Game & Watch Gallery 2 Game by Nintendo Reviewed by Blue Magus blumagus@hotmail.com Size; 8 megabits Save: battery Released: 1998 Works with: all Game Boy systems **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: A long, long time ago, I can still remember... playing the Japanese Game & Watch 2, in all its Super Game Boy glory, and hoping for an English version. I'd played the first Game Boy gallery (as well as an earlier collection that featured only the original, "classic" games) and enjoyed it, though not as much as the second. The games were just as enjoyable, but all the nifty secret stuff and information was beyond me. That is, until Nintendo translated it and released it for the Game Boy Color... **************************************************************************** Gameplay Descripion: I will begin by stating that Nintendo is a force that should be revered. They've taken six (yes, SIX - one is secret) of their most addictive portable games from the early days of videogaming (known as "Game & Watch" portables) and revived them with great graphics, animation, and sound, and thrown in a whole slew of fun extras to reward players. You start with five games available. You have the original, "classic" versions of these games as well as the updated, "modern" versions, featuring Mario & co. Each version has easy and hard difficulty levels. The more points you get in each level of each version of each game, the more "stars" you earn, which open up bonus features for you to enjoy. You have, at first, a kind of message board/e-mail mixture, in which you receive information, which is cataloged after reading so that you can check it again. For instance, if you play a game but could use a few pointers, Toad (of the Mario series) will send you hints on playing the game. If you do pretty good, he'll provide info on the game's secrets. When you earn a new feature, he'll send you a notice explaining it. And speaking of features, you can earn a music test, museum gallery - where you can get info on Game & Watches and see demos of them being played, and an extra game (that's pretty hard). All of these can be developed and expanded through playing the games. Liked: Everything!! Hated: Some people may be slowly driven insane by the chaotic nature of the games. **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: There's both the original and modern versions of these games. The originals, while very bland-looking, are exact replicas of the LCD-screen Game & Watches. The updated versions are excellent, though, with great use of the color capabilities of the CGB, and feature great animation. The menus of the game are also very pleasing to the eyes, and have nice little effects (for example, hilight a game on that respective menu and wait a few moments, and the stars to the sides of the title will become characters from that game, who will animate for you). Liked: Great graphics and animation. Hated: "Classic" games look very bland. **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: The music in the game is great to listen to, and the sound effects make sense and sound nice (though sometimes generic). The game features a sound test mode where you can earn music from the game's soundtrack to listen to, accompanied by nice animation. Liked: Great music and sound test mode. Hated: The classic games, again. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: All the games are incredibly responsive, which is neccessary since your fingers will be flying over the directional pad as you operate on animal instict trying to catch parashooters or pound egg-snatchers. When you say move, your character moves. When you say jump, your character says "how high?" Liked: Mind-shatteringly responsive. Hated: Nothing really. **************************************************************************** Improve: There's not much to improve on. More rewards would be fun. RIYL: Game & Watch Gallery, the original for Gameboy and Super Gameboy. **************************************************************************** Final Words: One of the most rewarding gaming experiences on the Game Boy, and a great choice for one of the initial ports to the CGB. Buy it!! **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: ***** Graphics: ***** Sound/Music: **** Play Control/Game Design: ***** Personal Opinion: ***** Total: 24 Final Score: 96% **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: Border Change = Press the START button, and the little box that shows up with the options CONTINUE and QUIT show up. To change the border of that box, press UP and B or DOWN and B. Play as Wario in "Helmet"! This cool code is a little tricky; but here's the deal. Start a game of Modern Helmet and die with a low score. "D.J." the Sound Test: When you are playing some music in the sound test; press the A button to hear a noise from the game. The noise is different for each song. Hidden Characters on the Game Select screen: Highlight any of the games. (Except Ball.) Now, wait a little while and the stars will change into Mario characters from the respective games.