Today's Special Archives: November 2006

News Archives Index Reggie Interviewed by MTV [ MTV ] Nintendo president Reginald Fils-Aime sat down with MTV to discuss the Wii, its launch, and what 2007 holds for Nintendo's latest breadwinner. Here's a few clips. On the Wii Remote's "Zapper" Attachment: "We want the right title to introduce it with." On Nintendo's lacking Winter releases: "I wasn't here for the GameCube launch, but there was a time period when there were no titles. There wasn't even titles you could or could not sink your teeth into. 'Wii Play' and 'WarioWare' are going to be hugely fun titles." On the releases of Metroid Prime 3 and Super Mario Galaxy: "Of the next batch of Nintendo releases, 'Metroid' is going to be next on that list." "Expect [Super Mario Galaxy] any time between the end of March and next Christmas." On the harsh reviews of Red Steel: "I think a lot of the reviews have been overly critical. Does it take you a few minutes to get used to the control scheme? Yes. Once you get used to it does it play extremely well? Absolutely. I think a lot of those reviews are overly harsh." On online play: "The first online game will be 'Pokémon Battle Revolution' in Japan, so that is certainly a candidate in the U.S." "For the consumer who is saying, 'Gosh, when is Nintendo going to get on board with online play?' The answer is very early in 2007." On future Virtual Console releases: "On every Monday, you can expect between one and five titles...essentially on an ongoing basis." On lack of games like Super Mario Bros., Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Super Metroid. "I do think here in the Americas we want to be a bit more strategic in how we use the titles...If there's a month where we don't have a fantastic lineup of Nintendo-packaged software, that's where I want to release a great SNES game or a great N64 game to maintain the momentum." On a possible VC release for Goldeneye: "Would I love to see it on virtual console? Absolutely. But there are a lot of issues there. Suffice it to say we would love to see it, so we're exploring all the rights issues." On surprise releases through WiiConnect24: "I'd hate to ruin the surprise. Is there activity that we're working on for before the holidays? The answer is yes." The interview also states that the Wii Remote and Nunchaku could be sold in a bundle if there is a market for it, that third-parties now have the abilities to use Miis in their game, but nothing has come of it, and also reveals minor tidbits about games like The BIGS from 2K Sports and The Godfather from EA. Also, gamers can expect more Wii news to come in the month of January. For the full interview, click the source link. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 29 2006 15:11 PM [Top] Heroes Gets a New Name [ Famitsu ] Perhaps one of the most enigmatic upcoming titles for the Wii has been Heroes, headed up by Killer7 producer Suda 51. Little to no information is known about the game (sans a quick appearance at the Tokyo Game Show), or how it will play. Today provide some details on the anticipated title, in the latest issue of Famitsu magazine. Heroes has been renamed "No More Heroes" - not much of a change, sure, but I guess it sounds cool. The game's lead character is Travis Touchdown, an anime geek who wins a lightsaber on eBay and uses it to become a professional killer (I am NOT joking). He defeats a legendary assassin named "Helter Skelter" in battle, and then is approached by Silvia Christel, who enrolls Travis in the UAA (United Assassins Association), where he must now patrol the city of Santa Destroy to kill his targets. The game's gameplay is similar to Grand Theft Auto with a large, open-ended world to explore, where players can walk around or use vehicles. The game will also make extensive use of the Wii Remote - players can hold the remote in various ways to hold Travis's saber in a high, medium, or low position, and then attack by pressing A. Finishing strikes will be more detailed, as players must swing the controller in conjunction with on-screen prompts in order to put away baddies. Travis will also take on various other members of the UAA, in order to increase his own rank. Suda 51 has said he would like the game to sell over 1,000,000 copies worldwide, meaning a US release of the game is likely. We'll have more on No More Heroes, including any information on said American release, as it breaks. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 29 2006 14:37 PM [Top] Red Steel 2 in the Works? [ Ubisoft ] Red Steel has barely been in stores for a full week, and already big daddy Ubisoft is apparently hard at work on the sequel. A want ad posted on the company's official site reveals that the company needs someone experienced in the making of game menus and system documentation for "the continuation of the Red Steel project". While this does not explicitly confirm Red Steel 2, or if it is even coming to Wii in the first place, Ubisoft's seeming desire to make the series into a franchise on Wii pretty much makes this an open-and-shut case. More as it breaks. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 29 2006 13:51 PM [Top] Three More For Virtual Console [ Nintendo ] As promised, Nintendo has begun their weekly additions to the Wii's Virtual Console with three newcomers. First off, from the Turbografx-16 camp comes Super Star Soldier, a virtual space shooter from Hudson Soft. Meanwhile, Sega has also chimed in with two new Genesis titles, Ecco the Dolphin and Golden Axe. All games will retain their normal download prices of 600 and 800 Wii points respectively. Looks like good stuff all the way around. What are you waiting for? Get to downloading! Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, November 28 2006 23:35 PM [Top] Wii Does Indeed Rock You [ Nintendo ] Built on a foundation of pure fun, Nintendo's new Wii video game system sold through to more than 600,000 consumers in the Americas in just its first eight days of availability. That's a rate of nearly one per second continuously since the Nov. 19 launch. Including just first-party software and accessory sales, Wii instantly has become a $190 million business in the Americas. During the Thanksgiving holiday shopping weekend, there was plenty of conversation across the nation about the high demand for the Wii system, with the acknowledgment that if you see one, you'd better buy it. The system also is succeeding in its stated mission of reinvigorating current players, while attracting new ones. Every Wii system includes the five-game Wii Sports software, which is the talk of the Internet, featuring countless reports on how previously devout non-gamers have suddenly been converted via the amazing new way games are experienced using the system's remarkable controller. At the same time, the masterful The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, a favorite of avid gamers, already has achieved sales of more than 454,000 units in the Americas, representing more than 75 percent of all hardware purchasers. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 27 2006 20:46 PM [Top] Conspiracy Announces Two Games for Wii [ Broadsword Interactive ] Conspiracy Entertainment Europe is pleased to announce Baja Mania and Baja Destruction for release on Nintendo Wii. Utilizing the features of Nintendo Wii fully, both games will offer exciting and hard fought combat and driving skills where fortitude will win the day! Baja racing originates from the Southern California desert on the Baja peninsula. Competitors vie with each other to build the ultimate off-road racer - the better the suspension, tires and, of course, the obligatory roll cage, the better the chances of winning. Baja Mania draws its inspiration from the desert around Palm Springs. In game vehicles include 3 types of dune buggy (4 wheel), 3 types of 'cat' (6 wheel), 3 types of truck (8 wheels) – each vehicle has 3 variants to represent the different teams with races of up to 15 competitors. Baja Mania offers two modes in single player, Career and Arcade and 2 players is Arcade only. Baja Mania’s uniqueness presents aggressive and responsive AI that allows tight competition via checkpoints that must be crossed in order. Players will capture the flags on each checkpoint and display them on their aerial to prove that you were the first through. 3 types of terrain and 3 variants of each, which have totally different courses laid out within them, and this all takes place within an arena of approximately 400 sq. meters. Game Features * Win upgrades to build the toughest off-road machine ever. * Close competition with tight, competitive racing. * Plot the quickest route across the open terrain via checkpoints to win. * Use Nitro Boost to storm past the opposition. * Spend your winnings on a bewildering array of extras. * Upgrades are locked and you have to earn cash to be able to access them * Many arenas in which to race. * Bump-mapping, specular highlights and enhanced lighting. Baja Destruction is fantasy driving to capture the imagination - Mad Max meets Baja racing. Its uniqueness is in the fact that the stakes are much higher, the aggression and adrenalin required to complete the race by annihilating the opposition make for total destruction, with an arsenal of weapons and plenty of upgradeables. Races consist of 15 competitors with 3 different teams for each of the 3 variants within each of the 3 classes. There are 3 types of terrain and 3 variants of each which have totally different courses laid out within them. As well as the vehicle performance upgrades, there are 2 main types of weapon. Each has 3 variations for increasing power and accuracy and variants that go from merely forward firing to auto-targeting (homing). Game Features * Sense the low gravity in the race on the moon! * Did you get cut up by an opponent? Blast the guy off the planet with a double salvo of rockets. * It's kill or be killed in a duel to the finish. * Dodge and weave to avoid the rain of missiles coming your way. * Patch, repair and upgrade between races. * Upgrades are locked and you have to earn cash to be able to access them * Total fantasy racing over varying arenas. * Bump-mapping, specular highlights and enhanced lighting. Both games are due out in Q1 of 2007. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Monday, November 27 2006 16:49 PM [Top] Official Smash Bros. Brawl Site Updated w/ New Media [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] The official site for Super Smash Bros. Brawl has finally updated with some new info since the game's showing at Nintendo World in Japan. New screens have been revealed (which you can check out below) as well as the direct-feed version of the event trailer, showing off the game's actual gameplay for the first time, as well as the latest new character, Fox McCloud. Check out the trailer right here. Images: Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 1 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 2 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 3 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 4 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 5 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 6 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 7 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 8 Eric Jones -- Posted on Sunday, November 26 2006 19:52 PM [Top] The Sims Wii Revealed [ Electronic Arts ] When Electronic Arts announced they were making an exclusive installment of one of their most popular franchises, The Sims, to the Wii, we all assumed that it would merely be a port of one of the other versions of the game built to work with the console's unique controller. Boy, were we wrong. An official Japanese(!) site by EA reveals that the company is working on a totally new version of the popular life-game franchise built from the ground-up for Nintendo's new system, and it's nothing like we've seen before. Apparently, The Sims Wii will be titled "Boku Sim" in Japan, which translates to "I Am Sim" in English. The game is being specifically designed for the Japanese gamer, a first for EA, as the graphics have shifted from a realistic style to an anime one, similar to Nintendo's own life-game series, Animal Crossing. This brings about some of the most expressive Sims ever seen, not to mention some of the cutest. No more info was revealed on the game, except for some screenshots and a trailer that you can check out below. We'll have more on this surprising new game when it becomes available. Images: The Sims Wii Screenshot 1 The Sims Wii Screenshot 2 The Sims Wii Screenshot 3 The Sims Wii Screenshot 4 Video: The Sims Wii Trailer (1.4 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, November 24 2006 1:21 AM [Top] Rayman: Raving Rabbids Thanksgiving Video [ Wii Café ] We're well aware the game is out, but we thought this video was far too funny to not share with you guys. I don't think I need any sort of lead in for this video, just download it and enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! Video: Rayman: Raving Rabbids Thanksgiving Video (11.7 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, November 24 2006 1:11 AM [Top] Harry Potter Hits the Wii [ Electronic Arts ] Electronic Arts today announced that the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix videogame is in development. The game is scheduled for a July 2007 release to coincide with the Warner Bros. Pictures film based on J.K. Rowling’s fifth book of the same title. The close and synergistic relationship between book, film and videogame is more defined in the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix videogame than ever before. Players will be able to explore the many key locations within Hogwarts in minute detail, each one a visual match to its film equivalent, while being engrossed in the thrilling adventures outlined in the rich narrative of the book. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry returns for his fifth year of study at Hogwarts and discovers that much of the wizarding community is in denial about the teenager’s recent encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort, preferring to turn a blind eye to the news that Voldemort has returned. Fearing that Hogwarts’ venerable Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, is lying about Voldemort’s return in order to undermine his power and take his job, the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, appoints a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to keep watch over Dumbledore and the Hogwarts students. But Professor Dolores Umbridge’s Ministry-approved course of defensive magic leaves the young wizards woefully unprepared to defend themselves against the dark forces threatening them and the entire wizarding community, so at the prompting of his friends Hermione and Ron, Harry takes matters into his own hands. Meeting secretly with a small group of students who name themselves “Dumbledore’s Army,” Harry teaches them how to defend themselves against the Dark Arts, preparing the courageous young wizards for the extraordinary battle that lies ahead. With the ability to play multiple characters, including Harry Potter, Dumbledore and Sirius Black, the videogame of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix offers fans the opportunity to wield a wand, explore all around Hogwarts, and experience one of the most exciting and dangerous years in the life of the Boy Who Lived. Under development by EA’s UK Studio, the team behind the worldwide success of the Harry Potter library of games, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is scheduled for release for the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, and Game Boy Advance. Images: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Screenshot 1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Screenshot 2 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Screenshot 3 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Screenshot 4 Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 22 2006 3:26 AM [Top] Nintendo Adds Turbografx Games to Virtual Console [ Nintendo ] Well, that didn't take long. Just a couple of days after Nintendo launched the Wii to the US, the company has already updated the Virtual Console channel to include a few new legacy titles. The games are Bomberman '93 and Bonk's Adventure, both for the NEC/Hudson Turbografx-16 console. Both games are available for a mere 600 Wii Points from the Wii Shop Channel, and can be played with either the Wii Classic Controller or Wii Remote itself. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 22 2006 1:55 AM [Top] Wii Play To Include Wii Remote [ Gamespot ] Last week, Nintendo confirmed it was bringing the Wii minigame compiliation Wii Play to North America, but did not confirm if the game would ship with an extra Wii Remote, as it does in Japan and Europe. Now, Gamespot, through an interview with Nintendo president Reggie Fils-Aime, can confirm that the Wii Play package will be indeed the same package as Japan and Europe got, with the Wii-mote packed in. The pack will cost $49.99, or just $10 more than a Wii-mote by itself. Might be a pretty good deal. The Wii Play bundle hits stores on January 15th. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 20 2006 16:17 PM [Top] Wii Released! [ Nintendo ] Yes folks, it's November 19th. The Wii is OUT. What the hell are you waiting for? Chances are your local 24-hour store is already out of stock, so get to your local Target, Best Buy, Circuit City, or what have you and get in line! Or, if you are sitting at home with a toasty warm Gamestop/EB preorder, then you're all set anyway. $249.99 is all Nintendo's latest bundle of joy costs, so get out there and buy! After all, Wii would like to play. Eric Jones -- Posted on Sunday, November 19 2006 1:25 AM [Top] Virtual Console Controller Compatibility Revealed [ Nintendo ] Nintendo has updated their official Wii site with a little extra info as to what controllers will be able to work with what Virtual Console games when played on Nintendo's new console. The compatibility issues have been one of the major controversies of the system, so it's good to see Nintendo finally put them to rest. Anyway, since the Wii Remote is able to become an NES controller by holding it on its side, it will be able to play all NES games, as well as all games for the TurboGrafx-16 (which also sported a two-button controller). It will also be able to play some Sega Genesis games, those being the ones that only used two buttons. The GameCube controller will be able to play NES, SNES, and N64 games, but it is "undetermined" if it will play Genesis and TurboGrafx games. Undetermined? Well, Nintendo better "determine" fast, since the console launches in less than 24 hours. Of course, the classic controller will be able to play all Virtual Console games, and might be your best bet at a low $19.99 MSRP. So why not splurge a little extra on Sunday? Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, November 18 2006 2:09 AM [Top] New Wii Release Dates [ Nintendo ] Nintendo has updated its North American release dates, and now Wii fans can finally rest about one thing they were unsure of: We will be getting Wii play. Nintendo also announced a new game and other good info. Wario Ware: Smooth Moves (Wii) - 01/15/07 Wii Play (Wii) - 01/15/07 (unknown if it has a remote/nunchuck) Hotel Dusk Room 215 (DS) - 01/22/07 Final Fantasy VI (GBA) - 02/05/07 Diddy Kong Racing (DS) - 2/05/07 Mario Party 8 (Wii)- 3/05/07 Wario: Master of Disguise (DS) - 3/05/07 Custom Robo Arena (DS) - 3/09/07 Custom Robo Arena will also be WiFi enabled. Joe McCollum -- Posted on Saturday, November 18 2006 0:57 AM [Top] Wii Launch Preview [ Previews ] Not sure what to get when you pick up your pretty new Wii on Sunday? Carl breaks down the top launch titles for Nintendo's new console. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Friday, November 17 2006 23:27 PM [Top] Wii Channel Partners, Dates, and Info Revealed [ Nintendo ] Nintendo's new Wii video game system not only changes how people play games, but redefines how they interact with both the system and their televisions. With the Wii Menu, Nintendo offers a gateway to new experiences through a collection of interactive channels people can use to customize their gaming and entertainment options. The Wii Menu serves as the main portal to the different functions of Wii, and is designed to evolve throughout the life of the system. Some functions can be used right out of the box and more will roll out during the next few weeks and into next year, with content continually changing over time. Wii goes on sale. On launch day, players who want to play a Wii game or a Nintendo GameCube game simply pop in the disc, aim their motion-sensitive Wii Remote at the Wii Menu and click on the Disc Channel to start the game. It's that simple. But some of the real fun with the Wii Menu comes with customization. The Mii Channel lets users create caricatures of themselves (or anyone else) that can be used first in Wii Sports, a collection of five sports games packed in with the Wii system. Up to 10 Mii characters can be stored in a single Wii Remote, and players can carry them to a friend's house and populate multiple Wii systems. Using the Photo Channel, users can explore their creative talents by developing a slide show or showing off their best shots in an easy, fun way. With an SD memory card from a digital camera, users can display their photos on their televisions and perform basic editing and manipulation. The Wii Shop Channel serves as Wii's online storefront, where visitors can redeem Wii Points to download games or other items. Users need a high-speed Internet connection to access the Wii Shop Channel and choose from at least 12 classic Virtual Console games that will be ready to play on launch day. Some of the games a player can download include: Donkey Kong (NES), based on the arcade game of the same name; SimCity (SNES), where players get to build a city from the ground up, being responsible for each decision they make; Super Mario 64, the first-ever true 3-D game, which changed the face of gaming forever; Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis), the fastest blue hedgehog on Earth whips through hair-raising loop-de-loops and into dizzying dives; and Bomberman '93 (TurboGrafx16), the exciting, powered-up version that followed the original Bomberman. More Virtual Console games will become available weekly every Monday following launch and by year's end, gamers will be able to pick from a library of 30 or more classic games from the Nintendo Entertainment System®, Super NES®, Nintendo® 64, Sega Genesis™ and TurboGrafx16 consoles. Users buy Wii Points at retail or with a credit card in the Wii Shop Channel and redeem their Wii Points to download the classic games. NES games start at 500 Wii Points, Super NES games start at 800 Wii Points and Nintendo 64 games start at 1,000 Wii Points. Sega Genesis games start at 800 Wii Points and TurboGrafx16 games start at 600 Wii Points. The Wii Shop Channel is also where users will go to download the Opera browser that will let them surf the Internet from the comfort of their couches on Wii's Internet Channel. More information about the availability of the browser will be released in the coming weeks. On Dec. 20, Nintendo will roll out the Forecast Channel. Users will be able to access free local weather information, which is continually updated. Users can access worldwide weather information by browsing a 3-D globe. Weather information will be supplied by Weathernews. A high-speed Internet connection is required to access the Forecast Channel. Then on Jan. 27, the Wii Menu News Channel will make headlines with the latest news from around the world provided by the Associated Press. A high-speed Internet connection is also needed to access the News Channel. Check out some screenshots of the various Wii Channels below. Images: Wii Disc Channel Screenshot 1 Wii Disc Channel Screenshot 2 Wii Mii Channel Screenshot 1 Wii Mii Channel Screenshot 2 Wii Mii Channel Screenshot 3 Wii Mii Channel Screenshot 4 Wii Mii Channel Screenshot 5 Wii Mii Channel Screenshot 6 Wii Mii Channel Screenshot 7 Wii Forecast Channel Screenshot 1 Wii Forecast Channel Screenshot 2 Wii Forecast Channel Screenshot 3 Wii Forecast Channel Screenshot 4 Wii News Channel Screenshot 1 Wii News Channel Screenshot 2 Wii News Channel Screenshot 3 Wii News Channel Screenshot 4 Wii News Channel Screenshot 5 Wii News Channel Screenshot 6 Wii News Channel Screenshot 7 Wii News Channel Screenshot 8 Wii News Channel Screenshot 9 Wii News Channel Screenshot 10 Wii News Channel Screenshot 11 Wii Shop Channel Screenshot 1 Wii Shop Channel Screenshot 2 Wii Shop Channel Screenshot 3 Wii Shop Channel Screenshot 4 Wii Message Board Screenshot 1 Wii Message Board Screenshot 2 Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, November 16 2006 21:27 PM [Top] Poker With Your Wii [ Crave Entertainment ] Crave Entertainment today announced that the third installment in the best-selling poker video game franchise in North America, World Championship Poker: Featuring Howard Lederer "All In," will soon be available for Wii. WCP: All In features some of the most recognizable and successful poker stars in the world, including Howard Lederer, his sister Annie Duke (who becomes exclusive to the World Championship Poker franchise with this installment), and Robert Williamson III. Joining the roster of this year's edition are noted international poker superstars Marcel Luske, Thomas Bihl and Erin Ness, who parlayed a victory at a Maxim Magazine office tournament into a seat at the 2004 World Series of Poker. Game Features: • 19 types of poker, including Texas Hold'em, Five Card Draw, Seven Card Stud Omaha and More. • Multi-Table Online Tournaments • Scenario Mode: Players are presented with a series of poker "puzzle" challenges that gradually increase in difficulty. • Lucky Charms: Players can improve their luck through this Career Mode skill. • Mixed Games: Play two or more variations of poker during a single game, with the game changing every time the dealer button makes it around the table. • Play with new pros - in game character likenesses and voices, as well as play styles and iconic signature personality traits for some new pros: Thomas Biehl, Marcel Luske and Erin Ness, as well as returning pros: Howard Ledrerer, Annie Duke, and Robert Williamson III. • Reputation System: How well you play, your success in mini-games, and a number of other factors enhance (or hurt) your reputation in Career Mode - which unlocks extra tournaments and more lucrative action for you. • Players to look around in first-person mode within the game by merely pointing the controller where they want to look, or playing one handed – pointing the controller up to raise and down to fold. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Thursday, November 16 2006 15:21 PM [Top] Wii Video Converter Released [ Red Kawa ] Software developer Red Kawa has released a brand-new video converter for the Nintendo Wii, called Wii Video 9. Using the program, Wii owners can encode .avi, divx, mpeg, and other files into a format that's Wii-friendly, and download them to an SD card for Wii playback. The developer has also released encoders for the PS3 and PSP as well, to much acclaim. You can download it for yourself (for free!) by clicking the source link. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, November 16 2006 0:56 AM [Top] First Wii US TV Spots [ YouTube ] The wonderful entity that is YouTube brings us today the first two ads for the Wii. Both feature a pair of Japanese men in a smartcar bringing the system to houses, offices, and what have you showing off the system and it's games. The tagline? "Wii would like to play". Cool stuff. Check them out by clicking the links below. Wii TV Spot 1 Wii TV Spot 2 Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, November 16 2006 0:50 AM [Top] Here Wii Go [ Nintendo ] Sound revolutionized movies, color reinvigorated television and now Wii transforms video games forever. History's most interactive home video game system launches Nov. 19 in the Americas with 20 new games that reinvent and reshape the gaming experience. Wii Sports, a collection of five sports games, comes with the system. A total of 33 new Wii games will be available before the end of the year, along with downloadable access to another 30 Virtual Console™ classics. Pop-culture authorities already are singling out Wii as a "must-have" gift of the holiday shopping season, and Nintendo is mobilizing to meet the huge demand. At an MSRP of just $249.99, it's priced affordably, and its focus on fun brings gaming to the masses. "The most important advance for video games in the last 10 years was the introduction of Super Mario 64, which ushered in the era of true 3-D gaming," says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "Wii will have the same effect on how players connect to their games, and it is made for everyone. Simply said, games have never felt like this before." Nintendo is shipping 4 million Wii systems globally through the end of 2006. While shipments will be sent to retailers continuously, Nintendo cautions shoppers to act early because demand is so high. As previously announced, Wii contains built-in parental controls that let adults set the system to play only games of a certain rating and lock their selection with a PIN code. More information about the new Wii system can be found at Wii.com. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, November 16 2006 0:40 AM [Top] Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Launch Media [ Activision ] For the first time ever, Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam lets players experience the breakneck speed of downhill skateboard racing as they tear up the steepest terrains in the world while performing tricks and outmaneuvering opponents in locations such as the crowded streets of San Francisco and rocky terrain of Machu Picchu. Developed for the Nintendo Wii, gamers utilize an innovative and intuitive control system as they take on the role of Tony Hawk or one of nine characters and compete in specific time-based challenges in one of three gameplay modes including race, trick and slalom. Gamers can also challenge friends in head-to-head competitions as they pull off a variety of high-velocity stunts and crashes in living, populated environments filled with cars, pedestrians and buildings. Check out some new screenshots, as well as the game's launch trailer below. Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam is in stores now for play on your new Wiis when they release on November 19th. Images: Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Screenshot 1 Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Screenshot 2 Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Screenshot 3 Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Screenshot 4 Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Screenshot 5 Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Screenshot 6 Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Screenshot 7 Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Screenshot 8 Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Screenshot 9 Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Screenshot 10 Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Screenshot 11 Video: Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Launch Trailer (36.7 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, November 16 2006 0:11 AM [Top] Wii Café EIC Buys Game! [ Wii Café ] I'm happy to report that numerous titles for our beloved Nintendo Wii have started appearing on store shelves across the country. I am also proud to say that I, Wii Café Editor-in-Chief Kevin McGinnis, have become the first member of the WiiC family to purchase a Wii game! After having heard that games were starting to arrive at retailers, I called up my GameStop and asked if they were selling any of the games yet, to which the employee responded that they were. I was officially the first person to actually walk out the door with a Wii game, not just a pre-order. And, for your viewing pleasure... Images: Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz! Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz! Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz! Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz! Kevin McGinnis -- Posted on Wednesday, November 15 2006 22:53 PM [Top] UPS Delivers First Wii Units to Retail [ Nintendo ] Mario is tagging along with the UPS man as Nintendo and its delivery partner gear up to get Wii launch units to retailers. The first batch of units hit retailers this morning as Nintendo mobilizes the largest console launch ever. Four million Wii systems will be available during the first six weeks after the console's launch. The Best Buy store manager in the picture is a happy, happy fellow. Images: Mike Kingrey Holds a Wii Joe McCollum -- Posted on Wednesday, November 15 2006 22:13 PM [Top] Wii Component Cable Available NOW! [ Nintendo ] Yesterday IGN reported that the Wii Component Video Cable were available to purchase now, but only by phone. So this morning I decided to call up and place my order and get expedited shipping for $13.00 dollars; so I would have them for the launch of the system. The recording on the phone directed me to the appropriate link where I could now purchase them online. Click the source link to be taken directly to the page. They do not offer next day shipping, the best they offer is two day via UPS. Since UPS does not deliver on Saturday that means you have until around 7-8PM eastern time to get your order in TODAY if you want them on time for the launch of Wii. The little recording also stated that the Wii Component Video Cable will be available for purchase in stores but not until early to mid December. Right now the Nintendo website is going slow, so if you do decide to pick up the cable make sure you only press the submit order button once. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Wednesday, November 15 2006 11:18 AM [Top] New Asphalt Urban GT 2 Trailer [ Wii Café ] One of the original racing titles for the Nintendo DS, Asphalt Urban GT now makes its return to the system with Asphalt Urban GT 2. The game features enhanced graphics from the original version, and also includes new cars, as well as the ability to race motorcycles. The game also includes music from such artists as Moby, as well as the Pussycat Dolls, who also appear in the game. Check out the first trailer for the game below by downloading it to your hard drive. The game hits stores today for the Nintendo DS. Video: Asphalt Urban GT 2 Trailer (5.1 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 15 2006 2:07 AM [Top] Need for Speed Carbon Wii Screenshots [ Electronic Arts ] The battle for the city is won in the canyon as Need for Speed Carbon immerses you in the world's most dangerous and adrenaline-filled form of street racing. As the police turn up the heat and force the races to the outskirts of the city, the battle ultimately shifts to Carbon Canyon, where territories and reputations can be lost on every perilous curve. Racing has never felt so dangerous where every turn is a matter of life or death. For the first time in a Need for Speed game, build a crew and race in an all-out war for your city against rival crews and opposing car classes. You'll risk everything to take over rival neighborhoods one street at a time. Each crew member has unique skills that you trigger during races to give you the winning edge over opponents. Call on a Blocker to create a distraction and slow down other racers or activate a Scout to lead you to shortcuts on the track. Use your creativity to design your crew's cars with the revolutionary new Autoscuplt car customization tool that gives you the power to turn every vehicle into the car you've always wanted. Using next generation morphing technology every car can have its own unique look like never before. Need for Speed Carbon features a fresh new story line using full motion capture technology. Unlock the mystery of what happened "that fateful night" and reclaim your reputation. The game features star talent Emmanuelle Vauiger as Nikki, your ex-girlfriend who will help you on your journey to uncover the past. Check out the latest screens of the Wii version of the game below. It hits stores on day one for the console. Images: Need for Speed Carbon Wii Screenshot 1 Need for Speed Carbon Wii Screenshot 2 Need for Speed Carbon Wii Screenshot 3 Need for Speed Carbon Wii Screenshot 4 Need for Speed Carbon Wii Screenshot 5 Need for Speed Carbon Wii Screenshot 6 Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 15 2006 2:00 AM [Top] Atlus Loves Unemployed Ninjas...Wait, What? [ Atlus ] Atlus today announced the acquisition of the North American publishing rights to Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja, an original RPG designed exclusively for the Nintendo DS and slated to be in retail stores February of 2007. Finally, a dungeon RPG strong enough for a man… but played as a hot chick! Drop your stylus, you pansy, and get back to the old school, hardcore, monster bashing we all grew up on! See if you have what it takes to conquer the impossible levels and gruesome bosses. After all, does it get any better than the feeling of cold steel at the palm of your hands? About Izuna: Hi there! I’m Izuna! So you see, we were canned because "Ninjas are sooo yesterday," and now we're looking for a nice place to settle down... That stupid lord... Just wait'll I get my hands on that jerk! So anyways, we found this quaint little village, but... Everyone's actin' all weird. Grandboss's acting like a kid... Shino-Sis's all mean... What's going on!? I mean, what is up with this place!? Izuna Key Features: • Deep, challenging labyrinths that change every time you enter! • Use Talismans to cast spells or power up your equipment! • Customize and power up your weapons, which gain strength over time! Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, November 14 2006 22:56 PM [Top] Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Wii Launch Trailer [ Wii Café ] Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is an all-new action/RPG where players create their Marvel dream team from the largest roster of Super Heroes ever in an epic quest that will determine the fate of Earth and the Marvel universe. For decades, Earth’s Super Heroes have opposed evil in their own cities, and on their own terms. But now, Dr. Doom and a newly reformed Masters of Evil – the greatest collection of Super Villains ever assembled – have plans for world domination, and the heroes must band together to defeat them. Playing as some of the most revered Marvel characters, gamers will embark on a dangerous journey across exotic terrain and well-known comic book locations like Atlantis, the Shield Heli-Carrier and the Skrull home world in an attempt to defy the world’s most notorious Super Villains. One of the most important implementations on the Wii is the Advanced Gesture-based Combat System which pushes the capabilities of the Wii-mote and Nunchuk controllers. Players can even chain gestures together to create very powerful attack combos. With the Wii-mote, players can swipe upwards for upper cut punches and kicks, swipe down for stun attacks, sweep left or right for trip attacks, jab forward for heavy attacks and shake for quick, light attacks. Further, attack powers are custom for each character and are mapped to the Wii-mote gestures, and the Nunchuk can be used for picking up objects, throwing, blocking, dodging/rolling as well as movement via the analog stick. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance for the Wii will support 480p Progressive Scan, full 16x9 widescreen format and Dolby surround sound. Check out the game's official Wii Launch trailer below. The game launches for Wii this Sunday with the console's release. Video: Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Wii Launch Trailer (68.2 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, November 14 2006 22:54 PM [Top] Want to Know When to See Wii TV Spots? [ Nintendo ] Call your friends, cancel your plans and set your cell phone on vibrate. The first TV commercial for Nintendo's amazing new Wii video game system is set to air Tuesday night. The first in a series of four 30-second ads runs during the performance finals of ABC's Dancing with the Stars. The commercials feature two Japanese men who show up at homes across the United States and announce: "Wii would like to play." The fun ads demonstrate the motion-sensitive abilities of the Wii Remote controller while a cool Japanese pop tune plays. The commercials will be posted to Nintendo.com and YouTube.com. The first place that viewers can see all four of them together in a two-minute film will be Nov. 15 on MTV2's Sucker Free. To accomplish Wii's goal of bringing gaming to the masses, ads will air on ABC, NBC, Comedy Central, BET, USA, TBS, Discovery, Animal Planet, ABC Family, Nick at Nite, Sci-Fi, TLC, Fox, The CW, MTV 10 Spot, MTV, MTV2, MTVU, Adult Swim, Fuse, Si TV, The N, VH-1 and Black Family Channel. Nintendo has focused on hands-on marketing efforts like the Nintendo Fusion Tour and viral sampling events in cities across the country. Now the Wii experience moves into people's homes for the holidays. Even as these new ads run, experiential sampling events will continue into 2007. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Tuesday, November 14 2006 13:13 PM [Top] DVD-Enhanced Wii Confirmed for US [ GameDaily ] Nintendo of America confirmed to GameDaily earlier today that the re-release of the Wii with built-in DVD playback will indeed be released in the US sometime in 2007. Previously, the Wii 2 (Tw-ii?) was only set for launch in Japan. Nintendo of America Public Relations Manager Matt Atwood stated that the new Wii has yet to be given an official price, but will be higher than the standard Wii due to the new technology. It's odd that Nintendo would announce this now, 6 days before the Wii is set to hit stores, but even odder is their explanation for it, as Atwood believes that those who want the DVD functionality should wait to pick up the console later. Essentially, they're saying not to buy the Wii this weekend. Riiiiiight... We'll have more on the Wii-VD when it becomes available. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 13 2006 22:57 PM [Top] New Call of Duty 3 Wii Trailer [ Wii Café ] The follow-up to the #1 next-generation game, Call of Duty 3 delivers the intensity of being closer than ever to the fury of combat during the Normandy Breakout, the historic campaign that made the liberation of Paris possible and brought the Allies a step closer to Berlin. Through a seamless narrative that delivers the rush of unrelenting battle and breathtaking action, players assume the roles of four ordinary Allied soldiers—American, British, Canadian and Polish—and are thrust onto an authentic, living battlefield for an unprecedented variety of combat, with advanced high-definition graphics, detailed character animations and explosive on-screen action, delivering the most immersive and cinematically intense war experience ever. Check out a trailer showing off the Wii version of the game below. It hits stores at launch for Wii. Video: Call of Duty 3 Wii Trailer (15.1 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 13 2006 22:23 PM [Top] Nintendo Outlines Wii Marketing Plan [ Nintendo ] A different kind of video game system demands a different kind of marketing effort. That's why Nintendo is moving to unprecedented lengths to let people see, feel and experience the unparalleled new Wii system, created to be easily used by anyone. Nintendo's multimillion-dollar marketing campaign spotlights that Wii is the only new video game system every member of a household can enjoy. Gaming for the masses is seen in every element of the marketing campaign, from an online social-networking community and sampling events in average people's homes to urban "gaming" hours, retail midnight madness events, a multi-city music tour and extended hands-on opportunities in malls nationwide. Across the country, men and women, young and old, experienced and not, are getting their hands on Wii and helping usher in a new generation of video gamers. Already Nintendo's viral efforts have paid off. In a 24-hour period in early November, Wii served as the centerpiece of a multipart South Park episode, appeared on the front page of The Wall Street Journal, made People magazine's Style Watch gift guide issue, was featured in an NPR report about hot holiday gifts and had a BusinessWeek feature note: "industry execs and analysts are already calling a winner: Nintendo's Wii." And all of this before the system has even launched. Here's a look at what Nintendo has planned to market Wii to the masses: Hands-on Sampling * Wii Ambassador Program: The yearlong initiative identified ambassadors in markets throughout the country. These ambassadors are of three categories: multigenerational families, hard-core gamers and modern moms. During the initial phase, Nintendo hosted events for each ambassador and 30 of his or her closest friends and relatives. The events offered an opportunity for everyday people from all walks of life to play Wii for the first time and share their experiences with others. * Wii Mall Experience: Starting Nov. 15, Nintendo will set up six interactive Wii kiosks for a two-month period in 25 Westfield shopping centers across the country. Trained representatives will show visitors new ways to play. For a complete list of the participating malls, visit wii.nintendo.com. * Nintendo Fusion Tour: The annual showcase for music and video games visits cities across the country through Nov. 11. In addition to live music from headliner Hawthorne Heights and four other up-and-coming bands, concert attendees get to enjoy some hands-on time with Wii. * Blender: Nintendo Fusion Tour headliner Hawthorne Heights shows off their slick Wii moves and talk about some of the upcoming games for Wii in the December issue. * Urban Gaming Hours: Through Nov. 17, Nintendo is hosting a gaming take on "happy hour" at gatherings for urban influencers in fashion, music and media, such as Vice magazine and Def Jam Records. The on-site events let participants experience Wii with their colleagues. * RISE: The December issue of this sports and lifestyle magazine for teens will feature thoughts from top teen athletes about their experiences sampling the Wii console. Feeding the Buzz * How Wii Play: Wii's MySpace page at www.MySpace.com/howwiiplay has attracted nearly 1 million page views from more than 200,000 unique visitors, largely by word-of-mouth. Members have created their own Wii videos and posted thousands of messages in the robust forums. * Midnight Madness: Countdown events at Toys "R" Us in New York's Times Square and at GameStop at Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles will turn the last few hours before the launch of Wii into an entertainment frenzy. Nintendo fans of all stripes will line up to be the first to purchase the console at the stroke of midnight as they are entertained by acrobats, music, pyrotechnics, Wii interactives on Segway scooters and a general party atmosphere. Brand Partnerships * 7-Eleven: 7-Eleven is giving away 711 Wii consoles. Codes are printed on the sides of special Nintendo-branded Slurpee cups. Through Jan. 31, people go online to enter their codes to see if they have won. 7-Eleven also will introduce a new limited-time-only Nintendo-themed Slurpee flavor: StrawberrWii Banana. Print ads will run in Blender, Electronic Gaming Monthly and DC Comics. Print ads will also run in USA Today and The Onion. In addition, online banner ads will appear on Google, GameZone, IGN, Rotten Tomatoes and GameSpot. * Pringles Snack Stacks: Pringles.com is giving away 100 Wii consoles. The program is supported by 7 million Wii-themed Pringles Snack Stacks packages and an additional 2 million Wii-themed Pringles canisters on display at Wal-Mart stores for the first three weeks of December. The sweepstakes runs now through April 16. * Comedy Central: The comedy cable network will give away a Wii every hour Thursday through Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. Wii will be featured in a series of vignettes spoofing reality TV shows. At the end of the weekend, the grand prize will be a Wii console and a Scion tricked out to look like a Wii. As Seen on TV * Wii Would Like to Play: Wii's central ad campaign follows two friendly Japanese men who bring Wii to people's homes to demonstrate how easy and fun it is for everyone to play. Stephen Gaghan, who wrote the screenplay for and directed Syriana and won a best screenplay Oscar for writing Traffic, directed the four spots. The director of photography is John Seale, who won an Oscar for best cinematography on The English Patient and was nominated for Oscars for Rain Man, Cold Mountain and Witness. The spots begin airing the week of Nov. 13. * Nick @ Nite: Wii will be featured on the Nov. 24 Nick@Nite episode of Road Crew. The spots feature a family from Long Island that finally finds something they can all enjoy together - playing Wii. * Nickelodeon: A Wii ad begins Nov. 20. The 60-second spot shows a dad mistaking the Wii Remote for his television remote control. Dad becomes immersed in the fun, and soon the whole family joins in. * TeleFutura: Nintendo will be at November auditions in New York for the highly successful international singing competition show Objetivo Fama (Objective: Fame) to allow contestants to sample the Wii console and calm their pre-audition jitters. * Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Discovery Kids Network: A feature scheduled to air in December showcases kids, parents and teachers sampling Wii at a school event and sharing their experiences. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 13 2006 15:06 PM [Top] Sonic Solutions Teams Wtih Nintendo for DVD-Enabled Wii [ Sonic ] Sonic Solutions today announced that Nintendo, the worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, has chosen Sonic CinePlayer CE DVD Navigator to bring high-quality DVD movie viewing to a future version of the company's Wii gaming console. Nintendo plans to release this version of Wii in the latter half of 2007. Based on the same technology trusted by Hollywood studios, CinePlayer CE DVD Navigator is a robust, software-based DVD playback engine that delivers broad playback compatibility on a variety of platforms. The proven technology offers exceptional picture quality and supports all standard video and audio formats offered in the DVD specification, as well as advanced functions such as anamorphic widescreen video, motion menus, and multiple video angles. "To be involved in Nintendo’s ground-breaking gaming console is extremely gratifying and a testament to the efficiency, flexibility and dependability of Sonic's technology," said Jim Taylor, senior vice president and general manager of Sonic's Advanced Technology Group. "Game consoles represent a fresh market and platform where we can introduce a new audience of potentially millions to the quality of our brand and the power of our digital media applications." While this confirms rumors that a DVD-enabled Wii will be indeed released, it still does not clarify if the new system will be Japan-only (as planned), or if a worldwide release has been decided upon. Hopefully Nintendo makes an attachment available so early adopters can enjoy DVDs on their Wiis as well. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 13 2006 15:01 PM [Top] Wii Ads Start This Week [ Bloomberg ] A report from Bloomberg reveals that Nintendo will begin the marketing push for the Wii this week, with TV ads for the console hitting airwaves tomorrow. Nintendo will be spending a whopping $200 million on advertising for Wii - the most ever spent on marketing for any product the company has ever produced. 80% of the Wii's ads will be targeting adults, in fact, a two-minute TV spot scheduled to commence airing Wednesday centers on grandparents and parents playing the Wii with their children. We'll let you know if any ads for the system start popping up, so stay tuned. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 13 2006 1:02 AM [Top] New Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Wii Trailer [ Activision ] Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is an all-new action/RPG where players create their Marvel dream team from the largest roster of Super Heroes ever in an epic quest that will determine the fate of Earth and the Marvel universe. For decades, Earth’s Super Heroes have opposed evil in their own cities, and on their own terms. But now, Dr. Doom and a newly reformed Masters of Evil – the greatest collection of Super Villains ever assembled – have plans for world domination, and the heroes must band together to defeat them. Playing as some of the most revered Marvel characters, gamers will embark on a dangerous journey across exotic terrain and well-known comic book locations like Atlantis, the Shield Heli-Carrier and the Skrull home world in an attempt to defy the world’s most notorious Super Villains. One of the most important implementations on the Wii is the Advanced Gesture-based Combat System which pushes the capabilities of the Wii-mote and Nunchuk controllers. Players can even chain gestures together to create very powerful attack combos. With the Wii-mote, players can swipe upwards for upper cut punches and kicks, swipe down for stun attacks, sweep left or right for trip attacks, jab forward for heavy attacks and shake for quick, light attacks. Further, attack powers are custom for each character and are mapped to the Wii-mote gestures, and the Nunchuk can be used for picking up objects, throwing, blocking, dodging/rolling as well as movement via the analog stick. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance for the Wii will support 480p Progressive Scan, full 16x9 widescreen format and Dolby surround sound. Check out a trailer that exclusively shows off the Wii build of the game below. Video: Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Wii Trailer (38.5 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Sunday, November 12 2006 22:33 PM [Top] New Red Steel Screenshots [ Ubisoft ] Perhaps with the exclusion of Zelda, no Wii launch title has been more hyped or anticipated than Red Steel, a Ubisoft-designed first-person shooter built exclusively for the system. We've all heard about what the game will be capable of, as well as how it will possibly revolutionize first-person shooters. Now, with the console a week from launch, the wait is almost over. Check out some new screens from the game below. Red Steel hits stores at launch for Wii. Images: Red Steel Screenshot 1 Red Steel Screenshot 2 Red Steel Screenshot 3 Red Steel Screenshot 4 Red Steel Screenshot 5 Red Steel Screenshot 6 Red Steel Screenshot 7 Red Steel Screenshot 8 Red Steel Screenshot 9 Red Steel Screenshot 10 Red Steel Screenshot 11 Red Steel Screenshot 12 Red Steel Screenshot 13 Red Steel Screenshot 14 Red Steel Screenshot 15 Eric Jones -- Posted on Sunday, November 12 2006 19:14 PM [Top] Excite Truck to Allow for Custom Soundtracks [ IGN Wii ] Now this is some rather cool news. IGN did a bit of sleuthing after rumors were presented that the upcoming Wii launch racer Excite Truck would allow for custom soundtracks via mp3s loaded into an SD card and loaded into the console's card slot. And lo and behold, it's true, as the game will allow for players to load their own music into the game so you can rock out your own way while you race. This new development makes me a load more interested in this game. Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, November 11 2006 2:49 AM [Top] New Sonic The Hedgehog Genesis Screens [ Sega ] The original Sonic The Hedgehog that broke the speed barrier wide open on the SEGA Genesis is now on the Game Boy Advance! The game has seven original gravity-defying stages that have been perfectly ported over to let players experience this classic on Game Boy Advance. Navigate through loop-de-loops of Green Hill Zone, zoom past waterfalls, and dash over molten lava at Sonic’s trademark super speedy pace while collecting gold rings. In celebration of Sonic’s 15th birthday, Sonic The Hedgehog Genesis includes a special anniversary mode, in which players will be able to use Sonic’s Spin Dash ability to get them out of dangerous situations. Also, for the first time in the original Sonic The Hedgehog, players will be able to save their progress and high scores throughout the seven stages. Play the original that started it all! Check out the latest screens for the latest rerelease of Sonic's first adventure below. Images: Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 1 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 2 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 3 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 4 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 5 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 6 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 7 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 8 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 9 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 10 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 11 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 12 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 13 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 14 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 15 Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis Screenshot 16 Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, November 11 2006 2:40 AM [Top] Star Wars Lethal Alliance Screenshots [ Ubisoft ] In the years between Episodes III and IV, Princess Leia proposes a dangerous quest to secure the future of the Rebel Alliance. As the deadly duo of a Twi’lek named Rianna Saren and her security droid, Zeeo, you must infiltrate Imperial-controlled planets, fight legions of evil fiends, and return with the plans for the most destructive weapon in the galaxy – the Death Star. Battle through the galaxy as a legendary mercenary team, steal the enemy’s deadliest secret, and triumph over evil in this untold Star Wars epic adventure. Star Wars Lethal Alliance is the first original Star Wars game built specifically for the Nintendo DS: A full 3D game that will be one of the most visually striking games on the handheld. Play each character separately and use the bottom screen to interact. Play Zeeo in first person to complete critical missions. Use a DS-only unique weapon – the Dual Cannon. Play a large variety of minigames using the stylus and the unlockable bonus mode. Challenge up to four players in wireless games including droid shootout, hide and seek and more! Check out the first screens of the DS release of the game below. Star Wars Lethal Alliance hits stores this December. Images: Star Wars Lethal Alliance Screenshot 1 Star Wars Lethal Alliance Screenshot 2 Star Wars Lethal Alliance Screenshot 3 Star Wars Lethal Alliance Screenshot 4 Star Wars Lethal Alliance Screenshot 5 Star Wars Lethal Alliance Screenshot 6 Star Wars Lethal Alliance Screenshot 7 Star Wars Lethal Alliance Screenshot 8 Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, November 11 2006 2:20 AM [Top] Bust-A-Move Revolution Becomes Bust-A-Move Bash [ Majesco ] Majesco today announced additional details of Bust-A-Move Bash!, its first game for the Wii. Previously called Bust-A-Move Revolution, Bust-A-Move Bash! is scheduled to ship early next year and utilizes the unique interactivity of the Wii Remote to bring Bust-A-Move franchise fans a completely new way to experience its puzzle-based game play. Bust-A-Move Bash! features 10 different characters, including franchise favorites Bub and Bob as well as many new additions. Players will experience a variety of game modes including: * Puzzle Mode -- offers 500 levels across five different puzzle areas; * Endless Mode -- a challenging test of bubble-bursting skill and endurance; * Vs. Mode -- allows up to 8 players to go head-to-head simultaneously; * Shooting Mode -- an all-new mode where bubbles come at players from all angles. To handle the non-stop assault, players can use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk Controller together. In addition, a new Hyper option speeds up game play while the Slip feature allows players to connect fired bubbles to similar colors even though their aim may be off. Developed by Happy Happenings and licensed from Taito, Bust-A-Move Bash! joins Cooking Mama: Cook Off as one of Majesco's premier titles for the Wii. It releases in 2007. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, November 10 2006 13:20 PM [Top] Namco Bandai Brings Inuyasha to DS [ Namco Bandai ] Namco Bandai announced today that Inuyasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel, an exciting RPG for the Nintendo DS, is now in development. Featuring an all-new original storyline, Inuyasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel promises original characters created exclusively for the game and an intuitive battle system based on action from the popular animated series. Rumiko Takahashi’s popular anime and comic series Inuyasha comes to life in this brand new adventure for the Nintendo DS. Players will experience the intriguing origins and exciting stories of all-new characters as they join beloved well-known Inuyasha characters in the struggle to unlock the mystery of the Divine Jewel. Utilizing and uniting familiar faces like Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippo, players will battle hordes of monstrous demons in this epic RPG. With an intuitive command-based control scheme and the new Cover Fellow System (CFS), players will get Inuyasha and his friends to work together in ways never before seen. The chance to learn the secret of the Divine Jewel arrives in 2007 with Inuyasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, November 10 2006 13:17 PM [Top] Even More Zelda Screens [ Nintendo ] And the pimp train keeps on rolling as Nintendo graces us with 15 more new screens of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. These screens may contain minor spoilers, so don't read on if you're trying not to know anything. They show at least one new species, as well as some returning ones like Gorons and dodongdos (including a clearer shot of the apparent Goron boss from the recent trailer). Also, it appears Link is now a sumo wrestler. Check them out and drool yourself silly. Images: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 1 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 2 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 3 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 4 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 5 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 6 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 7 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 8 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 9 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 10 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 11 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 12 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 13 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 14 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii) Screenshot 15 Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Friday, November 10 2006 12:21 PM [Top] New Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Trailer [ Wii Café ] For the first time ever, Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam lets players experience the breakneck speed of downhill skateboard racing as they tear up the steepest terrains in the world while performing tricks and outmaneuvering opponents in locations such as the crowded streets of San Francisco and rocky terrain of Machu Picchu. Developed for the Nintendo Wii, gamers utilize an innovative and intuitive control system as they take on the role of Tony Hawk or one of nine characters and compete in specific time-based challenges in one of three gameplay modes including race, trick and slalom. Gamers can also challenge friends in head-to-head competitions as they pull off a variety of high-velocity stunts and crashes in living, populated environments filled with cars, pedestrians and buildings. Check out the trailer showing off how gamers will use the Wii Remote to control the game below. The game hits stores for the Wii at launch, November 19th. Video: Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam "Wii Remote" Trailer (49.2 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, November 10 2006 1:06 AM [Top] Wii Component Cables Confirmed For Retail [ IGN Wii ] IGN Wii has revealed, in an interview with Nintendo's VP of marketing and corporate affairs, Perrin Kaplan, that the Wii's component cables will now be sold in retail stores, as well as at online retailers. This confirms that Nintendo has changed their stance on the original plan to sell the cables online only, more than likely after more than a few angry gamers complained to the Big N. There is a minor drawback, though, as the cables will only be sold at three retailers - Circuit City, Best Buy, and Gamestop/EBGames. Kind of a bummer, but better than nothing at all. The cables will be available for the system's launch on the 19th. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, November 10 2006 0:34 AM [Top] Elebits Delayed [ Konami ] Konami has confirmed that Elebits, the quirky Wii-exclusive shooter originally set to launch with the console on the 19th, has been pushed back three or four weeks. The reason is that the game has not met Nintendo's quality standards, and a new build must be resubmitted. The game will now released on either December 12th or 18th, depending on when Nintendo approves the new build of the game. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, November 10 2006 0:12 AM [Top] More New Zelda Demo Videos [ Nintendo ] Nintendo has revealed some more videos of gamers from around the world demoing some of the aspects of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. The latest videos show off Epona's abilities, as both horseback riding and fighting are showcased. Check them out by clicking the source link. Zelda: Twilight Princess for Wii launches with the console in just about 9 days, and hits the GameCube on December 13th. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, November 9 2006 23:49 PM [Top] First Video of Far Cry Vengeance [ Ubisoft ] In Far Cry Vengeance, as Jack Carver, use the Wii Remote to drive, shoot, slash, jump and climb your way through a rebel-infested tropical hell. The Wii entry in the franchise includes elements from Far Cry Instincts Evolution, in addition to a fresh storyline, new maps, characters and equipment. The gameplay is designed completely around the Wii remote, with gunplay aiming as well as more unique maneuvers such as vehicle steering, balancing on precarious ledges, and throwing grenades. Check out the first video of the game in action. Far Cry Vengeance is rated M for Mature and is a launch game for the Wii. Video: Far Cry Vengeance Trailer (2.34 MB) Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Thursday, November 9 2006 17:09 PM [Top] Nintendo Shoots Off Wii [ Nintendo ] The Wii is less than ten days away from release (look up at counter). Today Nintendo released some nice pretty pictures of the Wii and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess coming off the assembly line and getting ready for shipment to thousands of retail stores across the country. A week ago I was saying I was going to be patient and act mature about the release of the Wii. I would not get giddy like I did with the Cube. Well after all the good stuff that has been announced/released in the last week about the system, I am officially giddy. Come Sunday the 19th, I will be playing Zelda at around one in the morning, will you? Click the pictures below. Images: Workers Prep Boxes of Wii More Workers Prepare Boxes Twilight Princess on Conveyor Belt Wii Remotes in Packaging Boxes Being Loaded On Truck Hey, Is That The Zelda Disc? More Boxes On Conveyor Belts More Zelda On Conveyor Belts Wii Remotes Being Packaged Admit It, You Want Her Job Matthew Silver -- Posted on Thursday, November 9 2006 6:42 AM [Top] Nanostray 2 Info and Screens [ Shin'en ] The Nanostray 2 website has been updated with it some info and screens. Nanostray 2 (N2) is the ultimate action experience for your Nintendo DS. N2 delivers fast paced gameplay, more intense than any other game for your handheld. Ultra smooth graphics easily surpass anything you have seen on the Nintendo DS before. Discover hundreds of unique enemies, beautiful worlds and frightening bosses spread across the Nanostray galaxy. Face the ultimate challenge! More detailed information will be revealed within the next weeks on the official N2 website. Check out the first screens below. Images: Nanostray 2 Screenshot 1 Nanostray 2 Screenshot 2 Nanostray 2 Screenshot 3 Nanostray 2 Screenshot 4 Nanostray 2 Screenshot 5 Nanostray 2 Screenshot 6 Nanostray 2 Screenshot 7 Nanostray 2 Screenshot 8 Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Wednesday, November 8 2006 23:26 PM [Top] More Virtual Console Games Revealed - UPDATED [ ESRB ] New Virtual Console games from Nintendo have appeared on the ESRB's official site, which means we should be seeing them hit the console in the coming months. Check them out below. Duck Hunt Hogan's Alley Kid Icarus Kirby's Adventure Pilot Wings Pro Wrestling Punch-Out Wild Gunman Perhaps the most interesting of these games are Duck Hunt, Hogan's Alley, and Wild Gunman - all games that didn't use a standard controller, but Nintendo's Zapper gun. Obviously, the Wii-Mote would be the proper way to play these games...but would Nintendo use the standard remote, or maybe the gun attachment last seen at E3? UPDATED: Now, the ESRB has updated again with even more Virtual Console games set for Wii. Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars Kirby's Super Star Mario Kart 64 Starfox 64 Super Metroid Kirby's Dream Land 3 The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time Excitebike Ice Climber Dr. Mario Super Mario Brothers Ice Hockey Soccer Now THAT'S what we're talking about! Some of the greatest games of all time make up this list, and the fact that our Virtual Console list will be looking like less of an embarrassment very, very soon is a welcome fact. Stay tuned for more as it breaks. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 8 2006 2:54 AM [Top] Wii Wins Major Award from Popular Science [ Popular Science ] The Wii just continues to build up the accolades as we move closer to the 19th. The latest sees one of the most highly-lauded tech magazines of all time, Popular Science, giving the Wii a "Grand Award" for the best Home Entertainment product of the year. The article praises Nintendo's plans to simplify gaming, as well as allow players to become more immersed. Hopefully Nintendo can live up to all this hype: we'll find out in less than two weeks. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 8 2006 1:52 AM [Top] Disney Creates Exclusive Nintendo Developer [ Bloomberg ] Disney has announced that it is creating a new development studio for the sole purpose of making games for Nintendo's various systems. The studio, called Fall Line, will be made up of various developers from other Disney studios, and will work on various games for the Wii, DS, and GBA systems. Disney sees Nintendo as a "natural partner" and plans to support them heavily in the future, with the belief that games for their systems will reach all ages. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, November 7 2006 13:05 PM [Top] Marvel Powers Through 2007 [ Marvel Comics ] One of the world's biggest comic book companies is set to rule 2007. Marvel Comics announced today it's plans for films and video games based upon its properties in 2007, and revealed some shocking changes in the process. Unsurprisingly, Activision will have a game based upon Spider-Man 3 out this summer, in order to release alongside the film version. This game has already been confirmed for all systems, including Wii and DS. However, one franchise Activision will not be taking the reigns of anymore is the Fantastic Four, as the upcoming game based on the Fantastic Four 2 film will be handled by Take-Two Interactive, which puts serious doubt as to if it will come to any Nintendo consoles at all (Take-Two is notorious for avoiding Nintendo consoles, as another upcoming Marvel film, Ghost Rider, will be only for PS2, Xbox, and PSP). Even more surprising is the fact that EA, after their first attempt at a Marvel game was a bit of a disappointment, is giving it a shot again with Marvel Nemesis 2. It remains to be seen if that game will come to Wii or not. As for more action with everyone's favorite neigborhood web-slinger, Marvel has also announced Activision will publish Spider-Man Trilogy by the end of the year, but did not clarify as to if the game will be a combo pack of the three movie-based Spider-Man games, or an all new game. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, November 7 2006 12:44 PM [Top] GameCube Café Becomes Wii Café [ Wii Café ] It was only a matter of time - GameCube Café is no more. Times change. People evolve. New systems are released. Websites change their names and etc. We have now officially become Wii Café. Change your bookmarks and all that to http://www.wiicafe.com. It was about time, after all, as coverage for the Wii has pretty much been greater than Cube for about the last five months. On the occasion when we feel the need to abbreviate the name of the site, we'll be referring to it as WiiC or, as always, just The Café. You can see the obvious aesthetic changes with the logo and character tabs. Check out the latest update to the Café Notes for more info on what we've done and what we're planning. Happy Wii-ing...or whatever. As a final note, since the change required quite a bit of new coding, should you notice anything wrong with the site, send an e-mail to our uber tech guy AJ Henderson, tell him what's up, and he'll get right on fixing it. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Tuesday, November 7 2006 1:02 AM [Top] Ratatouille Gets Cooking [ THQ ] THQ has officially announced that it will publish games based on the latest CG-animated film from Pixar, entitled Ratatouille. The film, the first in Pixar's new deal with Disney, features Patton Oswalt as Remy, a young rat in Paris who dreams of becoming a legendary chef. To this end, he moonlights as a chef, giving the bistro where he lives great popularity, all the while trying to hide that their food is being cooked by a rat. The game is the latest in THQ and Pixar's long-running partnership, which began with Monsters, Inc. It will be out for almost all next- and current-gen consoles and handhelds, including the Wii, GameCube, DS, and GBA. The film will hit theaters in Summer 2007, so expect the see the game release at or around that timeframe. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 6 2006 15:41 PM [Top] Rayman Gameplay Trailer [ Ubisoft ] Ubisoft has given us another fun gameplay trailer for Rayman Raving Rabbids on the Wii. This game is looking better, and funnier, the more we see it. Check out the trailer below. Video: Rayman Raving Rabbids Gameplay Trailer (1.91 MB) Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Monday, November 6 2006 14:40 PM [Top] Sega Rocks Out to Iron Man [ Sega ] You'd think that with several of Marvel's biggest franchises under their belt, such as Spider-Man, X-Men, and the Fantastic Four, that Activision would have been a shoe-in to pick up the Iron Man license. The company was even the previous holder of the license, picking it up when the Iron Man movie was set for release in 2006. Of course, that never happened (sans an appearance in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance), and now Hedgehog-factory Sega has picked up the rights to the armor-clad hero, as the release of his first motion picture looms in 2008. Sega announced the game would be for next-gen platforms, but did not announce which ones: however, it's safe to say the Wii would be a likely choice due to all of the cool special moves gamers could perform with the Wiimote. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 6 2006 13:51 PM [Top] E3 Could Be Even Smaller [ MCV ] In an interview with UK gaming site MCV, ESA president Doug Lowenstein revealed that what was once the greatest convention of the year could be set to shrink rather heavily. Originally set for 5,000 attendees, the new E3 Games & Media Summit could be even less, according to Lowenstein, stating that “Currently I think that figure is high. The point is we don’t want people wandering around that aren’t the people companies want to meet." He also stated that invites will be sent out for the summit in the next month - we'll let you know if we get one. However, Lowenstein did have some good news: he's been assured by Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo that all three will be holding media briefings as usual before the event, so maybe we do have something to look forward to next year. Stay tuned for more as it breaks. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 6 2006 13:44 PM [Top] Golden Dragon Balls [ Atari ] Atari has officially announced that its launch title for the Wii, Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 2, has gone gold and will be ready for the system's launch in less than two weeks. In the latest installment of the Budokai franchise, gamers will use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk in order to execute some of the series' most legendary attacks, such as Goku's Kamehameha and Spirit Bomb, and Vegeta's Final Flash. The game also features over 120 playable characters and tons of destructible environments. Check the game out when it hits stores for the Wii on November 19th. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 6 2006 13:37 PM [Top] Agents Are Go! Elite Beat Agents Are On the Case [ Nintendo ] Nintendo's Elite Beat Agents are international men of mystery, but the only licenses they carry are licenses to boogie. This Nintendo DS game is all about the music with a branching storyline: The more accurately players can tap to rhythmic pop music patterns on the touch screen, the better the story turns out. Coupled with a collection of quirky story lines and hilarious characters, Elite Beat Agents boasts a number of popular tunes, including "Rock This Town," "Walkie Talkie Man," "Material Girl," "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and more. Playable on the Nintendo DS, this unique mix of rhythm and dance offers music fans the chance to get their groove on no matter where they are. It's a head-bopping, toe-tapping phenomenon made portable just in time for the holidays. Elite Beat Agents follows the riotous exploits of three secret agents who help people overcome everyday problems by infusing their targets with "groovy" energy. Whether the mission is to help a lost dog find his way home or aid a babysitter in charming a hunky football player, people of all ages will be lured in by the game's fun and amusing story lines. After all, who wouldn't want the chance to save the day? So, get out your DS Lite because ... "AGENTS ARE GO!" Elite Beat Agents, Rated E10 for Everyone 10 and Older, will be available Nov. 8. For more information about the title, visit the game's official site. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 6 2006 13:30 PM [Top] New Twilight Princess Information [ Games Are Fun ] Anyone disappointed with the length of Wind Waker shouldn't worry about Twilight Princess. According to Nate Bihldorff and Bill Trinen at NOA localization department, there are nine main dungeons in the game, which is on par with what Ocarina of Time had (including Ganon's Castle). The dungeons are very spaced out and there is a lot to do in between dungeon-hopping, including a lot of smaller areas and "mini-dungeons." The fastest the testers completed the game the first time was around 70 hours, and that was not with 100%. Hyrule's field, sans side areas, is five times the size of that in OoT. The horseback fighting arena is about the size of OoT's Hyrule Field. Golden bugs are found throughout the game, and tend to come in male and female pairs. So if a male is around, chances are there is a female nearby. Most collectables will be useful at some point. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess hits the Wii on November 19 and the GameCube on December 13. Joe McCollum -- Posted on Saturday, November 4 2006 14:27 PM [Top] New Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screens [ Nintendo ] I don't think much more needs to be said about this game. It looks beautiful, the atmosphere looks downright gorgeous, and the Wii controller might make this the best Zelda game ever, if not the best game ever, period. With just about two weeks to go, the anticipation is rising to a fever pitch, and we can hardly wait. To lessen the wait, however, Nintendo has given us 15 new screenshots of the game, which you can check out below. Needless to say, they look awesome. They are filled with spoilers though, so take heed of that. Just two weeks to go, folks. Images: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 1 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 2 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 3 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 4 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 5 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 6 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 7 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 8 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 9 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 10 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 11 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 12 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 13 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 14 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 15 Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, November 4 2006 2:30 AM [Top] Wii Component Cables Sold In Stores After All? [ Game Informer Online ] In an interview with Game Informer Online, Nintendo VP of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Perrin Kaplan, reveals that Nintendo may have had a change of heart when it came to selling the Wii's component cables for 480p widescreen upscaling. On the cables, Kaplan states that they will be "at retail and online. Best Buy, GameStop, Circuit City, etc… and Nintendo.com.". This directly contradicts previous reports that the component cables would be sold online only. Of course, Kaplan's been wrong before (in fact, she apologizes for the "region-free" fiasco she started at the Wii Event in New York City in the question just before this one), so we're honestly not sure to believe here. Hopefully official word from the big N will be coming soon. Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, November 4 2006 1:39 AM [Top] Super Smash Bros Brawl Trailer [ GameTrailers ] We've got it here for you - the Nintendo World trailer of Super Smash Bros Brawl! The trailer showcases the characters we already know (including the secret ones) in action - and yes, Snake has the Bazooka they talked about at E3, since it's apparently less violent than a gun. New areas include Mario Kart themed level, one based on Meta Knight, an ancient-Greece level from Kid Icarus (Pit's game), what appears to be a level from Metal Gear, a Yoshi's Island-based level (perhaps confirmation that a certain green dino will be returning?) and more! Also, of course, we see Fox in action for the first time. Click away! Video: Super Smash Bros Brawl Trailer - Nintendo World (22.4 MB) Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Friday, November 3 2006 16:01 PM [Top] EA Plans To Rock Next-Gen [ Electronic Arts ] In a conference call made as a part of its first-half earnings announcement, Electronic Arts revealed that it plans to jump headlong into the next-gen with many of its major franchises coming along for the ride. The company announced several games were in development, including a Wii-specific installment of the popular Sims franchise. It was also announced that several new games are on their way, including new Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, SimCity, and Black games. Even announced was the return of EA's classic motorcycle racing franchise, Road Rash. While it remains to be seen if any of those titles will be hitting Wii or DS, the console's appeal might certainly make it possible. Stay tuned for more as it breaks. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, November 3 2006 14:11 PM [Top] New Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Trailers [ GameCube Café ] For the first time ever, Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam lets players experience the breakneck speed of downhill skateboard racing as they tear up the steepest terrains in the world while performing tricks and outmaneuvering opponents in locations such as the crowded streets of San Francisco and rocky terrain of Machu Picchu. Developed for the Nintendo Wii, gamers utilize an innovative and intuitive control system as they take on the role of Tony Hawk or one of nine characters and compete in specific time-based challenges in one of three gameplay modes including race, trick and slalom. Gamers can also challenge friends in head-to-head competitions as they pull off a variety of high-velocity stunts and crashes in living, populated environments filled with cars, pedestrians and buildings. Check out a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the game below, as well as a look at the various unique characters in the game. Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam is a launch title for the Wii and will hit stores on November 19th. Video: Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam "Behind The Scenes" Trailer (47.7 MB) Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam "Skaters" Trailer (42.5 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, November 3 2006 13:55 PM [Top] What's In Store For the Café [ Café Notes ] It's been a while since we updated this thing, and with the launch of the Wii just around the corner (look up at the countdown) we figured it was about time to let you know what's been going on around here and about the changes you will see in the coming weeks. Oh yeah, you also might want to read it to find out when NINETY minutes of exclusive Twilight Princess footage will be posted on the site. Matthew Silver -- Posted on Friday, November 3 2006 8:09 AM [Top] First Mario Party 8 Image [ Nintendo of Japan ] Looks like you can add on another big-time series from Nintendo to the Wii's lineup. The latest screens from the Nintendo World show ongoing in Japan reveals the first shot of Mario Party 8, the latest in the classic party game series, making its Wii debut. While the image is quite small, it does show that plenty of minigames will be featured, as well as plenty of Mario regulars. No word yet as to how the Wii-mote will be used to control the game, or if the game will have any form of online play. However, it is confirmed that the game will release in 2007. Images: First Mario Party 8 Image Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, November 3 2006 2:01 AM [Top] New Smash Bros Brawl Trailer Details - Fox Revealed! [ Nintendo ] At the Nintendo World event currently going on in Nagoya, Japan, Nintendo came through with the big reveal of the new trailer to one of the most-anticipated Wii games of next year, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The game is made up of 3 minutes of pure gameplay footage that shows off some of the game's new characters (Wario, Zero Suit Samus, Pit, Metaknight, and Solid Snake) in action. Not only that, it also reveals another character set to make his return from Super Smash Bros. Melee, as Star Fox's Fox McCloud will be stepping out of his Arwing and back into the fight. Check out the first image of Fox's Brawl incarnation below. We'll have the trailer up as soon as we can get our hands on it, so stay tuned. Images: Fox McCloud Revealed in Super Smash Bros. Brawl Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, November 3 2006 0:28 AM [Top] New Zelda Trailers [ Nintendo ] Nintendo has graced us with two new trailers for The Legend of Zelda; Twilight Princess on Wii. The first trailer shows the opening movie to the game, which is very similar to that from Ocarina of Time - Link riding around the land with his horse as the Zelda theme serenely plays in the background. If this is any indication of the size of the world, expect it to be massive. Also nice is an amazing sounding vocal arrangement to the Zelda theme, a hint of the soundtrack we're all waiting to hear. The second trailer is more traditional, with an assortment of shots (new and old) thrown together for a pretty good 2 minute trailer. At 1:56 in the trailer we also get our first clear shot of Princess Zelda in her 3D incarnation rather than concept art. This game is looking better and better all the time. Now get to downloading! UPDATE: Nintendo's Japanese Wii site has updated with even more videos of the biggest game of the year. Check them out Here, Here, Here, Here, and Here. UPDATE 2: We've got even more Zelda goodness for you. The official Wii website has updated with videos showing off the game's bow and arrow controls. Check it out Here. Video: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Wii Opening Video (6.58 MB) The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Wii Montage Trailer (10.1 MB) Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Thursday, November 2 2006 13:22 PM [Top] Nintendo Hosts Launch Events for Wii [ Nintendo ] With just 17 days until the worldwide launch of the Wii game console in the Americas, Nintendo is throwing big bashes to celebrate the momentous occasion. From New York to Los Angeles and untold places in between, shoppers won't have to wait long to be the first to buy Nintendo's revolutionary new Wii video game console when it goes on sale at the stroke of midnight the morning of Sunday, Nov. 19. However, video game fans will have to get in line fast, as demand is high for this season's hot holiday product. Toys "R" Us Times Square in Manhattan and GameStop at Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles will host official Nintendo midnight launch events to satiate rabid fans who can't wait to get their hands on Wii. The events will feature live music and entertainment, fun, games, special guests from Nintendo – and a countdown to the moment that will change the way video games are played forever. Other retailers nationwide are expected to hold their own midnight launch events, so consumers should check with their local retail stores that sell video games. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, November 2 2006 12:54 PM [Top] GamePro Expo to Fill E3's Shoes? [ Gamespot ] Looks like the race to find the next E3 just gained another entry. International Data Group (IDG) Publishing has officially announced a new video game expo to be held in October 2007, the GamePro Expo - named for the video game magazine IDG publishes. The event will be held on October 18-20th 2007, and emanate from the Los Angeles Covention Center; the former home of the ill-fated E3. Interestingly enough, IDG is touting that the show will be endorsed by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), who previously ran E3. The event is planned to feature a similar trade show atmosphere as E3, but will also be open to the public. Also planned are game tournaments that will run concurrent to the show, and would be held in the neighboring Staples Center. It remains to be seen how many publishers (including Nintendo, who is notoriously picky as to where it exhibits its wares) appear at the event, but if IDG can pull it off, E3 could become a forgotten, rather than yearned for, thing of the past. More as it breaks. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, November 2 2006 1:22 AM [Top] Cartman Wants His Wii [ Comedy Central ] Looks like even South Park is psyched for Nintendo's latest console. The newest episode of the crudely animated and not to mention just plain crude series, entitled "Go God, Go! Part 1", finds the town's hate speech-spewing overweight 8 year old, Eric Cartman, going bonkers with anticipation for the Wii - so much so that he attempts to cryogenically freeze himself to lessen the wait, which makes him end up in the year 2563! This isn't the first time Matt Stone and Trey Parker (the show's creators) have used a popular real-life game or game system in their episodes: World of Warcraft, the Sony PSP, the Sega Dreamcast, and even the GameCube (humorously renamed the Okama Gamesphere) have all been featured. The best part? The Wii episode is part one a two-parter, so there's even more good stuff to come next week. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 1 2006 23:48 PM [Top] Need for Speed Carbon Races into Stores [ EA ] Need for Speed Carbon will become available in stores worldwide from this week under the EA brand. Produced by EA Black Box in Vancouver, B.C., Need for Speed Carbon thrusts players onto the edge of their seat taking them from adrenaline-filled city streets to death-defying canyon curves. Boldly expanding on the key features that have made the Need for Speed franchise a hit for more than a decade, Need for Speed Carbon turns up the excitement and intensity by introducing all-new canyon racing. As the police turn up the heat, the battle ultimately shifts to Carbon Canyon, where territories and reputations can be lost on every perilous curve. With captivating graphics and stunning visual effects, players will be completely immersed in a gut-check race around the canyons where more than just winning is at stake. A streamlined focus on game physics has resulted in a truly authentic racing experience. Each of the game’s three distinct car classes – Tuner, Exotic, and Muscle – have been designed to maximize differentiation and enhance performance. Players will immediately experience the unique handling, acceleration and driving technique of the more than 50 different custom cars the moment they put the pedal to the metal. Need for Speed Carbon delivers the next generation of customization giving you the power to design and tweak your car in every way – including over 300 different parts – using the ground-breaking new Autosculpt technology. With online racing and the most advanced graphics and car customization tools ever, Need for Speed Carbon is the ultimate next generation racing game. The game is available on all Nintendo systems, with a Wii version slated for later this month. Joe McCollum -- Posted on Wednesday, November 1 2006 17:04 PM [Top] New Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin Trailer [ GameCube Café ] Celebrating 20 years of vampire hunting action, the legendary Castlevania series is back with an all-new action packed adventure. Take control of two heroes, Jonathan Morris, a vampire killer and his close friend Charlotte Orlean, a girl with tremendous magical ability. Amidst the chaos of World War II, two mysterious sisters emerge, working to resurrect Dracula and David and Charlotte are all that stand in their way. Check out the newest trailer for the game below by downloading it to your hard drive. The latest Castlevania for the Nintendo DS hits stores on December 5th. Video: Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin Trailer (11.3 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 1 2006 15:53 PM [Top] New Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screens [ Nintendo ] When an evil darkness enshrouds the land of Hyrule, a young farm boy named Link must awaken the hero - and the animal - within. When Link travels to the Twilight Realm, he transforms into a wolf and must scour the land with the help of a mysterious girl named Midna. Using the power and unique control of the Wii console, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess features incredibly precise aiming control using the Wii Remote. The Wii Remote and the Nunchuk controllers are used for a variety of game activities, including fishing, sword attacks and projectile-weapon aiming. Players ride into battle against troops of foul creatures and wield a sword and shield with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers, then take on massive bosses that must be seen to be believed. Many puzzles stand between Link and the fulfillment of his quest, so players must sharpen their wits as they hunt for weapons and items. Check out a trio of new screens for the Wii version of the biggest game of the holiday season below. Images: Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 1 Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 2 Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Screenshot 3 Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 1 2006 15:43 PM [Top] New Spider-Man: Battle For New York GBA Screens [ Activision ] Battle as Spider-Man and Green Goblin – As the heroic Spider-Man, players use fancy web work, quick reflexes and acrobatic assaults to defeat the evil characters plaguing the city. As Green Goblin, fans experience the demonic, beastly Super Villain’s fury and wreak havoc around town on a quest for revenge. Customize Each Character’s Combat Ability – Gamers personalize their gameplay experience like never before by choosing which abilities to improve and upgrade for both Spider-Man and Green Goblin. From Spider-Man’s enhanced web slinging to Green Goblin’s ultra devastating attacks, this is the most customizable Spider-Man handheld experience to-date. Execute Special Moves – In the battle for control of the city, special moves make all the difference. To protect New York City as Spider-Man, players utilize powerful web whips, spin-kicks, crouch kicks and other cool maneuvers. As Green Goblin, gamers terrorize the Big Apple with ferocious fireballs and a full-body wall of fire. Check out the latest GBA screens of the game below. Images: Spider-Man: Battle For New York GBA Screenshot 1 Spider-Man: Battle For New York GBA Screenshot 2 Spider-Man: Battle For New York GBA Screenshot 3 Spider-Man: Battle For New York GBA Screenshot 4 Spider-Man: Battle For New York GBA Screenshot 5 Spider-Man: Battle For New York GBA Screenshot 6 Spider-Man: Battle For New York GBA Screenshot 7 Spider-Man: Battle For New York GBA Screenshot 8 Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 1 2006 15:15 PM [Top] New Spider-Man: Battle For New York DS Screens [ Activision ] Spider-Man: Battle for New York allows gamers to take on the role of their favorite Super Hero, Spider-Man, and one of his famed nemeses, Green Goblin, in an original storyline which builds upon their legendary comic book rivalry. For the first time in a handheld Spider-Man game, players can personalize their gaming experiences by choosing what abilities and powers to upgrade and when, such as Spider-Man’s web maneuvers or Green Goblin’s fire attacks, as they progress through the game. Playing as both good and evil, gamers will experience levels packed with frenzied action, in-depth combat and a host of unique super moves as they embark on the ultimate quest to save New York City from almost certain disaster. Check out the latest screens of the DS version of the game below. Images: Spider-Man: Battle For New York DS Screenshot 1 Spider-Man: Battle For New York DS Screenshot 2 Spider-Man: Battle For New York DS Screenshot 3 Spider-Man: Battle For New York DS Screenshot 4 Spider-Man: Battle For New York DS Screenshot 5 Spider-Man: Battle For New York DS Screenshot 6 Spider-Man: Battle For New York DS Screenshot 7 Spider-Man: Battle For New York DS Screenshot 8 Spider-Man: Battle For New York DS Screenshot 9 Spider-Man: Battle For New York DS Screenshot 10 Spider-Man: Battle For New York DS Screenshot 11 Spider-Man: Battle For New York DS Screenshot 12 Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 1 2006 15:00 PM [Top] New Zelda: Twilight Princess Hands-On Videos [ Nintendo ] Nintendo's official Wii website just updated with some brand-new hands-on videos for the Wii's biggest launch game, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. These videos center mostly on how to play the game, with players showing off the various sword controls in different situations. You can check out the vids by clicking the source link. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess hits stores on November 19th. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, November 1 2006 14:24 PM [Top] Nintendo Preps Massive Launch for Wii [ Nintendo ] Nintendo is mobilizing the largest worldwide video game console launch in at least a decade, with approximately 4 million Wii systems available globally during the six weeks between Wii's Nov. 19 launch in the Americas and the end of 2006. Although the largest share of that worldwide allotment will go to the Americas, Nintendo expects supply will be outpaced by demand, based on retailer orders, intense consumer requests and placement on numerous "gotta have it" holiday lists. Nintendo is maximizing all its resources for a rapid replenishment program designed to consistently pump Wii consoles into the supply pipeline and keep retailers' shelves as filled as possible. In addition, Nintendo factories are working around the clock manufacturing the extraordinary new system. Nintendo is employing fleets of planes, cargo ships, trains and ground vehicles in each global market to maintain the best supply flow possible, starting in the Americas. Major pop culture authorities already have singled out Wii as the most anticipated item for the holidays. For the first time in history, a video game system is on the Toys "R" Us "Fabulous 15," the crème de la crème of the retailer's "Hot Toy" list. Wired made Wii an editors' pick in the technology magazine's annual Test issue. And Toy Wishes magazine also includes Wii on its "Hot Dozen" list of must-have holiday toys, an industry bellwether of popular demand. Check out Wii's online community at MySpace for stories from gamers anticipating the Wii, male and female, in their teens to their 50s. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Wednesday, November 1 2006 13:22 PM [Top] European Launch Window Revealed [ Nintendo of Europe ] Nintendo has announced that Europe will receive 27 titles for the Wii by year's end, along with 31 Virtual Console titles. Check out some of the titles: -Nintendo: Wii Sports, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Wii Play -EA: Madden NFL 07, Need for Speed Carbon -THQ: Cars, Barnyard, Spongebob Squarepants: Creature from the Krusty Krab -Activision: Call of Duty 3, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam -Midway: Happy Feet, Rampage: Total Destruction -Sega: Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz -System 3: Gottlieb Pinball Classics, Super Fruit Fall -Ubisoft: Blazing Angels, Far Cry Vengeance, GT Pro Series, Monster 4x4 World Circuit, Open Season, Rayman Raving Rabbids, Red Steel, Splinter Cell: Double Agent Meanwhile, in late December, expect to see Impossible Mission, Leaderboard Golf and Tennis Masters. January will see WarioWare: Smooth Moves, while February will have Excite Truck. And for the Virtual Console: -NES: Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Mario Bros., Solomon's Key, The Legend of Zelda, Urban Champion, Wario's Woods, Baseball, Pinball, Soccer, Tennis, Ice Hockey. -SNES: Donkey Kong Country, F-Zero, Sim City -N64: Super Mario 64 -Sega: Sonic the Hedgehog, Altered Beast, Golden Axe, Columns, Gunstar Heroes, Ecco the Dolphin, Space Harrier II, Toe Jam and Earl, Ristar, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine. -Turbografx: Bonk's Adventure, Super Star Soldier, Victory Run, Bomberman '93, Dungeon Explorer. NES games will retail for 500 Wii Points (around EUR 5), while Turbografx titles will cost 600 points. SNES and Mega Drive games are priced at 800 points, and N64 titles are the most expensive at 1000 points. The Virtual Console games are saved on the Wii's internal flash memory and added to the Channel menu so users can get easy access. Nintendo has pledged to add more titles to the catalogue in 2007 and beyond. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Wednesday, November 1 2006 11:26 AM [Top]