which verges on overwhelming. Diehard fans may feel a little let down by a perceived decrease in difficulty, and there's a wide range in quality within the 50 multiplayer minigames. However, Banana Blitz is still about as good as Super Monkey Ball has ever been, and it serves as a great example of how the Wii's uniqueness can be put to good use.

Since it first appeared, the main game in Super Monkey Ball has always been a one-handed affair. With only the ability to roll around inside your translucent bicolor hamster ball, control has classically been limited to a single analog stick. This standing simplicity makes the transition to the Wii Remote a natural one. The game makes use of the remote's gyroscopic features for movement control, so tilting the controller forward, back, and side to side produces the expected effect onscreen. There's a simple elegance to these controls, which are responsive enough to give you as much subtle movement control as the game demands. This sensitivity means that it takes a light touch and a steady hand to play well. The game seems to take its increased learning curve into account, as it does a good amount of hand-holding over the first few levels. After that, though, the difficulty ramps up steadily, and about halfway through you'll experience the kinds of tense challenges that you can feel in your stomach. An unexpected side effect of the control scheme in Banana Blitz for right-handers is that movement control in past Super Monkey Ball games (and, generally speaking, most modern 3D action games) has been assigned to your left hand, so the instinctive response of putting the remote in your right hand can feel strange at first. It wears off, but it's something you'll need to get comfortable with.

The challenge of Super Monkey Ball has always stemmed from managing your monkey's momentum as you navigate narrow ledges, moving platforms, and loads of nasty obstacles designed to knock you right off the course and into oblivion. A time limit on each obstacle course makes the inherently tricky tasks at hand that much more urgent. These basic, defining characteristics still play prominent roles in Banana Blitz, but the game makes a few significant alternations to the formula that definitely give the game its own feel. Perhaps most profound is the ability to jump, which is done with the A button on the remote. As simple as it may sound, it's a real game-changing ability, and it's something that is taken into account in the level designs. Beyond this fundamental change, the level design in Banana Blitz has undergone a slight alteration. It's still plenty intense, though not nearly as draconian as the first two Super Monkey Ball games. Instead, you'll find longer levels with a greater number of slightly lesser challenges, the net effect of which is that the gameplay's inherent tension is given more time to build.

As you progress through the eight worlds that compose the single-player game in Banana Blitz, you'll encounter regular boss fights. These usually involve taking on a larger-sized enemy with a single weak spot that you have to figure out how to exploit. Some of them, such as one where you have to roll your way across the back of a giant mechanical dinosaur, are quite memorable, though others can feel a little generic compared to the otherwise singular Super Monkey Ball gameplay style. The inability to control the game's camera can be frustrating in certain boss fights, as well, due to the way it locks onto the boss during these sequences. Still, the boss fights break up the action nicely. Overall, there hasn't been a Super Monkey Ball single-player experience that's felt this good in years, which makes the game's relative brevity a little disappointing. The latter half of the game features plenty of levels with 90-second time limits that can easily take you a good half-hour to get past, and it'll take expert players at least four or five hours to get through it. The action is consistently intense enough to make real marathon sessions hard on the senses, but the number of levels simply isn't up to series standards.

Instead, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz puts a much greater emphasis on the multiplayer component, something which has slowly taken on a life of its own since first appearing as an aside in the first Super Monkey Ball. There are 50 different minigames to choose from--an intimidating number, though in reality many of them share similar control schemes. Most games feature full four-player support, though there are a few one-on-one minigames as well. Splitscreen is prevalent, but you'll also find plenty of games where players share the screen or play sequentially. There's still a great variety in the minigames, and all of them make pronounced use of the Wii Remote, with a number of them also requiring that the Nunchuk be attached. You'll play whack-a-mole, hunt for treasure in a minisubmarine, touch down a spaceship ala Lunar Lander, slingshot monkey balls at tin cans and balloons, hunt other monkeys in a first-person shooter, play Simon says, red-light green-light, play a ring-toss game, scoop goldfish out of a pond, compete in a snowboard race, and much more.

Some of the best demonstrations of what the Wii's motion-sensing and gyroscopic controls are capable of at launch can be found within the multiplayer component of Banana Blitz. The groundwork laid by minigames like Monkey Wars could easily be expanded into stand-alone games, and there are some really different multiplayer experiences to be had here. They're not all winners, though. Sometimes the controls aren't responsive enough to support the minigame concepts, and sometimes the minigame concepts aren't interesting enough to warrant more than a couple plays. It's understandable why the game takes a "see what sticks" mentality here, but it's unfortunate that you have to wade through some pretty unplayable games to figure out what really works.


In addition to the crazy new controls and the volume of multiplayer minigames, Banana Blitz gives Super Monkey Ball a much-needed visual makeover that gives the game a much more cartoony feel. There's lots of flat-shading on the monkeys and the world around them, and the palette gives preference to softer, warmer colors. The monkeys themselves also have new, energetic animations that help give each more pronounced personalities, and the eight worlds in the single-player game have a unique look to them. Banana Blitz supports standard-def widescreen support and also runs in 480p for HDTVs. You definitely get a bump up in clarity when running in HD, though the game's sunny appearances look good either way. The whole playful tone is backed up by the game's joyous soundtrack, which can be so exuberant that it takes effort for it to not rub off on you.

With the Wii blazing a daring trail, there are definitely questions as to how well the unique controller concepts will actually work out. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz serves as a great proof of concept, making some great, varied use of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. The length of the single-player game and the inconsistent quality of the multiplayer minigames are lamentable, but the highs are high enough to make this one of the most highly recommended Wii launch games.


Posted by wii-play at 1:44 PM
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MK Armageddon Cheat


Krypt Kodes (Using a Wii Remote)

The following codes may be entered by choosing the "?" in the Krypt.

Enter the Krypt and Press the Z button on the Wii Nunchuck 4 times.... you'll see it in the bottom right corner.

*NOTE: Directions, such as UP that are written in caps, are directions pressed on the nunchuck analog stick. Directions in lowercase with a "+" before them are entered on the Wiimote D-Pad.

Cheat

Effect

C, LEFT, UP, +right, UP, C

Unlock Alternate Costume: Shang Tsung

DOWN, C, UP, C, C, RIGHT

Unlock Alternate Costume: Nitara

C, LEFT, Z,, UP, +right, DOWN

Unlock Character: Taven

UP, +left, +left, +right, +right, UP

Unlock Character: Meat

C, C, +up, DOWN, DOWN, +left

Unlock Character: Daegon

+up, +left, LEFT, C, LEFT, +right

Unlock Character: Blaze

C, RIGHT, +down, Z, UP, UP

Unlock Alternate Costume: Drahmin

DOWN, Z, Z, C, +right, C

Unlock Alternate Costume: Frost

Z, C, +left, +down, Z, UP

Unlock Arena: Pryamid of Argus

LEFT, LEFT. +right, UP, +up, C

Unlock Arena: Shinnok's Spire

Z, +right, +left, +down, +right, +up

Unlock Arena: Falling Cliffs

+right, C, UP, +left, +right, DOWN

Unlock Arena: Krimson Forest

Z, LEFT, LEFT, DOWN, C, +left

Unlock Arena: Nethership Interior

Z, +up, Z, UP, +down, +down

Unlock Arena: General Reiko's Map Room

UP, +left, C, Z, +right, C

Unlock Concept Art: Firewall Arena

+right, Z, +up, DOWN, +right, LEFT

Unlock Concept Art: Unused Trap in Konquest Mode

C, LEFT, UP, +right, Z, C

Unlock Concept Art: Scorpion Throw Sketch

+down, C, Z, Z, UP, UP

Unlock Concept Art: Pyramid of Argus

C, +up, C, C, Z, +left

Unlock Concept Art: Blaze

+up, LEFT, LEFT, +down, DOWN, +right

Unlock Concept Art: Pyramid Crack of Dawn

UP, +down, Z, DOWN, C, +down

Unlock Concept Art: Early Taven

Z, RIGHT, UP, Z, +up, UP

Unlock Concept Art: Mileena's Car Design

Z, C, LEFT, +down, UP, Z

Unlock Concept Art: Sektor's 2 Handed Pulse Blade

UP, UP, DOWN, UP, C, +down

Unlock Movie: Armageddon Promo

+up, UP, Z, C, Z, Z

Unlock Movie: Motor Gameplay

RIGHT, C, Z, DOWN, UP, C

Unlock Movie: Cyrax Fatality Blooper

+down, +left, LEFT, +up, +left, +down

Unlock Tune: Armory

UP, +right, C, Z, Z, +down

Unlock Tune: Tekunin Warship

C, LEFT, +right, +down, Z, RIGHT

Unlock Tune: Lin Kuei Palace

DOWN, LEFT, Z, C, UP, C

Unlock Tune: Pyramid of Argus

MK Armageddon Unlockables

Hidden Characters

By accomplishing certain tasks in Konquest mode, new characters can be unlocked.

Unlockable

How to Unlock

Taven

Finish the storyline in Konquest

Meat

Obtain 10 relics in Konquest

Daegon

Obtain 30 relics in Konquest

Blaze

Obtain 50 relics in Konquest

Unlockable Arenas

Unlockable

How to Unlock

Artika Arena

Beat all 7 trials in Artika Obliesk

Pyramid of Argus Arena

Collect 40 Relics in Konquest Mode

Netherrealm Cliffs

Defeat Drahmin in Konquest Mode.

Edenian Ruins

After you defeat the Giant Skulls in Edenia, travel up the path until all of the chests appear. The second one on the left has this in it.

Scorpion's Lair

After you defeat the Giant Skulls in Edenia, travel up the path until all of the chests appear. The third one on the right has this in it.

Konquest Mode Unlockable

Unlockable

How to Unlock

+20,000 Koins

Obtain 20 relics in Konquest Mode.

Alternate Costumes

All of the following are unlocked in konquest mode, usually found in a hidden chest.

Unlockable

How to Unlock

Ermac's Alternate Costume

Found in a chest by the left wall in the room where you get attacked by the Red Commandos for the second time.

Kobra's Alternate Costume

In an invisable chest behind the first monoth in the Botan Jungle.

Kung Lao's Alternate Costume

Found in a chest to the right after you enter the Temple of Argus.

Kira's Alternate Costume

Step on the second Giant Spider in Botan Jungle and open the chest that appears.

Kano's Alternate Costume

In an invisable chest to the left as you enter the last room of the Temple of Argus.

Hsu Hao's Alternate Costume

In a chest on the right walkway after you wake up on the Tekunin Warship.

Hotaru's Alternate Costume

In a chest close to the wall in the second room of the Tekunin Warship.

Cyrax's Alternate Costume

Kill all of the enemies in the third room of the Tekunin Warship and open the chest that appears.

Baraka's Alternate Costume

Kill all of the enemies in the final room of the Tekunin Warship and open the cheast that appears.

Jax's Alternate Costume

Once you enter Arctika turn around and go to the left to find an invisable chest.

Johnny Cage's Alternate Costume

Costume Defeat the Tengu Guards at the beginning of Arctika and open the chest that appears.

Ashrah's Alternate Costume

Defeat the Ice Beast you encounter in Arctika and open the chest that appears.

Sonya's Alternate Costume

In an invisable chest to the left of the gate in the area after you defeat Sonya.

Kenshi's Alternate Costume

Defeat all of the Tengu Ninjas with the given sword in Arctika.

Kitana's Alternate Costume

Perform a Fatality on Wi Lae, leader of the Tengu Ninjas.

Rain's Alternate Costume

Open the chest at the end of the area in Arctika where you are attacked by Red Dragon Spies and before you meet Rain.

Darrius' Alternate Costume

In a chest behind a discolored wall at the begining of the Lin Kuei Temple where you are attacked by Lin Kuei Archers.

Dairou's Alternate Costume

Open the chest at the end of the second ice hallway at the beginning of the Lin Kuei Temple Entrance.

Kai's Alternate Costume

In an invisable chest behind a breakable discolored wall to the right as you enter the third area of Lin Kuei Temple Entrance in Arctika.

Jade's Alternate Costume

Defeat all of the Lin Kuei at the very beginning of the Lin Kuei Palace and open the chest that appears.

Jarek's Alternate Costume

Open the right chest in the room where you fight with the Ice Scepter.

Frost's Alternate Costume

Break all of the tombs lining the wall in the room where you meet Frost.

Stryker's Alternate Costume

Break the wall on the right of the hallway after the Shadow Stalkers. Travel to the end of it and open the chest in the left aclove.

Sub-Zero's Alternate Costume

Open the chest to the right of the statue of your mother after your fight with Sub-Zero.

Noob Saibot's Alternate Costume

Defeat all of the Shadow Ninjas the first time you encounter then in the Lin Kuei Palace and open the chest that appears.

Smoke's Alternate Costume

Defeat Smoke and the chest with it inside with appear.

Fujin's Alternate Costume

Defeat all of the Red Dragon Soldiers at the beginning of the Charred Mountain.

Mavado's Alternate Costume

Inside an invisible chest on the left part of the room where you do battle after you recieve the Supermove: Time Stop.

Reptile's Alternate Costume

Defeat the Hybrid Dragons you encounter in the Red Dragon Caverns and open the chest that

Quan Chi's Alternate Costume

Step on the rat in the tunnel after you travel through Door A1 in the Red Dragon Caverns. Open the chest that appears

Nitara's Alternate Costume

After you defeat the Undead Revenants for the first time in the Netherrealm, jump down the left most cliff instead of the right. Open the nearby chest

Drahmin's Alternate Costume

In the Netherrealm after you defeat Drahmin, shoot down the bat creature over the nearby cliff and open the chest that appears.

Sareena's Alternate Costume

Defeat Kai, Serenna, and Jatakka and open the chest that appears.

Shinnok's Alternate Costume

Once you get to the area in the Netherrealm with the falling rocks go to the leftmost side and open the chest that you find there.

Sindel's Alternate Costume

Complete the third training obelisk.

Motaro's Alternate Costume

After the third training obelisk, during the time you must gather crystals go to the left side of this area and open the chest there.

Bo’Rai Cho's Alternate Costume

Open the chest that appears after you defeat the Wraiths of Shinnok's Spire.

Havik's Alternate Costume

Defeat all of the demons in the second area of Shinnok's Spire.

Li Mei's Alternate Costume

In the second area of Shinnok's Spire walk around the edge of the room until you find an invisible chest.

Liu Kang's Alternate Costume

As you enter Shao Kahn's Fortress, turn around and run foward to find an invisible chest.

Goro's Alternate Costume

In an invisible chest to on the left side of the first area in Shao Khan's Fortress and directly to the right of a musical note.

Reiko's Alternate Costume

In a chest in Shao Khan's Fortress, as you enter the first area with blades travel down a hall to the left.

Shang Tsung's Alternate Costume

At the beginning of Shao Khan's Fortress, hit the ground pound icon which is located to the right and up the ramp.

Mileena's Alternate Costume

After you defeat Mileena hit the Ground Pound Switch in front of you and open the chest that appears.

Tanya's Alternate Costume

Found in Shao Khan's Dungeon, after you make it to the cell area. You must hit the ground pound icon and then go back to the third cell on the right.

Shujinko's Alternate Costume

Hit the ground pound icon in one of the cells after you defeat The Executioner in Shao Khan's Dungeon.

Shao Kahn's Alternate Costume

Open the chest that appears after you defeat Shao Khan's Statue.

Raiden's Alternate Costume

When or after fighting the Shao Khan Collosus go into the first room on the left.

NightWolf's Alternate Costume

After you defeat the Giant Skulls in Edenia, travel up the path until all of the chests appear. The first one on the right has this in it.

Taven's Alternate Costume

After you defeat the Giant Skulls in Edenia, travel up the path until all of the chests appear. The third one on the left has this in it.

Soundtracks

All of the following soundtracks are unlocked in konquest mode and found in the shape of a musical note.

Unlockable

How to Unlock

Botan Jungle Track Tune

Get the musical note which is located right before the second fallen log in Botan Jungle.

Bo'Rai Cho's Brewery Tune

Get the musical note which is located after the bridge and in the cave to the right in Botan Jungle.

Tekunin Warship Tune

Get the musical note in the area where you get attacked by Black Dragon Thug's in the Botan Jungle.

Subway Fight Tune

Get the musical note after you defeat Sonya Blade in Arctika.

Lumbermill Fight Tune

Get the musical note after the second crusher when you return to Arctika after the second obelisk.

Arctika Tune

As you enter the second area of the Lin Kuei Temple Entrance destroy the discolored wall on the right and open the chest.

Lin Kuei Raceway Tune

Get the musical note which is located near the entrance in the final area of Arctika after you defeat all of the Lin Kuei Warriors and Archers.

Lin Kuei Palace Tune

Get the musical note which is in the Lin Kuei Palace directly to your left after you punch down the Ice Door.

The Lost Pyramid Tune

Found behind an explosive barrel in the battle after you gain the Supermove: Time Stop.

Reptile’s Lair Fight Tune

Get the musical note in the hallway right before the final room of the Red Dragon Caverns. It is found behind a grouping of three blue barrels.

Meteor Storm Fight Tune

Get the musical note after you defeat the Undead Revenants for the first time in the Netherrealm, jump down the left most cliff instead of the right.

Outworld Refinery Tune

Get the musical note behind you after you fight Drahmin in the Netherrealm.

Outworld Spire Fight Tune

Get the musical note which is located on the right side of the first room as you enter Shinnok's Spire

Soul Chamber Fight Tune

Once you get to the flaming sword area of Shinnok's Spire turn around and get the musical note.

Tekunin Prison Fight Tune

Found in Shao Khan's Fortress, after you open the main door and enter the second area go to the upper left side and get the musical note.

Konquest Final Battle Tune

In Shao Khan's Fortress as you run up to the first area with the blades travel to the right to find the musical note in the next room.

Wastelands Fight Tune

On the left of the elevator you get into at the end of Shao Khan's Dungeon.

Goro’s Lair Fight Tune

Found in Shujinko's cell when you release him.

Hell Fight Tune

Found in Shao Khan's Dungeon, after you make it to the cell area. You must hit the ground pound icon and then go back to the 2nd cell on the right.

Pyramid of Argus Tune

After you defat the Giant Skulls in Edenia, travel up the path until you find a golden chest. On the right of it is the musical note.

Kreate-A-Kharacter Unlockables

The following parts for kreate-a-kharacter are unlocked in Konquest Mode.

Unlockable

How to Unlock

Elder Gods Male Armor: Glove

Inside of a golden chest after the second fallen log and to the right in Botan Jungle.

Elder Gods Male Armor: Belt

Inside of a golden chest to the right after you open the first door in the Tekunin Warship.

Elder Gods Female Armor: Cape

Inside a golden chest which is in the area after you meet and defeat Sonya.

Elder Gods Female Armor: Belt

Inside a golden chest in a locked gate in Arctika after the second obelisk which opens after you defeat the Tengu Ninjas.

Elder Gods Male Armor: Torso

After you defeat the Tengu Leader go foward and break open the discolored wall on the right in the blade trap area.

Elder Gods Female Armor: Boots

After the shadow stalkers, break the cracked wall to the left and travel down to the right aclove where you will find the golden chest with it inside

Elder Gods Male Armor: Boots

After the shadow stalkers, break the second cracked wall on the right and travel down to the end and open the golden chest in the left aclove.

Elder God Female Armor: Torso

Open the golden chest which is located in the right path of the fork in the Red Dragon Caverns.

Elder Gods Female Armor: Legs

Open the golden chest which is in the cave that gets opened after you defeat the undead of the Netherrealm after you get your gauntlets.

Elder Gods Male Armor: Legs

Found in a golden chest in the left corner of the second area of Shinnok's Spire.

Elder Gods Female Armor: Glove

Once you get to the flaming sword area of Shinnok's Spire turn and run to your left and open the golden chest.

Elder Gods Female Armor: Shoulders

Found in Shao Kahn’s Dungeon, after you make it to the cell area. You must hit the ground pound icon and then go back to the 1st cell on he left.

Elder Gods Male Armor: Shoulders

Stand in the middle of the room after you free Shujinko. Aim and shoot a fireball at the nearby torch and get the chest tha appears.

Elder Gods Male Armor: Cape

When or after fighting the Shao Khan Collosus go into the second room on the left.

Elder Gods Female Armor: Helmet

When or after fighting the Shao Khan Collosus go into the second room on the right.

Elder Gods Male Armor: Helmet

After you defeat the Giant Skulls in Edenia, travel up the path until you find a golden chest. Open it.

Posted by wii-play at 11:14 AM
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