NPD Data Shows Nintendo’s Summer of Fun Isn’t Done
Nintendo products kept people entertained in July, whether they wanted to get fit, rock out or just play around. According to the independent NPD Group, which tracks video game sales in the United States, Nintendo DS™ and Wii™ again claimed the top two hardware spots for July, with more than 608,000 DS units and more than 555,000 Wii units sold. Wii claimed a 49 percent share of all console sales in July, and extended its lead as the best-selling console of this generation. Nintendo DS represented a 73 percent share of hand-held sales in July.
Five games made for Nintendo systems placed in the top 10 best-selling games of the month, including Wii Fit™, with 369,603 units sold at No. 2; Guitar Hero®: On Tour for Nintendo DS, with 309,695 units sold at No. 3; Wii Play™, with 284,035 units sold at No. 4; Mario Kart® Wii, with 174,464 units sold at No. 7; and Rock Band for Wii, with 162,886 units sold at No. 8.
“Great hardware goes hand-in-hand with great software,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Various types of games for the Nintendo systems are represented in the top 10, demonstrating how we continue to break down the barriers between veteran and new players.”
Codemasters® announces blockbuster Overlord sequel for the PLAYSTATION®3 system, Xbox 360, Games For Windows, plus exclusive extensions for Wii and Nintendo DS
Thursday 14th August/… Marking the return of the bad ass game brand that champions a despotic tyrant and sets loose the most vicious, yet lovably insane critters in gaming, Codemasters® today announced that the Overlord and the Minions will headline a series of three new Overlord™ titles for multiple platforms in 2009.Overlord™II is the sequel to the original twisted fantasy action adventure and is now in development at Triumph Studios for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft® and Games For Windows®. True to form, the Overlord and the Minion horde have their sights set on supremacy and 2009 will also see the series debuting on new formats. Exclusive extensions include the action title Overlord™Dark Legend for Wii™, featuring minion control through Wii Remote movement, and Overlord™Minions, a dedicated puzzle action title, for Nintendo DS™.
“As a million-plus seller Overlord is now a significant brand in the ever-growing Codemasters portfolio,” says Barry Jafrato, Senior Vice President of Brand, Codemasters. “With specific titles published across major formats and download content available, Overlord has established a huge cult following and won widespread critical acclaim. We’re delighted to have the despot back for this three-game, five-format product line. With Triumph’s hugely impressive vision for Overlord II and bespoke titles for Wii and Nintendo DS, Overlord is set to dominate in 2009.”
On Thursday 21st August at Leipzig Games Show Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will be inviting show attendees to take part in a record breaking challenge playing Guinness World Records™: The Videogame on Wii™.
Participants will battle it out on three mini games in a bid to smash the most melons, pop the most balloons or secure the fastest time to sheer five sheep!
The official Guinness World Records™ adjudicators will even be there to officiate the world record attempt and give you the opportunity to enter the official Guinness World Records™ Gamers Edition 2009 book.
The competition kicks off on Thursday 21st August at 2pm sharp running until 4pm at the WBIE stand, Hall 5 stand D21. Participants will be invited to play on a first come first served basis. The award ceremony will take place at 4.20pm.
– RED, Matrix, Tecmo all taking part in the game
– RED in charge of scenario and characters
– Developed by Matrix – team also created Final Fantasy III, IV DS
– Torajiro Tsujino handling character design
Speaking on his blog in an extended post, video game designer David Jaffe vociferously claimed that Shigeru Miyamoto – and even Will Wright – is not as well-known as Steven Spielberg because there is no mention of him on box art, for the games he creates. “…Plus, granted Miyamoto and Wright are not as big of names as Spielberg. BUT THAT IS BECAUSE MIYAMOTO AND WRIGHT DON’T HAVE NAMES ABOVE PRODUCTS and they don’t have ability to negotiate for the sort of press treatment and PR perks that movie folks get (which, in turn, turns them into brand names).
There does seem to be some sense as to the prospects Jaffe discusses. I believe Boom Blox had Spielburg’s name on the front of the box, which may prompt some to buy his game. Now, if Miyamoto began to leave his name all over his games, would they eventually sell better, too? After someone notices that Miyamoto had a hand in…Let’s say, a Metroid game…Wouldn’t he/she be more interested in picking it up after knowing the creator Mario had a big hand in the production of the game?
– Samba De Amigo
– Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
– Sonic Unleashed
– Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
– Beijing 2008
– Dinosaur King
– Space Siege
– Empire: Total War
– Alpha Protocol
– MadWorld
– Bayonetta
– Golden Axe
– Valkyria Chronicles
– Stormrise
– Unannounced game
Press release:
GC 2008 – SEGA confirms games line-up
LONDON & MUNICH (August 14, 2008) – SEGA® Europe Ltd. and SEGA® Germany GmbH today announced the titles which will be presented to the public and industry professionals at Games Convention 2008. Two SEGA heroes will dominate events in the consumer area (Hall 5, Booth F02), which will strongly and positively stand out from the usual trade fair booths thanks to its special design. Amigo, the clever monkey from the Samba De Amigo game series celebrates his comeback exclusively on the Wii, and at the same time, his public premiere. For the first time customers will be able to shake their Wii remotes to the beat, next to, and on the stage – 40 well-known songs and new game modes provide long-lasting enthusiasm. Samba De Amigo will also be the primary element of our professionally moderated stage show – with full audience participation.
The newly announced Wii MotionPlus will be yet another peripheral Wii owners will be sucked into purchasing, but no one can argue that it will make some games more interactive. LucasArts, however, doesn’t seem to be too thrilled with Nintendo’s move. When Nintendo has a secret, they guard it well – which even applies to third parties. For LucasArts, this means that they are suffering from a missed opportunity with their latest game, Star Wars: The Clone Wars for Wii. The company seems to be unhappy that they were not informed about Wii MotionPlus earlier, especially considering their game was featured in Nintendo’s press conference. Sadly, this also means that we won’t see many third-party Wii MotionPlus games for quite awhile.
So, you think you’re nuts over Zelda? Check out the product description for the latest Zelda book:
“With both young and adult gamers as loyal fans, The Legend of Zelda is one of the most beloved video game series ever created. The contributors to this volume consider the following questions and more: What is the nature of the gamer’s connection to Link? Does Link have a will, or do gamers project their wills onto him? How does the gamer experience the game? Do the rules of logic apply in the game world? How is space created and distributed in Hyrule (the fictional land in which the game takes place)? How does time function? Is Zelda art? Can Hyrule be seen as an ideal society? Can the game be enjoyable without winning? The Legend of Zelda and Philosophy not only appeals to Zelda fans and philosophers but also puts video games on the philosophical map as a serious area of study.”
The Legend of Zelda and Philosophy is scheduled for a November 28th release. Generally speaking, I conserve my video game money to buy…video games, rather than merchandise. However, I don’t think I can pass on this book, mainly because I’m a huge Zelda fan.
