Product Description

More than ever, Chessmater® 10th Edition delivers on its promise to make you a better chess player. The program will improve your game regardless of your level of experience. This landmark edition provides the largest upgrade ever to the features and graphics of the franchise. Whether you are new to Chess or a tournament-level player, Chessmaster 10th Edition allows you to master history's greatest game.

Features:

• The new Chessmaster Academy.At the Academy, International Master Josh Waitzkin will personally walk players through the basics of chess, plus introduce a variety of simple strategies for dominating your opponent. The Academy also features the best attacking moves as taught by noted chess champion, Larry Christiansen.
• A totally revised interface.Clean, clear and easy-to-navigate, this all new interface represents the biggest upgrade to the look and feel of Chessmaster in over seven years.
• Full-featured online chess module.More than just a place to play chess live with other players, Chessmaster online allows players to establish rankings, create tournaments, utilize teaching tools, and join a thriving chess community.
• More fun for the whole family.Features such as, animated chess sets, a variety of whimsical 3D sets, and simple and efficient learning tools, makes chess more fun than ever. Younger players and chess beginners will appreciate the specialized section just for them. As players improve, the game suggests an appropriate AI opponent.
• A comprehensive chess engine.Wise enough to teach an absolute beginner and powerful enough to defeat a grandmaster, experience the all-new edition of the King engine - the brains behind the best-selling brand in chess.
• Intermediate and advanced player options.Seasoned chess players can test their skills against ranked AI opponents, set up tournaments and simultaneous exhibitions, and survey ... Read more

  Features

  • Intermediate and advanced player options; for ages 6 and older
  • Chess teacher, mentor, and ultimate opponent with intuitive user interface
  • Chessmaster Academy teaches the basics, plus a variety of simple strategies
  • Animated chess sets; whimsical 3D sets; simple and efficient learning tools
  • Full-featured online chess module; comprehensive chess engine

  Reviews (50)

  I concure with my fellow chessmates.
  Although this game is STILL better than most other chess games, the "little things" is what brings the quality down...such as: installing the cd in the disk drive every freakin ....freaking time that you want to play the game..Too many features..buttons and screens to choose from. and ...I am not the most computer savy person...So, they would need to take that into consideration......also, why is it that the lower players are so freakin strong all of a sudden!!! (Little josh w..and a few other players around his strength level are a joke)......Finally, my advice is to wait about 2 or 3 years to buy it....or wait until it shows up at a pawn shop!!
  

  UBISoft messed up on this one
  I have owned every version of this product since Chessmaster 5000. Sure Fritz is stronger and has a better reputation but for ease of use and flexibility, you couldn't do better than Chessmaster. At least that's what I thought until I laid my mitts on the piece of #&$@# that is the 10th edition.
  Boy, did UBISoft miss the boat. First they stop you from playing the game without the CD. Come on! What's up with that? The old mode of refreshing your installation every 10 games or so was inconvenient enough. And now I absolutely must have the CD in my drive to enjoy a game of chess? UBISoft should pay attention to the competition. The makers of Fritz know better.
  But the major annoyance is that this program is as buggy as hell. It crashes all the time and there is no consistency in gameplay. One minute the program is absolutely slaughtering you, the next minute it makes the dumbest move possible. After a couple of months fiddling with the damn thing, I uninstalled it and went back to playing the 9000 version and Fritz.
  I'm giving UBISoft one more chance. If the next version they turn out is as crappy as this one, then they have lost me as a customer permanently.

  Be VERY careful!
  All of the warnings here are completely accurate, the "security" features on this thing are AWFUL.There is a good chance, esecially if you have a newer machine (which you need for the enormous amounts of memory this thing takes), that you won't be able to get the game to run at all.I was only able to get this product to work after reading the helpful reviews on this site--luckily, I do have a non-writable DVD drive I was able to install with.If you don't have a non-writable drive, you're completely out of luck.I also went through the supposedly optional registration process that appears to be not-so-optional.
  
  I cannot tell you how frustrating it was trying to get Chessmaster to run--the "support" line is utterly useless.The guy I talked to didn't seem to know anything about the security device probelms this product has and didn't even hint that a writable drive or lack of on-line registration might be the problem.
  
  I did eventually have success getting Chessmaster X working, and to be honest, I have been enjoying it.I have found one thing that really bothers, me, though: the 'personalites' play MUCH stronger chess in rated games than in training games.Really, really, REALLY, stronger.Personalities I'm beating with no problem (and no help from blunder alert, or chessmaster hints, or taking back moves) kick my butt soundly and quickly in rated games.

  S-U-C-K-S
  All the bad things other reviewers have said about this excremental fraud are true.Some of the good things said are true, too.But does the good outweigh the bad?Let me put it this way: If customers were allowed to test-drive this loser-program before paying for it, Ubisoft would be bankrupt in no time flat.
  
  No, no, don't believe me....--Go ahead.Buy it.Join the rest of us suckers.Misery loves company.
  
  :)

  Dont even waste your time
  I wonder what the hell UBI was thinking.
  
  First of all you always need the cd in your drive to play...retarded. what if you have a tablet? are you going to carry that external cd drive with you everywhere just because you want to play chess? what if your running on battery power? are you gonna drain your laptop battery just cause you want to play chess?
  
  secondly forget about even trying to backup this cd. the amount of copy protection on it ...
  
  and upon all this the engine is faulty! a lot of times my opponent makes moves that are obviously wrong and that any chess amateur could see.. even when the ratings are in the 2000+ ration. This software is a total waste of time.
  
  dont even bother to use the only gameplay... have to enter a 16 digit cd key everytime you login. get fritz instead!!!! ... Read more

Product Description

Each of the four main characters has multiple jumping moves that cover great horizontal and vertical distances. Each has unique moves: Yoshi can eat enemies and turn them into eggs that he can throw; Mario can punch, kick and wall-jump to great heights; super-strong Wario can break certain blocks; and Luigi can jump incredibly high. Power Flowers give each character even cooler powers, like invisibility, fire breath or the power to float through the air.Answering an invitation, Mario, Luigi an ... Read more

Features

• In Adventure Mode, you'll control the four friends by using the stylus on the touch-screen
• Play and win fun touch-sensitive mini-games
• Battle up to three friends in Wireless Versus mode, which can be played with only one Super Mario 64 DS game card
• Play as Yoshi, Mario, Luigi or Wario -- each has their own unique abilities and you'll need them all
• Collect the 150 Power Star Bowser hid on the castle grounds

Reviews (128)

Mario and more
This game rules! For all you people out there who thought the NINTENDO 64 version was fun, buy this to waste 10 minutes to 3 hours.You can play story mode like in the game for the NINTENDO 64.But this game provides more of a challenge with more stars. You can also play mini games that you unlock as you play the game.You can choose different characters as you defeat their bosses.Each character also has a special ability that only they can use.If you want your first NINTENDO DS game to rule mario is the man to pick.

BEST DS GAME SO FAR!
I own the original N64 game, and I have to say, the DS version is better. It's awesome to play a classic in a new way, in any place (well, assuming you're not underwater, etc...). I was amazed at the feel controlling with the stylus brings. It felt awesome to race Koopa again and all of that. Much better than filth like Star Wars Ep.III: Revenge of the Sith.
********READ BELOW***********

THE BEST PART OF THIS REMAKE GAME IS THE SIMPLY AWESOME MINI GAMES THAT WILL KEEP YOU OCCUPIED FOR HOURS AND HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A classic with modern twists!
First off, when I first played Super Mario 64 for the nintendo 64, I WAS NOT crazy about it. Not at all. I liked games like Donkey Kong 64, so Mario wasn't a big deal to me because I was wrapped up in Donkey Kong 64. Now as the years go by, I heard about this new Mario game. For a Nintendo DS? Finally, November came, and I said, ow, why not. So I bought Mario 64 DS, and Feel The Magic XX/XY. I was stunned with Mario, it's like now, I got to play with Yoshi and Luigi!(wasn't crazy for Wario) There were so many great things about this game. But there were also some bad things, and there was the ugly.

The Good-
1. You can play a classic on the go!
2. There are three new playable characters.
3. 3D graphics are absolutely amazing.
4. You'll want to play it over and over.
5. 30 extra stars than the original, count, 150!
6. Amazing new levels, each testing a different characters abilities.
7. Multiplayer!
8. That music is still great!

The Bad-
1. Gets a little boring after a while, but you'll still want to play later.
2. Can be a little frustrating.
3. Characters have unique abilities and strengths, but still overall, they're all the same.
4. Bosses are a little easy.(But hey, they're still fun!)

The UGLY-
1. NO analog stick.
2. Made my fingers hurt using the D-pad to much.
3. A little too short if you get into it.

Overall-
The game is still the bomb like the original, sure it has it's flaws, but who cares, unless you really look at that kind of stuff. This SHOULD be your first choice when you buy the DS, unless you're not a Mario person like I am now. For $30.00, this game is not to be missed. Remember, it's the same game, just with new characters, levels, and multiplayer!This review is all true, so believe me, it should not be missed, especially to a Nintendo DS owner!

Overall grade: A

Thank-a you so much for to playing dis game!!!
Okay... let's see...
Nintendo has continued its tradition of going beyond its call of duty of making kicka** hardware... and making kicka** software!

The good people at nintendo who have made Super Mario 64 have remade the game and since it's Mario 64... who better to play than... Mario! Psyche, you're stuck with Yoshi until you get Mario, Luigi and Wario, each one special in thier own way... next one to make a special Ed joke gets shot...

My main gripe was... the lack of analog, otherwise this game owned, with multiplayer compatibility and minigames! Yay! Go buy it! Seriously! I don't know why I'm shouting! I'm gonna seek professional help now! Bye!

Better Than the Original
I never owned a Nintendo 64 system, so the only times that I've played the original version of Super Mario 64 have been in various hotel rooms. But now that I own the new version of the game on the Nintendo DS system, I know that this new game is much better than the original.

One thing that I like better about this game is that in addition to Mario, you get to play as Luigi, Wario, and Yoshi. Each character has his own strengths and weaknesses. You'll start the game as Yoshi, my favorite character in the Mario games. After defeating certain bosses, you'll literally unlock the other three characters. Another thing that I like better is that there are now 150 hidden Stars to be found. That's 30 more than the original game.

Also, this game has lots of extra features. There are LOTS of mini-games to play. 8 of them are available to play right from the start by visiting the Rec Room. More mini-games can be unlocked by catching the rabbits that are hopping around the castle. And that's not all. You can battle up to 3 of your friends in Wireless Versus mode as you try to be the first one to catch all 5 stars.

The only thing that I don't really like about this game is that you need to really get acquainted with the controls. It is very hard to control the game, as the Nintendo DS doesn't have a Control Stick. There are three control modes: Standard, Touch, and Dual-Hand. Choose whichever one is most comfortable for you to use. Even though I don't really like the controls, I am overall very happy to own this game, and would recommend it to any Super Mario fan. ... Read more

Product Description

This time around, more emphasis is placed on the paper abilities of Mario and his friends. He can turn sideways to slip through cracks, fold into a paper airplane to fly, roll into a tube, and much more. He can also use tons of items like hammers and thunderbolts. ... Read more

Features

• Timing Action Commands help you dodge or inflict damage, and impress the crowd to give you power for super attacks.
• Fold into a paper airplane and take to the air, turn sideways to slip through narrow passages, and roll into a tube to bounce to safety.

Reviews (123)

Paper Mario is fun
if you liked the first game get this, paper mario is one of the best non sqaresoft rpg for gamecube it has tons of fun things to do and you get to go on after you "beat" the game! (the arena is the best =D)

THE BEST GAME EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This game is the best game I ever played.I also played the nintendo 64 version of paper mario to.Every one must get this game.

A kiddy game that adults will actually laugh at? Wow.
Back in the Nintendo 64 days, Mario, Nintendo's mascot, was in the uber-successful Mario 64. And pretty much since then Nintendo's been trying to have it's "sequel" or successor. They did that with Mario Sunshine but it probably wasn't what we had in mind. Paper Mario was released then and it had Mario and Co. as 2D characters in 3D backgrounds so Mario was essentially paper-thin literally. We now have the "sequel" to the original and it vastly improves on the original.

Story: One would be pretty stupid to try and think the Mario storylines were deep or original. Princess Toadstool is kidnapped and Mario must save the day by beating Bowser. Well Toadstool has been kidnapped only it's not Bowser's fault. This apparently ties into a treasure map and the mysterious Thousand Year Door.

Graphics: Basically with these kind of games like Wind Waker is that they're beautiful only on a different level. Nowhere near the brightness of Mario Sunshine, the realistic ultra-detailed Resident Evil 4 or the brilliant level design of Metroid Prime but it more than captures the essence of the game.

Sound/Music: Maybe they learned that Mario Sunshine's voice acting was pretty bad so Nintendo isn't even bothering. You still get Mario's "let's-a go!" or "oh yea!" and some other voice samples but nothing full speech. The music isn't immediately catchy but it fits.

Gameplay: All games come down to this. Paper Mario's "gimmick" is that it revolves around, yes, Mario as paper form. In this form he can fold himself into a plane and fly to a far platform, squash himself and launch himself into the air or squeeze through tough spaces.

The battles in Paper Mario unfold on a stage with it's own audience. This probably one of the most unique ideas to come in a long time. Basically battles are like Paper Mario and Superstar Saga with timed presses and dodges and you get a cast of characters to be your battle buddy.

The audience however plays a key part in everything. Let's say you're not showing off your extra damage attacks or not using cool moves then the audience goes down and some members will even through rocks at you. However, if you're the fan favorite they'll throw goodies on stage. There is also stage elements like the stage can collapse or these spiky guys can randomly fall from the ceiling. This isn't a press A constantly RPG, you'll be busy.

One of the big pluses is the dialogue. The dialogue in Paper Mario 64 was downright horrible. Here, it can actually be downright funny. My ever favorite Bowser line: "Crystal Stars you say? They sound like world conquering tools, I want them!". And Luigi doesn't join you on the quest but he has his own quest to tell you about should you go chat to him.

It's sad that games like this get past over for others which is a shame cause this is one of the Gamecube's must-play titles.

SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THIS GAME ROCKS LIKE ANYTHiNG!!! I love all of the chapters!!!! I could play this game a thousand times!!!!!

The Best Mario Game Yet!
This game is a ton of fun if you are into platform games.
There are loads of partners (7 to be exact) to choose from and each partner is unique! You have to collect 7 crystal stars and a long journey has to be taken for each one!

The problem is that when you are talking to someone who is telling you what to do, it takes for ages!

You get different abilitys such as Plane, Roll etc. and they are all briliant!
I think the best bit is the battles, you have to fight bad guys when you bump into them on the field mode! Each crystal star gives you a star attack and they are all fabulous!

If you like platform games and/or fighting games then this is the game for you! ... Read more

Product Description

MLB® 2006 features numerous gameplay enhancements for the upcoming season. The all-new Branch Point Technology (BPT) provides seamless fielding transitions and smooth base running; the all-new PlayMaker Fielding Marker provides better fielding interaction with your player attributes with your skill level in order to make the play; all-new Release Point Pitching helps determine your ability to hit spots in the strike zone; a deeper Franchise Mode; and an all-new Career Mode where you call the shots. With returning gameplay favorites including EyeToy™ functionality and online playability through 989SportsOnline.com, MLB® 2006 promises a true-to-life experience for every pitch, hit, catch and throw from the moment you step onto the diamond.

Features:

• All-New PlayMaker Fielding Marker merges your fielding skill with player attributes and ultimately provides challenging defensive interaction for you to play flawless defense.
• The all-new Release Point Pitching and Confidence Meter will impact your ability to hit your spots and paint the corners. As your confidence grows or diminishes, so does your ability to pitch effectively.
• For the first time in any Career Mode, you actually can call the shots. Discuss playing time with your manager, demand a trade or negotiate your salary; the decision is yours.
• The deepest Franchise Mode available just got deeper with the all-new Morale System where player morale is tracked on virtually every levelsalary, playing time, batting slot, team performance, you name it.
• Experience a completely unique commentary experience in every game that adapts and reacts to real-time actions and situations with all-new Progressive Audio.

Features

• All-New Branch Point Technology (BPT) Only BPT gives gamers the ability to field the ball and pre-load a throw with seamless fielding transitions impacted by footwork and momentum. This new technology is also used for base running allowing smooth and fluid transitions from a run or slide.
• All-New Pitcher Confidence MLB 2006 brings baseball fans the ultimate duel with a revised pitcher/batter interface by binding player rating attributes with a gamer's skill. While easy to pick up and play, yet difficult to master, MLB 2006 is a game within the game. Additionally, Pitcher Confidence plays a role in a gamer's ability to hit spots in the strike zone, while frequency of mistakes will impact the confidence level of a gamer's hurler, making it more difficult to hit paint the corners
• All-New Fielding Zone Marker With an all-new fielding interface that brings the player attributes together with the user's skill level, players will really need to make the play. In the past gaa player with the Franchise Mode Player Editor.bats, check swings and more.
• AAA / AA Minor Teams & Stadiums MLB 2006 features 60 teams and 5 stadiums from the Minors.
• Old-Time Players & Stadiums Unlock and play with Silver Era and Golden Era players like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, then play in old-time stadiums like Forbes and Polo Grounds.

Reviews (30)

More frustrating that fun.
This game is just full of holes. The loading takes way too long, the career mode takes months before you see results, the game freezes at the worse possible times, and it's just bad times.
For instance, I tried career mode over the last week. I built a guy, did alright, played around for an hour, and the game froze up. I tried it again the next day, played for an hour and tried to save, froze while I was saving. Just 3 minutes ago it took the typical 3-5 minutes of random loading, and froze the second the loading bar was full.

AND ANOTHER THING, the game designers seemed to focus more on pointless features like 10-year contract bonuses and pitcher confidence, and less on actual hitting/pitching. I can't count the number of times my bat went right through a ball for a strikeout. There are also random glitches that cause balls to break the laws of phyisics to get strikes.

This just seems to be a Murphy's-law kind of game. It WILL freeze at the worst possible time, you WILL strike out in the most important situation, and you WILL want to pull the CD out of the machine and punch it into powder.
PS: It's not just my CD that freezes up, almost every person who's reviewed as noticed it.

It's so annoying
The games whole setup is awsome but almost every time I play it the game frezzes. I'm in the middle of my franchise and it frezzes on me. Its sooooo cheap and annoying.(I was winning too!) I just don't see how such a great game has sucha big issue. So annoying! Geeze! I just can't belive it. But anyway, sometimes it freezes while it's giving me a tip or just freezes out of nowhere and my ps2 screen goes pure white. I can still hear all the sound and everything but it's either white or not moving at all. You can get the game and enjoy it but suffer some major issues. Or you can just wait until you see something else you like. But on my opinion I sorta wish I don't have it and havemething else.

Game Freezes!!!!
Do not buy, listen to everybody when they say the game freezes!!!It always does.Dont waist your time, and especially your money!

MLB 2006
It is a good game, but it is a little to cartonish for me. I am glad you have Mark Elis on the game. I liked the graphics and the game play

Game Freezes
Sony...read one of these reviews why don't ya? Every single person who has written a review says that this game freezes...and so do I. Jeez! I've been a faithful fan of MLB since it came out, but this game is so frustrating! I'll get into the 8 or 9th inning and wham...the game freezes. It locks up, so you can't play it and have to restart. I've even won games and been in the process of coming back to the main menu when it freezes.Never again will I buy this game. Never never never never never never.



If Sony would just fix this problem the game would kick butt!!! ... Read more

Product Description

Karaoke Revolution Volume 2 expands upon the original game in the series, featuring seven new characters, three new venues and more than 30 new character outfits making it even easier for gamers to step up to the mic. Choose from a hit-filled catalog of well-known rock, dance, pop, and R&B tunes, including songs such as Every Breath You Take, Friends in Low Places and I Will Survive. Compatible with any PlayStation 2 headset/microphone peripheral, the games proprietary voice recognit ... Read more

Features

• New multiplayer Medley Mode, new characters, new venues, and more
• Dozens of unlockable outfits and other bonus items
• For 1 or 2 players
• Sing along to 35 brand new songs using a microphone or headset
• Vocal analyzer rates the pitch and rhythm of your vocals

Reviews (18)

This Game Is Awesome!
I think this game is really fun!!! I have Volume 3, and My cousin had volume 1 and now has volume 3, and we both think that this game is really fun. For people who love to sing like I do, This is one of the best video games ever. My friend and I play for hours. I haven't played volume 2 yet, but by looking at the list of songs that are on the game, I think it would bea lot of fun! I REALLY recommend this game!

Not As Good As Volume 3 But Still Fun
I have a few comments.First, I'm quite ticked that they have I'll Make Love To You on the disk.I would have given this disk a 5 out of 5 if it weren't for that one thing. We play this game with a 9 year old and an 11 year old.They do have it censored by saying "I'm going to take off my charm" or something instead of "off my clothes."But it helps little. (Volume 3 I have *no* complaints as far as the kids go for song choice on the disk.)

The songs to choose from for karaoke competition are as follows:
Song List (all below are "originally by"):
1) Baby One More Time (originally by Britney Spears)
2) Born to Be Wild (originally by George Thouroughgood and the Delaware Destroyers)
3) Every Breath You Take (The Police)
4) Friends in Low Places (Garth Brooks)
5) Genie In A Bottle (Christina Aguilera)
6) Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis)
7) Here Without You (3 Doors Down)
8) Hot Stuff (Donna Summer)
9) I Believe in a Thing Called Love (The Darkness)
10) I Will Survive (Gloria Naylor)
11) Irresistible (Jessica Simpson)
12) It's My Life (No Doubt covering Talk Talk's version)
13) Jessie's Girl (Rick Springfield)
14) Lady Marmalade (Patti LaBelle)
15) My Girl (The Temptations)
16) Papa Don't Preach (Madonna)
17) Rock and Roll All Nite (Kiss)
18) Sittin on the Dock of the Bay (Otis Redding)
19) Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
20) The First Cut is the Deepest (Sheryl Crow)
21) Toxic (Britney Spears)
22) Virtual Insanity (Jamiroquai)
23) We Are Family (Sister Sledge)
24) White Flag (Dido)
Those are the songs listed on the back.Also included on the disk:
25) Cry (Waterfront? Kim Marsh? I don't know)
26) Drift Away (Doobie Brothers)
27) I Hate Everything About You (Three Days Grace)
28) I'll Make Love To You (Boyz II Men)
29) I'm With You (Avril Lavigne)
30) I've Got You Under My Skin (I have no idea. So many artists have covered this.)
31) Let's Get It On (Marvin Gaye)
32) Miss You (Aaliyah or Mariah Carey??)
33) Perfect (Alanis Morissette I *think*)
34) The Joker (Steve Miller Band)
...And I think I'm missing one because the back said 35 songs. Oh well.

Sometimes we let our 9-year-old be on the Easy level, and that helps him to do just as well as we do."Adjustable difficulty levels ensures that anyone can be a karaoke star," it says on the back of the box.And it's true.

The songs were recorded as close to by the original artists as possible, and they did a great job with that. The First Cut is the Deepest is pretty much the only song that really, really doesn't sound like the original artist (Sheryl Crow). But it still sounds pretty good.You sing along and choose how loud you want your own voice versus the recorded voice to be.It works really well that way.Sometimes I wish I could hear my own voice more through the speakers, but I think that is our own setup.

I do indeed recommend this product to others.Volume 3 is the best, though!! :)

Fantastic concept, just not for me
As a big fan of the Bemani series of arcade music games (such as Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Freaks and Beatmania), I was pumped when I heard about the first installment of this game.It's basically DDR for your voice.

However, as I soon found out, my voice apparently doesn't work as well as my feet, and even though I didn't have too much trouble passing songs, hearing my own voice through TV speakers was more than a little discomfiting.

Still, when KR2 came out, I decided to give it a second chance.I was sorely disappointed at the lack of new material, though.All the songs are new, but there's not much in the way of interesting genres... only pop, a few country songs, a few oldies and a stale rock song or two.More troubling, there's only a few new venues - the rest are repeated from the first game.

The first game has an option to load an expansion disc.This game should have been made an expansion disc and we all could have saved $20.

But don't listen to me.If you love singing, you will love this game, and you'll play it all night like I play DDR.If you don't like singing - don't bother trying.

upset yet thrilled buyer
i bought kaeroke revolution2 from bestbuy.com and the handheld mic from amazon.com... a week into my play, the mic started acting up and now is broken.. i do not recommend the handheld mic

Great Game!
Karaoke Revolution is a great game. I don't have volume 1 but I decided to buy volume 2 because it looked like it had more songs that I know.You don't need volume 1 for this game to work.I may buy it later to get more songs.But I think they should have a way for you to upload more songs into the game.This has a great mix of contemporary and classic songs.My socom logitech usb headset mike works fine with this game.(At first I tried the talk net internet headset but it didn't work with this game) I really like using the headset because you can dance around and really get into singing the songs.This game is great and easy to use for everyone.I play only a couple of ps2 games so i'm that great at a lot of games but this game is great for everyone. ... Read more

Features

• Assume control of a diverse and powerful army of soldiers loyal to your cause
• Persuade powerful enemy heroes to leave their evil armies and join your growing cause
• For 1-4 players over link cable
• Marshall your forces and draw your steel -- the legendary Fire Emblem roleplaying games have arrived on the GBA
• Defend against usurpers and assassins as you aid young lords on their quest against evil

Reviews (118)

Best GBA RPG Ever!
For those of you who were disappointed over Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls, this game will let you have peace in your heart.Although it is not made by SquareEnix, it still shares some of the elements of FF:Tactics Advance.While the story is as far out as the FF series, it still retains a lot of the plot twists and suspense that the other games have.

For of you who haven't had the chance to play any of these games allow me to introduce it to you.Intelligent Systems, the people behind Advanced Wars and Paper Mario, have released an RPG based off the Japanese series Fire Emblem after Super Smash Bros. Melee introduced Marth & Roy and the people begged for it to be released (including me).This game is not like SSBM in any regards, its totally different.You play on a grid where you move your units around and attack your opponents.

I am a big fan of grid based combat, so I went and bought this game as soon as I could.It has so many great elements to make a game good.The thing that might shock other people, as it did me, as that as soon as one of the characters dies, they're gone for good, unless of course you want to restart the level.This adds a huge amount of stratergy to the game.Some of the characters that are weak would normally make me care less if they died, but in this game, they give you their background, and each has their own dying phrase.The other thing is, your ending will be changed a little if any character dies.

The sound is spectacular, some of the best orchastrated music I've heard on a handheld.Conversations can drag on a little sometimes, but that can be ignored by the music and the excellent storyline.

It starts out as your basic fairy tale about a girl finding out she's a princess and so on.But then later the game takes on a much darker tone, which I don't want to spoil for those who haven't played the game.Oh, and the other nice feature is the ability for your weapons to have 'health.'Its similar to that of Dark Cloud's system, but different.If you use a weapon too much, it'll break.THe other neat feature is the extra chapters that can be obtained in various ways.

So overall, the game is pretty awesome.I suggest that to everyone who has a gba, to pick this one up even if they hate these games.

PROS
- Excellent Storyline
- Great stratergy elements
- The Battle System works extremely well
- The music is some of the best on a handheld

CONS
- Dialogue can drag on sometimes, but it isn't too bad.
- The Tutorial is extremely annoying, but if you skip it, you miss part of the storyline.
- Losing a character and starting the level all over can be quite annoying when you get to longer levels.

Yawn. Been done and done heaps better.
Remember Shining Force I and II? Remember? Those turn based top-down view rpgs on the Sega Mega Drive with cool characters, heaps of cool magic and detailed combat animations?

Well those were classic sega games that came out a full DECADE ago. Compared to those strategy rpgs of yore, Fire Emblem (this the 7th in the series) makes NO PROGRESS WHATSOEVER.

It has lacklustre character designs, an overly wordy plot, a simplistic and boring combat system, a lack of difficulty and an annoying "support" feature which is somehow the developers attempt at adding replay value to this game.

Overall, to the utter newbie whose only prior experience with these kind of games was with Advance Wars(which is arguably a better game than this one), Fire Emblem might seem like a solid choice. I agree, it IS a solid choice. It is also, however, a throwback of a game. A disappointing retread of gameplay that has been done bigger and better(on lower end systems I might add).

How to begin? I will make a short comparison between this game and Shining Force II, which many of you have already played. Let me remind you that:

*SFII had more exciting animations. In Fire Emblem, most of the art went to the character portraits. When it comes to the top-down graphics in battle, as well as the battle animations themselves, this game looks extremely poor for a GBA game.

*SFII had more varied character designs.FE's characters might look "pretty", but are pretty much all same-ish anime fare, color-coded hair and all.

*SFII had HEAPS more: weapons, armours, spells, items. It was much more varied. Compared to this, all FE has going for it is a nice little "weapon triangle" system and your token herbs and potions. Not very exciting. In SFII you could cast spells like gigantic lightning storms which affect entire areas. In FE the magic works just like a weapon. You attack one square at a time. BO-Ring.

*SFII had BETWEEN-COMBAT exploration. In FE, it's pretty much battle after battle. Consequently the plot is FORCED to be told in huge CHUNKS pre and post-battle. Not very immersive.

*SFII was fun and worth replaying. Just go try it. In FE however, any semblance of replayability is in the form of placing different units next to each other and wait turn after turn in hope of getting new support combos. Wheee.

It seems abit ridiculous for me to compare this hand-held game with a console game, but bear in mind that the console game in question came out more than 10 years before this. The game boy advance is both graphically and performance wise better than the Mega Drive in every respect. Why can't Intelligent Sys. make a game that fully utilises its potential?

An Intelligent Nod
I have yet to play Advance Wars 1 or 2, Intelligent Systems' modern war/strategy series for the GBA, but I can venture an educated guess that Fire Emblem shares a lot in common with it.Fire Emblem is a strategy RPG reminiscent of the Shining Force series for the Genesis, but it's been forever for me to make detailed comparisons of the two. Fans of Shining Force, Ogre Battle, and/or Advance Wars will probably find a lot to like.

Fire Emblem will be fairly easy for those experienced in these kinds of games.Most of the challenge presents itself in keeping your combatants alive, because if they are killed during battle, you won't be getting a chance to get them back.Not even a chance to revive them from defeat (unlike, for example, the popular Final Fantasy Tactics, where you had up to three turns to revive a fallen comrade).This can present a problem if you don't use tight and well-thought out tactics, because the enemy will always jump at the opportunity to kill the weakest party members within range.Fortunately, there's an ability to "rescue" other members, and even pass them off to others in your group.Anyway, I think it's pretty neat that you can't get them back.It adds an urgent dynamic to the game and forces you to really think your moves through.After the first part of the game, it even tells what the characters who didn't make it to the end went on to do with their lives.Some followed the party (although injured and unable to fight), while others went their separate ways.

In battle, it is prudent that you search out the most advantageous terrain (forests, forts) and engage from there.Also, weapon selection is an important factor, as certain weapons are good against some, bad against others.Rounding out the standard and borrowed strategy-RPG elements is the class system, albeit a limited one (nothing on the scale of an FFT or Tactics Ogre; more like Shining Force).Your units can advance in class with a specific item after reaching level 10.

One thing worth mentioning in Fire Emblem is that enemy forces, on some battlefields, are concealed within fog or darkness.The limited visibility adds another layer of danger to the combat, which can be partially alleviated with some items.However, this element only somewhat succeeds.I wonder if the developers could have made it where the limited visibility worked both ways, where the enemy had no way of knowing where you are, and would occasionally stumble into a big pack of your units (I wonder, but I think I know the answer to that one).More importantly, a stealth element is missing in the game, perhaps the ability to sneak up on an enemy without them knowing about your approach.

So, what drives all this fighting in Fire Emblem?The first part of the game has you controlling Lyn, a young woman from the Plains of Sacae, whose family was murdered by bandits, and who is of royal lineage in a far off Kingdom.Her journey takes her to the castle in search of her ailing Grandfather, in order to stop his vengeful brother from usurping the throne.But we find out that this is just a small part of a bigger scheme.Big surprise, huh?The story is ok, and the characters are ok, and the dialogue and writing might be the strongest aspect.However, there's nothing remotely profound or emotional in the melodramatic delivery of the game's story, but that's the norm for video games. Oh well.Instead, you end up developing an attachment to the characters for how well they fight in battle, cheering them on during encounters and hoping they don't get killed. The game succeeds in this.

A Final Fantasy Tactics this is not.It's not dynamic or deep enough in both its gameplay and story and sentiment.However, I'd argue that it's slightly better than Final Fantasy Tactics Advance for the GBA.Both games are derivative of what has come, but Fire Emblem's not stepping backwards--only nodding to the past.

Very good strategy/rpg title for the GBA/DS
This game is an excellent strategy title for your Gameboy and will give you dozens of hours of gameply. (My first go through the game was over 24 hours total)

The characters are all pretty much interesting in this game and there are tons of them to pick and choose on missions. The variety of the units and their personalities are what make this game so enjoyable.

And if a unit dies then its dead. No 1-ups or resurrection in this game. If your character dies then be prepared to never see them again.
This really keeps you on your toes as wounded units need rescuers and backup.
However, this can be a pain to play a mission for over an hour then have the boss kill them in one hit, thus causing you to start the level over again...

All in all this is simple to learn, yet highly entertaining game. Pick it up if youre missing some a challenging and engrossing strategy game.

Saved games reset - *sigh*
A fun strategy game overall, but has a major flaw - I can't stand any game that does not let you save anytime you want.I know this game allows you to save at anytime, but the game auto saves for you at the last turn, so that when you die you cannot revert to where you originally saved.I know the designers of Fire Emblem did this so to make the game more challenging or "realistic", so that players can't "cheat" by playing from that save point over and over again, but it actually makes the game more annoying and frustrating.If you character dies, by lets say a way to powerful and out of balanced mini boss attacking you and killing you with one shot, you have to start the whole stupid level over again.

Otherwise, this game would have received 5 stars - trust me, you'll get frustrated and annoyed the 100th time you main character dies, and you are forced to play the level over again. ... Read more

Product Description

Speed into the anything-goes world of Need for Speed Underground 2 and dominate the tuner racingunderground. In this fi rst-ever Need for Speed title for the Nintendo DS, customize and build the ultimatetuner then push it to the limits on the underground’s toughest tracks. With new features available only on theNDS including the dual screen Dash with Touch Screen nitrous controls and GPS display, a Design Studio forpersonalized decals, the brand-new Own The Zone mode, and four-person wireless multiplayer, Need for SpeedUnderground 2 delivers an unrivalled tuner experience... in the palm of your hand.

Features:

• Exclusive New Dash ScreenAccess GPS and touch-sensitive nitrous oxide control on the Dash screenonly on Nintendo DS.
• Ride in StyleCreate custom decals for your ride in the Design Studio, then show them off on the streets.
• Tune Your RideMaster four mini-games and unlock special performance upgrades to supe up your ride.
• Race on the GoChallenge friends to race-for-it-all battles in four-player wireless mode.

Reviews (8)

This is the best ds game ever!
This game is extremly fun.You get decorate your car and give it better upgrades.Anyone who has a ds should get this game.

Almost Flawless
Overall: Overall, if you really enjoy the street car life, girls, cars, and the VROM VROM sound, then yeah, NFSU2 is for you. There are some flaws though, but overall, I would say with no doubts that this is the most fun game in the racing genra. If I had to say what the most entertaining part of the game is, I would definately say the customization by the way.

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Gameplay
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4.5 - What I think that seperates NFSU2 is the customization. Driving around in your own boring stock cars gets boring, and just doing race after race just plain blows. Well, the guys at EA came up with the idea of being able to customize your performance, your body style, your paint job, and your specialties (neon, spinners). There are literally thousands of combinations of cars possible, and you can let the clown out in you and make a hilarious wierdo car, or let the ladies man come out, and make a rockin' pimp mobile. The only flaw in the gameplay, is traffic. Traffic was an idiotic idea. You'll justbe driving along, and you'll go on a turn, and you'll blindly smash into a car, and have to restart the race, and sometimes on really long races, this gets really irritating.

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Sound
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5.0 - The sound is what makes this game just plain awesome. The tracks range from techno, to heavy metal, to hip-hop. They already have them preset so the techno and heavy metal play when you're racing, and the hip-hop when you're in a shop. If you want to switch around when the songs play, you can by going to EA Trax in the menu. I have never ever had a problem with the sound. A+.

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Graphics
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4.0 - The graphics are really quite impressive in this game. Especially for a Nintendo DS. The lighting effects really impress me. The only problem is the crashes. If you look carefully, if you hit a car in a head-on collision, your front bumper will go through it, and come back out. Sometimes it glitches because it ends up loading while you're racing, and you will look like you're hopping. The graphics aren't the game's best feat, but they still are pretty dang cool.

Fun but challenging
NFSU2 is the best game-Hands down- made for the DS so far,yes even better than Mario "duh". The graphics are awesome but the music could be better. There are challenging parts in the game where you might become frustrated but you could try another game mode. Sometimes traffic gets on your nerves but it's all cool after you get the hang of cars going the other way. What I don't get is that almost every time an opposing car runs into you flip over. This game allows you to remake or coustimize the cars that you own. NFSU2 brings together ALL street racing characteristics. I give fun 4 stars and I would recomend this game to anyone.

WHAT A LIE IS A LIE!
make sure you all know that jurk who said what a lie was a company F****er HE WAS PAYED TO DO THAT
EVERYTHING IT SAYS IS ACTUALLY THERE THE BEST DS GAME I HAVE THE NITROUS is fun mini games get a lil hard music only problem is annoying graphics are better than mario
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!
This game is cool!The only con is the sound(drum beats are stupid).Anybody who didn't like this game didn't give it a chance.Also the fact that you need 2+ cartriges to play multiplayer.But the graphics and control more than make up for that!Overall I recommend this game to anyone who likes cool racing and pimpin out their car. ... Read more

Product Description

989 Sports introduces the first, real, basketball simulation ever created for handheld entertainment system. NBA for the PSPhandheld entertainment system will provide gamers with all the fast-breaks, precision passing, and above the rim action that fans have come to expect from their sport. Supporting up to two players via wireless multiplayer connectivity, NBA for the PSP will test the skills of all hoopsters with a variety of gameplay options including Full Season Mode, where gamers can select ... Read more

Features

• All-new Practice Mode, Play Off Mode, and Full Season Mode
• Paint Mode, 989 Sports Skills Challenge Mode and the 3-Point Challege
• Simulation, trades, free agent lists, injuries and challenging basketball
• With 42 teams and 390 players to play as or against, you'll need a notebook as you try and figure out the strengths and weakness

Reviews (12)

Easiness!
THis game is hot, and it is a lot of fun to play. It is, however, WAY too easy. The first day I got it I lost all of my games, but once i adjusted to the shooting buttons, I became the master (which isn't that hard). I had an 81-1 season with the ATLANTA HAWKS!! In the game (and in real life) they suck! I lost by one point to the mavericks when i let my 8 year old son play! his first time ever picking up the game, and he lost 71-72. I can just throw it up to Al Harrison for an easy three points, and it is like that with EVERY TEAM. I always play with the highest difficulty, and always win by 30 or 40 points. I get bored just throwing the ball to my wing man and scoring every single time. i highly reccommend waiting for a better NBA game to come out. The mini games are alright and online could be a bit better...nobody is ever on. Save your money for Coded Arms, which will be the best PSP game ever, or just buy a new NBA game when it comes out cuz this one gets old fast.

Potential
The knock on 989 sports games has always been unrealistic game play... This title is no exception to that charge.
Before I rip the game, I will say this: if you're not worried about realistic game play, it's a fun game. The graphics do a great job of showing the potential the PSP has. The mini-games are quite fun and highly replayable. Sadly, the mini games are the best feature.
In my first game (keep in mind all this happened the FIRST time I picked the game up) I scored 60 something points with Rashard Lewis, almost all of the points coming in the 2nd half, once i became comfortable with the controls... almost all of his points came on 3's... I hit something like 17 or 18 3's... If you hae a decent 3 point shooter and he's taller than the man guarding him, you hit like 80% of your 3's! Also, Luke Ridinour threw down a 2 handed dunk where his head was lke 2 feet above the rim at one point. LUKE RIDINOUR!!!!!! also, the oposing point guard, mike bibby had 30 points and 25 assists! 25! that's an NBA record, and I still won the game!
the bottom line is, if you just want to have a basketball game and you're not worried about gameplay accuracy then you can get by with this game. But if you want something that resembles an NBA game, then stay away.

PEOPLE WHO SAY THIS GAME SUK ARE STUPID!!!
LOOK I KNOW THAT WHEN U FIRST GET IT, IT MIGHT BE KINDA HARD... BUT U CANT STOP!!!
THIS IS GAME IS SO MUCH FUN THAT U CANT GIVE UP, U CANT STOP PLAYIN IT, IMASTERED THE CONTROLS AFTER THE FIRST GAME BEACAUSE I HAVE PLAYED SOOOOO MANY NBA GAMES AND I AM THE BEST AT THEM ALL! BUT FOR AN AVERAGE GAMER, U WILL MASTER THE CONTROLS AFTER U PLAY 3 OR 4 GAMES. AFTER U MASTER THE CONTROLS U CAN DO DIFFERENT THINGS WITH THE GAME LIKE, TAKIN YOUR SKILLS TO THE GAME PAINT OR THE SKILLS CHANLANGE ! GET THIS GAME NOW!!

NBA Cool
This is the best game I have ever played. The graphics are like a PS2. This game is better than the NCAA March Madness by a long shot. this game will make you fell like you are actually at the game. My favorite tear is the Miami Heat. They ever have all the all stars be play when you play. I was sure right when I heard that there was going to be an nba game that I must have it.

Best buy
If you want more bang for your buck then tis is the game psp games start at $40. Here are some tips like when you get to the menue than go to the play offs and pick the pistons because the have the best stats. But if your a little afrade about spending $40 on this game I garented you will like it. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Star Wars fans, listen up. If you missed out onLucasArts's X-Wing or TIE Fighter simulations when theyfirst appeared, it's time to make amends. These classic games from thedays of DOS have been given a complete makeover, updated with enhancedgraphics, and now run under Windows 95 and 98. X-Wing CollectorSeries contains both of these Collector editions in a singlebox, along with a demo CD-ROM containing X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter:Flight School, and offers them all at a price that should be wellwithin anyone's entertainment budget.

Entertained is what you'll be once you've installed these games. X-Wing lets players pilot A-wings, Y-wings, B-wings, and (of course)X-wings in dozens of missions against the evil Empire. Although Rebelships have the advantage of being equipped with shields, don't expectany mercy--the game is infamous for containing some of the toughestmissions of all time.

TIE Fighter turns the tables by letting players work their wayup in the Imperial ranks. Several types of TIE ships are modeled, fromthe ungainly TIE bomber to the incredibly agile TIE defender. In bothgames the controls are about as perfect as they can get in a game ofthis type, and campaign missions play out with convincing voice actingand great plot twists. The graphics pale in comparison to a newer gamelike X-Wing: Alliance, but there's so much gameplay in these CD-ROMs that we barely had time to notice. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

• A few hundred fun, challenging missions to play through
• Many different ships
• Sound effects and music straight out of the movies
• Perfectly captures the excitement and feel of Star Wars

• Updated graphics still don't look as good as those found in modernspace simulators

Reviews (12)

An ageless game
I bought this game for my 486 years ago, back when the game had to be installed from a floppy diskette.The gameplay is second to none.No game since this one has kept me up at night, formulating different strategies in order to succeed in a previous mission failure.The amount of detail in this game blows my mind comparing it to other, more "asthetically pleasing" modern games.The level of difficulty is very, very high; however, I never became so frustrated as to give up, only to try harder.Hands down, my favorite videogame of all-time.This one even tops Diablo II, folks.

My Favorite Game
Tie Fighter is my favorite game.Of course, that means little without knowing me.I'm 33.I got my Atari 2600 when I was 8, and my first computer (Timex/Sinclair ZX81) when I was 10.I used to regularly steal $20 bills from my mother's purse to spend hours at the arcade.(P.S. -- Haven't seen HyperBall in along time.A very nifty mechanical game.)

I believe popular video games began a downward spiral with the sad arrival of Doom.

Nowadays, I still have a working Atari 2600 adapter for my ColecoVision.I have a nice collection of KOEI games for the Nintendo Entertainment System.I have nearly 2000 arcade machine ROMs on my computer.

It is my opinion that Dungeons of Daggorath was the most innovative video game, ever.It is my opinion that Tie Fighter is the best video game, ever.It's sad that nothing better has come along in the 10 years past its release.

Oh...My...God
Concerning X-wing

I remember getting this game for my birthday way the heck back in 1992.The missions were so fun and CHALLENGING now this is a word that most people in the computer game industry seem to have forgotten.The appeal of this game for me was that because it took so much time to complete(I think I managed it in 2 years) the victories were all the swetter when you won.

Nowadays you can just type in a cheat code and skip to the end well keep in mind that such a thing did not exist on the old DOS machines.

X-wing was the first but later on Lucas-arts improved the engine by adding TIE FIGHTER (that's right a game where you play on the side of the Imperials) this also provides some very challenging missions but can be beaten with much more ease that anyone could ever beat x-wing.Still fun, just as enjoyable

Now X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter brings us relatively up to date combing elements of both games what you have is a game that is more useful for multiplayer than single player missions.This is finally where the age of this type of game in this type of format began to show.Most of the missions in this game were just repeats of the same missions in X-Wing and Tie Fighter.Although the graphics are better and there are one or two missions that provide a great level of enjoyment.

If any of you old dogs out there are still using 98 or 95 pick up a piece of gaming history and get a copy of this package.

would be more fun if wasn't so difficult
this is one of the older games that are still around, but, unlike the other oldies, this one now has Direct-X 3D acceleration.It also has Lucas Arts premium sound effects , so if you've never played a Star Wars game, this is as good a place to start as any.

You get a manual, a quick reference guide and 2 CD-ROMs containing a total of 3 titles: "X-Wing", "Tie Fighter" and "X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter: Flight School" (a demo of an improved title).

this was the first game(s) I ever bought and was hoping for agood space flying/shooting sim that's fun and not too difficult.I got half of what I wanted...it looks good and the tutorials are fun and simple, but like most of these type games, most of us can only finish the first 2 levels before being inundated with unenjoyably heavy fleets and relentless laser fire.

Awesome
I can't believe how fun an old game can be.Sure, the graphics are a little dated, but the gameplay is unbeatable.This Collecter Series is a really great deal that saves a lot of money because if you only buy one of the games you'll end up wanting to play the others too.So buy it today! ... Read more

Product Description

Wario's latest batch of microgames are more insane than ever thanks to the new touch screen interface. In one game, you have to use the stylus to guide a twisted piece of tissue into an unsuspecting nostril. If the nose sneezes, you win. In another, you use the stylus to carve a statue by chipping away at a large stone block. The games are faster and goofier than ever, which will make this title a sure-fire hit for any WarioWare fan. ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Short but Fun
I have only played this Warioware game and the Warioware: Twisted! game, so I will not be rating this game in comparison to the first Warioware game.

In this game, you play through a series of quick, 5 second microgames in quick succession.Although some games are hard to complete, the real challenge is in the speed.There are over 180 microgames, so with each microgame you have to instantly figure out what you need to do, or lose and proceed on at the breakneck pace.

This gameplay is incredibly fun, and really makes for one of the best gaming experiences ever.The actions are a bit repetitive, however.Take the microphone themed games.About 90% of these games could be done simply by blowing in the microphone again and again.Luckily, the little differences in each game keep you interested, and your eyes on the screen.

By far the biggest problem with this game is its length.I beat it in about three hours.(Beat meaning I got the reccomended scores for every character in the game)I spent a further three hours or so, and I am now experienced with every microgame in Touched! and I am close to having beaten the Albums for them.I have every souvenier but three.And worst of all, once you have memorized every microgame, the entire thrill of the game, not knowing what to do, is gone.

If you are looking a tougher, larger game experience, buy Warioware: Twisted! for the GBA instead.It is a bit better than Touched!, but they're both great games really.If you have a DS, my reccomendation is to buy them both, put them in at the same time, and have a great time!Plus, you unlock a special video of Mona in Touched! if you put them both in at the same time.

Overall, Touched! is either a hit or miss game.Try it before you buy it, but I think you'll like it.

FINAL RATING:4.5 out of 5


P.S. Please forgive the spelling mistakes, I am writing this quickly.

I Love Wario!!!
This game is so much fun. Although sometimes the directions are unclear, the items on the screen usually tell you what to do.It is a game I could play forever and it never gets old. You never know what mini game will pop up next. It is very fun and NOT a waste of your money.

Absolute madness yet SO fun!!!!!
Having played, replayed, and loved the GBA WarioWare: Mega Microgames, it was only natural that I should buy the DS version. WarioWare Touched is perhaps the craziest DS game ever created, a barrage of 5-second microgames one after another. There are 180 of them, all with strange goals like running a mechanical pencil out of lead or popping balloons. Some other reviewers have complained that this game is too easy, but I disagree. Sure, I was able to beat all the sets of microgames once in the first day I had it, but that's only scratching the surface. After you beat a Boss level or complete a set number of games, you recieve a weird souvenir, which could be anything from a party blowout to a parrot that repeats whatever you say into the DS's microphone. This keeps you playing even after your first run through the game, trying to beat challenges and unlock more extras. I still don't have them all. I still haven't even played all the microgames.

Another cool feature of this game is the fact that only the touch screen and the mic have any importance in the game controls; everything else just pauses the game. While this makes for a fun, different way to play, you should be careful not to get too carried away in trying to beat the clock, or else it's easy to scratch your screen. I know. I've been very, very careful {or have tried to be, anyway}, but my screen still got some scratches. Oh well. This game is worth it. This isn't a story-oriented game like Super Mario 64 DS {which, by the way, is an awesome game}, but it'll keep you playing for quite some time. Oh yes, it's got some pretty cool music too, 2 songs having lyrics. I really enjoy this game, and I recommend it to anyone who has a DS.

BEST DS GAME EVER!!!
Do not, I repeat DO NOT pass on this game.In Wario's debut with the DS game system I couldn't wish for anything more from a game ever! This game is extremely fun because of the single fact that you get to play 180 new microgames with the touch screen.Yup, you heard me folks, you don't use those pesky buttons the entire game.This style of gameplay makes Warioware: Touched the best game ever.This game has many micro games, over a 180.If you are wondering:What is a microgame? Don't worry, I'll explain. A microgame is a fun game, that takes about 5 seconds to complete.Now you must be thinking: That is so easy then! Nope, your child won't get bored of them, because they become very hard to complete in the later levels. The game is set up in a very interesting way.Each charcter has there own specifictype of games. For example, with the character Jimmy T., you have to rub to complete the games.Each character throws exciting new games your way. In one of the characters, you evn use the microphone! To unlock more charcters you have to beat a chracter yuo have.But the fun doesn't stop there either. After beating the game you can try and beat your highscore's for each character.This part is challenging, and I promise it will keep your child interested.Another cool thing about this game is the toys.Whenever you beat a character, you get a "toy". What is a toy, you might ask. A toy is a cool little thing that is fun to play with. For example one of the toys is a "harmonica." Where you blow into themicrophone and then press button, and then your DS is a harmonica. Some of the toys are minigames. A minigame is different from a microgame. A minigame doesn't last 5- 10 seconds, but last as long as you keep winning. Another cool part of the game is the album.Here you can play microgames you've played while using the charcters. It is a cool feature, and it really adds to the replay value of the game. I also enjoy the sountrack to this game.It has many catchy tunes, that are sure to be stuck in your head.Each character, along with having there specific type of microgames, has their one soundtrack. There are also many classics. such as the Nintendo Theme Song. Overall, you MUST BUY THIS GAME. If you have learned anything from this review, I hope you learned, what an awsome game this is. I would recomend it over any DS game you can name.It's got fun, hardness, and replay value. If you want your child to have the best DS game, buy this one.

A must-have for DS owners
This is the first must-have game for Nintendo's new handheld. With great implementation of the DS' unique features, fun-for-anyone gameplay, and quirky tone, this will please both the masses and the diehards.

The hook here, obviously, is the touch screen. Let me tell you, using a stylus is just as intuitive as using a button interface. Everything is incredibly responsive; I can't think of a single time when I had to tap or rub repeatedly to get the game to react.

There are a respectable number of characters in the game, each with his or her own control mechanic. To complete the game, you must finish a set of each character's "microgames" (think minigames, only they last around 5 seconds each). For example, there's a character for "slicing", one for "scribbling", and another for "dragging", among others. This variety keeps the game fresh, and always makes you excited to play as a new person.

The microgames themselves are extremely well-designed. Although you are thrown straight into them, with no explanation or instructions, it's a cinch to figure out your objective and complete it within the time limit. You'll find yourself doing things as diverse as scribbling ketchup onto hot dogs, chopping carrots, or scratching backs. Lots of the games are funny, too. I should also mention that each game has three levels of difficulty, which adds more variety.

Maybe what I like best about this game, beyond the great gameplay, is the extraordinary amount of content. Sure, the "main" game can be finished quickly, but there's a boatload of things to do after viewing the credits. By earning high scores, you can earn tons of extra prizes. These prizes are really great and unique; you can unlock everything from a playable piano to a two-player ping-pong game.

This game has convinced me that the DS has real potential. It's a joy to play, it'll keep you entertained for hours, and it's full of little surprises that'll make you smile. If you have a DS, run out and play this now--I can guarantee that it'll make you leap up and exclaim, "Touching IS good!!" ... Read more

Features

• Race against your friends in free mode, battle mode and party battle!
• Conquer the toughest races in the world!
• Breed and train your own horses!
• Become the most sought after jockey!

Reviews (8)

A Great Game
This is such a great game! Although when you play the Season Mode, in the beginnning it is quite difficult. But if you play Free Mode, and pick an SS horse, which is basically an A++++ horse in our language, you'll get a better place number after the finish. You see, the meaning of the game is "Horse-Racing." It is not like Gallop Racer 2003 - A New Breed; therefore you get a trainer, and you have to ridethe horses he/she are training. I recommend this game to any Action/Racing fan.

For horse lovers
O...wow. This is the best horse game I have ever played! I can't imagine a horse racing lover not adoring this game. There's so much you can do - so many races you can ride in - and I don't think there's a time limit to the amount of years that you're a jockey! I like how you can progress to riding better horses as you get better. It sounds really obvious that you should be able to do that, but some games don't let you. Some horses have really cool abilities you can use to help win races, like Strong Heart. That's my favorite. You can also breed horses, which I haven't done yet, but I'm positive it'll be great! If you love horses and especially horse racing, BUY THIS GAME!

Addicting!!
I could not stop playing this game when I first got it!! It has great graphics, and when you're in the pack while racing, you can actually feel the horses hooves poubding on the ground. If you don't like racing however,this game might bore you. You can breed your champion horses also! Great game!

Gallop Racer 2004-AWESOME!!
All of the Gallop Racer games are FANTASTIC!! You get the full feel of the whole racing thing in this game. You ca, buy, and even breed horses, you bet, build your own course, better effects than even '03's. It is SO addictive!! You start playing; you can't stop!! I'm rank SS in both of the and have top notch horses. But even when you get this far you STILL don't win EVERY race. WAY more challenging than car races. (Yes I am a girl, and 12 if you want to know.) That's why I rank it-*****!!

This Game is Great!!!
GR2003 is my favorite game. I'm expecting even more fun from 2004. The last game was (and still is) very addictive. Once I start playing it, I can't stop! I was surprised that I did not win every horse race like I do car games. But as I got used to the strategy of when I speed up the horse and slow it down, I started winning. I love to bet on the horses. It's like there are real horse races in my living room!! I'm a top-rank 11 year old jockey, and plan the same for the next game. I'm expecting to get this game for my birthday, then I'll be a top-rank 12 year old jockey!!:-) ... Read more

Product Description

Karaoke Revolution Volume 3, the newest title in the groundbreaking music series will let karaoke crooners sing with - and compete against - friends with the addition of duel microphone support and exciting new modes for two mic gameplay. In addition, Karaoke Revolution Volume 3 includes more than 35 new songs - from timeless classics to today's hottest pop, rock and R&B hits to deliver the ultimate party game for the entire family. ... Read more

Features

• Sing-Off modes let you prove your complete and total domination of the karaoke world
• Try Knockout Mode -- two singers compete for points and see which is best
• Sing along with 35 new hit songs from the past & present -California Dreaming, Don't You (Forget About Me), Killing Me Softly, You're the One that I Want, Oops!. I Did It Again and more
• Classic duet tunes with separate parts for different singers -- sing together for a combined score on hits like Under Pressure, Love Shack and Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Reviews (10)

This is GREAT!
This game is the best ever!!! It's sooo much fun you wouldnt believe it! At first you might think that you will do bad because you don't think you're a good singer, but it's fun no matter what! You will love this wheather you are a child or an adult. You could play this game for hours!!!!!!!

Incredibly fun alone or with friends
If you laugh at karaoke, you really need to give this a try! Not only it is amazingly fun - you can even sing duets with your friends!

We have Karaoke on the XBox and love the graphics and ability to download new songs. On the PS2, There is Karaoke 1 and Karaoke 2 which have that same song selection and venue set. With Karaoke 3, they bring in the brand new ability to sing duets.

First, the normal gameplay. You get a full new set of locations - from a garage with cars outside, to an incredibly fun music video set, to a classic 'rooftop' scene a la the Beatles.

You get a new batch of songs, and like all song sets, they are "reproduced" by professional singers. This means that sometimes they sound almost exactly the same - and sometimes there are differences that drive fans completely insane. It really depends on which particular song you enjoy and how fanatical you are about the accuracy.

There's a good selection though, from Oops .. I Did It Again to Under Pressure, from Ain't No Mountain High Enough to Respect. I have to admit, though, that there weren't any true Lisa Favorites in here. With my XBox karaoke, there are a bunch of songs that I'd gladly sing over and over again because I love them. There are 2 or 3 songs in here that I enjoy a lot, but nothing of the same level. I suppose it's always hard to choose a group of songs that appeal to a wide audience.

I suppose in a way I've been spoiled by the XBox download ability. I can just go online and grab more songs if I want with the XBox. With the PS2, I'm sort of stuck.

Once you get through the main gameplay, you automatically unlock all the original locations, which is great. The graphics are really pretty impressive, with the fans reacting immediately to your good and bad behavior. There is also a HUGE collection of characters to choose from now, from one-legged pirates to opera singers, from Indian girls to Meatloaf-looking guys. That is really something great.

Of course the main reason to get Karaoke 3 is the duets, and they are a TON of fun. You need 2 mics of course, and someone to sing with. Then each of you gets your own progress bar, one on the top, one on the bottom. There are only a handful of duet songs in here - from I Got You Babe to You're the One that I Want, from Shining Star to ABC. I like California Dreamin' myself, and it is actually a challenge to keep those harmonies going. But it's great fun!

Definitely an incredibly fun way to build up your singing skills, your tone and pitch and ability to hold notes for the proper length. An incredibly fun party game too, since just about every human sings along with songs they love, even if they won't admit to it. My only real complaint with this PS2 version is that you can't download new songs. You would think since the PS2 *is* able to go online that they'd give you some way to do it. Maybe we'll have to wait for the next generation Sony console before it catches up in this sense.

Bonus - watch the 'making of' video - they have the Badgers Badgers video running in the background on the laptop!

THE BEST VIDEO GAME OF ITS KIND
I think this game is one of the best I've ever played. I love the song selections on it and I love all the different challenges. My friend and I play this for hours! Its really good for parties too (Birthdays, get togethers, etc.) :) I highly recommend this product!!!!!!! :) :) :)

Haven't been able to use 2 headsets
I bought the first Karaoke game for my nieces for Christmas. We opened it early before they had to go home "to try it out". My sister and I fell in love with the game and had to go out and buy KR2 and KR3 and two lochitech headsets right away. I have not been able to use KR3 with the 2 headsets. The game locks up at the start. If we keep hitting the reset button, we can sometimes put in all of our information and then it locks up while the song is downloading. I tried the game using just one headset and it works just fine, but then I don't get to use all of the new features, like the duets or the sing offs. I haven't had any luck so far in trouble shooting this problem. I have switched headsets and I know they both work by themselves.

Our Favorite Playstation 2 Game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All of the songs on Volume 3 are kid-friendly.That is a huge plus and, in my opinion, the first of 3 volumes with this feature.One thing that is really fun about this game is that we play with our 9 and 11-year-old, and we are in our early 30s. This game gives us the opportunity to get to know songs that we wouldn't normally know.For example, I listened to "Beat It" when I was 9 years old, and now our 9-year-old son can enjoy it.

The songs were recorded as close to the sound that the original artists made as possible, and they did a great job with that. The vocals to "I Got You Babe," "New York New York," and "Twist and Shout" didn't really sound like the original artists but who cares.We were singing over their voices.

The songs to choose from for karaoke competition are as follows:
(All songs below are "originally by" the artists in parenthesis):

1) ABC (Jackson 5)
2) Ain't No Mountain High Enough (The Temptations)
3) Beat It (Michael Jackson)
4) Burn (Usher)
5) Careless Whisper (Wham!)
6) Don't You Forget About Me (Simple Minds)
7) I Got You Babe (Sonny and Cher)
8) If I Ain't Got You (Alicia Keys)
9) Leave Get Out (JoJo)
10) Love Shack (B52s)
11) Meant To Live (Switchfoot)
12) My Immortal (Evanescence)
13) New York New York (Frank Sinatra)
14) Oops I Did It Again (Britney Spears)
15) Respect (Aretha Franklin)
16) Take My Breath Away (Berlin)
17) The Reason (Hoobastank)
18) Twist & Shout (The Beatles)
19) Unchained Melody (The Righteous Brothers)
20) Under Pressure (David Bowie)
Those songs were listed on the box.These songs are also there:
21) Against All Odds (Phil Collins)
22) California Dreamin (Mamas & Papas or the Beach Boys)
23) China Grove (Doobie Brothers)
24) Come Clean (Hillary Duff)
25) Flashdance What A Feeling (Irene Cara)
26) Hold On (Good Charlotte)
27) Joy To The World (Three Dog Night)
28) Killing Me Softly (by Luther Vandross but performed by a female--The Fugees? Roberta Black?)
29) Shining Star (Earth, Wind, and Fire)
30) Someday (Nickelback)
31) Thank You (Jamelia)
32) When I'm Gone (3 Doors Down)
33) Why Can't I (Liz Phair)
34) You're the One That I Want (from the Grease soundtrack)


Sometimes we let our 9-year-old be on the Easy level, and that helps him to do just as well as we do."Adjustable difficulty levels ensures that anyone can be a karaoke star," it says on the back of the box.And it's true.

Volume 3 has the option of singing a few songs as a duet. My husband and I would make the effort and go get another microphone, but the songs don't seem all that great, and the karaoke is satisfyingly entertaining already.

Volume 3 has a new hairstyle for one character, Dwayne. It's my husband's favorite.We call him the Mullet Man.And the facial expressions that the character makes is HILARIOUS while he sings!He's hilariously serious and all into the music.

OK one last thing I wanted to add.The microphone that can come with Volume 3 works just fine.It's durable (we've thrown it and stomped on it by accident a few times) and it works well.We don't have Volume 1 yet but I think that the microphone doesn't work with it, and instead you have to get a special headset.I will let you all know in a review about that as soon as possible.
... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Now you can get the complete Heroes of Might and Magic III experience in one value package. This monster bundle will keep players building towns, raising armies, casting spells, and conquering foes for months. Look at all that awaits: 86 standalone missions, 14 campaigns, 38 single-scenario maps, quests for 138 magical artifacts (including 12 powerful combination artifacts), 8 town types to build and conquer, 16 hero classes, 145 combat units, and hundreds of adventure structures, including teleporters, neutral creatures, and special terrains with unique tactics. Missions can be self-contained single scenarios, linked together into multiscenario campaigns, or played as multiplayer scenarios against other human players across a network. As many as eight players can compete or team up via hot seat, LAN, modem, or the Internet. The random map generator lets you create unlimited battle scenarios. Create your own unique battles with a fully functional campaign generator and a map editor, ensuring customization for infinite replayability. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Absolutly Awsome!
This game is so much fun, and one of the mosty addictive games I have ever played, next to Final Fantasy X.At first it takes a while to understand how everything works, but it is worth it.I seriously could play this game for like 20 hours at a time, taking not pee breaks or for food.Buy it!!!

more addictive than... anything
I can play this game for hours on end.If I beat every map, I can just download more that other fans have made using the fantastic map editor.A great day includes playing this game with a few friends while drinking a Sobe and listening to Queens of the Stoneage.

I love it
I first played it at my friends house, me and my friend couldn't find the disc for civilisation 2 so we decided to play heroes 3, i thout it was real mad, now I want it.

One of the best computer games I've ever played
My short list of best computer games I've ever played:
Sims
Heroes III
Roller Coaster Tycoon

I am a 19 year old female who doesn't usually enjoy fighting games, but i do like fantasy. My only complaint for this game is that you need someone's IP address (or vice versa) to do multiplayer, and I've never quite been able to connect and play with someone over the internet. (I always get a message saying it can't connect) Maybe I'm just missing something obvious. But, I have enjoyed countless hours of fun with this game. its a great game to play with a friend or two, or three :) . this is a WONDERFUL strategy game, and has various difficulty levels (great for someone like me who doesnt want to deal with expert level, but doesnt always want it to be too easy). This game is well worth any money I paid for it. I have been playing this game for about four years now, and I still love it. Buy it!! :)

Heroes Of Might And Magic--and Beyond
Heroes III Complete is the best Heroes of Might and Magic game yet.This one has not only the original "Heroes III" (The Restoration of Erathia), but also includes both expansion packs (Armageddon's Blade and the Shadow of Death).

If you're new to the Heroes of Might and Magic series, then here's a quick overview.You start out with only one hero and only one town in a standard scenario.You can also hire more heroes once you've built a tavern.You can build different buildings in your town, but only one per day.Different buildings allow you to do different things, such as improve the fortification of your town, increase your weekly income in gold, learn different spells, and aquire troops for your army.Once you've built up a good army, you can go out and conquer land and other towns!

I like this even better than the Heroes IV game because it comes with a map editor and campaign editor.In the map editor, you can create your own world to play on, customizing everything down to the last little Gnoll Marauder.You can even customize the victory and loss conditions.The campaign editor allows you to string many maps together--custom and pre-made--into one campaign.This is a really good game. ... Read more

Product Description

MODEL- 20113VENDOR- KonamiFEATURES- World Soccer Winning 11 8 PS2 Winning Eleven 8 delivers a wealth of new moves, tricks and morein-depth gameplay. This includes new free kick and penalty kick techniques, an innovative indirect free kick move and a new dribbling system that offers more control as gamers go one-on-one against opposing players. Winning Eleven 8 will also include an on-screen referee - another first in the series.Further adding to the realism of the game, Winning Eleven 8 will feature 136 club teams, 57 national teams (including the Italian,Spanish and Dutch leagues under the official license), and control of up to 4,500 of the world's greatest soccer players. Players are brought to life through photo realistic graphics and authentically modeled features, as well as individual styles of play, movement and ball control. Along with these new features will be more advanced player stats that govern every aspect of their play.* Featuring 136 club teams and 57 national teams* Official licensed teams from the Italian, Spanish and Dutch leagues* 4,500 of the world s greatest soccer players* New moves and tricks including new free kick and penalty kick techniques* First-ever on-screen referee for the series, even giving advantage forminor infringements and stepping in to calm things down* Enhanced training mode allows beginners to learn the basics of soccer aswell as to help returning fans master the vast depth of play* Improved Master League, which now has more strategy through player development and injury, and a new ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Incredibly Fun!!!
If you're still doubtful about buying this game due to negative reviews, read no more and Just Buy It. First of all Winning Eleven 8 can't possibly be compared with any Fifa edition. This game is exciting, fun, and most certainly realistic. Once you get control of a player, you can imagine it is you dribbling the ball and taking spectacular shots at goal at any angle you desire and however fast you want it to go. A great feature is that each player is given distinct and original skills. Pavel Nedved is unstoppable or if you like putting a bit of crazy speed, give the ball to Ronaldinho and even bust a "gambeta" here and there. I can continue writing all night long but then again you need time to pay for this game. One last thing, there is a bad aspect to it, it turns to be time consuming once your fully into it.

The lack of licensing ruins it as always.
Like any other game in the sries winning eleven eight puts a strong emphasis on gameplay, and being a big fan of the sport i appreaciate that fact. But once again the lack of licensing brings the games presentation down along with visuals that cant compare to the fifa series. I have been buying both fifa and winning eleven 8 games side by side for a long time, and every year i enjoy fifa more. While i can understand why this game is said to be better then fifa and is pereffered by gamers it still doesnt work for a statistical buff like me who finds licensing to be an important part of ne soccer game.

Best game ever
This is the best soccer game ever; you cannot imagine how real and how exiting until you play it. If you love soccer, you will love this game. It gives you the latest updated information about the teams and the players. I strongly recommend this game.

The best computer game ever written!!!
(TRUTH IN REVIEWING)I have been involved with computers and games since 1978.I wrote two pioneering games for the Apple II and the Mac, and then gave up on computer games around 1983.

Since then, I have really enjoyed Shogun and Roller Coaster Tycoon -- but briefly.This is the first game I have seen in YEARS which really has the power -- which really makes people want to play it!

Perhaps most important is the basic choice -- soccer (football for the rest of the non-Yank world!:-))Football is a really fun game which almost everyone enjoys!(I would never have bought a video game for basketball, just for an example, nor for American football...)

But the next most important thing is the excellence of the software implementation.And here, I must confess, my jaw drops.I have never seen anything in the software world done so well, or so thoroughly.

This game is so GOOD and so much FUN that it entirely justifies the price of the hardware (PS2) to run it on,just as Visicalc in the old days (at $150) justified the purchase of an entire Apple II system to run it on.

It is that good!

Highest possible recommendation, and sore fingers!!!!

Winning Eleven 8
I like most people I know struggled through the flaws in past FIFA series.I read reviews and kept hearing the name Winning Eleven and so I decided to go for it and bought Winning Eleven 7.The game was great but Winning Eleven 8 is even better.
-Improved gameplay
-Deeper Master League
-More Licensed Club Teams and Real Player Names

I own FIFA 2005 and Winning Eleven 8 is much better (except for the online gameplay).
The question is, should I buy Winning Eleven 8 or FIFA 2005?
The games are very different and one game might suit one person more than another but here are reasons to buy one or the other...

FIFA 2005
-Online Play: This feature is great.Playing the computer can become rather boring after a while but being able to play anyone anywhere in the world at you ability is amazing.I played online for a while but became sick of other players using certain tricks or flaws in the game to win like scoring off every kickoff.
-Career Mode: This mode is very deep with every officially licensed league.The benefits is you can switch leagues and teams throughout your career (unlike WE8) but the computer is so predictable and easy to play against that I didn't have the patience to complete the first season.
-Graphics: The graphics are amazing with players, jerseys, and stadiums appearing like it was television.

Winning Eleven 8
-Gameplay: The gameplay is amazing, it has improved from WE7 and the computer AI is much more difficult.A new 6 star difficulty is available to unlock and I don't see this game becoming too easy for anybody.The crowd's participation makes you sweat pushing for an equaliser or holding a one goal lead.Playing with two people is much better than FIFA 2005 with quicker game play and no cheap goals. You'll play for hours with a friend who is at the same skill as you.
-Graphics: Personally I think the graphics are almost as good as FIFA.The difference doesn't bother me except for the uniforms which are kind of plain on the unlicensed teams.The jerseys for unlicensed teams are the same colors but don't have logos or sponsors on them.
-Master League: It is even more advanced and has more features than WE7.Although their isn't license leagues and cups, it does replicate real soccer.Yes, Manchester United is in the game as for the top 100 or so European clubs including licensed Italian, Spanish, and Dutch leagues.Each league has a cup and there is a WEFA Championship (Champion's League) and WEFA Master's Cup (UEFA Cup).With all new Master League edit mode, you can change which teams are in what leagues and create a "Power League" which is very entertaining.All in all this feature is worth buying the game itself.



If you love European Football and know a little bit about the teams and their players, than Winning Eleven 8 is for you.If you like arcade style soccer, buy FIFA 2005.True soccer fans will love this game and the more people that buy it, the more licensed leagues will ensue in future versions of Winning Eleven, so buy it today! ... Read more

Product Description

The Incredibles videogame features intense superhero action and adventure combined with the unique graphical style and humor of the next film from Pixar Animation Studios. The Incredibles, written and directed by Brad Bird (The Iron Giant, The Simpsons), tells the story of a family of undercover superheroes who are trying to live a quiet, suburban life, but are forced back into action in order to save the world.

• Action/adventure game based on the storyline of the movie
• Play as the film’s main characters
• Fighting, racing, and action/adventure gameplay featuring the characters’ unique superpowers

Features

• Action/adventure game based on the plotline of the movie.
• Play as all the film's main characters.
• Fighting, racing, and puzzle action/adventure gameplay featuring the characters' unique superpowers.
• Live the films action, adventure, and humor over 18 levels.

Reviews (22)

*Boring*
I played this game before, and do not buy it, it's just plain BORING. All it is? Fighting.That's ALL!!!! Believe me, this is not the best game you'll ever see.

Not a good choice for younger kids
My 4 yr old is crazy about The Incredibles and counted the days until his Incredibles game arrived in the mail. It was very disappointing. It is a lot of punching and being shot at and that's about it. Since The Incredibles appeal to a very large and young audience (and I know older folks too). I really thought the game would be more appropriate for younger children. It's not. My son loves Zelda, Urbz, and Mario Kart but unfortunatelythis was a waste of money and a big disappointment for a great little guy.

Awsome!!!!
I saw the movie and it was Awsome and I know 99.9% or movie games are good!

This game SUCKS!
DON'T BUY IT! Movie was awesome, game is glitchy, and just plain not fun. SUCKS!

Luv it,Luv it,Luv it!!!!!!!!
I am a big fan of the movie and for me this game was great.I loved the whole thing.I wish there was another incredibles video game.Even though it was challenging in some parts once you get the hang of it it's great.Level 8 is especially hard because you get killed very easily.Even though you have to keep a list of passwords I loved the game and it was based a lot on the movie.For someone who loves the movie this is a great game!! ... Read more

Product Description

Gamers can build their reputation as they create the future of street basketball with all-new jaw-dropping, ankle-breaking, rim-shaking moves in visually stimulating environments, from favorite courts like The Cage and Rucker Park to the next generation of streetball sanctuaries, like Venice Beach. It all adds up to give V3 a revolutionary style all its own. Featuring NBA legends, todays top stars, and original characters from past editions, NBA STREET V3 reaches new heights by making ... Read more

Features

• The Trick Stick gives you complete control of the rock -- take your dunka nd slams further, and make up your own crazy moves
• Show off your style with over 1,000 different custom options - hairstyles, gear and accessories are yours to play with
• Build and customize your home court from the ground up -Create a home court advantage with new court surface, net, and backboard styles
• Play on 12 authentic courts around the world, from Rucker Park in NYC to Venice Beach, California -- even courts in Europe
• Go wild with the Gamebreakers - turn combos into a 3-man aerial dunk assault

Reviews (17)

da best
buy it buy it now 10 out of 10 graphics sound and gameplay



save your money and buy it

Hot
The 3rd NBA Vol 3 Wuz relli good compared to the last ones the graphics got better and there were more games to pick from to do and i relli liked how u can create ur own shoes nd all that but after u play it for a while u kinda get bored of it but i still think u should get it if u liked that last but even wit the last i noticed u get bored of them but still its relli fun in the beginning i guess

Review:

Gameplay - 7/10
Graphics - 8/10
Sound - 8/10

NBA Street V3
Soar above the rim and leave your mark as NBA Street V3 hits the pavement: 3-on-3, over-the-top, and larger than life. V3 builds on the game-proven, platinum-selling gameplay of the Street series with new tricks and high-flying dunks. All new Trick Stick and interactive Gamebreaker control elevates the game to new heights with unmistakable style and attitude. Featuring today's biggest NBA stars, a collection of the league's all-time greats, and a Hall of Fame cast of past Street characters, V3 is non-stop, fast-paced, action-packed, in-your-face fun. It's as simple as that. NBA Street V3 is packed with highly-detailed authentic street courts, deep player customization options, new Court Creator, and sick online play. Put your rep on the line in the ultimate proving ground: the street courts of NBA Street V3.

The best of the series by far, I would be surprised if there's a better arcade sports game released in 2005. From bouncing the ball off your opponent's noggin to draining a game-winning three, there is just so much opportunity to talk smack, to compete, and best of all, humiliate your friends by dunking on their heads, that I think this is a must-buy for gamers looking for a fun basketball game without having to worry about the differences between a Triangle and a Box formation. Throw in six controllers and go at it in a real three-on-three for even more laughs, more slams, and best of all, more smack.

EA doesn't need an exclusive license to be king of the NBA street court. Midway, you may be second-fiddle for the rest of eternity as NBA Street V3 is the best street game of this generation. The only weak point is the sound, but beyond that, every aspect of V3 crackles with energy and imagination. I am a little bummed that EA still hasn't done anything interesting with jump shots (give us a dozen different trick shots, please), making it all about the dunks. The new GameBreaker is a sick and sweet idea and after putting a few dozen games under my belt, I began coming up with my own custom GameBreaker dunks. The inclusion of the Beastie Boys is inspired, the ability to customize your own court and shoes well-executed, and every GameBreaker dunk a furious thunder of street attitude. It's great, go buy it.

Best Basketball Game Out
NBA Street V3 has everything this year. The new Street Challenge is awesome, since you are able to build your own court. The dunk contest is unreal, because you are able to jump over anything. The gameplay is better to, but Bobbito needs a few more lines.May I suggest some ideas for the next version.

1-Use And 1 players against the NBA or against the NBA Street characters.

2-Use some of the old players from NBA Street, combine them together, and make a little challenge out of it, sort of like a new game mode.

OH YEAH, FOR THE DUDE THAT SAID TAKASHI IS NEW, HE IS OLD, REMEMBER, HE WAS ON THE FIRST NBA STREET, PLAYING ON THE ROOF.

Best Streetball game made so far!
Don't listen to anyone who gives this game bad reviews. It is awesome. Nothing about this game is bad, except for the fact Bobbito Garcia should change some of his lines. The Street Challenge or "Be a Legend" as in Vol.2 has been upgraded to the fullest. Vol.2's Be a Legend is about a 3.5/10 compared to V3. You can customize your character so much more,fine-tuning to every aspect of the face, even watches, and jewelery, to custom shoes. It has it all. Following that, you create your home court just the way you like it, you can even pick from about 35 cities. A new thing is that when you up ur stats, its out of 99, so it takes a while to boost your skills. You can still trade players to get better players after you beat a team and there are also new street legends. Stretch is back with oldies Bonafide, Dime, and Biggie Littles. Two new players to the game as Tacasie or something (he's chienese) and Phat. And for the people that think NBA Challenge is gone, its not, its just called NBAtreet League and thats also in Street Challenge. Besides the sweet Street Challenge there is a new dunk contest. Its pretty unreal, but loads of fun. You can use props and jump over them (Benches, Ladders, Trash bins, etc.), you can throw the ball up to yourself from a lot of crazy ways and angles, and when your in the air, you'll pull off the sickest dunks you've ever seen. The Gamebreaker must be one of the best parts of the game. Yes, the GB 2 is gone but this is alot better. You jump in the air and pull off the same dunks you would in a contest only you have teammates, so then you can throw the ball to them in mid-flight. You can even do a 3 man dunk show above the rim. You can get a best score of +4 and -1 to your opponents score. The lowest is +2 and -1. The better tricks you do, the better the score. Everything is new and better in this game, even the graphics which are brought to a new level with V3. So go out and buy the best streetball game you'll ever own (until maybe a Vol. 4 comes out) ... Read more

Features

• Six unique fitness environments -Keep your workouts fresh by doing them in the Empress? Dojo, the Alpine Retreat, an Island Paradise, the Urban Oasis, the Desert Springs Resort or a Meditation Garden
• Over 500 unique exercises to choose from - work through sessions with Yoga, Pilates, Cardio Fitness, Strength Training and more
• Customized meal planning with over 4,500 recipes, preparation instructions and shopping lists to make eating right more simple
• Dynamic fitness routines respond to your progress and commitment level
• Maya helps you integrate the fitness equipment you already own into your workout

Reviews (9)

Wonderful!
As someone who doesn't feel comfortable enough working out around other people, this program is *perfect* for me. I love how I'm able to customize practically everything so it's tailored just for me. I'm down 13 pounds so far and I'm actually enjoying my daily workout routine, something I haven't been able to say in a long time.

If I could change anything, it would be this:

-Less downtime, Maya sometimes takes a good 5 - 15 seconds to 'find the beat' to get back into routine if I had to pause the program.
-The ability to increase/decrease the difficulty of a single exercise. When Maya asks how I did at the end of a section - where half the exercises were too hard and half were too easy - what do I say? I would like the ability to give a thumbs down to a specific exercise, basically saying dump that but keep everything else.

Over all, this is the best PS2 purchase I've made in a long time.

Varied exercises - with some sloppy programming
This is a useful and fun way to exercise, but it does have some problems (asking you to use equipment you don't own, bad load times). I use it three times a week and would buy it again.

Pros:
- Measures your flexibility, upper body strength, lower body strength, core strength, and aerobic capacity to match the workout level to your body.
- You can adjust the workout level for each category (flexibility, upper body strength, lower body strength, etc)
- You see exercises being done so it helps with your form
- Tutorials on each move
- The workout has breaks, but they aren't too long or too short, usually.
- You open up new areas and music by sticking to the exercise program.
- Exercises chosen based on what equipment you have (step, dumbells, ball, or heart monitor)
- There's a Yoga section for Yoga fun. It gives you about 15 minutes of Yoga at a time.
- It has numerous meal plans based on how many calories you want to eat a day.
- The variety of exercises is good, but not great.
- Most of the exercises will work for woman and men, even though they are geared toward woman

Cons:
- The music is boring, and I doubt you will recognize any of it.
- Sometimes she has you use a piece of equipment she knows you don't own! Example, she tells me to use a ball of free weights to exercise my biceps, even though I don't own a ball and she knows it!
- The load times are disgustingly bad. If it changes songs during an exercise, then the game will come to a stop for several seconds. Then the woman will do one rep at an incredible speed you can't reproduce, then she will slow down to the regular speed.
- The exercises are clearly geared toward women. She sometimes has me do bicep curls without weights for about a minute. I would get more exercise drinking a pint of beer. I'm not even sure many women would get anything out of this exercise.
- Some of the stuff the woman says doesn't make sense. Example, "Get in your body." I wonder where she thought I was.
- Sometimes there isn't enough variety to the exercise. It seems like she only has two or three exercises for each muscle group at a given intensity level. If you don't progress to the next level, you will see that exercise again. And again. And again. Realistically, you can expect to see some of the same exercises in every workout for at least a month.

...One order of crow, please...
I first saw this "game" in the console section of a store around the time I began considering that I needed to work out more. At the time, I actually laughed at it. I just couldn't believe that something like exercising to a game console was going to be any better than a video: What a waste of technology. I mean, exercise routines are all the same, right? Dull. Boring. Repetitive. Gimmicky. Painful in all the wrong ways. So, this had to be the same, right? What was this thing going to do that I couldn't get anywhere else?-besides a pixilated workout character who may not be all she's cracked up to be?

Well, after spending about another week passing up the usual exercise tapes and swallowing my pride to purchase this, I have had my question answered; and have been eating my words daily for the past two weeks.

Y!F is really almost addictive: The level of personalization and interaction in the game is really great for someone who is tired of being spoken at by a pre-recorded person on video. The workouts are very fun (and pretty painful, if you're not used to doing them--but in a good way!) and versatile. The extras (earning new music and backdrops; using extra equipment; meal plans; personal fitness tracking; fitness goal setting/customization; scheduling; etc.) really help you to get along to whatever fitness goals you may have, as well. Most of the exercises are easily adjusted for higher or lower impact depending on our ability...and of course, if you already do great on floor exercises, try it with the equipment and increase the difficulty and exercise time. You simply can't loose.

Maya, the personal trainer character is also very encouraging yet down to earth, which is great for someone like me, who usually equates exercise with annoying bouncy, bubbly video queens in pink spandex and legwarmers yelling at me to "Feel the BURN! Woooot!". In comparison to those types, Maya is much more realistic. The animation for her is pretty good during the workout sessions. If you pause, she will stretch, and walk around while waiting- she is never really still. Nor robotic, just like an actual person.

I like the fact that every day I log in to work out, I'm greeted and acknowledged. (and when I skip days that I've scheduled, that I'm acknowledged in having done that, too: commitment is good.) I have the option of choosing what kind of workout I would like to do, and then have the workout adjusted for me depending on my mood (which can be all over the place, and effecting most of what I do, especially things like working out) and how easy/difficult the workouts actually are once we get started. You can also adjust the time that you spend working out, which is good for those days when you don't have but 15 minutes, or when you think you could go for 1 hour or more.

Personally, my favorite part of this 'game' is the Meditation Garden. In this feature, you get about 15-20 minutes or so of yoga, also dynamically performed, like the rest of the workouts. The yoga is very useful for muscle aches from the regular workouts, and helps me to ease my pre-existing body pain. I would suggest that if you get this product, to use this feature at least once every other day. It's very enjoyable all on it own.

--and after two weeks of faithful application, I have been noticing marked improvements. I'm glad I got this instead of opting for another bland workout tape, or simply walking in the park once a week. It wouldn't have worked out for me at all. I've been down that road and back, many times in the past.

Y!F Has really helped me to enjoy exercising. I'm not perfect about it, but at least I feel like it's something I can do and enjoy for the challenge; and not something I'm doing in order to torture myself for the eventual, far off benefits. There are benefits, now, even this short into my long term goal of loosing weight.

I highly suggest this to folks who need to get out and move more, and/or to folks who are tired of the same old boring notion of exercise tapes. If you haven't seen the light, yet, you probably will begin to after giving this a try. Don't knock it till you've tried it.

5 stars, hands down.

Totally worth your time & money.
Okay, so I'm a bachelor with no kids who could stand to be in better shape, so I figure what the hell, let's try this thing out.Quite honestly, this is one of the best things I've bought in a long time, and for about $35, it's a really good deal.

In about two weeks, I've noticed some big improvements.I look better, I feel better, and I have more energy than I've had in a long time.What's really cool is the fact that I actually look forward to exercising with Maya.

The creators took great care to make Maya fun & accessible to as many people as possible, and I think they did a good job.She's pretty without looking too perfect, she's intelligent without sounding like a know it all, and she even has a bit of a sense of humor.The writers and voice-actress did a very good job of giving her personality.I find myself awaiting to tell her how I'm feeling, or what I want to work on for the day, and when she tells me how good I'm doing, I actually feel pretty proud of myself.Yes, I know it's just the computer program crunching the data I'm feeding into it, that she's not "real", but the illusion of working out with someone who is a pleasant trainer is really effective.It's basically gotten to the point to where I say I'm going to work out with Maya, instead of saying I'm going to put in the Yourself Fitness game.

All in all, I really needed something like this to help me out.I wasn't really disciplined enough to workout consistently by myself, nor did I know all the styles and methods to use to workout all the various muscles in my body properly.I really feel like I'm finally becoming the physically fit man I've always wanted to be, and for only about thirty bucks!I'm happy I bought this.

Yourself Fitness is a fantastic program for health!
From the minute I met Maya, my new personal trainer I was hooked. Maya is a virtual fitness "person" who will help you meet your fitness goals.

The program begins with Maya greeting you and giving you a fitness assessment. Here you will input your height, weight and activity level and you will do a series of exercises; crunches, sit-ups, push-ups, and jumping jacks. Then you check your heart rate and input the information. Based on your level of fitness Maya will recommend an exercise program for you. She will tell you what you need to do and how many days a week you need to do it, to help you achieve your goals.

Maya will give you a selection of spaces to exercise in and ask what equipment you have. If you own a stepper, stability ball, weights and heart rate monitor, she will incorporate these into the workout. I would highly recommend adding all the equipment - especially the weights and heart rate monitor as these can really help you achieve your fitness goals.

After selecting your space (different virtual rooms with a different feel to each one) Maya begins your personalized program. During the workout she will ask you how you are feeling or you can at any time increase or decrease the intensity of the workout. At the bottom of the screen a scroll tells you what is coming up next in the workout ie squats, sidesteps, a stepper etc. You can also change the music selection - over 70 songs are available including hip hop, latin and 80's. The bottom also counts down the time of your workout - a fabulous feature.

Over time as you exercise, you will "unlock" treats from Maya like new workout spaces. Because she has so many "moves" your execise time with Maya will vary from one day to the next and keep your interest.

Maya also will hold you accountable. If you miss a day she will ask (nicely) where you were. As you exercise she will encourage you. Maya's voice is a beautiful, easy to listen to voice and you can lower or raise the volume of her voice and/or the music.
Maya herself is a buff looking brunette, it would have been nice if one could personalize their trainer's looks, and I will bet that's not to far down the road!

Maya also has a peaceful room where she will lead you in a nice yoga interlude. As you progress through the program Maya will help you adjust your goals and set new ones.

She will also set meal plans for you if desired.

I have to admit Maya has amazed me, besides kicking my booty in our exercise sessions. And the price point of $35 is so reasonable. Others love it too and there is an online community at www.yourselffitness.com devoted to discussions on this program.

Highly recommended!

UPDATE: I had a question about the program and was very pleased with the Yourself!Fitness representative Caroline's fast response and helpfulness. Double delight - a great program with super customer service!



... Read more

Product Description

Kirby leaves the Dream Land series for an all-new adventure with awesome side games and innovative copy abilities that are sure to please fans of the series and new players looking for a fresh, exciting multiplayer experience. ... Read more

Features

• New powers include a bow and arrow and the ability to grow wings
• Fight enemies with enemy-sucking powers
• For 1 or 2 players
• Kirby is back to help rid the Kingdom of Mirrors of the dark shadow
• Use Kirby's cell phone to call for backup

Reviews (25)

Kirby and the Amazing Mirror: The Best Kirby Game Out There!
Kirby has been my favorite video game character for quite some time.I love the cute and colorful scenery and enemies in Kirby games, and I like how they are fun, but have minimal violence.Kirby and the Amazing Mirror, although sharing the colorful graphics and lack of violence of the other Kirby games, is actually quite different.In Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland, you just cruised your way through levels randomly sucking up enemies.The levels were one-way, and you could finish a world in less than an hour.
Kirby and the Amazing Mirror, however, requires good thinking skills and an eye for detail.Different doors take you to different places, and you often switch from world to world without even noticing.To find your way around, you can use maps, but first you must discover where they are locatedAfter defeating all of the bosses, including the final one, your game is usually still not 100% finished.You have to explore every world and make sure to discover every room and open every treasure chest.
Inside the treasure chests could be spray paint bottles, sound effects from the game, world maps, or even a heart to increase Kirby's vitality by one.These objects go into the Collection Room.Spray paint bottles can be used to change Kirby's color at the start of a game, sound effects can only be listened to once you discovered the Sound Player, and World Maps and Vitality Hearts effect your game automatically.
The graphics and sounds in this game are great, and not annoying in the least.This Kirby game is as cute as always, but it has a slight twist on the Kirby style.Also, you can call the other Kirbys for help when you need it, but you can only call so many times before you need to collect batteries.I reccomend this game to anyone who like cute games or non-violent games.

A full Multi-Category review (and MAVAV parody bonus!)
This time around, gamers are in for a special treat from me. Not only am I giving my Multi-Category review to Kirby and the Amazing Mirror, but I just found a spoof website the other day made by the MAVAV (Mothers Against Video game Addiction and Violence), and found the site hilarious, absurd, and infuriating. As a result, I'm proud to include as a bonus in this review a parody mixed in saying what MAVAV would probably say about this game.

Enjoy!

GRAPHICS: (Me): This Kirby game shows that Nintendo knows how to bring out the best in its systems. The graphics may be decried by some as kiddie, but you should never judge a book by its cover. RATING: 9
(MAVAV): Kirby is yet another cute little character made to take advantage of the same strategy the tobacco industry used: lure kids in and addict them!

SOUND: (Me): Good, it fits in well with the Kirby universe. RATING: 9
(MAVAV): Turn off the volume! That music contains subliminal messages that will tell your childrens' subconcious to play more!

PLOTLINE: (Me): Kirby is chopped into four separate Kirbys of different colors and must swallow enemies and use their powers to save Mirror World. Goo, but it can be a little basic. RATING: 7
(MAVAV): This game has extreme violence and trains kids to kill people! If your children see Sword Kirby give Mr. Flosty a whack, they will be guaranteed to grow up as hardened, murderous criminals!!!

CONTROLS: (Me): Excellent. All difficulty comes from the skill needed to succeed. RATING: 8.5
(MAVAV): Once your kids touch the GBA, they will not be able to let go of it. They will immediately become obese social outcasts and suffer from extreme mental problems!

GLITCHES: (Me): None, as far as I know. RATING: 9.5
(MAVAV): This game has loads of glitches! And according to our non-existent, made-up sources, that's a FACT!!!

ENTERTAINMENT: (Me:) Excellent. I enjoyed it. RATING: 8
(MAVAV): Video game addiction is more dangerous than drugs and gangs! Don't let your kid touch this!

REPLAY VALUE: (Me): Plenty enough for a few times through. RATING: 8.5
(MAVAV): Oh, there's plenty, all right... when your kids are on a 72-hour non-stop gaming binge!

OVERALL RATING: 8.5

A FINAL WORD: (Me): Good game.
(MAVAV): Nintendo will steal your child's future. If they play this, THEY'LL BE SORRY!!!

Great kirby game!!!
This game is a very fun and challenging game.It is kind of that game that you might play all day and everyday.And your friends can help you beat the game.So you can split up and conquer the areas.Call your friends to the area you are having trouble with,and if you need to heal,call him/her to your area and eat the food they broght.This game is a must since you have to complete the game 100% and it is not going to be easy!

hello all you goofy goobers!
this ga,e is awesome I have it, but i think it`s hard becouse the sub-games goober. goofy it is good goober.

Great game...
I loved this game from the beginning. It has many different things to do. It does not, however, remind me much of the simplicity the first kirby game had. It can be rather complicated. My only question is this- I have made it to the point where I have acheived all the mirrors you can venture into. But...no matter how many times I enter into them...I cannot find the last battle to win so I can get the last piece of glass! Where is it??? ... Read more

Product Description

MODEL- AGBPFSME VENDOR- NINTENDOFEATURES- NES Classics: Super Mario Bros.Might as well jump.Famous jumps of the mid-1980s: Carl Lewis's long jump in the 1984Summer Olympics, 1984's ... Read more

Features

• Rescue a princess locked in a castle
• Explore secret areas
• For 1 or 2 players
• Classic video game originally created for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
• Action- and puzzle-based gameplay

Reviews (44)

classic
this game was made in 1985 10 years before i was born. so iv'e never played this game on nes but i played this one on on gameboy!!! YEAH!!! it's cool get it. well if you dont have it on nes yeah i'm a 5 year mario fan

Most Games ShouldFollow This One As An Example
Itz a me, a Mario! in his second and almost greatest adventure yet. The only reason i gave it 4 stars is because it can get a teensy-weesny bit boring. Don't let this fool you. This game is so superb that I keep trying to find games like this! Bowser kidnaps Princess Toadstool and let the mushroom kingdom fall to ruins. In this classic arcade game, you play as Mario (or Luigi depending on if you play two player), and you must go through 32 unforgettable levels, and you have to rescue the princess! Mario can hit bricks for some coins to boost your score. Plus all your favorite tunes are back, as good as ever. There are also power-ups such as the Mushroom, which makes Mario big and take one hit point. There is also a fire flower, which gives you the ability to shoot fire! But wait: the Star, which gives you invincibility! The classic jump and--what's this? Mario can run by holding the B button. Classic Goombas and Koopa Troopas and other baddies are just waiting to mess Mario up. Best of all, there are countless bonus places, such as places that warp you to other levels, and a vine that takes you to a coin heaven. So get this games for about $15.00, and it'll be totally worth every penny, trust me!

I'm confused!
This game is kind of fun, but was it the first Mario video game or was Donkey Kong the first Mario video game because I was just asking.

Best Classic Game of all time!
I think Super Mario Bros is one of the best games ever. Which Nintendo Has decide to Rerelease this game on the Game Boy Advance. I've Actually played the Super NES Version of this Game and The Super NES Version (...) I mean here are 2 things on my opinion on the Super NES Version.
1. Bad Graphics
2. Worst gameplay
This is just my actual Opinion on the Super NES Version and I think this Version is better than The Super NES Version so if you guys want to play this game buy it for the Game Boy Advance Not the Super NES!

Pure Genius.
These GBA "Classic NES Series" are pure genius. It is a great way to reintroduce such classic video games and a way to have them on the go. This game was great 20 something years ago in the 80's and is just as great on GBA. ... Read more

Product Description

Never Interrupt Your Enemy When He Is Making A Mistake. In Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars, command one of six 19th century nations during its imperial conquest of Europe. Whether by treaties, treasuries or truncheons, employ dramatically expanded tactical and strategic possibilities in this much-anticipated sequel to the internationally acclaimed Cossacks: European Wars. ... Read more

Features

• Historical RTS on new 3D engine
• 3D landscape (True Color) providing immense tactical possibilities
• Support for new-generation video cards, pixel and vertex shaders, etc.
• Coverage of European military conflicts of 19th century, Napoleonic war
• Battles on real historical scale with up to 64 000 units on the map

Reviews (4)

I couldn't compete against the Demo Version
I'm not the type who is really good at these games but I found it amusing that I couldn't really compete against the cpu even in the introductory battles (on hard because in easy the cpu doesn't use all the resources so it's a flawed game) of the demo version of Cossacks 2. I'll capture 75% of the towns and build lots of blockhouses and despite all that the cpu has nearly endless armies to attack with thus you are stuck in an attrition battle that lasts HOURS. Maybe this game is for a core group who are very experienced (which I'm not, thank God), but if you are a novice at RTS I would recommend starting with something else or downloading the demo first before you buy.

This game is crap
I bought this game for my high-end machine.

The game would not even load properly and the music studdered throughout the little introduction which could be seen.
This is an unfinished product, perhaps they released the beta version. The official CDV forum is full people complaining.
Before you buy, do yourself a favor and check out their forum for more insight.

Very Rewarding Game
I've had Cossacks 2 for about a month now, ordered it from Germany. CDV never cease to amaze me. The graphics are top notched,sound,unit formations,and the interface, as well. Also the zoom feature is right on par. All facets of this game is well thought out. Trust me, buy this game ,you won't regret it..... The only thing missing for me is the Naval Battles in skirmish mode.

Cossacks is a great game for you........D Hodge
With this year marking the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, it seems a bit fitting that the Napoleonic Wars seem to be getting a little more attention than normal. Case in point is Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars, the follow-up to 2000's Cossacks and the latest game in the real-time strategy series. In a way, Cossacks II marks the first major upgrade for the franchise, as it sports a much updated graphical look, as well as some significant new features. The gameplay, however, remains unmistakably Cossacks, which is good news for fans of the franchise. Newcomers, on the other hand, will discover a somewhat quirky but enjoyable real-time strategy game that focuses on formations and tactics rather than base-building and tank rushes.

In Cossacks II, you take control of one of six great powers of the era and attempt to settle your differences on the open field of battle, like civilized gentlemen. The game features a single-player campaign that's a bit loose with the facts for dramatic purposes, a battle for Europe campaign with both turn-based and real-time elements, and a variety of skirmish and historical engagements. At the heart of Cossacks II, though, are the real-time strategy battles that remain relatively unchanged from the earlier games.

When you get down to it, Cossacks II is a real-time strategy game for history fans. This is a big game with battles that take place on huge maps dotted with villages and towns connected by roads. You'll have hundreds of peasants gathering resources and building a variety of structures, while formations of 120 men march to and fro across the map. As in real life, roads play a strategically critical role in warfare, since they're the only efficient means to march men across the map. Thus, you can create blocking positions at key crossroads, and you get to feel like a real field marshal as you attempt to maneuver your army around the map.

The combat in Cossacks II is very faithful to the era, so you have the fun of marching your formations on to the battlefield, lining them up, and firing at the enemy. This was the era, after all, when armies stood in open field and exchanged fire until one side shattered and fled. Despite the apparent simplicity, there was actually quite a bit of strategy involved, especially since it took upward of a full minute to reload muskets. Fire too early and the enemy would make you pay while your men were busy trying to reload. Thankfully, the new color-coded range system lets you hold your fire until your men can see the white's of the enemies' eyes, or, in this case, until they enter the red zone, which is helpful in gauging the effectiveness of your volleys. The artificial intelligence of your opponents varies, but generally it's pretty good about finding your flank and trying to lure you into wasting a volley. If you fire prematurely, the computer will waste little time in exploiting the fact.

You can also select from three different formations, depending on your tactical position, and you also have to worry about your men's morale, as well as their fatigue level. Furthermore, you have cavalry and artillery at your disposal. However, the infantry represents the core of your army, so it'll do the majority of the fighting, as well as the majority of the bleeding. Thankfully, you can pull depleted formations out of battle to send them to the nearest friendly village, where they will replace their losses. However, if a formation takes too many losses or loses too much morale, it will break and shatter, meaning it's out of the fight for good. It's also critical to capture villages, which are the source of the various resources in the game, including iron, food, coal, and gold. Food and coal are particularly important, because your army's logistical needs mean you must secure these sources, or else your army will starve to death or run out of bullets. Unfortunately, we wish the same could be said for the enemy, because during the single-player campaign, we noticed that even after choking the enemy off from all sources of supply, it still managed to keep fighting for a pretty long time.

[...]
We mentioned before that the single-player campaign is a bit loose with the historical facts, and that's an understatement. The campaign puts you in control of a British officer trying to save God, king, and country (not to mention his fiancée) from some rebellious nobles in league with the French. The dastards even go so far as to besiege London! Melodrama aside, the campaign features some static cutscenes and dull voice acting, and it only exists as a contrived reason to stitch together some missions that vary in difficulty from challenging to frustrating. In fact, one starts you off in such a horrible tactical position that it takes hours and hours, not to mention a large amount of saving and reloading, to claw your way to victory. Unfortunately, there's no "easy" difficulty setting in the game, and one of its strange quirks is that "normal" is the easiest difficulty setting available. And it only gets harder from there.

After you're done learning the ropes with the single-player campaign, you can then tackle the Battle for Europe campaign, which adds a turn-based strategic layer to the game, kind of like the one featured in Medieval: Total War...only simpler. You control one of six nation-states, and you get to capture provinces, build defenses, and move your army around the map of Europe. While the turn-based strategic layer is a nice addition, it's a bit lacking, especially since it doesn't take into account naval combat, which played a pivotal role during the Napoleonic Wars. As a result, it's possible for France or any other power to invade England from across the English Channel, though it will need a sizable army to capture the heavily defended London. There's also a lack of depth that separates Cossacks II from other strategy games with turn-based modes, because you only get one army stack to push around on the map, and the only building options at your disposal are to increase the defenses in a territory.

On the flip side, the lack of depth can make for a fast-paced game, especially since the real-time battles unfold differently from the ones found in the single-player campaign. Instead of grinding battles of attrition, the battles are relatively quick, since your main task is usually to shatter the enemy's will to fight. It helps that logistics play a big role during battles as well. For example, you go into battle with only the resources you gathered during the turn-based portion. This means it's possible to encounter critical shortages that can cripple your army. If you don't have coal, your army can't shoot. It also means you'll want to capture key territories from the enemy. Seize someone's coal-producing territories, for example, and he, she, or it will have a hard time fighting you on the battlefield.

Multiplayer offers some interesting modes, including Land War, which lets players from all over the world battle it out for parcels of national territory on a map of Europe. Simply choose a nation to attack and you're matched up against a comparable opponent based on you and your opponent's ranks. If you win the battle, you win a small piece of that nation for your country. Multiply this by hundreds of matches, and eventually a group of players can try and conquer a nation whole.

Meanwhile, Cossacks II offers some traditional skirmish battles, which you can play in a head-to-head game or in teams. Playing in a team can be fun, ... Read more