Odama

Odama doesn't stop with pinball gameplay, though. There's also microphone support, an idea we're not as solidly sold on. The little guys that run up the field with bell in hand can be directed via the mic (which mounts to the controller) presumably to keep your hands free to work the flippers. The commands we've used are simple: left, right, charge, etc. and new ones are periodically learned in-game. Voice response seems pretty good, and there should be D-pad control as well in case you're not comfortable shouting into the controller.

The game fittingly features an art style that's somewhere between classic medieval strategy and Nintendo quirk. The miniaturized armies swarm across the screen in full armor and the detail in each environment is dense and convincing. But then the giant cheeseburger pickups appear onscreen. Hey, an army's gotta eat.

Even without the potential for much multiball, or multiplayer action Odama is stuck on top of our wishlist for early '06. If the parts all come together into a solid whole, there won't be anything on the GameCube to rival the result.