The 30 best Wii games

This is the fifth in my ’30 Best’ series of articles in which I discuss my favourite games ever on a system-by-system basis for the first time. In case you missed them, I’ve already covered the 30 best Amiga games30 best DS games30 best GameCube games and 30 best Dreamcast games.

As before, because this is my own personal list and not a collaborative effort for a magazine or website, there will be some glaring omissions of games I simply didn’t play or didn’t like. So don’t lose your shit if Trauma Center isn’t on here – it’s just not one of my personal favourites.

If one of your own recommendations isn’t on the list, feel free to give it a shoutout in the comments below (politely though, mind) and tell everyone what it meant to you.

wiiThere are a number of so-called ‘gamers’ who are keen on rewriting history and suggesting the Wii was the console that single-handedly ruined ‘gaming’ for everyone.

In reality, the Wii was the most important console since the original PlayStation, in that it opened up gaming to an entirely new audience. But of course, you don’t need me to tell you that: you’re a lovely smart person.

To some this expansion of the audience was a bad thing: there are those who will tell you the Wii introduced the concept of ‘casual’ gaming which started with party games and eventually led to mobile free-to-play mania.

These people suggest that, one or two games aside, the Wii was swimming in casual titles and was sorely lacking in ‘proper’ games. These people are idiots. Continue reading “The 30 best Wii games”

Lego Dimensions – Ghostbusters Level Pack review

Lego Dimensions week on Tired Old Hack finally concludes with a review of the recently released Ghostbusters level pack.

Be sure to catch up if you missed out on the Simpsons, Back To The Future, Portal 2 or Doctor Who level pack reviews.

Level Pack - GhostbustersNot content with ensuring ’80s movie fans were catered for in Lego Dimensions with a Back To The Future level pack, Traveller’s Tales has gone one further with a level pack based on Ghostbusters.

It’s a timely move, given the popularity of the previously released Ecto-1 Lego set and the all-female Ghostbusters reboot due in cinemas later this year.

Does this extra level scratch the Ghostbusting itch for fans of the original movies, though? You bet your PKE meter it does. Continue reading “Lego Dimensions – Ghostbusters Level Pack review”

Lego Dimensions – Doctor Who Level Pack review

It’s day four of Lego Dimensions week on Tired Old Hack, and today we’re taking on the might of the Doctor Who level pack.

Check out the reviews of the Simpsons, Back To The Future and Portal 2 level packs if you missed them, and come back tomorrow for the final review, the Ghostbusters level pack.

Lego Dimensions Doctor WhoThe presence of Doctor Who in Lego Dimensions is undoubtedly one of the most important pieces of business for the game.

The BBC series remains immensely popular worldwide, and even though an official Lego TARDIS set was released just after this level pack was, it’s clear the Dimensions deal had been done a long time prior.

Thankfully this level pack is a treat for fans: not just of the Twelfth Doctor but, as it turns out, the entire series’ history as a whole. Continue reading “Lego Dimensions – Doctor Who Level Pack review”

Lego Dimensions – Portal 2 Level Pack review

It’s day three of Lego Dimensions week on Tired Old Hack, and after reviews of the Simpsons and Back To The Future level packs it’s now time for the Portal 2 level pack to be scrutinised to smithereens.

Check back on Thursday and Friday for the final two level pack reviews.

Level Pack - Portal 2Portal fans are already fairly well catered for in the main Lego Dimensions Starter Pack.

The Portal 2 stage in the main story mode is probably the longest in the game, and there’s even an outstanding Portal-related surprise right at the end (click here for spoilers), which would probably be more well-known among the gaming community if more Valve fans played Lego games.

So what more can the separate Portal 2 level pack offer that isn’t already covered in the main game? Quite a lot, it seems. Continue reading “Lego Dimensions – Portal 2 Level Pack review”

Lego Dimensions – Back To The Future Level Pack review

Lego Dimensions week on Tired Old Hack continues! Yesterday I reviewed the Simpsons Level Pack and today is the turn of the Back To The Future Level Pack.

Keep checking back throughout the week for reviews of the other three Level Packs currently available.

Lego Dimensions Back To The Future level packWhen Lego Dimensions was first announced, the confirmed franchise that excited me most was easily Back To The Future.

I’m a huge fan of all three films in the classic ‘80s trilogy, so the thought of being able to finally play as Marty McFly (as opposed to just guiding him, as in Telltale’s decent point-and-click game) had me properly pumped.

Unfortunately, of the five Lego Dimensions level packs released to date, this was the one that left me most wanting by the end. Continue reading “Lego Dimensions – Back To The Future Level Pack review”

Lego Dimensions – The Simpsons Level Pack review

I’ve already reviewed the Lego Dimensions Starter Pack and everything it offers, but for those with a little more disposable income and an unending hankering for those little plastic sods there’s more content to be bought should you so desire.

To date, Lego Dimensions has five extra Level Packs, each of which can be bought separately. Each contains a new level, as well as a character from that franchise and two vehicles or gadgets. I’ve bought and played all five, so every day this week I’ll be publishing reviews of each of them, explaining exactly what you get and whether they’re worth buying.

Level Pack - The SimpsonsGiven that the Simpsons’ house has been one of the most popular real-world Lego kits in the past couple of years, it’s fitting that the greatest cartoon of all time should get special treatment in Lego Dimensions with its own stage.

The Simpsons Level Pack comes with a Homer Simpson minifig, Homer’s car and the Taunt-O-Vision, a special version of the Simpsons’ television that I don’t remember them ever having in the TV series. Continue reading “Lego Dimensions – The Simpsons Level Pack review”

Guitar Hero Live vs Rock Band 4 – which is best?

Guitar Hero vs Rock Band 4I’m an enormous fan of rhythm action games, and was still happily buying every new Guitar Hero and Rock Band game even while everyone else was losing interest in the genre.

It goes without saying, then, that the return of both series in 2015 was a massive deal for me, and the fact that both actually seemed significantly different from each other made things even more interesting.

Not everyone’s as obsessed with this genre as I am, though, so it’s understandable that the vast majority of gamers would probably only want to buy one of these games. The question, then, is which is best: Guitar Hero Live or Rock Band 4?

Having bought both games at launch (with my own cash, I should stress) and spent a couple of months with each now, I reckon I’m in a good position to give you my unbiased, detailed opinion on which of the two you should go for. Let’s rock. Continue reading “Guitar Hero Live vs Rock Band 4 – which is best?”

Minecraft is coming to Wii U – here’s why that’s both good and bad

Minecraft Wii U EditionMinecraft, one of the most popular games in the world, is finally coming to Nintendo five years after its first official release.

Mojang’s block-based build ‘em up has already been ported to Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, Vita and mobile, but until now it’s never made its way to Nintendo consoles.

That all changes later this month, as according to a press release I got from Nintendo earlier today Minecraft: Wii U Edition is headed for the eShop on 17 December.

But how should you feel about this? Are you an automaton, a blank sheet crying out for someone to fill your head with thoughts to think and opinions to opine?

If so, your saviour is here, because I’m about to tell you both the positive and negative viewpoints I have regarding this news. Continue reading “Minecraft is coming to Wii U – here’s why that’s both good and bad”

Lego Dimensions Starter Pack review

Disclaimers: This review is not based on a free review copy. I pre-ordered it from Amazon and bought it with my own money. The review covers the Xbox One version of the game. While there are references to other characters not included with the Starter Pack, this article should by and large be considered a review of the Starter Pack only, and whether choosing to buy it alone (with no plan to buy any additional packs) is worth your time and money.

LEGO Dimensions Xbox OneLego Dimensions is a game about shaking things up. It was marketed with a #BreakTheRules hashtag, and this mantra is persistent throughout: not just in terms of its storyline, but also the game’s structure itself.

You see, at the heart of Lego Dimensions lies a massive inner struggle, one that questions a fundamental part of what makes Lego games so well-loved.

But we’ll get to that. Continue reading “Lego Dimensions Starter Pack review”

Lego Dimensions FAQ and complete character / level pack release date checklist

UPDATE: Since I posted this article I’ve written up a massive guide in which I review every Lego Dimensions year 1 character. That’ll be far more useful to you than this article (which is now out of date), so you can find it by clicking here.

lego_dimensions1Lego Dimensions is out on 29 September (or 27 September if you live in Americaland). I first reported on it, all full of wonder and excitement, back in April, and since then it’s become much clearer exactly what the game consists of and which separate figures are being released.

That said, Warner has been announcing each new figure and licence in such a bitty, piecemeal fashion that it’s been pretty hard to keep track of absolutely everything due for release.

That’s where yer old man Scullion comes in. Here’s a complete list of everything planned for release for Lego Dimensions to date: what you get in each pack, when it’s released and how much it costs. Continue reading “Lego Dimensions FAQ and complete character / level pack release date checklist”