VGL Review – Mario Kart Wii

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on May 20, 2008.

Mario Kart Wii was released a little over three weeks ago and I haven’t been playing a single other game since. So here’s a few thoughts I’ve had about the game, which is now available for the Wii…

The Mario Kart series hasn’t changed a whole lot since it began on the Super NES with Super Mario Kart. But that doesn’t mean each iteration doesn’t have it’s charms. And after changing up the formula a bit with the tag-team racing of Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart Wii actually feels like a return to the classic gameplay of Mario Kart 64 with a few new additions. Continue reading →

FTC Says Retailers Enforce ESRB Ratings the Best

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on May 8, 2008.

The Federal Trade Commission has released the 2008 update to their undercover shopper study and found that retailers enforce the ESRB ratings more than any other medium.

The report (which can be found here) shows that underage shoppers were able to purchase Mature-rated games only 20% of the time. This is less than half the number of underage shoppers who were able to buy M-rated games in 2006 (42%).

This is a better enforcement rate than any of the other mediums, including R-rated movie tickets (35%), R-rated DVDs (47%), unrated DVDs (51%) and CDs with Paternal Advisory stickers (54%).

The report further breaks the numbers down by store. Among video game retailers, GameStop has the best enforcement rate (6%), while Hollywood Video has the worst (40%)

It’s great to see stores enforcing the ESRB ratings (it makes the “Won’t someone think of the children!” screaming of parental groups look all the more silly), but it may be worrisome for libraries. Many libraries make parents police what is on their child’s account. If parents come to assume that stores will keep Mature-rated games away from their children, they may expect the same from libraries. And that could lead to the awkward conversation where the parent wants to know why their child was “allowed” to borrow the latest blood-and-guts shooter from the library.

The solution (which many libraries practice) is to not carry Mature-rated games. But this is also problematic as it denies adults access to many great games. It also puts games on a different plane from books and movies (which feature themes and scenes on par with any Mature-rated title).

The key, of course, is education. And educating parents on the ESRB rating scale is the first step.

Rhythm Game Track Finder @ MTV

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on May 5, 2008.

Have you ever wondered if your favorite song or band has ever appeared in a rhythm game? Well wonder no more as back in January MTV.com launched the Rhythm Game Track Finder.

The database currently features 67 games across ten platforms and is searchable by game title, song title, artist, or platform. It also indicates whether a track is the original version or a cover and indicates if a song is only available as downloadable content.

Click here to view the games currently included in the Rhythm Game Track Finder. Continue reading →

Is the Wii Wheel Required to Play Mario Kart Wii?

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on May 2, 2008.

“Is the Wii Wheel required to play Mario Kart Wii?”

I received an email with this question a day ago and I thought it would be better to answer it here as I’m sure many librarians aren’t quite sure what to make of the Wii Wheel.

The short answer is NO, the Wii Wheel is not required to play Mario Kart Wii. But here’s an explanation of just why that is and what you can do in the future ahead of time to know what controller configurations work with which games.

A small graphic indicating every controller configuration that can be used with a game is included in the top right corner on the back of every Wii game case. The graphic for Mario Kart Wii looks like this…

It’s a little hard to see, but there is a “4” inside the Wii Remote symbol. That means the game supports four-player simeltaneous play. The other symbols mean that it is also (optionally) playable with the Wii Wheel, the Nunchuk (with a Wii Remote), the Classic Controller (with a Wii Remote) or a GameCube Controller. Every game will have some combination of these symbols to indicate what controller options players have with it.

Finally, a little about the Wii Wheel. The Wii Wheel is actually just a plastic shell that the Wii Remote snaps into it to make it feel more like a real steering wheel. It is perfectly acceptable to play Mario Kart Wii by holding the Wii Remote sideways and using it to steer your kart. The game would work exactly the same as if the Remote were plugged into the Wii Wheel.

If any librarians out there ever have any other questions, feel free to email them to me at videogamelibrarian AT gmail DOT com.

Resources: Everything There is to Know About Grand Theft Auto IV

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on April 30, 2008.

Is all the Grand Theft Auto IV information that’s swirling around the Internet a little overwhelming? Probably so, but if you’re planning to add the game to your collection, it helps to be prepared!

Kotaku has put together a “Grand Theft Auto IV Information Dump” that includes helpful tips about practically everything you might want to know about the game including reviews, comparisons between the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, reports of the game freezing and crashing, and an FAQ titled “Everything You Wanted To Know About GTA IV (So Stop Asking!).”

And on the other side of the coin, What They Play has created the “Grand Theft Auto IV Parent Resource Center” detailing why kids want to play the Mature-rated hit, how they plan to do that without their parents finding out, and “11 Things Parents Should Know About Grand Theft Auto IV.”

April 2008 Issue of Library Technology Reports Does Gaming

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on April 21, 2008.

Library Technology Reports, a monthly magazine from ALA TechSource, has put out their April 2008 issue and the entire thing shines a spotlight on gaming in libraries.

The issue is titled “Gaming & Libraries Update: Broadening the Intersections,” and it was put together by Jenny Levine as a followup to a previous issue of Library Technology Reports she wrote about gaming in 2006.

“Gaming & Libraries Update: Broadening the Intersections” focuses on three main topics:

  • Expanding the idea of “gaming” to include “big games” (scavenger hunts and other real world games) and board games.
  • Expanding game programs to include those who don’t normally play games.
  • Expanding gaming services to include things like fantasy sports leagues.

If you’re new to the whole “games in libraries” thing, or if you’ve been doing it for awhile and are looking for new things to try, this issue of Library Technology Reports is a must read.

Wii Essentials

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on April 10, 2008.

Choosing what games to buy for your video game collection can sometimes be a tough task. Where do you start? Ideally, it would be great to be able to buy at least one copy of every game, but realistically, that’s just not possible. So here are ten highly recommended titles that belong in every Wii collection. They may be critically acclaimed, they may be sitting atop the sales charts or they may be cult classics that have been unjustly overlooked. But all of them are essentials.

The first thing you’ll notice about this list is that eight of the ten titles have been published by Nintendo. It may be that other developers don’t understand the Wii like Nintendo does just yet, but as of today, if you want a quality Wii game, you want one made by Nintendo. Continue reading →

Legend of Zelda Manga Coming to US

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This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on April 4, 2008.

Simon & Schuster has revealed, through their online store, that they plan to release two volumes of the Legend of Zelda manga in 2008.

The Legend of Zelda: Volume 1 will be released on October 7 while The Legend of Zelda: Volume 2 will sneak in before the end of the year on December 2. Both titles will be written by Akira Himekawa.

Himekawa has been writing the Legend of Zelda manga in Japan since 1998, when he authored an adaptation of The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time. Since then he has also adapted Majora’s Mask, Oracle of Seasons/Ages, Four Swords Adventures, A Link to the Past (though the manga was titled Triforce of the Gods) and The Minish Cap.

It is currently unknown which series Simon & Schuster will start with this Fall.