Posted on 14 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, Features, GameCube, Wii | 1 Comment

To most, this year’s E3 was the most disappointing Nintendo conference over the past three years  – even more so than last year – due to Nintendo’s increasingly blatant focus on the casual audience. How exactly did Nintendo’s most recent press conference stack up to its previous two years though? Well, over the past three years, the total of games the company has decided to present – for both Wii and DS – have declined considerably. Believe it or not, this applies to third-parties as well. Overall, E3 2008 saw the biggest shift in Nintendo’s attention and also saw a big drop in titles. It will be very interesting to see how Nintendo approaches next year’s E3 if they continue on this pace – if there is another E3, that is. Below are a number of statistics that compare different categories for Nintendo’s three latest press conferences.

Total number of games discussed

E3 2006 – 43
E3 2007 – 28
E3 2008 – 11

Total number of Wii games discussed

E3 2006 – 29
E3 2007 – 19
E3 2008 – 7

Total number of DS games discussed

E3 2006 – 14
E3 2007 – 9
E3 2008 – 4

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Posted on 14 years ago by Program in Features, Wii | 0 comments

Since it was introduced, the Nintendo Wii system has been hailed as a revolution in video gaming because of its motion-activated controls that allow a player to participate physically. That’s all well and good when the motion is a tennis stroke. But what about when it’s a sawing motion, one used to separate a limb from a body, and the scene on the screen shows all the gory details? The game to attract scrutiny “Manhunt 2”, from Rockstar Games, the company behind the controversial Grand Theft Auto series, but it is already creating a stir. In the game, the player assumes the role of an escaped mental patient who goes on a killing spree. In the United States the game has received the most restrictive rating possible, ‘Adult Only’, from the nation’s Entertainment Software Rating Board . An AO rating, which is rare and typically applied to games with mature content, means nobody under 18 can buy the game. Critic’s argue that the combination of Manhunt 2 (the game noted for its “sustained and cumulative casual sadism”), with the Wii the game controller that’s so engrossingly interactive that it led to a multitude of video game incidents, provides far too much reality for the the young audience of video gamers, the under 18 set.”You can use a saw blade and cut upward into a foe’s groin and buttocks, motioning forward and backward with the Wii remote as you go.”

“The more realistic and involving the game gets, and the greater the similarity between the action in the game and real life action, the stronger the negative effects would be,” says Joanne Cantor, a Wisconsin research psychologist who has spent 30 years studying the effects of media violence on children. “No, your son may not turn into a criminal. But exposure will take a toll on his life somewhere, probably in interpersonal relationships. These are subtle effects. They take time to surface. A teen isn’t going to notice them.”

David Finkelhor , co director of the Family Research Lab at the University of New Hampshire, says no game alone is going to drag a child into criminal activity. “It’s when you have other potentiating factors — family problems, mental health issues, extreme stress, dangerous neighborhoods,” he says. “Playing these games with or without the Wii enhancement is not going to take the typical teenage boy and make a killer out of him.” In fact, he says, in the 10 or 12 years in which violent video games have proliferated, the juvenile crime rate has gone down, as have school homicides.

“No question Manhunt goes beyond the pale in terms of violence. I’m sure this one will be worse,” he says. “But that Wii interactivity adds an extra kicker to what happens in the brain is purely speculative. The Wii technology isn’t as bad as some folks say or as good as Nintendo wants you to believe.” Dennis McCauley, editor of gamepolitics.com says.

Just to be clear, however, the AO version will never see the light of day. Turns out, Sony and Nintendo won’t allow AO games on their systems.
(The Entertainment Software Rating Board gives the company 30 days from the time of the AO rating to resubmit for a lesser rating.)

“The Nintendo company is knowingly exposing our children to disturbing acts of foppishness right in our living rooms,” said Roberts of PAW. “Even more frightening, the motion-sensing technology teaches them that the only way to resolve conflicts is to flail their arms in acts of fruity aggression.”

Assuming the children are safe, is virtually disemboweling someone with the full body interaction provided by the Wii different than pressing a few buttons in other video game systems such as PS2? Of course, it is acceptable under the Constitution. What we’re pondering here is an image problem.

In the end, Nintendo and Rockstar’s parent company may end up having no choice but to meet somewhere in the middle.

Posted on 14 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features, Wii | 3 Comments

Super Mario Galaxy, Twilight Princess, and….Zack & Wiki?!

Notes:

– 3D glasses necessary to view in 3D (Red/blue recommended)
– Give your eyes a minute to adjust to the 3D – I promise, it works!
– Some images work better in 3D than others
– Original images were not taken by myself
– In the future, I may try to investigate a way to make the images 3D without the need of 3D glasses.
– Tip: Try to divert your eyes back and forth briefly from the 3D image to something not 3D, such as your desktop wallpaper

Posted on 14 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features, Wii | 6 Comments

On the whole, the Wii is a very approachable and entertaining console. Compared to that of the GameCube, Nintendo has made considerable strides to improve its stance in terms of online features. However, even though the online functionality of the Wii is far more superior to the GameCube and Nintendo DS, there are still some lingering online feature issues. Here are the top five issues that Nintendo desperately needs to approach for a more seamless online experience.

5) Lack of a hard drive

Although this is more of an indirect issue with Nintendo’s online functionality, the lack of a hard drive is an extremely significant flaw. Satoru Iwata recently noted that only a small number of Wii owners are discontent with the Wii’s memory situation. That is a huge understatement, as many have complained about the inconveniences the Wii’s limited flash memory create. Now that WiiWare has been released a hard drive is more necessary than ever. People are growing rather tired of cleaning out their virtual fridge, and are also growing increasingly impatient. Losing some accessibility in order to improve the frustrations gamers face with downloads is well worth the sacrifice.

4) Wii Shop Channel issues

A voting channel? And a weather channel? These Wii features are pleasant, temporary distractions, but more useful/gaming related channels would be warmly accepted. The Nintendo Channel was the biggest step in the right direction, as gamers finally were finally given access to gaming related material. At the same time, however, there still are many avenues that Nintendo could travel down for ideas. The most obvious is a Wii demo channel, a DVD channel, and perhaps even an instant messenger channel. In addition to mostly useless channels though, the Virtual Console games don’t fare much better. The numbers of games that have been put up for download on the shop channel have decreased in both quality and quantity over the weeks. People are beginning to grow tired of the one-title-per-week cycle with the quality of the games comparable to that of China Warrior.

3) Better use of WiiConnect24

Remember when Nintendo promised new content such as a new level or vehicle when you wake up in the morning? Well, players have not really been seeing anything in terms of new content. Some games have been offering light use of WiiConnect24, but not to its fullest extent. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, for instance, players can only obtain new levels, images, and videos by manually connecting to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. No games are offering true original content though, which is a shame because adding something such a feature to a game can extend the life of the title tremendously. Oh, and where are the automatic Mii updates?!

2) Voice chat

We know, we know Nintendo. You love making sure that little Johnnie is not kidnapped by some random guy on the Internet. Voice chat is an essential inclusion in online gaming these days, however, and Nintendo needs to grow up. The lack of communication functionality in online games makes arranging matches and choosing options a very arduous task. Also, not being able to trash talk your buddies online stinks. Nintendo has added voice chat on the DS, so there is no reason as to why something similar could not be arranged on the Wii.

1) Friend codes

When Nintendo finally entered the world of online console gaming in 2007, expectations for the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection on Wii were rather high. After all, Nintendo was able to take a crack at an online system with the Nintendo DS. Fans, however, wanted more from Nintendo’s service than the offerings on the DS – Removing friend codes for each online compatible game was definitely on the top of many wish-lists. In spite of the vociferous cries from Nintendo fans who were clamoring for a more seamless online experience, Nintendo did not deliver, and still hasn’t. Friend codes, just as they were on the DS, are still a dominant issue with the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. It is undeniable that having to write down codes for all online games is a nuisance. On the other hand, games such as Mario Kart Wii will do all the hard work for you, as long as you have your friend registered on your Wii console. However, this should be an option with all games, and it does bring up the question as to why such a feature was not implemented sooner.

Posted on 14 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features, General Nintendo | 22 Comments

Nintendo Power’s moon has stirred up quite a bit of discussion. People have been antsy, waiting in anticipation to find out which title Nintendo Power was referring to in its last issue. The knowledge that the mystery game is a third-party narrows the playing field a bit, yet there are still endless possibilities that lie in store for Nintendo Power’s innocuous moon. Here are a few that could definitely be featured next month, although there are many, many other possibilities…

Castlevania

New iterations in the Castlevania series would be the most likely title(s) to be revealed in next month’s Nintendo Power. The series has always been associated with the moon, vampires, and other dark content. Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia was recently confirmed for the DS and Koji Igarashi hinted at a Wii Castlevania. Nintendo Power also teased readers that they would reveal a “game or two.” Therefore, next month, Nintendo Power might be showing off Order of Ecclesia for the DS and another Castlevania title for Wii.

Harvest Moon

The Wii has seen its fair share of Harvest Moon titles, so another game announcement wouldn’t be completely farfetched. It also doesn’t hurt that “moon” is part of the Harvest Moon title, too. However, Nintendo Power very recently previewed the upcoming Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility game for the Wii. Would Natsume really announce another game even though they already have a Harvest Moon title releasing in North America in just a few months?

Platinum Games title

Does that moon in back of the Platinum Games logo seem familiar? It should, since it is nearly identical to Nintendo Power’s moon image. Nintendo Power could be showing off MadWorld, Platinum Games’ extremely mature title or perhaps an unannounced game. After all, Platinum Games confirmed that they do have one additional title in development, though it is unknown which console it will release on.

Planet Moon title

The picture of the moon on the last page of Nintendo Power may have been an indirect hint rather than a clear indication of the game(s) the staff are planning on revealing next issue. It is possible that NP will be revealing a game from Planet Moon, a company that has expressed interest in Wii development? Based on Planet Moon’s history on Wii, a possible game from the company may be more of a casual title. Nonetheless, it could be promising.

Posted on 14 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features, Wii | 1 Comment

Although it took Nintendo more than a year to offer original, downloadable games for Wii owners, WiiWare has finally made its North American debut. LostWinds, the flagship title for Nintendo’s newest service, is by far the best available game to purchase on WiiWare.

While LostWinds does posses a story, understanding it isn’t important to the gameplay. The meat of LostWinds lies in the ability to control Toku, the hero, and his wind spirit companion. Players use the pointer on the Wiimote to aim at the screen, and assume the role of the wind to manipulate objects in the environment. At the same time, Toku can be controller with the nunchuck. Even though this may seem a bit complicated, the learning curve in LostWinds is basically nonexistent.

The set up of LostWinds can be best compared to New Super Mario Bros. Objects (and the environments) are rendered in beautiful 3D, but Toku can only sidescroll through the levels akin to Mario’s outing on the DS. While progressing through each level, there are a few puzzles thrown at the player, usually testing newfound abilities. The player will lift boulders and throw them in the air and force fire to travel in specific paths.

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Posted on 14 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features, Wii | 21 Comments

A personal undertaking of mine recently has been taking screenshots of Metroid Prime 3 and translating them into 3D. I began to wonder a few days ago, “What would Metroid Prime look like if Retro Studios developed the Prime so that the experience was similar to virtual reality?” To be honest, I do think that there is a possibility that one day, we will see games in a real 3D environment. How amazing would it be to see a Metroid coming out of the screen and leeching forward at you? Metroid Prime 3 is probably one of the better choices to view in 3D, as it is from the first-person perspective, and the game itself was superb. Of course, you will need 3D glasses to view the images, but they are not very expensive (I’m talking about the Red/Blue glasses) and often come packaged with DVDs and comic books. Also, if anyone has a request for a different series in 3D, or more Metroid Prime 3 images, let me know via the contact form and I’ll do my best to put them on Nintendo Everything (possibly a weekly/monthly feature?!) And hey…Perhaps Retro Studios could somehow include real 3D (head-tracking?) if they did decide to make a bundle of the Prime games while reworking the original two.

Notes:

– 3D glasses necessary to view in 3D (Red/blue recommended)
– Give your eyes a minute to adjust to the 3D – I promise, it works!
– Some images work better in 3D than others
– Original images were not taken by myself
– In the future, I may try to investigate a way to make the images 3D without the need of 3D glasses.

Posted on 14 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features, Wii | 14 Comments

Okay, this might not have been the best way to analyze the winner for this console generation. As many may have assumed at this point, this data was collected by Google Fights. The Wii does, however, has the most pages on Google according to this service, followed by the PS3 and  Xbox 360 in that order. To be honest, I don’t think there will ever be a real way to declare a winner, especially with all of the arguments between each side, but hopefully things like this will lighten the situation for video gaming fans.

Posted on 14 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features, Wii | 3 Comments

Charles Caleb once said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. In this case, the Wii’s remarkable success has planted a seed in the minds of businesses and marketers who are hoping to catch on to the newest big hit. The Wii has certainly exceeded the expectations of many, and is currently the best selling video game system this generation. Because of this, businesses are cashing in on the Wii’s features and appearance. While not all rip-offs are noticeable, there are a few products that seem to be a clear copy of the Wii . Without further ado, here are the top 5 products that seem to have taken an apparent liking to Nintendo’s hot system.

Top 5 Wii related rip-offs

5. “Tilt” Games

Right off the bat, it’s clear that the Tilt Games Wiimote clone has some problems. The screen is much too small for any type of a real gaming experience and the screen doesn’t even have a backlight. Just imagine trying to play Zelda on a small piece of plastic. Yeah, not an engrossing experience. I want to know, how can anyone even see that thing? And haven’t we moved past the absent backlight age for items like these? Nonetheless, in spite of these obvious issues, the Tilt game manages to copy the Wii controller very well and even has the ability to turn on motion controls (then again, it’s not as if this thing is any good.) It’s worth mentioning that the Tilt gadgets come in a variety of flavors, of which include baseball and racing. The sad thing about this whole product however, is that I would not be surprised if a grandmother went into Walmart and bought this instead of a Wii controller, thinking that it was the real deal.

Retail price: $6.88, though honestly, I don’t think it’s worth even $.50.

4. 3D iJoy

Does slightly modifying an already established controller make something different? No, not really. The 3D IJoy was conspicuously attempting to mimic the Nintendo Wii, from the game controller to the games available on the product. Another slap in the face – and to round out iJoy’s parallelisms – is the iJoy’s wrist strap. Yes, a wrist strap. The copycat controller was bad enough, but by adding a wrist strap to the controller, it makes the rip-off much too explicit. Sure, I can understand that the company wouldn’t want people to damage their home appliances. However, is it truly necessary considering .01% of the population will actually be getting their game on this thing?

Retail price: unknown

3. Vii 2

Media attention and what I assume to be decent sales helped the Vii to come roaring back with a follow-up to its original as Vii 2. Vii 2 stepped up to the plate by introducing a variety of colors and completely reworked its model. The controller is still fairly reminiscent of the Wii remote, although the system itself looks more like a NES than a Wii. Apparently, the functionality of Vii 2 is almost identical to its predecessor, only allowing for add-ons, a “porwer button,” and additional expansion ports. Still, what you’re getting with the Vii 2 remains the same: A not-as-responsive and awkward control scheme when compared to Nintendo’s system.

Retail price: $140 – Pay another $90, and you’ll have yourself an actual Wii

2. La Foir’Fouille

Most products are generally assumed to originate in China, yet this unnamed Wii rip-off console was advertised to the French casual gamer. The company who developed this product seems to be trying to hop on the Wii Sports bandwagon by offering four out of the five games that can be found on Nintendo’s pick-up-and-play title, Wii Sports. This machine isn’t such a blatant Wii rip-off (as compared to other products on this list), but anyone who has seen a Wii before will pick up on the subtle differences between the two almost immediately.

Price: 39.99€

1. Vii

Vii. Does that look or sound familiar? It probably should, because this is the closest Wii replica you’ll find without it actually being the Wii. Arguably, the Vii initiated the entire Wii rip-off trend by taking nearly every aspect about the Wii, and only modified its characteristics slightly, right down to the name itself, Vii. More specifically, the build of the gaming machine looks identical to the Wii with a slight color change and the Vii comes with a very similar controller. For crying out loud, even the Vii’s marketing tactics are comparable. Surprisingly, the Vii does have a decent line-up of games to try out, but that’s not to say the games are any good. I’m certain that the gaming experience with the Vii does not come even remotely close to the enjoyment you’ll find on the real console.

Retail Price: 986 Chinese dollars (Estimated)

Posted on 14 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, Reviews | 5 Comments

Game Info

System: Nintendo DS
Category: Puzzle Adventure
Players: 1
Release Date: February 10, 2008
Publisher: Nintendo

Over the past few months, gaming enthusiasts have come to understand that casual games are a dominant force in the market and that these types of games have the staying power that is needed in the video gaming industry. The incontrovertible success of casual games – much to the dismay of longtime videogame fans – has caused a heated debate. Will the videogame market eventually become dominated only with games that a player can pick up and play? As Zelda and Mario change from hardcore to “bridge” games, will they eventually be tweaked to the point at which no challenge will be presented to the player at all? And finally, as Japan continues to ignore traditional games such as Metroid, will developers try to cash in on simple titles?

Brain Age, Wii Sports, Wii Fit. These are titles that appear to be more “mainstream” and, therefore, can draw in a significant number of videogame newcomers. Professor Layton is another of these casual games, and, unsurprisingly, it has done remarkably well in the Japanese market. In fact, two games in the series have already been released in The Land of the Rising Sun, and one more is in development. As much as videogame loyalists appreciate hardcore games, Professor Layton deserves an equal chance, as it is a charming puzzle game, which suffers only from a few, but noticeable flaws.

The game begins with Professor Layton and his protégée, Luke, traveling to the village of St. Mystere after receiving a request to investigate a certain situation. Following the death of Baron Augustus Rheinhold, an extremely wealthy man, a mystery erupts. At the reading of Rheinhold’s will, a “Golden Apple” is mentioned. The person who discovers its hidden location will reap a huge reward – Rheinhold’s entire estate. The Golden Apple is an enigmatic item. No one quite knows exactly what this object is and ultimately, no one is able to find it. Professor Layton, in the meantime, believes that the Golden Apple possesses an underlying connection to a grander mystery. As a result, Professor Layton and Luke head off to St. Mystere, determined to unravel the entire mystery.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village is best described as a point-and-click puzzle adventure. Most of the time, you will be exploring the many European-like settings on the touch screen in search of hidden puzzles and hint coins that will aid you in your puzzle-solving bouts. The most surprising aspect about the whole game is how well the puzzles are interlaced into the storyline. Most developers usually follow a safe approach, thus it is both a surprise and a delight to see a game not falling victim to conformity. A tap of the stylus is needed to travel from place to place and to converse with the locals of St. Mystere – whom, by the way, always have some puzzle in store for you to attempt to solve. Only in a handful of situations will you be forced to solve certain puzzles in order to progress. This is probably the best approach, as some may find unraveling all of the puzzles in the game to be a bit challenging.

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