Camelot's Golden Sun: Dark Dawn certainly took its sweet time to arrive, with a seven year wait between Golden Sun: The Lost Age and the latest Adept adventure. Now the game is finished, however, what's developer Camelot looking forward to next? Like nearly every Nintendo fan it's the 3DS, of course.
One of the two founding Takahashi brothers, Hiroyuki, was recently interviewed by IGN where he spoke of the 3DS's exciting potential:
Do you think we will ever see the return to some of Camelot's other great games on Wii or even 3DS? What are some projects you'd like to work on for 3DS?
Takahashi: I'm afraid I can't go into detail at this time, but the features of Nintendo 3DS are really exciting to me as a developer. I'm really excited to challenge myself and create something for it.
Monday 6 December 2010
Sunday 28 November 2010
New Conduit 2 Trailer Heavy on Talk, Light on Action
Whilst previous trailers for Conduit 2 have focused on the game's massive amounts of bullets, bangs, booms and bombs, this latest trailer shows off the game's cinematic leanings.
New voice actors take up the story after the final events of The Conduit, with Agent Ford drawn deeper into the conspiracy that threatens to topple the world's already delicate balance. It might not be Shakespeare, but as a prelude to some big explosions it looks like it should do the trick. That and the All-Seeing Eye's new voice saying "hurry Michael" puts us in mind of Knight Rider's KITT, which is always a good association to have.
New voice actors take up the story after the final events of The Conduit, with Agent Ford drawn deeper into the conspiracy that threatens to topple the world's already delicate balance. It might not be Shakespeare, but as a prelude to some big explosions it looks like it should do the trick. That and the All-Seeing Eye's new voice saying "hurry Michael" puts us in mind of Knight Rider's KITT, which is always a good association to have.
Tuesday 23 November 2010
Nintendo to appear at CES 2011 with 3DS and Wii 2?
Nintendo has officially announced that it will be exhibiting new products at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show 2011 in Las Vegas as excitement grows around the imminent Nintendo 3DS launch.The first time that Nintendo will appear at CES in 17 years, the Wii maker is expected to extensively showcase its 3DS device, the first handheld games console to offer glasses-free 3D gaming capabilities.
With rumours currently circulating around a follow-up to the Wii, gaming hopefuls are also speculating about the unveiling of a much needed upgrade to the motion gaming console at the annual highlight of the tech calendar that will take place in Sin City between January 6th and 9th 2011.
“With the gaming market expected to generate $20.3 million in 2010, the International CES is the must-stop hub for innovative gaming products, and will allow CES attendees to experience the future of gaming from an amazing range of innovative companies,” proclaimed CES organiser Karen Chupka.
“The Gaming Showcase at CES will feature the hottest gaming trends for the coming year.”
With the Nintendo 3DS officially announced by Ninty back in September for a February 26th arrival in Japan before a US and European rollout in March, the 3D pocket gamer could well steal the show at next year’s CES.
What Nintendo product are you most looking forward to, the Nintendo 3DS or the Nintendo Wii 2?
“With the gaming market expected to generate $20.3 million in 2010, the International CES is the must-stop hub for innovative gaming products, and will allow CES attendees to experience the future of gaming from an amazing range of innovative companies,” proclaimed CES organiser Karen Chupka.
“The Gaming Showcase at CES will feature the hottest gaming trends for the coming year.”
With the Nintendo 3DS officially announced by Ninty back in September for a February 26th arrival in Japan before a US and European rollout in March, the 3D pocket gamer could well steal the show at next year’s CES.
What Nintendo product are you most looking forward to, the Nintendo 3DS or the Nintendo Wii 2?
Saturday 20 November 2010
Review - Call of duty: Black Ops
The Call of Duty series has come a long way from its humble origins as a Medal of Honor competitor, now standing as a world-conquering video game superpower able to clear release calendars with the mere threat of its presence in a month. On HD platforms, that is, with Nintendo's little white box relegated to answering the call in a much more limited fashion.
But oh, how far Wii've come from the barebones launch port of Call of Duty 3, with each successive entry bridging the feature gap. World at War brought a limited online multiplayer component, and Modern Warfare Reflex fleshed it out for an admirably close port... two years after the game originally released elsewhere and on the day its direct sequel came out (still waiting on that one, by the way).
This time around, Treyarch has topped Reflex in feature parity with the Wii version of Black Ops, plopping the most robust multiplayer suite the Wii has yet seen in a shooter with virtually every feature intact in some capacity. And yes, that includes zombie Nazis.
Regardless of platform, Black Ops is Treyarch's chance to rid itself of the Call of Duty "off-year" label it's been stuck with, and it does so splendidly by way of one of, if not the, best campaign stories the series has ever had and clever new additions to the franchise's stagnating multiplayer formula.
Black Ops is set against the backdrop of the Cold War, starting with an American assassination attempt on Fidel Castro during the Bay of Pigs and a subsequent tour through the Vietnam War among other locales. Unlike past games where the story weaved between American, British and Russian forces, Black Ops largely focuses on one man: special forces operative Alex Mason. The story unfolds through a series of flashbacks as Mason is interrogated by unknown persons, mostly following his exploits as well as a handful of supporting characters. While the action is still fairly bombastic, Treyarch does a better job than Infinity Ward at creating a believable action movie plot — especially after the ridiculous black holes of Modern Warfare 2's script. The entire single-player package buys into the setting wholesale; even the little things, like intel collected in stages to restore text redacted from classified documents, do a lot to sell the story.
Series veterans will find that Black Ops plays by and large just like every other Call of Duty game, with tons of scripted events and action sequences that play out in the way for which the series is known and copied. The biggest addition to the campaign is a helicopter that appears during the Vietnam section, so if you've tired of Call of Duty gameplay and brand of action then you'll not find much new here to convince you otherwise. If you're not, you'll find plenty to love.
And if you're here for the multiplayer (which, let's face it, you probably are), you'll likely find something new to love among the wealth of additions. The biggest fundamental change is related to unlocking weapons, perks and equipment: the new CoD Point currency. Instead of being automatically added to your arsenal at specific stages, items are now made available at certain levels and must be purchased with CoD Points for use. This allows you to buy only what you want to use and build up a character suitable to your own play style much quicker than before, but on the flipside it kills some of the incentive to level up further once you're able to buy the equipment you want. Better weapons and perks unlock the higher you go, but if you don't have your heart set on them then you might peak equipment-wise earlier than you otherwise would. For those in need of some practise and tips for multiplayer, there's a separate training mode to help you learn the ropes and not get crushed online if this is your first Call of Duty game.
Apart from normal gameplay, you can boost your CoD Point earnings through Contracts or Wager Matches. Contracts are a great way to add a little extra excitement to your matches: each contract costs a certain amount of Points and if you complete the given task in the time limit given (say, get 25 kills with a certain weapon in 40 minutes of in-match time) you're rewarded with many more Points and even an XP bonus depending on the contract. If you fail to complete the task, then you've lost those Points you invested. Available contracts cycle every few hours so there's usually something new for you to attempt. Wager Matches are new buy-in match types that reward winners with extra Points. Our favourite is One in the Chamber, an intense six-player game of three lives and one-shot kills — the twist is that every player gets a pistol with one bullet, and to get more ammo you need to kill another player.
If you're more of the cooperative type then you can head online (or play offline by yourself) for the popular four-player Zombies mode making its first appearance on Wii. Here you'll need to work together to take out never-ending waves of time-travelling undead Nazis while buying new weapons, rebuilding barricades and generally shooting a lot of things. While welcome, it's a bit disappointing that Wii gamers only get one Zombies map on the disc, but Treyarch's promise of downloadable content through the Wii Shop Channel means that more may come down the line.
Another nice thing about the online modes is that they essentially sidestep all of the things that have given Wii multiplayer a bad name. Friend requests can be made in lobbies without having to send Ally Codes, and you don't have to punch in a 12-digit number to talk to anyone if you use the new Headbanger Headset. Wii Speak owners are out of luck, though, as Black Ops doesn't support that mic. In short, the online experience on Wii is as close as can be to other platforms.
That being said, not all is equal. There are still no killcams, and matches being limited to five on five means that some of the maps feel much too large. A handful of new killstreaks were nixed, as were custom emblems on weapons. Treyarch put in Classic Controller support, and it feels for the most part just the same using a pad scheme on other consoles, although button layout isn't entirely 1:1 due to the lack of clickable analogue sticks — sprint and jump share a button and melee replaces weapon switching, which is now done on the D-Pad. It's still perfectly playable once you're used to it, and pointer players will be happy to learn that those controls feel rock solid with the same degree of customisation as before.
Weapons and explosions sound powerful, and the voice cast puts in generally strong performances. Alex Mason is voiced by Sam Worthington and sounds pretty much like every other role Worthington has ever played. Modern Warfare Reflex did an admirable job downscaling the HD game to the Wii's lesser hardware, and Black Ops is a further step above. Shading and particle effects seem to have gotten a boost and the world looks quite nice running on Wii hardware, although the framerate dips a bit during certain scenes. There are some noticeable cut corners here and there, but nothing that detracts too much. It doesn't look as good as GoldenEye 007, but then again Black Ops wasn't developed with the Wii's strengths in mind.
Conclusion
Thanks to an excessively robust feature suite and developers not treating the console with kid gloves, you're not going to find a finer online multiplayer shooter on Wii than Call of Duty: Black Ops. Solo players looking for an action-packed romp with a strong story will have a grand ol' time digging in to the game's eight-ish hour campaign, and anyone in between will lose hours cracking zombies over the head. Black Ops on Wii may not be the best version of the game out there, but for the console it is unparalleled.
But oh, how far Wii've come from the barebones launch port of Call of Duty 3, with each successive entry bridging the feature gap. World at War brought a limited online multiplayer component, and Modern Warfare Reflex fleshed it out for an admirably close port... two years after the game originally released elsewhere and on the day its direct sequel came out (still waiting on that one, by the way).
This time around, Treyarch has topped Reflex in feature parity with the Wii version of Black Ops, plopping the most robust multiplayer suite the Wii has yet seen in a shooter with virtually every feature intact in some capacity. And yes, that includes zombie Nazis.
Regardless of platform, Black Ops is Treyarch's chance to rid itself of the Call of Duty "off-year" label it's been stuck with, and it does so splendidly by way of one of, if not the, best campaign stories the series has ever had and clever new additions to the franchise's stagnating multiplayer formula.
Black Ops is set against the backdrop of the Cold War, starting with an American assassination attempt on Fidel Castro during the Bay of Pigs and a subsequent tour through the Vietnam War among other locales. Unlike past games where the story weaved between American, British and Russian forces, Black Ops largely focuses on one man: special forces operative Alex Mason. The story unfolds through a series of flashbacks as Mason is interrogated by unknown persons, mostly following his exploits as well as a handful of supporting characters. While the action is still fairly bombastic, Treyarch does a better job than Infinity Ward at creating a believable action movie plot — especially after the ridiculous black holes of Modern Warfare 2's script. The entire single-player package buys into the setting wholesale; even the little things, like intel collected in stages to restore text redacted from classified documents, do a lot to sell the story.
Series veterans will find that Black Ops plays by and large just like every other Call of Duty game, with tons of scripted events and action sequences that play out in the way for which the series is known and copied. The biggest addition to the campaign is a helicopter that appears during the Vietnam section, so if you've tired of Call of Duty gameplay and brand of action then you'll not find much new here to convince you otherwise. If you're not, you'll find plenty to love.
And if you're here for the multiplayer (which, let's face it, you probably are), you'll likely find something new to love among the wealth of additions. The biggest fundamental change is related to unlocking weapons, perks and equipment: the new CoD Point currency. Instead of being automatically added to your arsenal at specific stages, items are now made available at certain levels and must be purchased with CoD Points for use. This allows you to buy only what you want to use and build up a character suitable to your own play style much quicker than before, but on the flipside it kills some of the incentive to level up further once you're able to buy the equipment you want. Better weapons and perks unlock the higher you go, but if you don't have your heart set on them then you might peak equipment-wise earlier than you otherwise would. For those in need of some practise and tips for multiplayer, there's a separate training mode to help you learn the ropes and not get crushed online if this is your first Call of Duty game.
Apart from normal gameplay, you can boost your CoD Point earnings through Contracts or Wager Matches. Contracts are a great way to add a little extra excitement to your matches: each contract costs a certain amount of Points and if you complete the given task in the time limit given (say, get 25 kills with a certain weapon in 40 minutes of in-match time) you're rewarded with many more Points and even an XP bonus depending on the contract. If you fail to complete the task, then you've lost those Points you invested. Available contracts cycle every few hours so there's usually something new for you to attempt. Wager Matches are new buy-in match types that reward winners with extra Points. Our favourite is One in the Chamber, an intense six-player game of three lives and one-shot kills — the twist is that every player gets a pistol with one bullet, and to get more ammo you need to kill another player.
If you're more of the cooperative type then you can head online (or play offline by yourself) for the popular four-player Zombies mode making its first appearance on Wii. Here you'll need to work together to take out never-ending waves of time-travelling undead Nazis while buying new weapons, rebuilding barricades and generally shooting a lot of things. While welcome, it's a bit disappointing that Wii gamers only get one Zombies map on the disc, but Treyarch's promise of downloadable content through the Wii Shop Channel means that more may come down the line.
Another nice thing about the online modes is that they essentially sidestep all of the things that have given Wii multiplayer a bad name. Friend requests can be made in lobbies without having to send Ally Codes, and you don't have to punch in a 12-digit number to talk to anyone if you use the new Headbanger Headset. Wii Speak owners are out of luck, though, as Black Ops doesn't support that mic. In short, the online experience on Wii is as close as can be to other platforms.
That being said, not all is equal. There are still no killcams, and matches being limited to five on five means that some of the maps feel much too large. A handful of new killstreaks were nixed, as were custom emblems on weapons. Treyarch put in Classic Controller support, and it feels for the most part just the same using a pad scheme on other consoles, although button layout isn't entirely 1:1 due to the lack of clickable analogue sticks — sprint and jump share a button and melee replaces weapon switching, which is now done on the D-Pad. It's still perfectly playable once you're used to it, and pointer players will be happy to learn that those controls feel rock solid with the same degree of customisation as before.
Weapons and explosions sound powerful, and the voice cast puts in generally strong performances. Alex Mason is voiced by Sam Worthington and sounds pretty much like every other role Worthington has ever played. Modern Warfare Reflex did an admirable job downscaling the HD game to the Wii's lesser hardware, and Black Ops is a further step above. Shading and particle effects seem to have gotten a boost and the world looks quite nice running on Wii hardware, although the framerate dips a bit during certain scenes. There are some noticeable cut corners here and there, but nothing that detracts too much. It doesn't look as good as GoldenEye 007, but then again Black Ops wasn't developed with the Wii's strengths in mind.
Conclusion
Thanks to an excessively robust feature suite and developers not treating the console with kid gloves, you're not going to find a finer online multiplayer shooter on Wii than Call of Duty: Black Ops. Solo players looking for an action-packed romp with a strong story will have a grand ol' time digging in to the game's eight-ish hour campaign, and anyone in between will lose hours cracking zombies over the head. Black Ops on Wii may not be the best version of the game out there, but for the console it is unparalleled.
Sunday 14 November 2010
Nintendo to think about Wii 2 after existing Wii reaches installed base of 45 million
In an interview with Kotaku, Nintendo America Reggie Flis-Aime said that they would start talking about the next generation of the Wii, once the installed base of the games console reaches 45 million in the United States.
The Nintendo Wii 2, the next generation of the games console Wii, has remained a hot topic of conversation in the gaming media over the last few months. The sales of Nintendo Wii are now slowing down as the games console is reaching its saturation point in the market.
Speaking to Kotaku, Reggie Flis-Aime said, “After we’ve reached an installed base of 45 million here in the U. S., we can have a conversation about the next generation. “
He claimed that Nintendo Wii sold 23 per cent faster than PlayStation 2, and added that Wii has many, many more units to offer.
He further claimed that the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii games consoles were running in the first and second place in the United States, with installed bases of 43.1 million and 30.4 million, respectively.
The Nintendo Wii 2, the next generation of the games console Wii, has remained a hot topic of conversation in the gaming media over the last few months. The sales of Nintendo Wii are now slowing down as the games console is reaching its saturation point in the market.
Speaking to Kotaku, Reggie Flis-Aime said, “After we’ve reached an installed base of 45 million here in the U. S., we can have a conversation about the next generation. “
He claimed that Nintendo Wii sold 23 per cent faster than PlayStation 2, and added that Wii has many, many more units to offer.
He further claimed that the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii games consoles were running in the first and second place in the United States, with installed bases of 43.1 million and 30.4 million, respectively.
Wednesday 10 November 2010
Friday 5 November 2010
Call of Duty: Black Ops Wii Gets New Details, Will Feature Zombie Co-Op
Call of Duty: Black Ops on the Nintendo Wii has just been detailed by its senior producer, and it seems that the version will have almost all of the features seen in the full pledged PC, PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 editions, including multiplayer, co-operative missions and the special Zombies mode
couple of big leaks happened this week concerning Call of Duty: Black Ops on the high definition platforms, one detailing the co-op Zombies mode and the other the Dead Ops arcade co-op mode.
Now, Activision decided to throw in a few official details about the Wii version, through the voice of Anna Donlon, the senior producer for this specific version of Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Donlon revealed that the Wii version of the highly anticipated shooter will be a full pledged title, with a complete single-player mode, 5v5 multiplayer and co-operative modes, including the Zombies one.
"We're giving the fans the full single-player storyline, with huge maps and an amazing story that I think will really blow them away," she said. "We're also back with 5v5 multiplayer, all maps and all game modes, including the newly introduced Wager Matches and Contracts."
According to Donlon, Treyarch pulled out the stops for the online modes, too. "We pushed things a little harder this year, and can now confirm that the Wii version will have online Co-Op. We're doing this through Black Ops' new Combat Training mode and of course... zombies. That's right, 4-player Co-Op Zombies will have its debut on the Wii this year."
Besides all of these new great features, the Treyarch executive also revealed that headset support will be included for all online modes, thanks to the Headbanger headset, as well as support for the Classic Controller Pro, for those that don't want to use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk in the game.
Those that are fearing that the multiplayer modes in Black Ops for the Wii will require them to input friend codes over and over again needn't worry, as a new Allies system has been implemented.
"We've created a new "Allies" system that allows you to invite recent players to be your allies for text messaging, game invites and more without a need for code exchanges. We have more player customization in Create a Class than ever before and we have enhanced party privacy options for players who want to set up their private matches with a little more control over who they allow in."
It seems that Call of Duty: Black Ops will be offering a great experience no matter the platform.
couple of big leaks happened this week concerning Call of Duty: Black Ops on the high definition platforms, one detailing the co-op Zombies mode and the other the Dead Ops arcade co-op mode.
Now, Activision decided to throw in a few official details about the Wii version, through the voice of Anna Donlon, the senior producer for this specific version of Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Donlon revealed that the Wii version of the highly anticipated shooter will be a full pledged title, with a complete single-player mode, 5v5 multiplayer and co-operative modes, including the Zombies one.
"We're giving the fans the full single-player storyline, with huge maps and an amazing story that I think will really blow them away," she said. "We're also back with 5v5 multiplayer, all maps and all game modes, including the newly introduced Wager Matches and Contracts."
According to Donlon, Treyarch pulled out the stops for the online modes, too. "We pushed things a little harder this year, and can now confirm that the Wii version will have online Co-Op. We're doing this through Black Ops' new Combat Training mode and of course... zombies. That's right, 4-player Co-Op Zombies will have its debut on the Wii this year."
Besides all of these new great features, the Treyarch executive also revealed that headset support will be included for all online modes, thanks to the Headbanger headset, as well as support for the Classic Controller Pro, for those that don't want to use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk in the game.
Those that are fearing that the multiplayer modes in Black Ops for the Wii will require them to input friend codes over and over again needn't worry, as a new Allies system has been implemented.
"We've created a new "Allies" system that allows you to invite recent players to be your allies for text messaging, game invites and more without a need for code exchanges. We have more player customization in Create a Class than ever before and we have enhanced party privacy options for players who want to set up their private matches with a little more control over who they allow in."
It seems that Call of Duty: Black Ops will be offering a great experience no matter the platform.
Tuesday 2 November 2010
GoldenEye 007 Wii launch trailer
Finally! After years of so-so Bond efforts, Virtual Console let-downs and shit, shameless rip-offs, proper GoldenEye is with us and, as we listen to the original N64 soundtrack on YouTube the very minute, we bring you the below launch trailer.
LOOK! It's that dam section. Ooh, and there's the new Surface level. Oh, and there's... just watch it. It's Daniel Craig's face instead of the blatantly slicker, more Bond-like Pierce Brosnan, but only in cutscenes - it's an FPS game. We can deal with that.
LOOK! It's that dam section. Ooh, and there's the new Surface level. Oh, and there's... just watch it. It's Daniel Craig's face instead of the blatantly slicker, more Bond-like Pierce Brosnan, but only in cutscenes - it's an FPS game. We can deal with that.
Friday 29 October 2010
Just Dance 3 to Land "Holiday 2011"
Have you been enjoying the recently released Just Dance 2? Then you'll be pleased to know that we've learned from an anonymous source that Ubisoft is already working on the follow-up, Just Dance 3, set for release in the holiday season of 2011.The game has been in planning since before Just Dance 2 was released, something that's not surprising given the astounding financial success of the original Just Dance.
You can commence discussion of how excited you are by this exclusive announcement... now
Monday 25 October 2010
GoldenEye will make a killing
Activision thinks upcoming FPS can be one of the year's best-sellers on Wii
Move over Mario – James Bond is going to be the top dog on Wii this year.
Activision claims the new GoldenEye will rival hits like Mario Galaxy 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Wii Party, Donkey Kong and Epic Mickey.
“Our expectations are that GoldenEye 007 will be one of the best-selling games for the year on the Wii,” said David Tyler, general manager for the firm’s Licensed Business Unit.
GoldenEye 007 is a re-imagining of the film and the classic N64 game, which includes new sections, modes and gameplay. It will be available as a standalone game or bundled with a gold Classic Controller Pro on Wii.
Actor Daniel Craig has lent his likeness to the game, which mark Bond’s return to video games.
Move over Mario – James Bond is going to be the top dog on Wii this year.
Activision claims the new GoldenEye will rival hits like Mario Galaxy 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Wii Party, Donkey Kong and Epic Mickey.
“Our expectations are that GoldenEye 007 will be one of the best-selling games for the year on the Wii,” said David Tyler, general manager for the firm’s Licensed Business Unit.
GoldenEye 007 is a re-imagining of the film and the classic N64 game, which includes new sections, modes and gameplay. It will be available as a standalone game or bundled with a gold Classic Controller Pro on Wii.
Actor Daniel Craig has lent his likeness to the game, which mark Bond’s return to video games.
Wednesday 20 October 2010
Netflix Brings Disc-Free streaming
Netflix announced Tuesday that it is bringing disc-free online movies and TV shows to Nintendo’s Wii and Sony’s PlayStation 3.
“The availability of Netflix right on the Wii menu adds significantly to the ease and convenience that attracts our members to the Netflix streaming experience and is an important step in our efforts to continuously improve the service,” said Reed Hastings, CEO of Los Gatos-based Netflix.
Netflix plans are available to subscribers who will pay at $8.99 a month or more. In addition to the usual games, the online streaming service also works on computers and mobile devices including Apple’s iPad.
The new Netflix app can be freely downloaded by subscribers through the Wiimote and consumers must sign up for a plan to stream Netflix content on any device.
“The availability of Netflix right on the Wii menu adds significantly to the ease and convenience that attracts our members to the Netflix streaming experience and is an important step in our efforts to continuously improve the service,” said Reed Hastings, CEO of Los Gatos-based Netflix.
Netflix plans are available to subscribers who will pay at $8.99 a month or more. In addition to the usual games, the online streaming service also works on computers and mobile devices including Apple’s iPad.
The new Netflix app can be freely downloaded by subscribers through the Wiimote and consumers must sign up for a plan to stream Netflix content on any device.
Saturday 16 October 2010
Conduit 2, New Release Date Announced With First Trailer
Sega has announced that Conduit 2, the sequel to the Wii-exclusive first person shooter from 2009, will be released in February 2011.
High Voltage Software are once again handling the development duties and the game will be remaining a Wii-exclusive project. The title was originally due this autumn, but the developers claim that feedback at trade shows has lead to many "new ideas" being added - we can expect additional modes, weapons and boss fights.
Despite the delay, a first trailer for the game has been released. Click below to watch.
High Voltage Software are once again handling the development duties and the game will be remaining a Wii-exclusive project. The title was originally due this autumn, but the developers claim that feedback at trade shows has lead to many "new ideas" being added - we can expect additional modes, weapons and boss fights.
Despite the delay, a first trailer for the game has been released. Click below to watch.
Wednesday 13 October 2010
PDP introduces headset for Wii's Call of Duty: Black Ops
Yes, you'll be able to play the Wii version of Call of Duty: Black Ops online and even use voice chat, if you happen to have the proper equipment. To that end, PDP has announced the $25 "Headbanger Headset."Conveniently, PDP is releasing the headset on November 9, timed with the release of the game. It'll be available in white, or in a "limited edition" Call of Duty: Black Ops version -- meaning: in black with the game's logo printed on it. That way, when someone asks you what you're playing, you can simply point at the side of your head, without the need for more conversation; which is good, because nobody would want to talk to you after that.
Saturday 9 October 2010
PES 2010 Wii
Konami are back with the annual installment of popular football sim Pro Evolution Soccer. See how the Wii version looks in action.
Aside from the usual improvements and refinements, players will also be able to take on the classic approach that mirrors its HD brothers or continue to dabble with Wii remote and nun-chuck innovation. Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 is out this Friday in the UK, and is available on multiple consoles including Wii.
Aside from the usual improvements and refinements, players will also be able to take on the classic approach that mirrors its HD brothers or continue to dabble with Wii remote and nun-chuck innovation. Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 is out this Friday in the UK, and is available on multiple consoles including Wii.
Wednesday 6 October 2010
Thursday 30 September 2010
Nintendo conference reveals 3DS, Wii and DS secrets
Nintendo yesterday announced that the new 3DS portable console would go on sale in Japan on 26th February, with a Western release date sometime in March. The Japanese price tag is ¥25,000 (£189) - although there's likely to be some mark up in price from there to here.
With all the information coming through Nintendo's Japanese headquarters it's been difficult to keep up with (and translate) everything, but you should find this video of all the top titles speaks for itself.
There's also a second video on Nintendo's Japanese website that illustrates some of the built-in features (except of course the 3D effect, which is impossible to replicate without an actual 3DS in front of you).
One feature not mentioned in the video is the ability to transfer your downloaded games from a DSi or DSi XL to the 3DS (the 3DS is backwards compatible with all DS cartridges as well). This option was notable by its absence in previous Nintendo portables, which meant your downloads were tied to the console you bought - not a moveable online account.
The bad news is Nintendo are warning that not all downloads will be moveable and there will be a limit on the number of times you can transfer them.
But while Nintendo still doesn't seem to entirely grasp the whole online thing they do appear keen on the concept of augmented reality games (things like Start The Party! and Invizimals where computer-generated graphics are superimposed on a camera view of the world around you). In fact they're releasing something called AR Games for the 3DS, although they haven't yet provided any real details.
The 3DS can also use QR codes (the square next gen barcodes that Japan has been obsessed with for years) and Nintendo has already been illustrating this with collectible cards that feature a code that when scanned unlocks new items or features.
In terms of actual new games though, the biggest news remains Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D and Mega Man Legends 3 Project from Capcom.
As for non-3DS news Nintendo did have a few announcements to make. The Wii will be getting its first taste of the surreal music game Rhythm Paradise, as well as a new entry in the Project Zero (aka Fatal Frame) survival horror series.
There's some confusion over what exactly the latter is, especially as Nintendo refused to release Fatal Frame IV: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse in the West. The early screenshots suggest the new game may simply be a remake of Project Zero II on the PlayStation 2/Xbox.
Finally, Wii exclusive role-playing game The Last Story, from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, will be released on 27th January in Japan - although that probably says little about any potential European release date.
The only announcements for the Nintendo DS were a new Kirby game, where you get to control up to 10 of the little pink blobs at once, and a typing game called Battle & Get: Pokémon Typing DS - which comes bundled with its own wireless keyboard.
With all the information coming through Nintendo's Japanese headquarters it's been difficult to keep up with (and translate) everything, but you should find this video of all the top titles speaks for itself.
There's also a second video on Nintendo's Japanese website that illustrates some of the built-in features (except of course the 3D effect, which is impossible to replicate without an actual 3DS in front of you).
One feature not mentioned in the video is the ability to transfer your downloaded games from a DSi or DSi XL to the 3DS (the 3DS is backwards compatible with all DS cartridges as well). This option was notable by its absence in previous Nintendo portables, which meant your downloads were tied to the console you bought - not a moveable online account.
The bad news is Nintendo are warning that not all downloads will be moveable and there will be a limit on the number of times you can transfer them.
But while Nintendo still doesn't seem to entirely grasp the whole online thing they do appear keen on the concept of augmented reality games (things like Start The Party! and Invizimals where computer-generated graphics are superimposed on a camera view of the world around you). In fact they're releasing something called AR Games for the 3DS, although they haven't yet provided any real details.
The 3DS can also use QR codes (the square next gen barcodes that Japan has been obsessed with for years) and Nintendo has already been illustrating this with collectible cards that feature a code that when scanned unlocks new items or features.
In terms of actual new games though, the biggest news remains Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D and Mega Man Legends 3 Project from Capcom.
As for non-3DS news Nintendo did have a few announcements to make. The Wii will be getting its first taste of the surreal music game Rhythm Paradise, as well as a new entry in the Project Zero (aka Fatal Frame) survival horror series.
There's some confusion over what exactly the latter is, especially as Nintendo refused to release Fatal Frame IV: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse in the West. The early screenshots suggest the new game may simply be a remake of Project Zero II on the PlayStation 2/Xbox.
Finally, Wii exclusive role-playing game The Last Story, from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, will be released on 27th January in Japan - although that probably says little about any potential European release date.
The only announcements for the Nintendo DS were a new Kirby game, where you get to control up to 10 of the little pink blobs at once, and a typing game called Battle & Get: Pokémon Typing DS - which comes bundled with its own wireless keyboard.
Tuesday 28 September 2010
You Can Stop Waiting for Worms: Battle Islands on WiiWare Now
It's been a long old time since we heard anything about Worms: Battle Islands but we were expecting it to launch on WiiWare this month. Sadly, the downloadable service just got a little duller, as THQ has announced the game is on its way to Wii as a retail release.
The game is now scheduled to release in November.
AGOURA HILLS, Calif. - Delivering an arsenal full of laughs, explosions and over-the-top turn-based strategy gameplay this November, THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced that Worms: Battle Islands is currently in development for Wii. The franchise that has sold more than 25 million units at retail over its lifetime and provided countless hours of strategy fun returns with classic Worms gameplay, all-new extensive online multiplayer support, customizable weapons and environments to blow to bits. Worms: Battle Islands is being published through the THQ Partners program.
About Worms: Battle Islands
Rally your worm troops, plot to defeat your enemies and battle your way through 30 single-player campaign mode missions, 30 brain teasing single-player Puzzle challenges and five different multiplayer game modes on or offline as you fight to take control of a secret island Worms™ base. Packed with more than 40 different in-game weapons and utilities, a deep customization tool set that allows users to personalize their Worms appearance and create their own weapons of mass destruction in the weapon factory, Worms: Battle Islands will quench all gamers thirst for ammo and destruction.
The game is now scheduled to release in November.
AGOURA HILLS, Calif. - Delivering an arsenal full of laughs, explosions and over-the-top turn-based strategy gameplay this November, THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced that Worms: Battle Islands is currently in development for Wii. The franchise that has sold more than 25 million units at retail over its lifetime and provided countless hours of strategy fun returns with classic Worms gameplay, all-new extensive online multiplayer support, customizable weapons and environments to blow to bits. Worms: Battle Islands is being published through the THQ Partners program.
About Worms: Battle Islands
Rally your worm troops, plot to defeat your enemies and battle your way through 30 single-player campaign mode missions, 30 brain teasing single-player Puzzle challenges and five different multiplayer game modes on or offline as you fight to take control of a secret island Worms™ base. Packed with more than 40 different in-game weapons and utilities, a deep customization tool set that allows users to personalize their Worms appearance and create their own weapons of mass destruction in the weapon factory, Worms: Battle Islands will quench all gamers thirst for ammo and destruction.
Thursday 23 September 2010
Monday 20 September 2010
Itagaki Makes Curious Remark about Nintendo's Next Console
Wii is approaching its fourth birthday across the world, with no announced successor currently on the horizon. We know it's in development but there's been no clue as to its form or any such thing. So when an industry figure such as Tomonobu Itagaki, former head of Team Ninja, makes cryptic comments about the company's next home console it makes interesting reading.
Itagaki, whose new game Devil's Third was shown off at this year's Tokyo Game Show, spoke about how the game's technology was scalable so it could be brought across to other platforms. When quizzed if this meant 3DS, Itagaki responded cryptically:
More than that, although I can't say this easily because I don't have any information, it's possible that Nintendo could release a higher end console. Something like that.
Whilst admittedly there's precious little information there – it's a little more than possible that Nintendo will release a higher-end console – for a developer such as Itagaki to be developing his latest game with one eye on the future console is perhaps a hint it's on the way sooner than some might believe. Or he genuinely has no information and is just speculating, or possibly a combination of both. We'll have to wait and see.
Itagaki, whose new game Devil's Third was shown off at this year's Tokyo Game Show, spoke about how the game's technology was scalable so it could be brought across to other platforms. When quizzed if this meant 3DS, Itagaki responded cryptically:
More than that, although I can't say this easily because I don't have any information, it's possible that Nintendo could release a higher end console. Something like that.
Whilst admittedly there's precious little information there – it's a little more than possible that Nintendo will release a higher-end console – for a developer such as Itagaki to be developing his latest game with one eye on the future console is perhaps a hint it's on the way sooner than some might believe. Or he genuinely has no information and is just speculating, or possibly a combination of both. We'll have to wait and see.
Friday 17 September 2010
GoldenEye Online to Keep You Addicted with Killstreaks, Perks and More
Ah, Activision: we should have known you'd come up with this. Whilst its Call of Duty series continues to devour gaming hours like nobody's business, the publisher has taken some of the series' winning elements and slotted them neatly into upcoming Bond 'em up GoldenEye.
Not only will the game feature an online experience system opening up new perks and killstreaks as you level up, there's also online-only game types including GoldenEye Control, an objective-based scenario that tasks you with nabbing several stations in order to fire the titular laser into your opponents' base. If that doesn't sound like your idea of a good time, perhaps this isn't the game for you.
Anyone wanting to play offline will still be able to have a good old knees-up, with Melee Only channelling the classic slap-happy game type, plus Golden Gun offering one-hit kills to anyone sharp enough to nab the eponymous firearm. Developer Eurocom is promising 17 different modifiers, including Invisibility, Tag Mode and Paintball as well as 50 characters to choose from, hopefully paving the way for plenty of split-screen gaming goodness.
Not only will the game feature an online experience system opening up new perks and killstreaks as you level up, there's also online-only game types including GoldenEye Control, an objective-based scenario that tasks you with nabbing several stations in order to fire the titular laser into your opponents' base. If that doesn't sound like your idea of a good time, perhaps this isn't the game for you.
Anyone wanting to play offline will still be able to have a good old knees-up, with Melee Only channelling the classic slap-happy game type, plus Golden Gun offering one-hit kills to anyone sharp enough to nab the eponymous firearm. Developer Eurocom is promising 17 different modifiers, including Invisibility, Tag Mode and Paintball as well as 50 characters to choose from, hopefully paving the way for plenty of split-screen gaming goodness.
Monday 13 September 2010
GoldenEye 007: Blowing Up Helicopters and Jungle Fever
Sometimes, James Bond sneaks into a hostile situation without being detected, noiselessly disposing foes wherever he goes. And other times, the secret agent feels like tearing down an entire city in his wake.Graham Hagmaier, a producer at Activision, explained that giving the player options in the way Bond tackles a level was one of the main goals for the project.
“One of the big keys [for developer Eurocom] in regard to game design is player choice,” said Hagmaier. “[The game] has multiple routes through areas, so you can take the stealthier route and kind of use close-quarter combat — such as takedowns. Or you can go in guns-a-blazing — American style, as I like to call it — and just firefight and take out enemies.”
Nintendojo reported a new level starts with Bond, in a tank, chasing an automobile. You can hear Daniel Craig as Bond in a voice over, detailing the events happening. Craig’s performance sounds top-notch, equivalent to something straight from a movie. But before you hear too much from 007, a helicopter blows a bridge sky high, leaving you without a tank and a lot of ground to catch up.
The pursuit that follows displays the impressive visuals for the game. The tank smashes everything in sight, like cars and enemy trucks. Even better, the armored vehicle blasts through cement pillars underneath buildings throughout the level. But that’s not all. Huge skyscrapers and buildings tumble down, blanketing the ground with dust and rubble. The effects are pretty stunning, and the frame rate seems to hold steady.
The cause of this destruction rests with an army of trucks and helicopters attempting to stop Bond in his tracks. The whirlybirds flutter above in the sky, launching missiles at the secret agent. The missiles display realistic smoke trails, and then boom, spectacular fire explosions. Once again, the graphics are definitely something to talk about.
As for destroying these enemies, you have the tank at your disposal. You primarily keep your foot on the gas moving forward with the control stick, with the right analog stick navigating your reticule (with missiles and a submachine gun). Obviously, the game was demoed, once again, with the Classic Controller Pro.
GoldenEye 007’s single player campaign looks to be a pretty spectacular experience. The level showcased some memorable and stunning scenes, as well as capture the Bond feel and look. The developer Eurocom seems to be on the right track with James Bond’s adventure for Wii.
Friday 10 September 2010
Wii Party Preview
Mario had a good run. After nearly a dozen games in the Mario Party series across the Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, and Wii, Nintendo's giving the plumber a break and putting its Mii avatars to work for the latest collection of four player mini-games. The Japanese version's been available for a few weeks now, but Wii Party is yet to release in North America & will hit shelves on October 4th.Wii Party features 13 game modes that utilize approximately 80 different minigames that pit as many as four players against each other in both videogame challenges as well as physical competitions that use the Wii remotes in unique fashion.
Just like Mario Party, Wii Party's core experience is in a board game presentation. Roll the dice, walk the path, land on a space, and compete in a randomly selected mini-game. Unlike Mario Party, however, there's really only one board game map on this island – it resembles WuHu Island from Wii Sports Resort but officially the place has nothing to do with that location. For a little board game variety, there's another mode called Glob Trot where you'll wander around the entire world competing against other opponents instead of just a single volcano-and-dinosaur infested island in the middle of nowhere.
Tuesday 7 September 2010
Nintendo's Next Console Will Leave You With Your Mouth Open
Is your mouth open? If it's closed, watch out, because Nintendo's next console will make you all slack jawed. But relax, we're a few years off. Go ahead, shut your yapper.
Whether it's been portables, controllers or even 3D, Nintendo has been a trailblazer. And according to Metroid co-creator Yoshio Sakamoto, that doesn't look like it will stop any time soon.
"At Nintendo we always have the obligation to surprise users with a new game console," Sakamoto told website 3D Juegos in a recent interview. "We have never done what others have. We prefer to create something new that catches attention, and I think this will continue this time as well. Surely the new Nintendo machine will leave you all with your mouth open."
Last year, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata stressed the importance of surprising people with the new Nintendo console — more importantly, Iwata mentioned how it was important for Nintendo to include "meaningful" surprises for consumers. "As for timing," Iwata said at the time, "it may be three years from now, five years from now or eight years from now."
Whether it's been portables, controllers or even 3D, Nintendo has been a trailblazer. And according to Metroid co-creator Yoshio Sakamoto, that doesn't look like it will stop any time soon.
"At Nintendo we always have the obligation to surprise users with a new game console," Sakamoto told website 3D Juegos in a recent interview. "We have never done what others have. We prefer to create something new that catches attention, and I think this will continue this time as well. Surely the new Nintendo machine will leave you all with your mouth open."
Last year, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata stressed the importance of surprising people with the new Nintendo console — more importantly, Iwata mentioned how it was important for Nintendo to include "meaningful" surprises for consumers. "As for timing," Iwata said at the time, "it may be three years from now, five years from now or eight years from now."
Sunday 5 September 2010
The Conduit 2 Delayed till 2011, Classic Controller Compatible
SEGA have confirmed that the upcoming sequel to High Voltage's alien shooter will be touching down in Q1 2011.
The second attempt at cracking the fairly sparse Wii FPS market was originally set to invade in November this year, but has been pushed into the early months of 2011 for unknown reasons.
It's highly likely though with Goldeneye 007 pumping bullets before Christmas, and around the same time as the original Conduit 2 launch, that SEGA felt it would be more appropriate to release the new game once the nostalgia dust has settled slightly.
According to Nintendojo, there's also been confirmation of Classic Controller (Pro) support for multiplayer, in addition to the regular Wii Remote and nunchuck.
The second attempt at cracking the fairly sparse Wii FPS market was originally set to invade in November this year, but has been pushed into the early months of 2011 for unknown reasons.
It's highly likely though with Goldeneye 007 pumping bullets before Christmas, and around the same time as the original Conduit 2 launch, that SEGA felt it would be more appropriate to release the new game once the nostalgia dust has settled slightly.
According to Nintendojo, there's also been confirmation of Classic Controller (Pro) support for multiplayer, in addition to the regular Wii Remote and nunchuck.
Thursday 2 September 2010
Call of duty Black Ops - Gameplay & New Gamemode
Call of Duty: Black Ops - Wager Match Trailer
Call of Duty: Black Ops Multiplayer Gameplay
Friday 27 August 2010
Nintendo Lays Out PAX Showing
As many of you already know, the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) is coming up September 3rd - 5th in Seattle, WA and Nintendo is gearing up for the show by releasing a list of titles that will be playable during the expo.The majority of the games to be shown by Nintendo were recently on display at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles, but PAX marks the first time these titles will be available for play by consumers. There will also be a brand new WiiWare title called Fluidity on display as well.
Donkey Kong Country Returns, Kirby's Epic Yarn, GoldenEye 007, and NBA Jam highlight the selection of Wii titles available for play, although this curiously omits the much-anticipated DS RPG Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, not to mention Nintendo's brand new 3DS handheld system.
Tuesday 24 August 2010
3DS Unlikely to Feature Achievements System
After the 3DS's big reveal at E3 this year, a series of videos hit the 'net showing various developers and publishers talking about how exciting the machine was for them. One such video featured EA's Ryan Stradling, who spoke about the 3DS's online features including the potential for an Xbox 360-style Achievements system. Now German website PlanetDS.de has broken the news that such a feature is unlikely.Nintendo's Harald Ebert told the site during Gamescom that the console will likely not have a global Achievement system, though no other information was forthcoming. Ebert also confirmed again that the machine's visual styling is still to be decided and could change between now and launch, with Capcom recently stating that the final D-Pad will be different.
Would you be pleased or disappointed if the 3DS launched without Achievements?
Sunday 22 August 2010
Only 3DS able to handle Super Street Fighter IV
If you’re waiting for Super Street Fighter IV for the PSP or the DS, looks like you might be waiting a while.Capcom has revealed that due to the spec needed for Super Street Fighter IV, current handheld portable systems such as the DS or PSP wouldn’t be able to do the game justice, so the game will only be released for the 3DS.
The new 3DS’s wireless capabilities also influenced the decision, as one of the game’s most important features is said to be communicating with other players in multiplayer matches online.
However, Capcom producer Yashinori Ono stated that 3D would not be a main staple of Super Street Fighter IV’s gameplay, although it could be used for some of the game’s visual effects.
Other snippets of information include the fact that the gameplay will be the same as Super Street Fighter IV for PlayStation 3 and Xbox360 (with only a few control changes to suit the 3DS), and that it won’t be dumbed down for a younger audience.
It’s doubtful that Super Street Fighter IV will make it out for the release of the 3DS, but Ono said that he would like to see it appear on the shelves shortly after its release into the arcade.
Friday 20 August 2010
New GoldenEye 007 character models revealed
Slowly, Activision is giving us eager fans new details about what to expect from their upcoming GoldenEye 007 reboot on Wii. While the N64 title featured many of the original film’s actors in the game, this new version will not. Bond is now Daniel Craig, and (at least) the voice of M will be played by Judi Dench. All the returning characters are going to look a bit different.To acclimate ourselves to the change, Activision has given us a peak at a few of the new character models. As you can tell, some characters like Natalya Simonova look similar to the original actress, while Xenia Onatopp looks completely different. Many more characters images are to be unlocked soon.
Sunday 15 August 2010
New Nintendo Wii 2 Launching in 2011?
While the next-generation Nintendo Wii won't be featuring 3D visuals, it will offer high definition gaming - at least, according to rumours.
Originally circulating at the tail end of last year - as can be seen on sites such as Neowin - claims that the successor to the Wii would feature HD support were pervasive but unproven, but a small gaming news site has received what it claims is categorical proof.
GirlGamersSuck quotes "a bashful but reliable source" at Nintendo as confirming that not only will the Wii 2 feature support for full HD 1080p gaming - a feature present in the current-generation Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 consoles, but missing from the Wii - but will also come equipped with a Blu-ray drive for high-definition video playback.
The inclusion of Blu-ray playback is an interesting departure for Nintendo: while the current Wii has a DVD drive, it cannot play DVD videos without modification - again, the only current-generation console not to feature this capability.
If true, however, the use of a Blu-ray drive does make sense: high-definition gaming requires assets such as video and textures that take up more space, making DVDs impractical, while the use of expensive Blu-ray discs makes piracy - a big problem for the Wii - far more difficult.
So far Nintendo hasn't confirmed the rumours, but with a launch expected some time in 2011 we could be seeing the company's first foray into the high-definition world.
Originally circulating at the tail end of last year - as can be seen on sites such as Neowin - claims that the successor to the Wii would feature HD support were pervasive but unproven, but a small gaming news site has received what it claims is categorical proof.
GirlGamersSuck quotes "a bashful but reliable source" at Nintendo as confirming that not only will the Wii 2 feature support for full HD 1080p gaming - a feature present in the current-generation Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 consoles, but missing from the Wii - but will also come equipped with a Blu-ray drive for high-definition video playback.
The inclusion of Blu-ray playback is an interesting departure for Nintendo: while the current Wii has a DVD drive, it cannot play DVD videos without modification - again, the only current-generation console not to feature this capability.
If true, however, the use of a Blu-ray drive does make sense: high-definition gaming requires assets such as video and textures that take up more space, making DVDs impractical, while the use of expensive Blu-ray discs makes piracy - a big problem for the Wii - far more difficult.
So far Nintendo hasn't confirmed the rumours, but with a launch expected some time in 2011 we could be seeing the company's first foray into the high-definition world.
Friday 13 August 2010
GoldenEye 007 Wii gets a limited edition controller
Activision and Nintendo today announced that to celebrate the release of GoldenEye 007 on the Wii, they would be releasing a Classic Edition Hardware Bundle, containing the game (of course), along with a version of the Wii's Classic Controller Pro - in gold, to pay homage to the famous golden gun.Using a Classic Controller isn't the only control method open to people in GoldenEye 007 - the Wii Remote, Nunchuck and Zapper peripheral can also all be used for controlling Mr. Bond through all manner of spy related activities, if you either don't already have a classic controller, or don't want to pay the extra for the special edition. Even if it does look very nice...
The differences between the original Classic Controller and the Classic Controller Pro are very slight - the L, Lz, R and Rz (the buttons on the back) were moved from being horizontally next to each other, to being behind one another, and the wire now comes out of the top rather than the bottom. The controller grip handle things are new to the Classic Controller Pro too, making it feel more like a traditional controller (it looks a lot like the Gamecube's original control pad).
GoldenEye 007 is a remake of a classic N64 game, considered by many to be one of the finest first person shooters of all time. Based on the film of the same name, this time with Daniel Craig taking over the role of James Bond, you must outwit, outmanoeuvre and overtake an arms syndicate that threatens the world, across a number of levels inspired, or taken directly from the film - including that iconic part on the Dam, and the bit where you get to drive a tank through St. Petersburg.
And although spies usually work alone, in GoldenEye 007, you won't have to lead a lonely life, thanks to the split-screen multiplayer mode, which lets up to four player cram onto a sofa, and juke it out as a variety of classic Bond characters in split-screen - or, you can take on up to seven others online, and collect experience points to unlock awards.
GoldenEye 007 is expected to hit shelves this November, on the Wii and DS. And no, Mr. Bond - we expect you to wait patiently until the game's released!
Monday 9 August 2010
Call of Duty: Black Ops - Multiplayer Teaser
Official Multiplayer Teaser Trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Black Ops Launch To Be Activision's Biggest
The launch for Call of Duty: Black Ops is going to be huge.
Really huge.
During Activision's Q2 fiscal earnings call this afternoon, the publisher continuously emphasized how much bigger the marketing budget for this year's title will be compared to last, and highlighted the fact pre-sales continue to outpace Modern Warfare 2 from last year.
"This year's Black Ops will release on more platforms than ever before, and continues to pace ahead of last year's record setting Modern Warfare 2 in terms of per-sales and consumer awareness metrics," said Activision COO Thomas Tippl.
"The game continues to gain momentum, and based on the traction we have already established with our partners around the world, we expect Black Ops will yet again drive Call of Duty to be the entertainment event of the year."
Activision CEO Bobby Kotick also said on the call the publisher is backing Black Ops' launch with its biggest financial investment in the company's 31 year history, adding this year's title isn't just for hardcore gamers.
"This is, across the board, the biggest investment that we've ever made in the launch of a title," Kotick said. "The market opportunity is bigger than it's ever been, the install base of hardware is bigger than it's ever been, and the product has incredibly broad appeal, but it also has a whole host of functions that will be unique to the core consumer."
Kotick also said Black Ops' competition this holiday isn't just other shooters from major publishers, such as Medal of Honor or Halo: Reach, and that Activision hopes the title reaches new audiences.
"There's a lot of competition, not just from games, but from a whole host of other things you can do with your leisure time, and this is something we think has the potential to break through and appeal to a much broader consumer base than ever before," he added.
Call of Duty: Black Ops launches in North America on November 9.
Really huge.
During Activision's Q2 fiscal earnings call this afternoon, the publisher continuously emphasized how much bigger the marketing budget for this year's title will be compared to last, and highlighted the fact pre-sales continue to outpace Modern Warfare 2 from last year.
"This year's Black Ops will release on more platforms than ever before, and continues to pace ahead of last year's record setting Modern Warfare 2 in terms of per-sales and consumer awareness metrics," said Activision COO Thomas Tippl.
"The game continues to gain momentum, and based on the traction we have already established with our partners around the world, we expect Black Ops will yet again drive Call of Duty to be the entertainment event of the year."
Activision CEO Bobby Kotick also said on the call the publisher is backing Black Ops' launch with its biggest financial investment in the company's 31 year history, adding this year's title isn't just for hardcore gamers.
"This is, across the board, the biggest investment that we've ever made in the launch of a title," Kotick said. "The market opportunity is bigger than it's ever been, the install base of hardware is bigger than it's ever been, and the product has incredibly broad appeal, but it also has a whole host of functions that will be unique to the core consumer."
Kotick also said Black Ops' competition this holiday isn't just other shooters from major publishers, such as Medal of Honor or Halo: Reach, and that Activision hopes the title reaches new audiences.
"There's a lot of competition, not just from games, but from a whole host of other things you can do with your leisure time, and this is something we think has the potential to break through and appeal to a much broader consumer base than ever before," he added.
Call of Duty: Black Ops launches in North America on November 9.
Saturday 7 August 2010
Are Nintendo Preparing A Wii 1.5?
According to Screen Digest analyst Piers Harding-Rolls, Nintendo could release a Wii 1.5 before they release the Wii 2.
Talking to GamesIndustry, Harding-Rolls said…
“We expect the Wii to have a shorter lifecycle than the high definition consoles. We’re actually pitching it for an end of 2012 Japan release and the rest of world in 2013. Our forecast actually incorporates the idea that there will be an upgraded version of the Wii available. There is potentially significant movement to come from Wii pricing in the future. If you look at the handheld strategy they’ve got the DSi and the 3DS, so I think they’ve got room to have to this iterative version before a 2012 or 2013 release.”
I know that Nintendo are famous for constantly tweaking their handheld consoles throughout their life-span’s but I just can’t see Nintendo releasing a revamped Wii with HD tacked on.
Talking to GamesIndustry, Harding-Rolls said…
“We expect the Wii to have a shorter lifecycle than the high definition consoles. We’re actually pitching it for an end of 2012 Japan release and the rest of world in 2013. Our forecast actually incorporates the idea that there will be an upgraded version of the Wii available. There is potentially significant movement to come from Wii pricing in the future. If you look at the handheld strategy they’ve got the DSi and the 3DS, so I think they’ve got room to have to this iterative version before a 2012 or 2013 release.”
I know that Nintendo are famous for constantly tweaking their handheld consoles throughout their life-span’s but I just can’t see Nintendo releasing a revamped Wii with HD tacked on.
Saturday 31 July 2010
Lovefilm Streaming Heading to Wii
European film fans will probably be familiar with Lovefilm, an online DVD and game rental service with some 1.4 million members across Europe. Primarily built on discs and web-based viewing, the service has now signed an agreement with Widevine to allow Wii owners a chance to watch movies online through their console.
Although no time frame is given for the service launch, a PR for Widevine said the feature for Wii was a "near-term roadmap", which we think means "it's coming soon but we don't know how soon." When we hear more, we'll let you know.
Although no time frame is given for the service launch, a PR for Widevine said the feature for Wii was a "near-term roadmap", which we think means "it's coming soon but we don't know how soon." When we hear more, we'll let you know.
Thursday 29 July 2010
James Bond Goldeneye Gameplay
Julian Widows introduces 5 minutes of the first mission of Goldeneye for the Nintendo Wii.
Tuesday 27 July 2010
FIFA 11 Wii To Feature Street Mode
EA Sports has unveiled a 5 v 5 street mode for the Nintendo Wii version of FIFA 11.
As well as the traditional 11 v 11 game which will feature over 500 teams from 30 officially licensed teams, a 5 on 5 street version of the beautiful game will be included.
Each player will be dressed in the street football attire and will posses their own playing styles for the street game. Like previous versions of the FIFA Street players will be able to use the walls to their advantage being able to play it against the wall as well using it as a set-up for a shot or pass.
A special arcade version will be included in the street mode allowing you to activate a power meter to “blast shots, ignite a speed burst or send shockwaves over your opponents.”
Locations range from Brazil to London as well as the backstreets of France, as well as for the first time on the Wii players will be able to play in the indoor stadium ala FIFA 98: Road to World Cup.
Different game modes such as first to score, tug of war or timed games will mean a variety of gameplay modes for everyone to try out. Players will also be able to use the walls to take shots as well as playing in small mini-nets to increase your accuracy on the pitch.
FIFA 11 will be available on Wii as well as Xbox 360, PS3 on 1 October.
As well as the traditional 11 v 11 game which will feature over 500 teams from 30 officially licensed teams, a 5 on 5 street version of the beautiful game will be included.
Each player will be dressed in the street football attire and will posses their own playing styles for the street game. Like previous versions of the FIFA Street players will be able to use the walls to their advantage being able to play it against the wall as well using it as a set-up for a shot or pass.
A special arcade version will be included in the street mode allowing you to activate a power meter to “blast shots, ignite a speed burst or send shockwaves over your opponents.”
Locations range from Brazil to London as well as the backstreets of France, as well as for the first time on the Wii players will be able to play in the indoor stadium ala FIFA 98: Road to World Cup.
Different game modes such as first to score, tug of war or timed games will mean a variety of gameplay modes for everyone to try out. Players will also be able to use the walls to take shots as well as playing in small mini-nets to increase your accuracy on the pitch.
FIFA 11 will be available on Wii as well as Xbox 360, PS3 on 1 October.
Sunday 25 July 2010
Heavy Fire Rains Down on WiiWare on Monday
The game is due to hit North American WiiWare on Monday, costing just 500 Points.
With a heavy high-score focus, you unlock different weapons as you move up the ranks, which should hopefully extend the game's replay value. Check out the trailer bellow.
With a heavy high-score focus, you unlock different weapons as you move up the ranks, which should hopefully extend the game's replay value. Check out the trailer bellow.
Wednesday 21 July 2010
Rumor: Capcom Preparing New Fighters
According to a rumor posted by GameInformer, sources have told the magazine Capcom is teaming up with Namco to produce two separate new fighting games, a Capcom vs. Namco game using the Street Fighter IV engine, and a Namco vs. Capcom fighter with the Tekken 6 engine.
The titles will look and play separately, according to the rumor. The Capcom developed game will be 2.5D and the Namco title having complete three-dimensional movement.
Namco Bandai produce Katsuhiro Harada and Capcom's Yoshinori Ono were both teasing fans about the possibility at the recent Evo fighting tournament in Las Vegas. A video trailer for the game(s) are said to debut at San Diego Comic-Com this Saturday, July 24.
The titles will look and play separately, according to the rumor. The Capcom developed game will be 2.5D and the Namco title having complete three-dimensional movement.
Namco Bandai produce Katsuhiro Harada and Capcom's Yoshinori Ono were both teasing fans about the possibility at the recent Evo fighting tournament in Las Vegas. A video trailer for the game(s) are said to debut at San Diego Comic-Com this Saturday, July 24.
Sunday 18 July 2010
Friday 16 July 2010
Nintendo Download: 16th July 2010 (Europe)
Flying and fighting on Wii; French, Darkness, solitaire and 3D tanks on DSiAnother Virtual Console holiday, but WiiWare gets Pearl Harbored and then engages in some funky fighting. Conspicuous by its absence is Furry Legends, previously believed to be released this Friday but Gamelion has confirmed to us there will be an announcement of its new release date in the near future.
WiiWare
Pearl Harbor Trilogy - 1941: Red Sun Rising (700pts - Legendo) – Take to the skies in this aerial dogfighting game, with real WWII aircraft engaging in some of the war's most famous battles.
Kung Fu Funk - Everybody is Kung Fu Fighting! (500pts - Stickmen Studios) – This one's been available in North America for a few months, and is now finally chop-sockying its way to European Wiis.
DSiWare
Soul of Darkness (500pts - Gameloft) – Taking more than just a leaf from the Castlevania book, this one cribs the whole thing, with a combination of platforming, castle exploration and upgradeable powers.
4 Travellers: Play French (800pts - Agenius Interactive) – Released in North America this past Monday, this is the latest linguistic release from Agenius following its Play Spanish product a few months ago.
5-in-1 Solitaire (200pts - Digital Leisure) – Had enough solitaire yet? Well anyway, here's Digital Leisure with a collection of five variations: Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, Golf and Gaps.
3D Space Tank (800pts - Q Games) – Otherwise known as X-Scape, this sequel to obscure 1992 GameBoy adventure X is a truly unique proposition on DSiWare.
Tuesday 13 July 2010
Metroid: Other M gameplay video shows combat
Yesterday's Metroid: Other M video showed off some of the stunning cut-scenes in the game but now we are getting stuck into the game proper with some explosive Samus shooting action.
The Prime games were all about first-person shooting but now we can see Samus running around corridors in her power suit and blasting enemies. As you can see you can move slowly using an over the shoulder viewpoint.
As well as shooting, she also shows off her wall-jumping skills. Take a look at the video and let us know what you think.
The Prime games were all about first-person shooting but now we can see Samus running around corridors in her power suit and blasting enemies. As you can see you can move slowly using an over the shoulder viewpoint.
As well as shooting, she also shows off her wall-jumping skills. Take a look at the video and let us know what you think.
Saturday 10 July 2010
Sakaguchi's Last Story a Wii RPG To Anticipate
After Monster Hunter Tri and Super Mario Galaxy 2, Wii owners were left with nothing more than the standard shovelware garbage that crowds up most of the system’s quarterly game releases. Well, a brand new IP is on the way called The Last Story from the makers of Final Fantasy and Lost Odyssey, and to say the least, it's a real game.
The Last Story isn’t just a real game for the Wii, it’s actually a huge evolutionary step in revolutionizing the RPG genre, much in the same way that The Last Remnant or Knights of the Old Republic revolutionized active-turn combat for console RPGs.
What’s more, though, is that Mistwalker Studio’s The Last Story doesn’t just have extremely original gameplay at its base but it’s a gorgeous looking title to be on the Wii. You might have to look twice to remind yourself that you’re not looking at an Xbox 360 game.
You can check out the official debut trailer below.
The Last Story isn’t just a real game for the Wii, it’s actually a huge evolutionary step in revolutionizing the RPG genre, much in the same way that The Last Remnant or Knights of the Old Republic revolutionized active-turn combat for console RPGs.
What’s more, though, is that Mistwalker Studio’s The Last Story doesn’t just have extremely original gameplay at its base but it’s a gorgeous looking title to be on the Wii. You might have to look twice to remind yourself that you’re not looking at an Xbox 360 game.
You can check out the official debut trailer below.
Wednesday 7 July 2010
Remaking The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DS
Along with the unveiling of Nintendo's new 3D-capable 3DS handheld today came a series of demos, some of games penned in for retail release and others that were more-or less tech demos. Among them was a clip of a spruced-up version of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time."More-or-less tech demos?" I hear you ask. Well according to Nintendo maestro Shigeru Miyamoto, Ocarina of Time and a 3D version of Star Fox 64 are both being "actively developed".
It's hard to ascertain exactly what "actively developed" means; it certainly is not confirmation of a remake, but the demo showed that it was indeed easily possible, and that Nintendo are sifting through their back catalogue with an open mind. Miyamoto himself stated that he would love to see Ocarina of Time's ground-breaking Hyrule Field area recreated in 3D himself, so there every possibility that it could happen.
Regularly heralded as one of, if not THE, greatest games of all time, a portable Ocarina of Time in 3D would have Nintendo fanboys and the general gaming community at large foaming at the mouth, myself included.
Monday 5 July 2010
GoldenEye Wii: classic tank level billed as 'epic'
Remember the tank level in the N64 version of GoldenEye? It has been recreated for Wii and Activision has told ONM that it will be "epic".
In an interview that appears in the July issue of ONM, Studio Development Manager Tim Coupe went into further detail on the game's vehicles.
"The tank level is epic to say the least," said Coupe. "There's helicopter combat throughout the levels and trucks with varying levels of destructibility."
This may cause you problems when you're fighting on foot in a multi-player game. "Our environments are also built for destruction," explains Coupe. "Your cover degrades as it gets shot, forcing the player to move around and not simply camp out in one spot."
The tank sequence isn't the only N64 level that's been re-imagined for Wii. As David G Wilson, Vice President of Global Business Strategy at Bond Marketing, told ONM "There are certain iconic sequences that we all felt should be in the game, so yes, there are some of those moments. Also, let's not forget that David Arnold handled all of the music for the game, which adds another level of authenticity."
In an interview that appears in the July issue of ONM, Studio Development Manager Tim Coupe went into further detail on the game's vehicles.
"The tank level is epic to say the least," said Coupe. "There's helicopter combat throughout the levels and trucks with varying levels of destructibility."
This may cause you problems when you're fighting on foot in a multi-player game. "Our environments are also built for destruction," explains Coupe. "Your cover degrades as it gets shot, forcing the player to move around and not simply camp out in one spot."
The tank sequence isn't the only N64 level that's been re-imagined for Wii. As David G Wilson, Vice President of Global Business Strategy at Bond Marketing, told ONM "There are certain iconic sequences that we all felt should be in the game, so yes, there are some of those moments. Also, let's not forget that David Arnold handled all of the music for the game, which adds another level of authenticity."
Thursday 1 July 2010
Wii Games of Winter 2010
Got time to kill during the chilly winter months? Nintendo and its third party publishers have got you covered so you can spend your freezing days indoors enjoying the warmth with some engaging videogame experiences. We've gone through the release schedule over the next three months and pulled out some key Wii titles you should be keeping your eye on.
Batman: The Brave & The Bold
There are few cultural icons as transcendent as Batman, a hero whose appeal rarely seems to diminish -- even though he's reinvented and re-envisioned about 17 times per year. His latest animated version, drawn from Cartoon Network's The Brave & The Bold series, is now inspiring this new 2D adventure for the Caped Crusader. And whether you play it on Wii or DS, you can expect excellence -- both editions are being developed by the talented team at WayForward.
Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest
After the E3 reveal of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, it seems like this lighthearted take on the Lord of the Rings trilogy might get a bit of a boost -- the styles of both games are pretty similar. The sort-of cel-shaded visuals, shield thrusting with the Nunchuk, Wii Remote archery. Fans of the would-be King of Gondor were probably already going to flock to this one, but now even those who'd only swear allegiance to Hyrule might want to give it another glance this September.
Madden NFL 11
Madden's big hook this year is Online Team Play. Now you can play with up to six players with a maximum of three on either side. The developers have revamped both the camera and the way players choose their position on the field, making this year's new mode already work far better than last year's attempt at co-op. Add in stat boosts that are awarded for good performance and you have the makings of some great multiplayer football.
Metroid: Other M
Samus Aran's latest expedition into the unknown reaches of outer space begins very soon here in the States, and it's guaranteed to be the Wii's biggest game of the summer season. Team Ninja's collaboration with Nintendo has given our favorite bounty hunter a new and quicker pace, with speed never before seen in any of her previous outings -- combine that with the in-depth storyline and the dynamic switching between 2D and 3D perspectives and you've got a game that 2010 will be remembered for.
TrackMania Wii
The franchise that revolutionized both the racing genre and the custom content creation culture in the video game industry is finally speeding onto Wii this winter. All of the TrackMania series' signature outlandish track designs will be here, with freakishly unrealistic loops, jumps, twists, turns and pitfalls that you'd never be able to see in real life. Hope you've already made progress on new custom course design ideas, too, because the competition there will certainly be heated.
Batman: The Brave & The Bold
There are few cultural icons as transcendent as Batman, a hero whose appeal rarely seems to diminish -- even though he's reinvented and re-envisioned about 17 times per year. His latest animated version, drawn from Cartoon Network's The Brave & The Bold series, is now inspiring this new 2D adventure for the Caped Crusader. And whether you play it on Wii or DS, you can expect excellence -- both editions are being developed by the talented team at WayForward.
Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest
After the E3 reveal of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, it seems like this lighthearted take on the Lord of the Rings trilogy might get a bit of a boost -- the styles of both games are pretty similar. The sort-of cel-shaded visuals, shield thrusting with the Nunchuk, Wii Remote archery. Fans of the would-be King of Gondor were probably already going to flock to this one, but now even those who'd only swear allegiance to Hyrule might want to give it another glance this September.
Madden NFL 11
Madden's big hook this year is Online Team Play. Now you can play with up to six players with a maximum of three on either side. The developers have revamped both the camera and the way players choose their position on the field, making this year's new mode already work far better than last year's attempt at co-op. Add in stat boosts that are awarded for good performance and you have the makings of some great multiplayer football.
Metroid: Other M
Samus Aran's latest expedition into the unknown reaches of outer space begins very soon here in the States, and it's guaranteed to be the Wii's biggest game of the summer season. Team Ninja's collaboration with Nintendo has given our favorite bounty hunter a new and quicker pace, with speed never before seen in any of her previous outings -- combine that with the in-depth storyline and the dynamic switching between 2D and 3D perspectives and you've got a game that 2010 will be remembered for.
TrackMania Wii
The franchise that revolutionized both the racing genre and the custom content creation culture in the video game industry is finally speeding onto Wii this winter. All of the TrackMania series' signature outlandish track designs will be here, with freakishly unrealistic loops, jumps, twists, turns and pitfalls that you'd never be able to see in real life. Hope you've already made progress on new custom course design ideas, too, because the competition there will certainly be heated.
Monday 28 June 2010
Nintendo Considering Online Play and DLC for Future Zeldas
Eiji Aonuma talks extra content and multiplayerZelda games are single-player epics: one elf questing to prevent the resurrection of a giant evil and destruction of the world. But if Eiji Aonuma can make it work, we may one day see a Zelda game with online functions.
Speaking to GameInformer, Mr Aonuma said he's constantly thinking about how people play together and how best to fit that into the Legend of Zelda world. He's not necessarily thinking of a straight multiplayer option either: stating he's interested in the idea of communication between players, Mr Aonuma gave the example of players playing separately, with the decisions made influencing each other's games.
When asked about potential download content for next year's Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Mr Aonuma replied "obviously, we have thought about DLC, and we are thinking about it." A Zelda game with post-release additional content would be a bold step for Nintendo, but would surely please many fans of the green-clad elf.
The days of Zelda games being offline solo pursuits may be numbered.
Friday 25 June 2010
Marvel vs Capcom 3 Could Come to Wii
Ryota Niitsuma, the producer of Marvel vs Capcom 3, has said that Capcom are not ruling out a Wii release. He also notes that a Capcom vs SNK 3 game has not been ruled out either.
When asked why there was no Wii version of the game, Niitsuma said “Well, with that, we felt now it’s time to do a Vs game on Xbox 360 and PS3. It was just a matter of deciding we wanted to work with those consoles. There’s no mindset, personally, within Capcom where we want to go out of our way to avoid Wii or do it only on Wii this time. It’s just the flow of development.”
When pressed, he added that “we can’t get into any specifics, but all I can is that the game we made right now, as it is, it’s for Xbox 360 and PS3. We want to see how it does and maybe see where we’ll take it from there.”
Sounds like he’s avoiding the point a little, and I think this is a good grounds to believe that the game will come to the Wii in some form. At least, we hope so.
Niitsuma has also said that Capcom are not against making a Capcom vs SNK 3 game, or even a Capcom vs Disney one following Disney’s purchase of Marvel. “We’ll see how this does and then we can start talking about doing other things. The potential is there,” he said, “but we just want to concentrate on this first.”
When asked why there was no Wii version of the game, Niitsuma said “Well, with that, we felt now it’s time to do a Vs game on Xbox 360 and PS3. It was just a matter of deciding we wanted to work with those consoles. There’s no mindset, personally, within Capcom where we want to go out of our way to avoid Wii or do it only on Wii this time. It’s just the flow of development.”
When pressed, he added that “we can’t get into any specifics, but all I can is that the game we made right now, as it is, it’s for Xbox 360 and PS3. We want to see how it does and maybe see where we’ll take it from there.”
Sounds like he’s avoiding the point a little, and I think this is a good grounds to believe that the game will come to the Wii in some form. At least, we hope so.
Niitsuma has also said that Capcom are not against making a Capcom vs SNK 3 game, or even a Capcom vs Disney one following Disney’s purchase of Marvel. “We’ll see how this does and then we can start talking about doing other things. The potential is there,” he said, “but we just want to concentrate on this first.”
Monday 21 June 2010
Strap On Your Headset for Conduit 2
Of all the many promised improvements for Conduit 2, the overhauled multiplayer mode is the one we're most keenly awaiting. With the addition of splitscreen local multiplayer the offline side should be covered, but the original title lacked in the online department, so the latest batch of information on Conduit 2's Internet play should be welcomed by many.Whilst the Wii Speak room microphone is still supported in the sequel, it will also make use of PDP's recently announced Headbanger Wii headset for increased vocal clarity whilst shooting strangers. You'll be able to shout at those newly-dead bodies too, as Conduit 2 will let you talk to anyone in-game whether they're on your friends list or not. Should you meet a worthy opponent you can add them to your Allies List, which allows you to battle against a regular group of players without the need for Friend Codes, though you can still add friends manually using their codes if you so desire.
The weapon and map voting has also been overhauled, promising a lot more variety than the previous title, though naturally that remains to be seen.
Saturday 19 June 2010
Wii Successor May Have 3D Support
E3 almost came and went without any news about a Wii successor. Thankfully Japan's Nihon Keizai Shumbun was on the prowl. The financial paper managed to get some hints about Nintendo's next system straight from the person who probably knows best, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata.
As part of a feature covering 3D games in its Thursday morning edition, the paper asked Iwata if Nintendo would be bringing 3D support to Wii. Iwata's response was, "If you display a 3D image, the image quality becomes extremely bad, so we'd probably do it with the next system. We're thinking that the timing should be once the 3D television adoption rate crosses the 30% mark."
That's probably a ways off given that 3D televisions are only now arriving to the market. But it does seem like a strong hint that a future Nintendo console could have 3D support.
Actually, this looks like a sure thing given Iwata's stance on 3D. Iwata expressed great support for 3D games, telling the paper, "In the future, 3D will become the mainstream of gaming."
As part of a feature covering 3D games in its Thursday morning edition, the paper asked Iwata if Nintendo would be bringing 3D support to Wii. Iwata's response was, "If you display a 3D image, the image quality becomes extremely bad, so we'd probably do it with the next system. We're thinking that the timing should be once the 3D television adoption rate crosses the 30% mark."
That's probably a ways off given that 3D televisions are only now arriving to the market. But it does seem like a strong hint that a future Nintendo console could have 3D support.
Actually, this looks like a sure thing given Iwata's stance on 3D. Iwata expressed great support for 3D games, telling the paper, "In the future, 3D will become the mainstream of gaming."
Wednesday 16 June 2010
E3: Golden Eye 007 Wii Multiplayer Gameplay
Multiplayer demo gameplay from the E3 gameshow floor of Golden Eye 007 Wii
Tuesday 15 June 2010
E3: The Legend of Zelda: The Skyward Sword
Reggie Fils-Aime kicked off Nintendo’s show with the main thing everyone wanted to see: Zelda on Wii. Arriving in 2011, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword looked absolutely gorgeous. The video began with a number of Link incarnations spanning the years before settling on the new Link. Falling between the super cartoony look of Wind Waker and the more realistic depiction found in Twilight Sword, new Link is accurately proportioned but remains bright and colorful.
The biggest revelation about Skyward Sword would have to be its use of Wii Motion-Plus. After taking stage with a clever video segment, Shigeru Miyamoto set forth demonstrating the new Zelda in action. Like Twilight Princess the Wiimote itself is used for sword play, but the main new difference is the Nunchuck’s new usage as your shield control. Miyamoto demoed Link’s ability to deflect enemy attacks and even send projectiles back where they came from. He then went on to show several items including a new whip and a beetle that Link can pilot to explore areas or retrieve objects with. There were a few technical issues when Miyamoto broke out the bow and arrow, but he assured the crowd when they got their hands on the demo they’d see it was a fluke. Overall the game looked very pretty and delivered on the trademark Zelda charm.
E3: Nintendo announces 3DS, games
Nintendo just unleashed the beast: 3DS!Satoru Iwata took to the stage, holding the new unit aloft dramatically. It has a 3.5 inch widescreen display, and will be full 3D without the need for the glasses, a point reiterated constantly.
The 3DS features a 3D depth slider, that can minimise or maximise the 3D experience the top screen offers (the bottom screen is still touch-sensitive). As expected, the unit boasts improved graphics, and also has a 'slide pad', essentially an analog stick.
As if that wasn't impressive enough, the 3DS has two cameras, allowing you to take photos and view them in 3D. This functionality extends beyond static images however, as Iwata was proud to announce that 3DS is capable of showing 3D ready Hollywood movies from Disney, Warner Brothers and Dreamworks, referencing the movies How to Train Your Dragon and Tangled, which he stated was the first time such content could be shown without glasses.
Iwata then mentioned the following list of games and franchises in development for the console:
-Project Sora, which encompasses Kid Icarus Uprising
-3D Nintendogs + Cats
-DJ Hero
-Kingdom hearts
-Saints Row
-Madden
-Resident Evil title
-Assassins creed
-Ridge Racer
-Metal Gear Solid
-Golden Sun
More news to come about the 3DS in the next few days.
Saturday 12 June 2010
Nintendo Wii HiFi? E3 2010
According to French site GameBlog.fr, Nintendo’s next console will be dubbed “Wii Hi-Fi” (not Wii HD) and is set for a reveal during the company’s E3 conference next week.
Claims from the French site say that the new machine will reach Xbox 360 levels of visuals make a very clear ping on our radars.
Here’s what GameBlog.fr are citing (translated into English) as the main differences between the Wii and whatever the follow-up will be:
•It should be on par with the 360
•It should not be called Wii 2 but Wii HiFi
•It will be very online-oriented this time
•Community aspects will be a big component
•It should be out around November 2011
Naturally, this is all hearsay and rumours just now, we’ve certainly not heard anything on this ourselves but if it’s true it’s basically what we’d expect Nintendo to do next, anyway.
Hopes are high for the big reveal of a new Zelda title from the Japanese company next week.
Claims from the French site say that the new machine will reach Xbox 360 levels of visuals make a very clear ping on our radars.
Here’s what GameBlog.fr are citing (translated into English) as the main differences between the Wii and whatever the follow-up will be:
•It should be on par with the 360
•It should not be called Wii 2 but Wii HiFi
•It will be very online-oriented this time
•Community aspects will be a big component
•It should be out around November 2011
Naturally, this is all hearsay and rumours just now, we’ve certainly not heard anything on this ourselves but if it’s true it’s basically what we’d expect Nintendo to do next, anyway.
Hopes are high for the big reveal of a new Zelda title from the Japanese company next week.
Friday 11 June 2010
Conduit 2 Supports Wii MotionPlus
We've been holding onto the knowledge for weeks now, but SEGA has finally, officially, revealed that the High Voltage Software-developed Conduit 2 will feature support for Wii MotionPlus.
The sequel to last year's Wii-exclusive first-person shooter will work without the controller attachment, but owners/users of the Wii MotionPlus peripheral will gain enhanced control effects including more responsive movement and direction tracking for when the pointer leaves the screen.
We've had an early look at the game more than a month ago, but it will be playable at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo in SEGA's booth next week.
The sequel to last year's Wii-exclusive first-person shooter will work without the controller attachment, but owners/users of the Wii MotionPlus peripheral will gain enhanced control effects including more responsive movement and direction tracking for when the pointer leaves the screen.
We've had an early look at the game more than a month ago, but it will be playable at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo in SEGA's booth next week.
Tuesday 8 June 2010
Nintendo 3DS more powerful than Wii?
IGN.com are reporting that Nintendo’s upcoming successor to their DS; the 3DS will be more powerful than the Wii.
Yep, according to the rumours, Nintendo’s new handheld will not only be more powerful than the other handhelds on the market but also more powerful (graphically at least) than the biggest selling console of this current generation; the Wii.
IGN claim to have info from several developers that the 3DS performance capabilities are closer to the Xbox 360 and PS3 than any other gaming device currently on the market.
So, what can we make of this rumour?
We’ll no doubt have more info to play with at E3 but for now I’m going to remain sceptical about the 3DS.
Yep, according to the rumours, Nintendo’s new handheld will not only be more powerful than the other handhelds on the market but also more powerful (graphically at least) than the biggest selling console of this current generation; the Wii.
IGN claim to have info from several developers that the 3DS performance capabilities are closer to the Xbox 360 and PS3 than any other gaming device currently on the market.
So, what can we make of this rumour?
We’ll no doubt have more info to play with at E3 but for now I’m going to remain sceptical about the 3DS.
Friday 4 June 2010
GoldenEye remake for Wii outed?
THE RUMOURED REMAKE of Golden Eye gets more leaks but the original UK developer Rare is out of the equation.The game that sold a zillion N64's, Nintendo's killer Halo game and the only decent Bond game ever made looks like it will be hitting the Wii. Anonymous sources at Gonintendo sent over an alleged Activision survey with mock ups of Daniel Craig's silhouette replacing the ageing Pierce Brosnan.
"Golden Eye for Nintendo 64 was the game that defined a genre. Now, after 13 years of gaming innovation, the legend is re-imagined," said the accompanying blurb. "Developed from the ground up for the Wii, Golden Eye takes advantage of the latest technology to deliver the same intense experience."
Even if this is fanboy plus Photoshop, something, somewhere is going on for Activision and Golden Eye. Activision registered the Goldeneyegame.com domain name a few months ago and put a request for CVs out last year looking for an animator on a Bond Franchise game.
Sadly the brilliant developer Rare confirmed it wouldn't be working on the title, so our hopes were dashed a little. But Rare never looked like a contender anyway. The Vole bought Rare in 2002 and has it lined up to produce a slew of Xbox Natal games.
Sunday 30 May 2010
Leaked Detail For Next Zelda Game
WiiNintendo.com have posted some exciting new details for Nintendo’s new Zelda game which is due to be released on the Nintendo Wii later this year.
Before we go any further, WiiNintendo.com received their scoop from an email and as of yet have been unable to confirm whether or not the email housed credible information.
Anyway, here we go…
■This time around, Link won’t use a bow and arrow, for the new adventure Link will have a crossbow.
■The game is almost finished with Nintendo just adding the finishing touches.
■A playable demo will be revealed at next month’s E3
■There will be a time travel element to the game.
■Link’s hometown will be bigger than it was in previous games.
■There will be more involving character interaction.
■Control of Link will be like nothing else seen on the Wii.
■The game will focus heavily on sword combat.
■And finally, there will be flight sections where you, um, fly…
So there you have them. The one thing I think all the above have in common is that they are all definitely plausible.
What do you think?
Before we go any further, WiiNintendo.com received their scoop from an email and as of yet have been unable to confirm whether or not the email housed credible information.
Anyway, here we go…
■This time around, Link won’t use a bow and arrow, for the new adventure Link will have a crossbow.
■The game is almost finished with Nintendo just adding the finishing touches.
■A playable demo will be revealed at next month’s E3
■There will be a time travel element to the game.
■Link’s hometown will be bigger than it was in previous games.
■There will be more involving character interaction.
■Control of Link will be like nothing else seen on the Wii.
■The game will focus heavily on sword combat.
■And finally, there will be flight sections where you, um, fly…
So there you have them. The one thing I think all the above have in common is that they are all definitely plausible.
What do you think?
Friday 28 May 2010
Confirmed Tom Clancy Hawx 2 Wii
Ubisoft confirmed Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2 is in development for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and PC. The game will ship later this fall."With over one million units sold worldwide, Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. has become a very successful brand for Ubisoft," stated Bogdan Bridinel, creative director at Ubisoft. "This new H.A.W.X. game is directly inspired by Tom Clancy's books, and it will enable fans to once again experience the excitement and intensity that established H.A.W.X. as a successful brand."
Not much about the game's storyline or gamplay was revealed. Ubisoft says the game will once again focus on aerial combat and appeal to a "wide array of gamers." Development is being handled by Ubisoft Bucharest in Romania.
Tuesday 25 May 2010
Rockstar working on Wii and DS games?
"Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars" experienced disappointing sales when it came to the Nintendo DS, but Rockstar North doesn't appear to have given up on the portable platform. In fact, job listings posted by the studio indicate that they still need physics-savvy developers to help out on Wii and DS. There's no way to know at this point if either of the two new recruits will be working on a GTA game, but with a prominent analyst predicting "Grand Theft Auto 5" at E3 in June, such scenarios are worth contemplating.
Rockstar North needs a physics programmer familiar with the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii, according to a listing on Gamasutra. There's also a junior physics programmer who can work on Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, mobile phone, PSP and DS assignments.
Rockstar Games has tested the Wii before with "Bully," "Manhunt 2" and "Rockstar Table Tennis." Seeing Rockstar North renewed interest in the system is notable, though. In an era when some developers are getting cold feet about developing Mature Wii titles, these postings go against the grain coming from Rockstar.
Then again, maybe there's a "Mario"-styled take on Niko Bellic in the works. Who knows?
What do you think Rockstar North is working on?
Rockstar North needs a physics programmer familiar with the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii, according to a listing on Gamasutra. There's also a junior physics programmer who can work on Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, mobile phone, PSP and DS assignments.
Rockstar Games has tested the Wii before with "Bully," "Manhunt 2" and "Rockstar Table Tennis." Seeing Rockstar North renewed interest in the system is notable, though. In an era when some developers are getting cold feet about developing Mature Wii titles, these postings go against the grain coming from Rockstar.
Then again, maybe there's a "Mario"-styled take on Niko Bellic in the works. Who knows?
What do you think Rockstar North is working on?
Sunday 23 May 2010
Super Mario Galaxy 2 Released Today
The long awaited and long overdue Super Mario Galaxy 2 (SMG2) for the Nintendo Wii will be released this Sunday in North America, followed by Japan on May 27th and Europe on June 11th :(Gameplay is similar to that of the first Super Mario Galaxy and game reviews released today have been extremely positive. Edge Magazine and IGN awarded the game a score of 10 out of 10 while the Official Nintendo Magazine gave SMG2 a score of 97%.
I will have to wait till June 11th but if you have the game what do you think of it?
Wednesday 19 May 2010
COD Black Ops World Premiere, Call of Duty 2010
The Call of Duty Black Ops World Premier video trailer has been released by the developer of the game Treyarch. The last COD did not go over well wth PC players because there was a lack of dedicated servers.
This will be released on November 9th of this year. BO will also be available on the Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 gaming systems as well.
Sales for this are expected to be through the roof. Most recently, the Modern Warfare 2 Map Packs have created a huge buzz with their resurgence and stimulus releases.
This gives fans of the game one more thing to look forward too!
Sunday 16 May 2010
Nintendo Planning Vitality Sensor Announcement on May 17?
With E3 just about a month away, it seems like the obvious venue for Nintendo to finally explain just what the hell their mysterious Wii Vitality Sensor will actually be used for. But could that explanation be coming much sooner than expected?
Nintendo has announced they're planning a press conference in New York in conjunction with the American Heart Association this Monday, May 17, where they will make "a special joint announcement." While the press release makes no mention of what this announcement will be, the natural speculation is it will revolve around the Vitality Sensor, considering the device is used to read a player's pulse -- something that could lead to the sort of games the American Heart Association might approve of.
Very little has been explained about the Vitality Sensor since its reveal at E3 2009, with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata saying at the time that games "have been used for stimulation, but maybe it won't be long until games are used for relaxation and even to fall asleep." Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has previously stated the Vitality Sensor and its first compatible games will be shown at E3 2010, but then, that doesn't necessarily mean they can't make any announcements about it leading into E3, either. And if Nintendo would rather have much of their E3 focus fall on the Nintendo 3DS, it would make sense to get the Vitality Sensor reveal out of the way a month in advance.
Still, this all just speculation for now. Luckily, we'll only have to wait until tomorrow to see what they actually have in store. Stay tuned.
Nintendo has announced they're planning a press conference in New York in conjunction with the American Heart Association this Monday, May 17, where they will make "a special joint announcement." While the press release makes no mention of what this announcement will be, the natural speculation is it will revolve around the Vitality Sensor, considering the device is used to read a player's pulse -- something that could lead to the sort of games the American Heart Association might approve of.
Very little has been explained about the Vitality Sensor since its reveal at E3 2009, with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata saying at the time that games "have been used for stimulation, but maybe it won't be long until games are used for relaxation and even to fall asleep." Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has previously stated the Vitality Sensor and its first compatible games will be shown at E3 2010, but then, that doesn't necessarily mean they can't make any announcements about it leading into E3, either. And if Nintendo would rather have much of their E3 focus fall on the Nintendo 3DS, it would make sense to get the Vitality Sensor reveal out of the way a month in advance.
Still, this all just speculation for now. Luckily, we'll only have to wait until tomorrow to see what they actually have in store. Stay tuned.
Thursday 13 May 2010
'Call of Duty: Black Ops' Infiltrating Wii This Fall
A first look at "Call of Duty: Black Ops" revealed a mission titled "WMD," which takes place during the Cold War in the Ural Mountains. New details indicate that Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC owners won't be the only ones able to tour Treyarch's history lesson, though. The Wii has been outed as a "Black Ops" platform too.
Nintendo's console will be among the systems getting the next Call of Duty title on November 9, according to USA Today. A Wii edition doesn't come as a huge surprise, given that Treyarch's last go at the franchise, "Call of Duty: World at War," shipped for the white box as well, but the focus on "Black Ops" since it was announced has been firmly placed on its other incarnations.
The news will definitely be good for the Wii, which hasn't had an overabundance of high-profile third-party titles in recent years. Treyarch's decision to maintain their CoD presence on the system won't cause any major shakeups. It should, however, be seen as a vote of confidence amid less enthusiastic moves by other companies.
Were you surprised to hear that "Black Ops" will be available on the Wii? Do you think Treyarch and Activision made the right call? Sound off in the comment section below.
Nintendo's console will be among the systems getting the next Call of Duty title on November 9, according to USA Today. A Wii edition doesn't come as a huge surprise, given that Treyarch's last go at the franchise, "Call of Duty: World at War," shipped for the white box as well, but the focus on "Black Ops" since it was announced has been firmly placed on its other incarnations.
The news will definitely be good for the Wii, which hasn't had an overabundance of high-profile third-party titles in recent years. Treyarch's decision to maintain their CoD presence on the system won't cause any major shakeups. It should, however, be seen as a vote of confidence amid less enthusiastic moves by other companies.
Were you surprised to hear that "Black Ops" will be available on the Wii? Do you think Treyarch and Activision made the right call? Sound off in the comment section below.
Monday 10 May 2010
Nintendo may charge for online
All Nintendo's online gaming services on Wii and DS are currently free to play but Miyamoto suggested that this could change.
He told Edge Online: "Probably the other thing that we are desperate to realise is the core [online] business structure. Do we need to demand customers pay monthly fees to enjoy online activities? Or give an online subscription that is free of charge, but then offer something extra for people that pay, so that they get some extra value? With these core business strategies I think we are less active than we should be."
It seems like Nintendo may just be brainstorming at the moment, so those late night Mario Kart sessions will remain free for now.
He told Edge Online: "Probably the other thing that we are desperate to realise is the core [online] business structure. Do we need to demand customers pay monthly fees to enjoy online activities? Or give an online subscription that is free of charge, but then offer something extra for people that pay, so that they get some extra value? With these core business strategies I think we are less active than we should be."
It seems like Nintendo may just be brainstorming at the moment, so those late night Mario Kart sessions will remain free for now.
Friday 7 May 2010
Ubisoft Confirm Just Dance 2
Ubisoft today announced plans to launch the 'Just Dance Talent Search,' a contest where winners from France, United Kingdom, and the United States will have their own choreography featured in the upcoming, and still unannounced, sequel.
Three winners – one in each country – will be flown to Ubisoft's Paris studio to meet the development team and to have their choreography added to the game. Contest details can be read on Ubisoft's facebook page.
Just Dance, released last November exclusively for the Wii, is nearing 3 million in worldwide sales, according to Ubisoft's announcement. More details of the sequel are expected to be announced at E3 next month.
Three winners – one in each country – will be flown to Ubisoft's Paris studio to meet the development team and to have their choreography added to the game. Contest details can be read on Ubisoft's facebook page.
Just Dance, released last November exclusively for the Wii, is nearing 3 million in worldwide sales, according to Ubisoft's announcement. More details of the sequel are expected to be announced at E3 next month.
Monday 3 May 2010
Call of Duty: Black Ops for Wii in Doubt
Those who have enjoyed the Call of Duty franchise's previous outings on Nintendo platforms will surely be disappointed to learn of retail outlet GameStop's omission of the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops' Wii incarnation on its pre-order listing.
Activision has yet to officially announce which systems will carry the title, so it's all speculation at this point. But based on this new development, however, it's looking more likely that Black Ops will either unfortunately see a delayed Wii release or possibly none at all.
Treyarch, the developers of this year's entry, have been Wii-friendly for past Call of Duty games, delivering versions of their previous entries Call of Duty 3 and World at War. The studio also ported Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare to Wii in November 2009, two years after the game was originally released on PC and HD consoles. The Wii lacks a version of Modern Warfare 2.
Activision has yet to officially announce which systems will carry the title, so it's all speculation at this point. But based on this new development, however, it's looking more likely that Black Ops will either unfortunately see a delayed Wii release or possibly none at all.
Treyarch, the developers of this year's entry, have been Wii-friendly for past Call of Duty games, delivering versions of their previous entries Call of Duty 3 and World at War. The studio also ported Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare to Wii in November 2009, two years after the game was originally released on PC and HD consoles. The Wii lacks a version of Modern Warfare 2.
Thursday 29 April 2010
'Monster Hunter Tri' Review - Monsters, Nunchuks, And Underwater Adventures, Oh My!
Capcom's ridiculously popular "Monster Hunter" franchise is back in action with "Monster Hunter Tri" for the Nintendo Wii, combining free online play with new hunting grounds, creatures, items, and equipment permutations. The new game also features undersea hunting grounds — a first for the series.But does the series' debut on the Wii live up to the hype?
The Basics
Like in previous versions of "Monster Hunter" (including last year's "Monster Hunter Freedom Unite," one of my favorite games of the year), you play the role of a Monster Hunter charged with protecting a village from the creatures that populate the surrounding forests, deserts, swamps, arctic tundras and, in the case of "Tri," underwater regions.
Objects you collect from the bodies of slain monsters or gather via fishing, catching in nets or other means can be used for a variety of purposes, including forging or upgrading your armor and weapons, combining to form rare items, improving the efficiency of the local farm or fishing fleet, and even creating furniture or other unique items for your character.
The Highs
More!
Just as with any good next-iteration of a franchise, "Monster Hunter Tri" basically takes the previous title and amps everything up a bit with new enemies, items, and skills, and wraps it all around one big addition to the series. In this case, the big selling point is the undersea hunting element — which is actually a lot of fun, and the best part? It doesn't require the extended learning curve typical to the "Monster Hunter" games. I was able to jump into the water and maneuver fairly easily, with much of the new terrain's requirements fairly intuitive translations from the normal controls.
Better!
One of my biggest complaints about the previous iteration of the franchise, "Monster Hunter Freedom Unite" for the PSP, was the awkward camera angles. Much of that issue seems to have been resolved with "Tri," and I rarely found myself running into walls or — worse yet — creatures every few seconds. The camera seems "smarter" this time around, and the game benefits immensely from this improvement.
Different!
The online multiplayer system in "Tri" also received a significant overhaul, and benefits greatly from the new, simplified structure for cooperative play. I'm not sure how much of this was due to user reaction or Nintendo-imposed restrictions, but the end result is a much simpler method for finding and participating in cooperative hunts. While "Monster Hunter" veterans might not be big fans of the new, scaled-down style of online play, it feels far more welcoming to new or less-hardcore players, which will likely benefit the series in the long run.
The Lows
Classic Is Best
There's a good reason why some versions of "Monster Hunter Tri" come bundled with the new Classic Controller Pro — the game's controls are nearly impossible to manage with just the Wii remote and nunchuk.
Waiting On A Screen
One of the recurring issues with the "Monster Hunter" franchise continues to be a problem with "Tri," in that you still spend quite a bit of time waiting for load screens between areas and various portions of the game environment. While the occasional load screen is necessary in games with such a massive number of options in any given area, it gets a bit cumbersome to have to wait through five or six load screens for every quest. with technology as it is today, this seems like a problem that could be remedied, and should be in future installments.
Buy A Book
I mentioned the notorious "Monster Hunter" learning curve earlier in this review, and it holds true in the Wii iteration as much as with any other version of the game. It takes a long (possibly a week or more) to really get comfortable with many of the skills necessary to manage your character's growth when you pickup your first "Monster Hunter" game. While I was able to jump into "Tri" with very little difficulty, that's only because of my existing comfort level with the basic skills and game fundamentals I learned in "Monster Hunter Freedom Unite" (and it took me a week to learn how to gather and combine items in that game). New players will likely have a rough time getting up to speed in "Tri," but no more so than any of the other "Monster Hunter" games.
The Verdict
"Monster Hunter Tri" is a great addition to the celebrated franchise, and while it still suffers from some of the problems of its predecessors, fans of the series will find a lot to like about the latest installment. The new additions to the game manage to provide a lot of extra fun without upping the already considerable learning curve, and the online multiplayer aspect has been simplified enough to make it nearly as much fun as the solo narrative. If you're a fan of the "Monster Hunter" franchise, you'll enjoy the heck out of "Tri," but be warned: the Classic Controller Pro is an absolute necessity for the game. Do not hunt monsters without it!
Sunday 25 April 2010
'Other M', 'Sin & Punishment' delayed
Nintendo has announced that Metroid: Other M and Sin & Punishment: Star Successor have been delayed.
Other M - the first original series Metroid title for the Wii - has had its release date pushed back from June 27 to August 31.
Science fiction shooter Sin & Punishment: Star Successor will now arrive in stores on June 27, having previously been slated for June 7.
Elsewhere, Nintendo has revealed release dates for a host of dowloadable releases. Photo Dojo and Earthworm Jim will be released as DSiWare on May 10, while Bit.Trip Runner will be released as WiiWare on May 17.
Gameloft's Hero Of Sparta gets a digital release for the DSi on May 30. Flametale and A Kappa's Trail arrive on the platform on June 7 and 14 respectively.
Other M - the first original series Metroid title for the Wii - has had its release date pushed back from June 27 to August 31.
Science fiction shooter Sin & Punishment: Star Successor will now arrive in stores on June 27, having previously been slated for June 7.
Elsewhere, Nintendo has revealed release dates for a host of dowloadable releases. Photo Dojo and Earthworm Jim will be released as DSiWare on May 10, while Bit.Trip Runner will be released as WiiWare on May 17.
Gameloft's Hero Of Sparta gets a digital release for the DSi on May 30. Flametale and A Kappa's Trail arrive on the platform on June 7 and 14 respectively.
Thursday 22 April 2010
James Bond: Bloodstone: Name of Driving Focused Game?
According to a Gamespot report, a retailer website slip-up may have outed "James Bond: Bloodstone" as the title for the long-awaited "racing and driving focused" 007 game from Bizarre Creations. HMV reportedly posted a listing for a game with that title (though it's nowhere to be found now) in the "driving and racing" category. It was also tagged for release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii.
With the next Bond film currently on hold, it's up to Activision to keep the spy in active duty. But just how much blood can you squeeze from a stone cold killer?
With the next Bond film currently on hold, it's up to Activision to keep the spy in active duty. But just how much blood can you squeeze from a stone cold killer?
Monday 19 April 2010
SEGA Unveils Conduit 2 For Wii
First revealed in Nintendo Power, Conduit 2 will be released this Fall exclusively for the Nintendo Wii. Along with a standard single-player and multiplayer online modes, Conduit 2 will also include online and offline cooperative play.
One of these new co-op modes, titled Team Invasion Mode, allows up to four players to play online together or offline on four-way split screen. The game allows up to 12players to battle online and includes Wii Speak compatibility.
"Conduit 2 is an enormous sequel. Not only does it greatly improve and expand on the original, the online and co-op play modes aim to raise the bar for Wii war games," said Sean Ratcliffe, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America.
"The support for the original has been amazing." said Eric Nofsinger, HVS Chief Creative Officer. "The fans have always been a major factor in our development process and their continued enthusiasm has helped make Conduit 2 even better."
"The Conduit was the first of many original IP's being developed by our studio." said Kerry J. Ganofsky, CEO and founder of High Voltage Software. "That's why it gives me great pleasure to announce a sequel with a thrilling and exciting online experience."
The first Conduit title sold modestly, shipping 150,000 units worldwide during its launch week. Ganofsky told IGN in February the game has gone on to sell over 350,000 copies since then.
High Voltage Software is also working on another title, The Grinder, a multiplatform game due out late next year. The Grinder was originally a Wii exclusive title before it was revealed it would also be coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.
One of these new co-op modes, titled Team Invasion Mode, allows up to four players to play online together or offline on four-way split screen. The game allows up to 12players to battle online and includes Wii Speak compatibility.
"Conduit 2 is an enormous sequel. Not only does it greatly improve and expand on the original, the online and co-op play modes aim to raise the bar for Wii war games," said Sean Ratcliffe, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America."The support for the original has been amazing." said Eric Nofsinger, HVS Chief Creative Officer. "The fans have always been a major factor in our development process and their continued enthusiasm has helped make Conduit 2 even better."
"The Conduit was the first of many original IP's being developed by our studio." said Kerry J. Ganofsky, CEO and founder of High Voltage Software. "That's why it gives me great pleasure to announce a sequel with a thrilling and exciting online experience."
The first Conduit title sold modestly, shipping 150,000 units worldwide during its launch week. Ganofsky told IGN in February the game has gone on to sell over 350,000 copies since then.
High Voltage Software is also working on another title, The Grinder, a multiplatform game due out late next year. The Grinder was originally a Wii exclusive title before it was revealed it would also be coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.
Friday 16 April 2010
Miyamoto Hints At Wii 2, Wii HD
The gaming public notoriously gets its hopes up when Miyamoto opens his mouth: it gives us permission to dream once more, like kids on Christmas Eve. Only a fool would think that Nintendo isn't working on their follow-up to the Wii, but a high-definition console? One utterance from the big guy and it becomes a possibility. Not to mention his answering a question about a beloved franchise with anything other than a laughing "we'll see." According to an interview with GamesTM:
Technology is always evolving and Nintendo, just like other companies, is going to integrate those technologies into our new products as they develop. Whether that be a Wii HD, Wii 2 or an entirely new console, I am not in a position to say at the moment. I think that in the next generation of hardware, the challenge is how unique and different a product Nintendo is able to make.
Additionally, Miyamoto said that he shares GamesTM's desire for a Wii Star Fox outing, which vibes with an earlier comment he made to Famitsu regarding controlling the Arwing with a Wii Remote.
All of this is quite cryptic but no small potatoes after months of nothing but Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M. It's not that these efforts are anything to sneeze at, but when Miyamoto adds a little extra fuel to the rumour mill, we can all feel the warmth.
Technology is always evolving and Nintendo, just like other companies, is going to integrate those technologies into our new products as they develop. Whether that be a Wii HD, Wii 2 or an entirely new console, I am not in a position to say at the moment. I think that in the next generation of hardware, the challenge is how unique and different a product Nintendo is able to make.
Additionally, Miyamoto said that he shares GamesTM's desire for a Wii Star Fox outing, which vibes with an earlier comment he made to Famitsu regarding controlling the Arwing with a Wii Remote.
All of this is quite cryptic but no small potatoes after months of nothing but Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M. It's not that these efforts are anything to sneeze at, but when Miyamoto adds a little extra fuel to the rumour mill, we can all feel the warmth.
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