To clarify, we’re talking about Super Mario Kart, the one from the SNES era, Pilotwings, again, the SNES version, and, much to my personal delight, the Nintendo 64 Smash Bros.

According to the report, Mario Kart will release this Monday and the other two at the cryptic “sometime this holiday season” timeframe.

I feel the only appropriate statement to be issued here is “It’s about freakin’ time!” But really, I’ll never be satisfied, as Goldeneye will likely never show up.

Source: GameSpot via Kotaku + Joystiq

A survey of over 1,000 random wishes, conducted by online gift-giving site Lottay, found that, for both dudes and ladies, the Wii topped the list of most popular holiday wishes.

Can’t say we’re too surprised about that. Now at $199, and with a helluva strong software lineup available today, we’d expecting nothing less, but we are a tad surprised by what Lottay also found.

According to their survey:

· The Wii is wished for twice as much as Sony and Xbox 360 combined.

· Top wished for consoles, in order of popularity: Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation 3, Xbox 360.

· People are also wishing for more Wii accessories and games than for other consoles.

· The most wished for game that appeared along with a Wii console is Super Smash Bros.

· The hottest new game is Left for Dead 2.

· The most popular accessory is the Wii Fit.

· Top product wishes are the Nintendo Wii, Wii games and accessories.

· Top wishes for men include the Nintendo Wii, cash as a gift, travel, love and sky diving (tied), iPod, and a car.

· Top wishes for women include the Nintendo Wii, travel and vacations, cash as a gift, massage, iPod, and boots.

PlayStation 3 more wished for than Xbox 360. Now that’s interesting.

What do you make of this list? Reasonable? Not so much? Jackie?

Speaking with Popular Mechanics, Shigeru Miyamoto, the creative force behind many Nintendo games, said motion control will likely return in the Wii 2, and teased a lower price-point and physical size of the controllers.

“With both the Wii remote itself and Wii Motion Plus, what we’ve been able to do is introduce an interface that is both I think appealing and at the right price for a broad audience,” said Miyamoto. “And while we don’t have any concrete plans for what we’ll be doing with hardware in the future, what I can say is that, my guess is that because we found this interface to be so interesting, I think it would be likely that we would try to make that same functionality perhaps more compact and perhaps even more cost-efficient.”

Miyamoto also spoke about the lack of HD graphics on the current Wii system and if the next console would feature greater graphical fidelity.

“What I don’t think is particularly true is that the graphics make the game,” he said. “We’re still going to focus on the gameplay. We’ll take advantage of the technology as it comes out, but right now, this is what we offer.”

Nintendo started the motion-control gaming revolution with the Wii, so it would make sense that they’d continue that effort in the next version, but, and it’s a huge but, this is Nintendo we’re talking about, so your guess, or the guess of my ten-year-old sister, is just as valid.

What do you want in a “Wii 2″?

Source: IGN

As is a growing trend, Martinet made the following announcement via micro-blog site Twitter.

“Awesome new Mario Game! And it’s not NSMB Wii, and it’s not Galaxy 2, but it’s going to be crazy fun!”

This revelation is nice, yes, but if Nintendo wasn’t working on a new Mario title, well, that’d be a hot bit of news!

If you’re unfamiliar with the “man with the incredible job,” check out this Youtube video of him explaining how it all started. It’s truly incredible.

Source: Kotaku

Between friends’ houses and arcades, I played everything growing up, but what I had at my house was different. I owned an NES, but a Genesis instead of SNES. I owned a Dreamcast and a PlayStation but an Xbox instead of PlayStation 2. Now I focus on PlayStation 3 instead of 360, but occasionally play Wii.

Though I admit I mostly play Wii for Virtual Console lately. And I recently bought the retro video game player on Think Geek.

And all along, I always loved PC games. It was a victory to figure out the perfect Autoexec.bat and Config.sys file so that I could get most of the games to run on my old 486SX PC that ran Windows 3.1 – it came with 4MB of RAM, but we upgraded it to a whopping 8MB and added a CD-ROM drive.

One thing I did miss out on: I didn’t play the Final Fantasy series growing up.

There have been some amazing games made lately, but nothing has ever sucked me into a virtual world like some of the games I played when I was young. Even with the realistic sounds and graphics of today’s games, it was the nuances of childhood games that stuck.

Here is my list of the 10 games I played the most.

10. The “Strike” franchise (Genesis)

Jungle Strike, Urban Strike and Desert Strike. Three buttons, three weapons. You move, shoot, reload and hope for an armor crate eventually.

The games are the purest example of simplicity. There’s some story mixed in, but really these are arcade games. They’re fun, challenging, addictive, and satisfying.

9. Contra (Genesis)

Up up, down down, left right, left right, B-A-B-A, Start. That got you 30 lives, instead of the impossible three that you started with.

Though, I beat the game on 4 lives on the Think Geek retro player recently. It’s like riding a bike. Just get that first “Spread” weapon and never lose it.

Contra is a shooting-based platformer with sequels that range from impossibly difficult to absurdly bad. But the original stands as one of the best games ever made, and it was one of the first multiplayer action games that felt rewarding enough to repeat.

Because everyone wants to relive that ride home in a helicopter.

8. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)

Do I really need to explain much here? The platformer genre never got any better after this. The Mario Bros. were in their golden age here.

Mushroom houses, whistles, hammer brothers, sand, water, fire and floating gunships combine to send you on a trip you’ll not soon forget.

This was also a big game to hit with Game Genie codes, especially in — I think it was — World 4 with all the sky levels.

7. Shining Force II (Genesis)

Shining Force will make the list twice. Remember, this is a list of games I dedicated the most time to. Shining Force II was a lot harder than the original Shining Force. It wasn’t as intuitive, and though I played the original a lot more often, it was the sequel that eluded me for a long time, especially after the Sega Channel dropped the game from its list.

For the longest time, I couldn’t get past a certain point where I had to interact with a hollow oak tree to obtain an ancient caravan that would let me progress further in the game. It was a shock when I finally figured it out.

6. Fighters Anthology (PC/DOS)

The entire PC combat flight simulation genre came to an apex here. Jane’s and Electronic Arts had success with both Navy Fighters and Advanced Tactical Fighter. So when they combined the games into one title and added several more campaigns, the result was a three-inch thick box with an (unnecessary) novel-sized manual and two CD-ROMs.

The game was sick. You could spend days flying around Vietnam, Russia, Ukraine, China and even Cuba. You career spanned some 50 years, from F-4’s in Nam to F-14s in a 1998 Russian invasion of Ukraine to F-22’s and X-31’s in Egypt in the early 21st century.

The game also had a rich following from third parties who developed an assortment of modifications, including new plans, weapons, buildings and even nukes.

5. Shining Force (Genesis)

This game, too, disappeared from Sega Channel. It disappeared before I could beat it. Years later, I would trade in some then worthless Dreamcast games for the Shining Force cartridge.

It was actually emotional to beat this game. The strategy, the sacrifice. The game told a story and forced the imagination into overdrive.

4. Doom and Doom 2(PC/DOS)

I still play these next four games whenever I can. Doom started it all for me. It was the first game I ever installed from a CD-ROM.

I played the shareware first episode of Doom for months. It was only nine levels (I forget if the bonus level was in the shareware), but there was something about shooting imps and shotgun-toting former human sergeants that’s still addicting.

We didn’t get The Ultimate Doom, which included the three original Doom episodes and a fourth called “Thy Flesh Consumed,” until years after we bought Doom 2.

Enter Doom 2. Now there’s 32 levels.

The levels were better, the enemies were more plentiful and there were two new weapons. I’d brag — I have gone through the entire game without cheats on Nightmare. I probably can’t do it anymore.

The only way we ever improved on Doom 2 was by playing Doom 2 for Windows 95 over our home network, without lag.

Be thankful kids, Doom’s deathmatch paved a blood-stained road that leads right to your Slayer matches in Halo 3.

3. Phantasy Star IV

There’s a healthy mix of action and RPG in this mix of games, but nothing (except maybe the next title) can possibly match the depth I found in Phantasy Star IV.

Not only was the game a graphical wonder with depth of character development and attack technique, but it was a wicked long game to beat. The game goes on forever, and you can’t just skip through it. You have to fight every battle and gain every character level to even have a chance at taking on the final boss.

Phantasy Star IV is also in this sort of cyberpunk post-modern fantasy world with remnants of ancient, advanced technology despite the primitive, agrarian lifestyle of the characters. That makes more sense if you played Phantasy Star I-III, but the fourth installment was the best.

It was such a perfectly made game. It was stylized but not over the top. It had dialog you could understand. It had character development. I dare you not to shed a tear when Alys dies.

2. Shadowrun (Genesis)

Karma is something you earn.

I still wish there was a 16-bit sequel to Shadowrun. I didn’t like the popular SNES Shadowrun RPG. It was the totally different Genesis game that owned me.

It’s all about depth. Character development, conversations and interactions, weapons, magic, guns, computers, dragons, elves, trolls and evil mega corporations in 21st century Seattle result in one of my favorite games and #2 on my most played list. You could even ignore the plot and become a mercenary or freelance computer hacker.

This was Shadowrun. There was as much reading as there was shooting. Don’t even talk to me about the newer Xbox 360/PC game that happens to be called Shadowrun. It’s a disgrace. It’s pitiful. It’s sacrilegious.

1. Tie Fighter Collector’s Edition (PC/DOS)

The hair on the back of my neck stood up and a fight or flight response triggered the first time Admiral Harkov betrayed me to die in a Rebel minefield while flying Tie Interceptor Alpha 1.

I was doomed. The Victory Class Star Destroyer Protector was firing on me and a Rebel cruiser dropped out of hyperspace to back up the traitors. I, a loyal Imperial naval aviator, was singled out for a creative extermination.

Then the cavalry came. The Modified Frigate Osprey, carrying shielded Tie Interceptors from Theta group arrived to pick me up from the clutches of certain death.

I was born after the original Star Wars trilogy and way before Episodes I-III. I didn’t read the books growing up. It was this game, which still ranks as one of the best computer games ever released, that gave me my Star Wars education and left me rooting for the Empire from then onward.

Tie Fighter Collector’s CD puts you in the cockpit of the Empire and immerses the player in a world of intrigue, open war and piracy. The full voice acting (one of the first games to do it) and sound effects are forever burned into my mind. And when the throngs of dementia take me later in life and I end up spouting off “Die Rebel Scum” and “Peace between the Dimok and Ripoblus!” in my nursing home, you’ll know why.

Wii Fit Plus is an extension of Wii Fit, meant as an upgrade to replace the original. The question here is whether those who have already purchased Wii Fit can find anything worthwhile in this version, or if there is now enough included to bring in some of the skeptics from the past.

The short answer: Wii Fit Plus is a better exercise tool than the original, and a better game. There’s more emphasis on the game portion this time around, with 15 new activities–many of which are mini-games exclusive to Wii Fit Plus–and more attention paid to multiplayer and competition. Sure, they aren’t the most strenuous exercises around, but the key thing with them is that you have fun while you’re exercising–anything that keeps you from noticing you’re doing something healthy is good by me. Think of Wii Fit Plus as a Fitness Ninja that gets the job done without you ever noticing while it’s happening.

The new games are meant as a fun diversion though, and not as a replacement for strength training and aerobics–don’t expect to lose weight by replaying Rhythm Kung Fu or golf over and over again, even if they are fun and working modes. There are plenty of other enhancements to Wii Fit Plus that make it a better workout tool. It’s more family oriented now–you can weigh your pets and babies if you want, which is fun in its own way even if it isn’t necessary. There’s a calorie counter, which tracks how many calories you have burned during your workout. This is done by using METS (metabolic equivalent of task) which basically measures the amount of time you work out by the METS number for said workout to give you an idea of what you’ve accomplished. To give the calories some context, you can also compare the total to different food items within Wii Fit Plus, or pick a food item equivalent worth of calories you plan to burn each day. Have a need for a soft serve ice cream every day, but don’t want to put on extra weight? Make that your workout goal and burn those roughly 200 calories. This also serves as a wonderful reminder of how awful fast food can be for you–see how willing you are to shove two cheeseburgers from your favorite drive thru into you after you see that it will take you half a day of exercise to work it all off.

Have a certain area you want to work on? Maybe you have a schedule of workouts you want to rotate if you use Wii Fit Plus all the time? Thankfully, you can now create custom routines or use ones that the game has in mind for you, rather than just mindlessly choosing exercises and programs like in the original. This is something I enjoyed, as I don’t mind doing the aerobic exercises daily, but like to switch up yoga and strength training so I don’t overdo it. This is also good for those of us who may not want to use the mini-games very often, but prefer using this for a legitimate workout tool.

I’m not a fan of the Wii Fit Age setup. It worked well for Brain Age, but when you just do a few of these per day and at random–and I, like many others, probably do this early in the morning when their body is awake but their brain is still napping–the results are going to be negatively skewed. I already have tools to measure my brain’s age, so let’s stick with how my body is doing in the future instead of linking them up. Thankfully, you can always skip these and just get your updated weight and progress.

For those of you who do not work out everyday, you can install the Wii Fit Channel on to your Wii Menu, and check your daily weight from there. This is also nice since you don’t have to switch discs a bunch of times if you want to play a game right after your workout. With SD card support, you also have no excuse to not have room for the channel.

Another issue with Wii Fit Plus is that it uses BMI still. The weights it estimates for many users, including myself, are not always as healthy as the game thinks they are thanks to BMI. I’ve been at the weight the game suggests before, and it’s a good 5-7 pounds below my own personal comfort level. That being said, you can make the mental adjustment–like I just said, I know I should be about 5-7 pounds above what Wii Fit told me–and still appreciate the software for what it does right rather than focusing on what it doesn’t do.

If you already own Wii Fit and have a Balance Board, Nintendo has not forgotten about you. Wii Fit Plus is available in standalone form for $20, which is a great deal considering that it is the superior software and has loads more to do than the original.If you are sans Balance Board, you can pick this up for $100, $10 more than the original. I’m not pleased with that price increase, but it’s also much less expensive than workout equipment or a gym membership, as previously stated, and worth the money.

Blast Factor: Wii Fit has shown itself to be much more than a passing fad, and it now has an updated version that fixes many of the original’s issues. The calorie counter, the food comparisons, the customizable workouts, and the emphasis on making this more of a game help the Plus version of Wii Fit stay true to its name. If you already own Wii Fit, you should pick this updated version up, and if you haven’t jumped in yet but need an excuse to get off the couch, then Wii Fit Plus is the answer for you as well.

Wii Fit Plus is available exclusively for the Nintendo Wii, and retails for $19.99 by itself and for $99.99 with a Balance Board peripheral. A copy of this game was given to us by the publisher for review purposes.

As gamers, we know Albano from his portrayal of Mario on the “Super Mario Bros. Super Show!,” which aired only one season 20 years ago in 1989.

But he was also a noted WWE Wrestling manager, with over 50 clients to his name, and he also appeared in Cyndi Lauper music videos, including “Girls Just Want To Have Fun”, “She Bop”, “Time After Time” and “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough.”

Mr. Albano suffered a heart attack in 2005 and his health dwindled since then. He passed away today at home with his family.

Source: Kotaku

A new bundle, also announced today, includes a MotionPlus accessory and the newly black Remote for $50, a savings of $10 if purchased separately.

“The Wii Remote revolutionized not only how people play games, but also who plays them,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “The new color lets people customize their setup, and the controllers make great stocking stuffers for players of any age.”

A black Nunchuck will also become available November 16 for $20.

Too bad I already have an entire set of controllers for my Wii, otherwise I’d be all over these new goods. Now, can we get a black Wii system already?

Speaking with the Financial Times, the Reginator said: “The consumer response has been very strong to the price reduction.”

The Nintendo President said he couldn’t reveal hard sales data, but did confirm the Wii’s drop in price was part of a company-wide strategy to get the Wii into more homes this Holiday season.

“There are literally millions of consumers out there who want a Wii and had been on the sidelines,” he explained.

“They’d been waiting for that little nudge to go out and pick it up – the price decline, the sampling, the launching of key software like Wii Fit Plus – we believe it’s what’s pushing them over the edge to get into the category.”

Additionally, Fils-Aime added that third-party publishers will release 140 titles on the Wii over the next three months. Wow.

Source: IGN

Final Fantasy, the original NES title from Square Enix, hit the Virtual Console this morning. Priced at 500 Wii Points and an undefinable nostalgic value, this one will likely fly off the digital shelves of the Wii Shop.

Falling in the shadows of Final Fantasy are  Thorium Wars (1,000 DSi Points) on DSiWare. This first and third-person shooter for the portable comes from developer Big John Games and pits you against waves of attacking Thorians.

Additionally, Word Searcher (500 Wii Points) on WiiWare comes from game-maker Digital Leisures, and is pretty much what it sounds like. A word search game with 100 themed puzzles for your continued enjoyment. Personally, I’ve always despised word searches. We had timed contests in elementary school and I like to take my time. Needless to say, it didn’t go well.

Have a look at the official game descriptions below, courtesy of Nintendo.

FINAL FANTASY
Original platform: NES
Publisher: SQUARE ENIX
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 500 Wii Pointsâ„¢
Description: The world lies shrouded in darkness. The winds die. The sea rages. The earth decays. But the people believe in a prophecy, patiently awaiting its fulfillment. “When darkness veils the earth, four Warriors of Light shall come….” After a long journey, four young travelers did at last appear, and in the hand of each was clutched a crystal.

Nintendo DSiWare

Thorium Wars
Publisher: Big John Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Fantasy Violence
Price: 1,000 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: In Thorium Wars, you must stop the Thorions, a super species of Thorium-based machines, from destroying mankind. Blast through waves of Thorions by controlling an arsenal of tanks, skyfighters, hovercrafts, gunboats and starfighters with either the standard or touch-screen controls. In 12 exciting missions, navigate through a variety of combat environments while viewing 360 degrees of the battlefield, fully rendered in 3-D. Toggle between first- and third-person views to destroy the terrifying army of Thorium beasts, from swarms of Redeye Drones to the bone-crushing Manticore Walker. This man-versus-machine battle proves to be the ultimate test for the survival of the fittest.

WiiWare

Word Searcher
Publisher: Digital Leisure Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: You’ll need a sharp eye and a quick mind to complete 100 themed word-search puzzles. Word Searcher contains fun words from multiple categories including anatomy, world cities and U.S. presidents. With a huge assortment of subjects to choose from, there’s sure to be a puzzle for everyone to enjoy. Help improve your vocabulary, memory and problem-solving skills with these engaging puzzles. Track and try to beat your own play-through times again and again-words are scrambled every time you play.

Officially dubbed, the “Super Guide” and shown to Kotaku in “New Super Mario Bros Wii,” the feature allows gamers who become frustrated with the level of difficulty in the side-scroller, or who simply become uninterested, to let the game play itself.

When activated, the Wii will run through the entire level, traversing its colorful environment and content, without forcing you to touch a single button. But, as you’d expect, a simple press of the A button and you’re back in action, fully controlling your character.

So far the feature has only been announced for the one game, but that likely won’t remain the same, especially if it’s warmly received.

Missed our hands-on coverage of New Super Mario Bros. Wii from PAX? No problem, check it out right over here. And look for the game this November exclusively for Wii.

According to IGN, who broke the story, the mini-game is titled Kamenin Merchant, and has players team up in groups of four to explore randomly generated dungeons. Additionally any item you earn in the mini-game can be transferred back into Graces to unlock goodies. And on top of that, the further you progress in Graces, the more levels you’ll earn for the mini-game.

The mini-game will work with both the DS and the DSi and you’ll be able to save your progress by transferring back to Graces, and saving there.

Additionally, Namco Bandai is planning to release Kamenin Merchant by itself through DSiWare, though details are currently vague.

Tales of Graces is due out in Japan in December, with no current North American release frame, but, enjoy these screens of the mini-game and a new character, Prince Richard.

In You, Me and the Cubes, you throw Fallos–men and women that you create in pairs by shaking the Wii Remote up and down once–onto cubes that are on the screen. It’s an easy process, too: simply point the IR at the two areas you want a Fallos to land on, press A to confirm, then flick the Wii Remote. You won’t fling them harder or softer based on your motion, so you don’t need to overdo it either, which is nice. Flinging Fallos onto a cube sounds easy though, and it is; the challenge comes from throwing them into places that will not upset the natural balance of the cube or cubes. If you succeed at this, the Fallos will stand there triumphantly for a time and the cubes will not move, but if you throw them into a place that upsets this balance, the cubes will shift accordingly, and your Fallos may fall.

There’s a little more personality and even humanity in these Fallos that make you want to do this right. First of all, they scream as they plunge to their death below if they fall off of a cube. Second, if there are two Fallos on a cube, and one begins to falter or is slipping off of the edge, the other Fallos will do their best to save them, lifting them back on to the cube. These Fallos have their own AI that you will see on display, but that AI makes them look like compassionate creatures that are trying to survive your flinging. It gives this puzzle game a bit more character and personality, and maybe even a little bit of a gamer conscience.

There are six stages, each with six levels, and each of those levels has six cubes that you must complete, one at a time. The first section will have one cube, the second two, and so on. You will need to place a certain number of Fallos on the structure for each section, and also at least one Fallos per cube, which gets tougher as you add cubes given the shapes created by the merging. There are also different types of cubes, such as the Freezing Cube, which freezes the entire structure when hit and keeps the balance of the cubes where it is, which is a big help to the next batch of Fallos if you can move quickly enough.

The game is also very difficult. While you may breeze through the first set of stages no problem, mastering them is another story, as the game keeps track of how many Fallos survived each round–if the Fallos is off-balance when you complete a round, they fall off as the next cube is added, deducting from your overall score despite your advancement. You will also start to have trouble when you create Pale Fallos in your Wii Remote; you’re basically throwing a playful imp onto the screen, one that likes to bully your other Fallos and push them off of ledges, though no worries, you can do away with Pale Fallos once they land as well by tossing another Fallos onto their head, which also adds 10 seconds to your timer.

That’s You, Me and the Cubes gameplay in a nutshell, but there is also a two-player mode that is markedly different. You have the same basic gameplay structure, except now instead of you tossing out two Fallos, you throw one while player two flings the other. You can synchronize your throws so that you both land your Fallos at the same time, which is a skill you will need to work on when playing multiplayer. If you pull off this synchronized toss, the two Fallos will not slip or fall for a short period of time, which will allow you to throw more Fallos before the cube’s balance becomes a problem.

That’s helpful, but it isn’t why you need the skill. You need it to repel the enemies found in the multiplayer mode. Shade Fallos appear when one of your Fallos falls off of the cubes, and they are very heavy, enough that they disrupt the balance of your cubes and start sending other Fallos falling to their doom. You can lock him in place with the A button just like the Pale Fallos–except this time as a team–then synchronize your flinging in order to take the Shade down. These additions make multiplayer the preferred mode, and gives this game loads of replayability.

Blast Factor: You, Me and the Cubes is a fascinating puzzler, given its physics-based gameplay and its very human puzzle “pieces”, the Fallos. The single-player alone would have made this a fun title, but the addition of multiplayer that forces you to work in concert in order to advance makes this one of the better WiiWare releases from 2009. If you’re into puzzle titles and quirkiness, then You, Me and the Cubes is a great place to invest your $10.

You, Me and the Cubes is exclusive to Nintendo Wii’s WiiWare services, and is available for 1000 Nintendo Points.

Today at retailers everywhere you can snag the same bundle you did yesterday, with the same contents, but for $50 cheaper.

In the box you’ll find a Wii system, a copy of Wii Sports, a Nunchuck, and a Wii Remote, all for the new and lower suggested retail price.

If you’re still on the fence, even with the lower price tag, look for our Holiday 2009 Buying Guide soon. It’s here that we’ll compile a list of our favorite/the highest rated games for the Wii for you to enjoy. We hope it’ll help ease the pain of shopping and allow you to return home feeling great about your software purchases.

The new price point, as speculated, will be $199 and will still contain Wii Sports, a nunchuck, and a Wii Remote and of course the system.

Additionally, Nintendo dated their newest Mario project, New Super Mario Bros Wii for a November 15 release. Missed our hands-on coverage? Check them out here.

And if you loved Wii Fit, the Japanese game-maker revealed an October 4 release date for Wii Fit Plus, a $20 sequel to the uber-popular original.

Sure, both Square Enix and Intelligent Systems utilized a playable Bowser at one point, but not to the extent that Bowser’s Inside Story does. You control Bowser for at least half of the adventure, if not more, and when you control the Bros., they are, more often than not, inside of Bowser, and performing tasks with the sole purpose of powering Bowser up so he can continue along his merry, destructive way. He’s the focus, and there are very few moments in the game where this is not the case. For all intents and purposes, this is the first time Bowser has been given the hero treatment, which is nice to see considering he’s been there since the beginning.

The inclusion of Bowser also means that the main problem plaguing AlphaDream’s last Mario & Luigi game, Partners in Time, is no longer a concern. While Partners in Time was a wonderful game, it felt like an extension of the Game Boy Advance original, except now with four characters to control instead of two. Many of the moves were the same and puzzles were solved in much the same manner. Bowser is a hulking Koopa though, and his placement in the game means this feels as fresh as the original: he shoots fire, he punches through rocks, he can roll around in a spiked ball, and he can body slam switches and cracked floors beneath him to open up new pathways.

Bowser’s also very different in battle,  as his moves are designed to overpower and out-muscle the opposition–remember, he’s as big or bigger than most of your enemies, unlike Mario & Luigi. There are certain baddies that Bowser doesn’t even have to fight, he can just stampede over on the world map, whereas the Bros. would have to fight them. His special moves are stylus based as well, something else lacking from Partners in Time. These are all involving his minions, which you will find scattered throughout the game world in cages. For the Goombas, you’ll have to tap them as they run across the screen so you can set them on fire and then can headbutt the opposition while en fuego. For the Koopas, it’s like a game of Bowser Pong, as you move your Bowser paddle (Bowser in a spinning shell form) up and down with the stylus to knock Koopa shells into the enemies repeatedly. They are all fun and use the stylus in smart ways, and you will use them often, to your advantage in battle, because of it.

The Bros. also have some new gameplay elements to talk about, inside and outside of battle. Traversing Bowser is done in 2D rather than the series’ traditional overhead view. You now no longer have to buy items to use special attacks, but you can instead learn them by finding Attack Pieces scattered through different sections of Bowser and the overworld. These attacks range from things you are used to, like the Green Shell attack, to brand new attacks like the Jump Helmet, the Snack Basket, and my personal favorite, an attack that lets you slam an item-filled meteor into enemies repeatedly. While these do not use the stylus, they are a huge improvement over the special attacks in Partners in Time, as they are more varied, more impressive visually, and more satisfying to use. The fact that they are now tied to skill points rather than your wallet also makes it so you don’t have to worry about whether you can afford to “waste” a use now, or if it would be better utilized later.

I haven’t mentioned the story yet, but that’s not because it’s lacking. This is probably the most entertaining of the three titles, with the humorous dialogue you know and love from AlphaDream’s series cranked up to maximum with the return of Fawful. Bowser shows he’s not as dumb as many other Mario titles have shown him to be, and is funny while he proves that fact to you, Luigi is as helpless and humorous as always, and Fawful steals the show every time he shows up on screen. The game is loaded with Nintendo references, and every time you spot one it puts a smile on your face–even the ones that point at Wii Fit were written with tongue planted firmly in cheek.

As always, Mario & Luigi eschews many traditional RPG conventions, and pokes fun at them to boot. It never takes itself too seriously, and in many ways, the battle systems are more advanced than what you are used to in traditional, turn-based JRPGs thanks to the timed hits and defensive play. Why just cast a fire spell when you can breathe fire more effectively based on your button press timing? Why shouldn’t you be rewarded for hitting a button at the exact right time as your opponent strikes? AlphaDream makes sure that there is no attack or defense you cannot improve with the press of a button, and it keeps the battles interesting and you, the gamer, on your toes throughout the 20-25 hour adventure.

My favorite part about this title though, are the battles where Bowser grows to Godzilla-like proportions so he can battle gigantic enemies and mechanized buildings that stand in his way. These battles have you turning the DS into book form and using the stylus to punch and repel attacks, and your breath to blow fire. There are a few of these scattered throughout the story, and each one requires you to approach the situation differently. They are very Japanese in their style–it is a lot like a Godzilla battle after all–but they are a wonderful addition–trust me, you’ll be upset when you realize you’ve fought your last of these. Thankfully, the game isn’t over when you beat the final boss, as you can return to game world to continue leveling and collect items in order to unlock some surprises.

Blast Factor: If you liked either the original GBA title or the last DS entry, Partners in Time, you are going to love Bowser’s Inside Story. It’s the class of the series, and there’s one giant, spiked and shelled reason for that. AlphaDream finally made a DS RPG that feels like it belongs on the DS, and with the writing as witty and sharp as it is, it not only plays better than the others, but is also funnier to play, too. This is one of the better games in the DS’ entire library, and you are missing out if you don’t pick it up.

Plus, the big guy finally got a starring role, and he nailed the part.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story is available exclusively on the Nintendo DS and DSi systems, and retails for $34.99. Played through the story mode and explored the world post-game.

Praised today as the title that brought 4-player split-screen multiplayer mayhem to the forefront of the first-person-shooter genre, and arguably one of the best video games based on a film to date, this title will forever rest in the shadows according to Rare.

When addressing a reader question concerning Goldeneye’s return on Nintendo’s Virtual Console or the Xbox Live Arcade, Rare answered with a resounding “nope.”

“That was some time ago, my friend. Fate was against us that day. Destiny conspired to raise the hurdles even as we attempted to clear them, resulting in unpleasant groinal injury. I suspect we’re long past the stage where an agreement was on the cards, but you never know. Stranger things have happened… somewhere … probably.”

Sounds to us like past and present Bond license holders Nintendo, Microsoft, and Activision can’t agree on this one, and that’s a shame. Well, the door isn’t completely shut. But it looks like this is as close, and as awesome, as we’re going to get for now.

via Kotaku

A report in the Wall Street Journal today calls on  Heath Bell of the San Diego Padres as the man who saw his in-game avatar be judged obese and then did something about it.

In trimming his mini-me down, Bell lost 25 real-pounds and credits the game with increasing his general balance. Additionally, Bell is more than enjoying his best year in MLB to date with 37 saves placing among league leaders. [Editor's Note: I pick nits because of my baseball background, but this is his second-best season. Saves are not a credible measurement of value. However, Bell's succeeding at a high level after his peak, so kudos to Bell and his weight loss on that note. -Marc]

Head on over to the Wall Street Journal Online for the full story.

According to an anonymous tip sent to gaming blog Kotaku, that’s exactly what the Japanese game maker is planning.

A blurry ad scan from Toys ‘R Us shows the full Wii system, Wii Sports and all, selling for the new low rate of $199 starting September 27 when the new price is said to go in effect.

The answers to our questions will likely be answered in the coming weeks, what with the Tokyo Game Show and Kyoto Cross Media Experience 2009 going down by month’s end.

Welcome to the price-cut stage of this next-generation. Hope you’re enjoying the savings!

Aardman, a studio noted for their extreme diligence and craftmanship working on characters from the Wallace and Gromit series, will use the FlipNote Studio alone to craft their work.

The FlipNote Studio is a free-to-download DSiWare application that allows for flipbook style animation and sound to be brought to life all with the simple use of your handy stylus. Anyone who doesn’t already have the tool is missing out! It’s free, go download it!

Tim Ruffle of Aardman is creating the shorts and had this to say about the endeavor:

“I had a lot of fun making these.  Flipnote is so simple to use that it’s easy to make short, fun animations – but there’s a surprising amount of features there too, meaning you can make your creations more complex as your confidence grows. Budding animators will find this a great way to get creative!”

The episodes will release every week beginning September 16 through till Christmas on the FlipNote Hatena website. It’s basically the Youtube of FlipNote.

Still confused about FlipNote? This video should explain everything.

If you liked the first Professor Layton title (and the Curious Village) then you’re going to like the Diabolical Box as well. This game may actually be a bit better–the story is just as good, with maybe a bit more emphasis on it, and the puzzles are very well done. There are plenty of difficult puzzles that will force you to think, but they are not usually the main story ones–this means you can keep the game moving along at the desired pace without frustration, but you can also challenge yourself when the mood strikes. The fact that once again all of your missed puzzles end up in Granny Riddleton’s Shack, to be solved at your convenience, is a huge plus.

When you finish the story and have completed the puzzles you missed, the game doesn’t end. The story elements are all done with, but now Layton focuses more on its true nature. Picarats, which you earn for solving puzzles–you earn more of them for solving a puzzle with fewer tries–can be used to unlock bonus content. More puzzles for you, earned by completing puzzles? It’s a great feature that will keep you working on the main puzzle stories as well as searching out each and every last hidden puzzle in the title. These are not the only puzzles you can play once the game is over though. Once again, Level 5 and Nintendo are bringing you puzzles via the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection on both the DS and the DSi. This is a great treat for those who want to keep playing Layton even after the cartridge has been completed, and gives you a reason to hang on to the title.

As stated, the other parts of Layton are as impressive as the puzzles. The characters are well drawn, the NPCs have loads of personality, the voice acting is first-rate, the story is entertaining (even if you sometimes figure out plot points before Layton and his apprentice, Luke) and the animated cutscenes are entertaining enough that, while watching them, you understand exactly why a Professor Layton movie is in the works. As stated, this is what pushes Layton’s titles ahead of all of the other puzzle and brain teaser games on the market, and in the Diabolical Box, there’s a lot more of all of the above than there was in the Curious Village.

There are three long-term puzzles that you must solve in Diabolical Box as well, which can be found in your trunk. The first of these is a broken camera that you fix–solving certain puzzles nets you pieces of the broken camera, which you then put together inside the hollowed out shell. Since you are building a camera from scratch, you have to figure out where each piece goes through trial and error, as well as by using logic. It’s fun, especially when you pick up more pieces and realize you may have been off in your earlier predictions for piece placement. The second of these is the fat hamster; you need to get him into shape on a chess board like area. You earn items that the hamster can sense from three squares away, and you need to arrange them in a way that makes him walk enough to reach his goal. The first of these is eight steps, then 14 steps, and so on. It’s also fun that the hamster wants nothing to do with getting into shape, and tells you as much. The last of these three games is the tea set game, where you must mix tea for the correct citizens in the village based on the hints and tips they give you. This is my least favorite, though if you pay enough attention you should be able to pick up on the clues and give everyone the tea they are asking for.

Blast Factor: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box may be more of the same, but it’s more of a wonderful thing. The sequel to the Curious Village is more polished with more of a focus on story, but not at the expense of the puzzles, the true star of the game. This game comes highly recommended whether you’re very much into puzzles or not, as everything else works so well in it that it may be good enough to make you a convert.

Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box is available exclusively on the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi, at the price of $34.99

Little is known about the title, except that Miyamoto has pointed out that Link is not carrying a sword in the one image available from the game:

My hope is that we see if Motion Plus is or is not utilized in the title–my other curious wonder is whether or not Miyamoto has finally given in to his own temptations and made Zelda a first-person experience, rather than the third-person view it has taken during the 3D years. I’m not betting on the latter of those, but the former is a possibility, especially since Nintendo has yet to announce Motion Plus usage in a megaton, AAA title of theirs. Hopefully, if this trailer exists, as the anonymous source of Infendo’s claims it does, we’ll have answers to our questions sooner than later.

If you like 2D Mario games, you will like New Super Mario Bros. Wii. That’s a pretty open and shut discussion, as it has the kinds of things you look for: tight controls, great level design, secrets to find, nifty power-ups, and of course, a score-based system that the 3D games lack. What this game also has that no other Mario title has is multiplayer. I don’t know the kind you’re used to, when Mario attempts a level and then Luigi gives it a go, I mean four-players at once, in the same level, acting either competitively or cooperatively — or a little of both — in order to clear a level.

If you want to help your friends, you can work together to solve platforming puzzles, or use each other as a springboard to reach out of the way items and coins, divide items evenly and try not to rush through the levels too fast so that they don’t fall behind. While it’s fun to play nice, the real joy in New Super Mario Bros. comes from its competitive nature. Steal items from your friends to keep them from gaining power-ups and extra lives, and to give yourself more points. Run as quickly as you can to ensure they fall behind, or to make sure you always get to item blocks, coins and enemies first. Do your best to bounce off of their heads, using them as a springboard to collect what you want without sharing. While riding Yoshi, eat your buddy and shoot him into a canyon or into enemies, or just hold on to them to keep them from collecting anything. There’s a lot you can do in each level to ensure that you come out on top–you will be ranked by points at the end of each level–so if you’re the competitive type, this is  going to be your kind of game.

Nintendo might not like this comparison, but it’s a lot like LittleBigPlanet in its concept, except with much, much tighter controls and a more well-developed and cohesive universe. I think there’s also a higher emphasis on competition than there was in LBP, which personally I find appealing. I played through a few different levels: the first in the game, which is just meant as an introduction to the controls and some new abilities, like your spin attack/boost which you perform by shaking the Wii Remote (an ability you will utilize with the Propeller Suit, also found in this stage) as well as the two levels that introduced you to Yoshi and the Penguin Suit. Yoshi controls like you expect him to, except now you can eat your friends, as mentioned before. There is more than one Yoshi per stage as well, but you will want to fight over him since having Yoshi allows you to dispose of enemies easily and also allows you to eat the fruit growing in the stage. The Penguin Suit is a neat addition–not only is it pretty adorable, but Mario and company can slide across ice with it, allowing them to break through blocks that they normally could only dispose of by hitting them with a shell. You also can shoot ice balls, much like if you had collected a Fire Flower. Speaking of Fire Flowers and Ice Balls, you can shoot in multiple directions at once while wearing these suits by spinning with the Wii Remote; this is useful if you’re surrounded, or just want to try to steal as many points as possible from your pals.

Even though the basic concept was easy to grasp and there wasn’t anything new unveiled for it at PAX, this was one of the coolest games on the floor, and is one we will continue to cover up through its release later this year. Check back here in the future for more info and assets, but for now, we’ve got some screens for you to check out.

Nintendo’s video game line up at PAX will showcase games like New Super Mario Bros Wii, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, Metroid Prime Trilogy (check out our review here), Wii Sports Resort and Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box. In addition to these games, Nintendo will be showing off the new WiiWare game Pokemon Rumble, which allows players to fight against enemies and allows for multiplayer co-op battles.

In addition to showcasing their upcoming games, Nintendo has scheduled a Flipnote Studio presentation with several well known artists. Flipnote Studio is a free DSi Ware application which allows gamers to draw a series of pictures which are then animated to resemble pictures drawn on notepads. Among the artists chosen for the demonstrations are Scott Kurtz (PvP), Eric Jones (DC Comics: Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade), Christina Strain (Marvel Comics: Runaways), Mike Choi (Marvel: X-Force), Edison Yan (5th Cell: Scribblenauts) and Ryan Jones (Telltale Games: Tales of Monkey Island).

So from September 4-6, Nintendo will be showing off their latest developments. Be sure to stop buy their booth and check them out!

Nintendo officially announced today that users who buy a DSi and connect it to the DSi Shop by 12PM Pacific on October 5 will receive their points. But anyone who is a mere second late, will be left in the dreary, dark cold of gaming despair.

Fear not, that time and date is not an expiration date for your points, as they never expire, rather the date by which your points must be claimed.

But with the growing category of available titles in the Shop how will you, oh lover of dual screen gaming, know how to pick a free game?

That’s where we come in. We play games and offer our opinions so you can make an informed decision. Below are links to our favorite DSiWare titles. Have at them!

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again

Art Style: PiCTOBiTS

Mighty Flip Champs

The news is not all Wii specific though, as those of you that weren’t intrigued by the black or blue DSi’s can now take a look at the new pink and white options. These are $170, just like the other colors–the white one may be a better option this time around than it was with the DS or DS Lite, given the matte finish. The white DS sure got dirty looking when it had the glossier coat on it. You can pick up one of these new DSi’s very soon–in less than two weeks, in fact, as they release on September 13.

I think Solar Striker is the lone shoot-em-up Nintendo has ever developed back on the Game Boy in 1990. I could be wrong about this, but [checks Wikipedia] no, looks like it’s the only scrolling shoot-em-up developed by Nintendo. Check out the video below to see what you think; I’m hoping this comes over to North America, but I’m also a shmup addict (especially for $5).

A collector’s edition with just the two original games packaged together with Metroid Prime 3: Corruption would be neat enough at a $50 price point–Corruption’s MSRP is still in that area after all–but Retro more than went the extra mile in putting this together, and has come away with a deal that challenges the Orange Box in terms of sheer value as well as content. Let’s go over the basics, and then cover the changes made to the games. The original Metroid Prime, as stated, was the top game of last generation–you would be hard pressed to find games for which the press has that much glowing adoration for, and the use of the word “perfect” in describing it was commonplace. While its sequel, Echoes, did not draw the same amount of attention–Retro kept some parts of the formula firmly in place, making it a very familiar feeling sequel in some ways–it was a wonderful game in its own right, the Majora’s Mask to Prime’s Ocarina of Time.

You had a darker storyline in a much more difficult experience that could punish even the most seasoned Metroid fan, and for that Echoes earned its stripes. The final portion of the trilogy is probably the best title on the system behind Super Mario Galaxy, but you would find people to argue it’s the best as well. Besides bringing Metroid into the next generation, the game also managed to enhance the series’ control scheme and produce one of the best console setups for a first-person shooter that I have ever used- It doesn’t have the customization of The Conduit, but the default setup is amazing on its own.

So what’s different? The major change to the first two games comes in the form of the controls. Now those controls that you know and love from Corruption work in both Prime and Echoes, which makes playing through those titles again (or for the first time) a more satisfying experience. I recommend the advanced controls, as they allow you to lock on to one enemy but shoot freely on screen, as if you were playing on a PC. Besides implementing the controls, there were also some graphical updates. Both titles run in 16:9 widescreen now, and the original Prime also has new bloom lightning effects that Retro was able to stick in. There are upgraded textures and enhanced visual effects as well, which hides a bit of the age of those games. It’s not an insult to the Wii’s catalog when you say that both Metroid Prime and its sequel Echoes look better than a significant portion of the competition; Retro’s art direction and artists were and are just that good at what they do, which is why Metroid Prime Corruption is far and away the best looking realistic title on the Wii as well.

One other change to the actual gameplay that you may notice is that the loading times have been decreased; Metroid’s loads were never that noticeable to begin with, as each door that opened loaded the next room as it was opening, or had you in a quick elevator ride where you got to check out the enhancements to Samus’ suit, but those have been tightened up in all three titles, and they run off of the disc much faster than their previous ones, even in Corruption which has not changed platforms like the other two.

All three titles run off of one dual-layer disc. You can access single-player mode for Prime 1-3 all from one screen, and the multiplayer from Echoes from the main hub, rather than from Echoes itself. While Echoes’ multiplayer was a bit boring given you button mashed and had to deal with controls that, while suited to exploration and the idea of Metroid, were not ideal for frenetic competition, it gets a second life here on Trilogy. The enhanced control scheme makes this a much better test of skill, and playing in 16:9 widescreen also helps with the four-player local visuals and view. There’s still no online, but it’s a much more worthwhile experience when you just want to see which of your friends is the better Samus Aran than in its original form.

Besides the gameplay, an achievement system was put into place in Prime and Echoes, similar to the one employed in Corruption when it was first released. You get tokens for clearing certain areas, defeating bosses and mini-bosses and the like, and these tokens can be used to unlock loads of fan service such as music and artwork. This extends the replay value of the titles–and helps gives you an excuse to go through the first two titles again, not that you wouldn’t anyways with the other changes–but also fits very well into a collector’s edition package given the nature of it.

Blast Factor: Three of the most important games in Nintendo’s history and one of the best trilogies in all of gaming, together in one package for the price of a single game. You get a collector’s edition case, special artwork, the definitive version of each game in the Prime trilogy, and worthwhile multiplayer for the first time in the series’ history, in addition to the loads of art and music you can unlock with the tokens from the achievement system. The one negative you could point out about these titles is that you have played them before, but given how well they hold up and how they lend themselves to replayability, that’s not much of a negative argument and certainly not a reason to avoid 80 hours of Retro’s masterpiece.

Metroid Prime Trilogy is available exclusively for the Nintendo Wii, and retails for $49.99

How do you feel about this news? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section

The two new titles will undoubtedly fill your soul with memories of yesteryear as both games are set in the Johto Region we all know and love from the original Pokemon Gold and Silver days of nearly a decade ago.

Nintendo promises that the rehash will  feature updated sound, graphics, the obvious touch-screen functionality our Gameboy’s lacked, and well as a “host of surprises.”

The two have quite a task in front of them if they are to topple Pokemon Platinum, last year’s release, which sold in excess of 5.6 million copies, according to Nintendo.

Hard to believe right? What with only a handful of new features, you’d think it’d sell well, but not in front of the others. Game industry site IGN asked Denise Kaigler, Nintendo of America VP of corporate affairs, the same question, garnering this adamant response:

“Sorry, but I’m going to have to strongly disagree with your premise”

According to figure-tracker NPD, the Wii sold 1.52 million, the original DS 1.38 million, and the DS Lite 1.07 million, in their respective three debut months thus backing up her claim and wowing all of us back at home!

Do you have a DSi?

Instead of finding fossils though, the kids found “fossilized” copies of the new game, which may not seem as cool as finding an actual dinosaur bone, but please remember you don’t have to donate Fossil Fighters to a museum; you get to keep it and play more than make believe with it!

Eric S., 8, of Miami, Florida breaks open a "fossilized' copy of Fossil Fighters for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi portable games systems at the La Brea Tar Pits, Thursday, August 6, 2009 in Los Angeles. Eric won a game play tournament at the event to celebrate the game's upcoming release on August 10, 2009. (Photo by Nintendo, Bob Riha, Jr.)

Fossil Fighters was developed by Red Entertainment, who are also co-developing Nostalgia with Matrix Software. You play as a young paleontologist who doesn’t just dig up the bones of old dinosaurs; you dig up fossils capable of coming to life to beat down other living fossils. No word as of yet on whether Joan Rivers is one of these dug up Vivosaurs (kids, ask your parents before watching the Comedy Central Roast of Joan Rivers, hilarious as it may be).

It’s got kind of a Pokemon vibe to it, but with Nintendo on publishing duty, it may have something different to offer those of you that like to collect monsters and bring them to battle. It actually sounds like Spectrobes in a way–especially with fossils being more powerful when you effectively and efficiently dig them up–so let’s hope that they have a battle system that doesn’t make me want to throw my DS against the wall (tell us how you really feel, Marc!)

Fossil Fighters is officially out today, which means you can expect to see it on store shelves soon. You won’t have to dig your own copy out, but at the least, you will still be able to dig up Vivosaurs for use in the game.

The short answer is “absolutely”, though this review will present that answer in much more detail. There are 12 games included with Wii Sports Resort after all, and while a few of them are questionable, most of them succeed, and a few of them are great fun that you will want to return to often. You can also think of the inclusion of the peripheral in two ways, depending on which helps you sleep at night in regards to your purchase: either you bought a $30 game with a $20 peripheral, or you bought a $50 game with a free one. I think that Wii Sports Resort has enough meat that it warrants the latter title, even if there are some issues that should have been ironed out.

Before diving into the games, let’s talk about the features. Wii Sports Resort features gameplay for 1-4 players, depending on the game, and covers a variety of sports and a few other activities as well. There’s a built-in achievement system, though you can only view these on your Wii Message Board–an achievement hub like the one used in Metroid Prime 3 or House of the Dead: Overkill would have been preferred, but this is the first Nintendo developed game with an achievement system as well, so at least it’s a step in the right direction. There are 12 games, but there are also various versions of those games; for example, when you beat the standard sword fighting, you can another two modes, or when you finish bowling there are also another two modes. This gives the game much more depth than its predecessor, and also presents some challenging play options for your more core players. This is a title that all but the most soulless of gamers should be able to at the least appreciate, though the inclusion of online play would have helped back that statement up further. If there is a Wii Sports 3, there needs to be online play.

Most of the games included in Wii Sports Resort are worth your continued time. Swordplay, Frisbee, Archery, Basketball, Table Tennis, the re-designed Golf and Bowling games, and Air Sports are all fun and have more depth than you may initially think they do to them. The clunkers are the ones that bring water into the equation, which is disappointing given how impressive the water physics and effects are–Wakeboarding, Power Cruising and Canoeing are all either boring or feel somewhat uninspired or unexplored. The only land sport that lacks in the fun factor is cycling.

Swordplay has almost true 1:1 motion controls, and if you swing the sword harder it will hit the object or opponent harder as well. You can attack from whatever angle you can move the Wii Remote in in reality, and blocking is as simple as pressing B and choosing a direction to block your opponent’s attacks from. It seems like a wagglefest, but the system has a lot of depth to it, as you will learn in the later stages of the game. The first is a simple one-on-one fight mode, American Gladiators style. Completing this allows you to play Speed Slice, which is a challenge where objects and food are thrown at you and your opponent, and whoever slices first in the correct direction earns a point. This is a fun diversion, but the best part of Sword Play has to be the Showdown mode, where you have 10 stages that increase in difficulty. You are on rails, fighting waves of opponents, some with more health than others, better tactics and armor. You can take three hits, so you can’t just run around flailing; you need to pick your spots for attacks, and make sure that they are aimed at vulnerable points. You also need to be sure to block to throw your opponents off balance and open up these vulnerable spots. While this mode can turn into somewhat of a workout, it’s very satisfying to reproduce 1:1 motions with a sword, and just makes you realize how much LucasArts needs to jump on this MotionPlus bandwagon to bring us a proper lightsaber experience.

Frisbee has two modes, one where you toss a frisbee to a dog on the beach, trying to score within a target range, and another where you play frisbee golf. Resort’s Frisbee Golf is a bit more forgiving than Tiger Woods’, but I would prefer to play that mode over the actual golf included in this game as well. This is a great multiplayer mode, but also showcases just how much MotionPlus can enhance your motions and movements. You can get some very fine tuned motions out of frisbee in order to boost your accuracy and distance.

Archery has you using the nunchuk as the hand that pulls back the arrow, and uses the Wii Remote as the bow. It’s satisfying to have this much control over where the shot goes, and as you practice you will see that your movements matter a great deal; lots of practice means much more accurate shooting, and you will need that when you tackle the more difficult stages. You can also pull off shoots quickly once you get used to it; I wouldn’t mind seeing a slightly modified version of this in the next Zelda, rather than straight IR pointing.

Enter Nintendo’s absolute blitz of all things “Resort” this past week in Times Square of New York City. Known to be the advertising mecca of the East Coast, Nintendo invaded the already crowded Times Square and built a faux-beach complete with a pool, beach balls, and sand. Nintendo higher-ups were on hand to demo the Japanese video game maker’s latest and sell the title for its true 1:1 motion tracking capabilities by way of a bundled Wii MotionPlus accessory.

These photos, released and captioned by Nintendo (no those aren’t my words) relate the joy had by all.

In this photo provided by Nintendo, Alex Leng plays Frisbee at the Wii Sports Resort launch event in New York’s Times Square Thursday, July 23, 2009. To celebrate the July 26 launch of the game, Nintendo offered consumers a free mini-vacation by bringing in 50 tons of sand to transform Manhattan’s famed Military Island into Wuhu Island, the fictional setting featured in the game. (Photo by Diane Bondareff for Nintendo)

In this photo provided by Nintendo, Nintendo of America’s vice president of Corporate Affairs, Denise Kaigler, right, competes against actor Chace Crawford in a match of swordplay at the Wii Sports Resort launch event, Thursday, July 23, 2009, in New York. To commemorate the next chapter in the Wii Sports experience, Nintendo brought in 50 tons of sand to transform Manhattan’s famed Military Island into Wuhu Island, the fictional setting featured in the game. (Photo by Diane Bondareff for Nintendo)

In this photo provided by Nintendo, Nintendo celebrates the upcoming launch of Wii Sports Resort, the next chapter in the Wii Sports experience, by bringing in 50 tons of sand to transform ManhattanÕs famed Military Island into Wuhu Island, the fictional setting featured in the game, Thursday, July 26, 2009, in New York. (Photo by Diane Bondareff for Nintendo)

In this photo provided by Nintendo, table tennis expert Alston Wang, right, competes against Annamarie Tromp at the Wii Sport Resort launch event in New York, Thursday, July 23, 2009. Launching on July 26, 2009, Wii Sports Resort comes bundled with the Wii MotionPlus accessory to provide players a more immersive gaming experience. (Photo by Diane Bondareff for Nintendo)

In this photo provided by Nintendo, Nintendo celebrates the upcoming launch of Wii Sports Resort, the next chapter in the Wii Sports experience, by bringing in 50 tons of sand to transform ManhattanÕs famed Military Island into Wuhu Island, the fictional setting featured in the game, Thursday, July 26, 2009, in New York. (Photo by Diane Bondareff for Nintendo)

]]> http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/gaming/gaming-news/2009/07/nintendo-turns-times-square-into-a-wii-sports-resort/feed/ 0 http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/gaming/gaming-news/2009/07/nintendo-download-7-20/ http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/gaming/gaming-news/2009/07/nintendo-download-7-20/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:35:22 +0000 Marc Normandin http://blastmagazine.com/?p=20557 We’re busy rushing around as we prepare for our trip to San Diego to cover Comic-Con, but there’s always time to bring you the weekly Nintendo Download. There’s no Virtual Console love this week, but two series I love see new entries, which I’ll take as an apology.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Dark Lord is a tower-defense style game that is also meant to continue the story begun in FFCC: My Life as a King, one of the debut WiiWare games. I love tower-defense, and I love Crystal Chronicles, so this one has my interest. Battle Poker is basically poker, but you fight to grab the cards first, meaning the best hands are made by those with the quickest hands. Last, we have 5 Spots Party, which sounds like one of those books you have as a child that lets you pick up on what’s wrong with a picture. This one seems suited towards the younger crowd, though I guess it would depend on what kind of things they are hiding in there.

DSiWare only gets one title, but it’s an Art Style game. You should know the drill by now, honestly. Chances are very good that the game is great and you’re missing out if you still have just a DS, etc. The full release for all four titles is after the jump, and we have screens for Art Style: ZENGAGE and FFCC: MLAAD (I’m not even sure that is shorter than the actual title) as well.

For WiiWare, the titles are listed in order of exclamation points. Bit Boy!! makes his North American debut; if you want some more info on the title, we interviewed the developers after its European release. Incoming! is a cartoony tank fighter, with support for either one or two players. Last, we have the lone release without an exclamation point in Ant Nation, though that may be because the description of the game reads like a guide to torturing ants in order to toughen them up. If you’re the kind of person who put ants under a magnifying glass in order to set them aflame, then this game is for you. Apparently, you were toughening them up for their street brawls against the local spider thugs. You’re a hero!

On Virtual Console, you have one game for each Sega platform. I used to play Secret Command at an arcade that had home consoles behind glass, rigged to joysticks. That’s how I was introduced to Battletoads on the NES, as well. Next there is a Sega Channel release for the Genesis, which I have never played before. Pulseman was published by Game Freak though, the company that works on Pokemon, so maybe I’ll take a look all these years alter.

The full press release can be found after the jump. Picking anything up this week?

There’s one title on the Virtual Console side, with California Games from the Commodore 64 library. The sports available are the kinds of things you would expect from an 80s game based on California, dude.

Last, on DsiWare, we’ve got another Art Style, with Art Style: Base 10. It sounds like some kind of Sudoku take-off with a different style of gameplay, so I’m willing to give it a shot. I’m used to Art Style games hurting my brain in a good way, so why not one more? If you would rather race, Gameloft, who supports the WiiWare service almost as much as Nintendo, has Asphalt 4: Elite Racing for you on the DSi.

Official press releases after the jump. Picking anything up this week? We’ll have reviews for Bit.Trip CORE and Art Style: Base 10 for you soon.

…and even shorter work of opening one up for a late night snack. Yes, the pasta is shaped like Pokemon:

I’m glad I went to self-checkout, so I didn’t get dirty looks from the cashier while buying this and my box of Trix cereal.

Next up is the Master System sequel to Fantasy Zone, Fantasy Zone II. There are a ton of shoot-em-ups to choose from on Virtual Console, but if you prefer yours to be sugary sweet and as colorful as the rainbow, then Fantasy Zone is where you want to be.

DSiWare gets Sudoku this week for 500 points, with 150 puzzles for both experts and beginners. It certainly qualifies as the perfect pocket time waster, especially at that price. Check the next page for the official release and more info on each title. Downloading anything this week? Or waiting for WiiWare title #100?

That’s why I’m pleased to let you know that the second installment, Bit.Trip CORE, is going to be the 100th release on WiiWare on July 6. Start saving up those Nintendo Points, because if it’s anywhere near as fun as the first, you won’t regret your purchase. Check out some screens straight from the official site below, as well as a trailer for your viewing pleasure.