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<generator>Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/</generator><item><title><![CDATA[Zac and Ombra: Amusement Park of Illusion preview: B-layton-t imitation]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/21/zac-and-ombra-amusement-park-of-illusion-preview/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/21/zac-and-ombra-amusement-park-of-illusion-preview/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/21/zac-and-ombra-amusement-park-of-illusion-preview/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<center><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/21/zac-and-ombra-amusement-park-of-illusion-preview/"><img vspace="0" hspace="0" border="1" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2010/09/zac920.jpg" /></a></center>It's usually hard for me to get upset about imitation. Most beloved games are built on the achievements of others: <em>Guitar Hero</em> is <em>Guitar Freaks</em> from a different angle, and <em>Guitar Freaks</em> was just <em>Beatmania</em> anyway. <em>Galaxian</em> is <em>Space Invaders</em> with more colors. Usually, even the most obviously "inspired" games have their own personality and feel. But not Konami's <em><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/konami-walks-in-a-top-hatted-shadow-with-zack-and-ombra/">Zac and Ombra: Amusement Park of Illusion</a></em> for DS, which I can only describe as the product of some depressingly corporate thinking. Basically, Konami decided to make <em>Professor Layton</em>, but for people who aren't smart enough to solve puzzles.<p><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/21/zac-and-ombra-amusement-park-of-illusion-preview/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Zac and Ombra: Amusement Park of Illusion preview: B-layton-t imitation</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/21/zac-and-ombra-amusement-park-of-illusion-preview/">Zac and Ombra: Amusement Park of Illusion preview: B-layton-t imitation</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/21/zac-and-ombra-amusement-park-of-illusion-preview/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/19641558/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/21/zac-and-ombra-amusement-park-of-illusion-preview/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>ds</category><category>konami</category><category>minigames</category><category>nintendo</category><category>tgs-2010</category><category>zac-and-ombra-amusement-park-of-illusion</category><category>zack-and-ombra-the-phantom-amusement-park</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[JC Fletcher]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Konami walks in a top-hatted shadow with 'Zack &amp; Ombra']]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/konami-walks-in-a-top-hatted-shadow-with-zack-and-ombra/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/konami-walks-in-a-top-hatted-shadow-with-zack-and-ombra/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/konami-walks-in-a-top-hatted-shadow-with-zack-and-ombra/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/weird-but-true/" rel="tag">Weird But True</a>, <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/opinions/" rel="tag">Opinions</a>, <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/new-in-pop-culture/" rel="tag">New In Pop Culture</a></p><center><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/konami-walks-in-a-top-hatted-shadow-with-zack-and-ombra/"><img border="1" hspace="0" vspace="0" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2010/08/zack8510.jpg" /></a></center>Konami's <em>Zack &amp; Ombra: The Phantom Amusement Park</em> reminds us of a certain other DS series starring a smartly-dressed protagonist and his young apprentice in creepy, mysterious villages. We're just <em>puzzled</em> as to which one we're thinking of.<br />
<br />
<em>Zack &amp; Ombra</em>, though similar in style, bears one major difference from ... that top-hat guy's games. Instead of strictly puzzles, magician Zack and his pal Polly take part in around 180 minigames to clear away the "pranks" left on Delphino Island by the eggplant-looking Ombra creatures, who threaten to ruin the island's festival.<br />
<br />
This game is being directed by Junko Kawano, best known for her work on the Suikoden games, but also as the designer of <em><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/tag/time-hollow">Time Hollow</a></em> and <em><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/tag/shadow-of-destiny">Shadow of Destiny</a></em>. It also features animation by Studio 4&deg;C (which reminds us of some other DS game with anime-style cutscenes ... ) It'll be released in Japan on October 28.<br type="_moz" /><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/konami-walks-in-a-top-hatted-shadow-with-zack-and-ombra/">Konami walks in a top-hatted shadow with 'Zack &amp; Ombra'</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:25:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/konami-walks-in-a-top-hatted-shadow-with-zack-and-ombra/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/19582223/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/konami-walks-in-a-top-hatted-shadow-with-zack-and-ombra/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>adventure</category><category>ds</category><category>japan</category><category>Konami</category><category>minigames</category><category>nintendo</category><category>zack-and-ombra-the-phantom-amusement-park</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[JC Fletcher]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:25:00 EST</pubDate></item></channel></rss>