Sunday, July 27, 2008

JuJu Restaurant

I have to admit, I’m not usually a fan of steamboats, which are a staple culinary experience for seemingly all Chinese. True, steamboats are great during rainy, cold weather, but then again, so are many other foods and I’ve never been a fan of the whole paying-to-cook-for-yourself concept.

Nonetheless, when a friend of mine vehemently exalted a particular steamboat restaurant which he claimed was a gastronomical treat fit for a king, I headed down with him and a few other friends to try it out. To my surprise, I had a heck of a good meal.

Hidden in the basement of Paradiz Centre (which, itself, is a not-oft-visited building), JuJu Restaurant is a Hokkaido hot pot restaurant that boasts of great décor, great service and even better food. In fact, the restaurant is so good that, despite its relative obscurity, position and lack of much publicity, the place is constantly packed and, on the day we headed down, we would have been turned away if we hadn’t had the presence of mind to make a reservation.

While the food doesn’t come buffet style, the single person serving size is definitely enough to fill anyone with even a moderately large appetite. I was full by the time I made it through half of the main, prime ingredients, and that’s not counting the desserts.

For starters, the restaurant serves up an interesting little collection of appetizers – a hardboiled egg that is tough on the outside but has a gooey, liquid yolk (simply fantastic, this one was), a few bite-sized slices of steamed beef (at least I think it was steamed) and a small cockle with several herbs and condiments heaped on it.

The main course (which involves the little steamboat pot that everyone has, of course) is then served, a huge serving of the ingredient of your choice (I went with thin slices of prime beef) and the usual steamboat fare like cabbage, tau poks and mushrooms. The beef was most excellent, just the right thickness and tasted fantastic while my broth (being afraid of anything spicier than Macdonald’s garlic chilli, I went for the non spicy light broth) was delightfully tasty.

After the main course is over, a small vial of unbelievably refreshing sourplum juice (and I’m not kidding, not being a fan of sourplum juice usually) is served to lighten up the tastebuds before a sweet dessert is brought on. In my case, that happened to be a decent if unremarkable mango fruit pudding dish. (For birthday boys/girls, there’s also a complimentary green tea ice cream cheesecake and a free teapot).

Still, despite the rather lackluster dessert and slightly pricey cost (after a credit card discount, the bill came up to about S$35 per person), the great attentive service, the comfortable Japanese décor and the superb food more than make it a bang for the buck. Plus, when I was there, I shared the restaurant with a table of celebrities including Zoe Tay and Mark Lee, all of whom were tucking in quite happily. The stars can’t be wrong right?

Final Fantasy Tactics A2

Despite the few posts I’ve written about games and the fact that I used to freelance once in a while for a local gaming mag, I’m not actually a very hardcore gamer. Sure, I’d get all excited and immersed in a game when I first try it but, more often than not, even for those critically acclaimed games which everyone and their dog have completed, I usually end up losing my hummingbird attention span halfway through and switch to something else.

Other than Pokemon (which has an inexplicably hold on me, as I have stated numerous times in the past), I’ve never actually completed any other RPG, the closest I’ve gotten being the third disc of Final Fantasy IX for the Playstation. And that’s just for the normal RPGs. Let’s not even get started on the much slower paced grid-based strategy RPGs (or SRPGs) for short.

Back when the first Final Fantasy Tactics came out (the game being the first really popular SRPG), I was way too young to appreciate the more strategic, slower gameplay. And, even last year when the PSP’s top games were all SRPGs, I couldn’t get much into it. Even Jeanne D’Arc, the sleeper hit of the year, didn’t hold me for long.

So, when I tried out Final Fantasy Tactics A2 on the DS for the first time (after a friend’s recommendation and several decent reviews for it), I wasn’t expecting to be as completely hooked as I now am on it.

Plotwise, the game is pretty barebones, especially compared to the dramatic storyline of the original FFT (or so I’ve heard). You start off as a delinquent who’s forced to clean up the school library and, upon finding an old tome, inexplicably fill in your own name and get transported into a fantasy world with monsters and magic. From there, you adventure to meet people and try to find your own way home. While pretty simply and unengaging, the skeleton of a story is enough to propel the game forward.

Other than containing more classes and jobs than almost any other SRPG on the market (thus giving you an unprecedented amount of customizability for your characters and team, with several races having their own unique skills), another aspect of the game that hooks me is the open-but-not-too-open gameplay. While the game eschews the rather boring linear path that games like Jeanne D’Arc employ, it nonetheless shows you where to go next, all the time letting you go off on side quests (which are actually the meat of the game) anytime you want, making level grinding a much more enjoyable process than, say, fighting the same quest over and over again because you can’t level up high enough to move on.

The new gameplay additions, while not groundbreaking, do make for a different experience than usual.

The bazaar is your new primary source for items and weapons, a place where you mix all those random flotsam and debris you pick up in each battle together to get new toys to play with. I just wish the game would state what exact ingredients you need to form certain weapons that you need to grant the correct job abilities you need, rather than the anyhow-whack process it is now.

The new judging system, though, is a bit iffy to me. In every battle, a judge will give a certain rule which you must keep to. If you manage to win the battle with the rule intact, you’ll get items. If not, you’ll forfeit those items and be unable to revive your fallen teammates in battle as well. While it does sound pretty good, some of the judge conditions are not actually within your control (for example, there’s a condition which goes “don’t miss”).

Still, despite its small flaws and the lack of a gripping story, FFT A2 has beautiful graphics and enough content to not only guarantee hours of gameplay (I’m at my 14th hour of gameplay and I feel like I’m still on the proverbial tip of the iceberg), but also has the huge level of customizability to keep you hooked.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Sunday, July 13, 2008

21st Birthday

Ask any typical Singaporean and they’ll tell you that, in our early young adult years, there’re a few different ages that serve as milestones, landmarks in life, a sort of “here-you-are-now” checkpoint.

The first would be at twelve years old where, fresh from taking the first major exam (the PSLE) and gunning for a secondary school of choice, one finds himself (or herself) crossing the line from sweet, innocent adolescence into teenage hood.

Next, there is the ubiquitous sweet sixteen, celebrated not only locally but in many other countries as well, as a sort of unofficial first step into adulthood. Singaporean 16 year olds, having (probably) just finished up with secondary school and the GCSE ‘O’ and ‘N’ levels, now get to watch movies with slightly more matured themes (NC-16) and would probably have started (or ended) their first romantic relationship.

Third comes the age of 18, where life starts to take a more drastic (and more adult) turn for most. The girls either leave their educational lives behind and enter the workforce or continue to pursue their studies at the university (which most would agree is a far cry from even JC or poly days) and the guys bid farewell to their civilian lives (and their pink ICs) to enlist into the army. Not only that, another level of movies are opened up and, exciting news for many, these late teens are eligible to take the driving test and obtain their drivers’ license.

Last , but definitely not the least, of the twentweenage era milestones is the age of 21, widely recognized as the age where we are no longer “youths” or “kids”, but have officially stepped into “adult” status (or, at least the very least, young adult). And, whatever the hawker centre lady’s insistence that you are still “ah boy” or “xiao di”, the government also now sees you as a full adult, with all the responsibilities and rules of being one.

This past Wednesday, I had reached that fourth milestone, taking my first official step into adulthood. Whether I wanted it or not, I was no longer a boy in the eyes of the country but a man (of course, many would argue that it is only after having finished our two years in the army that we are made men but that’s another case for another day).

Unlike many of my more happening peers who enjoy (and have planned, or are planning) huge birthday bashes, I’ve never been one for big birthday extravaganzas with long guest lists and even longer bills (after all, why would I, on my birthday, want to stress myself out with all the logistics, the invitations of guests and the paying), preferring instead to have quiet, small gatherings with friends and this year, despite all the cultural baggage and expectations that turning 21 entails, was no different.

Eschewing any form of large party attended by everyone I’ve ever known, would like to know or who would like to know me (after all, that’s how all those movies go right?), I had a quiet day at home (hey, when you’re in camp for five days a week, quiet days at home are quite the luxury) before heading out for a dinner with some old secondary school classmates, with more dinners with poly classmates and army friends coming up soon.

But, I digress.

What many people don’t realize about milestones in general is that they serve as more than just reasons to throw a celebration (although I definitely have no objections about that. Invite me!). Other than a way to say “hey, congrats on surviving so far!” and giving you a beautiful view of your bright future, milestones (even ones that are set up by societal and cultural traditions rather than any tangible reason) are also meant as a way of looking back, appreciating how far you’ve come and to learn from your past experiences.

After all, what’s the use of celebrating your 21st when you don’t remember to look back at the last twenty years and laugh at the silly fashion faux pas, smile at the nostalgic good memories, cringe at embarrassing awkward moments (secondary school dramas are often a source of “I-can’t-believe-I-did-that” reminisces) and glean a lesson or two from your past boo-boos? I’m not saying that we should keep dwelling in the past (because goodness knows some parts are just depressing), just saying that birthdays shouldn’t only be about the now and the “next time”, but also about “last time” as well.

So, on my 21st, I saw down for a long and hard moment of reflection.  And you know what? Thinking about the past (even the painful moments) only served to make me appreciate those around me more and look forward to a good future ahead.

Of course, I’m not saying that I had a particularly bad childhood or anything (in fact, I’d say I’d a pretty charmed life, although nothing much to be jealous of or to write home about). Sure, I had my little problems (most of the time brought on by my own insecurities, my tactlessness and embarrassing immaturity), my regrets (biggest one? Dropping piano lessons after the first grade or two because I was, and still am, unbelievably lazy) and my whole upper sec life was a tangled mess of dramatic moments but on the whole it’s been pretty smooth sailing.

The thing is that, cliché as it might sound, I’ve always been a firm believer in optimism (although sometimes I’d admit that pessimism is a much easier mindset to turn to, especially when the going gets tough. Sure, we’re all a little paranoid when it comes to certain things in our lives (I’m deathly afraid of getting in trouble with authorities so friends always insist that I’m too kiasu) and it’s always good to be prepared and have contingencies, but I feel that our general, broad outlook at life should always be a happy one, finding things to be happy about, the proverbial silver lining (it doesn’t even have to be particularly big; small little blessings that we often take for granted serve fine).

So, what’s the point of my (long winded) rant? It’s always good to look back on your past experiences and from there find things that will drive you to a better future, whether you feel you had a good past or not. So, if you are celebrating your birthday anytime soon (and it doesn’t have to be any of the “milestone” birthdays or, heck, even a birthday at all!), why not take the chance to look back at the years that have led you up to this. After all, you’re celebrating having reached so far right?

Twenty One

For some reason, I’m a sucker for movies that prominently feature American universities, especially the renowned ones. Perhaps it’s because I’ve always been deeply drawn by the allure of studying and living in one, but whenever a movie had revolved around a university (or at least has several scenes there a la A Beautiful Mind, starring Russell Crowe), I would run down to the cinema to catch it, whatever the genre.

That’s why, despite its lackluster reviews and the fact that I’m not usually a fan of this genre of movies (whatever that might be in this case), I decided to watch 21 on my birthday. Of course, I also chose to watch it that day (my 21st, as mentioned in the previous post) because, hey, it’s a movie entitled 21, featuring a group of characters, the lead who’s also turning 21 playing blackjack, or 21. Kind of apt, right?

And boy, am I glad I chose to watch it. I have no idea why the reviewers and critics have panned it so but I absolutely loved it.

Based on a hit book (which, in turn, was based on true life events), 21 tells the story of a group of gifted students from MIT who, under the tutelage of one of their professors, infiltrate Las Vegas casinos and, using pure mathematics, card counting and coded messages, proceed to rake in huge winnings from them. While the story might sound formulaic, the fact that it’s based on something that actually happened several years back (although purists have complained that creative licenses had been generously taken to spice up both the movie and its source book) and excellent execution make it a great movie to watch.

The scripting is well done, with a cast of likeable (if one dimensional and stereotypical) characters and realistic dialogue that comes off more intelligent than contrived, which a lot of movies revolving around geniuses tend to fall into the mistake of. The pacing, though, is slightly off putting. While the beginning and the end of the movie were both interesting, the middle was a plodding struggle and the two hour long movie could have done well to cut its length down by about 30 minutes.

The acting is excellent and there’s nary a weak link in the cast. From Jim Sturgess, who plays lead character and math genius Ben to Kate Bosworth, the token leading lady to Kevin Spacey, who plays mentor Professor Rosa, the cast is strong and lend gravitas to their characters.

While the movie might have several teething problems, the overall product seems to possess an indescribable magic that is more than the sum of its parts. Think of it as Ocean’s Eleven, only less goofy and more intelligent.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Kung Fu Panda more a hit than a dud

The 90s were known as the Golden Age of animation and rightly so. With offerings from Disney like The Lion King and Aladdin ruling both the box office and critics’ lists, it seemed like animated movies could do no wrong. Skip forward a decade or so and the situation has changed somewhat, with animations a decidedly hit-or-miss affair.

True, there are still great animations but, for every Finding Nemo or The Incredibles, you get a dozen Cars and Shark Tale-s. Keeping that in mind, would Dreamworks Animation, famed for its critically lauded Shrek series but also for the equally lacklustre Bee Movie, be able to conjure up a gem in their latest Kung Fu Panda? Or would it go the way of Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, sinking into animated oblivion ( bet you don’t even remember it )?

Thankfully, Kung Fu Panda is definitely more of a hit than a dud.

Featuring Jack Black as the voice of the main character, Kung Fu Panda (or KFP, as I’ll call it from now on) is the story of Po, the titular character who’s a douche-ish, fat, unhygienic and terribly unfit panda. Dreaming of one day becoming the Dragon Warrior, greatest warrior in the land, and being pals with the renowned Furious Five (comprising five animals from whom actual Chinese martial arts are supposedly based on), Po attends the ceremony to find the next Dragon Warrior and, by a twist of events, ends up actually getting chosen by Master Oogway, the wizened turtle sage.

Much to the consternation of Master Shifu, teacher to the Furious Five and whoever the Dragon Warrior is supposed to be and also surprising just about everyone by getting chosen (including himself), Po then has to learn to fight in a remarkably short time, as powerful villain Tai Lung, a former protégé of Master Shifu’s, has broken out of captivity and has come to collect the legendary Dragon Scroll, a supposedly all-empowering scroll under Master Shifu’s and Oogway’s care.

While the plot is simple, it is executed perfectly and with impeccable polish. Poking fun at orthodox martial arts and Chinese kungfu movies in general, Kung Fu Panda doesn’t take itself too seriously, the result being a hilarious, not to mention really entertaining, 92 minutes of animated pleasure.

The script is well done, with perfect pacing (in fact, the movie feels short) and self-parodying wit (the first line goes: “Legend tells of a legendary warrior whose kungfu skills were the stuff of legend.”). The action and laughs never seem to let up (with a scene of Po talking to an antique urn particularly memorable) and the main characters Po, Shifu and Oogway are suitably endearing. I only wish the writers had fleshed out the supporting characters more. The Furious Five, in particular, seemed potentially engaging but ended up being one-dimensional caricatures of movie stereotypes (and not even particularly outstanding ones).

Aesthetically, the movie is a treat. The visuals are lush, with well-animated action (facial expressions especially, are a perfect fit) and drawn from a variety of art styles, including both beautiful water painted effects (a la the PS2/Wii game Okami) and the more quirky kung fu style adopted by Nick cartoons such as Samurai Jack. The music, too, comes complete with Chinese gongs and festive music playing throughout the movie. The cinematography is perfect, with Matrix-like action sequences and smooth, action-packed fight scenes.

The voice-acting, though, is a bit of a letdown. While Jack Black does a perfect Po (doesn’t he totally remind you of a real-life human Po anyway?), the rest of the cast is unmemorable, probably at least partially due to the fact that they don’t get much air time. I mean, if you just watch the movie without prior knowledge of the voice cast, would you recognise Hollywood heavyweights such as Dustin Hoffman (who plays Master Shifu), Angelina Jolie (Tigress) or Jackie Chan (Monkey), among others?

Still, minor faults aside, Kung Fu Panda is definitely a must watch for any animation fan and even for those who aren’t.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Second-Year Soldier

As of today, I am officially a second-year soldier. While it might not seem a particularly significant date to some (especially those who have not served the nation before) and it’s not like it’s an occasion marked with a parade or anything, having crossed the first year mark feels like a huge deal to me, as I’m sure it is to many others (judging by all the MSN nicknames that I see from my friends who enlisted at the same time as me).

Crossing the first year mark means that, for PTP soldiers like me who are serving a full-two years, I am now effectively halfway through my national service, a prospect that seemed impossibly far away just those few months ago when I was in BMT (the enhanced BMT batch have it even better, since crossing the first year mark means that they only have ten months of service left).

While one year might not seem necessarily very long to most people, I think most army guys would agree that an NS year seems to pass about as slowly as ten normal years. Still, probably because I’ve actually had a pretty decent first year in army, it didn’t seem that long. While the months seemed to pass quite slowly, the days and weeks actually went past in a blur (something which I remember commenting about to several friends along the way).

All in all, as I’ve mentioned above, it’s been a pretty good year, thankfully devoid of several of the horror stories I had to listen to before I enlisted. My BMT was, in hindsight, a really good time (true, there were the mandatory field camps and stuff but those weren’t actually THAT bad since they were not so harsh on us recruits), what with having a really wonderful group of section mates (most of whom I still keep in contact with although I haven’t met up with them much) and a group of commanders who knew when to be strict and when to be fun.

Choosing not to enter command school (not that I would have made it in even if I had ticked the box on the form anyway), I got posted, first to a navy unit (which elicited much joy at the thought of no more jungle outfields, camo creams and SOC trainings, or so I heard) before having it changed to an armoured unit within the same hour.

While I have to admit that I was pretty disappointed with the sudden change of posting (not to mention slightly horrified because I’ve heard some of the horror stories about armoured units being some of the most shiong around) and while the first week in my new camp, trying to adapt to a new environment, new people and a new regimental style, was pretty depressing, I soon found out that I had actually lucked out and got one of the better vocations, at least to me (sure, being an AFV operator means I have to clean the vehicle after outfield when everyone is resting in bunk but, hey, it ain’t all that bad).

To top it off, a combination of my new vocation, my platoon posting (I was a spare driver in the HQ platoon of my original company) and my polytechnic qualifications, I was selected to be transferred to my battalion HQ company to be the CO driver instead. While being in the battalion HQ isn’t as slack as people think it is (at least not in the branch I’m working in), it is a far cry from the regimented life of a company line soldier and I’m really thankful that now the main bulk of my work, which are mostly administrative, are more suited to my strengths than the wielding of firearms and having a high battle proficiency.

Personal-wise, I don’t think I’ve developed as much physically as I felt possible. Still, I’m just thankful that I’ve been able to pass my IPPT, even if I hadn’t gotten my elusive silver award (didn’t have a chance to take the test before my first year window closed) or passed my SOC. I remember when I first enlisted that six pull ups seemed such an impossible feat and that even two metres on the standing board jump mat (which is still a fail) seemed crazily far away.

I also remember not being able to scale the low wall or mount the parallel bars at the SOC ground even when all I was wearing was my number 4 and a helmet and that I practically failed every single station that requires some sort of technique or physical ability. Now, at least, I’m able to more or less clear most of the stations (even though the low wall and parallel bars still give me a bit of problems when I’m carrying all the load), even if I still can’t meet the passing timing.

Still, like I said, it’s been a pretty good year and here’s hoping that my second year will be as pleasant, or even more so, than the first year. Here’s looking to an award for IPPT and a pass in SOC!

At Amara, one of the best meals I’ve had in a while

Let’s face it: as young National Servicemen, we usually don’t have wallets bursting with cash that let us chow down on good food all the time. So, when I had the occasion to head down to an international buffet last week, I leapt at it.

I don’t consider myself a food connoisseur and I’m easily satisfied by any dishes, from pricey restaurant stuff to hawker fare. But I do, like most of my countrymen, indulge in eating as a sort of semi-sport and will grab any chance I have to fully do so.

Last week, to celebrate a friend’s 21st, my pals and I decided to head down to Amara Hotel’s Element Restaurant for an international buffet, which, for those not in the know, simply means a random mix of (Singaporean) favourites from all over the world, a range guaranteed to satisfy every customer, if only because there are just so many types of cuisine to choose from.

Heading to the restaurant, I had pretty high expectations (my mum had eaten there previously and raved about it) and, despite the occasional miss, they were met.

Just a stone throw away from Tanjong Pagar MRT, Element Restaurant is on the ground floor of the hotel. While the hotel itself isn’t the posh-est of nobs (although it was surprisingly classy in terms of décor), the restaurant exudes a certain style and charm, bringing to mind swanky eating places that those newspaper and magazine reviewers always rave about.

The restaurant was nicely lit (i.e. not too bright and commercial but not so dark as to appear dodgy), with comfortable seating and soft, un-distracting music constantly in the background. The only minor complaint that I had would be that the table clothes are too long and often get snagged on my legs as I stood up to leave the table. While there weren’t any dramatic table upheavals, there were some pretty close calls.

The service, too, was pretty good. The service personnel were responsive and efficient (except, strangely, when it came to collecting the bill).

Of course, a restaurant could have the most award-winning interior design and best waiters but would still flounder if the food isn’t up to par. Thankfully, Element’s quality and range of dishes proved more than up to standards.

Boasting a pretty decent selection of cuisine ranging from Western (roast beef and salads) to Chinese (dumplings and the like) to the ubiquitous Singapore favourite, Japanese (sashimi and tempuras) dishes. While some dishes like their tempura and fried soft shell crab lacked flavor and kick, most of the food was above average, if not even better.

Some memorable dishes to note include the salmon sashimi, which was fresh, tender and in abundant supply; the roast beef, which was chewy and packed a punch; and the raw oysters, succulent gastronomical delights that didn’t have the usual fishy tang to it.

The desserts, too, deserve a special mention. Taking up a whole huge table by themselves, the tantalising, lip-smacking sugary treats included mini cakes, gummies and a chocolate fountain fondue, which my friends and I used with delight.

Surprisingly, the eventual price for the night was pretty easy on the wallet, especially counting in the fact that it was a public holiday evening. With a promotional discount that they were offering, each of us paid less than $40 each, for one of the best meals we’ve had in a while.

Definitely a must-try for buffet fans.

Mario Kart Wii

Whenever a new Nintendo home console comes out, fans can look forward to a raft of first-party faithfuls. Nintendo has always been known, even in generations when their systems don’t do so well (ie. the N64 and the Gamecube), for top-rate first-party software, with several perennial favorites doing well on any system they come out on.

For adventure or platforming fans, there’s always a full-on Mario platformer (the latest of which, Super Mario Galaxy for the Nintendo Wii, has been on every Top 10 games list of 2007, console or otherwise) as well as a Legend of Zelda game (both the Wii and DS iterations have garnered near perfect scores from several reputable gaming magazines and websites); for the fighting fanatic, there’s the Smash Bros series (the latest of which I reviewed in the last post and which, again, has been dominating both sales and review ratings charts); and lastly, for the racing freaks, there’s the Mario Kart series.

A rating and fans darling since the first installment for the Super Nintendo, Super Mario Kart, the Mario Kart series has since appeared on every single Nintendo system since (console AND handheld) and has always secured itself a place as one of the top games of that system, cementing itself as one of Nintendo’s cash cows and a must for every generation.

While the reviews for the just-released Wii version have not been as effusive as for its afore-mentioned siblings, it has nonetheless garnered decent reviews and topped sales charts worldwide, the main complaint for it being that it hasn’t really added much to the table other than an online racing component (which, you have to agree, is actually a rather big addition). But hey, as the old adage goes, if something ain’t broke, why fix it right?

The premise of the game is, like most other racing games, simple: you grab select your favourite character from the Mario games, be it the menacing Bowser, ditzy Peach or the mustachioed titular hero himself, select your kart (which is like those bom-bom cars from our childhood, only much cooler and, of course, faster) and then proceed to race around tracks with differing difficulty levels against other opponents. Once in a while, you can get power-ups, either in the form of speed boosts or weapons to be used against your enemies, often changing the entire course of the race rankings in a split second.

Despite the complaint that most people have with the game, I actually find that a lot has been added to the game since its previous outing, the most excellent Mario Kart DS.

For starters, players are now not limited to just karts (of which there is a pretty large variety to choose from, with vastly different specialties ranging from those excelling at handling but that are slow to the hard-to-control speedsters) . In Mario Kart Wii, players can also choose to race on bikes which, as you might imagine, are lighter and not so durable (aka easy to get bumped by others) but which are faster and easier to handle.

The ability to perform tricks has also been added, a successful attempt giving the vehicle a sometimes much needed temporary speed boost. The bikes have it even better, being also able to execute wheelies, which is where they ride only on the back wheel, giving them a speed boost at the cost of control and flexibility.

Following the formula of Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii features 16 new tracks (almost all of which are excellent, especially Coconut Mall, which features a romp through a suburban looking mall, with escalators et al) and 16 old classics from the previous games. After all, which Mario Kart game is complete without the nightmare that is Rainbow Road, the track which single handedly separates the racing amateurs from the real pros.

The items, which often make or break the game by themselves, are as varied as ever, ranging from the rather useless banana skins and green turtle shells to the more powerful red turtle shells (with homing capabilities), the black bullet (which I’m sure has a more official name but which escapes my memory at the moment) and the amazingly annoying blue homing shell. New items like the POW, which temporarily stuns players in front of you and the Magic Mushroom, which supersizes you, are fun but don’t really add much to the gameplay.

As noted by many, the new control scheme (one out of several, thankfully) for the game, which lets you slot your Wiimote into a custom-made Nintendo wheel and drive like you’re really steering, is adequate and functional and rather fun but rather insensitive at times and is definitely much harder to perform tricks on. The Wiimote and Nunchuk (which uses the Nunchuck for steering) and Classic Controller control schemes are perfunctory but unremarkable, with the most intuitive and best control scheme belonging to the Gamecube controller (which was also a must for Super Smash Bros Brawl).

The much lauded new big component, online play, has added tons of additional replay value to the game. Allowing gamers to play against opponents from all over the world in either custom games or in tournaments, there is a huge variety of gameplay options in the online mode, ranging from ghosts to ranking competitions to just one-off races. Of course, to play just with friends online, one would need to enter the 16 digit friend code, which is really irritating but is not a fault of the game but rather hardware itself since all Nintendo games have to do it. Online play definitely breaks the monotony of in-game racing (most of which is done to unlock new characters and karts anyway).

While it might not be as hardcore or as realistic as the Need For Speed series or the Gran Turismo series (which the Mario Kart series, with its emphasis on items and whacky out of this world tracks, has never bothered to aspire to anyway), Mario Kart Wii is nonetheless a most excellent racing title and the best on the Wii to date. Another must buy.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Super Smash Bros Brawl

In the gaming industry, there are several types of fighting games – the popular all-rounders (which provide decent depth, easy-to-pick-up gameplay, look nice and a cast of interesting characters) like the Soul Caliber series, Guilty Gear series and of course, the granddaddy that started it all, the Street Fighter series; then there are the artwork fighting games, which don’t necessarily have the deepest fighting systems but which look amazing, like the Tekken and Dead Or Alive series; on the other end of the spectrum, there are the hardcore fighters, which might not be the best lookers (although they usually look pretty good anyways) but feature easy-to-pick-up but impossible-to-master fighting systems that offer a huge amount of depth to anyone willing to plonk down at least 80% of their lives in pursuit of true mastery, the most popular example of which would be the Virtua Fighter series.

And then, there is the Smash Bros series.

Exclusive to the Nintendo home consoles, the Smash Bros series, which sets itself apart from the rest in terms of both gameplay and aesthetics, has always struck a chord both with fans and critics alike and it’s easy to see why. With its decidedly cutesy but vibrant palette and art style, fast and frantic non-stop action and large cast of familiar faces (all from Nintendo’s past classics), the Smash Bros series has always been a perennial favourite in Nintendo’s stable of titles. The latest in the series, Super Smash Bros Brawl for the Nintendo Wii, is no exception.

Easily one of the most highly anticipated game of the year, Nintendo or otherwise, the game, true to the system itself that houses it, has broken sales record all over the place and has dominated charts all over the world. In its first week alone, it has sold more worldwide than the lifetime sales of the first game in the series and is fast approaching the lifetime sales of the second, Smash Bros Melee for the Gamecube. It only takes a few minutes (although one would be hard pressed to ever just stop there) into the game to understand the global phenomenon that is Smash Bros Brawl.

Like its predecessors, Super Smash Bros Brawl (or SSBB, for short) eschews the standard one-on-one fighting style so commonly found in other fighting games. Players can choose from a wide cast of characters (including the ubiquitous Mario, Pikachu, Link from the Zelda series and Samus from the Metroid series) and then proceed to battle it out with up to three other characters on stages that often pose as much of an obstacle itself as the opponents. Once in a while, power-ups are dropped onto the platform that fleet-footed players can grab to add their character’s list of moves.

The objective of most of the game is simple: whack your opponents to wear down their life (racking up their damage percentile to over 100%) and then attempt to throw them out of the stage itself for a KO, all the while trying to prevent from having the same done to you.

Although the core gameplay isn’t terribly in-depth or hardcore, each character has a varied enough selection of exclusive moves that ensure that those who plan and strategise with their characters ahead of time usually stand a better chance of being the last player standing. Of course, with the random dropping of items and power ups (which can range from useless soccer balls to downright game-changing hammers and hot chilli plates, which give the user a continuous stream of fireball spits) and the split-second action and general mayhem on screen, a lot of winning stands to luck as well.

As mentioned above, SSBB offers up an impressive roster of Nintendo favourites for players to choose from, with even more to unlock. Boasting the largest number of characters in the series so far, SSBB has included some third party faces, including Solid Snake from the Metal Gear Solid series and the ever-popular Sonic the Hedgehog. To facilitate unlocking these characters (and perhaps to provide some extra leverage for your buck), there is also an adventure mode, Subspace Emissary, which basically puts players through a series of platforming challenges where, as different characters, they have to fight through loads and loads of minions before fighting several big bosses and unlocking more characters.

While the story line of this section consists only of a series of dialogue-less video cutscenes (which nonetheless look pretty amazing, especially for Wii standards) interspersed throughout the stages and it isn’t terribly exciting or even engaging, Subspace Emissary is nevertheless an enjoyable way of spending time with friends, especially if you don’t intend on unlocking characters through other means (which usually require much more time and effort).

While all the factors mentioned above would have already made SSBB an outstanding game, Nintendo truly pulled out all the stops on this one, packing the game full of extra features, including several different custom ways of fighting, event and minigames, as well as unlockable music tracks from all the classic games and even short demos of the games themselves. SSBB is truly a bang for the buck, providing (what I believe to be) over at least 50 hours of gameplay if you want to unlock every single prize, which is something that regular fighting games don’t offer.

Other lesser companies have tried to replicate the formula (a Digimon fighting series for the Playstation pops to mind) but, with SSBB, Nintendo shows why they are still the best in the business when it comes to first party games. Definitely a must buy for anyone with a Wii.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars