Odama

Many people scoffed at the initial idea of this game. Thinking about it, mixing real-time strategy with the world of pinball must come across as a completely ridiculous idea to many gamers. But, as usual, being attracted to games that are not exactly deemed as normal I quickly snapped this up for my list of games to check out at the Post E3 Tour in London last week. What perplexed me on the journey down to Soho from Manchester was just how they were going to get everything set up, what with the second player being able to rally the troops using the bongos and the microphone also being used to issue commands to your men in order to ensure they protect your base, whilst keeping their lives in tact.

 

The answer was quite a simple was in the end

 

Talking of the landscapes available to you, they are indeed just that, rather than the tables found in normal pinball games, but this works just as well. Rocky inclines are similar to metal ramps, wooden huts work like springs and there are lots of other features that whilst odd to the eye at first, will become more and more recognisable as you play through this gorgeous looking title. But thankfully, as there is a time restriction enforced, nothing becomes too much of a hindrance, like when your ball sometimes gets stuck at the top of a table in a run-of-the-mill 'ball game. Each of the three locations played on

 

Although there was some frustration to found in that the microphone was either not working, or expecting Japanese voice commands. To guide yourself to an easier victory, you see, the GameCube microphone is now used to throw orders at your men as you attempt to defend yourself. Commands such as 'Charge', 'More Men', 'Move Left / Right' and 'Kill the B*stards!' are meant to be followed as you press in the little mic button and scream into the top of it (okay, maybe that last command was one hurled out in anger, but you would feel that way after the embarrassment of shouting randomly in public to no avail!). If your little guys do not get their behinds into gear sharpish, then enemy soldiers will rain down on you and start attacking your flippers, rendering them useless if hit enough, leaving the Odama to just roll away into nothingness, which happened all too often thanks to the damn mic not working!