New International Track & Field DS - review

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

http://nintendods.gaming-universe.de/screens/boxart_nds_eur_new-international-track-and-field.jpg

http://www.3djuegos.com/juegos/2494/new_international_track_and_field/fotos/avances/new_international_track_and_field-306549.jpg

In the spirit of the Olympic Games I decided to give New International Track & Field a go.

I'm a HUGE Track & Field/Hyper Sports fan ... and last I checked I have the world records on most if not all the events on the DP Store MAME machine.

I was seriously expecting this to be a pile of crap, but to my very very pleasant surprise ... it's not only good, it's 'effing FANTASTIC.

One of the best things about the game is that it doesn't attempt to "mess" with the events from the original two games ... it adds a few, but all the original events seem to be present, and the "button tapping" gameplay is mostly replaced by "stylus sliding". IMO and as a huge T&F fan ... I find it to be no worse than the XBLA version which traded button-tapping for a more effective "analog wiggling".

Overall the events are nicely updated, and the correct homage is paid to the original in both style and presentation.

The graphics are great ... chibi style, but very much reminiscent of Super Puzzle Fighter and/or Pocket Fighter ... I'm wondering if some of the people from Capcom worked on this title.

It has plenty of replay value via unallockable Konami characters (including but not limited to - Solid Snake, Simon Belmont, and Pyramid Head from Silent Hill!) outfits, 4 player online play and online leaderboards and world records.

If you're a Track and Field fan from days of old (either Arcade, NES ... hell even Atari 2600) ... or of the olympic games "genre" (Summer Games, Winter Games, World Games, etc.) I'm giving this a huge huge thumbs up.

If anybody else picks this up (or downloads it) bring it to the next NAVA (or PM me your friend code) and perhaps we can throw-down online.

[Tommy]

Looks sweet, can't wait to play that.

[Eric Dude]

The make-or-break question for me:

Does it have arm wrestling?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

The make-or-break question for me:

Does it have arm wrestling?

Nope, and no characters that look like Sylvester Stallone or the bald guy from Over The Top.

[Eric Dude]

I guess I'll stick with T&F II for the NES, then. Too bad. :(

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I guess I'll stick with T&F II for the NES, then. Too bad. :(

The low-fi sampled "grunting" in that event always disturbed me.

[Eric Dude]

It's pretty hilarious to me. Anyway, the music for that event is awesome, and it's just about the purest test of button mashing you can find on the NES. I love it!

[Sudo]

Wow, this is actually good? I'm definitely going to check it out very soon, thanks for your impressions.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I hadn't tooled around with it until today ... but Konami has set up an online community website for the game, and we're not talking a glorified blog or message board ... when you log into the Nintendo WiFi connection on this game, you don't have to go online and play other opponents (though you can do that too) you can continue to play through 1-player career and the thing uploads your stats online to

http://www.newtrackandfield.com/

where you can see all sorts of super-detailed stats on everything you've done in the game from how many "boost" starts you've begun races with, to your average pace and improvement/decline in certain events.

There's all sorts of stuff.

You can form teams, meet up with other players...join tournaments (like Mario Kart Wii)

...and you unlock a character in the game just for registering.

Crap. I thought I was impressed with the game already. Now I'm just floored at the care that went into this title.

[Sudo]

So I tried it out earlier, and... I just can't get into it. I love the concept of the game and the production values that obviously went into it, but I can't get comfortable with either of the control schemes. Using the stylus requires you to scratch the screen rapidly with such force that it feels like you'll damage it. The A+B button method hurts my hands since it just feels awkward to hold the DS in a position that lets you use both thumbs, plus the shaking of the system that occurs while doing so is troublesome. I wish you could remap the buttons to switch A or B with the D-pad or something, as I'd have no issues with it then. I'll give it another shot later today, but I just don't know if I can find a comfortable solution.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

So I tried it out earlier, and... I just can't get into it. I love the concept of the game and the production values that obviously went into it, but I can't get comfortable with either of the control schemes. Using the stylus requires you to scratch the screen rapidly with such force that it feels like you'll damage it. The A+B button method hurts my hands since it just feels awkward to hold the DS in a position that lets you use both thumbs, plus the shaking of the system that occurs while doing so is troublesome. I wish you could remap the buttons to switch A or B with the D-pad or something, as I'd have no issues with it then. I'll give it another shot later today, but I just don't know if I can find a comfortable solution.

I have a screen protector gel on my DS Lite so I'm not too worried about damage, but with a standard stylus I find that in the game it's more about the speed/motion than the pressure, and I've checked my screen about 20 times (I'm obsessive about damage to my systems) since playing the game - and I haven't found it to cause any scratches.

The Track & Field series have always had a hallmark of uncomfortable methods for controlling the actions of the characters ... so I suppose this is no different.

... hell I've pinched myself to the point of getting blood-blisters on my fingers on the trackball arcade versions of the game.

Thanks for giving it a shot though!

[Mayhem]

It's written by Sumo Digital (them of Outrun 2 fame) here in the UK... and there's an interview with them about the game in the latest Retro Gamer (#54). It was out the day I came back from the US otherwise I would have bought it then. Just waiting for Bangio Spirits to release so I can order both together (save on shipping)...

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

It's written by Sumo Digital (them of Outrun 2 fame) here in the UK... and there's an interview with them about the game in the latest Retro Gamer (#54). It was out the day I came back from the US otherwise I would have bought it then. Just waiting for Bangio Spirits to release so I can order both together (save on shipping)...

Ahhhhhh yes.

Sumo Digital kick my ass with their portable releases ... Outrun Coast 2 Coast 2006, and Virtua Tennis World Tour are both sweet on PSP.