One Remote to Rule them All

Logitech Harmony 688 Universal Remote ($249.99; logitech.com)

(five stars)

I know, I know… this isn’t directly related to gaming, but a high quality remote control is absolutely indispensable in our world of expanding home theater components. Logitech resolves the problems so many of us have- every entertainment product we have comes with its own remote which is inevitably incompatible with any of our other products.

What most of us do is to go out and purchase a “universal remote-” something that will hopefully consolidate the pile of clickers on the arm of our sofas. But many run of the mill universals have only so many pre-programmed codes into them- making their usefulness limited to only the most common applications of TV, CD, and DVD functions.

But add satellite cable, multiple game systems, and a DVR and suddenly you’re dealing with very specialized operations, and ones which many remotes don’t have buttons for. If you’re a high-end enthusiast and have home automation, well, a $9 remote is just not going to cut it- even a $50 remote may not.

Thankfully, with the Harmony line of remotes, operating all of those creature comforts with one clicker is a cinch. By connecting to your computer, the Harmony syncs up with your home entertainment system which you have configured online. The Harmony database is constantly updated with the latest in home entertainment products, so finding your components is as easy as typing in the serial number.

Once you find everything you own, you can customize almost every button to suit your liking. And with the 688 remote in particular, its button layout is already set up for your TiVo or other DVR needs.

But the magic of the Harmony remotes shine in their simplicity of use once configured. Although those who are not tech-savvy may have a learning curve to overcome when making special configurations to the remote, once configured properly, multiple tasks are handled with the press of a button. Want to watch TV? Hit the “Watch TV” button and your television and receiver flip on to the right inputs. When you are in the mood for a movie, hitting the “Watch DVD” button changes the TV to the correct input, the receiver to the correct sound source, and turns on the DVD player- readying it for use. The only thing it doesn’t do is pop the popcorn for you (a manageable downside).

Obviously the price is steep, but when you factor in that this is quite possibly the last remote you will ever need throughout the entirety of your home theater, the cost becomes justifiable- that is, if you have more remotes than components. A gadget this sheik isn’t meant for a TV with aluminum foil and rabbit ears. That, and with the imminent release of the 688’s successor, a smart shopper can pick this up for under $150.

You’ll spend more on that in batteries for all of your other clickers.

Diplopia & Mario

Nintendo DS ($149.99; nintendods.com)

dip·lo·pia; Pronunciation: di-'plO-pE-&: a disorder of vision in which two images of a single object are seen because of unequal action of the eye muscles -- called also "double vision"

Sometimes I think they must be putting something in the water over at Nintendo HQ.

There’s no doubt about it, Nintendo puts the big “Ns” in “iNNovatioN.” The past year has been no exception: from the bongo-controllers of “Donkey Konga” to their newest, and most unusual, handheld system which epitomizes the phrase “thinking outside the box.”

Well, two boxes, really.

The “Nintendo DS” is the quirky marriage of a Game Boy Advance SP and a Palm Pilot. Not only are there Dual Screens for the “DS,” but the lower screen is touch sensitive, bringing new areas of interaction and game design never seen before.

The three inch screens are the same as the GBA’s, but use of true LCD backlighting is a leaps and bounds improvement over the front-lit-by-candlelight screen of the SP. This improvement is most noticeable when playing GBA games on the, smartly, backwards compatible DS. The old GBA titles look absolutely stunning with the DS makeover.

DS games look even more stunning since the graphical capabilities of the DS arev equivalent to the Nintendo 64. This is the greatest graphical advance in portable gaming (for at least another three weeks until Sony releases its Playstation Portable), and graphics which looked a bit fuzzy on the original N64 benefit from the smaller screen resulting in a sharper image. However, with N64 capabilities, the DS is already beginning to see its fair share of games which are nothing more than sub-par ports of games that came out almost ten years ago.

Also unfortunate is that the DS does not have an analog controller like the original N64 which is critical for 3D gaming. The touch screen does a decent job of attempting replicate the analog control, but comes nowhere near the precision of an actual joystick.

With built-in 802.11 Wi-Fi connectivity, the DS is able to wirelessly link up to other DS’s up to one hundred feet away for multiplayer. The wireless connection is great for using the embedded instant-messaging “Pictochat” software with friends when you either can’t, or don’t want to talk to them directly. I can only imagine how many wireless conversations are going on in high school classrooms these days with equipment like this. In my day, we had to hurl a note across the room when the teacher’s back was turned.

Kids have it so easy these days.

The pack-in demo of “Metroid Prime Hunters” allows everyone to test out the upcoming multiplayer shooter right out of the box- a rarity for game consoles these days.

Now the moment of truth: should you buy it?

The system itself is packed with goodness for a relatively affordable price. Being able to play GBA games on such a splendid display is reason enough to upgrade from your old GBA SP. Although much bigger than the SP, the DS is still reasonably portable, so if you have a large GBA library, getting the DS is a no-brainer.

Purchasing the DS independently of that is more of a soul searching effort. So far, the launch titles have been lackluster and there still remains to be a killer-app for the system.
The integration between the two screens and the introduction of the touch screen creates amazing potential for developers, but with such a unique integration, it remains to be seen whether it will be accepted and successful.

And although neither company will admit it is in competition with the other, Nintendo faces some stiff competition with the imminent release of the much sexier and more powerful PSP.

Like all Nintendo products, the DS is family friendly and is the only place to find Mario, Donkey Kong, and Link on a next generation handheld, which in it of itself will be a huge selling point to some.

By no means is the DS the right system for everybody, but can be the perfect system for somebody. It is definitely a unit to experience, but by first safely testing it a local game store before deciding to take the plunge.

Heavy Petting made Portable

Warioware Touched (Nintendo DS; $34.99; Rated E; warioware.biz)

(four stars)

Perhaps the best demonstration of the DS’ new capabilities is shown through “Warioware Touched.” Based on the critically acclaimed “Warioware Microgames” that was released last year for the GBA, “Touched” maintains the same idea- complete a series of very quick minigames within 3-5 seconds, but replaces uses only the touch screen and microphone as its inputs.

All of “Touched’s” 180 minigames are completed by slicing, rubbing, swirling, tapping, blowing, whistling, or singing.

No, this is not a normal game by any means.

The quirky visuals and music set the tone for the rest of the game. This is not about graphics, story, or character development; this is a game about figuring out how to complete the simplest of tasks in the shortest amount of time possible.

For instance, a game may pop up with a picture of a dog accompanied by the command “Pet.” You’ll have to tap your finger or stylus on the pup’s head until he grins. Do it quickly enough, you advance to the next stage; stutter-step, and the game may be over.

Sounds easy enough, right? The problem is that the game tests reaction time and quick thinking more than anything else. The split-second commands before each round are clear, how to accomplish the commands, however, are not; when players only have three seconds before the round is up, “Touched” calls for decisive action.

The “Warioware” series is the truest definition of “portable gaming.” Without the need for story or set up, players can easily get in and out of the game in about the same amount of time as it takes to complete a round. But turning the game off can be as deceptively simple as the “microgames” themselves: the rapid-fire pace, and bizarre challenges induce a lot of “just one more” fever.

The only problem with a gameplay this simple and addictive is that even with 180 rounds, players can easily whip through the game within a day’s play. But if you’re sitting around playing “Warioware” all day, you are probably not playing the way the developers’ intended.

That or you’ve just found the most ironic cure for Attention Deficit Disorder.

License to Drive (or do nothing with the rest of your life)

Originally seen in The Davis Enterprise (reprinted wth permission)

Grand Turismo 4 (PS2; $49.99; Rated E; us.playstation.com)

(five stars)

Sometimes a game comes out that is so great in scope and detail that to fully play the title would mean taking years off of my life.

Such is the case with Sony’s “Grand Turismo 4,” the follow-up to the immensely popular “Grand Turismo 3” which sold more than 38 million units worldwide.

It seems that Polyphony Digital, the developers of “GT4,” know more about the combustible engine than Henry Ford and Dale Ernhardt Jr. combined. Their love and appreciation for motoring shines through in the release of the greatest racing simulation ever.

For the demanding enthusiast, Sony has ensured that players will never run out of things to do and try in “GT4.” Over 700, yes that’s 700, cars are available to race throughout 50 different locals ranging from city streets to professional proving grounds to off-road rally racing. Ever want to see how a 2004 Lotus Elise 111R would fair in snow drifts, or ever wanted to race a 1915 Ford Model T against a Toyota Superatutobacs APEX MR-S?

Yep. You can do it, and it is only the tip of the iceberg.

With each car purchased from acquiring credits during races and completing training missions, players can get greasy with their new rides for amazing amounts of performance tweaks and upgrades. If it is really important to get just the right spoiler on the back of your car, the latest gear ratio, or the best pavement-hugging tires then prepare to lose yourself for hours just in the myriad of options.

Racing re-creates each vehicle’s appropriate physics and account for the auto’s speed, weight, friction, wind-resistance and driving. Players will get a healthy dose of realistic racing in either the “Arcade Mode,” which allows players to hop into immediate races against the computer or up to six players via LAN, or “Grand Turismo Mode,” where most will spend the meat of their time unlocking and tuning to their hearts’ content.

Undeniably the most beautiful racing game on the market, “GT4’s” graphics are staggeringly photorealistic. While watching a replay of a completed race, you would swear that someone flipped over to the SPEED channel while you weren’t looking. Realism is only lost in the fact that none of the cars show the slightest amount of damage, even after taking them head-first into an abutment. Maybe it was a deal struck in exchange for being able to license so many makes and models, but it does take gamers out of the overall realism.

Also weird: for a racing game, this doesn’t feel very fast. With the advances in race-blurring as seen in the phenomenal “Burnout 3,” developers are able to make players feel as though their face is melting off from the intensity of high-speed racing. That same feeling is never captured in “GT4.”

And though the number of drivable autos is impressive, where are my dream Porsches, Ferraris, or Lamborghinis? I could drive an ’89 Mazda Miata if I wanted to for real. It’s too bad that even in a video game, I still can’t drive my most coveted.

But even being highly picky, it is difficult to believe that “GT4” hasn’t already sewn up the award for Best Racing Game in 2005. Its only real competition is Microsoft’s “Forza Motorsport” which is in “GT4’s” rearview mirror, but gaining speed for a May release.

Playing Footsies

As originally seen in The Davis Enterprise (reprinted with permission)

FIFA Street (Xbox, PS2, Gamecube; $39.99; Rated E; fifastreet.com)

(three stars)

One of the things I love about America is its persistent refusal to accept Soccer as legitimate, despite it being the rest of the world’s favorite sport. And even though we enroll our kids year after year in soccer leagues, somewhere in between the schoolyard and the stadium, European Football gets lost along the way for all but the very few Yanks.

And so the red-headed stepchild of American Sports gets a whole new look in “FIFA Street,” the newest addition to EA’s “Street” Series where the rules, time limits, and penalties found in the more rigid simulations take a backseat to fast, style-over-substance gameplay- emphasizing not just how you play, but how you look playing.

Games break down into four-on-four matches where the first to 5 goals wins. Although you’ll only have control of four players, the fifth, and sometimes the most valuable, is the big concrete slab known as “The Wall;” of which, you can bounce passes to your teammates or even to yourself for a quick give-and-go breakaway.

But it wouldn’t be a “Street” game without the signature “Gamebreakers.” Here, gamebreakers are earned by performing sets of freestyle combos. Show off your fanciest footwork, taunt the opposing team with the rock, or maintain an extended session of airborne passing to your fellow ‘mates to rack up a hyper-powerful “Gamebreaker.” When you feel like stopping all the showboating to take a shot at the goal, the Gamebreaker turns your shot into a veritable cannon- laying out anyone stupid enough to get in its way and almost guaranteeing GOOOOOOOOOAL!

Unlike the “NFL” or “NBA Street” series which use hip-hop and trash-talk as the very foundation of its game design, “FIFA” feels… well… better behaved. A less abrasive soundtrack of techno, reggae, and Euro-beat tunes are the aural backdrop of “FIFA,” making this game much more listenable than EA’s more recent releases. Also, the style moves and after-score celebrations are less in-your-face than “FIFA’s” siblings. Maybe this is a product of having to appeal to primarily a global audience, or perhaps it says something about the arrogance of the professional American athlete?

Extensive “Create-A-Player” and “Rule the Street Mode” return as staples of the “Street” series, but conspicuously absent is Online Multiplayer- of all games that need the ability to connect people with the same interest – a niche arcade soccer game is it.