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[Wii owners can point their Internet browsers to the Wii area of Knibble and play over 5,000 "Wii-friendly" games.]

176

TalkBack / Knibble.com Offers Internet Games for Wii

« on: August 15, 2007, 11:07:56 AM »

Wii owners can point their Internet browsers to the Wii area of Knibble and play over 5,000 "Wii-friendly" games.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14230

 Knibble.com Bites Into The Nintendo Wii Internet Channel    

Over 5,000 Online Casual Games Accessible To Wii Players in Largest Available Buffet of Casual Games Available on Nintendo Wii Console  e  (LOS GATOS, CA) – August 14, 2007 – Knibble.com, the largest aggregator of casual games online today announced its new Nintendo Wii Internet game destination, Knibble Wii, offering over 5,000 Wii-friendly games. This debut marks one of the largest Nintendo Wii compatible content releases ever. Players can now enjoy the Internet's most popular web based games such as Bejeweled and Solitaire directly through their Wii console, optimized specifically for the Wii Internet Channel – with no downloads required! Knibble Wii draws its Wii compatible games from a rapidly growing database of more than 10,000 casual games aggregated on the Internet's most comprehensive casual gaming site, Knibble.com.    

"We are very excited to provide Wii users with an entirely new and comprehensive set of games, all easily reached from their Wii console," said Knibble Wii Founder & CEO Sashi Chimala. "The success of the Wii has completely opened up the casual gaming market. We are very pleased to be a part of it and look forward to the future of online casual games."    

Wii gamers can access the Knibble Wii gaming site by simply selecting the Wii Internet Channel and entering wii.knibble.com. They will be directed to the Wii-optimized Knibble Wii site and can choose from thousands of casual games. With the low availability of Wii-optimized content available on the Wii Internet Channel, Knibble Wii promises to become a leading site for Wii gamers.    

To start gaming, please visit www.wii.knibble.com.    

ABOUT KNIBBLE.COM    

Knibble.com ( www.knibble.com) is a free, easy-to-use directory and search engine for online casual games combined with user generated ratings and a networking community of gamers. Knibble.com currently has over 10,000 Flash-based online games and is incorporating Java, JavaScript and downloadable games to its existing comprehensive suite. Knibble.com also powers Knibble Wii, a Wii-site with over 5,000 casual games accessible through Wii console or PC. Knibble.com is the flagship gaming product of Interactive Media Technology Inc., and the games are available for Web, PC and Mac. Based in Los Gatos, CA, the company was created as a wholly-owned subsidiary of PayPod Inc.

[Metroid is the top of the class of this week's three releases. Or is it?]

177

TalkBack / Virtual Console Mondays: August 13, 2007

« on: August 14, 2007, 07:30:46 AM »

Metroid is the top of the class of this week's three releases.  Or is it?
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/vcArt.cfm?artid=14225

 The "Month of Metroid" kicks off on Virtual Console with the release of the NES original.  A true classic, Metroid.  But how well does it hold up in modern times?  Especially compared to the impending release of Super Metroid next week?  You'll have to read our recommendations below to find out.  Don't forget about the other two games released on the VC service this week, as they're not bad alternative choices.
   

   

Metroid - NES

   

 Cost: 500 Wii Points ($5)
  1 Player
  Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube
  ESRB Rating: Everyone (Mild Fantasy Violence)
  Released: 8/15/1986
  Click here for a video preview  

   

 Metroid is undeniably a huge piece of gaming history. Along with The Legend of Zelda, this space-faring adventure ushered in the non-linear level design. Aside from that, the 2D Metroid series as a whole inspired Koji Igarashi to create Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, which has, in turn, determined the direction of all the Castlevania games we enjoy today on our GBAs and DSes. And without the Metroid, Zelda, and modern Castlevania games, sandbox games would not exist. Clearly, gamers owe a lot to the original Famicom Disk System Metroid (and its NES port). But having said that, is this 20-year-old game worth blowing your precious Wii Points on?  

   

 Sadly, the answer is undeniably "no." Metroid existed in an era when passwords, rote memorization, endless restarts, cheap hits, and grinding for energy were acceptable pieces of the core gameplay. You may think that the Wii’s save system would make up for some of these critical downfalls, but it doesn’t. When you die, and you will (a lot), you will respawn from the first room in the game. If you manage to scribble the password down upon dying, you’ll actually restart from whatever level of the planet you’ve most recently found yourself in. The game’s graphics and sound have not aged well, either.  Save your pennies, folks. Super Metroid is on its way, and that game manages to rectify basically every sin that its predecessor commits. - Zach Miller  

   

   

Shining in the Darkness - Genesis

   

 Cost: 800 Wii Points ($8)
  1 Player
  Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube
  ESRB Rating: Everyone (Mild Fantasy Violence)
  Released: 11/1/1991
  Click here for a video preview  

   

 The early ‘90’s was a golden age of experimentation and evolution for role-playing games that spawned some legendary genre classics. Shining In The Darkness almost seems like an anomaly looking back on it in historical context. There are no grand dramatic pretenses that would later come to personify the entire genre; instead, you have a simple first-person dungeon crawl through a single maze with nine floors (counting some gratuitous basement levels). Gamers used to RPGs done on an epic scale may well feel a little claustrophobic playing through Shining In The Darkness. There’s no overworld map or mysterious new continents to explore here.  If you’re a serious fan of RPGs, however, don’t let the stripped-down presentation fool you. Shining In The Darkness more than makes up for all its narrative shortfalls with an incredibly satisfying and finely-tuned combat system, and a robust bestiary which makes chugging through the murky corridors a genuinely rewarding experience.  

   

 While the dungeons are comprised of a lot of repeating tiles and backgrounds, they are surprisingly detailed and ambient, especially when compared to other 3D console games from that time (take a look at Sword Of Vermillion or Silent Debuggers for instance). The enemy sprites have a tremendous amount of personality, filling out each floor of the dungeon with exaggerated and ornate variations on RPG enemy mainstays like skeleton warriors, slimes, and hellhounds. There are some unpleasantly antiquated gameplay mechanics, like the necessity of blindly level-grinding for long stretches before being able to really make headway into newly accessible parts of the dungeon, but nothing that will be unfamiliar or overly disagreeable to RPG fans. For all it’s paucity of RPG ostentation and operatic melodrama, Shining In The Darkness comes through where it counts: an approachable and entertaining combat system and a detailed variety of bad guys to hack through on your way to the ultimate confrontation with the proverbial darkness. - Michael Thomsen  

   

   

Cratermaze - TurboGrafx-16

   

 Cost: 600 Wii Points ($6)
  1 Player
  Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube
  ESRB Rating: Everyone (Comic Mischief)
  Released: 3/1990
  Click here for a video preview  

   

 Take one part Bomberman and one part Lode Runner.  Mix well.  Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.  What will come out of the oven is Cratermaze, something that can be best described as Lode Runner with a Bomberman maze level layout and top-down camera.  Your character must go around levels collecting treasures chests in order to open the level exit.  He cannot directly attack his enemies, instead needing to dig holes to bury them into the ground to temporarily finish them off.  Items like guns and bombs can also be had to help you clear the maze of the baddies, leaving you to concentrate on navigating the level's transporters, springboards and dead-ends.  

   

 Cratermaze is more Lode Runner than it is Bomberman, and as such is a hard game.  The normal difficulty mode is so easy that casual players would become bored with it, so the only way to play is on the game's difficult setting.  Right from the start you need to be on your toes, else you'll fall into one of your own holes.  It offers a genuine challenge for players that are looking for one, and is fun to play despite its high difficulty.  This may be one of the hardcore sleeper hits on VC. - Steven Rodriguez  

   

   

Props to VG Museum for the screenshots.

[Nintendo's annual Internet get-together of fans has taken on a decidedly different look this year.]

178

TalkBack / New Camp Hyrule Open For Business

« on: August 13, 2007, 12:53:40 PM »

Nintendo's annual Internet get-together of fans has taken on a decidedly different look this year.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14219

 In years' past, Camp Hyrule was an exclusive hangout of a thousand or two of Nintendo's most loyal and dedicated web-heads.  Potential campers needed to register in advance, and if you were lucky enough to register before the masses (or before the registration server crashed from the strain) you got to participate in games, activities with Nintendo of America staff, and even chat with high-ranking Nintendo personalities.  There have even been tidbits of new game information to come out of the events.    

Camp Hyrule has returned this year, but with a different look and format.  Gone is the interactivity of a week-long chat.  In its place is a simple website that shows a map of the camp.  Anyone is free to participate in a series of flash-based games, post (NOA-reviewed) camp memories to a message board, and download wallpapers.  Visitors can also enter to win a life-sized Link statue.    

As it stands, it doesn't appear that anything else will come out of this new Camp Hyrule, but the week is young.  Should any interesting things pop up at camp, we'll let you know about it right here at Nintendo World Report.

[Games based off the Scrabble, Yahtzee, Nerf, Tonka brands and more will soon be coming to every imaginable platform.]

179

TalkBack / EA Gets Rights to Hasbro Properties

« on: August 10, 2007, 05:18:47 AM »

Games based off the Scrabble, Yahtzee, Nerf, Tonka brands and more will soon be coming to every imaginable platform.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14208

 EA and Hasbro Partner to Bring Casual Games to Global Audience    

New Relationship Unites Two Powerhouse Entertainment Companies and Classic Brands to Create New Interactive Experiences    

CHERTSEY, UK - August 10th, 2007 - Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) and Hasbro Inc. (NYSE: HAS) today announced a strategic licensing agreement that will bring together two of the most powerful entertainment companies in an alliance which promises to transform the interactive family entertainment landscape. The strategic relationship grants EA the exclusive worldwide rights to create digital games based upon a huge array of Hasbro's intellectual properties, including Monopoly, Scrabble, Yahtzee, Nerf, Tonka and Littlest Pet Shop, to name a few. Inspired by these classic board games and toys, EA will develop interactive experiences for a mass audience to play across key platforms including mobile, online, handheld, PC and consoles. The first games are scheduled to launch in calendar year 2008.    

"The gaming market has never been more primed for a revolution in how families enjoy games," said Kathy Vrabeck, President, EA Casual Entertainment Label. "Hasbro is the ideal partner to help propel this change. Their games define fun. These are games that we all love and remember from our childhoods. The combination of EA's market leadership in the interactive space and Hasbro's timeless franchises is a perfect partnership for today's market. Together EA and Hasbro can create the next generation of fun for a new wave of kids and families."    

"Our toy and game brands have been family-favorites for decades, and aligning ourselves with EA will result in broadening the reach of our brands through the 're-imagining' of these beloved entertainment icons in all key digital categories," said Brian Goldner, Hasbro's Chief Operating Officer. "Through the years, EA has proven themselves time and again as an incredibly creative company that delivers amazing content across multiple brands. We are thrilled to work with EA in bringing our brands to the next level in the digital world."  EA veteran Chip Lange will lead the overall Hasbro business initiative as VP and General Manager. Hasbro Senior Vice President Mark Blecher will head up Hasbro's digital gaming initiatives.    

As part of the agreement, Hasbro will obtain certain rights to bring select EA franchises to toys and traditional games extending EA's brand footprint, and bringing Hasbro's expertise to EA's interactive properties. The relationship also allows EA and Hasbro the opportunity to unlock exciting new creative opportunities and game concepts for some of Hasbro's classic franchises.    

The initial term of the strategic relationship runs through December 31, 2013, and may be extended for an additional four years subject to certain conditions, including achievement of specified performance metrics. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. In addition, EA does not expect the agreement to impact its second quarter and full year fiscal 2008 financial guidance as provided on August 1, 2007.    

The EA Casual Entertainment Label is focused on creating and delivering compelling casual entertainment experiences for a mass audience. Designed with simple rules and an engaging game design, these games are easy for a new player to learn but difficult to master. EA's casual games portfolio include such titles as Boogie™ for the Wii™, Tetris® for mobile phones and the online gaming destination Pogo.com™.

[It's another clean sweep of awesomeness with this week's batch of games.]

180

TalkBack / Virtual Console Mondays: August 6, 2007

« on: August 07, 2007, 01:09:43 PM »

It's another clean sweep of awesomeness with this week's batch of games.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/vcArt.cfm?artid=14190

 Quick!  Look at that!  It's another Nintendo 64 game on Virtual Console!  These beasts are still pretty rare, but it seems that when one of them appears in the wild it's something worth taking a good look at.  This week's N64 classic is no exception.  The other two games in the pack shouldn't be ignored, however.  Check out our recommendations of the three releases for this week, and please, keep your windows rolled up and your doors locked.  We wouldn't want any accidents!    

   

Adventures of Lolo - NES

   

 Released 4/20/1989
  1 Player
  Cost: 500 Wii Points ($5)
  Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube
  Click here for a video preview  

   

 Adventures of Lolo is the first in a series of simple puzzle/adventure game from a time when HAL Laboratory was its own third party publisher. As Lolo, you must brave the Great Devil's castle to save your love, Lala. Lolo must evade the room's baddies and collect (walk over) all of the cleverly placed heart blocks within a stage to unlock the stage's treasure chest; grabbing the chest's jewel will simultaneously destroy all baddies and open the path to the next stage.  

   

 The castle's stages are presented in a top-down, tile-based view and are generally a few screen-widths tall and wide. Lolo is not a strong hero and will immediately die if he takes damage. The player must therefore solve each stage by evading the enemy and using the room's layout to Lolo's advantage. Most importantly, Lolo can push tile-wide boxes to trap enemies or block their projectile attacks. Heart blocks, before collected, can also provide cover. On some stages collecting hearts will give Lolo special moves vital to solving the puzzle, such as a limited number of egg shots (projectile attacks), which can temporarily disable (and even allow Lolo to move) some enemies. Other special moves include a bridge Lolo can deploy to cross one block of water and a hammer that can destroy a single boulder. If the player finds himself trapped within a level, he can commit suicide and retry the level by pressing Select.  

   

 Lolo's simple design is very approachable, yet it manages to provide some very clever scenarios. While Lolo does not have much replay value, its gameplay remains fresh and its main melody is as haunting as ever. - Michael Cole  

   

   

Galaga '90 - TurboGrafx-16

   

 Released 12/1989
  1 Player
  Cost: 600 Wii Points ($6)
  Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube
  Click here for a video preview  

   

 Few people will challenge that Galaga is one of the all-time greats in the classic shoot-'em-up category.  Galaga '90 (which is the same game as Galaga '88, as it is known in Japan and in Namco Museum 50th Anniversary) retains the Galaga formula and adds better graphics, branching level paths, the ability to start a game with the twin-firing dual ship, and even a way to get a tri-firing triple-wide ship.  There are also new types of enemies that require multiple hits to take down or can combine to make a larger baddie that is harder to hit.  

   

 Though Galaga '90 is bare-bones compared to a lot of the other shooters available on Virtual Console, the game plays like the original Galaga.  That means the emphasis is on skill and accuracy instead of powering up and avoiding like other shooters.  As such, doing well in any Galaga game is extremely satisfying.  This newer version Galaga doesn't stray far from the original formula, and that's a good thing.  Why mess with greatness? - Steven Rodriguez  

   

   

Wave Race 64 - Nintendo 64

   

 Released 11/1996
  1-2 Players
  Cost: 1000 Wii Points ($10)
  Controllers: Wii Classic, GameCube
  Click here for a video preview  

   

 Wave Race 64 is the progenitor of the GameCube launch title, Wave Race Blue Storm.  It can also be considered a launch title itself, being one of the only three first party N64 titles available during the console's first four months on the market. It also happened to be one of the first games to display just what kinds of visual effects the hardware of Nintendo's third home console was truly capable of, exhibiting some truly amazing water effects that many games to this day still struggle to emulate. It was also one of the first games to emulate the physics of moving water, as well as emulate the effects that weather would have on water, and subsequently the race as well. The contributions that this game has made to racing games and games in general cannot be overlooked. Many of the technical achievements displayed in this first generation software of the 5th generation of game consoles are still in use today, including the precision control that the title introduced to the racing genre. It was one of the first games to truly take advantage of the 360 degree range of control that the analog stick made possible.  

   

 Overall, this game is a true classic in every sense of the venerable word. The options and content available may be limited, but that does not prevent this game from being a must have. There are many competitor wave rider racing games out there, most notably the Jet Moto series on the PlayStation family of consoles, but these are just poor imitators compared to Wave Race 64. If you are an old fan of the game and have $10, pick it up. If you are some one who has never played this game, but are curious about it and have $10, pick it up. If you are any of the above and don't have $10, trade in a game or two and get a points card, then get this game. This is a piece of gaming history, for that reason alone I must recommend this game to everyone. - Bradley Mosbacher  

   

   

Thanks to VG Museum for some of this week's classic screenshots.

[It looks like the Revolution will finally come to America on September 25. And it's only $20!]

181

TalkBack / Mercury Meltdown Wii Gets Release Date, Budget Price

« on: August 07, 2007, 07:44:37 AM »

It looks like the Revolution will finally come to America on September 25.  And it's only $20!
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14188

 MERCURY MELTDOWN REVOLUTION ANNOUNCES $19.99 PRICE POINT; GAME IS SCHEDULED FOR WII LAUNCH SEPTEMBER 25TH    

LOS ANGELES – August 7, 2007 – The Mercury is rising and headed to Wii™ this fall! Ignition Entertainment Ltd., a worldwide publisher and developer of video games, today announced that Mercury Meltdown Revolution for the Wii home video game system will be arriving on store shelves September 25th at an amazing value of only $19.99. Mercury Meltdown Revolution is the fourth edition to the Mercury series, offering new capabilities via the Wii Remote’s tilt sensing controller to achieve a high degree of blob agility.    

“With over 2 years of franchise development, we’ve really taken the time and perfected the blob physics, enhanced the graphics and created an extremely compelling experience that’s a perfect fit on the Wii," said Ken Gratz, Director of Product Development. “We’ve finally found a video game system that would allow us to fully realize our vision and passion for the Mercury games."    

“The Wii Remote is a perfect complement to Mercury’s gameplay. Tilting the Wii Remote to guide your mercury blob through the challenging mazes is extremely satisfying," continues Vicki White, Sales Director. “On top of the 150-plus levels, we’ve added loads of mini-games that create a great deal of fun for the whole family! Mercury Meltdown Revolution is an essential title for gamers to have in their library at an outstanding value."    

Mercury Meltdown Revolution is an action packed game that immerses players in a colorful world of imaginative machines, kooky characters and bubbling test tubes. Tilt and flow the mercury blob around a tremendous amount of treacherous obstacles while avoiding some pesky adversaries that live within this puzzling adventure.    

Ignition Entertainment has offices in the USA, UK and Japan. The company has a rich history and has sourced, developed and successfully released innovative titles, as well as building alliances to publish titles in a number of territories.    

For more information on Mercury Meltdown Revolution please visit www.ignitionusa.com

[A bunch of small changes add up to a nice update. Also, the Wii Shop Channel gets a face lift. Update: Looks like USB keyboard support is in, too, but unlicensed discs are out.]

182

TalkBack / Wii Fimrware Upgraded to Version 3.0

« on: August 06, 2007, 08:24:38 PM »

A bunch of small changes add up to a nice update.  Also, the Wii Shop Channel gets a face lift.  Update: Looks like USB keyboard support is in, too, but unlicensed discs are out.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14184

 UPDATE: Reports from around the Internet have revealed that this new firmware update also supports USB keyboards for text input in the Wii Message Board area.  We have confirmed this to be true.  However, keyboards will not work within the Wii channels (like the Internet Channel), meaning that they would need to be individually updated for keyboard text input to be recognized.  Hopefully, the Wii firmware update is the first step in seeing that happen.    

In addition, the update has disabled all of Datel's unlicensed discs, including Freeloader, Action Replay, and MaxDrive.  This means that upgraded consoles no longer have a means of playing GameCube discs from other regions through a software solution.  The update warns users that consoles with hardware modifications might not work after the update; however, it turns out that consoles with hardware modifications currently still function after the update.    

There were also several more minor updates:    

- The fan may turn on in standby mode to alleviate the overheating problem that has affected some Wii systems.
  - The disc slot glows organically (rather than just turning on) when discs are inserted and removed as well as when starting the Forecast and News Channels.
  - Message notifications, including an audible tone, now occur while the Wii is on the channels screen.
  - The + and - keys can be used to scroll through the options pages.
  - Channel switching times have decreased.    

   

Original story:    

Wii owners will find upon entering the Wii Shop Channel that a new Wii system update is available.  The firmware update, which brings the console up to version 3.0, brings a lot of minor additions to the Wii Menu and its various channels.  Thanks to EphemeralDream of NeoGAF, we can highlight the changes in an easy-to-swallow format:    

- A digital clock has been added to the bottom of the Wii Menu, letting you know the current time (as you have set it in the Wii options menu).
 - The Forecast Channel window on the Wii Menu will show the "current" weather condition.  (According to my Wii, it's 11:12 PM and sunny outside.  Still not really current!)
 - The News Channel window on the Wii Menu will scroll current news headlines.  When selecting the channel, more news headlines will scroll across the screen.  The Wii notes that you should frequently use the News Channel to keep the headlines coming, indicating that they are not automatically updated.
 - The "Today's Accomplishments" messages that appear on the Wii Message Board are now white in color, to help differentiate it from other messages.
 - The sound produced by scrolling up and down a message has been changed to a clicking sound.
 - The Message Board calendar will ignore days that only have a "Today's Accomplishments" message and nothing else.
 - Names in the Address Book can be moved to a blank line by holding the A and B Buttons together, as with moving other objects in and around the Wii's menus and channels.    

In addition to the Wii Menu changes, the Wii Shop Channel has returned with more useful sorting and searching options.  The new welcome screen shows four recommended titles and their Wii Points price, and has a link at the top to show more recommended games, if you still aren't sure what to get.  (Alternatively, you could check with us every week for our Virtual Console recommendations.)  The biggest change is the ability to sort games by genre, system, publisher, or custom text search.  With all the games that will eventually be on the service, it's a welcome change for those who wouldn't know where to begin with the downloading.    

Remember, you'll need to manually update your Wii to get the new-look Wii Menu and gain access to the new Wii Shop Channel.  If the update option in the Wii Settings isn't working, try testing your Internet connection.  The system will then automatically perform the update after that.

[International basketball teams will be playable in the Wii version, but the new World Championship Mode won't.]

183

TalkBack / FIBA Teams in NBA Live 08

« on: August 03, 2007, 07:06:09 PM »

International basketball teams will be playable in the Wii version, but the new World Championship Mode won't.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14166

 EA and FIBA Sign Licensing Agreement to Feature FIBA World Championship in EA SPORTS NBA LIVE Franchise    

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS), the world’s leading interactive entertainment software company, and FIBA, the world governing body for basketball, today announced a multi-year licensing agreement that will bring the FIBA World Championship to a videogame for the first time ever. Fans of the NBA LIVE franchise will soon be able to expand their virtual basketball experience to include teams from all over the world. NBA LIVE 08, shipping this October, will feature eight international teams, including 2006 World Championship winners Spain, runners up Greece and USA, as well as France, Germany, Italy, Argentina and China.    

All eight international teams are available in Play Now mode, as well as the all new FIBA World Championship Mode that allows players to compete in an eight team single elimination tournament. Choose from the authentic rosters, teams, and uniforms of each international team, and prove to the world that they have what it takes to win the title.    

“We’re very excited to count FIBA as a close partner," said Jordan Edelstein, Director of Product Marketing, EA SPORTS. “Adding the FIBA World Championship license to the NBA LIVE franchise, allows us at EA SPORTS to add a new layer of authenticity to the franchise, giving fans all over the world a deeper virtual basketball experience."    

“We are very pleased to partner with the world’s #1 videogame company to enable basketball fans worldwide to play the FIBA World Championship," said FIBA Commercial Director Matthew Osmon.    

The EA SPORTS™ NBA LIVE 07 was the #1 selling basketball game in 2006. NBA LIVE 08 is in development at EA Canada in Vancouver, BC, and will ship to stores worldwide this fall. The game will be available in early October for the PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), Xbox 360™ video game system from Microsoft and the Wii™. NBA LIVE 08 will ship to retailers on PC in late October. NBA LIVE 08 has been rated 3+ by PEGI and “E" (Everyone) by the ESRB; visit www.esrb.org or www.pegionline.eu for updated rating information. For more information, log onto www.nbalive.com. Media can find screenshots of the game at http://info.ea.com.    

To clarify, the Wii version of NBA Live 08 will not include the World Championship Mode.  You will, however, be able to choose the international teams via the standard Play Now option.

[The fourth version of the strap includes a locking clip that holds the loop around your wrist.]

184

TalkBack / New Wii Wrist Straps Circulating

« on: August 03, 2007, 07:39:07 AM »

The fourth version of the strap includes a locking clip that holds the loop around your wrist.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14160

 

Nintendo World Report forums reader UncleBob has given us word that Nintendo is circulating a new type of Wii wrist strap, as seen in this photo:

   

   

As you can see, this new strap includes a little locking clip, replacing the sliding clip of the previous models, which had a tendency to slide away from the player's wrist and loosen the strap.  This new model would be the fourth incarnation of the strap; the first was the original model which tended to break, the second would be the replacement straps with the thicker connector to the remote, and the third was the replacement of the replacement that lacked the Nintendo and Wii branding.

   

Nintendo World Report has contacted Nintendo to see if these straps are freely obtainable, but we have not yet heard back.  We'll update this story once we have any official comment.

[Aonuma lets it slip that his team has been asked to create character designs for Sakurai.]

185

TalkBack / Ganondorf, Sheik in Smash Bros. Brawl

« on: August 02, 2007, 06:15:13 PM »

Aonuma lets it slip that his team has been asked to create character designs for Sakurai.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14154

 It turns out the Smash Bros. Dojo isn't the only place where we can find out new details on everyone's most anticipated game.  Game Informer Online's (and Nintendo World Report's founder) Billy Berghammer has learned from Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma that Sheik and Ganondorf will be playable characters in the upcoming Wii all-star fighter, Super Smash Bros. Brawl.    

When asked about whether or not Aonuma was consulted on the use of Zelda universe characters in Brawl, he told GI flat-out about the two callbacks from Melee.  "Actually, my designers did work on the designs for Sheik and Link and Ganondorf," Aonuma told Berghammer.  "So they submitted the initial designs, and so it would fit in the Smash Bros. Brawl environment, they’ve had to tweak some of the designs. But [Masahiro] Sakurai has brought those altered designs to NCL.  We’re working very closely with the team of Smash Bros. Brawl to make sure the characters look their best."    

This answers the questions of whether or not the two characters would be in the game.  There's still the matter of whether or not Zelda and Sheik will still be the same character,  however.  Will they or won't they?

[Karmarama will be the new force behind Nintendo's creativity in advertising.]

186

TalkBack / Nintendo Getting New Ad Agency

« on: August 02, 2007, 03:54:16 PM »

Karmarama will be the new force behind Nintendo's creativity in advertising.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14153

 Advertising agency Karmarama will soon be in charge of Nintendo's $26.5 million advertising account.  Marketing Week magazine got the scoop, stating that the firm has apparently won the account over three other ad agencies.  Some of Karmarama's previous and current clients include Amstel Beer, Goodyear Tires, the History Channel and CNN.    

The appointment of Karmarama comes after Nintendo's previous agency, Leo Burnett, declined to renew its deal with Nintendo.  Leo Burnett had been with Nintendo since 2000, and helped oversee the GameCube, Nintendo DS and Wii launches.

[The United States government is going after those evil pirates, and Nintendo is with them every step of the way.]

187

TalkBack / Nintendo Backs Copyright Crackdowns

« on: August 02, 2007, 03:27:38 PM »

The United States government is going after those evil pirates, and Nintendo is with them every step of the way.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14152

 NINTENDO NEWS: NINTENDO SUPPORTS U.S. RAIDS ON COPYRIGHT CIRCUMVENTION DEVICES    

Today U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents executed 32 federal search warrants in 16 states as part of an investigation into the alleged sale and distribution of illegal modification chips for various video game consoles, including Nintendo's Wii™ home video game system. The mod chips designed for the Wii console circumvent the security embedded in the hardware and allow users to play counterfeit Wii software.    

This Immigrations and Customs Enforcement investigation represents the largest national enforcement action of its kind targeting video game piracy. Nintendo has worked closely with this branch of the Department of Homeland Security, and fully supports its actions and other investigations currently underway.    

"Nintendo and its developers and publishers lost an estimated $762 million in sales in 2006 due to piracy of its products," said Jodi Daugherty, Nintendo of America's senior director of anti-piracy. "Nintendo's anti-piracy team works closely with law enforcement officials worldwide to seize mod chips and counterfeit software. Since April, Nintendo has seized more than 91,000 counterfeit Wii discs globally."

[Want to see a fourth Phoenix Wright game? Make sure the third one sells well.]

188

TalkBack / Future of Ace Attorney Series Depends on Sales

« on: August 02, 2007, 03:25:50 PM »

Want to see a fourth Phoenix Wright game?  Make sure the third one sells well.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14151

 In an interview with GayGamer.net, Phoenix Wright series producer Minae Matsukawa said that if people want to see the laywering series back in America for installment number four, they'd better make sure game number three is a good seller.    

Here's the critical exchange of the interview:    

GayGamer: I’m sure it’s premature , but do we have any timeframe for a Western release of number four?    

Minae Matsukawa: We haven’t decided yet, and we’ll probably be able to announce that after number three is out the door. So after October.    

GG: But it will be coming, eventually?    

Matsukawa: Yes, we would like to very much, and we’re working to make sure that happens. But it’s kind of pointless if number three doesn’t do very well, so we want to make sure people know about that, buy it, and tell their friends!    

The third game in the series, Trials and Tribulations, comes out early next month.  If you want to see the series back again, do your part!

[Word is that Nintendo's SVP of Marketing and Corporate Communcations is calling it a career.]

189

TalkBack / Report: George Harrison Retiring

« on: August 02, 2007, 03:17:54 PM »

Word is that Nintendo's SVP of Marketing and Corporate Communcations is calling it a career.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14150

 GameDaily.biz is reporting that it has heard from an industry source at a major publisher that George Harrison, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications, has made it known via a voicemail message that he soon be announcing his "early retirement."  Harrison has been with Nintendo since 1992.    

It was not clear whether or not Harrison would be simply retiring from Nintendo or retiring for good, but it is known he will at least help Nintendo transition its sales and marketing teams to their new locations in the San Francisco and New York areas.    

Nintendo of America has not yet officially confirmed the departure of Harrison, or any of the NOA executive team, which which will likely be because of the move of sales and marketing out of the Seattle areas.

[Either Nintendo has increased supply or demand has dropped, but either way Wiis are getting easier to come by in the motherland.]

190

TalkBack / Japanese Wii Supply Improving

« on: August 02, 2007, 03:03:01 PM »

Either Nintendo has increased supply or demand has dropped, but either way Wiis are getting easier to come by in the motherland.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14149

 Since its release on Decemeber 2 of last year, Wiis have been perpetually sold out in Japan (and in every other region, for that matter).  However, Akiba Blog, a major Japanese gaming blog, has observed that Wii consoles are starting to become more available than they have in previous months.  Stores in Tokyo have been observed to have quite a bit more units in stock than they normally due.  Is this a sign that Wii demand is waning a bit?    

Possibly, but it could also have something to do with Nintendo increasing its Wii forecast by 2.5 million units.  It had previously said it would only ship 14 million systems by the end of March; now it will try and hit 16.5 million.  Maybe Japan is the first country to see the additional output?

[Perrin Kaplan hasn't left Nintendo yet, but a recent job posting makes it seem like the end is nigh for her.]

191

TalkBack / NOA Seeks New VP of Corporate Affairs

« on: August 02, 2007, 02:51:04 PM »

Perrin Kaplan hasn't left Nintendo yet, but a recent job posting makes it seem like the end is nigh for her.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14148

 Nintendo has posted a job opening on employment website Taleo.net for the position of Vice President of Corparate Affairs.  This position is currently occupied by Perrin Kaplan, who has been with Nintendo since 1992.  The posting comes amid word of several of Nintendo of America's executive officers leaving the company due to the impending move of Nintendo's sales and marketing divisions being relocated to the San Francisco and New York areas.    

Perrin Kaplan is still with Nintendo of America, and will likely be until this September, when the move will be complete.  It's standard practice to find a replacement for someone before that someone leaves.  If the rumors are true and more VPs are leaving Nintendo, wouldn't it make sense to start looking for their replacements as well?

[Double the pleasure, double the fun, double the recommendations!]

192

TalkBack / Virtual Console Mondays: July 23 and July 30, 2007

« on: August 01, 2007, 02:40:14 PM »

Double the pleasure, double the fun, double the recommendations!
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/vcArt.cfm?artid=14138

 And we're back!  We didn't want to leave everyone out in the cold last week, but alas, it was beyond our control.  Fear not, because this week we've got twice the amount of games to recommend.  It's like getting two for the price of one!    

We should be back on our normal VC schedule next week and beyond.  So then, here are our recommendations for this week's games and last week's games.
   

   

Dynamite Headdy - Genesis

   

 Released 8/4/1994
  1 Player
  Cost: 800 Wii Points ($8)
  Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube  

   

 Imagine if Rayman had arms and legs, and you'll have a good idea what the main character of Dynamite Headdy looks like.  His floating head is his main tool, used to attack enemies, latch on to objects and do various other tasks.  The rest of the game is a colorful action platformer that offers a unique spin on the genre, and likes to poke fun at itself at every turn.  Interested parties may also want to know that the game was developed by Treasure, and it's one of the better ones.  

   

 The game is not without its faults, however.  Playing Dynamite Headdy requires some concentration, not because of the challenge the game brings to the table, but because of how the bright colors mix with each other.  This makes it difficult to keep track of where you are on the screen.  Inexperienced gamers will no doubt get confused by this.  Everyone else will love playing through it, though. - Steven Rodriguez  

   

   

Star Soldier - NES

   

 Released 1/1989
  1 Player
  Cost: 500 Wii Points ($500)
  Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube  

   

 Star Soldier, yet another vertical shooter on the Virtual Console, takes you through sixteen highly difficult stages swarming with enemies, cannons, and other objects blocking your way. Power-ups improve your weapons, shields, or movement speed, while an interesting Trap Zone mechanic makes it possible for your ship to safely "duck" under any incoming fire for a limited amount of time.  

   

 While the controls are great and the aforementioned Trap Zone feature is pretty fun, the game ultimately fails to set itself apart from the dozens of shooters already available on the Virtual Console. Two of those games, Super Star Soldier and Soldier Blade, are actually sequels to this game, and both of them have better graphics and sounds and less repetitive level design. That is why the release of Star Soldier is an odd choice at this time in the Virtual Console's lifespan. - Lasse Pallesen  

   

   

Drop Off - TurboGrafx-16

   

 Released 10/1990
  1 Player
  Cost: 600 Wii Points ($6)
  Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube  

   

 Drop Off is an Arkanoid clone, and a pretty lame one at that.  Instead of a fixed arrangement of blocks to bounce your ball into, a pile of objects arranged in typical Bust-A-Move patterns will slowly come down toward your position at the bottom.  And instead of controlling a long paddle, you move an orb-shaped object with which you can control the ball bounce angle.  The goal is to try to break off large chunks of a column at once, which is worth big points.  Early levels will have a safety barrier at the bottom which makes it impossible to lose a ball, but pretty soon you'll be on your own to bounce the ball off your tiny orb.  

   

 Drop Off is such a terrible game because you only have a small area with which to hit the ball back into the playfield.  Though you can control the angle with which it bounces off (tall or shallow), the hard part is landing it on your orb in the first place.  Once the patterns start thickening up, there's a chance that the ball and your orb will become partitioned from each other, leaving you to die.  Not a very appealing concept. - Steven Rodriguez    

   

   

Kirby's Dream Course - SNES

   

 Released 2/1/1995
  1-2 Players
  Cost: 800 Wii Points ($8)
  Controllers: Wii Classic, GameCube  

   

 Kirby has starred in a lot of odd spin-offs, but Dream Course might be the oddest of them all. Take one part Kirby and one part golf, blend it up, and the result is Kirby's Dream Course. For no particular reason, Kirby has become a golf ball, and it's your job to sink him in as few shots as possible. Of course, if it were that simple it would just be a golf game. Before sinking Kirby, you'll have to take out all the enemies (save one) in the level by running through them. Only then will the final enemy magically transform into the hole you seek. As the game progresses, Kirby will be confronted with different enemies and obstacles. Eliminating certain enemies will grant Kirby powers, which can be activated to power-up Kirby in various ways, adding another layer of complexity to the game.  

   

 It's certainly a very interesting game. The blending of all these different elements into a golf game changes things a lot. It could almost be referred to a platforming-golf game. Kirby's Dream Course is both fun and a little bit zany. It offers a respectable level of challenge, and getting the top score on each of the 8 courses (comprised of 8 holes each), will take a lot of time, skill, and patience.  You'll want to toss your controller the first 50 or so times you manage to land Kirby right on the lip of the cup rather than in it, but keep at it and eventually you'll master the links of Dreamland. - Mike Sklens  

   

   

Devil's Crush - TurboGrafx-16

   

 Released 8/1990
  1-2 Players
  Cost: 600 Wii Points ($6)
  Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube  

   

 Devil's Crush is a pinball video game, and the immediate successor to Alien Crush.  That said, Devil's Crush is better than Alien Crush, with smoother action and better animation.  Though there's only one three-tiered board to play on, there's a lot of stuff to do on it like kill little enemy gremlins that parade around, knock up some skulls, make a giant head transform from a pretty face into an ugly snake and a variety of secret bonus boards to rack up extra points.  The two available speed settings will separate the men from the boys.  

   

 The only downsides are the single board to play on and the sometimes out-of-control ball physics.  Despite that, if you choose to download Devil's Crush you'll find it addictive for the same reason you'd find any pinball game addictive: You know you can get a better score.  And unlike a real pinball machine, the digital version is teeming with life for you to crush.  It's the best pinball game available on the Virtual Console so far, and is something anyone will like to play. - Steven Rodriguez    

   

   

Shining Force - Genesis

   

 Released 11/1993
  1 Players
  Cost: 800 Wii Points ($8)
  Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube  

   

 Here's what can be considered the first true RPG on Virtual Console.  Shining Force is a strategy RPG in which you control a party of warriors around levels on a grid-based playfield.  Battlefield encounters will cut to a detailed view of the action.  The gameplay and presentation is not unlike Fire Emblem, so if you've played any of those games in the series, Shining Force will be much the same, what with its multiple playable characters (at least two dozen) and well thought-out story.  

   

 Naturally, the gameplay is the key element in a strategy game, and that's where Shining Force shines the brightest.  The levels and battles are well-designed.  Most importantly, you need to really plan and execute well to win, since most of the time you'll be outnumbered.  Seeing a game like this one on VC is great for the service, since it's one that proves that great gameplay stands the test of time. - Steven Rodriguez  

   

   

Many thanks to VG Museum for the classic screenshots!

[The popular casual game is getting a handheld makeover in the form of Boulder Dash ROCKS!]

193

TalkBack / Boulder Dash Coming to DS

« on: August 01, 2007, 06:22:26 AM »

The popular casual game is getting a handheld makeover in the form of Boulder Dash ROCKS!
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14135

 First Rockford™ sighting in his natural environment!    

The first “Boulder Dash®-ROCKS!™" screenshots show the level design in the classic Nintendo DS™ and PSP™ game mode.    

Darmstadt, July 30th 2007 - 10TACLE STUDIOS and 10TACLE STUDIOS MOBILE, along with co-publisher First Star Software, Inc. are releasing the first screenshots of Boulder Dash®-ROCKS!™ for the Nintendo DS™ and Sony PSP™ consoles today. The sequel to the cult classic is getting a complete graphic makeover – just like the game's hero Rockford™, but at the same time is relying on the tried and tested game principle in the classic game mode. The level design emerged in cooperation with the British development studio Tuna Technologies. The long-awaited – and longed-for-return of the popular franchise is scheduled for release on Nintendo DS™ in November 2007 and PSP™ in the first quarter of 2008.    

Tuna Technologies, who have been developing entertainment software for over 11 years, have worked with many well known brands across a range of platforms. They are especially delighted to be working on Boulder Dash®, which has such a great profile in computer and video game history.    

"To have the opportunity to work with one of the games responsible for so many of us entering the game industry is a great honour," said Alex Amsel, Managing Director of Tuna Technologies. "We are really excited to be partnering with 10TACLE STUDIOS and First Star Software, and to co-develop what we feel will be a great addition to the Boulder Dash® series".    

This challenging, arcade-puzzle game made its debut in the early 80s and continues to fascinate its enormous fan base decades later. Today the game is acknowledged as one of the classic cult games in computer gaming history. Now Boulder Dash® will appear with a hot new look sure to take the Nintendo DS™ and the Sony PSP™ platforms by storm. The hit game’s main objective and game physics remains unchanged: the player has to collect a certain number of diamonds while avoiding falling objects, traps and besting enemies in order to open and discover the exit, before time runs out. Of course there are a number of helpful tools made available to players such as bombs or laser guns which can be loaded with different types of ammunition.  These lasers provide the player with different temporary powers, such as the ability to freeze enemies, destroy boulders and even pull diamonds and other distant objects towards the player.    

In addition to the classic single-player mode, presented in several different worlds, Boulder Dash®-ROCKS!™ offers a multi-player mode as well as three additional game modes for a total of five play modes for each version. There are two new game modes, never before available in the Boulder Dash® series, one of which has been custom designed for each of the two different platforms.

[Though no specific platforms were mentioned for Indy's block-busting adventure, a Wii version is highly likely.]

194

TalkBack / LEGO Indiana Jones Announced

« on: July 31, 2007, 06:36:01 PM »

Though no specific platforms were mentioned for Indy's block-busting adventure, a Wii version is highly likely.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14132

 If Family Adventure Has a Name, It Must Be LEGO® Indiana Jones: The Videogame    

LucasArts and TT Games Don Their Fedoras for the Next Great LEGO Gaming Experience    

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- July 27, 2007 -- LucasArts and TT Games today announced that LEGO® Indiana Jones®: The Videogame [working title] will whip onto game consoles everywhere in summer 2008. Developed by the same team at Traveller's Tales that created the LEGO Star Wars™ series, LEGO Indiana Jones presents a tongue-in-cheek take on the first three cinematic adventures of pop culture's most iconic archaeologist, including Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.    

"LucasArts and TT Games are setting the bar for next-generation family entertainment with the LEGO Star Wars franchise, and our incredible relationship continues with LEGO Indiana Jones," said Jim Ward, president of LucasArts. "In addition to providing the quality bonding time inspired by any good family game, LEGO Indiana Jones delivers something a little different for everyone. Parents will enjoy the humorous take on some of their favorite movies, and their kids get some rousing action/adventure gameplay that may also introduce them to Indy's original adventures for the first time."    

"It has been a real joy to work with LucasArts on the LEGO Star Wars games. Indiana Jones is the perfect character for the next LEGO-based videogame adventure," said Tom Stone, director at TT Games. "Indy also presents us with wonderful and memorable cinematic moments. The boulder scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark in LEGO is hilarious!"    

Lucasfilm Ltd. recently announced that the LEGO Group will begin releasing LEGO Indiana Jones playsets in January 2008. Meanwhile, LucasArts remains hard at work on its revolutionary, internally developed Indiana Jones videogame, which takes place a year after The Last Crusade in an original story overseen by George Lucas.

[After hitting Sony with a red turtle shell last month, Mario can start dropping banana peels for NTT and Honda.]

195

TalkBack / Nintendo Fifth Largest Company in Japan

« on: July 26, 2007, 02:38:12 PM »

After hitting Sony with a red turtle shell last month, Mario can start dropping banana peels for NTT and Honda.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14102

 After Nintendo released its Q2 financial statement, its stock price went up 3.5%.  After it became known that Nintendo Co., Ltd. has become the fifth largest corporation in Japan, it went up another 8.8%.  It could have climbed higher than that, if not for reaching the daily increase limit the Osaka Stock Exchange imposes.    

The total market value of Nintendo now stands at 8.76 trillion Yen ($72.7 billion).  This is more valuable than some of Japan's other big-name companies, namely Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT, the Japanese equivalent of AT&T) and Honda Motor Co, which was actually a more valuable company up until yesterday.    

Nintendo leaving companies in its market value wake isn't entirely new.  Last month, it surpassed Sony in terms of total market value, despite Sony being involved with the entire spectrum of electronic devices, including video games.

[Profits up 400% from Q2 2006; Wii shipment target upped to 16.5 million by the end of next March.]

196

TalkBack / Nintendo Q2 2007 Earnings Report

« on: July 26, 2007, 02:18:29 PM »

Profits up 400% from Q2 2006; Wii shipment target upped to 16.5 million by the end of next March.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14101

 This week Nintendo released its second quarter fiscal highlights, and it comes as no surprise that it's making serious money off of the continued success of the Wii and DS.  For the three month period that ended on June 30, the company's net sales total was 340.4 billion Yen ($2.87 billion).  That led to a net profit in the quarter of 80.3 billion yen ($680 million), which is an increase of a staggering 416% over the same period last year.    

The Nintendo DS sold through another 6.98 million units in the three month reporting period, bringing its life-to-date figure up to 47.27 million units worldwide.  Pokémon Diamond and Pearl were the big software titles of the quarter, selling through a 3.55 million units during the period and 8.76 million units in total.  As for the Wii, Nintendo moved out 3.43 million more consoles during the three month period, which inches the system toward the 10 million unit mark: There are now 9.27 million Wiis in the world.  Super Paper Mario, Mario Party 8 and Wii Play were cited by Nintendo as big reasons for strong hardware and software sales.    

The biggest piece of news to come out of the financial report is that Nintendo has increased its shipment forecast of the Wii to 16.5 million systems by the end of March 2008.  Previously, Nintendo said that it could produce 14 million units.  This will hopefully make it a little easier to find a console this holiday period, when demand for game products are traditionally at their highest.    

With an increase in console shipments also comes an increase in expected revenue.  Nintendo is now forecasting a year-end net sales figure of 1.4 trillion Yen ($11.7 billion), up from 1.1 trillion Yen ($9.5 billion) from the previous quarter's estimate.  Profits are now estimated to hit 245 billion Yen ($2.1 billion) instead of the previous guess of 175 billion Yen ($1.5 billion), an increase of 40%.

[A touch-screen version of the classic tangram block game is coming later this year.]

197

TalkBack / Neves Coming to DS

« on: July 25, 2007, 04:42:24 PM »

A touch-screen version of the classic tangram block game is coming later this year.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14098

 Yuke's Announces NEVES For The Nintendo DS    

Unique Puzzle Game Coming To The Nintendo DS™    

CHICAGO, IL - July 25, 2007 - Yuke's Company of America, subsidiary of Japanese game publisher Yuke's Company Limited, today announced NEVES for the Nintendo DS™, a unique puzzle game that challenges players to think critically as they align pieces and build figures that correspond to a silhouette. Each puzzle features seven wooden blocks, requiring the player to combine them to form specific figures ranging from simple items like a sword or key to more complicated ones such as birds or airplanes.    

Targeted towards a more mature audience, NEVES still appeals to anyone who enjoys challenging puzzles. And because of the unique stylus controls of the Nintendo DS, controlling the puzzle pieces in NEVES is a cinch; tilting, flipping, and moving the blocks is as simple as dragging and tapping. But be careful, just because controlling the pieces is easy doesn't mean the puzzles have to be. With over 500 different puzzles to choose from and four different modes including puzzle mode, count mode, time mode, and versus mode, players will have countless hours of fun solving puzzles of varying difficulty.    

"We're greatly excited to bring NEVES to the Nintendo DS," said Shane Takahashi, CEO of Yuke's Company of America. "The game's modern aesthetic and design should appeal to more discerning gamers while its portability and approachable gameplay should interest almost anyone."    

"NEVES offers simple yet stimulating entertainment, providing a challenging experience for players of all ages," said Jim Ireton, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Atlus USA. "We are happy to work with Yuke's Company of America in bringing a classic puzzle game like NEVES to the Nintendo DS."

[Guitar Hero, Shrek and Spider-Man helped lift the original third party publisher to the number one position in market share.]

198

TalkBack / Activision Claims Top Third Party Spot

« on: July 25, 2007, 04:32:35 PM »

Guitar Hero, Shrek and Spider-Man helped lift the original third party publisher to the number one position in market share.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=14096

 Activision Ranks #1 Third-Party U.S. Console and Handheld Publisher January – June 2007, According to NPD    

Company Increases U.S. Market Share to Record High of 13.7% for First Six Months of 2007    

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATVI) was the #1 third-party U.S. console and handheld publisher for the first six months of calendar 2007, according to The NPD Group. The company increased its market share over the six month period to a record 13.7%, a 5.1% increase over the same period last year.    

Additionally, for the first quarter of fiscal year 2008, ended June 30, 2007, Activision was the #1 U.S. publisher on both the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system and the PlayStation® 2 computer entertainment system, according to The NPD Group. The company also ranked as the #1 third-party publisher on the PLAYSTATION® 3 computer entertainment system and the Nintendo platforms in the U.S.    

“Our record performance was fueled by strong sales of our proven franchises Guitar Hero II™, Spider-Man 3™ and Shrek The Third™, as well as our new intellectual property TRANSFORMERS: The Game," stated Robert Kotick, Chairman and CEO, Activision, Inc. “Our balanced portfolio has enabled us to continue our leadership position across the console and handheld platforms."    

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Founded in 1979, Activision posted net revenues of $1.5 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007.    

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Scandinavia, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, Japan and South Korea. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's World Wide Web site, which is located at www.activision.com.

[It's not what you would expect.]

199

TalkBack / PREVIEWS: WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008

« on: July 24, 2007, 02:59:32 PM »

It's not what you would expect.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/previewArt.cfm?artid=14085

 Handheld wrestling games have never been quite as good as their console counterparts.  That changed with the PSP versions of Smackdown vs. Raw, but then again, waiting through ridiculous load times was a pretty steep price to pay for a portable grappler.  THQ is looking to fill in the gap with a DS version of its biggest franchise, but it's doing so in a much different way than any of the other versions.  Instead of making a regular wrestling game where players can move around and attack each other freely, the DS version of SvR instead plays out more like a big, sweaty version of paper-rock-scissors that uses the touch screen to affect the outcome.    

Players will not be able to directly control the wrestler they select.  At the start of a match, three icons appear on the touch screen that indicate different actions your character can perform.  Tapping one of them will bring up a meter based on the action you want to do.  For instance, if you want to punch someone in the head, an arrow meter appears on the screen that must be filled up by a precise stylus slide.  Grappling someone and picking them up for an aerial slam is made possible by filling a meter with short and quick rotations of a wheel that pops up.  Depending on what you chose to do and how well you did the touch screen action, you may attack your opponent or he may attack you.  After that happens, a new set of icons appear based on the position that both players have gotten themselves into.    

It's hard to say how well this would work in practice because we weren't given hands-on time with the DS version at E3.  We do know that the game will be in full 3D, with polygonal characters.  Head-to-head multiplayer fights are also going to be in the final game, though it's not completely clear how the fighting system will work when two players are going at it simultaneously.  We'll need to wait until the game ships along side the other five versions this November to see how it plays.

[Check out what to expect from Mario's next 2D platforming adventure, provided you are skilled enough to draw him into the game.]

200

TalkBack / PREVIEWS: Drawn to Life

« on: July 24, 2007, 02:55:22 PM »

Check out what to expect from Mario's next 2D platforming adventure, provided you are skilled enough to draw him into the game.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/previewArt.cfm?artid=14084

 Drawn to Life is another 2D adventure game for the Nintendo DS.  The big difference between it and other games in the over-crowded genre is the ability to literally create your own hero and the objects he interacts with, using a basic drawing and painting interface not unlike that found in Animal Crossing's pattern maker.    

While the game will take you through a pre-determined design of levels, what they are filled with is ultimately up to you.  The first thing you'll need to do is create your character either from scratch or by selecting one of the game's pre-made templates.  The templates can be mixed and matched, so if you want the head of a monkey, the arms of an octopus and the legs of a ballerina, you can do that if your artistic skills are up to snuff.  The editor can zoom in to enable pixel-perfect painting, meaning it could be possible to eyeball already-existing 2D sprites and draw them into the game.  You say you want Drawn to Life to be a new Mario game?  If you can fit Mario's round figure into the editor's tall, boxy borders, go for it.  There's no limit to who you could cast for the game's starring role, provided you can create the pixelated version of someone.  Your character is automatically animated as it roams through a level, though the animation is basic and the same no matter what it is you drew.    

The game will also stop you at times and ask you to doodle a random object.  In the demo of the game we saw at E3, a prompt appeared to draw a storm cloud.  After that was finished, the person demonstrating the game came across a set of moving platforms to jump across.  Each of them were the storm cloud object prompted for earlier.  THQ said there will be a lot of things the game asks you to draw, but you won't know exactly what the object in question will be used for until you encounter it.  This may create a mad-libs kind of situation where you draw something totally inappropriate or out of place given the prompt, only to see that your creation has become a weapon for your character, a  boss character, or an important item you need to collect.  If that's the case, you have the ability to change the look of any object at any time, including the look of your character, by going back to the editor function in the pause menu.  Players can share creations with each other via multi-card multiplayer modes.    

Drawn to Life will be out for the DS later this year.