Video Game Reviews by Jeb Haught

DEVELOPER: Backbone Entertainment

PUBLISHER: Capcom

SYSTEM: Xbox Live Arcade/PlayStation Network download

PRICE: $15.00

ESRB RATING: Teen

REVIEW RATING: 4 stars (out of 5)

Have you ever wondered who would win in a fight between Captain America and Mega Man? How about Venom vs. M. Bison, or Psylocke vs. Chun Li? Pitting fantasy characters from different franchises against each other is occasionally the focus of core gamer discussions, and Capcom's downloadable title "Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes," lets them prove who's right in high definition.

Featuring 56 furious fighters from both the Capcom and Marvel universes, this game is sure to have matchups that please everyone. I was surprised to find out that some of my favorite obscure cyber-heroes are present: such as Strider, Omega Red and even Hayato from "Star Gladiator."

Promising cyber-pugilists choose three characters for each match with the ability to swap between them at will. It's even possible to call in other characters for assist moves or combine all three for the ultra-devastating triple Hyper Combo!

One addition I really like is the ability to perform a snapback, which replaces your enemy's current combatant with one of their off-screen characters. This move is especially effective when one of their fighter's health gauges drops low; they can swap them with an off-screen character. Simply pull the low health character back in and finish them off for the ultimate insult.

This game may seem like a button masher at first, but with some practice, players can perform mighty combos that assault opponents with over 100 hits! Subtle yet effective moves like tech rolls, escape rolls and acquiring hyper armor can also make a big difference in the outcome.

The addition of online play is the major difference between "Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes" and it's arcade counterpart. Lag rarely rears its ugly head, which is fortunate because fighting games that require split-second timing can be ruined by the slightest amount of slowdown.

Game Play Proves Beneficial in 'Space Bust-a-Move'

DEVELOPER: Taito

PUBLISHER: Square Enix

SYSTEM: Nintendo DS

PRICE: $19.99

ESRB RATING: Everyone

REVIEW RATING: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

I may not be crazy about playing puzzle games on home consoles, but the Nintendo DS is another story.

Due to the system's low-quality visuals, game developers have to put extra emphasis on game play in order to compete. Taito's latest title, "Space Bust-a-Move," is a prime example of how addictive game play helps me look past outdated and nauseatingly cute visuals.

For some reason, Taito felt the need to include a story line with their puzzler, which is puzzling in itself. Cute and cuddly pint-sized dinosaurs Bub and Bob are tasked with collecting Cosmos Bubbles from different planets in order to save the classic damsel in distress. While the story line doesn't add much to the game, it does provide a reason for traveling to so many different locales and engaging in boss battles.

"Bust-a-Move" has been around for a while, and it plays very similar to the classic game "Tetris." But instead of lining up blocks as they fall, the player must fire off colored bubbles from the bottom of the screen to eliminate groups of colored bubbles that advance downward. Match three bubbles of the same color and they disappear. Match three or more, while there are additional bubbles underneath, and they all disappear, which rewards the player with bonus points.

New to the series are Cosmos Bubbles that are embedded in certain levels, and they can only be collected by destroying the bubbles that surround them. However, Cosmos Bubbles are also colored, so a certain amount of strategy is necessary to collect them rather than destroy them. Add in short time limits, and the game becomes very challenging.

Another welcome addition to the series is online game play for two to four rivals. Four-player matches can induce lag at times, but it doesn't ruin the enjoyable experience of playing "Space Bust-a-Move."

REVIEW SCORING SYSTEM

5 stars = Must Have

4 stars = Pretty 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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