| Length: |
3:34 |
| Video: |
852x480 (16:9), 59.94 fps, DivX 6.8.5 |
| Audio: |
128 kbps MP3 |
| Total Bitrate: |
42.3 MB/min |
| Source: |
480p YPrPb |
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| NOTES: |
Monkey Wars: Stage 1: Jungle Attack gameplay. Demonstration of the deathmatch-style FPS minigame, versus three CPU characters on normal difficulty.
I hardly played this minigame. Seriously. But I felt it was important to revisit this piece of history after spending quality time with The Conduit and Red Steel 2.
THIS was the first true, decent FPS experience on Wii: a freaking MINIGAME in a collection of MINIGAMES that came with a game about MONKEYS rolling in freaking BALLS in search of freaking BANANAS.
This was the first real, tho little-known, indication of the great potential of free-moving shooters on Wii (and shooting gameplay that desires to break away from the handicaps and training wheels of gamepads and computer desks in general). The controls were tight, the camera was smooth, and the framerate was solid. It got these basic, essential elements RIGHT despite being a MINIGAME inside a freaking LAUNCH GAME for Wii, the favorite console of 3rd Party Publishers that love to dump their shit on it.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz arrived at the very start, NINE PREGNANT MONTHS before Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, and an entire YEAR before Medal of Honor: Heroes 2. There's an even longer wait until The Conduit and Red Steel 2 even later. Aside from these exceptions, why did other 3rd Parties flop around so long before getting a clue? Why are those 3rd Parties so BAD at following GOOD examples? Why are those 3rd Parties so GOOD at following BAD ones? It took Activision one James Bond title (Quantum of Salty Ass), two Call of WWII Rehash projects, and one prehistoric shitfest, Jurassic: The Hunted, before making something almost playable in their subsequent Call of Downgrade 4: Could've Been On-Rails project, Modern Borefare: Reflex. What the hell. And let's not talk about the Ubisoft "FPS" "products" I tried and threw out after an hour of fury and suffering the 3 B's: bad controls, bad camera, and butt-churning graphics.
The older Banana Blitz gets, the older Wii gets, the more worthless and shameful those 3rd Parties become. "Slow and steady" fills the toilet, but "fast and furious" gives these companies a smile of relief knowing they figured out the "Wii audience," sat down, and gave the pearly white machine their "best shot." Worst part is they pointed out what they dumped and announced they were proud of it. Yes, their turds deserve press releases. |
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