Posts Tagged ‘saga’
Japanese charts - week ending 15th February
Mario & Luigi RPG 3, as predicted, topped the charts, but there was a disconcerting lack of Wii games in the Japanese top ten this week, as Sony dominated the upper echelons of the chart.Though some were predicting even higher numbers for Mario & Luigi, just under 200,000 copies is by some distance the best first week for the handheld franchise. Indeed, it beat the first week sales of both Superstar Saga and Partners in Time combined. A localisation really can’t come soon enough (will it launch alongside the DSi in Europe perhaps?)
Elsewhere, the sole other Nintendo console representative was the DS version of Echoes of time, hanging in there with a small drop in sales this week to a still-healthy 20,000 units. The Wii take on the game is outside the top 30 despite a hefty price cut. Ouch.
Meanwhile, Street Fighter IV was the other dominant force, the exceptional revival of the 2D beat-em-up genre’s most famous series coming in at second on PS3 and 5th for the 360 iteration. Many Japanese stores reported selling out, which, assuming Capcom gets plenty of stock back in, could make it a contender for the top next week (though Xbox 360 exclusive RPG, Star Ocean 4, could yet have a say).
Wii game - Marble Saga Kororinpa Preview
I’ve heard of the Kororinpa games, but will have to tell you that I’ve never sat down and actually played one. That will all change, as Hudson was kind enough to send some preview materials, plus a demo of their latest game, Marble Saga Kororinpa.
After reading the synopsis of the plot, I must say I’m intrigued if a little scared. The game follows the adventures of Anthony the Ant as he sets out on his journey to find the ‘Golden Flower’. As the story unfolds, you gather items essential to progressing. There will be around 40 of these items, including shrinking machines, movable bridges, vacuum tubes, and cannon vaults.
If you’ve never played a game like Kororinpa it’s a puzzle game much in the same spirit as the Super Monkey Ball games. It’s played by tilting the game world as you navigate a marble through various stages. The stages’ difficulty increases, as more obstacles are thrown at you.