Wii Demo Roundup - 01/31/11

New Wii demos are released every Monday, and I round 'em up. This weeks releases are "Racers' Islands: Crazy Racers" and "Zombie Panic in Wonderland". One of them is very fun; the other, not so much.


Racers' Islands: Crazy Racers
Rated E for everyone, 1-4 players, Wii Remote and Nunchuk required

from zallag.com

In 5 words: mediocre, difficult, opaque, frantic, short

"Crazy Racers" is a 3 minute demo. Literally. It features one 3-lap race with a total race time of about 3 minutes. The game comes off as a mix of Mario Kart and Crazy Taxi. Steering and throttle are controlled using the nunchuk and you aim your weapon and use special abilities via the Wiimote. The steering is very touchy and takes some time to get used to. There are only 4 racers at a time, and the graphics were not very impressive. In fact, just playing in single player mode, the Wii got bogged down at times. I wonder how well the 4-player mode works.

Clocking in at $10.00, the demo did not sell me on the full game. If you like racing and shooting games, this demo might be worth your while (it is a small download). Otherwise, I can't recommend it.

Zombie Panic in Wonderland
Rated T for teens, 1-2 players, Wii Remote and Nunchuck required

from akaonistudio.com

In 5 words: short, varied, frantic, fun, destructive

Imagine a game that combines anime, comedy, zombies, guns (lots of guns) and strange Japanese music. "Zombie Panic in Wonderland" is a fun shoot-em-up that reminds me of many classic games that I have played. The best way I can describe it is like a combination of a midway shooting gallery and Rampage, with elements of Contra, Time Crisis, and House of the Dead. You stand on a line (you can move side to side) and shoot all the zombies that pop up, out, and around you. Most of the scenery is destructible (lots of buildings get blown up in the demo) and the action is funny and fun. There are a variety of zombies, from your run-of-the-mill zombie to fat slob zombie and even ninja zombie, who is difficult to hit. To keep things fun, you have a variety of weapons at your disposal including grenades and a flamethrower, and the graphics and music are nicely done. The game is a little violent and suggestive (the T rating is fair), so parents, you might want to play first to see if it is something you want Junior to play. The demo lasts about 5-7 minutes and the controls are easy to master.

When I first started the demo, it felt pretty derivative, but by the end, I had enough fun to consider buying the full game at $10.00. I'm not completely sold, but it is the best action/shooter demo I have played on the Wii. I definitely recommend giving the demo a try.

Remember, these demos may only be available for one week, so if they grab your fancy, download them soon.

--Demo Gamer

A Word on Wii Ware Demos

UPDATE: WII WARE/VIRTUAL CONSOLE DOWNLOADS ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE. READ MORE HERE AND HERE.

Just a heads up: new Wii Ware demos are released each Monday and they are available only for a limited time. That could mean anywhere from a week to several months. I will check each Monday and update my reviews to show if a demo is no longer available.

Another item of note: if you plan on downloading many demos, it would probably be a good idea to invest in an SD card for your Wii because you can only have around 5 demos at a time in the internal system memory.

Happy gaming!

--Demo Gamer

DEMO: SpaceChem (PC, Mac, Linux) UPDATE

SpaceChem for PC, Mac, and Linux

Genre: Puzzle/Strategy

Full Game Price: $20.00

No. of Players: 1

UPDATE: I looked for system requirements on the SpaceChem website and could not find any. I was able to contact Zach, the creator of SpaceChem, and here's what he had to say: "The only spec I recommend having is a video card that supports FBOs (Frame Buffer Objects), as that enables a lot of our neat rendering features (previews, video upload, and "quick alt-tab" fullscreen)." Thanks, Zach!

In 5 Words: Crazy, Challenging, Rewarding, Cerebral, Engrossing

I saw a link to this game on a game comic website, so I checked it out. I watched the youtube video and downloaded the free demo. Then I started playing SpaceChem. I've had a hard time thinking about playing anything else since (yes, even Fluidity).

In SpaceChem, you play as a chemical engineer designing and executing chemical reactions in order to meet company objectives. Does that sound fun to you? Are you an engineer, a chemist, or programmer? If so, please, by all means go and get the demo. If that doesn't sound fun to you, well, I would encourage you to take the time to download the demo and try it out for 5-10 minutes. If it hasn't hooked you by then, move on. If it has, well...buckle up.

SpaceChem is a fascinating blend of logic, timing, and micromanagement. The puzzles start easy, but become challenging very quickly. The graphics are simple and fun, and the orchestral soundtrack helps you keep your composure during difficult puzzles. SpaceChem also allows you to record your solutions and post them to youtube, and for the statistically minded, it also provides bar graphs comparing you against other players.  These graphs often show that I am not the most efficient chemical engineer, but just finishing some of the more complex levels feels like a grand accomplishment. It feels like my brain is growing every time I play SpaceChem.

In SpaceChem, you start by designing a set of paths and instructions for red and blue "waldos" that manipulate atoms and molecules inside of a chemical reactor, as seen above. In later levels, you have to manage multiple reactors in a worldview, as seen below. These two game modes are what you will see most in the demo, but there are others, including a defense mode where you have to protect your base.

SpaceChem is not for everyone, that is certain, but it has been great fun for me. The demo is very replayable unless you are much better than me. I plan to go back to each level in the demo and see how I can make my designs better. The full game is only $20 and it will soon be taking up a lot of my time.

Demo Gamer's Stats:

Age range: 12 and up

Demo length: 1-4 hours

Demo worth playing? Take a few minutes to find out for yourself.

Full game worth buying? You bet!

Have you played SpaceChem yet? Did you feel your cranium swell? Sound off in the comments!

--Demo Gamer

(System used to play SpaceChem: 1.6 GHz Mobile Core2Duo, 4 GB RAM, NVidia 8400M, ~175 MB of hard drive space required)

DEMO: Fluidity (Wii Ware)

Fluidity for Nintendo Wii (Free Demo on Wii Shop Channel)

Genre: Puzzler/Platformer

Full Game Price: $12.00

No. of Players: 1

Required Controllers: Wii Remote

In 5 Words: Whimsical, Innovative, Fun, Challenging, and Gratifying

One of the first Wii Ware demos I ever downloaded was Jett Rocket. My son loved to play and watch me play that demo. I say "loved" because his new favorite demo is "that water game", also known as Fluidity. Interesting thing is, where I quickly tired of Jett Rocket, I have played through the Fluidity demo four times now and it has not gotten old.

Fluidity is a game that is simple in concept and wonderfully fun in execution. You play as water trying to erase evil ink that has infected a book. Using the Wii's motion controls, you tilt the remote from side to side to slosh your water around inside the book's pages which are divided into cells, almost like a comic book. If you have ever tried to control free-standing water in the real world, you might think this would be difficult. It is at first, but after a few minutes, you should get a good idea of how to control your puddle. Having done so, you're off to find the magic rainbow drops that will restore the pages of your book.

Fluidity's demo features a wonderful blend of technological and natural interaction as you funnel your water into pumps, over ramps and jumps, carry floating mechanical components, and even return a lost fish to its bowl. The art and music are highly positive and even soothing. I want to say "zen" because this game makes me feel content. I guess that's why I keep coming back to the demo. It's not all fish and fun, however. There are many threats to your water supply, everything from pools of acid to goop slugs. In a final teaser once you finish the demo, your water even changes states! In the full game, you get to play as ice and a storm cloud. I'm itching to see what that's like.

With the full game only costing $12.00, Fluidity is at the top of my software-to-purchase list. I'm not sure how many hours of play it will provide, but at that price, even an hour of peaceful, happy water handling is worth it. 

Demo Gamer's Stats:

Age Range: 5-95

Demo length: 15-30 minutes

Demo worth playing? You bet!

Full game worth buying? You bet!

Have you played Fluidity yet? What do you think of the game? Sound off in the comments!

--Demo Gamer

Welcome to the Demo Gamer

Welcome to the Demo Gamer! Allow me to introduce myself. I am a gamer. Sometimes. I used to game a lot more than I do now. Then something happened.

I got married to a (kind and understanding) non-gamer. And I became a father. The getting married part wasn't too bad for my gaming. My wife used to work a few nights a week, and more often than not, I would just plug in for a few hours and get my fix. Everything changed when we had kids. Being a father, husband, full time student and full time employee decimated my time and money for gaming.

Having graduated from college (finally!), I find myself gaming a little more. I have two toddlers now, one of which bowls almost as well as I do in Wii Sports. The way I game now is very different from the way I used to. I now game in smaller units of time and money. What you'll find here are reviews of demos, and occasionally, a review of a full game, if I find the demo worthy of the jump to buy. I hope to help other time/money-challenged gamers to find games worth their valuable/limited attention. In doing so, I also hope to help some developers that also have little time for money and gaming.

So please click and comment away, I hope you enjoy your visit.

--Demo Gamer

Book Review: The Clone Empire

"Marines don't speculate. They always speck you right on time." --Wayson Harris

Steven L. Kent's 6th novel in the Wayson Harris Clone series, The Clone Empire, is an action-packed thrill ride. Marooned after nearly dying on Terraneau, all Harris wants is to get back into action and carry out vengeance against the UA now that the Avatari have apparently left their galaxy alone. Ellery Doctorow is making Harris's life on Terraneau difficult enough as it is, but Ava Gardner, his stunning clone girlfriend, just wants to settle down.

Harris is tested as he attempts his escape from the planet and discovers an energized, enlarged, and infiltrated Enlisted Man's Empire. Adding insult to injury, the Avatari return and bring incomprehensible destruction with them. Harris is tired and his drive to survive clashes with his desire to die. Teaming up yet again with Ray Freeman brings its own challenges while each mystery "solved" seems to bring more questions than answers.

Featuring hand-to-hand combat, naval space battles, and cataclysmic destruction, Kent's brash brand of military science fiction aims to please, but Kent doesn't stop there. Just the right amount of humor keeps things enjoyable while the humanity portrayed through the clones and other galactic misfits like Ray Freeman offers an interesting counterpoint to the malignancy of many of the natural-borns in Kent's universe. The Clone Empire is a fast-paced, suspenseful, and thoughtful setup for the final as-yet-unnamed book in the Wayson Harris Clone series.

Buy The Clone Empire here!

Short Story Snippet: Marker

Marker by Geoffrey Baxter

Acrid smoke hung in the cold, sterile air as bright green blood began to form rivulets on the diamond plate floor. Her aim was true and this Raven would tell no tales. As the adrenaline began to wear off, she felt the shakes on the edge of her consciousness. She holstered her pistol and looked the Raven over. She almost retched at the smell. The smallish form, black as the deep, lay splayed out on the deck. There were no signs of life.

The ringing in her ears and the mental haze overpowered her radio. She finally realized that the bridge was trying to reach her. She composed herself and reported in. "Sizemore here. Raven's down and out."

"Good job, Randi. We're towing in the ship now," responded the Captain. "Let's wake everyone up. Break out the scanners."

"Aye, sir." Lance Corporal Randi Sizemore shook her head in vain. The ringing would be there for a few days. She sighed. They would be scanning the whole exterior of the ship, not an easy operation, and dangerous. She cursed. Randi got out a tarp, a mop and a bucket from a closet down the hall as the Captain opened a ship-wide channel.

"Attention all passengers and personnel, attention all passengers and personnel: We have a matter that requires your urgent attention. Please join me in the mess in five minutes. Repeat: the presence of all passengers and personnel is required in the mess in five minutes."