Stuntology revisited
For novelty, Stuntman for the PS2 blows away the competition. It’s a completely original driving game. You play a budding stuntman who has to complete complex driving stunts for a film in a wild variety of locations and with very different vehicles. What sets this game apart is the stunt creation mode, which allows you to bring your own ideas for stunts to life. Although the learning curve can sometimes be aggravating, once you master the stunts the game is intensely rewarding.
Original gameplay makes this a breath of fresh air from the horde of excellent sequels being released this autumn for the PS2.
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Time in a twist
Blinx has a great variation on the 3D-platform concept: time twisting. Instead of time being fixed, you can speed it up or slow it down. You can even rewind, replay and pause time. This novel concept really brings the game to life – and the sumptuous graphics for which the Xbox is famed don’t hurt, either.
Your character Blinx’s mission revolves around collecting time crystals so that he can manoeuvre time, to wipe out mutants spawned by the crystals. Although the game is for a younger audience, it’s for the whole family too. It’s easy to learn and it has enough secrets to keep diehard players interested.
The comeback kid
Finally, Shigeru Miyamoto’s baby, Mario, returns to hit the Gamecube with a vengeance. Mario for the N64 essentially redefined 3D-platform games, but Super Mario Sunshine has tried to do something different. It’s an updated Mario 64 to some extent, but adding a water-cannon backpack introduces a completely different style of gameplay.
Mario now has to clean up graffiti, as well as fight off the comedy bad guys. This is the game Luigi’s Mansion should have been. It has the timeless ingredients of Miyamoto’s brilliant game-producing career. It’s infinitely replayable. There are so many things to collect that experienced players and young gamers alike are going to be hooked.