Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto has been quoted by Nintendo Power recently, saying that not everything needs to be 3D in the games industry. The creator of Mario and Zelda, two franchises that have had success in both dimensions, says:

“I don’t think everything needs to be 3D, or that just because we’re seeing more 2D games now, that everything’s going to shift back to 2D. Instead, I think that what’s going on is that people are realizing the benefits of a 3D game, and at the same time, remembering what the benefits of 2D games were.

When going 2D, you need the courage to not be so attached to visual appearance of the games and to really pursue the gameplay experience.”

I find myself worrying about Miyamoto’s recent obsession with fitness and self-help using the Wii, but it’s quotes like this that restore my faith in him. Think about all of the times a game has been put onto the DS (or PSP, for that matter) in 3D, where it could have been in 2D and played a hundred times better. Some games work in 3D, like Mario Kart, but honestly the best experiences I’ve had on those platforms are all 2D. Get the gameplay down, and I’m sold on the game. If it happens to look great, that’s a plus.

Oh, and just a note to DS and PSP developers: 2D looks so much better than 3D on those platforms. Think about it: the late-era SNES games looked crisp and sharp compared to the early PS1 and N64 3D polygonal messes.

Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games, like Mario and Sonic and the Olympic Games before it, combines the plethora of sports associated with the events with the somewhat madcap world of Nintendo and SEGA mascots. This provides a welcome relief from the charmless sports games that are often released around these major sporting events; the vibrant and less-than-serious world of Mario and Sonic certainly adds something to the sports game formula, but does it work as a game in its own right?

I’d like to start by emphasising that Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games looks great. As a Wii game, it’s up there with Super Mario Galaxy, and as a DS game it competes with the likes of Mario Kart DS. I was impressed as well with the frame rate during the high-speed events like the Luge and the Bob-sleigh; it was never anything less than smooth, even with two players on screen at once. Of course, being a Mario and Sonic game, despite the abundance of white snow the game remains very colourful and enjoyable to look at.

The game has an abundance of events to play, which in video-game terms could probably be described more at ‘mini-games’. The game plays very similarly to Mario and Sonic and the Olympic Games- for those who have not played that, it feels similar to something like Wii Sports/ Resort, with many more games to choose from. Obviously they are all events themed around the Winter Olympics- Skiing, Snowboarding, Bob-sleigh, Curling, Ice-Skating, and Hockey all have their pace in the game, with Skiiing being the most common, with all the types you can imagine. Fans of the Winter Olympics will doubtless be satisfied with the amount of games available.

Alongside real-world events are crazy “Dream” events, which combine sports with, well, Mario Kart. Most of the Dream Events are races with power-ups (shells, stars, banana skins, and even Chaos Emeralds), and are actually a lot of fun. I found myself thinking that with a lot more track variety this could be the subject of its own game- then I realised that it was already out, and called Mario Kart Wii (or Mario Kart DS for those of us who prefer).

The games all have their own control scheme, and most suit the game well enough, but I couldn’t help but feel that most of the motion control elements just didn’t feel fun enough. For most games, you have to waggle to move and tilt to steer, which can get irritating for people who want to accelerate around corners and the like. The waggle controls started to become more and more irritating as I played more and more of the game, realising that very few of the games quite manage to feel intuitive. The ones that do tend to be closer to Wii Sports style games- for example, the Curling controls similarly to Wii Bowling, and as such is good fun to play.

On the DS, the controls mostly revolve around dragging the stylus to move, which meant that a lot of the time I couldn’t see for my hand. However, I was pleased to find that some events, such as the Snowboarding, use the buttons and not a tacked-on stylus control scheme. Thus, these games feel much more at home on the DS. Generally I think the DS game controls better than the Wii version, unless you have particularly big hands.

Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games is without a doubt best enjoyed in multiplayer. The large number of events and Mario and Sonic elements give it a Mario Party-like feel. There is a ‘party games’ section, but I found these games to be drawn out too much. You have to play events competitively, but then you are required to play another mini-game to cash in on your victories, which takes away some of the gratification of winning a good game of Curling. The multiplayer is certainly the best part about the Wii version when played on a event-by-event basis.

The DS version is more of a single-player experience, due to the nature of the platform. This isn’t necessarily to the game’s detriment; it’s still a jolly good sports game, and on the DS it’s one of the best games I’ve played in quite a while. That sounds like high praise, but unfortunately the DS has been a little stagnant this quarter. Still, I think he game is a very solid title.

Although I must admit I only had a brief encounter with Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games, I feel that Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games has a lot more to offer. The Wii and DS versions are very good-looking, have a lot of mini-games to play, and the Wii version is a blast with friends. My recommendation is that if you are expecting to be playing with buddies, get the Wii version. If you’re looking for a good set of single-player challenges, get the DS version. Although the games have control issues in some areas and a lot of useless features (I don’t really see the point in a Snowboard customisation shop), they are certainly at least worth a look if you’re interested.

The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York inducted the Nintendo Game Boy, created by the late Gunpei Yokoi, into the ranks of play time immortal. The “Toy Hall of Fame” is a distinguished and elite honor which includes other childhood favorites such as The Ball and Big Wheel (both inducted this year) as well as LEGOs, Rubik’s Cube, Transformers, Silly Putty, and Dan Landis’s favorite — the Easy-Bake Oven.

Since we are on the topic, I feel the need to issue an impromptu PSA. Don’t race down a paved hill on your Big Wheel and try to stop on a dime while wearing shorts. The skin on your legs will thank you for it.

Seriously though, “The Ball” only just made it in this year!?! That baffles me considering it makes things like football, baseball, basketball, volleyball, and even dodge ball possible. Oh well, congratulations to the Game Boy, Big Wheel, and that ball thing.

Thanks GoNintendo

Nintendo has officially announced a new handheld unit dubbed the DSi LL. The latest version of the popular DS device features a 4.2″ screen (over 90% larger than that of the original), two touch-screen pens (one larger than the other), and a new price tag of $222.

The unit will launch with three color options: “WineRed, “DarkBrown” and “NaturalWhite”. United States and Europe availability has been confirmed by Nintendo however no specific release date has been set.

The Nintendo DSi LL splash page on nintendo.co.jp (shown below) displays the unit in a more mature setting atop a wooden table near house plant. My thought is that Nintendo feels the changes made to the DS will allow it to be more marketable to an older demographic. I personally don’t own one yet but I am a sucker for shiney things so who knows.

What do you think? Is the new Nintendo DSi LL worth your money? Sound off in the reader comments section below.

Thanks to /gamer for the tip.

Nintendo have announced via the above children’s television show video that a brand new side-scrolling Excitebike game will be coming to WiiWare. As you can see, it’s pretty much an updated version of the original- it also includes a track editor and even WiFi play. I’m kind of surprised at my reaction to this, as I’m usually quite cynical about these things- I think it looks pretty cool.

I loved Excitebike when I was younger. I don’t know why; perhaps it was just that it had a good sense of speed and timing the jumps and angles could be quite entertaining. It doesn’t really capture my attention the way it did then any more, but this new one looks decent. Maybe it was just that the presenters reverted me to a younger state of mind with their patronising banter.

Via Gamezine.

Before you get all excited over Cooking Mama’s new M-rated murderous approach, I’ll have to tell you that the “Chop” in its title has nothing to do with killing, as it would suggest. However, if you’re willing to substitute limbs for vegetables, you can enjoy Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop just as much.

The third title in the Cooking Mama series has you cooking food with Mama, but also shopping for the food you’ll end up cooking. It doesn’t seem at all like the previous titles in the series to me, but that could be due to the fact that the game has a bunch of new recipes & methods of cooking, and a lot more mini-games than the previous games. Actually, if I can recall, the previous two had, uh, none.

Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop hits the DS this October for $30. Hit the jump for the full press release.

MAJESCO ENTERTAINMENT RELEASES THE FIRST TRAILER FOR ‘COOKING MAMA 3: SHOP & CHOP’

EDISON, N.J., September 10, 2009 – Get ready to shop and chop your way to the top! Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL) today released the first trailer from Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop for Nintendo DS™, the latest addition to the hit cooking video game franchise that has sold more than 4.5 million units to date.

Using the stylus as the ultimate cooking tool to chop, slice, stir, spread and sprinkle, players can cook 80 fresh new recipes – including pumpkin gnocchi, chili con carne and more. The all-new gameplay mode called “Let’s Shop” lets players swing by the store to buy ingredients necessary to prepare delicious digital dishes. Interactive culinary games have reached a whole new level of cuisine artistry!

Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop brings Mama back into the kitchen with eight gameplay modes, 80 new recipes and 200 mini-games that let you play with your food in fun new ways. Cooking Mama 3 also supports gameplay connectivity with Gardening Mama so players can use items grown in Mama’s garden within her kitchen in Chop and Shop.

Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop for Nintendo DS™ is expected to release this October for the SRP of $29.99. For additional information about Majesco’s line of products, please visit www.majescoentertainment.com.

Capcom’s Wii-exclusive brawler, Spyborgs, has received a new and earlier release date of September 22 for North America. The action-packed brawler will retail at $39.99, a whole 10 bucks cheaper than most new titles released on the Wii. To celebrate the early release date, Capcom has released a few new screenshots as well as the first Spyborgs webisode entitled “Island of Fate”, which you can check out after the break.

The first time I saw and got my hands on Wii Sports Resort was at last year’s E3. I had a chance to actually play the Frisbee mini-game and it immediately put a smile on my face. I thought it was a great idea for Nintendo to come out with a sequel to Wii Sports, but damn, I didn’t think it would take them a year to get it to us. Well, after a long wait and in the middle of a summer video game drought, Wii Sports Resort has finally arrived and it sure was worth the wait.

Wii Sports Resort takes place on Wuhu Island, a resort island where players and their Miis can play 12 different sports and activities. One of the best things about the game is that all 12 mini-games are available right out of the box. The 12 mini-games in Resort are Swordplay, Wakeboarding, Archery, Frisbee, Basketball, Power Cruising, Cycling, Golf, Bowling, Canoeing and Air Sports. Just like the original Wii Sports, not all the mini-games are a hit, but they’re all available from the start leaving it totally up to you to choose which games you want to play.

My favorite of the 12 mini-games have to be Table Tennis, Frisbee, Archery and Basketball (the 3-point contest is dope), which are all amazing and fun as hell, especially with friends. Some of the others like Power Cruising, Air Sports, Swordplay and Wakeboarding are fantastic, and the rest of the mini-games are definitely worth a few plays, but Cycling and Canoeing are my least favorite. As for Golf and Bowling, they are almost identical as the originals from Wii Sports, but with a few slight changes and new courses in Golf.

Some of the mini-games actually have different game types to choose from, adding more depth and replay value to an already baffling amount of gameplay. The Swordplay and Air Sports mini-games, for example, each have three different ways to play. So if you really think about it, there are actually more than 12 mini-games, sort of.

Wii Sports Resort comes bundled with the Wii MotionPlus device, which Nintendo introduced last year as well. The Wii MotionPlus accessory gives the Wiimote more precision then ever before. It easily attaches to the bottom of the Wiimote and is the only way you can play Resort. For example, the Table Tennis mini-game is amazingly accurate in reiterating my real-life actions as I hit the ball and performed lob shots.

Sadly, if you only have one Wii MotionPlus device and want to play with friends, you’re going to have to get more Wii MotionPlus devices, although some of the mini-games allow you to take turns sharing one Wiimote with MotionPlus. This is easily my biggest complaint about the game as it forces you to purchase more Wii MotionPlus devices, as if Nintendo isn’t already taking all of our money. And much like the original Wii Sports was almost like a tech demo for the Wii, Wii Sports Resort is much of the same thing with the Wii MotionPlus, but obviously better and with more mini-games.

I’m just going to go ahead and say it, if you own a Wii and like playing your Wii, you must get this game. Whether your a hardcore gamer or just a casual one who likes to pick up a Wiimote every once in a while, Wii Sports Resort is a great addition to your Wii library of titles. With 12 different mini-games to choose from, some better than others, you’re bound to find a few of them a blast and a great way to have fun with friends. And as a bonus you get a Wii MotionPlus bundled with the game all for $50 (the Wii MotionPlus is $20 alone). Go ahead and cop this game if you get the chance, you won’t regret it.

It’s been almost 3 years since the last Star Fox game was released for the DS, and while it was good, Nintendo’s left the series’ fans clamoring for more. Since we haven’t heard anything about a new Star Fox game, we’re led to assume that Nintendo’s not focusing on it for now, but I don’t plan to lose any sleep over that since the team behind a new fan-created Star Fox game, Shadows of Lylat, seem to be doing a better job of continuing the series than Nintendo undoubtedly would’ve done.

Based on the FreeSpace Open game engine, Shadows of Lylat is a high-definition game with a story that takes place between Star Fox 64 and Star Fox Adventures, but it’s not going to be a straight arcade shooter like Star Fox. The creators describe it as more of a simulation shooter, but the trailers give a much better sense of what kind of game it’s going to be. There’s no guaranteed release date for the game yet, but when it’s out, you’ll be able to get it for Windows, OS X, and Linux.

Hit the jump for the second Shadows of Lylat trailer, yo. [Shadows of Lylat]

Speaking about the Wii Remote recently, Miyamoto called it a “continuous evolution” and mentioned technological advancements and videogaming.

“It’s a continuous evolution. Not all the Wii software requires Motion Plus, so it is appropriate for us to position it as a peripheral. Also, it was not technically feasible for the technology to be realised with such a compact size. The fact we are now being able to sell Motion Plus at this price, at this size, is the result of technological advancements in the field of microelectro-mechanical systems, which took place after Wii launched.”

I know a few people that think the Wii MotionPlus is a total gimmick, but I love it. I love the idea that Nintendo is a taking a few core features and perfecting them as much as current technologies allow. The joker over at GoNintendo remarked that he’s ready for the Wii MotionPlusPlus in 2010, but while he was most likely being sarcastic, I am eagerly awaiting the Wii MotionPlusPlus.

According to the June NPD numbers, Sega’s hyped Wii-exclusive FPS, The Conduit, only sold a less than stellar 72,000 copies between its June 23 launch and the NPD cutoff date of July 4. Although it still hasn’t been out for a full month, these numbers still have to be a dissapointment to Sega who have seen their other adult-themed Wii-exclusives, MadWorld and House of the Dead: Overkill, sell very poorly.

So what is it about the Wii and so called hardcore games? I think the Wii needs these kinds of games, but is just seems as if the Wii owners don’t want them. I wonder how well The Conduit would have done if it were released for the 360 and PS3? Probably much better, but who knows.

Source: Edge

While Americans have been clamoring for Club Nintendo’s prizes to come to our fair country for a while now, only now has Nintendo followed through and given us some prizes for our years of Nintendo fanship. And boy was it worth the wait. If you have enough “Nintendo Coins” to be considered a gold membership (6 games registered, 300 coins), you’ll be able to download a snazzy Club Nintendo 2010 calendar. However, if you’re determined enough to be a Platinum member (12 games registered, 600 coins), then you’ll be elligible to choose between two prizes- an authentic repica Mario hat, which you can see after the jump, or a WiiWare download for Doc Louis’s Punch-Out!!

While I’d be plenty happy with the cool hat, the WiiWare version of Doc Louis’s Punch-Out!! seems way more interesting. A one-on-one WiiWare version of Punch-Out!! that only features Doc Louis sounds great, especially since you don’t have to own Punch-Out!! for the Wii to play it. I’ve always wanted to fight that guy. He keeps offering me some of his chocolate bar, but I never get to taste hte sweet chocolately goodness. Well now it’s just you & me in the ring, Doc. Winner takes all- provided I get enough Nintendo coins.

That chocolate bar is mine.

Another Monday, means another day full of downloads for Nintendo’s Wii and DSi. The Wii gets three different titles for the WiiWare, including new Japanese puzzle game NEVES PLUS!, and one old-school god game for the Virtual console. The DSiWare gets another Art Style game to add to the DSi Shop. Hit the jump for a brief description of the new games available today and how much they’ll cost you.

WiiWare

Drill Sergeant Mindstrong (1-4 players; 800 Wii Points)

Line up and get ready to use your mind. Drill Sergeant Mindstrong is a party game that allows up to four people to play at once. Players become boot-camp trainees under the tough Drill Sergeant Mindstrong, going through mind-boggling, mind-training games. The rules are simple, but concentration and quick thinking are key. Become the top boot of your class and earn promotions based on your efforts. This game is best played with friends and family.

NEVES Plus (1-4 players; 600 Wii Points)

Try your hand at the newest puzzle craze to come out of Japan, NEVES Plus! Enhanced for WiiWare, NEVES Plus not only retains all the simple, mind-bending tangram-based game play from the original Nintendo DS version, but also includes new multiplayer modes wrapped up in an Egyptian theme. This time, you and up to three others can work together to move, rotate and flip the seven Lucky stones into each of the 500-plus silhouette puzzles. You can also challenge one another in new multiplayer modes such as Versus, Speed, Lucky Number and Party Mode. Whether you play every mode by yourself or with friends, NEVES Plus is set to charm you with harder-than-they-look silhouette puzzles.

Family Mini Golf (1-8 players; 500 Wii Points)

Daddy, Mommy, Sarah and Billy are back for some mini-golf action. Play through multiple golf courses that contain obstacles ranging from bumpers to speed ramps to fans and more. Up to eight players can play together using a single Wii Remote controller. You can download new courses to expand your fun-filled mini-golf experience, creating even more complex and difficult challenges to overcome. Can you conquer all the courses and become the mini-golf champion?

Nintendo DSiWare

Art Style: BOXLIFE (1 player; 500 Nintendo DSi Points)

Climb the corporate ladder in the world of BOXLIFE using your wits and… paper? Use the Nintendo DSi stylus to cut and then manipulate the paper into a box shape. Be careful-if you’re not efficient with your cuts, you’ll waste paper and be penalized. R&D mode teaches you new patterns and challenges you to complete various ranks, while FACTORY mode gives you the chance to earn money by making as many boxes as possible from an endless sheet of paper. Success in each mode brings its own reward: Clear ranks to earn a promotion, change your character’s appearance, and use your earnings to acquire new items for your character’s miniature garden. With this game’s stylish graphics and catchy sounds, thinking inside the box isn’t such a bad thing.

Virtual Console

SimEarth: The Living Planet (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM; 1 player; 800 Wii Points)

An entire planet becomes your laboratory in this large-scale simulation game. Players help foster new life and promote its evolution into life forms of higher intelligence. Guide civilization along the path of evolution until it can achieve Exodus, the ultimate goal of settling on another planet. The basic challenge of the game is to maintain a comfortable environment for the life forms by adjusting atmospheric and geological parameters. Small organisms called Prokaryote and Trichordate will grow and evolve into a multitude of life forms. Making a drastic change is a recipe for disaster. The key to success is making small adjustments and watching how the life forms react. SimEarth also includes planets with environments different from Earth, such as Mars and Venus. Try your hand at terraforming these planets with harsh conditions and creating a world where life can thrive.

A big week for the WiiWare with three new games coming out today, along with two Mario-themed gizmos for the DSiWare and let’s not forget the Virtual Console with one new, well actually old, game coming out too. Hit the jump for the full list of downloadable content for your favorite NintendoWare and a full description of each title.

Nintendo DSiWare

Mario Calculator (Nintendo, Players: 1, 200 Nintendo DSi Points)

Mario and Luigi take a break from their normal adventures to dedicate their heroic talents to working with numbers. Mario Calculator features the full functionality of a traditional calculator, including a Memory key and the ability to display up to 13 digits, and adds a layer of atmosphere reminiscent of the original Super Mario Bros. Use the Unit Converter to turn one unit of measure into another (such as length, weight, volume, age and others), or track the history of calculations you’ve performed with ease. Listen to the Mario-related sounds and watch the coins fly as calculations are performed. Now, back to adding up those high scores…

Mario Clock (Nintendo, Players: 1, 200 Nintendo DSi Points)

Turn back time and enjoy a bit of classic game play based on the original Super Mario Bros. with Mario Clock. Help Mario and Luigi collect more coins than ever (POW block anyone?) while they run through a variety of stages. Gather enough coins and you’ll be treated to another scene bound to bring back fond memories for many. Mario Clock includes both analog and digital clocks that use the system’s internal clock or allow you to offset the time however you like. Program up to three alarms (with snooze functionality for those that need it) and assign them a Mario-related sound or use one created in the Nintendo DSi Sound application. You’ll find yourself thinking “Just a few more coins…” in no time!

WiiWare

Eduardo the Samurai Toaster (Semnat Studios, Players: 1-4, 800 Wii Points)

Fight your way through 13 diverse locations on your own or with up to three friends in this frenetic and stylish side-scrolling action game. Play as Eduardo and his fellow toaster buddies as you fire an assortment of pastries at all kinds of dastardly food products. Hop onto laser-mounted scooters and fly across the screen in rocket packs, and learn to cooperate with your teammates or simply annoy each other in an awesomely fun way by throwing each other around the screen. The choice is up to you.

Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! (TAITO, Players: 1-2, 800 Wii Points)

In Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure!, players control the rainbow-magic-wielding Bubby or Bobby as they climb the seven seamless areas of a tower reaching the heavens while defeating enemies with their rainbow powers. Bosses controlled by the scientific genius Dr. Crescent await players at the end of every area. Race through every area within the allotted time to meet the rainbow-colored Holly’s Comet. There are three game modes: Story mode, which tells the tale of Holly’s Comet; Challenge mode, where players attempt to climb as high as they can; and Time Attack, where players select an area and see how fast they can climb it. Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! is an exhilarating action game where you use rainbows to climb into the heavens.

Let’s CATCH (SEGA, Players: 1-4, 1,000 Wii Points)

Description: Play catch with friends in multiplayer party games and compete for high scores using your Mii character and others. Choose from six different single and multiplayer modes such as Speed Catch, which tests your ability to catch a fastball, and Bomb Catch, an elimination party game for up to four players. Select from a variety of characters or use your Mii character to play other favorite catch games. Unlock special features when you own both Let’s TAP and Let’s CATCH.

Virtual Console

Space Harrier (Original platform: Virtual Console Arcade, SEGA, Players: 1, 800 Wii Points)

“Welcome to the Fantasy Zone. Get ready!” This is the greeting given to you as you start Space Harrier, but you don’t have much time to take this advice. Even as the words are being spoken, your Harrier warrior is already charging into battle. Toting a huge laser gun under his arm, the Space Harrier can either run along the checkerboard ground or freely fly through the sky. Either way, he’s always heading forward into the hostile 3-D world. As you progress, hordes of strange creatures and robots fly toward you. Fast reflexes are required to dodge their incoming fire. Environmental hazards can be a problem, too. Take care not to run into any trees or stone structures. If you need a bit of a morale boost, just defeat a boss, and the narrator will remind you that “you’re doing great!”

One of the surprises out of Nintendo’s conference today was the announcement of a new Pokemon Dungeon game. Not so much that the game existed, since it’s already out in Japan, rather the fact that the game would be released in the US.

While I never actually played the last, er, 4 games in the series, the new one looks very interesting. I’ll probably check it out a little- if anything, just for Bidoof. God, he’s so adorable.

Quick post right here, because I’ve got a bunch more trailers to post, but I just have to say that of all of the DS games announced at Nintendo’s E3 conference, I’m most excited for Professor Layton & The Diabolical Box. As the sequel to Prof. Layton and the Curious Village, it has a lot to look up to, but I’m sure that if it sticks with the formula, it’ll be fantastic.

I spent a month playing the first game (due to a combination of my baffling stupidity and horrible attention span) and it was the best month ever. The game is intelligent, tricky, and fun, and I can’t wait until The Diabolical Box hits (and kills) stateside August 24.

NO PROFESSOR DON’T OPEN THE BOOOOOOX!

I’m a huge fan of the first two games in the M&L series, so you can imagine my excitement when Nintendo announced Mario & Luigi 3 in October last year. Unfortunately, the game was for Japan only, and my happiness quickly subsided- until today, when Nintendo announced Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story for the DS at their E3 conference.

The trailer’s really interesting too. It shows Luigi & Mario getting sucked into Bowser’s insides, and how they plan to get out- by kicking and punching everything in their way. The best news is that you can also play as Bowser himself! I can’t wait until this game comes out this fall.

Super Mario Galaxy was one of my favorite games of 2007. It actually gave me a lot of hope for the Wii, because I knew that if all third-party developers were as good at making games for the Wii as Nintendo was, the system would thrive for a while. And while that theory didn’t stand the test of time, I’m glad to say that Super Mario Galaxy is back- and it has a trailer! You can watch the trailer above. You know, if you want to. Or don’t, whatever.

Do it.

God, I love me some Metroid. Sure, I wasn’t a big fan of Metroid Prime 3, but I’ve always wished that Nintendo would add another Metroid game to the Wii lineup- and today they did with the announcement of Metroid: Other M.

The trailer for the game is above, and it looks great. Even though it’s clearly CG, I love the introduction, which gives a bit of a backstory to the game. But I don’t want to ruin it, so click above and enjoy the masterpiece that is Metroid: Other M.

We were pleasantly surprised this year at E3 when Nintendo announce New Super Mario Bros for the Wii, but now we have the trailer for the game as well. And it looks really good, too. The graphics aren’t exactly Uncanny Valley quality, but I mean, it’s the Wii. I’ll post the videos for Metroid: Other M and Super Mario Galaxy 2 in a couple of minutes as well. Get excited!

With all the buzz around E3 09 starting today, let’s not forget that it’s still Monday and that means new downloadable games for your Wii and DSi. The biggest title this week is easily Final Fantasy IV: The After Years for the WiiWare. Hit the jump for a brief description of the game and the full list of downloads for this week.

Nintendo DSiWare

Mighty Flip Champs!™
Publisher: WayForward Technologies
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Are you ready to become a Mighty Flip Champ? Take control of Alta and page-flip through a series of action-packed mazes. The touch screen reflects a preview of the next chamber and shows Alta’s projected destination within it. When it’s time to flip, use Alta’s Magical Warp Wand to replace her world with the next one. Will she land safely on solid ground or be crushed under it? By cycling endlessly through room after brain-busting room, you’ll match wits with some of the most devious traps in puzzle/platforming history.

WiiWare

FINAL FANTASY® IV: THE AFTER YEARS™
Publisher: SQUARE ENIX
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Alcohol Reference, Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points™
Description: FINAL FANTASY IV: THE AFTER YEARS is the sequel to the hit RPG FINAL FANTASY IV. The story takes place many years after the original and centers on a young man named Ceodore, son of the paladin Cecil and the white mage Rosa, who, along with their loyal and steadfast friends, once saved the world from evil born of the second moon. Now, monsters are reappearing in a world that had finally attained peace. The second moon has returned anew. What tidings does this ominous harbinger bring? Familiar faces and new allies join the battle to save the Blue Planet once more.

Texas Hold’em Tournament
Publisher: Digital Leisure, Inc.
Players: 1-6
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Simulated Gambling
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: The deck is shuffled and the blinds are in – it’s your move. Call, raise or even bluff your way “all in” with Texas Hold’em Tournament. You’ll start off in the small Nevada gaming halls and work your way up to the Las Vegas Championship. Multi-round, no-limit hold’em game play ensures hours of serious poker action. Think you’re the best poker player out there? Using broadband Internet access and Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection, start climbing the worldwide rankings by winning online tournaments, and see how your poker skills stack up by viewing the online leaderboard. Texas Hold’em Tournament also lets you play multiplayer poker with up to five friends, and with full Mii™ character support, you can truly bring yourself to the table.

Virtual Console

Boulder Dash®
Original platform: Commodore 64
Publisher: Commodore Gaming
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Originally released in 1984, Boulder Dash is one of the big computer-game classics. It is one of the very few computer games ever to be ported from home computers to arcades, not the other way around. The hero of the game is the brave prospector Rockford. He must dig through caves to collect diamonds while avoiding various types of dangerous creatures and obstacles such as falling rocks. He is in constant danger of being crushed or trapped by an avalanche or killed by an underground explosion. Strategy and planning are the keys to mastering Boulder Dash. Once enough jewels have been collected, the door to the mysterious escape tunnel is revealed and Rockford can explore another cave.

Source: Nintendo

E3 is back, and so are our glowing and always insightful predictions. These are from the heart people. Grab a Kleenex and hit the jump.

Beau Rosser

Nintendo will make me feel nostalgic, Sony will excite me, and Microsoft will show me games I don’t really want to play, but they’ll insist that I get in the movies… again. Oddly enough, there will be plenty of iPhone games that use the hardware for its strengths – and I will be excited.

That’s it.

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Sam Naylor

E3 predictions are getting easier and easier. Microsoft will disappoint fans, Sony will disappoint fans, and Nintendo will disappoint fans.

But seriously, Microsoft will disappoint by announcing nothing of real value, Sony will disappoint by announcing okay stuff in an awful way, and Nintendo will disappoint with, well, whatever they announce. For people who aren’t fans, each company will have some good things and some boring things to say.

–

Chad Lakkis

My prediction. The seats will be uncomfortable on the flight there and back. The conferences themselves will be full of people that look like me (unshaven and with a musky smell).

Nintendo will reveal a line up of porn inspired titles and finish their presentation off by shooting random attendees in the head.

Microsoft will blow the casual doors off the place by introducing a $99 easy bake oven adapter (chocolate frosting not included).

And last but not least, Sony will force people to adopt Home by taking all of E3 hostage and demanding the world’s population to register for the service in exchange for their safe return.

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Sean Mitchuson

Microsoft will have fancy pictures, Sony will have fancy ladies, and Nintendo will announce Fancy Boy for DSi. If you cant tell, I have no idea. Heh.

–

Demi Adejuyigbe

Microsoft will announce a sequel to Alan Wake. This sequel will be released before Alan Wake is. They’ll also announce Alpine Legend to be a real game, and it will become one of their Greatest Hits games only days after its release. The Zune HD will be presented to the convention-goers, because of its connectivity with Xbox Live. Unfortunately, that’s all it does- Microsoft forgot to implement music, photos, and videos into the device. When started up, all you see is a 10min. long loading video that takes up all of the HD space.

Nintendo will bring out Cammy Dunaway, and she’ll break her jaw within seconds from smiling too hard. They’ll announce a new Mario Kart game for the DS, and bring it out on the stage to demo, but they won’t hook it up to the screen, so everyone can only see what appears to be Cammy having a seizure. Reggie will come out and announce the Wii Micro. It has Wii Sports and Smash Bros. built in, and doesn’t have a CD drive, but that’s okay, because those are the only two games people play on the Wii.

Sony will show off an LBP sequel called BigLittlePlanet. In which you play the Earth, as it rotates. Soon after its release, gamers everywhere will develop carpal tunnel from the game’s “Infinite Rotate Mode.” They’ll show off MAG, and when they try to set up the game with 256 people, the game will lag out, When they try to set it up again, we hear someone screaming “GIANT PENUS” into their microphone. They’ll also announce the PSP go to the audience, but the leak will have progressed so far at this point, that everyone in the audience will already have one. The real announcement will come from the crowd, as someone announces instructions for hacking the PSP go.

Ubisoft will announce Imagine: Assassin’s Creedz for the DS, which targets young children and teaches them how to kill silently, Activision will announce Guitar Hero 6, 8Bit Hero, and Guitar Hero: Nickelback, all to be released on Christmas Day… 2009. Taito will announce Geriatric Ward Mama, where you play Cooking Mama’s Mama, as you deflect old pervs from hitting on you. Pandemic will announce Exploooooodo!, a game in which you drive a car down a straight track, and blow up stuff around you. THQ will announce MX vs. ATX 5. It sucks.

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Rangebar Merani

I’ll keep my predictions short and straight to the point. Nintendo will announce a new Mario and Zelda game, both for the Wii. Sony will officially announce the “slim” PS3 model that has been floating around the internet. And as for Microsoft, they will announce some sort of new Xbox Live experience, something even more casual and family friendly as they try and take more of Nintendo’s ideas. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the new Mario and Zelda game though!

–

Jonathan Zungre

I only have one prediction: You think Microsofts press conference is over after they show clips from Halo 3: ODST, until all the lights go off and a guitar wails in the darkness. Then the entire stage blows up, including the presenters, and Duke Nukem, the real Duke Nukem climbs on top of the rubble and says, “hail to the king baby.” Duke writes “Duke Nukem Forever, 360 exclusive, fall 2009″, in the far wall with 50 cal bullet holes. Then the entire convention center explodes.

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Patrick Steen

PSP Go (hehe – not a prediction)
PS3 price cut (PS3 slim at TGS)
Microsoft’s motion sensing camera with voice activation
New Zelda for Wii
Two new big game announcements for PS3
LBP, MGS on PSP
MGS on PS3
MGS on 360
Epic to announce new 360 exclusive
Crysis 2 for PS3, 360 and PC

–

More predictions from additional writers here will be added as the crystal ball reveals them.

Industry respected analysts, Macquarie Research, have predicted that Nintendo will announce WiiFit Plus along with a new Mario or Zelda game for the Wii at next week’s E3.

After last year’s less than exciting E3 announcements of Wii Music and Wii Sports Resort, we can tell that Nintendo might have learned their lesson, so I can’t disagree with Macquarie and that we should see either a new Mario or Zelda (hopefully both!) announced for the Wii.

Other predictions from the analyst include a new PSP with a “sliding screen” and “no UMD”, but instead with downloadable games only. They also go on to say they believe there will be no PS3 price cut, however, an announcement is expected for a new Playstation 3 Slim model, which could be the same one we got a sneak peak at earlier this month. As for the 360, the rumored motion sensing camera/controller is expected to be unveiled, which wouldn’t be much of a surprise.

E3 starts next Monday, June 1, so we’ll just have to wait ’til next week to see what predictions come true.

That’s right Wii gamers! The three Metroid Prime games that were originally released for the GameCube, are now getting the “Wii-treatment” complete with motion sensing controls.

This is great news for American Wii owners, seeing that Metroid Prime was released for the Wii in Japan back in March, while Metroid Prime 2 is coming out later this year. Instead of porting each separate title, Nintendo of America has decided to just pack the whole trilogy into one game and for the price of one game. Read: That’s three whole games (Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption) for the price of one! You can’t beat that!

And it get’s better, as the four-person multiplayer mode from Echoes is also returning with the Trilogy pack. But it’s only local four-player split-screen, no online mode. Can you imagine four players swinging their Wii remotes trying to shoot and bounce bombs at each other. Someone is bound to get hurt!

As this might sound like great news for those who had never played the Prime games before, but for those of you who have, y’all might be a little bummed out that Nintendo has yet to announce a Metroid Prime 4. But don’t count it out, as this Prime Trilogy might just be a precursor of what is yet to come.

Metroid Prime Trilogy is set to be released later this summer on August 24 for the Nintendo Wii.

Source: Kotaku

Pokémon Sunday, part of the TV section of the Pokémon monolith, has hinted that Nintendo are about to announce remakes of Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver. The show is going to announce something on next week’s episode, although at this point we don’t know what; but there is a theory that it will be for these two games. The show this week gave notice to two spherical decorations [see image], of the gold and silver variety.

Perhaps it’s nothing, but it’s interesting to speculate, especially when, like me, you’re of the opinion that Gold and Silver are the best in the series. Many think that remakes are pointless, but personally I welcome an update to these fantastic games.

Monday again folks, which means new downloadable goodies for you Nintendo lovers. The place to be is the DSiWare with two new games to download, one of which is the first third-party game for the DSiWare. For the Wii, both the WiiWare and Virtual Console each have one new title to download. Hit the jump for the full list and description of new titles to download today.

Nintendo DSiWare™

Mixed Messages (Activision, 2-21 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Nintendo DSi Points): Mixed Messages is the hilarious party game of mixed-up miscommunication. Sketch a picture to capture your friends’ sentence, or try to figure out what in the world they’ve drawn. You might start with, “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” and end up with “A crazy surfer outruns flying sticks of dynamite while his fans cheer!” Two to 21 players take turns writing sentences and drawing pictures to pass along a message. This isn’t a game about winning and losing – it’s all about the funny miscommunications that happen along the way. You’ll laugh when you see just how wacky things can get. Get together with your friends and mix it up.

Master of Illusion™ Express: Shuffle Games (Nintendo, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 200 Nintendo DSi Points): Master of Illusion Express titles are mind-boggling magic tricks pulled from the popular Nintendo DS™ game. Learn the illusions, practice up and amaze your friends. Master of Illusion Express: Shuffle Games will boggle your audience members’ minds as they try to figure out how you know exactly what they’re thinking. Also included is the bonus Vanishing Card trick, which the Nintendo DSi system performs for your enjoyment.

WiiWare

Party Fun Pirate™ (TOMY Corporation, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Comic Mischief, 500 Wii Points): Based on the popular Pop-Up Pirate toy, players take turns thrusting swords into a barrel that holds your captain captive, trying to see who can insert the most swords into the barrel. Thrust a sword into the wrong hole and you’ll send your captain flying, which means it’s game over for you! Unique Wii features add to the excitement, making for a fun-filled party game. Try swapping out the captain and putting your custom Mii character in the barrel for some real laughs!

Virtual Console

Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure™ (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated T for Teen – Animated Violence, 800 Wii Points): Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure is a side-scrolling action game in which you play adventurer Pitfall Harry Jr. in search of his father, Pitfall Harry. Pitfall Harry has been taken captive by the dreaded warrior spirit Zakelua: Lord of Evil. Armed with only a trusty sling and his father’s journal, young Harry Jr. must now venture into the unknown to rescue him … before it’s too late! Bungee jump and boomerang your way to safety as you battle through treacherous Mayan jungles, waterfalls and deserted mines. With 13 levels of fast, gripping action, you will need to be attentive and quick – or prepare to die …

Source: Nintendo

And in the first corner, weighing in at $34.99 with a release date of May 18th, 2009 … Amazon’s Exclusive Heavyweight Contender Kit, complete with the following:

• King Hippo Crown Mini Replica
• King Hippo Desktop Punching Bag
• King Hippo Boxer Shorts (Size: Large)
• Doc Louis Remedy Chocolate Bar

Directly across the ring, weighing in at $89.99, also with a release date of May 18th, 2009 … The Amazon Exclusive Little Mac Boxing Glove!

• Full size replica of Little Mac’s green boxing glove
• 15” x 11” wood frame
• Engraved plate with the Punch-Out!! logo
• Limited Edition

The best part about both of these packages is that neither actually include the freaking game (also available on May 18th, 2009). My advice is, buy the game on it’s own, grab a bar of chocolate at the checkout and punch the cashier in the face. You will feel a lot better and your wallet will thank you even if Amazon.com doesn’t.

The very popular lawyer series for Nintendo DS, Phoenix Wright, will release a special design DSi to go along with the new software. 

Hitting the streets on May 28th for around 240 US dollars, you can get the white DSi with Taihokun logo.  Nintendo and the companies releasing games with these special edition DSi’s really need to get on the ball and release these in places other than Japan.

Source:  Famitsu

Nintendo have thrown us PAL customers a bone today, releasing The Ledgend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask on the Virtual Console Wii service. with a price of 1000 Wii Points, about €10. It’s a good price for what is widely considered as the hidden gem of the Zelda series. It’s one of the few Zelda games that doesn’t follow the “Princess is taken away, Link saves the Princess” storyline; instead, a dark tale involving the most terrifying character of all time, Tingle. Remember, you’ll need a GameCube or Classic Controller to play this, as it’s an N64 game.

Shacknews reports that Nintendo have published a list of the games that the DSi store will feature at the console’s launch on April 3rd and 5th in Europe and America respectively. You can buy them with DSi points, 1000 of which you will get for free if you buy a DSi within six months of launch. The list includes WarioWare: Snapped!, Brain Age Express, and Master of Illusion Express (which sounds like a badly translated Japanese sitcom about a magician living with a train driver). Hit the jump for the full list.

WarioWare: Snapped! – Using the built-in Nintendo DSi camera, this outrageous title puts players right at the center of fast-paced mini-games, challenging them to race the clock and get a peek at Wario’s photo album.

Bird & Beans – Using an elastic tongue, players must scramble to collect falling beans. The harder a bean is to catch, the more points it’s worth.

Brain Age Express: Math – In this math-focused edition of the popular Brain Age series, players can enjoy a mix of new and familiar training exercises. A new Themes mode also lets Nintendo DSi users experiment with images and voice recordings in fun, unusual ways.

Master of Illusion Express: Funny Face – This game uses your Nintendo DSi as a prop in a card trick. Draw a face on the touch screen and astound your audience as the face tells them which playing card they picked.

Art Style: AQUIA – The newest addition to the eye-popping Art Style series, this mesmerizing underwater puzzle game challenges players to help a scuba diver reach the ocean floor by matching a series of colored blocks.

Honestly, the only one I’d be interested in is WarioWare: Snapped. I’m a fan of the series, but I’m not shelling out for a DSi just for that. What about you, dear commenters? Are you prepared to shell out around $180 for a barely-changed DS for these games? Let us know!