Wednesday, July 30, 2008

• Wii News & Updates 2008.07.30

WiiWare

Frat Party Games: Pong Toss™ (JV Games, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone—Mild Language, 800 Wii Points): Pony up—it’s Pong Toss time. Compete against your friends or the computer in this ultimate party-game favorite. Play on a regulation table with up to four players. Make consecutive shots for the Fireball bonuses and Roll-Backs as you or your team try to dominate the table and reign as Pong Toss champs. In Speed Pong, up to three challengers can compete at the same time. Speed and strategy are the keys to this fast-paced game. Jack up your opponents by using a slew of power-ups that will slow them down. The first one who sinks the last cup wins it all. Be fast. Be furious. Be victorious.
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frat_Party_Games:_Pong_Toss
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltfpB9nH150&fmt=18
Official Website: http://www.fratpartygames.com/

Virtual Console


Chase H.Q.® (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Drug Reference, Mild Violence, 600 Wii Points): This is a different style of racing game in which you attempt to catch criminals by chasing them and ramming their cars off the road. Playing as two cops from the NYPD special “CHASE H.Q.” unit, the first half of each stage involves you maneuvering your unmarked car in a heated chase, followed by an action sequence in the latter half. Once you reach the target vehicle, you flip on your lights and siren, and then try to stop the culprits by repeatedly colliding with them. Use your different gears wisely as you make your way through streets and around corners, and be careful not to hit objects or other cars, or you’ll lose speed. Also at your disposal are turbo units for temporary extra speed and ramming power.
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chase_H.Q.


ART OF FIGHTING 2 (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen—Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Violence, 900 Wii Points): Released in 1994 by SNK, ART OF FIGHTING 2 sees 12 characters compete for the title in the toughest fighting contest of them all: King of Fighters. Each character has a range of deadly techniques in his or her arsenal, and players must use these lethal techniques to fight their opponents. As in the original ART OF FIGHTING, however, using a deadly technique lowers a character’s mental-energy gauge. For this reason, players must use these techniques carefully. Meanwhile, players can taunt an opponent to exhaust his or her mental energy, and even suppress their opponent’s techniques if successful. This type of mental-energy offense and defense gives ART OF FIGHTING 2 a uniquely enjoyable spin on the fighting-game genre. Further adding to the strategy required to win, an attack will become stronger or weaker depending on exactly when the button is pressed. And even if a player is thrown, defensive action is possible with the timely press of a button. All of this adds up to an intense and nail-biting fighting-game experience not found anywhere else.
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_of_Fighting_2

Wii
Summer Athletics Official Website; IGN; YouTube
MLB Power Pros 2008 Official Website; IGN; Wiki
King Of Clubs: Mini Golf IGN; GameSpot

Nintendo DS
Professor Brainium IGN; GameSpot
Puzzler Collection IGN
Suzuki Superbikes II: Riding Challenge IGN

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Free Wii system with Comcast Preferred Plus Triple-Play Offer ends Aug. 17

Some of you may have seen the commercial ad on TV that Nintendo is partnering with Comcast.
Comcast will be giving away a limited supply of free Wiis in an upcoming promotion. The offer is good for new Comcast Triple-Play subscribers signing up July 28-August 17th in select markets. The promo will be good around certain areas such as Miami, San Francisco, Houston, Denver, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, and some other markets too. In valid markets where Triple-Play is not available, Double-Play subscriptions are eligible.

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Nintendo has also recently teamed up with photo company Fujifilm to bring you the "Digicam Print Channel", which is a photo-printing service out now in Japan. This one allows Wii owners upload photos to the Wii Photo Channel and print them via the console. Also available are "Wii Name Cards", which are essentially business cards, and "Wii Photobooks."



The service is expected to go global, but no dates are set yet.

Video demonstration on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCKMB5hWB88&fmt=18
Read more details @
Source

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Nintendo's unusual new Wii project, Captain Rainbow, from the developer behind GiFTPiA and Chibi-robo, Skip Ltd., is set to hit Japan on August 28th and at last some new concrete details have emerged from a Japanese retailer and have now been translated.

Completely out of the blue Nintendo revealed that it had a game called Captain Rainbow heading to Wii and that it would be out much sooner than anyone could have guessed, despite a trademark for the game's name appearing earlier in the year. Now information is starting to pour out of Japan at a spectacular rate as Nintendo attempts to quickly build up sufficient hype to help the game sell. Below are two new trailers from the game, showing off characters like Little Mac and Birdo, as well as the translated details from the NeoWing retailer website.

Watch all 3 trailers @ http://media.wii.ign.com/media/142/14265257/vids_1.html

More about this game @ IGN: http://wii.ign.com/objects/142/14265257.html#aboutThisGame
or Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Rainbow

Source

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Ragnarok Online DS

- gameplay remains closely related to PC title
- offline story mode is main focus
- Play as Ares, “a mild-mannered kid who wants to start up his own guild and be a great adventurer like his father
- recruit party members
- takes place in the realm of Rune Midgard
- build up characters to gain new jobs, skills
- mostly stylus control
- tap to pick up items, attack enemies
- draw circles and more for spells
- two brand-new jobs (Dark Knight can do special moves that drain HP, Shaman has various magic skills)
- Online play: three people team up to take on the Tower of Mirages, a 50 floor random dungeon
- December 18th release in Japan
- no US plans yet

scans from Famitsu magazine:
Page 1, Page 2

Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnarok_online_ds

Source

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Winds of Nostalgia

- produced by Keisuke Kikuchi (Fatal Frame)
- developed by Matrix Software
- play as Eddie “a young London native who’s decided to adventure off to unknown lands in search of his missing father”
- travel the world with crew mates such as Pad and Melody (witch)
- locations: Cairo, Rio de Janeiro, Africa, Northern Europe and more
- certain characters are better with certain weapons
- travel via airship, which is outfitted with armor and weapons
- airship battles are a major part of the game
- each character has specific skill sets that can be power-ed up and branched-out upon

Source

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Fire Emblem DS

more details:
1. Most classes remain the same
- Pegasus Knights = Dragon Knights.
- Thieves, Lords, other special classes cannot change

2. Class-swap as much as needed, but with some limitations
- no swapping to unique classes (Lords, Commandos, etc
- limited to amount of each class

3. Class change uses an item called the Master Proof
- class change to the upper classes allows you to swap between the upper classes
- Warrior and Berserker classes added

4. Wi-Fi battles
- voice chat
- Fog of War
- rule settings
- team of 5 units

5. 6 difficulty levels
- Normal and Hard open from the beginning
- Enemy reinforcements at beginning of enemy phase

Source

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Tetris Party [WiiWare]

Details:
- due out this Fall
- 18 new modes
- balance board support confirmed
- 10 never-before-seen single/multi Tetris variations (point-and-shoot, balance board, and more)
- play online with up to 6 players
- World Battle and Friend Battle

Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetris_Party

screenshots and more @
Source

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TrackMania DS - new trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHUYuiyR9lw&fmt=18

Fire Emblem DS - trailer+TVCM from Everybody's Nintendo channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTIdLNwwsEw&fmt=18

MadWorld - IGN E3 Live Wire demo: http://media.wii.ign.com/media/142/14253678/vids_1.html

The Conduit - IGN E3 Live Wire demo: http://media.wii.ign.com/media/142/14248157/vids_1.html

Mega Man 9 - IGN E3 Live Wire demo: http://media.wii.ign.com/media/142/14260822/vids_1.html

Naruto: Clash of the Ninja Revolution 2 - IGN E3 Live Wire demo: http://media.wii.ign.com/media/965/965447/vids_1.html

Tenchu 4 - trailers: http://media.wii.ign.com/media/142/14258123/vids_1.html

Captain Rainbow - trailers: http://media.wii.ign.com/media/142/14265257/vids_1.html

Wario Land: Shake - Hi-res artwork gallery at my Picasa: http://picasaweb.google.com/rothsothy/WarioLandShakeIt

Fatal Frame IV
- New full-length trailer (featuring theme song and creator's voice): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cruZeTUAddU&fmt=18
- Gameplay footage now with some translation by Stormbringer (NeoGAF): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yM3dJK9VvM&fmt=18

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Fatal Frame IV / Zero ~Mask of the Lunar Eclipse~ Experience Page now open:
http://wii.com/jp/articles/zero/

Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop - official website now open:
http://www.capcom.co.jp/deadrising_wii/

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
- official website now open: http://www.square-enix.co.jp/kingdom/days/
- translation: http://www.khinsider.com/latest/358-2-days...site-opens.html

LEGO Batman - official website now open:
http://www.legobatmangame.com

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Penguin United announced their upcoming 4X Quad Charge Station for Wii.

Details:
- charge up to 4 Wii Remotes simultaneously
- now with set of rechargeable Li-Ion batteries for longer lasting than Ni-Mh
- up to 13hrs of play each remote
- LEDs on each dock will indicate when batteries are in need of charge around 25%
- full charge in less than 4hrs
- 4 colored wrist straps included
- price: $44.99

Source

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LiveMove 2 is a brand new product that fully supports the Nintendo Wii MotionPlus accessory. AiLive collaborated with Nintendo to design the MotionPlus hardware and is offering LiveMove 2 to help game developers take full advantage of its capabilities. LiveMove 2 can knock at least six months off the time required to integrate the basic functionality of the new device into your game. For advanced use, you simply won't find anything else like it!

Exciting new features such as:
– Fully supports the Wii MotionPlus;
– 1:1 tracking of both position and orientation;
– Snap-to-fit extends tracking indefinitely, allows chaining of moves
and can instantly map player movements to in-game animations;
– Even easier to use, with a more intuitive GUI and improved debugging facilities;
– Classification of two-handed, coordinated motions;
– Classification can use additional MotionPlus data to improve performance.

Demo Videos and more info @
http://www.ailive.net/lm2.html

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Catch up on previous Wii News & Updates at my Blogspot, Xanga, or Multiply.
See you all next week! \:D/

// Roth

Friday, July 25, 2008

• SIREN: Blood Curse [PSN] Live Feed Videos NIGHT 1

These following videos were recorded last night (11PM ~ roughly 3AM EST) during a live feed on Ustream with chat.
These videos include the first 3 episodes of SIREN: Blood Curse [PSN] available now at the PlayStation Store.
Though I didn't start recording until the first initial mission was finished. Enjoy! \:D/

WARNING: A lot of foul language that may be offensive to viewers. View at your own risk.


*Pre-Live Text Chat now included for download: Siren_Chat_Day_1.rtf

Use it to follow along as you watch the videos below, skip down to Episode 1b because video was not recorded before that.



Episode 1b:



Episode 2:



Episode 2b:



Episode 3:



Episode 3b:



These videos will soon be on YouTube for more exposure.
Do keep up to date on my Twitter to know when I'll be doing a live feed on the next 3 episodes.

// Roth

Monday, July 21, 2008

• Wii News & Updates 2008.07.21

WiiWare

Pirates: The Key of Dreams (Oxygen Games, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone—Mild Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): Pirates: The Key of Dreams is a frantic nautical shoot-’em-up. Sail your way across the Caribbean, cannons blazing, looting booty, running blockades and ultimately battling Blackbeard himself. The player takes control of a navy captain sent deep undercover as a ruthless pirate in order to seek out and retrieve the Key of Dreams, a valuable and dangerous cursed artifact. Rescue castaways to bolster your ship’s crew, gaining performance increases to your navigation, weaponry, structural integrity and cartography skills. Collect increasingly powerful weaponry including rockets, mines, chain shot, saw blades and a flamethrower to hurl destruction into the path of your enemies. Play against three of your scurvy friends or A.I. opponents in pitched multiplayer battles over 35 levels, set in seven themed environments. Choose from different ship types that reflect your play style. Play in turbo mode if you’re pirate enough.
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirates:_The_Key_of_Dreams
YouTube "Gameplay": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4bTMedkonM

Virtual Console

http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/fantasyzone/sfz-4.png
Super Fantasy Zone (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone—Mild Cartoon Violence, 900 Wii Points): The last entry in the Fantasy Zone series, this side-scrolling shooter puts you in the shoes of main character Opa-Opa, who is on a mission to avenge the death of his father. To do so, you’ll have to battle a variety of Enemy Generators to clear out the various levels and finish off the Menon Guardian at the end of the level. Eliminating your enemies will let you rack up some gold, which you can use to buy even better weapons, upgrades and other equipment. Spend your gold wisely, as each different boss you need to defeat presents a unique challenge.
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Fantasy_Zone

http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/gleylancer/gley4.png
Gley Lancer (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Mild Suggestive Themes, Mild Fantasy Violence, 900 Wii Points): In the year 2025, a war breaks out between humans and a hostile alien race, and 16-year-old Lucia and the rest of the starfighter pilots in the Earth Federation must join the battle. When Lucia’s father is kidnapped by the aliens, she decides to take action and hijacks a brand new prototype starfighter, the Gley Lancer, in order to try to save him. In this side-scrolling shooter, step into the cockpit of the Gley Lancer as Lucia, rescue your father and destroy the evil aliens that are bent on destroying the human race.
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gley_Lancer

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Wii

SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 IGN
Order Up! GameSpot

Nintendo DS

http://media.nintendo.com/nintendo/bin/Vp-8Ty0nRNvH59d19Fmlj04zs4vQ2mH4/xRVWsr0w98gPXjKbn-i-Ao_kes_NHwBo.jpg
Final Fantasy IV Official Website; Wiki; IGN; YouTube "Official Movie I"
Izuna 2 The Unemployed Ninja Returns Official Website; IGN; Offcial YouTube

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Japan releases
http://www.japanvideogames.com/v/vspfiles/photos/wiij-samurai-2T.jpg
Samurai Spirit (Rokuban Shoubu) [Wii] YouTube; Official Website; 1UP
Wario Land: Shake [Wii] Wiki; Official Nintendo Page

Metal Slug 7 [NDS] Wiki; YouTube "Mission 7 Gameplay"
KORG DS-10 Synthesizer [NDS] Official Japanese Website; YouTube "E3 Trailer"

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Nintendo Channel Updates

Videos
Get Wii Fit with Alyson: Aerobics
Pirates: The Key of Dreams Info Video
Madden NFL 09 Info Video
GRID Info Video
Hell’s Kitchen The Game Info Video
TNA iMPACT! Info Video
Master of the Monster Lair Info Video
Dinasour King Info Video
Guitar Hero: On Tour Duel Video
Digest Video

DS Demos *expire 7/27
Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2
Wall-E
Contra 4
PICTOIMAGE

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Exclusive Japanese Trailer for Pokemon Platinum (Platine), the remake of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl for the Nintendo DS.
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uElgjICioPc&fmt=18

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According to the next issue of Nintendo Power magazine, Sonic and The Black Knight, sequel to Sonic and The Secret Rings, is now official.
Here's an excerpt from press release:

–SEGA of Europe Ltd. and SEGA® of America, Inc. today announced Sonic™ and the Black Knight, an all-new Wii-exclusive adventure. Part of the storybook series of games that began with Sonic and the Secret Rings, this new title brings Sonic into the world of Arthurian legend and offers the worlds most infamous blue hedgehog the chance to become a knight. Using the unique Wii control system, this exciting game will take advantage of both the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk to offer an interactive experience that any Sonic fans will love.

Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_%26_the_Black_Knight
Official Sega page: http://www.sega.com/games/?g=483

Source

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Last week right after Capcom's E3 conference, Famitsu announced in their latest issue that a port of the Xbox360 action adventure/sandbox/survival horror, Dead Rising, is indeed getting a port to Wii under the name Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop. Today, Capcom has made it official.

SAN MATEO, Calif. — July 21, 2008 — Capcom®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced that Dead Rising™: Chop Till You Drop is in development for the Wii™ home video game system. Based on the critically acclaimed Dead Rising™, which has sold in excess of one million units since its release in 2006, Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop is scheduled to hit store shelves this Winter.

Details:
• built on the Resident 4 Wii engine
• additional features including over-the-shoulder camera approach
• New levels of interaction: motion controls utilizing the Wii Remote aim and fire guns, swing and throw weapons and shake off zombie attacksHuge environment – expansive indoor and outdoor areas of the mall provide a variety of different locations to explore
• Improved save functionality allows for more seamless gameplay
• Hoards of enemies on screen at once resulting in non-stop, pulse-pounding action
• Anything in the mall is at Frank’s disposal
• Grab environmental objects like umbrellas and benches to use as improvised weapons
• Snatch items from different stores to use as weapons including golf clubs, lawnmowers, frying pans and more
• Consume food and drink to revive health

Famitsu scans @ http://wiieveryday.blogspot.com/2008/07 … 80718.html
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_risin … l_You_Drop

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If you're still bummed by E3, madfather has made another comic featuring Reggie and Miyamoto telling us pretty much all you need to know at the Nintendo E3 press conference as well as the private conference, Nintendo's Developer Roundtable, held right after E3 including private interviews with IGN, etc.



Basically, everything said there is indeed fact.
Look out for a new Pikmin, Kid Icarus, storage solution, etc.

Nintendo's E3 announcements:
Animal Crossing: City Folk, Wii MotionPlus, Wii Sports Resort, Wii Music, Wii Speak (will be used in Animal Crossing: City Folk, and The Conduit), Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for Nintendo DS

You may now view the E3 Media Briefing at http://e3.nintendo.com/

Here are some interesting new Extended Cuts of the GameTrailers TV interview where Reggie tells us more on what "core" gamers can expect in the coming year.
GameTrailers (Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 will auto follow): http://www.gametrailers.com/player/37265.html

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Catch up on previous Wii News & Updates at my Xanga, Blogspot, or Multiply.


// Roth

• E3 2008 Damage


http://i33.tinypic.com/2l892li.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rstrax/my_screenshots/wii/e3startrek.gif

Yeah, I know everybody's bummed about this year's E3.
Clearly the event is no longer how it used to be since last generation.
Because of its popularity, now there are newer faces and more press to amuse.
The real games were actually off the stage for anyone who's actually gone to this event.
-- namely Mega Man 9, The Conduit, Wario Land Shake, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, Elebits 2 and Pokemon Ranger 2. Of course for HD gaming, there's Street Fighter IV, Soul Calibur IV, and Call of Duty.

The actual show is mere meaningless now because of the majority of the new audience while the real gamers are actually playing the games at the booths rather than sitting through a conference.

But let's lighten up, we'll still have E for All, Spaceworld, and Tokyo Game Show to look forward to.

Here's the E3: Wii Release Schedule for 2008:
http://wii.ign.com/articles/889/889814p1.html

and E3: Nintendo DS Release Schedule for 2008:
http://ds.ign.com/articles/889/889804p1.html


// Roth

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

• Wii News & Updates 2008.07.15

WiiWare

Major League Eating: The Game™ (Mastiff, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older-Crude Humor, 1,000 Wii Points): The ultimate chomp-off is about to begin. Grab your Wii Remote™ controller and dig into 12 different foods as you compete against the greatest major-league eaters in the world. This isn’t just a race to stuff your face-you’ll need strategy to master a smorgasbord of digestive attacks, defenses and counters. These include the Mega Burp, Gas Attack, Antacid and more. And don’t forget to keep an eye on your Barf-O-Meter, because if the food hits the plate twice, you’re out. Unlock more than 10 characters in single-player career mode, go gut-to-gut against your friends in versus mode, or compete online using Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection. Online play supports friend codes, random matchmaking and leader boards.
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Leag … :_The_Game
Official Website: http://www.mlegame.com/

Virtual Console

http://www.consoleclassix.com/info_img/Donkey_Kong_3_NES_ScreenShot4.gif
Donkey Kong™ 3 (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Based on the third game in the enormously popular arcade series, Donkey Kong 3 introduces an exterminator named Stanley as he desperately tries to protect the flowers in his greenhouse from Donkey Kong. Armed only with a can of bug spray, Stanley must force Donkey Kong higher and higher into the greenhouse rafters until Donkey Kong is off the screen and the next stage is reached. Not surprisingly, Donkey Kong isn’t going to move without a fight, so he sends wave after wave of bugs, bees and other creatures toward Stanley. Not only must Stanley repel the insects in order to save the flowers, but he’ll also have to keep an eye out for projectiles thrown by Donkey Kong himself. If Stanley is good enough, he’ll be able to grab a can of more powerful bug spray and really get Donkey Kong moving. It all adds up to frantic fun that anyone can enjoy.
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donkey_Kong_3

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/shocktroopers-1.jpg
NINJA COMMANDO (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older-Mild Language, Fantasy Violence, 900 Wii Points): NINJA COMMANDO is a vertically scrolling action game released by ADK in 1992. Players choose from among three ninjas-Joe, descended from the Koga ninja; Rayar, a woman who has learned the ways of the Iga ninja; and Ryu, descendant of the famous ninja Fuma Kotaro-as they pursue the merchant of death known as Spider, who plans to use a time machine to bring havoc to the world. The battle spans seven time periods, including the Stone Age, the Egyptian era and the Japanese Civil War era. Each hero features a variety of attack options in addition to their own normal attacks, including a deadly attack that inflicts damage upon all enemies on the screen, special ninja-arts attacks performed by inputting specific commands, and a powerful attack unleashed by taking on the “shape of the beast” when three scrolls have been collected. The game also supports two-player cooperative play, so you’re welcome to bring a friend and enjoy taking on the evil Spider together.
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_Commando

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Wii
Rock Band Track Pack Vol 1 IGN
The 20-Track Pack features an electrifying mix of classic hits and current favorites, including songs by Boston, Nine Inch Nails, Stone Temple Pilots, and All American Rejects
We Love Golf Wiki; YouTube

Nintendo DS
Mr. Slime IGN

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Call of Duty 5: WWII

Wii
* They believe that the Wii has not been pushed to its limits yet;
* The Wii version will support everything that has been put into the other home console versions;
* There is a secret concerning the co-operative play mode, which is to be revealed at a later stage;
* World at War for the Wii will be using a revised version of the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare engine;
* Camera and controls are taking a top priority “For example, if you are climbing on a hill, in a game, you would have to adjust the point of view manually…but that is not as in reality, where you would instinctively look a bit higher over your head. That is the kind of adjustment we have obtained working on cameras on the Wii version;”
* There will be much more fluid movements for the shooting aspect;
* Support for the Wii Zapper was once again reconfirmed, although details are currently unclear, yet there will be a case of players doing typical Zapper movements, such as aiming off-screen to reload weapons;
* The main game runs at a solid 30FPS, with the online element being set at 30FPS as well.

Nintendo DS
* There will definitely be online play included;
* The combat system will be improved over last year’s excellent n-Space developed Call of Duty DS title;
* In terms of the Nintendo DS touch-screen interactions, “We cannot tell you anything, but let me tell you: it is NOT just about cutting the right cable, turning off a device or a bomb… we want you to put your hands in the real war!”

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rstrax/my_screenshots/wii/castlevania-judgment-20080711074-1.jpg

Castlevania Judgement screenshot gallery @ IGN:
http://media.wii.ign.com/media/142/14262760/imgs_1.html

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http://media.nintendo.com/nintendo/bin/p1TcSFcuTcwFGHV5K2I9M_jPGQq0eO6M/c502KBfbSeXO2_Ji8pzZHo3gSH9SkICI.jpg

Yesterday morning, Nintendo announced Wii MotionPlus, an accessory for the revolutionary Wii Remote controller, which again redefines game control by more quickly and accurately reflecting motions in a 3-D space. The Wii MotionPlus accessory attaches to the end of the Wii Remote and, combined with the accelerometer and the sensor bar, allows for more comprehensive tracking of a player’s arm position and orientation, providing players with an unmatched level of precision and immersion. Every slight movement players make with their wrist or arm is rendered identically in real time on the screen, providing a true 1:1 response in their game play. The Wii MotionPlus accessory reconfirms Nintendo’s commitment to making games intuitive and accessible for everyone. Nintendo will reveal more details about the Wii MotionPlus accessory and other topics Tuesday morning at its E3 media briefing.

Source

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Alright enough news, the Nintendo Press Conference is about to start in less than 30min.
So if you guys are reading, watch the Live feed right now at either IGN's Live Wire, GameSpot, or just tune your TV into your G4TV channel.

I'll be on either one of these streams:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/e3
http://www.lithcast.com/


LITHCast Live- Broadcast your self LIVE

Also, do join us on Skype for a group voice chat during the show. Just add my Skyename: rothsothy

// Roth

Friday, July 11, 2008

• Wii News & Updates 2008.07.11

Here are the releases for this Pre-E3 2008 week. (What is E3?)

WiiWare

http://media.ign.com/thumb/245/2459288/spogs_070708_1_qtlow_thumb_ign.jpg
SPOGS Racing (D2C Games, 1-2 players, 1,000 Wii Points): Coming at you full throttle is SPOGS Racing, an all-new racer from D2C Games featuring classic arcade racing, pick-up-and-play controls, all-new racing vehicles and Crash N' Grab instant upgrades. Jump in, gear up and modify your ride on the fly as you compete head-to-head for a totally outrageous arcade racing experience on your Wii console. Whether you're a casual gamer or hardcore racer, SPOGS Racing features fun for all and is a must-have download for your WiiWare digital game library.
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPOGS_Racing

Virtual Console

http://www.videogamecritic.net/images/gen/king_of_the_monsters_2.gif
King of the Monsters (Neo Geo, 1-2 players, 900 Wii Points): Released by SNK in 1991, KING OF THE MONSTERS is an action/fighting game that features city-destroying battles between huge monsters. Choose one of six monsters and travel around Japan, stopping to fight in various famous cities with the aim of becoming the ultimate winner. In addition to punches, kicks and other regular moves, each character has the ability to use more devastating maneuvers, like throwing flames and shooting laser beams, to defeat opponents. Wrestling elements are also incorporated, as you must completely exhaust your opponent and get a three-count to pin him and be victorious. Along with the player-versus-computer game, multiplayer options allow you and a friend to enjoy one-on-one matches and two-on-two tag-team matches against the computer. Take on the challenge and claim the title of King of the Monsters.
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_the_Monsters

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Wii
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Dungeon Official Website; Wiki; YouTube
Wonderworld Amusement Park IGN

Nintendo DS
Carnival Games GameSpot
Ducati Moto IGN

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http://vizzed.com/chrono/images/track23.jpg
This is probably the biggest news all year so far. Some of you may already know that the SNES cult classic RPG Chrono Trigger is making its reappearance onto the Nintendo DS.

Video game blogs from all over the net were raving when news broke out last week when Square Enix announced and launch the new official Chrono Trigger website.

Official Press:

CHRONO TRIGGER Returns! The Timeless Classic Teleports to Nintendo DS This Holiday Season

LOS ANGELES, CA USA
Journey Through Time with the RPG Masterpiece that Started It All

LOS ANGELES, July 2 /PRNewswire/ — Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix(TM) interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that it will release CHRONO TRIGGER(R) in North America this Holiday season. Remastered exclusively for Nintendo DS(TM), this marks the first time that the groundbreaking RPG will be available on a handheld console.

Originally released in 1995 on Super NES(R) and shipping more than 2.5 million copies worldwide, CHRONO TRIGGER has been hailed as one of the greatest games of all time by critics and fans alike. With a unique and multifaceted storyline, the game revolutionized the world of RPGs with
never-before-seen features, including an unprecedented soundtrack and multiple endings determined by side quests and the player's actions.

With artwork by famed manga artist Akira Toriyama and an unprecedented and inspiring musical score created by Yasunori Mitsuda, CHRONO TRIGGER represents the best-in-class of the video game world. This newly revamped edition maintains all of the game's original elements and spirit while
introducing the portability, dual-screen presentation and Touch-Screen functionality of Nintendo DS. Players will soon be able to rediscover the exhilarating RPG experience, breathtaking storyline and innovative gameplay in the palm of their hands.

STORY
When a newly developed teleportation device malfunctions at the Millennial Fair, young Crono must travel through time to rescue his misfortunate companion from an intricate web of past and present perils. The swashbuckling adventure that ensues soon unveils an evil force set to destroy the world, triggering Crono's race against time to change the course of history and bring about a brighter future.

FEATURES
— A masterpiece with an engaging and unparalleled storyline, leading to the discovery of multiple epic conclusions to a journey that transcends time
— An unprecedented and inspiring musical score created by Yasunori Mitsuda
— Intriguing battle system made possible by the unique combination of the Active Time Battle system and Tech skills
— Famed character designer Akira Toriyama lends his signature art style to create the vibrant world that has captivated gamers around the world
— Taking advantage of the Nintendo DS hardware, CHRONO TRIGGER makes its way onto the portable platform with all-new dual screen presentation and Touch-Screen functionality
— A brand new dungeon and a Wireless Play mode adds exciting new dimensions to this timeless classic

CHRONO TRIGGER has not yet been rated. Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board website at http://www.esrb.org for more information about ratings. The official website can be found at
http://na.square-enix.com/ctds.

US Debut Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir3sV0xHaeU
Japanese Debut Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqUdmHLITKY

Official North American Website: http://na.square-enix.com/ctds/
Official Japanese Website: http://www.chronotrigger.jp/

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According to Famitsu magazine, there will be download content available for Mega Man 9, upcoming WiiWare title in 8-Bit proportions. Nothing has been said what they will be, but with the game coming in just a couple of months, anything can be possible. Mega Man 9 will be available on WiiWare for 1000 Wii Points as well as on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade. Capcom announced that Mega Man 1 and Mega Man 2 will be on Virtual Console soon to promote the new title.

Debut Mega Man 9 Trailer now on IGN: http://wii.ign.com/articles/888/888041p1.html
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mega_Man_9

Source
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IGN released a new footage on The Conduit, an upcoming first-person shooter for Wii. IGN also posted some new screens and an interview.

New Gameplay Footage: http://wii.ign.com/dor/objects/14248157 … ignne.html

Details:
* The Conduit will be shown at E3 behind closed doors and demos will be given to a select few, like IGN.
* The E3 demo, which is what the video is of, is of the first half of one of the later missions in the game.
* Demo is set on the Easy difficulty.
* Currently, the single player is just being tested for bugs and being fine tuned, and the majority of development is focused on multiplayer now.
* The controls will be fully customizable, like mapping buttons and motions as well as cursor settings and more.
* Currently, online play features 16 players and will have Deathmatch and Capture the Flag.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rstrax/my_screenshots/wii/the-conduit-20080709.jpg

Screenshots @ IGN: http://media.wii.ign.com/media/142/14248157/imgs_1.html
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conduit

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Wario Land: Shake It! / Wario Land: The Shake Dimension

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rstrax/my_screenshots/wii/th_Wario_Land_Shake_It.jpg http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rstrax/my_screenshots/wii/th_warioland_sd.jpg

Debut Gameplay Footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNVX_qhl0MU
Extended Japanese Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0kKeu4UnNw
Prologue Animation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKDKv7i7Few
Screenshots: http://www.gamekyo.com/news28216_wario- … -pics.html
Famitsu Scans:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/ … shake1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/ … shake2.jpg

Release dates:
JP - July 24, 2008
EU - September 26, 2008
NA - September 29, 2008
AUS - TBA

Official Japanese Website: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/rwlj/index.html
Japanese Wii Hub Page: http://wii.com/jp/articles/wariolandshake/
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wario_Land_Shake

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New details arose on Castlevania Judgement, an upcoming 3D fighter for Wii.

- players will be able to interact with real-time environments by picking up weapons or set traps
- online mode has been included
- connectivity to the forthcoming DS title, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, to unlock a "very exciting bonus"

Screenshots: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25792657@N … 068972854/
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castlevania_Judgement

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The Japanese site for Fatal Frame IV / Zero ~Mask of the Lunar Eclipse~ is now updated with character profiles.

Of these four characters, it's known that Ruka and Choushiro will be playable. The game is supposed to have a number of playable characters, so perhaps the other two will be playable as well.

This is a Suda 51, Grasshopper Manufacturer, Tecmo, and Nintendo tag-team production. Player can expect the game in just a 3 weeks.

Release date:
JP - July 31st, 2008

Official Japanese Website: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/r4zj/character/index.html
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatal_Frame_4

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The Japanese site for Fire Emblem DS has opened, and you can find a ton of goodies to check out. There are screens to view, videos to watch, new character art by Masamune Shirow to look at, and much more.

Official: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/yfej/
Videos: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/yfej/firststep/index.html
Art: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/fe/fet_info.html

Details:
- a remake of the first Fire Emblem
- Story: Marth is forced out of the kingdom of Altea when it’s attacked by the empire of Dolua
- Multiplayer battles via wi-fi connection
- new character classes
- new plot elements
- game kicks off with a prologue tutorial where you play as Marth and a few allies leaving Altea
- side-story can be unlocked while playing through, if conditions are met
- new recruitable characters (Etzel: a wizard)
- August 7th release in Japan

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New details of Pokemon Platinum from the latest CoroCoro magazine have been revealed.

* Pokemon Platinum will release in Japan on September 13th, 2008 for 4,800 yen.
* Team Galactic is the villain once again, but they have taken things up a notch.
* The Battle Frontier returns and is located in the Fight Area. There are various areas in the Battle Frontier, and one of them is the Battle Tower.
* The WiFi area has more features and can now host up to 20 people.
* There’s more to making Poffins now, and it involves throwing berries into a Swalot machine. This can be done in the WiFi area as well.
* You can now record your battles with the Battle Recorder. You can go to the improved GTS in Jubilife City and send your battles to your friends as well.
* Both of Shaymin’s forms will be in the game, as well as both of Giratina’s forms.
* Shaymin’s Sky Form’s ability is Serene Grace and Giratina’s Origin Form’s ability is Levitate.
* There are new sprites for Pokemon.
* Of the new characters that were revealed in the past, one is from Team Galactic and another is from a police force hunting down Team Galactic.

Scans available at PokemonPlatinum.net

Source
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First 4 Figures have just announced their new Metroid Phazon Suit figurine statue.
- 11 inches in length
- Price of $225
- available Q1-2009

http://comicsmedia.ign.com/comics/image/article/887/887816/nintendo-statues-first-4-figures-20080710102802240-001.jpg

Source: IGN (includ. more screenshots)

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Starting now (12PM), the guys over at Shamoozal is running a 24-hour NES marathon to raise money for Child's Play Charity.
Watch the live video feed and chat: http://www.shamoozal.com/nesathon/
They're running ustream, so here's the direct URL for that if rather: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/29053

All donations go directly to Child's Play Charity.

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Catch up on previous Wii News & Updates at my Blogspot, Xanga, or Mulitply.
See you all next week when they announce new games at E3 2008! \big_smile/


// Roth

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

• L33tStr33t Boys - Masquerade

L33tStr33t Boys - Masquerade




It's 3AM and I couldn't sleep so I had to get on YouTube and watch this "Masquerade" music video, song by L33tStr33t Boys. I noticed how wonderfully composed, written, and performed this song is. Knowing the lyrics are generally for fun and entertainment, there's just that one part at the bridge where it goes, "Oh no, it happened again. She walked away with her furry boyfriend." then followed by, "My Kingdom Heart is breaking.." saying that he has such a big heart for this one perfect girl and having it broken is unnfortunately so very sad. That's why I am here writing this because I feel his pain. I'm not much of the punk rock type but I enjoy all types of music. If you can look past the genre and just feel the melody arrangement, you can become engaged with the emotion that the singer is portraying in that one part. and man.. that Kingdom Heart part hit me good. It hit me so hard with this wave of emotion I admit I cried just now. I haven't felt so engaged in modern music since a few years and I've managed to get past the genre and hear the beauty in this one.

Thanks L33tStr33t for this wonderful song. You guys are crazy good. I'd be obliged to purchase your CD.

// Roth via N810

Saturday, July 5, 2008

• Mario Kart Wii Online Tournament Live Feed!

Live Videos provided by Ustream.TV



I'm competing in the online tournament at the moment.
Look for me, I am racing as Young Link.

// Roth