Nintendo Okie

Crafting mama

2010-11-12T11:55:00.002-06:00

brian farrell

2010-11-12T07:33:00.002-06:00

Castro Pic

2010-11-11T10:16:00.001-06:00

HAWX 2 Pics

2010-11-10T08:27:00.000-06:00

RB3 Photos

2010-11-08T15:10:00.001-06:00

Update on the site

2009-10-30T00:16:00.000-05:00

If you have somehow managed to find yourself at this spot then the site is still not completely functioning.

The url should work, but if not if you remove the www from the beginning it should load properly. Please be patient with us as we work out this little kink.

http://nintendo-okie.com

We're Moving

2009-10-29T20:49:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that we'll be moving the site tonight. If everything goes according to plan tomorrow when you visit you should see a new look to the site. It should have basically the same layout with a few changes that give different parts of the site a little more room to breathe and a cleaner look. All in all the people that have seen the new design really liked it and I think everyone else will too.

In case you're wondering. We're moving from Blogger to Wordpress for site maitainence. I like the backend stuff that Word Press allows us to do that Blogger doesn't and the overall cleaner look that Word Press provides. All the same great content you have come to know will be there and the address should stay the same.

If you log on and the site is down that's why. Don't freak out, we're not gone. If you have any questions you can get a hold of me at tonymiller@nintendo-okie.com. I hope you guys like the new look of the site.

DSi XL Coming To America

2009-10-29T16:25:00.000-05:00

"A new iteration of the Nintendo DSi™ system will be introduced in Japan on November 21, 2009," according to a statement from Nintendo released to Kotaku. "To be known as Nintendo DSi LL in Japan, and as Nintendo DSi XL in North America and Europe, it will offer a screen 93% larger than the current Nintendo DS Lite with a better view angle, an additional longer touch screen stylus, and preinstalled Nintendo DSiWare™ software. The new version will arrive in North America and Europe in the first quarter of calendar year 2010."

This announcement comes directly from Nintendo. It's now officially official. North America will be receiving the larger version of the DSi. It's assumed, but not confirmed, that the system will sell for the same price as the current DSi. We'll give you more details as they come in.

So, are you excited? Will you rush out and buy a new, bigger DSi?

Iwata Talks Wii Sales

2009-10-29T15:04:00.000-05:00

“Wii has stalled. We were unable to continually release strong software, and let the nice mood cool. We were unable to show a new game to become ‘the next thing.’ In the game market, once you’ve lost the momentum, it takes time to recover. With the price drop, sales returned to a certain level, but they just did not reach the level of last year around this time. We decided that it would be difficult to sell enough to recover from the poor performance of the first half of the year. In order to reach it (20 million target), we’ll have to move quite a large quantity, but it’s a figure we released after having felt the momentum returning [based off the price drop].” - Satoru Iwata

That's a pretty straightforward statement from Nintendo about the current situation of Wii sales. It's been very clear that sales have fallen off from last year, but they're still doing well. They haven't had, as of yet, the killer app that everyone looks at to be released each year, but it's coming very soon. I think New Super Mario Bros. Wii will be a huge generator of sales, in both terms of software and hardware. The DS version of the game is selling selling and has been on the top 20 NPD chart still recently. The price drop that Nintendo recently announced will also go a long way in generating more sales and I think it's safe to assume that when we see the October numbers Nintendo will be on top again for the rest of the year.

DSi vs. DSi LL Size Comparison

2009-10-29T14:47:00.000-05:00

For anyone that was wondering just how much bigger the DSi LL is compared the current DSi, the above photo tell all. It's quite a bit bigger, but you can't really see the screen quality comparison from that shot. Just based on the size alone, I can tell you I don't really like the DSi LL. That's, of course, not ever having had my hands on the system. I really like the size of the DSi as it currently is. It fits quite nicely in my pocket and the screens are very good as they are. The button layout is the only thing I might have changed to space them out a tiny bit more. What do you guys think? Do you like the new look of the DSi LL?

MACHINE Announces Bittos+ for WiiWare

2009-10-29T13:06:00.000-05:00

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – October 29, 2009 – MACHINE, a well known development brand and a new publisher specifically focused on digitally downloaded and distributed video games, announced today the upcoming release of bittos+, a new arcade-style puzzle game for WiiWare™.

Developed by Unconditional Studios in San Diego, California, bittos+ challenges players to take control of a variety of shapes while guiding, rotating and placing them in just the right arrangement to construct happy, shiny squares, all the while being surrounded by relentlessly multiplying bad bits and pieces, previously neglected by the player. Squares? Yes, squares! The higher the player progresses, the more difficult the game becomes continuously testing the players’ mettle with a mind shattering four stages of ten levels in eighty-two rounds, making for one of the deepest puzzle game adventure modes available.

“The Wii’s success among both casual and core gamers makes it an ideal match for the diverse style of play that’s offered in bittos+,” said Fox for Unconditional Studios. “It’s the perfect pick-up-and-play game for players looking for simple, yet captivating entertainment, but it also offers a variety of options for hardcore gamers looking for a deeper more engaging experience. On the mellow end of the spectrum the game offers a wonderful trance like experience, while on the wired end the title delivers hardcore, sometimes crazy, in-the-zone gameplay.”

The game comes loaded with multiple game modes to unlock, local high score boards, in-game medals and awards, and unique styles of play to entertain and challenge players of all ability levels, delivering a unique gameplay experience that the entire family can enjoy together.

bittos+ hits the Wii™ Shop Channel in November 2009.

Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil Zero Shipping in December

2009-10-29T10:09:00.000-05:00

We are happy to announce the ship date for Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil Zero today. Exclusively available on the Wii, Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil Zero will ship on December 1, 2009 and will be a must-have classic for the Holiday season. Resident Evil Archives gives Wii gamers the opportunity to play classic Resident Evil games they may have missed, now at a great value price of $29.99.

Prequel to the game that started a multi-million dollar franchise, Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil Zero exposes the back story and internal tyranny of the Umbrella Corporation and lets players discover the origins of the T-Virus in an epic storyline that tells the horrors leading up to the infamous mansion incident.

Only available on the Nintendo GameCube until now, Resident Evil Zero brings Rebecca Chambers – rookie member of S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team – to Raccoon City , where she must investigate a series of gruesome murders. Almost immediately she stumbles upon a military transport truck filled with corpses and her journey of horror begins.

Along the way Rebecca meets Billy Coen, an ex-Marine convicted on circumstantial evidence for the murder of 23 people. Players will get to control both Rebecca and Billy simultaneously using the Partner Zapping system, as they fight their way out of Raccoon City in the last of the main titles to use the original Resident Evil gameplay system prior to Resident Evil 4.

DSi LL Coming to Europe

2009-10-29T09:48:00.002-05:00

We told you earlier today that the new DSi LL would be heading to Japan later this year. The system features a slightly larger form factor than the current model of the DSi. It didn't take very long at all for another region to jump on board with their announcement. In an interview with Videogamer, Nintendo of Europe announced that the new DSi would be coming to Europe during the first quarter of 2010 and would be labeled the DSi XL. The system is exactly the same as the DSi LL in Japan. There has not been any announcement as to what colors will be available in Europe or if there would be any software loaded on the system. As soon as we find out the rest of the details we'll be sure to let our European friends know.

Source: Joystiq

Max and the Magic Marker T-Shirt Winners Announced

2009-10-29T08:26:00.000-05:00

Well guys, it's time to announce the winners of the Max and the Magic Marker contest. The following readers will be able to do their best Max impression and I would like any of you that receive the shirt to send us a picture of you or a family member wearing the shirt. We'll post any of them that you want on the site for all to see.

Malouff
Philip Reed
Matthew Pitt
Charlie
Trist1214

Congratulations to each of you. Send me an email with your mailing address and as soon as the shirts reach our office I will get them sent out to you.

Excite Bike World Rally Details

2009-10-29T07:41:00.000-05:00

Excite Bike: World Rally is less than two weeks away and was a surprise announcement to nearly everyone when it debuted on the Nintendo Week show this week. I'm totally excited for this game and will have to get some friend codes from you guys to play when it comes out. If it's anything like the original it will have hours of play time on my system. The following are some of the details we know about the game. These come courtesy of the IGN Nintendo Voice Chat podcast.

* 60fps

* wheelie over slow-moving opponents

* ram your front tire into opponents to knock them down, and cool your engine

* race locations: Japan, Mexico, London, US

* multiple circuits

* earn ranks after races to move onto the next

* rank A or B and move on, rank C or lower and you have to race again

* S rank returns

* motion controls have you tilt Wiimote left/right to wheelie

* classic control plays just like the NES version

* game records best times, and marks each best time with an icon to let everyone know what control scheme you used

* change camera angle by pressing A

* new camera angel is angled, and gives you a better look down the track

* replay mode lets you watch the race you just finished

* create and save tracks with the track builder

* send created tracks to friends

* race random players online, or use friend codes

Top 20 WiiWare Titles: Week of October 26th

2009-10-29T07:06:00.000-05:00

This week’s Top 20 WiiWare titles are based on the information from the week of October 26th, 2009 (parentheses indicate the previous week’s rank).

1 LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias (7)

2 Reel Fishing Challenge (2)

3 World of Goo (4)

4 My Aquarium (3)

5 Contra Rebirth (1)

6 Tetris Party (5)

7 Dr Mario Online Rx (8)

8 Texas Hold'Em Poker (9)

9 Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (11)

10 My Pokémon Ranch (10)

11 Word Searcher (6)

12 Driift Mania (12)

13 Brain Challenge (17)

14 Sexy Poker (14)

15 Family Mini Golf (15)

16 Defend Your Castle (16)

17 Shootanta: Evolutionary Mayhem (N/A)

18 Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 3 (N/A)

19 Arkanoid Plus! (13)

20 Water Warfare (19)

Big shakeup going on in the top 5 this week. I believe on last week’s countdown I said that if anything had the chance to remove Contra Rebirth from the top spot it would be LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias and that is the case this week. Contra fell five spots to #5. The biggest mover of the week was Arkanoid Plus! falling six spots to number 19.

We had two new entries this week on the chart; Shootanta: Evolutionary Mayhem and Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 3. This means that we lost You, Me and the Cubes as well as Bust-A-Move Plus!. My Sexy Poker watch continues this week because it did not move at all, though it is close to the bottom of the list.

We’ve got a few big titles coming to WiiWare in the next few weeks so we’ll so how things continue to shape up.

Real Life & Video Game Twins

2009-10-29T06:19:00.000-05:00

I ran into this site last night and had to share it with you. It was too good to pass up. How many video game characters have a real life twin. That could be either an actual person the character was based upon or just a lucky coincidence. You decide.

Seperated at Birth

DSi LL Officially Unveiled

2009-10-29T06:14:00.001-05:00

A Japanese website has been launched showing the new DSi LL. Here are some of the specs of the new system.

Nintendo DSi LL
4.2 inch mon x 2
Nov 21, 2009
20000 yen

DS：横148.7mm／縦84.7mm／厚さ28.9mm
DSLite：横133.0mm／縦73.9mm／厚さ21.5mm
DSi：横137.0mm／縦74.9mm／厚さ18.9mm
DSi LL：横161.0mm／縦91.4mm／厚さ21.2mm
Default stylus is 4 mm longer than the DSi stylus
The long "touch pen" is just about 40 mm longer than the DSistylus
Weighs approximately 50% more than the DSi/Lite
1 - 3 hrs more battery life than DSi, depending on screen brightness
3 hour charge (same as DS Lite, 30 mins longer than DSi)

Comes pre-installed with...

* A Bit of Brain Training: Arts
* A Bit of Brain Training: Science
* Kiyou Akira Rakuhiku Language Easier

You can view the official Japanese site of the DSi LL here. It appears that right now the system comes in three colors; rose, white and black and also includes a bigger stylus pen in addition to the regular stylus. The question now is, if the system comes to America will any of you pick it up or are you getting a bit tired of the large number of DSi models available?

Need For Speed Nitro - Cairo Trailer

2009-10-28T20:09:00.002-05:00

Doc Louis' Punch-Out!!

2009-10-28T19:59:00.000-05:00

Epic Mickey Was Originally Multi Platform

2009-10-28T19:39:00.000-05:00

Everyone it seems is getting more and more details about Warren Spector's Epic Mickey. Official Nintendo Magazine recently conducted an interview with the man behind the mouse and he had a few interesting things to say.

He told them that the game was originally designed to be a multi-platform game for the 360, PS3, and PC. Wii development of the game started in 2008, but before that it was going to the other platforms. Disney allowed Mr. Spector focus on the Wii version of the game in an effort to make it the best game possible and he ran with it.

"It's burned in my brain - Graham Hopper [Disney Interactive boss] pulled me into my office one day and said 'What does it take to deliver on the goals we have for this product? And I said, well, you need enough time and enough money to be competitive. And it'd be awfully nice if we could focus on one platform."

"At that time we were talking about a Wii port and I was begging people - no, we can't just port to the Wii, it's not going to work. It needs to be its own game. A lot of the design ideas just won't work on the Wii, we need to give the Wii its dues. Graham looked at me and said 'What do you think about a Wii exclusive?' And I went 'Holy cow - yeah!'"

"They walked away from three other platforms - no other publisher on the planet would have done that. It was a magic moment for me. No-one has even mentioned other formats since that point."

The rest of this interview with Warren Spector will be available in the 50 edition of ONM and will hit store shelves later in November.
---------------------------------------------------
This game looks amazing. I've been a huge fan of Disney, as most of you probably have been, since I was child. I hate the way Disney has used Mickey Mouse in recent years and really like the old style retro look of Mickey and what he was like back then. Mickey has been, and always should have that hand drawn, mischevious feel to him.

You can be assured that as more details come out about the game we'll keep you updated. For now check out a few screens.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel Trailer

2009-10-28T19:25:00.000-05:00

Bat Boss From Castlevania: The Adventure: Rebirth

2009-10-28T19:17:00.001-05:00

Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo Review

2009-10-28T17:12:00.000-05:00

Howdy: * Voice acting from the show gives it proper Dragon Ball feel.
                * Fighting is simple and you won't get lost on levels.
                * Cel shaded style looks good.

See Ya': * Fighting is very simple.
                * Levels are very straight.
                * Gets very repetitive, very quickly.

Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo takes the series back to before they added the Z. Gone are the extremely complex mechanics of the previous fighting games and in their place is a simple straightforward action platformer. Fans of the show will instantly recognize many of the characters and locations, yet previous knowledge of what's going on isn't necessary to enjoy the game.

The story follows Son Goku as he is looking for the four star dragon ball that belonged to his grandfather. During his travels he runs into members of the Red Ribbon Army as they are going around looking for the dragon balls themselves. The game is set up as a side scrolling action platformer where the fighting is done with one or two buttons at most. There are a few combos that you will learn very on in the first few levels, but after that you have every move at your disposal that you will have. They are mainly a number of presses of the "A" button, but there are a couple that use the analog stick in combination with the A Button. There is also a move that you can perform after you stun enemies that will zoom in close as Goku does a more powerful combo, but it's not necessarily needed in order to succeed. All you need to know is mashing the A button very quickly will usually win you a fight.

The platform sections of the game are set up very nicely. The levels, while very linear have a lot of height to them. There are a few secret doors that will take you into another room, but you will most of the time leave that room and head back to the main path to continue your quest for the Dragon Balls. Large areas of flat plains are broken up with high mountains or waterfalls that you must cross. The military area has the appropriate military items scattered throughout it and feels very lifeless as there is nothing to see inside them aside from large areas of grey walls. All of the enemies are some form of bear, tiger or robot with bosses at the end of each of the game's worlds. These are either more powerful robots or members of the Red Ribbon Army until you show off against Piccolo himself.

Each of the characters in the game has a large section of voice work done by the actors from the show. The visual style of the game uses a nice cel shaded effect. The animated sections of the game themselves are done quite well and look like you're watching a cartoon. They do fall apart a little if the characters are talking because their mouth either doesn't move or just opens and closes and you are very quickly reminded you're not watching the anime and you're playing a video game. The story sections go back and forth between fully animated to quick still pictures of the characters talking. It's a bit jarring and would have been nice if they had picked one style and kept it through the entire game.

Each level has a large amount of zeni, the currency of Dragon Ball, that is scattered throughout the level. You'll be able to use this in the shop to buy extra health and unlockable art and sounds. After each level you're graded on how well you did, how much life you had left and how long it took to finish the level. you're given a letter grade and extra zeni to use. The problem is that the store is not in the game menus and you have to back out to the main menu to enter the store. It's a bit of a chore to get to the store so chances are you won't go very often.

There is also a tournament mode that is similar to the previous games in the series, but uses the fighting mechanic from this game so it's much more simple and amounts to who can block their opponent most and counter attack. There are a large cast characters from the game that you can choose from and all of them have a similar fighting style. There is not much other than their look to distinguish them. It's a neat diversion for a few minutes from the main game, but if you have other Dragon Ball games or Super Smash Bros. you won't come back to this very often.

Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo has a good art style and fairly simple game play, but that can also be a bit of a downer because there is not much thought you have to put into playing the game. It's mainly run to the right and attack the bad guys you see. The boss battles provide a nice difference in the fighting, but they don't happen often enough to keep things interesting. It's a great diversion or a game you'll come back to on a night you want to relax and younger kids will find the game to be good fun for a while. Unless you're one of the younger audience or a huge fan of Dragon Ball there's not a lot here to recommend.

Final Score: 2/5

Review copy of the game provided by Namco Bandai.

Sometimes It Just Pays to Stay In Bed

2009-10-28T14:50:00.000-05:00

Well, everyone. I'm sorry for the sporadic posting today. It's been a crazy day. It started with me having to go out and rescue my mother-in-law who was stranded and spending an hour and a half waiting for a tow truck. Then shortly after lunch we decided to take the kids to the park and while we were there someone broke into my sister-in-law's car and steal her purse.

Back at home now and this afternoon and evening I should be able to get some updates to the site. I'm sorry, again, for the lack of posting today. I hope you understand.

Don't forget time's almost up to enter the Max and the Magic Marker T-Shirt Contest.

Time's Almost Up

2009-10-28T12:33:00.000-05:00

To enter the Max and the Magic Marker T-shirt contest. You have until 6:00 pm CST tonight to enter. Head on over to the contest post, leave a comment with your shirt size and you'll be entered to win. The winners will be announced tomorrow on the site.

New Package Came Today

2009-10-28T12:31:00.000-05:00

Well I got a bit of a shock today. I was sitting on the couch reading a book to my kids when there was a very loud bang on the door. I looked outside and the FedEx guy was on the porch with a package in his hand. Inside it was:

THQ sent over a copy of Drawn to Life for Wii and DS as well as a package of sidewalk chalk. You can expect a review for these games next week. The first game was a lot of fun and 5th Cell did the DS version of this game. You might know them from their previous Drawn to Life game as well as the recently released Scribblenauts.

New Assets Just In For We Cheer 2

2009-10-27T22:05:00.001-05:00

STYLIN’ NEW SET OF ASSETS FOR WE CHEER™2 NOW AVAILABLE

NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today released a new batch of assets for We Cheer™2 for Wii™. The new set of assets includes gameplay videos and screenshots that showcase the huge variety of accessories available to customize every member of the squad. Give each cheerleader their own personality with options for hats, face tattoos, ribbons, sunglasses and more. In We Cheer 2, players have access to limitless customization for both their character and their entire squad with an increased range of options for creating characters from head to toe.

We Cheer 2 brings the upbeat fun of cheerleading into the home with its entertaining adaptation of the challenge and spirit of the competitive sport. Utilizing the Wii Remotes™ as virtual pom-poms, players follow on-screen prompts for choreographed routines that utilize a full range of arm and body movements. We Cheer 2 is the only cheerleading video game to offer a hit soundtrack of licensed music and features a brand new lineup of 30 rockin’ songs that will get players energized and ready to cheer.

We Cheer 2 for Wii will launch November 3, 2009 with an MSRP of $39.99. For more information, please visit www.namcobandaigames.com.

Check out more screens at our Flickr Pageand more video at our Youtube Channel.

Capcom Unveils Box Art For Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars

2009-10-27T15:00:00.000-05:00

And here it is folks. The Capcom Unity Blog has lifted the curtain on the cover of next year's Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Ultimate All-Stars. You can see the roster of the game in all their glory, the Capcom stars on the left side of the cover and the Tatsunoko stars on the right side. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars hits store shelves on January 26th.

What did we learn from the cover of the game? For starters you'll be able to play online, no big surprise, and Ryu really needs a new hair cut.

Frogger Hopping Onto WiiWare This Fall

2009-10-27T14:55:00.001-05:00

This announcement comes on the heels of Frogger being introduced to my daughter for the first time. I know this is going to be an instant buy as soon as it's available on WiiWare.
----------------------------------------------
El Segundo, Calif. - October 27, 2009 - Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced Frogger Returns for Nintendo WiiWare™ and PlayStation®Network. Based on the timeless arcade game, the latest iteration of Frogger delivers the addictive dodge-and-run gameplay fans know and love on an all-new platform.

In Frogger Returns, players are thrown back into the hustle and bustle of city life to guide their amphibious friend, Frogger, from the city back to his home marsh. Frogger Returns stays true to the classic arcade gameplay style, but is enhanced with improved graphics, a new camera angle, and new levels. Streets, sewers, subways, and numerous other obstacles and enemies are in play - all for the sake of keeping Frogger away from returning home!

But Frogger isn’t surrounded by just hurdles; new power-ups including time reverse, invincibility and time freeze also aid Frogger in his travels.

Frogger Returns boasts a game 12 times the size of the original, crisp 3D graphics and local multiplayer capabilities. Players can go head-to-head in timed capture-the- pad races, as well as compete with friends by showing off their best scores. With a 25-year legacy, innovative controller options and extended levels, Frogger Returns provides all players the ultimate casual and core gaming experience.

Frogger Returns will be available for download later this fall on Nintendo WiiWare™ and PlayStation®Network. For more information, please visit http://www.konami.com/downloads

Source: Press Release

Majesco To Publish Augmented Reality Game on DSi

2009-10-27T13:02:00.000-05:00

Augmented Reality Software Lets Players Discover Ghosts Lurking Amongst Us

EDISON, N.J., October 27, 2009 - Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, is bridging the gap between the real world and the spirit world with the announcement of Ghostwire: Link to the Paranormal for Nintendo DSi™. Developed by A Different Game, Ghostwire is a powerful piece of software that turns the Nintendo DSi™ into a portal to the paranormal. The title is expected to launch in late 2010.

"Ghostwire: Link to the Paranormal integrates cutting-edge technology with a unique augmented reality aesthetic to create a truly exciting piece of software specifically designed for Nintendo DSi™," said Gui Karyo, Executive Vice President of Operations, Majesco Entertainment. "We are thrilled to have such an innovative product in our lineup and look forward to revealing details about the experience as we approach next year's launch."

In Ghostwire: Link to the Paranormal, players are challenged to find and capture apparitions trapped within their own environment by using the Nintendo DSi™ Camera and ghost tuner to access alternative frequencies beyond the standard Wi-Fi range. Spirits, shadows and demons all have their own personalities, so finding and "solving" them is anything but easy. Some are shy. Some are evil. And some will only interact with you if you bring them something they want. What's more, factors like time of day and light levels will further challenge your ghost hunting abilities, but a wide range of upgradeable equipment is available to help you communicate with the other side.

Keep your mind open and ghost tuners on http://www.ghostwiregame.com/ so you don't miss additional communications about Ghostwire: Link to the Paranormal. Follow the game on Twitter @ghostwiregame.

Atari Announces Puzzler World for Nintendo DS

2009-10-27T11:18:00.000-05:00

- Addicting Sequel to Smash Hit ‘Puzzler Collection’ Features More Than 1000 Games from Classic Favorites Like Crossword, Sudoku, and Wordsearch to All-New Games Such As Jigsaw and Equate -

New York – October 27, 2009 – Atari Inc., one of the world’s most recognized video game publishers, announced today that it will bring one of the world’s foremost puzzle brands, Puzzler, to Nintendo DS™ this holiday season with Puzzler World. The ultimate brain-buster for puzzle lovers of all ages and sequel to smash hit Puzzler Collection, Puzzler World will offer up more than 1000 games developed specifically for the DS by Ideas Pad in close partnership with Puzzler Media - the masterminds behind the Puzzler brand. The title will feature an incredible collection of 14 different puzzle types spanning such popular formats as Wordsearch, Sudoku, Crossword, Fitwork, Link-A-Pix, Codeword, Spot the Difference and Silhouette, as well as bonus games including Hangman and all-new puzzle formats Equate, Jigsaw, and more. Puzzler World will be available across North American retailers on December 8, 2009 for a suggested retail price of $19.99. In addition to the DS release, Puzzler World will also be available for PC download at Atari.com.

“Puzzler World gives everyone from puzzle amateurs looking for a travel companion to puzzle masters a chance to experience the classic, addicting games we all know and love,” said Jim Wilson, CEO, Atari, Inc. “Nintendo DS™ is the perfect system for casual puzzle gaming on the go and the new game formats are sure to become instant favorites.”

With an extensive array of classic games and all-new puzzle formats, Puzzler World will challenge users with endless entertainment and different degrees of difficulty. Players will be able to choose from two distinct game modes, Quickplay or Challenge, making it accessible for beginners and tough enough for even the most advanced puzzle gurus. Problem solvers who dominate Challenge mode will find that there are plenty of bonus games to further meet their brain-busting thirst; these include all-new gaming formats such as Chain Letters and Picture Quiz, as well as additional classic favorites like Hangman and Missing Piece. \

In addition, Puzzler World features a handwriting recognition mode which will train the game to recognize the user’s handwriting.

Puzzler World is rated “E” (for everyone) by ESRB.

Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop Review

2009-10-27T07:56:00.001-05:00

Howdy:    *Simple, addicting gameplay
                 *Lots of unlockables and customization
                 *Cook For a Friend Mode is great

See Ya': *Shopping is tedious and repetitive
                 *Mama dresses like a cheerleader in one mode.

Mama’s quite quite a few recipes under her belt, as well as a couple different jobs now. After a brief venture into the garden to get some fresh supplies she’s back in the kitchen with Cooking Mama 3: Shop and Chop. The Cooking Mama franchise is based around quick, simple mini-games that when put together form the recipe for one of a number of dishes and Cooking Mama 3 continues that tradition. The question is, Is it worth another trip to the kitchen?

If you've played a Cooking Mama game before you know pretty much what to expect when you boot up this game. The first option available on the main menu is Cook With Mama. This is where you'll go to get the traditional Cooking Mama experience. You'll pick one recipe from the eight available when you start. Each step of the recipe is its own mini-game and Mama will give you instructions on how to complete the process. Complete the step correctly and Mama will tell you how well you did. If you perform poorly then Mama will help you, even though her eyes will catch fire and she looks angry. The recipes range from one or two steps up to almost a dozen. Many of them will have the same steps so you'll very quickly see all the mini-games available. After you complete a recipe you'll be graded on how well you did and unlock new recipes. Each of the steps is easy to understand and the motions required are simple to pick up and perform. There are a few steps that might take a couple of tries to get right, but after that it will be second nature and you'll be flying through recipes very quickly. Some of the older steps that have been in the game before have been tweaked a bit to add a bit of timing to them. One example, stirring, now uses and meter that you must follow precisely and will speed up as you go.

There are number of different game play modes available from the very beginning. Alongside the traditional cooking game you have a mode where you can cook for a friend. They do have differening tastes so some of the recipes they will like more than others. Other than limiting the recipes that you can cook they are all identical in game play. You pick one of the recipes and you begin. There's no explanation of the steps, no break in between to catch you breath. You simply pick a recipe and go. It's probably best to hold off on this mode until you've had a chance to learn some of the steps involved. If you fail one step you fail the entire recipe. It's a very quick mode and very rewarding for players that have found the main mode a bit stale. There is also a cooking contest where the object is to complete one step of a recipe as fast as you can. This mode records your highest score so you'll probably come back again and again to best your previous record. This mode of the game is not very deep, but it is great practice if there is one step you're having trouble with. You're rewarded for doing well, but not punished if you mess up.

The big hook to Cooking Mama 3 is the ability to go shopping. You can enter a grocery store where you'll navigate a maze of aisles and customers to find a number of the ingredients you are looking for. The mode is good in theory, but in practice it falls a little short. Mama is controlled with the stylus, but the controls are a bit finicky and unresponsive. Customers move faster than you do and if you bump into someone you're forced to play a mini game. There is no instruction to tell you how to complete the task you just have to figure it out own your own and chances are you're going to bump into the same people multiple times during a shopping trip. It takes you away from the action on the screen to do a random, extremely repetitive game and it just doesn't work as well as I think it was intended. The mode is good for a time or two, but after that you'll probably avoid it. There doesn't appear to be any reason outside of a change in the game to go shopping as it doesn't affect what you do in the kitchen.

Mama's received a bit of a face lift as well. This is the third installment of the franchise on Nintendo's handheld and Cooking Mama is one of Majesco's biggest franchises and it really shows. The ingredients for the recipe are all extremely detailed and very life like. The only thing keeping them from being truly realistic is that the game uses a stylized graphical design. Mama has a number of different facial expressions and despite them all being still frames they animate very well and her emotions come across quite nicely. It's very easy to tell what everything in your kitchen is supposed to be, and all the devices work like their real life counterparts. Mama still speaks in her charming broken English, but may get a bit annoying after you hear "You can do it, or Mama will help you" for the gazillionth time. Each mini game is accompanied by the apporpriate kitchen sounds, such as knives banging against cutting boards or liquids boiling on the stove. If the DS could emit smells it would feel like you really were in the kitchen.

There are a number of additional things to unlock and everything in the game is customizable. Each recipe awards you bonuses based on how well you did that will fill up a heart meter. If you fill up the meter completely you're given the chance to play a scratch off that will award you will a random unlockable. This can be anything from new colors for your pots to new clothes for Mama. If you complete the steps of the recipe quickly you have the chance to earn more pieces of the heart and that will allow you to unlock new items more quickly. It's a great incentive to learn the steps properly as it's quite a lot of fun to go in and decorate your kitchen the way you want or pick a new outfit for Mama. The only thing you can't mess with is her bandana. She's always wearing it, though you can change the color. You can change the details on the interface so that you're clock looks like a kiwi and all the colors and backgrounds are changeable meaning every person is going to have their own unique take on Mama's kitchen.

Cooking Mama is one of Majesco's biggest franchises and the game play is fun and addicting. Veteran's of the series will be able to jump into the kitchen with almost no help at all and be able to cook up a masterpiece and kitchen rookies will pick up the basics very quickly. The game play is simple, yet extremely addicting. The new modes of play are fun, at least for a short period, even if they don't add a lot to the existing formula. The cook for a friend mode is probably the best addition and one that will make series vets extremely happy. If you have friends you can challenge each other in single cart cooking action to see who can perform different actions faster. Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop is a worthy addition to any DS owner's library.

Final Score: 4/5

Review copy of the game provided by Majesco.

Nintendo Okie in the Morning 10/27/09

2009-10-27T01:18:00.001-05:00

It's time, once again for Nintendo Okie in the morning. Wake up with us while we talk about Excite Bike, Cooking Mama, and a new DSi. Our Cooking Mama 3 review will be up on the site soon if it's not by the time of the podcast. Nintendo has announced plans for yet another DSi, will it come to America? And get out the graph paper because Excite Bike is coming back, complete with a track editor.

The podcast is also available now on iTunes...You can head on over to the iTunes Music Store and subscribe there.

Download the podcast here.

Games Mentioned: Excite Bike World Rally, Cooking Mama 3

Trailers for Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth and Excitebike World Rally

2009-10-26T18:38:00.001-05:00

New DSi Model Heading to Japan

2009-10-26T15:44:00.000-05:00

The DSi has not been out that long, and already there is a new model heading to Japan. This new DSi sports a larger 4" screen on the top and bottom, which are 3/4 of an inch larger than the current model. Reports from Nikkei are that it will cost 18900 yen, which is the price of the current model. Aside from having a larger screen the system will be identical to the current model of the DSi so there is no reason to rush out to upgrade unless you like the bigger screen.

The DSi has features that are locked to certain regions, which differs from the DS Lite and as such if you import a system you'll be unable to play American features, so it would be best to wait and see if the system heads across the ocean to other parts of the world. Nintendo has not yet commented on whether the system will see launch outside of Japan

Source: Nikkei via Kotaku

Netflix No Longer 360 Exclusive

2009-10-26T15:10:00.000-05:00

Netflix and Sony announced today that the movie streaming service will be coming to PS3 as soon as November. The service will be available to PS3 owners for a few due to there be no equivilent to Xbox Live Gold and that initially you will need a disc that Netflix will provide to activate the service.

This news relates to Nintendo in that Michael Pachter today said that "We believe that the exclusive arrangement limits Netflix ability to appear on the 'dashboard' of the PS3 or Wii. We anticipate that a similar arrangement will be announced for the Wii in the next 12 months."

It was just a matter of time before Netflix found a way to get around the exclusivity to consoles that Microsoft had and it appears that a similar service might be heading to Wii in the next year. Would you watch movies over your Wii console if the service was available? Do you like the idea of having a disc to access the service or would you prefer it to be a channel on the Wii's menu?

Source: GoNintendo, MTV Multiplayer

Another Nonsensical Rant Against Video Games

2009-10-26T15:00:00.003-05:00

"Dorm rooms are like bacteria dishes where crueler and more virulent microorganisms are constantly introduced to breed in a frothy frenzy of poor judgment. When video gaming is added to a culture of persistent sexual experimentation in a peer group of sex radicals fueled by vast amounts of mind-altering narcotics, reality is the big loser. …Sharp colors and quick movement like you find in Grand Theft Auto make these couch potatoes feel as if they’re really moving through life at a brisk pace while in reality growing obese. It makes them feel important, as if they’re achieving something, while their textbooks sit unopened on nearby desks. It sucks up hours upon hours when these children could be learning business or engineering. Instead of American history, they memorize the satanic rites of Resident Evil, thrill in emotional suffering with Silent Hill or train to be Columbine-style murderers with Dead Space Extraction. The foundation of modern morality so necessary for the next generation to lead is not something you children will get sucking on the end of a filthy bong while yanking a joystick around the streets of San Andreas, gunning down minorities and looking for “Hot Coffee” as some mysterious classmate from Art History oils your tensed-up pecs. This might seem fun now, but it’s truly destroying your soul." - Author Stephenson Billings

Source: Game Politics
-------------------------------------------
Is today National Pile on Video Games Day and I didn't know about it? What exactly is going on? This is the second story I've posted that dealt negatively with gaming. The first was about the man who was drunk and shot his son over a missing video game. While that dealt indirectly with video games, this is a full on attack on them.

Let's just take each of Mr. Billings facts and discuss them. "Sharp colors and quick movement like you find in Grand Theft Auto make these couch potatoes feel as if they’re really moving through life at a brisk pace while in reality growing obese." What's making these people obese is taking in more calories than they burn. While it's true they may be sitting ont he couch playing video games, they could be reading a book, or watching TV. There are a huge number of activities that Americans do each day that don't burn calories and a number of them are things people consider constructive. Grand Theft Auto does not make people feel like they're moving through life and that description could have just as easily been about someone's favorite TV show.

Last time I checked in a Resident Evil game you were not encouraging satanic rituals, you were attempting to stop a crazed bio organization or a group of cultists from releasing a deadly virus to the world. There are no rituals to memorize or spells to perform. You're shooting zombies and infected humans in an effort to rid the world of the plague they were causing. If you haven't played the game, Mr. Billings you can't talk about it.

Silent Hill is not a thrilling game. It's scary. It's not necessarily a fun experience. There are people out there who enjoy getting scared, but it's not because they delight in the suffering of others, it's because they like the adrenaline rush that comes with being in that situation. I don't remember any high school students in Dead Space either. That was a ship that had been over run by aliens and turning humans into unholy creatures known as Necromorphs. Next time there is a high school filled with those creatures, let me know.

Mr. Billings needs to sit down with a controller in his hand and play everyone of those games he mentioned. And while he's at it, pop in Super Mario Galaxy and tell me that's rotting the souls of our generation and the generations to come after us. Let me know when there are studies that prove that petting a virtual dog is harmful to your health or knocking down towers in Boom Blox leads to terrorism. (Wait that's plausible. /sarcasm)

Chances are there aren't any five year old children sucking on bongs while playing GTA IV or Dead Space Extraction. They're playing with Mario and Spiderman, or the Jedi from Star Wars, in Lego form. Gaming's not evil, Mr. Billings and this is coming from a conservative.

An Old Franchise is Made New on WiiWare

2009-10-26T12:06:00.001-05:00

This week's episode of Nintendo Week on the Nintendo Channel has announced that ExciteBike will be returning, this time courtesy of WiiWare. The game, known as ExciteBike: World Rally, features updated graphics, but old style game play. The track editor also returns and you will be able to compete with other players online.

Fans will be able to control their racer with either the Wii Remote in a classic NES style or by using the remote's motion sensing capabilities. I know I spent hour designing tracks that would only be deleted later and I am very excited about this announcement.

The game is set to launch on WiiWare on November 9th, so we're just a couple weeks away.

Source: Nintendo Week

Oklahoma Video Game Exhibition Wrap Up

2009-10-26T10:22:00.000-05:00

The Oklahoma Video Game Exhibition took place over the weekend on Saturday, October 24th. The event has been held annually since 2003 and features exhibitors showing off their collections of classic gaming memorabilia.

For starters there are a number of arcade machines that are all set to free play for anyone to enjoy while they are there. They ranged from vector graphics machines, such as Space Wars to Frogger and Joust. Only one machine was not playable, the Star Wars arcade game, and that was due to some interference from the Dark Side according to the Out of Order sign.

My daughter, Katy attended the event with me and we spent about half an hour playing Space Wars. For anyone that doesn’t know, this was an arcade machine created by Larry Rosenthal, a graduate of MIT and featured two player space combat. One player controlled a ship that looked like the wedge ship from Asteroids and the other controlled a ship resembling the Starship Enterprise. These ships were controlled with five buttons, one to move left, one to move right, a thrust button, a button to fire your ships gun and a hyperspace button that would teleport you to a random spot on the screen. The object of the game was to destroy your opponent the most in a time limit. Each credit would get you a minute and a half of time. There were a number of gameplay options that could be selected at the beginning of the game. You had the ability to change the speed of the game, the amount of gravity or a combination of those two and the different options varied widely from each other. The only objects on the screen besides the player’s ships were an asteroid that would randomly move around the battlefield and a star in the center that would destroy any ship that touched it. This was also were the gravity was centered and would pull player towards. The game play was super simple, but extremely addicting. Space Wars was available for purchase, but I did not have the $1000 that the owner was asking.

There were a number of vendors present as well, many who had playable systems from the late 70’s and early 80’s all the way up to the early years of this century. One man, Joe Hamilton, had a history of Nintendo that featured nearly every console the company has released, including the Virtual Boy. It was the first time I had a chance to see what that system was all about and I have to say that after playing it for about fifteen minutes I didn’t want to play any more. Mainly because it was so uncomfortable leaning forward to put my head in the giant binocular display that the Virtual Boy had. The owner of the system said that if he plays it for any extended period of time he lays back on the couch and just rests the system over his eyes, which didn’t seem too comfortable to me either. I was also able, at that booth, to get my hands on a Famicom for the first time and aside from being essentially the exact same thing as the NES I didn’t like the controller, only because the wire sticks out of the side and my hand was pushing against it the entire time.

It seemed that the most popular display at the show was the history of fighting games that had somewhere around 100 different fighting game titles all on display. Greg Little, the man behind the collection said these were only his one on one fighting games and he didn’t not include his extensive of multi player fighting games. Even though, I’m not a fan of the fighting game genre, outside of some casual Street Fighter action, the collection was impressive and it really showed off just how fighting games have evolved throughout the years.

I also had the chance to get my hands on some time with the Vectrex. The first game I played was Minestorm, which is essentially an Asteroids clone. You controlled a ship that you could move around the screen and you were tasked with shooting mines that were floating through space. The game featured controls that I liked a bit more than Asteroids. The ship did not float around the screen after a booster thrust and, while not being as “realistic” as Asteroids I liked better because I had more control over what I was doing. The Vectrex featured a screen that displayed simple black and white graphics, but to get around that game designers would include color sheets that you would place over the screen to give the game the appearance of color graphics. The game I played that showed that off to its fullest effect was a Space Invaders style game. The screen featured three different areas of color and as the invaders would pass over them they would change color. It gave a very impressive illusion of a game with color graphics and it really did enhance the game over the simple black and white the Vectrex could produce.

I also learned a lot about the thriving Atari 2600 community from Brad Prillwitz. He was there showing off his collection of new and homebrew applications for the Atari 2600. I mentioned, on the podcast, a game called Chunkout 2600 that is a new puzzle game that was just released for the system. The screen was filled with a number of colored blocks and you have to remove them from the screen. You can remove any group of two or more colored blocks that are the same color and the object was to clear them all from the screen. The game featured four different difficulty levels that you would select by adjusting the switches on the back of the system and the higher difficulty levels were very challenging. It was a lot of fun and if I had the system and the $30 for a new Atari game I would have bought a copy right then. He told me that new games are coming out for the system all the time and the community of 2600 developers is quite large. I thought the system had died long ago and was simply a jewel for collectors. Apparently I was wrong.

The event brought in just over 500 people and it was quite interesting to see the number of dads that were out with their younger children showing them what gaming was like when we were younger. I know my daughter enjoyed it and said she was already ready to go back again next year. She was introduced to a lot of gaming’s past that she found very entertaining and I had the chance to try out some systems I had only heard about. The game play for many of those older systems was simple, yet completely addicting even today. It would have been very easy to spend thousands of dollars in there adding to my gaming collections, but for the sake of my marriage I had to restrain myself.

It was a great event and I encourage anyone in the area to attend next year’s event. You’d be pleasantly surprised.

Video Game Blamed For Death

2009-10-26T08:35:00.000-05:00

This story, from the Houston Chronicle, is a sad story. A 40 year old man shot his 17 year old son over a missing video game. This story only directly relates to video games in that the mainstream press will add it to their ever growing list of stories claiming video games are bad.

I, being a conservative Christian man, will never blame video games directly for anything. Video games don't cause people to go out and shoot someone. They don't cause people to go on rampages. Many times, they are a convenient scape goat. Sometimes they may ignite underlying issues that ultimately cause people to do things they woulndn't normally do, but never is the video game itself the object that causes these terrible things to happen.

In the story above a drunk man shoots his 17 year old son over a video game. In the end, it could have been anything. If he had been looking for the remote they wouldn't have even mentioned it, but because it's a video game he was mad about it gets press. Video games have both good and bad qualities, like anything else we do in life. Video games don't hurt people in the same way a gun doesn't kill a person, the person holding the gun does.

I cannot stand all the news stories that go out of their way to mention video games in a negative light because it's convenient. You have to go to places like this, or Kotaku or Gamasutra to see the articles that show the beneficial qualitites of video games. They can be used to increase a child's reading ability. They help develop hand eye coordination. They give some families the ability to open up and talk about things they might not otherwise talk about.

I have never once seen a story where a video game hurt or killed a person. It's always someone with other issues in their life, much like the man in the story above. Gaming is entering more and more homes and it will continue to be more and more common to see a video game system in a home. The media will then latch onto the fact that the person has that console in their house and say that is the cause of their problems, when in reality it is a bad home, relationship issues, too much alchohol or inattentive parents that are the root of the problem.

I, personally, don't like the GTA games. I won't have them in my home, but they're not the cause of the problem, generally that so many in the media tend to think. There, in the end, are other issues that need to be looked at more than the video games. They're just a convenient fall guy.

Guitar Hero + Facebook = Awesome

2009-10-26T07:49:00.001-05:00

Social networking is one of the hottest things on the internet right now. Seemingly everyone has a Facebook page, or a Myspace page or a twitter account. A number of people strive to have as many friends on those services as they can and that even extends to the world of video games. A number of characters have Facebook pages or Twitter accounts where you can follow them and find out what's going on in their virtual worlds. It's been a huge tool of advertising for a number of game companies, and Activision is included with that.

The Guitar Hero franchise has a Facebook page and Activision was pleased to announce today that the Guitar Hero Facebook page is the first game specific page to have one million fans. In a press release today they announced the historic feat as well as Guitar Hero having more than 38 million sales world wide.

They tout the Facebook page as a place where fans can go to discuss their favorite artists and songs featured in the Guitar Hero franchise. Fans can also get the latest information in the goings on with Guitar Hero, exclusive news and content not available anywhere else and share their favorite Guitar Hero experiences.

Are you one of the more than a million fans of Guitar Hero on Facebook? If so let us know if you use that service and what you've gotten from it.

Source: Press Release

Nintendo Download: Week of October 26th

2009-10-26T07:20:00.001-05:00

Nintendo Offers Downloadable Halloween Fun from Axe to Zombies

Boo! As the year’s spookiest holiday draws near, this week’s additions to the Wii™ Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi™ Shop are ready to put some extra chills and thrills into your Halloween week. The WiiWare™ service invites you to explore a ghostly mansion or face menacing foes in a new Tales of Monkey Island adventure. On the Virtual Console™, battle zombies and other supernatural creatures in a Super NES™ classic, or ward off evil forces in the legendary arcade game Golden Axe™. For Nintendo DSiWare™ users, a portable PictureBook Games™ title delivers nifty tricks, while sudoku solvers are in for a real treat. And speaking of treats, Wii owners who have their Wii consoles connected to the Internet should check out the Nintendo Week show on Nintendo Channel for an exclusive WiiWare announcement of a fresh take on an 8-bit classic.

WiiWare

Ghost Mansion Party
Publisher: Gameloft
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™

Description: Fazzy the ghost has been locked out of his mansion by some evil spooks, and he’s willing to give his treasure to anyone who can chase them out. Work cooperatively and competitively with friends and family to defeat the ghosts and discover a huge hidden treasure. Travel around this wild mansion in board-game fashion, landing on mini-games that everyone can enjoy. You’ll even engage in challenges on the board itself as you try to collect magic scrolls and hints to reveal the secret word that will open the doors to the treasure. Get your Wii Remote™ controllers ready – you’re about to play with them in ways you’ve never imagined.

Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 3
Publisher: Telltale Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Comic Mischief, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 1,000 Wii Points

Description: In the third Tales of Monkey Island chapter, Guybrush gets in deep – literally – as his quest for the voodoo exfoliating La Esponja Grande takes a scenic detour through the guts of a giant manatee. Our hero encounters a surprising band of castaways, including the long-lost explorer Coronado De Cava. Can the Mighty Pirate win the suspicious De Cava’s trust? Will sexy pirate hunter Morgan LeFlay prove to be a ruthless enemy or an unlikely ally? Will the group find La Esponja Grande in time to save Elaine from the rampant Pox of LeChuck? And will the world be crushed by the gnashing teeth of a certain demonic skull? Tales of Monkey Island’s moist and absorbing third episode, “Lair of the Leviathan,” will answer some of these urgent questions and raise even more as the five-month adventure builds to its epic climax.

Virtual Console

Zombies Ate My Neighbors™
Publisher: LucasArts
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Cartoon Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points

Description: You will play the game as one of two brave kids: Zeke or Julie. Both kids use the same control scheme and have the same characteristics. If you’re playing in two-player mode, each player must pick a kid. You can’t have two Zekes or two Julies. Each player starts with three lives. When your life bar runs out, you lose a life. There are hidden 1-Up bonuses in the game. You may also earn bonus lives if you have 10 victims left when you finish a level. Get ready to conquer 48 levels of giant ants, mad scientists and big babies. Find seven bonus levels (look for the question marks), earn points and stockpile your water pistols and other weapons.

Golden Axe
Publisher: SEGA
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Blood, Fantasy Violence
Price: 900 Wii Points

Description: In this original arcade game that launched the popular Golden Axe series, the evil Death Adder has invaded your land and taken the king and princess prisoner. Three mighty warriors step forward to bring the villain to justice: powerful fighter Ax Battler, Amazon warrior Tyris Flare and mighty dwarf Gilius Thunderhead. They will use their weapons and magic to fight their way through Death Adder’s hordes. Along the way, they’ll mount fearsome, fire-spitting beasts to help even the odds. Team up with a friend and enjoy two-player simultaneous game play for a better chance of survival.

Nintendo DSiWare

PictureBook Games: The Royal Bluff
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™

Description: Aristocratic opponents square off in PictureBook Games: The Royal Bluff, a game of strategy and deceit. Compete for points by adding or subtracting colored chips from rows on the game board and trying to guess each of your opponent’s secretly assigned chip colors. Once you’re confident in your deduction, issue a Call Out attempt to earn bonus points – at the risk of giving your opponent an extra point if you’re wrong. Three modes of play (Tournament, Free Play, DS Wireless Play) offer a variety of options, from facing off against an assortment of computer opponents to competing in a wireless match with up to four players. Throw Trick Cards into the mix and you’ve got a winning combination of tactics and trickery that’s sure to score points.

SUDOKU
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points

Description: SUDOKU offers hundreds of number-crunching puzzles that will stretch your brain power to the limit. Take it even further by playing in the exclusive Newspaper Mode. Add a daily puzzle from your favorite paper and build your very own collection. From Easy to Insane, a total of five different levels are available for novices and masters alike. Enjoy a host of grid designs that will keep you coming back for more. This worldwide phenomenon delivers an exhilarating game of logic that’s not only challenging, but also surprisingly relaxing. It’s everything you want for a quick puzzle getaway. Make life easier by taking advantage of smart features like automatic annotation for effortless calculation of your achievements. Stumped? Get help with error-checking tools and friendly cell hints. Track your stats and test your reaction time with the in-game timer. This addictive brain game has been polished to perfection and renders a sleek design that’s easy on the eyes.

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit Wii.com or NintendoDSi.com.

Source: Press Release

This Week in Nintendo History: October 25th to October 31st

2009-10-25T23:40:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween folks. It’s the last week of October and it’s filled with war. Well, there were two wars during this week that we’ll discuss. Pokemon makes a couple of appearances and you have to use the Force. Along with those mentions there are a couple different games that are released at the appropriate time around Halloween, so let’s jump in and see what’s happened this week in Nintendo history.

Perhaps you’ve heard of a little game known as Pokemon. It’s a pretty big franchise for Nintendo and it started back on the original Game Boy. Pokemon Red and Blue were the first games in the franchise and Pokemon Yellow set the precedent for having a remake that followed the two original titles. Pokemon Yellow was released on October 25th, 1999 and is the remake of Red and Blue and it differed from the originals in that the player always had Pikachu who would follow you on the overworld map. The same gym leaders and story were present in this version of the game.

“Use the Force!” On October 25th, 2005 Lego Star Wars: The Video Game was released for the Game Cube. This title, developed by Traveler’s Tales, followed the events of Episodes I, II, and III of the Star Wars Saga. The big hook of the game was that everything was made out of Lego blocks and the game was designed for a younger audience. All of the set pieces, environments and characters from the movie trilogy were present in the game. There were a large number of characters and secrets that could be unlocked. Each of the trilogy’s movies were split into six chapters that would be played through by the characters involved after which the level would be unlocked for free play by any character. This also allowed you to go back and obtain secret items previously inaccessible.

Gunstar Super Heroes was the sequel to the Sega Genesis hit Gunstar Heroes and was released for the Game Boy Advance on October 25th, 2005. The sequel took a surprisingly long amount of time to be released as the original game was released in 1993. Gunstar Super Heroes was developed by Treasure and featured game play that was similar to their previous titles such as Astro Boy: Omega Factor. To make fans of the franchise feel at home many of the locations and bosses were featured or were used to draw inspiration for the sequel. The biggest difference that this game featured was the lack of combinable weapons that were a very big part of the first game.

F-Zero is one of the most popular racing franchises in Nintendo’s history. On October 26th, 1998 F-Zero X, the second game in the franchise hit the track. This sequel had many of the same features, such as the racing modes, time trial and more. There were some big differences though. This game, due to the power of the Nintendo 64 was able to feature 30 different racers on the track at a time rather than the original four. There were also a lot of different modes. The GP race, time trials, practice and death match which would have racers trying to blow up the other drivers by ramming into their cars.

The sequel train continues and the next one is the sequel to many gamer’s favorite game of all-time. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask was released on October 26th, 2000 for the Nintendo 64. This is one of the few times that a Nintendo console would see two Zelda games in the same generation. The game is a prequel to Ocarina of Time and was notable in that you would be required to replay the same three days over and over. The game also features a unique element in that Link would take on different appearances by donning a number of different masks in the game as well as requiring you to have the Expansion Pak for the console. Majora’s Mask is considered by many to be the most difficult game in the series and as such is either loved or hated by players. There are very few people that don’t fit into one of those categories.

Splinter Cell: Double Agent hit store shelves on October 26th, 2006 and is the fourth game in the Splinter Cell franchise. Shortly after the events of the previous game, Sam Fisher has to deal with the loss of his daughter to a drunk driver, but he must go undercover as a criminal to infiltrate a terrorist group. Being a double agent, Sam must balance his actions to maintain the loyalty of both groups, and depending on the events of the game, there are multiple endings that can be obtained. Double Agent was released on both the Wii and the GameCube and the reviews for the Wii version suffered due to the poor graphics and inaccurate motion controls.

Our first war took place on October 27th, 2005 with the release of Battalion Wars for the Nintendo GameCube. This game is part of Nintendo’s Wars franchise which also takes place on the handhelds with the Advance Wars titles. This console version mixes elements of third-person shooters and real time tactics games. You control a single unit at a time, but at any point you can switch units and move them around the battlefield where they would be most useful. The armies of the Western Frontier and the Tundran Territories have called for a cease fire, but the peace on the border of the demilitarized zone is very uneasy. The new leader of the Tundrans, Tsar Gorgi launches a secret attack on the Western Frontier and it’s up to use to bring peace back to the world through the might of your military.

October 27th, 2008 was download day on the Wii. The Virtual Console saw the release of Earthworm Jim for the Sega Genesis. The third episode of Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive people, subtitled Baddest of the Bands and Art Style: Rotohex were both released for WiiWare.

Halloween is known for its scary atmosphere and vampires are a huge part of the appeal of the holiday. It’s only appropriate, then, that Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest was released near Halloween for the NES on October 29th, 2007. This was Virtual Console day and Samurai Ghost for the TG-16 and Magician Lord for the Neo Geo were released as well.

Also on October 29th, 2007 war broke out again between the Tundran’s and the Western Frontier in Battalion Wars 2 for the Wii. There were other factions involved in the fight this time as well; the Solar Empire, the Anglo Isles and the Iron Legion. The war didn’t happen only on land this time as naval battles were added to the game. It also featured a large number of play modes as well as online play as it was one of the first titles on Wii to take advantage of Nintendo’s Wi-Fi Connection.

One of the most controversial games to see release on Wii hit stores shelves on October 29th, 2007. On that day Manhunt 2 was released for the Wii. The game initially received an AO rating by the ESRB, which essentially means the game can’t be released because console manufacturer’s will not allow them to be sold and stores may balk at putting them on shelves. As a result the game’s developer, Rockstar North, made some changes that allowed the game to be re-rated as M for Mature. It was most well known for its stealth action and the gruesome deaths that many characters would endure.

Our second Pokemon release of the week happened on October 30th, 2006 with the release of Pokemon Ranger for the DS. This game, while being a Pokemon RPG, differed greatly from the main games in the franchise. In order to capture Pokemon you were required to use the DS stylus to circle to Pokemon a different number of times based on their strength. Pokemon Ranger also has some connectivity with Diamond and Pearl and would allow you to transfer the egg of one of the most rare Pokemon, Manaphy to your trainers in those titles. The game was received fairly well by critics, though they did mention that the title would cause some users to experience very heavy scratching of the DS touch screen.

That’s it for this week folks. It was a busy week with a lot of Pokemon and a lot of war. We made it through and survived to come back next week to find out what happens during the first week of November. If there is anything you know of coming up or have any comments on this article feel free to drop a comment or send me an email.

Nintendo Okie in the Morning 10/25/09

2009-10-25T08:21:00.001-05:00

Well guys, I lied to you in the first episode when I said they would probably be around 5 minutes. This episode clocks in at over double that. I talk a little bit about what happened at the Oklahoma Video Game Exhibition and why technology sucks. My daughter gets addicted to Frogger as well. I also discuss a few of my thoughts on LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias as well as some of the details of New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Nintendo Okie in the Morning 10/25/09 Run Time 10:12

Games Mentioned, Chunkout 2600, New Super Mario Bros., Frogger, LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias

Tales of Monkey Island: Lair of the Leviathan Available on WiiWare Soon

2009-10-23T15:43:00.000-05:00

Pirates, giant sea mammals and demonic talking skulls invade the North American WiiWare™ network Monday, October 26 with the release of Tales of Monkey Island: Lair of the Leviathan. The 3rd chapter of the five-part episodic series will be available for 1000 Wii Points ($10) on the Wii Shop Channel.

If you haven't yet check out our review of the game. Fans of the Monkey Island franchise won't be disappointed.

LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias Review

2009-10-23T10:18:00.004-05:00

Howdy:    *The game’s awfully pretty.
                *The controls are as tight and intuitive as the first game
                *Toku is dressed like a Wookiee during the winter segments

See Ya’: *The game’s still not very long

Back in May of 2008 Nintendo launched their downloadable service, WiiWare, and one of the games available at that launch was LostWinds. The game was heralded at the time for its use of motion control and beautiful art style. The game ended up being one of the best games at launch and is still considered one of the top titles on the service.

Fast forward to 2009 and the release of the sequel, LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias. This game takes place shortly after the events of the first game and center around a mystery involving Toku’s mom, Magdi and a village known as Summerfall. It’s perpetually winter there, and mysterious creatures are causing the residents to live in fear. Toku and Enril must unravel all of the mysteries and save the world, yet again.

At the end of LostWinds you had befriended the wind spirit, Enril, and along with that friendship came the ability to use a number of Enril’s powers. Toku wasn’t able to do much himself, but with the help of the wind could jump, freeze enemies in place and slam them against walls and float on the breeze. At the beginning of this game Toku has most of those powers still at his command and along the way will learn new ways to use those powers. They have completely different uses in summer compared to winter. For instance the vortex power which could cause an enemy to float in the air temporarily can now create snowballs that can be used to weigh down trip plates or throw against walls of ice to shatter them. They really combine these different powers to great use and the puzzles in this game take on a whole new level of interesting. They’re not terribly difficult, but they are quite fun to solve.

Some of the new elements that have been created for this game are the use of cold. Early in the game Toku is not properly dressed for the weather and because of that you have to manage his heat levels. If he gets too cold he’ll start to shiver and will take damage. You can warm Toku up by standing near a source of heat, in most cases a fire. Toku also has the ability, with the help of the spirit of season, change the world from Winter to Summer. These causes the world to take on a whole new look and if you thought the first LostWinds was beautiful, wait until you see the locations in this game during both seasons. Snowfall glints in the sunlit areas and breath escapes from Toku’s mouth when he’s cold. One of the coolest touches I saw was as Toku gets colder his face turns varying shades of blue. It’s not crucial to the gameplay, but it is a nice touch and gives you an easy visual idea of how cold he is without looking up to the cold meter.

The best addition to Winter of the Melodias has to be the map. There was an endless amount of wandering in the first game if you didn’t know exactly where you were going. Frontier added a world map that you can access with the push of a button and it makes it very easy to navigate the world. Areas that you need to visit next are marked in green and areas that you should probably try to visit for helpful items are marked with a question mark. There’s no chance you’re going to get lost in this game and it’s a good thing because the world feels much bigger the second time around.

The summertime portions of the game seem to have gotten a bit of a graphical upgrade as well. There appears to be more stuff going on in the background that extends further than the previous game. In one of the early portions when Toku is climbing up a mountain you see the rock monster, Magmok, traversing the background doing his best Spiderman impression. It’s just another of those touches that adds a bit more life to the game.

One of my favorite elements of the original was the music. It was just a soothing soundtrack that was relaxing to listen to at the end of a long day and Frontier has upped their game with the soundtrack to Winter of the Melodias. The same themes are still present that were in the original, but the addition of the winter portions of the game has given them the ability to add another part to the music and calm things down a bit more. You really get the sense that they were trying to make you feel the difference in temperature with the look and sounds of the game and it’s pulled off brilliantly.

If there is anything bad that can be said about the game it’s that the length is still a bit on the short side. I finished the game at about the three and half hour mark. While it’s not a bad length of time for a WiiWare title it really shows that if you’re making a game that uses graphics and level design to the extent that Frontier did the size limit really hinders the ability to add a large amount to the game. It’s a great experience for those three and a half hours, but I really wanted to keep playing and I hope we get another game on the system because it’s really turning out to be one of my favorite franchises.

The additions that were made to the game, the beautiful art style and the soothing music all combine for what is one of the best experiences on WiiWare since the original LostWinds. Collectables now make a difference as there are more of them and they are used to unlock additional content. Frontier scored big with LostWinds and it’s only too obvious that they’ve made a world they care a lot about. In reality, you should too. For 1,000 points Winter of the Melodias is a must own experience

Final Score: 5/5 Excellent

Review copy of the game provided by Frontier Developments.

Retro Redux: Mega Man

2009-10-23T07:28:00.000-05:00

Howdy folks and welcome to yet another Retro Redux. This week we’re going to take a look back at a game that I only played for the first time a little over a year ago, Mega Man. The first installment in the series. I never played the Mega Man games when they originally came out. I don’t know why they were just never ones that I put into my system. It wasn’t until the release of Mega Man 9 when I really got interested in the Mega Man franchise and decided to try them out on the Virtual Console.

Designed by Keiji Infafune, Mega Man was released back in December of 1987 and set the tone for what the franchise would become. There would be some tweaks to the overall formula, but designs such as having a set number of stages all guarded by a robot master that would give you their power after you defeated them would be kept in every subsequent entry in the series. In this instance there were six robot masters that you needed to best; Ice Man, Fire Man, Elec Man, Guts Man, Bomb Man and Cut Man. There was a pattern to the way they could be defeated and if you found out the correct order each boss would be much easier to defeat. Once you bested the six robot masters you were sent to the Wily Stages where you had even tougher guardians on each level, including a section where you had to beat each of the six robot masters in succession.

Mega Man was not the prettiest game to look at and there were a number of times where the action on the screen would slow to a crawl because there was so much going on at one time. I can remember playing Cut Man’s stage for the first time and seeing that opening section with the teal blue walls and thinking this game did not hold up very well over the years. Much of this was just from the game being a product of the early NES era and it was corrected very quickly with Mega Man 2 which looks vastly superior to the original.

Sound is where Mega Man really shines. The games score was composed by Yoshihiro Sakaguchi, who was credited in the game as Yuukichan’s Papa, and Manami Matsumae. The original themes for this game are still remembered by many as some of the best in the series and there aren’t many games from that era that have soundtracks that are remembered as fondly as Mega Man.

If you were looking for a game that challenged your skills as gamer Mega Man is a good place to look. These games are famous for their difficulty and many games today are compared to the “Mega Man hard” level of difficulty. Some of the design elements of the game would be considered cheap by today’s standards and some would consider it bad game design. Things like enemies being placed on a ledge that is just barely big enough for Mega Man to fit on or enemies that could shoot in multiple directions hitting you when you’re over a pit of spikes. If you really wanted frustration, the moving platforms in Guts Man’s stage would drive you crazy. The infamous Yellow Devil, which could be defeated very easily if you wanted to cheat. If not, the pattern of his movement and attacks was really, really difficult to time and it took a lot of trial and error before you were able to beat him. There was even a scoring system that awarded you points, and it’s the only game in the main franchise to ever see a score attached to your progress. It was pretty much useless and was removed in Mega Man 2.

There were some issues when Capcom wanted to bring the game to America. Nintendo of America, at the time, had strict rules against any religious references in their games and this affected a number of games, including Mega Man. When the game was first released in America the Yellow Devil boss had his name changed to Rock Monster to avoid the devil reference. It’s known today by its proper name. Mega Man’s name also went through a change. In Japan the game is known as Rock Man and when you combine that with his sister’s name, Roll, you get a nice play on the term Rock ‘n Roll. There was an amplifier in the states known as Rockman and Nintendo, in order to avoid a lawsuit, told Capcom to change his name and Mega Man was born. Probably the most famous, or infamous depending on how you look at it, aspect of Mega Man’s release was the cover art for the box. The terrible art depicting a middle aged man wearing blue power armor and carrying a pistol did not give you any idea of what you’d expect in the game and is considered, by many, to be the worst box art of all-time.

What’s not considered on anyone’s worst of all-time list is the game itself. Though Mega Man 2 is considered a far superior game in a number of aspects Mega Man still ranks very highly on many peoples top NES games of all-time list. Because of this, the game has seen a number of ports, remake and re-releases throughout the years. The game saw release on Nintendo’s Game Boy handheld, and was ported to the PSP in the form of Mega Man Powered Up. That game was essentially a re-make featured enhanced, cuter graphics and new level design, but also had a mode that retained much of the original level design with the enhanced graphics. It was released on the Wii’s Virtual Console in preparation for 2008’s release of Mega Man 9, a game which would take the blue bomber back to his 8-bit roots.

Mega Man is remembered fondly by many people and after playing it last year I’m sorry to say I missed it all these years, but everyone should experience the game that was Mega Man. It will make you appreciate many of the games we have now and test your skills in ways you didn’t think possible.

Nintendo Okie in the Morning

2009-10-23T00:30:00.002-05:00

Well, this is my first attempt at getting some audio coverage on the site. You can expect these to pop up from time to time, at least once a week if not more. They're just a bit of a chance for me to get some audio commentary on the site and begin to dip my toes into the world of podcasting.

This one runs about 5:35 and that's a bit longer than the average will probably be, but you never know. It's basically just me rambling for a few minutes about what's going on in the world of games. This first episode is just me introducing myself. There's no music, or special editing. I'm new to this. [=^)

Anyway, I hope you like it. Let me know what you think.

Nintendo Okie in the Morning - Episode 1 Run Time 5:35

Games Mentioned: Super Mario Bros., Little League Baseball, Duck Tales, Luigi's Mansion, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart, Mario Party 8

Bit.Trip Beat Soundtrack Now Available!

2009-10-22T15:00:00.000-05:00

As a huge fan of video game soundtracks, you should see the library on the hard drive, I'm super excited about this announcement. Gaijin Games has made the soundtrack to Bit.Trip Beat available on CD Baby as of now.

It should be available on iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, eMusic, Napster, and a slew of other music retail services on 10/27/09 as well!

If you haven't played the game you really should. It takes a really old school look, based on Atari 2600 games, and combines it with new school rythm game action. The follow up to that, Bit.Trip Core is also available, both on WiiWare. They also have a third game in the series coming soon, Bit.Trip Void, which combines the music game genre with a bit of an old fashioned shooter.

Ignition Entertainment To Bring Arc Rise Fantasia to Western Audience

2009-10-22T12:56:00.000-05:00

Glendale, CA – October 22, 2009 – Ignition Entertainment Ltd., a UTV Enterprise, a worldwide publisher and developer of videogames and Marvelous Entertainment announced that Arc Rise Fantasia is releasing in Summer 2010 exclusively for the Nintendo Wii™.

Arc Rise Fantasia, winner of the “Best Wii RPG” from IGN at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2009, is a new turn-based RPG with a beautiful, anime-inspired Japanese art style. Players will jump into the shoes of L’Arc, a calm and composed mercenary, who sets out to defend the Meridian Empire from an impending invasion of ferocious creatures. After assembling a party of friends, each with a unique set of abilities, players will embark on a perilous journey across an overworld filled with deadly enemies and treacherous dungeons. While strategically queuing up attacks, players can summon mystical creatures and work with their party members to execute massive attacks.

“We are absolutely thrilled to bring Arc Rise Fantasia to a western audience,” said Shane Bettenhausen, New Business Development Director of Ignition Entertainment. “It’s an ambitious Japanese role-playing game with deep gameplay, top-notch production values, and an unforgettable story line–Wii owners have been pining for a massive fantasy epic and their patience will definitely be rewarded.”

“In Arc Rise Fantasia we’ve implemented a fun and quick paced battle system to give gamers an enjoyable RPG experience,” said Hiroyuki Kanemaru of Image Epoch. “Ignition Entertainment has a great track record with bringing established Japanese experiences to new western audiences and we’re delighted to be able to team up with them to publish Arc Rise Fantasia.”

Additional information about the game can be found at the game’s official website, on Twitter and on Facebook.

Hit The Field With Backyard Football '10

2009-10-22T12:42:00.000-05:00

- 10th Version of Best Selling Kids Football Videogame Releases Featuring All New Co-Op Gameplay -

- Debuts on Xbox 360 with Microsoft’s “Family Games” Status -

New York – October 22, 2009 – Atari, one of the world’s most recognized videogame publishers, announced today the release of Backyard Football ’10, the latest iteration of the number one youth football videogame franchise. Now available at retailers nationwide, and for the first time on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the title has earned Microsoft’s “Family Games” status, which requires the game to pass a strict set of criteria based on rating, ease of play and audience appeal. Backyard Football ’10 has also released on Wii™ and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and features a star studded roster of NFL players featured as animated middle-schoolers in the game.

Packed with real football action, Backyard Football ’10 features all new co-op play for exciting 2 vs 2 action, enhanced controls, new unlockables, insane power ups, custom teams and characters, multiple play modes (single player, season play, tournament and all-pro) as well as a hall of fame where kids can compare their season scores and rankings from Backyard Football ‘09.

“Whether looking for a unique and realistic football experience or family friendly, easy gameplay environment to interact with your favorite NFL players, Backyard Football ’10 is a title that will provide the best in youth gaming out there,” said Keith Gordon, Vice President of Licensing, NFL PLAYERS. “We think fans of the franchise will be excited by the amount of impressive new features and look forward to watching as kids of all ages experience the thrilling gameplay Backyard Football ’10 has to offer.”

“The Backyard Football franchise continues to evolve, building on our past successes and adding exciting new features including co-op gameplay that allows kids and families to play together,” said Jim Wilson, CEO, Atari, Inc. “We also look forward to continued success as we move this ‘Family Friendly’ game onto the Xbox 360.”

Backyard Football ’10 combines realistic NFL plays and strategies with wild arcade style power moves and comical scenarios so gamers of all ages can learn the fundamentals of football while having fun. Kid-friendly and non-violent, Backyard Football ’10 features multiple levels so it is easy for beginners to jump in a play, yet challenging enough for even die-hard football fans. The game lets kids customize their football players and teams, choose the season, style, location, pace, and strategy of the game and play a full season or single games.

Backyard Football ’10 is rated “E” (for everyone) by ESRB and is available at retailers across North America for Xbox 360 ($39.99), Wii™ ($29.99) and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system ($19.99).

Backyard Football is part of the Backyard Sports series, the bestselling sport video game franchise for kids. Since 1996, the Backyard Sports franchise has sold nearly 12 million units and received over a hundred awards for excellent. What’s more, according to an independent study, 15 percent of boys in the United States, ages five to 10, own at least on Backyard Sports title.

Introducing Gargadan (Rage of the Gladiator)

2009-10-22T12:01:00.000-05:00

Ghostfire Games have sent along a new bit of info on their upcoming fighter, Rage of the Gladiator. This new information details one of the bosses, Gargadan. Gargadan is an abomination, a twisted experiment gone horribly wrong. Three different creatures have been combined to create this unholy terror; a snake, a lion, and a dragon. The lion seems to be the one in charge of the creature directing the actions of the other two, though each head can think independently and will often attempt to forge its own path.

Rage of the Gladiator is a fantasy fighting game where you, as Gracius, will fight through 11 deadly enemies in an attempt to gain your freedom. Each opponent you face, such as Gargadan, has their own unique style and combinations that you must learn to exploit if you want to survive. Beating these opponents will give you access to even deadlier abilities, like the ability to create a tornado that you can use to lay waste to your adversaries.

Use the Wii Remote, the Nunchuk and even Motion Plus as you learn the moves necessary to win. 11 adversaries await, 10 of them can be fought again, in an even tougher challenge mode. Take control of three different paths of technology to customize your fighter to your own style. Rage of the Gladiator will be released later this year on WiiWare.

Check out more screen shots on our Flickr Page.

Source: PR Email

Oklahoma Video Game Exhibition This Weekend

2009-10-22T10:26:00.000-05:00

I wanted to let everyone know that I would be attending the Oklahoma Video Game Exhibition this Saturday at the Spirit Bank Center in south Tulsa. If anyone is in the Tulsa area this weekend you should head over there. Entry is $5 at the door and it runs from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Anyway, I just wanted to give you a bit of an idea of some of the stuff that has been there in the past and some of the things that are going to be there this weekend.

There will be a number of exhibitors presenting different items of classic gaming and art. Mr. Slack of Figure Ground Fan Art will be there with his original prints based on the characters from Transformers, Star Wars, Serenity and more. He may even have parts of his classic game collection for sale. You can see a preview of some of his art at Figure Ground.

Barcade Amusements, owned and operated out of Broken Arrow, OK. Keith Walker will bring with him a nice selection of video arcade games that will be setup for play at the OVGE all on Free Play! Prices will be posted on the games for those interested in purchasing any.

Many of the vintage and used game retailers will be on hand with a large number of games available for sale. Some of the stores that will be represented are Vintage Stock, GameXchange, Trade-n-Games from Missouri and more.

Fans of retro game apparel will be happy to know that Retro Gamer Shirts will be back for their second year to show off their stuff. You can also expect to see a large number of arcade cabinets that will all be set to free play. If there’s something you’re interested in and no one is playing on it it’s fair game. A number of different classic gaming systems such as the Atari 2600, Commodore, Intellivision, Colecovision, Dreamcast, NES, Magnavox Odyssey and much more have all been there in the past and are expected to be back again this year. Many of these systems will also be playable as well.

There will be a multimedia presentation by Jordan Hamilton, from Carthage, MO that details the history of the Nintendo Entertainment System complete with classic commercials that everyone should see. Brad Prillwitz will be showing off some homebrew games for the Colecovision as well as hosting a Pac-Man competition, complete with prizes.

It sounds like it’s going to be a pretty good event chronicling a golden age in video gaming. The entry fee is quite nice and it’s in a good area of the country. If you’re within driving distance or even want to stay a night so you can see everything there are a number of hotels in the area. Head to Tulsa this weekend and join me.

You can look for coverage of the event next week on the site.

No Friend Codes in Monster Hunter Tri

2009-10-22T10:00:00.001-05:00

The MTV Multiplayer blog is reporting that a Capcom representative has talked to them and said that the Friend Codes system will not be used in the America release of Monster Hunter Tri when the game comes to North America. Rather than being hosted on Nintendo's servers, Capcom will host the game themselves. Online portions, such as a unique friends list and multi-player information, of MHT will be accessed directly from the game's main menu.

Capcom said that the biggest hurdle to the game obtaining a huge following over here is online play. They feel this will be a big hit in vaulting the game from "obscure curio" to "cult hit" and that it could reach Pokemon levels of popularity.

The online portion of the game, in Japan, uses Wii Points to give you access for a week or a month based on the number of points used. Capcom has not commented on whether they will use the pay to play model or if the game will be free to play in America. We've sent word to Capcom and if we hear any more information on this we'll let you know.

Source: MTV Multiplayer blog
-------------------------------------------
I have not played a game in the Monster Hunter franchise. I know it's been available over here, but most of the releases, if not all, have been on Playstation platforms and I currently only own Nintendo consoles. The game has a bit of a Zelda look to the game and I am a huge fan of RPGs so I'm very interested in seeing this title come over here and getting a chance to really get to play it.

All I need to know is that there are big monsters and big swords. As long as I'm running around fighting them, that's all that really matters. Are any of you interested in the game, or possibly even played it before?

New Max Contest Announcement

2009-10-22T08:36:00.001-05:00

Okay folks, since no one appears to be biting on my drawing contest idea for Max and the Magic Marker we're going to change it up a bit. From today on all you have to do is comment in this space and you'll be entered for a chance to win the shirt.

Make sure you add what size you would like to have. As pointed out in the comment below, because I forgot to add it to this post we have 5 T-shirts available. 1 small, 2 medium and 2 large. When you post a comment make sure you add what size you want. The contest runs until 6:00 pm CST on Wednesday the 28th. Winners will be announced next Thursday.

The contest is open to readers in North America and Europe.

Top 20 WiiWare Titles: Week of October 19th

2009-10-22T07:49:00.000-05:00

This week’s Top 20 WiiWare titles are based on the information from the week of October 19th, 2009 (parentheses indicate the previous week’s rank).

1 Contra Rebirth (1)
2 Reel Fishing Challenge (2)
3 My Aquarium (3)
4 World of Goo (4)
5 Tetris Party (5)
6 Word Searcher (9)
7 LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias (N/A)
8 Dr Mario Online Rx (7)
9 Texas Hold'Em Poker (6)
10 My Pokémon Ranch (11)
11 Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (10)
12 Driift Mania (8)
13 Arkanoid Plus! (12)
14 Sexy Poker (14)
15 Family Mini Golf (16)
16 Defend Your Castle (15)
17 Brain Challenge (17)
18 BUST-A-MOVE Plus! (19)
19 Water Warfare (18)
20 You, Me, and the Cubes (13)

No change whatsoever in the top 5 titles this week. There is one new addition with LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias. That title knocked Tales of Monkey Island off the list altogether.

The biggest mover of the week was You, Me and the Cubes falling six spaces and now in danger of falling of the chart next week. Sexy Poker held still and just won't go away. If there is any title that has a chance to knock Contra ReBirth off the top spot it's going to be LostWinds so let's keep an eye on that next week and see what happens.

30 Minutes With... LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias

2009-10-22T07:38:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first edition of 30 Minutes With… In this edition we’re going to look at the first 30 minutes of LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias by Frontier Developments and published on WiiWare. The game is a sequel to last year’s WiiWare launch title LostWinds and takes place very soon after the events of the first game. Spoiler Alert! If you’re not into spoilers be warned that this may contain some story spoilers for both this game and the last.

0:00 Don’t forget to tighten your wrist straps folks. Don’t want any messy incidents. In full disclosure, I am not wearing a wrist strap right now. The game is rated E due to Mild Fantasy Violence.

0:35 This is not Toku I’m looking at. The character asleep on screen is apparently named Riveren and looks a bit like a Martian chicken. He should not be sleeping, he’s supposed to be at the palace gardens.

1:26 I’ve come to an elevator and it runs on song. A quick press of the Z button and away we go.

1:47 Someone very important is returning to the village today. I should keep running to the right until I reach the palace gardens.

2:37 There are more elevators that need the power of my voice. This is a very interesting way to power the systems in the village.

3:36 The king is coming back. He’s the only person the villagers have hope that could find Enril. She’s been missing for a long time. (Toku found her in the last game, if you remember.)

4:34 I’ve seen the first enemy of the game. I’ve watched across a bridge. The glorbs are back. They don’t like singing and they all die.

5:06 Returning to that same bridge it falls beneath me and I fall into a huge pit.

5:40 There is a very strange object that I can pick up at the bottom of this pit. It’s very dark and has a purple mist surrounding it. When I pick it up Riveren hears a strange voice, “At last I’ve found you.”

5:40 Cut to Toku. He’s asleep in a tree. Something stirs him, he rolls over and falls to the ground.

5:51 A man named Notea runs in from the right. He has some troubling news for me. He was exploring the area of northern Mistralis and found a page from Magdi’s journal. (Magdi is Toku’s mom.) He agrees to show us where he found the journal page but it’s a twelve day walk on foot.

7:02 Magmok agrees to help up. It’s the least he can do for us saving his life. Nodea gives us a map that will help us locate the spot. Magmok tosses us on his back and starts up the mountain.

8:05 I’ve come to a ledge that’s too high to climb. Flash to an explanation of how to use gust. This is the first power we have in this game. (I had already used it once before this so I know Toku already had it. It’s just a reminder.)

8:35 Now there’s a very high cliff we have to jump off of. Cue explanation of how to slow your fall. (Another power Toku already had, just a reminder.)

9:01 I come to a place that Toku can’t gust up to. Luckily there’s a plant next to a little pond. A quick splash of some of the water and voila! A spitting plant grows that will spit us up high enough. Magmok tosses a boulder out of the way so we can continue.

9:16 Quick reminder of how to use the vortex to launch rocks and enemies at walls.

9:53 We’re continuing up the mountain. There are some mushrooms to bounce off of that will get us up even higher. After bouncing off one of the mushrooms Magmok grabs Toku in mid air and sets him down on a ledge. Toku continues up the mountain. I notice in the background this whole time that Magmok is doing an amazing impression of Spider-man and he has very short legs. Toku comes to a bridge that has fallen so Magmok tosses him up to the top of the mountain.

10:32 It’s winter up there. Toku is shivering because he’s not dressed properly.

10:44 I’m taught how to open the map to find my way to different places. This is going to be one handy feature.

11:00 Enril informs Toku that he must stay close to fire or he’ll freeze. There is a cold meter at the top of the screen that will be depleted the longer you stay away from a fire.

11:19 I can save for the first time. The save statues from the first game are back.

11:48 There is a large group of icicles blocking the way and snow falling in front of them. Tutorial time. How to make a snowball that can be used to destroy obstacles.

12:19 I’ve found my first hidden statue. These served no purpose in the first game will they be more useful in this sequel? There are apparently 48 of these scattered around the world.

12:31 Toku has arrived at Summerfall Village. A very oddly named town for a place covered in snow.

13:11 There is a house that Toku can go in. It’s inhabited by a blacksmith and he’s not too happy there’s an uninvited guest in his house. He tells us that winter came and it just never left. It’s also dangerous and we should just go home, but we’re not the first person from our village to show up in Summerfall. There was a woman and she was going north to Melodia City.

15:48 He shows Toku on the map where to find Melodia City. There are snow monsters that appeared at the beginning of the Long Winter and they’ve gotten the villagers frightened. His name is Smith, by the way, and he shows us how to light the beacons that Toku will come across. They provide both a source of fire as well as warmth.

16:20 Toku comes across a journal page. It tells of how Magdi’s balloon crashed and how she came to Summerfall Village.

16:42 There’s a creepy Yeti creature in the distance. It doesn’t stay long and runs off when we move closer.

18:14 Toku comes to a very steep, slippery slope that he can’t get up. There must be an alternate route somewhere.

19:50 I’ve found another secret statue.

20:25 Toku stumbles across journal page 3. I don’t know where journal page two is yet. This page tells of creatures in the snow and it’s located at the site of Magdi’s balloon crash. Toku sees the Yeti creature and a mysterious floating woman who has an eerie purple mist around her.

21:05 I’ve found my third secret statue.

21:20 There are fire glorbs in this game. Toku gains a new power, Cold Chill. It can freeze the glorbs and remove the fire from them and then they can be killed.

21:52 Journal page number four talks about Magdi finding the entrance to Melodia City.

22:29 Toku has found the entrance to the city but it has flooded and the water is frozen. There’s no getting in now. So I’m going to head back down the mountain.

23:00 Toku gets attacked by the creepy purple lady. When he wakes up he discovers he’s in the den of the Yeti creature and there is a very familiar face in there…

Well there you go. The first 23:00 minutes of play time with LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias. You’re going to get a good handle on the controls if you’ve never played the game before. If you have you’ll very quickly remember everything that you can do in the world and try out some things that you could do, but can’t yet in this game. The new powers aren’t really new they’re just variations on old powers that now have a different effect during the winter and snow.

The game has improved some graphically. There appears to be more going on in the background. The music is just a low key and melodic as the previous game and you’ll feel right at home the minute you boot the game up. I’ve played through about 2 hours of the game at this point and I can tell you there are some really cool things to look forward to.

I’m going to finish the game tonight and the review for LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias should be up on Friday.

XSEED Announces Korg DS-10

2009-10-21T18:30:00.000-05:00

KORG DS-10 Plus is currently being developed by cavia, inc. in conjunction with Procyon Studio and will be released exclusively for Nintendo DS™/Nintendo DSi™ in North America in early 2010. KORG DS-10 Plus builds on the success of 2008's KORG DS-10 release, with new upgrades and improved performance that best utilize the high-performance specifications of the DSi™.

Designed after the famous KORG MS-10 music synthesizer, KORG DS-10 Plus is a revamped version of the revered music-creation program for the enjoyment of both professional and aspiring musicians alike. The sound sources in the KORG DS-10 come from KORG, one of the world's top musical instrument producers, and no effort was spared in the replication of creating high-quality sounds. New features for KORG DS-10 Plus for the DS/DSi versions include per-track MUTE/SOLO built into the SONG mode, and EDIT/PLAY enabled for all modes within the SONG mode for further improved real-time performance. The touch-screen controls of Nintendo DS are utilized to the fullest to provide an authentic feel and operability across a dual-screen layout that is unsurpassed in portable music creation. A 6-track/16-step sequencer enables precise control and provides a wide range of musical possibilities. Up to eight units can be linked via wireless connection to play together or to exchange sounds and songs.

Nintendo DSi owners can enjoy additional exclusive improvements and upgrades, all geared to deliver the highest-quality of musical creation and greatest breadth of creativity. These performance upgrades include 12-voice polyphony, 4 tracks for the analog synthesizer simulator, 2 drum machines and more! Also available exclusively when played on the DSi are 2 effects layers, essentially giving users the functionality of two original KORG DS-10's in one for the ultimate in music collaboration.

KORG DS-10 Plus will be available across North America for Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi early 2010.

30 Minutes With...

2009-10-21T18:24:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone. I just wanted to let you know about a new feature we're going to start here at Nintendo Okie. I call it 30 Minutes With and you'll get a new edition every time I start a new game for review. I'm doing it for a couple reasons. The first is just to give you an idea about what's coming up for review on the site. The other is to just give you a sneak peek at the game.

The first 30 minutes of a game can tell you a lot about what's going on and give you an early indication about what to expect through the rest of the game. There are a few exceptions and RPG's are the biggest exception to that rule where it takes that long or longer to get through the opening of the game.

I'll give you a timeline of what I'm doing from the time I start through the 30 minutes. I'll play around with it some to get it down, but in general you'll see a time stamp and what I'm doing at that point in the game or what's happening at that moment.

I think you'll like it and it will give us that much more content that we can bring to you. As always feel free to post your comments on what you see and let me know what you think.

Tomorrow will be the first edition of the article and we'll be doing 30 Minutes With... LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias.

Need For Speed Has Sold More Than 100 Million Copies

2009-10-21T15:55:00.001-05:00

Innovation and Intensity are the Only Constant for a Racing Franchise

that Re-Invents Itself Year After Year

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – October 21, 2009 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) is proud to announce today that the Need for Speed™ franchise has surpassed 100M units sold life to date.* The newest release, Need for Speed SHIFT, pushes the franchise over the 100M mark, making it the best-selling racing brand in the gaming world. Need for Speed has become a driving force for innovation in the racing genre. Known for delivering unparalleled white-knuckle racing, creative customization and street style, the Need for Speed series has generated over $2.7B in life-to-date sales and has become a powerful pop culture phenomenon.

“Few videogame franchises ever reach the 100M units mark, so this is a huge honor. We have millions of fans to thank for driving us to this milestone,” said Frank Gibeau, president, EA Games Label. “With the launch of Need for Speed SHIFT and the upcoming release of Need for Speed NITRO, we hope to continue to deliver the most entertaining, action-packed racing experiences.”

Since the release of Need for Speed in 1994, the franchise has…

* Launched 15 blockbuster titles across more than 14 platforms

* Released in 22 languages in over 60 countries

* Players have raced over 279 billion miles of roads & race tracks

* Generated over 17 trillion user-generated vehicle customizations

* Featured actors, models & musicians including: Brooke Burke (Wild On), Christina Milian (Ghosts of Girlfriends Past), Emmanuelle Vaugier (Two and a Half Men), Josie Maran (Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and actress), Maggie Q (Mission: Impossible III), Kanye West, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Prodigy *Debuted exclusive remix from Snoop Dogg of The Door’s classic song Riders on the Storm

*Sold more games than all new passenger cars sales in the U.S since 1994**

If Need for Speed boxes were laid out end-to-end, it would span 173,609 football fields

100M units represents nearly every household in the United States and is 3x the population of Canada

This year, there are three titles being launched under the Need for Speed franchise. Need for Speed SHIFT delivers a true driver’s experience and has been heralded by press worldwide for being the most exciting and polished Need for Speed game in years. SHIFT is available on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, PC, and PlayStation®Portable system. Shipping in November, Need for Speed NITRO has been developed specifically for the Wii™ and Nintendo DS to capture the fun and exhilaration of arcade racing at 200 MPH. Need for Speed World Online for the PC is the largest open world game in the history of Need for Speed, with an extensive roster of licensed cars and game modes – all for free online. The game follows the free to play business model which generates revenue through advertising and in-game item sales. World Online will begin the beta process in Taiwan this winter and will open to players around the world in fall 2010.

More information about the Need for Speed franchise can be found at http://www.needforspeed.com/, or follow us on Twitter at NeedforSpeed.

*According to internal EA data

**93.8 Million according to Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Atari Launches New Facebook App - Photo Sauce

2009-10-21T15:43:00.001-05:00

- Available Through Facebook® Platform, “Photo Sauce” Adds Flavor to Photos with Colorful Stickers and Speech Bubbles for Instant Sharing with Friends -

NEW YORK, NY – October 21, 2009 – Atari, one of the world’s most recognized videogame publishers, announced today the launch of the social networking application: Atari Photo Sauce. Developed by the Atari London Studio, this new application allows Facebook users to express themselves by digitally decorating and personalizing their own photos with colorful and fun stickers, speech bubbles and accessories. Atari Photo Sauce is now available to more than 300 million active users on Facebook via the site’s application directory and can be accessed directly through apps.facebook.com/photosauce.

“Atari introduced the world to computer entertainment with simple and fun games for everyone,” said Paulina Bozek, Development Director, Atari London Studio. “Atari Photo Sauce builds on that heritage with a social application that is universally appealing and instantly fun, allowing social networkers, who share billions of photos online, a new way to be creative with photos and share them instantly with friends everywhere.”

Through the expansive sticker catalogue of cute graphics, irreverent sayings and funny accessories, Atari Photo Sauce enables users to create a unique story told through their pictures. Additional features include popular sayings and cultural memes with colorful graphics and accessories such as, gold chains, teddy bear helmets and over-sized shades.

The application is seamlessly integrated with users’ photos on Facebook and features a slick interface that allows users to simply drag and drop the material onto their digital images. Once a photo is “Photo Sauced,” users can publish it in their Facebook stream for their friends to see with a Photo Sauce thumbnail appearing in the story. Tagged friends are notified via the application and receive a message saying “You’ve Been Photo Sauced!” Additionally, Atari Photo Sauce allows users to create personalized and unique digital greeting cards featuring their own photos and special message.

Atari plans to release new stickers for various holidays, events and pop culture moments that will be accessible inside the application. Atari will also likely launch themed stickers and accessory packages for various holidays and seasonal events, such as birthdays, Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Source: Press Release

Need For Speed Nitro Rio Trailer

2009-10-21T13:24:00.002-05:00

New Screens for Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

2009-10-21T11:56:00.001-05:00

Four new screenshots for Sega's upcoming racer Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing.

Images courtesy of Games Press.

New Wii System Update

2009-10-20T22:54:00.001-05:00

As many of you know the Wii and DS Shop Channels were down for maintainence today. The Wii Shop Channel appears to be back up and if you connect it will ask you to perform a system update.

After performing that update, which does not seem to be very big as it did not take a minute to download, you can now access the Wii Shop Channel. It does not look, as of yet, that anything has been done to the shop. I would imagine that this is in preparation for another big update coming very soon. If you remember Denise Kaigler a few days ago was promising Wii owners that were connected to the internet would be receiving a big surprise and the evidence points to some kind of update to the Shop Channel.

I've put in word to Nintendo to find out what's going on and as soon as I hear back from them I'll let you know.

Update: There should now be a message on your Wii Menu saying that if you were one of the people that spent 500 points to download the Internet Channel you now have the opportunity to buy "One Free Title" by clicking the appropriate button on the top screen of the Wii Shop Channel. The offer expires at 11:59 pm PST on December 31st, so act now. You've got just over two months to redeem your free game from the Wii Shop Channel.

Two New Trailers for New Super Mario Bros. Wii

2009-10-20T19:52:00.000-05:00

More and more little tidbits are trickling out every day for New Super Mario Bros. Have you pre-ordered your copy yet?

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky Review

2009-10-20T17:16:00.001-05:00

Games in the Pokemon franchise have typically followed a pattern of release. First two game are released simultaneously that have similar story lines with a few differences between them. Then a few months to a year later another game is released in that line that enhances both of those stories and combines the two games together with a few more additional things thrown in. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky is that third type of title. It follows closely behind Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness.

The game follows the same storyline of those first two titles and adds a few things to make it a little different from them. The first is the addition of some playable characters. When you first boot up the game you fill out a quick survey and your answers to the questions determine which Pokemon you’ll play the game as. You can then choose from the remaining Pokemon, not of the same type as you, to play as your partner. You then are thrust into the story where you wake up on a beach unaware that you’ve turned into a Pokemon. You are awakened by your partner, whom you can understand, despite them being a Pokemon. You don’t remember anything that happened before you woke up and the game centers around that point to weave an interesting story.

You are asked to help recover an item that your partner Pokemon has lost and you’ll meet a team of Pokemon that will be a thorn in your side for a long time. After that the two of you decide to team up and join an explorers guild, led by Wigglytuff. That is where you’ll get daily assignments and duties that you are required to complete and after many of them the story will advance. Most of your time will be spent between the town surrounding your guild and the mystery dungeons that are located at different places throughout the world, and there is no traveling between the two. Sometimes, though, to break up the dungeon exploring you’ll be put on guard duty where you play a mini game that asks you to identify Pokemon based on their footprint. If you know a lot about the Pokemon universe that knowledge will come in handy during that time, but it’s not at all necessary. You also find out during your travels that the time gears responsible for keeping time in the world flowing properly are being stolen by a mysterious pokemon. It's up to you to find out what's going on and set things right. You'll meet a lot of familiar faces, as well as some lesser know, such as Shaymin.

The Pokemon mystery dungeon games, for anyone that doesn’t know, are commonly referred to as rogue-like games, meaning they are based off of the game play elements from an RPG known as Rogue. All of the dungeons are randomly generated every time you enter them and travel to another floor. Chances are you will never see the same floor pattern twice, which can be both a blessing and a curse. If you should die while you are in one of these dungeons you will lose up to half your money that you had acquired up to that point as well as a number of the items that you were carrying. Luckily if you survive the dungeon you can deposit these items in banks that will keep them safe for you, and you should do this often, only taking items that you think you’ll need, and never take gold into a dungeon with you. There are very few times you’ll need money while you’re in a dungeon.

The randomness of the game will, as said, be both a blessing and a curse. There is nothing more frustrating than spawning in a dungeon where you’re surrounded by three enemies and you’re almost depleted of all your health. On the flip side, there will be a number of times you thank the developers for having a staircase to the next floor spawn in the tile next to you. As you move through the dungeons every step you take is an action and enemies only act after you’ve taken an action. The entire game is turn based and you can use this to determine the best course through battles. Just remember you act, your partner acts, then enemies act, usually in that order. Many times during your exploration of a dungeon Pokemon that you’ve beaten in battle will ask to join your team. You can have up to two additional Pokemon with you at any time, and the game gets a bit easier when you’ve got the bigger team. Having those extra Pokemon around will be a big benefit and choosing the right Pokemon for the environment could be key to easy victory. The most frustrating aspect of this game is that you can’t prepare for a dungeon and you must guess as what you’ll need when you enter a new area. Be prepared for a lot of deaths and returns to the same dungeons. The plus is that even if you die your progress is still save, any experience gained is kept and levels will not be lost, so you will be stronger each time you enter a dungeon. That keeps the number of replays to a minimum.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky does have a feature that will allow you to call for help over Wi-Fi, or through email and a friend can come rescue you if you die. This will cause all the items and gold you had to be retained and you can continue where you left off. You can set this up to send you messages through email and is a neat feature, but not one you’ll probably use very often. It’s just easier to restart the dungeon, but if you have a rare or powerful item you want to keep it might be nice to receive a rescue.

The game is not quite as nice to look at as the main Pokemon game, but the developers have done a nice job creating a world where you really feel like a Pokemon. All of the characters are easily distinguished and you can tell instantly what types of Pokemon are in the areas that you are. The dungeons reuse the same tiles and after a while you will begin to feel like you’ve seen that same room before, even though everything is randomly created. The in game story scenes have a lot of emotion and despite the small size of the characters it was always really easy to see how they felt. The animated portions of the stories all felt like later GBA titles and maybe could have been done to take more advantage of the DS capabilities. The music, on the other hand was done quite well. Each dungeon has its own unique sound. Party areas all have appropriately cheery music and the moody sections of game had the appropriate emotional feel to them. It’s very well done and fits the tone of the game perfectly.

Once you’ve completed the main story of the game there are bonus episodes that you will unlock as you play through. These episodes can be accessed from the main menu and allow you to play through stories told from the perspective of some of the other members of the guild. They provide some interesting insight to those characters and are more interactive stories than additional game levels, but they’re entertaining none the less.

If you’re a fan of Shiren the Wanderer, or dungeon crawl games in general there will easily be something to find in this game that you’ll like. It’s designed for the younger audience, so it might be a little easier than you’re looking for, but younger players will find the game a nice difference to the standard Pokemon RPG. There’s no denying there is something enjoyable about filling out the survey and the game choosing exactly the right Pokemon for you, though if you know how you can answer so that you’ll get the Pokemon of your choice. The dungeons can get a bit repetitive and irritating at times, but the story is good enough to keep you wanting to know what happens next. If you played Explorers of Time or Explorers of Darkness, there might not be enough to justify this game, but if you’ve never played the series before or you just really like Pokemon you should look into this game.

Final Score: 3/5 Average

Review copy of the game provided by Nintendo.

Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo Now Available

2009-10-20T12:07:00.000-05:00

Action-Adventure Side-Scrolling Platformer Brawler Does It All

SANTA CLARA, Calif., (Oct. 20, 2009) – Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc., today announced that Dragon Ball®: Revenge of King Piccolo is now available exclusively for Wii™. Dragon Ball fans can relive the early adventures of Goku as he explores the world, meets life-long companions and friends, and increases his martial arts power in this latest action-adventure side-scrolling brawler.

In Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo, players assume the role of an adolescent Goku as he races against the Red Ribbon Army to collect all seven of the coveted Dragon Balls which, when collected, grant a single ultimate wish. Fans of the series will delight in reliving the crucial moments in Goku’s adventures in Adventure Mode, which take place between the Red Ribbon encounters to the pivotal King Piccolo conflict, including Goku’s journey to Korin Tower and his very first World Martial Arts Tournament.

With a simple move of the Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™, players can have Goku fire off intricate combos, fly across the screen to connect jump-kick attacks, and execute his signature Kamehameha ultimate attack against enemies with ease. Additionally, Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo supports a number of key gameplay features that will keep the action diverse and gameplay engaging including armor breaks, attack counters, and special lock-on aerial attacks.

In addition to the Adventure Mode, Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo also features a Tournament Mode which will allow players to take their favorite Dragon Ball characters into the ring and duke it out. Featuring in-game collectibles and a host of unlockable characters and modes, Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo will provide a thoroughly engaging and accurate portrayal of Goku's early formidable martial arts years.

Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo for Wii is rated “E10+” by the ESRB and has an MSRP of $39.99. For more information on Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo, please visit: http://dragonball.namco.com/.

NPD's Are Out, Playstation Sits On Top of Home Console Chart

2009-10-20T10:33:00.000-05:00

The September NPD numbers are out and for the first time Sony has beaten Microsoft and Nintendo in America for the home console sales. Playstation 3 sold 491,800 units while Microsoft and Nintendo sold 352,600 and 462,800 respectively. So while Sony did finish the month in the top spot, they did not beat out Nintendo by much. DS stole the show, though with 524,200 units showing the handheld is not going to stop its dominance anytime soon.

While Sony stole the console show, Nintendo had a respectable showing in software sales during the month of September. Seven of the top 20 titles for the month were released on Nintendo platforms and they are as follows:

#2: Wii Sports Resort, with Motion Plus 442,900 units
#4: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story   258,100 units
#10: The Beatles: Rock Band   208,600 units
#12: Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
#13: Scribblenauts   194,000 units
#18: Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
#19: Wii Fit (w/ Balance Board)   134,000 units

Halo 3: ODST finished in the top spot with over 1.5 million units sold.

Those numbers are all very respectable and it's good to see a new title like Scribblenauts doing so well despite being a new franchise. The game deserves some praise, even with its quirks. We're getting into the holiday sales season so let's see how Nintendo does for the rest of the year. Sony did so well off the back of their price drop and console redesign. Now that Nintendo and Microsoft have also dropped their prices it will be interesting to see if Sony can hold onto that or if they'll drop the top spot next month.

Cooking Mama 3 In Stores Now

2009-10-20T09:40:00.003-05:00

The Queen of the Virtual Kitchen Returns with All-New Features and Recipes

EDISON, N.J., October 20, 2009 - Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, today announced that Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop for Nintendo DS™ is now available at retailers nationwide. The latest addition to the successful franchise that has sold nearly 5 million units domestic, Cooking Mama 3 serves up a new shopping mode that lets players buy ingredients from the store to make 80 new recipes, from chili con carne to pumpkin gnocchi.

In Cooking Mama 3, players use the stylus as the ultimate cooking utensil to shop and chop their way to the top in eight gameplay modes and 200 fun mini-games. In Let's Match mode, aspiring chefs can create their own dishes by combining ingredients together in delicious new ways. Cooking Contest lets you face-off against up to three friends in 20 multiplayer cooking challenges. Three different customization modes enable players to dress up Mama with earned outfits and accessories, change up the game screen or decorate each finished dish in their scrapbook with animated stickers. Cooking Mama 3 also supports gameplay connectivity with Gardening Mama so players can use items grown in Mama's garden to whip up their favorite dishes in Shop and Chop.

Developed by Cooking Mama Limited, Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop is rated E for Everyone and is available now for the suggested retail price of $29.99. To watch the game play trailer and find out more, visit the official game site at http://www.cookingmama.com/.

Source: Press Release

Black Wii Coming to Europe

2009-10-20T08:57:00.001-05:00

A press release just came across my inbox saying that the United Kingdom and Ireland will be receiving the new black Wii console on November 6th along with a black remote, nunchuk, Motion Plus, Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort. The rest of Europe will be getting the console bundle on November 20th. Japan received the console back on the 1st of August. Does this signal that maybe America will be getting the console as well?

I'm not a big fan of the black Wii console. Chances are if it had come out with the White at launch I would have bought it because it matched the rest of my entertainment center consoles, but now that I've had the white system for three years I really like it. I had a black DS and couldn't stand the finger prints all over it. The white system masks that somewhat and I just like to look of it. It stands out among the crowd, which it should do.

What about you. Which system would you have chosen if you had the choice?

Backyard Football '10 Broncos Vs. Chargers

2009-10-19T18:44:00.002-05:00

Miyamoto Talks Mario's Past, The Future of Gaming

2009-10-19T16:47:00.000-05:00

This just cross GoNintendo's feed and I thought I'd pass it along to you as well as comment on what I saw. This comes from a Popular Mechanics interview with Shigeru Miyamoto.
----------------------------------------------------
PM: When was it decided that he was a plumber?

SM: When we first created Donkey Kong, I kind of looked at him as your average, everyday foolish guy. The setting of that game was a construction site, so I kind of matched him with the setting of the game, and decided in that game that he was a carpenter. And then when we made the original Mario Bros. game, that was the first game that had pipes in it, and the enemies would come out of the pipes into this dark area and Mario would try to hit them and knock them out. Looking at the setting of that game, it had the feeling of an underground New York sewer system. And so with the pipes and the idea of it being an underground New York sewer system, I thought what kind of guy would be there working on the pipes? A plumber! So rather than saying Mario was a plumber, really it was a matter of what’s his role in the game and what’s the setting of the game and kind of occupation would put him in the setting to be doing what he’s doing.

PM: This is a broad question, but where do you see the future of video games?

SM: I think originally video-game systems were viewed as a toy, and they were something you played with. Whereas now I think we’re starting to see a blurring of the lines, where, obviously, the internal guts of a video-game system is essentially a computer, and we’re gradually seeing video games moving beyond simply entertainment into other aspects of everyday life. And I think what video games benefit from is an intuitive interface that’s easy to understand, where the controller is a little bit more familiar and easier to use than the interface of a typical computer. As time goes on, I think we’re going to see how the system of the video-game console and this interactive interface is going to gradually bleed in to other elements of, say, home electronics and daily life. For example, in Japan the Wii itself has a TV guide channel that Wii owners can download to their Wii. And for a lot of people in Japan who own a Wii, that TV guide channel is a lot more convenient and easier to use than a typical TV guide service.

PM: The Wii uses a motion-sensing controller. Going forward, as Nintendo releases future consoles, do you view the motion-sensing controller as an integral part of the experience that’s going to stay with Nintendo indefinitely?

SM: With both the Wii remote itself and Wii Motion Plus, what we’ve been able to do is introduce an interface that is both I think appealing and at the right price for a broad audience. And while we don’t have any concrete plans for what we’ll be doing with hardware in the future, what I can say is that, my guess is that because we found this interface to be so interesting, I think it would be likely that we would try to make that same functionality perhaps more compact and perhaps even more cost-efficient.

PM: What’s your dream type of game that takes advantage of the Wii-mote?

SM: Right now I’m focusing on creating the next Zelda game.

--------------------------------------------------------

While I do find the parts about Mario's past interesting, that really is news that has been around for a long time. I do like the parts where he is discussing gaming's future and the fact that he thinks motion controls are here to stay. I have been very favorable of Nintendo's approach to this console generation and have taken to the Wii Remote. I really like the look, feel and interactivity I get with the Wii Remote and every month a new game comes out that really shows the developers are starting to understand the controller. It's not about throwing motion control in for the sake of having it. It's about using the motion and the pointer to enhace game play where it's needed. Games like Tiger Woods, Wii Sports Resort, Dead Space Extracion and Max and the Magic Marker show you exactly what you need to do with the Wii Remote. Don't use motion for everything, and allow people options in their controls.

You know there is something to the motion control movement or Microsoft and Sony would not be throwing their hat into the mix as well. They see the value of those systems, even if you're not completely getting rid of a controller. It is Nintendo, yet again, that is at the front of gaming innovation, much like it has been in the past.

The other bit right there at the end where Mr. Miyamoto flat out states all his focus is on the next Zelda title. That is probably my number one franchise in the gaming aside from the traditional side scrolling Mario games. Everything stops for me for a bit when a new Zelda game is released and those games last me a very long time. I explore those worlds until there's nothing left to find. I'm really hoping information for that title will start trickling out, just so we get even more confirmation that it's on the way.

Right now though, my sights are on a bloy and his blob and New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Need For Speed Nitro Goes Gold

2009-10-19T12:28:00.001-05:00

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – October 19, 2009 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that the award-winning Need for Speed™ NITRO has gone gold and will be in stores early, arriving to retailers on November 3rd in North America and on November 6th in Europe. Developed specifically for the Wii and Nintendo DS, Need for Speed NITRO captures the fun and exhilaration of arcade racing, thrusting players into a world of blazing speed where they must dominate the competition at 200 MPH. Complementing the thrilling gameplay is an adrenaline-charged soundtrack that features songs from some of the world’s most celebrated and innovative artists including k-os, Placebo and Crystal Method.

This soundtrack musically exemplifies the intensity, attitude and adrenaline of Need for Speed NITRO” said Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Music Marketing at EA. “This energetic collection of rock, electronic and hip hop, matches the incredible speed and intensity of a game experience players will never forget.”

Our vision was to create something unique on the Nintendo platforms,” said Joe Booth, Senior Producer. “Need for Speed NITRO combines the franchise’s trademark attitude, sense of speed and addictive gameplay with the approachability and pick up and play of Nintendo.”

Need for Speed NITRO delivers the thrill of high-speed racing to all types of gamers with exciting gameplay, accessible controls, and competitive multiplayer events. Recently crowned IGN’s Best Racing Game on the Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, Need for Speed NITRO is one of this holiday's most fun and exciting arcade racers.

The complete soundtrack is listed below. To hear samplings of each song, please visit www.ea.com/eatrax/.

Artist                                                         Song
Alex Metric                                                What Now
Bloody Beetroots feat. Cool Kids               Awesome
Crookers feat. Wiley and Thomas Jules      Business Man
Crystal Method feat. LMFAO                    Sine Language
Danko Jones                                             Code Of The Road
Dizzee Rascal and Armand Van Helden     Bonkers
Drumagik                                                  Make It Rock
Earl Greyhound                                         Oye Vaya
edIT feat. Wale and Tre’                           Freaxxx
Evil 9                                                        All The Cash (Alex Metric Remix) Feat. El-P
Hollywood Holt                                        Can't Stop
k-os                                                         FUN!
Lady Sovereign                                        I Got You Dancing
Major Lazer feat. Mr.Lex & Santigold      Hold The Line
Matt & Kim                                             Daylight (Troublemaker Remix)
Mickey Factz                                           Yeah Yeah
Pint Shot Riot                                           Not Thinking Straight
Placebo                                                    Breathe Under Water
Rise Against                                             Kotov Syndrome
Roots Manuva                                          Buff Nuff
Rye Rye                                                   Hardcore Girls
Street Sweeper Social Club                      Fight! Smash! Win!
Taking Back Sunday                                Lonely Lonely
The Enemy UK                                        No Time For Tears
The Gay Blades                                      O Shot (Dmerit Remix)
Two Fingers feat. Sway                           Jewels And Gems

Developed by EA Montreal, Need for Speed NITRO is available on the Wii and Nintendo DS and is rated E10+ by ESRB and 7+ by PEGI.

Source: Press Release

Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 For Nintendo DS Releases

2009-10-19T09:31:00.001-05:00

New Fitness Game Designed by America's Toughest Trainer Offers A High-Impact Workout For Those Who Are Constantly On-The-Go

EDISON, N.J. October 19, 2009 - America's Toughest Trainer and Health and Wellness Expert has created a workout program that is designed specifically for on-the-go fitness! Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, and Interactive Game Group, today announced that Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 for Nintendo DS™ will be available at retailers nationwide tomorrow. A companion title to the recently released Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 for Wii™, the Nintendo DS™ game features exercises and routines custom designed by Jillian that players can follow anywhere they go, from the office to the beach.

In Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 for Nintendo DS™, players follow a 3D avatar of Michaels as she leads them through rigorous exercises and routines, just like a real personal training session. With expert advice and motivational feedback from Jillian, users can maximize their work out to achieve the best results. In addition, players can choose their preferred fitness regimen through two different program-setting modes: "Jillian's Training" and "My Training." "Jillian's Training" immerses "trainees" into a set workout schedule and plan designed by Jillian, whereas "My Training" allows them to create their own programs including workout days, times and activities. No matter what regimen they choose, players can track their progress with the "My Diary" feature and view diet and wellness tips from Jillian - all designed to help them to stay focused and inspired to attain their fitness goals.

Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 for Nintendo DS™ is developed by Mistic Software along with Executive Producer Interactive Game Group. The game is rated E for Everyone and is available tomorrow at retailers nationwide for a Suggested Retail Price of $29.99. Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 for Wii™ is currently available nationwide for a Suggested Retail Price of $39.99 and is also rated E for Everyone. For additional information about both games, please visit http://www.jillianmichaels.com/.

Source: Press Release

Max and the Magic Marker Contest

2009-10-19T08:18:00.003-05:00

I told everyone last week that a new contest was coming up and that time is now. Press Play, the developers of Max and the Magic Marker are sending along 5 shirts, based on the one that main character Max wears in the game. You can see the photos to see exactly what I'm talking about. Anyway, we thought it would be a good idea to give them away in a contest and here it is.

The rules of the contest are as follows. Each person gets one entry. No exceptions. If I find out you've loaded multiple pictures you will be disqualified.

You need to provide one picture of your best interpretation of Max and the Magic Marker. Draw a level, draw Max or the Purple Monster. The fan art can be from anyone you know. I don't care if it is yours, your kids, your moms, your neighbors whoever. Just make it fun.

Head on over to the forums and upload the drawings to this forum post. If you can't get them to load, email them to me at tonymiller@nintendo-okie.com and I'll post them for you.

The contest will run from now until next Monday, October 26th at 6:00 PM CST. The winners will be announced on Wednesday October 28th. You can check back here or on the forums to see who has won.

There will be 5 winners chosen, so you have a good chance to win. Just include the size of T-shirt you would like to have with your drawing. We have 1 small, 2 medium and 2 larges available.

Please keep it clean. Any profane, vulgar or just plain rude entries will be deleted.

Most of all have fun. We're just trying to enjoy the release of a fun game.

Here is a list of links to articles on the site that have screen shots or video you can draw inspiration from.

Max Interview Max Hands-On New Screens

Note: All drawings will be sent to developer Press Play and could be used by them in future promotion for the game.

One of the Max crew, Bo Strandby, modelling the shirt for everyone.

This Week in Nintendo History: October 18th to October 24th

2009-10-19T08:08:00.002-05:00

Hey folks. It's time for another look back at history. This week is pretty big for our North American readers especially. The beginning, not of it all, but of the modern video game era. Other than that we're looking at a few game releases, but I think it'll be good so let's jump right in.

October 18th, 1985 brought the video game industry back from the brink of death following the crash in 1983. On that day the Nintendo Entertainment system was released in America. One of the biggest factors in that success was the ability for third party developers to really show off their games on a system. Nintendo introduced their Seal of Quality and a game could not be released without it. Because of that developers were only allowed to release 5 games a years on the system. There were ways around it, but without that seal the game was generally not sold on the system. On that same release day the line up of games you could purchase included Super Mario Bros., Duck Hunt, Baseball, Clu Clu Land, Dig Dug: Digging Strike, Donkey Kong Jr. Math, Gyromite and Stackup, both which were compatible with R.O.B., Excite Bike, Wrecking Crew, Tennis, Ice Climber and Wild Gunman.

The NES was first shown to North American customers at the Consumer Electronics Show in June of 1985. Did you know the system was originally going to be distributed by Atari, the company many blame for the video game crash, under the name Nintendo Advanced Gaming System, but that the deal fell apart? The system is widely considered to be the reason that video games are still alive today and started a tradition in gaming unlike many others.

October 18th, 2004 saw the release of Kirby & the Amazing Mirror. This was the last Kirby game released for the GBA and the only game in which Kirby is not battling his nemesis, King Dedede. In the game Meta Knight is confronted by a dark version of himself, from another world and is defeated. During that battle a mirror between the two worlds is broken and Kirby must recover the eight broken pieces of the mirror to save Meta Knight. This game was different from traditional Kirby games in that you controlled Kirby through a maze layout rather than the usual side scrolling levels and you could have other players or CPU controlled allies during the adventure. Kirby's trademark inhaling ability also had more limits and was not able to be used indefinitely.

October 20th, 2008 was download day in North America. The Virtual Console saw the release of two import games for the Turbo-Grafix 16; Digital Champ Boxing and Gradius II. WiiWare saw the release of The Incredible Maze and Tetris Party, which still to this day is in the top 20 downloads every week.

Many people consider Super Mario Bros. 3 to be their favorite game in the series and with good reason. The game was re-released for the GBA as Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 on October 21st, 2003. This could be the longest title in the series history. The game featured enhanced graphics similar to the SNES release of Mario All-Stars, but game play was unaffected. The included release of the Mario Bros. multi player game allowed up to four people to play together rather than just two.

October 21st, 2008 saw the release of Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia for the DS, the third installment in the series on the system. The biggest difference in this game over previous installments was the new "Glyph System" which would allow heroine Shanoa to equip Glyph symbols to her arms and back for new powers that could be used in her fight against Barlowe. The game received rave reviews and has been considered by many to be the best game in the Castlevania series.

Tiny Toon Adventures was released by Konami for the NES on October 22nd, 1992. This game featured many of the characters from the popular children's show. Buster Bunny was tasked with rescuing his friend Babs, who had been kidnapped by Montana Max. In the game you would travel through six side-scrolling locations that would be recognizable from the TV show.

Virtual console day this week was October 22nd, 2007. On that day Lunar Pool and Ninja JaJaMaru-kun were released for the NES, and Golden Axe III was released for the Sega Genesis.

Our last entry of the week is probably the most unusual. October 24th, 2005 saw the release of Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix for the Gamecube. The game features the same unique game play that the Dance Dance Revolution series was known for. It was also unique in that it was one of the only games that features Waluigi as the main antagonist for the Mario crew. Despite it featuring a number of characters from the Mario universe the game received a number of criticisms, the biggest being that the game never reached the higher difficulty levels typical of a DDR game. Even with that criticism the game is well liked among Mario and DDR fans.

There you have it folks. Another week is in the books. I hope you're enjoying this article and as always if you know of anything you'd like to see featured in the future head on over to the forums or leave us a comment and let us know.

Edit: It was pointed out that I had omitted the date for Super Mario Advance 4. That has been edited into the article.

Nintendo Download: Week of October 19th

2009-10-19T07:23:00.001-05:00

Discover New LostWinds, Numerous Domo Games and a True Arcade Classic

Eight is great for gamers this week as Nintendo adds eight new titles to its ever-growing library of downloadable games. First on the list is LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias, a follow-up to one of the most popular releases on the WiiWare™ service. Next, Shootanto: Evolutionary Mayhem makes survival of the fittest the law of the land. Meanwhile, Nintendo DSiWare™ welcomes Domo™, a strange creature who hatched from an egg. Also known as the popular mascot of Japan’s NHK television station, Domo stars in five separate new Nintendo DSiWare games. Topping it off is RYGAR™, a 1980s arcade gem making its Virtual Console™ debut.

WiiWare

LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias

Publisher: FRONTIER
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias is a sequel to the award-winning WiiWare launch title LostWinds. Enril the Wind Spirit returns to protect and guide young Toku by powering his jumps, aiding his glides and smashing his enemies. An evil adversary binds the fate of Toku’s mother, Magdi, and the ancient Melodia civilization. To save Magdi, Toku and Enril must face new foes, enlist friends old and new, and wield incredible new powers – including the ability to switch the very seasons themselves – as they explore the diverse, richly interactive Chilling Peaks and Melodia City areas of the magical land of Mistralis. This enchanting, exhilarating, explorative game play experience is bursting with new ideas that make exceptional use of the Wii Remote™ controller. The awesome power of the Wind is back in the palm of your hand.

Shootanto: Evolutionary Mayhem
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Crude Humor, Mild Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Battle for the future in a world governed by the law of the jungle. As you move through the stages, your character evolves and your weapons and shooting abilities change. First, throw weapons by hand, then proceed to use tools and different types of projectiles. A cooperative two-player mode is also available. The controls are simple: Move the character with the control stick, adjust the crosshairs with the Wii Remote controller and shoot down targets while dodging enemy attacks. Getting hit by an enemy bullet or touching an enemy close to you will count as a miss. With each miss, you’ll lose one heart; losing all hearts will end the game.

Nintendo DSiWare

Crash-Course Domo™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: In Crash-Course Domo, you’ll guide Domo across the finish line in six increasingly difficult bicycle races. Steer Domo around other racers and patches of rough terrain, pedaling as fast as his stubby legs will allow.

Hard-Hat Domo™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: In Hard-Hat Domo, Domo is a construction worker trying to get to the top of a building. Match ladder colors to floor colors – using cans of paint, if necessary – to earn points and continue climbing higher. Reach the top floor to clear each of the four levels of difficulty.

Pro-Putt Domo™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: In Pro-Putt Domo, Domo hits the green in an effort to win the world putt-putt golf championship. Domo competes to finish with the lowest number of strokes in either the nine-hole Small Classic or the 18-hole Big Open tournament. Along the way, he’ll collect coins and earn bowls of meat-and-potato stew while avoiding bunkers and water hazards.

Rock-n-Roll Domo™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: In Rock-n-Roll Domo, you’ll control Domo as he takes the stage in search of fortune and fame. Hit the right notes in rhythm (using the touch screen, if desired) to rock the house. If your timing needs work, use the mixer to practice songs. Complete five different songs at a series of increasingly larger venues to help Domo become a superstar.

White-Water Domo™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Take control of Domo as he hops into his kayak and races the river rapids in White-Water Domo. Jump and paddle as you steer Domo through the treacherous rapids in an effort to cross the finish line as quickly as possible. Finish with one of the top three times to proceed to the next stage.

Virtual Console

RYGAR™
Publisher: Tecmo
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 600 Wii Points
Description: The year is 19XX A.D. and the human race has been brought to its knees by the resurrected ancient Beast Lord. The people have brought legendary warrior Rygar back to life in order to save the human race. Armed with Diskarmor, a weapon that extends, you’ll also make full use of your jumping abilities to venture through and clear all 27 stages. Appearing at arcades in 1986 as a side-scrolling action game, RYGAR received high acclaim for its beautifully rendered graphics, including waterfalls and a setting sun. As extra features, players can collect the five Powers of Indra to obtain special bonuses or gain 1,000,000 bonus points for finding hidden items. Also, the number of lives and the level of difficulty can be altered.

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii™ Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit Wii.com or NintendoDSi.com.

Sourece: PR Email

New Super Mario Bros. Wii Intro Video

2009-10-16T21:53:00.000-05:00

This video was too good to not post on the site. I'm really, really excited about this game coming out.

New Screens and Gameplay Footage For New Super Mario Bros. Wii

2009-10-16T20:45:00.000-05:00

More screens and a video for New Super Mario Bros. Wii. This game will be in stores on November 15th.

You can see more screens on our Flickr Page.

LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias Hits WiiWare on Monday, October 19th

2009-10-16T12:43:00.002-05:00

16th October 2009, Cambridge, UK. - Frontier Developments Ltd. (‘Frontier’) today announced that LostWinds®: Winter of the Melodias will be released on Monday 19th October 2009 by Nintendo of America on the innovative WiiWare service.

David Braben, Frontier’s Chairman and Founder, said: “The original LostWinds was embraced by the US, and the sequel has major new gameplay features and improvements across the board. After the incredible reception in Europe for Winter of the Melodias, we’re excited to see what the American reaction will be.”

The eagerly awaited follow-up to last year’s best selling, award-winning WiiWare launch title has received high praise across the board in Europe including:

IGN UK 91% “With satisfyingly challenging puzzles expertly woven between engaging platforming and a thoroughly charming narrative, Winter of the Melodias represents an essential purchase. It’s not simply the best WiiWare title on the market, but one of the best Wiiä games full stop”.

Eurogamer 90% “If this is the kind of thing WiiWare can do, let’s have some more of it, frankly.”

Vandal Online 93% “LostWinds was probably one of the most attractive and interesting games on the Wii (not only WiiWare), and Winter of Melodias completely surpasses it.”

zConnect 96% “Even if you’ve never played the first game, make sure to pick up this wondrous little gem.”

Videogamer 90% “the game’s overall aesthetic is so powerful that Winter of the Melodias might well be one of the most beautiful games ever created.”

Once again puts the power of the wind in the palm of your hand, as you experience Toku and Enril’s new adventure to save Toku’s mother, lift an ancient curse and thwart the evil Balasar. The elemental powers of Enril the Wind Spirit are used to protect and guide the young boy Toku - power his jumps and glides, suspend and smash new enemies, and explore all-new expanses of the stunningly presented, magical land of Mistralis.

Players can instantly transform Mistralis between Summer and Winter, harnessing the brilliance of nature: frozen Winter ponds and waterfalls become deep, teeming Summer pools and chambers in which to dive and unlock secrets, enemies can be frozen or doused, and the very air itself used to form snowballs or moisture-laden clouds. Other amazing new abilities include the cyclone, which can be used to transport Toku, smash powerful enemies and even drill through the rock of Mistralis’ diverse, richly interactive Chilling Peaks and Melodia City areas.

With production values to match the very best Wii disc titles, LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias will be available to download directly to the living rooms of millions of families in the Americas exclusively via Nintendo’s WiiWare service.

Price: 1000 Wii Points.

See http://lostwinds.frontier.co.uk/ for more details including latest video footage, screenshots and exclusive content.

Source: PR Email

More Fresh Screenshots From Cooking Mama 3

2009-10-16T11:03:00.001-05:00

EDISON, N.J., October 16, 2009 - Everybody recognizes Mama's moxie with meatloaf, her prowess with pizza and her gift with Gazpacho. But many players have not seen her deftness with doughnuts or her competence with candy apples. To give them a peek at what delectable desserts Mama has in store in Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop, Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL) today released some "sweet" screens showing a few of the Nintendo DS™ game's tasty treats. Scrumptious desserts are just a tiny portion of the 80 new mouthwatering recipes available in the latest addition to the popular cooking simulation series that has sold more than 5 million copies.

Mama is back in the kitchen whipping up 80 new recipes - including mushroom quiche, tulip chicken and more. Players use the stylus as an all-in-one cooking utensil to chop, grate, roll, slice, spread, sprinkle and more through over 200 manic mini-games. Eight gameplay modes allow them to shop for fresh ingredients, create custom culinary concoctions, compete with up to three friends in timed challenges and more. Additionally, players can send friends items they grew in Gardening Mama and use them to make meals in Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop!

Developed by Cooking Mama Limited, Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop for Nintendo DS™ is rated E for Everyone and will release October 20th for the SRP of $29.99. For additional information about the Cooking Mama line of video games, please visit http://cookingmama.com/.

Source: PR Email

New Epic Mickey Details

2009-10-16T09:28:00.002-05:00

Hey guys. Game Informer this month that TONS of new details about Epic Mickey from Junction Point Games and Warren Spector. Here are just a few plus the shot of Mickey's new look, which is VERY retro.

The sorcerer Yensid (Disney spelled backwards; nickname from “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” in Fantasia) creates a world for all of his forgotten creations, with Oswald being its first inhabitant. This world is very similar to a Disney theme park and sits on a table in the sorcerer’s study as an intricate model. Mickey Mouse steps through a magic mirror in his house and ends up in Yensid’s study. Mickey, the troublemaker that he is, becomes fascinated by this set and when Yensid leaves, he plays around with it and accidentally spills paint and paint thinner all over it. Mickey hears the sorcerer returning and rushes to clean up and return home, and he soon forgets what happens and lives his life of fame and glory.

Mickey’s accident causes a terrible consequence and turns Yensid’s world into a wasteland controlled by a monstrous being named the Phantom Blot. Oswald and the other cartoons try to fight off the Phantom Blot, but it overwhelms them and turns their land in a twisted mockery of Yensid’s original dream. Mickey Mouse remains oblivious to all of this until one day the mirror he stepped through before comes alive again and the Phantom Blot pulls him into this twisted world. Now, Mickey Mouse must escape the Phantom Blot, find Oswald, earn his trust, and manage to defeat the corrupted menace so he can escape the Wasteland.

So how do you play the game? Mickey Mouse has a paintbrush that he brings into the Wasteland. The world can be created or destroyed with the swipe of a brush using the Wii Remote. Buildings, platforms, and items can be painted in and walls and enemies can be swept away with paint thinner with the Wii Remote. You can play the game as you like, either restoring things or destroying everything. You can be The Hero or The Scrapper, and the Game Informer issue goes into detail on what would happen if you pick a certain side. Mickey’s appearance will even change a bit depending on which side you choose.

There are some other interesting tidbits as well. Donald Duck animatronic pieces are scattered throughout part of the game and if collected, he will be put back together. Gremlin Village is similar to “It’s a Small World”, where you can even hear an eerie version of the music. You enter movie screen transitions to move from level to level where you are put in a 2D world and you revisit some of Mickey’s old cartoons. Collect “E-Tickets” to enter rides and use them to buy power-ups. Some of the characters in Epic Mickey include The Gremlins (led by one named Gus, they work to help Mickey against the Phantom Blot), The Bunny Kids (children of Oswald and his girl, Ortensia), The Buddies (animatronic versions of Mickey’s friends), The Mad Doctor (created The Buddies for Oswald, since Oswald wants to recreate Mickey’s life), Blotlings (the spawn of the Phantom Blot), and Beetleworx (creations of the Mad Doctor that build and fix this world). Oh, and here’s a cool little story. Disney’s CEO Bob Iger went to NBC/Universal (who owned the rights to Oswald for 80 years) and traded Al Michaels (human sportscaster) for the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

I don't know about you, but I think this game sounds amazing. I'm really excited for this title and these new details make me that much more interested in what's going on with this. The fact that it's Wii exclusive just adds a bit of sweetness to it. You can check out the latest Game Informer for an in depth look as well as a ton more art.

Source: WiiNintendo

Retro Redux: Super Mario Bros. 2

2009-10-16T08:11:00.001-05:00

Super Mario Bros. 2 is the first game in the series that has really caused a large amount of debate in the community. It’s one of those games that you either really like, or really don’t like. I, personally, happen to fall in the camp of those that don’t like the game. Before I talk about that, though, let’s discuss the game a little bit.

Super Mario Bros. 2 is the first game in the Mario franchise that was not a truly original Mario game, rather it was a redesign of a Famicom game known as Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic. That game centered on a family that was trying to rescue two children from Mamu, who would be known as Wart in the American redesign. Those family members were replaced by Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Princess Peach, who was known simply as Princess in the game. Each of the characters had abilities that made them different from each other. Mario was the all around character who was pretty good at everything. Luigi was able to jump very long distances, Toad was smaller, but was very fast and Princess Peach had the ability to hover in the air for short periods.

This game came about famously because the executives at Nintendo during that time thought the original sequel to Super Mario Bros. was too hard for American audiences and decided, instead, to redesign Doki Doki Panic for the west. The original sequel would be released in America years later on the SNES in the compilation game Super Mario All-Stars under the title Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels. This America version of the game was released in Japan under the title Super Mario USA. Because the game was not a true entry into the Mario franchise it featured a number of characteristics that had never been seen before and many that would be carried over to the Mario franchise. Rather than having ? blocks above your character you would instead pull vegetables out of the ground that you could then throw at enemies. Sometimes these plants held surprises such as doors to secret areas. Other power ups would randomly appear during game play that you could catch and take advantage of.

Many of the characters in the game would see their roles moved over to the Mario franchise. Enemies like the Shy Guy made their first appearance in Super Mario Bros. 2. You could not jump on a lot of these enemies that you had been able to, so instead you had to throw the vegetables you pull out of the ground at them. Some of the enemies, such as Wart have not been seen again, but are highly sought after by fans of the series to make a return.

The game featured eight worlds with three levels each, rather than the four seen in Super Mario Bros. This made the game’s length shorter than its predecessor, but the game was also a bit more difficult. Many of the levels contained a mini-boss, usually in the form of Birdo, that had to be defeated before you could finish the level. This game also set the precedent of having to hit an enemy three times in order to defeat them, a trait which has carried over into a number of games outside the Mario world and is a staple in the game industry that continues to this day. There were warps areas that you could access by finding a hidden rocket ship that would shorten the game even further. You also had the ability before each level to choose which character you would use and that added a bit of strategy to the game. Some of the levels were better suited to the abilities of a particular character. For example, one of the worlds features a large area where you have to dig down through layers of dirt and this was one of Toad’s best abilities. He was much faster digging down than the other characters so it was best to have him while playing that level.

The music was one of the most memorable parts of that game and was used in a number of different ways by Nintendo. The soundtrack would be used prominently in the live action Super Mario Bros. Super Show, starring Danny Wells, and Cpt. Lou Albano. It’s still to this day, outside of the themes from the original Super Mario Bros., some of the most well remembered themes.

This was the second game in the main Mario series, but it’s one of the few games that I just didn’t like. The departure from the formula set in the original, and returned to in Super Mario Bros. 3 was too off putting and I just couldn’t get into it. It did feature some things that I really do like, and would like to see brought back such as the ability to choose different characters. The introduction of some new enemies that have become huge additions such as Shy Guy and the first sightings of Bob-ombs, though they didn’t walk yet are some of the aspects I really like about the game. The differences allowed Nintendo to explore the Mario franchise a bit more than they did with the Japanese version of the game, which was essentially a slightly enhanced graphical overhaul of the original. It’s not a bad game, by any means. It controls well, had some memorable levels, a catchy soundtrack and some really welcome additions to the franchise, but I’m one of those people that says, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I thought the original Mario game was about as close to perfection then as you could get and they fiddled with it. I do own Super Mario Bros. 2 and do occasionally pop it in and play it, but when deciding on a retro Mario game to play it usually is a choice between Super Mario Bros. or Super Mario World.

If you have any thoughts on this game, or want to tell me how wrong I am, leave me a comment or head on over to the forums and let me know. Are there any games that you would like to see featured? Leave me a comment and let me know that as well. There’s a good chance it could show up here in the future.

Chronos Twins DX Screens

2009-10-16T06:27:00.002-05:00

The folks over at EnjoyUp sent over some screens for their upcoming WiiWare game Chronos Twins DX. Check out the rest over at our Flickr Page.

Enter into the original world of Chronos Twins DX, where you'll live a fantastic adventure full of innovative ideas never seen before in any game. Thanks to its Dual Gameplay game system you'll be able to control Nec in two temporary scenarios at the same time. Chronos Twins DX mixes action, platforms, adventure and puzles that will challenge your intelligece and ability.

If you like game that mean a real challenge don't doubt it, Chronos Twins DX is the game you're looking for.

Special Features

• Dual Gameplay, new game system where you control the Player Character in two worlds simultaneously.
• Explore an unknown world where you'll discover endless hidden secrets.
• 19 levels of fantastic atmosphere fully packed of alien beings and spectacular final bosses.
• Play in two worlds simultáneously to progress and solve challenges that would be impossible to finish in only one world otherwise.
• Fantastic 3D graphics, with particle effects, fog and bloom.
• Get the power of SPLIT, that will allow you to stop past and present.
• Change the past moving items, defeating creatures... and present will change accordingly in real time.
• Check how time passes by as you progress in your adventure.
• Solve incredible temporary puzles.

Classic Video Games Invade Tulsa, OK

2009-10-15T15:08:00.003-05:00

Tulsa, OK – August 1, 2009– Classic video games will once again rise from history as mid-America's one and only OVGE returns the sixth Oklahoma Video Game Exhibition.

On October 24, 2009 video game collectors and enthusiasts from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and even further will come together at the Spirit Bank Event Center in Tulsa to celebrate the history of the video gaming industry. “Before the OVGE, people from the surrounding states had to travel across the country for an event such as this,” said Jesse Hardesty, founder and organizer of the OVGE. Doors will open to the public at 9:00 a.m. and close at 5:00 p.m. Cost of admission for ages eight and above will be $5 dollars at the door.

In 1972, the video game industry began with the release of the Odyssey by Magnavox, the first multi-video game system for the home. However, in the early ‘80s an overflow of games and poor sales forced many companies to close resulting in drastic drops in prices for their merchandise. Companies still in business could not compete with the low pricing and lost money from their over stocked inventory causing the great crash of the video game industry in 1983. Since the rebirth of the industry in 1985, with the introduction of the Nintendo Entertainment System, video game sales have flourished.

Still, many video game players are returning to classic video games. With the advanced graphics of today’s video games, why are so many people fascinated with the classics? “Even though modern game systems have amazing graphics and sound, the most important aspect of any video game is that it actually be fun to play. Because classic game systems, like the Atari 2600, had very simple graphics, game designers had to focus on the game-play. Those same games that were fun in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s are still just as much fun today,” stated Albert Yarusso, modern video game programmer and co-founder of AtariAge.com.

"With video gaming being today’s main form of home entertainment, the history behind it should not be forgotten,” said Hardesty. “The Oklahoma Video Game Exhibition is providing the youth and their parents a chance to visit and interact with that past.” Numerous video game systems, computers, and arcade machines, will be set up for the public to play. Vendors and exhibitors will have memorabilia on display with many items for purchase.

The OVGE is organized by a group of gaming enthusiasts who want to share their hobby and passion for classic and modern video games with the public.

For more information, visit http://www.ovge.com/.

Source: Press Release

Two New Characters Revealed for Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars

2009-10-15T10:32:00.000-05:00

This just came across my inbox.

Today we're announcing the final two playable charcaters for Tatsunoko VS Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars ... Joe the Condor and Zero.

Tatsunoko's Joe the Condor comes via the Gatchaman series (joining teammates Ken the Eagle and Jun the Swan). He's got some stylish attacks as well as a powerful gun/grappling hook sidearm.

Next up is Capcom's very own Zero from the Mega Man X/ Mega Man Zero series of games. Zero comes equipped with his trusty Mega Buster, Plasma Sword and some very speedy moves. And stay away from his Ultra combo, that Plasma Sword is no joke.

Check these guys out when they join the fight in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars next year.

Top 20 WiiWare Titles: Week of October 12th

2009-10-15T07:51:00.002-05:00

This week’s Top 20 WiiWare titles are based on the information from the week of October 12th, 2009 (parentheses indicate the previous week’s rank).

1 Contra Rebirth (1)
2 Reel Fishing Challenge (2)
3 My Aquarium (3)
4 World of Goo (4)
5 Tetris Party (5)
6 Texas Hold’Em Poker (6)
7 Dr Mario Online Rx (10)
8 Driift Mania (12)
9 Word Searcher (N/A)
10 Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (8)
11 My Pokémon Ranch (9)
12 Arkanoid Plus! (11)
13 You, Me, and the Cubes (7)
14 Sexy Poker (13)
15 Defend Your Castle (14)
16 Family Mini Golf (17)
17 Brain Challenge (16)
18 Water Warfare (15)
19 BUST-A-MOVE Plus! (18)
20 Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 1 (19)

There was absolutely no movement with the top 6 titles this week. They all held firm and kept away the new titles, but there was one new addition this week in Word Searcher. Family Tennis fell off the list this week because of that addition. Also because of that, most of the movement we do so, with a few exceptions is down. The biggest loser this week was You, Me and the Cube falling 6 spots.

My Sexy Poker watch continues this week with that title falling one spot and getting ever so close to being off the list. The old classics Dr. Mario and Tetris continue to show that you can’t beat a solid game, no matter how old it is.

Come back next week for another riveting edition of Top 20 WiiWare Titles or head on over to the forums to discuss this week’s list.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Review

2009-10-15T00:37:00.000-05:00

Bowser, he's the one villain in the Mushroom Kingdom that's been universally loved by all. He's also one of the few characters who's never starred in his own game. That is until now with the release of the third game in the Mario & Luigi series also known as Bowser's Inside Story. The game put the Koopa King in the limelight for the first time and he takes that opportunity and runs with it.

For those unfamiliar with the series Mario & Luigi is Nintendo's attempt at putting the plumbers in their own RPG's and the series really started back with Super Mario RPG on the SNES, but has really gotten big with the advent of this set of games. They have starred the brothers alone in Superstar Saga and the past and present version of the titular two with Partners in Time. This third act in the series has the brothers come back in a bit of a supporting role, though they see their fair share of screen time.

The game's story centers on a new disease to the Mushroom Kingdom known as the Blorbs, which is a disease that has caused the Kingdom's residents to balloon to massive size. During this outbreak Bowser is tricked into eating a Mushroom by the villain Fawful that causes him to inhale a large number of things, including Mario, Luigi, Toadsworth, Peach and a new character Chippy. It's because of this we get the clever title and the dual action of adventuring through the world with Bowser and through Bowser with the Mario Bros. who are attempting to rescue everyone who is trapped, discover the source and cure of the Blorbs and stop Bowser all at the same time. The two different adventures with mingle with each other many times throughout the course of the game where actions that one group takes directly affect the other.

Each of the characters is controlled with the D-pad and a set of buttons. The A button controls Mario's actions. The B button controls what Luigi does and Bowser has the X&Y buttons mapped to his actions. IF you are in control of Bowser on the top screen of the DS, but need to switch to the plumbers just hit one of their action buttons and the game switches to the lower screen where their adventure takes place. The same goes for Bowser if you are controlling Mario & Luigi. During the course of the adventure Mario & Luigi will gain access to additional actions that can be used with a quick hit of the R button, which cycles between all the available actions. It's the same style of game play we've seen in the series before and it's very easy to use and keeps the number of buttons you need to access at any one point to a minimum.

During certain parts of the game Mario & Luigi must help Bowser accomplish his tasks by completing a mini game that will affect Bowser in a number of ways. You can clear pollen from his nasal passages that will create a seriously powerful sneeze by swiping your stylus left and right to knock pollen particles on to the walls of Bowser's nose. Riding a raft through Bowser's rump region and shooting the correct colored orbs will cause Bowser to grow to enormous size and lift huge objects off of him. Timing hammer swings to knock electrons into Bowser's muscles will give him super strength to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. Many of these mini games will be easy to accomplish, but sometimes break up the flow of the game a little much during high action sequences.

The bright visuals have continued and the DS is taken full advantage of. All the characters are amazingly detailed and animated. Even though Mario & Luigi don't have much to say you always know what they're thinking and their actions are exaggerated to help really get the point across. Other than a few grunts, growls and speedy Italian all the story is presented through traditional text bubbles and be prepared to read a lot during this game. The opening takes about an hour to get through and most of it involves reading conversations. The music is probably the best in the series and really helps hammer across the different stories. Battle sequences have the usual fast paced action soundtrack with the appropriate victory fanfare. It's easily the best soundtrack in the series and worth really paying attention to.

Each of the different NPC's in the game has some unique quality to them that really sets them apart from everyone else. There is a quirky French vendor who will sell you items along your journey and he is obsessed with blocks, him being a block and all. The villain, Fawful, has amazingly well scripted dialog that is reminiscent of the poorly translated games from the NES era, spouting phrases like "I have the chortles".

The Mario & Luigi RPG series has been one of the most successful spin-offs to the Mario franchise and Bowser's Inside Story is the latest and is a worthy successor to Partners in Time, which by the way is still my favorite game in the series. RPG fans and Mario fans alike will find something in this game that they will enjoy. It's got all the deep RPG elements like leveling up and item balancing that RPG fans want with the funny dialog and zany situations you've come to expect in Mario's travels. Giving the lead role to Bowser was a stroke of genius on the part of developer Alphadream. The game will take you somewhere between 20 and 30 hours to complete the story alone and there are tons of side quests that you can then go back and complete and I would not be surprised to see many people getting 50+ hours of enjoyment out of the game.

There's no denying that Nintendo knows how to handle their characters and they've really done a great job with this latest adventure. It's well worth picking up if you own a DS and are looking for a solid story and a lot of fun game play.

Final Score: 5/5 Excellent

Game was purchased at Gamestop.

R.I.P. Cpt. Lou

2009-10-14T20:16:00.000-05:00

There are few men in this world that inspire a sense of nostalgia in me more than Cpt. Lou Albano. Growing up, even before I was a fan of Nintendo I was a HUGE wrestling fan and I remember being really fond of Cpt. Lou Albano. There was just something about seeing that man with the little rubber band in his beard and the different men he accompanied to the ring. A few years later I would be introduced to the world of Nintendo and remember when the Super Mario Bros. Super Show came on and how excited I was to see Mario on my TV screen.

Cpt Lou brought a life to all the characters he portrayed whether they were in a wrestling ring or on a TV screen. He will be hard to replace and will be sorely missed.

Rest In Peace, Cpt. Lou.

July 29th, 1933 - October 14th, 2009

New Footage for We Cheer 2

2009-10-14T18:07:00.000-05:00

NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today released a new batch of assets for We Cheer™2 for Wii™. The new set of assets includes gameplay videos and screenshots that demonstrate the vast array of character customization options available, as well as samples of individualized characters in action. In We Cheer 2, players have access to limitless customization for both their character and their entire squad with an increased range of options for creating characters from hair color and style, skin tone, eyes, brows and more.

We Cheer 2 brings the upbeat fun of cheerleading into the home with its entertaining adaptation of the challenge and spirit of the competitive sport. Utilizing the Wii Remotes™ as virtual pom-poms, players follow on-screen prompts for choreographed routines that utilize a full range of arm and body movements. We Cheer 2 is the only cheerleading video game to offer a hit soundtrack of licensed music and features a brand new lineup of 30 rockin’ songs that will get players energized and ready to cheer.

We Cheer 2 for Wii will launch November 3, 2009 with an MSRP of $39.99. For more information, please visit www.namcobandaigames.com.

Check out more screens at our Flickr Page and more video on our YouTube Channel.

Cake Mania 3 Ships

2009-10-14T10:25:00.000-05:00

EDISON, N.J., October 14, 2009 - Pre-heat the oven and have the icing close at hand as Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, and Sandlot Games Corporation, creator of the Cake Mania franchise and the world's leading developer and publisher of casual games, today announced that Cake Mania 3 for Nintendo DS™ has shipped to retailers nationwide. With more than 100 million PC downloads and 650,000 units sold worldwide of the handheld versions, the Cake Mania series has proven to be a fan favorite that keeps the bakery chaos fresh in each iteration.

In Cake Mania 3, disaster strikes baker Jill Evans as she prepares for her wedding day. A mysterious "time bender" has crashed into the bakery and caused her loved ones to disappear. To rescue them in time for her ceremony, Jill must travel through time and use her cake-making magic on everyone that she encounters - or risk losing her friends and family forever!

Cake Mania 3 puts players in Jill's shoes as they serve 30 hilarious new customers, including Medieval Wizards, Ancient Egyptian Mummies and more. The game's 84 levels of baking bedlam stretch through six different themed environments that each includes its own unique cake style. In addition, players can customize Jill's kitchen with 50 unique upgrades including new appliances like the Fridge and Hot Drink Machine. For the first time in the series, Cake Mania 3 also includes three new mini games that will further challenge a baker's speed and accuracy.

Developed by Digital Embryo, Cake Mania 3 is rated E for Everyone and will be in stores this week for the suggested retail price of $19.99. For more information about Majesco's games, please visit the official site at www.majescoentertainment.com.

New Footage of Smackdown vs Raw 2010

2009-10-14T09:39:00.000-05:00

The fine folks at THQ passed along some new footage from Smackdown vs. Raw 2010.

Harvest Moon: Sunshine Island Release and Pre Order Bonus

2009-10-14T08:47:00.000-05:00

NATSUME TO BRIGHTEN THE LIVES OF GAMERS WITH NEXT MONTH'S RELEASE OF
HARVEST MOON: SUNSHINE ISLANDS

Pre-order Now To Receive A Special Edition Harvest Moon Plush Pig!

Burlingame, Calif., October 14, 2009 - Natsume Inc., a worldwide
developer and publisher of family-oriented video games, announced
today that Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands for the Nintendo DS has gone
gold. The next entry in the popular Harvest Moon series will launch
November 10 for an MSRP of $29.99, and is rated E for Everyone by the
ESRB.

In Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands, players rejoin all of the beloved
characters from Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness, and meet some new
faces as well! Years ago, a powerful earthquake struck the Sunshine
Islands chain, and most of the islands sank forever...or did they?
It's up to the player to find the magical Sun Stones and raise the
sunken islands. As they do, they'll meet new characters, harvest new
crops, and befriend animals such as ducks, monkeys, and badgers.
Players will grow their farm, care for animals, mine, fish, and
compete in festivals in their quest to restore the Sunshine Islands to
their former glory. With a little luck, they may even find true love
and start a family along the way.

"Just in time for the holidays, Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands is a
wonderful game for players of all ages. You get to meet some great new
characters, train your pets in fun minigames, and grow a huge variety
of crops. It's the best Harvest Moon yet!" said Hiro Maekawa,
President and CEO at Natsume. "Whether someone is new to the Harvest
Moon series, or a long-time fan, Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands is a
great game with tons to offer."

Players who pre-order the game at GameStop will receive an exclusive
bonus gift: a limited edition plush pig. Supplies are limited, so be
sure to place your order early!

For more information on Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands, please visit
www.natsume.com.

Black Wii Remote Available November 16th

2009-10-14T08:14:00.000-05:00

New Color Puts Nintendo’s Wii Remote and Nunchuk in the Black

Nintendo’s iconic Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ controllers are getting a new look, just in time for the holidays. Ever since the Wii™ system launched in November 2006, the controllers have been available only in white. On Nov. 16, Nintendo introduces new black versions.

The new black Wii Remote controller will be available packaged with a black Wii MotionPlus™ accessory, which brings enhanced precision to games. The package will be available at a suggested retail price of $49.99. The black Nunchuk controller will be available separately at a suggested retail price of $19.99.

“The Wii Remote revolutionized not only how people play games, but also who plays them,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “The new color lets people customize their setup, and the controllers make great stocking stuffers for players of any age.”

For more information about Nintendo, please visit www.Nintendo.com.

Gravitronix Review

2009-10-13T23:09:00.002-05:00

Medaverse Studios opened shop in 2002 as a site dedicated to fiction writing. They soon moved over to dedicated gaming news and finally decided they wanted to try their hand at a bit of game development. The first fruits of that endeavor are now available on WiiWare in the form of Gravitronix, an arcade style action battle game.

Gravitronix at its heart is pretty simple. Capture one of four different types of projectiles and fire it at your opponents in an attempt to whittle down their shields before finally dealing the final blow. To do this you tilt the Wii Remote, or the nunchuk left or right to move your gravity platform. Pressing the A or C button will cause you to repel any objects that get close and a press of the B or Z button will capture the projectiles. If you are holding one of them you will move slower but you'll be allowed to aim your shot. There are four different projectiles that can be captured. The sphere is the middle of the road shape that you will use most often. The cube is heavier and slower, but is hard to deflect and will cause more damage. The shard is a very light and very fast projectile that does not cause damage to opponents shields but can be used for a quick knockout once their shields are down. The pyramid is unique in that rather than flying in a straight line after being captured it will fly towards the middle of the field and the turn 90 degrees.

There is a campaign mode that encompasses 21 levels that can be played either single player or cooperatively. You may want to find a friend, because after the first few tutorial levels the game will get very hard and it will do it in a hurry. The computer opponents tend to gang up on the human player and having a friend along for the ride might make things a bit easier. If you can adjust to the difficulty it shouldn't take very long to finish the campaign, which you have to do in one sitting, there is no save feature. That fits with the arcade nature of the game, but feels a bit out of place in today's gaming world.

The multi-player portion of the game is definitely Gravitronix' strong suit. There are a large number of features that can be customized and you can have up to eight human players playing together. During the review I was never able to get that many people together, but the game is a lot of fun if you're playing against another living being. You can change the game to one of six different play modes, as well as the number of projectiles, what type of projectiles there are as well as adapting the A.I. level. The options for multi-player are huge and there will be lots of opportunity to find the game type that is right for you.

Presentation wise the game is a bit sparse. Gravitronix is presented in 4:3 mode with no support for wide-screen. There are six different tracks that can be switched on the fly during game play with a quick press of the + button. Each of the game's eight characters have a couple of phrases they will spout after a match depending on whether you win or lose. There is no difference between these characters in Gravitronix and they're just to give you an idea of which gravity platform belongs to whom. The developers have said that these characters will feature prominently in future games so there is more chance to flesh them out in the future, but you have none of that in Gravitronix.

Overall the game is a solid first effort from Medaverse Studios and if you're into fast paced, arcade style action you'll find some enjoyment in this game. The amount you'll get will vary depending on whether you're playing alone or with friends and how forgiving you are to tough A.I. opponents. Gravitronix does have a very nice asking price, at only 500 Nintendo Points so it's definitely worth checking out. There's nothing else like it on the service.

Final Score: 3/5 Average

Review copy of game provided by Medaverse Studios.

Nostalgia Screenshots

2009-10-13T20:48:00.000-05:00

These new screenshots of the DS RPG Nostalgia are courtesy of RPG Gamer.com

a boy and his blob Releases Today With Critical Acclaim

2009-10-13T09:30:00.000-05:00

Critically Acclaimed Reimagining of NES Classic

Features Hand-Drawn Animation and Touching Storyline

EDISON, N.J., October 13, 2009 -Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, today announced that a boy and his blob for Wii™ is available at retailers nationwide. Developed by WayForward Technologies, this reimagining of the classic Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) game is available for a new generation of fans on the 20th Anniversary of the original game. Fans new and old will be captivated by the beautiful hand-drawn art that creates a standout aesthetic. Nintendo Power called the game "stunning" and "fun," rating it 8.5 out of 10, and Game Informer awarded the "beautifully designed" game an 8 out of 10 noting it is also "charming and innovative."

"WayForward infused their unique creative vision into a boy and his blob while remaining true to the classic game," said Jesse Sutton, Chief Executive Officer of Majesco Entertainment. "The result has been an overwhelmingly positive response from critics and we are eager to get the game into the hands of a new generation of players."

After the inhabitants of Blobolonia are taken captive by an evil emperor, one blob manages to escape in search of help only to crash on Earth and find a young boy. Together the boy and his new blob friend work as a team to solve 40 levels of challenging side-scrolling adventure featuring hidden treasures, deadly monsters, perilous dangers and boss baddies. Armed with jellybeans, the boy can transform the blob into cool and useful items including classics like the Licorice Ladder, Apple Jack and Tangerine Trampoline and all-new ones such as the Cream Cannon and Bubble Gum Bubble. As the boy and his blob work together on their journey to Blobolonia, players will be enchanted by their heartwarming tale of friendship.

a boy and his blob is rated E for Everyone and is in stores now for the suggested retail price of $39.99. To view screenshots, concept artwork, gameplay trailers and videos please visit www.aboyandhisblob.com.