December 10, 2003 Culture e the other press © FINAL PANYAS Sa rtd Tp BIFIIR TAN Nick Hogg OP Game Guy V.20 Rest assured we haven't forgotten the gamer on the go—and if they're not, we can always fix that. First off there’s the GBA SP, the greatest portable system to date not only for it’s ease of portability but also for its graphical power and its backward compatibility. So what’s popular for the Game Boy during the cold winter days, besides thumbless gloves? Final Fantasy Tactics Advance is a game that has proven the test of time, by having near infinite replay value, thanks in part to the randomly generated missions available after finishing the regular game. As well by having an easy learn- ing curve it’s accessible to anyone, but is in- depth enough for even the most hardcore gamers. For those who have several friends who also have Game Boys, a devious gift to get them is Shinning Soul, especially since it’s got a four-play link mode with similar game play to Diablo on the PC. So basically buying three copies for you and your friends gets you a real- ly great multiplayer experience this winter. Fresh from the time capsule is Mario Advance 4, which is not only a great nostalgia trip but also an extremely solid gaming experience. In the something completely different category there is Boktai, a game made by the same guy who did Metal Gear Solid. At first glance this seems to be a standard vampire killing game. The hook for this one is that your ability to kill vampires is dependant on the sun—the real one. The cartage has a photosensitive cell allowing it to gauge the amount of natural sun- light—the more sun the more powerful you are, although I can’t guarantee this game will be much fun during the cloudy winter. Another entry from SquareEnix this year is Sword of Mana. It’s another “it’s new if you don’t’ speak Japanese” game, with a simple yet solid old school RPG. Although what Id really prefer SquareEnix to release is the Super Famicon Version of Star Ocean on the GBA. Now there is a game that will blow the doors off of other RPGS on the GBA. Also, if you like to get the most out of a game for the least amount of money, | suggest Phantasy Star Collection, which includes the first three Phantasy Star games. None of these games are graphical powerhouses, the first two games appeared on the Sega Master System, and the Fanboy’s Corner Xmas Guide Part 2 fs third was an early Genesis game. As for the game, it’s less fantasy and more Phantasy, or sci-fi to be exact. Since this is Game Boy, there are always accessories to buy, which we'll take a quick glance at. For anyone with an SP, the ultimate accesso- ry is the headphone adaptor—I cannot stress how nice it is to use a feature that should have been included on the system to begin with. Those of you with friends, link cables are always a good idea, since most of the games link in one form or another—it’s more fun. Beyond that, there are always the little things like bags, game cases, car chargers and so on. Basically, any kind of accessory you can think of, they've probably already made four differ- ent kinds of them. We also musn’t forget that other little Nintendo product, the Game Cube, with itsex- tremely low price this holiday season they're sure to make more than a few gamers happy. Another thing that is going to make more than a few new cube owners happy is the bonus disc slapped inside of every cube, dubbed the ‘holy shit Zelda disc,’ it comes with the original Legend of Zelda and it’s sequel Link Adventures from the NES, as well as the two N64 games Ocarina of Time and Majoras Mask. Now if you ever get bored of all that Zelda goodness we've got one of the most stylish entries for any con- sole this season, Viewtiful Joe. This is a Capcom odd and stylish 2D side-scrolling fighter, where you are basically in a cheesy action flick and can slow down and speed up time. These pow- ers are done in such a way that they are integral to the game play. Also making its way to the Cube this season is the highly anticipated Mario Kart Double Dash, Vm fairly sure anyone who bought a Cube has been waiting for this launch. Rounding out the cube selection this season is another Nintendo favourite Mario Party 5 for those of you who prefer board games minus the board. So gamers have a lot to look forward to this Christmas season, with no shortage in selec- tion. Hopefully I've enlightened those of you gift givers out there, and maybe popped a few ideas in your head, but most of all, remember there's a game out there for everyone, you just have to look to find it. All Clothing, All Coats, All Records, All Belts, All Purses All Shoes and Boots $1.00 per item, no limits! 527 Front St., New Westminster Open Thursday - Monday 10:00am - 5:00pm Closed Tuesday & Wednesday Phone: 604-816-9961 HiTeR OUT OO Kass Advertising Advertise Attention Business Owners: Munir Amlani Advertising Manager Contact: (604) 725-9154 7 o “ further d adman@amlani.ca informati To submit classifieds ads classifieds@amlani.ca www. otherpress.ca - Munir Amiani resume to The Other Press Room 1020-700 Avenue the_editor57 @hotmail http://www.otherpress.ca Page 13