All that is old is new again

The year is 1988. Lester Piggott is stripped of his knighthood by the Queen, George H.W. Bush wins the presidency of the United States of America, I turn 5 years old, Celine Dion wins the Eurovision song contest for Switzerland, and Nintendo release Super Mario Bros. 3 on the NES.

24 years on, Fred Goodwin is the latest man to be stripped of his Knighthood, George W. Bush has served two terms in office, I am now 29 and the UK has drafted in Englebert Humperdink in a desperate attempt to emulate the Swiss Eurovision success of almost a quarter century ago.

Oh, and Super Mario Bros. 4 might be on the way.

It’s no secret that Nintendo are working on a new 2D Mario game, Saturo Iwata admitted as much at their last investors meeting in January, but until now it was widely believed that the new game would be a follow up to New Super Mario Bros.

So, what changed?

Well, IGN are reporting that a few days ago Nintendo registered the domain name www.supermario4.com and visiting that URL actually re-directs you to the Nintendo home page. While this isn’t a direct confirmation that the next 2D Mario game will be the fourth in the Bros. series it’s certainly interesting timing on Nintendo’s part.

Oh and did I mention the release date for that aforementioned 2D Mario game is currently scheduled to be before April 2013? That would make for a great reason to buy the Wii U don’t you think?

Also making headlines today is the news that Shigeru Miyamoto has been talking about the possibility of the Zelda series returning to it’s roots with a more 2D presentation style.

In an interview with Edge magazine, Miyamoto intimated that he would like to use “A Link to the Past” as the jumping off point for a new title.

I think I’d be even more interested in creating something new maybe based on, or starting from, A Link To The Past. I think it’s important to bring some really new software. 

 Miyamoto went on to say that he felt the direction of the Zelda series would depend on the Director that was appointed to the project, saying that while some would take a more straight forward remake approach, others might be more original. He specifically mentions Koichi Kawamoto who was involved with the WarioWare franchise, saying he felt he had a “very important role in the future.”

Whether we get a re-tooled Link to the Past port on 3DS or a new title that originates from the 1991 release, it’ll be nice to see another Zelda game with the 2D aesthetic that i, and many others grew up with.

Hands On - Future 3DS Titles

IGN UK recently held a little shindig at the legendary 100 club on Oxford St, in association with Nintendo 3DS celebrating the 100th edition of their fine podcast. While there wasn't anywhere near enough Geoff Capes for my liking, there were several other distractions that more than made up for it.

Nintendo very kindly set up a number of booths showcasing several new titles that are due for release in the next year, and while some are some way out from completion, all were in a fit state to be played.

Mario Kart 3DS

Mario Kart has always been one of my favourite Nintendo titles, so when the 3DS version was announced i was interested to see how well they integrated the 3D aspect into the game. Not only does the screen give you a real sense of depth, something sadly lacking from Sony's attempt at 3D with Gran Turismo 5, but they've also gone out of their way to improve upon the game play rather than just port a high res version of the DS game over.

You can customise everything about your Kart at the start of the game, from bigger wheels to a different chassis, everything can be changed. Little things like this certainly help make a more personalised experience and i certainly felt a change in my Karts behaviour when i opted for chunky off road style tyres for my vehicle.

The other thing that shines through in this game is just how much more they were able to get out of the hardware this time round. Graphically this is a far superior version of the game than we have seen on a portable console before, it might just be the best looking Mario Kart game out there on any platform.

The only way for Mario Kart to get any better would be for this to happen:

Resident Evil: Revelations

I'll hold my hands up here and admit that i've never been a big fan of Resident Evil. Not my kind of game at all but i can appreciate the innovations that the series has introduced and the story that was being told. Whenever i play a game where gunplay forms a vital part of the game i expect the ability to move while i'm aiming. Unfortunately whoever trained the S.T.A.R.S. unit dealing with the T-Virus outbreak was a stickler for the basics, meaning that when you want to use your gun in Revelations you have to stand still and become a fish in the proverbial barrel. This is in part down to the lack of twin sticks meaning that you use the same control nub to aim as you do to walk around, leaving you vulnerable to zombie attack.

Capcom should, however, be applauded for producing a very high fidelity game. Waking up in a run down bedroom and walking around to find a way out i was struck with the level of detail in the environment, and also by the feeling of depth that i gained when turning the 3D slider on. Aiming at oncoming zombies felt natural enough although i would prefer it if i could back away while laying down fire. Lighting and shade effects are all very nicely used in game but unfortunately the animation for draining the bath tub (stupid place to leave a screwdriver) felt very DS like.

As expected from a Nintendo handheld game there was good use of the touchpad in game, in this case you unscrewed a fuse box by touching the screw heads and then shorted the circuit to open the locked door. It's a shame that GTA did this before, but it's nice that they varied the gameplay none the less.

This will no doubt be a good game for fans of the Genre, but if the console versions leave you nonplussed then i'd say avoid it.

Star Fox 64 3DS

As you'd imagine given the title, this is the N64 version of Star fox, but it's much more besides. For starters the entire game has had a graphical update to better take advantage of the 3DS' extra power. Secondly if you so wish you can control your flight path completely independently of the control stick/nub by using the systems' in-built gyroscope.

Not being one for new fangled control systems i opted for the old school control stick method and dived into the game head long. Once again the use of 3D in this title is implemented extremely well, and rather than taking away from game play i actually felt it gave me more of an idea where i was in the level and therefore an advantage over playing in two dimensions. Pilot Wings was proof of concept where flying games are concerned on a 3D system, Star fox takes it up a level or two.

Colours are vivid and vibrant as you'd expect from the Star Fox universe while game play is fast and fluid. If you enjoyed the first coming of Star Fox 64 you'll love this.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater 3D

The most impressive thing about Snake Eater is that there is near enough no difference between the 3DS version and it's older PS2 sibling. With the 3D turned off it's a carbon copy, really showing off the power of Nintendo's little portable console.

Turn the 3D on however, and the ported version of Metal Gear Solid 3 really kicks it up a notch. One of the most laborious tasks in the game for me was crawling slowly through the long grass, trying to get close enough to a guard for a sneak attack from behind. Although the grass was wonderfully animated and you could always come across a creepy crawly or two, there was little to interest you while you crawled on your belly. With the extra dimension that the 3DS gives you the long grass takes on a life of its own. Equally, the canopy above your head comes to life when viewed in 3D, light tumbling through branches of varying size and distance gives the jungle some real atmosphere.

Unfortunately the control scheme is a little too cobbled together for my liking. The lack of dual analogue sticks means that you have to draw your gun and then aim using the shoulder button and the a,b,x & y buttons. Konami have made the best of a sparse control setup but i always felt that i was playing a port rather than a made for purpose game. A real shame, because the graphics and use of 3D really set this game apart.

Kid Icarus -Uprising

Back in 1986 Kid Icarus was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System, a fairly by the numbers platformer with catchy music and a fun look to it. Since then it has developed quite a following. 1991 saw a sequel released for the Game Boy, largely using the same mechanics as the NES game it further cemented Pit, the games lead character as a firm favourite among Nintendo fans. Fast forward to 2011, a full twenty years later, and the long awaited three-quel is finally here, and what's more, it's in 3D.

Again it has to be said that the power of Nintendo's latest hand held is very effectively demonstrated from the outset. Pit is brilliantly realised on the 3DS as are the numerous villains and bosses you play against. The whole game world is stunning to behold. Gameplay is fast and furious throughout, whether on the ground or in the air during the flying sections of the game you feel in total control thanks to the innovative aiming system that makes use of the touch screen and left shoulder button. Unfortunately, as greatly innovative as this control system is, it has a major flaw that may cripple it's long term playability.

Imagine holding a 3DS in your left hand, with your thumb twiddling the control stick and your index finger pressing the left shoulder button, with your right hand completely devoted to aiming by way of the stylus and touch pad. After a couple of minutes playing you have to re adjust your left hand to continue to support the system. it really is the most awkward way to use a 3DS and can unfortunately lead to hand cramping, not just that but it also distracts you from the game itself and can lead to Pit taking damage while you take a second away from aiming to re adjust your hand hold on the system.

Another example of a great looking game let down by a so so control scheme I'm afraid

Super Mario 3D Land

I thought there would be no better game to end this report with than Super Mario 3D Land.

If Nintendo know anything it's how to make a good Mario game. Better than that, if Mario Galaxy is anything to go by then they know how to make a good 3D Mario game. This is the first truely 3D game to feature Mario (outside of the Kart track at least) and so many interested eyes are going to be cast over it to see how it fairs. I'm glad to say that it's doing very well so far.

Graphically the game is very similar to the aforementioned Galaxy Series, It plays very much like the 3D versions of Mario that can be found on the Wii. Although the build i laid my hands on didn't have a world map to look at, i would be surprised if it wasn't similar in appearance to that of New Super Mario Brothers or Super Mario Bros. 3.

The overall feel of the game is very Nintendo and very Mario, Any Mario fan that plays this game will feel right at home with it. Nintendo should be applauded for how they've incorporated 3D into this game, not only does it help you judge your jumps but it also allows the developer to play a few tricks on you with perspective. On one occasion I slid down a drainpipe to be greeted with a room viewed in 3/4 perspective, from the appearance of the room i should have been able to jump straight up and grab the giant coin, but once I tried I realised that it was all an optical illusion. Every giant coin to be collected appears to be protected by some form of optical illusion or perspective puzzle, something that the use of the systems 3D definitely helps in identifying.

So, overall it has to be said that the 3DS has some very impressive software on the horizon, and while there are certainly control issues with some of the titles on offer, it's good to see that games like Star fox, Mario 3D and Mario Kart keep it simple and let the game do all the talking. Sometimes the best games are the ones with the simplest controls...

Cover me...

Video games provide some of the most recognisable and catchy tunes that you will ever hear. whether it's the seemingly simple theme song of Tetris or the sweeping orchestral score of the Metal Gear series, these game soundtracks have inspired countless musicians to sample, recreate,or remix the songs they hear in the games they play.

Below are a few of the best (and worst) examples of those covers.

Doctor Spin - Tetris



This is what happens when you ask Andrew Lloyd-Webber to produce a dance mix based on the soundtrack of a Gameboy game. Released in 1992 under the pseudonym of "Doctor Spin" this was the official Nintendo endorsed single for the game that conquered the world. It's worth remembering that in 1992 the UK chart was snowed under with dance tracks just like this, and this might well have been one of the better ones.


Ambassadors of Funk - Super Mario Land



Released in 1993, Super Mario Land is another song that samples audio from the Gameboy. This track benefits from the fact that the Super Mario Land theme, while surrounded my rapping and a dance beat, is left relatively unmolested so it can do it's thing and show everyone just how good Gameboy music can really be


The Infamous Japanese Super Mario Guitar Dude



This video has been doing the rounds for a while now, but it doesn't make it any less astonishing to watch and listen to. Marvel as this talented axe man recreates not just the Mario theme but also the coin, mushroom and pipe sound effects all on his guitar. Whoever you are sir, i salute you.


Hikaru Kaihatsu - Mario Beatbox



The last Mario cover for the moment, but well worth a watch. Kaihatsu san is an amazing beat boxer who completely owns this performance. He even manages to fit in the "OMG 99 seconds left" audio cue into the routine.


GameOne - Legend of Zelda



Apparently French TV channel GameOne commissioned this song so they could run a bunch of Zelda clips over the top of it. Whatever their reason for doing it i'm happy they did because just listen to the end result.


Joe Pleiman - Legend of Zelda



While we're on the Zelda tangent it would be a scandal not to include the most famous cover of the theme. Unfortunately for Joe Pleiman this song is usually attributed to the band System of a Down due to the similarity of the vocal style to Serj Tankian. This is why the song has become so well known.


The Video Game Cover Band - Street Fighter II Medly



Very little to be said about this one except that if you close your eyes it IS the music of SFII.


Bloodhound Gang - Mope



Blink and you'll miss it cameo from Pac Man in this song from the year 2000, but it's an excuse to show a Bloodhound Gang song and PacMan freebasing so i'll take it. This is an example of how even a 10 second sample can give a song that extra bit of fun.


The Black Mages - Advent: One Winged Angel



The crowning jewel in this collection of songs, and possibly the most ambitious cover on the list is a song that was covered by the man who originally wrote it.

In 2005 Nobuo Uematsu re-recorded one of his most famous compositions, One Winged Angel, for use in the climactic battle scene in the animated movie Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. The lyrics to the song were re-written while Uematsu san also decided to incorporate heavy rock elements into the piece. For that very reason he brought in his own band "The Black Mages" to record the guitar sections. The resulting Rock version of the song was re-christened "Advent: One Winged Angel".

In the commentary for the movie Uematsu stated that the original Orchestra version of One winged Angel never felt quite right, while adding Rock to the mix seemed to work as the two styles meshed nicely.

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So there you have it, some talented amateurs and a few professionals who might perhaps have known better. What you've seen and heard here is a brief cross section of the Video game covers out there, and while they are not perhaps all destined to top the charts they all show how much gaming has influenced the music scene.

If you like what you heard there's plenty more out there, you just need to look for it.

Video game soundtracks at the Grammys

It was revealed today that Video game soundtracks will be considered alongside TV and Movie music for the "Music for Visual Media" section of the Grammy Awards. This section, formally known as "Film, Television and Other Visual Media" represents three separate awards, Best Compilation Soundtrack, Best Score Soundtrack and Best Song.

With this in mind lets have a look back at some of the iconic video game songs that might have competed for these awards in years past.

Koji Kondo - Level 1-1 (Super Mario Bros.)



The opening level of Shigeru Miyamoto's 1985 Super Mario Bros. sported one of, if not THE most recognisable theme tunes in video gaming history. Koji Kondo was responsible for all six themes used in the game, but it was the the theme tune for world 1-1 that would become the games calling card. Using the Nintendo Entertainment Systems 8 bit processor (the NES didn't have a dedicated sound chip) Kondo created fun, light hearted and original tunes that were instantly recognisable as being from the Nintendo mascots first Platform adventure. Kondo was given complete freedom to compose the music for Super Mario Bros. as he saw fit, but was keen to collaborate with Miyamoto, familiarising himself with the Game directors musical tastes.

A unique aspect of Super Mario Bros soundtrack is the way that it speeds up when the countdown timer reaches the 100 second mark to audibly hurry the player along, something that platform games after it's release would copy to varying degrees of success. At GDC 2007 Kondo stated that the theme "reflects the action-oriented game play of the series, and that he didn't know if he could make a song that was catchier than the world 1-1 theme but he would "Like to try"

This song is so iconic that it featured in many other Mario Games such as Super Mario Bros 2 and the Super Smash Bros. franchise. It also appeared on the Super Mario Bros. Super Show where WWF wrestler/manager Captain Lou Albano sang along to the tune that had been dubbed "Do the Mario"

It's as inseparable from Mario as those spiffing red overalls he's been sporting for the last 25 years, they could probably use a wash by now couldn't they?


Masato Nakamura - Green Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)



In 1991 SEGA welcomed the new poster child for their company into the fold, Sonic would replace Alex Kidd as the face of the company and was exactly the opposite of Nintendo's Mario in almost every way.

Mario was Red, Sonic was Blue.

Mario was Slow, Sonic was Fast.

Mario was Human, Sonic was a Hedgehog.

Sonics last name was different from his first.

They both had one thing in common with each other though, they both had iconic music to jump around to (well okay, they were a little podgy around the belly too).

Penned by Masato Nakamura from J-Pop group "Dreams Come True", the Sonic soundtrack made the most of the SEGA Genesis' Yamaha YM2612 sound chip delivering music and sound effects in stereo. Nakamura wrote several tracks for the game, but just like Mario's début six years previously it would be the first track that everyone would associate with the spiky blue mammal. The song would appear in numerous other Sonic games through the years, it was touched up slightly in Sonic Adventure 2 and remixed in the Sunset Hill zone in Sonic Advance 3.


Koji Kondo - Opening Theme (The Legend of Zelda)



Sometimes a theme, or more accurately a motif, is so iconic that you can't imagine a character without it, While Mario and Sonic might well fit that description there is a young man in a far off land that could well lay better claim to that position.

In 1986, just a year after he capture lightning in a bottle, Koji Kondo did it again by creating the theme song for what would be one of the most beloved Nintendo games franchises of the next 25 years. Legend of Zelda felt like a time of swords and sorcery in no small part because of the music that accompanied you as you explored hyrule. It feels optimistic, heroic and energetic, in a sense it makes you understand what Link is all about and highlights the emotional state that he's in as he sets off, eyes sparkling with wonder, on his quest to save fair maiden from danger. It's good to know that even though he would lose all his equipment and forget everything he had learned time and time again over the years he would always have the song to cheer him up, the daft git.

It's little surprise that the basic outline of the main theme has survived 25 years to this day ("Links Theme" in Wind Waker and "Final Preparation" theme in Spirit Tracks)

For my money though, the "Link to the Past" Overworld theme is the best version going...




Nobuo Uematsu - Final Fantasy VII Soundtrack



If Nobuo Uematsu wasn't on this list i would rightly have to take a very long walk off of an exceedingly short piece of timber. Of all the artists on this list, he is the most likely to be awarded the Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack simply because the quality of his work throughout games such as Final Fantasy VII is so impeccable. I may have chosen to embed a link to "One Winged Angel" to demonstrate his ability as a composer but someone else might have chosen "Aeriths theme", another would have thought the "Final Fantasy Overture" more deserving. That's why he is so great at what he does, Uematsu writes scores that speak to gamers on a personal level.

Considering the technology he was using to create these pieces of music, that really is something.

To hell with it, here's another of his remarkable songs.




Harry Gregson-Williams & Tappi Iwase - Metal Gear Solid Main Theme (MGS2)



Not far behind Nobuo Uematsu is British Composer Harry Gregson-Williams. A Grammy award Nominee and protege of Hans Zimmer, Gregson-Williams has had a long career composing songs for Hollywood blockbusters. The Rock, Armageddon, Shrek, Phonebooth and The Taking of Pelham 123 are all on his CV and demonstrate his ability to write stirring, breathless orchestral pieces that instantly draw the viewer into the action. He was drafted in by Game director Hideo Kojima to remix the Metal Gear Solid theme which was originally composed by Tappi Iwase for the original game released in 1998.

The result is astounding.

Often times a good piece of music will inform you of certain things, whether that be the type of person that a certain character is, their motivation, mood, even what they're thinking. The opening theme of Metal Gear Solid 2 encapsulates all that Solid Snake is, it tells you that he's the hero, that he will sacrifice everything to complete his mission, and more importantly that the game itself is EPIC. In a time when gaming became more a cinematic experience, especially true of Kojima games, this score suited the game perfectly. It gave MGS2 the feel of a big motion picture, and alluded to the scale of the story that lay ahead.

And for anyone that remembers Metal Gear Arsenal, you know the scale we're talking about here.


Martin O'Donnell - Halo Theme (Halo: Combat Evolved)



There's something quite charming about the Halo theme song. It's got undertones of Irish folk music and monastic chanting throughout and all the while it's building and building to a grand crescendo. The song makes everything seem ancient and yet current/futuristic at the same time, an idea that many sci-fi games have shared throughout the years and which Halo succeeds at.

Martin O'Donnell, the games audio director has gone on record as saying that "Music is best used in a game to quicken the emotional state of the player, and it works best when used least" This is why the Main theme works so well, it sets you up for the game ahead of you, impressing on you the weight of the story and then it leaves you alone with the game, only ever giving you the odd flicker of music here and there. It's a theme song in the grand tradition of action movies through the ages, it get's you pumpedup for what's to come.

The Halo theme is iconic enough that it featured as a downloadable bonus for Owners of the 360 version of Guitar Hero 3

I should also point out that the Rock version of the song is awesome.





So there we have it, Games are that much closer to getting mainstream recognition and credibility on a par with TV and Movies. Maybe if the Acadamy wants to capture the young viewers they tried so hard to pander to with Hathaway and Franco they should consider following the Grammys lead. Just a thought...