Power Shovel Ni Norou!! for Playstation © TAITO CORP. 1999, 2000

Melanie C. Redmond reports on the latest releases at this fall's Game Show

Last month, many video game fans descended upon Chiba prefecture to check out the biannual Tokyo Game Show. The theme of the Tokyo Game Show 2000 (Autumn) was "The Entertainment of Your Life." Organized by the Computer Entertainment Software Software Association (CESA), the 63-exhibitor show was supported by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, specially sponsored by NTT DoCoMo, sponsored by Sega Enterprises, Sony Computer Entertainment, and Nintendo, and the cooperation of Microsoft.

By genre, the trend of titles exhibited in the Tokyo Game Show were mainly action games, followed by simulation, role-playing, and sports games. The most popular platform was PlayStation, followed by PlayStation2 and Gameboy Pocket/Gameboy Color games. One game that attracted a lot of attention, mostly due to the real earthmover at their display, was Taito's PlayStation version of their popular arcade simulation game Power Shovel Ni Norou!! (US title: Let's Ride a Power Shovel!!). Part of the Taito Go! Series, the game hit the shelves last week, it costs JY5800, but to play you'll also need to purchase the Power Shovel control, which costs more than the game - JY6000.

Silent Scope for PS2 © 1999 2000 Konami All rights reserved

It has one- and two-player games, with two modes: "Field Work" and "Mission a la carte." If you're a newcomer to this game, it's best to try the "Training Stage" within the "Field Work" mode. You're given a task, such as loading a large volume of sand onto a truck, and your score is indicated in the form of descriptions of your salary. Your efforts are also measured in terms of "Safety Mind," "Accuracy," "Operating Techniques," and "Carefulness."

One new PlayStation2 game shown at the Tokyo Game Show that was a favorite among arcade game players: was Taito's Super Puzzle Bobble (US title: Super Bust-A-Move; released last month, JY5800

Super Puzzle Bobble, released in Japanese arcades in 1999, is a simple game that involves launching multicolored bubbles in various directions on a playing field. You must connect three bubbles of the same color to eliminate them. This version has two different sizes of bubbles, which will increase the challenge, but the small bubbles help by fitting through gaps. They don't stick to the sides of bubbles, only the tops and bottoms. Super Puzzle Bobble will also have extra levels, new blocks, new backgrounds, new characters, and of course nicer graphics.

Checking out the latest games Matt Wilce

Konami's Silent Scope (out 11/16, price open), also for the PS2, is set to become a firm favorite with budding would-be assassins. However, DualShock2 is needed to fully appreciate the game play centering on a professional sniper.

All in all, the Tokyo Game Show 2000 (Autumn) was a worthwhile event, allowing visitors to experience the new crop of video games, be they innovative ideas or revamped versions of popular arcade games. All are fun, and isn't that what gaming's all about?

For more information about the Tokyo Game Show 2000 (Autumn or Spring), please contact the Tokyo Game Show Secretariat by phone (03-3591-1421), fax (03-3591-1422), or email (tgs@cesa.or.jp). You can also visit the website, which is available in English and Japanese: www.cesa.or.jp