Wii are the champions?

April 2nd, 2007, 22:55 Posted By: wraggster

via reuters

But it's far too early to pick the ultimate winner. Gaming industry press and analysts still feel the PS3 has the chops to dominate in the end. Reviews at videogame site GameSpot say that "the PS3 has all the processor, graphics and communications power necessary to win this generation," while Electronic Arts departing CEO Larry Probst told a Web conference audience that he believed the PS3 will prove the ultimate winner.

Meanwhile, the Xbox 360 is taking strong lead in the number of games sold. The Xbox 360 has six titles in the top 10 for February -- including the No. 1 title -- while Wii has three and PS3 none (PS2 title "Guitar Hero" took the final spot). Additionally, Xbox 360 owners buy far more games than the owners of other consoles at a rate of 5.4 games per 360 owner. That rate falls to 2.3 for the PS3 and 2.8 for the Wii.

That leaves the Wii, for now, with everything to lose.

"Their challenge going forward is to make sure this is not a passing fad by getting a stream of content into the market," Gartenberg says. "The game console purchase driver is still going to be first and foremost games. The secondary stuff is the icing on the cake."

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Disney's Meet the Robinsons US Version

April 2nd, 2007, 22:23 Posted By: wraggster

New from SuccessHK



Disney's Meet the Robinsons, based on the Walt Disney Pictures animated film, is a time-traveling action/adventure game. Players experience the adventure as Wilbur Robinson, helping him chase the dastardly Bowler Hat Guy and his diabolical robotic hat Doris through multiple timelines in an attempt to thwart their evil plans. The game weaves in and out of the film's plot, expanding the Robinson world and offering an all-new adventure. Wilbur will have a host of gadgets at his disposal as he battles enemies and solves puzzles while pursuing Bowler Hat Guy and trying not to alter the future

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Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits US Version

April 2nd, 2007, 22:20 Posted By: wraggster

New from SuccessHK



Konami Classic Series: Arcade Hits features more than 12 of the most memorable quarter-munching arcade hits of all-time, letting players enjoy these timeless classics in both their original and remixed dual screen forms and also enjoy them with friends in special wireless modes. Taking advantage of the unique functionality of the Nintendo DS, Arcade Hits lets players choose from a number of screen configurations, including horizontal and vertical combinations to maintain the original screen size of each game at it appeared in arcades. Players can also use the system's wireless capabilities to play with friends and share data such as high scores and replays. Arcade Hits also features special modes that let players listen to more than 100 classic songs and sound effects and review the history of each title in the compilation, complete with trivia and vintage artwork. Featured games include Circus Charlie, Contra, Gradius, Roc'N Rope, Rush'N Attack, Time Pilot, Track and Field, Yie-Ar Kung Fu and more.

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NDS Honeycomb Beat US Version

April 2nd, 2007, 22:17 Posted By: wraggster

New from SuccessHK



A music-driven puzzle game for the Nintendo DS, Honeycomb Beat features intuitive touch screen gameplay and more than 200 unique puzzles to energize your mind. Solve each puzzle by touching on a Honeycomb tile, which will change the colors of the tiles around it. Line up tiles of the same color to eliminate them or create different shapes and patterns. Solve mind-bending challenges of increasing complexity in Puzzle Mode, or play through Evolution Mode where the board advances upwards and you have to eliminate lines before it’s too late.

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Disney's Meet the Robinsons US Version

April 2nd, 2007, 22:08 Posted By: wraggster

New from SuccessHK



Disney's Meet the Robinsons, based on the Walt Disney Pictures animated film, is a time-traveling action/adventure game. Players experience the adventure as Wilbur Robinson, helping him chase the dastardly Bowler Hat Guy and his diabolical robotic hat Doris through multiple timelines in an attempt to thwart their evil plans. The game weaves in and out of the film's plot, expanding the Robinson world and offering an all-new adventure. Wilbur will have a host of gadgets at his disposal as he battles enemies and solves puzzles while pursuing Bowler Hat Guy and trying not to alter the future.

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Super Mario Bros. 2 theme done percussion style

April 2nd, 2007, 21:53 Posted By: Shrygue

via Nindendo DS Fanboy


Of course, the Mario theme has been done to death with a variety of instruments and without. But this is Super Mario Bros. 2 and, upon hearing these fine kids rock it percussion style, we're forced to throw up the horns and bang our head with the best of them. Rock on young band folk, rock on!

The video can be viewed here. Leave feedback via comments.

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GlovePIE lets you play Panzer Dragoon with the Wiimote

April 2nd, 2007, 21:50 Posted By: Shrygue

via Nintendo Wii Fanboy


Reader Tiger is at it again, coming up with some crazy-awesome GlovePIE scripts that allow one to incorporate the Wiimote into other games. Last time he used the Wiimote in House of the Dead 3 and this time Tiger is tackling another Sega game: the PC port of Panzer Dragoon. Again, Tiger delivers, as the gameplay looks smooth and, if you can believe it, improved through the implementation of the Wiimote.

The videos can be seen here. Leave feedback via comments.

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Cooking Mama: Cook Off highlights Wii Remote issues

April 2nd, 2007, 21:27 Posted By: wraggster

In Gamespot's review of recent Wii release Cooking Mama: Cook Off, they make a complaint that is becoming an all-too-common refrain among Wii fans: "The motion controls just aren't reliable. Some are overly sensitive... and some aren't sensitive enough."

There are bigger stakes here than the occasional botched omelette. Over the months since launch, the unpredictable Wii Remote has led to a maddening dichotomy. Some games are too easy, while others are too hard -- for all the wrong reasons.

The easy games, like Wii Sports Bowling, let the most feeble grandma instantly taste sweet victory. But the player's actions don't seem to have that much impact on the results. Swing the remote more-or-less the right way, and you're almost guaranteed a strike.

Gamers who crave a deeper challenge have to settle for battling incomprehensible controls. Wii Sports Boxing is certainly "difficult," but that's because the best strategy is "Flail your arms like a Muppet on PCP." In Wii Sports Golf, you can take the exact same swing five times in a row and get wildly different results each time. And then there's Cooking Mama. Here's a tip: go into your real-world kitchen, and cook some actual food. It'll be about 9,000 times less frustrating, and might result in you eating something healthier than your regular diet of Slim Jims and Funyuns.

So far, the revolutionary controller that was supposed to be universally accessible is confusing, finicky, and imprecise. Maybe over time, developers will learn how to create challenging games that also have intuitive controls, not just one or the other. Until then, the Wii Remote is breaking more than just TV screens... it's breaking hearts.

via joystiq

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StarFox 64 shoots onto Virtual Console

April 2nd, 2007, 21:13 Posted By: wraggster

Well, it's long been expected and it's finally materialised - Star Fox 64 has hit Virtual Console in North America, headlining this week's update over the pond. It supports one to four players and is going for a cool 1000 Wii Points.

The shoot-'em-up is joined by the NES version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (one player, 600 Wii Points) which finds the heroes in a half-shell battling Shredder and The Foot in an attempt to save reporter April O'Neil, and Dragon's Curse (one player, 600 Wii Points) which appeared on TurboGrafx16.

Dragon's Curse is a side-scrolling action-RPG that finds the lead character on the trail of the Salamander Cross, which can break a nasty curse placed upon him by the Mecha Dragon. Whatever.

via cvg

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DS releases for the week of April 2nd

April 2nd, 2007, 20:50 Posted By: Shrygue

via DS Fanboy


What a week! At this rate, we could almost use a DS drought, just to give us time to save up some cash! But we shouldn't complain, since our counterparts in the UK and Australia aren't having much of a week as far as releases go. Isn't that always the way of it? One week, we get a ton of games and they get none, and the next week it's reversed. The only thing we can ever count on is that Japan is going to debut a veritable truckload of new titles. No matter what's going in the rest of the world, the Japanese must have their new DS games.

US releases

• Cake Mania
• Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales
• Honeycomb Beat
• Konami Classics: Arcade Hits

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Clip: WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008 for Wii

April 2nd, 2007, 19:58 Posted By: Shrygue

via Kotaku


I used to love WWF when Vince McMahon would actually came out of the woodwork from time to time and brawled with Triple H for marrying into his family by drugging his daughter ("Oh no he did-ent!). Although I don't watch it anymore, I'm still definitely going to buy WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008 for the Wii after seeing this clip and also just in case Mr. McMahon is a special bonus character or something.


Video clip here. Leave feedback via comments.

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NiGHTS Wii officially named - first images

April 2nd, 2007, 18:49 Posted By: Shrygue

via Computer and Video Games


After the numerous teasing articles and unveiling previews in various magazines, Sega Japan has finally unleashed the first official images of NiGHTS and given it an official name.

The official name of the game is NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams. First details of the game, revealed by gaming magazine Maxi Consolas, confirms that it will once again be set in Nightopia, where you will battle new enemies and bosses, and the Wii Remote will be used to fly.

Also revealed was Sega's plan to include a two-player mode and "some online functions". The game is due in Japan in "winter".

The first images can be seen below, and we'll be chasing Sega for the first screens (that aren't magazine scans), hopefully some time this month.


Screenshots:






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Medal of Honor: Vanguard US Version

April 2nd, 2007, 07:45 Posted By: wraggster

New from SuccessHK



Step into the boots of Frank Keegan, Corporal of the 82nd Airborne Division and engage in battles throughout Europe. From Operation Husky on the shores of Sicily to Operation Varsity inside Nazi Germany, you’ll fight behind enemy lines in the epic WWII battles that turned America's first paratroopers into heroes of WWII. Medal of Honor Vanguard makes you the driving force in the struggle to liberate Europe. As the first game in the Medal of Honor series to be released on the Nintendo Wii platform, Medal of Honor Vanguard takes full advantage of Wii's one-of-a-kind controllers

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Pogo Island US Version

April 2nd, 2007, 07:44 Posted By: wraggster

New from SuccessHK



Pogo Island is a unique title featuring the five most popular games from Pogo.com - Word Whomp, Poppit!, Phlinx, Tri-Peaks Solitaire and Squelchies. While playing each game players will collect tokens which can either be translated into bragging rights amongst peers or transferred to Pogo.com, where players can reap the benefits of being a token guru.

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Space Pong 0.1 Alpha

April 1st, 2007, 21:21 Posted By: wraggster

Circus has released Space Pong for the DS

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RiverCrossingDS v0.32

April 1st, 2007, 12:32 Posted By: wraggster

MangledLftThumb has updated RiverCrossingDS :

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MK5 save memory self-test App

April 1st, 2007, 12:28 Posted By: wraggster

News from DrNeo:

thanks cory tooooo much,he make a very useful MK5 2M save memory test App,just run it then can check your save memory working perfect or not!

how to use:

[1] when you run it first time,just click it and start to excute the self-test and give out the testing report. If it's passed,then turn off your NDS.

[2] re-power on your nds and run this App again,it will verify the memory data automatical, if pass too,then mean your MK5 save system is working perfect and can keep the data after power off,100% QC pass.

download: http://www.neoflash.com/forum/index....ic,4061.0.html

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Half-Life 2 Wiimote mod

April 1st, 2007, 12:16 Posted By: wraggster

via wiili

Pat Glynn has released the public beta for his Half-Life 2 Wiimote mod. This allows users of Half-Life 2 for the PC to use a Wiimote and Nunchuk to control the game. For more information, go to his website and check it out. Please note that you must have a sensor bar above or below your monitor for it to work correctly.

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SNES9xGX2 zip freeze and pal support

April 1st, 2007, 12:13 Posted By: wraggster

Denman has released a new version of the Snes emulator for the Gamecube/Wii, heres whats new:

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DC games that need to be remade on Wii

April 1st, 2007, 12:06 Posted By: wraggster

via the Dreamcast Junkyard

Moving on, I've decided to put together a list of the top 5 games on the Dreamcast that I believe would work really well if remade for the Wii, control wise. I may even consider sending Sega some of these ideas, as I'd love to see them get off their lazy arse's and make some games for the Wii other than Sonic and Monkey Ball. The Wii has the potential to be Nintendo's Dreamcast, and I don't mean that by sales fiures, but I mean that by just how pioneering it can be, but if everyone just keeps porting PS2 games over, we will never know.

5: REZ

While I can't see anyone (let alone Sega at the moment) pulling off a sequel to this well, the Wii remote would suit this game mighty well. Pointing at the screen would be your aim, and the B trigger would be the shooter, which you hold down than let go of. Pretty simple control then, but where the remote would be great for this game is the built in speaker and rumble. The game is all about how it responds to your actions in both of these departments. Even if it was just a direct port of the PS2 version, this would be great, as the game is pretty darn rare now too.

4: CHU CHU ROCKET

A no brainier, this. The Wii remote pointer could be used as the cursor, the d-pad could be used to place the arrow blocks, and the B trigger used to remove arrow block. This would be a much faster and simpler control scheme than the system used on the Dreamcast, which would make the multi-payer mode much more frantic and fun. If not a full fledged retail release, this could be a direct port with these new controls available on the Virtual Console (The Dreamcast cast is a very small file size). From a financial point for Sega, this would be instant cash as it would be dirt cheap to develop and publish online. Also, use the online features, like the Dreamcast one did, to exchange levels and play against others, this time without that annoying delay.

3: SPACE CHANNEL 5

Before reading on, watch this Youtube clip of a dancing mini game in Wario Ware Smooth Moves, followed by this YouTube clip of how it's actually played. Now, image this, but with Ulala on the screen instead, with the quality 'Simon says' style game play. Is this not a Wii game just begging to happen? It'd be the ultimate "look-like-a-tit-and-love-it" game. Rather surprisingly, no one has yet tapped into the potential of dance and rhythm games on the Wii (although Konami do have a DDR planned for it). No longer will you need to buy dance mats or press buttons, when you could just dance for real in front of your telly with nothing more than a Wii remote.


Imagine the game with visuals like this artwork above. How sweet would that be? It wouldn't be impossible, just look at Monkey Ball on the Wii.


What's more, a new chapter of one of Sega's main unique and under used franchise is exactly what the market needs right now. The Dreamcast was Sega at their creative peak, and they really need to start using some of the franchises created during that time more. You have a lot more properties under your belt than Sonic and Monkey ball you know, use them!

2: JET SET RADIO

While this may not seem obvious right now to many, I've thought about an entire control system for this, using both the Remote ad Nun-chuck. The Nun-chuck analogue would be used to move your character, and flicking it upwards would make you jump. Once you land on a rail, the remote could be titled left and right to keep your character in balance. The A button on the remote would be a new punch button, that will help you slow down the police.

But the real fun would come from how you spray graffiti. When making small graffiti while grinding, you simply use the B trigger if they are at your right, and the Z button on the Nun-chuck if to your left. When you approach a wall where you want to make a big graffiti, both the remote and Nun-Chuck become left and right spray cans. That's right, two cans at the same time. Instead of the Dreamcast games' analogue rotating, patterns and shapes will be displayed on the screen which you have to create using either the left or right cans, or both at the same time. I've even made a mock up above.

The Wii is capable of better graphics than an X-Box, so a leap in graphics from JSRF would be no problem. We don't want realism though, Jet Set Radio (like a lot of the games in this chart) is all about style. Forget the futuristic anime style of JSRF, go back to the more cartoon-y style of the Dreamcast original, then take that cartoony-ness up to a new level. How about making everything bouncier, like an old Betty Boop cartoon? This is probably just a cartoon fanatic talking here, but I would really like to see more games really attempt to be cartoon-y, like Florigan Bros and Wind Waker, and Jet Set Radio could be a good place to start. While the other systems are trying to push for the most life like graphics, the Wii could be all about artistic style.

Speaking of which, this may be just me, but I wanna see a game use the fish eye lens effect that was being used in the canceled Sonc X-Theme. maybe Jet Set radio on the Wii could take advantage of it? Distorted perspectives would be very funky.

1: SAMBA DE AMIGO

This should of been obvious from the start. As soon as the controls were revealed for the Wii, this was one of the first games I thought would work for the system. hell, this game is perfect for the Wii. It simply must be done. Not only would the controls be exactly the same, but they may actually be more accurate with the Wii remote if done right. Due to it's high price of the maracas and rarity of the games, not many people got to experience Samba De Amigo, but on the Wii the game could be easily released as a standard £35-40 game that any one could play with the Wii remote. Even if they just directly port the game it could be a hundred times more popular than it ever got the chance to be on the Dreamcast.

While there's nothing quite as daft as shaking two bright red plastic maracas about, a Wii mote and a Nunchuck, or even two Wii motes so you don't get that pesky wire, would be the next best thing. Wih these, the game could be played exactly how it was on the Dreamcast. The built in speaker on the Wii mote could recreate the rattle of the maracas. Take the control system from Ver.2000, all the songs from the Dreamcast games, add bunch of new songs, and possibly even include down-loadable extra songs, as well as a bunch of mini games, and you already have the perfect follow up.

Simply put, Sega could have the new Guitar Hero on their hands with this. The Wii has given them the perfect opportunity to see the full potential of this forgotten franchise. If Sega really want to be seen as a great game developer again, they need to stop publishing out sourced crap and retro collections and make real games again (I won't even go into the recent Sonic 360 disaster). This one would hardly even take a lot of work to develop, and could be an instant profit for the flawing company. Three words, Sega: MAKE. IT. HAPPEN.

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