Features

• For 1 player
• Third-person fantasy adventure game trails Kate Walker on her voyage to Syberia
• Lush graphics and settings designed by comics pioneer Benoît Sokal
• Optimized graphics engine with dynamic lighting effects and more fluid animation
• 4 new locations and new and continuing characters from Syberia I

Reviews (55)

One of the good ones
If you like Atlantis & The Longest Journey you will like this.Not as good as the others, but good just the same.

A sequel that works
Oddly they did that too. They made a sequel that was just as great as the original. An old fashioned adventure game that doesn't want you to kill people (or things), just makes you think and use your head. Unlike the mindless shoot-em-ups being shoved down our kids throats today. And you don't have to save it every few minutes so that you don't get killed and have to start from the beginning. I loved it!

Really Fun Game!
I really enjoyed this game.I liked Syberia too, but I guess by this time, playing Syberia II I was used to all the little quirks that annoyed me in Syberia.The story line is fun (although I have to admit I still don't understand the obsession with the mammoths) the graphics are A+ and puzzles are interesting and related to game play.I don't want to give anything away, but I was actually sad at one part in Youkol Village - you'll know when you get there.

I highly recommend playing Syberia first and then Syberia II but Syberia II is by far the better one.

Very fun, but shorter than the first
This sequel was as much fun and as beautiful as Syberia I.However, some of the puzzles at the end were rediculously difficult, and the game was much shorter thanSyberia I.However, I recommend it, and wish there were more games that were this interesting, fun, beautiful, and stable.

Great Game
Wow!

What a great game! I was totally entertained with both Syberia I and now I have just completed II. Makes me laugh when I see that anyone would say Syberia II was too short. It just goes to show you how delightful both of these games are. I wish it could have gone on and on, but in no way was it too short. One just hates to see it come to an end. I loved them. I cannot say enough good things about them both. Superior in all aspects.
... Read more

Product Description

A Galactic Federation ship has disappeared in pursuit of a band of Space Pirates. At the request of the Federation Samus journeys to the planet Aether, the location of the ship's last transmission. There, Samus finds herself in an incredible world where light and dark intertwine in two unstable dimensions. The Light World is controlled by the Luminoth, a peaceful tribe with a unique and highly developed civilization. Their four gigantic energy generators are all that keep the Light World from co ... Read more

Features

• Roll up into a ball to negotiate tight spots
• New suit and weapons upgrades
• For 1 to 4 players
• First-person shooter
• Explore the light and dark worlds of a doomed planet

Reviews (104)

Worthy, if lesser, successor to the original
In 2002, Nintendo unveiled a game of such vision, complexity, and stunning visual detail that it shook the gaming world to its core.In a time when Xbox and Playstation 2 games were running away with the market and widely considered to be far superior to anything Nintendo put out, this game rose above it all to become one of the most popular console games of the past decade and even achieving the coveted title of GameSpot Magazine's 2002 "Game of the Year" honor (for ALL platforms, not just Nintendo).That revolutionary game was "METROID PRIME".
Two years later, the time has come for the much-anticipated sequel to that seminal video game.Just this past November, "Metroid Prime 2: Echoes" hit the market just in time to quell the hunger of Samus Aran fans nationwide who had their appetites hopelessly whetted by its predecessor.With all this pressure of having to live up to the standard set by "Metroid Prime", the burning question becomes, "How well does `...Echoes' stand up?"While not being quite mold-breaker of the original, "Metroid Prime 2: Echoes" holds up quite well.
The story, in brief, leads Samus, our intrepid bounty hunter, to the planet, Aether.Initially in pursuit of a quarry, Samus ends up involved in a much deeper and far more dangerous struggle as Aether struggles with a rift torn in time that has torn the planet between two dimensions, light and dark.It is up to Samus to travel between the two dimensions to recover the stolen energies that caused the rift and to close the rift for good.All the while, she is followed and mocked by an adversary who looks very familiar.
The true strength of "...Echoes" is in its stunning graphics, which even surpass the incredible visuals of "Metroid Prime".The attention to detail is so great and realism so present that the player feels more like a part of this game than in any that have come before.The concept of traveling between the Light and Dark Aether worlds, while initially difficult to adjust to, proves to be a tremendous asset because is forces the player to adopt different strategies based on which realm Samus is in (i.e. the atmosphere on Dark Aether is poisonous and Samus can only seek shelter within small fields of light crystals).The degree of challenge is right up there with the previous game and conclusion of the final battle leaves one feeling quite satisfied. The addition of light and dark crystal weapons, while not very practical, are also a nice touch.
Alas, there are some weaknesses to "...Echoes" that leave it a step below the original.One of the most glaring is how it seems that some missions are just plain tedious and take forever to accomplish, despite not involving a high degree of challenge.The beauty of "Metroid Prime" was that even random explorations of the various aspects of Chozo provided a visual treat that created a very robust gaming experience."...Echoes" has more of a bare-bones feel to it that leaves the player just wanting to rush from one mission to the next to finish the game as quickly as possible, instead of taking in the full experience.This pattern continues with a number of the enemies and bosses that are faced.Defeating them seems more like a chore than a challenge.
The overall structure of the game feels a bit more out of focus than in the original.The maps overlap and confuse much more than they help (a marked difference from the first when the maps were an tremendous help).In addition, the dearth of save stations through the game proves exceptionally frustrating when a player has to go way out of their way to save the game or risk losing all their progress by forgoing it and losing a life in a tedious manner later on.
This quibbles aside, "Metroid Prime 2: Echoes" still stands strong next to its older brethren and more than leaves the diehard Samus Aran fan's appetite whetted for future installments.

What will wars be waged over in the future? Energy
For all the obvious talent and effort present in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, a Metroid Prime it is not.Sure, it looks the same, plays the same, is made by the same company, is about the same length gameplay--wise; but what it isn't is an innovative and all-encompassing experience that the original was.This is simply an issue of the Law of Diminishing Returns; if you run the same basic game formula through the assembly line--same engine, gameplay elements, sound effects, visual standards--it will ultimately and inevitably return a product with little innovation and feels very similar.This isn't always a bad thing; conversely and obviously, this isn't always a good thing.To me, a well-oiled machine is the Mega Man X series.I never get tired of those games, but I do recognize the series' diminishing returns.In the case of Metroid Prime 2, I believe the franchise can afford and should be afforded one sequel like this.And I believe that's all we're going to get out of the current game engine since the next-generation of gaming fast approaches.

The best and most accurate comparison Echoes has to another video game is The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask--a much tonally darker, slightly more difficult derivative of the legendary Ocarina of Time.The same applies to Echoes relationship to its predecessor.My initial reaction to Majora's Mask was rather muted.I played the game consistently until I beat it, but it's nothing I got too excited about.As for Echoes, I enjoyed it more my first time through than I did MM.However, upon a subsequent play-through of MM, I found the game quaintly poetic and whimsical at parts.I have yet to begin a second adventure through the conflicted world of Aether in Prime 2, but maybe I'll have a slightly (and I emphasize slightly) improved outlook on the game, since I enjoyed it as much as I did the first time through.As it stands now, Prime 2 is still an impressively constructed game.

It's a funny time to be a FPS.I consider Echoes a FPS not in the classical sense, but in the modern sense, as most or all FPS now stress platforming, intricate puzzle-solving involving more than just flipping switches, third-person gameplay mechanics, and a couple other commonalities besides all-out run and gun battles.Besides Echoes, how many more FPS power-houses are there out in the market as of late?Quite a few, and we're talking absolute power-houses: Doom 3, Half-Life 2, and Halo 2 are the main contenders.

Graphically, Echoes is no match technically to those previously mentioned games, especially the PC FPSs (Doom 3 looks ungodly good).Technical graphics isn't a vehemence, however, for Echoes--most of it is in the artistic presentation--but don't discredit the technical wizardry this game displays on Nintendo's little old Gamecube.Artistically and functionally though, the direction follows in yet another Zelda game's pioneering footsteps, that of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, concerning the whole "Light/Dark World" mechanic.

The planet of Aether, stricken by a meteor plagued with destructive forces, is dimensionally cast in-two by the impact, leaving a Light and Dark Aether, traversable only through rifts in the local spacetime.Traveling back and forth between these worlds is much like doing so in A Link to the Past: a tonal shift occurs through the lighting, color schemes, music, sfx, enemies, and level design in the specific version of Aether.In Dark Aether, everything succumbs to blacks and purples, resonant and haunting sounds comprise a sparse sound track, and the level design is a corrupted variation of what exists on the light side.The Ing reside in this dimension, caustic, wraith-like entities of black, amorphous substance that pop up here and there, along with those that the Ing have possessed to further enhance their forces.On the Lighter side of things is a world that sort of resembles the locales of Metroid Prime, but without the variety or the effortless melding of the organic and mechanic.

Concerning the gameplay mechanics, traversing worlds is required to accomplish certain tasks.An example would be activating a bridge that is experiencing interdimensional flux (placing most of its atomic components in the other dimension, believe it or not).Unlike ALttP, however,you are not afforded the ability to teleport on-the-fly between light and dark worlds, as that is reserved only for the rifts.It would have probably been a nightmare for the designers to implement a feature like this (since it is a 3-dimensional game), but in this regard and in retrospect, props goes to ALttP.Besides the topographical changes that affect how you approach your objectives, there's the fact that the very atmosphere of Dark Aether is corrosive to Samus, which factors into how easily you can navigate the areas you explore.Light Crystals are scattered about the landscape that, when activated, expel a temporary light barrier, effectively shielding Samus from the harmful atmosphere.Some crystals are permanent fixtures that were installed by members of the Luminoth, tall, spindly inhabitants of the Light portion of Aether-a relic of their ongoing war of control over the planet's energy.The way the light/dark world mechanic affects gameplay is not limited to what I just mentioned, but it's a taste of what to expect.

As mentioned earlier, a lot of sound effects are rehashed for Samus' new adventure.Understandable.The music is not, however.Unfortunately, the musical quality found in the original Prime is not to be found in Echoes, either.That's not to say that it sucks--no, pretty far from that--but it feels uninspired at times.The outstanding melodic excellence of Prime's soundtrack is truly something to behold, and I wanted more of that this time, too.The same thing happened with the two Zelda games I have been comparing the Prime games to: Ocarina of Time had so many memorable tracks and melodies that I could hum and drum to them all day, but not Majora's Mask.While I was disappointed then as I am now, I can understand that a tonal shift and a more direct focus on the offshoot direction both derivative games have taken resulted in the change in musical direction as well.Still, that perceived realization doesn't soothe the expectations any better.

During her journey, Samus of course loses all she has gained near the beginning, works on getting it back, fights massive and impressive bosses (one of the great things about this game), and finishes the mission.Her main objective is to repossess the energy (stored in large energy controllers) that the Ing have stolen from the Luminoth.Mix in human Space Marines, Space Pirates, and a foe hard-core Prime fanatics will recognize along the way, and you have, well, Echoes.Fans of the original will be happy to know that all these factions don't exactly make their presence known and turn the solitary, hypnotic exploratory adventure into some kind of cut-scene driven circus.But I have to comment on the quality of the logs that Samus can scan for.The detailed and observant writing has been depreciated a bit from what was found in Prime.Also, remember the flashes of self-deprecating humor from the Space Pirates in the original?Yeah, well, it seems that the Space Pirates have been dragged into full-blown self-parody, as much of their logs indicate when you read them.Good for a laugh, though.

Ultimately, the Law of Derivative Game Design implicates that the potential gaming experience grows exponentially less with each derivation.It's as if the system continuously loses more and more energy due to friction because the efficiency declines with each iteration, thus the potential gaming experience of the system shrinks.The solution?A new system for the new elements to do their work in.That's semi-putting it in physics terms, but you get the point... I guess.In any case, I eagerly await the Metroid series' next incarnation in the upcoming generation of gaming.

Metriod Prime 2: a metriod fanatic's first look
Before i start my review let me just say i have not gotten far in this game, i just want to give you a persepictive a person who has played many metriod games (only ones i haven't played is Metriod 2: return of samus and super metriod) and has just gotten to play metriod prime two.WHen i first turned on the game i took one look at the menu system and though "this is going to be hell" and if you try use for the first few times, you will probabley agree with me.YOu have to move the control stick and then all the options move.Let me just say one thing DO NOT move the menu at the beginning.It will be at single player when you start out so don't move it. it took me a long time to get it back to single player so don't share my fate.SO then i played the first 5 minutes of the game and i have to say it does not seem like metriod prime sequel.somebody from Zelda a link to the past help make this and after you beat the first temple you will agree when i say that is is very zelda-like.It is a very good game and i can't understand why some people say it is hard ( i can't understand why people said that about the first metriod prime either) but be warned, if you want to buy this game because you want something exactly like metriod prime you might be looking in the wrong place.

Awsome but freaking impossible
I got this game at chrismas, and obsessed over it for weeks, but some bosses are just to hard, i wish they had an easy and hard mode or something. still, great storyline, amazing graphics, and new weapons. lots of fun.

Truly excellent.
I must agree with many other people in that this game has a lot of redone enemies from the original. And, two of the beams are very similar (excluding the power beam because that is a mark of the series.) Yes, the powers get stolen frequently. However, the game is longer. The game has original bosses (Quadraxis and the boost guardian especially). The ammo system is well designed: The other beams are potent, and should be used sparingly. My favorite part was the scans. They really give the plot life. While it's no Fusion, it suceeded in surpassing the original in quality. Dark Samus has a cool cutscene whenever it appears. Samus isn't invincible seeming. You actually get tense in the begining of the Chikka battle. So, my only nitpick is the lack of snow. I miss Phenandra Drifts (but not the Shegoths). ... Read more

Product Description

Magna Cum Laude brings back humor from the most respected funny brand on PC - Leisure Suit Larry. Now this game comes to the PlayStation 2!Updated for the 21st century with 3D graphics, engaging conversations, and a fully realized college campus, Larry is back to give gamers some loving. 2004 Sierra Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Sierra and the Sierra Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sierra Entertainment, Inc. Vivendi Universal Games and the Vivendi Universal Game ... Read more

Features

• In this epic search for sex, you'll travel across aninteractive college campus, searching out women
• Use quick thinking and romance skills to talk your way into women's pants, earning prestige and respect along the way
• Keep a step ahead of the competition and earn that ultimate reality TV prize!

Reviews (4)

This is a half-step below the best
It's a little slow at first but you quickly get caught up in the storylines and challenges.

An enjoyable sexual escapade & 1 of the best games of 2004!!
"Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude" is the first LSL game in about 8 years, and also the first to cross over from the personal computer to home video game platforms on the Playstation 2 & XBox. As a fan of old Sierra games (even though I was too young to have played the early LSL games), I was incredibly pleased to see the series resurrected and brought to new heights!

Important note: "Magna Cum Laude: Uncut & Uncensored" has now been released for the PC, and it features full frontal nudity and none of the pesky "censorship bars" that are present in this version.

Obviously, nudity is the main selling point of this game. Anyone who says otherwise is trying too hard to justify his or her purchase. The college co-eds are voluptuous, they are animated in a sexy, often provocative, ways, and the main quest of the game is to get Larry laid. Because of the time and attention put into creating realistic (though cute in an almost-anime way), this game is more titilating than any of the "Dead or Alive" series of fighting games, more fun than any of the WWE wrestling video games that feature the strip matches, and the females are more desirable than Lara Croft ever has been.

The women are mostly stereotypical "college girls" -- we have the head cheerleader Barbara Jo Bimbo (B.J. for short), the Italian castoff from "The Sopranos" Analisa, the Russian exchange student Zanna, the hot but nerdy college professor Beatrice, and so on. Chasing after each woman requires different approaches, and the result is never the same twice. And no, Larry *does not* get with all these babes. I hate to spoil it for you, but he only has actual intercourse a few times during the entire game. But every encounter is sexy, funny, and most importantly, packed full of eye candy!

The gameplay is fun. It is not very involving and has been criticized for being mostly a string of "mini-games." That is true; however, the variety of the games keeps it interesting as you progress through the storyline. The script is absolutely hilarious, and the comedy is equal to the nudity as a selling point for this game. If you are a guy, or even a gal who likes to laugh at guys, you will laugh at Larry and the things coming out of his mouth. He rambles on a lot, gets off-topic, tries horrible pickup lines, lies constantly, and even staggers around drunk and farts. If you've ever known a man who made you laugh simply because he was, to quote Steve Martin, "a wild and crazy guy," then you will enjoy the story of Magna Cum Laude. And the voice acting is wonderful; there is not a bad actor or actress in this entire game.

Now a few words on the Mature Audiences rating: This game is about sex, (...) drinking, jokes, and other things guys find enjoyable. For some people, this is disturbing. Those people need to get a life. I can play Grand Theft Auto, in which my character is able to walk down any street and at any moment cut off the head of a pedestrian with a sword. Or gun down dozens of policemen, only to enter a cheat code and get away with it all at the last possible minute. Yet somehow, the ESRB (game ratings board) finds Larry's girlfriends more offensive when they drop their shorts. Give us a break! Violence is much more detrimental to society & to teenagers than sex is, and yet we still can't get over our fear of pixelated private parts. It's ridiculous!

All in all, I give "LSL: Magna Cum Laude" a totally positive recommendation to anyone old enough to purchase it. It was definitely one of the best games of 2004 simply because it is like nothing else on the market today: a fun, sexy romp through college life. 5 stars! 2 thumbs up! Just buy it!

NAUGHTY FUN
this game is a hoot! it is definitely the naughtiest PS2 game out there. it's terribly easy to play, but that's because it really wants you to experience it's witty (and dirty) story. you won't believe the stuff you're asked to do in this game. it's really not pornographic as in this console version "censored" bars cover up the nether regions, though the game does feature topless characters. it's about as dirty as a SI swimsuit issue. one dissappointment was that the loading screen girls, pictures of actual girls in the costumes of the game's characters, don't show as much as you might want, especially after being tittilated by the game's sex-hunt for a couple hours. but, regardless, i was cracking up the whole way through this clever, silly, no-holes-barred game. a definite rental if not a must-buy.

Where's Al Lowe?
I see that there is no mention of Al Lowe being involved with creating this.If he is missing, then I can guarantee you that the humor and gameplay quality will be missing as well, and online opinion would seem to confirm this.

What a shame that Sierra wasn't smart enough to employ him.I was looking forward to a real LSL game, not a rip off. ... Read more

Features

• The Naki Dance Pad lets you bust a move with your favorite arcade dancing games, right at home!
• This dance pad is what you need for the full effect of dance games like Dance Dance Revolution, Dance Dance Konamix, and DDRMAX
• The pad works just like a real controller - it features four arrow buttons you can dance to and four extra buttons
• Made of extra-thick padding for a more durable and longer-lasting dance experience
• Works for PSX and PS2

Reviews (35)

this pad is HORRIBLE
You know what I think this pad should really get? -27 stars. THis pad is the worst if you are doing heavy. Its not worth the money. It should be worth 2 dollars or something. If you love light and beginner on DDR, this pad is just for you. All you have to do is stomp on the arrow and smile and laugh cause "Oh my god! I got a perfect!" For those who are much more experienced, forget this pad. You dont want it

Piece Of Crap
i bought this game i regret it fully! i get it in the mail on the internet it NEVER said thet there was NO software included! SO i bought this 4 nothing! i was looking forward to playing it but i guess i WONT!

Good for starting out
For the price, this pad is worth it. I've had two of these dance pads for about a year now, and had only minor problems with them.

One of the pad's left arrows stopped working, but for the abuse it's been through, this does not surprise me. I am a 15 year old girl who plays on light mode and mostly standard songs. On weekends, usually about 5 of my friends come over and we all play DDR. Once or twice, my friends have played with work boots on!

I have had a couple of problems with these pads. Once you start playing on standard/heavy mode, the pads WILL start to slip. My simple solution was duct taping one of the pads to the floor, but not all parents or household owners may appreciate that idea. Also, the sensors sometimes get a little out of place, but none of mine have gotten so out of place that it's become unusable.

Overall, I'd say this is still a very good product for its price. I have spent numerous hours playing DDR and have enjoyed the fun workout!

My sister's kids loved this dance pad!
My sister said this was a "favorite gift" and that her children loved playing with it.I thought it was a good pad to start with.When my teenage daughter's friends get together, they have far more expensive pads, but there are a lot more and bigger kids using them so you'd need a better pad--especially at sweet sixteen parties.However, for 5-7 year olds, this was a great gift, and gives a parent a chance to decide if this activity is worth spending money on for a more durable pad.

This pad sucks
Alright, well I've been playing ddr for about 9 months now, I play on heavy and I used to have 2 of these mats, or something similar. These mats work good if you are a begginer and play on begginer or light. If you play on standard or heavy these mats suck. they slide everywhere and bunch up, and after a while the sensors get bad. I have mats with foam inside them, they work just as great and cost 30-40 bucks at toys r us, im tryin to get metal mats but they are really expensive. ... Read more

Features

• Over two billion random, but re-creatable deals
• Get hints on bidding and play at any time, take back bids and plays, view records on what has been bid and played in the game so far
• 40 playing difficulty levels
• Bidding Aggressiveness controls for overcalling, preempting and the opening bid
• Select your signals and leading agreements

Reviews (1)

Consistently good performance
This is an excellent way to practice and/or review your game.Bidding is realistic, and the play is consistently good.No perfect, mind you, because the human element is removed from your opponent, but nevertheless enjoyable.Best of the bridge simulations I have tried. ... Read more

Reviews (622)

Open Mind
Hey guys.I love this game, flat out.It has great characters, a good plot, a good system, and fantastic music.A lot of people think that the game is boring, or maybe they don't like the plot, but I think that those people need to just give it a chance.This was the 7th Final Fantasy I have beaten, and now I have finished 1-9, and this game is in my top four.

There are some problems with this game, but I don't think they are very critical.Most of them affect the first couple hours, but they are nothing toreally have too big a problem with.First of all, the begining is slow.There are about 4 battles in the first hour, and you finish only about 20-50 in the first few hours.Also it takes a little getting used to to get into the gameplay.Characters gain magic and abilities based on what equipment they have on.

Anyways, I put this in my top list of games, which are in order of which is most important to play

Final Fantasy VI
Chrono Trigger
Final Fantasy VII
Earthbound
Final Fantasy IX
Chrono Cross
Xenogears

Play those RPG's and you will have experienced the best games ever made.

This is to the people
Look, I realize you are entitled to your opinions, as am I.So, let me get my two cents in.This is to the people who do not like FF( because only mages can use magic(like cure, fire, etc.).Stop complaining!Not only can Garnet and Eiko cure, but Amarant uses Chakra to cure, Freya uses a skill to cure, and so can Quina.This game DOES return to the roots which has only certain characters use magic.It makes it harder.Now, to those who claim this game is childish because of certain things.I am twenty-four years old, and I like this game a lot.My friends like this game.Even my twenty-eight year old brother likes this game.None of us think it is too childish.
To those who complain about the storyline, claiming a thirteen year old could do better.I've read the fan fictions people of such age write about the Final Fantasies; trust me, they ARE NOT BETTER.If you think you could do better, try it.By the RPG Maker, and DO IT!Betcha can't, though.If thirteen year olds COULD do better plots, you would think that such companies as Square Enix would hire them.Duh.

Great Game, despite all other opinions
First of all, I'd like to point out that I haven't played many other Final Fantasy Games, so I'm not going to compare them.

On to my thoughts about FFIX. It was the first real RPG Playstation game that I ever bought and it's the one that got made me love the genre.
Plot: 4/5 Great plot, however they fail to really explain some crucial details (for example: why does Zidane sees Garnet's memory?). A little more explanations would be nice for my lack of brain cells.
Characters: 5/5 You really do get attached to Zidane and Garnet, you laugh at Amarant's oblivious and cynical nature, and just want to shoot Thorn and Zorn. The point is, the characters are interesting and have a personality.
Gameplay: 4/5 At first it's hard to understand how to train the characters and use different accessories to learn attacks. However, once that is settled, the gameplay is great. Also, it took me forever to realize that pressing Select on the world screen brings up a map: VERY USEFUL! You'll get lost if you don't use it. Other than that, good gameplay.
Graphics: 6/5 :) Gotta love the grahics. Squaresoft created different cultures/architectures for each different country. Gaia is absolutely gorgeous. The FMVs are amazing. Two thumbs way way up for the graphics.

Overall: Though it required a lot of time training to beat Kuja and the final bosses, the game is really fun. The minigames range from "fun-for-two-seconds" (Jumprope Vivi) and "takes-forever-but-gotta-love-it" (Chocobo Hot and Cold) and the game itself is great, long and never boring. Five stars out of five it is, then. Great way to get yourself in the world of Final Fantasy.

Possibly the greatest game of all time.
Yes, i admit that I have taken risks in writing the title of this review sincem after all the title was highly opinionated, but here me out. Ill look at it from a reasonable angle.

When Final Fantasy IX (FF9) was released, it was very differant than it's predecessors, Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII. It had gone from a harsh 'sci-fi' feel to a soft 'fantasy' feel. The main character was not a silent and melencholy introvert. And overall, the game had a very prelavent tone of charm and whimsy, whereas VII and VIII had, for the most part, more depressing tones. Like I said, very differant from its predecessors.

For anyone who doesnt like simple RPGs, this isnt for you. Everything in this game has been made slightly more simple. No Junction or Materia systems here. Every character has unique abilities that only he/she/it can learn. While I enjoyed VII and VIII's systems, XI's felt more believable. Believe it or not, this simplification adds some serious challenge to the game. Because not everyone can learn 'cure' or 'revive' you will have to be careful on forming your groups. and since you can't junction switch at all, you'll find that keeping all of your characters at high levels is a good idea. You cant simply put 'curaga' on someones hp and have it skyrocket. youll have to do alot of levelling up. This doesnt mean that Final Fantasy IX is impossibly hard. In factm if I were to rate its difficulty level, I would say it was 60%.

these differances in abilities add to the very well written characters. Each character feels alive, and you believe what it says. In past final fantasies some characters, although important to the story line, just didnt feel real (Cait sith, anyone?) but in Final Fantasy IX, each character seems 100% believable. Their dialoge matches their personalities seamlessly. some scenes which have no importance to the story are written in just to make you 'feel' the character. Such as when Eiko scolds Vivi for looking the wrong way and vivi says "I was just looking at the mountains".

And then you have the games visuals. Are the graphics breakthrough? no. What you have in Final fantasy IXs visuals is emotion. For example, when playing Final fantasy VIII and you look at a floor tile, it just looks like some-old floor tile. But in Final fantasy IX when you look at a floor-tile,you feel a story behind it. It looks unique to each culture's lifestyles and beliefs. You feel a bit of what the "tile maker" felt when creating it. Yes, every blade of grass in Final Fantasy IX is a work of beauriful art.

One mustn't forget the music. Final Fantasy IX lives up to the high standard of its predecessors when it comes to music. Each song is beautifully well written and perfectly placed. Cooky and silly songs play where there is a village of quirky dwarves, sullen and sad music plays in a destroyed city, and so on. Some people (myself included) would get tired of certain songs after awhile in the past final fantasies. For instance, in FFVII when I was in the gold Saucer, although the music was good, it did get tiresome and I muted the volume. Same with Finl Fantasy VIII in Balamb garden. But with Final Fantasy IX i would often just sit and listen to songs re-loop so that I coud hear and feel them again.

The storyline in Final Fantasy IX is beautiful. I wont say anything to ruin it, but trust me. Its amazing.

Out of all this, why do I say that it is possibly the greates game of all time? Well, i'll explain myself.

Does anybody remember Halo? No no, not Halo2. Halo. just plain Halo. It was revolutionary. I remember that everyone played it. everyone who had an XBOX owned Halo. (partially because after awhile XBOXs started coming with a copy of Halo, but still) it was a great game. But now, with the arrival of Halo2, it has just faded out. Even big fans of the origional have said 'Man, there really isnt any reason to play the first halo anymore." Sadly, this is how it is with alot of games. Beautiful and wonderful games slowly fade out when shiny sequals come out. Yes, Final fantasy IX felt some of this when Final Fantasy X came out, but still many many fans play final fantasy IX because of its greatness. In other words, Final fantasy has lived on despite the release of more advanced graphics and things like that.

So, I urge you,(haha, I sound so devoted) if you havent played Final Fantasy IX before, play it. Make sure you buy it, because Ive been noticing that its harder to find at Game stores than it used to be.

Finally, ill leave you with one thing. You may hate this game despite everything i've said. Guess what, people are differant. If you try this game and for some unearthly reason you loathe every second of it, well then at least you gave it a shot.

Not a masterpiece, but still a great game...
I wouldntgo as far as to say FF9 is as good as the recent FF games,or most of the games for that matter, but it is still a great game. The atmosphere of this game is a far cry from FF8's romantic, adult atmosphere. Everything is more comedic and cartoonish, but the graphics are still up to par with recent RPGs, but not very innovative. (They basically look the same as FF7 or FF8). Anyway, I'll break this review down...

Graphics- 9/10 Like I said, they are up to par with games of its time, but are not very innovative. Then again, the Playstation is very limited graphics-wise. But that's what I love about the Playstation one, the games were not all about graphics, unlike the PS2(I am not a fan of PS2 at all, or the recent FF titles.)Anyway, the character designs are a lot more old-school, especially the black mage which looks pretty cool.

Sound- 7/10 This is one of the low-points of this game, the sound isn't that amazing. FF4, 6, tactics, 7, and 8 all have amazing soundtracks, not to mention 5 as well, but this one just doesn't amaze me. After playing through this game several times and mastering it several times, I still don't really remember any tracks in the game. FF8's soundtrack blew me away, so I was hoping for the same here. The only highlights for music are on the start screen, and the world music is pretty good, as well as the battle music.

Gameplay- 10/10The setup is pretty good, making you choose abilities from items that are equipped and learn them. The junction system in FF8 was in my opinion, one of the most innovative systems ever for a video games. This games isn't very innovative, but it's still a great idea that is fun to do. Also, there's synthesis shops now, where you combine items to make armor. (much like FF8s weapon system, except now you can also buy weapons and armor as well.) Overall, this game has a great system that is a lot of fun. The card game isn't nearly as fun as FF8's in my opinion, though. In ff8, you collected cards and then could card mod them, which was also an amazing idea, but in this game the cards seem to do absolutely nothing for the player, other than giving them knowledge that they completed the game 100%, and achieved the highest card collecting level, which is also pointless. Overall, the card game is just a lame re-hash of FF8's Triad game, so dont expect a blast playing cards here, look to ff8 for that.

Controls-10/10 Basically the same controls as in every other ff game. Now there's an exclamation mark which appears over Zidanes head if you are near an item, which was a pretty good idea.

Story- 6/10 This is the games biggest weak point. In my opinion, FF9 has the most forgettable story out of any FF game. Sure, it has its high points( The idea of having summons attack the town was a great idea,and was pretty sweet to watch) But other than that, it didn't leave me feeling amazed. FF4, 6, 7, 8, tactics and heck they all had great storylines, but FF9's is pretty lame. You go after some little guy wearing a thong, and thats about it, it isnt deep like the other titles, although at times it may appear that way. It wasnt the worst storyline, but definitely not up to par.

Overall- 8/10 I have spent a good deal of my life playing this game, since it took a while to master my characters levels and find all the items, and it was definitely worth it. This is a wonderful game that all RPG fans should play. ... Read more

Product Description

As the base scrambles its defenses and goes on red alert, you and your fellow elite fighter pilots are called up to protect your home nation of Osea. Take flight in the 5th installment of Namcos landmark air combat series, featuring ultrarealistic graphics, over 50 licensed aircraft and the allnew Wingman Command. ... Read more

Features

• Take on over 30 missions in your quest to protect your homeland
• New Wingman Command lets you control the entire squadron in flight
• For 1 to 2 players
• Engage in ultra-realistic flight combat while defending your nation of Osea in the year 2010
• Choose from over 50 real-world planes in customizable colors

Reviews (39)

Comparison to AC04
Better;

* Excellent graphics, particularly the aircraft models, weather effects and cutscenes.
* The same great gameplay as AC04 with some nice tweaks (e.g. enemy stealth planes are actually harder to detect).
* Lots of missions with a choice of paths through the game (though not as many as AC3), plus refuelings and carrier landings.
* Well written and absorbing plot.
* Numerous and varied aircraft and special weapons, including a fun new super plane and a kill-based 'evolution' system for unlocking improved variants of planes.
* Greatly improved arcade mode, again with a choice of paths, making for a nice half-hour blast.

Worse;

* Ropey mission design. Targets constantly pop up out of nowhere and you get teleported around the map after every cutscene. The action feels more scripted and less like you're flying around a real battle. This is reinforced by the fact that while the target areas are highly detailed, the rest of the maps are quite empty.
* Some of the missions feel like pale shadows of AC04 missions.
* The dialogue is often whiney, unprofessional or just annoying, and often gets out of sync with the action.
* The stats on the aircraft seem to be made up at random, and don't have that much affect on gameplay anyway. The missions aren't designed to make best use of the available weapons, and hence players will never use most of the basic planes and will have little incentive to unlock most of the improved variants. The loss of selectable secondary weapons is a shame.
* Rare but highly annoying bugs; planes fly underground and through buildings, missiles sometimes mysteriously fail to track.
* For the most part the difficulty curve is smooth if a little too easy (even on ace difficulty), but there are a couple of missions that are just unnecessarily frustrating (White Noise and Four Horsemen).
* The two player mode and target shooting range have been removed.

Missed opportunities;

* Fewer targets and no re-arming, making things less frantic. This is a shame as there are some missions where landing and rearm without leaving the battlefield would've worked well.
* The medal gallery is nice, but more unlockables (e.g. rendered beauty shots of aircraft) would have provided more motivation to get those special rankings.
* Giving wingmen orders is fun, but they don't seem to do much or need your protection. Similarly the interactive dialogue could've been cool, but doesn't actually seem to do anything and is hence just distracting.
* No bombers, choppers or VTOL aircraft, to fly or give orders to.
* Music is generally great, but the score for the final missions don't quite have that spine tingling thrill that AC04 had.

Ace Combat 5 is great fun and a high quality title in its own right. However while the graphical tweaks and new features are appreciated, it isn't a major advance over AC04, and the niggling problems prevent it from delivering the same outstanding all-round experience that Shattered Skies provided.

Ace Combat 5
Flight action game from Namco that lets players take part in air battles between the two superpowers Osea and Yuktobania. After attempting intercept of an unidentified aircraft, most of the 108th Tactical Fighter Squadron was destroyed. As the base scrambles its defenses and goes on red alert, you and your fellow elite fighter pilots are called up to protect your home nation of Osea. Take flight in the 5th installment of Namco's landmark air combat series, featuring ultra-realistic graphics, over 50 licensed aircraft and the all-new Wingman Command. Issue orders and coordinate group attacks. Your split-second decisions determine mission success or failure. The intriguing story spans over 30 missions and showcases exquisitely detailed environments, real-time weather effects and dynamic lighting. Features multiple game modes and loads of unlockable content for hours of additional flying excitement.

Despite it not being the most revolutionary step forward for the series, is Unsung War any good? Absolutely! Ace Combat 5 is a marvelously done, tight, invigorating experience with few shortcomings but no real problems that destroy the universe.

If you're looking for the best console flight action game in town, you'll not need to look past Ace Combat 5. Fans of the series, owners of Shattered Skies, and newcomers alike will all take great pleasure from this one.

P.S. sorry ment to give this game an overall rating of five stars

Ace Combat is still Top Gun among PS2 flight sims
Awesome graphics, awesome models, awesome game!I've been a fan of PC flight simulators, especially the Jane's series for a very long time and never thought a decent flight sim could be made for a console until the Ace Combat series came about.
AC5 is the best of the series to date, in my opinion.When first loading up the game, I was treated to a magnificent opening movie that told a wonderful story of what was turning into a bleak future for the world.The story set the stage for the campaign mode of the game, which has thus far been pure eye candy!
From 5,000 feet, the textures of the ground and water look almost real, and the way the shadows and light play off of the aircraft in 3rd Person flight mode and really beautiful.The only thing that could have been improved on where the explosion effects, which were not realistic looking for my taste.I expected to see fireballs and falling debris, but did not see any of that.Sinking ships during the naval battles would have been nice as well.
Being a Navy veteran, the game reminded me of combat drills where we would recieve briefings about fictional countries we were at war with and hand to protect ourselves against.The briefing and debriefing portions of the game brings back many fond memories for me and are as much joy to watch as it is a joy to play this game.
If you are a military aviation enthusiast and love flight sims, you have to have this game!

Can't Believe How Good It Is!
As I played Ace Combat 4 and noticed all the Ace Combat 5 commercials, I thought to myself, "There is no way the Ace Combat series could get any better." I stood corrected. Even though I thought the fifth version wouldn't be as good, I asked for it for Christmas anyway with high hopes that it would be good. Of course, I got it, and I was taken for surprise at how good it was. The first levels are a bit boring, but I stuck with it, and now I've beat the game five times, and it's still not getting old. The graphics are a hundred times better than in Ace 4, and the storyline is also a lot better. It's also a lot more realistic in the sense that you are flying in a squad, and not on your own (even though the squad doesn't do that much to help your cause). I like how the jets turn black past a certain point, and the obstacles on many levels are just as hard, if not harder than the megalith on Ace 4. The one thing that I liked better on Ace Combat 4 is the freedom you get fighting on your own. It was super exciting to shoot down the whole yellow squadron on my own, but I also enjoy receiving all the compliments from my squadron on 5. Love it. Go get it.

The series strikes again
Now, i've got to say this is the best series yet, i can't wait for 6 to come out. I have already beaten the 4th one and this comes along. The voice acting is ok, but hamilton and chopper are great. Edge (the asian girl) says "amazing" to much and on that escape level where we stole the trianing jets, they coplemented "Pops" too much. Anyway, this game is great, 30 missons, 50 planes to choose from, and i already beat this one. That satellite mission was hard, that thing was huge, so was the white bird mission. This game also has ne cg cut scenes (like sonic heroes). Also you were playing as the bad guy, you, your team and Pops wer spies of the yuktobonia air force, then you escape, go to the ship (which is still the kestrel) and on one briefing a missile hits and then it goes on red alert, when it does this you have to choose your planes quckly, they said any plane, i chose my F-22 planes. This game is fun and they just said over 30 missions but its acually 27 because i think 3 missions have some second missions in them. The graphics on this game are amazing, on the replay the computer planes don't fly good, its as if the ground was moving and they were just turning and spinning. The computer planes had this flight sequence. I also didn't like that dumb cerimonial flight, i was messin up on the whole thing because i didn't know what to do. But this game is great, so buy this game!!! ... Read more

Product Description

WWE Wrestlemania XXI Xbox ... Read more

Features

• Superstar voice-over and commentary
• Become a Legend online via Xbox Live
• Four-player head-to-head online play with multiple match types and voice chat support
• New online create-a-belt feature will change the wrestling genre
• Character Evolution Unique character-building story mode allows you to upgrade your Superstar's appearance, abilities, entrance, costumes and move-set as you attempt to win the WWE Heavyweight Championship

Reviews (34)

This game SUCKS out loud
Has Xbox ever had a good wrestling game. The graphics are great but the controls suck. Not to metion the glitches I won the U.S title and held up the Tag Team title, John Cena won a match and it said Lita won the match and Lita wasn't even involed in the match. Plus the loading is so slow i went down stairs for 3 minutes and when i came back up it was still loading. Dont buy this game unless you want to waste $50

REPLACEMENT PATCH/DISC DOESN'T FIX PROBLEMS
I preordered this game and was excited when it came in. Like many of you, I ripped open the packaging and popped it into the machine, and was shocked at how awful it was. Three days later, I finished career mode. What do you mean it only has ONE story line! Come on, people! This has to be one of the most boring games available.

The next day I learned about the recall. Brilliant! Calling the 800 number was awful (I waited over half an hour to get hung up on!) After calling again, the process was quickly set in motion, and ten days later I had my replacement "improved" disc. Yeah, right! I had to completely erase all the game info to supposedly "fix" the problems. Guess what? The game is still lagging like crazy, and its frozen several times since the "replacement" arrived. This game is a lemon! THQ own up to your worthless $50 peice of crap and send everyone a voucher for $20... this game is only worth that much. As for potential buyers, steer clear. This game is a lemon, and not worth the money!

Not bad, not as good as PS2 WWE games
Ok let's get to the bottom line, this game is a decent game to play. now let's see the pros and cons

Pros: Awsome Graphics, Updated Roster, Better voice over acting, Blood goes on the rest of the body instead of the head, More added legends, reversing system is more realistic, Xbox Live, CAW

Cons: Grappling sucks, reversing a move is hard, really hard in superstar and legend difficulty, season mode is not good, it's hard to make a comeback, replay after matches load slow, winning a tag match is impossible to win, items to buy in WWE Shop costs too much money

This game is not bad, but it doesn't stand up to Smackdown vs. Raw. Next time THQ creates another WWE game for the Xbox, please make it a good game

Look but don't buy
Do not buy this game, save your self $50. I got mine when the they were being release with lots of bugs. Well THQ was great they replace my disk with a new one, it took about 12 days total for me to send them the bad disk and get a new one. Well that fix some of the things wrong with this game but still didn't bring this game up to a leval thats worth $50. Like every body else ine has slow load times, slow wrestlers and the loading of the replay is bad enuff I thought my xbox was going down. The one good thing about this game is the graphics which are the best I've seen on a wrestling game. With that said I do think Batista looks like the same scan as in Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain, it doesn't really look like Batista that you see on Raw now. And the one thing I can't stand is that if you get a wrestler down you can keep them down unlike other games were at some point they do get up. I haven't played Smackdown vs. Raw but this game unlike SD: Here Comes the Pain doesn't tell you how to hit the wrestlers finishing move so that can be a problem also. If you want to see for your self go rent the game because wasting a few bucks to rent it is a lot better than wasting $50.

Well, wasn't expecting much better.
Honestly, I believe the reason I am upset about this game is a reason many people are upset. Everyone thought this game would be the savior to XBOX wrestling games. I thought this game would be the best wrestling game I have ever played in my life. But as I think back, why did I think this? A new company took over the rights to the game and attempted their first pro wrestling game. I think the reason why this game receives many bad reviews is that many people had too much hype on this game.

Don't get me wrong, if you are a true diehard wrestling fan, you will enjoy this game. The graphics are amazing, probably the best on any WWE game yet. The career mode is outstanding (although I quit playing the game after the month of December in the mode), the voiceovers are great, although your star's voice can become a little annoying at times. Another plus is the ability to add custom soundtracks as your created superstar's entrance theme. That might not be a big deal to some folks, but to me, it is. I know what your thinking "After all you've just said, what more do we need?" Well folks, there is a quite a bit more required in a good wrestling game.

For starters, the horrific loading times can drive even the calmest person crazy. For an XBOX game, this is probably the worst loading time I've ever witnessed on any game. Also, the aftermatch transition, from the end of the match to the occurrences after the match are just plain terrible. The game begins to slow to a snail's moving point which just looks absolutely terrible. But, that aspect can be overcome unlike the other ones you can do nothing about. Also, the limited amount of superstars hurts the long term playability. Now, it has all the popular superstars, but seems to leave out the X-factors in the business. I realize they can't put every wrestler on the WWE roster in there, but they needed more for this to be successful.

I know that Studio Gigante did the best job they could with the resources they had. But to be quite honest, it just wasn't good enough to live up to the unbelievable hype that was put on this game (Me included). Even though this game didn't live up the expectations of many, it is still a building block for the future games. I do think they are going in the right direction, and I guess you have to fail to succeed sometimes, and this is an example of that hopefully. I just hope in the next installment of this game, the bugs will be fixed. If they are not, then we could have another failed WWE attempt at an XBOX game.

If you love the WWE, you will enjoy this game to an extent. If you are thinking of getting this game and wanting it to be absolutely great, you are quite wrong. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The Dreamcast system is, in a word, awesome. Fire up Soul Calibur, and instantly you'll appreciate that the graphics and gameplay are even better than in the arcade version. And Sonic Adventure, with its light-speed gameplay, is sure to wow even the most jaded gamer.

It's amazing that such a small machine (it's about the size of your mouse pad) can deliver such incredible performance. Chalk it up to superior engineering. Dreamcast's only downside is that it comes with only one controller and a demo disc. In order to truly take advantage of Dreamcast's capabilities, we recommend outfitting the controller with a Jump Pack and a Visual Memory Unit. Getting one or more extra controllers is also a good idea, because some of the best Dreamcast games support up to four players at once.

Why it's so cool:

• Ultramodern components: Custom-made video, audio, and processor technology blows away the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation and puts Dreamcast in the same league as PS2 and XBox.
• Integrated modem: In another video-game first, Dreamcast comes with a 56K modem. Use your regular Internet service provider and the separately sold keyboard to access e-mail, shopping, and the World Wide Web. Not only can you upload high scores, participate in chat discussions, and download updates and enhancements for your games, but, through a membership to the SegaNet Internet service provider, you can play Quake III Arena, NFL 2K1, and other games against Dreamcast owners over the Internet.
• The Visual Memory Unit (VMU): More than just a memory card, the VMU is a miniature portable game system that fits inside a controller--so its LCD screen is easily seen by you but hidden from your opponent.
• All-in-one entertainment: It plays games. It plays audio CDs. It connects to the Internet and lets you browse the Web or e-mail friends. Our note to the cost-conscious: If you have a Dreamcast system, you just don't need a separate CD player or a separate computer. Dreamcast does it all, and does it well.

Reviews (930)

The Sega Dreamcast is better than a Gamecube.
I love the Sega Dreamcast so much. The Dreamcast has online and a Gamecube dose not. A Dreamcast is easyer. A Gamecube is more harder. Dreamcast has more better games than Gamecube. Gamecube is just a copy of a Dreamcast. I give a Gamecube a 7.5 . I give a Sega Dreamcast a 9.5 . I wish they haven't stop making games for the Dreamcast.

Hours of good fun playing!
I bought a Dreamcast last week for (...)with more than 20 games and I'm very happy I did! Some games on it are just amazing.. I have an xbox but I love fighting games and Dreamcast has a bunch of quality ones. I can also play, nes, snes, mega drive and mames games on TV: that's just the best ! Very cool console.

Dreamcast
The release of NHL 2K2 marks the end of the Sega Dreamcast's remarkable run. While production of the Dreamcast may be over, the legacy lives on. In the dreamcasts short lived life time 248 Dreamcast titles were released. The first console to venture into online gameplay, Dreamcast has a built-in 56K modem. With 128-bit processing, 3D audio capabilities and stellar 3D graphics, your gameplay experience just got better.

When you purchase Dreamcast, you receive the Dreamcast console, 56K modem, one standard Dreamcast Controller, Stereo A/V cable, power cable, ten-meter phone cable, Internet browser CD-ROM, game sampler CD-ROM, and instruction manual.

Peak graphics performance of over three million polygons per second provided by the PowerVR 2DC graphics engine for the fastest, most sophisticated 3D graphics ever seen on a videogame console.

128-bit 3D processing power provides amazing lighting and other special effects.

Built-in 56kbps modem for the ultimate in multiplayer online gaming.

16 megabytes of memory for huge, complex game worlds.
64-voice CD-quality audio.

Four built-in controller ports for easy multi-player action.
Built-in high-speed expansion ports.

If you a collector and want the last sega console ever made then dreamcast can be had for about $40 to $20 bucks depending on where you look

a chunk of moneydown the drain
I bought it, but then I bought sonic adventure 2 after that. I turned my console on, then the screen turned pitch black. It froze. If you want to play sonic adventure or sonic adventure 2, buy a NINTENDO GAMECUBE. I know those work. This system is 6 years old. If you buy it, a big clump of money is down the drain. Now, go to the homepage and type 'gamecube' in the search bar for amazon.com and start shoppin'!

What is wrong with you ppl?
Ok, Ive been reading the reviews and I'm A bit angry. Sega revolutionized the market with Dreamcast.Without it, alot of the games we play now might not even exist. Without Sega, We might not even have 3-D games. The first systems with true 3-D capabilities were the Saturn and PS1 and the PS1 technology was stolen from Nintendo! The Playstation was A CD add-on for Super Nintendo but when Sony was recruited, they stole the technology and the name. If Nintendo were to launch a lawsuit and the new home console code named revolution, you would be buying Nintendo PSP because Sony would be wiped out. As for the Dreamcast, it was a great system but because the phanboys failed to see that, it failed. As for the phanboys in question, if you cant even capitalize letters, your not worth my time. Stop putting bad reviews here and go play your PS2. ... Read more

Features

• Bomb damage may or may not be repaired, depending on enemy resources and command.
• Pilot three different variants of the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
• Shoot a variety of air-to-air missiles like the AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder.
• Simulate an entire war with the most advanced and truly dynamic campaign engine ever made for your PC.
• Participate in cooperative or adversarial multi-player flight over a LAN or internet.

Product Description

MODEL - DOLPGOMEVENDOR- Nintendo FEATURES- Mario Tennis GamecubeThe wild multiplayer action of the smash Nintendo 64 hit, MarioTennis, returns with even more powerful shots and new, characterspecific power ups guaranteed to make for the craziest matches ever.Everyone's favorite Mushroom Kingdom characters are here! DonkeyKong and Bowser can hit insanely powerful Megaton Balls, finesseplayers like Shy Guy can use instant Tornado Returns and defensive masters like Luigi have all kinds of tricks in their bags. * Players of all ages can pick up the game and instantly start whackingtennis balls around and yet a deep level of skill awaits those willingto master it. Build up more and more skill points as you play to usestronger and stronger shots with all kinds of spin. -- SPECIFICATIONs ------------------------------------ ESRB Rating : E for EveryoneGenre/Category: sportsSystem: Nintendo Game Boy Advance Number of Players :On- Line Compatible : Nintendo GameCube; GameCube compatible controller,GameCube compatible memory card for saves Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theNintendo DOLPGOME - Mario Tennis Gamecube and all other Nintendo Video Game Handheld Soft ... Read more

Reviews (44)

mario power tennis
This game is one of my favorite games.I learned about it when my best friend Tanner (I've known him all my life)taught me about it. I learned all the controls and rules on the first day! Playing the game was very fun.

Analysis of Mario Power Tennis
Positives-many interesting courts to choose from. These range from a "gimmic" Luigi's Castel to a more "serious" grass, clay or hard court
- the characters all have their own special power moves. These serve to add some sort of random twist to the tennis action.
- there are a multitude of everyone's favorite Mario characters to choose from. Furthermore there are many characters to unlock. Each chacater is given the helpful label such as "all-around" for Mario or "power for Wario
- the instruction manual is very informative. It provides the gamer with information on how to perfome the more technical shots such as the drop shot and the lob.
- there are many mini games to keep a gamer interested.
- great multi player mode.
- like all nintendo designed and published games, it is very easy to pick up and play.
- lastly, the game is very fun to play if only for a short time.
Negatives-at times the game play may seem rather slow. It can be adjusted in multi-player mode but in single player mode i am yet to find any such option.
- the tounament mode, which is the heart of the single player game, is not at all deep. It consists of three rounds each round does not get more difficult then the last. In other words, the player the gamer faces in the first round is just as challenging as the play he will face in the final.
- the character's power moves, especially when playing doubles, can get very annoying. Each time a "power shot" occurs, there is a 4 second cut scene which disturbes the game action.
- lastly, besides the "advanced" difficulty game setting, the game is very easy to play.This game will not be challanging to anyone who can return a cross court shot (which mean everyone).

Great Tennis Game
A Great Tennis Game. I loved it on the N64, and now I love it even more. Especially all the mini games you play to unlock other courts or characters. The mini games is a blessing to the game espacially if you are playing alone. But get a few friends and make it a night. The power ups are a great addition on the court. Kinda like Mario Kart meets Mario Tennis. No go buy the game!

Pretty fun and interesting game.
When I order it, I purchased it half and half with my nephew.. and I though that it will be a very bad purchase, however I do no repent.. when playing with several people you get pretty excited, that's the benefit of multiplayer games, that you can have fun with friends.. the graphics are good, and it's a fun game.

you can never get tired of this
this is one of the best games for the gamecube. like once you start playing you cant stop playing. this game has 3 modes, tourney, 1-4 players, and special modes where you play fun games. there are like 20 characters to choose from. my favorites are the koopa troopas. there are new things called a power shot that you can turn on and off. the power shots help you hit the balls harder and so you can hit the tennis balls. if you could rate it over 5 stars i would rate it 10000000000000000 stars. this game is up to 4 players and is really fun. ... Read more

Product Description

Get the power. You control the machine with the Dual Shock 2 Controller. Feel every jump, hit and rush in the game with superior vibration and analog control. PS2 delivers intense gameplay and you need all the control you can get-the Dual Shock 2 Controller can help give you the edge with its sleek feel and precise button control. Get in the game with one of the best controllers available. ... Read more

Features

• Platform: PlayStation 2

Reviews (19)

Perfect Blue
Anybody out there with a controller hog who perhaps gets your controller sticky or messy or does something to it you don't even want to know about? Different colored controllers are the key to solving this problem. Mr. Messy has his and you have yours! It works out awesome! I love my teal green controller and he loves his blue one! You also get a year warranty, which comes in the box with this controller, in between the yellow cardboard so if there is a problem with in a year they will fix your controller. Anyway it is the same size as the ones that come with your original PS2. The buttons are the same, they move the same, and feel the same. The only difference is the color, but still it's worth it to get a nice new non-sticky controller and to get your self some distance from that controller hog. I love this one, they also make a teal colored one, and I have seen a sponge bob controller out there as well but if its not made by Sony its probably not that reliable. Stick with the best, get a Sony controller and get in the game!

The original
This is the original Playstation controller, and it is the best. It feels great in your hands, not too heavy, best button response, and overall just the best controller you can buy. If you have been thinking about buying a controller with a different feeling I strongly reccommend do not buy the big Mad Catz controller. It does not feel good in your hands, its too big and heavy, and the button response sucks. Just stick with the Sony controler, it is the best of the best.

Great Controller
I agree with Kelly,you must take care of the controller.I own 6 ps2 controllers 3 black,1 blue,1 wireless logitech and a nyko airflo controller.I use the multitap very often.Love the controller and it will love you back!Now for the review.This controller does not feel as comfortable as the black one.When I am playing and my hands sweat this controller slips out of my hand.I end uptaking my black controller and using it.But i love playing with this controller because it is fun for me to look at it during the loading screen.But if your hands sweat a lot or you play for long periods of time I suggest that you look for the nyko airflo controller its great!!Also I have a friend that is very rough with his controllers and he has dropped his black controller many times and it is still working but he dropped the blue controller and it broke

dual shock controller
the Blue dual shock controller work on everything except you can not enter cheat codes with it

SIMPLY THE
I HAVE HAD ALL THE OTHER CONTROLLERS NON-SONY, THEY ARE PEICES OF $H!T!!! BUY THE SONY. THE ONLY OTHER GOOD CONTROLLER IS THE LOGITECH CORDLESS FOR PS1 & PS2, BUT ITS 60 F***** DOLLERS! BUT I LIKE IT. TRUST ME, GO WITH SONY. ... Read more

Product Description

Try 8 classic brain challenges on with cartridge with Ultimate Brain Games from telegames.This cartridge has some great games including 4-In-A-Row, Backgammon, Checkers, Chess, Domino, Mahiong, Reversi and Sink Ship. ... Read more

Features

• Game Boy Advance
• ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
• Puzzle/Board

Reviews (30)

Ulimite Brain Games IS Ulimite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This game is the best it has some of my favorite games. You can pick your oppents level of dificulity!The cool thing about Sink the Ships (Battle Ship) is you shoot more than once at a time so the game goes quicker.The chess gets a little boring because you have to move fromm square to square.Dominoes I love on their it has a level of oppent that I am! Resveri is to hard the only level that I can do is very easy and i am very good at it. Four in a Row is my favorite it has the same rules Connect Four and they make the easiest and hardest levels wihich is good for me because I share it with my brother and he is not very good but I am thats what I like about it.I don't know how to play Backgammon and Mah Jog and the game doesn't give a good discreaption of how to play.Finally, the person desinger rocks I made it to look just like me you can put on just about every little detail you need. It is my favorit e game I ever got!!!

An Ideal Collection of Games!
The best thing about this title is the variety of stuff you can play here, and the level of game play. Most of the games offered here have several levels of difficulty and the challenge is good for both kids and adults. The games are fun and varied enough to keep players busy for quite a while.

One cute feature is the face creator, that allows you to make an avatar of yourself, making the game personalized!

The Chess game is challenging, and really would be enough to recommend this title on its own. But add in backgammon, dominoes (which isn't that difficult to figure out once you play it a time or two), mah jong, 4 in a row, which is the board game "Connect 4" and sink ships, a cute version of "Battleship," and you have an excellent title, great for long excursions.

Highly recommended!

brain games
this is like the best game ever because i love chess, and checkers!!So I gave it 5 stars!Plus my dad love dominioes!

One of the mind loving titles for the GBA
This is a great collection of games. They all play equally well.The graphics here are not mind blowing but they do convey the felling of each game.However Mahjong Solitare lacks detail making a few of the tiles hard to say.Also, the lightness of the tile indictates how many tiles are under it, this can be annoying because by the time you get the last time it is dark indeed.

The game also has a mini playlist that lets you pick your music and this does work well, and is a fun addition.

The difficulty for most games is a relative fair.however as you increase the difficult it the computer takes increasing longer to make a move.

Wrong game
Disregarde the review I just did. It was the incorrect game.
I meant to review the ultimate card game.
sorry ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Game Boy platform (which includes the original unit, the Game Boy Pocket, and the Game Boy Color) came to market when most video game consoles had a life expectancy of just a few years. More than a decade later, the system is still going strong. How did the Game Boy successfully compete--and in some cases bury--an onslaught of faster, more powerful handheld and home console systems? Let us count the ways: affordability, a huge library of games that consistently made the most of the hardware's limitations, smart power management that extended battery life, and uncluttered controls. But perhaps it was the system's ultraportable design that allowed devotees to play video games around their schedule, making it the must-have system for kids and adults alike.

Now the Game Boy Advance (or GBA as people are already calling it) comes to us with power that would have been unthinkable back in the day. The portable's 32-bit RISC CPU runs circles around the former's 8-bit workhorse, allowing it to process program instructions much faster. What that means to everyday gamers is more intricate visuals, more simultaneous movement on the screen, and better sound. In fact, the often-annoying beeps and boops of old-school Game Boy titles are being replaced with digitized stereo sound. The extra processing muscle also means you can even network up to four Game Boy Advance units together, via the communication cable, for multiplayer fun off of one shared cartridge. Only two Game Boy Color units could link together, and each unit had to have its own copy of the game.

What's not being replaced, however, is the wide selection of Game Boy games. Because the Game Boy Advance system is backward-compatible, it will play its own line of colorful games--including such launch titles as Super Mario Advance, F-Zero: Maximum Velocity, Army Men Advance, High Heat Major League Baseball 2002, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, and Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2--as well as all of the monochrome and color games that have already been released for the previous Game Boy systems (nearly 500 in total). Players can view the older games in their smaller, originally square dimensions, or, with the touch of the shoulder button, expand the game to fit the GBA's larger screen. We tried enlarging the screen on a Game Boy Color edition of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 and found that Mr. Hawk was much easier to see.

When you first pick up the system, you'll be amazed at how lightweight it is. At fewer than 5 ounces and a little larger than a deck of playing cards, the system easily fits into a shirt pocket without any sag. The GBA's wider shape fits better into a wider range of hands. The former design too often pushed the left and right thumb knuckles together during gameplay. The new layout should be comfortable for all ages, and the center screen orientation makes it easy to see.

Game Boy Color owners will find the GBA's larger screen somewhat darker than they're used to, but that's because the screen is outfitted with antiglare technology. Like the old Game Boy Color, the color LCD is not backlit, so you need pretty good light to play by. Unlike that system, though, you won't be craning your neck and tilting the unit to see around the hot-spot reflection of the light bulb in your screen.

But you'll also notice the graphics. Sporting what's basically a redesigned SNES technology, you'll see things on the GBA that the big consoles do, such as scaling (making objects larger or smaller) and rotation effects--technological advances that will affect the look of everything from crossing a finish line to throwing a touchdown pass to crawling through a dungeon.

Some might argue that Nintendo could have tried to put even more power into this Game Boy Advance. After all, the 32-bit video game had its heyday more than five years ago. Perhaps, but after handling this new handheld, we're inclined to think that Nintendo wisely struck a balance between size, price, and power consumption. And considering how well the old 8-bit system weathered the decade's technological storms, we think the Game Boy Advance is here to stay, and we're glad. --Porter B. Hall

Unit Specifications

• CPU: 32-bit RISC CPU with embedded memory
• Screen: 2.9-inch reflective TFT color LCD
• Display Size: 1.6 by 2.4 inches (40.8 by 61.2 mm)
• Resolution: 38,000 pixels in a wide-screen aspect ratio (10,000 per square inch)
• Colors: 512 simultaneous colors from a palette of 32,768
• Size: 3.2 by 5.6 by 1 inch (82 by 144.5 by 24.5 mm)
• Weight: Approximately 5 ounces (140 grams)
• Power Supply: 2 AA alkaline batteries
• Battery Life: Approximately 15 hours continuous play

Features

• Platform: Game Boy Advance
• Includes Pokémon Crystal for GBA & GBC

Reviews (367)

Very Good
I used to own a game boy color, but i updated to a gba, for the better sound and graphics. I found that the ONLY downside is that it has no backlight. I am going to buy a gba light and sheild asap to fix that, and i will reveiw it too. I am just starting to collect games, as i only have one, but i am hoping it will be a long time before i get bored and get a gba sp. the price is good, but if you really want a good experience, and you have the money, get a Nintendo DS. My brother has one, and he enjoys it. The downside to a DS is they only have 3 or 4 good games out.

Good...........but outdated sad but true
The game boy advance is definetly better than a game boy color.Bigger screen, smaller game consoles, and better grafics.Why only 3 stars.Well, this system just can't compare to the new psp or nintendo ds.If you want a cheap gaming console, this might be the way to go. It is inexpensive and has lots of games.If you however don't mind spending a little (or a lot) more money than you should propably go with the psp if you are older or the nintendo ds if you are like under 12. Like I said this was worth it like 3 or 4 years ago but just like the game boy color before it, this system is getting old.

hello
this game boy sucks it close and it has horible graphics.you should get the nintendo ds

Great System after 3 years
I am here to say that I am not too big on the whole SP idea. I bought a Platinum SP about 2 years ago when they first hit shelves and I can't honestly say it was the greatest purchase I made. If you ever have time to kill, go on Ebay and compare what you can get a Regular Model for to what you pay for a SP. There is no comparison, for lack of a better word I'd have to say looking back on it that the SP was overhyped and priced. The controls give a sick feeling of clausterphobia and the light is something useful only to those that take long trips day-in and day-out. I recently was able to purchase a 3rd GBA system on ebay for the jaw-dropping price of $35.00, and the real shocker was that the system was BRAND NEW. The original GBA model had the SP beat in so many ways it is hard to look back on it and think what a mistake I made for ever buying the SP. This system is the complete deal, I wouldn't pay the listing price of $70.00 for it, but if you find a bargain like I did, go for it. The graphics are crisp and it too is small enough to just slip in a pocket, I wouldn't recomend storing it in a pocket because of the scratches it may cause. The light is the only thing that the SP has over the standard system. I personally believe that the GBA regular has better battery life than an SP. I am playing Zelda Minish Cap on a system that came out 3 yrs ago and is still running strong. Over the past years I've played it, I've played some of the best games on any console such as Metroid Zero Mission and Fusion, not to mention the Castlevania series which in my opinion ranks as one the best series for any system to date. With games like these becoming harder to find, it sure would be nice to find more regular GBA's on a store shelf...

Steller Handheld with steller line ups
Put it simply...this is a great edition to the nintendo franchise.Advance has a great line up of games like
Metroid Zero Mission
Advance Wars
The Mario Games and Zelda games.Awesome must have handheld for this year, and if you don't already have it get SP then!

4.9 out of 5...A great hand held to own.. ... Read more

Product Description

It is four thousand years before the Galactic Empire and hundreds of Jedi Knights have fallen in battle against the ruthless Sith. As the last hope of the Jedi, you must lead a band of freedom fighters in an epic struggle to save the galaxy. Can you master the awesome power of the Force on your quest to save the Republic? Or will you fall to the lure of the dark side? Hero or villain, savior or conqueror...you must choose wisely as you alone will determine the destiny of the entire galaxy!

• Immersive, action-packed Star Wars role-playing experience with customizable and evolving playable characters.
• Choose from nine customizable characters to build your party of three adventurers, including humans, droids, Twi'leks, Wookiees and more.
• Journey spans seven different worlds including Tatooine, Sith world of Korriban, Jedi Academy on Dantooine and Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk.
• Build your party and upgrade your equipment in your own starship, the Ebon Hawk. Fast paced mini-games -- such as racing swoop bikes, or manning turret guns.

Features

• A massive conflict between Jedi & Sith has left the Republic weakened. Into this chaos steps a young Jedi on a mission. His mission will determine the outcome of this colossal galactic war - and your destiny as a Jedi
• Lead your group of freedom fighters across the galaxy -- you can choose from humans, droids, Twi'leks, Wookies and more
• Recruit other to your cause & train them in exciting mini-games like racing swoop bikes or manning turret guns
• Travel to ten unique world in the Star Wars galaxy, from the Jedi Academy on Dantooine to the Sith homeworld of Korriban
• Customizable and evolving characters keep the story fresh and the gameplay interesting -- especially when you have to choose between the Light & Dark Sides of The Force

Reviews (10)

W - O - W
This game is absolutely incredible.I'm a HUGE Neverwinter Nights fan, and this game is almost better than NWN (almost).The graphics are amazing, but even better than the graphics is the storyline, which, in my roommate's words, 'rocks my socks'.There are choppiness issues with the visuals, but it's easy to look past them.The game really lets you make your character into a huge presence in the Star Wars universe and lets you lose yourself in the characters and worlds.1 word: AMAZING.

Only slightly resembles Star Wars
I don't know what everyone else thinks about this, but the only thing that I see that even resembles the Star Wars universe is lightsabers and planet names.This game is definitely fun but I bought it because I like Star Wars.My suggestion to anyone who wants a game that feels like Star Wars is, go with Jedi Knight II, it has the feel, the atmosphere and the characters to equal even the movies.There are some good parts to the game, for instance, the graphics are amazing, my computer can barely run it but oh well, it's a work of art.

My conclusion though is skip this game over and buy Jedi Knight II and if possible, republic commandoes (which will hopefully come out on the mac).

Fantastic
"Knights of the Old Republic" is a well crafted, and highly addictive, RPG, not just a great Star Wars game. I found that once I got on Dantooine, I couldn't stop playing. Everything about this game sucked me in, the gameplay, the characters, and best of all, the story.

I will note that the gameplay of KOTOR felt a little foreign the first time I played it. It's a turn based system, with hits and damage calculated by the various levels of strength and defense of the combatants. At first, this was a little tedious (expecially the terminology, like "Adds +4 to Fortitude") but after a while, I got into it. I found myself liking the fact that combat acts are performed by the computer without a lot of button-mashing. I hate games that make me input combos at rapid-fire speeds in order to perform really cool moves. With this game, it can all be done with one command.

Aside from that, the best thing that KOTOR has going for it is its attention to the story aspect of the game. The plot is great, possibly even good enough for a mini-series or a comic book. But what compliments the plot elements are the characters. I love the fact that these characters have histories and they are revealed slowly as time goes on. That makes the player feel like they're really getting to know these people. Carth and Bastella are probably the best-constructed characters in the game, but Jhuani comes in at a close 3rd. Also, Darth Malak is one bad assed villain. If a writer can create an engaging villain, he'll usually have my attention. Everything about Malak works, from the costume to the voice and dialogue. In essance, he's a Vader knockoff, but he carries his half of the story very well.

Now, for the flaws. The only things wrong here are technical, and that could be a Mac issue. I'm running KOTOR on a 12 inch Powerbook G4 with 786 RAM. I didn't alter any of the System Preferences for Graphics and I found that at times, such as in most of the Cantinas, the graphics become rather choppy. There were times where my character would freeze, I'd press "Forward," then a few seconds later, he's off and runnning across the screen like a bad cut-out cartoon, moving and frozen at the same time. But I was able to look past that in order to get to the rest of the game.

This is a must for Star Wars fans; it won't let you down. It might have a harder time pleasing someone whose not familiar with the mythology because it's so heavy in alien languages and myths about the Force and the Light/Dark relationship, but I recommend it for any RPG fan.

Now, about KOTOR II: Sith Lords for Mac...

great game bad machine
Now I write this review without the expierence of smooth gameplay besides the fact my system meets and surpases most of the minimum requirements. Even with my low end 1.25 ghz eMac (with might I add a gig of ram and a brand new 120 gb hardrive) I expected it to at least run smoothly with the graphics turned down, I was wrong. I opened up the game and started a new game and immeditley it was choppy, I turned everything down, graphics, resolution, texture, everything and it was still a little choppy. I managed to get about 1/3 into the game when I finally cracked...HOW CAN I RUN WORLD OF WARCRAFT WITHOUT ANY CHOPPYNESS BUT NOT THIS GAME?!?!? Well the answer is WoW is better and unless u have a G5 stay away from KOTOR.

Game of the year?? says who?
To me this gamewas a major disapointment!The game play is rediculously slow. It took me 5 minutes just to figure out how to make my character put on his clothes and open a door. Doing the simplest thing, like opening a door, or changing weapons is such a pain!In the "battles"you click on an icon to make your character fight ( or another icon telling him not to fight).You can'tcontrol his actions in the battle!That is soooo lame!Personally I like games with action, that you can actually take part in, such as unreal tournament, or jedi knight.this game bummed me out so much Ihad to write a review in hopes of stopping someone else from making the same mistake I did. ... Read more

Product Description

Based on the highly anticipated, star-studded animated feature film from DreamWorks Animation, Madagascar is the only console game that lets players enter the world of 4 hilarious Central Park Zoo animals--a personality-packed crew made up of a lion, zebra, giraffe and hippo--and their crafty penguin sidekicks. Players must master each animal ... Read more

Features

• Get in touch with your animal instincts - Fighting for survival has never been this much fun. Play as the main characters from the movie--Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo and Melman the Giraffe--as you take on obstacles, interact with characters and face off against enemies. In bonus chapters, play as different characters--from lovable lemurs to crafty penguins.
• Rock the city and rule the jungle - Test your animal abilities in mini-games and several action-packed, movie-based chapters.
• Get your groove on as you go - Develop new skills as you take the role of each zoo animal during the game. Help Alex maximize the power of his claws, roar and pounce; get Marty to pump up his long jump, back kick and stealth crawl skills; utilize Gloria's butt smash and spiced up charge; and perfect Melman's helicopter spin and ammo-throwing neck fling. (The ammo were talkin' 'bout here includes coconuts and lemurs, thank you very much.)

Amazon.com Review

This fantastic program will have your brain working as hard as a mandrill on a conveyer belt with bananas dangling in front of it. Don't worry, we'll explain. The Incredible Machine: Even More Contraptions gives players dozens of tools that perform an action: balls that bounce, cats that chase (and don't bounce), pulleys, ropes, generators, and yes, mandrill baboons on conveyer belts, bananas a-dangle in front of them. Then players are given a problem to solve with all of this crazy energy. Here's an example: in one puzzle called "Wood is Good," players must get three balls into a box, make wooden toast, and wood-smoke a hunk of gouda cheese for a mouse. Among the tools available to accomplish this task are a bike pump and an antigravity pad. And this is one of the easy puzzles.

There are 250 gizmos to build here, some designed for single players and some designed for head-to-head puzzling competition. There is also a field where players can design their own Rube Goldberg Machine from scratch. The vast amount of projects and their complexity make this a program with staying power. Mercifully, there is a tutorial that takes rookies and right-brainers in hand. Players can choose four levels of difficulty: easy, which is quite challenging; to expert, which is insane. Mitigating the challenge factor is a function that turns the cursor into a question mark, and allows players to inspect gadget elements and get in-depth information about what each object and surface does.

This game does a great job graphically. The well-rendered objects all perform as they ought, and form never hinders function. A thoughtful extra is a place where mad scientists can mess with their invention's appearance and background music: nice final touches for folks who want to take their custom-built games online to challenge others who are addicted to The Incredible Machine. This program's biggest strength is that it manages to put a humorous and creative spin on physics and engineering. They're not just giving you levers and weights to work with, they're giving you bottle rockets and alligators. A final wonderful point: there is no "right way" to build your contraption. If you scrabble something together that achieves the goal, it's right, no matter if you used the antigravity pad on the cat or on the bowling ball. No age rating given; we recommend ages 8 and up. --Anne Erickson ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The Incredible Machine Strikes Again!
We had to play this game in school in our tech ed. class. Every day, I found myself wanting badly to go to 3rd Hour(My tech ed. class.) I would recomend this game to everyone.

I Think It Is The Best Program I Played!I Love It!
I think this software is the best program I've played
in my life! I first played it at school and everyone
thought it was hard except for me. It is very
challenging just when you you get to the easy
level. Once I got it for Christmas one year, and
I couldn't stop playing it. My mom was amazed when
she saw me completing the contraptions so fast. There's
over 100 contraptions. This software is worth the money.
I highly recommend it for anyone.

Doesn't turn your brain into mush!
I first played the game at school and loved it! Some people may say it is hard it is really very fun! But you have to think about it! If you say it is boring that is becase you just went straight ahead and failed didn't even think that mabye your contraption doesn't work! It is a great game for schools because it is a thinking game and it is one of the funnist games I know of! I think even if you aren't a good thinking game person it is still a great game, because you can take as much time as you want and think about it! Also it isn't one of those games that warps your brain into mush! It makes you think and not just sit there and stare at a computer! You actually DO something! It is a great game for any age that can think! I am 11 and I love it and I know of a 5 year old who loves it! Even my dad would love if I could get him to buy it for me! A great game a I recommend it for All!

I love it! It's a great thinking game!
This game is soooooooo 3D!
You won't find silly cartoons stick poeple etc in this game!
I love making my own contraptions and letting my mom play!
If you want your kid to now a lot about physics then this is a great game!
It has a lot of new stuff like a monkey and a jack in the box.
It keeps all the old contraptions the same so don't worry about losing contraptions in the old game that you liked.
The gears are made easyer so you don't need to take them out then put them back to get them working unlike in the first game.
It is very compatiple with most computers I heard it works on Mac and I had a Windows me wich it worked on and now I have a XP andit works even better on that.
This game is not like most games that you complete in weeks, months, days, or even one day this game takes years!
But it's not too hard so you won't need to wory about not beeing able to complete one contraption.
The tutorial level is to get started and to learn the basics.
The easy level is to get you to understand the controls and to get your brain runing and any other stuff it also gets you better at reading the real hints and knowing those things that might trick you like extra parts.
This game is a great buy!
But there is some things like harming animals but what I do is say thay are just robots.

5 Year Old Loves it!
We got this game for my five year old son thinking it would be a great game to do together.That is an understatement!He is actually spending hours doing and completing contraptions on his own and is up to the harder levels.Definitely not a game for the mechanically uninclined but not as difficult as a previous review stated.My son is actually helping ME complete them.Tons of fun and learning! ... Read more

Product Description

Luigi has a lot of work to do in his very first starring role. He needs to find his missing brother Mario in a creepy and mysterious haunted mansion. Armed only with a flashlight and a customized vacuum cleaner, he must rid the mansion of ghosts and save the day. Made in USA. ... Read more

Features

• Platform: GameCube
• ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
• Ages 6 and up

Reviews (422)

IT'S VACUUMIN TIME!!!!!!!
I love this game. Last summer I played it all the time!!!! This game rocks!!!

what the?
did luidi do something wrong like get bad grades or something and drop out of school and ended up being a plummer? well yea i guess he's been grounded for like a billion years from being a star of any game and if he IS a star in one the word "MARIO" is in the title and this game "luigi's mansion" oh yeaaaa he has a mansion and since he's grounded from bad grades people he has to clean the whole house with a vacum

Luigi's Mansion... Not Much of an Adventure to Get Into
I've always grown up liking Mario and so when I got this game I was rather excited to see what it was all about. However, when I did get it, I was rather disappointed with what I got.

There's nothing much too special about this game: You will beat this game in a matter of hours. The bosses are terribly easy, and even the puzzles that surround the mansion aren't that challenging.

There are lots of things that annoy me about this game. First of all, Luigi moves so slowly. It's not like other Mario games where you can run extremely quickly or even fly in the air. Instead you just shuffle around on the ground. Boring.

The second thing I didn't like was you don't see a lot of the other characters you're used to seeing. I didn't see Yoshi in there, or Princess Toadstool. Instead you say a wacky Professor that just gives you a vaccume and annoys you with his chatter. Then of course you see the Boos, Mario, Toad, and Bowser but other than those characters that's about it. Quite sad.

Finally the last thing that I really didn't enjoy was the whole brightness of this game- it's too dark. I like to have parts in the game where there are some brightness, but you won't find that with this game. The only good positive about the game were the general graffics, but it's ruined with the darkness.

The music is not what it could have been, you'll get annoyed very quickly with it, and after you play through it the first time, it just gives you an option of repeating the same adventure you went through for some 'bonuses' in the game... but for me, when I went through it once, why would I go through the same mansion and the same exact puzzles again?

Go rent another video game (I'd suggest Zelda). This one isn't worth renting, and especially not buying, unless if you are a huge fan of Mario.

Very fun, very cute little game
While Mario gets zillions of games to himself every year, it's not often that Luigi gets his own lead, unless you count 1993's MARIO IS MISSING on the SNES.

In this cool little game, Luigi goes Ghostbusting in a haunted mansion (one of those Scooby-Doo types) that he has mysteriously won in a competition he didn't even enter. The mansion is crawling with spooks of all kinds but Luigi get's help from a crackpot inventor living nearby. Now armed with a special vacuum cleaner, Luigi must clear every room in the mansion and find his missing brother, who has apparently vanished inside.

The gameplay is simple and very easy to get the hang of. Some of the rooms you clean up require some extra investigation and puzzle solving so be sure to check everything (I though the piano room was a cool puzzle to solve) and use your Gameboy Horror to have a good look round.

The graphics in Luigi's Mansion may not be up to the standard of Super Mario Sunshine but they're still very, very smooth and look amazing. Some of the SFX look highly realistic and there's no loading times at all between scenes. The music sounds like it's been done on a Commodore 64 and doesn't sound all that great but it's a cute little theme and I thought it was very funny when Luigi would whistle it whenever it wasn't playing.

The mansion itself isn't that big and you'll finish the game in about a week, but when you have this much fun playing it is still worthwhile.

Finally! A true Luigi game for GCN!
Luigi's mansion is quite fun and fairly difficult game that has puzzles, ghost catching and entertaining boss fights. And it has two difficulty settings so once you go and beat the game you can play again only with a more powerful vacumn so that you will be able to handle the tougher ghosts of the higher difficulty.
As for the graphics on this game they are great especially the lighting and dust effects that go on while your playing.
For instance when you use the vacumn or knock on a wall you will notice realistic looking dust that acts like you would expect in
real life. And when you shine your flashlight around a dark room
you will see shadows from chairs, candle sticks and best of all they really move and grow larger or smaller as you move around the room! As for replay value I would say it's fairly high as once you beat it you can start from the beggining with more difficult ghosts and at the end the more money you have from collecting the better your prize. However once you have beat both difficulty levels and received the best surprise you will start to grow tired of it. All in all I would highly reccomend this game to Gamecube owners looking for a fun adventure that will keep you entertained for a long time to come. ... Read more