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|  DLC Monday: GhostSlayer and Flight Control Celebrate George Washington's birthday this week with the various titles available to download for WiiWare or DSiWare. Sadly, no Virtual Console releases this week, but hopefully that won't be a problem with this week's offerings. WiiWare has three new titles this week, none of which exceed the price-point of 600 Wii Points. At 600 Wii Points, you have your choice between GhostSlayer and Mouse House. GhostSlayer has you slash and vaporize ghosts with the Wii Remote and with the (optional) Wii MotionPlus accessory. Mouse House is a logic puzzle game, offering simple controls and a unique challenge. The third and final release for WiiWare this week is Family Go-Kart Racing at 500 Wii Points, a racing title that uses the Wii Remote's tilt function. DSiWare has four new titles this week, with two for 200 Nintendo DSi Points and two for 500 Nintendo DSi Points. At the cheaper end of 200 Nintendo DSi Points, you can pick between Aura-Aura Climber and Faceez. Aura-Aura Climber, with two modes of gameplay and tons of collectable items to help Aura-Aura climb to the top will sure to keep you entertained, while Faceez is yet another photo app that lets you goof around with pictures. For 500 Nintendo DSi Points each you can pick either Flight Control or Flipper. Flight Control puts you in the seat of an air traffic controller, where you direct air traffic, travel to different airports, and learn to land several different types of aircraft. Flipper is a 3-D puzzle platform title that has you questing for your afore-titled goldfish. Find out more on these releases to decide which would be best to celebrate Washington's birth below. WiiWare™ GhostSlayer Publisher: Gevo Entertainment Players: 1 ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Blood, Violence Price: 600 Wii Points™ Description: Embark on a thrilling ghost-fighting experience. Play as a Ghost Slayer as you battle evil spirits that plague the mortal world. Your sword is your only weapon against them. Eliminate all hostiles in your path and defeat the Ghost Queen in the final stage in order to save the world. Unlock new swords and acquire special techniques that you can use to your advantage. Test your skills by playing all three levels of difficulty. Enjoy the thrill of slashing ghosts and vaporizing them by swinging your Wii Remote™ controller and experience sword-fighting game play at a new level of realism by using Wii MotionPlus accessory (this game can be played with or without Wii MotionPlus). Brace yourself for the onslaught of blood-thirsty spirits. Mouse House Publisher: Big John Games Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief Price: 600 Wii Points Description: He's clever, he's daring, he's brave, he's ... a mouse! Mouse House is an accessible and fast-paced logic puzzle game in which you lead a lively little mouse on his hunt to collect the cheese in each of 100 challenging puzzles. But these are no simple mazes - our adorable hero has to weave his way though a cast of colorful critters, including stinger-shooting bees and nasty rats, as well as tricky traps like conveyor belts, collapsing floors and more. A true "pick up and play" game, Mouse House's combination of simple controls and multiple levels of challenge make it perfect for players of all ages. Family Go-Kart Racing Publisher: Aksys Games Players: 1-4 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief Price: 500 Wii Points Description: It's Family Go-Kart Racing, the fantastic new racing game from Arc System Works. The Family is back: Billy, Sarah, Daddy, Mommy and new to the Family fun, Auntie and Gramps. Choose among the six family members and six karts to take on 12 exciting tracks and drift your way to victory. With the Wii Remote controller's tilt control, race against the clock in Time Attack to beat your personal records, or take on the entire family in a full Grand Prix. Steer your way through the Snowy Slopes, peel out in the World Bazaar and go-go-go for gold on the Go-Go Rollercoaster. Earn your place as the head of the family by outmaneuvering your kin with special items like Acceleration and Lighting to zip past your opponents. Or, unleash the Bowling Bomb and strike out the kart ahead of you. Nintendo DSiWare™ Aura-Aura Climber Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points™ Description: Aura-Aura has fallen out of the sky and landed on Earth. He is determined to return to his rightful place in the universe and become a bright star. Take control of Aura-Aura, and help him to accomplish this by using his grapple arm to grab a variety of grapple points and continuously climb higher in the sky. Along the way, collect items to aid him (bombs, extensions for his grapple arm) and avoid enemies that damage Aura-Aura's health. Two modes of play offer very different challenges: Score Attack, in which you try to get to the goal with as many points as possible, and Endless, in which your aim is simply to help Aura-Aura climb as high into the sky as possible within the time limit. And even if you think you've mastered the art of climbing, both modes offer numerous medals to find or earn by completing specific tasks. With its intuitive controls, straightforward game play, and incredible replay value, Aura-Aura's journey is arcade-style gaming at its best ... or should that be its highest? Flight Control Publisher: Firemint Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Keep the skies safe in Flight Control, the insanely popular worldwide hit from Firemint. In this action-packed game, take on the role of an air traffic controller at an increasingly busy airport. In complete control of the airspace, direct aircraft to their appropriate landing zones while avoiding collisions. Travel to airports set among green fields, a beachside resort, the Australian Outback, a winter wonderland and even an aircraft carrier. Learn how to land 10 different kinds of aircraft, including jets, seaplanes and helicopters. To direct aircraft, simply touch and drag them to their landing zones with the stylus without letting them collide. Sounds easy? You'll need smart strategy, keen eyes and a smooth touch to keep the chaos under control. You can even work alongside a friend in cooperative multiplayer mode, and guard the airways together. Flight Control only takes a minute to learn – just don't expect to put it down as quickly as you'll pick it up. Faceez Publisher: Neko Entertainment Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Alcohol Reference, Comic Mischief, Mild Blood Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Make your friends laugh with Faceez. Take pictures of their faces with the Nintendo DSi Camera and then mix them and animate them. Dress them up with lots of funny accessories. Place them in your own favorite settings. Give free reign to your imagination with millions of possible combinations. Thanks to the Nintendo DSi system's connectivity with Facebook, you can share your creations with your friends, who'll be rolling on the floor laughing. Photograph, disguise, decorate, animate and send ... FACEEZ. Flipper Publisher: Xform Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points Description: The hero of the game is a courageous young boy. You must lead him through various worlds full of obstacles to retrieve his stolen goldfish called Flipper. Get ready for a 3-D puzzle platform game set in four different worlds with five levels each. The game features beautiful pixel-art backdrops, cheerful cartoon characters and catchy music. The voxel engine technology allows you to change the environment with some cool power-ups. You can pick up power-ups that let you blast holes in the environment while other power-ups restore it or build platforms. It's up to you to use the limited amount of power-ups wisely to complete each level. Flipper is a fun and challenging puzzle game that is suited for all ages. All the hype currently surrounds Call of Duty and the Modern Warfare franchise. These games, in our eyes, are vastly over-rated, and this is why when Activision revealed that they would be releasing a handheld version for the DS we were quite cynical. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Mobilized is impressive enough in terms of gameplay, with control of aiming taking place on the touchscreen while movement is done with the D-pad. When the environment is small enough, too, the visuals are actually very impressive, though expect some problems with framerate during heated firefights in the open. Another impressive point is the fact that it is fully voiced, with no writing, as far as we could see, appearing on the screen. PR: GameFly Comes Back Online
(tm) Source: Press Release New Multiplayer Info For The Conduit According to GoNintendo, Sega recently held another multiplayer event for The Conduit, where new information about the game's multiplayer was released. Source: GoNintendo Steve Wiebe Claims Donkey Kong Jr. World Record Twin Galaxies is reporting that Steve Wiebe, co-star of the documentary King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters has claimed the Donkey Kong Jr. world record with a score of 1,139,800 points. This score passed former world record holder Ike Hall's score of 1,033,000, set in August 2008. In addition to setting this new record, Steve will be at E3 on June second to attempt to regain the Donkey Kong record currently held by Billy Mitchell, who also holds the esteem of being the first gamer to play a perfect game of Pac-Man. Steve's world record attempt will be in front of a live audience and broadcast live as part of G4's E3 coverage. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters documents Steve Wiebe as he attempts to claim the Donkey Kong world record, going as far as to fly across the country to attempt it in a live setting. The film released to DVD on January 29, 2008 to high reviews, and is available at retailers nationwide. (rb)Source: Twin Galaxies DLC Monday: Conquer Japan and Play Cards Both of Nintendo’s Shop Channels have once again been updated with a slew of new downloadable offerings; DSiWare has received two new titles, while both WiiWare and Virtual Console have one each. On DSi, the first new title is Clubhouse Games Express: Card Classics, a collection of card games from Nintendo’s hit retail release Clubhouse Games. Next is Paper Airplane Chase, a simple game where you guide a paper airplane through never-ending or timed obstacle courses. As for Wii, this week’s WiiWare offering is Cocoto Platform Jumper, a platformer in a series from Europe that is just now making its North American debut. Lastly, this week’s Virtual Console release is Nobunaga’s Ambition, a Super Nintendo strategy game about uniting war-torn, medieval Japan through any means necessary. For more on these four titles, here is the official press release from Nintendo. Nintendo DSiWare Clubhouse Games Express: Card Classics (Nintendo, 1-8 players, Rated T for Teen - Simulated Gambling, 500 Nintendo DSi Points): Clubhouse Games comes to Nintendo DSiWare with a collection of five fun card games in Clubhouse Games Express: Card Classics. Play familiar favorites like Blackjack and Five Card Draw, or test your ability in the fast-paced Last Card, Last Card Plus and President. DS Download Play allows players to host as many as seven friends. Paper Airplane Chase (Nintendo, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 200 Nintendo DSi Points): In Paper Airplane Chase, glide your virtual paper plane through an increasingly tricky slalom course. Take it slow in Endless mode or zip through several Time Attack courses. The two-player Race mode allows friends to race each other using a single Nintendo DSi system. WiiWare Cocoto Platform Jumper (Neko Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Cartoon Violence, 700 Wii Points): A long time ago in a faraway land, strange little creatures lived in the depths of Abyss. Cocoto, his little devil friends and the mysterious Fairy protect the secret of the magma — the source of their power — in a magic cauldron. Meanwhile, Zaron, the god of lightning who lusts after this force, is up to something. He can count on the rulers of the other kingdoms that Cocoto must cross. The tragic kidnapping of Shiny, Baggy and Neuro has left Cocoto alone to watch over the cauldron. Refusing to leave his friends, he will set out to find them with Fairy. Virtual Console Nobunaga's Ambition (Super NES, 1-8 players, Rated E for Everyone - Violent References, 800 Wii Points): Nobunaga's Ambition is a game set in Japan's Warring States period, a turbulent age when feudal warlords battled for control of the country. As the ruler of a fief, the player chooses his or her own path to conquest: Will you wage war on your neighbors or rely on diplomacy? Use economic sanctions or send ninja assassins? Use all of your ingenuity and resources to unite Japan under your banner. (ajh)Source: Nintendo EA Unveils New Madden Wii Visual Style
Madden NFL 10 may be dropping the “All-Play” label this year, but that doesn’t mean the Wii version won’t be unique. Case in point: An entirely new visual style that appears almost cartoonish, with exaggerated features for various players and positions. According to an EA press release via 1Up, models will fall into five different position categories:
The stadiums and broadcast presentation will follow suit, but EA promises it all still retains the authenticity of the NFL. Moreover, the publisher reiterates that Madden NFL 10 on Wii will also still have a simulation-like feel to gameplay. Madden NFL 10 for Wii hits stores in August. SANTA MONICA, CA – April 29, 2009 – Metal mavens, pop stars and global invaders can rejoice this May with three new downloadable Track Packs coming to Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero World Tour. The eclectic downloadable set list opens with free music from Ferret Music and Metal Blade Records, followed by pop anthems from P!nk, Angels & Airwaves and OneRepublic, rounded out with three smash hits from Europe.
Update 2: In a recent interview with Eurogamer, Masachika Kawata, the producer of The Darkside Chronicles, confirmed that there will not be any online multiplayer. More Tracks Revealed for GH Smash Hits
Publisher Activision continues to slowly pull back the curtain on songs coming to Guitar Hero Smash Hits. The greatest hits title brings together some of the best tracks from previous Guitar Hero games. The publisher is allowing fans to vote on SmashHits.GuitarHero.com to see what previous edition’s track list they want revealed first. Earlier, we found out that Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero II were chosen. This week follows order with the unveiling of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Here are the songs coming from that game: Guitar Hero Smash Hits will become available June 16 for Nintendo Wii. (eac)Source: Activision PR: THQ Announces All Star Cheer Squad 2 (eac) Source: THQ Activision Unleashes Second Nirvana Pack for GH World Tour Guitar Hero World Tour continues to get DLC love from publisher Activision on Nintendo Wii. This week brings about a track pack from ’90s grunge band, Nirvana. This is the second DLC from the group, featuring “Very Ape” from In Utero, “Sappy” from the No Alternative compilation, and “Stay Away” from Nevermind. The content is now available for purchase, as each song registers for 200 Wii Points. (eac)Source: Activision Rumor: Sony to Unveil New PSP Go! at E3 With DS sales roughly double that of the PlayStation Portable and secondary platforms like the iPhone gaining gamer steam, 1UP is reporting that Sony will soon show off a new Nintendo rival in the form of an upgraded PSP system, presumably at E3. Citing sources "directly involved with the new system," 1UP says the new PSP will likely be named the PSP Go! and would release in two different models, one with 8 GB and the other 16 GB of memory. It would scrap the UMD media format and move it's main controls -- a D-pad, analog nub, and four standard face buttons -- to a slide-out face that hides under the screen, similar to the keyboard on many cell phones. The article speculates that some other features familiar to the DSi, such as a camera and, of course, a touch screen, could be a part of the redesign. Sony has not commented on the rumor, aside from the standard public line that the company does not comment on rumors. It remains as such until Sony says otherwise, but if the PSP Go! is a go, expect it to launch in North America in October or November. (dm)Source: 1UP Japanese Wii Virtual Console Updates:
VC News JP:ニンテンドウオールスター！大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズ coming to a Japanese Wii near you!!! What We Know About The Conduit :
NintendoWiiFanboy recently scored an interview with High Voltage Software over their highly anticipated first-person shooter, The Conduit. Based on their interview and the press release by High Voltage, here is what we know:
Space Invaders Heading for WiiWare:
While Nintendo DS owners are getting Space Invaders Extreme this week, Nintendo Wii owners are being left out of the action. Fear not, however, as Taito has provided new information on Space Invaders Get Even for Wii. The game will arrive this summer in Japan on WiiWare, with other regions most likely receiving the title shortly thereafter. Space Invaders Get Even hopes to reinvigorate the classic gameplay for WiiWare by using the nunchuk for movement and Wii remote for pinpoint aiming. In addition, new abilities such as turning the playing field upside down hope to spice up the action. Nintendo at Work on Wii Storage Solution:
Nintendo of Europe marketing director Laurent Fischer confirmed that the company is aware of Wii's storage constraints and is at work on a solution, a response to concerns over Wii owners having too much to download and not enough space on their consoles to save content. "We definitely detect that [consumers] are serious and we know there is an issue in this, so it's something that we're working on," Fischer said. "Definitely there's no plan to issue hardware, an external hard drive, but we know that we have an issue." Fischer's response, which appears to confirm that Nintendo will not be releasing a hard drive, leaves much room for interpretation. Some other storage solutions might include online storage space or a USB flash drive, but none of those options have been publicly discussed by the company. As Wii owners are probably aware, the console's included specifications in terms of memory are 512MB of internal flash memory and compatibility with SD cards up to 2GB in size. When Nintendo provides more insight into their plans to alleviate Wii's storage squeeze, we'll be sure to update you accordingly. Nintendo to Reveal Core Gamer Titles at E3:
Core gamers who were disappointed by last year's surprise Wii Fit appearance at E3 should have much to look forward to according to comments in a recent interview. In an interview with GamePro, Marc Franklin, Director of Public Relations at Nintendo stated "We recently announced the upcoming release of Mario Super Sluggers. Additionally, we will be announcing several new titles that core gamers will be interested in around the time of E3." Since the recent successes of Wii and Nintendo DS in terms of expanding the video game market, Nintendo has referred to its has base as separated into two distinct groups: Casual and Core. Nintendo's casual gamers are thought to be more appreciative of lighter games such as Wii Fit and Nintendogs whereas Nintendo's core audience are focused on deeper gameplay issues found in long-time franchises such as Zelda and Metroid. Since no further specifics were given, these comments have just created a launch pad for the online community to speculate on what Nintendo will reveal. VC Monday: Brawler and Puzzler Now Available:
Two more games have been added on Wii shop channel today and brawler fans are once again reaping the benefits of Virtual Console. Pokemon and puzzle fans can also join in on the fun this week. Pokemon Puzzle League was well received when it came out on the N64 in 2000, and not just because it was a Pokemon game. A strong puzzle game lies beneath the anime veneer. Renegade is yet another NES brawler, and for those keeping score at home this marks the third week in a row that the Virtual Console has received a brawler from the genre’s golden age. Here’s Nintendo’s official take on these two titles: Pokémon Puzzle League (Nintendo 64®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Get ready for a new kind of Pokémon battle where the power and speed of your brain are just as important as the strength of your Pokémon. Join Ash, Brock, Misty and many more characters from the Pokémon animated series as they gather in Puzzle Village to compete for the title of Pokémon Puzzle Master. Just match three or more blocks of the same color in any direction. Sounds simple, right? But the actual game play is surprisingly addictive and deep (chains and combos anyone?), especially when you're facing off against a human opponent. Choose from six different modes offering a wide range of action, from story or puzzle modes to continuous play or timed play. If that's not enough, take on the challenge in 3-D and get ready for more blocks than ever before. Featuring animated cut scenes combined with bright, fun graphics, there's enough to satisfy any fan of Pokémon or puzzle games. Renegade™ (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older – Mild Violence, 500 Wii Points): Renegade follows the story of a vigilante who fights his way through countless gangs in order to bring peace back to his city. Battle your way through subways, parks, alleyways and parking lots. For added fun, there's a wild motorcycle ride to challenge you. Use your arsenal of kicks, punches (including the infamous sit-on punch) and jump kicks, as well as a variety of throws to knock your opponents into submission. Along the way, pick up items like a hamburger that restores your life, a heart that increases your lives by one, a power-up to increase your attack strength, and a speed item that gives you a speed burst while on your motorcycle. You'll need all the help you can get to take out your aggression on street punks, thugs, outlaw bikers, killer kung-fu females and an array of bosses standing in your way. Take the law into your own hands to defeat countless scumbags and take your city back like the renegade you are.
Earthbound is coming to Nintendo Wii. A search of the Entertainment Software Rating Board's website reveals that Earthbound for Wii has received a rating of Everyone. Before Earthbound fanboys get their hopes up any higher, Nintendo has made no announcement that a brand new Earthbound title is slated to release for Wii. A safer assumption would be that Nintendo is planning to release the SNES classic Earthbound for Wii's Virtual Console service in the coming weeks, but that hasn't been confirmed by the company either. Either way, we'll be sure to report back to you as soon as new Earthbound news breaks. Iwata: Nintendo to Review Wii Storage Options:
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata acknowledged in a recent financial Q & A that Wii's current data storage options may not be sufficient for some users, and that the company will review all possible solutions to fix the issue. "Statistically speaking, it is true that there are a small number of customers who feel that the flash memory is too small, while many others find that they have plenty of memory," said Iwata. "However, because this small number of people are none other than the most avid players, we know we have to review the best possible solution to eliminate their inconvenience." Wii comes equipped with 512MB of internal flash memory and supports SD memory cards up to 2GB in size. Concern about storage space has popped up recently with the upcoming launch of WiiWare, Nintendo's downloadable gaming service, which will have games available for download onto Wii and rumored to be roughly 40MB in size. Storage space is also an issue with Virtual Console downloads, with more than 200 titles available for Wii owners to purchase and save onto their systems. Iwata also took time to comment on the effects the slumping US economy might have on the video game industry by saying, "I feel that there will be small direct impact on video games’ sales, if any, of the U.S. recession, which was triggered by sub-prime loans. We are receiving weekly sales reports from the U.S. and Europe, but so far, there has been no sign of slow down for our sales." Platform cycles were also a hot topic of discussion during the question and answer session, with the Nintendo chief showing some doubt in the traditional five or six year life spans of consoles with his belief that hardware peripherals can expand the viability of a console when done right. Iwata cited the Wii Wheel, which accompanies Nintendo's Mario Kart Wii, and Wii Fit's Balance Board accessory as relevant examples.
Sega Dominates VC this Week:
Two titles that previously released on Sega consoles share the spotlight in this installment of VC Monday. Now available for Wii's Virtual Console service are Fantasy Zone, a Sega Master System side-scrolling ship shooter, and Mega Turrican, a Sega Genesis side-scrolling sci-fi shooter featuring hero Bren McGuire. Both titles can be purchased and downloaded by visiting Wii's Shop Channel. For more information about Fantasy Zone and Mega Turrican, we go to Nintendo:
Nintendo has announced that it will launch Wii in South Korea on April 26, 2008. The console will retail for 220,000 Won (roughly \$225) and will not be packaged with Wii Sports, which will be sold as a separate game. Launch titles are limited to games such as Zack & Wiki and Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 which are retailing for around 45,000 Won (roughly \$45). One title, Golf 2nd Shot is being developed exclusively for the Korean region. One big benefit is that the Virtual Console titles will retail for approximately \$2 less than the North American versions. Rumors had circulated earlier in the year that Nintendo was planning to launch the console around May 5th. Nintendo had already begun to establish its presence in Korea with Nintendo DS, which launched in January 2007. The announcement was made at a press conference in Seoul, Korea conducted by Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. Speaking at the conference, Iwata remarked: "We are very sorry to keep you waiting so long. I remember that the general sentiment was skeptical when we first launched the DS in Korea. But as we all know, it is now played by many customers here, even aged people who were unlikely to play video games before." Shigeru Miyamoto Up for Time 100 Distinction Again:
He's Mario's maker, Donkey Kong's dad and the Hero of Time's harbinger, and if the votes keep pouring in, Shigeru Miyamoto could acquire another prestigious title-- Time magazine's Most Influential Person of 2008. Miyamoto is one of many finalists in the running to make Time's annual list of the 100 most newsworthy people, but Nintendo's stud game designer may do one better than just make an appearance on the list, as he did last year. This time around, Time is tracking the top five most influential people by way of site visitors' votes and ratings, which at the time of this writing put Miyamoto third overall, behind Colbert Report host Stephen Colbert and Korean pop star Rain. Daily Show talking head Jon Stewart and politician Al Gore round out the top five at press time. Readers wishing to cast a vote for Miyamoto-- or anyone else on the finalist roster for the Time 100 -- can do so here. Wii Fit Pricing Revealed:
Madden 09 to Feature User-Controlled TD Celebrations:
Madden 09 will turn back the clock a bit with the announcement by EA Sports, via GameStop's official blog, that user-controlled touchdown celebrations will be incorporated into the game. Previous installments in the Madden video game franchise have had the ability to select from a limited number of touchdown celebrations provided players take the rock into the end zone, although in recent years that feature has been dropped. It appears EA Sports will be adding more personality to Madden 09 with certain players, like, say, always-in-the-mood-to-celebrate wide receiver Chad Johnson, having personalized celebrations based on their real life moves. GameStop's blog post says Cowboys wide receiver will have more than 10 of his known celebrations included in the game. Stadiums with specific celebrations, like Lambeau Field's Lambeau Leap, will also be featured in the game, as well as what EA Sports is referring to as "hot spot" celebrations-- for example, dunking the football over the goal post if a TD reception is made near it. GameStop's blog doesn't mention that user controlled celebrations will be specific to certain platforms, so we'll assume that Wii's edition of Madden 09, and potentially even the DS version, will include this feature. Madden 09 is scheduled to ship out to stores on August 12. Nintendo Rocks March:
In the sales data report from the NPD Market research group, Nintendo dominated March 2008 sales from both the hardware and software side. The Nintendo Wii and DS lead hardware hardware sales selling several hundreds of thousands of more units when compared to its competitors: Hardware Sales for March 2008:
All consoles showed a rise in month-to-month sales except for Sony's PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2 consoles. Also, the Nintendo DS has topped 19 million unit solds since its launch in March 2004. Meeting expectations, Nintendo topped the software charts due to the recently released Super Smash Bros. Brawl for Wii: Software Sales for March 2008:
Responding to the positive sales data, Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing said "Nintendo systems represented 58 percent of all video game hardware sold in March in the United States. We expect our momentum to continue with big upcoming game launches like Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, Mario Kart Wii and Wii Fit." Virtual Console games comprised of ROMs, emulators, HTML files
 Although not particular surprising, someone was able to completely decrypt a Virtual Console game. In doing so, they were able to discover the nitty-gritty details of the files that make up a typical game on the Wii Shop Channel. It was determined that Virtual Console games generally seem hold a ROM and HTML file. The purpose of the ROM file is blatant, though some may find it interesting that the help documentation for the Wii is just an HTML file. Also, each Virtual Console game comes with its own emulator. I suppose that means the Wii itself does not have any emulation capabilities until you download a Virtual Console title. I personally would not get involved in these types of activities, but the discoveries the decryption has brought to the table is interesting. The fact that someone was actually able to do this is an indication that the homebrew/hacking scene continues to progress and is a troubling sign for Nintendo. As a result, it’s possible that Nintendo may continue to change their Virtual Console system with additional patches and updates. Nintendo UK Dishes on Mario Kart Wii
Ready to go online with Mario Kart Wii? Nintendo UK is detailing the online features of Mario Kart Wii on its website, and one of the new announcements concerns the Mario Kart Channel, which will be included on the game disk itself. The Channel will include data on other racers worldwide, as well as downloadable Competitions, which are similar to the Missions from Mario Kart DS. Players can also download ghost data from other Mario Kart players. Either the best Time Trial data for any given course can be chosen, or players can gather ghost data from "rivals," who have only slightly better times than a player's best. The features of the Mario Kart Channel work regardless of whether the Mario Kart disk is inserted into the Wii system. For online racing, players can compete with either friends, players on the same continent, or throughout the world. Among friend, players can text chat in the lobby while the game's host selects the mode of play and settings. All players together will vote on selection of course. Text chat is available after the race as well. Mario Kart Wii is coming April 11 to Europe, April 28 to America. Mario & Sonic Reaches Five Million Sold Worldwide
GameStop Hosting Brawl Tourneys on Launch Night
Contra 4 Devs at Work on WiiWare Puzzler
WayForward, developer of Contra 4 for Nintendo DS, revealed today that it is jumping on the WiiWare bandwagon with Lit a 3D horror action-puzzle game, an exclusive title for Wii's downloadable gaming service. Lit will take place at a high school teeming with monsters, with players assuming the role of below-average student Jake, who must escape the school and find his girlfriend. Lit's quirky genre setup as a horror action-puzzle title was chosen by WayForward "because of how infrequently horror and puzzling gets combined in games, and to squeeze out the greatest amount of gameplay possible from a limited file size." No release date has been announced for Lit. We'll have more on this title as information trickles out. All Star Cheer Squad Exclusively Coming to Wii, DS
AGOURA HILLS, Calif. -THQ Inc. today announced that All Star Cheer Squad, the first-ever cheerleading video game, is currently in development to make its scheduled debut exclusively for Wii and Nintendo DS this fall. In All Star Cheer Squad, players will immerse themselves into the world of competitive cheerleading as they experience the thrill and excitement of cheer through creativity, customization, style and teamwork. The release will mark THQ’s first original property created specifically for girls on Wii and Nintendo DS.
VC Monday: Say Hello to Harvest Moon, Lords of Thunder
As usual, another Monday brings more retro gaming content courtesy of Nintendo and Wii's Virtual Console. This week brings a pair of newly minted classic games ready for download, as Super Nintendo's farming simulator Harvest Moon and TurboGrafx-16's CD-ROM Lords of Thunder are the latest editions to Wii's classic gaming service. The following game descriptions are provided by Nintendo:
For the complete list of classic games available for Wii's Virtual Console, please visit the system's Shop Channel.
Okami Wii Nearly Complete, Won't Have New Content
The end of March sounds like a reasonable time to expect the release of Wii's port of Okami, according to Capcom's VP of Strategic Planning and Business Development. A forum response to a release date thread by executive Christian Svensson on the official Capcom message boards has revealed that the company is in the final stages of development. "At the risk of casting 'teh jinx' ... things will be in ship-shape by March 25... that doesn't mean that the game will 100% be out in that timeframe though," wrote Svensson. The Capcom exec also made it known that while gamers can expect "40-60 hours" of gameplay from Okami, there won't be any new added content for Wii. When we get word of an official release date for Capcom's Okami, we'll be sure to pass the word along.
EA Sports Re-Ups NFL License Exclusivity Until 2013
Japan: Smash Bros. Brawl Sells a Million
Nintendo has a smashing success on its hands. The House of Mario has sold 1.08 million copies of its mascot fighter Super Smash Bros. Brawl in 11 days, making it the fastest selling Wii game ever. Other Wii games to reach the one million mark are Wii Sports and Wii Fit, although it took those games 11 and seven weeks, respectively. American gamers will get the chance to try out Japan's latest Wii million seller when Super Smash Bros. Brawl hits stateside on March 9
No Online for Sega Superstars Tennis
There won't be any online mode for Sega's upcoming mascot tennis game, according to an IGN report of the title. Sega Superstars Tennis, featuring Sonic the Hedgehog and a cast of Sega regulars, will not make use of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, meaning the game will be a stricly offline affair. Strangely, the Nintendo DS edition of the game will be online enabled, leaving its big console brother to dabble in local multiplayer. Also of note and mentioned during IGN's preview of the game are the three control methods it will include. One such option will feature the Wii Remote exclusively a la tennis in Wii Sports, with the computer AI handling player movement. Another control mode has the player holding the Wii Remote NES-style, forgoing analog and motion sensitivity. A Wii Remote and Nunchuk option will also be including, looking to combine the best features of the two previously mentioned modes. Sega Superstars Tennis ships on March 18, 2008. We'll keep you in the loop if we hear more on the game as it nears its release date.
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Announced for Nintendo Wii
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