Since E3, I've been tormented by visions of the magnificent games I beheld. They were mine only for the few minutes between when the demos began and the big lug behind me yelled, "Hey, buddy! I saw you die! It's my turn to play!" Since nothing eases pain quite like sharing it, I'll be giving you sneak previews of some of the wondrous titles coming out for Nintendo. Next week, I'll highlight XBox, and finally PlayStation 2.
METROID PRIME 2: ECHOES (RP)
Retro Studios
Drop date: November 1
At the risk of getting beaten up by XBox fans, I'm going to say that Metroid Prime was every bit as good as Halo, aside from lacking multiplayer capability. Metroid Prime 2 corrects that oversight. It also has an arsenal of innovative new weapons and some mind-blowing alien worlds. Interstellar bounty hunting never looked better.
PIKMIN 2 (E)
Nintendo
Drop date: August 4
You probably won't see this title atop too many gamers' top-five lists, but I can't give enough praise to those tenacious plantimals. Combining strategy, puzzles and free-roaming adventure, the first Pikmin was the definition of addictive game-play. The sequel adds new challenges, a multiplayer mode and two new colors of armies to follow you around like you were a pagan god. Come to me, my precious Pikmin!
RESIDENT EVIL 4 (RP)
Capcom U.S.A. Inc.
Drop date: November 16
What are Resident Evil games about? The Umbrella Corporation's T-virus? Zombies? The fear of turning off the lights? Capcom has deemed only the latter essential, and thus has made RE4 zombie-free. The prospect of an RE title sans walking dead terrified me ... until 10 minutes into the demo when I was abruptly decapitated by some chain-saw-wielding freak. Now the only thing that scares me is waiting until November to see it again.
STAR FOX 2 (RP)
Namco
Drop date: Fourth quarter, 2004
This is actually the third Star Fox game, after the groundbreaking Super Nintendo original and superb N64 follow-up. Fortunately, Nintendo is better at designing Fox McCloud's adventures than they are at counting, so you know you'll be flying, driving and running through some of the coolest missions ever. Think you can hold out until the fall? As Gen. Pepper would say, "Good luck!"
PAPER MARIO 2 (RP)
Nintendo
Drop date: October 1
Several years ago, Nintendo decided to put its mascot in a lighthearted RPG and then run over it with a steamroller until it was as flat and 2-D as the denizens of South Park. The result was a fun game with a fresh look, and it's been long overdue for a sequel. This time, Mario takes full advantage of his anorexia, slipping through cracks and folding himself into a paper airplane. That's cool enough to beat scissors as well as rock.
Matthew Scott Hunter has been known to mumble, "Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start" in his sleep. E-mail him at [email protected].