Ghostbusters is considered to be, by many, one of the most recognized movie franchises to have surfaced over the last few decades. Not too many people can claim that they have never heard the film’s main theme song or, at the very least, the phrase, “Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!” It’s been over fifteen years since a video game based on the series was released and with the track record that Ghostbusters possesses, it’s surprising that it has taken so long for a new video game to be released. But it’s finally here – A new ghost-busting game is out and fortunately, the Wii version isn’t too shabby.

It’s important to note right off the bat that this is not a gimped Ghostbusters title. Unlike many publishers who ignore the Wii when it comes to multiplatform titles, it is very clear that Red Fly Studios, in charge of the Wii version, put in a lot of effort in creating a bona fide experience. You’ll see familiar faces along with their original voice actors, you’ll hear the famous Ghostbusters song (although it is underused) and you’ll recognize unique weaponry. No, the Wii version does not feature realistic graphics (which is actually an intelligent design choice). However, the game still manages to hold its own when compared to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions.

Top 5 reasons why you should buy The Conduit

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features, Wii | 9 Comments

With the release of The Conduit on the horizon, many Wii owners are greatly anticipating what they believe to be one of the summer’s hottest titles. And with a game that features a great weapons selection, solid online play and startlingly customizable control, who can blame them? Many gamers have pre-ordered the title (myself included) and even more have set aside the money to buy the game as soon as it launches. But what about those who haven’t? Here are the top reasons why they need to re-route their most recent paycheck to The Conduit.

Nintendo at E3: Day 1 Grade

Posted on 15 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in Features, General Nintendo | 0 comments

E3 Day 1 – Wii and DS Overview

Every year game developers from across the globe gather at what can be called the biggest video game convention in the world to showcase what they believe to be their top quality products. In past years this is where games like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and the Sony Playstation 3 console were announced, and this year should be no different. With rumors circulating of new Mario’s or new Zelda’s among others, E3 2009 promises to be just as good, if not better, than previous outings.

Kid Icarus Wii – Everything we know so far

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features, Wii | 2 Comments

The Wii has seen the revival of numerous classic IPs – Punch-Out!!, Mega Man in the classic 8-bit style, Adventure Island, and many more have all made comebacks on Nintendo’s system. One property that has been left untouched, however, is Kid Icarus. It has actually been more than eighteen years since an original game in the series was released in North America. But there have been plenty of rumors over the past few years that Factor 5 has been developing a new title for Wii. You may be surprised at just how far back the speculation goes. Will Nintendo finally unveil a Kid Icarus Wii game on Tuesday? That’s completely up in the air at this point, but while you wait, take a look at this comprehensive listing of Pit’s rumored return throughout the years.

2005

– May 17: Nintendo President Satoru Iwata reveals that a new Super Smash Bros. game is in development.
– May 19: Shigeru Miyamoto teases the possibility of a new Kid Icarus game in an interview with IGN: “Well, I’m actually working really closely right now with the director of the [original] game. Now, whether or not when we get the Revolution all set up and everything is finalized, well who knows? That might be one of those characters where everybody says, ‘Hey, with the way our console is designed, that would be a perfect match.’ My question to you is, if we made this game would you buy it?'”

2006

– May 10: Super Smash Bros. Brawl announced. Pit confirmed to be a playable character.
– May 10: Miyamto considers the possibilities of Kid Icarus once again: “I think it opens up a lot of different possibilities. [Miyamoto could see a Kid Icarus game for Wii, controller could enhance games such as Starfox]. Sadly, though, I don’t have time to do that right now since I’m so tied to so many different projects going on.”

Which developer is going to rock the Wii at this year’s E3?

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features, Wii | 12 Comments

Amidst the hundreds upon thousands of E3 articles on the web, it is difficult to find one that isn’t a list of various predictions for one system or another. As entertaining as these articles may be to read, the lack of variety among them can be altogether discouraging when scouring the internet for something new and interesting to read. Because of that, I felt it necessary to detail not just the blockbuster games, the company announcements and the new peripherals: I felt that discovering what system wins E3, or what game will conquer the others, while it is important, does not come near the prize of what developer will take the cake for backing any of Nintendo’s consoles. From what we know so far (which, I must say, isn’t too much), a lot of developers are putting a lot of effort into Wii and DS, but there is one that is taking so many risks and putting so much money into their projects that, regardless of whether or not they succeed, they cannot be overlooked both by gamers and developers alike. That developer is High Voltage Software.

Nintendo may have Zelda and Mario, Activision may have Call of Duty and Guitar Hero, and Capcom may have Resident Evil, but none of these developers carry the perseverance, enthusiasm and all-around spirit of High Voltage. When HVS’s hardcore first person shooter, “The Conduit” (which releases on June 23) was unveiled, people threw up their hats and cheered. Why? It was clear the HVS’s ultimate goal was to push the Wii to a limit that even Nintendo had not reached, and make a great game in the process. From interviews, previews, reviews and screenshots, it is clear that (while it may be far from perfect) The Conduit was a labor of love that in the end turned out to be as much of a joy to play as it was for High Voltage to make, and that’s really the main idea behind what they’re doing.

4 Wii games Nintendo may unveil at E3

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features, Wii | 20 Comments

Nintendo’s E3 2008 conference was…Well…Terrible, but that’s nothing more than a horrific memory at this point. There are greener pastures ahead with promises that this year will be shifted towards a more serious focus on software. Nintendo has made some rather audacious comments about their upcoming E3 conference, including that titles shown will help the Wii to surpass the sales of the PlayStation 2. Just which games might the company unveil at E3? We take a look at the most likely candidates below.

Super Mario Galaxy 2/New Mario Adventure

At last year’s E3, Satoru Iwata revealed that both the Mario and Zelda teams were working hard on new projects. One would think that, because the Mario group is busy, a new game featuring the famous plumber is on the way. Super Mario Galaxy proved that gravity is an innovative and downright fun concept to mess around with, so the only question is if Nintendo will build off of Super Mario Galaxy or start fresh. Keep in mind, however, that the next Mario game will be announced only if its progress is far along enough to show to the public. Since Galaxy released in 2007, Nintendo may not be ready to showcase its next Mario title. In actuality, Zelda Wii may be more of a realistic game to expose, considering that it has probably has been in the works for a longer period of time.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars review

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, Reviews | 3 Comments

System: Nintendo DS
Category: Sandbox, Action-Adventure
Players: 1
Release Date: March 17, 2009
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar Leeds

When Grand Theft Auto originally released for the PlayStation, the title completely redefined what sandbox gaming meant for the industry. Then with each sequel came another innovation that raised the bar for the genre. The most recent entry in the series, “Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars”, differentiates itself from more recent Grand Theft Auto games, and in doing so, takes many key steps forward for not only handheld versions of the game, but also for the series and genre as a whole.

Some would argue that comparing Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars to console iterations in the series is unwarranted due to natural limitations of the DS. However, the truth is that in many ways, Chinatown Wars surpasses even the likes of Grand Theft Auto IV in terms of content, playability and gameplay, something that nobody would have expected from such an underestimated system. The biggest and perhaps most impressive feature that the game boasts is the engine.

New 3D images: MadWorld

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Features, Wii | 6 Comments

Our 3D images section took a hiatus for a couple of months, but now it’s back with a bang. And what game could possibly be reviving this feature? We choose the Wii title MadWorld, which has been out for about a month now. The best aspect of converting screenshots of the game into 3D is that since the the visuals are already in black and white, the color doesn’t take a big hit during the transition.

Rambling thoughts – The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, Features | 1 Comment

Nintendo fans keeping vigilant eyes on Satoru Iwata’s Game Developers Conference keynote were in for a surprise. A number of gamers were predicting that a new Zelda game would make its debut. Others meanwhile, were more specific and believed gamers would see Link return to the Nintendo Wii. This was not the case, though. Iwata did indeed choose to save his last announcement for a Zelda title. However, he announced The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for the Nintendo DS rather than for the Wii.

Call of Duty: World at War review

Posted on 15 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Reviews, Wii | 4 Comments

Game Info

System: Nintendo Wii
Genre: First Person Shooter/Action
Players: 1-2
Release Date: November 11, 2008
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Treyarch

The plethora of Wii games has grown ever since the console’s release, but one genre more than any other seems to have suffered on a system where it should have benefited from the unique control scheme: Shooters. From Metroid Prime 3 to Medal of Honor Heroes 2, the Wii has seen many attempts at making a quality shooting game. With the Wii, however, when developers excelled in one area, they lacked in another. EA’s Medal of Honor Heroes 2 had some quality online multiplayer, but felt all over dated in comparison to more current shooters. Retro Studio’s Metroid Prime 3 had great story, control and graphics, but it lacked online and multiplayer options – though it should also be remembered that Prime 3 is an adventure at heart. The newest installment in the shooter genre on the Wii is Treyarch’s “Call of Duty: World at War”, which, utilizing the Call of Duty 4 engine, has proven itself to be one of the best shooting options on the console to date.

There is no one thing that stands out about World at War because the game is so well rounded. From the graphics to the controls to the online, each and every aspect of the game trumped nearly every predecessor on the system to date (with the exception being the story and graphics of Metroid Prime 3). One thing players will notice upon first glance, are the visuals.