Today's Special Archives: March 2008

News Archives Index More Trauma for DS [ Nintendo Power ] It has been revealed by the latest issue of Nintendo Power magazine that the Trauma Center franchise will be returning to the system that made it famous. The magazine has revealed that Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 will be released for the Nintendo DS this year, and will return players to the role of Dr. Derek Styles in a brand-new adventure. Old characters, such as faithful nurse Angie Thompson, will return, along with some newcomers, as the plot will deal with the aftermath of the GUILT virus and the mysteries surrounding it. The game will also feature increased functionality for the player's tools, as well as an easier experience: a godsend for those turned away from the first game's high difficulty. The game will likely be published by Atlus, and will release into stores this Summer. We'll have more on the game as soon as it is made available. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, March 31 2008 20:55 PM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Twelfth Hidden Character [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] (WARNING: The following Smash Bros. update reveals one of the game's hidden characters. If you'd rather not be spoiled, please don't read on.) Today's update reveals the final hidden character unlockable in Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Wolf O'Donnell. As the leader of the mercenary gang Star Wolf, Wolf acts as the arch rival to Fox McCloud's Star Fox, and is in the game as the primary antagonist to Fox and Falco. As you may expect, Wolf is slower but more powerful than Fox (in the same way that Falco is weaker but more agile), and brawls using a feral, beast-like fighting style making ample use of his sharp claws. Also, as you may already know, Wolf is yet another clone of Fox, utilizing similar moves. Wolf's blaster is most powerful of the Star Fox bunch, but fires slowly and not as rapidly as Fox's or Falco's. It also has a bayonet at its tip, providing a great one-two combo if the opponent is at close range. Wolf's side special the Wolf Flash, is very similar to Fox and Falco's Illusion moves, except it angles upwards. It's difficult to master, but hitting an opponent at the apex results in a Meteor Smash. Wolf's down special is his very own Reflector, which can deflect both strikes and blasts. For his Final Smash, Wolf uses his own personal Landmaster, which is tinted red like his Wolfen fighter. It's more mobile and has an extremely powerful blaster, but lasts on screen shorter than either Fox's or Falco's finishing moves. For some screens of Wolf in action, click below. Images: Super Smash Bros. Brawl Artwork 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 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 9 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 10 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 11 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 12 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 13 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 14 Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, March 31 2008 17:46 PM [Top] Moto GP Comes to Wii [ Capcom ] Capcom today confirmed that it has secured exclusive worldwide rights to publish official videogames and create peripherals based on the world’s premier motorcycle racing championship, MotoGP, through 2012. Capcom’s exclusive four year games license covers all console formats, including the Wii. As part of the agreement, Capcom intends to initially publish titles based on the 2008 MotoGP season on the Wii. MotoGP is the world’s premier motorcycling championship consisting of 18 Grand Prix races hosted around the globe. It features top motorcycle manufacturers such as Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati, Kawasaki, KTM and Aprilia, who provide machinery for the world’s best riders, including reigning World Champion Casey Stoner from Australia, American Nicky Hayden, Italy’s Valentino Rossi, and Spain’s Dani Pedrosa. The 2008 line up also includes Japan’s Shinya Nakano, plus newcomers for the new season, such as 250cc World Champion Jorge Lorenzo and last year’s World Superbike Champion, James Toseland, from the UK. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, March 31 2008 14:59 PM [Top] XS Games Brings Commando: Steel Disaster to DS [ XS Games ] Video games publisher Lexicon Entertainment are delighted to announce that the highly anticipated Nintendo DS product ‘Commando: Steel Disaster’ will be shooting its way to American retail stores in Q3 with a publishing deal in place with highly respected XS Games. You play as the heroic Storm who must put an end to Rattlesnake and his evil organization. You get to do this with a range of heavy weaponry and Lexicon assures us there are plenty of different weapons and pick-ups - each with its own attack method and power. Plus, some guns can be used to find secret items. Shoot, jump, throw and roll into action as you battle though each of the five missions and the two extra hidden missions. Each mission has various beautifully crafted environments all culminating in an epic boss fight. Mow down wave after wave of animated enemies and use the various vehicles to destroy enemy gun ships and tanks in this extreme test of any gamer’s skill. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, March 31 2008 14:55 PM [Top] Chocobo's Dungeon Headed for North America [ Square Enix ] Square Enixannounced today that it will launch FINAL FANTASY FABLES: Chocobo’s Dungeon for the North American market on July 8, 2008. Coming exclusively to Wii, the game brings a loveable cast featuring Chocobo and his friends to the next-generation platform for the first time. Veteran character designer Toshiyuki Itahana delivers a uniquely compelling visual world in which a cast of beloved FINAL FANTASY characters leads players through an immersive storyline. With a carefully crafted narrative and a grand mystery to unravel, FINAL FANTASY FABLES: Chocobo’s Dungeon will captivate gamers looking for a multifaceted RPG experience. Players of all skill levels will appreciate everything this game has to offer, from the intuitive Wii controls and adorable characters, to the intricate story and versatile job system. Chocobo, a FINAL FANTASY fan favorite, takes on trademark job classes from the franchise such as black mage, knight, and scholar. Players can unlock more jobs as they progress through the game. The ever-changing dungeons and unexpected twists and turns offer hours of engrossing gameplay as players explore the newest adventure in one of the world’s most popular RPG franchises. Chocobo and Cid, FINAL FANTASY mainstays-turned-treasure hunters, are magically transported to a mysterious town whose people’s memories are lost with each bell toll of the clocktower. One day, a strange boy named Raffaello arrives and creates dungeons of memories to help the townspeople remember who they are. Now it’s up to Chocobo to journey through the dungeons and retrieve everyone’s memories! FINAL FANTASY FABLES: Chocobo’s Dungeon has not yet been rated. The game will be available in North American retailers for the suggested retail price of $39.99. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, March 31 2008 14:48 PM [Top] Ubisoft Answers the Emergency on Wii [ Ubisoft ] Today Ubisoft announced that it will publish Emergency Heroes exclusively on the Wii. Developed by Ubisoft Reflections and Ubisoft Barcelona, Emergency Heroes is an open world rescue driving game. Young rescuers can jump into 16 different variations of next-generation rescue vehicles as a police officer, firefighter or EMT and navigate through the sprawling streets of San Alto, keeping citizens safe along the way. Emergency Heroes will be available in North America in May 2008. • Drive the next generation of rescue vehicles. Pilot and command numerous hi-tech rescue vehicles designed specifically for ultra-high-risk, high-speed navigation. Choose between police, fire and EMT vehicles. • Explore and protect the entire city. As an emergency hero, your mission is to protect the peaceful city of San Alto. Drive through stunning free-roaming open environments, rescuing the city from imminent danger at every turn. • Two Player Co-Op. Challenge your friends or combine forces to form the ultimate rescue hero team to protect your city. • Fun for the whole family. Making full use of the Wii Remote, everyone in the family can enjoy being an emergency hero. • Fast-action gameplay. Take advantage of Hero Mode and play like you mean it – the faster you drive, the faster you rise and gain access to powers of invincibility. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, March 31 2008 14:22 PM [Top] Master System Cruises onto the VC [ Nintendo ] Cruis'n USA (Nintendo 64, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Ever felt like driving to the Golden Gate Bridge, Mount Rushmore and the White House in one day? Well then, gear up to put your racing skills to the test in a frantic trip across the United States, following a route that you won't find on any map. Whether it's the rolling hills of Appalachia, the flowing cornfields of Iowa or the crowded tunnels below Chicago, you'll find yourself too focused on the intense racing action to worry about the scenery. Get started by picking from a garage full of cars to find the one that best suits your style—if you're good enough, you'll even find a few hidden ones to round out your selection. Then choose one of three different playing perspectives and get ready to hang on tight. With five difficulty levels, the ability to remove traffic or other racers, and two- player simultaneous racing, it's enough to make you forget all about finding that next rest stop. Just watch out for the cows, OK? Wonder Boy (Sega Master System, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone—Comic Mischief, 500 Wii Points): As Tom-Tom the Wonder Boy, it's up to you to rescue your girlfriend Tanya from the vile clutches of the monster that has kidnapped her. To do so, you must navigate a series of worlds in a race against time to reach your goal. Along the way, you'll battle foes and collect fruit that will add to the amount of time you have to complete your mission. You can also receive helpful power-ups from various eggs, but make sure to avoid the bad eggs and poisonous mushrooms that sap your precious vitality. Find the magic doll in each level to open up hidden areas, and make it to the very end of your journey to rescue your one true love. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Monday, March 31 2008 9:16 AM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Eleventh Hidden Character [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] (WARNING: The following Smash Bros. update reveals one of the game's hidden characters. If you'd rather not be spoiled, please don't read on.) Today's Dojo update reveals the penultimate hidden character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the lovable Toon Link. Replacing Melee's Young Link, Toon Link is what you'd expect: Link as he appeared in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, with the same moves as his larger form. Although he's a clone, Toon Link is still an excellent addition to the game. As you may expect, Toon Link is smaller and quicker than normal Link, but doesn't have as much physical strength. He also doesn't use any kicks, using all sword-based attacks instead. Toon Link also has a more powerful downward stab attack, as well as better rear attack range. For his special moves, Toon Link posesses his trademark Boomerang as a side special move. While it cannot pull in foes unlike regular Link's Gale Boomerang, Toon Link's version is more versatile as it can be aimed in any direction. Toon Link's Bombs, activated by executing a down special, have a greater blast radius than regular Link's, and have the added bonus of a Wind Waker-esque explosion effect, although they lack punch. For his Final Smash, Toon Link also executes the powerful Triforce Slash, with a new Toon styling. Check out some screens of Toon Link in action below. Images: Super Smash Bros. Brawl Artwork 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 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 9 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 10 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 11 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 12 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 13 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 14 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 15 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 16 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 17 Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 28 2008 21:24 PM [Top] EA Announces Zubo for DS [ Electronic Arts ] EA today announced the development of a new wholly-owned, original intellectual property, created for 7-11 year old boys and girls. Zubo is a music-based rhythm-action game featuring a unique set of characters that is scheduled to ship worldwide later this year, exclusively on the Nintendo DS handheld system. Players enter the world of Zubalon to help the colourful and zany inhabitants, the Zubos, defeat an evil force which is bent on world domination. Players can befriend the Zubos they meet along the way, feed and nurture them, help them gain skills and strength, and assist them in their battles with the enemy, the dastardly Zombos. A key element to Zubo is music, which is intrinsic to Zubalon from its tuneful plant life through to its currency of musical notes. The player will use the music to drive the battles forward, synchronising their stylus action and tapping in time with the musical beats to win! With 55 Zubos available to find and recruit to a player's squad, plus a wealth of interactions and mini-games, and the world of Zubalon to explore, Zubo offers a deeply rewarding Nintendo DS experience Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 28 2008 19:28 PM [Top] THQ Lays The Smackdown on Wii and DS in 09 [ THQ ] THQ today announced that WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 is in development for the Wii and Nintendo DS. The game is expected to begin shipping to retail outlets worldwide this fall. WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 for Wii builds upon its inaugural offering by significantly expanding its match type options, giving players more ways to enjoy the platform’s unique pick-up-and-play experience. The game also takes full combat sports entertainment to the next level by giving players more Superstar control with interactive entrances and victory scenes. WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 for Wii will also include a wide variety of new weapons, the debut of online gameplay and much more. WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 for Nintendo DS returns with new gameplay controls that utilize the stylus and D-pad to deliver a compelling handheld fighting game experience. The redesigned Season Mode takes a role-playing approach, allowing players to interact with Superstars, upgrade their abilities and complete missions on a quest toward legendary goals. In addition, a larger Superstar roster, new match types and the inclusion of Create-A-Superstar will provide players with a variety of intriguing options to enhance gameplay. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 28 2008 19:16 PM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Double Update [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] Today's Smash Bros. Update features another two-for-one that hammers out some of the last remaining features of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. First up is the new Roll Call, which players can see after they beat classic mode. It's a quick minigame that has players blasting away at lists of the game's characters, Assist Trophies, Pokémon, character items, and trophies. Hitting their names nets one coin, while the pictures obtain two. Afterwards, you'll find out how well you did. Keep in mind that if you want to skip, you can just press the pause button to speed through the whole thing. Next, the special moves of Princess Zelda's alter-ego Sheik are detailed. Sheik possesses intense speed and several ninja-like moves, including Needle Storm, which can be charged and throws numerous needles at enemies. Her side special is the Chain, which can be shot out like a whip, using the control stick to control its trajectory. For her up special, Sheik utilizes Vanish, which quickly allows her to disappear and reappear in another location, making it a fire-based attack and an ideal recovery move. Of course, you can use her down special, Transform, to change back into Zelda - but did you know you can use the transformation time to avoid attacks and other moves? Check out some new Brawl screens below. 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 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 9 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 10 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 11 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 12 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 13 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 14 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 15 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 16 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 17 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 18 Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 28 2008 4:42 AM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Seventh Hidden Stage [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] (WARNING: The following Smash Bros. update reveals one of the game's hidden stages. If you'd rather not be spoiled, please don't read on.) Today's Dojo update reveals the latest hidden stage in Super Smash Bros. Brawl: Hanenbow. The stage is one of the most unique ever seen in Smash Bros., having been taken from the obscure rhythm "game" Electroplankton, which was released for the DS back in 2006. The stage is based on the title's Hanenbow mode, which consists of colored fish-like creatures leaping out of water and bouncing off of trees. The creatures, called Hanenbow, will make different sounds based on how hard and at what angle they hit the trees, making for a unique soundscape as players battle. In addition, if players turn all of the leaves on one tree red, a flower will bloom at the top. For screens of Hanenbow, click below. 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 Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, March 26 2008 23:29 PM [Top] Square Enix Brings Sigma Harmonics to DS [ Famitsu ] The latest issue of Famitsu reveals that one of Japan's biggest developers, Square Enix, is bringing a brand-new original RPG to the Nintendo DS. The game, entitled Sigma Harmonics, is being produced primarily by the team behind the Final Fantasy VII spin-off Dirge of Cerberus, including director Hiroki Chiba, character designer Yusaku Nakaaki, and producer Yoshinori Kitase. The game is an adventure-based RPG, played by holding the DS sideways like a book. The game is composed of chapters, with each new chapter involving a new murder mystery to solve. The game will have standard RPG conventions, such as leveling up through combat. Also, some board game elements based upon the Japanese game "Go" have been confirmed, likely making use of the DS's touch screen. For some scans of Sigma Harmonics, click below. The game hits Japan this summer. Images: Sigma Harmonics Famitsu Scan 1 Sigma Harmonics Famitsu Scan 2 Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, March 26 2008 22:59 PM [Top] Sega Brings Master System Games to US VC [ Game|Life ] Sega has confirmed to gaming blog Game|Life that games for Sega's 8-bit Master System console, previously only confirmed for Japan, will indeed be coming to North America sometime this year. The two games to launch the service will be Fantasy Zone and Wonder Boy, both priced at a mere 400 Wii Points apiece. This makes them the cheapest games on the Virtual Console service. More as it breaks. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, March 26 2008 3:47 AM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Tenth Hidden Character [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] (WARNING: The following Smash Bros. update reveals one of the game's hidden characters. If you'd rather not be spoiled, please don't read on.) Today's Dojo update reveals the latest addition to the game's hidden character list, the Balloon Pokémon, Jigglypuff. Jigglypuff makes its third appearance in the Smash series, and brings with it many of its trademark moves. For its side special, Jigglypuff uses Rollout, which it can charge up and use to roll into enemies, or as a recovery move. For its up special, Jigglypuff uses Sing, which can put enemies to sleep. Lastly, its down special is the ever-popular Rest, which puts a hard hit on opponents. Its power has been knocked down for Brawl, but it now has the added effect of poisoning enemies. For its Final Smash, Jigglypuff uses Puff Up. With it, it grows to an enormous size, nearly encompassing the entire screen. It then blasts enemies away. For screens of Jigglypuff in action, click below. Images: Super Smash Bros. Brawl Artwork 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 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 9 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 10 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 11 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 12 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 13 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 14 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 15 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 16 Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 25 2008 16:23 PM [Top] Sonic Chronicles Screenshots [ Sega ] Already one of the most anticipated games for the Nintendo DS, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood is looking to be the game that saves the Sonic franchise. Developed by BioWare, one of the world's premiere RPG developers, Sonic Chronicles puts a unique spin on the trademark gameplay of everyone's favorite blue hedgehog, creating a turn-based RPG with all of your favorite characters. The game will be out later this year. Check out the first screens released by Sega below. Images: Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Screenshot 1 Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Screenshot 2 Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Screenshot 3 Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Screenshot 4 Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Screenshot 5 Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Screenshot 6 Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Screenshot 7 Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood Screenshot 8 Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 25 2008 3:19 AM [Top] Rock Band for Wii Launches June 22nd [ Electronic Arts ] Harmonix, MTV Games, and Electronic Arts today announced plans to release the award-winning music video game Rock Band on the Wii home video game system from Nintendo in the U.S. and Canada on June 22, 2008 for the suggested retail price of $169.99. Rock Band for Wii will be released as a Special Edition bundle including the software, drums, microphone and a wireless guitar. Stand alone instruments will also be available on June 22nd for people who want to build their band one instrument at a time or want to play the drum versus drum game mode. The game will feature 63 songs including five bonus songs for Wii gamers to enjoy. Rock Band is an all-new platform for music fans and gamers to interact with music like never before. The game challenges players to put together a band and tour for fame and fortune - all while learning to master lead/bass guitar, drums and vocals. Featuring the most master recordings of any music game ever by the world’s biggest rock artists, Rock Band includes tracks that span every genre of rock ranging from alternative and classic rock to heavy metal and punk. Rock Band has garnered over 40 awards this year including Game Critics Award: Best of Show E3 2007 and three awards at The 11th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards including Outstanding Innovation in Gaming, Family Game of the Year, and Outstanding Achievement in Soundtrack. Rock Band is rated “T” for Teen (lyrics, mild suggestive themes) by the ESRB. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, March 24 2008 14:32 PM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Boss Battles Mode [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] Today's Dojo update is all about one of the secret modes players will unlock once they beat the Subspace Emissary adventure mode - Boss Battles Mode. Found in the Events menu, Boss Battles will see players taking on each of the Subspace Emissary's bosses in succession. After each match, players will head to a resting room, where they can refill their health with one of three Heart Containers (five if two players are playing). Health will carry over, so using these containers wisely is key. Check out some screens below. 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 Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, March 24 2008 14:21 PM [Top] Two Added to VC [ Nintendo ] KING'S KNIGHT (NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Fantasy Violence, 500 Wii Points): In the kingdom of Izander, the fair Princess Claire has been kidnapped by a foul and insidious dragon, and it is the mission of four brave fighters to save her. Through five thrilling, fast-action stages, our gallant heroes-a knight, a wizard, a monster and a thief-will take on an army of incredible enemies. You must help them reach their goal, as you are now part of the team that will fight to free the princess from her imprisonment. Keep your wits about you, plan your strategy and set off on an exciting adventure. POWERBALL (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): Eight different teams representing various nations are vying to become the POWERBALL champions, and you control one of the eight in your quest for the championship. A hybrid of games like rugby and football, POWERBALL is played on a 100-yard field. Try to score by either carrying the ball into your opponent's end zone or kicking it into your opponent's net for points. This one- or two-player game offers both exhibition and league play. Jump into a game of POWERBALL and try a brand new sport. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Monday, March 24 2008 12:16 PM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Double Update [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] Another double update from the Dojo today, first concentrating on the special attacks of Princess Peach. Peach, like many characters, retains all of her Melee moves, including her standard attack, using Toad to reflect enemy strikes and projectiles. If an opponent hits Toad, the mushroom retainer sends out spores that do damage. In addition, Peach can pluck vegetables from the ground and chuck them at enemies, much like in Super Mario Bros. 2. Occasionally, these vegetables will have a different face on them, as these can do more damage. She can also hover in the air, making her recoveries very easy. (WARNING: The following reveals more about the Subspace Emissary adventure mode. If you'd rather not be spoiled, please don't read on.) In addition, the Dojo reveals more on the Subspace Emissary's penultimate level, The Great Maze. Easily the game's longest excursion, the level is so vast that it requires the use of save points throughout, which can also heal damage and let players change out their characters. You can pause the game to see the level's map, as well as teleport throughout the level at special save points. The object is to go throughout the level, defeating a shadowy version of every one of the game's characters, as well as re-defeating all of the game's characters up to that point. Once you make one full loop around the stage, their locations show up on the map, making them easier to find. Check out some screens below. 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 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 9 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 10 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 11 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 12 Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 21 2008 19:51 PM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Smash Taunts [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] Today's Dojo update reveals one of Super Smash Bros. Brawl's coolest secrets: Smash Taunts. These taunts are exclusive only to Snake and the game's Star Fox characters, who can only use them on specific stages. To execute them, quickly tap down on the control pad. For Snake's taunt, which can only be done on the Shadow Moses Stage, he begins a codec conversation with one of Metal Gear Solid's many supporting characters, such as Col. Campbell, Mei Ling, and Otacon. For Fox and Falco's (only available on the Lylat Cruise stage) they start up a conversation with several with characters such as Peppy, Slippy, Krystal, Wolf, Leon, and Panther. They can also do this on Lylat Melee stage, where they'll get the original Star Fox 64-inspired conversations. Check out some screens below. 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 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 9 Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, March 20 2008 21:22 PM [Top] Guitar Hero: On Tour Official Press Release [ Activision ] For the first time, handheld gamers will have the freedom to unleash their inner rock star anywhere, anytime with Activision's upcoming Guitar Hero: On Tour for Nintendo DS. The game will deliver a unique Guitar Hero experience by challenging handheld gamers to rock out and prove their shredding skills on the most diverse set list of master tracks ever offered in a Guitar Hero game, including classic rock, alternative and pop favorites such as Nirvana, OK Go and No Doubt. The game will be packaged with a revolutionary Guitar Hero Guitar Grip peripheral that fits snugly into the DS and a unique Guitar Hero pick-stylus that brings a new dimension to handheld gaming and the core gameplay that defines Guitar Hero. Guitar Hero: On Tour has been designed specifically for the DS platform and will offer the DS audience an all-new compelling music experience. Guitar Hero: On Tour continues to build on the franchise’s signature easy-to-play, yet difficult to master addictive gameplay, and now lets players take their experience on the road wherever they go. Players use the Guitar Hero pick-stylus on the touch screen to strum their favorite tunes and create their rock ‘n’ roll legacy in career mode. Fans can also join together to play co-op mode using a local wireless network, or battle each other in a Guitar Duel using new Battle Items unique to the DS platform. For example, players must blow into the microphone to extinguish a pyrotechnics effects gone wrong, or use the touch screen to autograph a crazed fan’s shirt in the middle of their set. Featuring five unlockable new venues, the game lets players personalize their experience by choosing the color of their axe of choice, selecting to play as one of six characters – two of which are all new and exclusive to Guitar Hero: On Tour – and outfitting their guitarist in numerous styles. Guitar Hero: On Tour is being developed by Vicarious Visions for the Nintendo DS. The game is rated “E 10 ” (Everyone 10 and older) by the ESRB and is scheduled for release this summer. For more information, visit the game's official site. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, March 20 2008 11:54 AM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Pokémon Encyclopedia [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] Today's Dojo update reveals the many Pokémon players will find popping out of Super Smash Bros. Brawl's Poké Balls. There's 21 in all, each listed with their personal abilities. If it's a Pokémon previously covered in a Smash Bros. Update, they link to that too. For the entire encyclopedia, click the source link. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, March 19 2008 18:19 PM [Top] Guitar Hero Goes On Tour on DS [ N-Zone ] It's been rumored for an eternity, but now we finally have firm details on the upcoming Guitar Hero game being released by Activision for the Nintendo DS. German gaming site N-Zone has the first details on Guitar Hero On Tour, the first portable excursion for the beloved franchise that has revolutionized music games. The title will utilize a unique controller packed in with the game - The Guitar Grip - which plugs into the DS's GBA slot and features four of the standard colored fret buttons of the Guitar Hero guitar controller. To play, it seems players will hold the DS sideways and push the fret buttons on the Guitar Grip while strumming the touch screen with the included guitar pick stylus. Other than that, the gameplay seems to be exactly the same, with things like note score multipliers, star power, and of course, a cavalcade of some of the best rock songs in the industry. One minor change, however, it that it appears that your guitar will catch fire on occasion, forcing you to blow out the flames with the DS microphone. Check out the game's first screens and a trailer at N-Zone by clicking the source link. Guitar Hero On Tour hits stores this summer. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, March 19 2008 17:49 PM [Top] Final Fantasy Tactics A2 Announced for North America [ Square Enix ] Square Enix announced today that the latest entry in the IVALICE ALLIANCE series, FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: Grimoire of the Rift is set to transport players to the fantastical world of Ivalice on June 24, 2008. Embark on a journey through the vibrant world of Ivalice this summer with FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: Grimoire of the Rift. As the third entry in the Ivalice Alliance series, this follow-up to the 2003 Game Boy Advance release brings the popular tactical franchise to the Nintendo DS for the first time. FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: Grimoire of the Rift will introduce newcomers to an engaging turn-based, grid-oriented battle system as they make new discoveries alongside the hero in this lighthearted adventure. Long-time fans will enjoy exciting new content and enhancements, including polished game mechanics, intuitive stylus control, and new jobs and classes. School is out for the summer, but mischievous Luso Clemens must first face detention to make up for his misbehavior. Alone in the library, he stumbles upon an ancient book with magical powers that summons him to the mystical land of Ivalice. Warped into the middle of a battlefield, Luso joins Cid and his clan to set off on an adventurous journey looking for a way home. Explore the fantastic world of Ivalice and join forces with famous heroes from FINAL FANTASY XII – Vaan, Penelo and Al-Cid. The game features all-new content and enhancements, including polished game mechanics, new jobs, new classes, and a new clan system that enrich the Ivalice experience for fans and newcomers alike. The North American release will allow players to command characters in battle and navigate through menus all with a tap of the stylus. Witness vibrant and colorful visuals in dual-screen presentation, made possible by Nintendo DS, along with increased replay value with up to 400 available quests, allowing players to immerse themselves in a multi-faceted storyline FINAL FANTASY TACTICS A2: Grimoire of the Rift is not yet rated by the ESRB. The official website can be found here. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, March 19 2008 17:28 PM [Top] Spectrobes Sequel Announced [ Disney Interactive ] Details of the next game in the highly popular anime-inspired, sci-fi action/role playing game series Spectrobes have been uncovered. Disney Interactive Studios today announced the name of Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals, the sequel to Spectrobes, one of the most successful third-party Nintendo DS games of 2007 with more than 1 million units shipped worldwide. Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals for Nintendo DS continues the story of Rallen and Jeena, interplanetary patrol officers who discover, excavate, awaken and train mysterious fossilised creatures known as Spectrobes and then use them to battle enemies. The story surrounds the origins of mysterious portals that lead to distant dimensions. Developed by Kyoto, Japan-based Jupiter Corp., the studio behind Spectrobes, Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals has a wealth of new features, including an entirely new story; a new three-dimensional perspective; a map to assist with exploration; new excavation and battle features; more creatures; and the debut of an online battle system utilising the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals also includes DGamer, Disney Interactive Studios’ innovative new technology that provides a fun, connected online game community for Disney video game fans. Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals is currently planned for a Autumn 2008 release. In Spectrobes: Beyond The Portals, players can take on the role of either Rallen or, for the first time, Jeena. Jeena uses her research and technological skills so the duo can solve puzzles and complete their missions. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, March 19 2008 17:23 PM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Ninth Hidden Character [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] (WARNING: The following Smash Bros. update reveals one of the game's hidden characters. If you'd rather not be spoiled, please don't read on.) Today's Dojo update reveals the latest hidden character, the Great Evil King himself, Ganondorf. The arch-villain of the Legend of Zelda series and the long-time enemy of Link, Ganondorf is one of the stockiest characters in the game, and what he lacks in speed, he makes up for in pure power. Ganondorf is once again a clone of Captain Falcon, but in Brawl he is modified slightly to feel more like his own character. Still, he cannot use his sword in combat, instead merely looking at it as a taunt. For his side special, he uses the awesome-looking Flame Choke, where he dashes forward, grabs an opponent by the neck, and blasts them away. In the air, he drives opponents down with a mighty chokeslam. For his up special, the Dark Dive, he jumps forward at an opponent. If he is close enough, he can grab them and do major damage. Even if he doesn't, however, he can still do minor damage with a quick swipe. For his Final Smash, Ganondorf, as you may expect, transforms into his massive Beast Ganon form. Although he only remains in this form for a few moments, he then quickly lunges forward with a mighty tackle guaranteed to KO any opponent. Also, he can bury opponents on the ground so they cannot escape. Pretty sweet. For screens of Ganondorf in action, click below. Images: Super Smash Bros. Brawl Artwork 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 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 9 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 10 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 11 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 12 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 13 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 14 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 15 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 16 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 17 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 18 Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 18 2008 22:15 PM [Top] The Sky Crawlers Fly to Wii [ Famitsu ] Today's Famitsu magazine reveals a major new flight game heading to the Wii, published by Namco. The game, The Sky Crawlers,is produced by the same team behind the company's beloved Ace Combat series of air combat games. It is based upon the upcoming film by celebrated anime filmmaker Mamoru Oshii, which is in turn based on a popular series of novels. According to the scan, the Wii controls will work in a unique way, with the control wheel controlled by the Nunchuk and the Wii Remote handling the throttle. The game will hit Japan this summer. Images: The Sky Crawlers Famitsu Scan Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 18 2008 22:02 PM [Top] Eight Games Coming to Wii From EA Sports [ Electronic Arts ] Big things are coming to the Wii from the world's biggest sports brand, according to EA head honcho Peter Moore. In today's blog entry, Moore announces that eight games are in the works for the Wii, including original, unlicensed games. We already know about games like the upcoming arcade boxing title Facebreaker and the Wii version of NCAA Football 09, and we can presume that new versions of Madden, NBA Live, FIFA, and Tiger Woods are in the works as well. What else could be coming from EA? We'll have to stay tuned. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 18 2008 21:50 PM [Top] Summon Night Comes to DS [ Atlus ] Atlus today announced Summon Night: Twin Age for Nintendo DS, a fully stylus-driven action RPG set in the popular Summon Night universe. The stylus is your key to the world of Clardona, whether as your swinging sword or your shimmering wall of fire. Summon Night: Twin Age is currently scheduled to bring its precise controls, beautifully animated graphics, and addictive action RPG gameplay to the Nintendo DS on May 20th. From a very young age, the human girl Reiha displayed great aptitude for the magical art of Summoning. While still a child, her powers caused a terrible accident during a major Summoning experiment. It was reported that Reiha had died as result, but she survived, along with a young Summon Beast named Aldo that had been pulled into her world… Following the accident, the two children grew up together as brother and sister on the tropical island of Jarazi, among a race of people with beast-like features. There they learned to commune with the Nature Spirits that surrounded them. One day, the Spirits began acting strangely, prompting Reiha and Aldo to investigate. Their quest to find out who or what is behind the corruption of the Spirits will lead them back to the human lands where the cataclysm first brought them together… For screens, and the game's official trailer, check out the official website. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 18 2008 21:42 PM [Top] Eidos Has Soul...Bubbles, That Is [ Eidos ] Eidos Interactive is pleased to announce a new phenomenon to come to the Nintendo DS entitled Soul Bubbles. In Soul Bubbles the player controls a young shaman apprentice, who is entrusted with saving lost “souls” and guiding them to safety. He must protect these fragile beings from the hostile and dangerous world around them, and he does this by creating protective bubbles to keep the spirits safe. Manipulate your bubbles by first drawing them, then deflating them, cutting them or joining them to other bubbles, filling them with water or gas; then escape traps, extinguish fires and avoid all the sticky or dangerous surfaces that will slow the bubbles down. The game features 8 worlds, with over 40 levels to explore which will challenge the shaman in a variety of ways – and push the physics capabilities of the Nintendo DS to the max. Soul Bubbles is designed with the next generation of casual gamers in mind. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 18 2008 21:35 PM [Top] NCAA 09 Cover Mascot Announced [ Electronic Arts ] A while back, it was announced that not only would NCAA Football 09 be returning to Nintendo consoles, with a version for the Wii being made by EA Sports, but that the game would feature an exclusive boxart featuring the mascot of an NCAA team, as voted on by the fans. Well, the results are in, and it appears that Sparty, the mascot of the Michigan State Spartans, will be manning the cover of this year's NCAA installment when the game releases this July. To check out the boxart, click below. Images: NCAA Football 09 Boxart Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 18 2008 19:55 PM [Top] Brawl Smashes Records! [ Nintendo ] After just one week on store shelves, Super Smash Bros. Brawl for Wii has become the fastest-selling video game in Nintendo of America's history. Since its launch on March 9, the feature-packed fighting action game has sold more than 1.4 million units in the United States, including more than 874,000 on March 9 alone. It has sold at a rate of more than 120 units per minute between launch and March 16. "Super Smash Bros. Brawl has made the leap from video game to cultural phenomenon," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. Super Smash Bros. Brawl features a nearly limitless variety of options for players. Dozens of classic Nintendo characters like Mario and Pikachu are joined by industry icons like Sonic The Hedgehog and Metal Gear's Solid Snake for all-out four-player battles. The endless customization keeps players coming back for more. The previous game in the series, Super Smash Bros. Melee, became the best-selling Nintendo GameCube game of all time with more than 7 million copies sold worldwide, so it's no surprise to see this latest installment racking up record numbers. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Monday, March 17 2008 17:26 PM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Boss Strategies [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] Today's Dojo update reveals some boss strategies for the Subspace Emissary adventure mode. Since we figure that most of you are either playing through or have beaten the game by now, there's no real reason to repost the screens or the info here. Instead, click the source link to find out the best way to beat Rayquaza, Ridley, Meta Ridley, and the game's other boss fights. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, March 17 2008 13:05 PM [Top] Two Games Added to VC [ Nintendo ] Spelunker (NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Wander through miles of uncharted caves in search of the legendary underground pyramid and its vast treasures. To complete your adventure, you will swing from ropes and ladders, run across unstable terrain and down ravines, operate elevators, mining carts and rafts. You will collect keys, bombs, flares, jewels, sacks of gold coins and other valuable items as you navigate the hazardous terrain. But beware of the scalding steam vents, poisonous bats and the avenging spirits of dead spelunkers that lurk in every corner of this massive underground labyrinth. SUPER R-TYPE (Super NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone — Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): A galactic battle begins. The BYDO Empire of mutant extraterrestrials is back with evil intent and awesome power. Now the evil empire is poised to launch a new attack on Earth. Only the revolutionary R-9, the planet's most advanced form of defense, stands between these monsters and doom. Fight through seven challenging stages—picking up power-up items as you progress—on the way to each stage's memorable boss. Is the BYDO Empire invincible? You'll need lightning reflexes, intuitive moves and a big dose of cosmic luck to hold your own. Better prepare yourself, because the mutants "R" ready for you. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, March 17 2008 12:19 PM [Top] No More Heroes [ Reviews ] Eric takes a run through Santa Destroy in Suda 51's latest gaming venture, No More Heroes. Hit the link and find out exactly what he thinks of this bloody brawler/adventure game, which stars a guy named Travis Touchdown. Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, March 15 2008 12:33 PM [Top] Mastiff Shoots For the Moon [ Mastiff Games ] Mastiff, a worldwide publisher of videogames and Renegade Kid, developer of innovative interactive software, today announced the title codenamed “Project M” has been officially named Moon after the cold and barren hunk of rock orbiting earth. Developed by Renegade Kid, Moon is a sci-fi, action-adventure title for Nintendo DS. Moon places gamers on the cold lunar surface in the year 2058. Researchers are shocked to find a sealed, alien hatch during construction of a new lunar base, but it’s a shock that soon pales in comparison to what they find beyond the hatch. Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, March 15 2008 2:53 AM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Hidden Assist Trophies [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] (WARNING: The following Smash Bros. update reveals some of the game's hidden assist trophies. If you'd rather not be spoiled, please don't read on.) Today's Dojo update reveals five unlockable Assist Trophies players can obtain just by playing through Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Custom Robo: From the series of the same name. Based upon the Ray Mk. III model, this tiny robo bursts onto the scene attacking enemies with bombs, missiles, and kicks. To unlock him, play 100 Brawls. Isaac: From the Golden Sun RPG series. Upon release, he calls upon the "Move" Psyenergy to push enemies with a giant ethereal hand. Play 200 Brawls to obtain him. Infantry and Tanks: From Advance Wars, and using the same sprites. They attack opponents with guns and other military weaponry. Play 300 Brawls to add them to the Assist Trophy team. Barbara: From the Japan-only Daigasso! Band Brothers. When unleashed, this devil rocker will wail on her guitar, doing damage to opponents. The final chord can knock them away. Obtain 25 hidden songs to use her. Shadow the Hedgehog: From the Sonic series. Best known as Sonic's arch-rival, he uses the powerful Chaos Control attack to slow down all opponents. To obtain him, simply unlock Sonic. There's one last hidden assist trophy - the already-revealed Grey Fox from Metal Gear Solid. To obtain him, simply unlock Snake. For screens and art of all of these assist trophies, click below. Images: Super Smash Bros. Brawl Artwork 1 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Artwork 2 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Artwork 3 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Artwork 4 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Artwork 5 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 Eric Jones -- Posted on Saturday, March 15 2008 0:03 AM [Top] NPD: Nintendo Rules February [ Nintendo ] The latest video game industry sales figures reported by the independent NPD Group show that Nintendo DS and Wii topped the U.S. charts for February. Nintendo DS sold nearly 587,600 units and Wii sold nearly 432,000. February sales, according to NPD, in the United States: * Nintendo sold more than 1 million hardware units combined, accounting for nearly half (47.6 percent) of all hardware sold. * Nintendo DS games topped all software sales, with more than 3.6 million units sold. Consumers purchased nearly 2.9 million software units for Wii. Four of every 10 games sold were for Nintendo systems. * Three games in the top five sellers for February play on Nintendo systems, including two from third-party publishers. * Nearly 1.7 million accessories were purchased for Wii, more than for any other system. More than 1.2 million accessories were sold for Nintendo DS as well. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 14 2008 13:21 PM [Top] Nintendo Announces Pokémon Guide With Preorder [ Nintendo ] Two new Pokémon adventures for Nintendo DS are on the way, and Nintendo plans to reward fans for ordering early with guides to help them navigate the games. Starting March 16, fans who place an order for either Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time or Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness will receive a free, limited-edition Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers Guide. The guide contains an exclusive collection of tips, interviews and an original manga by Ken Sugimori, main art director of Pokémon video games. In these two new games, players journey through time and darkness as actual Pokémon as they attempt to find out why they've been turned into a Pokémon. Their epic quest leads them through countless, randomly generated dungeons, encountering more than 490 Pokémon. Players also have the option to send rescue alerts to their friends via e-mail or mobile text message when they are connected to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. These two new Dungeon games give Pokémon fans another excuse to upgrade to Nintendo DS, which also plays all their favorite Game Boy Advance games in single-player mode. Images: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time Guide Cover Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness Guide Cover Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 14 2008 13:17 PM [Top] Manhunt 2 Finally Gets UK Release [ BBFC ] The Video Appeals Committee today announced that the result of their reconsideration of the Manhunt 2 appeal remains that the appeal against the rejection of the work by the BBFC is upheld. The Board’s decision to refuse a certificate to Manhunt 2 was successfully challenged on appeal to the Video Appeals Committee. The Board challenged the VAC’s decision by way of Judicial Review before the High Court, which quashed the decision on grounds of errors of law. The VAC has now reconsidered the appeal in the light of the High Court’s directions on the law but has decided, again by a majority of four to three, to allow the appeal on the basis that Manhunt 2 should be given an ‘18’ certificate. In the light of legal advice the Board does not believe the VAC’s judgement provides a realistic basis for a further challenge to its decision and has accordingly issued an ‘18’ certificate. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 14 2008 12:57 PM [Top] Wii Café is Hiring! [ Wii Café ] As you may all know, the rise in popularity of Nintendo in recent years with the Wii and DS has led to far more to cover in regards to news. Therefore, we're now hiring news editors and staff writers to handle the increased workload. If you're interested, shoot me an email, and send whatever information you have, including sample articles and news stories. We hope to hear from many of you soon. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 14 2008 2:45 AM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Hidden Melee Stages [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] (WARNING: The following Smash Bros. update reveals some of the game's hidden stages. If you'd rather not be spoiled, please don't read on.) In addition to unlocking new stages in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, players can also unlock stages based on classics previously seen in Super Smash Bros. Melee. There's four in all, and here they are: Jungle Japes: One of Donkey Kong's stages, it takes place near Cranky's shack over a flowing river. Try not to get swallowed by the rapids below. Green Greens: One of Kirby's stages. It features both Wispy Woods attacking periodically, as well as stacking blocks complete with powerful bombs. Pokémon Stadium: The original version of the sequel stage seen in Brawl. It has four modes (Fire, Water, Grass, and Rock). Big Blue: From F-Zero. Players battle on F-Zero vehicles during a race, as well as Captain Falcon's Falcon Flyer. Check out some screens of these stages below. 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 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 9 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 10 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 11 Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 14 2008 2:38 AM [Top] Valkyrie Profile Heads to DS [ Shonen Jump ] Looks like another Square-Enix RPG franchise is making its way to Nintendo's hallowed halls. Previously seeing release only on Sony consoles with the first two installements (and subsequent PSP remake), developer Tri-ace is bringing the Valkyrie Profile series to the Nintendo DS with Valkyrie Profile: Toga wo Seou Mono (The Accursed One). The game will feature a new hero named Wilfred, as well as feature returning characters like Lenneth and Freya. It will also use a new 2D isometric perspective, as opposed to the side-scrolling style used in previous games. We'll have more on the game, including if it will ever come to North America, soon. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 14 2008 1:03 AM [Top] Sega Prepares to Unleash the Hulk [ Sega ] One of Marvel’s most powerful Super Heroes unleashes epic destruction this June in Marvel Studios’ blockbuster movie, The Incredible Hulk. Along with the film, SEGA releases an intensely realistic third-person action video game available on all major video-game platforms. Fueled with fury, SEGA’s The Incredible Hulk features key moments from the film, as well as additional plotlines and characters from the character’s rich comic-book universe. Players smash through New York City, battling gigantic enemies amidst soaring skyscrapers in a massive open world. As one of the most anticipated entertainment events of 2008, The Incredible Hulk will have fans lining up this summer on both the big and small screens. Key Features: • Unlimited Destruction: Become the Incredible Hulk and experience unlimited destruction. Players can demolish anything in their path and also use it as a weapon – pieces of a crumbling building…a passing car…a street lamp. Players can even demolish buildings with their bare hands. Damage is persistent, and gamers can use it to gain access to previously unreachable areas. • Powerful Rage: Rage is power. Build the Hulk’s rage to learn powerful moves. Cause unheard-of damage to gain and upgrade his abilities. • Incredible Scale: New York City’s towering skyscrapers allow for exciting vertically based gameplay, while powerful, massive enemies such as Bi-Beast and the Abomination challenge the Hulk’s might. • Dynamic Open World: A realistic next-gen, open-world representation of Manhattan provides gamers with an immense playground of destruction that also contains sub-quests, minigames, and a story that reaches beyond the film to include elements from classic Marvel comics. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 14 2008 0:51 AM [Top] Mega Man Star Force 2 Announced [ Capcom ] Capcom today showcased Mega Man Star Force 2 for Nintendo DS, the second game in the Mega Man Star Force series which will offer an updated battle system with new Battle Cards and new foes to confront. Mega Man Star Force 2™ will be released in two versions, Zerker X Ninja or Zerker X Saurian with players able to choose between Zerker, Ninja or Saurian dependent on which version they opt for. Mega Man Star Force 2 is currently scheduled for release this autumn. Developed by the team behind the popular Mega Man Battle Network series, Mega Man Star Force 2 continues two months after the previous game left off. Geo Stelar and crew return to battle a whole host of new enemies including the mysterious Rogue who threatens the peace of the virtual Wave World by unleashing hordes of rampaging viruses. It’s up to Geo and his virus-busting buddy, Omega-Xis, to thwart this latest threat. Each of the three variants – Zerker, Ninja and Saurian – offers its own distinct Mega Man transformations with unique special attributes and abilities. Players can harness the spirit of an ancient species known as Tribe and transform or ‘tribe on’ into three different forms – Elec (electric) Zerker wields a large sword imbued with the power of lightning; Wood Ninja can throw a huge Shiruken and move at great speed while Fire Saurian is able to reduce enemies to smoldering pieces with a swipe of his fiery fist. Mega Man Star Force 2 blends a unique formula of RPG exploration elements with fast-paced action, as players travel and battle between coexisting worlds, the physical world and the virtual Wave World, to unravel the mystery around this new troublemaker. Players will encounter enemies in the virtual Wave World and battle them on three-by-five battle grids with their Battle Card deck. Mega Man Star Force 2 also adds an upgraded “Transer” system. Activating the communications application via the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection allows players to connect with in-game friends regardless of their location, add new friends to their network to create a “Brother Band” network, where they can share cards, status upgrades, and even help each other to perform, upgraded transformations. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 14 2008 0:46 AM [Top] We Love Golf Goes Online [ Capcom ] Capcom today announced online modes for We Love Golf! for the Wii. Western players now have the option to meet up online and challenge each other in a realistic and immersive golf experience on Wii. We Love Golf! will be available for Wii this summer. We Love Golf! will be the first online capable golf game for Wii and will feature a full array of online features, including “World Play Mode,” where players can play random players online and collect player medals for their wins, and “Friend Play,” where players may choose to play a friend from their Wii friend list. The game will also be one of the first online Wii sports titles to enable players to play online with their personalized Miis. The new online modes for We Love Golf! are being included in the game for the first time for the Western release of the game, as the Japanese version of the game (released in December 2007) did not have these online modes. We Love Golf!, created by the veteran studio Camelot Software Planning, presents a realistic and approachable golfing experience for all ages. Whether you’re a golfing pro or a grandparent teaching their grandchildren, We Love Golf! offers an engrossing golfing experience thanks to easy-to-navigate menus, highly-stylized visuals, and the Wii Remote’s unique motion-sensing functionality. Just as on a real course, gauging wind conditions, correct club selection and careful reading of the greens are all essentials for victory. Additionally, We Love Golf! will also feature two new exclusive characters created solely for the western edition with unique unlockable Capcom character costumes. Players will be able to take on the greens dressed as Chun-Li, Jill Valentine, Arthur, and many more. A variety of game modes (including online play), multiple characters, unlockable character costumes and content will provide the most immersive golfing experience available off the greens. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 14 2008 0:42 AM [Top] Return to the Carnival on Wii and DS [ 2K Play ] 2K Play today announced two new titles as a part of its brand extension strategy for its highly popular Carnival Games series. The new titles include Carnival Games for Nintendo DS, which is scheduled to ship this summer, and Carnival Games: Mini-Golf, an all-new game exclusive to the Wii home video game system, which will debut this fall. 2K Play is also announcing that its flagship Carnival Games title has reached a milestone of shipping more than one million units worldwide, while remaining a top-selling game with a number 5 ranking on the January 2008 NPD Wii chart. Carnival Games for DS brings the fun of the original to the world's best-selling portable system during the summer vacation and travel season. Each game is designed from the ground up to take full advantage of the DS control mechanism. A frenzied combination of tapping, blowing, speaking and stylus maneuvering brings the now famous midway to life. Favorites such as Alley Ball, Frog Leap and Dunk Tank are complemented with fresh games including RC Raceway and Clown Hammer. This fall, the all-new Carnival Games: Mini-Golf comes exclusively to Wii. Featuring Carnival Bob and characters made popular in the original, Carnival Games: Mini-Golf is home to larger-than-life, theme park style miniature golf courses. Whether back in time to the land of dinosaurs, keeping order in the Wild West or searching for treasure on an island full of pirates, the game combines traditional miniature golf fare with action-oriented game play utilizing the unique capabilities of the Wii Remote. It is designed for four players and can best be described as "a hole in fun." Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, March 12 2008 23:15 PM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Hidden Masterpieces [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] (WARNING: The following Smash Bros. update reveals one of the game's hidden features. If you'd rather not be spoiled, please don't read on.) As gamers play through Super Smash Bros. Brawl, they will be able to unlock additional demos of classic Nintendo games in the games Masterpieces mode. Players can unlock the original NES classic Donkey Kong by playing as the big ape himself 20 times, play Super Mario Bros. 2 (the US one, not the real one) by playing as Princess Peach 5 times (and winning), obtain Super Mario World by brawling on the Yoshi's Island Melee stage 3 times, and grab The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time by using "a certain character" (*cough*Toon Link*cough*) 10 times. Check out some screens of these games in action below. 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 Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, March 12 2008 23:11 PM [Top] Mario Kart Wi Gets US Date [ Nintendo ] This year, the typical signs of spring will be accompanied by the sweet sound of revving engines and the sight of lightning-fast shells whizzing around every corner. Mario Kart Wii is zooming toward its launch in the United States on April 27. The game comes with the intuitive Wii Wheel, which makes it easy for novices to compete against veterans, so no one is left in the dust. And with a broadband hookup to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, players can compete with up to 11 other drivers from around the world for racing dominance. Mario Kart Wii will include 16 new courses and 16 classic courses from previous Mario Kart games. For the first time ever, players have the option of racing with either karts or motorbikes. Players can also hit the road as their personalized Mii caricatures in addition to the handful of classic Nintendo characters found in the game. True to the series, the game features tons of racing, plenty of power-ups and oodles of objects for players to use to slow down other drivers. And 10 battle arenas will keep players busy between trips around the circuit. The easy-to-use Wii Wheel will also be sold as a separate accessory, giving every driver in the household a chance to get behind his or her own wheel. And if veteran Mario Kart fans are afraid of getting smoked by rookie drivers using the Wii Wheel, they can rest assured that Nintendo has them covered. Mario Kart Wii supports four different control options: Wii Remote with or without the Wii Wheel, Wii Remote and Nunchuk controller combo, Classic Controller and even the Nintendo GameCube controller. So there's bound to be a configuration that fits everyone's style. Mario Kart Wii launches with a new channel added to the Wii Menu to enhance game play: The Mario Kart Wii Channel. This new channel builds on the huge online community of Wii owners and lets players compete in tournaments, check worldwide rankings, see when their friends are playing and download ghost data. Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com. For more information about Mario Kart Wii, visit MarioKart.com. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Wednesday, March 12 2008 10:11 AM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Sixth Hidden Stage [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] (WARNING: The following Smash Bros. update reveals one of the game's hidden stages. If you'd rather not be spoiled, please don't read on.) Today's dojo update reveals the official stage of the newly-revealed Mr. Game & Watch, Flat Zone 2. The new stage is styled like a classic Game & Watch LCD handheld, with all of the characters in 2D. Unlike the first Flat Zone (seen in Super Smash Bros. Melee), Flat Zone 2 will switch between various Game & Watch games, having the players brawl in the middle of the action. In the Fire section, players can bounce off of the firemen's rescue blanket. In Chef, the chef can launch characters into the air. You'll also see segments from Oil Panic and Lion. In addition, the Dojo has revealed the stage's theme song, which takes the many beeps and bloops of Game & Watch history and makes them into actual music. Sounds pretty cool. Check out some screens below. 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 Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 11 2008 21:13 PM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Eighth Hidden Character [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] (WARNING: The following Smash Bros. update reveals one of the game's hidden characters. If you'd rather not be spoiled, please don't read on.) While Super Smash Bros. Brawl may have just hit stores in North America, that doesn't mean the Dojo will be shutting down anytime soon. The updates will continue, and the latest reveals another hidden character. This time it's Mr. Game & Watch, who also makes his return from Super Smash Bros. Melee. He comes from the Game & Watch series of LCD handhelds released by Nintendo in the early 80's. For his side special, Mr. Game & Watch uses the Judge move, which has varying power based upon the number atop his head. It can be anywhere from a 1, which is completely ineffectual, to a 9, which is basically a guaranteed KO. His down special, the Oil Panic, brings out a small cup which catches projectiles. Catch three, and you can dump it onto an opponent, causing heavy damage. His Final Smash is the powerful Octopus, in which he transforms into the giant LCD creature from the Game & Watch game of the same name. You can extend his arms by pressing various buttons to attack enemies, but unfortunately, can't turn around. Check out some screens of Mr. G&W in action below Images: Super Smash Bros. Brawl Artwork 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 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 9 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 10 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 11 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 12 Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 11 2008 0:59 AM [Top] Two Japanese Classics Hit VC [ Nintendo ] DoReMi Fantasy: Milon's DokiDoki Adventure (Super NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Alcohol Reference and Comic Mischief, 900 Wii Points): This is an action game where an energetic boy named Milon sets off on a great adventure in a cute fairy-tale world. Piccolo is a village in the country of Fantasia. One day, they hear from the fairy Alis that songs and music have disappeared from the forest. Suddenly, the wizard Amon appears, grabs Alis and vanishes with her. The brave Milon must now go on a journey to rescue his kidnapped friend, with his bubble shooter as his only weapon. Along the way, he'll need to retrieve five legendary instruments and stars by defeating Amon's minions. Get ready to enjoy the fun and comical action of this charming game. Puyo Puyo 2: Tsuu (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 900 Wii Points): The object of this head-to-head puzzle game is to clear your grid of falling patterns called puyos by forming chains of four or more same-colored puyos in a straight line or one of several geometric patterns. What makes this a challenging two-player contest is the fact that when you clear a chain of puyos from your grid, it drops a random piece of filler onto your opponent's grid. The more puyos you clear, the more you fill your opponent's grid, and if you can clutter up his grid enough to fill it to the top, you've won the game. An intriguing backstory makes this an amusing experience for one or two players. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, March 10 2008 13:29 PM [Top] The Brawl Begins [ Nintendo ] When Mario appears in a new game, people perk up. But when loads of characters from across the Nintendo universe battle alongside such video game icons as Sonic The Hedgehog and Solid Snake, people take charge! The March 9 launch of Super Smash Bros. Brawl quickens the pulse of even the most jaded veteran gamer. Featuring a host of playable characters, special items, stages and music, Super Smash Bros. Brawl is an encyclopedia of Nintendo's video game history, making it the biggest and deepest brawl of them all. This innovative fighting game, the first Super Smash Bros. game for Wii, ups the ante with several exciting new modes and wireless features. By logging onto Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, players can now enjoy online battles with friends near and far. An extensive new single-player mode is perfect for solo brawlers who want to hone their skills. A sprawling adventure mode called "The Subspace Emissary" lets players jump and brawl their way through enemy-packed side-scrolling levels, meeting up with other characters, watching incredible cinematics and taking on massive bosses - solo or in a cooperative two-player mode. And, of course, there's the series hallmark: elaborate, action-packed battles that pit up to four players against one another in a brawl to see who's the last one standing. Online battles aren't the only wireless boost in this latest Super Smash Bros. installment. With Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, players also have the ability to share photos, swap replays, team up for challenging minigames and even create their own stages to share with friends or submit to Nintendo. Every day, Nintendo will offer one of these fan-created stages for players everywhere to try out. For an even more customized Brawl experience, players can select their favorite music and choose the control scheme they like best, whether it's the Wii Remote alone, Wii Remote with Nunchuk, Classic Controller or Nintendo GameCube controller. All these options give players a virtually endless amount of ways to play, a fact that makes Super Smash Bros. Brawl one of the most anticipated games of 2008. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, March 10 2008 13:27 PM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Snapshots Galore [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] Today's Dojo update is a fair bit of fun, as it shows off some of Sakurai's favorite snapshots that Super Smash Bros. Brawl players have taken and sent to Nintendo since the game launched in Japan. We won't repost them here, but you can click the source link to check it out for yourselves. Just a reminder (for the three of you that don't know), Super Smash Bros. Brawl launches this Sunday in North America, with several stores doing midnight openings. Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 7 2008 18:29 PM [Top] Disgaea Comes to DS [ Famitsu ] The latest issue of Famitsu magazine has revealed that one of the most beloved strategy RPGs of all time is coming to the Nintendo DS. Developer Nippon Ichi will be bringing a remake of the original Disgaea, originally released for the PS2 and later remade on the PSP, to Nintendo's dual-screened handheld. Once again players will team up with the demon prince Laharl, the mischievous Etna, and the angelic Flonne in one of the most whacked-out, over-the-top adventures you'll ever play. What's more, two more games will be making their way to the Nintendo DS from Nippon Ichi in the future. Two RPGs, Jigsaw World and Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure, both originally released for the PS1, will be making their way to the system in the future. Here's hoping all of these games find a US release, as Nippon Ichi has a rather big following here. Check out the Famitsu scans below. Images: Disgaea DS Famitsu Scan 1 Disgaea DS Famitsu Scan 2 Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 7 2008 3:07 AM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Seventh Hidden Character [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] (WARNING: The following Smash Bros. update reveals one of the game's hidden characters. If you'd rather not be spoiled, please don't read on.) Today's Smash Bros. Update reveals what may be the most surprising Super Smash Bros. Brawl hidden character of them all, and another newcomer to the Smash universe. R.O.B., the Robotic Operating Buddy, makes his playable debut in Brawl, marking the first fighter to not be based on a video game character, but rather a peripheral. R.O.B.'s standard special move is the Robo Beam, which is a powerful laser shot fired from his eyes. The move requires a moment to recharge after it is used, so using it multiple times in a row is a bad option. However, if players don't use it for a period of time, it increases in power to become the more powerful Super Robo Beam. The move can also be aimed after it is fired, and can ricochet off walls and the ground. The diode on R.O.B.'s head is the key to knowing the beam's current level of power. R.O.B's side special is the Arm Rotor, where he spins his arms like helicopter blades and slams into opponents, deflecting projectiles along the way. His up special is the Robo Burner, which uses the booster jets on his stand to hover back to the stage as a recovery move. It can only be used for a short time, however. Last but not least, R.O.B.'s down special is the Gyro. taken from Gyromite, one of only two games compatible with the robot. With it, he spins a gyro on the ground, charges it up, and throws it towards an enemy. After it finishes spinning, the gyro can be used as an item. While it is not mentioned in the update, we'd also like to let you know that R.O.B.'s final smash is the Diffusion Beam, a reference to the "freakouts" R.O.B. would experience on occasion when playing one of his games on the NES. Using the attack shoots out a constant laser beam which does heavy damage, but the attack has a very short range. Check out some screens of R.O.B. below. Images: Super Smash Bros. Brawl Artwork 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 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 9 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 10 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 11 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 12 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 13 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 14 Eric Jones -- Posted on Friday, March 7 2008 1:09 AM [Top] GameStop Hosts Midnight Brawl Tourneys [ GameStop ] GameStop today announced that it will host Super Smash Bros. Brawl video game tournaments at 2,500 of its U.S. GameStop and EB Games locations on Saturday, March 8, 2008. The tiered tournament program, which represents the largest in-store tournament event to date, is one of several events that GameStop will host surrounding the launch of Super Smash Bros. Brawl by Nintendo, available March 9, 2008. Each round one tournament will provide players with an opportunity to “duke it out” one-on-one with other contestants in a single-elimination tournament to determine the 2,500 store winners. Many of the participating GameStop and EB Games locations will begin their tournaments at 10:00 p.m., local time; however, customers are encouraged to contact their local store to confirm the exact time of the tournament. All contestants must check-in at least thirty minutes prior to the start of play. Store winners will advance to a series of District tournaments on March 15; winners of these competitions will advance to Regional tournaments, which will take place on March 29 (visit www.gamestop.com/smash for District and Regional tournament location details). The top eight scoring Regional winners will be declared the Semifinalists for that region and will advance to the Finals event, to be held on April 12, 2008, at the GameStop tournament store in San Jose, CA. Semifinalists will “brawl” against one another in a series of matches until one player with the best of three rounds score is declared the Grand Prize Winner. The Grand Prize winner will receive one Vizio 37” LCD-TV, an entire Nintendo Wii Software Library, one Nintendo Wii console and selected accessories, and $5,000 in cash. Prize packages in the form of GameStop gift Cards will be awarded to the second and third place players. For additional tournament details and to obtain a list of official rules, visit a local GameStop or EB Games retail location or www.gamestop.com/smash. To continue the Super Smash Bros. Brawl celebration that all fans can enjoy, GameStop will also host Midnight Launch Events on Saturday, March 8, 2008, at more than 2,500 locations. Most participating GameStop and EB Games locations will begin their countdown to launch at 10:00 p.m., local time; however, customers are encouraged to contact their local store to confirm the exact time of the event. Fans can also check out GameStop’s inventory of special Super Smash Bros Brawl add-ons including extra controllers, charge kits, and skins. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, March 6 2008 22:43 PM [Top] Mario & Sonic Score 5 Million Sold [ SEGA ] SEGA today announced that its history-making video game title, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, has sold five million copies worldwide in just over three months. Developed by SEGA for the Wii video game system and the Nintendo DS system, with creative input and executive milestone approvals by Nintendo’s developers, the title brought together for the first time the two most beloved icons in the entertainment industry. In the spirit of the Olympic Games, the legendary mascots also brought friends from their storied franchises along, including Luigi, Knuckles, Yoshi and Tails, to compete in a variety of Olympic events. Published by SEGA across Europe and North America, and by Nintendo in Japan, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games made its worldwide debut on November 6, 2007, when the Wii version hit store shelves in the United States. According to the NPD Group, which tracks sales data in the United States, the game was one of the top-ten best-sellers in the United States – across all platforms – in the critical holiday sales month of December. When Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games launched in Europe just days later, it was an immediate hit, rising rapidly to the top of sales charts. Mario & Sonic became the best-ever performing Wii game over the seven-day period that ended on December 11, 2007. In January, Mario & Sonic was the best-selling video game in England across all formats. Eric Jones -- Posted on Thursday, March 6 2008 2:33 AM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Item Encyclopedia [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] Today's Smash Bros. update takes a look at the various items players will run into as they play Brawl. There's 49 available, some returning from Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee, and some being all new. We won't post the list or any images here, because there's a lot and, quite frankly, we're lazy. But, you can click the source link and check it out for yourself. Eric Jones -- Posted on Wednesday, March 5 2008 16:29 PM [Top] SouthPeak Brings Mister Slime to DS [ SouthPeak Games ] SouthPeak Games today announced that it will release the action adventure game, Mister Slime, in North America. The title, developed by Lexis Numérique, features clever "elastic" controls using Nintendo DS's unique features. Mister Slime will be available in April, 2008. As the young but determined hero Mister Slime, players set off on an exhilarating adventure, trying to protect Slime Village from its evil enemies, the Axons. Using the touch screen and stylus, players must navigate the levels by dragging and stretching Mister Slime’s arms to grab hold of small anchor points scattered throughout the game. Mister Slime features inventive uses of characteristics specific to Nintendo DS, including sound and shape recognition. As an example, players are able to blow on Mister Slime to make him fly in the air or to help him breathe under water. Mister Slime will feature both single and multiplayer game modes with a huge variety of level design. All together, Mister Slime will keep gamers busy for hours trying to stretch and manipulate their way through the wonderful world of slime. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 4 2008 22:47 PM [Top] Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Boxart [ LucasArts ] One of the most forcefully-anticipated games for the Wii, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed will put players in control of one of the most powerful beings in the universe, the apprentice of Darth Vader. The game will feature motion-controlled lightsaber gameplay and force powers using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, as well as exclusive levels not available in the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game. In addition, the game will feature an exclusive duel mode pitting players in one-on-one lightsaber matches, making this the ultimate Star Wars experience. Check out the game's official boxart below. Images: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Boxart Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 4 2008 21:53 PM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - DK's Moves & Fifth Hidden Stage [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] Today's double Dojo update deals solely with the one and only Donkey Kong. First up, we get DK's special moves, all returning from Super Smash Bros. Melee. DK is equipped with numerous meteor smash moves, and also uses his great strength in all of his attacks. His standard special, the Giant Punch, is a massive, chargable punch. This move can be used in conjunction with DK's side special, the Headbutt, which slams enemies into the ground, laving them vulnerable for attack. (WARNING: The following reveals one of the game's hidden stages. If you'd rather not be spoiled, please don't read on.) The second part to today's update reveals the latest hidden stage, taken from the original Donkey Kong arcade game. The stage, 75m, is named after the game's final level (well, before it loops over again), where players battle face-to-face with the giant ape himself. On the stage, players will have to deal with items like purses and jacks, as well as a fireball called a "trouble bug", for some odd reason. Of course, you can reach DK, but you may want to avoid that, as he likes to send opponents flying. Check out some screens below. 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 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 9 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 10 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 11 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 12 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 13 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 14 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 15 Super Smash Bros. Brawl Screenshot 16 Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 4 2008 21:44 PM [Top] Mario Kart Wii Online Fact Sheet [ Nintendo of Europe ] With Mario Kart Wii’s launch date of April 11th (in Europe) fast approaching, Wii owners are gearing up for a racing experience unrivalled by any other in the kart racing series. While the game introduces a slew of new features across the board, perhaps most eagerly awaited are its online options, which take the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection action found in Mario Kart DS to a whole new level. In Mario Kart Wii you can go online via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection by yourself or together with a friend playing on the same Wii console, and let the games begin! You can directly jump into online races with random players Worldwide, or opt for Continental if you prefer a challenge closer to home. Then you will be placed in a new group of people looking for a match, or you will join an existing group. When the latter happens you will become a spectator of that group’s race currently in progress, as you wait for your turn to hit the track. With up to 12 players being able to battle or race on the circuits of the Mushroom Kingdom simultaneously, Mario Kart Wii is set to provide the biggest challenge in the series to date! After swapping Friend Codes with other players, you will also be able to see how many of your mates are online, and choose to Create a Room or select Join Friend to gather in a room with your friends before you start your engines. Once inside a room, the globe familiar from the Forecast Channel will highlight the location of all players present. This is where you can text chat with your friends by making a selection from dozens of predefined messages, letting you suggest exactly which kind of race you want to play: from Battle to Grand Prix, and from Team play to your circuit of choice. The Host then decides the race settings, but the track selection is based on the votes of all players combined. Mario Kart Wii also allows you to install the Mario Kart Channel on your Wii console. This Channel lets you check up on a host of options without the need of inserting the Mario Kart Wii disc into your system. The Ranking option lets you see your statistics for each track and compare your results to those of your Friends and other players worldwide, represented by their Miis. You’ll have the option of racing against the Ghosts of the best players, or improving your results gradually by taking on the Ghosts of rivals whose times are only slightly better than yours. Players can choose whether they want to share their Time Trial Ghosts with the rest of the world, allowing you to match your skills against the cream of the crop whenever you want. Another all-new feature of this Channel are the Competitions, where Nintendo will on a regular basis invite players to speedy challenges similar to the Missions of Mario Kart DS. The Channel also allows you to check your ranking in running Competitions as well as Time Trials. You can also go here to register Friends and see if any of them are currently online. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 4 2008 20:37 PM [Top] Umbrella Chronicles Ships 1 Million Units [ Capcom ] Capcom is pleased to announce that Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, which was released in November 2007 for the Wii video game system from Nintendo, has shipped over 1 million units worldwide. This is the second Capcom Wii title to ship over a million units, following Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition, which was released in June of 2007. The Resident Evil series, which has sold over 34.5 million units globally (as of February 29, 2008), is one of Capcom’s most critically acclaimed and beloved franchises. As a testament to Resident Evil’s longevity and success, the series remains as innovative and original today as when the first title shipped in 1996. Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles is a brand new game in the Resident Evil franchise, with familiar locales from the entire series, created specifically for the unique characteristics of the Wii console. This action/shooter hybrid reveals the back story behind the fall of the Umbrella Corporation by exploring locations from Resident Evil 0, 1, 2 and 3 as well as new never-before-seen locations, such as Umbrella’s stronghold. Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles combines first-person, light-gun style combat with interactive pathways, multiple weapons and new enemies to create an entirely new Resident Evil experience that could only be delivered on the Wii. The game includes a two-player co-op mode and support for the Wii Zapper for even more intense light-gun style shooting action. Eric Jones -- Posted on Tuesday, March 4 2008 18:28 PM [Top] Namco Skis on Wii [ Namco Bandai ] Step onto your Wii Balance Board or grab your Wii Remote and Nunchuk and hit the fresh powder as NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., today announced We Ski, an exciting skiing game for Wii. Now up to four skiers can experience the sweetest mountain runs in the comfort of their homes as We Ski’s highly responsive and intuitive controls take them down the slopes like never before. We Ski will slalom into stores in Spring 2008. In We Ski, up to four skiers can test their skills on more than a dozen runs from the bunny slopes to the most challenging Black Diamonds. Not only can players carve through the trails using the motion-based controls but they can also mix in the Wii Balance Board for a whole new level of realism. Players can ski using their own Mii or create a new character with a host of customizable options including changeable face and body types. Boosting the customization feature, additional skis, poles, goggles, and costumes can be unlocked. We Ski features an entire mountain to explore, complete with a ski school, freestyle skiing, moguls and slaloms, photography, and a variety of other events. Players can even try their hand at night skiing while enjoying the spectrum of fireworks that color the sky. With We Ski no more long drives to the snow will be necessary to enjoy a day of shredding the mountains. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, March 3 2008 23:12 PM [Top] VC: Just One New Game This Week [ Nintendo ] Super Turrican: (Super NES, 1 player, Rated E 10 for Everyone 10 and Older – Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): You are Bren McGuire, on a United Planets Freedom Forces mission to save the peaceful planet Katakis from the Machine, source of all that is cruel and evil in the universe. The only weapon on your side is the state-of-the-art Turrican Assault Suit. Equipped with multiple weapons, including the incredible Freeze-Beam that temporarily immobilizes almost any enemy, the Turrican Assault Suit gives one man the power of an entire army. Use the myriad weapons and powers at your disposal to fight through 12 increasingly insane levels, free the innocent residents of the planet Katakis and crush the oppressive Machine. Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Monday, March 3 2008 14:39 PM [Top] Smash Bros. Update - Secrets for Continuing [ Smash Bros. Dojo ] Today's Dojo contains all you need to know for when you are forced to continue in either Classic mode or the Subspace Emissary. When you run out of lives in either mode, you must then use a continue. However, there are a few things you should know when you do so. In Classic mode, your score will be halved, then you will gain a single point (to keep track of continues). You will also lose a certain amount of coins, based upon the difficulty level you are playing on. You'll lose 10 on Easy, 20 on Normal, 30 on Hard, 50 on Very Hard, and 100 on Intense. If you run out of coins, you can't continue, so be careful. In Subspace Emissary, you won't need to worry about coins, but there will be other things you will lose. You'll lose one-half of the stickers and trophies you've collected (not items from orange boxes), the amount of coins you'll get for beating the stage will decrease, and you'll restart from the last checkpoint in the stage. If you choose "Back to Map" the effects will be the same, but the amount of coins will be greatly reduced. You'll be able to reselect your difficulty, however, and higher difficulties mean more coins. Check out some screens below. 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 Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, March 3 2008 13:58 PM [Top]