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Fils-Aime Prods Sony's Hopes for a Move Migration

Posted: March 17th, 2010, 10:19am PDT

Tags: NEWS

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime is skeptical of Sony's hope to make the Move an appealing proposition for Wii owners. In an Industry Gamers interview, he addresses users who might be tempted to get the Move based on it looking like a hi-def Wii. "So I'm a consumer and I'm having a great experience with my Wii," Fils-Aime said. "And we know that's the case - we look at the software that's being purchased. Consumers love the Wii. What's going to motivate them to spend minimally $300 for a new [PS3] system, plus minimally $100 for the Move motion bundle? So [as a consumer] now I'm into this for $400 and I still have to spend money on software. What's going to motivate me to do that?"
Though Fils-Aime is biased for obvious reasons, he raises a valid point. While the PlayStation 3 has its own selling points, like HD gaming and a blu-ray player, the Move may be too similar to the Wii for its own good. Sony debuted the device with Sports Champions, which more than a few people noticed looks a lot like Wii Sports. Sony has said Move will be under $100, but that may translate to $99. Asking Wii users to spend roughly $400 for a similar experience will be a hard sell, so Sony may find more luck relying on their library of core games compatible with Move. Check out our own impressions in the video above.
CyberConnect 2 Announces Solarobo

Posted: March 17th, 2010, 4:49am PDT

Tags: NEWS

Japanese developer CyberConnect2 released the first details today on Solarobo, a new robot action game and the first Nintendo DS title in the studio's history. It's set to be released in Japan from Namco Bandai Games; no US launch has been announced.
Released to commemorate the 15th anniversary of CyberConnect2's founding, Solarobo boasts a gameplay and visual style very close to Tail Concerto (above), a 1998 PlayStation title that was the studio's first game ever. "I'm not joking when I say that this game's been in conception for 10 years and in development for three," CC2 head Hiroshi Matsuyama told Famitsu magazine this week. "Crazy, isn't it? Three years for a Nintendo DS game! I'm impressed Namco Bandai waited that long for us."
The game is set in a world composed of floating islands, one where dog-like and cat-like humanoid species have banded together to create an advanced civilization. As shown in the fully-animated intro (created by anime studio Madhouse), you play Red Savarin, a dog bounty hunter who works with his sister Chocolat and DAHAK-AZI03, his cool personal robot, to take on jobs and catch his targets.
Third PSP Monster Hunter Announced

Posted: March 17th, 2010, 4:21am PDT

Tags: NEWS

The Monster Hunter Freedom series (called Monster Hunter Portable in Japan) is one of the few international "killer apps" that the PSP can lay claim to without sounding desperate. Every game in the lineup has shifted at least a million copies in Japan, with the most recent one -- 2008's Monster Hunter Freedom Unite -- selling over 3.5 million units and sharing the 2008 Japan Game Award with Nintendo's Wii Fit. It therefore makes sense that a new Freedom game announcement is huge news in Asia, as it became when Capcom announced Monster Hunter Portable 3rd at a fan event held in Tokyo on Tuesday.
The new PSP game, developed by a team led by producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and director Yasunori Ichinose, is meant to be a whole new experience for series fans. "This game doesn't use Freedom Unite as a base; the majority of it is being built from scratch," Ichinose said. "Thanks to that, the monster graphics and animation are a whole level better than before; we've got a broader range of expression to work with. It'll feel different from both Unite and Tri on the Wii."
MHP3 has a bit more of a Japan/Oriental feel to it than previous titles. As before, you're a freelance hunter tracking monsters in the wilds and cooperating with other players to take them down, but your home base this time -- the village of Yukumo -- is modeled after a traditional Japanese hot-spring village in the mountains, complete with open-air bath. "Pokke Village from the previous game was meant to have a Japanese taste to it," Tsujimoto commented, "but we brought that to the forefront this time. We didn't want to have just another town that looks like samurai-era Tokyo, though, so instead we added Asian tastes to the town features shared across the series."
Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver Review

Posted: March 16th, 2010, 7:20pm PDT

Tags: Review

Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver is not in any way a new game. This latest from Nintendo is simply a re-release of the classic Game Boy game, Pokémon Gold/Silver; a port with shiny new graphics and all of the new Wi-Fi and multiplayer trappings of Diamond/Pearl. But any Pokémon collector knows that if you're still not playing these games, you're missing out on one of the most addictive RPGs available. HeartGold/SoulSilver doesn't do much new, but it does make the familiar formula feel polished to perfection.
For full disclosure, I did not completely finish this game. I cleared the first area, Johto, but barely scratched the surface of Kanto. The sheer scope of the game is one of the things that made it so terrific back in 2000 and that makes it equally great today. You not only have one massive world to explore, with a full set of trainers and eight badges, but when you beat them, you also open up the entire world from the original game (or the FireRed/LeafGreen world, for those whose memory doesn't stretch back quite so far).
Fils-Aime Acknowledges Nintendo Focus on Casual Games

Posted: March 16th, 2010, 10:22am PDT

Tags: NEWS

Nintendo president Reggie Fils-Aime made some surprisingly frank comments regarding the company's relation to third parties in a recent interview with IndustryGamers. He makes a case for developers of core titles to start thinking more seriously about the Wii, and points out that Nintendo needs those games on their own platform as well. "The fact of the matter is we know we create great content for younger consumers, we know we've got great content for more casual players, and we want fantastic content for that more active player who loves Metroid or Zelda, but maybe also wants something like BioShock 2 as well," he said. "And we also recognize that we don't create that type of content ourselves. We're not good at it and it's not a key focus area."
Fils-Aime argues that Nintendo has fulfilled its obligation to third parties by providing "a large install base, an easy platform to develop for and a strong set of tools." Now, he says, the impetus is on developers to capitalize on the opportunity. He points out that the traditional model of a blockbuster opening month isn't as financially healthy as sustained sales. "Look at the most recent NPD results," he said, referring to the recently released February numbers. "I'm not sure how much was invested into a game like Dante's Inferno, or how much is invested into a game like BioShock 2, but if that sales level is the best that they will do in a particular month, and it'll fall off rapidly from there, then those games aren't going to pay off their investment."
"So to me, it's a much bigger question than 'why aren't developers creating core content for the Wii?' It's a much broader question: 'How can the development community create content that will strike a chord with consumers and be financially attractive?'" He raises good points, but Nintendo has been plagued with low turn-out from third parties for years, even preceding the Wii. And while attempts at core games like Mad World and No More Heroes haven't outright bombed, they're widely regarded as cautionary tales for developers.
Rondo of Blood, Rage of the Gladiator on Nintendo Downloads

Posted: March 15th, 2010, 11:33am PDT

Tags: NEWS

The long-awaited Castlevania: Rondo of Blood is finally available on the U.S. Virtual Console. If you haven't already broken down and picked up Dracula X Chronicles for the PlayStation Portable, you can get it along with two new WiiWare games and four DSiWare titles.
The version we're getting is apparently the untranslated Japanese original, because the opening cutscene features Japanese characters. There isn't much in the way of Japanese in the rest of the game though, so don't worry about overcomplicated menus. It's available for 900 Wii Points ($9).
The big WiiWare release of the week is Rage of the Gladiator, a fantasy arena fighter that's available for 1000 Wii Points. It feature some pretty decent graphics, full voice acting and Wii MotionPlus support. Triple Shot Sports is also available for 500 Wii Points, featuring competitive target shooting and all kinds of other fun activities.
Nintendo Would "Happily" Make Kid Icarus Wii with Right Idea

Posted: March 13th, 2010, 1:48pm PST

Tags: NEWS

For years, Nintendo fans have begged for a new Kid Icarus game only to see their wishes go unanswered (or mysteriously be told to be patient). Now according to Yoshio Sakamoto -- one of the original Kid Icarus creators -- the problem may be that fans just aren't asking hard enough.
"I don't know personally about any project underway regarding Kid Icarus," Sakamoto said to Kotaku, "but if so many of those people are interested in it and really want to see it on the Wii they should really speak up." Um...haven't they kind of been doing that already?
But don't fret, Kid Icarus fans -- Sakamoto also said a new Kid Icarus game on the Wii is still a possibility, so long as they had the right idea. "If we can find some sort of way to bring it to the Wii, a way to make the game for the Wii that makes sense, we would happily do so," he said. "But just keep in mind it may not be me making the game."
Nintendo Would Be "Embarrassed" to Be in Sony's, Microsoft's Position

Posted: March 13th, 2010, 12:18pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Sony finally showed off their PlayStation 3 motion controller (dubbed "Move") and sub-controller at GDC this week, and let's be charitable by saying it looks in a lot of ways pretty similar in concept to Nintendo's Wii remote and nunchuck. Nintendo, predictably, is being less charitable with their words, as Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime had a stern assessment of their competition's (including Microsoft's) rush to motion controls.
"I think we would have been embarrassed to do what our competitors are currently doing," Fils-Aime said to Kotaku, stressing that for Nintendo, it's of vital importance to innovate rather than follow. "So, all I can tell you is that we will innovate. We will provide something new. Something that the consumer and the industry will look at and say, 'Wow, I didn't see that coming.'"
Fils-Aime also gave a few more juicy tidbits about what Nintendo has planned for the successor to the Wii, stressing that it won't simply be a Wii with HD graphics. "For us high definition by itself is not the next frontier. For us we need to provide a whole new compelling experience in our next generation," he said. Fils-Aime also made clear a new console won't be made until Nintendo feels it needs to be.
More DS2 Rumors Emerge from GDC

Posted: March 13th, 2010, 11:41am PST

Tags: NEWS

There had been a few Nintendo DS successor rumors leading up to GDC this week, and now even more (unconfirmed!) details have emerged from various anonymous sources from the conference. Raymond Padilla reports (via Shacknews) that from the information he gathered at GDC, the DS2 will have a built-in accelerometer, power similar to a GameCube, and may even be out by the end of the year.
According to Padilla's info, the DS2 will, naturally, also have two screens. But they'll be larger, higher resolution, and the gap between the two screens will be much smaller compared to the DS, so they could be used as one large screen.
Padilla also reports that the "dev kit is similar in power to the GameCube," although it's not clear if that means the graphics can be expected to be at the GameCube level as well (which, let's be honest, would mean DS2 visuals would even be pretty close to Wii visuals, too). This also means that developers will reportedly find the system easy to developer for, as the "people familiar with the dev kit made it sound like there wasn't much of a learning curve on the new system."
Game Faces: Meet the 1UP Community

Posted: March 12th, 2010, 4:20pm PST

Tags: FEATURE

Game Faces: Meet the 1UP Community
1UP users speak up about themselves and their love of games.
By Mike Cruz

Who is 1UP? Our staff page is part of the answer to that question, but 1UP is also made up of thousands of gamers who contribute blogs, comments, videos, cheats, and countless other precious bits of gaming knowledge to the site. Now, it's time to turn the spotlight toward a few members of the 1UP family to learn about their backgrounds and get some insight on their attitudes towards gaming.
Meet: NintendoTheory | LadyDiablo | MattClark | Bboy_Izilla | AngelsFail | SixArmedSamurai

TheNintendoTheory
Name: Cody W.
Location: Utah
Age: 23
Favorite Games: Majora's Mask, Yoshi's Island, Fable II
Producer Thinks it's "Unlikely" WoW Will Ever Come to Consoles

Posted: March 8th, 2010, 6:05pm PST

Tags: NEWS

As they've established previously, Blizzard isn't anti-console and plans on making another console game -- eventually. World of Warcraft might seem like the natural choice for what game to bring to consoles, given its incredible success, and as producer J. Allen Brack told G4tv, it's certainly something that Blizzard thinks about often.
Asked why MMOs haven't made much of an impact on consoles, Brack explained, "I think there's a lot of reasons. There's not one thing. One is, it takes a long time to develop an MMO. The lifecycle of consoles being what they are, you have to really time when your console's going to come out, what its projected lifecycle is going to be with when your game is going to be, which is challenging."
Brack went on to outline the technical challenges of bringing World of Warcraft to consoles, which include the game's current 15GB size and the issue of releasing patches on a platform that's controlled by Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo. He added, "[A]nd then specifically in the case of WoW, WoW was designed to be a keyboard game and its control scheme and its camera controls and the number of abilities that you have and the spells and how things work are very keyboard-centric. The idea of translating that to a gamepad is a very, very challenging proposition."
Magic Markers, Misnamed Final Fantasy on Nintendo Downloads

Posted: March 8th, 2010, 10:22am PST

Tags: NEWS

The puzzle-platformer Max & the Magic Marker headlines this week's downloadable titles. The 1,000 point ($10) title involves finding your way through stages by drawing to overcome obstacles and enemies. The week's only other WiiWare offering is Dracula - Undead Awakening for 1,000 points. The top-down undead shooter was a Mini for the PSP Go, and has now been ported. More on that in a moment. The Virtual Console game this week is Final Fantasy II. Note that this isn't the Famicom sequel, but rather Final Fantasy IV for Super NES, which was brought to the U.S. as Final Fantasy II. It's available for 800 point ($8).
DSiWare this week starts off with Dracula - Undead Awakening, which you may remember from five sentences ago. The game is available on both services this week, though on the DSi it's only 500 points ($5) to match the PSP version. Elemental Masters is a strategy role-playing title, with multiplayer support, for 800 points ($8). Flips: The Bubonic Builders is another interactive reading book, the sequel to last week's Flips book, for 500 points ($5). Finally, 4 Travellers - Play Spanish is a Spanish vocab-building game for 800 points ($8).
Nintendo Patent Suggests New DS Cartridge Design

Posted: March 7th, 2010, 12:28pm PST

Tags: NEWS

It's time once again to play everyone's favorite news game: Boarderline-Irresponsible Patent Speculation! On this episode, we have Nintendo filing a patent for what appears to be a new cartridge design for the Nintendo DS...or, maybe a new cartridge design for the heavily rumored DS 2?
The patent was picked up on by Siliconera, and to be honest, there's nothing in it that specifically proves it could be either of the above. While the included figure shows what certainly looks like a DS, the patent filing states that it's for "illustration purposes only." Still, Siliconera also points out this cartridge design -- which would, if it's actually meant for the DS, stick out quite a bit -- has the same number of pins as a standard DS cartridge.
That's all there really is to go on, though, so it's impossible to say what the mystery behind this cartridge is. Will more be revealed at GDC next week? Or will we have to wait until E3 in June for answers? Or does Nintendo have no intentions of doing anything with this patent at all? Stay tuned!
Scribblenauts 2 Coming to DS this Fall

Posted: March 7th, 2010, 11:45am PST

Tags: NEWS

Scribblenauts was one of 2009's breakout hits, so it's no surprise to see a sequel already in the works -- and it's coming pretty soon, too. The latest issue of Nintendo Power reveals Scribblenauts 2 will be released on the DS this fall, just a year after the first game's release.
According to GoNintendo's notes from the issue, Scribblenauts 2 will have the sort of additions and improvements you'd expect for a game all about random vocabulary: It'll have a whopping 10,000 new words, 120 "new and improved" levels, improved controls (one of the major complaints with the first game), a new hint system, a fleshed out level editor, and apparently it'll focus heavily on adjectives. That last one could potentially open the gameplay possibilities quite a bit, considering adjectives could be used to modify the things you create. For example, maybe you aren't just able to conjure a T-Rex, but a rotund T-Rex? Or -- could you imagine -- a delighted T-Rex?
Hopefully we'll know more soon enough.
NHL 2K11 Announced as a Wii Exclusive

Posted: March 3rd, 2010, 3:33pm PST

Tags: NEWS

NHL 2K11 will be returning after all, but it won't be on high definition consoles. Take-Two is ceding that territory to EA this year, instead choosing to focus on the Nintendo Wii (via Joystiq).
Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick was on hand to announce that the franchise's next iteration is a Wii exclusive during the recent earnings report. They aren't abandoning the PS3 and Xbox 360 though, they're just taking time to refine their approach.
"As far as NHL, we're taking a year off on PS3 and Xbox 360 to refine, redesign and re-think," Zelnick said.
Playable Bass, Special Stages Coming to Mega Man 10

Posted: March 1st, 2010, 1:20pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Like Mega Man teleporting into a stage, word of downloadable content for Mega Man 10 came almost instantly. No sooner was the game released on WiiWare than the official Nintendo page detailed DLC plans to take place during April. "Bass Mode," which presumably will let you play as Mega Man's musically-named rival, will come on April 5 for 200 points ($2). Three "Special Stages" are scheduled for 100 points ($1) each, the first of which will hit April 5, followed by the other two on April 26. An "Endless Attack Mode" will also come on the 26, for 300 points ($3). If you want all the DLC, you'll be paying a total of $8 on top of the $10 game price. All of these release dates are for the Wii version of the game, so we're not sure yet if the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions will feature the content on the same day.
Mega Man 9 similarly featured post-launch DLC that totaled eight bucks. Among these a la carte Mega menu options were an extra stage, increased difficulty, the Endless Attack mode, and the ability to play as Proto Man. Mega Man 10 includes Proto Man from the start, but apparently Capcom is making up the difference with more special stages.
Disney Wants Epic Mickey to Reach "Nintendo Levels" of Quality

Posted: February 28th, 2010, 12:28pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Why do Nintendo games, on average, sell so much better than third-party games on the Wii? There are probably a number of ways to answer that question, but according to Disney Interactive Studios executive VP and general manager Graham Hopper, it's about giving games the time and care they need to reach the "Nintendo level" of quality -- and they intend to do so with Epic Mickey.
"I think we've tried to learn from the things Nintendo does well," Hopper said in an interview with Gamasutra. "One of the things that Nintendo does on their own platforms is they give their projects the time and appropriate resources to be successful, and they iterate until they get there. And I think we're doing the same with Epic Mickey, giving it the time and resources to be successful."
That, Hopper hopes, will lead to better success than many third parties find on Wii. "I'll tell you that I don't think all other third parties are approaching the Wii in the same way. If there's a third-party game that I think has potential to be as successful on the Wii to Nintendo levels, I'd like to think it's Disney Epic Mickey. We're following the same playbook."
NoA's Dunaway Suggests Wii Zelda Releasing in 2010

Posted: February 27th, 2010, 11:50am PST

Tags: NEWS

It's coming out in 2010! Not necessarily! Yes it totally is! No, it so totally may not! Nintendo has certainly played with the hopes of fans over the last few months about whether their new Wii Zelda would actually release this year, and now Nintendo of America executive vice president Cammie Dunaway is the latest to very nearly confirm it will.
Speaking to Wired during the Nintendo Media Summit earlier this week, Dunaway seemed to suggest Zelda is indeed scheduled for release this year while touting Nintendo's strong lineup for 2010. "If you compare the first half of 2010 with the first half of 2009, it's night and day," Dunaway said. "And from some of the things that [Nintendo president Satoru] Iwata has talked about, and that we will talk about at E3, like Zelda, you know that we're going to have a good back half of the year, as well."
Moreover, when Wired's Chris Kohler -- who evidently wagered Mario, Metroid, and Zelda would not all release in the same year -- jokingly asked if he would owe Dunaway "a steak dinner" soon, her response was, "I think you do."
Nintendo's New WarioWare Wants You to Take Control

Posted: February 25th, 2010, 5:27pm PST

Tags: Preview

Making games is hard. Computer languages take years to master, and no one person can realistically create their own title from scratch anymore. Well, unless they're Jonathan Mak. But Nintendo seems set to change that with its next WarioWare game, WarioWare D.I.Y.
At the Nintendo Media Summit, the company showed off the game, and walked me through the stage making process. Unlike, say, LittleBigPlanet, the crux of DIY lies in its creation tools. They aren't just an addition for people who want to dig further into the game -- they are the game. But Nintendo obviously learned some lessons from Sony's creative playground: The tutorials (and there are a lot of them) gently introduce you to all the concepts that make-up a WarioWare "micro game." From simple, "when this object touches another object, you win" to, "When you tap this object, it start swinging in an arc and allows you to stick a finger in a nose." If you've seen it in a WarioWare game already, you can recreate it in DIY.
Retronauts Flashback: February 1990

Posted: February 25th, 2010, 5:15pm PST

Tags: FEATURE

#spot_module { width: 500px; } #spot_module p { border-right: 5px solid #eaeaea; padding: 8px 4px 10px 8px; background-color: #eaeaea; margin-top: 2px; font-size: 10px; font-family: Verdana; color: #666; } Retronauts Flashback: February 1990
Join us in our continuing examination of the state of the North American game industry as it was 20 years ago.
By Frank Cifaldi

This month, we look back 20 years to February 1990. Nintendo was still dominating the industry, launching no less than two landmark titles this month alone. The toy industry tried desperately to win back some of the revenue being lost to the resurgance in videogames. Sega and NEC were slowly but surely worming their way into the market, and getting some crucial major media coverage by way of Popular Mechanics. And finally, the pool of "unlicensed" NES publishers -- companies producing games for Nintendo's system without its approval -- became a little more crowded with the introduction of ShareData to the market.
The Plumber Has Landed
WiiWare's "Art Style" Series Lights Up This Spring

Posted: February 24th, 2010, 11:16pm PST

Tags: NEWS

As part of Nintendo's media summit this week, the company had a few upcoming WiiWare games to show, including new entries in the "Art Style" series -- the funky (as in musically), minimalist (as in artistically) games available on both Wii and DSi.

Art Style ROTOZOA: If PixelJunk Eden and flOw had a baby, Rotozoa might be it. As a multi-tentacled organism, your goal is to devour smaller protozoas by touching them with your limbs. The more you eat, the longer your limbs grow, but the key is that your tentacles can only eat like-colored food (red limbs can eat red food, and so on). If you mismatch food and arms, the small organisms actually hurt you, and yes, you can die. You can help yourself align protozoas with your tentacles by rotating your body right or left, but it?s a lot trickier than it sounds: As you grow in size, your long limbs start becoming a hindrance as you attempt to maneuver through an increasingly large pool of smaller creatures that -- in a bit of a Geometry Wars style -- all slowly hone in on you. It's deceivingly challenging, but interesting nonetheless.
Metroid Other M Turns Samus into a Space Ninja

Posted: February 24th, 2010, 9:27pm PST

Tags: Preview

Samus Aran, bounty hunter and heroine-at-large, is brought to the precipice of death by the destructive fury of her nemesis the Mother Brain -- only to be spared by the intervention of a baby Metroid whose life she spared at the end of her previous mission. The larva, mutated by the Space Pirates' experimentations and still imprinted on its "mother," sacrifices its life to empower Samus with the strength she needs to destroy Mother Brain once and for all.
The scene, of course, is the climactic finale to 1994's Super Metroid, which remains one of gaming's most memorable battles. It's also the prologue to the Nintendo/Team Ninja collaboration Metroid: Other M, rendered this time in crisp CG. It's a clever move on the creators' part, not only capitalizing on the most powerful moment of a true videogame classic, but also imitating that game's structure (as it began with a recap of Metroid II's finale). The message is clear: Other M is the true sequel to Super Metroid, and it's aspiring to a similar level of quality.
Prince of Persia On The Wii Isn't A Port; It's An Entirely Unique Adventure

Posted: February 24th, 2010, 3:59pm PST

Tags: Preview

A lot of multiplatform games say they're, "built from the ground up" when they actually mean, "heavily modified version of the game on another platform." But Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands actually seems to be its own unique game. Though it shares the same title as the 360/PS3, DS, and PSP versions, the Wii iteration has its own story and its own set of power-ups. And at the Nintendo Media Summit, while I didn't get to play the game, I did get to see it in action.
Ubisoft isn't talking much about the game's plot, but like the the 360/PS3 version it also takes place in the period between The Sands of Time and The Warrior Within, but it will follow a separate plot and a different set of characters than on the other systems. Well, except the Prince -- he's there no matter what.
Wii Forgotten Sands Includes SNES Prince of Persia, Co-Op Multiplayer

Posted: February 24th, 2010, 3:16pm PST

Tags: NEWS

It may not be as exciting an announcement as release dates for almost every known first-party Nintendo game under the sun, but Ubisoft had a nice treat all the same: At the Nintendo World conference earlier today, they revealed the Wii version of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands will include a free copy of the Super Nintendo version of the original Prince of Persia. On top of that, it'll also distinguish itself from other console versions with co-op multiplayer.
Details weren't immediately provided on how the co-op will work, so we'll have to wait a little bit longer to see just how the Prince of Persia style of environmental exploration and puzzles will work with a partner tagging along. Or, you could forget about the fancy shmancy new game and just play the classic instead, as the SNES version is regarded as one of the best editions of the classic adventure game.
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is releasing for the Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, DS, and PSP on May 18.
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Wii Review

Posted: February 23rd, 2010, 4:01pm PST

Tags: Review

With Super Mario Kart, Nintendo proved that game mascots can still be in great games outside their "regular jobs." Since then, Mario's now-friendly rival, Sonic, has tried to keep up (pun not intended). The bog-standard Sonic Drift series on Game Gear and the well-liked, but still baffling, on-foot racer Sonic R were far from grasping the potential of a great Sonic racing game (and who knows what they were going for with Sonic Riders). How can a character known for speed not properly harness it? Well, in their latest attempt, Sega has decided to throw the blue needlemouse back onto the track with a host of friends from other Sega universes; Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is a racing game that's the best any of its characters have been in yet, but it serves more as a gift to Sega fans than to all-ages kart racing players.
It is quite a gift, though. There's Sonic, of course, and Tails, Knuckles, Amy... and Big the Cat, who's somewhere on the short list of Most Hated Sonic Characters. But outside of that group, there's the other "All-Stars" like Super Monkey Ball's Aiai, Billy Hatcher, Amigo, Jet Set Radio's Beat, and even more relatively obscure characters available for purcahse with earned "Sega Miles": Ulala, Jacky, and Akira from Virtua Fighter; shallow, Shenmue protagonist Ryo Hazuki; Fantasy Zone's sentient ship Opa-Opa; and many more surprising appearances. (Just no anthropomorphic Daytona car.) It's a great, varied roster that pretty much confirms developer Sumo Digital as the best professional Sega fan around.
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing PS3/360 Review

Posted: February 23rd, 2010, 3:48pm PST

Tags: Review

With Super Mario Kart, Nintendo proved that game mascots can still be in great games outside their "regular jobs." Since then, Mario's now-friendly rival, Sonic, has tried to keep up (pun not intended). The bog-standard Sonic Drift series on Game Gear and the well-liked, but still baffling, on-foot racer Sonic R were far from grasping the potential of a great Sonic racing game (and who knows what they were going for with Sonic Riders). How can a character known for speed not properly harness it? Well, in their latest attempt, Sega has decided to throw the blue needlemouse back onto the track with a host of friends from other Sega universes; Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is a racing game that's the best any of its characters have been in yet, but it serves more as a gift to Sega fans than to all-ages kart racing players.
It is quite a gift, though. There's Sonic, of course, and Tails, Knuckles, Amy... and Big the Cat, who's somewhere on the short list of Most Hated Sonic Characters. But outside of that group, there's the other "All-Stars" like Super Monkey Ball's Aiai, Billy Hatcher, Amigo, Jet Set Radio's Beat, and even more relatively obscure characters available for purcahse with earned "Sega Miles": Ulala, Jacky, and Akira from Virtua Fighter; shallow, Shenmue protagonist Ryo Hazuki; Fantasy Zone's sentient ship Opa-Opa; and many more surprising appearances. (Just no anthropomorphic Daytona car.) It's a great, varied roster that pretty much confirms developer Sumo Digital as the best professional Sega fan around.
Japan Review Check: Estpolis, Shiren 4

Posted: February 17th, 2010, 8:51am PST

Tags: NEWS

This next week's a bit slow for new console releases in Japan, but two major Nintendo DS RPGs are worth overseas gamers' attention. Here's what Famitsu magazine thought about each of them in this week's issue:
- Estpolis (7/8/7/8, 30 points): Square Enix's DS remake of Super Nintendo classic Lufia II is somewhat damned with faint praise by Famitsu's editors, several of whom had problems with the camera controls. "The 3D graphics make the towns and story scenes more attractive, but it's harder to tell where you're supposed to be going on the map now," one wrote. "The camera angles are hard to see in some places, making it hard to figure out what's accessible and what's too high to reach."
Still, the news isn't all bad. One editor lauded how you can restart the game with a boost to your level after dying in battle, "a unique experiment." "If you're going to get stuck here, it's in the dungeons, which have a major puzzle element," another wrote. "You can get pretty lost in them, but they're a lot of fun nonetheless."
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Dated for May 18

Posted: February 16th, 2010, 11:55am PST

Tags: NEWS

Ubisoft's upcoming movie tie-in, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, picked up an official release date this morning. Fans will be able to wall-run their way through the game starting on May 18 -- just over a week before Jake Gyllenhaal takes to the big screen in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
Forgotten Sands is expected to arrive simultaneously on PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PSP, and DS next month, but Ubisoft emphasized the uniqueness of the Wii version in today's announcement. Developed by Ubisoft's Quebec City studio, the Wii release will apparently deliver a totally different experience from the game on other platforms, and not just because of the motion controls. The developers peg the Wii game at about 15 hours to complete, and they promise "a smooth, clear, and impressive graphical experience on Wii."
How good, exactly, will this thing look on Nintendo's console? Check out our newest screens of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands on the Wii and decide for yourself.
Nintendo DS Successor Reportedly in the Hands of Developers

Posted: February 16th, 2010, 10:40am PST

Tags: NEWS

The Nintendo DS continues to sell incredibly well month after month, but that doesn't mean Nintendo isn't thinking about the future. One particular plan involving a successor to the DS might be closer to a reality than some would think. A new rumor (via GoNintendo) regarding the DS2 claims that developers already have the system in their possession. Following up on that, CVG is now reporting that DS2 development kits are indeed in the hands of "select developers in Japan." Not only that, but the system includes a motion-sensing feature that one anonymous developer with access to the system described as "a 'tilt' function that's not dissimilar to iPhone," but added that it "does a lot more."
Among the third party companies that have access to the DS2 is The Pokemon Company, which the source said "are getting special attention with it."
CVG's source doesn't believe the system will be shown at the annual Game Developers Conference, which runs from March 9 - 13. "Any kind of March announcement wouldn't fit with the timeline I understand the second DS to be on," he explained. Therefore, don't expect to see the new DS revealed at the Nintendo Media Summit next Wednesday, though 1UP will be there in any event.
Zangeki no Reginleiv Shows Off Nintendo's M-Rated Side In Japan

Posted: February 15th, 2010, 2:25pm PST

Tags: Preview

Imagine this: You are surrounded by 20 giants who are slowly closing in on you. You take one swing of your hammer; the force of your blow drives the crowd a little to the right. Then you cock that hammer back like you're about to hit one out of the park, swing, and all at once those 20 giants explode like piñatas spewing blood and items all over the place. Torsos fly about like bottle rockets; meanwhile you're just concerned with the 100-foot monster in the background. To put it bluntly, Zangeki no Reginleiv (A Nintendo-published Wii game made by the studio behind Earth Defense Force 2017) is bloody murderous joy (I'm not a sociopath, honest!). Half of the fun in this game is just focusing all of your life's frustrations into the controller, and letting the mayhem ensue.
The other half is the Diablo-esque weapon collecting. As you slay countless giants, you are then able to create weapons that range from a simple sword to a megaton-bomb-shooting magic wand. This wand is so devastating that it carries a warning in the back of the manual -- so you don't blow up other players online. The game ups the ante quite quickly as you'll find yourself using all sorts of wacky weapons (including the bomb wand) in the first few stages. Not all weapons are great for every situation, if you are going into a stage with tons of dragons and flying wizards, it's probably not a good idea to come in with a long sword and a hammer. Enemies do eventually come down to melee level, but a little planning always makes life a little easier in the land of Reginleiv (or Iceland, or Norway, or whatever).
Wright, Knuckles, and a Spaceball Fill Nintendo Downloads

Posted: February 15th, 2010, 9:37am PST

Tags: NEWS

Let it never be said that Capcom doesn't know how to cross-promote games. As Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth prepares to hit stores tomorrow, today the WiiWare service includes Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Justice for All. This second part in the 3-game Wright trilogy will cost 1,000 points ($10). Art of Balance for 800 points ($8) is a building-block based stacking challenge for 1-2 players. WarMen Tactics is cover-based tactical game that takes place in the far-flung future of 2013, also priced at 800 points. Finally, Sonic & Knuckles is available on the Virtual Console for 800 points, and allows you to imitate the famed "lock-on technology" if you have Sonic 2 or Sonic 3 in your Virtual Console collection.
DSiWare brings us Spaceball: Revolution, which unfortunately is not based on the 1987 Mel Brooks parody starring Rick Moranis. Instead, the 500 point ($5) puzzle game challenges you to match shapes by arranging your energy balls. It's okay, we're disappointed too. Spotto! involves a duck using bombs to save the President's daughter from ghosts. Yes, you read that right, and the daughter is named "Chikkie Wowwow." It's available for 200 points ($2). Scrabble Classic is precisely what it sounds like, supports up to 4 players, and costs 800 points. Real Soccer 2010 is the latest iteration on the soccer franchise from Gameloft, for 800 points. And finally, Prehistorik Man is a platformer starring Sam the caveman, priced at 800 points.
Plants vs. Zombies Now Available on iTunes

Posted: February 15th, 2010, 8:53am PST

Tags: NEWS

What's the best way to celebrate President's Day if you're American? How about by telling zombies to get off your lawn? Plants vs. Zombies is now available on the iPhone.
The tower defense game that pits plants against the living dead can be found at the iTunes App Store. It was originally released on the PC, and will eventually be making its way to Xbox Live Arcade as well.
Plants vs. Zombies' move to the iPhone is a prime example of aggressive cross-platform support by PopCap. It's following in the footsteps of Peggle, which has been released on everything from the PlayStation Network to the Nintendo DS.
"All You Need is Love" Coming to Beatles: Rock Band on Wii, PS3

Posted: February 11th, 2010, 11:09am PST

Tags: NEWS

Xbox 360 owners have had plenty of alone time with the Microsoft-exclusive, charity-benefitting "All You Need is Love" DLC for The Beatles: Rock Band, but it's about time PlayStation 3 and Wii users had a crack at it. Harmonix announced this morning that the best-selling Beatles download is coming to Sony and Nintendo's consoles over the next month or so.
The track -- the proceeds of which benefit Doctors Without Borders -- will go on sale on the PlayStation Store starting March 4, and it's set at the usual $1.99 price point. As for the Wii version, look for that next Tuesday, February 16 for 200 Wii Points.
According to the press release, downloads of "All You Need is Love" have generated over $200,000 for Doctors Without Borders. Back in September, that number was in the tens of thousands rather than hundreds. That's a lot of faux-rocking for a good cause.
The Decade That Was: Influential Faces

Posted: February 8th, 2010, 6:05pm PST

Tags: FEATURE

The Decade That Was: Influential Faces
A look at the five people who most influenced the industry over the past ten years.
By Jeremy Parish

Now that we're firmly ensconced in the year 2010, we at 1UP would like to pause and look back at the century's first decade* and all the changes it brought to videogaming. It's been a tumultuous ten years, opening with Sega's decision to back out of the console-making game and ending with Nintendo back on top as former powerhouse Sony struggled to catch up. High-definition has become the new standard for game graphics, western developers migrated from PC to consoles and surpassed most Japanese creators in the process, handheld systems have long since ceased to be for kids only, and the Internet has changed everything.

In light of how much has changed these past ten years, we've isolated five key areas of gaming -- the people, the tech, the business blunders, fresh ideas, and vibrant legacy franchises -- and selected the five most important examples of each. We've spent plenty of time debating these lists, and while you may not agree with all our selections, we strongly believe that the names and items that we'll be touching upon over the coming weeks are responsible for shaping the industry into what it is now. Check out our selections and share your own thoughts below.
Two EA Sports Active Games Coming Holiday 2010

Posted: February 8th, 2010, 3:18pm PST

Tags: NEWS

EA Sports Active was a bona fide hit last year, almost managing to challenge Nintendo's own Wii Fit in its debut month. This year, EA is following that success with not one but two sequels, both listed as "TBA" in the company's financial earnings report. Both are simply outed as console titles coming in the third quarter of 2010 -- that is to say, between October 1 and December 31.
We can't tell for certain what EA's plans are for the franchise, but their timing seems fortuitous. A Q3 release would put these two unannounced titles conveniently close to both Natal and Sony's motion device. We could be seeing the first hints of a separate EA Sports Active title planned for each of the upcoming devices. Alternately, one of the TBA games could be a proper Wii sequel, leaving us to wonder what the other one may be. If EA opens another round of temporary EA Sports Active stores, they're likely to showcase the strengths of each game for potential customers.
Metroid: Other M to Focus on Samus's 'Human Side'

Posted: February 7th, 2010, 1:58pm PST

Tags: NEWS

There's still very little known about Metroid: Other M, the new installment in the Metroid franchise that's being developed in collaboration between Nintendo and Tecmo's Team Ninja. But in the pages of the latest Famitsu (via Andriasang), Metroid co-creator Yoshio Sakamoto explained a bit of what the game's focus will be.
"[Different] from the rest of the series, this time we're strongly depicting the human side of Samus through such things as movies," Yakamoto said. "She's a strong woman, but she also has a fragile side. We want to make a game whose charms can be felt from the story areas and these human touches as well. It's an action game, but it's capable of having a clear emotional side."
No doubt the team-up with CG studio D-Rockets is where those movies come into the picture, and the announcement trailer at E3 last year (above) was already evidently filled with story-driven cut-scenes.
80 Percent of U.S. Teens Have Access to Game Console, Survey Says

Posted: February 4th, 2010, 2:20pm PST

Tags: NEWS

If you're a kid these days, seems like owning a video game console is pretty much a given. That sentiment is backed up by a recent survey by Pew Research Center, which found 80 percent of U.S. participants between the ages of 12 and 17 own a gaming console (via MSNBC).
The survey was conducted by telephone as part of the Internet & American Life Project, and found that 89 percent of young males own or have access to a console. Girls at a similar age come in at 70 percent.
The survey also showed 56 percent of males and 47 percent of females owning a Nintendo DS or PSP. Ownership also drops for older teens, with 44 percent of those aged 14 - 17 owning a handheld compared to 66 percent for kids aged 12 and 13.
Ivy the Kiwi Coming to Game Consoles

Posted: February 3rd, 2010, 12:05pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Namco Bandai Games' Japanese headquarters announced today that Ivy the Kiwi?, a touch pen-based action puzzle game from Yuji Naka's Prope studio, is coming to the Wii and Nintendo DS. Both versions will go on sale April 22 in Japan for 3990 yen; special "Mini" versions will also be available on WiiWare and DSiWare for an unspecified amount of points.
Originally released for Windows Mobile platforms last year, Ivy is a puzzler that stars a young kiwi as she navigates through a series of 2D side-view stages. Ivy runs back and forth by herself; you must use the DS stylus or Wii remote to stretch out vines for her to walk on, carrying her over walls and past spikes and other dangers. Ivy isn't completely helpless, either -- if she's standing on a vine, you can use the pen or remote to slingshot her forward, drilling through walls and other enemies.
Check out a gameplay video from the Windows Mobile version to get a better idea of how the game works.
Japan Review Check: Dragon Quest VI, Reginleiv

Posted: February 3rd, 2010, 9:27am PST

Tags: NEWS

A pretty busy week for game reviews in Japan -- here are the highlights from this week's issue of Famitsu magazine:
- Dragon Quest VI (9/9/8/8, 34 points): Square Enix's latest RPG, a remake of a game originally released 15 years ago in Japan, is already a big hit over there, with a million copies shipped to stores and sales moving along very briskly.
Overall Famitsu had few serious issues to complain about. "It's a remake, but not just a remake," one editor said. "It's fully tuned for the Nintendo DS, so it feels totally fresh as you play it. There's nothing I can call 'astounding' in the added features, but being able to chat with party members at a touch of the B button is kind of a nice experiment."
Iwata Explains DS Successor Quote Confusion

Posted: February 2nd, 2010, 8:41am PST

Tags: NEWS

The skirmish of words between Nintendo president Satoru Iwata and Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun has been volleying shots back and forth, and now Iwata has explained where the confusion may have started. Kotaku reports that in a recent investor call, Iwata declined to talk specifically about new hardware in development, like the company's next handheld. But, he said in the interview with Asahi Shimbun, the reporter asked, "The graphics for the next DS will be highly detailed and it will contain a motion sensor, right?" Iwata says he replied, "Those things are naturally being required. But do you think it would sell with just that?"
If Iwata's claim is true, then Asahi Shimbun was accurate in their initial report, but that accuracy was based on a bit of a leading question, and the paper was actually quoting its own reporter instead of Iwata. Also, they seem to have left out a piece of Iwata's reply that he feels was important. It seems he wants to stress that features like better graphics and a motion sensor are obviously going to be included, but Nintendo is looking to introduce more than just that. This could close the book on this particular media fight, unless the newspaper comes back with a comment of its own -- which is entirely possible.
More Monkey Island, More Alex Kidd on Nintendo Downloads

Posted: February 1st, 2010, 10:45am PST

Tags: NEWS

This week, the epic Tales of Monkey Island series concludes with its fifth installment, for the usual price of 1,000 Wii Points ($10). Alongside it is Tumblebugs 2, a PC puzzle port for 800 points ($8). Digital Leisure adds 5 in 1 Solitaire for WiiWare this week, at a cost of 500 points ($5). And Virtual Console brings Alex Kidd in Shinobi World for 500 points, a Master system crossover (or parody) that places its cutesy mascot in the land of of the ninja. Imagine Mario stumbling across Ninja Gaiden and you understand the gist.
Meanwhile, DSiWare brings several new games to be excited about -- so long as you get excited about cards and golf. True Swing Golf Express is published by Nintendo, and costs 800 DSi Points ($8). It only supports one player, but offers 3-, 9-, or 18-hole courses with difficulty settings. Legends of Exidia from Gameloft is also 800 points, and has the player fighting off an army of demons. Downtown Texas Hold'em from EA costs 500 points ($5), and is probably what you'd expect with that title. Multiplayer support is included for up to 20 players. Move Your Brain Rollaway Puzzle is also 500 points, and it uses the DSi camera to detect movements which tilt the ball. Finally, Digital Leisure adds 5 in 1 Solitaire for DSi this week, at a cost of 200 points ($2). If you're getting a strange sense of deja vu right now, that's because you read almost the exact same sentence a minute ago. Digital Leisure released a solitaire game for both systems today, so pick your poison if you love lonely games and haven't gotten your fill of other solitaire offerings.
U.K.'s 'Ninty News' Declares Zelda Wii for 2010

Posted: January 30th, 2010, 12:35pm PST

Tags: NEWS

There have been a lot of mixed signals from Nintendo about whether fans should expect The Legend of Zelda Wii this year: First Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said the game was "not committed" to 2010, then Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said it was releasing in 2010, and then Reggie said on their "Nintendo Week" promotional show that it "had to be perfect" -- the implication being if that means missing 2010, so be it.
And now, apparently, Zelda Wii is once again confirmed for 2010. On the latest episode of "Ninty News" (the British equivalent of "Nintendo Week"), they give Zelda a brief mention in a list of games "to get fired up about this year" (via Joystiq). The other games mentioned include Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid: Other M, and Epic Mickey.
So how much confidence can we have in this latest confirmation? Well, "Ninty News" is an official Nintendo promotional show, so you'd like to think they wouldn't get their official Nintendo information wrong. But until someone a little higher up in the organization confirms it themselves, excuse us if we don't get our hopes up...again.
Nintendo Publishing "The Last Story" from Mistwalker

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 5:21pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Nintendo of Japan announced a new game from RPG developer Mistwalker today, titled The Last Story. The game is due out this year (in Japan, at least), for the Nintendo Wii. Unfortunately, other than those scant details and a game logo (above), we don't know anything about the upcoming project. If you hadn't noticed, the game's title and logo style bears a striking resemblance to a certain other high-profile RPG series from company founder Hironobu Sakaguchi. We're pretty sure that isn't a coincidence.
Mistwalker has been enjoying a healthy relationship with Nintendo, co-developing various RPGs for the DS. This will be the developer's first trek onto the Wii, so we'll be curious to see how they make use of the motion controls. We'll keep an eye out for more details, including U.S. release plans.
RevisioNESt History: Comparing Made-Up Mythology in Retro-Style Games

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 4:52pm PST

Tags: FEATURE

RevisioNESt History: Comparing Made-Up Mythology in Retro-Style Games
Is making games purposefully simple and arguably ugly a piece of cake? Not if you want to properly represent their forebears.
By Ray Barnholt

A few years ago, something funny happened: Game developers realized that games from the '80s still had plenty of value in their design and presentation, and millions of present-day adults remember them so fondly. For various reasons, some of those developers began making new games that purposefully had old (some would say "bad") graphics and artificially-limited gameplay.

The most popular example is Mega Man 9, Capcom's deliberate regression of the classic action series into an 8-bit game, the most fondly remembered kind in the series. It's a trend that's positively blowing up thanks to more recent games like 3D Dot Game Heroes from Atlus tweaks the approach a little bit by turning 2D sprites into more humanoid 3D models, but packing the game with references to Zelda and related 8-bit games. Other developers seem to think that all they need is low-detail pixel graphics, though, like in Nippon Ichi's upcoming Classic Dungeon.

But this piece isn't about those games. Rather, this about case studies of two retro-style games for Nintendo DS that go the extra inch and set themselves up with not just '80s graphics, but also with back-stories to add some purpose and understanding as to why they are the way they are.
Iwata Calls iPad "a Bigger iPod Touch"

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 12:05pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Tech bloggers haven't been shy about criticizing the iPad for its price, its feature set, or its thoroughly mockable name. But now Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is commenting on it in a recent New York Times report. "It was a bigger iPod Touch," he said of the device. "There were no surprises for me." His comments could be seen as run-of-the-mill corporate sniping, but his thoughts seem to echo most of the criticisms being levied against the iPad. After heavy speculation some expected Apple's take on the tablet computer to pack a heavier punch.
Iwata also commented on the push for 3D gaming, which his competitor Sony has been advocating. "I have doubts whether people will be wearing glasses to play games at home," he said. "How is that going to look to other people?" Finally, Iwata continued to distance himself from recent reports of a successor to the DS, as well as the persistent HD Wii rumors. "I question whether those features would be enough to get people to buy new machines," he said. He did mention that Nintendo is working on new hardware, but didn't give details.
Nintendo Publishing "The Last Story" from Mistwalker

Posted: January 29th, 2010, 11:20am PST

Tags: NEWS

Nintendo of Japan announced a new game from RPG developer Mistwalker today, titled The Last Story. The game is due out this year (in Japan, at least), for the Nintendo Wii. Unfortunately, other than those scant details and a game logo (above), we don't know anything about the upcoming project. If you hadn't noticed, the game's title and logo style bears a striking resemblance to a certain other high-profile RPG series from company founder Hironobu Sakaguchi. We're pretty sure that isn't a coincidence.
Mistwalker has been enjoying a healthy relationship with Nintendo, co-developing various RPGs for the DS. This will be the developer's first trek onto the Wii, so we'll be curious to see how they make use of the motion controls. We'll keep an eye out for more details, including U.S. release plans.
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars Review

Posted: January 28th, 2010, 1:01pm PST

Tags: Review

Many wondered why Capcom chose Nintendo's Wii as the exclusive platform to launch Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, the latest fighter in the over-the-top Versus series. Surely, a multiplatform release would reach a broader audience, critics argued. Capcom saw the situation differently. According to TVC producer Ryota Niitsumae, the dearth of Wii fighters was an influencing factor, and the console's casual quality matches the Versus' series trademark of accessibility. Opposing console supporters may scoff at Capcom's decision, but let them argue all they want on the messageboards. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom clearly stands above its competition as one of Wii's finest fighting game.
The Versus series is unlike, say, Capcom's other flagship fighter, Street Fighter. Its signature tenet, the team aspect, stresses the importance of finding teammates who complement each other's strengths while filling out each other's weaknesses. Whereas Street Fighter emphasizes a methodical approach to engaging your opponent, balancing conservatism with aggression, the Versus series, especially TVC, favors the extreme: either unbridled offense or impenetrable defense.
Video Footage: A Mature, Nintendo-Published, Wii MotionPlus Game

Posted: January 28th, 2010, 12:29pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Nintendo has released an early, Japan-only demo of their upcoming project with Earth Defense Force developer Sandlot, titled Zangeki no Reginleiv. Due November 11 in Japan, the game has already received a "D" rating, which is the equivalent of "Mature" in America.
While there are plenty of other ultra-violent games on the Wii, this is the first such title directly from Nintendo. We've put together a few videos to let you see the gushing blood and flying body parts first hand.
Retronauts Flashback: January 1990

Posted: January 28th, 2010, 10:47am PST

Tags: FEATURE

Retronauts Flashback: January 1990
We look back to the world of gaming as it was 20 years ago this month.
By Frank Cifaldi

In many ways, the 1990s defined the games industry as we know it today. Technology advanced at a more rapid pace than ever before, third-party game publishers were out in full force, games moved away from ROM-based cartridges to embrace the CD-ROM, early attempts at online-enabled games were made, and it was finally proven that the market could sustain more than one successful game platform at a time.

Examining the entire decade is well beyond the scope of one article, which is why we're starting from the beginning. So grab your friendship bracelets, pop in your copy of Rhythm Nation (on vinyl if you're nasty) and join us as we step back exactly twenty years to examine the state of video games in January 1990.
Nintendo
Uno Joins bittos+ and Ghoul Patrol on Nintendo Downloads

Posted: January 25th, 2010, 9:30am PST

Tags: NEWS

It's that time of week again, and Nintendo has once again released a bevy of casual titles on the Wii and DS. We start off with Gameloft's Uno for WiiWare, similar to the company's iPhone version, for 1,000 Wii Points ($10). The update also brings bittos+ (above), a puzzle title popularized on the PC, available for 800 Points ($8). The seek-and-find game "Aha! I Found It!" Hidden Object Game is up for 500 Wii Points ($5). Virtual Console brings Ghoul Patrol, the SNES sequel to Zombies Ate My Neighbors. It costs 800 Points ($8).
On DSi, we have the feng shui puzzle game Number Battle for 500 DSi Points ($5). AiRace: Tunnel for 200 Points ($2) lets you navigate your aircraft through tight tunnels. And finally, Escapee GO! is an action-suspense title that costs 200 Points ($2).
Rolling Blackout: The Dark Side of Updates

Posted: January 22nd, 2010, 4:56pm PST

Tags: FEATURE

Rolling Blackout: The Dark Side of Updates
When game patches can mean more than bug fixes, should gamers worry about their digital rights?
By John Constantine

Let's take a stroll down a hypothetical memory lane and peer into an alternate universe at the dawn of gaming's golden age. Let's say that, in this alternate universe, the ubiquity of high-speed internet access didn't grasp the post-industrial world in the early 21st century but rather in 1985. Message boards, fan communities, and FAQs rose to prominence alongside the Nintendo Entertainment System, leading to a horrifying and strange universe leagues different than our own safe and familiar reality. In this other world, Konami crafted an original version of their arcade hit Contra for the NES, one virtually identical to the one you and I have enjoyed for decades.

Contra is so successful in this alternate reality that co-op speed-runs of the game have become an international pastime, attracting a multitude of fierce competitors from all the world's continents, each of them joining the struggle to defeat Red Falcon as quickly as possible with a friend at their side. Competition is so fierce and so common that there is significant outcry over the popularity of the so-called Konami Code. That the thirty-life cheat was included at all is seen as unsporting, downright offensive! Acting quickly, Konami distributes a patch via the Fami-Network. Contra update 1.06 removes the Konami code entirely, preserving the challenge, and face, of the world's favorite game.
The Top Games We're Just Dying to See

Posted: January 21st, 2010, 12:35pm PST

Tags: FEATURE

The Top Games We're Just Dying to See
Hey developers, just show us these games already!
By 1UP Staff

Ah, sometimes this industry can be such a tease. Whether it's a certain developers toying with our emotions by hinting at upcoming projects on their blogs or twitter accounts, or a publisher announcing a game and then sitting on assets until years later, there are so many projects that we know of that are still stuck in a world of secrecy. For as many big titles that we've seen going into 2010, there are a whole bunch more that are still a giant mystery. With that in mind, we decided to put together a list of the games we're just dying to see already. Got any others? Feel free to let us know in the comments.

Zelda Wii
System: Wii | Release Date: 2009 | Publisher: Ubisoft -->
Nintendo has promised that the next chapter of the Zelda series will be "perfect," and that it will arrive this year. And backing up this promise is... a single piece of artwork, revealed at last year's E3 conference. There's also a vague suggestion that it will possibly incorporate Wii Motion Plus, maybe, and probably won't diverge too much from the Zelda template. Except that apparently it will diverge and be totally different! So, Zelda fans are left with a lot of inconsistent talk and a general awareness that the next Zelda -- currently a nameless game -- will affect the more realistic visual style of Twilight Princess. And there's a girl who may or may not be the Master Sword. We know many Nintendo fans have an almost religious love for the company, but some of us non-believers need evidence of this game's perfection. Blind faith just doesn't cut it for the heretic crowd.

Deus Ex 3
System: Wii | Release Date: 2009 | Publisher: Ubisoft -->
When Eidos Interactive opened their new Montreal studio back in 2007, one of the first things they did was announce that the studio would be developing Deus Ex 3. Two years and a Square Enix buyout later, all we really have besides a teaser trailer is word that it will be a prequel and feature a "vast array of fully upgradeable and customizable weapons." With Deus Ex: The Invisible War being a disappointment and developer Warren Spector having long since moved onto other projects, the fans are in "show me" mode. Time for Eidos Montreal to take the wraps off this thing and show us what they've got.

Thief 4
System: Wii | Release Date: 2009 | Publisher: SEGA -->
Uncharted 2 Gets Seven GDC Award Nominations

Posted: January 19th, 2010, 8:57am PST

Tags: NEWS
While awards like the Spike VGAs have come and gone for 2009, the Game Developers Choice awards are just getting warmed up. Gamasutra reports that the nominations were recently announced, and Uncharted 2 leads the pack with the most nominations. It gained seven nominations (out of 11 categories), with Flower following at five nominations and Assassin's Creed 2 just behind it with four. Seeing as it holds the most nominations, Uncharted 2 seems like a lock for the biggest category, Game of the Year.
The nominations will be voted on by a group of 500 selected game creators, and the winners will be announced at the Game Developers Conference on March 11. Check below for a full list of the nominees:
Best Game Design:
- Batman: Arkham Asylum (Rocksteady)
- Assassin's Creed 2 (Ubisoft Montreal)
- Flower (Thatgamecompany)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog)
- Plants Vs. Zombies (PopCap)
Best Visual Art:
- Borderlands (Gearbox Software)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog)
- Assassin's Creed II (Ubisoft Montreal)
- Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward)
- Flower (Thatgamecompany)
Best Technology:
- Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward)
- Red Faction: Guerrilla (Volition)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog)
- Killzone 2 (Guerrilla Games)
- Assassin's Creed II (Ubisoft Montreal)
Best Writing:
- Brutal Legend (Double Fine)
- Batman: Arkham Asylum (Rocksteady Studios)
- Dragon Age: Origins (BioWare)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog)
- Halo 3: ODST (Bungie)
Best Audio:
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog)
- Dragon Age: Origins (BioWare)
- Rock Band: The Beatles (Harmonix)
- Flower (Thatgamecompany)
- Brutal Legend (Double Fine Productions)
Innovation:
- Scribblenauts (5th Cell)
- Flower (Thatgamecompany)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog)
- Plants Vs. Zombies (PopCap)
- Demon's Souls (From Software)
Best Debut:
- The Maw (Twisted Pixel)
- League Of Legends (Riot Games)
- Spider: The Secret Of Bryce Manor (Tiger Style)
- Torchlight (Runic Games)
- Zeno Clash (ACE Team)
Best Downloadable Game:
- Plants Vs. Zombies (PopCap)
- Trials HD (RedLynx)
- PixelJunk Shooter (Q Games)
- Shadow Complex (Chair Entertainment)
- Flower (Thatgamecompany)
Best New Social/Online Game:
- Restaurant City (Playfish)
- Farmville (Zynga)
- Dungeon Fighter Online (Neople/Nexon)
- Free Realms (Sony Online Entertainment San Diego)
- Bejeweled Blitz (PopCap)
Best Handheld Game:
- Scribblenauts (5th Cell)
- Flight Control (Firemint)
- Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (Rockstar Leeds/Rockstar North)
- Spider: The Secret Of Bryce Manor (Tiger Style)
- Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (Nintendo EAD)
Game of the Year:
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog)
- Dragon Age: Origins (BioWare)
- Batman: Arkham Asylum (Rocksteady Studios)
- Demon's Souls (From Software)
- Assassin's Creed II (Ubisoft Montreal)
1UP's 2009 Readers' Choice Awards

Posted: January 18th, 2010, 7:50pm PST

Tags: FEATURE

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You voted, we counted! Now see what your favorite games from 2009 were (and ours, too)!
By 1UP Staff

Another year has come to an end, and 2010 is already off to an impressive start for new releases. Before we get wrapped up in the new year's hottest games, it's time look back at 2009 and the titles 1UP's readers selected as their favorites. Votes were divided by Best of Platform, Best of Genre, and Game of the Year. After each category's runners-up, you'll notice that 1UP's editors have also weighed in with their favorite picks for each category as well. Plus, we have a special section at the end of our listings dedicated to special staff awards for games that deserve extra mention for excellence.

We begin with the Best of Platform Awards, in which the best releases for all consoles, handhelds, and of course PC are singled out. Multiplatform titles were eligible too, because sometimes a game just feels better on one system than on another. So what did our readers and editors decide were the games that best exemplified their hardware? Read on....

Jump to: Platform Awards | Genre Awards | Game of the Year | Editors' Special Recognition

Platform Awards
Downloadable Game of the Year Shadow Complex (24%)
Microsoft/Chair Entertainment
A love letter to Super Metroid that updated the structure of Nintendo's classic exploratory shooter to incorporate the visual and control stylings of modern third-person shooters, Shadow Complex was as notable for the sociopolitical controversy it inspired as it was for raising the bar of quality for downloadable games. Mostly, though, 1UP's editors and readers loved it for being damn fun.

Runners Up: Flower (14%), Torchlight (10%), Marvel vs Capcom 2 (10%)

Editors' Pick: Shadow Complex
Best PC Game Dragon Age: Origins (35%)
EA/BioWare
Nintendo Disputes Claims That DSi XL is "Just For Old People"

Posted: January 18th, 2010, 3:40pm PST

Tags: NEWS

With a thicker stylus and a larger screen, some people have made the argument that Nintendo's new DSi XL's only potential market is old people. That's simply not the case, Nintendo contends, and there are far more people that just those in the "old people" demographic that will be interested in the XL when it's released outside of Japan this year.
"It's absolutely not [just for old people]. DSi XL appeals to as many people, if not more, than its predecessors," Nintendo's DS senior product manager, James Honeywell, explained to CVG. "With bigger screens and a larger pen-like stylus it's likely that older users may find the DSi XL easier and more comfortable to use but there are many more people it can and will appeal to. Gamers will undoubtedly appreciate the bigger screens so they can experience their favourite and the latest DS titles bigger and in a greater level of detail than ever before."
But how about specifically -- just who would take advantage of those features? Honeywell offered, "We certainly know that a lot of families who play DS together will enjoy the wider viewing angle the DSi XL allows so they can play together at home and the fact the bigger stylus is less likely to get lost down the back of the sofa is another bonus for them."
Muscle March, Dark Void Zero Hit Nintendo Downloads

Posted: January 18th, 2010, 9:38am PST

Tags: NEWS

We like to give games every benefit of the doubt, but this week some of Nintendo's downloads are erring on the side of bizarre. The madness starts with Muscle March, which looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger's Japanese fever dream. It costs 500 Wii Points ($5) and defies all explanation. Check the video above if you want details or nightmares. Joining it is The Amazing Brain Train!, a trivia title for 600 Wii Points ($6). We have only one Virtual Console game this week, but that's because ninjas work alone. The Genesis classic Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi is up for 800 Wii Points ($8).
DSiWare has its own share of oddity, in the form of Dark Void Zero. Capcom is pitching it as a scrapped project from the NES days that's been revived to usher in Dark Void, which itself doesn't appear on any Nintendo systems. The side-scroller will set you back 500 points. Starship Defense is a space-faring shooter that also costs 500 points. Chronos Twins lets you control two characters at once for 500 points. And finally, Me and My Dogs: Friends Forever is going for 800 DSi Points ($8), a virtual pet simulator that lets you keep up to three dogs at once.
Japanese Newspaper Defends Accuracy of Iwata Statements

Posted: January 15th, 2010, 8:35am PST

Tags: NEWS

Respected Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun has stepped forward to defend the accuracy of a story it wrote following an interview with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. The original story claimed that the next Legend of Zelda for Wii would be coming in 2010, and hinted at possible features for Nintendo's next handheld. Among those features were more advanced graphics, and a motion sensor. Soon after, a Nintendo spokesperson denied that Iwata made any comments about future hardware, claiming his comments were "misinterpreted" by the newspaper report.
Now Kotaku gives word that Asahi Shimbun is defending its report. "The article quoted Nintendo President Satoru Iwata's comment accurately," read a statement from the company. At this point it's getting harder and harder to sift through the conflicting reports. Iwata may have misspoken and intended to talk about possible features, or Nintendo simply decided afterwards that he revealed too much. The DS is still going strong, so it's unlikely we'll hear anything about a successor too soon, as Nintendo would risk undercutting their own sales momentum.
December NPDs: Nintendo Sells 7M in Combined Hardware

Posted: January 14th, 2010, 6:16pm PST

Tags: NEWS
Nintendo is back to printing money, with a blockbuster December that might make you forget about the recession. At 3.8 million, the Wii set a new industry record, both for hardware units sold and revenue generated in a month. The DS came in close to the Wii's numbers, making it the second-place holder for that same record. Combined, Nintendo alone sold over a staggering 7 million units of hardware in December alone. The other consoles saw a notable bump as well, and the PlayStation 3 had its best month on record, clearing a million units for the first time.
Sony issued a statement noting that PS3 sales have been nearly doubling every month since October, and December's increase is 87% year-over-year. Microsoft called 2009 a "breakthrough year" and pointed out that the console sold over 10 million units over the course of it. Nintendo noted their shattered records and, we presume, went back to having money fights in the break room.
December 2009 Hardware Sales
- Wii -- 3,810,000
- Nintendo DS -- 3,310,000
- PlayStation 3 -- 1,360,000
- Xbox 360 -- 1,310,000
- PlayStation Portable -- 654,700
- PlayStation 2 -- 333,200
Nintendo Downplays Lack of HD Netflix Content for Wii

Posted: January 14th, 2010, 12:06pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Netflix has been confirmed for the Nintendo Wii, making the service available on all three consoles and pretty much every Internet-enabled media box under the sun. But while Nintendo's box can largely keep up with the likes of the Xbox 360 and PS3 in terms of streaming content, it'll be lacking a big feature -- high-definition content.
Speaking with CNBC (via Siliconera) though, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime downplayed the lack of high-definition streaming, "First, off and I'm sure Reed [CEO of Netflix] would support this is, the vast majority of content that is available for streaming through Netflix is not HD content. So, there is really no loss for the Wii consumer - the fact that they can't get any HD content through our system."
Fils-Aime said the "overall value of the [entertainment experience]" has propelled Nintendo thus far. The next step for the console is not just to make it high-def, but to "add more and more capability and we'll do that when we've totally tapped out all of the experiences for the existing Wii and we are nowhere near doing that yet."
Meet Mega Man 10's Robot Roster

Posted: January 13th, 2010, 1:37pm PST

Tags: NEWS

The recent Consumer Electronics Show showed us a brief look at Capcom's next retro Blue Bomber outing, Mega Man 10. Now Japanese magazine CoroCoro (via Mega Man Network) is giving us a complete look at all eight Robot Masters. We already knew about Sheep Man and Commando Man from the reveal in Nintendo Power. The sports-themed boss on display at CES was Strike Man. Joining those three are Blade Man, Pump Man, Nitro Man, Chill Man, and Solar Man. We can't help but notice "Chill Man" sounds like advice from a hipster.
A blurb accompanies each boss explaining their powers, and not all of them are what you might expect. Pump Man uses his water as a shield, and Sheep Man has lightning powers for some reason. The game is due in March, so that gives you about two months to speculate on boss weaknesses. If we were placing bets, we would start with Solar Man, Pump Man, and Chill Man -- one of them has to be weak to another.
[Image courtesy of Mega Man Network.]
Knights in the Nightmare Coming to PSP

Posted: January 13th, 2010, 10:21am PST

Tags: NEWS

Over in Japan this week, Atlus announced that a PSP release for Knights in the Nightmare is currently in the works. The port of Sting's unique shooter/strategy hybrid (released last April for the Nintendo DS in America) is due out April 22 in Japan.
The PSP port of KITN will have you using the analog stick to control a wisp as it flits across an isometric battlefield, dodging enemy attacks and doling out orders to your fighting units. The DS version relied heavily on the touchscreen for stylus-based control, so it remains to be seen how well this port will handle by comparison.
New to the PSP version is a fully animated opening movie, as well as a tutorial mission to teach you the game system and a "talk collection" library that lets you listen to all the voiced dialogue you've heard before.
Yes, Netflix is Coming to Wii Too

Posted: January 13th, 2010, 10:06am PST

Tags: NEWS

Just a few days ago, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings called chances for Nintendo support excellent. And by "excellent," we're sure he meant "inevitable" or "impending," because now the announcement is official. The NY Times reports that the service will be coming to the Wii this spring. Like the recent PlayStation 3 version of the streaming, it will require an Instant Streaming disc provided from Netflix. Unlike the Xbox 360 and PS3 options, however, the Wii doesn't support hi-definition streaming, which puts the console at a disadvantage for those who want their movies in HD. The NYT article cites growing rumors of a Wii HD in the same breath, but of course those are all unconfirmed.
Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime called the deal "a continuation of an effort to bring more and more entertainment to consumers who interact with the Wii." Now, months after stating the goal, Netflix is finally supporting all three major console platforms. We'll have impressions of the streaming on Wii once the discs are released later this year.
Nintendo Dominates, Software Sales Rebound in Japan

Posted: January 13th, 2010, 8:15am PST

Tags: NEWS

Exactly how pervasive is Nintendo's iron grip on the Japanese game industry? Very, according to 2009 sales figures released by Weekly Famitsu publisher Enterbrain this week. According to Enterbrain's tabulations, Nintendo sold a total of 15.4 million games in Japan during 2009; out of the top 100 best-selling games in the region last year, Nintendo published 25 of them. (These number doesn't include Pokemon titles, which are published directly by Nintendo affiliate The Pokemon Company in Asia; 4.73 million Pokemon SKUs were sold in Japan last year.)
The good news continued on the hardware front, with 4.02 million Nintendo DSes and 1.98 million Wii systems sold in Japan last year. Overall, titles released for the DS accounted for 43.5% of all Japanese console game sales in 2009; Wii games took 20.3% of the pie, while the PSP was next with 15.3% of sales.
Enterbrain reported that the Japanese video game industry shifted a total of 542 billion yen in sales in 2009, about 7% off from 2008 -- this despite a 10.4% rise in year-over-year game sales for the second half of the year, buoyed by big-name releases like Final Fantasy XIII and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Here's a list of the top 20 games saleswise in Japan last year:
Iwata's Statements About DS Successor Misinterpreted, Nintendo Says

Posted: January 12th, 2010, 3:36pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Last week, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata seemingly dropped hints about the successor to the Nintendo DS, suggesting that it would contain a motion sensor, among other things. Now Nintendo is saying Iwata didn't make those comments after all.
"Mr. Iwata did not make any comments regarding the functions of Nintendo's future hardware systems," said Nintendo of America senior director of corporate communications Charlie Scibetta (via Kotaku).
"The answer to the reporter's question was misinterpreted."
Reggie Says New Wii Zelda 'Has to be Perfect'

Posted: January 12th, 2010, 11:47am PST

Tags: NEWS

On the latest episode of Nintendo's self-produced Nintendo Week show (which appears every week on the Wii's Nintendo Channel... or see it right here on YouTube), Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime boldly stated that their goal for the new Wii Zelda is nothing less than perfection -- however long it takes them.
"Right now, it's still in development," Reggie said. "But the key message that Mr. [Shigeru] Miyamoto and Mr. [Eiji] Aonuma are telling us is that it really has to be perfect when it launches -- that really is what the Zelda fan is expecting." And when exactly does that mean it'll launch? Reggie was cagey.
"So for all the Zelda fans out there right now, what I would say is, enjoy Spirit Tracks, and know that the Zelda title for Wii is going to come out when it's perfect."
Platinum Games Would Like to Develop a MadWorld Sequel

Posted: January 11th, 2010, 5:09pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Sega of America president Simon Jeffrey was very upbeat about the prospect of mature-rated games on Wii back in 2008. That was before MadWorld released last March, an event that made very little impact from a sales perspective by almost all indications, despite receiving almost universal praise from critics. Sega called early sales data "encouraging," a stance they later backed off of. Throughout this period, Sega continued to claim that they would create M-rated Wii games. Much more recently, on an episode of the 4 Guys 1UP Podcast, Sega of America's Constantine Hantzopoulo revealed that Sega isn't, in fact, likely to make more mature Wii games.
Cut to Platinum Games' Shigenori Nishikawa, director on the first MadWorld. Speaking with The Official Nintendo Magazine UK, Nishikawa spoke fondly of MadWorld and said Platinum would, in fact, like to work on a sequel. "I think MadWorld was very well received and was acknowledged for its innovative graphical style and gameplay," he explained. "We would definitely be interested in making a sequel in the future."
But is it a good idea to take the risk of making another mature Wii game? Nishikawa didn't see any problem with it, referring to the Wii as "a very well-balanced piece of hardware."
Netflix CEO Says Chances of Nintendo Support are 'Excellent'

Posted: January 10th, 2010, 12:18pm PST

Tags: NEWS

It's been rumored for a long time, but it looks like the prospect of Netflix's instant streaming service coming to Wii is now closer than ever to becoming reality. At the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this week, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said the chances of Netflix supporting Nintendo are "excellent" (via Gizmodo).
It's worth focusing, though, on the use of the word "Nintendo" rather than "Wii" specifically, a one rumor that's been swirling is that Netflix would wait to bring their streaming service to the "Wii HD," Nintendo's long-rumored follow up to the Wii. So without specifically saying "Wii," it leaves a small window of doubt open to exactly what Netflix's intentions are. But this does essentially confirm Netflix will appear on a Nintendo console eventually, with the Wii the most likely choice. Stay patient, Wii owners.
Metroid Prime Trilogy No Longer Being Shipped

Posted: January 9th, 2010, 2:06pm PST

Tags: NEWS

If you haven't purchased Metroid Prime Trilogy but still plan to eventually, your window of opportunity is closing fast. Coffee with Games reports (via Kotaku) that Nintendo has confirmed the game is "no longer being shipped," meaning if your local game retailers are all out of their new copies, you're likely stuck looking in the used section.
"Unfortunately, Metroid Prime Trilogy is no longer being shipped. Having said that, you may be able to find what you seek through the secondhand video game market," read a response from Nintendo about the status of Metroid Prime Trilogy. A later response added a bit more information, if not any more clarification: "When first introduced, it was announced that there would be limited availability. However, a reason for this was not announced."
The end result is a compilation that was only at retail for about four months -- a fairly unusual situation. This also marks the first New Play Control! title (adding Wii motion controls to the first two Metroid Prime games) to be discontinued, but Nintendo did make clear the other New Play Control! games (Pikmin, Mario Power Tennis, and Donkey Kong Jungle Beat) "are still being shipped."
Phoenix Wright Arriving on WiiWare Next Week

Posted: January 6th, 2010, 7:51pm PST

Tags: NEWS

If you've managed to miss Phoenix Wright on the Nintendo DS to this point, you'll soon have a chance to make amends. Capcom has announced that the WiiWare port will be available next Monday.
The port will contain the first four episodes, with the fifth episode slated to appear as DLC. Episode 5 was originally a bonus for the Nintendo DS version of the game, which had been a GBA title before that.
Phoenix Wright will run you 1000 Wii Points ($10), and will be available on January 11. Expect the followups Justice for All and Trials and Tribulations soon.
NoA Says Wii Sold 3 Million Units in December

Posted: January 5th, 2010, 11:28am PST

Tags: NEWS

We won't have the official NPD numbers until next week, but Nintendo of America has started the corporate gloating early with some impressive internal figures. According to a statement from the company, the Wii sold an estimated 3 million units during the month of December in the U.S. The company also estimated that lifetime sales of New Super Mario Bros. Wii are nearing 4 million. If we subtract the 1.4 million from the November 2009 NPDs, the game had a pretty remarkable December with somewhere over 2 million units.
Of course, NPD doesn't take all retailers into account, and it's missing some big holiday stores like Wal-Mart. We're not sure if Nintendo factored this into their internal estimates, so the NPD figures next week may be a bit lower. As a preliminary guess, though, we can compare this to last year's figures for the same period. If official Wii sales do remain around 3 million units, that's a big bump from 2.15 million units last year, so it would seem the price drop this year had a positive impact on sales. We'll have the full NPD numbers and our own analysis of them next week.
EA Sports Relaunching NBA Jam on Nintendo Wii

Posted: January 4th, 2010, 11:58pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Basketball fans who have been requesting an NBA Jam revival are about to get their wish. EA Sports has picked up the classic franchise and will soon announce its official return.
According to ESPN, sources within the publisher have confirmed that the revival will be shipping "exclusively for the Wii," and that creator Mark Turmell will be involved in some capacity. EA Sports is reportedly bringing in Turmell to consult on NBA Jam as well as work on other upcoming sports games.
The franchise is well-known for its popularity during the 16-bit era, when it was hot in both the arcades and on the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo. It was famous not just for its wild brand of 2-on-2 hoops, but for the inclusion of celebrities like Bill Clinton.
Nintendo Downloads Heavy on Puzzles

Posted: January 4th, 2010, 9:24am PST

Tags: NEWS

It's a week for puzzle fans to rejoice, since Nintendo's newest set of downloadable games caters to the audience in a big way. Of the seven new titles offered this week, half of them seem to be puzzle-based, either overtly or otherwise. DSiWare brings three new games, starting with one from Nintendo. Trajectile costs 500 Wii Points ($5), and has the player line up and plan missile shots at enemy targets. Animal Puzzle Adventure, also 500 points, is about navigating animals to their barn yards while avoiding hazards. Hell's Kitchen Vs is based on the popular TV show with Gordon Ramsay. The game, for 800 DSi Points ($8), has players engaging in timed cooking challenges against a game opponent or another player.
WiiWare brings a few games of its own, including one puzzle title called Heron: Steam Machine (above). Available for 500 Wii Points, the game supports 1-4 players in connecting pipes to relieve pressure on a rubber ducky assembly line. Pub Darts also goes for 500 points, and it's exactly what it sounds like: a dart simulation using the Wii remote. Finally, Fast Draw Showdown is a quick-draw game using the Wii remote, so you can imagine you're a cowboy for 500 points. The last game on this week's list is definitely not a puzzle game, unless you consider it puzzling to punch guys in the face. Final Fight 3 is available on the Virtual Console for 800 points, with all of the 16-bit violence that entails.
Top 10 DS Games of 2010

Posted: January 2nd, 2010, 1:33pm PST

Tags: FEATURE

Top 10 DS Games of 2010
Get ready to cram some RPGs and adventures in your pocket in 2010.
By 1UP Staff

There's about a bajillion of these things out there, and in multiple flavors even (DS, DSi, and the upcoming/rumored DSi XL). So it's a safe bet that there will still be some damn good games coming out for the DS even in 2010. Though, a casual look at what excites us most shows that the DS has also become the unofficial king of RPGs and adventure games. We haven't even heard much about what Nintendo itself plans to release, but read on for the ten games that we want to put in our pocket.

10. --> Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth

Dev: Capcom | Pub: Capcom

If there was one think missing from Apollo Justice, the last Ace Attorney game, it was stylish prosecuting attorney Miles Edgeworth. Capcom remedies that oversight with the next title in its lawyer sim. This time, you control Edgeworth in an isometric 3D world -- cross-examining witnesses and drawing conclusions from the evidence you find. The graphic adventure parts of the game have always been great, but we're really excited for the humorous, well-written dialogue. Telltale may have the best graphic adventures on console and PC, but Capcom still presides high and mighty on DS.

10. --> Pokemon Heart Gold/Silver

Dev: Game Freak Inc | Pub: Nintendo

Yes, we get it. You're too old for Pokémon. You don't want anything to do with these disgusting, cute, and punnily named creatures. Why is it then that you've "caught them all" on DS when Pearl and Diamond (and then eventually Platinum) came out? That's right. We'd all like to think we're beyond Pikachu's siren call ("Chuuu...") but the truth is the game is addicting and deeply satisfying, easy enough for us to have gotten into it as kids, and meaty enough to hold our attentions still today. The enhanced remakes of fan favorite Silver and Gold editions will surely have you wanting to -- well, you know -- all over again. Plus, the game comes with a pokéball-shaped pedometer!

10. --> Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

Dev: Atlus | Pub: Atlus
1UP's Gaming Resolutions for 2010

Posted: January 1st, 2010, 12:01am PST

Tags: FEATURE

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The 1UP Crew Shares Its New Year's resolutions.
By 1UP Staff

Happy New year! It's time to put the joys and regrets of the past behind us and start the new year with a fresh foot forward. And along those lines come people's New Year's resolutions to improve themselves, lose weight, or somehow better the lives of others.

But who cares about that. To get into the spirit of things, we at 1UP have compiled a list of what really matters: our gaming resolutions, hopes, and videogame goals for 2010. We're joking of course -- we want everyone's lives to be better, too. And we wish you the best with that weight loss, language learning, etc. But if you also have a gaming resolution, please share it below in the comments. Good luck to everyone in 2010!

Sam Kennedy
"My resolution is to finally turn on my Wii again and see why the hell it's been blinking at me for the past few months. I feel like I completely neglected the system in 2009 -- of course, New Super Mario Bros aside, Nintendo hasn't given me many reasons to even bother. Here's hoping Zelda, Metroid, and Pikmin will do the trick this year."
Matt Leone
Top 10 Wii Games of 2010

Posted: December 31st, 2009, 11:03am PST

Tags: FEATURE

Top 10 Wii Games of 2010
Okay, seriously, the Wii means more than "inferior port plus waggle" this year.
By 1UP Staff

While the Wii has had to contend with the "good first-party and a ton of waggle-enabled shovelware" reputation in the past, it looks like 2010 will help shake said reputation. Besides known first-party superstars like Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M, we have some solid third-party games like Epic Mickey and No More Heroes 2 slated to hit shelves in 2010 as well. Heck, even the download-centric Wii gamer has something to look forward to. And not on this list, due purely to "wow, we don't know much about it," is the fabled "next Zelda game" that Miyamoto hinted at.

10. --> Super Mario Galaxy 2

Dev: Nintendo | Pub: Nintendo

As Nintendo personnel will happily tell you, Mario Galaxy 2 marks the first time in a long time that they have designed two big Mario games for a single hardware generation, so it's no surprise that they went the direct sequel route to follow-up one of 2007's best games. We don't know a lot about the sequel just yet, but it marks the return of Yoshi and seems to be incorporating a lot of variety into the already varied Galaxy formula, so we're excited.

10. --> Epic Mickey

Dev: Junction Point | Pub: Disney Interactive Studios

A Mickey Mouse platformer for the Wii that has a "paint the world to save it" premise that sounds a little bit like Okami? That idea alternates between sounding inspired and concerning. Though, one name has gone a long way to ease our skepticism: Warren Spector. He's been a producer on such games as Thief, System Shock, Ultima Underworld, and Deus Ex. Now, take that experience of working on action-RPGs with freedom-of-choice mechanics, and apply it to a subject he loves -- old-school Disney animation -- and suddenly, Epic Mickey sounds like something worth paying attention to.

10. --> Metroid: Other M

Dev: Team Ninja | Pub: Nintendo
Wii Dominates Amazon's 2009 Sales List

Posted: December 31st, 2009, 8:30am PST

Tags: NEWS
Despite all the economic mishaps, Nintendo has had a pretty good year for sales -- particularly at Amazon.com. The online retailer released a list (via Kotaku) of their top sellers for the year, which includes both hardware and software. Of the top 10 alone, Nintendo claimed nine spots.
1. Wii
2. Wii Remote
3. Wii Motion Plus
4. Wii Nunchuck
5. New Super Mario Bros. Wii
6. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board
7. Wii Sports Resort
8. Wii Fit
9. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (360)
10. Mario Kart Wii with Wheel
11. PS3 DualShock controller
12. Wii Play with Remote
13. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
14. Official Wii Wheel
15. Assassin's Creed 2 (360)
16. Halo 3 ODST
17. PlayStation 3 120 GB
18. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
19. EA Sports Active
20. Left 4 Dead 2 (360)
For those curious only about software, if we remove hardware and accessories from the list, the top 10 sales are a little more evenly spread among the consoles.
The Top Videogame News of 2009

Posted: December 30th, 2009, 1:37pm PST

Tags: NEWS

As 2009 draws to a close, the videogame industry finds itself in even more of a state of flux than usual. Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft all arrived at a crossroads as their consoles entered their third and fourth years on the market, and they acted accordingly. The payoff won't become apparent until next year, but this was the year each company set their foundation for the rest of the generation.
In the meantime, we were reminded daily that the industry was not as "recession proof" as it once seemed. Studios and publishers closed their doors or cut back, and many moved their games into 2010 to avoid a bleak looking holiday season. Wii sales finally began trending downward after years of outsized success, and losses were reported by company's great and small.
But in the face of all the dire news, there were more outstanding games than ever before, with the likes of Uncharted 2 and Batman: Arkham Aslyum leading the pack. Nice to know some things never change. Here's some of the top news from a difficult, but nevertheless bountiful, year of transition for videogames.
WTF Moments of 2009

Posted: December 30th, 2009, 10:00am PST

Tags: FEATURE

span.title { font-size: 150%; color: #666; } span.title a { font-size: 100%; color: #06c; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; } .drop { text-align: center; display: block; margin: auto; } .dots { border-bottom: 1px dotted #666; clear: both; } WTF Moments of 2009
In a year filled with head scratchers, we pick the most inane.
By 1UP Staff

Thank God that's over. Like many years, 2009 has been a roller coaster ride of highs and lows. Microsoft and Sony both tried to out-Wii Nintendo by announcing new control input devices at E3. Nintendo, on the other hand, rolled out a device to detect if their players were even still alive. Between all the bluster and insanity this year has had to offer, there's a lot of crazy sh*t you might have forgotten. That's why we've put together this list (in no particular order) of the moments that had us reaching for a shot of sweet release just to dull the pain.

PSPgo announced sans UMD at higher price
It's usually nice to see hardware get an update a few years down the road once its flaws have become apparent and correctable. It's somewhat less nice when that update actually removes functionality that's been taken for granted and somehow actually costs significantly more than what we've had kicking around for years. Which was merely the first step down an increasingly ludicrous path.
Top Videogame Trailers of 2009

Posted: December 29th, 2009, 10:20pm PST

Tags: NEWS

As games get more cinematic, the trailers are only going to get more elaborate. This year brought us great efforts from the likes of Bungie, Rockstar and Valve, with trailers featuring everything from live action sequences to the voice talents of Patrick Stewart. Here are some of our favorites.

Nobody could have guessed that Nintendo and Team Ninja would team up to make a new Metroid game. The unlikely pair managed to get off to a good start though, kicking off the hype with one of the most talked about trailers of E3.
Castlevania, PilotWings Hit Nintendo Downloadables

Posted: December 28th, 2009, 7:35am PST

Tags: NEWS

With gift-giving holidays behind us, we're all looking ahead to the new year. As a celebration (and clever marketing opportunity), Nintendo is offering 10 new games as we prepare for 2010. Of course, with that kind of volume they can't all be winners, but a few standouts should satisfy. One of them is Castlevania the Adventure Rebirth from Konami. The new game takes cues from its 8- and 16-bit cousins for a new imagining of the classic game, and it costs 1,000 Wii Points ($10). Check out our preview for more information. Also on the WiiWare service is Eat! Fat! Fight! for 1,000 points, a cartoon Sumo game with single and multiplayer modes. Rabbids Lab for 500 Wii Points ($5) treats the Ubisoft critter like a pet living inside your Wii remote. And The Magic Obelisk is an adventure game for 500 points, in which you shine a light to guide a tree spirit to his goal. Virtual Console has one lone offering this week, but it's one that fans have been looking forward to: PilotWings for 800 Wii Points ($8).
On DSiWare, Gameloft brings The Oregon Trail, an update on the classic game you all remember playing in school. This is a port of the Wireless/iPhone game for 800 DSi Points. Sudoku Sensei brings 100 super hard puzzles for 500 DSi Points. Glow Artisan, also for 500 points, is a puzzle game for 1-2 players. Master of Illusion Express: Psychic Camera is yet another piece-meal cut of the main game for 200 points ($2). Finally, Arcade Hoops Basketball is a quick shot basketball game using the stylus, available for 200 points.
3D Realms CEO Teases Duke Nukem 'Resurgence' in Coming Years

Posted: December 27th, 2009, 12:25pm PST

Tags: NEWS

It's been a rough decade for Duke Nukem (and a particularly tough year for developer 3D Realms), but it looks like 2010 will be the start of a comeback for the flat-topped action hero of so many cringe-inducing one-liners -- or at least that's what 3D Realms has planned. Speaking in the first issue of Gamesauce magazine (via Shacknews), CEO Scott Miller reveals that they have a number of new Duke Nukem games in the works.
"The next few years should see a strong resurgence in Duke," Miller says. "There are numerous other Duke games in various stages of development, several due out this year. We are definitely looking to bring Duke into casual gaming spaces, plus there are other major Duke games in production. Almost all of these [projects] are unannounced."
While Miller wouldn't specify what the projects were, it's likely a couple of them are the two remaining iPhone Duke Nukem games Miller promised earlier this year. Then there's Duke Nukem Trilogy in the works for Nintendo DS and PSP, and according to Shacknews, a rumored port of Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project for Xbox Live Arcade. And on top of all that, last month 3D Realms released an image from what was apparently a new game called "D-Day," with "Duke Nukem" teasing on his Facebook page that he "doesn't stay down for long."
Aonuma Wanted to Make Link's Crossbow Training 2

Posted: December 27th, 2009, 11:29am PST

Tags: NEWS

If Legend of Zelda series director Eiji Aonuma had his way, we'd all be looking forward to Link's Crossbow Training 2 instead of another full-fledged Zelda title right now. In an interview with gamesTM magazine (via NowGamer), Aonuma revealed his real interest in making the next Zelda title was to create a sequel to the Wii Zapper pack-in game.
"To tell you the truth, I actually wanted to create Link's Crossbow Training 2," Aonuma said. "I thought that we should do something more and better in the field of the first person shooter, based on our experience of the first game. For example, I was thinking that maybe we could intensify the multiplayer mode. The original game was really just a solo game but I thought that we could add a true multiplayer mode with multiple users playing together, from remote areas, over the Wi-Fi Connection."
So why aren't we anticipating a new online multiplayer Zelda crossbow FPS right now? ecause Nintendo higher-ups (mercifully?) shot Aonuma's idea down. "The fact of the matter is that a lot of people inside Nintendo insisted that I should work on a new Legend Of Zelda title rather than working on more Crossbow Training," Aonuma said.
Australian OFLC Classifies Rondo of Blood for Virtual Console

Posted: December 23rd, 2009, 8:04am PST

Tags: NEWS

Dracula X: Rondo of Blood arrived on the Japanese Virtual Console way back in April 2008. Since then North American fans have waited patiently for a localized release of their own, but have had no luck. It still hasn't been confirmed for the North American VC, but there's at least a glimmer of hope for the faithful.
Nintendo Life is reporting that Rondo of Blood has been rated by the Australian OFLC review board, suggesting that an overseas release will be arriving sooner than later. A western release had previously been considered unlikely due to the release of The Dracula X Chronicles on the PSP.
With the game evidently set to be released on the Australian Virtual Console though, the chances of a North American release seem exponentially higher. We'll keep an eye out for word of a release over here.
Smash Bros. Creator: "I Don't Create The Sort of Games I Actually Play"

Posted: December 22nd, 2009, 6:55am PST

Tags: NEWS

Some highlights from an interview in this week's year-end issue of Famitsu magazine with Masahiro Sakurai, the game designer and director behind titles like Nintendo's Smash Bros. series:
- The interview was co-conducted with Capcom's Hideki Kamiya, fresh off completing work on the Japanese edition of Bayonetta. "If I had to sum up my image of Kamiya in one word, it would be 'self,'" Sakurai commented. "Having this sense of self, or ego, is something I think is very important for a director to have -- after all, a director's job is to work with a team to push what he wants to do. He needs to have that drive."
- In his eyes, however, Sakurai doesn't have that strong sort of ego. "It's funny how I look back at my [Famitsu] column and keep seeing phrases like 'the general public' or 'most gamers think that...'" he said. "I don't have much of that ego going."
A Quick Guide To Getting Fit on Wii

Posted: December 21st, 2009, 7:45pm PST

Tags: FEATURE

#content { background-color: #f7fedf; padding-bottom: 10px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; color: #333; } #feature_intro p, .game_entry p { padding: 0px 10px; } #hed_dek { padding: 10px 0px 0px 10px; } .hed { font-size: 230%; color: #000; font-weight: lighter; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; } .dek { font-size: 120%; color: #666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; } .arrow { float: left; width: 36px; height: 28px; background-image : url [www.1up.com] background-repeat: no-repeat; margin: 5px 0px 0px 10px !important; } #feature_intro img { margin: auto; } #content h2 { background-image: url [www.1up.com] background-repeat: no-repeat; margin: 20px 10px; padding: 10px; color: #fff; } .game_entry { width: 604px; margin: 0px auto 20px auto; padding: 10px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat; } .gameinfo { margin: 0px 10px; float: left; } .spot { margin: 0px auto; } A Quick Guide To Getting Fit on Wii
1UP explains how to find the right Wii fitness title for you.
By Alice Liang

Don't let anyone lie to you -- getting in shape, and staying there, takes effort, time, and dedication. I wouldn't trust any program that promises results for anything less. But the most difficult part of any fitness regime isn't the actual workout (although it probably feels that way when you're panting and sweating), it's maintaining the required lifestyle changes. You need to commit to a schedule and keep it.

But working out doesn't have to be a chore; with the recent surge in fitness videogames, it's become clear that a healthy workout can be loads of fun. Traditional methods, like personal trainers or gym memberships, require travel and can be expensive. The best part of working out with Nintendo Wii is that it's right there in your home, available for use whenever you want. Sure, you could also use workout DVDs, but the Wii's motion-sensing capabilities give your workouts that extra level of feedback and interactivity. And when you're getting in shape, you need all the extra motivation you can get.
Nintendo Hits 500 Downloadable Wii Games with Smash Bros.

Posted: December 21st, 2009, 8:50am PST

Tags: NEWS

Today's downloadable updates mark Nintendo's 500th Wii game to date, and the company is marking the occasion with one of the more widely requested games for the service: Super Smash Bros.. The original N64 title kicked off the popular franchise character throwdown that spawned two sequels, along with one of the best game commercials of all time (above). It's available for 1,000 Wii Points ($10). Also gracing the Virtual Console is the original arcade version of the notoriously difficult Ninja Gaiden. It's up for 600 points ($6).
WiiWare this week isn't quite as keen to prey on our nostalgia, but comes with plenty of options at the very least. Eco Shooter: Plant 530 is a "guided first-person shooter" for 1,000 points. TV Show King 2 is a trivia game that also lets you make your own questions for the mix, and it costs 800 points ($8). Palluriko is a platformer starring a bouncing protagonist, for 1,000 points. And the (redundantly-titled) seasonal application Happy Holidays Christmas lets you make Christmas e-cards and send them to other Wii systems, for 500 points ($5).
Is "WiiRelax" the First Vitality Sensor Game?

Posted: December 20th, 2009, 11:08am PST

Tags: NEWS

There's still very little known about Nintendo's strategy for their peculiar Vitality Sensor peripheral, but a new trademark filing for PAL territories may have given us this much: the title of the doohickey's first compatible game.
Siliconera reports (via Kotaku) that "WiiRelax" has popped up in the European trademark database, which certainly sounds like the name for a Vitality Sensor game. The device clamps to the player's index finger to read their pulse, and when the Vitality Sensor debuted at E3 earlier this year, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata explained that, "Games have been used for stimulation, but maybe it won't be long until games are used for relaxation and even to fall asleep."
An interesting sidenote to this filing is that back in April, Italian video developer Pub Company announced their own Wii game that was also titled "Wii Relax" (albeit with a space in between the words). But the project hasn't been heard of since, and even their website no longer seems to exist. So either Nintendo shut them down or they canceled the game on their own, but either way it doesn't look like it'll block whatever Nintendo's "WiiRelax" project is from eventual release.
Banjo-Kazooie, Avatars Added to Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

Posted: December 19th, 2009, 11:43am PST

Tags: NEWS

While it's being released on nearly every system under the sun, Xbox 360 owners are getting an extra roster boost in their version of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. Sega and Microsoft have announced that Rare mascots Banjo-Kazooie and Xbox Live Avatars will be playable in the upcoming kart racing game.
Sega proclaims that this will mark the first time Avatars will be playable in a racing game on the Xbox 360, which suggests Sega is confident the game's February release will pre-date Microsoft's still-undated Joy Ride. And for scholars of pointless trivia, this will be the third outing in a racing game for Banjo-Kazooie, following Diddy Kong Racing on the Nintendo 64 and Banjo-Pilot on the Game Boy Advance.
"Not only are we thrilled to be able to work so closely with Microsoft and Rare, but we recognize that Banjo and Kazooie -- like Sonic -- are some of the video game industry?s most loved characters," said Sean Ratcliffe, vice president of marketing for Sega of America. "Between them and the Avatars, we are really happy to offer gamers the racing game we know they have been waiting for."
New Transformers Game Coming To Wii And DS Too

Posted: December 17th, 2009, 1:11am PST

Tags: NEWS

Activision hasn't been known for skimping on the number of platforms it supports lately, so it should come as no surprise that the newly-announced Transformers: The War for Cybertron will be coming to the Wii and the Nintendo DS as well. They will join the PlayStation 3, PC, and Xbox 360 versions that have already been announced.
The War for Cybertron has been described as a third-person shooter that is set in the period before Cybertron's first contact with earth. It's being developed by High Moon Studios, and will allow players to take control of both the Autobot and Decepticon factions.
Why We Play Final Fantasy

Posted: December 16th, 2009, 4:30pm PST

Tags: FEATURE

Why We Play Final Fantasy
Square's RPG behemoth has endured for 20 years.
By Jeremy Parish

A vintage powerhouse
The original Final Fantasy debuted 22 years ago this week -- an anniversary that falls alongside the Japanese release of the series' 13th chapter, almost to the day. The long-running RPG juggernaut stands as one in a tiny handful of videogame franchises to have been published steadily for more than two decades. It's even more unusual for the fact that each new installment is guaranteed to sell several million copies around the world. Final Fantasy debuted as a global blockbuster thanks in large part to heavy promotion by Nintendo Power magazine, and it's still going strong decades later. Outside of Nintendo's core titles, no other gaming series can make that claim.
Square Enix Introduces New Virtual Currency

Posted: December 16th, 2009, 3:26pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Nintendo and Microsoft both have virtual currency, and now Square Enix is joining in on the fun. Rather than call them something like "Square Enix Points" though, they've decided to name the points "Crysta."
According to Siliconera, the points can be purchased in amounts of 500, 1000, 3000, 5000 and 10,000. Each point is worth approximately 1 yen (just over 1 American cent).
The points can currently be used in the online community game Party Castle, the MMO Fantasy Earth Zero, and to purchase soundtracks in the Square Enix e-store.
Mega Man 10 Coming to All Consoles

Posted: December 16th, 2009, 11:14am PST

Tags: NEWS

Not a huge surprise considering the previous game was out on all three consoles, but Capcom confirmed this week that Mega Man 10 -- first revealed in Nintendo Power magazine last week -- will be available on WiiWare, the PS3's PlayStation Network, and Xbox Live all at once. The game's due out next spring worldwide.
Mega Man 10's plot is certainly ripped from today's headlines -- it involves "robo-enza," a mystery infectious disease that turns robots insane and makes them bash up cities. One of the misfortunate victims is Mega Man's sister Roll, who's apparently one of the main villains this time around...although don't ask us how we know this, but we think Dr. Wily might be involved somehow, too!
Zelda Producer Reflects on Spirit Tracks

Posted: December 16th, 2009, 10:00am PST

Tags: NEWS

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks may be out in America (we liked it a lot, by the way), but in Japan it's not hitting stores until December 23, which goes to show that being an American JRPG-ran has its advantages. (Yes, we know Zelda isn't technically a JRPG. Bear with us here.)
To commemorate the Japan release, Famitsu magazine sat down with series producer Eiji Aonuma to ask him a few questions about the game. Some of the highlights:
- How did the project get started? "First, let me talk about Phantom Hourglass," Aonuma began. "I've been making 3D Zelda games ever since I worked on Ocarina of Time, but really, I hadn't been able to change the core of the game at all in any project. There have been new gimmicks and ways of presenting it, but I couldn't fundamentally change the way the game was played. With the Nintendo DS and its new features, though, I could make a really 'new Zelda' with the hardware.
Japan's Developers Give Their Games of the Year

Posted: December 16th, 2009, 9:11am PST

Tags: NEWS

2009's almost come to a close, and so this week's issue of Famitsu magazine asked a variety of developers what game occupied most of their free time for the past year. Some of the results:
- Considering he produced the most commercially successful JRPG of the decade, Dragon Quest IX's Ryutaro Ichimura has a pretty hardcore pick. "The game I played the most this year was Uncharted Waters Online," he said, referring to Koei's strategic simulation of the Age of Discovery. "I played it on the PC, but I got too busy for it until I decided to give it another shot on the PS3. It was so fun that I wound up using most of my Saturdays and Sundays on it. It's playable solo, but more than that, it's just not as brutal as other games -- the scene online is really friendly. I think I got some inspiration for DQIX from that atmosphere."
- Bayonetta director Hideki Kamiya's pick is even more far-out. "The biggest surprise and excitement to me was playing Space Harrier, the arcade game, on Virtual Console," he said. "I have all the ports made from the Sega Master System to the FC, PC-88, X68000, 32X, Saturn and GBA, but it's funny to think that the original arcade game's playable on a Nintendo system now. If my middle-school self heard that, he'd be pretty shocked."
NPD's Top 10 Selling Games of 2009 List Topped by Call of Duty

Posted: December 15th, 2009, 2:51pm PST

Tags: NEWS
Despite launching in mid-November (November 10, to be exact), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on the Xbox 360 is the best selling game of the year, according to new figures released by the NPD Group. As the November NPD figures revealed, the 360 version alone sold an astonishing 4.2 million units, with the PS3 version posting a very solid 1.87 million. NPD provided IndustryGamers with a list of the ten best selling games of 2009, with the list being largely dominated by the usual suspects -- primarily, Nintendo games.
1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360) -- 4,200,000
2. Wii Fit w/ balance board (Wii) -- 3,500,000
3. Wii Sports Resort w/ MotionPlus (Wii) -- 2,400,000
4. Mario Kart Wii w/ wheel (Wii) -- 2,200,000
5. Wii Play w/ remote (Wii) -- 2,100,000
6. Halo 3: ODST (Xbox 360) -- 2,000,000
7. Pokemon Platinum (DS) -- 1,900,000
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)-- 1,900,000
9. Madden NFL 10 (Xbox 360) -- 1,500,000
10. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii) -- 1,400,000
It's difficult to overstate how incredible it is that Modern Warfare 2 is leading the entire year with not even a full month's worth of sales in the books. Suffice it to say, it's an immensely impressive accomplishment that Activision is sure to be pleased with. (And so much for Reggie's guarantee.)
Having seen the sales figures each month, the rest of the list won't come as much of a shock, and yet it's still hard not to be taken aback by the fact that the second best selling game of the year is a $100 product. While December's sales figures will likely switch up the list somewhat (expect both New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Modern Warfare 2 on PS3 to climb a few spots each), this list remains a fairly accurate indication of what will ultimately go down as the biggest games in 2009.
Nintendo Trademarks Zii, Cii, Oii, and More

Posted: December 15th, 2009, 8:31am PST

Tags: NEWS

We deal with trademark stories once in a while, but this one is more bizarre than most. Engadget reports that Nintendo has filed for several new trademarks. The first to pop up was Zii, which sparked speculation that it might be the successor to the Wii. A little more digging revealed that the trademark may be a renewal of one from 2006. Even more strangely, there were trademarks for Bii, Cii, Oii, and Yii. Either Nintendo is planning to launch five new strangely-named consoles, or something else is at work here.
Trademarks are filed all the time, for all sorts of reasons. Companies sometimes trademark similar names to prevent knock-offs, or to obfuscate big announcements and throw journalists off the scent. Since the Zii trademark may be from 2006, all of these could simply be a smoke screen for the Wii before the official name was announced. After all, until April of that year we had only heard it called "Revolution." For now we'll chalk this up to a company oddity and maybe a bit of Nintendo trivia, but we'll keep our ears to the ground in case it's something more.
NPD Fallout: Mario vs Modern Warfare

Posted: December 11th, 2009, 9:15am PST

Tags: NEWS

Far be it from us to stoke the flames of the console flame wars, but when a major industry figure throws down the gauntlet and issues a sales challenge, we can't help but check on the data. Such is the case with Reggie Fils-Aime, who predicted that New Super Mario Bros. Wii would outsell Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for this holiday season. The first round of relevant NPD numbers were released last night, so it seemed like an apt time to look into the status of the competition.
Fils-Aime did make a few caveats to his comment. New Super Mario Bros Wii would only be compared to the Xbox 360 version of the game, and it would be judged on NPD data through January. This means we won't really know the final results until the middle of February, of course. Nevertheless, it was a bold statement, and he made it "unequivocally."
For the month of November, Modern Warfare 2 ran away with the sales numbers, even on individual consoles. The Xbox 360 version alone sold a whopping 4,200,000 units, more than tripling the 1,390,000 units of NSMB Wii. But this isn't surprising; after an aggressive marketing push and a tempest of fan hype, the anticipated shooter was always expected to make a sprint out of the gate, even if we didn't know it would happen to this extent. It was Nintendo's staying power that would be the strength in this sales battle. Even in this month's NPDs, among the new releases, there were three titles from Nintendo that didn't debut in the month of November. That means Nintendo claimed over 1/3 of the NPD top 10, and only one of their games is brand new.
November NPDs: Wii and DS on Top, Modern Warfare 2 Dominates Software

Posted: December 10th, 2009, 5:46pm PST

Tags: NEWS

The Nintendo DS is back on top, with both it and the Wii topping 1 million units sold for the month of November. With the holiday season in full swing, every console saw a significant bump as the Xbox 360 crept up to third place and the PlayStation 3 trailed by about 100,000 units. The PlayStation 2 continues to do well, with only a slight decline from this time last year. By comparison, the PS3 has made a major jump, going from 378,000 units sold in 2008 to 710,400 in 2009.
Sony was quick to note the jump, releasing a statement saying that they were the only console to see any growth when compared to last November. They are, of course, referring to home consoles. The Nintendo DS actually jumped from 1.5 million sold in November 2008 to 1.7 million. For its part, the Xbox 360 registered a slight dip, but managed to stay over 800,000 units. Wii sales dropped by nearly 800,000 units from last year.
Check out the full list of numbers (and last month's) below.
Nintendo Needs To Be Conscious Of Pricing And Innovation, EA says

Posted: December 10th, 2009, 11:43am PST

Tags: NEWS

Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello has been known to express frustration with the Nintendo Wii from time to time. However, at the annual Global Media and Communications Conference in New York, he called it a "compelling platform," though he thinks Nintendo needs to be conscious of pricing and innovation going forward.
"One, it's a very compelling platform. Two, third-parties can do a lot better on the platform with the right support from Nintendo," Riccitiello said (via Gamasutra).
"They've always been first-party-centric, and they're learning how to be third-party supportive."
Mega Man 10 Coming to WiiWare

Posted: December 9th, 2009, 5:34pm PST

Tags: NEWS

Mega Man found a new home with the release of Mega Man 9 for WiiWare, and it was apparently so comfortable that he's decided to stay. Nintendo Power is set to reveal Mega Man 10 in its upcoming issue, and has shown off some details from the magazine spread. The game will allow you to choose to play as Mega Man, Proto Man, or a third unannounced playable character. This title will also feature an Easy mode, much to the relief of those who found Mega Man 9 far too punishing. The plot will revolve around finding vaccine to cure berserk robots; try to guess the source of the virus. Finally, one boss has been revealed so far, named Sheep Man, with his Thunder Wool ability. Yes, we're serious.
There's no word on a release date yet, but Mega Man 9 received a pretty positive reception for its return to Mega Man's 8-bit roots. It even featured retro-hideous box art, which Mega Man 10 is taking to heart as well (above). Check out Nintendo Power later this month to read the full story.