Nintendo Zapper makes a comeback
January 2, 2008 Despite the ubiquity of the Zapper and "Duck Hunt," light-gun
games for home consoles never really caught on. For the last
decade, Namco Bandai's "Time Crisis" series has pretty much had
the genre to itself, although if you visit an arcade you're likely
to see a broader selection (with bigger weapons).
Nintendo's Zapper has a spiritual successor in the Wii console's
remote control, which you operate by pointing directly at your TV
screen. And Nintendo has acknowledged the connection by introducing
a new version of the Zapper - essentially, a plastic doohickey that
turns the Wii's remote-and-nunchaku combo into a two-handed
firearm. It's not exactly state-of-the-art technology, but it does
add something fresh to the first-person shooter.
-"Link's Crossbow Training" (Nintendo, $19.99 with the Wii
Zapper): The game that's packaged with the Zapper isn't the deepest
title in the Wii library, but it's a fast-paced challenge that just
about anyone can enjoy. You are Link, the hero of Nintendo's
"Legend of Zelda" series, and "Crossbow Training" takes you on
a whirlwind tour of sites from 2006's "Twilight Princess."
There are three kinds of competition: target shooting, in which
you have to fire at (mostly) stationary bull's-eyes; defender, in
which enemies come at you from all sides; and ranger, in which you
have to hunt down your foes. Accuracy pays off, because your score
is multiplied by the number of consecutive targets you hit - but
other people I played with had just as much fun shooting
willy-nilly.
There are a few surprises. For example, if you shoot a glowing
green monster you get rapid-fire powers for a brief period. The
ranger levels are a little tougher because you have to move with
the nunchaku while swiveling your weapon with the Zapper. And the
game can get quite competitive when you have four players taking
turns on the firing range. Overall, the simplicity of "Crossbow
Training" makes it a lively party game. Two-and-a-half stars out
of four.
-"Medal of Honor Heroes 2" (Electronic Arts, $49.99): EA's
long-running World War II series has been eclipsed in recent years
by "Call of Duty" and "Brothers in Arms," but there still may
be some life in the old soldier yet. There's nothing original
plot-wise - hey, welcome back to Omaha Beach! - but the savvy use
of the Wii controller makes "Heroes 2" feel brand new.
An arcade mode, designed specifically for the Zapper, moves you
across the terrain automatically and lets you focus on the fun
part: shooting Nazis. It has the somewhat cartoonish feel of a
classic light-gun game like "House of the Dead," but it's fast
and accessible for players who have never tried a first-person
shooter before.
More serious gamers will go right to the campaign mode. Aside
from the usual running, shooting and hiding, you need to use the
Wii remote to throw grenades, tune enemy radios or set explosives -
actions that are easier to execute without the Zapper. Still, with
its intuitive controls and precise gunplay, "Heroes 2" is one of
the Wii's best shooters yet. Three stars.
-"Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles" (Capcom, $49.99):
Like the arcade version of "Heroes 2," "Umbrella Chronicles"
moves you along a predetermined path; your only job is to shoot the
zombies and other monsters that want to eat you. It's not as
satisfying as, say, 2005's "Resident Evil 4," but it's good,
brainless fun.
"Chronicles" recreates classic scenarios from previous games
in the series, and fans will enjoy the trip down memory lane. But a
newcomer can have fun too, particularly when joining forces with a
veteran in one of the cooperative levels.
The aiming isn't accurate enough, especially when you need to
hit a small spot on a very large beast. And some of the boss fights
seem unfair, with difficulty levels that are way out of whack with
the rest of the game. Having a helper definitely makes the ordeal
more manageable - and enjoyable. Two-and-a-half stars.
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On the Net:
-"Link's Crossbow Training":
http://www.nintendo.com/wii/what/accessories/zapper/
-"Medal of Honor Heroes 2": http://www.ea.com/mohheroes2/
-"Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles":
http://www.residentevil.com/