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Nintendo DS News is a News and downloads site for All Nintendo Handhelds and Consoles including the Gameboy, NES, N64, Snes, Gamecube, Wii, WiiU, NDS, 3DS, GBA and Snes, We have all the latest emulators, hack, homebrew, commercial games and all the downloads on this site, the latest homebrew and releases, Part of the
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THE LATEST NEWS BELOW
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November 18th, 2006, 22:48 Posted By: wraggster
Foolish Nintendo and the bloody none region free Wii means that any true gamer has a real hard decision to make, that decision is to buy either a US, Japanese or Europearn Wii.
Which one will you Buy and Why ?
Me im paying for a US one and i hope to get it at a fairly decent price. Reason why, well in the long run ill save money on the cheaper games from the USA.
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November 18th, 2006, 22:43 Posted By: wraggster
Nintendo has been pitching multiplayer games heavily on Wii, and several early reviewers suggest buying at least one additional controller set to truly enjoy the console. If valid, maybe prospective console buyers need worry more about controller shortages than any Nintendo predicted console shortages. Probably not, but it would seem with the added focus on multiplayer games, Wii could go down as selling the most additional controllers at launch. So for those considering a Wii purchase this weekend, how many Wii controllers (both Nunchucks and Wiimotes) do you intend to purchase?
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November 18th, 2006, 22:39 Posted By: gunntims0103
review via 1up
heres the anticipated ff3 game review
Remakes and rehashes are more or less a given these days -- if you make a good game, you can rest assured that 10 years down the line, someone will dump it onto a collection at worst, totally recreate it at best. Ah, if only we could force publishers to maintain a level of quality on par with Final Fantasy III for the DS. Then all these trips to the retro-gaming well would feel less like crass opportunism and more like enshrinement of the classics.
FFIII is no mere pile of throwaway shovelware; it's a total re-creation of an 8-bit game, largely faithful to the source material but thoughtfully retooled in places to play better. And look better, too -- this is easily the best-looking 3D you've ever seen on the DS. It probably helps that the director of the original game, who clearly wanted the new version to be the definitive version of his baby, supervised the DS remake. And for the most part, his efforts have paid off.
FFIII, of course, has never made it to the U.S. before. (The game most Americans know as "Final Fantasy III" was actually Final Fantasy VI, which will be making its way to the Game Boy Advance in due time.) Aside from brave importers and certain emulation aficionados, American gamers will find this remake to be, in effect, a brand-new Final Fantasy title.
It is, however, a decidedly early Final Fantasy title, even with its pretty 3D graphics and soaring remixed soundtrack. Back in the day, the even-numbered FF installments were daring experiments in storytelling and character development, while the odd-numbered chapters emphasized combat and skill-building. FFIII falls very much into that mold, which means that certain elements may seem somewhat dated for those weaned on the post-FFVII games. Combat is turn-based, the plot is almost an afterthought, there are no extravagant FMVs during the course of the game, magic skills are strictly regimented. And mid-dungeon save points? Not a chance.
This is an RPG for dedicated RPG enthusiasts. Many gamers will give up after being annihilated by random encounters in an out-of-the-way corner of the second village; others will despair at being wiped out by powerful bosses after 30 minutes of dungeon exploration and no opportunity to save. Even those who make it to the end may be put off by the enormity (and difficulty) of the final dungeon, where more than a dozen insanely powerful bosses highlight constant encounters with random enemies that are nearly as tough. There's not much story to reveal; the four party members have been given names, backgrounds, and inklings of personality, but there's not much more to the whole thing than a steady march to the final boss.
FFIII's real carrot-and-stick device is the Job system, which players may recognize from such games as Final Fantasy V and Tactics. In effect, characters can be freely reassigned a different character class at any time; these range from the basics (Warrior, Monk, White Mage) to more esoteric roles (Geomancer, Scholar, Evoker). This is the Job system's primordial form, lacking the mix-and-match options of the later games and rewarding consistency rather than experimentation. The more you use a job, the more powerful it becomes -- but even by the end of the game, you probably won't have maxed out a single one. Additionally, there's a penalty for swapping jobs; moving into a new job halves most of your stats for a few battles. The system has been tweaked and improved over the version that appeared in the original game, but it still feels limiting at times.
Maybe FFIII's greatest disadvantage is really just a matter of timing: It's bringing up the tail end of this fall's Final Fantasy blitz, which means it arrives within two weeks of FFXII and FFV Advance -- both of which, unfortunately for FFIII, are better games, with far more depth in story and gameplay alike. It feel particularly limp coming so soon after FFV, which essentially perfected the Job system while sporting a significantly more developed plot.
But it's important to appreciate FFIII for what it is -- a slice of history and a missing piece of a blockbuster series. Hardcore RPG players may enjoy it more than modern Final Fantasy titles, thanks to its emphasis on skill development and combat. Casual players may find themselves surprised by how addictive simple level-grinding and monster-slaying can be. There's a certain satisfaction in seeing your juiced-up Monk land 28 hits in a single round, and FFIII delivers that thrill in spades -- and there's enough challenge to make it a necessity rather than overkill. The result is one of the best portable RPGs to date, and a fine example of how to remake a classic.
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November 18th, 2006, 22:14 Posted By: gunntims0103
Here's a video on youtube showing the various uses of the wii in commercial form. Its funny and it shows the functionality of the wii with different games. There are just so many activities and different uses through each game. It also tries to depict how the wii is used by all.
Check it out via
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November 18th, 2006, 21:27 Posted By: gunntims0103
news via 4 color rebellion
There is always that group of people that has to tinker with every gadget they get. People have been able to hack every game system out there today. How many of you have a flashed DS or have been affected by some hacker while playing an online DS game? Anyways, it seems that the Wii homebrew scene has already been started. A Nintendo geek has started a project named Wiili for his final year in college, aimed at bringing Linux to the Wii.
He seems to be making this piece of software into a free live DVD based on Mandriva. What this means is that basically you put a DVD into your drive and it temporarily loads the OS. Once you turn the computer off, the Wii acts like it has never been touched by the disc. Well that is basically how it should work in theory(think of it like a game or the Opera DS browser). Anyways the author is unable at the time to verify that the this will actually work, but he conjectures that since it is based closely on the Gamecube hardware, it shouldn’t take too much for it to work on the Wii. It seems like a pretty nifty little thing to play with the Wii. He aims to have the following features available on Wiili.
Surf the Internet (using the control as a mouse pointer)
Wii Media Extender, Stream moves, music, etc, from a PC to a TV using WiiLi and the Nintendo Wii in the middle. Think Apple iTV for free.
Write a document with a regular USB keyboard and print it with any USB printer.
Email and chat with your friends.
Use an external USB storage device to backup and play your movies, games, mp3’s, etc…
Play old classic games using the MAME console emulator.
Develop your own programs and games.
Control WiiLi from your PC using the WiFi connection.
Use Willi and the Wii as a Network Attached Storage (NAS) by connecting it to an external USB HD.
Anything you could possibly do with a regular computer.
Wow, what a list, this sounds like more of a computer than our revolutionary game console. If this software ever gets out, this could be described as no other word other than awesome. But then again that is a big “if”. The Wii isn’t out yet and these are some pretty bold claims about what the software should be able to do. Also, how legal would this actually be? The author plans to make this Open Source, which means that anyone would have the access to the code of the software. Shouldn’t this be a property of Nintendo? Isn’t there something that would prevent this developer from releasing the code to Nintendo hardware? Right now, I’m a bit skeptical at the prospect of being able to develop and release such a piece of software. The project seems really new and not too much documentation seems to be available on the site put up. However, I am rooting for this developer, for this could change the way everyone uses the Wii. Besides, someone will probably be able to hack the Wii someday, right?
it will be interesting to see how this develops as this could mean homebrew on the wii
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November 18th, 2006, 18:35 Posted By: djkus
I pre ordered my Wii from game Uk www.game.co.uk a few months ago... I was getting worried i had not heard anything.
I just received this email from them!
Dear Customer,
As we are sure you're aware the Nintendo Wii is launched on December 8th and will be the must-have games machine this Christmas.
Congratulations! The good news is that you were one of the first customers to have ordered a Wii from GAME.co.uk and we are happy to inform you that we are expecting to receive enough units of Wii from Nintendo, to fulfil your hardware order for launch!
Looks like Ill have to take a sickie on December 8th!!
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November 18th, 2006, 16:52 Posted By: gunntims0103
news via pc world
Members of Nintendo's huge, vocal fan base have been salivating in anticipation of the Wii for some time. But the curious and appreciative onlookers that I've noticed during my recent testing of a retail unit suggest that the Wii's appeal may well extend beyond the Nintendo faithful. The Wii seems poised to make console gaming more social, immersive, and--most importantly--fun than it has ever been.
Nintendo has announced that more than 1 million units of the $250 Wii will be available when the model makes its official U.S. debut on Sunday. So your odds of getting your hands on a Wii in the near future are better than your odds of snagging a PS3. Cryogenically freezing yourself to avoid the wait, as one of the characters in South Park did recently, won't be necessary.
Below is a video of the Nintendo Wii in action. To view it, you'll need to have the Adobe Flash Player plug-in installed.
Out of the Box
The Wii is the most compact of the next-generation consoles. It weighs just 2.7 pounds and measures 8.5 inches long by 6 inches wide by less than 2 inches thick. It has clean, sharp lines and an Apple-like glossy white finish, though we'll undoubtedly see units in black and possibly other colors at some point.
Like the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360, The Wii can be oriented horizontally or vertically, thanks to its angled plastic stand. Once you've positioned it, your next step is to plug in the power supply (which is about the size a laptop brick), and connect the bundled composite audio/video cables to your television. To output content at the Wii's maximum 480p resolution in 16:9 wide-screen format, you'll have to purchase the optional component cable separately.
Next you must set up the included controllers: a Wii Remote and a Nunchuk--a joystick-style controller that connects to the remote for additional game control. I first hooked up the supplied sensor bar to the console and placed it just under the display of my TV. The sensor bar allows the console to communicate wirelessly (via Bluetooth) with up to four Wii Remotes at a time. The Wii Remote works for games within a radius of about 30 feet and functions as a cursor-type pointing device within about 15 feet. In my testing, the on-screen pointer jittered slightly when I tried to use it from farther away.
The final setup steps are to place two AA batteries into the Wii Remote, rearrange your furniture as necessary to clear plenty of space in front of the TV (to avoid any "Wiinjury"), and fire up the console.
Our colleagues over at GamePro have scanned in the Wii's manual, and it's worth a look to get an even more complete idea of the Wii's setup routine and overall features.
PC World also has a detailed account of a test drive of the PlayStation 3; and a review comparing the PS3 and the Wii.
The Wii Menu and Online Features
The first time I powered up the Wii, I had to create a gamer ID, which the system uses to save your games and also to identify you online. After creating my log-in and entering the date and time, I was presented with the Wii Menu. This interface, which uses a television/channel metaphor, is where you access the Wii's mostly free online features.
The first thing I wanted to do was jump online. I was particularly interested in the "sleepless" WiiConnect24 service that lets the console automatically download information, even when it's on standby.
The Wii includes a built-in 802.11b/g wireless network adapter, but you can also go online by using extra-cost options such as a LAN adaptor or a Wi-Fi USB adaptor that shares a PC's Internet connection. I tested the integrated Wi-Fi, and setup was a snap. The Wii scanned for and found my wireless ADSL router, and it let me type in the network's WEP key via an on-screen keyboard. I found that I could select letters and move around the Wii Menu using the Wii remote in the same way that I'd use a computer mouse. The remote even vibrated subtly in my hand as I hovered over menu options. Tactile feedback: great!
Unfortunately, since Nintendo's servers won't be up and running until the Wii launches, my online experience was limited. But the Wii will link to a lot of online elements after launch:
Wii Shop Channel (and Virtual Game Console): Nintendo's online store will eventually offer various extras to download, but the most notable one at launch is the Virtual Console, which will allow gamers to download and play games from past consoles such as the Nintendo 64, NES, Super NES, Sega Genesis, and TurboGrafx16. Nintendo will offer 12 classic console games at launch, including Donkey Kong (NES), SimCity (SNES), Super Mario 64, Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis), and Bomberman '93 (TurboGrafx16). Some 30 virtual console games should be available for download by year's end, according to Nintendo. The online shop will operate on a payment system called Wii Points. You'll be able to purchase Wii Points at retail outlets or with a credit card online. They'll be available in blocks of 2000 for $20 a block (which means that 1 Wii point is worth a penny, and 100 are worth a dollar). The retro NES games will start at 500 Wii points, TurboGrafx16 titles at 600 Wii Points, SNES and Sega Genesis games at 800 Wii Points, and N64 classics at about 1000 Wii Points.
Internet Channel: A customized version of the Opera Web browser (with Flash support) will be available for the Wii, Nintendo says. We can't tell whether it'll be ready for download at launch, nor how much it will cost, but Nintendo has confirmed that you'll have to surrender Wii Points to obtain it.
Forecast Channel: On this channel you'll be able to browse a 3D globe to obtain weather forecasts that are automatically updated each day.
News Channel: This channel will automatically display the latest news from around the world. The Associated Press will supply the headlines, Nintendo says.
Wii Message Board: Here you can post messages on a calendar for other Wii players in your house, exchange messages with Wii users around the world, and gather information about the latest game updates.
Photo Channel: The Wii's photo management and sharing options are far deeper than those of the PlayStation 3. You can use this channel to access digital photos via the Wii's SD card slot or a mobile phone. And besides just viewing the images, you'll be able to zoom in; create slide shows, a photo gallery or photo puzzles; draw on images; adjust colors in various artistic ways; and send your creations to other Wii users.
Mii Channel: This channel invites you to create customized caricature avatars for yourself; use them in a variety of Wii games; and save them to the Wii Remote for use later--even at a friend's house. You can store up to ten Mii characters on a single Wii Remote.
Disc Channel: Clicking here starts a Wii game disc that you've inserted.
Those Controllers
Wii controllers are designed to be perfectly usable whether you're left- or right-handed.
For games, the Wii Remote has a plus pad (D-pad), a large A button, an underside B trigger, and buttons labeled 1 and 2. The main surface has other buttons as well: power up, minus and plus (for escaping game menus, and the like) and a home button (for switching back to the Wii Menu and checking controller battery life).
The Wii Remote also contains a control for adjusting force feedback, a built-in speaker, a wrist strap (in case the remote flies out of your hand), and four blue LED lights that indicate which player/controller number you've been assigned. An expansion port on the remote lets you connect the Nunchuk and other optional controllers. The supplied Nunchuk controller is used in conjunction with the Wii Remote and provides an analog thumb stick, and two front trigger buttons labeled C and Z. A second Wii Remote costs $40, and a second Nunchuk costs $20.
Another option is a classic-style controller (which Nintendo has priced at $20) for non-motion-sensing titles such as fast-paced fighting games. At E3 last spring, I took photos of the classic controller and Nintendo's concept "Zapper," a gunlike shell for the Wii Remote.
As time goes by, you can expect independent vendors to offer a multitude of plastic shells to slide your Wii Remote into--all of them promising to improve your gaming experience. One product already on sale is UbiSoft's $20 Wii Steering Wheel. Web rumors suggest that Electronic Arts may be working on a way to let you strap the Wii Remote to your foot in order to play its FIFA soccer game. Another rumor has it that the Nintendo DS handheld's touch screen will be able to act as a controller for Wii games.
Nintendo has experimented with different controllers in the past. Anyone remember the Power Glove or Virtual Boy? This time however, the company's efforts seem to have produced a winner.
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November 18th, 2006, 16:43 Posted By: wraggster
Our friends at Play Asia have posted on their site all the Wii accessories and Console packs, the prices for those who want an overseas Wii will disapoint but then after the PS3 release last weekend at least they arent that high.
$599 for a US Wii with Zelda is one price, (too much for me)
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November 18th, 2006, 15:38 Posted By: wraggster
Christ posted this news:
Hello,
After some good works, and thanks to some critics, I've released a new version of AMAP4DS: AMAP4DS v3.1
The main change between v3.0 and v3.1 is the ability to display AMAP4DS logo, map name, author name and website name on your DS menu linker.
Before, using several maps on your DS was not easy because all the AMAP4DS maps had the same name (with some DS linkers, like DS-Extrem). Now, Each map will have his own name
This is a minor update, but so useful that I've decided to update ALL the existing maps available. So, if you used AMAP4DS v1 or v2, you can now download the v3.1 version of your favourite map...
For those who make their own maps, AMAP4DS-Open-Source has been updated to v3.1 too.
Christ
Homepage: http://www.andreani.net/ds/
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November 18th, 2006, 15:20 Posted By: wraggster
ttursas has again updated his homebrew game for the DS, heres whats new:
What's new in v0.1.5:
* Added random variation to particle rotations.
* Optimized collision checks.
* Optimized bullet and particle managers.
* The planes can now collide with each other.
* Changing the levels cleared the network match player list.
* Added support for static particle emitters.
* You'll recieve damage for being near an exploding plane.
* Added third plane.
* The server doesn't send updates to clients that have disconnected from a match.
* The server autopings the clients once a second, and if a client fails to respond in three
seconds, it's declared dead.
Download and Give feedback Via Comments
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November 18th, 2006, 14:47 Posted By: wraggster
Shash has posted more of his WIP from the DeSmuMe - DS Emulator for Windows:
I fixed quite a large amount of bugs, but the 2 most important ones, would be the ones from topic: texture coordinate generation and flickering.
The first one is quite simple, as most PC hardware, the DS supports texture coordinate generation. This is used, for example, if you want to have a pool with water, the water being a texture mapped plane, and want it to seem to wave: instead of having a large amount of geometry, just generate the texture coordinates varying to get the visual effect of waving. I had made an implemention long ago, but I always found samples which rendered wrong, and then when I fixed one of them, another was broken. The bug was rather stupid: as openGL and DS texcoord generation doesn't map 1:1, I just pre-transformed them, and then sent them to openGL. The problem, was that I was not resetting the texture matrix, and as a such, at last they got pre-transformed by me, and then transformed by openGL. Stupid bug of the year, for sure.
Flickering was a damn annoying bug, which I never got enough motivation to fix, it "just" involved retrieving the openGL framebuffer, then copying it to BG0, and send it to the layering pipeline that desmume uses. Sounds simple, in fact it's simple to implement, but the code is ugly, probably slower than it should be, and, by the fact it has to be transformed from 24bit to 16bit, it looks a bit uglier (as in the DS, :P)
More Info
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November 18th, 2006, 14:32 Posted By: wraggster
Whats the easiest way to wind up PS3 Fanboys, well some bloke has dressed up as a wiimote and paraded up and down the lines of people camping for a PS3, hilarious.
Screen Via Comments
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November 18th, 2006, 14:28 Posted By: wraggster
New from SuccessHK
Price:USD 30.97 - £16.00
In Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2, shop owners must keep their Tamagotchi partners happy by earning "Gotchi points" through performing mini-game tasks for the customers. Gotchi points can be used to clothe, feed, and care for your Tamagotchi partners. As more points are collected, new types of shops for players to open will become unlocked. Shops not seen in the original such as the Bowling Alley and Sushi Bar will be available, as well as upgrades to old favorites like the Concert Hall where players can sing along to the music with the DS?microphone.
In "Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2", catering to the needs of your customers will be essential in keeping the Tamagotchi happy. The five different happiness levels will determine the dialogue that occurs between the player and their Tamagotchi partner, and nobody likes a grumpy Tamagotchi.
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November 18th, 2006, 14:20 Posted By: wraggster
Via Gamedaily
A Revolution or just a controlled uprising? With the Wii's launch there's an incredible amount of hype for the system, but is Nintendo's new console really going to take the game industry by storm? Not from our perspective. Read on for five reasons why Wii won't rock you...
Before we get started, let's make sure we're clear on what this editorial is not about. We're not arguing that the Wii will be a wash for the Big N; to the contrary, we expect Nintendo to profit greatly from the system. In fact, the Wii will likely buck the trend of Nintendo consoles selling fewer units than their predecessors.
However, what this editorial is about is dispelling the notion that the Wii will mark Nintendo's return to the top of the home console world. Nintendo is trying to reach the great, untapped masses with their system, similar to what they've started to achieve with the DS. However, we believe that the system will ultimately end up in third place in terms of global market share, echoing the sentiment of numerous analysts.
Here are five reasons why we believe the Wii won't rock you:
Not Enough Games
One of the main factors that decided the PSOne/N64 war was Nintendo's lack of software support from third parties (Square famously went over to Sony's camp in the early stages). This past generation, third-party support was better for the GameCube, at least at first. However, that support waned over time, slowing the supply of new titles to a trickle and creating a dearth of GameCube exclusive titles.
For this generation, the Wii has a cautious amount of support from third-parties. While some major publishers (like Ubisoft) are jumping in with both feet forward, providing extensive support and new franchises like Red Steel, many others (like Electronic Arts) are giving a much more measured and calculated response with a handful of offerings from established franchises, such as Madden, Harry Potter and The Sims. Looking over the Wii titles, there's a definite pattern with established franchises and licensed children's titles. With the PS3 eventually getting titles such as Metal Gear Solid 4 and Final Fantasy XIII and Xbox 360 getting heavy hitters like Blue Dragon and Mass Effect, Nintendo needs more third-party star power to compete down the road.
[ "It's not necessarily cool or 'hardcore' to say that graphics matter, but it's still a fact: graphics matter." ]
It's also worth noting that some key franchises are missing from the launch lineup. While the Wii will launch with a new Zelda title (it's amazing what happens when you keep delaying a game from the previous generation), the Wii marks the second straight console release by Nintendo without a new Mario game in the launch lineup. Perhaps more importantly, however, is the lack of Super Smash Bros. Brawl for Holiday 2006. Super Smash Bros. Melee is the best selling GameCube title ever, with over 6 million copies sold worldwide, and SSBM was available for the GameCube's first Christmas. Excite Truck surely isn't a proper substitute for Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
While Nintendo will have a lineup of titles for its virtual console, it is unknown whether this can be a major selling factor for the system. Besides, Sony will have similar offerings for their part and Microsoft already has plenty of Xbox Live Arcade titles. All three systems also feature varying degrees of backwards compatibility, but if anyone has the marked advantage in that are it would be Sony, with the PS3's support of the PSOne and PS2's huge game libraries.
Graphics Really Do Matter
What defines "good graphics" is admittedly subjective and the level of visual quality expected by today's consumer is equally hard to gauge. However, when dealing with the next generation of consoles, a good percentage of consumers will look for something that "wows" them—sorry, Mr. Iwata, but we just haven't had the urge to say "wow." Many consumers want to have a console with graphics that will not only impress them, but also their friends and family. They want their new console to be a centerpiece for their home theater system. When looking for a showcase system like this, consumers aren't likely to pick up the Wii.
Now, Wii games certainly don't look bad; in fact, by current-gen standards they look quite decent. However, when compared to the top 360 and PS3 titles, especially on an HDTV, the Wii is blown out of the water. Games like Gears of War and Heavenly Sword absolutely pop and the Wii just doesn't have the CPU and GPU power to match that.
The Wii's relative lack of power will no doubt turn off some developers. While Nintendo would like to emphasize their motion sensitive controller (and we'll be getting to that in a minute) not all developers are looking to make games with a different input method. Many are going to be looking for more triangle-pushing ability to make their 3D models and environments more detailed and more processing power to make physics effects more realistic.
It's not necessarily cool or "hardcore" to say that graphics matter, but it's still a fact: graphics matter.
And some developers will also be looking to the internal hardware for better audio support (another category in which the PS3 and 360 trump the Wii "soundly"). Some (like Factor 5) have already expressed their disappointment in the Wii for this reason. "When I heard what was going on at Nintendo, I cringed," Factor 5 President Julian Eggebrecht told EGM. "It's audio is relatively mediocre. It's essentially GameCube 1.5."
Wii Remote Not the Best Thing Since Sliced Bread
Easily the most talked about feature of the Wii and perhaps the most talked about feature of any next-gen console is the motion sensitive controller. The Wii Remote (or Wii-mote, if you prefer) and the Nunchaku made waves before anyone outside of Nintendo actually had a chance to touch them. Nintendo's tag team then shook up E3 in a good way, creating huge lines for Nintendo's cordoned off Wii section (the exit of which was incidentally guarded by the scariest looking bouncer this side of Sunset Blvd).
So the Wii has been riding high on a wave of hype, and it's not totally undeserved... but it should be dialed down a bit. Speaking for GameDaily BIZ's experience with the controller, it's not exactly the revolutionary experience Nintendo might like you to think it is. Some titles (like Trauma Center and Red Steel) feel like a natural fit for the controller's set up, because your in game avatar mirrors what you are doing in real life: moving your hands and arms about. Others (such as Monkey Ball) feel as though they could have been done with traditional analog stick controls. Complacent control schemes will no doubt tempt many developers who, instead of using the motion sensing controllers in a unique way, merely port the game over to the Wii and modify the game's control to use motion sensing and call it a day. This is especially true with mutliplatform titles not built specifically for the Wii. You can have the greatest controller setup in the world, but if nobody uses that technology in a creative way, then it's all for naught.
Additionally, sometimes using the motion sensitive controller is awkward to the player and doubly so to observers. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkachi 2 is a prime example of this, with punching and "Kamehameha wave" motions required to make your character fight. While this may be the thing YouTube 15-minute celebrities are made of, it's hard to imagine it catching on long-term with the prime 18 - 34 male demographic.
While the fundamental design of the Wii's controller is to supposedly simplify modern controllers, the Nunchuck accessory adds a wrinkle: two-handed control. Chewing gum while walking and patting your head while rubbing your belly might vex a lot of people, and so might simultaneous controller motion requirements. The degree of ambidexterity required may make the Wii just as unapproachable to a non-gamer as a PS3 or Xbox 360.
Home Console Market Isn't Nintendo's To Lose
When Nintendo announced the DS, many perceived it as a big risk. While it was certainly a departure for the company, Nintendo was so overwhelmingly dominant in the portable market that that odds were in its favor from the start. Indeed, the system received good third-party support and the DS has been embraced by millions of fans around the world.
Now, the Wii is releasing, but instead of following the phenomenally successful Game Boy Advance, it has to follow the GameCube. While Nintendo's current-gen system certainly has its fans, it was probably Nintendo's least successful home console in a fiscal sense to date. The GCN sold fewer units than the Xbox (with practically zero market penetration for the Xbox in Japan) and the system took a distant third place to the PS2 with less than 15 percent market share.
The point is that established support really does carry weight in console wars, and portable system success does not ensure home console sales. Despite Nintendo's attempt to drum up interest from traditional "non-gamers" the fact remains that the people most interested in the next-gen consoles are current-gen gamers. And with a survey showing loyalty among the mass of PS2 owners significantly higher than the Xbox or GCN, it may prove difficult to cut into the established mind share.
Price Advantage Won't Last
The Wii will be the cheapest of the three next-gen consoles on the market this holiday. It's perhaps $50 more expensive than most people hoped for, but $250 still has an edge over $299/$399 for the 360 and $499/$599 for the PS3. Console prices, however, never stay static for long in a competitive marketplace.
Microsoft is probably already prepared to usher in a price drop for its system; the cost of the PS3 probably made them decide to wait in dropping the price. And while the PS3 is expensive right now, Sony is working very hard to streamline manufacturing and bring the cost of components down so that they can eventually slash the price tag as well. It's the nature of electronics to decrease in cost as economies of scale and abundance take effect.
With the Wii, there's less distance for the price to fall. While tactics like removing the bundled game might help the cost come down in a more precipitous fashion, hundred dollar price drops (which are likely with the PS3 the next two holiday seasons) aren't going to happen. The simple fact remains that the price difference between the Wii and the 360/PS3 will shrink over time, unless Nintendo is willing to continue cutting the price of the system when it reaches $100. And will consumers really balk at the difference between a $99 Wii and a $199 or $249 PS3?
Final Thoughts
When a new console comes out, it's very easy to get caught up in the hype. We feel that Nintendo has done a great job in perking up the ears of many Nintendo fans and general hardcore gamers. However, even though the Wii may have energized Nintendo's fan base like no system that's come out since the SNES, GameDaily BIZ does not foresee this excitement being replicated in the mainstream, at least not over the long term.
Nintendo fans should take heart, though. While unlikely to light the whole world on fire, the Wii's success will likely keep Nintendo making home consoles for now and into the forseeable future. And perhaps most importantly, have fun with your Wii if you manage to get one during this hectic launch; if it does that much for you, then you've already come out ahead.
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November 18th, 2006, 14:15 Posted By: wraggster
Music man XOC, also known as Jason Cox, responsible for arguably the best video game cover album of ALL TIME, has made the penultimate sacrifice. Okay, not even close. But he did turn his original NES—the one he's had since age ten!—into a functioning guitar.
Now if it still also worked as a functioning Nintendo Entertainment System, that'd be something. Something impossible.
Screens Via Comments
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November 18th, 2006, 13:06 Posted By: JKKDARK
via Myth Games
SEGA of America, Inc. today released new information on the first round of titles from its SEGA Genesis library available via download on Wii's Virtual Console Shop Channel on November 19th. Prices will start at 800 Wii Points to download the SEGA Genesis titles. Wii Points can be purchased online or at retail at an MSRP of $20 for 2,000 points.
Spanning all the popular genres, the titles available at launch include SEGA Genesis classics such as Sonic The Hedgehog, Altered Beast, Golden Axe, Columns, Ecco the Dolphin, Gunstar Heroes, Space Harrier II, Toe Jam & Earl, Ristar and Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine.
2006 Title Line Up
Sonic The Hedgehog - (1991/© SEGA) - Rocket Sonic, the fastest blue hedgehog on earth, through hair-raising loop-de-loops and dizzying dives past bubbling lava, waterfalls and on as you gather up Rings and stop Dr. “Ivo” Robotnik’s schemes for world domination!
Altered Beast- (1989/© SEGA) - When Zeus, the legendary Greek God, brings you back to life, you set forth on a mission to rescue his daughter Athena from the underworld. Along the way, collect the Spirit Balls dropped by enemies to increase your strength and transform into a variety of mythical creatures with powerful attacks.
Golden Axe - (1988/© SEGA) - Three mighty heroes have a score to settle with the evil Death Adder in this classic action game. As a powerful fighter, a female amazon, or a mighty dwarf, you’ll fight through Adder’s henchman with weapon and magic attacks or ride the fearsome, fire-breathing beasts to your advantage.
Columns - (1990/© SEGA) - Test your hand at the ancient Phoenician game of Columns. Multi-colored gems drop from the top of the screen into a pit and it is up to you to quickly arrange the order of the jewels as they fall into lines of three or more. If your gems pile up and reach the top, the game is over.
Ecco the Dolphin - (1993/© SEGA) - Help Ecco the dolphin find his missing friends by exploring his vast ocean world. You must surface for air and keep an eye out for enemies as you search the depths. Ecco’s unique sonar ability will give you helpful information from other sea creatures.
Gunstar Heroes - (1993/© SEGA) - The Gunstar 9 planet was peaceful for many years until the vicious dictator, Colonel Red, kidnapped the Gunstar twins' older brother and used mind control to make him his slave. You’ll face many different enemies and bosses as you battle to stop the dictator from unleashing “Golden Silver the Destructor” with apocalyptic consequences!
Space Harrier II - (1988/© SEGA) - Fantasyland has been taken over by destructive forces and a call for help comes from deep in the universe Space Harrier is quick on the scene armed with his laser to defeat wave after wave of destructive forces through twelve thrilling stages, with a dangerous boss waiting at the end of each round.
Toe Jam and Earl - (1992/© ToeJam&Earl Productions,Inc. © SEGA) - Toe Jam and Earl are two fun-loving aliens who accidentally crash on earth when their spaceship collides with a meteorite! They must find 10 pieces of the spaceship so they can get back home to Planet Funkotron, but not all levels have the pieces. Once you find a piece of the ship, you’ll receive a hint as well.
Ristar - (1995/© SEGA) - Greedy, an evil space pirate, has corrupted the kings of Valdi System’s seven planets and enslaved the people who live there. The plea for a hero is answered by Ristar who uses his amazing extendable arms and courage to save Valdi from Greedy.
Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine - (1993/© SEGA) - Dr. Robotnik is stamping out music and fun in Mobius with his giant, robotizing Mean Bean Steaming Machine. Before he turns all the citizens of Beanville into robots, you must save the day by gathering up beans in matching colors and defeating Robotnik’s guards!
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November 18th, 2006, 02:41 Posted By: wraggster
New from SuccessHK
For those who dont know what a Nintendo Wii ism heres more info:
Product Features of Nintendo Wii Nintendo Wii US version
Supports 12cm Wii Disc & 8cm GameCube Disc
Supports NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, TurboGrafix16 games
Wireless controller
2 SD card expansion slots
More Description of Nintendo Wii Nintendo Wii US version
The cool look: The new console boasts high-quality materials and a smart, compact design, approximately the size of three standard DVD cases stacked together.
Backward compatibility: The new console plays all games from the current Nintendo GameCube generation.
The secret weapon: The console also will have downloadable access to 20 years of fan-favorite titles originally released for Nintendo64 the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and even the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).
The specs: The system boasts 512 megabytes of internal flash memory, wireless controllers, two USB 2.0 ports and built-in Wi-Fi access. A worldwide network of Nintendo players can gather to compete in a comfortable, inviting environment. Revolution's technological heart, a processing chip developed with IBM and code-named "Broadway," and a graphics chip set from ATI code-named 'Hollywood', will deliver game experiences not previously possible.
The stars: Introduction of a number of new franchise properties will add to the world's richest stable of stars, including Mario, Zelda, Super Smash Bros. Metroid.
Wireless freedom: A number of Wi-Fi-enabled launch titles are in development that will employ Nintendo's newly announced wireless gaming service, Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
What version of the Wii will you buy, given the choice ?
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November 18th, 2006, 02:30 Posted By: wraggster
New from SuccessHK
Price:USD 48.74
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance lets you create a four-member strike force of Marvel Super Heroes. If you had to assemble a team of the best heroes, who would you pick? Choose wisely, because this is an alliance for the ages -- the team you create will face incredible evils, from the most exotic locations on Earth to the neighboring solar systems. Partner, battle and interact with more than 140 characters from the entire Marvel Universe, in a multi-mission quest with an innovative combat system. Command the largest roster of Super Heroes ever, as you determine the fate of a universe. Compete or cooperate online - coverge in battle against legendary villains, and Switch between cooperative and competitive mode to partner or challenge 3 other players
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November 18th, 2006, 01:11 Posted By: wraggster
Via DSfanboy
It's been awhile since Ms. Croft has graced a Nintendo system and, according to the latest reviews of Tomb Raider Legend on the DS, it's for good reason. This port of an otherwise enjoyable title is apparently lacking some TLC, resulting in one unenjoyable time. That's a shame, we were hoping this would be more fun than it seems ...
Nintendo Power - 45%: "In the future, hopefully Eidos's commitment to rejuvenating the series will carry over to the handheld installments, but this uninspired port feels like it belongs to the crumbling franchise of a few years ago rather than the new and improved Legend." [Dec. 2006, p.105]
Games Radar - 50%: "Despite all of the frustration, however, Tomb Raider on DS can still be great fun at times - as long as you've got super-human patience and are prepared to squint a lot."
Pocket Gamer UK - 40%: "Indeed, so much of what was an otherwise quality adventure has been lost in the transition, this is more like a book of the film where half of the pages have been torn out. Avoid."
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