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[Observe brief snippets of Paper Mario and Mario Kart for the 3DS, and listen to music from Pilotwings Resort.]

1

TalkBack / 3DS Mario Games in Motion

« on: June 23, 2010, 04:45:34 PM »

Observe brief snippets of Paper Mario and Mario Kart for the 3DS, and  listen to music from Pilotwings Resort.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=23500

 At E3, the 3DS versions of Mario Kart and and Paper Mario were demostrated in non-playable form with short videos. Each demo displayed GameCube-quality footage with some very impressive 3D effects, such as boulders rolling towards the drivers in Mario Kart and fishbones popping out of the screen in Paper Mario. Here is a tiny  sampling of gameplay footage from both Mario titles.    

   

The quality of music and sound effects in 3DS games have also been noticeably improved. Mario Kart 3DS featured a rock remix of the title theme to Mario Kart 64; likewise, Pilotwings Resort had some wonderfully relaxing music with sound effects straight out of Wii Sports. Here are a few 3DS audio tracks for your listening pleasure.    

           

Mario Kart 3DS

Pilotwings Resort

Paper Mario 3DS

2

TalkBack / The Rickshaw Ride

« on: June 22, 2010, 10:05:28 AM »

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blogArt.cfm?artid=23482

  Last Monday, we may have never made it to EA's E3 press conference in time if it weren't for the free Kane & Lynch 2 sponsored rickshaw rides. Here is the video of that experience.    

   

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TalkBack / Gaijin Games Interview with Alex Neuse

« on: June 21, 2010, 06:45:37 PM »

During our  interview, Alex Neuse describes Bit. Trip 5 as the Empire Strikes Back of the  Bit. Trip Series along with discussing lots of other topics. 
   
To date, four diverse WiiWare games have been released in the Bit. Trip series created by Gaijin Games. The series’ retro aesthetic and sometimes nail biting difficulty have garnered many fans. Directly outside the entrance to the E3 show floor,  NWR met with Alex Neuse, the CEO of Gaijin Games to   discuss 3DS, the Bit. Trip series, and lots more.

Click here for the video.

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TalkBack / NBA Jam Interview with Rob Hilson

« on: June 21, 2010, 10:22:12 AM »

We talk with the art director about about online play, motion controls, and  remaking a classic.
 
The original NBA Jam was an arcade phenomenon that is fondly remembered to this day. EA Sports is now attempting to recreate the   magic of  the classic franchise. During E3, we had to chance to speak with Rob Hilson,  the art director of the upcoming basketball title that is exclusive to Wii.

Click here for the video. 

[Can your eyes decipher what’s in 3D and what isn’t?]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Tech Demo: 3D Challenge

« on: June 18, 2010, 06:56:09 PM »

Can your eyes decipher what’s in 3D and what isn’t?
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=23443

 The demo began with a very simple test displaying two strawberries. The game asked you to choose which of the lovely red fruits was being displayed in 3D. After selecting the left strawberry, which obviously was the correct choice, the camera pulled away and started rotating around the strawberries revealing that the one on the right was just a cardboard cutout. The cardboard cutout then fell to the ground allowing the real strawberry to show its superiority.    

After the first challenge, the demo displayed a set of four more difficult challenges to choose from. The first one of these I tried out featured a mine cart and three sets of paths it could travel on. The paths popped out of the screen and were weaving in and out of one another. Only one of the paths led to a diamond and the game challenged you to choose the correct path. After choosing the correct one, the mine cart slid down the rail path and the camera rotated around the action.    

The demo would only allow you to complete one of the more difficult challenges before ending, but I was able to try out the others. Fans of boxes of chocolates will be delighted to learn that the next demo featured one. There were six chocolates that you could observe in an open box and you needed to select the ones that were 3D. After choosing the correct ones the box was flipped onto its side and three delicious looking chocolates (I imagined they were filled with cherries) rolled out of the box and it became obvious that the other chocolates were simply painted on. I really enjoyed the reveal and thought it was a silly but effective display of 3D.    

Another of the challenges featured two couples dancing. Similar to the other challenges, you needed to determine which dancers were in 3D. The two couples had a very cartoon-like  look and they slightly looked like they were made of porcelain. In this one, the dancer farthest to the right was not in 3D.    

The last challenge I faced was about golf. There was an overhead view of three golf holes and you needed to determine yet again which was 3D. The one farthest left clearly had depth and made this another easy challenge. After getting the correct answer, a 3D putter and golf ball dropped down into frame on the right. The putter lightly tapped the ball and it rolled over the fake golf holes and landed in the real hole.    

3D challenge didn't seem like it would make a very fun game because almost all the puzzles were ridiculously easy. The only challenging one was the one with the mine cart. However, it could be a nice addition to a future title in the Brain Training series.

[This demo should have been called cat hopping on a hot tin roof.]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Tech Demo: 3D Jumping

« on: June 17, 2010, 12:40:22 PM »

This demo should have been called cat hopping on a hot tin roof.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=23423

 The main purpose of this tech demo was to demonstrate the same gameplay on the top and bottom 3DS screens in both 3D and 2D. In the demo you played as a cat and hopped up a series of floating platforms. The cat was moved around with the analog stick and was constantly hopping on a pogo stick.    

There were only about three levels in the demo and each of them could be completed in under 30 seconds. I didn’t think the 3D effect was super pronounced, but it did help a lot with judging the jumps from platform to platform when compared with the 2D version.    

The graphics were far from anything special. It was basically a set of about ten semi-transparent platforms that were a few different colors. Some platforms hung in the air above others so the cat could hit his head.

[Fun for the whole family!]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Wii Party

« on: June 15, 2010, 06:52:20 PM »

Fun for the whole family!
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=23337

 The game mode of Wii Party that I tried out featured co-op and competive play. Basically the set-up had me and my competitor each playing mini-games that lasted 30 seconds to a minute. The interface was very similar to Wii Sports and Miis are of course featured in every mini-game.    

The first game I played was a fishing game. Both players hold the Wii Remote horizontally and must lift up the controller when it begins to shake. I thought I was raising the controller pretty quicky, but I did not catch any fish.    

   

The next game I tried had both of us placing Miis onto a large sailing ship. The goal was to keep the ship afloat by carefully placing Miis to mantain balance. There were three rows you could place Miis, each with their own color. Yellow Miis would go on the yellow row and so forth. You would pick up a Mii by highlighting the Wii Remote cursor over them and pressing the A button. You could drag them to any place on the row of their color. After every one or two mini-games you would return to to the boat so you could add another character.    

Probably the best mini-game that I saw was Blastronatus. Both players were flying in outer space attached by a string. Each player has a jet pack and they must rocket up to the top of the screen while avoiding asteroids. Each player holds the Wii Remote NES style and can change the direction they rocket off in by tilting it left and right. In this game you really needed to cooperate with your partner to reach the goal.    

   

Another cool game was Bumper crops. Three different kinds of fruit were falling from the sky and you needed to bounce the fruit into their appropriate baskets. Each Wii Remote controlled a small tilting platform that was next to the baskets. It was fun bouncing the fruit, and was really cool to bounce the fruit into a basket that was far away.    

The mini-games I played seemed pretty solid, and it seems like fans of Mario Party and Wii Sports should really get a kick out it. Compared to Mario Party 8 the game was definitely using the Wii Remote to much better effect. The game will have over 70 mini-games when it is released.

[While the game won't have the original level design, the multiplayer definately feels like the classic.]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: GoldenEye 007

« on: June 15, 2010, 05:00:43 PM »

While the game won't have the original level design, the multiplayer definately feels like the classic.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=23319

 Just to be clear, the new Goldeneye 007 is a brand new game. It is heavily inspired and has a ridiculous number of homages to the original, but the content is new. I spent countless nights playing multiplayer with my friends on the N64 Goldeneye, and the new title's multiplayer has a very similar feel.    

     

The level on display was called Archives, and I participated in a couple of matches of 4 player split-screen deathmatch. Weapons availble included the trusty AK-47, the P99 pistol, and grenades. The demo was using the Classic Controller Pro and gameplay felt very solid using it. Using a familar FPS layout, The ZR button was the gun trigger, and aiming was controlled with the right analog stick.    

The game honestly controlled, looked, and felt a lot like Rare's title. When a player dies, blood drips down the screen, and when a match is over the game gives each player accolades like Most Deadly. The Archives map looked a lot like the 64 map of the same name with a different layout. There were a few hallways and staircases to run around, and a good amount of boxes and things to duck behind. The playable characters included Jaws, Oddjob, and Trevelyan.    

Unlike the original, Oddjob can throw his hat using the R button. Graphically, the game is a bit weak. It actually looks a little too much like the original. While the game didn't really seem to be doing anything new for an FPS, it certainly feels like Goldeneye.

[Get ready for Paper Mario, PilotWings Resort, Star Fox 64 3D, Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D, and lots more.]

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TalkBack / List of Upcoming 3DS Software

« on: June 15, 2010, 03:38:07 PM »

Get ready for Paper Mario, PilotWings Resort, Star Fox 64 3D, Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D, and lots more.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=23293

 Nintendo has a pretty impressive list of games in development that were not shown at the press conference.    

Nintendo is working on Animal Crossing, Kid Icarus™: Uprising, Mario Kart, nintendogs™ + cats, Paper Mario, PilotWings Resort, Star Fox 64™ 3D, and Steel Diver for the Nintendo 3DS.    

In addition, there are also a ton of third-party games in development for the 3DS. Here are the known games and their publishers:    

Activision Publishing, Inc.  DJ Hero® 3D    

AQ INTERACTIVE  cubic ninja    

ATLUS  Etrian Odyssey  Shin Megami Tensei  Shin Megami Tensei: Persona  Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor    

Capcom  RESIDENT EVIL® REVELATIONS  SUPER STREET FIGHTER IV 3D Edition (name not final)    

Electronic Arts  FIFA Soccer  Madden NFL  The Sims™ 3    

Gameloft  Asphalt GT    

Harmonix  Music game    

HUDSON SOFT  Bomberman franchise  DECA SPORTS franchise  KORORINPA franchise    

KONAMI  Baseball franchise  Contra franchise  Frogger franchise  HIDEO KOJIMA’S METAL GEAR SOLID SNAKE EATER 3D  “The Naked Sample”  PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER franchise /  WINNING ELEVEN franchise    

LEVEL-5  Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle (name not final)    

Majesco Entertainment  BloodRayne: The Shroud  A Boy and His Blob  Face Racers: Photo Finish  Lion’s Pride: Adventures on the Serengeti  Martha Stewart  WonderWorld Amusement Park    

Marvelous Entertainment  BOKUJYOUMONOGATARI 3D (name not final)    

NAMCO BANDAI Games  Dragon Ball® franchise (name not final)  Gundam® franchise (name not final)  PAC-MAN™ & GALAGA™ (name not final)  RIDGE RACER® (name not final)  Super Robot franchise (name not final)    

Nintendo  Animal Crossing™  Kid Icarus™: Uprising  Mario Kart™  nintendogs™ + cats  Paper Mario™  PilotWings Resort™  Star Fox 64™ 3D  Steel Diver™    

ROCKET  Crash-City GP  VS-robo    

SEGA  Sonic (name not final)  Super Monkey Ball (name not final)    

SQUARE ENIX  CODENAME: Chocobo Racing® 3D  DRAGON QUEST® franchise  FINAL FANTASY® franchise  KINGDOM HEARTS franchise    

Take-Two Interactive  Carnival Games® franchise  TECMO KOEI GAMES  DEAD OR ALIVE® 3D (name not final)  DYNASTY WARRIORS® (name not final)  NINJA GAIDEN® (name not final)  SAMURAI WARRIORS® 3D (name not final)    

TOMY  LOVELY LISA 3D  NARUTO SHIPPUDEN ACTION    

THQ  de Blob 2  Kung Fu Panda Kaboom of Doom  Marvel Super Hero Squad Infinity Gauntlet  The Penguins of Madagascar  Puss N Boots  Saints Row: Drive-By    

Ubisoft  Assassin’s Creed™ Lost Legacy  Battle of Giants™: Dinosaur Strike  Driver® Renegade  Hollywood 61 (name not final)  Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon™  Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory    

Warner Bros  Batman franchise  LEGO franchise

[This puzzle-adventure game draws inspiration from the original Legend of Zelda and Wii Play.]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Frobot

« on: June 13, 2010, 07:10:00 AM »

This puzzle-adventure game draws inspiration from the original Legend of Zelda and Wii Play.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=23234

 There has been a dearth of games starring characters sporting afros.  One of the few titles to have such a protagonist, Afro Samurai, did not have a Wii release. The fine folks at Fugazo will finally satiate the demand for big hair on Wii with their upcoming WiiWare game, Frobot.    

The story takes place in the year 1 AH (after humans) with the world on the verge of destruction by the evil Microshaft corporation. In the game, the titular character must rescue his five robot girlfriends who have been kidnapped by Microshaft. After rescuing each girlfriend, Frobot gains a special ability (like a speed dash) which will help him on his quest.    

Andrew Lum, the CEO of Fugazo, cites the dungeons from the very first Legend of Zelda as a great source of inspiration. As in the NES Zelda, players view the action from a top-down view. Frobot has a very cartoon-like visual style that, while pleasing enough to the eye, doesn't seem to be pushing too many polygons. The controls, on the other hand, are extremely reminiscent of the "Tanks" portion of Wii Play. The Nunchuk's analog stick is used for movement, while Frobot's assortment of weaponry can be aimed by pointing the Wii Remote at the desired target.    

The single-player game will contain twenty-five levels spread across five different environments. Each stage is basically a mini-dungeon with the ultimate goal of activating a transporter that will send Frobot to the next area. Many elements of the stages will seem instantly familiar to Zelda fans. To move from room to room, it was necessary to destroy evil robots, find keys, and activate switches. Walls that can be blown up with Frobot's mines will have visible cracks in them. In addition, one of Frobot's defensive abilities is just like Link's Mirror Shield, allowing him to bounce away energy attacks.      Other weapons that Frobot will have at his disposable include lasers, and a disco ball that must be carefully guided by the Wii Remote's cursor. Guiding the disco ball through a maze in one puzzle felt very intuitive. Another puzzle, that demonstrated the game's physics, had me using a catapult to launch a box onto a moving platform that was on the other side of a chasm. Once the box was on the platform, I had to wait for the exact moment when swinging a nearby crane would knock the cube onto a switch. This puzzle was inventive, but also a bit frustrating because it was difficult to judge the exact timing.    

One aspect of the game that I found a bit strange was the absence of a map. Lum explained that the numbers of rooms in a single stage will not be too large, making it easy for players to remember most of a stage's layout.    

The game will also include a multiplayer mode where players can deathmatch with one another using the game's wacky and sometimes not-so-wacky weapons.  There will be ten multiplayer stages in all, with five unlocked by expertly playing the single-player mode. While I didn't play a lot of the multiplayer, one criticism I have is that the stages seemed cramped with few hiding spots.    

Many of the puzzles I saw had unique solutions and will certainly cause a few brains to be stumped. Frobot has the potential to be a funky good time when it is released later this summer.    

  Check out a Frobot music video below.    

   

[Great Britain will be getting a price drop for the Nintendo DSi at almost the same exact time as Japan.]

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TalkBack / UK to Also Receive DSi Price Cut

« on: June 02, 2010, 10:13:53 PM »

Great Britain will be getting a price drop for the Nintendo DSi at almost the same exact time as Japan.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=23182

 Citizens of the United Kingdom will soon see a price drop for the Nintendo DSi.    

Nintendo's official comment states, "In the UK Nintendo will be reducing the trade price of Nintendo DSi to retailers from June 18, 2010. The ultimate price to consumers is, of course, determined by the retailers." It is not yet known how much Nintendo is cutting the system's price for retailers.    

The DSi's current recommended retail price is £149.99, but the system can already be found for about 30 pounds cheaper online.    

Thanks to stepthreeprophet for the tip.

[Nintendo unveils a release date for their upcoming party title. Rumors swirl about a Wii Party bundle and Metroid: Other M Japanese release date.]

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TalkBack / Wii Party Release Date Revealed

« on: June 02, 2010, 11:40:00 AM »

Nintendo unveils a release date for their upcoming party title.  Rumors swirl about a Wii Party bundle and Metroid: Other M Japanese release date.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=23181

 While Nintendo only recently revealed the existence of Wii Party, a release date is coming much sooner than many may have expected.  According to an updated release calendar on Nintendo’s Japanese website, Wii Party will be released on July 8 in the Land of the Rising Sun.      

Details about the price and possible bundle packages for the upcoming party game may have also emerged from leaked retailer briefings reports Andriasang. The information, which is unconfirmed, states that a standalone copy of Wii Party will retail for ¥4,800, while a  version packed with either a pink or white Wii Remote will retail for ¥6,800.    

The same reports also state that Metroid: Other M will be debuting in Japan on September 2.

[Nintendo will be lowering the price of the DS in Japan, as well as releasing the DSi in three new aesthetically pleasing colors.]

13

TalkBack / Price Drop for DS Coming Soon to Japan

« on: June 02, 2010, 08:32:17 AM »

Nintendo will be lowering the price of the DS in Japan, as well as releasing the DSi in three new aesthetically pleasing colors.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=23180

 In the near future, all three currently available DS hardware varieties in Japan will see a price change. Beginning on June 19, the DSi will see its retail price drop from ¥18,900 ($207) to ¥15,000 ($164). The DSi LL (DSi XL in North America) will go from ¥20,000 ($219) to ¥18,000 ($197). For the DS Lite, which is currently retailing at ¥16,800 ($184), Nintendo will allow retailers to choose their own price. Nintendo instituted a similar open pricing scheme for the GameCube in late 2005.      

In addition to the price drops, Nintendo will also begin shipping the DSi LL in three new colors (shades of green, yellow, and blue).      

   

   

   

Thanks to  BlackNMild2k1 for the tip, James Jones and Matthew Walkers for translation help, and Karlie Yeung for the picture.

[The makers of Just Dance have a new music game in development, featuring songs from hit Broadway shows like Chicago and Fame.]

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TalkBack / Ubisoft Announces Dance on Broadway

« on: June 01, 2010, 10:01:30 PM »

The makers of Just Dance have a new music game in development, featuring songs from hit Broadway shows like Chicago and Fame.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=23177

 Ubisoft announced today that they will be releasing Dance on Broadway for the Wii later this month. Players will be able to shake their groove things to songs from popular Broadway shows like Chicago, Fame, Hair, The Sound of Music, and Little Shop of Horrors.    

The gameplay will likely be similar to last year's Just Dance, with up to four players shaking Wii Remotes while following on-screen dance choreography. The confirmed track list includes Broadway hits such as Be A Lady, Time Warp, Dreamgirls, We're in the Money, and You Can't Stop the Beat.    

Dance on Broadway hits store shelves on June 15 for the suggested retail price of $39.99.    

Check out the trailer below.    

       

UBISOFT BRINGS THE MAGIC OF BROADWAY TO YOUR LIVING-ROOM    

Now, Everyone Can Dance On Broadway    

SAN FRANCISCO - June 1, 2010 - Today Ubisoft announced Dance On Broadway, a brand new take on the music trend to launch on Nintendo Wii. For the first time in a video game, Dance On Broadway brings all the richness and fun of the most beloved musicals direct to fans' living rooms and will be available in North America on June 15, 2010 at the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $39.99.    

"Remember my name _ Fame! I’m gonna live forever" (Fame)! Musical fans, along with their friends and families will discover an innovative dance title that gives them the thrill of performing original choreography to the songs they know and love from a variety of musicals across the past 30 years including Fame, Hairspray, Hair and more.    

A fun experience for everyone    

Dance On Broadway allows up to four players at a time to immerse themselves into a stage performance while sharing these magic moments with friends and family: together, they will become stars. Fun for players of all ages, Dance On Broadway requires only one Wii Remote per player as they dance and sing following on-screen choreographed movements and lyrics putting themselves in the spotlight. So, who will be the most talented star to "Let the sunshine in " (Hair) on stage?    

The magic of Broadway in a unique track list    

Especially designed for musical fans, Dance On Broadway’s track list includes titles from some of the longest-running Broadway shows.  "Cause you can't stop the beat" (Hairspray), the game offers players a wide range of songs to enjoy, including:    

All That Jazz
Be A Lady
 Aquarius
My Favorite Things
 Bend and Snap
One Night Only
Dreamgirls
Time Warp
 Fame
We’re in the Money
Let The Sunshine In
You Can’t Stop the Beat
 Little Shop of Horrors Theme
And more!    

[EA Sports is developing an ice hockey title for Wii that will ship with a hockey stick peripheral and feature one of the greatest hockey players of all time.]

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TalkBack / EA's NHL Slapshot Arrives on Wii in September

« on: May 30, 2010, 07:55:51 PM »

EA Sports is developing an ice hockey title for Wii that will ship with a hockey stick peripheral and feature one of the greatest hockey players of all time.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=23162

 Unlike last year, The NHL 2K series will no longer be the only choice in town for Wii hockey fans. The QMI Agency is reporting that EA Sports will soon announce their first ice hockey title for Wii called NHL Slapshot.    

Each copy of NHL Slapshot will ship with a 21-inch hockey stick peripheral. Built with slots for the Wii Remote and nunchuk, NHL Slapshot producer Joe Nickolls says that the peripheral will offer greater accuracy than the Wii Remote alone as well as make Wii MotionPlus support redundant. "Just the motions of the wrist shot and the slapshot and checking somebody, to be able to actually do those in your living room, it's hockey in your living room as opposed to just playing with a controller," explained Nickolls. Other control schemes include using the Wii Remote and nunchuk without the peripheral, or only the Wii Remote.    

Hockey great Wayne Gretzky will be appearing both on the game's cover and in the game itself. In the Peewees to Pros mode, players will be able to use a 12-year-old avatar of their own creation or a child version of a hockey star (like Gretzky or Sidney Crosby) and have them progress from the youth ice hockey leagues all way up to the NHL.    

Developed by EA Canada, NHL Slapshot is set for release on September 7.

[Mario voice actor, Charles Martinet, headlined Nintendo World Store’s Super Mario Galaxy 2 release event. Woo Hoo!]

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TalkBack / Nintendo World Store Launches Mario With Style

« on: May 24, 2010, 01:56:58 AM »

Mario voice actor, Charles Martinet, headlined Nintendo World Store’s Super Mario Galaxy 2 release event. Woo Hoo!
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=23125

 Earlier today, the Nintendo World Store held a special Super Mario  Galaxy 2 launch event.  Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario and  Waluigi, was on hand signing autographs. People also had the  opportunity to take pictures with Mario and Luigi.    

The event was extremely busy with hundreds of people waiting in line  to meet Charles Martinet. While it eventually was necessary to cut-off  the line, Mr. Martinet did stay well after his scheduled departure  time of 2pm.    

A Super Mario Galaxy 2 decoration hangs above children waiting to take photos with the Mario Bros.    

   

The event seemed to be a big success with both kids and adults  celebrating the release of the new Mario adventure.    

Check out a short video of the event below.    

   

[A magic marker has never been such a deadly tool.]

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TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Max and the Magic Marker

« on: March 06, 2010, 01:15:57 AM »

A magic marker has never been such a deadly tool.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=22700

 Beginning as a prototype developed in flash, Max and the Magic Marker has evolved into an exciting new puzzle platformer that will be available for download from WiiWare on Monday March 8.      

Max and the Magic Marker is the very first console release for Press Play, a small development team based in Copenhagen. In the game, players control the young red-headed boy Max who stumbles upon a marker with special powers. Not realizing its magical abilities, Max paints a monster that comes to life and starts wreaking havoc in his drawings. The only way for Max to stop the despicable creature is to draw himself into his doodles.      

The game at its core is the familiar platform-style adventure that has been seen countless times before. Max can perform traditional actions like running, jumping, and climbing using the nunchuk. Yet the game takes advantage of the Wii Remote to add an innovative twist to the platform genre. By holding down A, players can use the magic marker to draw anywhere on the screen. Players can draw bridges, shields, ladders, hooks, see-saws, and more to help them traverse the game's locales. However, all drawings are affected by gravity and physics so a platform created in mid-air will immediately fall to floor after being drawn.      

Executive producer and Press Play co-founder Ole Teglbjærg explained that, "all the worlds were inspired by children's drawings." The first world, for example is populated with numerous drawings of houses and trees, something that young children are prone to draw. The development team likely included canons and skulls in the pirate world after observing their inclusion in drawings made by a group of 2nd graders that visited the game studio. In total, there are three worlds, consisting of five levels each. As player's progress through the game, the levels grow in difficulty and length culminating in the brutally tough robot world.    

The game has some very colorful and pleasant looking 2d graphics that are reminiscent of A Boy and His Blob. I especially liked some of the quirky details in the background such as a drunk pirate octopus (Note: the characters inclusion with a empty bottle almost caused the ESRB to give the game a more mature rating). Interestingly, the graphics for the entire game world transform into child-like doodles when the game is paused.    

"It's all about creativity and coming up with good ideas," stressed Teglbjærg. "We encourage players to play around and experiment as much as possible." Players have unlimited lives and numerous re-spawn points to encourage thinking outside of the box. The developers found that players were coming up with some crazy solutions that they had never thought of to get past their puzzles.      

The magic marker really makes the game a unique experience. Players can pause the game at anytime to erase drawings that aren't working and quickly make a new one. For example, if you are falling to your death, you can pause time, create a line beneath you, and try to quickly jump off it once time resumes to give yourself a chance at survival. The game also has some creative ways to kill enemies. Players can lure one of the purple jelly bean creatures called Gobos onto a newly scribbled platform and then immediately erase it to cause its death or simply drop an anvil on its head.   While it is a lot of fun messing around with the pointer, the game would lose a lot of appeal if the basic platforming controls didn't work. I was pleased to find that Max controls wonderfully and it is very easy to make precise jumps.      

During my hands-on with the title, I found myself frequently distracted searching for the game's hidden black orbs. Even once you've found one you will need to be very creative to reach it. In one puzzle, I had to use my marker to slowly lower a black orb through a maze like structure. Trying to reach these hidden secrets was difficult, and definitely a nod to the hardcore gamer. Once players have collected a certain number of secrets they can unlock special modes such as double espresso where the games speed is increased.        

With an extremely creative use of the Wii Remote, Max and the Magic Marker will certainly be a positive new addition to WiiWare. Players of all ages should be able to find enjoyment in this innovative and intense new platformer. To get a taste of the game before its North American release, try out the demo over at Press Play’s official website.        

   

[Check out trailers and gameplay footage for Sin and Punishment: Star Successor, Art Style: Rotozoa, X-Scape, WarioWare D.I.Y., and more.]

18

TalkBack / Video Round-Up: Media Summit Edition

« on: February 24, 2010, 06:13:59 PM »

Check out trailers and gameplay footage for Sin and Punishment: Star Successor, Art Style: Rotozoa, X-Scape, WarioWare D.I.Y., and more.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=22638

 Nintendo revealed a number of trailers at this morning's media summit.    

Watch trailers for Tetris Party Deluxe, Sin and Punishment: Star Successor, Art Style: Rotozoa, X-Scape, WarioWare D.I.Y., Art Style: light trax, Metal Torrent, Photo Dojo, America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking, Disney Guilty Party, and more below.    

Warning: the trailer for Art Style: light trax may be too psychedelic.    

     

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

 

[Mario, Yoshi, and paragoombas appear in this new trailer for the beautiful 3D platformer.]

19

TalkBack / Super Mario Galaxy 2 Trailer

« on: February 24, 2010, 05:51:51 PM »

Mario, Yoshi, and paragoombas appear in this new trailer for the beautiful 3D platformer.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=22637

 Nintendo unveiled a new trailer for Super Mario Galaxy 2 at the Nintendo Media Summit. In the trailer, Mario deals with a number of familiar foes like paragoombas and boos. Yoshi is also shown swinging around the levels using his tongue.    

Update: Now with higher quality footage and a gameplay video that features a remix of a Mario World tune.    

   

[The release dates for a slew of upcoming games were announced at the Nintendo Media Summit.]

20

TalkBack / Nintendo Reveals Upcoming Release Schedule

« on: February 24, 2010, 02:52:12 PM »

The release dates for a slew of upcoming games were announced at the Nintendo Media Summit.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=22635

 At this morning's Nintendo Media Summit in San Francisco, Nintendo announced the release dates for a number of highly anticipated games.    

In addition, Nintendo revealed that it will be publishing Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies when it hits North America this summer.    

Here are the upcoming releases:    

                                                                 

                             

                                         

   

                                                     

 

         

                 

 

                         

Wii
April 20	Monster Hunter Tri	Capcom
May 18	Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands	Ubisoft
May 23	Super Mario Galaxy 2	Nintendo
June 7	Sin and Punishment: Star Successor	Nintendo
June 27	Metroid: Other M	Nintendo
Summer	FlingSmash	Nintendo
Q3/Q4	Disney Guilty Party	Disney
Nintendo DS
March 14	Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver	Nintendo
March 28	WarioWare: D.I.Y.	Nintendo
March 28	America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking	Nintendo
May 3	Picross 3D	Nintendo
May 18	Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands	Ubisoft
June 14	100 Classic Books	Nintendo
Summer	Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies	Nintendo
October	Ghostwire: Link to the Paranormal	Majesco
WiiWare
March 1	Mega Man 10	Capcom
March 10	Max and the Magic Marker	Press Play
March 22	Cave Story	Studio Pixel
March 29	WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase	Nintendo
Spring	Art Style: light trax	Nintendo
Spring	Art Style: Rotozoa	Nintendo
Spring	Rage of the Gladiator	Ghostfire Games
Spring	And Yet it Moves	Broken Rules
Summer	Super Meat Boy	Team Meat
DSiWare
Spring	Photo Dojo	Nintendo
Spring	Metal Torrent	Nintendo
Spring	X-scape	Nintendo

   

   

  NINTENDO REVEALS HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE LINEUP FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 2010    

  Nintendo Announces Launch Dates for Nintendo DSi XL,Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M    

  REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 24, 2010 – Nintendo of America issued a surge of new information today about what consumers can expect from the company in the coming months. Let's get right to it:    

The new Nintendo DSi XL™ hand-held system launches March 28 at a suggested retail price of $189.99. The screens of the Nintendo DSi XL are 93 percent larger than those of the Nintendo DS™ Lite model, providing a more vivid and engaging play experience. The screens of the Nintendo DSi XL also feature a wider viewing angle, letting friends and family members join the fun. The new system launches in both Burgundy and Bronze colors, and comes loaded with pre-installed premium software Brain Age™ Express: Arts & Letters, Brain Age Express: Math and Photo Clock, as well as two free applications: the Nintendo DSi Browser and Flipnote Studio™. Nintendo DSi XL will also come with a larger pen-like stylus that allows for a more comfortable grip and enhanced ease of use when playing games that use the Nintendo DS touch screen. America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking and WarioWare™: D.I.Y. will also launch for the Nintendo DS family of products on March 28, providing consumers with new content that can be enjoyed on any Nintendo DS system. Games like these demonstrate the enhanced experience available with the Nintendo DSi XL.    

Super Mario Galaxy™ 2, the sequel to the smash-hit galaxy-hopping original game, launches May 23 for the Wii™ console. The game includes the amazing gravity-defying, physics-based exploration from the first game, but is loaded with entirely new galaxies and features to challenge and delight players. On some stages, Mario™ can pair up with his dinosaur buddy Yoshi™ and use his tongue to grab items and spit them back at enemies. Players can also have fun with new items such as a drill that lets our hero tunnel through solid rock.    

Metroid™: Other M, the incredible new Metroid game developed for Wii through a collaboration by Nintendo and the world-renowned Team Ninja, launches June 27. The game looks at the classic franchise from a new perspective: While much of the game is reminiscent of 2-D side-scrollers, players can switch the perspective into 3-D at any time as they explore the twisting passages of a derelict space station and delve deep into a cinematic, never-before-told story of bounty hunter Samus Aran's past. This new approach uses a new control scheme in which players use the Wii Remote™ controller held sideways to battle enemies and navigate the expansive, gorgeous environments in classic Metroid fashion, then aim at the screen with the Wii Remote pointer to blast foes in first-person and hunt the world for clues and hidden passages.    

In a unique partnership with Square-Enix, Nintendo of America will publish Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies in the Americas when the game arrives in summer 2010. Dragon Quest IX has sold more than 4.15 million copies in the Japanese market. Nintendo and Square-Enix will now work together to bring this title to the Nintendo DS consumer base in the Americas.    

Capcom's Monster Hunter® Tri, an epic action game for Wii, launches in the United States on April 20. The game lets players customize their character, armor and weapons in order to protect a town from majestic monsters as that town rebuilds following a devastating earthquake. Online play will be available for all players with broadband Internet access at no additional cost. Online text chat is fully functional and online voice chat is enabled using the Wii Speak™ microphone, which is sold separately. At a suggested retail price of $59.99, limited quantities of Monster Hunter Tri will include the new Black Classic Controller Pro™, while both Black and White versions of the controller will be available separately at a suggested retail price of $19.99. The game will also be available without a controller at a suggested retail price of $49.99.    

Sin and Punishment: Star Successor, the breakthrough shooter game for Wii from legendary developer Treasure, will launch across North America on June 7. The game features nonstop action with two playable characters and international online leaderboards to track high scores. Using the Wii Remote pointer functionality, the game offers unprecedented precision in the shooter genre.    

FlingSmash™ for Wii will test players' Wii Remote skills as they bounce a ball-like hero through countless side-scrolling stages, combining the precision of racket sports with the unpredictable fun of pinball. Playable only with the Wii MotionPlus™ accessory, the game will launch this summer.    

Picross 3D is poised to become a puzzle game phenomenon when it launches for the Nintendo DS family of products on May 3. In Picross 3D, players start with a cube and smash away smaller blocks to reveal an object, shape or symbol. Delivering more than 350 unique puzzles and more made available for download on a regular basis after launch via the Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection service (broadband Internet access required), the game takes the mind-bending fun of Picross into the next dimension.    

100 Classic Books transforms the Nintendo DS family of products into a library of timeless literature when it launches on June 14 at a suggested retail price of $19.99, highlighted by 100 works from authors such as William Shakespeare, Jules Verne, Jane Austen, Mark Twain and more. Readers can adjust the size of text, place bookmarks and even download new content via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service (broadband Internet connection required).    

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands™ from Ubisoft will launch May 18 on both the Wii and Nintendo DS platforms. Boasting amazing graphics with fantastic action and puzzle-solving game play, the Wii version will be the first in franchise history to feature a two-player cooperative experience. As an added bonus, the Wii version of the game will exclusively include the 1992 Super NES™ version of the original Prince of Persia game  .   Disney Guilty Party is the official title of the highly anticipated first collaboration between Disney Interactive Studios and its recently acquired studio, Wideload Games. The fun and hilarious mystery party game is set for release in the second half of 2010, exclusively for Wii.    

Majesco's Nintendo DSi exclusive Ghostwire: Link to the Paranormal uses incredible augmented reality technology through the Nintendo DSi Camera. Launching this October, the game lets players become a ghost hunter as they interact with the paranormal.    

Nintendo also announced a variety of games available to download directly to the Wii console from the Wii Shop Channel via the WiiWare™ service, and directly to the Nintendo DS via the DSi Shop and DSiWare™ services. For WiiWare:    

Launching on March 1, Capcom's Mega Man™ 10 builds upon the huge impact of Mega Man 9, a completely new adventure rendered in classic 8-bit style. This new game looks and sounds as awesomely retro as its predecessor.    

Launching on March 8, Max & the Magic Marker from Press Play turns the Wii Remote into an orange magic marker that's literally magic. Players draw lines and objects to help Max reach objects and his ultimate goal.    

The long-awaited indie cult classic Cave Story comes to WiiWare with new game play, artwork and music enhancements on March 22. It's classic gaming reborn for 2010.    

Launching on March 29, WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase is a standalone product exclusive to the WiiWare service and available only from the Wii Shop Channel. The game contains more than 70 new microgames and features interoperability with the WarioWare: D.I.Y. game for the Nintendo DS family of products. Players that own both games can transfer content between the two via a local wireless connection, and can even play user-created microgames on their television using WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase.    

As the techno music pulses, Nintendo's Art Style™: light trax™ puts players in charge of a white beam of light as it engages in a surreal race against other beams across a dark track. Players must keep away from obstacles, use items and look for power boosts if they want to finish first. Art Style: light trax launches this spring.    

Swim and spin through the primordial ooze in Nintendo's Art Style: Rotozoa™ as you absorb tiny organisms that match the colors of your tentacles. As you absorb more organisms, your tentacles grow. The challenge increases as additional tentacles are gained, but power-ups can help you survive and thrive. Art Style: Rotozoa launches this spring.    

Launching this spring, Rage of the Gladiator from Ghostfire Games is an intense fighting game that asks players to perfect their well-timed moves against an array of opponents. The game is compatible with the Wii MotionPlus accessory.    

Launching this spring, And Yet It Moves from Broken Rules requires players to rotate the world to help their line-drawn protagonist progress. Walls become floors and floors become ceilings in this surreal twist on the platformer genre.    

Launching this summer, Independent Games Festival Seumas McNally Grand Prize Finalist Super Meat Boy from Team Meat sets a cube of meat off on an adventure to save Princess Bandage. This off-the-wall game is not for the faint of heart.    

For Nintendo DSiWare:    

Nintendo's Photo Dojo™ is poised to be the cult hit of 2010 when it launches this spring. The game first asks players to pose for 13 pictures and input 10 sound effects. Once that's done, the player becomes the main character in a hilarious side-scrolling fighting game. Create up to eight characters and do battle alone or against a friend on a single Nintendo DSi or Nintendo DSi XL system.    

Launching this spring, Nintendo's Metal Torrent™ delivers a frantic barrage of gunfire that fills the screen. Players try to convert opponents' bullets into cubes that, when collected, increase their score and fill an energy meter that powers special weapons. Online Leaderboards record scores and movies of top games.    

  Launching this spring, X-Scape™ from Nintendo immerses players in an exploratory adventure involving more than 20 planets. Players will pilot their tank through 3-D tunnels, fire at enemies and even battle ancient weapons that resemble giant robots.    

"Nintendo finished 2009 with a bang, and we're continuing our momentum into 2010," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "With Nintendo DSi XL, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M coming in the first six months of the year, we're making sure all our fans have great game content to enjoy year-round."    

Remember that Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit www.Nintendo.com.

[The blast processing power of the Genesis Sonic games in the palm of my hand.]

21

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Sonic Classic Collection

« on: February 05, 2010, 04:27:40 AM »

The blast processing power of the Genesis Sonic games…in the palm of my hand.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=21122

 Sega's upcoming Sonic Classic Collection for the DS will include Sonic the Hedgehog 1-3 along with Sonic & Knuckles. These games have appeared on numerous compilations, yet they've never appeared together on a portable. I recently had the chance to play an early build of the title.    

Upon booting up Sonic the Hedgehog 2, I was pleased to see that the game looked exactly as I remembered. The Sega Genesis title was running on the DS's top screen while the options to pause, save, and load the game were on the bottom screen. The original Sonic sequel didn't look squished or contorted, and the colors sparkled on the bright DS screen.    

As I made my way through Emerald Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 2's first stage), I did encounter some slowdown when Sonic was moving at high speeds. Going through multiple loops and a corkscrew caused the game to noticeably chug. However, it definitely was still playable and nothing close to the mess that was the Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis port on the GBA.  There was also some minor slowdown in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. I did not have a chance to try the other Sonics.    

While I was only able to listen to the music through the DS's speaker, I am happy to say that it sounded pretty accurate. Sonic composer Masato Nakamura's music sounded faithful to the Genesis versions, and only a couple of sound effects sounded slightly off.    

The game's save anywhere feature did not appear to allow a player to resume their game from exactly where they hit save. When I attempted to load a save made during an Eggman (Dr. Robotnik) battle, I found myself back at the start of the act.      

  If Sega can get the games in this compilation running at full speed, Sonic Classic Collection could be an extremely worthy purchase.

[Could this Sega racer beat Mario Kart at its own game? These impressions come with 3 minutes of video footage from the Wii version.]

22

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

« on: February 04, 2010, 01:54:04 PM »

Could this Sega racer beat Mario Kart at its own game? These impressions come with 3 minutes of video footage from the Wii version.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=21119

 Games from Sega like Sonic Drift, Sonic R, and Sonic Riders have tried mimicking Mario Kart's formula for success, yet each has fallen short. Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, developed by Sumo Digital, is Sega's latest attempt and I recently had a quick hands-on with it.    

My very first race in the game was on a course inspired by Jet Set Radio Future. The cel-shaded visuals of Jet Set Radio Future on the original Xbox are still a feast for the eyes, so I was a bit disappointed to see blurry textures and a somewhat low-polygon world appear before me as the course loaded. While the graphics for the level were disappointing, the controls were very responsive. Anybody who has played Mario Kart Wii with the steering wheel will instantly be at home with the game's controls, since they are nearly identical. Pressing up on the D-pad activates different power-ups such as bombs, while hitting either the 1 button or the B button causes your character to begin a power-slide. The biggest highlight of the Jet Set Radio Future level was observing a small section in the background that I could have sworn looked like the Yokosuka Harbor from Shenmue.    

Players who aren't happy with motion controls will be pleased to learn that the game drives just fine using the analog stick on the nunchuk.    

The most impressive level I played was a Casino Sonic the Hedgehog stage that was reminiscent of Mario Kart's Rainbow Road, featuring giant towers of playing cards, slot machines, and pool balls rolling about in a roller coaster-like contraption. The graphics for the Casino stage were high quality and the level design was inventive and fun. I am hoping that the Casino stage was one of the more polished on display, because some of the other stages were graphically underwhelming. In a House of the Dead level, the large fountain that appears in front of the famous Curien Mansion looked like it could have been pulled directly from the Sega Saturn version of the game. The course designs seemed pretty good, but possibly not up to the high standards set by the Mario Kart series.       As players complete stages they rack up Sega Miles which can be used to purchase new levels, characters, and music. Content-wise, the Wii version appears to have everything that the other editions of Sonic & Sega All-Stars will have. I decided to try to spend some of the Sega Miles I had earned, and witnessed a diverse line-up of Sega favorites available for purchase, including Alex Kidd, Big the Cat, Ryo Hazuki, the Bonanza Brothers, Opa-Opa, B.D. Joe from Crazy Taxi, and even Akira Yuki and Jacky Bryant from Virtua Fighter sharing a car. In addition, I saw that Super Sonic Racing from Sonic R is an unlockable music track, along with a stage set in the Monkey Ball universe based on the Monkey Target mini-game.    

Sega is strongly catering to their fans with Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. The controls felt right, but some levels looked like they could use some work. Overall, Sonic & Sega All-Stars looks like it can be a contender.    

Check out video footage of Seaside Hill's Whale Lagoon below.    

Wii gameplay

[This 3D fighter has characters ripped right out of mythology, fluid motion controls, and some very lovely textures.]

23

TalkBack / IMPRESSIONS: Tournament of Legends

« on: February 04, 2010, 12:19:33 AM »

This 3D fighter has characters ripped right out of mythology, fluid motion controls, and some very lovely textures.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressionsArt.cfm?artid=21106

 Yesterday, Sega and High Voltage announced Tournament of Legends for the Wii and I had the chance to play a few matches of the fighter at a Sega event in New York City.    

When Tournament of Legends was originally unveiled at E3 2009 under the title Gladiator A.D., the game was extremely bloody and aimed at a mature audience.  The developers decided to ditch the title's gladiator focus and tone down the gore so they could reach a wider audience, enjoy greater creative freedom, and simply make the game more fun.    

The game's story, which is told through beautifully drawn comic cut-scenes, begins just after the mysterious disappearance of Jupiter, the king of gods. The evil Thanatos has taken Jupiter's thrown and his power, and each of the game's mythological fighters wish to usurp it from him. The diverse cast of 10 fighters includes a gorgon, a stone golem, a valkyrie, a.minotaur, a gladiator, and a mechanical creature made of cog-like pieces.    

Battles take place from a third-person perspective with the camera fixed in such a way that one player will be in the foreground while the other will be diagonally across from them in the background. Unlike the E3 demo, the character in the foreground will not be see-through. The placement of fighters is actually similar to a tennis game with each fighter being on different sides of an imaginary court.  Players will be able to switch their battle positions (from foreground to background or vice versa) by using a slow, but unblockable attack.    

The main combat controls are motion based. Vertical attacks are performed with a vertical wave of the Wii Remote, while left and right horizontal attacks can be performed with horizontal swipes of either the Wii Remote or Nunchuk. The motion controls were effective and made slicing at an opponent an easy and enjoyable task. Projectiles can be thrown using the C button, the Z button is used for blocking, and dodging is performed by using the analog stick while holding the B button.    

During my play session, I mainly fought with the gorgon, who from here on out I will refer to as Medusa since she looked exactly like the infamous gorgon. Medusa, like every other character, has three special moves.  Her special moves included temporarily turning her opponents into stone, and unleashing a set of slithering snakes. At one point, my opponent used a visually impressive special move that made a gigantic tree trunk erupt from beneath my character's feet.    

As players battles different opponents in the single-player game, they will be able to gain weapons from fallen opponents who are in their same weight class.  Each weapon adds an additional special move to a player's roster (for a total of four at any given time). Players also earn enchantments as they play, which are magical attacks which can make the swing of a sword cause a fiery inferno.    

One of the more unique elements of the game was the strange ways battles were interrupted. Every stage of the game has a guardian who will unexpectedly wreak havoc on the two fighters. For example, at one point a humongous trident entered the arena and each player had to use motion controls to dodge its deadly and pointy prongs. Another level's guardian was the frost dragon who lay sleepily in the background until he unleashed his cold breath on the fighters. Between rounds, players also have the opportunity to regain health and body armor by playing a mini-game where each player must rotate the Nunchuk's analog stick while swinging the Wii Remote up and down. Accomplishing both tasks in unison reminded me of the childhood challenge of rubbing your tummy and patting your head.    

Graphically, Tournament of Legends is a sight to behold. Character animations and special attacks are fluid and fun to watch, while the environments are filled with extensive detail. I was particularly impressed by a forest stage that had the roots of nearby trees poking through an ancient stone floor. In addition, there were demonic trees in the background that appeared to be a slight nod to similar vegetation in Mortal Kombat 2.    

High Voltage's Art Director Matt Corso cited Virtual On, Bushido Blade, Soulcalibur, Smash Bros., and the Naruto fighting games as sources of inspiration. Similar to The Conduit, the controls will be extremely customizable and players will even be able to use the Classic controller. However, the studio did decide to forgo Wii MotionPlus support.      

The special moves and character designs are extremely inventive and High Voltage showed yet again that their Quantum 3 engine can create some of most eye-catching visuals on the Wii. While it is too early to tell if Tournament of Legends has the kind of depth and replayability found in a fighter such as Soulcalibur to make it a worthy purchase, I can say that I had a lot of fun during my short time with it and that the folks at High Voltage seem enthusiastic about making it the best game possible.    

Tournament of Legends will hit store shelves on May 18.

[Strong sales of Tekken 6 could not keep the company's profits in the black.]

24

TalkBack / Namco Bandai Reports Huge Loss and Cuts Jobs

« on: February 03, 2010, 03:51:58 PM »

Strong sales of Tekken 6 could not keep the company's profits in the black.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=21105

 Namco Bandai released an extremely dismal third quarter financial report that reveals huge losses for the company during the past year. On a whole, the company that created Pac-Man posted a loss of $129 million (¥11.7 billion) during the last nine months of 2009.      

During Namco Bandai's third quarter, net sales fell 10.4% to ¥282 billion ($3.11 billion), while operating income dropped a perilous 76.3% from ¥19.84 billion to ¥4.7 billion ($51.84 million).      

In the financial report, Namco Bandai claimed that the sales of their video game software did not meet their projections because of terrible market conditions.      

“In the Game Contents business in particular, sales fell below projections given weak market conditions for most of major home game software titles except Tekken 6, the largest title released in the current fiscal year, leading to weak results for the segment," the company said.    

In response to the immense losses and the "severe business climate," Namco Bandai will begin a "group restart plan" that intends to reduce the company's current work force of around 7,000 by about 630 people. Namco Bandai will accomplish most of the work force reduction by offering voluntary retirement to select employees.      

For the entire fiscal year (April 2009 through March 2010), Namco Bandai projects that the total loss for the company will be ¥31 billion ($341.93 million).

[The Wii versions might make use of Wii Speak, according to THQ.]

25

TalkBack / THQ Bringing Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! to Wii and DS

« on: February 01, 2010, 12:01:18 PM »

The Wii versions might make use of Wii Speak, according to THQ.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=20876

 THQ acquired the rights from Sony Pictures Consumer Products to create games based on Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune for the Wii, DS, and DSi.      

While the games based on the hit game shows aren't expected to reach store shelves until later this year, Doug Clemmer, THQ's executive vice president of Kids, Family and Casual Games revealed that the Wii versions will likely have online voice chat.    

"The opportunity to implement new features such as Wii Speak will re-imagine how these games are played and engage fans with a whole new level of interactivity," stated Clemmer.          

THQ and Sony Pictures Consumer Products Announce Multi-Year Video Game License Agreements for "JEOPARDY!" and "Wheel of Fortune"    

Popular Game Show Properties to Join THQ's Kids, Family and Casual Games Line-up    

AGOURA HILLS, Calif., Feb 01, 2010 - THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and Sony Pictures Consumer Products, Inc. today announced two multi-year licensing agreements granting THQ the exclusive worldwide rights to develop and publish video games based on Sony Pictures Television's popular game show properties, "JEOPARDY!" and "Wheel of Fortune".    

The new agreements give THQ rights to publish interactive games based on the two properties for the WiiTM video game system, Nintendo DSTM and Nintendo DSiTM, and grants THQ options for additional platforms.    

"We are excited to add two iconic properties such as 'JEOPARDY!' and 'Wheel of Fortune' to our Kids, Family and Casual Games portfolio," said Doug Clemmer, Executive Vice President, THQ Kids, Family and Casual Games. "The opportunity to implement new features such as Wii Speak will re-imagine how these games are played and engage fans with a whole new level of interactivity."    

"'JEOPARDY!' and 'Wheel of Fortune' are extraordinarily popular across the globe and it was important for us to find a partner with an international vision," said Mark Caplan, Vice President Licensing, Sony Pictures Consumer Products. "THQ's focus and proven success within the family market made them the most logical team to bring these renowned properties to new platforms, and we look forward to working with them to create family-friendly interactive experiences."    

THQ plans to release the first video games under this agreement later this year.