Game of the Month: April

Bloody typical, isn't it? Guy promises a monthly bit on a favourite game, something requiring very little effort or dedication, and promptly forgets all about it until it pops unexpectedly back into his head over a week past the planned posting date. One thing's for sure- I'm not cut out for the suit and tie lifestyle.

Moving on, my Game of the Month for April is:















POKEMON DIAMOND(and PEARL), SUPER PAPER MARIO




Okay, so I cheated a little, but how on earth was I supposed to choose?! Each game succeeds wonderfully at whatever it sets out to do, and each deserves as much attention as the other.

Pokemon Diamond (and Pearl) brings the venerated series into the next generation, and, unlike it's disappointing (but still fantastic) GBA predecessors, adds a lot to the formula without losing much along the way. The soundtrack has improved, and the monster design is the best I've seen since Gold and Silver. There are lots of neat little additions, but easily the coolest one is Wi-Fi gameplay- particularly the well-designed worldwide trading feature. I have in my collection a Pokemon whose nickname I can neither understand nor type, and I just think that's kind of special.

Super Paper Mario, meanwhile, is both instantly familiar and completely alien. A wild, dimension-swapping tale dressed up as a platforming RPG, it's not exactly something you see everyday. The art direction is simply fabulous- it could take on Okami's any day- and the gameplay is fun and inventive with it's unique mixture 2-D and 3-D, all available at the touch of a button. Beyond anything else, though, it's the writing that impresses me the most. Intelligent Systems and their localization team have outdone themselves yet again, creating a masterpiece of humor and Mario in-jokes beyond anything the world has ever seen. Like to laugh? Check this puppy out.

I'll try to cut back on the cheating thing in the future, but you'd be well advised to give both of these games a spin. 'Till next time,

-Smashing Brother