Posts in category wii
by Ludwig Kietzmann Oct 13th 2007 1:30PM
Filed under: Nintendo Wii
Torn between purchasing the latest gaming platform and a poor excuse for a gimmick? Are you worried that the white box beneath your TV might soon grow dirty with dust?
Engadget Chinese is here to help, placing the Wii and infamous
Vii side by side in a revealing
photo gallery. Click, peruse and learn to discern between fun and flimflam!
If you still find the choice between Wii and Vii to be high in difficultii, head past the break and examine the latter system's intriguing lineup of games.
Happy Tennis,
Catch Fish,
Free Craps and the
gob-smacking Come On should clearly point out which system has the more substantive games.
[Via
Engadget]
Continue reading Wii vs. Vii: Sincere flatterii
by Ludwig Kietzmann Oct 13th 2007 11:40AM
Filed under: Nintendo DS, Nintendo GameCube, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Business
Well, it was interesting while it lasted.
Unwilling to let the PSP
reign supreme a fourth week, the DS Lite just barely clambers its way back onto the Japanese sales chart throne, still warm from the months of prior supremacy. If role-playing games have taught us anything, defeating the final boss is but a prelude to his second and much more powerful form. And if there's any knowledge to be gained from
movies, it's that a foiled villain is rarely
foiled so much as he is
inconvenienced.
"From hell's heart, I stab at PSP!"
- DS Lite: 87,445
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071014005904im_/http://www.dsfanboy.com/media/2006/04/Up_Arrow.jpg)
14,550 (19.96%)
- PSP: 86,895
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071014005904im_/http://www.dsfanboy.com/media/2006/04/Down_Arrow.jpg)
15,914 (15.48%)
- Wii: 20,704
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071014005904im_/http://www.dsfanboy.com/media/2006/04/Down_Arrow.jpg)
3,439 (14.24%)
- PS3: 10,822
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071014005904im_/http://www.dsfanboy.com/media/2006/04/Down_Arrow.jpg)
2,283 (17.42%)
- PS2: 10,446
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071014005904im_/http://www.dsfanboy.com/media/2006/04/Down_Arrow.jpg)
2,534 (19.52%)
- Xbox 360: 1,547
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071014005904im_/http://www.dsfanboy.com/media/2006/04/Down_Arrow.jpg)
3,668 (70.34%)
- GBA SP: 195
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071014005904im_/http://www.dsfanboy.com/media/2006/04/Up_Arrow.jpg)
146 (297.96%)
- Gamecube: 109
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071014005904im_/http://www.dsfanboy.com/media/2006/04/Up_Arrow.jpg)
36 (49.32%)
- DS Phat: 90
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071014005904im_/http://www.dsfanboy.com/media/2006/04/Up_Arrow.jpg)
60 (200.00%)
- Game Boy Micro: 47
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071014005904im_/http://www.dsfanboy.com/media/2006/04/Down_Arrow.jpg)
182 (79.48%)
- GBA: 0
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071014005904im_/http://www.dsfanboy.com/media/2006/04/Down_Arrow.jpg)
41 (100.00%)
[Source:
Media Create]
See: Previous Japanese hardware sales charts by Christopher Grant Oct 12th 2007 3:34PM
Filed under: Culture, Nintendo Wii, Politics
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071014005904im_/http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/06/mahunt2.jpg)
Just in case there was any confusion as to whether or not the version of
Manhunt 2 The British Board Of Film Classification
recently decided was still not appropriate for UK audiences was the same as the retooled version the ESRB
granted an M-rating to, MCV reveals that – lo and behold – the two versions presented to the ratings bodies were, in fact, the same.
So, while the ESRB has agreed that the changes, notably the obscuration of some of the more violent animations, were enough to remove the AO-rating, the BBFC still found the game "had not gone far enough." The contradiction that the same ratings board has approved the release of violent films like
Hostel 2 is not lost on Rockstar. BBFC spokesperson Sue Clark told MCV, "If we were more tough on games than any other medium, don't you think we'd be banning far more titles?
Manhunt 2 is the second game we have rejected in 23 years. I'd hardly call that draconian."
Well Rockstar would. They're set to
appeal the BBFC's decision.
by Alexander Sliwinski Oct 12th 2007 10:00AM
Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Business
Mama always told us that if everyone else is jumping off a bridge we should do it too. And so we give you the "
news" that
retirement-bound Nintendo marketing VP George Harrision told Reuters that the
Wii is staying at $249. Harrison says that the Wii is still selling out everywhere and there's no need to drop the price at this point. The man is absolutely right.
Oh heck, while we're reporting the obvious: The PS3 is still too expensive (
hopefully not for long), Microsoft won't port
Halo 3 to PS3 -- ever, the PS3 will not be getting rid of
Blu-ray and the Wiimote eats batteries like a fat kid at a buffet. We're sure there's more obvious news we can stumble upon today, but we're pretty sure saying the Wii won't get a price drop is definitely in the top three.
by Zack Stern Oct 12th 2007 4:15AM
Filed under: Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo Wii, Fighting, Online, Peripherals, Galleries
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071014005904im_/http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/10/smash_bros_brawl_white225.jpg)
Hello, I'm Zack, and I had never played
Smash Bros. until today. I don't know if that should be a confession or proclamation. Let it be both. Let the flaming begin.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl felt frenetic. To me, it seemed like too much was happening on-screen to play with precision. But apparently people wring
ever moment of control out of this fast-paced game. Just not the first time they play.
In my games,
Brawl always had a lot going on. A power-up poured out 2D sprites lifted directly from
Advance Wars. Another caused a Nintendog to briefly
paw playfully at the screen, for no reason other than to annoy us. I just laughed at the puppy as I was knocked off the platform to my loss.
I like my fighting games with more of an immediate sense of cause-and-effect and without this power-up focus. But I could see the appeal of
Brawl. It had so much happening that I was always entertained. And the sense of humor and strangeness -- Mario versus Sonic in a fighting game -- also hooked me.
Continue reading Joystiq hands-on: Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
by Ross Miller Oct 12th 2007 1:00AM
Filed under: Culture, Nintendo Wii, Video
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20071014005904im_/http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/10/wii-console-cake-225.jpg)
"Everything inside is eatable, I mean edible, I mean you can eat everything." - Gene Wilder,
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
Designer cake maker Brian Walak put his talents to good use (not to marginalize his other,
impressive work, but we can't exactly cover non-gaming culinary art) and made a cake modeled after a Wii, complete with remote (but no sensor bar in sight).
Wired's Chris Kohler has
posted some advice from Walak for budding chefs who want to make their own Wii cake. Walak's creation got him on the Martha Stewart show to discuss the game console and his pastry. Video embedded after the break.
Continue reading Today's most edible DIY video: making a Wii cake
by Zack Stern Oct 11th 2007 10:15PM
Filed under: Culture, Hacks, Nintendo Wii, Galleries
Just in time for the winter, Nintendo has offered a
free Wiimote Jacket to keep its controllers cozy. And by "cozy," we mean, "potential-lawsuit free." All of the demo controllers at Nintendo's "Fall Media Summit" had been fitted with the silicon sock. In my use, the extra layer added bulk, but the result felt about the same as -- and occasionally better than -- an unprotected controller.
The sleeve attaches tightly to the sides of the Wii Remote, only adding a few millimeters around the waist. More thickness at the bottom -- perhaps for pounding in that annoying straighten-the-papers
WarioWare game -- adds about another centimeter of girth.
But the bulb-shaped top is significantly bigger than the naked Wiimote. Its spongy feel should absorb a lot of energy; I could imagine unintentionally hitting a table or younger sibling without causing injury. I was concerned that the bigger shape would ruin horizontal, NES-style games, but I ended up liking it a little more than the plain Wiimote. My left hand has always felt cramped next to the D-pad, and the Jacket gives it more to hold.
The Jacket also includes a port cover for use without the Nunchuk. I was mildly annoyed by moving the flap to plug in attachments, but gamers could cut that part off of their own Jackets. (See the gallery for a closer view.)
We've shrugged at Nintendo's
18-million dollar move seemingly to preempt American lawsuits. But even minimalist-preferring adult gamers may like the cover's extra size.
by Alexander Sliwinski Oct 11th 2007 8:00PM
Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Action
Granted, some might say there's a lot of -- oh, what's the polite term being used -- "
shovelware" coming to the Wii. Evidenced today by the
mega-list released by Nintendo, but there's a game that even got the guys over at Wii Fanboy
a little skeeved:
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 was a great game ... in
2005. As Wii Fanboy puts it, other than giving it motion controls, "what other improvements could Ubisoft hope to make to the title to validate it on the Wii?"
An
extreme possibility is Wi-Fi play, as multiplayer was a component of the original game. Mostly though,
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 gives the haters more ammunition that the Wii is a great repository for old games "now with waggle." Nintendo should definitely
attempt to craft good relationships with third-party developers and not continue down this path of "
Nintendo is all about first party," but it's hard to see how allowing three year old games to make a second run with added Wiimote support is helping. It's still early enough in the Wii's life for this to be minimal, but third-party ports of old games will hopefully not be on the
Wii justification list in 2008.
[Via
WiiFanboy]
by Scott Jon Siegel Oct 11th 2007 7:29PM
Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Driving, Online
Amidst all the
Sonic celebration and
delay debacle, we seemed to have a missed a crucial bit of info regarding Nintendo's other multiplayer prodigy. As 1UP
graciously points out, Satoru Iwata made the formal announcement at Nintendo's Japanese press conference that
Mario Kart Wii will support up to 12 players in an online race, making it the largest
Mario Kart yet, and the biggest multiplayer effort on Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection so far.
According to 1UP, Iwata also stated that
Nintendo would attempt to streamline the matchmaking process in
Mario Kart Wii. We'll go ahead and put in a "second" for that "no friend codes" request, futile though it may seem.
by Ludwig Kietzmann Oct 11th 2007 4:36PM
Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Business
Monolithic publisher
EA has today
announced an agreement with Elevation Partners to purchase VG Holding Corp. -- a move which sees EA becoming the owner of both BioWare Corp. and Pandemic Studios. A shocking move to be certain, but one that should make complete sense to a publisher looking to strengthen its lineup of role-playing games and action titles.
BioWare, currently finishing development on November's Microsoft-published
Mass Effect, has proven itself to be one of the leading developers in the genre, and Pandemic Studios'
Mercenaries franchise has shown an alarming propensity for blowing things up.
Closing January 2008, the purchase will cost EA up to $620 million in cash payment to the stockholders of VG Holding Corp., with another $155 million in equity going to "certain employees" of VG Holding Corp., "subject to time-based or performance-based vesting criteria." EA has also agreed to lend VG Holding Corp $35 million through the closing of the purchase. Ray Muzyka, Co-founder and CEO of BioWare Corp, thinks it's all money well spent. "This vision is consistent with BioWare's focus on crafting the highest quality story-driven games in the world," he says. "It will enable us to further the careers of the passionate, creative and hard working teams at BioWare Edmonton and BioWare Austin."
EA will hold a conference call later today to discuss the acquisition. Oh, and here are all the exclamation marks we wanted to put in the headline: !!!!!!!!!!
by Justin McElroy Oct 11th 2007 3:59PM
Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action
After the
Bungie/Microsoft split debacle, we're not going to discount anything out of hand, which is why we're bringing you this news of a rumored
Prince of Persia prequel trilogy first reported by a blog called, and we're not making this up, "Surfer Girl Reviews Star Wars."
According to the site, which has displayed a couple of early images from the alleged game,
Prince of Persia 4/0/Ghosts of the Past is supposed to be released in the latter half of next year. According to the author, "stylistically and gameplay-wise, the game has abandoned the dark edginess of the last two titles in favor a fantastical cross between
The Sands of Time,
Ico and
Zelda." ... Wow. Now we really hope it's true.
[Via
Gamespot]
by James Ransom-Wiley Oct 11th 2007 3:34PM
Filed under: Nintendo DS, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo Wii, Business
George did it. And so did
Beth. Now, as
forecast, it's Perrin's turn. Nintendo Vice President of Marketing
Perrin Kaplan has announced her retirement from the company after 15 years of service.
Kaplan did not give an explicit reason for her departure, saying only, "I finally will be leaving Nintendo at the end of the year. Until then, I am focused on getting a great transition team in place and handling all of my normal responsibilities as well." It had been speculated that the marketing exec trio -- now all officially on course to retire -- would leave Nintendo after
plans to relocate the company's PR headquarters from Washington to San Francisco and New York were revealed in May. But this theory remains
pure speculation. Think about it: there are plenty of other circumstances that could have prompted Kaplan's resignation ... well, actually, we can only think of
one.
by Christopher Grant Oct 11th 2007 2:34PM
Filed under: Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii
Did
someone say something about a lack of third-party support? Nintendo is eager to dispell that notion – or perhaps they simply feel bad about
delaying Smash Bros. Brawl – but, regardless, they've released an enormous list of games coming to the Wii and DS platforms. Nintendo's George Harrison (is he
still working there?) crowed, "Because of Wii and Nintendo DS momentum, third-party publishers are supporting our systems like never before." We don't know how much we'd brag about a history of poor third-party support but the list – conveniently
contained after the break – shows off many of the releases planned through early 2008.
Notable inclusions: The long-rumored
Assassin's Creed for Nintendo DS, the Japanese imports
Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day and
Master of Illusion, and the soon-to-be-blockbuster Elf Bowling (Collector's Edition no less). Alright, so this is a really big list, so let's use the power of numbers to defeat it! Anything really important we're missing?
Continue reading Nintendo flaunts mega-sized Wii and DS release list
by Scott Jon Siegel Oct 11th 2007 12:55PM
Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Business
With
shortages possibly running into early 2008, it would appear that the Wii is a clear-cut success in the current generation of consoles. So why are software companies so nervous to develop games for Nintendo's white wonder?
IGN
reports on a recent article from
The Nikkei Business Daily. After speaking to a number of software houses on the future of the Wii,
The Business Daily reveals that several developers, preferring to stay anonymous, expressed concerns over the longevity of the system, and were hesitant to develop games in the event of the Wii's popularity dropping suddenly.
Several houses perceive the motion-sensing
Wii as a fad, and believe its success to be ending shortly. This could possibly be in response to the Wii's sales in Japan, which
The Nikkei Business Daily reports are at their lowest point since late last year. Several developers also blamed
Nintendo for their hesitancy, claiming that the company puts third-party developers at a disadvantage while ensuring the success of first-party titles. It remains to be seen if any of this Wii fear is justifiable, although a lack of third-party confidence is never a good sign for a console manufacturer.
by Ross Miller Oct 11th 2007 12:24PM
Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Action, Fighting
At a media summit this morning in San Francisco, Nintendo of America's George Harrison (via
MTV Multiplayer) has confirmed that the US version of
Smash Bros. Brawl will follow in
its Japanese brethren's footsteps and be delayed until February 10, 2008
. The loss of this future bestseller during the holiday season will definitely sadden some fans (and Nintendo's profit margin), but then again
Mario Galaxy is also coming in November (so far as we know) and it was always uncharacteristic of Nintendo to space AAA-title releases so close together.
No word yet on a delay for PAL territories, though we suspect a similar fate.
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