FADE study shows a decline in Virtual Console revenue, while WiiWare comes on strong.

An annual report issued by Forecasting and Analyzing Digital Entertainment (FADE) estimates that Nintendo's WiiWare and Virtual Console platforms combined for $125 million in revenue in 2009, with Virtual Console edging out WiiWare overall ($66 million and $59 million, respectively) thanks to holiday sales.

Nintendo's legendary designer adds to his long list of accolades.

Joining fellow game industry luminaries Nolan Bushnell and Will Wright, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts has announced that Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto will be awarded a prestigious BAFTA Fellowship.

The BAFTA Fellowship award recognizes excellence in film and television, but... Read more...

Take a spin on the dark side.

Today, Nintendo announced the release date for the Black Wii system in Australia. The system will be available on March 11, and will be bundled with Wii Sports and a black Wii Remote and Nunchuk.

Australia is the third territory in which the Black Wii has been launched, including Japan and Europe. Although no Black Wii release date has been confirmed for North America, the black Wii Remote launched late last year.

Metroid: Other M and Super Mario Galaxy 2 should be hitting stores between June and August.

Nintendo Australia announced that Metroid: Other M and Super Mario Galaxy 2 aren't holiday releases and are coming out between June and August, according to IGN.

This reveal isn't entirely unexpected, as Metroid: Other M was listed as "Summer 2010" on a Japanese release schedule that was released in January. On that same list, Super Mario Galaxy 2 was slated for a more ambiguous 2010 release.

Capcom has lost an integral team member this morning.

Capcom announced today that Mark Beaumont, Capcom North America and Europe's chief operating officer, passed away earlier this morning.

Capcom released a statement about it earlier: "Our COO and dear friend, Mark Beaumont, passed away this morning. This sudden loss has left us with deep sadness.... Read more...

Batman: The Brave and the Bold is coming to a Nintendo console near you this fall.

Today, Warner Bros. revealed Batman: The Brave and The Bold, a new Batman game in development exclusively for Nintendo platforms. The game, based on the animated series of the same name, is set for release in fall 2010. Both the Wii and DS version are being developed by WayForward.

The game... Read more...

I ain't 'fraid of no ghosts.

This week in Nintendo downloads, we have seven new games available across Nintendo's digital platforms with three on WiiWare, and four on DSiWare. Sadly, there is no Virtual Console representation this week.

First up for WiiWare is GhostSlayer for 600 Wii Points ($6). This game, from publisher... Read more...

Somewhere beyond the sea, Nintendo is waiting for you.

The first Endless Ocean title was deemed a therapeutic experience for many due to its very calm appeal and realistic portrayal of sea life.

The sequel promises to be a much better entry in the series thanks to an expanded online mode and even more fish species to discover. Our staff member Neal... Read more...

Vicious Ciricle Software opens their latest engine to Wii games.

Vicious Cycle Software has added Wii, Playstation 2, and PSP support to their latest games engine, Vicious Engine 2.

The engine, which was used in Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, has already been adapted for an upcoming PSP Mini title, Zombie Tycoon. No Wii title using the engine has been announced at this time.

The imaginative puzzler takes home the gold at the AIAS awards.

Yesterday Scribblenauts, the puzzle game from 5th Cell, took home three AIAS awards, including Outstanding Innovation in Gaming, Outstanding Achievement in Portable Game Design, and Portable Game of the Year.

The awards, which are in their 13th year, were held at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas... Read more...

Firemint's addictive iPhone title is making the jump to DSiWare on February 22.

Flight Control, the popular iPhone game, is coming to DSiWare next Monday for 500 Nintendo Points ($5).

Developed by Firemint, the game has players using touch controls to navigate a busy airfield and land incoming planes. The DSiWare version contains all of the same content of the iPhone application, as well as an additional snow-covered level.

The fourth Mega Man game will hopefully be hitting Virtual Console soon.

Mega Man 4 was rated by the ESRB recently, meaning that the NES game might be hitting the North American Virtual Console sometime soon.

It was released on the Japanese Virtual Console in February, and the previous three Mega Man games came out in North America in 2008 around the release of Mega... Read more...

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games has surpassed six million units on Wii and DS as the real life event rages on.

Sega announced thatMario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games have sold more than six million units worldwide across both the Wii and Nintendo DS since its launch in October 2009.

With 2010 Olympic Winter Games underway, Sega has promised to support the two games with increased marketing activity. New television campaigns have been scheduled for North America and other major European territories for the month of February.

The Big N will recoup $520,000 in damages.

After winning a case in the Australian Federal Court against RSJ IT Solutions, Nintendo will receive $520,000 in damages. The local distributor will cease selling the R4 chip for DS, which allows pirated games to run on the handheld, and has been widely available since 2007.

Nintendo will also collect an additional $100,000 from both Patrick and James Li, who were named as affiliated respondents in the lawsuit.

The Pokemon developers have their hands all over the next Nintendo DS.

The Pokemon Company has a development kit for an unreleased iteration of the Nintendo DS handheld, according to an insider who spoke to CVG.

The source revealed that several other developers also have access to the new hardware, which includes motion-sensing capabilities similar in nature to the Apple iPhone, but with more functionality. The source did not expect the hardware to be revealed to the public in March at GDC.

River City Soccer Hooligans and River City Super Sports Challenge are heading to North America.

Aksys Games is reviving the River City brand with River City Soccer Hooligans and River City Super Sports Challenge, two DS sports games that were released in Japan last year as part of the popular Kunio series. In North America, the Kunio series is known primarily for River City Ransom and Super Dodgeball.

The studio responsible for Sonic Advance and Rush are working on the WiiWare title.

A listing on Xbox.com

reveals that Dimps is developing Sonic the Hedgehog 4, according to

Kotaku.

Dimps previously worked on the Sonic Advance and Sonic Rush series,

and the day-time stages of Sonic Unleashed.

The team, located in Japan, was founded by former SNK employees and

has also worked on Street Fighter IV, the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai

A U.S. release for the DS sequel is still not confirmed.

Okamiden is now trademarked in North America, according to SiliconEra.

The name was also trademarked in Europe recently, and while this still

doesn't confirm a release outside of Japan, it makes it very likely.

Capcom also trademarked Ghost Trick, a puzzle game already confirmed

for a worldwide release, and Exed Exes, which is a vertical

The adventure begins this March.

Today, Rising Star Games revealed March 19 to be the release date for the European version of Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon.

The game, set in post-apocalyptic Japan, allows the player to experience an empty, surreal landscape while using the Wii Remote as a weapon and also as a light.... Read more...

In addition to a release date Capcom details Mega Man's new weapons.

Capcom has announced a release date for Mega Man 10. The WiiWare version will be the first version to be released, with the Blue Bomber's latest adventure launching March 1.

Along with the official release date, Capcom has given information about the eight new weapons Mega Man will be able to... Read more...