Three Games You Should Play on Wii, Microsoft Does Numero Uno and Sony Flubs Again

Okay, everybody - you know what time it is? It's Game Time! That's my new column I'm starting here at Associated Content, and here it comes right smack at you! So what's in store for numero "Uno"? Just that - a look at the ability to play Uno online, whenever you want, either on MSN.com or XBOX Live. And there's some juicy bits on three games for Nintendo's Wii that you just can't miss - plus yet another Sony blunder. And it all starts now!

But First, though, let's look at the hot three for Nintendo's Wii (pun intended). We'll start with a game you must see to believe from one of Nintendo's oldest series juggernauts. Yes, we're talking about the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Originally designed to be the ultimate GameCube sendoff, market circumstances surrounding the unfortunate drop back in the little purple box's popularity post-XBOX demanded that Nintendo take a dual-system approach with the title as the Wii continues to pick up even more attention from Nintendo fans - and from videogame publishers - as it's predecessor starts packing for an untimely retirement. And the word is that the decision was more than worth it - because you can now control Link's sword, bow and arrows, and even a fishing rod like you were the one holding them!

That's because as in just about every Wii game, you don't just move Link around Hyrule - you feel like you're right there with him - or rather, that you are actually a part of him, manipulating his every move! And reports indicate that it feels completely natural, and doesn't even detract from the experience! This, truly, is the version of Twilight Princess to get this November (especially since you'd have to wait another month now if you're still sticking to your 'Cube!)

The second game that you really must play on the Wii is a system exclusive. It's called Red Steel, and it's the closest you'll ever get to the Japanese underworld as a straight man! Although early playable versions of this game (think E3) may have missed the mark in the sword fighting department (a nifty, old-time ancient Tokyo addition to this clever shooter) reports indicate that the game play keeps improving, though your katana still won't necessarily match up with your actual swings but will still come reasonably close. The premise behind all this slashing and shooting?

It all boils down to your average gritty storyline: your character's fiance has been kidnapped and her father fatally wounded, so you must enter the world of the Yakuza (which is like the Mafia, only in Japanese format) to rescue your lover - and avenge her father's death while you're at it. In other words, you're a cultural outsider (or as the Japanese say, a gaijin) fighting through underground Tokyo to defeat a Yakuza overlord who's tough as nails and believes in everything your lover's father did not. And you get both modern firearms and a Japanese katana (which is a powerful symbol among the Yakuza) in order to do the job. And you can even choose whether to slash your opponents apart - or hold them at your mercy. It's all in your handling of your blade - and guns.

The last game that must be played on the Wii in order to truly experience all it can offer puts you right on the gridiron. Yup, we're talking about Madden NFL '07. And this, truly, yearns to be the most definitive Madden title yet. Throwing the ball is completely natural in this football fantasy - after choosing your receiver, the motion of your arm determines how far you toss the pigskin across the field. Kicking is performed by raising your arm like you were lifting your leg to perform a real kick, and a raise of your arm receives a hike like you're actually on the field taking the hike yourself! And there are even motions for juking, stiff-arming - and just about everything else! It's as close to pro football as pigskin fans are going to get!

So that tops my three must-play picks for the Wii. So after all that, how about some more casual fare? Well, if you have an XBOX 360 with enough Microsoft Points, or an account with MSN's Windows Live ID system and access to MSN Games (on the web: http://games.msn.com/), you can unwind from all that hardcore madness with a few rounds of Uno, one of my favorite card games of all time. And need I mention one that's been around for about 35 years already? Just think: when you've had enough hardcore action, you can go online and reverse the playing order or play a Draw Four Wild on anyone in the world, whenever you want! Just don't forget to call Uno like in the offline version, or you'll regret it!

Finally, I have a bit of bad news for those of you still waiting for a Playstation 3 after the downsizing of the launch shipments - and its well-documented delayed arrival in Europe. It now appears that some of those revised figures are now going to be missed as well, meaning that Sony's most recent shipment targets for 2006 can most assuredly be tossed aside. And what is the culprit this time, you ask? Same as before: those darn BluRay disc drives are at it again, coming around so slowly that it's anyone's guess now if Sony will still be able to launch this year. And at the rate Sony's going, I wouldn't be surprised if Europe won't be the only delay-receiving locale for Sony. Like, good luck getting your hands on a PS3 this year, that's for sure.

Well, that's it for my inaugural column. So until next time, keep those gaming fingers moving and stay in the game like there's no tomorrow! In the meantime, post your thoughts here in the comments or drop me a line at jdavis9172@hotmail.com if you have any gaming tidbits to share. Happy gaming!