Music Reviews

This was a Christmas Gift for me this year... purchased for me primarily because Robotron is on there. Well, when I popped the disc into the XBox, I found a surprise within greater than I could ever imagine!

This disc is chock full o' games that you know and love from the days of old... Defender, Robotron, Joust, Paperboy, Stargate, Super Sprint, Smash TV... oh, indeed, just some great titles.

As mentioned at the start, this was bought primarily since it had Robotron. And it rules. It plays just like the arcade game (no translation issues) and is way too fun. My wife and I also enjoy Klax, and I like to play Defender, but the game never will translate into controllability similar due to lack of controls.

This is also true of Sprint... much too difficult to play compared to the old standup version.

The games all have options and a bit of history about them, and I think it is really a most splendid disc.

If only somebody (hey Nintendo!) would bring the original Donkey Kong to XBox....

This game has 20 games in it.They are all just cheesy,classic arcade games but they are pretty fun.It,s not really addictive though.there is just one itsy,bitsy problem.......... I only like 2 games witch are Smash T.V,Bubbles,and Rampage.

Wow, this DVD/CD came as a surprise to me. I happened to read a preview of it in a game magazine recently and HAD TO GET IT. I'd been thinking of picking up one of the Playstation One "Midway Arcade Classic" CD's (which cost an arm and a leg) for Robotron, Sinistar, and a few others.

Instead, for $20, I get all the ones I wanted....and THEN SOME.

I haven't played all the games yet, just a few: Robotron, Sinistar, Paperboy, Marble Madness, Gauntlet, Defender, Defender II (aka Stargate for those old arcade geeks), Joust, Spy Hunter, Root Beer Tapper , Smash TV and Super Sprint.

Games like Gauntlet, Robotron, that have relatively simply up/down/left/right movement controls translated well to this CD/DVD and you can play easily with the PS2 controller. However, games like Paperboy, Marble Madness and Super Sprint proved slightly difficult to control with the PS2 controller. Not the programmers fault but those games that had specialized controls (trackball for Marble Madness, the bike handles for Paper Boy, steering wheel for Super Sprint) and they tried their best to translate the controls over. But I found (esp Super Sprint) them a little awarkward.

But don't let that stop you. The games are basically the originals and are addictive and should prove to be a nice change of pace from today's games.

Highly Recommended!!

I bought this for my sons 2 birthday. I love the qaulity. He has played with it constantly. And I like the box that it came with. Very handy for storage and stuff. This isn't the usual cheapy set that you get for this price. I'm very pleased with this and James loves it, which is a very good bonus. There is a tamborine, a clapper, cymbols, a triangle, moroccas and something else. I'm not sure what it's called. I want to say rain stick but that isn't right. I read the other reviews and I must say that I haven't had the same problems. At least, not yet anyway. It's been under almost constant use since he got it. And the moroccas are really loud. My 6 month old has fallen in love with those and stole them. I inspected them very well to make sure they wouldn't come apart and so far I've had no problems with them. I've bought toys from this company before. At first glance, they may seem a bit high but it's well worth it because everything is good quality and it's built to last. All in all, this is a very good first set of instruments for a little kid.

This item is collection of our boys' favorite toys. The cymbals are the most popular! Our 14 month old loved to bang the moroccas together. Of course, he is younger than the recommended age and the moroccas are not meant to be played with that way. One of them cracked and broke. Please be warned, there are tiny beans inside which could be swallowed. Also, the tambourine was easily ripped and is now reinforced with strong packing tape.

My daughter received this set when she was almost 2. She loves banging the instruments together to make as much noise as possible. The paper on the tamborine broke after the first day, she wanted it to be a drum! Overall it's a great way for her to make music.

XIII is a beautiful, challenging FPS. It is the first FPS to use cel-shading, a graphical technique that makes the game look like a cartoon. The level of detail throughout is amazing. It looks and feels like a comic book. XIII controls like most console FPS games. If you have played Hitman 2, Red Faction, or Timesplitters, you will be familar with this setup. The controls are very responsive, and allow you to aim with much precision.

XIII has a lengthy one player mode. There are 12 levels, connected by a good story, although the plot is far from original. This can get difficult, especially because enemies always hit you.

XIII has split-screen multiplayer for up to four players. There are 30 maps, which support capture the flag, deathmatch, and team deathmatch. There is no lag at all.

XIII is one of the best FPSs on the market. As for which version is better, they all have exclusive content. The PS2 version has an exclusive multiplayer mode, but it isn't very fun. It is like deathmatch, but you have to only kill certain players. The Xbox version has 8 players online, and voice chat. The Gamecube version is the only one that has split-screen multiplayer.

Overall, XIII is a must buy.

Now, I know this hasn't been realeased on Gamecube yet, but from what I played this game is sure to be a winner!
Graphics 10/10: At first I was skeptical about using a cel-shaded system, but once I got to play this game, I was disagreeing with my self! It's just like playing the graphic novel it was based on! And the little pop-up screens thet show you how killed somebody is really a nice touch.
Gameplay 9/10: The controls and how you play the game are a bit awkward at first, but once you get used to them, they're just like you'd design controls for a game! I personally don't like the way they do first person shooters, I like Third person shooters better (Like Enter the Matrix) but this is the first-first person shooter that has fluid gameplay.
Story 10/10: The story of this game is incredible: You are accused of assanating the President, but you don't remember a thing about your past; and then you set off on a search for your past. It doesn't seem that great when you're just told about it, you have to play it for your self.
All in all 10/10: this game is truly a triumph in the gaming industry. Who ever thought this game up should get a reward for the blood, sweat, and tears put into this game. Thanks, Ubi!
Look for my reviews on:
Enter the Matrix
Soul Caliber II
Super Smash Bros. Melee
and (up and coming)
P.N.03(Product Number)
Star wars Rouge Squadron III: Rebel Strike
Thanks!
Sincerely,
Andrew Genovese
P.S. If you want to get the PC Demo For this game an download it onto your computer, go to http://www.ubi.com/US and click on the XIII game site. That's what I did! Enjoy!

XIII Is a top notch shooter. IT has cool weapons. You can Bash people on the head with chairs shovels trays and bottles and more. Cool cell graphics and comic strip look. You see the words Tap Tap Tap.. when somebody is walking It has every thing good exept you will die alot. The Voice of thirteen is Batman From the old Batman Show. Also The Rapper Eve. This Game is Great so i think you should get it. By the way, there isn't much violence. So... Go get that game! Or your stupid to not get it.

I bought Madden 2001 when i got my Ps2, played the hell out of it, blew out my opponents on the highest difficulty, and it got old. Bought it again in 2002 and it got old again, basically 2001. Then NFL 2k3 came out and i bought it, played the hell out of it, did not blow my opponents out, actually had some challenge, and the game just kept gettin better, the player models looked a lot more real than Madden, the tackling system was better than Maddens, the overral game was just more fun than Madden. Now all i play is ESPN and when i found out this years game would only be 20 bucks retail, i was astatic, also its coming out 2 weeks before Madden to give them some time for people to check it out, which is even better. I personally think all sports games should be cheaper than 50 dollars, especially ones that don't change much from the previous years version (ex. Madden). Also Visual Concepts is gonna actually make use of the Xbox hardware this year(something that EA doesn't do) making this game look a lot prettier than Madden. I know the Madden fans are gonna flock to it again this year but for 20 dollars i don't see how you couldn't check out this years ESPN.

i have played both madden and espn football and it's not even close. first of all, the graphics on madden are terrible. the players don't look anything like the actual players. on espn football, the are very lifelike and look like the actual players. the gameplay on madden is too slow, while the players on espn football have more quickness. for $20 you definitely can't go wrong.

This game is like nothing else it has the best lookalike players, in madden the players are really blurry. If I were you I would get Espn NFl 2k5 and save the money and get an extra controller.

I've heard about this game Rainbow Six for years. I've always been curious about it but I haven't played it till recently. I must be missing something because for some reason I did not enjoy this game very much.

One thing I've always heard about Tom Clancy games from players is "they are so realistic". The realism is Rainbow Six is partly what drags the game down. Everything is caught up in trying to be as real as possible that for me at least, it sucked the fun right out of the game. The premise of the game is that you are leading an anti-terrorist group called "Rainbow" made up of the top special forces operatives in the world. But from the outset the game is bogged down in tedious details. Mission planning is unncessarily over complicated. I spent maybe an hour planning a mission that my team was wiped on in under 3 minutes. It seems that three quarters of the game is spent in the planning stage. Selecting team members, equipment, weapons, mapping a mission plan all seem more important that actually performing the mission. This led me to bouts of "Oh come on!! I just want to play the game!!!". The online play doesn't fair much better either I'm sorry to say. The average online game is about 30 seconds in length and I was frequently shot in the back after the first 5 seconds. After which I was relegated to watching the other online players. Also the problem of veteran players racking up stats for some game "leagues" by preying on lesser skilled players is rampant. Unfortunatley there's not much that can be done about that.

The controls fair no better. The control scheme is complex to the point of frustration. Other teams just stand there waiting for you to give them "GO Codes". But they are more like ducks in a shooting gallery. Being picked off one by one till you are the only player left. There is an option to remap the keyboard controls but that unfortunatly doesn't make things any easier.

The graphics look a bit dated but the game ran very smoothley on my computer.

Rainbow Six is a game that has a really good idea but falls horribley short in its execution. It's needlessly complex and overly tedious. If you are a Playstation 2 owner I'd recomend SOCOM: US Navy Seals over Rainbow Six. For PC I would recomend Operation Flashpoint. Both are alot more playable and more enjoyable.

Rainbow Six is the most compelling, aweing game I have ever played in my life. The graphics are out of this world, and it is realalistic. You must choose your weapons and supplies. There is a very good balance between stealth missions and "go-get-em" missions. You only get 2 or three shots before you are killed. You have a special team of operatives all with different attubites. Not like those Quake shoot-em up games. This is a must buy for everyone. Tom Clancy and Red Storm are ingenious.

This game is great for the gamer, whether they like strategy or action it's got both. It's no kind of shoot-em-up game but rather a game that relies upon the players quick wit, planning techniques, and response under pressure. This game is fully playable with training missions and 16 playable levels. Eagle Watch (the expansion pack) comes with five extra levels including two extremely good training missions, (they help alot). It's got an extremely playable multiplayer game which is completely shoot-em-up, although you can play co-op on levels. If you pick up Rainbow Six pick up this Gold Version because it comes with both the R6 missions and the Eagle Watch missions.

Boktai the sun is in you hands is one very inovative cartrige.
The game has a built in solor cell that requires its players to utilize the sun the recharge weapon systems and take out vampires with a sun-stun-gun! (say that ten times fast) I have played the Japanese version and am more then impressed. I wasn't worried about the quality since it was designed by the great Hideo Kojima, who many of you may know as the brains behind the Metal Gear series. I would recomend you pick up this game the day it comes out, and hopefully it isn't cloudy where you live!

I got this game about a week ago. I am totally addicted to it already! Now my favorite Gameboy Advance game, Boktai: The Sun Is In Your Hand uses solar power to manipulate the gameplay. In the beginning, you set the time and the region in which you live. There are a lot of cities, so if you are close to them it really helps the gameplay! Also, how much sunlight you have affects the world in the game. In smaller levels and in Immortals' (the big boss guys) castles there are skylights to give you the advantage. BUT, they only appear if there is sun going into the solar sensor! Don't worry about nighttime playing! You can store the solar energy you get into solar stations for later use. You get power-ups for your gun like bigger batteries for more solar storage and lenses to use different attacks (The Luna Lens doesn't use ANY energy!). Also there are secrets only unlockable when there is sunlight. Some examples are the green, red, and gold apples.

Green: says- Sour!

Red: says- Sweet!
Gold: says- Mmm!

How much sunlight is going into the sensor determines how visible the words or secrets are. To conclude this review I will say one very, very, important thing...

YOU NEED SUNLIGHT TO BEAT THE BOSSES! OTHERWISE YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BEAT THEM AND THEY WILL DESTROY YOU JUST THE SAME!

Thank you for your time. ^_^

The word gimmick is usually used negatively, as gimmicks are often used to try and save a terrible game. Well, in Boktai, the sun sensor only adds even more depth and innovation to the game.

You play as Django, the youngest in a family of vampire-hunters. Your weapon? The ''Gun Del Sol'', a pistol that fires beams of light. Your gun is very customizible, with many different lenses, batteries, grenades, and frames. However, your ammo is limited. Need more? Get outside in the sun and hold A! For cloudy days, you can used stored energy you put in the bank. And don't worry, its not at all a hassle, it just takes a minute.

You go through the game encountering dungeons and castles, each castle containing a vampire-boss. These bosses can only be fought in the sun, and once defeated, must be dragged to a nearby purification piledriver. Then, you must fight to purify the vampire once and for all.

The game also knows the time, the date, and where you live. After entering it at the beggining, the game uses YOUR time to decide whether its day or night in the game. It also tells you when events such as dawn, nightfall, and full moons occur.

All in all, this is a great game with a very innovative premis. AND IT ACTUALLY GETS GAMERS TO GO OUTSIDE!!!

Bookworm on the GBA is fun if you like word games. My kids enjoy it though it may get frustrating for early readers.
Graphics are almost identical to the PC game and it has the same feel, and hte sound is almost the same, but there are some missing features such as the definitions that come up when you submit a less common word. My 9 year old missed that feature from the computer version.
My only complaint with the game is that while it is terrific in its simplicity, it quickly becomes a challenge just to beat your own high score and generate words with more points. Once you reach Supreme Bookworm, which may be fairly soon, there are no more in-game goals. The bonus words start recycling and the challenge doesn't ramp up.
It is still a lot of fun and I'm glad they did not include off-color and swear words, though there are some fairly commonly used words not included, but I was hoping for something new given that the computer version has been out for a while. I'd also appreciate more gameplay options, maybe something along scrabble lines for younger players to create words out of random tiles for points or maybe an anagram game.

My favorite GBA game is Legend of Zelda Link to the Past and my kids favorites are the Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire versions. These games have an incredible depth of play.

If you love puzzle games, board games, word games or spelling things you should buy this game. I really like Scrabble and Bookworm is like being able to play Scrabble when no one is around. I really like how the game will tell you definitions of some words and that it keeps track of the longest words you make and the words that have lots of points. This is a game that is good for kids and adults. Even younger kids can play it.

I found out this game was going to be on gameboy and was so happy. I got a release date for it but when it came time the game was no longer in the computer of the store I went to. Finally I found it.
This game is very addicting. I have not had any problems with freezing or anything like that.

The rating system on here can be unfair. Its only averaging 2 1/2 stars because theres quite a few reviews with no stars but the reviewer loves the game.

Where I work, we once had a discussion about Monster cables and if they really do provide a better signal than a decent less-expensive cable.

So, we injected a range on freqencies through the Monster and looked at it on both an O-scope and a spectrum analyzer. We then did the same for a cable of the same type, but not a so-called Monster.

The Monster had *slightly* less attenuation, however the attenuation was not constant and the fluctuating attenuation introduced fluctuating harmonics. The differences between the Monster and the other cable, however, were along the same lines that one would expect to see from two similiar cables from different manufacturers.

My conclusion is that Monster cables simply are not worth the price. As for the construction itself, I don't find it very durable. It gives the appearance of durability, but I was not impressed with how the connectors were applied. For as much as these things cost, there should be better workmanship.

Professional cables can be had for half the cost of Monster cables. Monster cables are high-end low-end cables, where the high-end aspect is mainly in price. Its no suprise that one wouldn't find Monster cables being used in any professional sound studio.

I believe the "better picture aspect" of Monster video cables to be attributed mainly to psychological factors.

My advice would be to get the Microsoft HD AV Pack (which is what I'm using myself) for $20 and use the $40 you'll save on a game.

I was a little sceptical that these cables would make enough of a difference to justify their price, but after trying both the original NTSC cables that came with the XBox, and the Microsoft component video cables (Microsoft High Definition AV Pack), I can honestly say both the picture and the sound improved greatly with these Monster cables. If you have a good TV like me, or hook up your Xbox to your Home Theater receiver, do yourself the favor and invests the extra bucks to get the most out of your expensive equipment. The picture is brighter, the colors are purer, the image is clearer, and I hear more subtle sounds like metal-on-metal clangs in Halo that I couldn't distinguish before.

BTW, I also bought a set of Monster component video cables to connect my DVD player (got a new TV with Component Video inputs for Christmas), and it made a big difference in picture quality from the old one-cable NTSC video I was using before.

No need for a lengthy technical review here, otherwise this would sound too repetetive.

I tried:
*InterActs S-Video/AV cables and found them to be just basic cables. The main plug to the XBOX didn't even fit snug. I returned them immediately.

*Microsofts High Definition AV Pack again just basic cables. No dramatic change whatsoever in video quality. Too many extra hook-ups that can cause video noise.
I didn't return them because my brother bought them :) It sucks to be him right now.

I finally decided to go with my original gut instincts, I didn't want to buy the Monster cables because of the high price, I also thought I could get just as good a picture quality with the less expensive versions.
Boy was I mistaken when I hooked them up!! Like night and day!! Solid connections!! Superior construction!!

Bottom line? If you are serious about console gaming as I have become, this is a direct connection into your XBOX, the only way to exploit your XBOX and HDTV's video capabilities.(Can't wait for true 1080i games to come out)

To take advantage of the Digital audio side you would need to also purchase the Monster Game LightWave 100X. It plugs into the jack of the Monster Cable XGL400X and into your Dolby Digital Audio Reciever.

You actually get what you pay for and Monster Game cables should be your final stop in the quest for the best cable as they are the legendary leader in Audio/Video and Gaming cables.

***Monster Game cables is the gaming side of Monster Cable***

Hope this non techie laymans review helped.

This game is OK. The first spongebob game for xbox was ok. It wasnt very exciting. And it was hard you whould get killed in the first level. Only experts can beat the first level and somene my age(12) and lower whould never be able to beat it. So the sponge bob game for gbc was horrible too you did nothing in that game seriously. So know i got the new spongebob game for gba. Still ok but hard to beat!~!~!~

This game is SO fun. As you go it gets challenging but is still pretty cool. I could play all day if I could. My 4 year old brother could play without any help or getting mad that he can't beat a level. It is a great gift. The price is worth it! Buy it!The game is nothing new it has most of the characters in it and the places such as Sandy's house, The Krusty Krabb, and Jelly fish fields etc. If you are a Sponge Bob Square pants fan This is right for you!!!

My kids are 6 and 7. It is just right for them. They don't get overly frustrated like they do when they play Super Mario Advance. A good purchase!

This game is just plain fun. Not a lot of logic, and the plot and story are so-so, but when it comes to action and humor, this is one of the best titles to grace the market in some time. You play Roman, the leader of a group of ragtag heroes known as the Lionhearts. You're accompanied by Jonesy, a moleman who speaks with a thick Scottish brogue and is (more or less) an expert with explosives; Q, formerly one of the King's robotic guards who became self-aware and now spends as much time making tea as fighting; and Rexus, a squat, smelly, and blind seer who's not so sharp after suffering head trauma. The plot is pretty straightforward: Find the Book of Rule and use it to break the evil King's rule over the land. The format is very simple: Go from Point A to Point B, find this or that, destroy this or that, and kill everything that gets in your way. It's a very simplistic shooter, and under other circumstances, this game would barely dent the market. But what makes "Armed and Dangerous" stand out is its sense of humor and non-stop action.

The game's humor may be its strongest aspect. The characters are just plain funny, with Rexus and Jonesy stealing most of the best lines. The game takes shots at the French and references "Aliens," "Lord of the Rings," and especially "Star Wars," (this is from LucasArts, after all). The cutscenes are especially funny, with jokes and gags about cannibalism, leprosy, and even a doomspeaking evangelist type who looks a lot like Elvis. There's also an exploding sheep (Seriously). Especially funny are a trio of gardening robots that are reprogrammed to be soldiers; unfortunately, the programming backfires: they only want to defend plants and flowers, go into battle screaming "Death to the salad-eaters!" and nearly execute a poor villager for being a "cereal killer" (he was caught reaping wheat!)

Equally funny are the weapons you're provided with. Some are given at the beginning of a level; other are rewarded when you reach various pubs scattered throughout the game (these also serve as save points and will recharge your health). You get some pretty standard weapons: rifle, machine gun, sniper rifle, rocket launcher, etc. But it's the special weapons that are most fun: There's the Land Shark Gun, which fires a projectile that turns into--you guessed it--a shark that gobbles up your enemies from under the ground! There's the Guy Fawkes Traitor Bomb (a clever reference to a notorious English traitor) which makes your enemies turn against each other for a time. There's the Topsy Turvy Bomb, which briefly reverses gravity and causes your enemies to fly off the earth; and my personal favorite, The World's Smallest Black Hole. Toss it and stand back, because it sucks in everything around it.

Most of the missions are straightforward and usually involve defending something or someone or knocking out enemy positions. The game switches from third-person (with a thankfully fixed camera position) to first-person when you take the helm of a mounted gun and defend a village or the like from advancing troops (who come in swarms). Too many get over the wall and the mission fails. Other missions involve flying (with a cool jetpack-type device) across levels and finding and destroying enemy positions. Located throughout the game are tokens that will unlock special features and cheats (though most gamesites have them posted). The graphics are above-average, controls are uncomplicated and easy to use, and the voicework is top notch, with animation standouts Jeff Bennett, Kath Soucie, and Rob Paulson providing many of the voices.

A couple of hints: When you hear a siren alerting the enemy to your presence, find it as quickly as possible and destroy it. Otherwise, enemies keep coming as long as it is sounding. The same is true for the rounded troop houses you encounter here and there. Much like the generators in "Gauntlet," they'll keep spawning enemies until you destroy them. Two Sticky Bombs will usually do the trick. If you can't hit a sniper attacking you from a window, throw a Sticky Bomb onto the structure and just blow up the building and him with it. When attacking rocket towers, run underneath them. They can't hit you if you're right below them. Also, when defending Lily's house in Zitwalla, stay near her house. There's no need to wander away to find enemy paratroopers and leave Lily's house undefended; they'll come to you. As long as her home and at least one other residence survives, you'll complete the level. (That was the only one that gave me any trouble). Oh, and once you beat the game (a reasonable challenge) stay tuned through the final cutscene for a funny sing-along.

If you like a good shoot-em-up with a sense of humor (think Serious Sam, for example), then this is the game for you.

Armed and Dangerous is just plain fun. Pure and simple. From the moment you start the game, you're running through worlds and blowing up stuff left and right. With a compliment of crazy guns (Shark gun- sends out a land shark to eat your enemies, Topsy Turvy weapon- turns the world upside down, etc.) you're in for a stitch-in-your-side, laugh-until-you-cry gameplay experience. The cutscenes will have you rolling on the floor too and even the idle saylines by your buddies are hilarious ("Q, do you ever run out of ammo?" "No, never." "Me neither. Weird isn't it? I reload sometimes but I have limitless ammo. It's creepy!"

While it's not the prettiest game on the market now, who cares! The most important thing is that it's FUN! All the weapons have their own satifying results so you hardly get bored with just shooting one kind of gun. You'll want to use all of them! The AI is decent enough and make for great kills.

Finally, and this is very cool of Planet Moon and Lucas Arts, you can download levels at a later time through Xbox Live! That's right, Planet Moon will release a number of levels for you to download and play! Awesome! Thank you, thank you, thank you Planet Moon and Lucas Arts for making such a great and fun game.

So if I were you, I'd go get this game! It's worth every penny!

I've read over the other reviews regarding Armed and Dangerous and each will detail some flaw in the game and then go on to say "Who cares the game was great." I believe that this is the essence of great PC gaming: when the experience as a whole outweighs the sum of it's parts and something that the industry as a whole should finally catch onto!

Too often we see gorgeous games that are just as boring as hell to play(Dungeon seige anyone?) Armed and dangerous is Fun. It doesn't have forty different guns because you don't need them. Sniper rifle, machine gun with a generous clip a rocket launcher and a Landshark gun for laughs. What else do you need?

I think a multiplayer will be released soon enouigh and if the developer is smart, they'll make it a free download. A&D II should be great fun.

PLay this game! I laughed out loud more than once! You will too.