Citizen Wii

Bye Bye Blogger

2006-06-05T10:47:00.000-04:00

I've gone and gots me a nice shiny domain name with a warm, cozy account.

www.citizenwii.com

The Blogger site will not be updated anymore. See you on the real side.

Gamer Zen: Saint Mario of Nintendo

2006-06-02T09:07:00.000-04:00

Patron saint of all gamers.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, art, gamer culture,

Nintendo to Fund Alzheimer Research with Brain Age

2006-06-01T11:07:00.000-04:00

Nintendo will be giving $1 from each copy of Brain Age (or Brain Training, according to the article) for the DS sold in Australia to Alzheimer's Australia, an advocacy group for those stricken with the condition.

It follows a similar route where Canadian retailer Zellers and the Big N teamed up to donate $1 to the Canadian Alzheimer's Society for every copy of Brain Age sold.

Neurosurgeons believe that one of the best ways to battle Alzheimer's is through congnitive stimulation, something Brain Age does quite a lot of.

It's nice to see some positive press about video games instead of the usual "sex and violence" angle.

Tags: nintendo, ds, video games, geek, alzheimers

Gamer Zen: Arcade Graffiti

2006-06-01T09:24:00.000-04:00

Awesome piece of wall art. Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Dig Dug, Q-Bert, Space Invaders... but where's the plumber?

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, art, gamer culture

Wii Game Speculation Roundup for May 31, 2006

2006-05-31T22:57:00.000-04:00

Bite-sized briefing on all the Wii game rumours, updates, and announcements which cropped up over the past 24 hours:

* We Got Screens: One Piece: Unlimited Adventure, Crossbeam Studio's Orb and, are you ready for this, buckets and buckets of HI-DEF Super Mario Galaxy screenshots. Get to viewin', padre.
(Via Codename Revolution)

*I'm really a sucker for quirky games. Wii Music Orchestrator will be no exception and will be quite high on my want list. So imagine how cool it was for me to see the legendary Koji Kondo swinging the Wiimote around in this YouTube video. He got 92 out of 100. I plan on besting that.

(Via Joystiq)

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, rumors

Sony Invented 3D Graphics. Really.

2006-05-31T21:47:00.000-04:00

"When we brought the PlayStation to the market in 1994, we introduced real time 3-D graphics for the first time."

Those are the words of Phil Harrison, president of Sony Computer Entertainment worldwide, who was defending Sony from accusations that they hastily tossed together motion control in their Dual Shock controllers to steal some thunder from Nintendo's Wiimote features.

Now, see, I learned something today. I really thought that 3D graphics were developed sometime before Sony, and had been pionneered by games like Wolfenstein 3D and Doom. I even thought that Star Fox on the Super Nintendo was a 3D game that came out before the PlayStation.

Huh, silly me. Shows you how much I know.

In fact, I actually did a little more digging and it turns out Sony is responsible for a lot of the things we take for granted. You might actually think someone else came up with it, but just as they were benevolent enough to bring us 3D graphics, here is a short list of stuff the folks at Sony are responsible for:

- Sony invented water
- Sony invented skintight swimwear
- Sony invented conga lines
- Sony invented the Internet
- Sony invented the fauxhawk as an acceptable hairstyle
- Sony invented corn chips
- Sony invented the Jerrold
- Sony invented glow sticks
- Sony invented kung-fu
- Sony invented the squib kick
- Sony invented humility

And I am sure there's more.

JUNE 1 UPDATE: There's a pretty good discussion going on over at the post's Digg entry, if you're interested. At all.

Tags: nintendo, wii, sony, humor, video games, geek, phil harrison

Pac Man the conqueror

2006-05-31T13:52:00.000-04:00

As Oklahomans brace for new legislation which will make it a felony to sell violent video games to minors, Republican representative Fred Morgan was tooting his success by reminding us that video games are not the lovey-dovey simple titles of old:

"We're not dealing with Pac Man anymore. These games allow players to take on the role of killers in some cases, allow players to steal money and kill prostitutes."

Pac Man, eh? It's quite interesting that one's choice of an icon for the good-heartedness of the golden age of video games versus the soulless games of today is a game which promotes imperialistic values.

Yes, imperialistic values. The game of Pac Man has always promoted imperialistic values.

It's not something which is blatantly obvious, which makes it all the more efficient as a weapon for social indoctrination, but if you put some thought into it you cannot deny its reality, especially in our current world political context.

Take the premise of the game: Pac Man is in a maze. We don't know why he's in a maze, nor do we know how he got there, but he wants to get out. Take an exit? Call in an airlift? No! Pac Man is way too entrenched for such a simple solution. Truly, the only way he can get out of the maze is by consuming all the dots.

What are these dots? Doubtlessly a highly coveted resource since Pac Man gobbles them up without restraint. He wantonly covers every inch of the maze to make sure the resources are his and his alone. This behaviour confirms that Pac Man is not native to the maze, as his eating them all makes him move onto another region we he begins consuming anew.

This invasive theory is also supported by the actions of the ghosts who are trying to keep Pac Man from devouring everything in sight. In fact, it is the ghosts who are the true natives of the maze, as shown by their quaint, established housing to which they regroup regardless how often they are defeated. Their zeal can only be equated to the most valorous of freedom fighters, trying to keep what's theirs from oppressive interventions.

But this resistance only emboldens Pac Man's invasive marauding, as he clear-cuts everything in sight, consuming every last available resource without shedding a care for the barren wasteland he leaves behind.

And us? We just accept the official story of his plight to exit the maze without asking questions despite there being so many unanswered ones: How did he get there in the first place? Why must he consume all resources to leave? What is his real reason for being there? We prefer to assume there is a righteous and just reason for him to use these tactics to escape the maze.

With so little public outcry, Pac Man has no reason to second-guess his actions and can only continue the charge without really being held accountable for destroying the natural way of life of the natives who inhabit the mazes.

Besides, so matter how often he is defeated, all he needs to do is pump in more money and he's back at it.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, pac man, gamer culture

Gamer Zen: Super Mario Bros Arcade Instructions

2006-05-31T08:01:00.000-04:00

The instruction card which accompanied the Super Mario Bros. arcade game. The art on it is splendid. Also, no 20-page manual to explain how it works. Click on the image for a larger picture.

(Via The Pinny Parlor)

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, art, gamer culture, mario, arcade

Wii Game Speculation Roundup for May 30, 2006

2006-05-30T22:12:00.000-04:00

Bite-sized briefing on all the Wii game rumours, updates, and announcements which cropped up over the past 24 hours:

*Miyamoto made the whole thing true by confirming it to MTV: you will be able to paste your own face on the Wii Sports characters. Isn't that something. I HOPE that it's not a pixel editor like the Animal Crossing pattern maker. I don't have patience for that kind of thing. But, since the Wii is equipped with USB ports, I'm comfortable in believing that the console will be able to yank photos off digital cameras or flash cards or something.
(Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy)

*We Got Screens: Pristine pics of Link and company as we patiently wait for Twilight Princess.
(Via Codename Revolution)

*Cubed3 has dug up the wild and nutty idea that with all this talk about the Wii and fishing, there might actually be a fishing game on the way. Now that's that I call casual!

*Has the launch date been leaked? Will there be Wii goodness on October 2nd? According to the gang over at TVG, a leaked listing coming right out of retailer GameStop's headquarters has a set of Wii-bound games on tap for October 2nd. They are: Rayman Raving Rabbids, Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab. Of course, EB Games has Twilight Princess (a launch title) still listed at November 1 and my own guy at Toys R Us told me he was expecting his Wii consoles in June. The moral: retailers are probably the least reliable source. Besides, it isn't that much of a leak, since EB Games has Rayman Rabbids listed on October 2nd as well. Nevertheless, time will tell!
(Via Codename Revolution)

*And to finish it off, that Super Swing Golf Pangya commercial your neighbours have been talking about:

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, rumors

Past Games vs. Today's Controversies

2006-05-30T11:26:00.000-04:00

Interesting little thought today over at Codename Revolution which touches on the availability of Michael Jackson's Moonwalker as a Genesis title on the Wii's Virtual Console, considering the King of Pop's well-documented legal brouhaha.

Arguably one of the Genesis' best titles, Jackson's stained public image makes one wonder if family-oriented Nintendo will make the title available. After all, without omitting the liscencing issues which will no doubt have a factor in determining the game's inclusion, Jackson's situation is unappealing from a business standpoint. It makes you wonder about other games which may be under the same scope.

For instance, what about Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!? Sure, Nintendo re-released the game in early 1990 with Tyson's name removed from the game and a different final boss, but anyone who owned a NES back then remembers taking Little Mac all the way to fight Tyson, and no-one else. Again, coupled with liscensing issues, Tyson's seemingly unending legal squabbles will most certainly deliver us with the Mr. Dream version of Punch-Out!!.

What other games do you think are under the gun, so to speak? And will we, the gamers, be cheated out of good games because of this situation?

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek

Apple and the Casual Gamer

2006-05-30T09:51:00.000-04:00

A couple of days ago, I was reading how Apple was recruiting "C/C++ coders with a 'gaming background'" to come work in Cupertino on a super hush-hush project which nobody at Apple is talking about.

Former LucasArts game developer Mike Lampell is allegedly the managerial kahuna, which adds gusto to the speculation, although nobody seems able to confirm his employment at Steve Jobs' playground.

Most people are speculating that iPod-ready games are on the way, perhaps as an extension of the iTunes Music Store, especially when you consider that some time ago, Apple was looking for 2D and 3D graphics programmers with work experience on ARM7 RISC processors (the iPod processor).

Which begs the question: why I am reporting about this on a weblog which fancies itself as a Wii loving website? It took me a couple of days to come to grips with it myself, but it seems rather obvious that Apple is taking a similar route to Nintendo's current trend. They want to cater games to the casual gamer.

The success of the Nintendo DS has demonstrated that there is a crowd of people out there, a large one at that, who aren't disinterested in gaming, but are in fact looking for quirky, more accessible, low-learning curve experiences. The success of Nintendogs, Animal Crossing: Wild World, and Brain Age, not to mention the recent outburst of love for New Super Mario Bros. and the overall dominance of the DS in the portable game market, are testament to the existence of a breed of gamer which many thought to be just a pool of old-school malcontents. But more importantly, Nintendo, through accessible pricing and compelling gamery, turned these casual gamers turn into rabid players.

With Nintendo taking its DS strategy to the Wii console, it only makes sense that others try their hand at it. Apple is doing exactly that, looking to bonify its own area of dominance, which, coincidentally, also happens to be in a handheld market made up of casual users turned iPod/iTunes loyalists.

The more you think about it, the more the market share Nintendo is looking for make sense, especially if another innovative high-tech company is going down the same route.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, apple, gamer culture, rumors

Gamer Zen: NES Pad Crossing Signal

2006-05-30T07:52:00.000-04:00

Nice piece of street art which I am sure confounded more than one person.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, street, art, gamer culture, street art,

Wii Game Speculation Roundup for May 29, 2006

2006-05-29T23:29:00.000-04:00

Bite-sized briefing on all the Wii game rumours, updates, and announcements which cropped up over the past couple of days:

*We have screenshots of Metal Slug Anthology, which should be due at launchtime for the Wii. It will include Metal Slug 1, 2, X, 3, 4 and 5 and, of course, will be a blast considering the use of the Wiimote. I like that they maintained the pixel look for the games instead of trying to re-vamp them into something more "now."
(Via Codename Revolution)

*According to a press release detailing Capcom's planning over the next few, the fan-favourite publisher will release no Wii games for fiscal year 2006 (which ends April 30, 2007). This bit of news immediately puts to rest any hopes of having the Umbrella Corporation overseeing the console's launch with the Wii-bound Resident Evil title. As I mentioned before, it's fine by me.
(Via Codename Revolution)

Tags: nintendo, nintendo, wii, video games, geek, rumors

Gamer Zen: Super Mario Hat as DS Pouch

2006-05-29T09:54:00.000-04:00

I wish I had a DS.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, art, gamer culture,

Wii Game Speculation Roundup for May 26, 2006

2006-05-26T23:18:00.000-04:00

Yeah, well it appears as though there wasn't much speculation going on today on the Wii front. Maybe everybody just took a collective drink of water after all that talking that's been going on since E3. Aside from that mysterious launch title list which surfaced earlier today, there isn't much to add.

While we're on it, the big surprise from the list was the presence of the oft-mentioned Wii-sclusive Resident Evil title. Can't help but wonder: are we really going to be treated to zombies right at launchtime?

Personally, I'd prefer the folks at Capcom take their nice, sweet time to come up with intuitive, flawless interaction with the Wiimote. I swear, if you can't bash zombie skulls in with blunt objects in the Wii Resident Evil title, I will be disappointed.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, rumors

Leaked List of Wii Launch Titles?

2006-05-26T14:03:00.000-04:00

This nifty little document has mysteriously surfaced online, and its source is allegedly from the Big N itself. It appears to be a list of third-party games which would be Wii launch-ready, both for Japan and "foreign countries" (i.e. USA/Europe). My Japanese is rather rusty inexistant, so I can't make out any of the major details other than just deduce based on what little German there is on the page. Click on the image to see a big ol' version of it.

Of note: Resident Evil has shown up on the list, accompanied by the next installment in the Dragonball Z Budokai series, and Sonic Wild Fire. This would be a grand surprise indeed as they weren't expected until 2007. Although I'd love to see them added to strengthen even more the anticipated intial lineup, this is still very unofficial and hearsay. See those grains of salt over there? Take a couple of them.

(Via Codename Revolution)

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, rumors

Bomberman's Bombing?

2006-05-26T11:08:00.000-04:00

The house of Bomberman seems to be in deep, deep trouble. And it's not the type which comes from the Hige Hige Bandits; we're talking real, economic problems.

Majesco is facing delisting from NASDAQ because it still hasn't filed its second quarter results, something which should have been done on April 30. That's a big no-no when it comes to NASDAQ rules, which needs the information provided in those reports to determine if the corporation is still compliant with its requirements.

It's a very unhealthy sign when a public corporation is unable to provide its quarterly earnings. It's a sign of bad management and troubled earnings. It really gives the impression that Majesco management is struggling to get their shit together to avoid falling short of their NASDAQ requirements. Not to mention that the a deadline extension they got to get said shit together reeks book fiddling and number tweaking, to cover up some stuff and make earnings look better than they actually are. Can anyone say Enron? I'm beginning to doubt that Bust-A-Move title for the Wii.

(Via Gamesindustry.biz)

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, business, majesco, nasdaq,

Gamer Zen: Power-Ups in Leeds

2006-05-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

It appears as though the Musrhoom Kingdom could quite possibly be in Leeds, England.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, street, art, gamer culture, street art, mario,

Wii Game Speculation Roundup for May 25, 2006

2006-05-25T23:45:00.000-04:00

Bite-sized briefing on all the Wii game rumours, updates, and announcements which cropped up over the past 24 hours:

*More Elebits! Video has surfaced over at Cubetoons of the Elebits game in action at E3. Hot syrupy beach balls, that looks like fun. Marvel at the physics! You can also check out the trailer, although it's way too long. They could have easily chopped 45 seconds off it to make it more interesting.
(Via Codename Revolution)

*Karaokii? Maybe! Speculation over the Wii's built-in microphone and VoIP capabilities surged as it was revealed that Nintendo snatched up a domain name called "wiikaraoke.com." Lots of folks are starting to wonder if voice commands will be a part of the Wii package. A sign of things to come, a karaoke game on the horizon, or just an upcoming promo site? It may not be all that special, considering all the domains they have registered.
(Via Joystiq)

*Masahiro Sakurai, the man behind the Super Smash Bros. series, is apparently keeping another online journal of the development of the next installment, Brawl. According to certain English translations (because his journal is in Japanese), there will be some Melee characters who will not be included in the Wii edition. Which ones? If I may be so bold as to suggest: GOODBYE, PICHU!!!
(Via Go Nintendo)

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, rumors

Flying Limbless Super Mario Corpse 64

2006-05-25T23:20:00.000-04:00

Via Videogamey.

Tags: nintendo, video games, geek, video, super mario bros, mario

Make Gaming a Family Affair

2006-05-25T16:31:00.000-04:00

"If you watch TV too much your eyes are going to fall out of your head and roll around on the floor" is a sentence a younger version of me heard quite regularly when my mother would grow tired of my presence in front of the boob tube. It evolved into "If you play too many video games, your brain is going to turn to mush and drip through your nose" when the NES came into my house.

There was no scientific data to back up either of her claims. But her reactions to my screen consumption were about as irrational as her dislike for them. She didn't need real reasons to hate television and video games; she just did.

As for me, I see my son's relationship with our video game console much differently than my mother did. Having grown up a gamer, it's only normal that I be more favourable to its inclusion into our household. But, I see the video game console as a true family object, a reason for everyone to sit around together, have fun, and blow off some steam as a group. Even Ms. Citizen, who had barely even touched a controller in her life, joins in the action.

So if I may be so bold, allow me to offer you some of my tips and tricks to you, fellow gamers with young children, to help make gaming a fun and acceptable part of your family life:

1. Buy social games
Obviously, if you purchase a library made up of first person shooters, you're going about this the wrong way. What you need are group games everyone can jump into quickly without having to learn complex button combos. Obviously, the Mario Party series and Wario Ware, Inc.: Mega Party Game$ are leading contenders, but my son and I have spent good times racing each other in the Sonic Adventure 2 minigames. However, mom always feels a little left out when we punch Sonic in, as her non-gamer background hampers her enjoyment of such a fast-paced game. Easy-to-learn games which everyone can get accustomed to quickly and enjoy at the same time is the ticket to success.

2. Get the hardware
Missing a controller or two? Shell out the bucks and get them. This may come off as stupid, but skipping turns so that everyone "gets their chance" reduces the group feeling. There's nothing worse than watching two people play Listen To The Doctor in Wario Ware and not be able to join in. Third party controllers are less expensive and often just as good.

3. Play yourself
Go on! Dive in! Don't just sit around and direct traffic. Pull out your skills, get trounced by your kids or spouse, it doesn't really matter what happens on the screen as long as you're directly involved in the fun.

4. Little excesses
Making the time feel special with your kin is all about the little things. Push bedtime back a half-hour so so, whip up some smoothies, put the TV volume up beyond what is commonly acceptable; find a little quirk and make it special to this event. Kids associate good feelings to stuff which breaks routine in positive ways. Extra tip: at the Citizen household, we try to avoid associating snacks with our family gaming to break the corrolation that junk food is synonymous with good times.

5. Laugh
This is no time to rage against game mechanics or sulk at losing at Cheep Cheep Sweep. Laughter is infectuous and once you're having fun, everyone else will. Laugh even harder if you're losing. Everyone will enjoy themselves from start to finish if everything is done in good spirits, regardless at how awful they suck or how often they lose.

6. Release your inner fanboy
Squeal as you make that tight turn in Mario Kart, let out a "Whoa!" or two at your opponent's amazing Super Monkey Ball moves, or bounce around as you score a goal in Super Mario Strikers. Rekindle all that stuff deep inside you that made you love video games in the first place. React impulsively. Allow the sheer stupid fun of gaming to take over. Leave the jaded, judgmental attitude for discussion board threads.

7. Medals for everyone
While most of these games inevitably call for a winner, it's important to strive for competition of the friendly persuasion. While applying tips #5 and #6 should make it occur naturally, always remember to be congratulatory and point out the positives despite the results. As the gamer with the most experience in my home, I always make note of the improvements of others, which helps install a healthy culture of fun. In fact, it was very rewarding the day my son told my girlfriend who, unable to place herself higher than last place at Mario Kart Double Dash, hit an all-time best by coming in fourth: "Good job mom! You've really improved!"

8. Control the duration
Good habits are a little harder to develop than bad ones, and they're especially a breeze to develop when it comes to binge gaming. Sitting down together to play games for three to four hours at a time or more isn't putting quality family gaming time to good use. Not to mention that it encourages long moments of physical inactivity. After all, if mom and dad do it, it's hard to be credible when it's time to get the kids outside. Balance is the key. It's up to you to determine just how much time is enough time; the Citizen household usually doesn't spend any more time at the console than we would at the movies.

9. Gaming night not every night
Along the same lines as tip #8, you should determine the frequency of family gaming moments and stick to it. If done too often, the event will lose its charm as it won't feel quite as special.

As tacky as what I'm about to write sounds, gaming in my home has helped forge stronger bonds among us. Communication and trust come easily with complicity, and complicity is easy to reach when common interests are met with such fun. Developing inside jokes and complicitous reactions (All: "Oh, no! Not Dungeon Duos!") becomes the ultimate payoff.

I'm aware that other activities can help in the family bonding process, but gaming need not be percieved as a cloistered, soul-sucking, gut-enlarging time waster. Put to good use creatively, gaming should be a great tool in those moments where family derision is needed.

Tags: nintendo, family, video games, family life, geek, gaming, gamer culture, parenting

Gamer Zen: Bunny Gamer

2006-05-25T12:05:00.000-04:00

One too many hours.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, art, gamer culture, bunnies

CONFIRMED: Wii under $250 US

2006-05-25T08:57:00.000-04:00

What a great way to start your day. Our pals over at Nintendo Wii Fanboy, who are constantly looking out for us, have dug up this article over at Bloomberg.com, in which Nintendo's senior managing director, Yoshihiro Mori, told a press gaggle that the Wii will be priced under 25,000 yen.

Roughly, it boils down to the following numbers:

$223 USD
$248 CAN
€175 EUR
£119 GBP
$295 AUS
$348 NZD
1,367 kr NOK
$2,506 MXN

Of course, things may change dramatically, but this is as official a statement as we've been able to get over the past few weeks.

Now all we need is a launch date, and we'll be set.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek

Wii Game Speculation Roundup for May 24, 2006

2006-05-24T22:20:00.000-04:00

Bite-sized briefing on all the Wii game rumours, updates, and announcements which cropped up over the past 24 hours:

*Miyamoto spoke to Famitsu magazine and has, unsurprisingly, announced that a Starfox title would be made available for the Wii, which would create a “new experience” for the game.
(Via Game On Nintendo)

*The creator of the (memorable) Dreamcast launch title D2, Kenji Eno, has enigmatically hinted that he was working on developing a game for the Wii. Engimatically, because he used gestures more than words to get his point across.
(Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy)

*Taito has announced three titles for the Wii: a follow-up to their DS hit Cooking Mama, a train sim named Densha de GO!, and Motto! Mawasundaa!!, of which no details were provided.
(Via Nintendo Players)

*Need For Speed: Carbon as a launch title? EBGames.com is listing it with a November 1 release date.
(Via Nintendo Players)

*More details were provided on Elebits, which could be a sleeper hit, along with some really cool screens.
(Via WiiSpot)

*Oh, and that list of sixteen “official” launch titles which everyone has been passing around? It’s about as official as that time you thought you contracted herpes from reading my blog: Nintendo rejected the list up and down, yet mentioned that the The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Wario Ware: Smooth Moves and Super Mario Galaxy could be included in the launch. COULD.
(Via CVG)

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, rumors

Is Scott McLelland Opera's New PR Man?

2006-05-24T15:28:00.000-04:00

Probably not, but Opera for Devices' executive vice president, Scott Hedrick, seemed to have taken a page out of the former White House Press Secretary's handbook in his IGN interview with Matt Casamassina as he dodged every question which could have given us information we really wanted to know.

In an article about the Wii's web capabilities subtitled "Learn how it's all going to work in this exclusive interview," Casamassina gets next to nothing from Hedrick who only answers softball PR questions, tells us about Opera's operational structure, and sidesteps every single question about the browser's Wii functionalities:

Tabbed browsing?

No comment.

Voice commands?

No comment.

How we will get around with no keyboard?

No comment.

How will Opera take advantage of the Wiimote?

No comment.

Will there be a media player bundled in the browser?

No comment.

Flash?

No comment.

Java?

No comment.

Javascript?

No comment.

Oy, vey. I read this as "We have no clue what we're going to do with the Wiimote."

Hot pokers up the flashpipe for IGN's web editor to have ran this pointless story.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, opera, browsing, ign

No USB, No Dolby Digital

2006-05-24T12:09:00.000-04:00

A little more speculation has been laid to rest today, as IGN took the responsibility of telling us the Sensor Bar will not be connected to the Wii through a USB port, as a proprietary plug made its appaearance at E3. If you ask me, it's obvious that Nintendo did this to stifle Wii software emulation on computers and use the Wiimote to its full potential.

Also it seems that Nintendo has released documentation specifying that it will not support Dolby Digital sound and will maintain the good old Pro Logic II standard. Can't win 'em all, I guess.

Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek

Gamer Zen: Brickwall Mario

2006-05-24T09:21:00.000-04:00

Great mural of Super Mario 3-era Mario, complete with raccoon tail.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, geek, art, gamer culture, mario

When the Press Screamed "Wii!"

2006-05-23T18:48:00.000-04:00

I was just catching up on some reading I missed over the past few days, as I was taken into business affairs in Montreal which kept me from immersing myself fully into Wii culture.

I ran into Joystiq's own Vladimir "Buzzkill" Cole's article where he takes it upon himself to become the Miss Manners of the Internet video game reporting by chiding the video game "press" of acting like a bunch of raving screeching fanboys at the E3 keynotes, especially the Nintendo one.

He notes:

"Such ad-hoc outbursts of passion are appropriate at a pep rally, or at an Evangelical telethon, but they're completely out of place in a room that's supposedly full of members of the press (wouldn't be much of a press conference without press there, would it?)."

And always remember to hold your DS stylus pen with your pinky finger out.

"Buzzkill" then ended his editorial with the following:

"Here's to hoping you greenhorns get your acts together for the next big media event. A little less fanboy, a little more Cronkite, if you can muster it."

Yikes! Looks like someone forgot to put sugar on his Bran Flakes!

You have to appreciate the irony of someone blaring for a return of journalistic etiquette in video game reporting when one of his previous articles was to report the presence of Paris Hilton as a booth babe for a day:

"Paris will be hanging out (and we do mean hanging out) at the Gameloft booth (#2200) on Thursday for two hours."

There's that Cronkite level of reporting he's been talking about!

Let's be frank: video game reporters are essentially fanboys. They're fanboys who want to make a living out of what they love to do and talk about so they can catch the wave and feel involved in the scene. They're just like indie rock reporters; they even get jaded and elitist like indie rock reporters. It makes me smile every time a video game "reporter" makes disparaging comments about fanboys, like they were above them. It's exactly like indie music reviewers who take shots at people who listen to The Decemberists now that they've been signed, trying to set themselves apart from the current hot commodity. For some reason, they're better than all that. Enthusiasm is for losers.

Not that I don't understand old "Buzzkill" Cole's point: it's must be mighty hard to get any kind of credibility as a "video game reporter" with all those bloggers with press passes, running like kids at FAO Schwartz. Bloggers aren't bound by any journalistic code and can write and react in whichever way they feel like. By passing themselves off as members of the press, their actions reflect on the rest of the "press corps." If they don't pick up their act, how is "Buzzkill" ever going to be able to score a Pulitzer for his live coverage of the Microsoft E3 keynote?

Stupid fanboys.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, e3, blogging, press, joystiq

8-bit Gaming & The Future

2006-05-23T00:45:00.000-04:00

In the April issue of Grafik magazine, there is an overview of the I Am 8-bit art exhibit, which I am sure many of you are already familiar with. What's nice about this article is that it's a far cry from the usual fanboy schlep ("That Dig Dug painting was the awesomest!"), focusing mostly on the quality of the art and the sentiment behind the exhibit.

And it's actually bigger than simply love of the old-school games. It's about love of the game experience, and how tiny blocky characters captivated our imaginations.

Jon Gibson, the founder of I Am 8-bit, nutshelled the issue with the gaming industry and the growing schism between gamers and game makers:

"Too often you do hear a developer pitch their game like this: 'Our models are comprised of 30,000 polygons vs last year's game which only had 15,000.' Lest they forget to focus on the more important aspects of gameplay - storytelling, level design and, most integral, making the game as fun as possible."

It's an especially notable quote when you consider it coming from a guy who isn't even old enough to remember the 8-bit era.

It's also intersting to contextualise these statements in the wake of E3, where Microsoft and Sony focused their presentations on their hardware and how technology can improve gameplay. Nintendo focused on the thrill and pleasure of playing games.

What's under the hood isn't nearly as important at what developers can extract from it to make the game engaging and fun. Somehow as games are becoming more photorealistic and real, the issues of fun and pleasure are sidestepped.

From Roels van Mastbergen, of Team Senile:

"It's so easy to start playing a classic game. No need to sit through lengthy training levels in order to master the controls, just press start and go. You can figure out what the buttons are for in less than two seconds - quite a difference from many recent games where you have to fight the controls before you can fight the bad guys."

It's interesting to qualify video games as having a soul, but that's what van Mastbergen is harkening for: maintaining the artistry of the video game. He's not alone in wanting that, either. More and more players are becoming disenfranchised and are adhering to a certain variation of the "less is more" philosophy. Which makes one wonder if that isn't, indeed, the true demographic that Nintendo is trying to reach.

Nintendo executives are towing the line with the "casual gamer" spiel, but if one accepts the idea that a growing number of gamers are becoming disenfranchised with the way things are, isn't Nintendo playing it smart? One could argue that the Wii is mostly directed at them more than people who have never touched a console in their lives. Perhaps the memory of falling in love with low-res, über-pixelized characters and environments is bubbling back to the surface as the pledges for pleasure stream out of the house that Mario built.

I'm definitely not calling for a return to the blocky games of old, but the lesson that the 8-bit era taught us was lost in the euphoria of polygon-saturated immersiveness of the last decade. Yet it's back as if it was never out of style: the only buzzword that matters is "fun."

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, art, culture

Wii Remote: Not All Love

2006-05-18T16:54:00.000-04:00

Wii citizens of the planet Earth, the following revelation may surprise you. In fact, to be perfectly honest, it may just shock you. Shock you into a state of high velocity head spinning.

Some people are not impressed with the Wiimote’s integration and functionality.

Yes, I know. Sit down. Take a deep breath and go to your happy place. Feel better? Hope so, because the reality is that there are folks who aren’t drinking the Kool Aid.

All in all, that kind of thought is fair. One has to be fair in this world, especially when running a gaming website-slash-blog which fancies itself as presenting impartial judgments. I, on the other hand, make no such claim of neutrality and could very well reply to such dastardly claims with a bellowing: NO! THEY ARE WRONG! THE WIIMOTE WILL RULE US ALL! IT WILL FEED STARVING CHILDREN EVERYWHERE! IT WILL CURE ME OF MY PHLEBITIS!

Instead, I have heeded said arguments against the remote. I have read about how unconvinced some people are, how the Wiimote is underwhelming expectations, how complex the controls are, and how titles still need work, and have brought another analysis to the table: the Wiimote’s integration isn’t whole yet because it’s not supposed to be.

NUMBER ONE: Developer Weariness

Developing games for the Wii isn’t a simple question of porting anymore. There’s a whole new set of rules design houses have to deal with, which means extra costs on their end. Nintendo has made the Wii development kit as inexpensive as possible (thus, appealing from a business standpoint) to get people to crank out the games, but you can’t blame a company for taking a wait-and-see approach. Lots of creatives are digging the Wii but are taking a non-committal approach. Like I said, you can’t blame them.

NUMBER TWO: Changing the Rules

Folks, I remember when I first played with an Atari joystick: one big ol’ protruding thingy with a single red button the side. Sure, there were variations for certain games (like a flight stick), but the joystick was the tool of the trade. When the Nintendo Entertainment System gave us its controllers, it was also a revolution: We not longer controlled our characters with a stick but rather with a pad; a pad in the shape of a plus sign. Not to mention those two, count ‘em, two buttons accompanied byt those “Start” and “Select” ones. It was hard to assimilate; we were blown away. It changed the way we played games. We had to adapt and adapt we did.

NUMBER THREE: Symbiosis Lag

Actually, James Ransom-Wiley over at Joystiq said it best:

Miyamoto, speaking last night at a developer's event, said that after becoming comfortable with the Wiimote, it's now impossible for him to go back. I'm not there yet, and I know I'm not alone. It's gonna take a lot of work to rewire how we, longtime gamers, play video games.

Aside from actually using “gonna” as a word, he’s hit the nail right on the head. Let’s get to know the Wiimote. Let’s get to understand its potential. Let’s hotwire it to our gaming bodies. We're going to need some time to make the Wiimote's feel second nature, especially since we've been conditioned to use button-heavy controllers for over 15 years or so. There's no reason for Nintendo or any developers to start putting out games with profound and layered usage of the Wiimote as we'll all be getting used to it. Once we’ve mastered Wii Sports over and over again and are ready for the real challenges, then will be the time for the Big N to deliver.Besides, remember that Nintendo wants to get the casual gameplayer in here, not scare them away with a 19 button controller.You know, sometimes, for an industry that prides itself on innovation and change, we consumers on the end result can come off as pretty conservative.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games

Twilight Princess Date Set?

2006-05-17T09:51:00.000-04:00

If you do a little search for "Twilight Princess" over at EBGames.com, both the GameCube and Wii versions of the anticipated Zelda game pop up with a November 1 release date. Does this mean we know about the Wii's launch date as well?

Unlikely. As the article over at Revolution Fanboy comments, EB Games has screwed up on dates in the past, so we're far from a done deal. I'm afraid retailers aren't always the first to know, especially when you consider that the dude over at Toys R Us was told by the Nintendo sales representative that the Wii could be out in a couple of months.

Cover art is nice, though.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, zelda

Merrill Lynch Says: 200$ Wii

2006-05-16T19:25:00.000-04:00

An analyst from stock brokerage firm Merrill Lynch believes that Nintendo will undercut its console competition and will sell the Wii for $200.

Invoking the console's appeal to "hard-core and casual gamers" line, the analyst believes the low price will help the Big N grab up some market share and will entice game developers to "create more titles for the gaming system."

He also calls into play the fact that the Wii's more modest processor will allow publishers to develop games at lower cost, another enticement.

Always good to hear, but this kind of stuff only matters if we, the consumer, end up with engrossing games. You could have 154 launch titles for your console, but if only a handful matter what's the point?

Via /.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, market

Mega Man and Rez for Wii?

2006-05-16T16:46:00.000-04:00

Too many people are talking to too many people, and it's starting to make my head spin. I mean there are literally interviews everywhere with such-and-such about this and that game... it's really hard to keep up.

However, if you will allow me a few instants, I would like to point your interest into two very specific directions:

Is the PlayStation 3 not the best platform for the next Mega Man game? I ain't hatin', series creator Keiji Inafune said it himself! But more importantly, he feels that the Wii has better potential! Very interesting stuff!

Also, Tetsuya Mizuguchi has spoken to Eurogamer and has told them that he's working on stuff for the Wii. What kind of stuff? He (obviously) didn't go into specifics, but he did have this to say about the Wii opening up new creative worlds for developers:

"At my stage, I'm watching what's happening in the future, planning how to combine the music, the visualisation, the futuristic - a Rez kind of experience. I don't mean I'm making a Rez sequel, but I'm thinking about the future, and what kind of games I can make in terms of high-def sounds and visuals."

And when asked if he would do a Rez sequel, his answer went along like this:

"I'm currently seriously considering it. It's always there. I'm always thinking about it. [Grinning] Also Space Channel 5."

Screw Katamari Damacy (but in a nice way). Rez was the best game on the PlayStation 2. If the Wii can get anything close to that while using the Wiimote's capabilities, I may have to purchase that home theatre system I've been putting off.

Via The Wiire

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, mega man, rez,

The Rise of the Console Price

2006-05-16T15:20:00.000-04:00

jvm over at Curmudgeon Gamer has done up some graphs to show the history of the pricing of the video game console. I don't want to embark on some PlayStation 3 hate, au contraire. It's a very fascinating timeline.

Tags: nintendo, microsoft, video games, sony, sega, turbo graphx 16, xbox, playstation, ps3, vintage

Ask The Wii Genie

2006-05-15T16:31:00.000-04:00

If there is anything any good Nintendo fan has had over the past few months it's questions; questions about the Wii: When is it going to be launched? How much will it cost? What will be the launch titles? Why does Link look so angsty in the Twilight Princess trailers...?

All of these questions could be answered by the Wii Genie, a Q&A website which attempts to answer the burning questions surrounding our dream console. As any good-natured Web 2.0-based website, it's basis is a social one, where readers submit questions to which other readers submit their answers, until the Genie tells it like it is.

So is it a hub for speculation and rumour-spreading? Totally. Will it be fun? You bet your Robin Williams voiceover it will be.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, web 2.0

No Rechargeable Wiimote? No Biggii!

2006-05-15T15:59:00.000-04:00

The fact that Nintendo will be shipping the Wiimotes with alkaline batteries seems to be coming across as a faux pas. Many fans were apparently expecting rechargeable controllers instead of having to chuck down money to maintain their operation.

According to this article at the Wiire, the Wiimotes will be shipped with alkaline batteries, thus shooting down any hopes of plugging your remote into the wall and juicing it back to life. The Ninty engineer they spoke to mentioned that a separate rechargeable battery pack may be offered as an optinal accessory down the line.

If you ask me it's no big deal for two reasons:

1. Keep the costs low
If Nintendo wants to keep its promise to deliver us a low-cost console, it has to cut into components like this which would just end up jacking up the price. That beats stuffing in a proprietary battery component any day.

2. NiMH
Rechargeable batteries are commonplace on the market and are easy to be found. They're a tad more expensive, but well worth the (small) investment in time and money, as well for reducing my environmental footprint. As a father, I don't know what I'd do without them.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games

Toy R Us Taking Wii Reservations

2006-05-12T21:41:00.000-04:00

Cast this one into the stroke of luck bin: regardless of the fact that Nintendo didn't annouce a release date for the Wii, Toys R Us has apparently begun taking reservations for the upcoming console. I should know, I placed mine today.

It was really just pure, blind luck that I ended up at the mall and stopped in the toy store quickly with my son. I started chatting with the clerk in the electronics section about E3 and so on when he mentioned that the store had already started taking reservations. There were about fifteen people already on the list. So I left my $50 deposit. Seems even more real now.

He did share with me some information I hadn't heard about yet. These tidbits, I guess, can be considered to be rumours, but they're still interesting to note:

Despite the beginning of reservations, Toys R Us didn't have a confirmed price from Nintendo. But he stated that the Nintendo representative who serves the store told him it would be between $250 to $325 CDN.

He also said that, still according to the Nintendo rep, the Wii is going to ship with two games. Nice. Not one, two. I'm banking on Mario Galaxy and Wii Sports.

Odd tidbit: The same Ninty rep told him that the Wii would start shipping in one to two months time. That obviously contradicts everything we've heard. I highly doubt this one, especially when you consider all the reports which state that there are a lot of games which need work.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, news, rumours

Facing the Music

2006-05-12T12:22:00.000-04:00

Nintendo Gal has posted a video of herself trying out Wii Music Orchestra, the orchestra conducting game that Miyamoto wielded at the start of the Nintendo keynote a couple of days ago. It's a great look at the game and gives us an idea at how ridiculously fun it can be. According to the Gamespot article, wimpy movements are doomed to fail: vigorous motion make the orchestra play faster and louder. Hopefully, one will be able to cue various sections of the orchestra when the game becomes final.

Also, the Gal sucks it in and admits that it's not as easy as it looks. Her first-hand account is very humbling. Those who were giving Miyamoto a hard time should think twice.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, e3, music

Bonk's Virtual Console Adventure

2006-05-12T09:31:00.000-04:00

I didn't spend as much time as many of my bretheren did with the Turbo Grafx 16 console, but I do have very fond memories of playing Bonk's Adventure and Lode Runner. It was nice to hear that Hudson was going to supply 100 of its old console's titles to the Virtual Console. I mean, we already knew that those games were going to be added, but a three digit number sorta goes beyond my expectations. Being a very old-school gamer, I'm going to enjoy scavenging through these games I wasn't really acquainted with.

Bonk will most assuredly be part of the line-up, and I hope Lode Runner will be too. Man, I loved that game.

Via Nintendo Players

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, e3, hudson, turbo grafx 16, bonk,

Duck Hunt 2 Video

2006-05-12T09:20:00.000-04:00

Watch 'em scramble for their lives:It's funny how the simplest games make me go nuts.

Via Revolution Fanboy.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, e3,duck hunt 2,video,

Thirteen characters which should have made it to Super Smash Bros. Brawl

2006-05-11T22:48:00.000-04:00

Yesterday had Nintendo's core base a-rockin' as it was announced that Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the next edition of the Super Smash Bros. line, would be available for the Wii in 2007. Not only would the game make use of the Wii's WiFi capabilities, but we were treated to the introduction of the new characters: Kid Icarus' Pit, Metaknight (which bids the question: "Why?"), a helmet-less Samus in her Zero Suit, and my hero Wario. Of course, the big news is that Metal Gear's Solid Snake will also be a part of the game.

"Solid Snake." If that name isn't the biggest innuendo joke in video game history, I don't know what is. My tongue gets greasy every time I say it.

It's really unfortunate that, perhaps aside from Wario, most of my wishlist characters still haven't made it to the bash. I have quite a long list actually, filled with dream playable characters, some who would be logical additions, and others I'd just love to smack around.

So, in the spirit of that Thursday Thirteen blogging tradition, I give you my list of thirteen characters which weren't added to the Super Mario Bros. Brawl line-up.

Captain Syrup
If you're going to lead a group of pirates called the "Brown Sugar Pirates," you have to be the source of some mighty fine pirating to avoid ridicule. Especially with a name like "Syrup." If that isn't badass, I don't know what is.

Soda Popinski
Popinksi needs the proper recognition for having the best name ever. Imagine having this world-class boxer bouncing around, letting out some of his classic puns: "Would you like some punch to drink? Ha, ha, ha!" Magical. Simply, magical. I'd buy two copies of the game.

K.K.
Crushing guitar-swingin' power, while whistling the bars to K.K Casbah. You know that would be awesome.

Ken Griffey Jr.
What? Don't you remember Ken Griffey Jr.'s Slugfest on the Nintendo 64? Don't tell me the thought of swinging at Kirby to hit homers isn't making your palms sweaty.

Mike Jones
Okay, if we can't get Griffey Jr., we'll settle for this other Seattle ball player.

Donkey Kong Jr.
DK's misbegotten child should only be in the game if Diddy Kong is in as a character as well. Junior needs to make that little brat understand that he's spending WAY too much time with his dad. Junior's been a good boy: saved his father, did his math homework... "When are we going to play catch, dad?"

Birdo
I just want to punch one around. God, I hate those things.

Tingle
Out of my mind am I? What about the chance of having Mario stomp him on the head? What about Pikachu roasting him with an electric shock? What about doing what every fan has dreamed of in the Zelda games but was unable to do: have Link slice him up into ribbons? Yeah, I thought you'd see it my way.

King Slender
Who wouldn't want to control a blonde mullet-sporting albino wrestler? There is something inherently satisfying at exclaiming out loud after a victory: "King SLENDAAHH!"

Jack
He's got a barn-o-copia of farm tools at his disposal! A barn-o-copia.

Ridley
Everyone wet themselves when Bowser became a playable character. Pshaw, I say! Bowser's become soft over the years. Ridley's the Man's Villain (TM): vicious, evil, he's never let himself go. Get him out of opening sequences and let him tangle with the likes of Ganondorf.

Gracie
Make me shine your car now, BITCH!

Simon Blemont
This one's really overdue. Bring Belmont home!

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games, e3, thursday thirteen

Microsoft and Nintendo: Allies?

2006-05-11T16:05:00.000-04:00

I sense a chill wind rolling over hell.

"'Tell me why you would buy a $600 PS3?' Peter Moore, a Microsoft vice president, said in an interview. 'People are going to buy two (machines.) They're going to buy an Xbox and they're going to buy a Wii ... for the price of one PS3.'"

Yup, those comments were picked up at E3, as Microsoft and Sony people kept on sniping at each other trying to determine who has the biggest memory stick.

But Moore wasn't just blowing air. He's serious. He likes the Wii:

"'People will always gravitate toward a competitively priced product -- like what I believe Wii will be -- with innovative new designs and great intellectual property like Mario, Zelda and Metroid,' Moore told Reuters."

If we lend him Metroid, can he lend us Fable?

The only thing that's even strnager though is the article's title: "Microsoft sides with Nintendo in fight vs Sony." Nintendo wasn't in a fight with Sony in the first place; Nintendo isn't directly gunning for Sony's audience. So how can Microsoft be siding with the Big N? It's more like Microsoft is dragging Nintendo into the "battle of the next gen." It's like two kids squabbling in the schoolyard and one of them says "Yeah? Well Johnny doesn't want to be your friend anymore either."

And Johnny isn't even involved.

Tags: nintendo, wii, video games microsoft, e3, news, sony, xbox, ps3

IGN on Super Mario Galaxy: "Intoxicating"

2006-05-10T17:58:00.000-04:00

See, this is why I maintain this very distinct love/hate relationship with gamer news: gamer reporters get to try out all the cool stuff before the lot of us can. It stinks.

Take for example that creep Matt Casamassina over at IGN. I've never met the guy, don't read him all that much, but he is officially on the Citizen Wii Creep List because that lucky schnook got to fool around with the playable demo of Super Mario Galaxy. This is pretty much a summary of his experience:

"If you have any fear about whether or not Super Mario Galaxy is a gimmick, or the experience is fun with the Wii remote, lay them to rest. Nintendo's latest update to its classic franchise is, in a word, intoxicating."

Well la, dee, da, Mister Casamassina - if you think you can try and atone for yourself by posting a glowing, enthusiastic review of your first fiddlings with the game, making our hearts flutter and our pulses quake in anticipation, all while reassuring our psyches that our Hero Plumber will be treated to a game worthy of his stature I say... I say...

I say...

I'm erasing you from the Creep List. But rest assured:I'm watching you.

Tags: nintendo, wii, mario, e3, news, super mario

Zombiies and Duckiies

2006-05-10T15:57:00.000-04:00

Yeah, so Capcom decided that their Umbrella Corp-infected walking corpses would be making their return to the company that Mario built in a Wii-sculsive Resident Evil title. Nice. I couldn't think of a better use of the Wiimote than to bash zombie skulls in with a blunt object.

Not that I'm a violent person...

Also, seems like the venerable Duck Hunt is going to be making a comeback. Duck Hunt 2 is apparently going to be appearing as a playable demo at the Nintendo booth. Since it's been announced, Dick Cheney has been trying to contact developers, wondering if shooting your hunting buddies is an in-game feature. BA-ZING!

Tags: nintendo, wii, capcom, e3, news, resident evil, duck hunt 2

Metroid Prime 3 & Super Mario Galxaxy Video

2006-05-10T12:20:00.000-04:00

There are lots of videos from the Nintendo keynote yesterday, but I want to share two bits with you, from Metroid Prime 3 and Super Mario Galaxy, two titles I am anxiously awaiting to get my hands on for my upcoming Wii.

The Mario game looks astounding. Is that Ridley Samus is fighting?

The Wii Classic Controller Mystery

2006-05-10T12:06:00.000-04:00

One of the big mysteries to come out yesterday was something which actually wasn't announced at E3 yesterday. In fact, it's just a little something which popped up over on Nintendo's website which has everyone scratching their heads:

Many people, and rightfully, are wondering what the hell is up with a wired controller after all this hype around the Wiimote and its wireless capabilities. After all, this is a bit of a throwback to SNES days when you look at the design.

Hopefully some intrepid bloggers over at E3 will swing by Nintendo's booth and ask the right questions, but the remote feels rather logical to me. After all, the Gamecube games are supposed to be playable on the Wii, right? Doesn't seem far-fetched to consider that the Wiimote-and-Nunchuk combo will be unusable when playing old Gamecube games. Or maybe they're just putting out the remote for that old-school feel when you start tearing up the list of old NES and SNES games through Wii Connect24. Notice the "Home" button?

Ooh: Widescreen Zelda

2006-05-10T11:54:00.000-04:00

This is rather droolworthy: Seems that Nintendo has announced that the Wii version of Twilight Princess will be available in widescreen format. Yum.

Sucks for those who were planning on hanging on to their Gamecubes for a while; the Gamecube version of the anticipated Zelda title won't have that aforementioned little tweak.

Wii news from outside the Keynote

2006-05-10T10:31:00.000-04:00

It was a big day at E3 yesterday for us Nintenheads. The Nintendo keynote was chock full of goodies, the specifics of which can be read right here, especially if you want to see Miyamoto in a tux.

But even outside the keynote, lots of Wii-specific stuff was being announced. This is a rundown of what was learned:

- Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers and Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors (God! Could those titles be any longer?) would be available as launch titles for the Wii.

- Sega announced that Sonic would be blazing the lop-de-loops with a Wii-exclusive title, tentatively called Sonic: Wildfire. My son will be happy to hear that. Word on the street says you'll be able to control Sonic with the Wiimote. Nice. Won't be a launch title, but that's cool.

- Havok has jumped into the boat and has confirmed that it will support the Wii. There was actually a sound of excitement in the press release.

- Electronic Arts officially backs the Wii. Pfft. I guess sports games fans will be happy about that. Of note: EA will dedicate an entire team to developing content for the Wii, and that team will be located in Canada. Good for our Canuck boys.

- Nintendo and Freescale Semiconductor have also announced a partnership to develop "reliable, flexible, and cost-efficient" development tools for the Wii console. Freescale's Codewarrior technology is now the official Wii toolkit. It's very techie and out-of-my-league news, but it's still news. Hopefully somewhere someone is excited.

- Activision has committed to three launch titles: Call of Duty 3, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, and Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam which is exclusively developed for the Wii. I was hard pressed to find any details on any online capabilities these games could have. I could only imagine playing Ultimate Alliance with superheroes from around the world.

That's all I have for now. There's a lot of fascinating stuff, and the Wii launch is beginning to feel more and more palpable and real.

They Got Me; They Got Me Good

2006-05-09T20:16:00.000-04:00

I've been roped in.

Roped, yanked to the ground, all fours tied up.

Today, at E3, Nintendo introduced us to its next console, the Wii.

I was anxious to hear about it, but now I'm officially its bitch. I haven't been this excited about a piece of hardware since, well, since buying my first iMac back in the late 90s.

I'm so excited, I decided to start up my own Wii blog.

This is going to be about stuff related to the Wii. Nothing about the Xbox 360 or the PS3. No hate. It's going to be all about the Wii. News, rumours, opinions, and eventually, REVIEWS. OH, GOD YES! THE REVIEWS! A Wii-friendly place for all Wiitizens.

Hope you all stick around. Let's get to know each other.