PixlBit

Slight tweaks to the core formula prove fun, but Camelot barely volleys it over the net.

It’s much easier to consider Mario Tennis Open the latest home console iteration of the Mario Tennis series rather than the latest handheld title. Lacking the handheld games’ iconic RPG mode, the experience is more like a follow-up to the GameCube’s (and Wii’s) Mario Power Tennis. In and of itself, this isn’t a bad thing; however, Mario Tennis Open is thin on content and new gameplay enhancements don’t do much to vary up the experience from past iterations.

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Donkey Kong Country Returns and others are also receiving price cuts.

Nintendo announced via press release yesterday that two popular titles will be augmenting the Nintendo Selects collection. Chief among the two is the recently announced US release of Pikmin 2 for the Nintendo Wii. The GameCube favorite will be released on June 10, 2012 and will retail for $19.99. Pikmin 2's primary upgrade are new controls that take advantage of the Wii Remote.

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Did Sony copy Nintendo's mascot fighter idea? Who cares?

The Sony fighter has been announced! Will it live up to its Nintendo counterpart? No one knows! That doesn't stop me from speculating. The important thing isn't whether or not it's a rip-off. What matters is that it's fun to play. Oh, right. I do talk about other things in this PB & Jason, I almost forgot. Remember Issue 84? In that issue, I talked a little bit about the fear of incentivizing game reviews on websites like Amazon.com with DLC. This week, I expand on the idea, presenting a few clearer reasons why such a thing could become harmful. I also discuss my take on the next-gen console rumors that they'll be made to prevent used games. You'll be surprised at the level of reason I can achieve when I can remain level-headed! You'll have to listen to learn the conclusion I draw, though. Click through for the download links!

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Fly, you fools!

Similar to the classic arcade games popularized in the early 80s, Canabalt is a fun, arcade-style game that can be played with a single finger. It has a simple premise that anyone can immediately understand: run, run for your life! As giant robots lay waste to the city in the distant background and space ships rocket overhead, all you can do is run from the destruction, jumping over obstacles and hopping gaps between crumbling buildings. This is a game scored not in points or lives, but how far you can make it before the inevitable happens and you fall to your doom.

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