USA WiiWare Update: Gyrostarr

Have fun America!

I am looking into the future, and I see Gyrostarr added to my collection. The future is looking pretty good.

Dang it! They don't put it up on WiiWare until afternoon EST...

I appreciate the fact they are going to try and get the review out quick and all, but please don't play it for 30 minutes and start writing. That's what we like to call in the media world "a crappy review." Though with 50 levels, I'm sure you can't get through the game too fast.

So glad to see everything was correct. Oh how I love my flight shooters.

RetroWare: In EST time (my time here in Canada), it comes at 12:00 Noon. Make it 12:05 to give them some time, just in case.

I'm very excited about today's update but I gotta wait till after work to get it. Only 7 hours or so left! XD

And also notice how this is the first time Nintendo has broken their pattern of having an N64 Title. Unless the pattern was never a number of weeks/days but one every month randomly placed. If so, there's always June 30th. I look forward to that update also.

Oh and my friend was right in speculating both Alex Kidd and Burning Fight would release.

I'll be getting this tomorrow.

It's true Corbie is super in-depth with his reviews. He will give good insight on Gyrostarr.
I still can't believe this only going to be 700 points. I thought for sure they would charge 1000.

@KnucklesSonic: There were enough months without N64 titles, we only have 14 yet, and the VC is older than 14 months

@Bensei: There is a pattern of one N64 Title per month, but the pattern was developed a couple of months ago, and hasn't been around since the begining of the VC.

Like I'd spend a whole 30 minutes playing a game to review it when 10 minutes is clearly more than enough time.

@Tony: It's certainly a steal at 700 Points! Certainly beats Protothea already! XD

@Bensei: For our region, I've been noticing a pattern of the NA Shop getting updated with an N64 Title in a seemingly sequential pattern. They may have broken it with WiiWare, or, they may be sticking by it. My theories will be answered anyway in the next update so we'll see if Nintendo still plans to stick by this one-N64-game-a-month pattern or if it's going to be somewhat random from now on.

@Kingston: Thanks for explaining that also.

I hope Nintendo solves the storage situation. This actually looks really interesting.

If I had enough Wii points, I'd get this. If I also had enough space...

Indeed. When I get home, I'm going to have to delete something... I only have 21 Blocks left and all my VC Games are, sadly, confined to an SD Card. Same with the Nintendo Channel, and I miss that.

I have no idea what to delete... Maybe LostWinds since I just reached the last boss? Either that or Block Breaker Deluxe. Those are the only two I can think of that I'd be less reluctant to delete (the others I could delete, I wouldn't even think of deleting even if I needed the space).

I am downloading Gyrostarr immediately!

Anyone know how many blocks it takes up?

I have 1200 points right now. I'm considering downloading this and Alex Kidd.... but maybe I should wait for next week to see if there's anything better.

290 blocks.. downloading it right now.. just saw it hit wii shop

Get Gyrostarr. Don't give it a second thought.

MJordan = Thank you VERY much for posting the amount of blocks. I NEED to know so I can figure out what to delete. I guess I'm going to HAVE to delete Block Breaker Deluxe. LostWinds won't give me enough memory with the 21 blocks I already have...

Thanks again. I can't wait to get home!!

Yes! Today is my 21st birthday and this could not be a better present, so happy! Luckily I've had 1900 wii points just waiting around so this is perfect. For 700 points this appears to be quite the steal. The download time took twice aslong as Dr Mario or Lost winds did when I bought those, so I'm guessing this can only mean the graphics on Gyrostarr are going to be superb. I'll keep everyone up to date, download just finished so I'm going to test it out!!!

played first 2 levels... I definately enjoyed it. it supports remote only, remote + nunchuck or classic controller, no gamecube controller support. I work from home, so I am going to try and be good and work now.. but may play a few more levels in a bit.

Can't wait to hear more impressions on it guys! This helps since I gotta wait 6 hours before I can get it and I'm really excited.

So, how does the game work in terms of Modes/Main Menu?

I just played the 1st 2 levels aswell, tho I failed at them lol. Game looks very solid to me. Graphics are bright and colorful & everything moves very fluidly. Tis ashame tho that it appears there's no online play, but that's only a minor issue. The hi score listings appears to be gathering from everyones games via wi-fi so that's a plus, gives me some solid competition. I definitely recommend this to anyone. It's great so far and I can only imagine once I test out the 2 player modes with someone this game is going to open up in a whole new way : )

Sweet! There ARE Leaderboards after all! Yes! Online Play is not everything. I hate that people keep complaining about that.

What modes are available from the Main Menu?

Keep going Lylvia, cause temptation got the better of me. I played another level and then the bonus level was given to me.. that got crazy fast. I think that may be a sneak peak at how fast some of the later levels may get. if the game has 50 levels cant imagine what 49 and 50 would be like..

ok seriously.. I should be working...Must start working...

As far as modes, the main menu reads, in a vertical fashion, "start game, high scores, game rules, audio options, credits". Once you go to start game it has 4 open slots, one for each player to click into just as you would join into a multi-player game of Mario Kart for example. Like I said tho, I have no one to play the two player mode with currently so I'll have to get back to you on that.

Mjordan, I was curious about the games speed when I first began to play. It appeared alittle slow in comparison to all the trailers I had seen of the game. But this absolutely makes since that you unlock faster more intense levels as you progress in the game. This game really rocks thus far!

So guys, out of a score of 10, what would you give this game?
Could it be WiiWare World's first 10?

only thing I dont like so far, is it only has top 10 online leader boards... so I played through level 5, and dont even see what my high score was. There is no, from what I can tell, personal top score list.. so if you aint good enough to crack worldwide top 10, I guess you need a pen and paper.

But yes, for me level5 it started getting a little faster and crazier.....but I am working now... (if I keep telling myself that, I may start to do it)

I'd give this an 8 thus far, give me a bit and it may just be a 9 or a 10. When this game picks up the speed the graphics are amazing and it has an all around very intense feel to it.

well SuperMario.. I normally leave the reviews to the experts, but since itsa Mario asking, I will give it a stab. First I must express i have not played all that many wiiware games... was realy intent on this game and kinda protested by not buying till it came out. That being said, on my personal fun-o-meter, I give it 8.5/10 but it may grow on me. I love retro games, and my wii has geometry wars galaxies in it more than probably any of my other games, if that gives an more insight.

And just for good measure, for 7$ you seriously cannot go wrong!

oh, and I agree that multiplayer would add another dimension. I have nobody here to test with me right now. so that could bump it up in my scorecard for sure.

I would download it RIGHT NOW but I have a Regents Exam tomorrow and I need to study. For those of you not in New York, a Regents exam is taken after you completed a subject in High School. If you fail you must keep on retaking it until you pass. I would gladly fail and take it the next time around, but When you retake it, you take it with your new classes regents, which gets overwhelming. I hate school...

ah yes... do not download now. 30 minutes of play and It is calling my name from the other room... "just play a couple levels, they're quick nobody will even notice your gone.."

lol, When I got Brawl the same thing happened to me, FOR LIKE 2 MONTHS! I got some average grades in school (which I myself don't approve off) and kept telling myself that I would not play the Wii and focus more on my studies. Now I'm doing extra credit.

I tried looking up some videos for it, but they only have the trailer. Could either one of you put up a video if possible?

Just a warning for those that haven't grabbed it yet: the scrolling is very, very choppy (I had, apparently mistakenly, assumed this game would be a rock-solid 60fps when it's, at best 30 and, oftentimes, looks quite a bit lower).

This is especially apparent on the high-speed bonus stages where there's an almost strobe-like effect to the way the playfield scrolls and, I imagine, this will also apply to the main levels once you progress far enough (I'm just beyond level 15 at the moment). Due to the frame rate, it neuters the bonus stages because it can be very difficult to judge where a pick-up is because it can be 'there and gone' as it chops on by (if it gets like this in the primary levels, it will break the game).

As of right now it is nowhere near the same league as, say, Tempest 2K or Geometry Wars as far as fun and/or instant-addiction appeal goes (I'll keep playing and hope it gets better, but the frame rate really, really bothers me and the muted color palette isn't exactly eye-pleasing, either).

Also, up to level 15 at least, the game is very, very basic and features very little technique. You just roar down a half-pipe, firing bullets, occasionaly dodging (very occasionally) and firing off your grapple to snag receding pick-ups. There is a distinct lack of challenge and it seems as if the game may be treating you with a pair of very thick kid gloves (I'm sure it gets harder later, but my desire to get to that point is rapidly waning).

Basically, it just doesn't seem to grab you at least like I expected it would (generally, arcade throwbacks like this will grab you right off the bat or they won't ever, minus a few exceptions).

I strongly suggest everyone that hasn't bought it hold out for a number of reviews before taking the plunge.

*Yes, I know, it's only 7 bucks so please don't reply with "what do you expect for 700 points?" (answer: I expect to be entertained for at least a few hours).

ECM = Nice impressions. I'm glad someone who hasn't been so fond of it so far has given valid reasons for their decision. Your argument is quite convincing actually, but it's a must-buy for me, anyways.

Oh, and yes guys, I tried Geometry Wars: Galaxies months back. I really loved it. After a while, though, it got a tad repetitive and I wasn't having AS much fun as I once was. But I had to give the game back so I can't say for sure if the level of fun would have increased. Certainly, the level of challenge would have and that's what I enjoyed about it.

RetroWare: That sucks. Hold off on Gyrostarr until then. And I'm sure someone will make a vid soon enough. In fact, I would love to make a video myself if I can sneak the digital camera... (Long story.) Then again, I have to get home and actually download the game first and foremost. xD 5 hours left.

Oh and Lylvia, thanks for the breakdown of the Modes. Much appreciated. The multiple profiles sounds like Pop's set-up in a way. Anyway, I'm quite happy about that.

Wow, after reading what ECM said, I'm glad it didn't hit this week. Otherwise I'd have bought it straight away. Deffinitely waiting for Corbie's review now.

And my 2 cents on the 700 points arguement, I can buy a lot of amazing games for only 500.

What do you mean it didn't hit this week? It came out today, unless your talking about something else. I'll wait for this sites review and ign's.

I am so tempted to go on my Wii and download it right now. The only thing keeping me back is being on this site and...well reviewing for the test isn't really condoning for not buying the game right away.

Sorry, lol, I didn't look at the little flag thingy.

I'll be greatly disappointed only if there is no sign of a personal high-scores list at all in the game/at the end of the levels when you get Game Over. That would make theg ame like Protothea and I'd bring up the argument again: What space shooter doesn't have high-scores?

It surely would be disappointing for me. Otherwise, I doubt I'll feel regret over paying 700 for what seems like a great title, especially the fact that it's Multiplayer too!

@RetroWare: Devion's in the UK. How'd you miss that?

I can't wait to play this later tonight.

ECM...Thanks for the input and warnings, I will look out for that choppy scrolling. I noticed none of that in the 1st bonus level, or any of the first 5 levels... Did that set in for you later, after the first5? or did you notice right off?

One word of advice: Use the grappling hook often. It's a life saver. And I'll try to get the review done as quickly as possible. I'm going to put a few more hours into the game first. It's pretty fun, but there are some flaws. Early prognosis: If you like shooters, it's worth 700 Points.

I am encouraged by your early prognosis.
I'm curious, though, as to whether these flaws truly are "flaws" in my books and will put a hamper on my experience with the game. While that is doubtful, I am a tad worried. Nevertheless, I'm still excited to get it.

i have seen no "chopes" in the screen. even on the bonuys level that gets insanely fast. my picture has been smooth. also, you can choose the color of your ship, since nobody has mentioned that.

There is some choppy scrolling in the game. It's not bad, but it's there just the same.

Yay! How many colours can you choose from?

And hearing that the bonus Level is fast and fun is also exciting to hear!

Nine colors. Some are very similar.

Ah, I see. Still. I first thought maybe the colours were representative of your Player #/Indicator. As in, for more colours, you'd have to play Multiplayer and be a different player (e.g., P2) to be a different colour.

Anyway, nice that they added that. 4 hours left.

I have been playing for about an hour & a half now and have noticed nothing that comes close to any major graphic or chopping issues. Even on the bonus levels where it gets INSANELY fast my picture remains smooth. Maybe this is just me speaking, but the graphics appear very fluid to me. This game is actually very addicting.

Man, I have been good and not played beyond that first experience with levels 1-5. Getting some work done. but lunch time is coming awfully quick!

I like Knuckles' plan, get Corbie to leak his review bit by bit

Lylvia: That's very re-assuring. Thank you. And I'm glad you're having a great time with the game.

And the Bonus Levels sound really fun!

It's been a great 21st b-day present to myself thus far today!

Totally off topic, but would any of you out there recommend picking up the new Alex Kidd that was released on VC today?

I have Alex Kidd on my Master System. Its a very fun game, and is really good for those of you that like Mario games (which is everyone!).

Thanks RetroWare

It's only 700 wii points? This is perfect! I have 500 points leftover from launch, and now, not only can I get this, but I can get Star Soldier R as well, without any extra leftover points. I was also planning on getting either Toki Tori or F-Zero X, but I couldn't decide which one to get. Now, with Alex Kidd, I've decided to put them off a little while longer and get Alex Kidd(hoping for Super Dodgeball, but only because I couldn't imagine Ninty giving us this great SMS game for at least month) and River City Ransom(which I had resisted spending the extra 500 on), and now I can get both(TT+FZX) next time. Not only that, but if it turns out Gyrostarr isn't for me, then I could just get Pop instead, and this would still remain a perfect moment. Plus, since I too have to study for tomorrow's Regents(heck, I got 2), this makes a perfect excuse, not only to wait for the review, but also to get a new game in general.

By the way, good luck on your Regents, RetroWare, and if you're like me and have biology tomorrow, then you're going to need it(who remembers this stuff?!).

Your welcome

Right now, though I should be studying, I am beefing up my pokemon in Leaf Green so I can trade them to Diamond and use them on Battle Revo. This is the first pokemon time I have spent over 40 hours on to make them the best.

Yeah, I have Bio tomorrow too. I've memorized quite a lot of information, I mean, I am an honor student. Well then, good luck too you for tomorrow!

@Mr. Nice Guy = Toki Tori is a really great game. But that must be a tough choice deciding between F-Zero X and TT.

In any case, Star Soldier R is a great game, imho, but it's not for everyone. I have the same thoughts about Pop. both are equally great WiiWare titles.

By the way, Happy Birthday Lylvia! I'd of gotten you a present, but I see you've already got it .

Mr.Niceguy: If you're a fan of Dr.Mario I highly recommend picking up Dr.Mario Online RX, the wi-fi online play is fantastic, endless depth!

On another sidenote, what are peoples opinions on the game Fantasy Zone for the master system, I've been debating whether or not to pick this game for awhile, all its reviews make it appear to be a great game. Also, which mario game should be the first mario game I pick up on the VC, it's such a dilemma lol

Fantasy Zone is fun too, but I haven't played it in months. It only fun the first time around. The First Mario game you should get is Super Mario World.

What kind of question is that anyway? lol

And thankyou Mr.Niceguy for wishing me a happy birthday. I'm just trying to stock myself up on a few very solid games so I have some great stuff to amuse myself with later once I'm LEGALLY wasted haha!

A pretty stupid question on my part Retro, but some people prefer the original on nes over super mario world. I was just curious, I'll go with your choice for sure.

I was only kidding, I prefer the very first though. Super Mario World is just prettier.

very true

@Knucklesonic8

Yah, I've been struggling with that choice for weeks now, but thankfully Alex Kidd made everything so much easier(get both later). I had also been struggling with whether or not to get Pop, but the Gyrostarr review will answer that question. It's also nice to hear you enjoyed Star Soldier R, it's a shame that it hasn't been selling very well. I've wanted it for a while now, but I wanted to get it at the same time as either Pop or Gyrostarr, but come tomorrow, the wait will be over.

Careful now. Dazza might delete your off-topic comments! XD j/k
I've been debating about Fantasy Zone myself! But that's another story.

Lylvia: Are there Personal High-scores? As in... have you gotten Game Over yet and then it lists your high-score or something?

@mr.niceguy: I love all my WiiWare titles. Pop is a great game! It was worth 700, imho. It's a nice game whenever I need to take my mind off things! And Star Soldier R is really good. I'm not bothered by the two-level limit at all. It's a really well-done, challenging game despite its flaws. Unless you're a big fan of space shooters, maybe get Pop instead of SSR if you're going to get Gyrostarr. Like I said, Pop isn't for everyone. Some have said that it's lacking in some respects but I don't think that's the case, personally.

@ mr niceguy
You may want to still consider Star Soldier R. I actually prefer its 5 min. mode compared to Soldier Blade's 5min. mode. Anyway Star Solider R is a slick looking game that plays well. I really enjoy it

Sorry for the off-topicness on my part, Gyrostarr is seriously great tho. My other wiiware titles thus far are LostWinds & Dr.Mario, both of which i personally love.

KnucklesSonic, sadly I've yet to notice a personal high score section. It does give your overall score when completing levels so those scores must go somewhere, I've just yet to figure everything out.

Indeed. Thank you for your observation. I'd be disappointed if there weren't high-scores at all. Then it would be like Protothea...

How far have you gotten?
Can you sense the challenge amping up?

@Lylvia

Which Mario game to go with really depends on your level of patience, to be honest with you. My first was Super Mario World, and had it been any thing else, I would never have become a fan of the series, because SMW has a save feature between levels, so you don't need to repeat the entire game once you get a game over. However, if you havr the patience to repeat well-designed levels over and over again, then I suggest you go with the original Super Mario Bros., because it's just a joy to play, even without a save feature. I suppose you could go with SMB3, but honestly I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as Super Mario World, or even the original Super Mario Bros. for that matter.

@Tony
Yah, I could never last 5 min. in the story mode, and never tried the 5min mode, but SSR looks totally awesome, and the leaderboards make it even better! I can't wait to play it in between Gyrostarr sessions!

Yes I can, I've reached level 7 after some on & off play (most time spent debating what I should use my remaining wii points on lol) and I can tell that the difficulty level is increasing already. New types of enimies are popping up and new weapons are brought out, things along those lines. The bonus levels, which you gain access to after beating certain levels, are wicked fast and it really does bring a whole new intensity to the game. I can safely say for a fact that the top 20 highscores (not sure if it's national or worldwide) are listed in the highscore section, so that definitely gives you a goal to reach. I've just yet to figure out how the personal highscore system works, something has to exist tho!

@ Mr.Niceguy, most likely I'll be going with SMW because I remember playing it back in the day on my snes, I just never beat the entire thing. If I don't go with that it'll be the original for sure.

Okay, so at least it tells you your overall score, I'll just write it down like I used to with Galaga and Xevious.

And Knuckles, while I can tell that Pop is great by looking, I'm a bit of a Star Soldier fan and a definate space shooter fan, so I'm going with SSR. Besides, I'd have 100 points left over if I went with Pop+Gyrostarr, and I hate leftovers.

Leftovers make your next buy that much easier

Wait, are you saying there's something along the lines of a leaderboard? I love leaderboards! This game keeps on getting better and better! I can't wait until tomorrow!

Yes, that's exactly what Gyrostarr has, a leaderboard of all the top 20 highscores.

level 25 is impossible, but i must beat it. also, the high scores are the top 20, not top 10.

@Lylvia

I know leftovers make things easier, but it also tempts me to make my next buy sooner, and I don't have a credit card(point xards too far away), so all my purchases have to go through my mom, and I always had trouble speaking to her, and she doesn't like it if I spend money too often. Plus, leftovers are just plain ugly to look at!

Yeah, didn't you see Mr. Nice Guy? It's been mentioned quite a few times now, actually. I hope you enjoy SSR! I sure did and I'm still greatly enjoying it.

And yes, leftovers can be good.

@Lylvia: Super Mario World = Outdoes SMB and SMB3. SMW is simply amazing. It's a cult-classic and no self-respecting Nintendo fan should even hesitate to give it a try. Many say it's worse than SMB3 but I HIGHLY disagree.

@strade32: Wow! Level 25 is the stickler so far, huh? I can't wait to see for myself how challenging the game is.

@ Mr.NiceGuy : Truly, leftovers are a big pain to look at. They're a tease, plain and simple.

@ KuncklesSonic8: I think we all safely say Super Mario World is the best choice.

One note: I live, eat breathe and die scrolling shooters of all varieties (my favorite is vertical scrolling shoot 'em ups, but I love Everday Shooter, Tempest et al, Geo Wars, etc.) so don't think my criticisms come from someone that doesn't enjoy the genre(s) (I also own every shooter--import and domestic--on every console from Mega Drive through present).

Anyway, a few clarifications:

*The game gets fast (eventually). That is not the issue. The issue is screen update, i.e. frame rate and that is nowhere near the vicinity of 60fps (and is more and more noticeable and intrusive the faster the games gets).

*You won't notice it at first, you'll just notice that a. it's not 60fps (compare it directly to, say, F-Zero X if you doubt this) and b. it seems quite slow all things considered, initially.

*However, as the rate of speed picks up, it appears for all the world that frames are being dropped left and right. Now, this could be a visual artifact of the track design in that they're stacking lots of twists, turns, drops, etc. on top of one another but it almost feels like the track is a streaming backdrop (akin to FMV) in the way that it responds to increased velocities--the road itself doesn't appear to move any faster, but it's rather l ike they're taking chunks of it away to generate the illusion of speed (a strobe-like effect) so that you're almost jumping to the beginning of each new section of track (a curve, straightaway, drop, etc.), rather than smoothly traveling over it. It looks to me like massive frame drop, but maybe it was intentionally (?!) coded this way?

*I got to level 20 and I'm done with it. It does not have the 'hook' that you really like to see in games like this. The scoring system is overly basic (a bad move in a game that's designed for reaping high scores) and it really is very, very easy (even through level 20).

Also, the bonus rounds are so generic that you'll actually start to wonder if it's worth making mistakes just so you can skip them altogether.

I'm sorry to say it, but it's definitely nowhere near the game I was hoping for (something akin to the Wii's answer to what Geo Wars was for the early days of XBLA: an incredibly addictive, difficult, technique-filled shoot 'em up). If you have the points to spend and haven't, get Star Soldier R or a VC shooter instead.

@ Strade32 : Level 25! Very impressive, I'm @ 7 lol

@ ECM : very respectable review, I'm a huge shooter fan myself and I can see where all your points are coming from. Regardless of it's downfalls of not living up to certain peoples expectations, I'm still thoroughly enjoying this game for now

ECM: Ouch. Again, thank you for your contribution and backing it up. You're one to talk, aren't you. Being an avid space-shooter fan and all.

But I HAVE SSR, and I love it. I doubt I can go wrong with Gyrostarr, especially with the Multiplayer Component.

Oh and guys, consider, too, that the review will be up sooner than you think sicne we don't have to wait on two people to write the reviews for two different games. It's just one WiiWare title this week so who knows, it could be up by tomorrow morning for all we know. All I can say is we certainly appreciate Corbie's efforts, don't we?

The game is indeed great! I can understand where people have problems with the controls. But for me, it just took some time to get used to them. After playing it a while, it just felt so smooth and just so fun! I'd say the bonus levels are the only levels where the controls are a problem. But that doesn't change the fact that the entire game is still worth buying. When I first played it, I didn't know if I'd want to go back to it after very long. Now that I did, I know that it is very much worth buying and that the hype was well worth it!

@Knuckles

Sorry for the misunderstanding

@ECM

Star Soldier R is Wiiware's answer to Geometry Wars, Gyrostarr has a completely different focus, that's why the leaderboards only go to the Top 20. I'm sorry to hear you didn't enjoy it, too bad you've effective wasted your money on something that could have been spent on something a little more worthwhile depending on your interests. It's also too bad all I can do is pour salt in the wound. Oh well, sometimes you gotta hurt before you can heal, or something like that.

Luigi: That's great to hear! And your concluding comments are particularly very re-affirming.

I've been learning something from everyone's comments here: The game is really fun, especially at the fast-paced bonus levels, and that its controls may take a while to get used to, but once you get the hang of it, it's really fun. This is great to hear. I'll be leaving very soon and then I can finally get it!! Is eager to delete something XD

You're 7$ will be well spent today Knuckles. I'm interested in your opinions on the game once you've purchased & played it. Let me know what's up

Well time to write it up and tick some people off. Anyone seen the movie "Lucky Number Slevin?" Oh and the game does only cost 700 Wii Points. Or $7 to us here in the US of A.

I sure will! I've been REALLY looking forward to this. It's my second-most anticipated Wiiware title (well, not anymore. Some other game will take 2nd now that I'll have Gyro! ). First is Plattchen as most know.

If I have a chance, I'll definitely come back and post my impressions but tomorrow I'll be at work again so if not, expect me to post my impressions tomorrow sometime.

And with that, I'll be off in a few minutes!

Thanks for all the impressions guys. This helped significantly with the wait.

@Corbie: Heh, you do that. Go ahead and rant to tick us all off! XD That would be funny if despite all these hints you still end up rating it one higher/lower. Heh.
@Super Mario: Looks like Gyro WON'T be WWW's first 10. I already have my speculations as to what it will be though.

Is the remote tilt control? And if so, does it have an option for D-pad control? I like tilt control and it feels very natural, but it is admittedly difficult to make precise movements with it, especially the kind necessary in a shooter game.

i only have 1,000 points left and i wont be able to buy another card until next Friday which game should i get Gyrostarr or Torki Tori

I guess I'll pass on this. Nobody has been overly enthusiastic while talking about it.

On a side note, too many WiiWare games are getting 7's, in my opinion. It's become an inconsistent number, I'd rather see a definitive 6, or 8, for some games. From what I've heard on this site and others, this game sounds like it deserves a 6.

What does GMT mean, and why is it 5 hours ahead of my clock? And will somebody please answer this before it gets deleted, otherwise it's just going to drive me nuts.

I think GMT is General Mountain Time, or something. Its either the west or center of the US.

EDIT: Well, at least I tried

@ RetroWare- you're wrong, son.

@x.SuperMario.x

What are you talking about, out of all of the people who own this game, only one person was dissapointed, and he owns every shooter known to man(sorry to sound insulting, but I don't know how else to word this)!

In any case, you're right, there needs to be more 6's and 8's. 7 has become far to vague to get a handle on how high of quality(and fun) a game really is.

Actually, I thought it was Global Mountain Time. Thanks for at least trying to answer it, I wasn't even expecting that(Beyond Expectations!).

If we gave you an 8, you'd want a 7.

the sideways wii remote control can be tilt or dpad... I tried both....like the dpad for now, but may just need to fine tune my tilting...

Super mario.x I like This game a lot. Just dont want to be all gung ho and making others buy what I like... being reserved about it.

and GMT is Greenwich Mean Time, kinda the world standard time..
http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/

^ lol true i think its great with friends

when is the review going to be up?

@ Corbie- No, I'd want to know why you gave it an 8 instead of a 7. What pushed you over the edge, and inspired you to give it a definitive score?

@ mr.niceguy- You counter me on every news article, and I'm not sure why. So far on this site I've heard the gameplay is "choppy", scoring system is "basic", bonus rounds are "generic", and I could go on, but I'd be wasting my time.
Are we even on the same webpage?

Probably the end of today.

I'd say 10 hours 46 minutes and 32 seconds from right.........NOW!

@supermario - The score is just that...a score. The review is what should tell you what areas of the game are good and bad and whether or not it's likely a game you'll enjoy. A score is just a number. This game is not good enough to be an 8 and not bad enough to be a 6. It's a good game. Not outstanding, not great, just good. And when I get the review done, you'll get to hear every little detail of why it was I gave it a 7. After all, this is my world. You just live here.

Well for me, thats like 4 in the morning tomorrow.

It looks like we are back at the 1 game a week thing again

i felt the same way as Dazza at first, but after getting further i found i couldn't stop playing it. oh, and level 37 now.

@ Corbie- I have a shirt that says that.
But for us who love numbers, the score is important, somewhat. More importantly, did I just get you to admit the score will definitely be a 7?
That means 6 out of 17 games will have a score of 7.

Oh, so no leaderboards, but there is a high score? Fair enough.

@SuperMario

We're on Penny Arcade, right?

@Corbie

Yah, you definately got some esplanin' to do!

@supermario - You see this is why I love the discussions on this site. Everyone is so opinionated and unafraid to say what's on their mind. My kind of site.

I'll admit, I've gone back and forth between 6, 7, and 8. The multiplayer did add some value, in my opinion, and the price is fair. The repetition brings my score down somewhat and to me the bonus levels are a bit boring. While I'm not 100% on the score, it's likely going to be a 7. Or a 6. Or maybe an 8.

I also have a shirt that says, "If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong," and I'll saving that for a certain someone's score.

I think maybe my best bet would be to quit this reviewing gig and enter the FBI Witness Relocation Program. Just to be on the safe side.

Okay back to the review. The angry mob is waiting.

@superMario

When have I disagreed with you, besides that Pokemon Ranch thing, and I already said I was sorry.

I'm bored here, I'm going to see what they got going on at Wiiware World.

UGGHHH!!!! I can't take waiting any longer, I'm going to download this NOW!

i have a shirt that says "I don't go looking for trouble, it just finds me" but that doesn't mean it's true . i think x.supermario.x's shirts aren't true either. i bet he actually values Corbie's ideas as a reviewer but is saying this to hide it.

@ mr.niceguy- Okay I over exaggerated the amount of times you counter my posts. But the two times you have, it hasn't been warranted.

Damn this site! It's left me on the fence with just about every game!

This game looks good and i might have to buy it just to support high voltage software because of what they are doing with The Conduit. But 50 levels plus bonus levels is pretty good for 700 Wii points($7). I will wait for a review from IGN and here until I look into buying it though.

@ strade32- Actually, I'm happy Corbie is reviewing Gyrostarr. I seem to agree the most with his reviews. No offense to the other reviewers. The only review I disagreed with was his review on Star Soldier. Mostly because he gave it a 7.

My birthday is on July 7th though, so one might see where I have a bone to pick with constantly seeing the number.

Alright, this game is slow at first but it definitely keeps you hooked. I keep getting headaches from the bonus levels, lol.

My score is currently 1.5 mil and just started on stage 4.

@ RetroWare- Would you give this game a 6, or an 8?

Well I haven't playing long enough (around like 10 minutes at least) but its leaning past a 7. Possibly 8 and a half.

Look folks, this man is definitive. ^
He even went to a decimal.

Lol, but honestly this game trumps Protothea. That game looks yucky.

Seriously, everyone, what is your score?

22,154,500 points on stage 40 if you mean gyrostarr.. but see everyone, i have x.supermario.x down.

Just finished stage 4, now I'm up to 2.1 mil.

Actually, I just praised Corbie so there'd be more pressure to write a good review.

nice cover up x.supermario.x, but like i said, i've got you down. and, you don't own the game, so there should be no pressuring for anything. so actually that was a bad cover up.

Just finished stage 6, my score is a little past 3.1 mil.

When did I say I own the game?
I do own an SD card though, in response to another one of your witty comments a while back.

Not to mention, it's hard to imagine you can fully understand someone you've never met, or will never meet.

Definitive man below me, people take notes.

I downloaded this game this morning and I am not impressed. Graphics are N64 esque; clunky and muddy. Objects in the distance don't appear until its very close. The game play is boring as you are limited to moving left and right as the screen moves forward.

5/10 at best

did i say you said you owned the game. if you said you owned the game then i wouldn't have said "you don't own the game, so there should be no pressuring for anything. so actually that was a bad cover up." bad thinking on your part. and bad reading if you thought i said you owned it.

By stating I didn't own the game, and claiming that was a "bad cover up" suggests at one point in time I claimed to have downloaded the game. It's all in your tone.

Pfft, its just a WiiWare game, how do you expect to see enemies all the way down the screen? Also, that would only be logical if the track was just straight forward. In this case, its all twirly and curvy. But nevertheless, I respect your opinion.

Also, I just finished stage 7 and my score is 3.4 mil.

no, by stating you didn't own the game meant you didn't own the game! you have said a few times you don't own it. once again, bad thinking on your part. and bad reading if you thought i said you owned it.

Okay, when you two stop the bickering you give your attention to me

I finished stage 8 and my scores is almost 4 mil.

ok, you have my attention. that's great, keep it up, although my score is better . you'll get there eventually though.

I'm not going to continuously argue with you, think what you want, I couldn't care either way. Obviously we interpreted your post differently. But if I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.

"nice cover up x.supermario.x, but like i said, i've got you down. and, you don't own the game, so there should be no pressuring for anything. so actually that was a bad cover up."

@strade32: the reason people would pressure for a review if they didn't own the game is because they want to know if the game is worth buying... Duh.

if he is pressuring the review then he will not get the truth, so that would be stupid. also, if he is pressuring it, then that means he wants it so he should just go ahead and buy it.

supermario- if you didn't care, you wouldn't have replied. i've got you down.

Although I don't own it, like we've established, I think this game fell victim to hype. From reading the posts I think some people expected more out of this game.

@ strade32- absolutely, you've got me down. its amazing, i wish i knew how you did it.

really, you mean everyone talking about how great it is? with the exception of TWO people. i wish i knew how too. i'm just good that way i guess .

lol, I just went through all the comments above - took me like half an hour. Interesting stuff... I was pretty dead set on buying it before today, although I never buy anything without seeing at least one review from a reliable source (such as this one), so still waiting on that. But yeah, while a lot of people seem to find it loads of fun, there definitely seem to be some flaws from what I'm hearing, so that's kinda worrying. Still, while I'm a fan of twitch shooters, I'm not really a conoisseur, and it seems like a good bargain for 700 points. Just gonna wait it out for the final word. ; )

@ x.SuperMario.x
Hooray for 07/07 birthdays! I'm at 07/07/88 man, myself.
: )

Corbie wasn't overly impressed, neither was Dazza, and they're arguably the best opinions on this site.
Just because you love this game doesn't mean much to me. Obviously we differ on some levels because I can't see how you understand someone you never talk to.

in super mario's defense, I really enjoy this game, but I must say I expected it to be even better. I think part of it was the almost conspiratorial way Nintendo held this out so long, when it was announced as a launch game at one point. People figured that since the other 2 shooters that came out before it werent all that great either, they held this back to give the others a chance to sell. I have read that opinion here, and had it myself... so while it may not live up to everyones imagination run wild, it is a great game in and of itself, and If I was friends with supmar, I would wholeheartedly recommend it if you even remotely like shooters. Dont look at it through the rose colored glasses you imagined it with, look at it as if you never heard of it. and Price is less than a movie ticket for a lousy 90 minute movie.. will likely get more than 90 minutes of shooter pleasure from this

IMHO

@ zeeroid- Nice, we get to celebrate in about 2 weeks.

strade32: you are really begining to piss me off. You must think everyone, especially x.SuperMario.x is a simpleton, who can easily be "read" like a book. Your a nuisance. I've got you down.

I just finished stage 10 and my score is 4.9 mil. Thats like the highest score I ever got in a video game, lol.

they weren't wowed, but i am pretty sure they said they enjoyed it. i am gonna be the bigger man, and end this argument. it's over.

@ mjordan100- Well said.

@ strade32- I already tried to end the argument. Ending the argument after I already tried makes you the "bigger person".

Wow, ignorance amazes me on the internet.

kingston- i basically just said i know how supermario is. i don't anything about anyone, he is the only one i even remotely know.

mjordan100- i don't see how that agrees with him, he didn't say it doesn't live up to expectations. that it just stating some random stuff.

when did you try to end it? tell me, i seriously want to know.

@ kingston & mjordan100- Don't argue with him. It's a pointless battle.

I'm not going to continuously argue with you, think what you want, I couldn't care either way. Obviously we interpreted your post differently.

That sounds like I tried to end it.
But now he wants to argue over who ended our last argument.

ok, let's all end it right here. this argument is over. is that alright with you?

It's been alright with me; so argument over.

Yikes. Methinks we need an "ignore user" function. Too much "noise" in this thread. I wonder if this level of, um, enthusiasm, will translate to high sales for Gyrostarr.

Back to one WiiWare, which either means the two last week were known to Nintendo to be "weak" or they thought they'd have more by now, but they haven't materialized quickly enough. I'd suspect it's one a week for a while... Though next week, hopefully, will be Major League Eating, so they may toss another in there with that...

sorry everyone, let's get back to talking about Gyrostarr. lets not let the "discussion" ruin the point of this page which is for gyrostarr.

@Peznaze: Hopefully Major League Eating? I bet that game is going to suck.

I just turned off the game after level 10, where my score was 5.6 mil. I didn't make it on the top 10

Have fun. Hope the Europeans have it in the next two weeks.

I still like Star Soldier better, but I'm a big PC Engine fan so I am a bit biased.

If this is any bit as good as Torus troopers, I'll get this game. Torus Troopers was mezmerizing, and possibly the best shooter game I've ever played. All it was missing really were power-ups and multiplayer, which Gyrostarr has, otherwise it was perfection!

Well with Star Soldier's online scores, I might be leaning towards Star Soldier now, and away from Gyrostarr.

I really went back and forth on it. It's certainly a good game, and worth the 700 Points. Maybe this was a case where I bought into the hype a bit too much. I normally don't do that, but I was pretty psyched about this one.

And so, as we all await the next review with baited breath, I'll do my own:

Pros:
-Above average visuals
-50 levels (I expected half as much originally)
-Hectic 4 player co-op

Cons:
-No online capability (HVS could have gone the extra mile)
-Minor frame rate issues
-Repetition (Levels aren't bland, but not amazing either)
-No persistent game file (Each time you play, you have to re-enter your initials and start over at 0 points)

Stuff I wish was in the game:
-Boss battles (why not, since I'm speculating anyway?)
-Ship customization (besides the color change)
-Real obstacles in the levels

My score (from 99% concentrate, no artificial preservatives):
8.2/10.0

All in all, a solid game, but likely one built on hype alone. After the initial impulse sales, Gyrostarr may only interest a few gamers. I'd like to see a fleshed-out sequel on a disc, like how Geometry Wars eventually led to Geometry Wars: Galaxies, but that's me. The thing that got me was the visuals; I just like space scenery. The music wasn't anything great, but I give HVS credit for making a tune that gets stuck in my head and stays there, no matter what I try (Rammstein and Beethoven have failed; I'm going for the Elvis). HVS definitely could have made a few improvements and spent more time on the game, but it didn't fall too far from the hype.

The bottom line is if you want a little bang for your buck and happen to enjoy a shoot 'em up, buy Gyrostarr (or flip a coin). There certainly are worse things to spend 700 points on.

it does have limited ship customization, you can change the colors.

Well, I meant like different kinds of ships, not just a new paint job.

Wouldn't it be unfair if it did have different types of ships? I know the multiplayer is suppose to be co-op, but according to the press release, it can also be competitive, so they have to keep things fair for that reason. Oh, and I too would like to see a disc sequel. Geometry Wars: Galaxies was fantastic!

So now that we have Gyrostarr I dont know what to expect for next week...hope its not that beer crap, but it probably is...

When is SPOGS racing supposed to come out? I thought it would come out today or next monday, but I'm not sure. Answers anbody?

Love it

i bet they release crap now that they have made us happy for a little while.

I bought the game and I think it's definitely worth the money, but it's not the greatest purchase on Wiiware. 8/10

Okay. I know that there is an autosave in this game, but whenever I go to the start screen it makes me create a new ship, name, etc. It remembers the levels that I have unlocked, but my score is not saved. A little help, please?

Mine is the same way. It evidently doesn't store the initials, just the levels you've completed.

Wow, crazyness. I'm kind of torn after reading all the comments, so I guess I'll have to wait for this review and some other ones on the internet. I was really hoping for a home run rating, like a bonafide 8 or 9. I'm trying to figure out if people are judging this games compared to disk games or seperating them to their own little online selves.

Either way, still sounds pretty good, especially for the price.

It's still a fun game and worth the 700 Wii Points.

i believe we will be getting SPOGS and either Beer Pong or some other shovel ware game in any case i don't mind it might turn out to be good.

actually it will be SPOGS and Pirates KOD. most likely

Whoa. Almost 200 Comments. See how badly people wanted Gyrostarr.

The most likely candidates for next week are: Plattchen, SPOGS, Beer Pong, MLE, and there was one more... Maybe My Aquarium/Blue Oasis.

@knuckles actually they just deleted over 10 comments. well, it was a random argument. So final word: are the leaderboards online or not? i keep hearing both

no, they are not online. they are default scores that are automatically there. oh, and i have no idea what's coming out this week.

they said that Pirates KOD had been pushed back later into June should be next week. since next week is the last Monday in June.

I bought this! There are certain levels where you kind of...fall into this "zen" zone, and your dodging and grappling and shooting and everything is going perfect, and at the end of the level you're just breathless, then there are other levels where you don't even need guns all you need is to dodge and you're like bleh, so I'd give it a 7/10 too.

yeah, i noticed that "zen" zone you speak of. it is pretty cool.

haha green ship FTW!

Red ship ftw! Yes, I love the Bonus Stage. Hypersonic speed, initiated!

@O_B = Lol. XD Anyways, no they're not Online. People got confused I guess.

andy836: Ah. Well, an article in my local newspaper did an interview with the producers of MLE and they basically said it's due this month in June. Whether there's any truth to that remains to be seen, though, since Big N has the final say like it did w/ Gyrostarr. And I know that Strong Bad's slated for July.

Major League Eating has been getting a lot of press so I think it's due out this month, along with more neo geo beat em' ups and fighters! ..

btw that was @KnucklesSonic8 & andy836

wow.that was suprising, i thought at least 8 and at most 9... o well, ill still get it. looks like great multiplayer fun

@KnucklesSonic8
oooo then it might come out I'm going with my theory that 4 games will come out on Monday lol. MLE, Pirates KOD, SPOGS, and Beer Pong. lol

@andy836
I'm thinking we might get a 2 wiiware 1 vc week, then a 2 vc and 2 wiiware week but one of the games will be beer pong

i had an idea, nintendo would publish it design make blahblah whatever, anyway, it would be a side scrolling shooter, where you control link, except he has a magic tunic with angel wings on it, and you fly and use the master sword for close range, and the bow for long range, and bombs clear the screen of enemies, anyway, you fly around and yeah, it's basically r-type with an elf boy and his flying tunic, sounds fun right??

i hope this will be another good week of games.

@AtTheDriveIn92
yeah that would be a kool game. they should make a mini zelda game for wiiware with online. or a metroid online multiplayer game.

@andy836
exactly, I want a mini-nintendo game with tight multiplayer, like link's crossbow-training onine death matches haha

@AtTheDriveIn92
lol yeah that would be kool.

Just bought this game tonight finally, I'm glad I did. I like it a lot, even if it seems a bit on the easy side for now (through lv. 9)

I got this one the other day. It's alright, though I didn't get too far in yet. I have no idea why people say it's easy, I never got past level 7, even with a friend. However, I do love racing games, and this game definately feels like a racer. I've never felt anything as exilerating (or as confusing) as the bonus stages, and I've only gotten a small ways into it. Of course, sometimes I'd rather play Star Soldier R, and it's been a while since I played F-Zero X, I'm only half-way through Wipeout Pure, and I've never actually played F-Zero GX, so that probably explains why the bonus stages seem like such a rush.