Comments for Virtuousity

Comment on Speed Racer: The Videogame by Artman "MasterOfReality"

Artman "MasterOfReality" — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:37:17 +0000

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

Good game, October 25, 2008

Fun:

This review is from: Speed Racer: The Videogame (Video Game)

Bought this for my 6 year old daughter for her b-day and she likes it alot.Not her favorite game but she does play with it.Basically a driving game with different courses to choose from.VERY colorful and exciting.Fast paced.Recommended.

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Comment on Speed Racer: The Videogame by J. Chase "drmangel"

J. Chase "drmangel" — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:39:52 +0000

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

Speed Racer good for kids..., November 24, 2008

J. Chase "drmangel" (WV, USA) -

Fun:

This review is from: Speed Racer: The Videogame (Video Game)

This is one video game that is child friendly or for those tech game challenged. My 5 yr old loves it. No matter what he does he doesnt die, the game just keeps him playing.

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Comment on The Simpsons Game by B. E Jackson

B. E Jackson — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:37:06 +0000

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

d'oh!, November 17, 2007

B. E Jackson (Pennsylvania) -

Fun:

This review is from: The Simpsons Game (Video Game)

Look, I love the Simpsons. I've been watching it for over 19 years now. I've been playing their games since the early 90s on the NES and playing games like "Bart vs. the Space Mutants". The games are really not that good. The game companies just milk and overkill the Simpsons name in an attempt to make money. It happens all the time with other games as well. This game has some positive things going for it such as really spectacular graphics and some fun puzzle games, but don't expect the game to stand the test of time. That's the difference between the animated comedy we see every Sunday night and the video games. The TV show rules, the games don't.

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Comment on Speed Racer: The Videogame by Satori

Satori — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:14:15 +0000

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

'Speed Racer: The Videogame' is the rare movie tie-in game that is actually well done., May 14, 2008

Satori -

Fun:

This review is from: Speed Racer: The Videogame (Video Game)

I went into 'Speed Racer' with no real expectations. I had heard that the Wii version was fun but I had not seen anything about the DS version. I have to say I have been very impressed.

Thankfully the game does not try and recreate the movie but instead focuses on the racing by setting the game after the events of the movie. There are no movie spoilers in the game except for driver names/cars and track locations.

'Speed Racer: The Videogame' is the rare movie tie in game that is actually well done. I was a little worried that a high speed racer on the DS, based off the loose and chaotic racing seen in the movie, would be impossible but thanks to some great design choices by the developer this game really shines as the fastest racer on the DS. You really feel like your going 300 mph while wiping around curves and taking jumps. On top of that, the boost feature is really well done. It is set up in such a away that conservation is rewarded with a "zone" moment where the track in essence straightens out for you and you just blaze by your opponents. Since you can't use this feature all the time it does not become unfair but instead a strategic item that can be used to move up in rank or to make it though a particularly difficult area. The name of the game is "Speed Racer" and you most certainly get the speed part.

The game is fast but that is only a part of the game. As fast as the game is, it still controls well once you get a handle for the drifting. Unlike some other "extreme" racing games 'Speed Racer' does not have an energy bar. You can hit as many walls as you like and not suffer an explosive demise. That said, you will do much better if you avoid the walls and that is where drifting come to play. The drifting feels very loose at first but after awhile you learn how you use it and you start racing like in the movie. Is it weird at first but your car can drive sideways, backwards and at any other angle. The disadvantage of this is that you move slower. All you have to do to fix that is tap the X button and you are back driving straight. You can also do any number of spinning tricks off of ramps, half pipes or by jumping to fill your boost meter. These controls really server to recreate the sort of frantic and chaotic feeling the movie had in a manageable and fun way.

The game does have a focus on combat, but not weapons. Instead you can ram and spin into opponents or use the power of "Car Fu." Since you can't be destroyed in this game combat serves as a way to slow people down or protect your own lead. The can tap X to spin and hit opponents into wall or at certain moments press the B button to preform "Car Fu." "Car Fu" takes place in a "Zone" style mode were your sole focus is in getting you icon closer to the middle then your opponent. This mode could be really annoying but instead remains fun thanks to is limited use and strategic element. If you attack an opponent and lose and they get a boost, leaving you in the dust.

The only really complaint I have the the presentation. The game play is the main focus of the game (as is should be) and as such the menus are functional but spartan. They work but there is no polish. I hope that if this gem sees a sequel the developer have more time to make the presentation of the game a bit more polished. Until such time I am more the satisfied with having a great racing game with somewhat boring menus.

Pros:
The game promotes reply by having a good number of total track, unlockable characters and custom paint jobs for all the cars. There is also multiplayer but it requires multiple carts. Is is fast and fun and really manages to capture the spirit of the movie. Little to know pop-up in game. Great Graphics for the DS with bright and vibrant colors, good car models and a great sense of speed.

Cons:
Menus are merely functional. Music is average but not annoying. Multiplayer requires multiple carts. Tracks can be hard to tell apart. Unlockables don't feel very rewarding and provided no incentive for replay.

Conclusion:
This is the rare movie tie-in that you can fell comfortable get for yourself or giving as a gift to a fan of the movie or racing games in general. It is fast, fun and creative with a real sense of speed. With no violence it is appropriate for all ages. A real treat.

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Comment on The Simpsons Game by N. Durham "Big Evil"

N. Durham "Big Evil" — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:57:14 +0000

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

Unpolished game that nicely captures the atmosphere of the show, November 5, 2007

N. Durham "Big Evil" (Philadelphia, PA) -

Fun:

This review is from: The Simpsons Game (Video Game)

The Simpsons have ventured into the world of video games before, with largely unsuccessful results. Now that EA has acquired the video game license rights, we get The Simpsons Game, which puts you in the shoes of America's favorite animated family. The first thing you'll notice is how good the game looks. Remember that this is a late in life PS2 game, but it looks surprisingly sharp and wonderfully captures the look and atmosphere of Springfield and it's inhabitants. The game also features voice work from the cast of the long running show, and they're all great as well, while the game's story and dialogue are frequently funny, and more than frequently spoof popular video games to boot. What really stops The Simpsons Game from being something special are the many technical problems that plague the game. First off, the in-game camera is schizoid to say the least, and will more often than not seem to work against you. Not to mention that the game's controls are pretty loose and unresponsive, combined with the somewhat shallow gameplay and repetitiveness, and the fact that the game can be finished in one sitting. If you can look past all these negatives though, you'll find one of the few licensed games that actually does it's license justice, but falls short in the gameplay department. That aside though, for any and every fan of the long running show, The Simpsons Game is definitely worth a look at the very least, and maybe next time EA will put on a finishing polish that will give us something really special.

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Comment on Mario Kart Wii Sports Bottles (8) Party Supplies by GILKIM

GILKIM — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:48:57 +0000

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Rip off., September 24, 2011

GILKIM -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: NEW Nintendo 3DS Aqua Blue (Videogame Hardware) (Electronics)

It costs now only $199.99. Amazon.com gets the payment of $215.99 for the same merchandise in two weeks, time of difference. That's ridiculous! It's a steal!.

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Comment on The Simpsons Game by Josh Reinholds "Uber Geek"

Josh Reinholds "Uber Geek" — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:41:33 +0000

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

Awesome!, November 4, 2007

Josh Reinholds "Uber Geek" (San Francisco, CA United States) -

Fun:

This review is from: The Simpsons Game (Video Game)

As an avid gamer I'm always hesitant about licensed games but the Simpsons fan in me overrode my common sense, and thank god it did. While the game falls under fairly traditional platform game fair the puzzles are actually really well thought out. Using the two characters available to you per level you will be tasked with harnessing each member of the Simpsons family skills to advance. Something I found to be a lot of fun on my own but quickly became extra awesome with a friend. The comedy is spot on and all of the voice actors loan their talents to make the game feel like an episode of the TV show. The only major gripe I have is the typical platform game camera that rarely points in the right direction without your hands on control. Definitely worth the d'oh!

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Comment on The Odds: One Season, Three Gamblers, and the Death of Their Las Vegas by Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:11:43 +0000

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

Fast Food, June 19, 2003

Voracious reader (New York) -

This review is from: The Odds: One Season, Three Gamblers, and the Death of Their Las Vegas (Hardcover)

It's an engaging read, but in the end it comes across as a frustratingly superficial write. As a tale of three diverse role-players in the Vegas sports betting scene, it gives us little in the way of character depth or development. As a tale of how one season pans out for these guys, we learn only the outline of their cumulative performance - some occasional snapshots. As a primer in how to make sports bets, only a tempting morsel is briefly revealed. As a history of sports betting in a crucial transition period -just a glimpse. Yet it still has a journalistic pull on our attention...almost despite ourseves, we really get involved in how two college basketball teams we'd hardly blinked an eye at in our lives fare head-to-head on a random night, and we do end up wanting our featured bettors to go home winners. Yet it's hard not to feel this could have been so much better had the research been more thorough, the characters more closely followed, the history less skimpy. I read it in two sittings - goes down smooth as a Dove bar.

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Comment on Mario Kart Wii Sports Bottles (8) Party Supplies by Smarts

Smarts — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:59:18 +0000

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

The God of Handheld Games, June 14, 2011

Smarts -

This review is from: NEW Nintendo 3DS Aqua Blue (Videogame Hardware) (Electronics)

If you for something Awesome you found it. This is the greatest thing the the Nintendo company will give you for now. So make the best of it. The picture quality of the 3DS is amazing. The 3DS also can normal DS and DSi games too. If this your first time buying a DS and don't own any games you don't have to worry about it. The 3DS has built in games and activities. So go ahead and buy it.

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Comment on The Odds: One Season, Three Gamblers, and the Death of Their Las Vegas by Voracious reader

Voracious reader — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:32:52 +0000

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

Just SUPER....., April 30, 2001

The Thriller (Cleveland, Oh) -

This review is from: The Odds: One Season, Three Gamblers, and the Death of Their Las Vegas (Hardcover)

The Odds is a first hand look at what is going on in the sportsbook environment. Whether you want a view from the bookmaker's perspective, the wiseguy's perspective, or the casual sports bettor's perspective, this book is terrfic. The bookmaker, Joe Lupo of The Stardust is one cool customer. He is under constant pressure to get it right as the manager of The Stardust sports book. Traditionally, the line comes out first from The Stardust, hence, the added pressure of being the focus of attention in Las Vegas sports gambling circles. He knows the details of every game from his collective sources of sports oddsmakers. This would make one cool movie...

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