PressPlay has announced today that their WiiWare/PC title Max and the Magic Marker will be hitting WiiWare in North America this March. The game released in Europe on January 22nd and was released for PC and Mac on February 5th.
For anyone that still doesn’t know anything about this game you can find our preview of the game here.
Source: Official Max Website
Mr. Miyamoto has been busy over the last few days. In addition to recieving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Japan Media Arts Festival he also talked about some projects he’s working on. During the talk of those projects he specifically mentioned that at least one of them would use the Motion Plus peripheral.
Also during those talks he mentioned some hardware that hadn’t been announced further fueling the talks of a new DS or Wii system in the near future.
Source: Andriasang
“26 million homes in America have a Wii. That’s a whole lot of folks. We think that the desirability of watching movies instantly on the Wii via Netflix is a wonderful opportunity for Wii homes. And so we think it’s going to be very well adopted. …PS3 and Xbox users have 1 in 17 titles available in HD, and it’s streamed in 720… it’s not in 1080, and it’s not in 5.1 surround sound or anything. So, the HD experience at Netflix Instant Watching isn’t that overwhelming. It’s a little bit underwhelming. So the Wii folks aren’t going to miss that much.”
Those are the sentiments of Netflix Vice President of Corporate Communications Steve Swasey and they’re echoed by myself. I currently use the Netflix service on the 360 and while having shows displayed in HD on my 42″ TV it’s not necessary even now. Most shows in standard definition are displayed in a smaller screen and it’s less apparent that they’re in standard definition compared to shows that blow the image up to the full screen.
HD is still not that prevelant in homes, despite the fact that it’s growing. One days it’s going to be inevitable that all shows are displayed in HD, but that day still is not upon us yet. What are your thoughts on Netflix on Wii? Do you care that the service won’t be available in HD?
Source: The Wiire
Lego Harry Potter isn’t even out yet and we know the next game in the Lego franchise now. Traveler’s Tales and Lucas Arts have announced they’ll be releasing Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars this fall. The game will take place during the events of the hit Cartoon Network series for the 360, PS3, PSP, Wii and DS. Along with the release announcement there were some details about new battle modes and an even better level editor than the one present in Lego Indiana Jones 2. Other new elements in the game include Squad command, Lightsaber slicing, Lightsaber jumps, long distance Jedi attacks and Grapple Tie-Ups.
Stay tuned here for more information as it becomes available.
Source: Press Release
Howdy Howdy everyone and welcome to another edition of This Week in Nintendo History. This is our weekly look back at the events that have shaped the history of Nintendo. From game releases to company foundings to important birthdates; it’s all here. This week sees the release of a couple high profile games starring Mario and Square’s return to developing games for Nintendo’s platforms. Without another minute’s hesitation let’s see what happened this week.
First up this week is the release of Spitball Sparky for the Game & Watch. This game, released on February 7th, 1984 is one of only games games in the Game & Watch Super Color series which featured colored graphics on the screen as opposed to the traditional black and white the series was known for. Spitball Sparky is a Breakout Clone. In the game you, as Sparky, would shoot spitballs out of your mouth from the bottom of the screen in an attempt to break blocks located at the top of the screen. This was one of the games playable in Game & Watch Gallery 3.
February 9th 2004 marked the return of Square, now known as Square Enix, to Nintendo platforms. On that day Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles was released for the Nintendo GameCube. This was the first Final Fantasy title to be released on a Nintendo platform since Final Fantasy VI on the SNES. Square had created a second party company known as The Game Designers Studio to create Final Fantasy games for Nintendo and this was the first game released by them. While Final Fantasy is known for it’s role playing aspects this game was a more action oriented game and was thought to be more accessible to a wider audience of players. There were a number of aspects that made this game different from a traditional Final Fantasy game the first being how you navigate through the world. In the game you used an Overworld map where you lead a caravan through different settlements that you could then explore and purchase equipment. The other was the fact there was no transition to a battle screen, instead all combat was fought in real time much like an action game. You also had the ability to create your character. Also notable was that this was the first role playing game that would use connectivity between the GameCube and the Game Boy Advance with up to four people playing together using a Game Boy Advance as their personal screen.
February 10th, 1997 saw the release of Mario Kart 64 for the Nintendo 64. This was the sequel to the original Super Mario Kart on the SNES. This game was the first in the franchise to feature true 3D graphics and analog control through the use of the analog stick on the N64 controller. Mario Kart 64 featured eight playable characters, six of whom were playable in the previous game. New to the series was both Donkey Kong and Wario replacing DK Jr and Koopa Troopa respectively. The advent of 3D technology in home consoles allowed Mario Kart 64 to featured varied terrain and multiple elevations which wasn’t possible through Mode 7 on the SNES. This release in the series was best known for its multiplayer, especially Battle Mode, which is still considered by many fans to be the best of the series to date. Mario Kart 64 was first shown to the public in Japan on November 24, 1995.
Professor Layton and the Curious Village hit North American shores on February 10th, 2008. This was a puzzle game created by Level 5 and was released in Japan over a year before its North American debut. In the game you play as a Layton and his assistant Luke as they attempt to solve the mystery of the Golden Apple in addition to other puzzles during their travel. To do this you need to investigate different areas through the use of the touch screen and talk to villagers who will give you puzzles that you must solve. During the game you’ll find or be given hint coins that can be used if you find certain puzzles difficult to solve. Many of the puzzles can be found in a book that was a favorite of series producer Akihiro Hino and were adapted to be playable on the DS. The game has achieved overwhelmingly positive reviews, some of which cite the mash up of adventure and puzzle to be excellent. The game spawned a number of sequels and a soundtrack that was released in Japan.
Super Mario Bros. 3, released on February 12th, 1990, was the fifth game to be released in the Super Mario series and the last to be featured on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Princess Peach has been kidnapped, yet again, and it’s up to Mario and Luigi to rescue her. This game is most notable for it being the first game in the series to use an Overworld map that gave players some control over the order the played the game in. There were some levels that did not need to be played at all in order to complete the game. Super Mario Bros. 3 was famously shown in the movie ‘The Wizard’ starring Fred Savage where the game was featured in the Nintendo World Video Game Championships, even showing off one of the games new secrets, the Warp Whistle which functioned much like the hidden Warp Pipes in the original Super Mario Bros. There are new power ups that debuted in this game and have become some of the most popular suits in Mario’s history. These were the Raccoon suit which temporarily gave Mario the ability to fly. The Tanooki suit was similar to the Raccoon suit, but featured a full body costume that gave Mario flight and the ability to turn into a statue. The Frog Suit allowed Mario to jump higher than normal and made swimming in underwater levels easier. Kuribu’s shoe allowed Mario to walk across Piranha plants and is one of the suits many people want to see return in the future. Super Mario Bros. 3 featured a multiplayer option where players could compete for the right to play the next level by facing off in the original Mario Bros. game where you were attempting to kill of creatures that entered the level through pipes. Super Mario Bros. 3 has sold millions of copies worldwide, been re-released numerous times on different platforms and is considered by many to be the best game to date in the Mario franchise.
Our last release of the week is one of the most interesting titles to ever be released. It has sold multiple millions of copies, not based on the game itself, but the fact that is comes bundled with a Wii Remote for $10 more than a normal retail game. Wii Play hit store shelves on February 12th, 2007 and features nine mini-games that can be played alone or with a friend. These games range from a shooting gallery to cow racing and a ping pong game. Most of the game are simple and very easy to pick up and play and show off different ways that the Wii Remote can be used. Because of this the game came bundled with a Wii Remote and it’s because of that fact that many people say it’s sold as many copies as it has.
So that’s it. Another week of history is officially in the history books. What did you think of the events that took place this week? Do you know of anything coming up you’d like to see featured here? Leave us a comment and let us know, or head on over to the forums to discuss what happened this week.
Deadly Viruses and Heroic Vegetables Make for a Memorable Week
From pulse-pounding action to mind-bending puzzles and beyond, this week’s lineup of new downloadable games offers a dizzying variety to satisfy players of all stripes. New additions for the WiiWare™ service include the sci-fi adventure of BLASTER MASTER™ OVERDRIVE and the speedy fun of Tomena Sanner, plus a pair of family-friendly games to help parents and their kids brighten up the dog days of winter. For the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, new attractions include the rocket-powered puzzles of Link ‘n’ Launch™ and the tower-defending thrills of Fieldrunners. And lest you should think cucumbers are only good for snacking, the Virtual Console™ debut of Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom lets Wii™ owners enjoy a quirky classic from the NES™ era.
WiiWare
BLASTER MASTER OVERDRIVE
Publisher: SUNSOFT
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: BLASTER MASTER OVERDRIVE is an action-adventure game that takes place on an Earth infected by an aggressive, polymorphic virus. Poor, defenseless animals worldwide have been turned into flesh-eating, hemoglobin-swilling terrors. Fortunately, the world has Alex, who happens to be one of the world’s foremost biologists and specializes in viral mutation profiles and genetic manipulation. Every studious biologist facing imminent global annihilation needs a sweet ride, and Alex is no exception. He has S.O.P.H.I.A., a shape-shifting, gas-guzzling, projectile-spewing paean to destruction on four wheels. Things look grim, but with Alex and S.O.P.H.I.A. on the case, the world just might have a chance.
Tomena Sanner
Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Businessman Hitoshi Susumu is behind schedule and in quite a rush. In fact, once he starts running, he won’t stop! Dashing past samurais, T-Rexes, cowboys and all manner of wacky obstacles, Mr. Susumu must get to the goal as fast as he can for the ultimate 2-D dance party. Tomena Sanner is a high-speed side-scrolling action game with a unique timing-based control system that’s as challenging as it is fun. As they fly, jump and dance over the many zany obstacles, players need to time their moves to keep their speed up and perform awesome tricks. Using just one button on the Wii Remote™ controller, players of all ages and skill levels will be able to play and help Mr. Susumu get to his goal. Four players can compete to see who is the fastest at running through the bizarre and comical world of Tomena Sanner.
Bloons®
Publisher: Hands-On Mobile
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Bloons is an exciting puzzle game based on the simple fact that popping balloons is fun. Pop your way through dozens of puzzling levels in this exciting puzzle adventure. Each level will have a different arrangement of balloons. Using the darts you’re given, try to pop as many as you can. Look out for special balloons, blocks and darts, and have fun discovering what they do. You can pick up and play for a few minutes or spend hours working your way through the game’s 70 levels. As an added bonus, there’s also a level editor that allows you to create your own balloon puzzles.
Hubert The Teddy Bear Winter Games
Publisher: Teyon
Players: 1-16
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Hubert The Teddy Bear is a party game in which players confront crafty bunnies. Outsmart them in eight winter activities including snow fight, sleigh ride, Christmas tree decoration, fishing, catching a bunny and more. Create a teddy bear and customize it to fit your own style. Choose its name and gender and dress it up by combining elements from plenty of clothes and accessories. Play solo or engage your family and friends by competing in one of the multiplayer modes. As many as 16 players can take part in one competition. Thanks to the balanced levels of difficulty – kid, youngster and adult – everyone can enjoy the game. This collection of casual winter sports provides a new experience for the whole family.
Nintendo DSiWare
Oscar in Movieland
Publisher: Virtual Playground
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Following his Oscar in Toyland escapades, Oscar now plays the leading actor in sensational worlds of hit movies and TV shows. From Sci-Fi to Cartoon, Western to War, Horror to Jurassic and more, this is a game not to be missed. Oscar in Movieland features eye-popping graphics, parallax scrolling backgrounds and fabulous game play. This jump-and-run game is easy to play and packed with hours of fun and nonstop action. Use Wings to Fly, Springy Boots to Jump, and Oscar’s secret weapon – his magical Yo-Yo – to swing on and zap enemies in some of the craziest platform levels you’ll ever play.
Link ‘n’ Launch
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Take your puzzle-solving skills to new heights in Link ‘n’ Launch, a puzzle game in which you must move tiles to create a path that connects fuel to your rocket, blasting it through space. Complete the basic training mode to learn how to play Link ‘n’ Launch, and then buckle in for the ride through the robust Missions and Puzzles modes. Missions mode has you propelling the rocket through space to reach the target planet within a three-minute time limit, while Puzzles mode challenges you to clear all fuel and pipe tiles from the screen. In both modes, not only do you need to create a path to keep your rocket fueled, but you’ll also have to account for immovable tiles and special tiles that upgrade your rocket or give you additional time to complete the level, all while keeping your rocket’s flight path within the established boundaries. The launch countdown has begun – are you prepared?
Fieldrunners
Publisher: Subatomic Studios
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Descend into the world of Fieldrunners, one of the most anticipated and visually stunning games in mobile tower defense history. Defend and control the field with a diverse selection of upgradeable towers, using a wide array of tactics and strategies against countless waves of unique land and air combatants. Enjoy hours of entertainment and replayable challenges. Do you have what it takes to dominate the fieldrunners and rise to the top as the ultimate tower defense master?
Sudoku 4Pockets
Publisher: 4Pockets.com
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Sudoku 4Pockets offers you 3,600 puzzles, and your assistant Kiku will be there to guide you through each of the Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced skill levels. The aim of sudoku is to complete a grid of nine-by-nine squares with the numbers 1 through 9 in each square, row and column. As you play, Kiku will guide you: She can tell you if you’ve entered an incorrect number, offer you hints and explain the moves and terms as you play. The simple-to-use number entry makes it easy to select numbers and add possible number candidates to aid your thought process. Whether you’re new to sudoku or an advanced player, you can have fun playing and learning on your quest to become a sudoku master.
Extreme Hangman
Publisher: Gamelion
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Alcohol Reference, Animated Blood, Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: There’s never been a Hangman game like this before! The world’s favorite time-killer game takes an absurdist twist of comical proportions. Taking place in various settings, the game challenges players to save the Hangman from his enemies by guessing hidden words correctly. When players guess incorrectly, he is put one step closer to being shot, strangled, erased or hanged by his enemies. Play a single-player game or challenge your friend to a duel. Extreme Hangman features seven different settings with fun animations, over 2000 words in various categories, and three difficulty levels.
Virtual Console
Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom
Original platform: NES
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence, Tobacco Reference
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Featuring a cast of cute characters and an endearing sense of humor, this unique title has gained a dedicated following since its release on the original NES system. The wicked Minister Pumpkin, a nobleman in the Salad Kingdom, has rebelled and kicked King Broccoli off the throne. Worse yet, he has kidnapped Princess Tomato and, with the help of the treacherous Farmies, proceeded to abolish all truth, justice, sweetness and light from the Salad Kingdom. Players take on the role of the brave Sir Cucumber, hero of the kingdom, and set out on a quest to rescue the princess and topple Minister Pumpkin. Progress through multiple locations using set commands (such as MOVE, LOOK and TALK) while winning bouts of Finger Wars (Rock-Paper-Scissors), collecting information and items and heeding helpful clues from your faithful companion, Percy (a persimmon). If you fail, the entire Salad Kingdom will be tossed into frenzy. Sir Cucumber, your princess awaits!
Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.
Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit Wii.com or NintendoDSi.com.
Episode 8 Run Time 1:05:38
Hosts: Tony, Shelby, Will, Peter
According to Mr. Iwata that was technology that was available for the GameCube.
To tell you the truth, GameCube is secretly designed to load graphical circuits which display graphics for right and left eyes respectively, for a future possibility of realizing 3D gaming experience. So actually we have had interest on this technology, but I have some doubt about everyone needing glasses to play. – Satoru Iwata
That’s a very interesting revelation and another insight into Nintendo’s mindset when developing consoles. The technology was there, but they chose not to support it because they didn’t feel that 3D technology was something that people would be interested in. It would be interesting to find out if the Wii has the same capabilities. I feel much the same way that he did in that having to wear a pair of glasses really hampers the technology especially considering how many people wear some form of corrective eye wear, which can hamper the experience of viewing entertainment in 3D.
Source: Nintendo’s Japanese Website
A report from Gamasutra today has shown some surprising, and somewhat disappointing news. In a survey of over 800 different game developers support for Nintendo’s home console is going to drop significantly in 2010. Last year, according to the report, 42% of developers released some form of software on Wii. That same survey says that in 2010 only 30% of developers plan on releasing new products for Wii. Many of those developers cited a softening of the Wii market.
What does this mean for the future of Wii and Nintendo? No one is really sure at the moment. The system still sells more on a monthly basis than any platform out there. At this point only time will tell.
Source: Gamasutra
If you’re a fan of the Phoenix Wright series and you’re interested in downloading the WiiWare versions of the game you know that they were planning on releasing the games every couple of months. The first Phoenix Wright game was released in January and the second in the series, Just For All was planned for a March release date.
Capcom has announced that Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: Justice For All will now be available for download through Nintendo’s WiiWare service on February 15th, 2010 and will cost 1,000 Wii Points.
