Obsessive-Compulsive

This week I have mostly been playing Metroid and The Orange Box and it's really brought to my attention some of my obsessive-compulsive behaviours.

Half Life 2 has some great physics so you're able to pick things up, throw them around and the one that's gripped me at the moment.... SMASH THINGS! The locations are littered with crates, boxes, glass and so on and I just don't feel I've done my job properly unless I've destroyed everything I possibly can with my crowbar. Now the crates often contain health or ammo so maybe that's understandable. Well it would be if I only did it when I needed those things. Metroid on the Wii has me doing a similar thing with shooting all the crates and plant things, although here they re spawn so I'm on a bit of a loser really!

Sometimes I even try to test myself and leave just one crate untouched, but I can't do it. The stress involved in having to go back and smash it is considerably less than the time and stress involved in wondering about that crate and if anything was actually inside it.

WHY?! Is it because it's something I'd like to do in real life but generally isn't acceptable, do I just like destroying things or maybe it's because I actually think I might find some super secret item inside one that few people discover? I actually don't know the answer, maybe you could help me on the GAMEOV3R forum.

If you have a strange obsession with something come and talk to us about it on the GAMEOV3R Forum

Pure Genius

Nintendo are one of the few companies that just know what pleases people and how to make them smile with their games. At the moment I just can't stop playing Metroid on the Wii. Apart from the game itself being brilliant its bonus content that you can purchase using vouchers earned during play and also special ones sent to you from friends works extremely well due to the thought that's gone into it. One great thing is that you don't have to register another friend code to do this. If a friend is added to your Wii address book and they have Metroid save data they'll appear in bold and you can send them these special friend vouchers. Receiving these is the only way to buy some of the bonus items.

So far I've bought a Mii Bobblehead and some bumper stickers for my ship. The bumper stickers you get are based on what other game saves you have on your Wii and the bobblehead stands proudly atop your dashboard in its Samus uniform. You can even prod the head to make it wobble and I've wasted minutes doing just that! Utterly pointless but I can't remember the last time I smiled so much in a game. That was even before I took off in my ship the following day and the engines made it wobble all by itself!

Sometimes I wonder if it's normal for something like this to give me so much pleasure, but I don't think I should be questioning it. I could easily write pages on things I don't enjoy in games and no doubt in future I'll be doing exactly that on this blog. For now though the only thing that matters is that I do enjoy it and I let it please me. As much as you can moan about certain decisions Nintendo make, you have to admit they are geniuses at what they do and at the top of their game nobody does it better.

Let us know on the GAMEOV3R Forum what gives you pleasure... keep it clean though eh

Prime Time

Nintendo rock! They have confirmed, as if we really needed it confirming, that they are numero uno in the video game industry. Not only have Nintendo given us unique and fabulous consoles in the Wii and DS but they are backing all this up with awesome software.

Metroid Prime is now amongst us and it is as good as you always wished it would be. If you’re a gamer you owe it to yourself to play this. The critical and public acclaim lavished on Samus’ final outing in the Prime trilogy is evidence already of this game’s destiny to be an all time classic.

16th November sees Mario back on UK shores for an out of this world epic. I suffered through all of the Game Cube hype and rumours that surrounded the alleged Mario 128. We waited and waited and, as we all know, it never arrived. The disappointment was tangible as Nintendo failed their fans and Maz only had eyes for Sunshine and GBA re-releases. Galaxy looks set to blitz every game that has gone before it and everyone will forgive Nintendo.

They’ll more than forgive though. With Prime, Mario and more on the shelves this Christmas Nintendo is going to own the festive period. The game buying public worship at the alter of Nintendo.

Is demand for the Wii going to out strip supply again this Christmas? Can Sony or Microsoft stop them? Get on the Gameov3r FORUM now to praise or slate as you see fit. Just don't bother talking about anything Christmassy or wishing anyone a Merry Christmas just yet. Gameov3r’s orders because “IT’S STILL OCTOBER!!*”

* I can’t actually quote all of the words Gameov3r used. We’d probably be shut down if I did! He did mention the name Stuart a few times amongst all the expletives though.