Today's Special Archives: December 2006

News Archives Index New Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings Trailer [ Square-Enix ] Looks like Square-Enix has decided to give their fans a bit of a Christmas present. The company has released their Jump Festa trailer for the upcoming Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, an FFXII side story game for the Nintendo DS. This trailer actually shows some gameplay footage, as the game will feature a 2D art style similar to classic Final Fantasy games, with 3D backgrounds and real-time combat. Check out the trailer for yourself right here. Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings will be released in Japan sometime next year, with a North American release soon to follow. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, December 26 2006 2:14 AM [Top] Reminder: Opera Browser Beta Now Available [ Wii Café ] Just a friendly reminder for anybody with a Wii hooked up to WiFi - if you go into your Wii Shop Channel, there is a free beta for the Opera Internet Browser for download. With the new Forecast Channel up and running, this brings the total active channels up to six - Disc, Mii, Photo, Shop, Forecast, and Internet. The final version of the Opera browser will be available at the end of March 2007, and will be free for all Wii owners to download through the end of June 2007. After June, users who haven't already downloaded the Opera browser can go to the Wii Shop Channel to download it for 500 Wii Points. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Friday, December 22 2006 19:30 PM [Top] Happy Birthday, Marlow! [ Wii Café ] Another year almost over, another Christmas just about upon us, and another birthday for one of our apparent staffers. Today Matthew Marlow turns 23. Marlow is one of mine and Silver's oldest friends, having known him since grade school, and he's been a part in some form or another of GCC/WiiC since its inception in 2002. Chris also had a birthday today (turning 17). He came to us a while back as a news reporter and, though he's been busy lately and hasn't had much time to contribute to the news, he was an essential part of our home base operations during E3 this year. Happy birthday, guys! Marlow - try not to get too drunk this year. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Friday, December 22 2006 14:44 PM [Top] Christmas and New Year's VC Releases Revealed! [ Nintendo ] This year Santa is getting some competition from another jolly guy with a big belly and a red cap. We're talking about video game icon Mario, of course. As a special holiday surprise for Wii owners from Nintendo, the original Super Mario Bros. game for the Nintendo Entertainment System will appear in the Wii Shop Channel and be downloadable for 500 Wii Points. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points to download the game. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. The classic game will make Christmas morning extra special, just as it did more than two decades ago. Super Mario Bros. reigns as perhaps the best-known and most-played game on any video game system in history. More than 40.2 million copies of the game found their way into homes worldwide. In addition to Super Mario Bros., other top-notch offerings available on Dec. 25 include: Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (Super NES, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): This game revolutionized the fighting-game genre with characters that had unique fighting skills, speed, special moves and unique endings. Super Castlevania IV (Super NES, 1 player, 800 Wii Points): Simon Belmont uses his trusty whip to fight the powers of evil on his way to Dracula's Castle. Toe Jam & Earl (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): Two fun-loving aliens crash on Earth and must find 10 pieces of their spaceship so they can get back home to Planet Funkotron. R-TYPE (TurboGrafx16, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): This is a completely faithful port - right down to the character details - of the famous shooting-game masterpiece. Games available on Jan. 1 include: Baseball (NES, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points): Play nine innings of fierce sandlot competition with classic NES graphics. Urban Champion (NES, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points): Don't let the big, bad bully of the neighborhood push you around! Players fight for the right to walk the street. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, December 21 2006 14:39 PM [Top] Pirates Invade Wii [ Buena Vista Games ] Buena Vista Games, the game-publishing wing of Disney, announced today two new titles which would be hitting the Nintendo Wii in 2007. The first is Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, based upon the long-awaited sequel to last year's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. The game should hopefully feature some Wiimote swashbuckling, but BVGames gave no official details on the title. The second game is Meet the Robinsons, based on Disney's upcoming CGI-animated film of the same name. That will hit stores in March, while the Pirates should return to action next May. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, December 20 2006 13:08 PM [Top] Ride the Line on Wii and DS [ inXile ] Developer inXile confirmed today that it would be bringing it's popular flash game, Line Rider, to the Wii and Nintendo DS. The game allows players to create rollercoasters and other amusement park rides with a simple line-based interface. The Wii's Remote and the DS's stylus and touch screen would seem to be the perfect input devices for this type of game. You can check out the original game by clicking the source link. Line Rider should be in stores this spring. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, December 20 2006 0:13 AM [Top] Doug Lowenstein Resigns from ESA [ ESA ] The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced today that its founding president, Douglas Lowenstein, will leave the organization early next year after twelve years of service to launch a new trade association in the investment industry. Lowenstein will stay on into early 2007 to ensure a smooth transition, and the ESA will begin a full executive search for a replacement immediately. During Mr. Lowenstein's tenure, industry revenues grew from about $3 billion to more than $10 billion. The ESA grew from two employees at launch to 32 employees working on a range of programs, from anti-piracy enforcement and domestic and international intellectual property policy to government and media relations and research. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, December 19 2006 23:41 PM [Top] Wii Forecast Channel Available Now [ Nintendo ] Looks like the Big N jumped the gun. Even though an earlier press release from the company stated that the Wii's Forecast Channel would be available tomorrow, Wii owners with a wireless connection were happy to see a message from Nintendo today stating that the channel was available now, with a simple update. The Wii's Forecast Channel allows users to check out weather data for their area, as well as the weather all over the world. It's a totally free download, so get on it! I wonder what the weather is like in Zimbabwe... Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, December 19 2006 23:25 PM [Top] European Wii Release Schedule [ Nintendo of Europe ] Nintendo has plenty in store to keep your Wii Remote busy in the New Year. Whatever sort of games you like to play there is something for everyone on Wii, ranging from nail-bitingly addictive puzzle games to adrenaline-filled action titles. This selection will keep you tied up until Easter! Nintendo Wii Software - Release Date Q1 2007 Wario Ware: Smooth Moves (Nintendo) - 12 Jan 2007 Excite Truck (Nintendo) - 16 Feb 2007 Kororinpa (Hudson) - 23 Feb 2007 Baja Racing (Conspiracy) - Feb 2007 Disney’s Chicken Little: Ace in Action (Disney / Buena Vista Games) - Feb 2007 Wing Island (Hudson) - 23 March 2007 BIONICLE Heroes (Eidos) - 23 March 2007 SSXTM Blur (EA) - March 2007 Mario Party 8 (Nintendo) - March 2007 Tiger Woods PGA TOUR (EA) - March 2007 Bust a Move Wii (505Games) - March 2007 Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (Namco Bandai Games) - March 2007 Disney’s Meet the Robinsons (Disney / Buena Vista Games) - March 2007 Sonic and the Secret Rings (SEGA) - March 2007 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Ubisoft) - March 2007 Heatseaker (Codemasters) - Q1 2007 Metal Slug Anthology (Ignition) - Q1 2007 Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (Midway Games) - Q1 2007 Rampage Total Destruction (Midway Games) - Q1 2007 The Ant Bully (Movie License) (Midway Games) - Q1 2007 The Grim Adventure of Billy and Mandy (Midway Games) - Q1 2007 Impossible Mission (System 3) - Q1 2007 Leaderboard Golf (System 3) - Q1 2007 Puzzle Balls (System 3) - Q1 2007 Tennis Masters (System 3) - Q1 2007 Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII (Ubisoft) - Q1 2007 Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Tuesday, December 19 2006 13:03 PM [Top] Opera Trial Coming Friday - Updated [ Nintendo ] Nintendo's wildly popular Wii home video game system not only revolutionizes how people play games, but it also entices new people into the world of gaming. On Dec. 22, Nintendo and Opera Software bring the Internet to the living room couch with a free beta version of the Opera Web browser. Wii owners who are connected and have activated the Wii Shop Channel can download a free beta version of the Opera browser to activate the Internet Channel of the Wii Menu and begin surfing the Web. The final version of the Opera browser will be available at the end of March 2007, and will be free for all Wii owners to download through the end of June 2007. After June, users who haven't already downloaded the Opera browser can go to the Wii Shop Channel to download it for 500 Wii Points. The Internet Channel provides an optimal Web browsing experience on people's home television. The Adobe Flash-enabled beta version of the Opera browser puts the Internet right onto owners' television screens and lets them browse with ease, enabling them to check sports scores, plot maps or visit their favorite Web sites. Multiple family members can gather around the television to plan a vacation or make online purchases. The pointing abilities of the Wii Remote allow users to click on links they want to see or to zoom into any part of the screen through the motion of the controller. In addition, the Wii Remote can be used with an on-screen keyboard to make text entry as easy as point and click. Additionally, the Forecast Channel goes live on Dec. 20 and provides current and future weather information that can be accessed using a text list of cities or by using the Wii Remote to zoom in on a 3-D interactive globe. Weather information is provided by Weathernews. The Internet Channel, Forecast Channel and Wii Shop Channel are available at no charge, though they require Wii owners to have a high-speed Internet connection. Update: Several of our staff and chatters have reported that they have been able to update and use the Forecast channel as early as today, so try it out for yourself to see if you can get it up and running a day before Nintendo officially releases it! Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Tuesday, December 19 2006 13:00 PM [Top] Medal of Honor Wii-Bound [ EA ] Electronic Arts today announced Medal of Honor Vanguard, the latest installment from EA’s critically-acclaimed Medal of Honor franchise which has been credited with pioneering the First-Person Shooter (FPS) WWII genre when it debuted in 1999. Building on the key tenets of the franchise including historical accuracy and authenticity, Medal of Honor Vanguard will be released in March 2007 under the EA brand for the Nintendo Wii. Step into the boots of Frank Keegan, Corporal of the 82nd Airborne Division and engage in battles throughout Europe. From Operation Husky on the shores of Sicily to Operation Varsity inside Nazi Germany, you’ll fight behind enemy lines in the epic WWII battles that turned America’s first paratroopers into heroes of WWII. Featuring spectacular graphics adding to epic combat intensity, Medal of Honor Vanguard makes you the driving force in the struggle to liberate Europe. As the first game in the Medal of Honor series to be released on the Nintendo Wii platform, players can expect Medal of Honor Vanguard to take full advantage of Wii’s one-of-a-kind controllers. While a PS2 version is also planned, so far it looks like the Wii is the lone next-gen system to get Vanguard - an encouraging idea for those worried about EA support of the system. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Tuesday, December 19 2006 12:56 PM [Top] Pokémon Diamond & Pearl Coming April 22nd [ Pokémon.com ] Looks like it's official. The Pokécritters will invade our shores once more on April 22nd, with the long-awaited release of Pokémon Diamond & Pearl for the Nintendo DS. Nintendo has yet to officially announce the date, but the official Pokémon website spilled the beans this morning with an announcement that has since been hastily recalled. Fortunately, sites were able to capture the initial announcement before it was removed from the site, meaning that the smoking gun is present for all to see. Hopefully we'll be getting a date for the twin titles' companion Wii game, Pokémon Battle Revolution, soon. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, December 19 2006 2:47 AM [Top] A Delay for Wii Play [ Nintendo ] Looks like Nintendo wants to spread out those Wii releases. Wii Play, the minigame compilation for Wii including such simple games as Target Shooting, Ping-Pong, and Air Hockey has been delayed from its original ship date of January 15th, when it was to release on the same day as Wario Ware. Instead, the Mii-filled, Wii-mote/Game combo pack will be released into stores two weeks later on February 12th. A bit disappointing, but it does add a Wii release for the month where there wasn't one previously. January's lone Wii release, Wario Ware: Smooth Moves, is still on track for a January 15th launch date. More as it breaks. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, December 19 2006 2:27 AM [Top] Prince of Persia Wii is Two Thrones Remake [ Ubisoft ] Ubisoft confirmed today that the long-awaited Prince of Persia game coming to Wii would not in fact be a brand-new installment of the franchise. Instead, the game will be called Prince of Persia: Rival Swords and will be a remake of the final installment in the PoP trilogy, The Two Thrones. The game will make use of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to control the Prince, allowing for precise control over the Prince's sword, as well as the Dark Prince's daggertail. The game will also feature the return of the popular speedkills that made the original so great. Prince of Persia: Rival Swords will hit stores for Wii early in 2007. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, December 18 2006 14:10 PM [Top] Today's Virtual Console Releases [ Nintendo ] Today Nintendo will add three new classic games to the popular Wii video game system's Wii Shop Channel. The three new titles will be added at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo will add new games to the channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are: Tennis (NES, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points): Players slam a serve, fire a blazing backhand and smash a forehand volley on their way to winning the victory cup. Players can choose between five different levels of difficulty, ranging from Beginner all the way up to Advanced. If players want to become true champs, they should be ready to show off their most brilliant lobs and most powerful smashes. Play a singles match or grab a partner for doubles, and then choose an opponent. Players control the moves in tennis action so intense, they'll almost believe they're at center court. Space Harrier II (Sega Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points): Fantasyland has been taken over by destructive forces, and a call for help comes from deep in the universe. Space Harrier is quick on the scene, armed with his laser, to defeat wave after wave of destructive forces through 12 thrilling stages, with a dangerous boss waiting at the end of each round. Military Madness (TurboGrafx16, 1-2 players, 600 Wii Points): Military Madness is a futuristic simulation game that throws the player into the middle of a war on the moon's surface. The rules are simple, making it easy for newcomers to enjoy the thrills of this war-strategy game. Players can see easy-to-understand, detailed instructions from the Title screen. Military Madness is also turn-based, allowing players to devise their strategy before they move. To top it off, the units players have for each stage are already decided, allowing them to concentrate on commanding. Use the terrain and surround enemies to claim victory. Fight through all 16 stages and thwart the enemy's ambitions! Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, December 18 2006 13:51 PM [Top] Mercury Madness Heads to Wii [ Ignition Entertainment ] Today Ignition Entertainment announced it will publish the addictive puzzle game Mercury Meltdown Revolution for the Wii home video game system. Mercury Meltdown Revolution is a puzzle game that challenges players to immerse themselves in a colorful world of sci-fi machines, crazy characters, and bubbling test tubes. Players take control of a liquid mercury ‘blob’, guiding it around traps, door switches, spikes, moving floors and other hazardous elements in order to complete the level. Mercury Meltdown Revolution Features: * Full interaction using the Wii Remote tilt sensor * Advanced rendering techniques for improved graphical quality * Over 150 challenging levels * Hidden Labs to unlock. * State of the art blob physics. * Bonus features to unlock Mercury Meltdown Revolution for the Wii is being developed by Ignition Banbury (UK) and is scheduled to ship to North America in spring 2007. Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, December 16 2006 21:39 PM [Top] Dragon Quest IX Trailer [ Square-Enix ] Square-Enix shocked the gaming world this week with the announcement that Dragon Quest IX would be headed to Nintendo's portable powerhouse, the DS. Now, we have the very first trailer for the anticipated game, which you can view by clicking the source link. The game will hit stores in Japan sometime next year, with a US release sure to follow. Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, December 16 2006 21:32 PM [Top] First Alien Syndrome Screenshots [ Sega ] Hot on the heels of Sega's announcement that the classic arcade game Alien Syndrome would be brought to Wii next year, Sega has released the first screenshots of the game. These screens are actually for the also-announced PSP version - or at least we hope so, because these look pretty terrible for a Wii game. Check them out below. Images: Alien Syndrome Screenshot 1 Alien Syndrome Screenshot 2 Alien Syndrome Screenshot 3 Alien Syndrome Screenshot 4 Alien Syndrome Screenshot 5 Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, December 15 2006 0:38 AM [Top] Metal Slug Wii Ships to Retailers [ SNK ] SNK Playmore USA announced today that Metal Slug Anthology for Wii is shipping to retailers across North America. Metal Slug Anthology celebrates the 10th anniversary of one of the greatest action arcade franchises of all time. Included in the collection are Metal Slug, Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug X, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug 4, Metal Slug 5, and the latest entry in the series, Metal Slug 6. Metal Slug Anthology for Wii takes full advantage of the console's unique control mechanisms, offering six control modes ranging from a traditional arcade mode, which uses the Wii Remote as an old-school arcade joystick, to an innovative Nunchuk-only mode. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Thursday, December 14 2006 12:35 PM [Top] Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2 for DS? [ Shonen Jump ] It looks like the absolute tidal wave of games the Nintendo DS is getting from Square-Enix just got a little bigger. According to the latest issue of Jump Magazine, Square-Enix is kicking off the "Ivalice Alliance", a series of games all taking place in the land of Ivalice, which includes the recently released Final Fantasy XII and the upcoming Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings for DS. In the latest issue of Jump Magazine, the company added two more titles to the roster - the first a port of the original game for the PSP, and the second called "Final Fantasy Tactics A2 Fuuketsu no Guurimore". Of course, A2 could only mean "Advance 2"; however, Jump Magazine does not specify this, nor the platform the it's on. Still, all signs are pointing to this game being for the Nintendo DS. We hope to have more on this announcement at the Jump Festa event to be held this weekend. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, December 13 2006 13:34 PM [Top] Sega Announces Alien Syndrome for Wii [ Sega ] Sega today announced they will be publishing Alien Syndrome, a fast-paced action-RPG set in a stunningly imaginative sci-fi universe. Developed by Totally Games, Alien Syndrome will launch for Nintendo's Wii system in Summer 2007. Alien Syndrome features two fast-paced action-RPG modes - the dramatic and engaging single-player campaign, plus an infinitely replayable co-op multiplayer mode for up to four players. Derived from the classic SEGA arcade game, Alien Syndrome's new action-RPG gameplay makes it easy to pick up and play, while its depth and wealth of features and missions keeps it challenging for all gamers. In Alien Syndrome, players will take control of the game's strong and enigmatic heroine - Earth Command Trooper Aileen Harding - and battle a variety of fearsome aliens and colossal bosses. Gamers will choose from a wide selection of character specialties and skills as they progress through an engrossing campaign, protected by many different types of armor and using a variety of melee and ranged weaponry. Players can improve their heroine's statistics and discover a huge number of powerful new abilities as they fight through infested spaceships and bizarre alien planets. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, December 12 2006 20:49 PM [Top] Dragon Quest IX Comes to DS - Updated w/Screens [ Square-Enix ] In Japan, there is perhaps no RPG franchise greater than Dragon Quest. Since the first game for the Famicom back in 1986, the series has consistently set sales records with each subsequent installment. However, with Enix's (later Square-Enix's) partnership with Sony, the series jumped over to the PlayStation in 2000, and only spinoffs of the series have made their way to Nintendo consoles since. However, at a press conference in Japan, Square-Enix revealed that the franchise is officially coming back to Nintendo's welcome arms...but not for the console you'd expect. Dragon Quest IX: Guardian of the Starlit Sky will be released for the Nintendo DS in 2007, and will be developed by Level 5, the same developer behind Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King for the PS2. The game will be a full-blown Dragon Quest adventure with new action-based gameplay, featuring the trademark art of the series's graphic designer Akira Toriyama and music from the legendary Koichi Sugiyama. The game will also feature four-player co-op play. Suffice to say, this is absolutely huge news, and bodes well for future support from Square-Enix for other Nintendo consoles. Check out the first screens of the game below. Expect more as it breaks. Images: Dragon Quest IX Screenshot 1 Dragon Quest IX Screenshot 2 Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, December 12 2006 1:18 AM [Top] Zelda Wii In The Works, Phantom Hourglass Delayed [ Game Informer ] The latest issue of Game Informer magazine features an article about the future of the Legend of Zelda series, including some new details on the series first full-blown appearance onto the Wii. The magazine claims that the first Zelda built exclusively for Wii has been in development for about one year, and might be ready for a possible 2008 release. However, with the good news comes some bad. Game Informer is also reporting that the first Zelda game for DS, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, originally set for a Spring 2007 release, now might not see store shelves until October. While this is a bit of a bummer, remember that Nintendo has no problem delaying a Zelda game as long as necessary to make it perfect, so this may work out very well in the long run. Nothing official yet from Nintendo on the delay, but we'll keep you posted. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, December 11 2006 15:15 PM [Top] Today's Virtual Console Releases Revealed [ Nintendo ] Later today Nintendo will add four new classic games to the popular Wii video game system's Wii Shop Channel. The four new titles will be added at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo will add new games to the channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are: Ice Hockey (NES®, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points): Ice Hockey is hard-hitting, fast-action competition that re-creates all the excitement of the sport from faceoffs to penalty shots. Players pass the puck and shoot to score while using defensive tactics, including fake shots and ice brawls to crush adversaries. It's up to the player to find the best strategy to win the game – finesse or power. Gunstar Heroes™ (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): The Gunstar 9 planet was peaceful for many years until the vicious dictator, Colonel Red, kidnapped the Gunstar twins' older brother and used mind control to make him his slave. Players face many different enemies and bosses while battling to stop the dictator from unleashing "Golden Silver the Destructor" with apocalyptic consequences. Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine™ (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): Dr. Robotnik is stamping out music and fun in Mobius with his giant robotizing Mean Bean Steaming Machine. Before he turns all the citizens of Beanville into robots, players must save the day by gathering up beans in matching colors and defeating Robotnik's guards. Alien Crush™ (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, 600 Wii Points): Alien Crush is a fan-favorite pinball game that features a sinister sci-fi theme. Play through a two-level playing field that comes to life with pulsating alien creatures. Rack up a high enough score, clear the board of these extraterrestrials and discover secret bonus stages. The game features realistic pinball action, complete with a tilt function and two selectable soundtracks. Do you have what it takes to fight back against this alien infestation? Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, December 11 2006 11:11 AM [Top] Wii Rocks UK - Updated With Picture [ Nintendo of Europe ] Within just 12 hours of going on sale, the much anticipated launch of the Nintendo Wii console has reached new heights of success with 50,000 units sold. The staggering figure translates to one unit sold throughout the UK every second, since the very first sale at the star-studded midnight store opening at HMV on London’s Oxford Street. David Yarnton, General Manager, Nintendo UK says; “We are delighted with the amazing response to Wii and that people of all ages and gaming experience are embracing the way that we are turning the industry on its head. With so many units sold it is great to see that people will be enjoying Wii with their families this Christmas. We are doing everything we can do to meet demand throughout Christmas and the New Year period." Images: UK Wii Launch Line Outside Store UK Wii Line and Happy Dude UK Wii Line Inside Store (Holy shit) Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, December 8 2006 18:42 PM [Top] Nintendo Owns November [ Nintendo ] For video gamers, it was the month that was -- November 2006, the first time all three new home systems would be available to consumers, along with three established portable game devices. It was a month that belonged to Nintendo. According to independent sales data from the NPD Group, Nintendo sold 55 percent of all video game systems in November, led by the launch of the Wii home system and the incredible continuing success of the Nintendo DS portable. In only the first seven days of availability after its Nov. 19 launch, Wii sold nearly half a million systems in the United States alone (as reported previously by Nintendo, total sales of Wii in the Americas reached 600,000 in its first eight days of availability). Despite spot shortages in some locations, well more than a million Wii systems will be available in the United States by the end of the year. While Wii sold through at a rate of more than 70,000 a day for the seven days represented in the data (substantially higher than any other game device), November's two top sellers of any type were the Nintendo DS, at almost 920,000 units, and Game Boy Advance, with nearly 642,000 portables sold. With Wii and Nintendo GameCube totals included, Nintendo sold through more than 2.1 million of the 3.9 million systems purchased for the month. The data also reveals that the Wii title The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess achieved sales of 412,000, representing 87 percent of all Wii purchasers, the highest industry rate of sale for any launch title since introduction of Super Mario 64 with the Nintendo 64 a decade ago. In addition, despite the inclusion of Wii Sports software with every system sale, Wii buyers also purchased an average of two additional games, compared to approximately one game per system for the installed bases of either competing new home system. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, December 7 2006 23:40 PM [Top] Unannounced Turbografx Game on VC Monday [ Hudson ] Hudson Soft has been one of the biggest providers to Nintendo's Virtual Console since the Wii's launch, with several classic Turbografx-16 games hitting the system over the past few weeks. Now, it looks like a surprise may be in store for next Monday's new batch of VC titles, as Hudson has announced that a surprise Turbografx title will be released - one not yet announced by Nintendo. The only clue given as to what the game is the phrase, "All brain, no skull. All eyes, no nose." Some have stated this could mean the classic space shooter Alien Crush (which featured an enemy on the boxart with attributes similar to the phrase clue), while others have stated the possibility of R-Type or Splatterhouse. We'll have to wait until Monday to see what Hudson has in store for us. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, December 7 2006 18:37 PM [Top] Nintendo Sends Out Replacement Wiimote Wrist Straps [ Nintendo ] If you've been checking out the internet in recent weeks, you probably know that since the Wii was released, gamers across the country have been experiencing defective Wii Remote wrist straps, which snap and send unsuspecting Remotes flying through windows, ceiling fans, and televisions. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata discussed this with the Associated Press today, and stated that the fault does not lie with Nintendo, but with Wii gamers themselves. Said Iwata, "We are investigating the problem. Some people are getting a lot more excited than we'd expected. We need to better communicate to people how to deal with Wii as a new form of entertainment." According to some with broken straps, Nintendo is offering free replacements. If your strap has bit it, it might be worth checking out. For those still lucky to have it in one piece, be more gentle with the Wiimote, okay? Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, December 7 2006 18:02 PM [Top] First Info on Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates [ Famitsu ] The latest issue of Famitsu magazine reveals the first info on a game practically forgotten about since E3: the new Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles RPG for the Nintendo DS, Ring of Fates. While not much info was revealed about the game, it looks to be running on a much-prettier version of the Final Fantasy III engine, using character designs similar to those found in the original GameCube title. The game will also presumably use Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection in some way, perhaps an online multiplayer mode, sorely missing from the original Crystal Chronicles. Either way, the game will be shown off for the first time next week at the Jump Festa event in Japan, so expect more on the game then. Also set to be shown off for the first time at the event will be the upcoming Final Fantasy XII spin-off for the DS, Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings. For now, check out the scan from Famitsu below. Images: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates Famitsu Scan Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, December 6 2006 22:58 PM [Top] Excite Truck [ Reviews ] Editor from Mississippi? Check. Big damn truck? Check. Any questions? Click to see what Joe thought about Monster Games first venture on the Wii with Excite Truck. Joe McCollum -- Posted on Wednesday, December 6 2006 21:51 PM [Top] EA Officially Announces SSX Blur [ Electronic Arts ] Electronic Arts announced today that SSX Blur developed exclusively for Nintendo Wii is the newest version of the critically acclaimed snowboarding franchise. The huge air, blurring speed and insane tricks that SSX is known for return and the fun-factor is amplified by the unique capability of the Nintendo Wii controller. The game is in development by EA Montreal under the EA SPORTS BIG brand. “We wanted to take the soul of the franchise - the air, the speed, the tricks, the fun - and Wii-ify it,” said Alex Hyder, producer on the product. “You’re going to see that reflected in the On-the-Ground & In-the-Air controls, the characters, the user interface, and every other aspect of this game.” SSX Blur is everything you expect from the franchise, delivered in a totally unexpected way. Revolutionary controls take full advantage of the Wii’s potential by putting you in total command of your skier or rider, on-the-ground & in-the-air, by translating every motion you make into the skills that create mountain legends. SSX Blur will be available for the Nintendo Wii in March 2007. Video: SSX Blur Trailer (18.6 MB) Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, December 6 2006 19:58 PM [Top] Japanese Wii Sales Numbers [ Enterbrain ] Enterbrain, parent company to Famitsu Magazine, has put out some sales numbers from the Wii launch in Japan. First off, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata commented that "We had come up with the current earnings forecasts before we sold even a single unit of the Wii and when we were not so sure about the cannibalization effect between the Wii and the DS." Iwata now expects Nintendo to eclipse their profit forecast for this fiscal year, anticipating a 45% increase from last year. "Confidence could be too strong a word, but there is an emerging possibility (for higher earnings results)," Iwata said. So, what do the numbers look like? Interestingly enough, Zelda did NOT garner the top slot for sales, or even the second slot. The top seller was in fact Wii Sports, which does not come bundled with the system in Japan. Wii Sports sold 176,880 units. The second spot went to Wii Play (Hajimete no Wii), with 171,888 units, and Zelda took third with 145,068. Regarding that cannibalization effect Iwata mentioned? He no longer thinks there's anything to worry about. "If you take a look at DS sales in the United States in the Thanksgiving week, or DS sales in Japan in the week of the Wii launch, there has been little impact," he said. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Tuesday, December 5 2006 16:04 PM [Top] FFIII Confirmed for Europe [ Square Enix ] Originally available only in Japan for the Famicom, for Western gamers Final Fantasy III is considered the missing title in the world-renowned series. Now, 17 years after its Japanese debut, European fans will be able to savour the legendary adventure for the first time come Spring 2007. With an innovative interface that utilizes the DS Touch Screen along with the advanced Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection capabilities, players can now experience the title that introduced the popular moogles, summons and the dynamic job system to the Final Fantasy series. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Tuesday, December 5 2006 15:56 PM [Top] Wii Sports [ Reviews ] Eric chimes in with Wii Café's first ever Wii review! Click the source link to check out the final score on the game packed in with every Wii console, Wii Sports. Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, December 2 2006 21:11 PM [Top] First Look at SSX Blur [ Game Head ] The newest episode of Spike TV's Game Head program brings with it the world premiere trailer of EA Sports's upcoming exclusive SSX game for the Wii: SSX Blur. The game looks to continue the standards set by EA as the premiere snowboarding game on the market, featuring Wii Remote controls and a multitude of tricks to pull off, not to mention some of the best graphics Wii has seen yet. Check out the trailer at YouTube by clicking here. Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, December 2 2006 2:30 AM [Top] Wii Hits Japan, Subsequently Sells Out [ Nintendo of Japan ] Earlier today, it became December 2nd in the land of the rising sun, and it was all about Wii. Nintendo's latest console released to massive crowds lining the streets of Tokyo and other major metropolises, all hoping to get their hands on a system of their own. Reportedly 400,000 units were made available on day one (that's 4 times what the PS3 had, if you don't recall), and naturally, each and every one of them sold out, with thousands of patrons attending the launch. It's also worth noting that today marks the beginning of online play with the Wii: Pokémon Battle Revolution, a launch title in Japan, is the first-ever online Wii game. Other titles releasing in Japan at launch that we'll be able to get our hands on soon are Hajimete no Wii (Wii Play) and Wario Ware: Smooth Moves. We'll have numbers on how the Wii performed in Japan when they become available. Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, December 2 2006 2:02 AM [Top] Four New VC Games Coming Monday [ Nintendo ] Every Monday starting Dec. 4, Nintendo will add classic games to the popular new Wii video game console's Wii Shop Channel. Four games will be added at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Dec. 4. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are: Donkey Kong Jr. (Super NES, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points): Based on the popular arcade game, Donkey Kong Jr. is the sequel to the immensely successful Donkey Kong. Players play as Donkey Kong's son, Junior, and rescue his dad, who has been kidnapped and imprisoned in a cage by Mario. Players use their jumping and climbing abilities to clamber up vines and chains, gather vital fruit and keys, and open the cage to free their father. Make sure to avoid the pesky birds, nasty electric sparks and creepy chompers. Four different worlds filled with numerous climbing and jumping puzzles await in this timeless classic. Victory Run (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, 600 Wii Points): Victory Run is a rally racing game, made up of eight different stages set in different countries from Paris to Dakar. Players can race across highways, deserts, savannahs and coastlines. In order to advance to the next stage, players must dodge traffic and cross the finish line within the time limit. Players can upgrade their race car with such parts as tires, gears, engines, suspensions and brakes. Driving on rough courses and hitting obstacles will cause damage to individual parts, so making repairs is critical. Choosing the right setup of parts may be the difference between winning and not finishing the race at all. So go out there and prove to the world that you have what it takes to take raise the gold cup in Victory Run! Columns (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): Players test their hand at the ancient Phoenician game of Columns. Multicolored gems drop from the top of the screen into a pit. It is up to players to quickly arrange the order of the jewels into lines of three or more as they fall. If gems pile up and reach the top, the game is over. Ristar (Sega Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points): Greedy, an evil space pirate, has corrupted the kings of the Valdi System's seven planets and enslaved the people who live there. The plea for a hero is answered by Ristar, who uses his amazing extendable arms and courage to save Valdi from Greedy. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Friday, December 1 2006 23:58 PM [Top]