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Monthly Release Preview: June

Another month passes by, and the month of June begins with the promise of some exciting Game Boy Advance titles including Advance Wars 2 and Donkey Kong Country. Those lucky Japanese gamers will also be able to get their hands on the Mother 1+2 remake towards the latter part of the month. In addition to the games listed below, numerous other titles are set to make their debut, but we have so little information that we'll just make a brief mention of them. These games include Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Return of the Dark King, a remake of Rock N Roll Racing from Blizzard, and THQ's The Simpsons: Road Rage. With so little official talk of these games it's likely that they will be delayed again, but we thought they were worth mentioning anyway.

One To Watch:
Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Release: 23rd June
Game Profile

Advance Wars was and still is one of the most popular and highly regarded games to be released on the GBA so far, yet before it actually hit store shelves there were some uncertainties that it would actually get released due to then recent terrorist activities. Fortunately, the game was released and became a huge success. It is no surprise that Nintendo have decided to follow on with a sequel, subtitled Black Hole Rising. New units, COs and CO Powers will be included, along with an improved Map Editor and single-pak and multi-pak multiplayer modes. Advance Wars 2 is more evolutionary than revolutionary, but it's sure to be this month's favourite release following on from the success of the first title.

 

Other Noteworthy Releases:
Ultimate Muscle: The Path of the Superhero
Publisher: Bandai
Developer: Banpresto
Release: 3rd June
Game Profile

Bandai’s first game made exclusively for the GBA is just about here, and it’s sure an odd one. It’s a wrestling game based on the anime series of the same name, and things are strange in both. The game features over 20 different combatants, all of which are anything but normal looking humans. The battle system is timing based so there will be more to it than just mashing buttons constantly. There are all kinds of special moves to perform too, and of course these are outrageous and unrealistic. Wrestling fans may find what they want here but others probably won’t be interested in either the wrestling or the bizarre license.



Wing Commander: Prophecy
Publisher: Destination Software
Developer: Raylight Studios
Release: 4th June
Full Preview

Wing Commander: Prophecy is the first game that Raylight Studio's have developed using their Blue Roses 3D technology. Raylight claim that the game will stay as true to the PC original as possible, with the most notable difference being the removal of the FMV, which has been replaced with stills due to the storage constraints of GBA cartridges. Wing Commander: Prophecy is a very ambitious project, and something that we won't be able to judge without playing. On the positive side the game will also feature multi-pak multiplayer support, so fans of the original will have more than enough to look forward to.



Donkey Kong Country
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Rare
Release: 9th June
Full Preview

Rare's Donkey Kong Country trilogy is a firm favourite amongst many that enjoyed the 16-bit gaming generation. Already released on the Game Boy Color a couple of years ago, Nintendo will be releasing the first game in that series for the third time in just under a week's time. The GBC version wasn't perfect, suffering from some ropey collision detection and toned down graphics. This time around it looks like both the gameplay and the graphics are much closer to the original, and Nintendo has also included a couple of entertaining minigames to give a little bonus to those who have previously played through either two of the previous versions of this game.



Space Channel 5: Ulala's Cosmic Attack
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Art Co.
Release: 17th June
Full Preview

Sega's popular alien-shooting dance game comes in miniaturized form tothe Game Boy Advance. The aim of the game is to watch and then perform increasingly difficult dance steps in time with the music. Successfully repeating the moves enables Ulala, the orange-haired female star, to shoot aliens with her space-age gun. Graphically the game looks impressive, but it will be down to the use of music and how well the game plays that will decide the GBA version's fate.



Drome Racers
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Lego
Release: 17th June
Game Profile

THQ continues its Lego lineup with a new racing game featuring digital versions of the toy line. The game has an arcade mode for those people who just want to race while a career mode will be available with a storyline and the chance to earn credits that can be put towards upgrading your car’s engine, tires and handling. It’ll also have four player multiplayer capabilities and a ton of different cars to choose from. The game may not be the most visually impressive title, but the actual racing may turn out good enough to satisfy a craving for racing.



Pirates of the Caribbean
Publisher: TDK Mediactive
Developer: Pocket Studios
Release: 19th June
Game Profile

With the huge Jerry Bruckheimer produced movie on the way, it should come to no surprise that there’s also a video game. Pocket Studios is behind this one, and they’ve turned the movie into an isometric action adventure. As actor Orlando Bloom’s character you’ll be tasked with swordplay, gunplay and even manning the cannons. When fighting with swords a nifty lock-on system has been implemented to make fighting more fluid, just as in many modern 3D games. On the roaring seas you’ll be maneuvering your pirate ship and timing the firing of cannons just right in order to land direct hits on enemy ships. The game appears to be a solid game for people of all ages, so it might be the game for you.



Jet Grind Radio
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Vicarious Visions
Release: 24th June
Full Preview

Jet Grind Radio is another Sega Dreamcast hit that THQ will be bringing to the GBA this month. Vicarious Visions, the same people that developed the handheld versions of the popular Tony Hawks Pro Skater series developed the game, so we can expect similar gameplay mechanics. Those who have played any of the console iterations of Jet Grind Radio will know that the game is all about graffiti; players skate around various locations 'tagging' areas with their art whilst avoiding the police who are intent on catching you. Gameplay is spread over five different modes that focus on different aspects of gameplay such as tagging, turf control and the execution of tricks and grinds. Fans of the series should expect a pretty solid game considering it is coming from an experienced team like Vicarious Visions.



Megaman Battle Network 3
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Release: 24th June
Game Profile

The third Battle Network game is coming but in true Mega Man tradition, not much has changed. For those fans that loved the RPG elements and the unique battle mode of the previous two, this will likely be another dash of fun. Battle chips can now be mixed and matched and finding the right combinations will provide Mega Man new and unique abilities. This game also comes in two different versions, Blue and White, and each will have certain unique enemies and battle chips, the latter of which can be traded to the other version with the aid of a link cable. It’s largely the same experience but the previous ones were good fun so this should be a game to look for.



Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku II
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Webfoot Technologies
Release: 24th June
Full Preview

The continuation of the Legacy of Goku series is set to follow the Trunks, Android and Cell sagas for all of you fans. The game gives players the chance to play as five different characters (Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, Trunks, Vegeta) and to explore hundreds of areas. The game also features an improved battle system with more responsive controls, diagonal movement, more attacks and a new Super Saiyan mode. There’s also a new 3D map mode that lets players travel from location to location. All in all, if you’re a fan of the series this should be an improved experience over the last game so it might be just what you’re looking for.



Stuntman
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Valex & Dubail
Release: 24th June
Game Profile

This month seems to be the time for publishers to release GBA conversions of big console hits. Stuntman is the another title to get this treatment. Developed by Valex & Dubail, the same team that developed the technically impressive V-Rally 3, Stuntman's gameplay is heavily focused on the execution of stunts and tricks that are being filmed for a total of six blockbuster movies. The game is powered by an upgraded version of the V-Rally 3 engine, and as can be seen from the screens it is visually impressive, but will it suffer from the same average gameplay that let V-Rally 3 down? Gameplay will be split across two main modes; Career and Arena, and Atari promise the game will feature 10 unique vehicles and more than 20 different stunts.



Import Watch:
Gadget Racers
Publisher: Zoo Digital
Developer: Takara
Release: 13th June (Europe Only)
Full Preview

Not the Gadget Racers that was released in America over a year ago, but a English translation of the sequel to that game, known as Choro-Q Advance 2 in Japan. Gadget Racers is currently only scheduled for a European release through Zoo Digital, and is expected to play similarly to its prequel, offering a great selection of cars and interchangeable vehicle parts. The game features a similar mode-7 styled design and will allow players to race across land, water and through the air. The original Gadget Racers wasn't perfect by any means, but despite some ropey collision detection it was rather playable with vehicle physics that reacted to various track surfaces and vehicle upgrades. If Takara have fixed the collision problems, then Gadget Racers could be one of those few games that European gamers can sit smugly with the knowledge that they have got something that American region hasn't.



Mother 1+2
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Release: 20th June (Japan Only)
Game Profile

There’s currently no English release scheduled for this compilation, so hardcore fans may be interested in this one. The game includes, as the name suggests, the original Mother game for the NES and then Mother 2 which appeared on the SNES, and was also released in English under the name Earthbound. The series is known for it’s bizarre humor and being a parody of sorts to older classic RPGs. Generally the games involve the main character, Ness, receiving psychic powers and being forced into saving the world from imminent disaster and during the quest he’ll meet all kinds of weird friends, wacky enemies and hilarious situations. Being an RPG and having a lot of text this isn’t exactly an import-friendly game, but it’s a notable possibility especially considering no news of an English release at least month’s E3.



* Note: All release dates were correct at the time of writing, but as always, release dates for any games listed in this article are likely to change.

- John & Dan

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