MY VIEW
Games: 'Pikmin 2'

By Julius Pecson
Special to The Advertiser

The Verdict: . THE RATINGS 5 — Outstanding: Add it to your collection now. A must-have. 4 — Great: Buy it or rent it — definitely play it. 3 — Good: Worth playing despite some flaws. 2 — Fair: Unless you're a fan of the license or series, don't bother. 1 — Poor: You'd have more fun playing Pong.

Console: GameCube.

Developer/publisher: Nintendo.

Genre: Strategy/Action.

Number of players: 1-2.

ESRB Rating: Everyone.

The premise: Taking place immediately after the original game, Capt. Olimar returns to his home planet only to find that his employer is in serious financial trouble. To repay the debt, Olimar and his assistant Louie travel back to the world of the pikmin (small, half-plant, half-animal critters) in order to salvage the planet's numerous valuables.

Game play: In this open-ended real-time strategy/action hybrid, you'll alternate between the minuscule spacemen to propagate and command armies of the cute little soldiers, fighting creatures while recovering discarded treasure. The pikmin come in a variety of unique abilities, which all must be utilized to progress through the game's dangerous environments and caves.

Multitasking plays a large part in the strategy, where one captain presides over one group of pikmin knocking down a wall or building a bridge, as the other can concentrate on collecting enemy corpses or gathering flower pellets. You'll keep a captain's log, earn power-ups, and solve puzzles in the single-player quest, and the new, awesome two-player split-screen co-op and battle modes add replay value.

The good/bad: With the time limit from the first game gone, there's a feeling of liberation in surveying the beautifully rendered world at your leisure. With a lot of caves to explore, new pikmin to grow, treasures to find and creatures to conquer, there's always something to do.

For inexperienced players, the game can be challenging, especially in the later stages, taking clever planning and strategy to successfully accomplish objectives.

The excellent controls allow you to easily separate and command your troops, as utilizing the two-character dynamic adds an extra layer of depth. Aside from the sometimes tedious cave dungeons and the frustration of losing one of your pikmin soldiers in combat, there isn't much to fault in "Pikmin 2."

Tips: While it's always tempting to rush into battle with a horde of pikmin at your disposal, sometimes it's more effective to use just one, for example, against the frogs or giant spiders. With slow and steady patience you'll save a number of unnecessary casualties.

My take: This game will impress you with its charm and innovation. While the style of game play isn't for everyone, those who take the time to appreciate it will be treated to one of this year's sleeper hits. "Pikmin 2" is a solid entry for this blossoming Nintendo franchise.

Julius Pecson, a student at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa and a longtime gamer, reviews games on various consoles for The Honolulu Advertiser.

Have a game or CD you want to review? Reach Island Life deputy editor Dave Dondoneau at ddondoneau@honoluluadvertiser.com.

Upcoming video game releases (tentative)

Playstation 2

• Today: "BloodRayne 2"
• Tuesday: "Outlaw Golf 2"; "Alien Hominid"; "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus"; "Ape Escape: Pumped & Primed"; "Growlanser: Generations"; "Time Crisis: Crisis Zone"; "Growlanser: Generations Deluxe Pack"
• Wednesday: "Nicktoons Eyetoy"
• Oct. 25: "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex PS2"; "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas"; "Ace Combat 5"; "Ace Combat 5 Bundle"

Gamecube

• Tuesday: "Alien Hominid"; "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus"
• Oct. 26: "Pinball Hall of Fame"; "Scaler"
• Oct. 27: "SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie"
• Oct. 28: "The Incredibles"

Xbox

• Tuesday: "Outlaw Golf 2"; "Otogi 2"; "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus"; "Men of Valor"; "Dead or Alive Ultimate"
• Oct. 25: "OutRun 2"
• Oct. 26: "Chessmaster"; "Pinball Hall of Fame"; "Scaler"; "Dai Senryaku VII: Modern Military Tactics"; "Bicycle Casino 2005"; "Monster Garage: The Game"; "Doom 3"; "Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly — Director's Cut"

Gameboy Advance

• Today: "Dead To Rights"
• Monday: "Kirby & The Amazing Mirror"
• Tuesday: "Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django"; "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus"; "TRON 2.0: Killer App"
• Oct. 25: "Ice Nine"; "Dora the Explorer: Super Spies"; "Classic NES Series: Dr. Mario"; "Classic NES Series: Metroid"; "Classic NES Series: Castlevania"; "Classic NES Series: Zelda II"; "Grand Theft Auto Advance"

This list was provided by Toys n' Joys, with shops in Kaimuki (735-4546) and in the Westridge Shopping Center (487-8697) in Pearlridge. See www.toysnjoys.com for more information.