Top Ten Under-the-Radar Games in 2008
This year is looking like it is going to be another amazing year of games. In 2008, we'll have some of the biggest sequels ever coming out, like "GTA IV," "Super Smash Bros. Brawl," "Metal Gear Solid 4" -- the list goes on. However, every year there are a handful of games that fly under the radar. For one reason or another, the majority of the public misses out on a great game, just because they didn't know about it... but not this year! The list below should help keep you in the know... and maybe, just maybe, these games won't be overlooked this year.
Top Ten Under-the-Radar Games in 2008
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N+It's a ninja puzzle game. What more needs to be said about "N+"? What started out as a Flash game has evolved into an oncoming multiplatform sneak attack that should take the gaming world by storm. In "N+" your ninja can collect coins through hundreds of levels, and by the end, gamers around the globe will learn to love ninjas way more than pirates.
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Professor Layton"Professor Layton and the Curious Village" is only one of two party titles to make this list, but with good reason: Much like last year's "Hotel Dusk," "Professor Layton" isn't quite your average Nintendo game; testing your brain more than your thumbs, you'll use the stylus to solve all kinds of puzzles that might be more suited for a professor than your average gamer. While it was a huge hit in Japan, it might not quite tickle the pickle of the U.S. audiences, but if Japan has taught us anything, this is one game that should not be overlooked.
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Super Dodgeball BrawlersThe successor to one of the best sports games on the NES, "Super Dodge Ball Brawlers" is a complete throwback to the style and gameplay of the original. Almost twenty years after "Super Dodge Ball" was released, "Brawlers" will be coming out on the DS and comes complete with updated graphics and Wi-Fi play to keep balls flying across the court wherever you are.
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de BlobThe product of eight game design students in the Netherlands, "de Blob," a bizarro "Katamari" of sorts, will be making a mess on to your Wii later this year. The point of the game is to bring color back to a world that has been stripped of its vibrancy, and it is your job as the blob (natch) to soak up paint and spread it throughout the world.
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BraidWhen it comes to 2D platformers, "Braid" will attempt to shatter everything that world holds dear, taking all your preconceived notions and twisting them into a whole new kind of game. Well... maybe it won't be that drastic, but, for a genre that has seen little innovation since a plumber from Brooklyn donned a Tanooki suit, "Braid" will be a breath of fresh air.
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Mushroom MenThere's an entire war going on, and you wouldn't even know it. "The Spore Wars" is set after its DS counterpart, and is basically the story of fungus taking over every creature on Earth. If the thought of that doesn't make your skin crawl, then you need to make sure you don't miss out on Wii game later this year.
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PataponCute games on the PSP seem to not do so well, but the makers of "LocoRoco" are giving it another shot with "Patapon." Replete with an insane storyline and a rhythm-based control scheme, "Patapon" is shaping up to be one of the most original titles on any system ... ever. Don't let it get lost in the end of February rush, and for less than twenty dollars, you really can't go wrong.
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The World Ends With YouIf you think that the DS is lacking in fine RPG games, then "The World Ends With You" might be right up your ally. As for everyone else, it's pretty easy if you do the math: Square Enix + RPG + DS + "Kingdom Hearts" Team = "The World Ends With You." Although it's already released in the Japan, there's absolutely no reason you should overlook this game when it comes out in the U.S. unless you hate thinking about the The God of Death (who plays a vital role in this game).
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Time HollowGoing back in time might not be an entirely new concept for video games, but controlling that vantage point with your stylus is. "Time Hollow"'s story follows a 17 year-old as he tries to find his missing parents with a magic time-bending tool. Though it might have more drama than most DS fare, the thought of having a window in the past to solve mysteries is just too appealing to pass up.
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Arkanoid DSAnother remake for a classic that originally appeared in the 1980s, "Arkanoid DS" offers you the option of picking up your own Vaus controller for the DS (it plugs into the GBA slot) to make it feel more like the original. The tiny screens may not actually make it feel a whole lot like the classic arcade game, but the-tried-and-true gameplay of breaking blocks with a little ball is something that just stays gold.
