Document text
NBA Showtime 2000 Turok: Rage Wars By Chip and Jonathan Carter Tribune Media Services NBA SHOWTIME 2000, FOR DREAMCAST, N64, PLAYSTATION � The NBA should play hoops this way. A few years ago, the gang at Midway revolutionized video basketball with the release of the original NBA Jam, which they made for Acclaim (that company still puts out an NBA Jam series, but it's not made by Midway ... and it's just not the same. The Showtime series is now what the Jam series was, so don't be confused by whatever various advertisements might say.) That first Jam game was the first video game to feature two-on-two slam-and-jam action, with long bombs from half-court being the rule, not the exception. That Jam � and subsequent ones � was also among the first games to feature tons of remarkable hidden characters, like presidents and vice presidents and music stars and other remarkable players. This series, whether it's borne the Jam or Showtime moniker, has always been about larger-than-life players and performances. And they've never come larger than this. The graphics are picture-perfect, and the action is as smooth as freshly mowed glass. You can pick two-on-two squads from any of the NBA's real rosters. And if you don't like what's available in real life, you can create characters or play as any of a series of hidden characters, including team mascots who take the court as full-size versions of their real counterparts (like a 7-foot 9-inch timber wolf who's the mascot for the Minnesota NBA franchise). No matter who you choose, you'll find yourself playing a furiously-paced two-on-two game that'll include knockdowns, half-court bombs, and up-close slams that'll leave you gasping for breath. JONATHAN SAYS : This is the way I like basketball � up close and personal. I love the fact that I can access hidden characters without a wagonload of secret codes. And yes, I really would love to see the NBA play this way. A+. CHIP SAYS : I hate the NBA. Hate it. You know those commercials that show various b-ball scenarios, and then end with someone saying, "I love this game!"? I could make a dozen that end with someone saying, "I hate this game!" I used to love b-ball. Without going into too much detail, just let me say that I hate the way the game has dissolved to the point where one or two malformed apes can dominate the court � one prime draft choice can transform a loser into a winner in the course of a single season. This is not what Dr. Naismith had in mind. That said, I love Showtime (and all the other games in this series) because it capitalizes on that freak element and turns it into an arcade show. This ain't real basketball (check out one of the NCAA games if you want something close to what b-ball should be), but it is real fun. Launch that bomb from the foul line at the other end of the floor! A. OVERALL RATING: A � BUY IT FOR ALL AGES. TUROK: RAGE WARS, FOR N64 � Sure you've always thought you were the baddest member of the Turok clan ... but now you've got to prove it. The time has come for you to stake your claim to the family's role as protectors of the Lost Land, the bringer of balance between good and evil. The Light Burden is a sacred vessel that holds the last remnants of the energy that created the Lost Land. The Turok have always been keeper of that vessel. But it's a responsibility that must be earned, not inherited. Other forces would love to get their hands on the Light Burden, and they're willing to fight for it. And that's how the Rage Wars begin. As good as the first two Turok games were, they had nothing on this. The worlds are huge and beautifully rendered in the same ethereal style that made the first two Turok games such hits. But Turok's always been about what kind of heat you're packing. And the array of weapons in Rage Wars is astounding. You get all the standard bows, rifles and machine guns, plus nifty new items like war hammers and napalm gel. But the real fun comes with new weapons like the Emaciator, which withers opponents away, the Inflator, which does the opposite, a freeze gun, a radioactive flare gun, and maybe the nastiest weapon ever, a rifle that launches an alien embryo into the chest of a bad guy, resulting in the little critter hatching and making a huge mess, a la the movie "Alien". The best news of all are the multiple modes of play. You can take on the Turok Trials in a two-player split-screen mode, which is cool. Or you and three friends can take each other out in a variety of multi-player death match modes. Great stuff. JONATHAN SAYS : The multi-player stuff makes this one a must-have if you've got friends. A. CHIP SAYS : Friends I got, but I love the single player mode. I've always liked the Turok games quite a bit, and this one's the best of the bunch. A. OVERALL RATING: A � BUY IT FOR AGES 10 AND UP. TIPS AND TRICKS TOMB RAIDER: LAST REVELATION � For unlimited inventory items, weapons, and ammo, try this. Face directly north and pause the game. When you go to your inventory, you'll notice that the compass is almost see-through. Highlight the small medipack, then press and hold R1 and R2 plus L1 and L2 and line up with the North letter on compass icon. When you're perfectly aligned, press and hold Up. Flares and medipacks will appear as unlimited; exit and re-enter the inventory screen to get unlimited weapons. JET FORCE GEMINI � To activate the debug mode, start a game, then, at the character select screen, press right on the analog controller three times, then left all the way to Lupus. Select Lupus. After starting the game, press C-right, C-right, C-right, C-left, C-right, C-right, C-up, C-up, C-up. You'll hear a bark. After that, tap A to cycle through the items and weapons you want to use. Then press B to activate that item or weapon. TOMORROW NEVER DIES � For 50 medical kits, pause the game then press select twice, O twice, triangle, and select. To get all weapons in the current mission, pause and press select twice, O twice, L1 twice,, and R1 twice. For a debug mode, pause and press select twice, O twice, L2, R2, L2. To refill your health, pause and press select twice, O twice, Up twice, and down. For invinciblity, pause and press select twice, O twice, and triangle four times. You'll also be able to walk through walls. For a level select, pause and press select twice, O twice, L1 twice, O, L1 twice. Chip & Jonathan Carter are a father/son gaming team who've been twiddling their thumbs professionally since 1990. For more tips, tricks, reviews and news, check us out on-line at http://vgames.webpoint.com/vid/ecol/mainpage . Or e-mail us at [email protected] . Got a question? An inside tip you'd like to share? Write to Chip and Jonathan Carter in care of this newspaper. While they cannot respond individually, they will answer questions of general interest in their column. (C) 1999 TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC. Techno file index Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA