GamersMayhem

Week in gaming: New Super Mario Bros. and DJ Hero death

This week in gaming we review New Super Mario Bros. Wii, give our take on why DJ Hero flopped so badly in the US, speak to the CEO of Square-Enix, and give you all the reasons you need to pick up Left 4 Dead 2 on the PC. This is your week in gaming.

By Ben Kuchera | Last updated November 21, 2009 3:00 PM
arstechnica



This week has been filled with games that are worth your time and money. Classically trained gamers will enjoy the newly multiplayer-enhanced New Super Mario Bros. Wii, while Left 4 Dead 2 is a great entry into the co-operative gaming space, and the God of War Collection is a great look back at games that feel current and fresh.

We also talk with the CEO of Square Enix about bridging the gaps between the East and West, and give up some thoughts about why DJ Hero didn't find a large audience in the United States. Welcome to the week in gaming.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii review: impressive, and then some: The new, 2D Super Mario Bros. is here, and you can now play the game with three friends... offline, of course. The levels are just as brilliant as past games, and the mixture of competitive and cooperative gameplay modes will keep you entertained for a long time. If you're new to the series, this is a fun introduction. If you're a longtime fan, you'll be delighted by some of the nods to the older games. This is a must-buy.

Innovating problems: why DJ Hero flopped: We gave DJ Hero a good review, and we're still playing the game between current reviews. The problem? The music has been remixed, the gameplay is hard to explain to people, and there is a much longer learning curve than with guitar-based rhythm games. It's a shame, but this one just wasn't meant for the mass market.

The reasons you need to buy Left 4 Dead 2 on PC: If you were mad that this game came out so close to the first game... it's time to get over it. The game features a ton of content, mixes humor with survival, and improves on the first experience in every way. Playing Hard Rain with a group of friends has been one of the highlights of our gaming month. Hopefully the modders begin to dig into this game soon.

Worth the money? The gaming collector's edition trend: How much money would you pay for extra content or a trinket or two? We take a look at some of the grander collector's editions put together lately, and the price they're selling for online. For publishers, this is an easy way to increase their profit margin. For gamers, this is an easy way to clutter your shelves.

The ghost of the PS2: God of War Collection reviewed: Sony updated the graphics of the first two God of War games and re-released them on a single Blu-ray disc in this $40 product. The games still hold up, making this a great buy for people who have yet to experience the games, or simply want to play them again in anticipation of God of War 3.