Video Game Reviews by Jeb Haught

DEVELOPER: Nintendo

PUBLISHER: Nintendo

SYSTEM: Nintendo Wii

PRICE: $49.99

ESRB RATING: Everyone

REVIEW RATING: 4 stars (out of 5)

Mario is the most well-known plumber in the world, but since he's branched out into just about every genre of gaming, maybe he should be called Jack (of all trades) instead. Now he and his brother Luigi return to their N64 roots by starring in the same type of 2-D platforming game that started the series. But "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" offers much more than the original, such as multiplayer action for up to four gamers on the same screen!

"Why is this feature so great?" you may ask. Well, for starters, the action isn't shrunk down for split-screen multiplayer, so participants don't have to squint to see what's going on. New modes also open up when four players are detected, like frantic foot races or crazy coin collection competitions.

What I like most is that players can play cooperatively or competitively within the same mode. If any player dies, he or she can be resurrected by comrades or left to float around in a bubble if "friends" are feeling naughty. Difficult levels are made easier because they can be infinitely retried as long as one player survives.

Picking up items, enemies or even fellow players and then tossing them is a great new feature that adds a bit of Super Smash Bros. fun to the experience. It's a handy tool to quickly eliminate enemies, but it's even more fun to grab unsuspecting teammates and hurl them to their doom. This ability adds great variety to the game play, but it can also quickly turn friends into enemies!

Unfortunately, players are limited to choosing between Mario, Luigi and two generic toads. It doesn't matter who is chosen, however, because they all have the same abilities. Why isn't it possible to play as Princess Peach, Bowser or any of the other creatures from the Super Mario universe? They would be much more fun than playing as a nameless toad.

It seems amazing that a 20-year-old game can be brought back to life with a few simple additions, but "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" is one of the best in the series.

Young Artists Explore their Creativity in 'Drawn To Life: The Next Chapter'

DEVELOPER: Planet Moon Studios

PUBLISHER: THQ

SYSTEM: Nintendo Wii

PRICE: $49.99

ESRB RATING: Everyone

REVIEW RATING: 3 stars (out of 5)

If you have ever been ...

err ... drawn to the idea of creating your own objects within a video game, then THQ's latest title, "Drawn To Life: The Next Chapter," was made for you. That is, if you are also under the age of 12 and don't mind playing an incredibly simplistic 2-D platforming game.

Once again, the stout inhabitants of Raposa village are threatened by a mysterious force that is pilfering items from them. Players take on the role of a godlike figure called the "Creator," who must craft a hero to recover the stolen objects, especially the sacred "Items of Power."

This game is very similar to its DS predecessor in that players must draw items to help them traverse each level and complete easy quests. While the drawing tool set is very robust, the actual act can be rather frustrating.

Allow me to illustrate. Drawing on the DS gives the player an actual surface to steady their hand, while using the Wiimote creates ugly, wavy lines. Even if players rest their arm on a couch and focus all their attention, the result can be very different from what was intended. As a result, most promising virtual artists will simply use the included premade shapes because they look much better than what can be created.

However, one cool feature is the ability to create items that are incorporated into the background during the adventure. This lets players customize the game to their own liking, be it realistic or surreal. Also cool is Action Drawing, where a rectangular box appears at various points in a level that requires the player to draw something on the fly to help them traverse the obstacle.

While "Drawn To Life: The Next Chapter" is charming and fun for youngsters, it seems to be better suited for the DS than the Wii.

REVIEW SCORING SYSTEM

5 stars = Must Have

4 stars = Very Good

3 stars = Above Average

2 stars = Bargain Bin

1 star = Don't Bother

RATINGS KEY

Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)

E: (Everyone)

E10-plus: (Everyone 10 and older)

T: Teen (13 and older)

M: Mature (17 and older)

To find out more about Jeb Haught and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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