Actually showing the games that people are playing provides a more accurate assessment of the quality of video games - especially in terms of long-term play - that the general gaming media cannot hope to achieve. If you see a game gets a good rating in the media, and the UKKK is playing it, you know it is something special. Games of the Year 2009 - New Games*Castlevania Order of Ecclesia DSAn honourable mention, as time constraints has seen me yet to play, or even complete any of the DS Castlevania games. I still know it will be brilliant. 6 Geometry Wars 2 XBLAMore of the insane action that we've come to know. Waiting for a DS or even PC version of this game. Only chance to play as been at a friend's. 5 Star Wars Clone Wars DSBrilliantly captures the mood of the TV series with nice controls and 4 Space Invaders Extreme DSBrilliantly reworked. 3 Bomberman 2 DSBest Bomberman ever. Most importantly, has all the options for battle mode. Only quibble is the need to design your own maps. 2 Rockband PS2Easily the best of any guitar/band game. Why? Tracklist. I'm not even a "rock" fan, and like 90% of these, with only 5% I'd say are rubbish. In contrast to the early Guitar Hero games, 5% liked, 90% utter garbage. Guitar Hero 4 improved much with maybe only 30% I can't stand, and 30% I like. Rockband's only letdown was the crap guitar. Thankfully the GH4 PS2 guitar worked (bought with game in a pack), as Rockband generally accepts "any compatible guitar". 1 Audio Surf PCI'm late to this, and it's consumed the most hours. Why? Use your own music! The first guitar game that allows this, they'll be on a winner. They'll also cause their own extinction. Maybe the solution is to submit songs to their website and have the song created for the price of a downloadable song. That way the developer gets some return and the fan gets their choice. Games of the Year 2009 - New and Old Games8 Space Invaders Extreme DS7 Bomberman 2 DS6 New International Track & Field DSThe best implementation of this type of game ever, so many events, few of which are duds, and so much fun with others. 5 Geometry Wars DSAlways has that "quick game, one more go" flavour. With so many maps on offer, there's so many variations of "quick game". You can be quick, quick-quick, or slow-quick. 4 Winning Eleven GBAI was late to acquiring Winning Eleven GBA, only seeing it on a shelf at a store while visiting Tokyo and searching for a particular F-Zero game. WE GBA was released in 2002, proving an entirely satisfying experience and the best "next-gen" soccer game out there. The limited system specs actually prevents it from became the midfield bumbling stoush of the home system games. It's a wonderfully open, flowing, action-packed game, more in line with the old International Superstar Soccer series on the SNES. In fact, I'm more likely to consider it as ISS Deluxe Evolved than a Winning Eleven game. 3 Rockband PS22 Mario Kart DS1 Audio Surf PCThis award considers time spent playing the game and timeless factor. Mario Kart DS has been the king since release, and is always the first game played when gathering with fellow Konsole Kretins and PC Peons. Audio Surf takes the crown. The fact that own music can be used, it's a chance of remaining near top for many years. It's been a crap year for new games for the Konsole King. Put that down to not owning any of the next-gen systems. None have really been convincing. PC gaming offers even less, narrowing so much in diversity that it's primarily a geeky cult. If there is a possibility anywhere, PS3 is looking to have some promise, especially FIFA Soccer now so good and a World Cup year and they redesigned the hideous beast to a smaller, more efficient system. The Wii needs to go hi-def. The 360 should be renamed the 180, for the interest it's ever given me. December 2009Audio Surf PC November 2009Audio Surf PC October 2009Audio Surf PC September 2009Audio Surf PC August 2009Audio Surf PC July 2009Audio Surf PC June 2009Audio Surf PC Only recently discovered Audio Surf. A $10 download game. It's a puzzle/racer that allows you to use your own songs. Rock on Vanilla Ninja! Let me just say that VN music, with its awesome power and changes in tempo, were made for this game. The tracks and traffic are generated for each song in seconds. Scores are posted online. Naturally, the Konsole King dominates the VN charts. Check for Mr Ninja. If only Guitar Hero or Rockband could allow such user-owned tracks. May 2009Rock Band 2 PS2 April 2009Bomberman 2 DS March 2009Rock Band PS2 (guitar) February 2009Rock Band PS2 (guitar) January 2009Rock Band PS2 (guitar) December 2008Rock Band Wii (full band) November 2008Geometry Wars DS Rock Band is a great game. Played it on a friend's system as I have no intention of buying one of the current systems. Drums work really well, even if a bit loud. I could hear my friend from the street as I approached his house. Didn't like the guitar much, with the non-click strum. Not enough feel or spring to it. It actually feels broken. Best about the game is the song list. The Guitar Hero games are plagued by too much trash rock and too much trash rock repetition within the trash rock. The songs just go for too long and it becomes a chore. Understandable that they need to be extended somewhat to provide some solos, but not to this extent. It's the single reason that has stopped me buying any of these games. Of the GH songs, barely 5 I can tolerate. Of RB, only 5 I can't tolerate. Most are in a nice, concise form. A sure winner. Now, only if the GH World Tour guitar worked on the Rock Band PS2 game... October 2008Geometry Wars DS September 2008**New International Track & Field DS August 2008Geometry Wars DS July 2008Mario Kart DS June 2008Mario Kart DS May 2008**Mario Kart Wii April 2008Mario Kart DS March 2008More Brain Training DS February 2008More Brain Training DS January 2008More Brain Training DS December 2007Mario Kart DS November 2007**Mario Kart DS October 2007Tetris DS September 2007Tetris DS August 2007Tetris DS July 2007**Tetris DS June 2007Tetris DS May 2007**Tetris DS No Mario Kart DS played since I bought the game - in November 2005. Astonishing! The game that took my attention was the latest incarnation of a long-time favourite, Tetris. Bomberman Land Touch is also a welcome return of an old favourite. I haven't really played Bomberman since the SNES era, but the lure of single gamepak multi-player along with the most fully packed battle mode ever, it was a must have. If that wasn't enough, Elite Beat Agents is a totally absorbing game. Believe the hype and all the positive reviews. I picked up the Fifa World Cup game for just $20. Don't ask me why. Probably just curious whether it was much different to the GC version that I already own. It does have extended stadium fly-overs preceding the match. That's really the only addition. In terms of gameplay, GC seems better. The PS2 version just seems too frantic, and the controls are not as nice. Oh yes, and I managed to complete another level in TMNT GBA. Just 3 more to go. April 2007Tetris DS Tetris DS was the most recent purchase and I've been basically playing it non-stop. Bomberland was bought at the same time and can't wait to play against others. Both have single-cart download play. MK DS always gets a quick go when online, while I need to get back to TMNT after playing consistently last month . The GBA version is the best version of the game - reminscient of old-style TMNT on the SNES and Double Dragon games. MK DD is always first port of call when friends gather - playing through the tracks and then doing an "Americas Cup", first-to-9-wins, competition on Baby Park. We did an Americas Cup compeition twice. Then we had a game of Mario Power Tennis. March 2007Mario Kart DS February 2007Yoshi's Island DS January 2007Mario Kart DS Note: The Konsole Kingdom has decided to ditch showing games other B-Boys play. Z's a soft-cock wowser and barely plays anything these days. Simo is a soft-cock wowser and is often too lazy to provide the games he's played. Bob's an image conscious mofo and just nominates games he likes to think he's playing, while ignoring others that he is known to be playing (eg: claims it almost have completed Metroid Hunters on the DS, yet rarely nominated it). Royboy is a hypocritic PC Peon, now playing games on the PSP. So the Konsole Kingdom has decided to ignore him to protect future embarrassment if ever the day comes his grand-kids check this page and see he was once playing games on a crap version of a "crap console", as Royboy so often likes to say. As a special compensation, the UKKK will now list all the games he plays each month, and not just the top 5. Games of the Year 2006BobWorld Of Warcraft UKKKMario Kart DSThe simple fact I've been playing it all year, especially online, and it's twice as good as all the previous versions combined, it is a masterpiece. Better news is that it could still improve. While a great more difficult than previous versions, once mastered it needs some killer extra difficulty levels. I'm not even a snaker (performing mini-turbos right throughout the course, not just through corners) and easily win 150cc Cups with a star or two. The staff "Ghosts" can be defeated in the time trials without relying on snaking. The mirror mode is still a wank. Dump it for a reverse mode. Yes, I know that may sound impossible for tracks with jumps, etc, but just place some zippers or cannons to facilitate it. The online side needs to monitor quitters (powering off their DS before the championship completes) and they be relegated to low priority in the selection queue for races. All tracks need to be available and maybe everyone gets one choice each with leftovers going the current popularity/random method. Other than that, the random and anonymous nature of opponent selection is a great policy, and I'm glad Nintendo has extended that to other games. The issue of snaking needs to be re-thought and probably should go from the next game (if the sales of this current one ever drops sufficiently that Nintendo find it in their heart to make a new one). It does ruin some races with some players so good they just drive off into the sunset and win by half a lap. How they get fun out of this defies me. The sheer beauty in this game is the perfectly weighted driving mechanics and the balanced level of item use that rewards great driving yet still allows that element of chaotic fun that Mario Kart is known. Suffice to say, MK DS in wireless play (with up to 8 players) is gaming heaven. Fifa World Cup 2006For seemingly eons, I have personally rubbished EA's Fifa games for the one reason they have been, umm, absolute rubbish. But things change. As my favourite series International Superstar Soccer died, and then Pro Evolution Soccer lost focus, EA realised with Fifa that fun and realism makes a good soccer game, not gimmicks. I was personally fed-up with PES that with each edition grew more in simulation and less in fun. I was looking for something else. There I was in a computer store playing Fifa 06 on the Xbox 360 and was awe-struck that the control layout was identical to PES and the game was actually fun. Had EA gone mad? I did not hesitate in buying FWC06 when it arrived - especially when the GameCube version was only $50 and my beloved Australia finally qualified for the tournament. Seriously, this game still puts a smile on face even today. The sweeping moves that can be executed, the exciting matches that are played, it's awesome. Yes, it's more action-orientated than PES, and yes there's many more shots and saves, but boy is it fun. Fun, fun, fun! Fifa 2007 later in the year proved more simulation-based, and the speed is too slow (put it on fast, which happens to be "normal" on FWC06 and the more realistic speed) yet thankfully retained much of the mechanics and delights of FWC06. I still think FWC06 is the better buy. Chances are you're buying it for something different, so go something for truly different, and not just a little bit. Chances are FWC06 is a one-off with it being a World Cup game and therefore more accessible to the general public. If your fascination is for club teams or maybe soccer aficionado, then Fifa 2007. Starfox CommandI've been a Starfox fan since day one, and was a little skeptical of the stylus controls. However, it works! Not just that, works very well. All the battles are "free roaming" type things, even if in a confined area. The multi-player mode, both online and off, works identically. There's also the traditional Andross-type boss battle against the Anglars that you face through this game. The game does miss the standard in-your-face "on rails" type levels. Countering that, the game has tremendous longevity with 9 different paths that have 9 different stories. Some plot-lines are just hilarious and why do these creatures all have women troubles? Even Falco, who interjects a couple of times when others are discussing romantic problems with "Cut the chatter. Let's blow something up" and "This is not a time for romance. We're professionals!" has problems with his his flame, Kat. Also, you pilot all the crafts, including that of sidekicks, girlfriends, and even the members of team Starfox's nemesis, Starwolf! It really adds some value to the game, and the start of each mission that requires some strategy when you need to consider the strength of your ships against the impending enemies when you draw your flight paths. Online, it's basic with a random selection of a four-player "battle royale". There's designated two and three player modes, but no one seems to go there. The battle royale suffices, and while the match-ups can be harsh with some high-ranked opponents, you do get a variety of assignments and the chance to beat up lower ranked players. Because the game tracks drop-outs, the problem of quitters is no where near the problem it is with Mario Kart Metroid Prime HuntersWith Mario Kart and then Starfox about, unfortunately I haven't played as much as I liked. But I am a HUGE Metroid fan. The single player seems solid, and the multi-player modes great. The only issue I've experienced is online and the alternate-form weapons (Samu's is becoming a ball and dropping bombs), especially one of the characters with a sentry gun, can spoil the fun. If shooting the sentry gun also impacted on the character's health, it would be ok. There's also too many health and armour restore items throughout, and some players can just be impossible to kill. Maybe there are some balance issues. Honourable mentions... Yoshi's Island DSThis game stunned on the SNES when we all thought the SNES was dead and buried, especially with platform games. On the DS, the game plays over both screens, and is essentially more of the same. Those that never played the original will fall for its charm; those that did will love the faithful replication. Star Wars Lego 2: Original TrilogyAwesome fun. Only played the first level, but played throughout the first game. Club House Games DSThis one game totally empowers and enhances the DS in so many ways. The number of hours you can waste on the silly little games included is amazing. Even better, it's all single-cart multi-player. If it had a no-limit version of Texas Hold'em in it, it would just about be perfect. The only thing I don't like is that I'm certain the CPU cheats in blackjack. Games Played: May 1999 to December 2006Back to the Konsole Kingdom |
