Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles for GameCube

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
Created by The Game Designers (Square Enix)
Released: 2004 (GameCube: North America)
Rating: T for Teen

Annotation:
The world is threatened by a dangerous gas that could kill everyone.

Summary:
The world is covered in miasma, a toxic gas that threatens villages and towns. To protect it’s citizens, brave volunteers travel to collect myrrh that powers the protective crystals. These crystals hold off the miasma gas, protecting the citizens for a year before the myrrh runs out.

There are four races that inhabit the lands:

The Clavats: peaceful farmers

The Liltres: warriors and knights

Selkies: rugged thieves

Yukes: winged slender creatures.

Critical Evaluation:
Players can choose their own character, which then sets out from the village Tipa to find myrrh. There are obstacles and enemies along the way. As characters gain more experience, the harder the enemies strike. The game can be played with multiplayers and with the GameCube/Game Boy Advance option. The visuals for the game are beautiful, which adds to the mythology of the game’s history. Much of the game is exploration versus battle, but the exploration is still engaging.

Information about the Developer:
The Game Designers Studio is an imprint of Square Enix. The Game Designers Studio’s only release was this game and was later renamed a subsidiary to SQEX Corporation.

Genre:
Games, Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:
Game Design

Booktalking Ideas:
What is the perfect character design.

Reading Level/Interest Age:
The game is rated T, which means the game is geared towards 14 and up.

Challenging Issues:
n/a

Why did I include this game in the title selection?
The visual style of the game was enchanting and worth the time and effort spent in play. The story is complicated enough that players will be eager enough to beat levels and gain experience.

Reference:
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Square (company). Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_(company)

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Pikmin for GameCube

Pikmin
Created by Nintendo
Released: 2001 (GameCube: North America)
Rating: E for Everyone

Annotation:
Help Captain Olimar recover his starship parts before his life-support ends in thirty days.

Summary:
Captain Olimar has crashed landed on an oxygen-rich planet. As oxygen is an element that could kill him, Captain Olimar has thirty days before his life-support system fails. As Captain Olimar searches for his missing parts of his ship, he discovers little creatures who can help with his mission. The creatures, which Captain Olimar names Pikmin, come in three different colors.

Red Pikmin, which are more powerful than the other colors.
Yellow Pikmin, which can be thrown higher and carry bombs.
Blue Pikmin, which can swim and survive in water.

Natural enemies surround the missing parts and it’s up to Captain Olimar and his Pikmin to work together. Because if they fail to fix the ship, Captain Olimar faces certain doom.

Critical Evaluation:
Though the game is presented as an adventure, the story is more of a puzzle game. Players are given 30 “days” to find the pieces though it is revealed that not all the pieces are needed to leave the planet. More than one piece can be recovered in a day’s mission. Pikmin organization and growth become an important key in finding the pieces. The game doesn’t have just one solution, which allows for repeated play without becoming boring. The camera view for the game does take a while to understand but can be a valuable tool once mastered.

The game might seem childish because of the rating and content of the game, but it still is challenging and a great option for those players looking for something similar to the Super Mario Brothers franchise.

Information about the Developer:
Nintendo became a household name in 1985 with the introduction of the Nintendo Entertainment System. Games such Super Mario Brothers and The Legend of Zelda became popular culture icons. The system became the standard of video game in the 80s, after the introduction of the Atari Gaming System. Nintendo later introduced portable gaming in 1989 with the Game Boy. Today, Nintendo continues to be a leader in video gaming entertainment, providing fans with classics and new material with each new gaming system they design.

Genre:
Games, Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:
Game Design

Booktalking Ideas:
What would you were trapped on a foreign planet?

Reading Level/Interest Age:
The game is rated E, which means it will appeal to players of all ages.

Challenging Issues:
n/a

Why did I include this game in the title selection?
When I first played the game, I thought it might have been too simple, but upon further play the game becomes a fun challenge for those who enjoy puzzles.

Reference:
Nintendo. (n.d.) Company History. Retrieved from http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp

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Star Wars Lego for GameCube

Star Wars Lego: The Video Game
Created by Traveller’s Tale
Released: 2005
Rating: E for Everyone

Annotation:
Play within the adventures of the Star Wars Prequels, in Lego format.

Summary:
Based on the Star Wars film franchise, Star Wars Lego places fans into the world of Lucasfilm but in Lego form. Play within the story of the prequels or create your own team of characters and free play between story lines. Players are encouraged to find special items that build vehicle replicas. Collect all vehicle pieces and discover the hidden level.

Critical Evaluation:
Star Wars Lego was the second franchise to use Lego as a video gaming format, the first being Harry Potter for PC. The play is simple enough between levels, with each level a different part of the prequel storyline. Each level features key characters used in the film. Some levels feature vechile interaction, allowing players to focus on something other than character play.

The game ends too quickly for those more advanced players. The sequel to the game, which features the original trilogy, created longer game play. The original game is still fun and does provide a challenge for those interested in puzzles.

Information about the Developer:
From the company’s webpage, created in 2005 Traveller’s Tale Games has set out to be the leader in providing quality games for young players. The company was acquired by Warner Brothers Entertainment in 2007. Traveller’s Tale has now expanded into animation with a show currently broadcasted on Nick Jr.

The company has expanded their products with other Lego games such as Lego Batman, Lego Pirates of the Caribbean, and, most recently, Lego Lord of the Rings.

Genre:
Games, Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:
Game Design

Booktalking Ideas:
Which Star Wars prequel was your favorite?

Reading Level/Interest Age:
The game is rated E which means it will appeal to players of all ages.

Challenging Issues:
Potential Issues would include slight violence with science fiction weapons.

Why did I include this game in the title selections?
While the GameCube format has been phased out of mainstream play, I still enjoy my GameCube Console. One of my favorite games to relax to is this particular game. It’s fun but isn’t taxing. While modern teens might finish the game quickly, it’s still a fun game to play and worth the time and effort.

Reference:
Traveller’s Tale. (n.d.). History. Retrieved from http://www.ttgames.com/history/

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