Submit a news tip



Wii

During IGN’s latest Nintendo Voice Chat podcast, former GameSpy Technology general manager Todd Northcutt was brought in to discuss some of the behind the scenes details about the service and the company’s relationship with Nintendo. For those unaware, GameSpy provided the back-end infrastructure for Wii/DS games.

We brought you just a few of these details on Friday. Now you can find a more comprehensive summary below.

Today we’ll be continuing our look at the Nintendo Wi-Fi lineage with a focus on Wii titles. The Wii’s online infrastructure surprised us time and time again with what it could (and couldn’t) do, with experiences ranging from the cohesive and fleshed out Mario Kart online to a slideshow crawl through Super Smash Bros. Brawl matches. With the rise of homebrew, we saw some interesting mods to popular games, some of which also found their way into the online scene (like Project M and CTGP). Here’s a look at some of the more popular and interesting titles that used the service and what we’ll miss most about them:

More: , ,

This week’s expanded Japanese software sales are as follows:

01./00. [PS3] The Idolmaster: One for All # (Bandai Namco Games) {2014.05.15} (¥8.208) – 83.395 / NEW <92,56%>
02./00. [PSV] Genkai Totsuki Moero Chronicle # (Compile Heart) {2014.05.15} (¥7.344) – 32.957 / NEW
03./01. [3DS] Yo-kai Watch
(Level 5) {2013.07.11} (¥4.800) – 30.305 / 950.035 (-49%)
04./02. [3DS] Mario Golf: World Tour (Nintendo) {2014.05.01} (¥4.937) – 9.439 / 86.210 (-65%)
05./03. [3DS] Mario Party: Island Tour (Nintendo) {2014.03.20} (¥4.800) – 8.049 / 371.184 (-60%)
06./04. [PSV] Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment # (Bandai Namco Games) {2014.04.24} (¥6.664) – 7.868 / 201.381 (-51%)
07./07. [3DS] Pokemon X / Y #
(Pokemon Co.) {2013.10.12} (¥4.800) – 5.553 / 4.063.466 (-37%)
08./05. [3DS] Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call # (Square Enix) {2014.04.24} (¥6.264) – 4.594 / 120.549 (-56%)
09./06. [3DS] Kirby Triple Deluxe
(Nintendo) {2014.01.11} (¥4.800) – 4.504 / 584.509 (-55%)
10./13. [3DS] Monster Hunter 4 #
(Capcom) {2013.09.14} (¥5.990) – 3.386 / 3.277.125 (-29%)
11./14. [PS3] Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (Konami) {2014.03.20} (¥2.980) – 3.360 / 219.568 (-29%)
12./15. [3DS] Mario Kart 7 (Nintendo) {2011.12.01} (¥4.800) – 3.345 / 2.318.577 (-28%)
13./08. [3DS] Style Savvy: Trendsetters – Tokimeki Up! (Nintendo) {2014.04.17} (¥4.936) – 3.161 / 36.149 (-55%)
14./10. [3DS] Animal Crossing: New Leaf #
(Nintendo) {2012.11.08} (¥4.800) – 3.040 / 3.734.701 (-39%)
15./20. [PS3] Grand Theft Auto V (Take-Two Interactive Japan) {2013.10.10} (¥7.770) – 2.968 / 775.741 (-15%)
16./11. [WIU] Super Mario 3D World
(Nintendo) {2013.11.21} (¥5.985) – 2.697 / 544.874 (-45%)
17./16. [3DS] Puzzle & Dragons Z (GungHo Online Entertainment) {2013.12.12} (¥4.400) – 2.658 / 1.454.778 (-42%)
18./18. [3DS] Attack on Titan: The Last Wings of Mankind (Spike Chunsoft) {2013.12.05} (¥6.090) – 2.363 / 294.700 (-37%)
19./00. [PS3] Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Sega) {2014.05.15} (¥7.538) – 2.339 / NEW
20./00. [PSV] God of War Collection (Sony Computer Entertainment) {2014.05.15} (¥4.104) – 2.265 / NEW

On May 20th, GameSpy ceased all maintenance for multiplayer services that they previously hosted, marking the end of online support for Wii and DS titles and the end of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (WFC) era. Since its launch in November 2005, the little blue circle on the boxes of our beloved franchises have signified the ability to participate in matchmaking online and experience Nintendo’s first real take at online gaming. From Friend Codes to Nintendo branded Wi-Fi dongles, let’s take a look back at some of the best WFC had to offer in all its WEP encrypted, Wii Speak glory.

During the latest episode of IGN’s Nintendo Voice Chat podcast, former GameSpy Technology general manager Todd Northcutt revealed some interesting behind the scenes tidbits about the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. As many of you know, the big N partnered with GameSpy back in the day for Wii and DS titles incorporating online play.

Here’s a summary of what was shared:

– Not getting a copy of Monster Hunter from Capcom and having the game go live in Japan and kill server capacity while not having anyone that spoke Japanese on staff

– Not being able to patch games so Smash on Wii was broken and Gamespy had to fix it all server side

– Meeting with 2 separate Nintendo teams at once and having them go off for 10 mins arguing against each other cause one side wanted one friend code per user/system and messaging and invites and such and the other didn’t all in Japanese while Gamespy Tech sat there seeing it unfold

Source

Performance Designed Products – in partnership with Nintendo – is developing the “Wired Fight Pad”, a new line of Classic Controller that takes inspiration from the GameCube controller.

The Wired Fight Pad is compatible with the Wii U as well as the original Wii. It plugs directly into the Wiimote’s extension connector and can be used with games that support the Classic Controller, the Classic Controller Pro, and some Virtual Console games. Mario, Yoshi, and Princess Peach are among the fan-favorite characters featured by the Wired Fight Pad.

PDP will release its product this holiday season for $24.99.

Source: PDP PR

After revealing plans to revive the cancelled Wii project Sadness as a Wii U exclusive, HullBreach Studios and Cthulhi Games have now said that they do not, in reality, actually possess rights to the IP.

A statement from the two developers reads:

The Sadness IP is in the hands of a consortium with 4 studios currently fighting for the bid, and that while we at HullBreach and Cthulhi would like to make a competing bid and secure rights to Sadness, unfortunately we cannot at this time. Sorry to fans for any inconvenience.

HullBreach and Cthulhi are still very much interested in their own project. However, they may be forced to change the game’s title, meaning what little connection it had to the original Sadness could end up being lost.

Cthuli’s Jeremy Kleve told Eurogamer:

“We very recently have contacted the old developers to obtain rights to the what little IP actually existed and their blessing. Should they work against us we are prepared to change the title of the game and drop any usage of their IP, this however will not slow us down in the least since most of their ideas were just ideas.

“Sadness had us intrigued since it began years ago, and we decided recently that we didn’t want to let it die off completely. We would have acted sooner if we were capable back then, but as you know the consoles weren’t as open to indies as they are now.”

Source 1, Source 2

“Sadness” is a game that should sound familiar to many Nintendo fans. Nibris announced the project as a Wii exclusive way back in 2006 before ultimately pulling the plug in 2010, which was accompanied by news of the studio’s closure.

In a bit of odd and unexpected news, HullBreach Studios and Cthulhi Games have announced plans to revive Sadness as a Wii U exclusive. The title is tentatively targeted for a 2016 release.

Here’s what you should know:

– Nibris struggled with development with their Gamebryo engine programmers at Frontline and their graphics partner Digital Amigos
– Will stick to the game’s original idea
– Could be some changes and there with regard to characters, mechanics, setting
– Will keep the Gothic noir visual style with a few exceptions
– Will likely be made in Unity
– Starting from scratch
– New elements will be introduced including RPG and puzzle-based mechanics
– There’s also a shift to 2D
– Cthulhi and HullBreach are working as equal partners on the project
– More news at “Indie Sanctum 2014” in October

You can find more quotes from HullBreach Studios and Cthulhi Games over at Nintendo Life.


Manage Cookie Settings