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This is the April 2008 issue of Nintendo Power, labeled as Volume 227. It's featured articles included Mario Kart Wii, Deadly Creatures, The World Ends With You, Okami and We Love Golf!.

Cover Story[]

There was an in-depth preview for Mario Kart on the Wii. The game includes both new and old content. Players will not only get to use motion-sensor controls, but will for the first time be able to use a steering wheel to control their vehicle. The Wii remote is turned sideways and placed inside a groove in the wheel. The wheel itself isn't activated in anyway, it is simply used as a way to maneuver the vehicles more realistically, (though there is a button on the back of the wheel that pushes the Wii remote's B button). This game also allows players to choose between karts and motor bikes. Motor bikes are different from karts in that they are able to get quick boosts by popping wheelies and are also adept at performing tricks off of jumps.

Other new content includes new tracks, items, racers, battle modes and the ability to play as your Mii. Older elements from past Mario Kart games make a return as well, though some include new additions. For example, tracks like Peach Beach and Mario Raceway now have a few changes that the motor bikes can take advantage of in order to receive boost bonuses. The game is released at the end of April and is reviewed in the next issue of Nintendo Power.

Other Highlights[]

  • The magazine previewed Deadly Creatures, an unusual action-adventure game where a scorpion and a tarantula are the protagonists. The two creatures each have specific fighting characteristics, the scorpion is built like a tank and is capable of delivering finishing moves while the tarantula is more agile and attacks with lethal precision. They also both have character-specific abilities that will help them as they travel across sprawling landscapes and through dark, eerie spaces; all the while a second storyline plays out involving people looking for buried treasure. The protagonists will face off against a variety of enemies big and small, though they will not do it together. The scorpion and tarantula will have separate adventures and will occasionally even fight each other. The game is set to be released during the 2008 holiday season.
  • Nintendo Power had an overview of Square Enix's The World Ends With You and couldn't help to point out how completely left of center the game appeared to be, from setting to visuals to battle mechanics. The article included an interview with Tatsuya Kando, the game's director. As it turns out Kando was the animation director working on the Kingdom Hearts series, and was asked to direct The World Ends With You after gaining the trust of Kingdom Hearts Creator creator Tetsuya Nomura.
  • Okami was fully previewed this issue. The main protagonist is a goddess in the form of a wolf named Amaterasu. She must fight off the darkness that has settled in her world with the help of a sidekick named Issun and the Celestial Brush. The Celestial Brush in this game is controlled by the Wii remote and has versatile functions. While it could be used to battle enemies and bosses, it also has the power to mend things and return beauty to Amaterasu's world.
  • Details for the Wii's We Love Golf! were explored in a three page interview with Hiroyuki and Shugo Takahashi, the founders of Camelot. The developers will utilize the Wii's ability to make realistic swing motions, and will strive to make it as precise as possible. The Takahashi brothers encouraged players to play with friends and family on the multiplayer modes as well as play online. Whenever one person beats another person online, the opponent's character's face is added to the winner's play sheet (Mii's can be used in this game, so you might possibly acquire the face of a Mii). Capcom is the publisher for We Love Golf! and there will be plenty of familiar characters such as Chun-Li, Jill Valentine and Apollo Justice. Finally, for players who are having trouble with the game, the developer's created a character named Chip who looks exactly like a Wii remote but with arms. Chip will can teach players how to play the game and can later guide players through different techniques.
  • There was an article called "Building Better Brawls", in which the magazine staff put up their favorite custom stages made for Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Included with the article was a passage from Nate Bihldorff, localization producer/manager for Nintendo of America. He had tips for becoming a better player at SSBB, mostly revolving around mastering different characters and specific moves. One thing he loved about smashes in the game was not carefully tailored combos that eventually sent opponents flying, but "spur-of-the-moment strategies" that will likely never happen again.
  • This issue had the fourth installment in Nintendo Power’s celebration of its 20 year existence. There was an in-depth look at the strategy guides that had appeared in Nintendo Power for several years. Besides the common strategy map, there were also "Counselor's Corner", "Epic Center", Classified Information", and even game tips in the "Howard & Nester" comic section. Plus, the issues that were also strategy guides (Volume 13, for example) were highlighted, as well.
  • Power Profiles #12: Interview with Sid Meier, a game director best known for PC games like Civilization and Railroad Tycoon. His latest project is Civilization Revolution for the Nintendo DS.

Reviews[]

In all there were fifteen reviews in this issue (eleven Wii games and four DS games). Bully: Scholarship Edition and Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword were the two highest rated games for April, both receiving 8.5 as their score.


Title Score Console Reviewer ESRB Rating
Baroque 3.0 Wii Tom H. Teen
Bully: Scholarship Edition 8.5 Wii Chris H. Teen
Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed 7.0 Wii Justin C. Teen
The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return 7.0 Wii Steve T. Mature 17+
Lost in Blue 3 5.5 DS George S. Everyone 10+
MLB 2K8 6.5 Wii Steve T. Everyone
Myst 5.0 DS Chris Sh. Everyone
Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword 8.5 DS Steve T. Teen
Obscure: The Aftermath 7.0 Wii Justin C.. Mature 17+
Opoona 7.0 Wii Chris H. Everyone 10+
Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection 7.5 Wii Chris H. Everyone 10+
Sega Bass Fishing 5.0 Wii Tom H. Everyone
Sega Superstars Tennis 8.0 Wii Justin C. Everyone 10+
Sega Superstars Tennis 8.0 DS George S. Everyone
Worms: A Space Oddity 6.0 Wii Steve T. Everyone 10+

See also[]

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