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Weekly Famitsu shows the need for that
lower Dreamcast price this week, the the dream machine still
getting spanked by Sony's PlayStation. N64 sales are
flagging too... A Bug's Life Infests the Nintendo 64 Activision, joining forces with The Walt Disney company for the first time, has announced the release of A Bug's Life for the Nintendo 64. This title will allow console gamers to take the role of the film's hero Filk, in a fully-interactive 3D world. In a bit of a switch from the usual 3D experience, gamers will be able to interact with a "living world" as Activision describes it, using seeds to grow plants and access useful power-ups, platforms and hidden areas. Playing as Filk, gamers will enlist the help of a group of Flea Circus insects to help them in their quest to save the colony from the hands of the villainous Hopper and his legion of grasshoppers. Containing 15 levels, A Bug's Life will give players the chance to solve challenging puzzles in order to defeat a vast array of enemies (from sneaky spiders to vicious wasps). During the course of their journey, players will interact with a multitude of characters -- both good and evil -- from the feature animated film, including such favorites as Heimlich, Francis and Hopper. This collaboration between Activision and
Disney/Pixar is on shelves now, with a suggested retail
price of $59.95. Tomb Raider IV Coming Despite Eidos' no-show at E3, Lara Croft
ventures yet again to PlayStation. In an article written by the British newspaper The Guardian (and posted on the Web by FGNOnline), Eidos' CEO Charles Cornwall explained the game's schedule, sayinf that "by Christmas(time) Tomb Raider 4 should be released." Eidos, however, remained silent. "We've not made any announcements regarding the next version of the Tomb Raider games," said a company spokesperson. Although many speculated that Eidos would make an announcement about the next TR iteration at the Electronic Entertainment Exposition, the company did just the contrary. There was no official display of Tomb Raider IV at the show (other than the live model Lara Wells, who did appear). But according to those in the know, the new game may have appeared behind closed doors. Again, Eidos would not confirm any such information. We'll have more for you as soon as possible. In the meantime, prepare yourselves for a new third-person adventure with the most popular woman in the world of videogames, Ms. Lara Croft. Your system may become a music jukebox
of sorts with a upcoming unlicensed peripheral. MP3 files are audio files that have been compressed to a very small size using a powerful compression routine. CD quality audio files using this compression can get as small as a megabyte a minute, and usually get smaller if you cut the quality further. The format was devised for easy music transfer over the internet small files with incredible sound quality. What it looks like the MP3 Enhancer may be is a way to transport MP3 files from the PC to the PlayStation for external listening, much like the Diamond Rio, a portable MP3 player. How much memory or what kind of features this device will have is still unknown the company's website is extremely cryptic about the unit. We're guessing that you will have to interface this device with a PC to transfer audio files to the PlayStation another reason why we question the necessity of the MP3 Enhancer. The Internet domain, www.mp3enhancer.com,
is registered to Visoly Inc. the company responsible for
the Game Enhancer (the mod-chip alternative to play Japanese
and copied games on the PlayStation), as well as the Z64
backup device for the Nintendo 64. We'll keep you informed
of when the unit will be available. The Next Myst? Many of us around the office aren't
exactly crazy about cursor-based games, but Myst fans might
want to check out Juggernaut for its great look, which
simulates grainy film. A few of the FMVs had us spooked. |
Mario Gold Gets Gold This week's Famitsu points to slim pickin's in Japan. June 3, 1999 Mario Golf 64 (Nintendo, 6/11) 8,8,8,8 Gold Metal Slug First Mission (Neo Geo Pocket,
SNK, 5/27) 6,6,6,7 Only 10 games were reviewed and the above are the best of another weak week of new titles following slow hardware and software sales. Nintendo is again the exception with quality above quantity. Even the mighty Square has disappointed with Lagoon Racer. The miserable launch of the Neo Geo Pocket Color continues with 3 more mediocre titles launched on May 27. Their hardware sales continue to migrate south as divine punishment for their 'I'm Not Boy' campaign taking liberties with the English language. Perhaps Sega and Dreamcast can save SNK's bacon when The King of Fighters Dream Match goes on sale on 6/24. The Neo Geo Pocket Color connection cable also goes on sale on 6/24. It allows data to be uploaded from DC to NGP and downloaded from DC to NGP. Dive Alert is also scheduled for release in July along with Puyo Puyo, Neo 21 (Board), Pocket Tournament Golf and Shanghai Mini (puzzle), whose prices have not yet been determined. Samurai Spirits hits the stores on 6/10. Sega has demonstrated commendable concern
for its customers' best interests by posting an official
warning notice of the price reductions to Y19,900 due on
6.24, as our pic from a Dreamcast Partner shop shows. There
is another warning notice on the display unit inside the
store and another below the counter just in case. The Man of Steel hits N64 along with a
year-late port of Fighting Force. IGN64 will have reviews for both games this week. In the meantime, let us warn you not to buy either of them until you have read our thoughts. In fact, let us beg you. Please, for the love of God, be patient. You won't regret the decision. Superman, an 8MB cartridge, retails for
the attractive low price of $64.95 while the other game,
whatever it's Wild Arms 2 gives players three different ways of looking at a complicated, new affair. June 01, 1999 The forthcoming RPG saga from SCEI, Wild Arms 2, is going to be a complicated affair, portraying the action from three separate viewpoints, laying down three divergent pathways through the story but trying to keep the whole thing tied together into a coherent whole. Ashley Winchester, Liluka Eleniak, and Brad Evans will be your guides in this luscious looking sequel, as players get to hack and slash their way through Final Fantasy-like battle sequences, bringing peace and prosperity to their homeland of the (parallel world) of Farugaia. Here's the background info on each hero:
Source - Famitsu PS Square's Racing RPG gets slammed by Japanese gaming critics. June 01, 1999 Racing RPG? Sorry Famitsu's review staff has given Square's new racing game, Racing Lagoon, a big thumbs down, rating it only 21 out of 40. All reviewers commented on the pretty graphics and movie scenes, but thought that the racing action and challenge (RPG-like fighting) elements simply didn't gel properly together, giving the whole a very unbalanced feel. You can race around, or you can fight with other characters, but not both. Source - Famitsu PS Sprint Toma Runner -- fast furious racing
on-foot? Source - Famitsu PS Top Ten List PlayStation only
Source The PlayStation, May 10 to 16,
1999 |
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