We Love Katamari: Review and First impressions

I've been playing We Love Katamari for nearly a week now. It has to be just about the most addictive game I've ever experienced. For those who don't know about it, We Love Katamari is a Playstation 2 game, the sequel to last year's Katamari Damacy, where one rolls objects up into balls, progressively from thumbtacks and coins up to people, cars, houses, buildings, islands, and continents. Still confused? Check out the official site at .

Though I really enjoyed the first game, We Love Katamari is better. For one thing, it's bigger, and longer, and with quite a bit more variety than the previous version. The gameplay and controls haven't changed, but there's interesting new objectives, such as rolling a giant fireball, or rolling a sumo wrestler over food. My favourite new addition is the racetrack level, in which the Katamari ball speeds along by itself while you roll up fellow racers as well as people and objects on the sidelines. The racing level is so good that I genuinely think a whole game could be built around it... I'd certainly rather pick up a Katamari racing game than one of the dozens of dull kart racers which seem to keep getting released as bad rip-offs of Mario Kart.

The story is simple but highly amusing. In the first game, your goal was to roll up katamaris to replace the lost stars from the sky. This time, it's planets, which is odd as nobody ever seems to point out that the original planets are missing, and if so, what happened to them. Probably the best part is that We Love Katamari is that it knows that it's a video game... or at least, it knows that the original Katamari Damacy was. Much of the storyline has to do with appeasing "fans" of the original game. I'm surprised that more video games don't try this... television shows have been breaking the fourth wall for years. By taking itself less seriously, We Love Katamari is a breath of fresh air.

I've only played through We Love Katamari once, and haven't yet experienced everything it has to offer, so please don't consider this a full review. I'll be going through it stage by stage in the coming weeks. However, I've played enough to heartily recommend it. If you're a gamer, you must own this game. If you're not a gamer, make this your first. It's a great place to start. If you're cheap, it only costs $29, much less than most games. If you don't have any thumbs, buy this game and a helper monkey. If you have no thumbs and you're allergic to monkeys, I'm sorry, friend, you're out of luck.

The Simpsons World of Springfield: Dolph action figure review by Andrew Lenahan

Figure: Dolph
Property: The Simpsons
Series: World of Springfield, series 7
Keywords: The Simpsons; World of Springfield; Dolph; bully; juvenile delinquent; 80s hair
Company: Playmates Toys
Release year: 2001

Series Overview:
The Simpsons: World of Springfield is the second major attempt to create a Simpsons action figure line. Running through 16 different series of figures and with many playsets, exclusives, and bonuses, it is one of the most extensive toy lines in action figure history. A major feature running throughout the line is "Intelli-tronic Voice Activation" whereby figures activate certain spoken phrases when placed atop compatible playsets. Although the line has been praised by critics and embraced by collectors, the increasing obscurity of some figure subjects and reliance on somewhat uninspired playsets has slowed consumer demand, with many pieces being deeply discounted and the line eventually being cancelled in 2004.

Character Overview:
Dolph is one of the three-member team of Dolph, Jimbo, and Kearney, juvenile delinquents and low-level bullies who terrorize Springfield Elementary. Their role has never been as important as Nelson Muntz, and their characters are much less developed. Of the three, Dolph is the lest developed of all, and he hasn't yet played a major role in an episode or had anything particularly important revealed about him (unlike Kearney, for example, who is divorced and has a son). He does, however, have one of Springfield's best hairstyles.

Action Figure Sculpt and Paint: 7
Dolph's sculpt is okay, but has no particularly distinguishing features to point out as either good or bad. His face does seem a bit wider and uglier than it is in the cartoon, though. His shirt colour is very accurate, but his hair is just a tiny bit more red than in the show.

Articulation: 6
Almost all of The Simpsons: World of Springfield figures articulate at just four points: neck, both shoulders, and waist. Poor Dolph.

Like (nearly) all The Simpsons: World of Springfield figures, Dolph can say a few phrases when placed on a compatible playset. In Dolph's case, there are three of them: Noiseland Arcade, Krusty Burger, and Springfield Elementary Cafetaria. I confess that this feature has never really impressed me, but some collectors seem to like it.

Accessories: 7
Dolph comes with four small accessories. The best among them is a Squishee cup, complete with neon-green straw and Squishee sticker. This is the same exact Squishee that comes with Milhouse though... you'd think they'd at least mould it using a different plastic colour. Dolph also gets a crumpled Radioactive Man comic, a yo-yo, and a water balloon... at least, I really hope that's a water balloon. One strange thing is that you don't get Dolph's Apple Newton device ("Eat Up Martha")... they did make an accessory of that, but it comes with Kearney! Baffling!

Packaging: Average
The Simpsons: World of Springfield figures are packaged in standard bubble on cardboard action figure packaging, and annoyingly tied in with wire. There's not much to complain about with the packaging, but nothing to really praise, either.

Overall score: 7
Neither a great figure nor a particularly bad one, Dolph is only really recommended if you're working on a Dolph, Jimbo, Kearney set. Otherwise, save that stolen lunch money for someone more essential.

Availability:
At this point it is unlikely that Dolph can still be found in stores. Try eBay.

Trivia
Fans of dumb factiods, rejoice! On the insert card in Dolph's packaging bubble is a picture of him "talking" at the Noiseland Arcade playset. The speech bubble says "We've created a diversion", but if you peel off a little correction sticker, it actually says "We're created a diversion!" D'oh!

The Simpsons World of Springfield: Wendell action figure review by Andrew Lenahan

Figure: Wendell
Property: The Simpsons
Series: World of Springfield, series 10
Keywords: The Simpsons; World of Springfield; Wendell; nausea; barf bag
Company: Playmates Toys
Release year: 2002

Series Overview:
The Simpsons: World of Springfield is the second major attempt to create a Simpsons action figure line. Running through 16 different series of figures and with many playsets, exclusives, and bonuses, it is one of the most extensive toy lines in action figure history. A major feature running throughout the line is "Intelli-tronic Voice Activation" whereby figures activate certain spoken phrases when placed atop compatible playsets. Although the line has been praised by critics and embraced by collectors, the increasing obscurity of some figure subjects and reliance on somewhat uninspired playsets has slowed consumer demand, with many pieces being deeply discounted and the line eventually being cancelled in 2004.

Character Overview:
Of all the characters in the cast-of-thousands on The Simpsons, Bart's various schoolyard friends and enemies are among the least interesting. There's very little to be said about Wendell, whose sole purpose seems to involve barf jokes. Probably the most striking thing about him is that he's paler than the other kids and virtually everybody else on the show.

Action Figure Sculpt and Paint: 6
It would have been surprising if Wendell was a great sculpt, and he really isn't. To be fair, his hair on the show is a continuous looping line which would be difficult to pull off in plastic, but the Wendell figure looks like he's had ramen poured on his head. Thrust uncomfortably into the third dimension, Wendell resembes a slightly more human version of the drone creatures of Mark Osborne's "More". To make things worse, the colours are off... he's still paler than the other figures, but on the show he's more white than this.

Articulation: 6
Almost all of The Simpsons: World of Springfield figures articulate at just four points: neck, both shoulders, and waist. If anything, Wendell is marginally worse than mose, as his big head doesn't allow more than a few degrees of arm rotation.

Like (nearly) all The Simpsons: World of Springfield figures, Wendell can say a few phrases when placed on a compatible playset. In Wendell's case, there are just two: Dr. Nick Riviera's office, and Main Street (where he just says "You'd better believe it" for no apparent reason). I confess that this feature has never really impressed me, but some collectors seem to like it.

Accessories: 7
Most of the Simpsons: World of Springfield figures come with decent accessories, and Wendell is not an exception. He has a big stack of fused-together books (as seen with some of the other school-kid figures as well) with nice painted pages and even painted titles on some of them. He also comes with some fruit, which I guess is his lunch: a green apple, orange, and a banana, all paintless but nicely sculpted. Rounding out this classy set is his coup de grace: an overflowing vomit bag with painted hurl. The bag is the only accessory Wendell can hold, and it doesn't look like he's really holding it anyway.

Packaging: Average
The Simpsons: World of Springfield figures are packaged in standard bubble on cardboard action figure packaging, and annoyingly tied in with wire. There's not much to complain about with the packaging, but nothing to really praise, either.

Overall score: 6
Though not a terrible figure, Wendell is below average for the Simpsons: World of Springfield line and should be one of the last ones you buy unless you really want an inch-tall barf bag accessory for some bizarre diorama involving Flight Attendant Barbie.

Availability:
Wendell lingered on Amazon for quite awhile, but finally seems to have sold out. Try eBay.

Misty the Kitten: another picture

Here's another of my hundreds of photos of Misty taken just in a few days. This is just after her bottle feeding, so there's still a little milk on her. She's not here at the moment, as one of Madeline's friends is taking care of her this weekend, which is really nice (although we'll miss her!). Oh, and it turns out that Misty is possibly a boy. Time to think of another name, I guess. Brock? Ash?

My new kitten: Misty

What's about 6 inches in size, mostly grey, and has trouble standing up on its own? No, not a McFarlane Toys action figure. It's Misty, the wonderful baby kitten why just suddenly showed up yesterday, left on the doorstep of our neighbour. The photo actually makes her look a bit bigger than she is: she's really tiny, and I figure she's maybe 3 weeks old. We even have to feed her baby formula with a little syringe. We bought some special kitten formula today, and she'll be going to the vet tomorrow so we can be sure she's okay.

I think I'm in love already.

The Simpsons World of Springfield: Gil action figure review by Andrew Lenahan

Figure: Gil
Property: The Simpsons
Series: World of Springfield, series 11
Keywords: The Simpsons; World of Springfield; Gil; salesman; Jack Lemmon; Shelley Levene; Willy Loman; Death of a Salesman
Company: Playmates Toys
Release year: 2002

Series Overview:
The Simpsons: World of Springfield is the second major attempt to create a Simpsons action figure line. Running through 16 different series of figures and with many playsets, exclusives, and bonuses, it is one of the most extensive toy lines in action figure history. A major feature running throughout the line is "Intelli-tronic Voice Activation" whereby figures activate certain spoken phrases when placed atop compatible playsets. Although the line has been praised by critics and embraced by collectors, the increasing obscurity of some figure subjects and reliance on somewhat uninspired playsets has slowed consumer demand, with many pieces being deeply discounted and the line eventually being cancelled in 2004.

Character Overview:
Based strongly on Jack Lemmon's character Shelley Levene from Glengarry Glen Ross, with a hint of Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman, Gil is a luckless and nervous salesman who is never able to hold down a job for long. Though his role in most episodes is very minor, his scenes tend to be very memorable, such as the time he tried to sell hopelessly-outdated Coleco computers to Springfield Elementary School.

Action Figure Sculpt and Paint: 7.5
This Gil seems to based on the time he worked for Red Blazer Realty, a real-estate sales outfit where Marge was briefly employed in one episode. His shoulders seem a little too broad and square... in fact, they remind me of Playmates' old Dick Tracy figure line. On the other hand, his pained expression is perfect. Action figures tend to be either angry or stoic, and a worried-looking figure is a rare thing indeed, but it works wonderfully here.

Articulation: 6
Almost all of The Simpsons: World of Springfield figures articulate at just four points: neck, both shoulders, and waist. Gil is no exception.

Like (almost all) The Simpsons: World of Springfield figures, Gil can say a few phrases when placed on a compatible playset. In Gil's case, there are two of them: the Court Room and Herman's Military Antiques. I confess that this feature has never really impressed me, but some collectors seem to like it.

Accessories: 9
If you were to make a list of the things you thought you'd never, ever see as action-figure accessories, what would be on it? An old Coleco computer? Gil has one. How about Pepto-Bismol? That's covered too. How about a shoe sizer? Yeah, we've got it.

The Coleco (here called Doleco, no doubt for trademark reasons) is the biggest and most impressive accessory, with a stickered screen with the C-A-T spelling program as seen on the show, and another sticker on the back with the Coleco's specs in teeny-tiny-but-readable type. It even has a serial number!

The shoe sizer, or Brannock Device (here called a Branrock Device, trademark again) looks just like it should, with a sticker providing all the tiny details--every single line has a number! It even sort of works, though it's scaled just a tiny bit too small for the figures. The Pepto Bismol ("Promo Seltzer", trademark yet again) is a tiny stickered bottle. There's also a large stack of poker chips: nothing too special, but I like the fact that they applied paint ops so they aren't all the same colour. Finally, the last and least accessory is what looks like a dirty sock attached to some salad tongs. Whatever floats your boat, Gil.

Packaging: Average
The Simpsons: World of Springfield figures are packaged in standard bubble on cardboard action figure packaging, and annoyingly tied in with wire. There's not much to complain about with the packaging, but nothing to really praise, either.

Overall score: 8
I really liked Gil, both as a character and a figure, and it's impressive that such a minor player on The Simpsons can be made into a great toy. What's missing is any real play value... it's hard to imagine kids playing with this. But as a collector's piece for display, it's perfect.

Availability:
At this point it is unlikely that Gil can still be found in stores. Try eBay.

Harry Potter: Web of Aragog review by Andrew Lenahan

Figure: Web of Aragog
Property: Harry Potter
Series: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Keywords: Harry Potter, Chamber of Secrets, Aragog, spider, web, creepy as heck
Company: Mattel
Release year: 2003

Series Overview:
Each of the Harry Potter movies from Warner Brothers has been accompanied by a range of toys, including action figures of various sizes. Although these have had some success with kids and Harry Potter fans, they haven't caught on particularly well with toy collectors in general.

Character Overview:
Aragog is a giant spider who was raised by Hagrid during his time as a Hogwarts student, which caused Hargid to be expelled. Arachniphobes will surely recall his scene in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, set in the forbidden forest at night, in which Aragog and his many offspring attack Harry and Ron Weasley until they reach an uneasy truce as mutual friends of Hagrid. Apparently, Aragog has a wife named Mosag.

Action Figure Sculpt and Paint: 7
There isn't a whole lot to be expected from an action figure of a gint spider. Does it look like a spider? Yes indeed. Is it creepy? But of course. It's textured and painted to give it a somewhat hairy look, which is quite effective. It certainly doesn't have the artistry or extreme creepiness of Todd McFarlane's "Twisted Fairy Tales" Little Miss Muffet spider, but it should still give any arachiphobe the willies nonetheless.

Articulation: 4
Uh-oh. Spiders, of course, are extremely articulated creatures, with many delicate joints allowing for quick and graceful (though creepy) movement. Why, then, did they make a spider figure with only two points of articulation? I have no idea, but this blunder is easily the worst part of the Aragog figure and highly annoying to boot. At least those two points are where it counts: the figure has a cool action feature where it can grab onto a figure with its legs (activated by a button on its... uh, butt). It works well, and the mechanism is very quick... you can even surprise people who haven't seen the figure by grabbing their hand (warning: heart attacks and soiled undergarments may ensue).

Accessories: 9
Web of Aragog comes with its web. Well, what else can one expect from a toy called Web of Aragog? A rocket launcher? The web is quite large and made of strectchy rubber (but not sticky) and fits over a plastic frame made to look like gnarled tree trunks. The whole thing covers about a square foot when assembled, and is very impressive.

Packaging: Annoying
Web of Aragog is packaged in an unwindowed cardboard box. However, all the parts inside are tied down with wire, which is then taped at the back. You can't see inside the box without opening it up, so the point of all the security measures is a mystery.

Overall score: 8
Believe it or not, this is actually the second Aragog figure available. The other is sold without the web, and is a different sculpt and colour. There's also a Lego version too. Overall, whether Aragog is a good toy depends on how you categorize it: as an action figure, it's quite good, with a menacing sculpt and an awesome accessory base. As a playset, however, it's a bit lacking (the box does say it's a playset, and I'm sure it cost more than the basic figures). It's worth noting that there's nothing particularly Potterish about this figure or its base, so it has far more utility than just playing Aragog. It could do in a pinch as a Shelob figure, or use it in a minatures RPG to make your inch-high lead figures soil their lead boxer shorts +1 in fright. You could even drag it out in October for a Halloween decoration.

Availability:
Web of Aragog is listed on Amazon but may not be currently available. It can also be found on eBay.

What Pokemon am I?

I'm a Dragonite Pokemon! Nice, but I was hoping for Jigglypuff...